Chapter 6 : Full Of Fright

(MC pov)

I didn't know how much time I spent at the same place, but when I finally came to my senses, Ava was sitting on the ground near the unconscious blond teenage girl and the afro American .

And by the look of it she was almost done explaining to the guy what happened.

"...Then Green Lantern just had the time to protect me before that black thing swallow everything and everyone else. And it disappeared."

Why Ava finished her explanation, by the look of it, the man wasn't pleased at all on what he learned.

"So, you're saying that some wizards just pop up in the bar, transformed my wife into a werewolf and then what? Killed her? Make her vanish? Erased her of existence? All of this because of some random guy who was shouting about his sister? And what about this little girl?" The man questioned Ava angrily.

"I don't know! And I don't even know what happened exactly! Shit! We were just chilling around and then some magic guys did some random magic that did something! I'm not an expert in magic! I didn't even thought that magic was a thing before today!" Ava shout back in distress.

Clearly, like me. Both of them couldn't really handle well what just happened. Which was understandable, but I think that staying here without trying to figure out what happened and try to fixed the problem, was pointless.

[Well, look who's back! I was starting to think that you will get depressed all your life and never hear my voice again.] Complain jokingly Ion.

'Huh? Something happened?'

[Well not exactly. It's just that after Jessica disappeared, your Willpower hit the bottom. Which momentarily cut off the connection between us. I have to say, of all the universe with a Green Lantern, you're probably the only one who manage to do that.]

Understanding that this wasn't a compliment at all, I preferred to stay quiet and focused on the task on hand.

'Do you know what happen Ion?' I asked without much hope. But surprisingly he did have an answer.

[From what I felt through the barrier, it's seems that, that thing was some kind of instable portal. And wherever was the endpoint, it was pretty far. Like outside of earth far.]

While having information was good, the content, didn't please me at all. Especially when Ion told me that he couldn't track their exact locations.

Well the only good news I had, was the fact that they may not have died. Which was something I supposed.

And that something, helped me calm down enough to think on my next action. Contrary to the two in front of me who were becoming more erratic as times passed.

"You're a hero no ? Then find a solution to bring them back!" Practically shout the man at Ava. To which she replied back with the same tone.

"I've already told you! I'm not an expert in magic. And I don't know where to find Hogwarts either, because I don't know any wizards!"

While Ava's words distract me a little, but their 'discussion' also made remember something. Whatever happened was of magical nature.

So, even if Ion couldn't track their locations, with magic, we probably could do that right?

And so while I didn't personally know any magicians, I knew that sorcerers existed in this world. All thanks to Doctor Strange.

"Well, stop fighting you two. I know where to find those 'expert'." I said while interrupting their quarrels. Stunning both of them.

Maybe because they were too engrossed into their conversation, but my voice seems to make them remember that they were in fact not alone.

And once they did and understood what I said, the bald man immediately ponce on me and 'asked' me with a fanatical look.

"You said that you knew someone? Who is it? Where can we find that person?! And do you know what happened here??"

While his barrage of question, surprised me a little, but what surprised me more, was his strength. Even though when he tried to grab my shoulders, my innate barrier prevent that from happening. I could still feel the touch of the outside world with that barrier. And because of that, I felt how inhumane was his strength.

After looking at him briefly in shock, I start to explain what I've understood from the situation, before contacting Tony Stark.

{"...Ed, what a surprise! Look who's deciding to finally contact his teammates? What's going on? You lost your detective job? You want a new one?"}

... I was starting to regret contacting that guy.

"Hey, Tony. I'm calling you for...a case. One with lives at stake."

I did hesitate on whether or not I tell Tony about Kamar-Taj and those magicians, but then I remembered what causes Avengers 2 and Ultron and decided against it.

With only a magic scepter, he was able to create an AI so destructor. Let's not talk about what he'll do if he learn about magic so early.

For some reason, as soon as I think about that, I immediately thought on how Doctor Strange saw the future and made Tony sacrifice himself for that one in a million chance to defeat Thanos.

'Don't tell me...'

{"Do you need the help of this genius?"} Said Tony in a joking tone.

Shooking my head, I focused on the present and stopped my thought diverting.

"No, it's okay Ghost..and Wonder Woman are already helping me. thank you though. I just need you to find the address of a building for me." Refusing to implicate that guy in my business more than necessarily.

So after more exchanges, I create a construct with the form of the logo seen on the New York Temple. Took a picture of it and sent it to Tony. And five minutes later, I had the address.

"Let's go." I said to the two people who were waiting for my call to end.

"What about this girl?" Asked the guy with some concern as he pointed at the blond teenage girl still in comatose on the floor.

Honestly, I hesitate a little bit in taking her with us because I didn't know how she appeared here. Because I'm sure that before the couple threw their spell, there were no trace of her presence. But most importantly, Ion told me that this girl reek the smell from Hell. The actual Hell.

After all the magic that happened here, finding a girl coming from hell was the last thing I wanted. But...

"...Let's take her with us." I finally decided.

Because in my opinion, while this girl clearly smell trouble, but there was a great chance that she was connected with whatever was happening. And if left alone here, that will surely have an impact on normal people.

'Ion, do you think that the portal was a passage to hell? Do you think the other went to...hell?'

[Given the fact that after the portal was summoned, she appears too, there's a very high probability that it's the case. However remember that, that portal was an unstable one. Meaning that even if they all went through the same portal, they could have landed in different places, even different dimensions altogether.]

I really hoped that wasn't the case, because I really didn't know what would I do otherwise. While I haven't seen most of the MCU movies and read marvel comics, I could still guess that like in DC comics, Hell was a place where you could get in with little difficulty. But except if you were John Constantine, leaving Hell was almost impossible to do. But at least there was a chance to do so.

So, now I was hoping that my friends ended up in hell.

'Looking that way, I could almost think that I'm cursing them. Sigh, how did I end up with that kind of life..'

Recollecting my thoughts, I took away my friends belongings with Ava's help before getting out of the place with her and the guy who introduced himself as Luke Cage, holding in his arms the blond girl.

To avoid any question regarding that unconscious girl, we took Luke's car to get to our destination.

The journey, which was at first very silent, was broken ten minutes later by Luke Cage.

"Not, that I really mind, but is it normal that no authority came to inspect what happened in the bar?"

Hearing his question brought a small smile on my face. Because there was once a time when I asked the same question to Jess.

"The police in Hell's Kitchen never run to loud sound or troublesome things like that. They wait at least a day to see what happen there. Because they don't want to die to early for sniffing their head where it doesn't belong and drag their family with them."

I wanted to explain, but Ava strangely did the explanation in my steeds. While she explained, I almost expected the guy to trash talk those policeman, but instead he nodded in understanding.

"Well I can understand why they do that, but at the same time, I also don't understand. If they didn't want to be exposed to such dangers, then they shouldn't have put on the uniform in the first place."

"While I agree, but humans are complicated creatures. I can pretty much guess that they want to be the savior of their neighborhood, but at the same time they don't want to be implicate in the mess. That kind of thing is very common. Even.. I was like that before New York. Even now I didn't completely change." I said thinking about how I end up being the Green Lantern of this universe but never went outside this planet to save some worlds.

I thought about the fact that unlike the future Spider-Man or even Iron Man, I didn't follow the news to learn about major disasters or hack the police comm to arrest the small thugs on the area. I was just a little more active in meddling in people businesses, that's all.

My musing was interrupted, when I suddenly heard Luke laughing loudly after hearing my answer. Seeing my puzzled face through the rear-view mirror he continues to laugh a little before answering.

"Haha ha! It's not that I'm mocking you, but you're actually not really what I imagine. I thought that after becoming superheroes, people suddenly become some kind of saint like Tony Stark on TV.

I mean, before he disappeared, Stark was a real piece of work who didn't really care about anyone but himself. But now he give scholarships to those who can't afford one, and he's even building an orphanage for those who lost their parents after those aliens came.

So I don't know, when I hear the Green Lantern himself tell me that he's still has a selfish side even though he saved an entire city from aliens, it makes me laugh. Because before that, I had an argument on whether or not you, people only thought about saving without expecting something in return. I said that as heroes, being selfish was above you, but Reva she...!"

At the mention of his wife, the light on his eyes dimmed as he stop talking. Considering that his wife became a monster a'd was then possibly teleported in hell, his reaction was quite mild.

Normally in those situations, the superhero should confort the guy and promise him that he'll find his wife safe and sound. But I couldn't actually promise him that, because I didn't know if I could help him take back his wife from wherever she was. That, and I didn't know if she could transform back to a human. But seeing his lifeless look, I still felt the need to say something.

"Don't worry Mr. Cage. Where we are going, reside the most powerful sorcerer of the world. So no matter where your wife is, she'll be able to find them." I said with certainty in voice, because I myself believe it so.

"I hope so Green Lantern." Replied Cage with a bland tone, but I could on his face some new vitality. Proving that I didn't talk in vain.

The rest of the journey was very quiet, with each of us on their own thoughts.

While I didn't know what the other where thinking about, I myself was reviewing anything that I knew about magic, Doctor Strange and the Ancient One.

And I came to the conclusion that while Strange may be inclined to help me. For the Ancient One all thing were uncertain. Because I remembered that when Banner came to her to ask for the Time Stone, she initially refuse on the ground that it was too dangerous to lend them the stones. On this sole example, I could already determine that the Ancient One was one of 'Greater Good' type of people who would let most of humanity die without doing a thing if the 'right' person is still alive.

And to prove that, she let herself be killed because the 'chosen one' (Doctor Strange) appear. And so she died so he could accomplish his destiny (becoming the new Sorcerer Supreme)

So when we finally arrive at the doorstep of the New York Sanctuary, knocking on the door, I half expect someone to tell us that the Sorcerer Supreme didn't want to see us. But instead I was surprised when an old man with a long beard open the door and said.

"Come in. The Sorcerer Supreme has been expecting you." Said Gandalf the monk as he sidestep to let us in.

Honestly, I didn't if I should be scared or not to be expected by someone like her, but at this point of time I didn't have much option. So after a split second of hesitation I came inside the building with my friends tagging along.

The entrance room was almost exactly like I remembered from the last Spider-Man movie. Minus the snow and with many more objects, artifacts furniture and the like. For example, I didn't remember the giant fan near the door next to the main staircase.

Honestly, thought it still had more mystical vibe now than in the future. Which was quite cool in my opinion, if we were to ignore the fact that there weren't enough light in this hall.

'Honestly why do all those magic guys always lack light?! Is it cool? Maybe. But is it really necessary? I don't think so!'

Apart from being annoyed by the lighting, or the lack of therefore, I was glad that I didn't have to do travel across the whole building to meet the Ancient Ones.

At the right side of the main stairs, was the Ancient One. Sitting on a sofa, drinking something while looking at us calmly. Seeing that I spot her, she put down her cup on the small table before inviting us with a gesture of her hand.

While I didn't really know what to really expect, I still prepared myself mentally before walking to the Sorcerer Supreme.

While I sat on the sofa opposite to her, I noticed that the aloof and always composed Ava was showing some sign of nervousness, even if I don't think that she knew who was sitting across us.

[It should be because she has Quantum energy inside herself. That Sorcerer possess something akin to the Still Force. As if she was its Avatar but without really being it's host...it's.. Really strange. Moreover she also possess a great amount of Light and Dark energy with some other minor energies.

Wth all those powers, she should be the most powerful being in this universe right? At least I think that she should be able to travel to other universes easily.

Honestly I can't imagine how she was able to absorb so much foreign energy without dying. It's actually quite impressive.]

'... I'm hesitating about whether or not I should thank you for the information or runaway as fast as I can, right now.'

If earlier I was just wary of her including me in some of her plan like Dumbledore, then now I was genuinely scared about her power. She could travel through UNIVERSES!

"Mr. Elric, you should tell the entity present inside your ring to restrain his curiosity. Had it be someone else, both of you would have been killed the very second I sense his prying." Said the scary woman suddenly starting all of us.

The moment she said that however, before I could even understand the implications of it, the monk Gandalf standing next to us suddenly made some strange movements as an orange sharp transparent circle appear near my neck.

Instinctively, I reinforce my green barrier while pointing my ring at the old monk with a ray of my own ready for launch.

But before the situation escalated the Ancient One once again spoke up. But this time I noted with a more stern voice.

"Tenzin, they are not the enemies." She state simply. Which promptly caused the man to dissipate his orange construct after a brief glance toward her. After that he turn towards me and bow.

"I apologize for my inappropriate behavior. I hope that you can forgive that fault of mine." He said seriously.

....And I honestly didn't know what to reply, because of his way of speaking. But because I didn't want to stay here more than necessary, I didn't try to think about it. So after lowering my fist, I wave my hand at him.

"Well, It's fine. I was the one who should apologize to beginning with for trying to pry into Ancient One's secrets." I said in an uncaring tone.

But internally I was actually a bit scared as I realized that while my reflexes had always been one of the fastest, but I was still a beat slower in reacting against that old man's attack.

Perhaps the Ancient One was able to see that I was more on edge because she spoke again.

"You don't have to worry Mr. Eric. We will not harm you. After all, you are here to seek our help. And Kamar-Taj always try to help a just cause."

...While she may tried to be friendly by saying that, it only made my heart beats more wildly.