The New Exiles
Issue #36 – The Second Age of Apocalypse – Part Seven
Earth-295
The Rocky Mountains
"Charles, get behind me," Storm said as she stared at the evil being known as Apocalypse.
Storm couldn't believe her eyes. One minute she was watching over Charles as the battle raged on below and the next, the Rocky Mountains exploded from a huge power blast. As of right now she only saw one surviving person and that was their old foe Apocalypse. Not only did he look more powerful, but he was like twenty feet tall. Storm feared for young Charles, she knew there was no way she could take on such evil by herself but she would die trying, only to protect the boy.
"What are we going to do?" Charles asked.
"You are not going to do anything. You are going to run, head back to the Manor and send a distress call to any that will answer our call," Storm instructed.
"What about you? You can't fight that thing all on your own," Charles proclaimed.
"I must and I will. No go!" Storm commanded as her eyes went white and she rose into the air and headed towards the giant bringer of evil.
"I never thought this possible. When Mountjoy tried to posses me and it backfired causing his mind to die with my body leaving me trapped in his body with not only his powers but my life draining powers I thought I had made it until I discovered my body deteriorating and was now cursed to always body hoping. But now, I Finally I have the body I always dreamed of," Fitzroy said through the body of Apocalypse.
"This is not your body. How dare you think you can take control of Apocalypse," Apocalypse screamed.
"When you requested my help I didn't realize this is what you had in mind, but I guess this is better than being dead or placed in crystal stasis," the one known as the Thirteenth Ripple said from the lips of Apocalypse.
"What is going on with him?" Charles asked as floated by Storm, pushing his powers of magnetism to new levels.
"I thought I told you to run?" Storm glared at the boy.
"Sorry, I don't back down from a challenge," Charles said as Storm tried not to smile. He was his father's son as well as his mother's.
"Looks like Fitzroy's plan didn't go as well as planned," Captain Brittan Said as he flew up to the two, his costume torn all over.
"You survived the blast," Storm said in hopes that it meant maybe others had as well.
"Yes, thanks to my super strength and my suit. Luckily there's enough of my suit left to give me flight," Captain Britain said as he watched the giant monster have a three way battle of the minds.
"What about mom or dad?" Charles asked as he looked down at the blasted wasteland and landed down on the ground at a safe enough distance from the large bringer of evil.
"I don't know. The blast sent me flying away from here. I don't know if there are any more survivors," Captain Britain said, angry with himself for allowing Fitzroy to manipulate him to this point. Deep down he had always known that Mountjoy and Fitzroy were one and the same through their many battles. **X-Calibur Series**
"I don't know about you guys but I hope Dark Beast wasn't one of them," Blink said as she, Thunderbird, Twilight and Viva walked up to them, a little battle worn but alive.
"What about?" Charles asked with fear.
"Sorry, when the explosion happened I only had time to teleport a few out with me. I wasn't even able to get Cal," Blink said with a tear in her eye.
"Don't worry. Takes more than an explosion to keep me from you," said a man made of shadows.
"That looks like Randy's shadow man," Twilight said as he shadow man approached them.
"It is. As the explosion happened I hit the Pym Particles of strength hoping that and my self healing would help me survive. Then Shadowman leapt out of my chest and then absorbed me protecting me," Mimic said as Shadowman pealed off of him and hovered in front of them, fuzzing out in weakness.
"When Randy died, he must have passed his shadow being to you to host," Viva said as the thought of her lost fiend made her eyes water.
"I greatly appreciate it too. You did good little buddy. Now it's time for you to rest," Mimic said as Shadowman gave a thumbs up and dove into his chest.
Before anyone could say any more, the ground began to shake. The ground exploded a few feet in front of them as Magneto rose into the air surrounded by a magnetic force field. Charles cheered as he not only saw his father but his mother standing right by his side. In the protective shield there were ten others: Century, Pete Wisdom, Geo, Jean, who was half conscious from her display of power, shutting down Gambit and allowing all their forces to come together and break into the room below before the explosion, Dazzler, Creed and Weapon X who both looked near death but their healing factors where doing their job overtime, Illyana, Krystalin and Chameleon. They all began to wonder who else may have survived when the heroes quickly began to gather together again.
Two Nightcrawlers appeared, each with two people. The darker version appeared with Iceman and Cyclops while X-Calibur's elf appeared with Fira and Cerise. A few seconds later Shadowcat acme phasing out of the ground with her daughter Cat and Marvel Girl followed by Doctor Z magically appearing with Arrow, Hawk, Dark Prey, Species and Geo Storm. They were glad to see so many had survived, but Blink sighed a big relief when Nocturne magically appeared with BattleStar, Janet Van Dyne and Sunfire. Nightcrawler and Cerise hugged each other in fear when they couldn't find their son in the mix. Just at that moment, a dark portal of smoke and brimstone exploded open and then closed just as quickly leaving a blue skinned woman with pointed ears, long blond curly hair and a tail along with remaining teammates of all their forces.
"Oh no, it can't be," Cerise said looking at Nightcrawler.
"Yes, the real Nightmagik is back. You really thought I was dead? I was still deep within my brother's mind whispering to him how to use my magic. You really didn't think he learned magic on his own that fast?" The dark elf smiled.
"Then you killed your brother?" Nightcrawler asked growing angry at his evil daughter.
"No, he's still in here, but not too happy," Nightmagik said tapping her head. "With the explosion coming I knew he didn't have what it took so when he fainted I used all my might and took over and used my magic to not only save both of us but every member of the X-Men, the group with the Exiles and your entire X-Calibur Army. You should be grateful, I even saved them," Nightmagik said as they looked over to see the collared Freefall, Supernatural and Wormhole along with Parthenon, Lemuria and a glowing green statue that resembled Shamrock.
"You, thank you, Margali," Nightcrawler said as he realized that his son was still alive in there and that his daughter wasn't all evil, he could still save her.
"Your welcome, father. The android called Steelwind I left behind because the ritual had completely destroyed him and I almost left her behind but at the last moment I felt a spark of life from within so I thought what the heck and grabbed her as well," Nightmagik said as Rachel and Kitty knelt beside their teammate who was now a green statue.
"You think we can turn her back?" Shadowcat asked as she wiped a tear.
"When this is all over we can see what we can do," Nocturne said as a loud noise grabbed their attention.
"She's right. We must strike now while our enemy is weak. The moment one mind kills the other two, that mind will come into full power and I fear will be unstoppable," Magneto said.
"Then we all attack will full force and worry later," Captain Britain said as he glanced at Shamrock.
"Don't worry, what ever happened it left me and Lemuria powerless so we will stay here and guard your friend," Parthenon said as he hugged Nitro G tight.
"Then it is settled, and Charles you will stay here as well," Magneto said to his son.
"But," Charles began to protest.
"Nothing, listen to your father. Your job is to protect these three," Rouge said as her son nodded.
"My son will stay here with you as well," Brian said as Geo knew better than to protest.
"Then we attack. All magic users gather your resources and see what you can do about reversing the ritual and ripping that thing apart," Blink said as magic users went to work and the entire force went at the large Apocalypse.
"This isn't fair. A lot of them going into battle are far less powerful than I and will die more easily than I would," Charles pouted.
"Well, we will see about that," Gambit said as a dark portal opened and he along with Dark Beast, Dagger, Amazon, Chamber, Kirika, Beak, Wolfsbane, Psylocke, Black Widow and Dr. Doom.
"What ever," Charles said as he used his powers to rip the armor off of Doom and send it back down like daggers killing Black Widow, Dr. Doom and Chamber. They others manages to dodge clear.
"This will be too easy," Dagger said as she sent light daggers at Charles.
"No," Lemuria screamed.
Geo turned to see Beak and Wolfsbane tearing her apart while Kirika moved towards Parthenon. Calling on all his powers he commanded nature. Wind began to blow as the dirt and gravel blew all around making it hard to see and then large plant roots broke through the ground rising up, grabbing hold of Beak, Wolfsbane and Kirika and binding them tight high up into the air. He was proud of himself until Psylocke came up behind him and was about to plunge a psi-knife into his head. He closed his eyes and then heard a pop. He turned to see Psylocke lying on the ground with the top of her head blown open and Charles standing over her with his right glove off.
"It's why I can never touch another human being. My mom touches someone and absorbs their powers where I touch someone and my powers absorb into them. But, because of my magnetic nature, my mutant gene and theirs act like polar opposites and repel each other with devastating results," Charles said as they both looked down at the dead mutant.
"We can still take them," Gambit said as he looked and saw that Dark Beast, Amazon and Dagger had left him. He even noticed that Kirika had sliced her way free and ran off in the direction he assumed Dark Beast went.
"Give up Remy. Dark Beast and the others knew to cut their losses to live another day. Why don't you do the same? You can do it, fight the darkness. You are Gambit, not the Cloak," Charles said as he stood between the dark mutant and the others.
"I," Gambit seemed to pause and then vanished within his cloak only to reappear above Wolfsbane and Beak, wrap them in his cloak and then release them as he vanished.
"Move," Charles said as he, Geo and Parthenon jumped in time to avoid the kinetically charged Wolfsbane and Beak exploding into a million peaces taking the plant roots with them.
"You think you can challenge us?" The voices came from Apocalypse as he turned to face the army coming at him.
"The bigger they are," Bazooka said as he fired off blasts from his hands.
"Nice trick, now see mine," Apocalypse said as he shifted his hands into giant cannons and fired of two powerful blasts that hit Bazooka, Arrow and Switchback causing them to disintegrate into nothing.
"Let's see how you like the cold," Chill said as he got near the large foot and began to oat it with ice and he attempted to freeze the evil mutant.
Apocalypse shook his foot free and then sent an eye beam down with such heat that it burned and melted Chill into nothing. On that queue, Fira and both Sunfires took formation as they called on the power of the sun and engulfed Apocalypse in an inferno of fire. The large mutant screamed and then with great speed and strength he morphed his arms into large blocks and spun around nailing all three and sending them to the ground with devastating force. Apocalypse stopped spinning and laughed.
"She's dead," Nightcrawler said as he teleported to Fira's side.
"As is Sunfire," the dark Nightcrawler said as he teleported by his teammate's side.
"Mariko is badly injured but she's alive. Must be her vampire abilities that saved her," Blink said as BattleStar rolled his eyes.
"Here, use my powers," Fitzroy said as cables shot out of their fingers hitting Geo Storm, Major Victory, Species and Exodus causing their life energies to drain instantly and leaving them a pile of bones.
"We have to do something. I can't imagine what this thing will be like when in full control and at full power," Captain Britain said as he and Mastodon each grabbed one of the creatures feet and flipped him up in the air and onto it's back.
"Maybe if I get close enough I can touch him and turn him to stone," Mimic said as he began to get close to the large mutant.
"Never," Apocalypse said as his body morphed causing hundreds of spikes to form on his body and then fire outwards.
Mimic shifted to steel form just in time to avoid being killed by the spikes. Unfortunately, Hawk, Feedback, Wildchild and Freefall were unable to move fast enough and were pierced and killed instantly by the flying spikes. As everyone tried to regroup, Apocalypse morphed back and started to get up. Rouge, taking the idea form Mimic knew she had to act. She made it to Apocalypse's head and placed her bare hand upon the giant cheek as her husband screamed at her with all his might. Apocalypse and Rouge both screamed as they exploded with power feedback. Apocalypse indented more into the ground as Rouge went flying only to be caught by her husband.
"Rouge, is she?" Storm asked.
"Dead, but not in vain, look," Magneto said through tears as they all looked at their enemy.
Apocalypse was twitching on the ground. You could almost see him dividing into two bodies, a crystal and an astral form but also fighting to pull back together. Just as Magneto closed his wife's eyes, the magic users said they had a spell ready and they knew they had to act now or never. Magneto stood up and called on all his powers and with the help of Storm, Levity, Indigo and Marvel Girl they pinned the giant mutant to the ground while Mothball pushed with all his might to engulf Apocalypse with his power neutralizing bubbles. With his last amount remaining power, Apocalypse shot out several spears from his chest at the ones holding him down.
Magneto batted them all aside with ease except for two. One took out Mothball while the other headed for Rachel. Shadowcat, Nightcrawler and Captain Britain all screamed as they tried to reach her in time but they were too late, the spear had struck just as Nightcrawler had teleported. Kurt gasped as he saw Rachel was off to the side, unharmed while Pete Wisdom lay beside her with a spear in his side. He had shoved her to safety and took the blow meant for her.
"Oh, Pete," Rachel cried as Kitty stood over them and began to cry too.
"Don't let their sacrifices be in vain, woman," Magneto shouted as Rachel understood and focused all her anger and power into helping hold the evil mutant down.
"Mothball took the hit dead on, but we can still save him. Kitty, phase the spear out while I try to heal him," Viva said as she placed her hands on Pete Wisdoms wound while Kitty phased the spear away.
"It's not enough," Kitty cried.
"Allow me," Mimic said as he knelt down and endured the pain of giving up Cyclops' power and taking on Viva's healing power and touch Pete Wisdom. With both using their healing powers, the wound closed and healed but Pete remained unconscious.
Magnetos voice then boomed as he shouted for the magic users to move next, they could address the fallen later. Nightmagik, Doctor Z and Nocturne hovered over Apocalypse as they used their combined magic to complete the separation of the four that Rouge had started. All three beings screamed as the magic reversed the spell and the M'Kraan Crystal ripped away from them. Apocalypse in a last ditch attempt sent a blast that hit both Doctor Z and Nightmagik with great force. Dark Prey caught Doctor Z while Nightcrawler caught his daughter, both relieved to report that they were badly injured but alive. Apocalypse knew he had only one last chance or he would fail, so he reached for the departing Crystal.
Nocturne took action and called on every magical fiber of her being and cast a spell while diving for the Crystal. She released the spell as she laid her hands upon the Crystal and yanked it free. A large magical explosion went off. When the dust cleared they saw a normal sized Apocalypse, barely moving laying on the ground next to the human form of the Thirteenth Ripple while the astral form of Fitzroy could be seen manifesting. Off to the side was the M'Kraan Crystal lying next to a very bruised, broken and bloody form of Nocturne. Thunderbird ran to his lover's side screaming in rage and fear as he grabbed her and rocked her limp body. Blink and Mimic both cried in fear of their teammate when Apocalypse and Fitzroy began to gain control and look at the Crystal.
Jena immediately took action as she burst into flame and took on the form of a fiery bird. She brushed past Thunderbird and Nocturne as she grabbed the Crystal with one fiery claw, wrapped herself around Apocalypse and swatted the astral form of Fitzroy with the other claw causing him to fly into the woman called Interface. The fiery Jean-bird, holding both Apocalypse and the Crystal turned and faced Blink.
"Jean, I can't," Blink said as Weapon X shouted in protest and began to run at Blink only to be pinned down by Magneto.
"Logan, stop. We all have made sacrifices and this will finally end Apocalypse once and for all," Magneto said as he nodded at Blink.
With a tearful goodbye, Blink, backed with Jean's powers, sent a javelin causing Jean, the Crystal and Apocalypse to vanish from sight and reappear deep in the heart of the sun. She had lost too many friends this day and could no longer hold back the tears as she looked from the sun and then over to were Thunderbird held and rocked the lifeless body of Jennifer Kale.
"It is over," BattleStar said as he and Krystalin bound the now harmless human called the Thirteenth Ripple.
"What about Fitzroy?" Captain Britain asked of his old enemy.
"Jean sent him into me with my permission. I have the power to control people and I am keeping him from leaving my mind or possession me. Jean also, before leaving used her new powers to burn him into my brain. Meaning, if I die while he is still in my mind, he dies too," Interface said as she turned to Mimic and nodded.
"I can't,' Mimic said looking at the woman he had gotten to know from his time at the Clinic for Paranormal Research.
"You must. It's the only way to make sure he dies with me. Any other way might give him a chance to shake my control and escape. Do it, let me be the final sacrifice to save the day and make amends for all the bad I've done," Interface said as Mimic did what he had to do.
Mimic called on his power and turned that hand that had once healed into a hand of death. He placed his hand upon Interface's forehead and instantly turned her to stone killing her and Fitzroy immediately. He then turned and walked away from the stone woman and walked right into Blink's arms were they cried together.
"Thank you for your sacrifice. I will remember it always as Fitzroy will never haunt or harm my family again," Captain Britain said as he touched the stone woman's face.
"Hey guys, we just got the all clear. Time to come home," Power Pack's voice boomed as a Tallus appeared glowing on Blink's arm and a portal started to open in front of them.
Outsiders Beginnings
Rise of Atlantis
Earth-Time Quake
"What happened, we just blinked out," Black Axe said as he shook his head.
"It seemed we felt the wave of an alternate version of myself flaring with the Phoenix power," Phoenix said as she tried to gain control. **Result from feature story**
"That's all fine and dandy but we missed what ever story you were going to show me," Black Ax said as they saw a large city floating in the middle of the ocean with a woman waving to a cheering nation and a man in a green hood stood behind her.
"That there is the new Island Nation of Atlantis and that is their Queen, Namorita," Phoenix said.
"I thought Atlantis was under the water," Black Axe commented.
"It was until Namorita and Doom brought it to the surface. Without the Fantastic Four ever existing there was no force to keep Namor, Doom or Atlantis in check. When Namor left the X-Men and returned to Atlantis, his cousin had made herself Queen and devised a plan with Doom to raise Atlantis and make it an actual continent. Namor refused to allow it and a huge battle engulfed the sunken city.
"The battle not only devastates the city but Namor ends up being killed. With his death, Namorita officially becomes Queen and they launch their plan with Doom causing Atlantis to rise out of the ocean. Fearing their attack, the government sends in the Avengers and their reserves in training. At this time the Avengers consist of Captain America, Scarlet Spider, Mr. Stretch, Black Widow, Vision, Hercules and Black Knight. Because of the nature of the mission, Black Panther refuse to get involved. With them are there reservists, Sersi, Stingray, Rage, Crystal, Justice, Swordsman and Magdalene.
"It is a massive battle that results in not only the death of many Atlantians and humans but Stingray, Swordsman and Magdalene all die as well. In the end, captain America converses with Namorita and sees that they have every right to be a legal nation and that they made the mistake by attacking them. The Avengers pull out while Crystal and Justice quit the team. With Captain America making a public apology and Doom standing up for Namorita, Atlantis is made an official nation.
"What no one knows is that Doom and Namorita had been lovers and devised this plan to join two nations to one day rule the world. Not only had they been secretly married while ruling two separate nations, they had also had a child in hiding. Her name is Nita and would grow up one day to become the Outsider known as Punisher," Phoenix said as she looked up into the heavens.
"What now?" Black Axe asked.
"We must go. Soon, like I mentioned before, the Asgardians will soon take notice of Earth," Phoenix said as they moved on from the Ocean below.
Next: Issue #37 – A New Beginning – Part One & Outsiders Beginnings: The Gods Cometh - But be sure to check out X-Calibur # 33 for Part Eight of the Conclusion and Aftermath of the Second Age of Apocalypse