V.2 Chapter 5: The Debrief
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S.H.I.E.L.D. Containment Room
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When I walked in, chaos was already brewing. Fury, Stark, Keller, Natasha, Clint, Red Wolf, and Coulson had formed a semi-circle around a very amused Thor, who stood in the center of the room laughing like a maniac. I didn't know what caused the fight but here it was.
"Hahahahah! Truly, you mortals are… interesting!" Thor boomed, grinning wide. "You, mortal of metal, and you, mortal with red hair — you're the only ones of merit due to your enchantments! But fear not — I shall not attack, for you are allies of the sorcerer who aided me in my time of unrest."
"This guy… is he really a god?" Hawkeye muttered, firing off a few arrows that exploded uselessly against Thor's chest.
"Ah, you have tricks too, archer!" Thor laughed, his voice rolling like distant thunder.
"Geez, where's Constantine, Keller?" Natasha shouted, ducking behind a desk.
"Hell if I know!" Keller called back, squeezing off a few rounds that might as well have been spitballs.
"Well, you better find out, Agent Keller!" Fury barked — only to be cut off by Red Wolf, who howled his war cry and launched himself straight at the thunder god.
The impact sounded like a small bomb going off. Red Wolf's punch actually sent Thor a step back.
Thor grinned, eyes blazing. "So there are still warriors left in Midgard! Your name, mortal — I must hear it!"
"I am William Tall Tree," Red Wolf declared, stripping off his Sacred Wolf garb and standing tall before him. "Savant of Owayodata, God of the Hunt, it is a great honor God of Thunder."
Thor's expression softened slightly. "I see… it is an honor, warrior of the Tall Trees." As he let red wolf dawn his garb once more
Then, naturally, they tried to kill each other.
Thor lunged, Red Wolf dodged, then red wolf returned the favor as the two collided into a wall hard enough to make the floor shake. Thor hadn't expected a mortal to hit that hard — and judging by his smirk, he was starting to enjoy himself. He slammed Red Wolf across the room, but the hunter blocked most of the force with his tomahawks. Hands trembling, Red Wolf rose again and charged.
The next clash sent them both sliding — Thor stumbling back slightly while, Red Wolf was sent skidding across the floor right toward Loki and me.
"Seems like I missed the party," I said, smoke curling from my cigarette like punctuation.
"Where the hell have you been?" Fury demanded — echoed by pretty much everyone in the room.
"Um… trying to stop Frost Giants from invading Earth," I said, deadpan. "With the help of, Asgard's current king."
Loki appeared beside me, radiating smugness, while Strange hovered behind him looking like he already regretted his life choices.
"Who are they?" Fury asked, eyes narrowing.
"This," I said, gesturing at Strange, "is Dr. Stephen Strange. Apprentice to the oldest sorcerer alive, current strongest magic user on the planet, and full-time Netflix binger. Don't expect much heroics; she's more of a 'watch the apocalypse happen' kind of gal."
"And this," I added, motioning to Loki, "is Loki. Brother of Thor. Current King of Asgard. Part-time liar, full-time drama queen."
Before Fury could explode, Thor rushed over and grabbed Loki in a crushing hug. "Brother! Have you come to take me home?"
"Something like that," Loki said dryly, clearly fighting the urge to stab him. "But Laufey took advantage of your absence — and Odin's beauty nap — to attack Asgard. They hijacked the Bifrost. I stopped them from reaching Asgard, but they've rerouted toward Midgard. Specifically… New York."
"You've got to be kidding me!" Fury groaned, rubbing his temples. "First Thor, now Frost Giants? Everyone's invading Earth! Great. Just great. Constantine, you're leading the Avengers team. I—"
"Sure, why not," I interrupted, shrugging and blowing a smoke ring.
"Yes? Well—alright!" Fury snapped, almost too shocked to argue. "Move, people! We've got a city to save!"
Thor placed a hand on my shoulder, nodding solemnly. "Midgard's strongest magician. I thank you for your aid. The Jötun are my responsibility. I shall fight beside you."
Everyone assumed this was just another invasion. Everyone except Loki, Strange, and me — we knew the truth.
We'd rerouted the Frost Giants ourselves, turned their attack into a berserker frenzy so they'd never realize Loki had betrayed them. Clean. Efficient. Immoral. My kind of plan.
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The First Avengers Meeting
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We gathered in a reinforced SHIELD conference room. Fury slammed a folder down like it owed him money.
"Alright, team. Frost Giants are en route to New York. Our play is the Avengers. You six save the city while SHIELD handles crowd control. Anyone who slips past you, we clean up."
Tony leaned back, arms crossed, tapping his metal fingers on the table. "So… we're fighting gods, monsters, and your consultant here thinks he can play cosmic hall monitor with a few candles and a chalk circle?"
"Technically, yeah," I said, flicking ash into the tray. "Only difference is, my magic actually works. Yours just needs an extension cord."
Natasha frowned. "Explain. Now."
"Mass teleportation circle," I said casually. "I can open a city-wide portal network. Move civilians to SHIELD safe zones before the ice trolls start redecorating downtown."
Clint stared. "You're saying you can magically evacuate an entire city before the giants start breaking stuff?"
"Breaking stuff? Mate, they're about to redecorate Manhattan with people," I said, taking another drag. "And yes. One circle. Multiple exits. Zero casualties — assuming Stark doesn't short-circuit anything."
Fury's glare could've melted adamantium. "You expect me to trust some hellbound exorcist with half of Manhattan?"
I smiled, thin and dangerous. "Trust isn't required, Director. Survival is. But hey, if you'd rather handle the ice apocalypse solo, I'll just sit back and watch."
Tony smirked. "So what, you're the city's guardian angel now? Or just part-time disaster consultant?"
"Call it… freelance salvation," I said. "Health insurance not included."
Red Wolf leaned forward. "And the giants? What's our play?"
"Distraction," I said. "Thor draws their attention, Loki feeds their rage, Strange handles magical fallout, and the rest of you shoot, punch, or explode anything not human-shaped."
Clint raised an eyebrow. "Anything moving, got it."
"Or stationary, if you're bored," I muttered.
Natasha sighed. "This is going to be a long day."
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The War Room
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I kneeled in the center of the room, tracing a massive sigil in black smoke while murmuring words that hadn't been spoken aloud since Babylon. The air shimmered, heavy with power.
Tony leaned in, scanning the circle like it was a piece of tech. "So what's stopping you from teleporting me into a volcano?"
"Faith," I said flatly. "And the fact I don't like you enough to make it quick."
He snorted. "You're hilarious."
"Yeah," I said, lighting another Silk Cut. "My therapist says it's part of my charm."
Fury slammed his hand on the table. "Enough flirting. Get it done — civilians first."
I exhaled, feeling the sigil hum to life beneath me. The entire room vibrated, lights flickering. Keller, Natasha, Clint, and Red Wolf watched as I wove the energy into shape, golden and molten.
"Magic isn't a hammer," I said quietly, tracing glowing lines through the air. "It's a scalpel. Clean, precise… and a hell of a lot more fun if you know where to cut."
Portals shimmered open across Manhattan. I could see them — faint, ghostly outlines connecting to SHIELD safe houses. One incantation later, thousands of civilians blinked out of the city in a burst of gold light.
"Not bad," Stark muttered. "Okay, that's… slightly impressive. Still creepy, though."
"Creepy gets results," I said. "Now, let's talk about the Frost Giants."
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The Battle Plan
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"Here's the play," I said, leaning on the table, smoke curling from my lips. "Thor leads. Loki manipulates. Strange suppresses anomalies. Red Wolf handles precision strikes. Keller, Natasha, Clint, Tony — you mop up the mess."
Clint frowned. "And you?"
"Me?" I smiled. "I'm the wildcard. Recon, mystical support, occasional comic relief. Basically, everything Stark thinks he is, but useful."
"Snark's part of the job description, huh?" Tony quipped.
"It's in my contract," I said. "Along with hazard pay and the right to haunt anyone who pisses me off Incase of death."
Fury slammed his fist on the table. "Fine. But no one dies on my watch."
I gave him a crooked grin. "Then let's hope your watch runs fast, Director."
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New York — Moments Before Impact
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The city hummed with tension. The first civilians vanished through the portals, the streets emptying like veins drained of blood. The skyline glimmered under the calm before the storm.
Thor stood ready, lightning coiling around his arms. Loki smirked like a devil at a funeral. Strange floated, grim and silent.
And me? I lit another cigarette, feeling the storm crawl across my skin.
"Hell," I muttered, flicking the lighter closed, "let's get this bloody party started."
The Battle of New York
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The calm before the apocalypse always has a funny smell.
Something between ozone, burnt coffee, and panic.
I stood in a half-empty SHIELD hangar, cigarette smoldering, carving runes into a pair of batons while Natasha Romanoff gave me the kind of look you give a man who's either brilliant or about to get you killed.
"These better not explode in my hands," she said, arms crossed.
"Explode? Please," I said, etching a final line that glowed faint gold. "They'll only vaporize everything within a ten-foot radius if you say the wrong word."
She blinked. "…You're kidding."
I looked up. "You're pretty. Not stupid. You tell me."
She sighed. "I can't believe Fury actually lets you near classified hardware."
"Oh, he doesn't. I just ignore him."
I gave the baton a flick. Blue energy sparked along its edge like captured lightning. The spell hummed, settling into place. "Now these beauties will hit three times harder and short-circuit any frost giant they touch. Think of it as magic pepper spray—except it punches gods in the face."
Natasha twirled one baton experimentally. "And what's the catch?"
"Use them too long, and they start draining your body heat."
"So they turn me into a popsicle."
"Exactly! But hey, you'll look cool doing it."
She rolled her eyes, but I saw the corner of her mouth twitch. Progress. Maybe.
Hawkeye strolled in next, chewing on something that was not gum. "You do arrow upgrades too, magic man, or is this a 'by appointment only' gig?"
I gave him a look. "Depends. Do your arrows still explode in your face when you shoot them upside-down?"
He grinned. "Once. And that's classified."
I sighed and gestured to his quiver. "Fine. Line 'em up."
He laid out an array of trick arrows—explosives, grapples, EMPs. I traced sigils across them, whispering old words that probably broke a few celestial copyright laws. Each arrow shimmered with faint light.
"There," I said, tossing him one. "Now they'll pierce frost giant skin. The magic converts kinetic force into divine friction. You know, like god-sandpaper."
"Sounds painful," Clint said, grinning.
"That's the idea."
I dusted off my hands. "Alright, you're both juiced up. Any other requests before we risk life and limb to keep New York from becoming an ice cube?"
"Yeah," Natasha said dryly. "You could stop hitting on me during national crises."
I blinked, mock-offended. "That's slander. I flirt during all crises, national or otherwise."
"Good to know."
Her smirk killed me more than any demon could.
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The Calm Before the Storm
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Fury stormed into the hangar, barking orders like he was auditioning for a thunder god role himself. "Listen up! The Frost Giants are inbound. Multiple dimensional readings in Lower Manhattan. Stark, Thor, Loki, Strange, Constantine—you're my front line. Everyone else handles the strays!"
Tony clanked past me in the suit, faceplate open. "So… demons, gods, and now ice giants. You people ever fight, I don't know, normal bad guys?"
I took a long drag, exhaled a perfect smoke ring into his arc reactor glow. "Define normal. Last week I fought a haunted vending machine."
He blinked. "…You're kidding."
"I wish I was."
Thor slammed Mjolnir into his palm. "The Jötun shall fall before us! Their presence on Midgard is my burden to correct!"
"Sure, sure," I said. "Just try not to level the Chrysler Building while doing it, Thunderboy."
He frowned. "You jest, sorcerer."
"Constantly."
Loki snorted. "It seems this one's growing on me."
"Good," I said. "Maybe next time don't reroute a warband of ice giants to the most populated city on Earth." I replied depending the illusion that this was just another invasion.
Loki's smirk was a masterclass in plausible deniability.
Fury's comm crackled. "All right, Avengers—move out."
He still said it like he didn't believe it himself.
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New York — Ground Zero
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The sky tore open like someone punched a hole through reality. Frost Giants poured through, massive blue titans wielding blades of ice and axes the size of buses. The temperature dropped twenty degrees in seconds.
I flicked my cigarette into a puddle and muttered, "Alright, you ugly popsicles… let's dance."
Tony was already in the air, repulsors blazing. "I'll take the tall ones. You handle the ugly ones."
"Joke's on you, Stark—they're all ugly!"
Thor slammed into the first wave, lightning crackling. I moved with him, chanting under my breath. A glyph flashed beneath his feet, amplifying his strike. His hammer came down like judgment day. Giants flew backward, crashing through cars.
"Ha! Well done, magican!" Thor shouted.
"Don't get used to it!" I yelled back.
Natasha darted between the giants, batons humming. Each strike left burns of blue frost magic in her wake. Clint's arrows tore through ice armor like glass, explosions lighting the streets.
One giant raised its axe over Natasha—until I whispered a word. A nearby streetlight bent unnaturally, steel groaning as it speared the giant through the chest.
"Nice save!" she called, flipping over a cab.
"Anytime!" I shouted. "But seriously—dinner after this?"
She smirked mid-fight. "Still not happening."
Worth a shot.
Loki's illusions split the battlefield, creating copies of the heroes that confused the Frost Giants into attacking their own allies. I reinforced his spell, feeding it power. The street filled with phantom Thors and ghostly Iron Men.
Stark's voice crackled through comms. "You do clones now too? Wait, do I get royalties?"
"Only if they start telling bad jokes," I said.
Another wave of giants crashed through 42nd Street. I raised both hands, summoning a circle that erupted from the pavement. The asphalt twisted into spikes of molten stone, trapping several in place.
Red Wolf leapt from a wrecked car, tomahawks blazing with Owayodata's fury. I threw a charm mid-air, doubling his strike. He hit a giant's jaw so hard the creature spun like a drunken top.
"Teamwork, baby!" I yelled.
"More like divine chaos!" Red Wolf roared back.
One of the giants tried to crush me with a slab of ice. I muttered a curse, snapping my fingers—the slab turned to steam mid-fall.
"See?" I said aloud. "Magic: the world's most aggressive air conditioner."
Strange was levitating above the chaos, purifying any left over residual magic, or radiation the bifrost left over from our spell to hijack it while Thor and Tony handled brute force. Loki darted in and out, blasting giants with green fire, occasionally pausing to look impressed when I made one of the brutes punch his own friend.
"You enjoy this far too much," he called down.
"Occupational hazard!" I shouted back.
A frost giant roared, charging. I sidestepped, drew a sigil in the air, and let it hit me full-on—only for the magic to redirect the force. It flew backward, colliding with two more of its kind in a mess of limbs and broken ice.
"That's three for me!" I called out.
Tony's voice chimed in, smug. "Still behind me, magic boy. Try keeping up."
"Oh, I'm not competing," I said. "But if I were… I'd be winning."
Another explosion rattled the streets.
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Thor and I met back-to-back in the middle of the street, surrounded by a ring of giants.
He grinned. "Shall we?"
"Why not?"
He slammed Mjolnir down, lightning arcing through the street. I caught the excess charge, channeled it into a runic blast, and fired it through my cigarette smoke. The bolt split into five streams, vaporizing a cluster of Frost Giants in blue mist.
Thor looked shocked. "Impressive!"
I smirked. "I charge by the hour."
Thor bellowed as he spoke "send the tab to Loki since he's king now!!"
Across the street, Tony and Loki tag-teamed another group. Tony fired a repulsor beam; Loki bent it midair with illusionary distortion, doubling its intensity.
I reinforced it with a containment circle. The beam hit like a laser cannon from the gods themselves, blowing a crater into the asphalt.
Hawkeye's voice came over comms. "So… who's buying the first round after this?"
"Whoever lives," I said.
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Endgame — The Collapse
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The last wave of giants stumbled through the city. Strange eldrich Magic's golden light illuminated the battle field. The remaining Jötun looked confused—then furious. Perfect.
I whispered an incantation that twisted the glamour Loki and I had cast earlier. The berserker magic kicked in. The Frost Giants turned on each other, roaring, smashing, freezing one another in blind rage.
Tony hovered overhead, watching. "You… made them fight each other?"
"Of course," I said. "Why punch something yourself when you can make it do the punching for you?"
Within minutes, the last of them fell, shattering into shards of blue ice.
Silence. Just the sound of crackling frost and distant sirens.
I looked around at the wreckage—smoldering cars, half-frozen buildings, asphalt split open like paper. "Well," I said, "I'd call that a solid first date."
Natasha shot me a glare. "Still not happening."
"I'll keep shooting."
Thor laughed heartily. "You are a strange man, sorcerer Constantine!"
"Trust me," I said, lighting another cigarette. "That's the nicest thing anyone's said all week."
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Aftermath — Public Revelation
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The sound hit us first—helicopter blades slicing the air. Then came the floodlights.
News choppers swarmed overhead, cameras trained on the half-demolished street and the lineup of exhausted, very recognizable heroes.
Tony's suit pinged. "We're trending already. #NewYorkGiantsAttack. Also, apparently I'm dating Thor according to Twitter."
Thor frowned. "I do not understand this 'Twit-er' you speak of."
"Don't start," I muttered.
Fury's voice came through the comms, half panicked, half resigned. "Damn it. They caught everything. The Avengers Initiative just went public."
I looked up at the circling helicopters, smoke curling from my cigarette. "Welcome to fame, Director. Hope you brought a PR team."
Natasha sighed, shaking her head. "You're enjoying this."
"Of course I am," I said. "If the world's going to find out about gods, monsters, and magic, might as well give them a good show."
Stark floated down beside me, suit smoking from battle damage. "You're insane, you know that?"
I grinned. "That's what keeps me interesting."
The lights above flared brighter. Cameras zoomed in.
Behind me, Loki smirked. "Midgard loves a spectacle."
I took one last drag, exhaled smoke into the cold night air. "Then let's give 'em something to remember."