Become a Homelander and a Marvel superstar

Stephen paused for a moment. "Did you find anything?"

"Mordo has gone mad." Christine's expression was grave. "He's expanded the Ultron robots' patrol area to non-urban areas around the world, conducting a carpet search."

Stephen put down his fork, his expression calm.

"They won't find this place." Stephen grasped her hand. "The Valnerina Valley has no modern communication base stations; even satellite signals are interfered with by the surrounding magnetic field. As long as we don't intentionally expose ourselves, they'll be looking for a needle in a haystack."

"But Stephen, what if..."

"There are no 'ifs'," Stephen interrupted her, his gaze resolute. "I won't let anyone separate us, no matter the cost."

Christine looked into his eyes, and her unease gradually subsided.

She grasped Stephen's hand in return and nodded.

……

As evening fell, the cobblestone square in the center of the village was brightly lit.

Long wooden tables were joined together and piled high with roasted meat, fresh cheese, large platters of pasta, and barrels of homemade red wine.

The cheerful melodies of the accordion and guitar echoed in the night sky.

Dozens of villagers sat around a table, laughing and talking loudly, raising their glasses to celebrate this year's bumper harvest.

Stephen and Christine sat in the crowd.

They have been accepted by the villagers and have become part of the community.

"Cheers! To the sunshine, to the grapes, to love!" Village chief Giuseppe shouted, raising a huge wooden wine glass with a flushed face.

"Cheers!" everyone shouted in unison.

Stephen took a big gulp of red wine, the mellow liquid flowing smoothly down his throat.

He turned to look at Christine, who was not far away.

She was chatting with Mrs. Maria, laughing heartily, holding a half-full glass of red wine in her hand, her cheeks slightly flushed.

He got up and walked over to Christine.

"Christine, can you come here for a second?"

Christine looked at him with some doubt, but still put down her wine glass and followed him to a century-old oak tree at the edge of the square.

It's a bit quieter here; you can only hear the sound of an accordion coming from afar.

Stephen did not answer, but instead took a half step back and knelt on one knee on the grass.

Christine covered her mouth, her eyes widening instantly.

"Oh! Stephen..."

"I proposed to you once before, in the Illuminati's courtroom," Stephen said, looking up into her eyes. "At that time, I thought I was about to be executed; it was an impulse born of desperation."

"But today is different. Today there are no pursuers behind me, no threat of death. I am perfectly clear-headed."

Stephen took a small wooden box out of his pocket.

He carved it himself from oak wood from his backyard.

He opened the wooden box, inside which lay a simple silver ring.

There were no diamonds, no fancy decorations, just a plain ring made of pure silver by the town's blacksmith.

"I crossed the boundaries of the universe to find you, Christine." Stephen's eyes were slightly red. "I've made many mistakes. I was arrogant, I was paranoid. But in that universe without you, I learned the most important lesson... Without you, I am nothing."

Christine covered her mouth, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"I swear, whatever the future holds, I will protect you with everything I have. Not as the Sorcerer Supreme, but as Stephen Strange." Stephen held up the ring. "Christine Palmer, will you marry me?"

Christine threw herself into Stephen's arms and hugged his neck tightly.

"I do. I do, you idiot."

Stephen laughed.

He got up and slipped the ring onto Christine's ring finger; it fit perfectly.

The two embraced and kissed tightly.

"Alas!"

A cheer interrupted them.

The two turned around and found that Giuseppe, Mrs. Maria, and most of the villagers had gathered around them at some point.

"I knew it! I knew you two would end up like this!" Mrs. Maria clapped her hands happily.

Giuseppe stepped forward, patted Stephen on the shoulder, and announced loudly, "Tomorrow! We'll hold your wedding tomorrow! Right here in the old church in the village!"

"Tomorrow? That's too rushed..." Christine wiped away her tears, feeling a little embarrassed.

"In Varnerina, love never waits!" Giuseppe laughed. "Leave it to us, the whole village will help!"

Stephen grasped Christine's hand and bowed deeply to the villagers.

"Thank you! Thank you all!"

……

The next day, the whole village was in an uproar.

The men carried flowers and benches, while the women busied themselves in the kitchen preparing for the wedding banquet.

3 PM.

Inside the ancient stone church, sunlight streamed through the stained-glass windows, casting dappled patterns on the floor.

The church was small and even a bit dilapidated, but at this moment it was adorned with white roses and lilies, making it vibrant and full of life.

Stephen stood on the stage, wearing a black linen suit that a villager had lent him.

Although the clothes didn't fit perfectly, he stood ramrod straight.

The sound of the church organ slowly rose.

Stephen looked up.

The church doors were pushed open.

Christine, arm in arm with Giuseppe, slowly walked in.

She was wearing a white dress that Mrs. Maria had sewn by hand.

There was no expensive lace, no luxurious diamonds, only a few white wildflowers woven into a wreath to adorn her head.

But Stephen felt it was the most beautiful scene he had ever seen in his life.

"Take good care of her, young man," the old man instructed.

"I will," Stephen nodded solemnly.

The old priest opened the tattered Bible and began to recite the oath.

"Stephen Strange, do you take Christine Palmer to be your wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do you part?"

Stephen looked into Christine's eyes.

"Yes I do."

This is perfection, he told himself, this is the ultimate goal he has always dreamed of.

However, fate never seemed to intend to let him go.

"Christine Palmer, will you...?"

boom--!

A deafening roar suddenly came from outside the church.

The entire church floor shook violently, and the stained glass windows were instantly covered with cracks due to the shockwave.

The accordion music stopped abruptly.

Terrified screams erupted from the crowd.

"What's going on?" Giuseppe looked towards the door in alarm.

Stephen's expression changed drastically.

He pulled Christine behind him.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Several more loud bangs followed.

It was as if some heavy object had fallen from the sky and crashed into the square outside the church.

Immediately afterwards, a monotone, mechanical synthesized voice pierced through the stone wall and reached everyone's ears.

"Target locked. Identity confirmed: Variant Stephen Strange. Orders: Eliminate on the spot."