Godrick's Hollow. Potter family cottage.
Voldemort let out a hiss of pain, as he had finally lowered his wand, before making his way upstairs to the children's room. He did not expect that he would have to face off against Lord and Lady Potter, believing that their son and daughter-in-law would be there, but he was wrong, or rather, the Wormtail was wrong. Once he is finished with the one who is supposed to destroy him, Voldemort will make Wormtail pay for this mishap, one that resulted in one of the more taxing and brutal fights of his life.
As much as he may disparage upon Dumbledore and his blinded followers, not even Voldemort denied the fact that Charlus and Dorea Potters were both immensely powerful and skilled users of magic, true embodiments of pureblooded magical mastery. They chose to sit out this war, having had enough of it with Grindelwald, but it did not mean that they were weak, oh no. The fight that they just put up was enough to wear down Voldemort, with Charlus landing more than a few successful hits, not holding back like his lackwit of a son. Voldemort was so impressed with the man, so much so, that he had ended his life in a civilized manner, by a simple Avada Kedavra without pain and suffering, a mercy he reserved only for those who earned it.
And as for Dorea Potter, a prodigy from House Black, who had racked his body with curses and dark arts, he allowed her to live, if only to wallow in the pain and suffering of losing her entire family later. She was truly formidable, and after her husband died, she came the closest of all to destroying Voldemort's body, before he had managed to land a successful hit that incapacitated her. How these two mighty purebloods had produced such a waste of air as James Potter was beyond Voldemort.
Finally reaching the children's room, Voldemort opened the door with the spell and stepped inside, only to see two persons in it, one of them being he came after, and the other being the complete opposite. Jaime Potter, a barely one year old of whom Snape had warned him about, and Harry Potter, the black sheep of the family and one thing that Voldemort hated more than muggles- a squib. Though four years of age, the child had not shown a single instance of magical talent or power since he was born, while his twin sister and older brother, and even his younger brother have all shown it practically from the crib. A stain of dirt upon magical families and bloodlines, an abomination that had no right to be alive, and the weakest thing in this whole house now stood defiantly between Voldemort and his prize.
"You… you killed grandpa and grandma…" The boy said with a shocked tone, eyes stinging with tears.
"Only your grandfather, but you shan't join him in death, for no Squib would ever be worthy of being near a wizard." Voldemort stated him, before raising his wand at the boy. "Step aside, whelp, and I shall grant you a death free of suffering."
"I won't." Harry simply stated him, though shaking, he still stood between the Dark Lord and his prize.
"As you wish. Let fire cleanse your family off of you!" And after that, Voldemort casted a mighty fire that was intended to burn away Harry Potter.
The flame engulfed the figure of the boy, but no cries or shouts had followed, surprising the Dark Lord, making him think for a second that the child at least had the dignity to die without screaming. But in the next second, all of his thoughts were dashed aside, as the flaming pillar suddenly was destroyed, and in the center of the room stood Harry, unharmed and seemingly in trance. Before Voldemort could cast another spell, he saw a strange blue aura surround the boy, dance around him like fires and enveloping him in a protective way. Caring naught for what it was, Voldemort sent another fire charm at him… and the flames dissipated and vanished the moment they touched the child and his aura.
"What?!" He shouted, as the aura of the boy began to grow in intensity and power. "Avada Kedavra!" The Killing Spell left the wand, yet it's affect was the same as fire charm's, only making the child open his eyes, revealing orbs of blue fire, as he looked at the Dark Lord.
"What… What kind of power is this? A-are you… the one to…" Voldemort struggled to speak from sheer shock at the fact that this Squib held power to withstand even a Killing Curse.
"I… Am…Power!" Harry's voice was one of his own, and then of a creature that was not heard or seen in the Magical World for thousands and thousands of years, and as he spoke, his eyes blazed with energy.
Before a single spell or another word could be uttered, the entire room became engulfed in the pure energy, and then that very energy exploded all around, destroying the room and furniture, yet not harming Harry in the slightest, while only a piece of furniture hit the wailing Jaimie in the forehead. And Voldemort… Not even ashes were left in the place where he was, for the power he knew naught had reared it's head and destroyed his body, and by the time Harry Potter fell unconscious.
In that very moment, only the Watcher Uatu, who observed this transpire, knew that the world has just changed, and nothing will be the same again, for either normal people, or the magicals.
Several days later. Potter Mansion.
The people of the Magical Britain were still celebrating the death and defeat of the Dark Lord at the hands of the young Jaime Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, as Dumbledore and the press dubbed him. In a single instant, one of Potter children has become a national hero, and his family were elevated to the status magical royalty thanks it, but while the Magical World was feasting and celebrating, a new problem had arisen in front of James Potter, who had now assumed the position of Lord Potter after his father was murdered.
Now as the Lord Potter, he had to decide, what he was to do with his second child and second son, Harry Potter, and now he sat in his former father's study, debating what to do about him with his closest friends remaining, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew. Sirius should have been there among them, but he had betrayed James, Lily and all of them when he had revealed to Voldemort who the real Secret-Keeper was for the cottage. Peter was still shaken and bruised, clear indications of the torture that Voldemort and Sirius had put him through, but at least Sirius was now locked away in Azkaban, after his unsuccessful attempt at killing Peter to cover his tracks. James with Dumbledore will make certain that he remains there for the rest of his treacherous life.
Shaking away the thoughts about the betrayal, James turned his thoughts back towards his second son, and when his thoughts came to him, James felt a sense of disappointment and disgust, something that he was ashamed of a little, but did not deny. After Lily had given him their first born Jason, who from practically from birth showed just how gifted he was, both she and James had expected that they next one will be just as special, and they were right, but only by half. Their first daughter, Iris, proved to be gifted with magic, just as her older brother, but Harry, her older twin and the next expected prodigy… He was nothing compared to his siblings. The two had waited for months and years, and nothing had come out of it, and with the dreadful realization, they came to the conclusion that their second son was a Squib, a stain upon the Potter line and a sign of weakness.
Though he was no pureblooded extremist, James never held any affection or even sympathy towards Squibs, considering them nothing more than a stain of weakness and shame, and when James realized that his son was one of those stains, he and Lily, who shared her husband's views, quickly lost most of parental affection and love towards the child. Without even realizing it, they began to isolate him from Jason and Iris, as if fearing that he would somehow corrupt them, spending almost no time with him. The two were even beginning to consider leaving him in either an orphanage or with Lily's sister Petunia, when James' father and mother confronted the two about their negligence of Harry, and after hours of arguing and shouting, Dorea and Charlus had left with Harry, before making it clear, that for as long as they live, they won't see Harry abandoned or handed over to anyone.
Though pureblooded wizard and witches, familiar with the practices and traditions better than James and Lily, Charlus and Dorea both could be as stubborn as they could be righteous. In their eyes, just because Harry didn't have magic didn't make him any less precious, no. They cared and raised him since he was two up until now, with Charlus stating to James, that even if Harry was a Squib, he was still his grandson, and he will support him no matter what, with Dorea being of the same mind. While James and Lily could understand what they meant, on an emotional level they were incapable of connecting with Harry, and now saw him as a liability.
And now, after Charlus' death and Dorea Potter-Black being in coma, James realized that now his hands were free to finally be rid of this stain on his family's prestige and honor. While at first he had thought about handing him over to Petunia, after Lily had met her a few months past and brought up this subject, it became clear that Harry would not find comfort with her. While they didn't love the boy as their son, they weren't cruel and did wish he had a good and comfortable childhood life away from the magicals. They would even set up a bank account on his name with enough money to ensure that he and his guardian would have all that they need for a happy life, and to make sure that Harry doesn't start making noise and draw attention to himself.
Even though Voldemort was defeated, Dumbledore has made it clear that he is not dead and shall return in the future, and when he does come back, Jaime will need to be ready and prepared, meaning he would need all the attention that his parents and their friends could afford. However, Headmaster has also made it plainly obvious that Harry at this point was now a dangerous liability and could endanger his entire family, or even worse, betray them if he remains to grow up. Powerless, without any real connection to the world of magic, possessing nothing of value to his family, it was more than likely that if a proposal was made, Harry would betray his family if only for the hope of obtaining power. A grim possibility, but one that James and Lily couldn't part away from after Dumbledore made it clear to them, and so now James was left with the decision to make about his son.
And he believed that he has found the very best option for both Harry and James…
"Say, James, where are Lily and the kids? I mean, besides Harry, of course." Remus corrected himself, knowing how his friend did not like it when Harry was put in the same category as his other children. "I would've thought that that she would also be here, considering the topic we are discussing."
"We've already talked about it yesterday and she has agreed that I would make the best choice, and so she took the kids to visit Frank and Alice, with their little Neville." James told Remus, as he leaned back in his chair. "Thank Merlin that we were able to save them from those bastards… I shudder to think at what would happen if we were too late. To think that Voldemort would strike at two locations at ones… How many times we've underestimated his capacity for malice?"
"Too many times, James, but we've succeeded and now he is nothing but a broken wisp, if what Dumbledore says is true." Remus told him. "We've won, James, and the next time, we'll be stronger than ever and he'll never have a chance to harm our friends and family."
"Yes, you are right, Mooney." James smiled to him, before he glanced at Peter. "Peter, how are you? Are you sure that you are okay? I mean, after what Sirius and that monster had done to you…"
"James… The l-less said about it, I think, is the better." Peter stammered a little.
"Yeah, you are right. I'm sorry I brought it up." James told him. "Listen, about what had happened. Nobody is blaming you for anything, Wormtail. Voldemort has broken stronger men, and who could have known that Sirius was his spy all this time? To think that the greaseball Snape would have more loyalty than him…" James's face contorted from hate, with Remus dropping his head a little in shame, with both missing the smallest of smiles coming to Peter's face.
He still had hard time believing that this has actually worked, that James, Dumbledore and everyone else had actually believed that Sirius was a traitor and had forced Peter to reveal the location of Potter's cottage to Voldemort. It was not a planned move, but a desperate attempt at saving his skin and life, and yet, it had worked. All that Peter needed was to make it clear that he had been tortured and probed for information, before making his appearance after some time missing, and then pointing at Sirius, claiming that he had kidnapped him and that he worked with Voldemort. Pettigrew wasn't even believing himself at that point, yet somehow, he had managed to put it all in such a way that Sirius became a suspected traitor, especially when people started to recall how he tailed Remus for the last couple of months, or about how most of his family were on the side of Voldemort.
As it turned out, there were plenty of people who had distrusted Sirius Black, and when Peter turned up at the Order's doors, bruised, beaten and missing a finger, it was enough for the Order and rest of Marauders to turn away from Sirius. Oh, the look on Sirius' face when he realized that all his words fell on deaf ears… Now the man was behind bars in Azkaban, having been sent there by Dumbledore's order, without even properly investigating it all, something that none even wanted to do, since all wanted vengeance for what had happened to Charlus and Dorea Potter. And Peter was left to be free and able to do what he has always done- leech off of the stronger and more prestigious men, and should Voldemort return, then he will make a play of remaining loyal and staying on his side all this time. But even so, he has fooled everyone, even Albus Dumbledore himself, and now he was safe and sound.
"I k-know, James, i-it just… Your parents were always very kind to me, a-and I-I would've g-given my life for them." Peter lied to his friend. "H-how is y-your mother, by the way? I-is she getting better?"
"The doctors say that she should be able to make a full recovery in a few weeks, and she will wake up sooner or later." James told him. "I can't imagine what it will be for her, living without father and Harry…"
"Prongs, I know you've decided on it all, but maybe it might not be a good idea to do this now?" Remus asked of him. "After all, your mom will soon make a recovery, so why not wait for it, and then hand Harry over to her? She has been raising him since he was two, and having him will help her deal with the loss of your father. And besides, you know that she won't be happy with your decision to give Harry away."
"I know, Remus, and I have considered it all, but I can't afford it, not when we know that Voldemort will return and he'll do whatever it takes to finish what he started. Jaime will need to be prepared, and who better to train him than one of the strongest witches in all of England and someone who had nearly killed that bastard?" James reminded Remus and Peter about the sheer devastation of the cottage. "I know that Mom will be mad and sad, but she will get over it, once she understands what is at stake and how it is imperative that Jaime and other kids be given as much training and attention as possible. Besides, what could she possible give Harry that we can't provide him, without the need of raising him? We all know that the boy is now not just a liability, but a danger to us all, if only because Voldemort or someone from his cronies might end up manipulating him into doing their bidding. No, Harry has to go, and he must go now."
"Alright, you've made your point, and you are right." Remus agreed with him. "But where will you sent him? You did say that Petunia won't take him, so you'll just leave him at some orphanage?"
"No, I have found a much better alternative, one better for both us and Harry as well." And at that point the door into the study opened up.
A tall black haired man, dressed in an elegant suit walked inside, carrying himself with an air of dignity. He sported short black hair and a small goatee, coupled with blue eyes and fair skin, with both Remus and Peter looking at him with surprise, while James stood up and walked to greet the man. The two shook hands, when the man spoke up.
"I hope I am not interrupting anything, James." The man said with an amicable tone. "Also, please accept my condolences. I struggle to imagine what it is like, losing your father… You have my sympathies, James."
"Yes, thank you for your kind words, Nathaniel." James told him, before turning to his friends. "Remus, Peter, I'd like you to meet Doctor Nathaniel Essex, the man who had delivered all of my children and has even saved Lily. Nathaniel, this is Remus Lupin, and this is Peter Pettigrew, my best friends and godfathers to my children."
"A pleasure to make your aquintance, gentlemen." Essex bowed in traditional manner.
"Wait, you mean that this is the guy you trusted to deliver your kids, after it became clear that St. Mungo is compromised?" Remus asked of James, who nodded to him. "James, not that I distrust your choice, but isn't he…"
"Muggle? Oh no, Nathaniel here is actually a Squib himself, and he knows better than anyone what it is like, to grow up among us and how horrible it is, to be one." James said, without even thinking about his wording, though Nathaniel did not seem to mind. "Nathaniel has lived among muggles all his life, and has actually become a respected scientist and a doctor. When we were looking for a doctor, Lily actually recommended him, as he had helped her entire family and cured her father from tuberculosis, and so he became our doctor. And now, he'll take care of Harry for us."
"Y-you mean, you've decided to g-give Harry to him?" Peter asked of him.
"Of course, Lily and I have discussed it at length and after that we did talk with him about this entire thing, and surprisingly, he has agreed to take Harry and raise him as his own son." James told them.
"Indeed. I understand your confusion and distrust, but I've had a rather lengthy and productive discussion with your friend James and lovely Lily about me becoming a foster parent for Harry. I will admit that at first I was apprehensive about taking the child away from his family, but after I thought about it and recalled what it was like for me to grow up in a family where all my siblings were able to move chairs with their mind… I decided that for the best of all, I am willing to take this responsibility." Nathaniel stated to them, while also projecting specific psychic waves upon them, without them noticing it. "And besides that… When I look at that boy, I… I can't help but once again be a father again."
"Be a father again?" Remus asked of him.
"Yes, I am married, or rather, was." Essex said with a bit of a saddened way, while still continuing to enthrall them. "I had a wife and a son, but an unfortunate accident has taken them both away from me. I know that my beloved would wish for me to move on, but I fear it is beyond me to forget her, yet Rebecca would also not allow us to leave a child without parents. She would want me to give that child a family he can't have here and so, I am willing to become a father to Harry."
"I.. I wasn't aware of your loss, Nathaniel, I…" James honestly was surprised when he heard it. "I mean, if I had known, I wouldn't implore you so…"
"It has been quite some time since that accident, and I do try to keep my professional life from my personal one. It is unsurprising that you wouldn't be aware of it, but don't let it dissuade you in your decision." Nathaniel assured him, putting the finishing touches on their minds, making them completely amicable towards him. "Now, while I do enjoy your company, gentlemen, I would like to see Harry, if I can."
"Oh, of course. I'll take you to him." James agreed, and the two left the study and moved towards where Harry was. "If you do not mind me asking, will you be able to take him with you right now or…"
"Not to worry, James, I am as eager to take Harry with me as you are to part with him." Essex told him, letting out the tiniest hint of his real voice. "The question is, will there be any problem on your end? After all, you did mention your mother being rather fond of Harry?"
"You have nothing to worry. After she wakes up, she will have her hands full with our children, and while she will no doubt be grieving for a bit, she'll come around to our way of thinking." James assured Nathaniel, not knowing that he was playing in his hand. "Lily and I've prepared all the documents and all the needed things for Harry. We have also set up a bank account for you, to ensure that Harry will want for nothing, when he grows up. Of course, as his guardian, you will have full access to the account and its holdings. Should you require additional money or something else, you can always let us know." James stated to him.
"It is very kind of you, James, thank you." Nathaniel commented. "I am sure it will come in handy, when Harry and I leave England."
"Leave England?" James asked of him with a small surprise, but also much hope, as Essex sensed with his mind.
"Oh yes, I've almost forgotten to tell you. I have actually been offered a position in a very prestigious laboratory, with the work being focused in the field of my studies and experience. I am afraid that it will force me and Harry to depart England, and if all goes well, we might not return here for a very, very long time, if at all." Essex said exactly want James wanted to hear. "Will this be a problem for you and Lily?"
"No, no, it actually sounds great. I'm sure that Lily will be happy to hear about it." James stated with a smile, with Essex grinning in his mind at what a moron James was. "Distance will definitely do Harry good, help him get over it all pretty soon. After all, with a man like you to take care of him, he'll be the happiest he can be."
"Oh, allow me to assure you, James- I'll make it my life's work to ensure that Harry have nothing to want for. With me, he'll realize and achieve his fullest potential." Essex stated, already anticipating the work and the possible results he will achieve with Harry.
If he was completely honest, Nathaniel Essex had long since finished and stopped all of his research into the genetics of magical people, having long since mapped out how their genetics differ from normal and mutant ones, and having learned how to manipulate them for his own designs, Essex found that they held little to no value to him. And while he did have Lily Evans, a girl that was loyal first to him, his creator, become a wife of James and bear him children. It was done in order to produce potent and powerful wizards and witches that Essex may make use of, it became only a side-project and after a while, it lost its value, as did Lily and her spawn.
While Jason, Iris and Jaime were considered gifted from birth and would end up as some of the strongest wizards and witches, thanks to Lily's superior genes and Essex's work on her, by Nathaniel's standards, they were useless. But Harry… This was where Essex had not expected to find such immense potential. The one that his parents considered a Squid and a failure by all, yet he possessed the greatest genetic value and potential than all of his family combined. Essex had studied the sample he had managed to acquire, and has long since come to a conclusion, that the boy was no simple Squid, but a Mutant, and one that Essex could only dream of working with.
To think that such an insignificant side-project, one that had ended with failure, could honestly produce his future greatest success… Though Essex didn't believe in destiny at this point, right now he like to believe that the fate was on his side now.
That it served to further work of Mister Sinister, by giving him the perfect subject and a potential weapon against the man who had created him. Soon, the Apocalypse will learn why Sinister will be the one to dictate evolution's course, and not he and his Neanderthal ways, when Sinister's creation destroys him.
But that is for the future. For now, he needs to collect the boy, and soon he and James arrive to where the lonely boy was, with Nathaniel Essex deciding to speak.
"Hello, Harry, my boy. Do you remember me?" Essex asks of him with affection, with the boy nodding to him.
"Yes, you help mother and father." Harry answered, before glancing at his father, knowing already what it all meant. "Are… Are you the one they will give me to?"
"Oh, I wouldn't put it like that, my boy." Essex told him, softly influencing him, sensing that the boy was in turmoil of emotions, though not showing. "I am here for you, actually, but not to simply to take you away, oh no. I am here to make you into the best you can be."
"The best I can be?" Harry asked again. "You mean, I will be able to be like wizards, like Jason, Iris and Jaime?" Harry asked with hope, to which James had to hold back a scowl, as he couldn't stomach the thought of a Squib becoming equal to a Wizard.
"No, Harry, you won't be like them, I am afraid." Sinister told him, as he stepped closer and put his hand affectionately on his head. "You will be much, much greater than all of them combined. Compared them, you will a Nephalem before mere men." Sinister stated to Harry, giving him a smile that promised greatness, yet hid suffering and pain behind it, though Harry never knew of it.
After these words, Harry Potter seized to exist in all official records, and Hadrian Essex was born and given to Mister Sinister, with Uatu observing this unholy transaction occur, cursing himself for not being able to intervene.
Muir Island. Two weeks later.
A sterile white room, filled with the latest medical and bio-engineering equipment, was where Sinister, still in his disguise, has found himself, as he was running a routine check-up on the container, which now housed the immobilized naked form of Harry, with the green fluid filling the rest of the container, while air was deposited to him via a mask. He was fixed in the position, floating slightly in the fluids, with his limps and torso being held by metallic restraints. Despite being effectively paralyzed and unable to move even an eye-lid, the boy was still fully aware of what was happening around him, and if he could, he would scream and bang at the glass with his hands, trying his hardest to get out, but it was not to be.
Sinister has taken quite a few precautions in order to make sure that he would be able to conduct his work without any sudden interjections from his newest subject, though unlike with most of his subjects, Sinister was careful enough to not cause far too much damage to the boy. Harry was one of a kind, and until Sinister could clone him, he would have to be very careful with him, despite his unique mutation. Even now, it was active and working to overcome the sedatives and paralyzing agents that Sinister had injected into him, and he expected that it would not be long until he overcame them. In fact, he was counting on the fact that Harry's ability will fully negate the entire cocktail, which will serve to prove to Sinister, that his earlier research and hypothesis were correct.
Checking the status of the boy, Essex smiled when he saw that Harry's body was starting to process and detox itself, and the rate at which it was happening was higher than Sinister had expected initially. This was exactly what he had wanted from the boy, though it may prove to be a little bit inconvenient soon, but then again, he never did intend to use the sedatives on him after he had placed him in the Ascension Chamber, as he called it.
"Very good, Harry, very good. Just eight hours since you've been injected with my sedatives, and already you have started to develop an immunity to them, as well as getting rid of them. Most impressive, my boy." Sinister smiled, as he commended the boy. "We'll have to do better than that, unfortunately, my boy, but don't you worry. Once your Ascension is complete, something as measly as sedatives will have no effect on you." At that point, Essex sensed how there were people entering his lab, and a few moments later, the doors opened up.
First inside came in guards, dressed in full military gear with automatic weapons, taking positions to stand guard, followed by a small group of four, three scientists and the official head of this project and program, in which Essex was now a part of. Under normal circumstances, Sinister would not have lowered himself to working with humans and instead would have moved Harry back into one of his many laboratories scattered around the globe. Unfortunately for Sinister, this was no longer possible for him, given the fact that the X-Men have struck a serious blow at him during their last encounter. The damage to his work was simply put, irreparable, causing him to lose precious data, genetic material and a few of his labs, with the rest now being compromised, and all because of his Marauders' incompetence.
Due to all this, Sinister had been forced to lay low for a long time, forced to once again consolidate his resources and gather data from the scratch, only this time without his Marauders, which he personally had wiped out due to their mistakes, and the X-Men, as well as the SHIELD, being on the lookout for him. The amount of frustration and fury that Sinister felt, or rather would feel, made it almost unbearable to tolerate the presence of James Potter and his friends, but it was worth it in the end, since he got his hands on Harry Potter, the spawn of one of his lesser creations, Lily Potter.
Created with the intention of finding out, if it was possible to create a human being with magical abilities, Sinister had used half a dozen of DNA donors before he achieved success with Lily. Unlike with most of his creations, he did not force her growth, due to not knowing at the time the effect it would have on magical abilities, and instead, once she was developed enough, gave her to the Evans family, after having altered their memories. In the mind, they always had two daughters, even though none of the members of that family had red hair like Lily did.
Though an admittedly minor project, Sinister still observed and watched his creation, checking her progress and seeing how well she was doing. It was not long before her seventh year in the Hogwarts that Sinister had revealed himself to her and then took a more direct control of her, to which Lily did not object and accepted him as her creator, master and even father to an extent. It pleased Sinister to know that despite the general failure of his plans in regards to Lily's children, it still produced Harry Potter, who was going to become Sinister's crown achievement.
Of course, to work on Harry's Ascension, he would require the necessary equipment, funds, resources that he was no longer privy to, at least for a moment, but this is where it would seem Fate itself handed Essex a golden opportunity. Through his informants and contacts, he had learned of Muir Island Research Center, which was founded by Doctor Moira MacTaggert to study and help Mutants, or at least that was the initial idea. Soon after she had opened up, the UK government, or at least some of its elements, have taken control of the facility, and now converted it into a super soldier research and creation center. With the amount of Mutants, Super Villains, Aliens and even the Dark Wizards and Witches appearing all over the world, along with the Superheroes and the rest of the previously though unnatural beings, some members of UK's government decided that it would be prudent to create their personal force that would combat threats.
At least that was what they were telling themselves and those that funded them, but Sinister knew that this was but another one of the attempts of the ambitious, corrupt and morally bankrupt humans at recreating the success of Steve Rogers and surpassing him. Normally, Sinister wouldn't lower himself to working with these brutes, who had only the infantile grasp of genetics and biology, but circumstances called for an adjustment of his priorities. The Weapon Plus, as this program was known, had the necessary funding, equipment, resources and could provide Sinister with the needed place to conduct his work, and it would even let him field test Hadrian. He needed only to make sure he would be invited into the project under his new identity, but that was child's play, thanks to his abilities, connections and simple fact that he was the best there was at his work, though these fools didn't know about who he really was.
And so, now he was here, with Professors Andre Thorton, Abraham Cornelius, Doctor Moira MacTaggert and Jonh Wraith, Deputy Director of STRIKE, were now here, visiting him.
"Doctor Essex, I see you have settled in." Wraith said, as he moved to Essex and encased Harry. "You did not waste time starting, I see."
"What's the point of wasting time when there is so much to do, Colonel?" Essex stated to him, as he turned to his floating subject. "Is there something I can help you with, Sir?"
"Yes, there is, Essex." Wraith turned to him. "Your colleagues have raised certain questions, in regards to the validity of your personal project."
"Along with its morality." MacTaggert said with half a sneer. "I still can't believe that you are allowing children to be experimented here! Colonel, I was assured that…"
"Doctor MacTaggert, I know perfectly well of what you were assured of, and frankly, I couldn't give a damn about it all." Wraith simply stated to her in a harsh tone, surprising her. "You should count yourself lucky that we still allow you to continue your work, especially after all the destruction and death your son had caused. Need I remind you how many people died, just because you've decided to let him take a walk?"
"N-no…" Moira said meekly.
"Good, because after what he had done, we were forced to wipe out every mention of a small village in the North Scotland existing, and that was not an easy feat. Your son had wiped out that village because some stupid kids threw dirt at him, and you honestly think that the STRIKE and our government would allow you or him to walk away from it all scot-free?" Wraith asked again of Moira, making her more and more uncomfortable. "By all accounts, your son should be euthanized, because he is a danger to the humanity on the scale that makes the Tsar Bomb look like an ant. It is thanks to us that you can continue your research and help your son, so drop your righteous act and stop pestering me and your colleagues about what they should do. You are here to help us create Super Soldiers who can fight and defeat monsters like him, not play daycare with them. Remember, we own you and your work, and you are still here and not behind bars thanks to me. Do I make myself clear?"
"Y-yes, s-sir." Moira said, settling with the fact that she now worked with the people who would exploit the very mutants she hopped to help.
"Good, now back to the matter at hand." Wraith turned to Essex. "Doctor, I understand that our program allows a certain liberty in terms of work, but I must ask, how is this child going to be useful to the Weapon Plus?"
"Yes, I too have the same question. Unlike our other, more promising projects, this one seems hardly worth the effort and resources. What is this subject's value, what are his abilities, and what value can he be?" Andre Thorton asked of Essex, who simply smiled to him, and then handed him the pad, which displayed in real time the research.
"You may see for yourself and make your own judgement, Professor Thorton." Essex told him, with Thorton and Cornelius looking over the readings and analyzing it all. "I am quite certain that you will find my subject to be no less promising than your personal one."
"Are these readings correct?" Thorton asked, with Essex nodding to him. "But this… This should not be possible, for a subject at such a young age…" Thorton said with shock.
"Can someone explain to me what are you talking about?" Wraith asked with mild annoyance.
"The subject exhibits sings of developing a resistance to the sedatives he is subjected to, while also removing the sedatives that are already in his blood stream." Cornelius stated to Wraith. "By all accounts, this should not be possible, and with the concentration and composition of the sedatives, the subject shouldn't even be alive. The concentration and composition are enough to put even Captain America to coma for years, and yet this child is already overcoming it, after mere eight hours of exposure. This is phenomenal…" Cornelius stated in awe, as he, Thorton and now MacTaggert looked further.
"So, this Mutant has an ability to resist whatever sedatives and toxins there are? That doesn't really make him all that impressive, Essex." Wraith remarked. "At least a quarter of the mutants we have here can do that, and they don't look like they."
"Colonel Wraith, that is but the smallest demonstration of my subject's ability." Essex told him, before turning to Harry. "Allow me to elaborate as to the nature of my subject's mutation. Harry possesses a unique ability to adjust, adapt and evolve, at a very rapid pace, in order to overcome whatever obstacle or in response to situations, such as injuries, trauma, or in this case, sedation. Moreover, it is not a temporary adaptation, but a permanent one. A rapid mutation to meet the hazards and adjust to the environment or circumstances."
"Okay, but what exactly can this do to us in a military sense?" Wraith wanted to know in an impatient manner.
"It means that his cells and body as a whole can change and evolve, making him potentially stronger, faster, even smarter…" Moira MacTaggert said, as she took the pad and looked at the data. "And not only will he become stronger, resilient, but if what I am seeing is correct… He might even have the ability to assimilate and adapt the genetic material of other Mutants and incorporate it into his own DNA." Moira said with awe in her voice.
"You mean, he can actually take powers of other mutants?" Wraith asked.
"Indeed, Colonel, if properly implanted, that is. Unfortunately, with the nature of Harry's power, it far more likely that he, or rather his cells, will simply treat the foreign DNA as a virus or a disease, and eliminate it completely, while also developing a resistance to it." Essex stated to Wraith. "Still, it is possible to implant DNA and have it become part of his own genetic make-up. As an example, my subject actually possessed green eye, but yesterday I have managed implant him with the part of the DNA that contained blue coloration of eyes, and 6 minutes after the implantation and alteration, subject's eyes turned blue."
"What about a potential degradation of the DNA after experimentation? How are you going to address it?" Thorton asked of Essex. "What if the foreign DNA possesses genetic defects and flaws, like inheritable diseases or physical mutations that would detriment the subject?"
"I do not need to. Harry himself is perfectly capable of countering any and all possible genetic flaws and detriments, as I have already proven with the earlier experiment with eyes. The DNA possessed a number of inheritable diseases that would have already taken effect on him, but instead, they were completely eliminated." Nathaniel stated, with the scientists looking with shock at Harry. "Harry will incorporate everything useful and destroy all that is harmful to him and his body. His very organism and cells are a biological super-computer that grows, evolves and becomes stronger at a pace that makes natural evolution look like it is non-existent. You were asking on how you could use him in military terms, Colonel, and let me give you an answer. I can make Harry into a perfect super soldier, one that would surpass Steve Rogers in every single parameter. Strength, endurance, resilience, intelligence, speed, agility, regeneration- in three months, Harry will comparable to Weapon I, also known as Steven Rogers, and after the training, he'll be his superior in every area."
"A scrawny kid that you took from some mother's tit will be able to match Cap America in a fight in just three months? Are you trying to pull my leg, Essex?" Wraith asked of him. "Need I remind you that Rogers is a grown man, not a toddler in diapers? How are you going to address that little problem?"
"Now that is not exactly a problem, not when there is a solution already prepared, which this chamber is." Essex pointed at it. "This is what I call The Ascension Chamber, a device which will enable me to accelerate the development of Harry, while also pushing in the direction that we require, such as enhanced attributes that I have described. Through chemical, genetic and surgical work, Harry will be able to achieve his physical pique in mere three months, and after that, his aging will ground to a halt, thanks to the enhancements we will introduce into his organism."
"In English, Doctor Essex?" Wraith demanded.
"You are going to accelerate his physical growth through chemicals and genetic manipulation? That would cause his body to age rapidly and he will have a very short life expectancy, he will expire before you can even your training." Moira MacTaggert stated. "Colonel, even with that boy's power, he couldn't possibly…"
"Hm, it is actually possible that he might survive the procedure." Thorton actually said, as he looked at the pad. "Given the data presented here, and how his body evolves and changes, it is quite likely that he will survive the procedure and acquire the projected attributes, without running the risk of expiring early."
"But the procedure will be excruciating, agonizing… At least have him sedated…" MacTaggert tried to argue.
"I am afraid that it will be quite impossible, Doctor, since the sedatives used right now are among the strongest and most potent known to science, and he already has overcome them. He is already starting to shake off the effect of the sedation." Essex stated, as he pointed at the monitors and at the canister itself, as Harry was already starting to twitch and move muscles. "It would be pointless to employ sedatives at this point. On the more positive side, it will allow Harry to develop a much more effective pain tolerance, adding to his resilience."
"Colonel…" Moira wanted to intervene, but he did not listen to her.
"So you can make him into a grown man in just three months, with the attributes of Captain America, and then we will be able to make him stronger in every way than him?" Wraith received a nod from Essex, confirming it all. "And what about his mind? Will he be like a small baby, after you are done? Or will we have some hormone driven super soldier to deal with?"
"The Ascension process addresses that side as well. Harry's mind and mentality will also grow and evolve at a rapid pace, so we will be able to avoid unneeded deficiencies and damage to his mental capacities. In both mind and body, he will be an adult, around 23-25 years of age, after the process is complete." Essex stated to Wraith. "In addition, the process will also involve downloading directly into his brain information that would be useful for this program, along with basic necessary knowledge and things of first necessity."
"Hm, this Chamber of yours… It looks quite similar to one of those experimental medical capsules that Potter-Black Enterprises had works on. Only this facility has access to them, yet yours looks quite modified." Cornelius stated. "How were you able to acquire it, Essex?"
"I simply used one of the existing ones and modified it personally for my own needs." Essex stated, while using his telepathy to probe their minds and to make sure they do not dig too deep into his matters. "Besides, with the nature of our work and with how many scientists we have working here, it is only natural for us to adjust our equipment to further the progress of our goals, isn't it? I am quite sure that you and others have already had all the necessary adjustments made to your capsules."
"Hm… Yes, you are quite right." Cornelius and others agreed, not knowing how they were influenced.
"Alright, how soon will you be able to begin this Ascension process you talked about?" Wraith asked of him.
"I have all the necessary tools and equipment prepared, and the Chamber already holds the needed data. All that is required is for me to initiate the process and then maintain it." Essex stated, implanting the idea of needing to leave Essex to his work. "Of course, due to nature of the process and how delicate it is, I will have to maintain a full time control over it, in order to avoid any errors. Otherwise, the subject will simply end up with resilience and ability to resist the process all together, should I attempt it again."
"Very well, you may get on with the work, Essex. I'll be expecting a report upon its completion." After saying that, Wraith and others have finally left Essex's lab, with him sneering after they left.
"What an ignorant bunch of buffoons. Not only are they arrogant enough to believe that they can be my equal, but they are foolish enough to not realize just how far ahead I am when compared to them." Sinister allowed his mask to fall, finally revealing his true self before Harry, knowing that only he would see him. "They crawl along the path of progress and advancement which I walked upon when they were but clusters of sperm and egg. What have I been reduced to, working with these Neanderthals…" Sinister lamented, before looking back at Harry and smiling.
"But do not let that concern you, my boy. This is far from what I would consider adequate equipment, but with my modifications and adjustments, it will do its part in making you a being worthy of awe and trembling before." Sinister assured Harry, ignoring the groans from him. "Oh, and you should thank your grandparents for this Chamber and the equipment used in here. It is thanks to their corporation that I was able to actually construct the Ascension Chamber. To think, that it would be your grandparents that would provide us with all we need for your Ascension… If I were a religious man, I'd actually say that the God is my side, but I am not." Sinister tapped the pad a couple of times and then from the top and the bottom of the Chamber appeared tubes, manipulators and instruments, which immediately began to move towards now visibly struggling Harry.
"Do not make this harder on yourself, my boy. These bonds were designed to hold down Captain America, but after we are finished, you will so much more than that knock-off of my work. To think that those apes would use my research to create him… What a revolting disappointment." Sinister nearly spat, as the tubes attached themselves to Harry and inserted their injectors into him, making scream. "But soon, we will show them what a truly supreme man looks like. And oh, I almost forgot…" With a small bit of theatricality, Sinister took out a letter, doing it in such a manner that Harry saw it.
"My creation, Lily Potter, has sent me a letter. Yes, your very mother came to be in this world because of me, my boy. You can call me your grandfather, but after we have finished the Ascension, you shall be far more of a son to me than you are right now to Lily and her buffoon of a husband." Sinister assured him, with Harry's eyes widening in shock, as he realized what he was talking about. "Now, where was I? Ah yes, the letter! Your mother has decided to share good news with us- she is expecting another child, and both she and James hope for another girl. I personally couldn't care less about who they have, but she does hope that I would be there to receive their new child when the time comes, and how can I refuse? I am a doctor and her father after all, and there is also a chance your sibling might be actually useful to me. Oh, and it pains to tell me, but they didn't mention you in the letter at all, though she does state that she and James prefer to: "not discuss their failures and mistakes"… But we both know that you are anything but a failure, like your siblings are." Sinister assured him with a twisted care and a reassuring smile, which only served to scare Harry even further.
"Now, my boy, enough about the past, for it is time for the future. Relax and enjoy your Ascension, for when we are done, you shall be a true Nephalem, designed and created to destroy a God." And after saying that, Sinister tapped the pad one more time, beginning the Ascension.
Many times Uatu had observed the sufferings of others, but few were as gut wrenching and physically agonizing to him as the ones that Harry was being forced to endure right now…
Nine months later. Muir Island
Though the day was bright and unusually warm for the northern Scottish island, the large man, who was running through the fields and hills of the island didn't care about. Dressed in a practical mix of the X-Men uniform and his native Apache people, John Proudstar, also known as the mutant super hero Thunderbird, was seriously cursing his own luck. Just as he hid under the slope of one of the hills, he watched as the drones passed over his head and moved further to the coast, without noticing him. Thunderbird cursed, knowing that now his path to the pierce was closed off, and now he had to find a different way off the island, and to contact his teammates the X-Men. He still couldn't believe what was going on in here, not even after staying here for a few days and learning what this Mutant Research Center really was.
The reason as to why he had found himself on the Muir Island was because he had sustained an injury while he and several other X-Men were on a mission in Norway, sent there by Professor to subdue a mutant who had gone berserk because of his mutation, turning him into a werewolf-like creature. The mission was a pretty standard one, nothing too special, but during the fight, Thunderbird was nearly mauled to death by that mutant, before he was subdued. Given the critical state he was in and the nature of his mutation, that being his extremely dense bones, stronger tissue and muscles, he would clearly require a very special medical help. And the only place that had the equipment, specialists and were accepting mutants was Muir Island, and so the X-Men made their way there.
Fortunately enough, they arrived quickly enough for Dr. MacTaggert and her team to operate Thunderbird and then put him in a special healing chamber, which was developed here. John's teammates were forced to leave, since they had their orders to bring the mutant back with them, without even realizing just where did they put their teammate. After three days of therapy, Thunderbird was fully healed and ready to head back home, but something about the place didn't sit right with him, and so he snooped around, and what he found out was enough to shake him to the very core.
The supposed refuge and medical center for Mutants was in reality nothing more but a front, hiding a new installation of Weapon X Program, only now funded by supposedly the UK, yet employing practically every member of the Weapon X and then some other morally decrepit scientists. The things that were done here to the mutants, experiments and brutal training, death matches and more… It was even worse than what Wolverine had told him about his experience with the Weapon X. And Thunderbird had the misfortune of being found out snooping around, and now he was running for his life, chased by both the military personal of the base, and by the experimented mutants. So far, he was lucky enough to avoid any confrontations with the mutants, and he hopped that he would not have to fight them, but his military training was telling him, that he was foolish to believe in that.
Seeing that the drones were now safely out of range, Thunderbird decided to circle back to the base, figuring that with the majority of the personal and mutants hunting him all over the island, he would have best chances of either steeling a craft from there, or at the very least, contacting the X-Men. He had managed to make within sight of the Research Center, when he was forced to dodge machinegun fire from behind, luckily dodging it all, but right as he did that, a powerful kick in the head sent him tumbling in a different direction. The strength of the kick surprised Thunderbird, as it was enough to nearly break his jaw, but then he felt as four blades slashed at his back, piercing his dense skin and muscles like hot knife going through butter. Crying out of pain, he tried to swing around and strike at who attacked him, but then he felt like his entire body was frozen in place, though he was not cold.
It was then in the next moment when three persons, one male and two females, came into his view, followed by a squad of military personal, which surrounded them. The first one who had attracted John's attention was the slim and young looking girl, with dark long hair and black eyes, with two adamantium claws sticking out from each of her hands, and Thunderbird could clearly recognize adamantium when he saw it. The next one was a much taller and more muscular built woman, with much of her body covered in golden colored scales, golden and black talons being her nails, with golden large golden wings coming from her back, while she possessed very long, reaching to her heels, purple hair and serpentine-like eyes, which seemed to glow. He could also notice a serpentine tail swirling behind her, and she stood definitely almost two meters tall, and her tail could be at least a meter long, if not more. The last one was the most unassuming one of the group, dressed in a full black and grey military-like gear, along with a featureless mask with two blue lenses, and he stood under two meters, and was built like an athlete, but something was telling John, that he was much more dangerous than he was letting on. All three were dressed in uniforms or gears that reminded him of military, only they were not soldiers. They were living weapons, experiments by deranged bastards who thought nothing about human rights.
The male, the one whose face John couldn't see, took out of one of his pouches on the belt a small orb and then let it float in the air. In the next second, a hologram of Colonel John Wraith appeared before Thunderbird.
"Well, well, looks like the chase is over. I am honestly disappointed, Mr. Proudstar. I expected more from a former Marine and an Apache warrior, one of Xavier's best trackers, alongside Wolverine. At least he would've gotten off the island, but you…" Wraith shook his head in a mocking gesture. "You are nothing all that special, just enhanced speed, agility, strength, the full package of a cheap-man's super soldier in form of a mutant. At least you will make do, as a tool to test out our own super soldier."
"You are forgetting that I am an X-Man and should you kill me, it won't be long before they come looking for me, and what will they find? A disguised illegal experimentation camp of Weapon X, ran by the disgraced US Colonel, who experimented on men and mutants alike. I know who you are, Wraith. Logan told me all about you." Proudstar hissed out of pain, as he felt the bleeding stop and his healing slowly beginning. "X-Men and the SHIELD will take you down, you and your circus of mad scientists, even if you kill me here."
"Oh we will kill you, but for now, you are more useful to us alive at this very moment, despite how basic you are." Wraith said with contempt. "Now, time to see what of our own can do against a full-time member of the X-Men. Nephalem, engage the enemy, disable him using only current means. Gorgon, Talon, on standby until further orders." The hologram disappeared and flew back to Nephalem, who took it away and then began to make way towards Thunderbird, while Gorgon and Talon, as well as soldiers gave them some space.
"We do not have to fight. I can help you, you and everyone whom they tortured and experimented. Please, just let me get to the comms and I'll call the X-Men and then…" Thunderbird wasn't able to continue as he was forced to dodge a punch to his face, barely able to evade it, but not the following jab in his torso.
The speed and power of the strikes were enough to make the empowered Thunderbird stand back and nearly lose composure, as he wasn't usually used to fighting enemies who were able to match his physical prowess. But this Nephalem… He was definitely more than a match for him, and so he shook off the shock and pain, and decided to go on the offensive. Throwing a series of punches and kicks, all that he achieved was only hitting the air, while Nephalem effortlessly evaded, sidestepped or simply blocked him. It continued for a few moments, until Thunderbird overextended and Nephalem found his opportunity, throwing a punch at his ribs, knocking the air out of John's lungs and probably breaking one or two of them. And this was only the start, as Nephalem struck three more times in a series of kicks and jabs, knocking Thunderbird back and sending him flying a few meters away, before he hit the ground, spitting out blood and a broken tooth.
All the while this was happening, Colonel Wraith and Nathaniel Essex were observing the fight via drones, transmitting the video feedback, with Wraith looking quite pleased with the fight.
"Gotta say, Dr. Essex, your idea with letting Thunderbird see our camp is paying off. It was about time that we tested out your project, and so far he's not disappointing." Wraith said, pleased with what he was seeing. "You promised me a super soldier, and you kept your word. Your Nephalem is practically running circles around this Indian boy." Wraith chuckled, as he looked at Nephalem sidestepping and countering the attack of Proudstar.
"Yes, I agree with you, Colonel. Though Thunderbird is not by any means a strong or powerful member of the X-Men, he does make for an excellent punching bag, so to speak. Perfect to showcase the combat potential of Nephalem." Essex smiled, as he saw his creation effortlessly catch another punch of Thunderbird and then throw him over himself on the ground. "From what we know, Thunderbird's mutation grants him beyond normal or even peak physical attributes. Enhanced strength, resilience, regeneration and endurance that are estimated to match and even surpass that of Captain America, while his agility and speed are comparable to him, and he also has military training and specialized training as an Apache. And all does for him is make him a punching bag for Nephalem."
"Yeah, I've read the file on that Apache mutie, no need to remind me his attributes." Wraith dismissed it, as he looked at the fight. "By the way, are you certain that your bio-chips won't malfunction and let Nephalem or those two freaks regain control of their action? And how do they even work?"
"You insult me with your doubt, Colonel. The control is absolute, and the way those bio-chips work is by interacting with the neural and nerve system, altering the signals in the brain in such a way, that it makes them completely obedient and doesn't even allow them to question the orders. Unlike with typical brainwashing methods, the chips allow them the usage of their brain at full capacity, so that they don't lose any of the instincts or intelligence." Essex stated to Colonel, as the fight continued for some time longer. "The irony is that they are all perfectly aware of what they are doing, yet even if they wanted to do anything, they wouldn't be able to do a thing, since the bio-chip rewrites their mind in such a way as to prevent any complications. No need for telepathy, hypnosis, chemicals or any other thing. Perfect, obedient and completely capable soldiers, a commander's dream in other words."
"Yeah, wish I had those chips back when Wolverine was still in the Weapon X. He'd never even have a chance to escape." Wraith stated.
Essex couldn't agree more with this brute of a man, though the reason as to why he developed this bio-chip was not to impress this idiot. The reason why Sinister had to develop such an elegant and sophisticated means of control was due to Nephalem developing resistance to any means of control, including the telepathy that Sinister used on him. On one hand, it pleased him that his creation was able to resist him so effortlessly, as it showed that his work progressed so well, but on the other it made controlling him more and more difficult.
The last time he had attempted to establish a telepathic contact with Nephalem, he ended up with his brain nearly getting a seizure, an indication of just how strong Harry's natural psionic shield had become. And since chemicals, hypnosis and other methods didn't have any effect, Sinister had created the bio-chips and this is how he had managed to achieve control over not just Nephalem, but also every other mutant that had them. Of course, Essex never told of this to anyone, nor did he tell them that this bio-chip allowed Sinister to connect with Nephalem and give him telepathic orders without the risk of getting a seizure. The fact that Sinister had managed to implant it in Nephalem's brain without being destroyed later on spoke of Sinister's prowess, and he quietly felt pleased with himself.
"Hm, that Apache mutt is pretty tough, despite the beating of a lifetime he took… I've seen enough to approve of your subject as a success, so…" Wraith was about order Nephalem to stop, but then Sinister stopped him.
"If I may interject, Colonel, I believe this may be a perfect chance to demonstrate another valuable attribute of Nephalem. I believe I have mentioned that there was a possibility of my subject possessing a secondary mutation." Essex told him, subtly influencing his mind with telepathy.
"Hm, yes, you did. You've managed to find it?" Wraith asked of him, with Essex smiling to him.
"Yes, I have." At that point, he activated the comms and contacted Nephalem. "Nephalem, you are allowed to use your full power to take down Thunderbird."
Back with the fight, Thunderbird barely stood back up, spitting out blood and feeling like he could faint with any second, but he wasn't about to give up, preparing to attack again. However, in the next second, something happened that he wasn't expecting. He saw how one of the fists of Nephalem glowed with strange blue energy, reminding him of ethereal fires, before he raised it and the shot the energy beam at Thunderbird. The power of the blast was enough to send John flying over ten meters away, and then crash a rock upon the impact, nearly breaking his spine. In the meantime, Wraith and Essex observed what had happened with their own individual reactions.
"What the hell was that?" Wraith asked of him. "He has some kind of energy blaster in his arms now?"
"Not quite, Colonel. During the Ascension, I discovered that Nephalem slowly began to produce some kind of energy within himself, generating it with the rate of it's production rising exponentially. I've managed to stabilize the generation of that energy before it had gotten out of control and potentially destroyed the island, but this has allowed Nephalem to achieve and access his secondary mutation- energy generation, manipulation and projection." Essex explained to Wraith. "Nephalem is capable of producing and manipulating his own kind of energy, being able to use in many different ways. Energy blasts, force fields, energy field to move objects, even creation of objects, such as weapons- Nephalem is limited by his personal endurance and imagination, and he lacks in neither of those. However, this is not what makes that power so special…" Essex motioned to look at the monitor.
Thunderbird groaned from immeasurable pain that coursed all over his body, and he couldn't even move his limbs or even feel some of them. And then he also noticed that he was losing blood far too fast than he would normally, and he was completely certain that this was not meant to happen. His healing factor wasn't as good as that of Wolverine or even Beast, but it was still plenty enough to keep him going, and his bones and muscles were enough to withstand being thrown into a rock at a speed of a rushing locomotive, but now… Now they were torn, broken and completely mangled up, and it wasn't just because of the force of the blast.
John Proudstar came to a grim and absolutely correct conclusion- his mutation was just nullified, disabled and it made him as weak as any other man.
"He's completely messed up and broken, but he should've tanked that hit normally, and yet… What happened to his mutant powers?" Wraith said, observing the fallen X-Man, before it clicked in his mind. "That energy blast… Nephalem managed to disable his mutation?"
"Yes, Colonel. Nephalem's energy has the effect of temporarily disabling the mutant gene in the mutants, rendering them powerless before him, if Nephalem wishes to apply it in such a way." Essex said with pride and near predator's grin. "Imagine Wolverine, the immortal animalistic killer, rendered unable to regenerate and heal his wounds, and what he becomes then? A beast with metal skeleton and claws, but vulnerable and easy to kill with a precise shot to the heart. Or how about Magneto, a man capable of destroying the Earth's magnetic field with but a thought? He and so many other mutants who claim to be Gods can now be reduced to powerless, helpless little lambs, prepared for the slaughter. This is the true value and power of Nephalem, the power to destroy Gods…" Essex smiled, with Wraith looking in awe at the man.
"And he is under our full control… You have my congratulations, Doctor Essex. Now the Weapon Plus has the perfect tool to destroy all those pesky muties and anyone who will stand in our way." Wraith said with arrogance. "We've collected all the necessary data from the fight, and as far as the X-Men and others know, Thunderbird is on his way back home, on a commercial plane that oh so unfortunately will never make it past the middle of the Atlantic. Are you certain that the Xavier or any other telepath in his freak show never find out about what has happened here?"
"Absolutely, Colonel. The psionic dampeners are active and we are completely invisible for them." Essex assured him, who nodded in approval.
"Then it's time to call it a day, Doctor." Wraith said with a pleased tone, before activating the comms. "Nephalem, eliminate Thunderbird with lethal force. Use whatever means you want." Wraith commanded, as Nephalem approached the gravely wounded Thunderbird.
The Apache mutant tried to speak up, but was far too weak to say anything or to even move, but he was still able to watch, as Nephalem approached him, before stopping a few meters away from him. In the next second, Nephalem created two energetic spears in his hands, before sending them straight into Thunderbird's brain and heart. The spears reached their intended targets, and in that instant one of the longest serving members of X-Men and one of their core members has met his end, on the shores of what should've been a friendly place, with his friends and family never learning of what his true demise actually was. And in the next moment, the spears disappeared, leaving only the broken and destroyed husk of a mutant, with Wraith and Essex looking quite pleased with themselves.
"That takes care of that. Excellent work, Essex. Splendid work indeed." Wraith stated to him. "Consider Nephalem now an official part of our combat unit, and its leader, along with Gorgon, Talon, and Proteus."
"Thank you, Colonel." Sinister said, pleased with the results of the test, knowing that his work was progressing as he had expected.
All was proceeding as he had planned and hoped, and even better than he had anticipated, with Nephalem exceeding even Sinister's most ambitious expectations. The fool of a Colonel didn't even realize that this was not even the full extent of Nephalem's abilities, as Sinister had ordered his creation to hold back and not reveal his real potential and power. Even the amount he had shown was enough to achieve the needed goals for Sinister, while also making sure that none knew what true power of his Nephalem was. This test has demonstrated to Sinister that he has succeeded and created his new ultimate weapon against anyone who would stand in the way of his plans. X-Men, Avengers, even Apocalypse- none will be able to destroy Mr. Sinister and his greatest weapon, Nephalem.
As the soldiers picked up the corpse of who once were John Proudstar, Uatu observed the figure of the leaving Nephalem, followed by other mutants. And then in the second, Nephalem stopped, and turned around, his eyes looking straight into the ones of Uatu, clearly showing that he actually perceived him being there. The two stared at each other for a few moments, until Gorgon called out for Nephalem.
"What is the matter, Nephalem?" The powerful mutant asked of him.
"Nothing, just the wind." Nephalem replied and turned away from Uatu, leaving The Watcher alone and with the knowledge that he was no longer so hidden from him.
But also with a sliver of hope for this former child, transformed into a man. Hope, that in the future, he will obtain his freedom from those who have chained him…
Never thought I would actually be doing such a crossover, or that I would be doing an X-Men story, but there it is. Hello, my name is Ronin, but you can also call me Alex, and this is my latest new story. In the past few weeks I've rekindled my old love for the comic books and especially the X-Men, along with Harry Potter, and I've decided to try and combine them into one, and this is what I came up.
As you can see, unlike with a few of my previous stories, I decided not to stick with the child and made sure that my protagonist is a grown man. Even if in here he was forcefully turned into one by Mr. Sinister, one of X-Men most dangerous villains, yet one who has sadly not been yet portrayed in the movies, which is a MASSIVE loss for the viewers, as he is among the best written villains of Marvel universe, in comics at least. Along with that I've noticed that he doesn't get a lot of attention in the fanfiction, or at least I haven't noticed it, so I decided to make him as the central character of this story.
Now, about Harry's abilities, starting with his secondary mutation, the rapid physical adaptation. It can be summed up in one phrase: Whatever doesn't kill me simply makes me stronger. Harry's body can adapt an incredible rate, evolving and mutating to make him stronger, faster, more resilient, the more he is hit or damaged, and he'll just get back up and get stronger. He can even develop immunity against non-physical attacks or hazards, like radiation or telepathy. But his primary mutation… Now that is a bit of a secret, but safe to say that it is not simply a science based energy, like with Cyclops, and it's origins are gonna be later revealed. All you need to know is that this power allows Nephalem to go toe to toe with even the most dangerous opponents and come out on top, and he can also choose, when to nullify mutant abilities with it, or not.
Also, about Thunderbird, he is actually a canon character in the Marvel universe, and a member of the X-Men, though he was killed off a long time ago, but I decided to bring him up here, so as to demonstrate what Nephalem can do. Now, I know that I have a terrible sense of pacing, so I will try to progress this story at a faster rate than I usually do, and I am also debating if I may need to make chapters a bit shorter, but faster to write them. Let me know what you think, and let me assure you that it won't be long before Nephalem becomes part of the X-Men.
And to my long-time readers, as you have guessed, yes, I have once again failed you and your expectations by losing interest and inspiration for Dragon Champion of Aedra and Nirn. I realize that I have failed you, but this is, unfortunately, my fault and I hope you can forgive me for this weakness. Also, I hope you will take it easy on me, as I am not in any way an expert on the Marvel Comics or Harry Potter universe so I will make mistakes. This story will be based largely more on the comics, though elements of the movies will be incorporated.
Leave a review, suggestion for the future events, romantic interest of Nephalem, things that need to happen, ask a question, or just give me your opinion. It is thanks to you that my stories can become better, and I welcome a constructive feedback.
This story is posted on both and Archive of our own.
Next time: Mission in Norway; Massacre of the Brotherhood; Enter X-Men.