DISCLAIMER: BEN 10 AND AVENGERS EMH ARE PROPERTIES OF THEIR RESPECTIVE COMPANIES. I DO NOT OWN THEM.

Hey there! Im back!

Hope you're all ready for Part 2 of the Asgard Arc. So crazy that were finally here, right? Everything is finally coming together. Isn't this exciting or what? XD

Before we get started, Id like to give a quick shoutout to my friend IamJustQ who has just published a Fan Comic on Deviant Art. Crimson Red, a crossover story with DC Comics and Marvel. This has been a passion project in the works for a while now. I am so proud of my friend and I hope you will all show some love for a brilliantly talented creator.

Ok, that's enough talk. On with the show!

Chapter 34

Fall of Asgard

When someone is in a deep sleep, their bodies tend to go numb. Paralyzed while their minds continue to dream. Some say it's a way to prevent the body from acting out its dreams. While others think that it's the body shutting down all unnecessary functions to conserve energy.

Still, usually when in this state, a person tends to wake up gradually. A comfortable rise into consciousness as all feeling returns to the body after a peaceful and restful night.

That was not the case for Ben Tennyson.

The Young Hero was in a very peaceful state of mind. Until his body started screaming at him, and a blinding pain shot through his body.

Ben's eyes snapped open as he immediately jumped to his feet. Screaming in pain as his entire body felt like it was on fire.

His limbs started flapping as he patted his body down from the stinging pain.

No sooner had the shock subsided Ben was bombarded with intense heat. Sweat poured from every inch of his body, and his eyes stung from the heat, causing tears to cloud his vision.

He gasped, which led to a new wave of pain shooting into his throat and lungs.

The air was thick and heavy. Every breath was agonizing; the second he sucked in, he immediately expelled it, causing him to become light-headed.

Ben's throat was dry, and he was losing more water by the second. At this rate, he'll be completely dehydrated within the next thirty seconds.

Acting fast, Ben wiped the sweat from his eyes, and he activated the Ultimatrix. The device beeped and displayed the first hologram.

His eyes stung, and his vision blurred, making it hard to make out the holograms.

Suddenly, Ben felt a wave of nausea come over him. His throat was raspy, and the air became heavy. He's so dehydrated that he won't last much longer.

Deciding to just wing it. Ben slammed the dial down and transformed in a flash of green light.

Instant relief came over him as he took a deep breath, dropped to his knees, and put his hand on the ground to steady himself.

Taking a few more deep breaths and letting the adrenaline rush subside. The Alien Shapeshifter opened his eyes.

His gaze immediately fell upon his hand. Thanking his lucky stars that he got Heatblast. The flaming appendage never looked more magnificent to him.

Feeling better, Heatblast stood up and looked at his surroundings.

He was standing on the edge of a pool of lava. No surprise, as he was fighting in a volcano. Which also explains why he was on the verge of dying a few seconds earlier.

He must have timed out after losing consciousness. For him to be this close to lava without any protective gear. He made a mental note to switch to an alien with regeneration after getting out of the Volcano. Since he's pretty sure he might have sustained some serious burns in his human form.

Heatblast recalled fighting Wonder Man and then these Fire Demon dudes that emerged from a glowing magic rock.

Then, as he was fighting for his life, he heard Thor order him to destroy the stone over the comms. Given that Thor likely had a better understanding of the stone than he did, he did so without any hesitation.

Aside from the blackout and almost burning alive. Seems like things worked out. Now, all he needs to do is find Ship and Zed and then head back to meet the other Avengers.

With any lucky, they managed to capture some of the Masters of Evil. Meaning they can tick a few more names off the 'Most Wanted' list.

How many would that make it now? He'd been meaning to keep track of the number of villains they've caught so far. After all, they have to be making a dent in the overall number by now.

Maybe Tony would know. His armor would likely keep him up to date.

He reached up and activated the communicator in his Ultimatrix. "Ben to Iron Man." He said clearly.

However, all he got in response was static.

He tried again. "Ben to Iron Man. Tony, do you read?"

Again, nothing but static.

"Ben to all Avengers. Anyone reading me?" He tried opening up the line to everyone. It's possible Iron Man wasn't getting a signal at his location. Or it was damaged during his fight.

However, there was no response from the others. All he got was more static.

Now, he got concerned. Someone should have responded. There's no way he should be getting interference from the volcano. The Ultimatrix's systems are more sophisticated than any Earth tech. Therefore, it doesn't have the same limitations, such as signal loss.

This thing could send and receive transmissions across galaxies, so contacting the other Avengers from inside a volcano should be a sinch.

Still, just in case, he should get out of this crater. It's been a while since he left Ship and Zed alone, and it's possible that the mystic energy from the stone messed with the watch.

Wouldn't be the first time magic made this thing go haywire.

Blasting fire from his hands, Heatblast launched himself into the air. Rocketing along the rock wall to the surface.

For some reason, the wall was a little higher than he remembered. Come to think of it, the Volcanic crater seemed a lot more spacious. He couldn't see the opposite side of the vent. Then again, there was an abundance of ash in the air, so it's possible that coupled with the heat of the magma, it was making him see things.

Eventually, he reached the top and landed on the edge of the chasm. Heatblast dusted himself off as he looked up…

His eyes widened in shock.

For before him lay what looked like a place that had only been described to him in Sunday School.

A land of fire and brimstone stretched as far as the eye could see. Magma fields and rivers flowed, ash clouds filled the skies, and volcano mountains stretched higher than the tallest mountains.

Heatblast turned around, and it was more of the same. Until that point, he thought he was still in the Volcano. But no, it turns out this place wasn't like any he'd seen before.

This wasn't Earth.

"Aw, Man." The Fire Alien exclaimed.

He started pacing across the boiling rocks as he tried to piece things together.

"Ok, Tennyson. Think." He spoke to himself. "You broke the magic stone, and it blew up. The stone was placed on a dimensional weak point. Tony and Thor said that they were connected to the other magical worlds on that 'Yiddish Tree' or something. "

He continued to pace along the edge of a cliff, overlooking a giant valley of smoke and fire.

"You fought a bunch of Demon Heatblasts, so it only makes sense that you got sent to their home. Which is…" He looked around and tried to think of the name of this place.

His knowledge of Norse mythology is a bit rusty. He's lived with the God of Thunder for more than half a year now. You'd think he would've remembered the names of the places.

He knew about Asgard. Which this place looks nothing like, so that can be ruled out. What was the fire place? Didn't Thor mention that one of the realms was the literal land of the dead that he could visit?

Yeah, it was. But Thor said that place was cold and chilly. Snifflehiem, he called it, or something.

The fire place was something else.

Heatblast groaned as he mentally cursed himself for not being more invested in Thor's past.

He tried to remember, but the details were fuzzy at best. Usually, the Young Hero's memory is top-notch. He's been able to easily recall certain words, equations, and images from a simple glance. But that only works when he's invested in the topic and giving it his full attention.

Which is why his grades at school weren't the best.

Curse his faulty attention span!

"Just great." He mumbled to himself. "Lost in another world, again. Anything else ya wanna throw at me, Universe?"

No sooner had he said that. A screeching noise was heard above him.

Heatblast looked up to see a swarm of Fire Demons descending towards him. Their flaming wings and weapons glowed against the charred rocks littering the area.

The Alien Avenger narrowed his eyes in annoyance. "Me and my big mouth."

Asgard, the Golden City. Home of the Asgardians, the gods of Norse Mythology. Ruled over by the wise and powerful All-Father Odin and defended by his trusted son and Prince of Asgard. Thor, the God of Thunder.

At least. That is how the story usually goes. But today, it seems that there is a twist to that plot.

Of which a particular God was more than happy to recount the tale.

"And so the time of the Odin Sleep came once again to Asgard." Loki, God of Mischief, regaled as he strolled across the smooth marble floors of the Throne Room of Asgard.

"When Lord Odin rested and replenished his power." He smirked as he raised his hand to conjure a golden goblet filled with red wine with his magic. He took a sip of the beverage before continuing.

"But this time, Odin's favorite son was not there to protect him while he slumbered. The son had abandoned the Golden Realm to protect the mortals he loved so dearly."

Loki walked over to his prisoner. The Mighty Thor, brought to his knees as he was bound by a pillory that kept his hands and head trapped with chains on either side of the pillory to keep Thor on the ground.

A few feet in front of him, his helmet and Mjolnir lay under a dome of green magic. The same method the Enchantress had used to trap the mighty mallet before.

The Trickster God slithered over to his Step Brother and poured the red liquid on his head. Staining Thor's golden hair, causing the Thunderer to raise his head and glare at him.

"Do try and stay conscious, Thor." Loki teased. "This is the most important part of the tale."

Thor immediately tried to charge Loki. However, the chains glowed with green magic and kept him bound. Even with Thor's mighty strength, he could not shatter the enchantment Loki had used to trap him.

Satisfied that he had his captive's attention, Loki strolled to the altar on his right and continued his story.

"While Balder, Sif, and the rest of Asgard warriors were ever so pathetically vigilant In defending Odin as he slept. Their weak minds simply weren't prepared for the day when he didn't wake up."

Loki looked down at the alter. Inside was the sleeping form of the All-Father Odin. Resting peacefully inside the casket. His long silver beard and wrinkled face showed that he was a wise and powerful warrior. Clad in golden armor and an eyepatch over his right eye.

The Trickster smirked as he stood over the Asgardian King. Revelling in his triumph over him.

"They weren't prepared for someone finding a way to take Odin's power." Loki's evil smile slithered across his face as he felt the pure joy of seeing Thor's reaction.

"You lie!" Thor declared. "The Odin force belongs to the All-Father alone."

Somehow, Loki's sinister smile grew even wider. "Is that so?"

With that, Loki raised his hand and a blue magic beam blasted from it. Striking Thor as he cried out in anguish.

This sensation, he knew this power. It should be impossible. But Loki just attacked Thor using the Odin Force. Loki has control of Odin's power.

Loki marched towards Thor, and he blasted him again with the Odin Force.

"You call me a liar? It is Odin who lies." His glee turned to rage, and his words turned to venom. "How long did he keep the truth from us, brother? It was Odin who shielded my true father and stole me when I was a child! Only to treat me like a lesser being."

He eventually stopped his attack, and Thor hunched over. Panting in pain, his body smoked from the power of Loki's blast.

"But I am not a lesser being." Loki stated, sitting down on the Throne of Asgard. "Not anymore."

He raised his hand, and blue energy surrounded it as he conjured an image of the World Tree, Yggdrasill, with each of the Nine Realms fully displayed.

"The Odin force is mine. And all the nine realms will bow down to me." Loki continued as he flicked his fingers one by one.

"Asgard, Vanaheim, Svarthalfheim, Alfheim and Nidavellir. I have conquered them all. Jotunheim and Niflheim are mine to command." As he listed them off, each Realm vanished from the image. Leaving only two.

"Only Midgard remains. And there is no one left to save it." Loki finished, driving the knife into Thor's spirit and twisting it for good measure.

For a brief moment, Thor mentally breathed a sigh of relief when Loki left out Muspelhiem. He knew Loki to be mad. But he is glad to know he's not that mad to attempt to conquer or attempt to make an alliance with Him.

However, that was not enough to distract him from the shock that Loki had managed to conquer nearly all the Nine Realms.

All this time, Thor has been spending time on Midgard, oblivious and ignorant to his brother's schemes. Asgard and the Nine Realms had fallen, and he was not here to defend it. He cursed himself for being so arrogant and foolish.

Had he only swallowed his pride and come home when he had the chance…

Then he realized something. By destroying the Norn Stone, he was transported to Asgard. Did that mean that the same could have happened to the Avengers? If so, where in the Nine Realms did they end up?

Hank Pym was no stranger to traveling to exotic places for his research. He's embarked on many field missions for scientific research. Though more recently, he has had to travel for various superhero activities.

He's traversed the fridged peaks of the highest mountain ranges. To the Sub Zero temperatures of the Arctic Circle.

None of those locations hold a candle to the blistering cold of this place.

The Giant Hero stomped across the Glacial landscape as icy winds pelted his body all while he kept his hands cupped as he marched on.

"Hank. Hank!" Wasp's voice squeaked from inside his hands. "Please, wait for a second."

"I can't. Not until I find us some shelter." Giant Man responded as he marched on.

Wasp peaked out of the gap in hands. She had a worried look on her face. "It's freezing out there, Hank. You're gonna catch your death of cold."

Emphasized by his chattering teeth. However, he refused to budge. "I'll be ok, Janet. My giant form has a lot more mass, and according to the Square Cube Law, the increased mass with my normal metabolic rate will keep me warm."

In response. She gave him a deadpanned look. "Hank Pym, you and I both know that your Pym Particles use the Square Cube Law as toilet paper on a daily basis."

She sighed as her hands started to glow yellow. "I can see you shivering, Hank. But if you're gonna be this stubborn."

Wasp zapped his hands. Causing Giant Man to yelp and release his grip, allowing Wasp to fly out.

"Janet, no!" He yelled in a panic. "At your size, these temperatures will…"

He paused when Janet's body glowed blue, and she grew to match his size. Even after all this time, he was still caught off guard by it.

"Here, " she said as she removed her coat and draped it around him. It was a snug fit, as his broad chest and shoulders were not meant for her coat's slim figure. But with his Pym Particles, he should be able to make it fit.

"I was dressed for the cold, Hank. You weren't. It's not much, but it'll keep you warm a little." She said, cupping his cheek in her hand and caressing it gently.

Giant Man blinked in surprise. "Janet, I…"

The winds picked up, and Janet shivered as she rubbed her shoulders. The difference a winter coat can make.

"Ok, yeah. It's freezing out here." She agreed and quickly shrunk down, with Hank cupping his hands around her.

"Let's get out of here, Hank," Wasp said.

Giant Man nodded as he started marching. As he looked around, he saw more twisting ice mountains and snowy tundras, far more vast than anything he'd seen on Earth.

"Wherever here is." He stated. Looking up, he saw the sky filled with star constellations and celestial bodies that he had never seen before. "I'm pretty sure We are not on earth anymore. Or even in the same dimension."

"Normally, that would be pretty cool." Janet responded. "But, I think I would prefer a place that was a little warmer. Any idea where you think we are?

Giant Man looked around and tried to recall his Norse Mythology. He'd read the stories about Asgard and the Bifrost, the different worlds that connect them.

According to the tales, there were two places known for their fridged biomes. One was Niflheim, the Norse land of the dead. The other was…

Hank's eyes widened as they rounded a corner and immediately ducked. Just as a giant axe blade almost cut his head off.

The blade sunk into the ice wall with ease.

Giant Man rolled along the ground as he looked up at his attacker.

Before him stood a Frost Giant. Easily several stories tall. At that height, he would be peaking over several buildings in New York. He wore black leather armor along with white fur pelts on his waist and shoulders. He was missing his right eye, which was covered by a patch.

"You should not have trespassed in Jotunheim, mortal." The Giant declared.

Immediately, he was flanked by two more giants.

"Jotunheim, huh?" Hank responded as it became clear. At least that answers that question.

"Hank? What's going on? Who's out there?" Wasp asked, trying to peek out of his hands as he held her close.

Giant Man's eyes narrowed. There was no way they could outrun these guys. And if he shrank now, the cold temperatures of this world will cause both Janet and Himself to die of hypothermia within minutes.

Looking down, Giant-Man saw a small cave near the base of the wall near his foot.

Leaning down, Giant-Man placed Wasp inside. The cave walls provided her with enough shelter from the winds to shield her from the winds. Though she was still shivering.

Once she was out, she looked up to see the Frost Giants, and her eyes widened in shock. They'd only just finished fighting those things back in Alaska. Looks like it was round two.

"Oh. Never mind." She said through her chattering teeth.

A loud thud hit the snow as Giant Man removed Janet's coat.

"Well, guys, I'm pretty sure you are not too interested in talking this out." He then pressed the left side button of his belt. His body glowed blue as Giant Man grew to equal size to the Frost Giants. The biggest he's ever been.

He then proceeded to grab the axe by the hilt and yank it from the wall. Gripping the weapon in both hands as he glared at the ice Titans.

"And, frankly, Neither am I!" He roared as he proceeded to charge the Giants.

Wasp was at a loss for words. Hank, the man known for his firm belief in pacifism. Willing to go the extra mile to avoid violence at all costs. Just dove straight into a fight without hesitation.

Giant Man swung his axe to the Frost Giant's surprise. Striking the lead giant with the flat side of the axe, batting him away.

One of the other Giants roared and engaged him, raising his ice club overhead and swinging it down in a large arch.

Swiftly, Giant-Man raised his weapon and blocked the strike, wrestling with the Frost Giant as they tried to overpower one another.

The Third Giant started making his way behind Giant Man, ready to attack him while his back was turned.

As if her body moved on her own, Wasp sprung into action. Shrinking down, she zoomed towards the Frost Giant.

The winds pounded her small form, but her wings buzzed ever faster, defying the winds that tried to beat her back as her body glowed with yellow bio-energy.

Once she got close, Wasp grew to her giant form and landed a double kick to the Frost Giant's face, knocking him down.

"Janet!" Giant Man cried out as he pivoted from his spot, getting close to the Frost Giant's body, causing him to be knocked off balance as he rammed the hilt of his axe into his temple, sending him face-first into the snow.

With his opponent down, he rushed to her side.

Her giant form was half his size, making him kneel down to check on her.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

She smirked. "I should be asking you that."

A slight grin pulled at the corner of his mouth.

"You need to be careful, Jan. Growing this much in one day is not safe. Especially in these conditions." He explained.

"I know, Hank." Janet replied haphazardly. "I've been training a lot with my growing power since you left."

She emphasized that last part a little too hard.

Wasp then walked over to her coat and scooped it up. Snow clung to the fabric, but it was still another layer that she needed. She slid the coat back on and tried her best to brush off the frost.

"I understand that, Janet. But in these conditions, temperature extremes, high adrenaline, and stress. You could end up overtaxing your body and put some serious strain on yourself." Giant Man warned.

Wasp put her hand to her hip and looked up at Giant Man with a defiant glare. "If you think I'm just gonna stand on the sidelines while you risk your life. Think again, pal."

"Jan, I…" Hank tried to say.

"Last I checked, you quit the team. Making me the ranking Avenger here." Wasp pointed out. "So either we fight together or not at all."

Giant Man was taken aback by her declaration. The intensity in her eyes. It's been a while since he's seen that fire in her. Then again, this woman always did what she set her mind to. There was no changing it once she put forth.

It's one of the many things he admired about her and feared.

She walked over to him, reached up, and took her hand in his.

At their current height difference, it looked like a child holding an adult's hand as her expression softened, and she gave him a cute smile.

"You're not getting rid of me that easily, Hank." She reassured him.

Giant Man felt a wave of relief wash over him. Like a weight being lifted from his chest.

Could she have known? That this whole time, he was worried about losing her and just wanted to keep her safe?

Knowing her, she likely saw right through him. Like she always does.

Why wouldn't she? They have been partners for years. If there's anyone he trusts in this chaotic and violent world. It's her.

When Janet Van Dyne makes a promise, the universe will bend over backward to meet her needs.

A rumbling interrupted the pair as the Frost Giants got to their feet.

The Ice Titans gave the Size Changing Duo a chilling stare as they got into fighting stances.

"Don't leave my side." Giant Man ordered.

"Consider me a parasitic Wasp." She replied with a playful wink as they prepared to face their foes.

Through the mists, Captain America marched forward. Having awakened in an unknown land. He found himself standing in an open, flat plane with limited visibility as he was surrounded by a veil of mist and low light.

He couldn't make out the Sun or the moon above him, nor could he see any visible landmarks in any direction.

So, his best bet was to move and hope that he would come across something that could give him an idea of where he was.

The entire time, he had his ID card in his hand as he tried to make contact with the other Avengers.

"Captain America to Iron Man come in. Any Avenger hearing this, respond." He said to the card.

Same as before. All he received was static.

A sigh exited his lips. "So much for modern technology."

Tucking the card away, Captain America continued to march forward.

With no way to mark his location, the Super Soldier had no idea whether he was making any progress in his movement. Given that he is right-handed. That means that he favors his right side more than his left. As a result, his right leg would have more considerable strides than his left side, eventually causing him to walk in a large circle.

The Super Soldier had seen multiple cases where his fellow soldiers were stranded without a heading and ended up getting lost as a result.

While he has attempted to train his body to be equal on both sides, he subconsciously favors his right side by default.

If only he had thought to pack some flares with him. That would have at least provided him with a means of marking the area so he could gauge the distance traveled.

Suddenly, Cap noticed something out of the corner of his eye.

Through the mist, he saw a figure.

Immediately going on the offensive, Captain America raised his shield and prepared to meet his opponent. He rushed forward and aimed the edge of his shield at the unknown figure. Ready to engage should they be hostile or question if not.

However, the moment the figure came into view, the Super Soldier froze as his eyes widened in shock. He knew this man.

"Manelli?" He gasped.

Sure enough, it was him. Straight from his memories. Wearing the exact uniform, he last saw him in during World War II.

"Dino Manelli? From Able Company, right? You were with Jack Fury's Howling Commandoes last time I saw you." Cap stated as the memories came flooding back.

He didn't know how it was possible for his old squad mate to be here of all places. Or that it looked like he hadn't aged a day.

Then again, he's already met Howlett. Or Logan, as he's calling himself now. The Clawed Mutant has managed to live so long without aging, thanks to his mutant healing abilities.

Perhaps Dino was the same? Having some impressive power that he hid from the rest of the unit.

Either way, it didn't matter. He was here now, and they need to work together.

"Dino, Where are we?" Cap asked. Only for a layer of mist to wash over the Howling Commando and he vanished from view.

Chills crawled up Captain America's neck. One minute, his old teammate was there, and the next, he wasn't. Almost like he was… A ghost.

Suddenly, Cap heard the sound of an explosion. Followed by the gunfire and artillery shells. The marching of boots and the yelling of soldiers on the battlefield.

The sounds of the war. The war that he left behind.

Just then, a flash of light illuminated next to him, followed by the distant sound of an explosion, and Dino reappeared.

"Why did you leave us behind?" The soldier asked. His voice, a whisper, like he was far off in the distance.

More flashes and suddenly more figures appeared. Dressed in the same uniform. Dino Manelli, Isadore "Izzy" Cohen, Robert "Rebel" Ralston, Percy Pinkerton, Gabe Jones and Sgt. Jack Fury.

One by one, they appeared before him. Each one spoke to him. The Howling Commandos.

"We needed you." Izzy said.

"Why did you abandon the mission?" Jake Fury asked.

"Why aren't you down in the dirt with us?" Gabe questioned.

Cap's breath became heavy as the memories of the war flashed before his eyes. Their words swirled around in his head. Guilt gripped his heart as the words hitched in his throat.

He wasn't speaking to his teammates. He wasn't back in the past. These were their ghosts. The dead souls of his fellow soldiers.

And if he was seeing them now. What did that mean for him?

Calm. A state that the Hulk rarely gets to experience. The muffled sounds and the gentle drifting made him feel like he was underwater.

In such a tranquil state, the Strongest there is felt like taking a deep breath. That's when he realized he was holding his breath.

A slight exhale, and bubbles exited his nostrils.

He wasn't dreaming. He was underwater.

Hulk's eyes snapped open as his vision was met with the clear blue waters around him.

Letting out a surprised growl, Hulk pushed himself off the lakebed, and his head breached the surface.

Fortunately, he was still standing in shallow water. The shore was only a few feet from him. However, the area around him had completely changed.

But that didn't bother the Gamma Brute. So much crazy stuff has happened in his life, waking up in a strange location is just another Tuesday to him.

Looking to his right, he noticed the handle sticking out of the water.

Reaching over, Hulk grabbed the handle and pulled it out. Revealing the Executioner's magic axe, the Bloodaxe.

Hulk grinned at the weapon. While he usually fought using his fists. Even he had to admit, that weapon is pretty cool.

Suddenly, the sound of a whip cracking caught his ear.

Turning around, Hulk saw a convoy of wooden carriages traveling along the road near the river he was standing in.

The Carriages were designed as cages, filled with what looked like people. All are wearing clothes similar to the kind that Thor usually wears.

Outside the wagons were a group of Ogres. Or at least, that's what Hulk thinks they are.

When they first met, Thor initially called Hulk an Ogre, and Hulk could see why.

They were roughly the same size as him, with skin of various shades of green. Their lips had fangs protruding from them, and their ears were pointed. They wore various leather, animal pelts, and metal armor on their bodies.

Some pulled the wagons, while others stood guard, armed with weapons. One stood on top, cracking his whip, urging the wagon pullers to move faster.

Without wasting a second, Hulk leaped into action. Landing in front of the convoy with enough force to cause a small earthquake and crack the ground.

The Ogres froze at the sight of the Gamma Giant. The captives raised their heads and tried to get a look at the mysterious stranger.

Hulk snarled as he gripped the Bloodaxe with one hand.

"What is it? Do they have such ugly things in Vanaheim?" An Ogre asked his comrade.

The Ogre sitting on top with the whip narrowed his eyes as he stood up from his seat.

"Whatever it is, bring me its head!" He ordered.

The first Ogre complied with the order and drew the sword on his back. The Barbarian charged at Hulk, ready to take his head off.

Hulk let out a mighty roar as he backstepped as the Ogre's blade swung harmlessly through the air in front of him. The Green Goliath then delivered a powerful haymaker to the Brute's jaw, knocking him off his feet and sending the Ogre flying over the convoy and landing into the river behind them.

The eyes of the Ogres and the captive's eyes widened at the sheer strength displayed by the Unknown creature.

The leader of the Ogres glared at the Hulk in anger.

"Kill it!" He roared as every Ogre drew their weapons and charged the Green Goliath.

Hulk let out his own battle roar as he wielded the Bloodaxe and lept to engage the Monster army.

Black Panther stood in the middle of a barren wasteland. The skies had a sickly green hue to them. What few trees that could be seen were all dead and decaying. The soil beneath his feet was little more than ash.

Most haunting of all were the bones scattered across the landscape, the skulls belonging to beings that were not human.

The Wakandan King scooped up some of the ash in his hand and activated his cowl's scanners to examine the soil's contents.

What he saw were trace amounts of elemental compositions that were unusual, as they are not usually found in the same region or in combinations like this.

He also detected faint traces of mystical energy from the soil and surrounding area.

Based on all the evidence from his previous fight to now. Black Panther concluded that upon destroying the Norn Stone, he was transported to Svartalfheim. One of the Nine Realms and home of the Dark Elves.

As if to prove his hypothesis correct, a cloud of inky black smoke materialized over the land. The dark cloud formed into a large mass where dozens of flowing eyes and toothy maws appeared on it.

The Cloud launched itself at Black Panther like a hungry swarm of piranhas.

Black Panther's eyes widened as he quickly dodged to the side. Based on the facial features and his location. These are the tormented souls of the Dark Elves.

No doubt, viewing him as an intruder to their resting place.

The Wakandan King mentally sighed in frustration. The means that transported him here didn't seem fit to transport his iron weapons from Earth. Leaving him with only his Vibranium weapons and gear.

As helpful as they are. Against a ravenous swarm of Dark Elves, he calculated his odds of victory at less than 30%. And that was a generous estimation on his part.

He quickly tried to formulate another plan as the Dark Elf cloud circled back for another attack.

Tony Stark was no stranger to waking up after blacking out. The Billionaire playboy has had many nights where he would party too hard, only to wake up in a strange location with no memory of how he got there, without any clothes, and usually with a beautiful woman, or women, beside him.

Ever since he became Iron Man and formed the Avengers, Tony has since cut down on that eccentric lifestyle and has made his best effort to present himself as a responsible leader and role model.

That being said, he is only human, and the stress of the job can get to him. So, every once in a while, he blows off a little steam with a fun night on the town.

However, the Billionaire has plenty of experience with hangovers to know when he was waking up from one.

He groaned and opened his eyes. His head pounded, but more like he was knocked out in a fight than a bottle. And the world wasn't spinning. It was moving in a straight line.

Or rather, he was the one moving. Dragged more like it. His body was sliding across hard, bumpy rock, and his legs were held a few feet off the ground.

Raising his head slightly, The Armored Hero saw three short, stout boys dragging him down a dark tunnel. Two of them held one of his legs each while the third walked ahead of them.

A sharp pain struck his back as he was dragged over a stone in the middle of the path.

That's when Tony realized he wasn't wearing his armor. Save for a gauntlet on his right arm, Tony had been stripped down to his undersuit. The rest of his armor was gone.

Suddenly, Tony's mind drifted back. He remembered the cave. Being imprisoned for days, months, barely any food, tortured daily. He remembered his first suit, the gunfire, the explosions, his escape.

"Don't waste your life, Stark." A voice whispered to him.

Tony wildly kicked his legs free, catching his captors by surprise as they turned around. The armorless Iron Man scrambled away before aiming his remaining repulsor at his captors.

"Back off! Right now!" Tony warned, aiming his repulsor at each of them individually. Daring them to make the first move and give him an excuse.

While his armor may be reduced down to a single glove, it was still functional thanks to the undersuit. To most, it would seem that the skin-tight suit's function was to protect the Armored Billionaire's body from chafing or being damaged by the high-tech armored suit.

When in actuality, the undersuit acted like a second skin that connected Tony to the armor. Nano circuitry had been weaved into the suit's fabric, which allowed the energy from the arc reactor in his chest to be conducted and power any part of his suit. That way, should his suit get damaged and he loses, pieces of the armor sections like the gauntlets and boots would still be functional.

Meaning his remaining gauntlet was still capable of doing some serious damage.

Over his dead body will he be held prisoner again.

However, his captors seemed to be more confused by his actions rather than hostile.

"The mortal is waving at us. Why is he doing that?" One of them asked his companions in confusion.

That threw Tony off. Mortal? He's only heard Thor call him that before.

With his eyes adjusting to the dark, along with the light emanating from his palm, he finally got a good look at the trio.

They were all roughly four feet tall but had beards that would make lumberjacks envious. Each one was also clad in armor. The one that held his left leg was clad in blue armor that covered most of his body, along with a sword and round shield on his back. The one on his right wore light bronze armor with an eye patch on his right eye, with a mace and war hammer strapped to his back.

The last one was armed with a single sword on his belt. His armor looked cleaner and of better quality compared to the others. He had a long ginger beard and wore a bandlike crown on his head.

Regardless of how they dressed, it's clear that these guys weren't trying to kidnap him. In fact, they kinda looked like Dwarves. Pulled straight from a fantasy movie.

"Where am I? Who are you?" Tony asked.

The short man in the crown stepped forward. "You are in the Kingdom of Nidavellir." He explained in a polite manner as he bowed to the Genius Billionaire. "I am Eitri."

No sooner had he introduced himself, the blue-armored dwarf approached him.

"We must keep moving, my Lord." He said in a warning tone.

Eitri nodded to his guard before addressing Tony. "Mortal, may I ask how you came to my Realm?"

Tony lowered his hand as he tried to recall the past events. "The last I remember, I destroyed the stone. The Norn Stone."

The Dwarves shared a look. Concern on their faces.

"Norn Stone is a powerful magic. No doubt, part of Loki's plan." Eitri stated in a grim tone.

Tony's eyes perked up at the mention of that name. His mind quickly put the pieces together. "Loki? Thor's brother? Wait a minute! I'm not on Earth anymore, am I? Destroying the stone, it opened a wormhole. I'm in Asgard."

"Nay, Nidavellir." Eitri corrected.

The Armored Avenger mentally slapped himself. That's right. Asgard is one of the dimensional plans connected via the quantum wormhole system, which links Earth to Asgard and the other seven dimensions.

At least that's the more logical explanation he's given than Thor's simplistic "It's all magic" explanation.

"We go now to the Forge." Eitri continued explaining, interrupting Tony's train of thought. "The last remaining free stronghold."

From the way he said that. Sounds like things are pretty dire here. Enough for the apparent King of the Dwarves to be out of his stronghold. Whatever Loki is up to, it must be big.

However, Tony had other things on his mind. If he had been teleported, odds are the others would have been as well. Scattered across the different dimensions, and if they're anything like him, they could be in serious trouble.

"I have to find Thor and the rest of my team." Tony said as he got to his feet.

"First, we must get to safety." The Dwarf King stated as he and his guards started to move down the tunnel.

Tony raised an eyebrow. "Safety? From what?"

He didn't pay much attention in Norse Mythology class. What kind of threats did a bunch of Dwarves have to deal with? Oversized moles?

Suddenly, the cave wall ahead of them exploded as something big burst into the tunnel.

When the dust settled, Tony spotted a massive, hulking beast standing over six feet tall and built like the Hulk. It had orange skin and a thick, bushy mane of hair surrounding its head. It wore a green armored chest plate with a silver pattern running down the centre. It had leather vambraces on each arm, with what appeared to be a pair of large white-knuckle dusters on each hand, featuring pipes that seemed to connect from the base of the knuckle dusters to a pack situated on its back.

The Monstrous being roared like a savage beast.

"Never mind." Tony gulped as sweat formed on his brow.

Face to face with such an imposing threat, it finally dawned on Tony just how exposed he is without his armor.

His body froze; he felt like running, but he couldn't. How he wished he had at least 90% of his armor. Heck, he'd take 55% of an armor at this point.

Anything but this single minuscule tin can glove.

While Tony stood frozen, the Dwarf Guards jumped into action. The Eye Patch guard drew his weapons from his back and charged forth. Leaping towards the wall and using it as a springboard to launch himself at the Monstrous Brute. Displaying speed and agility that defied his physical form.

The Dwarf swung his Mace at the Creature's face. Only for the Orange Monster to catch the mace in its teeth. Biting into it like an apple before ramming its massive fist into the guard's tiny body.

His armor crumpled like a tin can, and the sickening sound of bones shattering echoed in the cavern as the Guard's body was sent flying like a rag doll. Landing on the floor, his body limp as he lay dead on the cold stone.

The Blue Armored Dwarf drew his weapons and fearlessly charged the Beast. Raising his shield and prepared to swing his axe.

In response, the Orange Monster casually spat the mace out of his mouth and grinned with savage glee as it drew back its massive fist and drove the armored appendage into the Dwarf's shield.

Just like his fallen comrade, the shield crumpled like paper, shattering his arm and driving the full force of the blow into his face. Knocking the Dwarf off his feet as he sailed through the air, and his lifeless body landed at his King's feet.

The Hulking Brute chuckled as he stomped over to the King of Nidavellir.

"Eitri. Any more warriors You wish to test against, Ulik the Unstoppable Troll?" The Troll named Ulik challenged as he towered over the Dwarf King.

Eitri stood his ground, glaring up at the Giant Rock Troll. His fists clenched in anger as his fallen warriors lay at his feet. Yet, despite being unarmed and helpless before the might of this foe. Eitri refused to give the Rock Troll the satisfaction of showing any weakness.

Suddenly, Tony Stark walked past Eitri and stood before Ulik. Steely determination in his eye.

"How about me?" Tony challenged in a chilling tone.

The Genius Billionaire felt ashamed of himself. He faced off against rogue A.I. murder bots, Conquerors from the Future, whose tech outclasses his in every way, and recently went up against a cosmic entity older than the Universe.

Yet, without his armor, he froze in the face of danger, and two brave men died because he felt useless without it.

Pathetic.

He could hear Captain America's words echoing in his mind. "You can't always rely on your armor."

No… No, he couldn't. He couldn't believe how blind he was. All this time, he thought of himself as the Futurist, always looking ahead, never looking back.

But it is his past that shaped him. His past molded him and led him to one undeniable truth.

Ulik chuckled as he leaned closer until his face was inches from Tony's face. "And who are you?"

A good question. One that Tony had almost forgotten. But after everything with the Avengers, what Captain America taught him, what Ben had shown him. It wasn't the suit or the tech that made the hero. It was the man within.

Raising his right palm. Tony fired a full-powered repulsor from his gauntlet, blasting the Rock Troll in the chin and sending him flying across the cave.

"I'm Iron Man."

If you were to ask Hawkeye how he thought his day would go. He would probably answer with training with his bow, taking down a supervillain or two, hitting the gym, possibly hanging out with some friends, and blowing off steam.

Notice how running for his life from monstrous magic wolves was not on the list?

That's because Hawkeye did not consider something like that a good time.

Yet, here he is, running for his life as a pack of giant wolves chases him down.

After waking up in a strange forest, which happens to be some floating magic island in space given the view he got when he reached the edge of it. A Legolas wannabe almost runs him over on a horse, who proceeded to tell him to run as some guy called Loki was sending his army his way.

Next thing he knows, the same Asgardian Wolves that Iron Man, Thor, Ben, and Black Panther fought during that Casket of Ancient Winters fiasco show up and start chasing him.

And if that list of pleasantries wasn't just the sugar on the cream. The Archer found himself out of all his useful arrows. Having used a majority of his arsenal fighting Chemistro in Brazil.

Why was that guy the lucky one that didn't get teleported here?

Either way, Hawkeye was running out of arrows, ideas, and stamina. That's what happens when you only eat one meal and then spend the rest of the day in a nonstop triathlon of survival.

Notching another arrow, Hawkeye leaped over a boulder, pivoted in the air, and fired. The trick arrow popped open and unleashed a net that ensnared one of the wolves. Causing it to fall to the ground and struggle to free itself while the rest of the pack kept its pursuit.

His legs were on fire as the adrenaline started to wear off. At this point, running was pointless. He couldn't maintain his pace anymore. If he kept this up, the pack would take him down without any difficulty.

Making the only option to stand his ground and fight. An option that is more his speed.

Turning around. Hawkeye drew another arrow and notched it on his bowstring. A flare arrow. Helpful in signaling others and providing an emergency light source. But not much use in a fight. However, he's sure that it'll singe the fur off some of these Canine's butts.

Just as he drew back his string to take aim, a rustling to his right drew his attention to his peripherals.

Too late, he turned to see a giant wolf pounced on him. The Purple archer fell to the ground as he held his bow up to try and shield himself from the wolf's claws and teeth.

The Asgardian Wolf's jaws clamped down on his bow, and it snapped like a twig. That was a reinforced steel, carbon-fiber bow. If that mutt had gotten his arm instead of his bow.

Hawkeye couldn't afford to think about that as he punched the wolf in the face to knock it off.

He then drew a second arrow from his quiver while picking up the first. He gripped the arrows at the base of their shafts and swiftly whipped the pair in one fluid motion.

The motion sensors within the arrowheads activated, igniting the flares as they blazed to life before him.

Hawkeye wielded the pair of flare arrows, their magnesium fires creating a brilliant light display while also giving off quite a bit of heat.

The Wolves immediately backed away from the flames. Putting some distance between the archer and them.

This gave Hawkeye some time. But eventually, the flares will run out of fuel, and these were the last of his flares. The only arrows he has left in the quiver were cable arrows. None of which will help him here.

Just as it seemed like this would be his last stand, the thunder of hooves was heard as the Elf that Hawkeye saw earlier rode into the clearing. He had long silver hair tied up in three ponytails, one at the back and two on either side of his shoulders. He wore light brown leather armor atop chainmail on his arms and legs. He wore brown gloves and a gold tiara-like headband on his head.

"Archer!" The Elf called out as he held out his hand to Hawkeye.

Not questioning the Elf's display of altruism, Hawkeye grabbed the Elf's hand as he rode by, and they used the momentum to swing the Purple Archer on the back of his horse.

The Wolf Pack gave chase as the unlikely duo rode through the enchanted forest.

"Take my bow!" The Elf ordered Hawkeye.

The Archer obliged as he grabbed the Elf's golden longbow from his saddlebag. It was so light and smooth, and it fit perfectly in his grip.

Seeing as his remaining arrows were basically useless in combat, Hawkeye elected to borrow the arrows from the Elf's quiver.

"Those are special arrows, Is your aim true?" The Elf asked, glancing over his shoulder.

Hawkeye smirked at the question. Being able to show off his archery skills to an actual elf. Oh boy, the 10-year-old Clint would be so jealous.

"I do all right," Hawkeye responded in a cocky tone as he fired the arrow.

The projectile sailed through the air towards the lead wolf. As it did so, the arrowhead glowed with golden magical energy before it spread across the arrow.

As expected, the arrow hit its mark right between the eyes of the lead wolf. Suddenly, golden magical energy erupted from the arrow, generating a wave of magic that washed over the entire pack, vaporizing all of them in an instant.

Hawkeye blinked in shock. One arrow did all that? He looked down at the bow and then quickly glanced at the arrows in the Elf's quiver.

His grin grew even wider as he brushed his hand over the golden bow.

"Oh, mama, I have got to get me one of these." He said in a giddy tone, much to the Elf's confusion.

Lava bubbled, and dark smoke flowed through the volcanic mountains of the hellish landscape.

Suddenly, a bright flaming comet shot across the sky as Heatblast rode his fireball. Pouring as much power as he could into it to increase his speed.

Behind him, a swarm of Fire Demons were in hot pursuit. Their flaming wings beat with determination as they chased him down.

Heatblast was in trouble. He had been at this for a while now. It is hard to tell how long due to his watch being unable to tell time, and there is no sun in this place to figure out the time. Or even if time works the same in this dimension.

Point is, he's been transformed long enough to know that the watch will be running low on power. And those Fire Demons were unrelenting in their chase.

He tried to fight them. But, turns out, just like him, fire does not work on them. They absorb fire just as easily as Heatblast can.

So they're at a stalemate for now. Neither side can hurt each other. That is, until the watch times out, and he's back to being a regular human.

He considered transforming and using one of his other forms to fight them. Chromastone was shown to be effective, and his forms that specialize in water and cold would definitely help.

However, that would only drain the battery more and draw more attention to him. These Fire Demons are trouble alone. He doesn't need to alert more of them or whatever else is lurking in this place to come chasing after him.

What he needed was a place to lie low and come up with a plan.

But first, he needed to ditch his devilish entourage.

Flying over a ridge, Heatblast dove down into a canyon and jumped off his comet, landing on a rocky platform and hiding behind a rock wall.

Concentrating, he used his power to manipulate his flaming comet and commanded it to fly off into the distance.

The Comet responded to his command and flew off in between a mountain range of volcanos.

A few seconds later, the Fire Demon hoard appeared over the ridge. Seeing the comet in the distance, they immediately gave chase, flying directly past Heatblast's hidey-hole and off into the distance.

The Alien Teen let out a sigh of relief.

"Been a while since I had a chase like that. Though, I think I prefer the Null Void. Least that place had a better climate." He jokingly stated.

He proceeded to walk along the canyon path. With any luck, he might be able to find a place that's cool enough for his human form to survive in while the watch recharges.

Wishful thinking on his part. Seems every single section of this place has the temperature set to either boiling hot or blistering hot. From the top of the mountains to the lowest valley. The entire landscape was in a perpetual state of burning.

That included the Fauna and Flora. The Fire Demons were one thing, but as he continued to walk down the canyon, Heatblast noticed a patch of fire flowers blazing out of a crack in the rock wall.

Walking further down, Heatblast came across a cave. It was pretty well hidden among the rocks and seemed to go pretty deep, given how dark it was.

A perfect place to hide out for a while. With any luck, the Alien Hero could make one quick transformation into Big Chill and put down a layer of ice to cool the place down before turning back.

He walked inside and moved deeper into the darkness.

The light of his flames illuminated his path. The cave went deeper than he expected and seemed to expand the further he walked. Did that mean that there was a cavern up ahead?

Seems so as he eventually stepped out of the tunnel into a relatively spacious room. He could make out stalactites on the ceiling but no stalagmites on the floor.

As he looked around, he suddenly felt uneasy. Like something watch watching him.

He balled his fists and got into a fighting stance. Keeping his head on a swivel as his flames grew more intense.

Just then, the faint sound of metal clicking together caught his ear, and Heatblast spun around to see a figure descending toward him.

A glint of light off his blade caused Heatblast to leap back immediately. He narrowly avoided the blade as the attacker swung it down in a wide arc.

The Mysterious attacker let out a battle cry as he charged the Alien Avenger, raised his sword, and swung again.

Heatblast dodged a second time, narrowly avoiding the blade hitting his abdomen.

The Young Hero was confused. In the low light, he could make out a few details. For one thing, this guy wasn't a Fire Demon. Since he wasn't on fire and looked pretty human. The next thing he noticed was that this guy was decked out in armor. He had silver gauntlets in his arms, pauldrons on each shoulder, and a helmet with massive silver wing-like horns on either side. And what looked like silver hair flowing out the top.

His clothes were mainly blue, with a lighter shade on his chest, gloves, and boots and a darker shade on his arms and legs.

Heatblast could see burn marks on his armor, and the warrior's face was drenched in sweat. Not surprising since he's wearing heavy armor in a fire pit. But that also gave the Alien the impression that this guy didn't belong here any more than he did.

As he avoided another strike from the Warriors blade, Heatblast tried to talk to him. "Hey, Dude. I think we got off on the wrong foot here. How about we talk for a sec?"

"Save your breath, Demon." The Warrior hissed back at him. "I will not be swayed by your lies."

"Demon?" Heatblast raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What are you talking about, dude? I'm not a…"

He then realized his current form. "Oh…"

Another sword strike, and Heatblast rolled out of the way. Only to run into a wall.

Too late, the Teen realized that he had allowed himself to be backed into a corner. The Warrior had him trapped as he raised his sword for a killing strike.

"Hold on, wait!" Heatblast yelled, raising his hand.

But it was too late. The Blue Warrior swung his sword towards Heatblast's head.

His reflexes kicked in, and the Alien Teen clapped his hands together, catching the blade in his palms. The strength of the Warrior forced the Fire Alien to his knees as he struggled to keep the blade from coming down on him.

"Listen." Heatblast strained to speak as he wrestled against the Warrior's impressive strength. "I know it's hard to believe. But I'm not a Demon. I'm an Alien with fire powers."

"Your depravity knows no bounds, villain." The Warrior spat back at him. "You and your Master will learn soon enough. The Warriors of Asgard are not so easily slain."

He pushed harder as Heatblast grunted, struggling as the sword inched closer to his face.

"I'm telling you. You've got the wrong idea. I'm on your side!" Heatblast cried out desperately.

The Warrior scowled as he pushed harder. His piercing blue eyes burning with fury. The metal of his sword started to glow from the heat of the fire alien. The blade was millimetres from his face.

"BALDER!" A voice suddenly cried out. Catching the attention of both combatants.

The Warrior and Alien both turned to the source of the voice. Thankfully, the Warrior took pressure off his sword as the two remained deadlocked.

From the shadows emerged another Warrior. He looked older than the Blue Warrior. With a brown beard and brown eyes. He wore brown leather clothes over what appeared to be maroon chainmail. A long grey fur cloak hung from his shoulders. His left arm was in a makeshift sling, while his right hand held a large battle axe with a black head and a golden edge. The axe head was on the ground, and it seemed the warrior was using it as a cane to prop himself up.

"Stay your blade." The man ordered the Blue Warrior. Who's name is apparently Balder.

"Heimdall?" Balder responded in confusion. "For what purpose would you stop me from slaying another Muspel Spawn?"

The Man called Heimdall grunted as he stepped forward. His axe blade scraped the stone as he moved, causing Balder to look at him with a concerned expression.

Heimdall let out a pant as he raised his head to look him in the eye. "He speaks the truth. This creature is not our enemy."

"That's what I've been trying to tell you," Heatblast stated, still struggling under the Asgardian's blade.

Balder, however, did not seem convinced. "What madness has come over you, Watcher?"

"That is no Fire Demon. He is a Mortal." Heimdall stated, turning his gaze towards the Fire Alien. "His name is Ben Tennyson. A trusted ally of Thor… One who is worthy to wield Mjolnir."

Balder's eyes widened as he suddenly retracted his blade, causing Heatblast to fall on his butt, and he let out a gasp as he panted heavily.

"Forgive me," Balder said as he dropped to one knee and bowed to him. "I mistook you for an enemy and attacked you without provocation."

Heatblast waved his hand in the air. "It's cool, dude. Could have happened to anyone."

He got to his feet and turned to Heimdall, whose eyes had not left him.

"But, I'm a little confused. Have we met? Cause how do you know so much about me?" He asked the Asgardian Warrior.

"Forgive me. Introductions are in order." The Warrior replied, bowing his head. "I am Heimdall, the All Seeing. Keeper… Nay, former keeper of the Bifrost."

The Alien Teen noticed a hint of sadness in his voice on that last part.

"And I am Balder the Brave." The Blue Warrior introduced, standing up. "Warrior of Asgard. It is an honor to meet you. Son of Tenny."

Heatblast let out a slight snort at the misuse of his last name. Then again, this is apparently a thing in Asgardian culture.

"Nice to meet you, too. But that still doesn't answer my question."

Heimdall gave a weak smile before grunting, and his legs buckled. He leaned on his axe for support, and Balder sheathed his sword before coming to the All-Seeing Watcher's side and helping him reach a raised bolder for him to use as a chair.

"Is he ok?" Heatblast asked, concerned.

He could see the burns and other injuries on his body. Seems like they've both seen their share of action here.

"He is very weak." Balder explained. "We have only survived this long thanks to his all-seeing eyes."

As Heimdall rested, Balder turned to face the Teen Hero. "That is how he knows about you and the rest of Thor's allies on Midgard. As keeper of the Bifrost, Heimdall can see across all the Nine Realms. Keeping an ever watchful eye on all that goes on."

Heatblast eyes widened as he pieced the rest together. "So he can see everything that goes on? That's how he knew about me? He was watching me?"

"Aye." Balder nodded.

The Young Hero wasn't sure if he should be impressed or disturbed. The idea that this guy has been watching him for who knows how long felt a bit intrusive. Like what if Heimdall was watching him during his more personal moments?

Before he could dig himself deeper into that rabbit hole, Balder brought him back to reality.

"Heimdall bore witness to the day when you picked up Thor's hammer, Mjolnir. Until that day, no other but Thor and All-Father Odin has ever wielded the hammer. For a mortal to be worthy of Mjolnir is one that is worthy of our trust and respect."

Heatblast would blush if he could from such praise. "Please, I'm just a guy trying to do the right thing."

"Lifting the Hammer is no mere feat, Mortal." Heimdall stated. He then turned to the Blue Warrior. "Balder, could you provide us with some light? Twould be rude of us to continue using our mortal ally."

"But of course," Balder said with a bow.

"No, it's ok. I don't mind," Heatblast protested. It's not like I can turn back to normal anyway. My human form can't handle the heat very well."

"Fret not, Son of Tenny. I shall grant you my protection. As the god of light, no harm shall befall you under my light." Balder declared as he raised his right hand to the roof.

From his palm, a small yellow ball of light illuminated before floating up to the ceiling. Suddenly, the glowing ball erupted into a brilliant display of light. Illuminating the entire cave, allowing Heatblast to see every corner of the cavern.

He was in awe that he didn't realize that the Ultimatrix dial started to blink as he transformed back into human form.

For a brief moment, Ben panicked as he prepared for the intense pain from the heat.

Only, the pain never came. In fact, the only warmth Ben felt was a comforting sensation. Like he was being embraced by a loved one. The light from Balder's orb seemed to be protecting him from the intense heat of this world.

"Wow. Thanks." He said to the God of Light.

Balder nodded in response as he and Ben sat down on some rocks near Heimdall.

"So, can either of you tell me where I am? And what those Flaming Demon dudes are all about?" Ben asked.

Heimdall propped himself up in his seat as he cleared his throat.

"You are in Muspelheim, Young Ben. The realm of fire and ruled by the Fire Demon Surtur himself."

The mere mention of his name sent chills down his spine.

"Ok, but how did I end up here? And what are you guys doing here?" Ben asked the pair.

Balder shifted on his rock and leaned forward. "An answer to both questions is likely the same. Loki saw fit to banish you here as he did us."

Ben tilted his head. Even more confused. "Loki? Like Thor's brother Loki, the god of tricks and jokes?"

Thor didn't really talk about his family. Bit of a sensitive topic back at the mansion, but Ben remembered the plot of Sumo Slammers: Ragnarok Rumble, a spin-off from the main franchise, but still a fun game. They had a bunch of stuff about Norse Myths in there.

"Aya, Mortal," Heimdall confirmed. "However, Loki is no mere Trickster anymore. His Dark mind has found a way to usurp the throne of Asgard. As we speak, his forces march across the Nine Realms. Conquering them one by one."

Ben's eyes widen upon learning this. All this time, Loki has been conquering Asgard while he and the Avengers were oblivious the whole time.

Thinking back. Could that be why Thor couldn't go back home? Loki was the one who locked him out?

It made sense, but from what Ben managed to learn about Odin, that dude was seriously powerful. Like the top dog of Asgard. How did a guy like Loki take over when Odin was still around?

Heimdall continued. "To ensure his rule is absolute. Loki banished Balder and me to Muspelheim. Where we have spent days fighting for survival, all while avoiding any contact with its ruler."

"But, why you two specifically?" The Young Hero asked.

Balder to up the reigns. "Heimdall is keeper of the Bifrost. The Rainbow Bridge connects all the Nine Realms. So long as Heimdall was in Asgard, the Bifrost would never fully bend to Loki's command."

"As for Balder." Heimdall continued. "Aside from Thor, Balder is Asgard's mightiest warrior. His presence would inspire hope in the people and inspire rebellion against the false King. By imprisoning us here. Loki has ensured that there is no one left to challenge his rule."

The more Ben listened, the more he felt his blood boil. He never met Loki but he already wanted to punch him in the jaw.

"So this place. Muspelheim. I'm guessing Loki controls it? Those Fire Demon dudes work for him?"

In response, Balder chuckled. A light chuckle but enough for Ben to know that he had completely missed the mark.

"Nay, Son of Tenny. Loki may be mad. But even he would not be foolish enough to try and make a deal with Surtur."

Again, the mention of that name caused the Asgardians to stiffen. Heimdall tilted his head up, and his eyes dashed from side to side. As if afraid that the mere mention of his name would somehow bring him here.

"Who is Surtur?" Ben asked.

Meanwhile, in Vanaheim, Hulk sent Ogre after Ogre flying as they tried to fight him.

The Green Goliath delivered a powerful haymaker to the jaw of an incoming Ogre, sending the brute flying with a single blow.

He then knocked over another Ogre and stomped his head into the ground.

Another three tried to jump him and tackle him to the ground. Only for Hulk to launch them all off him as he roared defiantly.

He then gripped the Bloodaxe with both hands and slammed the axe's blade into the earth. Intending to cause a fissure with it.

However, instead, the axe blade glowed blue, and a wave of ice erupted from the magical weapon, and the ice enveloped several Ogres charging towards him.

Hulk's shocked expression matched those of the Ogres he had just put on ice.

If he were being honest, it had completely slipped his mind that this axe could shoot fire, ice, and a whole bunch of other magical stuff.

Hulk looked down at the weapon and smirked. Goldilocks is gonna be so jealous when he comes back with this bad boy. Now he's got his own magic weapon.

However, his admiration of the axe allowed several Ogres to get the drop on him as they tackled Hulk to the ground. Causing him to drop his newly beloved axe.

The mist swirled around the feet of Captain America. His mind, along with his vision, was shrouded in uncertainty.

Like he was wandering through a dream. Only it didn't feel like a dream. But what was real anymore?

Captain America woke up to a world that seemed like a science fiction story. The war he had fought in was over, the world had moved on and he was dropped right in the middle of it.

At least, that's what he thought. But now. What if all that's happened: Time Travelers, Norse Gods, Space Ships, Aliens, and the many insane things he has seen. Are all just the last dreams of a man who will never wake up?

"You should be with us." He heard Dino's voice.

"Let go." Pinky told him.

"Sleep." They told him. His teammates, his fellow soldiers. They were telling him to rest and join them.

But what did that mean?

"I don't understand." Cap said as he looked around. The mist continued to shroud his vision. He still had no clue as to his surroundings.

"Where am I? Am I dead?" A question he did not like the answer to. But he could not rule out the possibility.

A sudden flash of light and Seargent Jack Fury appeared before him. Shadows obscured his face, but the uniform and the voice were unmistakable.

"You're on the other side now, Cap." Jack said. "You've earned this. It's time for you to rest now."

Cap felt his breath hitch in his throat. The other side… Did that mean he really was dead?

But when? How? Was it when he fought Taskmaster and destroyed the Stone? Or is this him waking up to reality? He never made it out of that ice. He was still there, and now he was living the last dream he'd ever have before passing on.

As a soldier, Steve Rogers was always prepared to lay down his life for his Country. It was the duty of a soldier.

Captain America served his country. He left a legacy to be proud of.

Perhaps he did earn his rest.

The winds blew across his face as the mist briefly lifted.

A faint blue flame flickered in the shadows.

Throughout their childhood, Thor would often play with his brother in the throne room. Each of them takes turns to sit on their father's throne, pretending to rule Asgard.

But today, Thor felt sick to his stomach after seeing his brother sit on that throne.

He glared at the Trickster God, who sat on the throne with twisted amusement. Loki could practically see the gears turning in his Oafish Brothers' head as he tried to figure out his plan.

"The Norn Stones! The Enchantress stole them for you!" Thor accused.

"The Norn Stones?" Loki asked in amusement. He did not expect Thor to be that small-minded. He should not have expected so much from him.

"You do not even begin to understand. I am responsible for everything." Loki claimed in triumph.

Thor looked at Loki in confusion. What did he mean by 'everything'? Surely, it could only mean that Loki was responsible for the Masters of Evil.

The Enchantress was serving him, and he enacted the plans for the Norn Stones. Loki must have been pulling the strings from the start. The formation of his own army on Midgard to prepare for an invasion force.

Loki grinned as he saw the blank look on Thor's face as he tried to figure out his meaning.

"Look at you strain that feeble mind of yours." With a wave of his hand, the Trickster conjured a basin full of water.

"Please, allow me to put the pieces together for you."

Thor looked down at the water, and his reflection stared back. Suddenly, the water glowed with Loki's magic, and his reflection changed to reveal a vision of the past.

An event Thor knew all too well. The last time he saw Loki. When he attempted to take over Asgard with his Frost Giant army.

"My last assault on Asgard was meant to fail," Loki stated.

The vision showed the events of the battle. Thor defeating the Frost Giants, battling Loki and defeating him. Leading to his capture and trial before Odin.

"The only challenge, you Oaf, was making sure you believed my performance."

The waters then showed what happened after the battle. For his crimes against the Golden City, Odin banished Loki to the Isle of Silence. An enchanted prison where no sound can be heard.

"I knew Odin would exile me. And if I was exiled, you would pay me no mind." Loki explained as his smile grew sinister as he played the next part.

The waters then showed the event that happened after Loki's banishment. A moment that still hurts to think about.

It was the fight that he had with his father. Regarding Thor's actions on Midgard. Odin was against Thor's insistence on interfering with the Mortals. Showing extreme displeasure with his affection toward Jane Foster. Insisting that Thor remained on Asgard for the time of the Odin sleep was upon him.

The argument ended with Thor turning away and leaving the throne room. Choosing to remain on Earth rather than stay in Asgard. Confident that the warriors of Asgard could protect the realm while he protected the Mortals on Midgard.

That argument haunted his thoughts. Thor remembered every word that was said that day.

"It was I, who orchestrated the argument between you and our *father*." Thor's head snapped up as he looked at Loki in bewilderment. It was I who pushed you to leave Asgard as the time of the Odin sleep approached."

Loki grinned as he watched Thor's shocked expression as he tried to make sense of it all.

A flick of his finger and a blue aura surrounded Thor's head as he forced him to look at the water again.

This was his favourite part.

"Once you were on Midgard, I knew exactly how to keep you there." Loki explained.

The images in the water changed again. Suddenly, Thor was seeing several different locations. His eyes widened as he recognized each of them and the beings within them.

The Vault, the Cube, the Big House, and the Raft. All the prisons that had contained the Villains that the Avengers were hunting.

He saw images of the control rooms of each prison. Green mystical energy flowed over the controls, sparking the mortal machines and shutting them down.

Across each of the prisons, the cells that contained them were all deactivated. Freeing the prisoners within. All 74 supervillains at once.

The Break Out.

Thor looked on in horror. The villains escape, and the chaos that he and the Avengers have all endured. The entire reason that the Avengers even came together in the first place.

It was all Loki's doing!

The Prince of Thunder watched as the fight with Graviton played before him as Loki continued his tale.

"After all, if your precious pets were in danger. Your arrogance wouldn't allow you to leave them."

He then saw the Avengers. The brave mortals he saw as equals, as they fought side by side in defence of this world.

Only to then switch over to the Enchantress and Executioner. He saw the pair appear before Baron Zemo. Followed by Taskmaster, then Abomination, and so on and so forth, until finally forming the Masters of Evil.

"And when you found mortal allies, I had the Enchantress gather foes for them as well."

At least Thor was right about Loki playing a role in the formation of the villainous group. But that brief moment of satisfaction was overshadowed by everything else.

The water dispelled, and the basin vanished as Thor could finally raise his head and look at his brother.

Anger burned in his eyes as he clenched his fists in fury.

However, Loki continued to find his prisoner's pain amusing as he continued to pour salt on the wound.

"I was the one who barred you from Asgard. And while you played hero on Midgard, I completed my conquest of the remaining Realms." Loki finally concluded.

Thor's mind was reeling from all the information. All this time, Loki has been scheming behind his back, taking him home and conquering the Nine Realms, and he wasn't there to stop him.

Had Thor been here. Had he not been so stubborn and stayed to defend the realm. None of this would have happened. He let his father down, his friends, his people, his home. All because he couldn't trust his allies to protect the world for one week.

The enchanted wood of his pillory creaked as the slight rumble of thunder was briefly heard outside the palace. However, the restraints glowed, and Thor was brought back down.

"But your invasion of Midgard failed." Thor pointed out, his voice strained from fighting against Loki's power.

For the first time since Thor awoke, Loki's smile vanished. Replaced by a scowl as, he turned his gaze away.

"Yes, the Enchantress did fail me." He begrudgingly admitted. "Her love for you must have weakened her resolve."

Loki then casually brushed it aside, and his smile returned. "But, Amora's failure matters not. For now that I have you, brother I can conquer Midgard at my leisure."

Thor glared at Loki defiantly.

"You will be stopped." He declared.

In response, Loki laughed. In the same manner that Iron Man would whenever Thor would declare magic is superior to science. The Trickster god found the mere idea of Mortals posing a threat to him to be outlandish.

"You believe the mortals will come to your rescue? If they were pulled into the nine Realms, as you were, then they are truly doomed." Loki stated as he rose from his throne and approached Thor. A dark aura surrounded him as he stood over his stepbrother menacingly.

"My forces will hunt them down and destroy them." His hands glowed with blue energy as he leaned close to look Thor directly in the eye. "There is no rescue coming, dearest brother. There is no escape."

He placed his hand on the restraints as he leaned closer until he was directly next to Thor's ear.

"There is no hope." He whispered before unleashing his power on the Thunderer once more.

Thor cried out in pain. The agony was so great that the Prince of Thunder's cry could be heard across the Golden City. Quite possibly across the Nine Realms.

Meanwhile, In Jotunheim, Giant-Man and Wasp's battle with the Frost Giants raged on.

The pair battled with their giant forms, with Giant Man showing great skill and being able to fight the Frost Giants on equal footing.

Wasp, on the other hand, had some trouble. Her Giant form was only half the size of her opponent. Not to mention that each Giant is built like a mountain. Their strength easily dwarfed hers.

Fortunately for her, Wasp has spent months being trained by Captain America himself. Their one-on-one training sessions have greatly improved her hand-to-hand skills.

The Insect-Themed Heroine was no idiot. She knew that as a woman, she had no chance of overpowering larger opponents. Especially super-powered ones. But Cap showed her that what she lacked in the muscle department, she could more than make up for in speed and agility.

Just like how she usually fights in her shrunken form, Wasp can dodge and manoeuvre around larger opponents and strike at their weak points.

Unfortunately for her, the Frost Giants do not have the same weak points as a human being.

As she weaved around the one-eyed giant's punch, she immediately jabbed him under the armpit.

The moment she made contact, it felt like she was hitting a glacier. And the Frost Giant wasn't phased by the attack at all.

She looked up at the Giant with a nervous expression. The one-eyed giant glared down at her as she let out an awkward chuckle.

"Hehe. Tickle, tickle." She said, wiggling her fingers in the giant's armpit.

The Frost Giant roared as he swung his arm at her, causing her to duck and roll out of the way.

Due to her avoiding his strike, the one-eyed giant swung too wide and lost his balance. Forcing him to shift his leg to keep himself stable.

Capitalizing on that, Wasp rushed forward, stepping on the Giant's knee and using it as a springboard to boost herself closer to his head.

She cocked her right fist back as it glowed with yellow energy. With her own battle cry, Wasp punched the Frost Giant in his one good eye and unleashed the bio-energy right into his icy blue eye.

The Frost Giant howled in pain as he clutched his wounded eye and stumbled away.

With her opponent blinded, Wasp charged forward and used the wall as leverage to launch herself into a flying kick. Connected to the back of the Frost Giant's head, knocking him over with a loud thud.

The Giant-Sized Wasp landed on the icy floor and looked over to Giant-Man. The Size Changing Hero had the other two Frost Giants' attention as he swatted one in the head with the flat side of his axe before ramming his knee into the gut of the second one, causing it to double over.

Just as she was about to rush over to help him. She suddenly felt intense pain in her abdomen. The pain was so fierce she dropped to her knees and hugged her stomach.

This wasn't good. She had reached her limit in her Giant form. Even though she had been working out and training to strengthen her body, she couldn't stay in her enlarged state for more than a few minutes at a time.

And this time, Janet pushed herself beyond the safety margin. Thanks to the adrenaline rush from the cold and fighting against the Frost Giants. She was able to ignore the pain for a while, allowing her to keep fighting.

Only now, her body couldn't take it anymore, and she was bombarded with intense waves of pain.

She needed to shrink down and recover before her body shuts down from the strain.

However, before she could concentrate on her powers to change. A shadow cast over her, and she lifted her head to see the One-Eyed Frost Giant glaring down at her.

A dark patch surrounded his one good eye from her attack, and rage seethed from every corner of his being.

The Frost Giant raised his right fist and swung it at Wasp in a wide backhand.

Wasp instinctively tried to dodge, but her body froze up from the pain, leaving her helpless. At her size, even if she shrunk now, she'd still be too big and would be hit. Leaving her only option was to take the strike. She raised her arms in her best attempt to block. Her arms shook from the immense strain she was putting them under.

The giant's icy fist connected with her forearms. Pain exploded from her limbs, causing them to buckle as they were knocked into her face, and Wasp was sent flying as the Frost Giant batted her away like she was an insect.

The Size Changing Heroine flew across the snow-covered ground before colliding into the side of a glacier. The ice cracked as she fell to the ground with a heavy thud. Wasp groaned weakly as her consciousness slipped and her body went limp.

Her body shrank back to its normal size as she lay in the snow.

"JANET!" Giant Man roared as he punched the Frost Giant he was fighting in the face, stunning him before ramming the hilt of his axe into the side of his temple, knocking him out.

He then bashed the flat end of the axe blade into the side of the other Frost Giant's head before kicking him hard in the chest, sending him into the ice wall. The Giant stood there for a moment, wheezing before slumping to the ground.

Without missing a beat, Giant-Man rushed the One Eye Frost Giant. Who turned to face him. Weapon in hand, an ice club. He raised his club as Hank swung his axe.

The two weapons collided, and the giants pushed against them. The Frost Giant grunted as he used his brute strength in an attempt to overpower his mortal foe.

However, Giant-Man would not budge. His eyes narrowed as steam wafted between his teeth as he pushed back against the Giant.

Suddenly, Giant-Man sidestepped, causing the Frost Giant to lose his balance. Not wanting to fall for the same trick twice, the One-Eyed Giant quickly stepped forward to catch himself as he aimed to shoulder-check the Giant Hero.

Only for a yellow light to surround his body, and the Giant Man disappeared from view.

The One-Eyed Giant was bewildered by the sudden disappearance of his foe. However, before he could wonder if the Mortal cast some kind of invisibility spell. A blue glow illuminated behind him.

He turned just in time to see Giant Man's fist fill his vision.

The Frost Giant landed on the ground unconscious. Giant Man panted heavily and gripped his axe.

At this point, his body was being overtaxed. Being pushed this hard at this size. It's only because of the sub-zero weather numbing his body that he was able to last this long.

But he had to keep going. He had to keep Janet safe.

The wind picked up, and Giant-Man felt a chill run down his spine. He turned to where the sensation was coming from and tightened his grip on his axe.

Emerging from a wall of mist were three more Frost Giants. However, there was something different about these ones.

Specifically, the one at the front. This Frost Giant was larger than the others, with an icy crest that looked like a crown atop his head. Around his neck, he wore what appeared to be a small maroon box with gold trimmings attached to a cord that hung from his broad neck.

Giant Man felt an intense aura coming from this Giant as he raised his axe and prepared to face him.

The Frost Giant smiled in amusement as he reached up to the small box around his neck.

Glancing down at the box, Giant Man's eyes widened. Too late, he recognized that tiny box as the Frost Giant undid the latch and flipped the lid.

The moment that box opened, a torrent of Arctic winds blasted out of the box and blew Giant Man off his feet.

His extremities were the first to go numb. His arms and legs were quickly encased in ice, followed by his torse.

Giant Man struggled, but the ice layer was so thick he couldn't reach his belt to activate his Pym Particles.

He berated himself for not being fast enough. He should have recognized that box immediately. After all, it was in Tony and Thor's report after their fight.

The Casket of Ancient Winters. The mystical item that plunged the world into a second ice age.

Previously, under the control of the Dark Elf, Malekith, before his defeat. Only for the Enchantress to swipe the casket from under them and make her escape.

It would seem that she had given the Casket to the Frost Giants. Meaning that they are in league with her. Did that allegiance also extend to Zemo and the Masters of Evil? Or was this a part of some bigger ploy?

None of that mattered, though. The power of the casket had completely encased him in an icy prison. Leaving only his head free.

The Frost Giant closed the casket and advanced toward the helpless Giant-Man.

As much as he tried, tensing and straining his muscles to try and find some kind of leverage to free himself. It was all in vain. He couldn't even feel his arms anymore from the cold. And with how his head is positioned, he couldn't check to get a visual clarification.

Meaning he was helpless as the Giant trio approached him.

Turning his head to the left, Hank caught sight of Janet's unconscious body. Her small form lay peacefully in the white snow. Her beauty, untarnished from the fight and against the pure white backdrop, practically glowed with radiance.

Janet was always a free spirit. She could achieve anything she set her mind to. Once she had a goal, she would move mountains to achieve it. The moment she learned about his Pym Particles and his Scientific expeditions. She badgered him from dusk till dawn so he would let her join him.

Not a day goes by, he doesn't regret saying yes.

Had he not gotten involved with her family. Had he not met her. She wouldn't be laying there, freezing to death in a pocket dimension. She would be living a carefree life, running her fashion industry and company.

"I'm sorry, Jan." Hank said to her even though she couldn't hear him.

His heart ached as all the guilt he'd been feeling all this time overflowed. "I'm so sorry that I let you down… That I let everyone down."

He blamed himself for Ultron. For putting everyone's lives at risk. He wanted to make the world a better place. He wanted to show that there could be a better way to stop crime, stop all the violence in the world, and finally achieve a peaceful existence.

The Size Changer wanted that world so much. For himself, but more importantly, for her.

He wanted to see her smile every day. He wanted to hear her laugh. To feel her joy. To experience her passion and wonder for the world.

Above all, he just wanted to be with her. The days without Janet. Life had no meaning without her in it.

"I love you."

A shadow cast over him drew his attention. The three Frost Giants stood over him, the lead Giant towering over Giant Man like a walking mountain. Each step was an earthquake, and each breath was a blizzard. This giant was like the walking embodiment of Ice and cold.

Despite this overwhelming pressure, Giant-Man only felt one thing. Anger.

He didn't care that this walking glacier was about to shatter him like an ice sculpture. All he could think about was that after this guy was done with him, he was gonna turn his attention to Janet.

That one thought filled Hank with so much rage that his body started tingling. Warmth filled his body as a new wave of adrenaline kicked in.

He suddenly felt a tingling sensation in his arms. He could feel the odd angles they were frozen at. But he also felt where they were. Specifically his left hand.

A wiggle of the hand, his fingertips brushed a solid, smooth surface. Using all his might, he pushed on that hard surface.

Suddenly, Giant Man's body glowed blue, and his ice prison exploded.

The Frost Giant took a step back as the light grew brighter.

When it died down, Giant-Man looked the Frost Giant leader right in the eye. Standing at 1000 feet tall. Giant Man glared at the Frost Giant as he gritted his teeth.

"You're first, Frosty! Let's go!" He roared, his voice booming across the snowy planes.

He then cocked back his right fist and delivered a powerful haymaker right into the Giants, icy face.

The Frost Giant was so shocked by the Mortal's sudden display of power that he was too slow to react in time as the Size Changing Heroes fist collided with his face, sending him stumbling backward.

His two Frost Giant lackeys caught him, allowing him to regain his balance.

A surprised look was on the Lead Giant's face. Not from being stunned by a Giant Man attack. More than that, he was surprised by the Mortal's defiance in a hopeless situation.

Giant Man hid it well, but his right hand was throbbing in pain. He definitely cracked some bones with that hit. That Frost Giant wasn't like the others. He was way more powerful, even without the casket around his neck. Giant Man's punch didn't even phase him, nor did it cause any kind of damage to the Giant's icy face.

Still, even if he had no chance of winning. If he was going to die here. Then he will go out on his feet. Like a man. Like a Hero.

Like an Avenger.

Just as the Frost Giant Leader was about to raise his hand to the Caskett, he suddenly paused. His attention was drawn to the sky behind Giant-Man.

Curious, the Size Changer turned around to see what they were looking at. In the skies above him, a blue wormhole swirled in the air.

From the wormhole emerged three pure white horses. Each one had a pair of beautiful feathered wings. Pegasus is the name of the winged horse in Mythology, Giant-Man recalled. Though typically associated with Greek Mythology, it would seem the species also had some crossover with Norse Myths.

The three Pegasi were clad in armor and ridden by women in similar armor. One of them wore a helmet that covered her face, and her red hair was tied into a single braid that flowed down her back.

Next to her was another woman. She didn't wear a helmet and had long, blonde hair tied into braids.

Finally, the lead rider wore a silver tiara-like headpiece with wing-like protrusions on either side, allowing her long raven hair to flow behind her as she rode. She also wore silver and red armor that showed off her well-toned physique. In her hand was a traditional medieval sword.

The Lead rider swung her blade, aiming it at the Frost Giants.

"Attack!" She cried.

In response, her fellow warriors raised their spears. The heads glowed with mystical energy as they hurled their weapons at the lead Giant.

The Towering Titan stood motionless as his guards moved in front of him, weapons raised as they deflected the mystical spears.

Giant Man continued to watch as the lead rider dove straight towards his head.

"Move mortal!" She ordered as she gripped her blade with both hands and raised it in preparation to strike.

Her amber eyes displayed steely determination. Not wanting to get on her bad side, Giant-Man activated his belt and shrunk down to his human size.

With her only obstacle out of the way, the lead rider had a clear path to the Frost Giant Leader.

Diving for his head, the Shield Maiden aimed her blade at the cord around his neck.

As if predicting her intentions, the Giant shifted his body, throwing off her aim.

With no time to course-correct and losing the element of surprise, the lead rider swung her sword and slashed the Frost Giant's cheek.

The Titan grimaced in pain as steam hissed from the wound.

The raven-haired Maiden pulled on her Pegasus's reins and ascended into the air. Her fellow warriors at her side.

While the Giants fought the Shield Maidens, the Human-sized Giant Man ran toward the unconscious Wasp.

He scooped her up in his arms, cradling her body, taking care not to hurt her. Thankfully, she wasn't showing any signs of broken bones or internal bleeding.

While his doctorate isn't in the medical field, Hank is well-versed in first aid. Working in the field as much as he does, first aid is a mandatory requirement.

Just before he could take Janet somewhere out of harm's way. The Lead Frost reached for the Caskett of Ancient Winters and opened it.

Once more, the mystical winter blasted out of the tiny box. Galeforce winds pelted Giant Mans's body, and he was instantly knocked off his feet and sent tumbling over the side of the ledge of a cliff.

Hank panicked as his only instinct was to hug Janet closely. If anything, he could at least shield her body with his before impact.

As he fell, the Lead Shield Maiden saw his descent and swiftly turned her steed to dive after them. The mystical winged horse easily caught up to the falling pair. She reached out her hand and caught Hank, pulling him onto the back of her Pegasus.

However, the sudden motion caused Hank to lose his grip, and Janet slipped from his fingers.

Before he could cry out and dive after her, the red-haired rider caught her and positioned her on the saddle to prevent her from falling.

With both passengers secured, the raven-haired maiden turned to the blonde warrior as she attempted to fight the giants herself.

"Valkyries!" the raven-haired warrior cried as she aimed her sword away from the battle.

The blonde warrior complied and joined the others. Leaving the Frost Giants behind. The Lead Giant gritted his teeth as he aimed the Caskett at the retreating Valkyries and blasted its power at them.

However, the group was well out of range. At this distance, the power of the Caskett was no different from the rest of this realm.

With the danger behind them, the Raven-Haired Shield Maiden turned back to Hank.

"Truly, you are a wonder. Both a man and a giant." She complimented him. A grin on her face. "But you fought well, for a mortal."

Hank raised an eyebrow. It didn't seem like she was insulting him. Though "Thanks, I think."

The Raven-Haired Woman smiled as she willed her horse to fly faster. Causing Hank to grab onto her waist on impulse.

He turned his head to Janet, who was still unconscious while being propped up by the Red-Haired Warrior.

"Fret not, Mortal." The Lead Rider said as if sensing his thoughts. "She is still with us. Gruenhilda will ensure that the mortal woman is well cared for."

The red-haired warrior Gruenhilda nodded in acknowledgment to her leader and assured Giant Man, keeping one arm on Janet to keep her safe.

"The giant said this was Jotunheim. This is one of the mythical nine kingdoms, right?" Hank questioned, looking around the area.

"Aye, but that was no mere Frost Giant you fought. That was Ymir himself." The Shield Maiden explained. From her tone, Hank could only theorize that this Ymir was a serious threat. That would explain the intense aura he felt when fighting him.

The Raven Haired Woman continued. "The Valkyries and I have been fighting to hold them back." She turned back to him. "I am Sif, Shield Maiden of Asgard."

"Hank." The Scientist introduced himself politely.

Sif nodded back before adopting a curious expression.

"How came two mortals to this place?"

The Size Changing Hero sighed. "It's a long story."

Black Panther sprinted for his life across the barren wasteland. For the first time in a long while, the Wakandan King was feeling tired.

In his past battles, Panther's preferred method would be to pace himself in a prolonged conflict. Often holding back to analyze his opponents while making quick and precise attacks to try and narrow down their weaknesses. Using the shadows to his advantage before making the decisive strike that would claim victory.

However, in this place, the world is already shrouded in darkness. The Dark Elves are more adapted to the shadows than he is; there is no cover for him to use, and he already knows that these creatures have a specific weakness that he does not have access to.

His entire life, he and his people have relied solely on Vibranium as their primary resource. The versatility of the metal has allowed his nation to prosper and advance far beyond any other. Their pride and confidence in the Vibranium mound was well founded as it could provide an answer to every situation he needed.

Until today, where his hubris and pride have blinded him to the possibility of facing a threat that vibranium could not stop. Had he not been so stubborn and acknowledged his precious vibranium's limitations, he would not be in this situation.

It seems that, despite his attempt to break Wakanda's traditions and progress his nation, he himself still holds onto some traditional ideals.

He glanced back and saw the tide of Dark Elf Spirits swarming behind him. The mass of darkness threatened to envelop him. Dozens of hungry faces emerged from the inky black mass, preparing to consume him.

Acting fast, Black Panther reached to his belt and pulled out a pair of Vibranium daggers. While Vibranium is not as effective against Dark Elves, it's still all he has. He must make do with the tools at his disposal.

He combined the daggers at the base, and vibrational energy flowed from them, turning into a five-foot-long vibranium energy spear.

Just as the Dark Elves began to overwhelm him, Panther turned to face them, holding his spear before him and spinning the weapon in his hands. He rotated the spear like a propeller, managing to disperse the undead swarm.

While the precious metal couldn't effectively harm them, it was capable of slowing them down for a brief moment.

With the cloud of spirits dispersed, the Dark Elves were momentarily stunned. This allowed Black Panther a moment to catch his breath and survey the area.

This is one of the Nine Realms of the World Tree. According to his research and Thor's accounts, each realm is connected by Yggdrasil. This means that, like on Earth, ley lines must run throughout each realm, connecting it to the others.

Black Panther used the data his suit collected from his fight on Earth and calibrated his cowl's lenses to track any dimensional energy fluctuations.

After scanning the horizon, he finally detected something: a flow of mystical energy dropping into what appeared to be a dried-up, abandoned well.

Despite not knowing what could be on the other side, Panther knew that whatever the destination, it would be better than staying here.

Just as the Dark Elves reformed into their cloud mass, the Wakandan King sprinted from the well as fast as his legs could carry him.

He prayed to Bast to grant him the speed of a cheetah. Even though he is in the realm of the Norse gods, he has faith that his prayer will still reach his Goddess.

Black Panther's heart thundered in his chest as he dashed for the well. His heightened senses could detect the Dark Elves hot on his trail. Their undead maws breathing down his neck.

They will soon be upon him before he can reach the well. Despite his pledge, his Goddess's blessing might not get him in time.

His mind suddenly flashed to someone whose beauty rivals that of any Goddess.

Inspiration struck his mind like lightning as Black Panther grabbed his spear and made some minor calibrations. Reversing the polarity of the energy conductors and deactivating the friction dampeners to allow the static to build up. Finally, even though it's a rush job, he used his claws to carve mystic symbols into the spear shaft. Wakandan magic is not something he usually takes advantage of, but in this case, every advantage counts.

His crude attempt finished, the Black Panther leapt into the air, spinning as he did so, facing the massive maw of the Dark Elf hoard and throwing his spear into its jaws.

The Dark Elf clamped down on the spear, and it detonated, swelling the Dark Elf cloud as pressure built. Purple electrical energy arched across the black mass as the Elf's dark magic mixed with the overloading vibranium infused with Wakandan Magic.

Two opposing forces clashed together in a chain reaction that resulted in a brilliant explosion that lit up the dark lands of Svartalfheim. While also generating a shockwave that mimicked the sound of thunder.

Black Panther smiled under his mask. It would seem he has two Goddesses to thank for his survival.

With the way clear, Panther leaped forth and dove into the well before the Dark Elves could recover.

The Mystical energy swirled around him as a blue light flashed, and he was transported across the realms.

Fire Demons screeched as they flew over the Lava fields of Muspelheim. The Demonic creatures dove into a canyon of brimstone cliffs before flying into the distance.

After they passed over a mass of rocky outcrops, the head of Balder the Brave emerged from its hiding spot.

"The way is clear. We must make haste before the next patrol arrives," he whispered to the ledge below him.

From behind a set of boulders, Four Arms appeared, carrying Heimdall on his back. His lower arms supported the weakened Asgardian while his upper arms remained free, except for his right arm, which held Heimdall's axe.

The Alien Teen initially intended to turn into NRG for the trip. His natural immunity to heat and indestructible armor would have been extremely useful should a fight occur. However, the heavy metal suit made too much noise for an inconspicuous hiking trip across enemy lines and the bulky frame made it awkward for his to carry Heimdall.

At least, that's the excuse Ben is going with, since the dumb watch gave him the wrong alien and the Teen Avenger just wanted to save face in front of the Asgardians.

The trio had left their cave some time ago and were making their way through the canyon to the other side while avoiding detection by any Fire Demons along the way.

With Heimdall still weak, he had trouble walking by himself. So Ben turned into Four Arms to carry him in order to move quickly.

Even with that, Four Arms couldn't help but feel impatient.

"Is this really the only way?" The Alien Avenger asked. Urgency in his voice as they marched on.

"Calm thyself, Ben Tennyson." Heimdall said from his position on his back. His eyes glanced off into the distance. "Your allies are fairing well in their battles. For mortals, they are quite resilient."

Four Arms smirked in a cocky fashion. "No, duh, they are Earth's Mightiest Heroes, after all."

Balder dropped down on the path in front of them as he drew his sword. "I pray your words speak truth, Changeling. For we shall need all the warriors we can muster to take back Asgard."

The Asgardian Warrior gripped his blade as he cautiously moved towards the corner of the path. "That is, should we survive this realm."

"Fear not, Balder the Brave." Heimdall said, the irony of his sentence illuding him. "The Fire Demon, Surtur, is not aware of our presence."

"Let us hope, that remains true, All Seer." Balder nodded before they continued.

However, even with Heimdall's assurance, the tension was palpable among the trio.

From what Four Arms was told, Surtur is the ruler of Muspelheim and one of the most powerful beings in the Nine Realms. The Giant Fire Demon was capable of giving Odin a hard time.

Apparently, several thousand years ago, Odin and Surtur fought. The details were kinda skimmed over, but long story short, Odin just barely won, and all he managed to do was disarm Surtur. Taking away his sword and something called the Eternal Flame, which enhances the Fire Demon's powers. He then locked Surtur away in his realm and sealed it with a magic shield to prevent him from ever escaping.

The entire story reminded the Alien Hero about the inter-dimensional demon he fought against, Dagon. The story was pretty similar, which only made the knot in his stomach tighten.

Dagon was one of the most powerful beings he ever fought. He used some of his strongest forms against that thing and got his butt kicked pretty hard.

It was only thanks to some crazy last-minute twist and a reality-warping sword that Ben managed to beat him. Even then, it felt more like dumb luck.

To this day, Ben never forgot the feeling of helplessness when he fought the Dagon. If this Surtur guy is anything like him…

The Alien Teen shuddered at the thought.

Pushing those thoughts aside, Four Arms focused on the objective.

According to Heimdall and Balder, there is a secret path that can take them out of Muspelheim. Apparently, Loki has been using these paths to get around Heimdall's gaze and sneak into other realms.

It wasn't until Loki imprisoned the pair in the Fire Domain that the Keeper of the Bifrost started looking for them.

They didn't go into more detail about it, unfortunately. Because a group of Fire Demons were approaching, so they had to get moving. Leaving a few questions left unanswered. But Ben pretty much got the gist.

Find the secret portal, jump through, and don't get spotted by the fire monsters.

Finding it turned out to be the easy part. The hard part is getting to it. Because it was on the other side of Surtur Palace. Meaning the trio had to take the long way around it in order to avoid catching the Fire Demons' attention.

Talk about out of the frying pan and into the fire.

Fortunately for them, they had Heimdall with them. His all-seeing eyes could spot any fire demon that so much as looks in their direction and warn them ahead of time.

He was like the ultimate cheat sheet. Four Arms made a mental note to teach this guy how to use a phone. With this guy helping them out, capturing villains will be a piece of cake.

As they rounded the corner, their path took them behind a Lava waterfall. The Molten rock flowed like a massive curtain that dropped just beyond the path. Heat distorted the air as Four Arms raised his one free arm to shield his face.

The Red Alien's natural durability allowed him to withstand the heat. However, he's far from invulnerable to the extreme temperatures. Going through that tunnel will be a challenge for him.

"If you need rest, Young Ben. Allow me to carry Heimdall through this path." Balder offered.

Four Arms shook his head. "I got him. We can't slow down now. I can handle the heat, just gotta move fast."

While he didn't mean to sound rude to Balder's offer. The more time they spend here, the longer his friends are fighting Loki's forces alone. Sooner they get out of here, the sooner he can help them.

"If thou is certain. Let us press on." The Asgardian Warrior responded as they walked behind the lava fall.

The heat from the flowing Magma was intense. Being in such close proximity to flowing lava is bad enough. But when he's surrounded by it in an enclosed space like this. The air choked his lungs, the heat stung his eyes, and he could feel his skin sizzling on all sides.

He rubbed his eyes to try and clear them, but his vision was still blurry.

It quickly became unbearable behind the falls as Four Arms tried to quicken his pace to get out of there.

However, with Balder in the front and the path being very narrow, he couldn't get past him and was forced to move at his pace.

Suddenly, Balder stopped in his tracks, forcing the Alien Avenger to halt as well.

"Hold here," Balder ordered. "The path ahead is treacherous."

He then started to tentatively step on the path, slowly inching forward like he was stepping on eggshells.

At this point, his patience had reached its limit.

"Treacherous? This entire planet is treacherous! We don't have time for this!" Four Arms yelled before marching forward.

"Ben, wait!" Balder tried to stop him, but it was too late.

With his vision blurred, Four Arms failed to notice the cracks in the path ahead. Putting his full weight on the cracked path, the floor caved in from under him.

On instinct, Four Arms free hand reached up to grab the wall next to him.

Only for the section of the wall to give way, and a hissing sound was heard.

"Young Ben!" Heimdall suddenly screamed before shoving Four Arm's head down.

Suddenly, superheated air erupted from the volcanic vent Four Arms had just opened. The blistering vapors singed the back of the Alien Heroes' head and hit Heimdall directly. The All-Seer cried out in pain as Four Arms continued to fall, and the path crumbled beneath his feet.

Acting fast, Four Arms swung Heimdall's axe into the wall. The blade dug into the volcanic rock like hot butter, stopping their fall.

He then dug his free hand and feet into the side of the wall and climbed across the wall as the path crumbled away and the vent grew wider and wider from the escaping pressure.

Balder dashed across the path with all his might, his boots narrowly staying ahead of the crumbling rocks.

With a mighty leap from both, the Asgardian Warrior and Alien Shapeshifter launched themselves from out of the tunnel and tumbled across the rocky ground as the remains of the path crumbled away.

Four Arms panted heavily as the air became tolerable again.

He got into a sitting position to see Balder kneeling over Heimdall.

The Young Hero's eyes widened as he rushed over to him. He gasped when he finally saw the All-Seers state.

Heimdall had severe burns across the upper half of his face. The skin around his eyes, particularly, was burned black.

Balder cradled the Keeper of the Bifrost's head in his lap as he tried to comfort him.

Only to turn his head to Four Arms and glared at him.

"Foolish Mortal!" he hissed. "I ordered you to wait. Yet you charged forth with little regard. Now look at what you've done. How could someone like you be worthy of Thor's hammer?"

His words cut Four Arms deeply. He was right. He should have listened when Balder offered to carry Heimdall. But he was too stubborn and impatient to hear, and now, because of him, Heimdall's been injured, and they've just lost their lookout.

"I-I'm sorry." Four Arms managed to squeak out. He didn't know what else to say. This was his fault.

Suddenly, Heimdall groaned as he raised his head. "N…Nnn…" He wheezed as Balder tried to help him.

"Rest, my friend. Do not try to move." He said. While Balder tried to stay calm for Heimdall's sake, panic was clear and present on his face.

"Nnn.. No." Heimdall responded as he forced himself up. The Keeper of the Bifrost then raised his head towards Four Arms. Even with his eyes burnt shut, the Alien Avenger could feel his gaze on him.

"Do not blame the boy, Balder." Heimdall managed to say. His breathing became steadier. "He is young and still has much to learn. This injury was all our doing. We all bear the blame."

Four Arms raised his hands in protest. "No, it's my fault. Really. I should have listened to you. I'm the one who charged ahead."

"Nay, Ben Tennyson," Balder stated. "Heimdall's speaks the truth. Had I been clear in my instructions to you about the path? Then, you would not have acted so recklessly. And had I insisted on carrying Heimdall through the path, to begin with? You would have been able to use a form that would have been able to endure the inferno."

Four Arms wanted to argue. He still believed that it was his fault and should be blamed for Heimdall's injury.

But this wasn't the time and place to argue the details. Not when they are still in enemy territory.

Deciding to put this discussion on hold for now. Four Arms reached for Heimdall, preparing to scoop him up in his arms.

When suddenly, a loud screech came from above them.

Balder and Four Arms looked up to see a pair of Fire Demons looking down at them from a ledge above their position.

The Demonic creatures let out another loud cry that echoed across the lands. No doubt a signal, alerting the others to where they are.

They then proceeded to draw a pair of flaming swords and leap down at them.

In one swift move, Balder drew his blade and swung it at the nearest Fire Demon. His sword clanged against the Demon's flaming weapon as they duelled briefly until Balder managed to stab the creature in its heart, causing it to disintegrate into ash.

The Second Demon came straight for Four Arms, who had Heimdall in his lower two arms.

It snarled like a hungry predator that spotted the weakest member of a herd and aimed its sword directly at Heimdall.

However, Four Arms grabbed the All-Seers axe and, with one clean swing, sliced the Fire Demon in half. The two halves burst into piles of ash on the floor.

However, they had no time to relax. In the distance, the sound of a swarm of Fire Demons approaching their position meant they had to get moving.

"Ok. Stealth part of this mission is over. Time for the speed run." Four Arms stated.

"Verely." Balder agreed. "We make for the hidden path."

Four Arms looked down at Heimdall with a worried look. "Can we even find it without him?"

"Worry not, Young Warrior," Balder assured. "Heimdall described the entrance to the hidden path to me. I can guide us."

Four Arms nodded as he reached for the dial on his chest. "It's gonna be tough dodging all those lava pools. We need a straight path to them."

He then tapped the Ultimatrix dial and transformed.

"ARCTIGUANA!" The Alien cried out.

The Frost Lizard quickly scooped Heimdall up and placed him on his back.

"Climb on!" He ordered Balder.

The Warrior looked at him hesitantly, but upon seeing the swarm of Fire Demons in the distance, he quickly obliged.

He placed his hand on the alien's blue scales and felt the refreshing coldness that provided relief from this realm's perpetual blaze.

With his passengers secured, Arctiguana glanced at them. "Hold on tight. I'll try to keep things chill."

Arctiguana opened his mouth and blasted a powerful beam of ice from his jaws. The beam struck the boiling rocks of Muspelheim and immediately started steaming.

Despite the intense heat, Arctiguana managed to form an ice slide, and he and his passengers jumped on it, sliding across the molten fields.

The Ice Lizard's sub-zero beam solidified the molten rock almost instantly.

However, it was just as quickly melted and undone the moment Arctiguana passed it. But that didn't worry him. As long as the ice ahead of him stayed intact, it was a straight shot between them and the exit.

He just hoped when they escaped, it wouldn't be too late to help the others.

The mountains of Vanaheim echoed with the rageful roars of the Incredible Hulk. The Gamma Brute fought against the Ogre hoard as they came at him.

Despite his best efforts, the Ogres still outnumbered him, and eventually, the barbarians dogpiled on top of him. Pinning him to the ground as they aimed their weapons at him and prepared to impale him with their blades.

With the Hulk restrained, one of the Ogres started to laugh.

"The beast is strong. But not strong enough." He said as the others chuckled with him. Raising their swords to cut Hulk's head off.

Hearing their words, Hulk gritted his teeth as his veins pulsed. Rage pulsed through his body. Not strong enough? They don't think he's strong enough?

"Hulk is strongest there is!"

With a Mighty roar, Hulk threw the Ogre pile off him. Send most of them flying into the air. The rest tried to restrain him again. Only for Hulk to swat them aside. Headbutting one in the jaw before punching another, sending him into a group behind him, knocking them all down like bowling pins.

Another pair of Ogres grabbed his arms, only for Hulk to pull them off the ground, crack their heads together over him, and toss them aside.

Hulk raised his right fist and delivered a devastating haymaker that sent another Ogre hurtling into the wagon full of prisoners. The Monster hit the wagon with such force that it shattered, taking the top off the wagon and knocking the lead Ogre off his seat.

Finally, Hulk turned to see the rest of the Ogres gathering together to charge him.

The Gamma Giant raised his hands, stretching his arms out on both sides of his body. Before slamming them together at full force. A sound close to thunder boomed from his hands as he generated a massive shockwave that blew the remaining Ogres away.

Hulk panted as his rage subsided. He couldn't see any more Ogres for him to smash. A small smirk pulled at the corner of his mouth. Those puny Ogres will think twice before they dare to call him weak.

No one calls him weak.

"Well fought, Ogre." A voice called out from behind him.

Hulk turned around to see the people from the wagon standing behind him. There were men, women, and children among them.

The man who spoke at the front of the group was a large, heavy-set man. Given the size of his gut, he was almost as round as Cannonbolt. He wore maroon clothes with beige pants and sleeves. He had a long orange beard and a helmet with three feather-like extensions protruding from the top.

He had his hands on his hips with a massive jolly grin on his face.

"Truly, you possess the gift of battle." He said, letting out a hearty laugh. Before bowing.

"I am Volstagg, the Voluminous. And with your strength, emerald one, we can take back Asgard, this day."

Hulk blinked as a dumbfounded expression was present on his face.

Not because of the praise the Fat Asgardian gave him. He's been with the Avengers long enough to be used to people not seeing him as a monster. Even though it's still a strange sensation.

No. He was confused because he'd actually forgotten they were there.

Hulk was so focused on beating up the Ogres that insulted him that he had legitimately forgotten that there were a bunch of prisoners he was supposed to be saving.

"So much for being a hero." Hulk thought to himself…

"Wait. Did he say Asgard?"

Captain America bowed his head as he dropped to his knees.

The mist around him gathered together and formed into the Howling Commandos. Jake Fury stood over the Super Soldier. A neutral expression on his face.

"Your times over, Cap." The Sergent told him as he held out his hand to the Captain. "You fought hard. Now, enjoy your reward."

Cap raised his head and looked at the hand. The temptation was so strong. To finally rest, never fight again, and live in peace.

Steve couldn't think of anyone who would turn that down.

However, something smelled off about this place the moment he arrived.

If these were really the Howling Commandos, they would not be blaming him for actions out of his control. They would be celebrating their reunion like old times.

But more importantly…

"If this is the land of the dead, then where's Bucky?" Captain America asked as he stood up on his own.

That's right. He's seen the faces of all his old comrades appear before him, taunting him, telling him he failed them. Faces of his fallen soldiers. Yet, Bucky was nowhere to be seen.

Not just him, but so was Timothy "Dum Dum" Dugan. A fellow soldier, a close friend, and a loyal patriot.

While Steve Rogers may have missed a couple of hundred Sunday Masses because he was frozen in ice, he would think God would be able to forgive his absence due to the circumstances.

But what really tipped him off. Was among the group of spirits that appeared before him. While he didn't speak and stood further back. Cap's eye did not miss the presence of James Howlett, clear as day, standing with the ghosts.

The Super Soldier just sat down with James Howlett, aka Logan: The Wolverine, over a pint of beer only a few days ago. Alive and well.

These were not the pearly gates and these were not his friends.

"No, no, this fight isn't over. And the Jack Fury I knew wouldn't rest until it was," he declared, pointing an accusing finger at the spirit before him.

The ghosts before him stood motionless, not even reacting to his words.

Captain America glared at them as he balled his fists. "No, I'm still alive. I can feel it. And I'm going to fight until I can't fight anymore."

With that, Captain America thrust his shield forward. The patriotic disc sliced through the apparitions like air, and the ghostly spirits dispersed, blowing away in the wind.

Captain America then noticed the winds picking up as he turned to see the cloud of mist that had been hanging over him since he opened his eyes in this place finally evaporated.

With the area clear, the Super Soldier found he was standing at the base of a tall flight of stairs.

'Tall' might not be the best word for them, as the stone slabs that made up the steps were easily half his height.

On either side of the base were a pair of braziers that burned with a ghostly green fire.

In the sky above him, hundreds of green crystals floated in the sky. From what he could see, within each crystal appeared to be a ghost, no a soul, of hundreds of beings.

Halfway up the giant staircase lay a huge wolf with brown fur and green eyes.

Past the wolf, sitting atop a throne, was a woman. She was tall, easily towing over him should she stand up. She wore a green and black bodysuit that hugged her body so tightly that it showed off her slender and shapely figure.

She wore a helm that covered the top half of her head. On both sides of the helm, a pair of horn-like protrusions intertwined with each other.

The Woman held a chain in her left hand that connected to the wolf, like a pet.

Captain America narrowed his eyes at her. No doubt in his mind that she was behind those illusions that haunted him.

Needless to say, he was not amused, nor did he have any patience left for her games.

"I do not know who you are, Miss. But I recommend you show me the way out." He turned to face her, tightening the straps on his shield, ready for a fight.

In response, the woman smiled at the Super Soldier veiled threat. "You are in Nifelheim now, Steven Rogers." She said in a sultry, seductive voice.

Her pale skin highlighted the green lipstick on her mouth as she gave him a smile that sent chills up Cap's spine. As if she just passed over his grave.

"There is no leaving." She said with complete confidence.

Despite the chilling aura, this woman was giving off. Captain America stood his ground. Even though every instinct in his body was screaming at him to run. Even though he felt like he had a hydrogen bomb aimed right at him. The Super Soldier would not yield.

He narrowed his eyes, raised his right leg, and climbed up the first step of the giant staircase.

"Well then, lady. We're in for a long night."

The Woman's smile grew ever more sadistic at the Mortal's defiance. As if she was looking forward to this talk.

Hawkeye has always been a dog person.

He'd often say that if he ever got a place of his own, he'd get himself a dog. A furry little companion that he would train and be a loyal friend that would never betray him.

However, currently, he is seriously considering being a cat person.

After hours of pursuit, the Asgardian Wolf pack managed to catch up to him and his Elf Companion.

The Archer was so focused on the Wolves behind them that he failed to notice one that hid in the bushes ahead.

It was over in an instant. The Wolf pounced from the shrubbery, and its jaws clamped down on the horse's neck before it could even react.

What followed was an elf and Avenger tumbling to the ground in a heap.

When they finally got to their feet, the pack had surrounded them. Their fangs bared as they charged at their prey.

Their only saving grace were the magic arrows the Elf had provided him. One shot from Hawkeye and the Wolf that killed the horse was vapourised in a golden light.

Just as Hawkeye drew another arrow to engage the approaching pack. The Elf ran to his fallen steed and retrieved a second bow from his saddle bag. A backup in case his primary bow got broken.

Something Hawkeye wished he thought of.

Now, with a second bow, the pair stood back to back as they fired one arrow after another, taking out the wolves before they could get too close.

However, unlike before, the wolves seemed to have learned about the arrow's destructive capabilities as the pack spread themselves out in order to ensure that the resulting wave of magic only killed one at a time.

While it still resulted in a wolf being vaporized. The downside is now the Archers could only use one arrow to kill one wolf.

Even with his incredible marksmanship, Hawkeye knew that they were in trouble.

A realization that became a reality the moment he reached for his quiver and grabbed nothing but air.

Turning his head, Hawkeye glimpsed his quiver and found it empty. His jaw clenched as he turned to his Elf friend.

"I'm out." He said.

"As am I." The Elf immediately responded.

Hawleye mentally cursed. This was bad; while he was nowhere near helpless in close-quarters combat, he was still an ordinary man. A physically fit, prime specimen of a man. But a man, nonetheless. No super serum, no suit or armor, nor some magical plant drug.

Just a guy with really good aim. Fighting a wolf the size of a bear. The odds were not in his favor.

Still, that didn't mean he was gonna take this lying down. Hawkeye gripped his golden bow in both hands like a quarterstaff. These mutts wanna take a bite out of him, he'll make sure they choke on his bones.

The Elf seemed to share his sentiment as he dropped his bow and drew his sword.

"You fought well, Archer. I am proud to meet my end beside you." The Elf complimented before turning his head to face him.

"I am Faraday."

"Clint." The Archer responded with the same courtesy. He raised his bow and prepared to make his last stand.

Suddenly, Hawkeye saw movement out of the corner of his eye. The Archer's sharp eyes caught a glimpse of a shadow moving through the vegetation, and a small smirk formed in the corner of his mouth.

"But all things being equal, Faraday." The Purple Archer said as his body relaxed and his cocky attitude returned. "I prefer to skip the meet-my-end part."

The closest Asgardian Wolf pounced at Hawkeye. Its fangs bared as it prepared to maul him to shreds.

But Hawkeye didn't react to the beast as he calmly held his ground.

Just before the creature could reach him, Black Panther burst from the bushes and tackled the giant wolf to the ground.

The Wakandan King used his enhanced strength to lift the giant wolf and throw the beast into the other two, sending all three tumbling to the ground.

As the Wolves attempted to get to their feet, Black Panther drew three vibranium daggers from his belt and tossed them at the wolves. In one fluid movement, the vibranium daggers pieced the skulls of each wolf, killing them instantly.

With the threat finally settled, Hawkeye walked over to Black Panther just as the Cat-Themed Hero finished checking the surroundings.

"Where the heck have you been?" Hawkeye asked in a sarcastic manner.

Beneath his mask, Black Panther smiled. He was glad his friend was okay and still able to make jokes.

Seeing that the two are allies, the Elf, Faraday, sheathed his sword and retrieved his bow.

"This is but a respite." The Elf Warrior informed the pair. A grim expression on his face. "My Lord, Fray, has already fallen. Alfheim is lost."

Pain filled his voice, which made the two Avengers feel sorry for the Elf.

Faraday then raised his head and gave a soft smile. "But there is a ship that can take you and your ally to safety." He offered.

Hawkeye blinked in surprise. This guy had lost his home and was fighting a losing battle. Yet he was still willing to help him and Panther so they could be safe.

The Archer shared a look with the Wakandan. Without a single word, the pair instantly knew what the other was thinking.

"Are you that eager to surrender your home?" Panther asked.

A shocked expression appeared on the Elf's face. "I beg your pardon?"

Hawkeye chuckled as he rested his arm casually on Panther's shoulder.

"What my pal here means is. We're not the kind of guys to run away. You saved my life, Faraday. Only fair that we help you out."

Faraday was stunned by the mortals words. They were really willing to risk their lives for a realm that is not their own.

"My friend. I cannot ask you to do that. This battle is not yours to fight." Faraday said.

Hawkeye scoffed. "Please, like that's gonna stop us. Besides, we still have some friends out there. Especially Thor. Wonder where he ended up?"

Immediately, Faraday's eyes widened in shock. "Thor? You are acquainted with the Prince of Asgard? The Thunderer himself?"

The Two Avengers shared a look. Apparently, Thor was well-known here.

"Indeed. We are closely associated with Thor." Panther confirmed.

"If the Mighty Prince Thor has returned to the Nine Realms. Perhaps there is still hope." Faraday mused a spark of excitement in his eyes.

He then shouldered his bow and gestured to the Avengers. "Come, my friends. I will take you to my stronghold. The news of the Son of Odin's return will surely change the tides of this war."

With that, Faraday rushed into the forest. Hawkeye and Black Panther, close behind.

Janet Van Dyne let out a groan as her eyes fluttered open. Her vision was blurred but she started to get sensation back in her body.

Last she remembered, she was fighting a bunch of giants with Hank in some snow-covered mountains. She recalled the cold and how her body was almost numb from the freezing temperatures.

However, now she felt quite toasty. As if wrapped in a warm blanket in front of a roaring fire.

At that moment, Janet recalled that one of the symptoms of severe hypothermia was that people felt hot and started taking off their clothes due to their bodies going into shock from the cold.

Her eyes immediately snapped open, and she lurched forward. Not wanting to become a human popsicle, she quickly tried to get to her feet and keep moving.

However, the moment she did, she immediately felt a head rush and almost collapsed to the ground.

She saw the hardwood floor coming right at her face and prepared to smack into it when a thin but strong arm suddenly caught her.

"Woah, fair maiden." A feminine voice spoke to her as Janet's face moved away from the floor.

With her shock subsiding and her vision clearing up. Janet finally got her bearings.

She was no longer in a snowy mountain. She was in a simple room, like those in a cabin. Very rustic and old-fashioned. With wooden floors, walls, and ceilings. The only light came from the fireplace on the opposite end of the room.

As the strong arm guided her back, she suddenly felt an incredible softness beneath her as she found herself on a bed. It was a simple wooden frame. But the mattress was heavenly. Like a soft, fluffy cloud. And the bedding. The sheets were so silky, and the blankets were so warm and comfy that she felt like she could drift off to sleep again.

She quickly shook off her drowsiness and looked up at the woman who caught her. She was tall, easily six feet tall, with red hair and blue eyes. She wore a black body suit with white armor on her legs, arms, and torso. A large sword was secured on her back.

The Woman smiled at her in a friendly manner as she secured Janet on the bed.

"Quite the fighting spirit, Janet Van Dyne." The Woman complimented. "Thy would fit well among the Valkyries."

Janet raised an eyebrow. From the way she talked, it was the same as Thor. And her clothing is definitely the same style. Very traditional ancient Norse. Was she a friend of his?

"Um, who are you? Where am I? And how do you know my name?" Janet asked in a rapid-fire of questions. When suddenly, she realised one very important detail. "Where's Hank!?"

She tried to stand up from the bed, but the woman swiftly pushed her back down.

"Calm thyself, Lady Janet." The Woman requested calmly. "You are in Konurlifandi, former training grounds of the Valkyrior. I am Gruenhilda of the Valkyries. We found you and your ally, the Giant Man, fighting Frost Giants in Jotunheim and rescued you. You were injured in battle and barely clinging to life. We brought you here to heal and rest."

Janet's expression softened as Gruenhilda finished explaining.

"Oh." She initially said. Feeling a little bad for her outburst. "Well… Thanks for the save."

She looked around the room and saw it was only the pair of them in here. Most likely, the Valkyrie was keeping an eye on her while she recovered. Which she was grateful for. But would have preferred a different person at her bedside.

"So, where's Hank?" Janet asked the Red-Haired Shield Maiden.

Gruenhilda smiled as she gestured to the door. "He currently speaks with Lady Sif and Brunnhilde in the main hall."

Janet nodded as she stood up from the bed and took one step towards the door before Gruenhilda got in her way again.

"Before the lady leaves. Perhaps she would like to clothe herself. Unless you wish for your male companion to see you in an unseemly sight." She suggested.

At first, the heroine was confused. Before she looked down, she saw that all she had on her was the silk bed sheet that was about to fall off.

Janet gave a small yelp as she managed to catch the sheet before it could expose her birthday suit.

"Where are my clothes!?" Janet demanded, her face turning as red as a tomato. She knew it felt a little breezy down there, but to be completely exposed like this.

She suddenly had flashbacks to her sorority days at college.

The Red-Haired Warrior chuckled at the Mortal Woman's embarrassment and walked over to an armchair near the fireplace.

"Your garments were drenched from the frosts of Jotunheim. So, I had them removed for them to dry and so that you may be warmed." She explained as she retrieved Janet's clothes and presented them to her.

Janet used her free hand to snatch the clothes and turned away. Still feeling embarrassed.

"Thanks. I appreciate it." She mumbled.

"Worry not. The Giant Man was not present during your disrobing." Gruenhilda said in a playful tone.

At that point, freezing to death didn't sound so bad to Janet.

With a chuckle, Gruenhilda exited the room, giving Janet some privacy while she got dressed.

Once she was back in her suit, Wasp opened the wooden door to her room and saw the area.

It was unreal. She could see multiple structures, most of them quite old and worn down, along with several tents and makeshift buildings that looked hastily thrown together.

There were several women dressed in similar clothes to Gruenhilda all around the campsite. Many were sharpening weapons, others were training in sparring matches, and still others were caring for the Pegasi they rode.

She counted roughly twenty or thirty women in total.

As Janet looked around, she noticed that the camp's wooden walls didn't seem to have been built in the usual manner. They looked more like they had been carved into the side of a giant tree.

Quickly glancing over the edge, her eyes widened when she realized it indeed was. This place was carved into a giant tree's trunk, no, branch. It was so massive that she couldn't even see where the base was. It just went on and on until it disappeared into a layer of clouds.

As she looked up, she could faintly make out other branches and what seemed to be the main body of the tree.

But the real puzzle was how stars and planets appeared to be scattered around it.

When Thor said his home was connected to a World Tree, he wasn't kidding.

Hulk was right. This is a really big tree.

She was so swept up in its majesty that she almost forgot her mission. Following Gruenhilda, they made their way to the main hall. The biggest building in the camp and one of the better-maintained buildings.

As she approached, she started hearing voices coming from inside.

"We are wasting time!" An aggressive voice rang from the inside.

Wasp entered the hall; the pyres were lit, illuminating the inside where several long dining tables lined the hall.

At the end, a skylight cast a bright beam on the far table, where three figures stood.

Janet immediately recognized Hank. The mere sight of him caused a wave of calm to wash over her, and the tension she felt was immediately lifted from her.

To his right was Lady Sif, clade in her red and silver suit.

And on his left stood a tall, blonde Nordic woman. She has long hair tied back with leather strips that fall in front of her shoulders. She wore a black, one-piece undergarment that essentially covered her torso and hips. Attached to this are a pair of silver breastplates. She sports a thick silver girdle featuring an ornate coffin-shaped buckle.

On each arm, she wore a silver bracer and armband, along with black sandals laced up to mid-calf with leather straps. A large, billowing blue cloak is fastened to her garment at the shoulders by twin, circular silver clasps. Around her neck, she sports a silver, segmented neckpiece.

This is Brunnhilde, leader of the Valkyries.

As Janet and Gruenhilda approached, they saw Brunnhilde slam her hands on the table, causing a loud bang that echoed across the hall.

"With our failure to liberate the Caskett of Ancient Winters from Ymir's accursed neck. Tis only a matter of time before Loki's forces track us here. We must seize this opportunity and attack Asgard while Loki's guard is down." The Valkyries leader declared.

Sif sneered at the Blonde Warrior and put her own hand on the table whilst gripping her sword hilt.

"You speak madness, Valkyrie. Loki is not the fool you think him so. He would suspect an attack. T'would be suicide!" Lady Sif countered. "It would be wise for us to find the rest of Giant Man's allies. If what he claims is true, his allies are scattered across the Nine Realms. Which includes Thor. We must find the Prince. For he is the only one who can possibly rival Loki's power.

"Your heart hath clouded your mind, Maiden. The longer we take, the more power Loki will gather!" Brunnhilde argued. "Should we strike now, and reach Odin's chambers. We can awaken the All-Father to put an end to Loki's scheme."

In response, Lady Sif crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Did the mighty Brunnhilde learn witchcraft in between her sparing? Or did Amora pass on some of her knowledge to you while you spent time as her plaything?"

The Valkyrie glared at the Shield Maiden with vitriol as she gripped the dragon-shaped sword hilt on her waist.

"Choose thy next words carefully, Shield Maiden. Or I shall relieve your tongue from behind your flapping lips."

The two women continued to butt heads while Hank stood between them, trying to de-escalate the situation.

"Ladies, please, there is no need for violence here." He said in a calm manner.

Immediately, Brunnhilde shot Hank a deadly glare, which caused him to flinch.

Janet couldn't help but giggle at the sight of Hank being nervous. It was adorable, especially when he inserted himself in the middle of an escalating catfight. Janet recognized all the signs. Be it a clothing store or a war room. Being a woman is a universal language.

Her little laugh grabbed the attention of the trio as they turned to see Wasp and Gruenhilda standing a couple of feet from the main table.

Immediately, Hanks's eyes widened upon seeing her.

"Janet." He gasped as he ran to her. Shopping short of wrapping her in an embrace. Much to her disappointment, he awkwardly cleared his throat and patted her shoulder.

"Are you ok? You're not dizzy, are you? Do you need anything?" He asked, clearly worried in an adorable fashion.

Janet's heart fluttered at his concern as she stepped forward and placed her hand on his cheek to calm him down. She gazed into his eyes and smiled sweetly at him.

"I'm fine, Hank. Thanks to you. I'm more worried about you. You took on those giants all by yourself. While I was pretty much useless."

Hank immediately took her hands and his and said loudly. "That's not true." The vast hall amplified his voice.

"Janet, you were amazing. You've only been using your giant form for a short while, and you've progressed far beyond what I could have predicted. Being able to move the way you do at that size and in fridged conditions." His face moved closer to hers, allowing her to see the wonderment in his eyes fully. "You were incredible, Janet."

Her cheeks glowed red from his praise and proximity to her face. It's been a long time since Hank looked at her with the same passion he did for his science projects. Not since she first became the Wasp.

She did not hate this feeling one bit.

A cough broke then out of their moment as the Size Changing pair realized they were not alone.

They turned to see Gruenhilda, her fist to her mouth and a sly grin on her lips.

The pair quickly separated, and their faces were red with embarrassment. As the Red Haired Woman addressed the others.

"My apologies for the interruption, my Ladies. I thought I should inform you of the Mortal Woman's condition."

"You've done well, Gruenhilda." Lady Sif praised.

"Indeed. Your instincts are sharp as ever, young warrior." Brunnhilde added.

Gruenhilda smiled and bowed from the praise.

"So. Someone mind telling me what's going on here?" Janet asked.

A few minutes later, Hank, Sif, and Brunnhilde gave the Wasp a quick recap of the events.

"Ok, so any luck finding the others?" Janet asked, worried about her teammates scattered across the other worlds.

However, she had no doubt Ben was handling himself fine. Still didn't stop her from worrying about him.

Brunnhilde shook her head. "I dispatched scouts not too long ago to search the other realms. However, Loki's forces have made it difficult to travel. The paths along Yggdrasil are constantly watched. We have had to rely on the power of Lady Sif to move swiftly between the realms."

Lady Sif nodded as she touched her sword. "My brother, Heimdall, is keeper of the Bifrost, the Rainbow bridge that connects the World Tree. As such, I can channel a portion of its power to allow swift travel across the realms."

Her head lowered as a pained expression etched into her face. A look Wasp had become familiar with recently. Sif was worried about her brother, no doubt he's been missing for a while. Janet got the same look whenever she was concerned about Ben's safety.

It's strange to think that over half a year ago, she and the Alien Hero were little more than strangers. Now, she can't imagine her life without him. Life sure is strange.

"We've been fighting a losing battle for many days," Brunnhilde explained. "With the power of the Odin-Force at his command, Loki has almost conquered all the Nine Realms. With Midgard remaining the only free realm."

"Why didn't you come and warn Thor about this?" Hank asked. "Had he known what was happening, he would have come to help."

Lady Sif shook her head. "We attempted to. But Loki used an enchantment that prevented any travel to and from Midgard. I have tried to reach the Thunderer. But to no avail."

She then raised her head with renewed vigor. "But, if what thou speaks is true. Then Thor returned to the eternal realm. Now, all that is needed is to find which realm Thor has found himself in and join his side."

"If only we had Heimdall's eyes with us." Brunnhilde commented. "He would be able to find the Prince with nary a glance. Sadly, he and Balder were imprisoned where none can ever escape."

Sif's body tensed as she clenched her jaw at the reminder.

Seeing this, Janet raised an eyebrow. If someone was in trouble, they could try and help. "What place is that?"

Fireballs rained from the sky as Fire Demons hurled the flaming spheres at their targets.

A fireball impacted on the surface of a lava pool. Magma splashed, with a few drops making contact with Arctiguana's scales.

The Alien hissed in pain but continued to focus on generating his ice ramp. His frozen path was the only thing keeping himself and his Asgardian passengers from taking a dip in the two-thousand-degree lake of death.

Arctiguana continued blasting his ice beam to create a path. The lava vaporized the ice behind him, forming a massive cloud of steam. Fortunately for them, this cloud obstructed their view of the Fire Demon horde trailing behind, making their aim sloppy.

However, it also sent up a massive smoke signal that revealed their position like a beacon. Pretty sure every citizen of Muspelheim was now alerted to their presence.

The Ice Lizard angled his head and created a ramp in front of him, which he slipped up and was launched into the sky.

A sigh of relief echoed in his mind as Arctiguana took a deep breath. He no longer cared about the scorching air of this world burning his throat. Considering how he had to use the alien's ice beam almost nonstop during his escape, a little hot air felt like a relief.

As they began to descend, the Alien Avenger immediately fired his beam once more and continued to glide across the lava lake.

Balder patted the shapeshifter's side as if he were a valiant steed. "You are doing well, Changeling. The path is just up ahead."

He pointed to a cluster of rocks just beyond the shore of the lake.

Just a little further and they can kiss this seventh-level goodbye.

Suddenly, the Alien Teen felt this unnatural pressure flow over his body. Using his peripherals, he glanced at his passengers. Heimdall and Balder stiffened, and their eyes widened. Even Heimdall, with his injured eyes still closed, was in fear.

"He's here." The Bifrost Guardian gasped.

Before Arctiguana could comprehend what he meant. Something big slammed into the lava behind them. The shockwave knocked them off the ice path and into the air.

At their speed, the trio was propelled over the last leg of the lava lake and was now over dry land. However, that was meaningless, for behind them was a giant lava tsunami. A massive tidal wave of molten rock bared down at them, threatening to engulf them in the raging inferno.

Acting fast, Arctiguana pivoted in the air and took a deep breath, as deep as he could possibly go, to the point where he felt like he was going to burst.

Just when he felt like an over-inflated balloon, the Frost Lizard blasted his ice beam at full force.

A pure, white beam of sub-zero energy poured from his mouth like a lance of light. The power that the alien avenger unleashed was close to the beam that Iceman used against the Phoenix.

Arctiguana unleashed so much power that he could feel frost building up around his mouth.

For what was probably the first time in millions of years, the realm of Muspelheim dropped a few degrees as Arctiguana's beam solidified the entire lava wave. Hundreds of tons of molten rock solidified instantly, forming a new rock formation in the realm.

With the lava wave threat taken care of. The only concern now was the rapidly approaching ground.

Having poured everything into that beam, Arctiguana was a little short of breath. He couldn't even cough up a snowflake at this point.

Fortunately for him, the Asgardian Balder the Brave seemed to have enough stamina to spare as he grabbed both him and Heimdall in his arms and took the brunt of the impact, his legs skidding across the stone ground before finally coming to a stop.

The Warrior dropped the pair as he panted heavily.

Heimdall quickly got to his feet. His body seemingly recovering its strength as he wasn't struggling to stay on his feet like before. He was even holding his axe the right way up. Although he was still leaning on it for support.

Arctiguana, on the other hand, his four limbs trembled and threatened to collapse from the strain of using his powers so much.

"How fair thee?" Balder asked his companions. Panic in his voice

"I can walk, Brave Balder," Heimdall answered.

"Then let us make haste. We must reach the path."

"Don't need to tell me twice." Arctiguana responded. Willing his body forward. He kept pace with the Asgardians.

Even with his eyes injured, it did not slow him down as he moved around the area without any issues. Guess his other senses were just as sharp.

A screech from behind them caused Balder and Arctiguana to turn and see Fire Demons coming over the newly created rock formation. Their flaming weapons are drawn and ready to impale their prey.

Balder drew his sword while Arctiguana prepared to engage.

"Do not engage!" Heimdall roared. "The path is all that matters. We must get to it at all cost."

The Asgardian Warrior obeyed immediately, sheathing his weapon, and resumed running.

However, Arctiguana hesitated. At their current pace and the speed of the Demons. No doubt they'll catch up to them before they reach the rock cluster.

And if they get through the path, what's to stop the Fire Demons from following them?

The Alien Avenger ground to a halt before turning to face the approaching enemies.

"Ben Tennyson!" Balder cried out as he and Heimdall stopped to look back at the Teen.

"Get to the portal!" Arctiguana ordered. "I'll buy you some time."

"Nay! Do not be a fool!" Balder protested.

But the Alien Teen wasn't having any of it. "I'll catch up as soon as I can! Get out of here, now!"

Balder's hand reached for his blade, only for Heimdall to grab his shoulder and pull him along. "Balder, we cannot linger any longer. Ben Tennyson has made his choice. We must honor it. 'Ere we all perish this day."

Reluctantly, Balder conceded, and the pair ran into the rock cluster, leaving Arctiguana to face the Fire Demons.

"Ok, Bunsen breath. Looks like you got me all along." He then raised his right hand to the Ultimatrix dial on his chest. "I don't need to tell you. Ice-olation can be a chilling experience."

He then tapped the dial, and four spikes popped out.

A wave of energy washed over his body, and Arctiguana changed. His body greatly increased in size and gained more bulk, and he has what appears to be white armor. His scales became lighter, almost white, with three elongated scales growing from his chin. He has a "mustache" of sorts, growing down on both sides, from either side of his upper lip. He has pure blue ice covering his shoulders with a mass of jagged ice jutting from his back, like a glacier. A pair of organic Blunderbuss-like white cannons were positioned on his back, sprouting from behind each shoulder blade. There are also small ice growths on his arms. The Ultimatrix symbol is clear on his chest.

"ULTIMATE ARCTIGUANA!" The Evolved Alien cried out.

The Fire Demons swooped at the Walking Glacier, raising their flaming swords to strike.

Ultimate Arctiguana responded by aiming one of his cannons at them. A massive blast of ice erupted from the barrel from the muzzle like an ice volcano. Enveloping the Fire Demons in a white beam, extinguishing their fire and sending them flying.

He then aimed both cannons at the rest of the swarm that was coming over the top. Focusing on his power, the cannons charged up as mist and frozen vapor swirled around the barrels.

There was a loud crack, followed by a boom, and the Evolved Alien fired his cannons. From the barrels fired a pair of ice crystals. Each was the size of a tank shell and comprised of pure blue ice. The most durable form of ice.

The ice projectiles sliced through the hot air of Muspelheim and blasted into the Fire Demon horde. Instantly, the swarm dispersed. The shockwave of the shells passing blew apart any that were too close, and the shells impacted with the force of a howitzer, destroying the top of the rock structure.

Any demons in the path of the shells were instantly obliterated, while the blast wave from the impact site tore apart those in the surrounding area.

Seeing the sheer destructive power of the Alien Avenger, the Fire Demons quickly adapted, spreading themselves out to avoid being caught clustered together.

Ultimate Arctiguana watched the Fire Demons and aimed his cannons in two different directions. He fired his ice howitzers again. The dense ice shards blasted through the demon swarm, annihilating a couple that couldn't get out of the way. But the swarm was so spread out he couldn't make any significant impacts on their numbers.

He smirked. "You're learning. Cool. But two can play at that game."

The Ultimate Alien moved and aimed his cannons once more. Icey mist flowed around the barrels, and a blue light emanated from within.

Ultimate Arctiguana fired at the Fire Demons. Only this time, the projectiles were different. They were slower than before, and instead of sleek, sharp crystals, they were smooth spherical orbs like a cannonball, which glowed with a faint blue light inside the clear icy exterior.

The Ice spheres flew into the air and amongst the Fire Demons. The Flaming Warriors easily avoided being hit by them.

However, the sphere exploded like a bomb. Unleashing a blast of sub-zero energy from within. The cold energy struck the nearest Fire Demons, extinguishing the flames of the ones closest to the explosion while causing ice to creep up the bodies of those further away. Causing them to plummet from the sky.

The Fire Demons screeched in panic as Ultimate Arctiguana smirked with a cocky attitude. The Evolved Aliens' control over ice allowed him to produce many different kinds of ice ammunition. From high-density impact shells to anti-aircraft flak guns.

Ultimate Arctiguana's ice barrage caused such panic in the Fire Demons' ranks that the swarm was in absolute chaos. Demons screeched left and right, flying in a tizzy, smashing into each other as they scrambled to find cover from the Alien Avengers onslaught.

This confusion was just the thing Ult Arctiguana needed to make his escape. He turned his bulky body around and made a break for the rock cluster.

His large size made moving a little sluggish. This body was built for heavy artillery, not speed and agility. But, in case the Fire Demons recover and attack once more.

Just as he reached the edge of the rock cluster, Balder's head suddenly popped up from among the rocks.

"Changeling! The path is here! Quickly, we must…!" Balder's voice evaporated as his body froze and fear gripped his soul.

Mere seconds later, Ultimate Arctiguana felt the atmosphere shift. Pressure increased tenfold, and the air vibrated from intense power.

The Fire Demons went silent as Ult Arctiguana turned to see what was happening.

From the sky, the Fire Demons descended. Not to attack the hero. They floated down and formed two even line formations with a large gap in the middle with the solid lava wave before them.

The Demons collectively dropped to one knee and bowed. What followed was a booming noise. One after the other, growing louder with each passing moment.

As the noise grew, the rocks started to glow red. Starting from the top of the rock wave, creeping down like snakes to the ground, and flowing over the rocks towards Ultimate Arctiguana.

Steam emanated from the Ice Alien's feet when the glow reached him as intense heat pulsed from the ground.

Boom. Boom. BOOM! The sound grew as an ominous glow illuminated behind the rock wall, and black smoke wafted over the top.

Something was coming…

Just then, the rock wall glowed brightly. Within seconds, the massive rock wall melted like ice cream in the summer sun. Melting from the middle and parting like the Red Sea.

From the opening, a wave of heat poured out and flowed over the Alien Avenger.

For the first time in the history of using this transformation, Ult Arctiguana started sweating. The heat caused the ice on his back to drip and melt.

Ultimate Arctiguana's breath hitched. His body trembled as his eyes widened in fear.

Before him was a being shrouded in fire and smoke. The thickness of the black smoke prevented him from making out any key details.

But what he could make out was the slight silhouette of the flames glowing from within the veil.

It stood as tall as a mountain and just as broad. It looked humanoid, only with legs that looked like an animals, what might possibly be a tail flicking in the shadows behind it, and a pair of burning yellow eyes that cut through the darkness and pierced his very soul.

There was no doubt in his mind. He is exactly as Balder and Heimdall described. The Walking Inferno, the Bringer of Death, Flame Incarnate.

The Fire Demon, Surtur.

Ultimate Arctiguana thought that he had met the personification of Fire when he faced the Cosmic Fire Bird, the Phoenix Force.

However, Surtur was something completely different.

The Phoenix Force felt primal. Something similar to a wildfire. A destructive force that would sweep over the land, destroying all in its path. But is only a natural part of the natural cycle. For after the flames have passed, new life will grow, and life is renewed.

But this was raw, savage destruction. It was an unnatural agent of Evil that wouldn't rest until everything was dead and burned. It was like a supervolcano spewing toxic fumes and molten rock into the atmosphere, choking the air and burning the land before blanketing the sky in an eternal night and suffocating all life. Not because it was part of its nature, but because it wanted to snuff out every flicker of life that it saw.

Even though he still couldn't see him clearly. Ultimate Arctiguana could feel the intense aura of Surtur radiating through the smoke cloud.

Every fiber of his being was screaming for him to run. To get as far away from this thing as possible.

But if he did, that thing could get to the portal. It was too late. They found them. He knows where the entrance is. He can't let this thing get through. The destruction it would wreck on the other worlds…

As much as he wanted to reach his friend. To fight by their side and stop Loki's plan. He could not risk this monster from escaping and getting to them.

Narrowing his eyes. Ultimate Arctiguana planted his feet on the boiling ground. Dig his fingers into the glowing stone and aimed his cannons directly at that Demon's head.

"Only way out of here, you walking sparkler! And that's over my cold dead body!" Ultimate Arctiguana roared in defiance.

Upon seeing the Mortal's actions. Balder the Brave rushed forward. "Nay, Ben Tennyson! You mustn't!"

"This thing can't get to the portal!" the Emerald Avenger responded. "I'll seal it up. You take Heimdall and go."

"You know not what you speak, Mortal!" Balder tried to reason as he reached for him.

"No time! Go!" Ultimate Arctiguana cried as he turned to face him and opened his mouth.

A blast of freezing vapor erupted from his gullet. Arctic gale-force winds wrapped around the Asgardian, lifting him off his feet and sending him hurtling toward the portal's entrance.

"Benjamin!" Balder cried as he fell into the hidden gateway.

With his ally safe, the Evolved Alien turned back to face the Walking Inferno.

From behind the smoke vail, the eyes of Surtur watched Balder fall into the entrance of the hidden path. The two burning orbs turned their attention to the Evolved Ice Alien.

The heat must be messing with his vision because Ult Arctiguana could have sworn that the Fire Demon looked confused by his actions.

It only lasted for a second before he saw his expression change and an evil grin carved into the smoke.

A smile that sent chills throughout Ultimate Arctiguana's body.

But he held his ground. If this dude thinks he's gonna make it easy for him. He has another thing coming.

"Time for you to chill out!" The Alien shouted.

He then let out a mighty battle cry before blasting a full-powered beam of ice from his mouth and both cannons.

Pure concentrated beams of absolute zero tore through the burning atmosphere of Muspelheim, heading straight for its ruler.

However, just as the beams were several feet away from making contact, they suddenly stopped short, as if hitting an invisible wall. Steam erupts, water hisses, and the winds howl as the air flows at a rapid pace.

The Alien Teen is shocked. His beams were not being blocked by some kind of shield; Surtur radiates so much heat that his ice beams are vaporized before they can make contact with his body.

Massive, concentrated amounts of pure, sub-zero energy, enough freezing power to turn Earth's oceans into an ice-skating rink, are reduced to water vapor by this Titan of fire without him even moving a muscle.

The power of the two clashing temperature extremes, hot and cold air, collides and swirls together, forming a tornado between the two elemental beings.

Through the vortex, Ult Arctiguana can see the ash concealing the Fire Demon's body being pulled away, allowing him to briefly make out what appears to be a pair of red horns atop Surtur's head.

Suddenly, the Fire Demon raises his arm and swings it in a wide arc, letting out a thunderous roar as the tornado disperses. A wave of superheated air instantly overpowers the Evolved Alien's ice beams.

The force of the air current knocks Ultimate Arctiguana off his feet and sends him tumbling through the air before crashing headfirst into the rock cluster.

His head pounds, and his scales throb in pain from the heat.

Ultimate Arctiguana must have hit his head pretty hard because his ears are ringing so intensely that they almost sound like a bird chirping.

He shook his head to clear and felt the uneven ground under his feet. Pushing himself up, Ultimate Arctiguana noticed that he was positioned directly over the entrance to the hidden path. A dark hole that seemed to go on forever. The only way out of Muspelheim.

All it would take is one step, and he could kiss this place goodbye.

However, a boom drew his attention as he saw the shrouded form of Surtur approaching him. One step, and the Demon was half a mile closer to him.

He couldn't let that beast get to the portal. If he got out, it wouldn't just be the Asgardians that would be in danger. Everyone, including Earth. His team, his friends, and everyone he cared about.

The Fire Demon raised his massive shadowy hand to reach out to him.

Suddenly, the Alien Teen was back in time. He saw the fire, the smoke, his loved ones, those red eyes…

He froze in fear as the memories came pouring in….

"…No." The Ultimate Alien whispered, vapor flowing from his mouth.

His fangs bared, his eyes glowing green as an icy mist flowed from his body. The glaciers on his back grew and refroze as the air pressure spiked.

"Never again. You hear that Horn Head!" Ultimate Arctiguana declared, his body standing tall. "I am Ben Tennyson! Hero of Heroes! And as long as I'm breathing, you're not getting out of here!"

With that, he aimed his head directly into the entrance of the pathway. Opening his mouth as cold energy glowed from within.

His cold energy, combined with the heat of this place and Surtur, the sudden change in temperature will shatter the stone instantly and collapse this entire tunnel. Ceiling it off and ensuring that Surtur and his forces can never leave.

But it also means he'll be trapped here with them.

He thought about his friends and teammates: Tony, Steve, Hulk, Thor, Clint, T'Challa, Hank, and Janet. He also thought about his friends Rick, Andi, Eddie, Kitty, Bobby, Jessica, Peter, Laura and Carol.

Even those he just got back in his life, Ship, Zed, Lucy, and Grandma.

All the people he loved and cherished. He'll never see them again.

But that didn't matter. They'll be safe after this. That Demon can do whatever he wants to him after this.

As far as he's concerned. He's already won.

With that, Ultimate Arctiguana prepared to fire his ice beam into the tunnel.

Suddenly, a wave of nausea washed over him. The Ultimate Aliens head felt dizzy as the world started to spin.

He then felt something bump into him, causing him to stumble and lose his grip.

The Alien Hero tried to reach out to stabilize himself, but it was too late. The ledge slipped from his hand, and the Evolved Alien tumbled down the tunnel. Falling further and further down.

A blinding light surrounded his body, and the last thing Ultimate Arctiguana saw was the massive paw of Surtur grabbing the empty space where he was just standing before everything faded in a white flash.

Up above, the flaming fist of Surtur retracted from the entrance of the hidden path.

Multiple Fire Demons gathered around the entrance. Several screeching and roaring. But none made any attempt to get inside.

Meanwhile, the Colossal Fire Titan raised his fist in front of his face and opened his empty hand to look at his palm.

The Fire Demon then glanced at the portal's entrance. A final gust of wind flowed out of the tunnel, and a wisp of frozen mist rose from within.

Almost immediately, the heated atmosphere of the realm ate away at the mist. However, a single snowflake miraculously survived the scorching air and floated upwards until it was directly in front of Surtur's face.

The Fire Demon reached for the tiny flake, only for his flaming aura to vaporize it to nothing, and his paw gripped nothing but empty air once more.

Surtur glared at his hand, and he recalled the look that creature had given him. The sheer defiance, the unyielding will. Those green eyes that stared back into his. That dared to challenge him.

His fist clenched, and his eyes glowed intensely.

The Fire Demon's lips parted as his breath flowed out like a pyroclastic cloud.

In a deep guttural voice that shook the very realm. The Father of All Cataclysms uttered two words.

"Ben Tennyson."

Tony Stark has been in his fair share of fights before and after putting on his armor. In that time, he's lost count of the number of times he's been punched in the face.

Well, in his youthful playboy days, he's lost count. The number of times he's been punched by angry husbands and ex-boyfriends for his drunken hookups was too numerous to count.

From the moment he became Iron Man. He could count the number of times on one hand.

But the top the most painful punches would be Wonder Man, Captain America, and, most recently, Shrek's hillbilly cousin that was currently trying to cave his face in.

The billionaire received an uppercut from Ulik, the Rock Troll, which sent him flying off his feet.

Tony never thought he would ever say this, but he owed Captain America a huge thank you for those fighting tips.

Just as the hulking beast-man was about to hit him, Tony quickly jumped back, and the momentum of the first carried him the rest of the way. Reducing the impact force slightly.

Which was still painful had Tony not been in motion as that giant knuckleduster was coming at him like a freight train. His ribcage would have been reduced to a fine powder.

But that still resulted in the wind being knocked out of him as he landed on his back. Gasping for air.

As Tony tried to recover from his injury, the Dwarf King, Eitri, drew his sword and attempted to battle the Rock Troll himself.

The Dwarf King swung his blade, but Ulik blocked it easily with his knuckledusters.

Before Eitri could make another swing, Ulik grabbed a nearby stone pillar and proceeded to rip the solid stone out of the ground and used it like a bat to swat the Dwarf King away.

The impact knocked the King's weapon from his hand as it clattered to the ground of the cave.

Seeing the Dwarf get sent flying, Tony aimed his gauntlet at Ulik. The hatch on the forearm opened and deployed a mini-missile. Only one was installed in the gauntlet, as most of the munitions were shored higher up the arm to reduce the possibility of accidental detonation.

But without a targeting system, Tony had to eyeball the rocket, holding his head in line with his arm as he fired the mini explosive.

By some miracle, the missile hit its mark and detonated against Ulik's chest.

However, that only seemed to anger the Troll as he charged at Tony like a bull.

The Billionaire raised his repulsor to blast the monster away. But Ulik was much faster than he appeared as he swiftly closed the distance and brought both his fists together on the gauntlet.

Tony cried out in pain as the knuckledusters shattered his gauntlet to pieces. Reducing the last remnant of his armor to a useless pile of scrap.

The now completely armor-less Iron Man dropped to his knees, gripping his injured arm as the massive Rock Troll towered over him.

"I am going to tear you apart, Mortal! And then I will finish the Dwarf King!" Ulik growled at Tony.

Stark gritted his teeth as he rubbed his sore wrist. This was pointless. How could he possibly think that he could take on a guy like this with one gauntlet? So much for being a genius.

Tony raised his head. At the very least, he could look this guy in the eye and give him one last insult before he died with some dignity.

However, as he raised his head, he caught a glimpse of Eitri's sword lying a few feet behind Ulik.

And one last, incredibly dumb, idea formed in his head.

Well, today was the day for dumb ideas. May as well go all in.

Just as Ulik raised his left foot to squash Tony like a bug. The Billionaire launched forward, combat rolling under the Rock Troll's large frame, and dashed for the sword.

He scooped up the blade, which in his hands was about the size of a long dagger.

But, just as he turned to face the Monstrous Villain. Ulik appeared right in front of him.

The Rock Troll's massive paw wrapped around Tony's waist and started squeezing him like an anaconda. Lifting him off the ground like an action figure.

Dispute his situation, Tony still raised the dagger above his head and gripped it with both hands. Seemingly to stab Ulik in the face with it.

Seeing the attempt, Ulik laughed at the Mortal's pathetic actions.

"If you think a little knife can hurt me?" The Rock Troll mocked with condescension.

"No," Tony stated with a cocky smirk. "But I think this can."

With that, Tony thrust the dagger down…

Directly into his Arc Reactor.

Tony rammed the tip of the blade into the outer rim of the Arc Reactor. Slipping into the gap of the transparent cover.

The Genius Billionaire used the knife as a lever and, with a big pull, popped the top of the Arc Reactor clean off.

Like opening a hatch on a submarine, repulsor energy blasted out of the reactor. A massive amount of blue energy erupted from Tony's chest, hitting Ulik at point-blank range in the face and sending the Troll flying across the cavern. With Tony being blown in the other direction.

When the energy beam died down, Tony landed on the ground with a loud thud. His chest was smoking as Arc Reactor energy continued to flow out of the exposed core.

Ulik, on the other hand, was blown through several walls and rendered unconscious. Smoke bellowed from his mouth, from where the beam hit him.

The Rock Troll let out a weak groan before sliding down the wall and collapsing on the floor.

Tony weakly raised his head to see the result of his handiwork. He gave a small chuckle.

"Yeah. That showed him." He panted before his head dropped and closed his eyes.

He could already feel his head getting lighter and his breath shallowing. With the core exposed, the Arc Reactor will continue to leak energy until it runs dry. By his calculations, the core would continue leaking for a good hour or two before shutting down.

Unfortunately, he will be long dead before that. With the reactor leaking energy into the air, none of that energy is being used to keep his heart going.

But he did it. He beat that monster and saved the life of the Dwarf King.

He didn't waste his life. He only hoped that it was enough.

With one last sigh of satisfaction. Tony Stark's consciousness slipped, and he accepted his fate.

Just then, the Dwarf King Eitri rushed towards the Fallen Hero.

Having bore witness to the Mortal's heroic actions, the Dwarf King could not simply stand by and do nothing.

He noticed his blade lying on the ground. Next to it, a small round transparent disc.

The Dwarf King picked up the small disc and examined it before rushing to Tony's side.

Eitri saw the glow emanating from the mortal's chest. He did not understand this magic. Nor could he comprehend how this Mortal device functions.

But, from what he witnessed, the magic that gave this mortal life was now flowing out of his body. Which only happened due to him removing the seal that contained it.

Acting on faith, Eitri placed the cover back on the Arc reactor. With the power sealed, energy flowed back into Tony's body as his heart sprung back to life.

The sudden sensation of life back in his body caused Tony's eyes to spring open as he let out a sudden gasp and lurched forward. Panting heavily, his lungs filled with air. It never tasted so sweet until that very moment.

It was so sweet that he almost choked on it. Coughing and heaving before letting out a sigh and a big, goofy grin on his face.

The Dwarf King was taken aback by the Mortals display, but it was quickly replaced with a smile as he offered his hand to his saviour.

"Come, we must get to the forge before more of Loki's forces arrive," Eitri said, pulling Tony to his feet and proceeding to lead him down the path.

Just as Tony was about to leave with him, he looked back to the fallen dwarves. Both guards lay where they fell in combat against Ulik. It didn't seem right to leave them here. What if they had families? Or friends that cared about them? Should they not be laid to rest?

Tony felt a broad hand pat his arm. He looked down to see Eitri, his head lowered and his jaw clenched.

"Fret not, Iron Man. We shall return for the fallen. They gave their lives to ensure that we reached the forge. We must honour their sacrifice." The Dwarf King said as he walked away.

Iron Man looked to the King and then to the dead dwarves. While he didn't want to leave them. He knew Eitri was right. They weren't safe here, and if another Troll like Ulik showed up, he'd have no chance of fighting them off like last time.

Reluctantly, the Billionaire joined the Dwarf King as they moved down the cavern.

Now that the danger has passed and his brush with death has been averted, Tony felt this was a good time to satisfy his curiosity. "The forge? What do you build there?"

Eitri was practically beaming with pride at the question. "We dwarves are the finest smiths in the nine realms. In this place, I personally crafted Thor Odinson's hammer, Mjolnir."

The passion in the dwarf's voice, the sparkle in his eye, and the pride in his work made Tony feel a kinship with the Dwarf King—someone who understands the value of building something with your own two hands, witnessing that creation go on to do extraordinary things, and taking pride in their abilities.

Of course, if there is one thing a craftsman values more than his creations, it's the prospect of a new project.

"Ever make a suit of armor?" He asked as the two walked down the tunnel.

In the halls of Asgard, Thor Odinson faced humiliation on an unthinkable scale. Loki paraded him around the palace in his shackles, dragged along by a pair of Ogres.

The Trickster God opened the heavy doors to the courtyard of the palace. Where Odin would come to speak to the people. Now reduced to a mockery for Loki to bask in his glory. A stage for him to revel in Thor's pain.

"So ends the rule of Odin." Loki declared with malicious glee.

He looked at the Trolls as they shoved Thor forward, causing him to lose his balance and drop to his knees.

The Thunderer grunted as he lifted his foot under him and glared at his evil stepbrother.

"If you are keeping me alive only to boast, then you are making a mistake, Loki." Thor threatened as he clenched his fists in rage.

Loki, however, was not intimidated in the slightest. He merely grinned at the Thunder Gods empty threats as he stepped aside to give Thor a view of the courtyard.

There, Thor saw the full extent of Loki's rule, and his heart wept.

Asgard, the Golden City, the Realm Eternal. His home that he had protected from many threats over countless mortal lifetimes. Laid in ruins.

Its people, captives, and put in cages like beasts. The streets are crawling with Ogres, Trolls, Frost Giants, and many more.

"I do not make mistakes, brother," Loki stated in a chilling tone as he forced Thor's head down to look into the courtyard.

Thor's jaw clenched as he saw a group of Asgardian Warriors, noble defenders of the realm. Loyal to Odin and the people of Asgard. On their knees in chains.

They were all lined up, one behind the other, awaiting their fate. For at the front of the line lay a round wooden stump. Flanked on each side were a pair of Ogres wielding axes.

One of the Ogres grinned as he raised his axe and embedded the blade in the stump with a loud thunk that echoed across the courtyard.

Thor's eyes narrowed. It didn't take a genius to figure out what was about to happen.

This was a public execution.

"Worry not, Thor," Loki said, barely able to contain his excitement for the prospect.

"There is a spot left for you."

Imprisoned in his own home. His brother, whom he once trusted with his very life, put him in chains. And now he is to be executed for all the realms to see.

In this hour of need. Thor, Prince of Asgard, God of Thunder, prayed with all his heart.

His biggest mistake was not putting his faith in those he had considered less than him. Mortals, he called them, believing that he, a god, was above them. That they needed him to watch over and protect them. That they would never survive without him there.

But he was so misguided. His hubris blinded him to the truth. They did not need him; he needed them. When the world needed them, when he was unable to lend aid, they rose up, faced the threats, and emerged victorious.

They saved his life more times than he could count, and he was proud to stand beside them. Not as a god or a prince. But as an Avenger.

Now, it was his turn to have faith. To believe in them.

"Avengers, hear my prayer," Thor whispered. "I place my hopes with you. Now is the time to show the Nine Realms why they call you mighty."

He raised his head and looked out over the city. Where the Rainbow Bridge flowed into the forever beyond.

"Avenge me!"

And that's a wrap!

Hot dang, things are sure getting heated up here! XD

I hope you have all enjoyed part 2 of the Asgard arc. I ended up adding quite a bit to this chapter. Being able to expand some of the fights and interactions was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed adding more to the Nine Worlds to expand a little of Thor's side of the lore. We sort of rushed past a lot of it in the show and didn't get to fully appreciate the other realms.

So I thought I would expand on some things since I had the chance. Those of you who are familiar with other Marvel animated products would have noticed the little references I included, especially during the Valkyries scenes.

But the biggest challenge was Muspellheim. Oh wow, was this part tricky to write, especially with how important Surtur and his Fire Demons are going to be later in the series. I did my best to make sure that what happened here won't affect the future plot. Hope it worked and you guys were able to enjoy it.

Yeah, I added Balder and Heimdall to the mix with Ben. A lot of Thor's supporting cast doesn't seem to get the respect they deserve, so I wanted to add as much of the cast as I could manage here.

And finally, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to bring Ultimate Arctiguana. An Ultimate that appeared so briefly in the show that we wonder why bother including them. Omniverse was many things, but good time management was not one of them. So I'm glad I could use this opportunity to show off more of what this Ultimate could do. Please let me know what you think of his expanded powerset.

Well, people, one more chapter and that's it for season 1 of EMH. Such a wild ride to get here. You have all made this journey worth it. I never would have reached this point had you all not encouraged and supported me. Thank you all so much. I promise the next chapter will be the biggest one yet. I have so many ideas for this chapter, so get ready. I won't pull any punches for this one.

Be sure to leave your reviews and feel free to PM me with any questions that you may have.

Until next time. CaptainRex75 out!