Chapter Fifty-Five: Parting, The Promise of the Century
"You're leaving, aren't you?" Peggy Carter asked softly, her eyes filled with sadness.
Thor nodded. "There are still ten minutes."
They sat side by side, watching the sun dip below the horizon.
"At that time, I was still alive, right?"
"Yes, we will meet again. And there are a few things you must remember!" Thor suddenly turned to her and said.
"At least for this century, don't reveal my true identity to anyone, not even Stark! I trust you'll keep this secret and just come up with a reason for my departure."
"Also, retire early!"
With Dr. Zola now recruited, it was inevitable that S.H.I.E.L.D. would become compromised in the future. As one of its founders, staying in S.H.I.E.L.D. could make her a target for HYDRA, as evidenced by Howard Stark's fate.
Peggy Carter nodded. Though she didn't know the full details, she trusted Thor's words.
"You still owe me a dance," Peggy said suddenly.
"After the war is over... though I fear it might be in the next century!"
"When will I see you again?"
" Come on this date - .... and and this adress - ....., don't try to contact before "
The system's voice intruded:
"Congratulations! You have triggered the Captain America-related mission: The Covenant of the Century. You will be rewarded upon completion!"
"Mission Objective: In the new century, invite Peggy Carter to dance. Mission Reward: Dancing Proficiency."
Time seemed to fly by, and a green light enveloped Thor.
"Applying the skill to Peggy Carter—Immortality!"
…
Peggy Carter gazed at the spot where Thor had disappeared, unable to hold back her tears. For over fifty years, it seemed hopeless.
After a while, she picked up the communicator: "I have found a clue about the Tesseract, in the northernmost part of Alaska, close to my current location."
"Captain America crashed and disappeared. Numerous HYDRA remnants tried to seize the Tesseract but failed. Captain Blake tragically fell into the sea during the battle and went missing."
…
Time passed, and the war eventually ended.
The Howling Commandos toasted Steve and Blake, remembering their former leader.
Howard Stark followed leads to locate the Tesseract. Even without its energy signature, he persisted in his search. But amidst the vast Arctic Ocean, finding two individuals beneath the icebergs was akin to finding a needle in a haystack.
Peggy came to terms with the reality and accepted it. Colonel Phillips handed her Thor's retirement files, and she stared blankly at the photographs.
…
One night in 1991.
Howard Stark drove home alone, his mood dark. He sought solitude to escape his thoughts.
The thought of the troublesome Blake and his son, who was even more reckless than he had been in his youth, weighed on him.
Lost in thought, the car suddenly skidded out of control and crashed into a tree.
A metal arm dragged him out. Howard looked up and gasped, "Sergeant Barnes?"
His response was a brutal punch, followed by another... He gradually lost consciousness.
After confirming the target's death, Bucky staged the crash scene and vanished into the darkness.
About half an hour later, the corpse's fingers twitched...
Following this incident, Howard felt as if he had developed memory issues. Even if those who had sacrificed themselves for decades returned, it was hard to believe they could be so youthful.
But after overcoming this hardship, Howard, seemingly reborn, chose to step back. He handed over the company to Tony and withdrew from the public eye.
…
In 2005, at Kamar-Taj's Holy Place, the Ancient One was casting a spell when a frantic magician burst in, shouting, "Your Highness Sorcerer Supreme, Kaecilius has betrayed us!"
The Ancient One was startled, causing a disruption in the spell.
"This is not good!" Despite efforts to correct the error, the temporary lapse caused a shift in Thor's return time and space...
Surrounded by darkness, Thor looked on helplessly.
Ancient One, you clumsy magician! No wonder even a dignified Socceror was slain with a knife!