Smoke still lingered in the ruins of Manhattan.
The skies were clear now—no portals, no vessels, no alien threats hovering above. But the scent of ozone, ash, and scorched steel clung to the air like a memory refusing to fade. Emergency crews weaved through piles of debris. Sirens echoed in the distance. Drone units hovered above collapsed buildings, scanning for survivors or structural collapse. Rescue dogs barked, sniffing through wreckage, guided by tired hands and tear-stained faces.
And standing in the shadow of a fractured skyscraper, Alexander watched it all.
His cloak fluttered in the morning breeze, charred along the edges. The armor on his right shoulder was cracked, faint wisps of shadow leaking from beneath. Bruises were beginning to show where light had pierced his defense. His fingers twitched with residual energy, his stance that of someone ready to move—but not needing to. Not yet.
Civilians passed nearby, some stumbling, some crying, some silent. None of them noticed him. It was as if the shadows around him blurred his presence, making him more rumor than man.
He didn't speak.
He just… observed.
A child knelt beside a pile of rubble, looking for something. Her small fingers trembled as they pushed aside chunks of plaster and ash. Tears streaked her dust-covered cheeks. After a few tense seconds, she uncovered a stuffed animal—half-buried, its fur scorched and singed. She gasped softly and hugged it tight, her body shaking with relief.
Alexander's gaze lingered on her. The shadows around his feet pulled inward, as if reacting to his thoughts. Then he turned away.
In a distant alleyway, Vasili leaned against a wall, arms crossed. His coat was torn, dirt streaked across his jaw. "You didn't say goodbye," he said.
Alexander didn't turn. "Would they have cared?"
"You saved this city."
"I'm not here for recognition."
"You may not be," Vasili said, pushing off the wall, "but they've started noticing. Stark. Rogers. Even Romanoff. They won't forget your face."
Alexander's eyes narrowed slightly. "Let them."
Vasili stepped closer. "SHIELD's going to dig into you. They're already asking questions."
Alexander's voice was calm but cold. "Then they'll find nothing."
At SHIELD Headquarters, Nick Fury stood in front of a monitor displaying aftermath footage: drones scanning collapsed buildings, Avengers regrouping, civilians helping each other.
"You think it's over?" Maria Hill asked quietly, arms folded behind her back.
Fury didn't blink. "It's never over. Not when the sky opens up like that."
She hesitated. "What about him?"
Fury tapped a key. A separate screen showed stills of Alexander from surveillance drones—blurred at first, then clearer. A man of shadows, undefined, yet real. In some angles, his figure seemed to disappear altogether, like the system couldn't decide if he existed at all.
"He's not registered. Not affiliated. Not controllable."
"Threat?"
Fury didn't answer immediately.
"I don't know yet."
Hill's brow furrowed. "You've seen what he can do. He took down half the Chitauri heavy units before the others even got there."
Fury turned away. "And he didn't stick around to take a bow. That's what worries me."
Hill glanced toward the monitor. "What do you want to do about it?"
Fury's fingers hovered over the terminal. Then he typed a single word: MONARCH.
"Keep watching," he said.
Atop a lonely rooftop on the city's edge, Alexander stood again. Below him, cranes had already begun clearing the streets. People were laying flowers at the base of buildings. Flags flew half-mast. Candles flickered on sidewalks where moments ago chaos had reigned.
Beside him, Noctis shimmered into view, ethereal as ever, eyes glowing faint blue.
"You could disappear now," Noctis said softly. "No one would stop you. Not even SHIELD."
Alexander's gaze swept the skyline, the scars still fresh across the city.
"I could," he agreed. "But I won't."
"Why stay?"
"Because something worse is coming. And I've seen enough to know they won't be ready."
Noctis lowered his head. "Then the silence won't last long."
Alexander's grip tightened on the railing. "Good. I wasn't made for silence."
Noctis gave a faint, almost amused smile. "Still clumsy with emotions, aren't you?"
Alexander didn't reply.
A gust of wind swept through the rooftop. He closed his eyes, feeling it against his skin. For the first time in a long time, the world felt… quiet.
Too quiet.
Deep underground, beneath what remained of a destroyed Chitauri vessel, a cleanup team in hazmat suits moved through rubble. Radiation sensors buzzed softly. The lead agent held a scanner, eyes darting between data and surroundings.
"Watch your step," he warned. "There's still active bio-signatures from some of the tech."
One of them paused beside a half-buried artifact—metallic, covered in alien script, pulsing faintly.
"Hey," the agent called out. "You see this?"
The other moved closer. "Don't touch it. Let's mark it for retrieval—"
The artifact blinked.
The agent froze. "Did it just—"
A pulse rippled out. Their suits flickered. Lights in the tunnel dimmed. Instruments scrambled. The scanner let out a shrill alarm before shorting out entirely.
"Power surge!"
They reached for backup systems, but the pulse had already shut them down. The object glowed brighter.
Somewhere far above, in the quiet morning light, Alexander opened his eyes.
He felt it.
And in the shadows around his feet, something stirred.
End of Chapter 84
_________________________________________________________________________
🔥 Hey legends! Quick updates! 🔥
💥 Can't wait for the next chapter? Good news—ALL advance chapters are available on Patreon for just $5! No more waiting, just pure binge-reading goodness! 🚀
👉 patreon.com/cyci07
✨ Power Stone Challenge! ✨
If we hit 100 power stones, I'll drop 2 bonus chapters! Let's see if you guys can make me suffer! 😂
💬 Enjoying the story? Leave a review and let me know your favorite moment so far! It helps the novel grow and reach more readers!
Thanks for all your support—you guys are awesome! ❤️