The New Exiles
Issue #35 – The Second Age of Apocalypse – Part Five
Earth-295
Lehnsherr Manor
Creed looked up and saw the white dressed man and his army. There had to be about thirty of them up there and they were coming down fast. Before Creed could react, Queen Lehnsherr shouted orders as her forces took too battle to defend the manor. He saw that she kept her son back against his wishes and the two of them dashed off into the manor. Nothing like the running from the battle but then again she could be heading off to contact her husband, Magneto. Then it had dawned on him, this was a setup. The minute a bunch of them had left, this group strikes. They were here for something and he wished he knew what it was.
"Creed, watch out," Krystalin said as Creed moved in time to avoid a series of arrows.
"Who are these guys?" Chameleon asked.
"I don't know. I don't recognize any of them," Creed said.
"We don't either. My gut tells me that they are not from this world," Exodus said.
"Then we don't hold back," Storm said as she rose into the air causing the sky to go dark as wind, rain and lightening erupted upon the invading force.
"We need to take that woman out," Nocturne said as she focused on a spell.
"I can't believe how much that old woman looks like Ororo," Captain Britain Said as he led his and Amor's forces to stop the evil below.
"He said we have to kill them or all is lost. I do not recognize these people and have no problem getting the job done," Geo-Storm said as he called on his lightening powers and went after the weather witch.
"I'll get inside the place and check it out," Nightcrawler said as he was about to teleport.
"You will not go anywhere you look-a-like imposter," another Nightcrawler who was much darker and more pirate looking said as he appeared in front of him with a sword.
"Kurt, heads up," Nocturne said as both Nightcrawlers looked up as she cast a spell putting a sword in her friend's hand.
"Now we will see who the better swordsman is," Nightcrawler said as he lifted his new swords and lunged at his darker version.
"These two should be easy," Sonique said as she, Jubilee, the Bedlam brothers and Demask surrounded the two women standing side by side.
"I apologize for not remembering your name, but if you have a trick up your sleeve now would be the time," Braid said as looked at the woman next to her.
"Name's Janet Van Dyne but those that fear me call me Devourer," Janet said as she called on her powers for the first time since she had woken in the crystal palace and then joined Amor and X-Calibur on the attack here.
She screamed in pain as her body began to change shape. In a matter of seconds the nice petite woman was now replaced by a large hairy white beast. Demask was about to attack but the creature was fast. Before she could scream, Devourer had ripped apart and killed the Bedlam brothers before landing in front of her and then sinking its teeth into her neck and finishing her off quickly and violently. Sonique saw her teammates go down and unleashed one of her sonic screams. The creature screamed as Braid hit the ground covering her ears. Jubilee called on all her powers and sent off a series of firecrackers that exploded in and around Braid's face causing her to drop to the ground lifeless and faceless. Noticing the screaming had stopped, she turned to smile in victory only to see Sonique clutching her ripped out throat and Devourer standing right over her. She swallowed hard as the white beast's teeth chomped down on her.
"We need to find a way to stop all this needless bloodshed," Chameleon said as she stepped next to Krystalin.
"Then stand down," Captain Britain said as he, Shadowcat and the two new recruits Sunfire and BattleStar stepped up behind them.
"You're messing with the wrong woman," Krystalin said as she called on her powers and turned around to face her attackers and froze.
"Lamar, Mariko?" Krystalin asked in surprise.
"You know these two?" Shadowcat asked.
"Krys, what are you guys doing here?" Sunfire asked.
"Where are Blink and the others?" BattleStar asked.
"They went to stop the Dark Beast. Why are you guys attacking us? These people have established peace here and they are the friends of Creed and Blink," Chameleon said.
"This Amor character showed up at the palace and said we had to come here and destroy there people here," Sunfire began to say and then stopped as they all realized Amor was nowhere to be found.
"I have a feeling we've just been had," Captain Britain said feeling very foolish and angry.
"Then we need to stop this battle fast and find this Amor before anymore blood is spilled," Krys said as they all agreed.
Inside the Manor
"Hurry, Charles," Rouge said as she ran to the basement with her son in tow.
"Mom, I don't get why you're running. They need us out there," Charles said running after his mom.
"Because the minute your father left they attacked. It has to be the Dark Beast and we have to make sure he doesn't get it," Rouge said as they reached a door with a keypad lock on it.
"Get what, mom?" Charles asked as she caused the door to open.
"Yes, Rouge, what are you and Erik hiding?" Creed asked as he stepped out of the shadows.
"Victor, you followed us?" Rouge jumped.
"I knew you and Erik were hiding something. I want to know what it is and why they're out there attacking us for it," Creed demanded.
"Why the last speck of the M'Kraan Crystal. It seems when this world was saved and restarted that the heroes who returned to Earth had also brought back the last remaining piece of that crystal and I am here to take it," Amor said as he, Creature and Mindset appeared in the corridor behind them.
"I will not let you have it," Rouge said.
"Mindset if you would?" Amor asked with a smile.
Pushing with his powers, Mindset lifted Creed into the air and hurled him down the corridor. He then used his mind powers to try and take over Rouge's mind. Charles screamed and used his magnetism to pin the man against the wall. Do to his age and smaller sampling of his father's powers, he could pin the man but not stop him from using his mental powers on his mom. So in panic, Charles did the one thing his parents told him to never do, he removed his right glove. Using his powers he brought Mindset towards him and then placed his right hand on the man's bare forehead. Power flashed in Charles's eyes as Mindset started to scream and then exploded into a million pieces.
"Charles, no," his mom cried as was now free and could move on her own.
"Sorry, mom I had no choice," Charles said as he stood to face the other two.
"I tire of this," Amor said as he could hear Creed roaring back towards them and called on his powers and sent a wave that carried Rouge, Charles and Creed back down the corridor and out of sight.
Amor walked into the room and saw the Crystal sitting in a sealed jar. Calling on another blast of energy from within, he caused the jar to shatter. Amor smiled as he walked over and picked up the piece of M'Kraan and put it in his pocket. He then turned and came face to face with Creature.
"Something tells me they aren't the bad guys here," Creature said.
"This body is about depleted of power and life energy and I can't waste anymore of its energy. I need it for getting out of here and the ritual," Amor said as he did something human by grabbing the woman and snapping her neck with his own hands.
"No!" Creed shouted as he arrived back in time to see the woman drop to the floor and Amor vanish form sight with the M'Kraan Crystal.
Epilogue
Deep within the Rocky Mountains
"Here we are," Gambit said as his hood fell back revealing his skin made of darkness and his glowing dark eyes.
"This is it?" Dark Beast said as he threw his three slaves to the side and looked at a metal door embedded in the side of the rock.
"Yes, when Apocalypse was killed his last remaining true horsemen had escaped with the body and brought it here where a secret safe house of his was hidden beneath the mountains. Before the world blinked back into existence, his body had been placed in here and sealed while the last horseman died," Dagger said and then shut her mouth with a glare from Gambit.
"And only I, one of his true disciples can open this door and release his body," Dark Beast said as he touched the door and it flared with light and then opened revealing a stairway further down.
"That's far enough, McCoy," Blink said as she and a group of heroes appeared out of thin air.
"Keep them busy while I attend to the Master," Dark Beast said as he ran down the stairs.
"Our pleasure," Gambit said as he and his forces lunged at the intruders.
Dark Beast made it down the stairs and found himself in a small cavern. Lying on a stone table hooked up to a strange machine was a withered body of Apocalypse. Dark Beast waked over to it and examined his old master's body when a strange light flared behind him. He turned to see a man in a white outfit with long black hair pulled and tied back into a ponytail. In his left hand he held a crystal while in his other hand he held a glowing orb that seemed to be shooting out beams of white holding a woman with a green shamrock on her costume, a robot, a man in a Greek looking outfit and a girl in a gold outfit.
"Here I thought you were just a figment of my imagination," Dark Beast said of the man who had come to hi in his dreams when he was on the world of the Paranormals.
"McCoy, glad you provided access to the body. Now I need you to get that machine activated while I make the rest of the preparations. Out last element should be here soon," Amor said as he placed the unconscious bodies of Shamrock, Steelwind, Parthenon and Lemuria off to the side.
"I have arrived," a man said as he came out of a portal and into the room.
"Who is that?" McCoy asked looking up.
"That is the thirteenth ripple and the final element needed to create my new permanent body to possess," Amor said with an evil grin.
Outsiders Beginnings
Rise of the Midnight Sons
Earth-Time Quake
Hawaii
"Why bring us here?" Black Axe asked.
"This is a very important battle. Since Johnny Blaze became Scarlet Spider he will never become Ghost Rider or be a part of the Midnight Sons. Because of this Zarathos would gain a different level of power and Dan Ketch would become the first Ghost Rider but not the same. This affected things greatly as there would be no Nine and the Midnight Sons would just be a group Dr. Strange calls together in times of need, like the Secret Defenders was. Just like they will be for the first and last time tonight.
"Unknown to anyone Dracula had been setting roots in Hawaii with the help of a man possessed by the spirit of Zarathos. Until the next full moon he would remain mortal but he had gone on television announcing the take over of the world once the sun sets. Strange then realized that at dusk almost all the population of Hawaii would rise as vampires. Knowing that could not happen he called out a summons to all Midnight Sons and a series of others. Answering his call was Blade, Frank Drake, Ghost Rider, Hannibal King, Modred the Mystic, Moribius, Rintrah, Damian Hellstrom, Werewolf by Night, Victoria Montessi, Jinx, Sam Buchanon, Kyllian, Louise Hastings, Man-Thing, Agatha Harkness, Hellcat and Baron Blood. Also, coincidentally, Angel from the X-Men had just arrived in Hawaii to get his life back together after Apocalypse and would be drawn into the fight.
"Strange and his Midnight Sons swarmed in and attacked well before dawn thinking they would have the upper hand. To their surprise, Zarathos was ready for them. He cast a spell that put Hawaii in immediate shade and blocking the UV rays from the son. As soon as the Midnight Sons touched down, Zarathos and his demon forces and Dracula and his Vampires rose up and attacked. The blood bath was immediate, but mainly the evil forces. The Midnight Sons was working in unison and taking out vampires and demons left and right. While they fought, Dr. Strange stayed hidden working his magic trying to reverse the spell that had them in darkness before the true sun set," Phoenix said as she told the tale.
"I see," Black Axe responded in excitement as they got closer and he saw that the battle had well been underway.
They had made it just in time to see Man-Thing, Hellcat and Louise Hastings get torn apart by vampires and demons. Damian was in rage at the loss of his wife. He had just stolen her from the Avengers and made her his. In a fit of rage, Damian renounces his immortality and put it into his pitchfork and plunges it into killing him instantly in his mortal form. This weakened the demons and soon started to fall on after the other by the Midnight Sons. At this time Blade finally came face to face with Dracula. The battle was fierce as each moved with great speed and precision. Dracula was about to get the upper hand on Blade when Angel sacrificed his life and pounced between them causing Dracula's fangs to sink into Angel instead of Blade. Dracula tore into Angel but was stopped quickly.
Blade took this moment and drove a stake into the side of Dracula and tossed him clear off to the side. Blade then knelt down and assisted Angel by having Angel exchange blood with him to help him heal. It seemed to be working but the Blade would never get to know if he saved Angel in time or not. While distracted in trying to save Angel, Dracula had survived and made it right behind Blade and picked him up.
"Now it ends," Dracula said as in one mighty swoop he severed Blade's head from his body and then tossed the head miles away with his great strength.
"For you it will," Angel said as he rose and suddenly expanded a newly grown set of wings.
It seemed the mix of Dracula's bite, Blades blood and his own mutant gene had a strange reaction. Warren had been transformed into some kind of mutant vampire and his wings had fully grown back. With great speed from his new vampire abilities and his mutant wings he picked up a sword and soared up to Dracula, severed his head and flew straight into the heavens carrying the head. Once he reached the barrier he passed through as just the last of the sun was about to go down. The sun's rays caused Dracula's head to burst into flame and dust but had no effect on Warren. It seemed, like Blade he now had all their strengths but none of their weakness.
He then flew back down and landed next to Blade's body. He picked up the other sword holding both in his hands. "I am now called Blade, the vampire's worst nightmare."
"That is how my old friend became a vampire and one of the Outsiders," Phoenix said in his head.
"What are they going to do now? The sun has gone down. The whole island will now rise," Black Axe chucked.
"Watch," Phoenix said as he followed orders.
"Midnight Sons, it is time we rose and put an end to this. I have mastered a spell and a plan to stop this but I will need you all to pledge yourselves to me," Dr. Strange said.
Without hesitation all of the Midnight Sons pledged their lives and powers to Strange. As Strange, with the help of Agatha Harkness, cast their spell as all of the Midnight Sons rose into the air. As the spell neared completion they could see all the vampires coming out of the woodwork. Needing a final boost of power, Strange completed the spell causing Damian Hellstrom, Modred the Mystic, Ghost Rider and his own brother Baron Blood to scream out as they burst into flame and became added power. A great explosion took places and when the light faded they had won.
Strange, the new Blade, Frank Drake, Hannibal King, Morbius, Rintrah, Werewolf by Night, Victoria, Jinx, Sam, Kyllian and Agatha Harkness stood hovering far above the state of Hawaii. As they looked down they could see that the entire island of Hawaii was surrounded in some kind of mystic barrier. Strange quickly explained that the barrier could never be broken due to the four he had sacrificed. That anything on that island could by no means escape. You could enter Hawaii but you could never get out. Strange took everyone to the coast of California as many screamed at him for killing their friends.
"It was necessary to complete the spell. By their sacrifice, Vampires will never reach the main land and we have a prison to send any other supernatural being we may have no means of disposing of ourselves," Dr. Strange merely said.
"You may think that fine, but we don't role that way. Don't ever call us again. We are done with the Midnight Sons and you," Victoria said as she, Sam and Jinx walked away.
"That there was the final rise and fall of the Midnight Sons. Victoria, Sam and Jinx would eventually settle down in Colorado while the others all went their separate ways. Hawaii would soon become known as Vampire Isle and the President would make it the national prison for criminals. Eventually they would start outlawing the supernatural and send them to Vampire Isle. Eventually Werewolf by Night, Morbius, Hannibal King and Frank Drake would be captured and sent to the Isle. Deeming a new purpose in life, Blade even went there to personally protect any humans sent there and kill all vampires on the Island. He would eventually become the leader of a group called the Nightstalkers.
"As praiseful as everyone was to Dr. Strange and creating this prison, it would eventually help fuel the example for doing the same to mutants," Phoenix said as they soon drifted away from the scene.
"So where are we off to now?" Black Axe asked as they moved very quickly.
"We head to Atlantis," Phoenix said as they moved forward in direction and in time.
Next: Issue #36 – The Second Age of Apocalypse – Part Seven: But be sure to check out X-Calibur # 32 for Part Six & Outsiders Beginnings: Rise of Atlantis