Marvel: The Enlightened One#130+131: The Ascended Hawk and the Grounded Thor, Gwen: “You Are the Future I Choose”

As one of the six Infinity Stones, the Soul Stone’s power was immense.

Its primary function was the manipulation of life and death, but it also excelled at sensing, stealing, and imprisoning souls. Its core ability was to grant access to the Soul World.

But the method of obtaining it was uniquely, brutally cruel.

Especially for someone like Hawk.

To claim the Soul Stone, one had to sacrifice the soul of the person they loved most. Only then would the stone reveal itself.

'I’ll stick to the grind. Keep leveling up, awaken the Eighth Sense, and when the time is right, I’ll walk into Hell and take my sister’s soul back from Mephisto myself.'

Hawk thought, decisively erasing the idea of seeking the Soul Stone from his mind. He washed his hands, and at Gwen’s urging, walked out of the bathroom.

When they got down to the hotel lobby, Mary Jane and Peter were already waiting.

They were here to see London, not to sleep in.

And so, after a relentless series of texts from Mary Jane, Hawk and Gwen had dragged themselves out of bed to continue their tour.

...

Meanwhile, Natasha Romanoff and Clint Barton, who had finally escaped Africa and were supposed to be on a much-needed break in London, were not having nearly as much fun.

They were still working overtime on Salisbury Plain.

Hawk had soloed the final boss—the Dark Elf leader Malekith—and then simply left.

Thor, with his trusty hammer, had speed-ran the remaining Dark Elves who had shown up for a last-ditch revenge attempt—and then he, too, had simply left.

But while they could leave, Natasha and Clint could not.

Natasha rubbed her forehead, surveying the battlefield. It was a sea of Dark Elf corpses and a massive gaping trench torn through the earth—and countless glittering, golden fragments of what looked like a suit of armor.

In short, it was a complete mess.

Fortunately, their job was mostly supervisory. The S.H.I.E.L.D. cleanup crew had been on standby from the moment the incident began.

Now, dozens of agents, moving like diligent bees, were meticulously clearing the area. Some were bagging the bodies, some were stripping them of their alien equipment, and several specialized teams were carefully collecting the golden armor fragments scattered across the plain.

All Natasha had to do was watch.

After all, a senior agent picking up trash? It was beneath her pay grade.

Just then, Clint finished his call and walked back over.

Natasha shielded her eyes from the afternoon sun and gave him a wry smile. “So, how mad is Laura that you’re not coming home tonight?”

Laura Barton. Clint’s wife. He had hidden his family so well that less than five people in all of S.H.I.E.L.D. even knew he was married with kids.

Barton sighed. “It is what it is. The job comes first.”

Natasha just shook her head. She knew he hated talking about his family in the field, so she changed the subject.

“What about Thor?”

“Gone. Told his girlfriend he’d be back soon.”

“The last time he said that was during the Battle of New York last year.”

“I know.”

“And Hawk?”

“Our agents in London report that the four of them just bought tickets to the British Museum.”

“...Of course they did.”

The corner of Natasha’s mouth twitched. “I was supposed to go to the museum today.”

Barton sighed again. “I know. Don’t forget, I’m the one who bought the tickets.”

Natasha frowned.

“Can you get a refund?”

“Nope.”

“...”

They looked at each other, then back at the sprawling chaotic mess of Salisbury Plain, and fell into a grim, resigned silence.

And in a corner of the scene, unnoticed by either of them, a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent glanced quickly at Natasha and Barton. Then, with a swift, practiced motion, he bent down, picked up a blood-stained golden fragment from the ground, and slipped it into his pocket.

His movements were seamless. A moment later, he was back to work, collecting other fragments as if nothing had happened.

...

The cleanup on Salisbury Plain continued long after nightfall.

Meanwhile, Hawk and his friends had returned from the museum, had dinner at the hotel’s buffet, and gone back to their rooms to sleep.

They were moving on tomorrow.

Their trip was a full fifteen days, and London was just the first stop on the itinerary Mary Jane and Gwen had planned.

The next morning, they checked out of the hotel and headed for Rochester.

Rochester Castle, a historic fortress in the ancient town, was the next stop on their list.

Now that he had the Reality Stone and the final obstacle to his growth had been removed, Hawk was able to relax and simply enjoy the trip with Gwen, Mary Jane, and Peter.

The days flew by.

Soon, their tour of London and the surrounding area was coming to an end. They returned to their original hotel for the last night before their flight back to New York.

Gwen and Mary Jane were sitting on the sofa in their room, huddled together, excitedly sorting through the hundreds of photos they had taken.

Peter was out. A few days ago, Felicia Hardy had called, asking him to stop by Harry’s old apartment in London. There was a photo album she wanted him to bring back.

...

Hawk was standing alone on the balcony, his consciousness immersed in his Cosmo.

The Reality Stone, now the Eye of the Phoenix, radiated a Crimson fire, illuminating every corner of his inner universe.

With every breath of the Phoenix Heart, his Cosmo turned, and with every turn, he could feel it expanding, growing stronger.

It wasn't an illusion.

The power of a Silver Saint was exponentially greater than that of a Bronze Saint.

The legendary five were the exception, of course.

But Hawk could feel it. He was still far from his limit.

His speed had increased to roughly Mach 300. If he burned his Cosmo at full power, he could push it to Mach 500.

It sounded impressive.

But the strongest of the Silver Saints could move at speeds approaching the Speed of Light.

(PS: Light travels at roughly Mach 874,030)

He still had a long way to go.

Just then, he slowly opened his eyes, turned, and walked back into the room. "Gwen, I'm going down to the lobby for a minute."

Gwen looked up from her photos and nodded, then immediately went back to her discussion with Mary Jane.

Hawk walked out the door.

A few moments later, he stepped out of the elevator and saw him. He was sitting in the lobby, not in his usual armor, but in a casual suit, his messy blonde hair tied back, an umbrella resting against his chair.

Thor.

Hawk's mouth twitched as he walked over.

“Thor.”

“Hawk.”

Thor, who had been sitting with Jane, stood up and greeted him with a booming laugh, pulling him into a warm, enthusiastic hug, as if they were old friends who hadn't seen each other in years.

Jane just smiled, a look of fond exasperation on her face. "Hawk."

"Jane."

"Sorry about him," she said. "He's been… extra excited since he got back."

"Of course I'm excited!"

Thor released him and explained, "I'm staying this time. Unless Asgard is in grave danger, I'm not going back. I was worried it would be boring, but with you here, I think things will be interesting."

Hawk glanced at Jane, a look of surprise on his face.

Jane just nodded.

Hawk feigned understanding and smiled back.

"Congratulations."

“Thank you.”

Jane said. "Thor got here yesterday. He found out from S.H.I.E.L.D. that you were still in London and insisted we come and find you."

Hawk wasn't surprised that S.H.I.E.L.D knew his location. He didn't mind. It was their job, and as long as they didn't interfere with his daily life, he was happy to cooperate.

He smiled.

"I'm heading back to New York tomorrow."

"Excellent! Jane, when do we go back?"

"Our flight is the day after tomorrow."

Jane looked at her boyfriend—a God of Thunder on Asgard, a lovable goofball on Earth—and just shook her head.

Thor turned back to Hawk. "Then we'll see you in New York. I'm friends with Tony Stark. We fought together during the battle last year."

Hawk smiled. "I know. I was there that day, too. But I was in Queens."

Thor was taken aback for a second, then he remembered feeling a strange surge of power on that day. He had looked in that direction, but he had been too busy trying to stop his brother from making a terrible mistake.

Now, it all made sense.

"That was you."

"It was."

"Fantastic! That means we're comrades-in-arms!"

Thor's grin was infectious. "When Jane and I get back to New York, we'll all get together. And I'm still waiting for that sparring match you promised me."

Hawk smiled at him.

"You got it. New York, then."

"See you in New York."

<><><><><><><><>

Unlike the flight to London, this time, on the way back to New York, all four of them—Hawk, Gwen, Peter, and Mary Jane—were seated together.

And just like the last two times he had flown back to New York, the journey was uneventful. From takeoff to landing at JFK, everything went smoothly.

But Hawk wasn't happy about it.

Once is an accident. Twice is a coincidence. But three times in a row? This was something else entirely.

As he and Gwen walked toward the parking garage, Hawk was already wondering what kind of disaster he would face the next time he left the city.

He'd already checked off "trouble before the flight," "trouble during the flight," and "trouble after the flight."

He was almost morbidly curious to see what would happen next.

...

Soon, Hawk had loaded their luggage into the trunk, and they were driving away from the airport.

Peter and Mary Jane had opted for the subway. As they put it, with the afternoon rush hour traffic, they'd be home before Hawk and Gwen even made it to the bridge.

And they were right.

They were stuck in a dead stop on the Brooklyn Bridge.

Looking across at Manhattan, all they could see was a sea of red taillights.

Hawk idly spun the dial on the car radio. A NASA scientist was on a talk show, excitedly describing a massive diamond meteorite that a lunar rover had just discovered in a crater on the moon. He was thrilled but lamented that they had no way to retrieve it.

The forty-five-minute drive from the airport to Gwen's apartment ended up taking an hour and a half.

When they finally walked through the door, they were greeted by a warm, enthusiastic welcome from Helen and Gwen's two younger brothers, Howard and Simon.

Helen pulled Hawk into a gentle hug.

"Did you have a good time in London?"

"It was okay. I feel like my legs are about to fall off, though."

"I can imagine. Come on in."

Helen wasn't surprised by his answer. She had seen Gwen's itinerary before they'd left. When Gwen had asked her what she thought of it, she had just shaken her head and said, "Youth is a wonderful thing."

As Hawk stepped inside, she patted his arm sympathetically.

"You should look on the bright side, Hawk."

"Which is?"

"At least now, you'll be the one she drags around, not me. And for that, you have my eternal gratitude."

"Mom!"

Gwen, who had been smiling at the exchange, shot her mother a look of mock indignation.

Helen just laughed, then turned and headed for the kitchen. "Go on, you two, go rest. I'll call you when dinner's ready. Howard, Simon, back to your rooms. You've had enough fun for one day."

The two boys, who had been hoping to see what their sister had brought them from London, deflated. With a quiet "okay," they trudged back upstairs.

Gwen led Hawk to her room.

He set their suitcase on the bed and then sat down in her desk chair.

Gwen opened the suitcase and began to sort through the gifts she had brought back for her family.

"This one's for Howard."

"And this is for Simon."

"This tie…"

She pulled out a handsomely packaged tie box and, still sitting cross-legged on the bed, handed it to Hawk. "Hawk, when my dad gets home, I want you to give this to him."

He took it. "What about you?"

Gwen just smiled. "Trust me. For my dad, just seeing me is the best gift he could ask for."

True.

He couldn't argue with that. Hawk nodded and set the box on her desk. As he did, his eyes fell on her calendar. A date, five days from now—August 20th—was circled in red.

A thought struck him.

"Does Berkeley start on the 20th, too? I thought the California schools started later."

"Yep."

Gwen, still sorting through her suitcase, didn't look up. Then, she glanced at him, a playful glint in her eye. "What, are you going to miss me when I'm gone?"

Hawk just shrugged. "I can pick you up from school every day."

There was a three-hour time difference. He could leave New York at nine PM, get to Berkeley by four, right when her classes ended.

With his new abilities, he could make the trip every day. It wouldn't even be tiring.

Gwen's eyes lit up.

"Really?"

"Of course."

“Unfortunately, it’s too late.”

"..."

Hawk looked at her, confused.

Gwen smiled. “Berkeley is fine, but the crime rate out there is terrible. So, I chose Empire State University. They offered me their top scholarship too.”

Hawk's brow furrowed. Gwen had turned down Berkeley for Empire State, the university right next door to NYU.

“Gwen, Berkeley was your dream. It was your future.”

“No. You’re my future.”

Gwen slipped off the bed and settled into his lap. Her brilliant emerald eyes met his—deep blue like a starlit sky. She placed her hand on his chest, her voice soft but firm. "I chose you back in ninth grade. I chose you then, I'm choosing you now, and I'll choose you tomorrow. You're the future I want."

For him, she had run off to Maryland alone to find him.

For him, she had been ready to follow him into Hell when he sought his revenge.

And for him, she had turned down her dream school to go to one just a block away from his.

Just as she'd said: She had chosen Hawk as her future.

"I was actually going to apply to NYU," she added, a playful smile returning to her face. "But your biology department is terrible. And since Empire State had already sent me an offer… so, are you surprised?"

Hawk's heart hammered in his chest. He looked into her eyes, opened his mouth to speak then closed it again.

Gently, he lifted her from his lap, set her on the bed and stood up.

Gwen, startled by the sudden movement, was about to remind him that her father would be home any minute.

But Hawk just looked at her and said, "Wait here."

With that, he turned and walked out of the room, leaving a completely bewildered Gwen in his wake.

Helen, who was in the kitchen, saw him coming down the stairs.

"Hawk, are you—"

"I just need to grab something. I'll be right back."

"Alright."

Helen smiled. "Well, hurry back. The lemon sea bass won't taste as good if it gets cold."

Hawk nodded and walked out the front door.

The moment it closed behind him, his form blurred and vanished.

He reappeared thousands of feet above New York City.

Sixth Sense—Teleportation.

It was one of the many abilities of a Silver Saint. The power to instantly travel to any desired location.

A powerful Gold Saint could even teleport across light-years.

Hawk wasn't there yet.

But this was more than enough.

Without hesitation, he looked up at the vast star-filled expanse and launched himself skyward. A sonic boom tore through the air as he accelerated—a streak of pure light rocketing toward space.

Mach 50… Mach 70…

BOOM!

The moment he broke through the atmosphere, a spectral phoenix materialized behind him. He ignited his Cosmo, and his speed doubled instantly—a human meteor streaking through the void at nearly Mach 500.

This was his limit without his Armor.

As for with his Armor?

His Armor had been shattered in London. He was still deciding whether to forge a new temporary one, or to try and create the true Phoenix Gold Cloth ahead of schedule.

But even without it, Mach 500 was more than enough.

A question:

At Mach 500, how long does it take to get to the moon and back?

Answer: Thirty-eight minutes each way. A total of one hour and sixteen minutes.

It took Hawk an hour and a half.

He'd spent fourteen minutes searching for what he came for. The NASA scientist on the radio had been frustratingly vague—mentioning a diamond meteorite on the moon but not its location.

Fortunately, he'd gotten lucky. Following the rover tracks did the trick.

...

Back at the Stacy household, dinner had already started.

"Gwen, where's Hawk? He said he was just grabbing something. What could be taking so long?"

"I don't know."

Gwen was starting to get worried.

Was her surprise too much for him? Did he just… run away? That couldn't be right. She'd heard of runaway brides, but never a runaway groom.

Just as her thoughts began to spiral, the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it!" Howard jumped up from his chair.

He ran to the door and pulled it open.

Hawk ruffled his hair as he walked in, then pulled a rough, uncut diamond from his pocket and tossed it to him. He then walked over to Gwen, who was now staring at him, her brow furrowed in a mixture of relief and confusion.

He stopped in front of her.

Then, under the watchful eyes of George, who was holding a glass of whiskey, a curious Helen. Hawk dropped to one knee.

Taking a deep breath, he pulled a small velvet box from his pocket and opened it, revealing a fifty-carat purplish-red diamond ring. He looked up at her, expression deadly serious.

"Gwen Stacy, will you marry me?"

"PFFT!"

George, who had just taken a sip of his whiskey, sprayed it all over the table.

...