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The Seat of the Self
The Crooked Market, within Otherworld, where the Knights of X fight for their lives against Omniversal Majestor Merlyn, and King Arthur – a fight Gambit has already lost. 'My knights... we have found them! It seems they've lost another of their number! And my treacherous son still rides at Captain Britain's side!' King Arthur declares as he leads his army into the Crooked Market, his horse rises up on its hind legs, as citizens of Otherworld trapped in the Crooked Market try to flee with their lives. Furies tower over the Market, while at Arthur's side Sir Lirio Ironsights, Shakai the Bloodless and other powerful soldiers begin to terrorize the Market. 'Press the advantage, my knights. The witchbreed war ends tonight!' Arthur declares, while the old woman called Geraldine angrily shakes her hands at the soldiers as they race past her.
'Merlyn must have fled! Coward!' Mordred calls out as he fights alongside Julio Richter a.k.a. Rictor and Bei the Blood Moon, who discharges some energy towards an ogre, knocking him backwards. Other ogres begin to close in on the heroes known as the Knights of X, who are preoccupied with concern for their teammate Remy LeBeau a.k.a. Gambit, whose blood-stained body lies motionless on the cobblestones of the Crooked Market. '... oh my god... Gambit was the sacrifice!' Rictor gasps, while Meggan crouches by Gambit and tells the others that they can't let up now – they need to think of Rogue, and what she would do if she were here. Shatterstar looks on while Bei and Mordred keep more ogres back, and Colin McKay a.k.a. Kylun and Rachel Summers a.k.a. Prestige help Mad Jim Jaspers to safety. 'She would stay focused on the mission at hand and mourn later, my friends' Betsy Braddock a.k.a. Captain Britain points out.
Betsy tells her team that if Rictor is right, then with Gambit's sacrifice the way to Mercator should be open, so they need to get to the border, and fast. But Meggan tells her sister-in-law that they can't just leave, as Gambit died for this fight – and they know that the resurrection protocols won't bring him back, not from Otherworld. Kylun helps Meggan to stand and tells her that if the Siege Perilous is elsewhere, then that is their best chance of helping Gambit. 'His sacrifice...' Betsy begins, to which Meggan snaps 'Stop saying “sacrifice” like he's expendable!' before asking Betsy if she knew that Gambit was going to die. Rictor assures Meggan that Betsy couldn't have, and that he didn't know, either. Rictor crouches by Gambit's body and takes his hand, informing the others that he was going to sacrifice himself, and didn't know it would be Gambit, although he keeps remembering what Apocalypse said: “The death of death. The end of distance. We are mutants. Nothing can ever kill us again”. Rictor and Bei then lift Gambit's body up, while Furies loom above them.
'Oh, that's just beautiful!' Mad Jim remarks as he removes his jester's hat and energy glows around his hands. 'Good 'ol Apocalypse! I always knew his heart was in the right place!' Mad Jim jokes, asking Rictor to give Apocalypse his love when they next meet, before offering to handle these Furies. 'Boys, tea's canceled. Time for you all to leave!' Mad Jim calls out as he flies up above the Market and traps several Furies on large crosses made of energy that he materializes behind each of them.
Betsy tells her team that if Jim has the Furies under control, then they need to head to the Mercator border, and asks Rictor if he can blast them a tunnel. 'Oh, no, my Market has been through enough! Must I do everything for you?' Mad Jim complains, before materializing a portal nearby. He tells Captain Britain that because she and her team were so nice, that portal will take them to Mercator. 'But I can't promise he'll let you in!' Mad Jim exclaims. The Knights race to the portal, with Captain Britain bidding Jim good luck with the Furies – and that so-called king they are leaving him with.
'They have my son! Press on!' King Arthur declares as he and his army continue to ride through the Crooked Market.

Betsy and her team gather at the portal, and before they step through, Betsy tells everyone that she won't force them to come along, and that she can't promise that this leads to the Siege Perilous, but she believes in the quest now. 'Gambit didn't die for nothing. I have to go on' she adds. There is a rumbling, and Rictor points out that it sounds like the portal is going to collapse. He uses his powers to try and keep the portal open, while Kylun begins to say 'But our fight with Arthur -' to which Betsy tells him that she has to go, it is why Roma brought them here. 'Even if I go alone...' Betsy starts, before Rachel takes her hands and tells her that she is going with her, that they all are. 'I'm not leavinf you alone again' Rachel adds, looking into Betsy's eyes, before everyone dashes into the portal, as Arthur and his forces close in on them. 'There they are! Follow those witchbreed! For Avalon! For Otherworld!' Arthur calls out. 'For my son!' he adds as he makes it through the portal.
There is darkness all around. Arthur opens his eyes. 'We're within...my knights... we have made it... into the sacred hidden kingdom… Mercator!' Arthur exclaims as he, Sir Lirio Ironsights, Shakai the Bloodless and the soldier with the iron mask find themselves waist-deep in muck. Their horses atr trapped in the muck, too, and Shakai warns Arthur that they are sinking. Arthur tells his soldier to hush, and remarks that it appears they are not alone. 'Halt, traveler, or be cut down!' Arthur calls out when he sees a man in a suit with a black hat standing on the shore of the muck. 'Traveler? Oh no no no. this is my home. You're the traveler'. It's Absalon Mercator and he causally looks down at Arthur and the others who struggle in the muck. 'You... are a local? Then perhaps you can aid us. We seek the Siege Perilous. It is of utmost importance that we find it before the witchbreed -' Arthur begins, before Shakai calls out to Arthur as he continues to sink into the muck. Absalon Mercator puts a foot on Arthur's face to keep him down in the muck, and declares that the good news is, the Siege Perilous is all around them, having become the land itself. 'The bad news is... the Siege Perilous forces you to contend with your deepest, innermost self... and you, King Arthur, are a horrible person...' Mercator states as he pushes Arthur's face down under the muck.
Elsewhere, Rictor trudges alone through the muck. 'Of all the things for me to be stuck in... damn mud. What the hell' he remarks to himself, before he hears a loud SHLUP noise nearby. Energy glows around his hands and Rictor grits his teeth as he declares that he is not afraid to be the sacrifice. 'Stop trying to die' a voice calls out. Rictor turns and sees a large blue hand extended before him. 'I have taken that from you' the voice remarks, while a wide-eyed Rictor looks up at the man who looms over him and takes his hand as the figure pulls him from the muck. 'Oh my god, it's you -' Rictor utters.
Elsewhere, 'Up, my love. Out of the mud, my filthy little faerie queen' Brian Braddock a.k.a. Captain Avalon calls out as he pulls Meggan from the muck. 'Brian! My darling husband! I've missed you...and so handsome in your Captain Avalon colors' Meggan gushes, as Brian takes her in his arms and Meggan touches Brian's face, asking him where their daughter is. 'Is Maggie back on Krakoa? Who's looking after her?' she asks. Brian tells Meggan to shush and that for the moment they are all alone. 'Where is everyone? This is no time for romance, my sweet. Gambit is dead. We have to get to the Siege Perilous-' Meggan exclaims, before Brian puts a finger across her mouth. 'Quiet!' he snaps. Meggan instantly pulls away from Brian: 'What are you that tries to cross the fae in Otherworld? You must be a fool and a monster!' Meggan calls out, declaring that her Brian would never silence her like that. 'I'm not Brian, remember, my darling? You're all alone. Only one person here silences and mocks you!' the apparition exclaims as he leaps into the air as Meggan tries to fly away.
Meantime, 'Myself? You lie, father! I have many enemies, too many. You, highest among them! I came here among friends who speak of my gifts but cannot stand me!' Mordred exclaims as he engages in sword combat with his father, who wears an elaborate armor. 'No!' Mordred gasps when Arthur knocks the sword out of his son's hand. Arthur appears several times larger than Mordred and kicks his son to the ground. 'Let me at my blade!' Mordred protests when Arthur holds Mordred on the ground. Mordred looks up and asks his father why he does this. 'I came to this place to make peace, to be a hero, and now I know neither friend from foe!' Arthur responds by stating that he is not Mordred's father, and informing him that he is alone here. 'And secondly...it is I who you must first befriend' Arthur adds as he extends a hand to help Mordred up.
Elsewhere: 'I don't need a hand up, so don't make the mistake of offering it again. I don't need that – not from any of you. And I'm not new to this kind of thing!' Captain Britain calls out, her sword at the read, as she finds dozens of members of the Captain Britain Corps rushing towards her. 'I am quite used to fighting myself!' Captain Britain points out, while raising a psi-shield to defend herself. Psychic voices of the Captain Britain Corps begin to call out to her: 'You lost Gambit'. 'And gave up Shogo'. 'Is this your search for the Siege?' 'Pathetic'. Captain Britain slams her shield into one of her Corps members: 'Enough! I accepted the quest for my people, not just for me – or any of you!' But one of the Corps then tells Captain Britain that they aren't here. 'You're all alone' they add, as the Corps members vanish. Betsy re-examines her surroundings, and wonders how she could be so stupid, recalling that she has been here before. She looks up and sees ride lines running across the sky. 'Looking for the Siege Perilous...but here in Mercator, it's all around me. Surely Roma knew...'.
Not in the Siege Perilous, but in Roma's Floating Kingdom, where Saturnyne approaches Roma at her scrying pool and asks if it is true. 'They're within? Mercator is open?' Roma informs Saturnyne that it is only open to some, but not her scrying. She then tells Saturnyne that they must speak to Shogo, as he is inconsolable. 'Is this his first great loss?' Saturnyne asks as they see the dragon boy lying in the grass. 'He is an orphan. He has already known more loss than a young heart like his should carry' Roma responds. Shogo suddenly sits up and lets out a small roar. 'What has gotten into you?' Roma asks. 'For heaven's sake, stop galumphing about before you break something!' Saturnyne exclaims. Roma puts her hands on Shogo's side and asks him what it is, and to try and focus. 'Can you take a form better suited to your needs?' Roma asks. Shogo stops roaring and turns to Roma, who looks into his eyes and tells him that something has lit a fire in him, burned away the darkness he felt before. 'This power, it galvanizes you. But you must be careful. You cannot simply fly away and burn those who have wronged you' Roma tells the dragon.
'I'm not willing to lose everything so you can teach this boy a lesson, Roma' Saturnyne exclaims. 'We've got something riding on this, unless you've forgot -' Saturnyne begins, before Shogo hits her with his wing. Roma assures Saturnyne that she hasn't forgotten, but points out that little dragons have big ears and psychic friends. Shogo puffs, and steam pours from his nostrils. 'All right, all right! Have it your way – let's go to war, I suppose' Roma remarks as she and Saturnyne climb onto Shogo's back. 'Young man's been away from mummy too long...' Saturnyne suggests.
Shortly, Shogo flies above a forest, and an ogre sees this, quickly alerting Merlyn to the dragon and witches departure. 'I say we seize the province and -' the ogre begins, before a bolt of magical energy strikes him and sends him falling into a nearby pool of water. 'The foolish people of this province are of secondary concern to me now. Get me to those women and the dragon boy' Merlyn snaps.
At that moment, 'Attaboy, Shogo. Little dragons have powerful psychic friends indeed' Rachel Summers thinks to herself. 'But your little babysitters think they're clever from far away'. Rachel sits crossed legged as she floats above what appear to be flaming triangles. Rachel remarks that she can see exactly what Roma and Saturnyne want as their own – and decides that she will be damned if she lets them chain Betsy to them in every timeline. 'Yes, Askani' a voice cries out. Rachel looks down and sees the old woman from the Crooked Market, Geraldine, looking up at her, holding the Siege Perilous in her hand. 'Did you come through with us? To Mercator?' Rachel asks. But Geraldine announces that she is merely a kind form. 'You have a job to do, Askani. You must gather your own once more. You can see the truth of their timeline. We need you' Geraldine utters. 'The timelines need you' she adds, as Rachel takes the Siege Perilous. 'I just don't understand -' Rachel begins, before Geraldine utters 'She needs you'. Rachel then begins to run through a forest, 'Damn, Geraldine. That's all you had to say' she mutters.
Meantime, Shatterstar leaps above a combat ring, while lights shine down on him and a crowd chants his name, and urge him to fight. His opponents – the six-armed swordswoman called Spiral, and Adam-X the X-Treme. 'Wait -!' Shatterstar suddenly calls out as an assortment of swords clang. The chant 'Fight! Fight! Fight!' continues to be heard, when suddenly, Shatterstar turns around and sees Rictor standing on the edge of the ring. 'Julio?' Shatterstar calls out to he beloved. 'C'mon babe. Let's go a few rounds' Rictor snaps, energy vibrating around his fists. 'No!' Shatterstar gasps. Suddenly, Rachel Summers flies up above Shatterstar and tells him that she can see through this place, that it is making them confront themselves, not unlike the Siege Perilous. 'We must be close. C'mon!' Rachel calls out, grabbing Shatterstar's hand, she pulls him up above the ring, leaving X-Treme and Spiral to look up at him. Rachel then tells Shatterstar that it's not really Rictor, just a part of the vision, and suggests that Rictor probably has his own problems right now.
At that moment, a wedding is taking place. Bei the Blood Moon, addressed as a child of Arakko, stands on an alter with her groom at her side, Cypher. Guests gather to watch, and a veil hangs over Bei's face, as a voice suddenly informs Bei that accepting her gentle husband was not a win, but a compromise, and that she must choose again. 'And do not forgive yourself lightly. You are Arakkii. You care not for pleasure' the voice adds, when suddenly, Bei grabs the surprised Cypher, and her veil falls back, revealing a monstrous face with large teeth, who bares down towards Cypher. 'You choose the path that hardens your heart' the voice adds, when suddenly, a telepathic voice tells Bei 'But you didn't kill him'.
'I know' Bei calls back to Rachel, who appears overhead, with Shatterstar dropping down to the ground, too. 'It's not real. C'mon with us' Rachel asks. Bei explains that this is her deepest fear of herself – of what she would do to gentle Douglas. 'I know' Rachel tells her teammate, before shatterstar extends a hand. Bei, whose white hair is revealed now that she is not wearing her mask, looks Shatterstar's hand and asks him 'What is that you are doing there? With your hand?' Rachel asks Bei if they do not offer helping hands on Arakko, and tells her that this is her first. 'C'mon, let's stick together. Seems like we have a much harder time beating ourselves up when we're not alone' Rachel adds as as she flies upwards into the darkness, carrying Shatterstar and Bei at her side.
Elsewhere, a scream pierces a battlefield, as the Sorcerer Supreme of another reality known as Necrom unleashes a powerful surge of energy at a woman, killing her in spectacular display. 'Is that Lady Saturnyne? In Kylun's visions? What does it mean?' Shatterstar asks as he, Rachel and Bei arrive to see the woman killed. Rachel explains that it is a different Earth's Saturnyne, and Kylun's lover. 'NOOO! SAT'NEEN!' Kylun screams as he hurls his swords towards the diabolical villain, before Shatterstar and Rachel grab him and pull him back away from the villain. 'Rachel! What are you doing? We must slay Necrom!' Kylun exclaims, to which Rachel tells him that it is not real and they have to go. 'If I can be with her? I care not if it is real! Let me go to her!' Kylun cries, raising a sword towards Rachel – then suddenly, he collapses to the ground, hanging his head, 'I...I just...if it meant I can see her, I wanted to stay...' Kylun's voice trails off, before he rubs the back of his head and looks up at Rachel, suggesting they press on to the Siege Perilous.
Rachel tells Kylun that they can rest, as Meggan, Rictor and Mordred arrive to join their teammates. Rachel realizes that they aren't all here, and asks 'Where's Betsy?' while Meggan notes that Gambit's body isn't here, and that she had hoped it would come through the portal with them. Mordred looks around at the others and asks them how they got here, to which Rictor tells him 'It sucked. Felt like kicking my own ass over and over, but then I heard Rachel in my head and followed her here'. Rachel is pleased her plan worked, and announces that they should send Betsy a flare. She raises her hands and a surge of energy lights up the sky above the Knights of X.
'There you are' Captain Britain calls out as she drops down from the dark sky above. 'Didn't I say I wasn't leaving you alone again?' Rachel remarks. Betsy looks at Rachel, confused, and takes her hand as she asks Why are you looking at me like that?' before Rachel pulls Betsy in closer and embraces her, kissing her passionately, while psychic rainbow butterflies are manifested around them, with dozens of them flittering around the two. 'Sorry, are those... rainbow butterflies?' Rachel asks, looking at the butterflies. 'Bit on the nose, Rach' Betsy utters.
Suddenly, the Knights of X look over as Absalon Mercator appears. He introduces himself and apologizes for interruppting. 'Those are with me' he adds, referring to the butterflies, before asking the Knights if they are here for the Siege Perilous. 'Yes! Yes! We are – can you direct it to us, sir?' Mordred exclaims. Absalon looks at Mercator, annoyed, and reports that they are within the Siege. 'I knew it – but how?' Betsy asks. Mercator tells her that this must wait, and announces that one of her knights arrives shortly. 'Gambit? He made it through?' Shatterstar asks. 'No, the other one. Shogo. He seems to have Roma and Saturnyne with him...and he's being pursued by Merlyn' Mercator explains, motioning to the distance, where Shogo can be seen flying across the dark red sky, with Merlyn and his army flying behind Shogo on their winged lions beasts. Mercator asks Captain Britain if she tires of quests and wants to settle this battle – well, she may have her wish.


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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
Fort Krakoa
The province of Mercator, within the realm of Otherworld. On the way to his last stand, Omniversal Majestor Merlyn has been betrayed. He rides his flying lion through across the dark red sky, chasing two women who fly on Shogo the dragon – two women that he hates. They seek to usurp him. They are Saturnyne and Roma. The former is the thorn in his side, the latter is his daughter. His most legendary ally, King Arthur of Avalon, is dead in the muck below, his loyal knights at his side. Most of all, Merlyn hates the mutant Betsy Braddock a.k.a. Captain Britian, who defends the Siege Perilous with the Knights of X by her side. So much so that he will bring the last of his ragged army to find them and take it from them.
Captain Britain stands ready for battle, with Rachel Summers a.k.a. Prestige at her side. They are joined by Meggan, Julio Richter a.k.a. Rictor, Shatterstar, Colin McKay a.k.a. Kylun, Bei the Blood Moon and Mordred the Mystic. Standing with them is the ruler of this realm, Absalon Mercator. 'We're within the Siege Perilous?' Mordred asks. 'How is that possible?' he wonders. Captain Britain points at Absalon and reveals that he is better known as the mutant called Mr M, an Omega-level matter manipulator. 'Indeed, Captain' Absalon agrees. 'Matter. As we know, it cannot be destroyed. Only changed. The Siege Perilous is in every grain of sand in this strange desert I have made. All who walk upon it are subject to its mirages of confrontation' Absalon explains, as he raises several rocks from the ground. Mordred looks horrified: 'You've pulverized the Siege Perilous? For what?' he asks.
Absalon explains that he has protected it, as requested by Apocalypse. He adds that he can remake it for them all, but it seems like the Siege Perilous is subject to Roma's spell. Mercator remarks that all of Otherworld abides by the rules  of magic annd story, and that Mercator was closed until the Knights made a sacrifice, and yet, the magic of their quest also prevents him from reforging the Siege as a doorway until all ten Knights are present. 'I count eight of you here, and your boy-dragon is on his way' Mercator declares. 'Our friend is dead!' Meggan exclaims, getting angry as she announces that she won't let anyone, not even Lady Roma, use fae magic to keep them from him. Betsy tells her sister-in-law to wait: 'Not created or destroyed... only changed' Betsy points out. She steps between Meggan and Mercator and reminds her teammates that Gambit tried to use the Death card on Merlyn but it backfired, and they know that card is not about death – it's about change.
Bei understands what Captain Britain is talking about, and notes that the Siege is where mutantkind goes to be changed. 'Gambit's body disappeared when we entered Mercator. The Captain is right – he must be here somewhere' Bei declares. 'How do we find him?' Shatterstar asks. Captain Britain and Prestige look up to where a mysterious castle has suddenly appeared, and Betsy suggests that that seems to be the best place to start. 'Are you certain?' Shatterstar asks. 'Has to be him' Prestige declares, adding that she can sense Gambit inside, but that he feels twisted. Bei suggests to the Knights that they cannot forgo caution because he is their friend – they do not know what lies within, or how Gambit has been changed. As Shogo moves closer towards the other Knights, Captain Britain telepathically tells Shogo that he was supposed to be safe in Roma's kingdom. 'I promised Jubilee!' Betsy adds. As Merlyn continues to pursue Shogo, Saturnyne and Roma, he casts two surges of energy towards them, but they dodge the attack. Betsy picks up on Shogo's thoughts: 'The bad men found us there! But please, Aunt Betsy – I've learned so much! You find Gambit and lemme help keep all three of them – Roma, Saturnyne and Merlyn – away from my precious mutant friends!'
The Knights enter the castle, and Captain Britain tells everyone that this place, here in the Siege Perilous, it's what is left of Gambit. 'Then he isn't dead!' Meggan exclaims. 'I wouldn't say that, Meg' Rictor remarks. 'Indeed. We watched him die' Bei agrees. Bei pushes aside some cobwebs as the Knights enter another part of the castle, where a large statue is surrounded by dozens of glowing candles. Bei states that a warrior knows there is a part of them that remains, like longing, but more tenacious. 'You Krakoans might call it heart' she adds, looking up at the statue, 'Because she is here. You would find my Cypher in my own heart, lit up in love like this' Bei utters. Mordred remarks that she is beautiful, and asks who she is. Captain Britain informs him that it's Rogue, Gambit's wife and best friend. Mordred touches the glowing red pool in front of Rogue and exclaims that he feels very taken by her. 'Very safe here. How fine it would be, to feel so peaceful amongst one's own family...' Mordred's voice trails off, when suddenly, a hand reaches up through the pool.
Modred is shocked – it's his father, King Arthur, who tells him that there is no more running. One of them dies here. As Betsy and Bei rush over and grab Mordred, Arthur tells him that his so-called friends help him run like a coward. 'No – let me go!' Mordred exclaims and Captain Britain vows that they will not let Arthur drag Mordred down. But suddenly, Mordred spins around and tells Captain Britain that his quest is with his father. 'Let me go!' he exclaims as he falls backwards and disappears into the red water.
The rest of the Knights continue down a corridor and pass several statues of Gambit. 'Though he pains my ass, I wonder if we shouldn't have fought harder for Mordred?' Shatterstar asks, but Betsy suggests that as they are still in the Siege, it seems that Mordred is meant to confront his father. 'Like we're all subject to this bloody spell, so we might as well just trust our guts to guide us' Betsy adds as she blows her hair out of her face. Betsy then throws her arms in the air, admitting that Mordred is vexing, as his mutation is literally to inspire ire. 'Can we all admit that now? It's a dreadful ability, but it seems to be his' Betsy adds. 'Oh, damn, I was trying so hard to be nice' Rictor utters, gritting his teeth and looking nervously at Betsy. 'It makes him very useful in battle! Soldiers love to attack him! On the digital battlefields, we would say he “draws threats”!' Shatterstar adds.
Rachel then draws Betsy's attention to the fact that the statues are all of Gambit but probably from different timelines. Betsy remarks that the Captain Britain Corps had a place like this in the Starlight Citadel, back when Saturnyne was ruler, to which Rachel suggests that if Gambit ever went there, that could be why they are seeing these statues now – he is making sense of who he will be if he has to go through resurrection. Betsy asks Rachel to use her chrono-skimming on the statues, to see whether she can see the timelines. 'That's pretty clever' Rachel tells Betsy as she offers to try. 'Not so much clever as...curious. Selfishly' Betsy responds, revealing that she has been thinking she has the Captain Britain Corps at her side, and that if Rachel – Askani – can see the timelines, the whole Multiverse opens up to them – she won't need the Citadel, or to serve Saturnyne, Merlyn or even Roma. 'You would betray the lady Saturnyne and turn against her?' Kylun asks.
'She's not betraying anyone' Rachel tells Kylun, explaining that there is nothing that says the Captain Britain Corps has to serve those three, and suggests that maybe Betsy wants to protect the actual Multiverse instead of one person who calims to be in charge of it. 'And if I can help her be free of them, I'll do everything I can to make that happen' Rachel declares, as she hovers above her teammates and uses her chrono-skimming power to connect to the statues of Gambit. It takes a lot of energy, but she concentrates hard and is able to see '… that our Gambit is that way!' she exclaims, pointing down a corridor. Rachel drops down to the ground, and Betsy takes her by her hands and looks into her eyes: 'Rachel...you would do that for me?' she asks. Rachel tells Betsy that Roma and Saturnyne are not so different from Merlyn – they are all hamstrung without Captain Britain at their side, and that even Roma put Betsy under her spell. Meggan puts a hand on her sister-in-law's shoulder and tells her that Captain Britain has always knelt to them, but doesn't have to.
'Look out!' Bei exclaims as she hears a loud stomping noise making its way towards the Knights – 'Wrongslide!' Rictor calls out as the large rocky mutant attempts to charge down the Knights, roaring as he runs along the corridor. 'Don't call him that!' Betsy scolds Rictor, before she addresses the mutant by his true name, Santo. 'Who is this? Friend or foe?' Kylun asks as he lunges backwards out of harm's way, while Meggan and Rachel dart upwards into the air above Santo. Rictor casts druid energy around Santo's fists to try and restrain him as he explains to Kylun that Santo is a friend, kind of, as he turned out this way after dying on Otherworld, but he's supposed to be safe back on Otherworld. 'It's not really him – it's Gambit fear – that he'll die here and come back broken' Rachel explains. Rictor realizes that is why his magic isn't working, and asks for some help. Bei responds by unleashing her “death note” a sonic boom which slams Wrongslide back down the corridor from where he came.
But as this happens, large playing cards begin to collapse around the Knights. 'Don't let this place collapse! Gambit's got to be in here, and if it flattens, there's no promising we won't lose him entirely!' Betsy tells her teammates, as they do what they can to keep the large playing cards from collapsing entirely. Meggan hovers above the others and calls out to Santo, 'Are you under there?' she asks, before several of the large cards begin to glow with kinetic energy and are hurled towards Meggan, one of them striking her across her side and she screams. 'We all a little sick 'a tarots eh, Knights? But you're right about de Death card...it don't kill ya...just means you change...but you ain't really changed if you ain't looked in the mirror and seen the worst parts 'a yo'self!' Gambit calls out as he steps towards the Knights, only he is changed indeed, he looks like he did when he was transformed into the Horseman of Apocalypse known as Death!
'Nonsense! You're the same old bastard, Remy! And we'll bring you home to Rogue where you belong!' Betsy calls out as her psi-blade clashes against Gambit's bo staff. Rictor and Shatterstar stand back-to-back, ready for any danger, while Rictor tells the others Knights to have their weapons ready, as the cards got Meggan good. 'Seems he is aiming to kill' Shatterstar suggests. Bei battles Gambit with her own weapon, and remarks that she has not had long with the Krakoans, but that much like Arakkii, they often brawl with those they love. 'Indeed we do! And when a friend falls to the darkness, we won't turn aaway from redeeming them!' Captain Britain adds as she lashes out with her psi-blade again. But Gambit dodges the attack, and tells Betsy that there ain't no redeeming him now. 'But you can come die with me' he adds as he casts dozens of kinetically-charged cards upwards. Meggan has recovered, and uses her elemental powers to cast mist around Gambit, Betsy and Bei, while Rachel warns Betsy that Gambit is tearing this place apart.
'Gambit, I won't go easy on you! You and I have known each other for too long – and I've known you too well!' Betsy exclaims as she continues to battle Gambit, a determined look on her face, as she suddenly raises her psi-blade towards Gambit's face and shoves it into his eyes. 'I won't let you forget who you are, Remy LeBeau' Betsy utters, while Gambit screams, before uttering 'Ah, Betsy...you are a good friend...but it's too late...I need the cleansing purity of fire...' Gambit utters, suddenly thinking that he sees Sunfire before him. 'Merci beaucoup, my friend...once more...' Gambit calls out, but in truth, it's Rachel, who has Gambit in a psychic hold, and tells the others that the fire isn't hurting Gambit, it is just a psychic manifestation. Rachel calls out to Gambit, urging him onwards, when suddenly, a light cuts through the flames, and Gambit sees a figure step towards him: 'How my old friends coming all the way to Otherworld?' he asks. But when he realizes who is approaching him, he utters 'No...you ain't real... neither'.
'Can't be. Too beautiful' Gambit gasps as he looks up at his wife, Rogue, who holds him in his arms. 'It's my, Sugah. Your Rogue. Ah'm real' Rogue utters, informing Gambit that when Betsy and Rachel restored him, Mr M opened the Siege, and she was waiting to be the first through to see him – dead or alive. 'The...first?' Gambit asks, blood trickling from his nose. '... yeah. First 'a many. The Siege Perilous opened up...and it's a door right from Mercator to Krakoa' Rogue reveals, announcing that the rest of Merlyn's army doesn't stand a chance, and now that the door is wide open, Krakoa won't let the mutants of Otherworld suffer ever again.
Gambit looks over Rogue's shoulder and sees  a full-scale battle has been engaged, with Rogue's X-Men teammates on hand to help, Sunfire razes several orgres with a fiery blast, as Jean Grey takes down several ogres with a psychic assault. Polaris tears the armor from several orgres and uses it as a weapon to knock the orgres from the battlefield, and Synch copies Cyclops' optic blast, fighting side-by-side the two of them take out two of the ogres. Wolverine leaps into a mass of ogres, claws at the ready, while the other Wolverine does the same. Fighting near them are Daken, whose claws draw ogre blood, and Scout, who kicks one of the ogres in the head while leaping at another. Nightcrawler and the Legionnaires join the battle, too, with Nightcrawler teleporting up above several ogres as Juggernaut slams his way through a group of them. Legion destroys several ogres in a flash of energy, while Pixie uses her soul dagger against one of the ogres.
As Exodus starts to move through the Siege Perilous onto Otherworld, Jubilee can be seen on Shogo the dragon, who breathes dragonefire at two Furies that loom over the batttlefield. Kwannon has joined the battle, too, leaping from one ogre to the next as she takes them down with ease, as Rictor and Shatterstar fight side-by-side, Shatterstar's blades strike the ogres as Rictor knocks them back by raising the earth up around them. Bei fights alongside her lover, too. Her husband, Cypher, who raises a sword against a group of ogre that approach him, while Bei stabs her opponent with her weapon. Meggan surrounds an ogre with mist while her husband, Captain Avalon fights near her. King Arthur can be seen, fallen, as his son Mordred raises a sword against the ogres that move towards him, defending his father.
The ice-cream mutant, Soft Serve, has somehow found herself on the battlefield and looks scared as she holds up an ice-cream, while Roma hovers above the battlefield, casting her Otherworld magic at the enemy. Nearby, Kylun defends Saturnyne, who clings to him as he cuts one of the ogres down with his skilled swordsmanship. And finally, Captain Britain and Rachel Summers hover in the air above the fight, together they use their formidable powers to take down the remaining Sevalithi vampires who approach the battleground on flying lions. As the fight rages, Merlyn is on his knees, while a figure watches over him.
One storybook-shaking battle later. The mutant heroes of Krakoa and Otherworld gather their strength. Shogo the dragon lays on the ground and his mother Jubilee sits at his side. Rogue and Gambit cuddle, while Kylun sits near Rictor and Shatterstar. The Legionnaires are sitting together, while Cyclops, Jean Grey, Logan and Laura the Wolverines and Polaris are gathered in front of some steps. Rachel and Betsy walk away from the group and Betsy remarks that Shogo seems happy to see his mum, adding that on his mighty quest, he seemed to learn to stop crying. 'Let's hope so for Jubilee's sake' Rachel laughs. Betsy suggests that Jubilee is just happy to have Shogo back. Betsy and Rachel then stand close and clasp hands, as they look over to where Mordred is kneeling beside his father, Arthur, who leans against a tree, clutching his wounds. 'Least they're not as messed up as Arthur and Mordred' Rachel points out. 'A version of the Arthurian legend the world has never seen...and Mordred mucks up the story entirely by caring for the old man' Betsy adds. Captain Avalon approaches Mordred and hands him a large ice cream, and Betsy remarks that in turn, people will learn to care for and teach him.
Betsy and Rachel press their foreheads together, and Rachel asks Betsy whether now that the Siege Perilous is open between Otherworld and Krakoa 24/7 whether she will exhaust herself. Betsy looks Rachel in the eyes as she replies 'No thank you' and points out that after what they did with Gambit, any psychic  could do now. 'Dying here isn't irreversible anymore, thanks to the Siege Perilous'. They kiss and Betsy telepathically assures Rachel that she doesn't feel personally responsible to to escort everyone, before reporting that she has a terrible meeting to go to.
The former Starlight Citadel, now a hollow building, with no parliament and no army. Merely an inherent spoke around which Otherworld turns. 'Oh good. You're all here!' Captain Britain remarks as she enters a room and finds Roma and Saturnyne sitting on chairs, while Merlyn is shackled to the floor. 'We're happy to dismiss Merlyn as needed -' Roma begins, but, psi-blade in hand, Betsy announces that what she has to say, she wants all of them to hear. 'Oh, Elizabeth, so dramatic -' Saturnyne begins, before Captain Britain interrupts her, stating that she remembers Saturnyne's little game of swords, and realized Roma's quest was no different – just a way to have the Captain Britain Corps under their control. 'We are no longer willing to be the prize in the little war between you three' Captain Britain declares. 'Are you threatening me?' Saturnyne asks. 'I'm reminding you. I swear fealty to whom I choose' Captain Britain responds.
Captain Britain aims her sword at Saturnyne and reminds her that she meddled in a whole Otherworld war just to get her brother Brian back. 'But you got my instead. And now the last of the Starlight Citadel's magic exists here in this blade'. Captain Britain moves the sword to point at Roma, and remarks that her gift of the Siege Perilous was merely a trinket to gain her allegiance – but now, the Siege belongs to the mutants. 'And I am not yours. So sorry, Roma. You are the kindest, but you do not win' Betsy utters. Merlyn looks crazed, wide-eyed as Captain Britain aims her sword at him and reminds him that he tried to exterminate her people just to win control over Roma and Saturnyne. 'You're tricky, but not tricky enough' Captain Britain tells him. She then suggests that Roma is right, and that she knows this will not be the end for Merlyn, as he is too crafty for that. 'But for now – Omniversal Majestor Merlyn, by the rule of the Captain Britain Corps and for the protection of the Multiverse – I sentence you to die!' Captain Britain announces. 'No -!' Merlyn utters, but Captain Britain declares that it is what's best for the story.
Rachel Summers hovers outside the old Starlight Citadel, and hears the sound of Captain Britain's blade ending the life of Merlyn the Great Hierophant.
Betsy joins Rachel on the grass beneath the citadel, and asks 'That's it, then?' to which Betsy tells her that Merlyn is gone, and their people are safe. She ads that the provinces ought to manageb themselves. 'If they have a problem with what we did in Mercator...they can come tell us themselves. The Siege stays – that province is still Mr M's' Betsy adds. Rachel asks her if she is just going to patrol the Multiverse alone, to which Betsy replies 'I hope not' as the Captain Britain Corps appear behind her, among them Violet Swan, Queen Elizabeth III and Captain Elspeth. Betsy smiles at Rachel and calls her “Askani”, pointing out that without a Majestrix, she needs a way to see the story before her, and asks her if she will join her. 'You have me, my Captain' Rachel responds as they clasp hands and walk across the land of Otherworld.


[User]
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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
Entangled
(Some years ago)Third period science class, at a high school on Earth, in the Sol System. 'Okay, let's see who was paying attention... quantum entanglement – who can explain it to us?' the teacher standing at the head of the class asks. 'Teddy Altman? Any guesses?' the teacher asks a blond teenager wearing jeans and a sports jersey. 'Uh...is that when you travel back inn time? To...um. Set right what once went wrong?' Another teenager can be seen sitting at a table near Teddy, but he hangs his head, which is covered by the hood of his sweater. 'That's TV's Quantum Leap, Mr Altman -' the teacher begins. 'Whoops!' Teddy exclaims, rubbing the back of his head. 'Which...you are too young to remember' the teacher then remarks. Teddy explains that his mother has a super-weird crush on Scott Bakula. 'Is there anyone out there who can save Mr Altman?... Mr Kaplan?' the teacher calls out, addressing the boy in the red hooded sweater.
'Billy? Are you with us?' the teacher asks, while Billy Kaplan continues to stare down at the table, where someone has scratched “Kaplan is a homo” into the surface of the table. 'He's daydreaming about men in tights again!' one of the other boys in the class calls out. 'Oh, web me up, Spider-Man!' another boy jokes. The teacher addresses them as Mr Norris and Mr Kesler, and tells them that is enough, before turning back to Billy: 'Well?' she asks him. Billy slowly looks up, and explains 'It's when...two particles, once they're linked, are linked forever. Position, momentum, spin. Even across space and time. Across galaxies. Einstein called it “Spooky action at a distance”' as he removes his hood, and glances towards Teddy Altman, while one of the bullies calls out 'Only kind you'll ever get, Kaplan, you absolute -' to which the teacher shouts 'Mr Kesler!' interrupting him.
The teacher tells Billy that his explanation is wonderful, and tells Teddy that he should thank Billy for the daring rescue. Teddy looks over at Billy and smiles, and Billy almost smiles back, as the teacher gives instructions to the class about what page in their books to turn to.
(Present day)On Skrullos, in the Drox System, at the brach cliffs on Tyn'Tah Jel, which is under siege from the dark dimension. 'Everyone together! If Dormammu's horde takes the planet, the galaxy goes with it! Help is -' Billy Kaplan-Altman a.k.a. Wiccan calls out as he blasts several of Dormammus Mindless Ones as they arrive on Tyn'Tah Jel. 'Arriving in droves!' one of Wiccan's allies calls out, looking up to see several new allies arriving through another portal, headed by Commander Abigail Brand, who fires a weapon at one of the Mindless Ones. 'William Kaplan-Altman – the Avenger Wiccan and consort of Emperor Dorrek-Vell of the Kree/Skrull Alliance... the Sol System formally pledges you its SWORD!' Brand proclaims, assisted by several mutants from the SWORD space station – Frenzy, Ruckus, Thumbelina, Armor and Shen Xorn.
'Wow, um. I don't super-duper know who all these people are...but thanks, Commander Brand – to stop Dormammu, we'll take every weapon we can get!' Wiccan calls back. 'About that...I'm afraid there's been an incident' Brand reports as she lands on the cliffside and places a broken sword on the ground. Wiccan sighs, 'That's my little rough-houser...' he remarks, referring to his husband. A Kree woman fighting nearby goes wide-eyed: 'The King-Blade Ekz'el-Zorr...shattered? Then Emperor Hulking is...?' her voice trails off. Wiccan address her as Mur-G'nn as he puts a hand on the broken blade and tells her that if anything had happened to Teddy, he would know. 'But we have to fix this' Wiccan declares. Brand points out that they first have to keep this planet standing, and asks Frenzy what their sit-rep is. Frenzy stands on another ridge and looks down at the situation. She reports that none of this assault makes sense strategically. 'Ancient towns, minor temples, even these planets...' her voice trails off.
Wiccan, Brand, Frenzy, Mur-G'nn and a Skrull named Paibok, who is a Galactic Ambassador, gather together, and Wiccan explains that this is a spiritual incursion, as Dormammu is targeting symbols – he wants to conquer the spirit. 'Then...I know where he will strike the hardest' Paibok remarks, telling his allies that it will be Ny'Ni-Ahn, where the first spring flows. 'Nowhere is more sacred' he utters. 'Then that's where we'll go... and let's hope Teddy is doing better than we are'.
At that moment, on Throneworld II, in the ruins of Hala, within the Pama System, also under seige from the Dark Dimension. Teddy Altman-Kaplan a.k.a. Emperor Hulking is assisted by the mutant Avalanche, and several members of the Guardian of the Galaxy – Hercules, Noh-Varr a.k.a. Marvel Boy and Phyla-Vell. 'Is it just me, or are we losing?' Hulking asks as he punches one of the Mindless Ones, knocking them backwards. Phyla-Vell cuts through her opponents with a blade made of cosmic energy and, addressing Hulking by his Skull name, Dorrek, tells him that they are losing. 'Phyla, you can call me Teddy -' Hulking remarks. 'Even with the aid of SWORD's mutants, as long as Dormammu'sorbital carriers are in place...the Mindless Ones will overrun the planet, and Hala will fall. As it has fallen before' Phyla-Vell declares.
'Little help?' Hulkling asks as one of the Mindless Ones suddenly grabs him by his head. 'Watch out important space prince guy!' Avalanche exclaims, as he raises a fist, ready to unleash his siesmic powers. But Marvel Boy tells Avalanche to wait, as he will take out the bridge. Too late. 'Whoops' Avalanche mutters as his impressive power destroys the bridge that the group are battling the Mindless Ones on. Hulkling falls, but freed from the Mindless One's grasp. 'Can you wing it, Ted?' Marvel Boy asks as he falls, too. 'Kinda busy being stuck in this guy, Marvel Boy!' Hulkling calls back. Phyla-Vell tries to pulverize the masonry, while Hercules shouts 'Let gravity whimper at the heft of the Mighty Hercules!' as rubble falls around him, and several Mindless Ones, too. Avalanche remains standing on the ground above, watching as the others continue to fall. 'Oh, way to go, Avalanche...your first legit job, and you drop the King of all cosmos in a hole' he mutters to himself, rubbing his helmet. 'HEY, UH, IF ANYONE ASKS, MY NAME IS RICTOR!' Avalanche shouts down to the others, while wondering if perhaps he will get lucky, and no one will find them.
(Some years ago)'Oh, hey. There you are. I was looking for you' Teddy calls out as he finds Billy sitting in a storage room at the school, the sun beaming down on him through a large window. 'For...me?' the surprised Billy asks, as Teddy goes over and sits down next to him. 'Why?' Billy asks. 'I dunno. You're never in the cafeteria' Teddy remarks. 'Oh...yeah. I...I just mostly stay up in here and read' Billy explains. Teddy holds up a large wrapped sandwich and asks Billy if he would like some. 'My mom makes really big sandwhiches' Teddy adds, before introducing himself as he passes some of the food to Billy. 'I'm...Billy. Hi' Billy replies as he takes the sandwich. Billy then tells Teddy that he doesn't have to be nicce to him. 'Really. I know everyone... talks, and -' Billy begins, but Teddy ignores him, and interrupts him by exclaiming 'Whoa, what are you reading?!'
Teddy then lies down on his stomach starts flipping through the comic books, which Billy tells him are super hero comics, just goofy knockoffs. 'Omigosh, I totally have this one! So many clones!' Teddy exclaims. Billy smiles, 'Haha, yeah, I know. It's silly, but...sometimes I go to Avengers Mansion and just sit. It's just a ruin now...but it's nice to imagine...someone stopping bullies like Lokie and Ultron and Kesler and Norris' Billy remarks, referring to his classroom bullies. 'Aw, Norris isn't so bad. Not Ultron bad, at least' Teddy replies. 'If you say so' Billy frowns. 'I get it though. When I was little, me and Mom'd go to sci-fi cons and stuff...ah! So dorky! Sorry!' Teddy exclaims,  sitting up. But Billy tells him that it is cute, before Teddy tells him that nowadays, the coach has them too busy – basketball practice and football. 'Well, if you ever wanna get comics after school...we could go' Billy suggests. 'And you should come to a game. Cheer me on, or watch me get really hurt. Fun either way' Teddy proposes. 'I – yeah, okay. Yeah, I'd like that. The first thing, anyway...' Billy replies. '... I don't want anything bad to happen to you'.
(Present day)Back on Skrullos, Wiccan is knee-deep in sacred water as he casts a spell beneath a large monument, waterfalls gushing behind it. 'C'mon....c'mon...mendwhatisbroken mendwhatisbroken. Why isn't this -? Ugh' Billy complains as his spell fails. Mur-G'nn the Kree stands nearby and examines her surroundings. 'So this is the Monastery Lake of Ny'Ni-Ahn. Sacred to Sl'Gur't, Lady of the Waters' she remarks, explaining that the holy fountains gave life to the Skrull and to which the Changing People all return. 'So they say' she adds. Wiccan asks her if she doesn't believe it. Mur-G'nn reminds Wiccan that the day she met him, her father died, eaten inside out by a monster. 'It wore his face then yours. After that, I stopped believing pretty fairy tales' she remarks. 'I never -' Wiccan begins to tell the Kree, but Mur-G'nn assures Wiccan that she knows it wasn't him. 'But power corrupts. It ruins beautiful things. I try not to forget it' she utters.
'Prince Consort?' Commander Brand asks as she approaches Wiccan, before informing him that her operatives are in place. 'I need more time. I can make this work. I know it... I just need more power. This place resonates with energy... but there's something wrong with my magic' Wiccan declares, looking down into the water he stands in, he then wonders if it's not magic, because he can feel ripples, like something terrible has happened. 'I... can't imagine what that could be' Brand responds, before telling Wiccan that a reality-warper such as him, with hhis family's temper, she wouldn't want him upset when he finds out. 'What the heck does that mean?' Wiccan snaps. Mur-G'nn offers to hold off any enemies, and asks Wiccan to forge them some hope. Brand turns to leave the sacred area, telling Wiccan that he better work fast, because the Mindless Ones are here,  and they are summoning something much worse.
Back in the ruins of Hala, 'Where are we?' Hulking asks as he runs along a walkway in what appears to be  a sprawling underground chamber. Phyla-Vell runs alongside him, while Hercules and Marvel Boy follow. Hercules points out that the way back to the surface is blocked by debris. 'Remind me to pummel the mutant they call Rictor' he adds. Marvel Boy offers to get the lights, as the chamber is bathed in darkness. 'A boost, Hercules, God of Buffness?' Marvel Boy asks as he climbs onto Hercules' shoulders. Hulking glances at Phyla-Vell and points out that they never had a chance to talk. 'I know. I've been avoiding you' Phyla-Vell replies, without looking at Hulking. 'Oh' Hulkling utters. He rubs the back of his head and explains that he has never had a sister before. 'A half sister from a parallel reality, but... and ever since... Mom died, I've been...' his voice trails off, before he exclaims 'But hey, look at us, the kids of Captain Marvel! Together at -' but he is interrupted as Phyla-Vell informs him that she had a brother on her world – he went insane with power and had to be put down like a rabid dog. 'Oh, I'm sorry. I heard about him here too... Genis' Hulkling remarks. Phyla-Vell turns to him and informs him that the mad king's name was Dorek.
Marvel Boy sits on Hercules' shoulders as he tinkers with a control box, and a moment later, the chamber is filled with light. 'And we've got power back!' Marvel Boy reports. 'My clever, comely cockroach!' Hercules exclaims as he grabs Marvel Boy and lifts him down to the ground. The quartet examine their surroundings, and Hulkling wonders what the purpose of this place is. 'A temple...to something...unclean. I once watched it kill this world' Hercules responds as he turns a chair around and finds the remains of a body in the chair. Marvel Boy motions to the screen in the center of the room and explains that this was an interfacing chamber, one of probably thousands, for the Kree Supreme Intelligence – the digitized gestalt AI of the empire's most illustrious military leaders. 'Your predecessor, Teddy' Marvel Boy adds. 'An undead fascist hive-mind' Hulkling utters, looking at the skeleton in the chair. 'Well, it was undead. Then a bit ago, I came by and recycled it! Now it's just kind of dead dead!' Marvel Boy smiles.
Suddenly, 'We are dead but yet we dream...' a voice can be heard saying. '...in sleep of strangest aeons, we sing a new song, we await the Hala to come'. The heroes look up at the screen in the center of the room, and see the Supreme Intelligence. 'No, that – but I saw you incorporate into the Utopian Plex. I watched you be eaten!' Marvel Boy exclaims. 'Remnant personalities deffective, genocidality index: catastrophic. Fatal error. Unresolved' comes the Supreme Intelligence's confusing response. 'This is the perverted computer program that refashioned our father's Nega-Bands into a bomb? The butcher that slayed millions?' Phyla-Vell asks, shocked. 'We are husk discarded from seed. We blossom in the rotten dark. We claw with hungry thirsty roots' the Supreme Intelligence utters. 'Another insane Underworld deity. I have seen my fill. Our pressing concerns walk in daylight' Hercules tells everyone.
The Supreme Intelligence states thaat the Dark Dimension incursion will result in the planetary condition becoming fatal. 'The blood-dimmed tide is loosed. Imperative Alpha One: secure the future of the Kree. Initiate planetary scour. Projected deaths: 165 million. Begin thermonucleonic cascade. A gaze blank and pitless as the sun' the Supreme Intelligence declares. 'Well, that's probably not great...' Hulkling utters, before the Supreme Intelligence begins the countdown.
(Some years ago)'Oh no! Am I late?' Billy asks as he arrives at the football game. 'Ref just blew the whistle. There's my special guy! Knock 'em flat, Teddy Bear!' Teddy's mother exclaims, shouting out to the field as Teddy leaps into the air and grabs the football, while the opposing team members chase after him. Teddy's mother turns to Billy and asks him if he is Theodore's new friend. 'Am I? I mean, yeah, I am. I'm Billy' Billy responds nervously, rubbing the back of his head. Teddy's mother introduces herself as Mary-Jo, and tells Billy that Teddy talks about him a lot. 'He does?' Billy asks. 'He does' Mary-Jo confirms. 'Oh' Billy utters. Mary-Jo looks at Billy, then falls silent, before telling Billy that she might have to go home earlier than expected – she thinks she left the microwave on or something. 'Think you can walk him home for me?' she asks. 'Oh. Yeah. I can do that' Billy replies, while waving at Teddy, who waves back from the field. Mary-Jo tells Billy that he has to promise that he will take care of Teddy, because he is important. 'I promise' Billy smiles. 'Good boy' Mary-Jo remarks, before putting her scarf around Billy's neck, remarking that it is freeing here. 'Team colors! And no more chilly Billy!' Mary-Jo jokes, adding that there is no rush to give the scarf back. 'You boys take your time'.
(Present day)'We're out of time, Kaplan! The gross dirt snowmen are done with their viscera arts and crafts, and you've got incoming!' Brand shouts as she fires a weapon at one of the Mindless Ones who move towards her. Frenzy and Ambassador Paibok fight alongside her, punching their opponents.
Wiccan continues to cast his spell as he stands knee-deep in the water, when suddenly, a fiery image manifests before him – Dormammu! 'Well, well, well. Demiurge. Fancy meeting you here, so many planes below. Folded into the dirty little geometries of time and space. And...is that a human body? How delightfully perverse. This is quite embarassing, you see...this universe just isn't big enough for the both of us' Dormammu utters.
(Some years ago)
'Well, look who it is... spooky-action Kaplan himself!' Greg Norris calls out as he and John Kesler walk out onto the football fied, where Billy is sitting. 'Peeking into the boys' locker room, you little perv?' John asks. 'No! I'm just...waiting for someone. My friend' Billy responds. 'Oh my god. He's a fan now!' Greg exclaims as he grabs the scarf from around Billy's neck. 'Must be some crush – he's got merch!' John remarks as he grabs Billy's arm. 'Give that back! It's not mine – ow!' Billy exclaims, when suddenly, 'Hey! Leave him alone!' Teddy shouts as he arrives and shoves Greg backwards. 'You? You're kidding!' Greg replies. 'You're dead, Atlm-' John begins, before  Billy pushes him over. 'Get away from him!' Billy calls out. 'You're bodyguard won't b-' John begins, but Billy interrupts him, asking 'God, Kesler, didn't you just shower? How do you still smell like a ranch-flavored foot?' while Greg spits, and tells Teddy to watch it. 'I know your secret' he warns him. 'I'm not scared of you, Greg. I'm done with bullies like you' Teddy declares.
(Present day)In the chamber within the ruins of Hala, the Supreme Intelligence declares that the end of all flesh is come before him. He adds that Hala is dead – it has risen – and it will rise again. 'Have at thee, gibbering neo-scoundrel!' Hercules exclaims as he slams a fist into the panel where the Supreme Intelligence appears. 'Great. You cracked the monitor...of a computer as big as the world. Come help' Marvel Boy calls out to Hercules. The Supreme Intelligence's image has vanished from the panel, but his voice can still be heard, beginning a countdown, before prattling on about his plans. 'This is hopeless' Hulkling utters, resigned. Marvel Boy goes over tro Phyla and asks her to talk to Hulkling. 'Me? Why? I'm not his sis-' Phyla begins, to which Marvel Boy reminds her that she isn't the only refugee from an alternate reality. 'I've seen plenty of old faces do new things' Marvel Boy adds, before telling Phyla that Hulkling is an annoyingly good guy – a hero. 'Ubiquitous spandex to the contrary, there aren't many of them here' Marvel Boy adds, suggesting to Phyla again that she talk to him.
Back on Skrullos, 'I'm talking to the Dread Dormammu...my god...' Wiccan utters as he looks up at the diabolical being looming over him. 'Oh, it is nice to skip to worship so quickly. Usually there's a great deal of screaming first' Dormammu remarks. 'But if you're here, then...?' Wiccan's voice trails off. Dormammu leans down to nearly come face-to-face with Wiccan, and tells him that he is but an aspect of the great flatline flame. 'A demon. Come to tempt me' Wiccan replies. 'Tempt you? What could I offer  to tempt the mighty Demiurge?' Dormammu responds, before announcing that he has walked the whirling worlds Wiccan wrought, the stars he set to spin. 'And do you know what I beheld there? Desperation!' Dormammu declares as he reaches down and grabs Wiccan. 'A lost soul, hiding among ruined fantasies' Dormammu adds.
(Some years ago)
The ruins of Avengers Mansion, where Billy sits on a seat, reading. 'Hey, tough guy. I thought I might find  you here' a voice calls out. It's Teddy, who sits down next to Billy, and tells him that he was right about Norris, and that he heard Billy electrocuted Kesler in the hallway. Billy hangs his head as he tells Teddy that he tried to aboid Kesler, but he started picking on someone else. 'Now he won't' Billy suggests. Energy crackles Billy's hand, and he utters 'I'm a freak, Teddy. I'm sorry if I-' but Teddy interrupts Billy, asking him if he can show him something. Teddy's shirt begins to rip as it is stretched when Teddy suddenly increases in size and turns green. 'You're the Hulk! Like a small, little, baby mini-Hulk!' Billy gasps. 'Wow – okay – we'll... um, work on that, but yeah. So if you're a freak, we're freaks together' Teddy replies.
Their hands are placed next to each other on the seat, their fingers touching. 'Wait. But...which one is you? The real you?' Billy asks. 'What do you...?' Teddy replies. 'Like, are you green or are you...this?' Billy asks as Teddy reverts to his human form. Teddy tells Billy that it isn't like that, as he thinks he is both. 'It's all me. Is that okay? Is that...weird?' he asks. 'It's beautiful. You're beautiful' Billy utters as he puts his hand on Teddy's. 'Can...can I kiss you?' Billy asks. 'Yeah. Yeah. You can kiss me' Teddy tells him as they lean in towards each other and press their lips together.
(Present day)'You need to be loved. To be adored. It has made you weak. Vulnerable' Dormammu tells Wiccan as he holds him up in the air. 'What if I kill you here, Demiurge? Tread upon the fatal egg before the serpent hatches?' Dormammu asks. Wiccan looks up at Dormammu and tells him that ever since he was a kid, people have told him he was some horrible evil thing. 'You're no different. Just bigger and on fire' Wiccan remarks, before telling Dormammu that when he looks back at this, his mistake was giving up his reach advantage. 'What?' Dormammu exclaims as Wiccan moves his hands about, and declares 'Handy tip from Doctor Strange – Dormammu is dirty as sin, butb the flames of flatline...those are pure, ethically sourced magic fuel'. Energy pours from Wiccan's hands, and a sword appears on the ground. 'Renewed is the blade that was broken, you big dopey jack-o-lantern' Wiccan declares as Dormammu drops him. 'Filthy little mage! And what good is that to you? Where is the champion who can wield it?' Dormammu asks.
On Hala, Hulkling hangs his head as he utters 'All those people above us. They trusted me...and I got them killed. You were right. I'm a murderer' he tells Phyla. Phyla sighs as she sits down next to Hulkling. She tells him that she has a wife, one who gets into all kinds of mischief – possessions, eldritch bargains. 'One time there was this leprechaun...it just kept rhyming. God' Phyla recalls, adding that her wife drives her crazy with how hot she is. 'I guess you and I both have a type' Phyla adds. She informs Hulkling that her Dorek didn't have anyone, but here, everywhere she looks, she finds someone who loves him, and someone he loves. 'That changes us, I think. Who we love changes us' she adds, looking over at Hercules and Marvel Boy. Phyla turns back to Hulkling and puts a hand on his shoulder, telling him that even if they die, she is glad she got to know him a little. 'My big little brother. Dad would have been so proud of you' she tells him. Hulkling suddenly smiles as he tells Phyla that he thinks he knows what to do.
(Some months ago)The imperial quarters aboard the Kree/Skrull Alliance Flagship. Teddy yawns as he wakes up, stretching his arms, while Billy lies huddled next to him, the blankets wrapped up around him as he utters 'Okay, lessee, Mister Gtarleton...the peplum feels right, and on top...mebbe a fascinator?' 'Oh gosh!' Teddy exclaims, before telling Billy to wake up, as today is the big day. 'Uh-oh. Bad luck for the bride to see the groom' Billy replies as he wakes, and turns to Teddy. 'There's no bride, handsome' Teddy points out. 'Oh my god, see? Already a disaster!' Billy replies. Teddy sits up on the edge of the bed, and Billy sits up, stretching his arms, when fireworks suddenly light up the space outside their quarters. 'Explosions?' Billy asks. 'Fireworks. For the new Ktee/Skrull calendar. Today marks the first day of the alliance' Teddy replies as he looks at the rings sitting on a table next to the bed. Billy goes over and wraps his arms around Teddy, pointing out that it is super easy to remember their anniversary.
'Listen, I...wanna tell you something...' Teddy begins, as he reminds Billy that once, the human Rick Jones stumbled on the lost Nega-Bands, gauntlets that could summon his father, the Kree warrior Captain Marvel, and they took turns saving countless lives across countless worlds – until his dad got sick and died, then the Kree Supreme Intelligence defiled his grave, stole the bands, and turned their memory into a nightmare. 'But that's not their only history' Teddy reveals. He explains that the original power bands of Rinn were symbols of union – of a profound bond of love. So, when their astronauts found the metled slag of the Nega-Bomb – the depleted ore of his father's bracelets, he asked Asgard to recast them for Asgardian, the hero of the Siege – and now, as he holds out two golden rings, he reveals that these are what is left of Captain Marvel's legacy. 'All I have of him' he utters.
More fireworks continue to light up the space outside, and Teddy tells Billy that he knows he has asked so much, taken him so far from home, among strangers and amid endless war. 'But I wanted to ask again...Billy Kaplan, will you marry me?' Teddy asks, dropping to his knees. Billy pauses, before informing Teddy that his people have a story, too – an ancient song, a promise that they make. “I am my beloved's...and my beloved is mine”. Billy utters as he and Teddy kiss, and Teddy places the ring on Billy's finger.
(Present day)The Supreme Intelligence's image returns to the monitor in the chamber on Hala. 'All collapsed! All dead! All alone forever!' he cries out. 'No, you're wrong!' Hulkling replies as he looks up at the deadly enemy.
'You have bound yourself to a world of weakness, Demiurge!' Dormammu tells Wiccan on Skrullos. 'Man, you gnarly demon types just never get it...' Wiccan starts to reply.
'...we're never alone. That's the deal. Forever' Hulkling declares, raising a fist into the air, his wedding band glows with energy.
Wiccan does the same, and his wedding band glows, too, as he thanks Dormammu for reminding him what he is fighting against, and what he is fighting for. 'Hey, wanna see a neat trick?' Wiccan asks.
Suddenly, on Hala, Hulkling is gone, and Wiccan stands in his husband's place. 'Herc, at the end, I just wanna say...you were really hot' Marvel Boy utters as he and Hercules embrace. 'Aye. Thee as well' Hercules replies. 'Hey, guys!' Wiccan calls out. 'Billy...?' Marvel Boy asks upon seeing his fellow Young Avener. 'Our father's bands...' Phyla utters.
'What is...?' Dormammu asks as he suddenly finds himself holding someone else instead of Wiccan. 'Hi! I'm Hulkling!' Hulkling smiles.
'We have a situation' Phyla tells Wiccan, who hovers in the air and begins casting magical energies towards the Supreme Intelligence. 'I know. Spooky action. Never mind. An extinction-level explosion' Wiccan replies.
'This is my sword. It disrupts magic!' Hulkling reveals as he raises his sword.
Magical energies extend from Hala into space, as Wiccan explains that this extinction-level explosion sounds to him like a lot of power that just needs a target.
'What are you made of again?' Hulkling smirks as he asks Dormammu. Hulkling then plunges the sword into Dormammu's chest, energy errupting around them both.
At the same time, on Hala, Wiccan directs his magical energy into space, and destroys the approaching army in spectacular display.
(Some months ago)'That was... wow' Teddy utters. 'Yeah. Also wow' Billy agrees, as they stop kissing. Suddenly, they turn to see someone drop down from above. 'Um, is it possible you left something else out?' Billy asks. 'Like how a metal boy showed up the other night and asked me to help save the world? Maybe' Hulkling replies. 'Maybe me too' Billy adds. 'Not a “metal boy” - IRON LAD – flung back from a distant future to set right the mistakes of the past!' the new arrival explains. 'Whoa. Like Scott Bakula' Billy utters. 'I think so' Teddy agrees, looking at Billy. 'Heck yeah...' Billy remarks, looking back at Teddy. '... let's go save the world'.
(Present day)The fight continues, as Wiccan and Hulkling, galaxies apart, fight together.


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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

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Destiny Falls
Operation "Peanut Dumpling", a Black-Ops team of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents sent to seek out and destroy some enemy technology, is underway.  The stealthy squad makes their way through the dense foliage until they come across a fortified bunker.
Team leader, Joaquin Pennysworth, tells them to quiet down. He takes cover behind a tree and signals Stevens to get up there with the security scanner. Stevens rushes forward and runs a check on the remote station standing not far away. The results come back with the scanner reading multiple security signals, infrared...laser array...motion sensors.
Pennysworth cuts him off convinced they found it. He checks to make sure everyone has their whistles ready as neural immunization can only go so far being this close to the source.  He starts to go over the initial plan, but then one of his team is taken out in a blaze of gunfire.
Pennysworth orders his men to take defensive positions. Another trooper is blown away and Pennysworth returns fire. Men in serpent uniforms come busting out of hollowed out tree trunks, surprising the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and putting them at a severe disadvantage. Thompson is quickly killed leaving only Pennysworth.  He takes a shot to the front of his helmet and falls. The Serpent soldiers check the bodies and realize Pennysworth is the only one still alive. One of them suggests taking him to the Supreme Serpent to see what he wants to do with him.
Three Weeks Later
Grand Coulee Hydroelectric Power Station, Washington State
Nighthawk delivers a high-flying kick sending one of the Brothers Grimm smashing to the floor of the plant. Nighthawk tells him to give it up, but Grimes, a bit groggy, tells the Initiative soldier they still have a job to do.  He charges toward Nighthawk, calling him “some two-bit cape." Nighty delivers an uppercut to the chin and Percy Grimes goes down. Nighthawk tells Grimes he's far from A-List.
Nighthawk turns around and finds Gargoyle standing over the other Brothers Grimm. Gargoyle admits the bad guys weren't that good in close quarter’s combat and then points to the explosive device the Grimms planted, which they were able to prevent from detonating along with the others.
Nighthawk suggests they call in the cleanup crew and get them sent back to the Raft. Gargoyle remarks how it felt a bit like the old days. Nighthawk asks what he means by that. Gargoyle explains he's been thinking about moving back to Christiansboro. He's doesn't feel he fits in with this "new world" and isn't a big fan of Henry Gyrich either.
Nighthawk tells him to forget about Gyrich, that he has a meeting with Stark that will get them both transferred out of Camp Hammond personally. Gargoyle doesn’t understand what he means. Nighthawk cautions him against doing anything rash just yet, that he has it all worked out.
S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier, 2.7 miles above New York
Tony and Kyle are in the midst of a meeting in one of the office rooms, Tony congratulating Kyle for another job well done. Tony adds that the Rangers found a new Gypsy Moth trying to blow up a genetic research facility outside Houston and confides it might be part of a series of coordinated attacks. He then digresses and gets to the reason why he called the meeting.
Tony brings up Kyle's petition to restart the Defenders as part of the 50-state initiative. Tony explains the Defenders were always part of the plan; he just needed more time to get it together. He tells Kyle the time has finally come, though questions why he’s wearing a business suit as opposed to the Nighthawk costume.
Kyle goes on the defensive, saying he knows Tony might have a problem with him since he started off siding with the Resistance. Tony tells him it's all water under the bridge and asks if he's ready to meet the new team. Kyle, with slide show clicker in-hand, is shocked to hear the team's already picked. Up on the screen he has a presentation ready to display some of the members he's been grooming for this assignment (Devil Slayer, Gargoyle and Hellcat specifically).
Stark points out that past Defenders lineups have never worked out, or at least for any long period of time. He tells Kyle there's a formula for making a successful team and assures him he has the experience and know-how to do it.
Tony gets up from his seat and tells Kyle to follow him. Kyle argues he has the experience to know what's going go work and if he's leading the team he should have a say in the matter. Stark doesn't argue, but explains Kyle’s history is why he was picked to lead the team. Stark assures Kyle he won't be disappointed with his teammates. Kyle continues his argument, but as they near the security doors Tony tells him to hold that thought and say hello to the New Jersey Defenders. Kyle can only think "...New Jersey?"
The doors slide open to reveal Blazing Skull and Colossus standing at the ready. Stark explains with their proximity to New York City, a proven prime target for superhuman aggressors, they need a powerhouse team in place. He introduces Piotr Rasputin, codenamed Colossus, and Mark Todd, codenamed Blazing Skull.
Blazing Skull asks Stark what kind of superhero he's supposed to be (referring to Nighthawk) not wearing a costume. Nighthawk interrupts to ask why there are only three of them.
Stark puts an armored hand on his shoulder and explains there is a fourth, but she's going to need more convincing. He then tells Kyle that'll be his responsibility. "What?!" Kyle exclaims. Stark just walks away and wishes him luck. Kyle has a sinking feeling he's going to need a lot more than luck.
Kyle turns around and tells his new teammates he's determined to make this work. He begins to explain why he's not in uniform, but decides not to bother them with the details of his meeting gone awry. Instead, Nighthawk tries to start a conversation with the Blazing Skull, but instead receives a heavy dose of attitude from the veteran hero.
Richmond turns his attention to Colossus, mentioning his tenure with the X-Men. Colossus explains the X-Men are no more and that people he trusts advised him this would be a beneficial use of his abilities. Kyle tells him he understands and keys in on the word "trust." He starts to go off on a spiel, but Blazing Skull cuts him off, telling him to put on a uniform before going off on any speeches.
Colossus suggests they wait for the fourth Defender Tony spoke of. Kyle agrees, but silently wonders whom else Tony Stark decided to ram down his throat.
Six Hours Later
Underneath Manhattan
Nighthawk finally locates the fourth Defenders’ recruit, She-Hulk.  He also finds the Scorcher deeply embedded into a granite wall, an obvious consequence of She-Hulk's rage. Sidestepping the flames, Nighthawk follows her as she gathers the Scorcher, who skipped out on bail.
She-Hulk tells Nighthawk she knows who he's been hanging out with and he can forget it if he's there to rope her into one of the Police State actions. Nighthawk brings up her team days with the Avengers and the Fantastic Four trying to convince her it can work. She-Hulk sarcastically asks if he shouldn't be going after her cousin (referring to the Hulk’s Defender days). Kyle tells her she's a much better fit.
She-Hulk lifts Scorcher over her shoulder and tells Nighthawk he can stop with the sales pitch, she needs to get Scorcher in and collect her percentage fee. Kyle blurts out, "Is this about Tony Stark?" She-Hulk asks him rather heatedly to repeat his question.
Nighthawk puts up his hands as if he didn't mean any offense. He alludes to the history the two have shared with the whole lawsuit thing and embarrassingly catches himself as he starts to mention their brief romance. With an angry look in her eyes she shoves Scorcher's limp body into Kyle, knocking him backwards. Kyle makes a mental note of her short fuse.
Nighthawk tries a different approach. He asks She-Hulk what she thinks the odds are that Stark picked her because he knew she wouldn't do it. He confides in She-Hulk that he doesn't think Tony wants the Defenders to work out and just needs a reason to pull the plug... which would be her.
She-Hulk stops dragging Scorcher through the sewage and thinks for a moment. She admits it sounds like the kind of Machiavellian move Tony has been good at lately. Nighthawk is happy she sees it his way and asks her to help prove Stark wrong. She-Hulk tells Nighthawk he really knows how to shovel it, but tells him to keep talking.
Many Years Ago
The Himalayas
A robed person kneels at the feet of the Ancient One to receive the wise man’s decision. The Ancient One tells his follower that after much meditation and consideration he has determined there is nothing he can teach him.
The disciple doesn't understand. His search led him there. He asks does he not have the unique capabilities to take on the mantle of... but the Ancient One cuts him off. There is another, a Westerner... an American, he explains. The Ancient One thinks he may be tempting destiny, but the war for the young man's soul is one he's ready to wage... and must win. One day, the Ancient One continues, that man will wear the Eye of Agamotto.
The Ancient One tells the traveler becoming the Sorcerer Supreme is within him, but also beneath him. He tells him to take heart, that he is young and the answers he seeks will be found, but elsewhere. The man looks up, a scowl on his face, as the Ancient One calls his name, Son of Satan.
Hoboken, New Jersey, Defenders Headquarters
The four Defenders sit around an oval table with a capital 'D' in the center and the outline of New Jersey inside. Nighthawk covers the basics: data systems, the network, computer system access with every Initiative team across the country, the security system, etc.
Blazing Skull remarks how the whole Initiative thing is getting a bit old. Nighthawk ignores the comment and fills them in on the combat simulator next door. Nighthawk says he would like to set up a session to see how they work together, but something’s already come up.
Nighthawk informs them of scattered reports hinting at a resurgence of the Sons of the Serpent with an active cell in New Jersey. Blazing Skull wants to know who these Sons of the Serpent are. She-Hulk describes them as an “extremely xenophobic hate group.”
Kyle agrees with her description and continues with the mission brief only to be cut off by Colossus, who surmises their hatred probably extends towards mutants. Blazing Skull moves forward in his chair and yells, “Hey Russkie! We didn’t get drafted into this outfit so we could debate sociopolitical topics.” Colossus doesn’t take kindly to the term “sociopolitical.” Skull thinks he’s trying to pick a fight and Nighthawk has to yell at them to calm down.
Kyle says they have a location for the Serpents. Colossus asks what they’re waiting for. Nighthawk explains there’s more than meets the eye. There was a S.H.I.E.L.D. interceptor team sent in and they have been missing for almost a month. She-Hulk crosses her arms in frustration. She points out the agents have locator tech built into their uniforms. Nighthawk explains the locator tech isn’t responding to the homing signal.
A S.H.I.E.L.D. transmission comes in with details on the mission in question. Joaquin’s picture displays causing Nighthawk to space out as he realizes now who is involved. She-Hulk holds her head in her hands thinking she made a big mistake joining the Defenders while the Skull takes a more direct approach asking Nighthawk if he’s going to space out every time they have a meeting.
Nighthawk is still deep in thought remembering that last he checked Pennysworth was still in training. He wonders if Stark knew about this and purposely assigned him this task. Skull yells at him again and Nighthawk snaps out of it. He tells them the Serpent activity has been centered in Atlantic City and it’s his hope they capture one of these guys and squeeze them for information on the missing S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, as finding them is their prime objective.
“Alive or Dead...?” Colossus asks. Nighthawk says he refuses to believe that. Colossus points out the locator tech not responding would indicate the worst. Nighthawk tells him they’ll cross that bridge when they come to it. He stalks out of the room leaving the other three to ponder what just happened. Colossus tries apologizing, but Nighthawk tells him to forget about it, there’s a transport warming up out on the tarmac for them.
Transia, Wundagore Mountain
An armored individual rambles on to his test-subject, the enigmatic Krang, about the High Evolutionary and whether or not he would approve of this experiment. Krang tells him to cut the chatter and get on with it. The experimenter doesn’t seem rattled by Krang’s brusque nature and continues to voice his thoughts about the process that will successfully mutate Krang’s Atlantean physiology.
The robotic-looking fellow tells Krang there will be considerable pain. Krang doesn’t care and says as much when he tells the guy to get on with it, “Enough! You have your orders. Do whatever it takes to make me more like... him.”
The man behind the mask acquiesces by pushing a button on the console in front of him. He initiates the molecular genetic splice. Krang’s face contorts into an expression of severe agony. He screams as the pain is nothing he’s ever felt before. It feels good to him, though. It feels right.
Trump Plaza, Imperial Ballroom
A giant, bubbling pool of greenish fluid with ornate snake sculptures protruding from the side sits in the center of the room. Surrounding the pool are over a dozen Sons of the Serpent, some kneeling and some standing, all in meditation. A few armed soldiers enter the room and are taken aback by what they see. One of the Serpents explains the new use of organic weaponry they’re testing. He further adds if it ends up working they’re taking it to Mexico to solve the “immigration nightmare.” The other soldier notices something from above.
The ceiling window smashes as four Defenders come crashing through. Blazing Skull yells, “Defenders defenestrate!” They land and Colossus questions the altar constructed in the center of the room. Blazing Skull says he doesn’t care he has enemies in his sights and he’s “off my meds!” The Defenders charge, She-Hulk cautioning them, as there may be civilians nearby.
Sure enough, the powerhouse team of Defenders sends Serpents crashing through the ballroom walls and into the middle of the casino. Nighthawk tells them to end it quick so no innocents get hurt. Colossus draws gunfire while Blazing Skull sends fire blasts the Serpents way.
Colossus feels the heat from the fire and tells Blazing Skull to tone it down a bit, that they’re on the same team. Skull tells him to quit moaning and that he’ll give him some turtle wax to put on after they’re done.
Nighthawk pounces off the head of one guy, his thoughts turning to worry about the situation getting out of hand. He makes his way toward She-Hulk and asks her for a little propulsion assist. She grabs him and throws him across the room. Nighthawk’s projectile body takes down a bunch of Serpents in his path.
Realizing they’re overmatched one of the soldiers orders a retreat. Nighthawk tells Colossus to keep them from getting away while snagging one himself. He grabs the Serpent by the collar and demands to know where the missing S.H.I.E.L.D. agents are. The Son of the Serpent stammers before telling Nighthawk he doesn’t know. Nighty reels back and clocks him, saying that was the wrong answer.
She-Hulk grabs a hold of Kyle before he can lay into him some more. She reminds her fearless leader they’re the good guys. He tells She-Hulk she doesn’t understand, but she cuts him off and tells him to take a deep breath. She takes a stab at it and asks the Serpent grunt if he wants to make her angry.
The Serpent tells her they need to tend to the altar otherwise they can’t control Quetzalcoatl. Kyle has time enough to wonder what he means by that when Blazing Skull yells out he destroyed the snake altar. She-Hulk says, “Uh-oh” as the whole place starts to rumble. From out of the depths of the pool comes a green, scaly creature of giant proportions.
The Defenders scatter backwards as the monstrosity continues to emerge from its resting place. Blazing Skull is a bit shocked and asks if he’s going to get blamed for it. There’s no time for the blame game as the creature stands fully revealed, a seemingly five-story tall hybrid with large, red wings, a tyrannosaurus rex head, snakelike body and furred legs with taloned feet.
By the shocked expressions on their faces it’s obvious the Defenders are unsure how to approach this. Kyle tells them it’s pretty much safe to say their mission parameters have changed. “Yeah, maybe just a little...” She-Hulk replies.
Gevliscwarz System
Yandroth stands looking out over his empire. He recounts to the floating head, Recorder, how he was brought to this planet as a prisoner and will leave as its conqueror. Where once he was called Yandroth the Foul he is now labeled the Techno-Mage, the Quantum King.
Recorder reiterates that he was sent by the Rigellian ambassadors to record the advancements of Yann’s Scientist Supreme, Christopher Ganyrog. Yandroth tells him he killed his captors and spared Recorder so it could observe what happens next.
Yandroth continues, he sees all points of time simultaneously; the past, present and future are all the same to him. However, he is still obsessed with his longtime enemies, though once he believed he was the cause of their creation he now understands he was part of something much greater, a simple formula of specific entities that, when combined, contains the power to shake the pillars of all reality “—a master of the occult...an expression of pure, brute force...a water elemental...and, most importantly, a strong presence to lead them...”
Yandroth can’t believe with such a rich history the formula had never been fully realized. As he looks over various incarnations of the Defenders displayed before him he comments on how so many iterations never found success. Recorder asks if this information is useful to him. Yandroth agrees that it is.
The Quantum King explains that once Earth’s Defenders, the correct pieces that is, are in place they will be part of a greater destiny yet unrealized. Yandroth believes their destiny can be manipulated to serve him. He continues as he stares up into the violet sky, “In many ways, this has already happened. And I have emerged victorious. In other ways, it is all just beginning...”