Orville: Lost in the Multiverse

chapter thirteen: into the abyss

The dawn was just breaking over the city, casting a golden light on the battle-scarred landscape around Stark Tower. Ed and Lucy stood together, feeling a moment of quiet triumph after their grueling battles against Loki and Strange Supreme. But even in victory, they knew the peace wouldn't last. Somewhere out there, their enemies were regrouping, plotting their next move.

"I'll take a calm sunrise any day after all that," Ed said, wiping sweat from his brow. He turned to Lucy, who was resting with her arms crossed, a small but satisfied smile on her face.

"Enjoy it while it lasts," Lucy said. "We both know this isn't over."

Before Ed could reply, the air around them seemed to shimmer—just for a moment—and then, without warning, the world began to distort.

Suddenly, a familiar dark presence enveloped the rooftop. Ed's heart sank. He recognized this feeling—the nauseating pull of Strange Supreme's magic. But this time, it was stronger, more invasive. A swirling portal appeared behind him, crackling with dark energy.

"No, no, no!" Ed shouted, backing away instinctively. But the portal had already expanded, and before he could react, the tendrils of dark magic snaked out, wrapping around his limbs like chains.

"Ed!" Lucy screamed, rushing forward, her hand outstretched. But she was too far away.

The portal yawned wider, and in a flash of shadow and light, Ed was pulled through it, his body vanishing into the dark void.

The sensation of being yanked through the portal was like nothing Ed had ever experienced. It wasn't like the steady hum of a shuttle or even the brief disorientation of quantum travel. This was chaos. His body felt like it was being torn apart and reassembled at the same time. His mind raced as he tried to brace himself for what might come next, but no amount of experience could prepare him for the world he was about to enter.

The moment Ed landed on the other side, he stumbled forward, crashing to his knees. His head spun violently, and a cold, damp sensation hit his skin. He looked up, and his stomach dropped.

He was no longer in New York—or anywhere familiar. The world around him was nightmarish. The sky was a swirling vortex of black clouds and blood-red lightning, casting everything in an eerie, hellish glow. The landscape was barren, twisted—like a wasteland from a bad dream. Jagged cliffs rose around him, but they looked unnatural, like they had been bent and broken by some malicious force.

But the worst part wasn't the environment—it was the feeling. This place wasn't just physically terrifying; it exuded a sense of dread. It pressed down on Ed, suffocating him with a crushing weight of despair and fear. His breath quickened, panic threatening to take hold.

"Where the hell am I?" he muttered, his voice shaking slightly.

A chilling wind swept across the desolate terrain, carrying with it distant, ghostly whispers. It was as if the very air was alive, murmuring strange, incoherent words that scraped at his mind. Ed turned in a circle, his eyes scanning the twisted horizon for any sign of life, but there was nothing. He was utterly alone.

Just then, something shifted in the distance—a dark figure, barely visible in the haze. Ed's heart pounded in his chest as he squinted to make out the shape. It was humanoid but distorted, like it had been warped by the environment itself. It seemed to glide over the jagged rocks, moving closer with an eerie, unnatural speed.

Ed's instincts kicked in. He had to move—now.

He bolted in the opposite direction, sprinting across the uneven ground, his boots slipping on the loose rocks and gravel. Every step felt like a struggle as the oppressive atmosphere sapped his strength. The figure behind him gave chase, and Ed could hear its strange, distorted breathing getting closer.

"No... no... not like this..." Ed muttered to himself, forcing his legs to move faster.

He reached a cliff edge and skidded to a stop, looking down at the steep drop. There was no way out.

The creature was almost upon him now, and Ed could feel its gaze—dark, hungry, like it was feeding on his fear. He turned to face it, ready to fight if it came to that, but the thing didn't attack. It stopped just short of him, its eyes glowing with an unnatural light.

A voice, soft but menacing, whispered from behind the creature. "You've come far, Captain Mercer. But here... you are nothing."

Ed's eyes widened as the air around the creature shimmered, and another figure emerged from the shadows—Strange Supreme, his face twisted into a malevolent smile.

"You—what is this place?" Ed demanded, trying to keep the tremor out of his voice.

Strange Supreme laughed, the sound cold and mocking. "This is the Void Between Realities—a place that exists outside of time and space. A realm of nightmares. A fitting prison for someone like you."

Ed's mind raced, trying to make sense of it. This was a realm beyond anything he had ever encountered. The thought of being trapped here, with no way out, sent a wave of dread crashing over him. But he couldn't let that fear take over. Not now.

"You dragged me here to what—kill me? You could've done that in New York," Ed said, trying to buy time, his mind already searching for an escape plan.

"Oh, I don't intend to kill you," Strange Supreme replied, his voice dripping with malice. "No, you're much more valuable alive. Here, in this place, I can break you. You will bend to my will, and then... you will serve me."

Ed clenched his fists. "I'm not your puppet."

Strange Supreme's smile widened. "We'll see."

With a flick of his hand, the twisted creature lunged at Ed, its sharp claws gleaming in the blood-red light. Ed dodged, barely escaping its grasp as he rolled to the side. But more figures were emerging from the shadows now, warped and twisted, their eyes glowing with the same malevolent light.

Ed's heart raced as he realized what was happening. This wasn't just a trap—it was a nightmare. And Strange Supreme controlled it.

The creatures closed in on him, their distorted forms surrounding him from all sides. Ed fought desperately, striking out at the nearest one, but they were too many. His mind was spinning with fear and confusion, the oppressive weight of the Void crushing his resolve.

And then he heard Strange Supreme's voice again, echoing in his mind.

"You cannot escape, Mercer. This place is your prison. And soon, it will be your grave."

As the creatures closed in, Ed's vision blurred, and the world around him began to spin. The terror threatened to overwhelm him. But deep within, a small spark of defiance flared to life.

He wasn't done yet.

With a surge of adrenaline, Ed fought back, pushing through the fear, the exhaustion. He didn't know how, but he was going to find a way out of this nightmare. He wasn't going to let Strange Supreme win.

Not here. Not ever.