This is Chapter 10 of my X-Men Story that takes place in the X-Men Animated Series Universe and my own few additions. Hope you enjoy this final chapter. And do go back and check out the previous chapters first if you missed them.
PREVIOUSLY ON X-MEN: RECAP OF "SINISTER (PART 2)"
TITLE CARD: SHADOW KING
SCENE: "SHADOWS"; THE ASTRAL PLANE
Quantum awakes in a strange place. He appears to be floating in a strange realm. Most of the surrounding area has a purple-blueish hue. A strange man greets him.
STRANGE MAN
Greetings, stranger. Welcome to the Astral Plane.
QUANTUM
Astral Plane? How did I get here? I am not a telepath.
STRANGE MAN
My, that is odd. Do you know any telepaths?
QUANTUM
Yes, my girlfriend Emma Frost, Jean Grey (a good friend) …
STRANGE MAN
(Cutting Quantum off)
You would not happen to know Charles Xavier?
QUANTUM
I do. Why do you ask?
STRANGE MAN
I am known as Amahl Farouk. They call me The Shadow King. Charles is an old friend of mine. As is the one called Storm.
QUANTUM
You're a friend of Storm's and of Professor Xavier's? Could you help figure out a way to return me to my body?
SHADOW KING
Yes, and yes. Anything for a friend of Charles.
QUANTUM
Thank you so much.
SHADOW KING
You are most welcome. Now close your eyes and concentrate. You must have a psychic link to someone to be here.
Quantum does as the Shadow King asks.
SHADOW KING
Good, I feel it now. Ah, that makes sense now. A combination of two telepaths.
QUANTUM
A combination?
SHADOW KING
Yes, while you fought Mr. Sinister, his powers combined with those of Emma Frost's and sent you here. You are lucky your girlfriend was able to intercept Sinister's attack in time.
QUANTUM
Well, that is a good start; at least I know how I got here. But what happened to my body?
SHADOW KING
I have ascertained that information as well. The mutant Nightcrawler tried to help you as well. He thought he was knocked back from Sinister's attack but, he was knocked back by his own powers combining with Sinister's as well. This teleported your body far away, but to where I am not sure.
QUANTUM
Well, if it was Nightcrawler's powers and Mr. Sinister trying to hit me; could it be possible that the teleportation of body went somewhere close to someone with a link to Sinister?
SHADOW KING
Ah, you catch on quick. I do sense another person. The mutant called Morph.
QUANTUM
Morph!? He is on Muir Island recovering from being controlled by Sinister.
SHADOW KING
Then that is where your body is.
The Shadow King opens a portal that lets Quantum see Muir Island and his body lying on the grassy bluffs.
QUANTUM
There I am!
SHADOW KING
But from here you would not be able to enter. You need to get Morph to bring your body inside that building. Then I can open a portal close enough for you to go through.
Quantum calls out to Morph.
END SCENE
SCENE: "POSESSED"; MACTAGGERT RESEARCH FACILITY, MUIR ISLAND, SCOTLAND.
The X-Men are shocked again to see Quantum's body seemingly alive but unconscious on one of the beds in Moira MacTaggert's Mutant Research Facility.
EMMA FROST
It makes no sense Charles. How can he be here but neither of us can sense him?
PROFESSOR X
That I am not certain of. Normally I would suggest his astral form is not in him but as Quantum is not a telepath, that does not seem possible.
Meanwhile in the Astral Plane, the Shadow King opens a portal form Quantum to return to his body. But before he can, the Shadow King attacks him and absorbs his astral form. The Shadow King then goes through the portal himself to possess Quantum's body. Quantum is stuck in Shadow King's essence and is horrified as he realizes that this must be the being Professor X trapped in the Astral Plane years ago. The one who attacked Storm while he was away visiting his family on Long Island. Now he has released him. He goes into even more horror as he is now back in his own body but has no control over it.
Back on Muir Island, Quantum violently awakes much to the surprise of all those there. His eyes are completely blacked out. The X-Men quickly realize something is awfully wrong.
EMMA FROST
Mitch! What happened to you? Why are your eyes like that?
SHADOW KING
(Speaking through Quantum)
Hear my voice Xavier and you shall know (laughs).
PROFESSOR X
SHADOW KING!
STORM
(Horrified)
No! You stay away from me!
Emma Frost is confused but knows that something weird is about to happen.
SHADOW KING
Thanks to Miss Frost saving this mutant I now inhabit; I was able to absorb him on the Astral Plane. Now his body is mine. Go ahead Xavier, stop me or are you too afraid that you'd kill this one in the process.
EMMA FROST
(Angrily)
You leave my boyfriend's body right NOW!
The Shadow King laughs and uses his powers to turn Quantum's hands and arms into swords. He lashes them towards Emma Frost. Emma manages to turn into her diamond form just in time before being impaled. Professor X projects his astral form out, trying to knock Shadow King from Quantum's body but The Shadow King skillfully dodges the attack.
SHADOW KING
Is that the best you can muster Xavier? In this body with so much energy, I am unstoppable.
WOLVERINE
We'll see about that, bub.
Wolverine leaps at Quantum but Shadow King uses Quantum's energy powers to blast Wolverine through the wall and out onto Muir Island's bluffs. Banshee tries to use his Sonic Scream to weaken Shadow King but again Quantum's powers lets Shadow King to reflect the scream right back at Banshee. Banshee is rendered unconscious. But then Shadow King sees Storm frozen in terror. He jumps from Quantum's body and inhabits Storm's instead. Quantum, back in control of his body, feints because he is too weak.
SHADOW KING
(Now through Storm)
I will now use the weather witch's powers to destroy this planet with its own atmosphere. I will make the Biblical Flood look like a swimming pool!
Shadow King flies out the hole Wolverine's body created. Professor Xavier rejoins his body and uses his special wheelchair's ability to float to chase Shadow King. Emma Frost uses her astral powers to fly and follow them.
Minutes later, the Shadow King stops, and Professor X catches up to him, but Shadow King uses Storm's powers to strike the Professor's wheelchair with a lightning bolt, disabling it and sending the Professor crashing towards the ground. Professor X separates into his astral form. Luckily, Morph was following the chase from the ground and catches Professor X's body before it hits the ground. The momentary distraction was enough for Emma Frost to knock Shadow King from Storm's body. Professor X inhabits Storm's body to ensure it doesn't crash into the ground. He then returns to his own body and awakens.
PROFESSOR X
Morph get my wheelchair and Storm.
MORPH
Yes, Professor.
Morph helps Professor Xavier back into his wheelchair and places Storm atop it.
MORPH
What now Professor?
PROFESSOR X
We must get as far away from Shadow King as possible.
MORPH
But what about Emma? She can't fight him alone.
PROFESSOR X
Without a body, Shadow King will soon be too weak to fight, and Emma will be able to send him back to the Astral Plane.
MORPH
Oh… okay, let's go.
Morph and Professor X begin to retreat as Shadow King (back in his astral form) sees his only host bodies fleeing.
SHADOW KING
You think you can run from me Xavier? I will reach you before you could blink.
But before Shadow King can give chase he is tied up by an astral whip.
EMMA FROST
Going somewhere Shadow King?
SHADOW KING
Insolent child; you will pay for hindering me.
Shadow King violently breaks Emma's whip and punches her hard in the face. Then he grabs her and slams her over his shoulder into the ground. He then again tries to run towards Storm. But Emma created a sword out of her hand and slashes Shadow King's heel as he runs by, tripping him. Shadow King retaliates by creating an axe and prepares to attack Emma Frost. He stumbles though and just scrapes Emma's shoulder. A cracking sound can be heard as the Shadow King's astral form begins to break down.
SHADOW KING
N-N-NO-NOOOOOO!
EMMA FROST
Shame and not a host body to be found.
The Shadow King looks around grunting and realizes that only he and Emma's astral form are near. Then an astral sword bisects him from the waist up. Emma Frost walks around to face Shadow King.
EMMA FROST
This is for my boyfriend.
Emma Frost kicks the Shadow King below the belt. Shadow King collapses in utter pain. Emma then uses her powers to send him back to Astral Plane, again trapped.
END SCENE
SCENE: "WRAPPED-UP"; MACTAGGERT MUTANT RESEARCH FACILITY, MUIR ISLAND, SCOTLAND.
The X-Men (including the now recovered Quantum, Banshee, and Wolverine) watch Emma Frost's body hoping it will jump back to life. Then, Emma's astral form flies into the room and returns to her body. She weakly awakens.
EMMA FROST
Mitchel?
QUANTUM
Emma! You're okay!
EMMA FROST
I could say the same to you. But I feel like I was hit by a truck.
QUANTUM
You just rest here for now.
(Turning to address Morph)
Thanks to you Morph I recovered, and you stopped Shadow King.
MORPH
(Modestly)
It was nothing.
Quantum then tells the X-Men, Moira, and Banshee of what happened to him.
WOLVERINE
At least Shadow King was good fa something.
MOIRA
Aye, without him; we might have lost ya Quantum.
QUANTUM
True, but it is still good to have him back in the Astral Plane where he belongs.
The X-Men stay for a few days as Emma Frost and Quantum recover. Then they return to the X-Mansion and leave Morph with Moira and Banshee to continue his own recovery.
When they return home, the rest of the X-Men have a party ready in honor of Quantum's return and as a welcome to Emma Frost truly becoming an X-Man. They party late into the night. The X-Family is finally whole again!
END EPISODE
END SEASON
Thanks again for reading these stories/episodes. I really hope you enjoyed them and didn't mind my adding myself as a character too much. :)