The Weight of Immortality - CH - 79

The battle was over.

The streets, once filled with chaos and destruction, now lay littered with the bodies of fallen Chitauri and the remains of the Leviathans that had terrorized the city. Smoke rose from the crumbling buildings, the air thick with the scent of burnt metal and scorched flesh. The sounds of gunfire and explosions had finally faded, replaced by an eerie silence—the kind that only came after war.

Amidst the ruins, Harry and Hela stood together, surrounded by the carnage they had unleashed.

For a long moment, neither of them spoke. Their breaths were heavy, their bodies tense from the battle, their clothes stained with blood—not their own, but that of their enemies. The weight of what had just happened lingered between them.

Then, without hesitation, Hela stepped forward and embraced him.

Harry didn’t resist. His arms wrapped around her just as tightly, pulling her close as they stood there, unmoving. It wasn’t a victory embrace—it wasn’t about celebrating. It was simply relief. The war was done. The threat had been neutralized.

They had won.

As they held each other amidst the destruction, the world around them continued to move.

In various strategic locations, the Avengers continued to secure the city.

Thor stood atop a destroyed building, Mjolnir still crackling with power in his grip, surveying the remains of the battle with solemn pride. The fight had been hard, but the Earth had stood strong. His respect for its defenders—especially his brother-in-law, Harry—had grown immeasurably.

Steve Rogers, despite the exhaustion that weighed on his body, continued to assist civilians, directing them to safety. His shield was still in hand, bloodstained and dented from the fight. He glanced toward where Harry and Hela stood, his expression unreadable.

Bruce Banner, now in his human form after rampaging as the Hulk, stood among the wreckage, rubbing the back of his neck. He was tired. So tired. But something about watching Harry fight had awakened a new kind of curiosity in him—because whatever Harry was, he wasn’t just a wizard. And Bruce knew he needed answers.

Tony Stark, despite his usual bravado, felt nothing but bone-deep exhaustion as he landed near the others, his suit heavily damaged. He had barely survived the suicide mission, pushing the nuclear missile through the portal at the last second before free-falling back to Earth. If not for the Hulk catching him, he wouldn’t be standing here right now.

As the nuke exploded in the depths of space, obliterating the Chitauri mothership, something unexpected happened.

Every single Leviathan and Chitauri soldier on Earth collapsed—as if their strings had been cut.

It was like watching an army of puppets suddenly shut down, their bodies dropping lifelessly to the ground, their weapons deactivating, their glowing blue eyes fading into nothingness.

Just like that, it was over.

The invasion had failed. The Avengers had won.

As Tony, Steve, Thor, Bruce, and the rest of the team gathered, their eyes instinctively turned toward Harry and Hela, still standing amidst the wreckage.

The world had changed today.

Not just because of the alien invasion. Not just because the Avengers had proven their strength.

But because they had seen what Harry was capable of.

He had fought in a way that defied logic—his magic, his power, his sheer presence on the battlefield had been godlike.

And now, none of them could look at him the same way again.

Nick Fury, still watching from SHIELD’s monitors, clenched his jaw.

“We just discovered a whole new level of power,” he muttered.

One of the agents beside him swallowed. “Sir, what do we do about him?”

Fury didn’t answer immediately. He simply stared at the screen, watching as Harry turned toward them, his eyes glowing with magic still lingering from the battle.

Then, finally, he spoke.

“We watch,” he said. “And we pray he stays on our side.”

As the dust settled, the Avengers gathered, their steps slow and measured as they approached Harry and Hela, who still stood amidst the wreckage.

The battle had been brutal, but thanks to Harry, the damage had been contained.

The barrier he had created had been the turning point in the fight.

It had sealed the battlefield into a single controlled area, preventing the alien army from spreading into the rest of the city. If they had been able to move freely, the destruction would have spread far beyond New York, leading to an unimaginable loss of life.

But Harry had ensured that never happened.

Now, with the Avengers standing before him, they wanted to thank him, to acknowledge the power he had wielded for their world’s survival.

But before anyone could speak, Harry did something unexpected.

He raised his hand, and with a flick of his wrist, a large, ornate trunk appeared in front of them.

The Avengers exchanged confused glances as Harry lifted his wand, his expression unreadable.

Then he spoke a single word.

"Accio."

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then, from every direction, alien weapons and technology—plasma rifles, energy blades, arm-mounted cannons, Chitauri staff weapons, discarded armor, and even pieces of Leviathan machinery—began flying through the air.

The Avengers stood in shock as the alien arsenal, scattered across the battlefield, rushed toward them, converging at a single point—the trunk at Harry’s feet.

With a simple gesture, Harry guided the weapons into the trunk, each piece disappearing the moment it touched the enchanted storage space.

Piece by piece, the entire weaponry of the Chitauri army vanished into the bottomless trunk, its enchanted interior capable of holding an entire battlefield’s worth of weapons with ease.

By the time it was done, not a single alien weapon remained in the ruins of New York.

Only then did Harry finally look up, meeting the questioning gazes of the Avengers.

"Why?"

Tony Stark, always the first to break the silence, folded his arms. “Okay. I gotta ask—what the hell was that? Why are you collecting all their tech?”

Even Steve Rogers, usually more patient, looked at Harry curiously. “That was… a lot. What’s your plan here?”

Harry’s gaze remained calm as he looked at them.

“Because humans don’t need these weapons.”

The statement was simple, but it carried a finality that left no room for argument.

Harry turned his gaze toward the distant city, the smoke rising from the buildings that had barely survived the battle.

“Humanity is already destructive enough as it is,” he said, his voice level but firm. “Even without access to alien weaponry, people wage war against each other. They build weapons, they destroy cities, they fight over power and resources.”

He looked back at the Avengers. “Do you really think it’s a good idea to let them have access to this?”

Silence followed his words.

Even Tony, the biggest advocate for technology, hesitated.

Because he knew—Harry was right.

If alien weapons fell into the wrong hands, it wouldn’t be long before the world saw new wars, new dangers, and unprecedented destruction.

And that was something none of them could afford.

Natasha Romanoff nodded slightly. “He’s got a point.”

Thor, standing tall beside his teammates, gave an approving nod. “A wise decision. These weapons were forged for destruction alone.”

Bruce Banner sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah… I can’t argue with that. We’ve already got enough ways to kill each other. We don’t need this too.”

Steve looked toward the ruined city, his jaw tightening. “We fought to stop an invasion. Not to take their weapons for ourselves.”

Even Clint, who rarely spoke up, muttered, “I wouldn’t trust anyone with those weapons. Not even SHIELD.”

But not everyone agreed.

Back at SHIELD’s command center, Nick Fury was watching.

And he wasn’t happy.

Fury had been counting on recovering some of that alien technology. The tactical advantage of studying Chitauri weapons could have been game-changing. With that kind of tech, SHIELD could have built defenses against future threats, strengthened their global security, and prepared for what came next.

So when he saw Harry sealing everything away, his frustration was immediate.

Within seconds, his comms were open. “Hela. Put me on with your husband.”

Hela, who had been watching the exchange with amusement, tapped her earpiece. “You know, Fury, you’re starting to sound really needy.”

Fury ignored the remark. “Put me through, now.”

With a smirk, she passed the communicator to Harry.

Harry placed the earpiece in his ear. “Yes?”

Fury wasted no time. “What the hell are you doing? That tech—we need it.”

Harry’s expression didn’t change. “No. You don’t.”

Fury clenched his jaw. “Do you realize how much of an advantage that technology could give us? You don’t get to make that call alone.”

Harry’s voice was calm but unyielding. “You misunderstand, Director. I’m not asking for permission.”

Fury took a deep breath. “You think you can just decide what humanity can or can’t have?”

“Yes,” Harry answered without hesitation.

Fury went silent for a moment.

Because there was nothing he could do.

The Avengers supported Harry’s decision. SHIELD had no way to counter him.

And worst of all?

Fury knew—even if he tried to fight this, he wouldn’t win.

Harry was too powerful, and too well-connected. If even Thor and the other Avengers agreed with him, SHIELD had no choice but to let it go.

Finally, Fury sighed. “Fine. But don’t think I’m happy about this.”

Harry smiled faintly. “I never thought you were.”

With that, he ended the call.

Hela chuckled. “I think he really wanted some of those weapons.”

Harry shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. It’s done.”

And just like that, the last remnants of the Chitauri’s technology were gone—secured where no one could ever use them for war.

As the dust settled, Tony Stark stretched, groaning loudly. “Okay, not to kill the moment, but I am starving.”

He turned toward Harry, a smirk playing at his lips. “And you, my magical friend, own a restaurant.”

The Avengers, exhausted but victorious, immediately caught onto the idea.

“I could use a good meal,” Clint muttered, rubbing his sore shoulder.

Thor, still high on adrenaline, grinned. “A feast! A proper warrior’s feast!”

Even Steve Rogers, who usually didn’t partake in casual celebrations, nodded in approval. “After what we’ve been through? A meal sounds good.”

Harry, standing amongst them, had initially planned to return to his quiet life after this. He had protected the city, done his part, and ensured that humanity wouldn’t get their hands on Chitauri technology. But even he had to admit—he was starving too.

He had already placed powerful enchantments around Blackheart to ensure that it remained untouched during the battle, so there was no concern about the restaurant being damaged.

"Fine," he said at last. "Let’s eat."

The Avengers let out cheers and relieved laughs, already imagining the food awaiting them.

But before they could leave, Harry realized there was one last thing he needed to do.

He turned toward the ruined city, the remnants of destruction stretching as far as the eye could see.

The destruction didn’t sit right with him.

The people of New York had suffered enough. They had lost their homes, their businesses—everything they had built, destroyed in a battle they never asked for.

And Harry had the power to change that.

Taking a deep breath, he stepped forward and lifted his hand.

"Stay back," he instructed.

The Avengers immediately moved away, their eyes locked on Harry as magic started to pulse from his body.

At first, it was subtle—a low hum in the air, a golden shimmer around him.

Then—it exploded.

A brilliant aura of pure, colorful magic erupted from his form, illuminating the city ruins in a soft, otherworldly glow. His body seemed to radiate power, his presence shifting from that of a man to something greater, something godlike.

Then, he spoke.

“Reparo.”

The moment the word left his lips, magic surged outward in a massive wave, spreading across the entire city.

And before their very eyes, New York began to mend itself.

Collapsed buildings reassembled, their shattered pieces lifting into the air before seamlessly slotting back into place, as if time itself had reversed.

Windows repaired themselves, glass fragments flying back to their original positions, becoming whole once more.

Cars, once destroyed, reshaped themselves, metal bending and fixing itself until every vehicle looked untouched.

Bridges that had collapsed rebuilt themselves, the very stone and steel reforming, solidifying as if nothing had ever happened.

Even the streets, cracked and ruined, smoothed out, becoming clean and perfect, as though the invasion had never happened.

It was beyond comprehension.

A miracle.

The Avengers stood frozen, unable to believe what they were witnessing.

Tony Stark removed his helmet, running a shaking hand through his hair. “What. The. Hell.”

Thor watched in silent reverence, understanding true magic when he saw it.

Steve Rogers, a man who had seen the impossible many times before, could only stare.

Even Nick Fury, watching through SHIELD’s surveillance, slowly sat down, his single eye wide in disbelief.

“This is impossible,” a SHIELD agent whispered.

Fury didn’t respond. Because even he didn’t have an answer for what he was seeing.

Within minutes, New York was completely restored.

Not a single trace of battle remained.

Not a single civilian would wake up tomorrow to find their home destroyed.

It was as though the invasion had never happened.

And then—Harry lowered his hand.

The magic faded. The glow disappeared.

And New York City stood tall once more.

Silence hung in the air.

No one spoke. No one moved.

Then, finally, Clint Barton let out a breath.

“…I think I need a drink.”

Natasha Romanoff slowly shook her head, crossing her arms. “You and me both.”

Bruce Banner, his scientific mind struggling to process what just happened, exhaled sharply. "That... that was beyond any known physics. That wasn't just repairing damage—that was reality alteration."

Thor, his voice filled with awe, laughed. "Brother-in-law, I did not know you had such gifts!"

Tony blinked rapidly, pointing at Harry. "You… you could’ve just—wait, you could do that this whole time?! You could just fix things like that?!"

Harry shrugged. "I don’t make a habit of it."

Steve Rogers finally spoke, his voice calm but heavy with realization. “You just… undid all of it.”

Harry nodded. “No point in leaving the city broken.”

Tony threw his hands up. “No point?! Do you know how much money that just saved the government?! You’re gonna put thousands of contractors out of work, man!”

Hela smirked. "Oh, Stark. Always thinking of money."

Tony waved wildly toward the city. “You’re telling me none of you are freaking out about this?!”

Nick Fury, who was still on comms, finally sighed.

"This guy is a goddamn cheat code."

The people would wake up tomorrow to find their city untouched, as though the horrors of today had been nothing more than a bad dream.

And as the Avengers walked away, heading toward Harry’s restaurant for the long-awaited feast, one thing was certain.

The world had just changed forever.