Prelude to the final host "a million years in the making"

(South Africa: 1 week ago)

After a fight between two incredibly powerful superhumans, the ghost rider, and the starbrand, two archaeologists were heading down into a deep cave.

"We should not be down here. This is not how archaeology is supposed to be done." The assistant pointed out hesitantly. "I mean these radiation readings alone are..." he added but was cut off.

"Go back if you want. But you're going alone." The doctor spoke.

The assistant looked terrified "you are insane, Doctor! Your crazy dreams are going to get us killed! A flying man just obliterated our security detail!" He exclaimed.

The doctor used his flashlight and maneuvered the cave he didn't know what he hoped to find, but he knew deep down it would be related to everyone's origin.

"Just stop talking and feel it. Feel it buzzing behind your eyes. There's truth here. About where we came from. A truth science and religion both missed. What if there's something profoundly unnatural about our origin? What if everything we know and love...is a grand cosmic mistake?" The doctor questioned

The assistant turned his flashlight towards the wall and saw various markings, "are you seeing these markings? This cave dates back to the Stone Age, but these symbols, they're not like anything I've ever seen." He mused in awe.

The doctor suddenly stopped moving and had a big smile on his face, as he flashed his light towards what he saw "neither is that. So beautiful. So diseased."

The assistant had an astonished look on his face "oh my god. What... I think I...I just saw it move. We should really get back to..."

Suddenly a giant hand rose and red electricity crackled off of it "whaa—" the Doctor exclaimed in surprise.

"Summon... the final host." A mechanized voice rang through the cave.

The electricity started to shock the doctor and his assistant

"AAAH!!!" The assistant screamed.

"GAAAGGH!!!" The doctor screamed.

"Cleanse them all." The mechanized voice announced

(Hours later)

We see Loki walking through the same cave that the archaeologists were in many hours ago. "I can't believe those frost giants, bought those lies I told them. But I don't feel too bad about it, considering it's in the name of the greater good. I guess it helps that the truth is even more ludicrous. Hi, I'm Loki, the littlest, more liarish Giant. And believe it or not... ...I'm here to save the world." He mused to himself as he walked through the cave, he used his scepter to light the way.

"Oh, well. A pretty little stone would've been nice, but... ...there are other sources of power in the universe, aren't there? Like you for instance. Hello, new friend. Guess they should've nailed you to the moon like daddy wanted." Loki chuckled as he walked towards the giant.

"Summon... the final host." The mechanized voice repeated

"Yes, why don't we do that?" Loki said with a devilish smile.

(Old Asgard: 72 hours earlier)

A jet is seen flying into old Asgard and landing right outside the throne room. "This is an ominous and godforsaken land. With all due respect, my king... ...instead of guarding the ship, we should be guarding you." Okoye the leader of the Dora Milaje pointed out

"The invitation said to come alone. And we would not want to anger our host." T'challa explained in full black panther attire.

T'challa walked through the old ruins of Asgard and grabbed a torch from one of the nearby walls. 'This land may be forsaken, but believe me...it is not godforsaken. And it's ground should not be tread upon lightly. Not even by Kings.'

As T'challa reached the throne room of the ruined castle he saw a shadowy figure sitting atop the throne. "You came." The figure spoke and when T'challa shined the torch on the figure it's revealed to be Odin.

"You sent a talking raven to my home. How could I deny such a request... ...from Odin the all-father of Asgard?"

Odin let out a hallow chuckle "alas, Asgard is not what it once was. And neither am I. Let's hope you are, lord of wakanda."

T'challa raised a brow though Odin couldn't see it "you talk as if we've met before. I believe I would remember such a meeting."

Odin started to stand up though it took a moment "I've met many of you panther kings over the eons, more than my aging omniscience can even recall, going all the way back to when your kingdom was still naught but a cave. I've noticed that you all seem to have one trait in common." Odin stood and grabbed his staff to light the way.

As they walked Odin continued from his previous point "in other words, I've always liked you. A fierce devotion to protecting your people from all outside forces, to the point where others label you cold and stubborn, merciless and warlike, foreboding and profoundly dangerous."

They continued to walk in silence for a few moments till Odin spoke again "I've recently failed in my duty to protect my own kingdom. The grand and golden Asgard was laid to waste by the god-hating beast known as mangog."

Odin didn't like thinking about all of this, but when your left alone in a big ruined palace, you've got nothing but time to think. Think about your triumphs and all of your failures.

"Many asgardians suffered. And now the gods live in squalor amid the ruins of our ancestral lands. But all of that is nothing, I fear... ...compared to what is coming. Which is why I've called you here, black panther. I should have listened to your ancestor, one million years ago. I should have shown mercy, if I had... ...perhaps the final host would show some to us in turn." Odin finished as he and T'challa made it to a memoriam of sorts.

There stood six statues, these statues were of the avengers one million team.

Odin closed his eye and let out a woeful sigh "but I fear the time for mercy has long since passed."

T'challa  was astonished at this revelation "one million years? But that's impossible. There were no Homo sapiens one million years ago."

Odin looked at one statue of a woman "perhaps not. But there were gods. And cavemen with the powers of gods. And an infuriating wizard. A dragon princess from a mystical, hidden city. And... ...and a flame that burns still—a cosmic inferno that can never be extinguished." Odin said while staring at the statue of the woman

"We stood together, at the dawn of man, the whole motley lot of us. And we fought to save the world. Perhaps... that was our biggest mistake. Perhaps it would've been far kinder... ...if we'd let it die."

(Midgard: 1,000,000 B.C.)

The black panther stood in a crouched position examining the body of the giant who fell from the sky. "We should not have done this. We should not have killed this thing from the sky." He said

Another man in a red cloak with a bright green gem being held together by tree roots spoke "I am not entirely sure it is dead. Or that such a being can ever truly die."

A much younger Odin shook his head while holding mjolnir "it's dead. Believe me, I have slain enough giants to know when one is finished."

A tanned woman with a ponytail interjected "it left us no choice. it was rampaging. Going berserk. Trying to tear open the earth itself." She rationalized.

Another woman surrounded by fire agreed "it thought this world weak and unprotected. It was wrong." She added

A man who looked more like an apeman with a strange symbol on his chest made a grunt of agreement "ug!"

The black panther looked at the sky giant with pity "it was sick. Like a boar when it foams at the mouth. Among my tribe, we have healers who can cure such ills. We should have tried to save it. I fear for us now. I fear what next will come from the sky. This time not mindless. But sick only with vengeance."

(Present day:)

T'challa listened to the story with surprise "you slew a mad celestial... one million years ago? One of the most powerful, unknowable forces of cosmic nature that anyone has ever encountered? And you buried it under the plains of what is now Africa, my home continent?" T'challa questioned

Odin sighed "I wanted to nail it to the moon, as a warning to the others. But as I told you, the wizard was stubborn."

T'challa turned and started to leave "rest assured, I will deal with this myself."

Odin spoke however contradicting this "it's too late for that. It's not buried anymore."

T'challa stopped and turned back looking at Odin "then where is it? Where is the fallen celestial?"

Odin sighed "my son came to visit me yesterday." He informed

T'challa assumed Odin meant Thor "Thor? Yes, I heard he has regained his mantle."

Odin however had a forlorn look on his face and shook his head "no. Not Thor."

(Flashback: yesterday)

Loki looked at his father with a smug look on his face "heh." He chuckled softly

"You do this to torment me, don't you? Coming before me like this. With no shame. With more gall than any creature that has ever dared to live. This is how you torture the god who saved you, Loki. Who raised you as his own." Odin said

Loki crossed his arms and leaned against a broken pillar "actually, I came to see what you'd done with the old place since you moved back. Frankly, I can't say I'm impressed. I'm afraid I'm a bit confused though, all-father. How exactly is it that I'm tormenting you so? Do tell. It's not like I've lashed you to a rock with the entrails of your murdered son while a snake slowly drips it's venom onto your face. No, that's what you once did to me, isn't it?" Loki sneered

Odin however met Loki's gaze with a hard one "you know how it is you torture me. By coming here and forcing me to see you, still living, still breathing my air. You so enjoy flaunting it in my face. Flaunting your continued existence. It torments me, Loki...that you still live."

Loki followed Odin as he started to walk away "is it my fault you can't bring yourself to kill me, father? No matter how desperately you might want to, with every aching fiber of your omnipotent hide?"

"I should've done it when you were a babe. When I found you alone in your frost giant crib. I should've buried my spear in your soft little flesh and never looked back once." Odin stated

"Heh. Only Odin would prefer murdering an infant to facing the full-grown consequences of what he hath wrought upon the realms." Loki sighed

"Go. Leave me to my ruins and my suffering, boy. Or perhaps I'll find someone in this realm who is far less averse to killing you." Odin said.

Loki ran up to Odin and put an arm around and started whispering in his ear "you're right, father. I do want you to see me. To see what grand new sagas I weave in your unholy name. I'd wager you don't even remember telling me the stories you never noticed I was there, just A child, listening alongside your throne, while you regaled the drunken gods of Asgard with tales of your exploits at the dawn of man. Tales of battling celestials. And the rampaging hordes of demon apes and underwater savages and monsters the size of mountains. Tales of... playing with fire. Your precious Thor was busy being Thor. But I was always there listening, father. And now I'm here to finish what you never could." Loki grinned at Odin's shocked expression

"Ymir's bones. Is that..." Odin stopped before he could even get the words out the shock was too great.

Loki's grin only widened and Loki spoke again "I come to you, all-father, reborn as Loki the lifebringer. The great rejuvenator and resurrector. Loki the bloody builder. Loki the savior of us all. And father, as you can see... ...I did not come alone."

(Present day)

"Are you telling me Loki has somehow harnessed the power of a celestial? You saw this with your own eye?" T'challa asked.

"I'm telling you the final host is coming, and your world will need you, panther. To lead the way. Just as you should have done at the dawn of it all. And I... I will need you, too. When you find Loki, I am asking you to what Thor would never be strong enough to do. What I am too weak and tender-hearted to ever do myself. I need you, black panther... ....to kill my son." Odin said grimly.

(Brief flashback)

Before Odin could react a giant fist came down and slammed right on top of him forcing him to the ground.

"GAARRGGGHH!!!" Odin yelled in pain.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA! I think my new friend remembers you, father." Loki laughed.

(Present day)

"I will deal with this mess you left buried for a million years, all-father Odin. And if Loki must die to save the world, I have never been afraid to mete out such justice. But the king of wakanda is not a hired assassin. Not even for the gods." T'challa finished as he started to leave.

" save the world? You misunderstand badly, panther. I speak only of death and damnation. There is no salvation to come. Not for any of us. You cannot stop the final host. No matter what fools you might recruit to your cause." Odin yelled.

T'challa stopped walking and looked back "we shall see about that. I know of some rather impressive fools."

(Midgard. Manhattan.)

T'challa had contacted Steve Rogers and informed him of this new calamity that was coming, but didn't have a time as to when so it was pretty much walking on eggshells hoping they had enough time to assemble a team. Steve informed director fury and he went personally to contact one of the potential candidates for this new team.

"Ryan Constantine?" Fury asked a man in tan trench coat as he looked at the man. The man was smoking a cigarette and having a drink and looked at him "who's asking?" He asked in a British accent as he puffed out some smoke.

Fury already knew he had the right guy after those words but decided to answer his question "nick fury, director of S.H.I.E.L.D. I'm here to talk you about the avenger initiative."

Next chapter: the final host