X-Force: Beyond Omega

"Hey!" I said, giving a small wave.

"Hello," Gwen narrowed her eyes. Although I changed my appearance, I kept my voice the same. Then she quickly recognized my voice. "Wait! You are...?"

"That's me. Our date's gonna have to wait till things get back to normal," I said with a little smile. As much as I'd like to peek into her head, I decided not to. I could just tell from her reaction that she wasn't expecting me to know her because back then she was in her Ghost Spider suit and now she is in her civilian clothing.

"I... You... We..." She stuttered. Her face was turning red.

"Heh~! You look cute when you're flustered. So, you are helping out here, huh? That's good to see," I said, looking around the campsite. "It seems I've come at the right time."

She cleared her throat, trying to regain her composure. "Um, yeah. I've been helping out as much as I can."

"Oh, Gwen are you dating this young man?" May asked, looking between us with a mischievous smile.

"No! I mean, we've met before but we haven't been on a date yet," Gwen said, shaking her head quickly.

"What a shame. You should give him a chance. He seems nice."

"Thanks, May," I said with a slight chuckle. "Well, I'm glad you're here, Gwen. Tell you what, how about I lend you a hand? I can't possibly let them sleep out in this cold again. What do you say?"

"Yeah, okay," Gwen replied after a moment of hesitation. She looked kinda distant now. I mean, it's not like we are that close, but still, I could feel it in her voice. I guess all that God rants and cults about me must be confusing the shit out of her.

"Great. Let's get started."

"So, what are you going to do?" She asked. "You rich or something? If so, some blankets and food would be very helpful. The kids were hungry and tired, and all I could get was some snacks and juice. It won't be enough for everyone here."

May interrupted her. "Now, now, Gwen. That's not how you should talk to someone who just offered to help us."

"Sorry," she apologized, lowering her head in embarrassment. "It's just that..."

"It's alright. Don't worry about it," I said, giving a small wave of dismissal. "I'm filthy right and powerful. Let me show you something fun."

I cracked my knuckles as Gwen, May, and the kids stared at me, puzzled. "Alright, everyone, stand back. Things are about to get a little... shiny."

Gwen folded her arms skeptically, her eyebrow raised. "Shiny?" she repeated.

I grinned at her but turned my attention to the crumbling shell of the orphanage. I took a deep breath, reaching out to the cosmic power. I can't avoid using this power anymore. So, let's go all out. No more holding back. The Phoenix Force flared in response, a warm, vibrant presence ready to manifest at my command.

"Here we go," I muttered under my breath, raising my hands.

A golden glow erupted from me, bright and warm as sunlight on a summer's day. Gasps echoed from behind as the kids clung to May, who instinctively stepped back. Gwen's skeptical expression faltered, her eyes wide as the air around us shimmered.

The broken building groaned as tendrils of radiant energy snaked toward it, wrapping around the shattered windows and cracked walls like golden vines. I can manipulate matter to repair or rebuild objects and structures, whether organic or inorganic.

Bricks began to mend themselves, fitting together like pieces of an intricate puzzle. The shattered windows reformed, the glass smoothing out and gleaming as if freshly installed. The collapsed sections of the roof lifted, beams were realigned, and tiles fell into place.

"Holy shit," Gwen muttered, her voice barely audible over the hum of energy in the air.

I couldn't help but smirk at her reaction.

The orphanage wasn't just being repaired; it was being transformed. The peeling paint was replaced with a vibrant coat of warm yellow, accented with white trim. The sagging front steps straightened, now polished and sturdy. Everything that was destroyed inside, I made sure to fix them. I added a little extra flare—a garden in front with colorful flowers that seemed to bloom instantly under the Phoenix's touch.

The kids watched in awe, their fear melting into excitement. A few of them clapped, and one even tugged on May's coat, pointing excitedly at the newly restored building.

As the last golden thread of energy dissipated, I lowered my hands and exhaled, feeling a pleasant hum of satisfaction. The orphanage now stood tall and proud, looking even better than it probably had in its prime.

May's mouth opened and closed as she struggled to find words. Finally, she managed, "How... how did you—?"

"I'm just a guy with a knack for fixing things," I said, stretching my arms. I thought it would be exhausting, but nope. I'm all right. It would seem the more I use this power, the better it gets.

Gwen stepped forward, her face a mix of astonishment and suspicion. "You—this—you just... rebuilt an entire building," she said, gesturing wildly.

"Yup. Told you I was powerful," I said casually. "And filthy rich," I added with a chuckle.

The golden retriever, who had been sitting obediently nearby, barked and wagged his tail, clearly approving of my work.

May finally found her voice. "This is incredible," she said, tears glistening in her eyes. "I—I don't know how to thank you."

"Don't worry about it," I replied, waving her off. "Just take care of the kids. Make sure they're warm and fed. That's thanks enough for me."

Gwen stepped closer, her voice low. "Teleportation, ice, telekinesis, then you bring those people back to life, heck you can even change your face. And now this... You're... not normal, are you?"

I grinned. "Define 'normal.'"

She shook her head, clearly at a loss. "You're something else, that's for sure."

"Glad you noticed." I turned to the kids, who were now gathering around, their excitement palpable. "Alright, everyone! You've got a brand-new home. Go in and take some rest, I will get some blankets and food in a jiffy, okay?"

...

May took the kids inside the newly repaired orphanage, as Gwen and I stayed outside.

"So, how are you enjoying your new life?" Gwen teased. "Aron- The God. And lucky for you, you even got readymade children... Children of Aron. Sounds good, huh? Aronites."

"Ah! C'mon. I locked myself in my room for a week, thanks to them. Sigh! Those annoying cultists are everywhere. I just wanted to help and used my power, nothing more, nothing less. But look at the mess now!"

"You brought those people back to life. So, how do you exactly expect others to react to that? You hold the power of life and death in your hands, man. To some you are God and to some, you are the Devil himself. Heck, even I was kinda shocked when I saw those broken and mutilated bodies healing themselves. and coming back to life. You can't possibly blame them for going overboard. They just wanted to worship you or get rid of you," Gwen explained.

"They're welcome to try," I muttered, rolling my eyes. "I've had a few run-ins with the local cult already, and it's not fun. I should have worn a mask like you back then. Anyway, let's forget about them and focus on the present, shall we?"

"Speaking of that. How did you know my identity?" She asked.

"I can also read minds. Back on the roof, I couldn't help but take a peek, sorry about that. I shouldn't have read your mind without your permission. But other than your face and identity, I didn't see anything else. I promise," I replied, my voice soft. I couldn't possibly say that I am from another world where this entire world is comic book pages.

"It's fine... I guess. I mean, it's not like you're doing it on purpose, right?" She said before shifting her attention toward the dog. She bent down and patted its head. The dog gave out a happy bark.

"Yup! I didn't do it on purpose," I said, looking at the dog. "So, is the supermarket still open? I saw them setting up things in their giant trucks."

"Yeah, they're still open."

"Wanna come with me? I might need a hand carrying food and blankets," I said.

"Sure," she replied.

And so, Gwen and I made our way to the supermarket while chatting along the way.

....

[Nidavellir]

The forge was a flurry of activity. Sparks flew as hammers struck enchanted metal, the clang reverberating through the immense halls of the star-powered forge. The dwarves, their faces grim and strained, worked tirelessly under the watchful eyes of the Black Order. Ebony Maw hovered nearby, his expression one of smug satisfaction, while Corvus Glaive paced impatiently, his sharp glaive glinting ominously in the dim light.

The gauntlet was nearing completion, its surface gleaming with an otherworldly sheen that reflected the immense power it was destined to contain. Every rune, every groove was meticulously etched, a masterpiece crafted under duress. Eitri, the dwarf king, stood at the anvil, his massive hands trembling as he shaped the final pieces.

"You are fortunate, dwarf," Ebony Maw drawled, his voice as silken as a predator's hiss. "To be chosen for such a monumental task. Your work will go down in history, remembered for eons as the instrument of balance."

Eitri's jaw tightened, but he said nothing, his focus remaining on his work. He knew better than to defy the Black Order—not when the stakes were so high.

Suddenly, a shadow loomed across the forge as the air grew heavy with the presence of the Mad Titan himself. Thanos stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over the work in progress. His imposing figure seemed to darken the very light of the forge, his expression unreadable but commanding absolute silence.

"Progress?" he asked, his voice deep and resonant, sending a shiver through everyone present.

Ebony Maw bowed low, gesturing to the half-finished gauntlet. "Sixty percent complete, my lord. The dwarf king is ensuring perfection."

Thanos approached the gauntlet, his massive hand reaching out to trace the runes. He nodded slightly, his approval evident in the subtle upward curve of his lips. "Good. But perfection cannot afford delays. See that it is done without error... or excuse."

"Of course, my lord," Maw replied, stepping back with a deferential bow.

As Thanos turned, a subtle flicker in the corner of his vision drew his attention. A holographic display appeared before him, projecting a faint red signal that pulsed irregularly. It was from Nebula—her cybernetic systems were sending fragmented data before abruptly cutting off.

Thanos narrowed his eyes, his fingers flexing in irritation. "What is this?" he growled.

Corvus Glaive stepped forward, studying the display. "The signal originates from Earth, my lord. The last transmission contains fragmented data... information on Earth's defenders and their organization, S.H.I.E.L.D."

Thanos' gaze darkened further as he processed the information. Nebula's disconnection meant one thing: she had failed, likely captured or worse. It was an inconvenience, but not an insurmountable one.

"Sire," Ebony Maw ventured cautiously after reading through the data. "According to Gamora, the probability of the Stones being on Asgard is much higher since they hold the star charts. But Nebula's information shows that Earth has two of the Infinity Stones, the Time and Space Stones and our information about Thor being on Earth is wrong. I fear our source of information may be compromised. We must reconsider our strategy."

Thanos' expression didn't change.

"Investigate our information network first," he ordered calmly. "Then I'll decide."

**[POWERSTONES & Reviews]***

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[17 advance chapters] [No double billing] 

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