Back to GatefoldIssue #5 by Steve Crosby & Chris Munn
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Throngs of cheering masses greeted Captain America at his arrival to wherever Kang had transported him. The Living Legend of World War II found himself in the center of a vast colosseum. The Colosseum, Captain America recognized from when he’d been there previously. But then, it had been a ruin, crumbling after thousands of years. Not the whole, massive complex housing 80,000 spectators that Captain America was currently in.
“This is from shortly after its construction.” Captain America whirled about to face Kang the Conquerer, standing a short distance away with hands behind his back. “I took one second, a sliver in time, and from that preserved a monument for all eternity.”
“What is this?” Captain America asked. “You and Ultron are tearing the world of my time apart, and you bring me here? This isn’t the time for games, Kang.”
Kang gave a smile. “The time is whatever I wish it to be. In all my conquests, the Avengers have proven my most implacable foes. Time and again you have thwarted not only myself, but the greatest threats in all of existence. Before I destroy the monstrocity that is Ultron, I must prove myself against the best that I know. And none are better than you Avengers three.”
“Three?” Then Captain America was aware of the two that had joined Kang and himself. Iron Man to the left of him, Thor to his right, both momentarily bewildered. “Right. Situations?”
“Kang’s armada was just opening fire on us,” Iron Man said. His armor was running a self-diagnostic and finding all systems were functioning at optimum levels. Weapons were primed and charged, evidenced by the glow of his chest plate. “They would have gotten out in time. They’ll all meet up and find their way here in time to see Kang begging for mercy.”
“You dared make even the gods tremble,” Thor said to Kang the Conquerer. He had the ancient hammer Mjolnir in his hand and spinning over his head. “I was fighting a war in the heavens, whole pantheons in a panic from the collapse in time. Religions alien and yet-to-be fought all died before my eyes. Kang, now is the time for your reckoning!”
“I am sure that is what you think.” Kang revealed his hands from behind his back. Each held a cannon that both looked so massive it had to be unwieldy and yet was little larger than Kang’s hands. It hurt the eyes of each Avenger to look at it. “But unless you are worthy of taking it, Avengers, time belongs to Kang!”
“This is from shortly after its construction.” Captain America whirled about to face Kang the Conquerer, standing a short distance away with hands behind his back. “I took one second, a sliver in time, and from that preserved a monument for all eternity.”
“What is this?” Captain America asked. “You and Ultron are tearing the world of my time apart, and you bring me here? This isn’t the time for games, Kang.”
Kang gave a smile. “The time is whatever I wish it to be. In all my conquests, the Avengers have proven my most implacable foes. Time and again you have thwarted not only myself, but the greatest threats in all of existence. Before I destroy the monstrocity that is Ultron, I must prove myself against the best that I know. And none are better than you Avengers three.”
“Three?” Then Captain America was aware of the two that had joined Kang and himself. Iron Man to the left of him, Thor to his right, both momentarily bewildered. “Right. Situations?”
“Kang’s armada was just opening fire on us,” Iron Man said. His armor was running a self-diagnostic and finding all systems were functioning at optimum levels. Weapons were primed and charged, evidenced by the glow of his chest plate. “They would have gotten out in time. They’ll all meet up and find their way here in time to see Kang begging for mercy.”
“You dared make even the gods tremble,” Thor said to Kang the Conquerer. He had the ancient hammer Mjolnir in his hand and spinning over his head. “I was fighting a war in the heavens, whole pantheons in a panic from the collapse in time. Religions alien and yet-to-be fought all died before my eyes. Kang, now is the time for your reckoning!”
“I am sure that is what you think.” Kang revealed his hands from behind his back. Each held a cannon that both looked so massive it had to be unwieldy and yet was little larger than Kang’s hands. It hurt the eyes of each Avenger to look at it. “But unless you are worthy of taking it, Avengers, time belongs to Kang!”
"The One True Certainty"
One second ago, the Avengers had be on board Kang’s flagship, in a battle of their lives against the worst Kang had to offer. They next second they had faced Kang himself, and five found themselves back in Avengers Mansion. It was the one missing that Warbird zeroed in on.
“Where’s Captain America?”
The answer came from behind the assembled Avengers. “It’s likely my father took him for a sparring session. Preparation against the best would be ideal before facing Ultron.” Warbird turned around to see Marcus Kang, in full armor as the Scarlet Centurion, standing in the doorway of the library. “And he returned to me my armor. Wasn’t that considerate?”
“Bastard!” Warbird unleashed a powerful burst of energy from her hands, with complete disregard for those around her. “Where’s Jarvis and Diane!”
A force-field materialized in front of Marcus, absorbing the blast. “Alive though unconscious, I assure you.” Marcus tilted his head at Stingray. “You can go check on them. I’ll wait.”
Stingray stared at Marcus, an expression of murderous anger behind the mask. “No need. I can ‘see’ them downstairs. Still making noise. Still alive.” His fists clenched, and the sonar of Stingray’s armor focused back on Marcus. “So much as hiccup and I’ll short every circuit in your suit.”
“If you’re all done with empty threats,” Marcus said to the Avengers, “you still have a war to fight. My father’s armada will be returning now that they’ve laid Ultron’s attack site to waste. And no doubt the machine will be coming here in force.”
“The Vibranium,” Karnak said. “After taking it from Ultron, we turned it over to SHIELD. They will be keeping it here in the city.”
“That is madness,” Espirita said. “For what reason would SHIELD risk the lives of all these people by keeping those materials here.” Unlike Karnak, Espirita differentiated the two variations of Vibranium.
“Converting them into weapons against Ultron.” Her fists still aimed at Marcus, Warbird jerked her head up. “Get up to the roof. We’re going on a trip.”
“Are you in charge now?” Binary asked.
“In Captain America’s absence, yes.” Warbird tilted her head to glare at Binary. “Do you have a problem with that?”
The bullets Kang fired had the same trick as before, curving through the air, intending to strike at multiple points. This time Captain America was ready. He jumped into a spectacular flip, swinging his shield in a 360-degree arc as his body twisted. For their fancy function, the smart bullets couldn’t react so intricately, and each was deflected by the shield.
Iron Man and Thor weren’t so skilled at evasion, and dozens of rounds struck them. Such was the power of these two individuals, a god and armored man, that the attack was ineffective. Iron Man rocketed into the air and blasted at Kang with repulsors from above.
“For a man from the far future,” Iron Man was saying, “and the conqueror of countless civilizations, your technology has never been too advanced.” The repulsors were absorbed into Kang’s force-field. “I’ve even seen better force-fields.”
“You have only ever seen what I allowed.” Kang ignored Iron Man’s attack. He chose instead to stride towards Thor. The God of Thunder swung his hammer over his head and hurled it at Kang. “Such as the spatial shift.”
There wasn’t even a gesture. A circuit in Kang’s armor was activated, and a portal swallowed Thor’s hammer. It reappeared an instant later, behind Iron Man. The ruse was foreseen, but Iron Man had no time to do more than twist, taking the hammer at a powerful glance to the side. Much better than square against his back, but still painful for the armored Avenger.
“Fiend!” Thor roared. “Where is the so-called honor you have purported to in the-grahh!”
As Thor was screaming, Kang had dropped one gun and raised an open palm. A laser beam shot out and into Thor’s mouth. “My fight’s with Ultron. There’s no honor with machines. You’re only a warm up.”
Thor fell back against the ground, clawing at his throat. Kang continued his stride. “That was technology from the 38th century. The war of that era devastated our world, and then Nathaniel Richards created from that a utopia in which I was born. Weapons were later found, and this one has been known to destroy mountains with a single blast.” Mjolnir returned to Thor’s hands, as decreed by Odin himself. Thor’s hands, at his throat. “I really expected more of a challenge.”
Captain America threw his shield, but not at Kang. It struck at an angle near his feet, kicking up dirt that passed through Kang’s force-field. Kang’s eyes were struck, momentarily blinding him. It was enough of a distraction for Iron Man to crash against Kang’s side.
“We haven’t yet begun to fight,” Captain America said.
One of the downsides of being a world-wide watchdog organization such as the Strategic Hazard Intervention, Espionage, Logistics Directorate, or SHIELD, was that lots of terrorists organizations wanted it destroyed. For that reason the main headquarters were based in the Helicarrier, a flying fortress that was airborne at all times. More readily accessible bases were located worldwide, with a SHIELD Central in New York City. There was the public building, where diplomats and media representatives could visit, and the highly secure secret building were real operations were going on.
It was the highly secure secret SHIELD Central Compound that was currently under assault by soldiers of Kang the Conquerer. Because of many safeguards, these soldiers were unable to teleport directly into the base, but their initial assault was almost overwhelming for the SHIELD Agents taken completely by surprise. Heavily armed creatures that resembled giant cockroaches rushed at a small cluster of agents, intent on killing them and breaking through into the building. A flying car roared out of an adjacent alleyway, and the driver hurled small grenades. The explosion killed two bugs, and the remaining wounded scattered under return fire from the SHIELD Agents.
Before the car had landed solidly onto the ground, SHIELD Agent 13 Sharon Carter had jumped out, shooting her rifle at the bugs. “Keep this area secure! We know what they’re after, and they are not getting it!”
It materialized onto the street in front of Sharon, a massive creature with bulging muscles and metal headgear that looked about to burst with energy. It roared and lumbered at Sharon, while she fired plasma blasts that had no effect.
“It’s a Badoon Monster!” Sharon backed up while firing uselessly. “For those who haven’t read the file, one of these took on the Silver Surfer!” Other agents came to Sharon’s aid, concentrating their fire at the Monster’s head to no effect.
Two figures streaked down from the sky and smashed into the Badoon Monster, knocking it off its feet. Warbird smashed her fists against the Monster’s chest, while Binary pressed her hands against its head. “Focus as much energy in as you can,” Warbird said to the younger Avenger.
Binary did as she was told, pouring her unfathomable power into the Badoon Monster. Overloaded with energy, the monster’s head exploded, hurling Binary and Warbird backwards. They crashed into the midst of SHIELD Agents as behind them the Avengers Quinjet landed. Stingray, Karnak and Espirita exited the vehicle along with their captive enemy, Kang’s heir Marcus.
“Agent Carter.” Espirita approached the recovering SHIELD Agents. “We’ve come to help. It’s possible that Ultron is planning an assault here too.”
“Down!” Stingray knocked Espirita to the ground and took a blast meant for her. Dozens of shooters had appeared on the surrounding rooftops and were shooting at the groupings of Avengers and SHIELD Agents.
Diving out of the path of several blasts, Sharon Carter returned fire. “Three entrances to the underground base and they’re attacked all at once. Why do we even bother being a super-secret spy organization?”
“Because it’s so cool.” Binary flew straight up into the air, despite Warbird’s shouted warning. Immediately fire was centered on her. While Binary’s one blast failed to strike any threat, most of the blasters struck her. The cumulative effect was more than she could take, and Binary fell toward to the ground.
The brief reprieve had allowed Stingray to recover though, and the armored Avenger rose to his feet. “Leave this to me.” With his sonar, Stingray had a clear map of his surroundings, the location of every enemy sniper. A circuit was activated. Electricity arced out of Stingray, bolts finding every sniper. “We need to find cover. I have shapes popping in everywhere.”
“Kang’s finally decided to fight smart,” Warbird muttered. She flew into the air to draw fire while SHIELD agents and the other Avengers fortified their position with dumpsters and car husks.
At what she said, Marcus Kang laughed. “No, he is simply not here. These scorched Earth tactics are only ever implemented when Kang has left the era to his generals. He has taken your leader else-when.”
Sharon Carter leveled a pistol at Marcus. “This guy of use as a hostage?”
“Nope,” Binary said. She’d recovered and back on her feet. “If he died, Kang would consider him unfit and grow a new one in an instant.”
“So we’re leaving him alive because?”
“We do not kill,” Espirita said. Seeing in infrared, she was looking at the wall of a neighboring building. “Stingray, are you aware three armed men are in there?”
Stingray whirled about. “No, they must be using sound-dampners.”
Espirita pulled Marcus down as the wall exploded. They were being fired at with rapid fire laser bursts. Bits of Stingray’s armor was being chipped away, and clearly he wouldn’t last long against the assault.
Espirita raised a hand, bathing the weapons in flame. In seconds the guns and melted enough that they stopped working. Three shots from Sharon Carter took the soldiers down permanently.
“Maybe the Avengers don’t kill, but I’m a human secret agent and when people try to kill me I kill them right back.” Bursts of energy from above tore into the makeshift fortifications. Sharon fired back ineffectively. “We’re sitting ducks and our cover is disintegrating. Can’t you super-people do something?”
Behind his helmet, Stingray smiled. “Not us, but somebody just got here fast.”
Quicksilver zoomed onto the scene and ran up the wall. While not fast enough to dodge lasers, it was difficult for the shooters to get a bead on him. In seconds he disarmed a roof and was gone, while Warbird cleaned up with a blast of power.
“I never thought I would be glad to see him,” Binary said as she took to the air to lend further support.
“I am still not,” said Karnak. “Quicksilver was at the base where Kang’s armada had gone to attack. If he’s here,” shadows began to fall over him, “They can’t be far behind.”
The spectators to the epic battle were long gone. First had come the rain, merely an annoyance for those in the stands. Then came the winds, freezing the air and driving the rain in sheets. Still, bloodlust overcame comfort. Finally, there was the lightning. A section of the Colosseum was now gone, and in fear of the Thunder God’s wrath, the crowds had fled.
“Thy weapons you stole are indeed powerful,” Thor growled in a low voice. “But none compare to the heavens themselves. Face the wrath of nature Kang, and tremble!”
Winds buffeted at Kang, and lightning crashed against his force-field. But through all this, the Conqueror was unmoved. “You should visit Neptune some time.” He raised both arms. “Then you will know what nature can really do!”
Electro-magnetic forces erupted out from Kang’s force-field. When Thor was struck, his godly power of weather turned in on him. Golden locks burned away, steel plates turned black, and the handle of Mjolnir fused with the skin of Thor’s hand. The God of Thunder fell to Earth, his consciousness hanging by a thread.
When the weather cleared, Iron Man and Captain America emerged from cover. Captain America threw his shield just ahead of Iron Man’s repulsors. The twin force beams propelled the shield and it smashed against Kang’s force-field. Against such a precise attack, Kang’s defense broke and he barely twisted in time to avoid getting cut in half. Instead he only suffered a long gash in his side.
“Your problem, Kang,” Iron Man said, “Is that you always underestimate what we can do.”
Red and yellow explosions filled the air above Binary’s head. The massive ships weren’t firing at her though. Binary looked up, and saw a flaming husk of a warship dropping at her. “How did-?”
Warbird flew past her. “Question later, act now! That can’t crash into the city!”
Steeled for action, Binary followed Warbird. At the elder Avenger’s direction, she pressed her hands against the ship’s hull. Between the two female powerhouses, the descent of the wreckage was slowed, but not stopped.
“It’s too big!” Binary cried.
“We don’t have to carry it,” Warbird yelled. “Just move it. To your right!”
Binary turned her head, and saw what had crippled the ship. Nearly twenty stories tall, the robot bore the visage of Ultron. She observed a half-dozen smaller robots flying through the air on weapons platforms that replaced the bottom halves of their bodies. They had engaged Kang’s forces, and appeared to be winning. Binary wasn’t sure which she’d prefer.
“Push!” Warbird said, not as a request. With all of their considerable strength, the women pushed. With one eye on Warbird, Binary broke off when she did, and for a split-second the two floated in the air, just watching. A flaming wreck of death and devastation, the ship crashed into the giant Ultron robot, which clearly was not made of adamantium. Despite herself, Binary turned her head from the powerful explosion of heat and force.
Warbird flew down and swung a fist at one of the previously flying Ultrons. It hurt her hand, a clear sign the body was made from adamantium even if the flying platform hadn’t been. Still, she could do damage. Warbird placed a hand over its face and unleashed a powerful blast down its throat destroying the internal wiring.
All the Avengers had moved into action. Karnak destroyed a flying platform with one kick, and when the machine crashed five of Kang’s soldiers went with it. Quicksilver was dodging energy blasts from Kang’s warships, each one devastating the New York landscape. Binary flew upward to handle those personally, while Espirita concentrated her power on a group of Ultron robots. Circuitry inside each melted against her extreme heat, and they fell powerless to the ground.
“Aaahh!” Encephalo beams struck Espirita from behind and she collapsed. Alkema approached her, intent on delivering a killing blow. Both Warbird and Stingray intercepted, and between the two it was nearly a fair fight. Warbird punched Alkema hard, and it fell against Stingray. He moved quickly, throwing the machine with all the considerable strength his armor allowed.
The air in New York City started to crackle with more than the energies of battle. Near where Alkema was thrown, a boom could be heard with no source present. Where there had been empty space, there were no more combatants. Iron Man, Darkhawk, Doctor Druid, Spider-Woman, Sir Halifax, Wasp and Moon Knight, the remaining Avengers. Lying near them was a semi-conscious Hank Pym. Initially close to the assembled heroes, but not a short distance away battering each other, were two Ultrons.
“It looks like the cavalry is here,” Warbird said as she smashed into Alkema from behind. “Iron Man, come help me back up Binary! The rest of you, get fighting and try to stay alive!”
“No!” Iron Man’s body went rigid. Stark’s eyes behind the mask glazed over. He would have fallen over had the armor not been keeping him upright. With a sigh, Kang walked past Iron Man and toward Thor. The God of Thunder was twitching, and looking up at Kang with hate and determination through the only parts of his body he could still move.
“Very rarely have I ever seen a self-induced shut-down,” Kang said. “All associated with Stark’s technology, so I was reasonably confident that he was the first to perform this feat.” Kang stepped over Captain America, who was no longer moving but still taking faint breaths. “Frying his armor’s systems with increased electrical activity in his own brain, it is a very impressive thing to do. Unfortunately, it may have left him in a permanent vegetative state.”
Kang knelt down over Thor, hairless and blackened. “My very best attacks, and you’ve made out the best. Still alive, and certain to make a full recovery. I estimate you’ll be able to move in less than a minute, so there’s not much time.”
Kang slowly removes one of his gauntlets, revealing an orange-skinned hand that was anything but human. “Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor.” Kang reached for Mjolnir, lying on the ground beside Thor. “I certainly don’t consider myself worthy by Odin’s standards, but wasn’t Beta-Ray Bill?”
The hand of Kang, covered in orange skin taken from an animal, closed over the handle. Slowly, Mjolnir was raised from the ground, and Kang smiled.
“Ah, it fits like a glove.”
The hammer dropped down.
The sudden rush of new combatants had taken some pressure from SHIELD. Even better, Sharon Carter realized that they had a defense against Ultron’s forces. She grabbed a fellow SHIELD agent by the front of his uniform.
“Get into the bunker! We need that Anti-Metal ordinance now!"
As he ran off, Sharon Carter grabbed a rapid-burst laser gun from the body of a Kang soldier. She took aim at a flying robot and downed it with a multitude of shots.
In the confusion of the battle, everybody had forgotten about Marcus Kang. He’d rushed into the SHIELD safehouse behind the agent, following him unseen to the weapons cache. Once there, Marcus grabbed the agent from behind and snapped his neck. Reaching into a crate, Marcus pulled out a handful of Anti-Metal bullets.
“So crude.” Activating the molecular rearranger inside his armor, Marcus Kang fused the bullets together. Now he appeared to be holding the handle of a sword. “But from the material, I shall have a weapon with which to kill Ultron. Then, at long last, I shall be the Conquerer!”
As Iron Man approached Kang, he realized that Captain America wasn’t with him. He turned, and saw the great hero collapsing to the ground. Blood was coming out of his mouth, and his eyes had rolled up into his head. He twisted onto his back and started to convulse.
“The poison released when my blood was exposed to the air,” Kang said. Though his side was heavily wounded, he’d risen to his feet to face Iron Man. “Almost always fatal, but Captain America should survive. If anything, I overestimate him.”
Iron Man raised his arm, the palm of a hand aimed at Kang’s head. “Your force-field is down, Kang. Cure him, or I will kill you.”
Beneath his mask, Kang smiled. “Yes, you would. Just like you once tried to kill the Supreme Intelligence. Or like the time you killed that female Yellowjacket. Did I make you do that or was it Immortus?”
“Cure him,” Iron Man said, trying his best to make his voice commanding. But Kang’s voice was doing something to him.
“Because Immortus was me, after all. So in a way, I had taken control of you. I made you a murderer. Not an easy task, I would imagine. Certainly not something I would try without proper testing. Such as…right now, through the sub-harmonic frequencies that your armor has not detected.”
Enough was enough, Iron Man was telling himself. End it. A circuit was triggered, and the repulsor fired past Kang’s head. Iron Man’s arm was slowly moving in Thor’s direction. No!
“So quick to assume your technology was always superior,” Kang said. “You aren’t even the smartest man of your own time, Tony Stark, let alone any of my times. My armor is based off Doctor Doom’s for a reason. Now, kill Thor.”
“This isn’t you in my mind,” Iron Man said. “This is you remotely controlling my armor. I can fight this. I will not let you do this!”
“You will, because there is really no choice.” Kang walked behind Iron Man. “Earth was devastated and rebuilt dozens of times before my conquest. You Avengers failed to keep it safe, and it kept right on going after you fell. All those battles were meaningless, just as this one is. Give up, Iron Man, and kill Thor!”
“You are a failed thing! A nothing designed with weakness!” Ultron yelled as it threw its flawed doppelganger into a department store. Women and children screamed in terror and rushed to leave. “As weak as this flesh!”
Ultron raised a hand at the fleeing mob and fired a burst of plasma. Clothing burned and flesh was seared from bone.
“No!” Ultron’s arm was grabbed by Henry Pym’s recreation and thrown with such force that it crashed through three walls. It then turned to the charred corpses that had been women and children, and this Ultron felt despair.
This was the scene Henry Pym saw as he approached the store. Immediately he recognized his creation, his “good” creation. He hurried to go comfort his “son,” and to get him either back in the fight or out of danger immediately. Unfortunately, he saw another person moving toward this Ultron.
Marcus Kang lunged forward, the anti-metal sword poised to strike at the body of Ultron. Little did he realize that this Ultron was not his foe, but rather a different model that possessed none of its brother’s hatred and malevolence. Doctor Henry Pym rushed forward to his creation, his son’s, defense, leaping in front of the deadly blade. Antarctic Vibranium pierced mortal flesh, and Marcus Kang gazed into a man’s eyes as the life left them.
The hands of a conqueror’s son went slack from the sword, and Henry Pym fell back with a gasp into the arms of his son. This Ultron’s eyes burned with a fire that was fueled by love and a deep sadness rather than hate. “Father! Father, no!” Henry Pym used the last of his strength in opening his mouth to speak. But instead of words only blood bubbled out. The red fluid splashed onto gentle steel hands that felt a brief shudder. Then there was only stillness as Henry Pym was gone.
The combat going on around the sad scene did not abate. Almost invisible in its intangible form, a colorless Vision observed and felt nothing. Several of the fighting Avengers spared glances but could not risk breaking from the melee. Their opponents were things of metal and no emotion, unaffected by the great tragedy. Save for one, and it rushed forward from behind its brother Ultron.
“You killed my father,” this good Ultron stated. Cradling Henry Pym’s body, it looked up at Marcus with eyes that were now beginning to show hate. Carefully and gently, it set the body down and started to rise. But before it could advance on the Scarlet Centurion, cold metal hands identical to its own gripped the side of Ultron’s head.
“Away, failed thing!” bellowed the ‘true’ Ultron as it swept the other aside. With eyes only for Marcus Kang it advanced, its heavy metal feet stomping on Henry Pym’s body. Dead flesh tore and bones broke, but Ultron paid it no regard because it was simply meat now. Everything he’d hated was gone, taken by the Scarlet Centurion. “That fool of a man created what I would perfect! His death at my hands would have established my superior design! You have cheated Ultron of its victory, and for that Scarlet Centurion you will die!”
The initial shock of his unintentional kill passing, Scarlet Centurion drew his halberd from his back, raised it high and rushed to meet Ultron. “No machine is the equal of Kang, least of all his heir!” The halberd was swung low, its tip pulsating with powerful energy.
“I am no machine!” Ultron swung a fist to meet the halberd. At contact the tip exploded, sending a shockwave of power up the lance and into Marcus’ hands. With a cry of pain he released the weapon, and was defenseless when an unfazed Ultron swept its arm against his chest. “I am life in perfect form, stronger and smarter than any flesh.” Scarlet Centurion fell back against the ground, his armor broken and falling from his body. Ultron gripped the man’s flailing left leg in both hands. “You are a lesser being and therefore your death is assured.”
With scarce effort Ultron pulled, and the Scarlet Centurion’s leg broke off just above the knee. Blood surged out of the femoral artery to shower the combatants all around. In too much shock to feel the pain, Marcus Kang stared at the blood-stained bone and cartilege that flopped from the end of what Ultron held. Hefting the leg by the ankle as though it were a club, Ultron swung it against Scarlet Centurion’s head. At contact the knee itself broke off from the rest, doing little damage against the armored scarlet helmet.
“See how frail your limbs are?” Ultron queried. “How easily they shatter against a superior form?” Tossing the limb away, Ultron reached forward and pressed one hand against Scarlet Centurion’s face. The slightest pressure would crush bone and pierce brain matter. However, Ultron’s highly sensitive alloy detected something within the mask, and it halted. “Death is now a certainty for you. But with these circuits in your mask,” Ultron ripped the blue fabric from Marcus’ face. Exposed circuitry hung from its fingers. “I shall incorporate into my form, scour time for the disappointed thing that created the failure of you.”
Indeed, the mask and circuits seemed to be forming into Ultron’s hand, joining with its own advanced technology. “Die knowing that Kang will soon follow. Your father will die, and it could not have been achieved without you!”
The loss of blood had been too great. Consciousness fled from Marcus, and darkness invaded. Before the great final darkness overwhelmed, Marcus saw Ultron vanish in a flare of tachyons, entering time itself. And Marcus knew that was because of him.
The air scorched for an instant to herald the arrival of Kang the Conquerer. Indeed, he had once again conquered, and the state of his armor said it had been a battle hard fought. But the three Avengers had been defeated, and once rested Kang would move on to his true prize.
“To me Ravonna,” Kang commanded. “I have tensions to be eased.” There was no response, and Kang was angered. Ravonna should have been at his side and on her knees the moment Kang materialized. For that matter, dozens of attendants should have come running as well. Something was wrong.
Moving toward the doors that led out of his private chambers, Kang threw them open with a mighty wave of his arm. He entered into a scene of carnage, for the floor of the grand hallway was covered with the blood and gore of Kang’s loyal followers. Stepping into the sea of death, Kang strode for his main Assembly Hall. Some foe had decided to assault Kang’s home while he was away on battle, and whatever his present condition Kang would make them pay.
Blasting the massive doors away with a circuit from his glove, Kang walked through. Ravonna’s body was the first thing he saw, those eyes staring at him with neither the love nor hate of the past. She was gone, and standing over her was the thing responsible.
Ultron addressed Kang, speaking out of that hateful, laughing mask of a face. “You were a fool to seek me out.”
Beneath his mask, Kang smiled. “And you were a fool to come here.”
“I am here to kill you. That is an act of logic.”
From the corner of his eye, Kang saw his latest servant the Vision floating at the room’s far end. As it had been programmed, the synthezoid would observe all, unto the end.
“Then come try, little machine.”
To Be Continued…
Next Issue: The moment that everyone has been waiting for: Kang versus Ultron! They are two of the Avengers greatest foes, and now they will battle. One fights out of hate, the other for a need to conquer. Only one can survive, but who will it be? And when it’s all done, can the Avengers handle the winner?
“Where’s Captain America?”
The answer came from behind the assembled Avengers. “It’s likely my father took him for a sparring session. Preparation against the best would be ideal before facing Ultron.” Warbird turned around to see Marcus Kang, in full armor as the Scarlet Centurion, standing in the doorway of the library. “And he returned to me my armor. Wasn’t that considerate?”
“Bastard!” Warbird unleashed a powerful burst of energy from her hands, with complete disregard for those around her. “Where’s Jarvis and Diane!”
A force-field materialized in front of Marcus, absorbing the blast. “Alive though unconscious, I assure you.” Marcus tilted his head at Stingray. “You can go check on them. I’ll wait.”
Stingray stared at Marcus, an expression of murderous anger behind the mask. “No need. I can ‘see’ them downstairs. Still making noise. Still alive.” His fists clenched, and the sonar of Stingray’s armor focused back on Marcus. “So much as hiccup and I’ll short every circuit in your suit.”
“If you’re all done with empty threats,” Marcus said to the Avengers, “you still have a war to fight. My father’s armada will be returning now that they’ve laid Ultron’s attack site to waste. And no doubt the machine will be coming here in force.”
“The Vibranium,” Karnak said. “After taking it from Ultron, we turned it over to SHIELD. They will be keeping it here in the city.”
“That is madness,” Espirita said. “For what reason would SHIELD risk the lives of all these people by keeping those materials here.” Unlike Karnak, Espirita differentiated the two variations of Vibranium.
“Converting them into weapons against Ultron.” Her fists still aimed at Marcus, Warbird jerked her head up. “Get up to the roof. We’re going on a trip.”
“Are you in charge now?” Binary asked.
“In Captain America’s absence, yes.” Warbird tilted her head to glare at Binary. “Do you have a problem with that?”
The bullets Kang fired had the same trick as before, curving through the air, intending to strike at multiple points. This time Captain America was ready. He jumped into a spectacular flip, swinging his shield in a 360-degree arc as his body twisted. For their fancy function, the smart bullets couldn’t react so intricately, and each was deflected by the shield.
Iron Man and Thor weren’t so skilled at evasion, and dozens of rounds struck them. Such was the power of these two individuals, a god and armored man, that the attack was ineffective. Iron Man rocketed into the air and blasted at Kang with repulsors from above.
“For a man from the far future,” Iron Man was saying, “and the conqueror of countless civilizations, your technology has never been too advanced.” The repulsors were absorbed into Kang’s force-field. “I’ve even seen better force-fields.”
“You have only ever seen what I allowed.” Kang ignored Iron Man’s attack. He chose instead to stride towards Thor. The God of Thunder swung his hammer over his head and hurled it at Kang. “Such as the spatial shift.”
There wasn’t even a gesture. A circuit in Kang’s armor was activated, and a portal swallowed Thor’s hammer. It reappeared an instant later, behind Iron Man. The ruse was foreseen, but Iron Man had no time to do more than twist, taking the hammer at a powerful glance to the side. Much better than square against his back, but still painful for the armored Avenger.
“Fiend!” Thor roared. “Where is the so-called honor you have purported to in the-grahh!”
As Thor was screaming, Kang had dropped one gun and raised an open palm. A laser beam shot out and into Thor’s mouth. “My fight’s with Ultron. There’s no honor with machines. You’re only a warm up.”
Thor fell back against the ground, clawing at his throat. Kang continued his stride. “That was technology from the 38th century. The war of that era devastated our world, and then Nathaniel Richards created from that a utopia in which I was born. Weapons were later found, and this one has been known to destroy mountains with a single blast.” Mjolnir returned to Thor’s hands, as decreed by Odin himself. Thor’s hands, at his throat. “I really expected more of a challenge.”
Captain America threw his shield, but not at Kang. It struck at an angle near his feet, kicking up dirt that passed through Kang’s force-field. Kang’s eyes were struck, momentarily blinding him. It was enough of a distraction for Iron Man to crash against Kang’s side.
“We haven’t yet begun to fight,” Captain America said.
One of the downsides of being a world-wide watchdog organization such as the Strategic Hazard Intervention, Espionage, Logistics Directorate, or SHIELD, was that lots of terrorists organizations wanted it destroyed. For that reason the main headquarters were based in the Helicarrier, a flying fortress that was airborne at all times. More readily accessible bases were located worldwide, with a SHIELD Central in New York City. There was the public building, where diplomats and media representatives could visit, and the highly secure secret building were real operations were going on.
It was the highly secure secret SHIELD Central Compound that was currently under assault by soldiers of Kang the Conquerer. Because of many safeguards, these soldiers were unable to teleport directly into the base, but their initial assault was almost overwhelming for the SHIELD Agents taken completely by surprise. Heavily armed creatures that resembled giant cockroaches rushed at a small cluster of agents, intent on killing them and breaking through into the building. A flying car roared out of an adjacent alleyway, and the driver hurled small grenades. The explosion killed two bugs, and the remaining wounded scattered under return fire from the SHIELD Agents.
Before the car had landed solidly onto the ground, SHIELD Agent 13 Sharon Carter had jumped out, shooting her rifle at the bugs. “Keep this area secure! We know what they’re after, and they are not getting it!”
It materialized onto the street in front of Sharon, a massive creature with bulging muscles and metal headgear that looked about to burst with energy. It roared and lumbered at Sharon, while she fired plasma blasts that had no effect.
“It’s a Badoon Monster!” Sharon backed up while firing uselessly. “For those who haven’t read the file, one of these took on the Silver Surfer!” Other agents came to Sharon’s aid, concentrating their fire at the Monster’s head to no effect.
Two figures streaked down from the sky and smashed into the Badoon Monster, knocking it off its feet. Warbird smashed her fists against the Monster’s chest, while Binary pressed her hands against its head. “Focus as much energy in as you can,” Warbird said to the younger Avenger.
Binary did as she was told, pouring her unfathomable power into the Badoon Monster. Overloaded with energy, the monster’s head exploded, hurling Binary and Warbird backwards. They crashed into the midst of SHIELD Agents as behind them the Avengers Quinjet landed. Stingray, Karnak and Espirita exited the vehicle along with their captive enemy, Kang’s heir Marcus.
“Agent Carter.” Espirita approached the recovering SHIELD Agents. “We’ve come to help. It’s possible that Ultron is planning an assault here too.”
“Down!” Stingray knocked Espirita to the ground and took a blast meant for her. Dozens of shooters had appeared on the surrounding rooftops and were shooting at the groupings of Avengers and SHIELD Agents.
Diving out of the path of several blasts, Sharon Carter returned fire. “Three entrances to the underground base and they’re attacked all at once. Why do we even bother being a super-secret spy organization?”
“Because it’s so cool.” Binary flew straight up into the air, despite Warbird’s shouted warning. Immediately fire was centered on her. While Binary’s one blast failed to strike any threat, most of the blasters struck her. The cumulative effect was more than she could take, and Binary fell toward to the ground.
The brief reprieve had allowed Stingray to recover though, and the armored Avenger rose to his feet. “Leave this to me.” With his sonar, Stingray had a clear map of his surroundings, the location of every enemy sniper. A circuit was activated. Electricity arced out of Stingray, bolts finding every sniper. “We need to find cover. I have shapes popping in everywhere.”
“Kang’s finally decided to fight smart,” Warbird muttered. She flew into the air to draw fire while SHIELD agents and the other Avengers fortified their position with dumpsters and car husks.
At what she said, Marcus Kang laughed. “No, he is simply not here. These scorched Earth tactics are only ever implemented when Kang has left the era to his generals. He has taken your leader else-when.”
Sharon Carter leveled a pistol at Marcus. “This guy of use as a hostage?”
“Nope,” Binary said. She’d recovered and back on her feet. “If he died, Kang would consider him unfit and grow a new one in an instant.”
“So we’re leaving him alive because?”
“We do not kill,” Espirita said. Seeing in infrared, she was looking at the wall of a neighboring building. “Stingray, are you aware three armed men are in there?”
Stingray whirled about. “No, they must be using sound-dampners.”
Espirita pulled Marcus down as the wall exploded. They were being fired at with rapid fire laser bursts. Bits of Stingray’s armor was being chipped away, and clearly he wouldn’t last long against the assault.
Espirita raised a hand, bathing the weapons in flame. In seconds the guns and melted enough that they stopped working. Three shots from Sharon Carter took the soldiers down permanently.
“Maybe the Avengers don’t kill, but I’m a human secret agent and when people try to kill me I kill them right back.” Bursts of energy from above tore into the makeshift fortifications. Sharon fired back ineffectively. “We’re sitting ducks and our cover is disintegrating. Can’t you super-people do something?”
Behind his helmet, Stingray smiled. “Not us, but somebody just got here fast.”
Quicksilver zoomed onto the scene and ran up the wall. While not fast enough to dodge lasers, it was difficult for the shooters to get a bead on him. In seconds he disarmed a roof and was gone, while Warbird cleaned up with a blast of power.
“I never thought I would be glad to see him,” Binary said as she took to the air to lend further support.
“I am still not,” said Karnak. “Quicksilver was at the base where Kang’s armada had gone to attack. If he’s here,” shadows began to fall over him, “They can’t be far behind.”
The spectators to the epic battle were long gone. First had come the rain, merely an annoyance for those in the stands. Then came the winds, freezing the air and driving the rain in sheets. Still, bloodlust overcame comfort. Finally, there was the lightning. A section of the Colosseum was now gone, and in fear of the Thunder God’s wrath, the crowds had fled.
“Thy weapons you stole are indeed powerful,” Thor growled in a low voice. “But none compare to the heavens themselves. Face the wrath of nature Kang, and tremble!”
Winds buffeted at Kang, and lightning crashed against his force-field. But through all this, the Conqueror was unmoved. “You should visit Neptune some time.” He raised both arms. “Then you will know what nature can really do!”
Electro-magnetic forces erupted out from Kang’s force-field. When Thor was struck, his godly power of weather turned in on him. Golden locks burned away, steel plates turned black, and the handle of Mjolnir fused with the skin of Thor’s hand. The God of Thunder fell to Earth, his consciousness hanging by a thread.
When the weather cleared, Iron Man and Captain America emerged from cover. Captain America threw his shield just ahead of Iron Man’s repulsors. The twin force beams propelled the shield and it smashed against Kang’s force-field. Against such a precise attack, Kang’s defense broke and he barely twisted in time to avoid getting cut in half. Instead he only suffered a long gash in his side.
“Your problem, Kang,” Iron Man said, “Is that you always underestimate what we can do.”
Red and yellow explosions filled the air above Binary’s head. The massive ships weren’t firing at her though. Binary looked up, and saw a flaming husk of a warship dropping at her. “How did-?”
Warbird flew past her. “Question later, act now! That can’t crash into the city!”
Steeled for action, Binary followed Warbird. At the elder Avenger’s direction, she pressed her hands against the ship’s hull. Between the two female powerhouses, the descent of the wreckage was slowed, but not stopped.
“It’s too big!” Binary cried.
“We don’t have to carry it,” Warbird yelled. “Just move it. To your right!”
Binary turned her head, and saw what had crippled the ship. Nearly twenty stories tall, the robot bore the visage of Ultron. She observed a half-dozen smaller robots flying through the air on weapons platforms that replaced the bottom halves of their bodies. They had engaged Kang’s forces, and appeared to be winning. Binary wasn’t sure which she’d prefer.
“Push!” Warbird said, not as a request. With all of their considerable strength, the women pushed. With one eye on Warbird, Binary broke off when she did, and for a split-second the two floated in the air, just watching. A flaming wreck of death and devastation, the ship crashed into the giant Ultron robot, which clearly was not made of adamantium. Despite herself, Binary turned her head from the powerful explosion of heat and force.
Warbird flew down and swung a fist at one of the previously flying Ultrons. It hurt her hand, a clear sign the body was made from adamantium even if the flying platform hadn’t been. Still, she could do damage. Warbird placed a hand over its face and unleashed a powerful blast down its throat destroying the internal wiring.
All the Avengers had moved into action. Karnak destroyed a flying platform with one kick, and when the machine crashed five of Kang’s soldiers went with it. Quicksilver was dodging energy blasts from Kang’s warships, each one devastating the New York landscape. Binary flew upward to handle those personally, while Espirita concentrated her power on a group of Ultron robots. Circuitry inside each melted against her extreme heat, and they fell powerless to the ground.
“Aaahh!” Encephalo beams struck Espirita from behind and she collapsed. Alkema approached her, intent on delivering a killing blow. Both Warbird and Stingray intercepted, and between the two it was nearly a fair fight. Warbird punched Alkema hard, and it fell against Stingray. He moved quickly, throwing the machine with all the considerable strength his armor allowed.
The air in New York City started to crackle with more than the energies of battle. Near where Alkema was thrown, a boom could be heard with no source present. Where there had been empty space, there were no more combatants. Iron Man, Darkhawk, Doctor Druid, Spider-Woman, Sir Halifax, Wasp and Moon Knight, the remaining Avengers. Lying near them was a semi-conscious Hank Pym. Initially close to the assembled heroes, but not a short distance away battering each other, were two Ultrons.
“It looks like the cavalry is here,” Warbird said as she smashed into Alkema from behind. “Iron Man, come help me back up Binary! The rest of you, get fighting and try to stay alive!”
“No!” Iron Man’s body went rigid. Stark’s eyes behind the mask glazed over. He would have fallen over had the armor not been keeping him upright. With a sigh, Kang walked past Iron Man and toward Thor. The God of Thunder was twitching, and looking up at Kang with hate and determination through the only parts of his body he could still move.
“Very rarely have I ever seen a self-induced shut-down,” Kang said. “All associated with Stark’s technology, so I was reasonably confident that he was the first to perform this feat.” Kang stepped over Captain America, who was no longer moving but still taking faint breaths. “Frying his armor’s systems with increased electrical activity in his own brain, it is a very impressive thing to do. Unfortunately, it may have left him in a permanent vegetative state.”
Kang knelt down over Thor, hairless and blackened. “My very best attacks, and you’ve made out the best. Still alive, and certain to make a full recovery. I estimate you’ll be able to move in less than a minute, so there’s not much time.”
Kang slowly removes one of his gauntlets, revealing an orange-skinned hand that was anything but human. “Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor.” Kang reached for Mjolnir, lying on the ground beside Thor. “I certainly don’t consider myself worthy by Odin’s standards, but wasn’t Beta-Ray Bill?”
The hand of Kang, covered in orange skin taken from an animal, closed over the handle. Slowly, Mjolnir was raised from the ground, and Kang smiled.
“Ah, it fits like a glove.”
The hammer dropped down.
The sudden rush of new combatants had taken some pressure from SHIELD. Even better, Sharon Carter realized that they had a defense against Ultron’s forces. She grabbed a fellow SHIELD agent by the front of his uniform.
“Get into the bunker! We need that Anti-Metal ordinance now!"
As he ran off, Sharon Carter grabbed a rapid-burst laser gun from the body of a Kang soldier. She took aim at a flying robot and downed it with a multitude of shots.
In the confusion of the battle, everybody had forgotten about Marcus Kang. He’d rushed into the SHIELD safehouse behind the agent, following him unseen to the weapons cache. Once there, Marcus grabbed the agent from behind and snapped his neck. Reaching into a crate, Marcus pulled out a handful of Anti-Metal bullets.
“So crude.” Activating the molecular rearranger inside his armor, Marcus Kang fused the bullets together. Now he appeared to be holding the handle of a sword. “But from the material, I shall have a weapon with which to kill Ultron. Then, at long last, I shall be the Conquerer!”
As Iron Man approached Kang, he realized that Captain America wasn’t with him. He turned, and saw the great hero collapsing to the ground. Blood was coming out of his mouth, and his eyes had rolled up into his head. He twisted onto his back and started to convulse.
“The poison released when my blood was exposed to the air,” Kang said. Though his side was heavily wounded, he’d risen to his feet to face Iron Man. “Almost always fatal, but Captain America should survive. If anything, I overestimate him.”
Iron Man raised his arm, the palm of a hand aimed at Kang’s head. “Your force-field is down, Kang. Cure him, or I will kill you.”
Beneath his mask, Kang smiled. “Yes, you would. Just like you once tried to kill the Supreme Intelligence. Or like the time you killed that female Yellowjacket. Did I make you do that or was it Immortus?”
“Cure him,” Iron Man said, trying his best to make his voice commanding. But Kang’s voice was doing something to him.
“Because Immortus was me, after all. So in a way, I had taken control of you. I made you a murderer. Not an easy task, I would imagine. Certainly not something I would try without proper testing. Such as…right now, through the sub-harmonic frequencies that your armor has not detected.”
Enough was enough, Iron Man was telling himself. End it. A circuit was triggered, and the repulsor fired past Kang’s head. Iron Man’s arm was slowly moving in Thor’s direction. No!
“So quick to assume your technology was always superior,” Kang said. “You aren’t even the smartest man of your own time, Tony Stark, let alone any of my times. My armor is based off Doctor Doom’s for a reason. Now, kill Thor.”
“This isn’t you in my mind,” Iron Man said. “This is you remotely controlling my armor. I can fight this. I will not let you do this!”
“You will, because there is really no choice.” Kang walked behind Iron Man. “Earth was devastated and rebuilt dozens of times before my conquest. You Avengers failed to keep it safe, and it kept right on going after you fell. All those battles were meaningless, just as this one is. Give up, Iron Man, and kill Thor!”
“You are a failed thing! A nothing designed with weakness!” Ultron yelled as it threw its flawed doppelganger into a department store. Women and children screamed in terror and rushed to leave. “As weak as this flesh!”
Ultron raised a hand at the fleeing mob and fired a burst of plasma. Clothing burned and flesh was seared from bone.
“No!” Ultron’s arm was grabbed by Henry Pym’s recreation and thrown with such force that it crashed through three walls. It then turned to the charred corpses that had been women and children, and this Ultron felt despair.
This was the scene Henry Pym saw as he approached the store. Immediately he recognized his creation, his “good” creation. He hurried to go comfort his “son,” and to get him either back in the fight or out of danger immediately. Unfortunately, he saw another person moving toward this Ultron.
Marcus Kang lunged forward, the anti-metal sword poised to strike at the body of Ultron. Little did he realize that this Ultron was not his foe, but rather a different model that possessed none of its brother’s hatred and malevolence. Doctor Henry Pym rushed forward to his creation, his son’s, defense, leaping in front of the deadly blade. Antarctic Vibranium pierced mortal flesh, and Marcus Kang gazed into a man’s eyes as the life left them.
The hands of a conqueror’s son went slack from the sword, and Henry Pym fell back with a gasp into the arms of his son. This Ultron’s eyes burned with a fire that was fueled by love and a deep sadness rather than hate. “Father! Father, no!” Henry Pym used the last of his strength in opening his mouth to speak. But instead of words only blood bubbled out. The red fluid splashed onto gentle steel hands that felt a brief shudder. Then there was only stillness as Henry Pym was gone.
The combat going on around the sad scene did not abate. Almost invisible in its intangible form, a colorless Vision observed and felt nothing. Several of the fighting Avengers spared glances but could not risk breaking from the melee. Their opponents were things of metal and no emotion, unaffected by the great tragedy. Save for one, and it rushed forward from behind its brother Ultron.
“You killed my father,” this good Ultron stated. Cradling Henry Pym’s body, it looked up at Marcus with eyes that were now beginning to show hate. Carefully and gently, it set the body down and started to rise. But before it could advance on the Scarlet Centurion, cold metal hands identical to its own gripped the side of Ultron’s head.
“Away, failed thing!” bellowed the ‘true’ Ultron as it swept the other aside. With eyes only for Marcus Kang it advanced, its heavy metal feet stomping on Henry Pym’s body. Dead flesh tore and bones broke, but Ultron paid it no regard because it was simply meat now. Everything he’d hated was gone, taken by the Scarlet Centurion. “That fool of a man created what I would perfect! His death at my hands would have established my superior design! You have cheated Ultron of its victory, and for that Scarlet Centurion you will die!”
The initial shock of his unintentional kill passing, Scarlet Centurion drew his halberd from his back, raised it high and rushed to meet Ultron. “No machine is the equal of Kang, least of all his heir!” The halberd was swung low, its tip pulsating with powerful energy.
“I am no machine!” Ultron swung a fist to meet the halberd. At contact the tip exploded, sending a shockwave of power up the lance and into Marcus’ hands. With a cry of pain he released the weapon, and was defenseless when an unfazed Ultron swept its arm against his chest. “I am life in perfect form, stronger and smarter than any flesh.” Scarlet Centurion fell back against the ground, his armor broken and falling from his body. Ultron gripped the man’s flailing left leg in both hands. “You are a lesser being and therefore your death is assured.”
With scarce effort Ultron pulled, and the Scarlet Centurion’s leg broke off just above the knee. Blood surged out of the femoral artery to shower the combatants all around. In too much shock to feel the pain, Marcus Kang stared at the blood-stained bone and cartilege that flopped from the end of what Ultron held. Hefting the leg by the ankle as though it were a club, Ultron swung it against Scarlet Centurion’s head. At contact the knee itself broke off from the rest, doing little damage against the armored scarlet helmet.
“See how frail your limbs are?” Ultron queried. “How easily they shatter against a superior form?” Tossing the limb away, Ultron reached forward and pressed one hand against Scarlet Centurion’s face. The slightest pressure would crush bone and pierce brain matter. However, Ultron’s highly sensitive alloy detected something within the mask, and it halted. “Death is now a certainty for you. But with these circuits in your mask,” Ultron ripped the blue fabric from Marcus’ face. Exposed circuitry hung from its fingers. “I shall incorporate into my form, scour time for the disappointed thing that created the failure of you.”
Indeed, the mask and circuits seemed to be forming into Ultron’s hand, joining with its own advanced technology. “Die knowing that Kang will soon follow. Your father will die, and it could not have been achieved without you!”
The loss of blood had been too great. Consciousness fled from Marcus, and darkness invaded. Before the great final darkness overwhelmed, Marcus saw Ultron vanish in a flare of tachyons, entering time itself. And Marcus knew that was because of him.
The air scorched for an instant to herald the arrival of Kang the Conquerer. Indeed, he had once again conquered, and the state of his armor said it had been a battle hard fought. But the three Avengers had been defeated, and once rested Kang would move on to his true prize.
“To me Ravonna,” Kang commanded. “I have tensions to be eased.” There was no response, and Kang was angered. Ravonna should have been at his side and on her knees the moment Kang materialized. For that matter, dozens of attendants should have come running as well. Something was wrong.
Moving toward the doors that led out of his private chambers, Kang threw them open with a mighty wave of his arm. He entered into a scene of carnage, for the floor of the grand hallway was covered with the blood and gore of Kang’s loyal followers. Stepping into the sea of death, Kang strode for his main Assembly Hall. Some foe had decided to assault Kang’s home while he was away on battle, and whatever his present condition Kang would make them pay.
Blasting the massive doors away with a circuit from his glove, Kang walked through. Ravonna’s body was the first thing he saw, those eyes staring at him with neither the love nor hate of the past. She was gone, and standing over her was the thing responsible.
Ultron addressed Kang, speaking out of that hateful, laughing mask of a face. “You were a fool to seek me out.”
Beneath his mask, Kang smiled. “And you were a fool to come here.”
“I am here to kill you. That is an act of logic.”
From the corner of his eye, Kang saw his latest servant the Vision floating at the room’s far end. As it had been programmed, the synthezoid would observe all, unto the end.
“Then come try, little machine.”
To Be Continued…
Next Issue: The moment that everyone has been waiting for: Kang versus Ultron! They are two of the Avengers greatest foes, and now they will battle. One fights out of hate, the other for a need to conquer. Only one can survive, but who will it be? And when it’s all done, can the Avengers handle the winner?