[A/N]:The Second goal for this week is 500 PowerStones for TWO more bonus chapters. Comment, vote, and share if you're enjoying the chapter.
But then Gaea spoke again, her tone shifting. "But since we Elder Gods and Goddesses are bound by our responsibility, so are our words and so are favors. And you, my child, did me a favor by stopping the Chitauri invasion and bringing back to a mother her twelve hundred children from Lady Death. Use it wisely."
Jay, still surprised by her cooperation, used his enhanced mind to think of the perfect favor, the right way to phrase it, to get what he truly needed without loopholes or complications.
"Then, Gaea, Elder Goddess, against my favor, guide me the path to achieve what I seek. People never having to depend on heroes. People being able to save themselves."
Gaea smiled with cheerfulness, seeing Jay use the right way to cash in his favor, his only chance. "Well done, my child. You chose right. So I shall now tell you this: there is a danger to me and this whole planet. And even with my powers, I can't do anything against it since beings older and more powerful than us are making sure those events occur."
She leaned forward, her expression growing serious. "So tell me, child, will you give me your word to ensure my and my children's safety?"
Jay's mind processed her words about what could endanger Mother Earth herself, an Elder Goddess, but then his Comic Nerd perk activated, and it clicked.
"Tiamut?!" Jay's eyes widened. "Of course, it's the Celestials that could endanger you! Arishem the Judge stops you from stopping the birth of Tiamut, doesn't he?"
Gaea finally sighed, her seriousness waning for a more relaxed expression. "You guessed it correct, my child. I'm in danger of being forced to birth a Celestial in return for losing myself and, more tragically, all my children."
Her eyes held his, ancient and knowing. "So, Power Broker... No, Jay, my child, will you make me a promise? Will you save me and my children? And in exchange for that promise, I shall grant you your request in an equivalent exchange."
Jay thought of the cost of offending and outright making enemies of Celestials, beings who could unmake entire planets with a thought, and hesitated before throwing the thought away.
Jay held Gaea's giant finger with both his hands, small against her immense form but firm in his conviction. "You have my word, Mother!"
Just that single word, and a beautiful smile cracked on her face. "Finally, you called me Mother. Do you know how frustrating it is seeing your child call you by your name?"
Jay, baffled after hearing the reason behind her pout, could only smile awkwardly. "I'm sorry, Mother! I'll be mindful next time."
Gaea smiled and said, "Now then, my child, tell me how you plan to achieve your goal of letting common citizens be independent of heroes in this strange world of them."
Jay smiled as in his right palm a golden orb of light manifested, Heather's power taken with permission and sacrifice now given purpose, and he extended it toward Gaea's face.
"This is the power I took from Lifeguard. That girl really loves life. She's really a true hero, sacrificing her powers for the greater cause. Using this, you could help all your children with the need to intervene directly, without crossing your responsibilities."
Gaea sensed the power in the single mote of light with astonishment as she finally saw the full scope of what Jay was planning, taking the mote in her hand and bringing it near her belly, letting it pass through the skin into her core.
"Hiranyagarbha," she whispered. "That's what they prayed to me as, the golden womb. And now I shall birth the salvation you and your companions have sought out."
Jay, still astonished at the eagerness of seeing Gaea's maternal nature to help her children, bowed to her again. "I can't thank you enough, Maa!"
His heart spoke his true emotions. The word came from somewhere deep, from memories of another grandmother, another mother figure who'd shown him unconditional love.
Gaea, her hand on her belly, patted Jay with her other hand. "Now go, my child. My children are again in danger, as Lady Death didn't like the violation of her domain."
The lake nearby rippled and showed scenes that made Jay's blood run cold, Jim Jaspers' soul leaving in a mote of white light while gaining control over Zola in the cyberworld, his control over Master Mold, his attack on the Helicarrier with the worldwide attack happening on Earth where an army of Sentinels marched, causing death and havoc across every continent.
Seeing Jay's panic, Gaea said, "Don't blame yourself, my child, since you are also the reason for them."
The scene shifted to show heroes like Krish, Surge and Sunspot and many more fighting against the Sentinels and saving innocents, light in the darkness where hope pushed back against mechanical death.
Jay, seeing this, said, "But how? I made sure Jim was completely dead and all his power stripped away to me."
Gaea shifted the scene in the lake where suddenly the time in the Mirror Dimension where Jay resurrected Jim Jaspers to take away his power played out differently, showing a silhouette of a lady in black robes present who instead of letting Jim's soul ascend back to her domain, sweetly called the soul, corrupted it with hatred and rage, and sent it out of the Mirror Dimension before Jay could notice.
Jay finally got it. Lady Death. Finally wanting to punish Jay for his discretion of stealing from her, first the twelve hundred lives, then with Jim Jaspers again.
This was her revenge. Calculated, cruel, and devastating.
Seeing Jay's complex expression, Gaea soothed him. "Calm down, son. Now's not the time to ponder but for action. Go now, go back to your world, and call my name when you are ready, and I'll be there to assist."
Jay, without saying any word, bowed to her again. "Thank you for opening my eyes, Ma! I promise I'll pay back this favor, no matter what."
His ring, Tether, activated on its own violation, sensing Domino in danger and pulsing with urgent energy as the Bifrost connection flared, and he teleported back to the material plane.
Gaea remained alone in her domain, rubbing her belly where Heather's power now resided. "Go, my child!"
Golden motes of light generated from the trees as if they were fruits, falling down to Earth and then to the material plane itself, spreading across the world like seeds of hope.
-------------------------------------------------
Present - Above the Atlantic
Jay finished explaining, his words coming fast while Domino processed it all, her enhanced mind working through implications even as her body continued healing.
"So Death herself sicced that thing on us?" Domino's voice carried anger but also understanding. "And here I thought we were just dealing with leftover HYDRA bullshit."
"She's playing the long game," Jay said, his jaw tight. "But so are we. Those golden lights falling? That's Gaea's gift activating. Heather's power, spread across the entire planet. When people are in danger, when they need saving, Earth itself will respond."
He looked down at the Atlantic far below, where FURY still hovered, its single eye tracking their position. "But first, I need to deal with the immediate problem."
Domino cupped his face, forcing him to look at her. "Hey. I know that look. Don't go full manic mode, yeah? That thing is dangerous. Just be smart about it."
Jay smiled, the expression carrying genuine affection. "When am I not smart?"
"Do you want the list alphabetically or chronologically?"
He laughed despite everything and kissed her forehead. "Help others where you can. This won't take long."
Blue light enveloped Domino as she vanished, teleported to the Helicarrier's safe zone where Steve and the others were regrouping.
Jay turned his attention to FURY below where the robot had been watching, calculating, adapting, but it hadn't experienced what Jay had just been through.
Jay's eyes shifted, whites replaced by black, stars speckling them like he'd swallowed the cosmos as Mad Jim Jaspers' universal reality warping activated fully for the first time since he'd stolen it.
Around him, reality began to bend.
Time for subtlety was gone.
The only answer was an overwhelming, undeniable force.
FURY's single eye brightened as its sensors detected the massive energy spike while the robot's adaptive systems immediately began analyzing, learning, and preparing to counter.
But this time, it was too late.
Jay smiled, and the expression was sharp as broken glass.
"Let's see how well you adapt to this, you mechanical bastard."
He descended toward FURY like a falling star with reality warping trailing behind him like wings of pure cosmic power while the golden motes of light continued falling across the world, each one a promise that things were about to change.
That the age of people needing constant saving was about to end.
That Peter Parker's question finally had an answer.
And that answer was coming with the fury of a man who'd made a deal with Mother Earth herself.
The battle for humanity's future was about to begin.
[A/N]: Support my work and get early access to chapters, exclusive content, and bonus material at my P@treon - Max_Striker.
If you wanna hang out, join my Discord server- https://discord.gg/gH66xQ723