The Everlasting X
A young man named Kartik, living in a land away from other lands, receives the chance to leave. The young lad holds a deep secret, but the secrets of the outside world might be the end of him.
Prologue:
A hand breaks through the mound of breathless life. Here once stood a great home to a group of people unlike any others. It stood as a symbol of what was grand in this world. Sadly, all the splendor has left this place. All contact to the life outside is gone.
The man has used up all his strength to force his hand out. The blood of others soaks into him. Bodies of nameless souls just lie there on top of him. The ones who he was sworn to protect lie there now holding him down. He feels another hand grasping his, which brings him both hope and pain. His broken hand sends even more pain through his helpless body. He feels his body being slowly pulled up as he sees his savior, an old friend.
He tries to stand up but falls to his feet and coughs up blood. "Ne'er my body aches as now. Victory is ours?"
"Damn, the mansion has fallen before but not everything else," Captain America says to his friend, Thor, sitting on the ground.
Cap says in an extremely worried voice, "Crap, what the hell are we going to do now?" Looking around all that the Captain can see is destruction.
"Steve... Thus truly hell" Thor says as Steve helps him up.
Captain America sees something on the ground that catches his attention. He bends down to peer more closely. It is the head of their former butler, Jarvis.
"Yes Thor, we did defeat Exodus and his army." He holds up his shield, "Right through his chest."
"Exodus was defeated, but at what cost? Should we rebuild or quit and move on? We lost so much... that vibration killed Vision and Tony a few months ago, and all those countless others died fighting with us. I'm going to get this place cleaned up than I am out of here. Let me help there friend," he says as he helps Thor walk.
"Where art we headed for?"
"We have secured Exodus' stronghold, Baxter Building, as our base of operations. There hasn't been any word from the Four for a while now. Scott Summers will be waiting for us.
"Hath Xavier lived?"
"Same as the Four, no sightings yet."