Age Of Miracles | Pietro Maximoff

Chapter Twenty-One: The Greatest Power On Earth

Music is "Villanelle" by Jo Blankenburg.

Picture is Jane Levy as Glory Maximoff.

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"The greatest power on earth is the magnificent power we all of us possess... the power of the human brain."

- Charles Xavier, Professor X

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CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

The next day, I call Stephen Strange, asking him if there's any other way to get back to Origin Earth. I ask him about the Soul Gem, how he told us it was opening random portals to my universe. Sadly, to which Stephen quickly replied, "It's too erratic, Glory. I thought the same thing a few months ago, but the stone has become far too dangerous to use as a primary portal. However, we might be able to use it as a power source, like Killbane did last time with the Arc Reactor. It worked last time with a dead Pietro; who's to say it won't work again?"

"Excellent idea," I told him with a smile. "Be ready for the call when we get to New York."

"For you, anything."

The day after that, the day after Steven's IQ test--which we still haven't gotten the results back from--I turn to my fellow companions. We're preparing to leave for New York. "Are you sure you want to go through with this?" I ask everyone one last time. "There won't be any cover, no Loki to disguise us. We'll be back, for all intents and purposes, and we won't be able to pull off a stunt like this again. No one will believe we've mysteriously died twice. Not all of us."

Pietro nods, taking my hand. "We are sure. I have been for a while, but Wanda and I talked more last night."

I turn to Wanda and she nods in agreement, winding her arm with Vision's. "We are all sure, Sister. It is time we return to the world of heroes. They will need us now more than ever."

"And when our jobs are finished," Vision adds, "when we have done all we can and should do to stop this enemy, we can choose what paths we take. Some of us may wish to return to Sokovia; they may do so. Some of us may wish to move somewhere new; that can also be accepted. Some of us may wish to remain in New York. Whatever we decide after this war has reached it's finale, that is up to them."

Out of the corner of my eye, I spot Elaine talking to Steve. I hear the very end of their conversation. "I promise I'll take good care of her," Steve nods. "Sekhmet will be well fed and happy."

"And you can't let anyone see her in that cave," she warns him. "It's huge, and she's happy there, but don't let her out. I wish Vision was here to make sure the cave is sealed back properly--"

Steve chuckles, laying a hand on her shoulder. "Elaine, trust me. I can handle a big cat with wings. And Bex is obsessed with her anyways. She's always looking for a reason to visit her."

After Elaine came to stay with us, the most obvious problem we faced was concealing Sekhmet, her giant winged lioness. Vision had the brilliant idea of carving out a cave system for her to explore in the Sokovian mountains behind out home. She would be hidden and free to roam. After it was built, we sealed it with a forcefield to keep her inside and a holographic projection of a normal cliff face to keep others out. Elaine says she's quite happy with her new, stable environment, and the kids and I go to visit het several times a day.