MAL86 - Really happy you enjoyed that last battle :) . And here it is, the epic (I hope :) ) end battle. I hope it at least somewhat lives up to expectations and hope you enjoy it. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing this story. There will probably be one more closing chapter with an epilogue (unless that becomes two if it becomes too large). But hope you enjoy this last action chapter :) .
(And as I said to MAL86, this is it, the battle finale, as our X-Men and their allies face off against Ogun and his demonic allies for the last time. I hope you all enjoy it :) ).
Chapter 23
Hurricane winds whipped around them, as they strove against each other, wind crashing and breaking against a counter wind. Searing lightning arcing from sky and hand only to fall silent and vanish as Ororo and her mirror vied for control of the sky. Portals appeared and disappeared across the torn battlefield, magical bursts and occasional optic blasts tearing forth out of glowing golden disc portals. They were met by opposing portals, as the blasts ricocheted back and forth in a dizzying display across the battlefield to ultimately crash into harmlessly into the ground. Equally other portals appeared beneath an X-Man or demonic doppelgänger to teleport them away to likely lethal effect only to be countered by yet another portal appearing straight over it, keeping the target in place as Illyana and her demonic opposite contended and anticipated each other. Rachel was locked in the air in a psionic duel with her demonic double, the telekinesis keeping both stable amidst the contenting, changing, vanishing and re-appearing hurricane winds that tore in chaotic conflict in the sky above the battlefield. Shattered and broken masonry, rocks, lampposts and telephone poles, along with various other debris and battle-remains levitated and spun haphazardly with increasing speed around the two psionics. The air between them rippled and warped with tension as their minds locked with laser precision against each other, in an all out joint telepathic and telekenetic assault against each other. Rachel and her doppelgänger put up defences, launched attacks, made moves and counter-moves, all at the speed of thought. Piotr was positioned, covering the group and his sister as he was locked wrestling with his own double, the metallic titans matched in power and skill. The ground rumbled and cracked from the sheer force of their colliding strength, two irresistible forces slamming into each other. To all the other combatants it it felt as though an earthquake had joined the titanic and chaotic tempest in the sky, to tear the demonic-haunted abandoned town to dust, as though both Zeus and Posiedon had decreed it's doom.
Scott countering his own doubles's optic blasts, had given up attempting to co-ordinate with Illyana's portals to strike one the their demonic opposites, a thought which had clearly occurred to his counter-part as well. But though their demonic adversaries had taken both their abilities, training and skills that didn't mean they could duplicate their comradeship, team-work and ability to react creatively. Scott signalled across Rachel's psi-link saying, let's give them something they don't expect. Let's switch targets, and quickly communicated his plan. Unleashing an optic blast into another portal summoned by Illyana, Scott keep track of the ricocheting ruby-red blast, and watched as he countered another blast from his own demonic double, and saw it landed tearing another hole into the torn up ground of what had been an open park.
Now, Scott called, and Rachel shifted, grasping the mirror version of Ororo with claws of telekinetic power, launching a similar assault upon her mind, causing the mirror demon to momentarily loose focus on it's attempts to wrest control of the weather. Ororo immediately took full control of the roaring tempest, eyes blazing white, brought it's full fury crashing down on Rachel's infernal mirror self before it could take advantage of Rachel's distraction. Arcing lightning blazing down upon the demonic Rachel, a constant barrage of searing white plasma joining the hurricane force winds to tear into the Rachel double's telekinetic shield. The whole landscape around Scott became illuminated in the constant harsh white strobing flashes of it's blinding strikes, the constant ear-splitting crack of thunder tearing the air around them.
Straining and forced on the defensive, the Rachel double could do nothing as Ororo's clone was wrenched slamming into the hole Scott's optic blast made into the ground, like a rag-doll thrown to the floor by an angry giant. Illyana held her hand out towards Scott muttering a quick incantation, and a blue glow appeared shinning around him. Scott whipped towards Piotr's metallic doppelgänger, adsorbing the optic blast his duplicate sent slamming into him. The protection spell Illyana cast over him holding off the hell-fire burning within the ruby-red beam, as it crackled against the blue glow shinning over him. Gritting himself against the pain, Scott unleashed the full concussive power contained within him against Piotr's demonic double. The brilliant ruby-red torrent crashed into his shinning warped metallic body as Piotr jumped back, flinging the demonic metal giant back with a howl of rage against the infernal doppelgänger of Illyana. The Magik double's hell-fire's eyes went wide, opening a glowing portal disc before her, it's exit open behind her, the steel body sailing through it to land with a resounding crash, tearing through the ground behind the demonic clone of Illyana in an eruption of earth.
Just as Illyana's mirror was distracted, Illyana opened a disc portal beneath her brother, Piotr dropping through it to appear just above the form of the demonic Ororo, momentarily stunned in the crater. Locking his metallic fists together, Piotr plummeted to the ground upon the demon like a shinning meteor crashing to the earth. The Russian slammed his fists down, bringing all his superhuman strength down up the demon as the steel juggernaut slammed home in a thunderous explosion of earth and blood-red hell-fire as the Ororo mirror burst apart beneath his titanic impact, vanishing in a blaze of hell-fire that flared before bursting apart into nothingness with a fading demonic howl.
Rachel shifted back, once more locking her demonic mirror in their all out psionic duel as the Scott brought his optic blast blazing back against his duplicate, their joint concussive energy breaking upon each other. The demonic steel giant that was Piotr's double, leapt back up and thundered towards Scott only to be met by the full electric fury of Ororo's lightning strike down upon the steel demonic. The demon howled, it's metallic body shaking and spasming as torrential electric currents surged through it's organic metal body. The searing lightning focused on it's chest, which began to glow red-hot under the focused electric energy burning through it. Piotr the Colossus grabbed a long piece of concrete Ororo's winds carried to him, and breaking of a few pieces quickly fashioning a point to one end. The giant metallic Russian rushed forward and thrust the concrete make-shift spear through the heat softened area of his demonic doppelgänger, the concrete breaking at it burst through the demonic chest in a burst of searing white-hot plasma. The creature let forth a keening scream of a thousand tormented voices and hell-fire flared from within it's chest, bursting forth from it's eyes, before the steel demonic doppelgänger vanished in a brilliant eruption of blue-white electric and blood-red fire, promptly vanishing into smoke blown apart before Ororo's furious and cleansing winds.
Illyana rushed forward, releasing a barrage of magical blasts through summoned portals against her double, forcing her own duplicate to counter those as the magical swordswoman dashing past Scott, leaping forward to slide beneath the clashing concussive force raging above her. Coming to a stop before the demonic Cyclops Illyana stabbed upwards with her Soulsword, the blazing yellow blade plunging up through it's chest and out it's back above in a burst of magical power. The infernal doppelgänger of Scott let forth a terrible cry, the hell-fire flaring forth from it's visor for a moment before it cut out and disappeared. The body turning grey before bursting into a cloud of ash before Scott, Illyana's Soulsword cancelling the infernal magic within it.
Ororo renewing her assault alongside Rachel upon Rachel's demonic clone, Scott and Illyana let loose a joint barrage of optic and magical blasts at Illyana's duplicate. The demonic mirror setting forth a series of discs met again by Illyana's own as both concussive and magical blasts ricocheted across the battlefield. Then next moment Illyana thrust her sword forward. Rachel freed up a little from full engagement in the psionic duel with her own doppelgänger by Ororo's assault, grasped Illyana's Soulsword with her power. Rachel then launched it with incredible force, sending itstriking home with a wet thud into the heart of the distracted demonic Illyana double. The Magik infernal clone let forth a yell of agony, her hell-fire eyes bursting forth, before guttering out, it's body collapsing into a cloud of dust, the Soulsword clattering to the ground.
The demonic Rachel copy looked around frantically, it's fanged jaws champing in rage as Scott's optic blast joined the telekinetic and lightning assaults upon it's telekinetic shields. Retrieving her Soulsword Illyana reached up, her hand glowing towards the remaining demon, that was using all it's power to keep the combined attacks of Scott, Rachel and Ororo at bay. A glowing portal disc formed just above the raging demon, descending as the infernal Rachel doppelgänger head shot up. As the portal moved over it, the demonic head appeared coming up out of an exit portal just above one of nearby streets.
It's head, a twisted vision of Rachel's own, glaring and hissing at them from the street, full of hatred and malice. At that, Illyana cut the portal with the sound of a wet thunk, the demonic body jolting before going slack and dropping headless, it's the telekinetic shield vanishing, to being torn apart by the combined fury of lightning storm, telekinetic psi-blast and raging ruby-red concussive force. The body burst apart, vaporising in the blaze of the X-Men's combined force and flashing hell-fire. The now severed head on the street became still, it's hissing silenced, it's hell-fire eyes blazing forth with a mourning cry, before vanishing as though blown out, the head crumbling to dust before their eyes.
The roaring tempest around Scott fell silent as Ororo and Rachel descended back to join their teammates on the ground, everyone breathing deeply as they starred out across the ripped and torn landscape before them, looking as though this area of the Soteria town had been the victim of an aerial bombing run. Rachel looked at where the head of her demonic doppelgänger had been, shivering slightly as she remarked, 'I don't mind telling you all, seeing that was a little disturbing, with it hissing at us with a twisted version of my own face.'
'I suspect that is part of the point,' Ororo replied, 'trying to attack us psychologically, unsettle us and off-foot us with twisted mirror versions of ourselves. To bad as they found out to their cost, as Scott said, taking the form of the X-Men isn't the same as becoming us, nor could they break our spirits with such cheap tricks. Something for them to reflect on now their all back in hell were they belong.'
Scott turned around to his team and asked, 'everyone all right?' when they all nodded he continued, 'okay. Get yourselves ready then. Illyana, open a portal. Let's link up with Jean's squad, get Logan back and finish this.'
Illyana held up her hand glowing with yellow energy, a glowing portal disc appearing above the team as they gathered together. It descended over them, and the X-Team vanishing from sight as they went to join their friends.
Golden energy wrapped around the multiple legs of the conjoined monstrosity of Ogun and Thomas as Jean locked the hellish monster in place. The harmonized powers of Rose and Jean that Logan could now sense were linking and re-forcing each other, strengthened the hold of Jean's telekinetic grip upon the warped creature Ogun and Thomas had become. The beast writhed and thrashed against the golden bonds holding it, as the red-horned masked lupine face glaring down at the them. Logan leapt howling in answer, Rose swooping down to catch him, launching them both shooting up towards the monster's head. Rose brought them to a stop as Ogun-Thomas, hell-fire burning in the monstrosity's mouth, let forth a blast of hell-fire streaming towards the gathered X-Team.
Rose's wings snapped shut, in unison with Logan's own glowing claws that clashed together in a flare of radiant golden power. Rose's closing wings met and united with the flaring shield formed by his clashing claws, the shared union of their power causing both wings and claws to flare anew with brilliant, searing intensity against the blood-red fire burning down at them. Through his link with her, Logan felt as Rose's psionic wings linked with his claws, a golden telekinetic shield formed around their friends and allies behind them as Rose's and Jean's powers acted in concert, just as the hell-fire slammed into the shield in a shattering clash of infernal and psychic energies, crackling the air before him.
Logan felt the fire within Rose and himself blazing in response to the hell-fire that surged and crackled around them. Golden psionic fire pulsing brighter and brighter before him in response to the infernal energies raging against it, a brilliance that should have been blinding but only seemed to help increase the clarity and focus of his vision. The power within burning stronger and stronger, surging back against the hell-fire thundering against them, Logan felt the power building up within Rose, Jean and himself until it reach it's peak. It's fire flooded him with strength and power, shrugging off the pressure of the hell-fire raging against it. With a mighty roar, echoed by Rose and Jean behind him, Logan snapped his claws open in unison with Rose wings, both clashing open in a mighty thundercrack of furious golden power, bursting the hell-fire blast apart as though it were nothing more than a candle flame.
The explosion of pisonic power launched Logan hurtling forward, a clawed missile tearing towards the conjoined monstrosity sent reeling as the golden psionic blacklash of their clashing powers crashed into the demonic creature with a flash of golden lightning searing into it's flesh. With a roar Logan slammed home, his claws spearing deep into it's lower jaw. In an erupting flash of golden fire, Logan's clawed fists tore out into it's fanged maw, the monster's mouth bursting into golden flame that burnt furiously into the demonic creature. As it howled in agony, Logan swung his legs forward, locking them around the Ogun-Thomas beast's throat, as Rose soared above them high into the air.
Out of the corner of his eye Logan saw the werewolf form of Tom leap onto one of the creature's leg and with a battle-roar Tom launched himself onto the demonic monstrosity's back, ripping and tearing his way up it's back. Below he saw Kitty and the white-haired figure Logan knew from Rose's mind to be his older brother, grasped on the shoulder by Kurt. Vanishing in a burst of sulphur and brimstone, the three reappeared just before the creature's four flailing taloned arms and pincers. Kurt cast them at the demonic monster's arms and chest as Kitty phased and the white haired figure shifted into a luminous, transparent ghostly form, with glowing red eyes. All to familiar bone claws bursting out of the white-haired man's left hand, while the other held a long, dark knife that somehow radiated a dark power Logan could almost feel.
All three moved effortlessly through the air, Kitty and his brother phasing whilst Kurt erupted into a teleporting acrobatic dance, working in effortless coordination with the phased pair as the three dodged raking claws and pincers, phasing through or 'porting around the four arms. The white-haired figure roaring an all to familiar battle-howl, as Kitty, Kurt and he hacked and slashed about them in a fury of sword, blade and claws, cutting and ripping into the limbs around them. They moved in a deadly aerial dance back and forth striking out at the demonic limbs thrashing futilely around them, each beginning to fall one by one.
With a renewed roar, using the conjoined monster's own throat as leverage, Logan punched his burning claws deeper into it's lower jaw. He pulled, straining, using his own unbreakable skeleton as a lever. With a final battle-roar, Logan tore the monster's lower jaw free with a wet, ripping sound, bringing forth a fresh, ear-splitting cry of agony, as he sent the flaming jaw crashing to floor behind him. Logan followed that up with a double-slash at the monster's demonic throat, his claws biting deep in searing cracks of golden lightning, leaving six deep cuts burning with golden fire.
Logan knifed down with his right claws, stabbing deep into the conjoined monster's neck, a burst of golden lightning flashing from the smoking wound, as he pivoted on his claws, using them to grip into the demonic neck, and somersaulted and leapt upwards. Logan back-flipped to land on the back of the Ogun-Thomas beast's monstrous head, just at the point where Ogun's demonic red Mask had fused with the enlarged lupine skull. Logan punched his claws back down, slamming home just at the fused point where Mask and flesh met. In a resounding thunderflash of shinning golden energy, his radiant claws struck deep, burning into the demonic beast's brain, eliciting a renewed howl of agony and rage. Tom had just reached to top of the conjoined monstrosity's serpentine, wolfish back, and growled in approval as he launched himself at the neck Logan had just left, ripping it anew with claws and teeth.
Just below Logan Kitty, Kurt and his white-haired brother just finished cutting off the last of it's arms, the taloned arm falling to the auditorium floor, decaying rapidly even as it fall, breaking into a cloud of dust as it hit the floor. Jean's golden telekinetic claws gripped even more of the creature's body as it's head thrashed under the combined assault of Logan and Tom. Flames burst anew from it's jawless mouth as golden psionic energy kept pouring into the creature from Logan's claws. It's head began to smoke and glow as the psionic energy began burning it from within. Riding the back of it's thrashing head like riding a raging bull, the raging voices of Ogun and Thomas growled at Logan from within the monstrous form, as though calling from within the hell-fire itself, 'we're not finished yet, not until we've caused you pain!'
The flaming hell-fire eyes of the red-horned masked monstrosity grew dark as it twisted it's smoking head down towards Jean, Kitty, Kurt and his brother, 'you'll lose them before you finish us!'
Logan grinned savagely answering, 'you forgot to keep your awareness of your surroundings, my old master,' just as Rose diving down, wings close around her, slammed home, her crackling psionic blades plunging through the conjoined beast's dark eyes in a deafening blast of golden fire. The gathering shadow energy in the eyes vanishing before the blast, the demonic pair screaming as the blades pierced deep into it's brain. A second shattering thunderflash ripped through the air as Rose's psionic blades met Logan's golden claws, an explosion of golden lightning bursting out from with the demonic monster's twisted head in a blinding flash. As the flash faded all that was left of the demonic monster's head was a massive flaming lupine skull fused to a horned red mask covering it's length flailing and trashing around, as golden flames ate hungrily into it, leaving the three combatants locked onto the whipping skull and neck with blades, claws and teeth unharmed.
It's form whipping and twisting as it struggled under the titanic hold of Jean's telekinetic force, the voices of Ogun and Thomas, reverberating from deep within the beast's body, hollow and audibly weaker, hissed at Logan, 'we won't go. You cannot make us, you'll never be rid of us,' the hell-fire flaring as it fought back at psionic energy destroying it.
'You're done, bub. I'm done with the both of you,' Logan growled in reply, punching his claws deeper, clashing with Rose's blades with a renewed surge of golden energy.
Looking down to Kitty, Kurt and his white-haired brother slashing and cutting into the massive chest of the demonic monstrosity, Logan communicated across the shared psi-link maintained by Rose and Jean. Kitty, go for their heart, it's the last source of their power, an' what Ogun's using to resist his destruction. With a brief nod, Kurt flashed beside Kitty and Logan's older brother, grabbing the parts of them they made solid for a moment, and with a sulphurous burst teleported them above the location of it's heart, guided by his older brother's senses effortlessly transmitted through the psi-link. As Logan rode the whipping and thrashing skull beside Rose and Tom, Kitty and his brother plunged their blades, claws and arms into the beast's chest, phasing through it, his brother reaching right up to his shoulders, followed by the sound of tearing within as dark and light swords, dagger and claws punctured and transfixed the black heart within.
A deep scream of futile rage, agony and terror echoed forth from within the twisted conjoined monstrosity, twin ghostly voices crying forth as the beast's wolfish serpentine form stiffened. Hell-fire within flared, before guttering and vanishing as the golden psionic energy pulsed down from it's head and throat, down through it's neck. Now unimpeded it blazed like a burning torrent through it's massive form. Searing golden light flared from it's wounds, and all the tears and cuts in it's flesh. Fresh cracks and tears appeared all over the conjoined monstrosity's body, as furious flame burst free from it's smoking, cracking and ripping body.
Kurt grasped and teleported Kitty and his white-haired brother away, as Logan looked to Rose and Tom, saying, 'let's end this.' Tom grinned back savagely as he gripped his claws into the now mostly skeletal neck, pulling backwards. Logan, locked his legs around the base of the deformed skull, as Rose beat her wings, her blades linked with his claws once more, the psionic power flowing between them, uniting them. They two pulled upwards, combining the force of Rose's wings and his strength against the downward pull of Tom's claws. Using his unbreakable arms as leverage once more, backed by the power of Rose's wings, there was a grinding crack, followed by loud snap like a snapping a tree branch as Logan and Rose tore the beast's head free, and cast the flaming skull crashing to the ground.
The next moment, the massive body blazed forth with radiant golden light, Kurt flashed by Tom's side in a sulphurous burst, grabbing him and teleporting him away, as Rose flipped behind Logan. She grabbed him and they shot away soaring back down towards the rest of the group. Jean brought up a powerful golden telekinetic shield around the group as they gathered together, Rose rushing towards the front of the shield. Linked her wings with Jean's power, the shield become dazzling as Rose closed her wings, linking with Logan's own radiant claws, clashing defensively before him. The shield pulsed brilliantly as the blazing headless form burst apart with a thunderous explosion of golden fire, erupting with a deafening roar across the radiant shield, blasting over them in a brilliant wave of golden fire, before fading and vanishing just as quickly.
Cautiously Jean dropped her shield as Rose unfolded her wings, and she and Jean descended back to the auditorium floor, Logan leaping down from Rose's hold as they re-joined their friends and allies. Peering around them, the demonic monstrosity was completely gone, nothing left but smoke and ash drifting in the air. The room around them had been burnt clean, all demonic remains vaporised in the blast, the burning sigils scorched, scoured clean from the walls, the ritual stones all shattered on the stage, leaving only the pool left.
Smiling, Jean exclaimed, 'it's over, Logan's free and we wo… ' just as a powerful blast of combined concussive and electric force blasted the doors leading into the auditorium behind them open, sending the doors flying across the room the lie at the group's feet as they spun around towards the potential new threat.
They stopped stunned for a moment as they saw Scott, Ororo, Rachel, Piotr and Illyana come rushing in. Scott's visor flashing red, lightning crackling from Ororo's hands, Soulsword and gleaming metallic fists held at the ready, Rachel soaring to join Ororo. Their would-be rescuers suddenly halted and both groups just looked at each other for a moment, before they both burst out laughing.
Scott grinned, rubbed his head a little sheepishly, 'we thought you could all use a hand. Looks like we needn't have worried.'
Jean laughing, rushed at her husband and threw her arms around him, kissing him deeply as she embraced him tightly. Scott gladly returning the embrace, before looking up, Jean grinned at her daughter. 'Don't worry, I'm just glad you're all okay as well.'
'No demons have ever managed to get the best of us,' Ororo replied, smiling towards Logan as she landed gracefully. 'I'm glad to see you back with us my dear friend.'
'Me too,' Piotr added, smiling warmly at him.
Rose, her psionic wings and armour fading back into her body, rushed and embraced Logan tightly once more, gripping him fiercely in a tight bear hug, as though afraid he might vanish on her. Logan returned the embrace, encircling her and cocooning Rose within his arms, caressing her back comfortingly as she laid her head on his shoulder. Looking back at Ororo, Piotr, Rachel, Illyana and Scott Logan replied, 'your all a sight for sore eyes too. Thanks for comin' to get me, means allot.'
'Your family, Logan.' Ororo replied, 'you would got to hell and back for all of us as well. That's what the X-Men do for each other.'
'It's finally over James,' Rose said, sighing softly.
'Not quite,' Logan replied, looking up to the sky still red, and flashing with dark lightning. Looking back towards the stage he searched the floor until he found what he as looking for. Ogun's Mask, lying amidst the shattered debris of the stage. Moving out of Rose's embrace, Logan walked towards the Mask, lifting into his hands. He looked back towards Kitty saying, 'what do you say Kitty. It's time both of us put an end to this creep that keeps tryin' to haunt us both, an' cast him back to hell were he belongs, for good this time.'
'No argument from me, old man,' Kitty replied in return, with a hard glare at the empty demonic mask in Logan's hand before smiling back at him. They both mounted the stairs leading to the churning pool of blood, smoking and burning with hell-fire.
'Time to send you back where you belong, Ogun. Whatever you once were, you're now nothin' but a leech tryin' to live off others, that stops now,' Logan said towards the Mask with grim finality. The claws of his right hand popped free with metallic staccato click, and blazed with radiant golden fire, as Logan punched them down into the head of the Mask with a crack of golden lightning. The red-horned demonic face burst into fire, as golden psionic energy pulsed into it. The next moment, Kitty raised the gleaming Honour Sword of Clan Yashida high, and chopped down with a perfect strike, cutting the Mask in half. As she finished her cut, the Mask burst apart in the flash of golden fire, and Logan heard a distant mournful cry ring out, before fading away as though carried away by the wind.
Gathering the remaining fragments, they both crushed them further, before casting the fragments into the churning pool of hell-fire. The hell-fire flared, as the fragments hit the pool, the hell-fire and smoke rushing towards the point were they landed, the blood vanishing as it burnt away. The hell-fire and smoke vanished, sucked into the invisible vortex that formed where the Mask fragments had been. When all the blood had burnt away, a single ball of blood-red hell-fire blazed for a moment, struggling before vanishing with a burst, sucked into the invisible vortex. Then with quiet zipping sound, Logan knew the vortex was closed, followed by a loud crack above them. Looking up out of the hole in the auditorium's roof, they saw the blood-red sky fading and vanishing before their eyes, replaced by bright blue sky and white clouds.
Sharing a brief look with Kitty, a look of understanding pasting between the two who had been Ogun's targets for so long, Logan then walked back down the steps from the now empty stone pool towards Rose, Kitty following him, embracing Rose as she rushed towards him once again.
'Now it's over,' Logan said, kissing her tenderly, before looking at everyone else, grinning. 'I don't know about the rest of you, but I could really use a drink right about now.'