[3rd POV]
With the decision to finally meet with the Master of Molecules, Gwen knew things would begin to really pick up very soon. The war against Doom would officially escalate and truly begin the second she returned from her talk with the man.
The man in question was currently in the remains of the White Hot room. At least, the parts that remained in the rest of the multiverse, and not the one that was intricately connected to her as a person thanks to her being a walking universe.
The white hot room inside of the M'Kraan Crystal on Mars was still existent, but sort of...dormant in a way. Weakened dramatically until the time comes for the multiverse to be reborn and things to return to normal. Once that happens, the crystal will become what it used to be, and the white hot room with it.
But that was a while away, as she first had to kill Doom and restore the greater multiverse. Or at least bring forth its next iteration, as this was effectively moving the multiverse into its next form, in which it would be revitalized for another who knows how many years.
Gwen found that the capital of Dooms little world was quite large. And more than that, it was very very protected. Like, far more protected than she had been expecting. With thousands of layers of wards and other defenses, including members of the Thor Corps, various detection programmes, and a number of others.
The one she noticed more than any of the others was that the primary guardian of the castle was literally just Galactus of the 616 universe, which wasn't a problem for her, as she had far surpassed him a long long time ago.
But he was the only one there that had the slightest chance at sensing her, so she had made sure to be rather careful with her approach of the building. As she would need to enter the castle first before she can make it to where the Molecule Man was held.
The barriers around his area was particularly potent, and would undoubtedly alert Doom the second she even tried to destroy them. Whereas the ones on the outside were far weaker, far less potent, and were seemingly not made by Doom, but instead made by Doctor Strange.
Who was currently in the process of speaking with the Resistance members that he had just woken up from the life raft that had all the heroes from Earth 616 on it. This meant she had to continue moving towards the castle slowly but surely up until the man left.
And thankfully, she didn't have to move slowly for long, as Doom eventually teleported off to the place in which Reed was. Giving her maybe a few minutes at most to speak with Molecule Man and obtain his power for herself.
Once she has his power, she can stop hiding and go at Doom with all her force, while bringing out her armies to deal with the armies of this planet. That and she'd be able to use them as a distraction, even if it would only be a slight one.
And any distraction to make Doom get off balance would be a great help to her.
Walking through the halls of the castle, Gwen soon made it to the area in which the Molecule Man was held. Which was basically just a hole in the ground that led to the remnants of the white hot room of the greater multiverse.
Shattering the barriers around it, she stepped down and into the room. She could almost immediately feel the power that was radiating from it, with the power of Owen Reece, aka the Molecule Man, being far more immense in person than from far away.
He was genuinely impressive with the strength he held over molecules. Even now as she stepped in front of him slowly, she could easily tell that he was superior to her in his manipulation of them. And it wasn't by a little bit.
"Huh? Who are you?" The man asked, blinking in surprise when he saw her there. His eyes widened slightly when he felt it. The power radiating from her passively as she looked up and locked eyes with him.
"I'm Gwen, and I've gotta say, you are not an easy man to get into contact with, Owen" Gwen responded with a small smile on her face, calm as she locked eyes with one of the strongest beings in the multiverse.
One of the few beings in creation that she was pretty certain could give her a good fight, and maybe even kill her. She wasn't sure just how deep his molecule manipulation went, and wasn't sure how it would work with her.
She didn't really want to find out though.
"Can't say I've ever met you "Gwen". So, what're you doing here? And why is the big guy not intervening to stop you from coming here?" Owen asked, really not knowing what Doom was up to.
He had risen past him after all, and he could no longer really sense what he was doing. Only that he was far away, and seemingly fighting someone, or...more like slaughtering them. It was rather hard to tell nowadays.
"He's a bit...distracted at the moment, which is how I'm here. And as for why I am here...I'll be completely honest with you. I wish to obtain your power, Owen Reece" Gwen said simply, as she stared into the mans eyes as he raised an eyebrow.
"Obtain my power?"
"I mean I wish to "Merge" with you of sorts. I've done it with Infinity, I've done it with Eternity, and recently I did it with the Queen of Nevers. But none of them compare to you in pure power, and I need that power. And the only way to obtain it is if we become "One"" Gwen explained, as the man silently stared at her.
"...Why?"
"Because it's the only way I'll be able to kill Doom, and end the last of the Beyonders, therefore ridding this multiverse and its surroundings of the Ivory Kings. As it is my duty to do so, as the Onyx Queen" Gwen responded, knowing that the man in front of her was knowledgeable enough about the Multiverse to know what she was.
He wasn't stupid. And he was nigh-omnipresent and nigh-omniscient, so it was only natural.
"Onyx Queen huh...and what exactly will happen to me if I merge with you?" Owen asked, tilting his head with an interested expression. He had been in this prison for eight years now, and was frankly getting sick and tired of it.
Gwen's offer was tempting.
"You'd become a part of me. Just as the incalculable amount of other souls make up my whole being. I'd have all your memories, your thoughts, and even your soul would merge with mine. We would effectively become one being in all the forms that matter. Your power would become a part of mine, and with it I'll finally be able to go to war against Doom, and hopefully get rid of him for good" Gwen explained, the man staring at her with an almost eerie gleam in his eyes.
Gwen was inwardly hoping he would make his decision fast, as she could see that Doom was beginning to get to the later stages of the "event" against the Heroes, and once that happened and he left, he would come here. And then she would run out of time officially.
She needed Molecule Man's power before that happened.
Looking around for a few more moments, Owen soon just shrugged, and spoke.
"Alright, let's do it. Can't be any worse than this place, and I sure as hell want that guy gone. Plus it's not like I've got a better option, cause those heroes out there are completely screwed without you" Owen said with a small smile on his face, not really caring much that he was going to merge with her.
It was simply the only option he reasonably had.
Gwen could only blink slightly at his response, before smiling softly as she moved forward, her hand reaching out to his as he looked down at it and grasped it with a small grin. She gave a grin in return, as they both began to glow with brilliant golden power, and as the Molecule Man began to merge into her, the man said only one thing as her eyes shut.
"...Make sure to beat that bastard up for me, will ya?"
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That's the end of the chapter!
Next chapter begins the fighting, which will last around 3-5 chapters, not entirely sure to be honest. This fic should be ending sometime in January. As after this arc will be a short arc of like 1-2 chapters more and then it's over with.
Anyways, have a good day!