Controlled Chaos Forger of Worlds

Chapter 9

Harry floated above New Haven, sitting cross-legged.

Streamers of salt flowed from the ocean below to form four intricate pillars. Blue-white light shone from the pillars as they were transformed into stone. The runes etched onto their surfaces glowed with rainbow-colored light as each shot off into the distance before sinking into the ocean.

"Always busy, aren't you?"

Harry turned, "Just trying to keep the island safe in this changing world," he told Jani, who floated a few feet away.

Jani's eyes were drawn to the spots where the pillars had disappeared as thick white fog began to billow from the ocean and surround the island. "What is that?"

"Dimensional fog. It acts like the island's advanced technology. It partially phases us out of reality, so no one knows we are here, but unlike technology, it can't be hacked."

"What about the fog's magical signature?"

"It's immaterial thanks to its nature, so it should be tough to sense. However, with the island's technology, the signature should be covered up anyway."

The fog faded from existence 2 miles from the island, and Harry turned to Jani, "You want to talk about why you're really here?"

Jani stared into his eyes, "What do you plan to do now that you've returned?"

"I'm going to try to get the world's mutants to come together. Hopefully, the Council will be willing to move closer to the two islands Firehair and the cosmic Gaia have created to help those inhabitants adapt to our world."

Jani inclined her head, "The Council has talked about that they wanted to know if the other two islands would be willing to specialize in agriculture and industrial projects, respectively."

"You would have to talk to Gaia and Firehair about that. I don't see Firehair having a problem with her island growing food as long as her people can shift to do other things if they want. However, Gaia's Island comes from a world that was ravaged by nuclear war. She may not want to focus on industrial work."

Jani shook her head, "We weren't thinking about earth industrial work, more like creating Kryptonian hybrid technology."

Harry raised an eyebrow before nodding slowly, "Now that's something she would probably be interested in, especially if she could help incorporate the Celestial technology, she recovered from her world into the Kryptonian technology."

Jani's eyes widened, "The Cosmic Mother has access to Celestial technology?"

"Both of them do; they absorbed it from what was left behind on their world, but only Gaia understands it right now."

Jani nodded slowly, "One of us will talk to them today," she shook her head, "regardless of her answer, we probably will consent to move the island, just so the people in the Science Citadel can watch the ecological changes."

They were silent for a moment.

"So, you going to take back control of Celestial Enterprises?"

Harry shook his head, "I developed the technology and help with problems, but I'll let Clarice continue to be the face." A smile spread across Harry's face, "Although, with the advancements the islands made in my absence, you may not need me to develop technology anymore."

Jani closed the distance between them, her hand rising to cup his cheek, "We will always need you," she told him, staring into his eyes.

"We?" Harry questioned as they drew closer.

"Shut up," Jani said just before their lips met.

Their eyes closed, and Harry pulled her close, deepening the kiss.

After a long moment, they broke apart, staring into each other's eyes, "So, what does this mean?"

"Honestly, I don't know. I've been gone for a year, and I'm literally not the same person I was before my assassination."

Jani floated back from him, "So, we take it slow."

"We take it slow."

Turning, Jani flew toward the island while Harry disappeared in a flash of blue light.

XX –

A fire burned around Harry as he appeared in a burning room.

Furniture collapsed around him, and the brick walls blackened.

Smoke wafted through the air, obscuring Harry's vision as he searched for his target.

Wooden beams began falling from the ceiling, creating holes in the rug-covered floor.

Inhaling, he absorbed the heat of the flames around him, causing them to flicker out and leaving him standing in a charred circle.

"Papa," a young girl screamed through the flames, coughing at the end.

With a snap of his fingers, time froze, and Harry weaved through the flames.

Stopping just before reaching the window, Harry spotted his target

She leaned out the window, smoke billowing out from around her as she reached for someone on the streets below.

This was Anya Eisenhardt, daughter of Max Eisenhardt, also known as Magneto.

Harry snapped his fingers; the flames began to dance once more as jeering cries echoed from the street below.

History said she died today, but Harry could save her life with his new powers and hopefully make Magneto more open to hearing his proposal.

Unfortunately, so he wouldn't affect the timeline, he had to make Magneto believe his daughter died before taking her to the future.

A blast of fire exploded out from behind Anya.

Harry winced as the flames consumed her.

Time froze again, and Harry stepped into the flames.

Approaching Anya's body, Harry took in her state.

Her hair had been burned away along with most of her clothes. Fragments had been melted into her flesh, and large swaths of it had been consumed, revealing the glistening red muscle beneath.

Harry placed two fingers on her forehead, wincing at the fluid beneath his fingers. Pouring power through his hand, blue-white light washed over Anya, and time reversed as her injuries were healed and her clothes were restored.

Pulling her to him, Harry stretched out his free hand. Smoke flowed together, forming into a double of Anya's body before he healed it.

Staring at it, Harry winced.

This is the part of his plan he found most distasteful. He would rather disappear without leaving this behind, but he didn't know if Magneto collected his daughter's body.

Turning, Harry stared out the window, taking in Magneto's heartbroken face before he vanished.

XX –

Appearing in Andromeda's lab, Harry cleared his throat.

Andromeda spun around, her eyes wide, her hands raised.

Black energy danced between her fingers.

She lowered her hands as she saw who it was, but her gaze held slight suspicion.

"Harry," she greeted her voice tight.

Harry nodded, "Andromeda."

Her gaze drifted down to the girl in his arms, "Who is that?"

"Anya Eisenhardt, daughter of Max Eisenhardt, known to the world as Magneto. Could you give her a checkup before I return her to her father?"

"I can," Andromeda moved forward, her arms outstretched.

Shifting, Harry placed Anya in Andromeda's arms.

"Be careful; she'll stay asleep until I return her to her father. I thought it was best that he explained things to her."

Cradling the girl to her, Andromeda moved deeper into her lab.

Watching her go, Harry's eyes flared blue as he removed the memories of burning from Anya's mind.

Turning, he vanished.

XX –

Morgan Le Fay floated above Trask Industries, the edges of her dark gown fluttering in the wind as she stared across the city.

Oh, how she hated what these mortals had done to the world. They had taken the Majesty away, turned magic into a parlor trick, and forced many old beings into the world's dark corners.

Her pale hand clenched.

Soon, a glow lit her Emerald eyes; the aisles would be hers again.

"Still plotting world domination, forgotten Little Queen," a feminine voice asked behind her.

Morgan spun, her arm sweeping out before her.

Trails of green power flowed from her fingers, transforming into an oval-shaped barrier.

A familiar-looking woman floated before her.

She stood 7 feet tall. Muscle decorated her Amazonian frame, standing taught against tanned skin. Luscious, wavy Brown hair flowed down her back and fluttered in the breeze as caramel-colored eyes regarded her with a hint of sadness.

A white toga accented with a dark green border showed off the sensual curves of her body.

Morgan Le Fay inclined her head, "Lady Gaia, it's a pleasure to see you again."

The cosmic mother tilted her head to the side, "Is it?"

"Of course, lady Gaia, for you gave us Avalon, the last bastion of purity in this filthy world."

"Yet you and Merlin fight over the throne," she shook her head, "at least you do it yourself for now instead of manipulating another." Her caramel-colored eyes began to glow, "Tell me, Morgan, why do you attack the mutants?"

Morgan's lips twisted into a snarl, "Because they are an abomination, an affront to the natural order of things."

"Some would say the same about you, with your Fae heritage," she waved her hand dismissively, "regardless, how can they be all bad if they are cleaning up the world, restoring my planet to a healthier state."

"They're only doing it for selfish reasons."

"Yes, as all mortals do, but it is more than those who pray for me for power have done."

Morgan's eyes narrowed, "Are you telling me you stand with the witch blood?"

"Their patron has done me a favor, so I stand with their islands. Do not cause undue harm to the world that is just now recovering, and stay away from the islands. Do that, and I won't get involved."

Morgan stared at her for a long moment, the glow in her Emerald eyes brightening, "You, she began slowly, are not the Gaia I know. You are someone different."

"True," Gaia inclined her head, "I am a different earth mother. Some now call me the cosmic mother, but I have seen the horrors of a war like you are about to unleash, and I will not let that happen again."

Suddenly, a weight settled on Morgan, pushing her down, "Remember my words, Morgan, or…" Gaia was cut off as shutters on the roof of Trask Industries opened, and gray sand poured out.

"What are those fools doing!" Morgan screamed, green power flaring and wrapping around her as she vanished.

Gaia stretched out her hand, a sense of foreboding filling her as she watched the sand spread across the city.

Wrapping her power around the sand, she crushed it, reducing it to a fine mist. Watching the fog disperse, she nodded and disappeared in a flash of pale green and white light.

Earlier:

Va-Kox watched Morgan converse with the strange brown-haired woman, his long fingers drumming on his keyboard.

Around him sat large vats of silver sand.

Large tubes ran from the vats to pipes that spanned the walls and led to the ceiling.

Va-Kox moved his long brown hair from his face. "I am tired of being held back by the desires of others. For years, I have worked studying DNA and trying to create the perfect creature, and they have kept me locked here, unwilling to let me test my theories. Well, now it's done, it's my time to shine."

An insane light entered his dark green eyes as a giggle exploded past his lips, "They don't think I can hear them when they say I'm crazy, but they haven't seen anything yet."

Pressing a button on his keyboard, Va-Kox pushed away from his computer. As his chair slid across the floor, he laughed.

The tubes began to undulate as sand was pumped from the vats.

Slapping his hands together, he drummed his fingers against each other, "Now the real fun begins." He spun as he caught a bright green flash in the periphery of his vision and rose to his full 6-foot height.

Now:

"You fool, what have you done?" Morgan shouted, green bolts of energy crackling around her form.

"For years, you, Lesla-Lar, and Kru El have used my genius to further your ends, but now it's time for me to have fun."

With a shout, Morgan threw her arms forward, a blast of green energy launching from her palms.

Va-Kox moved to the side in a blur, and beams of red energy flew from his eyes.

Morgan raised her hand, taking the beams on her left palm. She winced as smoke and the smell of burned flesh wafted into her face.

Suddenly, the blast cut off abruptly, and air exploded from Morgan as Va-Kox's fist collided with her sternum.

Morgan flew backward, her heels leaving black marks on the floor as she slammed into the far wall, bending one of the pipes.

Morgan straightened, wiping the blood from her lip as a blue-black blur slammed into Va-Kox from the side.

Va-Kox flew through the tanks before smashing into another wall. Plaster and bits of wood fell from the wall, revealing tangled reinforced metal.

"Va-Kox, what are you doing?"

Va-Kox straightened, shaking the wooden plaster from his body, "I'm just starting my fun. For years, you have had me experimenting on the mutants, preparing for the day we take over the world. When we could've done it when we left the Phantom Zone."

Kru El shook his head, "Lesla was right. We should've left you in the zone or at least killed you once you finished the first part of the project."

Va-Kox lifted into the air as metal covered his skin, "Too late for that now, little man. This world is about to become my new plaything."

Suddenly, a sharp pain stabbed through Va-Kox's mind, causing him to cry.

Veins bulged beneath his metal skin as he clutched his head.

Leslie Lar emerged from the shadows; her son cradled against her chest, one hand extended as Va-Kox collapsed to the floor, blood running from his nose.

Morgan strode forward, green energy billowing from her hand to form an ax. She stopped before Va-Kox, "There was a time I thought you would be the most useful, but that just goes to show even an immortal can be wrong."

Morgan brought the axe down, only for Va-Kox to vanish.

As Morgan cursed, Kru El moved to the computer that surprisingly survived the battle. Hitting a few keys, he watched Gaia destroy the sand, cursing as the computer gave him the readouts.

Lesla Lar moved behind him, "What's wrong?"

"Our plan has been set in motion. Soon, certain humans will begin to mutate and show superhuman abilities."

"What!" Morgan shouted, stomping over.

"Oh, don't act surprised. We all planned to betray one another, but now we have a bigger problem. Va-Kox will soon haven't Army at his disposal."

Lesla peered over his shoulder, eyeing the screen, her breath tickling his neck, "How long do we have before they start showing mutations."

"24 hours."