Marvel: Silver Hand

The searing heat of Eldrborinn's realm pulsed like a living heartbeat. Molten rivers carved through jagged black rock, casting reflections of orange and crimson against the ash-choked sky. The towering volcano rumbled in the distance, its breath a constant reminder of the divine power that thrived here.

Alexander sat at the edge of a cliff overlooking the molten abyss, his legs crossed, eyes closed, and hands resting on his knees. His breathing was steady, each inhale drawing in the heat around him, each exhale releasing tension from his battered body.

Meditation here wasn't about peace—it was about control. The fire wanted to consume, to devour everything in its path. But Alexander was no stranger to rage. He'd lived with it his whole life. Now, it fueled him.

But then—

"Alexander," Celebrimbor's voice echoed in his mind, sharp as a blade piercing the fog of his concentration.

Alexander's eyes snapped open, molten gold irises gleaming like twin furnaces.

"She's awake."

Alexander stood immediately, his joints cracking from hours of stillness. "How long?"

"Twelve hours," Celebrimbor replied. "Some of your power has recovered, but you're not at full strength yet."

Alexander didn't care.

Turning from the abyss, he strode back through the jagged terrain toward where Emma lay. The fires danced around him, reflecting off his flame-like hair and skin streaked with faint embers. Gone were the days of black hair and storm-grey eyes. The divine power within him no longer allowed such simple disguises—at least not without the ring.

When he reached Emma, she was sitting up, her back against a jagged stone, eyes cloudy with exhaustion but sharp with curiosity. Her bruises had faded slightly, but the damage from Ryan's beatings was still fresh—swollen lips, purple bruises shadowing beneath her eyes, cuts along her cheekbones.

She blinked when she saw him, confusion flickering across her face.

"…Alexander?" Her voice was hoarse.

He knelt beside her, offering a hand to help her up. She hesitated but eventually accepted it, wincing as she stood. His touch was firm but careful.

"Yeah. It's me," he confirmed, his molten gaze meeting hers.

She studied him closely, her sharp mind already racing with questions. "You look… different. Your hair. Your eyes. You're not—" she paused, squinting slightly. "Are you really Alexander?"

Alexander exhaled through his nose, releasing a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. He guided her to sit back down on the stone slab before lowering himself beside her.

"I am," he said firmly. "But there are things I didn't tell you."

Emma raised an eyebrow. "No shit."

Ignoring the sarcasm, he continued, "I carry the divine power of Eldrborinn, an Asgardian god of fire and smithing. That's where this—" he gestured to his flaming hair and molten eyes, "—comes from."

Emma's eyes widened slightly, her curiosity overriding her exhaustion. "Divine power? Asgardian? How did you hide it?"

Alexander's hand drifted to the ring on his finger. It shimmered faintly, pulsing with its own quiet power. "I crafted this ring to change my appearance, to keep my true form hidden. It also protects my mind from… outside influences." He shot her a pointed look, though his tone wasn't accusing.

Emma's lips twitched into a faint, amused smirk. "You mean from me."

He didn't deny it.

She leaned back, processing his words. Then, as if unable to help herself, she asked, "Can you make one for me?"

The question was so casual, so Emma, that Alexander's patience snapped like dry twigs underfoot.

"No." His voice was sharp, final.

Her eyes narrowed. "Why not?"

"Because I said no."

Emma's mouth opened, probably to argue, but she stopped herself. She clenched her jaw, her temper simmering beneath the surface. After a tense moment, she exhaled through her nose and muttered, "Fine."

The silence between them was thick, but it didn't last long. Alexander shifted, glancing at the bruises still marring her face.

"Sit," he instructed.

Emma gave him a skeptical look but complied, settling down with her back facing him. Without another word, Alexander placed his hand gently on her upper back, right between her shoulder blades.

He closed his eyes, drawing in the volcanic heat surrounding them. The fires obeyed him, their power flowing into his veins like liquid sunlight. His divine energy surged, intertwining with the molten breath of Eldrborinn's realm.

The warmth transferred through his fingertips, sinking into Emma's battered flesh.

She tensed at first, a sharp inhale betraying her surprise, but she didn't pull away. The heat wasn't painful—it was comforting, like sunlight after a bitter winter.

Bruises faded. Swollen skin smoothed. Cuts sealed as if they'd never been there.

After several minutes, Alexander pulled his hand away, his energy slightly drained but stable.

Emma shifted, stretching cautiously. When she stood, there was no hesitation in her movements—no pain.

She turned to him, her eyes wide with disbelief. "What did you do?"

"I healed you," he replied simply. "Using my divine power."

Emma's fingers brushed over her now-smooth cheek. "Huh," she muttered. "I guess that's one way to avoid hospital bills."

Alexander snorted softly.

Emma's expression softened. "Thanks."

Alexander nodded once, then stood. "Do you want to leave? I can open a portal."

She hesitated, her gaze flickering between him and the churning volcano in the distance. "No. I'll leave when you're fully healed."

Alexander didn't argue. "Fine."

He returned to the edge of the volcano, lowering himself into a meditative position once more. The roar of molten rock was like a heartbeat, steady and powerful. He let himself sink into the rhythm, focusing on regaining the strength he'd expended.

But peace didn't last.

He felt Emma's presence before she even spoke—felt the shift in the air as she sat behind him, pressing her back lightly against his.

The contact was… strange. Comforting, maybe.

After a minute, she broke the silence.

"Hey," she murmured. "Do you have something that could make it, you know… a little colder? I'm not immune to this heat like you."

Alexander's jaw clenched. He stayed silent.

But Emma wasn't one to give up easily.

"Seriously. It's like sitting inside an oven."

Nothing.

She huffed. "I'm melting over here, Alexander."

Still nothing.

She shifted, poking him in the side with her elbow. "Come on. Just a little colder?"

His patience snapped.

Without warning, a portal opened beneath her.

Emma yelped as she fell through, the portal snapping shut with a flick of Alexander's fingers.

Silence returned.

A satisfied grunt escaped him as he resumed his meditation.

Emma was now in Iceland, standing in the same clearing where he'd first discovered Eldrborinn realm.

She wanted cold?

She got cold.