With a flash Cloak, Dagger and Sexton stumbled into the infirmary. For a moment they looked surprised before realising that they had arrived back to Earth. Quickly Dagger grabbed the Sexton's spade and threw it away before he could attack them.
"You fool." The Sexton told her it's not over, "The ride we used to escape came from a dark world suggesting that the creature that came through is evil. We have a duty to stop it before it does too much damage to this world."
"How can we trust you?" Cloak asked his voice full of suspicion as Dagger let the Sexton get to his feet.
"You have my word that after this matter is resolved, I will let you escape if we are all still living." the Sexton replied pulling his weapon out of the wall it was embedded in.
"We should at least find the creature and try and send it home." Dagger announced, "But we have no idea where it is?"
"I have a feeling its close there is an evil presence in this camp, far darker then HAMMER and the Thunderbolts." Cloak told them, "Even worse it's spreading."
"Then we should hurry." Sexton told them as he ascended the stairs to the door of the bunker followed by Cloak and Dagger to look across the battle field. The Insurgents and HAMMER troops were clustered together watching as under the earth shapes moved menacingly encircling the former enemies who know stood back to back ready to face the coming onslaught."
"That's a lot of problems." Dagger commented, "As she summoned a whole fist full of light daggers ready to strike.
The woman, or as Shocker was convinced some kind of elf or demon, her body contained elements found in both was done surveying them and simply headed for the exit.
"You're not going anywhere until you tell us who you are." Maria said blocking the archway with a sonic shield. The woman turned and tilted her head surveying Songbird before sauntering over. All around the hall True Avengers and Thunderbolts tensed up unsure whether to attack the woman or watch.
"You please me, what are you a tribute to a dead woman?" the woman asked as she walked around Maria occasionally stroking her prey's hair as she moved.
"I'm Melissa Joan Gold." Maria said proudly.
"So you are a tribute." the prowling woman said draping her arms over Maria's shoulders and licking her neck seductively.
"Who are you?" Maria said her voice full of revulsion.
"I'm the real Melissa Joan Gold, you're just my shadow." Melissa announced, "But as I said your look pleases me I might keep you for a pet."
"Wait you're the real Songbird." Pepper said confused, "What the hell happened to you?"
"I found myself, now bow before your new queen." Melissa commanded walking into the centre of the group before arching her eye-brows expectedly.
Lammergeyer soared over the battle-field looking down as the moving lumps finished encircling the ground troops. "Get ready here they come," he relayed down to Zulu who had rallied the two sides together as soon as the lumps had appeared.
"Stay steady men." Zulu reassured the men
"Keep in formation all of you." Scourge snapped as two technicians finished reattaching his arm. Suddenly the earth broke and a pink mist spread across the battlefield followed by gaunt silhouettes. The first of the enemies broke through the mist and the soldier saw that their enemy was a thin and lanky creature armed with a long knife crafted out of stone, its face covered with a leather helmet. Gunfire ripped out thinning the enemy but more kept coming all armed with primitive weaponry made of stone, wood or crystal. Soon the group was completely encircled with dead corpses and the elves and goblins had to clamber across their own dead and the few fallen soldiers to reach the defenders. In the background a horn sounded and the few surviving attackers retreated falling away from the corpse fortress.
"Did we win?" Scorcher asked.
"No that's only the first wave." Zulu replied, "Lammergeyer can you see anything from your position." he asked.
"Their regrouping and there's something different, larger down there too. They seem to be emerging from a giant sink-hole that swallowed the remains of the HAMMER convoy.
"I had men down there, can you see them?" Scourge bellowed. From the enemy lines a missile flew through the air and impacted with one of the Insurgents, a fat local militia man, who screamed as if his whole body was on fire. Scorcher picked up the missile to reveal a severed head its eyes dripping with quick lime. Almost instantly more heads accompanied with waves of arrows peppered down on the defenders.
"We have to get out of here." Zulu commanded, "We can take up defensive positions at the mansion."
"Stay where you are, only cowards retreat." Scourge counter commanded shooting a pair of HAMMER agent trying to scale the corpse wall. "We fight to the last man." he added as a head smashed into his face the quick lime burning his eyes.
"We don't bow." Pepper told Melissa who glared at her. "Now surrender you are outnumbered."
"You dare threaten a living goddess." Melissa spat dashing at a supernaturally fast speed towards Pepper a sickle in her hand ready to slash through the armor. Quickly Shocker fired a blast the electricity coursing through the 'living goddess' body causing her to spin around furiously before elbowing Pepper in the chest, the elongated sonic spike puncturing her armor. Throwing her sickle down Melissa charged, a pink lightning bolt slamming into Shocker knocking him through the alcoves into the sealed chamber below, his armoured figure smashing through another vial bone statue. Quickly Frank grabbed the angry woman and dragged her back as Bengal threw a bolas, the ancient weapon trapping the thrashing Songbird.
"This won't hold me." Melissa spat as she began to cut through the bolos wires with her powers.
"But his will." Maria replied trapping Melissa in a giant pink bubble. Still the real Songbird thrashed and struggled the bubble would obviously not hold for long. Quickly both Pepper and Harry fired Low Energy Repulsor Beams that melded with the containment bubble fortifying it against her sonic abilities. Inside Melissa was trying to say something but fortunately it was blocked by the cage she was trapped in. Shocker groaned shaking the bone dust of his costume as he emerged from the alcove. Behind him a scuttling sound could be heard, turning to look he watched in horror as the bones fused into intact skeletons and marched towards him.
Zulu and the majority of the troops, both HAMMER and Insurgent had climbed out of the corpse cage and had fled to the mansion. Only Scourge and a few die-hard HAMMER units had remained as the goblins charged in once again falling on the defenders as all the while more heads and arrows came flying. Back at the relative safety of the house Zulu ordered his troops to take out a pair of M120 Mortars and watched as in the distance as Lammergeyer dropped a line of flares on the enemy. In an instant the shells were fired into the mob as on the upper balcony a heavy machine gun opened fire cutting down the attacking goblins and elves.
"Are you sure this will work?" Dagger asked Sexton as he inspected the three dug graves.
"These will do now I need each of you to carve one of these symbols." he told Cloak and Dagger. "From analysis of these bodies," he said prodding a dead Demon, "these creatures came from one of the Norse Realms. If each of you takes a chisel and a tablet we can do the final preparations. Ms. Bowen if you carve the symbol of cleansing, and if you carve the symbol for protection Mr. Johnson I will take the symbol for banishment we should be able to concoct a curse that will keep them out for a while. Once they are complete all we'll need is to find the leader and strike her with my spade and the spell will activate.
Up on the ridge Abigail was down to her last energy cell as more of the goblins and elves crawled out of the earth. Her weapon had little to no effect on the creatures and they knew it deliberately toying with her. Pushing through the ranks a massive demon, it's tusks sharpened, emerged clad in crystalline armor swinging a flail made of human skulls and rope fashioned from vines. From the trees behind her five shots rang out, the bullets impacting with the demon sending it falling to the floor. Running to the box left by her one time opponent Abigail opened the lid unafraid of what was inside. Pulling out the WA2000 Sniper Rifle she turned a grim smile on her face as she opened fire.
Scourge now fought alone firing up at the Goblins that swarmed over the parapet as mortars and machine-gun fire thinned out the advancing tide. The goblins now appeared to be carrying tanks on their back full of water, Scourge was confused it seemed like a stupid tactic, it slowed them down and had no obvious use in combat. Soon no more enemies came and Scourge bellowed, "Cowards this battle is won." as a pair of head crashed into the wall of corpses, soaked by the water carried by the goblins. In an instant the saturated quick lime caught alight trapping Scourge in a ring of fire, an enemy that he was powerless to fight. Up in the mansion Zulu watched the ring of corpse ignite dropping the massive Striker Shotgun and picking up a wicker shield reinforced with titanium her charged towards the blaze.
The dead men crumbled easily, Frank thought but they were horribly outnumbered especially since Songbird, Rescue and the American Son were still trying to contain Melissa. A few glances up showed a contented grin on her face as she watched even more skeletons break through the walls and pull Songbird to the ground. In an instant the bubble collapsed and the real Melissa Gold was free creating sets of sonic chains that bound the Thunderbolts and True Avengers to the floor raising her sickle she got ready to begin the executions when a Repulsor Blast hit square in the back. Frank couldn't believe his eyes, hovering above the battle-field was Tony Stark himself clad in the Iron Man Armor.
"You." Melissa spat as she dodged a second Repulsor blast.
"Let me guess your sorry and just want to be friends, because that outfit says little besides that. It's less Dark Queen and more barbarian back woods skank." Tony told her. With a scream Melissa leapt the twelve foot unaided to his position smashing into his armor tearing with talons as he attempted to throw her off.
Scourge coughed as the corpses began to burn as all around him the goblins and assorted dark creatures cackled. Suddenly their laughter melted into screams as Zulu sliced through the crowd dancing around their blows as he lashed out with a machete and smacked a rushing goblin with his shield. Scourge knew he was being rescued and it was something he couldn't bare, he didn't need to be rescued he was the stronger warrior. As Zulu reached the corpse wall a massive shaggy troll carrying an eight foot long Halberd blocked his path. Striking with the weapon the Troll missed the Captain as he used the blade as a springboard before landing on the monsters head. Now in a frenzy the Troll lashed out as Zulu stabbed the creature in the neck before leaping over the fires and into the chamber with Scourge.
"Come on let's leave this place." Zulu said offering a hand to Scourge. Staring at the gesture Scourge took it as Zulu boosted him to the top of the wall before climbing up through the burning fire. Just as he reached the summit he saw Citizen V looking down at him a pistol in his hand, there was a shot and Zulu fell back into the pit, his kindness and heroism repaid by betrayal.
Smashing through the ceiling of the chamber Tony and Melissa crashed into the lobby. Scared looking soldiers stared at them before backing out of the room leaving the two to continue the fight uninterrupted. Firing Repulsor Blasts Tony watched as his opponent turned herself into a giant pink wrecking ball and charged at him, the spiked construct sending him slamming into the mansion's kitchen. Looming over him Tony watched as the woman ripped off his breast plate before Jarvis could warn him that his armor was about to be breached and sunk sonic talons into his mechanical heart. Screaming in pain Tony raised his arms and lifted the woman off him, although the effort was a struggle. Grunting in pain we knew it wasn't enough as the woman returned this time ripping off the face plate. With one quick movement she spat in his eyes, the saliva burning as he felt her thighs crush his arms into his body. Through the burning fluid he watched her unhinge her jaw, as she bent over him ready to bit his face off. There was a quick flash of light and suddenly Melissa left him and headed towards a distant white speck.
Dagger watched as the Barbarian Woman got ready to deliver the fatal bite, it made her sick, angrily she lit up the entire room causing the predator to turn and attack her instead. Quickly the Sexton struck but his opponent easily vaulted over his strike before throwing him to the ground. Throwing the Spade to Cloak, the Sexton watched as he rushed in for a second attack but once again the woman dodged pulling the man's cloak off.
"T, T Tandy." Cloak spluttered, "C, Catch." he added throwing the Spade. Dagger caught it and sliced diagonally but her target was too fast ducking under the strike before quickly disarming her.
"Now Midgard will tremble before me when they hear how I bested their heros and armies." Melissa hissed her jaw clicking as she reattached it.
"Or not." Dagger replied luminous blades stabbing through Melissa's skull. Screaming in pain the Dark Queen picked Dagger up and threw him onto Cloak before back handing the Sexton as he rushed to pick up the Spade.
"You want this." Melissa said picking up the Spade, "So be it." she replied slicing through the Sexton's Neck. Reflexively he kicked the spade, the blade digging into Melissa's leg. Suddenly there was a gust of wind that tugged at the attacker and the sound of wolves howling as a giant spectral hound crashed through the wall and picked Melissa up in it's jaws causing her to drop the spade.
"You haven't seen the last of me. When I return you will all pay for this." she screamed as the Dog rushed to the covered graves all pulled her under. All across the battle-field Demons, Goblins and Elves were being picked up and dragged into the holes they emerged from, the pink mist being sucked down after them. A few corrupted HAMMER agents opened fire and the Trolls roared but they two were quickly suppressed until not a single creature neither living nor dead remained in the Mansion's grounds.
"Good work Sexton." Scourge growled pushing past Dagger, "Not only did you save the world but you caught Tony Stark." The Sexton's headless body saluted before smashing Scourge over the head with his spade.
"Well what are you waiting for?" The Sexton's head said as it rolled across the floor, "Get out of here," he told Cloak and Dagger, "and somebody put my head back on and get me a cup of tea." he added as his body made to grab the head before it rolled under the remains of the table.