A/N - Hello everyone. I have a new chapter for you today. I won't give the usual "sorry for keeping you waiting" spiel since we've gone over that stuff already. Now that I don't have any advance chapters in the can there is no set posting schedule. Chapters will be posted when they're ready. Hopefully it won't be too long between them.
Disclaimer: The X-Men were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and belong to Marvel Comics. Harry Potter was created by and belongs to J.K. Rowling. I also don't own Godzilla and the other kaiju who are mentioned in this chapter. I make no money from this and the only thing that's mine are the original parts of the story.
20) WAR COUNCIL
"Normal Speech"
"Telepathy"
In short order everyone was sitting around the large table. Dr. Strange sat at the head of the table to chair the meeting. The Ancient One sat opposite him at the foot of the table. The rest of the guests tended to sit together depending on their team. Dumbledore sat on Dr. Strange's right side with Dr. Doom next to him, and King T'Challa on his other side. Doom and T'Challa were the rulers of their respective countries which made them political and social equals while Dumbledore was the head of the magical equivalent of the United Nations. As the three highest ranking people in the room, with the exception of Dr. Strange the Sorcerer Supreme, and the Ancient One who was the previous holder of that title (and their host), it made sense for them to sit together. Shuri sat next to her brother with the five Avengers and the Hulk sitting in the next seats on that side of the table, Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick were next, with Daredevil sitting next to Flitwick. The last seat on that side of the table stayed empty.
Professor Xavier sat on Dr. Strange's left side with X-Men sitting in the chairs beyond him in the chronological order in which they joined the team, i.e. Cyclops, Iceman, Angel, Lightning, Beast, Marvel Girl and Mage being last in that group. Professor Lupin was sitting next to Mage and Spider-Man was sitting next to him. The last four seats on that side of the table were occupied by the FF who were sitting in the seats to the right of the Ancient One near the foot of the table which was as far from Dr. Doom as possible.
"Thank you all for coming" said Dr. Strange who pointed at the one empty seat, "I also invited Tony Stark to join us but he was unable to come."
"He's indisposed right now" said Iron Man, "but he asked me to record this meeting for him so that he'll be in the loop with all of us – if that's all right with everyone else?"
No one seemed to have any objections so Iron Man placed a Stark recording device on the table and activated it before nodding at Dr. Strange.
"This is the time of the meeting where I'm supposed to say something like 'I suppose you're all wondering why I called you here today?'" Dr. Strange gave a deprecating chuckle while several other people did the same, "but I won't as we already know why we're here. The Sentinels have taken over a lot of the world and, with a few isolated places, are threatening to take over all of it unless they can be stopped. Does everyone agree?"
There were general murmurs of agreement around the table.
"Where do we start?" asked Daredevil.
"Good question" said Dr. Strange, "there are a few places that have been resisting the Sentinels and the leaders of two of those places are here in this room. King T'Challa, Lord Doom, perhaps the two of you could start things off by telling us how you've been protecting your countries?" Doom and T'Challa looked at each other.
"Do you wish to go first your majesty?" asked Doom, "or shall I?"
"Why don't you begin" said the King of Wakanda, "my sister is very eager to learn about what you did."
"Indeed I am" said Shuri and she did look eager.
"Very well" said Dr. Doom. He took some time to explain about the force fields he put up around the Latverian border and how they fried the brains of any Sentinel that crossed them. Shuri listened with great interest.
"That sounds very effective Lord Doom" she said, "how high do these force fields go?"
"They go very high princess" was the reply, "they're not infinite but an airplane flying into Latveria would have to pass through them."
"Would it not be safer if the force fields met up above?" asked King T'Challa, "then nothing could get in through a hole in the top."
"Yes" said Doom, "the force fields can be adjusted to do that if necessary. They all meet in a point several miles above the ground."
"We have a protective shield above Wakanda too" said King T'Challa and gestured for Shuri to speak.
"Our shield is a dome that covers the country" she said, "its main function is to keep outsiders from getting into Wakanda. It doesn't destroy anyone who tries to enter the country. It simply keeps them out."
"My force field was not designed for that" said Dr. Doom, "as most people know better than to try to enter Latveria without permission. The country has other defenses if needed."
"I'm sure it does" said Dumbledore, "and some of them are magical, are they not?"
"Ah, but that would be telling, Supreme Mugwump" said Doom but people heard the grin in his voice."
"Perhaps you and Dr. Doom should collaborate" said King T'Challa to Shuri before turning to speak to Dr. Doom on his other side, "my sister is a technical genius. Her laboratory is a place of marvels and she has invented many things that have helped our country."
"I've heard of your sister's laboratory" said Doom, "don't ask me how, though. I have my ways. I would very much like to see it someday. But you're right. Princess Shuri, you and I should talk when this meeting is over."
"Certainly" said Shuri, "whatever you put into your force field that shuts down the Sentinels, we need to find some way to spread it far and wide so it effects Sentinels over very large areas, preferably the whole world."
"Is such a thing possible?" asked Cyclops from his place at the table opposite Dr. Doom. Before the Latverian ruler could reply Mr. Fantastic spoke up.
"Anything is possible" said the leader of the Fantastic Four, "and, much as it pains me to say it, Doom can do it if anyone can."
"Why thank you Mr. Fantastic" said Dr. Doom with some irony, "I didn't know you cared."
"Don't push it metal face" said the Thing.
"There's no need to get personal" said Dr. Doom and Iron Man together before turning and looking at each other from their places.
"You get that one too?" Iron Man asked Dr. Doom.
"Yes but only from people like the Thing" was the reply.
"If we could get back on track?" said Dr. Strange before turning to Xavier, "Charles, you wish to speak?"
"Yes" said Professor Xavier, "there's something you all should know about that will have to be taken into account regardless of what we do. Perhaps you've already heard about it but if not..."
Xavier told everyone about his contact with the kaiju in Japan and also that Godzilla was now heading west to the U.S. and the source of where the Sentinels were being created.
"When Godzilla gets here" said Xavier, "I think it would be best if we did everything possible to stay out of its way and to get as many people out of its way as we can. It's coming to help us but most people won't know that at first. There is very likely to be a lot of panic when it arrives in the U.S., especially since its path will take it very close to, or right through, New York City."
"This does not sound like a good thing" said Thor, "yon monster is likely to cause as much trouble and damage as the Sentinels themselves."
"Not necessarily" said Xavier, "I followed the news of what it and its fellow kaiju Rodan and later Mothra did in Japan. The collateral damage was actually quite minimal and there was very little loss of life, if any at all. Furthermore as Godzilla has traveled across Asia the same thing happened. There was some damage to buildings and structures in its way but no one was killed. It was the Sentinels who bore the brunt of it."
"Just how big is this monster?" asked Daredevil, "and how strong is it?"
"About 300 feet tall give or take" said Xavier, "as for how strong it is? How strong do you think such a creature would be?"
"And this thing is on our side?" asked Daredevil with some incredulity. Before Xavier could answer the Ancient One spoke up for him.
"Indeed it is" he said, "I know of the kaiju though I have never seen any of them. They are the secret guardians of this planet. No one knows where they came from or how they became what they are. What is known about them is that they only show themselves in times of great crisis."
"How great of a crisis does it have to be?" asked Captain America, "I don't remember hearing about any of them during the war and that was about as bad as bad can be."
"But that was an entirely human conflict" said the Ancient One, "the Sentinels, however, are something new and may well be an enemy beyond humanity's ability to deal with. Things like that are what bring forth the kaiju. The last time that happened was several centuries ago when I was still a relatively young man. I did not hear about it until years later and I do not remember all of the details but what I do know is that there was an alien invasion at the time although I do not remember the race that was involved. They must have thought Earth would be easy to conquer as this was around the beginning of the time that Europe refers to as the Renaissance and the human race could not have opposed them. But the kaiju woke up and defeated the invaders."
"They sound a bit like the monsters we encountered on Monster Isle when we first faced the Moleman" said Mr. Fantastic (see Fantastic Four #1), "but those were just animals. They weren't intelligent to any real degree."
"Well kaiju are intelligent" said the Ancient One.
"Indeed they are" said Professor Xavier, "it was difficult to communicate with them because they don't use words and language like we do but I was able to connect with them and I learned that they are very intelligent. They know exactly what they're doing."
"And one of them is heading for New York even as we speak?" asked Daredevil.
"Yes" said Xavier, "and I need to be there when it arrives at the Sentinel base so I can stop it from destroying the base until any innocent people are out of it."
"We'll be with you" said Cyclops while the rest of X-Men nodded in agreement.
"Of course you will" said Xavier, "I'll need you to be there. Of all of the teams here today my X-Men are probably the biggest targets. We're the ones who should go directly to the Sentinel base ahead of Godzilla. If nothing else, there will almost certainly be prisoners there who will need rescuing and hopefully we can strike at the Sentinels where it will hurt them the most. By the time Godzilla gets there I hope to have the place cleared of anyone who isn't a Sentinel so that the kaiju can then destroy the base without hurting anyone."
"Even Bolivar Trask?" asked Marvel Girl.
"We'll need to get him out too" said Xavier, "if only so he can be arrested."
"So while Dr. Doom and Shuri are working together" said Spider-Man, "and the X-Men invade the Sentinel base, what should the rest of us do?"
"If Dr. Doom and Princess Shuri will allow it" said Mr. Fantastic although he didn't sound very pleased with what he was saying, "I can help them with their work."
"You just want to keep an eye on me" said Dr. Doom.
"Perhaps" was the reply, "but we went to school together. If you'd had less of an attitude at the time we could have been friends, even colleagues."
"Bah, do what you want" said Doom before turning to Shuri, "it's up to you princess."
"If you two promise to behave" said Shuri sounding much more stern than anyone would have expected, "I'll be glad to work with both of you."
"They will my sister" said King T'Challa, "I will make sure of that. Are we agreed?"
"We are" said Doom while Mr. Fantastic nodded his consent.
"I have a large room here you can use as a laboratory" said the Ancient One, "and my disciple can portal you to your own labs so you can pick up any equipment you need."
"That would be appreciated" said Dr. Doom.
"I must return to the ICW" said Dumbledore, "as they are waiting for my report on our plans. My colleagues will return to the Underground Realm to help watch over our students and the other people who have joined us there."
"As for everyone else" said Dr. Strange, "I would recommend returning to New York and preparing the city for Godzilla's arrival. I have no doubt that what Professor Xavier says is true. The kaiju is headed right for it. It will take the rest of us who are not already working on other projects to begin getting everyone in the city to evacuate out of Godzilla's path."
"We should also destroy as many Sentinels in New York as we can" said Iron Man, "that will help move things along."
"Captain" said Dr. Strange to Captain America, "you should lead this project. This is war and you know more about that than most of us."
"I don't care who's in charge" said the Thing, "as long as I get to clobber some stuff."
"I agree" said the Hulk, "those Sentinels could use more smashing."
"We're on the same page Hulk" said the Thing, "I think we're gonna get along just fine."
"God help us if those two ever meet Juggernaut" murmured Lightning to Angel who looked a bit disturbed by the idea.
"Then we have a plan" said Dr. Strange, "does anyone have anything else to add?"
There was silence around the table so the meeting was soon adjourned. They had a plan now. It wasn't the best plan in the world, but at least it was one.
With the speed at which he had been traveling it was estimated that Godzilla would reach America in about two more days. That gave everyone time to get prepared to put their plans into action. Dr. Strange began sending people to where they would be needed. King T'Challa, Shuri, Dr. Doom, and Mr. Fantastic would stay at the temple to do their work. The Avengers, Daredevil, Spider-Man, and the remaining members of the Fantastic Four were sent back to New York where they assembled in a secret location to begin preparing for Godzilla's arrival. Dumbledore would travel to meet with the ICW while McGonagall, Flitwick, and Lupin would return to the Underground realm. The X-Men would return to the X-Mansion.
Before the X-Men left, however, Professor Xavier told Lightning to stay behind at the temple for a little bit.
"Albus is going to have Remus bring your friends here for a short visit" the professor said, "it's best that you don't go to the Underground Realm unless you can go as Harry Potter rather than Lightning and there isn't time for that at the moment. I also would prefer not to have extra people at the mansion right now while we get ready to face the Sentinels. After you've seen your friends Dr. Strange will send you home."
"Okay" said Lightning who was glad of the chance to see his friends even if it would be short. The rest of the team went back to the X-Mansion (even Mage) and soon Lightning was one of the few people still at the temple which was a lot quieter now with most of the crowd having left.
He knew it would take a little time before his friends showed up so Lightning explored some other parts of the temple. It didn't take long before he wandered into the room that had been given over to the three scientists. Dr. Doom was the only one there at the moment and he was setting up some equipment that he'd brought over from his castle in Latveria once Dr. Strange had opened a portal for him. Lightning watched him as he worked. He was fascinated by the Latverian ruler but wasn't sure how to begin talking with him. Dr. Doom saved him the trouble when he spoke first.
"Hello Lightning" he said, "is there something you wanted to ask me?"
"Yes, how did you know?" asked Lightning.
"It's pretty obvious from your body language" was the reply, "what can I help you with?"
"Um" said Lightning sounding a little tentative, "I was wondering if you could tell me anything about Durmstrang? I don't know much about it. I've only met a few people who went there and they didn't talk about it very much."
"That's not surprising" said Doom, "we're a rather secretive bunch. What school do you go too?"
"Ilvermorny" said Lightning figuring he could at least say that without compromising his identity.
"One of the premier American schools" said Doom, "I wonder why someone from Britain is attending there and not Hogwarts."
"I've lived in the States for a long time" said Lightning and Doom nodded his head.
"Sensible" was all he said before asking, "how did you meet anyone from Durmstrang?"
"You know my team went to Hogwarts to fight Voldemort – thanks for the compliment by the way" said Lightning, "after the fight was over we stayed at the school for a while until our plane could come get us. You probably know they had that Triwizard (or whatever it was called) Tournament there so there were people there from Beauxbaton and Durmstrang too. I met a few of them. One of them was a guy named Viktor Krum."
"The Quidditch star" said Doom before noting Lightning's eyes go wide and adding, "don't be so surprised. Like I told Professor McGonagall I follow the news in our world too." Lightning chuckled.
"You did say that" he said, "is Quidditch a big thing in Latveria?"
"We have a national team just like every magical country does" was the reply, "my country is quite small so we don't have a large pool of players to draw from – and no, despite what you may have heard the players' lives don't depend on their winning."
"I didn't think that" said Lightning in surprise.
"I believe you" said Doom, "but it has been said by some, and with my reputation being what it is there are those who believe it. It's not true. That does happen in some countries but not mine. Like I said, we don't have all that many players to choose from. If that rumor was true we soon wouldn't have any players left at all."
"I believe you" said Lightning.
"Thank you" said Doom, "we also don't have a local school of our own. Durmstrang is the school most of our magical children attend. A few go to Beauxbaton but not many. And we had one child that I know of who attended Castelobruxo in South America."
"Wow" said Lightning, "that's a long way to go."
"Yes, well his parents were moving to Brazil around that time to serve in the Latverian embassy so it seemed best for him to go there instead of Durmstrang."
"That makes sense" said Lightning, "so what is Durmstrang like?" Dr. Doom considered how best to answer the question.
"It's an intense school" he finally said, "as you might expect. It's located very far to the north so you have to be tough to survive a full school year there with the winters that it has. Believe me winter at Durmstrang makes winter at Ilvermorny, or even Hogwarts, look like pleasant fall weather."
"Do they really teach the Dark Arts there?" asked Lightning.
"What make a Dark Art?" asked Doom in reply, "any spell can be light or dark depending on how its used. Wouldn't you agree?"
"Yes, that's true" said Lightning thinking over how regular everyday spells could be used to hurt someone if you wanted them to, "I admit it. I once heard someone say that there was no dark or light magic. There was only power and those to weak to seek it – or something like that."
"Whoever said that was right" said Doom, "it's all about intent you know. Even the unforgivable curses can be used for positive things. For example the imperius curse can be used to stop someone from committing suicide. The killing curse can give someone a quick and painless death who would have otherwise suffered in agony for a long, long time before dying."
"And the torture curse?" asked Lightning.
"Can be used to stimulate nerves that otherwise might be dying or even dead – but you have to be careful with that one and only use it on low power for that."
"I see" said Lightning, "you learn this at Durmstrang?"
"We do" said Doom.
"Interesting" said Lightning as he took it in, "you've certainly given me a few things to think about. Thank you for talking with me. I'll let you get on with your work."
"It was my pleasure" said Dr. Doom, "perhaps we'll talk again at some point."
"Huh" said Lightning hearing that, "you don't really seem like the villain everyone says you are – please forgive me if that's offensive."
"We're not enemies" replied Dr. Doom, "and I'm a person just like you are. I have my wants and feelings just like you do. I have no reason to hate you or your team since we only met for the first time today and we're on the same side right now. Perhaps someday we'll be on opposite sides and we'll become enemies. Then you might see how quote-unquote "villainous" I can be – but that's not today."
"No, it's not" agreed Lightning, "thank goodness."
Lightning left the room after that and headed back down the hall the way he'd come. Just outside the room he met Princess Shuri who was bringing in some of her own equipment from her lab in Wakanda. King T'Challa was with her. The three of them greeted each other.
"How is Ororo?" Lightning asked Shuri and the king.
"She's doing well although she misses her home" said Shuri "shall I tell her you said "hi" next time I see her?"
"Please do" said Lightning who saw Dr. Strange coming toward them and gesturing at him, "it looks like the Sorcerer Supreme wants to speak to me. I'll see you both later."
"Very well" said King T'Challa, "good-bye for now Lightning." The three of them parted ways with Shuri and the king entering the room they would share with Dr. Doom and Mr. Fantastic while Lightning went to Dr. Strange who gestured for him to follow.
"Your friends are here" said Dr. Strange to Lightning as he took the youngest X-Man to a small sitting room just off the entrance hall. When Lightning entered the room he saw Ron, Hermione, and Neville waiting for him along with Remus. The four teens embraced in a group hug. Lightning hadn't seen Neville since the latter had left the X-Mansion to return to Britain at the end of August and it had been even longer since he'd seen Ron and Hermione whom he'd not seen since his visit to Britain in July.
"Where are we?" asked Hermione once all of the greetings were done.
"We're at the Temple of the Ancient One in the Himalayas" said Lightning, "but don't ask me for the exact location because I don't know where it is beyond that. I came here through a portal like you did. But that's not important right now. What's the news from Hogwarts? Dumbledore said you've all gone to somewhere called The Underground Realm."
"Yeah" said Ron, "it's like this weird place that exists almost in its own reality."
"The Headmaster said it was almost like Avalon in that sense" said Hermione who told Lightning about the Underground Realm and what it was like. It seems that not just the Hogwarts population had gone there. Some of the students' families had been making their way there too. So far the Sentinels hadn't discovered it.
For his part Lightning told his friends about the meeting he'd just been at but didn't give them any details about the plans that had been made, just that plans were in motion to hopefully fight back against the Sentinels. He also didn't tell them that Dr. Doom, King T'Challa, and Princess Shuri were in the building since, knowing Hermione as he did, she would undoubtedly want to meet all of them which, at the moment, was not a good idea.
"I hope you succeed" said Hermione, "since we went to the Underground Realm I haven't been able to contact my parents."
"We'll do our best" said Lightning.
Not long after that Remus told Ron, Hermione, and Neville it was time to leave.
"Say hi to the team for me?" asked Neville, "also Colossus, Nightcrawler, Alpha, Sprite, Rogue, and Cannonball?"
"Sure thing Sculptor" said Lightning, "hopefully you'll be able to come back to the mansion before too long."
Lightning said good-bye to his friend and Remus and watched them return to the Underground Realm through one of Dr. Strange's portals before saying good-bye to Dr. Strange himself and taking another portal back to the X-Mansion.
(To Be Continued)
A/N - That's all for this chapter. See you in the next one when it's finished. Meanwhile please take a moment to leave me some feedback. Constructive comments are always welcome but no flames or trolls please. Stay safe and well everyone.