When someone is in a deep sleep, their bodies tend to go numb. Paralyzed while their minds continue to dream. Some say it's a way to prevent the body from acting out its dreams. While others think that it's the body shutting down all unnecessary functions to conserve energy.
Still, usually when in this state, a person tends to wake up gradually. A comfortable rise into consciousness as all feeling returns to the body after a peaceful and restful night.
That was not the case for Ben Tennyson.
The Young Hero was in a very peaceful state of mind. Until his body started screaming at him, and a blinding pain shot through his body.
Ben's eyes snapped open as he immediately jumped to his feet. Screaming in pain as his entire body felt like it was on fire.
His limbs started flapping as he patted his body down from the stinging pain.
No sooner had the shock subsided Ben was bombarded with intense heat. Sweat poured from every inch of his body, and his eyes stung from the heat, causing tears to cloud his vision.
He gasped, which led to a new wave of pain shooting into his throat and lungs.
The air was thick and heavy. Every breath was agonizing; the second he sucked in, he immediately expelled it, causing him to become light-headed.
Ben's throat was dry, and he was losing more water by the second. At this rate, he'll be completely dehydrated within the next thirty seconds.
Acting fast, Ben wiped the sweat from his eyes, and he activated the Ultimatrix. The device beeped and displayed the first hologram.
His eyes stung, and his vision blurred, making it hard to make out the holograms.
Suddenly, Ben felt a wave of nausea come over him. His throat was raspy, and the air became heavy. He's so dehydrated that he won't last much longer.
Deciding to just wing it. Ben slammed the dial down and transformed in a flash of green light.
Instant relief came over him as he took a deep breath, dropped to his knees, and put his hand on the ground to steady himself.
Taking a few more deep breaths and letting the adrenaline rush subside. The Alien Shapeshifter opened his eyes.
His gaze immediately fell upon his hand. Thanking his lucky stars that he got Heatblast. The flaming appendage never looked more magnificent to him.
Feeling better, Heatblast stood up and looked at his surroundings.
He was standing on the edge of a pool of lava. No surprise, as he was fighting in a volcano. Which also explains why he was on the verge of dying a few seconds earlier.
He must have timed out after losing consciousness. For him to be this close to lava without any protective gear. He made a mental note to switch to an alien with regeneration after getting out of the Volcano. Since he's pretty sure he might have sustained some serious burns in his human form.
Heatblast recalled fighting Wonder Man and then these Fire Demon dudes that emerged from a glowing magic rock.
Then, as he was fighting for his life, he heard Thor order him to destroy the stone over the comms. Given that Thor likely had a better understanding of the stone than he did, he did so without any hesitation.
Aside from the blackout and almost burning alive. Seems like things worked out. Now, all he needs to do is find Ship and Zed and then head back to meet the other Avengers.
With any lucky, they managed to capture some of the Masters of Evil. Meaning they can tick a few more names off the 'Most Wanted' list.
How many would that make it now? He'd been meaning to keep track of the number of villains they've caught so far. After all, they have to be making a dent in the overall number by now.
Maybe Tony would know. His armor would likely keep him up to date.
He reached up and activated the communicator in his Ultimatrix. "Ben to Iron Man." He said clearly.
However, all he got in response was static.
He tried again. "Ben to Iron Man. Tony, do you read?"
Again, nothing but static.
"Ben to all Avengers. Anyone reading me?" He tried opening up the line to everyone. It's possible Iron Man wasn't getting a signal at his location. Or it was damaged during his fight.
However, there was no response from the others. All he got was more static.
Now, he got concerned. Someone should have responded. There's no way he should be getting interference from the volcano. The Ultimatrix's systems are more sophisticated than any Earth tech. Therefore, it doesn't have the same limitations, such as signal loss.
This thing could send and receive transmissions across galaxies, so contacting the other Avengers from inside a volcano should be a sinch.
Still, just in case, he should get out of this crater. It's been a while since he left Ship and Zed alone, and it's possible that the mystic energy from the stone messed with the watch.
Wouldn't be the first time magic made this thing go haywire.
Blasting fire from his hands, Heatblast launched himself into the air. Rocketing along the rock wall to the surface.
For some reason, the wall was a little higher than he remembered. Come to think of it, the Volcanic crater seemed a lot more spacious. He couldn't see the opposite side of the vent. Then again, there was an abundance of ash in the air, so it's possible that coupled with the heat of the magma, it was making him see things.
Eventually, he reached the top and landed on the edge of the chasm. Heatblast dusted himself off as he looked up…
His eyes widened in shock.
For before him lay what looked like a place that had only been described to him in Sunday School.
A land of fire and brimstone stretched as far as the eye could see. Magma fields and rivers flowed, ash clouds filled the skies, and volcano mountains stretched higher than the tallest mountains.
Heatblast turned around, and it was more of the same. Until that point, he thought he was still in the Volcano. But no, it turns out this place wasn't like any he'd seen before.
This wasn't Earth.
"Aw, Man." The Fire Alien exclaimed.
He started pacing across the boiling rocks as he tried to piece things together.
"Ok, Tennyson. Think." He spoke to himself. "You broke the magic stone, and it blew up. The stone was placed on a dimensional weak point. Tony and Thor said that they were connected to the other magical worlds on that 'Yiddish Tree' or something. "
He continued to pace along the edge of a cliff, overlooking a giant valley of smoke and fire.
"You fought a bunch of Demon Heatblasts, so it only makes sense that you got sent to their home. Which is…" He looked around and tried to think of the name of this place.
His knowledge of Norse mythology is a bit rusty. He's lived with the God of Thunder for more than half a year now. You'd think he would've remembered the names of the places.
He knew about Asgard. Which this place looks nothing like, so that can be ruled out. What was the fire place? Didn't Thor mention that one of the realms was the literal land of the dead that he could visit?
Yeah, it was. But Thor said that place was cold and chilly. Snifflehiem, he called it, or something.
The fire place was something else.
Heatblast groaned as he mentally cursed himself for not being more invested in Thor's past.
He tried to remember, but the details were fuzzy at best. Usually, the Young Hero's memory is top-notch. He's been able to easily recall certain words, equations, and images from a simple glance. But that only works when he's invested in the topic and giving it his full attention.
Which is why his grades at school weren't the best.
Curse his faulty attention span!
"Just great." He mumbled to himself. "Lost in another world, again. Anything else ya wanna throw at me, Universe?"
No sooner had he said that. A screeching noise was heard above him.
Heatblast looked up to see a swarm of Fire Demons descending towards him. Their flaming wings and weapons glowed against the charred rocks littering the area.
The Alien Avenger narrowed his eyes in annoyance. "Me and my big mouth."
Asgard, the Golden City. Home of the Asgardians, the gods of Norse Mythology. Ruled over by the wise and powerful All-Father Odin and defended by his trusted son and Prince of Asgard. Thor, the God of Thunder.
At least. That is how the story usually goes. But today, it seems that there is a twist to that plot.
Of which a particular God was more than happy to recount the tale.
"And so the time of the Odin Sleep came once again to Asgard." Loki, God of Mischief, regaled as he strolled across the smooth marble floors of the Throne Room of Asgard.
"When Lord Odin rested and replenished his power." He smirked as he raised his hand to conjure a golden goblet filled with red wine with his magic. He took a sip of the beverage before continuing.
"But this time, Odin's favorite son was not there to protect him while he slumbered. The son had abandoned the Golden Realm to protect the mortals he loved so dearly."
Loki walked over to his prisoner. The Mighty Thor, brought to his knees as he was bound by a pillory that kept his hands and head trapped with chains on either side of the pillory to keep Thor on the ground.
A few feet in front of him, his helmet and Mjolnir lay under a dome of green magic. The same method the Enchantress had used to trap the mighty mallet before.
The Trickster God slithered over to his Step Brother and poured the red liquid on his head. Staining Thor's golden hair, causing the Thunderer to raise his head and glare at him.
"Do try and stay conscious, Thor." Loki teased. "This is the most important part of the tale."
Thor immediately tried to charge Loki. However, the chains glowed with green magic and kept him bound. Even with Thor's mighty strength, he could not shatter the enchantment Loki had used to trap him.
Satisfied that he had his captive's attention, Loki strolled to the altar on his right and continued his story.
"While Balder, Sif, and the rest of Asgard warriors were ever so pathetically vigilant In defending Odin as he slept. Their weak minds simply weren't prepared for the day when he didn't wake up."
Loki looked down at the alter. Inside was the sleeping form of the All-Father Odin. Resting peacefully inside the casket. His long silver beard and wrinkled face showed that he was a wise and powerful warrior. Clad in golden armor and an eyepatch over his right eye.
The Trickster smirked as he stood over the Asgardian King. Revelling in his triumph over him.
"They weren't prepared for someone finding a way to take Odin's power." Loki's evil smile slithered across his face as he felt the pure joy of seeing Thor's reaction.
"You lie!" Thor declared. "The Odin force belongs to the All-Father alone."
Somehow, Loki's sinister smile grew even wider. "Is that so?"
With that, Loki raised his hand and a blue magic beam blasted from it. Striking Thor as he cried out in anguish.
This sensation, he knew this power. It should be impossible. But Loki just attacked Thor using the Odin Force. Loki has control of Odin's power.
Loki marched towards Thor, and he blasted him again with the Odin Force.
"You call me a liar? It is Odin who lies." His glee turned to rage, and his words turned to venom. "How long did he keep the truth from us, brother? It was Odin who shielded my true father and stole me when I was a child! Only to treat me like a lesser being."
He eventually stopped his attack, and Thor hunched over. Panting in pain, his body smoked from the power of Loki's blast.
"But I am not a lesser being." Loki stated, sitting down on the Throne of Asgard. "Not anymore."
He raised his hand, and blue energy surrounded it as he conjured an image of the World Tree, Yggdrasill, with each of the Nine Realms fully displayed.
"The Odin force is mine. And all the nine realms will bow down to me." Loki continued as he flicked his fingers one by one.
"Asgard, Vanaheim, Svarthalfheim, Alfheim and Nidavellir. I have conquered them all. Jotunheim and Niflheim are mine to command." As he listed them off, each Realm vanished from the image. Leaving only two.
"Only Midgard remains. And there is no one left to save it." Loki finished, driving the knife into Thor's spirit and twisting it for good measure.
For a brief moment, Thor mentally breathed a sigh of relief when Loki left out Muspelhiem. He knew Loki to be mad. But he is glad to know he's not that mad to attempt to conquer or attempt to make an alliance with Him.
However, that was not enough to distract him from the shock that Loki had managed to conquer nearly all the Nine Realms.
All this time, Thor has been spending time on Midgard, oblivious and ignorant to his brother's schemes. Asgard and the Nine Realms had fallen, and he was not here to defend it. He cursed himself for being so arrogant and foolish.
Had he only swallowed his pride and come home when he had the chance…
Then he realized something. By destroying the Norn Stone, he was transported to Asgard. Did that mean that the same could have happened to the Avengers? If so, where in the Nine Realms did they end up?
Hank Pym was no stranger to traveling to exotic places for his research. He's embarked on many field missions for scientific research. Though more recently, he has had to travel for various superhero activities.
He's traversed the fridged peaks of the highest mountain ranges. To the Sub Zero temperatures of the Arctic Circle.
None of those locations hold a candle to the blistering cold of this place.
The Giant Hero stomped across the Glacial landscape as icy winds pelted his body all while he kept his hands cupped as he marched on.
"Hank. Hank!" Wasp's voice squeaked from inside his hands. "Please, wait for a second."
"I can't. Not until I find us some shelter." Giant Man responded as he marched on.
Wasp peaked out of the gap in hands. She had a worried look on her face. "It's freezing out there, Hank. You're gonna catch your death of cold."
Emphasized by his chattering teeth. However, he refused to budge. "I'll be ok, Janet. My giant form has a lot more mass, and according to the Square Cube Law, the increased mass with my normal metabolic rate will keep me warm."
In response. She gave him a deadpanned look. "Hank Pym, you and I both know that your Pym Particles use the Square Cube Law as toilet paper on a daily basis."
She sighed as her hands started to glow yellow. "I can see you shivering, Hank. But if you're gonna be this stubborn."
Wasp zapped his hands. Causing Giant Man to yelp and release his grip, allowing Wasp to fly out.
"Janet, no!" He yelled in a panic. "At your size, these temperatures will…"
He paused when Janet's body glowed blue, and she grew to match his size. Even after all this time, he was still caught off guard by it.
"Here, " she said as she removed her coat and draped it around him. It was a snug fit, as his broad chest and shoulders were not meant for her coat's slim figure. But with his Pym Particles, he should be able to make it fit.
"I was dressed for the cold, Hank. You weren't. It's not much, but it'll keep you warm a little." She said, cupping his cheek in her hand and caressing it gently.
Giant Man blinked in surprise. "Janet, I…"
The winds picked up, and Janet shivered as she rubbed her shoulders. The difference a winter coat can make.
"Ok, yeah. It's freezing out here." She agreed and quickly shrunk down, with Hank cupping his hands around her.
"Let's get out of here, Hank," Wasp said.
Giant Man nodded as he started marching. As he looked around, he saw more twisting ice mountains and snowy tundras, far more vast than anything he'd seen on Earth.
"Wherever here is." He stated. Looking up, he saw the sky filled with star constellations and celestial bodies that he had never seen before. "I'm pretty sure We are not on earth anymore. Or even in the same dimension."
"Normally, that would be pretty cool." Janet responded. "But, I think I would prefer a place that was a little warmer. Any idea where you think we are?
Giant Man looked around and tried to recall his Norse Mythology. He'd read the stories about Asgard and the Bifrost, the different worlds that connect them.
According to the tales, there were two places known for their fridged biomes. One was Niflheim, the Norse land of the dead. The other was…
Hank's eyes widened as they rounded a corner and immediately ducked. Just as a giant axe blade almost cut his head off.
The blade sunk into the ice wall with ease.
Giant Man rolled along the ground as he looked up at his attacker.
Before him stood a Frost Giant. Easily several stories tall. At that height, he would be peaking over several buildings in New York. He wore black leather armor along with white fur pelts on his waist and shoulders. He was missing his right eye, which was covered by a patch.
"You should not have trespassed in Jotunheim, mortal." The Giant declared.
Immediately, he was flanked by two more giants.
"Jotunheim, huh?" Hank responded as it became clear. At least that answers that question.
"Hank? What's going on? Who's out there?" Wasp asked, trying to peek out of his hands as he held her close.
Giant Man's eyes narrowed. There was no way they could outrun these guys. And if he shrank now, the cold temperatures of this world will cause both Janet and Himself to die of hypothermia within minutes.
Looking down, Giant-Man saw a small cave near the base of the wall near his foot.
Leaning down, Giant-Man placed Wasp inside. The cave walls provided her with enough shelter from the winds to shield her from the winds. Though she was still shivering.
Once she was out, she looked up to see the Frost Giants, and her eyes widened in shock. They'd only just finished fighting those things back in Alaska. Looks like it was round two.
"Oh. Never mind." She said through her chattering teeth.
A loud thud hit the snow as Giant Man removed Janet's coat.
"Well, guys, I'm pretty sure you are not too interested in talking this out." He then pressed the left side button of his belt. His body glowed blue as Giant Man grew to equal size to the Frost Giants. The biggest he's ever been.
He then proceeded to grab the axe by the hilt and yank it from the wall. Gripping the weapon in both hands as he glared at the ice Titans.
"And, frankly, Neither am I!" He roared as he proceeded to charge the Giants.
Wasp was at a loss for words. Hank, the man known for his firm belief in pacifism. Willing to go the extra mile to avoid violence at all costs. Just dove straight into a fight without hesitation.
Giant Man swung his axe to the Frost Giant's surprise. Striking the lead giant with the flat side of the axe, batting him away.
One of the other Giants roared and engaged him, raising his ice club overhead and swinging it down in a large arch.
Swiftly, Giant-Man raised his weapon and blocked the strike, wrestling with the Frost Giant as they tried to overpower one another.
The Third Giant started making his way behind Giant Man, ready to attack him while his back was turned.
As if her body moved on her own, Wasp sprung into action. Shrinking down, she zoomed towards the Frost Giant.
The winds pounded her small form, but her wings buzzed ever faster, defying the winds that tried to beat her back as her body glowed with yellow bio-energy.
Once she got close, Wasp grew to her giant form and landed a double kick to the Frost Giant's face, knocking him down.
"Janet!" Giant Man cried out as he pivoted from his spot, getting close to the Frost Giant's body, causing him to be knocked off balance as he rammed the hilt of his axe into his temple, sending him face-first into the snow.
With his opponent down, he rushed to her side.
Her giant form was half his size, making him kneel down to check on her.
"Are you alright?" He asked.
She smirked. "I should be asking you that."
A slight grin pulled at the corner of his mouth.
"You need to be careful, Jan. Growing this much in one day is not safe. Especially in these conditions." He explained.
"I know, Hank." Janet replied haphazardly. "I've been training a lot with my growing power since you left."
She emphasized that last part a little too hard.
Wasp then walked over to her coat and scooped it up. Snow clung to the fabric, but it was still another layer that she needed. She slid the coat back on and tried her best to brush off the frost.
"I understand that, Janet. But in these conditions, temperature extremes, high adrenaline, and stress. You could end up overtaxing your body and put some serious strain on yourself." Giant Man warned.
Wasp put her hand to her hip and looked up at Giant Man with a defiant glare. "If you think I'm just gonna stand on the sidelines while you risk your life. Think again, pal."
"Jan, I…" Hank tried to say.
"Last I checked, you quit the team. Making me the ranking Avenger here." Wasp pointed out. "So either we fight together or not at all."
Giant Man was taken aback by her declaration. The intensity in her eyes. It's been a while since he's seen that fire in her. Then again, this woman always did what she set her mind to. There was no changing it once she put forth.
It's one of the many things he admired about her and feared.
She walked over to him, reached up, and took her hand in his.
At their current height difference, it looked like a child holding an adult's hand as her expression softened, and she gave him a cute smile.
"You're not getting rid of me that easily, Hank." She reassured him.
Giant Man felt a wave of relief wash over him. Like a weight being lifted from his chest.
Could she have known? That this whole time, he was worried about losing her and just wanted to keep her safe?
Knowing her, she likely saw right through him. Like she always does.
Why wouldn't she? They have been partners for years. If there's anyone he trusts in this chaotic and violent world. It's her.
When Janet Van Dyne makes a promise, the universe will bend over backward to meet her needs.
A rumbling interrupted the pair as the Frost Giants got to their feet.
The Ice Titans gave the Size Changing Duo a chilling stare as they got into fighting stances.
"Don't leave my side." Giant Man ordered.
"Consider me a parasitic Wasp." She replied with a playful wink as they prepared to face their foes.
Through the mists, Captain America marched forward. Having awakened in an unknown land. He found himself standing in an open, flat plane with limited visibility as he was surrounded by a veil of mist and low light.
He couldn't make out the Sun or the moon above him, nor could he see any visible landmarks in any direction.
So, his best bet was to move and hope that he would come across something that could give him an idea of where he was.
The entire time, he had his ID card in his hand as he tried to make contact with the other Avengers.
"Captain America to Iron Man come in. Any Avenger hearing this, respond." He said to the card.
Same as before. All he received was static.
A sigh exited his lips. "So much for modern technology."
Tucking the card away, Captain America continued to march forward.
With no way to mark his location, the Super Soldier had no idea whether he was making any progress in his movement. Given that he is right-handed. That means that he favors his right side more than his left. As a result, his right leg would have more considerable strides than his left side, eventually causing him to walk in a large circle.
The Super Soldier had seen multiple cases where his fellow soldiers were stranded without a heading and ended up getting lost as a result.
While he has attempted to train his body to be equal on both sides, he subconsciously favors his right side by default.
If only he had thought to pack some flares with him. That would have at least provided him with a means of marking the area so he could gauge the distance traveled.
Suddenly, Cap noticed something out of the corner of his eye.
Through the mist, he saw a figure.
Immediately going on the offensive, Captain America raised his shield and prepared to meet his opponent. He rushed forward and aimed the edge of his shield at the unknown figure. Ready to engage should they be hostile or question if not.
However, the moment the figure came into view, the Super Soldier froze as his eyes widened in shock. He knew this man.
"Manelli?" He gasped.
Sure enough, it was him. Straight from his memories. Wearing the exact uniform, he last saw him in during World War II.
"Dino Manelli? From Able Company, right? You were with Jack Fury's Howling Commandoes last time I saw you." Cap stated as the memories came flooding back.
He didn't know how it was possible for his old squad mate to be here of all places. Or that it looked like he hadn't aged a day.
Then again, he's already met Howlett. Or Logan, as he's calling himself now. The Clawed Mutant has managed to live so long without aging, thanks to his mutant healing abilities.
Perhaps Dino was the same? Having some impressive power that he hid from the rest of the unit.
Either way, it didn't matter. He was here now, and they need to work together.
"Dino, Where are we?" Cap asked. Only for a layer of mist to wash over the Howling Commando and he vanished from view.
Chills crawled up Captain America's neck. One minute, his old teammate was there, and the next, he wasn't. Almost like he was… A ghost.
Suddenly, Cap heard the sound of an explosion. Followed by the gunfire and artillery shells. The marching of boots and the yelling of soldiers on the battlefield.
The sounds of the war. The war that he left behind.
Just then, a flash of light illuminated next to him, followed by the distant sound of an explosion, and Dino reappeared.
"Why did you leave us behind?" The soldier asked. His voice, a whisper, like he was far off in the distance.
More flashes and suddenly more figures appeared. Dressed in the same uniform. Dino Manelli, Isadore "Izzy" Cohen, Robert "Rebel" Ralston, Percy Pinkerton, Gabe Jones and Sgt. Jack Fury.
One by one, they appeared before him. Each one spoke to him. The Howling Commandos.
"We needed you." Izzy said.
"Why did you abandon the mission?" Jake Fury asked.
"Why aren't you down in the dirt with us?" Gabe questioned.
Cap's breath became heavy as the memories of the war flashed before his eyes. Their words swirled around in his head. Guilt gripped his heart as the words hitched in his throat.
He wasn't speaking to his teammates. He wasn't back in the past. These were their ghosts. The dead souls of his fellow soldiers.
And if he was seeing them now. What did that mean for him?
Calm. A state that the Hulk rarely gets to experience. The muffled sounds and the gentle drifting made him feel like he was underwater.
In such a tranquil state, the Strongest there is felt like taking a deep breath. That's when he realized he was holding his breath.
A slight exhale, and bubbles exited his nostrils.
He wasn't dreaming. He was underwater.
Hulk's eyes snapped open as his vision was met with the clear blue waters around him.
Letting out a surprised growl, Hulk pushed himself off the lakebed, and his head breached the surface.
Fortunately, he was still standing in shallow water. The shore was only a few feet from him. However, the area around him had completely changed.
But that didn't bother the Gamma Brute. So much crazy stuff has happened in his life, waking up in a strange location is just another Tuesday to him.
Looking to his right, he noticed the handle sticking out of the water.
Reaching over, Hulk grabbed the handle and pulled it out. Revealing the Executioner's magic axe, the Bloodaxe.
Hulk grinned at the weapon. While he usually fought using his fists. Even he had to admit, that weapon is pretty cool.
Suddenly, the sound of a whip cracking caught his ear.
Turning around, Hulk saw a convoy of wooden carriages traveling along the road near the river he was standing in.
The Carriages were designed as cages, filled with what looked like people. All are wearing clothes similar to the kind that Thor usually wears.
Outside the wagons were a group of Ogres. Or at least, that's what Hulk thinks they are.
When they first met, Thor initially called Hulk an Ogre, and Hulk could see why.
They were roughly the same size as him, with skin of various shades of green. Their lips had fangs protruding from them, and their ears were pointed. They wore various leather, animal pelts, and metal armor on their bodies.
Some pulled the wagons, while others stood guard, armed with weapons. One stood on top, cracking his whip, urging the wagon pullers to move faster.
Without wasting a second, Hulk leaped into action. Landing in front of the convoy with enough force to cause a small earthquake and crack the ground.
The Ogres froze at the sight of the Gamma Giant. The captives raised their heads and tried to get a look at the mysterious stranger.
Hulk snarled as he gripped the Bloodaxe with one hand.
"What is it? Do they have such ugly things in Vanaheim?" An Ogre asked his comrade.
The Ogre sitting on top with the whip narrowed his eyes as he stood up from his seat.
"Whatever it is, bring me its head!" He ordered.
The first Ogre complied with the order and drew the sword on his back. The Barbarian charged at Hulk, ready to take his head off.
Hulk let out a mighty roar as he backstepped as the Ogre's blade swung harmlessly through the air in front of him. The Green Goliath then delivered a powerful haymaker to the Brute's jaw, knocking him off his feet and sending the Ogre flying over the convoy and landing into the river behind them.
The eyes of the Ogres and the captive's eyes widened at the sheer strength displayed by the Unknown creature.
The leader of the Ogres glared at the Hulk in anger.
"Kill it!" He roared as every Ogre drew their weapons and charged the Green Goliath.
Hulk let out his own battle roar as he wielded the Bloodaxe and lept to engage the Monster army.
Black Panther stood in the middle of a barren wasteland. The skies had a sickly green hue to them. What few trees that could be seen were all dead and decaying. The soil beneath his feet was little more than ash.
Most haunting of all were the bones scattered across the landscape, the skulls belonging to beings that were not human.
The Wakandan King scooped up some of the ash in his hand and activated his cowl's scanners to examine the soil's contents.
What he saw were trace amounts of elemental compositions that were unusual, as they are not usually found in the same region or in combinations like this.
He also detected faint traces of mystical energy from the soil and surrounding area.
Based on all the evidence from his previous fight to now. Black Panther concluded that upon destroying the Norn Stone, he was transported to Svartalfheim. One of the Nine Realms and home of the Dark Elves.
As if to prove his hypothesis correct, a cloud of inky black smoke materialized over the land. The dark cloud formed into a large mass where dozens of flowing eyes and toothy maws appeared on it.
The Cloud launched itself at Black Panther like a hungry swarm of piranhas.
Black Panther's eyes widened as he quickly dodged to the side. Based on the facial features and his location. These are the tormented souls of the Dark Elves.
No doubt, viewing him as an intruder to their resting place.
The Wakandan King mentally sighed in frustration. The means that transported him here didn't seem fit to transport his iron weapons from Earth. Leaving him with only his Vibranium weapons and gear.
As helpful as they are. Against a ravenous swarm of Dark Elves, he calculated his odds of victory at less than 30%. And that was a generous estimation on his part.
He quickly tried to formulate another plan as the Dark Elf cloud circled back for another attack.
Tony Stark was no stranger to waking up after blacking out. The Billionaire playboy has had many nights where he would party too hard, only to wake up in a strange location with no memory of how he got there, without any clothes, and usually with a beautiful woman, or women, beside him.
Ever since he became Iron Man and formed the Avengers, Tony has since cut down on that eccentric lifestyle and has made his best effort to present himself as a responsible leader and role model.
That being said, he is only human, and the stress of the job can get to him. So, every once in a while, he blows off a little steam with a fun night on the town.
However, the Billionaire has plenty of experience with hangovers to know when he was waking up from one.
He groaned and opened his eyes. His head pounded, but more like he was knocked out in a fight than a bottle. And the world wasn't spinning. It was moving in a straight line.
Or rather, he was the one moving. Dragged more like it. His body was sliding across hard, bumpy rock, and his legs were held a few feet off the ground.
Raising his head slightly, The Armored Hero saw three short, stout boys dragging him down a dark tunnel. Two of them held one of his legs each while the third walked ahead of them.
A sharp pain struck his back as he was dragged over a stone in the middle of the path.
That's when Tony realized he wasn't wearing his armor. Save for a gauntlet on his right arm, Tony had been stripped down to his undersuit. The rest of his armor was gone.
Suddenly, Tony's mind drifted back. He remembered the cave. Being imprisoned for days, months, barely any food, tortured daily. He remembered his first suit, the gunfire, the explosions, his escape.
"Don't waste your life, Stark." A voice whispered to him.
Tony wildly kicked his legs free, catching his captors by surprise as they turned around. The armorless Iron Man scrambled away before aiming his remaining repulsor at his captors.
"Back off! Right now!" Tony warned, aiming his repulsor at each of them individually. Daring them to make the first move and give him an excuse.
While his armor may be reduced down to a single glove, it was still functional thanks to the undersuit. To most, it would seem that the skin-tight suit's function was to protect the Armored Billionaire's body from chafing or being damaged by the high-tech armored suit.
When in actuality, the undersuit acted like a second skin that connected Tony to the armor. Nano circuitry had been weaved into the suit's fabric, which allowed the energy from the arc reactor in his chest to be conducted and power any part of his suit. That way, should his suit get damaged and he loses, pieces of the armor sections like the gauntlets and boots would still be functional.
Meaning his remaining gauntlet was still capable of doing some serious damage.
Over his dead body will he be held prisoner again.
However, his captors seemed to be more confused by his actions rather than hostile.
"The mortal is waving at us. Why is he doing that?" One of them asked his companions in confusion.
That threw Tony off. Mortal? He's only heard Thor call him that before.
With his eyes adjusting to the dark, along with the light emanating from his palm, he finally got a good look at the trio.
They were all roughly four feet tall but had beards that would make lumberjacks envious. Each one was also clad in armor. The one that held his left leg was clad in blue armor that covered most of his body, along with a sword and round shield on his back. The one on his right wore light bronze armor with an eye patch on his right eye, with a mace and war hammer strapped to his back.
The last one was armed with a single sword on his belt. His armor looked cleaner and of better quality compared to the others. He had a long ginger beard and wore a bandlike crown on his head.
Regardless of how they dressed, it's clear that these guys weren't trying to kidnap him. In fact, they kinda looked like Dwarves. Pulled straight from a fantasy movie.
"Where am I? Who are you?" Tony asked.
The short man in the crown stepped forward. "You are in the Kingdom of Nidavellir." He explained in a polite manner as he bowed to the Genius Billionaire. "I am Eitri."
No sooner had he introduced himself, the blue-armored dwarf approached him.
"We must keep moving, my Lord." He said in a warning tone.
Eitri nodded to his guard before addressing Tony. "Mortal, may I ask how you came to my Realm?"
Tony lowered his hand as he tried to recall the past events. "The last I remember, I destroyed the stone. The Norn Stone."
The Dwarves shared a look. Concern on their faces.
"Norn Stone is a powerful magic. No doubt, part of Loki's plan." Eitri stated in a grim tone.
Tony's eyes perked up at the mention of that name. His mind quickly put the pieces together. "Loki? Thor's brother? Wait a minute! I'm not on Earth anymore, am I? Destroying the stone, it opened a wormhole. I'm in Asgard."
"Nay, Nidavellir." Eitri corrected.
The Armored Avenger mentally slapped himself. That's right. Asgard is one of the dimensional plans connected via the quantum wormhole system, which links Earth to Asgard and the other seven dimensions.
At least that's the more logical explanation he's given than Thor's simplistic "It's all magic" explanation.
"We go now to the Forge." Eitri continued explaining, interrupting Tony's train of thought. "The last remaining free stronghold."
From the way he said that. Sounds like things are pretty dire here. Enough for the apparent King of the Dwarves to be out of his stronghold. Whatever Loki is up to, it must be big.
However, Tony had other things on his mind. If he had been teleported, odds are the others would have been as well. Scattered across the different dimensions, and if they're anything like him, they could be in serious trouble.
"I have to find Thor and the rest of my team." Tony said as he got to his feet.
"First, we must get to safety." The Dwarf King stated as he and his guards started to move down the tunnel.
Tony raised an eyebrow. "Safety? From what?"
He didn't pay much attention in Norse Mythology class. What kind of threats did a bunch of Dwarves have to deal with? Oversized moles?
Suddenly, the cave wall ahead of them exploded as something big burst into the tunnel.
When the dust settled, Tony spotted a massive, hulking beast standing over six feet tall and built like the Hulk. It had orange skin and a thick, bushy mane of hair surrounding its head. It wore a green armored chest plate with a silver pattern running down the centre. It had leather vambraces on each arm, with what appeared to be a pair of large white-knuckle dusters on each hand, featuring pipes that seemed to connect from the base of the knuckle dusters to a pack situated on its back.
The Monstrous being roared like a savage beast.
"Never mind." Tony gulped as sweat formed on his brow.
Face to face with such an imposing threat, it finally dawned on Tony just how exposed he is without his armor.
His body froze; he felt like running, but he couldn't. How he wished he had at least 90% of his armor. Heck, he'd take 55% of an armor at this point.
Anything but this single minuscule tin can glove.
While Tony stood frozen, the Dwarf Guards jumped into action. The Eye Patch guard drew his weapons from his back and charged forth. Leaping towards the wall and using it as a springboard to launch himself at the Monstrous Brute. Displaying speed and agility that defied his physical form.
The Dwarf swung his Mace at the Creature's face. Only for the Orange Monster to catch the mace in its teeth. Biting into it like an apple before ramming its massive fist into the guard's tiny body.
His armor crumpled like a tin can, and the sickening sound of bones shattering echoed in the cavern as the Guard's body was sent flying like a rag doll. Landing on the floor, his body limp as he lay dead on the cold stone.
The Blue Armored Dwarf drew his weapons and fearlessly charged the Beast. Raising his shield and prepared to swing his axe.
In response, the Orange Monster casually spat the mace out of his mouth and grinned with savage glee as it drew back its massive fist and drove the armored appendage into the Dwarf's shield.
Just like his fallen comrade, the shield crumpled like paper, shattering his arm and driving the full force of the blow into his face. Knocking the Dwarf off his feet as he sailed through the air, and his lifeless body landed at his King's feet.
The Hulking Brute chuckled as he stomped over to the King of Nidavellir.
"Eitri. Any more warriors You wish to test against, Ulik the Unstoppable Troll?" The Troll named Ulik challenged as he towered over the Dwarf King.
Eitri stood his ground, glaring up at the Giant Rock Troll. His fists clenched in anger as his fallen warriors lay at his feet. Yet, despite being unarmed and helpless before the might of this foe. Eitri refused to give the Rock Troll the satisfaction of showing any weakness.
Suddenly, Tony Stark walked past Eitri and stood before Ulik. Steely determination in his eye.
"How about me?" Tony challenged in a chilling tone.
The Genius Billionaire felt ashamed of himself. He faced off against rogue A.I. murder bots, Conquerors from the Future, whose tech outclasses his in every way, and recently went up against a cosmic entity older than the Universe.
Yet, without his armor, he froze in the face of danger, and two brave men died because he felt useless without it.
Pathetic.
He could hear Captain America's words echoing in his mind. "You can't always rely on your armor."
No… No, he couldn't. He couldn't believe how blind he was. All this time, he thought of himself as the Futurist, always looking ahead, never looking back.
But it is his past that shaped him. His past molded him and led him to one undeniable truth.
Ulik chuckled as he leaned closer until his face was inches from Tony's face. "And who are you?"
A good question. One that Tony had almost forgotten. But after everything with the Avengers, what Captain America taught him, what Ben had shown him. It wasn't the suit or the tech that made the hero. It was the man within.
Raising his right palm. Tony fired a full-powered repulsor from his gauntlet, blasting the Rock Troll in the chin and sending him flying across the cave.
"I'm Iron Man."
If you were to ask Hawkeye how he thought his day would go. He would probably answer with training with his bow, taking down a supervillain or two, hitting the gym, possibly hanging out with some friends, and blowing off steam.
Notice how running for his life from monstrous magic wolves was not on the list?
That's because Hawkeye did not consider something like that a good time.
Yet, here he is, running for his life as a pack of giant wolves chases him down.
After waking up in a strange forest, which happens to be some floating magic island in space given the view he got when he reached the edge of it. A Legolas wannabe almost runs him over on a horse, who proceeded to tell him to run as some guy called Loki was sending his army his way.
Next thing he knows, the same Asgardian Wolves that Iron Man, Thor, Ben, and Black Panther fought during that Casket of Ancient Winters fiasco show up and start chasing him.
And if that list of pleasantries wasn't just the sugar on the cream. The Archer found himself out of all his useful arrows. Having used a majority of his arsenal fighting Chemistro in Brazil.
Why was that guy the lucky one that didn't get teleported here?
Either way, Hawkeye was running out of arrows, ideas, and stamina. That's what happens when you only eat one meal and then spend the rest of the day in a nonstop triathlon of survival.
Notching another arrow, Hawkeye leaped over a boulder, pivoted in the air, and fired. The trick arrow popped open and unleashed a net that ensnared one of the wolves. Causing it to fall to the ground and struggle to free itself while the rest of the pack kept its pursuit.
His legs were on fire as the adrenaline started to wear off. At this point, running was pointless. He couldn't maintain his pace anymore. If he kept this up, the pack would take him down without any difficulty.
Making the only option to stand his ground and fight. An option that is more his speed.
Turning around. Hawkeye drew another arrow and notched it on his bowstring. A flare arrow. Helpful in signaling others and providing an emergency light source. But not much use in a fight. However, he's sure that it'll singe the fur off some of these Canine's butts.
Just as he drew back his string to take aim, a rustling to his right drew his attention to his peripherals.
Too late, he turned to see a giant wolf pounced on him. The Purple archer fell to the ground as he held his bow up to try and shield himself from the wolf's claws and teeth.
The Asgardian Wolf's jaws clamped down on his bow, and it snapped like a twig. That was a reinforced steel, carbon-fiber bow. If that mutt had gotten his arm instead of his bow.
Hawkeye couldn't afford to think about that as he punched the wolf in the face to knock it off.
He then drew a second arrow from his quiver while picking up the first. He gripped the arrows at the base of their shafts and swiftly whipped the pair in one fluid motion.
The motion sensors within the arrowheads activated, igniting the flares as they blazed to life before him.
Hawkeye wielded the pair of flare arrows, their magnesium fires creating a brilliant light display while also giving off quite a bit of heat.
The Wolves immediately backed away from the flames. Putting some distance between the archer and them.
This gave Hawkeye some time. But eventually, the flares will run out of fuel, and these were the last of his flares. The only arrows he has left in the quiver were cable arrows. None of which will help him here.
Just as it seemed like this would be his last stand, the thunder of hooves was heard as the Elf that Hawkeye saw earlier rode into the clearing. He had long silver hair tied up in three ponytails, one at the back and two on either side of his shoulders. He wore light brown leather armor atop chainmail on his arms and legs. He wore brown gloves and a gold tiara-like headband on his head.
"Archer!" The Elf called out as he held out his hand to Hawkeye.
Not questioning the Elf's display of altruism, Hawkeye grabbed the Elf's hand as he rode by, and they used the momentum to swing the Purple Archer on the back of his horse.
The Wolf Pack gave chase as the unlikely duo rode through the enchanted forest.
"Take my bow!" The Elf ordered Hawkeye.
The Archer obliged as he grabbed the Elf's golden longbow from his saddlebag. It was so light and smooth, and it fit perfectly in his grip.
Seeing as his remaining arrows were basically useless in combat, Hawkeye elected to borrow the arrows from the Elf's quiver.
"Those are special arrows, Is your aim true?" The Elf asked, glancing over his shoulder.
Hawkeye smirked at the question. Being able to show off his archery skills to an actual elf. Oh boy, the 10-year-old Clint would be so jealous.
"I do all right," Hawkeye responded in a cocky tone as he fired the arrow.
The projectile sailed through the air towards the lead wolf. As it did so, the arrowhead glowed with golden magical energy before it spread across the arrow.
As expected, the arrow hit its mark right between the eyes of the lead wolf. Suddenly, golden magical energy erupted from the arrow, generating a wave of magic that washed over the entire pack, vaporizing all of them in an instant.
Hawkeye blinked in shock. One arrow did all that? He looked down at the bow and then quickly glanced at the arrows in the Elf's quiver.
His grin grew even wider as he brushed his hand over the golden bow.
"Oh, mama, I have got to get me one of these." He said in a giddy tone, much to the Elf's confusion.
Lava bubbled, and dark smoke flowed through the volcanic mountains of the hellish landscape.
Suddenly, a bright flaming comet shot across the sky as Heatblast rode his fireball. Pouring as much power as he could into it to increase his speed.
Behind him, a swarm of Fire Demons were in hot pursuit. Their flaming wings beat with determination as they chased him down.
Heatblast was in trouble. He had been at this for a while now. It is hard to tell how long due to his watch being unable to tell time, and there is no sun in this place to figure out the time. Or even if time works the same in this dimension.
Point is, he's been transformed long enough to know that the watch will be running low on power. And those Fire Demons were unrelenting in their chase.
He tried to fight them. But, turns out, just like him, fire does not work on them. They absorb fire just as easily as Heatblast can.
So they're at a stalemate for now. Neither side can hurt each other. That is, until the watch times out, and he's back to being a regular human.
He considered transforming and using one of his other forms to fight them. Chromastone was shown to be effective, and his forms that specialize in water and cold would definitely help.
However, that would only drain the battery more and draw more attention to him. These Fire Demons are trouble alone. He doesn't need to alert more of them or whatever else is lurking in this place to come chasing after him.
What he needed was a place to lie low and come up with a plan.
But first, he needed to ditch his devilish entourage.
Flying over a ridge, Heatblast dove down into a canyon and jumped off his comet, landing on a rocky platform and hiding behind a rock wall.
Concentrating, he used his power to manipulate his flaming comet and commanded it to fly off into the distance.
The Comet responded to his command and flew off in between a mountain range of volcanos.
A few seconds later, the Fire Demon hoard appeared over the ridge. Seeing the comet in the distance, they immediately gave chase, flying directly past Heatblast's hidey-hole and off into the distance.
The Alien Teen let out a sigh of relief.
"Been a while since I had a chase like that. Though, I think I prefer the Null Void. Least that place had a better climate." He jokingly stated.
He proceeded to walk along the canyon path. With any luck, he might be able to find a place that's cool enough for his human form to survive in while the watch recharges.
Wishful thinking on his part. Seems every single section of this place has the temperature set to either boiling hot or blistering hot. From the top of the mountains to the lowest valley. The entire landscape was in a perpetual state of burning.
That included the Fauna and Flora. The Fire Demons were one thing, but as he continued to walk down the canyon, Heatblast noticed a patch of fire flowers blazing out of a crack in the rock wall.
Walking further down, Heatblast came across a cave. It was pretty well hidden among the rocks and seemed to go pretty deep, given how dark it was.
A perfect place to hide out for a while. With any luck, the Alien Hero could make one quick transformation into Big Chill and put down a layer of ice to cool the place down before turning back.
He walked inside and moved deeper into the darkness.
The light of his flames illuminated his path. The cave went deeper than he expected and seemed to expand the further he walked. Did that mean that there was a cavern up ahead?
Seems so as he eventually stepped out of the tunnel into a relatively spacious room. He could make out stalactites on the ceiling but no stalagmites on the floor.
As he looked around, he suddenly felt uneasy. Like something watch watching him.
He balled his fists and got into a fighting stance. Keeping his head on a swivel as his flames grew more intense.
Just then, the faint sound of metal clicking together caught his ear, and Heatblast spun around to see a figure descending toward him.
A glint of light off his blade caused Heatblast to leap back immediately. He narrowly avoided the blade as the attacker swung it down in a wide arc.
The Mysterious attacker let out a battle cry as he charged the Alien Avenger, raised his sword, and swung again.
Heatblast dodged a second time, narrowly avoiding the blade hitting his abdomen.
The Young Hero was confused. In the low light, he could make out a few details. For one thing, this guy wasn't a Fire Demon. Since he wasn't on fire and looked pretty human. The next thing he noticed was that this guy was decked out in armor. He had silver gauntlets in his arms, pauldrons on each shoulder, and a helmet with massive silver wing-like horns on either side. And what looked like silver hair flowing out the top.
His clothes were mainly blue, with a lighter shade on his chest, gloves, and boots and a darker shade on his arms and legs.
Heatblast could see burn marks on his armor, and the warrior's face was drenched in sweat. Not surprising since he's wearing heavy armor in a fire pit. But that also gave the Alien the impression that this guy didn't belong here any more than he did.
As he avoided another strike from the Warriors blade, Heatblast tried to talk to him. "Hey, Dude. I think we got off on the wrong foot here. How about we talk for a sec?"
"Save your breath, Demon." The Warrior hissed back at him. "I will not be swayed by your lies."
"Demon?" Heatblast raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What are you talking about, dude? I'm not a…"
He then realized his current form. "Oh…"
Another sword strike, and Heatblast rolled out of the way. Only to run into a wall.
Too late, the Teen realized that he had allowed himself to be backed into a corner. The Warrior had him trapped as he raised his sword for a killing strike.
"Hold on, wait!" Heatblast yelled, raising his hand.
But it was too late. The Blue Warrior swung his sword towards Heatblast's head.
His reflexes kicked in, and the Alien Teen clapped his hands together, catching the blade in his palms. The strength of the Warrior forced the Fire Alien to his knees as he struggled to keep the blade from coming down on him.
"Listen." Heatblast strained to speak as he wrestled against the Warrior's impressive strength. "I know it's hard to believe. But I'm not a Demon. I'm an Alien with fire powers."
"Your depravity knows no bounds, villain." The Warrior spat back at him. "You and your Master will learn soon enough. The Warriors of Asgard are not so easily slain."
He pushed harder as Heatblast grunted, struggling as the sword inched closer to his face.
"I'm telling you. You've got the wrong idea. I'm on your side!" Heatblast cried out desperately.
The Warrior scowled as he pushed harder. His piercing blue eyes burning with fury. The metal of his sword started to glow from the heat of the fire alien. The blade was millimetres from his face.
"BALDER!" A voice suddenly cried out. Catching the attention of both combatants.
The Warrior and Alien both turned to the source of the voice. Thankfully, the Warrior took pressure off his sword as the two remained deadlocked.
From the shadows emerged another Warrior. He looked older than the Blue Warrior. With a brown beard and brown eyes. He wore brown leather clothes over what appeared to be maroon chainmail. A long grey fur cloak hung from his shoulders. His left arm was in a makeshift sling, while his right hand held a large battle axe with a black head and a golden edge. The axe head was on the ground, and it seemed the warrior was using it as a cane to prop himself up.
"Stay your blade." The man ordered the Blue Warrior. Who's name is apparently Balder.
"Heimdall?" Balder responded in confusion. "For what purpose would you stop me from slaying another Muspel Spawn?"
The Man called Heimdall grunted as he stepped forward. His axe blade scraped the stone as he moved, causing Balder to look at him with a concerned expression.
Heimdall let out a pant as he raised his head to look him in the eye. "He speaks the truth. This creature is not our enemy."
"That's what I've been trying to tell you," Heatblast stated, still struggling under the Asgardian's blade.
Balder, however, did not seem convinced. "What madness has come over you, Watcher?"
"That is no Fire Demon. He is a Mortal." Heimdall stated, turning his gaze towards the Fire Alien. "His name is Ben Tennyson. A trusted ally of Thor… One who is worthy to wield Mjolnir."
Balder's eyes widened as he suddenly retracted his blade, causing Heatblast to fall on his butt, and he let out a gasp as he panted heavily.
"Forgive me," Balder said as he dropped to one knee and bowed to him. "I mistook you for an enemy and attacked you without provocation."
Heatblast waved his hand in the air. "It's cool, dude. Could have happened to anyone."
He got to his feet and turned to Heimdall, whose eyes had not left him.
"But, I'm a little confused. Have we met? Cause how do you know so much about me?" He asked the Asgardian Warrior.
"Forgive me. Introductions are in order." The Warrior replied, bowing his head. "I am Heimdall, the All Seeing. Keeper… Nay, former keeper of the Bifrost."
The Alien Teen noticed a hint of sadness in his voice on that last part.
"And I am Balder the Brave." The Blue Warrior introduced, standing up. "Warrior of Asgard. It is an honor to meet you. Son of Tenny."
Heatblast let out a slight snort at the misuse of his last name. Then again, this is apparently a thing in Asgardian culture.
"Nice to meet you, too. But that still doesn't answer my question."
Heimdall gave a weak smile before grunting, and his legs buckled. He leaned on his axe for support, and Balder sheathed his sword before coming to the All-Seeing Watcher's side and helping him reach a raised bolder for him to use as a chair.
"Is he ok?" Heatblast asked, concerned.
He could see the burns and other injuries on his body. Seems like they've both seen their share of action here.
"He is very weak." Balder explained. "We have only survived this long thanks to his all-seeing eyes."
As Heimdall rested, Balder turned to face the Teen Hero. "That is how he knows about you and the rest of Thor's allies on Midgard. As keeper of the Bifrost, Heimdall can see across all the Nine Realms. Keeping an ever watchful eye on all that goes on."
Heatblast eyes widened as he pieced the rest together. "So he can see everything that goes on? That's how he knew about me? He was watching me?"
"Aye." Balder nodded.
The Young Hero wasn't sure if he should be impressed or disturbed. The idea that this guy has been watching him for who knows how long felt a bit intrusive. Like what if Heimdall was watching him during his more personal moments?
Before he could dig himself deeper into that rabbit hole, Balder brought him back to reality.
"Heimdall bore witness to the day when you picked up Thor's hammer, Mjolnir. Until that day, no other but Thor and All-Father Odin has ever wielded the hammer. For a mortal to be worthy of Mjolnir is one that is worthy of our trust and respect."
Heatblast would blush if he could from such praise. "Please, I'm just a guy trying to do the right thing."
"Lifting the Hammer is no mere feat, Mortal." Heimdall stated. He then turned to the Blue Warrior. "Balder, could you provide us with some light? Twould be rude of us to continue using our mortal ally."
"But of course," Balder said with a bow.
"No, it's ok. I don't mind," Heatblast protested. It's not like I can turn back to normal anyway. My human form can't handle the heat very well."
"Fret not, Son of Tenny. I shall grant you my protection. As the god of light, no harm shall befall you under my light." Balder declared as he raised his right hand to the roof.
From his palm, a small yellow ball of light illuminated before floating up to the ceiling. Suddenly, the glowing ball erupted into a brilliant display of light. Illuminating the entire cave, allowing Heatblast to see every corner of the cavern.
He was in awe that he didn't realize that the Ultimatrix dial started to blink as he transformed back into human form.
For a brief moment, Ben panicked as he prepared for the intense pain from the heat.
Only, the pain never came. In fact, the only warmth Ben felt was a comforting sensation. Like he was being embraced by a loved one. The light from Balder's orb seemed to be protecting him from the intense heat of this world.
"Wow. Thanks." He said to the God of Light.
Balder nodded in response as he and Ben sat down on some rocks near Heimdall.
"So, can either of you tell me where I am? And what those Flaming Demon dudes are all about?" Ben asked.
Heimdall propped himself up in his seat as he cleared his throat.
"You are in Muspelheim, Young Ben. The realm of fire and ruled by the Fire Demon Surtur himself."
The mere mention of his name sent chills down his spine.
"Ok, but how did I end up here? And what are you guys doing here?" Ben asked the pair.
Balder shifted on his rock and leaned forward. "An answer to both questions is likely the same. Loki saw fit to banish you here as he did us."
Ben tilted his head. Even more confused. "Loki? Like Thor's brother Loki, the god of tricks and jokes?"
Thor didn't really talk about his family. Bit of a sensitive topic back at the mansion, but Ben remembered the plot of Sumo Slammers: Ragnarok Rumble, a spin-off from the main franchise, but still a fun game. They had a bunch of stuff about Norse Myths in there.
"Aya, Mortal," Heimdall confirmed. "However, Loki is no mere Trickster anymore. His Dark mind has found a way to usurp the throne of Asgard. As we speak, his forces march across the Nine Realms. Conquering them one by one."
Ben's eyes widen upon learning this. All this time, Loki has been conquering Asgard while he and the Avengers were oblivious the whole time.
Thinking back. Could that be why Thor couldn't go back home? Loki was the one who locked him out?
It made sense, but from what Ben managed to learn about Odin, that dude was seriously powerful. Like the top dog of Asgard. How did a guy like Loki take over when Odin was still around?
Heimdall continued. "To ensure his rule is absolute. Loki banished Balder and me to Muspelheim. Where we have spent days fighting for survival, all while avoiding any contact with its ruler."
"But, why you two specifically?" The Young Hero asked.
Balder to up the reigns. "Heimdall is keeper of the Bifrost. The Rainbow Bridge connects all the Nine Realms. So long as Heimdall was in Asgard, the Bifrost would never fully bend to Loki's command."
"As for Balder." Heimdall continued. "Aside from Thor, Balder is Asgard's mightiest warrior. His presence would inspire hope in the people and inspire rebellion against the false King. By imprisoning us here. Loki has ensured that there is no one left to challenge his rule."
The more Ben listened, the more he felt his blood boil. He never met Loki but he already wanted to punch him in the jaw.
"So this place. Muspelheim. I'm guessing Loki controls it? Those Fire Demon dudes work for him?"
In response, Balder chuckled. A light chuckle but enough for Ben to know that he had completely missed the mark.
"Nay, Son of Tenny. Loki may be mad. But even he would not be foolish enough to try and make a deal with Surtur."
Again, the mention of that name caused the Asgardians to stiffen. Heimdall tilted his head up, and his eyes dashed from side to side. As if afraid that the mere mention of his name would somehow bring him here.
"Who is Surtur?" Ben asked.
Meanwhile, in Vanaheim, Hulk sent Ogre after Ogre flying as they tried to fight him.
The Green Goliath delivered a powerful haymaker to the jaw of an incoming Ogre, sending the brute flying with a single blow.
He then knocked over another Ogre and stomped his head into the ground.
Another three tried to jump him and tackle him to the ground. Only for Hulk to launch them all off him as he roared defiantly.
He then gripped the Bloodaxe with both hands and slammed the axe's blade into the earth. Intending to cause a fissure with it.
However, instead, the axe blade glowed blue, and a wave of ice erupted from the magical weapon, and the ice enveloped several Ogres charging towards him.
Hulk's shocked expression matched those of the Ogres he had just put on ice.
If he were being honest, it had completely slipped his mind that this axe could shoot fire, ice, and a whole bunch of other magical stuff.
Hulk looked down at the weapon and smirked. Goldilocks is gonna be so jealous when he comes back with this bad boy. Now he's got his own magic weapon.
However, his admiration of the axe allowed several Ogres to get the drop on him as they tackled Hulk to the ground. Causing him to drop his newly beloved axe.
The mist swirled around the feet of Captain America. His mind, along with his vision, was shrouded in uncertainty.
Like he was wandering through a dream. Only it didn't feel like a dream. But what was real anymore?
Captain America woke up to a world that seemed like a science fiction story. The war he had fought in was over, the world had moved on and he was dropped right in the middle of it.
At least, that's what he thought. But now. What if all that's happened: Time Travelers, Norse Gods, Space Ships, Aliens, and the many insane things he has seen. Are all just the last dreams of a man who will never wake up?
"You should be with us." He heard Dino's voice.
"Let go." Pinky told him.
"Sleep." They told him. His teammates, his fellow soldiers. They were telling him to rest and join them.
But what did that mean?
"I don't understand." Cap said as he looked around. The mist continued to shroud his vision. He still had no clue as to his surroundings.
"Where am I? Am I dead?" A question he did not like the answer to. But he could not rule out the possibility.
A sudden flash of light and Seargent Jack Fury appeared before him. Shadows obscured his face, but the uniform and the voice were unmistakable.
"You're on the other side now, Cap." Jack said. "You've earned this. It's time for you to rest now."
Cap felt his breath hitch in his throat. The other side… Did that mean he really was dead?
But when? How? Was it when he fought Taskmaster and destroyed the Stone? Or is this him waking up to reality? He never made it out of that ice. He was still there, and now he was living the last dream he'd ever have before passing on.
As a soldier, Steve Rogers was always prepared to lay down his life for his Country. It was the duty of a soldier.
Captain America served his country. He left a legacy to be proud of.
Perhaps he did earn his rest.
The winds blew across his face as the mist briefly lifted.
A faint blue flame flickered in the shadows.
Throughout their childhood, Thor would often play with his brother in the throne room. Each of them takes turns to sit on their father's throne, pretending to rule Asgard.
But today, Thor felt sick to his stomach after seeing his brother sit on that throne.
He glared at the Trickster God, who sat on the throne with twisted amusement. Loki could practically see the gears turning in his Oafish Brothers' head as he tried to figure out his plan.
"The Norn Stones! The Enchantress stole them for you!" Thor accused.
"The Norn Stones?" Loki asked in amusement. He did not expect Thor to be that small-minded. He should not have expected so much from him.
"You do not even begin to understand. I am responsible for everything." Loki claimed in triumph.
Thor looked at Loki in confusion. What did he mean by 'everything'? Surely, it could only mean that Loki was responsible for the Masters of Evil.
The Enchantress was serving him, and he enacted the plans for the Norn Stones. Loki must have been pulling the strings from the start. The formation of his own army on Midgard to prepare for an invasion force.
Loki grinned as he saw the blank look on Thor's face as he tried to figure out his meaning.
"Look at you strain that feeble mind of yours." With a wave of his hand, the Trickster conjured a basin full of water.
"Please, allow me to put the pieces together for you."
Thor looked down at the water, and his reflection stared back. Suddenly, the water glowed with Loki's magic, and his reflection changed to reveal a vision of the past.
An event Thor knew all too well. The last time he saw Loki. When he attempted to take over Asgard with his Frost Giant army.
"My last assault on Asgard was meant to fail," Loki stated.
The vision showed the events of the battle. Thor defeating the Frost Giants, battling Loki and defeating him. Leading to his capture and trial before Odin.
"The only challenge, you Oaf, was making sure you believed my performance."
The waters then showed what happened after the battle. For his crimes against the Golden City, Odin banished Loki to the Isle of Silence. An enchanted prison where no sound can be heard.
"I knew Odin would exile me. And if I was exiled, you would pay me no mind." Loki explained as his smile grew sinister as he played the next part.
The waters then showed the event that happened after Loki's banishment. A moment that still hurts to think about.
It was the fight that he had with his father. Regarding Thor's actions on Midgard. Odin was against Thor's insistence on interfering with the Mortals. Showing extreme displeasure with his affection toward Jane Foster. Insisting that Thor remained on Asgard for the time of the Odin sleep was upon him.
The argument ended with Thor turning away and leaving the throne room. Choosing to remain on Earth rather than stay in Asgard. Confident that the warriors of Asgard could protect the realm while he protected the Mortals on Midgard.
That argument haunted his thoughts. Thor remembered every word that was said that day.
"It was I, who orchestrated the argument between you and our *father*." Thor's head snapped up as he looked at Loki in bewilderment. It was I who pushed you to leave Asgard as the time of the Odin sleep approached."
Loki grinned as he watched Thor's shocked expression as he tried to make sense of it all.
A flick of his finger and a blue aura surrounded Thor's head as he forced him to look at the water again.
This was his favourite part.
"Once you were on Midgard, I knew exactly how to keep you there." Loki explained.
The images in the water changed again. Suddenly, Thor was seeing several different locations. His eyes widened as he recognized each of them and the beings within them.
The Vault, the Cube, the Big House, and the Raft. All the prisons that had contained the Villains that the Avengers were hunting.
He saw images of the control rooms of each prison. Green mystical energy flowed over the controls, sparking the mortal machines and shutting them down.
Across each of the prisons, the cells that contained them were all deactivated. Freeing the prisoners within. All 74 supervillains at once.
The Break Out.
Thor looked on in horror. The villains escape, and the chaos that he and the Avengers have all endured. The entire reason that the Avengers even came together in the first place.
It was all Loki's doing!
The Prince of Thunder watched as the fight with Graviton played before him as Loki continued his tale.
"After all, if your precious pets were in danger. Your arrogance wouldn't allow you to leave them."
He then saw the Avengers. The brave mortals he saw as equals, as they fought side by side in defence of this world.
Only to then switch over to the Enchantress and Executioner. He saw the pair appear before Baron Zemo. Followed by Taskmaster, then Abomination, and so on and so forth, until finally forming the Masters of Evil.
"And when you found mortal allies, I had the Enchantress gather foes for them as well."
At least Thor was right about Loki playing a role in the formation of the villainous group. But that brief moment of satisfaction was overshadowed by everything else.
The water dispelled, and the basin vanished as Thor could finally raise his head and look at his brother.
Anger burned in his eyes as he clenched his fists in fury.
However, Loki continued to find his prisoner's pain amusing as he continued to pour salt on the wound.
"I was the one who barred you from Asgard. And while you played hero on Midgard, I completed my conquest of the remaining Realms." Loki finally concluded.
Thor's mind was reeling from all the information. All this time, Loki has been scheming behind his back, taking him home and conquering the Nine Realms, and he wasn't there to stop him.
Had Thor been here. Had he not been so stubborn and stayed to defend the realm. None of this would have happened. He let his father down, his friends, his people, his home. All because he couldn't trust his allies to protect the world for one week.
The enchanted wood of his pillory creaked as the slight rumble of thunder was briefly heard outside the palace. However, the restraints glowed, and Thor was brought back down.
"But your invasion of Midgard failed." Thor pointed out, his voice strained from fighting against Loki's power.
For the first time since Thor awoke, Loki's smile vanished. Replaced by a scowl as, he turned his gaze away.
"Yes, the Enchantress did fail me." He begrudgingly admitted. "Her love for you must have weakened her resolve."
Loki then casually brushed it aside, and his smile returned. "But, Amora's failure matters not. For now that I have you, brother I can conquer Midgard at my leisure."
Thor glared at Loki defiantly.
"You will be stopped." He declared.
In response, Loki laughed. In the same manner that Iron Man would whenever Thor would declare magic is superior to science. The Trickster god found the mere idea of Mortals posing a threat to him to be outlandish.
"You believe the mortals will come to your rescue? If they were pulled into the nine Realms, as you were, then they are truly doomed." Loki stated as he rose from his throne and approached Thor. A dark aura surrounded him as he stood over his stepbrother menacingly.
"My forces will hunt them down and destroy them." His hands glowed with blue energy as he leaned close to look Thor directly in the eye. "There is no rescue coming, dearest brother. There is no escape."
He placed his hand on the restraints as he leaned closer until he was directly next to Thor's ear.
"There is no hope." He whispered before unleashing his power on the Thunderer once more.
Thor cried out in pain. The agony was so great that the Prince of Thunder's cry could be heard across the Golden City. Quite possibly across the Nine Realms.