This world was born quite recently. The actions of Doctor Fate and Magneto altered history in nearly unfathomable ways. Where two stories ended, another began. The universes of the World's Finest and Earth's Mightiest collided creating heroes of great renown, and villains of horrific infamy. But the nature of this combined universe built its new denizens off past connections. While the circumstances which created the heroes we meet appears random, they were born from the chains forged in their past lives.

The beauty of this new world is that we see how those of different universes with preestablished connections created new bonds. I am the Phantom Watcher, the once Spirit of Justice, and an observer the same as you, who must not interfere with the newly unfolding universe. I will be your guide in understanding the narrative labyrinth that is the Amalgam, its champions, and its demons.

We peer into the LMI Watchtower the following day after our last foray with the Blind Bat. Today, four sit around the meeting table to discuss what to do with the reclaimed Helm of Iscariot. In attendance were the usual suspects: Blind Bat, Wonder Crystal, and Cyberman waited at one side of the table, all in costume. The Helm of Iscariot sat in front of the Bat. All three seemed visibly annoyed at the man who sat on the other side of the table.

The fourth in question was a stocky man of Egyptian descent. His face was grizzled, unkempt black sideburns peppered the sides while his hair seemed to point up like the ears of a wild animal. He was wider than he was tall, but that was all muscle. His frame hid beneath a large black trench coat, but that was not all that hid beneath. This was the aforementioned Logan Hall, the Wolfhawk.

He was a founding member of the Marvelous Society of America, serving in the war alongside the Sergeant before Erik and even Diana were recruited. Despite that, he didn't look much older than fifty. He was one of the oldest living metamutants, gifted with a ceaseless healing factor and a broad pair of wings currently hidden beneath his coat. Dating back to Ancient Egypt, he was once the great prince, Khufu the Howler.

Logan was also one of the few heroes to have joined, but later left the League of Marvelous Individuals. He had always been a gruff, sometimes aggravating presence, and not much of a team player. Living through many millennia turned him bitter and angry. But the reason Wolfhawk left concerned another member of the team; his ex-wife Kendra Munroe, Stormbird. In his mouth was a half burnt out cigar. He chomped on it impatiently as he awaited the berating he knew was coming.

Cyberman was the first to speak up after what felt like five minutes of uncomfortable silence. "I'm going to put this in the politest way I can provide to someone of your…stature. What the hell is wrong with you?!" the cyborg chastised to Logan, slamming his non-robotic fist on the table.

"Victor, calm down. We can address this issue in a way that's more constructive." Diana interjected, placing a firm hand on his shoulder. She gave him a disapproving glare akin to a mother to a child. She then directed that gaze to Logan, "Now Logan, how can we fix what is wrong with you?" she asked in a calm tone.

Logan looked at Diana and Victor, the tension was thick enough to cut with the claws on his gauntlet. "Ugh, I felt guilty, okay. Fate and I never made up after the situation with Oro-…sorry, Kendra. I wanted to honor him after he died. I utilized a little showmanship, sue me, Princess." He answered with a groan. There was no use lying with the Bat six feet away from him.

The Blind Bat was quiet, his mind was elsewhere with thoughts of Erik's daughter. He wondered whether having her meet Logan would do any good. At least before they fell out, the Fatal Compass and Wolfhawk were close friends throughout the years. Perhaps the perspective from someone who knew her father much better would be helpful. Maybe he even knew about her already. But he had to focus on the task at hand. "The statue was actually quite nice; it's having the real helmet on top of it that's the issue. Someone almost stole it, and they could've become a greater problem."

Logan rolled his eyes, then realized that the Bat couldn't even see the gesture, "Well we all know somebody's gotta take his place. If anyone did steal the helmet, either wearing it overloads them with power and kills them, or the stupid god inside it uses them as a puppet and does what Erik did before. Eventually if we waited long enough, it would turn out okay." He answered callously. Logan had still been grieving the loss of Erik and setting up a successor was his way of doing his legacy justice. "Like it or not, without Fate, the League is half as strong as you used to be. Someone's gotta step up. Back in our day, we had enough on the bench so that losing one guy wasn't a wipe."

"You can't just replace him like that, especially so recklessly." Diana chimed in, "Besides, what about his daughter? He'd been training her to take his place. His next of kin should have a say in his legacy."

"Which one? The agoraphobe with the ring, or the one that turned into a cat after you shagged her?" Logan bit back. He never liked Diana much, even back during the MSA days. It was actually his idea to keep her as their secretary even after knowing exactly who she was. Usually, Sergeant Speed would serve as a mediator between their bickering, but he wasn't here at the moment.

Diana clenched her fists, ready to climb over the table and torch him with the flame slowly generating in the palm of her hand under the table. Blind Bat could feel the rise in temperature radiating within her, and in response, gently held her back. Matt always knew what everyone was feeling based on a combination of heartbeats, perspiration, and subtle changes in voice tone that would be unnoticed by the normal ear. Wonder Crystal was the one Matt understood the best. He knew how often her emotions would flare up, and by proxy, how much she held back behind an ever-present smile for the sake of the team, and the people. Because of this, he respected her deeply.

She took a deep breath and quickly calmed down, putting back on her shining diamond smile. "We're not here to talk about what happened to Minerva, let's remain on topic. If I were to stoop to your level, I would show you the lovely photos from Kendra and T'Kurri's wedding. It's a shame you weren't invited. But bringing our romantic lives into such a serious matter would be in poor taste, would it not?" She asked the brute with a cheeky smile. Diana had shared the same animosity towards Logan since the Golden Age. But the core difference between the two of them was that she knew how to tear someone apart in a classy and civil way. She was also a diplomat after all.

Logan scowled at Diana, but he knew a tube floating in space wasn't the best place for a fight. "Fine, point taken. Sorry Crystal, but even if we could find Minerva, neither of the Maximoffs are cut out for the helm. Jessica's been on sabbatical from the League since Erik died; she doesn't have the guts for it. Even some random idiot is a better fit than her."

"I actually have to agree with Buffalo Wild Wings on this one." Victor responded, sounding a little surprised himself at who he ended up siding with, "Emerald Witch is a ticking time bomb, and with the ring of Cthrona, she could wipe us out like that. Giving her even more power, especially when she's still grieving her pops, not a smart move."

"I think you're glancing over the fact that she's still a person. A vulnerable one at that who's still dealing with a lot of grief," the Blind Bat interjected, obviously empathetic for the situation. "Am I afraid of what Jessica could do? Yes, of course I am. But she's just as afraid of that power herself. And without her father to train her power, she needs the support of the League more than ever. I think, at least to keep a closer eye on her, we should bring her back into the fold."

Diana gave a nod of approval to the Bat, briefly considering how that was fruitless to a blind man but then realizing he could have at least perceived the movement of her head, "Seconded, as for the Helm, it goes back to Fate's Tower. It's wise to keep it within the mystical protections."

"Alright so what the hell am I supposed to do about the statue that got ripped apart? That was expensive metalwork! How did it even get destroyed like that, Bat?!" Logan interjected, growing frustrated with how the meeting he was forced to be apart of was so unceremoniously derailed.

"I'm looking into that situation, let me deal with that." The Bat answered sharply. This was a situation that he did not want to bring the rest of the League into just yet.

"As for that statue, you have insurance don't you Logan?" Diana asked feigning a naïve smile to spite him.

Logan rolled up his sleeve to reveal a gauntlet on his arm. He squeezed a mechanism in his hand and popped a claw out from the center of the gauntlet. The brute then raised his hand to use the claw to give Diana the middle finger. "Can I go now? I have other shit to do."

"Not just yet. There's still the subject of the stolen Adth Metal." Victor interjected. "The crowbar that nearly bashed Thunderman's brains in was made of the stuff. That had to have come from your stash, no?"

"Don't know what to tell you, bub." Logan responded with a shrug. Sure, back in his first life, all of the world's Adth metal was in his possession. His weapons were made of the stuff, the bones in his wings were lined with it to allow him to fly under mystical properties, but after years of dying and coming back more pissed, the Wolfhawk abandoned his kingdom and thus his collection of the mystical metal. "It's not like I control every ounce of the stuff. Might've come from my stash, might not have. I'm not the only rich jerk who could've collected it. Figure it out yourselves. Now can I go?"

Victor was exasperated with Logan at this point, "Yeah, whatever. Just go and be your angry little bird wolf man self, eat some worms, howl at the moon, I don't care. You left the team, which means you shouldn't have to be my problem anymore."

Logan snickered to himself as he climbed up over the table to step onto the teleporter, "Send me home, Tin Man." He called out before being warped back down to Earth.

Victor held his forehead, "I am so glad he's gone," he commented exhaustedly. The cyborg had been up all night on monitor duty, handling minor threats. "Alright, next order of business. Who's going to the Tower of Fate to drop off the Helm, and convince Jessica to come back to work?"

"I have business to attend to in Goth's Kitchen, Foggy volunteered us for some benefit that I have to attend. It's bad PR to have the top billed partner never appear in public." The Bat answered, he would have been happy to do it, but he still had responsibilities as Matthew Wayne. "Thor is off all over the place, looking for Loxxi after you set him off like a wind-up toy soldier."

"Sarge is bouncing around Europe today; he's been weeding out some remnants of Hydra with SHIELD. And I have a meeting with Director Fury concerning extradition of members of my sisterhood back to Themyscrattilan." Diana added, alongside training emerging Inhuman Amazons, she had been working with SHIELD as the ambassador for her home island and worked to uphold the rights of her kin.

Victor sighed in annoyance, "Okay so with you four out of the question, Black Orca and Stormbird not returning my calls, and me being absolutely terrified of the Witch, that just leaves Banner."

"He's been busy at the university. I'd hate to take him away from his important work," Diana mentioned reluctantly.

"Banner's got as much of a responsibility to us. Besides, if things go wrong with her, he's got the best chance of taking a hit." Victor retorted.

"Maybe we should start expanding our personnel. Nine people can't monitor the entire planet. Even the Society had fifteen." Diana suggested, "I hate to admit it, but Wolfhawk had a point. We need more people to fill in the gaps the Fatal Compass left behind."

"Let's table this issue and discuss another day." The Blind Bat answered. He had complicated feelings for the current League as is, adding more members would only complicate things further. But if he were to get more of his own people on board, it may benefit him long-term. There was much to ruminate on, "Shoot Banner a call and get him down there. I trust him to handle the rest."


Meanwhile, on the secluded island of Genosha, just off the Mediterranean Coast, sat an imposingly tall stone tower. The island radiated an otherworldly aura as it shielded itself from the world in an ethereal fog. This place was pure, it was sacred, and it was once the base of operations for the Fatal Compass: The Tower of Fate.

Without Erik Nelson there to maintain this bastion of order, his second eldest daughter, Jessica Maximoff resided within it. A strange trend among all of Fate's children being none of them take his surname. Supposedly, the man's distance from the non-magical world led all his children to be closer to their mothers. But in the trends of the narratives of the multiverse, mothers, including one Inza Maximoff, never seem to last very long. Who is to blame for this odd trend? Perhaps Walt Disney, but who knows?

In the years before the death of Fate, he had trained Jessica in the ways of magic. While he wanted to spare his youngest daughter from the throes of the superhero world, that courtesy was not spared to his others. Jessica and her twin sister Minerva were both early new additions to the League of Marvelous Individuals. Erik gifted the twins the ring of Cthrona, and the Talisman of Urzcotatiaga. While Minerva underwent other circumstances, including a short-lived romantic relationship with Wonder Crystal, that led to her leaving the team quite quickly, Jessica remained in the League under the pseudonym of the Emerald Witch.

Jessica's role on the team was to be the long-ranged powerhouse. The intention was for her to fill the role left behind by founding LMI member Carol Jordan, the Green Marvel. Her ring allowed her to fly and create constructs powered by her own will. While sometimes this made her a great boon to the League, Ms. Maximoff was typically somewhat of a liability. The enemy of will is fear, and Jessica was one who held much of that.

In Jessica's adolescence, during a period when her father wasn't around, she had undergone a traumatic episode which gave her aggressive agoraphobia, the fear of leaving one's home and venturing out into the world. Erik had hoped giving her the ring and a place on the pantheon would give Jessica the sense of safety she needed to overcome this fear. A lot of hard work and courage allowed her to be a part of the world again. But since the death of her father, that strength faded, and Jessica fell into a depressive state. She has since regressed back into her old habits.

Up near the top of the tower, Jessica sat in an old, dusty armchair. She had her arm raised with her hand in a fist. She stared at the ring on her middle finger and tried to focus. Maybe she'd make something from it today. But she didn't really see the point. She once enjoyed the thrill of being a hero, rising against her fears and turning them into something positive. But with all her immediate family being dead or effectively gone, it was hard for her to care about anything anymore. There wasn't much driving her to keep going.

The ground started to subtly tremor, and that tremor became a rumble, then the rumble a quake. Something large was trudging through the fog surrounding the Tower. Jessica grew worried, the Tower was supposed to be secluded, closed off from the world, just as she felt. She pulled herself out of the chair and ran to a window overlooking the perimeter. A monster had found its way to the Tower of Fate, but perhaps this wasn't a bad thing in this case.

The monster in question stood nine feet tall, 800 pounds of pure muscle, its skin was green and almost glowing with power. On a less threatening note, he wore a purple suit with a large emblem of the Greek letter "Gamma" plastered across the chest paired with a pristine, white cape and hood. His hair was greasy and slicked back, but the monster's expression was a smile displaying naught but warmth and empathy. This monster was more affectionately known as Captain Gamma, but he also goes by "SHAHULK!"

Jessica sighed in relief upon seeing SHAHULK, she considered the beast a friend, at least in comparison to the rest of the team. "Hey Cap! What are you here for?" she shouted down to the green beast.

"Cyberman sent me! Just here to talk and drop a thing off!" he shouted back up, speaking simply, but clearly.

"Just let yourself in!" Jessica called back down before returning to her chair.

Captain Gamma lumbered to the base of the tower, looking for a certain spot. The Tower of Fate had no conventional points of entry to prevent those not of mystical creed from entering. The monster though did have such a background.

He was empowered by seven divine champions to be an unstoppable force for good. There was the Wisdom of Solomon, the Swiftness of Hermes, Stamina of Atlas, the Green Fire (colloquially known as Gamma Radiation) of Hades, the Flight of Uranus, the Rage of Lyssa, and what was important for this scenario, the Strength of Kratos.

Captain Gamma spotted the prime spot at the base of the tower, and he threw a massive haymaker of a punch. The huge green fist smashed through the enchanted walls of the tower, revealing a gratuitously long spiral staircase leading up to the top of the tower. The beast entered the tower, the wall magically repairing itself behind him. The captain looked at the rising stairs and groaned, "Ugh, hate the stairs."

Endowed with the Wisdom of Solomon, Captain Gamma knew the fastest way to get to the top. He moved to the center of the tower, and empowered by the titan Uranus, leapt up through the tower, rocketing up past flight after flight of stairs. He burst through room and after room until he reached the top of the tower. There were now around 23 broken floors in the tower, but by the time Captain Gamma found his footing, they were repaired again by the magics of the tower.

Jessica gave a small smile, somewhat amused by the giant's antics. She gave an aloof "Hey," before she motioned her hand to point over to a chair for Gamma to sit down.

Captain Gamma grabbed a dining table chair and laced it down across from the cozy spot Jessica was sitting in. It was far too small for him, making his position comical to witness, but the man in purple kept his composure. "So, how've you been Jess?" he asked looking at Jessica concerned.

In the six months since her father died, Jessica stopped taking care of herself. She never left the Tower, her negative feelings compounding her agoraphobia. Her golden-brown complexion turned pale, sitting in the shadows for so long. Her eyes sunken, lost weight, a noticeable lack of life in her eyes. If one squinted, they would assume she was Elizabeth Olsen. But that would be preposterous, for one of Roma descent wouldn't look like her. "You know, same old, same old. Been reading a lot of Dad's books. I don't understand what half of them say but, staring at the pages makes me feel like I've done something worthwhile," Jessica responded sounding very aloof.

"That's why I'm here actually," Gamma explained, "Stark, Bats, and Crystal want you back." His voice was deep and gravelly, he spoke simply, but succinctly.

Jessica laughed in spite of herself at the answer, "Stark? He's been trying to get rid of me ever since I got this stupid ring," she responded holding out her fist.

"Well, we got five people on call and Blind Bat's part-time, you can't save the world with six people."

"And what, that's our job?" Jessica asked, "Why lay down our lives for a world who fears us, who fears you?"

Captain Gamma paused, there was truth to that. The two that sat in this room were members of the League who were first presented to the world with apprehension. When the green monster known as SHAHULK was unleashed on the world eight years ago, he was feared. An unstoppable force of nature who in his early years, didn't have full control of his power and caused great destruction, albeit unintentionally. It took years to gain the trust of those he protected, but he earned it.

Meanwhile, the few times the Emerald Witch had appeared on the scene, the people were wary of her presence. The power of the ring was chaotic by nature. Its only limit was her imagination, and what Jessica imagined were eldritch abominations representative of her anxieties. Monsters of fear rampaged the field when she arrived, and it was quite effective in repelling major threats. While weaponizing her own negative feelings to fight evil was cathartic, those she saved were terrified of what she could do. Even some of the League held this fear. Though without the fire in her eyes, the witch was fairly docile.

"That responsibility is heavy, but we are strong. You need to be strong. It's hard, but the world needs us," Captain Gamma answered after a brief contemplation.

Jessica sighed and rolled her eyes, "Why me though? There aren't better people for the team? Surely the world deserves better." She pulled the ring off her finger, her eyes turned from a bright green to a dull hazel, "I'm not one of you. Never have been. And I don't want to be."

Captain Gamma took a moment to absorb her answer. He was growing a little frustrated with Jessica. But then he knew a way to better reach her, "Excuse me for a sec." The jade giant stood up from his tiny chair and walked down to the 23rd floor of the tower. Jessica heard him yell "SHAHULK!" in a booming voice, followed by the sound of a booming explosion. Green light flashed from the stairwell, and a young man in a tattered purple hoodie arose from below.

Beneath the exterior of Captain Gamma lied Billy Banner. Despite his age, he was one of the world's more seasoned heroes. He'd been given the powers of SHAHULK when he was twelve, and the experience as Captain Gamma gave him a better understanding of what it meant to be a hero than most. The two beings were once dual personalities, but with time, they bled into each other. Time and experience made them into a single unit bent on making the world a better place. He decided to change back to his mortal form so he could express his next points not as a god to look up to, but a man.

Banner sat down in the chair, fitting much better now. He set a backpack down next to him. Perhaps the magic transformation sent any of Banner's stuff to a pocket dimension, but that is unimportant at the given moment. "Well, now I'm like you. And as a friend, I can't stand to see you wallow like this. The happiest I've seen you is when you're fighting alongside us. You care about the good of humanity just as much as the rest of us. Like it or not, you ARE a hero. So, what is this really about?"

Jessica took a deep breath, "I have big shoes to fill, Billy. I have all this power, but I'm damaged goods," she admitted looking out the window, "I've hid myself away because if I come back, all they'll see is a disappointment."

Banner was taken aback by the last remark, "Disappointment? Do you think that's what you are?"

"Dad wanted me to be his successor. He trained me be strong like you said. To specifically to take his spot on the League. And when that time came, and he was gone, I was weak, and I've stayed here for six months," Jessica lamented, staring at the ring in her hand. "Of course, I feel bad for hiding, but I'm scared."

"Scared of what?" Banner asked.

"That I make things worse." Jessica answered quietly, "That I hurt people who don't deserve it. That if I take my shot at being some big hero, I'll lose control of my emotions and destroy the world." Jessica held the ring up in front of her face, staring at through the hole, "This ring brings out the best, and the worst in me. And I don't want to give the world my worst."

"Then don't," Banner replied rather bluntly.

"What?"

"I've been in possession of some of the most volatile magic for years, and I'll admit I have made a lot bad situations worse. And like you, it was because I couldn't control my emotions, specifically my rage," Banner explained as he held up his arms and clenched his fists. "I lost my mother; I don't want to talk about my father. Those bad feelings I had were enhanced by Hulking out, and that made me dangerous to everybody."

"Okay, so what's your point?" Jessica asked, skeptical of wherever Banner was going.

"The only reason I gained the trust of the people was because I had the League backing me. I had people who cared about me, and they brought the best out of me. I'm stronger than I ever could have been if I worked alone." Banner answered with a proud smile across his face.

Jessica mulled over his points, "It's a higher standard now, I don't want to hold the team back."

"You're scared to fall short of the rest of us, we'll prop you up." Banner continued, standing up out of his chair and walking over to Jessica. He placed a hand on her shoulder, "Hiding here, wallowing in your own self-pity is not going to do yourself any good. If you want to grow past your father's death, you're best grieving with the rest of us. We'll help you through it."

Jessica sniffled, wiping a tear from her face. "I miss him, Billy."

"Me too, Jess. But he would want you to live a life you're proud of. And he'd want us to look out for you." Billy said turning around and grabbing his backpack. He unzipped the bag and retrieved the Helm of Iscariot from within. "We're not asking you to replace him, just show the world that we're right to have faith in you. That I'm right to have faith in you."

Jessica stared at my helm in Billy's hands, or more accurately, she stared at its hollowness, the lack of a face in the helmet. "I…gave this to Logan because I couldn't bring myself to look at it." She said with a shudder in her voice. "But, maybe keeping it here will remind me that I need to keep living."

"Does that mean you're coming back?" Billy asked hopefully, setting my helm on a side table next to Jessica's chair.

Jessica looked down at the ring in her hand. She stood up from her chair and put it back on her finger. Her eyes shined once again with an elegant emerald green. "Give me a few days to charge my ring back up. I don't know where I left the lantern, and I'll need to work up a lot to recharge. But yeah, I'll be back." She answered giving a small smile. There was a long road left ahead for her to fully come to terms with her grief and her fear, but she was taking the first step.

Billy smiled and rushed in to hug the Emerald Witch. Caught a little off guard, Jessica froze briefly, but hugged the boy back. This was also probably some of the first human affection shown to her in a while. "Prove me right, Jess. We're counting on you."

Jessica took a deep breath, taking in a new weight on her shoulders, "I'll try."

Billy sighed and pulled away, "Best I can ask for. I hope to see you soon." The boy stepped back and threw his backpack on.

He turned towards the window. There wasn't any glass, just a large gaping hole in the stone tower. Banner took a sprinter's position. Jessica pieced together what he was about to do, unsure whether to stop him or not. But before she could act, he ran towards the window and jumped out of it. The boy plummeted towards the ground, but halfway down, he yelled the magic word "SHAHULK!" And with a loud boom and a flash of green light, Captain Gamma arose. He turned to face Jessica and gave her a wave. Jessica snickered and waved back. The captain then turned around and rocketed through the air, soaring back from whence he came. Whence he came was in fact, Ohio.

Jessica sighed and looked around the tower. She had let it fall into disarray after months of apathy. She then looked down at her ring, "Well, looks like I have some work to do."


Across the world, Thunderman soared over the ocean as he reached the beautiful Smolberg, Norway. He breathed in the salty sea air as he dragged a fishing boat by a chain back to shore. The rain was hard today, and the noble fishermen were caught in a nasty storm. Thor was already on his way to this location and was luckily able to save the men on route.

Thunderman pulled the boat onto the stony beach with care as to not damage the hull against the rocks. The three fishermen aboard rushed off the boat and crowded around Thor. They showered the god with praise and reverence to their savior.

"Now now, no need for praise, return to your families. They're waiting for you," Thor tried to calm the worshippers down. The fishermen did not relent, as they now started to kiss the ground he stood on. "Okay maybe just a little bit more," Thor then relented himself. Despite being raised with humility, his godly nature was still apt to accept tribute such as this for his deed. After about another minute, he shooed them away, "Okay, that's enough."

Once the worship ceased, and the fishermen dispersed back into the village, Thor took out his hammer and slammed the handle against the ground. With a loud thunder crack and a strike of lightning, Thunderman was gone. All that remained now was an older gentleman in a dark blue suit and tie, paired with a smart pair of glasses.

This is the mortal form of Thor-El, Donald Kent. His hammer now transformed into a walking stick. Donald looked to the skies as it was still raining hard. He felt the drops cascade against his face for moment or so. Afterward, he strolled up the beach to enter the town which he called his home.

This quaint little village off the coast was a second home to him. Decades ago, when he and his half-brother Loxxi were banished from Asgard, Thor was sent here, his flesh made mortal and his life reset to infancy. To teach his son humility, Od-El had further cursed his son with a lame leg. He would need to walk with a cane for the rest of his life. Thor-El's mortal form was adopted by humble farmers Blake and Gaia Kent. They would raise him as Donald, teaching the blank slate of a boy the traditional values of truth, justice, and a better tomorrow. It was they who molded the once brash and war hungry God of Steel into the kind, humble, and benevolent God of Tomorrow.

By having Thor live a completely different life of a weaker man, Od-El intended to teach his son to respect the realms which Asgard protected. Perspective would give Thor a new outlook on humanity, and eventually he was once again worthy to wield the hammer Krypton. Though by the time he did, Asgard was destroyed. So, Earth had become Thor's permanent home. Even after regaining the memories of his old life, Thor-El still saw the Kents as his true parents. They were long gone, now. The Kents passed away peacefully in their eighties a few years ago. He loved them dearly, but the most important lesson the Kents had taught him were the beauty and fragility of life, and how to cope with death.

Donald Kent gingerly traversed through the streets of Smolberg. The downpour didn't seem to bother him, even in this state. He waved and smiled to the people on the sidewalk as he soldiered on through the weather. Despite his bum leg, Kent was a strong man, years on a farm would build as such. His wide frame would cast a mighty shadow had there been sun. Perhaps he so eagerly returned his human form out of nostalgia. Perhaps he felt a need for vulnerability to continuously feel closer to those he saved. Or maybe, Thor just liked the outfits he got to wear as Donald Kent. The true answer is inconclusive.

It was a small village, and after around 20 minutes of walking through the rain, he arrived at the edge of town. In view was another stony beach. Massive boulders were scattered across the shore, not having any real rhyme or pattern to them. Forced up against a large cliff were a series of large stone spikes, protruding off in all directions. At their center lie a majestic, golden door. This was the Cavern of Solitude. This was once an old childhood cave Donald played in, but now transformed into his private base of operations.

Donald stepped up to the door and reached down to a key hidden under a rock. With a slight strain, he tried to pick up the key, but failed. He then remembered the key was made of dwarf-star compressed metal. It was the best security system he could think of. It was so heavy; he'd need to transform back into Thor just to pick it up. He laughed in spite of himself for forgetting something so important.

Donald raised his cane and struck it against a nearby boulder. And with another thunder crack, and lightning strike, Thunderman returned. Afterward, he picked up his key, unlocked the door, and dropped it back to the ground, leaving a loud thud. He then covered the key back with a rock, and Thor entered his cavern.

Inside the cavern, a beautiful menagerie of gems and crystals lined the walls. Alcoves full of previous armors Thor had previously worn were stacked against the back of cave. This was another place where Thor felt at peace with himself.

He came back here to collect his thoughts after a long two days of searching for any remains of Loxxi. Thor had visited Jotunheim, hoping to learn whereabouts from Lorelei Graves, but to no avail. He searched every known warehouse and shell corporation Loxxi's company once held a grip over.

While Thor was raised in a quaint Norwegian village for his second chance at life, Loxxi was given to the descendant of his birth mother, Laura Fey Luthorson. Od-El got around on Earth in his prime. The Luthorson bloodline just so happened to become one of the wealthiest families on Earth. This was a bit of an oversight in efforts to teach his sons humility, but by the time Od-El realized this, Asgard blew up.

Thor had even tried using the internet to search for possible leads on Loxxi. Unfortunately, all Thor found was a combination of teenage girls fawning over his brother's looks and roguish charm and faux intellectuals parading the thought dead billionaire as a fallen savior. Those, and a series of unsavory art had convinced Thunderman to never use the internet for research ever again. This provided a new perspective on what Victor must go through every day. But at that point, Thor had all but gave up hope on finding his brother.

Shaking off the twisted memories of the digital horrors he had witnessed, Thor stepped through his trophy room. Upon pedestals were memorabilia of many of his greatest battles. There was the axe of Lobo the Executioner, the Casket of Eternal Night once wielded by Eclipso the Accursed, and the massive horned helm of Brainiactus. Among others, the most important artifact was the Silent Zone Projector. This was a machine he used to banish his most dangerous enemies so that they could not escape into the mortal world. The one thing out of place was on the pedestal that once housed the tiara of Maxima the Enchantress. In its place was what appeared to be a snake.

Thor stared at the snake confused for a moment. "Well, hello there limbless one," Thor greeted the snake politely. He looked around to see if the tiara had fallen off and was lying around somewhere. Upon failing to find it, Thor went to pick up the snake. He had quite liked snakes after all.

As Thor lifted the snake up from the pedestal, it flashed a green light. The visage of a small serpent twisted and transformed into that of Loxxi Luthorson. Loxxi let out a yelp, shouting "MBLERGH! It's me," and proceeded to stab Thor in the side with a small dagger. The man then fled from his brother's hold and landed a few feet away from him.

Loxxi stood a few inches shorter than his brother, but he lacked the impressive physique. He was scrawny, barely filling out the expensive emerald green suit he wore. But where he lacked in brawn, Loxxi had cunning and an aptitude for magic. He was also bald, but he hid the follicular deficiency with a golden helmet with curved horns off the front. "Ah, hello brother, hope I didn't startle you," Loxxi greeted, completely brushing over the fact he just stabbed Thor.

Thor was flush with a well of emotions. One, he was ecstatic to see his brother alive. Two, he was confused on how he was alive. Three, he was angry that his brother had just stabbed him. And four, he was embarrassed that he fell for the same trick Loxxi would consistently pull on him during their first childhood on Asgard. He stammered for a moment before eventually composing himself to ask the big question. "Loxxi, how are you back?"

Loxxi brushed some dust off his jacket before answering, "Well, when you saw Ghanoseid choke me out, that wasn't really me. That was an illusion I constructed prior, and I made a deal with someone to get me out of there. You didn't really think I would try to kill the most powerful being in the universe, with a damn knife, would you?"

Thor looked down at the knife in his side. He pulled it out and tossed it at the ground, "Frankly, brother, it seems pretty on brand for you. So, you just left me to die?!" He asked now quite upset given the information.

"Well, I had a feeling you'd be fine. And look, I was right! So, no harm, no fowl, eh Thor?" Loxxi asked moving in closer to Thor, only to pick up and sheathe his knife.

"I mourned your death, I had a few to mourn that day already," Thor responded bitterly.

"Yes, I heard. Pity about Fate. Never liked him much, though," Loxxi added callously.

Thor sighed with exasperation, "I'm never going to learn, am I? I love you, brother. But you try my patience to the Nth Degree. Why are you here? And while it's on my mind, what was your plan with the Wrecking Gang?"

Loxxi was one of the longest standing foes to Thunderman and the LMI. His greater goals once he relearned his past were to conquer Earth, truly become a God again, and do it alongside his brother. Growing up exceedingly rich, he never truly valued human life. Once he learned he was half Asgardian, that respect for humanity dwindled even further. He'd be handily defeated many times, but he always came back. This time seemed different though.

"Oh Thor, have I broken your resolve for me already? Color me disappointed," Loxxi said feigning sadness as he tapped his cheek, casting an illusion to color his skin a pale blue, only to fade back to normal. "I'm here to offer good tidings. I'm quitting world domination! I created that little diversion for you to get your attention. I wanted you to come find me, so I could give you the good news!" he announced with great gusto.

Thor was thrown off by the revelation, "What? I mean…that's good. But what caused this change of heart, brother?"

Loxxi smirked, "Well, after I abandoned you, it put things into perspective for me. Jotunheim brought me power, I controlled so much of what humans relied on. But I always felt empty. I had always thought it was because I wanted more, or that I wanted you to rule with me. No, it was something much simpler."

"What was it?"

"The people I "ruled" over did not respect me. They used and feared me. A ruler is merely but a tool used by the people to blame in hard times, and partake in with good times. Bureaucracy were the greatest chains I ever cast aside. It wasn't power that I wanted. It was adoration. A god's power does not derive from worship, but from true love to their patron. I wish to be loved by the world," Loxxi explained with great passion towards his plan. He took short steps back towards the artifacts, spreading out his arms in fanfare.

Thor was iffy on his brother's outlook, but it was better than it was before. He was going to humor him, at least for the moment. "Well, it's a start. Does that mean you wish to be a hero?"

"Yes, I do." Loxxi answered, "For years, I have envied this new life you've taken on as the savior of the people. Only now, do I understand what it truly is, and I am going to get myself a piece of that pie. I shall be better than you ever were. I shall make this world better than it ever has been under your protection," he boasted with a snicker, his tone turning more sinister.

Thor frowned, "Glory, is that all you seek? Have you learned nothing from your time on Midgard?"

"I've learned that humanity can be more than just drones for mindless work. That I did learn from you, brother. Additionally, the value of teamwork has been something that I've been forced to understand. So, taking a page out of your book, I'm assembling a League of my own!"

Thor grew worried again, "Okay Loxxi, what is it that you're planning to do?" As he asked, Thor motioned forward towards his brother. Loxxi was closer to the other artifacts. He could easily go for something. He readied his hammer in case there was need for a fight.

"Well brother, I have some friends in high and low places. A benefactor here and there, a few skilled fighters, but mostly those who can help me change the world," Loxxi answered as he inched his way backwards toward the Silent Zone Projector.

"In your image I assume," Thor asked as he reached for his hammer.

"Well, perhaps somewhat. Every great piece of art has some aspect of the artist within. But this shall be a community effort. I will reshape this world so that we all get what we want."

"And what is that you want, Loxxi?"

Loxxi sighed, "I want my brother back." He paused to reflect on their lives, "We were inseparable for over a millennium. But ever since Father cast us away, you've changed. You look at me as if I'm the creeping monster in the night. Your time as a so-called hero has alienated you from who you once were. Who we once were! The "God of Tomorrow", what even is that? Maybe if I'm finally on your level, we can finally go back to being a family. That's all I've ever wanted!"

Thor sighed, he sympathized with his brother's perceived feelings of loss. But the man Thor-El once was had not been one he was proud of. "I always thought I could make you better. But you never change. I don't know what you have planned, but I know it will be twisted. You deserve a better tomorrow too, Loxxi. But I can't give it to you." He raised his hammer and charged at Loxxi, prepared to strike him. Whether it be to incapacitate or kill him was unclear, but Thor knew his brother's silver tongue. Making a new world is never a good thing for the people who live in the old one.

Loxxi anticipated as such and quickly grabbed the Silent Zone Projector. Within another dimension, only accessible by this device, were those of extreme power. Inside were many rogue Asgardians who had similar delusions of grandeur Loxxi had. Because of this, he needed to retrieve someone inside he knew he could trust to follow him. So, Bal-Zod, Ur-Sif, and the Conquerors Three were out of the question. He did not end on good terms last he saw Lobo or Maxima either. So, while fiddling with the dials on the device, he found his one good option.

The projector itself did indeed look like an old movie projector. There were handles on the sides that allowed for portability. Loxxi aimed it like a gun as he pressed a button to release a ghastly figure from within. Another monster shot from a beam of light as it smacked the oncoming Thunderman across the face with what appeared to be a large, golden nail; the opposite of a hammer I suppose.

This monster stood near identical build and outfit to Thor, but with a few stark differences. The tunic was purple, not black, with the chest shield's logo mirrored. The supposed red boots were golden. No scale armor covered the arms, revealing sickly looking white skin. The helmet was identical, but the face was not. Instead of Thor's divine handsomeness, this being had the face of a horse. He looked sewn together like Frankenstein's monster, and this was Loxxi's monster.

"Beta Ray Zero, how awful to see you again, my monster," Loxxi cheered as he saw one of his creations. This was a clone of Thor that Loxxi once created to try and discredit Thunderman, but he severely degraded over time. He was made from a combination of Thor's, his own, and the DNA of a strange being called Corban the Super-Horse. The genetic cocktail made this being incredibly strong, but certainly unstable. Considerable brain damage also reversed the meanings of most of his vocabulary. Thor saw this beast too dangerous to keep around, so he kept Beta Ray Zero locked away.

"Bezarro ready to harm Luthor," Zero greeted in a droning, but slurred voice. Imperfect as he was, Loxxi almost loved this creature like a son, though he deeply hid this sentiment. He was strong, loyal, and at his core innocent. He was an obvious pick for his rising Legion.

Thor had recoiled from the initial strike of the nail. A red imprint appeared on his face as he charged back in to clash against Beta Ray Zero.

"Let him pass," Loxxi commanded to his monster as he ran off to steal other various artifacts from the trophy room.

"No," Beta Ray Zero said flatly. As Thor leapt up into the air to swing down with his hammer, Zero swung his nail up clash against the face of the hammer. Instead of stabbing Thor with the pointed end of his nail, Beta Ray Zero continued to keep whacking him in the face with the flat end, as if Thor's face was a pile of documents waiting to be stamped.

The two were evenly matched in strength, but they were both about to get stronger. Thor swung his hammer in an uppercut motion to send Beta Ray Zero through the ceiling of the cave, crashing through and exposing him to the elements. The storm outside raged on as the wind and the weather cascaded against the paragons of power. While the one known as Superman would gain his power from the sunlight of a clear sky, Thunderman gained his power from the clouds, the rain, and the lightning.

Thor and Beta hovered over the cavern as they raised their weapons into the air. Thunder rumbled around them as bolts of lightning crashed down onto them. Their hammer and nail absorbed them like lightning rods. Radiating with power, the two flew at each other again and battled for dominance.

Hammer clashed with nail, creating loud clangs akin to the booming thunder surrounding them. Between strikes of their weapons, flurries of punches and kicks landed instead. The two were of equal strength, but while Thor was controlled and refined, Beta Ray Zero's fighting style was unhinged and savage. As the two traded blows, Thor tried to talk Beta Ray Zero out of fighting between hits. Figuring out the linguistic labyrinth would be the core challenge here though, "Zero, Loxxi plans to use you for…good intent. You are a nothing but a weapon to him!"

Beta Ray Zero took this as Loxxi holding him in high regard, "Bezarro betray his destroyer. He hate me, leave to abandon me for a reason. He in my debt. If I lose to you, me get to be Thunderman," the creature explained as he opened up his maw to blast a barrage of lightning from his equine mouth.

Thor cringed from the heat of the electricity, but he held strong and delivered a similar stream of voltage from his eyes. "You are more than what he…unmade you, you can live a life…beneath what he desires of you! Help me…fix him…wait hold on," Thor fumbled through his words trying to reverse their meanings until he was sent hurdling back to through the hole made through the cavern, back to the ground. In the midst of the chaos, Beta Zero was left in the air, holding both the hammer and the nail.

Thor staggered to his feet as he looked up to see that creature wielding his hammer. Perhaps in Beta Zero's twisted sense of logic, he viewed himself as worthy to wield it, and that belief let him do so. He looked around to try and find Loxxi. What Thor found was an eldritch blast to the gut channeled through a scepter his brother had collected.

Loxxi ran his hands up the length of the staff, it was solid gold with the fang of a Daxamite Serpent, it was strong enough to do physical harm to Asgardians. It also served as a nice conduit for offensive magic, "I do appreciate you holding onto this beautiful specimen for me, brother. You were always so sentimental."

"I don't know what you're going to do, but I will stop you," Thor proclaimed as he outstretched his hand to call back his hammer.

"Hubris, at least you kept that part of yourself." Loxxi commented with a smirk, "Your League exists to bolster your own egos, and as a result, you have left so many behind."

"First lesson of business: Turn any weakness into a strength. I shall take your failures and do what you set out to do better." Loxxi walked closer to Thor, brandishing his scepter. He then looked through the gaping hole in the cavern to see Beta Ray Zero struggling to hold onto Krypton. The big lug was trying his hardest to keep Thor from his mighty hammer. "It's all wrong, my monster. Keep it and go away," Loxxi called up to the false Asgardian.

Beta Ray Zero took this as to let Thor have his hammer and return to Loxxi's side. He had been struggling to maintain his grip on the hammer, it was building up a lot of potential energy. Zero finally let loose and the hammer Krypton rocketed back to Thor. But it had built up too much momentum, and instead of hitting Thor's hand, it crashed into his face, flooring the Asgardian.

"Well Thor, as much as I'd love to stay and chat, it seems you're in need of a nap. Don't try and find me. I'll find you when the time comes," Loxxi taunted as he loosened his tie.

Thor was bruised by being hit in the face with his own hammer. He tried getting back to his feet, but was already wiped out from fighting Beta Zero, "Answer me one thing, Loxxi. Why supply the Adth-Metal crowbar to Mannheim?"

Loxxi rolled his eyes, "My benefactor hates the stuff, I just needed to get rid of it. But nevertheless, here's to a better tomorrow." He jeered as Beta Zero descended next to him, "Awful shot, my monster. I have nothing, keep us here." He ordered as he adjusted his jacket collar to be easily picked up by the clone.

Beta Zero shook his head and grabbed Loxxi by the back of his suit collar. He looked to the skies and prepared to jump, not before letting out an almost giddy "Down, down, and nearby!" And Beta Ray Zero shot up like a rocket into the sky, leaving but a cloud of dust in his wake.

Thor reached up to the sky, but he was too exhausted to follow. He had to report all of this to the League. Loxxi was on the rise building a Legion of what Thor understood to be made of the League's failures? He wasn't quite sure what that meant. He knew that at least one of them was a magic user, justifying the distaste for Adth Metal. But for now, Thor was going to pass out and recuperate from a very strenuous battle.


About a day or so later, the Tower of Fate was looking in much better condition. The mess and disarray were restored, replaced with a quality fit for a sacred bastion for the upholding of order. The Emerald Witch swept away the months of delivery food boxes, empty coffee mugs, and trashy gossip magazines. After Banner gave her a much-needed reality check, Jessica started to work on herself again. There was also the need to find her lantern to recharge her ring.

Jessica stared at her father's helm on the side table. It didn't bother her as much to look at it anymore. She was still afraid to go back out into the world and be a hero again, but she knew that it was her responsibility to the world. A raven sat on the windowsill, bathed in the moonlight. It almost appeared a deep blue. It cawed loudly at the witch before Jessica swung her broom at it to shoo the bird away.

The witch pushed aside the last of the trash with a broomstick to finally find the emerald lantern. "Always the last place you look," she commented chuckling to herself. Jessica set the broom aside and picked up the lantern, raising it into air.

The lantern was beautifully ornate. The device used to recharge the power rings was sculpted from crystal and etched with various mystic runes. Within the chamber, a green flame roared with power. The fact it took so long for Jessica to find such a conspicuous object was embarrassing to her. The lantern and ring came from the Green Mystics Coven, not to be confused with their cosmic counterpart, the Kree Lantern Corps. The Fatal Compass was gifted the ring and lantern by the Coven in return for assisting them in defeating Desperomammu, and they were later gifted to Jessica.

Jessica stared down at her other hand with the ring on it, "Well, here goes nothing," she said taking a deep breath. She closed her fist and plunged her ring into the green fire of the lantern. The Emerald Witch waited for a moment to feel some sort of surge of energy, but nothing happened. Jessica then remembered to activate the lantern, she had to recite an oath to the Coven. Did she remember what it was she had to say, well no. But this is somewhat excusable, everybody forgets their passwords every now and then.

She racked her brain to try and remember the "magic words" she set aside for herself to unlock the power of the lantern. But while she tried to focus, the raven returned to the windowsill of the tower, cawing again. Jessica flinched and she dropped the lantern with a clatter. This, naturally, made Jessica quite annoyed. She grabbed the broom again and ran to smack the raven again. The witch swung at the bird, but as the bristles made contact, the raven disappeared in a cloud of smoke and feathers.

The cloud swirled around Jessica; the echoing sounds of cawing radiated from it. Jessica started to panic as she clenched her fist to try and muster some power out of the ring. "C'mon c'mon c'mon c'mon, do something," Jessica shouted at the faintly flickering ring. The feathers flew around the girl as all the candles lighting the tower went out. The fear started to overtake Jessica as she struggled to conjure anything at all from the ring. She looked to her father's helm. Perhaps by tapping into its power, she could have a chance against this dark force.

Jessica lunged towards the table and grabbed the Helm of Iscariot from the table. This was the one artifact untouched by the merging of worlds. It was the only conduit for which the normal realm had access to my power. At least that was before I myself was amalgamated. The Phantom Stranger's power is now bound by the confines of the Watcher. I can no longer lend my aide, and must simply witness the events of the universe as they unfold. Jessica would learn this as she placed the helmet on her head as a last-ditch effort, and the faceplate did close over her face as a function independent of my power. But with Nabu ousted, and myself restrained, it was nothing much more than an ornamental dinner bell.

Upon seeing Jessica wear the helm to no avail, the cloud of feathers cascaded to the other side of the tower. As each feather touched the stone walls, they melted into a viscous, black, goo. The darkness shaped into demonic portal. The hole opened in the shape of a large "X", revealing a chaotic hellscape behind it. The black smoke gathered around the portal to create…what could only be described as a wheelchair ramp.

Jessica was extremely confused with what was happening, the helmet not working at all also distressed her. She awaited what was going to emerge from what she could only perceive as oblivion. Jessica was terrified, but still held out her ring. Everything was telling her to run, but if she was to be the Emerald Witch, she had to stand in the way of evil regardless of her own fear. There only a small amount of charge left in the ring, but hopefully it would be enough to fend off whatever was coming. It glowed with the emerald light Jessica needed to fight back, "Here goes everything."

A silhouette emerged from the chaotic mess of a dimension within the portal, a very short silhouette. Out from the portal and down the eldritch ramp was an old wooden wheelchair. And within that wheelchair was a well-dressed, 14-year-old boy. He had black hair that pointed up like little devil horns. A yellow wool blanket was draped across his lap. The boy wheeled his way down the ramp and looked up to notice the helmeted Jessica, "Erik, it's time for your biannual ass-kicking! Round one hundred and… ah it doesn't matter. You keep score, not me. Sorry I'm a bit late this time 'round. Your buddy Corrigan really put me through Hell, literally."

Jessica was even more confused about what was going on, but there was a demonic-looking child talking about order vs chaos, so she was taking action. She charged up a blast of energy from her ring, and let loose a beam of green force at the boy.

The boy held out his hand and absorbed the green beam. It swirled around him like a firework until it fizzled out, "Wow, using the ring too? You really wanted to shake things up for this one. The new clothes, honestly a little drab, have you let yourself go, Erik?"

Jessica removed the helmet with her free hand, keeping her ring focused on the boy. "Who are you, and how do you know my father," she asked as she charged up another blast, despite already knowing that wouldn't do anything.

The boy's eyes lit up as if he saw his presents on Hannukah; mild excitement, but not all too shocked. "Father? Oh, this is a twist. He told me he got busy, but which one are you?" The boy slowly wheeled closer to Jessica; the wooden wheels creaked as they rolled across the floorboards.

As he advanced, the boy looked back and snapped his fingers. This triggered the portal behind him to close, and the black goo reformed back into feathers and flew to the boy's side. The feathers transmuted back into a raven, now easily noticeable as truly deep blue with striking yellow eyes. Afterward, it perched on the arm of the boy's chair.

"Stay back," Jessica shouted as she stepped back and fired off another blast from her ring. But instead of absorbing this attack himself, the raven flew out in front of the chair to take the blow.

Before her very eyes, the bird transformed into the figure of an astonishing female avian humanoid. Blue wings shielded the boy from the attack before fully reshaping into slender arms. She didn't speak, only glaring at Jessica as she stepped behind the chair to wheel the boy the rest of the way across the very large room.

The boy put his fingers to his temple, closed his eyes, and sent a powerful psionic wave at Jessica. The dark forces of the boy's mind compelled the witch to lower her ring and dropped the helmet to the ground. "Now, now, Jessica. There's no need to be postal," the boy said before the bird woman squawked at him, seemingly correcting his words, "Hostile, right. Sorry, I mess up my vocab every now and then. You can call be Khlarion X. My lovely assistant here is Miss Tiquel. She's my familiar, my anchor that lets me interact with this realm. You call yourself a witch, you should know about familiars, yes?" he asked stopping about six feet from Jessica.

Jessica wanted to fire another blast at Khlarion, but she couldn't. Her mind wouldn't listen to itself. All she could do was squirm, "What's going on, how did you-"

"I'm a telepath, deary. I read your thoughts and shut down your will to fight me. I'm also your old man's designated nemesis," Khlarion began to explain. "He works for the Lords of Order, real stuffing bunch, I work for the Lords of Chaos. Every six months we duke it out to maintain balance I the universe and all that. A flaming skeleton in a green cloak has kept me from fulfilling that duty, so I must make up for lost time. So if you please, can you point me in the general direction of the Fatal Compass?"

Jessica was quiet. She realized that he didn't know that Fate was dead. "Well…that's complicated," was all she could spit out.

Khlarion scowled, "Come on, I don't have time to doddle here. Ah bolt it, I'll just get it out of you myself," he said in frustration before plunging back into Jessica's mind to get his desired answer. As he scanned through her memories, Khlarion's look of anger faded to that of great sadness, "No…it can't be." Upon the realization, Khlarion was starting to tear up.

Khlarion lost his focus on Jessica, freeing her from his psychic stoppage. She went to blast him again while he was distracted, but she had used up the remaining charge in her ring. There wasn't much she could do anymore.

Despite a now present sense of dread for what was coming next, there was something familiar about the boy, at least appearance wise. He was dressed in an all-black suit reminiscent of wear from 1940s Europe. Based on the few old photos she'd seen, Khlarion reminded him of her father at that age, that dreadful time. As Jessica looked upon the now crying Khlarion, he reminded her of someone else. "I thought he was your nemesis, why are you sad?"

"Oh, dear girl, it's never that simple." Khlarion answered through sniffles. He then conjured a tissue out of nothing, wiping his eyes. "Especially when you're dealing with the buckets that is magic. Erik and I have been doing this for almost 80 years. We fought twice that amount, but I loved that man like a brother. Heck, before I got trampled and got hired by the cosmic madmen, we were brothers."

It then all clicked for Jessica, she knew who Khlarion was, or at least who he used to be, "Are you…my Uncle Charles?"

Khlarion laughed in spite of himself at the proposition, but it was technically correct. "Nobody's called me by that name except for Erik in decades. It feels weird to have somebody else say it."

Jessica was awestruck, she was literally seeing a ghost. "Dad told me that his brother died during the war…in the camps." She paused for a moment before she mentioned the latter. Such atrocities still greatly unsettled her. "What happened to you?"

Khlarion was quiet for a moment. He glanced around the room as if he was waiting for something bad to happen. Once nothing did, he moved on to answer her question, "Well, after Erik got the helmet from the Lords of Order, he tore apart the barbed wire and all the fences to free everybody and exact sweet revenge on our captors. It all happened so fast; people were scrambling to get outta there. I tripped and the hordes flattened me. Erik never found me, the ghost in the dinner bell whisked him off for greater things," Khlarion answered with a twinge of resentment.

"So, while I was left to die, until a whacky little bunch called the Lords of Chaos picked me up by my bootstraps, threw me a chair and a bird," Khlarion gently stroked the side of Ms. Tiquel's face before continuing, "And they made me into a demon, hellbent on pestering my little brother to weaken the resolve of his new bosses."

Jessica eventually pulled up a chair and sat down across from the boy, "What did you do?"

Khlarion smiled at his niece, "I used my powers to make things weird for people. Cause a little chaos, do a little trolling as the kids say, at least I think so. Curve a bullet here, stage a moon landing here, exponentially grow the number of Metamutants in the world there. You know, I had a little fun," he answered with a chuckle.

Jessica was on the edge of her seat as Khlarion described his escapades as an avatar of Chaos. While irrelevant to the amalgamated creations, all these acts were original to this universe. Obviously Charles Xavier had never done these acts in his home world, but nor had the Witch Boy. The ultimately restructured timeline of Charles and Erik was caused by Magneto's reality warping with the Infinity Helmet. Magneto cut and pasted various puzzle pieces of his reality. And while I opened the new box for Kent Nelson, he and the Witch Boy incorporated those pieces into their own jigsaw themselves. And this simple yet convoluted session of multiversal arts and crafts forged the relationship we learn about now.

"Meanwhile, Erik would have to clean up all my messes. We did that for about 80 years. He got old, I didn't, by the nature of me being dead. Now he's gone, and I don't know what to do with myself anymore." His voice broke upon that last sentence. Khlari…Charles knew Erik better than anyone. Despite being on opposite sides of the cosmic coin, they were extremely close, as is the nature of a coin.

His story shook Jessica, why hadn't she ever heard about this? In turn, she asked "Why didn't my father ever tell me about you?"

Khlarion sighed and rolled his eyes, "Erik's willingness to keep to himself was always one of his greatest qualities. I was a telepath even before I died, but he kept it a secret from the police. Always tried to protect me he did. I don't blame that he wanted to protect you from me."

Jessica huffed, "I can protect myself. At least I should be able to. This ring is running on fumes," she said with annoyance. "It runs on willpower, but I don't have that much of that. I could use the lantern, but I forgot my oath. Where does your magic come from?"

Khlarion wheeled himself forward and conjured a green flame in his hand, "Chaos, Jessie, chaos. The Coven made those rings to restrain and focus the magical energy inside every being. They put limits on that power to keep everybody who uses them reliant and under their control. Too many rules, your potential is squandered." As Khlarion explained, the flame twisted and reshaped into a pristine silver rose, then into a messy array of black tendrils, and finally into a miniature version of himself. That miniature version also held an even smaller version of himself, and so on.

Jessica tried to wrap her head around the abstract concepts lying within her uncle's power. "Chaos magic, it feels so alluring…but, Dad told me that if I were to take his place, I had to maintain order."

Khlarion scoffed, "Oh cheese. Erik never gave two shifts about Order. He had a megalomaniacal god yelling in his ear 25/6 that it was the more imported thing since sliced bread. Order and Chaos are just abstract concepts used to give divine beings with overingrated Eggos a sense of purpose. I know my little brother hated the stuff he was being fed. He liked that justice guy though, the Invisible Clock Man or something," the boy briefly rambled before finding his point. "Anyway, I know the thing Erik loved using his powers for the most was helping the world become a better place. I never really got what he meant, but if he chose you of all his kids to be his successor, you probably do."

Jessica was getting confused again, which was a common trend over the course of tonight after meeting the strange demon child with a magic bird lady who claimed to be her uncle. Today was a strange day. "So, what are you getting at," the witch asked.

"Well, evidently, my schedule has been super freed up. But I'd rather not bide my time waiting around in some nightmare dimension. I could some extra company, particularly some family. Family is harder to push away," Khlarion answered. "If you let me stick around here, give me some non-bird company, I'll train you in my abundant knowledge of Chaos Magic. That way you can uphold your father's legacy by being a hoagie!"

Jessica gave Khlarion a look before Ms. Tiquel squawked at him again. "Sorry, being a hero. Maybe with my power, you could even surpass your old man."

Jessica pondered the proposition. Khlarion was the only family she had that she knew the whereabouts of, assuming he was telling the truth. He seemed like someone who was hiding a lot under the surface, whether it be grief or something sinister. Either way, keeping an eye on the witch boy in the wheelchair was wise. The prospect of more power also intrigued the Emerald Witch. She wanted to uphold her father's legacy, but without a working ring or helm, this seemed to be her best option.

"I know that you know that this is the best case scenario for the both of us. I'd rather not try and track down your other sister," Khlarion commented before outstretching his hand, "So, we got a deal, Jessica?"

Jessica hesitated briefly, but then she looked over at her father's helm. He would've wanted her to get stronger and always have someone there to support her. And there was that staring her in the face. She could get everything she wanted, so the Emerald Witch shook the demon's hand, their union igniting in a green flame, and would soon begin her training in the ways of Chaos Magic.

As the champions of this world come to terms with a world without the Fatal Compass, new threats have arisen to fill the vacuum of power. The enigma that is Khlarion X taking Jessica Maximoff under his wheels can either lead to the salvation or the destruction of this world. While this world was created unnaturally, those that reside in it are still worthy of life, and for now, life shall go on. And as your guide, I will show you your way through the magic and monsters of the Amalgam.