Winds pounded Loki, sending him spinning in the sky while lightning surged across him, shocking every inch of him. Causing Loki to groan in pain.
With a primal scream, Loki's body is engulfed in a magical aura, shielding himself from Thor's attacks.
The God of Mischief aimed his spear at Thor and fired a pure beam of magic, striking Thor in the chest.
Thor hissed as the magic energy pushed him back. But the Prince of Asgard halted himself midair and pushed back against the beam. Biting through the pain, Thor channelled his godly power and pushed against Loki's power. Using his bare hands to hold the energy back.
Loki furrowed his brow as his rage bubbled over. His eyes glowed blue as he prepared to unleash his full might against the Thunderer.
Suddenly, he heard a familiar chant reach his ears as Atomix charged up another energy blast.
The Alien Avenger launched the energy ball at Loki, striking him with a powerful explosion, sending him flying into the air.
Before Loki could retaliate, Iron Man appeared above him, having positioned himself there earlier, and fired a powerful uni-beam. Blasting Loki into the streets below.
Impacted with the force of a meteor, Loki quickly recovered, growing more annoyed by the hero's actions when Hulk suddenly tackled him from the side.
The pair tumbled across the ground with Hulk swinging Loki back into the ground with enough force to bounce the Asgardian God like a basketball.
Hulk followed up his godly dribble with a thunderclap straight into Loki's face.
A full-powered gamma clap that sent shockwaves across Yggdrasil itself, sent Loki flying and tumbling across the ground. Blowing through buildings, carving trenches into the ground with each impact.
Without giving him a chance to recover, Atomix swiftly caught up to the Trickster God and delivered a nuclear-charged uppercut to Loki's body.
Dust and debris erupted from the force of the impact as Loki was launched into the sky like a rocket.
The Prince of Lies was dizzy from the onslaught. His vision was blurry, his head spinning, and he could hardly keep up with events as they transpired.
He felt a cool breeze on his face as he glided into the air, and he flew closer to a bright light.
Initially, he thought it was the sun. But as he got closer, Loki realised the truth.
That was no sun. It was the God of Thunder, Thor. Charging up for his final attack.
Thor gritted his teeth as he concentrated. His allies did their part to buy him time to prepare.
Holding Mjolnir with the hammer's face pointed at Loki and the handle vertical towards the ground. Thor focused all his power into the hammer. Winds howled and thunder boomed as he focused every ounce of power he could into the Mighty Mallet.
Mjolnir began to glow a brilliant golden light as Thor continued to focus.
Finally, Thor opened his eyes and, with a mighty battle cry, fired a beam of golden energy from his hammer at Loki.
The beam struck the God of Mischief, causing him to scream in agonising pain as he was blasted into the city. The beam sliced through the realm eternal before exiting the other side of Asgard.
Thor eventually stopped the beam as his arms flopped to his side. His breathing was heavy as he could barely keep himself aloft.
Atomix was amazed by the power he felt from Thor. The Sheer magnitude of the power he unleashed. It was a spectacular display of power. To describe that brilliant golden light would be nothing short of divine.
The Alien Hero flew up and steadied the Thunder God.
"Easy now, My Prince. That was quite the display you just showed us." Atomix complimented.
Thor chuckled. "I thank thee, friend Ben. To use my power in such a way. It is taxing."
"Such a powerful attack deserves a name befitting such power." The Alien Hero stated.
Thor glanced up at the Alien Shapeshifter with a weak smile.
"Then, what name would thou bequeath my full godly might?" Thor asked.
Atomix pondered the Asgardians' question, scratching his chin with his large finger.
Before, the top of his head glowed like a lightbulb as the idea came to him.
"How about the God Blast?"
Thor smiled and chuckled in response as he raised Mjolnir to tap it against the Teen Heroes' glowing chest.
"I like it. From henceforth, this power shall be known as the God Blast."
The two heroes smiled at each other as they looked down at the smoking crater that Thor blasted Loki into.
It seemed like the things were finally over. That blast was one of the most powerful things the Alien Hero had ever seen. Had Thor busted that move out against the Phoenix Force. The fight's outcome would have been vastly different.
Course, Atomix could understand why Thor didn't. Had he used that power against the Phoenix, he would have killed Emma's daughters instantly. While it may have ended the Phoenix Force without its hosts. Ending the lives of those children was out of the question.
Before he could continue with that train of thought, a sudden pulse rumbled through the ground and shook the sky.
Atomix looked down at the crater with wide eyes. There was no way. Not after a blast like that.
A blue burst of energy tore through the rubble as Loki shot into the sky. His screams shook the heavens as his body pulsed with magic power.
Atomix felt the power. As if every molecule suddenly became excited. He could feel the power spreading through everything. All across Asgard and beyond.
Loki's eyes glowed blue as the air around him warped from his power.
However, unlike every other time, the Trickster summoned the Odin Force. This time was different.
Loki's screams soon became deraigned cackles as he had a grin bigger than the Cheshire Cat.
Another pulse of magic energy erupted from the God of Mischief, blasting everyone back.
Hulk attempted to attack him, leaping into the air with both fists raised. But all Loki did was flex his wrist, and Hulk was instantly blasted back like an insect.
Iron Man felt his armor was blaring alarms as the Uru metal was instantly overcharged with magic power from simply being in close proximity to him.
"What's happening!?" Iron Man shouted, trying his best to offload the energy his suit is absorbing by pumping it into his shields.
"He is losing control of the Odin force," Thor responded. His expression is full of dread.
Another pulse of energy, and suddenly, the sky began to crack and rip open, revealing a dark void on the other side. Another crack opened up, revealing a place full of colours and rippling energy, while another was a void of pure white energy.
Like reality itself was being unravelled right before their eyes.
Without hesitation, Thor flew closer to Loki. Fear in his eyes as he witnessed the power of the Odin Force flowing uncontrollably from his Step-Brother.
"Loki, you must keep the power contained! Without control, the Odin force could destroy the nine realms! You could begin Ragnarok!" Thor pleaded with his Brother.
Even though Loki had caused so much pain. Been responsible for so much suffering. Deep down, Thor still saw him as the brother he grew up with. He had to believe that Loki wouldn't be that insane to willingly end the Nine Realms. To destroy Asgard itself just to defeat him.
Loki always wanted to rule the Nine Realms. There's no way he would allow them to be destroyed.
The God of Mischief looked down at Thor with his evil, unhinged grin as he let out a hearty laugh of pure insanity.
"So be it!" He gleefully shouted.
Any remnants of that hope were quickly stomped out. Thor saw the look of madness in his brother's eyes. There was no reasoning with him now. The madness had taken him, and soon the Nine Worlds will be consumed by it.
Loki raised his arms and unleashed a ripple of Magic that spread across the entire realm and beyond.
The Branches of Yggdrasil shook as the magic wave flowed across the World Tree.
Across each of the Nine Realms, the skies illuminated as blue waves of light washed over the heavens.
The citizens of the mystical realms all fled and cowered in fear, for they knew what was coming.
Meanwhile, on Earth, people gazed up at the sky in awe and confusion. With the average citizen having no clue what was happening.
Many of them assumed that it was some unique weather phenomenon like an aurora seen across the world.
However, there were those who could sense or had the equipment to detect the unusual energy encompassing the planet. They knew this was no mere aurora.
Most flew into action to try and prepare for the worst. While the rest could only pray that whatever was happening. Someone was there to stop it.
Within the Royal Palace, Hawkeye, Giant Man, and Black Panther were fighting a losing battle against the ever-increasing swarm of Ravens.
The flock of birds swooped at the heroes, peaking or clawing at them. Which was bad enough, but the other half of the swarm perched themselves along each of the branches and unleashed that sonic attack on the heroes.
Putting the heroes in pure agony. If they fight the flock, then they're deafened by the sound. But if they block the sound, then their bodies are torn apart by the Fowl Flock.
Black Panther tossed several vibranium daggers in an attempt to scatter the birds. The explosions managed to take out chunks of them, but they quickly multiplied and reinforced themselves.
Hawkeye attempted to use his magic arrows. With the Ravens so close together, the magic energy of the arrows could vapourise most of them should they be in a big enough cluster.
But each time he fired, the birds scattered, and he could only take out two or three at a time.
Forget trying to take out Loki's device. Any attempt would result in sections of the flock kamikazeing themselves to protect it.
As for Giant-Man. Didn't matter how big he made himself. While his increased size made him more durable to fend off the birds' attacks, the ravens were too fast for him to swat any of them.
Finally, having had enough of their constant pecking and squawking, Giant Man took a page from Hulk's book, raised his hands on both sides of his body, and clapped them together with all his might.
While not as powerful as Hulk's, the Size Changing Hero managed to pull off his own version of the Thunderclap. Generating enough of a shockwave to blow the flock away from the trio and rock the birds in the tree enough to cease their assault on their eardrums.
While the three panted and recovered from the attack. They looked up to see the raven flock swarming together in a giant mass of beaks and feathers.
Dred gripped the hearts of the heroes as they all shared a look that pretty much summed up what they were feeling.
"It has been an honour to fight by your side." Black Panther said in a sincere tone. Bowing to each of them.
Hawkeye looked at the King with a hardened expression. Before letting out a sigh and giving him a sympathetic look. "Don't get all mushy on me, T'Challa. I'll see you on the other side."
Panther chucked as Hawkeye held out his fist, which the Wakandan gladly bumped with his own.
Giant Man looked at the two. He wasn't sure what to say to either of them. He wasn't necessarily close with them. Spending most of his time arguing or disapproving of their methods.
But, despite all that. They still worked with him, joked with him and accepted him.
Even so, anything he had to say in his final moments. He wished Janet were here so he could tell her.
With one final united squawk from the Flock, they surged forward. Ready to tear the heroes apart.
Suddenly, a massive burst of light erupted from behind the trio.
The light was so intense, it stunned the flock of ravens. Causing them to break formation and scatter in blind panic and confusion.
As the light died down, the trio turned to see Balder the Brave, holding his sword aloft as the last of his light died down and his arm dropped weakly to his side.
Next to him was Lady Sif, who was supporting the injured Warrior, though she looked weak herself.
"Go forth, warriors," Balder said weakly. "Onwards to victory."
No sooner had he said it. The sound of footsteps echoed from the hall as Captain America, Wasp, and Valkyrie entered the room.
"Don't stop now, Soldiers!" Captain America's voice cut through the area.
The Super Soldier charged into the room, Sif's shield on his arm.
"It's now or never! Let's do this!" Wasp shouted as she blasted her stingers, taking out a few dozen ravens in rapid succession.
No sooner had she said it, Valkyrie jumped into battle. Her sword in hand, she charged into the swarm.
"For Asgard!" She cried as she swung her blade with incredible speed, catching some of the ravens and even kicking one out of the air.
Quickly getting over their shock. Giant Man, Hawkeye and Black Panther promptly joined the fight. Putting every last bit of their strength into heading towards the device.
However, the ravens quickly got over their initial surprise and began dividing their forces.
A few seconds later, the flock had several birds perched on the tree once more, unleashing that sonic attack.
Heroes and Asgardians clutched their ears in pain while also trying to fight them off.
Giant Man looked around to see that Wasp was still putting up a fight. Her small size would increase her durability, making it difficult for the birds to catch her. But how was she able to resist the sound waves?
That's when it hit him. She still had her earpieces on under that helmet. Hank had designed those ear pieces for her so that she could communicate with his Ant-Man helmet and insects like himself.
Only Janet never uses them for that function. But the earpieces automatically adjust to incoming sound frequencies in order to provide clearer communication. This also means that it reduces the intensity of the sound waves.
With that realisation, Hank reached up to his cowl and activated his helmet. The metal headpiece quickly deployed and formed around his head.
Almost instantly, the intensity of the sound waves was reduced, muffled to the point where he could still hear it, but it no longer hurt his ears.
An uneasy feeling crept over him. He hadn't put this helmet on since Ultron. He had no issue being Giant-Man. Giant Man was an identity used for fighting. To better protect himself and those he cared about.
But Ant-Man was the one who created Ultron. The one who messed everything up.
He quickly shook those thoughts from his head. This wasn't the time for that. He had to stay focused.
Looking around, the ravens were swarming too intensely. Getting more vicious the closer they got to the device.
Just then, Ant-Man noticed that there were gaps between the roots of the tree. Small enough for him to slip through.
Activating his belt, Ant-Man shrank to his ant-sized form and rushed for the gap.
As he ran, he heard the dreadful caw of a Raven. Turning his head, he saw the Ebony Bird swooping down at him.
Normally, Ant-Man would summon one of his ants to come and help. However, it appears that Asgard did not have any ants. Not that it mattered, as the sound waves were too intense for his little helpers to come to his aid.
Just when the raven was about to open its beak to make him lunch, a yellow beam struck the bird, blasting it away as the Wonderful Wasp flew down to him.
"Hank! Grab on!" Wasp shouted.
Ant-Man grinned as he reached out his hand and grabbed her arm.
With a big smile of her own, Wasp hoisted Ant-Man into the air, and the duo flew towards the roots of the tree, diving through the gap in the roots. Finally escaping the swarm.
The pair tumbled across the ground, panting heavily before getting to their feet.
"Are you ok?" Wasp asked, checking Ant-Man for any injuries.
The Size-Changing Scientist smiled. "I'm ok, Jan. What about…"
He paused when he felt her hand.
The Scientist could feel her hand shaking. Along with tiny muscle spasms.
"Janet.." Hank gasped, and then Wasp pulled her hand from his grip. He looked at her with a worried expression.
"You pushed yourself too far, didn't you?" Hank asked, already knowing the answer.
Wasp looked ashamed. Before hardening her expression and locking eyes with him.
"Yes. I'm sorry Hank. But I did what I had to." She said in a confident and determined expression.
Hank looked at her with concern. Pushing herself like this could result in severe, irreversible nerve damage.
But given the dire situation, he understood. There was no other choice. It's all or nothing now. At least he could tell her injuries weren't that serious.
"Just don't push it any further, ok?" He asked with genuine concern for her.
Wasp smiled and nodded, and the pair turned and marched on.
As they did, they noticed that the roots looked even worse than the rest of the tree. With the wood looking dried up and rotting.
"It looks like it's dying," Wasp said in a sad tone.
Ant-Man nodded. "Which is why we need to destroy Loki's device. It should restore the energy flow and bring the tree back to its original state."
While that seemed to make sense, Wasp looked skeptical. "I don't know, Hank. I mean, we both know a thing or two about gardening. When a plant looks this bad. It's best to rip it out and plant something new."
Normally, Ant-Man would have agreed with her. Having spent some time studying agriculture while researching insect life.
But given the mystical nature of the World Tree, he doubted it would be that simple. Their only chance was to destroy Loki's device and…
Suddenly, a strange light illuminated below Ant-Man as he crossed one of the roots.
It was dim, flickering through a crack, as if something were fighting to get free.
Leaning down to examine it, the scientist's eyes widened.
Were this not a time-sensitive operation, Hank would have kissed Janet right there and then for being so brilliant.
Standing up, Ant-Man turned to the Wasp and held out his hand.
"Come on, Jan. We have work to do."
Outside the Palace, Loki's power had grown beyond any form of control.
Tears in reality cracked and shook the Tree of Life down to its roots.
Thor and Atomix could see shimmers of what looked like leaves falling from the heavens as the mighty trunk of Yggdrasil materialised into the physical plane.
Seeing the gargantuan cosmic tree shake and sway from the power Loki was exerting sent chills down their spines.
Hulk and Iron Man attempted to stop him, but the power Loki was giving off repelled them instantly.
Thor tried raising his hammer to attack, but his body was so weak after unleashing the God Blast that he barely had any strength left. It was hard enough keeping himself afloat.
"Did you really think you could beat me?" Loki announced in a proud manner. "A bunch of mortals against Loki!"
Atomix balled his fists. The power Loki was giving off. It was off the scales. Any moment now, the fabric that binds reality together will be snapped from the pressure the God of Mischief is giving off.
Whatever the others were doing, it wasn't fast enough. He needed to buy more time. But how?
Would insulting him work? No, Loki wouldn't let something like that distract him. If anything, it'll only rile him up even more.
He needed to do something big. One last hairbrained, absolutely insane idea that would rock Loki's boat.
A flicker of light caught his eye as Atomix turned to Thor, still barely managing to float next to him.
The Thunder God was weakly trying to spin his hammer to build up a charge. But in his fatigued state, he could barely generate anything more than a spark.
Seeing that hammer, Atomix's head glowed once more as an idea came to him.
"Thunderer! Lend me your hammer!" Atomix called out to Thor. Extending his hand towards the Asgardian Prince.
Thor looked at the Alien Teen with a surprised look. Seeing the determination in his eye, he glanced towards Loki for a brief second and instantly realised what the young warrior was planning.
With a confident grin, Thor raised Mjolnir and tossed the mighty weapon to Atomix's giant hand.
The Nuclear Alien grasped Mjolnir by the handle. The Magic Hammer looks relatively small in the Alien's large fist.
A flash of lightning and Atomix's body sparked with mystical energy as lightning surged over his body.
The energy within the transparent sections of his body bubbled more intensely as he felt the power flowing through him.
Thor looked at the Teen with genuine awe and pride. Despite Ben proving it to him months ago. It still amazes him to see someone be worthy of Mjolnir.
For a mortal to be worthy to wield his power is truly awe-inspiring.
Atomix held Mjolnir aloft, and thunder cracked above him.
He then flew higher into the heavens until Loki was below him. Focusing on his power, Atomix gripped Mjolnir tightly and started to swing the hammer and his arm around in a wide circle. Chanting once more.
"HAA-MEE-NA, HAA-MEE-NA, HAA-MEE-NA, HAA-MEE-NA, HAA-MEE-NA!"
Atomix then aimed Mjolnir at Loki as he focused all the power within him into the hammer.
At the same time, the Avengers were still in the midst of battling the Raven Flock.
Black Panther and Valkyrie hacked and slashed at the multiplying birds with daggers and swords, respectively, while Hawkeye tried to line up a shot on the Yggdrasil tapping device. But the swarm was so thick he couldn't get a clear shot.
Captain America blocked as many incoming attacks with Sif's shield as he could while Balder and Lady Sif stood behind him using their swords to fend off the ravens from behind.
Despite their best efforts, they weren't making any progress towards the tree.
Suddenly, a bright blue light illuminated from the ground near the base of the tree, and Giant Man grew to his full height.
The Size Changing Hero then wrapped his massive arms around the trunk of the tree in a bear hug and started lifting.
His heels dug into the stone floor, cracking them as the half-dead tree began to shake.
As it did, the Ravens perched on the branches were disturbed and quickly spread their wings to fly off. Halting their sonic attack, much to the relief of the others.
In response, the flock turned their attention towards Giant Man. Swarming the Titan Hero in a frenzy.
Peaking and clawing at his body like rabid piranhas. But Giant Man did not falter. He put all his strength into ripping the tree from the ground.
Sure enough, the wood creaked and the ground gave way; the massive trunk slowly lifted from the ground.
As it did, a brilliant golden light started to flow from the earth beneath it. As if freeing something that has been trapped for so long.
Giant Man put his back into it as he gave another mighty heave, and the tree was almost wrenched free.
Unfortunately, several of its roots were more stubborn than the others and refused to relinquish their earthly tethers.
The Ravens swarmed Giant Man more intensely as he pulled with all his might. But his strength was starting to fade with the constant attack on his body.
Just then, Wasp flew into action. Her hands were glowing with energy as she shot forth like a lightning bolt and blasted each of the roots. Severing them with a single beam, freeing the tree and allowing Giant Man to completely wrench it out of the ground and toss it aside.
With the rotting trunk gone, the power that was trapped beneath it burst forth.
Golden light bathed the area as the Ravens finally stopped their attack. The swarm glowed with a similar light before vanishing into thin air, leaving only the original pair from the start.
The Avengers and Asgardians watched in awe as the golden light flowed and swirled, as the energy seemed to resemble tree branches growing from the earth and extending to the sky.
From outside the Royal Palace, a brilliant golden light began to glow as beams of energy extended from the palace walls, like branches from a tree, as waves of light pulsed across the realm.
In that moment, Loki felt his power waning. Looking down at the palace, his eyes widened in shock as the blue glow vanished from them. Allowing his stunned expression to be seen clearly.
Before he could contemplate what had occurred inside, the signature chanting of a particular shapeshifter reached his ears as Loki looked up to see Atomix aim Mjolnir directly at him.
The Trickster's eyes widened as his pupils shrank to the size of pinheads.
"ATOMIC THUNDER!" The Alien Hero roared.
From Mjolnir, a massive beam of nuclear energy charged with mystical lightning burst. Atomix poured all his atomic energy into the magic hammer, mixing his energy with the hammer as it unleashed a beam of blue energy, combined with dark dots that bubbled within Atomix.
The beam struck Loki at full force.
Loki screamed in agony as he was blasted back into the palace, breaking through the ceiling and back into the throne room.
The Trickster's cries of agony echoed throughout the realm.
Not only from the Alien Avengers attack, but from the Odin Force burst from his body like a burning iron rod being wrenched from his chest.
The pain was excruciating as power flowed into and out of him at the same time.
When the beam finally stopped, all that remained was a large crater with a beaten and crispy Loki lying at the center. His robes charred, his skin blackened with soot, and all he could do was let out a weak groan as the last of his strength left him.
After all this time, all the pain and effort. It was finally over. Loki had been defeated.
The day was saved.
Atomix let out a massive sigh and panted heavily. That attack took a lot out of him as he put his hands to his hips and tried to catch his breath.
Suddenly, he heard an all-too-familiar beeping coming from his belt.
The Ultimatrix dial was flashing and turning red. The device had finally run out of power.
In a flash of green light, Atomix turned back into Ben Tennyson.
The Teen looked extremely weary. His body was scratched up. He had a black eye. His back was stained a dark red and had dried blood cracking on it.
With the fight finally over and letting his guard down, all the fatigue he's been holding off came flooding into him like a monsoon.
His head was fuzzy, and his body felt like jelly.
But all that had to be pushed aside as Ben just realised that he turned back to human while still hundreds of feet in the sky.
The Young Hero felt gravity take him as he panicked when he started falling.
Only to fall a few feet before something caught him and kept him aloft.
Looking up, Ben saw that his arm was snagged on Mjolnir's strap.
The Mystic Hammer remained suspended in the air while Ben hung limply beneath it.
Ben let out a sigh of relief.
"Oh, thank you, you beautiful hammer you," Ben said with joy and relief. Had he had the strength to pull himself up, he'd kiss that wonderful weapon.
"It would seem our Young Warrior requires some aid." Thor chuckled as he glided over to the suspended Teen.
Ben grinned as he weakly waved at the Thunderer. "Hey, Thor. Just thought I'd hang for a sec."
Thor chuckled at Ben's joke as he floated next to him.
"It would seem you have much to learn about how to control Mjolnir. What say I aid you in returning to the ground?" The Thunder God offered.
Ben feigned modesty as he waved his hand. "Oh, I'd hate to impose. But if you're gonna offer, I'd be rude to say no."
Thor smiled as he raised his hand. Responding to his command, Mjolnir slowly descended to the ground alongside Thor.
The pair gradually floated down into the palace, where Ben felt the solid ground beneath his feet once more.
Almost immediately, his jelly legs nearly buckled under him, only for Mjolnir to fly beneath him and catch the Teen Hero.
The Mystical Mallet lifted Ben and positioned itself under Ben's right arm, acting as a support to keep him upright.
Ben glanced at Thor, who winked at him. The Teen grinned as he used the hammer as a magical crutch while hobbling over to the crater.
They arrived just in time to see the weakened Loki crawling his way out of the hole and coming to a stop at the base of the stairs leading to the throne.
Loki hissed in pain as he rolled onto his back to look up, only to come face to face with the entire roster of Avengers and Asgardians glaring down at him.
Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Ben, Captain America, Ant-Man, Wasp, Black Panther, Blader, Lady Sif, Valkyrie, Faraday, and Hawkeye, who had his bow aimed at Loki's head.
"It's over, Loki," Captain America said with full authority.
"Give it up, it's over," Iron Man added.
"Yeah, accept it, dude. You've lost," Ben said with a grin.
"To a bunch of Mortals no less," Hawkeye sniped with a cocky smirk.
"Stings, don't it," Wasp quipped, raising her finger, which glowed with bio-energy.
Hearing them talk down to him, Loki gripped his fists and clenched his jaw.
"No! No! I am Loki!" The Trickster cried out as he forced himself to his feet, and his hands were surrounded by a green, mystical energy. "I will destroy you all!"
Despite his threat and display of power. No one so much as flinched at the Trickster. That intimidating aura he previously held had utterly vanished.
Without the power of the All-Father, Loki was just another loudmouth villain. If anything, he sounded more like a tantrum-throwing toddler than a world-conquering super villain.
Though that did beg the question in Ben's mind. Where did all that power go?
The God of Mischief raised his hands as he prepared to unleash his next attack. "I will…."
"LOKI!" A thunderous voice boomed from behind Loki and across the throne room.
Every single being in the room froze with fear.
If Ben's legs were jelly before. They were completely numb now as he gripped Mjolnir like a safety blanket.
But this intimidating aura wasn't in response to a villain. No, the Avengers all knew that tone. That was the tone of an angry and disappointed father.
The one thing that all people fear.
For one brief moment, Ben felt like he was ten years old again and was caught messing with his dad's tools.
Loki fearfully turned around to see the All-Father himself, Odin, awake and standing before his throne.
Almost instantly, the Asgardians, minus Thor, dropped to their knees and bowed to the King of Asgard.
The Avengers, on the other hand, were still too scared to move. While the angry tone wasn't directed at any of them, the intimidating aura that Odin was projecting kept them frozen in place.
This was the true power of the Odin Force. Loki hadn't even cracked the surface of that power. Which only made it scarier.
While the Heroes continued their self-inflicted paralysis, Odin continued to berate the Prince of Lies.
"Long have I ignored your mischief, Loki! But this is not mere trickery. This is evil." Odin looked down at Loki with a disappointed expression. Along with the slight hint of pain in his eye.
"I gave you everything. I made you my son. And this how you repay me?"
Hearing those words, Loki's fear turned into rage as he snarled as the All-Father. "You deserve a thousand times worse!" He spat back in pure venom.
"Go ahead, exile me. I will never stop."
Hearing those words come from his mouth. Odin's eye twitched as if flinching from the pain of his child hating him so viciously.
Only for his brow to furrow as he glared at Loki with a wrathful expression.
"If you thought the isle of silence was torment. You do not know the meaning of the word!" Odin growled in a grim tone.
The All Father's eye glowed blue, and without even lifting a finger, he unleashed a wave of magic from his body that engulfed Loki.
The God of Mischiefs screamed abusive words one last time before vanishing in a flash of light.
Teleported off to whatever punishment the All Father had awaiting him.
With Loki gone, the silence was palpable as no one seemed to know what to do next.
Odin looked across the gathered heroes before him before looking down at his hands and flexing his fingers.
"Dark have been my dreams of late." The All Father said, his voice calmer and carrying an ancient wisdom in his words.
Thor stepped forward and bowed to his father.
"Father, much has transpired since you entered the Odin Sleep." Thor began to say before Odin cut him off.
"I know, my son," Odin said with a small grin on his face as he gazed upon Thor. "There is much to discuss."
What happened after was a thing of beauty.
After taking care of Loki, the All-Father Odin teleported himself into the skies above Asgard and unleashed a brilliant light for all to see.
Using his power to amplify his voice, Odin announced his return for all to hear.
The moment that Loki's forces heard the King of Asgard's return. Ben didn't think he'd ever seen Villains give up so quickly.
A majority of them instantly turned tail and ran. Attempting to get out of the city as fast as possible.
Those who either couldn't run or run fast enough were cornered and captured. While the rest just surrendered on the spot.
In a mere few seconds, Odin had brought the entire conflict to an end.
It was both amazing and terrifying. Goes without saying that the Avengers were glad Odin was on their side.
After the fighting was over, next came the clean-up. The Avengers offered to help the Asgardians rebuild, but the Norse Gods turned them down.
Instead, Earth's Mightiest Heroes were treated to the finest medical attention in Asgard, along with a place to rest and clothing for those who needed it.
Ben, in particular, was given immediate medical treatment. Janet was so insistent that the Asgardian Healers wouldn't leave his side for fear of her wrath.
A few minutes with them, and Ben's cuts and bruises were all healed. Even his fatigue had vanished, and the Young Hero felt as good as new.
However, the one thing the Healers were unable to treat was the newly formed scar on his back.
The injury that Loki had given him in their fight would not fade, no matter how much magic or healing methods they used.
Turns out, according to the healers and Thor, the injury was inflicted using the Odin Force in addition to Loki's unique magic. Meaning that the only one capable of healing this scar is Loki himself with the Odin Force.
Which Ben doubted the trickster would be in any mood to help, even if he knew were Odin sent him.
Looking at the scar in the mirror. It wasn't as red as before. Now, just a light scar that went from the base of his neck, across his left shoulder blade and stopped at his ribs.
An impressive wound and one Ben will have to get used to.
His shoulder did feel a little tender as he put on the clothes that some palace handmaidens put out for him. It was a simple, dark green tunic. A kind of linen shirt that went down to his knees. Making it look kinda like a dress. Until he tied a belt around it, then it looked like he was wearing a shirt.
Not wanting to deal with that embarrassment, Ben tucked as much of the tunic into his pants so that at least it looked like a shirt.
Afterwards, he went to join the others.
The injuries of the other Avengers weren't that severe. Hawkeye, Panther, and Ant-Man all have minor cuts and bruises that healed nicely. Hulk's healing factor meant that any injury he might have received vanished in seconds. Iron Man had his armor, which protected him from everything, so he was fine.
On the other hand, one member of the team did suffer a serious injury. It turns out Janet pushed herself too hard in the fight. The overuse of her stingers at full power caused severe nerve damage in both of her arms.
In most cases, the treatment would cost an arm and a leg for the surgery, which has only a small percentage of success and requires years of physical therapy to even get basic functions back.
Fortunately, Asgardian medicine is much better than Earth's, as Janet's injuries were healed within a few minutes of treatment.
It was a scare for a few of the Avengers; Hank and Ben were worried most of all. But with her body fully healed, the Wondrous Wasp had her pep in her step, with seemingly a little extra after her recovery.
Captain America didn't seem to have any injuries. He also healed pretty quickly, but not as fast as the Hulk did. But something seemed off about the Super Soldier.
Which made sense as his injuries weren't the physical kind.
His iconic shield. The shield that he's had since the war, his most cherished possession. Destroyed and turned into shrapnel.
The team did their best and managed to recover all the pieces of the shield. Somehow, they'll figure out how to fix it.
Until then, they were all invited to the throne room of the palace by Odin himself.
The Young Hero was expecting to see the room as they left it: wrecked and damaged, with possibly the rubble cleaned up, but still in a state of disrepair.
However, he walked into the room to find that the palace had been fully restored. The walls shone like new, with no signs of damage. You wouldn't even believe there was a full-on battle of godly proportions in here just hours ago.
Either Asgardian construction workers are insanely fast, or this was another power flex by Odin.
Regardless, the place looked amazing. Especially now that all the Loki decorations have been removed. Now the throne room gleamed with golden tapestries and banners proudly hung throughout the room.
Then, of course, there was the crowd that had gathered. Hundreds of Asgardians were present within the throne room.
Each was dressed in fancy armor or the finest clothing they owned.
The Avengers walked through the crowd, which parted to make a path for them, as if they were honoured guests.
Which, technically, they were. They did help save Asgard, after all.
As they walked to the front of the crowd, Ben noticed Balder, Brunnhilde, the Warriors Three, Lady Sif, Gruenhilda, Faraday, and even Heimdall, all gathered at the front.
Just beyond them, sitting atop his glorious golden throne, was Odin, clad in his ceremonial armor. The King of Asgard looked particularly regal at that moment.
The Avengers stopped at the base of the steps of the throne, with Thor in the front.
Following his lead, the team bowed to the King of Asgard, who raised his hand to acknowledge their action.
Rising from his throne, the All Father looked down at the Prince of Asgard with a warm smile.
"My son, you returned to Asgard in its time of need. You have freed us." Odin addressed Thor in gratitude.
Thor, however, bowed his head and removed his helmet. "No, Father, I have not." He admitted before turning to the Heroes behind him.
"I myself was freed by the Avengers."
Wasp gleefully waved at Odin with pure excitement.
"Mere mortals?" Odin questioned with a raised eyebrow.
That earned an annoyed look from the Teen Hero.
"Seriously?" Ben muttered under his breath before Wasp elbowed him to shut him up.
"These mortals just saved all the nine realms. They deserve our respect." Thor responded confidently.
This earned grins and murmurs of agreement from the Asgardians around them. Many of whom fought alongside them and have seen firsthand how mighty these Mortals can be.
Thor then returned his attention to the Avengers and walked towards them.
"Avengers, I thank thee. Truly, I am honored to count myself among you."
With that, Thor, the Prince of Asgard, heir to the throne. Got down on one knee and bowed to the group of Mortals.
This was immediately followed by Balder and Heimdall, then Faraday, Lady Sif, Fandril, Volstagg, Hogan and Brunhilde. Eventually, all the Asgardians bowed their heads to the Avengers.
The Heroes could feel their chests swelling with pride while a few of them seemed uncomfortable. Ant-Man nervously scratched the back of his head while Cap didn't seem to react that much.
Hearing the passion in his son's voice and seeing how the people reacted to the mortal heroes.
All Father Odin rose from his throne, walked down the steps to his son's side and bowed himself.
Ben was loving this. He's been on the receiving end of praise before. However, this was the first time he had a room full of gods bow to him.
Oh man, if Gwen and Kevin could see him now…
For a brief moment, Ben's smile faded, and his chest felt tight.
Odin then rose to his feet, along with Thor, and looked to each member of the team.
"You have the thanks of Asgard mortals. You have our respect." Odin said with gratitude.
The All Father then turned his head to his people.
"To the mightiest heroes in the nine realms!" He called out before raising his fist to the sky.
"Hail, Avengers!"
In response, the entire hall erupted into cheer as the Asgardians raised weapons, mugs and whatever else they had in their hands and chanted their names.
"Hail, Avengers! Hail, Avengers!" Echoed through the halls as each of the team couldn't help but smile.
Even Cap couldn't help but get swept up in the moment.
"Not too bad team." Iron Man complimented.
"Not too bad yourself, Iron Man," Cap responded to the Team Leader.
"Yeah, we rock," Hawkeye boasted, casually flexing while soaking up the admiration.
"Don't let it go to your head, Cupid," Hulk playfully jabbed at him.
Hawkeye smirked at the Jolly Green Giant. "Oh, what's that, Jade Jaws? Couldn't hear that over me saving your life for the umpteenth time."
"Yeah, right. You would've been wolf chow if it wasn't for me," Hulk fired back.
The two then started arguing again, but in a playful way, as they usually do.
Ben smiled as he watched them, happy that they had finally buried the hatchet.
"It is fortunate that we managed to thwart Loki's plan." Black Panther said in a calm tone.
"Ah, loosen up, Panther." Tony chided, slapping his shoulder. "It's not every day we save an entire civilisation."
The Wakandan looked to the Armored hero before letting out a chuckle. "Perhaps you are right. This is a victory well earned."
Tony blinked in surprise. Did T'Challa just laugh? The Genius Billionaire let out a chuckle of his own as he threw his arm over the King as they continued to chat.
Ant-Man was still looking uncomfortable. Being around all these people praising his name, when, in reality, he was a fraud.
"Something on your mind, soldier?" Cap asked him as Ant-Man jumped in surprise.
"N-No. I mean, it's nothing really…" The Scientist responded nervously, which only earned a skeptical look from the Super Soldier.
Seeing that expression immediately caused him to cave.
Ant-Man sighed. "I don't deserve this, Cap. These people, they shouldn't be praising me. I never set out to save any of them." He admitted.
His stomach churned from his words. He felt so disgusted with himself for saying it aloud.
Captain America said nothing as he continued.
"I'm only here because I wanted to protect Janet. I only fought to keep her safe. How can I be called a hero when I was only ever concerned about saving one person the whole time?"
The Size Changing Hero lowered his head in shame. He knew he didn't belong with the Avengers. Not when he was so selfish.
He felt Cap's hand on his shoulder, causing him to look at the Super Soldier.
To his surprise, the Man out of Time had a smile on his face.
"Son, do you know what it means to be a hero?" He asked.
Ant-Man blinked. "To help people?"
"Exactly." Cap nodded. "Whether it be many people, a few or even one person. To take that step. To go out of your way to risk everything to save that one person. That makes you a hero in my book, Hank."
He patted Hank's shoulder as he looked away from him. Ant-Man followed his gaze, and his eyes landed on Janet's beaming face as she laughed and smiled at the adoring crowd.
"It's what makes you an Avenger."
Ant-Man looked at Cap with a surprised expression. Cap winked at him as the Size Changing hero smiled back.
Maybe he was right? There was certainly a lot to think about.
Ben looked around at the chanting crowd when he felt an arm wrap around him, and Janet tackled him in a hug and tussled his hair.
"Hey there, hero. How's it feel to save Ten Worlds, huh?" she asked him with a big smile.
Ben chuckled as he returned her hug with the same enthusiasm. "You tell me, Miss Hero? And it's only nine worlds."
"Aw, really?" Wasp responded with mock disappointment. "That's a shame. Would've worked really well with your branding. Ben 10, Hero of 10 Worlds."
"Hey, last I checked, I wasn't the only one. You were amazing out there. I heard you took down a bunch of Frost Giants! That's awesome!"
Janet couldn't help but blush from the praise. "Oh, come on, it's not that big a deal. You going toe to toe with Loki. Now that's a big deal. First, the Phoenix, and now Loki… You really are amazing, Ben."
Had this been back in his old universe, Ben would gladly have taken that compliment and bragged to his heart's content. Then, he would've paraded that accomplishment around for months.
But after everything that's happened. Ever since coming to this world and meeting the Avengers.
"Thanks, Jan. But really, I couldn't have done any of that without you," Ben stated earnestly.
"Ah, come on." Hawkeye blurted out, joining the conversation.
"You would've been fine without us. Stark told us all about your new alien. Talk about a powerhouse."
Ben shook his head. "No. I couldn't have. Without you guys. Without everything you do to back me up and support me. I never could have pulled any of this off. Thanks, guys."
Didn't take long for Wasp to immediately hug him again.
"No, Ben, thank you." Captain America said, patting Ben's shoulder.
"He's right. This team wouldn't be where it is without you." Iron Man agreed. Before shrugging. "Well, maybe some things we'd be able to manage, but you certainly made things easier."
Wasp shot him a glare, causing the armored Billionaire to shut up.
"Point is. Our lives wouldn't be the same without you, Ben. We're so glad to have you in our lives." She said with a warm smile before kissing him on the cheek.
Ben felt his heart swell as he looked around the Avengers with a big smile on his face.
He couldn't have asked for a better group to be with ever since coming to this world.
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Odin gathered everyone's attention and announced a celebratory banquet in honour of the Avengers and all those who fought against Loki.
A cheer erupted through the crowd as the Asgardians funnelled out of the Throne Room towards the dining halls. The Avengers were getting swept up in the crowd as they all laughed and cheered.
After fighting so hard. They needed a chance to blow off some steam.
The rest of his time there was an absolute blur.
Ben had a pretty good memory, but even he lost track of several things during the party in Asgard.
After getting to the dining hall, the Avengers were presented with more food than they could possibly fathom and just as many beverages.
The Asgardians partied like there was no tomorrow, and the Team of Heroes were all for it.
Hulk immediately chowed down on the food, setting his sights on what looked like a boar, only it was as big as a bus.
Of course, he had to use the Bloodaxe to carve that beast, much to the crowd's entertainment.
Once Thor saw Hulk with the magic axe, he had a concerned expression at first. Only for it to vanish when Hulk started bragging about how his magic weapon is better.
This almost led to a brawl before Volstagg got between them by offering both some of Asgard's finest mead.
The Portly Warrior offered the same to each of the Avengers, who gladly accepted.
Ben didn't have a clue what mead was, but he figured he would give it a try.
Only for Janet to immediately stop Volstagg from handing him the mug, making Ben realise the drink was alcoholic.
It actually took Ben a while for Ben to find a drink that didn't have alcohol in it. Apparently, when everyone is over a hundred, the concept of a legal drinking age just goes out the window.
But he managed to find a fruit mix beverage that hit the spot.
For the rest of the day and well into the evening, the Avengers partied with the Asgardians.
Hawkeye got into a shooting contest with Faraday, showing off their archery skills to the delight of the crowd.
Black Panther got into a spirited conversation with Balder about Asgardian magic and rune language.
Captain America and Heimdall seemed to be get caught up in past battles that the Bifrost Keeper had witnessed on Earth.
They were joined by Lady Sif, who praised the Captain for his creative use of her shield. Asking the Super Soldier for tips.
Iron Man seemed to be chatting up several of the Valkyries, many of whom actually seemed interested, as he had one on each arm while bragging about himself.
He wasn't the only one to get some attention. Wasp had Fandrel chasing after her for a portion of the evening. The Heroine giggled at his attempts to charm her, and she casually flirted back but also kept him at a distance.
She never minded a little harmless flirting, and she knew when things have gone too far.
Course before the dashing warrior could attempt to escalate the situation, Hank stepped in and gave the Asgardian Swordsman a harsh glare. He even increased his size a few feet to punctuate his point.
This caused him to back down immediately. Much to Wasp's enjoyment, she grabbed a drink for Hank, and they shared a toast.
Brunhilde got drunk and tried to challenge Hulk to an arm wrestling contest. When the Gamma Giant refused, she turned her attention to Ben.
He tried to turn her down, but this time she wasn't taking no for an answer and had him in a headlock faster than he could react.
After several seconds of flailing and almost being choked out by a drunken shield maiden with biceps so hard they could crack walnuts. Ben managed to reach the Ultimatrix and transform…
… Into the worst possible alien for de-escalating situations, as Rath burst onto the scene.
One brawl later, the party had moved into the streets, and all of Asgard celebrated in what could only be described as the biggest party in the Nine Realms.
It was one of the best nights Ben had had in a long time. For the first time, he let all his worries go and just enjoyed the moment.
He wished this time would never end.
Sadly, it did, and the Avengers bid their Asgardian hosts farewell before heading back to Earth.
Thor decided to stay in Asgard to help get things back in order.
Loki had done a lot to destabilize the other realms, and Thor, as the Prince, felt it was his duty to help bring order back.
The Avengers understood completely, and they could also see that Thor wanted more time to reconnect with his father.
While they would miss their resident Thunder God, they graciously awaited his return.
After bidding farewell at the Gates of Asgard, Heimdall opened the Bifrost for the heroes, and they walked across the Rainbow Bridge, which transported them directly to the front door of Avengers Mansion.
As they reached the door, the heroes all let out a collective sigh.
"Boy, that was a fun night," Iron Man said, rubbing his armored neck.
"One of the wildest parties I've ever been to," Wasp agreed, stretching her arms.
Hawkeye cracked the tension in his back as he rolled his shoulders forward. "Can we agree not to have any more world-ending events for the next month or so?"
"If the villains were that cooperative. Then you would have no one to beat up," came the snide response of the Black Panther.
Ben couldn't even bring himself to grin at that remark. The entire way back, he'd been dreading what to say to the others.
After everything, he felt that maybe he should hold off until the morning. Or perhaps a few days later, so everyone would be able to recover.
No. He couldn't procrastinate this any longer. The more he did, the harder it would be. He needed to get this done now while he still had the nerve.
While he was deep in thought, Iron Man walked right up to the door and grabbed the handle.
"All I can say is I'm glad we're home and there are no more surprises," he said as he opened the door wide.
Not a second later, something shot past the Armored Hero in a blur and slammed right into Ben. Knocking the wind out of him and sending him tumbling to the ground.
The Avengers quickly jumped into action to defend the Teen, only to see what had hit him.
Ben wheezed in pain as he tried to shield his face from the unyielding slobber-fest that Zed unleashed on him.
The alien dog barked and whimpered as she jumped around and on top of Ben in excitement. Pushing him over and shoving her snout in his face or under his arms to lick him.
Seeing that, the Avengers lowered their guard and let out a sigh of relief.
Just then, the doorbell sparked, and the black and green blob known as Ship oozed out of the electrical components and lunged towards Ben as well.
The tiny blob coiled around the Young Hero's body like a snake and affectionately nuzzled him.
"Looks like someone missed you," Hawkeye stated with a smirk.
Wasp gave him a side-eyed glance. "Well, of course she would. Poor Zed, she must have been so scared when Ben disappeared like that. Ship too."
Cap nodded. "It's good you trained them well, Ben. They knew to come home when you didn't return."
When Ben finally pushed his adoring alien pets off him and stood up, he looked at the Super Soldier with a prideful grin.
"Well, I couldn't have them wandering the planet alone." He said, patting his pets. "And at least in the city, there'll be someone to look after them."
Zed barked while Ship nuzzled Ben's cheek before jumping off and instantly becoming enamoured by Tony's new armor. Eyeing the suit like a chew toy.
As the team walked inside, Wasp stretched her back and let out a tired groan.
"Well, I don't know about you guys. But I am ready to get some sleep. Then, in the morning, we organise a celebration party and invite some guests. I can have Gustavino's booked for the afternoon if everyone has a guest list?"
Iron Man looked at her with a skeptical look. "Really? You can book Gustavino's at such short notice? Pepper can't even set up dinner reservations a week in advance."
The Winsome Wasp giggled in a coy manner. "Oh, Tony, darling. You should know by now. My superpower is that I get things done."
"Actually." Ben weakly spoke up, grabbing everyone's attention.
"Ben. What's wrong?" Janet asked, concerned.
The Young Hero balled his fists. His chest tightened. He knew he had to do this. Any further delay would only make the situation worse.
"There's something I have to say to all of you."
The Avengers gathered in the living room. All of them were sitting down with Ben standing before them. The fireplace was glowing behind him as he felt the warmth on his back.
The Youngest Avenger looked nervous as he went over what he wanted to say in his head.
He stared down a fire demon, negotiated with a reality-climbing squirrel, fought a wolf the size of a glacier, and took on a supercharged Norse God.
Yet, standing before the Avengers, Ben shook in his boots.
Closing his eyes, Ben took a deep breath and quieted his mind.
"Ok, so during my last session with Doc Samson…"
Ben explained everything that occurred during his session with the Gamma Psychologist.
He explained what Samson had told him. About how he hadn't properly taken the time to grieve his family's death, how he was trying to fill the void they left, and how he might be attempting to replace what he lost.
As he explained, the other heroes listened intently. Some really taking in what he was saying while others seemed confused.
When Ben mentioned how Samson said that his attempts to fill the void left by his family were with close proxies. Her hands clenched, and her head lowered.
Then he got to the final part. Where Samson suggested that Ben take time away from being a hero and everything associated with it.
This earned surprised looks from everyone gathered. Some more than others.
Hawkeye leaned forward with his hands assembled and his chin resting on top of them.
"So what are you saying? You're leaving?"
"Only for a little while," Ben assured. "I just… I think that Doc Samson may be right about this. Maybe some time away will allow me to finally accept and come to terms with everything."
He then nervously scratched his arm as he looked at everyone. "But what do you guys think?"
To no one's surprise, Wasp was the first one to start standing up, only for Captain America to beat her to the punch.
"Ben, you have already given so much to this team and to the world. All of us here want nothing but the best for you. If you feel like this is something you need. Then don't let us stand in your way."
Ben smiled as he felt his emotions welling up inside of him.