“You’re sure this is the place…” Dan squinted at the fortified structure, hidden in the depths of the city. Venom had led him to this place with the promise it held the remnants of this world's government.
“We have entered their systems, they can hide nothing from us,” Venom snarled. “They are huddled within, afraid that we might discover them.”
Dan sighed. He was never one for politics, yet now he had to negotiate with a world. He clicked his tongue and shook his head. These people had invaded the Earth without concern, so he wouldn’t give them the luxury of a choice.
“Send out all the clones you can,” Dan let Venom’s copies drop like rain. He would enforce a hundred Earth year sentence on these people. “Seize control of the population, they can help Earth advance themselves and speed along my quest.”
For the next hour, Dan cut a meandered path through the skies, a constant rain of symbiotes that soon outnumbered the dominant species. Satisfied, he set course for the ruined military base where he’d left Mark. The boy should be done his trip down memory lane, and Venom had digested enough technology to open a portal back.
[Congratulations! You have fulfilled the needed requirements to complete your quest! Combined with the technology you have provided to the Earth, the support of an advanced civilization has guaranteed the enlightenment of Human society! You have been awarded : Two Universal Portal Devices and one True Seed of Yggdrasil.]
Dan raised an eyebrow. No summon this time, but the seed of a world tree was decent. It would thrive on Sekot’s surface and who knew what benefits it could grant in the future. With the completion of his quest, he really had no need to remain in this universe. The problem of Thragg could be dealt with when Krypton began its true advance into this place.
The landscape blurred below, until he came upon Mark, seated with his head in his hands. The boy was lost, in mind and spirit. Dan had given him enough information to change anyone’s opinion of Nolan, but the bonds of blood ran deep.
“Ready to go, kid?” Dan settled beside Mark and patted the young man’s shoulder. The suppressed memories from Omniman still gave him a sense of connection with the boy. “We don’t want to worry your mom, and everything is done here.”
Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
“Who are you?” Mark turned a despondent face to meet Dan, a tangle of emotions in his eyes. “I saw less of your life, than of my dads…” The young man shuddered at the mention of Nolan’s shaded past. “Are you really from a different reality?”
“I am, but I’m also someone who grew up on a different Earth,” Dan pulled Mark to his feet and into the sky. “That’s why I wanted to help when I found a version of my old home.”
“Your Earth didn’t have Superheroes…” Mark followed Dan out of the ruined base and into the air above an untouch stretch of wildlands. A dark shadow passed over his face. “What will happen if the other Viltrumites come to find my dad? What about Thragg?”
“Your dad wont wake up unless Venom allows it,” Dan waved his hand and a portal opened in the sky ahead. “As for Thragg… we’ll talk about it when we’re back, that way we can fill Cecil and the others in at the same time.”
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“This is impossible…” Count Dooku leapt backward as the force warned of an incoming attack. The girl who floated above had summoned a wellspring of power, enough to split the reinforced structure of the hanger. The rest of his words died in his throat as a rush of foliage erupted from the floor.
Fronds extended like grasping hands, a mighty tree reached for Dooku from all directions. Lightning fell from his hands, a cascade the leaves drank like water. His lightsaber was more effective, a whirlwind of red that held firm against the super dense wood.
More and more branches joined the assault, until finally one slipped through. It snaked out and seized his wrist, stronger than steel. With his sabre restricted, even for a moment, Dooku was enveloped by a press of green.
‘I would like to meet this girl's master…’ a final thought, before a dozen wooden fists found his skull.
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“What happened here…” Padme’s speeder pulled up to the Palace she called home. Shattered droids covered the lawn, with Anakin engaged in the destruction of yet more as they poured from the central entrance. “Where did that tree come from?”
The greatest change to the vista was a mighty red wooded tree, extended from the shattered left half of the palace like a dream. May floated at the plant’s summit, wreathed in green like a nature goddess.
“That tree was created from the living force…” Master Qui-Gon rubbed his beard, a hint of amazement in his tone. “Our friend May isn’t as simple as she first appeared.”
“I’ll say…” Obiwan tilted his head back to take in the full height of the massive plant. “I don’t think even Master Yoda could do something like this.”
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May floated above her creation, mind exhausted from the strain of the spell. If that didn’t convince the old man to come to the table, she didn’t know what would. Now all that was left to do on her end was draw Qui-Gon Jinn into a visit with Merlyn. Dooku would remain in the heart of the tree, in stasis until she returned to dig him out.
“The last act goes to Ultron…” May turned her gaze to the sky above. The A.I. would soon engage the blockade and bring an end to the troubles of Naboo. “I just hope Dan gets home safe…”
She had thrown herself into distraction, focused on the plan to avoid her worries. Now that the tension had wound down, her mind returned to her lost Husband.
“Keep it together!” May smacked herself on the cheeks and gave her head a shake. “Merlyn was right, he’s still alive, and he’ll come back to us!”