"NO! You're not doing this. You can be hurt." Steve protested.

Stiles was going to test if his magic barrier was strong enough to hold off attacks that was not of supernatural nature. Bad guys would not use their fists in fighting them. He wanted to test it on bullets but he must admit that was far too dangerous. So he figured Tony could adjust the pressure of his repulsor and try to stun him while he was inside the barrier.

Thor would have been a good choice to experiment but he was back at Asgard. Bruce volunteered to be standby paramedics and gather data out of it. Jackson and Clint were on the sidelines and watching.

"I need to do this. You said it yourself, Steve. It'll be too dangerous to test it during a fight."

Steve glared at Stiles. Yup, Stiles had the balls to actually use the Super Soldier's words against the man himself. Steve was a punk. And it was rubbing on Stiles. "You could seriously get hurt."

Stiles shrugged. "There's only one way to find out." Stiles said. Steve glared at Stiles.

"I'll be the tester then." Jackson announced.

"No." Steve cut through everyone who were agreeing it was the logical choice. Jackson Could heal immediately from his injuries. Everyone looked at Steve. "Stiles' power is built on belief and belief is built on conviction. If he has a solid reassurance that everything will be fine, his conviction will only suffice. Jackson heals immediately. The threat to his life is not imminent. Therefore, the foundation of your magic will be shaky." Steve smiled, nodding to himself as his teammates stared at him with confusion. "It has to be me. I won't heal as fast as Jackson. It'll take a more than a day to heal from broken bones if the repulsor hits me."

Stiles eyed Steve like he was crazy. Steve almost let a smirk out. He was always fascinated every time he could surprise Stiles.

"Oh no. You're not doing this. What if my magic fails? No, this just-"

"Stiles!" Steve called the younger man from his fears. Stiles shut his mouth and looked at Steve worriedly. "It's okay. You can do this. I believe in you." Steve took a few steps back. "Shield me with your magic dust." Steve said, smiling encouragingly.

"Are you sure about this? I mean we could postpone it till I get a better grip on my magic." Stiles said.

Steve smiled again "We're already here, Stiles. We might as well get on with it. "

Stiles poured out a bottle full of mountain ash powder. Instead of falling, it floats toward Steve. Steve watched in amazement as the ash moved around him to create a perfect black circle on the floor.

"Stiles, step back." Tony said.

Stiles nervously nod and shuffled back to the team.

"On the chest Tony." Steve said, standing at ease and baring his chest open for the attack.

Steve locked eyes with Stiles and smiled. He was trying to convey his trust, his faith, that it would be okay even if he fails. Stiles' breath hitched, overwhelmed by such intense confidence in him. He would not fail him. He would not let Steve fall into harm. Not when all the power he needed to prevent it was in the palm of his hands.

The mountain ash glowed blue and a blue transparent barrier flared brightly around Steve.

A second later, a repulsor blast hit the shield.

Stiles heart stopped as the bright flash temporarily blinded him. When the white clears, there was Steve standing in the middle or the barrier, unharmed and smiling.

"Oh my god! It worked!" Stiles exclaimed jovially. Steve grinned at him.

"Let's test it further. Protect me while I move around."

"Wait What? Steve no." Stiles asked.

Steve jumped out of the circle. Stiles hurriedly infused a levitating spell on the ash and willed it to follow Steve. Tony fired. Stiles got a little late and Steve got hit by the repulsor blast. He was flung several feet away.

"Another." Steve said as he got up.

"No." Stiles rapidly infusing his magic on the barrier, moving the millions of tiny particles like he had done with the plates. Stiles needed to be faster. And he realized it was just one thing because his magic linked it all together and it feels like playing his videos games. And just like snap of his fingers, his magic moved according to his thoughts.

This time, Stiles managed to move the circle along with Steve and kept him inside safe. He could almost anticipate where Steve would go. May be the hours of practice with the soldier made him familiar of how Steve moves.

Then they started experimenting on how much his barrier could take. Tony fired his repulsor at increasing percentage. But it held, unscathed by the force. The Unibeam cracked it but Stiles was quick enough to mend the damage and steadily pour more magic into it counteract the unibeam. He was able to hold the barrier until Tony run out of power. But it took a lot of magic to keep it from collapsing. All in all, it was pretty successful. In theory, it could stop bullets. They'll have to test it out later on. This time, Jackson insisted that he should be the target.

***

Stiles received a text from Parrish, saying he was ready to talk about it. Stiles admitted he wasn't that knowledgeable about the supernatural world. Yet. But he knew a guy who might be able to help. Parish asked if this was a trust worthy source. Stiles honestly said yes because the last time he visited the shop his senses told him so, like how his senses found Parrish.

There was a pregnant pause on the line before Parrish agreed. They set up a meeting with Jason on the next weekends. Stiles have to cancel his training.

***

Stiles woke up in the middle of the night when he felt a presence nudging for his attention. His heart raced, tense with the sudden intrusion of it and his magic rising swiftly from slumber.

"Stiles?" Jackson asked, tensely.

Stiles silence him with a hand sign before sitting cross legged and with knuckles together between his thighs. Like a Buddhist monk. Stiles entered the spirit plane. He came face to face with the astral form of Harry. This was his first time here. He only knew the basics through theory. It's cool and freaky at the same time. It was eerily quiet.

"I knew you'd figure it out." Harry said, his voice echoing unnaturally.

"This is all kinds of freaky and cool." Stiles said, marveling at his echoing voice. "How is this echo happening? I'm not aware of this phenomenon."

Harry smiled at him. "The book doesn't actually mention anything about this and I don't know why it echoes here."

"Why are you here anyways? You could have warped here easily. I got you exempted from the interdiction zone."

Harry face loses all pleasantness and became serious. "I don't want to frighten you but there's a situation going on. Multiple situations actually."

Stiles nodded, tensely. "It's the reason I can only come here through this form. There's an uprising going on. The followers of Chthon are trying to bring their master back to our world. Our problem is multiple attempts are happening across the world and it's more than we can handle."

Harry summoned a book out of thin air and it floated to Stiles. Weird thing is Stiles can actually touch it.

"That book contains all that we know about the ritual. I've marked the parts explain the things that are actually happening now and some others that are essentially useful. I want you to study that in this plane to give you time."

"Because time moves slower here. But why me? Why now?"

"Because you might need to intervene. We fear that another ritual is going to happen but we don't have anyone who can respond. We're already spread thin."

"What about the White Council?" Stiles asked, "I'm sure Harry Dresden will-"

Harry chuckled and grinned in spite of the gravity of the situation. Stiles came to a sudden realization. "Oh my god. What the fuck, dude? Why didn't you tell me I was bossing around the head of the White Council?"

Harry Harry smiled fondly at Stiles. But then his form begins fading in and out. "Dude, are you okay?"

"The enemy is trying to break the barrier through this. I have to go. I have my trust in you."

Harry vanished. And Stiles was thrown back to the real world.

"Stiles? What happened?"

"Something bad is happening."

Jackson almost jumped out of the bed when he saw the sudden appearance of a book. "And that book has something to do about it?"

Stiles' grip tightened on the book's covers. "It might be our only hope at stopping it. I need to study this."

Stiles went back to the spirit plane and poured over the pages Harry marked. The book was more advance than anything Stiles have. This wasn't something a beginner like him could handle.

Stiles felt the moment his uncle Phil entered the building. He knew the team were waiting for him. He felt Tony's concern when he received the call for a mission.

Stiles came back to his body. Stiles closes the book with a sigh. Jackson halted on his warm up exercise. He met Jackson inquiring gaze with a serious expression, "Suit up."

Jackson nodded. He wasn't surprised when Jarvis informed them he was need in the common area. Stiles tested his gloves, flexing his fingers before he looked at Jackson stood proudly in his suit, ready to fight. "We're up."

Stiles heart was pounding. It was his first mission with the Avengers. Jackson had come along as well. He didn't need to but they were partners. Where one is, the other is not far behind.

There were some reports about people becoming demon like creatures. Stiles was able to identify it as the same creature in the book Harry gave him and found a way to break the curse. It was almost eerily calming when stepped into the Avenger quinjet in his suit together with Jackson.

Somehow, the all of the Avengers were free and offered to be back up. Stiles and Jackson knew what was going on and they were silently thankful for the support. The docked on the bus midway and meet with the Bus team.

Stiles was confident he could take on the curse and caster who casted it. The curse spreads through bite or contact with the saliva of the creatures. Just to be on the safe side, Stiles casted a protection spell on the Avengers and everyone else on the Bus, using his mountain ash as a medium.

"Agent Johnson. You may know me as Quake." The black hair woman greeted as held out her hand.

"Stiles. Stiles Stilinski." Stiles shook her hand. Stiles had an unsettling feeling when he touched Daisy. He almost immediately let go. "You're not entirely human." Stiles stated.

Daisy titled his head, "Huh."

"I'm so sorry. I did not mean to say that out loud nor do I mean it as something derogatory." Stiles quickly apologized.

Daisy grinned. "It's okay kid. I was just surprised. How you did you know?" Daisy asked.

"I don't know. I just felt something else was a part of you. Something not human." Stiles answered honestly.

Then he was suddenly being questioned by another woman and a man. It's like facing two Lydias at the same time who actually talk to him. He was a little bit overwhelmed.

"Fitz. Simmons." Agent Coulson reprimanded. "That's enough. You can talk to him after the mission if he wants to."

The two apologized and everyone moved to the central room and discussed their strategy.

Stiles explained the nature of the curse. It didn't take much research because the curse has telltale signs. All they needed to do is destroy its center or, if it comes to worse, kill the caster. Stiles was a little shaky when he said last one. He had confirmed it to Harry. There were two ways to implement the curse. Either a ritual altar was erected or the caster sold their soul to someone to receive the mark of Chthon.

Stiles also confirmed that it could spread through bite and he added that a scratch from their claws was another way.

Stiles stepped back from the table having given the information they needed. It was quiet for a moment and Stiles had to looked around. Everyone was looking expectantly at him. Stiles felt dread lodged on his throat.

"Are you serious?" Stiles asked, a little shaken.

"This is your field, Stiles." Steve said. The serious professional tone on Steve's voice makes Stiles shiver. Stiles turned to him and they locked eyes. "Talk us through your game plan."

Steve knew he had been thinking of how to go through this mission since he heard it. The older man nod at Stiles to encourage him. He'd been with Stiles from the day one. Steve knew Stiles could do it.

"First is we have to ensure the safety of civilians. Evacuate everyone. The more of them to infect, the stronger her army will be."

"We've already started the evacuation prior to contacting you. We've covered up to 60 percent of the city's population as of now." Daisy reported.

"Good. Second, is to prevent the spread. I'll put up a barrier around the city to prevent them from infecting on a larger scale."

"That pretty large area. Can you manage that?" Agent Coulson asked.

"I can manage it but only in a short period of time. But there's a chance some have already cross the city perimeter."

"How about we draw them back in?" Cap suggested. "We attack the caster's liar under the presence of a direct assault and them box them in."

Stiles paused considering before he nodded. "Guerrilla tactics should make her move. But it must be kept long distance." Stiles brought up the holographic 3d map of the city. "I could feel her here. Ironman, Thor and Hawkeye, could start here and here and here." Stiles indicated their positions on the map. "Draw her out. Make it extra flashy."

"Have you met us?" Tony asked with a mischievous smirk.

"When I close the city, there should be units taking of those who escaped."

"We'll take care of it." Phil said.

"Then I have to go to the source of the curse and destroy it. Cap, Jackson, Natasha, you come with me on the ground." Stiles turned to agent Johnson. "Agent Johnson, we haven't trained yet but I feel you'll be better with us."

Daisy fastened her gauntlet. "They don't call me 'Quake' for nothing."

They were heading to the source. Stiles rapidly fires paralyzing spell one after the other and demons continues to fall unmoving. Behind him were the ground team consisting of Jackson, Black Widow, Quake and Captain America who was using Icers. Miraculously, the dendrotoxins were working on the demons somehow. In air, Thor and Iron had engaged with the caster but they weren't doing any damage on her. Bruce sit this one out. They didn't risk the possibility of a hulked out demon on the enemy line.

"Do not kill the demons. They are innocent. Just under the control of the caster." Stiles ordered the team implicitly. Nobody had to die. Not when they could be saved.

The first part plan had worked. They were able to draw back most of the demons back to the center of the city. Stiles erected the city wide barrier. I took almost a quarter of his magic and was slowly chipping away at the remaining part. He could hold it up for several hours.

The caster was black-haired, pale woman with bloodshot eyes. Her pupils were glowing red. She laughed with a tone that was unmistakably not human.

"Is she possessed?" Captain America asked.

"Not completely." Stiles said. "For some reason he could not fully possess her. He could only influence her and channel his power to her."

Finally, they arrived in some kind of an altar, glowing with red undesirable energy. Stiles could feel the hair on his arms stood and a sickening churning in his stomach. The energy was heavily tainted with darkness; his instincts forced his magic to enveloped him in a protective aura.

There were hooded figures around the altar. Stiles could feel the same undesirable energy from them. "Be careful. Do not let them touch or hit you." Stiles warned his team.

Stiles sent some of his mountain ash to his teammates. It circled around them individually and it moves as they move. Stiles signaled the ground team to engage. They quickly subdued the hooded figures guarding the altar.

Stiles started on the counter curse. He traced the sigil through the air, his magic the only calming light among the chaotic energy surrounding them. He could feel the air starting to get cleansed with each hand movement. This was supposed to be a group ritual. What with the amount of magic needed and the powerful being he was trying to banish the influence from the land, it was certainly suicidal.

Harry had informed him that this ritual was being performed across the world. Magic users of all caliber had banded together and are trying to stop it from completing. Just one successful ritual and hell could literally break loose.

Stiles didn't know why Jason entrusted him with this one but he could not fail.

"Stiles!" He heard his name called before he was being dragged away, his sigil disintegrated. They fell down and rolled away. A beam of red light poured over where he stood a second ago. When the light was gone, the ground was glowing with molten rocks.

Stiles looked up only to find the caster about to fire another one. Stiles frantically raised a shield to protect himself and who ever just saved him. Stiles felt the concussive force of impact when the energy beam hit his shield. Then a continuous barrage of energy blast followed, trying to breakthrough. Stiles strained with keeping his shield from breaking apart.

The barrage stopped but it was followed with a strong explosion.

"Let's go." Stiles heard Steve shouted before he was bodily hauled to his feet. Stiles shrinks his Shield to the size of Steve's shield and they were running away, through thick dusts and rubbles. Stiles warily looked back making sure he wouldn't be caught off guard.

He could hear Jackson shouting to hurry up. They vaulted over a building wall that must have collapsed due to the fight. Stiles immediately expanded his shield to cover everybody.

Stiles could see the worry on Jackson's face. Stiles touched his shoulders. "I'm fine." Jackson nodded.

"We need to take her down." Black Widow stated coldly. She touched his shoulders and looked straight at Stiles eyes. "If you could take down her shield, we'll do the rest."

"You'll get blood on your hands." Stiles said a little hysterically.

A strong explosion got their attention. It was raining red lighting outside. Thor crashed through a building

"Guys, I'm running out of ammo." Ironman warned them.

"Stiles." Black Widow called his attention back to her. Her eyes were open and searching. "I have a history full of red. I became an Avenger because of that. Not all heroes are innocent. But each of us has a choice. I've made mine a long time ago. It's up to you what you'll choose to be."

Stiles could feel his eyes tear up. There was something vulnerable and honest about her words, something that is also dark, sad and tragic that breaks Stiles heart.

Stiles took a deep breath and let it out. He nodded and finally he said, "I've got something. But I have to take down the shield."

"We got you covered, Stiles." Captain America assures him

Stiles proceed on preparing the spells he needed.

"Done. I need a diversion." Stiles requested to the coms.

"On it." Ironman said.

"Thor, gather up some sparks and follow me. Hawkeye give us some cover."

"Diversion: incoming."

Stiles saw a barrage of small missile heading toward he caster. Iron man had blinded here with his repulsors. Stiles summon magical roots from the ground and it weaves around her shield, squeezing, trying to shatter the it. Stiles threw his magic stick like a javelin at caster. It passed through the barrier like a hot knife cutting butter. The witch was petrified, disbelieving that someone could break through Chthon's barrier.

"Thor now!"

Thor sent torrents of lightning to the witch. Magic stick absorbed the lightning and sent it to the witch. Then shield was filled with lighting and when it died down, the witch was lying unconscious on the ground.

Stiles checked her pulses. There was a heartbeat. Stiles encased her hands with mountain ash and gave her a silencing spell.

Stiles walked to the altar until he could almost touch it. Stiles started again on breaking the curse.

He was halfway through the sigil when several demons came swooping down to attack him, he raised his guard but Steve managed to intercept him.

"Don't worry about them. Concentrate on the counter curse. We got your back."

Stiles looked around. The team had surrounded him in a loose circle pushing back the hordes of demons trying to get to the altar and the caster. Stiles nodded.

"Steve wait." Steve turned back at him. Stiles held out his magic stick Steve. "It'll help you."

Steve nodded, and turned his back, ready to defend him. Stiles turned back on the curse and started to perform the counter curse. Blue light gathered in front of him, forming into circular sigil. When it was complete, Stiles pushed it to the altar.

But then, it the sigil hit something and it exploded upon contact. Stiles was thrown back away.

The altar was encased in a prism of green force field.

"Stiles!"

"I'm okay. It has protection. I didn't expect it to be that strong."

The caster had anticipated someone will try to break the curse. She placed several protection rune stones around and she added a tethering spell to the ley lines to gather the energy of the Earth. That's why it was so powerful. Even if she died, the protection wouldn't disappear instantly and it would also explain why she was so cocky in spite facing the Avengers.

The problem was the energy of the Earth is overwhelming. Even with just a few feet away from one of the torrent of magic surging to the curse, Stiles could feel the its pressure pushing him back. But he has a feeling, bubbling inside his gut. He took a leap of faith and trusted his guts.

He let his magic cover his hand like a glove and grabbed on to the torrent of energy. It should have incinerated him, turned his unholy hands into ashes. Instead its rushing to him like a gust of spring wind, neither harsh nor gentle. But it feels utterly familiar, like he was touching his own hair.

Stiles grinned. He pulled at the tethering spell and the broke it apart it to millions of glowing dust that faded almost immediately. The altar loses its green glow. Stiles pushed the green glowing energy back under the ground and through his magic, forced it to calm down.

"Yes!" Stiles shouted.

Without the external power boost, the protection spells were vulnerable. Stiles dismissed them with a wave of his hand and he hit the alter with the counter curse. His magic glowed tremendously saturating the alter with a brilliant blue glow. It shook and cracked and shattered into a million shards of blue fractals and specks. An omnidirectional wave of magic emanated from the center.

The demon like creatures changed back into their original human forms as the magic travels through them.

Stiles touched his ear piece and reported in. "The threat has been neutralized. The curse has been broken. Please help the victims. Give them some replenishments. The transformation is bound to leave them drained."

"Good job, Spark." Stiles heard Captain America said over the coms.

Stiles looked at the super solder who was beaming him a proud smile. Stiles grinned at that. "Thanks, Cap."

Stiles performed purifying spell before they left. He needed to rid of all the nasty energy left behind by the ritual and hopefully also cleanse the ley line of any remnants of influence from Chthon. Bluish dust of light emanates from his fingers and scatter all over the city.

SHIELD took care of the caster and would be tasked with the cleanup.

"Nice work, kid." Tony told him, giving him a pat on the back.

Thor suddenly draped his arms all over Stiles' shoulder. "Aye. Friend Stiles, your battle strategy served well to vanquish our enemy! I say we feast to celebrate your victory!"

"Like a lot of festive food. This mission sure did make me hungry." Clint threw innocently at him.

Stiles gave him the side eye. "This mission was to save the world- not a way to sweet talk me to making you treats, Barton."

Clint shrugged his shoulders. "Same difference."

Stiles took a seat beside Steve. They Avenjet took off, heading back home. Steve gave back his magic stick. Stiles took it back with a grateful smile.

"You did a good work out there, Stiles." Steve told Stiles.

"I have a great teacher." The younger man responded, respectfully

Stiles decided to check in on Harry. Stiles expected it to be difficult but it looks like their barrier was already down. Stiles got worried. What if they failed? But then he felt Harry's presence. Stiles casted a communication spell.

Stiles asked what had happened. Harry told Stiles that the warlock they were facing made himself the altar and had used the rune stone to protect himself from everything anyone could throw at him. Not even a nuke could kill him. Then suddenly, the rune stones lost their power and it was piece of cake after then.

Harry surmised a lot of people must have sacrificed themselves to shut of the power of the ley lines.

"You mean that glowing green energy needed a sacrifice to stop?" Harry grunted an affirmative sound.

"Stilinski, you asshole!" Jackson bellowed before the werewolf tackled him into a tight hug.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know." Stiles melted in the werewolf's arms, shaken a little bit by the revelation.

"Stiles?" Harry asked, voice full of concern.

"I might have touch the green glowing energy. I had to. But I'm fine and alive."

"I knew you could do it!" Jackson growled at the glowing sphere in front of Stiles. "I better make myself scarce in the meantime. Get some rest, Stiles. The other altars had already been destroyed."

The spell ended. It was eerily quiet in the jet. Everyone was looking at him.

"You had officially risked your life to save the world. Welcome to the team." Tony said, offering him a shot of something alcoholic. Steve glared at Tony. "Right. Underage. More for me then."

That put almost everyone on ease. Jackson still wouldn't let him go. And when Stiles looked at Steve, there was something in Steve's eyes that wasn't there before. Steve blink and it was gone before Stiles could figure out what it was.

Thor and Clint started listing the desserts they want to eat.

"You know what?" Stiles made sure he was loud enough to interrupt the two. "I'm baking Steve's favorite."

Steve perked up. Clint and Thor immediately objected. Jackson pulled back from his embrace and groaned.

"Suck it up. I love a good old American apple pie." Stiles said in a very fake Yankee accent. Everyone was not impressed with Stiles, except Steve who was confused why everyone didn't seem to like apple pie. They seemed to like it last time Stiles made them one.

"I'd like to have some apple pies too actually." Steve said, supporting Stiles.

Clint face palmed, literally. Thor looked almost appalled. Bruce and Natasha simultaneously raised a perfectly curve eye brow. Jackson glared at Stiles. If Steve didn't realize the blatantly obvious crush Stiles has on him, no had to tell him. Although, Stiles could see Thor very much itching to proclaim Stiles' adoration with a might bellow.

"That's it. I need more shots." Tony announced.