Disclaimer: I don't own Marvel or DC
This chapter, a Robert Reynolds meets a hellish fate and both Cade and Sven's paths become set.
The Redeemer
Chapter 11: Judgement
Cade felt helpless, either choice seemed like a bad call. If Orm was taken back to Atlantis then the people wronged would be outraged. Even though Ocean Master had acted on false Intel he had still led an invasion that killed many on both sides, and he didn't seem apologetic about it. Looking at Arthur Cade could tell that he was truly torn between whether to save his brother, or let the authorities take him in like a common criminal. But he could also tell what side the king was leaning towards. It was the same difficulty Cade was having, more and more he was struggling with what was practical and what was right. True Orm had been manipulated, but were soldiers exempt from responsibility because they had followed orders? Orm did have responsibility; he had to bear that responsibility, to be punished someway. Cade looked at his hand, feeling the last remnants of justice's power, it took on the form of a golden glow in his hand.
"Looks like you're still with me," he muttered.
"What was that, and what is that?" Element Woman asked, addressing Cade's glowing arm.
"Aquaman, Justice League, there may be an effective compromise," he said.
"This is not your concern," Wonder Woman said.
"My concern is what is right, Orm was a victim of Vulko's manipulations, he does however have to bear some guilt too and the chance to redeem what he has done, a prison unfortunately wont do that," Cade explained.
"We appreciate your help but leave this to people of better experience," Superman said.
He sounded diplomatic, but he was ignorant. Cade was no rookie to the world of super heroes. He had seen it in his world, time after time heroes made their own villains through choices that seemed right at the time. Though he realised now killing them wasn't enough, Cade knew something else had to be done to make villains see reason. Orm hadn't yet crossed that line; he didn't have to become Arthur's arch nemesis.
"I have no desire to see history repeat itself," Cade said.
He closed his eyes, as if he was trying to hear the sound emanating from his arm. When he opened his eyes he realised what he had to do.
Sven stood in front of Cap; the Avengers leader was less than pleased regarding the discovery of Cade's fate. He looked at Sven in particular with judgemental eyes. Sven however wasn't one to back down when confronted and though he understood Steve's point of view, he wouldn't apologise for his own.
"Tell me if May hadn't contacted me would you have kept this secret?" Steve asked.
"Yes I would have, because Cade deserves a second chance," Sven said.
"So do the people he killed," Steve retorted.
"Yeah, maybe, I suppose Norman Osborn could have made a real difference if he had chosen anything but insanity, and true there are hundreds of others he's killed that probably could have led different lives, except for those who didn't, some of the people you've killed too Cap, and the people Wolverine's killed," Sven explained.
"What are you getting at Sven?" Steve asked.
"Guys like you and Wolverine bear the lives you've taken, but you aren't condemned by them, at least in the eyes of the law, you try to do what you can to make up for those deaths, it seems to me like Cade is trying to do the same thing."
Steve sighed as he rubbed his eyes; he walked around Coulson's desk and patted Sven's shoulder.
"There are a lot of our own whom should be judged, I know that Sven, but what guarantee do you have that Cade wont become outraged by this Earth? That he wont try to start another hunt?" he asked.
"I only have my faith in him, which gives me certainty," Sven said.
"But please understand Sven that I can't make a decision based on your faith alone, there is also the issue of those creatures that came through the gateway, they might be from that world, which means either the situation is going to get worse and something from that side is going to try to take our world, or the situation there is bad and the heroes wont be prepared for it until its too late, either way we cant stand back, we need to go to that universe and apprehend him," Steve explained.
Sven nodded his head, completely understanding Steve's point.
"When do we leave?" Sven asked.
"No Sven, you're not going with us, you have too personal a connection to him," Steve said.
"He's my friend and technically he's there because of me, I was the one who snapped him out of his anger before so it has to be me who does it again," Sven explained.
"That wont cut it this time Sven, our goal isn't to redeem him, it's to catch him."
Steve walked away before Sven could even utter another defence. The captain went outside and addressed Coulson's team. The team stood around the briefing table, displaying a draft map of the Earth Cade had been trapped on, based on what they had seen so far in the dimensional window. Skye had her computer ready, hacking into records collected of Cade by social services, NSA, NYPD, the urban legends section of the Daily Bugle and their article that confirmed his existence during his hunt, as well as H.A.M.M.E.R and S.H.I.E.L.D. records. He even had a record from S.W.O.R.D detailing his attack on the Inhuman royal family and the disappearance of Galactus, which Cade was a prime suspect in. Skye looked over pictures of the scars Cade had gotten from his abusive parents. She felt a string of pity for the man, which faded with every gruesome murder report Cade had been involved in. Skye never believed in outright murder as a means to impose order, as an activist she was against fascism, and she could see the early days of fascism in Cade's methods.
"Fitz, Simmons, how long do you think it will take to construct a device capable of getting us through the portal?" Steve asked.
The two scientists were slightly nervous under the gaze of the living legend. It was a reminder to Coulson that most of his team were young. He smiled as Fitz and Simmons collected their research and began setting out blue prints on the holographic display. The device they created resembled a dome, big enough to fit several people within it.
"Normally we would recommend Richards for this kind of thing," Fitz said.
"But considering Richards isn't available we do have an idea of sorts, if you just bear with us," Simmons tapped several buttons and expanded the blue print.
"No, no, the equations off," her partner chided her.
The pair ran a series of complicated equations, adding parts to the blue print and even taking some away. Travelling to different realities was complicated at the best of times and dangerous at the worst. Most cases of dimensional travel were complete accidents, as the two scientists explained to their fellow agents. Science wasn't their strong suit, Steve however having had personal experience with dimensional travel somewhat got the idea of what they were saying.
"Well after careful consideration over the fact that our dimensional bubble is incomplete and untested I'd say we'd go to an agency that regularly traverses dimensions and get their advice," Fitz explained.
"Basically he means paying a visit to A.I.M and asking if we can burrow their dimensional gate," Simmons said.
"Right, cause infiltrating A.I.M. is going to be easy," Ward said.
"It kind of makes you think twice about going doesn't it Cap?" Sven asked, though Steve could detect the double meaning in his phrase.
"A.I.M has a small army and super powered individuals capable of beating us back," May said.
"I've got files on them now," Skye said, connecting her computer to the main.
In the confusion of Muramasa's campaign, old A.I.M. leaders were thrown out and new ones were put in place. Andrew Forson had led the terrorist organisation in its purchase of the island Barbuda and planned to gain international sovereignty, the process was still ongoing and debate within the UN to allow A.I.M to affectively become its own nation, forgiven for all past acts of terrorism had mixed sides, even more so with Forson's later reforms. Using a device that Fitz and Simmons theorised was of alien origin, Forson accelerated the flow of time in Barbuda, when Muramasa's threat was defeated A.I.M emerged reborn, having become within a matter of hours an advanced society unlike anything the galaxy thought possible for Earth. Not even waiting for the UN's response, Forson went ahead and developed a parliament of sorts within the new nation.
Declared scientist supreme and Sovereign designate of the 'A.I.M. Empire,' Forson had encased himself in an advanced version of the A.I.M uniform, more of an armour than the hazmat suit it used to represent, Forson was physically imposing which was a contradiction to A.I.M in the past. His followers referred to him as a lord too, and his troops had also developed technology capable of matching Asgardians. The man had assembled a ministry of four, with himself as the leader. His minister of education was Superia, a black haired woman in a black suit with yellow shoulder pads that joined into a circle on her chest and gauntlets and boots. She wanted to be religiously called Superia, so much so that she never allowed anyone to call her by her real name Deidre Wentworth. Attractive and intelligent, Superia had also augmented herself through genetic manipulation, supposedly she was the ancestor of the Fearsome four member Thundra, which wasn't hard to believe considering she had strength capable of matching the Hulk. Superia could also fly and create energy blasts and explosions. Second to her in terms of power was Graviton, the minister of science and a veteran Avengers villain. With unkempt black hair and a beard Graviton, despite his age was a devastating force because of his gravity altering abilities. He wore a blue suit with grey metal pads and gauntlets.
"Wasn't he dead?" Sven asked, only to be hushed by Steve.
Skye elaborated that A.I.M was responsible for Graviton's resurrection. Though he had used his powers to commit suicide, Forson had used a gravity advice to repair Graviton's molecules, restoring him to his original power and levels of insanity. The Minister of Health was surprisingly Jude the Entropic Man, a being composed of dark energy and slime that was capable of killing with a touch. Surprisingly Jude had scientific knowledge as well, but he was a nihilist and his presence as a minister of health was a direct contradiction of A.I.M, which valued knowledge and purpose.
"Nihilism, what is that anyway?" Ward asked.
"A belief that life is without objective meaning, purpose or intrinsic value," May said.
"You quoted that off of Wikipedia," Skye said.
"No I didn't, and how would you know that anyway?"
"Because I got the files from Wikipedia, I looked up Nihilism after looking up the Entropic man," Skye showed the web page to her team.
"Wait a minute, our source on everything A.I.M is Wikipedia?" Coulson asked. "I thought you were hacking their databases."
Cap shook his head at the exchange. The mission was already hard enough without having to involve A.I.M. Sven however smiled; again ready to hint to Cap to abandon his course concerning Cade. Steve walked away before the young man could talk, intent on pursuing his course. Agents saluted him as he passed, with Dugan nodding to him, the only affirmation of respect the veteran needed. Cap walked to the dimensional crack and looked at its surface. To him it was a representation of the damage Muramasa had done, not just costing them his friends in the Invaders, or Wanda's brother but the very stability of reality itself. When Steve accepted the presidency he did so with the promise that he would make things better and protect the people better from now on, the 'Avengers world' scheme was the culmination of that plan, to create a team of the most powerful super heroes in the galaxy to protect worlds whenever they were needed. He raised his hand to the communication device on his ear, establishing his link with a good friend and fellow-founding Avenger.
"Tony are you available now?" he asked.
"Hello Cap, I'm in the middle of factory construction in Brazil, but you know how I like to improvise," the armoured Avenger's voice made Steve smile.
The team they had put together was their idea. It was one of the biggest roster of Avengers they had ever had. While once they had slammed heads over how their world had to operate, they came to an understanding during the terrible events of Cade's hunt. Their friendship was stronger than ever, as was their purpose to protect the world and make it a better place.
"Its time to assemble at dawn," Steve used the code word and it was all Tony needed to begin the process of assembling the team.
A.I.M. had an army, fortunately Cap had one too.
Robert Reynolds was in heaven, a heaven of Onyx's design. The man was ruthless and true evil, because he was capable of seeing your hearts deepest desire, what you valued most in the world. He would then use that knowledge to make you suffer. Reynolds on the other hand never felt better in his life as he caressed Amora's body and passionately kissed her. Amora's hair practically covered his back and swept back as he kissed her neck. Reynolds reached for a vial on his bedside cabinet and tilted the liquid down his throat. He felt a surge of power as his hair grew longer and his muscles expanded. Amora cupped Reynolds's cheeks and kissed him.
"Pathetic!"
Amora in actuality stood on the other side of a gold curtain. Her single word to describe the situation was perfect, as Reynolds was making passionate love to thin air. Rather than degrade herself by touching Reynolds, Amora asked Mastermind for a favour. The illusionist stood beside Amora, laughing as opposed to leering in disgust. He had already enjoyed tricking Reynolds into believing he had gained the drug that empowered his wife. The Robert Reynolds Onyx had captured never became the Sentry, that title went instead to his wife, their positions in the timeline Onyx visited had been reversed just as Osborn's ambitions for becoming Iron Patriot had been reversed.
"You've been getting on the boss's bad side recently," Jason said.
"Do you have a problem with that?" Amora asked.
She barely looked at him, despite Jason's handsome appearance not being an illusion she still despised the mortal. To her only beings of Thor's power were worthy of her interest.
"Just an observation really, you should have also known that your kiss wouldn't work on him, not even my illusions work on him," Mastermind explained.
"Why do you serve him, what has he promised you?" Jason dropped his smirk at Amora's enquiry.
"Its simple really," he lowered his head slightly, his eyes grew as dark as his demeanour. "Nothing, he promised nothing, he gave me what I wanted already," his smirk reappeared and Amora's disgust of the man began to increase. "You see Amora you are incapable of understanding him, because myself and Joker and Carnage, and maybe a few others he has yet to reveal are his kindred spirits," he explained.
"What do you mean? What has he given you?" Amora asked.
"Work, a chance to use my talents, I'm fascinated by the expression people get when they achieve their hearts desire," Jason looked through the curtain, at the look of pleasure spreading across Reynolds's face. "Oh, I think he's reached the good part," he stepped back and laughed as Reynolds let out a joyful yell. "I live to make people's nightmares a reality too, do make it good Amora, Onyx is waiting for you to do your part," he slapped the Asgardians rear and she turned to him in fury.
But much to the Enchantress's confusion, Mastermind was gone as if he had never been there at all. The illusion passed for Reynolds and he laid on the bed panting. Amora walked through the curtains, sporting a small green dress that she knew would attract any man. Reynolds was no exception as he watched her walk around the bed, holding a plate with the golden apple on it. She sat beside him and smiled, a mask to conceal her hatred of the man. He was weak and unfaithful, not the kind of man Amora desired. But for the sake of her own life she was willing to do what Onyx ordered of her, she had no sympathy for her target's inevitable fate.
"Do you love your wife Reynolds?" she asked, brushing her hair back.
Onyx watched the exchange from his throne, holding one of what was many mass-produced black apples. The one he had given Amora had been painted gold to conceal its true purpose.
"What ingredients I wonder were used in the making of that apple?" Mar-Vell asked.
"Kryptonian blood taken from a young Clark Kent, Cyclops's eyes, Xavier's brain, the general's bone marrow, Nanotech from Amazo, a human/Kryptonian hyrbrid and the golden apple, infused with my dark energy," Onyx squashed the apple in his hand.
"I never loved her, I just wanted to get as close to her life as I could, I couldn't be the icon, so I thought marrying her was the next best thing," Reynolds explained.
"What would you say if I could give you that life Reynolds, the chance to be a hero, to be the greatest hero of them all?" Amora asked.
"I would ask you what do I have to do to get that life?" he asked.
Amora smiled and placed the plate on the bed.
"Eat this apple and you'll get all the power you want," she said.
Robert Reynolds immediately took the apple and began biting it apart piece by piece, and in doing so altered his soul in more ways than one.
"What happens?" Mar-Vell asked.
"The same thing that happened when Amora used Donald Blake to create Keep, a new being is born, but instead the body is broken apart and the spirit itself takes on a physical form, morphing into a twisted new creation, observe," Onyx gestured to Amora's view.
As soon as he swallowed the final piece, Reynolds regurgitated black liquid. He was thrown off of the bed and onto his back. His body twitched as if he was having a seizure, shaking across the floor with darkness frothing from his mouth. Reynolds spine bend upwards and then back to its original position, his ribs stretched his skin and his shoulder blades popped his arms back and forth. Amora enjoyed the melody that was Reynolds's agonising screams. Green energy swept over her body, replacing her dress with her thigh high boots, her green armoured one piece. The energy crept over her hands, covering them with bands and summoning a sword into her grip. Finally her signature head dress/crown appeared over her hair. With every step she took Reynolds's bones popped back and forth, his skin stretched again and again but didn't change and black oil wept from his eyes, ears and mouth.
"Oh god, make it stop," he gasped.
"This is what you wanted Reynolds, a life without your wife," Amora's voice was fierce and unforgiving.
She placed her foot on his chest and rolled him onto his back. Amora kept him pinned, smiling with delight as he screamed.
"My wife, MY WIFE!" he yelled. "LINDY! LINDY!"
"Why are you screaming Robert, you didn't want her remember, you wanted me or anyone better than her," Amora said.
She seemed to take some kind of sexual pleasure in the man's suffering. The both of them disgusted Mar-Vell, Onyx however remained impassive, he might as well have been wearing his helmet as his face was so emotionless.
"Divinity comes with a price my dear, NOW PAY IT!" Amora yelled, raising her sword over her hair.
"NO PLEASE DON'T! LINDY HELP ME!" the man's screams were cut off as Amora smashed her blade into his neck.
His blood, replaced by the black tar swept over Amora and she lost herself in the rage and the thrill of murder. This lowly human mortal, a disgusting man without faith or power was her target, hers alone to enjoy killing. She cut again and again and threw the blade to where his head had rolled. Onyx stood and summoned his helmet as Amora once again used the spell she had used on Donald Blake. She picked up Reynolds's head and laughed as he screamed. He watched a new being arise from his corrupted blood, shaping into a body, with shoulders, arms and a head composed of black tendrils. Huge buckteeth stretched out of his mouth, his eyes glowed red and his feet formed dragon like claws. The tar like substance that was his body took on the form of muscles and armoured plates.
"Am I not a granter of wishes Robert? Admit it, more or less this is what you wanted," Amora said.
"No, Lindy, where's Lindy…take me back to Lin…"
Amora silenced Reynolds, smothering his lips with hers. He widened his eyes as a substance came out of his mouth, spreading across his head until it turned to stone.
"Amora!"
The Enchantress looked towards the black portal as he master, no her former master walked to confront her. She brandished both her sword and Reynolds's head, standing by the new creature she had had a hand in creating.
"You are a fool Onyx, I knew what you were doing, Grundy's teeth, the General's bones, Krytonian blood and skin, the eyes and mind of a mutant and the immortal apples of Asgardia…you were creating an ultimate being, you gave me back my memories, the means to create a god," Amora explained, overcome by her megalomania, her sociopathy.
Onyx had surrounded himself with psychopaths, and Amora was one of those psychopaths. She saw no value in life other than those whom fit her standards. Human beings of lesser power were like insects to her, not even worth the consideration.
"Yes I restored the power you had to create Keep, it was a test of your loyalty…you failed however," Onyx put his fingers together and clicked them.
Amora widened her eyes as the stone head of Reynolds faded into nothingness.
"You see Amora, the black apple takes a persons soul and turns it into a new being, meaning that the soul becomes nothing, nothing is left of the person that once existed, it is dying without the beyond."
"Now that being is under my control, KILL ONYX MY KEEP AND I WILL BE RULER OF THE MULTIVERSE!"
But much to Amora's shock, the black creature didn't move.
"The golden apples were turned black because I injected my own energy into them, these new beings are a part of me, they answer only to my will," Onyx said.
Amora shook her head in denial and screamed. She swung her sword at Onyx, whom sidestepped every blow. Realisation had overcome her, that she was no match for Onyx, that she had used everything at her disposal. The black knight grabbed the blade of her sword and made a gesture with his hand, like blowing a kiss. Dark energy seeped out of the eyeholes of his helmet and flew into Amora's nose. She gagged and fell to her knees, letting go of her sword.
"Now you will become part of my will, an eternal slave with just enough left of you to know that you are a puppet. Reynolds's worst nightmare was ceasing to exist, a punishment you have entreated, you fear not being a queen, being ruled by another, the equal of no one, that is what it means to be a slave," Onyx explained, stabbing her sword into the ground.
"Odin, Thor," she pleaded, crying for help.
She was just like Reynolds, pathetically looking for a saviour, and she wasn't even aware of that fact herself.
"If you have the strength Amora, then pick up your sword and end your miserable existence, until the day you are reincarnated, in another hour we will see what becomes of your soul," Onyx stated as he turned his back to the Enchantress.
She looked at her hands as they began to take on a white colour. Then he eyes crossed to her sword, she reached out to the blade, but screamed as her heart began to burn like a fire.
"Thor," she cried, despite knowing no hero would come for her.
Onyx sat back on his throne and opened a dimensional window; to see what conclusion his rival had come to.
Cade looked at the golden glow on his hand and lost himself in the sensations it provided him, as well as the clarity. For too long he had been looking at things the wrong way, allowing the voices of others to guide him. Sven had forced him to see all the good and all the bad the people he had killed were capable of, that was the main contributing factor of his change.
'So why does that change have to apply to just me?' Cade wondered.
For a moment he wondered whether he had the right to do it, but it was only a moment. Upon opening his eyes Cade knew what he had to do. He rushed towards Orm, raising his glowing hand.
"What are you doing?" Aquaman demanded, raising his trident.
Cade jumped over Aquaman and thrust his arms towards Orm. Superman and Wonder Woman both tried to grab him, but much to their shock energy poured from his arm, pushing them back, as if the golden energy had a will of its own and didn't desire anyone's interference. The Redeemer grabbed Orm by his head and yet another moment passed. Orm looking into Cade's glowing gold eyes, and he looked back. Then it began, the energy seeped into Orm's skull and he screamed. He was thrown into his own mindscape, no the physical manifestation of his own soul. All of the actions that had led him to this day were flashing before his eyes, but over the mass of memories was the weight of what he had done. One dead person after another slammed against him, throwing him across the plane that was his own burdened soul.
"We died for your war, for your hatred," his soldiers said.
"We wanted justice not revenge," said the thousands of Atlanteans whom had died.
"You were a failure Orm, always too weak," his father said.
"I never loved your father, you were the only good thing that came from our marriage, but see you fight your brother, to murder so many innocents," his mother spoke before lowering her head, her tears fell onto Orm's face.
He gripped his head as more and more people raced around him.
"WE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH YOUR WAR!"
"WE DIDN'T CARE ABOUT YOUR WORLD! WHY COULDN'T YOU LEAVE US ALONE!"
"YOU COULD'VE SAVED US!"
"THEY WONT FIND MY BODY BECAUSE OF YOU!"
"I HATE YOU!"
Orm opened his eyes and looked upon a child. The boy was much like him, dark hair and blue eyes. But he was a surfacer, it was clear from his clothes. But the clothes slowly began to rise as the landscape changed. Orm was in the water and he felt a sigh of relief, but then he looked at the boy, lifeless and unmoving. He then felt something hit him from behind and turned to face a new attacker. It was a dead body; Orm looked around and found more and more dead bodies appearing before him. He found a single light in the water and swam towards it, through masses of dead bodies that had sunk to the depths. A hand flew out of the light, grabbing Orm's throat and turning him back towards the body of the boy.
"LOOK AT HIM!" Cade yelled. "He was eight years old, he had dreams, a future, the whole world in front of him, all of them did…the chance to accomplish wonders, but you took that away, listen, can you not hear their souls crying out…they were innocents, they had nothing to do with your world but you killed them anyway, your soldiers, your people, the innocents of both sides, they died FOR YOUR HATRED! Eight years old…drowned, HE WAS TOO YOUNG!"
Orm screamed and dropped his trident. He fell to his knees, tears in his eyes. Cade let the man's head go and sighed. He felt dirty for violating a person's soul like that, but it had to be done, he had to show Orm all of the suffering he had incurred before he lost himself to anger as he nearly did. Aquaman was immediately at his brother's side, and the Justice League were on Cade. Wonder Woman grabbed him with her lasso and threw him to the ground. Cyborg aimed his sonic cannon at Cade's head and Element Woman pinned his arms with cement.
"Orm, what did he do to you?" Arthur asked.
"Brother, all those people, all of them dead because of my orders," Orm ranted. "They're right brother, your allies are right, I am guilty, I am guilty," he lowered his head and cried.
Pieces of Cade's helmet fell off, revealing his eyes.
"My part here is done, the rest is up to him," he said.
Orm stood up, kneeling on Arthur for support before facing Superman and Batman.
"Take me, put me in whatever prison you want, I am responsible for all of this," he explained.
Batman and Superman traded glances; they were both confused over Orm's sudden change. Arthur however saw his brother for who he really was, someone capable of being more than just Ocean Master the warmonger. He looked down at Cade and gave him a nod, though Batman was placing cuffs on his brother's wrists, though he was going to go to a prison, Cade had in a way given his brother back to him. Cade ripped Wonder Woman's lasso away from his throat and stood up, looking to Vulko and then nodding to Aquaman.
"Take Vulko too, he loves Atlantis, so let him live forever without it," the king said.
Vulko widened his eyes and struggled against Hawkman's grip.
"NO! Arthur I did all of this for you, for Atlantis, because we needed you, please don't condemn me to a surface prison," the man begged, leaning towards his king with tears in his eyes. "You can not be so cruel as to leave Orm and I up here," he cried hysterically.
Arthur turned away from Vulko and began walking to the ocean.
"Orm, when you have completed your sentence, I will be waiting for you in Atlantis, Vulko however by my decree you are exiled from Atlantis, if you ever so much as step into the sea again…you will be executed," the dark look was all Vulko needed to know that he hadn't earned Arthur's hatred.
Cade looked over at Vulko and saw the rage in his eyes. He watched as the authorities took both Vulko and Orm away. The Justice League began the process of cleaning up and looking for survivors. Cade stayed for as long as he could, and when his energy faded he slipped into the crowds, using the clothes of dead homeless men to hide his suit. It made him sick to steal from them, to sneak away like a common criminal hiding from authorities. But there was something else that bothered him, Orm would perhaps one day do something to redeem himself. Vulko on the other hand had been dragged down by hatred. He had created one redeemer, but had perhaps also created another villain too.
'Sometimes we're responsible for our own villains,' Cade thought as he walked away.
He looked up as the sun began to rise. No more could he hear the will of Deathblade, he was finally free to be his own kind of hero. But there was still more left for him to do, he had a new life to build and new acts of good to achieve. They wouldn't completely redeem him for all he had done, but he hoped he could be something better than what he once was.
Mar-Vell could not tell what his master was thinking. He gave away no indication of being pleased with what his rival had done, or any indication of what he felt about what had become of Amora. The Kree cautiously moved around his master's throne and saw Loki standing beside it.
"This puts a slight gag in the plans," the lord of mischief said.
"Yes, for Cade to have retained just enough power to connect others to the spirits, it seems his connection to the beyond is greater than I had imagined," Onyx explained.
"I cant say Amora's 'rebellion' was a surprise, which reminds me should I take the apples to our contact in Cade's new world?" Loki asked.
"Take the apples, the Outsider can begin the next phase of our plan for that world…make sure you return to your world too," Onyx said.
"Don't worry I will, things are advancing a little slower on my world than I'd like," Loki sighed as he disappeared.
Mar-Vell looked at the new being that had been created by Onyx. He wondered what the knight sought to accomplish by creating such monsters. Even without his helmet Onyx remained impassive, unreadable and Mar-Vell hated that. But then he remembered Amora.
"What have you done with her?" Mar-Vell asked, his voice had the hint of aggression.
"She is still alive," Onyx said.
"As your slave, or is she finally free?" Mar-Vell asked. "If so then she may jeopardise our plans, tell the other heroes," he stated.
"She wont, she's guided by her nature, she only thinks she is free…behold," Onyx said as he clicked his fingers. "Another world, another version of Sven Reilly, much like my counterpart in the light, only he is younger, he doesn't yet know that evil can come knocking at his door, or is capable of teleporting into his home," Onyx's eyes let out a black glow as Mar-Vell looked into the dimensional window.
He saw a young, good version of his master walking through his apartment, drinking milk out of the carton as if it was a normal morning. But the boy's casual nature quickly changed when he crossed the corner to investigate something in his room. Hands with green nails ran through his hair and he widened his eyes as he was pulled into a kiss.
"Amora," Mar-Vell gasped, seeing his former ally force Sven under her power.
Red markings appeared across his skin, only to turn green as he wrapped his arms around Amora's waist. She turned, caressing his cheek as he possessively kissed her neck.
"My name is Amora Sven, I am the woman you love now, you would do anything for me wouldn't you Sven?" she phrased a question, but both Mar-Vell and Onyx knew it was a command.
"Anything, I am yours my mistress," he said.
"No, goddess, call me goddess," she commanded.
"Anything you say goddess!"
Amora clicked her fingers, creating a green apple as shiny as steel.
"Eat this apple," the Enchantress smirked as her lover, her victim grabbed the apple.
Onyx closed the dimensional window and huffed.
"Pathetic, she believes she has gained a new power, that she took my power and made it her own…but you know the truth don't you Mar-Vell?" Onyx asked.
"Yes my master, you made Amora give into despair, and then gave her hope…for no true despair can exist without hope. With that hope she has eluded us, and now seeks revenge, a path she will cut across the Multiverse. Even if she gains an army it will be because of you, because you wanted her to, even if the heroes manage to reach Cade's world, it will be because you allowed them to…you are always one step ahead of your enemies," Mar-Vell explained.
"No Mar-Vell, I am literally a universe beyond them!"
Next Chapter 12: Partnerships
Another bit of Onyx's evil :), I always imagine Lockdown's theme from the new Transformer's movie playing, its sinister and powerful at the same time. Orm will return, as well as Vulko, both being very different from their comic counterparts (although having read of Orm's fate in recent Aquaman comics I might incorporate that into his future appearances.
Next time we introduce Virgil, Sieg's brother as he comes up with an unexpected way of dealing with A.I.M. Across reality however Onyx begins negotiating more allies, visiting the Young Justice Earth. Cade meanwhile begins making a new life for himself as a drifter, and its during a 'hunting trip' in Russia he meets another taken from her reality, whose a bit of a Huntress herself.