Marvel : Strongest Siblings

Max's smirk remained as Loki chuckled and raised his scepter. "You thought you were clever," Loki said, his voice dripping with mockery. "I saw the magical fluctuations when you tried to take it. You've barely scratched the surface of what you're up against."

Max raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "So what? You want it back?" he asked, his tone dismissive.

Loki stepped closer, his gaze narrowing. "Give it back, or face consequences you can't begin to fathom," he hissed. "Your little tricks and spells pale in comparison to mine. You're lucky this isn't my true body, or you'd already be dead. Just like him." He gestured toward Phil Coulson, who lay bleeding on the ground.

Max's expression darkened as he glanced at Coulson, who was on his last breath. Nearby, Natasha and Clint arrived, their faces grim as they took in the scene. Loki sneered, vanishing into the shadows as Max approached Coulson.

Phil's breathing was shallow, his eyes filled with pain but still determined. Max knelt beside him, cradling him gently. "Phil," Max said, his voice unusually soft. "Do you want to live?"

Coulson struggled to speak, his voice weak but resolute. "Of course… I… I want to… but I… I can't Live anymore…"

Max's eyes glowed faintly as he whispered, "You won't have to die." He leaned in closer. "If you're willing, I can give you another chance. A new path. But it comes with a price."

Coulson's fading strength focused on Max. "Anything… I'll… do anything to protect them," he rasped, his hand twitching toward the direction of the others.

Max nodded, his decision made. "Then rest, Phil. I'll handle the rest." A faint, ominous mist began to form around them as Max prepared to do something that would change Coulson's fate forever.

"What are you doing?" Clint demanded, his bow drawn and aimed at Max, his expression filled with suspicion.

Black Widow placed a calming hand on Clint's shoulder. "He's with us," she said firmly, her eyes not leaving Max.

Max barely glanced at Clint as he responded, "I'm going to revive him." He pointed at Phil, who lay motionless. Without another word, Max began chanting in a foreign, ancient language.

The air around them grew heavy as a strange, dark mist began swirling. The blood pooling around Coulson's body started to reverse, seeping back into his wounds. As the chanting intensified, glowing, intricate runes appeared across Coulson's body, pulsing faintly. The grievous wound in his chest slowly closed, flesh knitting itself back together.

Max's hands hovered over Coulson as he muttered the final incantation. A faint, otherworldly light flowed into Coulson's body, and then, with a gasp, Phil's chest rose as he drew a deep breath. His breathing steadied, rhythmic and calm, as if he were merely in a deep sleep.

"What the hell just happened?" Black Widow asked, her voice sharp with disbelief.

Max stood up, brushing his hands together. "He's alive. Or, to be precise… he's new," Max said cryptically, gesturing toward Coulson.

Clint lowered his bow slightly but didn't put it away. "You brought him back with… magic?"

Max shrugged. "Yes."

and he inwardly added 'Though, if I hadn't, someone else would have revived him with science soon enough,' he thought, recalling Fury's use of experimental methods. 

"What is he now?" Black Widow asked, checking Coulson's pulse. To her surprise, it felt completely normal, despite Max's earlier comment that he was "new."

"I used high-level undead creation magic," Max explained, his tone calm. "This type of magic only works when the target is freshly deceased, and the target has given his consent."

Clint frowned, lowering his bow but keeping it ready. "Undead? You mean like zombies? Mindless creatures that just shamble around?"

Max nodded. "That's the basic level of necromancy, yes. But what I used is far more advanced. Phil isn't a mindless undead—he's a Vampire Lord."

Clint's eyes widened as he looked at Coulson, who still appeared unconscious but otherwise normal. "He looks perfectly human to me," Clint said, skeptical.

Max shook his head. "The pale, gothic vampire look? That's just a myth born from low-tier undead or stories. A Vampire Lord is much closer to a human in appearance, though they occasionally require blood to sustain themselves. They possess enhanced strength, speed, transformation abilities—like turning into mist or bats—and other supernatural powers. On top of that, every Vampire Lord awakens a unique ability tied to who they were in life."

Black Widow tilted her head, her gaze still on Coulson. "So, he's stronger, has magic powers, and is technically immortal now?"

"Precisely," Max said, smirking slightly. "You'll notice the difference when he wakes up. He's not just alive—he's transcended mortality."

They nodded in understanding as Black Widow asked, "Did you get Loki?"

Max shook his head, his expression neutral. "No, by the time I got here, he was already gone."

Black Widow frowned. "But he was here when we arrived. Are you saying he escaped right in front of you?" she asked, her tone sharp, her eyes narrowing.

Max, still looking at Phil, replied calmly, "It wasn't him. It was just an illusion. He used it to distract us while he made his escape."

Clint's eyebrows furrowed. "An illusion? Then why stay and talk to you?"

Black Widow turned her attention back to Max, curious. "What did he want?" she pressed.

Max met her gaze, his smirk faint but telling. "My allegiance," he said simply.

Both Black Widow and Clint stared at Max with disbelief. Clint shook his head, his voice heavy with emotion. "He's not good. He made me do things I'll always regret. Don't trust him," he said, his tone almost pleading.

Max rolled his eyes dismissively. "If I was going to side with him, do you think I'd have revived Phil?" he countered, his voice carrying a hint of annoyance.

A low groan interrupted their exchange, drawing everyone's attention. They turned to see Phil stirring, his eyes fluttering open as he pushed himself up slowly. "Am I... dead?" Phil asked, his voice weak and confused, looking toward Black Widow.

She knelt beside him, a relieved smile on her face. "No, you're alive," she assured him gently.

***

Support me at

patreon.com/boring_world

It's 22 chaps ahead

And we are back in Marvel there