Final chapter! BOO!
"Don't know about you guys but I'm living the dream." Bobbi said casually. "You have a strange dream." Pietro said. "Enough chattel. You will die." Magneto said.
Magneto called out to his men in Outworld tongue and they approached Team SHIELD. Hulk/She-Hulk lunged forward...and were frozen.
Another blast froze the soldiers too close to Team SHIELD. Iceman walked into the clearing, his Lin Kuei Warriors with him. While the Lin Kuei engaged in battle with Magneto's soldiers, Team SHIELD broke in a run, stopping when Bobby approached them.
"You have stood together despite formidable odds. Lesser warriors would not have faired so well." Bobby said. "Thanks Grandmaster." James said sincerely.
"I will remain here to push Magneto's forces back to Outworld. You go ahead to the Sky Temple, Earthrealm's fate lies with you." Bobby said.
Team SHIELD nodded and ran off. At the Sky Temple, Team SHIELD approached it, crouched down, as Callisto spoke to Piotr, Jamie, and Kara.
"Lord Apocalypse is nearly finished. Soon the Jinsei's corruption will be irreversible." Callisto said. "The invasion can then proceed. Storm and her allies will be unable to provide resistance."
As Jamie was speaking, Barton misstepped and the rocks beneath him began to crumble. Wanda and James grabbed Barton to keep him from falling.
"Once the realm falls, our path to victory will be clear. Advise Lord Apocalypse the Oni and Orichi are ready. At his command we'll release them on Earthrealm." Piotr said.
Callisto nodded and walked into the Sky Temple as Nightcrawler and Coulson walked up to the rest of the revenants. "Have you found Storm's portals to the Heavens?" Piotr asked. "Yes. But her wards protect them. We have not yet found a way through." Coulson replied.
"That is unacceptable. After Earthrealm's defeat we must complete Lord Apocalypse's vengeance; invade the Heavens and destroy the Elder Gods." Jamie said. Piotr looked at Coulson and Nightcrawler, "Come" the three walked off. "Make war on Heavens? If Apocalypse can take down the Elder Gods-" Wanda breathed. "End of the world. Got it." Bobbi said. "Phil Coulson...to see him like this..." Barton said sadly. "We'll all be hanging around the Netherrealm water cooler if we don't pull this off. C'mon." James said.
As they creeped against the wall, Pietro's foot slipped and he began to fall. The sound caught the attention of Kara and Jamie. Realizing they had been spotted, James motioned to Barton and they sprung out of cover, ready for kombat, while Wanda helped with Pietro. Barton swung his staff at Jamie while James fended off Kara's strikes. Jamie made her way through Barton's staff and hit him as Kara landed a few punches on James.
"Has your mother ever told you what I did to her friends? Killed them all in a blink of an eye." Kara gloated. "And your own daughter. You proud of that?" James quipped. "We are bonded in death. You will join us and have a proper upbringing!" Kara said.
They began to fight. Without all the souls she had last time, Kara finds herself unable to pull the strength she had when she beat all the Earthrealmers and soon found herself unconscious at the hands of the Team SHIELD leader. "Nice offer Mommy Dearest, but I'll pass." James said snakily. Meanwhile, Bobbi and Wanda were still trying to grab Pietro from where he was hanging on the crevice outside the wall.
As they reach for each other's hands...Pietro lost his grip and fell. Bobbi lunged in time and grabbed him, pulling him up with the help of Wanda. "How dad handles being blind, I will never know" Pietro panted. Bobbi hugged him, "Just don't die ever." "I won't." Pietro hugged back before pulling away. Meanwhile, Jamie threw Barton into the gong in the courtyard, he passed out from the collision. Back off princess." James said. "You think mere words can stop me?" Jamie mocked.
Jamie looked up to see Pietro, Wanda, and Bobbi running toward her. Soon, the four surrounded the revenant. "Thanks for the assist." James said. "Anytime." Bobbi replied. "Tick tick you two." Wanda said. James and Bobbi attack Jamie, who blocked with her fans.
Jamie then punched Bobbi backwards as she kicked James away. Pietro and Wanda landed two hits on Jamie before she blocked a third. Jamie kicked the two, knocking Wanda out and sending Pietro stumbling back.
She then lifted Pietro and Bobbi in the air with her fans and threw one into Pietro's stomach and the other into Bobbi's shoulder. "No!" James yelled. "You wish to die first? So be it." Jamie replied. They began to fight. Jamie's speed and strength greatly outmatch those of James, but the tricks up his sleeve proved to be the winning factor.
"You're not killing anyone." James said to Jamie's unconscious body. As Barton pulled himself into a seated position, James rushed over to Pietro and Wanda. "Help Bobbi!" James commanded Barton.
Realizing how serious the situation was, Barton hurried over to Bobbi while James helped up Pietro and Wanda. Wanda was holding her head while Pietro had an arm wrapped around his bloodied abdomen. "Messed you up pretty bad." James commented. "Great bedside manner. I can fight." Pietro replied.
James slid his arm around Pietro's as they made their way over to Barton and Bobbi. "Bobbi?" James asked. "It's nothing. Just like Kurdistan." Bobbi replied dismissively. Team SHIELD heard someone call out at that moment and looked up to see Piotr, Coulson, and Nightcrawler running towards them. "You three go ahead. Bobbi and I will handle them." Pietro said.
"What?" James asked. "We'll just slow you down." Bobbi said. "Forget it." Barton replied. James realized the truth in their words. He pulled out his pistols as he looked at them. "Keep your heads down. I'll see you on the other side." He said. James nodded to Barton and Wanda and the three took off into the temple.
Back in the Jinsei chamber, Apocalypse had completely corrupted the Jinsei. Storm was still there, barely conscious, while Callisto watched as the insects ate into Steve's face. "They taste your flesh. Burrow deep. Inside you they will grow. Gnaw your innards." Callisto said. Steve was still conscious during the ordeal, but refused to cry out in pain as James, Barton, and Wanda ran in. "By the Elder Gods." Barton breathed. "DAD!" James exclaimed.
Callisto turned around upon hearing their voices and began to engage them in Kombat. Callisto exchanged punches and kicks with the three before knocking Wanda off to the side and stabbing a stinger into Barton's chest.
They began to fight. Under normal circumstances, Callisto would've easily won, but with so much on the line, James found an unknown strength and relentlessly pummeled the Kytinn unconscious.
"You're the bug. I'm the windshield." James boasted.
Back outside the temple, Pietro and Bobbi were barely fending off the revenants. Pietro was fighting against Jamie and Kara while Bobbi held off Coulson, Piotr, and Nightcrawler. Pietro managed to punch Kara back as Bobibgot pummeled by the three she was fighting. Then, Pietro got knocked back by Jamie while Bobbi uppercut Piotr.
Meanwhile, back in the Jinsei chamber, the insects digging into Steve's face had died with Callisto unconscious as James tried to free his father from his cocoon. "Hey...Punkin." Steve murmured. "I'm a bit too old for 'Punkin'." James joked half-heartedly. The cocoon proved tough to open, but that didn't stop James from trying to open it.
"No...get...Apocalypse..." Steve said. "But-" James began to say. "I love you." Steve said before passing out. "Dad?" James asked, going to check to see if his father was dead. Before he could, Apocalypse descended in his corrupted form. "So you are the issue of Steve Rogers. It's fitting I will get to exterminate his entire line."Apocalypse said.
"You want him, you're gonna have to go through me." James declared, his fear quickly being replaced by resolve and determination.
As Apocalypse approached, James let loose several punches. Apocalypse blocked them all. One punch managed to get though, but it didn't faze Apocalypse. When James attempted to superman punch Apocalypse, it only hurt his fist. Apocalypse punched him, sending James flying across the room and hitting the wall, barely conscious.
"Yes. That's better. Watch Mister Rogers as I render your father's flesh." Apocalypse said. Apocalypse summoned power and blasted Steve with it. Steve cried out in pain. Apocalypse broke the spell as James slowly climbed to his feet.
Apocalypse blasted Steve again, causing him to cry out in pain. "You son of a B*TCH!" James yelled, getting to his feet and running at Apocalypse.
The green glow that covered Steve all those years ago covered his son. As Apocalypse blasted him instead, the magic had no effect on the red haired son of Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanoff. James threw it off of himself.
"Holy s*it! It does run in the family!" James breathed in amazement. "Your father's power will not help you! You cannot hope to survive!" Apocalypse yelled.
The two began to fight a truly epic fight. For the longest time, neither party gained the upper hand. James, being empowered by his powers, Apoclaypse, fallen Elder God. Eventually, James managed to get the upper hand and knocked Apocalypse down. "You got beat." James said. Apocalypse began to rise and the two exchanged a few more blows beofre Apocalypse finally fell.
With Apocalypse down, the green glow surrounding James disappeared. Wanda and Barton slowly sat up and walked over to him. "That was you? Nice." Wanda commented. "James...Rogers..." Storm's weak voice carried over to them.
Storm, still encased in the hands, spoke to James. James hurried over to her. "Put me...in the...Jinsei." Storm said weakly. "What?" James asked. "But you're...it...it'll kill you." Barton said. "Must...be...cleansed. Hurry." Storm said. They led her to the Jinsei and allowed her to float into it.
As James, Wanda, and Barton watched, Storm floated into the Jinsei as lightening flew from her hand. The lightening flew into Apocalypse's unconscious form and Storm began to absorb the corruption.
Outside the temple, the skies began to clear up. The revenants, who were unable to beat Pietro and Bobbi, ceased their fighting. "We must retreat." Piotr said. Pietro and Bobbi looked up at the sky and smiled as the sun shone out from the clouds, which were now cleared. Neither noticed, until it was too late, that the revenants escaped through a portal to the Netherrealm.
Pietro put his hand on Bobbi's shoulder as the two limped over to one of Storm's statues and sat down tiredly. 'The moonlight walk...can it wait?" Pietro asked. "No walks. Poolside. Umbrella drinks." Bobbi replied tiredly.
Pietro put his hand on top of hers, "Deal." Bobbi looked at Pietro and smiled before resting her head on his shoulder.
Back in the Jinsei chamber, the life force had returned to its normal blue hue and James, Wanda, and Barton helped Storm out. Storm has fallen motionless from the ordeal and the three placed her gently into the ground.
"Is she alive?" James asked. "Barely. We'll help her. You help your father." Barton said. James nodded and ran over to his father. Steve was still cocooned, but alive.
"And to think...I was worried when you started dating." Steve joked. "Afraid I'd come home with someone like you?" James quipped. "Funny, good looking, my work here is done." Steve said.
Natasha's voice rang through the chamber at that moment. "This way! In here!" She shouted. Natasha ran in, flanked by SHIELD soldiers.
Natasha ran up to James and Steve, finally looking at her ex-husband with concern. "We'll fix you up. Help is on the way." Natasha said softly. "You should've seen James. Wiped the floor with Apocalypse." Steve said. "I believe it." Natasha said proudly, "And you...you did good with your team, Steve." "Hear that James. She called me Steve." Steve said. "I thought she might." James smiled. The family smiled at each other.
In the Netherrealm, Storm, looking sufficiently more evil than before, stood before the throne.
"Too long have I allowed Earthrealm to endure the horrors of war. Time and time again we've defeated our enemies. But we've exacted no retribution. Demanded no remuneration. What have we gained for our actions? More intrigue. More violence. As new rulers of Netherrealm, heed me. No longer will I simply protect Earthrealm. I will seek out an destroy all who threaten it. No mercy shown. No quarter given." Storm declared.
Storm reached into her satchel and pulled out Apocalypse's head. "Apoclaypse was an Elder God. Impossible to kill. There are fates worse than death." She said and tossed the head down.
Storm teleported out as the new rulers of the Netherrealm, Jamie and Piotr, stared at the head.
