The Ashen Keeper

Chapter 18

"We will meet again soon.", said the Ancient One as she opened the portal and threw a stigma at her.

"You can feel where I am from here."

Time returned to normal once again, but the silence continued.

"Forgive me but I have affairs to attend to and I believe I have found another way to prolong mine life."

"Oh, really? How?", asked Tony Stark. He seemed surprised that she figured out a solution out of nowhere.

"I just had a conversation with thy guardian of Earth."

"Father?", he looked as confused as humanely possible.

"Not thy guardian, the guardian of this realm."

"So, my father?", asked Thor.

"Thou father art one of the guardians but I am talking about another one."

"Which one?", asked Nick Fury. He seems to be very eager to know one of them.

"I do not think she wishes to be disclosed. Lest it earns her displeasure."

"It's okay then, when did you even meet her?"

This time it was the doctor who was curious.

"Just now"

"Bullshit"

"Language", reminded the Captain to Nick Fury.

"You said right now? Well, look who's here right now?", Fury said in a low tone as he looked angry at the fact that she might be deceiving him.

"Woah woah, calm down Fury," said Barton. The atmosphere was dead serious.

"Indeed, I met her just as I finished my story."

"It's impossible. We are all right here at the moment and I don't think anyone of us here sees her. Is she - is she hiding right now?", said Banner as he looked around nervously.

"Ms. keeper, are you sure of it?", asked Nat.

"Yes, I am sure of it. After all, I hath no reason to lie."

"How is it possible then?", asked Stark as she saw him thinking as much as his brain allow.

"By stopping the flow of time"

Her reply were returned with shocked faces except for that of Thor whose father could do the same to some extent.

"Ho-How is it even possible to stop time?", questioned Banner to himself.

"She had the help of an artifact similar to Loki's scepter and the Cube."

"So, that's how. She had the help of an infinity stone. The time stone, I think?", asked Thor.

Although he might be lacking in terms of intelligence, he was the most knowledgeable person among the Avengers due to his vast lifespan and also due to the fact that he was a prince of one of the most powerful kingdoms in the Universe.

"Yes, I do not know the exact name of the artifact, but it does hold the power of time."

"And now, excuse me, but I have some business to attend to.",

She said as she disappeared in a ball of flames. Normally, she should not be able to teleport but now that her soul was burning anew once again, it is now possible.

[Nick Fury POV]

"By stopping the flow of time"

Those were the words that would become his eternal nightmare.

The firekeeper had claim that 'person' to be the guardian of this world but how could he rest easy when he knew that there was a 'monster' who could stop time wherever and whenever 'she' wishes for it.

He could not even think of a way to counter her.

Over 6000 years of human civilization is now rendered useless before her. How many brilliant scientists came up with world-changing inventions.

How many has died while being declared a 'heretic', just so people in the future could live comfortably in the future.

How much time had those geniuses spent to realize their ideas?

How many had failed?

All of human history, filled with wars had allowed humans to develop new technologies. Mountains could be levelled with ease.

Humanity has conquered the most deserted place on the planet. Scorching deserts without a drop of water, impossibly high mountains, burning volcanoes, freezing arctics, humanity has conquered the very nature in this planet.

Nothing was left unexplored, and it is still going on even to this day. They had conquered the largest behemoths to the smallest viruses.

Yet, nobody can tell how many humans had died just so, future humans could take another step. Humanity had not just conquered this planet but has even step foot on their moon. The first step made by humanity on the moon still remains to this day.

How many tragedies has occurred that has slowly shaped humanity into what they are today?

The might of weapons that would tear through any flesh and blood has been created from mere sticks and stones.

Every single war waged with the lives of millions had been used to perfect the art of war.

Machines of war made of steel and iron forged in the blood of innocents were but mere toys before her. Humanity had thought themselves to conquer nature itself, but they were no gods.

Even now, there remain thousands of diseases waiting to be conquered, oceans left to explore and the void of space awaiting new discoveries.

All of human history forged with the blood, sweat and tears of humanity is something she could play in the palms of 'her' hand.

'Controlling time', he thought to himself. One infinity stone allowed her to do that. Judging by Thor's words, there are definitely other stones left. He thought he could rest assure with the Avengers and his old friend who's now flying in space. He was wrong.

'More', he thought to himself 'I need more power if he were to stand against those threats from God knows where. He must find more extraordinary people and unite them so that they stand a chance.

Humanity is the overlord of this planet, but they are but mere babies against the might of other aliens whose history is longer than that of humanity. He will do anything to protect humanity.

The people from her land were cursed with immortality. He, however, was cursed to protect humans forever. He will do whatever it takes to do it. Even if he had to stain his hands with blood.