So the universe Max resides in will be called Universe Prime, and the Earth will be Earth Prime.
The rest will have numerical designations, like Earth-616 and Earth-199999.
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"It's strange," Agamotto said as he paced around the room in Kamar-Taj.
"What is?" Max asked. He sat in a chair, watching the Sorcerer Supreme pace back and forth with increasing agitation.
"There has not been any incursion from any of our usual foes," Agamotto explained, his hands clasped behind his back. "No demons breaching from their dimensions, no dark entities testing our defenses, no cosmic threats probing Earth's boundaries. I expected the attacks to increase as the barrier project neared completion. They should be making desperate attempts to stop us before it's too late."
"Maybe they finally gave up," Max suggested with a shrug.
"No, no, Max." Agamotto stopped pacing and turned to face him. "They are planning something. I know it. The silence is too deliberate. Too complete."
"Maybe you're getting too paranoid, my friend," Max said gently. "You stand at the precipice of your greatest moment. The nerves can be"
"Perhaps," Agamotto interrupted, then paused. "But still..."
Max got up and walked over, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Agamotto, my friend. In a month, you will create your life's work and safeguard all of Earth for generations to come. Humanity will be safe and secure because of you. Relax a bit. Enjoy this moment."
Agamotto took a deep breath and nodded slowly. "You are right. Yes, I should be celebrating, not worrying."
He looked at Max with a small smile. "What are your and Firehair's plans after? The Avengers won't be needed as much anymore once the barrier is complete."
"We plan to travel the universe for some time and show Aurora its wonders," Max said, his expression brightening at the thought. "See what's out there beyond Earth. Odin was recently visited by some Asgardian emissaries to see how he's doing in his exile. I'm sure Bor will call him back soon, so we'll probably visit Asgard and explore the rest of the universe."
"Ah, Odin did mention the visit," Agamotto said. "I am saddened that the Avengers might end."
"The Avengers won't end," Max corrected firmly. "It just means we've achieved what we set out to do. We'll still be here if Earth needs us, but hopefully it won't. Not for a long time."
Agamotto was about to speak when he stopped himself abruptly. His eyes began to glow with mystical energy, his head tilting as if listening to something far away.
"What is it?" Max asked, immediately alert.
"We have to go," Agamotto said urgently. "I have felt a demonic presence in the north. Multiple entities."
"I'll get the others," Max said, already moving toward the door.
"Just us will do," Agamotto called after him.
Max stopped and turned back. "This might be one of the few last times all of us could go fight some bad guys together. Why waste it?"
Agamotto paused, then smiled warmly. "Then I will go and get the others."
Max left and flew back to Okkara, where he found Firehair and Ghost. It was fortunate that Aurora was asleep, leaving her with Okkara to look after her. Firehair and Ghost arrived back at the Sanctuary along with Max, where Agamotto had gathered the others.
"The Avengers assembled once more," Odin said with a grin as Max, Firehair, and Ghost landed in the courtyard.
"That we are," Max confirmed.
"Odin," Fan spoke. "Have you read the letter from your father yet?" she asked the Asgardian.
Odin looked away, a bit annoyed.
"You know he has not," Azzuri joined in with amusement.
Firehair gave Odin a disapproving look.
"I already know what it says," Odin said defensively, "and I have no intention of answering his summons. Not now."
"It's been a long time, Odin," Max said carefully.
"Not long enough," Odin muttered. "But enough about that. We have another invasion to battle and defeat. Let us be away."
"We do not know if it's an invasion," Azzuri pointed out reasonably.
"We don't?" Nur asked, raising an eyebrow.
Vnn grunted questioningly.
"It was Max who suggested we all come together once more," Agamotto explained. "We won't have much reason to fight together after the barrier goes up. Most threats will be contained or prevented entirely."
"That is true," Azzuri said thoughtfully. "Then I am glad we are together once more."
"Agamotto, do your thing," Max said with a grin. "I'm feeling bad for whoever we're about to face."
Agamotto smiled and began weaving his hands in patterns. Golden energy formed in the air, spinning and expanding until it became a perfect circle, a portal showing a frozen landscape beyond.
"After you," Agamotto said.
One by one, the Avengers walked through the portal.
They stood together in the frozen north, nine warriors who had saved the world countless times.
Ready to do it one more time.
Jade spoke up in Max's mind. "We are in the Canadian Arctic."
"So where is—" Max began to say, until he saw what they were looking for.
"Wait, what?" Max said out loud, his eyes widening at what he saw in front of him.
It was a man in an ice covered suit resembling Iron Man, fighting demons. A very large one, at least nine feet tall and wreathed in flames, was heading straight toward him.
"Gorn," Agamotto spat, his voice filled with disgust. "He is one of Mephisto's."
"He is mine to kill," Odin declared, raising Mjolnir.
"No, he is mine," Nur countered.
The others began to argue about who would get to fight the demon lord, but Max's gaze remained fixed on the Iron Man look alike battling desperately below.
What is going on? he thought. Is this some Bronze Age Iron Man? That would be cool. But how
Firehair's hand touched his arm. "Max?"
He didn't respond, still staring at the armored figure.
"Beloved," she said, her voice sharpening with concern. "You know him."
Max turned quickly. "No, no. We should go and help him now. Gorn is going to"
As soon as Max said it, Gorn grabbed the ice armored man and threw him with tremendous force toward the cliff edge.
Max immediately made a construct to save him, a green orb that caught the falling figure gently.
The Avengers charged at Gorn.
It only took seconds. Their combined attack was devastating. Odin's lightning, Firehair's Phoenix flames, Azzuri's with gram, Nur's matter manipulation, Fan's chi strikes, Vnn's savage fury, Ghost's hellfire, and Agamotto's mystical bindings. Gorn died screaming, his body torn apart by powers he could not hope to match.
"Did you catch him?" Firehair asked as Gorn's corpse dissolved.
"Yeah, I got him," Max confirmed.
Max brought the construct up, eager to see this Bronze Age Iron Man up close. He wondered how the man had made the suit. The ice material looked exactly like the armor on the demons. Was he a native here who had somehow harnessed their power? A sorcerer like Agamotto, perhaps? Some kind of prehistoric genius?
The Iron Man figure stood up inside the orb, looking at them. At all nine of them staring back.
"Who are you?" he asked, his voice exhausted.
The voice was very familiar to Max. One he had heard many times when watching Marvel movies in his old life.
It can't be, Max thought, his stomach dropping.
"We are the Avengers," Max answered steadily.
Then the man began to laugh.
"Hahahaha... HAHAHAHA!" His laughter grew louder, more manic, echoing through the frozen forest. "AHAHAHAHAHA!"
"The Avengers," he managed. "The AVENGERS!"
What the fuck is going on? Max thought.
"HAHAHAHA! Oh that's that's PERFECT! The fucking AVENGERS!"
"THE AVENGERS!"
"What is there to laugh about?" Odin asked, clearly angered by the mockery.
The man removed his icy, Iron Man-like helmet.
Max took a step back in shock.
There, staring at him, was the face of Robert Downey Jr.
Oh fuck. Tony fucking Stark…, Max thought, his mind racing.
"Well, I'm an Avenger too, you know," Tony said, his laughter dying down to bitter chuckling. "Or I was. I don't know anymore."
"You mock us?" Nur said dangerously.
Vnn roared in agreement, clearly offended.
Tony's eyes scanned the group. "And you have your own Banner too," he said, looking at the red skinned Nur. His gaze fell on Mjolnir. "Even your own Thor." Then he looked at Agamotto. "Oh, and you. Strange, is that you? Different outfit."
"You are not from around here, are you?" Max spoke up, his voice tense.
"No, greenie, I am not," Tony said as he stood up fully, the ice armor retracting slightly. "Not from around here at all."
"Time travel?" Max asked.
Agamotto looked at Max sharply, then at Tony. He began weaving spells, golden geometric patterns forming around his hands as he analyzed Tony's temporal and dimensional signature.
"No," Agamotto said after a moment, his voice grave. "He is from a whole other plane of existence. Another reality entirely."
"Yes," Tony confirmed, his expression hardening. "From another universe. And since you're the Avengers of this universe, I guess..." He paused, his face darkening. "I have some bad news for you."
Max did not like the sound of that. He did not like it at all.
========
Max watched the footage Tony showed them.
It was a nightmare.
He was sure now that this Tony was from the universe Max was most familiar with, the same one the MCU took place in. Instead of Thanos, it seemed the MCU Earth had been attacked by multiversal invaders.
Azzuri fell to his knees as he saw a devastated Wakanda, his kingdom reduced to rubble, the Golden City burning. He became even more shattered when the Black Skull killed his descendant, T'Challa, ripping the Black Panther apart with casual cruelty.
"It's not our universe, Zuri," Max said gently.
"But it is still Wakanda," Azzuri said, his voice breaking, his eyes never leaving the projection. "That is still my bloodline. My family."
Then the footage continued.
The sorcerer Sadurang appeared. A nightmarish version of Wolverine. And what Max immediately recognized as Apocalypse.
"That is..." Nur started, his voice hollow.
"Yes," Max said quietly. "That's you. A variant of you."
Tony looked at Nur sharply. "That is you?"
"Nur is not like that," Max said firmly. "I assure you, he is not that man. He will not become him. He's nothing like him."
The battle continued on the projection.
It showed Thor arriving, and Odin immediately grew interested as he recognized him as Asgardian, the build, the bearing, the lightning.
"That's Thor," Tony said. "The strongest of us."
"Of course he is," Odin said with satisfaction. "He is Asgardian. And look at that weapon, Grænlaðr. Do you think the dwarves would forge me one of those?"
"Thor used to have the same weapon you're holding," Tony said. "Mjolnir."
Odin paused. "What? But that means..."
"I believe this could be your son, my friend," Max said, acting as if he had just figured it out.
"My son..." Odin muttered, a fond smile crossing his face despite the circumstances.
"You won't like what's coming then," Tony warned.
Odin watched the projection with new wariness.
Then more invaders arrived.
"That's him!" Odin said as Uranos appeared. "The one I fought! The one who nearly killed me!"
Then the Ghost Goblin showed up.
"A corrupted Spirit of Vengeance," Ghost said angrily, his skull igniting briefly.
They watched as the invaders systematically dismantled the Avengers, heroes falling one by one, overwhelmed by power and numbers.
Max looked away as he saw Spider Man being killed. He watched as Tony walked off, breathing heavily.
Odin then recognized the Iron Inquisitor as the one who had interrupted his duel with Uranos and escaped with him through a portal. Who Tony then revealed was his father much to Max's shock.
"My friends," Agamotto said gravely, "I believe we all now know who is responsible for this."
"Who?" Tony asked, turning to them.
"Mephisto," all nine answered in unison, including Vnn, who roared with pure hatred.
"Just wait," Tony said, looking specifically at Max and Firehair. "The other two will look very familiar as well."
"What do you mean?" Firehair asked, tension in her voice.
"Watch for yourself," Tony said.
The projection showed Wanda Maximoff going full Scarlet Witch, only for the Dark Phoenix to appear and kill her in seconds.
"It can't be," Firehair breathed, her eyes wide.
"The Dark Phoenix," Max said, his voice tight.
"It's" Firehair started.
"Not you, Red," Max said quickly, taking her hand. "It's someone else. Not you."
Then the Hulk emerged, Bruce Banner transformed, desperate, unleashing everything he had.
And to Max's horror, the last person to arrive had very similar powers to his own.
Orange constructs, spears of light that materialized from nowhere, killed the Hulk instantly, piercing through his body like he was paper. Victor Von Doom descended, wreathed in orange energy, powered by the orange light of avarice.
"That's not possible," Max whispered.
"Like I said," Tony replied. "Very similar."
"Max," Agamotto said, turning to him. "You said you were the only one."
Max's mind was racing. How had a Doom variant managed to make an orange ring?
"Tony, pause and zoom in on Doom," Max commanded.
The image froze and magnified, showing Doom's chest clearly.
"Jade, analysis," Max said.
"Doom's ring appears to draw power from the orange crystal embedded in his chest," Jade reported in his mind. "It is not as perfected as your ring, Max. The energy flow is unstable, inefficient. It's more like"
"A prototype," Max muttered. "Like the Starheart." He remembered Alan Scott, the original Green Lantern, who had used something called the Starheart, a prototype made by the Guardians.
"Yes," Jade confirmed. "A crude but functional method of channeling the orange light."
"As you can see," Tony said, "they're hunting Avengers across universes. I don't know how I survived. I don't know how I came here. But I did."
"Perhaps it was fate," Agamotto said quietly. "To warn us. To give us a chance."
Odin had not spoken after seeing Thor's dead body in the hands of Uranos, his son, a version of his son, dead.
"We need to kill them all," Odin said, his voice cold and absolute.
"That is not even a question," Azzuri agreed, standing up.
"Then I am glad we're on the same page," Tony said.
Max walked off, trying to remember all he could about the orange ring and the Orange Lantern Corps from his comic book knowledge.
"Jade, compile all information I know about the orange spectrum," Max said quietly.
"Compiling," Jade responded.
"If you don't mind," Max heard Tony say, exhaustion clear in his voice, "I would like to get some sleep in a proper bed. It's been... a while."
"Of course," Fan said gently. "Come with me."
The others began discussing what they had seen, how to combat these invaders, what strategies might work, and what their weaknesses could be.
Everyone was angry. Some had personal stakes as well.
Max knew Firehair was the angriest. The Phoenix Force within her was probably screaming for battle. Odin was in shock after seeing his future son's death. Azzuri was devastated after seeing Wakanda destroyed and T'Challa, his descendant, torn apart.
Max was about to join the discussion when a familiar voice entered his mind.
"Lantern."
It was Khonshu.
"Khonshu?" Max spoke out loud, drawing the others' attention.
"Khenmet recently met a traveler from the future," Khonshu's voice echoed in his mind.
"Who?" Max asked.
"They await you in Pe," Khonshu said simply.
"Dick," Max muttered as he felt Khonshu's presence leave.
"Looks like we have another visitor," Max announced to the group.
Firehair's eyes blazed with Phoenix fire. "Is it them?"
"No," Max said quickly. "Could be someone like Tony. I'll go and see."
"I will come as well," Firehair said, her tone leaving no room for argument.
Max nodded, and they both began flying toward Egypt. It only took minutes before they landed in the palace of Pe.
The people who saw them began cheering immediately.
"Ta Khetu! Ta Khetu!" they called out, the Emerald God, as they had come to call him.
Max was, of course, now considered one of their gods, much to the Egyptian pantheon's chagrin. Ra especially had been annoyed when mortals started offering prayers to the Green Lantern alongside the traditional deities.
"That woman," Firehair spoke up after the long silence during their flight, her voice tight.
"Is not you," Max said firmly.
"It could have been me," Firehair said quietly. "I could have become that. The Phoenix could have"
"Still not you," Max interrupted, taking her hand and squeezing it. "You're stronger than that. We both know it."
She smiled slightly, though worry remained in her eyes. "The Phoenix has been silent. She's... I don't know what will happen. She has never been like this."
Max didn't know how to answer that. The Phoenix Force was unpredictable at the best of times.
Soon they spotted Khenmet, the Moon Knight, along with a very familiar man.
"Reed!" Max called out, recognizing the leader of the Fantastic Four.
But something was different. This Reed looked younger, thinner.
"I'm told by the priestess that you met another variant of me,"
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Earth Prime
2010s
"I don't know why you are so worried," Clea said, looking at her lover, who appeared as if he were about to face all his enemies at once.
Stephen Strange looked at her as he adjusted the suit he was wearing once more, fixing the collar for the third time in as many minutes.
"You are meeting my father, not my uncle," Clea said, laughing a little. "There's a difference."
Strange muttered, "Dormammu would be less intimidating."
Clea giggled as she walked over, laying a hand on his chest. "It will be fine, Stephen."
"Ah yes," Strange said sarcastically. "Meeting your father, one of the most powerful beings in the universe, a person held in the highest regard by my Order, a person who"
"Who is my father," Clea interrupted gently. "Daddy will like you. I'm sure of it." She touched the Eye of Agamotto on his chest. "You hold the trust of, and were chosen by, his dearest friend after all. You are more than worthy."
Strange was not convinced.
"Look," Clea said with a sly smile. "Daddy could never say no to me. So even if he doesn't like you, he won't say anything."
"That's not" Strange started.
They were startled when the doors to the Sanctum opened and Thor walked in, Mjolnir in hand.
"Clea!" he called cheerfully.
Clea looked annoyed as she turned to Thor. "What are you doing here?"
"Well, Father told me to come here," Thor said with a shrug. "The reason I do not know, but when the All Father commands"
Clea's emerald eyes narrowed. "I don't have time to deal with you now you dunderhead. We are going to meet my father."
"Aha! Then I shall come as well!" Thor declared. "It has been some time since I have visited Oa. I am sure Uncle has missed me!"
"You are banned from Oa, Thor," Clea said flatly.
Thor muttered, "Only from the second planet."
Clea sighed. "Fine, just"
She stopped mid sentence, her expression shifting to alarm.
"You felt that?" Strange asked, already sensing it too.
"I did," Clea confirmed, mystical energy crackling around her hands.
"What is it?" Thor asked, suddenly serious, Mjolnir at the ready.
"Come," Clea said urgently. "We have to go. Now."
"Aha! I knew there was a reason the All Father sent me here!" Thor said, grinning.
Clea opened a portal with a wave of her hand. Strange and Thor followed her through, and they arrived in the Black Forests of Germany.
They emerged into devastation.
The forest was destroyed, ancient trees reduced to blackened stumps, the ground scorched and cracked. Fires still burned in places, but they were strange fires, some green, some orange, some colors that should not exist in nature. The air smelled of sulfur and something else, something wrong.
"The magic... I don't recognize it," Clea muttered, analyzing the residual energy. "It's not of Earth, not Faltinian, not. It's"
"I shall take to the skies!" Thor declared, preparing to fly.
"No need," Strange interrupted, pointing. "Look."
There in the distance were nine figures standing in a clearing.
Clea created a portal to get closer. As they stepped through quietly, they could hear the conversation.
"We have gone too far ahead," a figure that looked disturbingly close to the Red Skull said, examining something in his hand.
"So we have," the tall, muscular man who looked Asgardian replied calmly. "The temporal anchor is unstable. We need to recalibrate."
Clea took in the nine figures before her, her mind racing.
One looked exactly like the Red Skull, who was long dead. She was sure of this because it was her sister who had beheaded him with Gram during the war.
Another she recognized immediately as a twisted version of her uncle.
"Victor Von Doom," Strange whispered, staring at the man surrounded by an orange aura, a ring glowing on his finger.
"We have visitors," Doom said without turning around, the orange light intensifying.
Sadurang created a portal with casual ease. "This will take us where we need to go. Ignore them."
"You are not going anywhere!" Clea said, preparing to attack, mystical energy forming in her hands.
"Fräulein, I would not recommend…" the Black Skull could not finish the sentence as Strange, Clea, and Thor attacked simultaneously.
Strange unleashed the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak. Clea summoned Faltinian flames. Thor hurled Mjolnir with devastating force.
The battle erupted into chaos.
But the nine barely fought back. They only defended, blocking attacks with minimal effort while continuing their retreat toward Sadurang's portal.
Doom created orange constructs that deflected Strange's magic. The Dark Phoenix burned through Clea's flames effortlessly. Uranos tried to take Mjolnir but found that he could not lift it.
"We don't have time for this," Sadurang said. "Come."
Seeing them escaping, Clea made a desperate decision. She began weaving a binding spell, something meant to disrupt their destination.
The spell activated just as Sadurang's portal opened. The two magics collided, creating a catastrophic interaction.
Clea and Thor were caught in it, the energies wrapping around them like chains.
"STEPHEN!" Clea screamed as she felt herself being pulled away.
"CLEA!" Strange reached for her, but the energy repelled him violently, throwing him backward.
Thor tried to resist, but it was not enough.
Both Clea and Thor vanished along with the nine invaders, pulled into the portal as it collapsed.
The forest fell silent.
Strange stood alone, his hands still outstretched, staring at the empty space where Clea had been moments before.
Thor was gone.
Clea was gone.
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And so it begins....