Marcus stood on the completely remodeled Dark Aster, surveying his work with deep satisfaction. The massive warship had undergone its final transformation, evolving from a simple military vessel into something unprecedented—a Rail Jack capable of interdimensional travel.
At the stern of the ship, a specialized chamber pulsed with faint Void energy, its walls lined with crystalline conduits that channeled exotic forces throughout the vessel's hull. Within that chamber sat the culmination of Marcus's engineering efforts: a synthetic Void Relic that served as the ship's heart and soul.
The artificial finger—for that's what it resembled, despite being entirely synthetic—was roughly the size of a human torso and wrapped in flowing streams of black and crimson liquid that shifted and writhed like living things. This was liquid Kuva, a substance that existed at the intersection of matter and energy, perfectly suited for containing and directing Void forces.
"Are you absolutely sure you want to put that thing there?" Tony asked, staring at the enormous finger through the chamber's reinforced viewing window. His expression mixed fascination with deep unease.
Despite his genius-level intellect and his rapid mastery of alien technologies over the past few months, Marcus's approach to engineering still left him baffled. The idea of building a ship's primary engine around what looked like a severed appendage from some cosmic horror movie seemed... questionable.
"Of course," Marcus replied with complete confidence. "Besides Will, this Void Relic is the most important component on the entire Rail Jack."
The synthetic finger was more than just an engine—it was a anchor point that would allow the ship to navigate the chaotic currents of the Void without being torn apart by dimensional shear forces. Only a proper Void Relic could provide the continuous energy output necessary for safe interdimensional travel.
"This finger is what allows the Rail Jack to traverse the Void safely," Marcus continued, placing his hand against the chamber's control interface. "Without it, we'd be lost in the space between spaces, probably forever."
Void energy flowed from Marcus's palm into the ship's systems, synchronizing with the artificial Relic's output. The response was immediate—the finger pulsed with renewed vigor, its Kuva wrappings flowing faster as power surged through the Rail Jack's modified hull.
The Void didn't affect Marcus personally, but he wouldn't be traveling alone forever. Eventually, he planned to take others with him through the dimensional barriers, allowing them to experience the wonders and terrors of alternate realities. For that to be possible, the ship needed to provide complete protection from Void corruption.
"Trust me," Marcus said, watching the energy readings stabilize, "you're going to love what this can do."
While Marcus wasn't planning to take Tony on any interdimensional expeditions in the immediate future, he wanted his friend to understand the possibilities. When the time was right, he would open doorways between worlds, allowing Earth's heroes to meet their counterparts from other realities.
After confirming that all systems were operating within acceptable parameters, Marcus began his farewells. Earth's protection could be safely left in the hands of Tony, the Avengers, and the growing network of enhanced individuals who were emerging around the globe. His own mission required a different kind of journey.
The Rail Jack Dark Aster lifted off slowly, its massive bulk moving with surprising grace as it climbed toward the edge of Earth's atmosphere. Tony, Howard, and the others watched from the orbital platform as the ship accelerated, its hull beginning to shimmer with barely contained energies.
Then, in a display that defied conventional physics, the Rail Jack was suddenly enveloped in swirling Void energy. The ship's outline became indistinct, reality warping around it like heat haze, before it simply... disappeared. One moment it was there, the next it had punched through the barriers between dimensions and vanished into the space beyond space.
Inside the ship, Marcus laughed with pure exhilaration as streams of Void energy flowed past the viewports like luminous rivers. The Rail Jack was performing flawlessly, its hull integrity holding firm against forces that would have reduced normal matter to subatomic particles.
The Void was dangerous beyond measure for most forms of life. Any unprotected creature that found itself in this realm would be subjected to constant, reality-warping corruption. Their bodies would begin to break down on a molecular level while their consciousness was twisted and merged with the metallic debris that drifted endlessly through the Void's currents.
The end result of such corruption was the creation of Void Angels—beings that had once been living creatures but were now something far more terrible. Despite their name, these entities were predatory hunters that sought out and destroyed any life they encountered. Marcus preferred the Orokin term for them: Void Demons.
"According to the Ancient One's briefing, the Fire Dimension should resonate at this specific frequency," Marcus murmured, creating a small flame in his palm.
As he concentrated, the flame gradually shifted from orange to brilliant gold, its energy signature aligning with dimensional harmonics that existed beyond normal space. Through the Void, Marcus could sense the location of his target—a realm of endless fire ruled by one of the most powerful dimensional entities in existence.
"Will," Marcus called out to the ship's AI, "set course for those coordinates."
"Acknowledged, Commander," Will replied, the Rail Jack adjusting its trajectory through the Void's impossible geometry.
As the ship moved toward its destination, Marcus began his own transformation. Energy cascaded around him as his human form dissolved and reformed into something far more appropriate for the coming hunt—Ember Prime, the Sacred Armor of Eternal Flame.
Even though this Warframe was still missing certain components, it had definitely reached Prime-level capabilities. The moment the transformation completed, the Rail Jack's internal temperature began to spike dramatically as raw thermal energy radiated from Marcus's new form.
"Whoa!" Marcus quickly pulled his power back under control, drawing the escaping heat into himself before it could damage the ship's systems. "That was close. Good thing I caught that before we turned into a flying barbecue."
He compressed all the excess thermal energy into a single brilliant flame that danced above his fingertips, then carefully integrated it into the crown of fire that adorned his Ember Prime helmet. The crown's flames grew noticeably brighter, though Marcus's tight control kept the power from spreading throughout the ship.
Soon, the Rail Jack arrived at the border of the Fire Dimension—a realm where the laws of physics bent to accommodate the existence of living flame.
"Will, maintain position here," Marcus instructed. "I'll be back soon."
With that, he transformed his body into pure flame and passed through the dimensional barrier, leaving the safety of the Rail Jack behind.
The Fire Dimension
Marcus materialized in a realm of impossible beauty and deadly wonder. Everywhere he looked, flames of every conceivable color danced and swirled through the air. Each hue represented a different type of fire, possessing unique properties that defied conventional understanding.
There was a pale blue flame that burned with such intensity it should have been blindingly hot, yet it radiated waves of bitter cold. Anything touched by this paradoxical fire was instantly frozen solid, turned into ice sculptures that somehow continued to burn without melting.
Another flame appeared completely ordinary at first glance, but when Marcus extended his senses toward it, he detected something extraordinary—this fire didn't destroy, it healed. The flame pulsed with vigorous life energy, capable of mending wounds and restoring vitality to anything it touched.
"Fascinating," Marcus murmured, studying the diverse array of flames around him. "Fire isn't just about heat and destruction after all."
His observations were interrupted by a distant howling sound—deep, primal, and unmistakably alive.
"Now that's interesting. Life actually exists in this inferno."
The Fire Dimension was a realm of endless flame, a landscape that should have been utterly hostile to biological existence. Yet something was clearly thriving here, and from the sound of that howl, it wasn't just surviving—it was flourishing.
Marcus followed the sound through forests of crystallized fire and across plains where molten flames flowed like water. Eventually, he reached a vast clearing where several small wolves made entirely of living flame were playing together with obvious joy.
The flame wolves moved through the burning landscape with perfect comfort, their bodies composed of the same elemental fire that surrounded them. They could merge seamlessly with the ambient flames, disappearing and reappearing at will as they chased each other across the blazing plain.
Their playful antics reminded Marcus of puppies, despite their supernatural nature. It was a surprisingly peaceful scene in a dimension that most beings would consider hellish.
"Interesting," Marcus noted. "The Fire King made different choices than Dormammu."
The distinction was important. Dormammu had completely merged with the Dark Dimension, becoming one with the realm he ruled. He was the Dark Dimension, and the Dark Dimension was him—an arrangement that granted enormous power but came with significant limitations.
The Fire King had chosen a different path. Rather than absorbing his dimension into his being, he had simply claimed authority over it while maintaining his independence. This approach gave him less absolute control but far more flexibility.
Dormammu's merger made him nearly omnipotent within his realm, but it also trapped him there. He could only affect other dimensions by breaking through dimensional barriers, a process that required enormous effort and usually involved corrupting entire worlds before he could manifest physically.
The Fire King, by contrast, could send avatars and extensions of himself to other realms with relative ease. He was free to move, to explore, to conquer new territories without being bound to a single location.
"Each approach has its advantages," Marcus mused. "But I'm glad the Fire King chose freedom over absolute power. Fighting him in a dimension he'd completely absorbed would be... problematic."
Marcus had absorbed some of the Fire King's power during their previous encounter, granting him limited authority within the Fire Dimension. It wasn't much compared to the Fire King's control, but it was enough to be useful. If the Fire King had merged with his realm like Dormammu, that stolen authority would be worthless—or worse, it might actually strengthen his opponent.
"Time to get started," Marcus said, creating a golden flame in his palm.
The flame was distinctly different from the fires burning around him—richer, more complex, radiating power that resonated through the dimensional fabric itself. It was unmistakably foreign to this realm, yet somehow perfectly suited to it.
The flame wolves immediately noticed the new arrival. Their playful behavior ceased as they emerged from the surrounding fires, their attention completely focused on the golden light in Marcus's hand. Their eyes showed unmistakable hunger—this wasn't just fire, it was something far more valuable.
In the Fire Dimension, flames served as both sustenance and currency. The wolves had spent their entire existence feeding on the ambient fires around them, but those flames were relatively weak. The golden fire Marcus held represented a feast beyond their wildest dreams.
Marcus smiled at their eager expressions. "Here you go."
He flicked the flame toward the wolves, watching as they immediately converged on it. The largest wolf swallowed the golden fire in a single gulp, and the transformation was instantaneous.
The small flame wolf began to grow rapidly, its body expanding until it towered over Marcus. Its fur became thicker and more lustrous, shot through with golden highlights that pulsed with inner light. The other wolves, inspired by their pack leader's transformation, crowded around Marcus with pleading eyes.
Marcus obliged them, creating more golden flames for each wolf to consume. Within moments, the entire pack had been transformed into magnificent flame giants, their bodies radiating power and intelligence far beyond their original forms.
The transformation went deeper than mere physical growth. These wolves had been given an opportunity that most creatures in their realm could never hope for—the chance to transcend their original limitations and become something greater. The gratitude in their eyes was unmistakable.
"Excellent," Marcus said, reaching into his dimensional storage to retrieve his hunting bow. "Now, let's go hunting for the most powerful flames in this dimension."
With his pack of flame hounds ready, the real hunt could begin. The wolves spread out in a practiced formation, their movements coordinated despite their recent transformation. They understood pack tactics instinctively, maintaining visual contact while covering maximum territory.
Marcus was pleased to see them working together so effectively. He wasn't trying to hide his presence—quite the opposite, in fact. He wanted the Fire King to know he was here.
This was, after all, the Fire King's domain. While Marcus possessed some authority here thanks to his earlier absorption of the entity's power, this dimension ultimately belonged to its ruler. A direct confrontation was inevitable.
Marcus drew another weapon from his storage—a sword wreathed in perpetual flame, its blade flickering with inner fire. The weapon was called Flame Blade, and it possessed the ability to generate and control fire independently of its wielder.
"I wonder what this sword can accomplish in a realm made entirely of fire," Marcus mused, testing the weapon's balance.
He performed a casual sword flourish, and the surrounding flames responded dramatically. They swirled around the blade's path, coalescing into the shape of a magnificent firebird that spread its wings and soared into the air above them.
The golden flames that composed the bird's body gave it an almost divine appearance as it circled overhead. But as beautiful as it was, the construct wasn't native to this dimension. After a few moments, it began to break apart, its component flames dispersing back into the ambient fire.
The flame wolves rushed into the dissipating bird, eagerly devouring the golden fire that had formed its essence. Their bodies grew even more powerful, their fur developing intricate golden patterns that marked them as truly elite creatures.
With his enhanced pack, Marcus began moving through the Fire Dimension's wilderness. The giant flame wolves became a force of nature wherever they went, hunting down other fire creatures with ruthless efficiency.
But they weren't mindlessly destructive. Each creature they defeated was brought back to Marcus as an offering, the wolves hoping to earn more of the precious golden flames. Marcus was happy to oblige—he could create as many golden flames as needed, since they were simply manifestations of his Ember Prime form's power.
For each trophy the wolves brought him, Marcus rewarded them with more golden fire while using his Flame Blade to harvest the essence of their prey. The sword's flames grew stronger with each creature it absorbed, drinking in their power and incorporating it into the weapon's core.
Soon, the bodies of the defeated fire creatures crumbled to ash, their essence completely drained. The Flame Blade had evolved significantly, its fires now burning with multicolored intensity that reflected the diverse powers it had consumed.
Marcus hefted the enhanced weapon, feeling its increased weight and power. "Much better. Now this sword truly lives up to its name."