Fantastic Four: The Engineer of Eternity

Chapter VI: The Council Has Spoken

       A large room that resembles a gladiator-like arena is filled with people. Those people are variants of Kang! The Four realize their surroundings and don't know what to do at first. They aren't trapped in the aura anymore. Instead, they are simply standing in the middle of the giant room being looked down upon by countless variants of Kang the Conqueror. A layer right below the stadium of Kangs, is a ring-like podium with several Kangs sitting around it. Those specific variants are part of the high council.

"Welcome to the Council of Kangs." Kang greets. "Dr. Richards is no stranger to a council of the same person. Then again, this particular one is at the moment."

Sue, Johnny, and Ben are terribly overwhelmed and confused by this entire situation.

"Reed Richards, you have tampered with time. Over and over and over again. It's as if you're destined to bring the very concept of time to ruins for eternity. You seem to manage a way in every universe. But you already know that, don't you."

Reed looks distraught as he hasn't shared that bit of information with his family. Sue looks at her partner shocked that he withheld such a revelation.

"Reed?" Ben asks, "What is he talking about?"

"What am I talking about, Richards?" Kang asks condescendingly. "All that you know is part of less than a fragment of what you would consider the multiverse."

Another Kang that sits around the podium chimes in, "Dr. Richards, you have been the source of destruction for almost every universe you are a part of, with the exception of very few."

Kang replies, "You're a menace to time. So much so, that a variant of yourself, whom you met back on Planet Zero, set out to eradicate every version of Reed Richards across the multiverse."

Sue speaks up, "That's who you saw in that desert. An evil version of yourself from another universe."

"I don't know if evil is the correct word, Susan Storm." Kang replies, "He was broken beyond his limits. Abused as a child, unlike your Reed. Bullied throughout his life. Left by his entire family and friends. All leading to his downfall. When the smartest man in the world is left with nothing... we have every reason to fear what he's become capable of. The word you're looking for, Miss Storm, is 'inevitable'. Something down the road, somehow, someway, will lead Reed Richards down a path of destruction and he will destroy everyone and everything that has ever and will ever exist in his universe until he is all that is left. The Reeds that have committed these heinous acts have all been murdered by one particular variant of Reed. I thought he would be the one to rid the multiverse of every Reed Richards. But the TVA caught wind of this and pruned him."

"The TVA?" Reed asks.

"The Time Variance Authority. They hop from one timeline to the next looking for variants. Variants are just alternate versions of people from other timelines. The officers are assigned to locate any variant that messes with time and/or takes a trip to another universe. If they hop out of line regarding their own timeline, the TVA sees to it that, they're pruned from existence."

"Pruned? As in they kill them?" Sue asks.

"Not quite. It's a little more grim than that. It's my understanding that their little pruning sticks merely send these variants into Limbo to wander around aimlessly for who knows how long."

"That's cruel." Sue responds.

"Coming from the wife of a monster. Congrats from the future by the way." Kang says sarcastically.

"He is not a monster. That's you, Kang."

"How naïve you are. I find that term inaccurate regarding myself. I'm trying to prevent the monster. I've seen him. Brewing somewhere in the possible future. I have seen this monster with my own eyes and his name is Reed Richards."

Reed doesn't want to believe this to be his fate. Finding it hard to argue with what seems like facts, Reed feels as if he wants to break down on the spot.

"Have no fear, Richards. I plan to eliminate this problem from the timeline. With you gone, I can seize control of time and prove myself to those who run the TVA. I'll gain mastery over time itself and no Reed Richards will ever pose a threat to the timeline or multiverse ever again."

The Four can't fathom what they're hearing. Kang sounds like a mad man but he is ambitious and crazy enough to actually follow through with his plan.

"Normally, we wouldn't be telling you any of this as it could lead to a possible multiversal war should any variant learn what their role in this world is. Especially any variant as dangerous as yourself, Dr. Richards. But, I think we've wasted enough time. Since, The Council and I have decided what your new fate is, you have at least earned the right to understand why you have to die. You're too dangerous to be kept alive. The mercy of Kang is allowing you all to die as a family."

The Council of Kangs turns on this rectangular structure that looks exactly like an empty doorway. A black and white portal begins to swirl inside of it.

"You are sentenced to The Negative Zone. Where your stay will be short lived and your demise shall be swift." speaks one of the council members.

"Please! Don't do this!" Sue yells.

"The Council has spoken." Kang says as he uses his telekinesis to blast The Fantastic Four into The Negative Zone. Sending them spiraling through the doorway to their apparent demise.