The Age Of Akaige

by Pakkrat

This is the world of darkness, where life has become death. Raven is chosen to stop this evil with the help of the Titans, Justice League, and even mutants called the Xmen. That won't change the fact a new evil has risen and taken the place of Trigon.

11. The Sum of Evil

The Age of Akaige

By: Pakkrat

Chapter 11: The Sum of Evil

Note: Long chapter, overdo update, and a bit of story to finish up some of those little questions some of you may have been asking. Be sure to check the forum to ask/discuss the events that have been popping up or maybe join in with other topics.

The one winged swordsman held his blade up in a prepared attack, two women stood to his front ready for battle. One is Raven, the other is the strange mentor she met called Britannia. Sephiroth's sword was inching to the spot he wanted to let it go in a strike, but he is stopped with the sound of honking. His eyes left his two opponents, and in it was the first mistake Raven and Britannia took advantage of. Raven flew in her fists glowing; Britannia raised her hands to craft the sword she often uses. As Raven released the punches into the exposed gut, Britannia swung down her blade to make a spreading wave of flames slam in on the other two. Raven releases her energy through her hands to cause the rippling pound of Sephiroth's chest, then she disappeared, the wave now carried the winged warrior to some distance back away. As he was gone, Raven and Britannia see the strange clown car rolling in which Raven recognized. The chubby Clown demon pulled out from the car and gave his sickening decayed smile, "Hey ladies! So, what's the haps? I've been trying to find you girls all over this place, it's been like hell!" He waddled over with a little glint in his eyes, "I even brought a hitchhiker."

Sephiroth was pushing off of his knees and was in turn getting ready to kill them all, but a strange energy came over his still knelt body and sparked off four electrical currents making a pyramid around him. The pyramid took and now spread its energy, a faint green colored kind, along the currents to make a prism that in it Sephiroth seemed to have stopped in motion, completely. The man, or man like being, that did this act took steps out past Sephiroth and towards the others. He was somewhat nothing more than a walking shadow cloaked with a torn cloth along his broad shoulders and head. His features were outlined with lighter gray tones; he had no face except the blue eyes showing in a somewhat refined manner. As he walked his hands were behind his back, he stopped to Raven and spoke in a rough voice, "He'll be detained for a while, could you follow me?" Raven looked to Sephiroth, and nodded realizing that was a spell she never saw before. "Good, as for you two," he turned to Clown and Britannia, "You can do whatever you wish we'll not be long."

As this unknown figure walked with Raven, Clown turned to the feminine warrior and gave a sly grin, "So…" however, she growled with her eyes turning red, "Uh… never mind."

Raven followed the figure a little across a bridge of stone over lava pools, "Who, and what are you?"

"My name, or for your sake you may call me Shadow. I am a demon who once was a vicious and cruel dark master. However, my story changed in the time I attacked a village where an elderly man merged his purity to my essence. It left me with the first senses of feeling, and in it remorse for the evils I committed. For that sense I now do what I may to repay my debts through acts of greater good. Sure enough, training you would be a most positive step with your," Shadow looked up and came to a decision on the best way to word this, "hmm, shall we say, current problems, back on earth."

Raven looked puzzled, but it clicks and she slaps her forehead, "For the love of… will this stupid learning crap be over before I'm old and gray!"

Shadow seemed to chuckle, and in a movement he's now motioning to the other end of the bridge, here a rounded section of the stone platform made a slight arena with the lava below. "This is the final little test, you must release the inner demon to finish your, Quest I suppose fits this mess," he cupped his chin, "yes, that is fitting."

Raven snaps to this would be mentor, "Are you SERIOUS! I first was attacked in my dreams, then Fate took me in to train me, after that Malchior, then the Time Trapper sent me to a shrine where my soul is taken to HELL, to then go to a spiritual Azar where I'm sent the HELL back to HELL to fight that freak, and in the midst of that I'm sent to learn this?"

"Yes." His point fact answer is followed by a nod, "So shall we continue?"

Raven gave a glare, and her shoulders slumped as she moaned "I need to find a different job."

---

There is a loud sound ringing across the skies, but it only rang here and not farther out where it could cause trouble. The sound is a projected musical current from the guitar Haruko played, on her vespa, making a powerful force that launched a certain shadow demon back and into several buildings. Akaige smashed through the rubble to come rolling to a stop, trailing the debris and dust with his fall. His sudden roll came to a stop and he stood, but at his stand are the incoming fangs of a certain caped canine. The fangs dug to his throat, the jugular, and Akaige gagged with the tearing of his flesh while the hound tore and gnawed. At one time the dog was a domesticated friend, but loss of two masters held his mind to the feral instincts in his soul. Akaige felt the mists of his throat gushing out, lumps of purple mush exited the tares and onto the ground, he eventually pried the beast off and held its scruff by the claw. In tow, Akaige hissed a gurgling sound, and then he flung the beast into the pavement under his own body with a thunderous crash and yelp. Letting go he backed up, grabbing at the wound with his human hand Akaige now snarled in ungodly hisses, his reaction was from the wound. The crackling energy behind him and he turned swift, "At least he's not as up-tight with his snide remarks." Static mused as the bolts lick off his fingers, "A little Shock Therapy might clear that up…" and the blast flies forth from his hands.

Akaige bent to the legs and leapt over this blast, charging a power in his claw aimed at Static he gave a low hiss, he was then struck from a black energy, and the female witch screams "Magic won't save you, it's only going to bury you!" Willow's energy flourished in the beam enough to send the demon to the ground again, but he slowly pushed off the pavement to growl in his wounded vocals. The sound of an engine and he turns his head, his eyes role as the music blares to launch him through two large doors into a structure, where in his landing on his back Akaige gave wide-eyed astonished horror as his back began to burn, soon following his skin in blistering marks.

Haruko rolled in with a smile, Akaige rolled over in the blistering marks spreading and boiling greater. His arm reached forward and soon followed the other as he pulled himself deeper into the building. "Well, somebody just had a rude awakening. This here is a church, if you couldn't tell!" she chuckled darkly as Akaige latched his arm down again and dragged himself deeper into the stain glassed building, making way to a large cross at the long end of this rug red with gold trim, rows of long benches at each of his sides. Haruko plucked a string to now make a small wind funnel around her, "You see demons always were known for a weakness to holy ground. Even you must have had that weakness, and so I'm finding out yes you most certainly do!" The dark demon slammed his hand again, short of the cross he seemed to just lie there breathing hard, "So, are you afraid? Do you think you felt the pain this world has? What about Krypto loosing two people he called 'friend' and 'master', or Static loosing his family and friends, then how about Willow and the people she loved more than life itself?" Akaige turned his head to Haruko and she had a tight grip on her guitar, her eyes watering, "What about the moment I realized that I lost him, because of a monster like you? Huh? You think this is enough pain, yet?"

"Pain…" the voice of his mind breaks to their minds, and then the cape rips into shreds that latch onto the cross, where they began to enflame but quickly they pull up the dark master to this emblem. He latches his human hand on the tip of the top, a surge and his growl makes with the sizzling hand, but it is in the diving press of his claw the church caught in black flame and green sparks press off to the walls. The green sparks make green boiling goop along the walls and the church quickly looses its glory as it became a mess of unholy taint, windows now shatter and walls crumble, while Akaige turns his head again to say "The only pain here is in the fact you thought you actually could win against me, with such a petty strategy!" And a quick shift Akaige bends at the knee off the cross to launch through the nearest window. Haruko now wished to follow but the pools of green bubble more, and only Willow raising a shield blocked the boiling acids from killing them all.

The barrier is let to fall after the once holy place fell completely and then Haruko began her chase, a greater rage on her face. She was sure that it would work! Holy places (Plus) evil beast from hell (Equals) Weaker and easier to kill! So what does he do, defiles the place with his own damn aura! Crud, makes things tougher… but he was weaker now, if they stuck on him in his injured state they MAY have a good chance of beating him! That's the plan; injure him, hunt him, and release all their rallied rage upon him. That's why she chose them they have the best reason to fight him now. They were just like her; they have nothing else to loose.

Akaige ran quickly now even with the injuries. What he was going to do didn't seem obvious, but he already had some plan functioning in his mind obvious from the grin glaring from his hood by twisted fangs. Of course, the silver surfing board messed that all up! It came from no where and struck him across the damn face! This made Akaige twirl on his own back heels and fall to the ground on his back. Shaking his senses into order, Akaige saw the duo of one man made of silver, another of gold. The Surfer and Amazo? For the love of all that is darkness, you have got to be kidding me!"

Haruko is closing in, the two newest members made his day just perfect! Somehow he rolled onto his back and looked fast to the surrounding. The stone graves meant a graveyard and he chuckled to these sights for sore eyes. Amazo released a beam of his power into the dark fiend to have him wail, then he looked up to Haruko now stopping quick, "We apologize for being late, Surfer had been occupied."

"Who cares, just thanks for coming!" Haruko gave glint in her eyes as the five became seven, "Lucky seven, see how things just work out sometimes?"

"You don't say?" Akaige's eyes leer on her as his claw etched the dirt, and in the moment she noticed the etchings glow deep red, and crackle across the ground at many different directions. Onto each grave the cracks would cease and quickly they changed color to green. The green made upward from the cracks following moans and crumbling, the decayed limbs of those underground pushed forward to cause the seven to look in fright, the graveyard just happened to be now a living mass of the undead! These zombies did not keep human qualities as most seemed more nothing but bone with mesh of flesh; they had green glows coming from their eyes matching the energy that awoke them. Haruko just rolled her eyes, "Please, you think these things will save you?" as she turned her head to where Akaige was last, she saw he was shifting to a flattened form of himself that dissipated into the shadows, lurching to the next shadow and the next. "Wh-what the… he's running away!" Haruko made a move forward but two rather large undead popped up on front of her, Haruko blinked in confusion but soon in a cartoonist visage jumped from their swing with panic. Her vespa even puttered away from her, to which she snapped "You traitor!"

The group fought these monsters, except Willow who driven completely by rage pulled from their fight to chase the shadow leaping beast. Krypto saw this and also followed, using his eyes to shatter the hands that reached and pulled his cape. Surfer floated to lash out in his energy, cosmic powers bestowed to his body made him fierce. The moment a zombie grabbed him and he swung his arm with it, to find the beast fall to the ground and lie there falling apart? He looked closer as that was where the green energy ends from the cracks; his mind is clicked, and turned back around on his board the symbol once red was now green! He blasts his aura to make the symbol fizzle out, and soon the zombies fall as dust or remains. Haruko taps her foot as the vespa returns slowly, "Why you…" she gave a slight smile, then hugs it "Aw, never could stay mad! Okay," she leaps on and pulls down her goggles, swinging the guitar like a sword one general would do with orders she screams "he's on the run, let's finish him!"

"…." Amazo points as he follows, "Haruko, it is this way I believe."

"Damn it!" She turns around and blares behind them.

Akaige has made a bit of distance from the others as Willow followed; his newest local was this area with several buildings around them. Here was where he stopped, looked them over, and he seemed to merely look about as Willow found him and grinned grimly, "Now I've got you." Her hands irradiate and her palms release with each swing an energy that shook the ground with their wake. After the blasts registered she slowly landed, nothing out of the ordinary. His cloak and remains lay there for her to inspect, but upon touching the body with her foot she felt no give, she ripped the cape away to find merely rubble left in his place. That is when she is flung by a force from behind; it was like a large boom of air. Another one from her side, she's smack dab in the middle of a street, and more of the booms occur now within the buildings lining the street way. As Willow got up, dazed on her hands and knees, she hears the creaking stone and steel. Her eyes pop up to find hunks of the buildings are missing, slanted slabs to be exact, missing as if to be large trees cut by lumberjacks, to fall on her!

Willow flew up and above the large amounts of debris watching as it collapses in on itself. If she had not moved that mess would have crushed her. That is when she hears the flapping sound of fabric, turning back she had a ball of blackness but the claw latched to her face, pulled her up, and then swung her back down into the debris. The force was making the debris shuffle about as she was buried into it rather than under. Now Akaige lands onto the mountain of rubble, and he glares those cold ethereal eyes at her point in the debris. Willow broke from the debris, only half of her as a foot kicked into her shoulder making her yelp, pushing her into the shifting debris it caved around her lower body now. Willow pulled her one arm out with the intent to use a spell, but a reflex snatch from the one arm is Akaige's human arm latching her wrist and pulling her arm tightly on itself, she screamed as her muscles and bone strained from his own forces baring on her body now. Akaige reached his clawed arm up high with the three talons spread wide. Willow's eyes seemed to realize in their increasing stare what was coming to her fate. The claws in a glint of their own dark desire dangling above in slight reverence, the taste of new blood seemed to make them twain a little. They now began to swing, but stopped short, Akaige's grip on Willow is lost and he is taken in a powerful flying jaw snarling and crunching into his demonic arm. The dark beast was torn into the debris behind and his flesh ripped with continuous clamps of canine chomps. Akaige's arm bleeds wildly as even flesh was mauled; he grabs the dog by the cape and tosses him away. Krypto, lost in the hatred of this monster, now turns back and charges again. Akaige leers upon the assault, pulling his still wounded claw lowly he squats slightly into his knees; Willow pulls to freedom her other arm to look upon the coming crash, then the arm, the swinging of a large clawed hand, the spray of red and shattering yelp of a hound. Willow is widely eyeing the still tossing and turning paws of Krypto caught onto the three claws his own chest and body.

Akaige soon pulls the large claw to the ground to push his foot onto the corpse. Akaige now looked upon the fierce hound still bearing teeth at him; he narrowed his eyes and simply clenched his fist from both hands to soon release several powerful punches to the dogs snarling face. Afterwards, he flips his cape behind himself before turning back to Willow as she is giving a most distasteful glare. "Silence witch, it's your turn now!"

However the sound of a motor meant it was not the time. The time it took to capture the witch and brief interruption defeated his plan, but, he did remove the dog so one may take what one may get. His chuckle and a sudden leap, Akaige lands to seem only to disappear into the ground itself. When Haruko and the others arrive she instantly realizes what has happened. Rumors said the bastard got more tricky when he's hurt, a reason most say he's so indestructible is how much he can take in punishment but anything that bleeds can die, and he bleeds. With the loss of Krypto now Haruko just calls to the others, "Okay, this has taken a little turn for the worse. We need to keep riding his coattails, let's go!" But, she turns about asking "So… where'd he go?"

Willow, now exhausted from her beating and the killing just before her eyes, recalls "He disappeared into the ground. I couldn't stop him, he was just…"

"No worries of that, it was quite expected." Amazo speaks in a factitious manner "The odds of all members surviving this ordeal will be much lower than one would have hopped coming into the ordeal." He floats to Haruko as she has tried to smack the ground with her guitar, he then raises a fist to release a blast that causes the ground to cave in, and there is a subway! Covered in darkness Akaige must be riding the shadowy railway as his escape. Haruko follows the direction the tracks make, and her eyes nearly buckle, "Their camp, he's going to get back to his camp!" She turns, fear and lament on her face, "Please, we have to stop him! If we don't this nightmare will get even worse, we can't let him continue like this!" There is now silence, but her words make action. Virgil, or Static Shock, leaps into the subway with his eyes and arms sparking. Using all his static electrical powers he surges the systems of the subway alive and made the lights along them brightly shine. The shadows are now gone even in the tunnels by the sheer power he used, and Akaige's shadow form slowly ripped from the wall as he was left in the light, growling "This is a surprise, their not half bad for a rag-tag group of misfits."

The others hop down, Surfer quickly grabbed Static when his body shakily fell to the ground. "I-I'm okay, just woozy from all the power I used up."

Willow looked him over, and then the lights, "Boy, I'll say." She looked at Static again and grabbed his hands, a large flicker of power across her eyes now followed out of her hands and onto Static making him stand tall and look in stunned awe. When he looked to her, she winked with a strut "I'm juiced off dark magic, consider that just a little pick-me up."

Haruko was already ahead of the others, except Amazo who was levitating next to her. "As I mentioned the statistics are poor to not only losses but even any survival in the long run. Taking into account battle experience of this group to the immortal nemesis, power levels when at highest or lowest in collections of my databanks, and the tactical expertise both parties have I find the statistical chances very unfavorable." Haruko gave a glare to him, but he nods "Even if that were the case a chance still exists, that is why we came. Superman would have done the same."

As that was said Haruko snorts, "You know, I always hated the underwear wearing freak, and after what I learned I've got good reason."

"Pardon?"

Haruko looked ahead and snapped back, "Just hurry up we don't have all day!"

Down the subway they came to find Akaige with his back to them, it was puzzling why he just was standing there. Haruko gave a smile, "So, you finally gave up?"

Perched on Akaige's claw was a large crow with sinister red eyes that glared at Haruko and her comrades it's beady little gaze alight with a bloodlust and intelligence that seemed far beyond the range of most birds. Akaige reached up and ran one of his claws along the back of the crow's head who gave a grateful caw before flapping off and into the darkness. As it passed Haruko she could have sworn that it was grinning at her. "If you're calling for backup Akaige, I'm afraid that they won't be coming soon enough to save your sorry ass. This is where it ends." She growled. Akaige however merely leaned up casually against the wall nearest to him, his gaze calm and downright relaxed. "On the contrary my dear." Akaige said examining his claws leisurely. "It would seem that my backup is already here."

Haruko didn't so much hear as FEEL the flurry of knives hurtling at her from behind and whirled around at blurring speed swinging her guitar like a shield sending the knives spinning into the shadows, they were only to be caught by a pair of blood red leather gloves. A pair of luminous blood red eyes shone through the shadows like headlights followed by a shrill, warbling cackle sounding like a Hyena in the throes of madness. Out of the darkness stepped a creature that could only be described as the lovechild of the truly talented at the truly insane and deranged. A jet black leather trench coat fitted with straps like a straight jacket housed the figure's tall, but almost scarecrow like physique traveling down it's long legs and almost concealing the pair of black combat boots with curved blades jutting out from the toes making them seem like punk elf shoes. The jacket was partially open revealing what appeared to be a steel plated ribcage that was adorned with bandoliers that crossed the figure's chest in an 'X', each one packed with a startlingly diverse assortment of knives, blades, and other carving instruments as well as a weathered leather belt that held aside from a hip flask various pouches and compartments adorned with a belt buckle in the shape of a grinning skull, a symbol fitting considering that the figure's face was in fact a bleached white mask of a skull carved into a frightful leer of insane glee that was adorned with so many tusks and fangs that had the figure actually had a functioning mouth and lips, rather than a jaw that was on a hinge that squeaked like a mouse that had just been stepped on by a golf shoe, would have carved it's face open every time it tried to make a sound. The figure stopped a few feet away from Haruko, reaching up with a hand covered in blood red leather with metal couplings over the knuckles and sharp edges on the fingertips, and grasped the brim of a beat up purple wide brimmed hat with a rotting peacock feather perched on it and pulled it down slightly in a pseudo-friendly gesture that failed to match the figure's blazing red eyes as they shone out of their hollow sockets like lanterns. Instead of eye lids metal shutters fell and rose giving the eyes the appearance of blinking, all in all it was as though someone had tried to make a serial killer out of a wind up toy and a closet full of old Halloween costumes. Yet there was nothing funny about the foul aura that seemed to wrap around the figure, as well as the crow from before that was now perched on the figure's shoulder. It felt wrong somehow, like the very life force keeping this creature together had died and rotted away long ago leaving only a decayed husk to keep it going.
"Not bad sweetheart, not bad at all." The figure cackled twirling a knife in its hand absent mindedly. "But I'll still get you my pretty and your little dog too!" At this the figure broke into a monstrously piercing laugh that echoed all around them. Its revelry was rudely interrupted by the crow as it tapped its partner on the shoulder, and gesturing to the group indicating that he had forgotten about them in his one liner. "Oh," The figure said simply doing a quick head count. "And, uh, your little robot, spandex wearing black guy, silver beach bum, and constipated witch chick too, too." The figure said a tad uncertainly. Then, satisfied that it had addressed the entire audience this time he resumed laughing his head off much to the crow's ire, who merely gave his partner a look that somehow managed to make up for the lack of comprehensible vocal cords. Surprisingly, nobody else joined the figure in his moment of not-so-good-humor, except for Akaige who merely arched an eyebrow at the oddly amusing duo that had apparently come to his aid. "Doesn't he notice the dog is already dead? Here, I thought something fun was about to happen." Akaige looked into the air with a roll of his eyes, the menacing demonic entity certainly failed to complete what Akaige was hoping for.

Finally noticing that his talents had failed to bring down the house he blinked a few times. "Uh, too soon?" He ventured. The crow gave a snort which prompted a glare from the figure. "Hey! Don't give me that look Mr. Peckers, I'll have you know I happen to be sober," The figure said haughtily, then as an after thought he opened his mouth and breathed into his hand and sniffed it. "Err, well, sober-ish," He added somewhat sheepishly. It was all Haruko could do to keep from bursting into laughter, if THIS was the best that Akaige could call on to defend himself then obviously things were not nearly as dire as she had first suspected. Then suddenly a rustling sound from behind the figure drew her attention. Looking past the figure her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates, an expression of fear on her face mirrored by everyone with her except for Akaige who had a gleam in his eyes like a kid who had just discovered an extra flashy present under the Christmas tree. It was a present he was interested in seeing for quite some time now.

Slithering towards them out of the darkness seeming to flow forth from the very shadows themselves was a monstrous ten headed serpent covered in jagged scales that jutted out like swords. Each snarling fang filled head was adorned in a helmet resembling the headgear of a Japanese Shogun; each one was mounted on a neck the size of a subway car. Its baleful green eyes fixed upon Haruko paralyzing her in its hypnotic gaze. Seeming to think that it was he who had instilled such fear into his prey the figure puffed out his chest in an attempt to look more intimidating. "Ah, so now you're starting to realize who you're up against, eh? Well it's too late to beg for mercy kiddies because none of you shall escape the awesome power of Joka, the corpse herder!" The figure roared breaking into a fresh peal of insane laughter. Mr. Peckers, however, not nearly as oblivious as his partner, managed to notice the gargantuan beast crawling towards them and tapped Joka not so gently on the shoulder with a talon. "Not know Mr. Peckers I'm on a roll." Joka replied relishing the apparently terrifying effect his presence was having on his prey. Finally Mr. Peckers got fed up and started pecking Joka in the head with an angry squawk. "OW, oh, wow, OW! Okay, okay what is it?" Joka snapped. Mr. Peckers pointed past him with his wing the fiend following it until he finally managed to notice the multi-headed behemoth that was writhing forth from the darkness.

At the sight of this Joka let loose a less than awe inspiring girlish scream and ran behind Akaige trembling like a serving of fruit salad in a hurricane. Somehow, Haruko managed to find her voice though her reply was little more than a feeble squeak. Only one being in her mind fit the many heads, and reptilian form… "Tiamat…?" She whispered in disbelief.

The beasts multiple heads looked at each other in mild surprise and burst into a rasping peal of laughter that was somehow even more intimidating than Joka's. "While I'm flattered that you would mistake me for the Queen of Chaos my dear, I'm afraid I am of a far less noble lineage." One of the heads rasped in a voice that sounded as though the figure had not used its vocal cords since the dinosaurs walked the earth. Then before Haruko's very eyes the beast began to change its vast shadowy body shrinking and morphing like putty in the hands of an invisible giant. The heads began to wrap around each other taking on the shape of a human body. Two heads coiled around one another, their heads forming a sort of breastplate as they joined their snouts in a 'V' shape. Four heads coiled a pair of sandaled feet and pale spidery hands sprouting from their open mouths so that the heads formed hand and leg guards, rows of curved blades and spikes jutting out along the edges putting a shame to even the villain known as Shredder. Two of the remaining heads rested their snouts on the developing shoulders of their new body their snouts widening to become spiked shoulder pads. As this went on amidst the nest of writhing heads a face, pale and delicate except for a pair of venomous green eyes with reptilian pupils and long snow white hair tied in a ponytail emerged. Lastly, the last two heads curled around each other forming a double headed staff. Their fangs lengthened and jutted out so that the weapon now resembled a double headed spear. The newly formed figure took the weapon in one pale slender hand and twirled it around with blurring speed before striking the ground with a hearty clang. Before their eyes out of the great beast had stepped a man of breath taking beauty, but had an air of unspoken malevolence which shined in his emerald gaze matching the warm yet predatory smile on his face as he bowed to Akaige. "So sorry I'm late, we had the worst time tracking you down. Orochimaru is now at your service. It's a pleasure to meet you at last Akaige-sama."

"Likewise." Akaige motioned his head down in a nod, then pushed off the wall looking at the still frightened Haruko, "So my dear what was it you were saying… something about, time being up?"

"You… bastard…" she had a rage building in her arm making it shake, "why couldn't' you just leave well enough alone?"

Akaige simply moved his arm over to his side and let it hang; pivoting off of his one hip he asked "Why didn't you do that in the first place? I offered you a chance to escape, but no. You refused me and stayed with that precious brat of yours!"

"Leave him out of this! He has nothing to do with it this is just between you and me!"

"Is it?" his eyes began to twist wickedly, and his claw seemed to tighten with a little more pleasure, "Are you sure you don't want to get others, like Naota involved anymore?"

She didn't realize the trap, nor did Amazo have enough reaction time to stop her, but when she uttered "No, this is just you and me!" Akaige has already whipped his claw around and made the darkness of Haruko's own shadow swallow her whole than disappear. Amazo stood analyzing, and then he turned to Akaige saying "This was your plan all along wasn't it?"

"Mostly," he steeped a few paces and looked to Orochimaru, "Thank you for your assistance Orochimaru. If you wish go and play with these other nuisances I have the one I wanted. They just got in my way, anyway."

Orochimaru bowed his head, "Of course. I will keep them from interfering with your duel."

"Duel?" Joka, the crazed killer was confused "What is going on?"

Amazo already played out the scenario, "It is obvious Akaige could have turned and separated us all with the same technique he just used, and then killed us separately. However, that was not the challenge he was seeking he instead only wanted the one whom caused the incident. Akaige lured us here, and played us the way he did. By planning to cause the Kagejin to find him once close enough to their camp he obviously would have gave Haruko and ultimatum of letting us all die or her fighting him in a duel, your interference merely forced the duel earlier. You were recorded as quite the artist in pulling strings and making your opponents do what you want, Akaige. You're also recorded as loving a good challenge which I believe you allowing us to follow her made for you and your sick pleasure."

"Why," he faked a shocked look and gesture of his hand to his chest, "how could you say such things about me?" he then snickered, "Even if they are true. Well I'm off to kill a certain punk-rocker who has played her last tune. Take care, and do me a favor don't let Orochimaru kill you all too easily I'd hate for him to have wasted that time looking for me!"

As Akaige disappeared Joka sort of sighed, "Hey, I was here too…"

"Do not worry Joka we have other matters to attend to, I will take the surfer and android, you may have the witch and electrical hero."

"Ooh goody! I was hoping for the ones that bleed." His sick hyena like laugh now came out from combined with unsheathing of knives. Orochimaru swung his weapon around himself several times, and then pointed it on his opponents. Amazo morphed from his hand a mace weapon similar to the one Hawk girl crafted as Surfer was floating on his board, Willow and Static began to create their energy in their hands obviously planning on long ranged attacks similar to what their foe may be planning as his knives were being flipped from hand to hand like a juggling act. It soon became the kind of acts you don't want to be a part of when his daggers were tossed at the heroes, and worse as they dodged them Joka merely pulled back his hands to reveal shimmering lines from them and his knives, the tips of his pointed fingers in truth carried a light line to bring the blades back to him like any marionette. His artistry of such malice began to twine along pipes, rails, and other obscure objects in paths at the two heroes, but later the blades singled out Willow as Static pulled his being farther away from the blades. With that hellish aura his body gave the lines and blades lived, and they wove along their lines from the fingertips of their master. The weaving ends only as Willow backed into the nearly invisible lines, and she then felt her wrists and legs being ensnared. The knives dangle at her body, menacingly, and calmly. They wobble a little, and Joka lets a slight chuckle out of his sickening smile.

Static saw the moment coming, he didn't have much time should he do anything at all. Joka was about to switch the blades in on his prey when they began to move off, not like he ordered. The blades moved through the ways they originally did, letting Willow fall hard on the ground, and then they barrel about through the pipes tugging at their line. Joka is pulling on the lines when they meet their end, and he screams "Why you little… get back here!"

"Sorry, but they got the point!" Joka turned to that black teen with eyes and hands glowing in electrical energy… Static, he was using his energy as a magnetic charge! The blades begin to really pull Joka and he only dug his heels down, pulling back his way he realizes the kid has him snagged. "Why I ought a." He snarls to himself, but Mr. Peckers sees that as a sign of trouble and flies in swooping on Static, making him loose concentration, and Joka pops his cables to loose the knives but deep in his jacket he replaces those ones with two larger knives with thicker blades. His arm is swung up like an uppercut, but the blade is held downward making a slice almost on Static but he's been able to fend off the bird while backing up. Joka makes swing after swing, nearly missing in each. He's laughing a sick laughter when Willow asks "Are these yours?"

Joka turned and found his daggers with the lines coming on him, he glares a wide-eyed stare as they now struck his back and made him fall face first into the ground. Willow is confident that did the demon in, but laughter begins to rise and it becomes evident this one will not fall quickly… or easily.

Orochimaru on the other hand made it evident he was not going to fall at all! He unleashed flurries of his staff weapon, and after the flurries ended and Amazo or Surfer got into his radius they got even a worse beating. Orochi first kicked up off his staff making a vertical handstand of its tip, and then a backhand made Surfer fall onto his own board before it crashed into a wall. Dropping off the stand, Amazo swung his mace. Orochi let the mace hit his weapon, and then he twirled the long shaft making the weapon fall off on the ground. After that he pushed forward the weapon onto Amazo getting him to topple as a long serpent had stretched from Orochi's own body, making him now fall onto the recovering Surfer. Orochi looked back to Joka, and he saw how he was fairing to then feel the shift of energy. Without looking he moved his head out of the way to have the cosmic energy just pass by his face.

Joka let now loose a flurry of knives and daggers at the enemies in front of him. Willow and Static both used short blasts to bounce off the unwanted attacks. It was an endless mess of blades mixing along the air, bolts from magic and mutation. In the sudden flash of lightning Static had an idea, he latched his hands onto the light fixtures and charged a current. The current roared through the light lining and over to Joka, where it shattered and began to electrocute him immensely. Willow saw Joka loose his knives, and she screamed in hate with her dark magic flushing forth in a whisk of black essence to swirl over Joka like he was in a tornado, sparks even jolt as the powers mixed. As it ends Joka has already fell to his knees, his arms shook as he was there causing spasms from the powers. His body then fell on its side, motionless, dead.

Orochimaru has pushed off Amazo and Surfer with a powerful gale he made twirling his staff-weapon like a helicopter. When the realization of the attack got to him he was startled, looking at the sight. Willow took and walked to the fallen fiend to kick him onto his back, she then smiled as he didn't breathe "Got him!"

Then, the eyes burn red, she was standing over him and a mechanized gear-like sound came from his chest. Joke pointed up his arms and sure enough two daggers anchored into the ceiling, raised him up and hanging. There, he swung his legs around her head; Willow screamed and yelled as his legs tied around her skull. Joka now yanked out the two knives he used as anchors and twirled their blades down. His smile could be seen as more sadistic in that moment as he rose up the knives then swung them down, into the object between his legs. For a moment Willow tumbled back, but Joka hopped off and pulled back out his two knives to put them out at his sides, a quick swipe across the front of himself as she fell on the ground dead and he leers on Static.

Static was startled, she was dead… he saw her just die there, she DIED! He was so lost in it that Joka stalking over slowly made him freeze, but a golden aura surrounded the three heroes blocking Joka and Orochimaru. Amazo made the field in intent to keep the villains out he did not expect Static to actually try to break the field down! "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to kill that joker!"

"Joka, the name is J-O-K-A." Joka chuckled as Orochi placed a hand onto the field, "Impressive energy you have android."

"We're leaving our mission failed. Akaige survived and we lost three members."

"You mean…" Surfer looked confused, but Amazo merely stated "It is just as well, she could not survive a battle with Akaige alone."

The three disappeared, and Orochi looked to Joka who was now intent on his pet, Mr. Peckers, now beginning to peck at the eyes of the fallen witch "We're leaving to the Kagejin camp. Akaige will be there shortly I do believe."

"He killed her already?"

"No, but it is a matter of time. I'm sure of it."

---

When Haruko realized her predicament she soon became worried, but her confidence came back in a flash, coincidentally so did Akaige. "I offered you several chances my dear. Why you refused them is beyond me, so let's fin…" a vespa slammed into Akaige launching him across the ground, he slowly bent up at the waist like some vampire in the old videos would, but less menacing more angry, "right, time to die!"

Haruko now ran the vespa at Akaige again, but she leapt off of it as it rode to arch into the air. Brandishing her guitar, Haruko swung the guitar around her head several times. It made an unusual golden halo that she then slammed the guitar into her side, the halo now jolting to the front of the guitar. As she played several powerful notes the halo sparked itself along the notes making them pick up in power into the ground, where their ferocity made geysers of dirt and dust sprout out in contact. Akaige was leaping between these powerful blasts, hopping now into a kneel where he collected a blackened energy into his own hand. Kicking off, he was on a direct course with Haruko with the black energy over his hand and pointed on her. Haruko now fired off some more of her blasts, but she realized the black aura was a shield! Her blasts just rolled off it and to the ground, letting the full force of Akaige's punch strike her as they were both in air and he connected with the other arm in a swing.

Haruko sternly planted her foot in the dirt after the strike to her jaw. With that determination she turned on the attacker. However, they swung the same punch this time making her completely fall back off on their own back. Lying there, sprawled, Haruko raised the tip of her guitar and struck several chords. The music followed through striking her opponent, Akaige lost his stalking movements for a moment but eventually the music had not the effect she hoped. Akaige's claw began to widen up as he pushed against the sound waves, breaking upon dirt with his heels before adjusting to the opposing force he merely walked it back towards her. Haruko tried stronger notes, strokes, but they too only make a slight shifting before steady approach of the demon. She looked back to her vespa, a grin it has begun coming to her in a speeded charge. Stopping the music, she raised a free hand to grab one handle and swings herself back up onto the bike. She was only able to get some distance before the vespa jumps up to a stop, her head bending down and forward at the handles. The sound of whipping fabric and she slowly looked up, noticing the cape falling around a little. Akaige stood with his foot on the front of the vespa, but the opposite foot came in on her even if she blocked with her guitar she began dismounting and making distance between them both. Akaige's eyes showed through the anger he had at this moment. A quick grip of the bike and he tossed it off like a piece of garbage. Haruko was trying to decide what to do as he came stalking over, it was stalking that pissed her off he just wanted to make her so afraid it kind of made her even more angry.

Haruko began swinging away at the dark entity with her guitar like mad. Eventually, he just seemed to be sick of it and grabbed the weapon yanking it from her grip all together. Without the guitar or vespa, she launched her fists but this warranted the following pain. First out he swung a punch to the stomach, followed with a kick to the same spot making her coil back. The large claw clasped over her face and smashed her back-skull into the ground, hard, and then kept putting pressure as it held to her. After it was done, Akaige latched onto her scarf and pulled it tightly, strangling her, but only before tossing her away over his side-shoulder into the ground where she coughs and rolled into a fetal position.

Akaige now walked to her, the pitiful form she now was. His leg flung a kick to her ribs making her roll in a trail of dirt, "Why?" he asked as she now pushed her arm under herself to give balance since she raised a half swollen eye to the one who was beating her, "Why did you refuse my offer? I found it very unlikely of one like yourself to ignore it. You were a loner, a self-absorbed girl. Why did you actually put your neck out for something you know you could not have, for him?"

"You don't know how it feels you monster!" Haruko tried to charge, but a simple backhand and she spirals to the ground. A gagging cough as she was sprawled out on her chest but shakily pressing off the ground with her now tiring arms, she is no where near the fighter type. "All you damn monsters do is kill and hunger for power! I can't let him be surrounded by your world, and your damn nightmarish plans."

"Hmm, a fitting point perhaps. Tell me what do you know of me? A demon, lord of a dark empire, somewhat sadistic and powerful beyond most normal comprehension thanks to years of combat and natural talent." Akaige who had been walking around her in a circle now stopped to her front and made a gesture, "Yet there is more to this matter than what you know my dear."

"My father Naimusheshka was a slave to the wish for power, the same wish you claim I follow. His dreams and admirations even followed the great Trigon's shadow! Why, my father even went as far as to mimic the look, style, plans, and yes even name, he took the surname of Trigon in his new title Trigonaimus. These petty powers were always taking from my father's greatness. He even made me to be a slave, a killer for his enemies in the mortal world he tormented and loomed over."

"He got that well enough didn't he?" She growled into her teeth, and Akaige looked to her blankly before going back to his story…

"No denial on that point my dear. However, in the time he made those mistakes as did Trigon eventually the greatest was my freedom. In the time Naimusheshka was trapped in the scum's own personal hell, I took and found a form of freedom, the freedom to hunt and kill all whom I chose to take. At first, I slaughtered mindlessly and in some sense foolishly." The dark lord took a moment, and reflected on that. The curvature of his eyes was slightly distraught, but in a moment they became excited, "Then, I met my first Ronin, a wandering swordsmen from my elder world's Japan. Their kind was like myself seeking a place in a world ill begotten from their art of killing. The time I spent after that was hunting more of these swordsmen, Ronin and even full-fledged Samurai. The land was my own to hunt, these whom in time I called 'Juubun Ejiki' which translates to 'Perfect Prey, or Satisfactory Victims'. You now what these 'Juubun Ejiki' consist of?"

"You think I care?"

Akaige is silent; a sigh soon escapes his haggard wound still bleeding from the throat. "It is not important I suppose. Either way, the time came and Naimusheshka called me back. I knew I would just be slave to his sad ordeals, and pitiful plots. I decided to wait, and in the time needed let all come to pass especially his fall. Unfortunately, I was the one who took his place as lord of Kagejin. It was a curse to me, at first. Then I soon realized the similarities to them and myself. For longer than even I, the Kagejin were slave to Naimusheshka, and they knew not the great joy freedom like mine was, so I showed them. That was the beginning of that you call, death sessions." Akaige looked out to the distance, where drums are heard slightly and minor roars of bloodlust, "You claim that I seek this for power? No, little one, this is not at all for me this is for us," his form turned to her now wavering eyes, and frightened form as his arms reached to the distance in resolution of his claim, "we are Kagejin."

Haruko is silently shaking in fear as the dark beast was coming toward her, "Yo-you will be stopped!"

"Yes, that's always possible. However I doubt you will be the one to cause it." He then tossed the guitar to Haruko, and then walked off, away from her? "You're free to go little one."

"What? Why didn't you kill me?"

"Well, you did bring the kryptonian canine to me, I would have had to kill him sooner or later and you saved me the hassle of his attacking my future camps anytime soon. Then, your attempts did serve to remove the remnant of rage I had with Trigon's ignorance. All in all you did me much more good than harm, so I guess I'll be lenient and see if you can do me any more good later down the road." He made a bow as she felt tears on her face, kicking out the stand on her vespa and fluttering off into the sky he chuckled. Orochimaru and Joka also saw the events. As Mr. Peckers was looking in disbelief Joka asks "What was that all about?"

"I also would like to understand your reasons for this."

Akaige turned, and glared by them "Her attack may have been meaningless in one sense, but the meaning was truer by another. The only reason she would have chanced all for that attack is something she knew, and I suspected for a long time now. Why else would the Trinity allow me, a demon, take claim of a world as I have done? There is something else here, sadly, more evil than I. I know it is not En Sabah Nur, but whatever it is…."

---

"It is the greatest power, from whence all things have ever seen!" screamed the unfamiliarly mad voice of this crazed primate. His laughter followed the metallic walls and echoed hall after hall. His skin was green, covered in black fur, and he wore a purple vest with white gloves and boots. This man like ape now laughed even more as his cape flapped behind him and that unusual fish-bowl over his top skull glistened in the lights of the lab. "Yes, after weeks of recalibrating and fine tuning, I, the great, the nefarious and all-out evil Mojo-JO-JO, have completed…"

"A big ring for playing Magic-The Gathering." Said the slightly overweight teenage boy with a brown coat and long orange mangled hair, along with a large mono-brow. "It's not that big a deal banana-boy."

"Aw-see! You ruined my evil monologue, what the hell did I do to give you reason to ruin that, which is ruined, for you decided to ruin the works I was upon gloating over for exasperated patience taken into the making of…"

"GOD, does it have an off switch?" Another figure was saying as they jumped into the large machine's other side, a platform raised him to view over the large arena with round balls along its sides projecting the image of a rainbow like arena, but as he set down his deck of cards into the dispenser at his side the side he was on turned to a set of water and swamp like area. "Whoa, not bad monkey-man!"

"Argh, you did it AGAIN! How am I, evil genius, Mojo-Jo-Jo going too…?"

"He sure loves the sound of his own voice, doesn't he?" this figure was slightly overweight and in a large white overcoat. His hair is mostly a collection of strands in one S swirl over his top skull, and a patch along the back. His goggles were green, and at some times they shined from the mischievous leer he gave. The overweight scientist also had his coat's collar buttoned over his mouth and soon the man jumped into his own platform, with the utterance of words token to him and him alone, "Bata-BOOM!"

"What?" The other one across from him now raised a brow. His orange hair was flared out from his own white coat. Having a high IQ for his age, this man wore a set of gray goggles that he now raised up onto his forehead, and in a quirky smile he asked "You really want to do this Bata-Boom?"

"The question should be squirt; do you really want to mess with your elders? I know you think you're all that, and your "God" will help you." At this the orange haired man gave a scowl as he clasped a cross at his neck, "However, this is the real world and kids need to learn their not invincible, Professor."

"That's Professor Curly you overweight mole! Now let's get this show on the road!"

"What an exciting day," spoke the teen with the mono-brow, "for a competition of this kind. I'm your host the master of monster, terror of the televised, and cruncher of couch potato mischief, Control Freak!" he then points to Mojo-jo-jo, "As well my co anchor Mojo-Jo-Jo the talking monkey! I mean, how cool is that he actually talks!"

"Your stupidity brings me to question why they brought you to this organization in the first place any how. Never-Ending Revolutionary Ventures was not supposed to bring imbeciles into their program."

"How many times have you made a device that can break the boundaries between time and space, make fiction to reality, and cause all sorts of hell with the simple accessories of an home-town garage?"

He was silent, and so Control Freak screamed "Ha! In your face simple-simian!" to that Mojo scratched his face and Control Freak fell into his chair screaming "You damn dirty ape!"

"I do not have patience for this; I could be inventing or devising new means to be given new measures of monetary gain from the commander!"

"Chill…" Control Freak looked over to see Professor Curly now using his cards to call some small water snakes, while Bata-Boom went to making a collection of goblins and trolls with his mountain and plains decks. "Their getting heavy. We should be telling our viewers about the game."

"What viewers? We are alone here! You are a complete imbecile!"

"Oh? Well, then…" with that Control Freak popped his remote and clicked a button; a collection of people in stands began clapping and rooting to the action. "See now we have viewers!"

"…." Mojo just shook his head "Idiots, you are all idiots. I still find the arena a waste of my fabulous talents."

"Look around monkey-boy; we have little else to look forward to. We're in a secret lab, on a secret island with secret military funding and support working with secret projects for secret causes. Why do you think we're looking for any means to keep our sanity? This is just another way to keep the crazies at bay…" Control Freak saw a large explosion, "Whoa, Bata-Boom used a fire-ball spell!"

"I understand this very well. I merely find this place, NERV, very taxing of my patience. Not too mention Commander Gendo Ikari is just down right… strange."

"This, from a talking monkey…"

"Mark my words this NERV group, is committing unnatural if not down-right dangerous experiments."

"Why are you helping them then?" ControlF asked, and Mojo gave a sinister grin, "I'm an evil genius, pay me the right amount and I'd help any maniac."

Just then, a loud clamor is heard from above. That was when they saw the holograms showing Bata-Boom had taken a chunk from Professor C's life points, from 20 points down to 18, he gloated over the victory. "You see that boy! You can't beat this evil mack-daddy!" he let out a sinister laugh and clacked his heels into the air but the professor had a tactical genius all his own.

With a smile, and draw, he laid down a card that made Bata-boom watch as the seas grew wide and large, and soon a horrendous watery funnel arose up from the deep like a whale and serpent had made from the tides. After that, the beast swallowed two islands within the sea, and charged smashing the monster it was sent to attack, the same monster that had attacked the fine professor, and it took from the power a shockwave that hit Bata-Boom just as hard. "Let's see, your Shivan Fired Dragon had an attack power of 5, and my monster had an attack power of… 10?" Bata-Boom grimaced at his LP turned to 15, "Well, that was a pretty nice hit wasn't it?"

"Wh-what the hell was that?"

"That was Leviathan, the most powerful water-monster in my lovely deck. His power comes at a price though, each time he attacks he takes two islands in sacrifice leaving my pools a little depleted. Still, he's useful… because, you don't have anything that can defeat him in defense!" and then he snapped his fingers, "Oh, and those untapped lands over there… yeah, I'll now use… this!" and with that a spell circle was made covering Leviathan in a barrier, "So, with Spell Negation Circle no spell cards will give Leviathan an instant kill for the next turn, your turn!"

Bata-Boom gave a glare through his goggles, which to that he began to ponder his next move. He knew what he needed, Mageta the Lion, he would blow apart the field and leave nothing, not even his own monsters, just himself. With that even Leviathan would be screwed… just needed to draw that card… "Ah-ha… wait, son of a… oh well, here!" he played a lion that glowed, "Mine Bearer will do some good… I hope."

Professor C looked to his deck, and pulled another card, a smile of intellect and precision came on him as he played the new card, "About time, so here it goes! First, the circle falls…" which it did, "Next, I use Recalling Rasp!" this card made the Leviathan submerge, and return to the professor's hand "After that I use the spell Hand of Death, which removes your kamikaze looser!" a ghastly hand came from nothingness and took the very life of the bomb-carrying man before disappearing, "Then, I use my lands to summon one more monster…" with that the arena got darker, and black depths of smog covered the area. A pair of green eyes glow in the darkness, and a loud sound of armor clanking is heard. Soon, a horrendous demon looking man came, he had the darkest armor and flesh, and standing tall he looked at the opponent with no remorse. The field is clear of other monsters, and Bata-Boom knew he was going to get hit but luckily his opponent only had 6 attack and 4 defense points, "He's not so menacing, alone. However, this is the legendary demon-warrior Volrath the Fallen, and his power is to take one card from my hand and add their powers to his for one turn, at the loss of two land cards… fitting, really." He smirked, as his card of choice was Leviathan, and adding its power to Volrath soon the dark fiend took on a power level of 16/14, and in his hellish attack well… Bata-Boom lost. Professor C laughed in mirth, but then his podium exploded. Bata-Boom tossed his explosives as soon the Professor did the same in return.

"I thought you said if I made it, they wouldn't do this!" Mojo hid under a table, as ControlF screamed "I thought they would, guess I was wrong!"

The two explosion-prone scientists tossed toy after toy, explosive after explosive, but it is the scream of a deep woman's voice that made them stop, "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE!!!"

The two stop, and they look to the woman with the perfect body and chest, perfect face and red eyes, and perfect lavender hair as she glared them down for the incomprehensible behavior. She's called 'Major' but in reality, she could be called Aphrodite with that body. She only wore a no strap leotard, with no trousers to cover the lower skimpy parts, and a leather jacket over it showing the strong attitude she sported. She moved with a strong power, common with her attitude, and she then gave the death-glare making even these two maniacs stop their feud. "I told you two that we have no need for hot-heads, so if you don't knock it off I'll have to put a stop to this permanently!"

"Major, we were just…" Professor C was interrupted as Bata-Boom screamed "He made me do it!"

The Major rolled her eyes as they acted this way, for men. She was in truth a bio-construct, her body completely made from machinery and bio-technology. She had a weak body at birth but science gave her a new chance. Of course, the machines came at the price of her innocence, she became a child-assassin for Japan and in time as she was given upgrades her new task was Section Nine, the most recognized information-tactics group ever. She led them, even if she was nothing more than a ghost living in a cyber-body, a ghost in a shell. The Major took a moment to relax herself, and soon she heard the two settling down. After that she walked past them, and she simply followed down the halls, but stopped to see Curly's necklace, "You know," he looked to her, "If Gendo sees that he'll have your head you know how he hates any religious items or practices on base."

"Gendo can pry my beliefs from my cold, dead hands!"

She smirked, and shrugged her sort of way, "You might want to reconsider. I'd hate for something to happen to you, kid." She now left and heard them squabbling again. It was kind of aggravating to say the least. She was once part of the Section 9 group that kept techno-terrorism to a minimum in Japan, but now she was redirected to this place on the former Kaiju Island. This city was built rather quickly with the combined scientific minds gathered here. Gendo set it all up after stopping something called the 'First Impact' from happening, though she knew little on it. He was a strong man, very secretive and quiet, but in all his command was absolute. She now entered the main hangar, where she saw the large muscular man with mechanical eyes, and a white ponytail. "Batou, what are you doing?"

He turned, smiled, and showed the weights he was lifting "What do you think?"

"You're wasting the time you have with that. You know you can't grow muscular appendages now that you're a bio-mechanized human."

"Eh, I just like to show off my strength for the ladies, you like it right girls?"

To that blue spider like machines scream in hoots and whistles, he smiled as these mechanized tanks played along for him. They are called the Tachikoma, and even now their innocent nature played as they asked questions of the way Batou showed his arms off, and posed his body for them. The Major gave a glare, he stopped, and the Tachikoma all Ooh as she dragged Batou out of the room. Outside in the next hall, the Major asked "What are you doing?"

"Just…"

"I meant with the Tachikoma! Their not supposed to revel in your ego, their weapons."

"Hey relax their still doing the job. Besides, we haven't had to work for a while now, nothing has happened has it?" he now became worried, she looked at him and shook her head so he went back to the stubborn smile "Alright then, if you'll excuse me Major I have some fans to see." To that he re-entered the facility and began to show off again with standing evaluations. She now lowered her head, and smiled "That stubborn…" she looked to her side to see Commander Ikari walking down the halls with his personal guard, and some other guy she never saw before. When she came closer to investigate the commander turned, and smiled "Well what a surprise. If you were curious all you needed to do was ask about our guest."

The Major nodded, "Sorry sir, I was just…"

"Not at all." The commander wore glasses, and he had short unkempt hair and a beard the same. He had a black uniform, with golden medals and buttons showing his rank as the commander of this facility. "This is Nick Fury, SHIELD operative, he was brought here after a small mistake with the man he was supposed to bring here escaped, he came personally to explain the situation I figured he could enjoy a showing of the facility."

"Is that wise sir? He's not part of the personnel."

The man with Ikari smiled at the Commander, "Well, I understand the mistrust but really I can't stay long so could we please hurry this up? I need to return to SHIELD."

The guard had chuckled, and Fury looked to him questioningly, Ikari more was angered by the unnecessary moment. "I agree, well then follow me." He stopped though, "Oh, is there anything else Major?"

"No sir… good bye sir." She made a bow and left, then as they were gone she looked to the left in the nook next to her, "So, what was that all about?" she then walked off to her own matters. The three men entered to another room and this was a large bay for something on the opposite walls of the catwalk they were on. Fury looked, and he stopped dead in his tracks. "What in the…"

His eyes saw three large robots, slender and covered only slightly in armor. It was nothing he ever saw in his time, they were ahead of the curve with their technology. The first one was a large light blue robot, with one eye. The middle one was purple, with two eyes, and block like metal teeth in a jaw. The final, third one, was a red machine with a single eye. They each were slender and so well designed it was impressive, but frightening.

"Their called Evangelion, Mr. Fury." Gendo smiled at the three machines, "They are the most powerful robotic weapons we have on the island, and serve as protection." He looked to Fury who was going to ask a question, one Gendo already knew was coming, "Anything that comes against this island, is what we protect ourselves with these robots."

Fury had to admit, that's some prime-case protection. However, who could pilot such machinery? To answer he saw three plugs pop out from the base of the robots necks, and then lifts rose to the sides of each. As unexpected the scene had been, the sight of young teenagers as these pilots was perhaps the most bizarre of things yet! "Ar-are you telling me those kids are…"

"They are the pilots of the Evangelion, if you'd like I'll introduce you to them Mr. Fury."

Nick was still kind of speechless as he followed along, children; children were piloting some of the most advanced weapons he's seen in his career. He was now wondering if Trask was here working on the Sentinels, or this. As they took an open-rung elevator to the next catwalk and platforms underneath, they got off to pop in behind a woman with a red leather vest, a dress that came to the mid upper thigh, and her long purple/blue hair was bouncy in a sense. When the Commander made a vocal of his presence, she turned to show her great figure, and a silver cross that hung low down her neck. She made a bow, and then salute, "Commander Ikari, Captain Misato Katsuragi wishing to say a pleasure to meet you sir. The two new pilots, Shinji and Asuka, have great potential as you expected and proved quite formidable in the simulation."

"Good," Ikari turned his head to Fury showing his pilots off, "This first young girl is Rei Ayanami, the first child for Evangelion Unit 00, and a very skilled pilot." This young girl is 14; she had an almost white/pale blue skin tight suit of techno-armor and pale blue hair. Her eyes were red in color and she looked very serious, if not almost unattached. "This second child, pilot of Evangelion Unit 01, is called Shinji Ikari." The blatantly unattached greeting made this meek boy sort of cringe, he wore the same kind of armor, but the legs and arms are darker than the chest, glove, and boot along with pelvis areas. His hair is short and combed in a part to the side, almost too normal a face for a pilot. He gave a nod, a respectful young man, and then he turned to Commander Ikari but he already moved to the next pilot. "Then, the third child, pilot of Unit 02, is Asuka Soryu Langley. She too has the skills necessary to wield the Evangelion system's interface." She had long orange hair, brown eyes, and her slight shift off the hips indicates an attitude… a big one. Her red outfit was very much like the others, armor like and matching her robot. She gave a look to Fury very scrupulous, but soon she just sighed while turning away from him and putting her hands behind her head, he bored her.

Fury is still pretty confused, but he gave a slight smile to them as a sign he was impressed, "You kids are doing a fine job, keep up the good work."

"Sure thing, old man." Asuka said in an attempt to get someone riled, and she is soon reprimanded by Misato. Rei took the time to try and leave, as Shinji also took a step toward Commander Ikari but he turned, and asked "If you wouldn't mind Mr. Fury we still have things to take care of."

"Oh, sure." He followed seeing the hurt expression on Shinji's face.

"Shinji?" The young boy turned to the woman, Captain Misato, "Are you okay?"

"After all this time he just…" his face was very hurt, and so hers got the same way. However, Asuka popped in asking "Hey? Where am I supposed to sleep? I mean, I get my own place don't I?"

"Oh, that's right! I was looking into it earlier and I came up with an idea, after the train ride with you Shinji. Um, here…" she grabbed a piece of paper and wrote down an address for each of them "Take a cab to this address and you'll have first-class accommodations! Trust me, the best of the best for you!"

"What about Rei?" Shinji was now looking at the young girl Rei who sat in silence at the side, off the banister she was slightly pivoting, "She has anywhere to stay?"

"Ooh, Shinji likes the silent but creepy type, never would have guessed that." Asuka gave a furl of her brow as he became red, "Aw, Shinji, never peeled your peach have you?"
"Wh-what?" he is blood red as she giggled, and Misato just shook her head, "Aw calm down its not too normal, but kind of cute a guy actually gets embarrassed about something like that in this day and age."

"Shut up Asuka." The teen now became huffy, but complied. "Rei has an apartment of her own, given to her by Ikari himself. I figured since you two are under my training I should set you up as well." Shinji looked to the distant girl, and as she looked to him out of the corner of her eye he blushed and tried to look away, she then turned to her Eva and the group began to talk over strategy, and other matters pertaining to their work.

---

The office of Commander Ikari. It was nice to some degree and above-ground unlike the rest of the NERV facility. Outside the window Fury looked over the large city, who would think a city was hidden on this island? The city had been built in record time from accumulated money through secret channels, and the scientific genius of many acquired minds. NERV is house to countless men of the mind, a genuine society think-tank some would call it. Even so it is Gendo who for the most knowledge controlled this facility and all within it, but how he got the funds and resources a lot of people still wonder. Nick Fury sat in one chair, and he looked over to see Gendo now pouring two glasses, "Would you care for something to drink?"

"Nope, and don't offer me the cigars their not my brand." Nick pulled out his own cigar from his coat, as he previously noted the cigars at the one side. "So, I figure you didn't call me here for some run of the mill deal, what is it?"

"Well Mr. Fury I'll be as low-key on the points as I may. For some time now the first impact was prevented, and thanks to those like Superman we were able to remove the creature that would have caused it, Atomsk." Fury nods, "However, NERV stays ever vigilant with its programs such as the Sentinel, and Evangelion work you have seen today. That is because there was more to Atomsk than you ever realized. Atomsk was in fact sent on a mission to cause the First Impact, thereby allowing a powerful mutant called En Sabah Nur to begin his reign over our world. Only through the help of a time traveler called Bishop did we have the knowledge to stop this matter several years before it ever occurred, around perhaps 10 or 12 years I could say we were working to not only stop Atomsk, but any threat from a being like him on behalf of the ones who sent him originally."

"Really? Wow… that's news to me. So, just what exactly sent him in the first place?"

Gendo looked sternly at the man Fury, "There is only one force that has the power to call such an attack, one force that will be able to decide the very survival of an entire race blinked-out in a flash, one force that can choose…" his hand stretched to hold a picture of a woman and her son, his wife… "Yes, one force that can take our loved ones with illness, age, and any other type of "natural" selection it damn well chooses."

Fury, struck with the idea and sentiment in those words, was wide eyed he asked "Do you mean you want to wage a war with, oh my god…"

A smile came upon Ikari's face, "Yes, Mr. Fury. That is exactly the force I'm talking about."

---

Titan, the green skinned culmination of the other four titans, stood between Raven and her two protectors Slade and Terra, and the strange teenage monkey-tailed alien Vegeta with his older bald friend Nappa, "Your evil will not go unpunished… wait, who said that corny line?" Titan looked about itself, and Beast Boy whispers "Sorry, it sounded kind of cool in our head… or is it heads?"

Nappa cracked his knuckles as he saw what had happened to Raditz, "Okay, what you did warrants a top-grade but whooping! Say hello, to, NAPPA!!!" He screamed before charging at them with his fists cocked. Titan merely dodged, the first punch, then the second, and along came the flurries which Titan blocked in forearm and palm blocks. It was fast, kind of cool in a way, but it seemed silly when Nappa got bitch-slapped across the face and skid to a halt only to jump up, scream an alien obscenity that Starfire knew, and then be stopped with Vegeta swinging his arm out between them both. "Enough Nappa, we don't have time!"

"Your time is of no importance, the battle will end when we are victor!"

"Why…" Nappa grinds his teeth but Vegeta just gave a glare, and sighing Nappa submits. Vegeta now took to the one called Titan and asks "You really want to fight? To protect your friend?" They nodded, and he smirked "Look, we're not the bad guys, and then again we're not good either. However that girl has the power to defeat Frieza I heard it myself when he was talking over the communicator. He's a ruthless monster, bent on having the universe under his control. I, on the other hand, think the universe would be better with me as its unquestioned master. If we let him kill the girl I will loose the one chance to get that freak once and for all, you have to help me move her to somewhere else!"

"What?" Titan was not confused from what he said but what he wanted, then they gave it more thought and smiled "Oh, you are a friend? Then we must inform you of the situation that friend Raven is in meditative training, and may not be removed until it is completed."

"Just great, while that happens they'll get here!" Titan would have asked who, but the answer came in loud screaming not menacing, just a rolling collection of three voices followed by five streaking colors across the temple's walls. When they stopped, five men of five sizes stood in one place, screaming, and kicking up their legs in a still running like pose. It was like a choreographed session from some workout video, especially as they now started making separate stances, one their own surrounding the central figure. The tallest one was a blue alien like a man reptile, with a rounded head and red eyes, "BURTER!" he screamed, next is the second largest a human looking fellow but so bulked and with spiky platform hair he screams, "RECOOME!" the smallest one now took his pose, he had a toad like look with two normal eyes, but another set were where his ears should have been, "GOULDO!" then the second smallest, an orange/red skinned fellow with long white hair screaming as he flashed off his feminine hair, "WOW, I'M JEICE!" then, the last one is the mid way and mid part of their stance group, he was purple skin and had veins over his bald head, it was bulged where the two hemispheres of the brain seemed to develop the casing of his head, and two black horns also took their spot at the tip of his head as well, "Hoo-hah, CAPTAIN GINYU!!! And together, we are…" they scream unison, "THE GINYU FORCE!!!"

However, then the one Jeice whipped his hair which blinded Burter, he fell grabbing Recoome on the shoulder which made him kick Gouldo into the air and back onto Jeice, which then as the four fell they took their leader Ginyu with them. The aftermath as the dust cleared, the five were on their backs onto of one another, dizzy, and finally Ginyu moans "Take five… boys…"

---

New York has gone thru so much lately, between the horrific destruction and even a massive botched escape plan only more could probably be on the way. As the levels of emotion rise with the imminent last chance escape from Doctor Doom, people begin to huddle into groups planning their own means of escape. In the main observatory all the heroes not in the main-stream of civilians were talking about ideas. Their second shield was now up and as it was on the Kagejin let any strong demon smash into it at will. The impacts made the shield loose more and more power, especially strange ones that were like tanks with spider legs and long noses. They were very nervous with their voices mixing in yelling and screaming, even Mr. Fantastic tried to over voice the others. It was now a contest, and one voice put them all to their normal tones with…

"GHOST!" a beam fired as Slimer screamed and flew under a table, to that Egon slams a cane over Jack's thigh, "Oops, force of habit, my bad."

Fantastic gave a sigh "Look, we all are tired so maybe we should take a few minutes and regroup."

Rorek was now entering the discussion, "Sadly, that is a commodity we are without Mr. Fantastic. We must have a plan of action, the field will fall soon and Victor Doom's ships will be coming any moment. Without a plan more lives will be lost, and our forces will be decimated more horridly than even before. We can not leave this up any longer, a plan must be made!"

There was now arguing, again, but young Ben 10 was looking at the picture showing them trapped in a circle, the field, and the Kagejin outside of it. He was only musing to himself, but, "It's too bad we can't trap them in a bubble like we are too."

This hit Mr. Fantastic in the head, he looked in stunned awe before silencing everyone, "What did you say Ben?"

"I, uh, said too bad we can't trap those guys in a bubble too."

Mr. Fantastic grabbed his chin, smiled, and said "Is Storm strong enough to create a real storm, with a fog covering several blocks around the tower?"

Magneto thought over it, and then he said "I believe so but she will be quite drained after so much."

"I understand, but she can do it?" Magneto nods, "Alright, just what all did Iron Man bring in his truck?"

No one knew, so they went to find the man of Iron, "Well here's to the last ditch effort, huddle up and listen because we won't have time to do anything else! The shield is close to being drained, we have to go NOW!"

---

The main camp to the Kagejin and within it is the main tent to the Kagejin. As fires burn outside and demons banter on, the surprise is the main tent also has four laughing forms. Akaige at the head of his table laughs in his sinister fashion with joy, as Gaikotsu laughed so hard and deep he fell off his own chair. Joka, the strange necromancer, was squealing in his delight as Orochimaru let his hands slam the table before wiping away a tear, he then composed himself to continue saying, "Oh, where was I?"

"Hmm?" Akaige looked at the serpent lord, Orochi, and said "Ah yes! You and Zeruge revealed you were demons to the emperor before he chopped off your heads, and you first scared him but you found out about his mass guard reserves, and so you escaped the throne room…"

"Yes, yes that's right! We left the throne room and now the human guards are on alert. We had to hide, so we jump into some large vases to loose them. Unfortunately, this was not a normal room it was in fact where they kept their… err, waste, until it could be disposed of fully."

There is bellow us laughter as the image hit them all, poor Gaikotsu had just got to his chair when he heard this and fell again. "Well we waited in the jars, until they finally disposed of them that later night." There is a chuckle and snicker, "Then Zeruge said, "I think we should not visit the emperor, he has too much cleaning to do!" and then laughter ensued, it was infectious as Sinister also had entered the tent. When Akaige saw him he asked "Well, what is it?"

"Then reserve shield is very low now. You wanted me to let you know when the time came, remember."

Akaige gave a nod, and a hint of excitement was in his voice as he stood up saying "Their time is up, finally."

Orochimaru stood too, and he made a bow "Lord Akaige," Akaige gave a sudden swing back, "I was going to only let Joka fight, but after tonight I was wondering if perhaps my assistance in the battle would be acceptable?"

"Oh why of course, of course, the more the deadlier I say!" He walked outside and took his mount of Serpentine, it stretched down as Orochimaru came out giving a hiss, the way Orochimaru just pet the creature and its pleased hiss made Akaige just raise a brow, "Odd, Serpentine is not one to act so casually with strangers."

"Yes, well I do have a close family relationship with snakes."

Akaige gave a nod before pulling on Serpentine's scales, making it bend up again. Far ahead the dark lord saw his people standing in formations, ranking up as ordered by superior officers. Gordaio, the large demon had a huge bone club over his shoulder, a grin of his fangs and he pulled the tether of the large reptilian beast he rode on. Kireshk, the handsome demon with imperial clothing now pulled the tether of his beast but it pulled, he had a hell of a time getting on. Gordaio grabbed Kireshk by the scruff and tossed him onto the large reptilian beast, and said "You need to show some respect, Kireshk. They are your brothers and sisters no matter the place within the empire."

"I loathe the idea I should be in combat like this. I am a regional lord, not a combatant!"

"Bah, you whine like a whelpling! Just enjoy the bloodshed my friend!"

Kireshk turned hate towards Gordaio, but he then saw Lady Lokio her reptilian body of blue glistening in the faint lights. She rode a creature more like a reptilian bird, with a long narrow beak and wings over its front arms it walked with the wings curled in. The head had plumes, blue like the bird creature, and as it walked its long tail with a sharp spade swung in a slight stride. She gave a look to the two male generals, and then she kicked the creature's sides to have it open the wings and fly toward her men. Gordaio gave a nod, "Alright, time to get in position whelpling. I'll watch your backside so don't you worry."

"Stop your petty indulgence; just because you've been in battle before means nothing to my views."

Gordaio just laughed, "Youth, how I miss it!"

The ranks pulled into position and more they ready for the moment to come. As the field flickered, their tongues, claws, fangs, and eyes react with anticipation, they became blind. A large fog soon covered their camp and the tower, it was all gone! Akaige screamed to the area, "Form your ranks, do not move until I say so!" they did as told, and he began to think, quickly. Only one being could do this, and she was there in the fortress but she must have gone outside to use the power like this "Storm, you weather witch I should have known they would use you in their dire need!" he turned quickly to Orochimaru as he dismounted, "Orochi, take Serpentine and scour the skies for a dark skinned woman controlling the storm. I have to stay and keep control of this matter from here."

Orochimaru gave a quick look to the snake, and then he jumped up and mounted it. The two flew up, Orochi was jolted by the force but soon got his bearings, "Yes, like a hoarse, but much larger."

---

Above the fog but between the cloud cover he found a large collection of funneling wind and lightning, they both merge around or on the woman summoning them. It was odd the lightning coming off her to the fog, but Orochi was now worried on trying to stop her. His first option was to summon strange serpents from his body that hissed and struck off like bolts, but accordingly the lightning came and struck them making them useless. His other option was to get close enough to strike her with the staff, but that got ruined from the appearance of three others, two X-men and the Human Torch. Torch started to attack with his balls of flame, and Ice Man the teen mutant with cold abilities slides in tossing ice balls and javelins. Magneto took a different approach, he levitates to Storm and creates a half-shield if any attack should come at them he would block it.

"Thanks… Magnus…" her voice is tired, but she held onto the power her white eyes seeking the sight of her new leader. He turned and asked "How much longer until you need to return?"

"Little longer… I can go… longer…"

Torch was tossing his fireballs while Ice Man tried to use his shards like daggers. Serpentine swung under and around the attacks, stray ones Orochi swung his staff to break them. After several of the attacks came a bit too close, Orochi screamed "What do we do? Can we get closer?"

Serpentine narrowed his many red eyes, and when flying closer it whipped its back to swing off the startled Orochi. As he was airborne, he realized he was headed straight for the slide made by Ice Man, but a ways back behind him. Orochi landed, and began to slide down it towards Ice Man who was still occupied by the snake, but had no idea Orochi was coming in on behind him. As Orochi came closer he readied his spear. Ice Man heard the scraping of metal on ice; he turned to only have a sudden flash before his arms shattered from the elbow down. His screams even caught Torch, he saw now how Orochi leapt off the slide and onto Serpentine again, and then how Ice Man fell off the slide with his arms missing their longer ligaments.

Ice Man was in pain because in his ice form he could withstand more pain, but his arms had just been shattered. He didn't even realize he had fallen off the slides yet. When he did, he saw the fog was around him, so he just had to concentrate. His arms began to re-mold from the dampness of the fog, and he had the lower parts again. He next made the ice from the moist fog to form a large pillar so he was in the fight again, and this time he had a really pissed look on his face, wonder why?

Storm lost her strength finally, so she fell forward into Magneto's arms, he screamed "I'm taking her back the fog will be lifting soon! We have to retreat!"

Torch and Ice Man share looks; stubborn and now angry, youth is a dangerous nuisance. The two go into an attack, and Magneto is wide eyed at their disobedience, "No… no, get back here!" He then turned to Storm, and flew to the tower instead.

Torch began to toss streams of flame as he followed the serpent, and Ice Man used flows of ice chilling its wings causing it to lessen speed and danger the creature with a freefall. Orochi took and left the mount, running along the tail and spine he soon made serpents that came off from his body snapping their long necks at the two attackers. The three fought like this with chancing blows but soon patience had played full. Orochi saw a moment, and spear within hand he swung it back and forward. It missed Ice Man, but as he was in front of the spear to jump it the spear instead struck the fiery torso of the Human Torch. When Ice Man saw this he froze, aside from the literal sense, and saw Torch sort of loose control and fall downward like a falling star. Ice Man gave a glare before diving in, and grasping the form of the Torch he makes another pillar with the still remaining fog. As they are up, he look to the wound and is stunned… he caught the damn thing! "What, you thought I was dead?"

"Well… yeah! You ass hole!" The two laugh at it not seeing Serpentine and Orochi were escaping with the spear back in his hand, they didn't care this fight had been won in some ways.

It was not a kind welcome, first Mr. Fantastic got on them then Magneto. Still they were pleased they were unharmed for the most part. There was little time to really do anything, except get ready for the next part of their plan. Ice Man now lowered his form and Magneto, Storm, and the others looked at him confused and slightly off-taken. "What is it?"

"Your arms…"

Ice Man looked down to see his arms from the elbow down were still ice, and they even let a cold mist roll off where the air was hitting them, "What the… maybe, because I had to regenerate them in my ice state I can't, oh man are they going to be like that forever?"

---

When Orochi had returned the fog was closely lifted, "The woman Storm is gone into the fortress; I could not slay her at the moment."

"I see, well it will only prolong the inevitable." Akaige moved his head along seeing the fog lifting, it soon revealed the shield is down and along the base of the fortress were many of the remaining heroes gathered at the entranceways. "Well now, what have we here?"

The heroes were all looking at each other embarrassed, Ben in the form of his large four-armed creature with four glowing golden eyes and black pants, white shirt, took the front screaming "Come on guys, just like in the movie! It'll work believe me!"

"Didn't the English throw lances and arrows at the Irish after they did it?"

"Yeah… but, their not the English and we're not the Irish so let them hang low!"

Ben turned face, and dropped trouser as they put it. Soon he began to slap his butt with an insult, alternating the arms he used each time. Others followed after, grudgingly at first, but all soon enough got to calling and barking out at the Kagejin. It was too obvious they wanted an attack, and Akaige just laughed, "Do they think we're fools? This is a path," he now saw Gaikotsu pointing and Akaige turned, to see Kireshk so mad he sent him and his men into an attack "Aw crap…"

---

The moment Kireshk was far enough in, the field came back on! This time the field locked him inside with the heroes, and thanks to Storm it had more juice. It was not over, for Iron Man flew into the air and flipped a switch, sending out a message many explosions occurred over the ground around the heroes, and under path of Kireshk and his Kagejin. The dust was high, and debris with demon bits fell about everywhere. After it was over the heroes gave a little roar of victory, proud the plan worked so well.

The dust had cleared and Iron Man instantly charged his cannons, "Okay, you know what to do!"

The others were readying their fists, or clasping any weapons they had. Even those men who were able and followed with rifles gathered together to the cause. When the dust is gone, it shows the demons not taken in the blast still dazed. Kireshk was under his own mount when he heard the screams, and the storming feet of the humans. Trapped inside the now risen shield, decimated through the explosives, and being bombarded by strong and well-armed mortals even the demon regional saw a glimpse of his demise. It came in the man with the D insignia, Dare Devil, leaping in with his staff creating a sharp edge on the tip.

The edge was coming in inches to Kireshk's head but a spinning metal blur caused ripples of sound from clanging the edged staff, Dare Devil pulled back and back flipped from harm as several more of the items passed him. Kireshk had one arm free and from it the rings on his arm had grew to then spin off, enchanted with his own aura they moved at his beckoned call. The rings now spun at his own face, but quickly growing their shifting at the ends of the beast's body to shrink and latch it inside their holes. The rings raise the body up allowing Kireshk to stand up again. His rings let the body go, and return to his arms. With a smirk, he raised up his two arms allowing the rings on each arm to spin around his wrists, "Very well, let this be my first battle, and last mistake."

---

Gaikotsu looked on surprised, "Thought he was a goner for a second, now what?"

"Take the shield down. The sooner we regroup and reunite our forces and the shield is down, the sooner we take the building." Mr. Sinister was now coming over to Akaige, "You never said anything about a third shield, Sinister."

"It's the same shield they merely powered it during the fog. I would have told you sooner but that blasted weather made it nearly impossible to get around. It does not matter, I found they redesigned the field, it now has a "hole" in it though I'm sure they made it purposefully and I know not where it is."

Akaige gave a little glare to Sinister, not of anger but more aggression "A hole? How big is this hole?"

"Perhaps, the diameter of the fortress itself."

"That's big enough for…" Akaige looked over to the tower and followed it all the way up to the roof, the helipad to be precise. His right claw pulled back with a collection of energy, he then tossed a mighty toss to make the ball swirl forth, and then it struck a barrier… "I could have sworn they would have used a carrier in such a plan, I just could have."

---

Susan Richards faltered; her invisible shield nearly broke from that attack. Reed saw this on his monitor and asked "Susan, are you alright?"

"Yes just, getting tired now… that was a strong bomb."

The voice of Dr. Doom came over their communicators "Do not over-exert yourself my dear, when the battle is full circle I doubt even your invisible barriers will assist us any longer. Though thanks to the cloaking circle we have successfully transported three carriers of refuges, the next one will be landing soon."

Susan felt her smile grow, so she said "Thanks Victor, I'll be sure to make this all up to you."

"Really?" a small bit of intrigue played his tone, "How would you go about doing that, my dear?"

Mr. Fantastic now interrupted with a "Victor…" most annoyed and if not angry, to which Doom laughed his manner before closing the line. Reed now asked "Susan, are you going to be okay? We still need to be ready for the fight."

"It'll be fine, just let me handle it."

---

Akaige kept looking at that heliport, there is something… there has to be, it's what he would do under the circumstances if he were one of them! However, his attack hit the barrier and he wouldn't waste his energy on it. His worries were still too much to ignore, he gave a glare to Lokio on her winged creature, "Lokio," she moved her head to him slightly, "Take two other powerful airborne demons to the top of the building and investigate the shield's power. I need to know just what's going on up there."

She obeyed, and with here was the strange large beetle monster now gaining power to fly up there, and the wounded dragon of red, Hojimbo. Akaige felt at ease, if any would find out for him it would be lady Lokio.

---

Titan and Vegeta looked to the five most feared warriors of space, playing a game of, rock, paper, and scissors… "No way…"

"The Ginyu Force is recognized even on my world of Tameran yet the stories never envisioned them like this."

Captain Ginyu decided not to play, but to agree if two members were killed he'd go ahead and take care of the problem. The first to loose was Jeice, he then was followed by Burter, Recoome, and the winner was the miniature green alien Gouldo. Gouldo had a mischievous grin as he walked towards Titan, "Okay, so I'll show you my…" he is now kicked like a soccer ball towards Vegeta, he quickly launches a beam from his hands that popped Gouldo like a zit, to which the Ginyu team looked stunned, Recoome asked "Can I watch my soap operas instead?"

Ginyu pushed Recoome forward, "Aw come on that was pure luck! You get on out there and show them what you've got! Then I'll take you to the place they make you soap operas."

"Really, that'd be great! I love my soap operas!" Recoome took a little stance, "By the way, the name's Recoome, which rhymes with doom, and you'll be hurting all too soon!"

Titan looked blankly, "This is not very threatening for a person of his size. As long as we are one, we are unstoppable!" Titan giggled, but then there was a strange flash and the four titans looked to one another, grimaced, and Beast Boy articulated it the best he could, "Aw man, we're so boned!"

---

Raven had learned a lot about herself from this. Not just the demon power, but more the actual quest. From Malchior, Fate, Arella, Britannia, and now this Shadow guy she learned much about her own self. This still left her with one question, when and where does it end? Why was she here, not there? What was she supposed to learn truly from all the training? When Shadow said that he was done he turned around, his back to her, and Raven was just returning to her human form when he said "You know that this isn't enough. This won't kill him; it's not even close to the power you would need to kill Akaige."

Raven just looked at him in awe, "You mean I'm just wasting my time?"

"Have you?" Shadow looked to Raven now with a little play of intrigue, "So, what will you do? What have you surmised from all your hard work?"

"Not a damn thing! That's what! If I can't kill him than what's the point?"

Shadow seemed to just look at her, and then he turned to drop the field around Sephiroth "Maybe you're too young to understand that sometimes one must use evil, to stop evil."

Sephiroth stood with the Masamune, His smile grew large and sadistic, and he raised the sword on target Britannia and Clown. Raven knew she had to stop him, and the only way she could do that was to, use evil to stop evil. Sephiroth was going to strike when from the sky landed a dark force, in a deep red cowl. The red cloak was with two twisted shoulder formations as the cloak had twisted itself to resemble horns on the shoulder. Their hands had long black claws and the fangs of the face grin cruelly. Sephiroth only knew the being as they said "Back off, this is over!"

"Well, the Raven has learned to fly? I dou-." Sephiroth is struck over the chest by the claws, soon followed by more over his face and arms. All he could do was try to strike but Raven's ferocious strength and endurance made his attacks all useless. Soon enough, his sword was gone from his hand and he was on his back, seeping wounds and hate filled glare all left of the once powerful One Winged Angel. With him laying there her fangs became even more blood thirsty, drippings of crimson from her fingers seemed to tighten the veins in her arms. She wanted to tare him apart, to show how powerful she was now compared to him. "His father did that too, like yours." Raven turned to Shadow; he was in a way just talking enough for her to listen but not actually at her. "His father was a man devoted to science and the search of knowledge. It was so great; he offered his unborn child and wife to the goal to learn the ultimate extent of a power from space. The thing, Raven, is the power was so much Sephiroth lost any link to the world around him. You must ask yourself does your power make you better. Is it the power you have that gives you a right to act without consequence?" Shadow now looked to Raven, "Does power mean so much in this world?"

Raven gave a glare to Shadow, and then to Sephiroth. It was obvious to her now what all these stupid tests were; she was supposed to learn a very out of the way lesson. "I don't think this makes much difference, but fine." She flung her claws forward but when she struck, a vortex opened and Sephiroth was taken inside of it. Britannia was confused, as well as Clown. "So what do I do now Shadow?"

"That's your decision. I was only meant to sum up the lessons taught to you. This is where we shall part ways, my dear." Shadow stopped a moment, to give a little look up to the ceiling with thought, "Hmm, I do have one more thing to tell you. Sometimes, to finish a task one must return to where it began. That should do it then, farewell little one."

Shadow now disappeared into the darkness, Clown also got irate before jumping into a clown car and leaving. Raven shook her head turning back human, "This is just the stupidest…"

"Raven," Raven looked over to Britannia, "I appreciate the help. What Shadow said is very familiar. You know," Britannia looked to the pools of lava and sighed "It has been so long I've been here. I like to blame your father, his damn power-hungry nature for my being stuck here. The thing is it's not really that which brought me down here but something far worse."

Raven looked confused, but she came next to Britannia and asked "What happened?"

Britannia looked at the pools, then she turned to Raven with a saddened face, "That's not something you need to worry about. Shadow told you what to do, better get going. Looks like I didn't help much now did I?"

Raven just shrugged, "No, suppose you didn't." to which Britannia giggled, they certainly were getting along fairly well now. Raven left through a portal soon after allowing Britannia to look out at the fires around her, then she sighed once more, "The way one must choose their path is by all means one they alone must choose, choose wisely my friend."

---

Recoome screamed in the haymaker that launched Cyborg into the wall, and then the high kick sweeper that knocked Star and Beast Boy off into the closest pillar. He now latched an open palm on Robin's face, smiling, before the strange energy that gathered caused a massive shockwave. The fighters all stopped to see the cloaked glowing white figure now standing up. Ginyu was impressed by the appearance and then he turned on his scanner, as it went crazy he nearly swallowed his tongue before the thing blew up, "She's freaking off the scale! I never saw that much power before!"

Recoome looked over to Ginyu then Raven, "Um, can I go home and watch my soaps now? This looks kind of scary, boss."

Ginyu laughed a confident laugh, and then took a stance saying "The scanner must be on the fritz, she couldn't possibly be that powerful! Watch and learn boys!"

Ginyu flew in and made a powerful spinning kick, but she ducked under it. He then started to go with punches and kicks in long combos, but each were just as ineffective. Ginyu screamed as he jumped back, gathered his energy in his hands and let it go as a wave, but Raven idly raised her hand and engulfed the wave into her hand where it swirled, and flew back but Ginyu ducked from the blast. He blinked at that little mess, and coughed, "Okay, she's pretty good. However, I still have my most devastating technique, the Body-change! Hoo-hah!" Ginyu planted his feet and charged his veins with a pink energy, his aura shot at Raven and she was covered with the pink aura too. The two were twitching and convulsing, but Raven's eyes glow bright white before the pink aura fired off out the temple and crashed on a small toad like creature. The creature looked around, croaked, and then turned up to see Nappa just awakening and then stomping on the creature. "I hate toads…"

Ginyu has fallen on all fours, and he looks around croaking like a frog. Recoome, Burter, and Jeice look to one another before turning and flying off as fast as could be. Ginyu squad without Ginyu is just a squad, and they would like to be the kind still alive tomorrow! The titans all looked around in awe, Slade even had been surprised. "Raven, is that really you?"

Raven looked back around, "No, it's the tooth fairy."

There was a bit of laughter as her friends started to huddle her and hug, shake, or just slap her on the back. Raven looked to Terra, "Terra? What are you doing here?"

"Oh, well…" She looked embarrassed, "Listen, we have a lot to do so why don't you just worry about it later?"

Raven was now looking to Slade, "Was protecting me too much trouble for you?"

"Yes!" he gave a little quirk of his eye, she smirked at that while he moved to the corner and tried to go unnoticed. Beast Boy was now looking at Raven all wide-eyed, she was so much more radiant than before as a kind of glow was in her eyes, around her hands, and just somewhat her itself. He then remembered that in Japan Mothra wanted him to give a message; he screams "Raven, I need to tell you something!" She nodded and waited for him to say something, but he looked nervous and said "I mean, tell you the other way." She realized what he meant and grabbed his head; putting their heads together she soon saw his mind and many things, some she found disgusting, filtered in quickly.

She did find what he wanted her to know, and she was aghast with it all. She looked in slight disgust from that rather than Beast Boy's other thoughts now. There was the phoenix like creature Atomsk, and then there was Superman leading a group of military officials attacking it. The strange man with glasses, Gendo Ikari, was leading the operation. Also a man in all black and a hood was right beside Gendo as he ordered the attack. Soon as Atomsk fell, the scene became that of Atomsk in a human like form with wings, still burning in fire he screamed on a table. The tests being conducted, the energy they tried to take from his dying body and at every step there was Gendo, and the man in black looking on. The thing Raven noticed, as the devices sparked over Atomsk's body the man in black's eyes sometimes reacted. The man's eyes burn, they burn with a fire, a fire not natural by any means. Then came the scene of the future that was, Apocalypse and his war, the death of millions of mutants by a disease, impact, Alter Users, three giant machines, and a strange clock winding but then shattering apart, too many visions, too many… the man in black and his damning eyes! THEY WERE TOO MUCH!

Raven broke off, she fell hard now looking as Beast Boy was confused; he had only a fraction of knowledge what the message was that had been sent. She looked at her hands, shaking. Her nerves were kind of shaky now but she knew what is going on, at least she had an idea. Things were now making sense, the demons and the strange Council decision. It all made sense… Raven stood up and smiled, "You know, things are never easy being a hero. They have to be the most confusing and down right pain in the butt things to be in life." Raven chuckled, but she then looked up with tears in her eyes, "The quest will end where it began. I think I understand now Shadow." She looked to her friends who were all confused, but a snap of her fingers and they all were gone, except the Sha-lah who now were merged to one and sat on Raven's shoulder, she smiled, "You know where we're going don't you?"

"The beginning, Sha-lah!"

---

Gendo gave a nod to his guard who was standing at the window before turning to Fury; he was sitting in his chair smoking his cigar for a while now. "Mr. Fury would you please consider the offer I mentioned joining your forces of SHIELD with our own?"

Fury looked at Gendo and took a deep intake of the cigar, before puffing it out and standing up "You can go burn in hell which by the sounds of it I'm sure you will! This whole mess is probably your damn faults! Look at what is happening out there, what you've all caused! I won't be a part of it!"

Gendo was upset, but he nods "Very well, if that is your decision." Gendo pushed a button that opened a link to some video of where SHIELD HQ had been flying in the sky many miles away from the NERV island and facility. It didn't make sense, but then the explosion that caused it to crash made Fury drop his cigar, he quickly grabbed his gun and pointed it on Gendo. His ear twitched, Fury dropped back in a roll but his side now was bleeding as the guard had struck him. The guard in all black stood between Fury and Gendo, his hands lay in his lap lightly in front of himself. Nick jumped up and scrambled out of the door, but he was soon dragged back in where he was flung up the wall. The guard's eyes were burning red flames as Nick glared his own eye back.

"What are you?" Nick asked the guard, who pulled down his hood to show his red eyes, and silver hairs long with three tuffs along the hairline back somewhat like some crown. He had a handsome face, very unlikely with that set of devilish eyes. His smile gave way to the intent of his actions, he soon seemed to give a look to Gendo and then to Fury, his voice spoke in a firm dictation of his inner being, empty and somewhat unforgiving, "I am the bodyguard of Gendo Ikari, I am called Ansem."

"Ansem?" Fury now felt the pain on his throat, the force holding him without being there. As the force was getting stronger Fury felt into his pockets, he found a small orb he soon pulled out and crushed into his hand. The orb in truth caused smoke to spread about, he felt the force loosen and so he ran for the door into the halls. Gendo was startled, but he heard Ansem say "Don't worry I'll take care of him. Just stay here, it won't take long."

Fury ran past several halls and corridors as Ansem now followed. He turned to run down one, but suddenly the shadows there came alive with golden eyes and short stature creatures with antennae started to move toward him. Fury now fell back from the monsters, asking, "What the hell are they?"

"They have nothing to do with hell. Hell is in most ways, merely a stare of mind." Fury looked to Ansem, his black cloak was replaced with a white one, with a black top and armor padded shoulders. His gloves were white also matching the undershirt he wore that was a button jacket, open from the pectorals his bare chest showed through. On the center of his chest was an unusual tattoo of a blackened heart with red outline and stitched X formation, he now looked on with a sick smile as he said "We are in fact the Heartless, and this world is part of our rule now. Consider your petty life forfeit as..." Fury ran down another set of corridors, Ansem looked down it with a frown. Nick Fury had not made it very far when a force grabbed his throat. Ansem's own shadow had stretched to his and allowed a creature to rise from Fury's own shadow to choke him. This creature seemed like a living shadow, it had even demonic like appearance with golden glowing eyes and a strange X shaped strap over its mouth. As Fury tried to pry free the monster put more force until finally, Fury's own arm fell limp. The creature turned its head to Ansem who smiled before it returned to his own shadow, then grew up to cover his body in the black coat he was wearing before, "I wasn't finished talking, but at least he got the message."

---

Raven stood at the entrance to the white holistic pillars and doorway, the Celestial Council. Celestials are to her knowledge beings that evolved so greatly, they can in a manner be deemed godly. They are not gods, but powerful entities capable of distorting time, space, or reality through such power. Thanos is such a being and he now stood at the archway. He was one his knees, shying his eyes from Raven, "Mi lady, the deeds I did today, I beg you forgive me."

"You did nothing that you should not have Thanos. I don't exactly like the idea you tried to kill me," she shrugged, "but, we do what we've got to do."

Thanos looked up in a slight grin, "Thank you mi lady. I shall never forget your kindness to me this day." He then disappeared in a torrent of energy.

Raven smiled as she felt a little better, he wasn't all bad just very misfortunate. Her smile turned to alarm, as the sound of flapping and the familiar voice from behind saying "She's just full of mercy. Why, she even took pity on me. That was a mistake that will cost you your life today girl."

Raven swung around to have the long blade of a katana lodged into her shoulder. Blood gushed from her wound as she now was forced to the ground, over her and with his long sword edged at an angle into her flesh, stood Sephiroth smiling through his long bangs and hairs, his hands shaking as he pushed deeper the blade and Raven screamed again. "I worked so hard, so long to find her. That bitch, that fallen Brittannia, has the last knowledge of the Masamune! Only she, Tiamat, and Trigon know the exact damn whereabouts of that sword! The sword of devil's soul, of Tiamat's triumph, the oldest demon blade from the gods own hand, Masamune!" the next push caused Raven to scream worse than before, he twisted the blade to cause the wound to become even greater, "I'll kill you, and for the record there will be NO MERCY from me!"

Raven gave a very stern glare, her hand latched the blade and covered it with energy as dark as the red in her eyes. She now pushed the sword with Sephiroth pivoting on the hilt, and then tossed them both backwards. Raven stood slowly, her nails and fangs grew, cloak became darker, and all out expression crueler. "Alright, I guess we'll do this the hard way!"

---

Wendy was at one time of day trying to leave her job, make plans, and perhaps meet Mr. Right. She never expected Mr. Right was in fact the gun totting vigilante with some stupid skull on his chest. Punisher had to watch everything on the roof, with him was Susan Richards, her brother The Human Torch, War Machine the partner of Iron Man, the Fenton family including Danny Fenton's friends, Ghost Buster group, and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. This was a fairly out of place group, but it mattered very little since all they did now was load up people from the roof to the ships flying down. The next transport has just landed, up till now Wendy has been with Punisher the whole step of the way. He smiled to her, offered a cigarette, and she took it with a smile of her own. "Thanks, you know how to treat a gal."

"Just my way of saying good bye, this is your transport now." Wendy frowned, she wasn't leaving now. "Don't look like that. If you don't get on that ship you'll regret it, maybe not today, or maybe not tomorrow but…"

She gave a quirk of the brow, "Casablanca?"

Punisher rubbed his head, "Hey, I'm just trying to sound cool and all. Serious, you need to go now! You don't know when," he points to the field behind him not knowing Lokio on her beast is now hovering outside the field, "those things might start attacking this spot."

Torch started to scream his 'Flame On' thing when Wendy asked "How did you know?"

"What?" Punisher turned seeing Lokio, with her was Hojimbo and Hercules both flying around the field Hercules actually holding Hojimbo in his arms. "Holy crap, what are they doing here?"

Donatello the purple masked turtle walked over with his wooden staff, "My guess, they decided the field has to be here and they wanted to see what is going on. Luckily, the invisible field makes it so they can't see us!"

Lokio looked about, her frightening eyes narrowed as she slowly let her beast hover in spot. She then raised her hand to the field, holding her palm on it she looked more intently. Soon she raised her eyes up to the sky where she saw the clouds rolling into the field, and they were disappearing! She now pulled on her beast, it screamed as she made distance to then call on her skills. With movements of her hands and fingers her delicate gestures made the aura of her body glow a faint blue. The aura rolled from her body, to her hands, and there the gestures took form to the energy making a giant sickle like form. The sickle struck forward on the field where Susan now desperately tried to hold the charade up longer. The transport was part way full, Punisher tried to drag Wendy but she pulled free snatching one of his grenades, "I'm not going!" she then ran towards Lokio with the grenade and pulled ring. Lokio struck again with her strange attack, and repeatedly the attack came. Susan finally lost her strength and the field fell, but Wendy tossed the grenade moments before it fell. Lokio was then seeing the field fall and people scattered about a ship, she gave a slight leer before the appearance of a grenade was exiting the invisible fog and on her location.

---

The shockwave struck her even as she tried to fly back, making her and the beast flutter backwards and towards the ground. Their fall is into a group of Kagejin soldiers on the ground, she turns to her lord and he sees what she saw. Akaige glared aggressively at the roof seeing the ship on top now, still loading, "I knew it; oh how I just knew it!" He took a moment to somewhat applaud the tactical genius in that plan, but quickly followed was the order to send aerial units to the roof and attack. With it all kinds of monsters, large and small, broke off from their regiments and headed into the air. Akaige pulled back from Serpentine and looked to Gaikotsu, "Take Serpentine to the roof and drop off, lead that attack until I gain access to the building!"

Gaikotsu gave a nod before jumping on the large snake which took off nearly immediately. Akaige was just starting to concentrate on the shield, when he heard this horn and drums. His head turns only slightly to their rear where a collection of riders had begun to appear outside the camp. "How interesting they would show up now. Perhaps the wolves were merely looking for a good time to strike." Akaige turned to the masses of his Kagejin, and sought one mind in particular "Shrikirk, take your clan and move to the rear flank. Do not engage until I say, merely position and do not be found out by your movement." The demon he spoke to nodded, and followed his clan did to the rear flanks shadowing their movement among the other Kagejin in ranks and formations. Akaige looked to the tower, and he gave a slight leer. They would be making the last couple hours most ferocious and defiant, and Akaige would not have this end any other way.

The werewolf clan is lead by a white wolf. This was Whitepelt, and he wore armor over most of his body only the helmet covered his skull, cheeks and forehead but left the snout and eyes bare. Whitepelt turned his head to his right, there is a female werewolf but she had black leather with black armor. Her head is completely covered in a helmet, she turned to Whitepelt and he asked "Is everything okay daughter?"

The daughter of Whitepelt nods; pulling up her helmet's visor she showed the narrow snout and grin of her fangs, "I'm fine. This may be the first I've been in battle, but at least it's with you." Her leather is like some leotard and long buckle boots also black. The armor on her arms and over her leotard's chest also was black. Her fur is white, but it is accented with an unusual darker gray color. She was nervous made obvious with the way she held onto the tether of her pet hound, Brutus. A large black wolf that looked up to her, she gave a shy look as it snorted and looked a head again. Whitepelt laid his hand on her nervous one and whispered "If you wish you may leave. I would rather you did not fight today Chjia."

"That would be dishonorable to the Clan, I can not do that." She now pulled her visor back down and waited for the signal, Whitepelt sighed but started to move in front of his clan. At the front, he drew his sword with a set of runes etched along the central face of both sides. As he motioned it forward, he began to howl like that of a wolf to the moon, a call at arms now followed as all his people howled like he did. The howling was a unified ringing and it made many the demons scattered in the rear flank somewhat shift uneasy. They now charged together on top their wolf companions into the battle. Some carried weapons varying from the swords, to even rifles but they more relied on their fierce claws and fangs as a source of fighting. Akaige watched as they were closing in, and swinging about face he screamed "Now Shrikirk, attack them now!"

There is a bloodcurdling shriek befell the air, followed quickly by more of them. The screaming caused their heightened wolf hearing to turn on them and make many stop charging. From the ranks now stormed out into the front of the rear several demons. They stop and form a line, they all share the same kinds of features though with differences all their own. The lower body is like a hoarse with the four legs and hooves, but covered in black leather hide they also seem reptilian almost. Their upper body facets about where the head would be with a human male or female torso with dark purple leathery skin was their upper bodies. They wore a mixture of styles, armor on some, others wore leather like vests or cowls, and then there were those who wore black netting over the chest and fur. Their heads seemed to be a lizard's but with a shorter snout more round and full of fangs. They also have two horns curled at where the ears should be, and curled around toward the jaw to make sounds curve into slots of the head from the horns wide fanned inner cove. The final thing to notice was the fact they have no eyes, but their shrieking would in fact send the sound off those before them into those horns, and by echo-location the monsters could hunt even in the darkest open areas. The werewolves had not stopped their attack but did stop the charge, Whitepelt stood to the front of his people now seeing these monsters. They were clacking their hooves as wolves were clawing the dirt. Both clans looked on one another, and then one of the demons stepped forward and to the center front adjacent to Whitepelt. This demon stood much taller and larger than his followers and he had red paint or blood on his cheeks like stripes, and over the front of his face mimicking an eye tattoo. He strode along showing on his side rump many deep gashes all lined along, even crossed as if a marker system. Over his right arm were three large tusks like bones coming out from the wrist wrapped in thick wire as if crude claw weapon.

The demon could not speak in a language verbal, but his mind seemed to call out Whitepelt with a very unnatural whine behind its words like whales or sea creatures, "Who are you wolf? Do you have a name?"

"Whitepelt, if you must know!" his sword is gripped tightly as the demon's nostrils flare smelling the air, "What about you, do you have a name?"

"I am Shrikirk, the master of the Kagejin Akkiuma Clan, made years into the wars we had with Werewolf clans. We have the history of fighting their kind and in some cases the honor of it. Each mark here," he brandished the many markings over his rumps sides, "They signify the many werewolves I killed worthy of remembering, and perhaps you could have the honor of such a list?"

Whitepelt gave a little smirk in his fangs, "Sorry, I plan to live today."

"Good, because it's not as much fun if the prey is not planning on dying already!" Shrikirk now screamed and so did the demons with him, they charged and the wolfen clan charged also. The two forces met, wolfs on hind legs dug their fangs and claws in while in some the Akkiuma kicked with their hooves. The riders would try to strike with swords and other melee weapons but Akkiuma also had weapons and at times either blocked an attack, or knocked the riders clear off their mounts.

Whitepelt and Shrikirk went at it the hardest, Whitepelt swung his sword as Shrikirk backed away, blocking with his claws and making a forward gallop then gash. The two separate and circle one another, the hound growls and snarls as Shrikirk began to shriek in sparse moments. Shrikirk then shrieked loudly, it caused a momentary flinch of the hound and he took an attack. The sudden strike hit the hounds face, but it returned with a leap trying to bare into the side. Shrikirk sprinted from the lunge to then bull his rear legs into a kick; it struck the hound on the ribs making it yelp and fall onto the ground hard. Whitepelt was now off his hound trying to clamor up again. Shrikirk stomped his front legs around onto the hound several times, enough to cause it to finally howl out before letting its head hang and fall. Next he turned on Whitepelt with a shrill scream, but the werewolf has already lunged up and slashed his claws over the chest of his opponent. Shrikirk is stumbling back, and then he swings to have his claws clang to the sword as Whitepelt wanted to distance. Shrikirk was charging after the wolf when he is surprised by a complete turnabout, Whitepelt now turned and began to slash wildly with his sword making Shrikirk go defensive. Shrikirk jumped on his hind legs and began to kick; he eventually got through the slashes to land one hoof right into the shoulder of Whitepelt. Whitepelt was down and his sword fell out of his hand into some mud and dirt being kicked up in the battles around them. He now looked up seeing the claws being brought in on him. Whitepelt rolled to the left, then he looked up seeing hooves and he rolled again. Shrikirk was over him stomping and slashing as he tried to catch the wolf under one or the other of his attacks.

Whitepelt rolled out of the way of two legs, and then he felt something hit behind him and looked seeing one of his fallen clansmen. He rolled toward that member and checked his body, finding something he grabbed it and swung about on the ground. Shrikirk was falling on top with both legs kicking when he felt something in his chest, the long spear to be precise. Shrikirk had been impaled partially by a spear Whitepelt just found; Whitepelt used his spot on the ground with his back to push off the attacking demon and toppled it on its side. He stood up, but the kicking legs caught his knee making him holler up with a sickening crack. Shrikirk screamed and shouted, but he latched his hands on the spear's shaft pulling it out. He then pushed up off his side and onto his belly, and four legs. Standing up he looked around seeing Whitepelt was not there, he was somewhere in the mess of battle. He screeched angrily before flaring his nostrils and grinning the trail of blood he has been wounded, and it made him crawl.

Whitepelt may be crawling, but he was still fighting. He decided he needed his sword and now. Besides, werewolves heal quickly and even his leg would heal in less than a few minutes. He was shifting on the ground trying to keep from being crushed but now and again, hoof or claw came inches from taking his head or limbs off. In a moment, he saw a glimmer of metal. Whitepelt gleamed his fangs as he reached but a familiar hoof clacked the ground his hand was reaching for. Rolling his eyes, Whitepelt looked up to the excited Shrikirk, "What took you?"

Shrikirk screamed as he raised his other hoof for a clean crushing blow, but a black wolf dove in and started mauling the side of the demon. On it rode Chjia the daughter of Whitepelt; she had in her hand two long daggers with ridged backs and made of black steel. She screamed a roar of blood, and lunged off the mount onto the demon also striking at its upper body as it had been brought down. Kicks of the legs got Brutus the hound off, next Shrikirk swung his claw to miss, but then he swung a fist that only dazed and removed Chjia from his face. Shrikirk stood up and then kicked her in the ribs making her roll back, into a rock she slapped up on it in a yelp as he slowly side-trotted towards her. As he was readying to strike, his head turned quickly with a kick to Brutus who tried to lunge behind it. Shrikirk raised his chin in superiority, and turned again to have a dagger lodged in his left pectoral; he tore it out and tossed it at Chjia for the attack. She felt the blade in her leg, she screamed before pulling it, then tossing it again but sick of the pass-about Shrikirk merely swung his claw to loose it in the chaos around them. He now readied his claws, but he yet again pulls away to gallop out of the path of two fighting soldiers soon falling, then rolling around at his feet.

His head turned up, he moved his neck as Chjia was getting up and mounting Brutus again. He screamed ready to attack but this time he felt a pain in his underside, he fell onto his knees feeling at his lower chest while blood gushed his stomach. Rolling out from under him had been Whitepelt now standing up, and giving a wide smile with his sword again. Shrikirk squealed a fierce scream this time, and charged up taking Whitepelt along in his charge. The two were charging deeper into the maddening battlefield, sharing a punch and jab each stride along the way. Chjia looked up and saw them disappearing, she screamed and whacked the tether so Brutus followed but she stopped with a strange large crackling sound, she and many fighting looked towards the barrier around the Baxter building…

---

Reed was blankly looking at the screen, he turned saying to Magneto "That's it… no more power."

He nods ands wings his cape "This is it no more delays or tactics, it's a race to the roof. Take anyone you can, however you can. The halls will be filled with those monsters anytime now so be careful!"

Ice Man, Storm, and their newest member Husk the blonde with the power to turn her skin to anything she wants, now all nod as they head off on their mission to get out with a group of survivors. Storm stopped to turn, "Eric, take care of yourself!"

"My dear, I think it is these monsters that should worry. They're about to know the master of magnetism on a first hand basis!"

Storm floated off to now wonder, just how bad has the roof gotten, or outside on the ground for that matter?

---

Ben 10 was just finishing up with a demon pummeling its lights out when his Omnitrix suddenly shut off, he watched as he and the demon fell onto the ground luckily it was already dead. He stood up brushing his pants and looking around. He was used to violence with the hero and being a kid in a world where games like Mega Steal Auto are everyday things. However, this was not like the games or his fights people all around him were really dying! He turned around just in time to see some large mammoth looking thing stumble on him, he rolled out of the way but man it was close. He now stood up and looked again to see it breathe then die, he was glad he didn't get killed. "Move it boy!" said the owner of the metal tentacle arms, "This is my way out of this mess!" he just killed the beast and headed to the doors to the building, Ben ran screaming "Are you crazy they see this and they'll follow!"

The good doctor, Otto Octavius, turned and latched one tentacle on Ben "Not here, up there and you're coming with me!" he started to scale the wall swinging Ben onto his back "I'll say I save the young hero, but truth is I don't feel like getting my tail eaten from these monsters if all that's left is escaping!"

"You're running away?"

"Well, if you put it that way… I'm making a tactical retreat!"

Ben made a 'tch' sound, but he needed to leave now that his Omnitrix was done. He now heard the crackling and turned back seeing the shield was flickering again, his heart sunk knowing what's about to happen "We have to go back."

"Boy, you can not help them. If anything you're too young to be wasting your life away as they do. Think, do not act so foolish and unkindly to what gifts god gave you. We'll fight again but for now we need to get to safety."

"You could still fight you coward!" Ben angrily glared at Doc Ock, but then he heard the fizzle and crackle, he turned and then it was done, the shield is finally gone. With it came many roars and storming feet. Ben grimaced as he saw the stampeding monsters, the real battle just got fully under way.

Kireshk swung his rings and heard a familiar voice scream his name, turning he called back the rings but one he held up in the air. Gordaio on his large beast grabbed the ring and swung Kireshk onto the back, "I thought you had my back." Kireshk mused, Gordaio shrugged saying "I'll try better next time!"

---

The roof is now being brutally battered. Gaikotsu rode on top of Serpentine using his breath to cause the people to run around screaming. His flames cause not burning but decaying effects and any unfortunate literally decayed away as his flame got them. As he was laughing over one he caught, his glance went skyward seeing something he didn't like so much. Swarms of mechanized men were flying down from the sky with blasters and powerful lasers started to attack him and his demon brothers and sisters. Gaikotsu gave a light growl before leaping from Serpentine onto one of the robots, then planting his fist through its chest he leapt to the next and the next like skipping stones along the way breaking the machines. He finally leapt off one and found himself in jumping distance of the roof; he jumped and landed in a spry little roll. Standing up, he looked around finding more of these robots landing around him. With a loud roar he stormed in fists a swinging, snapping and breaking them to bits.

Wendy squat behind some ventilation chute to check the gun Punisher had given her, then the ammo he also handed her. She sighed, not looking good now. Luckily the robots started to clear off the roof and push back most the monsters that had been attacking. She felt at eased with that, but she then felt nervous with the heat on her back. Wendy turned to see a familiar red dragon, Hojimbo, now snarling its snout full of fangs at her. Wendy swung around with the gun and began to fire at the monster but it swiftly disarmed her with its long tail, next it roared and charged with its snapping mouth. Wendy kicked her high-heels at its mouth, making it back off then charge again. A lucky kick and one heel hit off its snout and into an eye, Hojimbo squealed before trying to pry the heel out, scratching and clawing at the show as he now fumbled around. Wendy tore off her other shoe and ran towards the railing; she stopped and turned again now running to the door to the lower levels. She is stopped as Hojimbo finally removed the heel and leapt in with his wings out as the blades they could become. One is still fairly marked up but now he could fight with it as the sharp spines and edges were very deadly. Hojimbo swung his wings at Wendy; she turned and ran now realizing she still had her gun back there! She started to head for it as Hojimbo gave chase, but then she dove and turned to fire at him. Hojimbo screamed as she clicked the gun, and then she realized she hasn't reloaded yet. Hojimbo leapt with claws and fangs poised, but he's blown into bits from a grenade. Wendy turns to find the trail of smoke leading from Punisher; he screams "Get your cute little butt out of the way!"

Wendy ran over to that chute again and just kind of stayed there. She did reload the gun but other than that she had no plans to get too involved, but she also wouldn't leave Punisher if she could. He was now realizing the transport should be pulling off, but since it didn't he asked "What the hell is…" the answer was on large Hercules now flying onto the transport and sort of standing on it as he smacked away robots. Punisher couldn't believe this thing it just had an obsession of getting in his way, first the van and now… he thought of a great idea. He looked over the edge to see where he parked, his van was still there. He snapped into a headphone, "Battle-Van, set off alarm system!" the alarms started going off and it blew the horn. After the horn went off, Hercules propped his head up after smashing two robots between his claws, then jumped off and floated over to the edge of the building. The transport started flying up and taking off with the people now on board. Hercules saw the van going off and started heading down, Punisher gave one final command to his Battle-Van, "Battle-Van, and drive." The van peeled off with Hercules chasing it even so much as to leave the battle field. Punisher kind of sighed, that was his baby for some time now.

Gaikotsu ripped the head off of one mechanized man, and then tossed it through the chest of two others. The head fell short of the edge but a certain reptilian foot stepped on it, "Wow, looks like someone is in a bad mood."

Michelangelo, the turtle ninja with an orange mask now did a little twirl of his nunchucka. The two others also were with him, the one with red mask Raphael gave a little arm crossed toe tapping snarl "Oh, just what we need some overgrown bone pile giving reptiles a bad name."

Gaikotsu looked over the three, a moment he seemed to stand there before snapping his fingers and saying "Oh I know what you are, you're turtles aren't you?" The three brothers look at one another smirking, "I can't believe it; Dead Man just had one of you things a while back. Too bad it got away."

Donatello in his purple mask jumped slightly from the new information, "Leo is still alive."

"Yeah looks like it." Gaikotsu snarled with his changing blood red in color, "However, you freaks won't be so lucky when I'm through with you!"

Gaikotsu ran forward with his fists clenched, eyes blood red, and fangs glistening with all intent to kill. Michelangelo is the first one closest and has to swing his nun chucks to back off the attacks. Donatello leapt in with his staff, he tried to sweep Gaikotsu's legs but he jumped over it and the two turtles. Gaikotsu now swung his two fists straight into the backs of the turtle's shells sending them reeling forward. Gaikotsu then had Raphael with his two Sai weapons digging into his sides, lifting him up then tossing him on the side. Gaikotsu looked up as Raph was coming in again, he kicked Raph's ankle making the turtle fumble. Standing up, Gaikotsu saw Michel and Don now coming together, Michel jumped up and hopped off the staff weapon Don held over his head, then Michel landed behind Gaikotsu with his nun chucks latching around the demon's wrists as restraints. Don began to swing his staff more like some kind of bat, in the ribs at first but then along the arms, legs, and even head. One strike to the head however, caused Gaikotsu to get control. He latched those fangs in his jaw on the staff, and then he swung up his leg hooking Don around the neck and kicking him on off to the side. Michel was surprised, but not as surprised when the staff swung up in the air and smacked him square on the head. Gaikotsu then swung around and punched Michel with a strong hook that sent the turtle down for a nice hard slam.

Gaikotsu turned around to find he was the only demon on the roof; the others kind of were being attacked by robots. War Machine and the Human Torch landed behind the other two turtles. "Well, looks like the odds are against me." Gaikotsu gave a little snort, and then latched his hands on the railing. "Of course, appearances are often deceiving!" thousands of bones seemed to be swirling from the ground below onto the railing behind and around Gaikotsu. When they stopped, a large black and pink flame appeared which was now an eye within one mammoth sized eye socket. The large beast stood taller than the heroes by several feet, it was a collection of bones mimicking a man's form but with reptilian distortions like arched legs, and long claws on each hand. That was pretty bad looking, but then the fact it also formed a huge bone style club with one hand, with protruding spiked additions… that was horrifying.

Gaikotsu started swinging the club either which way. Left, right, up and even down he just swung that thing and swung it hard. Human Torch nearly got smashed, and War Machine could have been side swiped if not for his boosters. After so many close calls, Torch swing his fireball at the hand the club was holding figuring it may cause the behemoth to drop it… didn't work. In fact, Gaikotsu now swung and smashed Torch clear off the building. Torch turned to his human form, and only by a metal tentacle did he become saved. Doc Ock looked up, seeing the roof is a ways off… "I better not need to save any more or else I won't have enough arms to keep going." He then raised his brow and brought Ben the young boy into his human arms, "Sorry boy but I need all the metal arms I can get!"

"Ewe, stop hugging me!" Ben sniffed the air and gagged, "You need a bath!"

"Don't make me drop you, you little…"

Gaikotsu swung his club down breaking a chunk of the roof; it cracked enough that Donatello lost his footing and stumbled over. Gaikotsu saw this and swung his club up again and back down, with the crackle and splat sound soon following. Raphael and Michelangelo stopped cold in their tracks; Gaikotsu raised up his club and went "Ewe, turtle tar-tar!"

Gaikotsu was now being barraged with beams from War Machine, one even got him in the eye which made the beast scream and falter back off the railing. The bones shattered and one hand grabbed the railing, Gaikotsu turned to his lesser form in the drop of a half. He reached up with the other hand but a staff cracked over his knuckles, he lost grip and started falling. Raphael snarled as he watched the demon fall, "That was for Donnie, you freak!"

Gaikotsu was falling and Doc Ock reached out his tentacle, but retracted it before he came close enough letting the demon keep falling. "Woops, almost caught that one!"

Raph rubbed his eyes but a set of green hands latched his shoulder "Thanks Mikey, I could use a little…" he turned and saw Donatello, "What?"

"Um, I sort of rolled into that big hole and I think he smashed the, uh, sewer line or something." He chuckled, but Raph started to strangle him "You jerk! I thought you were dead!"

On the ground outside the gate to the Baxter Building, Dare Devil stood with his strange canes ready to strike, but he stood there rather than actually striking. Gordaio and Kireshk look to one another they have been trying to get past this guy and to the door a while now. "You know what we need, we need a good distraction!" Kireshk said. He didn't expect Gaikotsu landing straight on him, which did distract Dare Devil from over-exposure of the sound. Gordaio took and ran forward; Dare Devil just reorganized when two hands wrapped his skull and then crushed it. The devil of dare, the man with no fear, died in a blink of an eye which he never used. Gordaio turned and saluted Gaikotsu, "Well done sir it was a perfect distraction!"

Gaikotsu rubbed his head, "Yeah, sure, whatever you say." Next they gathered together to see the gate. Gordaio, Gaikotsu, and Kireshk all three latched their hands at the gate's bottom and started to try and pry it open. They seemed to not have the strength, but a strange sound and each turn to see Lokio with her hands motioning, they scream and jump as a burning red skull smashed through the door. The gate was gone and the building now was open to attack. The next figure, Akaige, walked forward drawing his sword and motioning his people to storm the facility which they most certainly did.

---

Reed sent out a message, "The main gate has now been breached, report to the roof as soon as possible. Anyone still able to fight quickly make way from your designated checkpoints, and proceed with caution!"

He now turned to Benjamin Grimm, the Thing, and "Okay, let's get a move on Ben!"

Ben gave a thumb up with the little boy on his shoulder, "Sure thing stretch! Let's get a move on!"

Spider Man hugged the elderly woman; she his aunt just gave a smile. "I have to say, your uncle would be so proud of you today Peter."

"Thanks Aunt May, now you best get going I'm sure that you'll be fine."

She started to follow a group to the roof; Venom lands next to Spider Man and asks "Why didn't you go with her?"

"I need to stay. I just feel that until the last ship flies out, I have to be here!" he turned to Venom who looked with a large grin, "What is it?"

"You're so gay." To that the two just gave a chuckle and moved on their own paths. One group with Dante and Rorek moved out immediately. Hawkeye and Tigra the two avengers came into their own group, leading it to the roof as well. Uncle Max, Ben's uncle, was in the group with Danny Phantom and his family but when he turned to usher on Gwen she was gone. He asked if he could look for her and Danny looked at the group, giving a smile he picked Shredder to go with him… Shredder flipped Danny off but followed any how. He did also say something around a curse but it never hit Danny's ears.

---

The X-men were originally four separate groups but when the gate broke they joined to one team. It seemed they were more worried over actually keeping safe than mobility. The halls are meant to allow maybe a small group move fluently, but several small groups in these hall and it got congested. Ice Man and Husk were to the back; he noticed her nervous shaking and asked "You okay Paige?"

Paige is not a real fighter; she never was in this kind of situation before. She just kind of smiled and said "I'll be fine just a little worked up." She looked at his arms, the now ice lower arms seemed to be so weird and she asked "Does that hurt?"

"What?" He looked and sighed, "Nope, I can't feel anything in them now. I can't believe I might be stuck with these from now on…"

Paige was now sad because he got upset, she thought it over and held up her arms after taking off her gloves, then showed her arms like his turning to ice. Ice man sort of smirked, that power of hers was something. "So your skin can turn into anything? You can even shed it and make things out of solid matter?"

"Not just solid but also liquids and gases, I have a little trouble working the gases at times." She now let the skin begin to shatter and peel so she was normal again, "The sad thing is how sensitive my skin is to touch and pain in the normal form, because it's always a new layer."

Ice Man had a mischievous grin, he loves jokes and so he made some ice cubes in his hand. He then waited a moment before dropping them down the back of her shirt, and she froze, turned blue in the face, then jumped and wailed as her arms darted around. He nearly died laughing as she was going ballistic. Magneto turned and screamed "Would you two behave! We're on an important mission here!" The two stopped, only after Paige turned her right arm into steel and punched him in the shoulder making him wail like she did. Magneto rolled his eyes, but then saw Storm smiling. "What is it you find so funny?"

"Merely noticing how well you fit the role of father figure." She giggled, and he kind of glared so she lessened the laughing. However, he looked ahead before asking "You think so?"

Just then a large rumble came and Abyss the strange mutant with the black hole in his chest appeared, his windy body stretched along the hall to block off their route. "He-he-he-he, look what I found!"

Magneto gave a nod "Well done, I thought we were done with you." Magneto swung his hand and Abyss flew back out the wall he just came through "He should remember that his body is mostly a metal wrapping around a black hole."

Storm looked out the hole and gasped as the metal arms and legs started to stretch in again, Abyss stood more his human size than the large ball he tried being before. "Okay, let's try that again." He coughed, and struck a frightening pose with his stretched out fingers as if he was going to strangle someone, but this time a green cloak fell and grabbed Abyss by his springy neck to swing the fiend through another wall into some kind of laboratory. "Don't worry we'll take it from here Magneto."

Magneto gave a bow to Cloak and Dagger as she phased out from Cloak's body. "Thank you for the assist, last I remember you were on the ground."

"Yes, but things are going very poorly down there." Dagger turned to Abyss as he was regaining his form "I mean VERY poorly."

---

Iron Man stood on top of something as he tried to give orders. Their plan to retreat failed as the demons surrounded and cornered the remaining members on the ground. As the horror began to truly break their forcer into nothing, a set of chains caught Iron Man and pulled him out of the clutches of several demons. He is smacked up on the side of the building, still looking down he sees the many monsters now devouring those who did not escape. He felt ill, but he later looked up seeing Spawn flying him over the wall. "Spawn?"

"No reason to get ourselves killed, or at least yourself I'm already dead…" he shook his head "I mean now we should head to the roof, try to reorganize what we can!"

They passed Doc Ock; he snarled "Make it look SO easy…"

Ben looked over Doc Ock's shoulder seeing robots fighting demons, and two clashed to then start spiraling towards, them! "Whoa, behind you doc!" he didn't have enough time because they smashed through the wall and inside the building. Ben is thrown from Doc Ock, as was Torch as well. Ben stood up hearing his Omnitrix was operational; he smiled before picking a form and turning it on. He took the form of Hot Spot, the flame version of his alien bodies. He looked around finding the Torch now standing up and seeing Ben he fired up, Ben screamed "Wait! I'm one of the good guys!"

"Oh, sorry…" he powered down and looked around. Doc Ock came walking out on his two lower tentacles asking "Are you all safe?" they nod, "Good, let's continue our…" he screamed as he fell forward with a large winged torso with a skull full of twisted fangs, long clawed arms, and three small red eyes squinting at those around it. The beast leapt off and grabbed the Torch in the confusion, he tried to flame up but they tumbled and swung about, he then felt a sharp pain as the beast bit his throat. The monster swung its head about, thrashing and gnawing, but then it stopped as the Human Torch was put out, permanently.

Ben was so freaking stunned he almost didn't act, but his shock stopped and he burst a stream of flame on the monster incinerating it and the Torch. Doc Ock stood up and brushed himself off, seeing what he did he put a tentacle around Ben saying "Let us go boy, there is nothing else we can do here."

---

Whitepelt looked back seeing the forces on the ground had retreated, now was their turn. Howling up high he sounded the retreat, Chjia and Brutus started to run as Whitepelt howled several more times. The Akkiuma were not letting them just leave though as they followed quickly behind. Whitepelt looked at his men closest; he found one with a large rocket launcher. He snapped at them, they tossed the already loaded weapon and followed in formation for retreat. Passing between two large buildings Whitepelt aimed the launcher and fired at the one that seemed the most decrepit. Her chose wisely as the building began to buckle and then slam to close off their retreat. Shrikirk stopped his pursuit, they could run around the building and chase again but really it did not matter. This battle was still being waged and they served their purpose. The Akkiuma ran back to their camp, while the Werewolves ran toward a swirling portal opened by a small band of Werewolves within robes, holy men who served to open and close the door to the clan's mainland.

Whitepelt turned around before leaving, seeing Shrikirk had followed to this point even if he sent his men back. With a grin of his fangs, Whitepelt left through the portal before it closed. Shrikirk rubbed his rump, shrilly snarling at the escaping wolf. "We'll meet another time, perhaps."

---

Abyss felt queasy as the daggers struck his core, and then he fell on his knees holding the bubbling black hole. "You… stupid little…"

Dagger narrowed her eyes, "Watch what you call me. My boyfriend might not like it!"

Cloak appeared and struck a powerful punch sending the spiraling Abyss literally spiraling backwards; his bands knotted and tied up as he fumbled on the ground. He now tried to untie himself but he was stuck, he never was that great a fighter. He had only one thing that made him a danger, he is a sadistic monster. His laugh now started to com out as the energy in his chest began to pulse and rise. Dagger felt uneasy so she asked "What is it doing?"

"Oh, well the energy you just gave me was pretty good. In fact, I felt it was CRITICAL!" he laughed a moment before explaining "The boost you just shot me was enough to go critical, there bye blowing myself up and this entire building to boot! I'll kill you, him, and anyone else for several miles around!"

"What? You'll kill yourself too!"

"Yep, but I'm just an energy pattern. Afterwards, I'll absorb the energy lost in the explosion and from people I killed to remake myself even stronger! It's going to be one hell of an explosion!" he started laughing again, but Cloak was the one that laughed and made this sadistic fiend ask "What's so funny?"

"Your plan is not a bad one. However, if you do that trick inside of a place with no energy but the energy you created, you'll die. Better yet, do it in a place that relies on the life of the one it is a part of and you'll cease to be?" Cloak's black tendrils coiled out and wrapped around Abyss, he screamed as the darkness started to suck him inside of Cloak. Abyss screamed as he was absorbed into the black empty being of Cloak, and then he realize this was what he had done all his life to innocent children for years and years. Cloak fell to his knees as his shadow body took in the monster Abyss, Dagger landed to his side asking "What have you just done?"

"This will keep him from going critical and killing us all. I did what I had to do, to save the innocent and you."

"You ass hole don't you dare say you did this for me," she caressed his cheek and his empty eyes looked at her with such pain she also had to show the pain in hers, "don't die like this, not for me and not like this."

He seemed to look at her with a pained expression, trying to force a smile he said "Oh, how I'd die like this if always the outcome was your safety." Then he screamed as a torrent rippled his body, he screamed and hollered as the energy seemed to crackle and snap all inside him. Then it stops and Cloak fell on his back allowing himself to cover his body with his cape. Dagger fell on her knees, praying it was not real, and praying he was somehow going to be there alive when she opened her eyes, "Dagger…" she opened her eyes with alarm, "I need… Pepto-Bismol." She lunged on him and hugged him hard, even kissing his lips as he moaned not just from that but also injury.

"How did it not kill you?" she asked as she kept her face inches from his, he smiled saying "I'm figuring he couldn't feed himself and blew up prematurely, then I just had the case of heartburn."

Dagger sighed but stood up, "Let's get going the roof is our last stop."

"We're leaving?"

"Nothing to do but try and survive, come on."

Cloak and Dagger phased out and through the ceilings to the roof. When they reached the top they found Mr. Fantastic and Thing looking through a hole, "What happened?"

Mr. Fantastic turned to them; Susan Richards was also now trying to see down the hole. "We were just coming over when some explosion occurred, Ben fell and my son also rolled into that chute. We don't know where he fell, he could be anywhere!"

Mr. Fantastic just about jumped into the hole to try and find his son but energy struck him and he fell unconscious. Dr. Victor Von Doom strolled over with the energy still sparking over his right fist; Ben snapped "What do you think you're doing?"

"Reed is more important alive than dead. He has a vast knowledge and the future will rely on me like him trying to save it. If anyone should go down there, it's me." He caught the Thing off guard, "Oh, don't be so surprised. I'm just saying that because Reed will need his precious bodyguard, and I feel I have a better chance of retrieving the boy than you do."

Thing gave a glare, he knew the real reason, "Susan, this guy…" he looked around, "Wait, where's Susan?"

Doom looked down the hole, "Blast, she must have gone invisible and went alone! Even I was not going to do that!" he turned to five robots following him, "Never mind, just gets Reed on the ship I'll be back soon. Till then just hold that ship, I'm not sure how long until the next one can actually land."

Thing gave a nod and dragged Reed with him on the transport. After Reed was on board he looked around to find some demons, he smiled as he ran in screaming "It's clobbering time!"

---

Hawkeye and Tigra had to move quickly. Up till now they didn't see much of anything. However, turning the corner they found a large assortment of dead bodies strung about. Tigra hissed at the scent, her fur stood up on end, "This is fresh, and someone was just here maybe a couple of seconds!"

They then hear a large rustling behind, then screaming. They turn to find a blur of knives slashing into the people they had following them, causing them to slap onto the walls almost as nothing but paste. Hawkeye pulled out an arrow and fired, the bolt was caught between two large knives flat between them, and then tossed about to be caught again and again in fancy twirls of the blades and then balancing acts of the knives, and now even the beeping arrow. The arrow is then dropped on its bottom to the floor. The arrow bounced up, but is kicked back toward Hawkeye where he grabs it, turns full around, then pulls back and fires the arrow again. The one who kicked the arrow now pulls up their belt, and this time clicks the arrow several times with their knives before spinning it on the tip of one blade, like a dish, then tossing five more knives with the other hand they finally flick the still spinning arrow. Hawkeye is quick, pulling out arrows he knocks out four of the five knives, the last one he grabs and fires back into the arrow finally causing it to blow up.

The fiendish fellow who played the strange game of hot potato, clapped his hands and nodded to a fine game, his shrill voice saying "Not a bad job there pal. I was starting to think you were going to drop the spud." His shoulder brandished a black bird that also seemed impressed, but then it just flew off the shoulder and kind of began to peck around the freshly killed people behind them. "Anyway, the name's Joka, that there is my partner Mr. Peckers." The bird cawed though Hawkeye and Tigra ignore it mostly, "So, how do you like my 'Parting the Red Sea' scene?" Joka turned taking out a flask and sipping a bit of his alcoholic beverage, "Hmm, not bad… not bad at all!"

Hawkeye just gave a disgusted look, "It's depraved and sadistic."

"Aw, I thought you weren't going to like it! Thanks that was nice. I'm still going to kill you," he screwed the lid on his flask and put it in his coat, "but thanks for the words." He then swung out some knives into his hands ready to start fighting. However, Hawkeye saw it coming and fired them both out of the monster's hands, and also pinned him on a wall with extra bolts. "Ah-huh, looks like someone has a good bit of skill!"

"I'm the best at what I do pal," he drew back an arrow, "Any last words?"

"Yeah, look out behind you!" he cackled but Hawkeye didn't look, but as Tigra roared he turned and fired. Those Joka had killed earlier were now starting to rise up and deformed versions of men and women began to come at them. They were like zombies, but far more hideous as their tormented forms bulged or grew out of shape. They began to attack but Tigra used her agile skills to dodge under these lumbering monsters and smash them apart. As she did that, Hawkeye pulled off archery like a pro taking heads and limbs of the beasts. After they were done, he turned back to find Joka was now free and pulling a cord on some large chainsaw, but the saw actually was a sword merely with the blade of a saw. Hawkeye had a twitch in his eye, this didn't look good.

Hawkeye rolled on under the swinging sword, its teeth ripped off a part of the wall before skidding off and swinging back around again. Hawk then tried blocking with his bow to have it snapped in half; he jumped having his uniform cut up from the strike, and nearly him. Tigra looked at it and jumped in from behind with two feet planted in the back. Joka screamed as he fell through a wall, she grinned but Hawk grabbed her arm screaming "Get out of here! I'll take care of this guy!"

"Are you crazy? That thing is more riled up than some kind of rattlesnake on the hottest day! Times like this we stick together!"

"No, times like this you run and get help! I'll hold him off!"

She had the mind to argue, but then he pulled rank. With that she reluctantly agreed and ran on ahead, he let out a sigh thanks to that. Turning back he fired several arrows at Joka, making him deflect them as he could with knives. Hawk saw a moment of weakness and fired on of his exploding arrows causing Joka to loose sight of his own opponent, Hawk now tried to find a special kind of arrow but in the confusion a certain Mr. Peckers flapped in and started to claw at his eyes. Hawk stumbled back blinded, swatting at the bird. He finally got it off and looked to see a set of red eyes in his own face, and then jumping about Hawk gurgled and spat his own blood. Jolting on the Chainsword, Hawk gargled a few words before Joka pried to still spinning weapon's blade from the man's chest. He then sighed deeply, and placed a foot on Hawk's bloodied chest, "I need a drink."

There was a cawing sound and Joka ducked from the flapping onslaught of his head, "Okay, okay I'll get one later! Let's just see what else we can get into."

---

Ben and Doc Ock had found the most unexpected of things, a group of people roaming the building with guns and such given out from Iron Man's armory. With them was the young girl Gwen, she saw Ben in his fire form and screamed "There you are Ben!" he jumped, seeing her he asked "Where's grandpa?"

"I don't know I got distracted then lost him. I was heading to the roof but luckily these guys found me. I'm, just following them on up, you coming too?"

"I sure could, how about it… Doc?" Doc Ock has already left, "He, the guy's a weird villain. I think all he was doing was saving me."

"What?" Gwen blinked in confusion but Ben just shook his head. They were heading towards the stairs when they heard something behind them in the next room. The men took and aimed their guns, the sound of screams and horror were coming from that room. Several got a little scared, they even kind of looked around nervous. The door then opened with a thunderous slam to the ground off the hinges, and stepping out was a dark figure in a hood and cape, with three claws clasping a dead body before dropping what seemed to be the remains of a woman in red with two sai weapons. Akaige gave a little chuckle at the men now preparing to fire at him.

As the bullets began to fly Akaige raised up his claw making a wall of red, the wall bent in where the bullets hit and back again. Those bullets they fired struck the men who fired them. Ben saw that coming and put himself in front of the barrage, it caused nothing to him but it would have killed Gwen. When the bullets stopped he said "Move it Gwen I don't want you to see the butt-kicking I'm about to dish out!" she ran behind the nearest corner

Ben started to roll his hands around a ball of fire; yeah this would be the biggest, fiercest fireball he ever made! Then, his Omnitrix kind of zonked out and he was a kid again. Akaige was charging down the corridor, a soldier jumped up with some kind of energy baton but a swift vertical slice and he's two soldiers, which Akaige pushed through both halves and still at Ben. Ben had frozen as his eyes were glued to the ethereal ones coming at him. Gwen saw Ben was stuck and she ran trying to pull him to safety, but he was just there. They both now watch as Akaige came closer, Gwen couldn't and dug her eyes into Ben's neck. Ben watched as those eyes were just about upon him. Akaige then started to run up the wall, still keeping contact he went over Ben and then down the opposite wall. Ben turned around to see Akaige now stop at the elevator, tap some buttons, and then enter as the doors opened. Afterwards he waved his fingers before the door closed; he listened as 'Krawling-Linkin Park' played in the elevator.

Ben was really surprised, "Why didn't he kill us?"

Just then a set of hands grabbed Ben and Gwen, Uncle Max was furious "You two best hope I don't get out of her alive, because there's a really big punishment for you!"

They headed towards the roof; Shredder snickered as Ben now gave a glare, "What?"

"Who's your girl friend?"

"Dude, she's my cousin!" Gwen gave a gagging gesture as Shredder stopped dead, a twitch in his eye he just walked behind them "You think running off is a problem gramps, you might want to explain incest tendencies to these two."

---

Franklin Richards slowly tried to find his away in the tower. He lives here, but he's never been alone before. Well, he's been alone, but he would rather be with his mommy and daddy, or Uncle Johnny and Benjamin. He turned into the lab, one of many in the tower. Here he looked down seeing a strange black bird that cawed at the boy, "Hi, I'm Franklin what's your name?"

Mr. Peckers looked at Franklin very unkind, especially as the tall lanky Joka tip toed behind the boy putting his finger to his lips, telling the bird not to say anything. Franklin felt uneasy as the bird just stared at him. Joka now pried out his chainsword and readied the pull the cord, but an invisible fist hit him back into a wall. Franklin turned, smiling, "Mommy!"

Susan grabbed her child turning visible, "Oh Franklin! I was so worried! We have to get going right now!"

"So soon?" The two look at Joka as he now pulled the line of his Chainsword, "I just started getting revved up, baby!"

Susan crafted her shield around her and the child, the sword sparked over the surface with his swing. Trying to saw through the shield Joka put more and more force down, but Susan out her boy down screaming "Go hide Franklin!"

Franklin did run and hide, but he made sure he could watch. He then heard that bird and looked to find it now flying at him. Franklin ran and tried to keep from the bird that was dangerously scratching his face, near the eyes. Susan dropped her shield letting the sword fall, but she crouched and projected her power at Joka like a ball making him stumble from his shoulder. Joka started to swing now more wildly, now and again tossing the sword in mid air to then toss a knife or two keeping Susan unbalanced. Latching the sword he would use the momentum of its fall to add in his cut, breaking more and more with the sword and his knives off Susan's shields. Susan got stuck up on a wall and the sword was in air, Joka caught it and swung down pinning her inside her field. His maniacal laughter filled the room as he knew she wasn't going to be able to move without getting sliced up. The more strain the more she lost her nerve, and soon enough she'd loose consciousness with the energy she was putting out. Her eyes rolled back and she fell, Joka squealed as he now pulled up his sword planning to chop her up like a wood chipper. Then this choking grip on his neck made Joka jerk, and he was being flung out the window and the building. Mr. Peckers stopped attacking Franklin and flew out the window cawing loudly after his partner.

The grip was in fact Victor Doom, he leaned down and swung the unconscious Susan onto his one shoulder and then turned to Franklin, the boy has been kidnapped and brainwashed by Doom countless times, and so he was more than weary of him. Doom offered his hand, "I know it may be strange but trust me. I'm here to help this time."

Franklin still was cautious, but he gave his hand to Doom following the evil genius. When they entered the hall, Doom turned to see the elevator to the roof… also, a large collection of demons was also here now. "Franklin, do me a favor. Sit here with your mother." Doom lays Susan down and turns to the demons all looking at him hungrily, "Oh, could you sing a song and close your eyes as well?" He nods and begins singing a song the remnants of Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, Doom walked forward toward the demons with his eyes glowing a light blue color. Victor Von Doom is a man of great intellect. He has immersed himself in the world's arts of technology, science, and even magic. With his cape whipping around him Doom stood his ground and put his fingers tip to tip, pointing out his palms at the monsters. They took and charged, but they made not very far before a blue energy ripped through them leaving nothing but ashes. After that, Doom turned around and said "Okay, Franklin let's get going."

---

The roof and the last transport had landed. The robots were very close to all being blown to bits, heroes had taxed all their powers and stamina. Tigra reached the roof, finding Iron Man with Spawn she asked him something about Hawkeye, he checked his scanners and seemed too silent, she knew why. "I'm sorry."

"Hey, I knew he was going to do it." She sort of shook her head, "The jerk has a habit of playing the hero."

Iron Man lowered his head, "If I had just never left the team…"

"You did what you did, no changing that now. Remember what he said don't you?"

There was silence again, but they had little time to enjoy silence. Magneto with his X-men had finally made it; He waved the people onto the transport seeing it was now full, he said "Get going!" which it did.

This left the heroes alone, they had no transport? That's when one more landed, The Thing popped his head out saying "Guess what, I saved some seats for me and you lug nuts, you coming or what?" he then looked around "Where's Sue and Franklin?"

The elevator dinged, the heroes turned to greet their friends. The song playing from the elevator was 'Don't Phunk With My Heart-Black Eyed Peas' and they all jumped back as a dark figure with one large claw stepped out to greet them. He turned to the elevator and blasted a force that caused it to explode, "Argh, that blasted music was driving me crazy!" The heroes were all reacting in a way special to them alone. If they attacked they took chance of maybe getting killed, but at the same time they weren't sure they would be able to escape if he's right there. Tigra on the other hand saw him and felt rage as Hawkeye died because of this thing. She screamed in her charging snarl and when she started, others followed. "Ooh, looks like I get to have some fun finally."

Tigra lunged at the demon but he swung up his fist to make her go straight in the air. She at first was flailing about, but you know the saying about cats and their landing. She came back down feet first, landing on his head she bare her force to make him stumble, then she twisted her hands to flip his hood backwards on his head. As he was blinded Dante screamed taking out his two guns, firing them at will. Rorek seemed to glide on the ground to the side of the now shot-up demon, chanting and rolling his hands a powerful funnel of wind picked up Akaige and tossed him into the air. While in the air he turned his hood around, blinking a little as he had been disoriented, when did he get up here? Akaige now saw Iron Man and stretched his claws wide with the incoming metal-man. He swung the claws but Iron Man stopped and backed up, then fired two cannons from his hands. Akaige is flung to the ground where he rolled a little, then got up seeing Spawn coming at him with two chains. The demon latched his claw with the chains, and then planted one foot down hard swinging his whole bodyweight and strength with those chains. Spawn was being flung like a flail about the area, striking anyone who was too close. Those who were struck were first Tigra, then Iron Man and War Machine from the air; Akaige turned his head and swung Spawn at Thing, The turtles Don and Michel, but then he tossed Spawn into Spider Man who just came from the stairwell.

Rorek tried to channel a spell, something big. Akaige saw that and started to run at the mage with his fist clenched. Rorek stopped his spell to call a large staff which he blocked the fist with. Lightning started to fall and Rorek pulled back, Akaige jumped as the bolt nearly got him. More followed him along the roof as he scrambled to find the one causing this. He saw in mid-air Storm was channeling her elements so he jumped off Thing, and then ripped his wings to fly straight at her. Storm made a tornado sort of fall around her but that didn't stop the evil monster. He struck his fist through knocking her out cold, then letting the wind toss him he waited for it to die out to start flying again. Taking an airborne assault his claw collected dark energy, then he swung the hand loosely around making the energy somewhat burst about the roof as burning sparks. Punisher pulled out a rather powerful missile launcher aiming at Akaige. He kept his sights and fired, but as the flash of the rocket flared he lost track of Akaige. His ears pick up as Akaige was then on the ground, he lowered the launcher to see Akaige running at him with those claws spreading, then jumping over his viewer Akaige spun over the Punisher to then land spryly. Punisher felt the blood rushing out from his shoulders, and the launcher that had been broken from the attack. He just kind of grinned, and then fell on his knees as his shoulders split apart leaving his upper torso in three sections.

Akaige looked about seeing the change in faces around him; it was good they were off task now. He only had that a moment as large metal spikes began to rip from the ground. Pipes and studs were ripped up and began to try and pierce the demon at any chance. Magneto levitated down with his hands glowing in energy, the metal acted as extensions of his mind. Akaige jumped over one beam and then landed on the tip of another with his two feet, it shook and he jumped off as it ripped into millions of splinters. Akaige landed on a slanted metal and slid down its side down toward the ground, where tons of jagged metal spikes began gathering or ripping from the ground. Akaige's wings ripped up and he flapped off the slanted metal, he flew upward as that metal began to now shake and almost slammed over him like some kind of spring mouse trap. Akaige flew in with his fists ready but Magneto levitated backwards, and two large machines from the labs below broke out of the ground and slammed together creating a large explosion.

It looked pretty good, so Magneto stepped down running over to Storm. "Storm, are you okay?"

She slowly stirred awake and smiled, "Yes, I'm fine."

"Not for long." The fires moved out of way as Akaige stepped out from them, turning to his left he brushed away a flame on his cape. He now started to storm toward Magneto who crafted a field of magnetic energy. Tigra lunged but Akaige grabbed her by the neck and tossed her from his sight. Ice Man ran in creating spikes of ice and firing them, but Akaige let the ice stab his body making Ice Man gawk, and then get slapped from the face spinning him to the ground. Akaige seemed only intent on Magneto, even with Husk lunging in with her arms as large blades he just clacked his claws on the metal before finally knocking her arms back, then kicking her in the gut and then tugging her head to swing her behind himself.

Akaige was about to attack Magneto but Spawn landed to fire his guns, next Akaige was being surrounded which made him scream before they started to assault him. Michel swung his nun chucks, but Akaige cracked his claw before a drop-knee dodge and back-swing of his claw to the ankle, Michel twisted at the ankle and then with speed useable Akaige stood up into a shoulder ram that sent Michel backwards into Spawn. Akaige then grabbed the wrist of Spiderman as he swung a punch, kicked his gut, and then twisted the wrist and Spiderman into Raphael to their sides. Akaige saw the incoming blast from the air, so his next attack was Donatello pulling him by the belt and into the beam. The beam popped on Don's shell which made him scream, but Akaige grabbed the turtle's shoulders to flip over to his back and then fling the turtle overhead into the shooter, War Machine.

Akaige swung his fist into Dante, literally, making the half demon warrior's eyes bulge with the three fingers in his chest and raising him over head with only the one arm. Holding him over his head, Akaige's claws had dug straight through the armor and chest to hold him there letting blood drip onto his hood and shoulders, down the toned frame he stood in the center of the still dazed fighters at his feet. Akaige gave one look up, and quickly thrust Dante to the side and Akaige merely rolled his neck soaking it in for that moment, "Ah, this has been long overdo today."

Akaige now looked to Magneto and said "Let's not forget about you!"

There is a strange rumbling and Akaige turned to have a rolling orange and white thing hit him, it flung him far off the tower and toward the grounds below. The round thing slowed and stopped, then showed to be a large alien with the Omnitrix, "Whoa, that was pretty close wasn't it grandpa?"

Max and Gwen came in, along with Shredder. The three looked about seeing the devastation left behind from that fiend. Rorek was now beginning to heal Dante, but he screamed "I'm fine," he coughed "trust me these things happen all the damn time."

The others also were getting up but found Akaige now flying in place at the side of the building. He dropped onto the railing and let his cape wrap around himself. Then, his cape flew open and many obsidian protrusions seemed to just sprout off toward the heroes. That was stopped from an invisible shield; everyone realized Susan Richards has now come to the fray. Doom held her over his shoulder but she still had the power to use her ability. Doom spoke up "I suggest we get out of here now!" he was headed towards the transport as the others seemed to be worried with Akaige. He gave a stern look but when stepping forward he bumped into something, Susan strained herself after he swung his claws over her field. It wouldn't be long she could hold him in that field. The heroes began to run onto the ship; Ben stopped and turned around screaming "Hey, why didn't you kill me before?"

Akaige raised a brow between his strikes, seeing Gwen he soon realized that the boy and that creature were the same, "That's simple, you were a child and I don't kill children unless it serves my purpose." Akaige struck and this time the field broke as Susan fell unconscious. Spiderman looked back, then to the others. He then jumped off the door and fired up his boosters, thanks to Iron Man's suit; he now flew in and struck a fist on Akaige's jaw. "You guys go on! I can take care of this!"

"What?" Iron Man snapped over his intercom, "You idiot! You can't kill that thing alone!"

Spiderman spun his webbing causing Akaige's feet to be entangled, it gave him a moment to scream "I know that just go! I have a responsibility to see this through!"

Doom shut the door, even if he was threatened and called coward he merely passed those who saw that and entered the control room. Reed has awoken, and taking command of the ship he turned about to see Doom. They share glances but eventually pass onto the work at hand. Doom took his seat at the center, and Reed kept piloting the ship. "Where are we going?"

"Anywhere but here Reed," he sighed as he slumped into his seat, "yes anywhere but here."

Spiderman swung his fist as he heard the ship leaving, then he smiled inside the suit. Akaige pulled the stringing off his legs and moved on the mechanical hero. His claws got close enough to peel armor, but Spiderman pulled back even with the injuries. His boosters fired and he then came forward toppling Akaige, they grab on and tumble a bit. The two are on the ground rolling and swinging on each other like mad men. It became a brawl, Spiderman used even a kick to the groin as Akaige started clawing the face, and they just went at it. Spiderman put his foot in Akaige's chest and fired it off, Akaige stumbled onto his back and Spiderman lunged forward. He stopped, and gasped as the claws went into the exposed chest and dug deeply. Akaige looked this hero in the eyes of the machine, and breathed deeply in his face before kicking him off his claws. Standing up, Akaige strolled over and spread his claws open, scoffing, "So much for you hero." That was when he felt a pain in his back.

Akaige turned around to the woman, Wendy, with a pistol in her hands shaking nervously and frightened. She saw Punisher die, and she fell into shock. However, she gained her confidence and fired again this time making Akaige's shoulder jump back. "Stop that! It's annoying!" she fired this time into his hood, he shook his head screaming "I said stop you little…" again, and again, she fired round after round even as he was coming stomping over with his claw flexing. She stood there clicking the trigger even with no bullets, Akaige stopped with the bullet pressing on his chest and letting his angry eyes glow, and he struck the gun before grabbing Wendy by the throat. He dragged her to the edge, and she thought he was going to toss her off making her scream in his ear, he grimaced from the noise. Spiderman lunged off the ground to attack Akaige but he swung his fist around and grabbed him, tossing him off the railing instead. Akaige looked down and watched as Spiderman fell and eventually turned on his boosters. Akaige tossed Wendy to the side, but quickly took and bound her legs and arms with railing. "You going to shoot me anymore?" she looked at him blankly but still sniffling. "Didn't think so. Now sit back and enjoy the show!" Spiderman has reached the top and this time he opened up compartments on his arms, making lasers that were similar to Iron Man's "By the look of it this might be getting good!"

---

With white pillars and bright surroundings this entranceway has been a war zone. Raven took her demonic form and has been battling Sephiroth some time now. She jumped over the incoming swipes and slashes to now charge forward with her claws and ripping away at his being. Sephiroth took several hits, but it made him scream and call the power he had. The ground shook and splintered large rocks up that glowed with his aura. The rocks sped around him, took direction as he willed. One rock was coming on Raven so she jumped and grabbed it to ride it along. She had trouble seeing as the rock moved with awesome speed, but she saw another one coming on her so she leapt off the stone and onto another. She continued to do this as they came closer and closer to him. Sephiroth saw her approach and scoffed, he then caused the rocks to all come up and then down, she barely escaped the explosions they made.

Raven rolled out from the blast and started to get up but he was on her almost as fast. Raven turned up to see his high-raised sword coming down on a vertical swing. She screamed and lunged forward cutting his chest, then as he lost his control she swung around again and slashed his face. Sephiroth grabbed the wound on his face and stumbled back, sidestepping he let his sword drag on the ground, "I will not become a memory; I will not be forgotten!"

Raven let her sick smile grow, "I don't care about that. You're already dead and most likely forgotten. Why don't you just rest in peace?"

"No!" the two dash beside one another, and skid to a stop. Raven's fangs shift as she stood up, grumbling. Sephiroth turned his head sheepishly as his side bleeds profusely, "I will never… be in peace, mother?"

His body disappeared but this time there was not a blackness or feather, he was just gone. Raven's body began to lessen its darkness and she returned to her normal gothic attire, the blue and black stuff. "Well, time to get this over with."

"Over, Sha-lah!"

Raven walked into the council and found two beings in their ethereal bodies lounging about, when she entered the dragon Bahamut jumped up, "Oh, she finally made it!" he turned to his brother who was sleeping, he coughed but Leviathan snored louder. Bahamut gave a glare and then slapped his tail, this time Leviathan popped up his head and blinked at Raven, "Oh, when did she get here?"

Raven did a curtsy and bow, "I know this is where it began, my quest. I was told here I'll end it."

Bahamut nods to her, "You'll end one but there is still another one. The quest to save your world is still at hand. With it, the quest to save all worlds may also be beginning."

"I un…" Raven looks up freaked out "Wait, what was that?"

Leviathan gave a little look up, "Well, let's see… you explain it to her."

Raven felt a shift and turned to find behind her a man in all silver armor, and hair pointed with horn like tuffs. The woman next to him wore a long red dress and sat in a throne like a large web. "Hello, I am the…"

"Beyonder and Madam Webb, I read about you in Fate's study." Raven sort of got a look of surprise, "What is going on?"

Webb sort of smiled to the young girl and her appetite for knowledge, or maybe knowing she's just looking to get this done with. "Very well, allow us to explain that which has been done, and yet also undone."

.Raven got a little confused, but Beyonder explained what he could, "You have learned there was something that happened to distort time. In essence, it was never meant to happen this war with demons or Trigon having claim to this world. You were meant to have died, along with the other titans, and this all was in fact meant to bring about a very different outcome." Raven gave a nod, "The time that was meant to play would have been an event called 'First Impact' and in turn would allow many events to occur. First, a virus called the Legacy Virus would begin to appear killing mutants at an alarming rate; in part this virus was engineered and released by En Sabah Nur in his attempt to remove all weak mutants from the collective gene-pools. En Sabah Nur would then take name of Apocalypse, and begin a war to eradicate countless human and mutant lives to ensure a perfect world as he saw it. During this, a power called Alter power would appear and in time this would bring the end of Apocalypse. His defeat, and several years later the world is in a more utopian peace. However, peace is quite difficult and sure enough people felt the events should not have been with the killings and virus. One such a man was a mutant who had survived, his name is Bishop. He met a man and the two organized the plan to send Bishop into the past 12 years before the impact, to prevent it and the legacy virus that in turn killed Bishop's family, his mother and father. However, he did not know he was being used to in fact make a connection to the two time-parallels and in change bring a horrifying tragedy."

Raven kind of looked in awe, "You made that virus, killed millions, and in turn say he committed a travesty?"

"Would you have rather what's happening now?" Webb added, Raven shook her head and she began to tell the rest. "As you now see, the time distortion has made events lapse over. Like a river, the future that Bishop came from, and the time he distorted have become two flows in their stream. They exist over one another and anything could cause a massive clash of the timelines and reality themselves could falter in part. Bishop had not the knowledge that this was what his friend wanted. The one being who could distort reality is the same being chosen to commit the first impact and bring about Alter powers in the first place. This being is the one they called, Atomsk."

"Why Atomsk? What makes him so special?"

"Haruko has only a fraction of his power and she can cause the borders of reality and fiction to clash, so much one is unknown to the other. Atomsk is the essence of this, and Alter power relies on the imagination and wills of those who have been altered. After the scientists learned of Atomsk 12 years before his arrival to cause 'First Impact' they made plans to deal with him when the time came. Atomsk was feared long before that but his power had not been a threat to this world of yours. When he came, Superman and the ones called NERV stopped him. After this it was believed he had been destroyed or shipped into space, but NERV instead designed facilities to house the entity and experiment on him. NERV is now beginning its final stages of the process they call Chrono-Erosion, and with it the timelines will crash together causing a massive distortion that may blink all existence into nothingness. We can not allow that to happen."

"Then why don't you stop it?"

Leviathan laughed, "Mortals are given a free will, and because of it we try only to steer you the way you must but not force it. We don't exactly like it, but since you caused the mess we're going to let you try and fix it. If we cleaned up all the messes mortals cause then you'd just keep going until you finally did destroy all reality."

Raven sort of understood, so she asked "Wait, what about the Kagejin? How do they fit into this?"

"In order to ensure NERV would be stopped we had to make a choice. After Trigon brought his idea to allow Akaige and his Kagejin attack, we realized it was perfect. The timeline was meant to have a great tragedy occur and in such these monsters fit that sense of description. The Kagejin will not be tempted to use NERV for more power unlike other evil beings would, and we have used Akaige to stop events like this before. He may be evil but somehow he's come in handy for a demon."

Raven had a distasteful glare, "Like an ace in the hole you let him ruin our world, and hope he just won't get too jumpy."

"If you mortals didn't cause this mess your world would not be in the situation it is."

---

NERV prison section had one large glass cell where two men in armor fitting and techno-gear stood guard. In it a black man was doing push-ups, and then he heard the guard at the door tap the glass, "What?" his voice reached out in an aggressive tone frightening to most. The guard asked "You ready for your meal?"

The black man stood up, his bare chest heaved up and down showing muscle after muscle. He had nothing but exercise to keep him busy in this detainment cell. He wore a pair of black sweatpants; he grabbed a black T-shirt and swung it over his head to now latch a pendant around his neck. On his right wrist was a device strange looking it was glowing with several buttons. His right eye was white and dead, but the left had a strong brown color. He walked to the door, and asked "Where's my food?"

"Oh, here it is!" the guard dropped the plate, Bishop glared as he now began to laugh. "They'll send you another one but maybe in the meantime you can try to not be so stuck up."

Bishop would have strangled him if he could. He instead had to settle for when he was being flung into a wall incased by black energy. Bishop was surprised, but soon the hooded girl phased from a portal. Raven swiped her hand over the device holding the door and soon it slid open, Bishop walked out with a scowl, but soon as he was there out of the cell he smiled and hugged her. "Aw man, thank you god! I knew I'd be free sooner or later, am I glad to see you Raven?"

Raven looked startled; she pulled out of his hug and asked "How do you know me?"

"Oh, well in the future I'm from you are a legend. I could explain but really I just want to get out of here!"

She agreed and went to make a portal but a man was in her way. Ansem was not wearing his black suit but his shadow seemed to be very anxious, "Raven I've been expecting you! What ever did take you so long?"

Raven realized this man's eyes were the ones she saw with Beast Boy, she then asked "Are you the one who caused the Chrono-Erosion?"

Ansem shook his head "No, that was Gendo. He wishes to make the gods pay for taking his precious wife from him. I merely offered a means, and he took it."

Bishop couldn't believe it. He clenched his fists and screamed "He's done all this to get back at god for his wife? I can't believe it; I even helped to cause this!"

Ansem smiled with that idea, "You did. Oh, don't worry though I'm sure it will all work for the best."

Raven now asked, "Who or what are you?"

"My name is Ansem, and I am a Heartless. I'm telling you this because you're not leaving here alive!" his shadow now jumped up as the strange guardian he used to kill Fury, but Raven's aura glowed bright white and Ansem and his Heartless Guardian were blinded. When the light was gone, they searched to see both had escaped. Ansem would not be so upset if someone else had not seen his failure. Ansem turned slowly to the two sets of flaming eyes that burned even brighter than his own, now narrowing on Ansem informing him of his failure.

---

Raven returned to the Watchtower where many questions came. She decided to explain it all. She explained everything about En Sabah Nur, Chrono-Erosion, and now the NERV group that even if she had saved Bishop she still had no clue where it was. There was a long discussion but Raven went to bed. She was tired, and they were just going agitate her if she explained it too much. She lay onto a bed with her leotard but no cape. Raven lay there and looked at the ceiling waiting, and waiting.

The sound of a swirling darkness and she sat up quickly. Raven narrowed her eyes as the hooded figure stepped forward, his claw loosely at his side, "What is it you called someone like me here in such an urgency?"

"Simple Akaige, we need to talk."

---

Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans, Justice League, X-men: Evolution, X-men: Comics, Marvel Comics, DC Comics, Devil May Cry, Tenchi Muyo, FLCL, Yu-Yu-Hakusho, Case Files, Ben 10, Danny Phantom, Power Puff Girls, Avengers, Ultron, Final Fantasy, Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, Static Shock, Dragon Ball Z, Neo Genesis Evangelion, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Kingdom Hearts (Heartless), and anything else I may have forgot. I take credit only for those lovely little Kagejin and a bit of the story. Psychic Werewolf Assassin is the one who introduced me to Elementalism and the ideas for the Werewolf Enclave's fight kind of was a mix of his Hunter storyline. Metal Overlord 2.0 is the one who came up with Joka, Mr. Peckers, and Orochimaru so they are his creations as well.

Note: There is a forum in my Pakkrat's Nesting Grounds for this story. I'm going to talk about the story, characters, and among other things whatever I can answer when asked. I figured it would be fun to see what happens now and again. Hope you ladies and gents like the new chapter and twists, it sure has been a while since I last updated…