Zane hit the ground, the soft earth cushioning his fall with a damp thud. His suit sparked, the disc on his chest glowing a faint, erratic blue that pulsed like a failing heartbeat. The air hummed with life—trees towering overhead, their leaves pulsing with a faint blue glow that cast eerie shadows across the forest floor. His HUD flickered, stabilizing after the spire's explosion. Location: Unknown. Atmospheric readings: Stable but anomalous. Energy signature detected: Variable. The data scrolled, a lifeline in the chaos.
Where am I now? Zane thought, pushing himself up with a groan. His knees ached, the suit's servos whining under the strain. The cloaked figure that had watched him moments ago was gone, vanished into the glowing thicket. His comms crackled, and Shuri's voice broke through, sharp with relief. "Zane! You're back online. What happened? That spire's energy spike nearly fried my systems."
"No idea," he muttered, brushing dirt from his gloves. The forest smelled of damp moss and something metallic, a scent that clung to his throat. "Spire blew up. Landed here. Got company." His eyes darted to the trees, where shadows twisted like living things. The disc pulsed again, hot against his chest. Stability at 38%. The number gnawed at him, a countdown he couldn't stop.
"Company?" Shuri's tone sharpened, her Wakandan accent cutting through the static. "Details, Vance. I can't help if I'm blind. Give me visuals if you can."
"Working on it," he said, tapping his HUD. A shaky feed streamed to her, showing the glowing trees and the shifting shadows. "Some cloaked figure. And…" He paused, his breath catching as a shape emerged—humanoid, but wrong. Its skin shimmered like liquid mercury, its eyes hollow pits that swallowed the light. "Something not friendly."
The creature lunged, silent and fast, its claws slashing the air. Zane rolled, the damp earth clinging to his suit as he fired a repulsor blast. The shot missed, scorching a tree trunk and sending a shower of glowing leaves to the ground. The thing didn't flinch. It swung again, its clawed hand grazing his suit's arm. Sparks flew, and his HUD flashed: Armor integrity at 85%. The impact jolted his shoulder, a dull ache spreading through his frame.
"Shuri, I need options!" Zane shouted, dodging another strike. The creature's movements were fluid, almost graceful, but its intent was a cold, predatory hunger. He ducked behind a tree, its bark rough against his back.
"Analyze its pattern," Shuri said, her voice steady despite the distance. "Your suit's got adaptive tech. Use it. I'm running diagnostics now—give me a second."
Zane gritted his teeth, peering around the trunk. His HUD scanned, data streaming in green lines. Target: Non-organic. Adaptive alloy composition. Weakness: High-frequency vibration. He grinned, a flicker of hope cutting through the panic. "Got it."
He adjusted the repulsors, dialing up the frequency with a flick of his wrist. The next blast hit the creature square in the chest, its form shuddering as cracks spiderwebbed across its skin. It shrieked, a sound like tearing metal, and collapsed into a puddle of molten slag. Zane exhaled, his heart pounding against his ribs. "One down. But there's more."
"Good," Shuri said, her voice tight. "But that disc's readings are spiking. You're pushing it too hard—stabilize it or it'll burn out."
"Tell me something I don't know," he shot back, scanning the trees. More shapes moved, their hollow eyes glinting like stars in the dark. The disc flared again, its heat searing through his suit. Stability at 36%. He wiped sweat from his brow, the HUD's glow casting harsh shadows on his face.
A rustle broke his focus. The cloaked figure reappeared, stepping into the clearing. The hood fell back, revealing a woman—sharp features, green eyes glowing faintly, her presence commanding. "You're persistent," she said, her voice echoing with an otherworldly resonance. "But that device will kill you if you keep this up."
"And you care why?" Zane snapped, his repulsors humming as he faced her. The creatures circled, their movements synchronized with her gaze. "Who are you?"
"I need it," she said, stepping closer, her boots silent on the earth. "Stark's work belongs with me. You're just a child playing hero, stumbling through rifts you don't understand."
Zane's fists clenched, the memory of Tony's sacrifice flashing in his mind. "He gave his life for this," he said, his voice low and raw. "I'm not handing it over to some stranger."
Her lips curled into a cold smile. "Then you'll die with it." She raised a hand, runes flaring on her armor, and the creatures surged forward. Zane fired, blasting two back with a double shot. His suit shuddered, the disc screaming in protest. He dodged, rolling toward a fallen log, the damp wood splintering under his weight.
The woman shouted a command, her voice a whip crack. The ground trembled, roots erupting from the earth to trap him. He slashed with a repulsor, the beam cutting through the tendrils, and leaped toward the rift that shimmered behind her. The disc flared, its pull dragging him forward. Her eyes—cold, furious—locked on him as the world dissolved into light.
Zane landed hard, the ground cold and rocky beneath him. The rift closed with a hiss, its echo fading into silence. His suit sparked, the disc dimming to a faint glow. Stability at 30%. His HUD scanned the new surroundings: Atmospheric composition: 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen. Location: Earth-like. The air carried a faint tang of rust, unfamiliar yet grounding.
"Earth?" he muttered, pushing himself up. His leg throbbed, the suit's repair systems whirring softly. A city loomed ahead, its skyline a warped mirror of New York—towers twisted, glowing red like wounds in the sky. His comms crackled. "Zane!" Shuri's voice was clear, tinged with urgency. "You're back. Readings show Earth, but… altered. Temporal drift detected."
"Altered how?" he asked, his eyes narrowing as figures moved in the distance—armored, menacing. The disc pulsed, a reminder of its fragility. Stability at 29%.
"Alternate reality," she said. "The disc's pulling you through dimensions. But it's breaking down—fast. You've got maybe a dozen jumps left."
Zane's stomach sank. The disc buzzed, and that voice returned, softer, almost weary. "You're on the right path, kid. Keep fighting."
"Fighting what?" he whispered, as the armored figures turned toward him, their weapons raising with a sinister hum. The city's red glow deepened, casting long shadows across the rocky ground. He squared his shoulders, repulsors glowing faintly. Not done yet, he thought, his resolve hardening as the first shot echoed through the air.