The room is empty and without any type of light in its dimensions. In the center of the darkness is a being of incredible power. The Kree looking being has the ability to create everything form planets to other dimensions. In fact he created the dimension from which the Mutant Forger came from. This man's name was Supreme Evolutionary and he was where he was in this dark room so he could discuss business. Someone had something to offer him and Supreme Evolutionary never turned down a gift.

"I'm glad to see you're prompt," Numinus said as she appeared in a flash of light. Supreme Evolutionary hated the pleasant smile on her face. It made him very wary of the cosmic being.

"I'm always on time guiding spirit. So I see you managed to get Fusion in the midst of the Avengers," Supreme Evolutionary said attempting to make some small talk before he got down to business. Besides small talk always revealed plenty of information. People tended to spill things out unintentionally all the time.

Numinus smirked, "Yes I did though it took some work on my part. I had to make sure the Children of the Dark arrived on Earth and then I had to go subconsciously inform Krugarr of the Children of the Dark's arrival."

Supreme Evolutionary sighed out of annoyance, "And you had to gather Fusion and the others to keep the Avengers from fighting the Children of the Dark at full force. Yes I already know all of this Numinus."

"And what of you Evolutionary? How go your plans? Have they even come into full-force yet?" Numinus inquired with a clipped tone in response to Supreme Evolutionary's annoyance. She didn't appreciate his tone with her. He was relatively new to the game of cosmic dealings and yet he treated her as she were some whelp to be shooed off at a moment's whim.

"Deathbird and I have yet to find the Celestial Ring, but the relationship between Exodus and Crystal is progressing nicely," Supreme Evolutionary informed in a much calmer tone than before. He wasn't going to get anything from Numinus if he kept being a jerk. She was an Abstract and they easily got angry. They were above most beings so they are always uptight.

"Why not just pull Exodus into the web of the Avenger some other way? Fooling him into a relationship could have bad results."

Supreme Evolutionary held up his right hand where four rings glistened, "These are the Mankal Rings. One of the rings is Love. With that ring I turned any and all love Crystal had for Quicksilver onto Exodus. And with Bennet I just used the love he had for his family. So the love between the two is very much true. I could tell them I used the Mankal Ring to create their feelings for each other and it wouldn't make a bit of difference. The feelings wouldn't fade."

"Good to hear. Now I've got some information for you. The Celestial Ring is located in the Temple of Paum in the Tun Galaxy. Beware though. A few perils are there to test you," Numinus said finally as she vanished in a flare of pink radiance.

"One has to wonder if she wants us to succeed," Deathbird said as she walked through the door after Numinus was gone.

"Of course she doesn't want us to succeed, but we will anyway. The Celestial Guard will be gathered and the Celestial Messiah will lead them. The fate of the universe will depend on it."

"So should I prep us for a trip to the Temple of Paum?"

"Of course my Shi'ar beauty," Supreme Evolutionary smiled.

Avengers Mansion

Wanda Maximoff was the leader of the Avengers this day. Thor was off on a visit to Asgard, Crystal was spending time with Luna, and Sersi was in Brazil doing some humanitarian work. So Wanda called in Callisto and Gilgamesh to keep the roster at a reasonable size.

At this very moment she was talking to Fusion, the newest member of the Avengers. Unlike Thor she wanted to find out as much as she could about Fusion. It didn't sit well with her that someone could just come out of the blue and join the Avengers. Thor's good-nature and trusting ways could be an asset, but when it came to setting up a team roster Thor would be better off leaving the task to someone else.

"So, just for the record here, what exactly are your powers?"

Fusion laughed and jokingly said, "Just about everything. Seriously though, I possess the abilities of every super powered being that has ever existed up until my time."

"And just exactly what time are you from?"

Fusion squiggled a little in his chair at this question, "I can't remember exactly and neither could Gaunt. The only people I can think of who might know are Lila Storm and the Energy Corsairs. They're from my time."

Scarlet Witch nodded, "Okay how confident are you in using your powers?"

"Very confident, but there is something I should probably inform you about," Fusion said. His face suddenly became twisted with worry. Scarlet Witch saw this change in facial expression and her fears were confirmed. Wanda knew this Fusion was too good to be true.

"So what's the problem?" Scarlet Witch asked concerned. She was dreading Fusion's answer.

"My powers are beginning to break down. See when I was created a mechanism was put inside of me. If I was ever gone for a long period of time this mechanism would come into place. The mechanism would make it so I could access only one power safely. If I take more than one power upon myself it would tax my very being and threaten to kill me. That mechanism is coming into effect," Fusion explained.

Scarlet Witch leaned back in her chair and bit down on her pen, "This could be a problem."

"If you don't think me fit to be on the Avengers I'll leave," Fusion said.

"No, it's not that at all Fusion. We'll just have to work through this is all," Scarlet Witch said.

His real name was Flavius Scollio, but he preferred to be called Emperor.

Scollio was a soldier in a distant outpost of the Roman emperor Caligula. Caligula sent them to investigate a falling star in Africa, which turned out to be a crashed starship. It was something that none of Scollio's troop could comprehend. To come across a starship in the days of the Roman Empire would have been like a primate seeing a bunch of cars charging at him.

All other members of his troop were instantly slain by energy released from the ship's single occupant. Scollio, however, had hidden and ambushed the alien, killing it with a swift jab of his sword. It was indeed the move a coward would make, but he survived and that's all that counted in the end. Being a coward that day is what lead to his glorious future and now promising present.

Flavius quickly realized he had discovered a weapon of great power, which could give him dominion over the Roman Empire itself; Scollio donned the alien's robes and amulet.

When he tried on the helmet, his mind was set bombarded with images and thoughts beyond any human comprehension at that time. It is unknown whether he was rendered unconcious for hours, days, centuries, or even millennia. When he recovered though, he used his new power to raise a tower as his kingdom.

He captured and controlled the natives of a nearby tribe to serve as his subjects, then recreated a new Rome. He took a new name Gaius Tiberius Augustus Agrippa from the three greatest emperors of Rome, as well as its greatest general. Flavius was now infused with power and he felt he should have a name worthy of his newfound power.

When the race of Inhumans moved their city of Attilan to the moon, the energy used in the moving drew the attention of the government organization SHIELD. In following the movement of the energy blip, they encountered an even more powerful source of energy, Scollio and his armor, on the border of Wakanda. Not having any authority in the African nation, SHIELD leader Nick Fury requested that the Fantastic Four investigate the energy source. The Fantastic Four, along with Frankie Raye, at that time known as the Human Torch, traveled to Wakanda where an undercover Black Panther, in investigating the Black Tower, joined them.

The Fantastic Four allowed Scollio's soldiers to capture them and bring them to the Tower, confident that they could escape after they had learned what they needed. That had been a great folly on the part of the Fantastic Four and their allies. They were far too arrogant that day and for a time it did cost them. Scollio using his armor quickly stripped them of their powers and rendered them unconscious. It was a humbling moment for the Fantastic Four and a glorious one for Emperor.

Emperor explained his origins to Sue Richards, the Invisible Girl, as well as his plans to make her his bride. He found her to be quite the attractive lady, but unfortunately she refused him. To make her pay he had Thing and Human Torch face off against one another in gladiator combat. He would have them fight to the death until Sue submitted to him.

Sue believing his helmet to be the source of his power ripped it from his head. Once she ripped the helmet away there was only an empty suit of armor after the energy escaped from it.

All of Scollio's changes fell apart with his supposed destruction. His subjects rapidly aged and died, the Fantastic Four regained their powers and wills, and the entire city of New Rome and everything it was destroyed in a powerful explosion. All except the armor of Emperor that is.

The armor survived, as did Scollio. His body had become one with the armor and so when Sue separated his helmet from the rest of the armor his body retreated back into the armor. There the armor laid dormant in Africa for many years until a young teenage boy and his group of friends discovered the armor. One of the boys playfully put on the armor and Emperor was freed. The boy's essence was replaced with that of Flavius instantly. Emperor had returned that day.

He was about to seek out the Fantastic Four and make them pay for their grievance against him when a powerful wizard named Calizuma approached him. The magician had made him an offer he couldn't refuse. That's why Flavius was here today floating over the house of a young girl by the name of Holly-Ann Ember.

Looking down upon the suburban house Emperor reached out with his mind and ripped the entire roof away like it was a tumbling piece of paper being blown along by the wind. The red roof collided with the side of Holly-Ann's neighbors. Scollio didn't even pay attention to the screams of the Ember family as he descended from the sky right into their living room.

Little Holly-Ann had her arms wrapped tightly around her mother. Terror flooded her eyes at the sight of the golden armored man. Holly-Ann had met some superheroes before, but none of them had destroyed her home. Far from the contrary they had helped her with her powers.

"What do you want?" Holly-Ann mumbled out through tears, snot, and a trembling voice.

Smiling wickedly Flavius stretched out his hand and Holly-Ann was violently ripped from her mother's waist. The little girl's father and mother tried to reach out for their daughter, but they were both instantly slammed back into their seats with a powerful mind blast.

"Sleep and remember nothing," Emperor said coolly as Holly-Ann's parents closed their eyes and slept.

Avengers Mansion

Scarlet Witch was leaning back in her chair drinking a cup of cappuccino when Callisto came knocking on her door. Wanda sighed, took another sip of her drink, and said, "Come in."

The former Morlock walked into the room with a distressed look on her face, "Venture Ridge, Wyoming has been attacked."

Wanda swiveled around in her chair, "Who did the attacking?"

Callisto shook her head, "I don't know, but a little girl was kidnapped. Her name is Holly-Ann Ember."

Leaning back in her chair and biting on her finger Wanda said, "Why does that name sound familiar?"

"Probably because it is familiar. I did a check on the Avengers files and found Holly-Ann Ember's name on there. Whoever kidnapped her had good reason. She is pretty much a female Franklin Richards except she can't consciously tap into her power yet," Callisto explained.

Wanda stood up and put down her unfinished cappuccino. Sternly she told Cal, "Tell everyone suit up and meet me in the hangar. We're going to Wyoming."

"Alright," Callisto said as she walked out of Wanda's room and closed the door behind her.

"I get the feeling this is going to get rough," Scarlet Witch said to no one in particular.

Arctic Circle

Calizuma walked down the few steps leading into the dank chamber and smiled. He was a Tibetan man wearing a white tuxedo and he had on a big white hat. Two white feathers tipped themselves out from the hat and the wizard was wearing white tinted sunglasses. Only a few yards away from him was his prize. It was the reason he had come all the way to the Arctic Circle. He was here for the Eternity Man.

The Eternity Man was once known as Jason Beere, a wealthy industrialist who had been a fierce competitor of Tony Stark. One day he was diagnosed with a terminal illness and given six months to live. Jason became angered over the fact that his vast wealth couldn't save him. After that he slipped into madness and decided that if he had to die the world would come with him.

Beere used a portion of his money to have a powerful neutron bomb placed in his chest. He also had a suit of armor built for himself. He attacked the Avengers and tried to make them kill him and in turn set the bomb off. Iron Man subdued him though. Beere threatened that the world would die when he did and he was not lying. When Jason's heart stopped beating then all the world would come with him. To prevent this Iron Man locked Jason in a cryogenic chamber where his heart would be slowed, but it would never stop. Beere gained the ironic name of Eternity Man that day. He had feared dying young, but now he was forced to live forever.

"At least until I came along," Calizuma smiled as he walked over to the cryogenic chamber where the Eternity Man was stored. Iron Man had hid him in the Arctic Circle in the hopes that no one would ever try to find him. Tony had obviously grown complacent over time in guarding Beere. Calizuma had honestly expected some more resistance from Stark.

Venture Ridge, Wyoming

"We're not making any progress here," Callisto complained as she shuffled her way through the wreckage. She was a Morlock and a hunter. Scavenging for clues was not her way, but she was now also an Avengers. She had to always remember that. Callisto had discovered a new aspect of herself and staying with the Avengers would help her keep in touch with that new aspect.

Quoi flew over Callisto and said, "Hate to say it Wanda, but I gotta agree with Cal here. We really aren't finding anything that can point us to who kidnapped this little girl."

"Perhaps we aren't going to find anything. Let's pack up and-URKK!" Scarlet Witch cried out as red whip appeared out of the ground and wrapped itself around Wanda's body. The whip's touch knocked Wanda out on the stop.

"Everyone run!" Callisto yelled, but before she could even move a red whip reached up from the ground and knocked her out. The process repeated itself for Fusion, Gilgamesh, and the rest of the Avengers except for Quoi, who was in the air.

Looking down at his fallen comrades Quoi knew something he couldn't hope to handle was happening. He would have to get help. Taking one final glance at his fallen teammates he sped off back towards Avengers Mansion. He would have to dig up some help for the team.

As the Celestial Messiah flew away another man made his presence. In the arms of this man was a little girl whose eyes were glowing with red fire. This man was Emperor and with the power of Holly-Ann Embers he had just captured the Avengers. Emperor knew the Avengers would come here because he implanted the idea to come here in Scarlet Witch's mind with his massive psychic powers. And with a little help from Holly-Ann he was able to take down Earth's Mightiest Heroes without too much trouble.

"Now if Calizuma got what we need then the real fireworks will start," Emperor grinned.