Preparations

Apocalypse landed.

He took down the spatial barrier protecting the city.

Instead of feeling relieved, the people in the city struggled to adjust. For a moment, panic threatened to break out.

Hundreds of nuclear explosions had gone off overhead, and the oppressive terror of them still lingered. The storm had never let up.

Without the spatial barrier, the shock waves alone would have torn the city apart. Few people would have survived.

Now that the barrier was gone, everyone's fear surged back.

Fortunately, S.H.I.E.L.D. agents were already waiting. As soon as Apocalypse landed, they rushed to broadcast the news that the Apocalypse King had won and everyone could safely return to normal life. That prevented a riot.

Apocalypse called Nick Fury, briefly explained what had happened, and left him to handle the aftermath.

Then he went to find Dr. Pym, Scott Lang, Hope, Ava, Bill Foster, and the others.

After what had happened, Ava had settled down. Once her restraints were removed, she caused no more trouble and followed Apocalypse obediently.

She was still counting on him to solve the problem with her Quantum Body.

Apocalypse gave a brief account of what had happened to Cross, then asked, "Dr. Pym, why did Cross's body take on a metallic sheen at the end?"

Dr. Pym, Bill Foster, Scott Lang, Hope, and the others smiled in sudden understanding. Once again, Apocalypse and Ava were left staring blankly at each other.

Dr. Pym explained, "In theory, nuclear fusion can fuse any element."

"But the farther along an element is on the periodic table, the heavier it is and the harder it is to fuse. It takes more energy."

"Inside our sun, hundreds of millions of tons of matter undergo fusion constantly. The process starts with hydrogen, the lightest element, but once it reaches