Call from the gods

'Alex!' yelled Scott as he scanned the horizon of their farm with his brown eyes, his little brother who was four years old toddled over to his older brother from the corn field. 'Mother wishes to see us' said Scott as he stood before his little brother and scratched the back of his legs with his sandaled feet.

'I lost my sandal in the field' said Alex as he fought back tears he would surely be in trouble for this.

'I'll go look for it' said Scott as he stepped out from the doorway of their home and smiled at his brother. Scott got about fifteen feet from his home when a dark shadow fell over him and passed quickly, Scott glanced into the sky but saw nothing. Scott shrugged and continued to walk as the shadow fell over him again, he looked up as a giant winged creature wrapped it's talons around his shoulder and flew into the air.

'Mother! Father!' screamed Alex as their parents burst from the building and saw Scott in the birds talons.

Corsair grabbed his spear and threw some arrows over his shoulder and grabbed his bow before jumping onto the back of his horse and taking off after the giant winged creature who had his son. Corsair threw his spear which narrowly missed the bird causing it to shriek and Scott to scream. Corsair began to fire the arrows one by one a the bird each one missing but getting closer then the last.

'Foolish man' thought the bird as it flapped over the fields not realising that Corsair was not meaning to hit the bird merely to guide it into the correct position he wanted it. Corsair was a great warrior who had fought in many wars before he set up his family and became a farmer. The bird darted quickly from side to side but dared not gain height for fear of the arrows which were narrowly whizzing past it's head. Corsair gained ground quickly on the eagle as they neared the edge of his land, the cliff that looked over the great forest of the wild beasts was his lands end and where he would save his son. The eagle soared off the edge of the cliff followed closely behind by Corsair who leapt from his steed as it froze at the edge of the cliff. Corsair flew through the air and wrapped his arms around the neck of the bird and hung on as it began to fly randomly to get him off. Corsair stabbed the great bird with his last arrow causing a shriek of pain but still it held on.

Scott looked up at his father fighting the beast which had ceased him, he felt angry and a great painful burning began to burn behind his eyes as a red beam shot out and struck the birds underside making it drop Scott into the forest below where he landed with a sickening thud on his head, while silently a creature watched him.

…

The eagle soared into the mountain range that spanned the entire land after it had disposed of Corsair, it seemed to be guided towards something. The eagle turned sharply and flew towards a now visible giant palace or temple where it landed and it's body began to twist till it was the shape of a woman.

The woman bowed before a giant metal statue at least fifty feet tall of a well built man wearing a cape and a large helmet seated on a throne. 'I am sorry master' said the woman as she bowed.

The monolith creaked as the iron began to move and the statue looked down at the woman 'Mystique you have failed your god…I would kill you but I have another job for you.'

…

The next day Alex woke from his position in the doorway of his home where he had sat until he could stay awake no longer, he tiredly rubbed his eyes and looked at the unconscious body of his brother whose head had been bound in a torn toga to stop the bleeding.

…

The days passed into years as the family of three sat waiting for their father and husband to return but he never did which caused his wife to slowly fade away until she died. Alex tended the crops himself, it was difficult for Scott to help since the day of the eagle things had changed very much Scott had begun to fire powerful beams from his eyes randomly so his eyes had to be bound tightly with cloth making him effectively blind. Alex followed shortly after with blasts of his own but his were controlled and from his hands, the brothers could not tell why one was cursed with a gift while the other was blessed with the same gift but their parents had always told them they were destined for great things.

…

'Why have we been called here' roared the lord of flame as he rode into the throne room of Terragon lord of the earth quickly flanked by Berserker lord of lightning.

'I did not call for you but you are welcome to stay and enjoy my hospitality…Toad take their cloaks' ordered Terragon as he looked at his two companions hand their cloaks to his servant Toad who bowed and scraped to the three before exiting the room.

'I received this' said Berserker as he handed Terragon a sheet of parchment which informed him to report to the lord of the earth's homestead on this day.

'I received one of those as well…is this a plot Terragon?' asked Pyro as he held a flame in his hand ready to throw it.

'I did not summon you' roared Terragon with anger as he shook the earth beneath their feet 'I am the god of the very earth you walk on do you doubt me'.

'You are no more of a god then we are, we know this is all false you seem to have forgotten that and to be believing your own press scrolls' said Berserker with a smile.

'Then who summoned us?' asked Pyro as he looked accusingly around the room.

'I summoned you' said a voice as a gust of wind whipped around them 'at least my father did anyway, I am merely a messenger' said a white haired boy as he stood before the three feeding the hawk on his shoulder.

'Ah Quicksilver son of Magneto, where is your associate Mystique? And what does Magneto summon us for?' asked Terragon.

The hawk on Quicksilver's shoulder flew to the table where it transformed into Mystique who lay sprawled across the table before sitting and talking to the boys 'I am here and he demands your allegiance.'

'I am still undecided, what is in it for us?' asked Berserker as he looked at the blue female who he was fully aware was trying to seduce the three men.

'More power then you can imagine and if you stand against him more pain then you ever could imagine' said Mystique with a smile as she smiled and rubbed her hand across his armoured chest.

'Then he has my bolts' said Berserker.

'and my flames' said Pyro.

'and my avalanches' said Terragon.

…

'Alex…Scott' said a voice to the two boys who sat finishing their meals after a hard days work, the two were ready to retire and prey to the gods Storm and Sol to make rain and sun to give a good harvest when the voice came to them. A figure of a balding man dressed in fine clothes appeared before them or at least he appeared in their minds. The two boys dropped to their knees and instantly began to prey to the man they recognised as the most powerful of the gods.

'Oh lord Xavier, all-father, seer of all things master of the soul…' began the boys together.

'Be silent' said Xavier with a smile as the boys were instantly silent and listened to Xavier speak 'I am no god, Sol, Storm, Magma…none of your gods are truly gods we are no more then powerful men and women no different from yourself. I have a quest for you, there are beings like us spread throughout the land you must unite them to defeat a new powerful being whose power grows with every passing moment, I am powerless to stop him. There is a war amongst your 'gods' as to whether to support or oppose him with the decision split, I am unable to lead my fellow gods against him or even to oppose him in any way at the moment, which is why your help is needed. You must unite you kind and lead them into battle against the power that is…Magneto. Head first to Baville there are several of our kind that can assist you.'

Alex and Scott sat silently for a second trying to assimilate the knowledge they had just been given, they were to lead an army against the gods themselves, commanded by the most powerful god of them all who is apparently powerless to help them.

Scott stood up and began to walk towards his room counting his steps as he went, 'I dare say it would be a good idea to get some rest Alex, it appears we have a long day ahead of us' said Scott with a smile. Xavier had been his first sight in many years and that alone gave him hope for their quest.