A few days passed, and no new revelations came to light. At first, I was concerned that the members of the Council caught on to what I was really doing there, but then I realized something that might have made sense of all this.

The Vigil Council have had premonitions of this Thanos defeating the Rebellion in a battle to decide the fate of the world, but if X dies in that battle and gets sent here, what does that mean for the rest of the team? If they lose their leader and friend, this Thanos will win and the world will be left in total chaos.

Was that what the Council wanted? To have the Rebellion lose to the Eternal Circle? And because I knew X and Zero, was that why they wanted me to be a part of the Council? So I could easily kill X or Zero?

All of these thoughts ran through my head, and I felt dizzy. I would be branded a traitor no matter what, and my friendship with the only person that truly understood me on a public matter would no longer be intact.

And I hated the thought of losing the Rebellion.

Finding the Rebellion was one of the highlights of my entire life. All of the crazy and messed-up shit that happened to me, the Rebellion helped me get through it. And now, the thought of inevitably betraying the team and most importantly, X? It's a very sobering thought.

Which was why I had to get to the bottom of all of this shit. And fast.

It was Initiation Day, and my task was simple - return to the surface world and I guess wait for someone to be killed in battle so I could lead them back here to the Vigil. Then the real shit would begin.

I'll spare you all the details that aren't really important, because I tried my hardest to avoid the Rebellion at all costs. But the real shit started, and it was something to see.

Even if I had wished to God I hadn't.

The 'initiation' process worked more like a cult summoning. The Vigil member Citizen V started the process, and it was something straight out of a horror movie.

"Great Malekith of the Vigil Council, we send you this soul to you and the Alter of Forbidden Truths, so this person may walk the path of the Unbounded. TAKE THIS SOUL."

After Citizen V spoke, his voice distorted and became demonic as the soul was literally extracted from this person and split from his body, causing the scene around us to be washed over in red as if the walls were bleeding and screaming during this horror scene. Finally, his soul was sent somewhere down below, possibly to this... Malekith person, leaving his body to be cast aside to become one of the unbounded.

"What the actual hell?!"

Citizen V stood up after the Council disbanded.

"In order for people to become one of the Unbounded, they must sacrifice their soul to Lord Malekith and the Alter of Forbidden Truths. Once they do, they become The Unbounded. That is the initiation process."

"Is that what you'll do to X? If he dies in this... premonition you've had? Why you wanted me?"

I had to be very careful in my confrontation, but needless to say, I was beyond angry. I wanted to strangle Citizen V, watch him take his last breaths.

"X doesn't need to go through the initiation process, because he is a Sentinel and the process won't be the same for him."

I had a headache from all of this. And I just knew it would just get even more worse.

"I know one thing. If the Eternal Circle does get out of hand, we'll keep fighting. We have to. The people have to be protected. We have to end this war one way or another."

X responded with an air of determination. I agreed with him, of course.

"You're absolutely right, X. The Circle picked the wrong team to mess with."

X chuckled lightly. I liked the kid. He had heart and strength, even when the world, and to a greater extent, the Circle, were throwing the toughest shit at him and his team, he would always stand against it with the hardest steel I've never seen in anyone else.

"You've got a point. But I wonder... are we all in over our heads? What if the Circle is preparing for something to go against us all? Another weapon?"

I placed a hand under my chin in thought.

"How did you and Zero destroy that weapon Lillian and Cameron built against Hunteria?"

X swallowed harshly.

"That weapon... became the Omega Vaporizer after Lillian escaped into the wilderness and we've heard word that the Eternal Circle is planning on building an even worse weapon against us and the world..."

I walked towards X, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Well, then. I guess we'll have to push our fight against these bastards and show them what the Rebellion's truly capable of."

My mind returned to the present again, but it was so sudden I passed out on my bed.

When I woke up in the middle of the night, the members of the Council ran past my room in a frenzy. Naturally, I followed the craziness.

"You've created a monster, Zemo! That fool you sent Marc to retrieve for the initiation is causing and wreaking havoc in the city! What will you tell Lord Malekith?!"

Citizen V looked like he wanted to kill somebody, anybody.

"DON'T YOU THINK I KNOW OF THIS, MASTERS?! Marc Spector will pay for his insolence!"

A few voices overlapped the meeting, but it went something like this:

"BURN HIM AT THE CENTER OF TOWN!"

"RIP OUT HIS ESOPHAGUS!"

"LET HIM DIE AT LORD MALEKITH'S HANDS!"

Citizen V raised his hand, silencing them all. This really was a cult.

"I shall handle Marc Spector. Whether any of you like it or not, we still require his presence. His ties to the Rebellion will eventually lead us to X, where we will finally put an end to this war. Once Thanos arrives on Earth, Malekith will transfer their souls within him, and cause the Circle and the Rebellion to crumble from within. But we MUST have Thanos and X inside the Vigil, and Marc is the only person to do so. After he has completed his initiation, I will end his miserable life."

I ran back to my room, willing myself not to throw up. I had no idea what I was going to do now.

"Steph... I promise you, if you just stick with me for a little bit longer, we'll have a better future. It'll be all worth it in the end."

"I... I can't be so sure of that, Marc... But I hope things work out for you in the end... Please... work on yourself."

My mind snapped back to the present day. Another letter.

"Marc Spector. You have chosen to speak with Citizen V. It is nearly time for you to meet Lord Malekith for all of your hard work. Day 2 of your initiation begins in one week. Then the final phase will bring you back to the Rebellion for a battle against your very own soul and X's as well. In order to save this world, hard choices will need to be made. We trust you will be up for it. Meet Citizen V in the Chamber of Souls tomorrow for your next phase. Do not be late."

I swallowed hard. I guess I didn't have any other choice. I could still hear the screams of that poor man I sent to his death. The face he made as his soul was ripped from his body was horrifying... I had to be almost done with this hellscape. And at this point, I would do anything to return to the surface.

Even if it meant betraying the Rebellion. I had no choice anymore.

Whatever Malekith was going to do to X and this Thanos... If it meant escaping this place for good...

"I'm sorry, X... but you'll thank me in time."

To Be Continued...