Simply Choosing Not to Use It

"Ah!"

Suddenly swept out the window and suspended dozens of meters in the air, both Hill and Natasha couldn't help but let out startled cries.

Even Natasha, with all her combat training and reflexes, panicked for a moment. After all, she was wearing pajamas no wrist darts, no grappling wires, nothing. If she really fell from this height, she'd be toast.

But after a moment of anxiety, they both realized something strange: they weren't falling. In fact, they weren't moving at all. They were floating steadily in mid-air.

Looking up, they saw Rowan, arms crossed and flying just ahead of them, a cheerful grin on his face.

Hill and Natasha instantly understood it was Rowan's psychic power holding them aloft.

Their panic faded, curiosity taking its place.

Natasha, ever the professional, reached out and pressed her palm against the glass exterior of the S.H.I.E.L.D. building. Then she shifted her weight experimentally.

Feeling the subtle resistance and support, her eyes lit up in surprise.

"Rowan, are you flying us by lifting our vests with your psychic power?"

Rowan gave her an appreciative glance. Smart woman. She figured it out quickly.

"Exactly. My psychic field can't interact directly with the human body, but the vests distribute the force evenly makes it much safer and easier to control."

Hill, however, was clearly not a fan of heights. She clung to her vest like her life depended on it.

"Rowan, you're not actually taking us flying like this, are you? How long can your ability last? We're not going to fall halfway, right?"

Rowan chuckled softly. Compared to ordinary telekinetics, spirit masters from Swallowed Star had legendary endurance. Natasha and Hill together didn't even weigh 100 kilos. He could carry both of them all day without breaking a sweat.

"Relax. I've got you. Ready?"

He glanced at the two women then didn't wait for a reply. With a wave of his hand, he shot forward like a rocket.

"Ahhh!"

Hill yelped again, thrown off by the sudden shift in momentum. Natasha, on the other hand, had already adapted. Her face lit up with an expression close to joy.

The cool night air whipped past their faces. Rowan's eyes sparkled with excitement.

That afternoon, he'd only tested low-altitude levitation. This was his first real flight.

He increased speed, and the three of them soared through the sky at nearly 100 meters per second.

"Wooooo!"

Natasha's red hair streamed behind her. She released the vest entirely, arms stretched out like wings. From a distance, she could've passed for someone flying on her own.

Hill, while more reserved, began to relax too. She let go with one hand, testing the wind resistance against her palm.

Rowan didn't take them over central Manhattan it would've attracted too much attention.

Instead, he brought them out over the ocean.

His psychic field shifted and flowed fluidly. One moment they were skimming the waves, the next they were soaring toward the stars. The sensation of freedom was exhilarating.

After ten minutes or so, the two women were completely relaxed, their laughter echoing across the water.

But just as Rowan was enjoying the moment…

Far away in the skies above New York, a S.H.I.E.L.D. Quinjets sliced through the clouds at high speed.

In the co-pilot seat, Nick Fury sat with a grim face, scanning a report on his tablet.

It had been submitted by Agent Coulson sent from New Mexico.

Fury's eyes moved across the screen, growing darker with every line.

Thor. Loki. The Bifrost. Asgard.

Names that sounded like myths but they were all real.

If he hadn't spoken with Coulson directly to confirm the details, he'd never have believed this report.

Sure, Coulson claimed the situation had been resolved peacefully. But as Director of the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division, Fury couldn't afford to be optimistic.

If Asgard was real… what about the other realms from Norse mythology? Vanaheim? Jotunheim?

And if Asgard had a Bifrost that could transport armies directly to Earth while humanity had no way to return the favor… didn't that make Earth utterly defenseless?

Those so-called gods wielded power beyond imagination. If they ever turned hostile, could Earth do anything to stop them?

Fury's jaw clenched. His single eye burned with quiet fury.

"Not having a sword in hand, and choosing not to use one are two entirely different things."

The words of a great scientist echoed in his mind.

He made up his mind then and there: Earth would not be caught unprepared. He would build a defense.

His gaze fell on the name mentioned repeatedly in Coulson's report: Dr. Erik Selvig.

"If we can extract the energy from that cube…"

But even that wouldn't be enough.

Those aliens had technology far beyond anything on Earth. The cube alone couldn't guarantee safety.

Another image formed in Fury's mind a massive green figure roaring with uncontrollable rage.

"His power is incredible… but unreliable."

"Cap might be useful. At least he follows orders…"

Fury closed his eyes, mentally assembling a list of candidates for a team.

Beep-beep-beep!

An urgent alarm snapped him out of thought. The plane's radar began to scream.

Fury's eyes opened, frowning.

"What's going on?"

"Sir," the pilot responded, "we've detected three unidentified flying objects about ten kilometers ahead. Speed is extremely high. Definitely not birds."

Fury squinted at the radar. Three red blips streaked across the display.

"Is Stark screwing around again?" Fury muttered.

"Check with HQ. Tell me where Stark is right now."

"Yes, sir."

A few seconds later, the pilot got the reply.

"Sir, Stark is at a private party."

"A party? Then it's not him?"

Fury's scowl deepened.

"Son of a… Don't tell me someone's managed to copy Stark's suit. I knew this would happen eventually!"

"Get us in closer. I want eyes on them. And if it looks like a threat bring them down."

"Yes, sir!"

The Quinjet accelerated with a roar, breaking the sound barrier as it surged forward.

…

Meanwhile, Rowan was pushing his flight speed, teasing the two women as they darted across the sky.

Then his instincts flared.

A shiver ran down his spine.

He turned his head sharply, expression hardening.

From the distance, a Quinjet was closing fast its streamlined body cutting through the clouds like a blade.

Rowan's body tensed. From the inside of his boot, a Kroluminum alloy dagger flew out and hovered, ready.

"Rowan? What's going on?" Hill noticed the shift in his demeanor and followed his gaze.

She spotted the aircraft and tensed for a split second then relaxed.

"Don't worry, that's one of ours. S.H.I.E.L.D. aircraft."

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