Apocalypse Game

A/U: This is where the story gets interesting, this chapter in particular....oh yeah I don't own anything, except me and my earth. Watch for odd references to a few things that we know to be true of.... oh and if you haven't read OMG: Trial by Tenderness, do so, cause that might fill you in on what the heck is happening for the rest of the story... basically if you read this chapter and are confused, then more power to you.

Chapter Ten

Goddess's World

"Give me one reason," screamed Hobbes pulling out his saber sword, "Why I shouldn't turn this lady.... this demoness into Chop Suey right now and avenge Calvin's death."

"Hobbes," said Bell, "look at me, and you'll know why."

Hobbes did so and a stream of mental pictures and information was passed on to him, and he understood why she... Demoness Mara couldn't be killed.

"Fine, I realize my mistake and I apologize for that outburst," he muttered, "I must sit and think about this."

He went and sat under the Cherry tree and fell into a restless sleep of retaining the information and understanding it, meanwhile Bell, Urd, and Mara talked while Skuld went back to her labs.

"How long until John arrives?" asked Mara looking apprehensively up at the sky, "'Cause afterall he is going to want to kill me."

"That's what were counting on dear," said Bell, "But Hobbes is going to have to convince him of the truth and he'll listen to Hobbes, then its just a matter of time before Skuld comes back out or makes her move."

"I don't like this at all" said Urd, "What if Skuld realizes that we know something she doesn't know?"

"Then that's what were going to have to hope for," said Professor X just now joining the council, "We know that John is very wilful something that's saved his life way to many times, though from what Doc Strange just told me, he might not listen to reason."

"I can preform a simple holding spell," said Bell, "But getting him to listen is going to be harder, especially where truth is concerned."

"We all have had problems like that and I sympathize with you Mara," said Professor X, "I don't sympathize usually, but with what happened today and the judgement that will come in the form of Excalibur, I sympathize for all of us chosen for saving the world.

"But why us?" asked Urd, "What do we have that the true hero's don't have, why call on three Goddesses, the X-Men, a metaphysic Tiger, a magic healer, and a half souled creation who just happens to be the incarnate form of Thor, what do we have?"

"We have something that none of the other groups have," said X, "We have the ties that bind, both spiritually and physically, most of us are family, the three Goddesses, X-Force, Saber, and John; they all had things in common...family, and yet they are gathered here today despite that things have taken their famileis from them or vice versa."

Suddenly Saber jumped up, his blades in hand and scanning the skys, Belldandy didn't need to question him, just by looking at his posture she could see that I was on my way to exact vengeance.

"Bell, now would be a good time to get the incantation ready for the holding spell, "said Hobbes, "John just got a new set of tricks, and one of them is flying and he's got a vengeance streak on him as well and that isn't going to be easy to break."

"Let me," said Urd standing up, "I can cast a far more powerful spell that will hold him."

Hobbes smiled at her and said "No my child, I know your courage is commendable, but Bell is better because she has done these things before, and besides we don't have Velsper here to whip up a time stop so that we could have more time."

"Right," said Bell, "Let's get started and lets hope the circle holds."

With that, Bell, Urd, Mara, and Saber drew up a large circle then Bell started chanting...I'd say the chant but I don't do Norse justice in the old tongue and I never did learn more then a couple of helping words for attacks.

Five Thousand feet and counting: "The dark one shall die," I said to myself, "She will pay the price and Calvin will be avenged and the circle complete."

Bell got the chant complete, she had figured where I would land and where I would walk to, to confront Mara, and then once I was within the middle the glowing circe would keep me in there until I was ready to listen to reason.

One Thousand feet and counting: "DEMONESS!!!!" I screamed, "FEAR THE WRATH OF THE SWORD EXCALIBUR!!!!!!!!!!!"

Saber stood ready with his blades out and instructed Bell to get ready, "I don't want to hurt him know, but I need you to stand by the circle and I need to direct him to it."

Then I appeared sailing straight for Mara and right on the circle where it activated.

"Or, maybe not," mused Hobbes watching the spell circle activate.

"LET US GO!!!" I screamed, "VENGEANCE IS MINE AND I MUST AVENGE CALVIN!!!!"

"John, calm down now!!!" ordered Hobbes, "And listen to what I have to give you."

"NO!!!!!" I screamed, "YOU HAVE BEEN CORRUPTED AND SWAYED BY THE DARKNESS AND I WILL ENACT VENGEANCE AGAINST.....URK!!"

He punched me down and held me while Bell looked into my eyes and force fed me information. What I saw was something beyond comprehension, beyond understanding, beyond everything I once knew. It took me a while to calm down, but I accepted the information and looked it over, I then realized who true enemy was here.

"Let....Me....Go!!" I ordered, "I have reason to fight, but not with the Demoness."

The four of them looked at each other and deactivated the circle, I stepped out and got ready to enact business, "Skuld," I cried, "Come out here, I need to speak with you."

"Is he crazy?" asked Hobbes, "She could kill him just by making something and killing him from the house, why does he all of a sudden become so brave?"

"You haven't seen him in battle yet," said X, "He kills without mercy, but he will give mercy if its needed and thats where his honor lies."

"Then comes the future," mused Hobbes, "That our fate lies upon the shoulders of a child."