Chapter 1
Winzeldorf, Germany, October 13, 1991
Kurt Wagner ran as fast as he could, his strong limb’s leaping from rooftop to rooftop of the small village, but he couldn’t escape what he was running from. It wasn’t an attacker, it wasn’t an animal, it wasn’t some deadly object, it was his past.
Kurt is the adopted son of Margali Wagner, a Romani fortune teller who owned the Szardos Traveling Circus. Kurt’s whole life was three thing’s, his mother, his brother and his job as an acrobat at Szardos. But the Szardos Circus is gone, it died the same day his mother Margali did, having passed away in her sleep. Soon after that Kurt’s brother Stefan also passed on.
Kurt didn’t want to remember that horrible day.
Kurt tried to get job’s in several other circus’ across Germany after that, but each refused to let him be an Acrobat. Now he was stuck, with nowhere to go, and nowhere he belonged. All Kurt could do now, was run.
And so Kurt kept running, running across the village’s rooftop’s, leaping farther and farther distances each time. Adding twirls and flips with every jump, and landing with slightest of impact’s on the roof’s, barely making a sound, and disturbing none of the people who lived inside the home’s he used in his act. Finally though, Kurt was too exhausted to run, to tired to escape his past.
As he landed on his final roof, his show done, he walked to the end of it, squatted down, and gasped for air as tear’s ran down his eyes.
With his grief and exhaustion consuming him, Kurt didn’t see the drunken man slowly walk to the home Kurt had made his roost in. The Drunk had noticed Kurt though, at first he thought the young man was simply his drunken stupor playing tricks on him, but then he spotted his flashlight sitting on his front porch. The Man grabbed the light and aimed it at Kurt, flipping the switch, getting a good view of one Kurt Wagner.
He saw his narrow athletic build, glistening from sweat in the moonlight on his shiny blue skin, covered only by a white under shirt and black shorts. His large pointed ear’s, his clawed three fingered hand’s, and two towed feet, the thin whip-like, arrow tipped tail the snapped in shock, his devilish face that looked like it was about to let out a horrible scream from his fang filled mouth, and finally his piercing, pure yellow eyes that darted straight at the man the second he shone his light on Kurt,
The Man’s scream took only a few second’s, second’s Kurt used to try and run away from this new problem, but it only took a minute for the Mayor of Winzeldorf’s cries of a demon on his house to send the village in an uproar. With Kurt’s lack of knowledge of the village, he was spotted again and again, scaring the people in the village. The terrified people soon gathered together in their fear, and formed a mob.
Bullet’s flied at Kurt as he once more ran across rooftop from rooftop, this time he had no flare in his leap’s, now they were simple jumps made in blind terror. As Kurt kept running, the people of Winzeldorf began to corral him, sending Kurt straight into the middle of town, into the middle of the old church. The church that was to be torn down later in the year after a bad termite infestation had made it too dangerous to be a holy place.
As Kurt leapt aboard the Church, he ran to other side, ready to leap to the next set of roof’s, but there where none to be found. He turned to his left and right and soon realized that this church was almost like an island in the middle of the village. He turned back to go the same way he came from but atop the roof of the building he had leapt from, he saw a hoard of villager’s, all wielding gun’s, daggers, and crosses.
As the villager’s aimed the gun’s at him, Kurt ran back to the opposite of the church, there he found a sea of people, waiting for him on the ground. He saw some of the villager’s carrying bottles with rag’s stuffed in them, burning much like their hate as they threw them at the old church, Kurt almost getting hit by one of them. In an instant the old wood of the church’s roof began to blaze.
The mob began to cheer, the demon had met his end at the former house of god, and his evil would never haunt their village. The Mayor walked to the front of the church, tear’s in his eyes as he watched the building he married his late wife burn, with only the bitter taste that it burnt in a blaze of holy glory sating his sadness. Then an unearthly sound penetrated his ear’s.
Bamf!
Bamf, was that the Mayor heard, a black cloud appeared in front of him, the smell of brimstone penetrating his nostril's. A blue fist, decked right into his face, breaking his nose, and sending him to unconsciousness.
Kurt bamfed again, striking another villager, then another bamf, and another strike, and another, and another, until as he hit another blow, a glancing shot struck him from behind. A piece of lumber striking him right on his left shoulder, sending him to his knee’s. The mob rained down upon Kurt, who tried to punch, kick, scratch, and bite his way free. But a barrage of blow’s soon stopped him.
The barrage didn’t last long though, second’s later the mass cleared and grabbed a hold of Kurt’s limb’s, blows delivered to his head whenever he tried to escape. Kurt spotted a large man walk towards him wielding a sledge hammer in his hand’s. The man reached Kurt’s head’s and readied the final strike of the night. Kurt closed his eye’s and waited for the hit to end his life.
And waited, and waited., until he realized the blow wasn’t coming. Kurt opened his eye’s and looked to the man, he wasn’t moving. Kurt bamfed once more and escaped the mob, as he stood ready to run again, he saw that the Mob wasn’t moving either. Kurt looked at the mass of people, and the men and women who just tried to kill him only seconds ago. They were still, still as statue’s, as if time had stood still. Kurt looked to the church, still it burned, the fire made it’s wild movement’s but the people were still. Kurt wondered just what was happening here.
“I have happened Kurt Wagner.” A calm yet commanding voice said inside Kurt’s head. Kurt looked around, trying to the find the source of the voice. Kurt her the sound of wheel’s rolling across the dirt to his left and there he saw a bald man, confined to a wheelchair, staring at him with his aged face.
“Who are you?” Kurt said, ready for another attack.
“My name is Charles Xavier, and like you Mr. Wagner I am a mutant. But while your physical abilities and appearance were altered, changed by your genetic coding, my mind was what changed in me. I am what you call, a telepath, Kurt.” Not once did Xavier move his mouth, yet his word’s reached Kurt’s ears just the same.
“What do you-what do you want with me?”
“I want to help you Kurt, to help find you a home, to find a place where you belong, to find your hidden potential Kurt.”
Kurt looked at Xavier, his eyes questioning everything the man didn’t say. “Can you help me become normal?” Kurt asked.
“Normal how, normal like them?” Xavier gestured to the mob. “To attack and kill whatever is different from you.”
Kurt looked at them, the rage on their faces, they hate in their hate’s, he prayed for them.
“No, perhaps not like this. Instead, can you help me become a whole man again?”
“I will try my best Kurt Wagner.”
“Then I will go with you then, Herr Xavier.”
Quebec, Canada.
The man was called Wolverine by the people of Canada, said man stalked his way through Canada’s most top secret and secure military base, in its history, The Omega. It’s existence hidden from the nation at large, it’s purpose, from all but the most important member’s of it’s top secret project, and it has been home to the most dangerous man in Canada for a year and a half.
And now, Wolverine is fuming and ready to burst. Once he reached the conference room, he nearly ripped the door open, in his rage.
“All right, I’m Here! If this meeting has anything to do with that last botch job you sent me on, let me tell you one thing, that shit was your trigger happy snipers fault not mine!”
Wolverine looked inside the room, he was surprised that there were only two people inside, the Army General currently in charge of the Omega and an old, bald man sitting in a wheelchair, probably some political bigwig, recently hired on to keep an eye on The Omega, he guessed.
The old man looked at Wolverine, inspecting him, studying this five foot three man, built like brick shit-house, a mutton chop, duck-tail combo on his head, a wild, feral looking face, wearing only a pair of torn jean’s, body hair covering everything else, a beer in one hand, and a lit cigar in the other, barging his way into this meeting.
Wolverine liked how he didn’t bat an eye at him though.
“Speak of the devil.” The General said, the Omega went through so many of them Wolverine stopped bothering to remember their names.
“You damn right, cause I’m pissed as all hell!” Wolverine snapped. “Do ya even realize the shit show I just went through! If even a hint of footage gets out of what just happened, you can kiss this whole project goodbye!”
“You settle down Wolverine!” The General said “Don’t forget who work’s for who here.”
“General Hunter don’t forget that, please remember that Wolverine’s employment is what where here to discuss.” The wheelchair bound man said.
Wolverine glared at the man. “What do you mean by that, Old Man?”
The man turned to Wolverine. “I’ll get straight to the point then. I’m aware of your recent battle with the Hulk and the creature called the Wendigo, as well as your recent scuffle with that terrorist group down in Calgary. More importantly I’m aware of your power’s.”
“I see your on the up an’ up.”
The General sputtered. “How’d you get that information, those mission’s are top secret!”
“I have friends in high places, General Hunter.” The man said before turning to Wolverine. “I know your a mutant Wolverine, and I have a desperate need for mutant’s.”
Wolverine smirked, he liked this guy, he was quick as hew was orderly, Wolverine’s boss thought differently.
“You think you can barge right in here and just take Wolverine away, like he’s some kind of free agent to pick up for a super team?” The Colonel snapped.
“Why yes, yes I do.”
Wolverine let out a laugh. “What your name old man?”
“Professor Charles Xavier.”
“Well Charlie, I don’t I think some more info, why do you need Mutie’s like me so much?”
“We’re a dying breed, Wolverine. We have so much power, so much potential, yet most of us don’t live long enough to truly grasp it, I wish to change that. Wolverine tell me, have you heard of the X-Men?”
Wolverine’s took a big swig of his beer and a puff of his cigar. “A little, your a rogue super team down south. Not affiliated with the Government like the Avengers or the F.F. right? Keep talking Charlie.”
“Come with me, and you’ll learn a lot more about them.”
Wolverine smirked, “Alright then, I think you have a deal here Charlie.” Wolverine put his hand out and Xavier shook it with a strong grip.
“What! Ridiculous!” Hunters Raved. “Wolverine the Canadian Government has invested a great deal of time and money turning you into what you are now, and if you even think about abandoning your post, we’ll-”
Wolverine’s left arm snatched the General by the collar of his suit, cigar still in hand. His right crushed the beer can in it, sending the amber beverage flying. With squeeze, a trio of eight inch metal claw’s, each one razor sharp, sprouted from in between Wolverine’s knuckles, with a sickening snikt sound.
Wolverine leaned in close to the General, putting his claws against the man’s cheek. “Let’s get a couple things straight here, bub.” His gravely voice was much softer. “You fellah’s never trained me, you didn’ help me, and if you know what’s good for ya, you wouldn’ admit to makin’ me. So just for this, I’m personally resigning my commission effective immediately. Any objection’s?”
The general was silent, eye’s darting from Wolverine’s claw’s to his his face.
“Didn’t think so.” Wolverine popped his claw’s back in his hand, a small bit of blood escaping the holes in his hand. He went to walk out the room with Xavier. “Come on Charlie, let’s go pack my bag’s.”
Dublin, Ireland
Sean Cassidy look’s at himself in the mirror his throat sore, he’s aged, his roguish face now has wrinkles, his eyes a little more sunken, tiny scar’s litter his face and his body, his flowing blond lock’s now have a touch of gray strewn about them. He make’s a big stretch, the lower part of his back, aching a little as he does so.
As he grab’s the bottle of pain medication, coughing as he does so, on the nearby table he look’s around his rundown apartment, the wall’s have hole’s and the paint is chipped, stain’s littler the floor and ceiling, the furniture was old and tattered. Almost like the man who lived in it.
Sean took the pill’s with a rough swallow before turning his head to an old picture, he grabbed it, and stared at the photo inside, blissfully remembering his time as an agent of Interpol, he almost had everything he ever wanted back then, the job he dreamed of as a child, the respect of his family, friend’s, and colleagues, a wife he loved, all he needed wee kid running around the home and it’d be perfect.
Then Maeve was killed in a bombing, the light in Sean’s life died while he was a continent away in Vietnam. He didn’t even learn about until he got home three month’s after she passed.
Missed her funeral.
Sean laid down on his couch, remembering better time’s, when the doorbell rang. Sean got up, walked to the door, and as he opened it he realized he didn’t have a doorbell.
“Hello, Sean.”
“Charles Xavier!” Sean said as he looked at the wheelchair bound psychic. “Bloody Hell are you doing here?’
“I need help, Sean.” Xavier pleaded.
Sean let out a sigh, “I don’t know Charles, I’m not exactly sure I’m actually all that helpful.”
“Sean, I need you, the X-Men need you. I know it, I can’t do this without you. You can’t stay here and wallow in your self pity, you need to break free from your old wound’s.” Xavier grabbed Sean’s hand. “Please Sean, you are the Banshee, and the X-men need the Banshee.”
Sean looked at Xavier, self doubt still evident on his face, but as he took his hand away from Xavier, he placed it on his throat, somehow it felt better. Sean took deep breath, then a swallow. He spoke to Xavier a little louder this time.
“Aw well, not much superheroing I can do back in the homeland. Na’ nearly ‘nough supervillain’s running around. So Charles, what do you need ol’ Banshee to do?”
Great Rift Valley, Kenya
Upon a hill, who’s grass lay yellow and dying, who’s once bountiful land around it now lay’s lifeless. Not the rustling of a plant, the movement of an animal, not even the breeze of the wind, nothing disturbs the area as it is slowly murdered by drought. The only sign’s of life, lie on this barren holy hill.
The ritual has been ongoing for an hour now, the eldest women in the village have sung song’s in their god’s honor on the left, their men bang on drum’s and blow on flutes on the right, the children pray in a circle all around them. At the south and the North, the chieftain and his wife praise the god’s above and the goddess they’ve sent to them.
As the Chief and his wife make one final plea, begging their god’s and the goddess to bring life back to their home, and the drought that kill’s there village, the dancing stops, the singing stops, the music stop’s, even the praying stops.
In the middle of the ritual, the Goddess rises to her feet, she is tall and well muscled, her face angular and alluring, voluminous snow white hair flow’s from her head, piercing blue eye’s gazes upon the silent villager’s, gold jewelry adorns her body in necklaces, bracelet's and tiara, white paint’s all that cover’s her incredible body.
She raises her arm’s through her hair, and chilling wind flow’s through the air. The Goddess’ eye’s turn white like a star, the wind howl’s around her in a gale force. High above the ritual the goddess ride’s the wind’s, the few cloud’s above her come together, growing in size and darkening in color. Bolt’s of lightning strike the Goddess, yet do her no harm, with one swift movement, she spread’s the cloud’s across the valley, and life giving rain falls from above.
The Goddess ride’s the wind once more to the ground, she smile’s as the villager’s cry out in joy.
“A most impressive display, Ororo. Truly beautiful.”
Spark’s dance on the goddess’ finger’s she look’s around for the one her speaks within her mind, wondering if an old enemy has returned to her. Then, down at the bottom of the hill, she spies a white man staring at her, bound to a wheelchair.
The Goddess flies to the man, lighting still in hand. “Who are you? What business have you in the Storm Goddess’ land?”
“My name is Charles Xavier, and I have an offer for you, Ororo Monroe, an offer you have no reason to accept, but one I pray you do.”
Ororo tilted her head at the man, it had been a long time since she heard her full name, years now, she wondered how this man knew it all. “And what do you offer to a goddess?”
“You have land Ororo, one you can single handily fill with life, and people who adore you as if you truly were a goddess, as well as the full power’s of one.” The man gestured to the land around him, the cheering villager’s, and the lightning at her fingertips. “And in return I offer you the chance to enter a world that is ugly. People who may hate and fear you as much as these people revere you, all because of your incredible power, but people who need you nonetheless. He world I offer is not beautiful or kind Ororo, but that is why it need’s you. I offer you to step down from godhood, back to he realm of mortal, to become a lowly mutant, to join other’s like you, like me. Come with me Ororo. Taste the outside your land, you find it’s taste bitter at first, but at some point it may, become surprisingly sweet.”
Xavier held his hand out to Ororo, waiting for her lighting clad palm to touch his. Ororo laughed at him. “You have a poor way of convincing other’s Mr. Xavier. And yet I sense sincerity in your word’s. All right… I will come with you. Please, show this goddess how to be a simple woman if she can.”
“No matter what Ororo, you will never be a simple woman, and thank you.”
Osaka, Japan
The Yoshida Ancestral House has stood for almost a thousand years, through fire, flood, and quake’s it has survived. It known throughout all of Japan as the birthplace and the longest living samurai clan, and the only one that can truly be said to still live. For Now the Yoshida Ancestral House is the home of one Shiro Yoshida, better known as Japan’s number one superhero, Sunfire.
A Woman slides the shoji door to the meeting room inside the Yoshida House, a plate holding a pair of cup’s and pitcher of green in her hand’s. Inside she see’s Shiro Yoshida, his angry appearance contrasting with the silk, red and white kimono he wore. Across from him sat the esteemed genetic researcher, Charles Xavier, the woman knew that Shiro did not consider Xavier a friend, or even an ally, but she knew that he considered Xavier a top priority if he ever visited.
Still that does little to counter against Shiro’s cold yet fierce personality.
“I owe you and your student’s nothing Xavier.”
“Shiro please, I have come here to ask you for help. I need you and your power for this mission.” Xavier pleaded.
The woman placed the plate down and gave each of them glass, pouring them some tea right after.
“And if I give you that power, what does that leave Japan? There are numerous heroes across the United States, ask one of them to help you.”
“I’ve tried, but all of them are either busy or unreachable, and I fear I don’t have the time to find out why.”
“Then you don’t have the time to waste here. I offer my condolences Xavier, but you will get nothing from me.”
“I see…” Xavier was silent, the woman could see the sadness in his face, the desperation that he tried to hide. She looked to Shiro, his face as cold as ever.
“If I may, Xavier-San, if my brother can not help, perhaps I can.”
Shiro’s cool began to break he looked to his sister only know realizing she was here. “What Leyu what are saying.”
“Sister?” Xavier looked to Leyu, looking at her short hair, and calm yet soft face. “I’m sorry miss Leyu is it? I was unaware that Shiro even had a sister.”
“Yes, while my brother went to America to hunt down our uncle, he left me with our grandparent’s here in the Yoshida House. They’ve long since past on now.”
“I’m sorry to here that, but miss Leyu, if I may ask, I am asking Shiro to fight for me, are you perhaps-”
“Yes, Xavier-San. I too am a mutant.” Leyu held out her hand, at once it was engulfed in flame, the heat rushing over Xavier’s face. In a warm and inviting glow.
“Leyu, stop this.” Shiro commanded. His sister did as she ordered. “Xavier, my sister has progressed well in her training with me and the government, and she should join me in protecting Japan next year. But she is still not ready to-”
“Shiro that is for me to decide.” Leyu said, stopping her brother immediately. Leyu turned to her brother. “Shiro-Kun I can not stay here, I have trained hard and long to get where I am, and I am ready to fight as a hero. But now it is time for me to stop being the little girl protected by her big brother. I am a woman know and I must step away from your shadow if I’m ever to truly live.”
Shiro looked at his sister, his face was blank, even for him. Shiro rose to his feet. “Do as you wish.” He quickly said, immediately heading out of the room as he did.
Leyu looked to the table and spoke to no one in the room, a twinge of sadness in her voice. “Thank you brother.” Leyu looked to Xavier, “Now Xavier-san, when do we leave.”
Ust-Ordynsky, Russia
Illyana Rasputin play’s in the field’s of the farm her family lives upon, it’s amber sea of wheat only recently harvested. She stands her favorite doll across from her, putting a stray piece of grass in it’s hand’s while listening to distant sound’s of people talking and heavy machinery at work. She has the doll twirl the grass as if it was a ribbon, making the doll dance before her. She hears shouting around her, someone must have made a mistake on the farm she thinks, but she pays it no mind. Then she hears a roar, she turn’s her head and spot’s her brother running full pelt to her, fear across his face. She wonder’s what is wrong when she realizes the distant sound of heavy machinery she hears isn’t so distant,
She turn’s around and spot’s a large red tractor, barreling towards her. Clutched with fear, the little girl is frozen in place, all she can do is close her eye’s. In second’s she feel’s the grip of cold hard steel around here. She hears the tractor crash, buckle, and break. She feel’s the heat a small fire from the engine.
Illyana open’s her eye’s and look’s at the destroyed tractor in front of her. She look’s to her brother and once more he has become a man of steel.
“Are you all right Snowflake?” Piotr Rasputin asks, his flesh reverting back to blood and bone as he leaves the remains of the tractor.
“Y-yes brother.” Illyana say’s grasping hold of her older brother’s chest.
“Let me bring you home Snowflake, you have been outside enough today.”
Minutes Later, Piotr opens the door to his family’s small home, Illyana still trembling in his arm’s.
“Mama, Papa, I’ve brought Illyana home early, there’s been an incident with Gustav’s tractor.”
Piotr look’s to the table in the kitchen, there his parent’s sit, looking across a bald man in a suit.
“Who is this?” Piotr asks worried about the answer.
Piotr’s mother rises to her feet, “Piotr give me Illyana, this man wishes to speak with you.”
Dread fill’s Piotr. “Yes mother.” Carefully Piotr hand’s Illyana to his mother, who then walk’s out to Illyana’s room.
“Papa who is this man?” Piotr ask’s again.
“My name Piotr, is Professor Charles Xavier.” Piotr is confused, he thought this would be working for the Soviet government, now he wonder’s if he work’s for the American’s. “You are a mutant yes? Just like me, I’ve gotten info from an old friend of yours that you have the ability to turn your flesh into solid steel.”
Piotr glare’s at Xavier, the young man’s handsome face was now scrunched in anger, his tall, thick, and bulky body tensed up. Then in nearly an instant, the skin all over Piotr’s body changed, becoming solid, segmented steel. “Yes.” Piotr tell’s Xavier.
“Then that makes two of us.” Xavier say’s once more not moving his mouth. “But how much do you know about your power, how much can you lift, how fast can you run, how far can you jump, and how much force can you take.”
“I...do not know.”
“I can help you Piotr, train you in your power’s to help the world, and your fellow mutants.”
“I...I don’t know.” Piotr say’s, he look’s to his father, tears begin to well in the man’s eyes. “Papa, what should I do?”
Nikolai Rasputin, wipes a tear from his eye. “You must do as your heart tells you my son. It will not betray you.”
“But it betrayed Mikhail.”
“No son, your brother’s heart was not the one that betrayed him.”
Piotr looked to the ground his mind deep in thought, the love of his family fighting against his urge for freedom. “My heart tells me to stay, but my soul tells me otherwise.” Piotr look’s to his father and hug’s him. “I must go papa.”
“Then it is right that you do.”
Camp Verde, Arizona
A bull buffalo charge’s as fast as it’s four leg’s can run, trying it’s best to outrun the predator behind it. Faster and faster it goes, but the predator is faster. It gets closer and closer to the buffalo until finally the man who had been chasing it four miles at more than thirty five mph, grab’s it’s horn’s and with incredible strength the animal has no chance against, and wrestles it down to the ground.
John Proudstar, raises one of his fist’s in the air, and swing’s it down with all his might onto the buffalo’s head, cracking the beast’s skull open with a fierce blow.
John rises to his feet, the man’s cruel face staring at the dead buffalo, blood and gray matter dripping from his still clenched fist. John takes a deep breath, staring across the open desert around him that makes the Yavapai-Apache reserve. He hates it, hates the arid lifeless bit of land the US government has forced his people on as an act of pity, he hate’s the people inside the reserve, old men and woman, sitting by there door’s dreaming of the glory of their grandparents dreaming of glory. The men and woman, trying their hardest to care for their families and failing at every turn and saying that that’s good enough. And he hates the children who will grow up to be just like them.
He is as ashamed of his people almost as much as himself.
John look’s up to the sky and scream’s as loud as he can. “You see that, do you see, John Proudstar is still a man! No one, no matter how powerful or how pathetic can change that.”
“A man I have come looking to find John Proudstar.”
John turned around as quick as he could, flashes to his past as a soldier kicking in. He readied himself for an attack, but all he could see was a white man in wheelchair, slowly making his way to him, and much to far away so clearly to John.
“How in blazes did a cripple like you get out here? You lost white-eyes? Because you came to the wrong man, am-scray!”
“Don’t be too hasty my friend. You see I’ve come to bring you a job opportunity.”
John glared at the man. “Didn’t move your lips when you talked, your a mutie like me I take it.”
“As crass as you spoke you are correct.” The man said, finally closing the distance between him and John. “My name is Charles Xavier, perhaps you’ve heard of me. I’ve come to help you fulfill the dream you have buried deep inside. The dream who’s death is the route of your rage. I can help you bring pride to your people John, bring pride to yourself. You are needed amongst the X-Men, John. This your chance to be a hero.”
“Stuff a cactus.” John spat. “I owe my people squat, same to my species. So beat it!” John shouted at Xavier, before turning around and grabbing the dead buffalo, heaving it over his shoulders.
“So you lied before then.” Xavier caught John’s Attention. “You aren’t a man, the first real challenge comes asking for you and you turn your back. Your not a man, John Proudstar, your not even a child.”
“That Does It!” John shouted out, charging straight at Xavier and getting right in his face, “You giving me a chance to be a man, fine then I’ll take it. Hell I’ll be a damn superman if I have to!”
“You will have your chance John, I promise you that.”
Westchester, New York, October 14 1991
The Xavier Mansion has stood in place for ten generation's, it has been a home tead for farmer’s, arm’s merchant’s, sea captain’s, physicist’s, and now the premier team of mutant’s known only as the X-Men. Currently its living room hold’s seven different young men and women, all mutants themselves, all standing around, waiting bye as their host uses his psychic abilities to give each of them a crash coarse of the English language if need be.
“Do you understand me Piotr?” Xavier asked.
“Da, профессор I understand you. Am I speaking English correctly?” The young Russian asked.
“Yes Piotr, perfectly.” Xavier said, rolling into the middle of the room, the seven other mutant’s eyes all rested on him. “Now that that’s done, we can get down to business. Ladies and gentleman you’ve all been brought here for the betterment of mutant kind, but first I must ask you to undertake a sever challenge that I wish I could do myself. To explain why I needed you all here, I present to you all my first student, Scott Summers, but you may know him as Cyclops.”
At those word’s a rumbling of footstep’s came from the staircase close by the group. Each of them turned to look at a man with slim yet athletic build. His face handsome yet covered by a thick pair of ruby red sunglasses. The man looked across everyone in the room except Xavier, judging each one of them with a short look.
“I’ll be short and sweet people, the details are depressingly simple. Your first mission, if you choose to accept it it to rescue the X-Men.” Scott stated in a dead serious tone.
Confusion broke out amongst the seven gathered mutant’s, each wondering about the X-Men’s fate’s, and why they were needed to save them. Sean was the first to question the claim.
“Scott, me lad, ya’ can’ be serious.”
“Dead serious.” Scott snapped, ending all further questioning, “Now all of you, come with me we’ll head to the briefing room.”
A short walk later, the emotions tense after Scott’s reveal, through the halls of the mansion brought the group to a large room holding a long oak table and numerous chair’s around it. Against the wall to the entrance lay a giant computer screen that spanned the entire length of the wall. Scott walked up the screen and motioned for everyone to take a seat, once they had he grabbed a remote for the computer and pressed a button, a picture of a giant super-computer console with a strange helmet attached to it appeared.
“Five days ago, Professor Xavier sensed a giant mutant energy signature on small island in the pacific called Krakoa.”
“I’ve never even heard o’ it fore.” Sean said.
“Not many people have, its too small to build more than a small town on, and hold’s too many endangered species on it for anyone to build anything there legally.”
The screen then showed a picture of what was presumably the island of Krakoa, before quickly switching to a picture of the previous X-Men team, Cyclops, Phoenix, Iceman, Angel, Beast, Havok, and Polaris, all standing together smiling.
“Four day’s ago,” Scott continued, “Xavier contacted Phoenix, Iceman, Angel, Hakok, Polaris, and myself to investigate the mutant signature.”
“Why couldn’t the Beast go with you?” Leyu asked.
“He’s on the Avenger’s, they’ve been off on a mission for week now, same reason we couldn’t contact the Fantastic Four.” Scott looked from leyu back to the screen. “Worried that the mutant was still unable to control their power or could fall into the hands of the next Magneto we set off in the Blackbird.”
The screen flashed to a picture of a giant jet that resembled SR-71 Blackbird.
“You fly around in a Lockheed Blackbird?” Wolverine asked, surprised.
“Yeah, got it from the Avengers, but that’s not an important question. What is, is that me and the original X-Men arrived on Krakoa three days ago. According to Xavier when we landed our communication’s cut out. All I remember was landing with the team and doing a quick survey of the land before blacking out.”
The seven mutant’s gathered looked at Scott confused. “One-Eye what the heck are you talking about?” John asked.
“I mean I heard Polaris say something was heading towards us and the next thing I knew, I was back in the Blackbird. My costume was torn to ribbon’s, my body was covered in blood, cut’s, and bruises, and I’d been de-powered.”
“You...lost your power’s?” Kurt asked, a small amount of hope shamefully in his voice.
“For a few hours yes, something on Krrakoa had taken away my power’s, my memory, beaten me to a pulp then put me back on the blackbird and sent it’s auto-pilot back to the Mansion. I was three quarters of the way back to mansion, with barely had enough fuel to get back.”
Scott was silent, his grip tightened against the remote in his hand, his body stiffened, and his jaw clenched. The crowd of mutant's all decided to stop asking questions.
“When I arrived back at the mansion, Xavier asked me what happened back on Krakoa, but then my power’s returned in full force. After that debacle, Xavier left in search of all of you.”
Scott looked to the group of mutant’s, all staring back at him. It was Wolverine who was the first to speak. “And he found us bub, so now what?”
“Now you all have two choice’s, you can either stay here safe and sound, possibly even head back to your homes, or you can join me, head into a dangerous foreign environment that has already taken down a group of much more experienced, and trained professional’s, to battle an extremely powerful mutant we know nothing about.”
The room was silent, everyone bar Cyclops and Xavier mulling over their choices.
“So what’s it gonna be?” Scott asked.
This time it was Sean who spoke first. “I owe ye and the X-Men to much ta nah help ya Scotty.”
“Sure bub I’ll join your suicide mission,” Wolverine snapped. “Good chance I’ll be the only survivor though.”
“I can not stand by while other’s are in danger.” Ororo said.
“Hell it’s not like I have anywhere else to be.” John declared.
“It’s about time I go where I’m needed Summers-San.” Leyu said.
“What is an adventure without certain death?” Kurt asked.
Piotr was the only one not to say anything, he sat in silence, questioning if he was making the right choice. “I...will go to.”
Scott walked to Piotr. “I’m not going to give you another choice after this Piotr. Will you be going with us or not. Think about this Piotr, it could mean your life.”
Piotr was much more unsure of his answer, he could only ask himself one thing, would his brother Mikhail do this. “Yes, yes, I will go.” Piotr said much more sternly.
“Thank you,” Scott told Piotr, “Thank you everyone. We have a bunch X-Men uniform’s in the locker room’s if you need one, let’s suit up and head out.”
In only thirty minute’s the eight mutant’s had headed to the locker room’s inside of the X-Mansion, either got themselves into the classic blue and yellow X-Men uniform’s or in Banshee, Wolverine, and Cyclops’ case had put on their own. Quickly jogged down to the hanger bay hidden underground, gathered into the X-Men’s Blackbird, and where now 60,000 feet in the air going at 2200 miles per hour towards the small island of Krakoa.
“Nice ride you got here, Summers.” Cyclops stiffened at Wolverine’s use of his old nickname.
“Thank you. Been flying it for almost four years now.” He replied back.
“So you got this from the Avenger’s?” Kurt said, struggling to get used to the original X-Men uniform. The blue and yellow bodysuit that clung to nearly every inch of his body, which he did have to admit looked good on Ororo and Leyu. The yellow utility belt, blue mask, and tight yellow gloves and boot’s. Though Kurt did have a biased opinion due to his hand’s having three digit’s and his feet two he could not wear. At least his skin matched his jump suit, which he had to make a hole in to fit his tail. “Where did that happen Scott, some convention for heroes.”
“No it was an apology for beating us up once. You see an old enemy of Xavier, Baron Strucker had captured him and used him to mind control the avengers and we went out to try and stop them, we didn’t put up much of a fight but with Phoenix’s help Xavier was able to break free of Strucker’s control and free the Avengers. If you want more info read the report I made on it.” Cyclops checked to make sure the Blackbird’s autopilot was activated before swiveling his seat to Kurt. “Also we’re on duty, that mean’s if someone has a code name use it, for everyone else, last name basis.”
“Right, right.” Wagner said.
Wolverine turned to Banshee, inspecting his costume, a green bodysuit with a yellow collar, gloves, and boot’s, from his arm’s hung a sort of black and yellow striped cape that hung to the sides of his body, like bat wings.
Banshee did the same to Wolverine, looking at his yellow bodysuit, with the black tiger stripes on his chest, blue boot’s with black flares, blue shorts, gloves and tiny shoulder pads, and the black flared mask.
“Nice costume Irish,” Wolverine said. “Headed to the disco afterwords.”
“Nah, mor’ o’ a jazz fan m’self. But I see your a big fan of Batman I take it.”
Wolverine glared at Banshee and was about to say a snide remark when Leyu spoke up first.
“So you’ve met the X-Men before Cass-Banshee.”
“Aye, lass. Got mind controlled by a group callin’ there selves Factor Three. Happens quite a bit you see, X-Men freed me from there control an’ I helped them put a stop to the group. Story for another day. How ‘bout you lass?”
“Oh no, but my brother had encountered them before. He was sent by the Japanese government to go after our uncle. Bastard was a Yakuza enforcer known as the Silver Samurai, he had killed our parents only a few years ago.” Yoshida was silent for a few moment’s before continuing. “My brother got our revenge, but the X-Men were unaware of the details and attempted to stop him. We hold no hard feelings.”
“Sorry ta hear tha’. You two now superhero’s back in Japan I assume?”
“Only my brother, it’s why I’m wearing an X-Men uniform. Though I have been training, though is little super villain activity in Japan, so it’s mostly disaster work for my brother.”
“I see, guess that was obvious. Been trying out the hero business back ‘n ol’ Ireland. Can’ say I get many villains there either.” Banshee looked to Wolverine. “How ‘bout you Canadian?”
“I’ve tussled with the Hulk before, couple of c-list villains from the US trying to make a name for themselves up north, no one noteworthy. Besides that I’ve just been doing,” Wolverine pooped out a claw and stared at it. “Government work.”
Banshee and Yoshida stared at Wolverine’s claw, each quickly understanding what he meant.
“I get tha’ point, Boyo.”
At the back of the blackbird, Proudstar looked over at Rasputin, the young man was clearly out of his depth. “You alright there ruskie?”
It took a second for Rasputin to realize that Proudstar was talking to him. “Huh, oh yes, sorry I’ve never flown in a plane before.”
“Neither have I my new friend.” Wagner said, before looking out the window. “It’s a shame we’re going so fast I can’t get a good luck at anything like this.”
“Don’t worry Wagner,” Monroe began, “I assure you flying with only the wind’s propelling yourself will feel ten times better than being in a plane.”
“Let’s hope I have a parachute on if I ever get the chance.” Kurt looked at Banshee and Wolverine, then back at his uniform wearing compatriots. “I assume the rest of you have never been in the hero business before either.”
“Not really no.” Rasputin admitted.
“Fought in the Gulf War, first infantry, nothin like this though.” Proudstar stated, matter of fact.
“I have been a goddess to people all over Kenya, but not a superhero.” Ororo answered.
“So our group is made up of an amnesiac, a hero with a beer gut, a hero trainee, what I presume to be a government killer, a circus acrobat, a soldier, a farmboy, and a goddess.”
“Sum’s it up Wagner.” Cyclops confirmed.
“Ah, I feel so confident about this now.”
The Island of Krakoa
It took two hours for the Blackbird to reach Krakoa which judging by Scott’s map’s and computer was few degree’s of longitude and latitude off from where it actually was, as Cyclops slowed down the jet and began circling the island, the team all took a good look at the island, it was fairly small, probably around five miles long and two and half across.
“You lost the X-Men on that rock?” Proudstar questioned.
“Can’t say much for your taste in vacation spots, Slim.” Wolverine shot.
Cyclops stared at Wolverine, he could not believe the man had just called him by his old high school nickname. The name barely applied to him nowadays. “The time for jokes is over, it’s time for work.”
Cyclops once again swiveled his chair back to look at everyone, “We’re splitting up into four groups of two. Monroe, you and Rasputin will be dropping down in the north. Wagner you head out with Banshee move across the east. Yoshida and Proudstar will search the south. Finally me and Wolverine will handle the West.”
Each of the X-Men looked to their assigned partner’s, some with with delight, some with uncertainty, one with annoyance.
Cyclops swiveled back in his seat and flew the Blackbird to it’s first destination. “Alright east team, your drop is coming.”
Wagner looked at Banshee and stretched his limb’s, “Alright mein friend it’s your time to show me what it’s like to be a super hero.”
“Gladly laddie. Just grab hold of me leg’s and I’ll take you to soft landing.” Banshee and Wagner walked to the back end of the Blackbird to the storage bay, where the ramp had already been lowered.
Banshee let out a wail, one the sounded like a dying Death, forcing Wagner to cover hie ear’s. Wagner was starting to regret the teamate he was assigned to when henoticed something happen to Banshee. His skin grew paler, almost becoming an albino white, his face becoming more gaunt and aged, his eye’s were bloodshot, and his hair grew wild. Wagner would daresay the man was as nightmarish as himself, before Wagner could ask about the change, Banshee leaped out of the Jet, his sound wave's carrying himself thanks to his costume’s wing’s. Wagner, saving his question for later, jumped out of the plane himself and bamfed to Banshee’s leg’s grabbing ahold of them.
“South Team, Go!.” Cyclops shouted over the intercom, Proudstar and Yoshida already at the ramp
“Can’t say I’ve ever jumped out of a plane without a parachute.” Proudstar admitted, as he looked down at the island floor.
“Don’t worry I should be able to keep my arm’s flame free Proudstar-San.”
“Should?”
“I assure you Proudstar-san I am competent enough to know my limitations in holding former US soldiers by their hands like a parachute.” Leyu said grinning.
Proudstar grimaced, “I can see why your Brother didn’t join this mission.”
“North Team Go!
“That’s our signal Monroe.” Rasputin said as he rushed down the ramp and jumped.
“Piotr, No!” Monroe shouted out as she pushed herself out of the jet with a gale force wind, quickly scooping Piotr into her arm’s and slowly bringing the two down onto Krakoa. “You fool, you said you cannot fly!”
“Of course not, but I can land with the best of them! Used to leap off my family’s farm all the time when I was younger.”
Wolverine looked out the window, watching Monroe and Rasputin finish their descent.
“Alright slim, the Goddess and Ruskie have landed.”
“Then strap yourself back in, we’re going down.”
Ten minutes later, Cyclops carefully landed the Blackbird back down onto Krakoa. Wolverine looked at the man from the co-pilot’s seat, he was even more tense than he was back at the meeting room.
“Scared, Slim.” He asked.
“No, just prepared for anything.”
Western Side of Krakoa
Cyclops shuddered once he and Wolverine walked onto Krakoa. Morbidly he wondered if he would lose anyone else, or if he would even live long enough to find out. He realized he needed to throw those thoughts away or else they’ll come to pass and did the first thing he could think and pointed to the middle of the island. “Alright, Wolverine there our destination the sooner we get started the sooner we’ll meet up with the others.”
“Really, I never would have guessed east was that way, Slim.” Wolverine remarked.
The two began walking before Cyclops stopped.
“What is it?”
“Want to triple check I locked the Blackbird, can’t be too careful-What the Hell!” Cyclops shouted out to Wolverine’s shock.
“What’s going on-holy!” Wolverine shouted as he turned to where the Blackbird stood, but could only see an untamed field where it once was. “Where’d the damn thing go?”
“Wolverine, there’s something I didn’t tell you before landing here.”
“What’s that?”
“This is the exact same spot me and the X-Men landed in last time.”
“Really, no foolin’. You decided to land right the last place you remember with little old me.”
“Why do you think I kept the deadliest member of the group with me.”
“Heh, guess that makes sense, I ain’t exactly one for compan-Cyclops what is that?”
“What is what-” Cyclops said turned his head back east, and saw as a giant stone building was now in his view. “That appears to be a giant temple Wolverine.”
“You know Slim, I think you should have double checked to see if we’re dealing with a mutant here. Because right now I’d say we’re about to fight a damn wizard!”
“At least we now were we’re heading now.”
With no other option, the pair of mutants headed into the forest, leading directly towards the Temple. Slowly the two were engulfed by fauna, tree’s and vines cornering them, the leaves cutting the view of the temple, and large blades of grass stuck to their feet.
Wolverine put his arm in front of Cyclops, stopping both their movement in a swift motion.
“What is it?” Cyclops asked.
“Something doesn’t smell right.”
“Smell right how?”
“I can’t smell a single animal around us for miles.”
Cyclops shot his head into the overgrowth of the Jungle around them. “And combined that with the sound’s this jungle’s been making-”
“It’s bad news.”
The two men got back to back with each other and stared out into the now silent jungle, waiting for something to happen. Something like a dozen vines shooting straight at them from the tree’s to be exact.
With a snikt, Wolverine popped his claws and slashed at the six Vines that were sent at him, just as Cyclops fired a red blaring, optic blast at the six sent at him. Right after that failed attack, the remaining vines began crawling across the tree’s, while the tree’s began to upturn their own root’s, and the grass underneath the men’s feet grabbed at them.
“Whole Damn Forest’s Alive!” Wolverine snarled.
“Wolverine cover me!” Cyclops ordered as he pointed his head towards where the Temple should still be and fired as wide a beam as he could from his visor and started sprinting.
Following his new leader’s lead, Wolverine followed Cyclops as he started running back towards the Temple, slicing at everything that tried to hit them with near instant reflexes. Root’s became tinder, branches mere stick’s, tree’s became lumber, vine’s became shorter vine’s, all in a few simple slashes of Wolverine’s claws.
They both knew that they wouldn’t be safe until they reached the Temple.
Northern Side of Krakoa
“Well Rasputin it appears we have our destination.” Monroe said as she spied on the giant stone temple that sprung from nowhere while the two talked amongst each other.
“Yes, but I fell we won’t like what we find.”
“I doubt the X-Men did either.”
Monroe and Rasputin began jogging their way to the temple cutting through a large ravine as they did, when a large rumbling could be heard above them. The two looked up and too their horror they saw what could only be the shape of rock’s hurtling down to them.
“Avalanche!” Rasputin shouted out.
Monroe grabbed his hand and with all the strength of the wind’s she could muster, flew the pair forward, hoping they would be safe from the stone’s above.
As the avalanche came crashing down to the ground, the boulder’s breaking apart as they did, crushing whatever was underneath, both Monroe and Rasputin were glad to not be amongst the dirt and sticks that was.
The two looked upon the destruction before them for a moment before quickly turning around and heading to the Temple. Just as they did, more rumbling came from behind them, the pair turned around and watched as the boulder’s once more moved, rolling in their direction.
“The rock’s, by the heaven’s there alive!” Monroe shouted.
“Get behind me Ororo!” Rasputin cried as he clenched his body, in a mere second all the flesh on his body morphed into that of Solid Steel, as the half ton man charged at the boulder’s, shattering one with a full force charge, he began hammering whichever one’s were closest to him, breaking them to pieces as he did.
Monroe watched as the young man before her battled insurmountable odds to protect her. She did not like it when those who wished to protect would die trying. Moroe raised her hand’s and gale force wind’s erupted behind her, pushing away all the smaller rock’s from pelting Rasputin. Lightning danced across her finger’s before she fired bolt after bolt at the barrage of rock coming after them.
It was two against two hundred and counting.
East Side of Krakoa
Both Proudstar and Yoshida stalked the beach of Krakoa, slowly making their way towards the mysterious temple ground.
“You have any idea on what to make of this?” Proudstar asked aloud.
“About the mysteriously appearing temple?”
“Yeah, that.”
“I think it means we’re well on our way to becoming superheroes.”
Proudstar let out a fake laugh, “Wonder what Mikey and Sammy would say if they saw me in this get’up heading off to play Indiana Jones.” He muttered.
“Mikey and Sammy?” Yoshida asked.
Proudstar’s eye’s widened in surprise and he almost stumbled while walking. “Old friend’s...don’t ask.” He snapped.
As Proudstar started walking a bit faster, walking away from Yoshida, the woman grew concerned. She clearly had hit a nerve their and she was wondering if she should try and talk to him about it. She didn’t get the chance as the wave’s of the beach started getting choppy.
Both Yoshida and Proudstar looked out to the water’s and saw a pair of big circles begin to form, slowly the creature’s that made the circle’s rose from the water’s chilling the two mutants to their bones.
In their sight’s was not some giant fish, or shark, or even a crab. It was a menagerie of sea life, smashed together and seemingly melded into one being. Crab connected to fish, connected to octopus, connected to shark, connected to coral, and connected back to another crab. Each lumping of sea life was well over the size of Proudstar, and slowly it stumbled towards the pair, using clumps of creature’s as artificial limb’s. Jaw’s chomped, claw’s snapped, and tentacle's reached for the two, as the lump’s lumbered toward’s them.
“You gotta be fuckin’ kiddin’ me…” Proudstar grabbing a nearby rock the size of an oven and chucked at one of the lumps of sea life.
The rock made a disgusting crunch as it hit the lump, the rock splashed into the water as every creature on the Lump attempted to make a roar and charged straight towards Proudstar.
“Fucking Hell!” He shouted grabbing a nearby piece of drift wood to defend himself.
Yoshida immediately blasted a wave of fire at the other Lump, noticing that it too was beginning to move rapidly. The Lump began roaring as well and charged to but Yoshida kept pouring on her flames, rapidly increasing the heat she emitted. The water in front of her began to boil, steam rose in between Yoshida and the Lump.
Yoshida stopped and waited for the steam to disperse, when it was done the only thing in front of her were the charred remains of dozen’s of sea life. As Yoshida stared at the corpse of the Lump, wondering if it was truly dead, she heard a strange thwacking sound behind her. Yoshida turned her head and was once more horrified.
There Proudstar, holding that thick piece of drift wood in his hand’s and slamming down on the Lump, again and again. Blood splattered all over him and surrounding area, broken bit’s of wood chipping away with each hit. Every time a creature apart of the lump twitched Proudstar aimed at it and hit it head on as hard as he could.
There was no snarling fury in Proudstar’s face, no roaring anger, no primal rage, just an intense, and focused glare at the lump, as he continued hitting the abomination again, and again, and again.
South Side of Krakoa
“This is just ridiculous.” Wagner said as he bamfed once more, dodging a strange combination of mammal and bird, this one a wolf with a pair of eagle’s seemingly welded to I’s back and tail bone.
“Laddie, I saw an alien die after getting psychicly attacked so hard it the poor bastard exploded.” Banshee said as he dodged a coyote flying via pair of hawk’s attached to it’s sides. “Hell, I saw weirder workin for Interpol if I’m honest.” He wailed at the creature so hard it was belted out of the sky.
Wagner bamfed above a Leopard and vulture combo and delivered an Axe handle to it. “Ah, well I should look into mirror more then if I want to accept strange thing’s then.”
“Might help.”
Temple Ground, Center of Krakoa
“Hello everyone, have we kept you all waiting?” Wagner said, looking upon the rest of the team, each of them looked far worse for wear, the costume’s ripped, cut’s and bruises on their skin, Lord, Proudstar was covered in blood.
All of them looked at Wagner and Banshee in dead silence.
“Seems we had the easiest trail here, boyo.” Banshee said, leaning to Wagner
“Sean a swarm of deadly animal’s flying thanks to pair’s of bird’s connected to them attacked us!”
“Well then Elf, if that was so hard, swap trails with me and sSlim, next time you can travel through living forest of tree’s vine’s, grass, cactus’s, fly trap’s, weed’s, and botanist's know what else for a couple of hours.” Wolverine spat.
“Or perhaps a colony of moving rock’s that slowly turn into a sand storm?” Monroe added.
Proudstar walked right into Wagner’s face. “Two, dozen, lumps of sea animal’s, melded together. Each bigger than the last.”
Wagner stared at the intense, bloodcovered face of Proudstar. “I see your point’s.” Wagner said sheepishly.
“All right everyone, play time’s over.” Cyclops ordered. “Let’s find out what inside our magically appearing temple. I’d hate to disappoint whoever made it.” Scott inspected the solid stone doors of the temple. Rasputin would you mind make a hole for me right here.” Cyclops right in the middle of the door’s
Rasputin quickly delivered a steel punch, making a hole the size and depth of his entire arm with the quick blow.
“Thank you.” Cyclops said before quickly firing an intense optic blast at the hole, in second’s the door’s shuddered before the input of the beam’s pressure made it rumble and crack apart in a furious bang. Shard’s of the door hitting the ground in front of the team.
Inside the temple, was darkness. “Flashlight’s everyone.’ Cyclops’ ordered grabbing a small flashlight form his belt, and flipping it on inside the temple. Five other’s followed his lead.
Wolverine turned to Banshee. “Feel like we got jipped a bit, huh Irish.”
“Aye.”
The cold darkness of the temple, revealed only one thing, a dull emptiness.
A giant open room was what was held inside the temple, one, single, giant empty room. No hallway’s, door’s, or anything else to fill the room at all.
“How peculiar.” Monroe said to no one In particular.
“Was the building made solely to distract us?” Yoshida questioned.
“No…” Cyclops growled, his body clenching, this couldn't have all been just a distraction to steal their attention.
“No’s right pal I smell something’s up. Flashlight’s on the ceiling, Now!” Wolverine snarled.
Six flash light’s looked up at the ceiling of the temple, there, to the shock of the whole group minus Wolverine, five bodies were in plain view. Phoenix, Iceman, Havok, Polaris, and Angel all unconscious, were connected to the ceiling by some strange, shifting moss.
“Dear god...Monroe, Banshee, Yoshida, Get Them Down From There!” Cyclops demanded.
The three fliers each went straight to the ceiling, tearing at the moss that held the fine X-Men up above, bringing them down one by one into the waiting arm’s of their allies. Cyclops’ carried Phoenix in his own arm’s, he looked at the masked face of the woman he loved, ripping the mask of her face and checked her vitals. He was happy to learn that she was alive, her breath and pulse were faint, but they were there and he was sure that she’d be fine after some time recovering.
As Yoshida landed on the ground, Iceman in her arm’s she felt something hit her on top of her head. Proudstar noticed the debris hitting her and grabbed it from where it bounced down to the ground and picked it up. It wasn’t a bit of moss like he assumed. But the stone from the ceiling above. Just then the temple began to rumble, as more pieces of stone and dust fell to the floor.
“Aw, Crap!” Proudstar shouted.
“Whole place is shaking itself apart!” Wolverine cried.
“Out of here Now, Now, Now!” Cyclops shouted the order, his team following along, carrying the X-Men in their arm’s as they did so.
The team followed Cyclops’ order’s as instructed and it did not take them long to reach the outside of the temple, head straight into the area of the forest, destroyed by a wide beam of concussive force, and gaze at the temple as it crumpled to ground.
Cyclops stared at the ruin’s, half expecting for something to rise out of it, when he felt movement in his arm’s.
“Jean!” he cried as slowly placed the love of his life on the ground. She began to stir and took deeper breath’s, before fighting her way to consciousness, and cracked open her eye’s.
“S-scott?” She said in a weak voice, before it soon grew in strength as she saw the man of her dream’s. “Scott!”
“Oh, Jean!” Cyclops and Phoenix embraced each other., the newly gathered team of his looked on, happy that their leader was finally showing an emotion other than serious determination. They each noticed that the four other X-Men they carried were now beginning to waken as well.
“You all right there, laddie?” Banshee said ans he brought Havok to his feet.
“Banshee, what...what are you doing here?”
“Savin’ your asses kid, no need to thank us.” Wolverine replied.
“Who-who are you?” Polaris questioned, staring at Wolverine before looking at the metal man who was carrying her in his arm’s. “Who, are any of you?”
“There’s been a small membership drive.” Yoshida answered. “We’ll fill you in later.”
“Sunfire?” Iceman said. “You’re looking a lot better looking.” He flirted.
“Ahhh!” Angel screeched, his wing’s flaring out, pushing him free of Proudstar’s grip.
“Calm down damn it! Your Free!” He snarled.
Angel stumbled to his feet, and stared back at Cyclops. “Scott?! Scott you idiot!” He cried.
Cyclops looked on in shock at the man he considered one his best friend. “War-Warren what are you-?”
“Why’d you come back for us?!” Angel grabbed at Cyclops’ chest. “I told you to leave us all behind. To call the avenger’s, call the damn military. I told you wipe Krakoa off the planet.”
“What the hell are you talking about!” Cyclops shouted back at Angel.
Angel’s face grew pale. “You, you don’t remember? Scott it’s a trap! Krakoa wanted you to come back here!”
“Warren, Explain! Who on Krakoa, wanted me back?” Cyclops cried out.
“That’s just it Cyclops. We’re the only one’s on Krakoa. There’s no other mutant’s, no other people. The mutant we came looking for is the island itself!”
On Angel’s word’s, as if fate had decided to to react accordingly at the most dramatic point, the ground upon which the ruin’s of the temple sat began to rumble once more. The earth to began bubble up and push itself into the air.
“Dear god…” Cyclops said as he watched the giant mound of earth, rock, and plant life join together, morphing into the figure of a giant behemoth. A large body was the first to be create, then from the four corner’s of the bulbous chest, towering limb’s ripped themselves free from the ground as if they were the root’s of a tree, finally a head pushed itself from the body, expelling from where a neck would be. A pair of pure red rubies were formed into a pair of eye’s while a giant maw made from stalagmite and stalactite teeth, began to roar at the 13 mutant’s gathered at it’s legs.
“Angel you’re right…” Cyclops said, slack jawed. “Krakoa’s the island.”
“What the hell, how did that happen?” Proudstar shouted.
“We don’t know!” Phoenix. “All any of us know is that Krakoa is wrong, it doesn’t work right. I read it’s mind while I was being captured, it’s not complete. That’s why it wanted us, it wanted more mutant’s to suck off our energy so it could fix itself. Become a real living being, instead of an entire island pretending to be a single organism.”
“This is insane!” Wolverine shouted.
“And it is coming for us!” Monroe cried as as the behemoth Krakoa flung one of its arm’s at the group. All of them splitting off and escaping the blow as it crashed onto the ground.
“We need to gather together and attack it!” Cyclops shouted out.
“Easier said than done.” Yoshida shouted back.
“X-Men do any of you have your powers?” Ctclops cried as Krakoa flung it’s other limb at him and Phoenix, the pair barely dodging out of the way. The two of them getting buffeted by the shock wave and dust caused by the hit.
“Just my wing’s, Scott!” Angel cried out as Krakoa
“That’s real useful!” Proudstar snapped.
“Not now!” Cyclops ordered. “X-Men fall back! New X-Men, with me!”
Phoenix headed to her teammate’s, Angel meeting with her halfway. When the pair was with iceman, Havok and Polaris, they all turned back and watched Cyclops and his new team form together, the man they once called leader now detailing a plan to this group of eight, and gathering up what little supplies the group had in their belts to use in their offense. On their faces, was a mix surprise, inadequacy, envy, respect, and loss.
Monroe looked upon Krakoa as he reeled his arm bacward’s, the fist at the end of it was looking more like a hand every moment. “Cyclops! He’s preparing for another blow!”
Cyclops stared the behemoth, and began counting down the time it’d take for the blow to land, taking into acount theat Krakoa was also getting faster every moment. “Alright everyone, you know your role’s, the second that hit land’s. Do your part, or die trying!”
As the Behemoth’s blow hit the ground, the new X-Men were ready. All of them leaped out of the way of the hit, one just barely. But Proudstar’s dodge wasn’t one he made desperation, it was planned. The former soldier leapt at Krakoa’s arm the second he had stable footing of the dirt below. He grabbed hold of the fine’s wrapped the behemoth’s arm, acting as a sort of muscle fiber for the monstrosity.
Proudstar quickly climber up atop the arm, and began running up it heading towards the squatting behemoth’s head. Krakoa saw the man running, then climbing up it’s arm, he was about to swat him off when a puff smoke erupted on his other arm. On it the little blue creature was jumping across.
Krakoa attempted to smash both oh his arm’s together to throw them off but as he did so he felt a pair of attack’s slam on to him. The first an optic blast from Cyclops, aimed right at Krakoa’s right thigh. The other a bolt of lighting fired by Monroe, hitting Krakoa in the right shoulder, which Nightcrawler was almost at.
Before Krakoa could respond, he could feel his leg’s begin to burn, as Yoshida fired a wave of flame at the behemoth’s knee’s. Krakoa could feel his leg’s begin to weaken, could feel them begin to crack, and fall apart.
Krakoa tried to stomp forward and head to the water’s to rid himself the fire, but he failed to notice Proudstar reach his shoulder. The veteran charged straight to Krakoa’s head, hitting it as hard as he could. The force cracked Krakoa like a thunder shock, just then Wanger bamfed right into Krakoa’s face, jamming a large sack of small explosives and smokescreen’s into the middle of the island’s face. Banshee’s wail’s blasted at Krakoa’s right shoulder before he swooped down and grabbed onto Proudstar’s hand’s as he leapt at him. Banshee soared to the ground before the smell of sulfur erupted from his back. Wagner quickly took one moment to press the switch in his hand to activate the explosive’s, before bamfing off of Banshee’s back to the ground.
In one fiery and smoke filled blast, Krakoa’s face was covered in flame’s and smog. Krakoa seemed to almost screech as it flailed it’s limb’s wildly. This proved a problem for Rasputin as he held Wolverine in hand’s almost as if he was a ball. The second Rasputin seemed to have a clear shot, he threw his teammate with all his force. Flying through the air like a dart, Wolverine popped his claws and braced for impact with Krakoa’s head. The second he hit something he went wild, slashing at everything he could.
Then the rest of the New X-Men regrouped, Cyclops and Yoshida fired upon the right knee of Krakoa, from the front and the back. Banshee and Monroe did the same to the left. Rasputin and Proudstar each grabbed as big of a log they could and rammed straight into the side’s of Krakoa’s ankles.
It was Krakoa’s right leg that cracked first.
First the ankle shattered, sending the behemoth’s leg sliding off it’s foot. As Krakoa tried to regain balance it’s knee shattered next, and the monstrosity began tumbling forward.
Krakoa was intelligent enough to use both it’s arms to stop it’s fall, but as it did a large chunk of it’s shoulder broke off. Proudstar meanwhile looked at Krakoa’s remaining knee, heavily injured from Banshee and Monroe’s attack's and grabbed the log still in his hand’s and charged at the knee, slamming the log hard enough to break it in two as he did and taking another large chunk of Krakoa’s body with it.
Wolverine meanwhile had found something as he slashed apart what made Krakoa’s head. There was a rock inside, a strange one, around the size of a bowling ball, and it was hot, very hot. He had a good idea on what it was. Wolverine slashed at the dirt and vine’s that held the rock in place before stabbing the white boulder with his left hand claw’s, he could feel the dirt and vine’s round him begin to squirm as he did so.
With all his might Wolverine ripped the rock out of Krakoa’s head and chucked it out. Throwing the stone a good thirty feet away. As the rock hit the ground, Krakoa’s makeshift body began to crumble, and Wolverine was forced jump off the creature’s prone body, ton’s of rock dirt crashing to the ground behind him. Shrapnel of pebble’s rushed across his back, tearing his costume and slicing his back.
Wolverine let out a snarl of pain as his team gathered around.
“Wolverine what happened?” Cyclops ordered, his eye’s still trained to Krakoa’s destroyed body.
“I think I just ripped out Krakoa’s brain.” he replied pointing at the smooth white rock in the distance. Everyone turned to it and saw the stone begin to vibrate, dirt slowly moving to it, as if commanded by some higher voice.
“Wolverine I think your right. Banshee, Yoshida, Monroe, Blast It!” He cried out.
At once a beam of concussive force, a sonic scream, a wave of fire, and bolt of lightning struck the damaged stone. In an instant the stone shattered to pieces. White dust flying everywhere.
At once the island of Krakoa was once more silent.
“Is…” Wagner began. “Is it over?”
Cyclops looked around the island, he could hear the small gusts of wind around him, tree’s and plant’s shifting from the breeze. Their was sound Krakoa once again, sound that did not signify an ongoing fight. “Yes, Kurt, I do believe it’s over.”
“Scott!” Jean cried as she ran full pelt to her lover. “Scott you did it!”
Jean and Scott embraced each other before quickly giving one another a long passionate kiss. The X-men, both and new gathered around them. The new cheering and hollering, the old a mix of excitement, and envy.
“All right.” Lorna said. “Now lets get off this rock before something even worse show’s.”
“Fraulein do not jinx it.” Kurt replied.
“Hey Short stack, where’d you and One-Eye park the X-Jet.” John asked Wolverine.
Wolverine looked to Scott, the man had stopped smooching his lover for a moment to give a worried glance to Wolverine. “Any of you good at digging hole’s.”
“Oh no,” Jean said. “Please don’t tell me the Black-”
Once more Krakoa rumbled. At once everyone tensed up prepared for another fight against a behemoth, possibly even more than one.
“Something’s wrong.” Lorna cried.
“What is?” Alex asked his fiance.
“Something about this rumble, it’s not like the last one’s and it’s not an earthquake either.”
“Well then what is happening to Krakoa?” Ororo asked, before deciding that she should act instead of ask. Flying high into the air Ororo took and grand aerial scan of the island, Sean, Leyu, Lorna, and Warren all joining in. At first none of them saw anything, but Warren was the first, he got a good view of the closest beach, he saw said beach slowly sinking into the ocean. He cried in horror as he did
“Warren, what’s happening?” Scott cried out to his best friend.
“Scott! The beach it’s,” Warren froze as he got a second look of the beach. He realized it wasn’t just sinking into the ocean. It was breaking apart and falling into it.
“Dear god, the island’s falling apart at the end’s!”
“What the hell’s he squawking about?” John asked, looking to Scott.
The word’s ran through Scott’s head, at first he thought that this must be a last ditch effort by Krakoa, to kill himself and take the X-men along with him. Then he remembered what the coordinates on the Blackbird he looked at. The Coordinates weren't incorrect due to interference of technical glitch.
No, Krakoa had been swimming towards civilization.
“Krakoa’s sinking. Krakoa was swimming to the nearest southern American country. He was planning on getting more mutants by force.” Scott said under his breath.
“What?” Jean asked, completely shocked. “Scott that’s imposs- oh dear god…”
“Krakoa uprooted itself. There’s no land underneath us holding the island upright.”
The X-Men stared at Scott, the fliers with them having landed to the ground. The New members wondering if Scott had any idea on how to get them of this death trap alive. The Old Members though, simply knew he would find a way to do it. But all they all could do now was wait in baited breath, waiting for Scott to say something.
Scott was very much focused on one cold breath in particular.
Krakoa crumbled, river’s split apart, mountains crumbled to the ground before being swallowed up by the tides below them, carcasses of hundred’s of animals, swept away by the raging sea, and thousand’s of plant’s sank to the bowel’s of the ocean.
As literal ton’s of Krakoa, broke the surface of the water below, it created a gigantic whirlpool, swallowing everything that had once been the creature nor the island of Krakoa to a deep fate. One where it would be forgotten. Eventually, years late, a small shipping vessel will pass by Krakoa’s former location. Notice it’s disappearance and make note of it for the coast guard. Several trip’s by numerous oceanographers will commence and confirm Krakoa’s disappearance but the mystery will simply be jotted down to the island being destroyed by tsunami.
Once more the Island of Krakoa will be forgotten.
The X-men though will not, for once the ocean surrounding Krakoa’s resting place settle’s, quieting down, looking as if nothing of interest had ever been there before. And then a giant ball of ice jumped out of the water.
At the top of said ice, a wave of fire shot out, and quickly died down, as a goddess fired herself out from the ball, taking in the air surrounding her once more, her body shivering not from the cold, but from he darkness that once surronded her.
Leyu melted more of the ice around the ball, eventually giving everyone the ability to look outside it, everyone’s attention either looking at where Krakoa once was, or from Ororo’s outburst after leaving their protective cocoon.
“Thank goodness we got our strength back after Krakoa croaked.” Bobby said. “Or we’d be as in deep as he is now.”
“We’ll congratulate ye later boyo, but for now I’d like to hear what’s Scotty’s next plan to get us back to the mansion.” Sean said, before turning to the X-Men’s leader.
Scott didn’t reply to Sean, but simply held out three digit’s, then two, then one, then the Blackbird burst from the ocean a dozen or more meter’s away.
John whistled, as he looked at the jet. “I here I was thinking we were ice boating our way back to New York.”
“Thank goodness, for that. You ever lost a digit to frost bite? Hurt’s like hell losing them and growing them back.” Wolverine replied.
“The heck do you mean by that?” Alex asked, taking a step away from the short man.
“Don’t answer.” Lorna told Wolverine, seeing him smirking just before he opened his mouth to inevitably give her fiancee some horrible details. “Let me bring the Blackbird around and let’s get inside.”
“I hope there’s enough seat’s.” Piotr said. “I don’t recall it room for quite so many occupants.”
Bobby grunted in response to the newcomer. “Good point, hey Scott?”
“Yeah, Bobby?”
“What exactly are we gonna do with thirteen X-Men?”