A New Beginning

Chapter 39- The Convergence

Erik's amazing plan was to stick these pieces of equipment into the ground around various locations in Greenwich. Noelle, Bern and Nick were to set them up, and he would activate them from the top of the Royal Naval College.

Noelle was honestly shocked S.H.I.E.L.D. hadn't gotten all up into their case, but the day wasn't over just yet.

"So what do these things do?" she asked Erik nervously as they watched Bern and Nick hammering one into the ground outside the right wing of the building.

"It's called a gravimetric spike," said Erik. "Built it myself. They stabilize the focal point of the Convergence and allow us to pass by the effects. Also they can detect and manipulate the wormholes." He grinned, as if he were proud of himself.

Noelle nodded. She was genuinely impressed that Erik had actually built these. He really was an intelligent man. "Impressive. So I'm guessing it can teleport people between the Realms?"

"Exactly!"

According to Erik, the Convergence would only last for approximately eleven minutes, so while he controlled the devices, Noelle, Thor, and Bern's jobs were to keep Malekith and the Dark Elves busy long enough so Malekith didn't have enough time to unleash the Aether. It was a lousy plan in Noelle's opinion, and something they were taking a huge risk with, but there was no time for anything else. Malekith had brought the fight to them, and they were going to have to hold him off for as long as possible.

"Bern, are you guys almost done down there?" Noelle asked through her comms. She had brought several sets with her from the Stark Tower, just in case she needed them. Everyone except for Nick and Thor she had given an earpiece.

"Uhh... we're getting there. We still have two more." Bern replied.

Noelle's eyes widened as she saw the large shape of Malekith ship uncloaking itself and grazing through the lake outside the campus grounds. People screamed and pushed each other out of the way, scrambling to get as far away from it as possible. Noelle felt the immediate impulse to run down there and pull as many people as she could out of harm's way.

"Well hurry it up!" she called back to Bern. Then, she turned and leapt down from out of the tower.

"Noelle! Where are you–" Erik shouted.

"I'll be back!"

Noelle landed with ease on both feet on the lawn. She might not have been able to pull every civilian out of the way, but she could at least try to stop the ship. Mustering all her strength, she reached out with both hands and threw all her power at the ship, slowing it down in its tracks. Exhaling a sigh of relief, she let herself go as the ship finally came to a halt, having torn up most of the stone pavement and the lawn outside the college. Noelle glanced around behind her. No one appeared to be injured.

She readied herself as the front door of the ship began to open. From up above, she could hear Thor coming. He landed beside her, smashing what parts of the pavement that weren't already destroyed into bits.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

Noelle nodded slowly. "I'm going to give him one more chance to surrender."

"He won't," Thor replied with certainty. "But it is admirable of you to try."

As Malekith descended the ramp, Noelle and Thor's attention was turned towards the sky. The portals were beginning to open. Noelle could see various worlds of fire, ice, greenery and darkness. She wondered which one of them was Middle-earth.

She snapped back to reality to see Malekith's ugly, half-burned face coming towards her. "You have one more chance, Malekith. Surrender the Aether, and return peacefully to your homeworld, or we'll be left with no choice but to kill you."