The roar of the Chitauri faded behind them as Thor and Alexander stood on the shattered balcony just below Stark Tower's peak. The Tesseract's hum was no longer a background vibration—it had become a deafening, rhythmic pulse that reverberated through their bones. The swirling energy above them painted the sky in hues of blue and violet, casting an unnatural glow across the ruins of the tower.
Inside the penthouse, Loki stood alone before the spinning vortex. The Tesseract floated above its containment chamber, beams of light drawn into the portal like threads pulled into a cosmic loom. Loki's back was to them, arms outstretched as if welcoming what came through.
"You're too late," he said, his voice carrying despite the howling winds. "The door is open."
Thor stepped forward, each stride cracking the debris underfoot. Mjolnir crackled with arcs of lightning that danced along his arm. "Then we'll close it," he declared, his voice filled with thunder.
Loki turned slowly, the smirk on his face gleaming like polished steel. "Brother," he said mockingly. "And the shadow who walks like a man. I must admit, I didn't expect you to survive this long."
Alexander's response was silence. The shadows at his feet rippled outward, spreading like dark ink. His blade pulsed with void energy, and his eyes never left Loki's.
Without warning, Loki raised his scepter and fired. A searing beam of blue light erupted from the weapon.
Thor lunged forward, swinging Mjolnir. The energy splashed off the enchanted hammer in a radiant shockwave that rocked the tower. At the same time, Alexander blurred into shadow and reappeared behind Loki, blade already mid-swing.
Loki twisted, parrying the blow with the shaft of his scepter. Sparks flew. The force of their clash cracked the marble floor beneath their feet. Thor charged in, bringing Mjolnir down in an overhead arc.
Loki ducked, rolling to the side and summoning a wave of illusion. The room split into multiple images—reflections of Loki moving in every direction, each one identical, each one sneering.
"Why do you fight so hard?" Loki's voice echoed from every corner. "You think this world deserves your protection? You think they'll remember you?"
Alexander swept his blade wide, slicing through two of the illusions, which dissolved into mist. "I don't need their memory. I just need your end."
The battle surged. Thor hurled Mjolnir, which passed through three Loki clones before smashing into the real one. Loki skidded across the floor, crashing into a support beam with a grunt.
But he recovered quickly, launching into the air with a spin, firing three bolts in rapid succession. One hit Thor square in the chest, sending him flying through a column. Another grazed Alexander's shoulder, searing through his shadow armor.
Alexander gritted his teeth, reforming his armor as he slid across the floor. Then, he moved.
He extended both hands. Shadows exploded from beneath his feet, engulfing the room. The illusions shattered. The air turned dark, thick like tar. Loki cried out as tendrils of shadow wrapped around his arms and legs, slamming him down with thunderous force.
Thor emerged from the rubble, chest heaving. He nodded once to Alexander. "I'll hold him. Go."
Alexander sprinted toward the open balcony. The portal crackled louder than ever before. The wind tried to throw him back, but his shadow armor clung tight. He leapt through broken glass, landing on a suspended walkway that trembled under the pull of the rift.
Far above, Iron Man ascended rapidly, HUD filled with readings from the Tesseract.
"JARVIS… tell me that's not what I think it is."
"I'm afraid it is, sir. A secondary energy fluctuation. Origin unknown."
Tony's eyes narrowed. "We've got a second portal?"
"Not yet, but the signature is destabilizing. If it opens, it may not be controlled."
Tony banked toward the portal. "Tell Rogers we need a backup plan."
Meanwhile, Alexander reached the edge of the swirling vortex. The energy roared around him, distorting time and sound. He gripped his blade tight, his body resisting the pull.
Inside the portal, something shifted.
A shape.
Vast. Metallic. Alive.
Alexander's eyes widened.
A massive figure hovered beyond the rift. Not Chitauri. Not of Earth. It wore golden armor. Its eyes glowed with violet light.
And it looked straight at him.
The being raised one hand.
The portal surged.
End of Chapter 76
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