Chapter 24: Legacy of the Conqueror
Disclaimer: I do not own any Marvel characters of logos.
Scott and Warren had checked on Jean after the battle, although most members of their so-called team were still unaccounted for. Wolverine had left with Captain America almost immediately after the major threats had been neutralized, taking with them the villain they had been sent to arrest. The others had escaped Crime Central shortly after the enemy's defeat, but the final outcome of the struggle was controversial at best. It was a very meaningful victory most, especially the cities heroes and law enforcement who had fought long and hard to topple the gangs of New York. Most of all, the citizens no longer had to worry about super villains and the crime lords endangering public safety.
To the X-Men involved, it was not a completely solid victory. Jean and Scott had been sent to Manhattan to investigate the activities of their arch enemy, although they had found out very little despite how long they had been around. They had discovered small tidbits about what Magneto was up to, but by the time they found him, they were weakened from the previous battle and incapable of fighting him. Unable to force any answers out of the magnetic mutant, they were forced to let him go, left only with a handful of cryptic words.
If that were not bad enough, they had received more press than they had wanted. The last few weeks had not been very productive, and to make matters worse, Jean had been forced to spend a night in the hospital after her battle with Doctor Octopus. After the fight was over they had visited her to find that she had sustained minimal injuries despite what happened earlier. Her arm was in a sling, and she suffered slight head trauma after her violent encounter with the mad scientist, but otherwise she was relatively unharmed.
Ever since her release from the hospital, they had been trying to take it easy, but due to Spider-Man's proposal they were still out and about. The three mutants had followed the web slinger for several miles, watching him slip in and out of sight as they walked around in casual clothing. He did not want to put them in danger in case they were attacked by his enemies, so in return the wall crawler had decided that guiding them from a distance was probably a better. They watched him swing through the air several streets ahead of them, silently following his lead as quietly and casually as they could.
"Are you absolutely sure that your injuries are healed?" Scott questioned, his focus shifting to the girl standing beside him.
The female mutant bit her lip to stifle the pain, and after a few moments of doing this, she winced and forced a smile. "I've been better, but I think my pride hurts more than my arm." Jean answered with a witty expression. "I still can't believe we became involved in something like this, and ever after finding Magneto, things still didn't turn out the way we were hoping."
"What can we do?" Cyclops shrugged with a half smile, his eyes focusing on their guide as he slipped into another alleyway. "Hmmm… Well I can't say that I ever expected him to cooperate, but at least he didn't attack us. The fact that Logan saved him probably had something to do with that, although I would guess that even someone as disturbed as Magneto has some shred of honor."
Jean paused in thought, subconsciously scratching the side of her face with her finger. "I wonder if Professor Xavier will be able to make sense of anything that happened to us while we were here." she put forth optimistically "Although we weren't able to find out much, maybe something we saw or heard can help him figure out what the Acolytes are up too."
These thoughts worried her deeply, as she remembered getting a message from the institute during their stay, telling them to watch out for new enemies. The psychic mutant was certain that their former teacher wasn't talking about the costumed villains they ran into during the gang war, seeing how they hadn't even become involved in that mess yet. If one thing was certain in this mystery, it was that their old nemesis was gathering mutant followers for his mutant extremist group to replace Gambit and Colossus after their defection, and maybe even more for the sake of their misguided cause.
"We should just be glad the enemy hasn't tried anything more drastic than a few robberies." She added nervously.
Cyclops scratched the back of his head with a similar expression. "After hearing what Magneto said to us, it looks like this investigation actually created more questions than answer. If only we had been strong enough, we might have been able to force him to tell the truth."
"Or at least captured him so that the professor could probe his mind…" Jean answered helpfully, her thought wandering again to what their nemesis was really up to. "I still think that whatever power he has to elude Cerebro might not be so effective against us if we were able to bring him to the institute."
It was clear from Spider-Man and Wolverine's recent testimonies that Pyro and Sabretooth was still with their master, but the second man he had described was certain unfamiliar. The X-Men had never once encountered a man wrapped in red clothing that wielded glowing weapons. So far the description they did not fit any particular mutant they knew. The only consolation they had so far was that his group had not grown large enough to challenge them directly, or else they might have made their presence known more publicly by now. It was unclear whether of not the Brotherhood were still involved with him, but right now this was hardly a need for their concern.
They continued walked for several minutes, ducking into another alleyway as the arachnid-themed hero swung around another corner. When they had walked about halfway through the darkened space, the two X-Men cast worried looks at each other, their eyes settling on the winged man stand ahead of them. Warren had walked ahead of them, having worn his long jacket to hide his angelic wings from view. It looked strange during to see someone wearing a heavy coat in hot weather, but it was still better than the alternative.
Cyclops inched forward, tapping the flying mutant on the shoulder. "Do you know where he's taking us, or is this some kin of trick?"
The independent mutant paused as he considered the question, although when he looked back at the others, his expression was less than reassuring. "I may live in this city, but that doesn't mean I know every inch of it." A soft sigh escaped his lips. "Who knows? I would trust the web slinger with my life, but he's got a sarcastic wit that can sometimes get the best of anyone… Maybe he was just pulling your leg?"
"Gee, and here I was beginning to think of us as friends…" the masked hero's voice rang out as he greeted them from the roof of the nearest building.
Before they could finish the conversation, the masked hero dropped down from the building above, landing gracefully a few yards ahead of them. It was obvious from his comment that the wall-crawler had heard their whispered conversation. He approached the three mutants with a relaxed demeanor, silently glad that they were out of view of the public now. This particular alley was actually a dead end, meaning that they were safe from any prying eyes. Of course the person whom he wanted them to meet preferred not to be disturbed at all, making this particular location a good spot.
"Nice place, but I don't think we'll be meeting anyone particularly helpful in an alley." Scott added with a glum expression.
His girlfriend glanced around at the brick walls of the surrounding buildings, raising an eyebrow in confusion as she saw that there were no doors or windows. "Are you sure this is the right place?" her eyes shifted to the wall crawler. There have got to be thousands of places like this in New York, maybe you made a mistake?"
"Oh no, this is the place." Spider-Man replied, stepping towards the back wall.
Without even explaining, he shuffled up to the building which blocked the way out of the alley, resting the bottom of his foot onto a small mark on the street. Although the others couldn't see exactly what he was doing, the vigilante decided it was best not to tell them for fear of his benefactor's wrath. A tiny symbol depicting a spider was inscribed into the cement, although anyone who didn't know its significance would have mistaken the marking for graffiti. Since the city was loaded with marked walls and sidewalks due to the gang violence and drug wars, this was actually a good thing.
The arachnid exerted a small bit of force, pushing down the hidden button under the pavement, the action causing the illusion of a wall to vanish, revealing a heavy metallic door where there had only been wall just moments ago. His companions looked mildly surprised, but Warren also used a similar method of hiding his underground base, and so did the crime lords of this city. The same though floated through their minds as they realized how strange New York really was in the grand scheme of things. It seemed as though most of the world's superheroes and their villainous counterparts operated in the city.
Cyclops tensed up as the swung open by itself, revealing a dark passage beyond. "Okay, that was weird…"
"More to the point, where exactly are we going?" Warren Worthington added thoughtfully.
Spider-Man shrugged off their questions. "An old acquaintance of mine lives here that might be able to help you guys, but I don't know if she'll be happy to see you." He glanced at the entryway and shrugged in boredom before turning his attention back to the others. "Since he just rolled out the red carpet, the old broad was probably expecting me to show up."
"What kind of a game is this, Spider-Man?" Scott Summers stepped forward with a slightly aggressive look.
"Don't get so suspicious, especially since he's only trying to help us." Jean Grey nudged him with her good arm before casting an apologetic expression towards their ally. "I read his mind, he's not lying to us!" she whispered inside of her boyfriend's mind so that only they knew what was going on.
Angel walked to the entryway so that he was standing in front of the threshold, narrowing his eyes as he looked into the depths of the darkness. "I don't mean to be rude, but what kind of person would live in a place like this?"
Although it didn't seem as if he wanted to harm them, this question caused the vigilante a sense of discomfort. He racked his mind for the right way to answer, although he couldn't describe her that easily. When thinking about Madame Web, the first word that came to his mind was creepy, although this hardly did her any justice. As strange as she could be, the precognitive woman was extremely helpful in the rare instances that she decided to lend him her assistance, and very rarely did she give him a reason to doubt her intentions. Due to her enigmatic nature and mysterious personality, he didn't feel comfortable calling her a friend, but she was no enemy.
"Hmmm… That's actually a difficult question." Spider-Man answered in a reluctant tone. "The only way anyone can as if they actually meet her I person, and even then you might not be able to form a solid opinion."
Jean had been listening carefully, and quickly picked up on the hints he dropped. "So this person is a woman, then? How exactly can she help us?"
"She's certainly an odd person, but I'll leave the rest up to you to figure out when arrive." Peter Parker stepped into the dingy hallway beyond, gesturing forward for them to follow him. "She probably knows we're here, and we shouldn't keep her waiting."
The three mutants glanced at each other for support, sharing a collective nod as they followed the arachnid themed hero. Angel stepped into the darkness first, closely followed Jean, witch Scott standing in back. He turned around and shut the door, blocking out what was left of the light as they entered the darkened passage. After taking a few steps, Spider-Man took out a flashlight and left his companions forward, the light guiding them through the odd series of rooms beyond. The beam's low revealed the presence of old furniture and a television set, all of which were covered in a thin layer of dust from lack of use.
"It looks like someone died in this place?" Scott pondered as he glanced around the room, the ruby hue of his glasses making things more difficult to see clearly
The masked hero shushed him as he pushed aside a chair, allowing them to continue. "See that room ahead." He pointed the flashlight in front of them. "Just keep going!"
Despite the fact that the area was not very large, the apartment-like space was cluttered with junk of all different sorts, making maneuvers troublesome in the limited lighting. As they went through a door and into the second room, the X-Men began to notice strange machinery and a jungle of wires covering the floor. Although they had yet to find out the source, the group could see another source of light pouring in from behind a door up ahead. They paused in anticipation as Spider-Man slide open the entry and entered the lighted room beyond, using his hand to usher his companions to do the same.
The group froze in surprise s they entered the room, the single light bulb dangling above their heads revealing a silhouette behind curtain at the far end of the room. It was a spacious area with bare walls, the wires from the previous room trailing through the entry and under the curtain in front of them. It was clear that whatever lied beyond must've been the person using all of the machines they had seen just moments ago.
"Are you awake, old lady? We've got some business to discuss!" the wall crawler called out loudly enough so that she would hear him in either case.
"Is that any way to treat your elders?" The group jumped slightly as an elderly female voice filled the room, seemingly coming from everywhere at once. After a moment of silence, a loud sigh echoed from beyond the veil. "Of course I am conscious, or else you would have never received such a warm welcome."
Spider-Man's mind returned to the door opening by itself when they first came to her lair, having expected that she was behind it. Her machinery allowed her to perform small tasks and also acted as life support, therefore he was not very surprised by this turn of events. His focus changed as the curtains at the end of the room swept aside to reveal the form of an elderly woman sitting in a chair with a large, metallic, web-shaped apparatus attached to the back of it. The sheer size of the hardware was so large that it almost touched the ceiling of the room, and the wires seen earlier were plugged into the chair and some into her body.
The mutants were clearly much less comfortable towards her shocking appearance, having rarely seen such outlandish equipment. Her entire body was encased in a sort of clothing which covered her legs completely, allowing a single tube to trail off of the end where her feet were like an umbilical cord. She seemed almost as if she were attached to the chair, although her arms were free it seemed as if the rest of her body was unable to move at all. Her face and hair looked relatively normal, although the red visor she wore reminded Scott vaguely of his own ruby-quartz glasses.
Seeing that they were not about to say anything, the old woman addressed her young acquaintance. "Normally I would contact you, but instead you have come before me." She began with a mysterious expression. "And you have brought friends as well… Do you care to explain why, or must I simply assume you need my help?"
Peter Parker nodded as he approached her. "These people helped me during a gang war against the Kingpin, and now I want to return the favor. After hearing them out, it's obvious that many of things you told me about during our last meeting may have something to do with them, and I believe you can provide the answers."
The elderly woman raised an eyebrow in confusion, glancing towards the others with a pensive expression. "Ah yes, so it seems that the X-Men have come… From this encounter, it appears things are going precisely as I foreseen."
"Wait a minute? Are you saying you know who we are?" Scott replied, his eyes widening in shock behind his tinted eyewear.
"Not entirely, but that is beside the point." Madame Web seemed unfazed by the outburst, her expression remaining unchanged. "Do not take me for a fool… I know many things that you could scarcely begin to understand, and also some things that would be far beyond your current comprehension."
Jean Grey looked as though she had just been violated, clearly shocked that this person they had never met before somehow knew even this much. Pausing for a moment, she silently went through memories of every person she had ever met, but this mysterious woman was clearly not one of them. At this moment, she realized what the wall crawler had meant when he said that there was no way to judge such a person without meeting them first. She was everything he had said, and yet much more.
"Who are you? What are you?" the psychic mutant stammered nervously as she moved to stand beside the masked hero.
Scott stepped in front of his teammate as if to shield her from their host, folding his arms with stern expression. "That's precisely what I would like to know. The question is, will you explain before we continue this conversation?"
Spider-Man turned towards him suddenly, waving his hands defensively. "Ease up there, bright-eyes… She may be a little creepy, but I can promise she means you no harm." When the others calmed down a little, he glanced over at the person behind them. "No offense…" he added hastily.
"None taken." the elderly woman added kindly, smiling with an amused glint in her sightless eyes. She looked at the trio of mutants and nodded solemnly before addressing her company again. "Introductions are fine, although I would prefer if you would do the honors. I recognize your winged friend, but what of you both?"
The younger woman gave her an apologetic expression, exchanging a quick glance with her boyfriend before speaking to the sitting woman. At this point the two mutants realized they had little other choice but the cooperate, considering that the person they were facing had yet to give them a valid answer to anything. Although she was hardly in her prime, Jean had noticed a sense of amusement radiating from the elderly woman, although attempts to read her mind were remarkably difficult for some unspecified reason that she ha yet to figure out. It was almost as if she were blocking any outside penetration with mental abilities of her own.
"I sense you were trying with no avail to read my mind… Your psychic abilities are most impressive, Miss Jean Grey." Madame Web answered with a clever smile.
"She asked for our names, and seems to have already known yours." Cyclops thought out loud, looking even more surprised than before.
The young telepath glanced over at the older woman in horror. "Not only did you sense my probe, but you blocked it and managed to delve into my thoughts without me even realizing what was going on!" she analyzed the situation, her wary expression turning to shock. "That wouldn't be possible unless…"
"I was also a mutant…" The mysterious woman finished her sentence for her with a knowing smile. "Your hypothesis is a correct, but perhaps dear Mr. Summers would be so kind as to ask the questions you want answered."
"Stop that!" Cyclops took another step towards the woman, getting the same feeling from this woman as he would from a stalker. "You shouldn't go around violating our private thoughts."
Jean nodded quickly in agreement, her surprised expression twisting into a serious glare. "It is an invasion of someone's privacy to use telepathic powers to read their minds, especially if you have no prior motive or reason behind it."
"If that is your rationale, then perhaps you would care to explain how what I did was any different from you." The elderly mutant surmised with a thoughtful expression. "I did not once give you a reason to believe had hostile intent, yet you would be so evasive as to pry into another person's mind without provocation. Explain the difference, and I will apologize…"
The young telepath thought for a minute, although she realized that the woman's logic was simple and straightforward, leaving little room for argument. As stubborn as she seemed during their initial encounter, the older psychic seemed quite sharp for her age. Realizing that they were mistaken, Jean placed a hand on her boyfriend's shoulder to calm him down. She moved past him and approached their host with a less hostile expression, shaking her hand as if they were meeting for the first time.
She stepped back and forced a smile despite her irritation with the older woman. "Let's start this conversation over. Although you already know, I'm Jean Grey and this is Scott Summers. We're both mutant instructors from the Xavier Institute." She greeted in a much more polite manner.
"There now, was that so hard? I admit that I don't get visitors often. And was trying to entertain myself… For that alone I must apologize to you both." the mysterious mutant replied with amusement. After a brief pause, her expression became much more serious than before.
Scott looked much more level-headed than before, having taken time to calm down while the others were talking. "Not that we have that pesky little mystery out of our way, would you be so kind as to tell us who you are?"
The sitting mutant's expression lightened again. "Introductions are fine so long as they are done properly. If you must call me something, I am Madame Web."
"Bet you can't figure out why." Spider-Man added in a sarcastic drawl, his arms gesturing dramatically towards the web-like apparatus connected to her chair.
"Ah yes, perhaps I should explain to spare your friends the suspense." She answered with a weary sigh. "This machinery you see is a powerful life-support system that was purposely designed to keep my alive. I have any number of disabilities from blindness to paralysis, and thus I cannot move or see. Aside from my mutant powers, I am very much an invalid..."
Angel had remained quiet up until this point, but his curiosity had finally gotten the best of him, and he joined the others. "With all due respect, what kind of powers do you possess?"
Madame Web considered the question for a moment before answering him. "In all actuality I possess many different psychic abilities, among which are telepathy and foresight." She stated, consciously leaving out her other abilities. "The latter is by far the more useful of the two, because it allows me to see the future even though my physical blindness prevents me from seeing that which sits before me."
"That could explain how you knew so much." Cyclops scratched the back of his head, looking slightly ashamed for sounding so rude earlier. "I guess maybe we shouldn't have been so quick to judge you."
His girlfriend wore a similar expression, although she now knew that their host was unable to see them. "I'm sorry too…" she paused before resuming the conversation. "Actually, it's pretty rare for a mutant to possess more than one mutation, particular when it comes time to mental abilities. I'm a telekinetic and a telepath."
The crippled woman looked as though she were pleased with their greetings. "I am glad to see we have all come to an understanding, but at the same time I feel as though it would be wise to address that which you came to ask."
The room fell silent as they thought about Magneto's recent actions and the mess that happened during the Gang War, but there were so many blanks in their combined stories that they had no choice but to ask for help. Angel and Spider-Man were both quiet due to the fact that their involvement in this particular case was minimal, but at the same time both heroes were interested to hear if Madame Web had anything interesting to say about it. As strange as she could be, the precognitive mutant had become their last hope.
Jean walked a few paces towards the elderly woman and bowed her head respectfully. "A mutant named Magneto recent came to this city in order to obtain a set of crystals from the local historical galleries and collections. We would like to ask if you know what use he could have for such artifacts."
"Magneto you say… I had an interesting encounter with him not so longer ago." She answered with a spark of interest.
"It figures he would have come after you too." Spider-Man replied with a sigh.
"What did he want with you?" Scott Summers added quickly, his attention diverting back to the elderly woman sitting in front of them.
The older mutant's mouth became a very thin line as she remembered that day. "He desired to use my power to do terrible things, and I frown upon giving anyone specific information concerning the future." Her aged face twisted to reveal a grim sense of irritation. "When I refused to join his mutant crusade, he threatened to kill me, but ultimately acknowledged the futility upon realizing that I did not fear death."
"What happened after that? Did he just give up and leave you alone?" Warren questioned.
Madame Web nodded in agreement. "Fortunately he came to his senses and departed, but I instantly knew from this encounter that he wanted my help to find the whereabouts of those gemstones that Miss Grey mentioned earlier."
Cyclops leaned forward slightly in anticipation. "So you know about them, then?"
Madame Web fell silent as she thought about the answer, silently searching through several visions she had received over a long period of time. While this might have take hours for someone less skilled, the psychic mutant had an incredibly sharp wit, and a powerful mind that could instantly recall anything she had seen. Having had these powers her entire life, she had used them in her job as a fortune teller during her youth, and thus she was very skilled at finding the connections between her visions. After several minutes of putting the pieces together, the puzzle had become painstakingly clear.
When she spoke again, it was in a malevolent, brooding tone. "The artifacts that Magneto seeks have sinister purpose, but to fully understand this story, you must first understand that which transpired thousands of years ago. My visions have shown me several things from the past as well as the future… I normally prefer not to tamper with fate, but if we are to survive the calamity that will ensue, now may be our only chance!"
"Tell us…" Jean sounded resolute and demanding as she drew herself up to her full height.
"I will show you!" Madame Web cried out, an explosion of psychic power enveloping the room's occupants.
The group saw a giant burst of light as the crippled telepath assaulted their minds, her emotional restraint slipping at least. She was normally a very calm individual, but for once she had acted out of a desire to save mankind. The calamity she had foreseen was far too great, and now the psychic would do everything she could to stop it from happening. Magneto might have tried to use her powers for evil, but she was certain that the heroes that before her would create a better future. The group shielded their eyes as their minds fell under her influence, but when the light faded, they found themselves floating several thousands of feet in the sky.
It felt almost as if they were standing on top of an invisible force field as they literally stood on air, looking down at the miles of desert below. Angel tried to fly, but realized that his wings weren't working properly, while the others were too taken aback by the situation to react properly. Scott seemed the most terrified by the sudden change, but due to the nature of this trick, Jean had figured out what was going on long before her companions. Floating alongside them on her chair was Madame Web, who looked thoroughly amused by their reactions.
"What's going on? What did you do to us?" Cyclops shouted, looking around with a panicked expression.
Spider-Man's reaction was very similar to his, although he did a much better job as hiding his surprise. "I can hurtle through the air on webbing, but the last time I checked, I couldn't actually fly like this."
Jean shook her head disapprovingly. "This is all a mental illusion made by Madame Web. She said she would show us firsthand what she was talking about, so instead of just explaining herself to us, she's projecting the visions into our minds."
"You really are a bright girl… I thank you for saving me the explanation." The psychic replied interestedly, her elderly lips curling into a smile. She turned away from the redhead and focused on the group as a whole. "On the mental plane I can see just the same as you, and even better."
Warren Worthington began to ask. "But what about the…"
"Shhh!" the old woman silenced him. "I would suggest you wait until after we are finished to question the things that I am about the show you… Now behold!"
Holding out her arms in sorcerous fashion, the psychic started showing them her visions as if she had just pressed the play button on an entertainment system. At once the world below their feet sprang too life, several people bustling about living their daily lives. It was a small town in the expansive desert, resembling something out of an ancient history book. They watched in silence for several minutes, but when they began wondering why she was showing them this vision, their answers were answered immediately. The people below began running around in fright as a giant shape descended from the sky, blocking out the sun as it cast a mighty shadow over the people scurrying below in fear.
The focus of the vision seemed to close in on the giant craft, allowing the group to see a much better view of it than before. It looked almost like a spacecraft from a futuristic movie, and hovering above the flying machine was a man clothed in a form-fitting green outfit. He wore a dark magenta-colored helmet with matching gloves and boots. His garb almost seemed like some type of armor, the helmet revealing his face through a transparent section in the font, making him look like an astronaut descending from outer space. The expression he wore was one of complete confidence and mingled arrogance, his evil intentions obvious.
"What is that thing? Who is he?" Jean pointed towards the sky above, her eyes widening in surprise.
Madame Web seemed to find her reaction almost humorous. "Just relax, and watch…" she answered maddeningly.
After a moment, the vision flickered as if someone had changed television had changed the channel on a television, this time revealing the same man from before. He stood victorious atop the ruins of a smoldering city, the people bowing before him in forced reverence. The mighty spacecraft which he had brought with him covered the lands below in shadow. The X-Men looked shocked as they saw a familiar pyramidal structure rise from the sand of desert, atop of which sat the Sphinx from the main control center of the vessel they had stopped during the incident several months ago.
"We've seen that thing before!" Cyclops replied, pointing at the triangular structure.
"Indeed you have, for it is the very same object that was utilized by Apocalypse during his attempt to turn humanity into mutants. I believe it was known as the Eye of Ages" The elderly mutant replied sagely, turning to his female partner next. "As for your earlier question… The man you see before you is possibly the root of this evil. He is a conqueror who traveled back in time to take control of the world when no one could stand against him."
Angel looked shocked by this sudden revelation. "Are you saying that the man who originally created that vessel was really a time-traveler?" He stopped to consider the concept, although he found it more unbelievable then anything he had ever heard of. "That's impossible!"
"In this world, nothing is impossible!" Spider-Man shook his head disapprovingly. "Trust me pal, the things I've seen in the world of science made me realize that people can create anything, no matter how unethical it is."
Peter Parker was actually thinking of the research that had turned him into a superhero along with the experiments that had created the superpowers of his enemies. There was a time when he would have rejected the idea of created super soldiers or costumed heroes, but after becoming a subject himself, he would never underestimate the power of invention again. So many possibilities existed in the worlds of experimentation and science, and the wall crawler knew he was living proof of this. Although he knew that many people couldn't tell just by looking at him, Spider-Man was an intelligent and skilled scientist.
"His name was Kang the Conqueror, and he planned to start his conquest in Ancient Egypt using the Eye of Ages to control the land." Madame Web explained this with a grave note in her aging voice. "Redressing himself in the garb of the ruler, he renamed himself Rama-Tut and became the Pharaoh…"
Spider-Man cocked his head to the side in confusion. "Wait a minute here… If his crazy future technology really was this advanced, how could anyone stop him?"
"Rama-Tut heard of a powerful gray-skinned warrior who lived among the desert bandits. His name was En Sabah Nur." Madame web explained tactfully. Her eyes moving towards the two X-Men present. "Considering that your friends were involved in that nasty incident with those pyramids, I am certain that both of them know what comes next."
She changed the vision again, revealing an image of one person destroying the Egyptian Army with his bare hands. Alone and impossibly outnumbered, the man stood his ground against an army. Having seen his entire family and all of his companions wiped out by the more powerful force of the Pharaoh, his rage had turned into n unstoppable force, making him invulnerable to all of their attacks. Spears and arrows shattered and splintered against his flesh and the sheer force his will created psionic energy waves repelled those who dared to venture close, and expanded to destroy those who fled from his rage.
Jean had heard the story before and quickly nodded to affirm the elder mutant's deduction. "En Sabah Nur was the man who would eventually become Apocalypse. His powers were so great that the Pharaoh's forces were defeated, forcing him to flee the land and never return. The technology he left behind was used by Apocalypse later on, and…"
Madame Web stopped her by changing the vision to a point several years later, revealing an older version of Apocalypse sitting within the main control unit of the Eye of Ages, wearing his Egyptian Pharaoh garb, his retainers preparing the machine for him. Before the group of captive viewers could respond, the elderly psychic changed the scene so that they saw the ancient mutant with three of his retainers, each of which was carrying a familiar-looking gemstone into the depths of the darkness below. They were standing in an underground chamber which closely resembled that which harbored the Eye of Ages.
After a moment, the scene vanished into the darkness, the surrounding melting away like wax as the caster released her hold over their minds. I a matter of seconds, the group of heroes were back inside the dingy apartment where they had started the psychic journey, looking more confused that then enlightened by the experience. They were clearly bewildered by the experience, although Peter Parker was particularly lost due to the fact that he had not been involved during the Apocalypse incident like the mutants.
Having lost his patience, Spider-Man groaned. "I know you guys might understand this, but would someone mind telling me how this relates to helmet-head and his goons?"
Warren Worthington spared a sidelong glance at the masked man, looking as though he actually agreed. "The web slinger has a good point… Those artifacts looked familiar enough, but what does all of it mean in relation to us?"
"That is what I was about to explain…" Madame Web replied with a curt nod, her sightless eyes opening behind the red-tinted visor she wore. "I am sure that most of you understand the significance of the first weapon that Kang brought to the ancient world." she indicated the masked hero as the exception. "Unknown to most, there was a second machine from the future that still remains untouched, one that En Sabah Nur also discovered during his conquest of Rama-Tut's dominion."
Jean considered the possibilities, her hand stroking her chin subconsciously. "That vision of the crystals that Magneto was searching for must've had something to do with whatever weapon Apocalypse had found."
"Well I'm glad at least one of you was able to figure it out." The older psychic looked pleased by her intelligence once again. "The ancient mutant took control of the Eye of Ages and soon after this he discovered a second weapon that Kang the Conqueror had hidden. The second was hidden somewhere in China, and he quickly mastered the secrets of both."
"The Eye of Ages was more than powerful enough to accomplish his goals, so why would he have interest in the second weapon?" Cyclops questioned the elder mutant.
Madame Web sighed nonchalantly. "It is always important to have an ace in the hole, and thus both Kang and Apocalypse planned to use the second weapon as a back-up plan in case the first was to fail."
"Can you tell us how these artifacts play into this mess?" the winged mutant asked their host.
She paused again, her focus returning to the main point she was trying to make before. "The crystals are relevant, because they are the power source of that second device you saw in my visions of the past." The crippled woman replied tactfully. "Although I am unaware how he could have discovered these dark secrets, I would be willing to bet that Magneto managed to get his hands on this information and plans to control the machine for himself."
Spider-Man tensed up again, his look of disgust hidden by the mask. "Damn, I should've stopped that creep when I had the chance!" the hero cursed his own weakness, having been defeated not once but twice by the magnetic mutant.
"By any chance, do you know what it does?" the redheaded psychic questioned their host with a note of fear, her voice waveringly slightly as she considered the worst possibilities.
"All I can tell you is that this device is just as powerful as the weapon your team neutralized several months ago, and in some ways it may be even more dangerous than the Eye of Ages. I have no knowledge of how it works, but when used properly it has the power to control nature itself…" The elderly woman's explanation was vague, but to the point. "Put simply, if someone with dark intentions can unleash this power, that person will be able to unleash calamities in the form of hurricanes, typhoons, earthquakes, and tornadoes on a level even greater than this world has ever seen!"
The assembled heroes looked positively terrified by the concept, but Scott was the first to recover from the temporary shock. "Wait a minute!" he called out, forcing the group's attention onto him. "Magneto may be a dangerous extremist, but I can't imagine he would want to destroy all of humanity." "
His girlfriend nodded in agreement. "Something that dangerous might also result in the destruction of mutants as well, and I doubt he wants to make the world uninhabitable for life as we know it."
"I never said he did…" Madame Web answered cryptically, her expression becoming much darker as she focused her powers once more. "It is my shared opinion that Magneto would never intend to destroy the entire world, but who is to say that he will able to control this power. Any number of things could go wrong, and through my visions of the future, I have discovered that nothing but chaos will ensue if he unleashes this horror upon the planet."
The precognitive mutant focused her powers, showing them all another vision of a barren wasteland ravaged by disaster and unfit for any type of life. No vegetation or plant life remained across the expansive stretch of twisted landscape, and dust storms blew across the fields. From the view she gave them, they could see several chasms where quakes had opened holds in the Earth, the darkness so deep that they were unable to see the bottom. In the lifeless soil were the ruins of what had once been a city, the stone and wood remnants worn down by the constant beatings that nature had bestowed upon them.
Her vision dispersed once again, fading into the darkness like a distant memory or a dream, but to those who had witnessed the scene, it felt more like a nightmare that they would rather wake up and forget. All four heroes seemed awestruck by the calamity that they had seen, and it took several minutes to silence for them to recover again. Many of the things that she had told them so far had been negative, but what she had shown them just now was more terrible than all of the rest combined. If a world ruled by Apocalypse was scary, it was horrifying to imagine a world where nothing remained at all.
"I have foreseen the possible outcomes of this ordeal through my foresight, and the prospects are very grim indeed if the power sources are ever returned to that weapon." Madame Web explained rather bluntly.
Jean Grey placed a hand to her forehead, taking another moment o gather herself. "So then what you showed us is the worst possible outcome, assuming that Magneto manages to revive this machine?"
The precognitive woman shook her head, her expression darkening again. "Oh no my dear… I daresay this may be the best of many possible futures that I could have shown you. I daresay, the worst would have been far more terrible, and I would not be impolite enough to subject you to such an unimaginable horror."
Scott stepped forward with a resolute expression. "Is there any way we can prevent this from happening? If we can stop Magneto, does that guarantee the safety of the future?"
"That has to be the solution!" Jean added hopefully. "We can't allow those visions of the future you showed us to become a reality!"
Madame Web remained silent for a moment, her facial expressions inscrutable. "Alas, I have only seen these nightmarish visions of what may be." she began hesitantly, but after considering them for a minute, she slowly nodded her head in compliance. "There are many ways that the cosmos can form, meaning that nothing is set in stone. The future can change, but those of us who know must be the ones who must do it!"
An ominous quiet spread throughout the chamber, but it was quickly broken by Cyclops. "I see…" he began with an unpleasant grimace. "Is there anything else you tell us about this case? Do you know where the remaining artifacts are, and how to obtain them?"
They waited with bated breath to hear her answer, but the blind woman merely emulated his dismal expression, her aged lips turning into a thin line before she spoke. "I am sorry, but my power does not make me omnipotent. My precognitive abilities have limitations... There are things that I cannot foresee and things that even I am incapable of understanding." she closed her sightless eyes behind her visor in a display of regret. "I am sorry…"
"That's not a problem!" Spider-Man piped up, dismissing the frowns that had begun to form on the faces of the mutants with a thumbs up. "These guys are more than capable of handling this situation, especially now that they know what's going on!"
"Gee, you really know how to optimistic." Jean replied with a half-smile, looking much less confident than the masked hero.
The web slinger shrugged off her uncertainty. "I've been through a lot over the years, and having confidence that you can never hurt me. Go ahead and tell me I sound like a greeting card if it makes you feel better, but remember one thing… You won't win by copping out before the fight even begins!"
Although the others weren't entirely certain, Warren stepped up. "He's right, you know."
An understanding passed between the others, but Scott quickly turned his focus to their host. "Do you have anything else to say that might be of assistance before we go?"
"There is little more I can say, but there is some advice I wish to give you that may prove useful to everyone." Madame Web inclined her head thoughtfully before giving her answer. "There are many evils in this world, and the same chaotic future will result from any one of them seizing control of Kang's technology. Please be aware of this as you proceed…"
Jean tried to think of a proper way to express her gratitude, but for some reason she was having trouble doing this. Unable to properly show it, she turned and began to leave the room, closely followed by her friends. They hesitated for a moment each before following her from the room, all of them wondering if they should believe everything the elderly psychic had told them during their visit. As they reached the threshold, Angel opened the door to reveal the dingy living area beyond the lighted room where Madame Web lived.
Jean held open the door for her teammates, her eyes gravitating towards the lonely mutant sitting in the back of the room. "Thank you for your assistance." She called out solemnly. "I can't tell you how much you might have helped us today."
"Good luck, child…" the elderly mutant responded courteously, her lips curling into a smile as she watched them leave her abode.
As the door closed behind them, Spider-Man glanced at his mysterious ally. Somehow the blind woman seemed to sense his gaze, but she waited for the footsteps in the other room to die away before turning her head in his direction. She was obviously more familiar with the arachnid than the mutants he had brought into her lair, almost to the point where she would trust him like she would a son. Having the ability to read minds helped, but the blind mutant had never sensed any evil intent from her young counterpart.
"Is something the matter?" she asked him with a note of concern.
Spider-Man sighed wearily as he spared a look at the door where they had left. "I sounded confident back there, but do you believe they can actually succeed?" he questioned hesitantly, his frown hidden by the bottom half of his mask.
To his surprise, Madame Web smiled again. "If I believed that all hope was lost, I never would have told them anything at all." She replied in a matter-of-fact way, the visor over her eyes reflecting the light from the bulb dangling above their heads. "The fate of the world may very well rest in the hands of mutant kind, and I am just fine with that…"
Meanwhile…
Doctor Octopus had been hiding from the police for almost a day now, having woken up in the Kingpin's hideout before the police began their investigation. He was fully aware from the newspaper reports that the crime king had abandoned his empire to escape arrest and was currently avoiding law enforcement and covering his tracks, a rather fitting end for someone who had been too cowardly to enter the field himself. The mad scientist prided himself for having the guts to carry out his own crimes, although at the moment he regretted the brief partnership with the large man.
Now sitting on the floor of an abandoned warehouse, the multi-limbed villain was wracking his mind for new ideas. Having relied on the Kingpin for funding, the evil genius found himself broke and desperate once again now that his benefactor was now no better off than he was. He had learned from past experience how difficult it was to steal everything he needed for his inventions, because every time he was forced the rob a bank or a laboratory, he risked being caught by the police. If that weren't bad enough, he was also forced to contend with superheroes like Spider-Man and Daredevil, both of whom were even more relentless and intelligent than the actual law enforcement.
Letting out an angry scowl, the mad scientist sat down on the wooden crate he had been using as a makeshift chair. "To think that those meddlesome fools have forced me underground before my newest project could become a reality!" he hissed angrily, one of his metal arms instinctively smashing a nearby crate. "I will have my revenge for this humiliation."
"Indeed you shall!" an unfamiliar voice rang out through the dingy room.
The mad scientist jumped to his feet, his tentacles flailing around defensively as he searched the surrounding area for any signs of an intruder. He took in the surrounding room through his trademark sunglasses, his eyes scanning every inch that he could see. There were several rows of crates surrounding him, most of which were empty due to the lack of usage this facility had been subjected to for the last five or so years. Reaching in the direction he heard the voice coming from, the doctor seized a tower of debris and tossed it aside only to reveal that there was nothing behind it.
"Come out and face me!" Octavius screamed, his face contorting with rage at the idea that someone was messing with him.
"There is no need to be so aggressive… I only wish to talk…" the same voice answered from behind him.
Doctor Octopus swung his tentacles around wildly in an attempt to catch the figure behind him, but the enemy used the darkness to his advantage and slide in and out of the shadows as he dodged the swings almost effortlessly. From the shadowy silhouette and tone of the voice, he could tell that the strange visitor was clearly a man. The enemy seemed keen only to avoid his strikes and did nothing to counterattack, although he did managed to kick the mechanical arms away with a strength and precision normally impossible for a human. For his slim build, the intruder was clearly very strong and agile.
The super villain lashed out in anger with his metal claws, his teeth gritting angrily. "No one infiltrates the lair of Otto Octavius and survives!"
His opponent answered him with a dry chortle. "You honestly consider this a lair… I pity your misfortune."
"Enough games!" the mechanical-armed villain screamed, his sunglasses shining menacingly.
"That was precisely what was thinking…" the voice answered from the shadows.
Octavius shot one of his metallic tentacles in the direction where he heard the voice, but the enemy was prepared for him this time. The intruder reached into the sheath that hung from his hip, pulling out a sword so shiny that the metal blade glittered through the faint lighting of the abandoned warehouse. Without wasting a single movement, he sidestepped the oncoming attack and sliced the mechanical limb, cutting through the blade as easily as a sharpened knife would rip through a stick of butter.
Clearly surprised by the sudden counterattack, the mad scientist recalled his limb. When he retracted the metal arm, he immediately noticed that the end was missing, his eyes settling on the flailing remains of his masterpiece lying on the floor several feet away. The shadowy figure stepped forward and picked up the clawed tentacle, throwing the destroyed piece of hardware into the air with an effortless toss. Octavius reached out and caught it with one of his human hands, looking as though someone had just doused him with freezing water. Rather than attack his opponent again, the scientist raised an eyebrow with interest.
"How on Earth did you cut through the alloy of my mechanical arms?" Doctor Octopus questioned with genuine curiosity.
The man standing in the darkness fell silent for a moment before answering him. "My blade was fashioned from tempered steel and laser sharpened to cut through almost anything. Naturally your pathetic robotics were no match for my unstoppable blade and superior skill."
"You have my attention, but your answer to my next question may decide whether or not you live or die tonight." The mad scientist's reply was nasty, although for once he was beginning to wonder if he could carry out the threat. "You said you wished to speak with me… Who are you and why have you sought me out?
The shadowy figure stepped forward into the hazy light streaming through the window on the roof of the warehouse. He was a slightly muscular man with a tall, slim build in stock contrast to the doctor's stocky frame. The multi-limbed villain could have sworn he recognized the man standing before him from somewhere, although from where he could not remember. The sense of odd familiarity actually rattled Octavius more than anything else. He took a step forward to intimidate the enemy, but the other man did not back down.
The newcomer wore a form-fitting outfit like many superheroes and villain, except his was a deep royal purple color. He also wore yellow boots an gloves ending in white fuzzy cuffs with black spots scattered about like the lining of a king's robe, and a set of larger circular cuffs in the same pattern wrapped around each of his shoulders and neck. A dark purple mask with thin horizontal black lines decorating he surface clung to his face so tightly that it almost looked as if it were stuck, and he wore a thin golden headdress and belt of the same color. Tied to his belt were a pair of sheaths, one of which held a sword, while the man held the second in his hand.
Taking the long, thin rapier in his hand, he twirled the blade around between his fingers, positioning it so that the point faced the floor before sheathing it. "I believe we got off to the wrong start…" the intruder began with an amused expression. "Doctor Otto Octavius… I have an offer for you."
Later that Night…
Norman Osborn had been working all day in a very casual manner, despite his actions the previous night. During the attack on the Kingpin's headquarters, he had infiltrated HYDRA's secret hideout and planted a probe into their network of his own design. He doubted that the program would be noticed by all but the most skilled programmers, and had synched it with his own mainframe in order to obtain every bit of intelligence that they had to offer without them even knowing it. It everything went well, he would be able to duplicate the data in their system for himself, including the information they had stolen from the big man.
He was quite knowledgeable of everything that had transpired during the gang war due to his own network of informants within the city's syndicates, and the surveillance program he had planted in the Kingpin's network had alerted him to HYDRA's actions as well. So far everything was going according to plan, and everyone remained blissfully ignorant of the fact that he was using them to further his own goals. The only person who might've been a problem was the Hobgoblin, and he was no longer a threat.
As he went through the stolen information on his computer, Norman Osborn smiled much like his green alter ego, the edges of his mouth twisting into a megalomaniacal grin. The wealthy industrialist let out an insane high-pitched laugh very different from his own voice, looking happier than he had in a long time. Due to the recent events of the gang war, Wilson Fisk had been forced to go into hiding, thus he no longer needed to worry about repaying his loan, nor would he have to be concerned about the Kingpin's assassins. Not that they could have killed him anyway, considering that even Bullseye was unable to strike him down during their encounter.
Looking into the mirror on the wall of his office, he saw the face of the Green Goblin staring back at him in place of his own. "Back again, are you?" he spoke into the mirror.
"I told you that I was your friend." The demonic face answered back in a much higher-pitched version of his own voice. "You trusted in my talents, and in the end we were able to gain so much more than you had originally envisioned. If only Spider-Man had perished that night, all of our problems would be gone now."
"While I am disappointed that the wall crawler survived, the mission was still a success. No doubt that the information we stole from HYDRA and the Kingpin will prove to be useful in the future." The wealthy businessman spoke to his alter ego.
The Green Goblin's expression soured. "You should never settle for anything less than what we deserve, just remember that!"
Norman Osborn spoke to his alter ego for several minutes, but an ominous presence caught the attention of both of his personalities, causing him to suspend the conversation with his other half to address the situation. A black vortex opened behind him, revealing a tall armored figure with long horn-like attachments coming from the helmet on his head. Sparks of magic flashed as the newcomer materialized into the room, his eyes looking for the person that his benefactor was talking too before his arrival.
"If you continue talking to yourself like that, I may be forced to reconsider this alliance." The figure commented.
The wealthy industrialist turned to face his visitor with a look of impatience. "What do you want now? I'm a busy man!"
His visitor snickered in the darkness. "I have merely come to ask you whether or not you have made any new developments? I feel that it is essential to check on all of my assets, considering that many of the people under my service have proven less than useful to the cause."
Norman Osborn swept past him and sat behind his desk, looking unusually relaxed despite the fact that he was standing in the presence of a powerful entity. "As promised, I managed to obtain information from some of the most secretive organizations on Earth. Using this newly acquired intelligence, I have formulated a plan that will benefit us both in the grand scheme!"
"You are quite an interesting mortal to believe I would be swayed by any scheme involving this backwater world." The mystery man replied, his eyes glittering through the shadows.
"The arrogance of your kind never ceases to amaze me. If you truly were as powerful as you claim, then why ask for the help of others." The businessman answered calmly despite his growing impatience with the visitor.
The dark figure looked slightly insulted by the comment. "I would not be so desperate if my own forces had not been decimated during a recent battle."
Osborn ignored his protests and continued speaking as if he hadn't heard him. "Speaking of which, have your miserable lieutenants managed to gather more allies to the cause?"
"The recruiting process has been remarkably easy, considering how many villains desire vengeance on those who defeated them." As this assertion, his visitor could only smile. "Soon, we will have an army capable of conquering all of the Nine Realms…"
Note to Readers: It's not quite as long as the other chapters I've been writing recently, but I hope you liked it. As usual I'm sorry for any typos or mistakes in spelling or grammar, but I usually write this story late at night. Also sorry if some parts felt rushed, but sometimes that happens when you want to finish a story.
Anyway, I hope anyone who's read this far is still enjoying the story, although for those who are tired of this venture into Spider-Man's territory, I plan on going back to focusing more on the X-Men and Magneto soon anyway. Expect to see the Brotherhood soon too, because I've left them out of the loop for too long, and they were an important part of X-Men Evolution.
Don't worry if you don't recognize some of the people in this chapter, because they won't be playing much of a role in this story, and will be prominently featured in the sequel if I choose to write it. Props to anyone who recognized them… If you did, please tell me!