The colossus had fallen, and Times Square was littered with debris from the battle. Tony Stark hovered in the air, surveying the damage below. His suit's systems were running diagnostics—there were several malfunctions after channeling that much multiversal energy, but he was more concerned about what came next.
Doctor Strange stood on the cracked pavement, his cloak still fluttering behind him, as Peter Parker landed beside him with a soft thud, pulling off his mask and wiping the sweat from his brow.
"That was… something," Peter muttered, shaking his head. "Do you think there are more of those things coming?"
Strange's gaze was distant, his mind racing with possibilities. "That was not an isolated event. We've disrupted the plans of whatever forces are behind these rifts, but they'll regroup. And when they do, they won't hold back."
Tony landed beside them, folding his arms as he thought over their next steps. "We need to go on the offensive. This is no longer a matter of just defending our world from incursions. We have to figure out who's behind this, and we need to stop them before they unleash something worse."
Peter looked between the two older heroes, a flicker of uncertainty crossing his face. "Okay, so how do we do that? We barely managed to stop that thing. And if there are more, we're gonna need a lot more firepower."
Tony nodded grimly. "Exactly. Which is why we're not going to do this alone anymore."
Strange raised an eyebrow. "What are you suggesting?"
"We need more allies," Tony said, his voice resolute. "We can't fight this war on our own. It's time we brought in reinforcements from across the multiverse."
Peter's eyes widened. "Wait, you mean—other heroes? From other universes?"
Tony nodded. "Exactly. We've got the portal tech to get us there, and if the multiverse is bleeding into our world, then it's only a matter of time before the same thing happens in other universes. We need to unite the greatest minds and heroes from across the multiverse to stop whatever's coming."
Strange considered this for a moment. "The idea has merit. But opening more portals risks destabilizing the multiverse further. Every crossing between universes weakens the fabric of reality."
Tony sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, I know. But we don't have much of a choice. We either take the risk and stop this thing before it's too late, or we sit back and watch as more creatures start pouring through those rifts."
Peter cracked a small smile. "Hey, if we're recruiting other Spider-Men, I'm in."
Strange finally nodded. "Very well. We'll need to be cautious, but I agree. We can't do this alone."
Tony turned and activated his suit's holographic interface, bringing up a detailed map of known rift locations across the multiverse. "I've been mapping out potential universes we can travel to—places with heroes and resources we can tap into. We'll need to gather them quickly and bring them back here."
Peter leaned in, eyes wide with curiosity. "So, where are we going first?"
Tony grinned. "I've got a few ideas. First stop: the Fantastic Four."
---
It wasn't long before Tony, Peter, and Strange stood inside the sleek confines of Tony's lab back at Stark Tower. The portal generator stood in the center of the room, glowing faintly as it hummed with energy. Tony had been fine-tuning the device since their last trip, ensuring it could handle the strain of opening multiple portals across different dimensions.
Peter fidgeted nervously as Tony adjusted the settings on the machine. "So, uh, what's the plan when we meet the Fantastic Four? Just walk up and say, 'Hey, we need you to help save the multiverse'?"
Tony glanced up from his work. "Pretty much. Reed Richards is one of the smartest guys in any universe. If anyone can help us figure out who's behind these rifts, it's him."
Doctor Strange folded his arms, his expression neutral. "Let's just hope they're willing to join our cause without too much convincing."
Tony chuckled. "Oh, I'm sure Reed will be up for it. Multiverse incursions are right up his alley."
With the final settings locked in, Tony activated the portal generator. The room filled with a low hum as the air shimmered, and a swirling vortex of energy appeared before them, casting an eerie blue light over everything. The portal was stable, but Tony could feel the weight of its presence—a reminder of the delicate balance they were tampering with.
"Alright, boys," Tony said, stepping toward the portal. "Let's go knock on some cosmic doors."
Peter shot him a grin. "Lead the way, Mr. Stark."
With a final glance at Strange, who nodded in silent agreement, Tony stepped through the portal, followed by Peter and Strange.
---
On the other side, the trio emerged into a large, futuristic-looking facility—one that was clearly designed for cutting-edge science. Stark had been in many labs over the years, but this one was particularly impressive.
The Baxter Building.
It was quiet, but not empty. As they stepped further into the main lab, they were greeted by none other than Reed Richards himself, standing before a large holographic display filled with data about quantum anomalies and multiversal disruptions.
"Tony Stark," Reed said, his voice calm but curious. "I had a feeling you might show up."
Tony raised an eyebrow. "You've been monitoring the rifts, I take it?"
Reed nodded, turning to face them fully. His expression was thoughtful, his mind clearly working through dozens of possibilities at once. "I've detected disturbances across multiple dimensions. The multiverse is becoming increasingly unstable."
"We're here because we need your help," Tony said, wasting no time. "These rifts—they're being caused by someone, or something, and we need to stop it before the entire multiverse collapses."
Reed folded his arms, glancing over at Peter and Strange. "And you think we can stop this together?"
Doctor Strange stepped forward. "The threat is growing. If we don't unite now, the incursions will continue, and the damage will be irreparable."
Reed's expression darkened, and he nodded slowly. "I agree. I've been working on solutions to stabilize the multiverse, but I can't do it alone. We'll need all the help we can get."
Just then, the rest of the Fantastic Four entered the room—Sue Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm. They all looked slightly on edge, as though they had sensed the severity of the situation before anyone said a word.
"Reed, what's going on?" Sue asked, her voice filled with concern.
Reed gave her a brief nod, turning back to Tony and the others. "It seems we're not the only ones dealing with multiversal incursions."
Johnny's eyes lit up with excitement. "So we're saving the multiverse? Sweet."
Ben crossed his arms, his rocky exterior giving him a formidable presence. "Sounds like we're gonna need to hit something big."
Tony smirked. "Trust me, Ben. There'll be plenty of things to smash."
Reed walked over to a nearby console, activating another holographic display. "I've been gathering data on the rifts, but there's one in particular that concerns me the most."
He brought up an image of a massive tear in reality, far larger than any they had encountered so far. "This rift is expanding at an exponential rate. If it continues unchecked, it could consume multiple universes."
Tony frowned. "And you think it's the source of all the others?"
Reed nodded. "It's possible. If we can stabilize this one, we might be able to stop the others from forming."
Doctor Strange studied the data closely. "This is dangerous. If we miscalculate, we could end up making the situation worse."
Tony's mind was already racing with plans. "Then we don't miscalculate. We go in, we stabilize the rift, and we shut it down before it can do any more damage."
Peter chimed in, his voice hesitant. "And if whoever's behind this shows up?"
Tony met Peter's gaze, his expression hardening. "Then we take the fight to them."
Reed looked around at his team, then back at Tony and Strange. "We're in. Let's save the multiverse."
---
As the newly assembled team began preparing for the mission ahead, Tony couldn't shake the feeling that they were heading toward something far bigger than they realized. The colossus had been a warning—a glimpse of the power they were up against.
But with the Fantastic Four now on their side, and more allies to come, Tony felt a flicker of hope.
The multiverse was vast and full of dangers, but together, they stood a chance.