Victor Creed

Creed smiled gleefully as his lungs pumped icy air in and out of his body. With his adrenaline up for the first time in ages, Victor Creed was ready to push his form to the limit. In his mind, he could already see events playing out. Revenge would indeed be sweet.

Creed stopped running to get his bearings and took a few deep breaths. Ah yes, he could even smell it… victory and the familiar scent of a vulnerable enemy. His laughter ringing across the stark landscape, Victor Creed resumed his journey, convinced that things were finally going his way. The mountains that stood in place of Bayville were calling to him with a promise of an end to a tiny little detail that simply refused to leave him be.

"Hang on, Wolverine." Victor grinned. "I'm coming."

Bayville

"There's something you should know."

The entire hall quieted as Slim stood and raised his voice for everyone to hear. He sighed, ran a hand through his silvery hair and gazed around the room, pausing to look his audience in the eye. "I have to tell you that I'm proud of you. All of you, the things we've managed to overcome since Valzinameku- no, since Phoenix first appeared in Bayville are beyond the scope of what any of us can comprehend. Yet not only did we survive, we're somehow managing to grow stronger. It's been almost a year since this nightmare began." Pietro paused as the hall filled with muttered words. "Next month will mark the first anniversary of our world's end."

"Come on, Slim!" Bobby called from across the room. "We're still here. It's not over yet!" A roar of agreement resounded at Bobby's comment.

"Of course it isn't." Slim answered before the sound had died away. "Valzinameku isn't dead yet either."

"We can take him!" someone yelled over the hubbub.

Slim shook his head. "Let me be clear." His voice became stronger and his eyes hardened. "Even on the off chance that we defeat Valzinameku, we can't destroy his army. Not yet."

K'vas nec Hiva stood. "What army? We know nothing of an army."

"He has an army of somewhere between one hundred fifty and two hundred monsters. They've set up camp on the mountains surrounding Bayville." Slim rested his hands on the table and shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "Valzinameku has entered the city alone. He seems to just be wandering around aimlessly, but I believe he's looking for something. If we circle around-"

Logan snorted. "What's the problem? He's here and he's alone. We'll finish him off and then his army will fall apart."

"It's not that-"

"Look, Slim," Logan upended his cup's contents into his mouth and swallowed. "I know how you worry, especially since you're practically defenseless, but you've done a great job. Finding that stuff out is just like you. Leave the fighting to us. We can't wait here for him to find us." Again, the hall filled with murmurs. "Its now or later. It's better if we catch him off guard and alone."

Slim lowered his head.

"Wait!" Now it was Scott's turn to stand. "Let's at least hear what the guy's got to say. It may be useful."

The hall's attention was on Slim once more. "Whatever he's looking for is fairly large, and probably alive. I've seen him calling for it on several occasions. He's mad." Slim's eyes locked with Scott's. "He's furious. Valzinameku is not off guard. He's here to destroy something in the most painful way possible. If we attack and don't kill him, we're all doomed and Valzinameku will hunt for any possible survivors. If we don't attack, there's the possibility that he won't find us. That he'll find what he's looking for and leave, still convinced that there are no survivors." Slim took a deep breath and broke eye contact. "If we're willing to gamble, we could even help him find what he's looking for in exchange for everyone else's safety."

Slim steeled himself for the shouted rebuttals he knew would come. After a moment of silence, he looked back at Scott.

The X-Man's face was calm. "I understand, Slim." Scott turned away and strode to the side hall where the bunks were located. "But I don't agree or approve. This isn't the sort of person negotiations work with."

The silence continued long after Scott left. Slim bit his lip. It was a testament of how serious their situation was that everyone was seriously considering his plan. A sacrifice, because that was really what the volunteer would be, would buy time for the rest of the survivors to recuperate and retaliate.

"We'll talk about this later, Slim." Hiva stared hard at the crippled mutant. "Give us all time to consider this."

Slim growled. "Did you not understand what I said? We don't have time. Valzinameku could find what he's looking for at any time. He could find us at any time. We have to decide now." Slim glared at the people at the head table, who simply avoided his gaze. "Fine. Consider it. But be quick about it." Slim hobbled out of the hall, ignoring the burst of noise that followed his departure. He had seen the looks on the faces of the leaders. The decision would stalemate and valuable time would be lost.

Time. One thing they had too little of to begin with.

Victor Creed

"Well, well, well." Victor Creed smirked at the crowd of faces as the Great Hall fell silent before him. "Who woulda thought there'd be so many rats hiding out here?"

Logan bolted to his feet, claws at the ready. "I hope you got your money back, cause you look like hell."

Creed laughed. "Picture an army three times your number with the ranks filled with smaller, weaker versions of me." The smile vanished from his face as Hiva, Todd and Ororo stood. "Then you understand why you better save those for later, Wolverine."

The only sound in the hall was of Logan's adamantium claws retracting.

"He's looking for me as we speak. You'll never beat his army on your own." Creed gave the Vulgates a hard look. "Not even your Angel squad could take them all down."

Ororo cleared her throat. "Is this an offer of assistance?"

Logan growled. "No way. We don't need his help. It's a trick anyway. Sabertooth is only in it for his own profit."

"We don't have the luxury of denying any kind of help." Hiva reminded Logan. "And if betrayal is your concern, we are fully capable of rewarding him in kind."

"Hello," Haiden interrupted. "Let's not forget Slim's idea. It's looking better by the second."

"Maybe we should ask him what he thinks we should do."

Creed spat on the floor. "You gonna listen to me, or what?"

"Go ahead, beast." Hiva answered with contempt. Somewhere behind him came a chorus of weak protests.

"I'll lead the army out of Bayville. You trash Val. I'll come back and you can pick off soldiers to your hearts content." Creed smiled, obviously pleased with himself.

Hiva glanced at the five humans Slim had identified as the holders of power among the mutants. They all seemed torn between the generous offer and caution of the deliverer. "What do you gain from this arrangement?"

"One last fight." Logan and Victor Creed's eyes locked. "Then I'll finish you off on my own."

Hiva nodded. "Understood. I find this arrangement acceptable."

"What?" Ororo stared at him in shock. "He said he intends to kill us when we're weak from fighting."

"I heard that as well." Lucifer spoke up. "However, since none of the Vulgates left the colony with the expectation of coming back alive, this is within the boundries of what they will allow. Creed is only human, and as horrible as he is, eventually he will die of old age. The situation is ideal for the Vulgates."

"I accept as well." Todd crossed his arms. "Cause Logan won't lose to you."

"It's quite a burden we're placing on you, Logan. Will you manage?" Ororo gazed at the Canadian with concern.

"Burden my foot. I've never lost to Creed and I never will. I don't need to know the lives of everyone else hangs in the balance. Like the frog said, I won't lose." Logan's eyes shone with a demonic light and his claws slid in and out of his knuckles.

"That's kinda harsh considering I believe in you." Todd muttered.

"We'll start at daybreak." Haiden announced with finality. "Try to get some sleep. If we screw up the battle with Valzinameku, it won't matter what Creed's intentions are, or how good the plan is. And don't tell Slim. I don't want to put up with him grumbling until morning."

Slim

Slim sat on the charred remains of a bench and rubbed his legs. Even though he could still move about as fast as a regular walker, traveling any distance across the rough terrain was hard on him. Based on Valzinameku's movements, Slim predicted that the monster would show up soon. There was no point in walking any further, but he was too nervous to keep still. Slim stood and hobbled his way further into the ruins of Bayville. He turned a corner and found himself staring into the iris-less eyes of Valzinameku.

They stood before each other in silence for a minute. Finally Valzinameku turned away and tore the door off what was once the town library. Slim sat down again, watching the door with keen interest. While Valzinameku had once resembled Evan, he now looked like a ghost of the X-Man. Valzinameku's eyes were blank orbs and his skin was ashen and as colorless as his eyes.

From outside the library, Slim could hear Valzinameku tearing the fire-gutted remains of the building apart. After an eternity, Valzinameku came out of the building. He paused to look at Slim and then proceeded to the next building. Night was falling quickly and Valzinameku's search grew even more furious as another day concluded.

Perfect dark had fallen before Slim heard the sounds of someone approaching. The footfalls stopped right in front of him and, with a smile he was sure Valzinameku couldn't see, Slim yawned.

"Are you the one that calls himself Valzinameku?" Slim lifted his head and a lit flashlight. "Are you the one they call a god?"

Human shaped lips spread impossibly wide to reveal a shark's set of teeth. "Yes, I am Valzinameku." The monster reached out for Slim, who made no effort to escape. "I am a god."