Chapter 18: Escape from the Supreme

The air was thick with the hum of energy, the ground beneath them trembling as Ultron Supreme loomed above. His mechanical body glowed with the pulsating light of all six Infinity Stones, each radiating a power that seemed to distort the fabric of reality itself.

"You think you can stand against me?" Ultron Supreme's voice reverberated, cold and metallic. "This is my reality. Your resistance is meaningless."

Alex, Mobius, Loki, Sylvie, and the resistance fighters stood together, dwarfed by the imposing figure. Alex could feel the Tesseract thrumming in his hand, its energy calling to him, but he hesitated. Every time he'd tried to wield it, the results had been catastrophic.

"Alex!" Natasha shouted, snapping him out of his thoughts. "Focus! We need a way out!"

Ultron Supreme raised a hand, and a wave of power surged toward them. Captain Carter raised her shield, deflecting the worst of the blast, but the force sent everyone sprawling.

"We can't fight him head-on!" Loki yelled, summoning a projection to distract the towering tyrant. "Alex, use the Tesseract to open a portal!"

"I don't know if I can control it!" Alex shouted back, panic rising in his voice.

"You don't have a choice!" Sylvie retorted, hurling her dagger at Ultron. The blade struck harmlessly against his armor, but it bought them a precious moment.

Alex took a deep breath, clutching the glowing cube tightly. He focused on the energy within, feeling its immense power surge through him. The world around him seemed to blur, colors shifting and swirling as he concentrated.

"Just imagine where you want to go!" Mobius urged.

"Kamar-Taj," Alex muttered to himself, remembering Wong's earlier promise of sanctuary. He closed his eyes, picturing the sanctum's ancient halls and its calming aura of mystical energy.

Ultron Supreme, noticing Alex's actions, turned his attention toward him. "Foolish child," he sneered. "You think you can escape me? I am everywhere."

Ultron raised his hand, summoning a beam of energy crackling with destructive force. Natasha dove forward, tackling Alex just in time to avoid the blast.

"Hurry up, Alex!" Natasha shouted as she pulled him to his feet.

The Tesseract flared brightly in Alex's hands, and with a roar of effort, he tore a hole in the fabric of reality. A shimmering portal appeared, its edges crackling with unstable energy.

"Go!" Alex yelled, his voice straining as he struggled to keep the portal open.

The team didn't hesitate. Captain Carter and Star-Lord T'Challa led the way, followed by Natasha and Party Thor. Loki and Sylvie exchanged a brief glance before diving in as well.

"Come on, Alex!" Mobius called, standing at the edge of the portal.

Alex hesitated for a moment, glancing back at Ultron Supreme. The tyrant was advancing, his expression unreadable but radiating pure menace.

"You cannot run forever," Ultron Supreme declared. "Wherever you go, I will find you."

"Not if I find you first," Alex muttered under his breath. With a final surge of energy, he stepped into the portal, letting it close behind him.

---

Kamar-Taj: A New Beginning

The group tumbled out of the portal, landing unceremoniously in the courtyard of Kamar-Taj. The stark contrast between the serene, mystical sanctum and the apocalyptic world they had just left was jarring.

Wong appeared from one of the nearby doors, his expression a mixture of surprise and relief. "You made it," he said, helping Alex to his feet.

Barely able to stand, Alex staggered forward, the Tesseract slipping from his grasp. Wong caught it before it hit the ground, his eyes narrowing as he examined the glowing cube.

"This is what caused all of this chaos?" Wong asked, his tone both curious and wary.

Alex nodded, his breath coming in ragged gasps. "It's... it's more than I can handle."

Wong studied him for a moment before nodding. "Then it's time you learned how to control it."

The rest of the group gathered around, shaken but alive. Natasha gave Alex a pat on the shoulder. "You did good back there," she said softly.

"I almost got us killed," Alex replied, his voice tinged with regret.

"But you didn't," Loki interjected, his usual smirk absent. "And that counts for something."

Sylvie crossed her arms, her gaze fixed on Wong. "What now?"

Wong gestured for them to follow him. "Now, we train. If Ultron Supreme is as powerful as you say, you'll need more than brute strength to stop him. Alex, the Tesseract is a tool, not a weapon. You need to understand that if you're going to save the multiverse."

As the team followed Wong into the sanctum, Alex felt a spark of hope for the first time in what felt like forever. He didn't know if he was ready to face Ultron Supreme again, but he was determined to try.

Unbeknownst to them, however, Ultron Supreme was already making plans. The multiverse was vast, but no one could hide from him for long.

And Alex knew it.