NAMELESS.

N/A

Here the author after a thousand years, I was focused on my studies and I was also lazy to write chapters, but at least I came back with one, I also decided to give an origin to the Marvel Zombies virus with something interesting.

- - -

In a desolate, ruined city in Russia, the streets were overrun with zombies, while abandoned cars and devoured corpses littered the ground. Lucius sat on a ledge, his crimson eyes gazing out at the streets below. The wind rustled his hair as he watched the zombies stumble and fall, their clumsy movements a stark reminder of the chaos that had engulfed the world.

"So, they're teaming up with Tony" Lucius muttered to himself, his voice barely above a whisper. "shouldn't Wolverine be immune to the virus? Unless it's not a normal virus... maybe something more sinister is at play. I think I remember that the virus in Marvel Zombies didn't have a clear origin, but I'm pretty sure it was connected to a divine being or something. They never really explained it, though."

Lucius stood up, stretching his arms and gazing up at the dark sky. The moon hung low in the horizon, casting an eerie glow over the ruined city. "Looks like I've got some more research to do," he said, a hint of determination in his voice.

Lucius jumped into the air, his black wings unfolding from his back as he shot up into the sky. He flew quickly, the wind rushing past him as he soared over the desolate landscape.

--

Time passed, and Lucius found himself flying over the vast expanse of the ocean, the blue waters stretching out before him like an endless canvas. He spotted an island in the distance, its lush green vegetation a stark contrast to the desolate ruins he had left behind. Lucius increased his speed, a sonic boom echoing through the air as he flew towards the island.

He landed on the island, his eyes scanning the surroundings as he took in the sights and sounds of the tropical paradise. Lucius smiled wryly, "Haha, I don't think this is the time for a beach vacation."

He disappeared in a flash, reappearing a few moments later as he sprinted across the island, his feet pounding the sand as he ran at incredible speeds. The island's vegetation blurred past him, the trees and bushes a green and brown haze as he hurtled towards his destination.

Lucius stopped running, the Advanced Aerial Helicarrier lay in ruins, its engines destroyed, its hull cracked and broken. Lucius smiled, a hint of excitement in his voice. "they found Captain America here. It's a bit destroyed, but maybe there's something useful inside."

Lucius walked casually towards the helicarrier, his eyes scanning the wreckage as he approached. He punched a hole in the wall, the metal denting and creaking as he made his entrance. Lucius stepped inside, his eyes adjusting to the dim light as he took in the destruction around him.

The command center was a mess, the screens shattered, the consoles broken. Blood stained the walls and floors, a grim reminder of the carnage that had unfolded. Lucius walked through the wreckage, his eyes scanning the area as he searched for clues.

As he walked, Lucius muttered to himself, "Cyclops, Wolverine, Colossus, and Storm... this is going to be a bit tricky. Storm will be a bit tricky, but not impossible. Plus, Jean Grey seems to have gotten away... interesting..."

Lucius continued to explore the helicarrier, his eyes scanning the rubble as he searched for any clues that might lead him to the truth. He navigated through a hallway, the walls cracked and broken, the metal dented and twisted. "Strange, why didn't they destroy everything... I don't think they'd be stupid enough to leave something somewhat intact for someone to examine," Lucius muttered, his brow furrowed in concentration.

Despite his thorough search, Lucius found nothing. He walked through the rubble, his eyes scanning the destruction, but there was nothing to find. Only dried blood and broken equipment littered the area.

Lucius let out a disappointed sigh. "Really? That was it? I thought I was going to find some kind of clue." He shook his head, his eyes scanning the empty hallways. "From what I know of Colossus, they killed Fury, well... that's not exactly surprising. But what's their endgame?"

Suddenly, Lucius's gaze snapped in a specific direction, his eyes narrowing as he felt an intense, unsettling sensation - someone was watching him. "Who are you...?" Lucius said, his voice low and even, as his eyes glowed with a faint, ominous red light.

But the feeling vanished as abruptly as it appeared, leaving Lucius with a sense of unease. In an instant, he disappeared from the helicarrier, reappearing outside as he leapt into the air. Wings burst forth from his back, and he hovered in the sky, his eyes scanning the horizon. "Who the hell was looking at me...?" he muttered, his brow furrowed in concentration.

His gaze lingered in the direction where he'd sensed the presence, and a slow, calculating smile spread across his face. "This could be useful..." Lucius said, his voice dripping with intrigue.

---

(a few minutes before)

High above the forest, a tiny orange speck was hurtling through the air at incredible velocities, easily exceeding hypersonic speeds. Johnny Storm, aka the Human Torch, was flying through the sky, scanning his surroundings, when suddenly a small rocket slammed into him and detonated. The explosion reverberated through the air, causing the trees in the forest below to creak and tremble from the shockwave.

But in an instant, the flames surrounding Johnny dissipated, and he absorbed the energy with ease. "A rocket?" Johnny muttered, his body still enveloped in flames, as he turned to face the direction of the attack.

In the distance, a figure was approaching at high speed. "Who the hell...?" Johnny wondered, his eyes narrowing as more rockets hurtled towards him. The rockets emerged from Tony Stark's armor, which was rapidly closing in on Johnny's position.

With a flick of his wrists, Johnny unleashed a blast of flames that engulfed the incoming rockets, causing them to explode in a spectacular display of fire and smoke. The shockwaves from the explosions sent trees crashing to the ground, their roots torn from the earth.

Johnny's gaze locked onto Tony, his eyes blazing with anger. "Tony..." he growled, his fists clenched.

Tony's amplified voice boomed through the air, "Can you hear me?" Johnny's response was a fierce battle cry as he shot towards Tony at incredible speed, his fists flying. "YOU... TONY STARK!!"

Johnny's punch connected with Tony's armor, sending him crashing into the forest floor with a massive impact that created a sizable crater. Johnny's anger only intensified as he pummeled Tony's armor repeatedly, but to his surprise, the armor showed only minor damage.

"What the...?" Johnny's confusion was short-lived, as a powerful blow struck him, sending him flying into the sky. Johnny stabilized himself in mid-air, touching his face in shock. "How the hell...?"

Tony's laughter echoed through the air, "That hurt a little, I feel like my ribs are crushed, but you know what? I've been making a few upgrades to my armor... pretty useful upgrades..."

As Tony gathered his hands together, the blasters on his armor began to charge, and sparks of electricity crackled to life. The ARK reactor on Tony's chest glowed brighter, and a blinding light enveloped the forest, as if the sun itself had descended upon the scene.

A deafening sound, like thunder, shook the forest, followed by an enormous explosion. The ground beneath Tony gave way, creating a massive crater that seemed to stretch on forever. The clouds in the sky dispersed, as if erased from existence.

A colossal blue laser beam clashed with a massive crimson flame that erupted from Johnny's hands, his teeth gritted in effort as the fire coursed through his arms.

Tony clenched his arms tightly, and the massive blue beam emanating from his blasters surged with increased power. Johnny, meanwhile, gritted his teeth, and the flames engulfing his arms intensified, engulfing the blue beam. The flames were already enormous, and the blue beam was now being consumed by the inferno.

Tony let out a sigh and said, "Okay, JARVIS, activate Zeus mode..." The arc reactor on Tony's chest began to glow brighter, and sparks of electricity appeared, slowly transforming into rays that resembled snakes, wrapping around Tony's arms. "Hey, Flame, it seems I'll have to use something I was saving for a green giant, just in case. But it looks like I'll have to use it on you instead..."

The energy beam's power surged to an unprecedented level, engulfing Johnny completely. He gritted his teeth and was propelled backward at an alarming speed, plummeting towards the ground. Seconds later, Johnny crashed onto the forest floor, creating a massive crater.

The impact of the nosedive sent Johnny's flames dissipating, revealing his battered body. His clothes were torn and burned, his skin marred by large cuts, and blood oozed from his chest, soaking the ground.

"Ah...shit...guys," Johnny muttered, his vision blurry from the pain. Every breath felt like his throat was burning.

Tony landed near the crater, gazing at Johnny's bloodied form. Tony's mask moved, revealing his pale face, and Johnny's eyes widened in shock. "What the hell...?"

Tony's face was deathly pale, his eyes seemed empty, and black veins extended from his sockets to his chin. Tony approached the crater, his movements slow and deliberate. Johnny tried to move, but the pain was excruciating, his chest throbbing with an unbearable ache.

Tony peered at Johnny and said, "You know something interesting, Johnny? As an Avenger, I've seen incredible beings – beings that can destroy the world, alter reality, devour planets, and annihilate galaxies. I'll ask you, Johnny...how do you think all this started? This world is already rotten; there's no turning back."

Johnny's voice was barely above a whisper, hoarse from the pain that seared his throat. "Fuck you..." he rasped, his words laced with venom. "You attacked us, you fucking piece of shit..." He tried to move, but the agony that wracked his body was too much to bear, and he was forced to remain still, his eyes blazing with anger and hatred.

Tony smiled, his eyes glinting with an unsettling intensity. "One day, I had a dream – a dream about a beautiful, yet disgusting being. His body was withered, his arms weak, long, and dirty. His face was covered, broken from breaking a taboo. His body was broken...he was a being who fell...from the day I had that dream, that being didn't speak to me; he just looked at me. The chains on his body bound him, immobilizing him against his will. He was someone betrayed..."

The air was heavy with tension as Johnny slowly regained mobility in his injured body. Tony continued, his voice low and hypnotic: "This universe is full of mysteries, but beyond this world, in the vast emptiness of space, there are countless worlds, other lives that have to be punished..."

Johnny's confusion was evident. "What the fuck are you talking about, Tony?"

Tony's smile grew wider. "nameless..."

Johnny felt a chill run down his spine as Tony's empty eyes locked onto his. Tony's voice dropped to a whisper. "He started the work, and I will finish it. Isn't it obvious?"

Suddenly, withered, skinny, and dirty arms emerged from the ground, ensnaring Johnny's body. "WHAT THE FUCK!?!" Johnny screamed in shock as the dozens of arms restrained him. He managed to activate his powers, and flames engulfed him, propelling him into the sky. He fled, the pain in his chest still present but no longer debilitating.

Tony watched Johnny escape, his expression unchanging. "Johnny, you can't escape the nameless..."

As Johnny soared through the sky, a cold sweat broke out on his brow. He spun around, his eyes snapping open in horror. In the distance, a figure with a withered body hovered in the air.

Its arms were impossibly long and grimy, and its back was bleeding profusely, with droplets of blood dripping through the sky onto the forest floor. Its face was obscured by something inexplicable, as if reality itself was glitching and distorting across its features, but Johnny felt an unshakeable sense that it was watching him.

Johnny's voice was barely above a whisper as he muttered, "what the..." A cold sweat broke out on his brow, and he couldn't help but tremble as he gazed at his hands. He forced a smile, but it wavered, betraying his fear.

Suddenly, a sound behind him made Johnny spin around. The faceless being loomed before him, its presence sending a shiver down his spine. The being reached out a long, spindly hand and grasped Johnny's head, holding it firmly in place.

A voice echoed in Johnny's mind, its words like a cold wind that sent shivers coursing down his spine: "You're... interesting." Johnny's eyes were wide with fear and confusion as he stared at the being.

Suddenly, the being let out a menacing growl, and its distorted face began to contort and twist. A mouth materialized out of nowhere, and the being opened it wide, revealing a dark, cavernous void. The being leaned in, its presence suffocating, and whispered, "Go to the place..." Before Johnny could react, the being's mouth closed around his head, and he felt himself being swallowed whole.

His scream was muffled, but the sound of his terror still resonated through the air. The being's jaws clenched tightly, and Johnny's body went limp and lifeless.

A few seconds later, the being had swallowed Johnny completely. It gazed up at the sky, its face twisted and distorted, as if reality itself was glitching and malfunctioning.

"The blue sky... so long..." it whispered, its voice barely audible.

But then, the being's head jerked in an unnatural, jerky motion, the sound of bones cracking and reforming echoing through the air like a macabre symphony. Its gaze snapped towards a specific direction, its eyes fixed on some unseen point.

"You... are annoying," it hissed, its voice like a cold wind. "The place... needs to be planted, no matter what. My blood will kill the traitors and turn them into... what they truly are."

As the being spoke, its limbs began to transform into salt, crumbling and falling to the forest floor in a slow, eerie cascade. The salt piled up, forming a small mound, and then, in the distance, Tony flew through the air, his arrival marked by a soft whoosh.

He landed where the salt had fallen, his eyes fixed intently on the spot. Kneeling down, he gently brushed the salt away with his hands, revealing a tiny, delicate seed. "finally..." he whispered, a hint of satisfaction in his voice, "good..."