Stephen wandered aimlessly through the streets of New York, his hands tucked into the pockets of his jacket as the brisk evening air brushed against his face. The city was alive, even at night, a symphony of sounds and lights that felt oddly comforting in its chaos. He hadn't planned to linger after his conversation with Christine, but the idea of returning to Malibu and facing Tony's inevitable questions was... daunting.
Instead, he let his feet guide him, following the subtle pull of the threads of destiny that seemed to weave through the streets. People watching had always been a quiet indulgence of his—a way to observe the lives that carried on despite the burdens he bore. It was a small reminder of why he did what he did, why he fought, why he cared.
As he walked, his thoughts drifted. Christine's reaction had been expected, but it still left a heaviness in his chest. She deserved answers, and he would give them in time. But seeing the hope in her eyes, only to shatter it with the truth... It had been harder than he anticipated.
Lost in thought, he barely noticed when his surroundings changed. The bustling streets of Manhattan gave way to the quieter, more industrial atmosphere of Harlem. It wasn't until he caught sight of a sign for Culver University that he realized where he was.
"Harlem," he muttered to himself, glancing around. He hadn't been paying attention to where his feet were taking him.
His stomach grumbled faintly, breaking through his reverie. Stephen sighed, pulling out his phone to check the time. He was supposed to return to Malibu to cook, but maybe Tony wouldn't mind takeout for once. The man could survive on shawarma and cheeseburgers; surely, he'd be fine with Thai food.
Spotting a small, brightly lit Thai restaurant on the corner, Stephen made his way inside, the warm, fragrant air greeting him like an old friend. He ordered quickly, letting the comforting smell of spices distract him as he waited. The restaurant was small, cozy, and mercifully quiet—until the ground beneath him shook.
The lights flickered briefly, and the faint sound of distant screams reached his ears. Stephen froze, his hand tightening around the takeout bag he'd just been handed. He stepped outside, the threads of destiny pulling at him like a magnetic force.
As the ground trembled beneath his feet, Stephen instinctively turned toward the source of the chaos. The monstrous, hulking figure—its grayish-green skin practically glowing in the dim streetlights—roared as it barreled through the university grounds. The sound was deafening, sending a ripple of fear through the civilians scattering in its wake.
Stephen's eyes darted skyward, catching sight of several military helicopters circling above. Their floodlights cut through the darkness, illuminating the abomination wreaking havoc below. Soldiers were already mobilizing on the ground, weapons drawn and orders shouted.
"This is going to be a long night," Stephen muttered, tightening his grip on the Cloak of Levitation as it fluttered around him in anticipation before transforming into its natural form, only adding a hood to its ensemble.
The abomination roared again, its massive fists swinging wildly as it turned toward a group of terrified civilians. Stephen didn't hesitate, his hands moving in a fluid motion as golden sparks erupted around him. A shimmering barrier appeared just in time, the creature's blow crashing against it with a resounding boom.
"Move!" Stephen shouted, his voice cutting through the noise as the civilians scrambled to safety. The Cloak tugged gently at his shoulder, guiding him toward a better vantage point.
As Stephen ascended to higher ground, his attention was momentarily drawn to the helicopters overhead. His sharp eyes caught movement—something—or someone—falling from one of the choppers.
"What the—" Stephen's breath hitched as he realized it was a figure plummeting rapidly toward the ground.
He raised a hand, magic already sparking at his fingertips to conjure a portal or a cushion spell to slow the fall—but before he could act, the abomination let out another earth-shaking roar, lunging toward a nearby car full of panicked civilians.
"Damn it," Stephen hissed, torn for a split second between the falling figure and the immediate threat to innocent lives. Gritting his teeth, he turned his focus back to the monster, raising both hands as a new glyph took shape in the air before him. With a forceful push, the car was enveloped in a golden aura and whisked safely out of the abomination's path, landing gently several yards away.
Satisfied that the civilians were safe for the moment, Stephen whirled back toward the falling figure—only to freeze in shock.
A massive, green figure slammed into the ground with a resounding crash, the impact sending cracks spidering through the pavement. Dust and debris filled the air as the green giant rose to his full, imposing height, his muscles taut and his expression a mask of barely restrained fury.
"Hulk," Stephen murmured, his voice barely audible over the chaos.
The Hulk let out a guttural roar, his attention immediately snapping to the abomination standing just a few feet away. The two creatures locked eyes, the tension between them palpable as the ground seemed to shudder beneath their combined weight.
"Well," Stephen muttered dryly, taking a cautious step back as he assessed the situation. "This just got a whole lot more complicated."
The abomination lunged first, its massive fist swinging toward the Hulk in a devastating arc. The Hulk met the attack head-on, his own fist colliding with the abomination's in a thunderous clash that shook the buildings around them. The force of the impact sent shockwaves through the air, shattering nearby windows and toppling streetlights.
Stephen shielded his face as debris rained down, his mind racing. He wasn't sure whether to intervene or let the two titans handle each other. Civilians were still at risk, and the destruction was escalating by the second.
The Cloak of Levitation tugged at him again, as if urging him to act. "I know, I know," he muttered, his hands already moving to cast another spell. "Just give me a second to figure this out."
As the two monsters grappled, Stephen used the distraction to focus on the fleeing civilians. He raised his hands, conjuring a series of glowing portals to ferry people out of danger. Families, students, and soldiers alike disappeared through the golden circles, reappearing on the far side of the block, safely away from the destruction.
A nearby helicopter spun too close to the fight, caught in the vortex of chaos as the Hulk hurled the abomination into the air. The aircraft wavered dangerously, its blades catching on a gust of debris. Stephen's eyes snapped toward it, his hands moving instinctively to conjure a stabilizing spell. The helicopter steadied just in time, pulling back to a safer distance.
"You're welcome," Stephen muttered under his breath, though the pilot couldn't hear him.
Meanwhile, the battle between the Hulk and the abomination raged on, their movements wild and destructive. Every blow they exchanged sent tremors through the ground, every roar a reminder of the sheer power they wielded.
Stephen stayed on the periphery, his focus split between shielding civilians and watching for an opportunity to end the fight—or at least contain it. But as he watched the Hulk throw the abomination through a building with a guttural roar, he knew this fight would last long.
"This is why I stick to magic," he muttered to himself, his hands glowing faintly as he prepared another spell.
The abomination emerged from the rubble, snarling as it charged at the Hulk once more. Stephen sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Of course, it's never that easy."
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As the last of the civilians vanished into a golden portal and reappeared at a safe distance, Stephen let out a sharp breath, his focus now fully shifting to the two rampaging monsters. The Hulk and the abomination were locked in a ferocious battle, their roars shaking the very air as they exchanged devastating blows. Each clash sent shockwaves rippling through the streets, toppling buildings and tearing through pavement.
Stephen assessed the destruction, his eyes narrowing. If this continued, there wouldn't be a Harlem left by the time they were finished.
"All right," he muttered to himself, rolling his shoulders as golden sparks flickered around his hands. "Enough of this."
With a sweeping motion of his arms, glowing whips of eldritch energy materialized in the air. The shimmering whips cracked like lightning as Stephen sent them hurtling toward the combatants. The first whip coiled tightly around the abomination's torso, yanking the beast backward and halting its next strike. The second whip wrapped around the Hulk's massive arm, pulling him away before he could follow up with another bone-crushing punch.
Both monsters roared in defiance, their movements wild as they struggled against the glowing restraints that continued growing. The eldritch whips burned brightly as they tightened, lifting the two giants off the ground. They floated several feet in the air, suspended like misbehaving children caught mid-fight.
Stephen stepped forward, his voice calm but commanding as it echoed through the ruined streets. "Are we ready to stop this nonsense and talk like rational beings?"
The only response he received was twin roars of rage, both creatures thrashing violently in their restraints. The abomination clawed at the whip binding its chest, while the Hulk's furious glare fixed on Stephen as if blaming him for interrupting the fight.
Stephen sighed, his lips pressing into a thin line. "I'll take that as a no."
With a flick of his wrist, he conjured two portals directly beneath the monsters. The glowing circles expanded rapidly, swallowing the Hulk and the abomination whole. Stephen raised another hand, creating two more portals high above, letting gravity take over.
The two beasts began to fall.
Stephen crossed his arms, watching impassively as the Hulk and the abomination plummeted through the portals in a never-ending loop. Each time they fell, they emerged from the top portal and dropped again, like stones in an infinite hourglass. Their bellows of frustration echoed through the air, but they were unable to break free from the spell's hold.
"You're going to keep falling until you calm down," Stephen muttered, shaking his head. "Take your time."
Satisfied that the immediate threat was neutralized, Stephen turned his attention to the streets. The damage was extensive—cracked pavement, shattered windows, overturned cars—but it was fixable. He didn't have the Time Stone, but for what he needed to do, he didn't need it.
Raising his hands, Stephen began to weave a spell, golden glyphs spinning in the air around him. The cracks in the pavement smoothed over, debris lifted and reassembled itself, and shattered glass flowed back into place like liquid. Buildings that had been damaged began to right themselves, bricks and beams snapping back into their proper positions.
Sweat beaded on Stephen's brow as he worked. This kind of magic required precision and focus, especially without the amplifying power of the Time Stone. But it wasn't impossible. He didn't need to rewind time entirely, only to guide the fragments of destruction back to where they belonged.
As the spell continued, the streets began to look as if the fight had never happened. Stephen allowed himself a small smile of satisfaction, though his hands didn't falter. The golden energy flared brighter as he repaired the last of the buildings.
When the task was finally complete, Stephen lowered his arms, his breathing slightly labored but steady. The neighborhood was intact once more, though he doubted anyone would forget the chaos that had unfolded here tonight.
He glanced up at the portals still swirling above him. The Hulk and the abomination were still falling, their bellows now tinged with confusion and frustration rather than rage.
"Have we learned our lesson yet?" Stephen called out, his voice laced with dry humor.
The Hulk let out a growl, though it was less aggressive than before. The abomination, however, roared defiantly, its claws still swiping uselessly at the air.
Stephen sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Guess I'll give it another minute."
He turned his attention back to the ground, double-checking his work. There were still minor cracks and imperfections, but the major damage had been fixed. Civilians who had been evacuated earlier were starting to peek out from their hiding places, their faces a mixture of awe and uncertainty as they looked around at the restored streets.
Stephen caught sight of one of the military helicopters circling above, its floodlights now trained on him rather than the portals. He waved a hand dismissively, casting a faint glamour over himself to obscure his features under the hood from any cameras.
"Well," he muttered to himself, his gaze flicking back to the endlessly falling monsters. "This has been an eventful night."
The Cloak of Levitation fluttered around him, as if in agreement. Stephen sighed again, preparing himself to finally deal with the Hulk and the abomination. This wasn't exactly how he'd planned to spend his evening, but he supposed it was better than letting Harlem become a battlefield.
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