THE DARK REIGN

Prologue – THE CABAL

H.A.M.M.E.R. Towers, Republic City…One Week Later

"Sit please, sit." Loki said to everybody else in the meeting room.

"No need for formalities, God of Fire, you are not the host." Dr, Doom said as he took sit.

"Ah, I was being more than friendly to a fellow comrade." Loki said as he too took seat.

"What does Osbourne want now? He has all the power in the freaking world now basically." Hood said.

"Osbourne is a smart man, Hood; he wouldn't want us as enemies." Doom said.

"I heard that he completely reformed the Avengers Initiative and put a bounty on Shinzou's head." Taskmaster said.

"Not only that, mercenary, he has a contact within the X-Men group and the rest of the community at large." Loki added.

"Where is he anyways?" Doom began to get irritated.

"Welcome gentlemen." Osbourne said as he entered the room wearing a modified version of the Iron Man armor, it looked like a cross between the old Captain's colors and Iron Man himself.

"Looks like you've been busy." Hood said.

"You don't even know half of it, gentlemen, I've had assembled all of you here because each of you represents both brains and brawn. I wouldn't want any of you as enemies…or targets." Osbourne said. "We have been in this little…cabal ever since the Masters of Evil dissolved years ago and have been operating in the shadows."

"Get to the point." Dr. Doom said.

"But no more, we are victorious. The world is ours, and the public thinks that we are the good guys, I believe that each of you must give allegiance to me." Osbourne revealed.

"What?!" Hood yelled.

"You must be kidding." Taskmaster said as he took out his sword.

"Hmmm…." Loki mumbled to himself.

"Osbourne, what makes you think that I, the great Vifung Vun Doom will bow down to the likes of you?" Doom said as he stood on top of the table in defiance.

"This is what I was though you'll say." Osbourne said as he placed his helmet on. "My Avengers…get them." Osbourne motioned his hand and pointed towards them.

Then from the door, a group of people entered…smiling and giggling darkly.

"Behold…the Avengers!" Osbourne said.

The team consisted of…Ms. Marvel, Wolverine, Ares, Hawkeye, The Spider and Osbourne himself. The…Dark Avengers launched themselves at the rebellious villains, tearing the meeting room apart.

"You treacherous scum!" Doom yelled as he grabbed Osbourne and launched themselves off the tower completely and into the streets below.

Ares struck Taskmaster with his war axe and made him fly through the air. Loki blocked Wolverine's attack with his magic, but was taken by surprise by this strange Ms. Marvel. She seemed to be wearing a much more revealing suit than before…

"Great tactics, but not good enough for I!" Loki yelled as he blasted Ms. Marvel but she seemed to resist his attacks.

Hood was using his dark magic to avoid Hawkeye's and the Spider's arrows and webs.

"You can't be Spider-Man!" Hood yelled at the Spider. "He doesn't wear black!"

"He does now!" The Spider said as he jumped the Hood and allowed Hawkeye to shoot an arrow to his leg.

"GAH!" Hood yelled in pain, his force field had been breached…but how?

In the streets below, Doom battled the armored Osbourne, who seemed to be standing his ground.

"I will ask you once, Doom…go back to the tower and take a seat before I use extreme measures." Osbourne demanded as he battled with the steel tyrant.

"Doom will not relent to someone like you…one as demented as you!" Doom responded.

"Don't say I didn't told ya." Osbourne said, he then turned his personal radio on. "Bring him in."

"Yes sir." An agent responded from the other line.

Osbourne grabbed Doom by the arms and threw him back into the meeting room which was a war zone. Doom landed on the floor but he quickly stood back up and was backed up by the other villains.

"Now, gentlemen, shall you all calm down or should I make you calm down." Osbourne said as he landed in-front of his Avengers who were laughing hysterically.

"Thou dare to make fun of us?" Loki asked them.

"No, oh please no, we are laughing because of what he is going to do to you." Ms. Marvel said as she pointed to dark figure flying outside of the broken wall.

Then the shape of the man turned into a monstrous figure and screamed loudly. "GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRHAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAA!" The monster yelled.

"Meet my trump card…The Sentry." Osbourne calmly said as he took off his helmet.

"By the spirits…" Taskmaster said in awe.

"Nine worlds…" Loki also said as he has never seen such evil before.

"Doom does not fear such monstrosity!" Doom stood defiant. "…But he knows when he is beaten."

"Good." Osbourne said. "Listen carefully now, all of you, this world is mine and of my associates here…if you want to be part of it you will play your part in my master plan."

"And what plan is that?" Hood asked as he treated his wounded leg.

"The subjugation of the entire meta-human community at large and a free ticket to the council." Osbourne said. "And it's all there." Osborune pointed to the mountains.

"That's Asgard's direction." Loki said.

"Indeed." Osbourne responded. "But first thing is first, we shall complete this list."

He then had Sentry turn back into his normal form and ordered Hawkeye to give all of the members of the Cabal a list.

"This list has all of the heroes who stand in our way." Osbourne explained.

"Interesting….when do you execute?" Loki asked.

"Soon…but we will take care of the X-Men and the Champions soon enough." Osbourne said. "Remember your roles, gentlemen, remember them."

Then the doors closed…leaving the most fearsome villains a little scared.