What a hell of a day to die. Clint thought as he felt and saw the beginnings of a storm in New York. That wasn't the only thought racing through his head though. Things like, Maybe Thor is ramping up and I didn't wear the right clothes for this weather.

It began raining steadily and the wind began to grow at a pace that was similar to molasses.

It wasn't a lot but any change in the weather had to be accounted for when using his signature weapon.

Clint still shot arrow after arrow at the aliens, but there was so damn many. He would run out of arrows long before they ran out of aliens.

His mind started drawing patterns though. Where the groups of aliens were erratic in their initial attack, and basically blasting everything that moved and everywhere. Now more of the fliers were dropping off their chalks somewhere south of Stark Tower. They were making more attack runs on that particular area.

That was when he saw it.

Thor took three down by himself, with a massive strike of lightning and another launching Mjolnir straight into the maw of the massive flying whale.

Hulk even more by simply dragging them down and beating them to death.

He wasn't even sure he believed what he saw at first.

But a large steel spear cleanly embedded itself into the armored eye of the space whale, passing into it enough for the whale to crash into the asphalt below.

Hawkeye maneuvered to get a better look and what he saw had him in awe.

The archer let loose an arrow and took down two fliers that were heading in the direction of the golden warrior.

Who had unsheathed a black sword from his shield that was easily twice the size of the Captain's, sliced the head off of an alien, a black shadowy substance being absorbed by the blade from the alien.

Sheathed the black sword whilst ducking under a swing from the bayoneted rifle, pulled the grey spear from the eye of the whale and swept the alien onto his back with the shaft of the spear.

He blocked several blue shots from the aliens before launching the spear that turned three of them into a kebab before stomping roughly into the head of the alien which caused a shockwave to emanate from it throwing three more onto their back. He drew the black sword again and advanced.

All done in a single fluid movement.

Hawkeye let loose three arrows simultaneously that killed three aliens that sneaking up on him when he thought he wasn't looking and let loose another that exploded in the center of a pair of fliers causing them to careen off course.

Then Clint looked past the golden warrior who had already littered the street he was traveling down with dozens of alien bodies

Then Clint turned his attention towards the buildings, his acute and augmented eyesight seeing a writhing and coiling movement in the buildings.

Then it happened.

Another whale was gliding above the golden warrior, releasing chalks of the aliens that sprung from chords and readied their weapons from the buildings they had attached themselves too.

Thor was dealing with stemming the flow.

Hulk was on the other side of the city.

Tony was keeping them contained as much as possible.

Anyone with the firepower to kill one of these things was already busy.

The guy was screwed.

Or he thought at first.

The golden warrior continued brutally and efficiently cutting down any alien that crossed his path ignoring the aliens on the sides of the buildings who were lining up their shots.

Suddenly, as the first blue bolt fired and instinctually blocked by the warrior dozens of lances of water, exploded out of the buildings and tossed the aliens off the building and into the street below, most dying in the fall and the rest guaranteed to be too injured to fight.

And like striking snakes, lances of water struck against the flying whale wrapping themselves around it and anchoring it to its position before slowly pulling it towards the ground and freezing and encasing the whale in thick ice.

The warrior hadn't so much as spared a glance in the direction of the chaos or the aliens raining from the sky. More lances of water continued to spring from buildings striking those that were out of reach of the warrior as he continued his merciless stride towards Stark Tower.

Wait Stark Tower?

"We may have problem." Clint spoke into the earpiece he was wearing.

The voice of the Captain came through. "You mean other than the aliens?"

Thunder roared and lightning flashed and struck the alien chariots out of the sky.

"I got a guy going straight for the tower. Looks like one of Thor's buddies. He's cleaning house down there." Clint reported while keeping an eye on the warrior and shooting down chariots.

"Keep an eye on him." Rodgers stated, Clint heard the iconic shield bash something, probably an alien. "Natasha, think you can get up there before he does?"

"Copy that." Clint responded, he shot an arrow at one of the aliens setting up some sort of emplacement on the opposite rooftop.

It blew up.

"Of course." The red haired assassin stated. Clint could see the smirk forming on her face.

Clint turned to face the overpass they were fighting on and watched the spectacle of Rodgers springing Natasha into the air with his air. She hooked onto a passing chariot and quickly took command of it.

Clint turned his gaze towards the warrior and he widened his eyes if only slightly. He must've quickened his pace in the seconds that his attention was focused on the two others to have been a hundred meters from where Clint had ended his watch on him.

The coiling waters that were scaling the buildings were lashing out with more ferocity, their ever-changing tips looking and striking like deadly harpoons and throwing them off like ragdolls. He had replaced the spear and shield and was dual wielding those leaf shaped blades with such speed and skill, he looked to be a hurricane of death.

That was when he widened his gaze.

Around the golden warrior were two spouts of water flanking him, catching the falling aliens from the buildings and tossing them further in the air. Small but deadly lightning strikes were impacting the ones that were staying at a distance attempting to shoot the warrior.

Torrents of wind threw the flying chariots off course if they got too close and the whales were being a little smarter as the simply dropped off their chalks and flew away, the wind and spouts of water tearing off layers of the armor if they got too close and the lightning would quickly follow up tearing off chunks of the purple veiny hide that was exposed and burning it and causing the space whales to roar in pain and veer off.

Clint looked away and fired another arrow.

What a hell of a day to die.

Percy blinked twice as the last two aliens fell with lifeless thuds, the two black leaf-shaped blades sticking out of their abdomens.

They weren't Greek monsters nor did they explode into golden sand.

But they did something that was inherent to any form of life.

They died.

So Percy wasn't complaining too much. He did hate the notion of having the purple bluish blood on his armor though or the scorch marks on Aegis.

Still, Percy blinked once more the thin but deadly water spouts had served their purpose and with a thought, after crossing the threshold of Stark Tower, the two collapsed as did the coiling water serpents that were scaling the buildings' walls.

He slouched a bit, as weariness took hold of him.

Percy hadn't expended that much energy since his fight with Gaea and that was a little over two years ago.

And he still had to face a god.

All in a day's work. The demigod thought bitterly to himself as he rolled and stretched his left arm.

One of those aliens had jabbed him with one of their energy, edged bayonets. It didn't hurt but it stung, burned and was sore. He almost compared the feeling to dipping it in the Styx but nothing could ever compare to the feeling of bathing in a thousand burning suns.

He had taken a little more time killing that one.

He unclasped a hidden armored pouch in his shoulder pauldron and took the small silver flask filled with nectar, uncapped it, took a swig and put it back in its place.

He couldn't identify the taste it had. It almost taste like nothing to be honest.

He felt a slight boost of rejuvenation and quickly looked for the elevator in the trashed lobby.

He turned his gaze away from the aluminum doors. It didn't seem like the best of ideas going up an elevator at a time like this. He stopped in his tracks when he heard a voice though.

"Hello? Is anybody there?" A muffled and tired voice called out, there was a pounding on the aluminum doors.

"Shut up! It could be aliens!" A more frightened and feminine voice harshly whispered.

"We're stuck here!" The different male voice responded this time. "The doors are jammed!" Another female voice shouted. A cacophony of voice rose up all either calling out for help or telling those that were calling for help to be quieter.

Percy grimaced and looked towards the emergency stairs that had also been clearly used.

Why were mortals so dumb sometimes? He thought to himself as he went towards the elevator.

"Make space." He shouted. His voice instantly cut off everyone's voices and there was silence as Percy slipped his fingers between the metal doors and slowly but surely pried them open.

A wave of people came out and Percy raised an eyebrow at the amount and he peaked inside.

A luxurious wood paneled spacious elevator greeted him. Easily able to hold upwards of twenty people.

I guess that if you have the money why not? Percy's train of thought went.

"Thanks uh.." A guy started but when Percy turned his gaze towards him he faltered. His already cut an impressive figure but combined with his armor? He knew he was a sight to behold.

"I suggest you guys hunker down here." Percy said. His voice was smooth but hoarse. The nectar was enough to rejuvenate him but it hardly quenched his thirst. "It isn't safe out there."

As if to emphasize his point, a series of explosions impacted directly in front of the entrance. It caused everyone to scatter but Percy who was looking around for a water fountain.

"Ye-Yeah." A woman stuttered in response, while hiding behind the receptionist desk. "We-we'll do that."

Percy didn't comment further as he took a quick drink from the fountain and began jugging up the stairs, taking two or three at a time.

A series of explosions racked the building and Percy heard an something screech, like nails on a blackboard but really fast downwards and loud crash.

Percy counted his lucky stars that he didn't take the elevator.

He continued up the stairs and attempted to mist travel but it still alluded him. His hands would turn to mist with concentrated effort but other than that he couldn't travel any faster than what his legs could carry him.

He stopped for a moment and took a look upwards to see an abyss of black staring back him and more stairs than he could count.

Woe is the life of a demigod.

He continued his journey, his boots pounding more stairs than he ever thought he would climb. Percy had long decided to abandon the twin xiphos at the bottom of the stairs. They would return to their sheathes within Aegis after a couple minutes anyways.

It felt like an hour before he reached the top.

It was really only ten minutes.

The emergency door was quickly pushed open and Percy strode past the dividers to see Loki, groaning in pain, inside a crater in the floor. Percy purposefully stepped onto him and towards the large windows where he saw the battle ongoing and something else.

The red headed woman from the carrier had grabbed a glowing staff from the sky bridge.

Even from here, he could feel the raw energy and power that it held.

He had no wish to get involved with whatever that was. It could only lead to trouble.

But he still had to put an end to the invasion, whatever the cost.

His eyes turned determined yet lifeless as his gaze was towards the sky where even more of those aliens were streaming out of the portal created.

Whatever the cost.

Natasha had found herself on the skywalk staring at the armored individual that she had met back on the helicarrier.

Glowing, powerful sea green vortexes stared back at her own emerald orbs. She calmly walked across the skywalk and into the room where she stood in front of the golden warrior. Well, the gold was a little off color and more a purplish blue that was still fresh from his own ordeal with the Chitauri.

She felt oddly at ease around him. Perhaps it was the fact the he was so uncaring and lifeless.

Just being around him made her want to shirk away, to bow to the power he wielded so effortlessly. She had seen footage of Thor and could tell even he exerted some effort when wielding his lightning powers.

Perseus, though, he didn't even need to direct his strength. His powers were bent to his will and when he called they responded eagerly almost hungrily and devoutly, wanting to be used by their master.

She shook her head of those thoughts.

"Do we have any idea how to deactivate this portal?" Perseus asked, his voice was smooth but held a tautness that if sprung would unleash…she would rather not know nor think about what would happen if he was angry.

"We think that if we pierce the gem with the staff." Natasha explained and she gestured to the machine out on the rooftop that was shooting a beam of sapphire into the sky.

Thunder was beginning to rumble with an increasing frequency and an increasing intensity. The rain was pouring harder and the explosions seemed to send steam in every direction.

Natasha saw a frown form on Perseus' face. "We have to hurry."

She agreed. "Yeah, they won't last much longer down there."

Perseus turned and moved for the stairs.

The next words he spoke sent a cold chill down her spine. Something she had never had until after she had undergone the final trial in the Red Room.

"I wasn't talking about them."

They still continued on with Perseus following her.

Natasha had a feeling that he could've left her in the dust should he choose to. Still they moved forwards.

They got to the top and that was when Natasha noticed it.

It looked like Thor was on steroids. Dark looming and black clouds were expanding and encompassing the entirety of the city. Blue lightning arced from cloud to cloud waiting to be unleashed onto whatever was in its way.

The Chitauri were still streaming out of the portal.

Erik quickly moved to the front with a stand that had a computer on it. He pointed and spoke. "Right there at the center of the crown."

"I can do it!" She said. "I can close the portal."

"Well close it!" Natasha couldn't agree more with the Captain.

"Hold it." The voice of Tony spoke. "I got a missile coming in." There was a pause. "And I know just where to put it. Just do me a favor and clear the way for me, would you guys?"

Natasha threw a glance towards Perseus and watched him outstretch his hand as a thick pole coalesced in it. She remembered it. It was the large steel grey spear he wielded.

And it seemed they were catching onto their plan as several fliers were headed directly for them and Tony.

"I don't suppose you have any way of dealing with them?" Natasha asked and looked at him with a sideways glance.

He finally gave her a look that didn't say anything but had to have meant that she was stupid for asking.

It was hard to read him underneath that golden frilled helmet.

He looked in all directions before simply lifting the spear once and letting it fall.

Now one had to understand that slamming metal onto a gravel roof was supposed to sound like it was digging into it. Like the rustling of dirt when someone ran their hand through it.

Not like a loud resounding and echoing thump that sounded like a gong being struck like it did in the movies with background music and all.

Bum. A split second pause. Bum. Bum.

The spear's rhythmic pounding seemed to divert the attention of many, many more fliers and Chitauri infantry who began climbing the tower.

Bum

Instantly, the water reservoirs on top of every building in Manhattan exploded, the water streaming into the air, striking like a whip and wrapping around each one like a rope before tossing them into the air. A lightning strike, igniting them and destroying them in a ball of fire. Even more coils of water wrapping around the infantry climbing the building and flinging them across the city.

Natasha could only stare at the display and she tracked Tony as he pushed his suit to its limits with trying to redirect the missile.

He barely managed to point it upwards before it hit the building and Natasha let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding.

She watched Tony zoom up and through the portal and waited.

And waited.

A second sun burst into being from where the portal was and she squinted to see try to see if Tony was going to come back.

Everything just died.

All the large flying leviathans crashed to the earth, while those Chitauri simply fell to the ground where they stood as if they were just unplugged from their batteries.

Their was a sign of resignation before the Captain's voice was heard "Close it."

Perseus held his hand up. The armored gold vambraces glinted where there wasn't purple blood.

Natasha understood and waited a few more seconds and she could see a small figure just barely make it through. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and she wasted not time in piercing the gem.

She heard a tired sigh behind her.

She watched the Hulk appear from nowhere and catch the hopefully unconscious billionaire.

Natasha turned to see the golden warrior sitting on the edge of the building simply staring out into empty space. The weather was different the clouds were dispersing and the rain was clearing up along with the wind and lightning.

She watched him take a small flask, like ones that were alcoholics used, but instead of a silver color it looked to be made of copper. He took a quick swig and simply capped it again and slipped back into his armor.

"I didn't take you for an alcoholic." She remarked as she leant on Loki's scepter. Selvig was typing furiously on the computer while seemingly taking notes on everything he could.

There was a pause before Perseus responded. "I don't drink." He didn't elaborate nor attempt to defend himself after that but Natasha couldn't care less if he was one. Everyone had their vices after all. It just happened that hers was drowning in her work.

He slipped off his helmet and set it beside him and ran a hand through his jet black hair with a small sliver of greyed hair just on the crown of his sweat caked head.

It was the first time she could actually study him, she didn't really do so on the helicarrier with everything going on.

He had a sun-kissed face with a small scar that ran on his cheek. And one that cut on his left eyebrow but didn't reach his eye. His face was set in a stony but tired expression.

His normally green irises were dull and had seemed to have lost their vitality. "You know we could use someone like you." She remarked.

"No one could use someone like me." He instantly responded but his dull and tired gaze was locked on the setting sun.

She somehow didn't doubt that. He was working for someone already that was for sure but they didn't know how to use him. It seemed that they simply pointed him at something and he let loose.

It certainly seemed that way when he fought Tony, Thor and Rodgers.

There was another long pause. "You're powerful." She stated.

He sent her a look that meant duh.

"And when this is over what are you going to do?"

His gaze turned back to the setting sun. "I have a feeling that it isn't over. That this was just…the beginning."

She raised an eyebrow at that and he seemed to sense both her curiosity and doubt.

"Just call it life experience."

The way he said it. The simple resignation and sadness that was carried with those words made her think.

"You still didn't answer the question. What are you going to do?"

There was a long pause, long enough for her to hear that the other Avengers were coming up the tower to deal with Loki.

But he still answered and she to respond but she didn't know how to.

His words simply sounded so broken.

So defeated.

"I don't know."

For comparison's sake, this chapter has about 3700 words, while the chapter in the official story has around 6200.