Max flew over the island of Lanka as the sun began to rise. The ruins below stretched far across the jungle-draped land, a massive ancient city in crumbling splendor. A large palace loomed at its heart, its towers worn by time yet still standing proud. Its architecture was strange to Max unlike anything he knew as an archaeologist.
Maybe this is… ahh...what's-his-name, Max thought. Ravana. ...yes... Ravana's city. It was supposed to be in Lanka after all.
Max knew some Hindu mythology; he wasn't completely familiar. It made sense. If the Ennead existed, then surely the Hindu pantheon and its epics held truth in this world too.
His thoughts were broken by Jade's voice.
"I've located Thena and Gilgamesh," she said. "They're resting in the ruins of the palace complex."
Max touched down softly near the broken steps of the ruined palace. He made his way toward the flicker of firelight.
Thena and Gilgamesh sat around a modest fire built within the shadow of the palace's outer wall. They were roasting meat, the scent wafting in the humid air.
"Green Lantern," Gilgamesh greeted, his deep voice warm and booming.
"Lantern," Thena said simply, giving a graceful nod.
"Thena. Gilgamesh." Max returned the greeting with a slight smile as he approached. "I take it you were successful."
"We were," Thena said, brushing her hair aside. "The Deviants here joined the emissary's forces. It was a hard-fought victory."
"It was quite easy for me," Max said, crouching near the fire.
"I've got some bad news on Odin and Agamotto," he added, his expression turning grim. "They're in Mephisto's realm."
Those words froze both Eternals.
"In Hell?" Gilgamesh asked, stunned.
Thena narrowed her eyes. "How did that happen?"
"No idea," Max replied, shaking his head. "But I'm not here because of that. I need your help."
"You claim your friend is trapped by Mephisto," Thena said slowly, "and that's not why you're here?"
"No," Max said firmly. "That'll come later. Right now, I need your help taking down a time traveler."
Thena leaned forward, curiosity sharpening her gaze. "Go on."
Max explained everything. The Eternals listened intently, their faces grim as he laid out the scope of what was happening in Egypt.
When he was done, Thena and Gilgamesh agreed to help without hesitation.
Max flew them to where he and Odin had hidden their ship. Once aboard, he set a course for Khonshu's Sanctuary.
Everything had gone according to plan. The north was fully under rebel control now—thanks to En Sabah Nur, Khenmet, and the Avatars of the gods: Ammit, Thoth, Isis, and Taweret. Together, they had wrested half of Rama-Tut's dominion from him.
Max and Azzuri also helped speed things along after they arrived with the Wakandans.
And yet… something did not feel right for Max.
Rama-Tut hadn't reacted the way they'd expected. Max expected the man himself to show himself in one of the big battles and yet he didn't. It felt too easy—just like before, when he had attacked the pyramid with the Fantastic Four.
He must be setting another trap, Max thought as the ship began to descend.
Max disembarked with Thena and Gilgamesh at his side and led them into the vast cave system.
Inside, gathered beneath the domed ceiling, were the leaders of the rebellion.
Khenmet. En Sabah Nur. Azzuri. Alongside them stood the four avatars of the Ennead—Ammit's, Thoth's, Isis's, and Taweret's chosen.
Max raised his ring and created a massive circular table of emerald light in the center of the chamber. Around it, he formed chairs, each tailored to its occupant.
He took a seat.
"We're all here," Max said.
The others followed, taking their places. They were a strange alliance gods, mortals, mutants, monarchs.
Max glanced around. "Are the gods not coming?"
"We are already here," Khonshu's voice echoed through the chamber not from any one place, but from everywhere at once.
The air grew heavier with divine presence as the avatars and Azzuri bowed their heads in reverence.
Ammit's voice was the first to break the silence. "Tut remains in Thebes. The plan required him to leave and face us in open battle."
Max sat still for a moment, processing. Then, with a flick of his ring, a glowing green screen of light sprang up before everyone. It displayed real-time surveillance drone feeds: Merutef, the last of Tut's elites, was leading a sizable force northward.
"Merutef is on the move heading straight toward the unified rebel army," Max said.
Thena leaned forward, her golden eyes narrowing. "So what now?"
Khonshu's voice rang out once more. "We continue as planned. Merutef and the army must be stopped. With him gone, Tut has nothing left."
Azzuri crossed his arms, his tone certain. "Sounds simple enough. With the rebels and my own men combined, it will be easy."
Khenmet interjected. "If we do not kill Tut, it will not matter. He can build another army, more metal men, more abominations like Merutef. Thebes is the head of the serpent."
En Sabah Nur looked to Max. "You're silent, Lantern. What's on your mind?"
Max's gaze sharpened as he stared into the construct display. "Tut could have returned to his timeline at any moment. He's had multiple chances. But he hasn't."
"Why?" Isis asked. "Why remain and risk defeat?"
"Because he wants my ring," Max said, his voice hardening. "He believes he was close to claiming it. And now his pride won't let him leave without it."
Max stood and dissipated the screen.
"New plan," he said firmly, pacing around the emerald table. "The avatars of Isis, Thoth, Taweret, and Ammit will lead the rebels against Merutef."
He turned to Azzuri. "Can you send the Wakandan forces with them?"
Azzuri nodded.
Max continued, facing the core group. "While that happens in the north, the six of us Khenmet, En Sabah Nur, Thena, Gilgamesh, Azzuri, and me will head into Thebes. A small team to infiltrate the pyramid. We cut off the serpent's head. We end Rama-Tut."
"So your plan is to walk directly into the trap he's set for us?" Thena asked.
Max gave a crooked smile. "No. I'm going to walk straight into the trap fully aware it's a trap. I've spent the last two months preparing for this. Even with all the tech Tut has, it won't be enough against our combined strength: two Eternals, the Black Panther, the Moon Knight, a mutant, and the power of a Green Lantern."
Gilgamesh grinned. "I like this plan."
"Well, moon god," Max asked, "what do you think?"
"Let's hope you don't fail… like last time," Khonshu said.
"We agree Tut must fall this cannot wait long," Ammit said.
Thoth nodded with solemn gravity. "A precision strike with a small team it could work."
Tawaret, cheerful but firm, clasped her hands together. "But please be careful."
Isis said nothing, but her silent, expectant gaze was enough.
Max looked to the team. "Well?" he asked, glancing at Khenmet, En Sabah Nur, Azzuri, Thena, and Gilgamesh. "You with me?"
"Yes," Thena said calmly.
Azzuri nodded. "For my father."
Khenmet gave a quiet, confident nod.
En Sabah Nur, arms crossed, smirked. "I've waited a long time for this."
"Then we leave at night, Revengers."
Nur made a face. "Still a bad name."
Khenmet couldn't help but agree with a faint smile. "It really is."
Max rolled his eyes. "It's a great name for a team, especially ours. Look, Azzuri likes it."
The Wakandan king gave a diplomatic shrug, his face composed but amused. "Yes. I like it. It's… very straight to the point."
Max pointed at him triumphantly. "See?"
They all shared a short laugh.
=========
The sun had nearly set when Max returned to Khonshu's sanctuary after bringing all four of the Ennead's avatars to the rebel camp.
He touched down near En Sabah Nur, who stood by the entrance to the caves.
"Your generals say everything is in order," Max said, conveying Scorpion's message to Nur. The mutant had made Scorpion his second-in-command, advised by four of Nur's trusted generals; they would be attacking with the rebels and the Wakandans in the north.
Nur nodded with a small smile, but his expression shifted quickly into something more serious. "Lantern… there is someone here who demands to see you."
Max furrowed his brow. "Who?"
"He claims to be the Oracle of Siwa," Nur replied, voice lowered.
"The Oracle of Siwa?" Max repeated, confused.
Nur gave a small nod.
"Where is he?"
En Sabah Nur turned and led him down a stone path that wound past the entrances to the caves. Max could see about ten people in a small camp.
A hooded man stepped forward as they neared. The others in the camp were armed guards.
"The Green Lantern?" the man asked, voice calm.
"That's me," Max answered.
"We must speak in private," the man said. "Would you please fly us both to the top of the canyon?"
Max glanced at Nur, who was already shaking his head. "I'll come too. This one I do not trust him."
The hooded figure exhaled, mildly annoyed. "It would have been easier if it were just the two of us."
"Yeah, well," Max muttered, creating a platform of glowing green light beneath them, "you don't get to make those decisions."
The construct lifted all three into the sky and carried them swiftly to the top of the canyon. As the platform set down on solid rock, the man pulled back his hood. The man's skin was green, faintly glowing in the dusk light. His forehead bore three black dots arranged in a triangle.
"The fuck?" Max said aloud. "Who… what are you?"
Nur stepped forward, taking his sword in hand. "Speak. Now."
The man placed his hands calmly at his sides. "I am a Time-Keeper."
Max's eyes widened. Oh, fuck the TVA.
"An exiled Time-Keeper, to be accurate," the now-revealed Time-Keeper added.
Max narrowed his eyes. "So… is the TVA after me? Is that why you're here?"
The Time-Keeper burst out laughing a deep, unnerving sound.
"Entities like you are far beyond the TVA."
Beyond the TVA? Max blinked. That was not something he'd expected. He'd thought the TVA were the big cosmic dogs watching over time and causality. How was he beyond them? Was it because he'd transmigrated here? Or was it something else? Max remembered how from Mimir to Surtur and even Bor had reacted to him, claiming he was an Elder of the Universe.
What the hell am I? Max wondered.
He shook off the thought. "Alright, if I'm beyond the TVA… then why are you here?"
The Time-Keeper looked solemn, his tone suddenly heavier. "I… was visited by someone and was asked to come talk to you." he paused looking nervous.
"Green Lantern do not kill Rama-Tut."
"Fuck off," Max and Nur said in unison.
En Sabah Nur stepped forward, his eyes alight with fury. "Rama-Tut will die. How dare you ask for mercy for that wretch."
The Time-Keeper didn't flinch. "I am not asking for mercy. I am asking for prudence. You, Lantern… you know what he is. Or more accurately what he will become."
Max's jaw tightened. "Kang."
The Time-Keeper nodded. "Yes. And if you kill him now at this moment, in this branch of time you could destabilize it, and there is a chance however small that someone worse may rise in his place. He has made himself too important to the timeline."
Max's fists clenched. "Kang is an enemy of the TVA. You should be asking me to kill him, not fucking save him."
"But he is also important to the timeline." He looked at Max with strangely human eyes. "Don't kill him."
Didn't Kang end up working for the TVA at one point? Max thought, remembering bits of Kang's history. Is Kang himself trying to make sure he survives? Considering this one is an exiled Time-Keeper, could he be working with Kang?
Max stared at him long and hard. "And I'm just supposed to trust you?"
"You'll have to," the Time-Keeper said simply.
Nur growled beside him. "Let me kill him, Lantern. Don't listen to this… thing."
Max turned away. "Let's go, Nur."
The construct formed under their feet again and carried them away from the canyon peak, leaving the Time-Keeper there.
"I hope you are not considering what that… that thing asked of you," Nur said.
"No, my friend. Rama-Tut will die."
Max looked Nur in the eyes. "You have my word."