Orville: Lost in the Multiverse

chapter twelve: battle for worlds

The chamber beneath the Hydra base was a storm of chaos and clashing forces. Loki's maniacal laughter echoed as he hurled bursts of searing green energy from the scepter, while Strange Supreme, cloaked in dark magic, twisted the air around him with reality-warping spells. The Avengers fought valiantly, but the true weight of the battle fell upon Ed and Lucy. They were the ones who had to face the monsters directly.

Ed stood across from Strange Supreme, his breathing heavy, his heart pounding with the magnitude of what was at stake. The swirling energies of the multiverse rippled around them as Strange Supreme's magic fractured the very fabric of reality, tearing open cracks that led to dimensions beyond imagining.

Lucy, meanwhile, locked eyes with Loki across the battlefield. Stark Tower was in jeopardy, but more importantly, so was Earth. Loki sneered at her, spinning the scepter in his hand with deadly precision. The malicious gleam in his eyes told her everything: if he won, humanity would fall under his reign.

For Lucy, the fight was personal. For Ed, it was the fate of the multiverse.

Ed vs. Strange Supreme: The Battle for the Multiverse

Strange Supreme floated in mid-air, his eyes glowing with dark power as swirling tendrils of magic bent reality around him. Ed had no armor, no advanced technology at his side this time—just his raw determination and his will to save everything.

"You're out of your league, Mercer," Strange Supreme taunted, his voice deep and resonating with dark energy. "I've conquered realities beyond your comprehension. The multiverse will bow to me. And you? You're just one man."

Ed clenched his fists, his eyes narrowed. "One man's enough. You'll have to go through me before you get anywhere near the multiverse."

Strange Supreme raised his hands, dark magic coiling around his fingertips like living shadows. "Very well. Let's see if you can stop the inevitable."

With a violent surge of energy, Strange Supreme unleashed a blast of chaotic magic that tore through the air like a vortex of destruction. Ed barely dodged, rolling to the side as the ground cracked beneath the force of the spell. He could feel the heat of the blast even from several feet away.

Thinking quickly, Ed grabbed a piece of debris and hurled it toward Strange Supreme. The dark sorcerer flicked his hand dismissively, turning the object to ash mid-air. But Ed used the distraction to close the distance, charging in with the ferocity of a man with nothing left to lose.

Strange Supreme smirked, but Ed's sheer determination forced him to summon a shield of dark energy just as Ed threw a powerful punch aimed at his chest. The shield held, but the impact caused Strange Supreme to stagger back, his confidence flickering.

"You're stronger than I expected," he admitted, his tone colder now. "But strength won't save you."

Strange Supreme raised his hands to the sky, and the world around them began to twist and shift. The ground became unstable, reality itself fracturing as portals opened to alternate dimensions. Ed could see flashes of otherworldly landscapes—a jungle filled with colossal creatures, a barren wasteland with a dying sun, a city engulfed in flames.

Ed fought to keep his footing, refusing to be disoriented by the shifting realities. "I don't care what dimension you throw me into," he shouted. "I'm not letting you win!"

Strange Supreme's smile faded, and his eyes narrowed. "Then you'll fall with your precious multiverse."

Ed's gaze steeled, and in that moment, he realized that Strange Supreme's power was immense, but it was also tied to the instability of the multiverse. His magic relied on the chaos. If Ed could stabilize the breach, he could weaken Supreme's hold.

Using his knowledge from his time aboard the Orville and his experience with high-level technology, Ed quickly scanned the environment. There—just beyond Supreme's range, a series of energy nodes connected to the swirling portals. If he could disable them, it would disrupt the sorcerer's control over the dimensions.

Summoning all his strength, Ed dodged another blast of magic and raced toward the nodes. Strange Supreme, realizing what Ed was doing, screamed in fury. "You cannot stop the inevitable!"

But Ed wasn't listening anymore. He reached the first node and, with a swift strike, disabled it. The portal it was connected to flickered and closed. The multiverse breach began to stabilize.

"NO!" Strange Supreme bellowed, his power visibly weakening as Ed disabled another node.

With one final surge of determination, Ed destroyed the last node, and the chaotic storm of dimensions collapsed. The multiverse had been stabilized—for now. But the fight wasn't over. Ed turned to face Strange Supreme, who glared at him with burning hatred.

"This isn't over, Mercer," the sorcerer growled, raising his hands for one final attack. "I will crush you and everything you love."

Ed, his body trembling from exhaustion, stood firm. "You'll have to try a lot harder than that."

Lucy vs. Loki: The Battle for Earth

While Ed fought for the multiverse, Lucy was locked in a deadly duel with Loki atop Stark Tower. The wind whipped around them as the battle raged below, but here, high above the city, it was just the two of them.

Loki smiled his sinister grin, twirling the scepter with effortless grace. "You think you can stand against me, little assassin? Earth belongs to me now."

Lucy's eyes were cold, focused. "You've underestimated humans before, Loki. That's why you lost. And you're about to lose again."

Loki lunged forward, striking with the scepter. Lucy moved like a shadow, dodging the blow and delivering a swift kick to his side. Loki staggered back, snarling in frustration. He had expected her to be easy prey, but Lucy was faster, more skilled than he had anticipated.

"You're more troublesome than I gave you credit for," Loki sneered, his voice dripping with venom. "But no matter. The scepter will bend you to my will, just as it did to others."

Lucy saw the gleam of madness in his eyes as he raised the scepter, its glowing blue light aimed at her. But she was ready. In one fluid motion, she disarmed him, twisting the scepter out of his grasp and tossing it aside. Loki's eyes widened in shock.

"You're not the only one who knows how to fight dirty," Lucy said, her voice steady.

Loki's smirk returned. "Perhaps not. But I'm still a god."

With a burst of energy, Loki summoned his magic, casting an illusion that surrounded Lucy with doppelgangers of himself. They moved in perfect synchronization, attacking her from every angle. But Lucy's training kicked in, and she saw through the illusion, focusing on the real Loki.

She leapt forward, striking him with a precise blow to the chest, sending him crashing into the side of the tower. The doppelgangers disappeared.

Breathing heavily, Loki pulled himself to his feet, his eyes blazing with fury. "You... will... kneel."

Lucy shook her head. "Not today."

With a final strike, she knocked Loki unconscious, sending him sprawling across the rooftop.

The Endgame

As Lucy stood victorious over Loki, Ed emerged from the fractured chamber below, his body battered but triumphant. Strange Supreme, weakened by the loss of his connection to the multiverse, had retreated into the shadows, vowing revenge.

The two friends, bloodied and bruised, stood together at the edge of Stark Tower. Earth and the multiverse had been saved—but they knew this was far from over. Loki and Strange Supreme had slipped away, but their threat loomed large.

"We did it," Lucy said, her voice soft but filled with pride.

Ed, breathing heavily, looked out over the city, the weight of their victory settling on him. "For now. But they'll be back."

Lucy nodded. "And when they are, we'll be ready."

Together, they stood at the edge of the tower, the dawn breaking on the horizon, knowing that whatever came next, they would face it side by side.