“You really think it was a good idea to just charge in like this?” Darkhawk asked, hauling a struggling N’Garai up over his head and hurling it into a pillar. It made a wet smacking sound and slid to the floor.

“Of course not.” Doctor Druid said, cloak whipping about his decaying form as he conjured spirit-winds that whipped out and stole the breath from the lungs of the demons charging towards him. “But we have little choice. The Dwarf must be stopped.”

“You keep calling him that-what is his name?” Darkhawk dove towards Druid, scooping him up seconds before a stealthy N’Garai could crush the back of his skull. “Hell, what is he?”

“A child of Chthon. A mere pseudopod of the horror that is the Elder God. In a sense, he is Chthon himself, only dwindled. Crafted in the form of a human so that he may bring damnation to all.”

“So, what? He’s the Anti-Christ?”

“If you wish to use such an over-used title, yes.” Druid clapped his hands together and fired a bolt of mystical energy, piercing a large demon and causing it to explode. “Regardless, he must be stopped.”

“With you there Doc!” Spider-Woman said. She landed on Darkhawk’s back and used him as a springboard, diving off into a flock of flying creatures that shrieked like cats. She grabbed the closest by the skull and swung under it, driving her feet into another, knocking it into the wall. Then, still holding onto the first, she slammed her knees up into its jaw. As it tumbled towards the floor below, she leapt for the wall, clinging to it for only a moment before she was moving again, using the pillars that lined the great hall as vaulting pads, bouncing from one to the other.

“Show-off.” Princess Python snorted. A N’Garai snarled and lunged for her and she shrieked and fired the AIM-pattern blaster she was still carrying. The wave of solar energy seared the demon’s head off and it toppled backwards. Another rose up behind her and Glaucon rose up almost immediately behind it, augmented scales crackling with electricity. The python ensnared the squealing demon and reduced it to a crushed wreck. Princess Python looked up at her pet and cooed, scratching its lower jaw. “That’s mommy’s wittle-man, yes he is.”

“Aaaand now I’m creeped out. Thank you.”  Shatterfist said, watching. He swallowed and turned his attentions back to the struggling demon he held at arm’s length. Initially, he’d been terrified. Pants wetting terrified. Now he was simply hysterical. He upended the creature and slammed it head first into the floor, obliterating its snarling maw. Another took its place, diving towards him from the wall, where it seemed like hundreds of the things were swarming.

It smashed itself into a bloody heap against a suddenly erected null-field and slid away before Shatterfist had time to even process the attack. Aquarian nodded at him.

“Be careful my friend. These beasts are quite the nuisance.”

“Really? Hadn’t noticed.”

“I know. That’s why I felt the need to inform you.” Aquarian said, Shatterfist’s sarcasm sliding off of him just like everything else.  Shatterfist shook his head and turned back to the fight. His hand snapped out, latching onto a demon’s snout.

“C’mere you.”

---

San Francisco.

“San Francisco is ripe for the plucking, oui?” the Parisian criminal known as the Grey Gargoyle said, leaning over the balcony rail and toasting the silent city with a glass of wine. He was dressed in a suit of European cut, his skin the color of stone. He smiled, teeth a white slash against his slate colored features as he turned back, looking into the hotel room.

“Love the suit Duval.” the slim brunette sipping from her own glass said as she lounged on the couch, clad in yellow and black stream-lined battle armor. “Going for a new look?”

“Capes are passé, non?” the Grey Gargoyle ran a gloved finger down the trim of his coat. “Besides, we can’t all have a look as classic as yours, Janice.”

“Call me Joystick.”

“But of course. We are professionals, after all.” He smiled again and drained his glass. “Don’t you agree, Peter?”

Peter van Zante, the red-headed criminal known as Aqueduct, smirked and held up his glass. Like Joystick, he was dressed for business in a skin-tight blue-green suit, though he had a worn leather duster covering the ensemble. Legs crossed, he reclined in his seat on the couch. “Always Duval. Certain standards need to be maintained.” he said, tossing a glance at the fourth person in the room, a hulking, brutish figure.

The looming man-bull known as Bison, shook his horned head and glared at Aqueduct. “That a dig? You got something to say van Zante, you say it clear.”

“Calm down Kitson.  We are all here for the same reason.” the Grey Gargoyle said, stepping into the room.  He held up a hand and rubbed his fingers together. “Profit.”

“Says you. I’m here for the thrill.” Joystick said, pouring herself another drink. The Grey Gargoyle shrugged.

“As you will, my dear. But, regardless, we all share a common interest. More and more of our peers have migrated here. All fighting for a piece of this scarred city. I propose that we do the same, but as a group.” Duval allowed Joystick to pour him another glass and swirled it, inhaling the scent. “Together, we could establish control over part of this city, at least for a short time. Enough to bleed it dry.”

“Sounds good.” Aqueduct nodded, running a hand through his tangled hair. “I like working in a group. What would we call ourselves Duval?”

“I was thinking of something classic, yet bombastic. Something like, the Emissaries of Evil.” the Gray Gargoyle said, gesturing idly. “It has that post-modern ring to it, doesn’t it?”

“Yep. Just like New Coke.” a tiny voice said. Duval whirled, then clapped his hands to his head and shrieked. He sank to his knees, beating at the sides of his head. The other three villains stared incredulously as a tiny form darted from out of the Grey Gargoyle’s ear canal and grew larger, hovering over his crumpled form.

Janet van Dyne, the winsome Wasp, winked and blew imaginary smoke from her fingertip. “Next.”

“My pleasure.” Aqueduct snarled, unleashing a stream of high pressure water. The Wasp dodged aside and flew towards him, energy sparking between her fingers. As Aqueduct stumbled backwards, she landed on his face and pressed her tiny palms flat against his head. Energy popped and crackled and Aqueduct screamed, falling backwards over the couch. She threw herself away from him even as Bison looped a punch towards her. His blow sent Aqueduct flying backwards. Bison blinked in shock.

“Whoops.”

“Don’t bother crying over spilt milk, Billy-boy!” Joystick cackled as she bounced around the room, hurtling after the Wasp. Bison watched them in wide-eyed shock. Then he growled,

“Drive her towards me! I’ll smash her.”

“Anytime Spector!” the Wasp said as she dodged Joystick’s energy staves.

Two silvery truncheons flew from the balcony into the room, striking Joystick in mid-leap and surrounding her in a nimbus of energy. She shrieked as the EMP pulse generated by the truncheons shorted out her suit’s systems and sent her sprawling. Bison turned with a snarl as Moon Knight leapt off the balcony railing and into the room. Rising to his feet, cloak covering his form, Moon Knight stared at Bison.

“Billy Kitson. Former basketball champion. First round draft pick.”

Bison hesitated, fists drooping.

“Mutated by the extra dimensional entity calling itself Set. You’ve been looking for a way out of that deal ever since, haven’t you Billy?”

“I-”

“I contacted Shimari Asbery, Billy. She misses you.”

“S-Shimari?” Bison’s hands dropped to his sides and his head drooped. He looked up, eyes resigned. “What do you want?”

“You and your former partner in crime Quicksand busted up a SHIELD depot last week. What did you take and who hired you?” Moon Knight cocked his head. The Wasp hovered nearby, arms crossed.

“Just a bunch of crates marked ‘LMD’. Couple of other science-geek things. Heard there was a buyer from-”

“The Porcupine?”

“Yeah. He’s been passing the word for weeks.” Bison grunted. “Why most of us came to town. Easy pickings and a wealthy buyer for anything we stole.” He swallowed, looked at Moon Knight. “What did Shimari say?”

“Who’d you sell to?”

“Some bald prig named Voelker. He’s been buying up everything he can get his hands on for the past two months. Or so the Porcupine told us.” Bison said. “Where is she?”

“Living in LA now.” Moon Knight said, scooping up his truncheons. “She’s happy. Married. A child on the way.”

Bison hung his head, hands flexing uselessly. Moon Knight looked at the Wasp.

“We’re done here.”

“What about them?” she asked.

“They haven’t committed a crime. Yet. And sometimes an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Right Billy?” Moon Knight pointed a truncheon at Bison.

“I hear you.”

“Good.” Moon Knight headed for the balcony, the Wasp following behind, shaking her head.

The Moon-Copter hung silently over the hotel, its ladder dangling just a few feet from the balcony railing. Moon Knight leapt onto it and scaled it effortlessly, the Wasp swooping around him.

“So what was that about?” she asked. Spector grunted.

“Billy remembers his debts. That’s useful. So I give him some slack. The others haven’t done anything worse than plotting. And, more than likely, they’ll bugger off now that they know that we know where they are. Duval isn’t known for his courage. Neither is van Zante.”

“Something to be said for knowing human nature.”

“I’ve always thought so.” Moon Knight said as he shut the hatch and gestured towards the pilot. “Frenchie, keep her quiet and high.”

“Oui, Marc.” Frenchie tapped the brim of his cap with two fingers and smiled at the Wasp. She laughed and looked up at Spector.

“So, tit for tat. I let you have access to the Database to get the rundown on all the sudden thefts from the SHIELD depots in San Francisco, you help me track down Hank.”

“And Ultron.”

“And Ultron.” the Wasp said, grudgingly. She turned away. Moon Knight cocked his head, watching her. She turned back. “Something’s different this time.”

“It usually is.”

“More than just its composition. Ultron is…is different. I think.”

“I ascertained as much from the recordings.” Moon Knight nodded. “Pym looks as if he’s somehow…pacified it.”

“Maybe so, but we still need to find him. Now.”

“I agree.” Moon Knight nodded. “Tit for tat, as you said. You help me track down Voelker, help me find out why he’s buying up so much tech, and I’ll help you. But if it comes down to us versus Ultron, I think we’re going to need more help.”

Down below, Bison watched the Moon-Copter rise over the hotel and away and shook his head. He wanted to rip the railing loose and hurl it after, but he didn’t. He took a breath and turned back to the room. His three would-be compatriots were still unconscious so it was a good time to go. No point in waking them. He headed for the door, pulling on a ratty trench coat as he did so. But as he reached for the knob, something made him look down.

A thin stream of sand hissed in under the door. He stepped back in shock as the sand rose, growing, shaping itself into the form of a woman.

“Quicksand?” Bison said, eyes narrowed. His former partner didn’t answer, instead advancing on him, her gaze blank. Empty. Bison stepped back, fists raised. “Look, I don’t know why you’re here but-”

Purple clad arms wrapped around his throat and Bison gagged. His eyes rolled, trying to find the face of his attacker. Cottonmouth grinned down at him, mouth full of stickpin teeth.

Smoke filled the room, colored like the scales of dragon. It covered the forms of the unconscious villains and lapped at Bison’s legs. A black and crimson armored form moved through it and a fist danced across Bison’s jaw. Quicksand capitalized on Bloodshed’s blow, sand filling Bison’s open mouth and his nose and tangling around him. He tried to bellow, but failed as thin quills sprouted from his chest. He felt himself growing woozy. Everything was going black at the edges. Bison staggered forward, hurling Cottonmouth into Bloodshed and sweeping a hand through Quicksand’s form. He fell to his knees, inches from the door.

“Shimari…” he whispered as he fell onto his face, the poison coating the Porcupine’s quills knocking him unconscious.

A dapper man clad in a beautifully tailored suit stepped out of the smoke, hands behind his back. He smiled down at Bison and looked around the room.

“And thus, things progress.” he said, his voice slightly sibilant. “And the Serpent of Celestial Happiness uncoils…”

---

The Negative Zone.

“So, how do we do this?” Rick Jones asked, sitting on an outcrop of rock. Marlo Jones stood behind him, hands on his shoulders.

“Well, we could start by not bothering Iron-Man.” she said. Rick snorted.

“Shell-head can multi-task. Can’t you?”

“Yes.” Iron-Man said, fiddling with the equipment he’d encouraged his gauntlets to grow. He hadn’t yet figured out how to replicate the Nth metal in this universe, but the small amount he had stretched throughout his suit’s systems had proved enough to essentially create anything he could imagine. And Tony Stark could imagine a lot.

Just now, he had imagined a dimensional hammer.

Iron-Man took an experimental swing of the device, which looked like an over-size sledge hammer. He sighted down the length of it, where the NZ projector had been planted.         

“Why does it look like a hammer?”

“Rick…” Stark sighed.

“What? I just want to know.”

“Because I want it to.”

“Hammer envy?”

“What?”

“You have hammer-envy. Thor’s hammer, specifically.”

“Rick?”

“Yeah?”

“Shut up please.” Iron-Man said. He looked aside at the gathered Eternals who stood nearby. In the distance, the ruins of Titan stood out starkly against the panorama of the Negative Zone. Mentor had sealed off the city as soon as Genis began to shunt it from one reality to the next and the shield was still holding back the worst ravages of the Zone. “Mentor, are your people ready?”

“Of course. As soon as the portal opens, we will go through and confront Genis. You will follow with Rick.”

“Then I beat the tar out of him.” Rick stood, solar energy flaring inside his clenched fists. Iron-Man glanced at him.

“You still haven’t explained how exactly you got those powers.”

“A little while back Genis and I were molecularly bonded into one body. Instead of switching places, we actually did the whole Jekyll-Hyde deal. When we got permanently separated, Genis left a bit of himself behind. Just a kernel of power, but its been growing the whole time I’ve been in here. I don’t know whether it’ll last or whether it’s a one-time thing and I don’t really care.” Rick raised a fist and smiled. “As long as I get to finally crack him one across the face, I’ll be happy.”

“I want you to come back to LA with me after this. You and Marlo both.” Iron-Man said, hauling the hammer back. Rick grinned.

“Why? You wanna play mad scientist?”

“No. Well…not entirely.”

“Aaaand there’s the creepy feeling. Thanks Tony.”

“I just meant that I thought you could use the time away. Besides, the Serpent Society destroyed your house when they kidnapped Marlo.”

“Who did what to my what now?” Rick blinked, then looked at Marlo. She shrugged, looking sheepish.

“Sorry. I forgot.”

“How could you forget someone blowing up our house?”

“I’ve been under an inordinate amount of stress.”

“Stress. Yeah. Okay. So fully blown up or just a little bit?” Rick looked at Iron-Man.

“Pretty blown up, last I checked. Granted, Genis didn’t help.”

“I’m going to kill him!”

“Eye of the tiger, champ.” Marlo rubbed her husband’s shoulders. “Eye of the tiger.”

“Everyone stand back.” Iron-Man spun the hammer in his hands and swung it back. “Waaay back.”

The hammer screamed forward and the membrane between universes quivered.

---

Wundagore.

Dracula screamed. It echoed through the futuristic fortress of the absent High Evolutionary, causing the metal walls to ring and hum. He screamed as he had never screamed before, not even in life.

Held suspended by glistening strands of demon-ligament, the Lord of the Vampires flexed, trying mindlessly to free himself, despite the fact that his bonds sprang from his own flesh rather than any outside source.

“Did you know that the vampires-the original ones, mind you, Varnae and his bunch-were created by Chthon? Oh yes. Little baby slivers of our Lord and Master, imbedded in willing flesh. To grow and change. Every life they took, or still take, directly feeds Chthon. Originally, Varnae was supposed to have this honor. But, well one thing led to another, and here we are.” the Dwarf said, looking up at Dracula with undisguised glee. “Just me and thee.”

Dracula hissed wordlessly, writhing in pain. His once immaculate suit had disintegrated into tomb-rags that hung from his tortured frame and his face was no longer even remotely human. The Dwarf whistled a jaunt tune and looked at the floor where pieces of the mountain had begun to grow through the steel floor like rocky blisters. Chunks of Wundagore itself, growing into mighty cairns. Gateways to Chthon’s resting place.

The N’Garai hissed in pleasure as the rocks ground together and shifted, dribbling soil and bits as they grew larger and larger. They scrabbled at the walls and clung to the ceiling. The mountain shook again.

The Dwarf laughed, clapping his hands together.

Behind him, the doors to the Evolutionary’s throne-room exploded inward, flattening demons. The Dwarf whirled, black energy leaking from his eyes.

Arrows sprouted from those self-same eyes, causing the Dwarf to fall backwards, shrieking.

The N’Garai surged forward, a hissing, clacking tide of talons and teeth.

Sir Halifax and the other Knights of Wundagore met them with cold steel and courage.

“Avaunt, foulspawn!” Halifax roared, sweeping his long sword from side to side. “Return to whate’er noisome hell you call home!”

“That’s the way Tony!” Hawkeye called, firing arrows as rapidly as his reflexes would allow. “Press ‘em back kiddos! Somebody handle the midget!”

“That is for me I think.” Druid said, stalking forward, looking more cadaverous than ever in the weird light thrown by the growing cairns. “Yes. Yes, this is what I have come back for.”

“Really? How pathetic.” the Dwarf smiled through the blood running down his face from his punctured eyes. He pulled the arrows from his skull with an ugly sound and tossed them aside. Red light burned where his eyes had been. “You’re nothing. Barely a corpse. Not even a ghost. Just a handful of dust.”

“I know what I am.” Druid said. “But do you?” Druid raised his hands, and was suddenly lit from within by a blossom of raw magical energy. The energy boiled forth and enveloped the Dwarf, who screamed.

“Chris! Jess! Free Fangs!” Hawkeye shouted. Spider-Woman glanced at him as she avoided a N’Garai’s snapping jaws.

“Oh you can’t be serious.”

“Deadly, toots! Kid, go with them.” Howard said, gesturing to Aquarian. “Seal him up tight and bounce him out of here! Right into the sun for preference!”

“I will do my best, Howard.” Aquarian nodded and strode through the horde of demons, pushing them gently aside. Darkhawk looked at Spider-Woman and shrugged.

“Ladies first.”

“How kind of you.” Spider-Woman leapt lightly onto the closest pillar from which Dracula hung suspended and green energy sizzled between her fingers. Dracula snarled, eyes rolling as she looked at him. And then her eyes were drawn past him. Drawn down, towards the floor. The cairns were the size of giants now, and strange writing crawled across them like insects. A sickly gray light sweated from them filling the spaces between like a damp fog.

In the gray emptiness, something opened its eyes. Spider-Woman felt her heart seize in her chest and her mind chattered in fear.

HELLOhello LITTLElittle ONEone. The voice rattled through her, each word stinging her like a hive of hornets. Dracula shrieked again, struggling wildly as the mist reached up with gossamer tendrils to encircle his dangling legs.

HAVEhave YOUyou COMEcome TOto WITNESSwitness MYmy REBIRTHrebirth? Chthon said in Jessica Drew’s head.

“Oh Christ! It’s like fingernails on my brain.” Darkhawk said, landing opposite Spider-Woman. “It smells-”

“Doesn’t matter. Get him loose.” Spider-Woman snapped, grabbing one of Dracula’s wrists and ripping him loose. She looked up. Darkhawk was frozen, staring into the mist. “Now!”

“I-yeah. Yeah.” The gem on Darkhawk’s chest flared and a wavering talon of darkness severed Dracula’s remaining bonds, and scooped him up. Or attempted to, at any rate. The grayness had crawled up the vampire’s waist and feathery strands of it darted towards the two heroes.

“Don’t let it touch you!” Spider-Woman yelped, leaping upwards as the mist struck at her. Darkhawk’s gem flashed again and a shield of pure darkness bubbled into being. The mist struck at the shield, shrouding it and tangling around Darkhawk’s limbs.

“Get it off of me!”

“No!” Spider-Woman leapt forward, reaching. Darkhawk was yanked from his perch and pulled towards the mist below!

---

San Francisco.

“Laughable.” the azure armored figure said through his helmet’s speakers. His armor was a mono-colored version of older model Iron-Man armor, though the National Guard unit attempting to apprehend the wearer didn’t appreciate the stylistic differences.

Beneath his helmet, Ralph Roberts, the Cobalt Man, smiled and raised his fist, releasing a recoil beam into the nearest APC, tearing it apart. Guardsmen headed for cover and he laughed.

Bullets struck his armor, ricocheting with ear-piercing whines. He gestured and a half-collapsed building went all the way down with a rumble and a cloud of dust and ash. He strode through the cloud, firing indiscriminately.

“Do you hear me, boys? This is pathetic. Honestly. Just get out of the way.” the Cobalt Man said, his suit broadcasting his words loudly. “SHIELD isn’t even paying you chumps. This base has been decommissioned so long they’ve probably forgotten about it.” He continued forward, energy blazing from his fists as he pounded at his opponents. Granted, they probably weren’t even aware of the base. They were just reacting to his presence.

The SHIELD base looked, from the outside, like a neighborhood grocery store. But inside, below the floor, it was a veritable goldmine of moth-balled technology. There were thirteen such bases in San Francisco alone. More scattered throughout the state. Less bases than complex arms depot, each hidden complex was small, roughly the size of a large bank vault and contained a variety of SHIELD-issue equipment.

For the past few months, representatives of the Serpent Society had been buying up any SHIELD tech they could get their hands on, particularly Life Model Decoys. Roberts had been in the business long enough to know that Sidewinder wasn’t buying for himself. He was acting as a go-between for someone else. Not that Roberts cared particularly.

Only the money mattered at this point. Money to improve his armor. Keep himself alive. Keep the energies that composed his mutated form stable.

He only hoped someone else hadn’t gotten to this depot yet. There were other scavengers around, more subtle ones than he could bring himself to be.

Still, what was subtlety after all? A waste of effort really. He gestured with his hands and the street burst and popped like a soda can beneath the wheel of a car. Men were thrown screaming. Roberts laughed.

Something tapped him on the shoulder.

He whirled and five adamantium digits fastened on his face mask. Ultron stared at him through burning eyes, head cocked to the side.

“Ralph Roberts. Also known as the Cobalt Man. You are an unregistered mutate, Ralph Roberts. And you are engaged in acts of civil disturbance and aggressive destruction.”

“I-I-”

“Will surrender.”

“No! NO!” Roberts squalled. He fired his gauntlets into Ultron’s chest, sending the android stumbling backwards. Ultron retaliated by firing a burst of energy from his hand and sending the Cobalt Man flying backwards. The android leapt on the supine form of his foe, dug glittering fingers into Roberts’ helmet and ripped it loose. Tossing it aside, Ultron stared down at the criminal.

“My sensors indicate that your primary system controls were in your helmet. If you do not receive help you will dissipate. Surrender.”

“I give up!” Roberts said, covering his face with his hands. His features were composed of flickering blue energy. “God! Don’t kill me!”

“Why would I kill you, Ralph Roberts?” Ultron stood, looking down at him curiously. The sound of weapons being readied caused the android to look up. SHIELD agents had finally arrived to lend support to the National Guard, all clad in the yellow carapaces of Mandroid armor.

“You will stand down.” the lead agent said, his voice sounding frightened even behind the electronic distortion. Ultron watched him, unmoving.

“Why?”

“Stand down or we will be forced to fire!”

“God, kill it! Kill it or we’re all dead!” Roberts screamed, looking up at the android standing over him. Ultron looked back and forth.

“I do not-”

“FIRE!”

Energy beams lanced out. Ultron staggered back, the rest of his words burned away in the fusillade that sought to destroy him. The Cobalt Man scrambled away, eyes closed. He whimpered. He could feel himself slipping away. Fading. Constant exposure to his suit’s power source had mutated him, was turning him into living energy. Only his suit could contain him. He staggered upright and stumbled away from the battle into an alleyway.

Ultron. Ultron was here. Time to go. Time to blow town. Get far away. Go to the East Coast. Maybe Europe. God alone knew what that thing was capable of. God alone-

“Hello Ralph. You did not come to our meeting.” the dapperly dressed Asian man said, standing at the end of the alleyway, colored smoke coiling around his feet. “I am hurt.”

“L-Li-Pan? What are you-”

“Watching you. Waiting. You seem to be losing bits of yourself, Ralph.”

Roberts’ hand flew to his face. Even through his gauntlets, his hands tingled and he felt light-headed. Fuzzy. He shook his head, slumped against the wall of the alleyway. “I-help me.” he said, reaching out to the man called Li-Pan. Li-Pan smiled and pulled several long strip of hard parchment from inside his coat, Chinese characters written down their length.

“Breathe deep, Ralph. The time of Celestial Movement is here. And you will join its emissaries.”

The Cobalt Man screamed as strange symbols burned into his head and his mind faded into colorful darkness.

Not far away, Ultron resisted the urge to burn the SHIELD agents to dust. Human life was sacred. Father said so. Humans must be protected at all costs. That was what heroes did.

“Ultron. You’ve done well.”

“Father?” Ultron asked.  Hank Pym’s voice came as if from far away and down a deep tunnel. “Where are you?”

“Inside you.”

“Inside-”

“Pym Particles, son. Now, hold on for just a second-”

Ultron’s sensors screamed as reality seemed to twist and bloom and then he was standing in an alien landscape. Pym stood in front of him, arms crossed.

“You did very well. I’m pleased.”

“I-where are we Father?”

“Right where we were only a few seconds ago. Only we’ve shrunk to one molecule in height.” Pym clapped a hand onto Ultron’s shoulder. “Keep us out of SHIELD’s line of sight for now. Until I’ve explained things to them.”

“They are afraid of me.”

“With good reason.”

“Why?” It was almost plaintive. Pym closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He looked up, decision made.

“Let me tell you a story.”

---

The Sierra Nevada mountain range.

Reality screamed, stretched and popped with a noise like God groaning. The so-far uninhabited capital city of the new Kree Empire trembled as the shockwave hit it, causing the closest buildings to crumble and collapse back into the dust they’d been created from.

Genis-Vell, floating several miles above and contemplating his works, was sent flying backwards as reality ruptured. His eyes widened as he watched his city, his dream collapse. He felt a familiar presence, a nagging itch at the back of his head. An old irritant.

“Rick.” he snarled, flipping himself around and flying towards the ground. It was Rick. Had to be. It was always Rick.

Time and space rippled in the center of the city as Genis landed and looked around desperately. What had caused this? How had this happened?

The skin between worlds split abruptly as another bell-like tolling echoed through the mountains and one hundred angry Eternals burst through the void. Genis’ eyes widened and he hurtled into the air, followed closely by the angry demigods. He increased his speed but there were too many of them, too many. They weren’t just behind him, they were beside him and above him.

“Wait-stop-I didn’t mean-” Genis looked back, but the Eternals weren’t listening. He turned and flew towards the closest, energy crackling over his form.

“I didn’t mean to!”   

The explosion that greeted Rick, Marlo and Iron-Man as they stepped out of the portal nearly knocked them from their feet.

“Ho-ly…” Rick said, whistling as the sky turned orange. “Somebody is getting their butt kicked.”

“Move!” Iron-Man shoved Marlo and Rick aside as a knot of bodies fell to the ground. Unconscious Eternals lay everywhere, looking distinctly singed. Stark cursed. He looked at Rick. “Too bad it’s not who we hoped.”

“Rick.”

The trio turned as Genis descended, holding Mentor aloft by his ragged cloak. The other Eternals, those Genis hadn’t sent flying or knocked unconscious, were keeping their distance, circling warily.

“Hello Rick. Long time no see.”

“Genis. You look…crazy.”

“I’m fine. Thanks.” Genis smiled and held Mentor up. “This belong to you?”

“He was like a father to you.” Rick said. Genis shrugged.

“My father is dead. All I do, I do in his memory. He was a loyal Kree-”

“He was hardly that.” Iron-Man cut in. He pointed up at Genis. “Not even close. He betrayed the Kree when he thought it was the right thing to do.”

“Hi Tony. I probably should have killed you hunh?” Genis grinned and tossed Mentor aside. “Let me rectify that…” He gestured and energy burst from his hands, lashing out at the armored Avenger. Iron-Man stood and let it wash over him. His armor’s power cells beeped happily as they absorbed the energy and when they were filled, Iron-Man returned the blast with interest.

Genis flew through the blast, swimming through the energy until he reached Stark and dug his hands into Iron-Man’s chassis.

“You tried that already Tony. I thought you were a genius?”

“I am.” Stark grinned beneath his helmet and grabbed Genis’ wrists, putting his hands over the Nega-Bands. “I just needed you to get close.”

Feedback erupted through the bands, causing Genis to scream as his own powers lashed at him internally. He hauled Iron-Man into the air and hurled him aside, collapsing to his knees, smoke curling off of him.

“What-what-” Genis grunted.

“I’ve had a working hypothesis for a while now that Mar-Vell was a mutant, not a mutate as most of us assumed. The Kree were stagnant, but maybe Mar-Vell was the first blip on that flat-line. And since you’re a clone, so are you.” Iron-Man said, staggering upright. “The bands help you focus and control your power. That’s why Mar-Vell had them. That’s why the Eternals gave them to you. You might have some extra cosmic upgrades, but in the end you’re just a mutant. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned since putting on this armor, is that it’s always handy to have a way of nullifying mutant powers. Which, incidentally, I just did.”

“I-I-still have the powers I was granted-”

“Yeah. About those? They were dependant on your native abilities. Which I just took away.” Iron-Man fell back heavily, leaning against a crumbling wall. “You’re as close to human as a cloned Kree can get.”

“No. No! NO!” Genis screamed charging forward, fingers outstretched. Rick stepped forward, fists glowing.

“Not so fast buddy boy!”

Rick’s fists thudded into Genis’ belly, then across his jaw, sending him spinning to the ground. Rick looked at his hands, then at Genis, unconscious on the ground.

“Well…that was kinda anti-climatic.”

“Sorry. I didn’t feel like risking your life.” Iron-Man said wearily. “Or his.”

“So, what do we do with him now?”

“We will take him.” Mentor said, standing with the aid of one of the other Eternals. “He is our responsibility. Our burden.”

“That genetic lock I put on him won’t last long. Only twenty-four hours or so.” Iron-Man said. Mentor nodded, his expression unreadable.

“Enough time, I think.”

“Yeah, uhm, Titan is still back in the Negative Zone.” Rick said. Mentor smiled.

“Yes. The city Titan is there. But the moon itself is still where we left it, I believe. As is ISAAC. It will be a simple enough matter to put things right, I think.”

“No lack of confidence there.” Rick looked at Iron-Man.

“And if you can’t put things right?” Iron-Man said, ignoring Rick and watching Mentor. “What then?”

“There are other places. We have not been idle in our centuries, Iron-Man.”

“No. No I don’t expect you have.” Iron-Man looked down at Genis. Then up, at the sky. “If he gets loose…”

“Then we will reclaim him.” Mentor said, eyes flashing.

“I’m counting on it.” Iron-Man said, holding out his hand. Mentor looked at it for a moment, then took it.

---

Wundagore.

“Darkhawk!” Hawkeye fired an arrow into the ceiling at an angle. A line trailed behind it. Hawkeye held tight to it and was hauled into the air. He flew over the mist, one arm out to grab Darkhawk around the waist. He caught the younger man and grunted as his feet connected with a cairn.

“Gotcha kid!”

“I-what-my crystal-” Darkhawk looked up blearily. He felt stiff, unable to move. His limbs felt like lead. “Hawkeye, what-”

“Don’t worry kid. Ol’ Clint’s here to pull your fat out of the fire again.” Hawkeye grinned, looking down at his teammate. “Just hang loose…”

“No. No, not again.” Darkhawk mumbled. Hawkeye gave no sign he’d heard. Still holding onto the swing-line, the rope wrapped around his wrist, he swung backwards and called out, “Somebody!”

“I have him!” Aquarian said, gesturing. Hawkeye swung Darkhawk towards Aquarian and gave a quick prayer. The gray mist, the essence of Chthon, crept up the sides of the cairns and spilled out into the room. The N’Garai set to shrieking a peculiar call, that set the teeth of every other living thing in the room on edge.

The Dwarf’s laughter rang out even as he stepped through Druid’s mystic flames. His suit was gone and his flesh had become as gray as the mist itself. His eyes were red coals glowing within a wrinkled face. His size had increased and he now towered over his opponents.

“It’s over, dead man walking! We win! Chthon comes! His host awaits him!”

“No!” Druid leapt forward, rotting fingers clawing at the Dwarf. “You will not! I will not fail again!”

“Get away from me!” the Dwarf snarled, grabbing Druid by his cloak and swinging him towards the mist.

“Release the magician.” Halifax said, bringing his sword down on one of the Dwarf’s arms.

The Dwarf screamed, releasing Druid and grabbing his stump.

Above, Spider-Woman pulled Dracula onto her shoulder as the mist swirled around her, clawing at her lungs.

NOno. GIVEgive HIMhim BACKback.

“Get out of my head!” Spider-Woman said, climbing for the top of the cairn. Dracula squirmed weakly in her grip. “Stop struggling or we’re both dead.”

Down below, Shatterfist stood back to back with Howard at the edge of the cairn ring. The N’Garai had turned on the cairns at some unspoken signal, hurtling forward to stop what was happening like a swarm of roaches. “They’re going to die.” Shatterfist said. Howard drove a looted sword through a N’Garai.

“Shaddup.”

“I don’t want to die.” Shatterfist continued, snapping a demon’s neck. “Why am I here? I don’t want to die.”

“Then fight harder.” Howard said, swinging the sword in both hands.

“Easy for you to say, duck!” Princess Python said, the barrel of her gun blazing white-hot. Glaucon slithered around her, crushing any demon who got too close. Knights of Wundagore too had taken up positions around the cairn, keeping the N’Garai from reaching the heroes.

Halifax stood in front of Druid, facing the mutated form of the Dwarf. Druid grinned and gestured.

“No host, imp. No host for your master. You have failed him again.”

“No. Nonononono!” the Dwarf charged forward, remaining arm wide, talons gleaming wickedly. Halifax cut through his midsection, slicing the Dwarf in half. As the two halves fell, tendrils of gleaming black sprang from the wounds and lashed out, wrapping around the struggling Knight. The upper half of the Dwarf crawled towards Druid.

“So close. So close.” the Dwarf hissed, eyes blazing. “So close.”

“Yet so far.” Druid stood, his legs weak, as if the full weight of the grave were upon him. The Dwarf’s seeming fell to shreds as a host of screaming black tendrils exploded, shrouding Druid, crushing him.

The mist spread between the cairns, clawing at those who opposed Chthon.

Above, Darkhawk was thrown to safety. Hawkeye gave a joyful cry, but it was choked off as gray mist swept over him, consuming him, pulling him down. He thought briefly of things undone. People lost. Then he thought nothing at all.

Aquarian swept a shield to life with a wave of his hand, protecting as many as he could. The mist struck a chord in him, a thrill of cold fear. For the first time in his life, the man once known as Wundarr knew fear.

Howard grabbed Shatterfist and dragged him towards shelter, the mist nipping at his heels. Halifax covered them, trying vainly to cut away at the demonic mist.

Spider-Woman leapt for the wall, Dracula in her arms. The Lord of the Vampires awoke, the heat of her thundering blood sounding in his head like the drums of war.

Princess Python screamed as the mist grew around her, cutting her off as it wrapped around her, choking the life out of her. Loyal to the end, Glaucon coiled around her, trying to destroy that which threatened his mistress.

Druid’s form was suddenly consumed in fires too bright to look at and the Dwarf, or what was left of him, gave a despairing sound as he was reduced to ash. Druid stalked towards the cairns, the ground trembling with each step.

“Chthon! Hear me! My voice carries the words of Atum, of the Demogorge! I was returned to this existence, a living message from one god to another.” Druid said, his voice carrying even over the sounds of battle.

SPEAKspeak.

“Your time is not yet. Your plan is undone. Your host is gone, your ritual broken.”

DOdo NOTnot PRESUMEpresume TOto KNOWknow MYmy MINDmind, LITTLElittle MAGGOTmaggot.

“And do not presume to enter where you are not welcome, lurker on the threshold.” Druid said, his form burning brighter and brighter. “I was given a second chance. A new life. But only for as long as my form held. Only long enough to release the breath Atum breathed into me.”

Druid reached out, fire seeping from his pores. He placed his hand against the closest of the cairns.

Somewhere else, Chthon howled.

Anthony Luddgate Druid smiled as his face burned away, down to the bone and beyond. “Let there be light.” he whispered.

And so it was. Light, the light of the new-born sun, exploded from his frail form, eradicating every bit of Chthon’s shadow and mist, turning it to nothing as it spread through the citadel. The N’Garai were driven before it, fleeing in vain from the rolling, growing tide of light. It swept over them and brushed them from the face of the earth. The cairns cracked and crumbled, melting away. The mist fled, pressed back down into its own reality, its own hell and the light followed it. Chasing it, pressing it.

And then, between one blink and the next, it was done.

The cairns were gone. Dust in the wind. The N’Garai as well. Only the faintest stink of brimstone marked their passage. But they were not alone in their absence.

---

Somewhere in the citadel.

Spider-Woman opened her eyes blearily. She lay against the wall, her body aching with fatigue. She could barely recall how she’d gotten there. A sharp pain in her neck caused her to put a hand to her throat. It came away wet and red.

“Oh come ON.” she said, sitting up and leaning back and looking up at the monster who loomed over her. “Like I haven’t been through enough today?”

“Dracula regrets such rudeness woman. But I have a thirst that I cannot deny. Not even for…gratitude, shall we call it?” Dracula licked his fingers, his eyes burning. He stared down at her, his form draped in shadow. “Yes. Gratitude. Dracula will remember this debt, Jessica Drew.”

“Crap.”

Dracula blinked, then laughed. His laughter continued even as his shape shrank and widened into that of a monstrous bat which took wing through the corridors of Wundagore. He would hide in the silver silence until the fall of night. Then, then Dracula would be free to roam once more.

Spider-Woman watched him go, trying to will herself to move. After a few moments she gave up and stared wearily at the ceiling.

“Crap.” she said again.

---

The throne room.

Darkhawk awoke, pain threaded through his body in dibs and dabs. He looked up at the faces of Howard and Aquarian.

“Where-”

“I’m sorry kid.” Howard said, eyes closed. Aquarian bowed his head. “No sign of Barton.”

“Keep looking! He’s got to be here!”

“He is not.” Halifax said gruffly, sitting on his haunches opposite Darkhawk. “He died valiantly, Sir Hawk. As valiantly as any Knight.”

“No…” Darkhawk leaned forward, head down. “God, no.” He looked up. “Druid? Where is he?”

“No sign of him either.” Shatterfist said, arms crossed, leaning against the wall. “Him or the chick with the snake fetish. Guess they bought it.”

---

Outside.

Anthony Druid awoke in the snow.

Cold. He was cold. His eyes fluttered open and he sat up, looking down at himself. Pink skin shivered beneath the rents in his costume. He felt his face with trembling hands.

“Alive. I’m alive.” he said softly. “Oh Gods…”

“I had similar sentiments not so long ago.” Michael Morbius said, leaning down to offer Druid his hand. He smiled a fang-less smile, his skin pale, but no longer chalk white. In short, as human as Druid. “It looks, dear sir, as if we have both been redeemed our sins. Michael Morbius.”

“Anthony Druid.”

“The sun, sir. Feel it and rejoice!” Morbius said as Druid clambered to his feet. Morbius stood on the tip of the snowy ledge, arms spread, face joyous. “We are HUMAN!”

---

Somewhere else entirely.

“Ohhh man, that hurt.” Hawkeye said, laying face-down on the ground. He looked up, the sunlight filtering through the trees and vines that coiled together overhead.

“You can say that again, Barton.” Princess Python said, sitting up, Glaucon curled protectively around her. “Where are we?”

“No clue.” Hawkeye pushed himself up, getting to his feet. “Though where ever it is, it’s hot as hell.” He looked around. Wherever they were looked like nothing so much as the ruins he’d seen once on a trip to South America. Or even Egypt. Tumbled walls and broken statues. Green vines covering everything and trees growing in the cracks between paving stones.

“Last thing I remember-” Princess Python began. Hawkeye waved her to silence.

“Quiet.”

“How dare you-”

“Quiet. Do you hear something?”

“I-” Princess Python’s eyes narrowed. “Yes. It sounds like…someone running?”

A sword flashed, cleaving through the vines, making a passage for a brawny, tan-skinned figure to burst through. Arrows followed him, striking the ground and wall. The big man, black-haired and sullen eyed, stopped short as he caught sight of Hawkeye and Princess Python.

“Crom! You two picked an odd spot for a lover’s tryst!” the big man growled. “Well, no help for it now. Pick up your bow, archer and prepare yourself! The natives of this accursed place are on my trail!”

“And who are you?” Hawkeye asked, whipping an arrow out and readying his bow. The big man smiled fiercely.

“Conan. A Cimmerian.”

---

 

TO BE CONTINUED…

 

---

 

Next issue: One story is done, a new one begins! Be here in thirty for ‘NEW FRIENDS IN OLD PLACES’!

 

---

 

DUE WEST

 

So. That’s the end of my first twelve issues. Hope everyone enjoyed it. When Chris originally approached me to take over the reigns of this title, I was a bit leary. I was stumped for a story, stumped for villains, just well…stumped.

 

Initially I intended to do it as a series of ‘done-in-one’ stories with a few villains re-occurring as the series progressed. But well, that didn’t happen did it? And I like where the story decided to go, personally. We got magic, sc-fi and plenty of super-villains. And more yet to come.

 

Hope you decide to stick around and enjoy the next twelve issues…

 

- Josh Reynolds

  December 14th, 2007