Disclaimer: I don't own Marvel, DC, or the Power Rangers :)
The war across the Multiverse heats up this chapter, I promise you this, three heroes will die, but one will return.
The Redeemer
Chapter 30: Searching, fighting, breaking
Earth 616-The breach
Sven looked up at the breach, standing alongside the Avengers, Century, Cannonball, Living Lightning, Starbrand, Nightmask, Rogue and Sunspot. Whilst in the air was Smasher, Hyperion, Ex Nihilo, Abyss and Darkhawk. From the S.H.I.E.L.D trucks and tent, Coulson and his team mates monitored the situation.
"The breach is constantly shifting, we can't get a clear reading," Fitz said.
"One minute we're picking up multiple sources of heat, the next we're detecting traces of radiation no planet should have," Simmons elaborated.
"So basically, the location in that portal is constantly changing," Coulson summarised.
Daisy adjusted her gauntlets, walking to Sven's side.
"Whatever comes through that gate will decimate anything behind us, get your team out of here," Sven said.
"We're tougher than we look," Daisy retorted.
"I don't doubt that Quake, I know you and your team have handled their fair share of threats and have even saved the world. But this is different from Inhumans, alien parasites and terrorist cults, I don't doubt that those threats were significant and even would have given the Avengers trouble. To put it plainly, whatever comes out of that portal is something Fitzsimmons won't be able to outthink, even May and Coulson won't stand a chance, get them out of here. If we fail, you're the last resort," Sven explained.
Hesitantly, Daisy nodded her head. The Breach suddenly pulsed, and Quake froze.
"Move, now," Sven urged her.
Sven slid his helmet over his face and stood tall and ready.
"Avengers, ASSEMBLE!" he yelled.
Ultron robots suddenly flew out of the Breach. They fired repulsors in their hands, forcing the Avengers to scatter. Century swung his axe, beheading two drones as they flew past him. Hyperion crashed into the other drones, punching out vital parts or crushing their heads. Abyss summoned torrents of dark tendrils, piercing through the heads and cores of the drones in front of her. EX Nihilo raised his hand, a tree suddenly bursting out of the ground and pushing some of the drones back into the portal. The tree kept growing, blocking the portal.
"No way is it that easy," Darkhawk muttered.
The tree suddenly burst into flames, and was smashed to pieces. Creatures of flesh and fire emerged from the portal, which had taken on the appearance of a ball of fire. A yellow skinned creature suddenly landed on the ground, its bulky chest covered by red armour and a cape, legs covered by grey armour. It had red eyes and webbed ears, and drew a massive sword from its back. The demonic creature jumped towards Smasher. She was ready to blast it, when it swung its sword, beheading a demon that would have attacked her.
"Fear not mighty warriors, though blood we share, allegiance we do not, for they are servants of hell and I, Etrigan, serve no one!"
"Well, looks like this portal of ours is like a wheel on a game show," Aeon mused, looking at the portal. "Will the next thing it lands on be good, or bad for us, time to find out," Aeon formed a shield on his hand, and ran into the fight.
Earth 0.52-The Breach
The new Parademons would probably have been excellent flyers in Earth's atmosphere. But in zero gravity, they were a basic foe. Baz created gun batteries with his ring, rotating miniguns and firing rockets into the swarms of enemies. Hawkman and Martian Manhunter both chose the savage approach. Though J'onn could appear peaceful, Cade sensed that the term 'hunter' was not just a name. The Martian had both the instincts and savagery of an animal, that's what made him so ideal to hunt monsters. That and with a mere thought he was capable of becoming a monster. His arms expanded, and his neck stretched, all three parts of his body became the great maws of a three headed dragon. He bit the heads off of some of the Parademons, throwing them into others. And as others tried to attack him from behind, his legs shifted into a tail, bashing into his would be attackers. Hawkman, though not capable of transformation, certainly fought with the same ferocity as a monster. Some kind of electrical pulse ran through his mace, which he crashed through armour and bone, spreading blood and sending fragments of his enemies across space. With raw strength he even ripped off the wings of the demons, as if insulted by their design.
"My god," Steve muttered, watching the two aliens fighting.
He was no stranger to the brutality of battle. Unlike Cade, he had made the military his life and not a temporary career. He knew J'onn had brutal ways of using his telepathy, but he had never seen the Martian engage in a physical fight. There was almost something artistic in the way the Parademon blood and body parts floated around them both. Cade stopped analysing their fighting patterns, and focused on the Parademons that got through. Linking his scythes to chains he jumped, cutting apart several from a distance and flying on a path that obstructed the Parademons. When one scythe returned to his hand he threw another, performing combos that killed every Parademon that went near him. When one Parademon got close, Cade kicked it across the head, the followed through with a slash across its belly. Though Cade had rethought killing, he believed the greatest mercy for these Parademons was to kill them. They had been innocents once, but were now nothing more than drones of meat twisted to serve Darkseid. Their souls needed to be freed, and Deathblade was the one to do it.
"J'onn, some of them are getting through and approaching the League watch tower," Steve said over the radio.
Flying his ship to flank the Parademon squadrons, he fired the blasters reverse engineered from the first Parademons Argus found. They worked well enough, killing some of the demons, but drawing their attention. Steve flew around, underneath and even through the Parademons, doing his best to keep out of their reach. He felt a bang on the ship's hull, but much to his shock he also saw Parademons ahead of him being shot. Checking his outer cameras, he saw the soldiers that the Parademons had been chasing. The apparent commander was firing energy blasts from her hands, the woman beside her shooting an energy rifle. The other three were flying alongside Steve's ship, punching and shooting their way through the Parademon swarms. Beams of green energy suddenly ripped through the demons and Steve looked up, seeing the bigger alien ship hovering over him. Green markings suddenly began to appear on his controls and a hologram of some kind flickered into being. Steven only knew it to be a hologram because for a moment, he could see through it. But then, it was as if he was looking at a real person.
The man stood in front of him was easily two feet taller than him. He was wearing some kind of armour a helmet styled after a hood on his face. The colour scheme was very similar to what the soldiers had, but there was no starburst pattern on it. Though the man looked human enough, his skin was a blue colour. He also carried some kind of hammer weapon, and stood with discipline, authority, and seemed to regard Steve with a kind of respect.
"Human, my name is Ronan Amaquelin, of Starforce, I have temporarily assumed control of your ship and now appear before you to explain the situation," the alien explained.
"I know that those are Parademons of Apokolips, my world has encounter them before and I also know that you and your Starforce are from another reality," Steve stated.
"Good, that will make this easier, we will be able to close the portal and prevent them from taking your world as they did Eternia. But you must assist my allies in clearing a path," Ronan said and Steve nodded his head.
"All right people, new Intel just came in, we need to protect their ship, they have a way of closing the portal," Steve said.
Green Lantern created two handguns and shot two Parademons in the head. He looked down at the moon, and saw in the crater the Watcher.
"Anyone else seeing a giant bald guy on the moon?" he asked.
Cade looked across the distance of space, at the Watcher, Uatu's eyes were firmly fixed on the portal.
'Something significant is about to happen, but what?' he wondered as he flung himself into battle.
Earth 616-New York
Peter was swinging as fast as he could through the city, trying to avoid getting into a fight with the Parademons. He did however have to try and get close to a police car. Just swinging around aimlessly wouldn't help, Peter knew he had to be thorough. A police radio would put him in the right direction, unless the police would be vague about reporting a monster. New York city was filled with them at the moment. Landing on a water tower, Peter saw cops shooting at Parademons, the monstrous creatures swooping down and grabbing some. He grit his teeth together under his mask, he didn't have time for this. Jumping into the fray, Peter landed on one demon and smashed him into the ground so hard that the creature's organs were ruptured. He fired webs into two more and pulled, crashing the flyers into one another.
"Is everyone okay?" he asked.
"We lost several officers, not dead, they just got taken away," one of the beat cops said.
"Has anyone heard over their radio about a spider monster, the size of a child?" Peter asked.
"Not sure about the spider thing, but there was something about a monster kid in the Bronx," a Swat officer said.
"Thanks, stay safe all of you, get people off of the streets," Peter said, before firing a web and swinging away.
"Oh god, oh god, what's happening?" a rookie cop asked.
"The end of days, alien invasion, demons from hell...just another day in New York," a sergeant said as he cocked his shotgun.
Peter kept swinging, dodging energy blasts and keeping his path set on reaching the Bronx. He dived and used his webbing to catch a sign falling towards the people below.
"Everyone get off the streets as fast as you can," he said.
"Thanks Spider-man," one of the people on the ground called out to him.
Across the city, battles were being fought between heroes on the streets and Parademons. Meanwhile, people linked to the Spider-man legacy were searching desperately for Mayday Parker. Flash Thompson, Agent Venom joined in that search, looking between the alleyways and trying to find the girl. He narrowed his eyes when he saw something rustling around in the trash. Keeping one hand on his pistol, and expanding his fist, he approached the ruckus. It was Mayday, she was eating things out of the trash can, holding wrappings between her hands and snarling at Flash.
"Hey May, remember your uncle Flash, I make fun of your dad and call him Puny Parker," he said.
Mayday roared and began running towards Flash.
"Okay, I take it back, he's not puny," Flash yelped as Mayday jumped at him.
He slammed into the wall, trying to grab May as she crawled across his body. She banged his head, causing both him and the symbiote to yell. Flash attempt to grab May, but she jumped onto the wall, then jumped and slammed her head into his groin.
"Owe!" he gasped.
She shot webbing at his legs and tugged, dropping him onto the floor. Flash swiped at May and she kicked him, jumping onto one of the trash bins and giggling.
"Okay, no more Mr nice guy, I kicked your daddy ass in school, now I'm gonna..." he never got to finish his sentence as she spat a blob of webbing over his eyes.
May clutched her chest and rolled onto the floor, laughing hysterically. She was going to attack Flash again, when there was a sudden crash behind them. Flash tugged the webbing off of his face and looked towards the new arrivals. They were Parademons, but the one leading them looked human. Honestly, Flash couldn't tell if it was a man or a woman, a granny of a middle aged man. She had white hair, wore some kind of black and green armour and had a white cloak.
"I've finally found you little spider," Granny Goodness grinned, looking down at the mutated May.
She snarled and bit at Granny's hand.
"Now now dear, you wouldn't want to hurt granny, she's going to be taking you to your new home," Granny said as the Parademons beside her stepped towards May.
"She's made it clear she doesn't want to go anywhere near you!" a voice echoed above the alleyway.
A white and black mass slammed into the ground. Granny frowned, her true grotesque features revealed as she looked towards the new arrival. His tongue flapped out of his mouth, jaw expanded, fingers lengthened into claws.
"And she already has a granny!" Anti-Venom said, before he pounced towards the monsters of Apokolips.
The Breach
Aeon was smashing his shields into the same crawler creatures that served Thanos at one time. They had swarmed out of the breach, then came aliens he had never seen before. Yellow skinned, long limbed with claws extending from their wrists and razor sharp teeth on their maws.
"Dominators they are, of mind and worlds!" Etrigan said, stabbing one of the new aliens in the chest.
Darkhawk changed into his weapon's battery form and fired multiple blasts into the creatures coming out of the breach. Sunspot slammed his fists into a Crawler, then threw a Dominator into Rogue's fist. She had partially absorbed Sunspot, Century and Living Lightning's abilities. With Century's abilities of sight she intercepted the Dominators before they could reach the S.H.I.E.L.D. trucks and blasted the Ultron drones with Living Lightning's blasts. Smasher fired her optic blasts alongside Nightmask and Starbrand. The beams flew over Aeon's shoulder and slammed into the crowds of Dominators coming out of the breach. Just as they were thrown back in, the Breach changed and Parademons flew out.
"FOR KAL-EL!" they yelled, swarming towards Hyperion.
He ripped them apart, and melted others with his heat vision. Blasts slammed into his back and more Parademons pulled him to the ground. He knocked the head off of one and pulled on another's leg, using it as a club to bash the others grabbing him. Darkhawk fired a beam from his crystal, knocking a Dominator into a Crawler. Century cut down one demon after another, fighting alongside Ertigan, who released a wall of fire from his mouth.
"There are too many, we're being overrun, everyone get back," Aeon said as Living Lightning shocked a Dominator who tried to attack him.
Both men fired their projectile attacks, drawing some distance between themselves and the breach creatures. Abyss used her dark tendrils to rip apart several Ultron drones, and Ex Nihilo created a stone pillar to protect Starbrand from danger. The crawlers began climbing up the pillars, only for Starbrand to shoot them off.
"We can't keep this up for much longer," he said, wiping the sweat off of his brow.
Century crashed his axe through the head of a crawler and threw several more aside. He leant on his axe, worn out, even Etrigan's flames were beginning to grow weaker. Aeon smashed his fists into a Parademons until his shields broke, hardening the armour on his feet and kicking several more enemies. Living Lightning fired a full blast into the Dominators and Sunblasts smashed his foot through an Ultron drone, collapsing onto his knees. Rogue landed in front of him, her own solar form fading as she grappled with a Dominator, absorbing its skin and wrists claws and stabbing it through the head.
"Need time, to recharge," Roberto muttered.
Two crawlers pounced towards Rogue and Sunspot, when suddenly, a blast flew into them. The two X-men looked towards where the blasts had come from. Agent May and Coulson were both wearing jetpacks, and a pair of laser cannons. They flew between Rogue and began shooting the enemies in front of her. Ward walked alongside several other agents, firing rifles into the aliens and demons. Quake stepped between Aeon and his enemies, raising her gauntleted hands. With a yell she vibrated the insides of her enemies, ripping open aliens and robots alike.
"So," Daisy smiled, looking towards Sven, "Are we out of our league now?"
Suddenly a pair of red beams ripped through Quake's belly. Sven and Lightning gasped, the latter catching her as she fell into his arms.
"DAISY!" Ward yelled.
The other Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. including Fitz and Simmons in the support truck were overcome with shock. Living Lightning quickly flew Daisy out of the fighting, whilst Sven and Hyperion looked towards the figure floating out of the breach. He was wearing a suit of black armour, with a red S on his chest, a red cloak strapped to his shoulders. He appeared human having black hair and blue eyes, eyes that suddenly turned red with the same energy that injured Daisy.
"Kneel," he proclaimed. "Kneel before Lord of Apokolips, Kal-El!"
"Take him down hard," Aeon commanded.
Hyperion flew into the war lord at full speed, both crashing through the stratosphere and into space. There, they crashed their fists into one another, blood spurting from their mouths, their skin bruising. Neither had ever encountered opponents like the other, men whom matched them in power. Both fired their eye beams, and from the ground it appeared as if some kind of explosion was flashing in space. Then both men of steel came down from the sky, raining pieces of satellites on the area around the Breach. Kal-El's armour had been destroyed whilst half of Hyperion's costume was torn. He punched Kal-El across the face, throwing him back towards the portal.
"Hit him with everything you've got," Darkhawk said, firing his gun batteries, whilst Smasher fired her optic blast and Etrigan let out a breath of fire.
The three attacks collided with him, throwing him back through the portal. He came out again, only for Hyperion to hold him back his neck. Kal-El's eyes glowed as he fired his beams into Hyperion's eyes. Hyperion let out a yell, feeling his eyes burn, but he still kept a hold of Kal-El's neck, as the portal shifted. Suddenly, Kal El's eyes were locked in shock as his body, minus his legs fell out of the portal. Another second passed and another figure was thrown out of the portal.
He rolled across the floor, adjusting his green jacket as he stood up.
"Now that's a trip," the man said.
He looked up at the portal as five other figures came out of it. Each one of them was wearing black and white armour. But each one also had different highlights on their armour too, red, black, blue, yellow and pink. Their helmets had black eyes on them, white mouth plates and patterns on the plates resembling teeth.
"They followed me through," the man shook his head.
Aeon landed beside the man, stepping in front of him.
"We've got a bystander here," Grant said, stepping in front of the man.
"These guys look tough mister, you might want to run to the safe zone!" Aeon said.
"I can take care of myself," the man walked past Ward, removing something from his pocket.
It was a gold device, with some kind of coin imbedded in it. He held it behind his back for a moment.
"It's morphin time!"
He pulled his arm back, then held the device out in front of him.
"Dragonzord!" he yelled.
There was a bright green light, and the man emerged transformed. He wore a green and white suit with gold armour on his chest. The helmet he wore had a black visor over his eyes, a silver plate with a mouth on it and patterns resembling dragon's eyes on the front of the helmet.
"Mighty Morphin, Green Ranger!" the man declared, waving his arms and dropping into a fighting stance.
Ward looked at the man with an embarrased expression.
"That has got to be the corni..."
"MOST AWESOME THING EVER!" Aeon yelled, jumping on the spot and pumping his fists.
"All right psycho rangers, let's see you try and take this world," the Green Ranger said before running towards the armoured warriors.
Harvest's prison
Garfield panted, having endured another session of torture from Harvest. His left arm had turned into a mass of wings, and as well as dragging him, the Reach soldiers also dragged a number of different animal tails behind him. They threw him into his cell, igniting the energy walls on them. Red Hood passed by the cell, looking at the red furred man and lowering his head.
"What is the point of this?" he wondered.
"You'd better not be losing your nerve," Ms America said, walking up behind him.
"Are you really comfortable with this Chavez, betraying your comrades on the slim chance that Demiurge can bring your world back?" Red Hood asked.
"Demiurge is an older version of Billy, he has better control of his abilities and is willing to cross lines that Billy won't," she explained.
"You still refer to him as Billy, it looks like I'm not the one whose losing their nerve," Red Hood said, drawing a glare from Chavez.
"America, you're wanted for another mission," Black Beetle said, walking towards them. "Earth designation 591, Bayville, an alternate version of Westchester. Their X-men are away, Harvester wants you to capture their New Mutants, especially Multiple Man, Iceman and Jubilee," the Reach warrior explained.
"Fine, who am I taking with me?" America asked.
"Whoever Harvester says you take with you," Beetle snarled, walking away from them in contempt.
Red Hood chuckled, crossing his arms as Black Beetle stopped.
"And what do you find so funny red meat?" he demanded.
"Your attitude, how you think treating people like this is going to inspire some kind of loyalty," Red Hood said.
"We need to do nothing to ensure loyalty, you will follow us because you are afraid," Blue Beetle said.
"Oh buddy, it'll take a lot more than you to make me afraid," Red Hood laughed, drawing a growl from Black Beetle.
"WE HAVE A BREACH!" the automated voice suddenly yelled.
An alarm blared and the Reach guards ran out alongside the Chitauri. There was a bright flash and a portal opened, revealing Iron Lad and his Young Avengers and Exiles. Valkyrie bashed some of the Reach aside with her sword, whilst Excavator knocked several Chitauri out. Stinger fired blasts from her hands, knocking out the guards as she flew towards Kate Bishop's cell in her shrunken form.
"Cassie wait..." Kate said.
"IT'S A TRAP!" A Beast Boy yelled, his head the form of a fish.
Blue Beetle drones began to swarm out of the controls, coming at Cassie.
"Cassie, Zero support her," Iron lad said.
Zero grew, and suddenly punched Iron Lad in the back, slamming him against the wall. Aftershock electrocuted Deathlocket until her arm exploded. Mako hit Excavator across the back of the head and Executioner hit Melter with a taser.
"What are you all doing?" Iron Lad asked.
"Did you really not see this coming?" Singularity asked, throwing Valkyrie against the wall.
Enchantress and Coat of Arms hit Iron Lad with a blast, making his armour shake as if it was having a seizure. Red Hood then punched Nathaniel across the head, knocking him out.
"Sorry kid, nothing personal," he said.
"HAVE AT THEE!" Valkyrie yelled.
She ran towards Red Hood, her sword at the ready. Black Beetle however rammed her from the side, sliding a blade through her gut.
"No," Cassie whispered.
Black Beetle smirked, sliding his blade out of the Asgardian.
"Dispose of this meat with the others, put the rest in cells," he said.
Red Hood looked down at the dead Valkyrie.
'This is going too far,' he thought.
Outside of the prison ship, Enid used a meteorite as cover, wearing a S.H.I.E.L.D. issue space suit. Beside her, the Amadeus Hulk had on a harness with a bubble over his head, and Gaard was behind them.
"They failed, just as Virgil thought," Enid said.
"We need to get some back up, start rethinking how we strike," Amadeus said.
Gaard nodded his head, turning and patting Enid's shoulder. They looked towards Kai-Vell, the new Captain Marvel.
"I'm glad you're all here, what do you say we put our heads together?" he asked.
"I'm glad you think so," a voice said from the side.
A portal had appeared, and a hooded figure came out, holding a cosmic cube.
"If you want to rescue your friends, come with me," he said, walking back through the portal.
Hesitantly, Enid and her new friends followed.
Breach-616
Aeon blocked the axe and rod of Psycho's Black and Blue. He pushed both back, blocking Psycho Yellow and Pinks projectiles. Psycho Red clashed his sword with Century's axes and kicked him in the chest. The older man leant on his axe for support, already worn out from fighting so many enemies. Grant and his agents attempted to shoot at the Psycho Rangers, only for Parademons to take two from the ground. Ward fired his rifle, but Psycho Pink fired an arrow from her bow, destroying his gun. He fell to the floor, his body armour smoking. Aeon flashed, appearing in front of Ward and taking another arrow.
"Get back!" he said.
The Green Ranger kicked Psycho Red away from Century, crossing his arms together as green energy gathered in his hands.
"Dragon dagger!" he said, forming a dagger/flute weapon in his hands.
A gold ornament appeared on his helmet as he held his dagger in a reverse grip. He slashed at Psycho red, dodging his counter strikes and blocking a third one. Etrigan slammed behind both fighters, blowing fire at Psycho Yellow and Blue, throwing them both back. He crashed his sword into Black's rod, cracking the floor beneath him. With his follow up strike he knocked the ranger back. Aeon fired an optic blast, hitting Psycho Pink. The Green Ranger then flipped, kicking Psycho Red and knocking him towards the other Psycho Rangers.
"I know you guys are strangers to me, but the best chance we might have is if we combine our powers," Aeon said.
"You have an idea?" Green Ranger asked.
"Pull your men back Agent Ward, this is their fight," Century said, stepping back with his axe held in front of Ward and the surviving agents.
Aeon squeezed his hand into a fist, holding it to his chest as he concentrated. Century looked towards the Breach and gasped. It was pulsing repeatedly.
"AEON WATCH OUT!" he yelled.
He broke off into a run, slashing aside two Ultron drones.
Sven was about to access his power when an energy blast came out of the portal. Century knocked him out of the way, taking a blast that cut through his chest. Etrigan snarled in anger, and Green Ranger caught the old warrior.
"Hey, stay with us," he said.
"His courage shined through as he fought, his sacrifice will not be for nought," Etrigan said.
"Century," Sven said, his helmet fading as he took to a knee.
"More enemies are coming through Aeon," Century said.
"I...I'm ashamed I never heard of you before today," Sven chuckled.
A rare grin crossed Century's face, before his head fell back. Sven touched the man's hand, and sighed as he stood up.
"I won't forget you," he said as his helmet reappeared over his head.
He formed a shield on his arm as Etrigan took up the old warrior's axe. The Green Ranger then took up his Morpher and thrust it forward.
"Tiger Zord, White Ranger power," he proclaimed.
His armour suddenly changed, his suit turning white, chest armour changing to gold and black and his helmet too changed. He pulled a curved sword with a tiger's head on the pommel from his waist. All three heroes walked forward as an Enchantress came out of the portal, leading her brother Incubus and her corrupted forces. The three heroes broke off into a run, the other heroes running and flying behind them. Smasher and Hyperion fired their optic blasts, Darkhawk fired all of his weaponry, Living Lightning and Sunspot released the energy built up inside them and Coulson and May fired their blasters.
Earth 0.52 (The Breach)
Cade looked at the Watcher, whose eyes were solely on the portal that the Kree ship had come from. Something was going to happen, something that would change the world.
'Is it a world, or something smaller?' Cade wondered.
He looked at the heroes of this world, so focused on the battle, did it once occur to them that there was perhaps another world beyond that portal. The green Captain Marvel was firing blasts, the pattern, colour and force of the blasts told Cade that she was definitely Carol Danvers, or had at least been affected by Kree experiments the same way she had. She blasted aside the Parademons and ripped others apart, giving Ronan's ship room to move. Cade looked at his scythe, a weapon he had used to end so many lives. He had given up on life. Given up on allowing others he deemed unworthy of life. He should give up on the lives of the people beyond the portal. But still, he reached out with his sight and senses.
'They are still alive,' he thought.
And Captain Marvel was enacting triage, giving up on fighting for that world. They were still fighting, but she had given up. The Carol Danvers he knew was not someone who gave up. The woman whom gained Sven Reilly's affection, perhaps even his love would never have turned her back on helping others. Cade looked over his shoulder and saw Uatu, pointing at the portal. Watcher's were sworn to never interfere, but Uatu was different, he had a conscience. He couldn't stand by and do nothing when Galactus approached Earth. When Stark despaired, Uatu showed him how the registration act could have gone wrong. He was pointing at the portal and Cade knew what he was saying.
'I will not abandon it, I will not abandon that world,' he thought.
A figure came out of the portal, Steppenwolf. The axe wielding New God threw his arm forward, commanding the Parademons to fly. Cade closed his eyes, gathering on power besides vengeance.
'Justice!' he thought.
The markings on his armour began to change, from red to gold. He took off, spinning his scythes cutting through swarms of the Parademons. Steppenwolf knocked Green Lantern and Hawkman back, and used his axe to deflect Captain Marvel's blast. Cade turned his scythes into a pair of swords. Then he linked the swords together, creating a buster sword. He clashed the sword with Steppenwolf's axe. The energy blade shattered and Cade immediately summoned a pair of axes. He deflected Steppenwolf's axes, breaking his blades again. Summoning two swords he parried Steppenwolf's follow up, then forced him back, bashing him across the head with his swords. Steppenwolf snarled, throwing a punch towards Cade. Cade caught the fist, gathering energy into his free arm. He formed it, the same blade he used to kill Mikaboshi, the chaos god. It coursed around him, flashed through him, manifesting on his arm. A blade of soul fire, hovering over his wrist, moving with it. The god killer blade.
'I may have taken a new approach to killing, it doesn't mean I don't still see the blood on your soul Steppenwolf...what the hell kind of man...what the hell kind of hero...WOULD IGNORE THAT!' Cade yelled within his mind as he thrust the blade forward into the New God's chest.
No one could a scream in space. But if they could, they would have heard the once great Steppenwolf cry out. In fear, in agony, the energy of the god killer passing through him as it ripped through his chest. Cade yelled as he pulled the blade up, slicing Steppenwolf in half, the creature still screaming even as his two sides glowed and faded into particles of light. The markings on Cade's armour returned to their red colour as he flew past the Kree ship and through the portal.
"Ronan, stop, one of our men has gone through the portal," Steve said.
"Keep going Ronan," a second voice spoke over the radio.
It was a woman, that much Steve could tell. He and J'onn watched in shock as the Kree ship fired a beam at the portal, shrinking it, until it was eventually gone. Cade Hunter, was officially trapped in yet another world.
Earth 616-New York City
Agent Venom jumped out of the alleyway, carrying the struggling Mayday in his arms. They escaped just as Anti-Venom burst out of the walls, grappling with Granny's Furies. Lashina swung her whip at Brock, only for a him to grab it and throw her into the wall. Stompa slammed her fists into Brock, punching him multiple times, shaking the ground with each strike. She threw him into the wall, but as he flew back, a tentacle wrapped around Stompa's arms and pulled her with him. Anti-Venom slammed his feet into Stompa's face, knocking her into the ground.
"Furies, Parademons, ATTACK!" Granny yelled, her voice becoming more masculine as she shouted.
Flash fired his pistol, switching it to its automatic rifle form. He sprayed, piercing through one Parademons armour. Putting the gun in his holster, Flash formed a blade with his hand and beheaded another Parademon. They fired their staff weapons, hitting Flash in the chest. May jumped out of his arms and began swinging away, only for Lashina to wrap her whip around her legs and pull her to the ground.
"DON'T TOUCH HER!" Flash yelled, kicking Lashina in the chest.
Mad Harriet slashed him across him across the back and Stompa shoulder barged him, throwing him into the wall. Parademons gathered around Anti-Venom, blasting him until his anti-symbiote began to melt off of his skin. Flash launched himself with two tentacles and knocked the Parademons away from Brock. He looked over his shoulder and saw that Brock was on the ground, his anti-symbiote was now a useless bubbling mess.
"Thompson look out," Brock whispered.
Flash yelled as the Parademons blasted him, burning the symbiote off of his body. Lashina wrapped her whip around his neck and pulled him towards her.
"You have no legs underneath that suit, the people of this planet are strange to give someone as useless as you such power," Goodness said.
Lashina wrapped more of her whip around Flash's neck and Stompa threw May to the ground.
"Although you may prove useful, kill him, let it be your first taste of blood," Goodness whispered into May's ear.
May looked towards Flash, who fought against Lashina's hold on him. He looked into the creature's eight eyes and smiled.
"It'll be okay May, daddy's coming," he said.
Her eyes welled up and she stopped snarling. Gradually, she began to change, not completely into a human girl, but just enough to see that she was in reality a scared little girl.
"How disappointing," Granny said and nodded to Lashina.
SNAP!
The sound echoed in May's ears, and Brock and the symbiote watched in shock as Flash's head limped to one side. Images flashed before May's eyes of Flash telling her embarrassing stories about her father, of sitting on his shoulders as he rode his wheelchair around, of demonstrating her spider strength by lifting him up. Then she looked at his body and tears flooded from her eyes. She changed again into her monstrous form, overcome by the sadness and berserk fury. She screamed and leapt at Lashina, only for Goodness to grab her by her head.
"Now that is more like it, by the end of the day you'll have someone's blood on your hands girl, and it'll be your first step towards serving lord Darkseid," Granny Goodness explained.
Brock lowered his head as he saw the Furies step on Flash's body without a care. He looked to the symbiote and nodded his head. Granny slammed May into the ground and kicked her into a car, the Furies gathering around her.
"Prepare the motherbox, we have a new recruit to take home," she said.
Lashina gasped as she felt something grab her. Her scream was cut short by a chomping sound. Granny and the other Furies turned, seeing Lashina's headless body fall to the floor. Her head was a bulge on the creature's throat. It stood over the Furies, bulkier than Agent Venom and with no armour. The creature gulped, revealing its maw of razor sharp teeth. Firing a web from his wrist, he pulled May into his arms and put her behind him.
"If you want her, then you'll have to go through us!" he snarled.
Flash Thompson was dead, but Eddie Brock, Venom, the Lethal Protector had returned.
Next Chapter 31: A war across the Multiverse
A tragic end I know, but not for nothing. Next chapter Venom is joined by a shocking new ally and the war continues across multiple dimensions.