Tet sat across from an old man who looked strikingly like Stan Lee. This was, in fact, the One Above All. The two stared at each other in silence until the not-Stan Lee finally leaned forward and said, "So, have you thought about it?"
Tet sighed and leaned back in his chair. "I mean, it's been like a day."
"Time's a bit of a factor," Stan said seriously. "The situation has been left to fester too long, and I can't interfere directly. I need this solved before the witch figures out multiversal travel… again."
"I've got some people that can help," Tet replied, tapping his fingers on the armrest. "But the one best suited is still kind of a rookie."
Stan folded his hands. "Well, then just send someone with him."
Tet gave a half-smirk. "Yeah, I only just got the entire band together, but I'll send them your way. You just keep the more powerful entities of your multiverse from noticing their presence for me."
"I can do that," Stan assured him with a nod. "When can I expect your people?"
"Soon. Very soon," Tet answered. "I just need to tell them what's going on. You're only getting half, though— all four would be too much."
Stan chuckled knowingly. "Two of the Four Horsemen is already plenty, especially if it's the two I think you're sending. My worries are over."
"Well, I'm off to make preparations. See you later," Tet said, and in an instant, he teleported back to his realm. Pulling out a cellphone, he muttered, "Hey, Nico, I've got a job for you and War."
Nico's voice came through with curiosity. "Since when did you recruit War?"
"I've been doing a lot of stuff," Tet replied dryly. "Point is, War is ready and eager. Oh, and tell Bill and Summer they've got work too— have them come see me soon." He hung up and immediately began preparations for the next world he intended to acquire.
---
A few days later, Nico stood in the middle of a ruined New York City. The wind howled between collapsed skyscrapers and empty cars lined the streets like tombstones. He let out a low whistle. "Wow… this is bizarre. I've never seen New York this quiet. And I can sense the undead everywhere."
A tall man with slicked-back shoulder-length black hair, a full beard, and piercing brown eyes—dressed sharply in a suit—stepped up beside him. "Why aren't they approaching us, Nico?" John asked, his tone wary.
"It's the sun," Nico explained, scanning the ruined cityscape. "It might not kill them, but it definitely won't feel good. I'd say they're probably nocturnal in nature."
John gave a grim nod. "Well, then that gives us eight hours to find the people we were told to. Let's move."
They moved quickly, eventually finding the downed aircraft Tet had mentioned. John crouched, running his fingers over the dirt. "It's only been here an hour, maybe less. And given the arrows skewered into the ground, I'd say they were chased that way. Let's go."
The two sprinted at supernatural speed, tracking the three survivors.
"So," Nico asked between strides, "how did Tet recruit you?"
John's expression darkened. "He approached me shortly after my wife's death. Told me what I was about to go through, and offered me a place as War. I refused at first, not believing him. But then… I went through everything he showed me. Literally everything. When it was all over, he asked me again to be War. I said yes. All I asked in return was for my wife and my dog to be restored to me, and a peaceful place for us to live. In exchange, I would work as War."
Hours later, they tracked the survivors to a safehouse. John knelt, inspecting fresh tire tracks in the dirt. "They left already, but the tracks are still fresh."
"Catching up won't be a problem," Nico replied with confidence.
"Yeah," John said, standing. "Let's ride."
Both men shifted into their Horsemen forms—John transforming into the mighty, armored War, and Nico into the terrifying visage of Death. They mounted their spectral steeds and thundered forward, following the tracks.
War's voice rumbled as they rode. "Death, how much of this world has already been taken by the dead?"
"Roughly ninety percent," Death answered grimly. "Small pockets of survivors remain, and even that is a miracle. My recommendation? Gather the survivors, help them off-world, then purge this planet before the plague escapes to other worlds."
"Noted," War said, his eyes narrowing. "We'll consider that option later. For now, let's focus on our current task. According to Tet, these girls will lead us to many survivors."
They soon caught up to the survivors' vehicle. War slowed his horse, raising a hand. "Hang back, out of sight. We'll make contact when they stop or get into trouble."
"That could take days," Death muttered.
"You got something better to do?" War shot back.
Death let out a dry chuckle. "I suppose not. So, did Tet explain why he chose you as War?"
War's gaze hardened. "He said he wanted someone who knows the value of war, but won't be consumed by it."
"…Huh," Death said with a slight smirk. "That's a pretty good reason."
War suddenly pointed ahead. "Hang on. Those three aren't seriously driving into that massive hole in the mountain range, are they?"
"Isn't one of them supposed to be smart?" Death asked incredulously. "Surely they wouldn't make the dumbest decision— …and they're doing it."
War's expression turned grim. "I sense a conflict of immense magnitude in that direction. They're potentially driving straight into their doom."
"Fantastic," Death muttered dryly. "Let's go after them."
The two spurred their horses forward, riding hard after the vehicle while keeping their distance.
As they rode through the desert following the girls' trail, Death glanced at the storm swirling in the distance. His expression hardened. "That isn't natural… and I can sense an undead in the middle of it."
War tilted his head upward, eyes narrowing. "In the sky? How?"
"Don't ask me," Death muttered, his brow furrowing. "I'm just as lost as you."
Suddenly, bolts of energy rained down from the storm, striking the girls' vehicle and sending it flying off the road.
"They're fine," Death assured calmly, though his grip tightened on his scythe. "Let's focus on whatever that was."
As they closed the distance, the two Horsemen saw the girls surrounded by a horde of undead. With a sharp motion, Death raised one of his hands, and instantly the girls were engulfed in a dome of writhing shadows, shielding them from the snapping jaws of the zombies.
From the storm above, two figures descended with terrifying speed—zombie Captain Marvel and Ikaris. They dove straight for War and Death.
But Captain Marvel froze mid-flight when her decaying eyes locked on Death. Recognition—or perhaps instinctual dread—flashed across her rotten face. She spun to flee, but it was already too late. Death had leapt skyward, scythe in hand, and brought it down in a brutal arc, slicing her clean in half from skull to sternum.
Ikaris pressed the attack, swinging toward Death's exposed side, but before the blow could land, War's blade flashed, and Warlock's head tumbled free from his shoulders.
Death gave War a nod. "Thanks."
War replied evenly, "You would have been fine either way, but you're welcome. These two were powerful… yet we made quick work of them."
"It isn't a fair contest," Death admitted, his voice low, almost pitying. "We embody the concepts of Death and War. Truthfully, there aren't many things on this planet that compare to us—if any."
War frowned, his hand tightening around his weapon. "That zombie… it feared you."
"They know they're not supposed to be up and moving," Death said grimly. "They know my presence means their time has come. It seems, if we wish to catch the queen Lord Tet mentioned, we'll need to remain incognito."
"I agree," War answered with a curt nod. "We can't take a chance on her fleeing off-world."
Death turned his gaze back to the horde. With a simple wave of his hand, the gathered zombies collapsed lifelessly, like puppets whose strings had been cut. He and War shifted back into their human forms, and Nico dispersed the shadow dome.
The three girls eyed John and Nico cautiously, uncertainty flickering across their faces. Before anyone could speak, the distant rumble of a motorcycle engine broke the silence. A man pulled up beside them, dismounted, and strode forward with confidence.
One of the girls finally asked, wary, "Who are you people?"
The man said. "Name's Blade."
"I'm Nico di Angelo," Nico said, stepping forward.
"Oh, I'm Kamala Khan," one of the girls chirped nervously.
"I'm Kate Bishop," another introduced herself quickly.
The last girl crossed her arms, annoyed. "I was asking who they are, not you guys. I already know you."
Kamala frowned. "But… they don't."
"Whatever," the last girl groaned. "I'm Riri Williams."
Finally, John stepped up, his voice calm but firm. "I'm John… John Wick. And we came to help you."
Riri narrowed her eyes. "And how's that, exactly?"
"Well, for one," Nico said, gesturing casually, "that shadow shield was mine. I can control shadows." To prove it, he conjured a chair of pure darkness and sat down with a smirk.
Kamala's eyes lit up. "That was you? Thanks!"
Kate scoffed. "Not that we needed help. We would've been fine."
"Whatever helps you sleep at night," Nico muttered with a shrug.
Blade cut in sharply. "I suggest we move before more of the undead show up. Can your car still drive?"
"Maybe," Riri said, inspecting the wreck, "if I can get it flipped over."
"I got it," John said simply. He walked over and, with casual strength, lifted the car and set it upright on its tires.
Kate blinked in surprise. "Super strength. Nice."
Riri checked under the hood and grinned. "Great, it still works. Let's go."
The girls loaded up, and Nico and John moved to follow—until Blade stepped in front of them, his eyes sharp. "What the hell are you two?"
Nico's tone was flat, his eyes glinting with shadow. "We are the Bringers of the End. You can ask the god hitching a ride with you what that means."
After a heavy pause, Blade's expression darkened with recognition. "The Four Horsemen… That's the last thing we need. If you hadn't noticed, we're kind of already fucked here."
"Don't worry," John said firmly. "We're here to save people, not condemn them."
"And the Earth?" Blade pressed.
Nico shrugged. "Probably gonna blow it up. But we'll be taking the survivors somewhere else."
"Shit," Blade muttered, running a hand over his face. "Well, I won't argue with you. Just hope you can find a decent place for an old vampire like me."
Nico smirked faintly. "Pretty sure our boss just made a vampire princess a goddess, so you're good."
Blade exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "Never in my life have I wished I could get drunk more than right now…"
The group set out together, and after a few days of travel, they reached the SHIELD base in Ohio—completely surrounded by zombies.
"It's okay," John said calmly. "Keep driving."
Once they approached close enough, a voice crackled over a loudspeaker: "State your business."
Kamala leaned out of the vehicle, calling back to the disembodied voice, explaining why they were there. After a tense pause, the gates opened, and they were granted entry.
Melina examined the transmitter the girls had brought, her brow furrowed in thought as she traced its wiring with careful fingers. Finally, she looked up and explained, her voice steady but grim. "You need to get this into space for it to work. It's meant to contact the Nova Corps—a galactic police force. SHIELD thought they could save us all with this."
John leaned back against the wall, his tone flat and unflinching. "No. They'll probably quarantine the planet—if they don't just blow it up."
Blade crossed his arms, his expression dark. "Agreed."
Nico's voice carried the same bleak certainty. "Definitely."
Riri groaned, throwing her hands in the air. "Do you guys have to be so morbid?"
Alexei let out a booming laugh, shaking his head. "Yes! You three are so gloomy."
Yelena, however, frowned and crossed her arms tightly. "They're probably right, though."
Nico gave a shrug, his eyes hardening as if already preparing for the inevitable. "Well, we'll have to survive to find out anyway."
Melina's head snapped toward him, her voice sharp with alarm. "Survive what?"
Nico's expression turned cold, his gaze shifting toward the monitors. "The undead horde that just found us."
Melina quickly checked the cameras, her face paling. On the grainy screen, an undead Okoye stood at the top of the hill, her silhouette imposing against the dim light. Her eyes glowed a menacing crimson, and in her hand gleamed a vibranium spear, raised and ready for war.