𝑾𝑰𝑪𝑲𝑬𝑫 𝑫𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑴𝑺 ━━ 𝚂𝚝𝚎𝚟𝚎 𝚁𝚘𝚐𝚎𝚛𝚜

6 The Aftermath

2012 - a day after the battle of New York

After the battle of New York, Edda, and Aeron found refuge on the outskirts of the city, hidden away from the chaos that had consumed Manhattan. The quiet of their secluded hideout was a stark contrast to the noise and destruction they had just escaped. Aeron busied himself preparing Edda's special food, a serum designed to keep her core power burning and her body in optimum condition.

Edda sat on a worn-out couch, exhaustion etched into her features, but her mind refused to rest. Questions swirled within her, each one more pressing than the last. He brought the container over to her, sitting down beside her as she took a sip. The liquid's familiar warmth spread through her, replenishing her energy and soothing her frayed nerves.

"How are you holding up, Edda?" Aeron asked gently, his eyes filled with concern.

Edda took a deep breath, grateful for the chance to be honest. "I'm not okay, Aeron. Everything feels so... disorienting. I woke up in a world that moved on without me, seeing those people and... Steve Rogers. The man I was programmed to kill, but instead I saved him? I don't know, it's all too much."

Aeron nodded, his expression softening. "I know it's overwhelming. But you're strong, Edda. You always have been."

She managed a small smile, appreciative of his words. "Can I ask you something?"

"Always."

Edda's mind raced back to the sandy blond man with gorgeous galaxy wings. "What is the Tesseract and how did you know it was calling out to me?"

Aeron wore a pensive look as he considered her questions. He knew that answering her truthfully would shatter the veil of ignorance that Medusa had so carefully constructed around Edda. But after everything that had happened, he couldn't lie to her anymore.

"Edda," he started, his voice soft but resolute, "there's something you need to know. Medusa forbade anyone from telling you this, but you deserve the truth."

She felt the familiar pressure of Medusa's conditioning weighing heavily on her mind. Instinctively, she recoiled, her body tensing as the mental shackles tightened. "Forget it," she muttered, a hint of fear in her voice. "If Medusa didn't want me to know, maybe I shouldn't be asking these questions."

Aeron, however, couldn't let it go. He had seen Edda suffer enough under Medusa's control and knew that the only way forward was through the truth, no matter how painful it might be. He wore a pensive look as he considered her words, the weight of his decision pressing on him. Finally, he took a deep breath and spoke.

"The Tesseract," Aeron explained, "contains an ancient artifact known as the Space Stone. It's one of six Infinity Stones, each one holding immense power and scattered across the galaxy. When Hydra captured you, they had the Space Stone in their possession. Dr. Zola used its energy to bring you back to life and power your body. That's why you can open portals. The Tesseract's energy is part of you."

Edda listened intently, her mind racing to process this new information. The pieces of her fragmented past began to fit together.

"Why did Medusa forbid anyone from telling me?" she asked. Her voice was barely a whisper, scared that Medusa would hear her digging for more information.

Aeron sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Medusa feared that if you understood the true nature of your power, you might use it to break free from her control. She didn't want you to realize your full potential or the fact that you're more than just a weapon."