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It is a universal truth.
People differ from one another. By that exact logic, not all phoenixes are created equal.
A phoenix standing on the ground belongs to a completely different breed than one perched on a branch.
There's an old saying: A living dog is better than a dead lion.
Only a bird resting on the sacred Parasol Tree can truly be called a Phoenix.
The Phoenix appears only in the most sacred places and never sits on any branch except the Parasol. Its cry is powerful enough to shake the world.
Hawk possessed the power to use almost any cosmic anchor to manifest his Phoenix Universe. Such an act would constitute a mere quantitative increase in power. Using a tree changed the entire equation.
Claiming the World Tree as his fulcrum brought about a fundamental qualitative evolution.
This reality explained his previous assessment. Using the World Tree required understanding the Ninth Sense, the Amala Vijnana.
The Amala Vijnana did not even exist as a concept for him before he considered claiming Yggdrasil. He had felt absolute certainty that his ascension would finish with the Eighth Sense. The moment the idea of hijacking the World Tree crossed his mind—the path to the Ninth Sense appeared before his inner eye.
He lacked no desire to reach the Amala Vijnana. The truth remained far simpler. The Ninth Sense required the World Tree to exist. A phoenix demands its sacred branch.
Without it, he would remain grounded. A grounded bird lacks True Divinity.
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Gwen listened intently to his explanation. Hawk had detailed the details of the Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Senses to her before. She lacked a visceral, personal understanding of those cosmic thresholds. One fact stood out with crystal clarity. The World Tree held immeasurable importance for his future.
"Then go get it," Gwen stated with an even tone.
Hawk blinked, his focus snapping back to her face.
Gwen offered a casual shrug. "The World Tree gives you what you need, right?"
"It does."
"Then take it back from them."
"Doing that means declaring all-out war on Time itself."
"We are already enemies of Time." Gwen smiled, tucking a stray blonde lock behind her ear as she caught his eye. "My husband never hesitates like this when facing an enemy."
Hawk let out a soft laugh and shook his head. "This one is different."
"How is it different? You told me you do not fear Time."
"I fear nothing for myself." He spoke with total confidence. He was strong enough to stay safe, even if Eternity showed up in person to attack him. He could always escape.
He had made his own timeline into a single point. If he couldn't beat Eternity in a direct fight, he would just pull back. Once he was out of Eternity's view, the cosmic being would never be able to find him again.
Hawk locked his piercing gaze onto her face. "I worry about you."
"Me?" Gwen paused, genuinely surprised.
"Yes." Hawk nodded, his voice falling to a serious register. "Think about Peter and Felicia."
Gwen's brow knitted. "Are you saying Time will remove me from existence?"
"It lacks the power to do that. You are my wife. You exist as a permanent fixture in my past, my present, and my future." Hawk shook his head.
"Then what can it do?"
"It can displace you. Time can rip you away from my side and drop you onto an Earth in a parallel universe, exactly like it did to our Peter and Felicia."
Time possessed that specific capability. It had proven its reach the moment Earth plunged fully into the primary temporal current.
The abstract entity of Time could reverse events that included Eternity or the Time Stone, which could not be altered. The raw mechanical force of Time operated on a supreme level. It held this power without restriction and would utilize it as a weapon with absolute certainty the moment Hawk made his play for the World Tree—
Entering the ring for a direct confrontation meant exposing himself to the full, unmitigated wrath of Time.
Such an act moved past mere rebellion and constituted a direct assault on the One Above All.
Time might lack True Omnipotence, but its retaliation would be devastating. Time could not harm him directly. It would target the most intimate connection anchoring his timeline instead.
Gwen served as the absolute center of his existence. She was his wife.
The good news remained clear.
Hawk possessed a fundamentally different nature from Odin, and Gwen was nothing like Frigga. Time could not orchestrate Gwen's death. The bad news carried equal importance. Time could banish Gwen to the multiverse and erase her from the memories of anyone not deeply entangled with Hawk's personal timeline.
The rest of the world had overlooked Peter and Felicia. The mechanical force of Time could execute a flawless memory wipe across reality.
Time lacked emotion and that lack of emotion guaranteed a cold, calculated response. Threatening its core interests would trigger an automated, ruthless countermeasure designed to force his compliance.
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Hawk kept his expression grave as he looked at her.
"The moment I enter this fight, I risk losing you."
Gwen bit her lip and tilted her head, her face twisting into a strange, amused look.
"Losing me sounds a bit too melodramatic for a Tuesday morning, honey."
"I am entirely serious, Gwen."
"I know you are." Gwen let out a soft chuckle. The playful demeanor vanished, replaced by an intensity that matched his own.
"Three questions. One, will I die?"
"No."
"Two, will I forget you, or will you forget me?"
"Never."
"Last question. If I get dumped onto an Earth in a parallel universe, will you track me down and bring me home?"
"Absolutely."
"Then go steal the World Tree."
"Time is a bully."
"It killed the Sorcerer Supreme just to drag Earth into its current."
"It orchestrated Ragnarok across the World Tree to prevent anyone from escaping its control."
"It has its sights set on you now. Stealing the World Tree guarantees it will use me as leverage."
"Refusing to steal the tree changes nothing. It will still use me as leverage to prevent your final ascension."
"You must take the World Tree. My temporary absence means nothing."
"Compromising once guarantees a lifetime of surrender."
"Do not give it the satisfaction of thinking it can control you. Not even with my life on the line."
Gwen spoke gently but with steady determination. She gave him a playful grin. "Besides, you promised I'd survive and remember everything. Being sent somewhere else for a while doesn't sound so bad. I'm actually curious to see what a parallel Earth is like compared to ours."
A new, amusing thought seemed to strike her. She blinked her eyes in rapid succession and looked up at him.
"Do you think there is another version of you running around in this parallel universe?"
"The multiverse contains infinite variations outside of our primary reality. Some Earths have variants of us. Others do not. A variant of you is bound to exist out there, alongside a variant of me."
"You sound incredibly certain." Gwen tilted her head, intrigued by his swift confirmation.
Hawk offered a faint smile.
"Do you dream?"
"What does dreaming have to do with parallel universes?"
"The version of yourself you see in your dreams is an actual projection of your multiverse variant."
Doctor Strange often dreamt of his alternate selves fleeing from monstrous creatures across shattered dimensions. Seeing yourself in a dream usually means you are witnessing the life of a parallel variant.
Hawk rejected the notion that those multiversal variants held any true connection to his own identity.
His existence was an absolute singularity.
The origin of his soul guaranteed his unique, unparalleled status across all realities. A parallel variant of him might exist, but that variant shared nothing of his real essence. The same rule applied to her.
"Those alternate versions of you are not you."
"Explain that." Gwen held his gaze.
Hawk stared back with resolute intensity. "Only you hold the title of Mrs. Phoenix. You are entirely irreplaceable."
Gwen blinked, took a half step backward, and performed a theatrical curtsy. "Thank you, Mr. Phoenix."
Hawk laughed out loud.
A sharp chime from the toaster interrupted the moment.
Gwen turned her attention back to what she was doing. She laughed, grabbed the toasted bread, spread a thick layer of butter, spun smoothly, and handed the slice to Hawk.
He took a bite, his eyes lighting up in a flash.
"A new recipe?"
"It is." Gwen lowered her voice. "My mother knows nothing about this secret formula. Consider this the very first exclusive recipe of the Phoenix family. Only those bearing our name get to taste it."
Hawk devoured the slice of bread in three quick bites.
Gwen beamed at his reaction.
"Did that fill you up?"
"It did." Hawk nodded.
Gwen's smile grew radiant. "Then go to work. Promise me you will not let Time steal our World Tree."
Hawk looked deep into her meaningful eyes and remained quiet for a long moment.
"Promise me, Hawk."
"I promise." He gave his word under her intense scrutiny. With a final urging from his wife, he turned and vanished from the kitchen.
Gwen gazed at the empty space he left behind. She blinked, drew in a long, steadying breath, and untied her apron. She tossed the fabric onto the counter and strode toward the stairs.
A moment passed.
Gwen reached the master bedroom. Grabbing her charging phone from the nightstand, she opened her contacts list and initiated a call.
The connection went through without delay.
"Wanda."
"Do you have time to go shopping with me today?"
"..."
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