CHAPTER 177

[Draul St. Cross POV]

Not much fanfare happened after I successfully fused with my second Infinity Stone apart from having caught the attention of the Living Tribunal, but that was a normal Tuesday in Marvel so no biggies. 

Well fuck. 

What the hell am I?

It took me some time to come to the conclusion after I started seeing specks and memories of the universe to know that I was not in the material plane. 

I was not in my mind because I would obviously know if I was taking a backseat in my head nor was this some sort of power trip. 

With what I could deduce, what I was currently seeing was 'power' in the universe. Beings who possess large servings of the buffet called might. 

Some were as big as nebulas, while some were as small as planets. 'Really Draul? Since when did planets become so small?'

Some were a fuckton of size as huge as an entire solar system and I could even see the far blinding light that engulfed everything else, casting a shadow on the smaller specks of light, enveloping the entire universe. 

I couldn't see mine which was weird since I should be on this power scale since I know that I was at the very least multi-planetary, at the very least, and that was when I was still playing around with the Space Stone since I never had a chance to go all out with it or even exercise it a bit. Fusing with the Power Stone ought to have increased that by a mile if I'm correct since there was no concrete way to calculate how strong one would be after a power trip. 

I couldn't hazard a guess since I didn't even know how strong I was when I had the Space Stone, talkless of how strong I would be after I left wherever this place was. 

I might have stayed in here for hours, aimlessly walking around, from one star to the other, finding both minute and vast differences between them. 

Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, I started siphoning a bit of power from each and every one of the stars, taking a piece of them to add to mine. I didn't care if they were as small as a city block or not, power was power, the only difference would be how they were applied. 

It was like trying to solve a puzzle but this one was more universal in size which thankfully didn't matter since I could use my spatial abilities and also these specks of power seemed to respond to my call so all I did was walk around and ignored as the found themselves inside the endless well that was my body. 

After a long ass while, the space began fading, clueing me that my time here was up. 

'Well no matter, at least I got a piece of all the big pies.'

There was a chance that what I did here might come back to bite me in the ass but at this point, I couldn't really care less. 

Before I knew it, I was back on earth, covered by a magic dome and I could not help but feel like I got taller. Remembering what happened the first time, I conjured up some clothes first, wouldn't do for me to go flashing the world for the second time, and not to mention Yelena was here. Not that it was of any importance if she was, but it would be beyond awkward and embarrassing for me if she caught me dick out, going all 'Kamikaze' on the world. 

So with that done, I touched the barrier to signify to the people outside that I was done, even taking the precaution to veil all the excess energy rolling out in waves from me. The barrier immediately crumbled before my fingers touched it, turning into motes of light before seeping into my body. 

"That's new."

Everyone was already waiting for me as they were all gathered together and I pretended not to see Bucky handing over ten dollars to Steve. 

"How do you feel, Mr. Cross?" The Ancient One stepped forward and inquired. 

"I feel… balanced. Like I'm an equal parts of a whole." The feeling was weird but that was what I really felt like. 

"That is because the Power Stone is the perfect balance for the Space Stone, as you would need it to better use your spatial abilities." She said. 

"How so?"

"The Infinity Stones have an effect on each other, helping each other maintain an equilibrium and also bring out more precisely the abilities of the other stones. The Power Stone allows for a better use of the Space Stone, likewise the Space Stone allows for a better use of the Time Stone. In turn, the Time Stone regulates the use of the Reality Stone while the Reality Stone better facilitates the use of the Soul Stone which in turns allows better use of the Mind Stone. And like you can already guess, the Mind Stone allows for better control of the Power Stone."

"A loop huh? So that means I should go for the Mind and Soul Stone next, pretty convenient if you ask me." I didn't bother with asking her how she knew of this because I've long learnt to take anything she says at face value. 

But this at least explained why I felt as if I just ate something that filled my stomach in a comfortable way but there was still that feeling as if I could still fit in more things without pressing myself. 

"How long was I out this time?" I asked since my internal clock was all messed up due to my evolution. 

"Thirty hours, give or take." Wong said as he straightened the crease on his attire. 

"Thirty hours. Hmm, that's less than the first time but not unexpected. I half expected them to attack during my most vulnerable moment but I'm glad they didn't." And by 'they', I meant the Gods. 

"We should be thankful for that. Unlike what the myths might say about their shortsightedness and arrogance, they are anything but. Gods are not the most compassionate bunch and one of the things they hate is a mortal trespassing on their domains." The Ancient One warned, not that I needed any warning. While I may not give too much care about the Gods, that did not necessarily mean that I was of the mind to fight them. There were some Gods that I would rather not fight if I had the opportunity to choose, apart from them I could go all Kratos on the others. 

"Hey guys!" I called out to where they were situated since I was finished with my talks with the Ancient One. 

"Hmm… I'm not sure if I'm the only one who thought so, but I expected at least some visible changes given the fact that you just ate the Power Stone." Nat said as you began scrutinizing me for any minute changes to support her fantasy theory. "Oh and Ororo called. I think you might want to talk to her, we'll table this discussion for now." She said she passed me my phone, making me raise my brows at her mention of tabling a discussion I never knew we were having. 

I shook my head at Nat's antics and rang Ororo, the phone not going past two rings before she picked up the phone. 

"Hey 'Ro. How's it going?"

"Well if you're asking then, well apart from a few hiccups, we've already managed to transport ten crews of people to start on the construction of the city, so that's good at least. It would have been better if my boyfriend had told me he would be going to undergo his second evolution yesterday. Hmm?" That crisp voice that was synonymous with a strict teacher and that accent alone was enough for men to fall over for her, and if it's any indication to the stated fact, it was also part of the reason I did. Sucks to be me I guess. 

"Oh that? To be perfectly honest, I didn't see it as anything important to notify you of, and besides you have a nation to worry about. I was actually thinking of coming over in a few hours and we would have talked about it."

"Draul, don't let anybody tell you otherwise but sometimes you are as insufferable as you are sensible. I guess it is also my fault since I'm too invested in Krakoa and wanting to establish at least a living city there that sometimes it's all I think about days on end. I think I should reconsider my priorities." She sounded really sorry, not that I couldn't understand why. 

"Well you are right about setting your priorities straight, and that should be establishing Krakoa to gain a certain level of independence where you wouldn't have to worry about it every time you turn your head. Krakoa was your brainchild 'Ro, and it wouldn't do for you to leave it behind just because you wanted to see me evolve. And it's not like this was my last evolution and you missed some sort of grand spectacle, not to mention I have two more evolutions to go through so you can watch those." I explained slowly to let her understand that nothing was lost in our current relationship. We were working adults with me eating relics of creation and fighting against Gods on my days off while she took on the endeavor of creating a metahuman nation. We weren't exactly normal working adults and the time we put into developing our relationship to the next level already spoke of our commitment to each other and it was working and in my opinion, there was no need to change it and that was what I made clear to Ororo. 

"… Thanks, I really needed to hear that. Krakoa is taking a lot out of me than I would like to acknowledge, but I guess I can't complain, can I?"

"Well, you can actually complain and all I can do is listen. If it's taking a lot out of you, don't you think it's high time you let Charles know about what you are doing? Not that he doesn't already. But I think you should at least have him help, get his ass out of his chair for once in his life." There was no way Charles didn't know what it was that Ororo was doing, the man was a pretty crazy psychic in his own rights and no one could blame him for doing what psychics did, of which reading minds was the basic of them. 

"Really? And here I thought you didn't like Charles enough that you would even suggest someone getting help from him. Consider me surprised."

I rolled my eyes at what she said, not missing the fact that she thought I somehow had a hate feud with the man. "Make no mistake, 'Ro. I have big issues with Charles' take on morality and his passive optimist mentality but that doesn't mean that he isn't one of the most capable people out there as long as he's not trying to get you on his side."

"I have been mulling on the subject for a while now but would have to bring it up to Emma and Raven for their opinions. Thanks babe, oh and before I forget, you did mention something about you only needing two more evolutions, how so? Didn't you have like four more stones to fuse with?"

I scratched my head seeing as she brought that part up. "I do, but I decided to fuse with two the next time."

"Draul?"

"Yes?"

"Are you trying to kill yourself?"

"Of course not."

"But that's suicide. The Infinity Stones each have a place in the universe and attempting to fuse with two of them at the same time is trying to comprehend two aspects of the universe at the same time. The difficulty doesn't stack up but rather multiplies." Huh? She took that better than I thought. 

"Don't worry, 'Ro. I'm not planning on dying yet, not that I would deny that the prospect doesn't seem attractive."

"*Sigh* By the Goddess, Draul. Should I also be worried about you speaking so flippantly about dying?"

"Nah.. Love you babe."

"Love you too."

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