DEFENDERS COMPOUND
The Defenders Compound, formerly known as LaMuerto's Hand Compound, is a training center for young people to train to become warriors. Once belonged to the Hand, now it serves as the Defenders' main base of operations, which is run by Colleen Wing, who reformed the Defenders which would serve as the opposite, overall organization to the Hand.
The Defender Compound had its own districts, the Training Area, the Meal Area, the Medical Area, and Homing Area. The Training Area is where many people train every day to learn to become skilled fighters that learn the ways of Kung-Fu. The Meal Area is the place where everyone comes in to eat after their training sessions. Lots of food and drinks are served within the cafeteria for everyone to come by. The Medical Area was established by Claire Temple, for she is known to be a great night shift nurse who once worked at Metro-General Hospital. It is also where people, who had been injured or sick, are brought here to recover until they are ready to move once again. The Homing Area is where new recruits are given rooms to stay, places where they can live and stay for a while.
So many people, such as young talented minds, are brought to the Defenders Compound up to the test, learning the skills of Kung-Fu. To become great warriors, they learn all the moves that they learn from their own Sensei. Each Sensei is tasked to train more than twenty students and once every student had completed their training as a martial artist, they would become Sensei's.
Inside the Recruitment Building which is part of the Homing Area, Sensei Colleen Wing had been busy recruiting new members to join the Defenders, thus hoping she can help change their lives. Sitting at a table, she begins to speak with every recruit that are all in a very long line. After a young boy, who was fifteen, finished signing his name, Colleen began to speak with the next recruit, Sophie Brownlee.
Sophie Brownlee was one of Jessica Jones' neighbors, living in an apartment alongside her brother Ruben. Sophie was born a fraternal twin with her brother Ruben Brownlee. While growing up, their parents had a hard time controlling the behavior of Robyn, who always acted dominant , much to the subjugation of Ruben. However, the siblings remained close and decided to live together, getting an apartment in Jessica Jones' Apartment Building, directly above Jessica Jones. The two had loud arguments, with Sophie's voice being dominant, that could be heard downstairs in Jones' apartment. Sophie was viewed by a lot of people to be a borderline psychotic and can be incredibly overprotective of her twin Ruben to a ridiculous degree.
"Name?" Colleen requested.
"Sophie Brownlee," Sophie B replied. "My friends call me Robyn, but I like everyone calling me by my real name."
"Why are you here?" Colleen asked.
"There's a lot of things to explain," Sophie B deeply sighed. "My parents kicked me out of the house because... because they had trouble controlling my behavior. Every time I think to myself, what can I do to be a better person?"
"And why?" Colleen asked, trying to see if Sophie can answer specifically.
"Because I want to throw it away. I..." Sophie B paused to turn around and looks down at a boy who was waiting patiently behind her. Deciding not to swear where kids were, she turns around and continues her answer. "I want to throw this psychotic version of me somewhere far from my skin and bring in a new version of me."
"In the light or the dark?" Colleen asked.
"The light," Sophie B answered.
"Welcome to the Defenders," Colleen welcomed her and pushed the pen over to her hand. "Sign your name. Know this, you don't have to stay here forever, but when it comes to training, and if you think it hurts you, you can stop."
Sophie takes the pen and signs her name a bit slow and then turns away to leave. After Sophie, the next person in line was a young boy named Sami Nadeem, the son of Seema and Rahul Nadeem. However, Colleen then focuses on another person behind Sami. It was Joy Meachum.
COLLEEN WING'S OFFICE
After leaving Mary Blue Cloud to takeover, Joy follows Colleen to her private office so she can talk privately with her. Joy looks around the office and looked quite amazed at the designs as Colleen sits herself on her desk.
"Wow, this place really suits you here," Joy remarked.
"What are you doing here, Joy?" Colleen asked, giving a very unhappy look on her face. "If your here to talk more of your childish insults towards me and Danny, I think you should..."
"I'm not making insults," Joy cut her off with a scoff. "What does it look I'm doing here? I came to ask for your help."
Colleen couldn't believe what she was hearing right now. First, she recalled a time that she teamed up with Davos to hurt Danny by stealing the Iron Fist away from him, and then betraying Davos to take the Fist back. She still hasn't forgiven her for what she did.
"My help," Colleen uttered loudly when she threw her hands up in the air, thinking that she was here to play games with her. "Seriously, you think I'm going to help you for every sh** you did before?"
"Look, I may have jumped off the bridge and did the worst sh** I did to you, Danny..." Joy exhaled. "...and Ward."
"Let me guess, you came all the way here to talk and apologize?" Colleen asked if that was she was coming to say. "You came to the wrong person to talk to. If you want to apologize, start with Danny, cause he's the one you chose to hurt after everything he did to save you from the Hand. Is this how you repay him for what he did?"
"You know, come to think of it, there were rumors that you actually worked with the Hand, is that something you have kept from Danny?" Joy asked.
"Are you trying to blackmail me?" Colleen scoffed. "Cause its not going to work."
"No, I'm not," Joy shook her head innocently.
"Then what the hell do you want?!" Colleen exclaimed. "Spit it out or get out!"
"I...I need you to heal me," Joy breathed heavily.
"Wait, what?" Colleen responded in confusion as to why Joy came all this way to ask her to heal her. Then, out of shock, she saw Joy collapse. Colleen quickly rushes over and holds in her arms. "Oh my god! Joy! JOY!"
"Help... me," Joy breathed, gasping for air as her eyes were shut.
Realizing that Joy came all this way to the place for healing, Colleen remembered at the time when Danny used the power of the Iron Fist to heal her from the poison. With the power of the Fist in her, she knew she had the responsibility to heal anyone from illnesses, poisons, or wounds. She even remembered that years ago, Davos pushed her off a balcony and nearly died until she was rushed to hospital. She closes her eyes and concentrates in channeling the chi within her right hand, allowing it to glow white as a star. Then, she gently rubs Joy's head softly.
"Don't make me regret it," Collen whispered in a very deep sigh since she didn't want to help her.
POP'S BARBERSHOP
Meanwhile, inside Pop's Barbershop, Luke Cage, who was once known as the former Owner of Harlem's Paradise until he was dusted away with almost everyone in Harlem, was sitting on his nice comfy chair while his friend Ralphie Jackson, who in turn was known as Sugar, was playing chess with Bobby Fish, who was called Flea. David Griffith was busy typing on his laptop, doing a lot of his important business while Ralphie Aaron Shomon and Javier de Paz were getting the place tidy and spotless for the place to open for tomorrow. It seems that D.W. and Ralphie already forgave Luke for choosing to take his role as the ruling Kingpin of Harlem. Luke thought it was best to leave Harlem's Paradise the place it was under the ownership of Tilda Johnson, who was infact the daughter of Mariah Stokes, but didn't choose to follow in her mother's footsteps as a Queenpin of Crime.
"So tell me, how does Power Man & The Iron Fist sound to you, D?" Ralphie wondered.
"I think it sucks first, but for that kinda title, I like it," D.W. nodded in agreement.
"He's right, it doesn't fit me, but still, I think its cool," Luke Cage nodded without disagreement.
"So what made you decide to walk out on all this?" Ralphie asked.
"Like I said Ralph, it was for the best, and both you and D here, agreed," Luke Cage smiled and shook his head.
"Don't forget we were all dusted here," Sugar added.
"Yeah that, thanks Sugar," Luke sighed.
"Well, at least we got our good hero back in action," Ralphie chuckled in delight. "So, have you taken my offer in joining the Avengers."
"The Avengers is no more Ralph, remember," D.W. said, giving his friend a reminder.
"Oh yeah that, and Spider-Man, oooh, a fugitive of the law now," Ralphie scoffed. "The world's getting jacked up all of a sudden. Gotta ask, do any of you think Spider-Man is really a murderer or do you think those footages are just fake so that way the bad guys can win and try to get a distinct advantage to frame superheroes? I ask you that. I ask everyone in this? I mean, Luke here was framed for the murder of a cop and a nasty crimeboss who all of us hate."
"Don't remind me, R," Luke sighed as he read a magazine.
"You know, I happen to be the only one silent during this ridiculous conversation and I say this to you all that the world has in fact gotten down to sh** and it always will," Flea said.
"Ah Mr. Fish, you just cursed," D.W. told him.
"You know the rules, Bobby," Luke reminded him. "This is what Pop always did. Its best to honor his legacy as long as Harlem stands in his name. So c'mon, pay up."
"Dang man, I hate you already," Flea sighed, but started to chuckle in delight as he took out a dollar and put in the No-Swear Jar. "Man, no wonder why anyone doesn't use the money in this jar to spend anything. There's seems to be over $300 in this jar. Has anyone thought of buying anything from a liquor store for all this? No, hmm, well perhaps maybe one of you can run across the street and get me a coffee. Bad thing is, we're all out of coffee right now and we're opening a great business together to honor a good friend of ours."
"Luke doesn't drink coffee," Ralphie scoffed in laugher.
Sugar laughed as Luke smiled and shook his head as he continued to read his magazine. Suddenly, Sugar began to notice that light of the day was starting to darken. "Hey, nobody said that it was going to rain."
"Maybe the weather forecast got it all wrong again," Flea stated. "It always happens every day. Nobody is 100% sure whether it'll rain or not. Don't get me wrong Sugar, I swear those jacked-up maniacs think they can get it all."
"Well its not raining," D.W. said, observing outside. "But I'm also hearing screaming."
"All of you stay inside, I'm going to take a look," Luke said as he walks out the front door of the store.
A lot of screaming continued to erupt across the streets of Harlem. Many people in Harlem were looking up at the sky, which suddenly grew dark by the clouds that were made out of smoke. The Darkness of the smoke lay there under the Sun and fire was glowing everywhere within the clouds. Luke and everyone outside began to notice a strange shape that emerged within the fiery clouds and took the form of an eye. It was an eye made out of pure flames and was staring down at the entire city of New York.
CHINATOWN, NEW YORK
Elsewhere in New York, Colleen, who in the aftermath when she healed Joy with the power of the Iron Fist and left her in the Defenders Infirmary to recover, was taking her time off from work and decided to hang out with her partner Misty Knight for the day and do their stuff like they always do. They still tried to search for Spider-Man, who was still wanted for the so-called murder and assassination of Mysterio.
"Thank you," Misty responded with appreciation and began to chew the piece of teriyaki chicken her partner Colleen gave to her, but then suddenly she started to give a disgusted look while chewing and then swallowing it down her throat. "What the hell is this? I said habanero. This is, like, teriyaki?"
Colleen sighed and replied. "Next time, pick a gas station with a better selection." She then took a piece of teriyaki chicken and threw it in her mouth to chew and then swallow.
"Look, I'm very, very serious about my snacks," Misty reminded what she likes while driving around sometime around New York City. "With hit job, you gotta keep your energy level high. People are always talking about cops and their donuts. Cookies, chocolate, gum, you name it. But that sugar high... will send you crashing. You need something that will, you know, give you the long burn."
"You know, I hear a podcast once that said the most banal thing was to listen to someone describe their dreams," Colleen recalled of something she use to hear back at the time when she was working at Bayard Comminuty." You know what? I think they were wrong."
"Can I ask you a question?" Misty asked, giving a slight chuckle.
"Why ask permission when you're just gonna do it anyway?" Colleen pretended to ask what she already knows, but doesn't.
"I remember years ago, you were done with this life," Misty recalled a time that Colleen use to quit teaching students at the Chikara Dojo. "You put your sword up to the wall... but you came with me to grab Joy Meachum, the Mary Freaking Walker, and then this Davos. This... this was your idea."
"Someone's gotta do it," Colleen sighed.
"Yeah... but if we're thinking big picture, where do you see yourself after you and me were dusted for five years?" Misty asked, giving her look and saw her chuckle without saying an answer. "I'm serious. You use to volunteer at Bayard. That;s cool. And then, you then bring Bayard into the old Hand compound that use to belong to your sensei, which pisses you off when I mention that, and now, look here, you restarted your own karate school, Defenders Compound, which carries a nice ring to it. Perhaps its a great way for a new cops to learn the ways of kung fu in this city and defend themselves. Besides, this is the best life you are having, even with me. Your helping others, giving them a chance to start something fresh inside the city. You are the true star of the show."
"Okay," Colleen exhaled. "You wanna play this game?"
"Yeah," Misty nodded.
"Let me ask you a question," Colleen suggested.
"Okay, you got me," Misty said while focusing on the road.
"What are you gonna do with this promotion from captain-to-commissioner thing?" Colleen asked. "Are you gonna be Comissioner Misty or Comissioner Knight?"
"No," Misty shook her head.
"Am I gonna have to call you that now?" Colleen asked, starting to laugh a bit.
"No, don't turn it around," Misty shook her head again. "I'm serious. I already said that you are on the verge in creating a very, serious, but excellent police force in this city. You, for instance, you got great instincts."
"I killed my sensei," Colleen remember back at the time years ago that she fought against LaMuerto amd killed him years ago.
"He was trying to murder us," Misty added what she said.
"No, its not about the decision being right or not," Colleen added. "What I mean is... I trusted him, and I could not have been more wrong. If I'm that bad a judge of character, how in the world an I qualified to be out here doing what you do every day?"
"I have met a lot of good people who went bad," Misty told her. "And I've known some bad people who went good. People change. Doesn't mean that you misread them the first time."
"Maybe," Colleen shrugged.
"Not maybe," Misty corrected. "Yes. Besides, when it comes to a gun and a shield, I want the person next to me who questions their judgement. It's the ones who always think they're right that scare me."
"Thank you," Colleen replied.
"You want to thank me?" Misty asked. "Next time I say habanero, get me habanero."
The two women laugh. That was when their laughter was cut short when they came across traffic. However, something was not right, for which Misty and Colleen noticed that many were getting out of their cars.
"That's strange," Misty said, concerned of what everyone was doing.
Colleen looks up and gasps. "Ah, Misty."
Rather than saying a word, Colleen and Misty look up at the sky. The light of the blue sky was suddenly covered by clouds made out of smoke. The Darkness of the smoke lay there under the Sun and fire was glowing everywhere. That was when a strange shape started to emerge within the fiery clouds, something that the Daughters of the Dragon have ever seen. The shape took the form of a fiery eye which was staring down at all the frightened residents of New York.
"What the hell is that thing?" Misty gasped in pure shock.
RAND ENTERPRISE
Danny Rand is standing alone inside the elevator. Its been several days since he spoke with Frodo Baggins. Everytime he thinks about him, the ring, and Sauron, he fears that something bad is coming. He then walks inside Ward's office where he finds his friend talking on the phone. He takes a moment to sit down and pours a glass of bourbon at the moment when Ward's finishes.
"Got good news," Ward announced.
"Did they accept it?" Danny Rand asked.
"Yep," Ward sighed in relief just as Danny passes a cup of bourbon. "Bout dam time they did, otherwise our company would've been screwed."
"Well, thanks to us, things would've gone south already, but at least we have each other to thank," Danny scoffed in pure relief.
"You okay by the way?" Ward asked.
"Me..." Danny Rand clicked his tongue. "100%."
"Good, cause right now, I want bourbon in my cup," Ward smiled and started to pour himself some.
"Will discuss more with..." Danny Rand paused when he noticed that the sky was darkening with clouds.
"Danny, what is..." Ward stopped talking when he began to notice something.
The light of the blue sky was suddenly covered by clouds made out of smoke. The Darkness of the smoke lay there under the Sun and fire was glowing everywhere. That was when a strange shape started to emerge within the fiery clouds, something that the Iron Fist had ever seen. The shape took the form of a fiery eye which was staring down at the entire city of New York. Danny and Ward were both completely horrified of what they were seeing now.
NEW YORK SANCTUM
On the very top of the New York Sanctum, Doctor Strange was spending his day meditating, having his eyes completely shut. It seems that he could sense a lot of things that were happening across the universe, but the one thing he wasn't willing to forget was the connection between Danny Rand and the mysterious Ring-bearer. Danny Rand recently returned to the Sanctum and informed Doctor Strange about Frodo Baggins, the One Ring, and the Dark Lord Sauron. With the puzzle almost into place, Strange believed that an ancient evil is ready to arise once again.
As the sky began to darken, Doctor Strange opened his eyes when he sensed a terrible presence on the very top of the sky. Out of pure shock, the light of the blue sky was suddenly covered by clouds made out of smoke. The Darkness of the smoke lay there under the Sun and fire was glowing everywhere. That was when a strange shape started to emerge within the fiery clouds, something that Doctor Strange had ever seen. The shape took the form of a fiery eye which was staring down at the entire city of New York.
"He's here," Doctor Strange murmured, knowing who it was.
TRISKELION
Inside the Triskelion, one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s current bases, Agents Alphonso Mackenzie, Victoria Louise Hand, Jebediah Young, Elena Rodriguez, and Enoch Coltrane were inside a small white room where Roy McVey had been restrained and continued to say the language.
"How long has he been saying all this?" Yo-Yo asked.
"For weeks," Jebediah said.
"The only thing that concerns me as to why?" Agent Hand said.
"Its hard to tell," Agent Mackenzie said. "We did get a report from Agent Coulson that these words are actually ancient."
"Hmm, four prisoners escape and Mr. McVey goes insane," Agent Hand sighed. "There has to be something that can help cure him of this. Otherwise, he might stay in this state for god knows how long."
"There has to be something, cause FitzSimmons said they be back, but they're not, something terrible happened to them, we should go find them," Jebediah worriedly suggested of a plan. "They might be best ones that can help this guy."
"Apparently, I'm afraid FitzSimmons, including Director Johnson, have not returned from their trip to Hala," Enoch answered. "We're going to need to figure find other available assets in S.H.I.E.L.D. that could help."
"Well we better do this fast," Agent Mackenzie said, taking a breath. "I just don't how long Mr. McVey can do this."
"He's here!" McVey cried out as he started to shake rapidly while in restrain. "HE'S HERE!"
"The hell is happening?!" Jebediah exclaimed in concern.
"My calculations tell me that he might be experiencing something from beyond," Enoch said.
"Which is what exactly?" Yo-Yo asked, wanting to get the answer.
"I don't know," Enoch answered.
NEW YORK
Back in New York, almost every resident within the city, including those getting out of their vehicles, started to stare upwards at the fiery eye within the dark shadowy clouds. So many people in every corner of the city began to take snapshots or even record what they were seeing from the very top of the sky. It wouldn't be long when the news was going to reached out anytime soon.
Somewhere in Hell's Kitchen, Jessica Jones, who had just been taking a day off from work, ran outside from a bar when she was noticing a crowd of people outside. She quickly steps out of the door and looks up. This was huge shock to her. She looks around and rushes towards a building and makes a very big leap to the very top of the roof. While no one was here, she quickly takes out her camera and does about five snapshots.
"The hell is that thing," Jessica Jones murmured.
Karen Page was walking down the lane while Foggy and his wife Marci were on a honeymoon trip and they wouldn'be back in the next two days. That was when she gasped, catching sight of the fiery eye that hovered over the city of New York. She quickly reaches into her phone and dials a number.
"Hello?" A voice said on the phone.
"Mr. Ellison, you need to see this, right now," Karen Page started to panic.
As for Danny Rand and Ward Meachum, they quickly rush out of the building and stare directly at the eye. Danny and Ward briefly exchange looks for a bit and continue to focus to stare upwards at the fiery eye.
"You cannot hide... Iron Fist," The Fiery Eye spoke directly at Danny Rand. "I see you."
Danny was completly shocked that the eye was speaking directly at him, despite so many people terrified and confused as to who and what the Eye was talking to.
"Who are you?" Danny Rand asked, despite Ward and several people around him.
"I am the Abhorred, the Nameless Enemy, the Shadow in the East, the Deceiver, the King of Kings, the Lord of Wolves, the Lord of Gifts, and the Lord of the Rings," The Fiery Eye responded by giving his foe a riddle.
"No... Sauron," Danny Rand gasped in pure shock, something that Frodo Baggins had mentioned before.
"Who?" Ward asked, confused upon hearing that word.
"You have guessed correctly, like every other Iron Fist before you," Sauron chuckled. "I have been every voice you have ever heard inside your head."
"Why are you here?" Danny Rand demanded a specific answer.
"To give you a message," Sauron answered.
As Sauron had been speaking every person in New York, including Doctor Strange, Karen Page, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Colleen Wing, and Misty Knight, were all staring and listening to Sauron's words.
"I know you spoke with the Ring-bearer, who came to you in astral form," Sauron continued with his message. "You know what I speak. The one who is carrying my creation. You can deny your involvement with him, but I see all. I see... everything. It is only a matter of time before it returns to its rightful heir."
Danny Rand couldn't believe it. Sauron already knew about Frodo talking with him back in New York. Not willing to give into fear at this time, he clenched his fists and stood brave since he was an Iron Fist.
"You can scare everyone here, but you can't scare me," Danny Rand glared menacingly at the Dark Lord.
"That is where you are wrong," Sauron taunted him. "I can see the fear inside of you already, like everyone around you. You will see soon enough, but that is not why I'm here. I came to give you a choice. Join me, Iron Fist. Become my asset and I will spare the lives of your friends. Refuse, and everyone you know will die. I will turn this world into one of my domains. Barren, filled with blood, bones, and ashes. This is the choice I give you."
"You can say everything you want to me and everyone else, but I will never be your slave or your weapon to command," Danny Rand refused the Dark Lord's offer. "I command the weapon in me. I am its master, not you. The people of K'un-Lun master their techniques to harness the Chi and use for a greater purpose."
"You are making a mistake," Sauron warned.
"No, I'm not, and I can see why you call yourself the Deceiver," Danny Rand continued to threaten him. "You slipped up. If you hadn't mentioned that word to me minutes ago, then maybe I would've done it to save everyone I cared about. Your deceitful threats will never work. Even if I bent my knee to you right now, you would still bring chaos to the home I've lived on. But let me tell you this, you made the most terrible mistake. Since you've threatened all my friends, my family, here's my answer. I'm coming for you. I don't know how, but I will figure it out eventually. No one, but me, will ever bow down to you. Now be gone from this world."
"Hmm, very resisting, you remind me of someone who betrayed me many years ago," Sauron said. "I've made the worst mistake in trusting Celebrimbor the great elven smith who built my rings of power to command. I would've given marvelous gifts to you, but now, I'm can see that you've chosen your fate. We will meet again, Iron Fist. Very soon, once you step amongst the ashes of Mordor, you will see what your fate will become." He started to laugh as he begins to dissipate along with all the clouds with him.