WakandaBirnin Zana - The Golden City
Ben materialized in the gleaming technological heart of Wakanda's capital, the quantum transporter depositing him directly into the monitoring facility that T'Challa had designated for Plumber operations.
He couldn't help but notice the frequency of his visits lately.
I'm spending more time in Wakanda than playing games with Felicia, he thought with mild annoyance. That's going to need to change once this crisis is over.
The monitoring facility occupied an entire wing of the Royal Palace's subterranean levels. Vibranium-reinforced walls enclosed a space filled with holographic displays, quantum sensors, and advanced instruments that represented the cutting edge of both Wakandan and Plumber technology.
Eunice stood at the central command console, her synthesized body moving with fluid grace as she manipulated data streams. The Mind Stone embedded in her forehead pulsed with gentle light, processing information at speeds that would overwhelm organic minds.
She turned as Ben approached, her expression showing concern—an emotion she'd learned to express with increasing sophistication.
"What happened?" Ben asked without preamble. "Why did the collision accelerate? We should have had three more weeks."
"It didn't accelerate exactly," Eunice explained, pulling up a three-dimensional model of the approaching universe. "To be more precise, there's a phenomenon occurring similar to a cosmic fault line."
She gestured, and the hologram shifted to show Earth's tectonic plates for comparison.
"Just as when two continental plates collide, the ground tears and buckles, creating fissures and pressure points—collisions and proximity between cosmic entities can cause similar fault lines in the dimensional barriers separating universes."
The display showed two universe-bubbles approaching each other through the higher-dimensional void. Where they came close, the membranes separating them developed visible stress fractures—cracks in reality itself.
"However," Eunice added, her tone turning analytical, "this particular fault line seems artificially induced rather than naturally occurring. Someone or something is deliberately weakening the barriers between our universes."
Dr. Otto Octavius scuttled over on his mechanical arms, the appendages moving with spider-like precision across the polished floor. He looked exhausted, dark circles under his eyes suggesting he hadn't slept in at least forty-eight hours.
"It seems the universe we're facing this time is no pushover," he said, running a hand through disheveled hair. "What's more troubling is that the actual collision won't occur for another three weeks. Which means we can't preemptively eliminate their Earth using our standard protocol."
Ben understood the problem immediately.
Their previous strategy had relied on destroying the alternate Earth before the universes fully overlapped. Travel to the other reality, deploy antimatter weapons, evacuate back home, detonate. Clean, efficient, and—while morally complex—ultimately necessary.
But with accelerated timeline of the collision, they couldn't maintain a presence in the enemy universe that long. The dimensional stress would tear apart anyone who stayed, regardless of power level.
"Not entirely impossible," Otto continued thoughtfully. "Unless someone volunteers to carry an annihilation weapon through the fault line for a targeted detonation. But that would be a one-way trip."
The implications hung heavy in the air.
A suicide mission.
"Where's Tony?" Ben asked.
"He's at a party," Otto said, his tone carrying mild disapproval.
"What kind of party?"
"What else could it be?" Otto shrugged, mechanical arms spreading in a gesture of exasperation.
Ben suppressed a smile.
"Unnecessary question. Azmuth, contact Tony Stark. Have him come over immediately."
"Yes, sir," the AI responded with its characteristic precision.
A moment later, Tony's voice crackled through the communication channel, accompanied by distant music and feminine laughter.
"Hey, Ben!" Tony sounded breathless, distracted. "Wait a minute—almost there! Five minutes! Just need five minutes!"
Heavy breathing punctuated his words.
"Five minutes?" Ben asked, genuinely confused.
Tony's AI assistant—Friday helpfully clarified: "Sir means three minutes to finish his current... activity, one minute to dress, and one minute to arrive. However, accounting for Sir's typical overestimation of his stamina, actual arrival time should be approximately twenty seconds earlier."
Two minutes and forty seconds total.
Ben wasn't particularly bothered by implications about Tony's performance metrics. He was more confused by the logistics.
"What do you mean one minute to get here? His armor can fly from New York to Wakanda in sixty seconds?"
Had Tony's propulsion systems improved that dramatically without Ben noticing?
"Who said I'm in America?" Tony's voice returned, now accompanied by rustling sounds—the unmistakable noise of someone hastily pulling on clothing. "I'm already in Wakanda. Been here for two days consulting with Shuri about vibranium applications."
The background audio revealed a woman's voice expressing dissatisfaction.
Tony responded quickly, his tone defensive: "It's not a performance issue, okay? I was interrupted for an urgent planetary security matter. If you'd studied evolutionary biology, you'd understand that efficiency in reproductive activities is actually an evolutionary advantage. Quick refractory periods, multiple attempts—that's how species survive."
He paused, then added with characteristic shamelessness: "Besides, I can't let personal activities contribute to Earth's destruction through distraction. That would be irresponsible."
The excuse was more sophisticated than simply claiming fatigue.
But Ben genuinely hadn't expected Tony to be partying in Wakanda.
Within two minutes and twenty seconds, Tony arrived in his armor—the sleek nanotech suit materializing around him as he touched down on the facility's landing platform.
Ben glanced at him and shook his head. "Man, you look absolutely drained. Did you skip dinner or something?"
Tony retracted his helmet, revealing tousled hair and a satisfied smirk.
"What are you talking about? I'm recovering my strength the natural way. Got some excellent protein supplementation—lean, nutritious, very energizing."
His tone was completely matter-of-fact.
He'd always been a playboy, but since losing most of his wealth during the Hydra crisis, those indulgent days had become rare luxuries. Heaven knew how long it had been since he'd enjoyed himself properly.
"Speak," Tony said, his expression shifting to business. "What's the emergency? What do you need?"
"I have an important mission for you," Ben said with exaggerated solemnity, his face perfectly serious.
Seeing Ben's demeanor, Tony straightened, matching the grave tone.
"Tell me. I'll do whatever's necessary without hesitation."
He beat his chest once—a gesture of absolute commitment.
Through fire and water, Brother Ben! I've got your back!
"Very good," Ben said approvingly. "I'm glad you have that kind of resolve. The mission is straightforward: take an antimatter annihilation device, travel through the cosmic fault line, and detonate it on the other universe's Earth."
Tony nodded seriously. "And what about me afterward?"
"You'll become a hero who saved the world," Ben said without missing a beat. "I'll personally commission a golden statue of you in Times Square. Ten meters tall, minimum."
"No, I mean what happens to me?" Tony interrupted, suspicion creeping into his voice.
"People will remember you forever, Tony."
"I'm asking about my actual physical survival!"
"You'll live on in everyone's hearts," Ben said with completely straight-faced sincerity. "Your sacrifice will inspire generations. Songs will be written about you. Probably terrible ones, but still."
"Get lost!" Tony cursed, his beard practically bristling with indignation.
If he thought he could beat Ben in a fight, he would have thrown a punch already.
Of course, he knew Ben was joking.
"You are joking, right?" Tony asked, needing verbal confirmation.
Ben didn't answer immediately, his expression unreadable.
Tony's face went through several interesting color changes.
"Okay, yes, joking," Ben finally admitted with a slight smile. "Mostly."
He changed the subject smoothly.
"I actually asked you here to see if we can repair the fault line. Seal the breach before anything comes through it."
"How about this instead? Since we can determine the precise location of the cosmic fault line's exit point in our universe, we could open a portal to the Null Void Realm directly at that location. Connect the fault line straight to the dimension." Tony award.
He gestured enthusiastically, warming to the idea.
"Anything trying to invade through the crack gets immediately redirected to the Null Void. It's like... like installing a pipe that drains directly into a septic tank. They think they're breaking into our universe, but they're actually just flushing themselves into dimensional prison."
Ben stared at him in genuine shock.
"You're actually a genius."
Tony looked even more shocked, actually leaning back slightly.
"Why do you sound so surprised?"
"Based on your consistent performance," Ben said with completely deadpan delivery, "I've always thought of you as someone who only grows physically but not mentally. The kind of person who can't take care of themselves without AI assistance."
"What the hell does that mean?!" Tony glared, his carefully groomed facial hair practically quivering with offense.
Friday, demonstrating either perfect helpfulness or catastrophic social programming, cheerfully clarified: "Sir, Mr. Parker is suggesting you're intellectually challenged."
Tony pointed at the ceiling. "You're fired!"
"I don't have a severance package in my programming, sir."
"Then you're double fired!"
"Acknowledged. Continuing normal operations."
Ben was already turning to Eunice, ignoring Tony's technological difficulties.
"Eunice, prepare to deploy the giant Void Realm Projector. It's time to give our uninvited guests a proper welcome."
"Understood," Eunice acknowledged with a slight nod.
Almost immediately, the Plumber installation nearest to the cosmic fault line's predicted exit point sprang into action. Automated systems activated across multiple facilities, coordinating with precision that only AI-directed networks could achieve.
Several massive instruments—each resembling oversized satellites with crystalline focusing arrays—launched into orbital positions. They oriented themselves toward the fault line, which appeared in higher-dimensional scans like a crack across a mirror's surface.
Energy built within the devices, drawing power from quantum generators and dimensional taps. Space warped, twisted, and finally tore open—a portal like a black hole's event horizon, perfectly positioned at the fault line's terminus.
Anything emerging from the cosmic breach would be immediately sucked into the Null Void Realm.
"Should we notify the Special Forces?" Eunice asked.
She was referring to the New Kryptonians stationed within the Null Void as prison guards and rapid response units.
"Absolutely," Ben confirmed. "Mark all incoming entities as hostile. Eliminate on sight."
He wasn't sure exactly what they'd be facing, but anyone breaking into his universe through artificially created dimensional weaknesses wasn't coming for diplomatic relations.
They'd wipe out the invaders in the Null Void's prison dimension. And once the actual collision began, there would be no negotiations or moral debates—just immediate deployment of antimatter weapons.
The CancerverseAssembly Point - Cosmic Center
Dozens of warships gathered in formation at the designated coordinates—a region of space-time that had become the central staging ground for the corrupted reality's military operations.
The vessels themselves looked wrong. Their hulls were organic, pulsing with tumorous growths that served as both armor and weapon systems. Purple-tinted metal fused with living tissue in ways that defied sanity. Veins carrying luminescent fluids ran across hull plating. The ships breathed.
Inside the flagship, the Revengers assembled in the command chamber.
This reality's version of Earth's Mightiest Heroes bore only superficial resemblance to their original counterparts. Cancer had transformed them into something simultaneously more and less than human—immortal, powerful, but fundamentally corrupted.
Anthony Stark—his arc reactor fused with his chest cavity, tumors growing around the glowing core—laughed with manic enthusiasm.
"They definitely won't expect us to attack before the collision even begins!" he crowed, gesturing at the tactical displays. "Standard protocol assumes both sides wait for the overlap, then fight for survival. But we're not playing by those rules."
His grin revealed teeth that glowed with the same purple bioluminescence as his tumors.
"We'll catch them completely off-guard. Storm through the fault line, establish a beachhead, then systematically wipe out the Death entity governing their universe. Once we've killed Death itself, we destroy their Earth during the confusion!"
Mar-Vell stood at the chamber's center, cosmic energy radiating from his corrupted form.
"And then," he said with messianic fervor, "we rule their universe. Spread our gift of immortality to every living thing in their reality. Free them from mortality's tyranny, whether they want it or not."
Bad Ben watched their enthusiastic preparations with amusement, standing slightly apart from the Revengers.
His body had already begun transforming. Purple-blue discoloration spread across his skin like a bruise, starting from the injection sites where he'd administered Mar-Vell's cancer cells. Tumors were beginning to form along his arms and neck—small ones for now, but growing steadily.
The transformation brought constant, burning pain. His nervous system screamed protest as cancer rewrote his biology, forcing cells into immortal division cycles that shouldn't exist.
But Bad Ben didn't care about the agony.
Compared to the power he'd gained, what was a little suffering?
He understood now exactly what Mar-Vell and the others had killed. Not some minor cosmic entity or abstract concept.
They'd murdered Death itself.
And now, with her cancer cells integrating into his DNA, he was genuinely, truly immortal.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Writing takes time, coffee, and a lot of love.If you'd like to support my work, join me at [email protected]/GoldenGaruda
You'll get All Chapter, selection on new series, and the satisfaction of knowing your support directly fuels more stories.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~