"Yes, I will come with you," Azzuri said, his deep voice calm as he sat on his throne.
Max blinked, more than a little surprised. He had expected a polite refusal when he broached the topic of accompanying him, Firehair and Nur back to Agamotto's home. Instead, the king of Wakanda had agreed almost instantly.
Max and Firehair had taken a detour before returning to Agamotto's mountain sanctuary. Egypt had been their first stop, where they found En Sabah Nur. The young mutant greeted Max warmly, almost with relief, and accepted the offer without hesitation. Nur's people were thriving, his leadership strong, but his restless spirit longed for new battles and growth. The chance to test his power and to learn more of it was too tempting to refuse.
They also attempted to find and recruit Khenmet, but Nur warned them that the Ennead were deep in quarrels, and Khonshu especially would likely bar her from such a venture. With that, Max reluctantly struck her name from the list, marking her as a reserve for the future.
From there, the trio traveled to Wakanda. Azzuri greeted them with open arms, offering warmth and hospitality. Once, the Wakandans had looked at him with suspicion an outsider. Now they bowed, cheered, and respected him; he had, of course, helped their nation and king against the Great Invader, after all.
"Well, I'm surprised, Azzuri. I thought you'd—"
The Panther raised a hand. "You said the world itself is in danger, Lantern. Tell me what kind of king would I be if I did not rise to protect it? Wakanda may not want anything to do with the rest of the world, but it is still of this Earth. If the world falls, so do we." His tone carried quiet amusement.
Firehair's lips curved faintly upward. "A noble and wise leader indeed."
Max chuckled, scratching the back of his neck. "Honestly, I was expecting trouble with Bast."
At the mention of the Panther Goddess, Nur scoffed quietly. His contempt for gods was well known, but he held his tongue out of respect for Azzuri.
Azzuri leaned back in his throne, his golden necklace glinting faintly in the morning light. "The goddess and I… have had our disagreements," he admitted, his tone steady. "I have come to realize that even gods have faults, and I have learned to work around hers. Bast guides Wakanda, but Wakanda bows to its king."
Max grinned. "Well, let's go then."
"Not yet," Azzuri replied with a wry smile. "This is only a meeting of great warriors, yes? I should be able to return by sundown."
Max nodded. "Yes, just a meeting. We're not going to fight some great evil right now."
Azzuri smiled. "Then give me half an hour to prepare."
"Sure thing, Your Majesty," Max said with a half-bow, exaggerated enough to earn himself a raised eyebrow from the Panther.
He turned to Firehair once Azzuri left. "Two out of three's not bad."
"Not bad," she agreed, her voice soft but approving.
Nur crossed his arms, watching the exchange. "You still haven't told us what this threat is."
Max's expression hardened. "It's best explained back at Agamotto's house."
"Does it have to do with the demon?" Nur asked. "The one who took your friends."
"Yes," Max admitted grimly. "That and more."
Nur smirked faintly, his gray features darkening with excitement. "Never fought a demon before. I look forward to it."
When Azzuri returned, he was armored in the full regalia of the Panther, his helm tucked beneath his arm. His mother, two brothers, a sister, his councilors, and the Dora Milaje all stood behind him, their faces tight with disapproval. The Panther's departure left them uneasy, but no one dared to speak against it. The Panther's word was law; his decision, final.
Max created his construct: a gleaming emerald lowrider, roofless, its chrome-like frame glowing faintly green. Azzuri, Firehair, and Nur stepped inside.
Max lifted his hand in farewell, giving the Wakandans below a cheerful wave. The Dora Milaje stood like stone statues, unmoving; Azzuri's family and councilors looked worried. The car hummed, lifted, and then soared skyward, cutting a green trail across the skies as they began their journey toward the Himalayas.
======
The journey reached its final stretch as the mountains of the Himalayas drew closer. Max sat behind the wheel of the emerald lowrider construct, Nur and Azzuri in the back, Firehair riding shotgun all of them mid-conversation. Nur was describing the growing conflict among the Ennead, his tone sharp with disdain, while Azzuri listened intently. Firehair looked back, listening to the tale, fascinated by gods quarreling over mortals.
Jade's voice hummed into Max's mind.
"Max, I've finished the Elders of the Universe project. I've sifted through everything Kree archives, Shi'ar records, and the remains of those lost and dead civilizations we discovered. The results are… compelling."
"Finally. All right, tell me what you've got."
"There are countless references scattered across history, but only two figures appear consistently: the Grandmaster and the Collector.
"In the Kree records, the Grandmaster appears often tales of entire battlefields rewritten for his amusement. The Shi'ar call him 'the Eternal Strategist.' They view him less as evil, more as chaos incarnate. The lost civilizations have their own names for him. Many claim he 'tested' them, forcing contests of survival. His threat level is consistently marked as 'extremely high.'"
"And the Collector?" Max knew all about the Collector but wanted to hear what Jade had to say.
"Even more disturbing. The Kree feared him because entire species whole settlements simply… vanished, taken into his collection. The Shi'ar archives call him 'the Archivist of Ruin.' In the databanks of the lost worlds, he's remembered as a harbinger—a shadow that arrives just before collapse. Again, threat level: extremely high."
"The Kree and Shi'ar alike feared entanglement. Their policy every time, against all Elders has been: avoid at all costs."
"And the others? Anyone even remotely like me?"
That had been the heart of this search all along. Ever since Mimir, Surtur, and even Bor had thrown that word at him Elder it had been gnawing at him. Was he one due to some time-travel shenanigans? Or was there someone else out there with the same kind of power, wielding the emerald spectrum long before he ever crash-landed into this universe?
"Yes. The rest are lesser known, but they do exist in the records. The Champion referenced in passing. A giant who demanded trial by combat. Some accounts claim he destroyed entire fleets single-handedly when denied. The Gardener very little on him, save for Shi'ar logs of 'world-seeding' and 'gardens of impossible beauty.' The Runner almost entirely myth, a golden being who could cross the universe in days. The Judicator Kree records describe him as mediating conflicts among their colonies more than a million years ago. A great peace-bringer.
"Other names appear as well Astronomer, Profiteer, Trader. All warned of, all treated with honor or fear. Some civilizations even worship the Champion outright."
Max frowned. "That's nice, but none of them sound like me."
"…Except one small scrap I was able to retrieve."
Max sat up straighter. "Go on."
"From one of the oldest civilizations we uncovered: the Chalyth Dominion."
Max blinked. "You mean the one we found near that black hole?"
"Yes, the very same. Their ruins date back millions of years. In one of their surviving records, they described uncovering an even older archaeological site remnants of a civilization erased long before them, billions of years old. Within those fragments was mention of an Elder known as the Guardian. The Emerald Guardian."
Max's throat went dry. "…Emerald?"
"Yes. The record claims this Guardian intervened during a great cataclysm shielded them from a 'cosmic predator,' using his great emerald light."
For a moment Max said nothing, his gaze fixed on the mountains ahead.
Finally, he muttered, "…Well, fuck."
So there was indeed an Elder of the Universe who possessed the power of the Green Lantern.
Probably me, if that time-travel theory proves true… Fuck.
"What troubles you, Lantern?" Firehair's voice cut through his panicked thoughts, calm and steady.
Max blinked, realizing he'd been staring off, not responding to Firehair's question. "It's nothing. Just… thinking."
Her eyes lingered on him. "The Phoenix is quite interested in you."
Max looked at her, their eyes meeting. "Really? Does it speak to you?"
"Sometimes," she admitted. "Whispers, suggestions. Most of the time, it is silent. But when it speaks… I listen."
"I've heard the stories the Phoenix Force destroying entire worlds, burning them to ash."
"That is its purpose. Destruction is not the end, it is the beginning. The Phoenix burns away decay, corruption, rot… so that rebirth can follow. That is the truth and its purpose," she said.
"So when it came to you, that's what it wanted? To burn this world to ashes."
"Yes," she said simply. "But I convinced it otherwise."
"I am glad you did," he said. Their eyes locked for a moment longer than either intended before they both turned away.
"Damn, it's cold," Nur muttered, rubbing his arms.
"Don't worry," Max said, pointing forward. "We're here."
Azzuri leaned forward, eyes widening as the mountain sanctuary came into view. "By the goddess… it is beautiful."
Firehair smiled. "It is."
They descended, Max landing the car near the house. As he did so, a sound reverberated through the air an elephant's trumpet. Max's grin widened as he recognized it.
"Was that… an elephant?" Nur asked.
Max shook his head, already hurrying out. "No, no something better."
He found the source of the sound just a few feet away, near the house: a woolly mammoth, towering and majestic, its tusks gleaming ivory white, its fur thick and shaggy. Beside it stood a man of Native American descent shirtless despite the chill, dark hair bound back, a necklace of bones resting against his chest. He turned and smiled as they approached.
"You must be the Grænlaðr," the man said.
Max barely heard him. His eyes were locked on the mammoth, a childlike grin spreading across his face. "Yes, that's me… and you must be Ghost." His grin widened as he pointed. "And that is a mammoth."
The man smiled. "Yes. His name is Tasi. He is gentle."
Max raised both hands. "Can I?"
"Of course. You may approach; he is quite friendly," Ghost said.
Max stepped forward, placing his hand against the mammoth's shaggy flank. The fur was warm, softer than he expected, and the creature gave a low rumble of approval. Max laughed and patted its side with glee.
Firehair stepped up beside him, her gaze bright with wonder. "It is a beautiful animal."
Azzuri and Nur came next, both eyeing the mammoth with awe.
"I have never seen such a beast," Azzuri said reverently.
Nur tilted his head. "A furred elephant… curious."
Ghost gave Max a look. "Odin and the others are inside. They've been waiting for you." His eyes drifted to Firehair, Nur, and Azzuri. "Though… they only told me to expect you."
Max grinned. "Yeah, I'll explain. Come on, let's head inside."
Max led them in, and they stepped into the open courtyard of Agamotto's home. The scent of roasting meat filled the air immediately. Odin was crouched by a large fire pit, a whole deer skewered and turning over the flames. The Asgardian prince looked up, grinning.
"Aha! Grænlaðr, you've returned!" Odin boomed, wiping grease from his fingers. His eyes landed on the newcomers, and a wolfish grin spread across his face. "And not just you. You bring company… and such fair company at that." His gaze lingered a moment on Firehair before Max cut him off.
"Where are Fan and Agamotto?"
Odin jabbed a thumb toward a side chamber. "With our mystery man. The Starbrand."
As if on cue, Agamotto and Fan Fei stepped into the courtyard. "It seems," Agamotto said smoothly, "that we have more guests than expected."
They stood facing one another in a circle:
Max, the Green Lantern
Odin, Prince of Asgard
Agamotto, the Sorcerer Supreme
Fan Fei, the Iron Fist
Firehair, Lady Phoenix
Ghost, rider of Tasi and the Spirit of Vengeance
Azzuri, the Black Panther and King of Wakanda
En Sabah Nur, the young mutant
"All right," Max said, snapping his fingers. A circular emerald construct formed between them, spreading into a wide, round table with chairs. "Let's sit and talk."
They all sat. Max gestured to Agamotto. "Make sure we're all on the same page don't want any language problems," he added, realizing that Nur, Azzuri, and Ghost might have issues.
Agamotto nodded, weaving a spell that shimmered briefly in the air before vanishing. "Done. You will all understand one another clearly."
"Good. So… about that mysterious presence you sensed, Agamotto. I found it." He pointed toward Firehair. "Meet the host of the Phoenix Force."
Agamotto's eyes widened. Odin nearly dropped the spit he was turning.
"Are you—?" Agamotto began.
"I am not a danger to anyone," Firehair interrupted calmly. "My only wish is to protect."
Agamotto exhaled slowly, relief flickering across his features. "Then we are fortunate. Very fortunate. With all else that is coming, it eases my mind to know the Phoenix is not another threat."
"And what is this threat?" Azzuri asked, his deep voice cutting into the silence.
"Weeell…" Max said, drumming his fingers on the glowing table.
=========
Agamotto spoke first. He laid out Mephisto's schemes, the hell-lord's endless attempts to infiltrate Earth, to twist it into his domain and the other interdimensional threats he had fought to hold back, such as Chthon and Dormammu. He explained his plan to construct a barrier to shield the planet, to keep such beings from slipping through.
Firehair followed, revealing that the Phoenix had shown her many threats Earth would face. She spoke of one so great that even the Phoenix would find it too powerful to stop.
Max added what he'd learned about a Kree faction already on the planet, experimenting on humans. "And if Jade's right, they may be preparing to conquer this world outright."
Odin barked in disbelief. "By what in Surtur's deepest pits is Midgard that every evil in the Nine Realms and beyond comes crawling here?"
Max smirked faintly. "It's a special planet, isn't it?"
Agamotto sighed, his expression dark. "I would have preferred it to be the most boring in the universe."
Azzuri shook his head slowly, the weight of it dawning on him. "This is… too much. I did not think—" He faltered, words failing him.
Ghost's voice cut in. "Then what do we do? What can any of us do against all that?"
Fan Fei straightened, her tone sharp as steel. "Is it not why we are here? Why fate has brought us together?"
Nur said nothing, but his eyes slid toward Max waiting, expecting.
Max rose to his feet. His emerald aura flared faintly as he looked at each of them in turn. "Yes. Fan is right. That's why we are assembled here. This world is in danger, and it needs protectors. It needs mighty warriors.. no…" He paused, letting the weight settle. "It needs heroes. And we… we are its mightiest. The world needs us."
Odin stood suddenly, striking his chest. "Aye! I will stand with you, Grænlaðr! Midgard has my protection!"
Firehair rose next, flames glimmering at her shoulders. "And mine as well."
Agamotto inclined his head gravely. "Then let it be so. I welcome the aid."
Fan Fei followed, her fists glowing faintly. "I, too, will fight."
Azzuri pushed back his chair, his kingly bearing unwavering. "A king protects his people. I will join you for Wakanda, for the world."
Ghost rose silently, chains rattling faintly, and gave a firm nod. Nur stepped forward as well, arms crossed, eyes gleaming with anticipation.
Max's voice rang with conviction. "Then we are united. If we can protect the Earth, we will. And if we can't.." he smiled faintly, eyes narrowing, "...then you can be damn sure we'll avenge it. We will be its Avengers."
Nur grinned broadly. "Avengers. Now that is a name far better than the one from before."
"Huzzah!" Odin bellowed, raising Mjolnir high. "I like it! We shall be the Avengers Midgard's mightiest heroes!"
Holy shit. This is awesome, Max thought, internally fanboying at the moment.
He had just assembled the first Avengers.