Loki looked about, considering his actions. They were uncalled for, but necessary in what was to come.
Loki threw some green mist that became a portal into a dark place.
He stepped through, and was shocked by what he saw.
Yggdrasil, the tree he'd created to hold the multiverse in check, was coming undone. He'd cast a spell when he left that would hold it in place, but the spell was slightly weaker in his absence.
Loki ran and sat in the throne, holding the branches of the magical tree while closing his eyes. He began to look through the multiverse, seeing if what he'd envisioned was to come.
Jake was the first to emerge from the portal, running after Rama Tut. The seven who pursued the variant found themselves in a forest, with mountains in the distance.
"Stop now!" exclaimed Vision, "and your defeat will be more merciful."
"Sorry," said Rama Tut, chuckling as he held up a small, black device. "Time's up."
With that, Rama Tut clicked on it, disappearing as Jake leapt at nothing, face-planting into the ground.
"Where'd he go? Where are we?" shouted Sam as he looked around.
"This is unfamiliar to me," said Marc as he and Steven glanced around.
Vision looked about, as if scanning for something.
"If I am correct, our location is... Michigan."
"We're back in the US?" asked Shang Chi.
"It would seem so," stated Vision.
"Where is he?!" shouted Jake as he stood, ripping his mask from his face.
Marc and Steven stared in awe at their third personality.
"What? Never seen a grown ass man before?"
Vision gave the violent man a look.
"We're all angry, but now isn't the time to fight. We've a common enemy and goal."
"Who brought the talking calculator?" asked Jake, impatience in his voice.
"Hey, that talking calculator has more common sense than you, pal," said Marc with an annoyed look.
"You'll learn to talk better about sense to someone who protected you... who took your beatings!"
Marc and Jake were about to fight, but Vision held back Jake, phasing as to not be attacked by him.
Sam and Steven held Marc back.
"Like the android said," began Shuri, "we're on the same side. You can fight and kill each other later, but right now we have to find out where Tut has gone."
Jake sighed as Vision let go of him.
"Fine. Pussycat's right."
"Now, if my note is correct," stated Vision, "three years ago, Tony Stark and nine others traveled through time to collect Infinity Stones. The device Tut held looked in similar fashion to what was used in 2023. Pym Particles, am I correct?"
"Yes," said Shuri.
"Hey, back up," said Jake. "I'm pretty sure three of us understood the shit you just said. Stiff it up, Whitey."
Vision shook his head.
"Is it a chance that he's going through time to undo the events that brought us here?"
"Time travel doesn't work like that," said Shuri. "Changing the past can only branch into a new line of time."
"True," said Vision, "but the highly advanced individuals we've just encountered claimed to be masters of time, and surely they've found a way. Say one were exposed to time itself. He'd exist at all time at once. With his variants, this Kang just may be able to do that."
"So you're saying," began Shang Chi, "this asshole can Back To The Future his way out of things just because he exists everywhere in time?"
"Precisely. But, it gets more complex than that."
"Vis, dude, keep it simple," said Sam.
"Simple," said Marc. "I can't even remember half of what you said."
Vision gave an annoyed sigh.
"Say the Council or someone higher were to destroy whole timelines. The less there are, the more easier time is to grasp and control."
"Not that confusing," muttered Steven.
"It doesn't matter how confusing it is," grumbled Sam, "what matters is we stop this last Kang guy from destroying timelines or whatever he's doin'. Question is, where is he and what exactly is he gonna do?"
They all looked about in distant space. It seemed as if they were walking on an invisible platform in the cold emptiness.
Footsteps were heard echoing closer.
"Should have known this place would be found sooner than later," said a hooded figure.
"Reveal yourself!" shouted Thor.
"Very well, your worship," said the figure in a mocking tone.
The figure came closer.
"No..."
The word came loosely from Reed.
The armor. The green hood. The mask.
It was Victor Von Doom.
"Oh, surprised to see me? Well... who'd you expect?"
Thor roared and threw Mjolnir directly at Doom's face, but Doom simply smacked it away with his hand.
"Don't bother. I've doubled in power and intellectual capacity."
"Where is Love?!"
"It would seem she was... sent away before I could use her. Your brother is ever the trickster he's always been. All my foes, here in one place. Who'd have thought?"
Thor summoned Mjolnir back to his hand.
"Give up, Doom," said Johnny.
"There is... too many of us for you to handle," said the younger Professor X, a determined look on his face.
"Oh, but that's where you're wrong. I've got a lot of bots in my cause, here at the edge of night. But you wanna know who I've brought to be my general in this pathetic war?"
"No... No, you can't have" stated the older Professor X.
"Oh, yes," said Doom with a snicker.
"Ah, shit. Another cameo coming up," said Deadpool.
Another figure in a cape flew next to Doom.
The Professors recognized him immediately.
"Erik?!"
Indeed, Magneto was before them.
"Surprise, Charles."
"How could you be with him?!"
"He's promised me everything. Nothing you could give me, even in your deepest lie."
"Erik, keep them busy, would you?"
Magneto nodded, as Doom walked past him. His helmet appeared onto his head, and everyone charged at him.
Erik raised his hand, and hundreds of Doom Bots flew in, attacking everyone.
Deadpool did a flip, swinging his katana and chopping a Bot clean in half.
Reed stretched out his arms, grabbing two Bots and yanking them close, bashing them against each other.
"SMASH!" shouted Maestro as he clapped, hitting several Bots back.
Ben snatched up two Bots, wailing them against others.
"Pathetic," grumbled Maestro as he, Skaar and She-Hulk fought off the Bots in typical Hulk fashion.
Erik used his power to create metal from thin air, shooting them directly at all who ran against him.
Peter 2 swung behind him, kicking him into Peter 3 and catching him off guard.
Peter 3 punched Erik, snatching him up by his back and throwing him at Peter 1.
As the Spider-Men continued to ambush Magneto, the younger Xavier noted that his helmet was breaking, and he attempted to tap into his mind.
Erik shouted, creating a large, metal shard that struck Peter 3 in the shoulder, somewhat held back by his symbiote.
The other two Spider-Men leapt in, only to be bashed down by a large, metal plate.
Erik turned to his former ally.
"You cannot penetrate my mind, Charles. You know that."
Rhodey flew in and began shooting at Erik, unloading round after round at him.
Erik simply made the bullets stop in place, and hit them all directly through Deadpool.
"God... damn it! You're getting blood all over my new suit!"
Rhodey aimed a missle directly at Erik's face, but it exploded as it came out, damaging his armor and landing him on his back.
The two Professors combined their power and attempted to stop Erik or reason with him by any means, but the mutant was too strong.
Erik stepped up to Rhodey, using his power to tighten the suit around him.
"Canopy, canopy!" Rhodey shouted desperately, but the War Machine armor would not come off.
"Foolish... to posess metal in the presence of a flame."
Suddenly, Wanda leapt down before him, using her magic to lift Erik and squeeze him, making him shout in pain.
"Your power... is useful!"
A chunk of metal flew at Wanda, knocking her down and releasing Erik.
"But... pointless, nonetheless."
Wanda looked up at him and prepared to hit him with more magic, but metal straps bound themselves around her hands.
"There is something... peculiar about you. A power I've not recognized since..."
He trailed off, before a hammer swung by, knocking him down.
Doom left his adversaries and ally behind, walking out towards the colorful distance.
Little did he know, one figure appeared behind him.
He turned to face his new foe.
Kang stood there.
"Well, if it isn't a variant of those clowns that started this spinning cycle of hell."
"If it isn't the man carrying out what I wanted," remarked Kang.
"Spare me the prolonged speech," said Doom. "I know about you. I know you. Hell, I am you."
"You know nothing!"
"I know you seek to burn down... to destroy... but, in the end, rebuild! And give new meaning. For that is, indeed, what conquerors do. No?"
Kang snarled at Doom, despising the man.
"Oh, there's something more, isn't there? I know you were defeated in the Quantum Realm. I know... someone helped you escape!"
Kang shouted and tried to blast Doom, only for Doom to disappear and reappear next to him, punching him square in the mask and destroying it as he stumbled backwards.
"You were given power... that you could only use to escape! But, come now. Gods aren't given power to be restricted. Gods take power... to rule!"
Doom kicked Kang to his back, and walked around him.
"Pathetic... you call yourself a conqueror? You're nothing compared to me... dog! A mutt itself could put up a better defense. This chance... will not be passed upon again."
With that, Doom grabbed Kang by the face and started to chant. From his throne outside the multiverse, Loki knew now everything that had to be done. He held tighter onto the branches, and he sighed to himself before he closed his eyes, waiting for it to come.