X-Calibur
Issue #1 – Re-Forging the Sword - Part One
"I can't believe you guys are here," screamed a woman flying out of a giant mansion in a green skintight outfit and bare feet.
Kitty Pryde smiled letting the woman sweep her up into the air in a giant affectionate hug. It had been awhile since she had been back here to London. Last time she was here it was for Meggan and Brian's wedding and before that when she was part of a great team called Excalibur now that seems so long ago. She never thought she would return here, but once Brian had received word that his sister was alive he insisted that Betsy come at once.
Before she knew it Betsy and Brian had planned a celebration and reunion party to be held at Braddock Manor in London. It would be a regular Excalibur reunion since Brian and Meggan insisted that she and a few others come. Before she knew it she was on a plane with Betsy, along with Rachel Grey, Kurt Wagner and her trusty pet and friend Lockheed all former and original members of Excalibur.
"You better put her down, sweetie, before you crush her," Brian said as he came up towards the car to see Kurt and Rachel stepping out as Lockheed flew up after Meggan and Kitty.
"Great to see you again Brian," Kurt said as he approached them.
"Same here," Brian started and then stopped as his words caught in his thought at the sight of his once thought dead sister.
"Hi Brian," Betty said with a smile.
"Elizabeth, is that you?" Brian said as he rushed up to his sister and gave her a hug.
"Calm down bro," Betsy said pushing him off a little.
Brian loved his sister but he could feel something different about her. She wasn't as warm as she used to be. But dying and coming back to life can do that to a person. So he shrugged it off and he ushered them all up towards the mansion as Meggan finally put Kitty back down. Kitty looked over at Brian and smiled. They were both thinking it, here we are, all together again, and it felt strange but yet comforting.
In a matter of moments everyone was inside and seated around a large dining room table. You could see pictures of ancestors everywhere along with current pictures of Brian, his wife and of course pictures of Betsy and Jamie from different time periods. Kitty didn't know why but she was awed at one picture in particular. It was their first team photo as Excalibur. Rachel in her old red full-body Phoenix costume standing front and center, Brian to her right with Meggan holding on to his arm. On the other side was Kitty, in her blue old-fashioned costume and Kurt crouching next to her.
"Almost brings a tear to your eye huh?" Kurt said squeezing her shoulder.
"Things were so different back then. Hard to believe how fast things changed as well as the team itself," Rachel said leaning on the other side of Kitty.
"Yeah, but thank miracles we are all still here now," Brian said as he glanced over his shoulder and then back at the three old friends sitting across from him with Meggan at his left and Betsy seated to his right.
"You ever think about getting back the old team or forming another one?" Betsy asked with a smile.
"Hell no, Meggan and I have put that life well behind us. This isn't like America. We don't get a lot of superhero needing action over here," Brian chuckled.
"Plus, it would be too hard to come up with another team," Meggan said as she slurped her soup.
"Not really, looks like a team sitting right here," Betsy said with an evil grin.
"So Kitty, I hear my sister isn't the only one to return from the grave," Brian said changing the subject.
"Yeah, it was a shock to discover Peter was still alive," Kurt chimed in.
"How's that going, you two rekindling?" Meggan said batting her eyes.
"Um, well," Kitty started.
"That good huh?" Brian smirked.
"Don't go there, Brian." Rachel said shooting him a look.
"It's okay. I grieved so much when he died and then to see him again I didn't know how to feel. It's like we want something to be there and to get close but there is another part that won't let us," Kitty sighed.
"Is that why he didn't come with you?" Brian asked.
"No, he still has things he's sorting out and wasn't able to come," Kitty finished the subject.
"Incoming! Brace yourselves!" Rachel suddenly screamed as she jumped up throwing up a tek-shield as her phoenix tattoo glowed over her eye.
"Rachel, what?" they all began to ask as the entire ceiling caved in on them.
On top of what used to be a section of Braddock Manor sat a giant spaceship with flames and smoke rising from it. A lone figure finally emerged and barely got her self to the lawn below. She was very weak, tired and badly beaten. She had been racing for light years and never thought she would make it here, to Earth alive. She looked up to the sky. It was still empty but she didn't know how much time she had. She wasn't quite sure if she had lost them or how far a lead she had this time.
Suddenly her crashed ship exploded up and off of the mansion. Underneath, floating in glowing red energy was a woman with short red hair. Following right after her were five figures and a small purple dragon holding hands moving through everything like ghosts till they were standing on the lawn in front of her. They all looked at her with shock and rage, ready to pounce.
"Please, I didn't mean for this to happen. I come to you for help," she calls out to them.
Rachel quickly scans the strange lady in torn and banged up purple armor that covered her whole body. She finally senses something familiar.
"Guys, wait up. That's," Rachel began as she used her powers to grab hold of her friends.
"Cerse," Kurt finished for Rachel as he recognized his former lover as she threw off her helmet.
"Kurt!" She yelled as she began to pass out and then being caught in Kurt's arms as he teleports to her.
"My God, what is going on?" Brian shouts as he and the others catch up to their former teammate. "I don't have much time. I've come along way and I just knew I would find you Kurt," Cerse whispered.
"Why are you here? What happened to you?" Kurt pleaded to her.
"I came to you for help. I didn't know where else to go. I didn't have no where else to go. Rachel, there isn't much time. I give you permission, take my mind and show the others," Cerse says nodding to Rachel.
Without hesitation, Rachel's eye flares, as Cerse's memories become a movie in everyone's minds. Cerse is on a planet on the outside border of the Shi'ar Empire. A man with pitch-black skin, claws for fingernails and hair as red as fire come near her. He demands her to be his mate. She refuses as he screams hurling her through the air with fire. She gets away and soon the image advances to her leading a battle of the Imperial Guard versus this man-creature. He is quickly defeated and she is safe.
Next they see the evil man confronting her again demanding his revenge and his intent to take her as his own. Cerse panics as thousands of human sized dragon-like creatures with large snouts, claws, wings and purplish skin invade the Shi'ar home world. Cerse realizes this is a diversion for the man to take her without notice. She quickly runs and steels a space ship.
They all soon see scene after scene of her racing away from him over and over again. Ships and new found allies destroyed time after time as this evil man and his army chases her across the galaxies. Soon they see her get away one last time and the images disappear as they show her approaching Earth. They all look at her in terror at what she has been through.
"What are those things and who is that man?" Kurt says holding tightly to his ex-lover.
"Those creatures are called the P!ndyr. The P!ndyr are the most renowned and feared warriors in the entire Shi'ar Imperium. Their leader is known as L'st'r. He is what you call a Mutant, born more human like with black skin, fiery red hair and no wings. He also has the gift to weld mystical fire. Here on Earth I believe you would call it Hellfire," Cerse cried.
"Don't worry, your safe here with us," Kurt rocks her.
"How many are left chasing you?" Brian asks.
Cerse points up as a huge shadow covers them. They look up to see three giant ships come into view as the defense sirens start to blare all over. Suddenly they can see hundreds of flying dots swarming from the ships and heading Earth bound. Just as Rachel is about to take action her mind is jerked backwards and she finds herself on the astral plane facing a bald man.
"Charles? What are you doing?" Rachel screams.
"Sorry, Rachel. I was trying to call to you and you wouldn't answer so I took a more direct approach. Something major has come up and I need all available X-Men," Professor X pleaded.
"We can't help you right now. We are actually in desperate need," Rachel says as she sends him a mental image of what is going on.
"Well, I would send help but all the X-Men are needed. I have great confidence in you guys. Looks like we are both short on time and unable to help the other. Good luck," Professor X says as he vanishes and Rachel finds herself looking back at the approaching invaders.
See issue #1 of The Sensational X-Men to see where the X-Men are headed.
"I thought you said nothing ever happens here?" Kurt laughs.
"Well, so much for retirement," Brian says as his costume flashes on and he takes to the air with Meggan right behind him.
"There's too many of them. How are we going to stop them?" Shadowcat asks as Rachel uses her powers to put them all in costume before she takes to the air.
"Does that answer your question?" Nightcrawler asks back as he points behind her.
Shadowcat turns to see a man as big as Godzilla stomping around battling purple dragonoids left and right. She couldn't believe it. She hasn't seen Micromax in ages. Just as she opens her mouth to speak she sees a wave of elemental magic taking down creatures. She blinks to see their old teammate Feron.
"What?" Kitty begins to ask in amazement.
I sent out a powerful distress call. You could say any old Excalibur members near by just got a summons. Phoenix's voice boomed in her mind.
To Shadowcat's surprise more and more people began to appear and take battle against the invading creatures. A battling mini-ship that she made out to be Widget, she then heard the strange animal battle calls of Kylun as he flips slashing his Zz'ria blades. She can't believe it. If all the local ex-members are answering the call then that might mean:
"Hi sweet cheeks," a cool voice interrupts her thoughts.
"Do not call me that," Kitty cringes as she slowly turns around to see a handsome and very irritating man standing behind her.
"Hello again Pete," Kurt nods to the man.
"Kurt. Move out men and please try to save some to take back to HQ," Pete calls into a head mic as dozens of soldiers on mini flying bikes take to the air.
"I see you got Rachel's call," Kitty managed to say.
"Yeah, but I already had MI-13 on the case. As much as I would like to fan the flames I am needed," Pete Wisdom winked as a jetpack takes him into the air and he summons his Hot Knives from his hands.
"Oh how I hate that man," Kitty screams.
"What, can't handle old flames?" Kurt laughs.
"You should talk," Kitty flicks her head and then takes off after Wisdom.
Kurt turns to see what Kitty had nodded at. Kurt freezes as he sees a familiar woman glaring at him holding Cerse. Kurt accidentally drops Cerse as he moves towards the woman.
"Not now Kurt. We will finish this later. If there is a later," the woman says as she takes flight into the air summoning her magic.
Kurt just stares for a moment as he sees his on again and off again love Amanda Sefton take to battle. He was going to have to do a lot of talking later. Kurt glanced to see few more heroes appear. England's own Union Jack and Spitfire deep in battle as well as a few others he assumed to be their remaining teammates Blazing Skull and USAgent of the New Invaders. He also saw what looked to be a female version of Captain Britain swinging a fancy sword.
"Sorry we're late but we had an ocean to cross.As soon as we saw the news we headed out and grabbed a few friends along the way," said a booming voice into his head courteous of Phoenix.
Kurt looked up to see a spacecraft come into sight. It was the Fantastic Four and they had braught Captain America, Iron-Man, Spider-Man and She-Hulk with them. Too bad the Avengers wern't still together. They could use them, but seeing those here was good enough.
"Wow, with a little luck I think we might win this one," Kurt said aloud as he got Cerse to her feet.
Suddenly, in a flash of light a man in a silver and black costume with long blond hair appeared right before his eyes. Talk about luck.
"Longshot, is that you?" Kurt asked.
"Hello old friend. I took a chance that the hole I jumped in would lead me to my freedom and it has," Longshot smiled.
"Well, we are going to need your luck," Kurt said pointing to the air as Longshot gasped.
"Well, I am not all the luck you got," Longshot motioned as he took off to battle.
Kurt looked over and saw what his long lost teammate had seen. There was the Irish hero known as Shamrock now engaged in battle. Even though they were out numbered it looked like the enemy might now be out powered.
"Well Cerse, looks like it's time for us to join the battle. Can't let them have all the fun," Kurt said and then froze.
Everyone had stopped in place as all the dragonoids stopped and flew back to the three huge ships, hovering like dark clouds around them. Now a flying platform with a black man with fiery hair appeared. The man produced a wave of Hellfire from his hands that now carried his voice upon the heat waves for all to hear in a loud boom.
"Attention Earthlings! I have come for the wench known as Cerse. Hand her over and we will leave you in peace. Refuse and my grand legion will be forced to destroy you all. Either way, I will have her," the man commanded.
"Never!" boomed a grand unified voice from all the heroes.
"So be it. Kill them!" L'st'r commanded.
All the heroes flew upwards as legions of P!ndyr flew downwards as the battle for London and Cerse began.
Next: Issue #2 – Re-Forging the Sword – Part Two