Avengers: Damnation

A Friend From Afar

Shortly after the light started to fade around and within him, Lumen felt himself falling. The instinct to catch himself caused his body to tense, and when he hit the floor, his surroundings abruptly changed from the crumbling tower to one that was more familiar to him. Solid white in every direction he glanced at- this was the plane he and Kyle had been transported to during their encounter with Wanda and their counterparts in the alternate universe.

"Okay," Lumen said in a weary tone. "What am I doing here?"

"You were brought here because your bond with the Caladrius Force is strengthening."

"So let go back so I can use it to save my sons," Lumen spoke tersely.

"You are not ready yet to become a full vessel to its power. The Caladrius Force will gradually reveal itself over time as it becomes more integrated with you."

Lumen rolled his eyes. "Whatever. If you and it can't help me then I don't care. Just let me go."

"The time is coming," the voice carried on, ignoring Lumen's command. "And you and the other hosts must be ready."

Lumen hung his head. "If you're telling me about yet another conflict, I don't need to hear this right now. I just want to save my sons. That's...that's all I care about."

"You are weary, child of the universe," the voice spoke with sudden sympathy. "Your heart yearns for peace. But...there are responsibilities that you and the other hosts must shoulder. Burdens that only you can take on."

Lumen slowly sank to his knees and punched the floor. "I've had enough burdens, thank you," he muttered as tears filled his voice.

"I do not bring you here to reduce you to despair, Dean Allen," the voice spoke from beside him. "I have brought you here to give you hope."

Lumen glared through his tears. "I don't need your hope; I just need my sons."

"It is true that you are not ready to process what will be," the voice explained. "But when it is time, you and the others will return here."

Warm breath hit Lumen's cheek and when he opened his eyes, he found himself staring up into Thor's worried face along with a gigantic bulldog with dark grey fur. And blazing red eyes. It breathed heavily in his face, it's expression concerned. "I'm not even going to ask why there's a large bulldog with you," he sighed as he sat up. "Because absolutely nothing shocks me at this point in my life."

"Fair One, I was so worried," Thor whispered, pulling him into an embrace. "But I see that my worry was misplaced. You are ferocious in battle."

"How long was I out?"

"Just a minute or so," Aegis reported. He knelt with them and smiled. "You went all otherwordly powerful again on us."

"Yeah, and then I got pulled into that white dimension we went to."

Aegis tilted his head. "They pulled you back there?"

"Yeah but I don't want to talk about that right now," Lumen said before standing to his feet with Thor's help. "We need to keep moving."

"And Thor's dog seems to know where to go," Hyperion said, gesturing at the hulking bulldog.

Lumen raised an eyebrow and looked at Thor. "Your dog?"

"He has been following me around. Very loyal. Bit slobbery though. Can I keep him?" Thor asked in a hopeful voice.

Lumen sighed and the dog looked up at him with a hopeful expression, a little whimper releasing from him. "I mean, how can I say no to that face?"