Piotr arose out of the crater feeling pain all over his organic steel body. He had just undergone a collision with Sunfire. Shiro had been falling from the sky and hit Colossus dead on. He wanted to see if his teammate was all right, but the pain was blinding him so he couldn't look anywhere. Putting his hand to his left shoulder, the place the pain was coming from, he felt a strange feeling. He felt an immense cooling sensation come over him. Glimpsing down Colossus saw a huge gash in his shoulder and blue energy was leaking out of it like heavy gelatin.
"That's quite the wound," Peter said stating the obvious.
"Tell me about it. I'm sorry for having hit you, but that Storm copy threw out of the sky like it was nothing," Shiro said as he crawled out of the crater behind Colossus.
Turning around Piotr was stunned by the appearance of Shiro. So much so that he couldn't even speak. What had happened to him? He wanted to say something so bad, but the words wouldn't come out.
"What are you staring at? Am I hurt somewhere because I surely don't feel anything," Sunfire said as he looked down at himself. He then saw what Colossus had seen. His whole body was bright orange and glowing like a…sun. Flames flickered off his body as if they were birds poking their heads out of their nest. What had happened to him?
"And that's why I told you to take the serum," Sinister said as he walked to the sight of the crater. He was enjoying the shock in the red, pupil less eyes of Sunfire. He had told that arrogant fool to take the serum and now he was paying for it. His powers had made his entire body into the very plasma matter that is found on the sun.
"Shut up Sinister," Colossus grunted as pain overtook him again. He was still lying in the sands. He could barely get up.
"And I have the cure for your little ailment right here Piotr, but you just have to agree that you owe me a favor," Sinister said as he outstretched his hand. In the middle of it a tubular lime green pill with a red strip through the middle of it.
Colossus wanted so bad to refuse Sinister. He wanted more than anything to refuse, but the pain was so great. If he didn't accept Sinister's deal he would die and he would leave Illyana all alone. That's something Rasputin refused to let happen. His brother had already died when being with the Exiles. He would not do the same.
"Fine Sinister. You win."
Essex smiled and handed Colossus the pill, "I knew you would see things my way."
As Colossus took the pill Sunfire exclaimed hysterically, "What of me Sinister! Do you have a cure for me? Please help me!"
"I tried to help you Shiro. You denied me. I do have something that can help you though. Just incapacitate Jadianna and bring her to me. Then incinerate her forces and I'll help you."
Shiro nodded and flew up into the air straight towards Jadianna. He was going to take her down. No matter what it took. As he flew towards the woman she said with a mocking tone, "Another puny mutant come to challenge me? How cute!"
With that she threw a powerful lighting bolt at Shiro. That same bolt had caught him off guard before, but it wasn't happening again. Without a word he let the bolt pass through him and fire off a blast that hit Jadianna's electrical field dead on. The shock of her field being destroyed was enough to knock Jadianna out.
As she fell from the sky like a broken bird she was caught in the arms of Sunfire. Surprisingly she didn't suffer a single burn while being in his arms. He could control his temperature in this form he found out to his surprise.
"Amazing," Shiro said as she descended to the ground.
He gave Jadianna to Sinister, who held her by her long white hair. Colossus was now healed on his feet. Looking out behind him Essex called out to Judas Traveller who appeared to him immediately using the powers of Vanisher.
"Project C.L.I. can begin now Judas. Take her back to base ASAP," Sinister commanded. Judas Traveller took the woman into his arms and was gone without a single word.
"What's Project C.L.I. Sinister?" Colossus asked suspiciously.
"None of your business Rasputin…yet. Now I suggest Shiro that you finish off Jadianna's forces. I'll be waiting for at the center of Cairo," Sinister said as he opened up a terrasect portal and walked through it.
"Find everyone Peter! I'll be finishing this battle shortly! The duties of a Yashida never end," Sunfire said as he flew off into the air.
TokyoRamses descended upon the battlefield to find many of his soldiers beaten, mauled, and dead. Earth 616 was all many claimed it to be. It was full of ferocity and power. He liked the challenge. Looking around the battlefield he found the source of all his woes in this battle. He found the man known as Exodus.
With the power of the Century Items he now possessed Ramses teleported to where Exodus was. His sudden arrival surprised Exodus and it gave Ramses time to smack Bennet a few yards with his super-strength, another power stemming from the Century Items.
"So you're the leader of this little outfit aren't you? You really think my armies can be defeated?" Ramses asked trying to sound angered when he was really amused by the strength of this Exodus. On his world his mother, Amelia Voight, had once been under the servitude of Exodus. His world's Exodus wasn't nearly as powerful as this one though.
Exodus didn't take the time to respond to Ramses. He was on a rage from all the life energy he had absorbed from hundreds of Ramses soldiers. His powers were raging to be unleashed and he now had the perfect victim. Throwing his head forward fiercely as if he was about to head butt someone a powerful mental bolt flew out and hit Ramses.
The leader of the invasion fell to his knees and he was screaming. The bolt was so powerful…too powerful. He could barely handle his mind from falling apart. Exodus was brimming with power. Even with the Century Items he was no match for Exodus.
Ramses fell back into the ground and rolled across the pavement. The bolt was still wrecking his mind. Suddenly he felt his body being tugged at. Exodus was attacking him again? Then a dreadful realization came to Ramses and he knew that Bennet wasn't attacking him. He was attacking the Century Items, his only means of survival in this battle.
All at once the mystical items came flying off of his body. Exodus with his telekinesis crushed all the Century Items. When he did that a wave of white energy flew everywhere. It knocked Exodus to the ground and when he arose he saw most of Ramses's army was dead and the leaders was dead along with them.
"You idiot!" Scarlet Witch called out from afar as she ran over and kicked Exodus.
"You nearly killed all of us," Fabian Cortez said angrily as he and the F-Series mutants came up behind Scarlet Witch.
"He did kill F19!" F16 roared.
Exodus finally coming out of his psionic high got up and said, "I'm sorry. All the life forces had put me on the equivalent of a telepathic sugar rush. I got out of control."
"You're damn straight you did!" Scarlet Witch scolded.
"All that matters now is that we won! Let's celebrate that," F13 said trying to calm the fire amongst everyone.
"Indeed. Now let's hope our allies are fairing as well," Fabian Cortez said.
NairobiPink crystal surrounded Mutant Forger. The crystal had come from Ptah. He was the son of Black Bolt and the Inhuman woman known as Crystal. Mutant Forger had no time to deal with this general. He had to finish this battle and send him packing.
Using a powerful sonic cry he had recently acquired Mutant Forger threw away his crystal prison easily. Flying towards Ptah at an incredible speed he punched the Inhuman general directly in the jaw. Bone broke all over in Ptah's face. His jaw was shattered completely and bones had jettisoned themselves into other areas of his face.
The trauma of the punch had been too much for Ptah. He fell to the ground dead. Mutant Forger looked over the body without the least bit of remorse. Using his newly acquired telepathy Mutant Forger found the mind of Chamber. Then using his telekinesis he flung the bodyguard of Ptah up into the air.
"You should have never tried to hurt Star Prophet," Mutant Forger said coldly as he lifted Ptah's lifeless body up into the air as well. He turned his head as the two bodies collided at a high velocity. He knew that Chamber was dead from the powerful crashing noise.
Seeing what Mutant Forger had just done to two of their top people the soldiers began to run wildly in retreat. This battle was over and never had Mutant Forger felt so empty. He had seen the mind of Seti before he killed him. Even if they won back their world there were still many other ones would be enslaved. Forger had to do something about that. He would do something about it.
Exiles BaseHope punched the fat Asian woman in the stomach and then Legolas delivered a roundhouse to her from behind. The woman fell to the ground out cold. Legolas looked over to Hope and said, "Not bad kid."
Red Lotus flipped over the both of them and his feet landed square in the face of a bear/human looking mutant. Looking back he said, "Stop fooling around you two. We've got a battle to fight."
Meanwhile Gaia and Trevor Chase were holding off the most soldiers with their reality altering abilities. Gaia was turning the armor of the soldiers into flames and Trevor was making them think they're intestines were all over the floor. It resulted in plenty of scared soldiers.
Amun was in the form of Colossus and he was batting back many of the mutant soldiers though he wasn't use to Piotr's body so it was giving him a bit of trouble. He was handling it as best as he could though and he seemed to be doing fine. Toxicwaste was helping him to giving some of the soldiers a little radiation poisoning. Phaser was very close to the two guys and he was using his power to turn the steel armor of the soldiers into its gaseous form. Needless to say steel in its gas form is quite hot and it make for less mutants to fight.
Impervious was beating soldiers into bloody messes, but he wasn't killing them. Looking over to Crywhip he asked, "Why is everyone so comfortable with killing?"
"We're not Adnan. It's just an either killed or be killed situation here. I don't know about you, but I still want to go and get high in Amsterdam one day," Thomas smiled as he lashed out with one of his whips. It hit a black lady and sent immense fear throughout her body. She fell to the floor and began to weep like a baby.
Cypher saw all of this from afar and shook his head. Mere children were defeating his soldiers. He knew it was a mistake to try and take this world. The armies had been so use to conquering weaker worlds and to all of a sudden go to one so strong was foolhardy. Cypher would have no more part in this. He would strike it out on his own on this world.
"Absolutely pathetic," Cypher said as he pressed a button on his wrist. He was gone with a popping sound. All he left behind was some yellow smoke.
Torrent looked around and saw that the students were actually winning. They were beating back these guys. He yelled out his observation to the rest of his team. Then as soon as he gaze returned back to fighting he saw a sight that made him nearly want to piss in his pants. Floating above him was Onset.
"Hello child," Onset said as she enveloped Torrent in a magnetic shield and flung him back against a wall. Then with a wave of her hand she teleported all of the mutant soldiers under Cypher into the heart of the sun. Now she was all alone with the students of the Exiles.
Legolas got in battle stance and said, "Don't worry guys. We can take her."
"Real confident aren't we?" Harmony said as he backed up beside Legolas.
"Isn't he always?" Chemistra asked keeping her eyes directly on Onset.
Onset laughed, "I haven't come to fight. In fact I really only want two of you."
With another wave of her hand she teleported all but two Exiles students into the middle of Phoenix, Arizona. She had no desire to kill them as of yet and besides they still had a part to play in future plans.
Legolas and Impervious both felt apprehension come over them. Why did Onset want them? Whatever for it couldn't be good!
Derrick leapt into the air and tried to kick Onset, but he was simply stopped by a green magnetic field. A bone dagger shot out of her hand and hit Legolas in the shoulder. He fell to the ground with a thud. As pain took over Legolas passed out.
Impervious tried to run out the nearest exit, but Onset turned her body into pure energy and slammed into the back of the External. He hit the ground hard, but he wasn't out yet. Rolling over he found Onset; now back in her regular form, directly in his face.
"Boo."
Adnan yelled out in anger at Onset's taunt and threw his fist into her chest. As he did so Onset turned her body into pure energy again and when Impervious's fist penetrated her chest energy poured throughout his body. He screamed and fell into unconsciousness.
Changing back into her regular form Onset stood up and laughed, "Project C.L.I. is now complete."
As she said this Onset's shape changed into that of her true form…Judas Traveller.
Cairo
"Now where is my cure!" Sunfire asked angrily as he approached Sinister. Behind him were the charred bodies of hundreds of mutants.
Sinister showed Shiro three red pills that were in his hand. As Shiro reached for them he clasped his hand quickly and said, "Be warned. Taking these pills will take away your powers permanently."
Shiro was shocked. He thought his powers would merely have been taken down a notch. He didn't think he would lose them. Sunfire never imagined that happening. Now he had to make a decision. Keep his newly enhanced powers or give them all up.
Looking at Sinister with anger in his eyes he said, "Take your cure and shove it as far up your ass as possible Essex."
With that Shiro flew off into the air. He didn't even want to be in the proximity of Essex in the fear that he might nuke all of Cairo out of anger. He didn't know how and he didn't know when, but he would have his revenge on Essex.
Colossus, now fully healed, looked to Essex and said, "You were wrong for that Sinister. Have you no compassion?"
"Don't blame me for this Piotr. Sunfire had his chance to take the serum. He refused and he paid the price for that. He has just refused my help again. He'll continue to pay the price."
Ever stepped forward, "Don't even try to make it like you are some great humanitarian. I know you were testing Shiro. You wanted to see how attached he was to his powers didn't you?"
"Of course and he proved me right. Shiro is a power hungry, arrogant fool. Now if you don't mind I have business to be attending to elsewhere. I thank all of you for your help," Sinister said as he slipped through a terrasect.
After Essex was gone Gilgamesh said, "The perverted nature of that one made me want to slay him where he stood."
"Same here Gilgamesh. Same here," Ever said somberly.
"At least his clones aren't still around courtesy of yours truly," Crystal smiled.
"You killed them?" Colossus asked.
"I wouldn't say kill. Let's just say they'll make lovely statues."
Ever picking up on a stray thought said, "You turned the suckers into stone!"
Exiles Base (Four Days Later)
Bennet leaned back in a chair totally exhausted. Four days of searching and no one had found a single sign of Legolas or Impervious. What did Onset want with them? What could they give her? Was she trying to start up the Dark Zodiac again?
Just then he had a knock at his door. Exodus told them to come in as he composed himself. He had to look like a leader around his people and not a stressed out bag of flesh.
Mutant Forger walked into the room with Ever, Proteus, Plazm, and Star Prophet accompanying him. Exodus leaned back in his chair and said, "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"We're leaving Exodus," Mutant Forger said plainly.
Exodus was confused, "What do you mean? You're leaving to go search some more for Derrick and Adnan? Well that's fine with me."
"No we're leaving for a long time. We're leaving the team," Star Prophet said.
Exodus rose out of his chair and demanded, "I want to know why!"
"This not out of malice, but there lies a greater mission for us. I would have asked Sunfire and Colossus to come with us, but they've just come back from being gone from everything. So I figured they wouldn't come and you are so attached to the Exiles I knew you wouldn't come," Mutant Forger explained.
"What are you talking about?" Exodus asked beginning to grow angrier.
"We're talking about Ramses man! Even though we beat him and his lackeys he still has more out there in other dimensions. Who's going to free those dimensions?" Ever asked.
"Let them free themselves!" Exodus yelled in rage. How could they all up and leave him? There was so much work to be done.
"We knew you would say that," Proteus said somberly.
"We're leaving whether you like it or not. Those dimensions need saving. They need hope," Mutant Forger said as he walked out of the door. Star Prophet and Ever looked back at Exodus with pained looks. They had been part of the Exiles since the beginning and leaving was hard for them. Proteus and Plazm didn't take the time too look back. In the Exiles they never really felt they had purpose, but now they had one. And they weren't going to turn back.
As Ever closed the door Exodus let his rage vent out and he sat back in his chair. What was he going to do now?
