Orville: Lost in the Multiverse

chapter ten: the seeds of corruption

Ed Mercer woke to a sharp, cold pain stabbing into his temples, his senses slowly coming back online as his surroundings came into focus. He was no longer in the comfortable guest suite of Stark Tower. Instead, he found himself in a dark, eerie chamber, the walls lined with strange glowing symbols that pulsed with malevolent energy. A faint, unsettling hum filled the air, as if the very atmosphere was alive with dark magic.

He tried to move but found his arms and legs restrained by glowing chains, their edges crackling with energy that sapped his strength the more he struggled. His head felt heavy, as though weighed down by an invisible force, and a faint ringing echoed in his ears. His vision was blurry, but as it cleared, he saw two shadowy figures standing a few feet away from him.

Loki, his emerald eyes gleaming with amusement, twirled his infamous scepter in one hand, the gem at its tip pulsing with a sinister blue light. Beside him, Strange Supreme stood tall, his dark robes billowing like smoke, his expression calm and calculating. They were speaking in low voices, too far away for Ed to hear clearly, but he didn't need to—he knew this wasn't good.

"You're awake," Loki purred, his voice filled with mockery as he stepped closer, the tip of his scepter glowing brighter with each step. "Just in time. We wouldn't want you to miss the show."

Ed narrowed his eyes, his mind racing as he struggled to understand what was happening. "What do you want?" His voice was hoarse, but it held defiance. "Whatever you're planning, it won't work. My friends will find me."

Strange Supreme chuckled softly, a dark smile creeping across his face. "Ah, Captain Mercer, you always rely so much on your friends. But that's exactly where you're wrong. You see, they won't be coming to save you."

Ed's jaw clenched, but he didn't give them the satisfaction of a response.

Loki tapped the scepter against his palm, his grin widening. "We've been watching you, Captain. You're a leader, a protector. You fight for those who can't fight for themselves. But every leader has their breaking point." His voice lowered, becoming almost hypnotic. "And we're going to show you yours."

Ed's gaze flickered to the glowing gem at the tip of the scepter, dread pooling in his stomach. He knew what that thing was capable of. He had seen it bend people to Loki's will before, turning even the strongest-willed into mindless puppets.

"Don't even think about it," Ed growled, struggling against the magical chains holding him down. The more he fought, the tighter they became, until pain surged through his body. Still, he refused to give in. "You're wasting your time. I won't break."

Strange Supreme stepped forward, his eyes glinting with dark amusement. "Oh, Captain, this isn't about breaking you. No, this is about showing you the truth."

Loki lifted the scepter, the blue light intensifying, casting an eerie glow across the chamber. The tip hovered inches from Ed's chest, and he could feel the malevolent energy radiating from it, like an icy hand gripping his heart.

Strange Supreme's voice turned cold and cutting. "You see, you've always fought for what you believe is right, always trusted your instincts, your team. But have you ever considered that your beliefs, your convictions, are nothing more than illusions? What if everything you've fought for has been a lie?"

Ed's breath hitched as the tip of the scepter inched closer. His mind screamed at him to resist, to hold on, but the energy from the scepter was already starting to seep into him, clouding his thoughts, dulling his senses. He could feel it—an unnatural force pressing against his mind, probing for a way in.

"I know what you're trying to do," Ed spat, his voice strained. "But I won't let you."

Loki's grin widened, and with a swift motion, he pressed the scepter against Ed's chest. The blue light flared brightly, and Ed's world exploded in a haze of blinding pain and confusion.

Images flooded his mind, a torrent of twisted memories and false truths. He saw the Orville under siege, his crew being slaughtered, and his friends turning against him, blaming him for every failure, every loss. The images were so vivid, so real, that for a brief moment, he believed them. He saw Lucy, her face twisted in anger, accusing him of abandoning her when she needed him most. He saw the Avengers, casting him aside, calling him a liability, a burden.

"No," Ed gasped, shaking his head as the visions overwhelmed him. "That's not... that's not real."

But the more he fought, the stronger the visions became. Strange Supreme's magic, combined with the scepter's power, was relentless, warping Ed's perception, twisting his memories, planting seeds of doubt and mistrust deep in his mind.

Loki leaned in closer, his voice a venomous whisper. "They don't trust you, Captain. They never have. They see you as an outsider, a relic of a bygone era. You're alone in this fight. You've always been alone."

Ed's heart pounded in his chest, his mind reeling from the assault. The scepter's energy dug deeper, gnawing at his very soul, and for a moment, the thought took root. What if they're right? What if I've been a fool all along?

Strange Supreme's voice cut through the haze. "You've fought for a universe that doesn't care about you. But with our power, you could control your destiny. You wouldn't have to fight for scraps anymore. You could rule."

Ed gritted his teeth, fighting to hold onto the truth, to remember who he was, but the darkness was pulling him under. The weight of doubt, of fear, was suffocating.

"You're stronger than they give you credit for, Mercer," Loki said, his voice smooth and seductive. "Join us, and you'll never have to be weak again. You'll never have to depend on others. You'll have the power to shape the universe as you see fit."

The words echoed in Ed's mind, swirling with the visions that clouded his thoughts. He saw himself standing atop the ruins of his enemies, victorious, powerful. He saw Strange Supreme by his side, the Avengers kneeling before him. For the briefest moment, the allure of that power, of that control, was almost too tempting to resist.

But then a voice cut through the darkness—faint, but familiar. It was Lucy's voice.

"Ed, we need you."

Her words were like a beacon, a light in the storm. Ed latched onto it, his mind fighting to push back against the scepter's control. He remembered who he was. He wasn't a conqueror. He wasn't alone. He was a leader, a protector, and his friends—Lucy, the Avengers—were counting on him.

"No," Ed growled, his voice filled with defiance. "I won't... I won't become what you want."

Loki frowned, his eyes narrowing as he pressed the scepter harder against Ed's chest. "You will."

But Ed's resolve had strengthened. He could feel the scepter's power trying to consume him, trying to twist him into something he wasn't. But he fought back, his mind a wall of iron will.

Strange Supreme's eyes narrowed, realizing Ed's resistance. "He's stronger than we anticipated."

Loki snarled, pulling the scepter away. "For now."

The darkness receded, and Ed collapsed against the restraints, his body drenched in sweat, but his mind clear. He had resisted. For now. But he knew this wasn't over. Strange Supreme and Loki weren't going to give up so easily.

As they stepped away, Ed's breath came in ragged gasps, but he held on to one thought—he couldn't afford to lose. Not now. His friends needed him, and he wasn't going to let them down.

The battle for his mind had just begun.