Disclaimer: Well, this is the moment we've been building up to since the beginning. This is also, I think anyway, the longest chapter to date. Yep, I was busy. Anyway, I don't own the rights to X-Men. Enjoy!

Chapter X
Dark Awakening

Warren very slowly opened his eyes. He felt completely exhausted, as if he went twelve rounds with a heavyweight boxer. Maybe he did in his mind! Warren couldn't seem to remember much of anything. He did recall the events at Roosevelt Island and being subsequently pursued by the authorities. Then he was violently shot out of the sky and then it all went black. But as his eyes regained some focus, Warren quickly realized he wasn't in his room at the Xavier Institute. In fact, he wasn't even in the institute at all. Warren rubbed his weary eyes and tried to move his wings, only to realize that they weren't moving with him. Dread washed over Warren as he glanced to either side of his hospital bed, and he confirmed what he had already know. His wings were gone.

He didn't, Warren thought as he quickly jumped out of the bed.

Warren came up to a full length mirror and gazed in horror at his wingless form. He turned around to look at his back. There were two large bandages exactly were his wings should've been. Warren frantically reached for the bandages and they were just out of reach. How could this have happened? When? It had to be Warren's father. There was no question about it. Warren grabbed his head in absolute horror, and he paced around the room. Then he finally snapped. Warren reached for the lone chair by the bed and threw it at the mirror, shattering the glass into pieces. It was enough to alert the hospital staff attending to Warren.

One nurse attempted to calm Warren down as best she could. "Mr. Worthington, you need to calm down."

Warren was even bothering to listen to the nurse. "Where is he," he shouted. "Where's my dad? Tell me right now!"

As if on cue, Warren Worthington II entered the room. "I'm right here, Warren!"

Warren pushed right passed the nurse, grabbed his father's suit and threw his against the wall. "What have you done," he demanded. "How could you do this to me?"

The elder Worthington could see tears welling in his son's eyes. "Warren, please, you need to understand. There was no other way. The cure wasn't ready yet."

"After I saved your life, you still wanted to use your damn cure on me," Warren shouted, and he threw his father to the door. "I was happy for the first time in my life, and you took it all away. And for what?"

"Warren, please understand," Warren Sr. pleaded. "I did this for you. All of it was for you."

"No, you did this for yourself," Warren shouted, even louder this time. "You never cared about me. All you ever cared about were you public relations and you cure. Get out of here!"

"Warren…" Warren Sr. continued to plead.

"I said get out," Warren screamed. "Get out of my sight. Get out of my life. You're dead to me, do you understand that? You are dead to me!"

Warren Sr. finally left the room as the doctors entered and sedated his only child. Out in the halls, the elder Worthington experienced a wave of emotional torment. Warren Sr. had never seen his own son so angry. He was, at the time of the amputation of Warren's wings, acting on the belief that he was helping him. In the end, Warren Sr. might've actually hurt his own son, to the point where Warren practically disowned his own father. Some very small part of Warren Sr. held out some hope that Warren would thank him one day. That was, of course, very far from likely.

"So, how's our guest, Hank?" Ororo asked Hank, who was busy overlooking the unconscious Carol Danvers.

"Well, physically, our esteemed guest is perfectly healthy, with no external damage except for some minor bruising," Hank said, before holding an x-ray of Carol's brain. "However, the power transfer she experienced with Rouge has apparently shorted out her cerebral functions."

"You mind saying that again in English?" asked a rather confused Logan.

Hank sighed, "She's comatose!"

"Oh, I knew that!" Logan quipped, much to Hank's amusement.

Emma was also present in the infirmary, having been asked by Hank to be there. "I've attempted to scan her mind in hopes of reaching her consciousness, but the results have been stagnant at best."

Ororo glanced at Danvers, and she almost felt sorry for her. "Any idea when she'll come out of her coma?"

"It's very hard to say." Emma said.

Hank added, "It could days, weeks or even years before she wakes up. In fact, she might never wake up for all we know."

"Damn! I thought my brain was screwed up." Logan commented.

Ororo glanced at Logan with vague amusement. "Well, I guess there isn't much more we can do for her, aside from keeping her comfortable."

"Indeed," Hank agreed. "Now, there's something else we need to discuss. I assume you're all familiar that artifact stolen by Multiple Man."

"We remember it," Ororo confirmed. "Why, Hank?"

Hank turned on a nearby computer screen, showing a simulated image of the amulet. "I've been studying the amulet and I can now confirm that it dates as far back as 3000 years, maybe more," Hank pushed a button and the screen zoomed on the edges of the amulet. "See the glyphs?"

Ororo looked a bit closer at the screen and stated, "They look to be Egyptian, but some of them I don't recognize."

"I've had that same issue," Hank admitted. "But I was able to translate some of the glyphs and they state; by the power of this amulet, the second of three shall open. It doesn't make much sense after that, but there's some reference to an En Sabah Nur."

"Correct me if I'm wrong," Emma stated. "But I believe En Sabah Nur loosely translates in English into The First One."

"I've come to that very same conclusion," Hank agreed. "But the term could very well refer to anything, or anyone for the matter."

"So, what the hell does Multiple Man want with a dusty old relic?" Logan asked.

"To be honest, Logan," Hank said. "I'm not so sure it was Multiple Man who wanted the amulet."

Remy roamed throughout the institute, taking in the various sights and sounds that came with it. It amazed him just how large the institute was. It was certainly a step up from living in the Louisiana bayou. Of course, Remy was merely a guest, albeit an uninvited one. At least he was given an actual bedroom as opposed to the holding cell. Remy spent much his roaming going through the various rooms, stopping just shy of the recreation room. There were various students doing various activities, some lounging around, some playing games and some studying. Remy smirked at the sight and then kept roaming. He passed through several classrooms, the main hall and finally reached the kitchen. Remy decided he needed a drink and he opened the refrigerator, being careful not to blow it up. He found some orange juice, milk, soda but no sign of the one beverage Remy wanted.

"What the hell," he wondered. "Don't they got beer in this place?"

"What're you doin'?" A voice asked.

Remy was so startled that he hit the back of his head on the door jam. He looked for the person who startled him and found Rogue. "You scared the gumbo outta me, petite."

Rogue ignored the comment from the Cajun and stated, "You ain't gonna find any beer. This is a school, ya know."

Remy closed the door and said, "So I noticed. I'm surprised to see you up and about. Word in the halls is that you got yourself a little upgrade. Would you care to share some of that with your number one Cajun?"

A sly, almost wicked little smile crept across Rogue's face. She did indeed go through a very interesting transformation recently. Then there was Remy LeBeau. Rogue wasn't sure what to make of it all, but something about the Cajun intrigued her. Remy just seemed to have that swagger about him. He seemed confident, so sure of himself. It was a trait that Rogue never had in the past until recently, nor ever experienced with Bobby. Remy was certainly charming, if a little bit arrogant. Rogue knew what wouldn't if she shared anything with the Cajun. Remy must've known that too, which led to Rogue needed to respond to his question.

"If I did that, you'd fly right through that window." she stated.

Remy glanced at the window behind him and smirked Rogue. "What's stoppin' ya, petite? You worried I might get hurt?"

"I'm worried you might come back for more." Rogue commented.

"Oh, you are a feisty southern belle," Remy quipped, all the while slowly closing the distance between himself and Rogue. "I like it!"

"How would you know if I were from the south?" Rogue asked, her curiosity peaked.

Remy inched his face closer to Rogue's and whispered, "Trust me! Remy LeBeau know a southern belle when he see one. Maybe one of these days, I can give you a tour of Bourbon Street. What say you to that, cherie?"

"I say keep dreamin' swamp rat!" Rogue said, and she smiled at Remy.

"Then dream I shall!" Remy said.

After that exchange, Rogue walked out of the kitchen and into the hall. Remy remained in the kitchen, cocking an eyebrow in amusement. Soon after, Remy returned to the hall just in time to catch Rogue already halfway ahead. Rogue turned back and glanced at Remy, still smiling. Remy smiled back and then took a bow.

"You'll be back, cherie," Remy called out. "The ladies always come back to Remy."

Walking down the hospital hall, Jubilee could feel the wary glances of patients and doctors on her. That was understandable considering that she was a mutant. At least she wasn't alone. Kitty and Bobby were accompanying her to visit Warren. They hadn't heard from him or of him for the passed day or so, at least, not until Emma telepathically contacted Warren. Jubilee didn't need to be psychic to know something was very wrong. She stopped by the door leading into Warren's room and knocked.

"Warren, it's Jubilee! I'm here with Bobby and Kitty," no answer came from inside the room. "Look, we're going to come in, okay?"

Jubilee gently turned the door knob and then slowly opened the door. Feeling somewhat cautious, Jubilee quietly peaked into the room. She saw that the bed was vacant. The first thing that crossed her mind was that Warren had died, or was in another room. Kitty noticed the broken mirror and directed Bobby and Jubilee to look it. Then Jubilee spotted Warren leaning against the window, and she held her hands to her mouth upon seeing the two bandages where his wings used to be. Warren glanced back at his friend, a blank expression on his face.

"Hi guys!" he stoically greeted.

"Oh man, Warren!" Bobby exclaimed.

"What'd they do to you," Kitty asked, shocked. "Did they use the cure on you?"

Warren went right back to gazing out the window. "They did worse!"

Kitty's eyes widen as she exclaimed, "You mean, they cut them off?"

"I can't believe this, Warren," Bobby stated. "How could this happen? Why would they do this to you?"

"It's my father," Warren snapped. "He pretty much proved he was more concerned with his public image than his own son."

Jubilee approached Warren and placed a hand on his shoulder. "We'll find a way, Warren. You'll get your wings back, I promise. You're still an X-Man!"

Warren pulled away from Jubilee and shouted, "You don't get it! I'm nothing without my wings, and I'm sure as hell not an X-Man."

Jubilee looked about to break into tears. "But Warren…"

"Just…" Warren came dangerously close to snapping before calming down. "I'm sorry, Jubilee. You have to go now. I'm not Angel anymore."

Jubilee wanted to stay, needed to stay with Warren but knew that was unwise. She left the room with Kitty right behind her. Bobby was the last to leave the room and he glanced back at his friend. He wanted to something but was clearly in the dark as what he could say. Bobby simply shook his head and closed the door on his way out. Out in the hall, Bobby found Kitty trying to console a weeping Jubilee.

Elsewhere, Nathaniel Essex led his compatriots down into the tomb he long since uncovered. Multiple Man was too busy looking at the wall to watch where he was going, almost tripping on his own two feet. Vertigo took up the rear, using her powers to control the brainwashed Quicksilver and Polaris. She was as much in the dark as the much less intelligent Multiple Man as to why Essex needed the two sibling mutants. It could've been any number of reasons. Only Nathaniel knew as he stopped just short of the massive door, the third and final door.

"This is it?" Multiple Man wondered, sounding rather unimpressed.

"This is it," Essex responded with the same words, and then he turned to Vertigo. "Vertigo, if you would my dear, have our guests open the door."

Vertigo didn't know what to make of the door and quite frankly didn't care. Using her mind bending powers, Vertigo moved Quicksilver and Polaris to the door. The two mutants looked at each other blankly, and then they each placed one hand into two depressions on the door. A series of tiny grooves lit and then Quicksilver and Polaris turned the depressions, one going clockwise and the other counterclockwise. Multiple Man slowly approached Essex, who happened to be smirking.

"Why do we need the kids anyway?" he asked.

"These children are siblings, and this door required the DNA signature of two mutant siblings to open it," Essex explained. "Did I mention that their father happened to be Erik Lehnsherr?"

Multiple Man glared at Essex in astonishment. "You mean, Magneto? I didn't even know he had kids."

Without glancing at Multiple Man, Essex stated, "Nor did Magneto himself!"

Essex continued to smile as the sibling mutants finished their task. On a mental whim from Vertigo, Quicksilver and Polaris stepped back. As before, a tremor began and caused debris to fall from the ceiling. Essex and company watched as the massive door opened before them. Vertigo's mental grip on Quicksilver and Polaris faded and the siblings fell to the ground unconscious. The tremor subsided as the door fully opened, revealing the next area to be a very dimly lit chamber. Essex led his compatriots into the chamber, where they noticed that the dimly was not from any torches, but from the walls. Thousands upon thousands of bizarre looking glyphs lined the walls, which Vertigo examined thoroughly.

"I know Egyptian when I see it," she said. "And this isn't Egyptian. It looks… almost alien."

"What, you mean like E.T.?" Multiple Man stupidly asked, earning a glare Vertigo.

Essex meanwhile had found that which he sought upon entering the chamber. At the very center of the chamber stood four obelisks, all littered with more of the alien glyphs. Between the obelisks rested an oval shaped object, like an alien sarcophagus also cover with the glyphs. Essex examined the sarcophagus and found a small triangle shaped depression. He reached into his coat pocket, pulled a similarly shaped device and placed it into the depression. Essex stepped back.

"So, now what?" Multiple Man asked.

"Wait for it!" Essex assured his compatriot.

The three waited for something to happen, and then another tremor began, this one larger than the last. Then a series of brilliant blue lights shot out from the triangle to the obelisks and then to the sarcophagus. Ultimately, the entire chamber was light with a brilliant, yet blinding light. It forced Multiple Man and Vertigo to shield their eyes, while Essex looked on smiling. He could see the sarcophagus beginning to open. Outside of the chamber, Quicksilver began to stir. He held his head as if he'd awoken from a horrible dream before he spotted Polaris still on the ground. Quicksilver crawled to Polaris, cradling her in his arms.

"Polaris! Lorna, wake up!"

Polaris was thankfully stirred from her slumber and saw Quicksilver. She knew immediately than something was wrong. "Pietro, what's happening? Where are we?"

Before Quicksilver could answer, he managed a brief look into the chamber where noticed a glowing hand emerging from the sarcophagus. "I don't know, but we're getting out of here."

Quicksilver cradled Polaris in his arms and sped out of the tomb as fast as he could manage. Meanwhile, Essex and company watched a glowing figure emerge from the sarcophagus. The figure was levitating off the ground, bathed in an ethereal light, sporting unnaturally long raven hair and dressed in what could only be Egyptian garb. Essex's smile grew to an inhuman length as the figure floated upright in the air. Multiple Man and Vertigo backed away in terror as the figure floated to the ground before them. Only Nathaniel Essex remained fixed where he stood.

Essex lowered to one knee to greet the demigod-like figure. "I am called Nathaniel Essex, and I live to serve to you, En Sabah Nur; my lord Apocalypse!"

The figure known as En Sabah Nur said nothing, needing not say anything. He simply stood silent and still and unmoving. The ethereal glow ceased and exposed his grayish face. Then, as would a newborn child, En Sabah Nur opened his eyes for the time. His eyes were a menacing crimson red that could pierce the soul of any who dared to face him. And they did just that!

Miles away from Egypt and all the way back in New York, Emma Frost suddenly awoke. Her bed sheets were practically drenched in sweat, her platinum blonde hair in a mess and her breathing rendered shallow. Emma, being a telepath and a powerful one at that, instantly knew what had happened. She knew it was something terrible, that it felt wrong and it left her speechless and petrified beyond belief. Emma knew right then and there that something had awakened, and it scared her to no end.

Author's note: There you go, peeps. He's finally here, and this is just the beginning. Let me know what you think so far.