Arkon, warrior monarch of the other-dimensional world Polemachus, his new consort Thundra and their young companion Astra appear in Manhattan, where a misunderstanding brings them into violent conflict with police. The Avengers intervene, battling Arkon and Thundra until Arkon calms down and they all go back to Avengers HQ, where Arkon and Thundra explain how they are now fugitives from Polemachus, trying to save Astra from becoming a human sacrifice at Anskar’s hands. Upstairs, Swordsman tries to befriend Marilla, who tells him what she knows about his late counterpart in this reality, and Vision volunteers to help Swordsman learn more about his deceased predecessor despite Swordsman’s continuing hostility towards Vision. Meanwhile, Magdalene frantically urges Proctor to free Swordsman from the Avengers, and Proctor claims the Gatherers’ next recruit will do just that, though he privately admits to Cassandra this new recruit is meant to kill the Swordsman. Anskar teleports Arkon, Thundra and Astra back to Polemachus, accidentally bringing the Avengers along. Anskar’s priests and a fearful mob pressure Arkon to sacrifice Astra, but Vision convinces Arkon to let the Avengers seek a scientific solution to fixing the Energy Rings first. Anskar says they have 24 hours, after which he intends to sacrifice Astra with or without Arkon’s consent.
The Energy Rings encircling Polemachus rapidly intensify, producing extreme heat that causes drought and famine. Anskar leads Polemachus’ priests in arguing that only returning to the old ways, appeasing the gods via a human sacrifice, can save their world. The maiden Astra is chosen, but Thundra convinces Arkon this is wrong and together they free Astra from the priests, fleeing to Earth (p).
LoC from future Marvel writer Ronald Byrd.
