Hell
The legions were called and assembled. Millions upon millions were there, including the two angels from above, Remiel and Duma, that watched over Hell. They were merely observing as the demons rallied and fought against one another. Millions upon millions of demons roared and howled, each demanding to be named King of Hell now that the First was gone and Lucifer no longer cared.
Millions upon millions were scattered as Mephisto released his power on the populace.
"I think it's fairly obvious who should be in charge around here." Mephisto gloated, as he threw Neron (again an rhyming demon) across the expanse of Hell, "I have done things that each of the rest of you only dream of. I have corrupted whole empires, humbled the mightiest of champions, I have—"
"Been humiliated by the Supreme Kaioshin in recent times." Malbolgia bellowed as its immensity strode to the smaller Mephisto.
"And you would have faired better I take it?" Mephisto asked with a sneer.
"Indeed I would have. I'm cut more from the mold of Lucifer and the First than you, so it is I who should have the First's station and all lands under his reign, and thus become the mightiest of you." Malbolgia purported.
"Yes, well when you can corrupt the soul of Albert Simmons I'll be impressed. Currently, I find that you're a braggart and a blowhard." Mephisto laughed.
Malbolgia swatted at the smaller demon and crushed him with his immense fist.
"Braggart? Indeed." Malbolgia growled.
"Yes, especially if that was your best blow."
Malbolgia turned and saw Mephisto was now behind him, and was also equal in size to him. Mephisto's hands glowed with hellfire.
"Let's get this show on the road shall we?" Mephisto sneered.
"If we battle with our full might, many major cities of Hell will be in ruins." Malbolgia said, his hands glowing with necromantric energy.
"Yes and that's a total loss isn't it?" Mephisto said sarcastically.
"They can be rebuilt, as shrines to the victor." Malbolgia smiled, his huge jaws contorting horribly to do so.
"Shall we dance?" Mephisto asked, fists glowing more intense.
"Let's." Malbolgia replied, his fists likewise as bright.
There would be no quarter given, and none asked for as the two demons closed on one another. The hordes of Hell and even other Kings of Hell's provinces ran from these two, two of the most powerful about to clash with their full might. Well all but one ran. A whistling sound an instant later made the two demons pause and look upon the source. They both froze in terror at the sight of the figure who had whistled.
"YOU?!" they said in unison.
"Me.", the figure replied walking closer, "Well, well, well, I've been wondering what you two boys have been up to since I was gone. Place has really gotten dirty."
The figure trailed a well-manicured red fingernail against a stone pillar and looked disgustedly at dirt that came off. Blowing it off, the figure walked further towards Mephisto and Malbolgia, the sound of high heels clacking on the stone floor.
"You have no place here! You were banished!" Malbolgia said in anger, feeling his bravery return.
The figure regarded him with an evil smirk, fully accentuated by her ruby red lips.
"Yeah, I was. By you two. To earth. On a scale from one to ten, one being lowest and ten being the highest, that twenty-year sabbatical ranked a staggering zero on the fun scale. I mean my God; you have me talking like humans now! I picked that up while I was there! Do you know how annoying it is to think in these tones that make you two sound like children and it comes out like I'm some stupid valley girl? That alone is worth tearing you both apart from the inside out and displaying your innards all over Hell."
Mephisto stepped up. He wanted out and he'd use all his guile to do so because brawn would not get it done here, "You realize of course that Malbolgia put me up to helping cast you to earth, oh graciously merciless one."
"Talk to the hand."
"Excuse me?" Mephisto asked.
"Grrr. See that's exactly what I'm talking about! I meant to say, "Your pleas have fallen on deaf ears, you who are lower than the bile that maggots feast on", but oh no it comes out making me sound like a ditz." The figure said sighing loudly.
"Well I only meant to offer my sincerest condolences for your most painful experience." Mephisto added. Malbolgia was stewing.
"WhatEVER." The figure said, rolling her eyes, "I had to share a body with a human. Not even a female human either. That sucked beyond words. Do you know how much psychological damage that can do?"
"No mistress." Mephisto said, backing away.
"Well I'll tell you how much. A LOT! THAT'S HOW MUCH! So I says to myself, Self, we have to get out of here. So we did. Not the way we had planned but hey we still got back to Hell. It takes me years to crawl my way up here from the portion I landed in and what do I find when I get here? You two squabbling like a couple pf brats. I oughtta eviscerate you both where you stand." The figure growled, making Mephisto and Malbolgia back away, "But I also find that ding dong the First is dead and his throne is open. So rather than start PMSing over you two throwing me out, I think I'll just take the throne that is so rightfully mine. How's that sound?"
The figure walked seductively to her new throne and sat upon it, crossing her legs.
"That er…sounds…. most…satisfactory my Queen." Mephisto said kneeling. Malbolgia also began to kneel, his legs shaking at the return of the cruelest and most evil female demon he had ever known.
"Yes…. all hail Queen Glorificus." Malbolgia said, shakily.
"Hmm, kind of got used to my name on earth. Just call me Glory, sweetie pie."
"So what am I doing here?" Anya asked sitting on emerald grass by a sparkling stream.
"We have business to discuss." Warlock said, skipping a pebble across the stream.
"Okay, I'll bite. Just where is here?" Anya said standing and walking to Warlock's side.
"This is the realm within the Soul Gem that rests upon my Gauntlet. The inhabitants tend to call it Soul World." Warlock replied, turning to the shorter woman beside him.
"Okay, so what business do we discuss? Do I get paid?" Anya asked.
"Ever the businesswoman eh?" Warlock asked, "Currently you are quite dead. That can be remedied of course. With just a thought you can be returned to life and to your darling Xander despite the curses he rained upon me when you died."
"Uh huh. And you're not resurrecting me now because you have something for me to do. Some God you are." Anya replied.
"I'm fair and that's a quality that few ever achieve. Normally I wouldn't bother throwing my weight around and interfering with the natural order, but I have need of your particular talents." Warlock replied.
"No sex." Anya growled.
"Not those talents. I was referring to your preoccupation with the concept of vengeance." Warlock explained.
"I'm out of the evil game now. You must know that. No more vengeance. It's why I took all the power from the Vengeance Demons and put it into myself. No one else should be "punished" like that." Anya replied to Warlock.
"Very noble, and exactly why I decided I had need of you. Exactly why I set into motion the events that would make you the sole Vengeance Demon." Warlock explained, skipping another stone.
"You set in motion for me to die. You bastard." Anya growled.
"Look at it this way. Had you never taken that power again, and then Sunnydale would be destroyed. Had you not died, Xander's rage would haven't been awakened and Caleb would have killed Buffy before anyone could stop him. Had that not happened, then the First would have triumphed over Galactus and ended the universe. Your death was the turning point of the entire campaign. It was for the greater good." Warlock stated.
"You still set me up." Anya growled again.
"And I'm also giving you the chance to go back aren't I?" Warlock smiled.
"What do I have to do?" Anya asked.
"It's a funny thing, vengeance. When abused it is a horrible, horrible aspect of nature. However when in the right, when pure as snow, it is among the finest things in the universe. It is then called justice. I have need of justice, for you see I wish to solve a murder. My own. I was murdered before the dawn of creation when I was the One Who Was. I was murdered by the Presence, and I demand answers as to why. I have need of your power and also any special insights you can give to me in bringing about justice." Warlock explained.
"Whoa, whoa, you want to bring God to justice for reasons you don't fully understand? THE God?" Anya asked, wide-eyed.
"Quite simply, yes. I want answers and I want justice. In return for your aid you return to life and will be reunited with the one you love." Warlock replied.
"I'm going to have to think this over." Anya stated, her brow twisted in conflict.
"Take your time. You have all the time in the world here." Warlock said, as Anya walked off to think the proposal over.
"I think you scared her off Adam. Heh heh." A figure on the other bank of the stream said. His skin was purple and his hair was white, but other than that he was the exact double of Adam Warlock.
"Magus." Warlock said turning and walking across the water to that bank of the stream.
"Interesting scheme for godhood you have cooking there. Too bad it's doomed to failure." The Magus replied, lying back on the grass.
"You'd know of doomed aspirations for divinity wouldn't you?" Warlock asked, "Also I'm surprised you're still here considering the Goddess is not. Does it cut your pride that our sister has escaped this realm while you remain trapped?"
"Insults. My my, and here I thought you were above such things." The Magus replied, "What do you think my friend?"
A new figure began to walk down through the trees, as tall as a house with ebon black wings and fiery red eyes. The figure of the First.
"I think I'm going to tear this prison of yours apart with my bare hands Warlock." The First growled in anger.
"Temper. You and I have business to discuss as well." Warlock said looking up to the First.
"He's going to try and trick you." The Magus said.
"Of that I am aware." The First growled.
"Just obliging you, neighbor." The Magus replied with an evil smile.
"Begone shadow." Warlock said pointing at the Magus, who found himself on the other side of Soul World, "Greetings, shall we sit?"
The First swung a massive fist forcefully at Warlock. He roared in frustration when the fist merely went through Warlock.
"Damnation!" the First cursed.
"It must be rather painful to be non-corporeal again isn't it?" Warlock asked as he sat on a boulder.
"Rather." The First said angrily, "Your doing?"
"Not really no. Soul World is where souls reside, nohing more and nothing less. You, like the Magus before you, are an incomplete soul. A shade if you will." Warlock explained.
The First swung at Warlock again with the same results, "I AM NO SHADE!"
"You are a shade. You are only one aspect of Lucifer's soul, just as the Magus is the aspect of evil in my own soul. Of all the denizens of the Soul World, only you two can see or hear one another, as you are both of the same state. You are also incapable of touching any other soul residing within. I must say as punishments go, its not unpoetic. You are a prideful being who takes pleasure in inflicting pain upon others, with words or actions. To be robbed of that must be as a punishment in Hell. Although you could be freed." Warlock went on.
"I will not serve you." The First said, his pride as strong as ever, "And I will be free."
"How then? You cannot free yourself by your actions." Warlock stated.
"My father would have me freed." The First growled.
"I'm afraid you're quite mistaken. Lucifer will not raise a finger to aid you. Not one." Warlock said firmly.
"Lies." The First growled.
"Consider this. Lucifer allowed you free reign to try and end the world of earth numerous times. He never allowed any other King of Hell to even attempt it because the world of man fit too tightly into his future plans. Now why would he allow you to go about with trying to end that world?" Warlock asked.
"I am his favorite. His son." The First replied.
"True, but Lucifer was once the favorite of God was he not? And look how that turned out. He set you up. He KNEW that one day you would turn on him like he had done to the Presence long ago. He KNEW that. So he set it up to where you alone would have the authority to try and end earth and the entire universe. Lucifer and the other higher ups also knew that you would eventually be stopped in those early few weeks of your life in a body. They knew someone, somewhere would stop you. And it came to pass, but not with half the destruction that they thought would come of it because I stepped in. Lucifer's plans were that you would destroy much of the world of men, but then you would be stopped. Men would be strengthened by the struggle and fit into his future plans better and you would be out of the way. You were used."
The First was silent, thinking about what was just said.
"I offer you vengeance and freedom if you aid me in my quest." Warlock stated, "If not, I offer you an eternity of a world you cannot effect."
The First stared long and hard at Warlock and asked a simple question, "Why go through the trouble of stopping me?"
"Because, I care much for humanity and the universe as a whole. I could not let them be destroyed or even partially destroyed. Secondly, because this would be the only way I could get you to my side. I need power in this quest. Yours will do nicely." Warlock explained.
The First regarded Warlock for a long time before smirking, "And because every God needs a Devil."
Warlock smiled, "Precisely."
"Very well Warlock. The First Evil is at your service. For the time being." The First smiled evilly.
"Very good then. Now if you'll excuse me I have one last appointment to keep." Warlock explained.
"Very well. I look forward to working with you." The First said as Warlock disappeared from Soul World.
The First then began to laugh quite hardily. The game was afoot. The First's laugh turned to a bellow and then a roar that echoed across the world. Many denizens of Soul World could swear they heard something, but dismissed it as nothing.
A universe or two away, Lucifer stood on a mountaintop admiring the universe he had made in his own image, and had tended and nurtured. His pride beamed off of him like sunlight. His handsome face smiled as he watched the sun set.
"Hello Warlock." Lucifer said.
"Lucifer." Warlock said, standing beside the Archangel.
"To what do I owe this visit?" Lucifer asked.
"I just want a moment of your time." Warlock replied.
"Take two." Lucifer said, as table from a café appeared on the mountain. Both beings sat, "Congratulations are owed to you, Warlock. You did an admirable job of subduing my wayward child."
"Thank you. It was a rather exciting week." Warlock replied.
"The whole gambit of catching him off guard and dividing his attention was marvelous." Lucifer smiled, charmingly.
"Yes, I enjoyed that. Though it didn't work as well as I had hoped it would." Warlock replied.
"Oh?" Lucifer asked, curious.
"No. I had hoped it would have gone easier, so that several of the Potential Slayers would not have lost their lives. A tragedy that children had to die so young." Warlock replied.
"Thus goes war. Children always die, innocent or no." Lucifer said, drinking from a wine glass.
"Yes. It was also interesting that the creature known as Caleb and an army of vampires marched on the very house where the Potentials and true Slayers were sleeping, their minds on the astral plane. It's quite puzzling as to how the First knew all of this." Warlock said, a puzzled look on his face.
"Well, his mind is powerful. Perhaps he merely looked in upon the events in that town?" Lucifer said, stating a hypothesis.
"No that cannot be it. I shielded my intentions and plans well. The First could not have looked through them at that point in time. It would take a more powerful mind to see through my shields. Perhaps one with greater insight. One who can shed…"light" on any given situation." Warlock said looking at Lucifer.
Lucifer laughed and clapped, "Bravo. I admit. I did tell him your plans. It made things so much more entertaining."
"The potential destruction of a universe is entertaining?" Warlock asked.
"Not so much, no. But the struggle, THAT is what is most amusing. There is no greater thrill than that of battle, no darker vice. I should know. I invented vice." Lucifer smiled.
"True I suppose. So from one master planner to another, how do you feel now that your plan was still foiled?" Warlock asked.
"I'm furious." Lucifer said sipping from his wine glass again, "But there will be other opportunities and other days to win. I just try to keep things in perspective."
"Oh as do I." Warlock stated, "I try to see things as they are. And what I see right now is a coward who had to cover his ass."
Lucifer's smile faded and his eyes narrowed, "I would not say such things if I were you."
"Oh? Whatever happened to walking to the beat of our drummers?" Warlock asked, a smirk on his face.
Lucifer laughed slightly as he bent over the table to meet Warlock's gaze, "In MY universe there is only one drummer. The Morningstar."
Warlock smiled and returned the gaze, "What universe?"
There was a shift. No thunderous explosions, no black hole to which all matter collapsed into, no Big Bang, no Little Whimper. It was merely eaten away until it was all gone. It happened in an instant, reality eroded away and there was merely white light. Lucifer's jaw dropped as his entire universe was gone in one, fleeting, second. He turned to Warlock. His eyes were flares and his face red as the coals of Hell itself.
"Do you…. have any…………IDEA…. how long it took me to set the events into motion to CREATE this realm?!! IT TOOK EONS OF PLANNING! EONS!" the Morningstar uncharacteristically shouted.
"Try to keep things in perspective. There will be other opportunities and days to win." Warlock smiled, chillingly.
Lucifer's face was contorted in rage, and then merely went to a light smirk, "Savor this moment Warlock. SAVOR it. Because very soon, your head will be on a pike for all of reality to see. We will ruin you. There is no challenging us. We brook no opposition."
"Really?" Warlock asked.
The Infinity Gauntlet slammed into Lucifer's face, breaking his nose and sending blood pouring from it as he fell back, "Ruin me."
"You're a fool who courts destruction." Lucifer said, rising.
"Am I? I tend to see myself as a fool who actually gives a damn about the lesser beings and the universe as a whole. Don't ever try such a ploy on MY universe again." Warlock said, glowing with power.
"Or what? You'll destroy all of us? Myself and all the Hosts?" Lucifer asked with a smile.
"Yes." was Warlock's simply answer.
"You delude yourself Warlock. We will strike you down and when we do, you'll beg for death and find none." Lucifer replied.
"I have struck you. Now strike at me." Warlock growled in defiance.
Lucifer smiled, "In due time."
"That is what I thought. I warned you this day. Don't ever try such ploys on my universe again. Heed that warning." Warlock said to Lucifer and all others who may be listening. He then simply winked out of the remains of Lucifer's universe, leaving him floating in nothingness.
Lucifer growled to himself, "This had all better be damned well worth it."
I am the Alpha and the Omega. The beginning and the end. I have been killed and yet I rise again. I am a man, and I am a God. I am a wielder of the infinite and still I am awed. I am the One Who Was and Will Be Again. I am Adam Warlock, and I am coming. And I will not be stopped.