Jean Grey did not move away from the lineup as requested, not all could actually harm themselves by risking further and it was no surprise to her that she would eventually need to bring the pieces of Wolverine back to the area they could keep. Man's regeneration has always been formidable and those things that the enemy created was not strong enough to kill him, at least not before the telepath brought him back.
The X-men were usually doing very well, they were the group that could get closer, but with each step they got farther they got whatever help they might need. Storm and Angel offered air support, Iceman, Scott, and Jean herself kept the long-range attack, Wolverine and Beast didn't let anyone get too close, while Rogue at the moment had a copy of her own powers. Logan and kept ready to act in place of the first to fall.
Now they had caught Nemesis's attention and if nothing stopped them they would be the next interesting beings to die directly at her hands.
Far away, reluctantly released to fight, were the actors who had never encountered anything like this in their lifetime outside of filming. Robert, Chris Evans, Scarlett and Mark Ruffalo won armor not to die too fast (words from Natasha Stark herself), Jeremy won a bow from his own correspondent, Elizabeth possessed the powers of Wanda (that was enough not to need any kind). Chris Hemsworth with Tom Hiddleston had their weapons summoned by the powers of the crook. It was not at all comforting to be in the midst of so many superheroes, let alone when equipped with bows and arrows, but these creatures did not terrify them as they should. As they joined the closest others they felt that powerful personality they embodied in their films, the difference this time is that they were no longer ordinary people in front of cameras and truly became heroes. They couldn't deny how quickly they got used to chaos and realized that they could do things like that all day. Everything has become undeniably real.
-Avengers ...- began Captain America by summoning a shield. - Assemble!
Some rolled their eyes, others smiled as if expecting to hear it, but no one waited for another signal to actually move on. Each of them knew very well what to do.
(...)
Magic wasn't something Benedict was used to, but it came to him so naturally that at no time could he really be impressed. His instincts drove him to the top of a hill he didn't know and there his body responded in recognition of the power emanating from his mirror image, the universe was definitely not used to such encounters and so, momentarily, he could feel the energy of the wizard intertwining with his as if it were an extension of himself.
Stephen was so pale from the cold that he would not be surprised if he went into hypothermia in moments, but somehow the man was in such a state of concentration that it would not be surprising if he were not really aware of his current condition. The cloak wrapped itself around its wearer as if struggling to hold back the little heat that kept him conscious, yet he showed a confused interest about the copy of his master who had just appeared.
There were a multitude of possibilities for how he would succeed in bringing his correspondent back to his proper mental faculties, but the actor did his first action as if he already knew exactly what to do. Not that he really had any sense of what was needed to render Strange's spell unusable, but when he thought about it instantly the right behavior appeared in his memory. Sitting on the floor in front of the other man a meditative position was formed and his hands repeated a series and movement that seemed very familiar even though he knew he had never performed them. He ended up paralyzed at the last gesture and waited to find out what would happen next.
In the next few minutes Cumberbatch noticed something that would possibly change the course of the battle that was being fought on the American continent. When he thought about the comics of his character's heyday and the way Doctor Strange evolved in each of them, some futuristic memories popped into his mind, he found himself able to repeat that wizard's most extraordinary deeds even though he knew the being in front of him. I wasn't even close to learning them yet. Perhaps that was the advantage that any of the actors had.
A loud crash was heard and looking up, it was possible to notice the magical branches that formed the shield break, which also seemed to provoke a reaction in his correspondent since he was now frowning as if in deep physical pain. It was not very harmful; however, this annoyance was reflected in the actor and yet it was not pleasant at all.
When Stephen reopened his own eyes, he did not immediately realize what was happening, but he seemed so ill in Benedict's perception that the possibility arose that the magician was already battling the intruder in his system or simply his magical core was breaking. Running out. Her iris was partially golden, her hair messy, and there was such a tired expression on her face that it was a temptation for her correspondent to offer her a cup of tea and a bed to rest on. It felt like a terrible cold, even if the being in question could not contract such things.
-Am I in some kind of time lapse? - Strange asked as he returned to the ground and tried to better focus his other self.
- It's a little more complicated than that. -Cumberbatch shrugged his shoulders defensively. -A monstrous creature is trying to destroy the human race in any alternative of existence, you have received help from the multiverse and I have been sent to bring you back. - Something close to dread crossed the features of the master of the mystical arts.
-The shield should contain Eternity ... As I realize you just deactivated it, I assume it didn't work out as well as I expected. - Although he noted the disappointment of others, it also felt palpable to him that the character was striving to find a solution that was still achievable to save his world.
- Eternity is not our enemy. -In his face, he tried to convey as much calm as he could. -He was trying to protect us from something worse.
- You're starting to lose sense. - Distrust first appeared in his correspondent, perhaps earlier he was leaning on the call they clearly had, but now there was a reason to hesitate and it seemed no longer safe for him to breach his version of somewhere in a multiverse. Normally Doctor Stranger would never have let his guard down for precious minutes to a stranger, which did not exactly make him sick.
-Considering what I know right now, the entity is dead or inactive somewhere in space, it's not the main concern for now. - The other's command caused his cloak to pull him back. -You handed the infinity jewels straight to the girl who owned the Original, now that shape is back and not at all happy with our species. -This information did not seem to fit the other's reasoning, which caused more of his incredulity.
- No, you're freaking out. Her body trembled, but he didn't know if she from the cold or some nerve breakdown. The man looked nothing like the wizard he knew. -Loki ...- He remembered something and whispered softly. -Yes ... The annoying, mischievous god ...- Stephen looked back at his mirror image forcing a laugh. -Loki, idiot, for a moment you almost made me believe you had failed.
- Loki? No, he was probably completely submitted to Original, especially now that Thor is dead. - The actor frowned exactly as the other did before. -Are you thinking this is a joke?
- And why wouldn't it be? A perfect excuse, isn't it? You could have the jewels and your hideous and powerful mistress, and you could take over the position of Supreme Wizard who so much liked to rub my face that you are worthy! - Strange was now in combat position, he was angry and clearly disturbed.
-Make the least effort to look around you! Feel her overwhelming power around you, you're not a fool, and you know this is not normal! - Defensively Cumberbatch also stuck in attack position.
- I don't feel anything. - For a moment, he seemed to look for anything that indicated he wasn't lying. -I always knew I shouldn't trust you...
There was no room for further conversation, even weak and somewhat uncontrolled Stephen gathered forces to fight and in moments Balthak's Rays set out to destroy his now enemy. The first thing that came to Benedict's mind was that it would be advisable to run for his life, but then he felt able to read the character's intentions and calmer than any normal would be he raised his hand to receive the electric discharge, only to immediately turn it into a portion of butterflies.
Both made reality a changing plan and advanced distorting the world around them. The efforts seemed to charge one tall prisoner to the wizard, while the other was not even close to being exhausted. This time it was Doctor Strange's adversary who struggled to avoid killing as he resorted to the deadliest attacks he knew. The actor gave him the upper hand, defending rather than retaliating. His idea was to wrest the influence of the divine being from within him, but it was necessary for his correspondent's enraged crisis to survive, and his lack of custom with lethal magical confrontations weighed on him. Wasn't as successful as he thought it could be.
Eventually Strange managed to hit and wrapped his leg so tightly that Cumberbatch noticed his bones breaking, but the pain didn't come and the scream heard from the wizard himself as his unbroken tibia and fibula complained about the blow. Locomotion was hindered, but for the master of the mystical arts this was no hindrance since flying with the cloak was not a problem.
Conjured flames were launched directly to destroy his enemy, but in time he was able to protect himself with his own shield. Valtorr's Vapors obscured the field of view and gave advantage to the one who conjured them even if they remained on the ground. As the actor tried to hide to plot a strategy the other focused on locating it. It was not at all comfortable to walk with broken bones as much as I felt no pain from it, but even with this strange discomfort and the sight of her bone out of her skin, it was possible that a promising idea formed in her mind. Soon the Watoomb Winds summoned by Strange came dragging him away and taking the mist away, but that did not detract him in any way.
Reality once again altered the will of both parties to the confrontation, forcing them to keep the fight at close range. Approaching more than usual would the wizard hit a long blade created from energy with the shield hastily formed by the other and acted again to immobilize him, but was not fast enough to avoid the actor's plans.
Benedict did not attack Stephen as expected, but instead caused his own charms to repeat his opponent's previous action and broke the bones of his own arm just in time to force the master of the mystic arts to cancel what he was calling to destroy him. Forcing his cock with not-so-precise movements now, he struck him and took advantage of his surprise to expel his essence from her body, thus exorcising Original's parasitic presence in the soul into which she had mated. It worked better than expected (since he wasn't even sure he was capable of exorcising anyone) and as Strange's body fell the levitation cloak slipped off him to hang on his shoulders.
His breathing became breathless as the adrenaline went by and the actor allowed himself to relax momentarily as he floated with more familiarity than he should have. His breath refused to settle, but things no longer seemed as bad as before, and with the calmness of thinking about what was capable came a memory useful enough to recoil from the damage of his broken arm and leg.
Looking at the essence of Doctor Stranger from afar, it was not difficult to see that he had managed to return to what he always was, although now he was somewhat upset that he had been corrupted and thus led the lives of so many people to such extreme danger. Proud as expected, he didn't apologize right away, but he didn't try to justify himself or anything else to indicate that chaos in the world wasn't his fault. Repeating his former behavior, but this time without an outside influence guiding him, the magician clearly sought for anything that could reverse the damage he had done and might protect reality.
Forcing himself back to his responsibilities Cumberbatch gave his attention to his correspondent's body, healing it and rehabilitating it so that it could return to normal, which caused some confusion on the part of the essence that it believed it should remain so. Form for a time as punishment for his deeds since clearly there was a Supreme Magician as powerful as he before his eyes and prepared to fight.
- Don't look at me with that expression. - Benedict said in the best playful tone he could. -You have no idea what she is. All possible help is welcome. - By undoing his action of driving Stephen out of his own body, he allowed the man to return without any hesitation. It was apparent in her own skin that the threat that invalidated his senses had already departed.
-I feel ashamed of what I did ...- Even as it returned to its physical form, the cloak refused to leave the shoulders of its mirror image. In addition, the sense of overwhelming power coming straight from the enemy stunned him immensely for a few seconds before he could stabilize.
- Of course you do. -Her call made him feel that way too, even though nothing was wrong with his hands. - But now we have a multiverse to save, the blame will have to be for later. -Her hand was extended as an implicit invitation to partner. -I promise no screenwriter will make you hold a river this time.
- Screenwriter? -Strange didn't understand how this made his situation any better, nor did he know what the other was talking about.
- Maybe you understand one day. -A friendly smile was offered and when the scarred hand gripped hers they both felt foolishly that there might be some chance of winning now.
(...)
Mark Ruffalo was really startled when he felt two people cling to Hulkbuster too close to his head and only relaxed when he saw that it was one of the Spider-Men, even if looking the other way and seeing Venom almost made him fall...
-I hear you can turn into a Hulk too. It is true? - That Peter Parker asked while the alien showed too much interest.
-All my friends have gained the power of their characters, so I think I can. - The smile he noticed behind the mask didn't please him much, but the other's tongue drool was even worse.
- Great.
There was no time to think what that word meant, only to panic as he saw the symbiote leave his bearer and enter through the openings of his own weapon. Eddie Brock was supported by the arachnid while waiting for the result of the risky experiment. The actor began to feel that thing entering his body as he felt expanding disproportionately. The good thing was that it was possible to see that he really had the powers of the big green man, and the good thing was that he now completely understood why Banner hated to change.
The armor expelled the mutated body and accepted the journalist to take his place. It wasn't very smart to find out if it worked, but they did it anyway. The result was the emergence of one of the most astonishing forms that monster could come up with.
Smash. Irrationality began to seize him even if he tried to resist. Ache. The anger came with her anguish and did not help to improve it. Smash. His senses were pushing him to the limit and Mark felt he was no longer human. Fear. He wanted to scream and kick that thing out, but he couldn't tell if he could do it. Smash. He realized the living threat around him. Recognition. There were also weak little people. Smash. Far away there was someone stronger who teased him with his existence. Challenge. Venom wins, Hulk destroys, Venom devours, and Hulk crushes.
Weak little things dreaded away as the monster rose and roared, they couldn't tell if it would save them or kill them, but in his view the purple woman was her only goal and it seemed wise to heroes to move away simply by the fact that there would be no remorse if those in their path died. The metal friend didn't leave and they didn't bother, the insect clung to his back and they liked it, his sun came up to fight him and they snorted to show that they were happy. When smashing their enemies, they would try to be careful not to hurt those three too much.
Beasts left their opponents with the worst calling among them and all roared in response, furious that they felt threatened. The army lost its formation to eliminate the new enemy and with that its old targets gained a free passage to reach those who really interested.
Nemesis smiled, they had no chance.
(...)
It had been many years since Wade had failed to understand the course of his existence. He was killed, strangely enough, found his former lover Death and had sex just as crazy as they used to. So far so good, but then her boyfriend, or whatever Mr. Beetroot is hers, went on a visit and found them in the middle of the fun. Deadpool recalled blunting that horrible face looking at him, but after that he could no longer tell what happened and only knew he was now in a car going back to the one who killed him earlier. For him the universe (or authors whose idea was not a good idea to offend his mother) did not make much sense.
Driving his legs casually and reloading the weapons he occasionally found in the trunk to the sound of Led Zeppelin, he found himself eager to return to the most unfair battle he had ever participated in.
(...)
Taking advantage of the advantage gained, the most precious pieces in the game stopped waiting and joined the fight. It was not their choice to stay there, but no one wanted to risk their strongest heroes being lost without making a real difference. The shield was lowered, who was outside would also come.
The Mjolnir flew past the skies of the confrontation and Chris suddenly stopped, causing his pair to also interrupt their own race in confusion. He could feel the thunder in his veins, Thor lived in himself that he could not feel his conscience and nothing seemed fairer to him than his weapon would answer to him from now on. He reached out like an idiot (in the eyes of the inhabitants of different realities who didn't know what he was doing) and waited without much patience as he watched the chaos around him.
-Did you just think about that now, genius? - Loki spoke of Hiddleston's body.
Tom hoped the hammer would respond. Although he could get past each creature, power struck toward him, dust or blow as if he was being protected, his partner was not so fortunate and wounded while his own body had no single scratch. He really had to become a god if he was to survive.
-I thought there was still a chance Thor was alive. - He would need his weapon after all. Because Asgardian and ice giant their senses were better than normal, it wasn't too difficult to notice the sound barrier breaking as Stormbreaker approached.
As the cable touched his hand a relatively high surge of power tingled throughout his body. Looking at the world again, he realized what it was like for his correspondent to live among humans, he saw it all from the perspective of a thunder god and was amazed at how small and fragile things seemed in the sight of Odin's son. The realization of how the earth could be destroyed by his hands at will seemed as daunting as it was stimulating, even though his only desire was to protect such little worms. Everything was more charming than it was used to.
-You're looking at me very strangely ...- It was not normal to see his suddenly more divine friend staring at him with amusement as people died not far from where they were.
- You will be my shield! - He saw Thor's reflection as one of the most brilliant ideas he had ever formed in his life. Chris also looked a little dumber in his partner's eyes, but he didn't know if that was a fact or if it was just his loudest jotun side.
- How is it? - Tom narrowed his eyes in disbelief.
-Think to me, something has been protecting you since we got here, if you get in the shape of a shield you would protect me too, and of course be more effective at defeating things that you prefer to pretend you don't exist.
- That would be humiliating.
- It would be really cool!
- I will not be your shield.
(...)
Our Peter Parker also noted the clear tendency not to be injured and began looking for other people who might have the same advantage as him, but the only one who could repeat his own deeds as far as he could see was the Iron Man actor. He began to support the idea that maybe, just maybe, there was the possibility that a certain Stark was directly interfering with the enemy's behavior. This was by far the best chance of survival they would have if it turned out to be true. Casting his webs at very tall people / creatures that were relatively close he tried to reach Tony's correspondent so that they could merge their own advantages and not die as they faced the Original face to face.
With everything before it could actually get relatively close to Mrs. Sta... Downey the first person came to Nemesis and that diverted his attention. It would never be normal for anyone to treat a life as superior as this woman did, but there were individuals among her opponents who seemed not to cause him as much indifference as the others, and there was almost certain that the brat was among them. She didn't want to hurt them, their lives were precious to her, and considering that not everyone she was avoiding killing had any connection with her considerate sister, it could be expected that it wasn't as easy for her to wipe out life on Earth as she had given her. Understand that it would be.
- Harley! - Peter called by the communicator, although not yet fully prepared to live his life as a protector of this world the boy had already developed technologies powerful enough to be there. - Laugh! An overly young, yet brilliant and capable partner she met a few months ago, she surprised everyone earlier that day when she came up with her own version of Iron Man's armor claiming it was no other reality and having done it in his own room, the arachnid being one of the few who knew his history, was his function to present it. - I have an idea that can kill me or save us all, what do you think?
- I think you're crazy, but that has never stopped us before. - The Iron Boy's voice answered.
- Just say what we have to do. - Iron Heart commented, they had already joined other times to face small threats, she knew his way of acting as well as the other.
- Find me and just approach Thanos too strong and with big breasts at my signal. - He changed his route looking for a strategic place.
Not surprisingly, it was the X-men who came to Nemesis first, even though it was foreseeable that they would have no chance of beating her and that they would die trying, perhaps it was also possible to consider a stroke of luck for them that Jean Gray was there and that the enemy considered it potentially strong to be worthy of being good entertainment.
The world realized when the woman reduced her power level to theoretically match the girl, but her first attack proved as desperate as any and lethal just as they had ever seen. Beast was the first to fall. The only comfort they had was that she was using a potential that Jean herself could achieve so they thought they could survive as long as the telepath could resist. Rogue didn't come to the enemy while Logan and Scott did, with Iceman she stepped close to the Original's object of interest and took off one of the gloves.
- Make me not regret it. -The mutant held out her hand in greeting and didn't have to wait until she got the squeeze she wanted. Every second of adaptation it needed to make it work could have cost their lives, but apparently the enemy was willing to wait.
Uncontrolled and very powerful, that's how Vampire came back. Her strength rising to levels that Jean had never even dared to achieve and causing more than frightening to those around her. That's why many people feared the telepath, that's why she was more than just a simple heroine and that terrible power was what she needed to control and restrain day after day, however, even with all this new perception, it was nothing more than a little portion of what was really developing inside herself. If she survived this confront, maybe her power would be someday incomparable. Cyclops was set aside and smiled as if feeling proud of her girlfriend, while Wolverine, being treated the same, looked at his team partner as if living in one of his worst nightmares.
Together, three women moved in against Nemesis, being followed close behind by Iceman, who tried to impede the adversary to gain advantage without elevating her own gifts, and by Scott, who hit the enemy from afar, every time he had the opportunity. Logan snarled and ran to try to catch them, but soon saw himself in as much disadvantage as Cyclops, since there wasn't an exact speed limit in the battle. More and more heroes were getting close too, overtaking them and heading to the divinity while it was being taken to the nearest city.
Original needs to feel pleasure in having the power of others trying to destroy it, it didn't strike back while being attacked at first, nor when the ice started threatening to paralyze it, neither when the fire of Human Torch covered it. Nothing affected it, not even Vision's ray, James Rhode's onslaughts or Storm's electrical discharges. It didn't allow The Thing, Wolverine or Mister Fantastic to touch it, but didn't hurt them either, it held the honored Sam Wilson's shield and only threw it far away, ignored Scott's attacks, the shock and the poison of a Spider Man, as well as the hits of the other, besides pretending it didn't know where they were coming from for the invisibility skill from others. Valkyrie, Nemor and T'challa showed to be excellent combatants, but not as strong as the ones it desired. Nemesis didn't run away and the little it attacked back was with an equivalent power to Jean's. No one understood why it was acting like this, or at least until the self-controlled telepath slipped over the enemy's mental barriers almost as if she were being pulled inside it and saw herself in a whole different world.
Grey had no idea where she was, but it was a wonderful place and at the same time seemed to be about to collapse. There were grand forms of life there, apparently six or seven when counting the figure enrooted in a gigantic tree; one of them held her on its shoulder as if being responsible for her coming in there.
- Hello, human. – the albino creature with very yellow eyes holding her said and, at the same time, its voice was low, as if trying not to interrupt something.
- Hello? – There were too many questions to ask before that situation became something else than uncomfortable. The other creatures didn't even payed attention to her, they seemed to try to transmit a support for that thing in the tree.
- Allay your friends, yeas? Specially the android. We can't hold her from now on as we were doing. – There was something in that being trying to inspire confidence. – Good luck.
Without any more chances to answer, Jean was taken out of the alternative world and saw herself again among the chaos as if everything were in slow motion, she realized the enemy's closed hands and its discomfort as if the woman were trying to bear an explosion. Maybe that was really the case. Without thinking too much about it, since there was no time to, the telepath pushed the furthest as possible from that monster all the people around and those getting close together. The power discharge came instantly. Some were luckier than others, however, the mutant, unfortunately, couldn't save all of them, and being Logan an exception, there were not even bodies to identify them.
Johnny and Reed, who even not doing anything to protect themselves from the imminent destruction, were alive and almost intact. As soon as they realized they were far, they started to look around to make sure their partners were fine too. Ben was found kind of broken near there, however, when they saw Susan, their legs trembled and they didn't fall because The Thing held them. She was in Nemesis' arms.
When she noticed she was being pulled back, the Invisible Woman fought against the sensation, since it seemed to be a retribution from the enemy for the attacks, and only when she felt the hallucinating pain, the burns and the will to scream, she realized that that was an attempt to protect her. However, as fast as this sensation came, it was gone and the woman saw herself cured, besides much safer than had ever been since she left her home to come and save the world. She couldn't even feel fear when she looked at her protector and saw the greatest threat that the multiverse had ever known.
- She will be a very smart girl. – the divinity touched her belly with almost caring and disappeared heading to another spot of the same city.
All those who were conscious and could move, looked each other not understanding the Original's attitude. Long, warm and rocky arms involved the woman left behind still alive with a little restrained joy. Feeling suddenly nauseated just like when she knew her first child was coming, she understood what those words meant.
- You almost caused us a heart attack, sis, don't you ever do that again! – Her brother joked, extremely relieved, but her eyes only looked for her husband, while she settled herself on the caring of her family.
- I'm pregnant. – She said it so surely and perplex that all of them turned tense once again.
- Are you serious? And you're just telling me now? – Reed showed a brief nervous tic, being panicked and looking around anguished. – Where are those wizards when we need them? We're going back home immediately!
- Reed… - Ben called him more lost than at any other moment, be it for his injures that were deeper than the protection of his skin or for having felt the real meaning of the existence of the enemy all of them had in common. – if we die here or run away to our world, we won't have a home to go back to.
His words were heard for all those standing around during those family interaction seconds and the same weight was stablished on their consequences. When those people realized they were still able to fight and left their home to save the multiverse, it didn't seem to them that his would be a so absurdly different mission from the others, but uncountable lives were putting their hopes on their hands and failing would lead them to the complete end. This possibility had already been showed before, but has never been as incontestable as now.
Some of the survivors lost the strength that allowed them to stand, as it had been for almost every inhabitant of the world, the pression of Nemesis' power made them to face the ground and stay there unable to move. Giving up wasn't a choice they wanted to make, but their own bodies didn't obey them anymore.
The worst of all the give-up was that it has been becoming an attitude each time more frequent among those who made it until now.
