Out of Time ★ [1] ✔

Epilogue

I watched her. I'd been watching her from the beginning. She was getting stronger. Her Time Trance was...interesting. Formidable even. Eilian had trained her well. Such a shame he had to die. I could have used him for a better purpose.

I strolled over to the god embedded in the cracked floor. He looked up at me, and his eyes widened.

I crouched next to him, threading my aged fingers. "You are a joke, Asgardian." I grinned. "But I can fix that."

"Who are you?" he wheezed.

I stood, retaining my grin. "Tell Thanos that she's mine. He can have the Infinity Stones, I have no use for them. But the Time Walker is mine."

Loki chuckled weakly. "I will not be seeing him any time soon. When the Avengers return, I will be their captive. I may never see him again."

"Oh, Loki." I shook my head in disappointment. "There are more ways to contact Thanos than a simple face to face conversation." My smile melted. "Find a way. Deliver my message. And you will be rewarded."

"And why do you want her?"

I raised my chin. "That is none of your concern."

"And what if I refuse?"

"Then I will gut you and throw you to the Midgard Serpent."

Loki held his tongue. I smiled again. "I shall take my leave now. Enjoy being captured by the Avengers."

I sat on my throne in my castle. I looked upon my subjects and grinned. Omega Chronos was mine. All mine. I shaped it into a galaxy of my own. And I could do whatever I wanted with it and everyone living within it. It was my playground.

I flicked my wrist for my prisoner to be brought to me. I watched in delight as my former opponent was thrown to the floor at my feet. His hands were chained. He was dirty. He was bruised and battered and scarred. And he was broken.

He looked up at me with such anguish, his unbelievably blue eyes as cold as ice. He was nothing but an ant under my boot. But an ant too valuable to crush. I needed him alive. But that didn't mean I couldn't have some fun.

"How extraordinary," I remarked. "Can you believe that we have been at war since the beginning?"

He glared at me with such hatred, eyes like blue fire. "I have been nothing but a peaceful being."

"Oh, don't be stupid," I growled.

"I never wanted a war, Eon. I wanted nothing but peace and prosperity for my people. It was you that warred with me."

I shot to my feet. "Because I was persecuted!"

"For what?" he questioned, his voice heavy with sadness. "I did nothing but welcome you to Omega Chronos." He gestured around the throne room that was once his own. "And this is how you repay me? By enslaving us all?"

"Not enslave. Assimilate."

I stepped down from my throne to stand in front of him. I crouched to be at eye level. I scoffed. "You've been blind for too long, Lord of Time. I have been planning this for centuries."

He scowled. "What do you want?"

"You know damn well what I want. And I am not going to stop until I have her."

His eyes widened. He'd finally caught on. "No..."

"She will help me take every galaxy and universe. Every cosmos will be mine to control, and there is nothing you can do to stop me." I spread my arms to the side. "I have every Time Walker in Omega Chronos under my command. Their minds and powers and galaxies are mine."

"They will stop you."

I thrust my fist into his face, the impact sending him toppling backwards. Blood exploded from his nose.

I rolled my eyes. Defiant to the end. No wonder where they got it from. And now there was blood on my floor. Wonderful.

"You are ignorant, Lord. No one can stop me. Thanos cannot. Apocalypse can try. Kang will not get far." I leaned forward, our faces inches apart. "And neither can you and your renegade. She will be mine."

I returned to my throne as the Lord of Time struggled into a sitting position. He glared at me. "You will not get your hands on Andromeda. I will make sure of that."

I roared in laughter, my voice booming around the hall. "And how will you do that from a prison cell?" I flicked my wrist to the guards. "I will have Andromeda under my wing. And she will help me rule everything." I grinned. "Or die trying."

The Lord of Time glowered as the guards dragged him away, back to rot in the dungeons underneath the castle.

I relaxed into my throne. I had much more planning to do. And, in due time, I was going to have a special guest. Her room needed to be prepared. I needed it to be homey.

"Prepare the Chamber. We have a guest arriving."

❈Author's Note: Hey, there! If you liked this epilogue, please consider giving it a quick vote! Thanks for reading!