Meanwhile, in the Outworld, Fitz was on his knees in front of Ward. Quill, Venom, and Jamie stood over the sorcerer expectantly. "You have failed me. Five Hundered Years I have waited. Now I must wait Five Hundered more." Ward said.
"My lord! All is not lost!" Fitz protested. Ward ignored him and turned around, mostly speaking to himself. "Curse the Elder Gods and their tournament."
"My lord." Fitz said weakly. "I should have taken Earthrealm by force! But I am bounded by their rules." Ward said as he sat in his throne. "Rules that cannot be broken."
"Kill him!" Ward barked. Venom and Quill restrained Fitz as Jamie prepared her blades fans. "But what if the rules were changed!" Fitz cried out. Ward held up his hand, "Jamie!" She paused.
"Tell me more..." Ward said.
Meanwhile, at the Wu Shi academy, Piotr walked through rows of monks with his new friends. They approached Storm. Piotr bowed his head to Storm as she presented him with his medal.
The medal symbolized his status as the new champion and everyone cheered. Later that night, Mack was out smoking a cigar and thinking about the recent events.
Storm was with him. Both thinking about the recent events. "I do not understand the further damage. 'He must win' if not Piotr, then who?" Storm wondered.
"Ya got me. I'm not sure who else could have done what he did. Made Fitz look like a chump." Mack said.
While they spoke, a younger looking Fitz approached them. "Here to congratulate our victory, sorcerer?" Storm asked, not even looking at Fitz.
Mack spun around and threw down his cigar. "What? Fitz?" Mack asked in shock. "I see you have been revitalized. I didn't know your master was in such habit of rewarding failure." Storm commented.
"The emperor has an offer, Storm. A new tournament." Fitz said. "I see no reason to participate in any idea of yours." Storm replied.
"The emperor proposes a single tournament to replace the current ten. It will be held in Outworld. If Earthrealm does not win, Outworld will absorb it. If Earthrealm does win, Ward will discard his claim." Fitz said.
"Give your emperor my regards." Storm replied. Fitz smiled and generated a large portal. From the portal Tarkatans appeared. The Tarkatans rushed at them.
Storm angrily began to fight Fitz as Mack took on the Tarkatans. The Tarkatans began to surround Mack and attack him. Eventually, the Tarkatans knocked him unconscious.
As Mack came back to consciousness, he heard Storm and Steve speaking. The Academy was destroyed, seemingly by Tarkatans. Although the Academy was destroyed, Piotr, Coulson, and Steve were all uninjured.
"He gained a momentary advantage and escaped. I now realize what I must do." Storm said. "Ugh...anybody get the number 'o that...wait. Where's Nat?" Mack asked, looking around.
"Fitz took her." Steve replied. "We gotta find her!" Mack cried. "We must follow them." Coulson added. "Fitz made it clear Earthrealm will be under constant threat unless I agree to the new tournament." Storm said.
Storm had another vision at that moment, Piotr punching a hole through Ward's chest. "Another vision?" Mack asked. Storm nodded. "Yes. I saw Piotr win the proposed tournament. I believe we must attended. But my earlier vision, of your victory over Fitz, did not bring the solution I sought. Therefore, this premonition must show an event I must change. 'He must win' must refer to another."
Piotr looked downcast. "Hear me, Elder Gods! I accept the terms proposed by Grant Ward!" Storm said.
A light from above absorbed Storm briefly. "We go to Outworld." Storm announced. In the Outworld, Thing bought a large gong over to Ward. Storm entered the arena at that moment, Mack and Steve flanking her.
"I assume that's the big man himself." Mack muttered. "The wrestler guy with the cow on his head? And why aren't the Kung Fu twins helping us?" Steve added.
"I sent Piotr and Phil to free their Shaolin masters. I assumed Natasha Romanoff would be here with Fitz." Storm replied. "She'd better not have a scratch on her." Mack muttered.
He stalked towards the throne. "Wait! This is a tournament!" Storm cried out. Her words came too late. "Ah. The delegation from Earthrealm have arrived. And we have our volunteer for First Kombat." Fitz said.
"What?" Mack asked, confused. "The tournament will begin!" Ward said. The crowd of Tarkatans roared their approval. "Alphonso Mackenzie! You will face...Quill!" Fitz announced.
The Tarkatans roared even louder as Quill unsheathed his blades. "Damn, you ugly." Mack commented. "My blades will find your heart." Quill growled.
They fought a bloody, brutal battle, of which Mack somehow came out on top. "You shouldn't be runnin' with those." Mack snarked.
As Quill tried to pick himself up, Mack approached Fitz. "Where's Natasha." Mack demanded. "Tell me, Major Mackenzie. Do you and she do anything other than rescue each other?" Fitz mocked.
Mack growled as the Tarkatans laughed. "Your next opponent will be-" Fitz began to say before Venom appeared behind him and began whispering in his ear.
"What is it?" Fitz asked. Venom continued to whisper. "Excellent. It seems we have pressing matters to attend to. With the emperor's permission, we will reconvene later." Fitz said.
Ward waved his hand in approval. As he walked off, Jamie and Annette shared a knowing look. They then walked off. "What was that all about?" Mack wondered, "I think we should follow 'em."
Storm had another vision at that moment, Natasha in shackles. "You okay?" Mack asked. "Natasha Romanoff...is to be executed. My powers are compromised here in the Outworld, but I should be able to teleport us close enough." Storm said.
They left the throne room.
They appeared in the armory. It was obvious that they did not arrive at the intended location. "Maybe you could trying for even nearer next time? Where are we?" Steve asked.
"I will inform you the instant I know." Storm replied. Meanwhile, Mack was fiddling with his wrist-comm, trying to get it to work. "Wish this damn tracking device worked in here." He muttered. "This is like in my movie, 'Time Smashers' we were going around ti-" Steve began to say before Mack cut him off.
"Give it a rest, will ya? Makin' my ears hurt." "So what's going on between you and Natasha, anyways? She's smokin' hot." "It's not like that. I'm her C.O."
"Hon like that, under my command? Oh I'd be so-" "You'll want to stop talking about it now." "...But if it's not like that, you won't mind if I-" Steve began to say before Mack once again interrupted him. "That's it! Time somebody shut you the hell up!"
They began to fight and Mack shower no restraint in beating the s*it out of Steve. "How you like that, Mr. A-List?" Mack asked.
"Enough! Alphonso Mackenzke you will restrict yourself!" Storm commanded. "Yeah. Well I-" Mack began to say before Storm raised her hand, cutting him off.
"Someone approaches." She said. "Good. Maybe someone else who needs their a** whooped." Mack muttered. Mack walked up to the newcomer, Annette.
"You lookin' for somethin'?" Mack asked. "The Armory is restricted. You will leave now." Annette replied. "Gonna have to ask nicer than that." Mack muttered.
They began to fight. Mack proved he was an equal opportunist and soon beat the Edenian down too. "Wrong place, wrong time lady." Mack said.
Steve stood up and approached Mack at that time, rubbing the back of his head. "Feel better?" Steve asked. "Uh, listen Rogers. I-" Mack began.
"Don't worry about it. Guess we know where we are now, thanks to her." Steve replied. "Yes. And where we must go." Storm added. Let's do it!" Mack said. The two left, leaving Steve alone.
"Uh, um.." Steve looked around in confusion. "C'mon Rogers!" Mack shouted. In a different area, several guards were playing a game. Raina guarded a tied up Natasha nearby.
"What is up with you Shokans and underground cesspools?" Natasha wondered. "If you had not dishonored yourself by trying to escape, we would not be in this sewer." Raina replied.
At that movement, Storm, Steve, and Mack showed up at the other end of the Dead Pool. "Natasha!" Steve called out. "Guards! Stop them!" Raina yelled.
"So much for a surprise attack..." Mack muttered. The door behind them slammed shut. Mack rushed forward and dodged a hit from a guard before knocking him down.
The guard fell into the pool and quickly dissolved into nothing. Mack leaped over the remaining guards as Storm and Steve engaged them. Mack faced Raina.
"She is the emperor's property, human." Raina said. "She's nobody's property." Mack shot back. Like all Shokans, Raina possessed magical powers. But they were not enough for Mack's brute strength and anger.
"I guess extra arms don't make a difference." Mack said. He walked over to Natasha. "You sure have a way with women." Natasha commented.
"You know me, I'm a class act." Mack replied cheekily. Mack took no time freeing her. "Thanks, what took you so long." Natasha said.
"He was busy hitting me in the face." Steve said, walking up. Mack and Natasha exchanged a smile at this. Their wrist comms began to beep at that moment.
"That's weird. I've got two signals. Heavy sets, both of them." Natasha said, frowning at the comm. "Technology...they cannot be of Outworld. We must confront each source. I might find the one who's victory I must insure." Storm said.
"Wait! What about us? What are we? Chopped liver?" Steve asked. Storm looked at him for a long moment.
"What?" Steve asked. "Perhaps you are right, Steve Rogers. You will stay close to me." Storm said. "Great! I-" "Close as a shadow, twice as silent."
"Natasha. You're with me. Storm, it looks like you'll want to teleport us thirty clicks that way." Mack said.