Marvel: Silver Hand

The realm of Eldrborinn pulsed with restless energy, the ever-present roar of molten rivers echoing through jagged cliffs and obsidian spires. The volcano's breath, hot and suffocating, churned in the distance—a living monument to divine fury. Amid this infernal landscape, Alexander sat motionless at the edge of a cliff, his legs crossed and eyes closed, submerged in meditation.

The fire within and around him intertwined, his divine essence drawing strength from the heart of this world. His mind drifted between the echoes of vengeance fulfilled and the silence that followed. Ryan and Vanessa were dead. Their screams had faded into ash, their bodies nothing more than brittle memories lost to the flames. He had avenged his mother, his aunt, and his sister. The hollow victory left him with a bitter question: What now?

After what felt like both moments and an eternity, Celebrimbor's voice broke through the stillness.

"Alexander," the wraith's ethereal tone whispered.

Alexander's eyes snapped open, molten gold irises reflecting the burning abyss below.

"You've recovered enough," Celebrimbor said.

"How long has it been?" Alexander's voice was rough from disuse, yet steady.

"Three hours."

Alexander rose to his feet, stretching slightly as divine energy surged through his veins, restored but not yet sated. He glanced toward the horizon where rivers of lava carved their paths.

Celebrimbor's voice held a hint of dry amusement. "You should probably make a portal to Emma. You left her in that clearing in Iceland without any warning."

Alexander frowned, running a hand through his flaming hair. "Yeah… I don't know what got into me. I was just—irritated. For no reason."

Celebrimbor chuckled softly. "Perhaps you're not as immune to mortal frustrations as you'd like to think."

Alexander didn't respond, instead turning his gaze inward. The gnawing emptiness was undeniable. With Ryan and Vanessa gone, the revenge that had fueled him was spent. What remained was… nothing.

He broke the silence. "What do we do now? My revenge is over. Ryan and Vanessa are dead. I've avenged my family."

Celebrimbor's answer came swiftly, as though he'd been waiting for the question. "We fulfill our promise to Eldrborinn. We must find a way to Asgard and deliver the stone with Eldrborinn's message to Odin."

Alexander nodded slowly. "Asgard…" He thought for a moment, then his expression sharpened with realization. "Odin's son, Thor—he's an Avenger. The Avengers' headquarters is in New York. If we get to New York, we can find someone who knows Thor."

Celebrimbor's voice held skepticism. "And how exactly do you plan to find an Avenger in a city of millions?"

Alexander's molten eyes glinted with determination. "We'll figure that out once we're there."

"Reckless as always," Celebrimbor muttered, though there was a note of approval beneath the sarcasm.

Without another word, Alexander focused his energy, summoning a portal to the clearing in Iceland—the place where he'd first discovered Eldrborinn's realm. The fiery gateway roared to life, and he stepped through.

The bitter cold hit him like a slap. Snow whipped through the clearing, the sky a dull gray, heavy with clouds. Amid the icy expanse stood Emma, her arms crossed, face flushed with rage and frostbite.

The moment she saw him, she charged.

SLAP!

Her hand connected with his face, the sound sharp against the howling wind.

"You asshole!" she screamed, her voice cracking from the cold. "You just left me here? Without a word? Are you insane?!"

Alexander blinked, rubbing his cheek, though the sting was more from her fury than the slap. "I'm sorry."

Emma's glare could've melted glaciers. She shoved past him, storming through the portal to escape the icy hellscape. Alexander followed, stepping back into the sweltering embrace of Eldrborinn's realm.

Emma exhaled deeply, her breath no longer misting in the warm air. After a moment, her shoulders relaxed. She turned, still scowling but less murderous.

"…Okay, I forgive you," she muttered, clearly against her better judgment.

Alexander fought the urge to smirk. "Thanks."

Emma crossed her arms. "So, what's next? What are you going to do now?"

"I'm going to New York," he replied. "I need to find Thor and get to Asgard."

Emma's curiosity flared. "Why do you need to go to Asgard?"

Alexander's expression hardened. "I have something I need to do."

She studied him for a moment, then shrugged. "Fine. Keep your secrets."

Alexander nodded.

After a beat, Emma added, "Can you make a portal to Snow Valley?"

Alexander raised an eyebrow. "Why would you want to go there?"

"I bought my old school," she said casually, "the Snow Valley School for Girls. Turned it into an academy."

Alexander couldn't help it—he laughed. "You? A teacher?"

Emma punched him in the shoulder, not hard enough to hurt but enough to make her point.

"Alright, alright," he chuckled, rubbing his arm. "I can make a portal, but it'll take some time. I need to prepare and use some divine power."

"Fine," she said, then narrowed her eyes. "But if you're going to make me wait, can you at least make it less like an oven in here? And don't even think about sending me back to Iceland."

Alexander sighed dramatically but relented, lowering the ambient heat. The air remained warm—like standing near a bonfire rather than inside one—but it was bearable.

"Better?" he asked dryly.

"Much," Emma replied, plopping down on a nearby rock.

Alexander began the ritual to open the portal, channeling energy from the volcano's heart. Twenty minutes passed in relative silence, save for the occasional grumble from Emma.

When the portal finally blazed open, Alexander turned to her. "Alright. Come here."

Emma stood, brushing ash from her clothes. "Why?"

"Because we're going to take a big fall."

Her eyes narrowed. "A what?"

Without further explanation, Alexander grabbed her, lifting her into his arms. She barely had time to protest before he stepped through the portal.

They emerged high in the sky over Snow Valley. The wind roared around them as they plummeted.

Emma screamed.

Alexander, unfazed, used his power to slow their descent, creating a cushion of fiery energy around them. They landed gently in a clearing near the academy.

Emma scrambled out of his arms, panting. "You could've told me!"

"Sorry," Alexander said with a shrug, clearly not sorry.

Emma glared but accepted his hand as he helped her up. She dusted herself off, then pointed toward the academy, now a sprawling, modern campus.

The sign read: Massachusetts Academy.

Alexander tilted his head. "Looks like it's not just for girls anymore."

"Yeah," Emma replied. "Some of the students are mutants, but most aren't. They're all under my command. I'll introduce you to them later."

Alexander nodded. "I can't stay long. I need to get to New York."

Emma rolled her eyes. "And do what, exactly? You don't have an ID, money, or even a plan."

Alexander smirked. "I have power."

She groaned. "There are hundreds of superpowered beings in New York. What makes you special?"

He opened his mouth to retort, but she cut him off.

"Don't you at least want to spend one more day with me?"

Alexander hesitated.

"…Okay," he agreed quietly.

Emma smiled, triumphant.