~Previous Chapter~
"No, she's the Goddess of Justice and Retribution. I took the side of Justice, if you didn't get that. My brother Ethan however, took the side of Retribution. You, of course, already know what happened to him. Agent Romanoff." I called and then sighed. "Natasha, I have a mission for you that is of the utmost importance and time is of the essence. We are about to go to war with a force the Greek and Roman demigods can't handle alone and the Greek/Roman Gods will be helping as much as they can. However, we need more help. I'd like you to take a quinjet and go to Hong Kong, you've got clearance to park in a private hanger, there you'll meet a Mr. Leo Alexander he will take you to meet with the Chinese God that resides on the Earthly Plane. The Greek Gods organized it, I'm simply the messenger of the plan. This will be a diplomatic mission, I would go but I'm tied here and none of the demigods are qualified except for the few that are healing wounds that go deeper than the mind. Will you accept and represent humanity." I looked at her, almost pleading with her to say yes.
"Of course Sir, solo or may I take another?" She asked.
"Agent Hill will be going with you, she'll be informed of the situation and will meet you in the hanger in one hour. You're to leave as soon as she get to you." I stated, it's long time I told Agent Hill.
"Understood Sir." Romanoff turned on her heel and walked off to prepare our talk had taken forty-five minutes. I think that's the quickest I've explained everything but then again when someone works it out, it does make it ten times easier.
~Maria Hill, Halls of the Helicarrier~
Director Fury had just told me everything, the secret of his history, the upcoming battle, the mission that to my ears sounds impossible. But I can't really say that, I work with the impossible. What shocks me the most is that he had managed to keep it a secret from the Board of Directors! Right now I was on my way to the quinjet to go on this mission with Agent Romanoff. Hopefully she's got her head wrapped around the information. I saw her waiting on the one closest to the hanger door. "Ready for take off?" I asked her, she was a brilliant agent but I've always wanted to know her better. "Prepped and ready for lift off, just waiting for confirmation." She informed me. Would she always be this formal with me? "Roger that." She said into the headset speakers linked to the comms tower. "We're cleared for lift off, want to take a seat?" I realised I'd yet to take a seat, quickly seating myself I donned my headset and speakers.
~1 hour into the flight~
"Romanoff, I'd actually like to take this mission as an opportunity to get to know you. Particularly during the flight." I told her. Director Fury's words ringing in my ears 'Romanoff is cold hearted but I need you to try and mellow her out a bit. This war, this war has missions within missions. Right now the Avengers are reading a series of journals that belonged to the greatest demigod to have ever lived, they need to understand his past to have a chance with him in the future. Jackson has gone missing and we need his help in this war. Just like we need the other Pantheons, Thor will handle Asguard but we must deal with the Greeks, Romans, Chinese and Egyptians. The Greeks and Romans are easy as they are one and the same. Right now Agent Romanoff is prepping a quinjet for Macau Airport, China where she'll meet a man by the name of Leo Alexander who will take her to the Chinese delegates. We need her mellowed out because Jackson right now is in an unstable situation, her coldness could set him off. I want you to go with her and try to get her mellowed out before we get Jackson.' He'd certainly given me one of my hardest missions yet.
~Romanoff's POV~
Agent Hill wanted to get to know me? I sighed I know what Director Fury was up to. He wanted her to try and mellow me out before we found Jackson. "I know what you're doing Agent Hill. Director Fury wants me mellowed out before we get Jackson so I don't set him off. I have read his journals." I exasperated. "Sure I'll try and get to know you but don't expect me to change dramatically in 8 hours. You're good but even you're not THAT good." I smirked maybe change wouldn't be that bad. I mean I used to only work with Clint, now I work with the rest of the Avengers. As we made our way over the North Pacific Ocean Maria and I made small talk about Fury's secret, how the rest of the Avengers will take it. Stark getting his hands on Greek artefacts, we both vowed to keep him away. Soon 8 hours had rushed by and I was landing the quinjet onto the tarmac and slowly guiding it into the massive hanger that held what looked like a brand new privet jet. When we exited we were greeted by a tall African-American who introduced himself as Leo Alexander, Retainer to the Dark Lord Xaun Wu and Lady Emma Dahnahoe.
"We don't usually get visits from embassy's so this is a new one for us. You'll be meeting with the Four Winds, Xaun Wu, Bai Hu, Qing Long and Zhu Que as well as the Jade Emperor himself." He told us as we boarded a boat to the mainland where he would then drive us to the meeting destination. He told us that the journey would take another 2-3 hours. So we got comfortable.
"So how did you get involved in this?" He asked us, he seemed genuinely interested in our involvement. "Well our boss, Director Fury of Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement Logistical Division or S.H.I.E.L.D as we're better known as. Gave my team, the Avengers, a series of journals that belonged to a boy of 12. What I read in those journals is astounding, but it also showed light onto his true self. You see Director Fury is a child of Nemesis the Greek Goddess of Justice and Retribution. He took the Justice side more than the Retribution side." I explained. "He's told us that there's a war coming and his people, the Greek and Roman demigods, can't handle the force alone. He hasn't told me what this 'force' is but I don't like it at all. I've been told that the Greek and Roman gods will help but they need more. So we were told about the Chinese Gods existence. So here we are." Maria picked up for me. Leo sat shaking his head.
"It sounds like you guys are in for a rough time then. Just a couple of things to hash out first. 1) They're Shen, not Gods call them that to their face and some of them will want to repute it rather loudly. 2) They may not help. The Dark Lord has a child of his own to look after and isn't in top condition to fight this kind of battle. The Celestial usually won't get involved in mortal affairs anyway." He told us, this wasn't good news. Maria nodded her head and left for the lower deck, phone in hand.
"So anything else in particular we need to know, cultural understandings we need to perform when we meet?" I asked, as this is a political meeting then we need to gain their respect.
"Yeah, if the Jade Emperor is in the building you need to get down on one knee you right hand clenched and resting on your left in an open hand. When you're in position you need to say 'Wan sui, wan sui, wan, wan, wan sui.' Don't get up until he tells you." He looked like he wasn't kidding. "Also if we tell you to go somewhere else, do it. We have our own monsters to face and your weapons would be useless." This was sounding more and more like mission impossible by the second. Gods...Shen that either wouldn't help us or couldn't. Greek demigods we knew nothing about and Gods we had no way of contacting. On top of all that the world as we know it is in danger from a force I don't even know anything about.
~2 hours later Mainland China~
"We're here, Jump off and I'll go sort out the car, bring it round and we'll be off to The Peak." He assured us.
"Reckon we'll be able to gain their help?" Maria asked me as we watched Leo talk to the guard and disappear underground.
"Honestly I couldn't tell you, but from what I've found out we'll have our work cut out for us. Apparently one of the 'Shen' is too weak to be in a battle of this size and another won't have anything to do with the mortal realm." I told her as a black Mercedes pulled up and we got in seeing Leo. An hour later we pulled to a top at a building at the top of massive hill that over looked the Honk Kong city centre. We drove down into the underground parking lot and then took the elevator up to the top floor, there we were greeted by a door barred off with a metal gate. Leo stepped up and entered the code and opened the door stepping in we were told to remove our shoes and wait.
Suddenly a woman with a European look stormed through the apartment and slammed a door, only to poke her head out once more and look down at us. "Can I help you? Who let you in, no one is meant to be able to get in." She told us well things just got a bit more interesting didn't they.
"We were brought here by Leo to see the Dark Lord Xaun Wu, Dark Emperor of the Northern Plane. We're the 'ambassadors' of the United States of America." Maria told her she started to look worried.
"This doesn't have anything to do with Leo does it?" It took a bit for it to click together, Leo was American, he'd just lost some of the accent. Smirking I shook my head.
"No this doesn't have anything to do with Leo, what it has to do with is something very serious." Just as I'd said this five people stepped into the room from what I assumed was an office.
"They're not demons so I think it's safe to talk to them, but I wouldn't let my guard down. Nobody except the other pantheons know of our existence so why are these mortals here?" The male dressed in a traditional outfit, almost like a kimono but not quite, of blues and greens. I could see instantly that he might be one of the hardest ones to get on our side.
"Quing Long you forget who it is you are with, I may be weak but the Arts are mine, they will be no more a threat than Lady Emma is to Simone." The man who was dressed in black admonished the one who spoke prior. They all walked down the stairs and stood in front of us. We had no idea if one was the Jade Emperor or was a messenger there on his behalf. "You are the contingent sent from the United States of America are you not? You certainly don't look like politicians, in fact you two are quite cute, want to come back to mine? I can make it worth your while." A white Chinese man asked us both, we almost flinched at his suggestion. The male who was dressed in black seemed to notice and promptly told him off while giving us a name.
"Bah Hui that's enough, you know the rules of this household. My staff will stay out of your ugly paws and my guests will not hear of your vulgar mouth!" He sternly told Bah Hui off. He turned to us and looked us up and down. "I'm Xaun Wu, head of this household, Dark Lord of the North and First Heavenly General to the Celestial. This is the Jade Emperor-" The minuet he mentioned the Jade Emperor we fell to our knees, we did not want to piss them off, we needed their help. Our actions got a chuckle out of everyone except the Jade Emperor himself. He looked slightly annoyed, if it was aimed at us we didn't know and was even more grateful that we had dropped to our knees.
"Ah Wu I should have you beheaded for such insolence to me." He snarled, I dared a look at him and saw him with mirth in his eyes. Was he joking around? Isn't the Jade Emperor meant to be a hard ass and not have anything to do with the Earthly Plane? He turned his head to us and saw me watching him for a split second before I dropped my gaze. "Rise, you did well to show such respect to myself without full knowledge of who we are." We stood and were then ushered into the dinning room there we were served chow mien tea. "Now who are you if not politicians from the West?" The Jade Emperor asked us. We both looked at each other and since I was handling this better than Maria was, knew I would be doing the talking.
"I'm Agent Natsha Romanoff a.k.a Black Widow and this is Vise-Director Agent Maria Hill, we're agents with an organization called the Strategic Homeland Investigation Enforcement Logistical Division better known as S.H.I.E.L.D. We deal with issues and beings of the supernatural powers, however we came to you today to beseech your help." I told them, they looked shocked and confused.
"Why, girly, would the United States know of our existence? Unless Leo spoke to others about us and broke his word." Bah Hui stated sadly. I knew this could get ugly, very quickly.
"No we know what you are because our Director, Nicholas J. Fury is the son of Nemises Greek Goddess of Justice and Retribution. He asked us to come here on his behalf to seek your help with a war that is starting. As far as I'm aware it'll not only affect the States and the godly realm but the whole world. We need your help because the Avengers have never fought against any force like the one I've been told and the Greeks and Romans are asking, pleading for help. From what I know of their children, they've just exited a war that lasted three months and lost over half their forces trying to save the world. Now they have lost their best fighter and are trying to find him with the help of the Avengers, however they still need help. Which is why we are here. Please will you help us save humanity and the world as we know it?" I told them, to say they were stunned would be the understatement of the century.
"The Greeks? A war? Ha, last time they asked for our help was when Gaea was apparently waking up, that never happened now did it!" The man dressed in blue stated in an outrage but none more outraged than the Jade Emperor at the blue man.
"Qing Long you will hold your tongue! For your information Natasha speaks the truth, that war did happen and there is one brewing on the near horizon. The Greek and Roman Demigods gave up much to be able to try and put her back to sleep. It wasn't possible until she was slain by Percy Jackson son of Poseidon, he out of all of them lost the most. He lost his will to live, his sanity and his true love. After spending a treacherous amount of time in the depths of Tarturus, the Greek version of hell, to save his one true love he watched as she was stabbed in the back in the midst of battle, unable to get to her because he was engaged in battle also." Wow if I thought Fury had a spine chilling glare, it held nothing against the one that the Jade Emperor pinned Qing Long with. Xaun Wu sighed and looked at us with a 'what can you do' look.
"Who is rising that the Greeks and Romans can't fight against?" He asked us, this brought me up short Fury never told me that much.
"Tarturus." Maria said next to me. Okay this wasn't good.