ROAR!
A thunderous bellow split the air as a pure white spatial vortex materialized overhead. From within this swirling portal, a massive green figure emerged, limbs flailing as he plummeted toward the ground.
BOOM!
The Hulk crashed into the desert floor with earth-shattering force, sending plumes of dark yellow sand billowing into the air. His enormous body sank deep into the shifting terrain, momentarily submerged beneath the golden grains.
As the dust settled, the Hulk raised his head, confusion evident in his emerald eyes. He surveyed his surroundings with growing bewilderment. Golden desert stretched in every direction, an endless sea of sand beneath a mercilessly bright sun. The only sound was the hushed whisper of wind sliding over the dunes.
After a moment of disoriented silence, the Hulk tensed his powerful legs and propelled himself upward. He leaped several meters into the air, arms windmilling to control his descent. This time, employing what might have been either instinct or rudimentary tactical thinking, he landed more carefully, his massive feet making solid contact with the desert floor without sinking too deeply.
"HULK!" he bellowed, his voice echoing across the empty wasteland. "ANYONE HEAR HULK?"
His call received no answer. The desert remained still and indifferent to his presence, its golden expanse unchanged and unyielding.
Disappointment crossed the Hulk's craggy features. Without companions or enemies, without direction or purpose, he stood momentarily uncertain—a rare state for the creature of pure rage.
Then, as if responding to some internal compass, the Hulk began to move. His massive legs carried him forward in long, purposeful strides across the barren landscape, heading toward the blazing sun on the horizon.
The desert heat—intense enough to kill an ordinary human within hours—seemed to have no effect on the gamma-irradiated behemoth. No sweat appeared on his green skin, no signs of discomfort or fatigue slowed his relentless pace. Each powerful leap carried him dozens of meters, his shadow briefly flickering over the golden dunes before he landed again with thunderous impact.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
His footfalls created a rhythmic percussion that gradually faded as he disappeared into the shimmering distance.
No one.
Nothing.
Still nothing.
Time lost meaning as the Hulk continued his journey. After what might have been hours or perhaps days in this unchanging landscape, the rage that fueled his transformation began to wane. It was a dangerous prospect—should the anger dissipate completely, Bruce Banner would return, vulnerable and human in this hostile environment.
Yet the Hulk pressed on, each massive step carrying him further eastward.
And then suddenly—
BZZZZT!
The air around him rippled and distorted. In an instant, the golden desert vanished, replaced by a barren wasteland of jagged rock formations and hardened earth. Unlike the previous environment, this terrain was desolate but solid—a place of stone rather than sand.
But it wasn't the changed landscape that captured the Hulk's attention.
Before him, a battle raged between two Masters of Kamar-Taj and a towering earth elemental—a giant formed entirely of stone and soil that stood nearly six meters tall.
"The Crimson Bands of Cyttorak!" shouted one sorcerer, his sling ring glowing as he traced intricate patterns in the air.
"Blade of the Infinite Shadows!" called the other, summoning a weapon of concentrated magical energy.
"Storm Fist of the Seven Winds!" they incanted together, combining their efforts.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Their spells struck the stone giant with impressive force. Glowing red restraints wrapped around its limbs while gray blades of magical energy sliced through its torso. A swirling cyan vortex in the shape of a fist pummeled its chest, sending chunks of rock and earth cascading to the ground.
Yet the sorcerers' expressions revealed no satisfaction in their assault. The debris that fell from the elemental's body seemed drawn back to it by some unseen force, reintegrating into its form almost as quickly as it was dislodged. Their attacks caused damage, but the creature's regenerative abilities rendered their efforts almost meaningless.
ROAR!
The earth elemental bellowed in apparent pain, despite its quick healing. Enraged, it raised a massive fist the size of a small car and swung it toward the sorcerers with devastating force.
BOOM!
Its hand slammed into the ground with such impact that the resulting cloud of dust temporarily obscured the battlefield. The giant peered through the settling debris at the massive impression its fist had left in the rock—a crater nearly three meters wide.
A look of primitive satisfaction crossed its craggy features as it searched for signs of the crushed sorcerers.
But as the dust cleared completely, the crater stood empty—no blood, no bodies, no evidence of successful contact.
ROAR!
The elemental roared in frustration, its simple mind unable to comprehend how its prey had escaped.
In that moment of confusion, something began to materialize behind the stone giant. Tendrils of gray mist coalesced into ghostly tentacles that reached silently toward the creature's exposed back. The elemental, focused on locating the vanished sorcerers, remained oblivious to this new threat approaching from behind.
The misty appendages had nearly reached the giant when a new figure entered the fray.
The Hulk emerged from the periphery, his green skin standing in stark contrast to the muted browns and grays of the rocky wasteland. His sudden appearance startled the elemental, which quickly lumbered sideways to create distance between itself and this new potential threat. The movement inadvertently exposed the positions of the two concealed sorcerers who had been attempting to flank it.
A tense standoff ensued.
The earth elemental, towering over both the Hulk and the sorcerers, assessed the green creature warily. Though smaller than itself, the Hulk exuded an aura of danger that gave even the primitive stone being pause.
The Masters of Kamar-Taj, upon recognizing the Hulk—the being who had killed their commander Ian—gripped their sling rings tightly. Magic began to swirl around their fingers as they prepared offensive spells, the power manifesting as faint crimson flames at their fingertips.
The Hulk, sensing hostility from both parties, narrowed his eyes but did not immediately attack. Three-way suspicion hung heavy in the air as each waited for the others to make the first move.
ROAR!
Patience, however, had never been the Hulk's virtue.
With a deafening bellow that shook loose stones from nearby outcroppings, the Hulk charged directly at the earth elemental. His massive green fists clenched as he barreled toward the stone giant with unstoppable momentum.
The Hulk swung his arm in a devastating arc, connecting with the elemental's thigh with such force that the impact created a miniature shockwave.
BOOM!
The stone leg shattered instantaneously. Rock fragments exploded outward as the Hulk's fist passed completely through the limb, pulverizing rather than merely breaking it. The six-meter giant toppled awkwardly, crashing to the ground with a thunderous impact that the sorcerers felt through their boots.
Without hesitation, the Hulk leapt onto the fallen elemental's chest, his weight further compressing the creature's earthen body. As the giant's massive arms began to rise in desperate defense, the Hulk launched into a barrage of punches directed at its head.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Each blow landed with precision and horrifying strength. The elemental's stone face cracked and splintered beneath the relentless assault, its attempts to regenerate overwhelmed by the sheer speed and power of the Hulk's attacks. Within seconds, what had been a head was reduced to rubble, and the magical animating force that had given the earth construct life dissipated.
The Hulk stood atop his vanquished opponent, an expression of fierce satisfaction spreading across his face. He looked down at the destroyed elemental with undisguised contempt.
"PUNY ROCK MAN," he grunted, spitting on the motionless remains.
The Masters of Kamar-Taj watched in stunned silence. The earth elemental that had withstood their combined magical assaults for what felt like an eternity had been destroyed by the Hulk in mere seconds. Their shock quickly gave way to a grudging respect tinged with fear.
Upon reflection, they realized they shouldn't have been surprised. After all, dozens of their fellow sorcerers had attempted to subdue or kill the Hulk in the battle on Earth, and all had failed spectacularly, barely managing to inflict significant damage despite their numerical advantage.
The Hulk turned his attention to the two wary sorcerers, eyeing them briefly. Rather than attacking, however, he simply dismissed them with a grunt and took off running again, continuing eastward.
Don't kill anyone! Don't kill anyone!
Within the recesses of the Hulk's consciousness, Bruce Banner's voice echoed persistently, a quiet influence on the green goliath's actions. Despite his rage, despite what these sorcerers had done to him, Banner's moral compass remained a faint but present guide.
The sorcerers exhaled in collective relief as the Hulk departed. They exchanged uncertain glances, their training urging them to pursue the being that had killed their commander, while their survival instincts warned against confronting such raw power.
After a moment's hesitation, they made their decision. Looking at the devastation the Hulk had left behind—massive boulders tossed aside like pebbles, deep footprints embedded in stone that should have been unyielding—they cautiously began following his trail.
They weren't powerful enough to defeat him, perhaps not even to slow him down. But they could track him, summon other Masters as they went, and perhaps together find a way to bring justice for Ian.
WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
Unlike the Hulk's ground-shaking sprint, the two sorcerers levitated above the terrain, floating through the air as they followed at a safe distance. They were careful not to approach too closely.
Whenever they ventured too near, the Hulk would turn and roar menacingly, a clear warning to maintain their distance. Yet he never fully drove them away or circled back to attack, apparently considering them too insignificant to be worth the effort.
The group continued this way for some time—the Hulk charging forward with single-minded determination, the sorcerers trailing cautiously behind.
Eventually, they reached another boundary. The barren rock wasteland disappeared abruptly, giving way to a frozen tundra of pristine white snow and jagged ice formations. Howling winds carried crystalline snowflakes through the air, and a bone-deep cold permeated everything.
The Hulk, emerging into this frigid new environment, shuddered involuntarily. Even his gamma-enhanced physiology registered the extreme temperature change, though it posed no real threat to his survival.
ROAR!
Once again, the Hulk bellowed skyward, the sound carrying across the frozen wasteland. This time, his call did not go unanswered.
ROAR! ROAR! ROAR!
Responding bellows echoed from deep within the ice fields, as if his voice had awakened creatures hibernating in the frozen depths.
The Kamar-Taj sorcerers, who had just crossed the environmental barrier themselves, froze at the sound of these answering calls. Immediately alert, they ascended higher into the air, though the increasing altitude brought stronger winds and more intense cold.
WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
They struggled against the elements, their enchanted robes providing some protection, but not enough to completely negate the arctic conditions.
Then—
ROAR! ROAR! ROAR!
Multiple hulking forms emerged from the snow-covered landscape, their white fur making them nearly invisible against the frozen backdrop until they moved. These were not ordinary polar bears or wolves but magical creatures with features that defied conventional zoology—bears with multiple rows of teeth, wolves with crystalline claws, and other beasts that seemed part-animal and part-elemental.
Upon seeing the Hulk, these creatures showed no fear. Rather, they approached with what appeared to be curious excitement, like predators discovering a fascinating new prey.
One bear-like beast, larger than the others, charged directly at the Hulk, massive jaws opening to reveal not just teeth but a gathering ball of freezing energy forming in its throat.
Before the creature could unleash whatever ice-magic it was preparing, the Hulk's fist connected with its skull with devastating precision.
BOOM!
The impact sent the beast reeling, its concentration broken and its magic dispersed. As it stumbled, disoriented, the Hulk followed with another punishing blow that ended its confusion permanently.
Other creatures converged around them, creating a chaotic battlefield of roars, magic, and physical combat. The Hulk, rather than being intimidated by the growing numbers, seemed invigorated by the challenge. He plunged into the fray with abandon, arms swinging in wide arcs that caught multiple opponents with each movement.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
TEAR! TEAR!
CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!
From their elevated vantage point, the Kamar-Taj sorcerers witnessed a scene of primal brutality. White fur became stained crimson as the Hulk tore through his opponents with methodical efficiency. Limbs were separated from bodies, skulls were crushed, and magical attacks dissipated harmlessly against the Hulk's resistant skin.
One of the younger sorcerers swallowed hard, his face pale beneath his hood. What he had initially perceived as mere violence from the Hulk now revealed itself as something far more terrifying—calculated savagery combined with near-invulnerability.
"Perhaps," he whispered to his companion, "we should maintain a greater distance."
His fellow Master nodded silently, and they drifted further back in the sky.
The Hulk, having dispatched the last of the ice creatures, resumed his eastward journey without acknowledging the sorcerers. Blood—not his own—dripped from his massive fists as he bounded across the frozen landscape.
As their journey continued, the following of Masters from Kamar-Taj gradually increased. Each new environment they passed through yielded additional sorcerers who joined the procession, drawn by magical signals from their colleagues. Yet none dared to attack the green behemoth leading their strange parade.
They had all witnessed his power firsthand or heard detailed accounts from those who had. They maintained their distance, observing, assessing, and waiting for a moment of vulnerability that never seemed to come.
WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
The frozen tundra eventually gave way to yet another environment—a world dominated by wind. Enormous tornadoes of varying sizes swept across a barren plain, lifting dust and debris into swirling vortices that reduced visibility to mere meters.
The Hulk pushed forward undeterred, smashing through smaller tornadoes with his bare hands and charging around the larger ones. The sorcerers behind him watched in amazement as he carved a path through what should have been an impassable natural barrier.
Environment after environment fell behind them as the Hulk continued his relentless progress eastward. With each transition, the ambient magical energy grew more potent, the native creatures more numerous and dangerous, and the challenges more complex.
Yet casualties among the following sorcerers remained surprisingly low. The Hulk, whether intentionally or not, had established a relatively safe path through each zone—a wake of destruction that paradoxically created a corridor of reduced danger for those who followed him.
As they progressed, the Hulk's excitement visibly grew. His pace quickened, his leaps became longer, and his roars more frequent. Something within him sensed they were drawing near to a significant discovery. The sorcerers, observing this behavioral change, exchanged concerned glances but continued their pursuit.
Finally, after crossing countless environmental boundaries, the Hulk leaped through one final transition and landed on a surface unlike any they had encountered before.
BOOM!
His massive feet connected with ground that appeared to be made of pure jade—a smooth, translucent green surface that extended in all directions. The impact created a sound that resonated differently than his previous landings, a deeper, almost melodic tone that suggested the material was not merely stone but something more fundamentally elemental.
The Hulk raised his gaze skyward, and his expression changed to one of awe—perhaps the first time such an emotion had crossed his features during their entire journey.
Floating high above them, so massive that its full form could not be comprehended in a single glance, was a being of cosmic proportions. Its humanoid shape, lying horizontal as if in peaceful slumber, stretched across the jade sky like a continent suspended in air. Though its eyes remained closed, there was no mistaking what they had found.
A Celestial embryo.
The ultimate prize of their interdimensional journey lay before them—the nascent form of a cosmic entity of untold power.
And the Hulk was not the only one who had arrived to claim it.