And lo, there came a day unlike any other, when the mightiest of the Avengers were laid low, and the days of teaming of humanities greatest champions were no more! Yet those days were short, for soon the call went up once more, and the best, the brightest, the most powerful gathered together once again, gathering ‘round the rallying cry of

Avengers Assemble!

#3

This ancient evil!

The Beast opens his eyes slowly, painfully. His mind is a blank. At the moment he has no idea where he is or how he got here, and then it all comes rushing back. His keen vision sees himself and the rest of the Assembled Avengers hanging from their wrists in a dungeon of some sort by metal bands hung on a wall. Everyone else seems to be unconscious.

Then it all comes rushing back, the plaintive call for help from the Scarlet Witch they all received, the sudden reappearance of Thor! The trip to Genosha, and the subsequent attack by Magneto. Then the devastating defeat of Magneto by an angered and frustrated Thor! Followed by the team being laid low by an unexpected source, The Scarlet Witch. Wanda Maximoff the woman they were sent to rescue.

"But it wasn’t Wanda." Hank McCoy thinks. "It was Chthon once again controlling the Scarlet Witches body, as he had done some years earlier."

"Hank?" McCoy turns towards the sound of Simon Williams voice, as Wonder Man strains against his bonds. "Hang on buddy I’ll have us out of this in no time."

Wonder Man strains and strains but...

"What th- I can’t break these bonds, what are they? Adamantium?"

"No Wonder Man, but I have deduced that they are mystically enhanced, and as such we will not be breaking free from them any time soon, at least not with sheer strength."

"That is an astute deduction, Dr. McCoy." A disembodied, yet familiar voice agrees. "These shackles that hold us all are indeed mystically enhanced."

"Who is that?" Wonder Man asks, "It sounds like Doc Strange, but he’s out cold yet."

"No my friend it is indeed I, Steven Strange, Sorcerer Supreme. I am in my astral form. That is why you can not see me. When I realized that Chthon was about to overpower me with the use of Wanda’s abilities, I abandoned my body and took to my astral form, knowing I could maintain some semblance of cognizance."

"The others are starting to stir." McCoy says as he looks around him.

"Yeah I see that too Hank." Simon Williams agrees.

Ms. Marvel, Thor and Captain America all slowly regain their senses and realize what their surroundings are. Nearby, unconscious, and also hanging by his wrists on the wall is Magneto.

"Avengers, what is our situation?" Cap asks of those who were awake before him.

"You are trapped and helpless." A distorted doubled voice replies, all heads turn towards the sound and see Chthon, wearing Wanda’s distorted flesh hovering inches above the ground and moving towards them.

"What have you done to the Scarlet Witch?" Cap demands.

"This body is now mine, it is the Witches no longer. Some time ago, I took control of this body, as I did now. When your Avengers drove me from it, and captured my essence, and then buried that essence beneath rubble in what you now call Europe, I left a seed of myself within the Witch. A small amount, no larger then a small part of an atom. Over time it grew, my strength returned, and I began to gain control. Now I am in complete and utter control of the Witch. Her abilities, fueled by my raw power make anything at a possible. You dolts do not understand, she merely needs an adequate power source to do practically anything. I am providing that power source, but now I am in control."

The Avengers stand silently, staring at the monster controlling their friend and teammate.

"Think on your place in my new world. Soon I will began transforming this world into my paradise, and you can either live out your lives as my slaves, doing my every bidding, or you can die where you hang shackled to that wall by my unbreakable mystic bonds. Think on it Avengers." The creature called Chthon exits the ramshackle makeshift dungeon, floating out the door.

Silence claims the room, until Ms. Marvel finally speaks; "Ummm, one question Avengers, Where’s The Wasp?"

Cut to a speeding Quinjet, arcing across the sky above the Atlantic Ocean, heading towards destiny!

Inside the Quinjet, Iron Man, Yellowjacket and the newly revived Vision nervously watch the minutes tick by as the Quinjet races on. "Wanda is at the heart of this, yet we believe that she is not acting on her own? Perhaps it is Magneto controlling Wanda?" The Vision questions simply.

"Somehow I doubt it, Vision." Iron Man answers. "I think there is much more to this then meets the eye. Plus, Dr. Strange felt a mystic presence involved. That rules out Magneto."

"Indeed." The Vision replies. "Then who can be causing this madness? Who has done this to my- to the Scarlet Witch?"

Yellowjacket and Iron Man both shoot the other a knowing glance, but say nothing on the Visions slip of the tongue.

"What I’m worried about is the lack of communications from the others. I have a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach, I hope they’re all okay." Yellowjacket states simply.

"I’m sure they are Hank. Relax we’ll be there within the hour." Iron Man replies, not so convincingly. Iron Man knows inside that Yellowjacket is worried about his one time wife, The Wasp. "Vision," Iron Man begins, changing the subject to something he knows will spark Hank Pyms curiosity. "How do you feel? Does everything appear normal?"

"Yes Iron Man, I am well, in fact I see you have made some new modifications to several of my systems."

"Yes Vish, you’ll find out that your flying speed has been increased a good deal, and there was one other power I tweaked within you, using technology that was not available a few years back."

"Very well Iron Man, I thank you for your aid in my reassembly."

"Vision," Yellowjacket begins, "Do you remember anything of what happened to you after this all began, or perhaps before?"

All I can tell you Henry Pym is that I was suddenly aware of a driving force within me that forced me to Avengers Mansion that horrible day. I remember the Ultrons bursting from my flesh then nothing until the Stark technologists saw me ‘awaken’ from my disastrous damage."

"Okay Vision, thank you." Iron Man concludes.

Back at the battered landscape of Genosha, a small form, no bigger then an insect, perhaps a Wasp’s size flies through the sir determinedly. Janet van Dyne, the Wondrous Wasp means to rescue her teammates, and if anyone can do it, it is indeed she!

"I have to get inside this building I saw Chthon or Wanda or whatever it is now drag our people into. Getting in unnoticed would be a problem for anyone, except if they’re an inch in size, or in this case, less!"

She shrinks down even smaller in size, and flits through the air, flying between cracks in the old walls, circumventing anywhere that would normally draw traffic. But she knows only one being is inside this edifice she must concern herself with. Chthon.

Inside the makeshift prison Carol Danvers looks at Captain America. "Cap, Steve, what’s the matter?"

"What Carol? We’re captured I-"

"Steve, stop it. You’ve been distracted since this all began. You seem like you’re on auto pilot, if you are there at all."

"I-You’re right Carol. I am distracted. I’m still numb from the way everything went bad for us, and now suddenly in so short a time we’re thrown back together again. What if we don’t survive this? We almost didn’t last time; some of us didn’t at all. Hawkeye, Antman. They’re dead Carol, and they were our friends. Chthon did this. That demon killed the Avengers and didn’t care if it killed everyone in New York City along with the team as long as it accomplished its goal."

"Steve, snap out of it. Avengers have passed away before. This is nothing new at all. Everyone on the team knows the risks involved, and they- we all accept them gladly. Steve wake up, I’ve never seen you like this. What’s really going on here? One soldier to another"

Captain America stares at Ms. Marvel, then sets his jaw and finally answers her. "Do you really want to know what happened Ms. Marvel? I’ll tell you. You all have a place to go at the end of the day. You all have homes and friends and family and lives beyond the Avengers. The Avengers WAS my life. Most of the time I live at the mansion, or I did at least. I have led the team in good times and bad, stepping aside gladly for others to take my place when I had too much going on at the moment, but being an Avenger was the highlight of my entire existence. The Avengers IS my family. When the team disbanded that day, a part of me died along with the receding silence of the final footsteps away from the mansion. To be honest, I don’t want to get my hopes up that we’re back together. Carol, you all have somewhere to be, someone to be with outside of this life. Everyone I knew is dead for 50 years. My family is long gone. Friends long buried beyond those I made here. My single greatest romantic relationship involved a super spy who I thought had died years ago and is now back a part of my life, but we’re not on the same ground anymore. Part of her blames me for abandoning her all those years ago, even though I thought her dead. Every other relationship I’ve had with civilians has been a disaster. Carol, being an Avenger gives me the chance to do what I do best. I love my country and my life, and I love being an Avenger as much as anything else. If this is indeed our last mission, I’ll go on with my life as Captain America, but my fondest memories will always be as an Avenger, fighting side by side with all of you. Those battles when the fate of the world, and at times the very universe were at stake, when we triumphed over every challenge; THOSE are the defining moments of my life. THOSE are what make me Captain America more then anything else. Standing side by side, shoulder to shoulder with you all, and conquering the most powerful of foes, as Avengers."

"Then lets get out of here." She simply states.

He says nothing, but his face almost twists curiously, as if to say ‘How, we’re trapped, hung up like rats on this wall by these magic wrist bonds-’ and then he stops. New brightness spreads across his eyes. He sets his jaw, and swings his legs forwards together, using the wrist manacles as a fulcrum point, he swings as far forwards as he can, then slams both legs backwards, heels first into the wall powerfully!

KROOM!

The wall shatters before his powerful kick easily! In an instant he is free! The other Avengers smile amongst themselves and repeat what he did, freeing themselves as well.

"I was wondering when you would wake up." Ms. Marvel states, as she dusts herself off, "I caught that right away when Chthon bragged about the magic shackles, I couldn’t believe you were distracted enough not to realize the wall was just old crumbling masonry. At that point I knew something had to be bothering you."

Cap smiles, "Thank you Carol." Is all he says. Thor walks over and places his hand on Caps shoulder. "You lead us, Captain America, for wherever thou goest the God of Thunder shall indeed follow! Thou art our anchor, our leader. Without thee, the Avengers are surely no more. With thee, no force twixt the Heavens and the Earth shall stop us!"

The Avengers draw close, encircling Cap, in this dreary, shattered damp makeshift cell. Thor sticks his hand out, palm down, followed by Ms. Marvel, who places her hand atop his, then Wonder Man, then the Beast. Suddenly a tiny speck grows to her full normal height, as the Wasp appears, and wiping a tear from her eye, places her hand atop the pile, followed by Caps own. He stares into their faces and smiles warmly, a strange moment in the midst of a battle to save the world. Then he speaks two words, loudly, proudly, for all to hear; "Avengers Assemble!"

"Before you all leave, might I ask for some assistance?" They all turn as one towards the sound of that voice, and see Dr. Strange still hanging by his wrists on the wall; his astral form now reintegrated in his body.

"I will help him." All heads turn upwards as a green and yellow form phases in through the ceiling, floating downwards.

"Vision!" The Wasp exclaims.

"Greetings to you all, my friends."

The Vision walks over to Strange, touches him on the shoulder, and phases him through his shackles to freedom.

"Is that new Vish?" The Beast asks, "You could never phase anyone else with you before."

"Indeed Henry McCoy, Tony Stark has made a few improvements on my systems. I have been upgraded."

"Are shellhead and YJ with you?" Cap asks.

"Yes, they are engaging our enemy now."

"They’re fighting Chthon?" Wonder man blurts out.

"Affirmative Simon."

Wonder Man walks over and shakes the Visions hand, "Good to see you again, Brother."

"Indeed Simon, the feeling is mutual." The synthezoid replies.

"What about him? Do we leave him here?" The Wasp asks, jerking a thumb at Magneto, who hangs on the wall unconscious beside them.

"No, free him. Thor proved he can handle him, so he’s no real threat to us, and he may come in handy when dealing with Wanda." Cap answers

"Lets go!" Ms. Marvel shouts as she flies upwards, shattering the old brick structure like a missile streaking skywards!

"That girl always loved to jump into battle head first." Wonder Man muses.

"Don’t let her hear you call her a ‘girl’, Simon. She might knock you into the next county." Beast replies, all smiles as he bounds out of the dilapidated structure and into chaos!

Chthon stands its ground as Iron Man fires screaming repulser rays into its form! But the demon stands firm!

Yellowjacket suddenly grows from a mere inch in height to a staggering fifty feet and stomps down hard on Chthon! Burying the creature in the street!

But then Yellowjacket is upended! Heaved away like a straw in the wind by Chthon!

"Fools no mere physical force can stop me! With the Witches abilities being powered by my strength, anything is possible! It points at Iron Man as suddenly, inexplicably, roots and vines sprout up from the street, covering him head to toe, and drag him under the pavement!

"Perhaps Chthon, but you do not face only physical might today. You also face the Sorcerer Supreme of the cosmos!"

Dr. Strange conjures and instantly, the crimson bands of cytorack appear, covering the demon-thing from head to toe!

"Foolish mortals! This will slow me only mere instants! Your world is doomed! Already my power bleeds from this spot to cover the world. Soon all will look like this!" Chthon breaks free of the Cytorak bands, by transforming them into plant leaves, and shredding them to burst free!

But then a weapon unlike any other slams into its chest! A hammer of mystic and powerful proportions, hurled by one of the most powerful arms in heaven and Earth!

"Chthon! The Avengers would say thee NAY!" Thor roars as Mjolnir returns to his awaiting hand!

Chthon pulls itself from the debris it was thrown back into by the force of the blow.

"Very well ‘Avengers’ you will all die together!" The creature inhabiting the Scarlet Witches body begins to gather energy, when suddenly the ground at its feet explodes! Iron man rockets upward, his extended fists slam across Chthons jaw!

Inside his armor, Tony Stark cringes; hoping that Wanda is spared from any lasting harm by their attacks, but also knowing the fate of the world is at stake!

"Release her Chthon! You can’t win against us. Release her now, or we’ll pull you from her." Iron Man orders, his fists glowing with energy as he hovers above the downed demon.

"Oh really Iron Man? And how will you defeat me in a suit made of paper armor?" Chthon waves his hand at Iron Man and...

Nothing happens.

"What? How can this be? All matter is mine to command."

"I’ve taken precautions against my armor ever again being compromised in this manner, monster." Is all Iron Man states as he blasts his repulsers again at Chthon, who falls back but instantly encases Iron man in a cliff of granite that was not there before!

"Iron Man!" Cap shouts as he hurls his shield at Chthon, striking it across its brow!

SPLANG!

The creature hisses vehemence at Cap as it turns its face towards him, a forked tongue darting in and out of its lips.

But suddenly energy blasts it in the face! Ms Marvel dives from above, rocking it with blasts of energy, as Simon Williams streaks across the ground like a low flying missile, to unleash a powerful right hay maker in Cthons face!

POOM!

"Fools!" the demon-thing roars as it throws its arms wide, hurling them all away with a wave of power. "You cannot best me, for I can do anything with this ones power! Even kill the Mighty Avengers!"

By the Vishanti, this ends now!" Dr. Strange proclaims as he attacks Chthon directly.

His powerful onslaught of mystical forces hammer at the demon, who responds in kind!

"I know you, little mage. You held my book for a time didn’t you? The stink of the darkhold is upon you. When I control you, as well as the Witch, then this universe will be mine to toy with, not just this world."

"No Chthon, I have not been compromised by your evil tome. You have no hold on me, in fact just being in your presence drives my resolve to banish you forever to some nether realm."

Strange redoubles his attack! Chthon actually takes a step backwards under his onslaught!

"Strange has him on the ropes." The Beast tells Cap.

"Yes, now it’s time for phase two. AVENGERS ATTACK!"

As one the team assaults Chthon, as Iron Man shatters his stone prison simultaneously. Now they all attack the demon-thing, every Avenger momentarily driving the creature back with all their might. Save one. And then he is there, suddenly floating upwards from beneath the ground, to enter the Scarlet Witches stolen form. The Vision has joined the attack!

"Release my wife, you monster, release her now!" He roars from within the form he has phased into!

Both the Vision and Chthon scream in agony as the Vision solidifies slightly. The pain is incredible as Chthons form resists the Visions phasing.

Then a third voice joins the chorus inside the Chthon creatures head. A female one. "Vision?" Wanda Maximoff asks, as if just awakening from a long nightmare. "You called me ‘your wife’."

"You are and always will be my true love, Wanda. I am here to save you." The Vision states as a matter of fact.

"NOOOOO!" roars Chthon "I will not be defeated!"

"Ah but you will be, monster!" Dr. Strange states as he begins to strengthen Wanda’s will, by adding his own to it, and then that of each of the Avengers in kind.

Chthon is suddenly battered by feelings unknown and alien to it. Feelings directed at Wanda Maximoff, feelings of love, all channeled through Dr. Strange, and into the Vision, who magnifies them with his own feelings of love towards his former wife.

"You will leave my daughters form now, monster!" The final player in this declares loudly. Magneto floats down from above, as Strange adds Magneto’s thoughts and feelings about his children, his feelings of failure as a parent, of his defiance against humanities prejudice against mutants, of his own sad use of Wanda and her brother Pietro, otherwise known as the Avenger called Quicksilver as his pawns years ago, even if they were not known to him to be his children at the time. But most importantly, Chthon feels Magneto’s love of father to child, and that is the final straw that breaks the demon!

"You will leave my body, you damned monster, but as you used me, so will I use you to undo all the evil you did while wearing my form!" Wanda suddenly, defiantly proclaims! Her voice rising above Chthons, as eldritch forces envelop everything around them, and seem to spread out to the rest of the world in one maddening instant!

"NNNOOOOOOOO!!!" The thing screams as it exits her body, immediately seeking to enter another of the Avengers instead!

But Dr. Strange is there, conjuring mightily, he opens a screaming dimensional vortex, which sucks the formless essence of Chthon into another dimension, one made up of nothing but emptiness, devoid of all life and planets. Nothing but eternal darkness. A prison from which there is no escape for Chthon, and then Strange slams the door shut!

The Vision and the Scarlet Witch lie crumpled together on the ground, he holds her tightly as she buries her head in his chest. For long minutes no one says a word, until Wanda looks up into her husbands eyes "I thought you had left me forever. I thought I was on my own, without you. That is when Chthon began to take control of me. When my despair finally grew too strong. You are my true love as well Vision, you are my soul. I cannot exist without you and be whole"

They kiss then, years apart suddenly forgotten in an instant.

"Nothing can pull us apart again, my love." The Vision answers in his usual manner, as he holds her close.

Iron Man looks around suddenly, then asks, "Where’s Magneto?"

"He must have escaped during the hugs and kisses." Beast replies, smiling.

"I’m willing to leave him be at this juncture." Cap adds. "We couldn’t have beaten Chthon without his help, and to be honest I’m to tired to fight again today."

"I’m willing to let him go as well." Iron Man agrees. "For now"

"Then let us begone! And let all the world know, let there be no doubt, The Mighty Avengers have returned!" Thor roars mightily!

Cap smiles, points at the Quinjet Iron Man and Yellow Jacket arrived in and shouts

"AVENGERS ASSEMBLE!"

The Beginning!