Forge

G.W. Bridge

Armory

Union Jack

Darkstar

USAgent

Sabra

Hauptmann

Savitar

Hellios

Honey Lemon

The Secretary General waited in his office, his fingers rapping on his desk as he waited. Forge and Excalibur would soon be here and then he would begin the ceremony. Honey Lemon was the key, he had known that from the moment he had seen her and she would be the perfect vessel to start the Ascension and he sat back in his chair.

He knew he was fidgeting and he knew he was getting impatient because he was running out of time and that soon, Doom would have enabled Strange to remember, and once that happened, it would be over for him. It was all down to timing and he smiled, thinking of how he had come here.

His battle with the Undying had been the start of it. He had taken over the body of Franklin Richards but the woman known as Alicia Masters had wrenched him from that body and he had been drawn to the amulet that contained the current Kulan Gath, the man of this world who had been entombed there by Doctor Strange may years ago.

He should have returned to his own dimension, but this Kulan Gath was powerful and the two of them had come to an arrangement - that they would use their mystical abilities to become one being, their power combined. So where there were two there now was now one and though the amulet held him bound he had enough power now to influence things and make a bid for freedom. It had arrived in the most unlikely form.

Marilyn Westfall's partner Leroy Cewig was an engineer on the subways and he had been doing some construction work when he had found the amulet, which had been slowly working it's way to the surface. Leroy was a mostly honest man, but he was also not paid a great deal and though he loved Marilyn dearly, he could not give her the pretty things he wanted to. Until now.

He had kept the amulet and sent it to her in Alaska where she was currently stationed as part of a United Nations research team. She had put it on and Kulan Gath had been able to use her body to regain his freedom, to start to create a new world, but Excalibur had arrived and in guise of the Empress he had been defeated, but not before the amulet had been destroyed and he was free of any confines unless he wished it.

Kulan Gath lived, but there was something wrong - he could feel it and he knew that someone somewhere had been given a terrible punishment and that he had been chosen as the Harbinger of Set, to prepare the world for the coming of the Seven Sons. But the punishment was meant to only affect the Kulan Gath of each reality, and in this realm there were two and he had learnt of his destiny and he knew how to use this to his advantage, but had been much to do and prepare for. Now he was ready, the world had been prepared under the very noses of the multitude of heroes that strove to defend it.

"You wanted to see us?" Forge said as he entered with the Excalibur team and Kulan Gath smiled.

"Yes, I did. Welcome to my parlour..."

PROLOGUE

by David Wheatley

"Said the spider to the fly," said Bridge as they all came in to the room.

"Quite," the Secretary General said. "Ah, Miss Anda, how nice to see again."

"Thank you, sir," Honey Lemon answered.

"Please, sit," he said and the team did as they were instructed. "I've invited you all here because congratulations are in order, to each and every one of you, even the newer members of the team. It is… unfortunate that I am unable to thank your predecessors, but that is the way of things." He stood and walked past them all, standing behind them.

"Since the formation of Excalibur, you have performed admirably in every situation you have been placed in, and you have been a credit and source of pride to the United Nations. I know that most of you were drafted to join the team, and that it was not your first choice to be here, and perhaps we handled it badly, but that is not the point. The point is you are here and there are certain formalities to go through. Neal Shaara."

"Yes sir?" said Savitar.

"Your role in the Mutant Liberation Front's activities are the reason you were brought on to the team. Those indiscretions on your part are forgiven and your record has been expunged."

"Thank you, sir," said Neal in amazement and Bridge looked at Forge who shook his head. He hadn't known this was going to happen.

"Do not thank me," said the Secretary General. "At least, not yet…"

Victor Von Doom, Sorcerer Supreme, looked upon Stephen Strange from his astral form as the two magi used their powers to break the spell that had been placed upon the Sorcerer Supreme of this dimension. Both men were concerned that any could do this with such succinct results, and more that such a being could hide himself from them on this plane of existence.

Doom knew he had exposed himself to this enemy by helping Strange, but if he were to find the Harbinger and stop him once and for all, then he would need the help of Strange and in that he needed the mage at his full power and this spell weakened him and Doom would not allow weakness. Not now, with so much at stake and he focused on the magician, channelling his power to Strange who opened the Eye of Agamotto to reveal the truth and this time he hoped he could see it.

He remembered being outside the Empire State Building, after a storm, and he could sense there was a presence here, a feeling of evil that was familiar to him. He called upon his incantiations and touched the ground to get a feel of the ley lines beneath the ground, tracking the sources of mystical alignment. With his senses it would take but a moment but as he reached out he touched a consciousness, a mind that had been waiting for him.

"Welcome, Strange. I wondered when you would put it an appearance."

"I know you," Strange said, but then his words died in his mind as the face of evil overwhelmed him, and he had seen more than his fair share in his time, so threw off the fear and met his foe with defiance. "You do not have this power."

"You do not know the powers that I possess," his enemy said. "The amulet is destroyed and I am finally free, my powers restored and the coming prepared for. The end of the world as you know it will soon be here."

"I will fight you," said Strange.

"Once, perhaps, but my powers have grown exponentially and now it would take two Sorcerer Supreme's to best me."

"False bravado..." Strange said. "I am Sorcerer Supreme. I am..."

"Forget." The simple command washed over his mystic defences and Strange looked up at the Empire State Building. There was a reason he was here, but what was it? His brow furrowed as he tried to sense any mystical energies at work, but there was nothing.

"How... strange," he said to himself and began walking back to his Sanctum Sanctorum.

"Incredible," said Doom.

"I remember," said Strange. "The storm was not natural and the bolt that struck the Empire State caused me pain, the pain only one mystically attuned can feel. I went to find the source…"

"And were commanded to forget," said Doom. "Do you remember anything about what happened? About the person who did this?"

"I felt the presence of Kulan Gath," said Strange, "but that is not possible. He does not have that kind of power."

"Not that readily," Doom agreed. "It seems barely credible that he could do such a thing, or be hidden from both of our mystic senses, but I know where we need to be and I will join you there."

"Agreed," said Strange as Doom's astral form returned to his body at the SHIELD headquarters and the two of them would meet at the Empire State Building.

Kulan Gath smiled as he felt Doom return to his body not too far away. He could sense him, but Doom could not sense him less than a mile from his person and that made him feel unstoppable. He had spoken with each of the members of Excalibur and Forge and ensured they had been amply rewarded for what they had done for him, and what they were about to do.

Bridge had been ensured that he would never work at a desk again, that his commission would be honoured and he would be an active member of SHIELD.

USAgent had been given something special - his parents were to be moved from their burial place and put with his brother in Arlington. The Secretary General had confirmed this with the President himself, and a tear had slipped down USAgent's cheek.

Union Jack had been told to pass a message on, that his mentor had the full support of the United Nations in his future political career, and Brian Braddock would always have a voice within the UN. Rock had smiled at that, because it was something he could do to repay Brian for the training he had been given.

Hauptmann had been told his resignation would be honoured without prejudice from the UN or his government and he had been thanked for all his work towards the cause. The German hero had nodded and thanked the Secretary General in return.

Hellios had been told his brother on the Hellios project would not be seen as criminals, but as tragic figures of an experiment gone awry and that he would get the best attention if anything happened to him. The UN would not allow such a tragedy to be repeated. Hellios said nothing, but gave a slow nod, indicating his satisfaction with such a gift.

Sabra's award was the personal guarantee of the Secretary General of the United Nations that he would do everything he could to end the violence in Israel, and to ensure that all her people were safe from harm and terrorism. He had told her it would not be easy, but he would make it happen.

Darkstar had been more difficult to obtain something for, however the Secretary General had found something. Her joining of the Winter Guard in Russia was a punishment for defecting to the USA, and was a deterrent to her leaving the employ of her Russian masters again. That was now rescinded and she was a free woman, as were the rest of the Winter Guard. Her eyes went wide as she realised what that meant to her, and to her husband.

"And that," the Secretary General said, "brings me to Miss Anda." Outside there was a crack of lightning and Kulan Gath knew it was time to do this. His eyes flashed with eldritch power, and he threw of the guise of the meek Secretary General and Excalibur were on their feet in moments as they saw the change take place.

"Did you so pick the wrong place to start something," USAgent said.

"How very mistaken you are," said Kulan Gath as he cast a spell, the mystical energy coming from his fingertips and it struck at the ten people in his office binding them to his will. "Seven souls are required for the Ascension," he said, chanting the words, forming them as a spell with his tone. "Seven souls I will use to channel the power through Nyoko Anda and bring forth the Sons of Set!"

"I don't think so, Mr Secretary…"

Doom and Strange met at the foot of the Empire State Building as lightning filled the sky and both men flinched as it flashed, for this was no natural storm and the lightning was green in hue.

"We must hurry," said Strange and Doom nodded and both men focused their powers to reveal the source of the power. "Set!"

"And I have his Harbinger," Doom said. "He is…" He paused, and his eyes went wide in his shock and anger at having made such an error. "CURSE ME FOR A FOOL!" Doom raged.

"Kulan Gath…" muttered Strange as he realised it was him. "Yet he has never had this kind of power."

"Things change," said Doom, looking up. This was the focal point, this was where the Sons would come from "Can you feel it, Strange? There are points forming…"

"Seven portals," said Strange. "We must stop this."

"Agreed, but the Ascension is making my magic unpredictable."

"As is mine," Strange said. "I can sense Gath, but I cannot reach him."

"Together…" said Doom and they pooled their energies and hoped they would be in time.

"Forge," said Gath, looking at the man who stood before him. "How very, very impressive. I did not consider your usage of the soul spell would protect you from my touch. Naze must be impressed, whichever Hell he is in…"

"I don't know who you are or what you're up to, but I won't allow it. I can stop you…"

"I don't doubt it," said Gath. "Your soul spell could undo everything I am about to achieve and I will not allow it. Darkstar…" Laynia bound Forge with the Darkforce, preventing him from moving, from speaking and form casting his spell, and the SHIELD Director was held tight. "You are one against many, shaman," the sorcerer said. "I am Kulan Gath, and if you survive you will bow before me." He waved and the furniture was scattered across the room, leaving the floor clear and the remaining members of Excalibur assembled in a specific order.

Honey Lemon stood in the centre of the room while the others stood about her, Bridge standing at twelve o'clock, followed by USAgent, Union Jack, Hauptmann, Sabra, Savitar and Hellios apart from him at equidistant length. Gath nodded and began the spell.

"Seven for the Elements." A thin aura of black light surrounded each of the heroes as they answered the call.

"Earth."

"Air."

"Fire."

"Water."

"Life."

"Light."

"Magic."

The light expanded and formed a circle and Gath continued.

"Seven for the Directions."

"North."

"East."

"South."

"West."

"Above."

"Below."

"Within."

From each of the heroes the light shone forth, creating a seven pointed star, with Honey Lemon standing dead centre in the middle heptagon, and they spoke to her, and she responded.

"Earth united."

"Trinity united." As Honey Lemon spoke, each of the heroes doubled as strength was drawn from them and channelled in to her body and her eyes grew black as night and a green haze was cast about her. "Seven for the Sons." The haze grew, filling the heptagon, but not exceeding the boundaries, drawing on the souls of the heroes, feeding in to her own soul, giving her the power to call forth the children of Set. "The Ascension begins…"

"ENOUGH!" cried Doom as he and Strange arrived in time to hear her final words.

"You're too late, Sorcerers," Kulan Gath laughed. "Even you cannot challenge the power of Set!"

"We will see, evil one" said Strange and he cast a spell of negation but he was cast back.

"We are too late," said Doom, holding him back. "There is nothing we can do." He looked at Strange and Strange understood, but Kulan Gath was too wrapped up in the Ascension to notice the hidden meaning in the gaze.

"I, Kulan Gath, heir of Thoth Amon, worshipper of Set, dark mage of Hyboria, Harbinger of the Ascension, command the Sons to RISE!"

"NOW!" Doom commanded and he and Strange cast their negation spells together, backing it with every iota of energy they could muster, calling upon the various mystical forces and beings to aid them and Honey Lemon screamed as the magics met, combined and the heptagon was shattered in a burst of green light and the heroes collapsed to the floor.

"Well played," said Gath, drained from the effort he had undertaken, but so were the two Sorcerers who had interrupted the Ascension. "But you were indeed too late and now I go prepare for the Masters inevitable reign." Then the Secretary General simply disappeared, leaving them alone in the room, and as he left his hold on Darkstar ended and she freed Forge.

"I am so sorry," she started.

"Save it," Forge said. He was enough of a mystic to sense when something was terribly wrong and he came over to the fallen mages.

"We were too late," Strange whispered. "The portals are open and the Sons are coming to this world. I can feel their presence tainting this world…"

"We have done what we could," Doom said, with equal weakness. "We interrupted the spell and the Sons of Set have been scattered. They will still emerge but separated from each other, we may have a chance of defeating them, ending their tyranny once and for all."

"You planned this," said Forge, staring at Doom. "You knew this would happen."

"Yes," said Doom. "I knew Kulan Gath was the Secretary General. I knew because I was told of it and this world is not that different from my own in terms of the timeline."

"How could you do this?" said Strange. "You are Sorcerer Supreme. Your duty…"

"I know what must be done. If Kulan Gath thought I was on to him, he would have done things differently and we would have failed to stop him at all. The Sons will rise, we will stop them, and we will stop him."

"And if you're wrong?" said Bridge.

"Then we all die together," said Doom. "Stop the Sons," he commanded. "Strange and I will defeat Kulan Gath, and that will be the end of it."

"I wish I had your confidence," said Forge but this world had heroes, champions and hopefully they would be ready for the coming war…