Ash Williams stood before the Avengers, chainsaw buzzing in hand, flashing a cocky smile. His fingers grazed the buttons on his overalls, ready to unleash chaos.
"What? Why's everyone looking so grim? And why's this guy tied up? Couldn't he have just been bitten?"
With that, Ash raised his chainsaw menacingly, making it seem as if he might actually slice Quicksilver in half. Ash wasn't the type to hold back or bluff—on his first day in the Marvel universe, he'd already tried to take down Daredevil with a saw. Success wasn't guaranteed, but his audacity was unmatched.
"Hold on! Ash, that's my brother. He's not infected!"
A burst of red energy enveloped the chainsaw, jamming its chain with a loud click. Wanda, standing nearby, raised her hand with a displeased frown.
"Damn, was he really about to chop me up just now?" Pietro muttered, eyeing Ash, who was still tugging stubbornly at the stalled chainsaw. "This guy can't be socially anxious. He didn't even ask a question."
Suddenly, a loud, shrill voice pierced the air.
"Quack, quack—Howard, I'm hungry for a full meal today—"
"Bang!"
Adrian turned and fired his gun without a second thought.
Everyone's heads snapped to the source of the sound. Behind Ash lay a grotesque sight: a giant, zombie-like duck in a tattered blue suit, dragging itself along the ground. Once vibrant, its feathers were now dull and matted, and its eyes—taking up nearly a third of its face—were lifeless.
Adrian scratched his head, looking at the half-dead, decayed duck before him. "Howard the Duck?" he asked aloud. "I remember this guy. Isn't he supposed to be a sort of second-rate superhero?"
Pietro, perched on Adrian's shoulder, leaned forward. "Yeah, I didn't expect to see a zombie duck this size in this world."
"If you're looking for a 'superhero' who specializes in driving taxis or investigating shady affairs, then he's your guy," Adrian remarked, ending the miserable creature's suffering with another shot.
Turning back to Ash, Adrian raised an eyebrow. "So, Ash, still clinging to that chainsaw?"
Ash grinned, the chainsaw still in hand. "Of course! How else can I, Ash Williams, blaze through this world, find the Book of Death, and save us all?"
He gave the chainsaw a frustrated shake, muttering to himself, "Why does this thing jam whenever I need it the most?"
With one more strong tug, the chain finally loosened, and the saw whirred to life. Ash beamed, holding the chainsaw with fierce determination.
"Alright, miss," he said, glancing at Wanda with a mischievous grin. "Seems like it's time for Ash Williams to step up and save the day again! Where's that zombie horde?"
Wanda looked unimpressed by Ash's antics and pointed at the lifeless body of Howard the Duck on the ground. Before Ash could go on, she interjected with a question.
"Ash, do you really know anything about the Book of Death—its origins, how to use it?" There was a trace of worry in her voice. Time was running out, and she hoped that maybe, just maybe, the Book of Death could help end this nightmare.
Ash had crashed through the Avengers' front door barely ten minutes earlier, ranting about impending doom, demonic possession, and an army of the dead. Then, the zombie outbreak hit, and he and Wanda joined forces, at least for now.
Ash's ravings had started to make eerie sense, mirroring the grim situation unfolding around them.
"Of course, the rise of the army of death! All we need is the Book of Death to fight these zombies," Ash replied, brimming with excitement.
"Alright, enough of this nonsense," Adrian interrupted, exhaustion tinging his voice. "I thought Ash Williams, as the hero of his own story, would have some insightful plan. Turns out he's just full of hot air."
While Ash wasn't entirely wrong about the Book of Death, Adrian knew the looming threat wasn't just these zombies. There were darker forces and black magic at play, all converging by chance.
"Wanda, can you get him and that chainsaw outside the city?" Adrian asked, his voice carrying a hint of exasperation.
"Gladly." Wanda raised her hands, casting a spell. In seconds, red chaotic energy surrounded Ash, and after a swirl of distortion, he vanished, chainsaw and all.
The red light faded, leaving behind a welcomed silence. Wanda felt relieved. Though she knew from Pietro that Ash wasn't all bad—he'd even struck a deal with Nick Fury—his loud, erratic behavior made him unbearable.
"Where should we go next? To the Quinjet?" Wanda asked Adrian seriously.
"No," Adrian replied, reloading his weapon. "We're going to find the Book of Death."
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