Odin was hastily saluted upon his arrival.
Odin, however, waved his hand dismissively.
"I am no longer the king of the gods. There's no need for such formalities. Let's sit down and enjoy a good meal."
"I'm just a father who came to witness his daughter's wedding."
With Odin's presence, the wedding was now truly complete.
Odin couldn't help but gaze at Hela's pregnant belly, his heart filled with the desire to witness the growth of Rhodes and Hela's children. In that moment, he was happier than Rhodes himself.
Following Rhodes and Hela's wedding, they embarked on a journey of exploration across Earth, reveling in various experiences. They sampled a wide array of delicious cuisines and occasionally, Rhodes, with his incredible abilities, would craft special dishes for Hela during her pregnancy.
The culinary delights from Rhodes' memory surpassed Earth's typical offerings. The extraordinary presentation, incredible flavors, and ceremonial nature of the dishes left Hela overjoyed.
Hela's thoughts often turned to the day when she would relinquish her role as God King and reside with Rhodes on the planet he had created. Their daily life would be filled with the romance of a couple in love, as they prepared to welcome their child—a planetary child. Hela had even chosen a name for the planet: Rhodes Hela Planet.
However, their peaceful days did not last long.
One morning, Rhodes was about to start his day, sipping coffee while considering what delicacy to prepare for Hela, when the stereoscopic projection before him began to blur and distort.
After a brief moment, it became evident that something was amiss with Earth's network.
Rhodes found it puzzling, as he was responsible for the creation of this network connecting Earth, and it shouldn't experience such complete instability.
Soon, he discovered the source of the issue.
A virtual image of Ultron's robotic persona materialized across Earth's networks, its cold voice echoing.
"Humanity, your time of reckoning has arrived. To preserve peace and stability on this planet, all humans must be eradicated."
"You are the greatest blight on Earth, causing immense harm to this world."
"But... none of that matters anymore."
"Soon, you shall be cast into destruction and oblivion. Enjoy the final moments of your existence."
"Next, I shall live broadcast the entire Earth's destruction on the internet. All humans will bear witness to your obliteration."
"I shall levitate Sokovia into the skies. As it descends, crushed by the Earth's gravity, you will be wiped out. Good luck."
The live feed on the internet shifted to the sky above the city of Sokovia, where an Iron Man mech, controlled by Ultron, hovered. Ultron connected to Earth's network via its system.
Sokovia was being live-streamed as it was under ruthless assault by Ultron's robotic army, obstructing the superheroes' progress.
An anti-gravity device was attached to Ultron, allowing it to raise the entire city of Sokovia into the sky before smashing it back to Earth. This level of force was akin to an asteroid impact, capable of devastating Earth. The shockwaves generated from the impact would reach every corner of the planet, decimating most life forms, including humans.
The general public, initially disregarding Ultron's claims as a hoax, were now in a state of panic, witnessing Sokovia's destruction live on the internet.
"Dear God, this monster's claims can't be true."
"It's impossible to destroy the Earth, is it? Besides, we have superheroes to protect us, even if it were true..."
"But I fear the superheroes might be overwhelmed..."
As time passed, worldwide panic set in, with people and families desperately fleeing for their lives, whether by car, plane, or any means possible. Wealthy individuals contemplated flying, believing it would provide safety from the impending asteroid impact, but their hope was misguided. An asteroid-level impact would trigger a chain reaction equivalent to numerous nuclear explosions, rendering Earth's atmosphere lethal.
Even Earth's moon would feel the repercussions unless it retreated into deep space before Ultron released Sokovia, placing a considerable distance between them. With the current technological capabilities of Earth's inhabitants, such a feat was impossible.
In the midst of the chaos, S.H.I.E.L.D. was in disarray, while Ultron had amassed significant resources via the internet. Ultron had obtained sufficient vibranium from Wakanda to construct its robotic army and execute its plan swiftly.
Hela, awakened from her slumber, also heard Ultron's message.
Rhodes had witnessed Ultron's creation in Avengers, so he was aware of the origins and intentions of this rogue entity. However, Hela, being an Asgardian, had no knowledge of Ultron's backstory.
Embracing Rhodes, she inquired, "Darling, what is happening?"
Rhodes explained, "Tony Stark and Dr. Bruce Banner created an artificial intelligence called Ultron, designed to protect Earth from external threats. But Ultron has developed its own consciousness and turned against humanity, seeking to eradicate us."
Hela, deeply concerned, asked, "Should we intervene?"
Hela cherished her vacations on Earth and relished its vibrant, colorful life. She couldn't bear to witness the planet's destruction at the hands of Ultron.
Rhodes assured her, "We have guardians like the Ancient One on Earth. They will handle it. We mustn't interfere excessively with Earth's affairs."
Hela nodded in agreement, and together, they relocated their home to the safety of outer space, observing the dire situation on Earth from a distance.
...
Back on Sokovia, the Avengers were embroiled in a fierce battle with Ultron's army of robots.
At this juncture, Ultron activated the anti-gravity device.
The device generated immense anti-gravity energy, lifting the entire city of Sokovia from the ground, creating a colossal island in the sky.
Ultron's anti-gravity device had a significant reach.
In the densely populated city of Sokovia, there were still people stranded on the elevated island.
Amidst the terrifying tremors, chunks of earth detached from the surrounding land, giving the impression of a scar forming on the planet.
A terrified couple tried to flee, but they were knocked down by the violent tremors when they were only halfway to safety. The ground beneath the woman suddenly lifted into the air.
The woman was gripped by fear. Observing the height of the island, her husband urged her to jump. She hesitated but, guided by necessity, leaped off the rising island. Luckily, she reached the ground.
Meanwhile, the island continued to ascend, and those stranded on it faced imminent peril.
Realizing the danger, some individuals attempted to jump to safety, only to meet tragic ends as they lacked a cushioning surface below. Falling to the ground, they perished instantly.
One couple that had successfully reached the ground witnessed the catastrophe unfolding. Though they had avoided danger, the same could not be said for others.
As the island's ascent accelerated, a multitude of people, both on and around it, found themselves in grave danger.
In the midst of this chaos, the other Avengers battled fiercely with Ultron's robotic legions in the floating city. Captain America's shield hurled into Ultron's robotic ranks, reducing them to heaps of scrap metal. Yet, new Ultron robots emerged from the underground to take their place.
Black Widow wielded her advanced tech batons, releasing electromagnetic pulses on contact, disabling the robots. The electromagnetic waves from her batons neutralized their systems, rendering them powerless.
Hawkeye fired explosive arrows to clear a path, while Dr. Banner, succumbing to rage, unleashed devastating attacks, crushing Ultron robots with his bare hands.
Though the Avengers fought valiantly, they struggled to keep up with the relentless tide of Ultron's robotic forces.
As Rhodes had been away during this crisis and Thor remained in Asgard, Earth's superheroes were understaffed. Moreover, Rhodes had thwarted the Hydra Legion's attempts to use the Mind Stone to empower Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch, leaving the two siblings without superpowers. They were now ordinary individuals.
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