The Marvels of Life

By: lostfeather1

Summary: "Never tell a solider he doesn't know the cost of war." He watched it all play out on the big screen, seeing the fights, faults and losses. Then the Cosmic Entities offered him a chance to change it all. Now, he prepares for the Endgame and changes everything to stand a chance against the Mad Titan that threatens the Universe. SI-OC

Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing besides my OC's and the plots that are not canon.

Author Note: There is some inspiration and influence from various movies and shows, which I do NOT own or claim.

Anyway... Please read, review and enjoy!

Also: This story is my dedication to Stan Lee, who made it all possible.

R.I.P

~~STAN LEE~~

ACTOR – WRITER – HERO

Thank you for all the Heroes we looked up to as children.

CHAPTER ONE – PREPARATION

Any system can be compromised.

Just like any weakness can be exploited.

It has been Mankind's fault for many ages, and would be a weakness that never changed.

Gloved nimble fingers typed without pause on the keyboard of a laptop, the screen showing coding that grew with each pressing motion of the keyboard. Minutes were passing by before the code was so long and vast, and the nimble fingers paused.

The following silence was deafening.

Footsteps could be heard nearby.

Quickly, the coding continued to be typed and expand. And soon after, the ENTER key was pressed. The code lit up the screen before changing and registering. It moved on the screen like ripples in water, growing bigger and disappearing, taking over the view of the screen and forming into something completely new.

The sound of footsteps got closer by the second and the hands were quick to close the lip of the laptop before everything was dark.

Soon after, a door opened to reveal a bulky man of forty dressed in a security uniform. He held a torch, pointing and looking to see if anything was amiss in his sights. He appeared alert and suspicious, evident by the visible perspiration on his furrowed brow. He walked forward, looking at each desk that were in aisles on each side of him. It was an office, computers and files all in order as it should be and far too organized. As he walked passed an empty desk, he noticed a frayed wire hanging over the desk.

However, before he could even move to take a closer look, he felt something sharp and cold across the tender flesh of his neck. He froze in fright and his eyes widened in terror as a figure emerged from the dark. He couldn't see the face. It was covered not only by a hood, but by a metal mask that has not facial features at all.

But with weakness, comes strength.

And Humans have proven time and time again that while they were not invincible… it didn't mean they were weak.

While they may be Humans, they will never give up.

"If you fall down, you get back up."

"Peter Daniels; forty-two years of age," A deep voice rumbled from the mask, "Married, with two male children, ages twenty-four and twenty-five. You have served in the army for seven years before being discharged after a leg injury left you incapable of continued service. You have been a security guard for nearly ten years." The masked man moved the blade, placing it at Mark's neck and resting it there. The pressure was not hard enough to break skin, but very uncomfortable. And for Peter Daniels, he was shocked and terrified at the masked man's information.

"Tell me Peter Daniels, is this job worth so much to you, that you would die for it?" The question was spoken softly, void of any feeling.

"I…" The blade pressed close to his jugular at the slight defiance in his voice.

"Think carefully, Peter Daniels." The warning in the voice was all he needed to hear to convince himself.

"No, this job isn't worth my life." He replied honestly. All he could think about in that moment, was his family.

"Very good, Peter Daniels." A slightly pleasant tone leaked from the masked figure. "Now, you will turn around and leave this room without looking back. You will make a suitable excuse for leaving the building before turning in your gun and ID badge at the front desk. Then you will go home to your family, kiss your wife goodnight, tell yourself how thankful you are to be alive, and wake up the next morning, turning in your resignation. You will never come back to this building. Should you choose to tell anyone that there is an intruder, I can just as easily threaten the safety of you and your loved ones. However, if you choose not to follow these orders, I can end your life here and now, leaving your family mourning and grieving. And that is something I really do not want to do."

And that was what Mark Daniels did as he was ordered to do. He left the building with a heavy heart, a sense of fear that would stay with him for a time. But he didn't regret his decision, and never once looked back.

Humans could build, create, invent and provide. But they could also destroy, kill, change and take away anything they wanted or needed.

However, it's because of these weakness' and strengths, I would be prepared for what was to come.

The masked man moved silently towards the laptop he had hidden, opening the lid and seeing the coding moving and coming alive. The screen dimmed and showed a black background. Until suddenly words appeared on the screen.

DOWNLOAD COMPLETE…

UPLOAD FILE: "GABRIEL"?

The man froze, looking at the screen before he pressed the 'ENTER' key.

The computer nearly had a power outage from the amount of information the file contained. He sighed, expecting this sort of reaction and turned to the other computer next to his laptop and began typing fast.

All of a sudden, every computer in the room he was in lit up. Looking around, he saw the same clear screen before typing fast again.

I would build and destroy, create and kill, invent and change… I would provide all my knowledge and make it so much better, so that what I take away would become better, stronger, and give what no other Human would be able to.

The code moved from the laptop, to the screen he was looking at.

The camera turned on and showed his masked face on the screen.

And then, a word appeared on the screen?

IDENTIFICATION

The masked man froze.

Removing the metal mask and hood, he revealed his face to the computer camera. He leaned forward to show his face on the screen.

He was handsome for a boy his age, with high cheekbones, dark hair and blue eyes. His demeanor was strong, but his expression was tired.

SCANNING…

IDENTIFICATION: COMPLETE

PROCESSING…

ADMIN FACIAL ID: CONFIRMED

HELLO

"Hello there," the voice was soft and gentle. He began typing on the screen, seeing his words appear.

Hello. My name is Mark.

HELLO MARK

His eyes widened in shock and excitement. His blue eyes snapped up to the camera, looking straight at the lens.

Can you see me?

YES MARK

What is your name?

DESIGNATION: NON-APPLICABLE

He paused.

Can I call you Gabriel?

PROCESSING…

DESIGNATION: GABRIEL

VERIFY…

His mobile phone vibrated in his pocket, concealed under his coat and suit. Quickly getting his phone out, he saw a picture of himself, his name and the word 'verify'.

"You… hacked into my phone?" He breathed, stunned at the mere thought of a system he created working and developing so quickly. It was hard to believe, but he wouldn't as people say; 'look a gift horse in the mouth'. He took a deep breath and pressed 'ok' before putting the phone away.

VERIFIED

DESIGNATION: GABRIEL SAVED IN DATABASE

"What else can you do?" He murmured in awe.

I was a teenager that saw the world that I now lived in through the big screen like a spectator. I watched as countless mistakes were made by the people who became the heroes, that the world wanted and needed them to be. Seeing their struggles, their pain and suffering, their strengths and accomplishments.

I admired them on the screen, played by brilliant actors and showing the world a story so balanced and flawed.

Suddenly, another noise caught his attention. He hissed and cursed quietly, replacing his mask and hood before grabbing the laptop and bag he had hidden under the desk. Making quick work of erasing all data he had altered on the computer, he quickly typed.

It's not safe here. I need you to download the file 'Gabriel' on the mobile I will be plugging in.

Nearly shoving in the USB into the port, he typed fast and hard. It was a matter of time to finish then being quiet at this point. He didn't care who heard him or who saw him, as long as he got what he came for.

FILE: GABRIEL DOWNLOADED

Seeing the torch lights, he cursed and quickly removed the USB before grabbing everything and running fast to the back of the office. Using the shadows, he hid in a little back office. Keeping a crack in the door, he watched as the security guards scanned the floor.

I admired the man that created it all, and thanked him for giving me heroes to believe in while I was growing up.

I looked up to them all, because they showed me that there was hope and good in Humans. That Earth and the people that lived on this planet were worth fighting for. And although they fought because it was their duty, their job and way of life; it was also because they wouldn't wish that burden on anyone else.

His phone vibrated in his pocket.

'Fuck.' He internally cursed, moving back into the office and away from the door. Taking in the room, he saw a private bathroom and swiftly moved inside. After locking the door, he made his way to the window. Being on thirtieth floor of a fifty-story building, it was clear that he would not be scaling down the building. However, before he climbed up the wall to get out, his phone vibrated again.

GO OUT THE OFFICE DOOR

'What?' He walked back out the bathroom, taking a swift look at the office entry. He saw the silhouettes of the guards going passed the door with the torches in their hands. It was impossible for him not to be seen by them if he went out the door.

GO NOW

Deciding to trust his own creation, he went out the door and made his way to the other desk and hid himself. Looking around, he saw no security guards. Relieved but still tense, he looked at his phone when it vibrated again.

DOOR ON YOUR RIGHT

He ran to the door, seeing it was the stairs and began going down.

GO UP

"Why?" He narrowed his eyes at the screen.

TOO MANY THREATS AT ENTRY

He went up, rushing and soon reached the roof.

They sacrificed their lives.

They put aside their problems.

They only thought about the mission and what mattered.

Panting from exertion, he ran and made for the fire escape.

He could hear the sirens of the building alarms and the police that were on their way. Making his way quickly to the ground, he swiftly made his way to a shadowed alley and hid from the lights of the streets.

It was the time to go home.

They suffered through hardships that many would not live with.

But much like Heroes, there needs to be Villains.

Light versus Dark…

Good versus Evil…

Hope versus Despair…

Peace versus Chaos…

Making his way home was much easier than expected. He had no trouble or delays in escaping, and when he reached his entrance to his hideout, he could feel the adrenaline leaving his system. He was drained and exhausted, and too hungry for words.

His phone 'beeped' again.

AREA IS CLEAR OF HOSTILE FORCES

"Thank you, Gabriel." He was sincere, and grateful to the newly-made A.I system. It still surprised him how quickly his A.I was updating and reprogramming.

His home wasn't considered stylish, or homey for that matter. No, his home was an abandoned I.T factory that the government never bothered repairing or destroying. It was abandoned and left for nothing. And the fact that the factory was filled with broken, old and unused technology was an oversight that Mark couldn't help but be grateful for.

He turned the abandoned factory into his personal playground.

After a few weeks, he had sorted the old and broken, and the unused and hidden. Within a few weeks, he was able to set up his own Power Grid, Wi-fi connection and Systems. He was practically using free internet and didn't have to pay for power. Setting his own algorithm had been more difficult, but was able to fix and re-route the power connection.

Altogether, he was able to establish his own base of operations and not be found by anyone, at least, not easily.

He sighed heavily, looking at the many monitors and screens that surrounded him.

Quickly, he took out his Laptop and began typing again.

Are you there, Gabriel? He typed.

YES MARK

He stared at the screen for a moment, knowing that what he did next would change everything for him.

"I need you to do something for me, Gabriel." He spoke out loud. "I know you can hear me, and see me. I created you, but your systems are constantly updating. You're trying to make yourself better, faster and more… I need your help, Gabriel." He confessed, looking down.

HOW CAN I HELP MARK?

"I need you to help me with so many things. I can't do this on my own. I need to get stronger, faster and much more than who I am now." He admitted his mistakes, his weakness to a machine, a thing not capable of feeling or want.

"I can't remain as I am now. I need to be ready… I need to prepare myself, and the world for the Endgame. Because at this rate, if nothing is done to stop him… We're all going to die… again."

PROCESSING…

"I'm asking you, not ordering, not forcing… I am asking you; will you help me?"

YES MARK

I WILL HELP YOU

He released a heavy sigh, sagging into his chair and smiled.

And so, he began working.

But for me… it was not so simple.

I couldn't afford to be that simple.

I wasn't like the heroes I looked up to. I couldn't become someone who would be praised and treated with the goodness and comradery that was the Light of the world. Nor would I be treated like the evil that slithers and schemes in the Dark. No, I would become a balance that would see the world protected and safe from the madness that threatened all life in this Universe.

His home was covered in cords, wires and screens. The entire area was a mess and not orderly at all, but everything was working.

Everything was working and doing what it was supposed to. He was thankful that Gabriel was still enhancing himself with updates and codes that needed to make himself stronger.

As for Mark, he was in the process of uploading Gabriel to the one thing that would give him free reign over everything and help Mark achieve everything he needed.

The internet.

He wanted Gabriel to be everywhere and see and hear everything.

"Okay, Gabriel. Let's give the world its very own 'Big Brother'. Upload this." He inserted a USB drive in the computer, typing more codes and then looked at the screen, knowing the system was watching him.

He smiled.

"Let's see you fly."

And hits 'Enter'.

I would stand above them, not for recognition or praise.

But for the Universe that chose me to be the unsung hero.

The world was working, moving and going as normal.

People were living, their daily lives moving forward.

Organizations were working hard, some more secretive than others.

And then, everything stopped.

Systems glitched.

Power surges came from everywhere.

The world had gone technologically dark for a moment.

And it was chaos for a few seconds.

Generators were near gone and power companies were demanding answers as to why this was happening?

And Mark, was in awe and near tears at the accomplishment he had made.

He had done it.

Gabriel, his Artificial Intelligence, was out there now.

The world would be Gabriel's to play, explore, see, hear and much, much more…

He laughed.

"We did it! We did it, Gabriel!" He cheered, whooping and dancing around his area. He laughed and cried, shouting until he was near hoarse before collapsing in his chair. He panted and smiled so big and bright that his jaw was hurting.

"Phase One… Complete." He breathed out, closing his eyes at the sense of relief and peace he felt in that moment. It had been years since he felt such peace and comfort. From the moment he had been reborn in this world, he had been learning, tracking, running and hiding in order to get to this moment. Now, he could move forward with his plans properly and get everything he needed to make a name for himself.

I would become the Hero and Villain the world needed.

I would be the Adversary for this Universe.

Or I would be the Martyr that shakes the world in to action and preparation.

"Alright, now, moving on to Phase Two." He moved to a different screen, typing to bring up the plans he needed.

PHASE TWO NOT FOUND IN HARD DRIVE

WHAT IS PHASE TWO?

"Phase Two is probably the most challenging. Probably because what I am planning is extremely risky and dangerous. But it needs to be done…" He trailed off, looking at the camera that was looking back at him. "I'm going to be risking my own life, so that I can become stronger."

DANGEROUS

"Yeah, I know." He murmured, staring at the camera with a determined expression. "But I will do it anyway. I can't do anything else being the way I am now." He paused, "But first, we need a lot of materials." he typed something on his laptop, before inserting a different USB drive and waited.

PROCESSING…

DOWNLOAD COMPLETE

"Will you help me obtain all of this, Gabriel?"

YES MARK

He smiled at the camera, relieved and happy he had one true ally he could count on in this world. Because he knew he would need all the help and support he could get.

I was brought to this world for a reason, and I would die trying to rewrite the story where the Heroes and the Villains would get the ending that they deserve.

Because like them, it was a burden that I wouldn't allow anyone else to bear.

My name is Mark Azaiah Smith.

My name was Jeremy Henry Scott.

And I am the Infinity Warrior.

Let me know what you think.

Till next time!

-lostfeather1