Victor Drake didn't know whether to scream, laugh, or curl into a fetal position and pretend the multiverse had the wrong number. New York wasn't just broken anymore—it was breathing. The sky pulsed in shades of bruised purple and arterial red, clouds twisting into shapes that hurt to look at directly. Somewhere in the distance, a billboard flickered between ads for toothpaste and a warning: REALITY UNDER CONSTRUCTION. PROCEED WITH CAUTION.
AETHER's voice cut through the morning haze like a hot knife.
"Congrats, genius. You're officially on the multiverse's radar. Which is bad. Like, 'delete-your-browser-history' bad."
Victor muttered, rubbing sleep from his eyes, "Good. I hate subtlety anyway."
He stood in the Avengers' war room—because of course Tony had a war room—surrounded by holograms that looked like a fever dream coded by a mad scientist. Tony hovered behind a wall of data, muttering equations under his breath. Peter swung from the ceiling like a hyperactive chandelier, occasionally bumping into Victor with a cheerful, "Watch it, newbie—the world wanted to h—"
Victor grabbed Peter mid-swing by the ankle and yanked. Spider-Man yelped, crashing into a pile of tactical gear. "Just make him catch the spider and beat him to a pulp!" Victor snarled.
Peter popped up, mask lenses wide. "Rude!"
Steve Rogers, ever the dad, placed a hand on Victor's shoulder. The grip was gentle but firm—like a warning wrapped in flannel. "You've done well stabilizing fragments, but yesterday was a warm-up. Today, you'll face the real threat."
Hulk growled from the corner, smashing a stress ball that exploded into green confetti. Natasha observed silently, arms crossed, expression unreadable. Victor swore her eyes promised pain.
He raised an eyebrow. "Real threat, huh? Bigger than almost killing myself yesterday?"
"Appetizer," AETHER purred. "Today's the full-course chaos buffet. With a side of existential dread."
Tony waved at the holograms. A massive spike bloomed near Central Park—dark energy swirling like ink in water. "Something's coming through. Preferably alive. Preferably not trying to eat the city."
Victor blinked. "Alive? You think I have a choice?"
Peter chirped, "Kid, two options: die spectacularly or survive spectacularly. Your call."
Victor sighed. "Fantastic. Picked the perfect Monday to become a multiverse magnet."
He shot Peter a glare. "Watch it, Spidey. I know how your fucking story ends. Could end differently in this fucked-up universe."
Tony smirked. "Word of advice, kid: don't cause trouble you can't handle."
Wanda AKA the Scarlet Witch Arrives
The team mobilized. Victor's sneakers pounded pavement as they raced toward Central Park. The air hummed—a melodic, bone-deep vibration that made his teeth ache. Reality tugged at him, like fingers pulling threads from his soul.
Then she stepped through.
Crimson eyes. Hair like living fire. A presence that bent the world around her like light through a prism. Wanda Maximoff. The Scarlet Witch.
Victor froze. Oh great. I've seen the movies. Multiverse of Madness? She's the final boss.
Wanda's gaze locked on him. "You," she said, voice calm but cold as a grave. "You feel… different. Not like the others."
Victor stammered. "Uh… yeah, I feel… differently terrified?"
"Bold," AETHER snickered. "I like it."
Wanda lifted a hand. Red energy swirled—shockwaves distorting streets, lampposts twisting into pretzels. Peter yelped, webbing a tree to avoid being yeeted into orbit. Tony's HUD screamed warnings.
"Kid, stay still!" AETHER warned. "Or she'll rearrange your molecules. Permanently."
Victor froze. "I… can do that? Rearrange molecules?"
"No. She can. You're dinner if you move wrong."
He gulped. Perfect. Reality-bending red tornado focused on me. Just what I needed.
Doctor Strange Intervenes
A portal shimmered open—orange sparks, the scent of ozone and old books. Doctor Strange stepped through, cloak billowing like it had opinions. The Eye of Agamotto glinted.
"Stand back," Strange said calmly, gesturing at Wanda. "She's unstable. You're… an unknown variable. I can't predict what she'll do."
Victor muttered, "Unknown variable. Great. Call me Chaos 2.0."
"Confidence," AETHER purred. "Almost."
Wanda's hands glowed brighter. Streets warped. Spider-Man's webs looped into Möbius strips. Tony muttered, "Kid, your job? Don't die. My job? Keep the city from going full apocalypse."
Victor's inner monologue screamed: Don't die, save the city, survive a reality witch? Totally reasonable.
Victor Attempts Control
He took a deep breath. AETHER's interface bloomed: fragment modules, energy tools, combat guidance.
"Okay," Victor muttered. "Let's… not blow this up."
"Step one: focus. Step two: survive. Step three: don't humiliate me."
He raised his hands. Energy spilled—shaky, but forming a protective sphere. Wanda's shockwave hit. The barrier bounced it, rippling outward. Streets stabilized. A hot dog cart un-exploded.
Peter swung closer, eyes wide. "Vic… that's actually working. Are you a prodigy?"
Victor quipped, "Prodigy? Or incredibly lucky. You decide."
Team Coordination
Steve took lead. "Victor, follow my directions. Tony, focus him. Natasha, flank. Spider-Man, assist. Hulk—don't destroy the park."
Victor swallowed. "Got it. Hopefully."
Tony sighed. "Kid, stabilize. Don't wave hands like a bad magician."
Victor muttered, "Been waving hands for two days. Still alive. Progress."
Fragment Escalates
The fragment pulsed. Shadows spilled—tentacles of darkness, eyes in the void. Reality shivered. Victor focused, AETHER guiding. Energy arcs wrapped the fragment.
Wanda surged. Red energy overwhelmed his barrier. Strange moved—mystic shields, sigils weaving. Victor thought: Why's everyone so competent? I'm the wild card.
"Exactly," AETHER said. "Wild card. Chaos magnet. Probably dinner."
Victor gritted teeth. Pushed harder. The fragment shrieked. He stabilized it—a fraction of a second. Enough for Strange's binding spell. Wanda faltered, energy dissipating.
Peter whistled. "Not bad, newbie."
Victor panted. "Yeah… barely. Points for style?"
"Style counts in chaos management. Don't let Tony hear that."
Post-Battle Reflection
The fragment closed. The city snapped back—buildings un-warped, clouds un-twisted. Victor sank to the grass, exhausted.
Tony muttered, "You survived. Barely. And… helped."
Peter gave a thumbs-up. Steve nodded. Natasha didn't flinch. Hulk grunted. Wanda floated silently, gaze distant. Strange studied Victor like a puzzle.
Victor muttered, "Surviving day three… progress?"
"You keep surviving," AETHER said. "Eventually, you might enjoy it."
Victor groaned. Enjoy it? I stabilized reality, fought a witch, didn't die. How is that enjoyable?
Cliffhanger
The ground shook. A new fragment formed above Brooklyn—massive. Clouds twisted into impossible patterns. Shadows moved within, larger, darker.
Victor muttered, "Of course… someone else. Why always someone else?"
Peter swung above. "Lesson four, newbie: chaos never takes a day off."
"Multiverse is pissed," AETHER whispered. "Buckle up."