Late Night Vibes
The rooftop of the New York Sanctum was in full chill mode.
Strange floated (as usual), cross-legged and glowing faintly with magical aura.
Mark leaned back on a floating cushion he'd enchanted himself (slightly lopsided), sipping bubble tea with a straw that bent itself around his mouth.
Wong was grilling skewers with controlled flame magic, because apparently sorcery also made you an elite barbecue chef now.
"I still say 'Temporal Tacos' would've been a better name than Sanctum Sanctorum," Mark muttered.
"Mark," Strange replied lazily, "I will banish your tea to a demon dimension."
"You already did that last week," Mark said. "The tea screamed."
"Still worth it," Strange smirked.
The Green Impact
Before another snark could fly, the sky cracked.
A comet of green and smoke came barreling through the clouds—
—and SLAMMED through the Sanctum's roof, crashing through four floors, and leaving a smoking crater in the center of the library.
Wong's skewer dropped. "...That's going to be expensive."
Strange floated downward. "Is that—?"
Mark poked his head over the hole. "Unless it's a new type of pizza delivery, I think that's a Hulk."
Banner Returns
Inside the crater was Bruce Banner, human again, bruised, gasping, and terrified.
He gripped Strange by the collar.
"He's coming."
"Okay," Strange said, mildly panicked. "Who's 'he'?"
Banner's eyes widened with a kind of cosmic fear.
"Thanos."
Strange's smugness evaporated.
Mark, sipping his drink: "…That sounds like a lot."
The Explanation, Brief and Terrifying
Banner was placed gently on a levitating recliner. Wong handed him tea. Strange muttered diagnostics spells. Mark just paced.
Banner recapped everything.
The Asgardians' ship.
Thor and Loki's last stand.
A titan with a gauntlet that could twist the universe like origami.
And the Infinity Stones—all of them.
"He wants to erase half of everything," Bruce whispered. "Not just people. Not just planets. Everything."
Mark's jaw tensed. "How soon?"
Banner didn't answer.
Because at that moment, the Eye of Agamotto started glowing on its own.
Heavy Silence
Strange stared down at the Time Stone.
"He's collecting them," Strange said.
Wong straightened, his voice quiet but firm. "We must protect the Eye. No matter what."
Mark's voice was low. "Guess chill time's over."
The Cloak of Levitation slithered over Strange's shoulders.
The bubble tea lid crumpled itself shut.
War was coming.
End Scene: Incoming
Far in space, a ring-shaped ship approached Earth.
Thanos smiled.