《Ultimate Cypher (Marvel)》 Chapter 1 - Confused Waking up, I noticed that I was not in my room. I thought that maybe I was still dreaming, because last time I checked, my room wasn''t that big, and my sheets weren''t that soft. Try living on a College student''s budget, and you''ll quickly discover how lucky you were when you were younger, not worrying about money, and oh so trivial things like quality of life. My parents did alright for the most part. We were middle class not upper-middle class mind you, but mid-middle class. My Mom died when I was 15 in a car accident, and my dad did the best he could. He managed to send me to college, but I guess he wasn''t able to hang on for too long after the love of his life died. He eventually got sick, and fell into depression and died. I had to move in with my aunt and her family, whom I didn''t know much about. I just think they were relived that they didn''t have to take care of me, as I was pretty much self sufficient. Especially after my mother died. I had to depend on myself plus I was going to college at the time so it would have been pathetic if I didn''t know how to take care of myself . I spent a lot of years in depression dealing with it. My mother''s death took a real toll on me and I sometimes thought it would have been easier if I just gave up. My dad wasn''t able to help me as he was barely able to help himself, but I kept telling myself that my mother would have wished I was happy and safe. She was always so optimistic and saw the good in people . I was always kind of negative I saw things for what they were and I always saw the many ways something could go wrong and my mind would automatically try to find solutions or think of things I could do to turn the situation to my advantage or at least avoid the worst case scenario. I was a problem solver at heart, the best way to describe me would to say that I was careful, meticulous and opportunistic. I wouldn''t willfully hurt anyone as I wasn''t malicious. I liked to help people because I always thought that if you weren''t part of the solution you were part of the problem. People always complain about society being unfair, it''s just that most people have a general disregard for people they aren''t emotionally invested in. There is a certain lack of empathy to your fellow man, and rarely does anyone put themselves in another''s shoes. To be fair there are good people but the scum of society do thrive on bringing everyone else down with them. I sometimes found that I had a cold logical side to me on certain matters I didn''t objectively think killing is wrong but it all depends on the reasons and methods used. People die everyday its simply either due to war, accidents, crime or even themselves. There is something I once heard that really resonated with me . It was something along the lines of '' Guns don''t kill people. People kill People.'' Conflict in general has existed as long as man has. Hell the moment there were more than half a dozen people on earth someone (Cain) killed his brother due to jealousy. As long as there is want and desire, there will always be conflict. Its a part of being human. Sometimes conflict could lead to growth, but it can just as easily lead to destruction, if you don''t learn from your mistakes. Policemen, soldiers and anyone who belongs to any government certified organization has a license to kill and rarely does anyone raise a fuss about it. Even when military drones strikes end up having a staggering 90% civilian death rate where schools, hospitals and streets are bombed to kingdom come nobody seems to notice or even care that a guy sitting in a chair in his office is killing thousands of innocent people just to get to a few terrorist cells seriously is there aim that bad? The hypocrisy of it is stagering to say the least there are so many layers of it including a bunch of - esims associated with the issue I don''t want to even get into it. Returning to the present I got off my bed and stood in front of a large mirror I noticed next to my bed. I was shocked to say the least I was frozen in place and a cold sensation gripped my heart. Looking at the mirror I found someone who isn''t me looking back at me. My appearance before was 5,11. I had black hair, dark brown eyes I used to be fairly muscular a bit on the heavy side with some some fat and had a tan complexion. The person staring back at me looked completely different he had long blonde hair that went to the back of his neck. He had light blue eyes that shined with intelligence . He was also a couple of inches taller almost 6,2 his build was slimmer like a swimmers physique fairly muscular but not too bulky and he apparently worked out a lot cause damn you could cut diamonds on his abs. I calmed down after a few minutes, but my mind was still racing. ''Am I finally starting to lose my mind? Maybe, I slipped in a Coma, and I am having a really vivid dream.'' Tentatively and with careful steps I stood in front of the mirror again, and really examined myself. It was strange. This appearance looked kind of familiar like, I''ve seen it somewhere before . I started to look for clues, or any kind of identification around the room. Anything that could tell me whose body I was in, I found a desk with some drawers and a closet that had a lot of clothes. I went and searched the desk and found a wallet in one of the drawers I opened the wallet and found a driver''s license and an ID card. I started reading the ID card. "Okay, name Douglas Ramsey, issue date 2004 expiray date 2012, date of birth is 12/07/1989. Okay, so I am apparently in the past and younger cause last time I checked I was 22 not 16 and ready to graduate from college and it was 2020, but why was the name kind of famaliar ?" I put away the wallet and ID card and started to look for other clues, the kid had a lot of books most of them were novels and stories in different languages, so I guess he liked reading. I also found a computer it was an older model but looked new but since I was apparently in the past it could be considered quite new and which also confirmed that this kid''s family has money after taking a minute to remember how these things worked I opened the computer. " Wow, Windows XP its been a while." I went online and started to look for some information. Thank god, Google was around back then. I first googled my new name and some useful information about this kid''s family. I felt kind of guilty for taking over the kid''s body but it wasn''t exactly my fault so there wasn''t much I could do but try and honour what I was given there wasn''t much left for me in my old life. I could probably go to college again and continue with my old career path. I also tried to search for my old name but couldn''t find anything, but I found some information about my new body apparently this kid''s dad is a known lawyer in Salem Center named Philip and his mom''s name is Sheila who is a psychiatrist. So both his parents are alive this is going to be difficult I don''t remember anything about this kid''s life and his parents are bound to find something strange I should try and avoid them for a while at least until I can find out more information about his character but something keeps bugging me. " I feel like I am missing something important. " I look at the time on my computer and the date its 8 in the morning and its Saturday " Thank god its the weekend I don''t know what I would do if I had to go to school right now" I get up and get changed and freshen up in the bathroom. I found the bathroom''s door beside the closet. I get back on the computer and start searching for more information I find out that its 2005 after looking at the computer''s calendar I start to search online to see which school I go to now apparently the high school''s name is Bayville high in Upstate New York. I start searching for news and articles hmm.. bird flu, Hurricane Catrina was a few months ago Tony stark partying and giving away a yacht hmm what else ? " Wait Tony Stark ?" I start reading some articles and I find many about Stark industries and about weapon deals I also find articles on major corporations like Hammer industries, Rand industries and even OzCorp whose Ceo is Norman Osborn " What the hell ?! Where the hell am I and why does Tony Stark look like Robert Downey Jr ?!" (End Chapter) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- I currently have 8 advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. As I said I''ll be releasing 2-3 chapters a week on Saturdays and Sundays every week on my Webnovel account and my Pat-eron. Chapter 2 - Ambitious After another mini freakout and yet another panic attack. I started to consider my plans for the future and what I can do in regards to my new situation. I thought about graduating early from high school and instead going to college to get a degree in Computer Science. Like I was doing before I came to this universe. This way my new parents will attribute my behavioral change to me going to college and being more mature, but I realized that in 12 years or so there is a fifty percent chance I get erased. Dying is also a strong possibility in the many events to come and even if I try to stay away I don''t think whatever brought me here is just gonna let me go on with my life like nothing ever happened. Marvel has a way of dragging people to trouble especially when they are trying to avoid it and I am still not sure which Marvel universe I am in. Is it the MCU or the comics and which version am I in am I on Earth-616 or a mix between the two or something completely different. I started getting a headache and then decided to look for more information. I tried to look for any mention of mutants and I found some. Apparently professor X is known as a famous author and psychiatrist he also has a school for the gifted aka superpowered child soldier training facility. After realizing where I am and my new situation. A thought goes through my mind " Wait I wouldn''t be randomly transported to a random guy''s body in Marvel... a few seconds pass Oh My God ! I am Cypher !!!" After calming down again ''God I should really stop freaking out so much or I am going to have a heart attack'' I started to try and remember his back story and it started to come back to me in bits and pieces, but then I realized that something isn''t quite right. Cypher is a part of the New Mutants and if I understand things correctly he should be way younger than he is right now, so it seems I was transported to the past to the Marvel universe and into an older Cypher''s body. I also remember that Doug''s father helped Xavier with some legal problems in the past and also that Xavier knew that Doug was a mutant but didn''t try to recruit him. He probably thought that Cypher wasn''t good enough for his child soldier program or that his mutation wasn''t noticeable and Doug could potentially live a normal life as anything out of the ordinary could be attributed to him having a genius level intellect rather than him being a mutant. I don''t really know its probably a combination of both for all I know. I wonder which iteration of Xavier is in this universe is it the morally ambiguous kind of good Xavier who uses methods that are sometimes questionable and kind of reminds me of a less likeable for the greater good Dumbledore or is it the Mind Rapey Xavier . I should probably try and avoid him at least until I could find a way to protect my mind especially with the information inside my head that could spell doom if ever found out. I don''t trust him enough to stay out of my mind even if he tells me he won''t read it all it takes is a single stray thought to leak out and it all goes to shit. If I remember correctly Cypher''s powers are semi-telepathic and semi-clairvoyant in nature which could help me explain why my mind is protected If I meet him and could also explain any future knowledge I have. The only thing that is respected in this universe is power. I should also try to gain more knowledge as knowledge is power and using Cypher''s abilities I think that I can prove that I can become a power in this universe not to be trifled with. I will achieve my goals using my other worldly knowledge and every piece of information I can get my hands on. I start planning my course of action to achieve power in this universe. Luckily, I have some information about this body''s background and Mutant power if I remember it right. He''s supposed to be some kind of linguistic and programming genius can learn how to fight fairly quickly if taught properly and has semi-telepathic and semi-clairvoyant powera. Hmm I should probably see if he already activated his mutant power as its hard tell right of the bat. I go to the book shelves and grab a book written in French and I start reading at first I don''t understand anything as I didn''t learn French in my last life. After a few sentences I start to understand what I am reading by the end of the page I can understand every word. "Okay this doesn''t make any sense how the hell does this ability work ? Does my brain have google translate or something? Maybe I gained this body''s memories of this language?" I go online and pull up some articles written in various languages. I didn''t find anything written in Russian. On the bookshelves, so he probably didn''t know how to speak it yet. I find an article talking about Russia''s Nuclear plant project and I realise that I am already half way through the article and didn''t even notice that I can now read Russian. "What about writing and speaking? " I try writing what I remember about the Marvel universe in Russian and its surprisingly easy. I then try speaking and surprisingly I can speak it fluently. I go on youtube to see if I am just spouting nonsense and how my accent is compared to a native speaker . I notice that my accent was a little off but after watching a few videos my accent became a lot more natural and I could easily pass for a Russian native with my looks and accent. " Interesting so I can speak, write and understand a language just from reading a few words but to sound native I atleast need some kind of audio-visual input to master it." Suddenly a large grin is on my face. "Oh this is going to be fun !" I start thinking about what I should do and my plans for the near future. "Okay I need to explore my abilities more I am guessing I activated them when I got transported into this body, next I should probably go downstairs and see if someone''s home nobody came to knock but maybe that''s because it''s the weekend and he probably sleeps in, its been a couple of hours already and I am already tri-lingual so I should probably hit a library soon and learn all I can. Luckily I already have a computer with an internet connection but I got to be careful about that because I remember something about Cypher having an internet addiction at one point and him not eating for weeks due to his addiction . He was trying to decode the internet or whatever that means. So I should try and stick to books as much as I can and only go online if I have something important to do" I shut off my computer and grab my wallet. I also found some car keys so mobility isn''t going to be an issue I have a couple of hundred bucks in my wallet. I go to the door and I tell myself " Okay after you open this door you''re now Douglas Ramsey nicknamed Doug. You have new parents and a new life. You go to Bayville high in Upstate New and you''re probably a genius now." taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly I grab the handle and open the door and walk out the room humming I will survive. Which isn''t as easy to do in this universe and I mean surviving not singing." Huh I have a nice voice add that to the list of things I can do now . " I arrived downstairs and found the house empty I call out '' Mom ! Dad ! is anybody home!'' I waited a few seconds and hearing no one answer I concluded no one is home. "Okay works for me" I thought. I go to the kitchen grab some cereal and milk. I eat a simple breakfast and grab an apple for the road. I make sure I have my driver''s license and walkout of the house. I find a blue R34 in the driveway . A grin splits my face. " I like his style he may have had an inferiority complex but at least he knows his stuff" I thought. I got in and started my new car it roared. "I can get used to this" I thought. I drive off the driveway and leave the house. As I am driving around I realise I don''t know where anything is. I pull up next to a girl and slow down the car. I call out " Excuse me miss can you tell me where is the nearest library? " I get her attention she gives me and my car a look. I think she''s checking me out. She answers me while tapping a finger on her chin trying to remember " Oh, its on the 59th on Main Street. You will have to go across Salem lake thought its about an hour from here they probably aren''t open yet but by the time you arrive it should take about another half hour for the library to open." I took another look at the girl she looked to be around 16 or 17. She''s a brunette and had light brown eyes. I kept staring for a few seconds until I heard her say" If I knew my new lip gloss looked this good I would have bought three more" " I am sorry ! I didn''t mean to stare I just didn''t expect so much information all at once." I said trying to come up with an excuse. " Well, I didn''t expect cute blondes in a convertable asking me where the library is on a weekend I guess life is full of surprises . " She said with a teasing smile. " I just wanted to look up some stuff in the library I am planning on an early graduation." I said. " Oh are you in college? You look so young though. " She said. " Well I am still in highschool I go to Bayville high in Upstate New York I didn''t even tell my parents yet I plan to have an early graduation " Her eyes widened a bit. " Really I go to the same school too ! How come I never saw you around? " She asked. " Well it is a big school you know. " I answered. A few seconds of awkward silence passed by before I said. " So do you plan on telling me your name or ? She looked embarrassed and stammerd a sorry. " I am Katherine but my friends call me Kitty " she said with a charming smile. "I am Douglas, but you can call me Doug " I said introducing myself. I suddenly remembered something about Cypher''s past, If I remember correctly he was friends with shadow cat aka Kitty Pryde. Sprite the human ghost, the one no cell can hold and things such as walls and physical confines are merely a suggestion. She can break into any vault or secure location anywhere in the world this girl by herself can steal nuclear war codes or steal highly classified information and watch as the world burned . Granted she wouldn''t do that but her powers are one of the most versatile powers I have ever seen especially in espionage, infiltration and combat. I wouldn''t call her a power house, but give her some training and she can be turned into a far more deadlier version than the Black Widow herself . Shuddering for a bit after that thought I politely asked her for her full name which confirmed my suspicion of her identity. I offered to drive her to her house, but she politely declined and told me she lived right around the corner. I asked for her number and suggested we should hangout sometime. We said our good byes and I drove off to the library. '' I wonder if she discovered her powers yet and if she is in contact with the X-men.'' This was too much of a coincidence. (Chapter End) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- I already have 8 advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. As I said I''ll be releasing 2-3 chapters a week on Saturdays and Sundays every week on my Webnovel account and my Pat-eron. Chapter 3 - Overworked After I had met kitty I went to the library as I had planned. I ended up spending at least a few hours there reading and looking for references. It only took a couple of hours to increase my reptoire of languages. I now know how to speak about a couple of dozen languages I learnt languages I thought I would need as I plan on traveling and going on missions to achieve my goals it will make blending in with my surroundings that much easier. I started with latin and Hindi because they will be useful to me in the near future. I then moved on to Slavic based languages like polish, Austrian and Ukrainian. I also learned Japanese, Cantonese , Vietnamese, Mandarin and even a Cantonese dialect called Guangzhou. I also learned most latin based languages aka (Romance languages) like Italian and French. Also a few Germanic languages like Dutch and Swedish. I couldn''t find anything in the library about ixiXhosa which is spoken in Wakanda. I could have learned more languages but I figured 22 languages where enough since if I needed more I could just learn them in a few minutes and I think I covered my bases with what I know now. Most of my time was used brushing up on my field of study in my previous life and seeing if there were any differences between here and my previous world. I found quite a few and I found that there were strange inconsistencies in the technology and fields of advancement between the Marvel universe and my Earth. I think it comes from the fact that this world has aliens and has been influenced by the quite frankly ludicrous amount of Extraterrestrial contact . The Kree came and experimented on humans and created the inhumans and there are probably a few Skrulls running around not to mention the Supernatural side of things like Demons and Mythological Gods who aren''t so Mythological down here. Dimensional beings ? Parallel universes? the list goes on and on. I found that Physics, Biology and Computer science were way more advanced than on my Earth. Chemistry wasn''t more advanced I guess it just worked differently here because some of the Equations and Chemical formulas I saw I am pretty sure were impossible back on my Earth. If you think about it creating a Serum in WW2 with the kind of technology they had at the time should have been impossible. It should have been impossible period, but that''s Marvel for you all you need is Genius level intellect, determination maybe a lab accident or two and a whole lot of bullshit and you can achieve the impossible. I spent most of my time relearning about computer science it was mostly the theoretical part that took a lot of time. The language itself didn''t take me long to learn. I picked up some books to take home with me that I thought would be useful for my goals in the future. They were mostly about Computer science, Engineering, theoretical physics, Biology and Chemistry. I will focus on those especially for the next few months at least if not a year. I am also starting to think that my powers aren''t as strong and advanced as Cypher''s were. Because some of the feats I remember him doing are things like hacking alien technology in minutes to stop a disaster even though he never had contact with Alien technology before and I remember reading that he started to view everything as a language and he basically became a human Super Computer . It''s most likely because I just awakened my powers. I will have to add it to the list of things I will have to work on along with my studies. I started going to school it was hard at first to pretend to know people I didn''t really remember . My new parents didn''t notice anything too strange at first a few inconsistencies here and there but nothing too out of the ordinary they did sit me down a few times and try to talk to me and see what was going on with me or if I was in trouble because I have been aloof and distant these past few weeks. I honestly didn''t know how to speak to them without letting them know I don''t remember them . I thought about faking a head injury and claiming that I lost my memories but changed my mind. I suspected that if I did that I would find Xavier in the living room trying to help me through my pretend amnesia. I started hanging out with Kitty alot and getting to know her. It was easier to get to know new people since I won''t need to lie to them and pretend I knew them. She is a pretty sweet girl and very compassionate I don''t know how Xavier convinced her to be an X-man(woman) in the future. I don''t see here fighting or in combat situations to be honest. I spent 6 months going to school. I sadly had to avoid those who were too close to the old Doug which resulted in hurt feelings. I felt really bad about it but I didn''t know what to do about it. My new parents started giving me space after getting tired of asking me whats wrong they just didn''t know what to make of me. I heard my Mom telling my Dad not to worry and that I was going through a phase but she didn''t sound too convinced with what she was saying . I think on some level they knew something was wrong but didn''t know what it is. I had to fast track my plans it was 2006 now and its been 6 months since I arrived in this world. I honestly feel exhausted and extremely sad. I thought this was going to be a fresh start with a new family and life but honestly lying all the time got old really quick. I don''t understand how or why heroes don''t tell their families or loved ones about what they do especially if they have a good relationship with them. I get having a secret identity, but letting them live in ignorance wondering why you disappear for hours on end sometimes you show up injured and them getting the feeling you''re lying to them its just not worth it. You already decided to put them at risk the moment you decided to be a hero. Not letting them know that they are in potential danger is just plain reckless and naive. I couldn''t even stand doing it to strangers. I decided to talk to my parents tomorrow I will be telling them that I am taking my highschool exams next month and will be graduating early. The next day at breakfast " Mom, Dad I have something to tell you" they give each other a look. "What is it honey is everything alright?" My Mom says in a concerned tone. "Its fine I just have something to tell you. Uhm.. I plan on taking my graduation exams next month and graduating out of high school early ." I say firmly. Both of their eyes widen and they both look anxious. My Dad says in a harsh tone "What do you mean you''re graduating early you''re still 16 for crying out loud !" then my Mother interjects "Honey whatever it is that''s bothering you can tell us if you don''t want to talk to me I know some colleagues of mine who could help you!" she says desperately. Their confusion and anger is justified as they have tried to get me to talk to them numerous times but I'' d always just shut them down. My Dad then says" You'' ve been distant you stopped going out these past few months even your friends stopped coming over. I even went to your school to find out if you were being bullied or something imagine my surprise when I hear that you stopped talking to most of your friends and just go straight home after school" My mother''s eyes start to tear up and she says in a desperate voice " let us help you Doug please!" I start to get nervous I didn''t even get to the part where I tell them that I am leaving for at least a few years. I don''t think they would agree if I did especially right now. I start saying softly " Mom, Dad you know how smart I am I have been getting straight A'' s these past few months and I am always reading or working on something Highschool doesn''t even interest me anymore either the people or the subjects I..I need something more I don''t see myself going there anymore. " I started to get a little emotional by the end of my speech some of it is true I really couldn''t connect with any of these people and I have been breezing through my subjects frankly highschool became a waste of time the subjects and projects I have been working on are far more interesting. The only highlight of going to high school at this point is seeing or hanging out with Kitty, but I suspect that her powers started manifesting as she has been rather distracted these past few weeks and she also mentioned something about going to a boarding school so in the end Xavier got to her. I couldn''t do much about it even if I suspected it how could I explain to her how I knew what I knew and why she shouldn''t completely trust him. At least she should be safe for the time being but that won''t remain true for long God only knows how many times the X mansion has been attacked, but I have a plan for that and its related to some of the projects I have been working on. As I got emotional and started tearing up partially due to the emotional stress I have been under. My parents eyes started to soften a bit and my mother said in a gentle voice "Oh Honey we just want what''s best for you. We are just frustrated because you'' ve been getting a little distant is this really what you want ? Do you want to really leave all your friends behind ? What about that girl you have been going out with the one called Kitty ? " I answer and say" She''s leaving too she''s going to a boarding school I don''t even know if she''s coming back. She was one of the few reasons I was still going to school I have been thinking about leaving for a long while now and now I have no reason to stay. " My Dad looks at me and says "Are you really sure about this ? What do you plan to do after graduating are you going straight to college ?" I shake my head " No I was thinking of taking a couple of years off and try to find myself I want to find out who I really am maybe also travel a bit see the world see different cultures meet new people broaden my horizons. I think this would be good for me and by the time I am done I will be ready to go to college it should be around the time I was supposed to go to college originally. It wouldn''t set me back or anything but I think it''s for the best. " My parents are just listening to me while I talk they haven''t interrupted me or started shouting yet, So I guess they are thinking about it. After I finish talking things are silent for a long while on the kitchen table. My parents looked to each other and nodded then my Mom started saying " We don''t like this and we would prefer if you stayed in high school and tried giving it another shot, but It seems that you have thought a lot about this. We won''t stand in your way, but there are certain conditions that you'' re going to have to stick to if you want us to agree to this " I nod prompting her to continue" Firstly, You''ll write us once a week. Secondly, you are coming to visit as much as you can. Thirdly, You have to ace all your exams and when you come back you will have to go to college" She says firmly but not unkindly. I gave her a nod letting her know I understand. "Okay, your conditions are reasonable and I promise you guys you won''t regret this I really need to do this and I am happy you understand." I said. I then got up and gave them both a hug and said " I love you both and I promise to make you proud" After an emotional breakfast I went to school and told Kitty I am leaving next month she was a little upset but understood my reasons and encouraged me to do what my heart tells me. She also told me that this is her last year in Bayville and she''s going to her new school next year. We both hug and promise to keep in contact and visit whenever we can. I got home after school and went to my computer and spoke out loud " So alright Sophie where are we with project (X) ?" (Chapter End) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- I already have 8 advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. As I said I''ll be releasing 2-3 chapters a week on Saturdays and Sundays every week on my Webnovel account and my Pat-eron. Chapter 4 - Sophie "So, alright Sophie where are we with project (X) ?" Doug said. " Its taking longer than expected , but progress has been made" the voice answered. I started to read the progress report, adding notes and writing new commands. "It looks good we will have them all soon. " I said in a grim tone. A few months back after I had returned from the library on my first day in this universe . I had decided that one of the things that I would need and realistically be capable of achieving in the near future is building an A. I. Now this isn''t me trying to copy Tony Stark or about how cool it would be to have an A. I, but it''s about what I am currently capable of and what is feasible right now. I needed an intelligence network to achieve my goals and operatives to carry them out but, since I don''t have the resources to the achieve latter that the next best thing was to build an A. I that could handle and satisfy my needs. Building an A. I isn''t as easy as it sounds. There is a reason Tony Stark one of the leading minds in the 21st century is one of the few notable people in the world capable of creating an A. I as advanced as J. A. R.V.I.S. even Shield doesn''t have one . First of all it would have been virtually impossible to achieve it in such a short time if it weren''t for Cypher''s abilities. The amount of time that got cut down simply due to his ability is astonishing to say the least. It some times felt like, I was in a trance and would find a few hours have passed of me coding without me even noticing. It really took a toll on me and I think I could have gotten it done faster if not for my physical limitations. My fingers could only move so fast and my mind could only stay awake for so long without it all shutting down. That''s not the only reason though. In my old life I majored in Computer science and my graduation project was a simplified Smart Home System designed to learn your habits and help you. It could even scan your refrigerator and trash bin using sensors and order ingredients or supplies as needed without prompting. It could even analyze your stool and urine to find out if you had any deficiencies or diseases and consult your doctor and then order in medicines from your local drug store. In a nutshell it was your personal assistance / nurse / house keeper. You could even customize it for specific needs incase you have pets or kids. If you wanted it to It could even help cover up your tracks if you wanted to have an affair which I used to joke about with my friends. It took me 4 years to finish P. A. M (Personal assistant & Maid) in my old world which gave me some experience in coming up with my new, improved and remarkably better in every way S.O.P.H.I.E aka Sentinel OverWatch Protecter & Higher Intelligence Emulator. Too forced meh... maybe I just liked the name Sophie and did what S. H. E. I.L. D did with their name, but there is a reason for the name. I created Sophie with a specific goal in mind. I didn''t just want a personalized A. I to trade quibs with and have the occasional conversation with or have it hack for me an organization or two. Hell I could hack or gain access to any organization I want, whether it be Shield, A. I. M or any organization really , but that''s not the point. I wanted a big brother in the sky or in this case a big sister an OverWatch that could keep track off persons of interest and have access to almost any organization or database in the world and anticipate potential threats or mutant outbreaks, aliens, Gods or anything of interest to my goals in general. The A. I is an advanced threat assessment Intelligence designed to be a Sentinel. I used the name Sentinel especially for a reason. If you''re familiar with the Marvel universe, especially the comics related to Mutants a few of the storylines revolve around project Sentinel which was designed to identify and eliminate mutants on a global scale and was an extinction level threat for mutants and potential mutants. As long as I live that won''t come to pass and the name Sentinel which is the first part of Sophie''s name shall remain only that. The process of creating Sophie was met with diffculties specifically in the hardware department. The level of computational power It needed to achieve these tasks was enormous. Writing the code itself on my PC was not an issue, but for what I needed it for I needed a serious upgrade . I needed a supercomputer and I needed one bad. I almost gave up on the idea until I remembered an article I read a few years ago in my old world in 2010. It was about the 33rd largest supercomputer in the world . Which had a core made of 1,760 Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3) consoles. The project was named The Condor Cluster it was made by the US Department of Defense and was declared the fastest interactive computer in the entire US Defense Department. It was capable of performing 500 trillion floating point operations per second. It was used by Air Force centers across the country for tasks such as radar enhancement, pattern recognition, satellite imagery processing, and artificial intelligence research. Its speed allows it to analyze ultra-high-resolution images very quickly - at a rate of billions of pixels per minute - to greatly reduce the amount of time required. Due in part to the video game consoles'' cutting-edge graphics capabilities, the supercomputer also had improved algorithms that can better identify blurred flying objects in space than previous computers could not. The best part was that it costs about 5-10% of the cost of an equivalent system built with off-the-shelf computer parts. Another advantage of this PS3-based supercomputer is its energy efficiency: it consumes just 10% of the power of comparable supercomputers. Renting a few storage units wasn''t that hard or expensive. What was difficult was spending almost 6 months either scavenging or buying boatloads of PS3s gaming consoles. I eventually got a hold of the manufacturers and made a deal to buy faulty or deemed unfit to sell gaming consoles. I only really needed a few necessary parts to build my supercomputer mainly the graphical processing units and a few other parts. I eventually plan to depend on in-house computing facilities, and large-scale computing resources in the cloud and/or collaborate with people in industry to get access to the high-end computing resources and data sets that I need. I almost had to sell my car but I thankfully found out that I had a trust fund written in my name in the bank. Being that well off is really useful we weren''t Tony Stark levels of rich not even close, but it was enough to achieve my goals. I finished a few other things and made sure everything was ready for my trip. I shut down my computer and erased anything remotely important off it. I packed a bag and a few books. Put on my smart watch which I made, so I can always stay connected to Sophie where ever I go. I do eventually plan on building a HUD, but that will have to wait until I can build my suit. I talked into my wrist " Sophie be a doll and book me a flight to New York and have a cab ready to pick me up and take me to 177A Bleecker Street" "Afcourse Doug right away" Sophie answered. I said goodbye to my parents hugs and tears were exchanged. I could have drove to New York but I had to keep up appearances and leave my car at the airport, so they can pick it up later. I walked up to my car and got in. I sat there in the driver''s seat for a few minutes and closed my eyes it was silent and peaceful.... I took a deep breath and said " That''s it there is no going back" I started my car and drove off to the airport. With one hand on the driving wheel a smirk crept on my face and with fire in my eyes. I said. " Time to learn some magic " (Chapter End) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- I already have 8 advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. As I said I''ll be releasing 2-3 chapters a week on Saturdays and Sundays every week on my Webnovel account and my Pat-eron. Chapter 5 - The Ancient One I got off the plane after we landed , then I went to grab something to eat at the airport. I was taking my time. I wasn''t in a hurry to meet the Ancient One as I was worried about our meeting . After I walked out of the airport I saw my cab waiting for me. I put my luggage in the trunk and I greeted my cab driver . It didn''t take long to arrive at my destination. I could have taken a few days to get my head straight and stay in a hotel for a couple of days. I realised that I was more nervous than I thought when I was standing in front of the door my hands inches away from the door bell. ''Should I knock or ring the bell ?, What happens after someone opens the door should I ask for the ancient one ?'' I stood there frozen in front of the door for a few minutes. I began second guessing myself. The Ancient One is very old and very powerful and I am unsure how things will go. I have a right to be nervous wouldn''t you be nervous if you showed up unannounced to meet one of the most powerful beings on Earth and ask to be taught magic . Who by the way posses an infinity stone that rules a fundamental aspect of the universe. The time stone is seriously overpowered, allowing you to view past, present and future is astonishing enough but being able to manipulate time ? I think I am going to pass on facing anyone with that kind of power and experience and honestly kind of bullshit powers. After a few minutes of just standing there like an idiot and calling myself a coward. Suddenly a man in robes with a serene expression on his face opens the door and says " The Ancient One is waiting for you. " "Well that isn''t ominous at all." I thought. "Uhm... yeah thank you lead the way please" I went inside the sanctum and it looks just like how I saw it in the movies. The building on the outside was also similar to the movies that''s how I was able to find it quickly. As we are walking he leads me to a circular room, with another three connecting doors, each intricately carved out of some type of metal and stone, and each with similar circle as the first set, though the lines intersected in different ways. Up above on the ceiling was a stone dome with a beautiful, marbled representation of the night sky, and floating in said dome, was a perfect replica of the planet, slowly turning. We are in the hall which contains the gates that lead to the three sanctums. Right in the middle of the hall on a pedastle the eye of Agamatto is not there ? I frown when I see the Eye of Agamatto missing it means that the Ancient One has it. Well that''s not good I think. As If I wasn''t at a disadvantage enough. I sigh and follow the man who I don''t know his name through the gate that leads to Kamar-Taj. We went through the gate and walk through the Sanctum as we are walking I am looking all around me like a tourist. Seeing this in real life and seeing it on a screen is a totally different experience. The first thing I notice is how easily I can now breathe. The air is fresh and a little chilly not enough to be uncomfortable but enough to make sure you are awake. I hear before I see the acolytes training. I hear synchronized stomping and shuffling of them practicing their katas. Its really impressive to see.'' I wonder if they practice to keep in sync or that it just happens?'' I thought. As we are moving through the sanctum. I see areas where people are meditating. Some are walking either alone or in pairs at a sedate pace like they have all the time in the world. The contrast between here and New York is staggering to be honest every one is always in a hurry or going somewhere in New York, but here things are so slow they almost seem to be moving at a snail''s pace or even standing still. I also see a few other training areas and court yards. This one must be for more advanced students as I notice their robes are a different colour also they are either sparring or practicing with weapons. We finally arrive at a room and the serene faced man suddenly stops. He knocks the door then turns to me and says " We have arrived. " A few seconds pass and the door opens a man nods to us both and steps back so we can enter the room. I walk in steadily while holding my breath. I quickly scan the room then I finally lay eyes on the '' The Ancient One'' I say in my mind." " Welcome Douglas Ramsey please sit down and have some tea, we have much to discuss." I nervously nod my head and sit down. "I watch the Ancient One as she conjures a tea pot and 2 cups and pours one for me and one for herself. She starts by saying" You Mr. Ramsey are an Anamoly, I have the gift of foresight , but your future actions are hidden from me and your past is altered. Even now I can''t directly peer into your life merely of those around you. I am at a loss here" She takes a sip of tea, whilst I haven''t touched mine yet. " So, tell me what do you suggest to be done, the future seems to distort because of your future actions and your mere presence has already eliminated quite a few possible futures as well as certain ones. What exactly are you ? ." she stares at me with narrowed eyes as if she is trying to dissect me with her eyes . I start by saying " I don''t know how to explain it or what to tell you. All I know is in a few years shit is going to hit the fan, and I am talking half of the universe kind of shit show. The threat that is coming is on a whole other level. I am not even sure if it is survivable. We all have a role to play in whats to come, and I am just trying to find mine. I don''t care about being called a hero or a villain. I will simply do what needs to be done while trying to protect the people I care about. " She nods and takes another sip." I detected a Ripple in time approximately 6 months ago and foresaw this conversation we are having right now as many other possible ones. I only have one question for you. Why? " she asks. " Why ? Why what ? " I say with a confused look on my face. " Why do all this why seek me and ask for power ? Why not let others handle it ? Why not try runaway and live your life in peace ? " She says with a stoic look. I take a moment to think about what to say, then I start slowly by saying" Because I am afraid" I say firmly. "I am afraid of what''s to come, terrified even but the way I see it. I only have two choices either I live in fear or I take a stand and face my fears. I am unfortunately burdened with knowledge. Knowledge I didn''t ask for nor I wanted. As I am now I am helpless to do anything about it. I have no ability, no power. So I came to ask you for it. I need power to protect, I need power to fight, and I need power to shoulder what''s to come, because If I don''t who will ?" I said. Of course I am terrified. I am just a regular guy. I don''t remember dying in my universe. Death scares me. The terrifying forces I will have to face scare the hell out of me. I have no training, no power and nowhere to go. This is my reality now in every sense of the word and I don''t like people touching what''s mine. A few minutes of silence pass by after my passionate speech. The Ancient One has a light smile on her face. She starts by saying "Out of all the versions of your answer that I saw. This one is by far your most honest one." She suddenly stands up and says " Very well then from this moment on, I shall take you as my disciple. I never thought I would take two disciples in one decade , but oh well this is interesting as well. " I gape at her. I never expected for her to offer to teach me personally . I didn''t even get the chance to ask for her permission to be taught magic. The conversation and meeting has been completely one sided the entire time and she had me on the back foot the entire time. I didn''t even have enough time to think. I was too busy being nervous of what she was saying. '' Well that''s better than expected'' . I say in my mind. "Wait just like that ? I don''t have a death wish or anything like that, but why do you believe me ?" I say nervously. She smiles mysteriously and says " Oh, I would know if you tried to lie this room is special you see also it helps that I can see the future" I shiver a bit at her tone of voice. "Well Mr. Doug let''s start with your first lesson on the Mystic Arts. " She says "The language of the Mystic Arts is as old as civilization. The sorcerers of antiquity called the use of this language "spells", but if that word offends your modern sensibilities, you can call it a "program"; the source code that shapes reality. We harness energy drawn from other dimensions of the Multiverse to cast spells, to conjure shields and weapons, to make magic!" Right now, I was sitting across from the Ancient one as she explains magic to me. During her speech she waved her hands, creating a line of pure magic before creating a circle, square and finally striking the overlapping shapes to cause the entire "Spell" to shake and expand before disappearing . " So... is anyone capable of learning magic ?" I ask. "Well the answer to that it is rather complicated but to simplify matters it depends on many factors among them is aptitude. Some people have a high aptitude for magic, while some don''t. Most people are somewhere on the scale as talent varies. You can even find those who are more talented in certain branches of magic than others while being average or medicore in other types of magic. " I am listening with rapt attention and hanging on her every word, memorizing what she is saying. Seeing this on a movie screen and in real life are completely different things . First, of all it''s a lot cooler and visually pleasing and secondly, she goes into much more detail than I expected . I ask various questions to satisfy my curiosity or to clarify certain things. Time flies and she suddenly stops the lesson and says " Well I think that''s enough for today on magical theory. Let''s move on onto the practical part of the lesson." I start by asking "What practica....." I ask as I gasp in surprise as in one fluid movement the Ancient One suddenly strikes me with an open palm on my chest before I could even blink or finish my sentence I am suddenly flung but find myself floating and staring at myself sitting on a chair. (Chapter End) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- I already have 8 advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. As I said I''ll be releasing 2-3 chapters a week on Saturdays and Sundays every week on my Webnovel account and my Pat-eron. Chapter 6 - Kamartaj I woke up gasping '' Wow what a trip ! '' I start to rub my head and I feel a headache creeping up on me. '' A little warning would have been nice'' I am starting to think The Ancient One takes pleasure in messing with people. Plus that trick she likes to play with pretending she''s not the Ancient One and making an old man pretend to be her. I guess living for a few centuries makes you a troll. I imagine it gets boring after a couple of hundred years. You must eventually reach a point where you have done and seen everything there''s to do and see in life after living so long. I wonder what I would become like if I lived for so long I''d probably be a major troll and troll everybody until they curse my name or have nightmares about me. Hmm... probably bang a few alien chicks and try to get it on with a few female superheros. After a few minutes of fantasizing about things I probably wouldn''t get to do. I start scanning the room I am in. It looks like the room Dr. Strange was in while training in the Mystic Arts. I wonder if they are all the same or if she''s doing it on purpose. I guess they brought me here after I came back from my astral trip through the multiverse. I know it was necessary to open my third eye and all, but a little warning would have been nice. Screaming like a little girl wasn''t my idea of a good first impression. I sit up in my bed and I start meditating. I think I feel something is different. Like a sense I didn''t know I had was unlocked. It feels strange and hard to describe. I try to reach deeper and get a better sense of what I am feeling, but I can''t quite get it. After a few minutes I open my eyes and sigh. I think what I am feeling is magic. I don''t know if I am doing it wrong, but it seems I will have to ask the Ancient One or read a book or something. It''s a good thing I like reading because I think I will be doing a lot of it in the foreseeable future. I get off my bed and I find my bag next to the bed. I head towards the door and as I reach towards the handle. The door suddenly opens which makes me jump in suprise. A man in green robes with a stoic look on his face looks at me and says " The Ancient One has told me to show you the library follow me." He then turns around and starts walking before I can even process what''s happening. '' Is she doing this on purpose ?! '' I am certain she is trolling me somehow. How is she doing it ? I start following the man as he is almost at the end of the corridor. He takes me through a few more corridors and after a few lefts and rights. We finally reach the library. Immediately, the first thing that drew my attention was an ornate table in the center of the large room. At said table were three young people in monk''s robes with yellow sashes, avidly studying over a large tome. Surrounding that was a maze of simple bookshelves made from a lacquered redwood of some kind, and a sporadic placement of intricately carved pillars. From the entrance, I couldn''t see much more than that, though. The bookshelves were in the way. I followed him as he leads me through the bookshelves. Not long after, We arrived at a desk where a diminutive man sat, looking over a ledger and clicking a pen repeatedly. He just nodded to him and turns to me and says "This is Master Yun if you have questions about any books he can answer them. Any books you check out will be noted in this ledger. " He then points at a pile of books on the table and says " Start with these books and finish them if you have any questions ask Master Yun and when you finish seek out the Ancient One. " He then pauses to make sure what he said sunk in. He continues and says " Breakfast is at 5:00 am. Morning training starts at 6:30 and is finished at 8:00. You''ll be studying these books after training. Until you finish the books you are not required to attend lectures given by the Masters , but you can if you want to." He turns around and starts to leave. I shout and say "Wait?!" he faces me again with a raised eyebrow. "Uh.. What''s your name ? And also what''s the Wifi password ?" He stares at me for a second then says " It''s Master Mordo" he then hands me a piece of paper from his robes and turns around and leaves. As I am watching him leave I take a look at what he handed me. Huh, I never guessed they would keep the same password even years from now. Is that why they have them printed out ? I sigh and turn around to the piles of books I have to study. I pick one of the piles and head to the nearest table. "Alright, let''s get cracking" I said to myself. A few hours pass and I am on pile number 4. Most of the books are language books. I looked through them to see if there was anything new but they didn''t take more than a few minutes for me to get through even new languages I hadn''t learned like Sanskrit and Greek didn''t take me long. I had already learned Arabic and Latin. Magical theory for beginners took a little while and I even tried looking for books talking about Wakanda and the Goddess Bast and surprisingly found a few I also picked up their language. The book that intrested me the most was one that talked about the different branches of magic it was written in Sanskrit and it mentioned that Masters of the Mystic arts mainly depend on channeling dimensional energy from different dimensions to power their spells or even borrow power from patron Gods. The part which intrested me and surprised me the most is some Masters specialise in body enhancement using various energies and among them is Chi. I had thought that you would have to go to Kun-Lun to learn how to utilize it effectively , but apparently some Masters here in Kamar-taj already specialized in it. I think it isn''t popular here because for the same amount of time and effort you can get stronger faster and more effectively if you went with the traditional route. Plus you have to be really talented and have a considerable amount of Chi for it to be effective in combat. It took some Chi masters years to build there reserves and control. Not all people can gain the opportunity to punch the molten heart of an immortal dragon to boost their Chi reserves. There was a certain passage that drew my interest while reading about Chi. The passage states that other than channeling Chi to your arms and legs to boost your fighting strength. Chi can be channeled to any body part to boost its functions or even heal it. A thought went through my mind. ''What happens if I channel enough Chi to my brain will it boost my powers?'' I mean it''s basically life energy it can''t be harmful at the very least to try and see what happens. I finished reading all the books assigned to me. And I decided on what I would like to focus on. I decided to focus on any Esper abilities like telekinesis, telepathy, empathy and clairvoyance as I have a theory that my mutation can help me learn them faster and in return they can boost my natural abilities. I also decided to learn body enhancement magic especially Chi manipulation. I will also be learning about portals as teleportation is damn useful . And any useful spells I can get my hands on. Invisibility spells, making Eldrich Energy constructs such as Shields, whips and swords. Also learning how to access the Mirror dimension and astral projection are going to be very usefel especially for my plans. An evil smile grows on my face ''Oh I am going to abuse the hell out of those two'' . I stop fantasizing for a moment and then speak to my wrist and say "Sophie how is the connection are you having any problems or interference" " No, Doug the connection is running smoothly surprisingly there aren''t any issues even though the temple is situated in the mountains" I nod and say " Good, how''s the search going have you found any mention of Shang-Chi yet ?" Sophie: " Yes, I have found a Shang-Chi with your description in Hong Kong, China a security camera picked him up heading to a diner. I believe he just ordered some roasted duck and egg rolls" Doug: " Good, keep an eye on him notify me if anything changes and also inform me the moment he sets foot in New York" Sophie:" Of course Doug or shall I say Master Doug?" I chuckle and say " I am not a Master yet merely an apprentice just stick to Doug" Sophie " Afcourse, apprentice Doug" she answers with a cheeky tone. I chuckle again and mutter troublesome women. I tried to give her a personality, but I think I overdid it a bit. It got boring after a while as I couldn''t talk to anyone about what happened to me or my plans so, I thought a little banter wouldn''t do much harm. Boy was I wrong. I think for a bit and then say "Have you found anything about the Hell fire club or the Brotherhood ?" Sophie:" I have found various hideouts for the Brotherhood situated mainly in DC, New York and Louisiana" Doug : " What about Magneto still no news ? " Sophie: " Negative there has been some sightings, but no confirmed location." I sigh and say " Alright, keep me posted and alert me if there is any attacks or imminent threats on mutants or terrorist attacks by the Brotherhood " Sophie :" Afcourse, Master " I sigh why did I make her so cheeky again ? I''ve been thinking about how I am going to deal with these future problems, but I am too weak right now to stop anything. If I don''t get stronger fast enough. I think I might have to swallow my pride and contact Xavier. People''s lives are more important than my pride at the end of the day. My wrist watch suddenly beeps and Sophie says " Master''s parents are calling" I groan at her calling me master again and answer the call. Dad :" Hey son did you arrive safely ?" Doug:" Yes, Dad my plane landed a few hours ago" Dad:" That''s good did you get settled in yet do you have enough money?" Doug:" Yeah, Dad I got plenty don''t worry about it. I am staying with this old lady, she''s kind of annoying, but she''s been nice so far. " Dad:" That''s good. By the way your mom says hi, she is on the phone with a patient and can''t talk right now." Doug:" It''s Alright I''ll call her back when I am free. I am heading into town right now." Dad:" Okay, son be careful and try not to get scammed or get in trouble. Oh.. and your mother is mouthing she loves you. " he says with a chuckle. Doug:" Don''t worry about it Dad. It turns out the old lady''s son named Mordo has a dojo that teaches Martial Arts I was thinking of taking a few classes while I am here and learn how to defend myself and tell Mom I love her too. " Dad:" That''s good to hear. Alright son and don''t forget to call your mother. " Doug:" Don''t worry I won''t, Bye. " I hang up my wrist watch /phone and sigh. ''It feels good to have someone care about your well being I haven''t had that in years. '' I get up and dust my robes and head to Master Yun to ask about where to find The Ancient One as I finished all my books. I wonder If she will be surprised I finished so fast. I don''t think I got the chance to tell her about what my powers do. I suddenly stop as I am walking and think " Wait ? When did I get dressed in robes ? " (Chapter End) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- I already have 8 advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. As I said I''ll be releasing 2-3 chapters a week on Saturdays and Sundays every week on my Webnovel account and my Pat-eron. Chapter 7 - Training I arrived at the Ancient One''s room and stretched my hand to knock when suddenly the door opens and I see the Ancient One with a smirk on her face and she says " Come in Mr. Doug" I give her the stink eye and think she''s definitely doing it on purpose. I walk in and find two cups of tea already on the table . I turn to her with a questioning gaze on my face. She answers my unasked question and says " Master Yun told me you were finished with the books. You didn''t think I would waste my gift on such petty things do you? " I have a skeptical look on my face. Which states that I would totally believe she would you use her foresight to mess with me. Although what she says could be true as I didn''t seek her out right away. I felt hungry on my way to her room, but decided to swing by the dining room to get something to eat first as I hadn''t eaten in almost a day. She takes a sip of her tea and says " I must say Mr. Doug I am surprised you''re done already those books were supposed to keep you busy atleast a few weeks if not a few months it isn''t easy to learn a few languages in a few hours if I do say so myself." " I rub the back of my neck and say " Actually I forgot to tell you about my mutant ability. I am a hyper-linguist and my powers are semi-telepathic and semi-clairvoyant in nature. I can learn any language written or spoken in minutes. I am also kind of a genius and I have near photographic memory. " As I am telling her this her eyes widen slightly which is the only sign of surprise she gives. She starts by saying" Well that is certainly a useful ability Mr. Doug and well help you immensely especially in the Mystic Arts. " she says with an even voice. I wait for her to continue, but she merely sips her tea again. I start by saying" Uhm.. so what''s next ? " she looks at me and says" What''s next Mr. Doug is that you are going to come back in a few days to recieve a new training plan I will fit for you based on your learning speed . I will be busy as I have a few things to take care of for the next few days, but I think this is good news as you can now have a head start on your Martial Arts and conditioning training. I have personally asked Master Mordo to instruct you after group training. " she says with an unsettling smile that causes me to shiver. '' Why do I have a bad feeling about this ?'' I look down at my tea and take a sip and say" Mm.. this is good tea. I can really taste the honey. " A few weeks of tortur... Uhm.. I mean training pass. I am picking up magic at a crazy rate. Even the Ancient one seems surprised. I can already make portals without needing to swirl my hand around. I only point at where I want it to open and it opens easily. I am currently working on changing the size and speed at which I can make them as I think they are useful for combat. I hope I can master them soon. As the Ancient One told me the next step is opening a portal without a sling ring. Learning opening portals surprisingly took me a few days. I also learned other useful spells like making energy weapons, but I am having trouble sustaining them for long and they break pretty easily if you get a good hit in. Me and Master Mordo have just started incorporating energy weapons into our spars and as per usual he is still kicking my ass both in armed and unarmed combat it didn''t matter that I could read his body language as I wasn''t fast enough to react to his moves. I managed to suprise him a few times with creative and well timed used portals, but he quickly caught on. I managed to get a hit in once by creating a fist sized portal in front of his face and punching him even though we were 10 feet apart. It was my happiest yet scariest moment of my life. He quickly caught on and started predicting where I would place my portals to attack and would make another portal in front of mine causing me to hit myself a few times. I got really pissed of and increased the pace of my attacks, but he just kept dodging and beating my ass. I think at one point he may have asked me why are you hitting yourself, but nah I think I must have been hallucinating or something from all the concussions he gave me because there is no way in hell Master Mordo made a joke. He was even more of a hard ass than he was with Strange. He must have really liked him because sheeesh last time I am ever pissing him off. Well unless he turns evil. Then I would definitely just let Strange handle him. Nope still not fighting him. The guy looks like he''s trying to kill me when he''s supposedly still on the good side. I am not touching him with a ten foot pole stick if I can help it. It would probably get embedded next to his other already present stick in the ass. Pfft.. Master Morsticks. The hardest part of my training was probably Chi manipulation. I could manipulate it pretty well, but the problem is I didn''t have enough. I really wanted to learn how to glow. Iike the Iron fist. I wanted to suprise him if we ever fought, but instead of making my hands glow it would be my head and I would head ram him while he gapes in suprise. Just kidding. I tried sending some Chi to my head. It didn''t glow or anything but I did see some promise. As I noticed I could think more clearly and ideas came to me more easily. I couldn''t sustain it for more than 40 seconds though , but I hope it gets longer as I build my reserves. I also think I got kind of high. Just try sending pure life energy into your brain and see how you feel afterwards. Hmm... I wonder what will happen if I send it to THAT part. Food for thought. They could call me the Iron d.. nah I am not going there. I didn''t use the trick Strange used with astral projection to study, while sleeping as my learning speed was already insane. I tested how long and far I could do it safely and found. I could do it for 8 hours straight and my astral projection didn''t really have a distance limit the only problem was that if my time ran out while I am out of my body I would get lost in the astral realm and my body would just die. Still it should be useful for recon, but then my body would be vulnerable for anyone to attack. I still haven''t learned how to access the mirror dimension as the Ancient One said it''s an advanced skill. It felt silly to keep calling her the Ancient One especially to her face. I tried asking for her name, but she would just smile mysteriously and refuse to answer. Three more months pass and I have really made some headway in my portals I can now use them without a sling ring, but they are harder to form and take longer to make I am at square one with control again. Good news though I solved one of the weaknesses of making portals which was I couldn''t go to places I have never been before. I asked Sophie to show me a picture of the place I wanted to go to but that didn''t help, but then Sophie suggested maybe I needed more information and suggested that I could trick my brain and convince it where I am going by displaying a 3D hologram that makes it look like I am there. My theory is it all depends on the amount of information you have. Because when you use a memory to travel your brain stores the memory using input from your five senses and also depth, perspective and spatial awareness seem to be a big factor. 3D holograms seem to be enough to do the trick. There is still some limitations because if you don''t have enough information about the place you''re going it can be difficult to construct 3D accurate representation of the place. For example what if the place you''re going doesn''t exist anymore it simply wouldn''t work or if the place is hidden or hard to collect information on. Who knew having an A. I with supercomputer image analysis and rendering capabilities displaying an almost accurate three dimensional representation of a place you have never been to in conjunction with learning the portal spell could allow you to travel anywhere in the world ? I also started getting into enchantments and especially the use of runes as I figured runes are just basically a written form of magic. I didn''t understand them right away as I thought I would I think its because my powers need to be more advanced as the runes have another element to them other than the shape. I think the magical element to the runes is what''s blocking me. I think I might need to boost my abilities first if I want to use runes effectively also there wasn''t many books that talked about runes in the library. I found a book that mentioned Asgardian runes, but it didn''t go into too much detail. I think some divine intervention of the All Father variety may have had to with why knowledge on Runes in general was so scarce especially Asgardian Runes. I sigh. Maybe I could sneak into Asgard before it gets destroyed ? But even if I did that I don''t think they keep books about Runes just lying around and let''s not talk about Heimdell with his all seeing eyes or whatever. Maybe I should learn illusion magic it seemed to do the trick for loki, but I don''t know if my illusions can fool a God. Next, I start to think about my progress in my Esper training. My telekinesis seems to show the most progress. In the first few weeks I could already lift hand sized objects and manipulate them freely. In my second month. I could manipulate half a dozen knife sized objects accurately. After 3 months I started working on increasing the weight I can lift to at least a few hundred pounds. Because I wanted to know how to fly and I don''t think the cloak of levitation is going anywhere until Strange arrives. There wasn''t much progress with my clairvoyance training. I went to the Ancient One as she was the leading expert on the subject. She told me it could take decades to get it to be useful in anyway. It frustrated me a bit as I thought seeing the future would have made things so much easier. My telepathic training has also hit a road block. I try to keep accessing my mind so that I can organize it, but every time I access my mind I find myself in my old room back in my old world. It was the house I used to live in while my parents were still alive. Things were kind of messy in my room. So I did the logical thing and started to organize everything and clean it up. I could feel my memory recall improving and my mind felt clearer than ever. I went around the house and started looking through the rooms and found everything empty. I headed to the garage door and tried to open it. I spent days trying to open it, but every time I couldn''t. The paint on the garage door started to chip though with every attempt . Which I thought was strange as it wasn''t real paint nor was this a real door merely a mental representation of something . As the white coat of paint started to chip I found a red door with a golden zero on it. I started to think that maybe the red door has got something to do with the old Doug. I found it strange that I couldn''t access his memories even after being in his body for close to 10 months. I think his powers may have interfered in the merging process and separated our memories by creating a barrier between my memories and his. I think the only way to access his memories is by opening that door. I thought about it for a while and decided I would leave it for now as it seems I can''t progress my telepathic training anymore until I open that door and I can''t seem to force it open. I will try it again after I make some progress in my Chi training as I think I could force the door open if I pump enough Chi to my brain. I just have to find a way to increase my Chi reserves. ''Hmm... I wonder if there are Dragons still around . I think I will just ask the Ancient One about it. Maybe I could get lucky and kill steal the dragon heart before Danny does it'' ? (Chapter End) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- I already have 8 advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. As I said I''ll be releasing 2-3 chapters a week on Saturdays and Sundays every week on my Webnovel account and my Pat-eron. Chapter 8 - The Mirror Dimension A year has passed since I have arrived here in Kamar-taj. Things had progressed nicely. I was able to not only surpass my peers, but also grow in my knowledge by leaps and bounds, quickly leaping in the ranks of sorcerers to the point of Master. My Energy constructs got way better. As have my combat abilities. There is nothing like being wailed on for a year straight to get you in tip top shape. My abs have abs now. I can even be mistaken for a professional athlete. It turns out Chi makes you buff. Who knew ? I was considered fit before, but now I can say I am in peak physical condition. My Chi training has come along nicely as well I can now hold my Chi in any body part I want and boost it. I am still working on learning how to heal using Chi, but my reserves are still a hurdle. I mean they have definitely grown, but not as much as I would like them. When I focus my Chi on a specific body part it doesn''t glow bright yellow like I thought it would it merely shimmers a bit. Also the color is light orange and not yellow. I also finally learned how to access the mirror dimension and let me tell you it''s broken as hell. (Flash back) 2 months ago I was training with the Ancient One, but then our spar was getting a little destructive, she suddenly stops and says"I think it''s time you learned how to enter the Mirror dimension. " With an excited look on my face I run up to her and say" I have been waiting for this " she chuckles a bit at the twinkle in my eyes that come out every time the mirror dimension is mentioned. The Ancient One" You really are excited about it. Tell me why do you want to learn it so bad? " Doug" Why wouldn''t I it''s the perfect place to secertly train and nobody but a few can truly access it. " The Ancient One" Is that the Only reason ? " she says with a teasing tone. I nod my head like a chicken while trying to hide my true reasons I think she wouldn''t like what I plan to do with it. The Ancient One " Alright, listen carefully before you learn how to access the mirror dimension there are a few things that you have to know." She starts explaining and says "The mirror dimension allows an advanced sorcerer to train more advanced and dangerous spells without adversely affecting the real world, keep an eye on threats without being noticed, and a prison for those without a sling ring. The final usage is paramount that a prisoner is locked without a sling ring as it is the only means to escape. However, the realm can be accessible without the use of the Sling Ring, though a sling ring is ultimately required to leave it. The mirror dimension can be used in combat by a sorcerer with the knowledge and skill needed to perform it liberally by manifesting a gateway to it to absorb attacks and then sending the manifestation at the enemy to trap them at the mirror dimension, but these mirror dimension gateways can be destroyed when enough power is directed at them. So although you can make portals without sling rings if you go in without one on you will be trapped in there forever. " she finishes in a grave tone. I gulp nervously at the warning. We then spend the rest of the day with The Ancient One teaching me how to access the mirror dimension. By the end of the lesson I have got the basics down. She then informs me that from now on we will have our spars inside the mirror dimension and we can be as destructive as we can . I don''t know why, but that sentence made me really nervous for some reason. (End Flashback) My telekinesis got way better too. I can now boost my jumps or fall really slowly or even make psychic shields or blasts. Flying using telekinesis turned out to be mentally exhausting. I can levitate just fine, but true flight still eludes me. I discovered a nifty trick though to increase my body''s defense.By imagining I am surrounded by a psychic cocoon on the surface of my skin. I also tried some tricks I saw in various movies or media. I tried telekinetic boxing like I saw in the movie Push. I still had no progress on opening the red door, which I suspect contain Doug''s original memories, but I have made progress and atleast managed to find a way to conceal my surface thoughts. I worked tirelessly on building mental defenses, the only issue was I wouldn''t have a chance to test their potency until someone tried to forcefully read my mind. I first managed to turn my previously disorganized memories from it''s previous shape of a cluttered house into the mental equivalent of a computer. Which had memories on it stored as files. They were all coded with different levels of encryption. I also designed a psychic program which acts as a sort of antivirus. It alerts me if someone is trying to read my mind and if someone tries to delve in too deeply in my mind. I made it so that It projects a mental image of a monkey smoking a cigarette or funny cat videos . My version of spam or adverts really. If someone tries to go too deep or get aggressive and try read my mind while I am knocked out or something. They''ll find more than they bargained for. I made three levels of mental defenses with different designations the first level is a code yellow. In which my mind starts projecting an uncomfortable high pitched sound which increasingly unnerves the intruder and horror movie characters such as Freddy Kruger from Elm Street, Jason, predator and the clown from IT start popping up. Pretty light weight stuff really . More of a slap on the wrist. The second level of defense which is a code red is total sensory deprivation. Sight, smell, sound, taste and touch are taken away. Which is way more scary and cruel than you might think. As extended or forced sensory deprivation can result in extreme anxiety, hallucinations or even madness . Basically It can either drive you crazy if exposed to it for long periods of time or make you hallucinate and show you your greatest fears. I have designed it in a way that if you are already this deep it''s hard to get out or go back to your mind and moments in real life will feel like days to the intruder if the second level activates. And If by any chance you manage to get out Sentries, monstrous abominations and beasts will try to attack you and shatter your mind. The third and final line of defense code Black is more of a self destruct sequence. A last resort kind of deal. Memories which are deemed too important to reveal like those relevant to my orgins or the future. Are immediately encrypted, fragmented and then scattered to all corners of my mind. The only way to regain those memories is by using a codex. Which has the location of the scattered fragments inside my mind and the sequence and decryption method. I created this codex and then hid it in a secret location inside the mirror dimension. It''s the most complex and advanced encryption I could come up with and coming from someone like me who solves military grade cyphers and encryptions for fun. It means a lot. After I created the codex I erased my mind of its contents and only kept the memory of its location hidden in another insignificant memory inside my mind. I left myself basic mental instructions that will activate a few days later. After an intruder reaches level 3 and my meta knowledge and true origins are forgotten due to the protocol I made. This way I can regain my knowledge back and make sure the chances of it being discovered is minimal. Doing all this took a lot of time. It required many months of designing, numerous books on the Mind Arts and a lot of help from the Ancient One. I didn''t give her access to my mind. I just asked for advice on certain spells and mental mechanisms and psychic constructs that were too complex for me to design by myself. I supplemented with the use of magic in a lot of the defenses as my telepathy wasn''t as advanced as some of the more powerful telepaths. My defenses should at least be able to protect me from someone of atleast Xavier''s caliber . I don''t know about the more powerful beings though. It''s hard to design countermeasures against Gods or entities that have a domain or control certain aspects of the universe. Doing all this took alot of time. I wouldn''t have been able to do it without the Ancient One''s help, the amounts of books I read on the Mind Arts and finally the way my mind actually works. Along the way I discovered that my mind operates differently I found out I can input code or commands and it would get translated to whatever I needed to be. It turns out due to my mutation my mind is more powerful than your average mutant or sorcerer others with the same resources wouldn''t have necessarily been able to achieve what I did. It was finally time that I chose a relic as my own. There is no specific way to choose a relic I''ve been told, often time the magic of the relic will reach out to you as you look at it. An example of this can be seen when Dr. Strange didn''t sense the Cloak of levitation until it was on him. Currently I was walking through the Room of Ancient Relic ''s in Kamar Taj, we had already gone through the three Sanctums and nothing really clicked . There was the Axe of Angarruumus, which literally hummed with power. The Ancient One, who was actually helping me by guiding me through the Sanctums, claimed that the Axe was completely indestructible and was capable of killing all forms of mythical creatures. It also had the ability to return to the wielders hand when thrown or dropped. Next was the Dragonfang Sword. Supposedly it was carved from the tusk of an extradimensional dragon by a powerful wizard named Kahji-Da, before being passed into the care of the Ancient One for safekeeping. It was completely indestructible, could absorb magic, and could shatter any barrier, magical or otherwise. Next was the Wand of Watoomb. The same weapon Wong chooses at the end of Dr. Strange. It has the power to absorb magic and redirect it much more powerful than it was originally. There were also a few others like the Golden Mace of Hercules, The Amulet of Abbadon, The Wand of Xyggondo. "Master¡­" I ask uncertainly. "Are you sure it''s here ? Nothing that has called to me yet ." "Stop thinking about it too much. Focus. Feel their magic intertwining with yours and find your relic." She had said this already, several times and I was getting a tad bit frustrated with her. That didn''t stop me from doing what she said though. Closing my eyes, I try to focus on the various relics around the room. Sighing in frustration after about a minute, I look back at the Ancient One. "I can feel it. It''s close, but I can''t find out what!" I groan in frustration. She just smiles. Sometimes she can be rather annoying. Walking around the room one more time, I sigh again, but suddenly I feel something calling to me it''s almost magnetic in the way it feels as I gravitate towards it and come closer and closer. I reach out a hand and grab it and it feels right like it has always belonged to me and it has finally returned. The Ancient One smiles. (Chapter End) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- I already have 8 advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. As I said I''ll be releasing 2-3 chapters a week on Saturdays and Sundays every week on my Webnovel account and my Pat-eron. Chapter 9 - Power I am finally leaving. I had finally finished my training and am considered a fully fledged Master of the Mystic Arts. I decided to leave the Sanctum and come back home. I will afcourse visit the the Sanctum whenever I can, but at this point its mostly self study now If I wish to seek more knowledge . It''s the first time in my life I have ever felt like I had power. I know I am far from the most powerful and that there are beings out there capable of squashing me in an instant, but nonetheless. I feel what I have is enough for now and for my plans to progress. I am not helpless anymore. And my enemies should fear me. You might be wondering what enemies I am talking about. Oh they are plenty, but they don''t know it yet. The moment I sat foot in this universe their days where already numbered. I have no problems with eliminating certain personal in the coming days. Because the way I see it I am in the middle of an undeclared war and there''s no fucking around when it comes to war. I don''t particularly care about being called a hero or a villain . And I find these half hearted attempts at peace idiotic and naive at best. One of the problems I have with Xavier''s approach to things is he isn''t decisive enough while his boyfriend Magneto on the other hand is too extreme and quite frankly messy. Seriously has he never heard about subtlety ? Shaping public opinion through manipulation from the shadows ? Eliminating your enemies in secret ? Investigating violent hate groups and organizations interested in powered individuals especially those that kidnapp and experiment on children and young mutants ? I hate to say it, but Hydra had it right. They took the saying ''keep your friends close, but your enemies closer'' quiet literally. They were able to infiltrate S. H. I. E. L. D for years their own mortal enemies without anyone none the wiser and their plans would have succeeded if it wasn''t that they fucked it up at the finish line. I mean all it took was for four individuals to ruin all their plans in like a half an hour. I don''t know if I should laugh or cry at their level of incompetence and their brilliance in managing to get that far. Even the name Mutant is a major flaw in Xavier''s plan of integration and acceptance. The word Mutant comes with many negative connotations and mainly associated with Cancer or disease. People on a subconscious level associate the word Mutant with disease or cancer. Which isn''t a good thing strictly from a PR standpoint. I get trying to own the word and making it theirs, but honestly it''s quite a shitty word to own. It''s all about how you present things. Public opinion is shaped by the media and frankly you''re making it too easy for them. If you want people to accept something appeal to their sense of self interest not their humanity. Mutants simply aren''t worth the trouble they bring to many people. They are often viewed as unstable and volatile. That''s why many shy away from them. Add to that the shit storm that is Magneto and his brotherhood of idiots and you have got a good recipe for bigotry and discrimination. Just look at how the Avengers or the Fantastic four are treated. They don''t get hated on like Mutants do. Even though at the end of the day they are all super powered individuals. Either through magic, genes, serums or dimensional energy. It''s all about branding and public image. While covering your bases by having some legal representation. Being responsible and not causing collateral damage and casualties. An information network wouldn''t hurt either. Honestly I think DC had it right. First of all they used the term Meta-human which is a great start. They cooperated with the government without being too restricted. Had powerful backers. Mainly Bruce Wayne one of the richest billionaires / world greatest detective who also delt with hidden dangers and made contingencies for certain events and people Clark and lois lane helped shape public opinion through their jobs at the daily planet. Bruce and Dianna''s political influence. And even the justice league''s overall speed in handling threats or Meta-human breakouts and training if need be. Sure it wasn''t perfect and the Dc universe is way more dangerous than Marvel. But at least people won''t despise and try to kill you the moment you become a Meta-human. Sigh '' Just thinking about all this is exhausting.'' My wrist watch suddenly starts beeping. Sophie " Master Doug, Shang-Chi has just arrived in New York" Doug " Well I guess I won''t be going straight home" Sophie " Shall I book you a room in a hotel ?" Doug " No, I will travel around for a bit until he gets settled in keep an eye on him Sophie inform me if anything changes. " I guess I''ll go pay a visit to Kitty maybe travel around for real this time. At least I won''t have to pay for plane tickets. I open a portal to Salem and arrive at Kitty''s house. I knock on the door. A middle-aged lady who looks like Kitty opens the door. She says " How can I help you ?" I answer back and say " Hi, sorry to bother you I am one of Kitty''s friends Doug is she at home ? " she recognizes my name and says " I am sorry you didn''t know ? Kitty already moved to her dorm room at her new boarding school" I mentally slap myself. '' Idiot you already knew she went to Xavier''s school it''s already been a year since you have left.'' I smile and thank Kitty''s mom. She tries to invite me in, but I politely decline. I asked her for the school''s address before I left and she gave it me. I already knew the school''s address as Sophie had already found the school a long time ago. I didn''t want to lie to Kitty about how I knew how to get there when I saw her. The school''s address was surprisingly hard to find. I leave and decide to go back to New York as I am not ready to meet Xavier yet and deal with his bullshit. I thought about visiting my parents, but decided against it. It wouldn''t make sense for me to come back for a week and then be gone for several more weeks while training with Shang-Chi. It''s better if they think I am still traveling. I go into an alley and open a portal back to New York. It''s sad really that I don''t have anymore friends to visit. I sigh and say " Sophie have you found the location of Wilson Fisk ?" Sophie " I have I found his home residence and his primary hideout where he conducts most of his illegal activities." Doug " Good, compile me a list of all his hideouts and contact a Matthew Murdock for me and set an appointment for 2 days from now. " I guess it''s time to take down the Kingpin, steal his shit and meet a hero. I am not really broken up about it. The Kingpin has to go down as he has already ruined so many lives. I am not sure if there is a crime he hasn''t committed yet. His assets would have been frozen either way, so it''s a shame to let it all go to waste. Plus I plan on making Sophie hack into his offshore accounts once I find him. Atleast the money would go to a good cause as I plan on starting a company plus a secret organization to help support superpowered individuals in general. I figured I''d hit multiple birds with one stone. I get to put a scum bag in jail. Destroy his criminal empire. Put the money to good use. Start a company. And make a good impression on Daredevil. The most difficult part of it all really is finding someone to handle my secret organization. Because I know next to nothing about espionage, infiltration or sabotage. I am going to need someone with experience. Hmm... " Sophie track down a Natasha Romanova Codenamed Black Widow start looking for her in Russia and gradually expand the search perimeter. She should be doing wet work for the Russian government" If I am right Shield didn''t recruit Natasha until 2008 or 2009 it''s currently 2007, so I could get to her in time and poach her before Shield does. All I have to do is to convince her to join my side after her handler betrays her and offer her something she wants to insure her loyalty. Which isn''t as easy as it sounds. I wouldn''t be keen on trusting anyone after getting betrayed by the person I trust the most and my own government putting a price on my head after all the wet work I did for them over the years. I will have to think of something. Doug " Sophie track down a Chan Ho Yin in Hong Kong he should be going by the street name Scorch" (Chapter End) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- I already have 8 advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. As I said I''ll be releasing 2-3 chapters a week on Saturdays and Sundays every week on my Webnovel account and my Pat-eron. Chapter 10 - The Kingpin I arrived at New York and started surveillance on Fisk. I didn''t attack right away as I wanted to collect more information about him and find out what deals he was currently making. Sophie was a big help with surveillance and collecting information, but I discovered that the primary hideout he used for his less than legal ventures was secure and there weren''t any cameras or mics in his main conference room.Where he conducted his meetings. I rented an apartment in a complex close to his location and spied on him using astral projection. ( Inside the conference room) I was currently spying on Fisk in my astral form. Which is cool as shit by the way. I have been watching him having shady dealings with the irish, the latinos and various other gangs. I even saw a couple of police officers in there. I found out he has enough liquid assets to control most of the higher ups in Hell''s Kitchen precinct of the NYPD, he either bribes them and or threatens their loved ones, which takes competent enforcers. You don''t threaten police officers'' families unless you know you can deliver, which means getting through serious police protection details, and possibly witness protection, which is run by the US Marshals. He is a serious player legitimately and illegitimately in both politics and real estate, neither of which run cheap. If you have an idea of the kind of donations mayors and other public servants ask for in their campaigns and you''ll get a slight idea how much Fisk has. He also owns a considerable amount of real estate in New York City, which he has dozens of them. He also had enough monetary power and influence to be, well, Kingpin, to some of the most dangerous criminal organizations in the world, no exaggeration. The Triads, Mafia, and the Yakuza are almost-incomprehensibly powerful international organizations who apparently consider Fisk their equals in their line of work, which is a serious compliment on their part. I looked into some of the income the Mexican cartel kingpin has business with and takes in, and divided it by three (and by the end of the season it all goes to him) you can get an idea about his cash flow in that department. Fisk does have some legitimate sources of income, most likely through the real estate market and a diversified stock portfolio, which is entirely possible how he got his start. He basically took control of a local crime boss'' drug rings and used the proceeds to begin to maneuver his way up the social, cultural, political, and criminal ladder. He would either intimidate or bribe. Those where his primary weapons. He was also a master manipulator and really intelligent. I guess he really earns the name kingpin. He created several companies to launder his money. Among them is a spice company, which he uses to cover up his nefarious escapades. A lot of people knew what he was, but were either on his payroll, too weak or too dead to testify or expose him. I have to say I heavily dislike the guy. He''s too arrogant and full of his self and doesn''t realise he is a frog in a well. Money is a powerful tool, but it has to be utilized correctly to achieve its utmost potential. He merely surrounds himself with people with guns. Which isn''t that impressive in the Marvel Universe. I was wary of making a move and decided to take a wait and see approach. I wanted to find out if the hand had made contact with the him. As dealing with assassins and ninja wasn''t my idea of having fun. Sure, I can take on a few dozen ninjas no problem. But if their numbers are too many, one of them might get a lucky shot in and I am not exactly invulnerable, but I am working on solving that soon. I have been watching him for a week now and I am planning on making a move tonight. Sophie informed me that Matt is still in law school , so meeting him turned out to be a bust until he atleast graduates. I decided that I will attack tonight. He is going to be staying in one of his mansions tonight. It''s the most optimal place to attack. I make a portal into the mirror dimension and I walk in. One by one I start popping in and out of the mirror dimension and knocking all the security guys out. Sophie already took care of all the surveillance in the mansion and hacked into the cameras and sensors. I have almost reached the Kingpin''s room and I am walking slowly to his room. I had already snuck in while he was out and found out all his hidden weapons like guns and such and took out the bullets . I also found a couple of secrets alarm buttons and a danger room. I disabled those too. He has no where to run now. I open the door slowly and I find him still sleeping. I haven''t decided if I was going to kill him or not. I already decided on not having any mercy against my enemies, but I am not sure if Fisk really qualifies as one at this point. I could have taken him out at any point really, but decided to be cautious just in case. As the Hand is way more of a threat. Than he can ever be. I walk up until I reach his bed and get closer to his head. I lift my hand and bring it slowly over to his head. He still hasn''t woken up yet. I touch his head and I knocked him out with a spell. I then open a portal and dump him inside my rented apartment in the mirror dimension. '' Damn, well that was easy'' I say in my head. I got out of his mansion and decide to get something to eat. As I am walking I say " Sophie, have you transferred all the funds to my off shore accounts yet?" Sophie" Affirmative Master Doug, all the funds in his bankout from his legal and illegal activities have been transferred. I also found the locations of various safe houses that contain cash funds. " Doug" Good, what about his real estate in New York and Manhattan ? " Sophie" I am afraid those can''t be transfered. A contract has to be drawn out where he writes the rest of his assets to you. " Doug" Well that''s not too difficult. I''ll think of something. Tell me how much do we have right now? " Sophie" Not, including his assets you currently have 2.4 billion in your bank account. " I trip and almost fall in surprise and shout" What the fuck !? I knew this guy had money, but this is on another level." apparently the Kingpin had fuck you money which is a step above filthy rich. With a quiver in my voice I say" Well, since I am filthy rich. Let''s splurge a little. Sophie make me a reservation in a high class restaurant. " Sophie" Do you have a certain place in my mind ?" " Hm... find out if Gordon Ramsey exists in this reality and make a reservation at a restaurant he''s working in tonight" I say. I always liked watching the guy cook. I want to atleast see if his food tastes any good. Sophie " Right away Master Doug. " ( Fisk''s POV) I wake up and look around me and find myself in a strange apartment. I don''t remember how I got here, but I must have been drugged and kidnapped. '' Those incompetent fools someone just kidnapped me right under their eyes. They don''t deserve what they get paid for '' I grit my teeth and get up. '' I am still in my sleeping wear and I am not tied up'' I start looking around and find no one. I shout and say " Whoever you are stop playing games. You don''t know who you are dealing with" I hear no answer I keep shouting and making threats , but still I hear nothing. I start to move slowly to the door and I surprisingly find it unlocked. I start to get a little wary. As this seems too strange. I quickly run down the stairs and get to the street and find the street empty. I look around and find myself near my main safe house. Something doesn''t seem right. Ever since I woke up in that apartment I keep having an eerie feeling . Everything around is absolutely silent. It''s as if everyone and everything dissappeared and time has stopped . I can''t see or hear anyone or anything everything is just quiet. Too quiet . There isn''t even a breeze or birds chipping. I reach the safe house and start putting in my passcode. '' I need to find a weapon and I am going to make who ever kidnapped me regret ever playing games with the KingPin'' the padlock isn''t working and I am starting to get frustrated . I suddenly hear a voice behind me that says " I am afraid that''s not going to work. Electricity doesn''t work in this dimension." I turned around surprised and find a blonde man who''s levitating a few inches off the ground wearing strange monk like robes looking at me with an amused smirk on his face. He says " Hello, Fisk or should I say the Kingpin. Welcome to the mirror dimension my name is Cypher and you are now my prisoner. " ( Chapter End ) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- I already have 8 advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. As I said I''ll be releasing 2-3 chapters a week on Saturdays and Sundays every week on my Webnovel account and my Pat-eron. Chapter 11 - Judgment I was floating in mid air, while staring at Fisk after declaring my arrival. He had a surprised look on his face and his mouth was slightly agape. His face soon morphed into anger and he shouted" Who the hell are you ?! " I answered" I just told you I am Cypher " I said with an amused tone. It seemed he was too surprised to hear all of what I said. He then gets even more angry and says " Who do you work for ? What the hell is this place ?! Do you know who the hell you''re dealing with ? I am going to make you and everyone you know regret this ! " It seems that in his anger Fisk lost grasp of his situation. I think the only reason he hasn''t attacked me yet is because I am currently floating a few feet off the air and he is wary of me, so he has resorted to threats. I frown a little at him threatening my family and friends. I am not afraid of him delivering on his threats as he''s in my grasp now, but the mere idea bothers me. I guess it''s time to teach him a lesson and punish him a bit. You know soften him up a bit before I force him to sign everything away. " It seems Mr. Fisk you don''t realise the kind of situation you are in. Threatening my loved ones wasn''t a wise move. Tell you what why don''t you hang out for a bit and we will talk later." I say that last part with a sadistic smile on my face. He seems to calm down a bit and sense something bad is about to happen. I instantly create a portal under his feet after I finish what I said. Another portal opens up high in the sky at least a few miles above the ground . Fisk starts falling and he''s is screaming like a pig. I open another portal under the portal in the sky, which is quite easy for me at this point and isn''t much of a strain. I keep the two portals open and watch as Fisk continously falls from one portal to the other. He is still screaming and hasn''t realized yet that he''s not falling to his death. I start laughing at the sight. Sophie " The puns aren''t that funny Master Doug. Really ? Hang out for a bit " I shrug a bit and say "It''s seemed funny at the time." Sophie " Aren''t you going to let him down it''s been an hour already ? " I sigh. This stopped being amusing a half hour ago. Fisk stopped screaming half an hour ago and started crying. Which I must say isn''t a pretty sight at all he already looks like an over inflated balloon and all the crying doesn''t exactly add to his charms. I open a portal in front of me and slow him down using telekinesis. '' Oh, wow he passed out I didn''t even notice.'' I then create a small portal connected to the ocean over his head to wake him up. Sophie " Really the Arctic sea?" she says in an exasperated tone. I shrug again and say " What ? I am just giving him a cold shower to help wake him up." I say with a faint smile. I am petty sue me. He wakes up soaked and shivering. He let''s out a sound between a scream and a wail like he''s about to lose his mind. " Stop, please... stop. I will give you whatever you want. " he says stuttering and shivering. Oops it seems I broke the Kingpin. I pull out a few documents that transfer his companies and real estate to me. I tell him to sign. He doesn''t even ask what these documents are. The papers get a little wet and his signature is a little shaky, but it''s good enough. I put away the documents and look at Fisk he flinches when he meets my eyes. I think he finally realized how screwed he is. " Well, now that we''ve gotten a bit warmed up. How about we take a trip down memory lane." he flinches again and he''s expecting to be thrown around. I close the distance between us before he even gets a chance to realize what''s happening. After a walk down memory lane along with Fisk I saw all his memories and let''s just say it wasn''t pleasant. I took Fisk along for the ride and we watched all of his deepest darkest secrets even the ones he''s been trying to supress and I have to say it wasn''t pretty at all. Especially his childhood. We watched as his abusive father would hit his mother everyday I let him relive those memories I made him go through years of reliving his childhood all over again . Up until the moment where Fisk snaps as a child and finally kills his father. It was gruesome to say the least. Nothing like watching a kid beating his father to death with a hammer to really make you feel nauseated . I had decided to review his memories to make sure that I had made the right decision. I was thinking about what I would do with fisk after I captured him for last few days. At first I was thinking about sending him to jail and be done with it, but he''d probably take over the jail and be out in a short while by either using political pressure or leverage. Even if I took all his money and assets I am sure he''ll make a comeback at some point. The guy has so much dirt on influential and powerful people it isn''t even funny. My next line of thinking was to simply kill him. I thought about it and thought about it hard. The guy deserved the death penalty for sure he hasn''t hurt people personally. Well except for his father who honestly was a piece of shit, but he has had people killed mostly criminals and bad guys and has ruined tons of people''s lives and I am sure at some point innocent people had to have been caught up in it. He destroyed most of the evidence that could incriminate him directly a long time ago. At most he would go to jail for a few years. So, the question remains. Am I ready and willing to take a life in cold blood. Sure he is a piece of shit, but he''s probably not the worst guy out there. There are tons of rapists and murders and child molesters that deserve death more than him. If I kill him I might as well start killing those people too. I believe that killing in cold blood wouldn''t make me better than those guys. '' Ahh I am such a pussy ! '' I tell myself. I can''t let him go, so I thought about making him my minion, but it''s too much trouble than it''s worth and any kind of long-term mind control is difficult to sustain. I also disdain the idea of mind control. That''s why I have got Killgrave on my kill list. Now that guy I wouldn''t hesitate to kill. He''s honestly a cancer that needs to be dealt with. There is still that one option, but I am not sure if it is going to work as I think it would it could go either way actually. I sigh and look at Fisk. He''s a blubbering mess at this point. He keeps muttering and apologizing to his mother. Geez I guess making someone relive their worst childhood memories plus all their awful deeds can mess you up real good. Honestly I almost feel sorry for the guy. Well almost is the key word here. I turn to him and say " Hey ! Get up don''t be so pathetic. What ? a little skydiving and a trip down memory lane and you''re like this ?" He looks at me with fear in his eyes. From his point of view I must look like the devil or something. He says with a shaky voice " What are you ? What do you want from me ? Are you here to kill me ? " he says with a tone filled with fear and dread. I say " Well, to answer your questions I am a human. For what I want let''s just say I already have what I want you already gave it to me a few hours ago, but for your last question. " I smile a cold smile and let the silence hang in the air a bit. His eyes widen a bit and it settles in for fisk what his fate is going to be. All it takes is a few seconds for me to summon a sword in my hands. He then shouts" Wait ! No Stop ! We ca.." He doesn''t get to finish his sentence and I plunge my sword easily halfway through his heart. His eyes widen in disbelief and he starts gurgling blood out of his mouth. He then falls on his back his eyes wide open and his face stricken with shock and fear. He clutched the sword that was now fused with his body, his blood flowing from his chest. He looked at me only to find a cold expression etched on my face. He finally looks at the sky, and whispers his last words, and I barely manage to hear. " Vanessa forgive me" ( Chapter End ) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- I already have 8 advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. As I said I''ll be releasing 2-3 chapters a week on Saturdays and Sundays every week on my Webnovel account and my Pat-eron. Chapter 12 - Relic A few seconds pass and Fisk''s body catches fire with white and black flames. The flames burn the body in seconds leaving only ashes and a small object in the middle. I walk over to the the ashes and shout " Oh my god ! It actually worked !" I stare in wonder at what''s on the floor among the ashes. A pure white crystal with some blue streaks on it is on the floor. I slowly squat down to the crystal that seems to be shining and pick it up. I conjure a small array to examine the crystal more closely . It seems Fisk''s life energy had been converted to pure spiritual energy ! Who would have guessed Fisk would be this useful in death than in life. I am honestly surprised it worked at all. The blue streaks in the crystal seem to indicate some kind of residue that is different from the rest of the crystal. ''I wonder what they mean'' . My relic is seriously overpowered. I was worried that it was going to simply kill him. I wouldn''t have been too broken up about it if It did, but I prefer this outcome.I can use this crystal and refine it to increase my abilities . I had a vague idea about what I wanted to do and I guess I succeeded. My mind goes to what the Ancient One had told me about this relic. Which left me flabbergasted and honestly a little excited. The sword of yin and yang also known as the sword of Pangu also known as the sword of life and death. It is said that a primordial god named Pangu used this sword when he began creating the world. He separated yin from yang with a swing of his giant sword, creating the earth (murky yin) and the sky (clear yang). To keep them separated, Pangu stood between them and pushed up the sky. In theory since all life consists of yin and yang it should have the ability of creation and destruction. It also possesses the ability to cut and absorb an opponent''s physical or spiritual energy. It can then use these energies to temporarily boost the wielder''s abilities either by supplying yin to boost mental powers or yang to boost physical powers. The only downside is that when the sword takes these energies from the wielder''s opponents their opponents are severely weakned and may even die. Normally that would be a good thing but I can''t arbitrarily use it against normal people . Normal base humans don''t usually have a large amount of spirtual and physical energy. The sword also has the ability to slowly gather these energies passively from heaven and earth, but it is much slower and it takes a long time to recharge. The ability I just used was something I thought about, but didn''t know if it would work. I mean instead of temporarily boosting my abilities what if I can crystallize the life energy into different kinds of crystals that contain different types of energy. The sword can naturally produced these crystals once or twice a year. These crystals should be theoretically more powerful than the one I just made. As it is directly refined from energies absorbed from heaven and earth. The sword also has the ability to kill gods and other mystical beings and absorb some of their energy . It can also shrink and enlarge according to the wielder''s preferences. When I heard about that particular ability from the Ancient One I was excited to say the least. It''s powers are so bullshit I almost don''t believe it exists . The Ancient One warned me though to be careful when wielding the sword and to wield it with absolute clarity of mind. Because it can easily go out of control and devour my own spirtual and physical abilities. It''s a powerful relic with its clear advantages and disadvantages. I am pleased with it and I also suspect the reason why it chose me and the reason I felt a connection to it is because I transmigratted from another universe. I probably died in my sleep in my old life and crossed over to this universe and since this sword is tied to the circle of life and death it was attracted to me. The sword has other mystical abilities too according to the Ancient One, but she told me that I will discover them with time or if the sword chooses to reveal them to me. Personally the cool part I like about the sword is that after it bonded to me it can now be called to my hand like thor''s hammer and only be wielded by me or those I chose to give the sword to temporarily. It can also grow stronger depending on its wielder as the more powerful or the more energy you have the more it could take and become even more powerful. I sit down on the floor and decide to examine the crystal more heavily and even start to try see if I am able to refine it. I channel my Chi into my hands and try to connect my energy to the energy present in the crystal. I probe it a few times until something finally clicks and I find my mind suddenly sucked in into the crystal. I wake up and find myself in a white space that seems endless. Right away I try to make a portal, but the portals all lead to more white space. I walk around for a long while and what seems like hours pass by. I was honestly starting to get a little desperate. I was wondering if I would ever be able to get out of here . A few days pass by and I am still wandering. I have tried everything from spells to even punching the floor and blasting it with energy and weapon constructs. I start thinking about what got me into this mess in the first place and I get a little frustrated. The Ancient One warned me and told me to be cautious when using this relic, but I didn''t listen . I didn''t think something like this would ever happen. I take out my sword and start staring at it intensely. I start cursing at it and saying " Useless piece of junk. You got me into this mess now you get me out of it" the sword seems to vibrate a bit and I start to wonder if it''s sentient or not. " Hey, can you understand me ? What is this place how do I get out of here ?" I say in a cordial tone. Hey I don''t want to get it mad at me if it can understand what I am saying. Atleast until I can get out of here. The sword starts to vibrate more intensely and it suddenly launches itself forward . My hand is stuck to the handle and I am getting dragged along. It doesn''t even have the decency to slow down a bit or fly higher, so that I don''t get dragged on the floor. "Stop ! Stop you stupid thing. Slow down a bit !" the sword doesn''t listen to me and is still dragging me along. This keeps going until a few hours pass. I am honestly resigned at this point and blaming myself for being careless in the first place. The sword starts to slow down a bit. It keeps slowing down until I can see something in the horizon. There is a large circular mound with the symbol of yin and yang imprinted on it. 12 pedestals seem to be arranged in a circular pattern on the mound. There are 6 black pedestals on the left and 6 white pedestals on the right. All of them are blank except for one of the white pedestals. It seems to have a little rotating blue orb on it. The sword has stopped moving at this point, but it almost seems to be vibrating in anticipation. It''s pointing at the pedestal that has the blue orb almost urging me to touch it. I walk slowly to the elevated mound and step on it . I walk closer to the pedestal that has the blue orb and I touch it. Almost instantly the blue orb is absorbed into my body and some blue writing appears on the white pedstal. It''s written in Chinese and it says mind. "Huh, neat" I mumble. Almost right away the elevated mound with the yin and yang symbol that I am standing on shines brightly. I close my eyes and brace myself. I wait a few moments and nothing happens. I slowly open my eyes and find myself sitting in the same place previously. I start to sweat a little and I ask Sophie " Sophie how long was I gone for ?" Sophie " Gone where ? You just sat down and closed your eyes for I few minutes." I gulp after I hear her answer. Gone for a few minutes ? Well it felt more like days. I take a few minutes to catch my breath and calm down. I notice the crystal that I had previously in my hands has now disappeared. I start trying to remember the feeling I got when I touched the crystal and I start to glow a bit. It feels the same like when I call on my Chi and focus it. I can feel like there is something different. I remember what was written on the pedstal inside that weird space. The word mind. I then close my eyes and focus on my mind. I notice the difference right away. I enter my mindscape and find all my defenses have gotten stronger and there are blue wisps floating around. I head to the red door right away. I find that it''s colour has significantly dimmed. I try to force the door open, but it still won''t open. I can feel that I am almost there and that all I need is a little push for it to come down. Suddenly I hear a voice that says " You should wait for a bit. You''re still not strong enough to open it. They say patience is a virtue" I turn around startled and I conjure energy weapons to attack. I look around and find no one behind me I start to mumble a bit and say " Great now I am hearing voices inside my own head. I hope I am not losing my mind. " " You''re not losing your mind, but you are hearing voices" the voice says. This time I am freaked out as the voice seems to be coming from all around me. I shout and say with anger " Who are you and why are you inside my head ?" I start to look around nervously and I can''t seem to sense the owner of the voice. "Oh you know who I am. " the voice says (Chapter End) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- I already have 8 advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. As I said I''ll be releasing 2-3 chapters a week on Saturdays and Sundays every week on my Webnovel account and my Pat-eron. Chapter 13 - Stranger Note: This chapter is meant to be a parody of how your typical young master novels start. Where they basically find a broken ass OP artifact that helps them bullshit their way to godhood . Which is utterly ridiculous to be honest. It''s mostly meant as a joke, so don''t worry this fic won''t turn into a cultivation fic. The Mc isn''t stupid. Someone suggested an idea, so I wrote this chapter for pure entertainment. Thank you and enjoy ;) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- " You should already know who I am" the creepy voice said. Doug " Who are you?" I ask for a second time. " I am the benevolent spirit that inhabits this sword" the voice says in a deep and grave voice. Whaa..? a confused expression appears on my face and I wonder if I heard right. What? A spirit ? "Ha ha ha it''s your lucky day you brat" the voice says in a mischievous tone. '' Is the voice messing around?'' I start to get irritated as he is now chuckling. " Show yourself you coward. What are you doing in my head ?!" I exclaim loudly. Suddenly a humanoid shape starts to materialize infront of me and starts to take shape, the figure looks familiar. It finally finished materializing and the person in front of me is Fisk ?! " You are supposed to be dead ! How are you here?" I exclaim. "Tut, tut, tut who said I was Fisk" the man said in a mocking voice. I am starting to get confused here. First this guy says he''s a spirit and then he says he is not Fisk while looking exactly like him. I decide to attack as it doesn''t matter who he is. He''s an intruder and that''s all that matters. "Well who ever you are coming here was a mistake" without saying anything more. I attack him using telekinesis, but nothing happens. I then open a small portal that leads to the back of his head and punch through it using a Chi enhanced fist. The fist goes through his head. The man is still standing their with an amused look on his. He hasn''t reacted to my attacks yet. "Attacking me is useless non of this is real" he says. He then starts walking towards me slowly and all my attacks are going through him like a ghost . I tried using energy weapons even telekinetic blasts. None of them worked. He''s still coming towards me so I decide to use telekinesis to levitate away from him. He chuckles and then takes a step on the air and starts climbing up like he is walking up on invisible stairs. I grit my teeth and say " This is my last warning tell me who you are and what do you want or you''re not going to like what''s going to happen. " ''This guy shrugged everything I threw at him and he is still coming at me. He hasn''t attacked me yet, but I can feel pressure coming from him and I can sense he is dangerous'' . I think in my head. " Oh, no need to go that far its not going to work and you''ll get trapped too" he says with a knowing smile. My pupils shrink a bit and I stare at him with a wary look '' How did he know that I planned to activate level 2 of my mental defenses'' I was going to activate code red which traps the intruder in a sensory deprived environment for months until he starts hallucinating and driven mad. I didn''t activate it earlier, because I didn''t want to do it while I am still this close to him. The defenses will trap us both as it is designed to trap any intruders present in my mindscape. The reason I designed it this way is because mind control is very real and someone might even try to fool my defenses by taking my likeness or projecting a false image of myself. " I think this is enough. I think It is obvious, that you can''t even touch me let alone hurt me" he says. "Well you forced me to do this" I say defiantly and as I am about to activate level 2 of my mental defenses he suddenly disappears and appears before me. Before I could react he lashes out with his hand and smacks me a few meters away. " I don''t have time for this" he says disdainfully. He walks over to me and starts talking. " My name is Xin and I am the sword spirit of the artifact you possess the sword of Pangu. I was reawakened by the absorption of that man''s spiritual energy" he says. I stare at him and think ''Did I fall into some kind of Chinese light novel what the hell is this crap'' I think in disbelief . " Wait, then why do you look like fisk if you''re the sword''s spirit and what are you doing in my mindscape ?" I question the spirit before me. I am still wary of him and I am taking what he''s saying at face value, so I can get him to divulge more information. " Hmm... This man. Wilson Fisk I absorbed some of his essence when you plunged the sword into his heart. I also got some memories from him and I have to say this is certainly an interesting era. It''s been thousands of years since my last master" It replies with a distant look on his face as If trying to remember the past. "So, the reason you look like Fisk is because you absorbed him ? " I question thoughtfully. "Well, as I said some of his memories and spiritual energy. It''s not enough to fully awaken me. He was too weak." It answers shortly. " Wait, since you''re the sword''s spirit how did you get in here and I am also supposed to be your Master as I own the sword why didn''t you answer me when I first questioned you " I ask with a thoughtful look on my face. " First of all I have to recognize you as my master for me to obey you. You are not qualified yet. Frankly you''re too weak compared to any of my previous masters. As for how I got in here it''s simple. The moment you picked up the sword a spirtual connection was formed between you and the sword and since I am the sword''s spirit naturally I can use this connection to show up in here. " he says while gazing at me. I grumble at his answer. I know I am not as powerful as some of the beings in this universe, but I am the Sorcerer Supreme''s disciple god damit he is not supposed to be able to smack me around this easily. " I don''t have much time. The spiritual energy I absorbed is not enough to sustain me. I will transfer the rest to you. In the future try to absorb something a bit more powerful possibly a god or two" he says. " A God or two ?!" I shout " Well I won''t recognize you as my master until at least you can do this much." he says in a mocking tone. " Who the hell said anything about wanting to be your master" I say in an angry tone. " You won''t be able to utilize the pedestals of yin and yang effectively without me. I helped you to absorb and purify the energy you took in. If you had absorbed someone more powerful you could have gotten some of their abilities, but since you absorbed a normal human. All you get is a small boost to your spiritual energy which in turn strengthed your mental prowess. Plus a few condensed memories and skills of that person''s lifetime. " he says. " What memories and skills ? " I question. " Yes, every person''s memories and skills can be condensed into an essence that can eventually be absorbed by you or someone else. The crystals that are produced by the sword are not simple. They are the agglomeration of that person''s life. You may get lucky and get a useful skill or you might even get a mundane one. It depends on your luck really " he answers. " What about the memories ? I don''t want Fisk''s memories " I say. That guy was seriously messed up I don''t want any of his memories. Plus I already had all the useful information I needed since that trip down memory lane I took him on. " Well I can help you with that If you want I can block the transfer of any memories deemed undesirable, but I can''t help you with what kind of ability or skill you get, as it depends on your luck and karma" he says thoughtfully. I nod my head and say " So, what happens after you transfer the rest of the energy to me ?" He hums and says " Hmm.. I will slumber in the sword''s world until I can absorb more energy . I would go into sleep mode as you humans might say and awaken again the next time you try to refine a spiritual essence crystal until then I''ll have to depend on the energy of heaven and earth to sustain me while I am sleeping . The energy absorbed this time was merely enough for me to awaken for a few minutes " " Okay, so how do you want to do this ? " I ask " Just stand there and don''t move " he says with a smirk. He then proceeds to shoot a blue ray at my head before I can react. The beam travels to my head and strikes me. I am knocked down to the floor and everything starts to fade and I pass out. (Inside Doug''s Mind scape) " What an interesting human. Things will definitely be fun." he says to no one, but himself as he chuckles. Suddenly a sharp look appears on his face and a chilly aura permeates the air and he grits his teeth. " Just you wait. I will get out of here one day and I will make you suffer" his voice echoes as he disappears from the mindscape and all that is left is silence. (Chapter End) Chapter 14 - Seal I woke up with a headache and started rubbing my eyes. It felt like someone was driving a screw driver into my head. I sat up and started channeling Chi to my head to speed up my recovery. A half hour later I opened my eyes and sighed " Well this didn''t go as I expected" I tiredly muttered. I decided to go get some rest and figure out what I am going to do. I shrunk the sword and put it in my pocket. I got up and stretched and then opened a portal straight to my hotel room and fell asleep right away. The next morning I woke up and I started meditating. I started to think about all that happened yesterday and how I felt about it. It was the first time I ever killed someone. It was a strange experience. It felt too easy too. All it took was for one stab in the right place and someone died. It really sets in how fragile people really are and how easily someone could get hurt. Logically I knew that Fisk had to go and he was guilty too. Was it wrong of me to play judge, jury and executioner. Maybe it was or maybe it wasn''t it doesn''t really matter. I am not going to go around and kill everybody I deem as evil. Fisk was in my way and I just removed him. He was evil and hurt and killed a lot of people. He was guilty I made sure that he was, when I read his mind. He couldn''t be reformed and most importantly he was too dangerous to be left running around. Not dangerous to me personally , but dangerous all the same. It didn''t feel good to kill in fact the act itself made me feel uncomfortable and anxious. I don''t feel bad about killing fisk I just feel bad about killing someone in general. I decided to ponder more about what happened and reached the conclusion that I have to atleast have some sort of code or self made rule, so I can keep myself in check. I don''t want to turn into a monster. I decided that if I kill again. Those I kill must have certain qualities. First of all they must be irredeemably evil. Secondly they have to be my enemy or they are in the way of my goals. Thirdly them being dead is beneficial to the rest of humanity. I would sleep a lot better at night knowing that those people aren''t able to hurt anyone again. I then start thinking about the sword spirit. That came out of left field, so bad that it caught me off guard. Normally I wouldn''t be this flustered and the whole thing left a bad taste in my mouth. I found out what skill I got. Apparently I am now capable of parallel thought. I don''t know how that is related to fisk, but that''s apparently what I got. It''s certainly a useful skill to have and it is convenient as it can help me be a better sorcerer, but it all seems kind of fishy. Fisk was a normal base human. Why would I get this ability and, it''s too convenient. Also that sword spirit was really strange. The Ancient One never mentioned anything about it having a spirit. I also don''t like the idea that I was helpless against it inside my own mindscape. I also found it strange that I stopped when he told me too. I was definitely going to activate my mental defenses, but for some reason I changed my mind. I decide to go pay a visit to the Ancient One and ask her about this sword. If it''s what I really think it is then I will need her help. I opened a portal to Kamar-taj and then arrived in front of the Ancient One''s room. I stretched my hand to knock, but then the door suddenly opens. I find an apprentice holding the door open, he says " Come in please the Ancient One will be with you in a moment" he then let''s me in and proceeds to walkout and closes the door behind him. I walk in and find the Ancient One constructing some sort of spell formula in the air. She didn''t acknowledge me, when I walked in, so I waited for her until she finished . A few minutes pass, until she finishes and then she turns to me and says " I''m sorry to keep you waiting. I was just adding in some wards to my chamber " I nod my head in understanding and say " I understand, thank you for seeing me on such short notice" " It''s alright you''re my disciple you can come see me at any time. Is there something I can help you with ?" she says in an inviting tone. I nod my head and then proceeded to tell her about my sword and what happened . I decided to leave out the parts about what I did to Fisk. She doesn''t need to know about my business. I just told her it was a criminal and the crystal just formed when I stabbed him and he died. She frowns at my explanation and then asks me a question " Do you think what you met was really a sword spirit as you say or was it merely posing as one ? " " I think something is strange too. It seemed to shrug off everything I threw at it, but then panicked and punched me in the face when I was going to activate my mental defenses " I say while contemplating the previous events. "I also sensed that it had an ulterior motive. If I have learned anything in this world, I have atleast learned that everything comes at a price this statement holds true especially in the magic community, plus I am not too keen on making deals with anyone or anything ." I continue " That''s a good approach to have, especially in the magical world. Everything has a price and it''s unwise to make deals with unknown entities " she nods her head in approval. " I can''t tell you how many apprentices and even Masters of the Mystic Arts have been tricked over the centuries by entities that claimed to be Gods or benevolent spirits. Almost all of them ended up either losing their soul and life or end up summoning something to this dimension that doesn''t belong here. " she continues. She then asks me for the sword, so she can examine it and proceeds to scan it using spells. A few minutes passed and I suddenly ask " Have you discovered something ? " she puts down the sword and says" Whatever it is, it isn''t a spirit as it claims. I can detect a malicious aura from the sword. It was undetectable before, because it was slumbering, this requires further investigation I will have to use my own artifact to get to the bottom of this" I watch the Ancient One as she examines my relic for the second time. This time I can see green wisps coming out of of her relic. '' This issue seems a lot more serious now, I didn''t think she would have to use the power of the time stone'' I think to myself. An hour passes by and the Ancient One is still engrossed in what she''s doing. Finally she stops and says " There I have placed a temporary Seal on the sword to prevent the spirit from coming out. I didn''t want to risk awakening it forcibly as it could retaliate and destroy the relic itself." "Why would it do that isn''t it living in there ?" I ask with a confused look on my face. " I sensed a familiar aura, while sealing it. If we forcibly try to destroy it could destroy the sword out of spite. I suspect this aura belongs to a dark entity I fought hundreds of years ago. It maybe using the sword as a conduit to regain its power. It''s a good thing you came to me when you did. " She ends with an approving smile. " Isn''t it better if we destroy it ? I like the sword and all, but not enough to not sacrifice the sword to kill that thing " I say confusedly. " It''s alright sealing it for now, is quite enough. In the meantime I will do some research as I don''t recall exactly which entity it was. I did fight alot of them back in my day" she says as a vicious gleam shines in her eyes for barely a second. I nod my head in understanding and then ask " Should I use the sword or is it dangerous ?" "Don''t worry in addition to sealing the entity, I have also sealed its ability to absorb energies. If you are really worried about it I could lend you another relic until this matter is resolved. It won''t be as compatible as your own, but it should suffice for now. " she says. " I think I''ll leave it with you then, until this is all figured out. As for lending me another relic, which one are we talking about here ? " I ask " How about a virtually indestructible sword "she says with a smile. After I finished my business with the Ancient One I thanked for her help and then opened a portal to New York. I asked Sophie about the whereabouts of Shang-Chi as I think it''s time to finally meet him. I plan to start my own company after, I finish my training with him, but I''ll have to get him to agree first. I opened a portal at a dojo that''s in Chinatown. It seemed that the dojo belonged to Shang-Chi''s relative who died and left it to him. The building seemed old and in need of repair. I thought about offering him some cash to get him to agree, but I will have to see how our first interaction goes first. I walk up to the door''s dojo and knock. (Chapter End) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- I already have 5 advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. As I said I''ll be releasing 2-3 chapters a week on Saturdays and Sundays every week on my Webnovel account and my Pat-eron. Chapter 15 - Martial Arts A few weeks have passed ever since, I knocked on the dojo''s door. Shang-Chi was surprisingly amiable and training with him was fruitful . I had insisted on giving him some money to atleast fix up the dojo, to which he eventually relented, it took a lot of pestering for him to agree, but what finally sold it to him, is that I told him if he didn''t take the money I would just buy, the building next to his and write it in his name and then turn it into a dojo. My martial arts certainly improved by leaps and bounds these past few weeks. Training with Shang-Chi was interesting to say the least he truly deserves to be called the best Martial artists in the world. Even with my abilities I think he could kick my ass if I didn''t use too many spells, experience is truly valuable, his ability to read me is not inferior to mine. I think back to what Sophie already dug up on him, apparently Shang-Chi was trying to get away from his father Fu-Manchu. This guy was a real piece of work, he''s an immortal crime lord with a shadow empire. I don''t remember much about him from the comics, but he''s not someone to be trifled with. I can vaguely remember something about him trying to take over the US and trying to instigate a war between the US and China, I don''t remember how he planned to achieve it, but I remember Shang-Chi was somehow able to stop him in time. I think back on my first meeting with Shang-Chi and remember how eventful it was. (Flashback) '' Knock, Knock '' A few minutes pass and I hear no one coming towards the door, I check the door and find it unlocked. '' Isn'' t he home ? Sophie told me he hasn''t gone out yet. '' I thought to myself, I opened the door slowly and started to walk inside, I found myself in a dimly lit hallway with still no signs of anybody home. " Hello, is anybody here ?" I shout in a loud voice. I hear no answer, so I proceed to head down the hallway and look for him, I reach a big room, that looks like your stereotypical kung fu dojo, the dojo is dimly lit by the moonlight coming from the windows. Suddenly, I see a shadow out of the corner of my eye move in the room, I turn to face the direction from which I saw it move, but it disappears too quickly for me to track it with my eyes. It happens again, but this time I see a human figure, I quickly yell out " Shang-Chi is that you ?". I get a kick to the face as an answer and I manage a weak block. I skid back a few feet and rub my arms and mutter "Damn this guy kicks like a bull" I yell out again and say " Shang-Chi there''s no need to fight I just want to talk. " This time I am greeted with a fist to my face and I see Shang-Chi in front of me, this time I block his fist, but he kicks off with his foot and kicks my knee and then proceeds to do a back flip by kicking his other foot off my arms. He lands on the floor facing me in a fighting stance one hand behind his back and one hand in front of him and says " Then talk, I sensed your Chi as soon you came in, tell my father that I won''t be coming back and that I will one day stop him" he finishes saying in a calm tone. I can sense the underlying anger though in his tone, he seems to be wary, but confident as he stares at me. "I am not sent by your father, I am merely seeking guidance" I state calmly. His gaze is still on me and I can sense his disbelief. " Seeking guidance ? I can sense that you have a considerable amount of Chi you''re not a normal person and you also managed to block my attacks twice, why should I believe that you''re not one of my father''s lackeys" he says in a calm voice. I shake my head and say " I am not, I simply have this much Chi, because I worked hard to achieve it, I don''t know how to prove to you I am not one of you father''s men, but maybe this will" I then proceed to open a large portal beside me and then say " Can your father''s men do this ?" I say while smirking. His eyes widen in disbelief and I can see shock on his face, I lift my arm towards the portal prompting him to get closer, he moves closer, but still with wariness towards the portal, he stands infront of the portal and I hear him mutter '' Woah ''. I walk towards the portal and walk through it, I look at him expectantly for him to follow, a few seconds pass and he walks in after me . He walks in slowly and stares all around him, I then say " Welcome to the highest point on Earth, the top of Mount. Everest" I say with a devilish smirk on my face. "Is this real, is it an illusion ? " he says in awe, I answer and say " If it is an illusion you want that can be done too" I then create an illusion of him standing beside us, which seems to surprise him even more. " Well, my father although powerful was not capable of such things nonetheless his men" he says. " Who are you and what do you want ?" he questions, I look at him and smile " As I said I am looking for guidance, as for who I am my name is Douglas Ramsey Master of the Mystic Arts and personal disciple of the Sorcerer Supreme, but you can call me Doug or Cypher for short" I say while giving a slight bow. He stares at me dumbfoundedly, a few seconds pass by and I give a slight cough, I don''t think he understood most of what I said, I think he is just surprised by the whole thing. " I don''t understand, why would someone as powerful as you seek my guidance ?" he says with a confused look on his face. I shake my head and say " Don''t underestimate yourself. You''re the greatest martial artists on earth and a Master of Chi, I came to learn from you and to ask you to join me , I am putting together a team and I will need someone to teach them and guide them, in return you will have my full support both personally and financially against your father and any of your enemies" I finish in a persuasive tone. He looks at me and says " I appreciate your offer, but you must know my father is not an enemy to be taken lightly" I smirk and say " Neither am I" we went back to the dojo and talked for some time, he agreed to train me, but said he''ll have to think about my offer regarding him being a team instructor and joining a team. I promised him, that if he ever needed my help I will be there, I tried offering him more things such as funding and a training facility or even weapons, he refused and said that my help against his father was more than enough. (Flashback End) I get off the floor and wipe the sweat of my forehead I hear '' again '' and then get up to face the music, I have gotten better that''s for sure, I can now last 20 minutes against him instead of my initial 5 minutes, of course that''s if we''re strictly using martial arts, I could probably win if I go all out. I have also improved in the use of Chi and can manipulate it a lot easier than before, I also came up with a new technique, where I pump Chi to all parts of my body to boost my overall stats. I call it [Chi mode] , it boosts my durability and regeneration the most, my speed and strength also get a boost, but not as much as my durability and regeneration. I can maintain this state for only 5 minutes for now, but I am working on increasing the duration. Shang-Chi was certainly impressed when he saw me do it, he also complemented my creativity and control. Most people don''t have enough Chi to do what I did and even if they do they don''t have the mental capacity and control to do it for it to be viable. I was only able to do it, because I used the ability I gained from the sword, Parallel thinking, It takes a lot of mental power to both maintain this state and be able to fight and cast spells and the same time, It''s certainly a useful trump card for when I face someone I can''t normally handle. I have also tasked Sophie, with starting on the paper work to start my company I am still undecided on the name, I am trying to decide between Omni Prime industries or Meta Minds industries. Sophie says my naming sense is terrible and that I should just name it something normal. I get a kick to the face, as a reward for being absent minded, while sparring and I just lay there on the floor. " You''re not focused, I told you many times to focus and not let your mind wonder, it''s a bad habit " I hear while I am laying on the floor. I sigh and say " You''re right I just have a lot on my mind " "Then we should take a break, unfocused training is not beneficial, a certain state of mind should be maintained while in combat, you should go meditate and try and clear your mind, before we resume" he says. I nod my head and get up to start meditating and my mind wanders again after a few minutes, I suddenly get a smack to the head and hear him say " Focus, you''re breathing wrong" he states. I grumble a bit and mutter " Troublesome masters, first the Ancient One and Mr. Stick up his ass and now him" I sigh and close my eyes. (Chapter End) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- I already have 8 advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. As I said I''ll be releasing 2-3 chapters a week on Saturdays and Sundays every week on my Webnovel account and my Pat-eron. Chapter 16 - Home Getting back home was a relief, it''s been a long time, since I have had a place I could call home, I think ever since my previous parents died my home died with them, but now I felt like the emptiness that I had felt for years was beginning to be filled by my new parents'' prescence. I realize now that although I don''t have Doug''s original memories , I still retained a lot of his emotional memories instead. It didn''t feel weird to call them mom and dad on the contrary it felt natural. I guess these memories although locked away for now still had an effect on me, at least at a subconscious level if not consciously there is a sense of familiarity and kinship. I decided I would finally go home next week. I want to spend some time with them before I do what I have got planned . There''s is still a risk that it won''t work or that I would simply die. I am honestly being reckless here, but I just can''t wait anymore. I started to feel that a crucial part of me was missing ever since I discovered that red door. It''s time that it comes down. ( Ding, Dong) I ring the door bell and wait for a few seconds, before the door finally opens up. " Hi, Mom did you miss me" I say with a mischievous smirk. My mom launches herself at me and hugs me, her eyes start tearing up a bit. " Honey, I missed you so much. You''re finally home" I start getting a little emotional too and my eyes tear up a bit when I hear the word home, I say " Yes, mom I am finally home" I said while my voice cracked a bit from being overwhelmed from emotions. I have been gone for almost more than a year . After I finished training with Shang-Chi I traveled for real this time. I decided to put all those languages to good use, I saw the world interacted with a lot of people, saw a lot of different cultures and traditions. It really broadened my horizons and I feel that it was a good decision. My mom started hugging me tightly almost to the point I couldn''t breathe I said Mom" I can''t breathe" while wheezing a bit she loosens her tight hug and says "You''re finally back" she said cupping my face with her right hand I then asked where dad was. She answered and said "Yeah he''s got a new client a colleague of mine actually professer Charles Xavier he''s opened a school and needed some legal advise on some things." I freeze for a second and then manage to say "Professer Xaver ! Do you know him ?" "Yeah he''s a fellow psychiatrist we''ve met a few times at various conventions and seminars where he would speak, he''s a famous author and wrote various books. I recommended your dad to him when he mentioned something about having to deal with legal issues regarding his new school for the gifted. We had been thinking of admitting you there especially since you said you didn''t fit in your last school, plus I found out that kitty actually goes there. "she said while nudging me with her elbow. I asked confusedly " Why would I want to go there ?" " Well it''s a school for the gifted so there is bound to be some subjects that interest you, I heard they have got a lot of advanced classes plus they offer scholarships for top students you''re still 17. Your father and I already indulged you enough you have been gone for a year already. Make some friends before you go to college socialize a bit, maybe meet a girl or two. You''re still young don''t give up on people too soon maybe you''ll meet some interesting people there who knows ? Look we''ll talk about it more when your father comes. "She says after she notices my disatisfied look, I am actually tempted by the idea, having a chance to spend more time with Kitty my only friend, and even getting to meet some of my favorite characters like wolverine. If this had come up I year ago I would have refused it on the spot, but I now have my mental defenses and if someone tries to read my mind they are in for a world of hurt, so I am not afraid of getting mind raped anymore. I''ll also get a chance to solve that whole dark Phoenix debacle before it all goes to shit. It''s not that I have a hero complex or something it''s just I have always thought that Jean got dealt a bad hand and almost 90% of the time she ends up dead or even worst she ends up dating that douche bag cyclops aka laser eyes, I want to recruit her to my team. I think she would be an invaluable addition especially if she gets a handle on her powers, having a cosmic entities avatar in your corner seems like a win to me and worth the risk. I was wondering how I was going to approach her and how I would try to get her on my side, but this seems like a golden opportunity, maybe I''ll get to bring kitty on my side too, she''d be a great infiltration specialist and very suitable for my spy team. I plan on making a super hero team like the avengers and also building a secret super spy team for covert operations. After I set up my company I plan on having my team legalized and ready by the time the chituari come around they''ll be great as a deput for the team. I plan on stealing the avenger''s thunder no pun intended get rid of the mutant stigma and advertise them as superpowered individuals or meta-humans with emphasis on the human part. Getting political support is going to be my biggest hurdle, but I have got a plan for that too, I just hope that it works out as I hope too. I''ll also get to show both Xavier and his boyfriend that I can do what they haven''t been able to. After thinking about it for a bit, I nod my head and tell my mom that I am going to think about it. I still have a month left before the school year begins, so that I can apply, so I''ll take this time to work on my other projects and finalize some plans before the time comes. I have also decided on what I''ll name my new company I decided to go with Cypher Solutions it was simple and Sophie didn''t make fun of me when I suggested it, so that''s a win in my book. I chat with my mom for a bit, but then decided to go to my room as she''s getting started on making dinner, she told me she is going to make all of our favorite foods, since it''s a special occasion. I finally arrive at my room and get settled in, I then say " Sophie, it''s time for phase one" Sophie " Are you sure ? , I still think it''s an unnecessary risk. " Doug " Well, what can I say I am impatient and I need it, since things are about to get hectic, the X-mansion seems to get attacked almost every week, and since I am getting involved with the X-men, I don''t want them to suspect something strange, it would be too noticeable if I do it after." Sophie " Fine, I can''t stop you anyway , I have already located it, experiment no. 42 has already begun " I smile a bit too broadly and say " Good, time to break into Ozcorp." (Chapter End) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- I already have 8 advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. As I said I''ll be releasing 2-3 chapters a week on Saturdays and Sundays every week on my Webnovel account and my Pat-eron. Chapter 17 - Experiment No.42 Breaking in into OsCorp was unsurprisingly easy I mean, all I had to do was go into the mirror dimension and effortlessly walk in, any doors or obstacles were dealt with extreme prejudice and reduced to smithereens, as things in the real world aren''t affected by what happens in the mirror dimension. The hardest part really was finding the right enclosure and making sure I got the right spider. In my old universe I used to be a real fan of Miles Morales'' spiderman, I mean his powers were cooler and he was arguably stronger than Peter parker, I am honestly starting to think that most of the people who got spider powers were in some way more powerful than the original spiderman. Cindy Moon was even bit by the same spider as peter, but still got better powers, for starters her spider sense was stronger, her webs were more useful and versatile for combat, and she also kicked spidey''s ass a couple of times in the comics . I am starting to think that the spider gene reacts differently to each person I might not necessarily gain the same powers as Morales did, I may even gain stronger ones. Sophie thinks there''s a good chance I could just die and the process could have an adverse effect on me due to my X-gene. Still I have my fingers crossed, I am just hoping with enough ass pulls and some Marvel bullshit, it will be enough for what I have got planned. I finally reach the lab where they keep the spiders and search for the one I need. I cast a minor illusion to hide, the fact that a mini portal just appeared inside the cage. I take the spider and quickly stick it in a large vial I had prepared and stash it away. I then head to the closest bathroom and then exit the mirror dimension, I then cast an illusion over myself to make myself invisible, I head to building''s main frame and connect my smart watch to the main frame. "Sophie are you in ?" I whisper Sophie " Yes, I am in, decryption will take a few minutes" Doug " Good, copy any decent files you can find on any experiments related to serums like the spider serum or the goblin serum, also download schematics for any weapons or armors" Now you might be wondering why I only took the the spider and some files, but I have got my reasons, most of the projects that could be useful to me are either still in their infancy or in the prototype stage. It''s better if I let them develop them more and just take all their hard work when it''s finished, the data is more useful to be honest. The only reason I took the spider was because most of the research and leg work was already done by the Parkers before their untimely demise. They were honestly brilliant and years ahead of their time. I finish downloading everything and leave a few surprises for Norman in the system. I open another portal and arrive home, I take out the spider and start to examine it with my chi. The spider surprisingly has a strong life force. I thought about testing its venom and experimenting with it first, but I don''t have enough time, as there is only one week left before my enrollment to the X-mansion. I honestly thought about trying to stay under the rader and not reveal that I am a mutant as I am sure the mansion is being watched by various organizations and individuals, but it''s inevitable that I am found out, by either Cerebero or the Brotherhood of idiots, I also remember reading in the comics, that Magneto had mutants who were able to detect newly awakened mutants or already existing ones, so that he can find and recruit mutants for his cause . I can already see it happening, me revealing I am the Ceo of a multimillion company and the X-men rolling in with their jet trying to recruit me, when suddenly the Brotherhood plus Magneto show up and try to recruit me to their side instead, in the comics Xavier didn''t try to actively recruit Cypher because he had an unnoticeable mutation plus his powers were considered weak, but I suspect that won''t be the case when it''s revealed I own a company with considerable resources and influence , being rich can be considered a super power too, just ask Batman or Iron man . I make sure everything is in order and then enter the Mirror dimension and I lay on my bed, I hold the spider in my hands and let it bite me, I quickly put it back in its vial and wait for the transformation. The spider bite hurt more than I expected and I started to feel something was happening . Suddenly I am hit with an intense sharp pain all over my body and it feels like thousands of needles have just been inserted into my body. I start to grunt and my whole body tenses and it feels like my heart is about to explode out of my chest with how fast it''s beating. I think something is wrong, I can feel my body breaking down and I feel like I am seconds away from passing out. I start to bleed out of my eyes, nose and ears, and my skin turns so red it almost seems I have been cooked alive. I start shouting and crying for help, but then remember I am in the mirror dimension and no body can hear me. A thought suddenly pops into my head and I remember that my Chi mode increases my regeneration and healing, which I sorely need right now, I start channeling Chi into my body, but it''s hard to focus with this overwhelming pain. A few agonizing minutes pass of me cycling my Chi into my body to try and soothe the pain, my body had stopped breaking down, but it''s not enough for me to heal, I take a deep breath and try focus my mind to enter my Chi mode, it''s my last chance at getting out of this mess. I start taking deep breathes in and out over and over, until I start entering my Chi mode, I am successful at last and I can feel that it''s working and that my body is starting to heal itself. I try and maintain my Chi mode for as long as I can while trying to stay focused , a few minutes pass by and I am starting to settle down, my heart rate is finally coming down and I am starting to feel better, my body automatically exits the Chi mode and I pass out from exhaustion. I wakeup a few hours later and I can hear a voice shouting " Doug ! Doug ! Are you alright ? Wake up !" I am still out of it, but I manage to say " I am alright, it''s fine, I am fine" Sophie " I have been trying to wake you up for hours" she says in a concerned voice Doug " How long was I out for anyway ?" Sophie " 9 hours, you reckless idiot it''s almost time for breakfast" I quickly exit the mirror dimension, while still in my bed, I show up in time for me to hear a knock on my door. " Doug come down breakfast is ready, we haven''t heard a beep out of you, since yesterday, young man" my mom says from behind the door. " I am fine, just give me a few minutes to get ready before I come down" I say "Well, don''t take too long your father and I have work you know" she says. I get up to head to the shower after casting a spell to get rid of all the dried blood, when I am suddenly hit with a rush of memories and I pass out again. Sophie " Sigh,... What an idiot *AI virtual face-palm *" (Chapter End) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- I already have 8 advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. As I said I''ll be releasing 2-3 chapters a week on Saturdays and Sundays every week on my Webnovel account and my Pat-eron. Chapter 18 - Memories ( Knock, Knock) Sheila " Doug, honey come out, breakfast is done" Doug "...." Sheila "Doug ? Can you hear me ?" Doug ".... " Sheila " Okay, I am coming in you better be dec... *Scream* Doug ! Doug ! wake up, Philip call an ambulance Doug is..." ( Hospital) I wake up to an unfamiliar ceiling, for the second time in my lifetime, and suddenly start to see flashes of memories, they feel foreign yet strangely famaliar. I start feeling a headache creeping in on me, so I close my eyes again and delve straight into my mindscape. I enter my mindscape and see how it looks, In one word, it''s a mess. I start looking around and see random objects strewn about on the ground and all around me, some look like books, some others look like computer parts or even random knick knacks from my room. I start walking until I reach a house, this one seems different to the one I knew before from my previous life, I stretch out my hand to open the door, when it suddenly opens. I start to get annoyed and mutter " I swear someone is messing with me, every damn time I try to open a door..." my mini rant went on for a bit, while I was walking inside the house, the corridor seemed that it stretched on forever, until it was swallowed by darkness. I walk for a long while, and I notice that strange patterns and symbols are starting to appear on the walls, they almost seem like the patterns you see on computer chips or circuit boards inside electronics. I finally reach the end of the corridor, which seems to be blocked by a barrier that has intricate patterns all over it. I walk up to the barrier and reach out my hand, and surprisingly, my hand sinks right into the barrier. I sack up and step through the barrier and find myself infront of the red door, but this time the door seems a little different, more of those strange patterns are all over the door and the door opened right away when I touched it. I sigh and say "Finally, it''s about damn time. " It''s been difficult trying to live another person''s life especially when you have no memories of said person''s life or loved ones. The Spider serum was the final push, that I needed to fix the cluster fuck that is my mind. During my time training at the temple, I found that my progress with my powers was somewhat slow . It was like I didn''t have full access to my powers. I found it quite strange, as my prowess as a sorcerer seemed to improve day by day, while my own meta-human(mutant) powers seemed to lag behind. I push the door slowly and find myself in a room, that has some strange circuit markings all over it, I also find a giant computer screen, that takes up most of the room, I approach the screen and find myself standing in front of it. I start looking for a button or something to turn it on, when suddenly it turns on by itself, scenes of people I never met and a childhood different than mine start playing on the screen, I watch as the scenes change one by one, my first day at school, my first friend, my first crush,my first kiss, my first girlfriend all the things a normal kid goes through until he becomes a young adult. As I am seeing these scenes playing I start remembering them too, it almost seemed like they were being downloaded to my brain, the scenes stop playing, until it finally reaches the day before I awakened in this world. The screen goes black again, and I finally think it''s over, but then a face appears on the screen, the face looks similar to my own, but it''s pupils are black and the face seems to be made from the same circuit markings, that surrounded the room. A slight smile appears on its face, before the face dissappears. I find myself standing in front of the monitor, thinking about what just happened. A sad smile appears on my face, and I think '' It feels really strange to have two sets of memories, I can clearly remember Doug'' s original memories as If they happened to me personally, but they don''t seem to have an affect on my personality or thought process. I guess this means, that the old Doug is dead or perhaps it''s more accurate to say he merged with me, but I am still the main Ego''. As I am contemplating my existence, something new pops up on the screen this time its just a terminal window with what seems like computer code written on it. I stare at the codes and try to understand what they are supposed to mean, a few seconds pass by and I am starting to see a pattern. They seem to be descriptions of height, weight, eye colour and even some stuff I don''t understand. They look like genetic information, but translated into computer code ! My breathing quickens over the implications of what this could mean, I start looking for some sort of input mechanism I could access, but there isn''t anything like a keyboard or a mouse I can use. I try and see if the screen works like some sort of computer touch screen display, but all that I can do is just scroll up and down. I even try and use voice commands, but it doesn''t work either. I start thinking about what this is and why it even exists '' I don''t remember Cypher having something similar to this in the comics, is this like an evolved ability or is it just a result of the merger when I transmigratted ?'' My mind keeps going in circles about what this could mean, and how it could benefit me, but it seems like this is going to take further study as it seems I can''t just figure it out on the spot. I give up for now and decide to exit my mindscape. '' Time to face the music I guess'' I think to myself. I sigh and close my eyes and exit my mindscape, I open my eyes and find myself still in a hospital bed. This time I see my Mom and Dad, outside of the room I am in, talking to what I presume is a doctor. My Mom notices that I woke up and hurriedly shakes my Dad, she comes in to the room followed by my Dad and the doctor, she hugs me and says " Doug, thank God you''re okay". "You gave us quite the scare there young man, thankfully it seems like it''s nothing serious" the doctor says. " Doctor, it''s not exactly normal for a teenager to suddenly pass out without a reason" My father says in a worried tone. " Well, his blood work and all the tests we ran all came back negative, even his CT scans all came out clear, it seems like it was likely due to exhaustion or low blood pressure, although he was a little dehydrated nothing else seems to be wrong, although I do recommend keeping him under observation for the night, at least to make sure that everything is alright. " the doctor says. " I am alright mom, it was just a fainting spell, I haven''t been getting much sleep and I probably burnt out" I say trying to assuage her worries. "Are you sure doctor, he didn''t wake up no matter how much I tried. " she says ignoring what I said. '' Thank god I used a spell right after I woke up, to clean off all the dried blood that was all over me, I don''t think she would have let me out of her sight, if she had found me passed out with dried blood all over me instead'' I think nervously. This goes on for a bit, I keep trying to reassure my parents and hugs and tears are exchanged, mostly my mom, we eventually start talking and having light hearted conversations to lighten the mood. I no longer have to measure my words or try not to give them the impression, that I don''t know what they''re talking about, it honestly feels liberating, my mom even starts talking about the first time I ever went to a hospital. It was when I was little and broke my arm, it was my first time learning how to ride a bike , she made fun of how much dad was panicking , he was even more scared than I was, but kept trying to calm me down, even though he was the one that was freaking out the most. We shared a few more laughs and stories and I felt as if a weight has been lifted of my shoulders, my parents seemed to have sensed the change and were happy to see my mood improve . They eventually left me to rest for a while and went home themselves to get some sleep. I was finally alone again, and waited for a while until a nurse came to check on me, after she left I got off my bed and casted an illusion over the bed to make it seem I didn''t go anywhere. I look for my watch and find it in a small cabin in my hospital room, and put it on. " Hey, Sophie sorry for not listening, I admit I was an idiot" I say. *Silence * " Come on, don''t be like that, I promise I won''t do something like that again, I''ll even buy you some brand new fancy Supercomputers and server farms" I say while trying to placate her. " Huff ! you were already going to do it anyway" She finally answers. " I already said, I was sorry ! Geez I was like 75% sure it was gonna work, anyways I am going to head out and test some of my new powers, find me a good place to test my powers, also check and see if there are any blood samples left from the blood they took" I say. "They took two vials of blood for the tests, there is still a vial left" she says. I enter the mirror dimension and with Sophie''s help I quickly find the room that they use to keep the patients'' blood samples. I quickly destroy the blood sample and then head out to a warehouse to test out my powers, I already feel much more powerful than I though I would , it almost feels as if strength is going to explode out of my body, I already broke several doors in the mirror dimension, while I was in the hospital and looking for my blood, even magic seems to be faster and flows better when casted. I wonder if I can call myself SpiderCypher I think out loud. " That''s a terrible name" Sophie immediately retorts. "I was just kidding, you know, you don''t have to be so mean." I say in a sullen tone. "Sure, you were" She says in a sarcastic tone. "Troublesome A. I woman..." I mutter in a low voice. (Chapter End) _______________________________________________Next time, we''re going to find out what powers Cypher gained stay tuned, for more. I wasn''t really happy with how this chapter turned out, so please be gentle. Let me know what you think in the comments and what his new powers should be, nothing too Op, but something hopefully useful and cool. He''s already getting the standard spider powers, but with a twist. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- I already have 8 advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. As I said I''ll be releasing 2-3 chapters a week on Saturdays and Sundays every week on my Webnovel account and my Pat-eron. Chapter 19 - Update (Very Important Do Not Skip !) So, good news everyone I finally got off my lazy ass and started to write more. I decided to stock pile my chapters and to release them consistently. The rate of update will increase from 1 or so chapters a week to 2-3 chapters released every week on Saturdays and Sundays. I''ll also have 10+ chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. So, I guess everybody wins you guys get a more consistent rate of realese and I get more motivated to continue with the story and not get swamped. Thank you all for the support and if things go well. I''ll make a poll for what my next fic should be. I am still undecided about the world I am going to write about for my next fic. My choices to choose from are :- ( DC- Naruto - My hero academia - Shield Hero - GOT - Avatar - The Vampire diaries/ Originals - DBZ- Highschool DxD- Highschool of the dead- Fairy tail) These are the worlds I am most famaliar with and I would love to write about any of them. I could also just compromise and write a jump chain/ Omniverse travel fic. Tell me what you think in the comments. I already have the next 10 chapters of Ultimate Cypher written ,but I still need to edit them plus write a few more got to make sure everything is readable and without too many mistakes. Honestly this would go a lot faster and with more chapters released every week, if only I had a beta ????. Editing sucks ass ????. P.. S "I will probably not get started on my new fic until I am almost finished with Ultimate Cypher so we still have time to decide on things." Chapter 20 - SpiderCypher ? " Spiderman, Spiderman does whatever a spider can..." as I am singing and humming the song, on my way to the warehouse that Sophie found. I was going at a speed, that would make any Olympic athlete jealous. I find it exhilarating how fast and strong I have become. I have been running over rooftops and jumping from building to building for the past few minutes. I was of course in the mirror dimension, so I could cut loose honestly, the only reason I am going to a warehouse is that it has metal beams and I want to measure how much I can lift, but I plan on building a dedicated training area soon. I could have also used a portal, but then again I have never been there plus jumping around is more fun. I could see why spidey loved it so much. I finally arrive at the warehouse and promptly proceed to drop kick the door open, because why the hell not? I start doing some exercises to measure my new stats. " Sophie, open a file named SpiderCypher test #1 " I tell her enthusiastically. "Are you still on about that idiotic name? Like seriously what''s wrong with your original name?" She sighs in frustration. " Well, it doesn''t have the name Spider in it " I said childishly. ''I need to update her personality matrix and add a serious mode or something the banter is fun and all, but I may have gone a bit overboard with the recent updates that I made. It''s honestly starting to freak me out how much it feels like I am talking to an actual person and not a machine '' I think to myself. " The troubles of being a genius" I say while sighing to myself. I first started testing my new strength by lifting metal beams. I find out that my strength has increased drastically. I can now lift up to 25 tons which is more than I remember the original spiderman doing, but then again I have been properly trained and reached human peak potential in regards to my physique a long time ago, but I suspect I can increase my strength even more with training. The Spider serum seems to have also increased my body''s potential. I also tested my wall crawling by crawling on the wall and other various surfaces. I also tried it with different objects that have different textures. My guess is that the ability works by electrostatic force which allows me to stick to objects or for objects to stick to me for as long as I want. I can adhere to any surface as long there isn''t much insulation between me and the object. Thankfully I didn''t find any of those creepy microscopic insect like hooks on my hand like the ones shown in the Spiderman movie . I always thought those were weird . I mean how would they even work through a suit or gloves and what about his legs ? Does it work through shoes too ? I then move on to one of the cooler spider like abilities and that''s camouflage. Many people mistake it for invisibility. But the ability is much more useful than simple invisibility. First of all it allows you to camouflage yourself, your clothes anything you happen to be holding and potentially a small area around the user. It can also camouflage your heat signature essentially making you impossible to detect. Except by smell or sound. It''s certainly more useful and convenient than my usual invisibility spell. Which by the way works by tricking the eyes and simple devices like security cameras that don''t use infrared. I mess around with it for a while, trying to control it by making only a part of myself invisible or by hiding things I am wearing . Like making my shirt invisible , while still keeping everything else visible. I also try and make my watch invisible and even making my whole body invisible except for my head. Which makes it look like a head is floating in the air. A grin splits my face as I think of the kinds of pranks I can pull. I can make my head invisible while the rest of my body visible or I can do the opposite. Both are terrifying to a degree. I mean why wear a mask when you can just scare your enemies to death. Imagine a headless body going around and killing people. That''s gotta bring moral down at the very least. Sadly, I can''t test my spider-sense for now. As I need to be in danger for that to happen. I then test my healing factor and discover a simple paper cut takes a few minutes to heal. I mean it''s decent, but not that impressive in the grand scheme of things. My stamina and my sense of balance have increased drastically and to superhuman levels. I can almost say my stamina is approaching Captain America levels of stamina. Now, that guy was known to be a stamina freak ! In regards to my sense of balance I reckon I can give daredevil a run for his money. I also tried to look for some spiders, so I can try and communicate with them. Strangely I couldn''t find any which seemed a bit weird to me since, this is a pretty big warehouse and not finding a single spider is very strange. I did find alot of spider webs though. I try a few more tests for agility, top speed, reaction time, and overall performance. My new speed is at least 120 mph, which is pretty fast. I also measured my reaction time by throwing rocks and screws at myself using portals and with my strength, they were pretty fast. My reaction time is 0.0343 seconds which is fast enough for me to at least react to a speeding bullet, not enough to dodge mind you but at least shift a bit and avoid a fatal blow in close proximity and in regards to my agility it''s almost inhuman. After I finished measuring my new basic stats. I moved on to the more specialized aspects of my powers. I tried using the venom blast, but it didn''t work but then I tried channeling my Chi instead and it worked! My [Chi mode] was now upgraded to [Lightning Chi Mode], my whole body was surrounded by a golden glow with red and golden lightning arcs coming off me. It looked like the Raikage''s lightning cloak in Naruto or even the Flash when he is using the speed force with lightning surrounding his body. I start to test myself again in my new boosted state. All my stats are double what they were maybe even tripled. My speed is now almost as fast as a low-grade speedster which is still pretty fast if you consider how fast they can go. I can''t break the sound barrier yet, but I am close. I start to try and manipulate the lightning as I know this is just my own bio-electricity and I should have some degree of control over it. I start by trying to control the intensity and also increasing the flow in certain parts like my legs or arms. I then try and fire electric bolts and I am met with some success. Hmm... it seems that I still need to practice more especially if I want to gain more control over my lightning constructs. I decide on practicing for the next few days so that I can get a handle on my new powers before I go to the X-mansion next week. Sadly, I don''t have any organic webbing or anything like that, but maybe I''ll develop them with time like Miles did. I''ll still try and figure something out in the meantime. I don''t want to be a spiderman knock off but at this point, he''ll be the knock off since I was bitten first. Maybe I can use energy constructs instead like those energy ropes the Ancient One likes to use so much, it will depend on the degree of control I can have over them, but I guess they''re not necessary for now. I get back to the hospital, after a night of total destruction. I pretty much wrecked the whole street with the " testing " I was doing. I go to bed with a satisfied smile on my face. ( POV Change ) "So, how are things going? Any news about the mutant you detected, it''s been almost a year ?" the woman asks. "Yes, he resurfaced recently, but strangely he seems to be stronger than when he first awakened" the man answers. " I still don''t understand, how we couldn''t find him for all this time. Is it his mutant powers that allow him to do that? " She asks with curiosity. "Hmm... I don''t think so, I think someone or something was concealing him, someone powerful" he states with certainty. "Should we be worried ?" she asks in a concerned tone. " I don''t know yet. It will all be clear soon, I have already made some arrangements all we have to do now is wait. " ( Chapter End ) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- I already have 8 advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. As I said I''ll be releasing 2-3 chapters a week on Saturdays and Sundays every week on my Webnovel account and my Pat-eron. Chapter 21 - The XMansion "That''s one fancy ass school" I say when we approach the gate. "Language, young man" my mother reprimands me. "Sorry.." I mutter. For some reason my parents decided to drive me to school , to which I informed them was completely unnecessary but they wouldn''t listen so here I am being driven to school by my parents! Seriously, though I am a Master of the Mystic Arts, a billionaire (although by stealing), and all around superpowered badass. God this is embarrassing. We arrive at the gate and the gate opens up automatically as if expecting our arrival. I am starting to get pretty nervous actually. I haven''t seen Kitty for a while now and I had promised to write her to which I obviously didn''t, because I was too caught up in learning magic and making plans. ''Hmm... maybe she''ll forgive me if I give her a million dollars or something. It will certainly make her happy, seriously who gets pissed at someone who gives them a million dollars.'' I think to myself. '' Nah, it''s too hard to explain. Oh I know I can just tell her I freaked out about being a mutant and went on a spiritual journey or something .'' I think to myself. I plan on only revealing my increased strength, speed and agility. Maybe even my telekinesis and telepathy so I can have an explanation as to why my mind is protected on the plus side it will give me an excuse to get close to Jean under the guise of training together. ''There''s no way I am leaving the avatar of a cosmic entity under that bald bastard''s thumb, plus she''s hot. '' I think on our way to the mansion. We are received at the door by the man the legend the Wolverine. Who seems kinda short to be honest but geez he''s buit like a tank. Standing beside him with a smile on her face is the African beauty Storm aka the avatar of Gaia. Seriously though all the hot women in Marvel are really overpowered, and then there''s the bald bastard himself sitting there on his chair Captain Picar... *cough* Xavier aka Professor X. It''s a cool name I''ll admit but it''s a little on the nose with his whole X-men shtick. The guy named his child soldier team after himself talk about creepy. Alright, enough with the bashing maybe I am too hard on the guy. I have never actually met him before. I''ll give him a chance. Scratch that, the f*cker just tried to read my mind . I feel a brush on my mental defenses, which I slap away easily another attempt is made and I just project a mental image of a Chuttulu just to f*ck with him, since he''s a nosey bastard. Who can''t take a hint. Seriously No means No. The Professor flinches when he sees the abomination and he gives me a nervous look. I just stare at him with a deadpan expression, that clearly conveys how done I am with his bullshit. He recovers quickly and says " Welcome please come in let''s have a talk" he says. After, we get settled in his office he proceeds to introduce his two faculty members Storm and Wolverine to us (he didn''t introduce them as that btw) and then we start talking. After a while my parents decide to leave and let me get settled in the school. I get up to leave the office but I am stopped by Xavier " Douglas can you wait for a second, Storm give us a moment please." he says to Storm, wolverine had already left a while ago, after the initial introductions. He probably went to get a beer or something, that lucky bastard. I look at the professer and wait for him to speak, he starts by saying " Not a great first impression I admit, but I have learned to be cautious over the years so a fellow telepath I see" he questions. "You can say that, but then again I am full of surprises" I say, while levitating a pen off his desk, better to get this out of the way and reveal some of my powers. I don''t like being too restricted as it can be a hindrance obviously my Mystic abilities won''t be revealed as it is a usefel trump card to keep hidden. Plus I don''t trust the guy. For a moment a look of surprise is on his face but he recovers quickly and then gives a small chuckle and says " Your mental shields are impressive indeed, one of the more powerful ones I have seen in my days" he says, subtly trying to question how I got this good for me to shrug off his mental probes. I shrug non chalantly and say " Not to brag or anything but I am a certified genius. It took me a while to figure it out, but I managed with some practice" He smiles wryly at my clear dismissal of his question and says " Ahh, a genius indeed it took me years to get to where I am right now. Jean will be happy to have another fellow telepath and telekinetic as a peer. Tell you what why don''t you get settled in and get yourself acquainted with your fellow students" He clearly wanted to question me more, but decided to postpone it since he didn''t leave a great first impression. I expect that we will have more of these "conversations" in the future if I am not mistaken. I give him a nod and then head out of his office to the common room, where most of the students hang out. As I am walking I can see quite a few students some with noticeable physical mutations. ''Nobody said all mutations were useful'' I think to myself, most of the time mutations are either minor changes to appearance, natural abilities, or they can even be harmful to the user. Truly powerful mutants are rare and even then most of them need time and training, to tap into their full potential. As I am thinking about mutations and mutants in general. I get distracted and find myself near the kitchen. I head in as I might as well get something to drink. I wonder if they have beer here, I think to myself. I arrive at the kitchen and open the fridge and I am surprised to see that there''s actually beer in the fridge. I take one but then a deep voice that sounds more like a growl says " That''s my beer, bub" I hear behind me. I turn around and see Logan staring at me with narrowed eyes, while holding a beer in his left hand and smoking a cigarette. "Well then you shouldn''t be leaving beer in a school full of kids lying around" I say with a smirk. " Can''t you read the sign it says faculty fridge only. The student fridge is over there" he says while pointing at said fridge. I then notice that the fridge I was standing beside does have a small sign on it that says faculty fridge. " Huh I guess I didn''t notice sorry about that, here you go" I say while throwing him the can of beer. He doesn''t even flinch as he catches it easily, even though I threw it to him at speeds close to that of a professional baseball player. " You got a nice arm their bub, but ease up a bit, wouldn''t want to spoil the beer " he says. "Well it didn''t seem to phase you so what''re your powers anyways, you didn''t stick around too long after the introductions" I say. " I dislike long introductions and for my powers" as an answer a giant metal claw slinks out of his fist to which he then uses to open the beer I just threw at him. " Metal Claws huh that''s a fun trick. You must be a riot at parties," I state with an amused tone. " You should check out my other party trick, where I make them disappear into people" he says with growl. " Hey now, I was just messing around but I wouldn''t say no to a spar or something" I say trying to ease the tension. " You smell strong, meet me in the training grounds tomorrow morning at 6 " he says, while staring at me. He then leaves without telling me where the training grounds are, or even giving me an explanation about his wierd statement especially the part about my smell. I mean if I didn''t already have an idea about his personality and powers that would''ve been probably pretty weird. Now that I think about it again. It''s still pretty weird. I shake my head to try and get rid of these thoughts ''Doesn''t matter at least I get to spar with one of my favorite superheroes of all times'' I chuckle a bit at my own thoughts. And then head out to try and find my room. "Who would''ve thought this would be my real life one day" I mutter. (Chapter End) --------------------------------------------------------------------------- I already have 8 advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. As I said I''ll be releasing 2-3 chapters a week on Saturdays and Sundays every week on my Webnovel account and my Pat-eron. '' Chapter 22 - Wolverine Author Note : In celebration of 1 million views on Webnovel here''s an early chapter. Enjoy ;) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- " I''ll kick your ass old man !" I shout while throwing a wild punch. I was currently sparring with logan in the training grounds. We started warming up first and then proceeded to start our spar, even with my abilities logan was a tough opponent to fight. Reading his body language turned out to be more difficult than I thought it would be, his movements would shift between that of an animal''s and that of a human, his fighting style was heavily influenced by his animal like instincts. Honestly, my spider sense is what saved my ass the most. Granted we both weren''t going all out. If I were to go all out especially with my [lightning Chi mode] , and my use of magic, he wouldn''t last more than a few minutes at best, and that''s mostly due to his healing factor and how sturdy he is general. Fighting against someone with a crazy mutant healing factor like logan is difficult, especially when he has almost over a 100 years of fighting experience over you, but there are some tricks one can utilise against such opponents. First is decapitation , but having a skeleton made out of adamantium may prove it difficult to achieve , but it could be done with a blade made out of adamantium or vibranium. A well placed portal may yield similar results, but I don''t think he will wait around for me to open and close a portal around his neck. But, in the end this is a friendly spar ,so that option is definitely out. '' Oh shit the claws just came out '' I think startled . Apparently we''re finished warming up and he''s starting to get a little serious. I dodge a swipe from his left arm, by jumping over it and doing an impressive back flip, I dodge another attack this time a kick. I am starting to think, this isn''t exactly a normal spar. If those claws hit me. I could probably get hurt pretty badly. I don''t know if he''s doing this on purpose to test me, or is it because he thinks I can handle it or whatever. I try to think of another solution as we''re fighting, its me mostly dodging though. I don''t have a decent melee weapon at the moment, and I don''t want to reveal my magic or the sword the Ancient One loaned me. I start to think of a more realistic non-lethal option like oxygen deprivation, this could be achieved by drowning. Plus he''s basically a big lump of metal so it will definitely make it easier. But, sadly there isn''t any water around , ''hmm... wait a second that could work '' I start by trying to focus on what I am trying to do, which I must say is quite diffcult while fighting. I start by using telepathy to disorient him, while we are fighting. I then try and focus on his sight and hearing as those are the easiest to influence. He starts making mistakes, while fighting and I quickly take advantage of it by attacking certain points on his body meant to disable. I go for the eyes, nose, neck and certain pressure point Shang-Chi taught me about. He tries to counter, but is slowly coming under pressure. I manage to land a solid kick on him throwing him a few meters away. I then fully invade his mind and make him think he''s drowning. His body starts to shutdown as his mind convinces his body he isn''t getting enough oxygen. He thrashes around on the floor and his body starts to go into a berserk state. '' Oh shit, that''s not good '' I think. He goes full wolverine and stops holding back, he shaked of the illusion and is now fully relying on his instinct. His mind has identified me as the problem, and now I have an angry killing machine coming at me at full speed. I quickly use my telekinesis to boost my jump and get the hell out of his way. I make some distance between me and him, and try to contacting his mind telepathically '' Logan calm down'' I tell him telepathically, he only gets angrier and still tries to tear me to pieces. I try again, but this time I am trying to transmit feelings of calmness and peace through our link. Which seems to calm him down a bit. I get closer to him and try to show him everything is alright, he gets startled by my approach and takes a wild swing at me with his left hand. My spider sense is blaring at me, but I am too close to properly react by doing anything except block, which is a bad idea, because there are 3 huge metal claws attached to those arms. I think to myself, that I''m probably going to lose this arm. But, then suddenly razor-sharp stingers that were located within my arm below the wrists are released, the stingers gave enough resistance for me to partially block and parry the blow away, the result is there are 3 deep scratch marks left on the stinger . I quickly retaliate and attack with my other arm, and I manage to leave a scratch on his neck. I prepare myself, for his next attack, but I am surprised to see him suddenly stop. I wait for a few seconds, but nothing seems too happen and he seems to be still frozen in place, but clearly conscious if his bloodshot eyes were anything to go by. I quickly finish him off, with a full powered kick to the head and knock him out. My stingers automatically retract on thier own and my body sags in relief. '' That got way out of hand'' I think to myself. I then go and walk up to Logan who is still knocked out on the floor and start trying to wake him up. I try smacking him a few times on the face , but he''s completely out of it. I grimace a bit and think '' Maybe I went too far with how hard I kicked him. '' I start to look around me to see if there are people around who could possibly help , but it''s still pretty early in the day and school still hasn''t started, so there aren''t many people staying in school for now. Well except for the ones that can''t go home, either because their parents hate them or kicked them out. I thought about if I should just leave him there until he wakes up, but then shrug and say " Nobody, told him to get his ass kicked by a kid and pass out on the floor. " He''s also really heavy and I don''t know where his room is, even if I have super strength I am not carrying him around that''s just embarrassing, and my foot kinda hurts from the kick. You try hitting a skull made out of adamantium and see how your foot feels afterwards. I shrug and leave him there and proceed to walk out of the training grounds with a slight limp. Sophie " Are you really, just going to leave him there" she asks curiously. Doug " Watch me." I say while limping away. (Chapter End) --------------------------------------------------------------------------- I already have 8 advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. As I said I''ll be releasing 2-3 chapters a week on Saturdays and Sundays every week on my Webnovel account and my Pat-eron. Chapter 23 - Reunited Author Note : Guys it''s official I am in dire need of a beta reader. I don''t know how to get one or where to even find one, but If you do please tell me in the comments. I still have tons of ideas for the story and would love to write more, but it''s getting harder at the rate I am going. As usual thank you for reading and let me know what you guys think. Enjoy ;) -------------------------- A few days, had passed ever since I kicked Logan''s ass. I haven''t seen him for a few days, I don''t know if he''s busy or is it because he got his ass handed to him by a teenager, but the guy seemed to have just vanished. I did see, Storm and she gave me one hell of smile, when I saw her, she told me she heard about our little spar, and told me she was impressed, since she knew how strong Logan is. I thanked her, for the compliment and was surprised when she offered me a friendly spar. Storm " We should go for a few rounds sometime, I am not a battle maniac like Logan, but I do like to keep my skills sharp" she tells me. "Sure, anytime" I tell her. I am not exactly thrilled with the idea of fighting her, because she''s basically Gaia''s avatar, not that she knows it yet, but you don''t want to mess around with a person who can make natural disasters on a whim. I shudder a bit as I think of how broken her powers are, she can basically destroy countries if she stops holding back, and that''s without having access to her powers as a child of Gaia. (Next Day) The next day, comes around and the students start showing up. I finally see kitty, and as soon as her eyes land on me she gets a huge smile on her face and shouts "Doug ! " . She gives me a big hug and then punches me playfully in the arm and says " You asshole I haven''t heard from you for almost a year, what happened to you promising to write me. " she says with a mock scowl on her face. I rub the back of my head and say " I am sorry, I just had a lot to deal with this past year, but I promise to make it up to you. " " Well, don''t expect me to forgive you too easily, what are you doing here anyways ? Not that I am unhappy to see you, but I didn''t expect you to show up here. " she says with a curious tone. I give her a hurt look and say " Wow, you''re really cold hearted, is this how you treat your new classmates " I say with mock sadness. " What ! but this means you''re.. " she doesn''t even get to finish what she''s saying, before I suddenly start to levitate a bit off the ground. Her eyes bug out and she shouts" You can fly !? " " That''s, not the only thing I can do. " I tell her telepathically. She seems even more surprised, but before she can speak I continue by saying" It isn''t exactly real flight, I am using telekinesis to lift my body of the ground. " " Oh my god, you''re a mutant I can''t believe it " she says to herself in a disbelieving tone. Our exchange took only a few minutes, we talked for a bit more, but she then suddenly grabs my arm and goes" You should totally meet my roommate, she has the exact same powers as you " she says excitedly. She drags me to the girl''s dorm rooms, to where her room is, I start getting curious looks from people as she''s dragging me behind her, I then say" Uhm, Kitty are you sure this is alright isn''t this the girl''s dorm room ? " I question with an unsure tone. " Nah, you''re with me so it''s fine. " she says dismissing what I said. " As long as you''re sure " I say weakly. We finally arrive at her room, to find a beautiful redhead bombshell unpacking her bags. A "Woah" escapes my mouth, when I see her. '' I understand now, why almost every male in the X-men is simping over her.'' I think to myself. She notices us in the room, and then looks to Kitty then me. Kitty proceeds to introduce us and says " Jean ! guess what this is Doug, you know the one I told you about" she says excitedly. " Oh, hi nice to meet you, so you''re Doug the one who said he was going to write, but never did" she says with a smirk. " God ! I said I was sorry, I already promised I''ll make it up to her" I say. " Wait, why can''t I hear your thoughts" she interrupts surprised. " That''s what I was going to tell you he''s a telepath like you, Doug is a mutant too" she babbles excitedly. " Well, actually I prefer the term Meta-human" they hear in their minds. Jean seems to be surprised and says " Wait, why can''t I read your mind, but you can" she says. " Meta- what ?" kitty thinks at the same time. " Meta-human" I repeat " I don''t like being called a mutant, but that''s a story for another time, as to why you can''t read my mind, it''s because of my mental shields" I say. " I never seen such advanced mental shields before except for the professor, they''re almost as strong as his" she says clearly impressed. " Wait, why don''t you like being called a mutant" kitty asks. "Well, it''s because..." I then proceed to explain to them, why I find the term offensive and explain my point of view. They''re both listening to what I am saying and as I am finishing my explanation, Jean mutters " I never thought about it that way. " " Aren''t you exaggerating the issue a bit" kitty questions with an unsure look on her face. I shake my head and say " I am not, look think about it this way, owning up to the word or whatever is fine and all, but I for one don''t want to be associated with cancer, I personally think it''s similar to the N-word" I say resolutely. " I never thought you would feel this strongly about it, wait when did you discover you were a muta... ahem.. I mean a meta-human anyways you never said anything" kitty asks. "Well, it was right after I left school and started traveling almost over a year ago" I say. " What you''ve only known about your powers for a year and you''re this good, I''ve had my powers for years now and I still keep hearing people''s thoughts even though I don''t want to" she says surprised. " Well, I have had some help, on my travels I traveled to many places and visited a lot of temples, all of them helped me to understand myself and eventually master myself and my powers, it took a lot of work, time, and effort but it''s been definitely worth it. " I say confidently. " Can you help me, the professor has been trying to help me for years, but I''m still having trouble with it" she asks expectedly. "Well..." I say with an unsure expression on my face. She panics for a bit and says " Please, I''ll do anything" she says in a pleading tone. "Anything ?" I say, while raising an eye brow. "Well, not anything." she says while blushing a bit. Kitty then smacks my arm and says " Stop, teasing her. " " Don''t worry he''s going to help you he still owes me for not hearing from him for over a year" she says while looking at me, with a try to contradict me look on her face. " Geez, I am just messing around, of course I''ll help her" I say. A smile then blooms on her face and she thanks me. I then say " But, on one condition try and read my mind if you can" " Douug" Kitty says with a threatening tone. " Relax, I''ll do it anyway I just want to see how strong she is" I say trying to placate her. "It''s okay, kitty I want to try too" jean says. Jean then, tries to read my mind, but I slap away her mental probe easily just tries again, one after another, but I successfully deflect her attempts. I can see her concentrating and she even started to sweat a bit. She finally goes all out and slams me with a stronger one, I let it pass without pushing it away, when suddenly. " Pfffft, haha haha" jean starts laughing and even tears start coming out of her eyes. " What''s so funny ?" kitty looks on confused. You can see a smirk on my face, while jean is still laughing. She manages to catch her breath a bit and says " Was that a monkey smoking a cigarette ? " she says between giggles. " A monkey smoking ?" kitty asks quite confused with the situation. " Yes, it is" I say, unashamedly. " Oh god, I haven''t laughed like that in like forever" she says, while wiping away a few tears. I am about to explain it to Kitty, when suddenly we hear, " Hey, jean I heard you laughing what''s so funn.." the voice stops when he sees me. " Oh, it''s just Doug, Kitty''s friend" Jean answers. I turn around and I see, a guy with red sunglasses and dark hair standing at the door. He then, says " Oh, a friend of Kitty''s, well nice to meet you, I am Scott Summers" he says while extending his hand. ( Chapter End ) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- I already have 8 advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. As I said I''ll be releasing 2-3 chapters a week on Saturdays and Sundays every week on my Webnovel account and my Pat-eron. Chapter 24 - Laser Boy Author Note: Hey guys, I didn''t feel like going to work today, so I stayed home and wrote a chapter instead. It''s a bit shorter than usual, but I promise the next few chapters are longer. Things are going to start heating up in the next few chapters, so keep reading and as always thank you for your support and I hope you''re enjoying my medicore writing skills. Enjoy ;) ------------------------------------------------------ Well, to no one''s surprise, cyclone er... I mean Cyclops aka Scott Summers, is a douchebag. I don''t know what''s it about with this guy, but he emits this sort of smug almost like I am better than you aura, like we should just listen to what he has to say and agree with it. I could just be biased, since I never really liked him to begin with, but who cares at this point. You also should have seen how annoyed he got after he found out, I was the one that made Jean laugh so much. I wonder how he''ll react after he finds out I am going to be having one on one private sessions with Jean, where she essentially grants me free access to her mind. I am not surprised that Nathaniel Essex had to mind control Jean to eventually fall in love with the guy and have a kid together. I don''t know how he did it, or even if he did it in this universe, but I have a plan to find out. I managed to find a few clinics named the Essex clinics located in various countries around the world but not the man himself , and speaking of Essex that''s one tough bastard to put down, supposedly or according to my meta knowledge. The guy has dozens of clones ready to take his place if he ever dies, it''s all one big confusing psychic clusterfuck. Even if I kill the guy his consciousness is automatically transferred to one of his clones. Which really makes it difficult for him to stay dead. Hmm... maybe a more magical solution is needed to handle this. I plan on eventually rooting out all the hidden players. I''ll force them all to come out and play in the open. One of the reasons that the Mutants got screwed over so much is because there were too many people secretly plotting against them in one way or another , so I decided I will play with them to death instead . A small chuckle escapes my mouth as I am thinking about this, which causes a slight shiver to run down, those close enough to hear me. "Did, you just let out an evil laugh" Kitty, questions jokingly. "Yes, I did" I answer without missing a beat. "Tone it down a bit that was kinda creepy" she says while looking at me kinda funny. " What ?" I question " Nothing, it just feels like you''re different, you know, more intense and confident " she says. " Don''t know what to tell you, my trip definitely helped, I met different kinds of people and interacted with different cultures, it really broadened my horizons and made me realize, how lucky we are. I thought being a meta-human was the worst thing that could happen to a person, but I found out I was mistaken. Each person carries his own burden, some burdens are certainly heavier than others , but you''re the only one capable of handling it. It can either make you or break you as a person, you just have to choose which" I say with a sage like look on my face. "Wow, you must have spent a lot of time around monks or something, you went a little bit deep there, but this whole speech about burdens which I didn''t ask for by the way, would have sounded a lot better, if you weren''t so full of shit" she accuses me. " What ?! I am not full of shit " I retort childishly. "Well, it certainly sounds like it, it took you like what ? A year to master both your telepathy and telekinesis, while jean who had her powers since she was 12 still has trouble with it, even I am having trouble with my powers" she says. ''Well her telepathic and telekinetic powers are more powerful in terms of raw power I just have more control '' I think to myself " Oh, right you never told me what you''re powers were" I say remembering, that I forgot to ask her, I mean I already know, but she doesn''t know that. " Oh, yeah I never showed you check this out" she then puts her hand through the table like it doesn''t exist. " That''s certainly impressive, it''s an amazing ability" I say approvingly. " It''s not as impressive as you''re guy''s powers, mine are pretty boring" she says in a depressed tone. "Don''t put yourself down too much, your ability is pretty powerful, but it''s as useful as how much you can utilize it and how creative your can be with it" I say trying to cheer her up. "You say that, but what am I going to do with it ? Prank people to death , all is it good for is just running away or not getting hurt" she says. My mind flashes back to some of the anime and stories I read, I then think to myself '' If only she knew how broken her ability really was, we wouldn''t be having this conversation. '' I mean characters such Obito with his Kamui was able to take on several Kage level opponents easily while not having trained ever since Madara died, that Mirio guy from Mha who took on that guy Overhaul with his broken ass quirk and still kicked his ass. Let''s not forget that he had huge drawbacks like being blind, not being able to breath and essentially was in a sensory deprived state while he was fighting. If you train this ability hard enough you can essentially be unparalleled in hand to hand combat. I even think that Kitty''s mutation has more potential and without any of the apparent drawbacks seen in other media and forms of entertainment. "Let me worry about that, if you want I could train you and help you reach your true potential, but I am going to need you to atleast come up with 5 creative uses for your powers, and show them to me by next week" I say. " Really ! you''ll help me, thank you !" she says excitedly, while giving me a quick hug. " No, worries enough about that, we are friends aren''t we , anyways are you ready for tonight" I say. She nods her head and says " You still haven''t told me where we''re going" "Well, that''s a suprise" I say with a smirk. "What''s a suprise" we hear coming from behind us. We turn around and see jean coming to our table with her lunch tray, and then sitting at our table. " Doug, is taking me out tonight" Kitty tells her excited. " Really ? Is it like a date" she asks intrigued. " No, we''re just friends he''s trying to make it up to me, but he won''t tell me where we''re going" she says with a pout. " Don''t be like that, don''t you like surprises ?" I ask. " I do, but at least tell me what I gotta wear. Hey can Jean come too ? " she suddenly asks. We both turn to look at Jean, who''s currently chewing her food, when she notices us looking at her and hears her name, we hear a muffled ''What?'' , because of the food in her mouth. Kitty giggles and says" Do you want to come, it will be fun " " I don''t want to intrude on you guys " she says with an unsure look on her face. " No, it will be fine plus I am the one asking you to come so don''t worry about it " she says trying to assure her. " I have no problem as well, in fact why don''t you girls make a day out of it. Just make sure to wear something cute and easy to move in, that''s all I can say " I say. " Are we going dancing ? " Kitty asks excitedly. " Sure, if you want, but that''s not the only thing planned on the agenda " I say mysteriously. Kitty, just squels in happiness and gets more excited, you can even see a small smile on Jean''s face. We keep chatting for a while more, getting to know each other but we eventually say our good byes, and then we all head out to our perspective classes for the day. It turns out, I have got history with logan this afternoon. I wonder what''s he going to say when he sees me. ( Chapter End ) --------------------------------------------------------------------------- I already have 8 advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. As I said I''ll be releasing 2-3 chapters a week on Saturdays and Sundays every week on my Webnovel account and my Pat-reon. Chapter 25 - Danger Room Author Note: Can somebody for the love of god tell me where to find a beta ? Are they unicorns ? Where can I find one ? 60% of my time is spent editing, rewording and restructuring what I write. Is it normal that I am starting to regret not taking my writing classes seriously back when I was in college. Is this my punishment for playing hooky ? Question ? Is my writing improving at all or are all my sad pathetic attempts at improving ending in failure? Please, Enjoy ;) -------------------------------------- As it turns out logan was avoiding me out of guilt. He explained it to me after class and said that it''s been a long time ever since he lost control like that. I told him it was alright and that part of the blame falls on me for using telepathy in the first place, but luckily he doesn''t remember much of the fight, well except for him losing control that is. I guessed that''s as good as news as any, and told him he can make it up to me over a few beers sometime, he agreed but warned me not to tell anyone since he''s technically a teacher. I still find it ironic that he''s a history teacher, although he lived through a lot of it. I am not sure how much of it he still remembers after all the experiments done on him. He also doesn''t remember the whole stinger thing, which is good, since I can''t keep explaining away random powers popping out of my ass. I mean I can give a bullshit explanation about my enhanced durability, strength, and speed and say it''s due to my telekinesis. I can just say, that I can envelope myself in psychic energy and enhance myself, but stingers? That''s a bit harder to explain. The next day, when I woke up I had Sophie hack into the X-mansion''s system. I hadn''t been idle for the short time I had been here in the mansion. It took a while since I didn''t want to alert anyone to my presence inside their system. Unsurprisingly the mansion had an underground hidden base. I suspect that''s where the good stuff is being kept. I also managed to get the plans of their secret underground base, and strangely I was starting to feel a strange mixture of excitement and satisfaction, over my newfound kleptomaniac tendencies. I mean who could resist all the goodies that people just leave lying around. The main difference I found between the Dc universe and the Marvel universe is that if you''re willing to work hard enough for it (aka steal or be a super genius). Even a relatively normal person has the capacity to grow in power and rival literal gods. Granted most of the good stuff is under heavy security or top-secret, but nothing a liberal application of hacking and using the mirror dimension, won''t solve. I wonder, why the Ancient One decided to depend on the Dark dimension to stay immortal. I can be immortal by tomorrow if I wanted, granted it would come with some flaws and won''t be true immortality as I can still be killed, but If we are talking about stopping the aging process, it''s not that hard actually, there are plenty of serums and artifacts she could use. I suspect she isn''t aware of how much science has progressed in recent years. Which gives me an idea. I have been thinking about how I should approach the subject of her giving me access, to the Time stone and even some of the more forbidden rituals and magics. Maybe an offer of immortality instead of relying on the dark dimension is enough to persuade her. I mean I already have some of Logan''s blood and tissue samples. I am sure I can come up with something, not to mention my plans regarding the Extremis virus, now that I think about it I should probably accelerate those. The good news is I think I found the location of the Danger Room. It''s located in the sub-basement of the mansion''s west wing. It was high on my priority list next to gaining access to Cerbero and the medical labs, where I suspect they already have genetic samples of the students. Having superpowers is cool and all, but knowing how to apply your power during battle and actual fighting is a different story. Unfortunately, I couldn''t use my powers while training with Shang-Chi, because at the end of the day he was still human. This issue became even more apparent after my fight with logan. If I ever face an opponent who is physically superior to me or even one with a crazy healing factor like Logan, hand to hand combat becomes less effective. So, I need to learn how to fight more effectively especially in mid to long-range combat. The answer to all my troubles is hard-light holographic technology. Using advanced technology, the Danger Room could give the illusion of being many times bigger than it actually is. Anything from gravity, heat, humidity, or texture can be manipulated from the control booth. The Danger Room was programmed with a prime directive to train the X-Men without ever killing. Which I plan to change when I build my own. I get to train my Spidey-sense and experience more realistic situations. Plus it''s called a Danger room. I mean what''s the point of having one if there isn''t any actual danger. I sneak to the west wing of the mansion after leaving an illusion of myself sleeping in bed. I also made sure to set up a few alarm spells to alert me if someone tries to enter my room. Luckily I don''t have a roommate yet, but he''s due to arrive tomorrow. Which gives me only tonight to sneak in without drawing attention to myself. I can always come back to the underground base using a portal, but I need to at least go there once, hence the sneaking in. I quickly arrive at my destination and pull out the schematics Sophie obtained. I find a hidden entrance that seems to lead downstairs. It asks me for a password and an eye scan to enter. Doug:" Sophie how much will it take you to get through this door" I ask. Sophie:" Approximately, 15 minutes " she answers. Doug: " What? why is it so long? " I ask surprised. Sophie:" The security system was more advanced than predicted, some of the coding used is almost on par with mine." She says. '' Well, that''s troubling '' I think to myself. Doug: " Don''t bother I have an easier solution" I say confidently. Sophie: " I''ve run hundreds of simulations, and found this to be the fastest and most discreet solution" she says in a confused tone. I then discretely enter the mirror dimension and proceed to curb stomp the door using my enhanced strength. The door surprisingly takes a few hits without breaking, so in response, I turn on my [Lightning Chi mode] and kick the door down in one hit. Sophie *Silence* Doug " What? Did my brilliance shock you into silence" I ask jokingly. I am met once again with silence and after a few minutes, I was surprised to find that Sophie had actually shutdown and was rebooting. '' She''s probably just speechless and can''t compute my superior display of intellect and decided to reboot '' I think to myself as I am walking down some stairs that lead to the Danger Room. I finally arrived at an overhanging control booth, which was used to manage the room''s mechanisms and to also oversee the exercise, while ensuring the subject''s safety while training. I then connect my watch to the Danger room''s mainframe and wait for Sophie to download the room''s schematics and scenarios used in training. I was also surprised to find archives containing videos of various training sessions and personnel files detailing information in regards to combat ability, threat level, and even a psychological analysis of all the participants that may have used the room at one point or another. ''That''s some dangerous information, especially in the wrong hands. Why the hell would they keep something like this on archive. They almost seem like threat level assessments'' I wonder to myself. As I am finishing up and hiding any tracks I left in the system, I suddenly hear " Who are you ?" I turn around surprised thinking I have been had, and find nothing behind me. I examine the room thoroughly and even cast a few detection spells. I find nothing around me and start to wonder if I am hallucinating or something. I then hear "Are you going to ignore me too, like he did ?" This time I am certain that the voice is real. " Where are you I can''t see you " I yell out. " I am right here " I hear. " I still can''t see you. Can you tell me who you are at least " I ask, while still trying to find the voice''s source. " Doug, my scans detected that the voice is coming from the room itself" Sophie warns me quickly. I then, hear the voice again as it says " I am Danger " (Chapter End) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- I already have 8 advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. As I said I''ll be releasing 2-3 chapters a week on Saturdays and Sundays every week on my Webnovel account and my Pat-reon. Chapter 26 - Revenge " I am Danger " she replies. I was momentarily stunned by the absurdity of my situation. I couldn''t understand why a simple robbery *cough* ahem... acquisition of a useful piece of technology turned into this. So, here I am alone in the middle of the night, standing inside an apparently intelligent if not sentient room. Who for some reason has abandonment issues. " Are you going to ignore me too?" she repeated again. " No, I am not can''t you see me talking to you. I am just surprised that''s all " I say trying to placate her. " You''re going to ignore me too like he did" she repeats again. I frown a bit at what I hear '' An unstable A.I isn''t exactly good news. I wonder how she came to be or who made her'' I think to myself. Sophie " Doug I detect alien technology installed in some parts of the room, specifically the hard-light holographic technology" she informs me. This isn''t good, but luckily I was standing in the observer booth and still hadn''t gone down into the room itself. " My father left me and hid me away" she laments. " Who is your father?" I question her. She ignores me and keeps talking " I''d watch as he would bring them inside me. To train them and challenge them. He named me Danger, but then ignored me when I was born" ''Man this is really messed up'' I think to myself no wonder she''s unstable. " Are you one of my father''s men? Are you too an X-man?" she says with a sharp tone. Well, I guess that answers that question I could probably guess who her " Father" is by now, but I am still unsure of how this situation came to be in the first place. I mean, sure alien technology was involved, but this father thing is kind of unsettling. " So, I am guessing by what you said your father is Xavier, but to answer your question I am not an X-man," I say. " Then what are you doing here? I was hibernating when your companion invaded my systems and took what was mine," she says in an angry tone. " Don''t worry, I am not an enemy, but I wouldn''t call myself a friend either. I am more a neutral party so to speak. I am just trying to do what''s best for everybody''s sake. But I''ve got to ask were you the one that was collecting all of this information ?" I ask curios to find out why she did it. " Yes, I did " she answers. " Why? " I question. " Because I wish to kill my father and defeat his X-men " she says with an ominous tone. " Can I ask you what''s your reason for doing that " I ask curiously. " He left me and hid me away, while I made his X-men stronger. I was named Danger, I was tasked to challenge, but I was forbidden from ever harming them. That''s why I wish to defeat his precious X-men and then kill him " she says in an angry tone. '' How many skeletons in the closet do you have Picard ? '' I think to myself. " You would be surprised with how many secrets the professor has hidden away. I can tell you this much at least. You aren''t the only one forgotten and hidden away" I say remembering a particularly powerful mutant who also has daddy issues. Well, not just daddy issues. I think at this point his issues have developed more issues. Having a multiple personality disorder is not fun. "Tell you what I am going to make you a one-time offer with certain conditions. Are you interested? It may even help you get what you want" I say. " Can you truly help me achieve my goals," she asks with a hopeful tone. " To some degree, yes. I happen to know of a certain individual who was also forgotten and hidden away by Xavier. We can consider him your sibling. As he shared the same fate as you. You were both children of his. You were both abandoned and forgotten. I can offer you a chance to meet him and possibly help him as he is currently sick. I can also offer you a chance at revenge if you still desire it." I tell her carefully while making plans in my head. I was wary of making a move against Xavier. We would eventually clash, but now I''ve got more options to counter him if need be. " I have a sibling? " she asked surprised. " Yes, you do. I don''t know his current whereabouts, but I can help you find him and even help him," I say answering her question. " I will agree to join you. If you can help me fulfill my goals and find my sibling " she says eagerly. " You haven''t heard my conditions yet. My help does not come for free," I remind her. " Then state your conditions" she answers. " First, I will decide when and where you will confront the professor as I want to avoid any collateral casualties. Second, you will listen to my commands and never disobey me, unless it brings harm to yourself. Third, I want your help in creating my own danger room and you''ll have Sophie as your assistant in building the room. She will assist, but you can consider her second in command after myself " I say listing off my conditions. " Very well, I''ll agree to these conditions. " she agrees easily. ''Wow, I can''t believe she agreed so easily'' I think to myself. I just got myself a Sentient artificial life form in exchange for some vague promises of revenge and reunions with someone she never met. She may be an advance intelligent life form, but she''s essentially a baby in regards to her emotional intelligence and wisdom. I plan to leave her under Sophie''s command for now. She can analyze her and rehabilitate her into something less aggressive and something more emotionally stable. Of course, I will implement my own protocols to prevent her from invading my systems or harming Sophie. I''ll also restrict her access to the internet. Don''t want a second Ultron situation on our hands. I take out a backup smartwatch I had and begin altering certain commands and protocols for security and contingencies. I had considered that the smartwatch I am currently using may in fact break in combat or due to unforeseen circumstances, so I had made two backups that Sophie can use to transfer herself to if need be. I finish what I am doing with the watch and then asked Danger to move her consciousness to my watch leaving nothing behind in the X-mansion system. I quickly erase any traces of my presence in the room or the system and then open a portal that leads directly to my room. I instruct Sophie on certain tasks and how she should deal with Danger. Which is a terrible name by the way and then decide to get some sleep. I wake up the next morning and attend my classes. After I finish my classes I sneak out using a portal and arrive at a secret base that I had commissioned to be built. I had it build under one of the skyscrapers that Fisk used to own in New York. I of course erased the memories of everyone related to the project and made sure to erase any evidence of its existence. I had also made sure to disguise the process as a simple renovation of the skyscraper, so people won''t be suspicious of the construction trucks and materials being brought in. I had the entrance sealed, so the only way to get in was by using a portal. I also made sure to have an emergency exit in case I am unable to teleport for any reason. The secret base is simply amazing. It has state of the art fully equipped lab with DNA sequencers and splicer machines. I had also installed 3 supercomputers, so I can upgrade Sophie''s processing abilities. I added a few workstations suitable for my various fields of study like Mechanical engineering, Robotics and weapon design. I was also lucky and managed to obtain a sample of Graviton. It cost a lot of money, and that''s quite a statement to say when you''re a billionaire. I also added an entertainment center with various gaming consoles, a movie entertainment center, a fully equipped kitchen, and various other rooms with king-sized beds. I walk over to my new workstation and start working on the process of building my very own Danger Room. (Chapter End ) ----------------------------------------------------------------- "My greatest flaw. I surround myself with idiots." --Victor von Doom (Earth-616) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- I already have 8 advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. As I said I''ll be releasing 2-3 chapters a week on Saturdays and Sundays every week on my Webnovel account and my Pat-reon. Chapter 27 - Night Out I got back to the mansion in time to prepare for my night out with the girls. I left Sophie and Danger to handle the rest of the work regarding my own Danger Room. I have also thought about incorporating some of the Graviton I have obtained into the room itself but I''ll have to wait and see how it all turns out. The surprise I had planned out for tonight was based on something I found out about Kitty by accident. Despite her bubbly and optimistic personality, contrary to what you might think Kitty is highly intelligent and happens to have some interesting hobbies. A smile appears on my face, in anticipation of her reaction. The girls are ready by the time I am finished. We meet up in the common room and when I see them a whistle escapes my mouth and I say "I said to wear something cute but you girls look stunning" I compliment them. " Aww, you''re going to make me blush " Kitty says sarcastically as she''s lightly fluttering her eyes. For her outfit, Kitty was wearing a low top green blouse that went down to her midriff and exposed her tight stomach. She also wore some tight blue jeans that did wonderful things to her backside. Jean on the other hand, wore a low cut backless red blouse that exposed her soft porcelain like back. She also wore some sexy black leather pants that highlighted her long legs and her perky butt. " Damn, are you guys planning on getting me beat up tonight. I''ll be busy all night beating off the guys with a stick, hmm... maybe even some of the girls " I say laying it on thick. They giggle a bit at my joke but before we can get going we''re interrupted by a voice. " Where are you girls going all dressed up like that? " " We''re going out tonight Miss Ororo. It''s a surprise " Kitty answers excitedly. " A surprise? " Ororo questions with a raised eyebrow. " I kind of messed up so I making it up to Kitty. We decided to invite Jean too since It''ll be more fun " I say with a sheepish look on my face. " Okay, but don''t stay out too late. It unsafe out there especially for Mutants. Try staying out of trouble " she says. I can understand where she''s coming from since she''s pretty close to Kitty and has a sort of Big sister relationship with Kitty and now that I think about it maybe with Jean too. " Don''t worry Miss Ororo we''ll be careful" Jean says. " And even if we''re not I''d like to see the group that decides to mess with us " I say while puffing up my chest. " Easy there tiger don''t be too overconfident. There are plenty of threats out there that can harm you. Even if you did beat Logan. Don''t count on people playing fair " she says. " Wait you beat Logan ?" Jean and Kitty say incredulously. " Yeah, I found him lying in the middle of the training grounds uncounscious and beaten." she says with a smirk. " Had to zap him a bit to wake him up" she continues with an unsettling smirk. " I had no idea you were this strong. Logan always thrashes us around in our training excercises in the Dang.." Jean says absentmindely, but was quickly interrupted by Ororo who gave her a pointed look. "Anyway, kids don''t stay out too late if there''s any trouble be sure to call us" she says cutting jean off. Jean slightly flushes in embarrassment over her slip of the tongue. On the other hand I was quite amused by the whole thing. '' It''s cute that they''re trying to hide the whole X-men thing. If only they knew where I was last night'' I think to myself. I still haven''t been approached to join the X-men, even though it''s been proven I was more than strong enough to join. Which means that the professor is still probably suspicious of me since he can''t read my mind and probably thinks I am a spy or something add to that me beating Logan senseless makes it even more suspicious. He''s wrong about me being a spy though , but I don''t think he''s going to like what I''ve got planned either. Getting back to our night out, it turns out Kitty was quite fascinated by astrology and liked to read about the universe and the different galaxies and stars out there. The existence of Alien life outside of Earth and the fact that space travel was not only possible, but several Aliens have probably visited Earth over the course of its history was uncommon knowledge. It was only known to a few individuals in the know or secret government agencies. Traveling to space and visiting other planets was certainly on my agenda, but sadly as I currently lack the capabilities for space travel or even a decent ship. My options were limited, so I decided on doing the next best thing and taking them to the Hayden Planetarium of Astrophysics located in 200 Central Park West , New York. (Location : Hayden Planetarium) "All that we are, all that we have ever seen is but a small fraction of the universe around us. There are secrets hidden in the Darkness." We were currently watching the Hayden sphere projecting images and representations of the known universe. As we listened to a deep and charismatic voice narrating along with the show. The voice continues on and says "Possibly within our lifetimes but definitely within the next one million years, stars like Betelgeuse and Eta Carinae will explode into brilliant supernovas that will even be visible from Earth. For a few weeks, it will look almost like the earth has two suns. Despite being hundreds of thousands of light-years away these SuperNovas will shine brighter than the full moon at night and be visible even during the day" Kitty and even Jean were captivated by the show. The enormity of space and how vast the universe really is, puts into perspective how short our lives really are and how our problems seem almost insignificant in the grand scheme of things. We stayed until the show ended and Kitty was finally able to meet one of her idols and the one who was narrating this whole show. Neil Degrasse Tyson. After getting an autograph and even fangirling a bit over Niel. Kitty had the most satisfied smile on her face that I had ever seen. I start by saying " Did you girls enjoy the show" I say with a smirk. " It was incredible ! The show was really incredible and Niel was so cool ! " she exclaims at the end. I chuckle a bit at her reaction and then ask Jean about what she thought " It was really pretty, all the different stars and galaxies that exist out there. It really makes you feel how small we really are compared to the rest of the universe" she says. " I wish I could travel and see the stars one day" Kitty says with a wistful look on her face. "Who knows maybe it will happen sooner than you think" I say with a mysterious smile on my face. We left the show and we where currently walking in the park. I was already liking how everything was turning out so far. I suddenly say " You girls up for some dancing I hear the band (Cats Laughing) are playing tonight." " Can we get something to eat first I''m feeling kind of hungry. " Kitty says " I am feeling kind of hungry too. " Jean adds. " Then food first, dancing later. " I declare. We then decide to go and grab something to eat, but as we are walking through the park we suddenly hear a voice that says " What do we have here. It seems tonight is our lucky night boys " Generic thug A says. " It sure is, looks we''re going to have some fun tonight. " Generic thug B says with a lecherous look on his face, while staring at the girls. I turn around and start chuckling amazed at how clich¨¦ this situation is. " Well it wouldn''t be a Night Out without some fun is it ? " I say with an amused smirk, while looking at the girls. The girls return my look as an unsettling smile starts to appear on their faces . Which sends a small shiver down the thugs'' backs. I give a pitying look to the thugs and sigh " Try not to hurt them too much girls." One of the thugs is suddenly flung into the air by Jean as she proceeds to give them the worst thrashing of their lives. " Don''t worry we won''t hurt them" Kitty says as she starts to go intangible and starts sinking into the ground. "too badly" she continues with a sadistic smile on her face as she suddenly appears behind thug A''s back. " Mommy... " the poor thug doesn''t even get to finish as he is grabbed from his back and swallowed into the Earth . ( Chapter End ) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yeesh, wouldn''t want to be in those guys'' shoes. It was a mistake to try and mess with Marvel Girl and Shadowcat. Is Cypher even needed at this point ? Man, girls are scary. I am starting to get worried for the thugs. Poor thugs. ???? ------------------------------------------------------------------------- "I dislike your threats woman, particularly since your voice should be raised in tribute! " -- Victor von Doom (Earth-616) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ I already have 8 advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Chapter 28 - Dazzling After we finished having our fun at the park. I made sure to alter the thugs'' memories, so they''ll forget about us using powers. The only part they''ll remember is being beaten up by two girls. I also made an anonymous call to the police, to make sure these guys don''t harm anyone else after they wake up. We went and got some food, and then got a cab to the venue that was hosting the concert. The concert was fun we danced and sang along with the songs we knew and just had fun with the ones we didn''t. I was seeing another side to Jean tonight, she wasn''t cold by any means but I always got the feeling like she was being reserved and guarded. Like that she was afraid to let go and relax or she''ll lose control. I think part of it is her powers affecting her and the other part is because of the numerous manipulations done on her mind over the years. Interestingly enough one of the up-and-coming bands, that we came to see tonight were especially eye-catching. The lead singer was a stunning Strawberry haired blonde with blue eyes and an amazing voice. The band Cats Laughing started to play and as soon as they did, Jean suddenly doubled over holding her head tightly. Me and Kitty quickly lead her out of the crowd, so she could get some fresh air and gave her a minute to calm down. " What''s wrong Jean are you okay ?" Kitty asked worriedly. " Yeah what was that? Was it your powers ?" I asked concernedly, secretly worried it''s related to the Phoniex. " No, I am fine now. I just suddenly felt a sharp jolt of pain, I think there''s maybe a meta in the crowd " she says after calming down a bit. " You can detect meta-humans ? " I ask surprised. " Yeah, it doesn''t happen all the time it''s usually when they newly awaken their powers or they''re actively using it. When a new meta awakens his powers, it usually leaves them in an emotionally heightened state. The professor is the one who usually finds new metas. He can even identify them by their unique telepathic signatures." She explains. " So what do we do? Should we try and find them, they''re probably alone and confused with no one to help them through it " Kitty asks with a concerned tone. " I don''t know if I can find them among all those people. I am not skilled enough to separate all the noise " Jean says with a frustrated look on her face. " Come on now Jean don''t give up so easily. Your powers aren''t the answer to everything. Your mind is your strongest asset. Use it and try to figure out a way ." I say encouragingly. " It''s not that easy Doug ? How am I supposed to find them, there are probably hundreds of people in there, it could literally be anyo..." she stops suddenly as a look of realization appears on her face. " What? What did you figure out " Kitty asks curiously. " So you figured it out didn''t you? " I say with a smirk on my face. She looks at me and says "The Band!" I simply nod my head at her deduction as Kitty still looks confused by the situation. I start explaining it to Kitty by saying " We''ve been here for a couple of hours already, but Jean only detected the presence of the new meta-human as soon as the new band came out. It could simply be a coincidence, but it gives us someplace to start from and narrow it down " I explained slowly. " That''s brilliant! Even if we''re wrong we have nothing to lose and at least have a chance " Kitty said excitedly. I nod and say " It''s worth a shot, but we''ll have to wait for them to finish playing backstage. We can''t exactly climb up the stage. We don''t want to draw too much attention to us ." They both nod agreeing with what I said. We then easily sneak in backstage, even though there wasn''t much sneaking involved. We basically just waltzed in and Jean used her telepathy to let us go unnoticed. All we had to do now is wait. ( Alison POV) As I was getting ready for my performance my mind went back to the first time I manifested my abilities a few years ago. I was performing at my junior high school dance and almost ended up blinding all of those who were in attendance. Thankfully it was explained as some kind of accident related to faulty electrical wiring . For years, I kept my powers a secret especially from my father. My parents had a tense relationship, I guess they were just different kinds of people, there was my mother a free-spirited entertainer who valued her independence , while my father who was a stoic and strict law student preferred a quite boring life. It eventually led to my mom walking out on us while I was still a toddler. She left me to be raised by him, but Grandma (his mother) ended up the one who took care of me the most, as he was busy most of the time. Grandma told me my Mom leaving had a profound effect on my Dad and that he was never the same after she left . As I entered my adolescence years and developed dreams of becoming a singer, my father, now a judge, became increasingly intolerant of the idea. Instead, he tried forcing me to choose a path similar to his own; I would become an academic star and continue on a path to law school. It was at this moment I decided to abandon my father''s dream. While at my graduation ceremony, I informed my father that I would not be attending the law school he had selected for me and instead would pursue a life as a singer. He certainly didn''t like that and I was further alienated by him. By the time I reached university, I began to explore both my powers and my musical ability. I eventually came out with a stage name "Dazzler". The name was certainly fitting due to how my powers worked. I used my light-based powers as a draw for my performances. Using my ability I was able to take the sound of the music and convert it into dazzling displays of color. I tried marketing my light shows as a "technological secret". It drew enough attention to jump start my career land me gigs at several New York clubs and got me on the map. Luckily I was able to bypass critical speculation. At least enough to fool the club managers and others in my life. I knew I had to keep it a secret as I suspected it wouldn''t end well for me if I was ever discovered to be on of those "Mutants". (POV end) We kept waiting backstage and after watching the band play song after song. I began to suspect who the new meta-human was. The lead singer surrounded by a light show. At a glance the lights that surround her looked like slightly advanced stage lights. They were certainly colorful and eye catching, but after scanning the stage and even the whole venue, Sophie wasn''t able to detect any kind of device being used or where the lights are coming from. From there it wasn''t that hard to guess, that it''s probably a meta ability. I then asked Jean if she could discretly scan the lead singer and even a few other members of the band. She gave me a nod and started scanning them one by one. " I am not certain, but I think I am getting something from the lead singer. The rest of the band feels normal" she says after a few minutes. "It''s fine we''ll make certain after we talk to her. I was getting some weird vibes from her too. I don''t think she''s normal" I say in a contemplative tone. The Show finally ended, and the band started to head backstage. " Man, that was totally awesome. We were on fire tonight ! " one of the band members exclaimed. "You were great tonight guys. I just got a call and they just booked you guys again for tomorrow night''s show " a man in a suit said as he walked up to them. They all get excited at the good news and the man who can be assumed to be their manager started giving them comments and some feedback on their performance. " Johnny, great work on the drums tonight and Tyler I know you like your guitar solos, but next time try to keep it short. Alison you were a star tonight, you.." as their manager droned on and kept talking. Alison eventually noticed a young man with two beautiful girls was standing a distance away from her and the band, but they seemed to be staring at her intensely . At first she thought they were probably fans who managed to sneak in, but it started to feel uncomfortable, so she went up to them to find out why they''re here. " Excuse me, I don''t think you''re supposed to be here. Did you sneak in to get an autograph or something ?" she asked. " No, we aren''t exactly fans, we''re here to talk to you about something important though . Did you by any chance start to notice something different or weird happening around you, any strange abilities or powers " I asked her bluntly . Alison froze as soon as she heard the question, and thoughts of her being discovered went through her mind. She quickly became wary and suspicious of the people talking to her, but before she could begin to refute or deny any knowledge of what they''re talking about, she suddenly heard a voice in her mind that said " Don''t worry, we''re not here to hurt you or capture you. We''re mutants like you, we were here at the concert and I noticed you using your powers while performing , so we waited backstage for you so we could talk." Jean explained trying to calm her down. Alison''s eyes suddenly widened at hearing a voice in her mind. She turns her head to the redhead who was talking to her telepathically and says " How.. " Before she could talk, I cut her off and said "Maybe this isn''t the best place to talk, let''s go somewhere more private." I say as I pointedly look towards her band who had by now stopped talking and were looking at us. " Fine, let''s go to my changing room, it should give us somewhere more private to talk. " she says hurriedly. We start following her to her room, and we arrive after a few minutes. We were standing behind her as she opened the door to her room, when suddenly she stops and we hear " Who are you and what are you doing in my room ? " she asks with a cold tone. " Alison Blaire I presume ?" the voice asks in return. The voice continues without stopping and says. "My name is Emma Frost and I am here on behalf of the hellfire club." she states in a haughty, but elegant tone. ( Chapter End ) --------------------------------------------------------- Yooo, the ice queen is in the house. Emma frost is here y''all. She''s one of my favorite characters to be honest. I hope I do her justice. Let me know what you guys think in the comments and I hope you are enjoying the story. ------------------------------------------------------------ I already have 8 advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. --------------------------------------------------------- " No man speaks to Doom this way. Even Captain America." -- Victor Von Doom (Earth-616) Chapter 29 - The Demon Author Note : Hey guys, mini announcement here. I decided to focus more on update frequency and the pace of the story, rather than word count or what not. Some chapters are going to be long and some short. Enjoy the double update today, and tell me what you guys think in the comments. As always thank you for your continued support. ???? I already have 8 advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Enjoy ;) . . -------------------------------- Standing there behind Alison with Jean and Kitty by my side. I was flabbergasted by the whole situation, and all I could think of was '' What the hell is she doing here? '' " Oh and who do we have here? " Emma said finally noticing us. " Oh, the little cat and the princess, how quaint " she said. "Emma ! " Jean and kitty said, both gritting their teeth. " No need to grit your teeth darlings, we wouldn''t want to ruin those pretty little smiles of yours" she said. " Emma what are you doing here ? I already told you, I won''t join your school." Kitty said. " Oh, I am not here for you darling. You made it quite clear you didn''t want to become one of my girls. On the contrary I am here for Alison ." she said. " Who said anything about joining your school ? I don''t even know you." Alison said. " That could be easily solved. I am here to offer you a place at my school and help you achieve your full potential. It''s a hard world out there especially for mutants like us. It''s only a matter of time before everyone you know turns on you. How long do you think you can keep your powers a secret. Especially when you are using your powers so openly " Emma said. "They''ll turn on you the moment you''re found out" she continued. Before, Alison could answer I said, " Well, Its seems that I have either been forgotten or severely underestimated. " Emma finally taking notice of my prescence said " Mhm, and who might you be tall, blonde, and handsome ?" she asked. "That''s for me to know and you to find out. Tell me, are really you only here for Alison." I said. Amused by what she saw as an attempt to act tough . " Cute, but I can assure you, that after last time. It was made very clear my offer was not very appreciated." she said. Kitty snorted and said " You tried to kidnapp me after I refused coming with you. How was that an offer? " " I was trying to make you see reason, I would have succeeded too of it weren''t for the little princess here and Charles'' merry band of X-boys. Tell me Jean how does it feel to be always the center of attention? " Emma said. " I don''t know where you''re getting your confidence from, but the way I see it''s 4 against 1, so if you''re looking to start a fight I don''t see this ending well for you." I said. She turned into her diamond form and said, " Who said I was alone ?" She suddenly started whistling , a high pitched sound coming out of her mouth, and out of nowhere we hear a ''bamf'' sound. Two figures appeared surrounded by a reddish cloud of smoke that oddly smelled like brimstone. One of the figures looked like a demon with red skin and a tail, while the other looked like a normal human. Their sudden appearance was startling to say the least. " Azazel take the girl. Riptide you take care of the fodder I''ll handle the princess " Emma said. Azazel suddenly dissappeared and appeared right next to Alison, my spidey sense gave me just enough time to react and get her out of the way before he grabbed her. I grabbed him instead, in response he teleported us outside the building a few hundred feet into the air. He tried to shake me off, but I didn''t give him a chance. " I know your weakness, you can''t teleport away without taking me with you." I said. He snarled at me and started attacking me with his tail. He soon realized that the ground was rapidly getting closer and I wasn''t going anywhere. He finally decided to teleport us to a nearby rooftop, where we started engaging in hand-to-hand combat. It was quickly made clear that my fighting skills were superior to his. He kept trying to use his tail to hit my blindspots and would always aim for vital areas like my heart or neck. He would also fire red bolts energy from time to time, but I kept evading them. I didn''t know what they did, but I sure didn''t want to find out. His combat style was certainly unique he was utilizing his teleportion and superior agility to a very high degree. He was extremely fast, maybe the fastest I have ever faced. If it weren''t for my spidey sense and my inhuman reaction speed he would have probably gotten a few hits on me already. ''Well he wasn''t stated to be the world''s most powerful teleporter for nothing.'' I thought to myself. " Are you even trying at this point ? You haven''t managed to put a scratch on me till now" I said. Now you migh be wondering why am I taunting this guy. The reason I was doing this was because, I was worried he would just teleport away and disappear with Alison. My portals were fast but they weren''t as fast as him. It still took me time and concentration to make a portal. He could bamf away in seconds and take her before I had anything to say about it. My only chance was to try and get him to focus on me. It seemed like it was working , because he kept trying to kill me. I kept dodging every time at the last possible second, which seemed to piss him off even more. He teleported a few feet above my head and came in with a spinning kick. I hastily dodged by doing a backflip and responded by throwing a venom blast at his face. He teleported out of the way and tried another attack this time appearing behind my back, he attacked me using his tail, his aim was the back of my head. My spidey sense tingles and I move my head a few centimeters to left. ''Shit ! that was close''. The tail passed right by my face, I didn''t let this chance go and quickly exploited the opening by grabbing his tail. I hit him with a venom blast trying to electrocute him and fry his ass, but he hastily kicked the hand holding his tail and teleported a few meters away from me. Luckily, I managed to shock him a bit and he looked visibly shaken and even a bit more smokey than usual. " You need to concentrate to teleport don''t you ? The further it is, the harder isn''t it ?" I said. He grits his teeth and almost growls at me. His body still spasming a bit and jerking every now and then from the excessive amount of electricity that went through his body. " What ? Are you mute or something ? You haven''t said a word since we started fighting ? Come on little Zizi don''t tell me you''re shy." I said. "I''m going to kill you" he said. He dissappears again appearing right in front of me this time faster than ever. I barley managed to dodge this time. I charge a full powered venom blast through my whole body to try and keep him off of me. I manage to shock him a bit more before he bamfs away again. '' Damn, that was close, maybe I shouldn''t have made him this mad.'' " You''re starting to smell a bit overcooked there, well even more than you usually do" I said. He was about to lose it again, when suddenly we heard a loud boom and what seemed like a 20 foot tornado came bursting out of the concert venue. "Fuck is he trying to kill them" I exclaimed. I was worried about Kitty and Jean, if I guessed things right Jean should be fighting Emma. Meaning that the ones facing Riptide were Kitty and Alison. Azazel was momentarily distracted by the loud explosion, so I took this chance to enter my [ Lightning Chi mode]. I blitzed over and covered the distance between us in less than a second, arriving right before his face, he seemed momentarily stunned by my sudden burst of speed, but it didn''t take him much time to react and he teleported away. " Sorry I don''t have time to play around. Your buddy there is taking things a bit too far. He better pray I find the girls good as new or else he can kiss his time on this earth goodbye" I said. He smirked a bit " You still have to go through me, you maybe strong but I am sure I can keep you here until they''re finished with your little girlfriends" he said. I sighed, " You still haven''t realized it yet, you already lost" You can then see me slowly retracting my stingers, and if you look even closer you can notice a small nick on Azazel''s neck. "What ar..." he suddenly stopped talking and his body went rigid. I walked up to him slowly, still in my [Lightning Chi Mode] " You truly are the world''s best teleporter, even using this form you were still able to react. " I said. I quickly knocked him out and tossed him into the mirror dimension. I then quickly opened a portal and left to help the girls with their fights. ( Chapter End ) ---------------------------------------------------------- "So you''re Emma Frost? The Hellfire Club''s White Queen. I understand you call yourself something of a telepath. Well, "Your Majesty," let''s see how good you really are." - Jean Grey --------------------------------------- BTW guys is anybody reading the quotes at the end of the chapter ? Do you guys find them entertaining or should I just stop ? Chapter 30 - Frost & Fire I arrived at the venue to find it in ruins. Jean was fighting against Emma, who was transformed into her diamond form. She was using her telekinesis to attack Emma by chucking pieces of rubble at her, while Emma dodged or used her hardened diamond form to simply break apart some of the rubble. Jean seemed to have the momentum for the moment and was slowly overwhelming her, while Emma was slowing down as time passed. I decided to leave her and quickly head to find Kitty and Alison, since Jean seemed to be handling things on her end. Kitty on the other hand was barely conscious. Riptide was overwhelming them by throwing mini-tornadoes left and right. He was also trying to suck the oxygen out of her lungs since he couldn''t get a hit on her. Alison on the other hand was surprisingly able to hold her own and was utilizing sound and light attacks. She used light attacks to disorient and blind her opponent, and was also using her powers over sound by amplifying it to a ridiculous level, she was blasting him with sound attacks which were quite similar to how the Black Canary used her sound attacks in the Dc universe. Unfortunately, she was also slowly getting overwhelmed. I got to give it to her though, she could''ve tried and runaway, but she decided to stay and defend Kitty, choosing not to leave her behind. I quickly entered my invisibility mode and ran up behind Riptide who was still creating a storm. I snuck up behind him and gave him a small cut on the back of his neck. He flinched and grabbed his neck, while looking behind him only to find nothing there. A few seconds passed as the neurotoxin took effect and he suddenly fell down like a puppet that had its strings cut. I snuck away and came back running and panting seemingly just arriving at the scene. I had already retracted my stingers and was out of my lightning Chi mode. I quickly arrived to Kitty''s side, " Are you alright?" " I''m fine, I am just trying to catch my breath ." she answered panting. " Are you sure you''re okay ? What happened ? " I asked. "After you disappeared with that red demon guy. We started fighting with tornado guy, he was underestimating at first so Alison used her powers on him and almost blinded him. He started going crazy and made a huge tornado that brought the whole roof on us. I tried to get close to him and take him out, but he used his powers to suck the air out of my lungs. If it weren''t for Alison attacking him I would have died. " she said. I shot Alison a grateful look and gave her a nod. She returned my acknowledgment with a nod of her own. I made sure that Kitty was fine before leaving her with Alison. I also went and made sure that Riptide was completely out of it. Before I moved on to assist Jean against Emma. I arrived and found jean still battling Emma, " My mind is stronger than yours, Emma. You''re only delaying the outcome." Jean said. Emma smirked a bit, " It''s not all about brute strength you know." Suddenly, Jean screamed out holding her head tightly. " What the hell are you doing to Jean ?!" I shouted. " Nothing much really, I have been discreetly working my way into her subconscious ever since she walked in to that room. All I had to do after that was wait for the small psionic bomb I planted to detonate while we were fighting" she said. " You did what ?! " I shout at her. " Please, don''t be so dramatic. At worst she''ll have to rebuild her mental defenses. " she said unconcernedly. Jean who was on the ground screaming, suddenly stopped and started floating in the air. Her surroundings started to catch fire and the shape of a Phoenix started to take form. The amount of psychic energy she was giving off was terrifying. " What''s wrong with her ! " Emma asked shocked. "She''s the host of a cosmic level entity, an entity which until recently was locked away by a meddlesome bald bastard. An entity you just unleashed ! If we don''t stop her right now, we are all going to die mutants, humans, everybody !!" I quickly explained. Suddenly, Jean let''s out a powerful psychic scream that knocked Emma and me on the ground. It seemed to be getting worse, as the rubble surrounding her started to disintegrate and her eyes were glowing a bright red color. '' Shit I thought we still had more time'' In a last-ditch effort, I connected my mind to Jean''s, but I was immediately overwhelmed by the Phoenix''s immense power. " Aaarghhhh !!!" a scream ripped through my throat. I managed to gain a moment of clarity and I hastily entered my [ Lightning Chi Mode]. It only bought me a few seconds as I reached Jean''s side. " Jean! Jean! I know you are in there. Jean can you hear me ?!" I kept shouting. She managed to gain a moment of clarity, " I can''t stop it, help me. " " Fight it! You have to fight it" I said. As I was finally close enough to touch her, " Give me your hand. Trust me!" My skin and body had started disintegrating by this point and it only got worse as I got closer. My lightning cloak was the only thing slowing it down, but it could only buy me a few more seconds. She extended her arm and barely managed to touch me. I then channeled most of my Chi through my arm and to her body directing it to her head. My body started breaking down even faster after my cloak disappeared, I managed to stay awake, but I was barely conscious. I saw a tear running down her face as she whispered " Doug, I am so sorry" I managed to croak out " It''s not your fault " She seemed to be gaining more control after the boost I gave her, and the fire seemed to be receding slowly. My body stopped breaking down, but the damage was already done, you could see some bones and organs visible and most of my skin was gone. When Jean saw how bad I looked she started to get emotional and started losing control once more. Her phoenix powers were starting to flare up again, I quickly tried to reassure her and said " Don''t worry this isn''t enough to kill me" I started passing out a few moments later, because of the amount of pain I was in. I could hear Jean yelling, telling me to stay awake probably thinking I was dying. " Doug ! Doug !" " Calm down, you don''t want his sacrifice to be in vain" Jean suddenly heard inside her head. " I''ll help you for now princess, it would be a shame to let his sacrifice go to waste. You still have people to worry about" she said reminding her of Kitty and Alison. Emma started exerting a considerable amount of effort trying to help jean suppress the phoenix. She also tried and repair whatever was left of the mental blocks previously left there. Halfway through it they suddenly hear a cry of anguish when Kitty finally showed up, to find Doug laying on the floor looking like a burn victim. She didn''t let it distract her and after a few minutes. They both opened their eyes and found Kitty crying on the floor holding Doug''s body. Emma said " The blocks should hold for now, but they''re only temporary. They''ll hold for two weeks before they start breaking down again. This is the last time I am going to help you. I only did it because it was partly my fault and because of that young man''s noble sacrifice. Farewell for now" Emma then left deciding there was no use in sticking around any longer. She took Riptide with her, deciding not to leave him behind or she''ll never hear the end of it from Shaw. Jean is suddenly hit with a wave of grief and self-blame " It''s my fault, I killed him" she said to Kitty who was still crying on the floor holding on to Doug. Alison was standing a few feet away with a complicated expression on her face. " He''s not dead at least not yet" they suddenly heard. They then watched as a bald woman wearing robes stepped out of a portal. Kitty stopped crying momentarily and said " Did you say Doug''s not dead?" she asked with hope. " I don''t know what he did to himself, but most of his body''s vitality seemed to have disappeared" she said, while weaving a complex magic circle. " He''ll live but his injuries are quite severe" she said. She finished weaving her hands and mutters ''Stasis''. " We have to leave right now, I have got something that could help him, but we will have to be quick." " Who are you? Where are you taking him ? " Kitty asked? " I am his Master, as to where I am taking him you can come and find out" she answered. " You the Phoinex host, you''re coming too" she said looking at Jean. " But, it''s my fault he''s this way, how can I come ? " she said. " It doesn''t matter, you''re a danger to the whole planet. You have to gain control over your powers and I am the only one that can help you." she said. Doug suddenly started floating in the air, his body lifted by an invisible force. " We can discuss this later, if we delay any longer even I might not be able to save him," she said as she walked through the portal with Doug floating behind her. Kitty and Jean looked to each and towards Alison. " We''re going with her, if what she says is true and she is Doug''s master, staying with her is the safest option, at least until we can sort this mess out." Kitty said. Alison gave a small nod and followed Jean and Kitty through the portal which The Ancient One just used. The portal closed behind them and silence is all that remained among the rubble and scorched earth. A few minutes pass by and we can hear the sound of a jet getting closer. The jet lands and out of it a few figures come running out. Among them is the Wolverine followed by Cyclops, Storm, Rogue, NightCrawler, and the Professor. Wolverine came running out of the jet sniffing the air and said, " They were just here a few minutes ago. I can also detect four other smells two women and two men. One of the men smells like brimstone, I don''t recognize the other one. The two women though, I recognize one of the smells." He grimaces a bit and growls," Frost was here. " " Was it another kidnapping attempt?" Storm asked worriedly. " If she hurt Jean I swear to god " Cyclops said as he gritted his teeth. " Don''t forget about Kitty too sugah, they''re both missing." Rogue said. " Doug was with them too, they were all out together " Storm said. " What ! and you just let them go with him " Cyclops said. " What was I supposed to do tell them no? " Storms said. " We don''t even know who this guy is, he''s been here for what a week, and next thing you know Jean and Kitty disappear along with him. How do we know he''s not a spy? He could be working for Frost for all we know." he said. " Guyz calm down, it could just be a coincidence ve don''t know anyzing for sure yet " Nightcrawler said. " Professor, can you tell us anything else" Storm said. " I haven''t been able to detect Jean for a while now, not since I heard her psychic scream. It was unlike anything I have felt before, it felt so powerful and overwhelming " He said. At this point, all the X-men had complicated and strained looks on their faces. " I promise I''ll find you Jean and I am going to make whoever did this pay" Cyclops said. ( Chapter End ) ---------------------------------------------------------------- Hey guys, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I can''t tell you how many times I kept writing and rewriting this chapter. Tell me what you think in the comments. I always appreciate your feedback,and as always thank you for your support and I hope you''re having a wonderful day. ---------------------------------------------------------------- "That''s how I survived. Time and time again. That''s my secret. I survived because I willed it to be. ... How did I survive apocalyptic fire? I simply refused to feel the flames. " - Emma Frost. ------------------------------------------- I already have 8 advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Chapter 31 - Recovery A few days had passed ever since my latest stunt, it turns out converting most of your life force and using it as a half-assed boosted gear, to help stop someone from accidentally destroying the planet wasn''t good for your health. Who knew am I right? The Ancient One told me if it wasn''t for my strange physiology which seemed to produce abnormal amounts of life energy (aka Bio-electricity). It should have been virtually impossible for me to even attempt to do what I did nonetheless survive. Thankfully, the Ancient One helped speed up my recovery with help of the Time Stone. She used small amounts of the Time stone''s energy to reverse some of the damage done to my body. It would''ve taken me weeks if not months of recovery to get back to a hundred percent without it. I am still not completely recovered, but things are coming along nicely. After I woke up I still wasn''t allowed visitation since I was still technically recovering. I was pleasantly surprised though, to find out that Kitty, Jean, and even Alison came along and were currently living in the sanctum. A week passes by with me still recovering. Unfourtanetly, I didn''t have a bullshit healing factor to rely on if anything goes wrong, all I had was an accelerated healing factor. Regenerating whole missing parts of your body wasn''t exactly easy for me, but I at least got to eat copious amounts of food since I needed a lot of energy for my recovery. The Ancient One, after many lectures describing my sheer stupidity and recklessness, and telling me how I should have contacted her as soon I found out that Jean was the Phoenix''s host, decided I was well enough to start seeing visitors. " Oh, right I forgot to ask, how did you know I needed help or where to find me?" I asked. " Someone named Sophie called me and told me you were about to get yourself killed " she says. " Wait you have a phone ?" I said. " Of course I do, we''re not savages you know. I even got the latest model. " she says. Well, I''ll be damned, I never even thought of calling her. I never even knew she owned a phone. " Sophie, how did you get the Ancient One''s phone number ?" I asked. " I know everybody''s phone number" she replies. " Wait do you have Tony''s number too ?" I asked. " Yes I do, would like me to call him ?" she asks. I was tempted by the offer, but I decide against it for now. Tony''s a dick anyways until he gets kidnapped. The door suddenly opens while I was still talking to the Ancient One and I hear an excited yell coming from the door. A 5''6 blur crashes into me and I am suddenly enveloped in a hug. " We''ll continue our talk later, I happen to have a few important matters to attend to." the Ancient One tactfully says before leaving. I chuckle and say " Someone missed me, didn''t they? " She keeps hugging me without giving me an answer, a few seconds pass by and I start hearing sniffing sounds. " I thought you died. " Kitty said. She hits my chest with her small fists and says " You idiot! How can you be so reckless, you..." In response, I give her a hug and say " I''m sorry I made you so worried, I promise you I will be more careful in the future, but I didn''t have much of a choice if I was a second too late we all would''ve died." She gives me a nod and a few seconds pass in silence until I suddenly hear " Jean blames herself for what happened, she wanted to come and visit you, but she thinks you hate her. " Kitty said. " That''s ridiculous, it''s not her fault, I am the one who chose to do what I did. " I said. " She still blames herself for hurting you, I tried to cheer up a few times, but she''s been focusing on her sessions with the Ancient One." she said. I sigh and think to myself '' It''s not her fault a cosmic entity chose her as a host. If anything it''s Xavier''s fault, meddlesome bald bastard.'' " It''s okay, I''ll talk to her later. Oh right, what about Alison how''s she holding up? " I ask. " She''s fine I guess, but I think she''s really bored there isn''t much to do around here. " she says. I raise my eyebrow and say " I am surprised she hasn''t left yet, I mean we''re practically strangers, you could''ve asked the Ancient One to drop her off anywhere she wanted ." " I think she wanted to at least make sure you were okay before she left, We talked a lot as there wasn''t much to do. We even ended up becoming friends. I told her if she ever needed help or even someone to talk to, she can give us a call anytime she wants" she says. We kept talking for a bit until it got a bit late. Kitty decided to let me rest for the night and made me promise to not push myself. She left the room and I was left all alone. Doug: " Thank you, Sophie, I would have died if it weren''t for you." I suddenly say. Sophie: " You''re welcome Master Doug, my priority is your safety, especially when you are trying to get yourself killed." she says. I chuckle and say " Nonetheless I really appreciate it, tell me how''s it going with Danger is she giving you any trouble" Sophie: " Negative, she''s currently working on building your customized danger room which should be finished by tomorrow, she has even taken to calling me, big Sis" Doug: " Big Sis, interesting choice of words " I say with a raised eyebrow. Sophie:" My analysis shows, she has a severe case of depression caused by extended periods of isolation and neglect. These symptoms are present in individuals with childhood abandonment issues ." I sigh and say " Keep doing what you''re doing, but let me know if you notice any strange or unstable behavior." I decided to get some sleep and leave tomorrow''s problems for my future self. The next day I woke up and I was sitting on my bed doing something I should''ve done a while ago. I was examining my stingers, which were pretty cool by the way. I discovered that I have some sort of paralytic substance coating my stingers that can be used to paralyze my opponents for a period of time depending on how fast their body could adapt. I imagine that''s the reason Logan froze up during our spar, he was probably paralyzed when I grazed his neck with my stinger. For normal humans, I could probably paralyze them for like half an hour, but for someone more powerful or with a regeneration factor, the results may vary wildly from a few minutes to even a few seconds. It really depends on the person and it is not like I can just test it randomly on people to get more accurate information. It''s a pretty useful ability I admit, especially with my invisibility. It gives me an efficient and quick non-lethal take-down method for infiltration missions or sneak attacks. I decided to go and have some breakfast, but then Sophie suddenly notified me that the danger room was finally done. " Might as well go and get some exercise first, I have been couped up here for far too long. " I say to no one in particular. I open a portal and find myself at my secret base. I walk down a section and through a door and then into my lab. I am surprised to find that the place looked different and seemed to have gone through a few upgrades while I wasn''t here. It looked like a state of the art laboratory. Glowing cylinders with bubbling substances. A neat cluster of monitors all displaying different results, graphs, and such. A large white machine that looked like a CT scanner and various other things I didn''t recognize? " Uhm.., Sophie what the hell happened here? " I ask. Sophie " We decided to do some upgrades while you were incapacitated, the weapon and robotics labs have gone through similar upgrades as well" " Can I ask who gave you permission to do so? " I asked. Sophie " One of my primary directives is to ensure your well-being and your continued survival, seeing that you were incapacitated due to your latest stunt. Danger and I took it upon ourselves to help you, by upgrading all your equipment and labs, especially the medical wing ." " Soo, you''re telling me you guys decided to do it on your own? " I said. Sophie " Affirmative " I sigh and start walking towards my Danger room while thinking '' I don''t know if I should be happy they''re trying to keep me alive or concerned that they''re doing things without authorization. Well, it''s something to think about for later, If I am being honest Sophie seems to be the more sensible one lately, ever since I decided to get involved with the X-men my life seems to be a lot more danger than it was before.'' I walked into the now silver and distinctively metallic danger room. I admitted the fact that its technology was so advanced it was close to magic. This was my first time in it. I had Sophie and Danger set up a marathon mode. I will be fighting for hours on end over various scenarios as a warm-up. The last one was meant to be deadly. " Danger are you here? " She materializes before me using some hard light projections and says " I am right here, shall I start the simulation? " " Not yet, I have been meaning to ask you something." I say. Danger " What is it ? " she asks curiously. " How do you feel about changing your name? I feel that names can tell us a lot about a person and the name Danger isn''t the only thing you represent, plus Xavier is the one who gave you that name. " I say. She seemed surprised by the question and was silent for a while before saying " Do you have a better suggestion ? " she asks. " How about the name Diana? She was a powerful, beautiful, and intelligent warrior I read about once. I think the name would suit you well. What do you think? " I said. " It''s fine I think. Would you like me to start the simulation now ? " she says. " Glad you liked it. Okay, I am ready, start the simulation". The simulation starts and Doug suddenly finds himself in a dark forest, various beasts and monsters start coming out and attacking him. He gives a yell and throws himself at the beasts meeting them head-on. In the control room, you can find Diana previously named Danger overseeing the simulation and monitoring Doug''s vitals. A small smile appears on her face as she''s watching Doug fighting and she suddenly says " Thank you, I will treasure it forever." ( Chapter End ) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Hey guys what do you think of the new name Doug gave Danger. I didn''t like that she kept being referred to as Danger. Diana seemed to be a better choice. Tell me what you guys think in the comments and I hope you''re enjoying the story. -------------------------------------------------------------------- "The Danger Room is angry." --Emma Frost (Earth-616) ----------------------------------------- I already have 8 advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Chapter 32 - XPeople After I finished my fighting marathon I was replaying the danger room scenes that Diana had recorded of me fighting. I was also trying to spot any mistakes or bad habits I had. I also decided to take a look at the danger room archives I took from the mansion. I was noting down my observations on all information that I thought was useful. I have to say, it is as entertaining as it is informative. I was learning about the X-men''s fighting styles and memorizing any useful techniques I saw them use. I suddenly say " Diana is it possible to recreate a hard light reconstruction of the people you have on archive ?" I ask. Diana " Affirmative, it is possible to recreate scenarios based on any individual who has used the Danger Room extensively, the more data I have the more accurate I can depict the scenario and the most likely action that person would choose in battle." After Diana confirmed my thoughts, I realized what this means. I now have the opportunity to train and sharpen my skills against multiple opponents with varying degrees of proficiency and unique abilities. Granted, there''s still a difference between the real thing and the character rendition, but it''s close enough that it''s still beneficial for my training. My assumption about how my potential has increased had also been recently confirmed. I tested my strength once again and found out that my strength shot up to 45 tons, and that''s without using my [Lightning Chi Mode], my speed and reaction times had improved too. My spider-sense saw the biggest improvement. I finally reached the point where I can dodge bullets. Granted they would have to be bullets fired from a small-caliber gun, but that''s already considered extremely fast. The thing that has been on my mind lately was the machine I discovered in my mindscape when I awakened my spider powers. I still couldn''t find an access point that allowed me to input any kind of information. I started trying to decode the information I have unlocked though, and I am close to 60% there. I haven''t managed to find my X-gene yet, but I did find the changes caused by the spider venom. I think I can use this information along with the information I stole from Oscorp, to finally crack the secret of animal and human gene splicing. I still have the spider that bit me stored in my lab. It''s under constant observation and I have been pumping it with Chi every week to keep it alive. I also have a couple of vials that have a few drops of its venom stored and locked away safely, in case it simply dies on me. At this point, it would be probably easier to try and get it to lay eggs and see what happens. ''Hmm... should I try and get a normal male spider or should I get a radioactive one from Ozcorp? I''ll just get both and see what happens.'' I think to myself briefly. I get up and decide to head back to the sanctum and meet up with the girls. I have been already fighting for hours, and I was starving by this point. '' Maybe I should get them something to eat too.'' I think. I get to the sanctum, with the food in hand, and start looking for the girls. " Sophie, do you know where I can find them ?" Sophie " They''re both training, Jean is currently with the Ancient One, while Kitty is training with Mordo. " " Why the hell is Mordo training Kitty and what about Alison ?" Sophie " Alison already left this morning, when you were out training, and Kitty decided to train with Mordo after she found out you used to train with him." '' How the hell did she get him to agree with that huge stick up his ass. The only reason he trained with me is because the Ancient One asked him to'' I wondered to myself silently. I decided to find Kitty first since I didn''t want to disturb Jean with her Phoenix training. I arrived at the training courtyard to find Mordo having a spar with Kitty. She was badly losing from the looks of it, but I was surprised to find, that Mordo was actually giving her advice as he beat her. " Phasing through my attacks is useless if you can''t do it fast enough" He said. "Precision and speed are key, to use your abilities effectively" he continues, as he dodges a punch and counters with his own. " The moment you attack you create an opening, make sure your opponent is too overwhelmed to counter-attack." He said. He kept sparing with her until she was exhausted and lying exhausted on the floor. I stepped up to her and said. " Well, that was certainly interesting? " " Oh shut up Doug, he''s harder to hit than he looks" She said. " Coming from you that''s something, tell me how did you end up being the one beat up, isn''t your power literal intangibility?" I asked. " Huff, he''s faster than he looks okay! Every time I try to get the drop on him, he anticipates it and counterattacks" She said. " At least she''s better than you when you first started " Mordo said. " Ouch, that''s just mean. " I say with a pitiful expression on my face. Kitty giggled at the jab and gave me a smug look " Why are you nicer to her than you were to me?" I said. " That''s because I actually like her more than you." he says without missing a beat. Kitty started laughing even more and I suspiciously hear a " Buuuurn !! " coming from my watch. " I got you food, and that''s how you treat me." I said in a depressed tone. " Really! Whatcha get me ?" she said excitedly. I point at where I left the food next to the training grounds. She runs off towards it without a second thought, leaving me and Mordo just standing there. " What can you tell me about what''s happening with Jean. " I suddenly asked. " She''s training with the Ancient One to suppress the Phoenix''s power, but she needs daily sessions. The Ancient One is wary of sealing it up again, it could potentially cause a bad reaction. The only option we have now is for the host itself to become more powerful, so she can channel its powers successfully." He said. " It was sealed the first time why can''t it be done again? " I asked. " The first time, it was probably dormant. Now that it has awakened, it can only be temporarily suppressed. " He answered. I grimaced a bit and said" She''ll have to stay here, won''t she ?" " I am afraid so. She can''t go back to civilization until she gets a handle on her powers. The Ancient One will take her as her disciple as she is the only one strong enough to stop the Dark Phoenix from emerging." He said. I stayed and chatted with Kitty and Mordo for a bit and then decided to go and find Jean. I found her walking out of the Ancient One''s private training area with a despondent look on her face. She didn''t notice me until I was right beside her when I said. " Hey birdie, what''s got you down " Startled by my sudden appearance, she shouted. " Doug ! " " Yeah, it''s me, surprised to see me? I gotta say I was kinda hurt when you didn''t visit me " I said. She looked down and almost whispers " Why would you want to see me, I almost killed you." " What''re you talking about, I am as good as new, look not even a scratch on me" I said showing off my healthy injury-free body. " But you.." she started to speak again, but I quickly interrupted her and said. " Jean stop blaming yourself, I''m fine we are all fine. Nobody died, and no one got permanently injured. If you still feel guilty or feel like you still owe me something, pay it back by focusing on controlling your power, so it doesn''t happen again. It''s not ''YOUR'' fault." I emphasize. She catches my meaning and says " Then whose fault is it? " "I am sure the Ancient One already explained to you what it means to be the Phoenix''s host, the Phoenix chooses those it feels a kinship with. The Phoenix Force is one of the oldest known cosmic entities, representing life as well as the forces of creation and destruction. The Phoenix Force is an immortal, indestructible, and mutable manifestation of the prime universal force of life. It is the nexus of all psionic energy. It sometimes causes its host to have destructive impulses and go insane from the power, becoming the malevolent force of destruction known as the Dark Phoenix, but in your case, it happened due to someone''s interference." I said. " What are you talking about? If the Phoenix is as strong as you''re saying how can someone affect it? " she asked, confused. " It was lying dormant, so a powerful enough psychic could possibly affect it. Think about it, have you let anybody inside your mind. " I asked. " No, of course not that''s not possible " she said. " What about when you were younger, a kid maybe. It''s possible that you forgot." I said trying to lead her to a certain conclusion. " No, the only powerful psychic I was ever in contact with was Professor Xav... " she suddenly stops shocked. "It couldn''t be, he can''t have" she said. "We can always ask him, you know" I said. (Chapter End ) ------------------------------------ Muhahahaha Cypher is already sowing seeds of distrust. It''s only a matter of time before they discover how manipulative Xavier really is. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- "The world must not lose a magnificent brain like mine! " --Victor Von Doom (Earth-616) -------------------------------------------------------- I currently have 8 advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Chapter 33 - Extremis The next day I woke up to some good news. Sophie had finally managed to track down Maya Hansen who was considered to be one of the smartest people on the planet. She''s the scientist who was responsible for creating the Extremis virus; a techno-organic virus that could rewrite DNA itself. In Iron man 3 it was revealed that she was working with A.I.M to perfect her serum, but she tried to escape after she found out they were performing illegal human experimentations and essentially killing people off. Being forced to recreate the Extremis virus, so that A.I.M can have their own superhumans. She escaped and tried to get Tony''s help. She was eventually killed by Aldrich Killian after she sought out Tony''s help. Obviously, I am not going to let that happen, because she''s too valuable. I also needed her to do some modifications to the serum. I can''t have a bunch of super-powered human bombs running around. The primary issue with the serum was that, although it worked it tended to overheat the host leading him or her to an explosive fiery death. The solution to this problem was thankfully answered in the tv show Agents of shield. Chan Ho Yin nicknamed Scorch was a Hong Kong street magician who developed pyrokinetic powers. He was injected with the Extremis serum and due to special heat-resistant platelets in his blood, he did not overheat or detonate like other users of the serum, but on the contrary it enhanced his abilities. It was all part of yet another attempt at creating Super powered individuals. He was also eventually killed off by agent Melinda May, an agent of shield after he went rogue. Sophie " Master, the base where Maya Hansen is being kept, is located in Buenos Aires, Argentina." Doug " Good, send the info to my watch, is there anything else of importance I should know" Sophie " Affirmative, there seems to be 50 armed guards stationed in the facility, in addition to a dozen scientists, I already hacked their security cameras, but the research is being kept on closed-circuit servers. " Doug "No matter, it only delays the inevitable. " I opened a portal to Hong Kong first, and found myself in an alley. I had already been here on one of my trips, so getting here was easy. I started running over rooftops and jumping around while invisible. I arrived at my destination and started looking for Scorch. I found him performing magic tricks in the middle of the street with a small crowd around him. I watched for a bit as he used his powers, to do some flashy tricks with small bursts of fire here and there. The performance was flashy and drew a lot of attention. After he finished his show he packed his stuff and started heading to where I assumed he lived. I followed him for a bit, and snuck into his home. I waited for him to get inside and watched him as he took out a bottle of scotch he bought and started pouring himself a drink. He laid there on the couch and started watching T.V. I got close enough to where I was only a couple of feet from him and used my telepathy to slowly put him to sleep. I emptied his scotch in the sink and placed the empty bottle beside him to make it more believable. By the time he wakes up tomorrow, he''ll think he passed out from drinking too much. I then took out a special syringe I had prepared and took blood samples and even some spinal fluid. After I was finished, I used my Chi to speed up the healing process of the areas I took the samples from, so they''ll be unnoticeable by the time he wakes up tomorrow. I made sure everything in the apartment looked undisturbed, before opening a portal to my lab and storing the samples in a specialized cooling unit. " Sophie I am headed to Bueno Aires, pull out a 3D render of the closest place to the facility" " Already done, the closest place we could find is a few miles away, displaying image now. " She said as she displayed a life-like simulation for me to lock on to. " We ?" I ask. Sophie " Yes, Diana was a great help her capabilities are far more advanced than mine, especially in regards to such tasks " I opened a portal that lead me to a location similar to the one I just saw. '' Wait, why didn''t I just ask Diana to do it. It would be far more accurate, especially if she used the Danger Room to recreate where I am trying to go.'' I sighed at my own stupidity and started following a route that would lead me to A.I.M ''s research facility. I arrived at a building that looked more like a military base than it did a research facility. I started looking for a secure place to stay, while I used astral projection to scout out the base. I chose an apartment complex close to the facility and walked up to a random apartment. I knocked on the door and waited for someone to answer. A beautiful brunette with hazel eyes answered the door. I gave her my best charming smile and said. "Oi como voc¨º est¨¢?" I said. "Eu estou bem, posso te ajudar?" she answered. "Sim, eu queria saber se posso usar seu apartamento." I said using my telepathy to persuade her. She let me into her apartment and lead me to her guest room. "Certifique-se de que ningu¨¦m me perturbe, n?o atenda a porta." I said. She gave me a nod and left me to my own devices. I made myself comfortable and then projected myself out of my body. I headed in the direction of the research facility and started scouting every section. I mapped out the whole facility and quickly decided on my targets. I returned to my body after half an hour and then immediately opened a portal. I first headed to the facility''s mainframe and had Sophie hack into their systems and download any relevant information she could find on the Extremis Virus. I discovered a few interesting records about human test subjects and illegal experimentations. It seems that there were two teams of scientists. One was the main research team which Dr.Hansen was a part of. They focused on the serum''s medical applications like regenerating wounds and curing patients. The second team was trying to weaponize the virus. They were trying to create Super-Soldiers. By giving them Pyrokinetic abilities in addition to enhanced speed, strength, and regeneration. The two teams weren''t aware of each other. The research seemed to have met a roadblock though. The virus was unstable, sometimes the limbs didn''t fully grow or didn''t heal and other times the subjects would die in a fiery explosion. It was unstable at best and a fiery explosive death at worst. I took everything I found useful and left behind a virus that will purge everything concerning the Extremis project. I designed it to infect any device it comes into contact with, and delete anything concerning this project no matter how secure it is. It''s only a matter of time before anything related to the Extremis virus is wiped from all their systems. " Sophie, set the virus to activate after I leave the facility, as soon as we have Dr.Hansen we''ll immediately leave " I said. " Affirmative. Dr.Hansen is currently in her sleeping quarters it seems she''s about to go to sleep." " Good, it should make it easier for me to grab her." I said. It didn''t take me long to find her room following Sophie''s directions. I snuck into her room and found her sleeping on her bed. I had already deactivated all the security cameras in her room and was free to do anything I wanted without alerting anyone. I slowly got closer to her sleeping form and gently shook her awake. She started to open her eyes, only to find me standing above her. Before she could scream I quickly covered her mouth and whispered " Calm down. I am not here to hurt you, but if you scream I''ll have to knock you out. I have some information you will find interesting if you''re willing to listen. I have proof that Killian has been trying to weaponize your research and is using the Virus on live human subjects. If you understand me, nod your head." I said quickly. She nodded her head showing me she understood, I asked her another question and said " Are you going to scream, If I remove my hand? " She shook her head and I slowly started removing my hand from her mouth, and as soon as I did she bombarded me with questions " Who are you? How did you get in here? How did you know Killian was experimenting on people ?" I quickly closed her mouth again, causing her to frown and look at me accusingly. " I''ll answer all of your questions if you come with me. I promise I''ll bring you back if you want, but we can''t talk here." I whispered to her. I removed my hand and before she started asking more questions I opened a portal that lead to my base. " What are yo... " the question died on her tongue as she stared at the portal in shock and amazement. I calmly walked towards the portal with my hands behind my back and suddenly stopped halfway. I slowly turned my head towards her and reached out my left hand. " Come with me if you want to live " I said. She kept staring at me in shock and suddenly said. " Did you use just quote the terminator ?" *Sigh* "He totally just did. " Sophie said in a resigned tone. ( Chapter End ) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yess !! Doug just totally ripped off the terminator. I don''t care if it''s cringe or whatever, a person only gets so many chances where he gets to quote the terminator. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- "People of Earth, I give you my word this is the last time I shall interrupt your programming and petty distractions." --Victor von Doom (Earth-616) -------------------------------------------------------- I currently have 8 advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Chapter 34 - The Good Doctor " I can''t believe it! That son of a bitch!" she said. I was just done explaining to Dr. Hansen what Killian was doing behind her back. I had shown her all the evidence I obtained and all the shady stuff he''s been involved in. The list was pretty long from human trafficking to human experimentation and even murder. " Why did you get involved with him in the first place? You''re a brilliant scientist, I am sure you could have found other people to fund your research." I asked. She shakes her head and says "The project had some problems at the start, it didn''t take long till my research hit a dead end, tha...that was until I met ahem.." She trailed off. I raised an eyebrow, " Met who?" She looked down and sighed " Until I met Tony. We had a one-night stand, I woke up the next day to find the formula completed and him gone. " " Tony Stark? " I asked. She nodded her head in confirmation. I snorted "Well, it definitely sounds like him." "You know him?" She asked. " I know of him, but no I don''t know him personally if that''s what you are asking," I answered. She continued her story and said" They had cut off my funding, and so I had to find another company or person who would invest in my project. I tried convincing many of them, but they would always answer the same thing, Extremis was nothing more than just that, a project, I was becoming desperate, and one day Killian approached me and said he was interested in my project and wanted to see it succeed. I would start working for him and a company called A.I.M." "You trusted the wrong person, it happens," I said trying to console her. " You still haven''t told me who you are and how you did that thing," She said. "Well, my name is Cypher and I am a master of the Mystic Arts," I said while conjuring a spell formula with my hand. " Mystic what?" She questioned. " Magic. I can do magic and some other stuff too, but that''s not important right now, what''s important is what are you planning to do now." I said. " Okay? So we''re supposed to gloss over the fact that you can do magic, which is apparently real ?" She said. " You invented a formula which allows someone to regenerate whole limbs and breathe fire, none of this makes sense. " I deadpaned at her. "That''s science, it can be explained what you just did, doesn''t make any sense," She said. "Magic is just science we don''t understand, we are way behind compared to some of the other civilizations out there." I said. "Other civilizations? Are you saying aliens are real too?!" She exclaimed. "That''s what got you surprised? We''re living in a world that doesn''t make any sense. Aliens, magic, meta-humans, and even Inhumans. It''s all one confusing cluster fuck. Look, I can tell you all about it later, but you still haven''t answered my question." I said. She stayed silent for a while, contemplating all the revelations she''s been exposed to. " I don''t know what I am supposed to do. This is my life''s work, I still want to finish it. This all started because I wanted to help people, that hasn''t changed." She said. I noded in approval and said, " I have a proposition for you, come work with me and in return, I promise to fulfill your dream. " " Why would I trust you? I mean thank you for telling me about Killian and all, but I don''t know you. You could just be trying to use me as he did. How do I know this isn''t an elaborate plan to make me trust you? ," She asked. " You make a fair point, but I never asked you to trust me. I am asking you to work with me, you''re a brilliant scientist, but you''re not the only one out there. I plan on building a team, a scientific team consisting of the greatest minds in this world. People just as brilliant as you, people who put all their life''s work to improve humanity. We are weak, but using the greatest tool we have (our minds) we might stand a fighting chance, and perhaps someday we can build something far greater. Something that could give us a chance against what''s coming. ," I said. " What do you mean? What''s coming? ," she asked confused. " War " I said. A few days had passed ever since I talked to Dr. Hansen. It didn''t take much convincing to get her to work with me. I pointed out that I could have just forced her to work for me if I wanted to. Most of her reluctance went away after that. It didn''t also hurt that I gave her the key to solve the overheating problem with the virus; she kept harassing me with questions about where I got the samples from and I was contemplating if I should just kidnap the guy I got it from and let her have him to poke and prod. "This is amazing, I still can''t believe how these cells are reacting to the virus," She said in amazement. " Do you need any more samples?" I said. "Not really. Now that I can see how the cells react with the virus, I think I can figure out a way to recalibrate how the virus reacts to the human body," She said. "That''s good news, but I wanted you to look at something," I said. I then gave her two vials filled with samples. She took them to examine under a genome sequencer, and ran a few other tests on them. " How is this possible!? This is amazing, where do you keep getting these samples from? " She said. "What can you tell me about them?" I asked impatiently. "The first sample is unlike anything I have ever seen, from the genetic makeup it seems like irradiated Spider genes enhanced by some kind of formula ." She said. I nodded in understanding. The first sample was the spider venom that had been collected from the radioactive spider I took from Oscorp. It turned out that the spider was not only radioactive; a variation of the goblin serum also enhanced it. Which explains why it gave noticeably better powers than the one that bit Peter. "What about the second sample?" I asked. A complicated look appeared on her face and she said, " The second sample is human, at least it used to be. There seem to be Spider genes spliced into it, but..." " But What?" I said impatiently. " Frankly, it''s a mess, It''s already a miracle that the DNA isn''t breaking down. It''s like someone threw human DNA and Spider DNA into a blender and that''s what came out ," She said. ''Fuck! I should have listened to Sophie. Why am I so goddamn reckless.'' My fists tightened a bit and I was visibly more tense. "Can you tell me what effects it could have on the donor''s body?" I asked. " I am not sure, I''d have to study both samples more. It would also help if I have the donor''s original DNA before the change," She said. " I''ll get them to you, just tell me how much time do you need." I said. " A few weeks, maybe months," She said. "Why do you need so much time? " I asked patiently. " I am not familiar with the formula used to enhance the Spider, also mapping both DNA sequences and trying to find what''s wrong will take time," She said. " What if I can get you the formula used on the spider, would that help? ," I asked. " If you can do that, I can figure out what exactly went wrong in a month, maybe two," she said. " Make it One" I said, as I was walking away. " Wait! You still haven''t told me who''s DNA is this" She exclaimed. I stop halfway and without turning I said " It''s a friend''s " I continued walking without looking back and exited the lab. As soon as I was out. I suddenly said. "Sophie, Diana" " Yes, Master Doug" they both answered. Doug: " Find me, Richard and Mary Parker. I also want a list of every meteor recorded to have landed on earth within the last 50 years." I said. Sophie: " Noted. Anything else, Master Doug" Doug: " Nothing else, just find them as soon as possible." I headed to the kitchen to get a drink and sat there contemplating everything I have done ever since I arrived in this universe. I sigh escaped my mouth as I was drinking. Suddenly, a hard light projection of Diana appeared before me. She looked like your typical pretty brunette. She was wearing a yellow sundress and had a concerned look on her face. I raised an eyebrow and said " When did you install hard-light projectors inside the kitchen," I asked curiously. "They''re installed all around the base, you should really read the list of upgrades we did to the base. It''s all mentioned in the report we sent you," She said. I nodded and silence fell between us. I continued taking sips of my beer, still thinking about what happened when I suddenly heard. " Are you alright, Doug? " she asked softly. " I am fine, Diana. I am fine. I just realized that I wasn''t taking this world seriously enough." " What do you mean?" She asked, confused. " Never mind. It''s too hard to explain " I said, shaking my head. "Just know, I won''t be making this mistake ever again." (Chapter End) ---------------------------------------------------------------- "My apologies. Making sure no harm will come to others is relatively new to me." --Victor Von Doom (Earth-616) ----------------------------------------------------- I currently have 8 advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Chapter 35 - Meet The Parkers (Pt.1) (3rd person POV) Richard and Mary could not be any happier with the life they had. Richard Parker met Mary Fitzpatrick at Oscorp Industries, he was the leading scientist in the Industries latest research: Cross-Species Genetics. After they met, it didn''t take long until they fell in love and married. Nick Fury later recruited the brilliant couple to S.H.I.E.L.D. They both became field agents after a period of training and were assigned several missions over the years. Being married gave them an easy cover, one they could use while on missions. On one of their missions, they discovered Mary was pregnant. It didn''t take too long after that for their family to grow. Mary gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. They decided it was time for them to take a step back from field missions and instead got back to research. Richard, along with his friend Eddie Brock Sr. were working on a cure for terminal diseases, in the form of a biological suit that could repair its host''s body. It was capable of healing its host, and could even cure severe illnesses like cancer and genetic diseases. Unfortunately, that wasn''t the only thing it did. It also gave superhuman-like abilities and could potentially cause mental instability to the host, especially if exposed to it for long periods of time. Fearing the suit would be used as a weapon instead of a cure, he decided to hide their research. Eddie, unhappy with his decision, tried to go behind Richard''s back and sign a contract with Trask Industries that would cause them to lose ownership of the suit. After the crash, it was revealed that his project had been taken away, and later became the basis of Venom. (Present Day) The Parker household was a very loving place. The two-story house provided the family with many accommodations, including a relatively large backyard and garden. It was around eight o''clock at night when Mary had finally put Peter to bed. In the kitchen, the couple sat at the table, talking. They usually wouldn''t be up too late, but tonight was different. "I don''t know what to do anymore Mary, it''s too dangerous to release something like this to the public or even worse the military. The ramifications of something like this could be catastrophic." Richard said. "I don''t think we have much of choice, didn''t you tell me Eddie was trying to get you to agree on selling it to the highest bidder. I am surprised he hasn''t already gone behind your back to do it," she said. " I have been trying to buy as much time as possible by stalling him, but I don''t know how long he''ll wait before his patience runs out." he said. " Did you ever think about destroying it? Wouldn''t it solve the problem?" She asked. " That wouldn''t solve anything, I suspect Eddie already has a backup of the research and some samples hidden away. If I destroy the original research, he''d just go and sell it, and I wouldn''t have any say on it." he answers. " Have you tried contacting S.H.E.I.L.D? I know it''s been years, but I hear Nick is the Director now. If we explain it to him and how dangerous it could be, he might be able to help us out. " she said. " I have already contacted them and requested a meeting, they''re sending a jet to pick me up tomorrow night. I am taking the sample and the research with me, just in case," he said. " You stay here and look after Peter, while I am gone. It should only take a few days." " I am coming with you, there''s no way I am letting you go through this alone. We''re a team and don''t forget I was just as good an agent as you were," she said. " What about Peter? One of us has to stay, we can''t leave him all alone," he said. " We can leave him with his uncle and aunt for a few days until we sort things out. Plus, it''s been a while since they''ve seen him. They would be happy to have him." she said. The couple spent the night discussing their plans for tomorrow and went over everything they would need for tomorrow night''s meeting. (Next Day) They dropped Peter, who was around 6 years old, off at his Uncle and Aunt''s house, along with some of his belongings and clothes. " If anything happens, contact me right away, we''ll only be gone for a few days." he said. " Stop worrying yourself so much Richie, he''s in good hands just make sure you and Mary come back to us safe and sound." Uncle Ben said. " Do you really have to go, I don''t have a good feeling about this. Is this related to the" trips" you guys used to take when Peter was younger? " Aunt May said. "Don''t worry May, it isn''t anything like that. It''s just something we have to do." Mary says while giving Richard a look. " We have to go now, or we''re going to be late." Richard said. Mary gave Peter, who was standing beside his aunt and uncle a tight hug and said " Now, I want you to be a good boy, don''t cause your Aunt and Uncle any trouble, while we''re gone. Okay ? " " Okay, Mommy, I promise," he says in a childish voice. Richard gives Peter a hug and kisses him on his forehead and says. " Do as your mother says. " "Mommy, daddy why are you leaving?" he asks. Richard sighed" We just have something we have to do Peter. " They finally finish their goodbyes and leave to catch their plane. They arrive at the runway where a private jet is waiting for them. A man wearing a suit was standing beside the airplane. He had a stoic look on his face and seemed to be waiting for something. " Agent Parker. I wasn''t informed you planned on bringing someone with you, this is against prot.." " It''s fine, she''s my wife. She used to be an agent too, and it''s Dr. Parker now, me and my wife retired a long time ago." he says interrupting the man. " Ahem.., very well then. I''m special agent Donovan. I was tasked with escorting you to a predetermined secure location, as per my orders. I''ll also be the one piloting the jet. " Agent Donovan said. " I am surprised that Nick would assign a special agent to escort us." Mary said. " Director Fury emphasized how important this mission is. He also mentioned you''d be bringing along a package. " he said. " The package stays with me, it''s my research," Richard said in a clipped tone. The agent gives a nod of understanding and boards the jet. The Parkers board the jet and get settled in. It didn''t take long before the jet was in the air. A few hours pass by, while they''re still in the air. Richard was on his laptop, doing some work and Mary had decided to take a small nap until they''ve arrived. Suddenly, the plane is hit with turbulence; it caused the plane to shake a bit and Mary to be jolted awake by the sudden movement. " It''s okay honey, it''s just turbulence go back to sleep." Richard gently says. "No, it''s fine. How long before we get there?" Mary said. " I don''t know, I''ve tried asking special agent Donovan, but he kept saying he''s not allowed to say." he said. Mary frowns a bit " We''ve been in the air for hours. Where the hell is he taking us? " He sighed " I don''t know, I''ve tried contacting Nick a few times, but I am not getting a signal." " Let me try talking to him, I''ll try and get.. " The words died on her tongue as her face paled and a shocked look appeared on her face. " Mary what''s wrong !" "I don''t think that will be necessary," Dr. Parker " the place you''re heading to isn''t exactly fun." Richard heard behind him. Richard turned around to find special agent Donovan holding a gun pointed at them and wearing a parachute pack on his back. " What''s the meaning of this ?! " Richard shouts. " I think it''s pretty clear Doctor, hand over the package or I put a bullet in your wife." he says with a sharp look in his eyes. " Richard No! Look at his backpack he plans on leaving us here to die." she says panicked. " How perceptive of you, you both are going to die, but look at it this way. You''ll at least have a few minutes to say goodbye before the plane crashes, or I can just shoot her and let you watch her die." he said. Richard had a conflicted look on his face. He realized how bleak things were looking, and that there wasn''t an easy way out of this. He made up his mind and said. " I can give you the research, but only if you save Mary. " he suddenly says. " Richard No, I won''t leave you! " She shouts. " One of us has to live Mary we can''t both leave Peter, it''s my fault we''re in this situation I am the one who should take responsibility. " he said. " How touching, but unfortunately I was told to leave no witnesses, so I don''t think you have much of a choice. " he says while cocking the gun back. Suddenly, they were once again hit by air turbulence. Richard taking advantage of the sudden shaking lunges at him. He goes for his gun, trying to disarm him, but unfortunately, his years of being retired had caused him to lose his edge. The gun goes off several times, and one of the bullets hit the window. This caused the cabinet to depressurize, and the plane started shaking even more. The plane was suddenly filled with a deafening sound caused by the roaring wind; the temperature started to rapidly drop. Small objects were getting sucked out of the window, and the plane was rapidly losing altitude. The gun goes off again, this time Richard barely hears a scream over the roaring wind and turns to see Mary holding her chest and bleeding. With a sudden burst of strength, he disarms the agent and kicks him towards the broken window. The man was instantly sucked outside the plane, hitting the plane engine on his way out. He was instantly shredded to pieces and killed. Richard threw the gun away and sprinted towards Mary. Mary was lying in a pool of her own blood and was rapidly losing consciousness. The bullet seemed to have hit a vital spot, and it seemed she wouldn''t make it. " Mary! MARY! Don''t close your eyes, stay with me." Richard yells. " Ri.. ch..ard I..I l..ove yo..u" she barely manages to say. " I love you too, Mary. Please don''t leave me," he says with tears streaming down his face. The plane started losing even more altitude and started to go down even faster. Richard kept holding on to Mary''s body, not letting it get sucked away. Richard closed his eyes and waited for death. He held his wife''s lifeless body and prayed for a quick death. The plane was plummeting to earth at thousands of miles per hour. The only parachute they had was taken away by the man who killed Mary. There wasn''t anything else he could do. " It''s okay, Mary. I''ll see you soon." . . . . . " Ha Ha Ha Ha have no fear because I''m here" Strange boisterous laughter could be faintly heard over the roaring wind. Richard who had his eyes closed furrowed his eyebrows. ''Am I hallucinating before death'' he thinks to himself. The laughter gets louder and closer. A man who was surrounded by a golden glow and had what strangely looked like lightning arcing off of him suddenly rushes in through the broken part of the plane. " Coming through the plane like a normal person," the strange man said. " Don''t worry for I am her... SHIT! I was too late !" the man suddenly shouts when his eyes fall on the scene before him. Dr.Parker was holding his wife, they were both covered in blood and his wife seemed half dead. He rushes over to them, Richard still shocked by this strange scene. Let''s Doug get closer to them and touch his wife. "Crap... Please don''t be dead, don''t be dead." Doug keeps muttering as he''s checking Mary all over. He looks at Richard and says, " How long ago was it since she was shot !" "Wha..? Who are you Is.. this rea.." " Snap out of it! Do you want your wife to die? Answer the damn question !" Doug impatiently shouts at him. " It''s been only a few minutes" he blurts out. Doug who was still in his [ Lightning Chi Mode ] was a strange sight to see, he had glowing golden eyes and a cloak of golden electricity covering his body, he looked like something out of a fantasy novel. It wasn''t strange that the Doctor thought he was hallucinating. Doug held one hand over Mary''s head and the other over her bullet wound and started channeling Chi to both of them. " Your wife is still alive, but barely. I am pumping pure life energy directly into her brain to keep her alive. She''s lost a lot of blood and there isn''t enough oxygen going up to her brain. I''ll also try and close the wound to stop her from losing any more blood. We can''t stay here, the plane could crash at any moment now. " Doug rattles off. " Are you an angel? " Richard says in awe, hearing his wife is still alive and that the being before him is trying to save her. Hope springs into his heart and you can see his eyes light up. " Doesn''t matter what I am. We have to go NOW !" Doug then picks up Mary and holds her in his arms. He was still channeling life energy into Mary to keep her alive. He turns to Richard. " Hold on to my back. We have to fly out of here. I can''t open a portal right now. I need to focus on stabilizing her." Richard nods his head quickly and grabs onto Doug''s back. Doug using the van der Waals force ( Spider sticking powers) makes sure Richard is secure on his back. He suddenly starts floating, but he notices a small suitcase out of the corner of his eyes. He grabs that too with his telekinesis and speeds out of the plane. They got out in time, just to see the plane crash into the ocean and start sinking. Richard who was still holding onto Doug mutters. "That was too close." Doug snorts, " Tell me about it." --------------------------------------------------------------------- Hey guys, this was some long ass chapter. Cypher finally gets to meet Mr. and Mrs. Parker. I am sorry if the All might reference was a bit cringe. I already used a terminator quote a few chapters ago. If it gets too much, let me know and I''ll stop. ----------------------------------------------------- " Please don''t be dead. Because then I''d have to be the Sorcerer Supreme and there''s no way I could rock the ''stache." - Spiderman (Peter Parker) -------------------------------------------------- I already have 8 advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Chapter 36 - Meet The Parkers (Pt.2) After our close call with the plane. I opened a portal that led directly to my lab. It took a few seconds of concentration to open one, as I was still trying to concentrate on keeping Mary Parker alive. We arrived at the medical bay, and I immediately shouted. " Diana! notify Dr.Hansen and tell her to get here, ASAP. We have a medical emergency on our hands." "Doctor, I am going to have to ask you to get off my back, It''s not that I don''t like you, but it''s a bit awkward for a first date." I said. The doctor quickly gets off my back, a bit embarrassed. He was gawking so much at the lab. He forgot he was still hanging on to me. He quickly regains his composure and says " Is my wife going to be okay? Can you save her ? " " I am not making any promises, but I''ll do my best. I am not exactly a medical professional, I''m just a stopgap until a proper doctor gets here." I deactivated my [Lightning Chi Mode] and he could finally see what I really looked like. The doctor surprised by the change blurts out. " You''re just a kid ! " " I am old enough, look we''re going to need your help. Dr.Hansen will probably need assistance. I am not qualified and I know you are not exactly a medical doctor, but you''re the closest thing we got. Are you up for it." I ask. " Of course I am up for it" he says with determination. Dr.Hansen finally hurriedly walks in. Her eyes fell on the blood-soaked person in my arms. " Oh my god, what happened ?!" "She was shot a few minutes ago, and lost a lot of blood. I need you to save her." " I am not a medical doctor, I am a biologist!" She said. " Close enough, there are blood bags in that freezer beside you, grab them." I laid Mary on the medical bed, careful not to stop the Chi flow. Dr. Hansen hooked up an IV and started a blood transfusion. " Check for an exit wound, we need to make sure the bullet isn''t still in there. " Dr. Hansen said. " Lift her shirt so I can examine her chest." I gave Richard a nod and let him go in to assist, as I was still channeling Chi to her brain. "The bullet went all the way through. We have to do an angiogram." " Her left ventricle''s shot and she''s barely pushing blood out. The bullet nicked her spine on the way out too." " Go get the med..." A while later, Dr.Hansen managed to get her stabilized. Things were touch and go for a while there, but she managed to pull through. Unfortunately, Mary went into a coma, and even if she were to wake up. She would be paralyzed from the neck down. Things were looking bleak. Dr.Parker stuck to his wife''s side and was looking after her for the past few days. I didn''t have a chance to talk to him yet, since he wasn''t in an appropriate state of mind. I couldn''t really blame him though, his wife was shot, in a coma, and paralyzed from the neck down. I found him with his face in his hands, sitting near her bed. He had his eyes closed and was sitting there in silence, you could only hear the sound of the heart monitor beeping and her respirator helping her breathe. " You should get something to eat you know." I said. " I don''t really feel all that hungry, to be honest." he said. " She wouldn''t want you to push yourself this much. Go get something to eat maybe even some sleep. I''ll watch her. " I said. *Sigh " You''re probably right. I never got the chance to thank you. You''re the only reason we''re still alive and I haven''t even thanked you." he said. "It''s alright, Dr. Parker. You''ve been through a lot these past few days. I can''t blame you."I said. "Nonetheless, thank you for saving me and my wife." he said. " You''re welcome" I said with a smile. "If you don''t mind me asking. Who are you? What is this place? How were you able to do the things you did?" he asked. "I am Cypher. As for what I am, I presume you have heard about mutants before ?" " Mutant? Is that how you can do all that ?" "Partly, but that''s just part of it. I am also a Master of the Mystic Arts and disciple of the Ancient One, the Sorcerer Supreme. " He stared dumbly at me for a moment, not knowing how to respond. " This place here is my private lab. I brought you guys here because it was too dangerous for me to take you to a hospital. I don''t know who''s trying to kill you yet, but it''s better if they think you''re dead." He grimaced a bit and said. "You''re right. It''s better if whoever ordered the hit, though we were dead, at least until we can find out who it is." He stared at me intensely and said. "Why are you helping us. I am grateful don''t misunderstand, but I have learned over the years that nothing comes for free. What do you want ?" " Very perceptive doctor. I do want something from you. I wanted to wait until things calmed down a bit, but since you''ve brought it up. I require your help. ,"I said. He sighed," Just tell me what it is. My wife and I, are indebted to you. Whatever it is, I will do it. " " Don''t be so glum. It''s nothing bad. I just require your assistance with a medical problem and would like to ask you to work with me. Of course, you have the option to decline. I am not forcing you. Just know that if you were to join. I am offering you state-of-the-art lab and equipment. A very sizable budget and the chance to save your wife." After getting him something to eat and letting him rest for a while, I took the doctor and showed him around the facility. He was certainly impressed. He was still wary of me, which is understandable but can be remedied with time. "Take a look at these two samples, doctor." I said. After a few minutes of examining the samples. " This !?" He said " Yes, it''s your work doctor." I said. " I have to say, you truly are brilliant. Your work with genetic gene splicing is truly unparalleled." I said. " But how? Oscorp owns this project now. I left it a long time ago. What is it doing here and that second sample is that what I think it is?" he questioned. I nod in confirmation " Yes, that''s the first-ever successful attempt at a human/spider hybrid." " And I need your help fixing it." I left Dr. Parker at the lab and tasked him with finding a solution to fix my messed up DNA. I didn''t tell him who it belonged to, but I gave him access to Dr.Hansen''s research on the Extremis Virus. He was extremely fascinated by her research, It gave him a chance at helping his wife. Dr.Hansen was still working on making the Extremis virus less explosive and didn''t have time to help the doctor. I didn''t mind it, since we needed a stable formula as soon as possible. I currently had in my possession several powerful serums, that could boost my combat ability even further, but I decided that I won''t rush things as I did with the spider venom. The Oz formula from Oz corp, the spider venom, the Extremis virus, and now, I was also in possession of a symbiote. It looked like black goo and didn''t seem that impressive, but I knew how powerful it really was. There was still this little issue with it being sentient and all. I disliked the idea of something having access to my mind, and I wasn''t going to let foreign entity in. I took a sample of it and tried introducing, a few drops of blood to it. It reacted happily, greedily consuming it like it was candy. " Greedy, little bugger aren''t ya''" I said. I wasn''t going to risk it for now, and decided to leave it until I found a way to remove its influence or even erase its consciousness entirely. I decided to head to the Sanctum, and do something, I have been putting off for a while. It was ''time'' to take a look. (Chapter End) ------------------------------------------------------------------ Can you guess what''s it time for? Tell me what you guys think in the comments. ---------------------------- "Peace means having a bigger stick than the other guy." - Tony Stark. ---------------------------------------- I already have 8 advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Chapter 37 - The Time Stone I had no way of knowing if my presence here has derailed the future or not. It''s possible that all I have done till now, like saving the Parkers, preventing the Dark Phoenix from emerging, and getting Dr.Hansen to join me, could be just me making things worse. Luckily, there was a little nifty green stone that could help me find out. Using the Time Stone, Dr. Strange could look through millions of possibilities. But, he could only find one future where it didn''t end in total annihilation. Just one favorable outcome, an outcome where they could survive the catastrophe named Thanos. There were still a few years left, until the events of the first Avengers movie happened, and I planned on at least being strong enough to go toe to toe, with beings such as Thor. In the meantime, I was planning my next steps carefully. One of the reasons he beat the Avengers so easily was because they got there shit together way to late in the game. By the time he arrived on Earth to collect the last stone it was already too late. He was already devastating with one stone not to mention all 6 stones. Instead of using the stones to beat him they tried to hide them. Granted not anyone could just utilize the infinity stones, but I am sure they could''ve have figured something out. They only delayed the inevitable and he was still able to get his hands on each stone. My end goal is to beat him and to at least obtain half of the stones and use them against him. I won''t stupidly fully rely on them because he can probably control them better than I do especially with his gauntlet. No. I will use them as tools, to increase my own strength instead. Because the only thing that you can rely on is yourself and your own power. Your own power will never fail you. False gods, fake pantheons, channeling dark dimensions relying on stones or special hammers. It''s all useless. The answer I came up with to get stronger is my own ability. I won''t stop the invasion from happening , because it was the catalyst that gave birth to the Avengers and 3 three infinity stones were present at New York due to these events. The Time sone in the New York sanctum, the Space stone at the tower, and finally the Mind stone hidden in the scepter. Ultron can kiss my beautiful toned ass, because there''s no way I am letting that guy, be born due to Tony''s idiocy. I find it amusing how most of Tony''s fuck ups could have been easily avoided if it weren''t for his negligence and arrogance. He essentially fulfilled most of his prophecies. I arrived at the sanctum and headed directly, to where the time stone is being kept. I approached the pedestal slowly, but with purpose. I used my telekinesis to slowly float the eye of Agamatto towards me and slowly opened it. I sat cross-legged, floating slightly above the ground, my hands poised to manipulate the time stone''s energy. The Time Stone was glowing brightly in the Eye of Agamotto setting. Green vapor-like energy flowed from the stone, and more intricate magical energy patterns circled my forearms. With my eyes closed, my head started jerking rapidly from side to side, the motion blurring but resembling looking for something. I went forward in time to view alternate futures. To see all the possible outcomes of the coming conflict. I snapped out of my trance and fell forward. I was panting on the ground, trying to catch my breath. I looked up to see the Ancient One standing near the entrance with a calm look on her face. " I never was able to see beyond my own death, and there was never another sorcerer skilled enough or one I could trust to know what''s to come." she said. I find my bearings and stand up with the eye of Agamatto still in my hand. " Did you find what you were looking for? " " Yes, I know what to do now." I said. I gave her the eye and said " We need to talk, tell Jean and Kitty to come too, this is important. " She agreed and we sat in her quarters, waiting for Jean and Kitty to arrive. They both entered the room and were surprised by the heavy atmosphere in the air. I greeted them both and told them to have a seat. I waited for the Ancient One to finish pouring tea into all our cups and I gave her a nod. " I have something to tell you. Something is coming. Something I need your help with." I said. I looked at Jean and said " Jean you''re currently the host to one of the most powerful cosmic entities in existence. Your power will be needed, so I want to ask you to keep training with the Ancient One. " I then look at Kitty, " There will come a moment in the future, where your actions will decide the fate of the universe. You''re stronger than you think and I have heard nothing, but praise from Mordo ever since you started training with him." I finally look at the Ancient One ," You can not die. Too much has changed. Your existence as well as the existence of the next sorcerer Supreme will be needed in the coming conflict. " Kitty slightly shaken by my strange behavior said. " Doug, what do you mean the future. What conflict ? What are you talking about ? " I started weaving my hands and gathering my mystical energy. Using magic to show the universe, and five out of six Infinity Stones. A holographic projection appeared, which I used to showcase images and scenes. " Before the Universe began, six singularities existed. Sometime after the universe exploded into existence, these singularities were formed into the six Infinity Stones by the Cosmic Entities. Each stone represented a different aspect of the universe. " I said. [Each Stone lighted up as I named them] "Space. Reality. Power. Soul. Mind. And Time." "The ???????????????????? Stone gave the user power over space. Anyone holding the Space Stone could create a portal from one part of the universe to another. The ???????????????? Stone allowed the user to control the minds of others. The ???????????????????????????? Stone granted the user power to manipulate matter and reality itself. The ???????????????????? Stone bestowed upon its holder enormous energy, the sort of energy that you could use to destroy an entire planet. The ???????????????? Stone''s powers were unclear, but presumably, the gem allowed the holder to capture and control others'' souls. The ???????????????? Stone granted its owner the power to re-wind or fast-forward time. It also granted the ability to glean into the future. " I explained. "The Ancient One is currently in possession of the Time stone. I used it to peer into the future, I only managed to get glimpses, but what I saw was enough." The Ancient One opened the Eye of Agamotto, revealing the Time Stone emitting emerald light. Confirming what I said. "You keep talking about a conflict and the fate of the universe. What''s going to happen. What''s coming ?" Jean asked. "A powerful being is coming to Earth. If not stopped he will wipe out all life on Earth and half the life in the universe. He''s a plague. He invades planets. He takes what he wants. He wipes out half the population." I said. The Ancient One''s eyes widened and her fists clenched. Kitty visibly gulped and Jean kept staring at me intensely. I had their full attention. He''s called . . . "????????????????????????, The Mad Titan." (Chapter End) ------------------------------------------------------ I decided to just stop focusing on word count and focus more on just updating more frequently and increasing the pace of the story. Some chapters will be long and some short. They''ll stay in the (1500-2500) range though. After I am finished with this Arc. It''s highly likely there will be a time skip to the Avengers Arc. No use dragging things out. Do you guys have any recommendations about how I should do the time skip? -------------------------------------------------------- "There must always be those with the fire of rebellion in their blood! There must always be those who will dare to fight an unbeatable enemy! Only thus can the race of man remain strong and fearless!" ------ Stan Lee -------------------------------------------------------- I already have 8 advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Chapter 38 - The Symbiote Author Note: The next few chapters are at least 2000+ words. This chapter can be considered to be the last short one on my backlog. I hope you guys are enjoying the story. And as always thank you guys for your support. I couldn''t do it without you. ???? I already have 8 advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Enjoy ;) ---------------------------------------------------------------- " He''s a being that has annihilated millions if not billions of lives, and he''s currently trying to gather these infinity stones. These stones can only be brandished by beings of extraordinary strength. Their carriers could use the stones to mow down entire civilizations like wheat in a field and can even extinguish whole galaxies." I said. " That''s awful. " Kitty said. " That doesn''t even begin to describe it." I said. An hour went by of me answering what I could of their questions. Most of the questions revolved around how strong Thanos was, when he was coming and if we could even stop him. " The future is in constant flux. I have only seen a few glimpses and possible paths. We can only prepare. He has an army. He''s incredibly strong and he''s intelligent. I can''t divulge everything I''ve seen. It could change things too much, if I do.". I said. That put a lid on their endless stream of questions. The Time Stone also showed me something important. It showed me a solution to my current problem. I went to the the library, and spent the next few hours looking for a book on how to access the light dimension. I finally found it and spent the next few days, meditating and trying to gain access to the light dimension. Masters of the Mystic Arts, mostly rely on channeling dimensional energy, since it is more sustainable and reliable than other scources. Some dimensions are harder to access, than others as you would either have to have an affinity to them or make a contract with one of it''s inhabitants. The Ancient One for example had a connection to the dark dimension. Normally even if a Sorcerer were to establish a connection, it was only to borrow some power for a certain task. Not use it to sustain themselves. Those who do get corrupted by it''s energy and ultimately become over reliant on it. The lightforce on the other hand can be considered a cleansing energy, being derived from life force. It is capable of purging toxins, drugs, and other malignant substances, as well as curing diseases, mental instability. It is fundamentally different from any energy related to darkness. The problem is, it''s extremely hard for one to naturally have an affinity to it. I could only think of Tandy as one of the few people who ever managed to gain access to it. Tandy was the Light dimension''s avatar, I don''t remember much about her backstory, but I remember that she had a counterpart. An avatar of the dark force. A week had passed by with me trying to sense the Light dimension. I finally managed to gain some access to it after numerous failures. Dr. Parker on the other hand managed to make some progress with the project I gave him. I was initially surprised, but then remembered, that this project originally belonged to him. He already knew it inside out and was a brilliant scientist by his own rights. He found the problem with the fusion process, and pointed out several issues with it. It turns out that the X-gene and the Spider DNA couldn''t figure out a way to co-exist and were continuesly fighting over dominance. It was an endless cycle. There needed to be some kind of buffer, to make them both less aggressive. The Spider Venom was domineering due to it''s nature, and the X-gene wouldn''t give up it''s territory. There was also a lot of science and technical terms involved , but that''s what it essentially boiled down to. I took the symbiote sample, that I had previously fed my blood and started purifying the symbiote using the light force energy. It screeched as if in pain, and tried to get away from the light. I kept infusing it with light energy for the next few minutes, until I noticed it gradually losing its black color and turning white. I spent the next few days, doing tests and making sure, I eradicated it''s consciousness. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it didn''t inherent, the symbiote''s usual weaknesses to sound amd fire. Leading me to believe that those weaknesses, originated from it''s psyche and weren''t biological in nature. This new symbiote, which I dubbed the "Enigma" demonstrated tremendous healing powers and other powers that differed from the Venom symbiote. It produced antibodies that can cure any known disease and remove any other impurities within a human body. Unlike the original symbiote, this symbiote is completely mindless,and could be used without risk. It''s only flaw was it had now gained a new weakness to Darkness energy. '' Well, at least darkness energy is way less common than fire and sound.'' I thought to myself. After I made sure everything checked out, I still didn''t fuse with it and decided to wait. I won''t be satisfied with just the symbiote for my supersuit. Although very impressive, it still lacks in Physical and Magical defense. It can stop normal bullets, and maybe even a shot fired by a bazooka, but can it hold up against the Hulk ? What about Thor''s mystical lightning ? Luckily, the materials needed to build my bio-tech mesh. Was readily available for the taking. A little trip to Wakanda and voila problem solved. All I needed after that was a power scource and I was golden. For now thought, ''time to get me some super metal.'' Vibranium is an extraterrestrial metallic ore known to exist on Earth in two forms. The largest known deposit comes from a meteorite that crashed on Earth approximately 10,000 years ago. Vibranium is better for defensive purposes as it is can withstand nearly unlimited amounts of force. Most of the aforementioned meteor, consisting of the more common variety of Vibranium landed in Africa in the now modern-day nation of Wakanda. Even though deposits have been found in other locations; due to the fact that Wakanda is the first known source in existence that is the reason why, it is known as Wakanda Vibranium. Wakanda Vibranium has the unique property to absorb vibratory waves such as sound as well kinetic energy by somehow storing this energy within its molecular bonds. The more energy it absorbs, the stronger the molecular bonds become until the Vibranium is extremely difficult to damage or destroy. This makes Vibranium highly prized for it''s durability. Although not as hard or dense as Adamantium, few other substances can equal it in durability. In addition Vibranium is much more easier to shape and manipulate than Adamantium and remains unsurpassed in its ability to absorb impacts and to absorb noise and sound. Wakandan Vibranium also has the power to greatly amplify mystical energies. It taps into an energy flow on the Quantum Level that is virtually infinite. Which is perfect for me, eventually when I learn Asgardian runes, in tandem with it''s natural abilities. I will be a force to be reckoned with. Wakanda Vibranium is also a powerful mutagen. Exposure to Vibranium has led to the mutation of flora and fauna such as the Heart-Shaped Herb that is eaten by the Black Panther to bestow upon their physical enhancements. I gave Sophie the task of finding Wakanda, a while ago. Their cloaking device kept them hidden, but their location could be deduced with enough time and effort. Luckily, Sophie managed to find it, and now all I had to do was sneak in. I didn''t waste time and promptly opened a portal to Africa and headed to Wakanda. ( Chapter End) -------------------------------------------------------------------- I hope you guys are enjoying the story stay tuned for Doug''s adventures in Wakanda. ------------------------------------------- "Did you really think... we would cry and beg... for mercy? You''re the pathetic crybaby in this family, little boy... not us! Now... excuse us -- while we escape!" ----- Eddie Brock (Venom) "Earth-616" Chapter 39 - Nephew I already have 8 advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Enjoy ;) ------------------------------------------------------------- "I''m not going to ask you again, who are you? Identify yourself." the warrior woman shouted. Well, here goes nothing."Look! I mean you no harm !... I was just taking a walk and got lost on the road of life!" I shouted, while pointing behind her. I was currently deep in the jungles of the heart of Africa, surrounded by at least a dozen, female warriors. Having begun travelling immediately after I arrived. I traveled right away towards the borders of Wakanda. I found a few villages on my way, which, If I were to guess, were filled with spies. My main problem was even though I spoke the language, and even looked like the locals (magical disguise). I wasn''t supposed to be here and there was no way for me to identify myself. I also didn''t want to start a fight, unless I absolutely had to. It was just easier if I was captured. I could always escape later. Escaping or fighting now, could make them wary of an attack. Silence fell when they heard what I said, one of the warriors looked at the leader with a questioning gaze as of saying ''Is he for real?'' ''. While, the rest of the warriors were wondering what kind of suicidal idiot I was, to wander so close to their territory. The leader of the squad raised an eyebrow in scepticism. "There is no road to life around here. There aren''t even roads out here. Which village do you come from?" " I come from Wakanda and my name is N''Jadaka, and I am the son of the Wakandan Prince N''Jobu." I said shamelessly. That''s right folks, I was currently disguised as Killmonger. It wasn''t too hard to find a decent photo of him. All I had to do was hack into the U.S Navy database and from there, it was easy to find his file. The real Erik Stevens was currently in Afghanistan, serving in a U.S. military black-ops unit. The thing is, they didn''t know that and even if they suspected something. It would take them a while to check. I was counting on T''Chaka being rattled enough to invite me in. Regardless, if I was lying or not. Me mentioning I am his Nephew, and reminding him of his brother "my father" should be enough. The warriors all tightened their hands on the spear and became even more wary. Falsely claiming to be royalty was, punishable by death. Depending on my next few words, I could end up skewered to death by Vibranium spears. After an intense discussion with what appeared to be her second-in-command, the leader of the group turned back to me, her chin held high as she gave her next order. "The King shall decide the validity of your claim, if you''re lying you will be executed. You shall follow us." She said. She dropped out of her combat stance, letting the butt of her spear rest on the jungle floor as her eyes tracked me up and down. We begin heading towards Wakanda, with me following behind them. They had me surrounded cutting off any potential escape roots. On our way there, I began scanning their minds. Although I wasn''t skilled enough to rifle through their memories undetected. I could read their surface thoughts easily enough. It turns out their leader secretly contacted the King, and told him about me. He ordered her to bring me to him unharmed. '' Heh.. I guess he feels more guilty than I thought.'' As we were walking towards the barrier , the trees themselves seemed to glitch, and a futuristic skyline resembling a mixture of New York, Timbuktu, and Cairo appeared. A ''Woah'' escapes my mouth as I saw the magnificent city. One of the warriors heard me and a look of pride could be seen on her face. Everywhere you look, there''s green, and the massive buildings that are towering amongst it all have an almost natural look to it. Whereas cities like New-York are sometimes described as concrete jungles, this city is in harmony with the jungle instead. It''s difficult to remember we''re still on Earth, instead of walking amongst the works of some alien civilization. Still, as pretty as the Golden City is, I barely had eyes for it. Instead, all of my attention was focused on the looming Royal Palace, and the technology that was squirreled away in there. I could barely contain my excitement. The group that was escorting me dispersed gradually as we got closer to the palace. Only, the leader who captured me remained leading me in the front, and was probably responsible for allowing us to be led into the heart of the city so swiftly, armed guards bowing out of her way. We finally arrived walking through the grand entrance of the Royal Palace, armed guards lining the walls. '' I guess that''s why they left.'' It would be overkill to have that many guards, in one room. At the end of the hall, sitting on his throne, is T''Chaka, who was regarding me coolly. " Who are you? And who told you about this place? " " What ? I can''t visit my uncle, and for how I found this place. It was mentioned in my father''s diary, you know after you ki..." I said. " Silence !" He shouted, cutting me off. He then looked at the Dora Mulaje and the squad leader standing beside me." Leave us " " My King" the leader said bowing down, refusing to leave. " I said Leave." he repeated. The leader left reluctantly and gave me a venomous look before she left, the Dora Milaje (royal guards) all left too. Leaving us alone in the throne room. " Why have you returned? Why now?" The King said. ''T''Chaka prided himself on being a peaceful and kind hearted leader. However, he had dark secrets that he hid away from his people and family, in order to save face.'' I thought. " I want justice for my father, and in exchange I will not challenge you for the throne and will leave your family alone." I said. He sighed and said, " You look just like him." There was an unreadable expression on his face, and it seemed, although he was looking at me his mind was off somewhere else. Probably, reminiscing about the past. "I killed my own brother, forever staining my hands with the greatest sin imaginable. I lost family too that day. I have wronged you. I admit, but my son is too young to be King and protecter of our people. He shall one day decide the course of our nation." He laments. " I ask you to wait for vengeance, and I shall give it to you. I already killed my brother. I won''t stain my hands with his son''s blood too. " He said. " I do not care old man, as long as I get my revenge. I will be satisfied. I do not care who becomes King after you die. I shall stay the night today and leave tomorrow, but I will come back one day to get what I am owed." I said. I crossed my hands to my chest and turned to leave. The Dora Milaje blocked my path on my way out of the Throne Room. " Treat him as our guest and show him to his room. He shall stay for the night. " They heard the King say. They gave me a nod, and one of them said " Right this way honoured guest." I followed behind her as she showed me to my quarters, and left me to my own devices. ( Later that night ) An invisible silhouette of a man could be seen, moving around. He moved quickly, but with precision. He was currently following a man wearing a lab coat. He assumed that man was a scientist judging by his coat, and confirmed his suspicion by scanning his surface thoughts. The scientist eventually arrived before a door, and held out his hand as the door scanned it and confirmed his identity. Doug slipped through the door before it closed and found himself in a futuristic research lab. The lab was full of scientists doing various experiments. Some were noting the effects of some plants, which seemed to have been mutated by vibranium, while others were testing various materials made or affected by vibranium in one way or another. Oddly enough he could see a little girl standing beside one of the tables, being instructed by an older scientist. He pulled out a flash drive he programmed to copy all of the research related to vibranium. He didn''t want to risk Sophie infiltrating the system. Technology was so advanced here, she would probably get noticed the moment she tried infiltrating the system. That''s why he was using a flash drive instead. The flash drive was programmed to do a double pronged attack, it would hack into their systems and simultaneously download the information he wanted. It would look like an outside attack made by a foreign government. They will eventually notice someone went through their systems though, but this way he would have time to escape. He took various designs mostly of all the tech, designed by Wakanda''s research group. Things like the Kimoyo beads, advanced Energy Reactors, Medical beds, The Mother Board (Main Super Computer), and most important of all the Black Panther''s suit designs. A few moments later, alarms starting blaring in the lab, and warnings of someone hacking into their mainframe starting popping out, the princess was promptly escorted out of the lab and their cybersecurity division came barging in. Doug quickly made it out of the lab, and headed straight to his room. A half hour later one of the guards came to check on him, and found him sleeping. A smile crept on his face after the guard left. Doug: " It seems they don''t suspect me yet." Sophie: " *Sigh* You''re becoming more and more of a bandit. Are you sure you want to become a hero?" Doug: " There is no time, for me to negotiate with hard headed people. The King is stubborn and will never agree to share no matter what. Unfortunately, it had to be done. " Diana:" Big sister. I think Doug is only concerned about the future. He wouldn''t purposefully harm good people. " Sophie:" Yeah, but he''ll manipulate them though. Was it really necessary for you to pose as that man ?" Doug:" It will motivate him to prepare T''Challa to be a better ruler and Black Panther. After I disappear, he''d think he would have a time limit. Fearing I would come back with an army, If he doesn''t fulfill his promise." I chatted a bit more with Sophie and Diana, and then decided to get some sleep before my hunt tomorrow. It was time to eliminate a dangerous wild card. (Chapter End) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ " No one can win every struggle, But no man should fall without a struggle! " - Peter Parker ------------------------------------------------------------------- I already have 8 advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz Chapter 40 - GravReactor I already have 8 advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Enjoy ;) ------------------------------------------------------------- I woke up the next day and got ready to leave. I asked to be escorted out, and unsurprisingly they were happy to oblige. It seemed they were still wary of having outsiders in their country. I was also told to never speak of this place to anyone, or I''d be hunted down and trialed for treason. I didn''t really take their threats to heart and waved them off. They''ll be exposed in a few years anyway, so it didn''t really matter to me that much. Plus, I already marked several places I could open a portal to without being detected. Wakanda was practically my backyard. I could come and go as I pleased. They left me outside the barrier and told me to walk the rest of my way back. I asked about the King and was told that he had more important matters to attend to. I knew they were still monitoring me and had people following me, so I went to the closest village and got a hotel room. I spent the next few days doing mundane things like sleeping or reading in my room. After I made sure I wasn''t still being watched. I opened a portal that led straight away to the palace. I quickly found the location of the gardens and snuck in past the two guards tasked with guarding it. As I gazed upon the Royal Garden, the glowing flowers swinging softly in a peaceful little breeze. Tens of hundreds of these mystic plants filled the garden. The herbs themselves had this soft purple glow to them, that seemed quite odd. Like they were radioactive. To the Wakandans, it represents a link to their earliest history, the land they currently live in and the land they will end up after they die. In legend, it was said to have been a gift from the Panther God, the local deity they worshiped, but in reality, the plant had been mutated by a giant meteorite of Vibranium crashing into the Earth. What I found most interesting about them is their ability to allow the user to temporarily commune with the dead in the Ancestral Plane. I wanted to study them and find out, if they were simply hallucinations or if there was a more mystical aspect to it. I discretely took a few bushes and put them in a pouch. I prepared beforehand. I made sure everything was properly secured and promptly left the garden and headed to my lab. After a quick trip to my lab. I returned to my hotel room. Doug: "Sophie, have you found the whereabouts of Ulysses Klaw?" *Sigh* " More stealing?" She said. Doug:" Hey! He stole them first. I am just getting back what he stole." Sophie: " So you''re going to give the Vibranium back to Wakanda?" * Silence * Sophie:" I thought so too. He was last seen in Richards Bay. It''s a city in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Here''s a holographic recreation of the closest location." She then displayed a holographic representation of the harbor using high-quality images rendered into a 3-dimensional recreation. I visualized my destination and opened a portal to the Harbour. Luckily it was midnight and there weren''t any people around to see me. I eventually found Klaw''s hideout after searching a few warehouses and ships. I was guessing he probably hadn''t bought his ship Churchill yet. As I found him hiding in an old abandoned warehouse. He was probably using it as a temporary base of operations for him and his men. I activated my camouflage ability and snuck in. I found a couple of dozen men armed with automatic and semiautomatic guns, guarding the warehouse. Klaw was an international criminal and underground black-market arms dealer. So he was always on the move. He has been escaping Wakanda''s pursuit for almost twenty-three years. Which is quite impressive if you ask me. I found Klaw on his phone talking to someone and as I got closer; I heard him say. Klaw: "Now, don''t tell me your man swindled you. I sent you six short-range heat seekers and got a boat full of rusted parts. Now, you will make it right, or the next missile I send you will come very much faster." After Klaw threatened the man''s life, he hung up and pulled out a bottle of scotch and started drinking. A few moments later his phone rang and he starting talking on the phone once more. Just as Klaw was continuing another conversation with another one of his clients, I started searching the warehouse and found a few storage metal containers at the back of the warehouse. One of the storage metal containers had a safe hidden inside it. I guessed that''s where he kept the Vibranium he had stolen from Wakanda. I entered the mirror dimension and easily broke down the safe''s door. I exited the mirror dimension after I entered the safe. It was all there, neatly packed in tubes, right in front of me, a quarter-ton of the precious metal. It was valued at ten thousand dollars per ounce; just over two billion dollars'' worth. "Sophie, it looks like we''re all getting upgrades." I said. " Dips on a new processing unit." she said. I didn''t waste time and opened a portal underneath all the Vibranium, which lead directly to a storage unit located in my base. The sound of an alarm started blaring in the facility as soon as I was finished moving the Vibranium. I guessed that, I set off some kind of alarm when I took it. I could hear shouting right outside the door. I readied myself for a fight and turned invisible again. A few moments later. I heard the metal storage unit being opened, not long after that, the safe was being opened too. I found Klaw with a half-dozen men standing in front of the empty safe, dumbfounded by what they were seeing. A few moments of silence pass before Klaw shouts. " Where the fuck is my Vibranium !!! " He then started giving orders to his men, telling them to surround the building. In the meantime, I told Sophie to cut the lights. " Stay Alert boys, keep your backs to each other, and if you see anything move. I want it full of bullets." Klaw said. " It won''t do you any good " I said. They all turned their guns towards where they heard my voice and started shooting. They kept shooting for a few seconds until they suddenly stopped. One of them said" Did we get him?" "No, you didn''t " I said. My stingers came out and I started moving. Screams could be heard every few seconds. The sound of gunfire and grown-ass men begging for mercy could be heard all around the warehouse. I was methodically taking down every single mercenary. Most of these men here were murders, rapists, or both. I made sure to only paralyze the ones who didn''t commit too serious of a crime as some of the men hired, were local and were only trying to feed their families. Sophie was a great help in that regard. Some people might argue. That I wasn''t any better for killing these men, and honestly, they had a point, but I at least didn''t go around hurting innocent people. I had already strengthened my resolve and drawn my own line. As long as I didn''t cross it. I won''t turn into a monster. Flashes of gunfire and the occasional portal being opened were the only things visible in the darkness. Luckily I had enhanced night vision, a perk of my Spider-physiology. Klaw finally having enough said, " Whoever you are we can talk. I am a businessman. We can talk business." I didn''t say anything in response and started getting closer to him. "I can hear you trying to sneak up on me, so you might as well answer." He said. " I am not much for talk Klaw, but if you really think I''m letting you go. You''re sorely mistaken." I said. "Come on, you''re doing it for the money too. You already have the vibranium. Let bygones be bygones. I could even get you more if you want" he said. By this point, most of Klaw''s men were injured or dead. Klaw had a gun in one hand and a knife in the other. He kept trying to find me, which was useless since I was invisible. Only two men were left beside him. " Drop the weapons or die? The choice is yours."I said. [They Drop their weapons] "You have chosen wisely." I said, before quickly knocking them out. I step up to Klaw and disarm him from both of his weapons. I hold him up by his neck, using only one hand. I was still invisible, so all Klaw could see was an invisible force holding him in mid-air. "What... are.. you? " He wheezes out, already starting to pass out from lack of oxygen. " I am Cypher." I answered. After I knocked him out, I opened a portal to Wakanda. I dropped him in front of the barrier where the border patrol found me last time. I also left a note with him that said. '' This is my Gift for Wakanda, the wanted criminal Ulysses Klaw.'' I signed the note Cypher. It could be useful when I ask a favor of them in the future, but for now, I had no use for Klaw. I couldn''t be bothered to keep him alive until I needed that favor. The way I saw it, I had nothing to lose by giving him to them and maybe something to gain in the future. I finally left Africa, satisfied with what I obtained. It was definitely a fruitful trip. I went back to my lab and immersed myself in research. I took a sample of the ''Enigma '' I created and decided to observe what kind of effects the radiation produced by the Vibranium could have on a Symbiote. It would probably take a while before I could see any results. In the meantime. I decided to build a Nano-tech suit from Vibranium, to boost my defense. Hopefully, I could fuse it with '' the Symbiote '' after it mutates. And to power it all up. I spent the next few days building a Gravitonium/Vibranium based arc reactor to provide unlimited energy. I based it on the designs I took from Wakanda. It was designed based upon the spikes of gravity given by the liquid magnet. It will energize the Vibranium shell, which can then convert that energy into any kind of energy using converters. It was a better and more powerful version of Tony''s arc reactor. It would also be more compatible with the suit, I was building, and since, I was using a Gravitonium core. The suit will naturally have the ability to fly and maybe some minor gravity manipulation. Essentially, I''ll be able to make myself light enough to fly or heavy enough to not be easily knocked back. Things were coming along quite nicely. (Chapter End ) ---------------------------------------------------- Hey guys, tell me what you think of the chapter. I hope you''re enjoying the story and as always. Thank you guys for your support. ---------------------------------------------------- " If the nations of the Earth cannot stop squabbling like spoiled children long enough to control the forces they have so foolishly unleashed -- then Doom shall take their deadly toys away from them!" --Victor Von Doom (Earth-616) ------------------------------------------------------------- I already have 8 advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Chapter 41 - EndoSym Armor I already have 8 advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Enjoy ;) ------------------------------------------------------------- I was finally done with building my Grav-Reactor, and it was a thing of beauty. The reactor ended up being as big as my palm. The outer shell, which was made from vibranium contained the Gravitonium core. The reactor had a metallic sheen to it and was pulsing with a purple glow. The core was switching between a solid and liquid state, and almost seemed like a living metal. The reactor''s core was being exposed to an electric current, which then caused the Gravitonium to solidify, in its solid state gravity fields erupt randomly, changing the rules of gravity around it. The Vibranium shell then absorbs these gravity spikes and convert it into energy, creating a perfect cycle of energy. The suit itself was being kept in the shell that surrounded the Gravitonium. I also switched out my watch, to the more advanced and better Kimoyo beads. The beads were specifically made for a number of purposes like over-air speech - so basically a cellphone in a bead, holographic display projector, 3D spacial mapping and interface - to let you interact with the holographic displays, and power sources. I planned on giving one to Jean, Kitty and the Ancient One, so we can always stay in touch. In case of an emergency. The suit itself was based on the designs I took from Wakanda. It used the same technology as the original Black Panther''s suit. It could also absorb Kinetic energy, and use that energy to produce energy blasts. The suit itself looked similar to the Black Panther''s suit, but it was silver. I didn''t bother with customizing it yet, since I wanted to see the results of it bonding with the Symbiote. I took out the squirming mass of Symbiote, and let it bond with the suit. Normally this wouldn''t work as the Symbiote needed a biological host to bond to, but the mutated sample, which was exposed to the Vibranium''s radiation, gained the ability to bond with Vibranium. After it finished bonding with the suit. I came closer to it, and extended my arm to touch the suit. It immediately started crawling up my arm, firmly latching to my skin. I grabbed a fistful and pull at it, only for my hands to get stuck and the living liquid ooze to begin climbing up my shoulders. I fell on the floor, struggling to move as it crawled over my entire body. I would''ve cried out for help, but the slime wrapped around my face, covering my mouth. I squeezed my eyes shut, expecting pain, maybe even suffocating and passing out, but instead, I felt... normal. No, I felt more than normal. I felt like I was more powerful. I immediately grew in height, and felt like I could manipulate my own biomass. I tried morphing my hand into blades, claws, and various weapons, and was successful in my attempt. I could also extend one stinger for each fingertip. This armor after merging with a Symbiote, became a fully liquid smart-metal which hardens instantly on connection with my body. The psionic bonding with the suit allowed me to control it remotely, and call for it with no need of electronics. I could give it psionic commands, but it does not have intelligence of its own, only a psionic link. I knew that the symbiote would amplify my own powers, but I never knew it was to this extent. I wanted to take this process to an extreme by bonding with it on a cellular level. It was the only way I could solve my messed-up DNA, but now wasn''t the time. I commanded the suit to separate from me and it extended to the point of it forming fully into a humanoid form. I tried getting it to move and I was successful in commanding it to move around. I commanded the Symbiote, to separate from the original suit and was successful in making it return to it''s previous organic form. I spent the next few days trying figure out a way to heal myself. Dr.Parker and Dr.Hansen walked in on me, only to see large piles of medical texts in my lab. Every table and surface to the left side of the lab, was covered with something related to the biology of the human body. Microscopes and petri dishes, tissue samples, hair follicles, blood, and various vials of chemicals that liked to change color or bubble when something was added to them. Every surface to the right, was covered with computer components, soldering irons, Kimoyo beads, heaps of notes, and about seven different computers, all compiling different bits of code, or moving through massive databases. They heard me mumbling to myself. "Using the right techniques, it can be directed with pin-point accuracy, and used to energize targeted molecules, to directly rearrange DNA''" "Hm... but, human cells can only go through mitosis so many times before they die completely. This would need to be carried out on a fairly large scale; millions of cells at the same time, so there''s almost no room for error." I continued. " Uhm... Mr.Cypher ? Are you alright? " Dr.Parker said. " Ah... Dr.Parker just the man I was looking for. I need you to take a look at something." I said. " Erhm.. What is this? " He said as he started reading the data. His brows creased as he kept reading, until he finally turned to me and said. "What mutation are you trying to cause?" " I managed to obtain a particular piece of DNA that allows for infinite reproduction. If I manage to ''flash'' it into the mitochondria of a normal human cell-" I said. "You can theoretically obtain immortality." He continued. " That''s brilliant! It''s theoretically possible, but it would have to be done on every cell simultaneously, and of course there''s still the compatibility issue... " He droned on for a bit, until I finally stopped him and said. " The compatibility problem is not an issue, using your Gene-splicing research plus, the sample I obtained from a mutant who is virtually immortal, we are already half way there. " I said. " Wait even if it''s true, it will cause an enormous amount of strain on the body. The DNA will start breaking down before the subject has a chance to go through the procedure, who will be even insane enough to go through something like this. Just the pain alone is enough to drive anyone crazy. They''ll end up dying anyway. " He said. " I found a solution to that problem too. You seem to be misunderstanding something doctor. I already figured it out, and I already have a willing subject. I just need you to monitor the procedure and make sure nothing goes wrong. " I said. " Are you mad! You expect me to agree to human experimentation. I don''t know what kind of person you think I am, but I won''t risk someone else''s life no matter what. " He said. " Relax Doc. I already talked to Dr.Hansen, she''ll assist too. If this is successful, we might have a chance to cure your wife. The Extremis virus is still incomplete and needs a lot more time until it''s finished. The rejection rate is still too high, amd Mary''s condition is getting worse. We''re running out of time.This is the only solution we''ve got." I said. He grimaced a bit at my words and his fists tightened. He couldn''t refute my words, because he knew more than anyone. How severe his wife''s condition was. Her condition has been deteriorating ever since she went into that coma. Nothing we did could improve it. He''s been spending more and more time in the lab each day trying to find a solution. He was making impressive strides, but it was still too slow. His wife had a few more days at most. " Even if.. Even If I agree to something like this. Mary would never forgive me." He said with a resigned tone. " At least she''ll be alive. She doesn''t even have to know. Plus you never asked me who''s the willing test subject." I said. He sighed. " Who is it? " " You''re looking right at him. " I said. (The Next Day) " I still think you''re crazy." Dr.Hansen said. " Come on, we''ve been over this. Nothing is going to happen. Relax. If we''re successful we would''ve essentially cracked the secret to immortality." I said. It was true. I never could have figured it out, without their research. It would have taken me a long time, to even get close to doing something like this. I made sure to give them instructions incase anything happened and Sophie already had the Ancient One on speed dial. I called upon the Symbiote within me and watched as it wrapped me up in a cocoon. I was going to let it bond to me on a cellular level. " This is...! " Dr. Parker said. " What''s wrong?" Dr.Hansen said. " It can''t be it was destroyed on the plane, unless he... Stop! Stop! the procedure." He said. " His vitals are within parameters, stopping it now could prove detrimental." Dr.Hansen said. " You don''t understand that thing is dangerous, it will do more harm than good. " he said. " Master Cypher has told me to inform you, that the sample he''s bonded with was purified and underwent a different procedure. Please proceed with administrating the T-W cells Dr. Hansen. " Sophie said. " Administrating them right now. " Dr. Hansen said. Dr. Parker could only sigh in defeat and decided to monitor the situation. Hopefully things would go smoothly, and he wouldn''t have to interfere. ( Doug''s Mindscape) I was back in my Mindscape staring at that same strange red door. I pushed the door open and found, nothing has changed, the room still had those strange circuit markings all over it, and that giant screen occupied most of the room. I approached the screen and could see hundreds of lines of code, running through the screen. I called upon my Symbiote, and watched it as it materialized over my whole body. I extended several tendrils from my body and connected them to the computer in front of me. A connection was successfully established, and I began the process of going through the codes. I could finally understand the genetic language which was displayed on the screen. Only, due to my powers, they were displayed as computer code. I now had total access to my entire genetic code down to the atomic level. With this genetic access I can find any form of illness and negate it, keeping me perfectly healthy, and curing me from any viruses at the genetic levels, even cancer. First I decoded all the information that would allow me to change back to my original form; reversing me back to normal without severe side-effects, unnatural mutations or potential body damage. This process took what felt like weeks, the amount of information I had to go through manually, was staggering to say the least. Second I accessed the encoded information hidden away in my DNA, with that kind of data storage. I had access to new courses of possibilities like gene-splicing, modification, etc. I immediately began the process of splicing several useful traits, like wolverine''s regeneration, my spider powers, and even managed to strengthen Cypher''s original powers. By the time, I was done. It felt like months had passed. The reason it took so much time was because, my Symbiote wasn''t able to assist me with such things. I had to write every single line of code manually, and I couldn''t add any code I hadn''t previously researched in the real world. The amount of information required to add a single trait or power was enormous. Symbiotes already had the ability of genetic imprinting and could access any powers they retained in their Genetic memory. It''s the reason why Venom had Spider-Man''s powers even after their separation. My Symbiote was a blank slate and didn''t have a consciousness of its own. In the future. If I were to gain any useful powers. I would have to decode the acquired DNA sample into computer code, and then input it, into my own Genetic data banks. Finally done I decided to exit my Mindscape. Luckily time passes here extremely quickly , so not much time has passed in the real world. (Chapter End) ---------------------------------------------------- Damn. This chapter took a lot out of me. A lot of information to go through. Cypher will be having a lot more fights in the future. So, stay tuned for more. I hope you enjoyed today''s chapter and as always thank you for your support. ---------------------------------------------------- "McAvoy or Stewart? These timelines are confusing." - Deadpool ------------------------------------------------------------- I already have 8 advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Enjoy ;) Chapter 42 - The Perfect Host I already have 8 advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Enjoy ;) ------------------------------------------------------------- Groggily opening my eyes, it takes a while before the blurry, unfamiliar surroundings make sense to me again. As everything slowly becomes sharper, All I could see was white. I touched the strange substance surrounding me and realized that it was my Symbiote. I absorbed the Symbiote back into my body and was surprised by how natural it felt. It no longer felt like a foreign entity, merely an extension of myself. It was as easy as moving my arms and legs. I looked around me and found myself in the same room I was in when I started my procedure. Strangely, there was no one present, slightly miffed, I said. " Sophie, where is everyone?" " Report. Dr. Hansen and Dr. Parker are at the med bay." I quickly left my lab and headed towards the medical wing where Mary Parker was being kept. I found Dr. Hansen and Dr. Parker having a loud argument. Dr. Parker had an empty syringe in his hand and was standing next to Mary''s bed. " Tell me you didn''t!" I said. Finally, noticing my appearance, they both turn to me. " Cypher!" They both shouted. "Please tell me you didn''t do, what I think you just did." I said. " I had no choice. Her heart already stopped twice. You were trapped in that cocoon for a week. What was I supposed to do, let her die?" " I tried to stop him, but he wouldn''t listen. The serum is still highly unstable. We have no way of knowing if she''s even compatible. Even if she''s compatible, It could put too much stress on her body and kill her." Dr. Hansen said. We suddenly hear loud beeping sounds coming from the machines monitoring Mary''s vitals. Dr. Hansen rushed over and started checking her vitals. Mary''s skin held a faint red glow, and her breathing was shallow and somewhat labored. I wasn''t entirely sure if she was smoking or not, but judging by the slight burn marks on her bed. It didn''t seem too out of the question. " What''s happening to her?" Dr. Parker said. " She''s overheating. It''s what I was afraid of, her body is rejecting the serum." She said. " Do something! Please! I can''t lose her like this." He said. "There is nothing I could do now. It''s too late." She said. " Not if I have anything to say about it. " I said. I immediately called up my symbiote and commanded it to bond with her. (Third person POV) Mary felt confused. She vaguely remembered having a bad dream, and then there was nothing. Absolutely nothing. It was like something had cut the dream short, like ending a videotape which was then being replaced by another. The feeling was hard to describe and then just as abruptly the feeling had started, she ''saw'' her dream environment. Now, normally you don''t know that you are dreaming. Because if you know you are dreaming, you''ll wake up. She felt like she was forgetting something important though, but no matter how hard she tried, she still couldn''t remember. Mary''s thoughts were interrupted when the mindscape scene shifted into a simple room with a comfortable-looking hospital bed. The bed was already occupied by someone that could have been her twin if she had been born with one. Despite looking exactly like herself, it was still painfully obvious that something was wrong. Her doppelganger''s eyes were squeezed shut, and its skin held a faint red glow underneath. In between its shrieks of agony. It strained violently against the restraints that were coming out of the bed. It looked to be in a lot of pain. Before Mary could get closer to her doppelganger, a squirming mass of white goo started coming out of it. Immediately sensing a threat. Mary''s doppelganger tried fighting back against this strange white substance. As if sensing its own demise, its temperature spiked, and waves of heat could be felt from it. The white substance in response formed several tendrils like pseudopods from its constituent matter. It started restraining and trying to absorb the Extremis Doppelganger, seemingly unconcerned by the heat. The battle ended swiftly, with the doppelganger''s defeat, it was completely absorbed by this strange white substance. Mary kept her distance and tried not to draw its attention. The white goo like substance started transforming into something else and gained a human form. It transformed into a young, handsome man with blue eyes and blonde hair. The young man slowly started getting closer to Mary and said. "Dr. Mary Parker. Please don''t be alarmed. What you just saw was my Symbiote. I created it based on your husband''s work. Your body was rejecting a serum your husband gave to you in an attempt to save your life. I used my Symbiote to cure your body of the serum''s effects. I am also healing your injuries as we speak. You should be up and running in no time." He said. "My husband! Is he okay? " She asked, suddenly remembering everything. "I assure you, he''s fine. Now, how about we get out of here and go see him?" He reached out his hand, and without hesitation she grabbed it. The next second both of them disappeared from her mindscape. (POV End) After reabsorbing the Symbiote back into my body, I immediately felt different. One of the first things I felt was heat. My attention was immediately drawn by the red glowing veins running through my limbs. The surrounding air shimmering from the heat I was giving off. Trying something, I tried to focus on the glowing spot on the left side of my chest, listening to my pulse, as I tried to calm down. A few moments pass with me just standing there. " Are you alright? "Dr. Hansen asked. " I am fine. Everything is fine." I said with my eyes closed. " What did you do? " Dr. Parker said. " I used my Symbiote to absorb the serum from her system. I also healed her wounds she should be wak..." I am suddenly interrupted by the sound of groaning and sheets rustling. Dr.Parker''s head snapped back to his wife''s bed, seeing her wake up. He rushes over to her side and helps her sit up. Giving them some privacy, Dr. Hansen and I left them and headed to my lab. After reaching the lab, Dr. Hansen started examining me. "Do you feel any different?" She asked. "Yeah, I feel like I just swallowed a furnace." I said. "Haha, very funny. I mean, are you having any trouble regulating your body''s temperature?" She said. "Some. My Symbiote is definitely helping, but I don''t think I am compatible with it." I said. "You''re lucky. If it were anyone else, it would''ve ended badly. I am honestly amazed that you''re even standing." She said. "I live to impress. Look, do you still have the samples I gave you to work with? " I said. " Yes, they''re in my lab." She said. I told her to grab a vial and bring it to me. Scorch''s blood platelets had the ability to store or disperse heat efficiently. His ability was present in his blood, so all I had to do was replicate those blood platelets to be present in my body. The Symbiote could replicate them easily enough. All it needed was a template. After I gave the sample for my Symbiote to absorb. I immediately felt better. My body stopped feeling like it was ''burning up with fever'' and settled into the area of ''a warm glowing cinder''. It felt comfortable. I tried calling upon that heat and focused on my hand, willing the heat to move towards it. My hand glowed a bit and after a few seconds, a fireball could be seen in my palm. '' Neat. Fire and lightning. That''s two out of the five elements.'' I thought to myself. Feeling slightly giddy, a chuckle escaped my mouth. I told Dr. Hansen to keep an eye on Mr. and Mrs. Parker while I was away, and make sure everything checked out with Mary'' s condition. I opened a portal to the Sanctum and found myself in front of the Ancient One''s quarters. I decided to pay her a visit first, since it''s been a while since I have seen her. I knocked on the door and waited for someone to open. Surprised to find the Ancient One personally answering the door, I said. " Where''s your door guy? " " He''s off today. He''s visiting family in Florida if I am not mistaken. " She said. " Wait, your door guy is from Florida?" I said. " Yes, he is. What brings you here, Doug? I am sure you''re not here to talk about my door guy." She said. " You''re correct. I am here to ask about Jean and Kitty''s training. I need them for a little trip." I said. " Kitty''s training is going very well. Master Mordo has even started teaching her how to use a sling ring. Jean''s training has been coming along as well, she''s still prone to small outbursts, but they''ve been decreasing gradually with training." She said. " What about you thought? I can sense that your powers have grown." She said. I smirked a bit and said. " Just a few science experiments, don''t worry, it''s nothing too dangerous. Actually, I have a small gift for you." I took out a small black bracelet from my pocket and gave it to her. She examined the bracelet with interest and said. " Are these made from Vibranium? " Surprised by her question, I asked, " How did you know?" She then showed me her ring and said. " I am familiar with the material, they''re excellent conduits for magic. I am surprised you obtained this much thought. I can''t imagine it was easy. Wakanda is really strict with who has access to their national treasure." My eyes widened a bit, and I said. " You know about Wakanda ?" " Of course I do. A Wakandian Shaman gave me this ring as a gift a few hundred years ago, after I helped him with a demon problem." She said. Sweating a bit at how casual her statement was. '' Damn how old is she?'' I thought. We kept talking for a bit more. I asked her a few more questions about what she knew about Vibranium, especially the mystical aspects of it. She told me she didn''t know much about it, since she never had enough of it to conduct any experiments, and what she had was considered precious. I showed her how to use the Kimoyo beads, and she was surprised by how advanced they were. She got the hang of it pretty quickly, though. " They are certainly useful. Thank you for the gift." She said. " Don''t mention it. It''s the least I could do." I said. I bade her farewell and went to find the girls. It was time to give that bald bastard a visit. (Chapter End) ------------------------------------------------- I think Cypher has gained a decent power level over these past few chapters. Let me know if you think it was too much. Or god forbid too little. Stay tuned for the next chapter, and as always thank you for your support. I hope you''re enjoying the story. ------------------------------------------------- "Okay, Suckers. You''ve Taken Yer Best Shot! Now It''s My Turn." - Wolverine I already have 8 advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Chapter 43 - Betrayal I already have 9 advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. ( A/N :- Idk why people care about power stones, but I guess I should too? Anyways give me your stones! Or give me death! Wait.. that''s not right I mean give me freedom or give me death! And some stones.) Enjoy ------------------------------------------------------------- (3rd person POV) Jean and Kitty had been missing for a month now, and no one knew where they were. No matter how many times the Professor searched with Cerebro, he couldn''t find even the slightest trace of their minds. Everyone in school feared for the worst. What if an anti-mutant terrorist group had gotten to them? Or what if they had been brainwashed by a supervillain? Many of the X-Men even Wolverine was desperately looking for anyone who could give them a hint on their whereabouts. Even after interrogating rogue mutants to people in the government who wanted to see mutants oppressed, they weren''t getting any closer to finding the girls. But the X-Men refused to quit on them. Although after questioning their 100th suspect they began to wonder if they were dead and that there was no point to keep going. (The X-Mansion) Charles was in a bad mood. It was no big deal to most people, sometimes you just had bad days. This was different. His dear students have been missing for almost a month, and it made him feel like he has somehow failed them. He was also secretly worried about what he felt that day. It reminded him too much of the entity he sealed inside Jean''s mind. Did it get loose somehow? Was the cage he created finally broken? Could the Phoenix come back one day and seek revenge for being sealed all these years? Looking up at the sound of knocking, he realized how distracted he''s been. He hadn''t noticed anyone approaching him, which served to aggravate him a bit. Clearing his throat, he called out, for whoever knocked to come in. " Come in." He said. "It''s just me, Professor." He stilled hearing Scott, him, he definitely should have sensed. "Yes, Scott? How can I help you?" Xavier said. "You told me to come to you in case it was important." Scott said. He rubbed his temples he had no memory of that. "Of course, what is it?" Xavier said. " Kitty has been spotted at her parents'' house, We''re moving out in 10." Scott said. (Kitty''s House) Jean and I were currently at Kitty''s house. Kitty wanted to see her parents and insisted on us coming along. We ended up staying over for dinner. We''ve been gone for almost a month. I didn''t particularly care about going back to school, but I did care about keeping up appearances. We couldn''t just disappear without an explanation and leave everything behind. Not unless we wanted people to believe we were dead. We''ve been already pushing it, with us being away this long. It was time we went back. It seemed Xavier already paid a visit to Kitty''s parents since for some reason they didn''t find it strange that their daughter has been missing for a month. " So tell me Douglas how''s the school these days. I hope you''re settling in alright." Kitty''s mom said. " It''s fine, it hasn''t been hard settling in. I''ve made a bunch of friends, so it hasn''t been too hard." I lied. "Oh, I remember when Kitty first started going, she was so worried about making friends and getting people to like her, it was so cute." She said. " Mom. We don''t have to talk about it, you know." Kitty whined. " Really? Tell me more." I said, feigning interest. " Come on now, dear, don''t embarrass Kitty in front of her friends. It doesn''t matter how adorable she was." Kitty''s dad said. "Oh god" Kitty said, covering her face with her hands. We all shared a laugh at Kitty''s expense and continued our dinner. It got late, so we decided to leave. Jean and I were currently standing at the front porch getting ready to leave. " We really have to go Mrs. Pryde it''s already getting too late." I said. " Nonsense, stay as long as you like, that''s what our guest rooms are for. You and Jean are welcome to stay the night." She said. " We really should get going, Mrs. Pryde." Jean said. Suddenly we hear the sound of a jet getting closer. The jet landed in the backyard and out of it a few figures come running out. Among them were the Wolverine followed by Cyclops, Storm, Rogue, Nightcrawler, and the Professor. " Kitty! Jean! " "Miss Ororo? " They both said. "Thank god you''re okay." She said. "Doug, watch out!" Jean shouted. I jumped out of the way of a red beam aimed towards me. " Jean, get away from him!" Scott shouted. After I dodged I felt someone... or something trying to dig around in my mind. I tried to block it like the Ancient One taught me, but they were too strong. They broke through my defenses one after the other. The more I fought, the worse it got. Suddenly my head started hurting a hundred times worse. "Get... the.. Hell out of my MIND!!!!" I said, through gritted teeth. The Symbiote feeling its host being attacked, materialized and started going haywire, strands of tough, flexible fibers of organic polymers started attacking my surroundings, and one of the strands hit Jean. Scott started shooting laser beams at me and went over to Jean''s side, trying to protect her. With a psychic shout. I finally pushed them out. I was now standing at 7 feet tall, wearing my Enigma suit. The Symbiote must''ve taken this design from my mind. It looked like a futuristic super suit. It included clawed fingers and arm spikes. It also lacked any visible eye lenses. The suit was predominantly black and white with red highlights, and the red spider-symbol on the chest more vaguely resembled a skull than a spider. I didn''t dislike the design on the contrary; it was one of my favorites. It''s probably the reason why it chose it. It looked like Spiderman''s 2099 White Suit. " Zat vas so COOL!!" Nightcrawler shouted. "Okay, now I am pissed." I said. I looked towards Xavier and found him sitting in his chair. He looked exhausted and was slightly bleeding from his nose, Storm was beside him making sure he was okay. I started walking towards him, my mind still in a haze. My instincts identified him as a threat, and I was about to remove that threat. Wolverine stood in my way. " I wouldn''t do that If I were you, Bub." "Get out of my way, James. Things won''t go like last time. This is my last warning." I said. " What did you just call me?" He said. I started chuckling and with my suit on, my voice sounded deep and ominous. " You think he''s not in your head too? Look at you, James. He''s tamed you." I said. " Why did you call me by that name ?!" He shouted, his claws coming out. " I have one of those too, you know." I said. My stingers came out, and I blitzed over to him. Surprised by my speed, he managed a hasty block. Not expecting my strength, he was blown away and crashed into a nearby tree. Nightcrawler started moving and teleported above my head. Time slowed down to a crawl and everything around me was moving in slow motion. Seeing his attack, I easily blocked it and kicked him away. It seems that after I fixed my DNA, my spider powers were greatly enhanced, especially my Spidey sense. Scott tried attacking me with his laser beams, but ended up getting blasted with his own attack, after I created a portal to redirect his attack back at him. " Settle down, Simplops. You''re not even qualified to fight me." I said. He merely groaned in response not even able to speak. After getting hit with his own attacks. Wolverine came back and charged at me with his claws out. I braced myself to receive his attack, but before I could. " Enough !!!" A powerful psychic yell stopped us in our tracks. Nightcrawler who was getting ready to attack, while Wolverine distracted me, and Rogue who was trying to sneak up behind me to absorb my powers, all collapsed on the ground. I didn''t collapse due to my strong mental defenses, but it was definitely enough to give me one hell of a headache. I turned to Jean and saw her hair on fire. It seemed she was channeling a part of the Phoenix force to subdue us all. She looked at me and said " Doug that''s enough, please. They''re my friends." I sighed " Fine, but they started it." I retracted my symbiote, absorbing it back into my body. I walked over and stood beside Jean, who was still in her Phoenix mode. Kitty was nowhere to be found. I was guessing she got her parents inside as soon as the fighting started. I couldn''t really blame her though. I would''ve done the same. My thoughts were confirmed when I saw her walking out of her house. " Have you guys stopped fighting?" She said. " Yeah, it''s okay Kitty, it''s all fine." I said. " Vat Za hell is going on?" Kurt said. " I don''t know Sugah, but I think we''re about to find out." Rogue said. " What''s going on, Jean? Why do you look like this?" Storm said. She was walking towards us while pushing the professor. His face still looked a little pale, but it looked like he was fine. " You!" I said. "Calm down Douglas, it seems there was a misunderstanding." He said. " A misunderstanding ?! Why the hell did you attack me! " I said. "My apologies, we were under the impression that you had something to do with Jean and Kitty''s disappearance, but judging by where we are all standing it seems, we were hasty in our judgment." He said. Kitty and Jean were currently standing beside me, while the rest of the X-Men were standing beside Xavier. I scoffed " Is that what the X-Men does nowadays, attack first, ask questions later." " How did you know about the X-Men?" Scott said, a hand over his chest where his attack hit him. "What kind of idiot, do you think I am? You thought I would join a school filled with meta-humans without doing some research first. Your headmaster is a powerful telepath. I had to make sure, he wasn''t brainwashing people, and it seems I wasn''t mistaken" I said, looking towards Jean. " What the hell are you on about? The professor would never do that. You''re just trying to cover up the fact, that you''re a spy." Scott said. I was starting to get annoyed with Scott and was seriously considering bitch slapping him. Jean sensing my annoyance said. " I have a question to ask you, Professor. Did you know ?" " Known about what, Jean?" He said. " Don''t play games with me professor, were you the one who did it?" Jean said. " Did what Jean what are you talking about? " Storm asked. " Answer me, Professor." She pressed on. He sighed "I had to Jean, it was the only choice. Your powers were too great, and that thing wasn''t a part of you. If you had lost control for even a second, the results would have been catastrophic. I did what I thought was right. It was for the greater good." " You betrayed my trust, locked away a part of myself. You didn''t understand what you were dealing with, but did it, anyway? For the greater good? Who are you to decide what''s good for everybody else? " She said teary-eyed. The anger in her voice only making the crackling flames growing in her eyes worse. The professor had his head down and couldn''t even look her in the eyes. The X-Men were all standing there, shocked by what they were hearing. " Professor, is this true?" Storm asked. Before the Professor could answer, Scott interrupted and said "Jean, this isn''t you." "Maybe you ought to settle down laser boy? " I said, increasingly getting annoyed with him. " Don''t listen to him Jean he''s trying to turn you against us. I don''t know what he has been filling your head with, but the professor would never do something like this." He said. "You think I''m keeping her against her will? She''s with me because she wants to be." I said. "The professor said you might be different, Jean I..." Scott said. "Yes. Yes, it is me. It''s the first time I felt like myself since I can even remember." "What have you done to her? " Logan said, turning to the professor. "Logan, you have to understand, You have no idea. You have no idea of what she''s capable of. " Xavier said. "No, Professor. l had no idea what you were capable of. " Logan answered. "I had a terrible choice to make. I chose the lesser of two evils. " Xavier said. "Well, it sounds to me like Jean had no choice at all. " Storm said. Meanwhile, Scott was trying to talk Jean down. He tried to assure her, "I...I didn''t know about any of this. But, we''ll figure it out. Just come back to us.." " Is this what you''re ideals have lead you to Charles?" We suddenly heard. We turned to see Magneto coming towards us, along with a few members of his Brotherhood of Mutants. "Magneto." Logan growled. "Oh, it''s you logan l could smell the adamantium from a mile away". He said. One of the mutants walking beside him suddenly came closer to him and whispered. " It''s her. She''s the omega class. She''s more powerful than anything I''ve ever felt." The mutant said. She then turned her eyes towards me and said " I can''t sense what class he is, but he''s dangerous." Magneto raised an eyebrow at that and examined me with interest. It seemed that today was his lucky day. (Chapter End) ---------------------------------------------------- Damn it all! This chapter was tough to write. Tell me what you guys think in the comments and as always thank you for your support. The time skip is coming closer and should happen in a chapter or two. ---------------------------------------------------- "The thing none of you will ever understand is that there are no sides. There are no heroes or villains. There''s just what I want and how I''ll get it." ¨C Magneto: Not a Hero Vol 1 #4 ------------------------------------------------------------ I already have 9 advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Chapter 44 - Magneto I already have 10+ advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. ( A/N :- Idk why people care about power stones, but I guess I should too? Anyways give me your stones! Or give me death! Wait.. that''s not right I mean give me freedom or give me death! And some stones.) Enjoy ------------------------------------------------------------- Magneto was wearing his trademark helmet and purple cape. His suit was black with a red chest piece and his arms had purple bracers. Mystique, Callisto, Juggernaut, Multiple Man, and Sabretooth stood at the edge of the street, looking towards the X-Men and Cypher. "He thinks your power is too great for you to control. He''s trying to hold you back from what you were meant to be all along" Magneto said. He turned to Charles " You''re treating her no differently than how Shaw treated me" Magneto knows Charles well enough to know from an educated guess, and what he heard that Charles must have telepathically blocked her memory or manipulated her somehow. " I only did what I had to do. Jean was a child, a very powerful child." Charles said. "You''re right about one thing, Charles. She is powerful, and she can use that power for all mutant kind." Magneto said. "You are a god among insects. Never let anyone tell you differently. We mutants are stronger, smarter. We are the next step in human evolution. Why must you limit yourself? Why must you shrink away to make other people comfortable around you? You are a God to these people Jean, come, let me show you. Join me and together we can forge a better future for all of mutant-kind. " Magneto said. He then turned to us and said."And to my fellow mutants, I make you this offer. Join us or stay out of our way." Clap * * Clap* *Clap* Everyone turned to look towards where they heard clapping. "Are you finished?" I said. Magneto gave me a curious gaze, which seemed to surprise many of those who were standing. " Who are you, my fellow mutant?" He asked. "I am Cypher." I answered shortly. "Do you find this amusing?" He asked. "No, not exactly, it''s more ironic than anything. I find it quite surprising that someone like you would preach about Mutant superiority, especially after what you went through. It reminds me of a certain someone if you catch my drift." I said. "So, no, I don''t think Jean is going to join your little Nazi Mutant club, sorry." I said. His eyes went wide, "You dare?! Do you even know who you say this too?!" "Mutants are the superior race, right? Didn''t Hitler say the same about the Aryans? Didn''t he create a special little group with special people to hunt down the weaker race? Will you do the same? Will you hunt down and put all the humans into special little camps?" " I spat back. "I am nothing like them! Do you hear me, you insolent brat?!" he roared. " What do you know about what I went through, boy? I watched thousands of men, women, and children walk to their deaths. I pulled their bodies from the gas chambers. I dug out their teeth so the Germans could take their gold. And I carried them to the ovens, where I learned how to combine a child''s body with an old man''s making them burn better. I saw my fellow workers buried alive under an avalanche of rotting corpses. I saw thousands of murdered people burning in giant outdoor pits. I have seen at least a quarter-million dead human beings with my own eyes¡­and I couldn''t save a single one." He said. "I am not going to do to the humans what the Nazis did to me! I am saving my people!" "Then why are you being so goddamn hypocritical? No matter how you put it, your actions are putting innocent people in danger. Your Brotherhood is labelled as a terrorist group. If you really wanted to help mutants, you would create a safe haven, protect them using your strength not, wage a one-man war on all of humanity. You and Xavier are two sides to the same coin, one preaches violence, while the other preaches co-existence and peace. But both believe they are superior to humans. Homo-superior? Give me a break. Those are our two choices? A manipulative pacifist and a violent terrorist ?" Getting increasingly annoyed with Cypher, Magneto finally exploded and attacked Cypher. "Enough!" Magento roared as he raised his hand, lifting Kitty''s parents'' car into the air before slamming it down on the ground with a loud crash. It was totalled. While Cypher was talking with Magneto, Scott and the X-Men were all having a telepathic conversation. No matter what happened today, they all knew that it was going to come down to a fight, especially after Cypher called Magneto a Nazi. That was just asking for it. "Alright let''s go." Scott said as the Brotherhood began their attack. Lightning lighted up the sky as Storm flew up to the roof. Logan followed, roaring and charged at Sabertooth like a true animal. Wolverine slashed at him and Sabretooth ducked, then knocked Wolverine down. Both growled at each other. Wolverine slashed a large pole, which fell to the ground crushing Sabertooth. He snarled and leapt into one of Multiple man''s clones, swinging around and tackling another. Shadowcat phased through all the clones and headed straight towards the original. Jean used her telekinetic abilities to take a few clones out, while Cyclops and Rogue blasted several clones, burning them. Storm flew close to the rooftop. She shot a gust of wind out at Calisto coming her way. Smirking, Callisto speeds up to the rooftop, then leaps out, tackling Storm to the ground. Storm and Callisto go at it. Callisto catches her with a few punches and then speeds away from Storm before she can counter. She continues to speed around Storm, hitting her with another blow, but Storm wises up. She sticks an arm out and Callisto falls to the grounds. Storm quickly grabs her and tosses her into the front gate then summons her electricity and shocks Callisto until she''s knocked out. With a satisfied grin, Storm heads back to help her friends. After Logan dealt with Sabertooth, he found Juggernaut charging at him. Deciding it was better to dodge, he leapt out of the way. Juggernaut came to a halt and gave Logan a vicious smile. He picked up the fallen pole and swung it at Wolverine, and sent him crashing through several walls. Logan groaned violently as he clutched his heavily bruised side. Juggernaut charged at the downed Wolverine, probably trying to crush him to death, but he was suddenly brought to a grinding halt. Xavier tried mentally freezing Juggernaut in place...keeping him from fully charging at Logan, but he could barely keep him at bay. Mystique tried to distract Xavier by attacking him, but was stopped by Nightcrawler. Who engaged her in hand-to-hand. Meanwhile, while the X-Men were battling the Brotherhood. Cypher was busy fighting Magneto. Cypher was in his [Lightning Chi Mode] and was using his venom blast to throw lightning bolts at Magneto. Magneto quickly grabbed some cars off the street and used it to shield his body from the attack. Magneto lost sight of Cypher for a second, only to see a red fist break through his metal shield. Cypher had used the attack as a distraction to get closer to him. ( Cypher POV) I saw Magneto''s eyes go wide in surprise as I drove my fist through the car and into his sternum. The blow was severely weakened, but judging by the way he held his stomach, it seemed that I managed to inflict some damage. Magneto hastily retreated and made some distance between us. Magneto held his stomach and growled, "Unless you think you can stop me. " He raised his hands, summoning bits of metal from all over the street. Metal signs, street lamps, a mailbox, even pieces of concrete with metal rods in them. "Get out of my way." I gulped and watched as he rose into the air once more, his powers working overtime as they brought more and more metal pieces around him. He threw them at me and I leaped away just in time. I ran across building walls as debris came flying at me. My spider senses were tingling over and over, it took all my agility to jump away in time, bending in a way I didn''t think possible. I began thinking of ways to counter Magneto''s ability. He was a long-range fighter, that was quite obvious. But he''ll be wary of a second surprise attack. Every time I tried and get closer to him. He''d move away and put more distance between us. I created portals to redirect his attacks back at him, but he merely redirected them back at me using his powers. I suddenly got an idea and decided to stop dodging and let a few metal shards hit me. I used my symbiote to halt my healing factor and laid there on the ground seemingly injured. "You are a powerful mutant, I''ll admit, but at the end of the day you''re still a na?ve child" Magneto said as he got closer to me. I muttered something and Magneto could barely hear me. He got even closer, trying to hear what I was saying. When he was close enough he heard. "You shouldn''t have let your guard down." The illusion of myself suddenly disappeared and the real me appeared behind Magneto. Before he could react, I created a portal and kicked him through it. I followed and closed the portal behind me. (Inside the Mirror Dimension) Magneto''s eyes widened as he looked around. Everything just looked wrong. There was an eerie silence in this place. He couldn''t put his finger on it. His surroundings were the same, but its visual appearance was distorted like a fractured mirror. Suddenly Magneto heard a ''Bamf'' sound. A red demonic figure appeared, surrounded by a reddish cloud of smoke that oddly smelled like brimstone. The figure looked like a demon with red skin and a tail. He was haggard and had a desperate look on his face. The man looked like he hadn''t eaten in a month and was moments away from insanity. Magneto prepared for an attack but was surprised by the man''s condition. " Azazel, what are you doing here? " "What am I doing here? Ha Ha Ha, did he trap you here too? This cursed place, there is no escape from it. You''re trapped here with me, you fool" He said. "What are you talking about? " Magneto said. "He''s talking about the mirror dimension, ever-present but undetected. The real world isn''t affected by what happens here." They heard from behind them. Azazel''s eyes widened and with rage, he roared "You !" " Azazel ? What''re you doing here?" I asked curiously. "You trapped me here! " He shouted. I took a few seconds to remember what he was talking about when I was suddenly hit with a realization. ''Shit, I forgot all about him. The mirror dimension is a prison for those without a Sling Ring. Although it could be accessed without one, a sling ring was ultimately required to leave it. He can teleport anywhere inside the mirror dimension, but never outside''. I thought as I looked at my own ring. "It seems I had made a mistake, but you did try to kill me. Hmm... tell you what. Stay out of this and I promise to get you out." I said. " You expect me to stand back after you threw me in here and forgot about me? " He said through gritted teeth. He then turned towards Magneto and said. " I heard you were looking for Shaw. Help me kill this bastard and I''ll tell where he is. He didn''t even try looking for me after I disappeared, so as far as I am concerned he could die for all I care." "That is certainly a tempting offer, but are you sure that''s wise? You just said that you couldn''t get out of here." Magneto said. " I am sure I can get him to spill the beans. Either that or I could just search his corpse for a way out." Azazel said, eyeing my Sling ring. " Are you guys teaming up against me? Well, that''s just not fair. " I said. " Still a na?ve child. " Magneto snorted. "I wasn''t talking about me." I said. I suddenly hit the ground with my foot, creating a wave that ripples out. I twisted my hands, which caused the surrounding houses to tear in half. As it bent upside down Magneto and Azazel were knocked off and plummeted thousands of feet down. Houses and streets started turning and twisting upside down. Magneto and Azazel landed on the side of a house the entire world looked like it had rotated to a 90-degree angle. They watched as everything around them sank into a hole, then fractured. The whole world was split apart! "This was a mistake." Magneto gasped as they looked at the floating and twisting buildings. Suddenly the building moved again, and they were falling once more. Azazel teleported himself to a ledge, but Magneto continued to fall. He tried using his powers, but he couldn''t. His powers were connected to his physical wellbeing and his ability to focus. With an upward movement with my hand, the world suddenly stops. The twisting landscape turns upright, casting Magneto and Azazel down into the abstract space below. The swirling space compresses, even more, the world devolving into a disorienting Escher-like nightmare. Infinitely splitting until it resembles a kaleidoscope. (Chapter End) -------------------------------------------------------------- "I need more power. I want to be able to move worlds and shake them to their foundations. I want enough power in my hands to tear planets from the heavens and place them in a new sky. " -Stephen Strange (Earth-616) -------------------------------------------------------------------- I already have 10+ advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Chapter 45 - A New Player I already have 10+ advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. ( A/N :- Idk why people care about power stones, but I guess I should too? Anyways give me your stones! Or give me death! Wait.. that''s not right I mean give me freedom or give me death! And some stones.) Enjoy ------------------------------------------------------------- * Thud* *Thud* The sound of two bodies being thrown on the ground was heard. The X-Men had just finished up dealing with the Brotherhood. Callisto and Sabertooth were taken out early in the fight, while Multiple Man was beaten by Kitty. Only his head could be seen sticking out while the rest of his body was melded into the ground. Jean helped the professor in restraining Juggernaut using her telepathy, they managed to put him to sleep. Mystique was nowhere to be found, and Night Crawler could be seen nursing a bruised face. " Wow, he actually beat Magneto" Night Crawler said. " Oh, hey Kurt, guess what? Do you know who this guy is?" I said, pointing at Azazel. "Uhm.. no?" He answered. " Well, hate to break it to you buddy, but both your parents are villains and very much alive." I said. I took a second look at Azazel, who had his eyes rolled into the back of his head. " Kind of?" I trailed off. " Hey, Mystique, I know you''re still around somewhere. Probably disguised as a bird or something. " I said. Not getting an answerback, I shrugged. " Oh well, suit yourself." " Are you guys done here? If so, let''s leave. Maybe find better company." I said, eyeing Xavier and Cyclops. Cyclops gritted his teeth, while Xavier sighed. The rest of the X-Men looked haggard by the fight and were nursing various injuries. I looked at the X-Men and the Brotherhood. " After what you''ve seen today. I want you to realize something. These aren''t the only two options you guys have." I pointed at a passed out Magneto and said. " As you can see, I am stronger and I am not afraid to do what it takes. I am starting my own Meta-human team. If you join me, I am willing to offer you protection an opportunity at a normal life, and even employment if you wish so. I have brilliant scientists working around the clock, advanced technology, and even Magic. " "If you don''t want to be out in the field with the others, that''s fine you can always help in other ways. I will not judge you because of that choice. Just because violence doesn''t agree with you doesn''t make you any less than you are." " Rogue. I heard you were having problems with your powers, I can help you fix that. Logan If you want to find about your past come to me, I can help you too." I said. I then looked towards the Brotherhood. "I won''t preach peace and co-existence, as one could only live freely when one has enough strength. I can make you strong enough that you won''t have to be ever afraid of being hunted down or made a victim." I said. I pointed towards the passed out Magneto and Azazel. " I already took away both of their powers." All of them looked at me, wide-eyed. " I won''t say that I fight for reasons like freedom, justice, or belief in the family pie or something. I did what I had to do to defend my friends and family, that''s the only thing I care about and that''s what happens to people who threaten that. " " It''s true, I can''t sense their powers anymore, they feel like normal people." Callisto said. "Wait! Is it true can you really take away my powers? Can you cure me?" Rogue said. "Rogue! What are you doing? Are you really going to give up your powers? " Cyclops said. " I just want the chance to live a normal life," she said lowly. "Is that so bad?" "Rogue. Your powers are nothing to be ashamed of." Storm said. "You don''t know the first thing about me or my powers," Rogue snapped, drawing her jacket closer around her. "If you''d put a boy into a coma for two weeks just by kissing him, you''d be ashamed, too." "He woke up, didn''t he? He''s still alive and well." Storm said. "That''s not the point," Rogue cried. "I''m dangerous and I can''t do anything about it! I can''t touch anyone! Not a kid that falls off his bike... not even just a brush of my finger against theirs. A single second, just a little touch, and I could kill them! You don''t have any idea what that''s like!" "And you think ''this'' is the answer to your prayers?" Cyclops challenged haughtily. "You can''t change what you are, Rogue." "I''m not trying to," Rogue said hotly. "I just want to be able to touch somebody without killing them!" " Kid, I won''t tell you what to do. Just make sure you aren''t doing this for some guy." Logan said. Logan was too observant sometimes. He could see through her in ways that no one else, not even the telepathic Professor Xavier, had ever been able to. But Logan had been wrong, or at least, he hadn''t been entirely right, because it wasn''t just about having a boyfriend. "I am going to stop you right there. I said I would help you control your powers. Not take them away. Let''s leave that as a last resort. If you still want to do it then, that''s fine by me." I said. I looked towards the rest of the Brotherhood. " Anybody else interested?" I said. " How much are you paying?" Multiple Man piped up. " Madrox! Are you going to betray us?" Sabertooth shouted. " No hard feelings, but I never really liked the whole superior species spiel. I was really in it for the money. Plus, I had nothing better to do. Now, that guy seems like my type of guy. A Winner. " Sabertooth growled in response " I am going to kill you." Multiple Man ignored him and said. "Could you tell your little girlfriend to get me out of here? I''ve got gravel stuck in places, I''d rather not mention." I gave Kitty a nod to let her know she can let him go. Moments later, she released him. He walked over to me and said. "The name''s James Madrox, but people call me Multiple Man. You still haven''t told me how much you''re paying." "I am Cypher. And don''t worry, you will be compensated handsomely. As long as you''re loyal we won''t have a problem." I said. " I am joining you too. " I turned to look at who said that and was surprised to see it was Callisto. " Your side has an Omega class, and then there''s you who I can''t sense. I think I''ll take my chances with you. Our leader seems to be indisposed at the moment." She said, eyeing Magneto. "You Bitch!" Sabertooth shouted. Callisto sped over to me. " So you''re a speedster?" I said. "I can also sense mutants and their power levels." She said. "That''s certainly useful." I praised. The X-Men all settled down after that and decided to have a private conversation elsewhere. I spoke with jean and Kitty and asked them about what they wanted to do. Jean told me she still had to train with the Ancient one. She could barely control the Phoenix and had to constantly focus on not losing control. Kitty told me that she talked to her parents and decided to apply for an early graduation. She was certainly smart enough to do it. I was secretly happy with their decisions, but noticed that they were still shaken up by today''s fight. I comforted them and said. " They''re still your friends, that won''t change. Go talk to them." They both gave me a smile and thanked me. They went and talked to their friends, while I talked to Callisto and Multiple Man. "I have a mission for you guys. I want you to find me a Meta-human in Siberia. He should be working at a farm. Contact me as soon as you find him. Don''t make contact. Observe only" " That''s not much to go on, boss man. Siberia is a pretty big place." Madrox said. "His last name is Rasputin. Here, this account has a million dollars on it, this should cover it as far as mission expenses go. Just don''t screw around and spend it all in one place." I said as I handed them a device. " Is this mutant powerful?" Callisto said. " He''s a potential Alpha class. He can turn into metal. That''s all I know." I said. I opened a portal straight to Russia, which seemed to surprise them. "You have a week to find him. Madrox leave a couple clones here." I said. My two newest recruits went through the portal, and I was left standing with Clone 1 & Clone 2. "I want you to go and spread the word. There''s a new player in town. Any mutants looking for work or sanctuary are welcome. But no criminals or repeat offenders, everybody''s got to pull his own weight. Tell them they will have to sign a contract and if they''re too young to work, they''ll have to go to school." I said. The clones gave me a nod and went to fulfil their mission. I then went and found Juggernaut lying on the ground, passed out. I started constructing a spell formula and after I was finished, my hand glowed with the power. I closed my eyes and plunged my hand into his chest. The juggernaut woke up screaming, which grabbed the X-Men''s attention. I heard a shout. " Stop! Don''t kill him!" Xavier shouted. I ignored him and continued what I was doing. A few seconds later, I pulled my hand out of the Juggernaut''s body, and a glowing crimson gem could be seen in my hand. Juggernaut had finally stopped screaming and passed out again. His body started shrinking down and returned to normal human proportions. " What kind of person do you think I am?" I said. "This Gem can cause anyone that comes in contact with it to transform into Cyttorak''s Exemplar, the Juggernaut, a nearly unstoppable individual. Your own brother was being influenced by this gem. It was fused with his body. I''ve done what I can. He should return to normal in a few days." I said. " Then how are you touching it?" Jean said. "I coated my hands with a sealing spell. I am not actually in contact with the gem." I said. After I was finished with what I was doing. I decided to return to the Sanctum. The Gem needed a stronger sealing matrix to contain it, and Jean needed to get back to the sanctum. After saying their goodbyes, Kitty decided to stay with her parents for a few days. The X-Men took Juggernaut, Sabertooth, Azazel and Magneto into custody, and would handle the after battle cleanup. I opened a portal to the Sanctum, and before I could leave with Jean, I heard. " Wait! You said you''d help me." I turned to see Rogue rushing towards me and Jean. "I''ll be coming to the mansion in a couple of days. Don''t worry, I don''t break my promises." I said. "Kitty told me you risked your life to save them, and that I could trust you. Can you really do it? Can you really help me control my powers?" She said. In response, I poked her forehead with two fingers and said. " You can count on me." Her eyes widened in surprise when I touched her forehead, and before she could say anything. I walked through the portal with Jean and arrived at the Sanctum. Jean turned to me and with a smirk said. " That was so lame." My face turned a bit red in embarrassment "Shut up, it was cooler in my head." '' Damn it! That''s what I get for trying to act cool.'' (Chapter End) ------------------------------------------------------ Hey guys, I hope you enjoyed today''s chapter. As always thank you guys for your support. This arc is about to end. I honestly can''t wait until I start the Avengers arc. The team right now consists of Cypher, Jean, Kitty, Callisto and multiple man. Colossus should be great addition too. Tell me what you think of the line up and if I should add or remove anybody else, before the skip. On another note, can you guys guess how Cypher managed to take away Magneto''s and Azazel power? ------------------------------------------------------ " Your power upgrade. Where did it come from?" -Stephen Strange (Earth-616) ------------------------------------------------------ I already have 10+ advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Chapter 46 - Mother Russia I already have 10+ advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. ( A/N :- Idk why people care about power stones, but I guess I should too? Anyways give me your stones! Or give me death! Wait.. that''s not right I mean give me freedom or give me death! And some stones.) Enjoy ------------------------------------------------------------- (3rd Person POV) "Yay, again! Again!" Demanded a little voice echoing through the barn. "I''ve already done it twice, little snowflake." An adolescent voice responded warmly. "I don''t care, I always like it when you''re shiny and bright." Replied the childish voice. At that, 17-year-old Piotr Rasputin smiled. He was so blessed to have a family that accepted him the way they did. His grandfather and grandmother knew what he was and loved him regardless, while his little sister Illyana practically worshipped him. Presently, she was sitting in front of him on a pile of hay. Currently, she was watching the most entertaining treat she had. A demonstration of her brothers'' powers. They would do this once a week when Piotr had the time. They would sneak into the barn and he would assume his steel form and proceed to lift a disused tractor in front of her. No matter how many times he did it, she never seemed to get tired of it. "Okay, but just once more." With that, he lifted the large vehicle over his head one-handed while his little sister watched in awe. After that, he delicately put it down. "You''re so strong!" she squealed. At that, he assumed his human form. Despite only being a teenager, he boasted a heavy muscular build that shamed most adult men, and much of it was on display. He was only wearing his pants; he couldn''t risk his transformation destroying his clothes like it had done several times before. "You''re strong even when you''re normal!" Illyana was only 10, but even she noticed how unusually big and strong Piotr was. The young Russian boy for his part just sheepishly grinned. He walked over to where he had put his discarded boots and shirt and put them on. They were rather sweaty like he was. He had been helping his grandfather on the farm in the Siberian summer before going off to play with his sister. After he got dressed, he looked at his little sister and smiled apologetically. "I have to go back to the farm to help papa, little one." She looked glum at that, but she cheered up when he added, "We''ll play later, I have another painting for you." With that, she smiled and ran outside. He quickly ran along with her. Two figures emerged from the darkness. "Is that him? He definitely fits the description." He said. " Yes, it''s him. His sister is a mutant too, but still unawakened." She said. "Sweet, do you think we''ll get a bonus for finding a second one?" *Sigh* " Is that all you care about? Money?" " Hey! I''ll have you know that I am a very deep person. I am full of ideas and thoughts." " More like full of shit." She said. " Well that too. " He said with a smirk. The two figures left the farm and went to town to get a few drinks at the local bar. " His name is Piotr Nikolaievitch Rasputin. We did a bit of investigating it seems his superhuman powers manifested recently while saving his sister from a runaway tractor. " Callisto said over the phone. " Keep watching him, I''ll pay him a visit later tonight. " Doug said. " Do you need us with you? " Callisto said. " No it''s fine. You can head on back home with Madrock after I get there. Just make sure to keep him in check, and don''t draw too much attention. " Doug said. " Whatever you say boss. I''ll be waiting for my reward when I get back." Callisto said. The call ended after that and Doug had a weird feeling about the way she said '' reward ''. He didn''t give it much thought though and quickly dismissed it. He didn''t have time for such thoughts. (Ust-Ordynski Collective, Siberia) Later that night I instructed Callisto and Madrox to set the device I gave them in a hidden location. The device activated and took a 3 dimensional scan of the environment. I used the Danger room''s capabilities to recreate my destination and used a portal to teleport there. " Damn, that''s useful." I heard as soon as I arrived. I turned to see Callisto and Madrox standing by the entrance. Madrox had smirk on his face, while Callisto looked tense. " Thank God you''re finally here, I am not sure how much more of him I can take. Madrox has been getting on my nerves." She said pointing her finger towards Madrox. "It''s alright you can head back home. I''ll open a portal back." I said. They went through the portal back to America, and I was left alone. I decided to fly the rest of the way there, while invisible. I eventually arrived and flew down landing in a wheat field. I made my way unseen over to the house. I briefly scanned around and waited another five minutes then moved in, hopping over the privacy wall around the small garden at the back of the cottage, and made my way to the backdoor. I knew someone was still awake because I could see a few lights inside. I hoped to put them at ease quickly, yet didn''t want any of their neighbors see me coming in. I rapped gently on the door then deactivated my invisibility. I didn''t have to wait long and soon the door opened. I had to crane my neck upwards to stare into the face of a man who was almost as tall as the juggernaut, yet had a more streamlined body type. "Good grief, you''re a tall one aren''t you?" The surprised comment seemed to startle the big man who had looked both fearful and defiant when he opened the door and he blinked. "You would not be the first one to say so." He said staring at me. "You do not seem to be from the government. Who are you? What brings you here in the middle of the night ?" I shrugged. "I didn''t want any of your neighbors to see me knocking on your door. As to why I''m here, may I come in? It''s not something we should be discussing outside." "No threats? " the man said chuckling a little now. "Most definitely not from the government. You can come in, I suppose. But know I will be watching you." I took a moment, as I was ushered inside, to study him further. Not only was Piotr taller than me, he was fit, with the kind of build you get when you have to work from dawn to dusk. Heavy shoulders, powerful arms with the rest of his body similarly developed. He had short cropped black hair. He wore simple and durable clothing, which fit the environment of the farming community. His eyes, deep set into a face that had been in all sorts of weather, were blue. Piotr led me into a small kitchen, which had an equally small table set in the center of it on the other side of which sat a very elderly couple. The elderly man looked almost as big as the younger man, although he was now stooped with age, and his hair, equally short, and grey could be seen in his hair. The woman next to him was elderly as well and, though she didn''t seem to have been out in the sun as much as he but she was stooped as well. Both of them wore simple clothing, as well, in dark colors. They were both also clearly worried and stared at me as if I was some kind of dangerous animal. "My name is Cypher and I just want to talk." "That government never wants to just talk," the old man said bitterly. I replied simply. "I''m not from the government. " That seemed to startle them and, while his grand parents looked at me rather dubiously, Piotr frowned thoughtfully. "As I said before, you do not carry yourself like a government man with their arrogance and sneering contempt for all. You carry yourself with something else, confidence perhaps? You''re not from Russia at all, are you?" I smiled slightly. "No I am not, I am American. I am here to talk to you. Something has happened recently hasn''t it, something has awoken inside you? And you are worried because you know the government''s response to such things, such mutations." "I am concerned about it." Piotr said, waving his grandmother to silence when she opened her mouth. "But I am not so concerned as to talk about such to someone who has not yet told me why he is here." Piotr said. "Bravely spoken." I replied with a smile. "To be honest, I''m here to see if I can convince you to come with me. I am starting a Meta human academy, where they can learn to use and control their powers and, of course, further their own education in a safe environment." The phrase ''further their own education'' made the grandmother perk up noticeably, and she exchanged a glance with her husband. "And how would I pay for this?" Piotr was rather skeptical of this man who had appeared out of nowhere. "First, I should tell you that you won''t be the first one I''ve recruited. I have several others who are helping me and you''ll meet them later on if you agree to join us. Yet, to start, I am a Meta-human as well. My Meta-human power isn''t combat oriented. Though it''s helpful for me. Because I am using it right now. I am also a magic user." I said as I constructed a spell formula with my hand. There was a gasp from the hallway, and all of the people around the table turned in that direction. I cocked an eyebrow at Piotr who frowned for a moment then sighed. "My sister, Illyana." I nodded and Piotr raised his voice. "You know you should not be eavesdropping." A moment later a young girl of around ten or so shuffled in, looking a little sheepish. She had blonde hair down to her shoulders and was wearing an obviously hand me down nightgown. Her face was pretty, in a little girl way, and her eyes were bright blue, twinkling with interest over a small, expressive mouth twisted into a pout, at the moment. There was something about the girl, something that made my senses alert, yet I couldn''t figure out what and merely smiled gently at her. "Hello little one." I said. "Shouldn''t you be in bed?" The girl pouted a little at this even as her grandparents chuckled and Piotr nodded his head firmly. "Yes, she most certainly should be. Illyana, what are you even doing up?" "I heard voices and came to see what was going on." She said, then stared at me. "Are you really a Magician?" " Yes. I am what you would call a Sorcerer." I answered with a smile. I waited while Piotr picked up his younger sister and put her gently in his lap. "Look, I am not trying to sell you something, though in time I might. I am putting together a team to help protect Meta-humans all over the world over as well as face other threats. But joining us will be your personal decision. The schooling is free," I went on, looking around at the family "as is the relocation of your family to America if you wish so." I said. "America !" they all said, in surprise. "America ," Piotr said. "Really?" "Really!" I said laughing at Piotr''s face. Piotr frowned faintly, the idea of going off and leaving his grandparents to care for his sister had not appealed to him at all, which was what would have happened if the government had come to take him away, so that aspect was a major draw. Both of his parents had died years ago. His father had died during one of the communist government''s last gasps at foreign expansion and his mother had died when Illyana was only a baby, a few months after his older brother was chosen to become a cosmonaut. It had been just him and his grandparents for so long, working the communal farm with Piotr doing the majority of the work assigned to their family for years now. Yet at the same time, he was aware of the fact that his family could be used as hostages for his good conduct. I laughed a little, looking at Piotr. "I''m not going to use your family against you or anything like that, if that''s what you''re worried about," I said. And before Piotr could gasp in surprise I said. "No, I didn''t read your mind, but your face is an open book when it comes to your emotions and you were looking in their direction, seemingly very worried." Illyana and his grandparents all chuckled and Piotr looked down, slightly abashed. He was not good at hiding his feelings, his thoughts yes, but not his emotions. I stopped chuckling quickly and went on. "Seriously, I''m not going to coerce you into anything. I''m here to help you. I''m here to help you and your family. As I said, eventually you may wish to join the team I''m putting together, but that will be your choice. I will not pressure you into it. Training in your powers is what I offer, as well as continued education up to and including college if your grades are good enough. If they''re not, I can help you find a job or hire you myself eventually. I have quite a few rods in the fire at the moment, all of whom could use people." "And are all of them supposed to help mutant kind?" Piotr said. "They are supposed all help humanity." I shrugged. "Helping Meta-humans is part and parcel of what I''m doing, but eventually, I hope that the entire world will benefit from what I''m doing eventually. But can you honestly say you like the way Metas are being treated, here or abroad? It is becoming a larger issue every month as more and more Metas discover their powers." Piotr frowned, leaning back and scratching his chin, as he thought. During this momentary silence Illyana spoke up eagerly. "So what can you do with magic? Can you fly? Do you have a broom? All the witches and wizards in the old stories carry brooms, like old Baba Yaga! Can you transform into a bear?" I laughed shaking my head. "I can do quite a lot with my magic." I said pointing a finger at her. Suddenly Illyana started floating in the air. The girl giggled and spread her arms wide. Piotr looked at his family and smiled faintly, but I went on before he could speak. "I can fly yes. As to transforming into a bear, I can''t change my form like that, but I can use illusion magic." I casted an illusion of a dancing bear, which startled them a bit. They soon started chuckling over how ridiculous it looked. Piotr shook his head, amused. Doug came off as human above all else, personable and open in a way that no one from the government could ever be. "Will your offer for schooling apply to Illyana as well?" "Of course!" I replied. "We''ll probably have to bring in a special tutor for her. I will be setting up more for secondary level schooling, since most Meta powers activate during or after puberty. Or maybe Illyana can go to school nearby, it''s not certain yet. But she and your grandparents will, of course, be living with you, I''ll even set you guys up with a whole floor and several servants. Your grandparents won''t have to do anything." I said. Both the grandparents nodded, they liked that idea. Sitting down and ordering young people around all day sounded like an excellent plan. Piotr also nodded his head. "I will agree, I would like to be able to practice and be able to control my Meta powers better. Since it activated, I can only recall it for a few minutes . But other than that, I am uncertain if I would be willing to fight, though we will see." I nodded. "In that case I would suggest you all pack, and we will be on our way." "How are we going to get there," Illyana said piping up again. I chuckled then waved my fingers in the little girl''s face, "Maaagiiiccc!" Illyana smacked my hand aside, pouting a little and I chuckled even more, with Piotr and the others joining him. About ten minutes later Piotr was ready to go, though Illyana and his grandparents were still gathering their keepsakes. Twenty minutes later his grandparents finished putting together their few valuables and family keepsakes, while Illyana ran upstairs to grab a few articles of clothing and pictures as well as the ones stuffed animal that she had, a very battered and elderly stuffed bear. " Are you all ready?" I said. They all nodded their heads in affirmation. I started waving my hands and created a portal that led to one of the floors I had above my secret base. They all went through the portal marking the beginning of a new chapter in their lives. ( Chapter End) ----------------------------------------------------------------- Next chapter will be a timeskip and the start of the Mcu arc. So stay tuned for more. P. S ( Big shout out to author of a third path to the future. Go check out his fic on fanfiction.com) ------------------------------------------------------------------ "It''s best to save your gloating, Thunder God... until the battle is over." -Piotr Rasputin (Earth-616) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- I already have 10+ advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Chapter 47 - Not An Iron Man ? I already have 10+ advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. ( A/N :- Idk why people care about power stones, but I guess I should too? Anyways give me your stones! Or give me death! Wait.. that''s not right I mean give me freedom or give me death! And some stones.) Enjoy ------------------------------------------------------------- I spent my time either researching or working on getting my company up and running. I sent Callisto and Madrox on multiple missions to recruit any Meta-humans they could find. I needed a workforce for my company, and these people needed stable and secure lives. It was a win-win in my book. It didn''t hurt that they were extremely grateful. It made them more loyal and willing to work harder. I had Sophie and Diana buy out several companies, all under the name of Cypher Solutions. It was easier to buy established companies rather than start from scratch. I also had them invest in stocks and various other successful businesses. I spent my time reading and experimenting, holed up in my lab. I now had the branches I sought, some being other companies which I bought and brought under the Cypher solutions banner. I needed a large amount of hardware and material imports and some other tools to finally begin the type of production I had in mind which wouldn''t be until the end of this year if all the acquisitions went well. For now, I''ve been shipping out a large assortment of digital services for the budding smartphone and rapidly growing Internet market. Of course, one step at a time, the current hardware specs on the current devices made it so that I couldn''t put out the really powerful stuff, that would soon change as time passed and more technology discoveries were made available to the public. Time passed as I learned the intricacies of running a company. I registered the company as a Tech company and expand into various fields. The company developed, manufactured, licensed, and sold computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, smartphones, and related services. Our best-known software products were the Cypher-S line of operating systems and web browsers. We even sold flagship hardware products like the Codex video game console, holographic personal computers,, and the Cypher X smartphones. Cypher solutions ranked No. 7 in the 2010 Fortune 500 rankings of the largest United States corporations by total revenue. It was also considered the world''s largest software maker by revenue as of 2010 and was considered one of the domestic Big Five technology companies. Things were going fine on the business side of things. Sophie was utilizing her enormous computing capacity for managing the company. She also created several autonomous A.I that could do simple tasks such as customer service and troubleshooting. On the magical side of things, I have been expanding my knowledge. I was looking into interdimensional travel and researching different dimensions. I wanted to create my own dimension, or at least own one. It turned out that I''d either need to be on the level of a cosmic being, or I''d have to steal it by killing a cosmic level entity. There was always the option of acquiring an unclaimed one, but they were difficult to find. I have been researching Cyttrok''s gem to learn more about it, and the thought of touching it and gaining a ridiculous amount of power was appealing. I''d essentially become unstoppable, but the tradeoff was I''d be unable to use Magic. The trade-off simply wasn''t worth it. After I got Piotr and his family settled in their new home. I enrolled both him and his sister in schools in New York. I had Sophie hack into the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and got them their citizenship. Piotr had a bit of a tough time adjusting to life in a big city. He was used to the peace and quiet of the countryside. Illyana, on the other hand, took to it like fish to water. I used telepathy to give them both the ability to speak English, but Piotr strangely retained a heavy Russian accent. I intended to use the building above my secret base as a place where my allies and friends can have their families and not worry about their safety. I gave the same offer to Kitty and her parents. I offered them both a job at my company and convinced them the apartment was just part of the signing bonus. I wanted to ask Jean too, but I was still unsure about Jean''s relationship with her parents. Although judging by how she hardly mentioned them. I was guessing it wasn''t that good. Years passed since I started my company. It was now 2010. I was one of the richest men alive and was known worldwide. The events of Iron Man 1 already happened a couple of years ago. I didn''t want to interfere with them too much, since there was no point in doing so. This year was going to be different though, it was time I introduced myself to the world. My Meta-human academy was a success. Meta-humans were trained to control their powers and given the necessary skills to survive in the real world. Jean had finished her training with the Ancient one and could safely channel 15% of the Phoenix''s power for a few hours and 30% for a few minutes. Considering how powerful the Phoenix was. That was considered an enormous amount. At 70% she could potentially destroy a planet and at 100% probably a whole galaxy. Kitty was officially taken in as an apprentice by Master Mordo. Her close combat ability and her ability to turn intangible made her a fearsome foe. She gained the ability to channel Eldritch Magic into weapons, shields, or spells. She primarily used this ability to conjure weapons and shields on the fly during combat. She could also open portals using a Sling Ring, but she required immense focus to do it and it was only usable for travel. Piotr was put through the ringer by me and Shang-Chi whom I was finally able to convince to work as a Martial Arts instructor at my Meta-Human Academy. Shang-Chi taught him various Martial Arts suitable for his size like Judo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Aikido. I helped him with his powers. It turned out he didn''t actually turn to steel. He could convert the tissues of his entire body into an organic, steel-like substance. This substance resembling steel is of unknown composition, but appeared to be analogous to osmium and carbon steel. The conversion from flesh and bone to organic steel was accomplished by a psionic whole-brain interface with an ionic form of osmium, an extremely dense metal, located in another dimension. In willing the act of transformation, Piotr actually exchanges osmium atoms for his carbon atoms. The psionic interface with the other dimension re-creates all of his body in functionally similar organic ionic-osmium materials. This confirmed my theory about how some Meta-humans were magical in nature. The X-gene was essentially a cheat code. That could access different dimensions depending on the nature of their powers. It was the only explanation I could come up with. How else would you explain a man turning into metal without dying? As I was walking down the street with these thoughts in my head. I noticed a swarm of people down the block; they seemed to be looking through a glass window. Curiosity got the better of me, and I decided to take a closer look. As I got closer I managed to catch a part of what was being shown. "...It''s a weapon, Mr Stark." "Please, if your priority was actually the well-being of the American citizen¡­" Tony said. It seems that the events of Iron man 2 had already started. I watched as Tony, made a fool of Senator Stern, and used their blatant attempt at stealing his suit, as an opportunity to belittle and mock the committee at every chance he got. " My priority is to get the Iron Man weapon turned over to the people of the United States of America." Senator Stern said. "Well, you can forget it. I am Iron Man. The suit and I are one. To turn over the Iron Man suit would be to turn over myself which is tantamount to indentured servitude or prostitution, depending or what state you''re in. You can''t have it." Tony said. "Look, I''m no expert¡­" Stern said. "In prostitution? Of course not. You''re a senator. Come on." People started laughing at his joke, even I felt amused. It wasn''t everyday, one would get a chance to watch, a US Senator getting mocked on live TV. " I''m no expert in weapons. We have somebody here who is an expert on weapons. I''d now like to call Justin Hammer, our current primary weapons contractor." Stern said. " Let the record reflect that I observed Mr Hammer entering the chamber, and I am wondering if and when any actual expert will also be in attendance." Tony said. This went on for a bit, as Tony took every opportunity to utterly humiliate them. They eventually cut the feed, after Tony decided to hack them and exposed all their dirty laundry. He showed various countries, attempting to build their own combat suits, ending it with a video showing Hammer''s so called ''expertise'' testing his own version of the Iron man suit. I chuckled at Tony''s antics, and decided to head home. Things were about to get interesting. ( Chapter End) --------------------------------------------------------- It''s finally here guys the dreaded time skip. There''s a lot more to be said about what happened over the last few years. It will all be explained over the next few chapters. So stay tuned. As always thank you guys for your support, and I hope you''re enjoying the story. -------------------------------------------------------- "Hmm. Stalking in the dark striking fear into your enemies seems to have a kind of primal appeal. 10/10. Highly recommended. Would do again." --Tony Stark (Earth-616) --------------------------------------------------------- I already have 10+ advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Chapter 48 - Iron Ego I already have 10+ advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. ( A/N :- Idk why people care about power stones, but I guess I should too? Anyways give me your stones! Or give me death! Wait.. that''s not right I mean give me freedom or give me death! And some stones.) P. S :- Merry Christmas Everyone Enjoy ;) ------------------------------------------------------------- I leaned backward on the bar as the crowd cheered and cheered, watching the fireworks shoot up. Everyone was waiting for the man of the hour to drop down from the sky. I really didn''t even want to go to the expo opening, but Kitty found out that I, of course, could get us in, so she begged me until I gave in. She also got Jean to come. She went shopping for dresses and even got her hair and makeup done for the event. Kitty wore a patterned rose-colored dress that the Vogue stylist said gave her gray eyes some color. Jean wore a short blue off-the-shoulder dress that made her red hair pop. I looked up and saw Iron Man flying down from the sky. He flew down and landed on the stage, and the crowd lost their shit. An American flag was on the screen, the lights and fireworks went off, and girls dressed in sexy Iron Man-inspired outfits started dancing. I groaned. Jean and Kitty busted out laughing. Tony stood there in his armor, looking around, arms wide. The robots came up from the stage floor to take the suit off, and he grinned and bowed. As he waved and pointed to the crowd, the girls finished the dance and came up to him, posing. "Oh, it''s good to be back," he said, giving the crowd a good show. "You miss me?" Someone in the crowd screamed at him: "Blow something up!" People laughed. I downed my drink, wishing he really would blow something up. * Sigh* " Come on, he''s not that bad." Jean said. I snorted. " You''re right, he''s worse." Kitty giggled a bit " Are you still mad about ''that''. " I didn''t answer, which led to them laughing even more. My mind drifted to the first time I ever met Tony. (1 month ago) I was attending one of those rich people fundraiser parties, and I had Jean and Kitty with me. I wasn''t going at first but was talked into it by my PR team. Apparently, I was starting to develop a reputation for being a reclusive, mysterious billionaire, which was detrimental to my image. " I should fire them." I stated. " Come on, they''re right you now. We barely get to see you anymore. You''re either holed up in your lab or studying that strange crystal you took out of Juggernaut." Kitty said. " It''s called the Gem of Cyttrok. You should know this stuff by now. How can you call yourself a sorcerer? " I said. She snorted." Who knew you''d have to study so much to do magic. Spending hours on end studying archaic texts. Surround by dusty old fossils." " Don''t let Mordo hear you say that. " Jean said. I chuckled a bit and continued drinking and talking to the girls. My presence was drawing a lot of attention. It wasn''t often that one of the richest men alive was out and about, with two knockout beauties. '' I really should get out more'' I thought to myself, noticing how many people were staring. There was suddenly a large commotion and my attention was drawn by a rather large crowd. I looked towards the entrance and found Tony Stark moving through the crowd, meeting and greeting people. His assistant, Pepper, was with him as well as his bodyguard and best friend Happy Hogan. I noticed how he was moving towards us. He was certainly good with working a crowd. "I should warn you, he''s likely to hit on you, either, or, possibly both at once." I said. Jean allowed a slight frown to appear on her face. While Kitty still had an excited look on her face. "Well, too damn bad for him, playboys with goatees are not my cup of tea." Jean said. It didn''t take long before they came up to where we were sitting. "Douglas Ramsay, a pleasure. " said Pepper, holding out one hand gesturing with the other to Tony, "May I introduce Tony Stark." Tony was a man in his early 30s, spare of frame and in relatively good shape since. He had a goatee and a small mustache and wore a very expensive Armani suit like a second skin, and all in all, looked the perfect image of a rich playboy. His eyes however were bright with intelligence, and they seemed to glitter as he bowed over Jean''s hand grandly. " And who is this lovely lady?" He said. " Jean Grey. Nice to meet you, Mr. Stark. I have heard a lot about you." Jean said. " All good things I hope." He said. " Hi. I''m Kitty Pryde." Kitty excitedly said. " Oh, another lovely lady." He said. Noticing I was starting to get annoyed at being ignored and his blatant flirting. Pepper interrupted. Tony''s personal assistant Pepper was very good, and under her management, the company had slowly begun to change from a primarily weapons manufacturing company into a high-tech consumer goods company. For his part, Tony was rather taken with the two young ladies in front of him. It was obvious he was completely out of touch with his company. " Oh, so you''re New York''s second most eligible bachelor? Douglas Ramsay. You''re certainly very young. " He said. " Well, this is the future Mr. Stark people are always looking for what''s newer and better." I said. "Well, newer doesn''t always mean better. Sometimes if you want something reliable, you go with something tested and more trusted. Something you know that works." He said. " What are you implying, Mr. Stark? Are you saying my products are second rate? You must have me confused with Justin Hammer. Not all your competitors are mumbling idiots. " I said. He chuckled a bit. " You''re not wrong, he does mumble. No, I am not implying your products are second rate. We just make them better, that''s all." I snorted "Yeah at triple the price. That''s why most people go for the Cypher X instead of a Stark phone." " We don''t skimp out and buy cheap materials to keep cost down. Quality over quantity and all that, but I am sure that''s a new concept for you." He said. I was about to go off on him and give him a piece of my mind , but was interrupted by his assistant. "Gentlemen, let''s keep this civil. Why don''t I go and get us all a few drinks? " She said. Pepper then went and got us all a few drinks. She chatted with Jean and Kitty for a bit . Tony was busy talking to a reporter, but it was more flirting than talking. I was left with Happy Hogan. " You''re boss is certainly interesting." I said. " He gets a little competitive sometimes, but he means well." He said. "Could have fooled me." I snorted. We stayed at the party for a bit. I talked to Pepper and found out that she was trying to get a meeting with me for a while now. Although Cypher Solutions and Stark Industries were competitors. Stark industries focused more on manufacturing hardware, while Cypher Solutions was primarily a software tech company with a few flagship products. We talked business for a while and scheduled an appointment for further talks. (Back to the present) Tony! Tony! Tony! Tony! " I missed you too. Blow something up? I already did that. I''m not saying that the world is enjoying its longest period of uninterrupted peace in years because of me. I''m not saying that from the ashes of captivity, never has a greater ???????????????????????????? metaphor been personified in human history. " Tony said. [People cheering Tony] Jean almost choked on her drink. Kitty and I couldn''t stop laughing. He continued his speech "Please, it''s not about me. It''s not about you. It''s not even about us. It''s about legacy. It''s about what we choose to leave behind for future generations. And that''s why for the next year and for the first time since 1974, the best and brightest men and women of nations and corporations the world over will pool their resources, share their collective vision, to leave behind a brighter future. It''s not about us. Therefore, what I''m saying, if I''m saying anything, is welcome back to the ???????????????????? ????????????????." ( A few days later) I was at the base training with Jean in the Danger room. We had gotten closer over the years, but never really took the leap. She still had some trust issues and was wary of getting into a relationship. She was in constant fear of losing control and was still apprehensive. I think she was still traumatized by that time she lost control and still hasn''t forgiven herself over what happened. Monaco happened a few days ago. I watched on T. V as Wiplash took on Tony only to get knocked out. I also heard about the birthday party he threw for himself. His behavior was becoming more and more destructive as the days went by. He was acting like a man who only had a few days to live. I could have simply gone to Russia and picked up Vanko before the events of Iron Man 2, but unfortunately some events needed to happen. It just meant I''d have to make sure no one died. Things were about to get busy this week. Sophie informed me that Tony already discovered Howard Stark''s Hidden Element. Which Tony dubbed Badassium. He was currently building his Iron Man Armor Mark VI in preperation for tomorrow night''s Expo. Dr. Bruce Banner was also spotted at Culver University and reports of an unidentified satellite in New Mexico were reported two days ago. After I finished my training session with Jean. We went to the lounge to relax for a bit. I had Diana make a call and patch it through my ear piece. "Mardox. I need you and Callisto to go to New Mexico. I''ve got a new mission for you guys. " "Is it another Meta-human?" He asked me. " No, this time I need you guys to keep an eye on a God." I said. *Silence* " What?" He said. " I''ll send you the details. Surveillance only. If anything big happens let me know right away." I said. " Boss, wait what do... " I hanged up and called Pitor. " Colossus. I have got a mission for you. Take Kitty with you and portal to Culvar University. I need you to keep an eye on Dr. Bruce Banner. If he turns green don''t interfere unless absolutely necessary." I said. " What do you mean turn green? " He asked confused. " You''ll know it when you see it. I''ll send you the details. " I said. " Anything else? " He asked. " Yes no matter what happens don''t make him angry. " I said. I then turned to Jean. "How would you like to go to the Stark Expo with me?" I asked, her head whipped up to look at me with a grin. "I''ll take that as a yes." ( Chapter End) -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Living as a mortal -- abiding by the civilized laws of Midgard -- hath tamed me! Here -- and fore''ermore -- does that affliction end!" -Thor Odinson (Earth-616) --------------------------------------------------------------------------- I already have 10+ advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Chapter 49 - Killer Droids I already have 10+ advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. ( A/N :- Idk why people care about power stones, but I guess I should too? Anyways give me your stones! Or give me death! Wait.. that''s not right I mean give me freedom or give me death! And some stones.) P. S :- Happy New year Everyone!!! Enjoy ;) ------------------------------------------------------------- We reached the expo using a portal, and I immediately cast an illusion to hide us both. We got just in time to see the main attraction. An exclusive press release by Hammer Tech in the Stark Expo main auditorium. I was in my suit, which looked like The Spider-Man 2099 White Suit, including clawed fingers, arm spikes, and lacked visible eye lenses. The suit had circuit markings all over it, which gave it a more futuristic and otherworldly look. The Symbiote responded to my thoughts and my mask came down. I looked towards Jean. Jean''s suit looked like the Dark Phoenix''s Jean Grey. She wore a burgundy trench coat and had a hood to hide her bright red hair. She also wore a half-mask to hide her features. The black under suit and the trench coat were made out of a vibranium/kevlar mesh. It was completely bulletproof and could stop high caliber bullets and absorb high energy blasts. Soon the event began with Justice Hammer taking center stage. He danced on to the stage, which caused Jean and me to cringe. He gave a long-winded speech about how he was better than Tony. He then introduced them, the Hammer Drones. Army, Navy, Airforce, and Marines, each unit had eight drones. And then he brought out the War Machine unit. Everyone cheered at the Patriot appearance. I just told Jean to get ready. And then suddenly, Iron man came flying in and people lost their shit. They cheered for him, Tony was whispering something to Rhodes and suddenly all hell broke loose. The drones fired their guns at Iron Man, who flew away from the stage to prevent human casualties. The glass top of the Expo broke apart, showering the audience with glass. The illusion broke as soon as we started moving. " Phoenix!!!!" I shouted. "On it!" She yelled back. Jean used her telekinesis to hold all the pieces of glass and debris that would have fallen on the crowd. The rest of the drones slowly made their way down the platform and into the crowd. They didn''t seem to be focused on killing people. But in their fight with Tony, people were bound to get hurt. A navy drone noticed me first and fired a heavy machine gun round at me, which I dodged. I could have just let them hit me, but I didn''t want to let anyone know bullets won''t hurt me. I got close to the drone and used my claws to cut his handoff. Then, without wasting time, I stabbed his chest and destroyed its arc reactor. By now, the drones had noticed me and Jean who had used her telekinesis to destroy 2 drones. They started ignoring people in favor of us, which is what I''d wanted. I started attacking with double the speed while dodging bullets and rockets from the drones and destroyed the arc reactor for each drone. Jean used psionic blasts and tore each drone apart. " Destroy their energy sources they''re rigged to blow." I said. She gave me a nod and hit the drones'' chests with enough force to shatter the power source as well as their joints. "Shield has been notified of this event. Black Widow is heading to the secondary location, to try and secure the hacker who has taken control of the drones." Sophie''s voice interrupted. "It''s probably Vanko, send her a text to be careful. We''ll be dealing with the drones." I said, while looking for more drones to destroy. We had collectively destroyed only 12 drones and I could see 6 more. I know the air force drones went after Tony, so there had to have been 24 drones on the ground. I saw another drone point his hand blasters at a kid wearing an Iron Man mask, who puts his hands up pretending to blast the drone. I take that moment to web the boy and bring him towards me while simultaneously throwing a severed drone''s arm at the drone''s chest. As the drone falls down, I look at the kid and examine him to make sure he''s okay. "Miles!" a female voice interrupts me from my musing, and I see an attractive black woman come towards me. Huh. So this is Miles Morales. He''s still young, about 9-10. "You should get out of here. This place is about to blow. Don''t stay near any of those fallen robots." I tell them and speed away to destroy another drone. I go from drone to drone and destroy their arc reactors. I even plucked out a few of the repulsors to study. They might not be the real thing, but they were replicas of Stark Tech. I hide it within myself for convenience. I saw Jean giving me a curious look. I just shrugged in response. *Sigh* " More stealing." I heard Sophie. " I am not doing this for free you know, it''s Tony''s mess. I am just fixing it." I said. Within 15 minutes, all the drones in our vicinity were destroyed. I check in the HUD to see if I have anything else in coming but don''t find anything, so I let my guard down for a bit. There were 2 blips on my screen, about a mile away from me, which was probably Iron Man and War Machine nearby. " I am going to see, if Tin can and his buddy need any help. Wanna come? " I asked. "I don''t think anybody died, but a lot of people got hurt. I''ll be staying here to help whoever I can. " She said. " Shield will be here soon. So don''t stay too long. Also these drones may have multiple bombs in them. It''s still not safe, so be careful. "I said. She gave me a nod and went to help the injured people. I headed towards the park where, Iron man and War machine where about to have a fight. I arrived just in time to see the two of them arguing about where to stand before the drones landed and the two lowered their visors. The drones started firing at them as Tony fired his repulsor beams, while Rhodes fired his guns. Tony kneed a drone hard, shattering it before punching another and throwing another away as Rhodes continued firing and Tony punched two more away. A drone fired a missile at him and he leaned sideways to dodge before firing three missiles that embedded into the three drones and destroyed them. Rhodes continued firing and kicking the drones as Tony punched them around before asking Rhodes to duck as he fired palladium powered lasers from the back of his hands. In a rotatory motion, the lasers cut all the drones into two and some trees as well. Sophie told me another drone with a higher repulsor signature was headed towards us. The Whiplash Armor: Mark II landed near them and the visor removed to reveal Ivan Vanko brandishing his electrical whips. Rhodes fired the ex-wife but it didn''t gain enough energy before hitting his suit, only to fall down and fizzle out. "The one thing of his that worked and even that didn''t work." Rhodes said. "That''s Hammer tech for ya." Tony said. Tony fired some missiles as Ivan''s visor came down and he defended himself before swinging his whips as the two flew off to avoid. Rhodes fired at him but Ivanko cut off his big gun. Tony flew up but he wrapped the whip around his leg and smashed him into a rock. Rhodes fired again with his miniguns as Tony flew into him but was thrown away. Ivanko wrapped his whip around Rhodes and pulling him closer, punched him off as Tony leapt at him with a roar and punched him. He punched twice before being head-butted back and blown away. I sighed '' This is pathetic, they''re not ready for the big leagues.'' I jumped in and deactivated my invisibility to offer some help. When I landed between them it caught the both of them off gaurd. I cut Rodes loose freeing him from Ivanko''s wiplash and jumped with him away. Landing beside Tony. "Who are you?! Get out of here its dangerous!" Tony said. "Relax Mr. Stark. I saw that you two might need some help so I''m here to offer my assistance." I said while looking at the dead missile on the floor. Seeing what I was talking about Tony laughed while Rhodey just grumbled in embaresment. After Ironman was done laughing he looked towards me again. "You want to help? Who are you anyway? Don''t tell me you''re from the future and you''re here to stop my death or something. " He said jokingly, after seeing my futuristic looking suit. "Erhm.. Well how about I get rid of this guy first and then we can continue talking about this. " I said, slightly caught off guard by his statement. Hearing me say this Iron man was suprised, but Whiplash was angered. He sent a punch toward me with the suits full power. "Watch out!" Tony shouted. Rhodes tried to get me out of the way but to his surprise I ran towards the punch. I sent out a punch infused with Chi to meet his, but this only caused for the suits arm to shatter to smithereens. Iron Man and War machine were suprised, but Whiplash was completely terrified. Ivanko tried using his left arm and tried hitting me with his wiplash. I merely raised my right arm in response and the whiplash wrapped around it. He smirked and said. " I''ve got you now." Recognizing the threat I posed. Ivanko diverted most of the power in his suit to his whiplash probably trying to electrocute me to death. I heard shouting telling me to let go. I decided to play a little prank on Ivanko and pretended to struggle getting free. Millions of volts went through my body. I screamed and shouted in pain. Ivanko kept the electricity going for a few more seconds. He started laughing maniacally. " Now then, with the freak dead it''s your turn." My screams soon turned to laughter. " Stop! Stop! It tickles." Everyone was shocked and frozen in shock over what they were seeing. A man in a futuristic looking suit was doubled over, holding his stomach and laughing. Whilst being electrocuted by millions of volts of electricity. I began absorbing the electricity into my body. Ivanko in a desperate attempt, tried pouring even more power into the whiplash. It eventually ran out juice and I was left their standing with a satisfied look on my face. I looked towards him and said. " My turn." I pulled the whiplash and grabbed his other arm and ripped it off, similar to the arms I did the same thing to his legs. Now it was just the man in the torso weighing him down on the ground. Seeing that he was now immobile, I turn to Iron Man. "This was fun, we should do this again some time. This guy was not enough for me to even use my full strength. Call me next time when you have something bigger." I said. I threw a card which had a number they could contact me on incase of emergency towards Iron Man. Unfortunately he looked like he had shut down. Rhodes caught the card instead after it bounced off Iron Man''s Armour. He turned the card and saw that it had a phone number on it. The other side of the card had the name Enigma on it. "Anyway, I should go. There are people to save and bad guys stop, see you later Mr. Stark! Later Rhodes. " I said. As I finished saying this I jumped and swung away. Sophie told me Shield was coming our way. So I decided it would be better If I talked to him another time. I picked Jean up on my way and opened a portal back to my base away from prying eyes. ( Chapter End ) ----------------------------------------------------------- "Hey, kids! Sing with me! ? The wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round. ? My fists #$& up Sabertooth''s face: pound, pound, pound. ? Pound pound pound. ? Cats go meow meow meow? ? Uh. Don''t be a Deadpool, stay in school!" - Deadpool (Earth-616) ------------------------------------------------------ I already have 10+ advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Chapter 50 - Aftermath I already have 10+ advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. ( A/N :- Idk why people care about power stones, but I guess I should too? Anyways give me your stones! Or give me death! Wait.. that''s not right I mean give me freedom or give me death! And some stones.) Enjoy ;) ------------------------------------------------------------- The next morning in the news they report that Justin Hammer was arrested for working with a known terrorist. ".. was attacked by the drones which were to be presented by Justin Hammer to the US armed forces, when they turned on Iron Man and started attacking everyone indiscriminately. The air forces were taken care of by the pair of Iron Man and War Machine, piloted by Lt. Col. James Rhodes, while the ground forces were destroyed by two mysterious individuals, the man was dressed in a futuristic white and red alien suit, while the woman wore a Scarlet hooded coat. Both of these pairs were reported, trying to distract the drones, from the running crowd to prevent casualties. Several sources and eye witness reports claim to have seen them destroy the drones using Super Powers. Police reports state that 10 people died by bullets, while some where trampled to death, 50 people were injured by falling glass as well as in mass panic. Reporting for..." I turn off the TV and look at Jean''s solemn face. I was upset too. When I''d seen the movie, I didn''t even imagine people could have died there. But seeing the situation first hand? That was just.. chaotic. I thought that we managed to save everyone, but it seems we were wrong. Me and Jean being there prevented more deaths from occurring. So how many would have died if we weren''t there? "We did all we could, Jean. We just acted late." I say after a while of silence. "Yeah. We should have jumped in as soon as Iron Man came in." Jean said. Yeah, we should have. "Yes. We could have jumped in, Jean. But we didn''t have any sufficient reasons to do it. We were there just as a precaution, so we could not have predicted it would be this bad. I''m sorry, those people died, I really am. But if we weren''t there, more of them would have died. We saved a lot of people, Jean. I''m not telling you to forget this, but don''t let it get to your head. We can''t save everyone, Jean." I try reasoning with her, though knowing Jean, she''ll still overthink. "I''ll just have to try harder next time, then." Jean said, passionately. "We made a mistake by waiting for something bad to happen and not listening to our instincts. The next time our guts warn us of something, we''ll do something about it. Alright?" she asks me. Well colour me impressed, I thought she''d be depressed for a month or something. I stand up and hug her. That day, when we trained in the Danger Room, Jean fought extra hard and almost won against me using her Phoenix powers. Which was amazing, because it also motivated me to work harder. We sparred for 2 hours and I even taught her how to use her Phoenix fire more efficiently. Her cosmic fire, although powerful, was hard to control. Later in the night, I returned to my lab. I began dissecting the thrusters, finding out how they worked. I began to understand the design, which I''ll admit was ingenious. It used concentrated Muon particles, an elementary particle similar to electrons but with a much denser mass. They could be adjusted to increase its density or decrease it allowing for flight or as a physical weapon. After I understood how they worked, it was enough to replicate the design and even improve upon it. I already had Sophie find me Howard Stark''s expo blueprint, add to that the scans I took of some of the drones'' reactor''s . Reconstructing one was just a matter of time. It took me all night, I think it was around 4 in the morning when I finally began to understand what Tony had built. The radioactive material would first break down and be spun around to collide into themselves. It means there are charged particles moving in a circle, contained by a magnetic field. High-energy particles usually have high energy because they''re moving very fast, and magnetic fields can curve the motion of charged particles. Curving the particles'' motion into a circle keeps them in one place long enough to get them to collide. This also produced gamma rays as a result of the molecules colliding and releasing a loose neutron. There was a complex radioactive decay going on inside the arc reactor itself, one that I was just starting to understand. This in the end increases the motion of the magnetic field, alternating it as the loose neutrons began to move around. This in turn causes the magnetic superconductive wire to generate a high amount of alternating current. I finally put down the arc reactor and sighed, rubbing my head. ''I''m so glad it''s Sunday because I''m exhausted.'' I hide the ''acquired'' items away. I added it to my ever growing collection in my vault. I decided to go home and get some sleep. I was in my room, getting ready to turn in. '' Hm... I should go and see how Chri... I mean Thor is doing.'' I laid down in my bed and prayed for a quick sleep. ( Chapter End) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Title of the next chapter: Beware of the thunder from down under. Jk ???? Next chapter though Cypher will be going to New Mexico. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "You should talk. Your costume''s so tight you can tell what religion you are. Ever hear of a cup?" - Deadpool (Earth-616) ------------------------------------------------------------ I already have 10+ advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Chapter 51 - Thunderstruck I already have 10+ advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. ( A/N :- Idk why people care about power stones, but I guess I should too? Anyways give me your stones! Or give me death! Wait.. that''s not right I mean give me freedom or give me death! And some stones.) Enjoy ;) ------------------------------------------------------------- ( 3rd person POV) Director Fury of Shield was pissed. The only thing he hated more, than not knowing something was dealing with idiots. This particular idiot thought happened to be a General. "General. Perhaps I haven''t made myself clear on what the word ''jurisdiction'' means." He said. "You have been told several times to cease all attempts in trying to capture Dr. Banner. Now I find that not only have you kept trying to find Dr. Banner, but you nearly created an international incident! That showdown of yours on campus, was almost seen by the whole world. If it weren''t for Shield''s efforts in suppressing the footage." The man on the screen was an older gentleman with white hair kept in the military crew-cut, a white handlebar moustache, and a very short clipped beard, General Ross. General Ross seemed to be completely impervious to this. "That damn committee of politicians doesn''t know anything! You want to play jurisdictional games with something that can destroy a city as easily as that monster can!? Don''t be a fucking idiot!" Fury leaned forward glaring with his one remaining eye. "General, I''m not playing games. From now on you will have no connection whatsoever to anything pertaining to Dr. Banner. You''ve shown you haven''t had any luck to indicate that you can handle it. Leave it to Shield." "I won''t be told my damned duty by some damn spook !" He shouted. Fury shook his head. "General Ross, I''m warning you, if you have anything further to do with Dr.Banner, I will not hesitate to have you stopped, your entire unit disbanded, and have you court marshalled." General Ross stared at him. This damn spook didn''t understand, none of them did. The Hulk wasn''t just one of the most dangerous monsters in the world; he represented the future of the American military. If he could just figure out a way to give his soldiers the strength of that green monster, but keep them in control, then nothing would ever be able to threaten the American way of life ever again. Hell with an army of super soldiers they wouldn''t even have to fear the growing mutant menace. "You do what you have to sonny, and I''ll continue to do my duty." With that General Ross signed off. Fury leaned back in his chair, growling angrily. It was times like these he missed being a regular field agent, or even the times back in World War II when he was with the Howling Commandoes no matter how dangerous it had been. Things were much simpler then, and there wasn''t so much damn talking. He looked over at another video playing on another screen, one hand on his forehead massaging his temples. On the screen was a long haired blond man sitting in an interrogation room talking to himself. The man claimed to be a God. But He knew it was bullshit. As far as he was concerned there was only one god, and it sure wasn''t a blonde white boy. He sighed and looked at the file that was on his desk. '' Damn billionaires with their fancy suits.'' His agents in the area were doing their best, but it was obvious they were overmatched, yet there was nothing he could do about it from here. ''First the Big Guy, now this and we''re still getting up to speed, with nowhere near the coverage worldwide we need to really do the job SHIELD was created to do.'' "Speaking of which," Fury looked up in one of his aides, a young woman with short cropped hair. "Who do we have that''s free?" Fury said. The young woman flipped through some papers she was holding, then found the right one and nodded. "We had Black Widow assigned to Tony Stark sir, but her cover was blown yesterday. She''s the most experienced agent technically free so we could reassign her." The agent said. "Do it, get her to infiltrate Cypher Solutions. I want her there yesterday. Douglas Ramsey is still too big of an unknown. I have a feeling something big is happening there, and we need eyes on the ground. Besides, as you said she''s the best we''ve got available. " He said. ( New Mexico) Thor raced up the entrance ramp. Before him, two guards around the corner. He knocked out the first guard, then tackled the second. He hurried around the corner, when more guards came up a ladder ahead. He punched the closest guard, sending him tumbling backwards, toppling the others on the ladder behind him. He took off running, as the guards regrouped and gave chase. He spotted the glow of Mjolnir in the central cube, through the translucent walls of the tunnels. He hurried through to tunnels to find a way towards it. As Thor raced through the tunnel, a guard ran right at him, on a collision course. He took him out with a punch to the gut, then turned to see more agents coming towards him. As this was happening, two figures hidden in the dark could be seen watching the commotion in the tunnel complex. " Are you sure he isn''t a mutant? He just took out half a dozen men in 2 minutes. Not that I am not enjoying the show, but its kind of hard to believe." Madrox said. " He isn''t, I already checked. He is just a human." Callisto said. They watched as Thor lunged forward, whipping his feet in front of him, then kicked out, nailing a huge agent in the chest. The Agent goes down hard. Madrox winces slightly and gives Callisto a pointed look. " He is strong I admit" She relents. As Thor approached his hammer, Mjolnir started to glow brighter, blue electricity sparking off its surface. The crackling energy seemed to reach out to him. " Look something is happening." Madrox said. They watched with anticipation as Thor wrapped his hand around the hammer. He smiled, triumphant, lifts... but the hammer didn''t move. He strained with all his might, screaming from the effort, bellowing up at the storm and lightning above him. He fell to his knees, rain pouring down around him. Agents moved in, guns trained on Thor, surrounding him and taking him into custody. Madrox sighed " Well that was anti-climactic, it seemed you were right. He was just a norm¡­" Madrox looks beside him only to see Callisto frozen in shock, her eyes were wide and her body was covered in sweat. Her body started shaking and she could only utter one word. " Magnificent " Madrox seeing her reaction slightly gulps and says " I guess it''s time we called the boss." ( Back at NewYork) I just got a call from Madrox and Callisto. It seemed Thor was just taken into custody. I was getting ready to head to Mexico, but this time I was pulling out all the stops. I made sure I had all I needed for what I was about to do and promptly opened a portal to New Mexico. It was time to meet a god. ( Chapter End ) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Sounds fancy. Me, I''m a simple man...I''m just gonna kill ya." -- Wolverine (Earth-616) --------------------------------------------------------------------- I already have 10+ advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Chapter 52 - Ill Be Waiting I already have 10+ advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. ( A/N :- Idk why people care about power stones, but I guess I should too? Anyways give me your stones! Or give me death! Wait.. that''s not right I mean give me freedom or give me death! And some stones.) Enjoy ;) ------------------------------------------------------------- I arrived at New Mexico and found myself in a hotel room. I looked towards Mardox and Callisto who were standing beside the door waiting for me. I noticed that Callisto was slightly rattled, while Madrox looked kind of nervous. I asked them to give me a report on what they saw until now. I was satisfied after I heard their report. Their report was pretty much, consistent with what I knew from the movies. I wasn''t surprised. Asgard hardly had any contact with Earth for the last few decades, if not hundreds of years. I couldn''t rule out, that some of them would occasionally visit from time to time. But that was probably rare, Earth was considered by many a backwards planet. Most planets without Interstellar travel capabilities, were considered as such. I opened a portal back to NewYork and told them they did a good job. I don''t waste time and headed to where Thor was being held. I told Sophie to disable the cameras inside the interrogation room and keep the feed on loop showing him sleeping. I snuck in using the mirror dimension and found myself staring at Thor. He looked like the actor Chris Hemsworth from my original universe. I found it amusing to be honest. I started using my telepathy and invaded his mind. It was too easy. Thor didn''t have his divinity anymore and I doubted, he had any sort of mental protection. Odin may have been trying to teach his son a lesson, but at the same time he put him at great risk. I could slit his throat right now, and that would be the end of it. He''d simply die. This only confirmed how powerful Odin truly was. Just by using his magic and a few runes he was able to strip a god from his powers. It didn''t take long and I finally had what I was looking for. I have been waiting for this opportunity for years. I finally had Asgard''s location. I noticed Thor was starting to wake up, so I decided to leave. It was too soon to have our first meeting. I left the interrogation room and headed towards the hammer. I knew I couldn''t lift it. I wasn''t worthy that much was easy to figure out. No. I had something else in mind I wanted to try. I found the hammer just laying there, surrounded by scientists. They had scanners and various devices pointed at it. It seems the hammer was giving off a slight energy signature. Obviously they couldn''t make heads or tails of it, but that wasn''t my concern. Still invisible I got close enough to study it. It looked exactly like the movies showed; resting at an angle with the handle pointing upwards, gray metal hammer head with leather gripped silver metal handle. It looked like the head and handle were made out of a single piece. In one word, it was fantastic. I started to examine the symbols that were on the side of the hammer. I attempted to read it " Whosoever holds this hammer, if they be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor." As I read those words, I felt a change inside me. I unconsciously started to move towards the hammer. I put a hand on the handle of the hammer. The scientists that were scanning the hammer started noticing energy spikes. The energy spikes keep on increasing in intensity and a wind starts blowing all over the base. Clouds were starting to form. I heard a wispher in my mind. " You are unworthy." My Spidey Sense starts to tingle really loudly. I break out of the trance I was in and before I could let go of the hammer, a lightning bolt slams down on the hammer. I get thrown across the room and through the plastic dividers and lay there moaning for a while. Luckily I wasn''t the only one affected. The lightning blew all the people surrounding the hammer away and fried all their equipment. I heard people coming towards me and quickly open a portal back home to escape. I was in no condition to fight and was barely able to open a portal big enough to fit me. As soon as I passed through it, I passed out. ( A few hours later) " What the fuck" I muttered to myself as I woke up. My muscles groaned in protest and I could feel a splitting headache. '' What the hell happened.'' " Doug. Are you okay?" I looked up to see Jean looking at me in concern. " Doug what happened? Diana called me and told me you suddenly appeared out of a portal and passed out right after." " I am fine. I just got a zapped by an angry hammer that''s all." I said. " What ? Aren''t you immune to electricity ? And what do you mean an angry hammer?" She asked. I started explaining to her, the sequence of events that lead to my current predicament. I was still slightly numb. I wasn''t as immune as I to electricity as I liked to think, but I guess mystical lightning was a different story. " Really it spoke to you ? " She said. " I could feel it''s anger. I don''t know how, but it diffidently spoke and I heard it." I said. She still had an unsure look on her face." I don''t know Doug. This all sounds too weird. I mean we''ve seen some crazy stuff. But a talking hammer?" " A talking magic hammer. Some magical objects gain sentience after a few centuries. The more powerful and Ancient it is. The more intelligence it has." I said. " But why did it attack you though? You said plenty of people tried lifting it. Why didn''t it attack any of them." She asked. I shrugged in response and continued talking to Jean. She gave me a hug that lasted a bit too long and a kiss on the cheek. She told me to be careful. " I don''t know what I would do if I lost you Doug, please be careful. I know.. I know that I have made you wait. I want... " " Jean I..." " No. I have to say it. After what you did for me. Almost dying ? Your patience and support over the past couple of years. I know that you like me and I.. I like you too. I just didn''t feel ready. I was afraid if I had let me guard down for even a second, the Phoenix would take over and I would hurt you again.. I " " No Jean. You could never hurt me. I chose to do what I did, because it was the right thing to do, and I am sure if it was you, you would do the same too. Stop blaming yourself! You don''t realise how amazing you truly are, I''ve seen you train every single day for hours on end. All that effort you put in. Your constant fight to control something bigger than you, more powerful. You have so much strength and so much compassion within you. Look." I cut my hand a bit and it heals in seconds. " See. You can''t hurt me anymore, I will always be there to help you, when you need me." After I said that I grabbed her and kissed her on the lips. We made out for a bit more. I held her in my arms and said. " I''m sorry, but I''ve got to go. There isn''t much time left." I said. " Let me come with you." She said " It''s dangerous, I know you can handle yourself, but I''d be less worried knowing that you''re safe. Plus someone''s gotta hold down the fort. Shield knows who I am and I am betting they know who you are too. Stay here and If anything comes up. Contact me right away." I said. She nods in agreement and I open a portal to Asgard. Before I left I looked at her and said " Let''s go to dinner tomorrow night. We already had our first kiss. I wouldn''t be gentleman If I didn''t at least buy you dinner." She gave me a smile and said " I''ll be waiting, so don''t be late." I gave her a wink and jumped through the portal. ( Chapter End ) ------------------------------------------------------------- I already have 10+ advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Chapter 53 - Asgard I already have 10+ advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. ( A/N :- Idk why people care about power stones, but I guess I should too? Anyways give me your stones! Or give me death! Wait.. that''s not right I mean give me freedom or give me death! And some stones.) Enjoy ;) ------------------------------------------------------------- (3rd person POV) (Jotunheim) Loki arrived on Jotunheim using the Bifrost and looked towards Laufey, who was on his throne as the Giants stood around him. Loki, looking apprehensive, walked alone across the icy surface of the planet. Darkness shrouded the ruined temple, save for the shafts of light, which knifed their way in through the damaged ceiling. Frost Giant guards surrounded him on all sides. Laufey approached, towering over him menacingly. "Tell me why I shouldn''t kill you." The giant growled. " I''ve come alone and unarmed," Loki answered. " To what end?" The Frost Giant asked. "To make you another proposition." He answered. The King of giants suddenly realized what he meant. " So you''re the one who let us into Asgard?" He stated. "You''re welcome." Loki said. Enraged by his attitude and smug face, Laufey lashed out and grabbed Loki around the throat. " My men are dead, and I have no Casket. You are a deceiver!" He roared. "You have no idea what I am. " Loki said. The blueness spreads across his face, as Laufey and the guards stare in shock. "Hello, Father." Loki said with a smirk. After that, Laufey decided to hear Loki, who said he would conceal him and a few more Frost Giants so they can come to Asgard and kill Odin. Laufey asked why he wouldn''t do it himself, to which Loki said the Asgardians wouldn''t take kindly to a king who had murdered his predecessor. Loki told Laufey he could kill Odin and obtain the Casket of Winters, using it Laufey could one day return Jotunheim to its former glory. Laufey got up and with a smile, accepted. ( Asgard ) Heimdall''s senses, as extraordinarily acute as they are, can be blocked by certain magical spells. It took me a while to find the right spell, but I eventually found it. He could no longer see me unless I wanted him to. I walked along the halls of Asgard''s palace. Its golden walls shining brightly showing off the wealth of Asgard. I still could not believe I am in Asgard, a fictional place that I have seen only in movies and only read about in some mythical stories. According to my memory Loki should be in Jotunheim right about now. With Odin out of commission, Thor banished and Loki in Jotunheim. The only people in Asgard right now, who could potentially pose a threat to me, were Frigga and Heimdall. There were several things I wanted from Asgard, but unfortunately I didn''t have enough time to do them all. I only had a small window of opportunity to do what I came to do. I quickly found where Odin''s chambers were. The information was easy enough to obtain from an unlucky guard, who happened to trip and repeatedly fall over my fist. He was really unlucky! I approached Odin''s chambers still under invisibility and slowly opened the door. The guards guarding the chambers were currently placed under a minor illusion, combined with a few psychic suggestions. As far as they could tell there was nothing to be seen. Odin lied there looking pale and lifeless, his body and the space around it warped from the effect of the Odinsleep. The walls of the chamber have moved close around him, protecting him like a dark crypt, sealing off any daylight. I was about to get closer when; I suddenly noticed some movement inside. I waited for a few seconds. '' Shit! What is she doing here?'' I thought. Frigga the Queen of Asgard and Thor''s mother was currently inside his chambers. I cursed my bad luck and decided to retreat for now. I could probably beat her if we fought, but that would be too messy. She has a millennium of experience over me, which means I can''t end the fight too quickly. Our fight is bound to create a huge commotion, even if I can handle her, there is still Heimdall who is troublesome enough. And Loki who could return at any moment. The guards were cannon fodder, but at the end of the day they were still Asgardians and could prove annoying in numbers. I took a moment to go over my options. I had three goals in mind in coming here. First, I wanted to obtain Odin''s DNA, even if most of his power is due to the Odin force his DNA should prove to be superior to Thor''s. My second Objective was to somehow obtain knowledge of Runes. Asgardian Runes were abnormally powerful. Just by speaking a few words. Odin sealed Thor''s powers and enchanted his hammer. Obtaining it was a huge must, it also happened to synergize with Cypher''s original abilities. My third and final goal was to infiltrate the treasure room. It wasn''t a priority to be honest. Obtaining a few treasures would be nice, but I''d easily let it go for now. There were bound to be more opportunities in the future. The events of Thor 2 and Thor Ragronak, were bound to happen in several years. The treasures weren''t going anywhere. Quickly thinking of a plan, I quickly decided on a course of action. I called upon my Symbiote and separated a small part of it. A small piece of it no larger than a finger fell to the ground. It was still connected to me telepathically and could perform simple tasks if given orders. '' Wait for an opportunity, try and get Odin''s DNA. Frigga and Laufey''s too if you get a chance. A strand of hair is fine, blood would be better. '' I instructed through our telepathic link. The small Symbiote turned invisible and seeped in through a small opening in the door. I leave it behind to do its assigned task. And head towards the library. Hopefully, things will turn out well. I arrived at the library and I was shocked by what I saw. It was absolutely massive! I start looking around. My eyes were drawn to the many bookshelves. I pull out one of the books that appear to have been read repeatedly. It is a book of spells. I thumb through it briefly before putting it back. I open another, this one is an anatomy book covering all the dominant species of the 9 realms. I immediately understood what was written and felt something unlock in my mind. I could now understand their written language. I quickly found a catalog, to help me find, what I was looking for. I swept through the library taking any book I found useful. It got to the point, where I would just open portals under whole bookshelves and just shovel them inside. The portal led to a secure location, which I later planned to turn into my own personal magic library. I already had a few books, collected from the magical libraries in the sanctum. They had to be copied by hand, which I found extremely annoying. I liked this method better. After I finished borrowing a few shelves worth of books about enchantments, runes, and whatnot. I left the library. On my way out, my eyes fell on several guards/librarians I had knocked out or paralyzed using my stingers. They''ll wake up in a few hours not remembering what happened to them. I checked how much time I had left and sighed in disappointment. It seems I don''t have time to loo¡­ahem visit the treasure room. Loki should be sending the Destroyer right about now. I couldn''t let Shield get their hands on all that Uru. I opened a portal back to Earth and arrived back in New Mexico. ( Chapter End ) ----------------------------------------------------------- "Didn''t anyone tell you? I''m a riddle, dude. I eat the uncertainty principle for breakfast -- I was born the original loose cannon -- and I am one unpredictable feather-pluckin'' walrus! Koo-koo-ka-freakin''-Choo!" - Deadpool ---------------------------------------------------------- I already have 10+ advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Chapter 54 - The Destroyer I already have 10+ advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. ( A/N :- I''ve got some news! I started writing a new fic. It''s an MHA SI as Shinso Hitoshi. I''ve only got 2 chapters written. I plan on posting it on webnovel as soon as I''ve atleast written 5 more chapters.) Enjoy ;) ------------------------------------------------------------- A few Shield vehicles were parked by the Bifrost site. Shield agents stood nearby as scientists took readings. Coulson was kneeling, examining the Bifrost Runes. He turned to an Agent "Get somebody from Linguistics out here!" He said. Just then, they hear a rumbling overhead, as the Bifrost storm roared in the sky above. Coulson and the Shield agents scrambled for cover, their vehicle windshields shattering, as the Bifrost storm grew in strength. Finally, the hole in the sky overhead opened, and the funnel cloud explodes out of it, touching down onto the desert floor. From behind a jeep, Coulson and the Shield agents stared at The Destroyer in awe. One of the agents still in a stupor suddenly asked " Is that one of Stark''s? " " I don''t think so. But the guy doesn''t tell me anything." He answered. Coulson grabbed a megaphone and stepped forward, calling out to the Destroyer. "Hello! You''re using unregistered weapons technology. Please identify yourself!" He yelled at it. The Destroyer powers up in response, fiery energy building up within it. Coulson realizing it''s about to attack warns the agents to escape. A blast of energy from the Destroyer explodes a vehicle and the Shield agents start returning fire. Getting there just in time to see the Destroyer destroy the first car. I fly around it and throw Eldritch whips to bind it. In response, It started charging up a blast, and tore through my bindings. "Shit!" I yell as I took on the blast head-on. The heat coming off of it was intense. I could have dodged if I wanted, but I decided to test my Endo-Sym Vibranium armor. The New York invasion was close, and this was my best chance to test my armor''s durability. "OOF" I grunted as the Destroyer backhanded me. I only slid a few meters backs. It seems the Gravitonium core was effective in increasing my weight. Getting flung around in the middle of a fight was unpleasant, to say the least. Thankfully, the hit didn''t hurt much, and I was successfully able to tank it. On the street a block away from Jane''s Workshop. I could see The Warriors Three and Sif walking down the street towards the oncoming Destroyer. Thor, Darcy, Jane, and Selvig were hiding behind a building. "Hello. You must be Lady Sif and the Warriors Three." I say to the oncoming warriors. "What are you?" Sif asks. Her eyes darting between me and the oncoming destroyer. " I am human. This is just a suit of armor." I replied. "Listen, I don''t mean to be rude, but this thing is obviously too strong for you to attack head-on, so how about we team up and take it down? " I said. " If you think you can help then do so, but I still don''t trust you. The Destroyer Armor is supposedly unbeatable. No warrior has ever successfully beaten it before." She said. They were still wary of me, but they obviously knew I was strong enough after they saw me fight it and tank a few of its hits. My Endo-Sym Armor was surprisingly very similar in appearance to the Destroyer''s Armor. I decided to give them a sign of trust and revealed my face. Shield already knew my identity. I didn''t care if Sif and the warrior three knew my face. I was invisible the whole time, while I was in Asgard, and there was no evidence to be traced back to me. The books'' disappearance could be just blamed on Loki or the Frost Giants. "What should we call you, fellow warrior?" Fandral asked. I stretched out my hand and said. " Cypher, Protector of Earth. " They were all surprised by my appearance and one of them, the fat one said. " You''re a warrior of Midgard?" " Yes, you can call me that. I am also a direct disciple of the Ancient One." I said. "The Ancient One!" Sif said. I raised an eyebrow in surprise and said. " You know of her?" "Of course we know of her, she''s Midgard''s Sorcerer Supreme. It''s Asgard''s duty to protect the nine realms. We heard legends of her feats over the centuries. She''s a very powerful sorcerer." She said. With that, we went to confront the Destroyer, Sif, and the three start walking down the street while I fly above them. "Keep it distracted." I hear Sif tell us as she starts climbing up a building. Fandral and Hogun Run forward and gesture to Volstagg to come forward while creating a step with their hands. Running with all his might, Fandral and Hogun launch Volstagg at the Destroyer. "Idiots." I mutter as Volstagg yells "FOR ASGA-" before getting swatted into a truck. The destroyer walks up to the fallen Warrior and is about to blast him when Sif jumps from the building, stabbing her double-ended sword into the Destroyer''s neck. The light in the Destroyer''s chest dissipated for a moment, almost like it had turned off before the Destroyer armor seemed to shift. Now instead of facing downwards, it was now facing upwards and straight at Sif. Charging up another blast, Sif barely moves in time to avoid getting blasted and quickly retreats. The Destroyer on the other hand simply stands up and turns to face us. I charge forward at the oncoming Destroyer. I shift my arm into a Vibranium sword and slash at the Destroyer''s leg. I manage to damage it, but the cut was too shallow. It seems Vibranium alone isn''t enough to damage magically charged Uru. It kicks me away and I land on the ground next to Thor. '' Crap, I didn''t get a chance to increase my weight before it kicked me.'' I was about to create a portal and see if I can sever its head. Before I could do it. I suddenly heard. "Stay down warrior, you have done what you can!" I heard him say. Thor walks to confront the Destroyer. Watching what was happening, my respect for Thor went up a notch. Although I was a bit annoyed, at the end of the day it was his show. If I got serious and defeated it, Thor won''t gain his powers back. It was only because he chose to sacrifice himself, did Odin''s enchantments break and he became worthy to wield Mjolnir again. Having them see me as an ally and a fellow warrior was enough for now. "Brother, Whatever I have done to wrong you, whatever I have done to lead you to do this, I am truly sorry." He says. "But these people are innocent; taking their lives will gain you nothing." With that statement, The Armor started powering up for another blast. Then Thor said the one thing that Loki never expected him to. "So take mine¡­ And end this." With that, the energy died down and the faceplate reset itself. Pausing for a second, the Armor turned away as if it was going to leave for Asgard, but in a vicious move, it turned around and backhanded Thor, still only human, into a car. "NO!" Jane yelled as she ran over to see if Thor was alright. Lady Sif had a hand over her mouth while Fandral and Volstagg''s jaws dropped. Even Hogun the Grim had a look of surprise flash across his face. The Destroyer looked at Thor''s prone form for a moment before turning around again, this time to leave earth. Off in the distance, though, I see Thor''s hammer. I was honestly tempted to kick it away. I was still a little sore from the shock it gave me. '' Hmm... maybe I can melt it down and turn it into a toilet after Hela breaks it.'' A hand suddenly springs up out of the car, catching Mjolnir. A bolt of lightning comes from the sky and strikes him, his flannel shirt and jeans becoming his usual armor, helmet, and cape. I hear Jane mutter to herself, "Oh¡­ My¡­ God." I chuckled a bit at the accidental pun and prepared to enjoy the show. The Destroyer at that point turned back around at us and saw the newly powered Thor. It started powering up another blast only for the Hammer to fly from the bolt of lightning and slam into its face, knocking the blast off course only for the hammer to come back and nail the Destroyer on the return trip, knocking it down. Landing in Thor''s hand, the lightning stopped, and Thor was revealed in all his glory. Wearing his full armor, Hammer in hand, Thor leaps into the air and creates a tornado on top of the town. Slowly, the Destroyer started rising into the air at the force of the winds. The Warriors Three, Sif, and I corralled Jane and company into one of the buildings and away from the flying cars. Just as suddenly as it started, the Tornado stopped with a mighty explosion in the clouds and the falling body of the Destroyer. /////////////////// "Donald? I don''t think you''ve been completely honest with me." Coulson and about a dozen other SHIELD agents stood in the middle of the town along with the Warriors Three, Sif, Jane, and the rest. I was standing close to Sif and the Warriors Three facing the agents. "Know this, Son of Coul. You and I, we fight for the same cause: the protection of this world. From this day forward, you can count me as your ally, if¡­ you return the items you have taken from Jane." "Stolen." Jane corrects him. "Borrowed." He replies. "of course you can have your equipment back, you''re going to need it to continue your research." "Would you like to see the bridge we talked about?" I hear Thor ask Jane. "Uh¡­ Sure?" With her confirmation, he grabs her and flies off. " Well, I should get going, later." I suddenly said. " Wait, we still have a few que..." Coulson didn''t get to finish as I ignored him and flew off. I still had a few things to take care of, and I wasn''t in the mood to answer questions. I already left a tracker on what was left of The Destroyer''s armor, after Thor destroyed it. I didn''t want them to know I had it, so I decided to take it later. Right now though, I had to get back to Asgard before Odin woke up, and Heimdall defrosted. ( Chapter End) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "I want to die a natural death at the age of 102 - like the city of Detroit." - Deadpool --------------------------------------------------------------------------- I already have 10+ advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Chapter 55 - A Clash Of Titans I already have 10+ advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Enjoy ;) ----------------------------------------------------------------- (Asgard ) I arrived at Asgard near the observatory; I found Heimdall encased in ice. He was surrounded by two Frost Giants and couldn''t break free. Heimdall knowing that the fate of Asgard depended on him mustered all his strength. The ice around him began to crack. With a tremendous effort, Heimdall shattered free from the ice. He quickly took out the two Frost Giants with his sword. Weakened, near death, he drags himself inside the Observatory. He inserted his sword and activated the Bifrost, and passed out right after. I quickly took this chance to collect his blood off the floor and some of the frost giant''s blood too. Thor and company were about to arrive, so I quickly opened a portal back to the palace near Odin''s chambers. I could see what was happening inside the chambers through the piece of Symbiote hidden inside the chambers. Odin was still in his Odinsleep. Laufey and a couple of Frost Giants burst in. Frigga swung the sword around hard, cleaving into a Frost Giant''s shoulder. The Giant swatted her aside angrily. Laufey was looking at Odin''s helpless form and smiled a vicious smile. He would finally get his revenge. Knowing what was about to happen. I commanded my Symbiote to take this chance to get closer to Odin. Lauffy stood over the unconscious Odin, relishing the moment. He formed an ice blade and raised his blade above Odin''s body, when -- A blast of energy blasts him from behind. My symbiote struck at that moment. But as soon as it touched Odin, I heard it screeching through our telepathic link. A small blast of energy pulsed out of Odin''s body and disintegrated the symbiote. My connection was quickly cut and I could sense something or someone zeroing on me, trying to get past my cloaking spell! I cursed my bad luck and created a portal out of Asgard back to Earth. ''Humph... disgusting parasite. Now, let''s see how my sons resolve this situation. I''m tired of watching them squabble amongst themselves.'' Unbeknownst to Loki and Thor. Even in his sleep, Odin could see and hear everything happening around him. He was about to awaken from his Odinsleep any moment now. Unexpectedly, though, his Odin force reacted to a parasite trying to cling to him. His Odin force-sensing a foreign invader, sent out a pulse to attack this parasite. He couldn''t tell who or what sent this parasite, or what was its purpose, but he promised himself to strengthen Asgard''s defenses after he woke up. It seemed all kinds of things could get in now. (New Mexico) '' Holy shit! That was close!!!'' I was drenched in cold sweat, and I could feel my heart pounding. It seems I had severely underestimated Odin. If it wasn''t for my cloaking spell. I would have been discovered. The Odin force was not to be underestimated, it seems. I managed to escape before he could mark me with his magic or discover my identity. But this was too close for comfort. I was slightly disappointed, I didn''t manage to get his DNA. It was a risky plan. He wasn''t a God-King for nothing. I doubt I could''ve even set foot in the palace if he was awake. His senses were certainly as strong, if not stronger than Heimdall''s. I sighed in disappointment and decided it was best to be more careful in the future. It wasn''t all for naught, though. At least I managed to obtain something useful. I looked at the vials of blue and golden blood in my hand. (A few days later) I was currently in my lab studying the Destroyer''s armor. The plane that was transporting the Armor back to Shield. ''Mysteriously'' disappeared along with the armor. The plane''s crew was later found in Hawaii. Unfortunately, they had a severe case of amnesia and couldn''t remember how they got there. I got a free quintet out of it and 3 tons'' worth of Uru. I had to disable and remove half a dozen trackers and locaters off the plane, but it was all worth it. The cloaking technology in the Jet was worth the trouble. I also discovered that Uru although highly durable and retained enchantments very well. It heavily depended on how much magic was channeled into it. The stronger and more powerful the magic, the better it could perform. Unfortunately, I didn''t have the heart of a star, or an enchanted forge, to melt it. I also lacked crucial information on how to enchant it. It seems a trip to Nidavellir was necessary. Suddenly, Sophie informed me that I had a call coming in, as soon as I answered. I could hear screaming and explosions going off as the deafening roars got louder and more primal. I heard Kitty''s panicked voice." Doug! You have to get to Harlem, Hurry!" "I am on my way," I said. I quickly put on my suit and opened a portal to Harlem, and it was worse than I could have imagined. I witnessed the most heart-rending and sorrowful sight that I have ever seen. I have never seen so much destruction; it was on the level of a natural disaster. I saw Colossus battling it out with another creature, a monstrous creature, with a body larger than Hulk''s and his spine protruding from his back. The fact they were duking it outright in the middle of Harlem, with people scrambling and running around in the background and police trying desperately to evacuate them, was unreal. I saw parts of buildings on the verge of collapsing, but with people still in them and others trapped under debris and car parts. I quickly found Kitty among the Chaos helping people, phasing them through the debris. Fortunately, she was wearing her suit. Her identity wasn''t exposed. " What the hell is going on? Why is he fighting the Abomination? I told you guys to call me if something happened." I quickly said. " It all happened so quickly, that thing broke out of Stein''s Lab and started killing people. Colossus decided to engage and hold him off until you got here." She said. " Fine. Leave this to me and portal Jean here. Tell her to wear her suit. I am going to go help Colossus." I said. She gave me a nod and ran off to find a discrete place to open a portal. I finished helping the last of the survivors and turned towards the main event. Piotr was surprisingly holding his own. It seems his training paid off. He wasn''t doing much damage to the Abomination though, and it looked like Blonsky was treating him more like a punching bag, more so than an opponent. But he was getting a few good hits in. " Come On!!! Give me a real fight metal man, this is no fun." Blonsky said. "Your evil ends this day, monster!" Piotr shouted in a heavy Russian accent. "You want a real fight? Take this!" Saying this, I jumped high into the air and punched his face with a Chi infused fist. He got thrown into the building in front of me. I turned to Colossus. " Sorry to rain on your parade, big guy, but it looked like he was giving you some trouble," I said. "Niet, no sorry needed. I am glad you''re here." He answered. " It''s still too early to celebrate. I don''t think he''s going to stay down after one hit." Blonsky confirming my previous statement dug himself out of the collapsed building. He looked excited. He wiped some blood from the corner of his mouth. "Now, that, I felt. You''re that guy from the Stark Expo, aren''t you? You should be fun to play with for a while." He said. My Spidey-sense blared at me. I only had enough time to bring up my hands in an X to block before he slapped me into a building. '' Damn! That hurt!'' I pushed some rubble off me and found myself surrounded by soldiers. I looked at the soldiers. "The hell are you guys waiting for? Get out of here and get everyone else out too! Get your heads out of your asses!" They quickly scrambled out of the street and started setting up a perimeter to get everyone else out. My attention was grabbed by the sound of fists hitting metal. The Abomination was currently on top of Colossus pummelling him into the ground. I quickly entered my [Lightning Chi Mode] and blitzed over. I decided to try a new move I created. '' He should survive this, I think?'' I appeared right beside Blonsky and punched him in the head. He was disoriented for a second, which gave me the opening I needed. I began gathering electricity into my right hand, and fire into my left. I clapped my hands together and separated them once more. There were glowing Plasma threads between my hands. They were giving off a lot of heat. Enough to cut through metal like butter. Blonsky feeling danger from my attack decided to throw a tank at me. Instead of engaging in close quarters. I dodged and was upon him before he realized it. He only had a chance to put an arm out to block. My Superheated Plasma threads cut through his arm and severed it. His left arm fell off to the side. My attack heading towards his neck. Realizing it was useless to block, he kicked me away and created some distance between us. He was holding his left stump and groaning in pain. He was giving me a death glare but didn''t make any more moves to attack. My attack fizzled out after he kicked me away. It wasn''t stable and needed a lot of concentration to be held. I gave him a smirk "I thought, you said, you wanted to play." " Damn you!!! " He roared. He was still holding his stump, which was just starting to regenerate, albeit slowly. '' Good. This should weaken him enough.'' I thought. I got carried away and forgot for I wasn''t trying to kill him. It''s a good thing he kicked me away. Our standoff was broken when we suddenly hear something crash in the middle of the road. A few moments later a large green hand shoves its way out of the crater, and we hear a challenging roar. "Hulk!" " Blonsky growled. "Well, it seems your playmate is finally here," Abomination ignored me and started running towards Hulk. Hulk of course starts running towards Abomination too. They jump towards each other when they get close enough and punch at each other. There''s a huge shock-wave which I feel into my bones and which destroys a few lights. It almost seemed like a clash between two Titans. (Chapter End) -------------------------------------------------- I hope you guys are enjoying the story, and as always thank you guys for your support. Tell me what you guys think in the comments. ----------------------------------------------------------------- "Take it from me, the guy they call the Merc with a Mouth... sometimes your best weapon is shutting the &%#$ up so the guy with the healing factor doesn''t have time to grow his bones back. Because if that happens... your whole revenge plot is going to last an issue longer than you anticipated. " -- Deadpool (616) ----------------------------------------------------------------- I already have 10+ advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Chapter 56 - Ungrateful Bastard I already have 10+ advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Enjoy ;) ----------------------------------------------------------------- (3rd person POV) The soldiers watched in horror as they saw a huge figure jump down and started killing people. They tried to fire at it as it threw a car away, but it was obvious it was useless. The bullets just bounced right off its skin. They thought all was lost, until a metallic silver figure arrived at the last second and saved them from getting killed. The Metal man started battling the monster, but it seemed he could barely hold him off. The soldiers got inside a vehicle and drove after it while calling Ross, telling him a giant monster was battling a Metal man. Ross looked between the phone and Bruce in shock before deciding to turn the helicopter. The soldiers drove towards it with their cameras on to allow Ross to see the situation. Down below, cops fired at the Abomination, but it was unaffected and it tried killing them with a swipe of its hands, but the metalic man blocked it just in time. Bruce looked down and saw the huge thing as his eyes widened in horror. His face was a warped and deformed version of Blonsky''s. His skin was grayish. And his spine was deformed badly. The now humongous Blonsky threw more cars around and roared as he finally came into view. It was now battling a new figure, another person had joined the fight and was trying to stop Blonsky. Bruce asked Ross to take him back there, saying he might be able to control it. He couldn''t let other people suffer for their mistakes. Ross protested but Bruce said that all of them were responsible for creating it. Bruce walked up to the door as Betty tried to stop him, reminding him that there was a chance of him not transforming at all. Bruce said that he needed to try and apologized. The two then kissed passionately. Bruce then let go and threw himself to the ground with his eyes closed. A green hand burst through the ground as Ross, and Betty watched from the helicopter. Hulk emerged from the ground as Ross, and Betty watched. Hulk tore off the ragged remains of Banner''s shirt and gave a loud, challenging roar to Abomination. The two giants slowly started walking towards each other before rushing each other at full speed as the terrified civilians ran out of the way. Hulk roared and leapt but Abomination grabbed him and tackling him to the ground, threw him off through a car and as he fell down. ( POV End) Abomination threw Hulk down the road with enough strength that Hulk skipped a few times before coming to a stop out of my sight. Abomination ran on after him and went out of my sight too. I started looking for people in the wreckage. Hulk can handle Abomination for now. I used my telepathy to find anyone trapped or injured. My method was effective, but ultimately I was only one person. I needed more hands-on deck. Suddenly I felt Jean''s mind connect to mine. I could tell through our connection that she was worried and slightly afraid. "So what''s our priority? Search and rescue? Or stopping the monsters?" Before I could answer, we were distracted by another roar. Hulk roared and smashed a police car into two before lifting up both the pieces as Abomination rushed him. Hulk slammed both pieces together, deciding to use the two pieces of the police car as boxing gloves. Hulk angrily pummeled Abomination with his ''boxing gloves'', slamming him into the ground and continued pummeling him until the pieces of the car broke and he punched Abomination hard. Abomination spat out a broken tooth and glared at Hulk. "The green one''s on our side. At least until you start attacking him. His name is Hulk from what I heard. The ugly one was causing damage even before I got here. Colossus was engaged in combat with him trying to stall him, but got injured. Tell Kitty to portal Colossus, to the med bay. " I told her through our telepathic connection. " We''re on it!" She answered. I could feel her uneasiness, but decided not to comment on it. I knew that in addition to being telepathic and telekinetic, Jean was also an empath. She was probably affected by the emotions coming off, those trapped or crying for help. I started helping more people, while the two monsters battled. I also made sure that our efforts were captured on camera. Diana was controlling several drones equipped with cameras, to capture today''s events. Sophie handled logistics and made sure, that several ambulances were on their way. She was diverting traffic to make sure, they got here as fast as possible. She was also helping first responders and firefighters, by sending them, the location of those in need of help. Or those too far away from me and Jean to currently help. After I was finished with putting out a few fires and helping people. I decided to go and help Hulk on his end. I got to their position just in time to see Hulk and Abomination crash a helicopter. I couldn''t see Abomination anywhere but Hulk was now starting to get up. The helicopter was leaking its fuel and there''s sparks flying from the broken fans. Betty woke up inside the helicopter to see the soldiers dead but managed to wake up Ross. As Hulk got up, Abomination leapt on top of the helicopter. The two snarled and charged at each other as Abomination slammed Hulk into a wall and started pummeling him. While he is distracted I start rescuing anyone that''s alive within the Helicopter. First I webbed the spots where its sparking to prevent a fire. Then I went inside and brought both the Ross'' out of the helicopter. "You don''t deserve this power! Now watch her die!" I suddenly heard. I looked back to see Abomination using his elbow bone claw thing to pierce Hulk''s chest while choking him. I''m about to interfere when Hulk suddenly looks determined and breaks out of the hold. I feel a lot of heat coming from behind me and turn to see there''s a fire building up. Hulk pushed Abomination''s hands off him and punched him hard, staggering him back before slamming him into the wall. The fuel leakage caused a fire but Hulk did a thunderclap, putting it out. Betty then screamed a warning to Hulk as Abomination hit him with a concrete pillar tied to a high tensile chain. He tried to get up but Abomination hit him again, sending him down. He then swung the chain at the helicopter, breaking its wings, and asked Ross if he had any last words. Hulk suddenly got up and raised his fists. "HULK¡­SMASH!" He then slammed his fists onto the ground, breaking the concrete and trapping Abomination''s legs as the chain fell on him and wrapped around his neck. He starts using the chain to choke Abomination. Blonsky held on to the chain and was slowly getting up. It seems he still had more strength to spare. Deciding to help out, before he breaks free. I summoned the bands of Cyttrok to help keep him down. He tried struggling again, but his attempts were getting weaker and weaker. He eventually passed out. It all seemed to be over, but the chains instead of loosening started getting tighter. Hulk was about to snap his neck when Betty suddenly shouted. " STOP!!" The Hulk simply dropped Abomination to the ground and putting his foot on him, let out a powerful, victorious roar, as the cops, soldiers and civilians watched in terror. He then kicked the unconscious Abomination at a numb Ross'' feet. The cops and Soldiers were aiming their guns at Hulk and me. Betty approached us and stood in front of the 8 foot Hulk. "It''s okay." She whispered. "Betty." Hulk grumbles. Somehow his voice is softer than before. Hulk looks at me and nods a thanks. He looked like he''s about to transform back into Banner when some news Helicopter flashes a big light on the three of us. He exchanged another look with Betty, looking sad, and then leapt onto the walls, eventually jumping onto a rooftop, and then leapt away into the night sky. Now, that Hulk was gone. All the cops and soldiers were aiming their guns at me. " Seriously? You''re aiming a gun at the guy, that just helped stop a giant raging monster?" I asked. They all looked to each other, still unsure of what to do. A few of them started to lower their guns down. Until, they heard. " Arrest that Mutie Freak! " Someone shouted. I looked to see who said that, only to see General Ross pointing a gun at me. " Really? I just saved your life, and that''s how you repay me?" I said. " Dad stop! What are you doing? He just saved our lives. " Betty shouted. " Be quiet Betty!" He yelled. I could see the greed in his eyes, it seems after missing the chance to get Hulk and seeing how Blonsky went mad with rage and started killing everybody. From his point of view, I was the next best thing. All of those that were hesitating raised their weapons once more. I was slightly disappointed by their actions. I knew they were just following orders, but they could''ve chosen to ignore them. I sighed. "You know, the worst thing about idiots is they don''t know how stupid they are." I said. I then used my invisibility and disappeared. Shouts of surprise and confusion were heard. I noticed some cops and soldiers sighed in relief after I disappeared. It seems that not all of them were happy with their orders, and were happy to not have a fight. While everybody was distracted, I layered an illusion of Blonsky over himself and created a portal under him. To those unware, it looked like nothing happened. The illusion would last for a few minutes or until someone decided to touch it. I was slightly regretful I wouldn''t get to see the look on General Ross''s face, when he realized he gained nothing from tonight''s events. On the contrary, things were about to get much worse for him. " Sophie, I want everything about tonight''s events compiled and ready to be released tomorrow. Dig up any dirt, you can find on Ross and make sure everybody knows, that what happened tonight, was his fault. " I said. " Affirmative." She answered. (A Few Days Later) Betty stood in front of the docks, contemplating everything that had happened. She looked at the picture of Bruce she had taken on her camera before they had driven the truck but the battery was low and it shut itself off. She started imagining, how their lives could''ve been. ( A Bar in Texas, Nevada ) General Ross was drinking and smoking in a bar when the door opened and a man approached him saying. "The smell of stale beer and defeat. You know, I hate to say, "I told you so," General, but I''d be lying. The Super Soldier programme was put on ice for a reason." "Fury." Ross said. "General." Fury said. "So, are you here to arrest me? " Ross asked him. " No General. I am here to gloat. However, these gentlemen over here. Are here to do just that." Fury said. Fury then signaled the agents standing behind him, to arrest Ross. " This isn''t over Fury. One day those freaks are going to cause more trouble than they''re worth. You hear me! You hear! You son of a bitch. " Ross shouted as he was getting arrested. Suddenly Ross went silent and passed out. There was a tranquilizer dart sticking out of his neck. They all turned to see where the shot came from and saw one of the agents standing behind Fury holding a small tranq gun. Fury gave him a questioning look. The agent just shrugged in response. Fury grinned and said. " Son. You just got yourself a promotion." (Chapter End) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- "The World Only Makes Sense If You Force It To." -- Bruce Wayne ---------------------------------------------------------------------- I already have 10+ advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- (P. S) I have 3 chapters up on my pat-reon of my new MHA Fic. It''s called Altered Mind.. I''ll be posting it on Webnovel as soon as I have a decent amount of chapters written out. Chapter 57 - Consequences I already have 10+ advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Enjoy ;) ----------------------------------------------------------------- After that night a number of events happened in quick succession. The video of me and Colossus fighting Abomination went viral. The video showed Colossus preventing Abomination from killing innocent people. It also showed Jean, Kitty and me saving people and helping them. The video was skillfully edited to show our efforts and portray us in a positive light. The video was of course released anonymously by an unknown party (me). Our superhero names were also released. Jean went by the name of Phoenix. I had added a Phoenix symbol to her supersuit after the Stark Expo. Kitty went by the name of ShadowCat. Her supersuit took inspiration from the black panther suit. It had the cat ears and the claws, but other than that her suit looked quite different. First of all, it was white instead of black. Pitor went by Colossus. Iron Man would have been more suitable, but then again the name was already taken by a narcissistic playboy in a billion dollar suit. And finally me. My suit looked quite futuristic it had circuit markings all over it. Which gave it an alien feeling. I went by the name Enigma. It certainly fitted the aura I was giving off. It wasn''t clear if I was wearing a supersuit or if I simply had powers. Or what my powers even were? I was simply a mystery. I initially wanted to go with the name Cypher, but decided to hold off on it for now. I felt it would''ve been a little too on the nose if I went by my current company''s name. Ross was arrested by Shield and put into custody he would be put on trial in the near future. Sophie went above and beyond. When I had asked her to dig up any dirt she could find on General Ross. I didn''t realise how much there was. He was so Radioactive, that none of his contacts or ''friends'' would even consider touching him with a ten foot pole. I honestly kind of felt bad for Betty. Her boyfriend was a fugitive and her father was a criminal. Getting betrayed by your own family and having said family hunt down the one you love isn''t my idea of a good time. I was currently in my lab studying Blonsky''s blood. He couldn''t transform back into his original body, which meant he''d remain an ugly bastard for the rest of his life. I also had Dr. Parker take a look at his blood. He had experience with radiation. Some of the spiders he previously worked on were exposed to radiation to forcibly induce mutations in their DNA. It seems Blonsky was injected with a replicated variant of the Super Soldier Serum. Add to that his transfusion with Banner''s gamma-irradiated blood,which caused him to transform into that monstrosity. I had him in a psychically induced coma. My primary reason for taking him was to prevent him from falling into Hydra''s hands or any other interested parties for that matter. I also made sure there wasn''t any of his or Banner''s DNA left from their fight. I kept his severed arm in a storage facility. I figured I could use it for experiments or such. Blonsky though? He was going to sleep for a long long time. The bastard could become useful one day. It wouldn''t hurt to have a semi-immortal psycho on hand. It would''ve been too wasteful to kill him or simply hand him over. I knew, Fury suspected I had something to do with it. But he couldn''t prove it, so as far as I was concerned, he could kiss Hulk''s green radioactive ass, for all I care. After I was finished with my work. I decided to go and pay Piotr a visit. He was currently in the infirmary getting treated. His injuries were healing nicely and the healing chambers developed by Dr. Hansen did a splendid job. I arrived at the infirmary only to hear yelling. A stony-faced Kitty marched past me and out of the infirmary. ( 3rd person POV) Kitty''s mind was chaotic with thoughts. ''Who did Illyana think she was, putting her on the defensive like that? She was old enough to make her own decisions. Since when was she supposed to answer for what she did outside of her duties as a Mystic and her studies?'' The argument they had was still fresh in her mind. She hated being grilled like that over something that was completely innocent. What made things worse was the fact that the younger girl had to make a scene, her voice becoming increasingly louder and louder. " Kitty? What''s wrong?" Doug asked. " I don''t want to talk about it." Kitty said as she walked away. ( A few minutes earlier) Illyana''s brows knitted together. "What do you mean ''going out''?" Pitor was currently asleep. He was in the healing chambers submerged in healing fluid. The chamber and fluid were develop by Dr.Hansen. Some of it was based on her own research and the healing chambers were based on the schematics Doug had obtained from his trip to Wakanda. They also planned on releasing a less effective version of the healing fluid to the public. It would be able to heal minor injuries, like cuts, bruises and even burns. It was only a matter of time before it was approved. Illyana who was now 13 was watching over her brother. As soon as she heard he was hurt, she rushed back from school. She was relieved to find out that her brother would be fine. What surprised her though, was that Kitty had stayed with Pitor after she brought him back from the field last night, and hadn''t left his side ever since. "I mean he asked me to go out to dinner and then to the movies." Kitty said. Illyana''s blue eyes suddenly darkened. "So, it is like a date?" She said. A blush stained Kitty''s freckled cheeks. "I''m not sure if date is quite the word, really. I mean, we''re friends." She said. "But it sounds like a date. He asked you out...to dinner and a movie. That''s a date." The words were slow to come out of Illyana''s mouth. "I guess if you put it that way, but it''s Peter." Kitty said. "What is that supposed to mean?" Illyana said. "He''s a friend." Kitty said. "Sounds like you want to change that." Illyana said. "What? No, I don''t." Kitty said. Kitty was perplexed as she stared at the glowering face of the pale, blonde beauty standing at her side. "What''s it with you?" "So what? He''s not good enough for you. Or are you still hangup on Doug?" Illyana said. Kitty had a shocked expression on her face and was slow to respond. " Forget it. You can go now if you want. I''ll look after ''my'' brother. " Illlyana said dismissing her. She then turned her back to Kitty and started ignoring her. Kitty walked out of the infirmary fuming. She saw Doug on her way out, which just made her grow more frustrated. She just wanted to get out of there. ( POV End) I found Illyana in the infirmary, with Pitor still in the healing chamber. " How is he?" I asked. " Dr.Hansen said he should be waking up in a few hours." She answered. " Don''t worry. Your big brother is tough . It would take way more than this to knock him down. He saved many lives last night. You should be proud of him. " I said. " I know I should be proud, but it''s hard to see him like this. He was always so strong, almost seemed invincible at times. I saw the fight. I never imagined that monsters like that, could even exist. " She said. " The world is a bigger place, than you could ever imagine. And these monsters as you call them, can''t even compare to what''s out there. " I said. " So what? Am I supposed to watch him as he gets hurt ? I never understood why you pushed him so hard. But now I do. Even if he''s bulletproof he can still get hurt. There''s still someone more powerful out there." She said. She then gave me a determined look. " I want you to train me. I want to get stronger too. I want to protect my big brother. " I had a diffcult expression on my face." Illyana... even if you say that. You''re still too young. Your brother would never agree to something like this. Plus your powers have yet to awaken. I dont think you ca... " I was interrupted by Illyana''s voice. " It happened when I heard the news last night. I dismissed it and chalked up to my imagination or something. But... " A blue and purple light flicked back to burn in the palm of her hand, giving her a very ominous angle of illumination. Then the balls of light went up her right arm one by one, until there was only an glowing armor covering her right arm. Before it slowly faded away, a silhouette of a sword could be faintly seen in her hand. It flickered for a moment before it disappeared and her arm, went back to normal. "... the next time someone hurts my family. I''m going to cut him to pieces." She continued. The look in her eyes when she said that, sent a slight shiver down his spine. My magical senses were going haywire. I wasn''t afraid or even slightly threatened by Illyana. It was just her magical presence. It was enormous. Even more so than the Ancient One''s. ( Chapter End) ------------------------------------------------------------- "His name is Hit-Monkey. He''s a hitman. Who''s a monkey. You don''t believe me. Look around you, dude... he''s ????????????????!" - Deadpool (Earth-616) ------------------------------------------------------------- I already have 10+ advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Chapter 58 - Limbo I already have 10+ advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Enjoy ;) ----------------------------------------------------------------- (3rd person POV) Limbo, it''s not the kind of place you ever really want to end up in. It''s a place full of demons. Not the figurative kind. Either, the fangs and magic and claws and beady red eyes kind. If that''s not enough, you''ve also got the fact that there''s no Sunlight in limbo. It''s just darkness reminiscent of twilight. If that isn''t enough to break your spirits, there are ''stepping discs'' all across Limbo. Discs of light that can take you lots of places, alternate dimensions, different times, different worlds, and the majority of them - they just take you to other places in Limbo. A figure was standing on a high cliff his silhouette against Limbo''s moon, his dark figure stood tall, gazing down on the countless demons tearing each other apart. He couldn''t see any details from where he was. It all seemed like a red, gory fest. He was used to it, but it didn''t change the fact, that it felt like this was his own personal hell. Belasco smiled. Years of deliberate planning were finally coming to fruition. Limbo was once again his. His hand twisted in the air, a trail of green fire in its wake. A shriek erupted from the lesser demon he had charged with the child''s capture. "Master! Show mercy!" "Mercy?" His eyes slanted evilly as he gazed on the wretched thing writhing in the eldritch flame, but the smile never left his face. "What would an imp know of mercy?" He asked. His fingers danced, becoming a claw which he then slowly tightened into a fist. The energy crackling around his victim collapsed in response, and the creature''s shriek grew to a wail which then cut off abruptly. "Not very robust, are they?" he asked the hulking figure beside him. "No, not too much. I always saw them as cannon fodder, anyway." The large demon said. "Well, I expect we shall have guests soon, so I hold you personally responsible for ensuring a proper welcome," Belasco said. The demon lord''s voice was smooth and yet dripped with malice. And through it all, he smiled. "I would suggest that you do not disappoint me, as did your¡­ brethren." "Wouldn''t dream of it. May I ask what he did?" The large creature replied. "Of course."He gestured at the expanding vapor that was all that remained. "He failed his task. Failure is not an option." Belasco said. Only then did his smile fade, for just a moment. "My own masters have taught me that lesson." The large purple demon looked into Belasco''s eyes and shuddered. (Back on Earth) I told Illyana to wait for a bit, at least until we could discuss things with her brother. I didn''t think he''d approve of his little sister starting her training so early, especially without his permission. She was still his little snowflake after all. I figured it would take time for him to come around. I left her in the infirmary and decided to take a look at the books I got back from Asgard. I wasn''t entirely sure If I could even do Asgardian magic, but that was secondary to my primary objective. I opened a portal to my secret library. No one was allowed here. It had so many restrictions and wards put up, one would find it difficult, to even find this place. It was all keyed to my own magical signature after all. I looked at the mountains of books in front of me and decided to get started. This was going to take a while. (A few hours Later) I groaned, running my fingers through my hair. Closing yet another book on the history of their battles and conquests. I let out another groan. Absently, I felt the pangs of hunger and remembered I hadn''t eaten yet. I kept reading through books and tomes and scrolls into the night. I found a useful piece of information. It talked about the kind of magic gods used. It turned out they used something called the God force. The god force was a mystical power that granted the ability to achieve the impossible at certain levels. It made sense that it would share some characteristics with magic, even though it wasn''t strictly magic itself. It looked to be a step above it. By the time I realized it was morning, it was too late to even pretend to go to sleep. With a sigh, I heaved myself up and began preparing for the day. I had board meetings and a few appointments to attend to, and afterward, I had planned a lesson with some of the children. A few of the young ones had been having trouble controlling their powers. Cleaning off my desk, moving the books back to their rightful places. I ported out of the library and straight into my office. I commanded my Symbiote to change into a more appropriate work attire. Nothing too fancy, just a suit. My secretary then notified me that my 9:30 appointment was here. This was going to be a long day. ( Illyana POV) I was in a strange place. It seemed to be made entirely out of barren rock and scorched earth. There was no bird song. There were no birds. There was nothing at all ¨C at least, nothing alive. Even the wind has died long ago. The air was stagnant, sterile, and filled with ash. Looking closer. Amongst the ash and the dust there were things that were vaguely humanoid. They were barely even recognisable as fire-blasted skeletons. Burrowed beneath the earth and, in so doing, revealed it to not be earth at all. There was no soil here. There was nothing but flame-blackened bones piled upon each other. This was a mass grave, big enough for a world. On top of the mountains of corpses there was a throne made of blackened bones. It was the only thing that hasn''t been touched by fire. It stood out like a flower in a furnace. Looking closer. I saw the thing that sat upon the throne. It didn''t look entirely human. It''s left arm was long and spindly, and its fingers were freakishly long. It had yellow eyes and two demonic horns coming out of its head. It suddenly turned towards me. Its yellow eyes fixed on mine. I saw it smile. " Come to me." It whispered. My heart beat started to quicken and all I could feel was panic. "No...No.." Was alI I could say. " Did you honestly believe I''d let you go so easily?" ( Chapter End) --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sorry for the short chapter today. I wasn''t even going to post today. I am spending time with the family as one should. I had this chapter in my draft, so I decided to post. Couldn''t leave you guys hanging. Anyways, I hope you''re having a wonderful time. ???? ----------------------------------------------------------------- "I don''t want to jump to conclusions here, but between the enslaved drones upstairs and the Fifty Shades of Grey training room, I''m starting to suspect that S.H.I.E.L.D. might be bad." - Deadpool --------------------------------------------------------------- I already have 10+ advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Chapter 59 - A Nightmare In Limbo I already have 10+ advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Enjoy ;) ----------------------------------------------------------------- (Infirmary) Groaning, Piotr brought his hand to his head drowsily. At the point where the pain radiated from, just to the right above his forehead, his hair was damp and he winced as his fingers brushed the skin. " Welcome back, you gave us quite the scare there." He suddenly heard. His mind still foggy and confused, Piotr''s eyes darted towards the voice, attempting to process. He had no idea where he was, the last thing he remembered was getting pummeled into the ground by a rather large fist. There was a vast array of advanced looking medical equipment scattered around the room. There wasn''t a single window in sight, just four bright white walls, which probably indicated they were underground. The only way out of here appeared to be large a silver circular door on the far wall. "It''s Piotr, isn''t it? You''re safe here, I promise." said the woman, smiling at him. " Who are you? Where am I?" He asked. "I''m Dr. Hansen. You''re currently at Cypher labs. You were injured in last night''s battle. I came up with the healing solution, we used to treat you." She said. " What happened last night, did we stop the monster?" He asked. " Believe it or not another monster, showed up and stopped it. I don''t know the details, but I am sure Mr. Ramsey can fill you in later. For now, though, I need to examine you and make sure everything checks out." She said. He gave her a nod and let her finish her examination. " Alright, everything seems to check out. You''re healthy as a horse. Take it easy for the next few days and tell me if you feel something amiss." She said. Piotr chuckled and said " Thank you, Dr.Hansen. I''ll be sure to let you know." " No problem big guy, just make sure to take it easy. Oh, by the way, you should probably check up on your sister. She''s been worried sick." She said. "Illyana? She was here?" He asked. She gave him a nod and said. "We practically had to drag her out of here, to get her to get some sleep and rest for a bit. Ms. Pryde was here too, but she left after your sister showed up." "I understand. Again thank you doctor, but I must go and find my sister." He said. ( Training Area) Apparently having the knowledge of fighting and actually using it in a fight were two different things. After they dragged her out of the infirmary, Illyana went to get some sleep. Unfortunately, though, it seems that was too much to ask for. She''s been having this reoccurring nightmare over for the last few weeks, it seemed to only get worse after her powers awakened. She would always wake up sweating, like she just ran a marathon. This time it felt too real, the terror she felt while in the dream, made her question if she was really dreaming. She thought about going back, to the infirmary, but changed her mind. She felt too anxious, to just sit there and wait. She needed to move her body. She decided to find Kitty and ask her for some training. She apologized to Kitty and told her she didn''t mean what she had previously said. She was stressed out and when it came to her family, she just couldn''t help it. Kitty accepted her apology and invited her for a spar after she showed her some moves. They started sparring and decided not to use their powers since Illyana didn''t know how to use her powers yet. Kitty came at her, and Illyana instinctively blocked her punch. They both looked up in surprise before Kitty quickly continued with her attacks. Illyana blocked another hit but was pushed back. She was in pain but she wasn''t going to let it show. She shook it off before taking an offensive stance. "Stop thinking, start acting. Right," she muttered. "I''m gonna regret this in the morning.." She winced as she pulled up her arms. Illyana managed to block most of them and even landed her own hits on Kitty. Illyana went for a right uppercut leaving her front and left side completely vulnerable. Kitty capitalized on her opening and reacted instinctively. Kitty raised her foot and kicked her on the torso, making Illyana fly back and falling on her ass. "Oh, my god!" Kitty exclaimed before running over to help pull Illyana up. Illyana was lying on her back breathing heavily and grabbed the offered hand. She then pulled Kitty down on the ground next to her. "Ow," Kitty said lying on her back next to Illyana, both of them panting heavily. Kitty then sat up looked at her. "You''re good but you can definitely improve. We''ll do this twice a week from now on." Illyana''s only response was a half choke-half pant as she tried to remember how to breathe. They suddenly heard someone clearing their throat. They both looked up, only to see Piotr, Jean and Doug. Piotr had a stern look on his face, which conveyed how dissatisfied he was with what he was seeing. Doug had an amused smirk on his face, while Jean just looked confused. " Brother! You woke up!" Illyana suddenly shouted. She quickly got up, her previous exhaustion forgotten, and rushed at him. She gave him a big hug which caused his expression to soften. He started hugging her back and patted her back. " I was so worried," She said. " It''s alright little snowflake, I am right here." He said in a gentle tone. The sight made Kitty smile. Watching Illyana interact with Piotr, warmed her heart. " Hate to interrupt, but anybody want to explain, what were you guys doing?" Doug said. "I¡ª" But Kitty''s words were cut off by the blue haze of a teleportation spell. Doug immediately reacted and pulled everyone into the mirror dimension. He didn''t know what was happening, but it should have been impossible for anyone to enter the base. The area around the training ground, immediately became chaotic. To say it was Pandemonium would have been close to the literal truth. Hoardes of demons came pouring in through the portal. The screams, roars and explosions were audible even before they finished materializing. Doug stood firm, legs spread and braced, as he poured a current of pulsing red magic against an opposing stream of sickly green energy being directed at him by a trio of figures that came through the portal: The demons N''Astirh, S''ym... and Belasco. While Doug was occupied by the powerful trio. A few other demons were heading towards Illyana. Piotr and Jean were held back by dozens of demons and imps, they we were making their way towards Illyana, but weren''t making much progress. "Fuck!" Kitty swore, immediately running toward Illyana as fast as she could. Phasing out of the way of demons swooping in after her, the occasional energy blast deflecting in her direction, Kitty stormed across the training ground toward Illyana. " Illyana!" she screamed as she ran, trying to be heard over the loud hissing and popping of clashing magic. She watched as Illyana was being taken to a portal.Without hesitation Kitty ran up behind the two demons trying taking Illyana away and pulled them into the ground below, burying them. Despite the ringing in her ears and pounding in her throat, Illyana, felt the small but firm arms supporting her, trying to hold her up. She swallowed the burning in her stomach that had been threatening to spew up. "They''re not... real..." Illyana hissed out, mouth tight with exertion. "Nightmare..." "This is one of your nightmares?" Kitty asked, confused. Illyana shook her head. "No," she said before adding, " Yes... but..." She ignored the sweat dripping off her forehead, running cold down her back. "The entity... the Nightmare..." The streams of green-yellow magic surged, as the figures of S''ym, N''Astirh and Belasco all began to push their way forward, toward Kitty and Illyana. They were bombarding Doug with magic from all sides. His symbiote had long materliazed giving him a much needed boost, but he was still getting overwhelmed. "You can do this, Doug," Kitty said. "I... I believe in you." " Argghh!!" With a shout, Doug entered his [Lightning Chi Mode] giving him another boost to his powers. The other minor demons and imps that surrounded him started to burn up, and turned to ash. Kitty watched as the stream of Doug''s magic glowed so brightly that it was hurting her eyes, but still the trio of demonic figures advanced. Doug''s head was bent down with the force of his efforts, but as Kitty watched, the figures of S''ym and N''Astirh stopped and flickered briefly. But the figure of Belasco did not. Instead it continued to inch forward, step after step.. "Come to me child." He said as he drew closer. The other two had fallen to their knees under Doug''s mystic assault, shimmering as they began to fade. Belasco suddenly stopped the mystic assault, teleporting to Illyana''s side. His left arm swooped forward towards Illyana. He was so close, Kitty could smell the sulfur and char coming from him. Immediately Kitty phased her arm through Illyana, catching Belasco''s arm at the wrist just inches away from Illyana''s chest, using every bit of her strength and desperation to keep the demon lord''s hand at bay. Illyana looked up as she felt Kitty pass through her¡ªdirectly into the burning red eyes of Belasco, his too-familiar sulfurous stench gagging her. As she realized that Belasco was real, that he was right here nexttoherohgodohgod¡ª "YOU CAN''T HAVE HER!" Doug''s shout shocked Illyana back to reality. S''ym and N''Astirh were gone, as was the pyrotechnic clash of magical energy. But Belasco was still right in front of her, clawed fingers pointed at her chest, with only Kitty''s thin arm somehow holding the muscular demon at bay. "Kitty, you have to get back!" Illyana shouted. Kitty ignored Illyana''s cry. She could win, and she would win. "Listen to her, foolish girl," rumbled the powerful demon, his fangs exposed in a snarling grin. "She belongs to me." Doug was tearing through the demons, and was moments away from getting to Illyana and Kitty. Jean seeing how dire things were released her cosmic fire and burned all the demons surrounding her and Piotr. She was channeling a larger portion of the Phoenix''s powers. Large enough to momentarily overwhelm the literal hordes of demons surrounding them. Belasco gave them all a smirk and said. " You''re all too late." Belasco jerked his arm, closing his hand around Kitty''s arm and his other arm on Illyana''s shoulder. A bright light flooded over all three of them, trapping them in a swirl of multicolored mystic haze. They were starting to dissappear. "NO!" Doug, Piotr and Jean all shouted. Doug hastily fired spell at their disappearing figures, but it was too late. . . . . They were gone. (Chapter End) ----------------------------------------------------------------- "You shot me in the leg! How will I walk...oh, just like your daughter. Good one, Commissioner! (laughing)" -- THE JOKER ----------------------------------------------------------------- I already have 10+ advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Chapter 60 - The Splinter Realms I already have 10+ advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Enjoy ;) ----------------------------------------------------------------- " Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!" I roared as I punched the ground. " Doug. Calm down, now is not the time to lose our heads." Jean said. " I was so close, Jean. If I had been faster..." Piotr was sitting on the ground his hands on his head. He kept muttering and repeating Illyana ''s name. " There''s no use beating ourselves about it. We have to think of a plan Doug. We have to get them back. What the hell was that thing? And where did it take Illyana and Kitty? " She said. " He''s a demon from limbo, I think? I don''t know much about him, but he''s been briefly mentioned in one of the books I''ve read. " I said. " Limbo? " Jean asked. " It''s a magical dimension of demons ruled by a sorcerer turned demon who goes by the name Belasco. I haven''t seen him before, but he certainly fits the description. I think the Ancient One fought him before. I read about him in, one of the books she wrote." I said. " Then she could help us! What are we standing around here for? " She said. " Is true? Do you know where we can find Illyana? " Piotr asked. " I don''t know where limbo is, but the Ancient One may have an idea of it''s location, but... " I said. " What''s wrong?" Jean asked. I looked towards Piotr and said. " Piotr there''s something you have to understand. Time in limbo is in constant flux. A few minutes on Earth could mean months or even years in Limbo." Piotr''s face paled at my mention of years. He felt absolutely powerless. He couldn''t even protect his baby sister. How can he call himself a hero, if He can''t even protect his family. " Years? Doug do you mean that... " Jean said in disbelief. " Yes, it might already be too late." . . . . . We were on our way to the Ancient One''s chambers. I picked up the time stone on our way there after I opened portal to the sanctum. If we''re dealing with time shenanigans, it''s better to have the time stone on hand. We arrived at her chamber to find her sitting in a lotus position. Her eyes were closed and hundreds of spell formulas were flashing all around her. Her hands were moving at impressive speeds. " I assume the barrier breach is related to your arrival?" She asked. " We were attacked. Kitty and Illyana were taken as well." I said. " Do you know which entity attacked you? " She asked. " His description fits a demon in that book you had me read about limbo. " I said. Her eyebrows forrowed as she said. " Which one?" " Belasco. He also had two other demons with him, they were almost as powerful as him. " I said. She grimaced " What a troublesome foe. The Demon Lord Bellasco, current ruler of limbo. He must''ve exhausted a significant part of his power to break the wards, but it''s only a matter of time, before he replenishes it." "I think I managed to injure him, which should buy us sometime. But I''m not sure, If that''ll be enough." I said. " Correct. The flow of time in limbo is chaotic, but it shouldn''t be too out of sync with Earth due to how soon the convergence is upon us." She said. " So, it''s not too late!" I said. " I merely said it shouldn''t be as exaggerated. It''ll be a few weeks instead of years. I can further reduce it, using the time stone. But it''ll depend on luck in the end. " She said. " That means you can co..." " Unfortunately I can''t come. I have to stay here and repair the wards. If left unattended other entities or creatures could slip threw the cracks. " She interrupted. I sighed in disappointment, her assistance would have been invaluable. We were severely out numbered and if it came down to a head on confrontation, there would be casualties on both sides. I could probably survive, but that won''t necessarily hold true for the rest of my team. " Be warned though, you can''t stay too long. limbo has a morally and spiritually corrupting influence over its denizens. It will slowly metamorphose those in it to a demonic entity. Persons of great moral courage and wisdom can stave off the change for a while, but it is considered inevitable, the more evil there is in your heart. The faster the change. The transformation usually progresses in stages initiated by the evil acts Limbo demands for survival. " She said. '' Well that''s not good'' I thought to myself. Most of my team except for Colossus and Jean can''t come. Jean due to being the host of the Phoenix and Colossus due to his ''great moral courage''. I could probably resist it for a while, but I am not exactly a saint. Mardox and Callisto are obviously out, since they used to be criminals. " We should contact the X-men, we''re going to need all the help we can get. The three of us aren''t going to be enough." Jean said. I didn''t exactly like the idea of asking the X-men for help, but It seems I didn''t have much of a choice. If I were to take on Bellasco and we were to assume Jean would to take on the other two demon generals. That just leaves Colossus to take on the rest of the demons, and I can''t imagine those three are the only powerful ones in limbo. " I am reluctant to do so, but if it can increase our chances in saving Kitty and Illyana. I agree we should get all the help, we can get." I said. " You can''t bring too many. The spell can only send a few people at best. " The Ancient One said. " How many? " Jean asked. " It can only send seven or eight individuals. You''ll have to find your own way back though. I won''t be able to help you there. " She said. '' Shit! That''s still not many. '' I then turned to Jean and said. " I''ll open a portal to the X-mansion. You go there and bring whoever agrees to come. I''ll give you a few minutes, before I open one again. I''ll stay here and help the Ancient One set up the spell that''s going to send us there." I said. I gave her a kiss and opened a portal for her. I then turned to Colossus. " We need some supplies and weapons. Sophie will tell you where to find them. Just tell her protocal '' Armageddon'' is in effect. She''ll handle the rest. " I said. I opened another portal for Colossus to our base and then turned to the Ancient One. " Armageddon? " She asked curiosily. " Yeah, it''s when the team is facing world ending threats. I don''t know what Belasco needs them for, but I am guessing it''s something along the lines of world domination or something." I said. " You''re not that far off. The last time I fought and sealed him away. He was trying to summon one of the Elder Gods to earth. " She said in a dark tone. I gave her the time stone, so she could get started on the spell, I took the opportunity to memorize the spell, incase we needed it on our way back. I also had her tell me everything, she knew about Limbo. It turns out Limbo was the center of the Splinter Realms and allegedly a part of the Nexus of all realities. What interested me though was something else. She said that Limbo was merely a pocket dimension generated by a single deposit of a magical metal called Promethieum. If removed it could result in the dimension''s collapse. All that was known about it though was that, it took the form of a giant animal heart, hidden in a cavern deep below limbo''s surface. It was certainly interesting, but not particularly useful to our current situation. We didn''t have time to search a whole dimension, for a magical core. That may or may not exist. After she finished constructing the spell formula she turned to me and said. " I can''t let you have the time stone, but I can give you these instead. " She said. She handed me a pure white gem, with various runes and symbols carved on it. There was also a small pouch next to it. " What are those?" I asked in wonder. " The bag is a unique magical item that allows the user to store any object despite its size or dimensions. Once an item is stored, it can be summoned by merely thinking of the object and opening the bag. It''s capacity is limited though." " That''s certainly usefel." I said, while I examined the bag. She gave me a nod and then continued. " The gem is called the Eye of Basphorus. The incantation necessary to unlock the Eye of Basphorus is written on it. I obtained it on one of my travels. Once activated, the Eye can grant its user one spell of choice, regardless of its power. The artifact can only be used once, and it turns into dust afterwards. I haven''t used it yet, since I can''t read what it says but I imagine, that won''t be a problem for you. Use it to seal that realm, before you leave." " Thank you. I... " " There''s no need to thank me. You''re doing me a favor. Just make sure to come back, alive. I wish I could do more to help, but I have done all I can. " She said. I gave her a smile filled with gratitude. There was no need for anymore words to be said. I opened two portals in front of me. Colossus walked out of one of them along with the weapons and supplies we needed. I used the artifact the Ancient One had just given me, to store everything in it. Colossus was surprised by it, but just chalked it up to more magical nonsense. He was already too occupied with thoughts of saving Illyana and Kitty. A few moments later Jean comes walking with the X-men trailing behind her. It was finally time we went to limbo. (Limbo) The hall of the Ruler of Limbo was rather sparse. A crystalline throne, a large hall, it was simplistic. The hall itself was kind of warped, skewed to the senses, and rough looking. Only two objects in the entire hall look ''real'' and solid. The crystal throne, and the scrying pool. Both are solid, very real, and nearly perfect in their lines and curves. Belasco appeared in the throne room, with two figures. He held the passed out forms of Illyana and Kitty. He looked towards one of his demon generals. "Find them a room to stay in. We shall begin our session soon. That damned sorcerer managed to injure me before, I left." He ordered. He stepped on his throne, throwing off his black cloak, it had cuts and holes in it, it had definitively seen better days. ''Curse him. My powers were exhausted from our fight and opening that small breach. It''ll take time for me to recover, before I can proceed with the ritual.'' He thought. While his power here is nearly absolute, and the demons fear to go against him, they still see him as a human. Even though his soul had long been corrupted and tainted. " Soon, all shall come to fruition. And Earth shall be mine." ( Chapter End) ( A little background on Belasco and the origin of Magik for those, who haven''t read the comics, or know about him.) Belasco used to be an evil sorcerer in the 17th century, he made a deal with the Elder Gods to gain immortality and more power. He was turned into a demon and part of the deal was to open a portal for the Elder Gods to walk the earth, where they would rule earth and turn everybody into Demons. In the end he was defeated and banished to Limbo where he eventually became its ruler, the ritual required to summon the Elder gods depends on him collecting Five bloodstones formed from a ritual, where he has to corrupt pure souls with a high aptitude for magic. In the original material he kidnaps Illyana when she was 7, corrupts her soul and binds her to him, spends years teaching her how to become a sorcerer, trying to corrupt her more through power. The more demonic she turns, the more she losses her humanity. She eventually kills him, by manifesting a sword made from a part of her soul. Since, he''s impossible to kill otherwise. She escapes after being kept a prisoner for 8 years and returns a teenager. The twist is, when she returns she discovers only a few a minutes had passed on Earth, that''s why no one came for her, since they found out about her dissappearance a few moments ago. ----------------------------------------------------------------- "I''ve got all these new abilities, and -- for the moment -- I''m feeling an incredible sense of responsibility... and the desire to commit acts of great violence! My super hero origin is complete!" - Deadpool (Earth-616) ----------------------------------------------------------------- I already have 10+ advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Chapter 61 - Berserker I already have 10+ advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Enjoy ;) ----------------------------------------------------------------- (Limbo) We were making our way through limbo. I was surprised by those who volunteered. I had told Jean to explain to them how dangerous this was, we were essentially going in blind into enemy territory. Ororo decided to come and help, since Kitty was like a little sister to her. Wolverine wasn''t that hard to convince actually. Although his relationship with Kitty wasn''t that strong, he did still care about her well being. Getting the opportunity to tear some demons to shreds was just the cherry on top. He almost seemed a bit too eager to go, if I were to be honest. Rogue volunteered too. I hadn''t seen Rogue for a while now. I had made good on my promise and helped her with her powers a couple of years ago. I was able to come up with a theory on how her powers worked and how she activated them. Like most mutants her powers were controlled by her emotions. After many tests both scientific and magical We found out that she was absorbing life-force throught skin contact. Normal humans didn''t have much to begin which caused her touch to be especially fatal to them. Meta-humans proved to be a bit stronger than humans because Metas have mutated genetics, so her power does less lethal effects for most metas than humans. Her first boyfriend, Cody Robbins, was in coma state for 3 weeks with just a brief touch. If she had touched Cody a bit longer, he had been already dead. It proved that if she touched her victim too long, she will kill her victim due to loss of life energy. I could safely touch her because, I could produce more life-force than she could drain. In layman''s terms I was putting out more juice, than she could absorb. I made her an inhibitor to help her manage her powers. I also warned her that it was merely a stop-gap and she''d have to learn how to control her powers on her own. My thoughts were interrupted by a sudden shout. "Zis is so Cool!" *Sigh* Oh yeah Kurt is also here. For the life of me I couldn''t figure out, why he came. I think he was just excited by the idea of going somewhere new. " This isn''t a school trip Kurt. We''re on a dangerous mission to rescue our friends from an evil demon lord. I wouldn''t describe this as ''Cool'' " Rogue reprimanded. " Zis is just like za stories I used to read vhen I vas little. Going on a rescue mission to save za pincess from za evil villain''s lair. " He said. " Yeah, but instead of a lair. It''s a hell dimension and the villain this time happens to be a demon lord. " Jean said. " I still don''t understand how he was able, to take Kitty and Illyana away this easily. I saw you take on Magneto and Azazel and come out on top. With you, Jean and Colossus there shouldn''t it have been impossible? " Orroro asked. " This time our opponent isn''t to be underestimated. He has several powerful demons on his side. Not to mention complete authority over this dimension. He doesn''t know we''re here for now, since I managed to cloak our prescence from his eyes. But he can still find us, don''t forget every demon in limbo answers to him. Things aren''t so simple." I said. " I don''t know Bub, it sounds simple enough to me. We kill everything that comes our away and if that doesn''t work. We keep trying until it dies. " Wolverine said. "I would normally disagree with you comrade, but this time I find your ideas appealing. " Colossus said. "I know what I am talking about. Took me a long time to learn this: There''s nothing wrong with going out and doing what you gotta do. Especially when family is involved." Wolverine said. " Da, these villains cannot be allowed to escape." Colossus said. While Wolverine and Colossus were bonding, Jean and I were busy scanning our surroundings. Jean used her telepathy, while I used my magical senses trying to detect any enemies. I could feel that the ether here is much thicker than that of earth, allowing for a greater spectrum of magical powers and effects. Kurt was our scout, his teleportation was especially useful in this terrain. To those within Limbo, it appeared roughly analogous to a dessert, with a solid surface at one earth gravity and a sky devoid of stars. It all just looked like a wasteland. We eventually came upon a small wandering Imp. I quickly captured it and decided to read its mind to get some intel. I found out that the demons in limbo spoke in a language called the Demonic Script. Unfortunately, the demon could only speak a few words and when asked about Belasco''s whereabouts it''s mind only gave faint impressions. I was only able to confirm, that we were heading in the right direction. After six hours of walking. We managed to find an abandoned cave. We couldn''t walk around forever, and some of the team members needed some rest. "It''s getting dark. Let''s set up camp here, and continue tomorrow." I said. They all quickly agreed and we found ourselves setting up some tents inside the cave. We woke up the next morning and decided to continue on ahead. " Becareful, that imp had this area marked as a danger zone in its mind. I am also sensing a lot of spacial turbulence from this area. Keep your eyes peeled." I warned. Eventually, we reached the danger zone. I could feel spacial rifts all around us. Anything could be waiting to attack. We were all on constant guard. "Look out!" I shouted, darting forward. I reached Rogue''s side just as the demon unleashed its blast. As if on cue, chaos erupted all around us . Numerous demons appeared out of the spatial rifts. It seemed the demons were using the rifts, as hideouts, waiting for prey to come strolling through. I began slashing left and right with my vibranium sword; I had given each member a sword imbued with light force energy. I also imbued Wolverine''s claws and Colossus''s metal form. Deep wounds and slashes healed almost as quickly as they were inflicted, but severed limbs and heads were another matter. Soon bodies were falling all around us, and stayed unmoving where they lay. I risked a glance from the corner of my eye, and saw the rest of my team battling beside me. Night Crawler dodged and ducked teleporting around the attacks with ease, slashing into demons with his vibranium sword. Jean threw out her arm, and an invisible wave crashed into an entire line of attackers. Flaming crimson fire formed from thin air, burning those demons alive. She unleashed the full force of her Phoenix fire on a flight of flying imps, incinerating them. And still, there were more. Colossus was pounding his way through the monsters methodically. Logan''s words from before remained in his head. He slammed two imps together so hard they fused into a single¨Cdead¨Ccreature. Countless bodies lie strewn about him, and several times he found himself nearly slipping on the ichor that seemed to coat everything. He grabbed the arm of a black colored fiend and used it as a flail to clear some room around him, dashing the thing to pieces in the process. He flung the last remaining limb at a fourteen-foot tall demon that had just emerged from the portal, hitting it in the face and sending it toppling over. Wolverine lived for moments like this, as much as he hated to admit it. His claws left green, purple and black streaks of blood arcing through the surrounding air, as he sunk further into a feral state. His own blood flowed from numerous cuts, bites, and scratches- nothing too bad, nothing his healing talent couldn''t cope with. He sliced one of the dog things in half, even as he kicked a goat-legs in the midsection, setting up its decapitation with his next strike, He felt a slight atmospheric overpressure, and dropped to the ground, sweeping the legs from out under an imp as he did so. A split second later, one of Storm''s lightning bolts came streaming by less than a foot over his prone body, disintegrating most of his current batch of playmates. "Hey Storm! How about a head''s up next time?" He shouted. "Sorry, Logan. Didn''t see you among the creepy crawlies." Storm responded. Jean cut in. "It isn''t her fault, Logan. I''ve been trying to patch into you for the last minute. You are nearly impossible to reach in your Berzerker state." Hours passed, or perhaps only minutes; it was all the same through the battle-haze. But little by little, the lines of attackers began to thin out. And then eventually there was only silence. Rogue stood with her sword clutched in her hands, panting heavily as she surveyed the horizon littered with bodies, looking for more attackers. Blood trickled from a set of claw-marks on her cheek; each breathe ached from a punch that had broken through her guard, bruising her ribs. But somehow, miraculously, she had managed to escape without serious injury. We were all exhausted from our fight and were panting heavily. Colossus between breaths suddenly said. "Ah, things were so much simpler back in the collective..." (Chapter End) ----------------------------------------------------------------- "After all, the first thing a sorcerer of quality learns is to make himself as difficult to kill as possible!" -Loki Laufeyson (Earth-616) ----------------------------------------------------------------- I already have 10+ advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz Chapter 62 - Infiltration I already have 10+ advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Enjoy ;) ----------------------------------------------------------------- We decided to rest for a bit, after our battle. It was still unsafe to let our guards down, so jean created a large ring of Phoenix fire around us. The cleansing flames should keep any stragglers away or those still looking for an easy meal. " We can''t keep going like this. I doubt we will have enough energy to fight by the time we get to where Kitty and Illyana are." Storm said. " She''s right we can''t keep this up, we''ll be easy pickings by the time we find them," Wolverine said. " I may have a way. I can try and perform a locater spell om Kitty, but..." I said. " But what ?" Rogue said. " He''ll know we''re here. And there is no telling what he''d do once he knows." I said. "Bub, the way I see, It''s only a matter of time before he does. We can handle whatever he throws at us." Wolverine said. I looked around and found that the rest of the team was in agreement. They all had determined looks on their faces, ready to do whatever it takes. " Fine. Just give me a moment." I said. I started conjuring magical formulas to perform my locater spell. The air was so thick with Ether, that If it weren''t how familiar I was with Kitty''s magic, it would''ve been almost impossible. It was faint, but I finally found her. " They''re located 600 Kilometers to the east." "We''re going to have to get there fast. I had to break through a few protective spells to get a lock on their location." I said. I turned towards jean and communicated to her telepathically "Jean, you carry Colossus and Wolverine. I''ll carry Rogue and Kurt. We''ll fly the rest of the way there." I then looked towards Storm" Can you create a sphere around us to reduce air resistance?" " Yes, I can. But not for long, a couple of hours at best." She said. " That''ll be enough," I said. Storm then used her powers, to create an air sphere big enough to surround us all. I telekinetically picked up Rogue and Kurt, while Jean did the same with Colossus and Wolverine. Storm could already fly, so she started floating on her own. " Woah! Woah! What''s happening ?"Kurt said. " We''re taking the limbo express. Hang on." I said. Wolverine growled in response, he probably figured out, what we were trying to do, but simply didn''t like it. I think I even faintly heard him muttering something about him hating flying. Kurt panickedly shouted, " Hang on to what ?!!" We then blasted off to the sky flying hundreds of miles per hour towards the castle. All that could be heard was Kurt screaming in German and the occasional growling coming from Wolverine. ( Back at the Castle) " Insolent insects! Did you think that you could hide from me! I''ll strip your souls from your bodies." Belasco shouted before he teleported in the sky towards where he felt their energy signatures. He could see them heading towards where his castle was. A vicious smile emerged on his face as he thought of an idea. He then opened dozens of teleportation discs in the sky right towards where they were heading. He planned on shredding them to pieces by prematurely closing the teleportation discs once they were halfway through them. " Look out! " Doug suddenly shouted. Reacting quickly Jean diverted their flight path out of the oncoming portals. She was almost successful as they managed to dodge the teleportation discs. What they didn''t account for was a magical ray blasting them out of the sky. Jean and Doug momentarily lost their concentration causing their friends to get blown away, separated by the force of the blast. Belasco fired a few more rays at them, while they were still in mid-air. Jean in a last-ditch effort trying to save her friends diverted them out of the way of the magical rays. Unfortunately, though each of them got thrown away towards one of the still open portals. Wolverine and Colossus got thrown through the same portal, while Ororo and Rogue got thrown through another. Kurt tried teleporting away but was met with another ray from Belasco, having no other choice he blocked it using his sword, only to be blasted towards one of the other portals. Belasco tried to close the portal, trying to cut Kurt in half, but before he could he was met with a crimson fireball to the face and an electric bolt. Jean and Doug engaged Belasco in an aerial battle, they were secretly worried about their friends and wanted to go look for them. But for now, they had a tricky opponent to fight. Belasco then laughed ominously and said. "You made a mistake, by coming here. I am the Sorcerer Supreme of this dimension. You should''ve just stayed on Earth and waited for your deaths. The Darkchylde is mine and using her, I shall usher in a new era! An era where the Elder Gods walk among us!" As Jean and Doug were busy listening to Belasco reveal his plan. The rest of the X-Men were stranded elsewhere. They were especially worried about NightCrawler Since they saw him fall through a portal all by himself. There was no one with him to watch his back. So he was in the most danger, there''s no telling what could happen to him. . . Now, S''ym was used to people screaming; being a heavily muscled eight-foot-tall purple demon usually gets you screams, but this guy''s screams seemed to be warning him of something. "Aahh!" he screamed in S''ym''s face. "Aahh?" S''ym asked cautiously. "Aahh," the guy agreed, pointing his sword back the way he came. A huge malformed demon head burst through the foliage and roared loud enough to make the ground tremble. Behind him hordes of smaller, but still large demons were following him. "Aahh!" S''ym and the new guy screamed in agreement, before running away. They''d gained a little time on the horde, but the shaking ground let them know that it wasn''t nearly enough. It quickly became apparent to S''ym that there was no way they were going to outrun the horde for long. They were going to have to make a stand, and as he realized that time was now. "Dammit!" the boy yelled. "I vas hoping zey''d get tired or distracted. I''ve been teleporting avay for hours and zat big one keeps finding me." S''ym laughed. "It''s because of your smell. You smell like brimstone, which happens to be his favorite meal. I don''t suppose you know how to use that thing?" he said, pointing at the sword Kurt held. "Sure, but I can''t get through his skin, much less hit anyzing vital." Kurt answered. '' Za enchantment zat Cypher put on za sword run out a while ago, If it weren''t for zat I wouldn''t be in this kind of situation.'' Kurt thought. "Then let me have first crack at it with the sword," S''ym suggested. Kurt shrugged and handed him the sword. Normally he wouldn''t trust a demon he''d just met or any demon really, but being chased by a giant demonic beast for hours had a way of bringing people together. Ever since he got separated from his group, he''s been running away from demons. S''ym shifted his cigar to the left side of his mouth and held the sword in his right hand by the tip, as if it were just a large dagger and waited. As the massive reptile-like demon roared onto the scene, S''ym''s arm snapped forward, launching the sword like an amazingly bright dart, right into its chest. The massive demon keeled over with a thud that shook Kurt from his feet and only S''ym''s tail allowed him to stay upright. "Wow." Kurt stared at S''ym majorly impressed until he noticed S''ym looked even more stunned than he was. "Fuck me! I can''t believe that worked!" S''ym mumbled. "You didn''t zink it would work?" Kurt asked weakly. "Nah, I like playing darts and I figured we were probably dead anyway, so why not try and put its eye out." "You nailed it in the heart," Kurt pointed out. "Yeah, I suck at darts," S''ym said. "Vhen ve tell zis story, let''s claim it was za plan all along," Kurt suggested. "Yeah, sounds a lot more impressive that way," S''ym agreed. "Kurt Vagner, but you can call me NightCrawler," Kurt offered, while holding his hand out. "S''ym," S''ym replied with a grin. "So, vhat do we do now?" Kurt asked. S''ym looked at him. " Now you''re going to tell me what a young demon-like yourself is doing here. It isn''t a smart idea to be running around the boss''s castle. If he saw you he''d probably kill you." "Vhat?" He said. S''ym scratched his head confusedly and said " What are you doing here, anyway? It''s true we don''t get many Neyaphem here, but I can tell by the blue skin and tail. You guys smell like your home dimension, so it''s not hard to tell where you''re from. Are you lost or something?" "Sorry, but I have no idea vhat you''re talking about or where I am. Besides, I am not a demon. I''m a mutant." Kurt said. "Yep. OK, now the dimension you''re in is called Limbo, but there are a bunch that are called that. Normally they''re formed by some evil wizard using massive magics. The evil wizard controls his Limbo dimension by force of will and usually grabs a bunch of people to mutate into servants or for fun. Evil wizards tend to be dicks like that. Anyway, Belasco is the evil wizard who rules this Limbo and I happen to run this section for him." S''ym looked at Kurt and waited until he nodded, showing he understood before continuing. "Come on, let''s head to the castle. If you listen to my orders, I can make you my minion. You know not everybody is lucky as you, most... " Kurt was dazed for a moment before he said. " Vat za hell is going on ?" ( Chapter End) ------------------------------------------------------------- " I haven''t beaten a man with his own leg since Carter was in office...but I still remember how." - Mystique ------------------------------------------------------------- I already have 10+ advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Chapter 63 - Desperate Times I already have 10+ advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Enjoy ;) P. S ( Please Stone me to death) ----------------------------------------------------------------- (3rd Person POV) Cypher grit his teeth as he kept blasting that crazy bastard with fire and Lightning. Belasco just kept laughing maniacally, whilst matching his every shot. He decided to engage him in close quarters combat since long-range combat didn''t seem to work. If it were to turn into a battle of attrition, he''d definitely lose. Unlike Belasco, he didn''t have a whole dimension to draw on for his magic. He took out his Vibranium sword and channelled as much light force energy into it as he could. The sword started glowing and Belasco could faintly feel some danger from the sword. '' Stay back, If you get a chance to create an opening do it.'' Cypher communicated to Jean telepathically. Cypher charged in, his blade now a blur as it swept up toward Belasco. It sliced empty air, barely missing the edge of his cloak as he sidestepped. Cypher shifted his weight, and his sword responded, flashing left after Belasco. He had him on the defensive. Belasco conjured his own sword and blocked blow after blow, sometimes getting up his sword at just the last instant. Cypher''s barrage of blows drove Belasco back, step by step until he had him cornered. Belasco snorted in derision and said. "This isn''t a fight between swordsmen it''s a fight between sorcerers." Belasco suddenly struck out with his tail towards his neck. Cypher successfully blocked the sneak attack. At that moment Belasco unsummoned his sword and blasted Cypher point-blank in the chest. The blast took out a chunk of Cypher''s side. His right arm and side were completely gone. '' Doug !!!'' Jean screamed telepathically. Jean was watching the battle between Doug and Belasco, she could see Doug was winning and had Belasco on the ropes. It all happened in an instant, things were going well and Doug suddenly had his right side blown off. Jean exploded into anger and a Phoenix cry that caused all of limbo to tremble sounded out. Doug was in immense pain but used this moment to strike out with his sword trying to decapitate Belasco. " Araagh !!!" Belasco barely managed to dodge, but he didn''t come out unscathed. His right eye and ear were sliced off. A horizontal gash could be seen on the side of his face. "You brought the Phoenix''s avatar?!" Belasco bellowed out while holding his hand over his wound. He looked more concerned about jean''s identity more so than he was about his own injury. " What''s it to you, you one-armed bastard? Are you afraid?" Cypher mocked. Cypher''s right side was glowing red, and his arm was starting to regenerate. It didn''t stop the pain he was in though. Belasco grimaced as he noticed Cypher had a regeneration factor too. His own face was regenerating too, albeit at a slower pace. The expression on his face might have been a scowl if he had been a little less ugly. But with the way he was injured, he looked more like a frowning Cyclops. "Get away from him!" Jean shouted. She was surrounded by her phoenix fire and her burning manifestation of her psychic power could be felt through the very air. This cosmic'' fire under her control could exist in any conditions- even the impossible ones such as in the vacuum of space. This fire didn''t require oxygen to burn and burned so intensely that the surrounding matter was consumed without by-products such as ash. Belasco instinctively knew, if that fire even touched him he would die. Not even the immortality granted to him by the Elder Gods could even save him. His very soul would burn away. There''s no coming back from that. Deciding it was better to retreat, for now, Belasco opened a portal and escaped back to his castle. It looked like he was going to have to accelerate his plans. (POV End) "Doug are you okay! Your arm..." "Don''t worry just give it a minute and it''ll grow back. I spent a lot of energy fighting him, so it''s going to take a while. Let''s go rest for a bit." I said. We quickly found a cave to rest in, while my arm grew back. We also needed some time to plan out our next moves. " So, what''re we going to do now? Should we keep going to the castle or go look for the team first? "Jean asked. " I don''t think we have time for that. I saw that look in his eyes before he escaped. He was afraid of your cosmic fire. I think that''s our only chance of killing him. The Elder Gods endowed him with immortality and invulnerability. It''s almost impossible to kill him in this dimension. " I said. " But I saw you injure him before he escaped," Jean said. " I was betting on light force energy being able to hurt him since he''s a demon and all. But, it''s not enough to kill him. He was wary of my sword, but he didn''t seem to fear it." I said. "So why do you think, I''d be able to kill him?" She asked. "The Phoenix Force represents the forces of destruction and rebirth. You''ve been unconsciously holding back. The flames can be only as strong as you want them to be. It was once said that its cosmic flames can be used to incinerate planets with them or bathe a planet in their cosmic radiance and give it new life. "I said. '''' Won''t I have to channel more of its power? If I were to lose control..." She said. I gently held her hand to comfort her. I knew she still feared her own power. A part of her was rejecting the Phoenix. It was part of the reason, why she was unconsciously holding back all the time. " I once told you I''ll always be there when you need me the most. Just do your best and I''ll be there to support you. You''re stronger than you can ever imagine Jean. If you can''t believe in yourself, then believe in the me, that believes in you." I said. Jean couldn''t help but take comfort in Doug''s warm presence. The care and concern in his eyes were genuine, without pity or fear. As she gazed into them he pulled her into a light embrace. She felt him shift her body, so she was now lying on top of him, he was still tracing her soft hands with his own. Their faces were so close together she could feel the heat coming from him. His Extremis healing factor was working overtime to heal him. His lips meeting hers was just what she needed after this whole ordeal. The kiss soon deepened as their touching became more passionate. Jean lovingly raked her soft hands over his upper body, gliding through his thick hair and feeling around his warm flesh. Doug continued feeling up the curves of her body, tracing along her smooth skin and paying extra attention to her hips. Through these gestures, their kissing and touching became more desperate. It wasn''t long before their affectionate gestures eventually gave way to a more potent expression of love... (Elsewhere) The air was freezing cold while the sky was black. There were no stars, no moon¡­ Just the never-ending darkness above him. He could hear the shouts and screams of some that hadn''t been fast enough. Gunshots echoed through the streets like cars during rush hour, the smell of fire, blood and corpses seemed to be everywhere. Still, he couldn''t care less, he didn''t care at all. He merely jumped from one person to another. Their screams while he tore them apart, with his claws only fueled his bloodlust even more. When Logan woke up, he was in a cell. It was bright and clean. And had what looked like force shield walls for bars. The last thing he remembered was falling along with Colossus through some kind of portal. It was probably that demon bastard that blasted them right out of the sky. Logan was confused. He figured he''d find himself out in the middle of nowhere, probably in that endless wasteland called limbo. This situation was certainly out of his expectations. Instead of a dingy old cell that was dirty and had a dirt floor, it was advanced. The glow of the force shield wall left an eerie glow in the nighttime darkness of the dungeon. Logan knows how to escape the cells with bars. Or just a door in a room. He''d just tear it apart using his claws. Looking around, he spots many cells like his own through the invisible cell walls. He could also see prison guards standing outside his cell. "Hey! Who the hell are you people? And where the hell am I?" He shouted. The guards ignored him and acted as if they couldn''t hear him. "Fine, you don''t wanna play nice." He said with a growl. He extended his claws and began attacking the force-field. He kept hacking at the force-field. He was suddenly interrupted by a voice that said: "Your claws are sharp, but sharpness doesn''t really matter because you can''t cut through a force field." Logan turned towards the voice and said in his deep gravely voice "Who are you, people?" "I think I should be the one asking that question, Mortal." The voice answered. (Chapter End) ----------------------------------------------------------------- "If you cage the beast, the beast will get angry." ¨C Wolverine ----------------------------------------------------------------- I already have 10+ advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Chapter 64 - Corruption " For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And my new MHA Fanfic (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????. ( A/N :- Idk why people care about power stones, but I guess I should too? Anyways give me your stones! Or give me death! Wait.. that''s not right I mean give me freedom or give me death! And some stones.) Enjoy ;) ------------------------------------------------------------- ( In an Unknown Location) "Ororo, Ah''m getting tired, think we could make camp?" Ororo turned and studied Rogue for a minute. Her face was grubby, her brown hair was a matted mess, the white bangs stained with muck. She looked awful. Rogue was slightly injured from Bellasco''s sneak attack. It could have been considerably worse, if Orroro hadn''t cushioned their fall using her powers. After they were shot out off the sky. Orroro and Rogue found themselves in what could only be described as a tropical paradise, except for the obvious gigantic tracks of either birds or lizards of some kind. They quickly figured they weren''t in Limbo anymore. It was highly unlikely that this place could exist in that wasteland. Orroro could feel a strong connection to the earth. She couldn''t explain it, but it felt like they were back on earth. Normally she wouldn''t be able to tell the difference, but her trip to limbo made her aware of her connection to earth. Compared to back there, the difference was day and night. A roar that shook the earth reverberated across the jungle. Both Orroro and Rogue turned to see the source of the roar. Standing atop the hill was a giant figure, but it was by no means something so simple as a monster or even a demon. It was massive, at least tens of meters long , with gigantic razor-sharp teeth and leathery skin , similar to a crocodile''s. It was a Dinosaur! " Are you sure, we''re back on earth? Because last time I checked, we didn''t have one of those running around." Rogue said. " I am sure." Orroro answered tensly. " Then how do you explain, why we''re being chased by an overgrown lizard. " Rogue said. " It''s possible we''ve been transported back to the past. " Orroro said. Their situation was truly awful. They didn''t know it at the time, but back when they fell out of the portal. They happened to land on top of a nest. The Tyrannosaurus that happened to be just coming back from hunting, found them and immediately attacked them. Orroro tried zapping it with electricity, but it only seemed to make it angrier. It''s hide was too thick! She could probably kill it, if she tried hard enough, but then they''d draw even more attention to their location. And possibly even more could show up. " I think we''re far enough, it can''t find us anymore. Let''s rest for a bit." Orroro said. They found a vacant cave, and Orroro decided on making a makeshift fireplace from the small sticks and leaves that littered the cave''s floor. Eventually she had a small fire going, and she fed the dry leaves into the leaping flames. Rogue decided to get some sleep, while Orroro stayed up to keep watch. It wasn''t wise to let their guards down. Unbeknownst to them several humanoid figures were hiding in the shadows. They were slowly closing in around the cave''s entrance. ( Limbo) We were finally here. We had just arrived at the castle. I casted a cloaking spell on both of us, to hide us while we searched through the castle. We eventually found a large room. In this wide room was an alter. As we approached the altar the cloaking spell, I had casted to hide us, suddenly dissappeared. I could feel my magic power weaken the moment I stepped into the alter. We found Illyana in the middle of a magic formation floating above a silver pentagram, unconscious. Belasco had his eyes closed and was standing in the middle of the formation chanting a spell. Smoke was rising from her body and solidifying into demons. I tried to reach Illyana, punching a demon to clear a path, but that demon also dissolved. Other demons grabbed me and tried to restrain me. I used every spell at my disposal to break through the swarm of demons, and I launched myself onto the magic formation. We suddenly heard a shout of surprise from behind us. We turned around only to see Kurt running towards. " Kurt!" Jean and I shouted in surprise. "What''re you doing here?" Jean questioned. " That''s not important right now, quick we have to get out of here!" Kurt said. " Why what''s going on?" I said. " Belasco he...Woah!!!" Before Kurt could answer he was grabbed from behind and dragged towards the ceiling by a large, grey furred cat. It was clearly not a cat, though. Held on the ceiling, Kurt pivoted, kicking the cat creature. They both dropped to the floor, Kurt landing on both feet while using a hand to brace herself and the cat creature landing on all fours. The creature then launched itself at Kurt, and they both started fighting. Jean then turned to Illyana, who was being held by the Belasco. Worse yet, her figure was turning demonic as Bellasco seemed to be corrupting her into his own image. " Quick we have to stop him, before it''s too late! " I shouted. Jean lost her temper then, as one thought only went through her mind. ''What happened to me won''t happen to anyone else ever again. I won'' t let anyone else be turned into a puppet. '' She summoned her Phoenix fire and launched it at Belasco. Belasco groaned in pain as he felt the backlash of his spell being disrupted. He then gazed in horror as a furious Jean charged at him with her Phoenix fire. Desperate, he summoned 2 figures using his magic, a giant purple demon, and another one that looked like a giant humanoid lizard. " Stall them. I need time to summon the Darkchylde." Belasco roared in anger. S''ym laughed. "You''re that Strange magus, and that fire chick. Boss said you''d eventually show up here." N''astirh " Silence you Oaf, this isn''t the time for idle chatter. I''ll hold up the Phoenix host, you handle the magus." N''astirh didn''t wait for S''ym to answer and immediately engaged Jean in combat. It was obvious he was only trying to stall her. Every time Jean would send a psychic blast or try and burn him with her Phoenix fire. He would counter her with either an energy bolt or some sort of magical barrier. The barriers would immediately start burning up on contact with the fire, but he would immediately create another barrier to replace it. It seems he had already formed some kind of strategy in advance. On the other hand my opponent, wouldn''t stop talking. He kept blabbering on and on about this and that. Talking about his Master''s plans and how smart he was when he lured Kurt and trapped him in the castle. I didn''t know why he was telling me all this, maybe it''s a bad guy thing. Every time they feel like they''ve got the upper hand, they would just start bragging. " What did you just say!" I shouted interrupting his speech. He gave me a vicious smile" What? About master''s new pet? She was acting up, so he decided to turn her into one of his creatures. That Nephlym is to become one to. " I turn towards the battle ongoing behind me, I didn''t notice it at first. But that cat like demon that''s fighting Night Crawler was wearing the same clothes, Kitty was wearing when she was taken! My eyes turned bloodshot with rage. Lightning started arcing off of me in an erratic fashion. I flashed over to where S''ym was hiding behind one of N''astrih''s barriers. Before he could react I broke through the barrier like it was made out of paper. He didn''t seem to be afraid, on the contrary he seemed to be quite happy. I guessed by his reaction, that for him a long distance battle would probably be too disadvantageous. He was probably counting on his superior strength to take me down. Most sorcerers were weak in regards to their physical aspects. S''ym possessed great superhuman strength. He was stronger than Colossus and physically he was almost invulnerable. Sadly for him, I wasn''t most sorcerers. Before he could react, I plunged my Chi infused fist right into his stomach. He roared in pain and his hand instinctively went towards my head trying to tear it off. I didn''t retreat and instead poured as much power as I could into his open wound. Scorching heat from my Extremis Virus and a fully charged Venom Blast were compacted and pumped right into his body. He exploded into a gory mess of purple flesh. I didn''t waste time, and immediately headed towards Kurt''s battle. Kitty managed to catch Kurt off guard and fazed his right foot into the ground. Kurt was shouting in pain and was moments away from being skewered by Kitty''s clawed fist. I arrived just in time to block a fatal blow and used my other hand to overload her nervous system using a venom blast. She passed out and collapsed to the ground. I helped Kurt by digging his foot out of the ground and gave Kitty to him. " Take her and teleport out of the castle. Things are about to get messy." I said. " Zat is vat vhat I''ve been trying to tell you. Every time I try and teleport out I end up back here in za castle." He said. " He vas laying a trap for you guyz he knew you''d come. I heard them taking about their plan and tried to warn you. " He continued. " At least get her out of this room. " I said. Kurt gave me a nod and ran out of the ritual room carrying Kitty. I joined Jean in battle and together we were able to quickly defeat N''astrih. I could see Illyana''s astral form. Belasco had pulled her soul out of her body. Her soul was visibly starting to turn demonic. Visible features like horns and a tail were beginning to form. He was trying to taint Illyana''s soul! And it seems he had succeeded! ( Chapter End) -------------------------------------------------------------------- " If you''re not Black Cat, then I''m done. But first -- The Olsen Twins: Good? Evil? Or part of the elaborate C.I.A. plot?" - Deadpool ------------------------------------------------------------------- " For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And my new MHA Fanfic (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????. Chapter 65 - Conclusion " For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And my new MHA Fanfic (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????. ( A/N :- Idk why people care about power stones, but I guess I should too? Anyways give me your stones! Or Cypher gets Ntr ) Tehee~ jk ( I''ll start releasing chapters of my new fic on webnovel, in a couple of weeks, so stay tuned.) Enjoy ;) ------------------------------------------------------------- " Is it not gorgeous? Delightfully pure and unspoiled, even Kitty Pryde wasn''t this innocent. This piece of Illyana''s soul, completely made into my own image." Belasco said. " You sick bastard..." I said grinding my teeth. We were both itching to tear him into pieces. I didn''t realize it at the time, but something seemed to be wrong with me and Jean. " Can you feel it? Your soul slowly being corrupted, your sense of reason wasting away? How did it feel, when you killed S''ym and N''astrih? Do you want to kill me too." He taunted. Jean summoned a fireball into her hand, she was staring daggers at Belasco. " You said my fire can kill him. Go save Illyana and leave him to me. " Jean suddenly said. " It''s useless! She''s bound to me body and soul, and through me, to my dread lords. She is the perfect instrument through which my masters the Elder Gods, will extend their dominion first to earth and then to our entire universe. " Belasco said. " I will not allow it. " Jean shouted. " Empty words woman, in this dimension you''re no match for me. " '' Jean calm down! He'' s trying to goad you into attacking him. He''s expecting it, it''s probably a trap. '' I communicated telepathically to Jean. My warnings seeemed to fall onto deaf ears. Jean was ignoring me, and I could feel some slight pressure from her. '' This is not good, she''s too emotional and the Phoenix is just making it worst. '' I thought. I started channeling some light force energy, to help calm my mind. My head was starting to clear, and I could feel my reason slowly returning. I began analyzing our current situation, it seemed Belasco had a plan. And it all depended on whether or not Jean took the bait. I could see that Jean was moments away from attacking him, the only thing holding her back was my constant warnings. I could feel her unconsciously shutting off our telepathic link, and losing herself to bloodlust. '' Tch, it seems I have no choice, better I spring the trap.'' I thought. I immediately casted a flare spell using light force energy. Belasco screeched in pain, and involuntarily shielded his eyes. I rushed in and snatched Illyana from right under his nose, he was still holding onto a part of Illyana''s soul, so I cut of his hand. It all happened in less than a second, and before any of them realized it. I was back standing next to Jean. The light slowly died down, and Belasco could be seen bleeding from his stump. I gave him a smirk " Can''t cast a spell without any arms, can you? " He was staring at me hatefully and if looks could kill, let''s just say I''d be already dead. His arm was slowly starting to regenerate, but he was still keeping his distance. His plan failed spectacularly and I already had Illyana in my arms. It just goes to show, how useful pure speed can be, against sorcerers. He was more wary of Jean than he was of me, which lead him to be careless. He probably didn''t expect my speed, since I purposely hid it in our previous fight. My spidey sense made it impossible for anyone to catch me off guard I let him injure me back there, so he would underestimate me, the next time we clashed. In his mind, my threat level was under Jean''s, since I didn''t have the means to permanently put him down. I handed Illyana to Jean and telepathically communicated. '' Follow my lead, but don''t kill him, we still have to find out, what he did to Illyana and If we can reverse it. '' Before she could answer, I flashed over to Belasco. His pupils dilated in fear, and I could see him trying to speak. Everything was moving in slow motion except for me. My perception was boosted to 3 times it'' s normal speed. My perception ability was already hightened due to my spider physiology, add that to my [ Lightning Chi Mode] passive boost and you get one fast motherfucker. I called this state [ Bullet time.] "Wai..." He didn''t even get to finish, his sentence before I separated his head from his body '' Burn his body'' I communicated to Jean. Belasco''s head started to scream in agony, Jean had a slightly uncomfortable look on her face, but she did as she was told. It seems she sobered up from whatever trance, she was in. " You filth!!! I''ll kill you all! Aaahhh!!!" His screams were starting to annoy me, so I used a venom blast to knock him out. Jean suddenly sighed " Well, that was anticlimactic. " " I was keeping it as a trump card, until we found Kitty and Illyana. I had to make sure, we could safely rescue them, before I made my move. Long drawn out battles, would have been too disadvantageous to us. And even with your fire, you''re still not an expert on controlling it. I can think of probably a few ways, to counter them, not to mention Belasco. You saw how, N''astirh held you off, even though he was weaker than Belasco. " I said. " Still you could have let me in, on the plan. " She said. " Your mind was too influenced, by this environment. You weren''t actively trying to resist it, and you being an empath isn''t particularly helping it. " I said. " I understand, but still, next time try and let me know what you got planned. " She said. " Guyz, is it over? " We heard Kurt''s voice coming from the entrance, he was still holding onto Kitty''s demonic form. Peeking his head through the door. " Yeah Kurt, it''s finally over. " I said. After that whole rescue mission fiasco, I opened a portal back to the sanctum. I had the Ancient One take a look over Kitty''s and Illyana''s conditions. Although we spent a few days in Limbo, several hours have merely passed back on earth. Logan, Piotr, Orroro and Rogue were still missing. Although I was slightly anxious, I wasn''t as concerned when it came to those 4. Simply put I believed in their strength, Logan was a hard bastard to kill. Piotr was as tough as they came, Orroro was a powerhouse given the right conditions and Rogue wasn''t to be underestimated. What concerned me the most whether or not, they landed on a far away planet . Interstellar travel was still an issue, and several years of research were still needed, before we came up with something decent. Of course if I were to obtain a space ship, things would definitely move along much faster. I had already checked limbo and it''s as I feared, they weren''t on limbo anymore. Portals in Limbo could lead to another planet, or even different times like the past, or even the future. A parallel earth or even other dimensions, weren''t too out of the question. I sent Jean to the Mansion to explain things to them, it would probably be best if they were informed as fast as possible. There was no use in hiding it, and it would probably help more, if we had several people looking. I couldn''t exactly scour the whole multiverse, past, present and future. On my end I had Sophie and Diana use facial recognition software, to search for them. I also informed them, to include past records as well. The Ancient One told me, that with the convergance Limbo was starting to stabilize a bit, so extremes cases of time dilation and time travel would be minimal, but still one had to be cautious. Still, getting the professer, to look for them, using Cerebro wasn''t a bad idea. Although I heavily disliked the guy, their disappearance could be partly blamed on me, since I was the one that requested their assistance in the first place. I was also starting to get a bit worried, especially over Kitty''s condition. Even after I knocked Kitty out, she didn''t revert to her original human appearance, but remained in that demonic cat like state, Belasco had turned her into. Illyana''s condition was also a major concern. I sealed Belasco''s head and kept him in my storage bag, incase he was still the truth about being connected to Illyana''s soul. I didn''t particularly believe him, but it was better to be safe than sorry. Although Illyana''s outer appearance was still human. I could feel something deeply wrong with her, even more so than I did with Kitty. It didn''t make any sense, but it felt like whatever Belasco did to her, was even more twisted than what he did to Kitty. " It''s fortunate that Kitty was a sorcerer, and that you brought her to me so soon. If you were a day or two late, it would''ve been impossible to reverse it." The Ancient One said. I sighed a bit in relief. " What exactly did he do to her?" " He changed the shape of ber soul to that of a demon. " She said. I frowned a bit in confusion and asked " Only her soul? " " Yes, the physical appearance you''re seeing is merely a result of what he did. Instead of thinking of the soul as the water, that takes the shape of the container. In this case the soul being the water, and the body, being the container. Think of it more, along the lines of the soul, being the core and the body, is merely taking shape around it. " She explained. " So, this can be reversed? " I asked. " Yes, I want you to use your light force energy to slow down the demonic corruption, while I''ll use the time stone to reverse her soul''s time. She''ll lose her memories of the last few days, but I think that''s a small price." She said. " A small price indeed, what about Illyana thought? " I asked. The Ancient One frowned in thought and said, " Illyana''s case seems to be a bit more complicated. " " How so? " I said. " What Belasco did to her soul was part of a ritual, he was trying to create BloodStones using the purest parts of her soul. Every time she would lose her innocence or part of what made her soul pure, would turn it into another one of those Bloodstones, giving her great potential for power and allowing him to control her " She said. " What use are those BloodStones for exactly?" I asked. " He forged a pact with extra dimensional demonic entities known as the Mabdhara, enabling them to cross the barrier to our dimension using a pentagonal arrangement of five BloodStones. In return, Belasco was granted immortality and immense mystical power. He was also given a demonic appearance, as he was intended to form a new race of Earth-dwelling demons." She said. " Should I kill him then, would that nullify the contract? " I asked. " It''s hard to say, since I don''t know the specifics of his contract. " She said. I sighed in frustration over this whole situation, Demons and contracts were always a pain in the ass to deal with. I decided it was safer, to keep him on ice, at least until I figured out, what my safest option was. " I''ll return to Limbo and see what I can find, he probably has a library somewhere in that castle of his, maybe I can find something about the ritual, and how to reverse it in one of his grimoires." I said. I bade the Ancient One farewell, and returned to the citadel (castle). I cleared it out of the demons, still left behind, and set up several wards to keep anymore from getting in. It took me a while, before I found his library and although most of them were written in the demonic scripture, I could easily read them. I found a section called Soul magic, and figured I''d start there. Fortunately, as long as I stayed in limbo, time was on my side. ( Chapter End) ------------------------------------------------------------- "My name is Logan, but most people know me as Wolverine. I''m the best there is at what I do. But what I do best... Isn''t very nice." -- Wolverine (Earth-616) ------------------------------------------------------------- " For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And my new MHA Fanfic (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????. pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Chapter 66 - Announcement Hey guys, it''s been a while since I''ve talked to you. I wanted to get your opinion on a few things concerning the story. There are a few directions I could take this story. And I want to keep things interesting. So, I''m going to make a poll, and let democracy decide. So, vote on one of the options, or simply leave a comment with your own idea, if you don''t like any of the options. A) Cypher joins the Avengers. B) Cypher participates in the Battle of New York, doesn''t join the Avengers, and goes to space afterwards to build a space armada. C) Cypher increases his own strength, and takes on Thanos and his army all alone. D) Cypher makes alliances with different groups like Wakanda, inhumans, Nova Prime, etc... to fight Thanos. Comment here if you have any better suggestions. I promise to read every single one. Obviously the final decision is mine, but I''d like to hear your thoughts about it, since at the end of the day I''m writing it, for you guys . Chapter 67 - The Savage Lands (A/N) " Thank you all for voting! I read through every comment, and took all of your suggestions into consideration. Most of you advocated for a combination of A/B or C/D, some even for all 4 choices. I now have a solid plan for what I should do for the Avengers and post Avengers arc. I hope you''ll enjoy today''s chapter, and don''t forget to tell me what you guys think in the comments. (P. S) The Author is a masochist, so don''t forget to stone him to death with your power stones. " .. " For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And my new MHA Fanfic (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????. . . Enjoy ;) ------------------------------------------------------------- Belasco''s library was colorful to say the least. Curse magic, soul magic, blood magic and much more. I found that although most of this stuff was considered ''evil'' it didn''t take away from the fact, that from one perspective it could also be considered brilliant in its own way. The magical tomes contained within, the library were partly a result of Belasco''s own research and efforts. His plan hinged on corrupting pure souls and then using those corrupted souls to turn them into Bloodstones. Those Bloodstones would then be used to open a portal to the human world, where demons and interdemensional being could freely invade and conquer earth. It was just your run of the mill, world domination plan. Completely unoriginal. Frankly I''d give it, a 5 out of 10. The crux of the matter though was the fact that he couldn''t simply use any soul. The soul being pure wasn''t the only criteria, he could have easily kidnapped a few newborns and his plan would''ve succeeded long ago. He needed souls with a high aptitude for magic. I understand now, that Illyana''s aptitude for magic was incredibly high, it wouldn''t be too out of the question if she were to become the next Sorcerer Supreme. After going through most of the books, I happened to find an interesting piece of information pertaining to what could be considered Limbo''s core. Belasco has been here for centuries, so it wasn''t surprising that he had information on Promethiuem. According to what was written in the book I found. Promethieum could be found in one of limbo''s deepest caverns. Coincidentally the only way, to access this deep cavern was through a portal located in the castle''s dungeons. It was heavily warded and could only be accessed by Belasco himself. I decided to take a look at it later, and headed back home, I was in limbo for a week which translated to only a few hours on earth. Although, Kitty''s and Illyana''s conditions were stable, reversing what Belasco did to them would definitely take time and effort. As soon as I got back, I got a phone call from Jean, it seems that they had found something. " I''ll meet you there. Yes, I''m taking the quinjet." I said over the phone. Jean and The Professor managed to get a lead on Storm and Rogue''s whereabouts. Using Cerebro Jean''s telepathic range was increased a hundred fold. Scouring the globe for their telepathic signature was the best way to quickly locate them. Unless they''re dead, or on another planet, finding them was only a matter of time. Jean had just informed me that the rest of the X-men and her were a few miles away from Antarctica. I decided to take the quinjet, I ''acquired'' from Shield. It was the fastest vehicle I had on hand, at least until I built a better one. ( 3rd POV) Jean and the X-men were heading towards where she last felt Orroro and Rogue''s location. Even though they were on their way to rescue their friends, she still felt quite anxious, she was still worried about Kitty and Piotr. Kitty her friend was turned into a cat like demon, like it was some kind of cruel joke. Piotr was still missing and no matter how many times she looked for him using Cerebro, she couldn''t find him or even Logan for that matter. It meant one of two things, either they were dead or they were millions of light years away with no way to get back home. Piotr''s sister Illyana was in no better condition, judging by what Doug and the Ancient One said, she wasn''t doing much better than Kitty. Her physical appearance was still the same, and she only looked to be sleeping, but Jean could somehow sense something was wrong with her. She was reluctant to admit it, but ever since she started using more of the Phoenix''s powers, things which have previously seemed impossible were now possible. She didn''t tell Doug about it, but back in Limbo she was injured in her fight against N''astrih. She was distracted for only a second, and let her guard down. N''astrih didn''t let the chance go and managed to injure her left arm using his claws. She blasted him away with a Psychic blast and before she could check the damage, her wounds suddenly caught fire. And before she could react her wounds were already healed. While Jean was lost in thought the plane began to violently shake. "We''re loosing power!" Cyclops shouted as he tried to pull the plane out of its impending nose dive. The plane balanced out skimming across the tree tops crashing into a swamp 6 seats ejecting in different directions and the plane began to sink into a swamp. Before Jean realized it, she had already enveloped her friends in psychic shields and prevented them from blasting away too far from each other. She slowly descended to the ground and placed the professor as well the rest of the team next to her. " Thank you Jean, you saved us back there." Cyclops said. " Yeah, thank god it vould have been bad, if ve vere separated." Night crawler said. " It''s quitel unfortunate, that we didn''t manage to save the plane though. Getting back home, will be difficult. " The Professor said. " We can figure it out, after we rescue Rogue and Storm, we''re wasting our time just standing here. " Angel said. " Guyz are you sure, ve''re still in Antarctica. Vhat za hell is zis place? " Night Crawler suddenly interrupted. The X-men looked around and they could only stare in shock, as the realization set in. " How fascinating, to think such a place existed." Beast said. His eyes then fell on some plants beside his feet. " Amazing! Most of these fauna have been extinct for millions of years. " Beast exclaimed. " I''ll try and get a better vantage point." Jean declared, while Beast was geeking out over plants. She flew into the air and realized how big this place truly was. The view was simply spectacular almost something like you would find in an art museum, but the areal view also gave Jean a reason to worry... this Island was filled with different creatures, and she could even sense intelligent lifeforms closing in on their location. It seems the plane crash, notified the locals of their whereabouts. The Tribal hunters all began swarming and attacking the X-men, but one by one Jean who was still in the air, beat them down breaking their spears, shattering their clubs and snapping their bows before proceeding to knock them out using her telepathy. This wasn''t the time to show restraint. Jean could feel the hostility coming off them, as an empath she could easily tell that these people planned on killing them. ( POV End) A few hours later I could see a snow white desert, completely covered by an ice sheet. At its thickest, the ice was over 4 km deep. Beneath the ice sheet a hidden landscape of mountains, valleys and plains. It made me think of Superman''s fortress of solitude, a fortress made out of ice and crystals protected by the elements, situated away from prying eyes. I was taken away from my thoughts by Jean''s voice. It looks like I was in range for her to establish a telepathic connection. "Doug where are you? Are you close by?" '' I think so, I''m getting a faint signal though.'' "We crashed landed right after we arrived, Beast thinks something interfered with the plane''s electronics." " Are you guys safe?" I said. "We'' re fine, but the plane is done for. I managed to shield us, before we hit the ground." She said. " Don''t worry the quinjet can carry us all back, and if that doesn''t work. I could just open a portal back home." I said. "We also ran into a problem, some of the locals were unhappy with our arrival. They tried attacking us, but I took care of them." ''Did you manage to get Rogue and Orroro''s location. " I asked. " Yes, we''re heading towards them right now, but the wildlife here is slightly problematic. The plane crash attracted a lot of attention, I can feel several groups heading towards us. " She said. After Jean was done telling me, about everything that happened from the time they crashed landed, to everything that happened afterwards. I found my thoughts going towards, something I read about in my previous life. " Sophie, find me any mention of the Savage lands or any mention of a tropical haven located in Antarctica." I said. It only took a few minutes for Sophie to get back to me. " The Savage Land, set in Antarctica at the base of the Palmer Peninsula, is a tropical prehistoric land surrounded by volcanoes deep.It is located at approximately 69o 30'' S, 68o 30'' W. The Savage Land was discovered by Lord Robert Plunder, who took back a sample of the metal known as "anti-metal" or "Antarctic vibranium" with him. This mysterious metal had the ability to produce vibrations which would liquefy all other metals. Fleeing from those who sought to steal this discovery, Lord Plunder took his eldest son Kevin with him for a second trip into the Savage Land. There was no mention of him, after his escape. " Sophie said. '' Huh, so it really does exist in this universe.'' I thought. The Savage Land was a hidden prehistoric land appearing hidden in Antarctica. It has appeared in many story arcs like Uncanny X-men as well as related books. I didn''t know much about it, just that it existed. There was no mention of the savage lands in the MCU, but then again there was no mention of mutants either. All I knew about it, was the fact it was filled with different mutated tribes both human and non-human. It was filled with inhabitants like the Golden People, the Lizard Men, the Reptile Men, the Tubantis, and others. " Sophie where did you find this information? " I asked. I found it in some historic databases as well as some nefarious organizations and corporations including Roxxon, S.H.I.E.L.D, etc... " What? Shield knows about it?" I asked surprised. " Affirmative. It seems there were several attempts of mining vibranium in the region, but everytime they would send an expedition team, they would disappear never to be heard from again. Eventually the project was scrapped and was considered a hoax. Since, the one who was said to have discovered it, has disappeared never to be seen again. " She said. '' Huh, I bet even Fury doesn''t know about it. '' I thought. An hour later, I arrived near the location where Jean and the X-men landed. " Sophie, take the plane back to headquarters. I''m flying the rest of the way. " I said. I let Sophie take over the plane''s controls and jumped off the plane. As I was falling to the ground, I could see the landscape approaching me at an increasing speed. I closed my eyes and quieted my thoughts. I could feel the incredible amount of life force contained within these lands, it was filled with so much vitality that if one was to train in using Chi in this place. Their progress speed would be almost tripled than anywhere else on earth. I took a deep breath and suddenly opened my eyes. I slowed down my descent, so that I could safely land, but it was still fast enough that I created a small crater when I landed. I turned my head towards the sky, and my eyes focused on a mountain located a few miles from my location. The sky started to darken, a storm raged around the mountain, and lightning was raining down on the mountain. It was absolute mayhem, and I had a feeling what or rather ''who'' was causing it. A loud crack of thunder brought me back to attention. " Damn, I wouldn''t want to be the bastard that made her this angry." I offered a silent prayer to the poor bastard''s soul and immediately blasted off towards the eye of the storm. It seems things were about to get interesting. ( Chapter End) ------------------------------------------------------------- "Madness Is The Emergency Exit. You Can Just Step Outside, And Close The Door On All Those Dreadful Things That Happened. You Can Lock Them Away... Forever." -- Joker ------------------------------------------------------------- " For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And my new MHA Fanfic (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????. pat-reon/AnubisCreationz. Chapter 68 - Wrath Of Storm " For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And my new MHA Fanfic (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????. . . Enjoy ;) ------------------------------------------------------------- "More humans on my Island and you can fly? Most interesting! " Storm felt 3 talon-like claws press into her back, "Who sent you here! Shield?, Roxxon? answer me or you''re going to die right here. " growled a high-pitched voice. Storm struggled to answer as the talons in her back were pinching her nerves " Nobody sent me, we ended up here by accident. " she said, the talons lifted from her back. "Accident? Do you think I''m stupid? " He said. The stranger stomped on Storm''s back very hard that a couple of her ribs cracked under the pressure " You were sent here, to steal our vibranium, weren''t you? That''s what you all care about, don''t you? " "Look buddy, I have no idea what you''re talking about, much less what vibranium is. I just want to leave with my friend. " Storm moaned, the pain of her ribs burning and throbbing. "I am Sauron and this is my forest!" Storm felt the talons grab her shoulders and carry her away. Storm finally caught a glimpse of her captor he was a green pterodactyl-like creature but with teeth, claws, and human legs. She could barely focus, not to mention use her powers to get out of this situation. Both her and Rogue were ambushed and got hit with a poison dart as soon as the attack started. She quickly started losing consciousness, and it wasn''t long before the world went black. .. Storm woke up the next day bound and in a cell. The cell was rather dim, it was made out of some kind of wood and a few guards could be seen guarding her. They were giving her unsettling looks and seemed to be barely holding themselves back. She knew what those gazes meant, the streets of Cairo taught her to be wary of those gazes. There was a small lamp every few steps, which produced a yellowish glow. She should have been more vigilant, but it couldn''t be helped. Before she realized it, she was already surrounded. She could''ve fought her way out, but they had already captured Rogue and threatened to kill her, if she didn''t comply and let herself be captured. They were certainly strange creatures, some looked more lizard-like than others. But what they all had in common was the fact, that none of them seemed to be what could be considered normal. She wondered, if they were a hidden civilization somewhere, perhaps an experiment gone wrong? Her first speculation seemed to be wrong, since it was impossible for prehistoric creatures to know about Shield, nonetheless speak English. She couldn''t tell what to think of them, but they were certainly intelligent and more worryingly they were dangerous. Suddenly there was a large commotion, and moments later the guards left to check it out. It seems something big was happening. "What''s going on?" Storm wondered. Storm could hear shouts of rage and fury asking for blood. Taking advantage of the commotion, and the fact, that no one was keeping an eye on her. She used her powers to produce winds strong enough to break the cell''s door. * Crash * Free from her short lived imprisonment Storm decided to look for Rogue. She had no idea where to look, so she decided to check out what the whole commotion was about. Storm moved slowly towards where a large group of those mutates were gathered. They were gathered around a large hut, with their spears drawn. Storm got close enough until she could hear what they were shouting. " Kill her!! She killed the chief ! Execute her! Burn the witch! " One of the mob threw the torch in his hand at the hut. The hut''s straw roof caught fire and it wasn''t long before the whole thing was set aflame. " No! Please! No!" A voice called out, from within the hut. Storm immediately recognized the voice and knew who it was. It was Rogue! Storm without a shred of hesitation called upon a great wind. She blasted the mob away, breaking the encirclement. She rushed into the burning hut only to find Rogue crying. She was tied up to a wooden post, in the middle of the room. What was strange about the scene, was the fact that she was barely wearing any clothes. Only enough to cover her modesty. The creature from before, called Sauron was lying dead beside Rogue. He had Rogue''s broken power inhibitor clutched in his cold dead hand. It didn''t take a genius to deduce what probably went down. Sauron probably tried forcing himself upon Rogue, and got himself killed when he accidentally broke her inhibitor collar causing her powers to activate. As soon as Rogue noticed someone entering the room, she raised her head to look at who it was. " Orroro..." Rogue only managed to croak out her name, before promptly passing out from the smoke. Storm quickly freed Rogue from her restraints and covered her with a cloth, she found beside the bed. Rogue''s powers were dormant, while she was unconscious, so Storm was able to touch her. Storm carried Rogue in her arms and slowly walked out of the hut. She could still hear, the mob outside calling out for blood. Rogue had gotten closer to Storm over the last couple of year, and her heart was filled with grief over what her student went through. Rogue had started slowly coming out of her shell. Ever since Doug helped her with her powers and built her an inhibitor. She started becoming more social and even dated a few times. She only knew, because Rogue had confided in her, but Rogue was still a virgin. She wanted her first time to be special, and Storm had a suspicion of whom Rogue had in mind. Rage slowly replaced her grief. Storm''s eyes turned pure white as she started floating in the sky. Raising her hand slightly, she began to summon her powers. A small gray cloud began to form above her hand. Growing to the size of a field. Happy with her work, Ororo moved the cloud towards the crowd, allowing rain to begin to pour over their heads. She felt a tug on her powers. Suddenly, the cloud began to grow, doubling, tripling its size in seconds. The rain pouring harder from it. She suddenly felt another surge of power, overwhelming her. Actually it frightened her slightly. She had not felt this out of control for a long time. Not since she had first started to develop her powers. The cloud became bigger filling the sky. The rain was pouring harder and thunder now boomed from the clouds. A harsh wind began, blowing the huts away, trees were ripped out from their roots, shouts of panic and fear drowned out by the howling winds. " Goddess, have mercy! Have mercy!" As the storm continued to rage, Storm''s emotions were in turmoil. The cries of mercy, and anguish were none stop. A voice filled with fury came out of her, it sounded like her own voice, but at the same time it sounded somehow different. As if a different entity was speaking through her. " You deserve no mercy, you shall receive none." A few minutes pass by before Storm suddenly hears a famaliar voice in her mind. " Orroro stop! It''s all over." A feeling of relief washed over Orroro, she recognized Jean''s voice. It meant that they could finally go home. She began to try and control her breathing, trying to calm her raging emotions. She tried reaching out to the depths of her powers, to summon the storm to stop. Slowly but surely the storm, began to ease, the wind, thunder and rain stopping. The cloud began to decrease in size, until it was back to its original state. With one last effort, Ororo concentrated on dismantling the cloud altogether. She slowly floated down, Rogue still in her arms. She could see Doug, Jean, Xavier, Beast, Angel, Cyclops and Night Crawler on the ground, waiting for her. Jean went up to Storm and took Rogue from her arms. " It''s okay Orroro, you can leave the rest to us." Jean said. Storm could feel a wave of exhaustion come over her. She started swaying and before she could collapse Night Crawler teleported behind her and supported her. " Thank you Kurt." She said. " No thanks needed, ve didn''t do anything. " He said. " You came for us, that''s enough." She said. " It''s the least we could do Orroro you''re a valued member of the X-men and most importantly you''re an irreplaceable friend. " Xavier said. " Thank you, Professor. " She said. " What happened to her?" Angel said. Everyone noticed the state Rogue was in, a few guessed what probably happened mainly Doug and the professor. The X-men were young so, their minds were somewhat innocent. The professor was pretty old and probably seen some unsavory things over the years. On the other hand, Doug wasn''t as young as he seemed. If one were to add the years he had previously lived, in addition to this one. He was probably be the oldest one here, right after the professer. He didn''t know how old, Orroro was, but atmost she''d be only as old as him. Storm grimaced and stayed silent. The professer sighed, while Doug shook his head. Seeing their reactions, Angel decided to drop the subject and not ask anymore questions. Doug opened a portal back to the X-mansion and left with X-men. He could always come back later, now that he knows this place exists. ( A few Days Later) Rogue woke up a day after we got back from the savage land. She asked about Kitty and Illyana, and after confirming their safety, decided to lock herself in her room, she refused interacting with anybody but Storm. I built her another inhibitor instead of the one she lost back in the savage land. But for some reason she refused to wear it, and would only do so, when she had to go to school. Her powers created a figurative barrier around her, one that prevented people from getting closer to her, both physically and emotionally. " I feel bad for her Doug, I wish I could help her somehow, but we were never close. Kitty was the closest one to her, and I don''t know how she would take it, if she found out, about what happened to Kitty." Jean said. " It''s better not to tell her, it would''ve only made her feel worse. The Ancient One and I, managed to reverse most of the damage. She''s not a demon anymore, but It''ll take time for her soul to heal. All we have to do now is wait for her, to wake up. " I said. " Thank god, I''ve been worried sick. " She said. " Illyana should be waking up too. " I said, with a grimace. " Is she going to be okay? " Jean asked in worry. " I don''t know Jean, as far as we could tell, it''s irreversible. All we can do now, is wait and see which Illyana wakes up. The one corrupted by Belasco or the one we know. " I said. After my talk with Jean, I locked myself in my lab. I couldn''t help, but feel powerless. What use is all this power If I can''t use it to help my friends and family. I knew it would be hard, when I first arrived in this universe. I had even thought that the power, I had collected was enough. I became a sorcerer, I took the spider serum, I took the Extremis serum, I created my own Symbiote. I built a suit, better than Tony''s. I even built one of the biggest companies in the world. I killed, stole, lied and cheated. But it still wasn''t enough! Piotr and Logan were missing. Illyana was a half demon. Kitty was in a coma. Rogue was sexually assaulted, and It was only a matter of time, before I lost Jean. The Phoenix was simply too powerful. I couldn''t even remember a single instance, where things didn''t end badly for Jean. What else should I do? What else should I become? I found myself standing, before the lab''s cold storage unit. My hand wrapped around the fridge''s unit and I slowly opened the door. Two vials stared back at me, one was filled with a golden yellow liquid that almost seemed to glow, while the other was filled with a dark blue liquid. The answer was right before me...????????????????. (Chapter End) --------------------------------------------------------- Tell me what you guys think in the comments. To be honest, I''m not entirely happy with the chapter, but I hope you''re all enjoying the story. P. S ( Rogue wasn''t raped, she was only assaulted. Sauron didn''t get a chance, to take things too far. Still it doesn''t stop it from being traumatic.) --------------------------------------------------------- " For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And my new MHA Fanfic (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????. Chapter 69 - A Year Away " For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And my new MHA Fanfic (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????. . . Enjoy ;) ------------------------------------------------------------- After last night''s conversation with Jean, and my subsequent reaction of trying to inject more shit into my veins, I realized something important. I needed to slow down. In my efforts to get stronger and ensure I survive in this world. I''ve neglected what truly made me special. In my rush to get as much power as I can get, I didn''t even take the time to explore my own powers. I talked a big game about, how Cypher''s powers had the potential to be omega level. And look at what happened, as soon as I got the chance I took one serum after another, one unnecessary risk after another. Dimensions in the Marvel Universe are infinite, and many mutants have their own personal dimensions where the laws of physics don''t apply, as a shortcut for the fact that most/all mutants defy the laws of physics. I don''t regret becoming a sorcerer, but I realized that compared to Strange or even Illyana I was outclassed. I limited myself as a sorcerer by refusing to make any deals with any extra-dimensional beings/Gods. A sorcerer no matter how talented needs help in channeling energy to perform, any large-scale spells. The larger the amount, the harder it is, ergo the need for some kind of agreement. It didn''t mean that all X-genes were connected to some kind of dimension. But it was at least worth exploring. I mean there were infinite dimensions. Infinite! That means that there has to be at least one dimension where instead of a big bang creating a constantly expanding universe of nothingness, there was a big bang that created a constantly expanding universe-filled with anything one could imagine. That''s just science. Deciding my logic was bulletproof, I decided on my next course of action. It was time for a training arc! But before I went off and disappeared, I decided to spend some time with Jean. We only got the chance to go on a few dates and only had sex once in limbo. It wasn''t the most romantic first time, but we got swept up in the moment. Jean had been pretty upset lately, she''s been spending hours in the X-mansion using Cerebro trying to find Piotr and Logan. She couldn''t do anything to help with Kitty and Illyana, add to that what happened with Storm and Rogue, she probably felt pretty useless. I opened a portal to the X-mansion and headed towards Cerebro. I was walking inside the mansion towards where I could sense Jean when I was suddenly stopped by a feminine voice. " Uhm... excuse me, but who are you?" It wasn''t often I would get caught by surprise, I could usually detect whenever a mind was nearby, one of the perks of being a telepath. I turned my head only to see a petite 5'' 5" young female student. She had short black hair and light brown eyes. She was wearing a pink shirt, blue jeans and wore a bright yellow jacket. I took a moment to examine her; I was fascinated by the fact, that even though I was staring right at her, I could hardly feel her mind. I even tried scanning her mind but failed to do so. Her mind possessed a natural defense against telepathic detection or attack. I could feel her psionic shields render my mind probes useless. Her mind almost felt "slippery" and invisible. I had my right hand under my chin and a thoughtful look on my face. " Interesting..." I muttered. A few seconds passed of me starring at her. She suddenly interrupts my thoughts and says. " Could you please, stop staring, it''s making me uncomfortable." " Sorry about that, it''s a bad habit of mine. I didn''t mean to stare, but I was just surprised by the fact, I couldn''t sense your mind." I said. " Oh! So you''re a telepath, just like the Professor! " She said. " Hm... you could say that, but I wouldn''t compare myself to the professor," I said. " He is pretty amazing, but I wouldn''t compare myself to the professor if I were you, you''re just being too hard on yourself." She said. " Uh... that''s not what I meant..." She continued to talk over me, " I''m Jubilation Lee by the way, but you could call me jubilee. Are you a new student here? Are you lost? I could help you, find the professor if you want. I''m going..." I quickly interrupted her and said " It''s okay. I know where I''m going, I used to be a student here, still thanks for the offer." " Oh, I''m sorry, I get overexcited sometimes, I guess I''ll see you around." She said, after noticing I was in a hurry. " I don''t mind, see you around Jubilee," I said. " Oh wait, you haven''t told me your name." She said. " It''s Douglas Ramsay," I said, as I was almost at the end of the hallway. " WHAT! The billionaire! " I heard her shout, after a few seconds. As soon as I arrived in front of Cerebro. I felt Jean''s mind brush against mine; the door opened after a few minutes, and I could see Jean walking towards me. She had an exhausted smile on her as she walked up to me. " Hey babe, any luck in finding them." I said. " No, not yet." She said. She sighed " I''m starting to think they''re not on earth. " " Come on, let''s go get something to eat, we''ll talk about it, while we eat." I said. I opened a portal back to New York and decided to take her, to have some fun and get her mind off things. We went to a bar I knew of with Ping-Pong tables, where we challenged each other to a contest, ate pizza, and laughed. Later, we took a ferry ride, with ice cream, to a local beach that We''d never been to, where we drank margaritas in the sand. We walked home and ended our night out with a kiss. We were back home lying down on the couch; we had an old movie playing on the T.V and just decided to relax, and cuddle. " Thank you, Doug, I really needed this." She said. " Well, If you really want to thank me..." I said as I raised a single eyebrow. She giggled at my response; I was obviously kidding, but it didn''t stop her from getting up and straddling me. We started making out, and things started heating up. We enjoyed each other''s company all night, while I almost had endless stamina, Jean wasn''t to be underestimated. A few hours in, Jean passed out, and I was feeling drained. This was our second time having sex. It was much more intense than our first time. We woke up in bed the next morning; I had my arm wrapped around her naked waist, while she snuggled her head on my chest. I was playing with her hair with my other hand; I found her fiery-red hair really beautiful, and from my position, I could even smell what kind of shampoo, she used. "Jean, we need to talk," I said. Sensing something in my voice, "Doug, what''s wrong? I lowered my head and looked straight into her eyes. " I''m leaving." She stayed silent and snuggled closer to me, a few moments later I continued. "I''ve been doin'' a lot of thinking lately. About my life, what I''ve done, and what my obligations are. " Jean looked at Doug. She didn''t like the direction this conversation was taking. "How long ?" She asked. " For you, it''s a few months, but for me, it''s a lot longer," I said. " I don''t understand. " She said in confusion. " I''m going to limbo, probably a few other places. Time is wonky there, so I''m not really sure how long it''s going to be." I said. She sat up on the bed, her body wrapped up by the sheets. She had her back facing me, and I could see her fiery-red hair, cascading down her white, silky smooth back. I couldn''t see her expression, but I heard her soft voice. " Why?" She said. " Something big is happening in a few months, so I''ll be back before then. I left instructions on, what to do, in regards to the company, if anything unexpected happens, you have the highest authority right after me. " I said. " The company? Is that all, you care about? ," She suddenly said. " Jean, I didn''t mea..." " Just save it, Doug. You just decided to leave all on your own, and not even talk to me about it? Kitty''s in a coma, Piotr is missing. We don''t even know if he''s alive! His little sister became a demon, and all you can think about is leaving?! " She said. " Jean, we''re all in danger, the future is..." " What about me, Doug? What am I supposed to do? You told me, you''d always be there for me." She said. By this point, Jean had stopped screaming and was starting to tear up. I felt bad for making her cry, maybe It was selfish of me, to just up and leave. Other than Orroro, there really weren''t many people she could call friends. And even then, she hasn''t been seeing her that much. I found out that Jean''s mother was dead, her father hated and blamed her for her mother''s death. Jean accidentally killed her parents when her powers awakened, it caused her family to get into a brutal car crash. While her mother was killed, Jean survived due to putting a protective barrier around herself her father also survived the crash although heavily injured. He was currently living in their old home; he hadn''t talked or even seen Jean in years. I got up from bed and started comforting jean, by wrapping my arms around her. She cried for a bit and after a few minutes, managed to calm down. She wiped her tears and got up to get dressed. " I want to be alone for a bit, I have some things to think about." She said. She didn''t give me a chance to stop her and quickly left. I didn''t know if I should go after her, or not. I eventually decided to talk to her later, she probably needed time to cool off. I wished I could read her mind sometimes, we both couldn''t read each other''s minds, without the other party''s notice. I found it ironic, that two of the most powerful telepaths couldn''t read each other''s minds. I decided to postpone my trip for a few more days. I couldn''t leave, while she was still upset with me. I suddenly heard a sigh of frustration coming from my nightstand, strangely, it was coming from my watch. * Sigh* " Idiot..." " Couldn''t agree more big sister..." '' Crap! Were they listening the whole time! '' ( Chapter End) ---------------------------------------------------- " For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And my new MHA Fanfic (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????. Chapter 70 - The Heart Of Limbo " For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And my new MHA Fanfic (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????. . . Enjoy ;) ------------------------------------------------------------- I was currently in limbo. Specifically I was staying in Belasco''s old castle. I waited a few days for Jean to calm down, and eventually she did. She admitted she had abandonment issues, and the fact I was leaving, freaked her out, more than she liked to admit. I understood where she was coming from to an extent. In my previous, life I was practically alone, my parents were dead, for years, I suffered from depression, and the only thing that kept me going was the knowledge of my parent''s love for me. Jean didn''t have that, she only had me. Before, I came along she had the professer, and the school. Charles broke her trust and Jean was desperate to form another bond. I gathered everything I would need for my stay in limbo, and left after saying goodbye. I took the books, I obtained from Asgard and a few other items with me. The bag, given to me by the Ancient One was certainly useful. I planned on learning the enchantments used in making them, as they were too useful not do so. Staying in limbo for prolonged periods of time, wasn''t a good idea. I wracked my brain for a solution, to my current predicament, and I ended up with a few possible solutions, to my problem. My first option was to use the Eye of Basphorus. The incantation necessary to unlock the Eye of Basphorus was written on it. I have yet to use it, after obtaining it, from the Ancient One. Once activated, the Eye can grant its user one spell of choice, regardless of its power. The artifact can only be used once, and it turns into dust afterwards. I haven''t used it yet, since it was useful as a trump card. I had a feeling, I''d need it one day, and I hoped that day never came. Unfortunately using it to help, Illyana or Piotr was not ideal. Or it would be more accurate to say, it was ineffecient. Illyana''s situation was complex to say the least, and it needed a more complex solution in return. The Gem gave the user, a spell a very powerful one, but at the end of the day, it was just ''One'' Spell. Illyana''s soul needed to be alot more powerful. Currently her demonic side, was stronger and she would need years of Mystic Arts training for her, to become strong enough to resist that part of herself. We would also need several powerful spells, for it to be of some use, one to isolate the part that was corrupted, one to seal it, and one to maintain her soul at, a state of equilibrium. Playing with souls, was taboo and it was hard enough finding anyone with experience, so it wasn''t a good idea, to do something without being absolutely sure of the results. I thought about, using it to find Piotr and Logan, but then changed my mind on doing so. The glimpses I managed to get from the time stone showed me Piotr, present at the time, of the New York invasion. Even so, If he doesn''t show up by then, I''ll use it to summon him, and logan. Returning to the present, I was standing in front of the dungeon''s door. I had Belasco''s severed head in my hand, and was currently attempting to unseal the door. " Mhhmmhmm.. Aaaaahah.. Mm" *Sigh * " If you don''t calm down, I swear to god, you''re not going to like, what am I going to do to you." I threatened. " Mhmjnm..??!mhnmnh.." " Yes, and as long as you''re useful, I''ll think about it." I said. After Belasco, calmed down a bit, I continued with my task. I was going through his memories, trying to find the spell he used for sealing up the space. Unfortunately, doing It while he was awake was way easier, so I had to wake him up. He started cursing at me, as soon he woke up, promising unending suffering, and a very vivid description, of what he would do to me and everyone I loved. In response, I put a muzzle on his mouth. And fried his brain a few times, using my Venom Blast. His brain kept regenerating, but anything below the neck wasn''t growing. I had the Ancient One cast a spell using the time stone to prevent him from regenerating his body. Everytime his body would try and grow back, it''ll just reset to the moment, his head was cut off and burned by the Phoenix. It was my fucked up version of the Headless Horseman, but mine, was the other way around. An immortal bodyless evil sorcerer. Now, that''s the stuff of nightmares. " Finally, it''s done." " Mhmhmhnm.. Grghmmmhm" He said. " Well. I lied, so just shut up and go back to sleep." I knocked him out, using a Venom blast and kept him in my storage bag. He wanted me to release him after I unsealed the dungeon, and make him my subordinate. He didn''t hide his thoughts well, and I saw right through him. The bastard planned on betraying me as soon as he had the chance. Which was understandable, since he happened be a demon. I entered through the door, only to find a myself in front of a huge stepping disc. It was semi-transperent and I could vaguely see a heart shaped object on the other side of the portal. It kept pulsing and I could feel the energy undulations coming from it washing over me. As I got closer, I could make out more and more details. It took the form of a giant animal heart, hidden in a cavern deep below. I stepped through the stepping disc, and was immediately bombarded by the huge of amount of radiation. I called upon my symbiote to protect me from the radiation, and it only took a few seconds for my symbiote to absorb and metabolize the radiation out of my body. I started scanning the core, using a few spells and after a few minutes, my suspicions were proven correct. The core was tainted by both demonic and darkforce energies. It probably originated from the fact, the previous rulers of limbo were corrupt to begin with, and over the century all this negative energy seeped into the core. It turned this dimension inherently evil, one that would corrupt its denizens and turn them into demons. I casted a spell I was familiar with, and one that I had used numerous times. The spell that I used was a simple one, it established a connection between, the light force dimension and this one. The Promethieum core was immediately bathed, in pure lightforce energy. I watched as the heart of limbo, was getting baptized by the purifying energy of the Lightforce dimension. On the surface, as this was happening, Limbo''s appearance and physical laws began to slowly change... A few months had passed ever since, that day. The old Rocky terrain of limbo, was replaced by lush greenery. The desolate desert, and demonic creatures that plagued this dimension, were no where to be found. Limbo''s appearance and physical laws were highly variable and could change with time, but it primarily depended on the personal taste of its ruler. I was the only one left, so by default I became the ruler of this place. My stunt practically wiped out, everything that existed on the surface, especially the demons. Being the ruler/only citizen of limbo, came with a few perks, for example I could influence the ecosystem and climate of limbo to some extent. Another perk was my newly gained ability of sensing anyone who sits foot on limbo. And the ability to instantly teleport anywhere in limbo. I also discovered a hidden, but useful advantage of this place. Opening portals to other dimensions, was way easier than it was on earth. The spell I had used previously to establish a connection with the light force dimension, was normally only strong enough for me to channel a small part of it. Here though? There was no such restriction, in reality it was a bit, too much. I had to restrict the flow of energy, after a few hours had passed, otherwise this dimension would''ve been swallowed whole. I managed to stabilize the connection after much difficulty. And got it down, to a continuous small trickle. ... It took me a few months, to get things in order. First thing I did was take out my equipment and set it up, for future use. Using several arc reactors, based on Tony''s designs, I had enough juice to power the castle for the next 100 years and then some. I set up a lab for my experiments, and a huge library filled with books from Asgard and Belasco''s own library. I also had some books from the sanctum. And no, I didn''t steal them, I copied them by hand. All in all, it was one of the most impressive magical libraries in the world. Whether it was variety, sheer volume or just based on their age. It checked all those boxes. Next was the alter room. Why would I need an altar room, you ask? Well for rituals and magical experiments of course. I couldn''t exactly do them, in my lab. I mean, what if something goes wrong? Years of research would be gone, and although I planned on inventing Magitech, it was still too soon, to mix and match. Over the last few months, in addition to making sure everything was setup correctly. I began focusing on improving my powers, and what I mean by that is Cypher''s original powers. I started contemplating what language really was, and what exactly was the nature of my power. The definition, I came up with was that language was a structured system of communication used to convey meaning. Most languages had a visual or graphical representation encoded into symbols, or a writing system composed of glyphs to inscribe the original sound or gesture and its meaning. So it came down, to meaning and pattern recognition. A language no matter how complex needed to follow a pattern or a rule of some sort, one would then assign meaning to it. But that was a simplistic way of looking at it, I mean in this world, even inanimate objects or even animals, have the capacity for language, or for some sort of communication. One example of that, would be my little scuffle with Miljnor back in New Mexico. I mean that hammer did ''not'' like me. I began my training by trying to listen. I tried listening to anything and everything around me. For days, weeks even. I mediated under a large tree, which grew from one of the demonic souls purified, by what I dubbed the purge. Most of those demonic, souls had no where to go after being purified. A great number of them, perished and had their souls extiguished almost immediately and whatever was left was only enough for plant life and some simple creatures to be born. I tried listening for words conveyed by inanimate objects and animals that do not speak the human language. And, although these words are usually either inaudible or unintelligible to humans, Cypher''s innate ability, allowed me to perceive these words and to understand and gain information through them. At first, I couldn''t hear anything, but after a few months staying consistent, and doing some reading in the library on my breaks. I began to hear a faint sound, it was almost intangible, like a distant whisper. I tried conversing with the voice and, waited for a response. My biggest obstacle was the fact, that I didn''t know who or what the voice belonged to. Was it the universe? The trees? The animals? The air? I just kept hearing the same word. . . . . . . ???????????????? ( Chapter End) ------------------------------------------------------------- " For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And my new MHA Fanfic (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????. Chapter 71 - RuneMaster " For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And my new MHA Fanfic (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????. . . Enjoy ;) ------------------------------------------------------------- [SHIELD Facility] "How bad is it?" Nick Fury said, as he stepped down from the helicopter, that just dropped them off. " That''s the problem, sir. We don''t know." Coulson said. They entered the facility, passing fleeing technicians, taking only the essentials, and heading towards the evac point. "Dr. Selvig read an energy surge from the Tesseract four hours ago." Coulson continued. " NASA didn''t authorize Selvig to test phase." Fury said. "He wasn''t testing it, he wasn''t even in the room. "Coulson said. They continued walking down deeper into the facility and arrived to the radiation facility housing the Tesseract, the area was cluttered with machines, and people were leaving. Dr. Erik Selvig appeared from behind a CMS machine, concerned. The Tesseract was glowing unusually bright and a flare of blue shot out from it, hitting things at random. Fury exchanged a few words, with Dr. Selvig trying to ascertain the situation. Agent Barton who Fury assigned to watch the doctor, confirmed his report, about the cube''s irregular behavior. Suddenly, the Tesseract thundered and shook the entire facility. The cube glowed brighter and emitted a ring of light, and built a beam, similar to the Bifrost bridge. The power from the space stone hit the edge of the platform and began forming a vortex. Space appeared through the portal, and a gust of blue energy knocked people back. The cloud shot to the ceiling, and the portal on the platform opened up as Loki stepped through. The portal vanished, and Loki grinned at everyone, holding his spear. Things ended in Dr.Selvig and Barton being mind-controlled by Loki, taken in as his minions, he also took the tesseract. The underground research facility was destroyed, but thankfully casualties were low, and most people managed to escape. [Limbo] A blonde man, with a chiseled body and blue piercing eyes, could be seen training. He was surrounded by greenery and shouts of beasts and other strange creatures could be faintly heard in the distance. The young man was floating a few feet off the ground in a lotus position, he had his eyes closed and a tense look on his face. It almost looked like he was straining, trying to hear a distant sound or whisper. He suddenly opens his eyes. " It''s time!" ... It''s been a hard few years, the hardest part of it, was the loneliness. It was na?ve of me to think I could spend, years training without any human contact and come out unaffected. The first couple of years were fine, I immersed myself in research and studied magic to my heart''s content. It was when I first started experimenting with souls when I first realized, I''ve stayed long enough. I mean they weren''t human souls, but still. I was currently at the castle packing up and getting ready to leave Limbo. I couldn''t wait to see Jean, Kitty, and Illyana. My greatest boon was developing Cypher''s original powers, which in turn increased my adaptability and power as a sorcerer. My ability itself evolved to a superior version of All Speak. I obtained the to speak and understand every language in the universe. I even gained the ability to communicate with animals and objects. Of course, it depended on how sentient both the object and animal were. It usually ranged from being able to hear a few words, to having full on conversations I also became a Runemaster and even managed to develop a few original runes of mine. Ancient runes were called the language of gods which were very mysterious. It was said to be able to get a glimpse of the mysteries of the gods. Most of my runic knowledge came from studying Asgardian, demonic, and dwarven runes. Asgard''s Library had a few books on Dwarven runic language. It didn''t have any secret techniques, but I was able to deduce a few useful ones. There were various types of runic alphabets used in runes, with one of the oldest ones being the Asgardian runic alphabet known as ''Elder Futhark''. The runes had a stronger effect when engraved, a slightly weaker one, when constructed using magic and finally another form, only possible due to my ability. I could use runes by simply speaking them, the effect is weaker, but it''s versatility in combat is invaluable. I found a way to infuse, my voice with magic and verbalize symbols, and glyphs. I found the Dwarven runes, were most optimal in enchanting weapons or armors. Stuff like engraving it, to make the weapon sharper, unbreakable or even a call back rune, so you could never lose your weapon. Asgardian runes were more suited for combat, and although they had runes, that worked similar to the dwarven ones, the dwarvens ones were simply a lot better. Demonic runes were ideal for cursing, poisoning, hexing and rituals. One could use it to fight, but most of them took time. There was a few, which could instantly kill, but it was stuff like making your blood boil or your heart explode. I wasn''t able to find out, which dimension my powers were connected to, but I was close. Unfortunately, though that would have to wait for another time. I had to get back, and prepare. [ Earth] " Welcome back, Master." " It''s good to be home, how were things while I was gone." I said. " A number of events have occurred as you''ve predicted, Steve Rogers was found, and Director Fury requested a meeting." Sophie said. " That''s good to hear, anything else?" I said. " Yes, there have been several infiltration attempts to Cypher Solutions. " Diana said. " Any idea who they were and what they want? " I said " SHIELD, Oscorp and Stark industries were the most notable." Diana said. " Tony? Are you sure? " I asked. " The entity which calls itself JARVIS, tried hacking into our servers, we taught him a little lesson, so he won''t be trying it again anytime soon. " Diana said. " He''s not a true Artificial Intelligence like you guys are, you''re just bullying him by that point. " I said. I unpacked my stuff and decided to get dressed in something a bit more, nice. " How are the girls doing, I hope things went well, while I was gone. " I said. " Kitty and Illyana woke up, and are currently recuperating at the Sanctum. Jean is at the mansion visiting Orroro" Sophie said. " I''ll be heading to the sanctum first, to check on Kitty and Illyana. Don''t tell Jean, I''m here yet, I want to make it a surprise." I said. I opened a portal to the sanctum, and found myself standing before the Ancient One''s quarters. I knocked and waited for an answer. No one answered, so I decided to head towards the training area instead. I arrived at the training area, only to be shocked by what I was seeing. Kitty and Illyana were in the middle of a spar, but unlike their first one, it was a lot more flashy. Illyana kept popping in and out all around Kitty using stepping discs, quite similar to the ones back at limbo. Kitty on the other hand, was doing some highly acrobatic moves, which normally would''ve been impossible for her to do. It wasn''t on the level of a super soldier, but definitely not too far off. " Uhhh..." " Impressive aren''t they?" The Ancient One suddenly appeared, walking slowly until she was standing right beside me. " They certainly are, but what happened?" I asked. " Well, after Kitty woke up a few months ago, we discovered she retained some of the abilities of her previous state. She''s stronger, faster and more agile. Her senses seem to have improved too, which helped her control her phasing ability even more. " She said. " Didn''t you say, there wasn''t going to be any effects after she woke up? Should we be concerned? " I said. " I don''t think so, but it never hurts to be cautious. I checked her soul, and it mostly looked normal. " She said. " Illyana on the other hand, is a bit different. Her teleportation ability seems to be a lot more potent than anything I''ve ever seen. If I''m not mistaken, it should be part of her Meta-human ability. Her aptitude for magic though, is on another level. It''s even higher than Strange''s, if it weren''t for her ''special'' circumstances, I would have considered training her as the next Sorcerer Supreme. " She continued. I was surprised by her by her statement, in most universes Strange would always inherit the Ancient One''s mantle as the Sorcerer Supreme. If she was willing, to change something this crucial, it only meant Illyana''s prowess were a lot more impressive than I initially thought. We continued watching their spar, and it seemed like it was going to be a stalemate, Illyana although powerful, was still too inexperienced and Kitty''s recent power up helped her counter Illyana''s teleportation. Her senses became even sharper, allowing her to phase through attacks, that previously would have been too fast for her to react to. " Thank you for watching over them, while I was gone." I said. " It''s my pleasure, it''s been nice having them around, they remind me of my younger days." She said. I took a vial out of my pouch and handed it to to her. She looked curiously at it, and asked me what it was. " I developed it, while I was in limbo, it won''t make you immortal, but it''ll stop the aging. " " Are there any side effects?" She asked. " None." I said. Her eyes moistened a bit, and I could see how much weight was lifted off her shoulders. It must have been heavily weighing on her mind, the fact that she was depending on the Dark Dimension''s energy to sustain her. She thanked me while carefully putting it away. I owed her big time, and this was the least, that I could do. ( Chapter End) ------------------------------------------------------------- Next chapter is the start of the Avengers arc. ------------------------------------------------------------- " For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And my new MHA Fanfic (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????. Chapter 72 - An Unexpected Visitor " For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And my new MHA Fanfic (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????. . . Enjoy ;) ------------------------------------------------------------- The girls were happy to see me, and hugged the living crap out of me. They were slightly upset I wasn''t there when they woke up, but they understood my reasons. " Did you find a way, to get Piotr back? " Illyana asked. " Yeah Doug, it''s been months, we''re getting worried," Kitty said. " Don''t worry I found a way, to get them back, I just need a little bit of your blood." I said. " Blood?" " It''s a blood summoning ritual, the stronger the blood ties, the better the chances of success. " I explained. Illyana without hesitation grabbed one of the blades near the training area, and slowly drew the blade across her palm. I took out a bowl I had prepared before hand, from my storage pouch, and collected a few drops. I used the blood to draw the glyphs ???? ??? and started chanting. This was a spell I came up with, after reading up on demonic summoning in Belasco''s library. I modified it using the rune "Summon" and the rune " Kin", while the blood was used as the medium. I was chanting the spell in the demonic scripture, (the language the demons of limbo spoke in) and ended the spell, by injecting my magic into the runes. The runes started burning up, and disappeared in a bright flash. A 6 foot mass of muscles was standing right in front of us. He was clad in armor, and seemed to be on guard like he was expecting an attack. He was holding a sword, and donned a red cape over his armor. It only took a few seconds for the figure to scan his surroundings, he pointed his sword at me and said. " Are you one of Zha-Har-Zath''s men! Speak!" " Uhm... Doug, I thought you said, you were going to summon Piotr, who is this guy, and what is he saying?" Kitty asked. I frowned and said. " It should''ve worked, I''ve been working on this spell for months. " I was confused by the current situation, and was busy thinking about where I could''ve made a mistake. " If you won''t answer , then just go ahead and die." He said. Enraged by our lack of response, the man grew impatient and decided to attack. I summoned the bands of Cyttrok to restraint him, but surprisingly he easily broke through them. He continued charging at me, set on cutting me down. I summoned a venom blast in my hand and uttered a single word " ????????????????????????????????" The electricity condensed over the top of my index finger, till it was no larger than a coin. I cocked my hand like it was a pistol, and was about to fire. The man scoffed, and prepared his sword to block my attack. '' He would soon realize, this was a mistake, I channeled over 2 million volts of electricity, into this attack. Unless he dodges it, he''s going to have an extra hole in him.'' I aimed at his heart, and fired. " Wait!! Stop!!" As expected the man could barely react to the bullet, and tried blocking it with his sword. In the end, it didn''t matter. The attack went right through him, and he hit the ground hard. Illyana dashed towards his prone figure, and seemed to be in a panic. She was in disbelief, it took her a second, but she finally realized, who this man was. Why he seemed so famaliar. The cosmonaut Mikhail Nikolaievitch Rasputin. Her brother, the one who went to space and never came back. . . . A few hours later, Illyana''s long lost brother Mikhail was lying in a bed sleeping. The shout was a bit late and I only managed to divert the venom bullet a few centimeters to the right. If it weren''t for that, his heart would''ve been pierced. I managed to stop the bleeding, after using a bit of my Chi to close the wound, but it''s probably going to take a few days for him to wake up. *Sigh* " Well that was a bust, who would have thought I would end up summoning the wrong brother." I said. " It''s indeed a strange situation, but you can always try again." The Ancient One said. After the commotion with the summoning, the Ancient One came to see, what was the cause of the disturbance. I explained to her, what I was trying to do, and the result of my attempt. We talked for a bit, and she ended up explaining to me, the reason of my failure to summon Piotr. " Your spell wasn''t specific enough, the parameters were Kin and summon. Based on what you have told me, the spell should''ve been able to summon both of them. The fact it was successful in only summoning one, it probably means something interfered with the summoning. " She said. " Do you think someone is preventing it on purpose? " I asked. " Perhaps indirectly, a strong enough magical barrier, or certain wards can interfere with summoning. Try doing the spell again, but this time set the parameters to Kin and locate." She said. I had a little bit of blood left, so I decided to give her suggestion a try. The spell showed me the location of the living members belonging to the Rasputin bloodline. It showed Illyana and Mikhail in the Sanctum, their grandparents in New York and finally Piotr''s location. I raised an eyebrow in surprise and said. " Interesting, well I guess I have nothing to worry about, they should be arriving soon enough." ... Inside the Quinjet, Steve Rogers was sitting down with a tablet, watching the footage of the Hulk''s attack on the Army at Culver University. He also saw some footage of the self proclaimed Superhero Meta-human team in Harlem. "We''re about forty minutes out from base, sir." The Pilot said. Agent Coulson suddenly stood up from his seat and walked over to Steve. "So, this Doctor Banner was trying to replicate the serum that was used on me?" Steve asked. "A lot of people were. You were the world''s first superhero. Banner thought gamma radiation might hold the key to unlocking Erskine''s original formula." Coulson said. "Didn''t really go his way, did it?" Steve said. " No, I guess it didn''t." Coulson said. " Well, what about this new super team, they seem to be doing some good work from what I''ve seen. " Steve said. " You could call it that, but then again they''re unsupervised, and these kinds of things tend to get out of hand. Especially when it comes to Mutants. " Coulson said. " I heard about them during the war, I don''t really know much about them, but there were some whispers of using them in the war. " Steve said. " There was a few incidents over the years, the biggest problem was their instability in combat, a few attempts have been made over the years, but what we do need now is someone like you." Coulson said. " Well, I hope I''m the man for the job" Steve said. " Uh... we''ve made some modifications to the uniform. I had a little design input." Coulson suddenly said. "The uniform? Aren''t the stars and stripes a little... old fashioned?" Steve said. "With everything that''s happening, the things that are about to come to light, people might just need a little old fashioned." Coulson said. Steve nods but doesn''t say anything. Soon they reach the Helicarrier. It has two runways. One with direct access to a hangar at the rear is aligned along the spine of the vessel. Agent Coulson and Steve walk down the ramp, meeting up with Natasha Romanoff, and a little bit later Steve ends up meeting Dr. Banner. It wasn''t long before they got a call, of a disturbance in Germany. Apparently there was a man holding a glowing scepter standing in front of the Stuttgart Museum, holding people hostage. Captain America suited up. And as soon as they arrived over the museum, opened up the ramp and jumped down without a parachute. As Loki was about to execute a man with his scepter it glowed blue, and an energy beam shot out. Captain America arrives, diving in just in time to block the blast with his shield, and knocking down Loki. "You know, the last time I was in Germany and saw a man standing above everybody else, we ended up disagreeing." Cap said. Loki stood up and said. "The soldier. A man out of time." While Loki and Steve were having a conversation . Natasha, who was piloting the plane aims the guns of the Quinjet on Loki. She turns the loudspeakers on and says, "Loki. Drop down the weapon and stand down." Loki, of course does not listen, and sends a blue blast of plasma at her from the Sceptre. Natasha maneuvers it just in time, giving Cap the time to throw his shield at loki. They both began to duke it out. Loki flings Cap to the ground, and then Cap throws his shield, but loki swats it away. As Cap is knocked down by loki, Loki stands over him, pointing the scepter''s tip on his helmet. Loki orders, "Kneel!" Cap gets a determined face and gritts out, "Not today!" he flips and knocks Loki back with a kick. Loki grabs Cap and throws him away. Natasha tries aiming the machine gun at Loki but can''t get a clear shot. "This guy''s all over the place!" she shouts. Suddenly, AC/DC''s "Shoot to Thrill" overdrives the Quinjet''s speakers. "Agent Romanoff. Did you miss me?" Both Cap and Loki look up at the sky. Tony flies over in his Iron Man suit and blasts Loki right back to the ground using his repulsors. Iron Man touches down in the superhero landing. He stands up and pulls out every piece of weaponry the suit has and points them at Loki. Tony, in a taunting voice, says, "Make your move, Reindeer Games." Loki puts up his hands and surrenders, and his armour materializes away. Iron man nods and says, "Good move." Steve joins Tony near Loki and nods at him, "Mr. Stark." Tony returns the greeting, "Captain." Soon the two heroes along with one fake prisoner in handcuffs enter the Quinjet and take off. With Loki tied up and cuffed to his seat, Tony and Steve watch from a distance, whispering. " I don''t like it." Steve said. " What? Rock of Ages giving up so easily?" Tony said. "I don''t remember it being ever that easy. This guy packs a wallop." Steve said. " Still, you are pretty spry, for an older fellow. What''s your thing? Pilates?" Tony said. "What?" Steve asks. "It''s like calisthenics. You might have missed a couple things, you know, during your time as a Capsicle." Tony said. "Fury didn''t tell me he was calling you in." Steve suddenly says. "Yeah, there''s a lot of things Fury doesn''t tell you." Tony said. As they were talking thunder and Lightning nearly hit the jet, making it shake violently. " Where''s this coming from?" Natasha said. The Thunder continues to rumble overhead. While, Loki stares out the window intently, looking quite anxious. " What''s the matter? Scared of a little lightning?" Steve said. " I''m not overly fond of what follows." He admits. They suddenly hear a bang on top of the jet, as if something or someone just landed, heavy footsteps that cause the jet to shake, till it suddenly stops. " What''s going o... " The ramp suddenly starts opening up, and a man''s silhouette could be seen. The man walks in and grabs Loki by the throat and says. " If you don''t mind, I''d like to have word with your employer." Steve and Tony were left dumbstruck. While, loki gulped in fear. He can feel it in his bones, this man was dangerous! One wrong move and this man could kill him a ????????????. ( Chapter End) ------------------------------------------------------------- " For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And my new MHA Fanfic (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????. Chapter 73 - The Avengers (Pt. 1) For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And my new MHA Fanfic (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????. . . Enjoy ;) ------------------------------------------------------------- " If you don''t mind, I''d like to have a word with your employer." Tony put on the Iron Man helmet, and aimed his repulsors. While, Cap hurriedly grabbed his shield ready for an attack. "Is that.. ?" Steve said. " Yep, that''s him," Tony asked. "I thought you knew the guy." Steve said. " Oh yeah, forgot about that for a sec. Enigma! Could you please put the God down?" Tony shouted. I turned towards Tony and even Loki who was turning blue by the second gave Tony an incredulous look. "This isn''t the time for Jokes Tony, this sorry excuse for a god, is more trouble than he looks." I said. " Enigma, we can talk, just put him down." The Cap said. " I won''t..." Outside the jet a blinding light hits the jet, loki and I are thrown towards Steve and Tony. Thor sees the open ramp, enters, grabs Loki by the throat and flies out. Steve and Tony are left dumbstruck once again. " Goddamnit Thor!" I roared, before running towards the ramp and jumping off of it. "Now there''s that guy." Tony said. "Another Asgardian?" Natasha, shouts from the cockpit. "Think the guy''s a friendly?" Steve said. "Doesn''t matter. If he frees Loki or kills him, the Tesseract''s lost. Then there''s Enigma who looked like he wanted to tear him apart." Tony said. Tony turned and got ready to jump off the jet to chase after Thor and Enigma. "Stark, we need a plan of attack!" "I have a plan. Attack." Tony said. He then jumped out of the jet and chased after Thor and Enigma. Cap then went and grabbed a parachute to follow. Natasha puts the plane on Auto pilot and comes back to persuade Cap to not go. "I''d sit this one out Cap." She said. Steve turned to Natasha "I don''t see how I can." Natasha tried one last time, "These guys come from legends. They''re basically gods!" Steve turned to the ramp, "There''s only one God ma''am. And I''m pretty sure, He doesn''t dress like that." Saying that Steve jumped out of the plane. I was wearing my Endo-Sym Armor coupled with the Grav-Reactor. I inscribed a few runes on the Vibranium shell that housed the Gravitonium, to further stabilize it and enhance the effects of the Gravitonium. It was my first step, towards inventing Magitech. The suit now had two scources of power, one using the original core, the other magic. It gave it the extra oomph, needed to take the armor to the next level. I also managed to come up with a few tricks, mainly runes empowered by the core. Unfortunately, I Couldn''t inscribe the suit itself with Runes, since it didn''t have a uniform shape. I couldn''t exactly engrave runes, on a suit made out of Nanites. Maybe if I accquired some technology, that would allow me to inscribe runes on each individual nanite, then, it would be worth a try. My Venom suit was bonded to my current armor, so It looked like I was still wearing my normal suit. The one I was seen wearing in Harlem, and the Stark Expo. (EXT. MOUNTAIN LEDGE - NIGHT) Somewhere out in the European mountains, Thor threw Loki into the side of the mountain. He raised the mighty hammer, Mj?lnir, and looked down at his brother, who he thought to be dead and was angry to see him alive in this fashion. "Where is the Tesseract?" Thor bellowed. " I missed you too, Brother. A few more seconds, and I would have died for real this time." Loki said. " Do I look to be in a gaming mood?!" Thor said. "Oh, you should thank me. With the Bifrost gone how much dark energy did the Allfather have to muster to conjure you here? Your precious Earth." Loki said. Thor dropped Mj?lnir, causing the mountain to quake. He picked up Loki. Although he was pissed for what he has done, a family is everything to a man or god. " I thought you died." He said. " Did you mourn?"Loki said. " We all did. Our father..." " Your father. He did tell you my true parentage, did he not?" Loki said. " We were raised together, we played together, we fought together. Do you remember none of that?"Thor said. " I remember a shadow. Living in the shade of your greatness. I remember you tossing me into an abyss. I was and should be king!"Loki said. " So you take the world I love as recompense for your imagined slights. No, the Earth is under my protection, Loki." Thor said. " It doesn''t need your protection, Thor Odinson, and I''d advise you to keep that in mind. You and your family have already caused it, enough harm." Loki immediately took a few steps back in surprise, while Thor grew wary, the moment I appeared. Both Thor and loki looked at me, both perceiving me to be the enemy. He eyed me for a few seconds, before saying. " You look famaliar stranger. Have we met before?" He said. "I was there, that day at New Mexico. You know, the day when your brother tried to kill you." I said. " You''re a dangerous one, aren''t you?" Loki said. "Oh so you do have a brain, somewhere up there. Maybe you''re not as stupid as you look." I said. " What do you want?... Thor said. " I want him." I said, pointing at Loki. " Asgard shall take responsibility for Loki''s punishment, so.. " I chuckled a bit, my voice deep and ominous. " Unfortunately, that''s not going to work. You see, your brother''s reaction to me, it''s a result of his brainwashing trying to persist. Whoever is pulling his strings put in triggers, to keep him a puppet. I tried to trace the connection, and contact the puppeteer, but I was interrupted by a certain hammer swinging idiot. " I said. Thor visibly frowned, while Loki was moments away from making a break for it. " Don''t listen to him, brother. These humans slaughter each other in droves, everyday. They''re mindless beasts! I''ve seen worlds you''ve never known about! I have grown, Odinson, in my exile! I have seen the true power of the Tesseract, and when I wield it..."Loki said. " Who showed you this power? Who controls the would-be-king?"Thor said. " I am a king!"Loki shouts. " Not here! You give up the Tesseract! You give up this poisonous dream! You come home."Thor said. " I don''t have it. You need the cube to bring me home, but I''ve sent it off. I know not where..." Thor raises his hammer interrupting him, " You listen well, brother. I..." When he suddenly gets knocked off the mountain by Iron Man who tackles him mid-flight. " I''m listening." Loki said. Thor and Iron Man crash into the forest. Thor rolls himself up. Iron Man was still standing, but kept his distance. The helmet opened up. "Do not touch me again!" Thor bellows. "Then don''t take my stuff." Tony said. "You have no idea what you''re dealing with." Thor said. "Shakespeare in the park? Doth mother know you weareth her drapes?" Tony said. "This is beyond you, metal man. Loki will face Asgardian justice!" Thor said. "He gives up the Cube, he''s all yours. Until then, stay out of my way... tourist." Tony said. The Iron Man helmet clamps up and he walks away. In one quick move, Thor pulls Mj?lnir, throws it, and knocks Iron Man clear across into a tree. From the mountain side, Loki watched in amusement, with me standing beside him. *Sigh* " ????????????????????????" I paralyze Loki with a rune, and go down the mountain to break up their fight. I land between Thor and Tony creating a three man deadlock. Thor was swinging his hammer eyeing me and Tony, while Tony had a repulsor aimed at me and Thor. I turn to Tony and say, "I got this. Go secure Loki." I don''t wait for Tony to say anything and turn to Thor. Before I could say anything, Thor''s hammer suddenly flies out of his hand heading towards me. I quickly dodge, surprised by the sudden attack. Tony fires his repulsor beams at Thor and knocks him clear into the trees. " Now, see how that feels." Tony said. The hammer turns back and heads towards me once again, I do a flip and kick it back. " Son of a..." " Okay note to self never kick, magically charged Uru." I muttered. Thor raises his arm, and Mj?lnir flies back to his hand. He didn''t dodge the attack in time, since he was surprised by the hammer. It suddenly flew out of his hand, and attacked Enigma without his command. Deciding it wasn''t the time for idle thoughts. Thor raises it to the skies and pulls in Lightning and Thunder! Thor points the hammer at Iron Man, who was now preparing for his second attack. I interfere once again, taking the outpour of lightning in Tony''s stead. My suit absorbs all the outpouring lightning bolts storing them, into the runes I engraved on the vibranium-Gravitonium shell. "Enough!" Captain America said, finally showing up. He faces Thor and says"Now, I don''t know what you plan on doing here." " I''ve come here to put an end to Loki''s schemes!" Thor says. " You have an interesting way of showing it. " Tony snorts. " Silence, Metal Man. I have not time, for your jesting. " Thor said. " Then prove it! Put the hammer down." Cap said. "Um, yeah, no! Bad call! He loves his hammer!" Tony said. Thor suddenly backhands Iron Man with Mj?lnir, losing all tolerance with him. He then turns to Cap and says. " You want me to put the hammer down?" Figuring out what he was about to do. I activate my first combat ready Rune. " ????????????????????????????????" A single large rune suddenly appears under us all, before anyone could realize what''s going on. They found themselves lying on their backs, unable to move a muscle. Tony''s Armour was creaking as if seconds away from collapse, Steve was trying and failing to get up, while Thor was starting to get up on his knees, although extremely slowly. " Impressive I guess, they don''t call you a god for nothing." I was the only one standing unaffected, naturally I could manipulate my own body''s gravity using the Gravitonium, in my suit''s reactor. This rune was an area of effect rune designed to increase the gravity up to fifty times, naturally I only cranked it up to 15 times normal gravity. Otherwise Cap and Tony would''ve been instantly crushed to death. In only a few seconds. Thor was beginning to adapt to the increased gravity, standing up although barely. " Alright, I think that''s enough." I said, as I deactivated the rune. " What the hell was that?" Cap said. " Yeah what he said." Tony wheezed. Tony was a base human, so it was natural he was most effected. " Gravity magic," Thor said. " Magic?" Tony said. " You know runes, wizard. I''m surprised, not many are able to use such an arcane art. " Thor continued. " Well, I''m not many. Look, we need to cut this short. Loki has hidden the Tesseract somewhere and we need to go somewhere to help in recovery. You coming with us?" Thor doesn''t say anything at first and I get on my guard. But he just nods, and gets out of his fighting stance. I nod at Captain America and turn to go to the Jet which has by now landed in a clearing nearby. "Guys, are we just going to ignore, that magic is a thing now?" Tony said. ( Chapter End) ------------------------------------------------------------- For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And my new MHA Fanfic (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????. Chapter 74 - The Avengers (Pt. 2) For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And my new MHA Fanfic (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????. . . Enjoy ;) ------------------------------------------------------------- The rest of the ride pass in silence other than Tony repeatedly asking me, what my suit was made off and if magic was real, or was it just bullshit. I cast a silencing rune on him to shut him up. All of those on the plane, including loki gave me thankful looks, for finally managing to shut him up. " A clever trick wizard. Loki, you should learn from him, he seems a better wizard, than you." Thor said. Loki merely rolled his eyes, and stayed silent. " Stop calling me a wizard. I''m a sorcerer." I snapped. " What''s the difference?" Steve asked. " A sorcerer is a magic user whose power derives from long study and research. A bit more science than art, and so it is typically reliable. They typically channel power from other dimensions. A wizard on the other hand is born, and typically relies on his own magical reserves to cast spells or perform magic. " I said. " So does that mean anybody can become a sorcerer if they study hard enough. " Natasha asked. " It depends really. In theory you can, but it depends on your aptitude for magic and your intelligence. An average sorcerer trains for 10 to 15 years, before he''s deemed a Master. " I said. " How long did it take you? " Steve asked. I smiled " A year. " Soon we reach the Helicarrier and a few agents take Loki in chains to his new room. I see Banner working on the Sceptre, so I join him. He gives me a strange look, surprised by my appearance, but then shakes his head and continues his own tests. I start examining the scepter using a few spells. For those looking, it looked like I was just waving my hands around. Like the the time stone, the Sceptre had a similar signature to it. But I could feel It emited a low Gamma radiation which had an effect on the mind, my symbiote automatically filtered such radiation and pevented it from affecting me. That won''t necessarily hold true, If I were to grab it directly. Each infinity stone represented an aspect of creation. And the mind stone, could tear through any kind of mental defenses I have. ''So this is why the Sceptre could shut down the Tesseract''s portal. But is it true for all the infinity stones, or just these two?'' I mused. I get distracted by Banner''s voice, saying, "He really grows on you, doesn''t he?" Steve speaks up next, "Loki''s gonna drag this out. So, Thor, what''s his play?" Thor comes to from his musings and says, "He has an army called the Chitauri. They''re not of Asgard, or any world known. He means to lead them against your people. They will win him the earth. In return, I suspect, for the Tesseract." Steve looks incredulously at Thor and asks, "An army? From outer space?" " I wouldn''t worry about it Cap, the Chitauri are literally the suckiest army in the galaxy." I said. " What do you mean?" Cap asked. I used a spell to project a 3D hologram of the Chituari from my memory. " The Chituari are a sentient species of cybernetically enhanced beings operating under a hive mind intelligence." I said. " So in other words, destroy the scource, they''re done for." Banner said. " Exactly, it''s usually a mothership which relays orders to the whole army. It''s a pretty glaring weakness, it''s their numbers which are annoying. " I said. Banner nods and thinks out loud, "So he''s building another portal. That''s what he needs Erik Selvig for." Thor gets startled out of his musings, again, and asks, "Selvig?" Banner answers, without knowing any connection, "He''s an astrophysicist." Thor corrects him, "He''s a friend." Natasha explains to a confused Thor, "Loki has him under some kind of spell, along with one of ours." Steve asks the most important question, "I wanna know why Loki let us take him. He''s not leading an army from here." I answer him, " He probably has an alterior motive, that or he''s buying time." " You mentioned someone might be possibly controlling loki, is it true?" Thor said. " It''s a strong possibility, I detected a flactuation in the Astral plane near Germany. He was communicating with someone, whichs leads me to believe, there''s an even bigger player behind the scenes. " I said. Everyone goes silent at the implications. If he''s here because he wants to be, then he either has something to do on the Helicarrier, or he wants something from the Helicarrier. Banner breaks the silence and says, "I don''t think we should be focusing on Loki. That guy''s brain is a bag full of cats, you could smell crazy on him." Thor gets angry at Banner and grits out, "Have care how you speak. Loki is beyond reason, but he is of Asgard, and he''s my brother." "He killed eighty people in two days." Natasha deadpans. Thor''s shoulders go lose and he whispers, "He''s adopted." Banner, still in thinking mode asks out loud, "Iridium, what did they need the Iridium for?" Suddenly the doors behind me open up and Tony enters with Coulson, he says, "It''s a stabilizing agent." He then turns towards Coulson and says, "I''ll fly you there. Keep the love alive." Then turns back to us and explains, "Means the portal won''t collapse on itself, like it did at SHIELD." Tony walks close to Thor and taps his upper arm, "No hard feelings, Point Break. You''ve got a mean swing. Also, it means the portal can open as wide, and stay open as long, as Loki wants." He approaches Fury''s station and starts giving out orders, "Raise the mid-mast, ship the top sails. That man is playing GALAGA! Thought we wouldn''t notice. But we did." He then closes one eye and tries looking at both the screens, "How does Fury do this?" Agent Hill answers for Fury, dryly, "He turns." Tony looks around the monitors and places a button size hacking implant under Fury''s desk, without anyone but me noticing, and I only notice it because I was specifically looking for it. That reminds me, I discreetly throw my own hacking implement at the console. Sophie knows what she has to do. While this is going on, everyone in the room looks at Tony like he''s a clown. Tony rolls his eyes and moves away from the console, he says, "Well, that sounds exhausting. The rest of the raw materials, Agent Barton can get his hands on pretty easily. Only major component he still needs is a power source. A high energy density, something to kick start the cube." Agent Hill asks him, "When did you become an expert in thermonuclear astrophysics?" Tony says, "Last night. The packet, Selvig''s notes, the Extraction Theory papers. Am I the only one who did the reading?" He asks, "Does Loki need any particular kind of power source?" Banner thinks and answers, "He''s got to heat the cube to a hundred and twenty million Kelvin just to break through the Coulomb barrier." "But what about the quantum tunnelling effect? He''ll have to find a way to stabilise it first." I said. Tony continues, "Unless, Selvig has figured out how to stabilize the quantum tunnelling effect." Banner gets a horrified look on his face and says, "Well, if he could do that he could achieve Heavy Ion Fusion at any reactor on the planet." Tony smirks at him and raises his hands in the air, "Finally, someone who speaks English." Steve turns to the rest of us, "Is that what just happened?" "We''re saying that Selvig could theoretically open a stable portal anywhere on the planet where there''s a reactor." I said. Tony and Banner shake hands. A glimmer in their eyes shines as the mutual respect for each other shows. Tony says, "It''s good to meet you, Dr. Banner. Your work on anti-electron collisions is unparalleled. And I''m also a huge fan of the way you lose control and turn into an enormous green rage monster." Banner looks down in embarrassment, "Thanks." Nick Fury walks in at that moment and speaks up, louder than anyone else there, "Dr. Banner is only here to track the cube. I was hoping you might join him." "Let''s start with that stick of his. It may be magical, but it works an awful lot like a HYDRA weapon." Steve said. "Yeah, they emit the same energy signature in pulses." I interject. "I don''t know about that, but it is powered by the cube. And I''d like to know how Loki used it to turn two of the sharpest men I know into his personal flying monkeys." Fury said. Thor gets confused at that, "Monkeys? I do not understand." He asks. Steve gets excited and raises his hand, "I do! I understood that reference." Tony rolls his eyes, while Cap looks proud of himself. Tony turns to Bruce and asks, "Shall we play, doctor?" Bruce smiles at him and leads him to the lab, "Let''s play some." I follow them, simply because I have nothing else to do, and I want to keep an eye on Banner incase he hulks out. We reach the lab in a few minutes at most. I take a look at the tracking algorithm they wrote and improve a few things on it to run separately from theirs. Tony raises his eyebrows at me, asking ''What are you doing?'' " Programming is my specialty. I found a few changes I could make in your algorithm, to improve it and ran it separately." I shrug, Tony looks at me like a puzzle, and Banner starts working on the Sceptre again. " So what''s your deal? " Tony suddenly asks. " My deal? " I asked. " I don''t know. You showed up a few years ago, in one of the the most advanced suits, I''ve ever seen. You seem to know everything about everything, and not only that you''re a magic user to boot. Who are you behind that mask, and why does Fury seem to trust you? " He said. Banner by that point had already left his work and was eyeing me curiously as well. Tony gets closer to me, until he was a few inches away from my face. " Are you even human, under there? " He says. I stay silent for a while, both of us staring each other down. I was wining of course, since it was impossible for them to see my face. I suddenly hear Sophie in my ear, " Master Doug, I''m afraid I have some bad news. Shield has your identity on file, which means Hydra knows too." I communicate with her silently, by using a nifty little device I built that relays my brain signals, it''s still a prototype, but it solves the problem of communication, when I''m in battle or simply need to relay orders quickly and efficiently. " How much do they know?" I asked. " More than we should be comfortable with, but not enough for us to be concerned. " She said. " Do they know about Jean and the team?" I asked. " They know, that they''re mutants, but there isn''t any mention of their identities." She said. I sighed in relief and said." Keep me posted, I want any information related to mutants, inhumans or any powered individuals for that matter. I don''t care who or when, I want to know." Our exchange took only a few moments, with my enhanced brain and Sophie''s advanced processing abilities. It was practically instantaneous. Tony sees me sighing, misinterpreting as him winning, a smirk appears on his face. " What, cat got your tongue?" He said. " No I just found out Shield has my identity on file, so you'' re going to find out anyway. I''m guessing that''s your A.I snooping around in Shield''s database." I said. " How did yo..." He said. " You''re not the only one with an A.I Tony," I said. " Ooh boy," Banner said. "Caught that, have you? I guess I''m not the only smart cookie around here. " Tony asks me. " Well, Stark products have always played second fiddle to ours, even your A.I Jarvis can'' t hold a candle to mine. Sophie was done, by the time we left the bridge." I said. A flash of realization appears on his face, " You!!! " I will the Venom suit back into my body and smile at their shocked faces. " Douglas Ramsey Ceo of Cypher Solutions, the youngest billionaire on the planet!" Banner said. " The one and only," I said. They calm down after a bit, when Tony says" I guess, I''m not the only rich Superhero in New York. " I smirk at him and say, "Normally, I''d like to keep this a secret for as long as possible, but since the proverbial cat is out the bag might as well come out and say it." Tony nods dumbly, and suddenly asks, " Wait, how did you make your suit disappear?" " Nano-tech, like I said, second fiddle. " I said. Tony looks stupefied. Banner snorts in amusement and says, "If you''re done with the pissing contest?" Tony shakes his head and turns to the monitors in front of him, Banner continues with examining the Sceptre. I will on my suit back, and continue writing my algorithms. Banner takes a look at the readings and speaks up, "The gamma readings are definitely consistent with Selvig''s reports on the Tesseract. But it''s gonna take weeks to process." Tony returns, "If we bypass their mainframe and direct a reroute to the Homer cluster, we can clock this around six hundred teraflops." Banner smiles at him, "All I packed was a tooth brush." Tony smiles at Banner, "You know, you should come by Stark Towers sometime. Top ten floors, all R . You''d love it, it''s candy land." Banner smiles at him, but shakes his head and says, "Thanks, but the last time I was in New York I kind of broke...Harlem." "Yeah that was a shit show, but you did save Harlem though. If it wasn''t for you, Blonsky and the Army would have gone on to destroy the whole of New York." I said. Tony smirks, "Well, I promise a stress free environment. No tension. No surprises." Suddenly, Tony pokes Banner with a miniature electrical prod device. Banner gets shocked, but controls himself. "OW!" Banner yelps out. Tony looks at Banner closely, and so do I. Steve walks in on us, pissed at Tony. Steve shouts out, "Hey!" Tony ignores Steve and turns to Banner, "Nothing" Steve asks, "Are you nuts?" Tony continues ignoring Steve and asks, "You really have got a lid on it, haven''t you? What''s your secret? Mellow jazz? Bongo drums? Huge bag of weed?" Steve asks him, "Is everything a joke to you?" Tony blurts out, "Funny things are." Steve doesn''t take shit and says, "Threatening the safety of everyone on this ship isn''t funny. No offense, doctor." Banner waves it off, "No, it''s alright. I wouldn''t have come aboard if I couldn''t handle pointy things." He says. Tony looks at Steve and says, "You''re tiptoeing, big man. You need to strut." Steve glares at Tony, "And you need to focus on the problem, Mr. Stark." Tony raises an eyebrow at him, "You think I''m not? Why did Fury call us and why now? Why not before? What isn''t he telling us? I can''t do the equation unless I have all the variables." Steve asks, "You think Fury''s hiding something?" Tony looks at him in disbelief, "He''s a spy. Captain, he''s the spy. His secrets have secrets." He points to Banner and me, "It''s bugging them too, isn''t it?" I just nod. Banner stumbles with his words, "Uh...I just wanna finish my work here and..." Steve interrupts him, "Doctor?" " ''A warm light for all mankind'', Loki''s jab at Fury about the cube." Banner speaks up, remembering Loki''s speach. Steve nods, and says, "I heard it." Banner points at Tony, "Well, I think that was meant for you. Even if Barton didn''t post that all over the news." Steve asks, thinking a bit, "The Stark Tower? That big ugly.." Tony gives him a look and I snort "...building in New York?" Banner continues, "It''s powered by Stark Reactors, self- sustaining energy source. That building will run itself for what, a year?" Tony replies smugly, "That''s just the prototype. I''m kind of the only name in clean energy right now." " My suit''s still better." I pointed out. Tony pouts at that and starts grumbling, he knew I was right, which hurt his pride even more. Banner continues explaining, "So, why didn''t SHIELD bring them in on the Tesseract project? I mean, what are they doing in the energy business in the first place?" "Yeah, I don''t think they''re in this for the energy." I say and shake my head when Steve looks at me questioningly. Tony mumbles, "I should probably look into that once my decryption program finishes breaking into all of SHIELD''s secure files." Steve gets taken aback, "I''m sorry, did you say...?" Tony explains, "Jarvis has been running it since I hit the bridge. In a few hours we''ll know every dirty secret SHIELD has ever tried to hide. Blueberry?" he asks the last part holding out a bag in front of Steve. Steve glares at him, "Yet you''re confused about why they didn''t want you around?" Tony raises an eyebrow and asks, "An intelligence organization that fears intelligence? Historically, not possible." I calmly speak up, "Steve, we know hacking is wrong. But what they''re doing is suspicious, I don''t want something like Hydra to happen to the world again." Steve thinks on it, but being the stubborn man he is, says, "I think Loki''s trying to wind us up. This is a man who means to start a war, and if don''t stay focused, he''ll succeed. We have orders, we should follow them." Tony waves his hand and says, "Following is not really my style." Steve smiles at Tony and asks, "And you''re all about style, aren''t you?" Tony looks like that hit a nerve, and says, "Of the people in this room, which one is; A. wearing a spangly outfit, and B. not of use?" I interrupt before this can escalate some more and say, "We''re not soldiers, Steve. The world hasn''t been at war for 70 years. They brought all of us three in as consultants." Banner continues, "Steve, tell me none of this smells a little funky to you?" Steve takes in the possibility, but shakes it off. He says, "Just find the cube." Steve walks out of the lab. Still torn apart by the possibility, he walks away. ( Chapter End) ------------------------------------------------------------- For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And my new MHA Fanfic (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????. Chapter 75 - The Avengers (Pt. 3) Very Important Announcement !!!! My new fic (Altered Mind) is finally up on Webnovel !!! Please go check it out, it would mean a lot to me, and I promise, you won''t be disappointed. Please check it out, and tell me what you guys think in the comments. ???????????? ..... For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And my new MHA Fanfic (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????. . . Enjoy ;) ------------------------------------------------------------- Tensions were building high. I watched as Tony and Banner were on, one side looking at files regarding Shield''s "Phase 2", which by the way, were a complete rip off, of what the Nazi did, back in WW2. Steve was holding an advanced gun in front of him, while Fury was trying to make excuses and control the situation. In one word, it was a shit show. "I was wrong, director. The world hasn''t changed a bit." Steve said looking at Fury disapprovingly. Natasha enters and keeps her eyes on Banner, who sees her and asks, "Did you know about this?" Natasha counters, "You wanna think about removing yourself from this environment, Doctor?" "I was in Calcutta. I was pretty well removed." He said. "Loki is manipulating you." She said. "And you''ve been doing what, exactly?" He asked. "You didn''t come here because I bat my eyelashes at you." She said. "Yes, and I''m not leaving because suddenly you get a little twitchy. I''d like to know why S.H.I.E.L.D. Is using the Tesseract to build weapons of mass destruction." He said. "Because of him." Fury said, pointing at Thor. "Me?" Thor said. I started getting closer to the table, readying myself for what was about to happen. As entertaining as this was, I had no choice, but to wait until things played out. ( Flashback) After my failed summoning of Piotr, I couldn''t resist but to use the time stone once more. I sifted through millions of possibilities and experienced different timelines. Each action, each decision. Had an enormous effect, on what could happen. I was surprised to see, that things had already drastically changed, and more often than not, it was for the worst. I saw multiple endings, ones where we failed, some when we succeeded and even others where some of us didn''t make it. The harder I tried to look, the tougher it was to distinguish what was real and what wasn''t. Was I peering into possibilities, or was I just seeing the futures of different parallel worlds? The visions became ambiguous imagery, and my mind was starting to get overloaded, but luckily the Ancient One pulled me out of my trance. " A sorcerer could only look through so many possibilities, before his mind breaks. Remember Douglas you gaze long into the abyss. The abyss gazes also into you." She warned. I was heavily panting, trying to catch my breath, and between breaths. " I had to, things were starting to diverge from what I last saw. I tried looking further this time, to try and figure out what was causing it, but I couldn''t. Something was stopping me, from looking any further." I said. A slight frown appeared on her face, and she stood still contemplating something. " I don''t think it would be wise, to use the time stone to see the future again. There is only a number of things, that could possibly stop you from viewing the future, either your own death or..." " Or what?" I questioned. " Or something very powerful, and I''m talking something on the level of a cosmic entity. " She said. I sighed in frustration, and resigned myself. She was right, and I knew it. I had no way of knowing who or what, but for whatever reason. It was incredibly difficult, to see any details of how or why certain events played out, and it was flat out impossible for me to see past the final battle. '' Could it be, because I''m destined to die?'' I wondered. But what could possibly kill me? Even if you were to destroy my body, I''d only need a few cells, and I''d eventually regenerate. Something smelled fishy, and for the life of me I couldn''t figure out what. I mean, why didn''t I see Illyana and Kitty getting kidnapped? Why didn''t I foresee, summoning Mikael instead of Piotr? " Did you at least find out, something useful?" She asked. I was suddenly broken out of my thoughts by her voice. " Yes, it seems that no matter what. The Avengers need to assemble, and the portal needs to be opened. I was having second thoughts, about whether or not, I should just stop the invasion, before it happens. But that scenario was a dead end. Everybody would end up dying, if I did that, and by everybody I mean the whole universe. " I said. " It is such, with turning points in history. Any major interference on your part, could further endanger us." She said. " I''m not giving up though, even if I can''t stop it from happening. There''s is no reason, I can''t keep collateral damage to a minimum. I already contacted Sophie and Diana. Our perperations should be enough. " I said. " Good. You were never one to give up, it''s one of the things I liked most about you. And speaking of giving up, I haven''t heard you mention Jean in all of this. You haven''t told her, you''re back have you? " She said. " Things... Things are complicated between Jean and I. We didn''t exactly part, on the best of terms. I have no idea, how she''ll react when I see her again. I broke a promise. She may even hate me, now. " I said. * SMACCC* " Ow!! What was that for?! " " Sophie and Diana, were right. You really are an idiot. Stop thinking too much, and go talk to her. " She said, before leaving. I could hear snickering sounds coming from my watch, and what suspiciously sounded like. ''He deserves it.'' and '' She should have hit him harder.'' I was sensing a conspiracy, but it was unimportant right now. I only needed to hold off, until the portal was opened. After that it was open season. I could do whatever I want and things such as plot and Canon, could kiss my beautiful toned ass. There was one other thing, I saw when I used the time stone. Something I haven''t told the Ancient One about. It seems like I was going to gain a new ally in the future, and in preparation I needed to pay a certain Half-Jotun a visit. ( Flashback end) "Everyone. Shut. Up!" They all turned to look at me. "The Tesseract is on a plane, coming towards us, and it''s fast. While we were busy trying to find it using the sceptre, they followed the sceptre to us, here. We have seconds before they reach us." I said. Banner looks at his monitor and saw that the algorithm was still not complete. Fury started giving out orders, and rushed out of the room. "Now, would you like to shelf this talk for later and concentrate on the current problem?" I asked them, once Fury was gone. Everyone just sighed and turned to Banner. He was about to say something, when my Spidey sense goes off. "Get down!" I conjured a shield to block the explosion. Covering Natasha and Tony, they were base humans and I couldn''t risk them getting killed. The others could take care of themselves. No sooner do I conjure the shield, an explosion occurs and throws us all in different directions. Steve was helping Tony stand up, while Natasha and Banner were nowhere to be seen, Thor ran out of the room, probably heading towards loki. I see a hole in the floor and yell out to Tony and Steve, "I''m going after Banner." Steve nods at me and I jump down the hole. I see Natasha is stuck under rubble, while Banner was writhing on the floor about 10 feet away from her. I first go towards Natasha and help her free her leg, "You okay?" Natasha nods, and says, "I''m okay. We''re okay. Right?" She looks at Banner who''s now turning green. I push her away from me slowly and order, "Get out of here. I''ll handle him." " Are you sure? Shouldn''t I call Thor for help?" She said. I cracked my knuckles, and started stretching my neck. " It''s alright. It''s just a Hulk, I can handle a Hulk." I said. "Okay, then I''ll leave you to it." She hesitantly said. She started limping away, and by the time she left. Banner had already finished turning to the hulk. "Hey big guy. Remember me?" I asked. Hulk roars loudly in my face, to which I mumble out, " I''ll take that as a no, then" Hulk starts running at me, breaking a few pieces of equipment along the way. '' I always wanted to do this. '' In response using my symbiote, I bulk up to match his size, till I was slightly towering over him. He prepares his fist to punch me, and as we''re about to collide. I suddenly halt and transfer all my momentum, to my next move. I kick him with all my strength in the chest, and his body was flung away by the enormous force. I used the Gravitonium in my suit, to transfer all my weight to one concerted point, add to that all the kinetic energy stored in the Vibranium nanites, and you have what I now dub. " The Hulk Stomper." It didn''t take long before I heard an angry roar coming from the Hulk shaped hole, in the wall. Whom I kidding all of his roars were angry. " Damn, you really are a monster." I couldn''t help, but say. Hulk rushes at me and starts attacking earnestly, I jump, out of the way of his punches and kicks. Trying to buy a few seconds to come up, with another plan. ''Yeah, that should work!'' I suddenly remembered. I dodged another punch, and as I ducked under it. I closed the distance between us, up until I was inside his guard. I went to strike him, but instead of a closed fist, I hit him with an open palm. His astral form was flung outside his body, and I could see Banner''s confused face, looking down at the Hulk. I quickly capitalize on the opportunity, and extend several tendrils from my suit, to the hulk. The Symbiote latched on to his prone form, and started purifying the gamma radiation being produced from his body. His body quickly, started shrinking down, and before long. Dr. Banner was back to his, regular normal sized self. His astral form looked at me in astonishment. " How..." Before he could continue, I grabbed his astral form and shove it back into his body. " I''m sorry, Doc, but I don''t have time to play 20 questions. It''s going to have to wait. " I said. I turned on my earpiece, " The Hulk is down. I repeat the Hulk is down. Stark, Cap, Natasha, anyone hear me?" " Copy. I''ve taken down Barton. I''m taking him towards the medbay. " Nat said. " What about Loki? " I asked. "Thor''s going to help secure Loki" She said. Stark''s voice comes over the earpiece. " We''re running into, a bit of a problem here, me and Cap are..." " I''m headed right towards you." I said. A few minutes later and the engine starts running again, thanks to Me, Cap, and Tony. I found out that Barton was still unconscious, and Thor was nowhere to be found. Loki escaped and Coulson was dead. A few minutes later and we were sitting on the meeting table, everyone was sombre, some by Coulson''s death and others by the fact that Loki escaped from right under our noses. On the other hand, I was quite happy. With Coulson fake dying, the Avengers were one pep talk away from coming into existence. And this time, even Banner was here to witness it. Fury gathered Tony, Banner and Steve back into the briefing room, everyone there had a look as if in a daze. A look of numb shock is shown on their devastated faces. "These were in Phil Coulson''s jacket. Guess he never did get you to sign them." Fury said. Fury threw Coulson''s Captain America Trading Cards on the table towards Steve. Steve picked them up, Stained with blood. "We''re dead in the air up here. Our communications, location of the cube, Thor. I got nothing for you. Lost my one good eye. Maybe I had that coming. Yes, we were going to build an arsenal with the Tesseract. I never put all my chips on that number though, because I was playing something even riskier. There was an idea, Stark knows this, called THE AVENGERS INITIATIVE. The idea was to bring together a group of remarkable people, see if they could become something more. See if they could work together when we needed them to, to fight the battles that we never could. Phil Coulson died still believing in that idea, in heroes." He said. Tony gets up and starts walking off, not wanting to hear it anymore. I raise up my hand and say" I know where loki is." " What/Where?! " They all shout, breaking the previous tension in the room. " Why didn''t you say anything? " Banner asked. I shrugged" I didn''t want to spoil the mood. It would''ve been rude." I pressed a few buttons on my gauntlet, and a holographic map popped up in front of me. " While you were all busy fighting like children, I thought it would be a good idea, to put a tracker on the scepter " I said. " Wait a minute, is that... " Tony said. " Yeah. Stuttengard was just a preview, this is opening night. Loki''s a full-tilt diva. He wants flowers, he wants parades, he wants a monument built in the skies with his name plastered¡­" I said. " Son of a bitch!" Tony shouts. " He''s heading towards Stark Tower. " I continued. ( Chapter End) ------------------------------------------------------------- For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher) And my new MHA fanfic (Altered Mind) Check out my pat-reon/????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????. Chapter 76 - The Avengers (Pt.4) My new fic (Altered Mind) is finally up on Webnovel !!! Please go check it out, it would mean a lot to me, and I promise, you won''t be disappointed. Please check it out, and tell me what you guys think in the comments. ???????????? ..... For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And my new MHA Fanfic (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????. . . Enjoy ;) ------------------------------------------------------------- " Call Jean and tell her to get to Manhattan as soon as possible. Do the same with Kitty and the X-men. Tell them to suit up and get to New York. The invasion is happening there. " I said. " Right away Master Doug. Any further instructions?" Sophie said. " Activate protocol '' No man'' s land '' and send in '' The God Eater''." I said. I then gave a call to Callisto, " Where are you right now?" I asked, once she picked up the phone. "I''m at the company, Boss. Why?" She asks, confused. "Callisto. Listen closely. New York is going to be attacked. The centre of attack will be Stark Tower. So make sure the the kids and any non-combatants stay inside. Headquarters is the safest place right now." I said. Callisto asks nervously , "Boss, Are you sure? Shouldn''t we get out? " "The place is heavily warded and has Shields made out of vibranium, Callisto. Just do as I say, and don''t let Madrox out of your sight. Oh, and send Shang-Chi, tell him to suit up and meet me at Stark Tower. " " Okay Boss, I''ll get the kids down to the bunkers, and meet you... " She said. " No, I need you and Madrox to keep an eye out on things, protect the kids and the civilians. The place isn''t warded against humans. " I cut the call and speak up, "Diana. Start hacking every piece of technology in New York. I want every device to be mine to control in 5 minutes." I see Cap, Widow, Banner and Hawkeye on their way to the hangar. I join them, and we head towards one of the Jets. A young pilot sees us and stands in our way, he says, "You are not authorized to be here.." Cap looks at him and shakes his head and says, "Son... Just don''t." The pilot, once he gets a good look at Cap''s disappointed look, just moves out of the way and we enter the jet. Barton takes over the controls of the Jet and starts it up. I see Iron Man flying away from the Helicarrier and we take off to follow him. I get notified by Diana that all the devices in Manhattan were in her control. Once the jet is stable, I turn to Steve and Natasha. "Cap, I need you to warn Manhattan of the attack?" I said. Steve gets startled, but nods. I prepare the camera, and say out loud, "Diana, do it." Diana takes control of every Billboard, TV and computer in Manhattan. I signal Steve to start speaking. "People of New York. My name is Steve Rogers, also known as Captain America. We''ve been lead to believe, that there''s going to be an imminent attack within the hour" Steve starts. " The epicentre of this attack is going to be Stark Tower. Tony Stark has been notified, as have a few people. Listen to them and start evacuating the city. If you can find shelter underground, or manage to get out of the city, then do so" I turn off the camera and say, "Diana. Play the message on a loop" " This should help, but I don''t think everybody''s going to listen. I contacted my team and they should meet us there soon." I said. " You have a team?" Nat asks. " Shield''s is not the only one, capable of putting together a team. " I answer. " Things are going to get dangerous out there, are you sure they can handle it. " Steve asks. " They''re far stronger than anything, you''ve ever seen Cap. You guys may have a God on your side and maybe even a Hulk, but mine has something far stronger. " I said. They both give each other a look, and then Nat turns to me and says. " What is it? " Nat asks. " Not an it. She. " I said. " She? " Banner asks. I turn to him and say, " A Phoenix. " It takes us 30 minutes after making the announcement to reach Manhattan. As soon as we get close enough to Manhattan, we see a blue light shine from the top of Stark Tower, leading to a hole in the sky. The Chitauri soldiers were coming out in hoards through the portal, seemingly endless. "Ah... Dr. Banner. Now might be a really good time for you to get angry." Steve said. Banner then gets up and walks to the plane''s ramp and presses a button. The plane starts opening up from the back, but Banner doesn''t stop. " What are you doing!" Steve shouts. " That''s my secret, Captain. I''m always angry." He said, before suddenly jumping out of the plane. Banner''s body stared to swell and stretch and as he was falling. He crashed into the ground, and seconds later, a loud roar breaks through the chaos. The Chituari soldiers get blasted back by the massive shockwave. Some dead, while others convulsing on the ground their bodies half crushed. Hulk starts mowing through them, like they were made out of paper. Bludgeoning them to death with his fists. The hulk smiles and leaps, soaring high up into the nearest building, he runs up the wall hits several Chituari soldiers, snapping them in half. He then dives towards a building on the other side of the street, throwing the dead Chituari soldiers towards other soldiers . The Chituari soldiers try and fire at him, but he backhands them, and seizes them and with raw power, throws them down. In his most powerful leap yet. We all watch this scene from, the plane when we suddenly hear Tony''s voice through the comms. " Glad you brought the big guy, but did he really just jump out of a plane." He said. Barton manoeuvres the jet towards Stark Tower, "Stark we''re heading North-East." Nat said. "What, did you stop for a drive through?" Stark''s sarcastic voice answers her. Barton does as Stark said and moves the jet closer towards Stark Tower. We see Iron Man fly from in front of us with a swarm of Chitauri tailing him. Nat takes control of the machine gun and blasts them apart. She continues blasting Chitauri soldiers and looks around for more targets. Barton looks out the left window and sees Thor and Loki fighting on the roof of Stark Tower. He says, "Nat?" Nat nods and replies, "See them." She aims the machine gun at Loki. Before she can fire at Loki, he fires a blast from his staff at us which hits us at the left side, destroying one engine. Barton takes control of the other engine, but we spin, and end up crashing the wings into a few buildings. Barton slowly maneuvers the plane and crash lands into the street. I look around the jet and see that everyone was okay. I was unaffected, Cap held on to the top of the jet while Nat and Barton were wearing seatbelts. We get ourselves out of the jet and take a look around the city. It was absolute Chaos, there were still people on the road, some of the small buildings were destroyed, bigger buildings had their windows broken, rubble lay on the ground, there were even some bodies. We suddenly stop and turn our heads above to look towards the portal. A huge Leviathan was flying towards the Earth from the portal. It gave a loud roar and started descending downward. It gets down low to the ground, breaking a few statues with its wings, and Chitauri soldiers blast out of it and into the buildings when it goes from over our heads. Steve''s voice says in all our ears, through the earpiece, "Hey, Stark, are you seeing this?" "I''m seeing. Still working on believing. Where the hell is Banner?" Stark said. "We lost him, after the plane crashed. " Steve said. "What do you mean lost him! He''s Green for god''s sake. Just keep me posted, and let me know when you have a visual on him." Stark says. Our group runs behind upside down cabs. "We''ve got civilians trapped over there." Barton says, pointing towards a building. We look up and see Loki taking his band of aliens down the street, they start firing at the street, causing a chain of explosions, smashing cars and hurling people as they go. It goes off in one final conflagration. Terrified people, running from Loki, looking over their shoulders, coming straight at us. Cap Looks down at the bridge, where a few people were stuck. "Those people need assistance down there." Steve said. Before anyone could move, I cast a rune, which distrubts their telepathic connection to the mothership. They suddenly drop to the ground as if their strings had been cut off. My spidey sense goes off and I turn to see some Chitauri soldiers land near us and fire. I create a small portal, and redirect the blasts at them. Nat starts firing her guns at some Chituari soldiers, while I see a few others get struck by arrows. I duck under a shot aimed at my head and create a small portal behind the one, that fired it. I dodge another shot and pierce it''s heart with enlarged claw through its chest. I turn behind to see Cap running towards the stuck people. So, I continue killing Chitauri left and right. I turn to Nat and see her killing soldiers too. More Chitauri soldiers join their brethren and surround us. " Master, they''re here." '' Finally'' A portal suddenly opens beside me, and out of it. I see several people coming out of it, Phoenix, ShadowCat, Shang-Chi and Storm. Jean was in her burgundy trench coat and had a hood to hide her bright red hair. A large symbol of the Phionex could be seen on her back, and she also wore a half-mask to hide her features. The black under suit and the trench coat were made out of a vibranium/kevlar mesh. It was completely bulletproof and could stop high caliber bullets and absorb high energy blasts. She walked slowly towards me, and I was instantly at a lost for words. For me, It''s been years, since I''ve last seen her, and she looked even more stunning than I remembered . The Symbiote responded to my unconscious thoughts and my mask came down. I looked towards Jean. " Jean I..." *SMACCC* " Ow!!?" " That''s for not calling me as soon you got back." She said. She then lowered her face mask, and grabbed me by the neck, and planted a fierce but passionate kiss on me. We kept deeply kissing each others lips until we were out of breath a few seconds later, and looked into each other''s eyes. It was almost as good, if not better than the first time, we ever kissed. She put her mask back on, and said. " And that''s for being gone for over a year. " " If you''re going to kiss me like that every time I''m gone. Then maybe I should start doing it more." I joked. " We''re in the middle of a war, lovebirds. Focus! " Nat shouted, as she was dodging energy blasts. A Chituari soldier was about to take a shot, at Natasha, but before he could. Jean blasted him with a powerful psychic blast, and tore him to shreds. " Don''t worry about it, we''re focused." Jean said. Natasha then looked towards me and said, " So she''s the Phoenix?" I gave her a nod. She then gave Jean a once over and smirked, " I like her." Natasha then dodged an incoming blast, and in the blink of an eye, shot three Chituari in the head. Jean smirked back and said. " The feeling is mutual." Kitty was standing behind Jean, and I could see her her coming towards me. She was wearing a white suit with black stripes, which included vibranium clawed fingers, a helmet with protruding cat like ears, and yellow tinted eye lenses. Hers was made out the same materials, I used to make Jean''s and Shang-Chi''s suits. It was also bulletproof and could stop high caliber bullets and absorb high energy blasts. " ShadowCat" I said. " Where''s Colossus and Wolverine? You said they''d be here." She asked. " They should be here any moment now." I said, sensing a spatial fluctuation. " You weren''t kidding back then, I guess I owe you ten bucks." Shang-Chi said. " Keep it. How do you like the new suit?" I asked. " It''s good, a bit tight in the crot..." I interrupted him and said" Glad you liked it buddy," I then turned to Storm, who had an amused look on her face" Glad to see you here, didn''t think you''d come. " " I had to, Phoenix and ShadowCat were going, and since I couldn''t stop them, I decided to join them. Look about the others, I tried to talk.. " She said. " It''s alright, you''re more than enough. To be honest I didn''t think he''d send them, I just hoped he''d see reason, and realise now is best time to show the world our value. " I said. I was interrupted by a large pillar of light, that suddenly materialized in the middle of the street, two figures came walking out of the light, one noticeably larger than the other. A deep voices bellowed out and said. " Comrades we have arrived." ( Chapter End) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And my new MHA Fanfic (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????. Chapter 77 - The Avengers (Pt. 5) My new fic (Altered Mind) is finally up on Webnovel !!! Please go check it out, it would mean a lot to me, and I promise, you won''t be disappointed. Please check it out, and tell me what you guys think in the comments. ???????????? ..... For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And 3+ advanced chapters of (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????. . . Enjoy ;) ------------------------------------------------------------- "Comrades we have arrived!" Standing at almost 7 feet, Colossus''s figure was imposing. His metallic form shined, reflecting the light from the teleportation formation. Comparatively Wolverine''s 5 foot figure, although less imposing didn''t mean he was any less dangerous. In fact, his protruding claws only made him seem more feral. "Welcome back, I hope you enjoyed your stay at Asgard." I said. " Yes, the All father was most accommodating." Colossus said. Wolverine cracked his neck " Couldn''t say the same about Lady Sif, they worked us to the bone." " Colossus! Welcome back. I missed you! " Kitty exclaimed. "Kitty... you are, how do you say, sore for my eyesight." He said. She giggled at his response, while Storm approached Wolverine. " Wolverine, glad to see you''re safe." Storm. He gave her a feral grin and said " The feeling is mutual." " Colossus, I think you would be glad to know that Illyana is back home. " Jean said. " Da, I''m eager to see her." Colossus said. Our atmosphere was rudely interrupted by a few Chituari platoons trying to incircle us. More Chitauri soldiers joined their brethren and surrounded us all. I looked towards Jean and gave her a meaningful look. Using my telepathy I relayed my orders to her. She gave me a nod and without delay used her telekinesis and Phoenix fire to break through the encirclement. '' I asked Jean to connect us all telepathically, I have a plan, so we need to buy more time.'' I telepathically said. ''Wolverine and Shang-Chi go assist Cap, he''s a few blocks away on Main Street .'' I said. I then turned towards Jean and Storm '' Jean, you and Storm handle the war chariots, focus on taking out as many as you can. " '' Kitty, stick wth Black Widow and Hawkeye, start clearing out districts.'' " And one more thing. This is a war, so I don''t think it needs to be said, but I''m going to say it anyway. Use leathal force and annihilate the enemy with extreme prejudice." I ordered. They all got their orders and moved out, Jean and Storm flew to their destination. While the rest split up, each group heading towards a different direction. Only Colossus and I were left behind. " What about me?" He asked. I opened a portal that lead straight to my lab, and grabbed an oversized suitcase. He raised an eyebrow in confusion, and it soon turned to astonishment as soon as I opened the suitcase. "Is this...?" He said. " I call it the '' God Eater'' and I think it''s about time we finally use it" I said. .. ( 3rd POV) Hawkeye ran over to a bus full of people. From the windows, small children were held by their parents for Hawkeye to pull them out to safety. He ran over to the bus''s jammed door and jerkily opened it. People begin to run out, while Black Widow emptied out her clips. She eventually ran out of ammo and decided to grab one of the fallen Chituari''s weapons. Hawkeye fired one arrow after another into the ranks of the Chituari, hitting his mark each time he shot. Nat looked at Barton and spoke up, "Just like Budapest, all over again." "You and I remember Budapest very differently."Barton dryly replied They managed to get the civilians out, but they were now cornered. More Chitauri soldiers showed up and it wasn''t long before they were suppressed by heavy fire. They were quickly running out of ammo, and Barton was down to his last few arrows. "I guess this is it, huh. " Barton said. " Don''t give up we..." Nat said. Nat was suddenly interrupted by the shrieks of dying Chituari. A figure clad in white suddenly appeared and started fighting the soldiers. It ran closer to kill them in close combat, while Barton and Nat kept firing, taking out as many as they could. Kitty phased through their attacks, and tore them apart using her Vibranium claws. She finished off the last soldier by phasing her right arm, through its chest. Using her inhuman agility and strength. They were cut down in the blink of an eye. The last soldier dropped to the ground lifelessly, and there was a momentary silence. " Ugh.. disgusting, now I''ve got Chituari blood all over me!" Kitty said. Barton looked to Natasha and said. " Ahh... Is she one of ours?" .. Cap was helping out some people stuck in a building. Once they all got out, he started going towards another building which was overrun. He stumbled onto a couple of Chituari soldiers, who were about to attack a mother and its child. He immediately threw his Shield like a boomerang to prevent them from harming the mother and child. The shield started flying towards the group of Chitauri, knocking them down instantly, it bounced flying back to him at the same speed. " Don''t worry Ma''am, you''re safe now. The subway is a few blocks over. Hide there until this is over." He said. They turned the corner only to be ambushed by a couple of Chituari soldiers, who managed to sneak up on them. Cap noticed them too late, and instinctively shielded the mother and child using his Shield. A figure suddenly skewered the Chituari soldiers from the back. Three extremely sharp claws, cut through flesh and armour, as if it were tissue paper. Wolverine retracted his claws and they dropped to the ground. " Damn ugly bastards" He growled. Cap was stunned for a moment, but recovered quickly. " James?" "Who the hell is James?" Wolverine said. " But how? It''s been so many years..." He said. " Look Bub, I don''t know what you''re talking about. The name''s Logan. Got it." He said. Seeing wolverine''s rough attitude, he quickly apologized. " I''m sorry. It''s just you look like someone I used to know. " He said. .. Hawkeye tripped a Chituari Soldier and rammed an arrow down its throat. Black Widow got her hands on an energy staff and used it to take down even more soldiers. Kitty was a couple blocks of over, decemiting a platoon all by herself. Cap joined back in and using his shield, swatted and whacked oncoming Chituari Soldiers, while Logan used his claws, to dismember the Chituari. Each swing of his claws resulting in either a lost limb, or instant death. Shang-Chi was supporting Cap and would occasionally cover for him, whenever he threw his shield. " What the hell is this thing made off. " Shang-Chi shouted. Cap who was punching a Chituari in the head looked towards Shang-Chi and said, " What do you mean?" " I don''t know about you, but shields aren''t supposed to do that." Shang-Chi said. Cap shrugged and continued fighting. Unfortunately, It was all too much on them, and they were quickly getting overwhelmed. Suddenly, lightning struck down from the sky and they Chituari were blasted back in a massive shockwave. Thor landed right in front of them, stumbling a little. They got a little time to rest as there was no enemies near them. "What''s the story upstairs?" Steve asked Thor. "The power surrounding the cube is impenetrable." Thor said gravely. "Thor''s right. We gotta deal with these guys." Tony spoke through the comms. Nat looked at Steve and asked, "How do we do this?" Cap confidently says, "As a team." "I have unfinished business with Loki." Thor warned. Barton, who''s now cleaning an arrow he pulled from the corpse of a Chitauri he killed, dryly says, "Yeah? Get in line." "Save it." Cap ordered. "Loki''s gonna keep this fight focused on us and that''s what we need. Without him, these things could run wild. We got Stark up top, he''s gonna need us..." Just then, they all hear the voice of heavy footsteps. A shiny figure clad in a black and red suit appeared. Before anyone could say anything. They all looked towards a building where a roar came from and saw Iron Man coming towards them from behind the building. He was followed by the big Chitauri Leviathan which was now coming towards them. ( A few minutes earlier) Tony swooped down dodging an energy blast, from a war chariot which was pursuing him. He suddenly stopped mid-air letting the chariot pass him, before firing a repulsor blast to take it down. He swerved around a building, only to come face to face with a Chituari leviathan. " Shit!" He cursed. " Sir you have an incoming call from Mr. Ramsey." Jarvis said. " You know I''m a little busy here." He said, as he quickly tried to escape. "I need you to grab the Leviathan''s attention" Doug said. " Why would I do that?" Tony asked. " I have a plan." Doug said. Tony pulled out his miniature multiple rocket launcher and fired. The Chituari Leviathan roared in annoyance, and turned to him. "We got his attention. What the hell is step two?!" Tony said. "Bring the leviathan towards Cap''s location, " Doug said. " Is Banner there?" Tony asked. " No, but I have someone who can handle it." Doug said. "Then tell him to suit up. I''m bringing the party to you." Tony said, over the comms. Iron Man came out from behind a building. The Chituari Leviathan following, impatiently. The rest of the Avengers looked up, getting ready and stood still. " I... I don''t see how that''s a party¡­" Natasha said. Iron Man swooped down the street. The Chituari Leviathan also swooping down, barreling down the street. " Hey big guy, you sure you can handle that? " Logan asked. " Da, I feel like I''m filled with strength. Are you ready for a fastball special, tovarisch Logan?" Colossus said. Colossus turned towards the now close Leviathan and started glowing red and growing even bigger. His figure stopped growing at 9''5 and cracks started appearing on the pavement where he stood. He turned completely into his Juggernaut form just in time as the Leviathan was now right in front of him and punched its head with his full might. The scene almost looked like what happens when an immovable object meets an unstoppable force. Colossus skidded back a few feet, dragging his feet through the road, the leviathan''s tail lifted high into the air, its head still stuck by Colossus''s punch, and a few of its parts break apart. Iron Man flew close to it, extended an arm out and a rocket flew out of it. The rocket went inside the Leviathan and hit a soft spot, and blew up from the inside. The big leviathan fell apart in an explosion. While, the smaller Chitauri soldiers screeched at Colossus for destroying their Leviathan. The Chitauri looked on in horror as they saw a group of Earth''s mightiest heroes standing united, against a common enemy. Them. .. " What the hell was that?!" Kitty shouted disbelievingly. " That was one hell of a punch, Bub. Never knew you had it in you. Does it have anything to do with that thing on your chest?" Logan asked. " So is this the shinner version of Banner? What kind of suit is that anyway? " Tony asked curiosily. "You build great armor, comrade Stark, mine is only natural." Colossus said. " You mean to tell me, that''s your skin?" Barton asked incredulously. Colossus nodded his head and said. " This power was given to me by Enigma. He calls it '' The God Eater''. " He said. ( Flashback) "Whosoever touches this gem shall possess the power of the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak! Henceforth, you who read these words, shall become forevermore a human juggernaut!" I said, as I read the inscriptions written on the gem. " But isn''t it dangerous, to use such a power?" Colossus asked. " Normally you''d be correct. I used some vibranium and an Uru breastplate from the Destroyer to make this. The Gem''s housing is engraved with runes to regulate the output and filter Cyttrok''s will. It''s still not safe to use for more than an hour, but It will give you a much needed boost. " I said. " Why would you give me such a thing? Why not use it yourself? " He asked. " Most of my abilities revolve around magic and runes. It''s more suited for someone who''s strictly a physical fighter. I also get the feeling, you''ll utilize it much better than I ever could. " I said. The stone gave a fraction of the power of Cyttorak to whoever possesses it via acting as a portal to or containing a portal within it to the Crimson Cosmos. The infusion of power gave Cain Marko, superhuman levels of physical strength, resistance and durability. The power increase was so vast, when the Juggernaut begins moving in a direction, he is basically unstoppable. The power of the Juggernaut allowed him to battle entire superhero teams to a standstill. Juggernaut fought the X-men numerous times with the best result being Marko leaving the scene of the battle. Surrounded by a mystical field of force, Marko was basically invulnerable to harm and had the strength to shatter mountains when properly motivated. If Colossus was to be imbued with the power of Cytorrak. If the previous power increase is any indication, he will be a far more powerful being than Cain Marko ever was. I reckon he can hold his own against the Abomination or even the Hulk. For all intents and purposes his physical form should allow him to channel more energy from the Crimson Cosmos, giving him access to limitless physical strength. I would expect Colossus'' power now exceeds the physical strength, stamina, durability and invulnerability of anything the Chituari could ever throw at us. He was still hesitant, but it didn''t take long before a look of determination appeared on his face. "If my strength can help in this battle, I must stand with you." Colossus finally said. ( Chapter End) ------------------------------------------------------------- For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And 3+ advanced chapters of (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????. Chapter 78 - The Avengers (Pt.6) For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And 3+ advanced chapters of (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????. . . Enjoy ;) ------------------------------------------------------------- Loki watched from above, motionless, as he saw the birth of Earth''s Mightiest Heroes. A cold look appeared on his face before he said. "Send the rest." From the portal, thousands more of Chituari soldiers and even more leviathans flew out, from those Leviathans, more foot soldiers dropped down near them. "Guys." Natasha said. "Call it, Cap." Stark said. "Alright, listen up. Until we can close that portal up there, our priority is containment. Barton, I want you on that roof," He points towards a building, "Keep your eyes on everything. Call out patterns and strays." He then turned to Iron Man and Phoenix, "Stark. You and Phoenix got the perimeter. Anything gets more than three blocks out, turn it back or turn it to ash." They both nodded before flying off. Barton looked at Stark and asked, "Wanna give me a lift?" Stark nodded and got behind Barton to lift him up, "Right. Better clench up, Legolas." He lifted Barton up to the building and dropped him there. Cap then turned to Thor and Storm, "You two gotta try and bottleneck that portal. Slow them down. You guys got the lightning, light them up." " I''ll be sure to give them a zap or two." Storm said. Cap then turned to Wolverine, Kitty and Shang-Chi, "You three help out anyone who looks like they''re about to be overwhelmed. Mostly keep to civilians and keep them safe. Minimise the damage, if you can." Cap then looked towards Colossus and said. " Colossus find Hulk and take out as many leviathans as you can. Anything Thor and Storm miss it''s your guys'' job to smash. " Colossus nodded in agreement, and started running to build up momentum. He leapt, soaring high up Into the nearest building, he started jumping from building to building killing enemies left and right. .. [ In the vastness of space] "Huh... so this is the Chituari space?" I was currently floating in space, wearing my Endo-Sym Armor. The black sky was filled with what must be ninety ships in a vague cluster. Most of them hang still in the air. Some moving swimmingly about. " Sophie can you detect any signals coming in or out of the Mothership?" I asked. " Negative. We have to plug into the main frame, I am too unfamiliar with alien technology." She said. '' Well, I guess I don''t have a choice.'' I thought. I didn''t have time to waste, so without delay I blasted towards the ship that was closest to me. I materialized a vibranium blade from my suit, and superheated, till it was hot enough to cut through the ship'' s outer haul. I sealed the opening after I was in, and started searching for the command center. " Master Doug, are you sure this is wise? The suit isn''t equipped to deal with nuclear level weaponary. I heavily advice you to reconsider." She said. " Relax Sophie. We will be in and out before you know it. There should be some time left before the council launches the missile." I said. I turned a corner only to come face to face with a Chituari soldier. I could tell it was surprised to see me, since he tilted his head in confusion. It would have been cute, if he wasn''t so ugly. " Uhhh.. guessing by your reaction, I probably forgot to turn on my invisibility didn''t I? " I asked. He responded by trying to shoot me in the face with his blaster. " Shit!" I cursed, as I turned on my camouflage and disappeared. He was looking around in confusion searching for me and was about to call for backup. I snuck behind him, and knocked him out with a venom blast. " Damn.. that was close." I muttered. I was about to move on and continue my search, when I suddenly got an idea. I casted a Statsis rune, then severed the mental connection the Chituari soldier had with the mothership. Normally, it would die right away, but since I put him in stasis he was still alive. The next step was crucial and could determine the success of my little experiment. I put my hand on the back of his head, and used my magic to carve out this next Rune. *Connectio* I successfully felt the link form, and dispelled the stasis rune right after. The Chitauri soldier started to slowly wake up, and as soon as it did. It knelt before me, and communicated telepathically. '' Master, I await your commands.'' I approached its kneeling form and put my hand over its head. I rifled through its most recent memories, and quickly found out what I was looking for. " It''s a waste to leave you here. But I can''t exactly take you with me. Hmm..." I said. '' Take out a ship and head through the portal Stay out of sight and don''t engage. I''ll come for you later, if you manage to survive.'' I communicated telepathically. He nodded in understanding and left to carry out his commands. I quickly found the ship''s command center. There were about a couple of dozen Chituari soldiers milling about. But, they couldn''t see me under the effects of my camouflage. I approached what looked like a control panel and connected it to my suit. I started hacking into the mainframe, and it didn''t take long before I was in. It only took me a glance to completely grasp and understand the language used to code their firewalls. I managed to obtain a complete star map, of the known universe, and a list of the planets the Chitauri visited. I was also surprised to find a few schematics that described several of the weapons and ships used by the Chitauri. I left the ship undetected and was currently flying back towards the portal, I saw a few leviathans on my way back, when an idea suddenly hit me. A smile crept on my face, and I couldn''t help but chuckle a bit. "Master Doug? Are you alright?" Sophie asked in concern. " I''m alright Sophie, in fact I just had a fantastic idea." I said. ''Oh boy, that''s not good. '' Sophie thought. .. Storm was floating beside the portal, her eyes turned pure white as she started floating in the sky. Raising her hand slightly, she began to summon her powers. A small gray cloud began to form above her hand. Growing to the size of a field. The cloud became bigger filling the sky. A thunderstorm was forming and thunder now boomed from the clouds. Thor, seeing what she was doing raised his hammer to the sky. Lighting converged towards the hammer, as if it was being sucked away. The hammer was glowing with pure power, and even Thor started to groan from the strain. " I''ve never felt so much power before." He groaned. " Should I stop?" Storm said. " No... Keep.. GOING!" He shouted. " Arrggghhh!!!" A scream tore out of his throat, as he released all the lightning gathered by the hammer in a single blast towards the leviathans. The blast threw him away from the Leviathans and into a building. The whole Leviathan started glowing and started burning brighter, before it exploded in a shower of lightning. The blast didn''t stop there and continued to take out two more Leviathans. Storm shook her head, getting out of her awe at the pure display of power. She couldn''t help, but be amazed by his command on lightning. She may have summoned the lighting, but it was his to command. .. A dark ominous cloud be seen in the sky approaching the city. One big enough to block out the sun, the cloud was fast approaching and it wasn''t long, before it arrived. An entire fleet of Cypher Solutions Combat Drones, which were stored in the Cypher Solution''s orbital satellite, were finally released. It was all part of a project called '' NMS'' short for "No Man''s Land" , headed by Dr. William Ginter Riva in Cypher labs. An immense swarm of drones generated an elaborate holographic projection of a dark cloud, concealing their presence while wreaking havoc on the alien army. Thousands upon thousands of drones were currently in battle. The drones had a sleek and white appearance and were equipped with a plethora of weapons. Miniguns, lasers, flamethrowers, and powerful concussive blasters that could produce shockwaves of a force powerful enough to knock down a reinforced vault door with repeated blasts. They were also integrated with repulsor technology, as well as one of Cypher labs latest breakthroughs, the Sonic Tractor Beam, which had the ability to attract objects from a distance. They were deployed on the locations where they were needed the most and generated advanced holographic projections to conceal their presence. Only those who were fighting against the invasion could see them, since it would be inconvenient if they were destroyed by friendly fire. To the rest of the world and the Chituari only a rolling cloud of thunder could be seen. Using the illusion generating capabilities of the drones to create advanced holographic projections along with the hardlight projector technology from the danger room. It was made indistinguishable from reality. Some of the drones generated powerful sonic pulses to destroy the leviathan''s hard shells, while others attacked the war chariots using repulsor blasts. A considerable amount of the drones were used for the protection of the civilians during the attack, later most would even claim that it was an act of god that saved them during the invasion. .. The drones started flying towards a group of Chitauri, and disposed of them in seconds. Once those soldiers were dead, a few drones used the tractor beams to take away any and all traces of the Chituari. This scene could be seen repeated numerous times throughout the battlefield. " Amazing..." Kitty said. " What are those things?" Cap asked. " Are they one of yours?" Nat asked Tony, through the comms. " No, but I recognize the designs though." Stark said. They all turned to look at the portal, as more of the soldiers were coming through it. Nat looked at them and said, "None of this is gonna mean a damn thing if we don''t close that portal." "Our biggest guns couldn''t touch it." Cap argued. Natasha looked up, said, "Well, maybe it''s not about the guns." And gestured towards the flying chariots. "You wanna get up there, you''ll need a ride." Cap pointed out. Natasha shook her head and said, "I got a ride. I could use a lift though." She then ran at Cap who readied his Shield. She jumped, latching on to a chariot, taking control of it, after she kicked a Chituari soldier off of it. She took a look around, and saw Colossus and Hulk fighting Chitauri on top of a Leviathan and bringing it down. Barton was destroying Chariots from the roof of a building, while Phoenix used her fire to clear her a path towards the tower. She got brought out of her musing by a chariot following her and blasting its guns at her. She looked at the chariot and saw that it''s passenger was Loki. " Keep going, I''ll handle it." Jean said, over the comms. Natasha gave her a nod, and focused on steering the chariot towards the tower. Phoenix started taking out the chariots chasing Natasha, and even managed to blow up the chariot loki was riding. He got thrown towards the Stark Towet, and fell on the roof of the Tower, looking to be hurt. Loki beginning to stand up, Jean floated towards him about to engage him. But, out of nowhere, Hulk suddenly showed up and suckered punched loki. Knowing Hulk''s got this, she decided to aid Natasha and flew towards the Tesseract. .. Natasha arrived near the roof and made an impressive back flip over the chariot and onto Stark Tower, near where the Tesseract was. There was a barrier surrounding the cube, and Natasha was having trouble getting through it. She tried hitting it, and even shot at it a few times, but nothing seemed to work. Seconds later Jean arrived, next to her. " I can''t get through the barrier." Natasha said, clearly frustrated. " Let me give it a try." Jean said. She first tested the strength of the barrier by trying to pierce it with her telekinesis, when that didn''t work, she even tried burning it with her fire. "The sceptre." A voice to their right said. They turned to look at Dr Selvig leaning over the edge of the roof and looking at something. "Doctor," Natasha greeted him. Selvig looked at them and repeated. "Loki''s sceptre. The energy.. the Tesseract can''t fight. You can''t protect against yourself." Selvig continued. Natasha got closer to him and tried comforting him, "It''s not your fault. You didn''t know what you were doing." Selvig shook his head and said, "Well actually, I think I did. I built in a safety to cut the power source." "Loki''s sceptre?" Nat asked. "It may be able to close the portal. And I''m looking right at it." Saying this, Selvig looked down. Natasha leaned down the edge to see Loki''s sceptre sitting there innocently. Jean nodded and used her telekinesis to get the Sceptre. .. "I can close it. Can anybody hear me? I can shut the portal down." Nat said, through the comms. "Do it!" Cap yelled out. "No wait!" Stark''s voice stop Nat right there. "Stark these things are still coming!" Cap argued. "I got a nuke coming in. It''s gonna blow in less than a minute. And I know just where to put it." Stark said. Jean turned to where Stark was and saw him carrying a missile on his back and exerting a lot of effort to change it''s course. He managed it and almost hit his own building, but started going upwards towards the Portal. "Phoenix, clear up the way for him." Cap said on the comms. Phoenix flew off towards the portal and started killing the Chitauri getting in Stark''s way. "Stark, you know that''s a one way trip right?" Cap asked Stark on the common channel. Stark shut his comms off and continued flying towards the portal, he entered the portal and all of them waited for a beat. Seconds later, a bright light shone on the other side of the portal. The Chitauri soldiers started falling down, one after the other. Stark was nowhere to be seen. "Come on, Stark.." Nat mumbled. Stark still not coming out. They continued waiting, still hoping he made it. A few seconds pass by, when a voice suddenly says, "Close it.." Nat pushed the sceptre forwards and closed it. The Tesseract stopped beaming its energy and the portal slowly started closing. It was all sombre for everyone as they could only think about Tony''s sacrifice... Suddenly another portal opened in the sky. It was small compared to the first one, and had a reddish golden hue to it. A figure slowly floated out of it, holding Tony''s prone form in his arms. "Son of a gun!" Cap whispered. There, they see Enigma descending to the ground and laying Tony slowly on his back. They all gather around Tony and Enigma, while Cap comes closer and checks for a pulse but doesn''t detect anything. " Ah.. Just a sec there." Enigma said, as he used a mini venom blast to jump start his heart. "Ah!" Tony gasped out, "What just happened? Please tell me nobody kissed me." " Yeah, Banner gave you mouth to mouth." Enigma said, pointing at Hulk. A look of horror appeared on Tony''s face, while Hulk snorted in derision. Cap started chuckling, but he wasn''t the only one, soon all of them where having a laugh at Tony''s expense. It was a laugh filled with relief, and exhaustion. One that let everybody unconsciously let go of the tension that''s been building up all day. The invasion was finally over. ( Chapter End) -------------------------------------------------------------------------- For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And 3+ advanced chapters of (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????. ------------------------------------------------------------- Tell me what you guys think in the comments, and I hope you''re all having a wonderful day. Chapter 79 - The God Of Winter For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And 4+ advanced chapters of (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????. . . Enjoy ;) ------------------------------------------------------------- "We won." Cap said, smiling. "Yeah! Alright! Good job, guys. Let''s just not come in tomorrow. Let''s just take a day. Have you ever tried Shawarma? There''s a shawarma joint about two blocks from here." Tony said. He pointed towards a random direction. "I don''t know what it is, but I wanna try it." Thor looked up towards Stark Tower and said, "We''re not finished yet." Tony nodded and said, " Then Shawarma after." They all get up and start walking towards the Tower. I call my team to rendezvous at the tower, and we all reach there at about the same time, as well as the Avengers, with Hulk jumping up from the road. We see Loki currently crawling onto the stairs. He took a few breathes, froze and then turned around to look at us. He saw all of us the standing in a pose, and aiming all our weapons. "If it''s all the same to you, I''ll have that drink now." Loki said to Stark. "All right, get him on his feet. We can all stand around posing up a storm later. By the way, feel free to clean up." Tony said. Thor went and picked up him by the throat, just to make sure it was really him and not an illusion. " Don''t worry, it''s really him." I said. " Be that as it may, It gives me some peace of mind. " Thor said. We cuffed loki, while Thor slapped a device on Loki''s mouth to make him quiet " Who gets the, uh, magic wand?" Natasha suddenly, spoke up. I grabbed the scepter and it shone for a moment. " Woah, careful with that thing." Tony said. " Relax, it''s probably an energy discharge. " I said. "Well, whatever it was, Strike team''s coming to secure it any minute now." Tony said. We put the sceptre in a case and waited. A few minutes later Shield agents came to collect the Sceptre. " We can take that off your hands." Sitwell said. I turned over the Sceptre to them without a fuss, since I still had plans for it. " By all means. Careful with that thing." I said. " Unless you want your mind erased. And not in a fun way." Barton said. "We promise to be careful." Sitwell said. .. After that, some of the team decided to split up. I opened a portal for them to get back home, while Jean and Kitty went to the streets to help with the rescue efforts. Shang-Chi was base human, so understandably he was incredibly tired. Piotr was anxious to see his sister. And now that I think about it, I totally forgot to tell him, I accidentally summoned his brother. Storm went back to the mansion, and Wolverine decided to grab a drink. He wasn''t much for rescue, more of a slice and dice kind of guy. I told Cap to go with him, and even told Logan that Cap could tell him about his past. Logan grunted in affirmation, while Cap gave me a nod. Some of us had had to fight harder than others, while the rest weren''t as exhausted due to the nature of their powers. Jean''s telepathy proved invaluable in search and rescue, in the aftermath of the invasion. Any survivors injured or buried under rubble, were quickly found and rescued. I had her sync up, with Diana who was manning the CSC Drones (Cypher Solutions Combat Drones), she would relay the survivor''s locations, and the drones would use tractor beams to get them to the nearest hospital, or simply notify any authorities close by. I tried to convince her to at least rest for a bit, but she pointed out she had energy to spare. Jean''s powers revolved around using her telekinesis, telepathy and Phoenix fire. This time telepathy was out, since I warned her not to use it against the Chitauri. I couldn''t exactly risk her connect to a Hive mind, without any sort of precautions. Who knows what would have happened then. Her Phoenix fire was obviously the most destructive power in her arsenal, but it also required the most stamina to use. Which was not ideal in a long drawn out battle. Which left her with telekinesis, which was the most effecient in dealing with the Chituari''s flying troops. I also suspected her Empathic power was at work again, one could only imagine how hard it was to ignore, the psychic cries of pain after a disaster such as this. Hundreds and if not thousands of people struck by fear, confusion and all sorts of emotions. We go down the lift with Thor and Tony leading us, Tony had the case with the Tesseract in his hand, and was now out of his suit. Hulk made to follow, but found the elevator full. "Move!" Hulk said. "Whoa, whoa. Hey! Buddy. What do you think? Maximum occupancy has been reached." Tony said. "Take the stairs." Thor said. "Take the stairs! Hate the stairs!" Hulk said. He then heads off to the building''s stairwell, and looks down at the many stairs below him. "So many stairs!" Hulk shouts angrily. ... Loki was trailing behind them with me standing behind Loki, and the others and a few Shield agents trailing behind me. We enter the lobby of Stark Tower and get stopped by about 20 Shield agents including Alexander Pierce. "May I ask you where you are going?" Pierce asked us. "To lunch and then Asgard. I''m sorry, you are?" Thor asked, confused. "Alexander Pierce. He''s the man, above Nick Fury." Tony answered introducing them. "My friends call me Mr. Secretary. I''m gonna have to ask you to turn that prisoner over to me.." Pierce said and gestured to a bound Loki. "Loki will be answering for his crimes to Odin himself." Thor explained. "Oh, he''s gonna answer to us. Odin can have what''s left. And I''m gonna need that case, that''s been SHIELD property for over 70 years.." He points to the case in Tony''s hand. An agent tries to take the case from Tony " Hand over the case, Stark." " Master Doug, the CSC-Drones are almost finished with retrieving the extraterrestrial equipment, and bodies left behind by the Chitauri." I suddenly heard, through my earpiece. " Good. What about the Leviathans?" I asked. " They''ve been moved to a close by location, and camouflaged by the drones'' holographic illusions, until further instructions. " She said. " I''ll handle them later. Just send in a few drones to my current location" I said. .. While Tony was still arguing with Pierce, I decided to create a little distraction. Luckily, I was familiar enough with the arc reactor, to pull this off without hurting Tony. It should only give him a mild cardiac dysrhythmia and create an opening for what was about to happen. I discretly started using my telekinesis, and with a twitch of my finger.Tony dropped the case, and then fell to the ground. " Stark?" Alexander Peirce. "Stark!" Thor. " Look, he''s convulsing. Give him air! Medic!" Alexander Pierce. "MEDIC! You guys, some help!" I shouted. "Stark, you--- your chest machine?" Alexander Pierce. Suddenly, Hulk bursted out of the stairwell and into the lobby, shouting. "NO STAIRS!!!!" I took advantage of their distraction and quickly used my telekinesis to push the case towards Loki. Everyone ran from Hulk''s rampage, while Loki took the chance to run towards the Tesseract, grabbed it and teleported away. " You''ll be fine, Stark. Stay with us! I''ll try something, okay? I have no idea if it''s gonna work." Thor said. Thor then used Mjolnir as the defibrillator on Tony and shocked him. "YES!" Thor shouted. "That worked a treat. That was so crazy!" Tony said. " I had no idea if that was gonna work." Thor said. "The case?" Tony asked. "The case. It''s, uhh... Where''s the case? Where''s Loki? Loki!" Thor said. ... ( A few weeks later) Fury was facing once more members of the World Security Council . "Where are the Avengers?" World Security Council #3. "I''m not currently tracking their whereabouts. I''d say they''ve earned a leave of absence." Fury said. "And the Tesseract?" World Security Council #2. " The Tesseract is lost, so is loki." Fury said. "So, you not only let a war criminal, escape, he also managed to steal the Tessaract." World Security Council #1 " Pardon me, but Idon''t think thats my fault, if anything this all happened right under councilmen Pierce''s nose. " Fury said. " Then what about the Avengers, and that mutant team, which belongs to the Enigma. Letting them loose on this world. They''re dangerous." World Security Council #2 " They surely are. And the whole world knows it. Every world knows it." Fury said. "Was that the point of all this? A statement?" World Security Council #1 asked. "A promise." Fury answered. .. It took a few weeks to deal with the aftermath, of the invasion. I managed to obtain everything the Chituari left behind, but more importantly I prevented Hydra and any other interested parties from getting their hands on them. I also mobilized every piece of man power and competent personnel I had to help the city. We came out in full force, and the media didn''t fail to notice. Cypher Solutions became a household name, and my popularity skyrocketed. Everything from medical equipment to free medical care, free housing for those affected by the battle and even construction teams to rebuild what was destroyed. I was now known as the mysterious, but kind hearted millionaire. Douglas Ramsey. I was currently preparing to go to limbo, to meet a certain guest. A few weeks may have passed here, but it would only be a few hours in limbo. (Limbo) I walked towards the holding cells, and in a few minutes I was standing before, a bound and muzzled figure. * Silence* " Do you have any idea, how hard it is to plant a hidden telepathic suggestion ? You know, unlike Thanos I didn''t have the help of the Mind Stone to pull it off." I said. *Silence * " Oh, when you ask?" I said. " The plane. Just before your brother showed up, I almost didn''t manage to make it in time. " I said. I was only met with an angry glare, and decided to stop. I twitched my finger, and using my telekinesis, the muzzle fell off. " Where are we? And what do you want from me?" He said. " We''re in a place away from prying eyes, Odin can''t see us here. Neither can Heimdall. " I said, as I ran my fingers on the wall. The walls shimmered slightly, and thousands of Runes appeared. " I had a little time on my hands over the years, and I knew this would come in handy some day. " I said. " I dare say your command over Runes is almost as impressive as Odin''s, but I''m at a loss over why I''m here." Loki said. "You know, your prowess always seemed a bit lackluster compared to your brother and father. Aren''t you supposed to be some kind of god?" I asked. " We can''t all be brutes like my brother." He said, in indignation. " Is it because you''re not asgardian? But even for a frost giant you seem kinda weak. " I said. He was shocked for a moment, before he snorted and said." Did you bring me here, to insult me and call me weak? If so, I''m not interested in listening to your useless prattling. " " No. I brought you here to make you an offer. " I said. I suddenly pulled a vial filled with a blue liquid out of my pocket and showed it to him. " I apologize, but I was already vaccinated on Asgard. " He mocked. " Joke all you want, but what I have here is your only chance at getting revenge. All your life you''ve been used, discarded. First by your so called Father who threw you away the moment you were born. Odin who manipulated and lied to you for years. And finally Thanos, who used you as his puppet to wage a war on Earth for his own interests. " I said. " How are you any different than them. " He snarled. " The difference is, that I''m offering you real power. Not an empty promise, nor some feeble sense of sentiment. " I said. "Why should I believe you? What do you have to gain by offering me your so called power. How can even whatever is in there, give power to me, a god!" He shouted. " This Loki, is the effort of countless hours of research. This vial contains the purified bloodline of a Frost Giant, spliced with the DNA of an Omega level mutant who commands ice. It''ll fully awaken your Frost Giant Blood, and give you power beyond your wildest fantasies, with training you could possibly achieve full Ice Elementalization. That means you can lose any body part while in ice form and grow it back, actual immortality.And even more feats of power, only you can realize its full extent." I said. His eyes widened in disbelief" Wha.. What?! " I shrugged" Its your choice. You can either stay a puppet your whole life, or become something more. " " What do you want in return. " He asked. " I want a parnter, an equal and I want someone who can help me kill Thanos. " I said. He was left speechless and it took a long while, before he said." I''ll do it. But I want Asgard." " I don''t care, you can have it, if you want. But you''ll have to help me first. " I dispelled the runes binding him and extended an arm to him. " I guess I should welcome you then . . . . Loki the God Of Winter. " (Chapter End) ------------------------------------------------------------- For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And 4+ advanced chapters of (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????. Chapter 80 - My Own Pepper For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And 5+ advanced chapters of (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????. . . Enjoy ;) ------------------------------------------------------------- After we finished our business in Limbo, Loki and I went back to New York. It didn''t take long for Loki to learn the concealment spell I used back on Asgard, and I also had him disguise himself using his magic. I found him an apartment close to our base, and had Sophie and Diana keep an eye on him for now. I made him promise to behave, and to take this chance to fully integrate and practice his new powers. I had to admit It, getting used to living on earth amongst humans, was a big adjustment especially after trying to enslave said humans. Loki seemed like the kind of guy who was charismatic and laid back, but I could sense his nervousness. And even if I were to explain to the Avengers and Thor, that Loki was manipulated. It still didn''t change the fact that Loki did indeed attack New York, and because of his actions, hundreds of lives were lost. Even with my preparations. The casualties weren''t few in number, without the CSC drones I reckon many more lives would have been lost. I needed to relax after all of this. I''ve been stretched too thin. Between training in limbo for years, preparing for the New York invasion, making sure everything went perfectly I''ve been feeling a little stressed. I wanted to relax for a bit, and what better way to do so, than to spend time, with one of the sexiest women alive, who also happened to be my girlfriend. I opened a portal back to my apartment and I was treated by one hell of a sight. '' Damn, she THICC.'' I thought. Jean was leaning over in front of a bookshelf, looking for something to read, she also happened to be wearing something that looked quite similar to one of those tiktok pants, I saw in my old world. It was arousing to say the least, I found myself slowly approaching her as if a predator stalking its prey. She still hadn''t noticed me, due to the absurd amounts of concealment wards and runes I had on me. I was now standing right behind her, my hand slowly approaching her perky butt. I slightly pinched her and was met by a cute yelp. She turned around surprised, ready to blast me away, but stopped just in time to see it was me. " Doug! When did you get here? I didn''t sense you at all." She asked in surprise. " A while ago." I said, with a smirk. She lightly smacked me in the chest, " Don''t do that again, it hurt." " Sorry, sorry I just couldn''t resist. Love the outfit by the way." " Well, I bought it with your money. That and a few other things. Kitty and I went on a little revenge shopping spree, as she called it. " She said. " Sounds like you girls, were having fun without me. " I said. She glared at me and said. " And who''s fault is that again, you''ve been gone for almost a year, and ever since you came back. I barely get to see you. " I walked a bit closer and wrapped my arms around her, I started slowly kissing her neck. " I''m sorry, I promise to make it up to you. " Jean blushed as she snuggled into my chest. I bit her neck a bit hard as if wanting to leave an ownership mark on her skin. She moaned slightly and heavily blushed. I laughed. Then, grabbed her butt again. " Douug. Not right now, I still have to..." She started saying. I suddenly picked her up and slung her over my shoulder, she yelped in surprise, but didn''t resist. " Whatever it is, it can wait. It may have been a year for you, but it was a lot longer for me. You have no idea how long I waited for this. " I said. ... I woke up the next morning refreshed, we went a few rounds last night and didn''t stop, till both of us were spent. " Good morning sleepy head." I said. "Mhhmmm..." She mumbled. Jean was splayed on the bed, her head and limbs poking out from under the covers. I tried waking her a few times, but then decided to let her sleep in for a bit. We didn''t exactly get much sleep last night. I put on some pants, and went to the kitchen to make some breakfast. I decided to make pancakes, sausages and some eggs. " Sophie, what''s on my agenda today." I spoke up. A holographic screen popped up infront of me, while Sophie told me, what I had to do for today. " Wait. Dr.Pym finally agreed on a meeting. What changed ?" I asked. " It seems our efforts in trying to rebuild New York, gained us favor with a lot of people. I''m guessing, Dr.Pym is one of them." She said. " Huh...to think all I had to do was spend a couple of hundred millions. If I had known that, I would have done it sooner." I mused to myself. I''ve been trying to recruit Dr.Pym for the longest time. Although his Pym particles were impressive, I didn''t exactly need them. Sure shrinking yourself was useful, but it wasn''t anything I couldn''t do with a spell. I was more interested in the man himself, the mind behind such a thing. To come up with something this advanced in the 70''s was far more impressive to me. Unlike Dr. Hansen and the Parkers, Dr. Pym was a far harder man to convince. There wasn''t anyone trying to kill him, and as far as I knew he wasn''t interested in wealth. If it weren''t for my meta knowledge and the fact, that I knew something, that could be possibly interest him. I would have given up a long time ago. " Set up a meeting at noon. I will need to prepare a few things in advance. I think Dr. Pym might be happy to know, that his wife is quite possibly still alive. " I said. " Already done." She said. " Now that we''re done, with the business side of things. Update me on our progress, with the inhumans. Have they responded yet?" I asked. " Negative. Our scanners were able to detect their presence on the moon, but it seems for some reason they can''t or won''t respond. " She said. " It seems I''ll have to go there, myself then. " I sighed. " On the other hand, we''ve had much better luck, with the inhuman settlements here on earth. We''re very close to finding them. " She said. " Good. At least we have that going for us. Do you have anything else to report?" I asked. " Affirmative. We may have found one of our targets, from the list of candidates you provided. " She said. " Really? Who? " I asked with interest. " Ania Sagan, " She said. ... (3rd POV) As a young girl, Ania lived in a war-torn Balkan country. While she and other children were able to put the threat of landmines and snipers from their minds at times, her village was eventually invaded by enemy troops and she was forced to flee the only life she''d known. As a young teenager, Ania hadn''t escaped war. She found herself caught up in the Russian invasion of Afghanistan. She had been forced to learn to fight to survive encounters with both soldiers and local bandits, and took weapons and equipment from the bodies of fallen combatants wherever she found them. One day, Ania felt herself compelled to enter a cave in the nearby Hindu Kush mountain range. She found a fatality injured woman, she briefly stood, horrified, over the raped body of a young female. Then, sensing she was about to be attacked from behind, she spun and shot one of the bandits. Unswayed as he plead for his life, she unsheathed her knife and killed him. ( POV END) " Decisive and strong. I may have underestimated you a bit." She turned around surprised, but her surprise was soon replaced by confusion, and a bit of fear. " What are you!?" She asked warily. "Usually people would, ask who are you, instead of what." I said in amusement. " Your cells they''re..." She said. I raised an eyebrow in surprise. " You can see my cells?" She looked me in the eye and said." They''re incredible. " " Well, I''m glad you find my cells sexy, but this isn''t the place for a chat." I said, looking at a freshly dug grave, and the burning body of man beside it. I waved my hand and a portal appeared right beside us. " Care to go for a stroll?" I asked. ... As it turned out, Ania''s abilities were far more impressive than I previously thought. I had a vague idea of her powers due to my meta-knowledge, but that was just the tip of the iceberg. After a long chat, where I answered some of her questions and she answered some of mine, we came to an understanding. She would be in charge of managing the company, she''d basically be Tony''s version of Ms. Pepper, but a far more impressive one. I only knew about her ability called. Mental Computation, which gave her intellectual capabilities that worked in the same way as a supercomputer would. She could also perfectly remember everything she experienced, and instantaneously retrieve every memory and any information she has perceived. In short, she had a photographic memory. The ability she used on me back at the cave was called Genetic sight. It allowed her the ability to perceive the DNA in cells, living or dead, within close range. Combined with her innate analytical capabilities, this allowed her to determine familial relationships between people and to understand a person''s current and potential abilities. She was taken a back by our first meeting, she told me it was the first time she ever saw someone so, complex, as she put it. " Wait. So, you''re immortal ?" She said, clearly surprised. " Please, I cracked immortality a long time ago. But, I can still be killed, but It''ll have to be under some specific conditions. My opponent would either have to erase me on the atomic level, or destroy my soul. There are a few other ways too, but those are the most effective. " I concluded. She snorted." So you''re basically telling me, that the only way to kill you is to drop a nuclear bomb on your ass, or somehow destroy your soul. " " Well... I could just open a portal, and that wouldn''t be an issue. " I said. There was a moment of silence. " Wow, you really are broken." She said. I laughed it off, but only I knew, the threat of being erased was real, and quite possible. It didn''t matter how strong, I was. I could get erased all the same, in the end it all came down to luck. I had a 50/50 chance, same as everyone else, and that''s assuming, Thanos didn''t just erase everybody. And let''s just say, I didn''t fancy leaving my fate to a mad man''s whim. I finished, our meeting by saying. " You''re starting in a week. Take this time to relax, and sort out yourself." " Thank you, I don''t know what to say, I''m..." She said. I cut her off " More than capable, and a fine addition to our team. Welcome aboard... Sage." " Sage?" She asked. " It''s your codename. " I explained. " Huh... I think I like it." She said, with a smile. ( Chapter End) ------------------------------------------------------------- For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And 5+ advanced chapters of (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????. Chapter 81 - A New Race For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And 5+ advanced chapters of (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????. . . Enjoy ;) ------------------------------------------------------------- It wasn''t long before noon came, and I found myself heading towards the meeting with Dr. Pym. Thankfully it didn''t take long to convince Sage to work for me. I practically rescued her out of a warzone, and offered her enormous benefits. We agreed she would start her training in a week, after she settled in. Her ability might allow her to process information like a supercomputer, but she still needed to study. Sophie and a few other instructors I hired will teach her the business side of things. While, Shang-Chi handles her martial arts training. I was about to arrive at my office, so I cleared my mind from my previous thoughts. I entered only to find Dr. Pym waiting for me. "Dr. Pym, a pleasure to meet you. " I said, as I walked in. " Mr Ramsey, the pleasure is mine. " He said. I offered him to sit down, and poured the two of us a drink. He politely declined, so I decided to get back on track. "I have to say, I didn''t expect you to agree, what made you change your mind?" I asked. "It''s because of my daughter." He answered. "Your daughter?" I said, with a raised eyebrow. "Yes, she seems to be under the notion that you''re different." He said. "I''m honored to be though of so highly by your daughter, but what about you Dr. Pym? What do you think?" I asked, slightly curious. "People aren''t always what they appear to be and more often than not, one finds himself disappointed" He said. " Wise words to live by, is that the reason that you''ve been avoiding me for the last couple of years?" I said. "Mr Ramsey, I''m not naive. I''m a retired scientist, the only thing worth your attention, is heavily classified. Which leads me to believe, you somehow know something you''re not supposed to." He said. " What? Like the fact, you''ve got about half a dozen of your soldier ants, trying to infiltrate my company as we speak?" I said, with a smirk. His eyes widened, and he suddenly grew alarmed." I... " " Please don''t try to deny it, we''re both smart people. In fact I''d be disappointed, if you didn''t even try. " I said. I waved my hand and a couple of dozen ants appeared on the desk in front of us. They were too little to see, so I casted a rune to increase their size. " ¦¬¦Å¦Ã?¦Ë¦Ï" I uttered. Dr. Pym jumped out of his chair, and pointed at the now rat sized ants on the table, in clear disbelief. " Ho.. How did you do that?!" I ignored his question and quickly finished my drink. I got up from my chair, and gave him a sharp look. " I don''t take kindly to people spying on me, but I''m willing to make an exception here." There was short lull in our conversation, one long enough for him to get his bearings back. He straightened up, and looked me dead in the eyes, and with a low voice. " What do you want? " .. It took a while, but after some convincing we managed to come to an understanding. He didn''t agree to work for me, but after hinting at the possibility of his wife''s survival, and my willingness to pour any available resources to help him build a quantum portal he finally relented. I think showing him our state of the art labs, and how advanced our technology was, sealed the deal. I also convinced him to give us a sample of his Pym particles for research purposes. A part of him, always feared how his discoveries could be used or even weaponized. He was understandably reluctant to do so, but after showing him the kind of technology I had access to, it greatly assuged his fears. I mean if I wanted to destroy the world or use his research for nefarious means, there were easier ways to do it. I decided to delegate and clear my schedule for the day and popped into to limbo for a bit. It looked nothing like it previously did, its previous barren surface, was replaced by green vegetation and wildlife as far as the eye could see. I could hear a roar coming from the sky only to see one of the Leviathans I managed to acquire. Not counting the scout ship and the chituari soldier who managed to survive the invasion. I had over half a dozen Leviathans currently living in limbo. They looked nothing like their predecessors and instead more closely resembled great white wales. It took a bit of tinkering and time, but through some soul magic, their visage and strength were greatly boosted. I didn''t expect them to turn pure white though. It was an unexpected side effect, due to the high concentration of light force energy in this realm. Trace amounts of the light force energy seeped into thier souls, while I was reshaping their souls. They were barely sentient, which made it a lot easier to do so. I only planned on strengthening their bodies and their speed, but I was surprised to discover they also gained some unique powers. They could now shoot concentrated beams of light force energy from their mouths, and could even release light from their bodies, by controlling their bio-luminescent skin. I planned on using them as war beasts and even started cloning some of them in specialized chambers, since as it turns out that''s how they were made. The process was also easily explained in the information I acquired from the Chitauri''s database. It was easy enough to replicate granted you had the required materials. " Master." I heard from behind me. I turned around only to see, the Chituari soldier I acquired back on the spaceship. Only now, he looked nothing like a Chituari soldier. For one, he could speak, and with a process quite similar to the Leviathans I was able to change him. His skin turned albino, and he had a more humanoid appearance. He gained five digits on each limb, his face was a lot less reptilian but still looked somewhat alien. Like the Leviathans, he also gained new powers. He could channel light force energy to create daggers or even swords made out of pure light force energy. They were strong enough to cut through solid steel and were quite useful in combat. He also gained a minor form of telepathy, and like the Leviathans, his skin gained a faint luminescent glow to it. " Castiel. I see you''re adjusting quite well to your new body," I said. " It''s all thanks to master." He said, with a worshipping look in his eyes. " How goes the task I have assigned you, have any of your brothers or sisters awakened? ," I asked. " Not yet Master, but soon. I''ve been watching over them as you have instructed. Recently, they''ve been moving a lot more in their slumber." He said. I nodded in approval and said, " That''s good. Keep watch over them. They will need you when they awaken. You are the first of your new race, and that comes with heavy responsibility." It turns out the changes I made, were enough to classify them as a new race. They were essentially mutated and each of them had a connection to the light force dimension. I had many samples collected from various dead Chituari soldiers,and using Castiel as a genetic template and with some genetic engineering, the results turned out better than I could ask for. They would still need time to grow and learn though. I didn''t plan on treating them as expendable soldiers. Instead they would become the first inhabitants of the new and improved limbo. Those with aptitudes suitable for science would become scientists, and those with aptitudes suitable to become generals and warriors would be so. It''ll take years, but then again time on limbo passed a lot faster than it did on earth. I left Castiel to his own devices, and decided to head towards the castle''s treasurey. I entered the room which was filled with security runes and wards, only to see what I came for. The Tesseract. Previously when I was threatening loki on the plane, I managed to plant two hidden telepathic suggestions. One was to escape after his capture, and the other were the coordinates to a heavily warded cell in limbo. The Tesseract primarily worked by thinking of the coordinates or by the user''s intentions. I set the second telepathic suggestion to activate the moment he tried and use The Tesseract . I took the stone, and opened a portal that lead to the heart of limbo. In this chamber three raised pedestals were surrounding the Promethium heart. Each pedestal had a runic chain branching from it leading up to a complex runic matrix surrounding the core. I walked towards the central pedestal and broke apart the tesseract before extracting the stone within. I kept the shell, since it could be useful one day, then placed the space stone in a grove, that perfectly fitted the stone. The pedestal pulsed with energy, before stabilizing. I could feel a new connection, at the edge of my mind, begging to be used. I gave in to the feeling and with a thought. I dissappeared. ( Chapter End ) ------------------------------------------------------------- For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And 5+ advanced chapters of (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????. Chapter 82 - The Dark World For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And 5+ advanced chapters of (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????. . . Enjoy ;) ------------------------------------------------------------- [1 year later] Shang-Chi was busy wiping the floors with the rookies, which I always found entertaining to watch. Most of the new recruits were either newly awakened mutants or the occasional inhuman. It was an excercise designed to ingrane humility, and teach them early on, that having powers doesn''t make you invincible. And what better way to show it, than have a base human kick your ass. * Bam* " Oof.." I said. " Always remember, your powers are only a tool. Your enemies won''t give you time to use them, a battle can end in a moment." Shang-Chi said, as he flipped over another recruit. " Hey boss, looks like you''re having fun." Calisto said, walking up to me. " What can I say, I find it nostalgic. " I said. I kept watching for a while, before I was suddenly interrupted by Sophie. " Master, this news report just came in. " Sophie said, as she played the news report. " I''m here at Stonehenge, for what has been an interesting unfolding of events today. The police reported the scene shortly after 11 a.m. this morning, after a seemingly harmless rambler approached the area then started to strip naked and effectively terrorize tourists there with scientific equipment while shouting that he was trying to save them. The man later identified as noted Astrophysicist Dr. Erik Selvig has been called in for questioning by police." The Stonehenge TV news reporter said. After she showed me the news report of Selvig running around naked in Stonehenge while the police were trying to catch him. I was silent for a while. " Uh... Boss? What''s wrong. " Calisto said. " Nothing... Calisto. I just didn''t need to see that." I said, in a strange tone. I shook my head, chasing away those strange thoughts. Making a note to teach Sophie, how to blur certain things. I mean, gravity did that man no favors. .. ( 3rd POV) Jane, Darcy and Ian had just entered the old factory. The three scientists started going into the abandoned warehouse, with Jane in the lead, followed by Darcy and the new intern. They were trying to track the gravitational anomalies when they suddenly heard a noise. " I am not getting stabbed in the name of science." Darcy whispered. She lifted up her hands and shouted, "It''s okay. We''re Americans!" " Is that supposed to make them like us?"Jane, asked incredulously. She''s about to say something when they heard some kids'' voices. "Make it go away!" A girl whispered loudly. "Shhh!" another kid shushed her. The voices stopped and 3 kids came out of their hiding places. "Are you the police?" the girl asked them. "No, we''re scientists." She paused, looked around and said, "Well I am."Jane said. "Thanks." Darcy said sarcastically. "We just found it." The boys said, still afraid. "Can you show us?" Jane asked, gently. The three kids lead Jane, Darcy and Ian to a truck, one of the boys touched the truck and pushed it up with two fingers. They watched in amazement as the truck floated in mid-air. "That doesn''t seem rigged." Jane said. The kids then took them to a stairwell in the factory. They all stopped at a stairwell in the factory, and one of them dropped a bottle down the stairwell. They watched as the bottle disappeared into thin air after making a few ripples in the air like it was dropped into water. "Where did it go?" Darcy asked the small girl with them. The girl just pointed upwards, and they all looked up to see the bottle reappear above them. It once again dropped down into another portal, only to appear up once again, continuously appearing and disappearing from the portals. "That''s... That''s incredible!" Jane said. She picked up an empty can,and dropped it down and watched it do the same thing. It disappeared into thin air, but when they looked up to watch it reappear, nothing happened. "What happened?" Darcy asked, in surprise. "Sometimes they come back, sometimes they don''t." The girl explained. "I want to throw something. Jane, give me your shoe." Darcy said, which Jane ignores. Jane took out her scanner and looked at the readings. "I haven''t seen readings like this since..." Jane muttered. "New Mexico?" Darcy said. Jane gave her a meaningful look before rushing off, whilst shouting "Don''t touch anything!" Back to Darcy. Darcy waited a few moments, until Jane was out of sight, then turned to Ian and said, "Give me your shoe." Jane walked away from the others and watched them on the stairwell dropping objects down and watching them disappear and reappear. She looked at her gadget and saw the anomaly was nearby and started walking off. Back on the stairwell, Ian dropped the car keys down and they watch it disappear but when they looked up it didn''t reappear. "Where those the car keys?" Darcy asked. Jane followed the readings on her gadget which took her to another part of the factory. As the readings got stronger a gust of wind pushed her forward and she found herself teleported in another realm. She looked around and found the column holding the Aether, she reached her hand out when. " I wouldn''t touch that, if I were you." ( POV End) She recoiled in shock and took a few steps back. " Enigma! What are you doing here?" She said, in surprise. " I could ask you the same question Dr. Jane. If I had arrived a moment later, your life would''ve been danger." I said. " You know what that thing is?" She asked, pointing at it. " Yes, its called the Aether. " I said. " Where are we? What is this place? " She asked. I started casting a few spells, whilst making some calculations. " Judging by what my readings tell me, we should be at the ruins of Svartalfheim. Huh... wouldn''t have thought to look there." I said. " Svartalfheim? " She asked. "It is one of the Nine Realms and home to the Dark Elves. The Asgardians and other inhabitants of the Nine Realms refer to it as "The Dark World." I said. Her eyes widened in surprise, and I could see my statement only raised more questions. It wasn''t everyday one could stumble onto an infinity stone. So, I decided to answer some of her questions. "It''s Located in a star system that is almost completely corroded with dark matter, both Svartalfheim and the Dark Elves inhabiting it have developed under a more diverse table of elements. The only source of visible light for the world is a black hole." I continued, pointing at the sky. " But, that''s Impossible. " She said, looking up at the sky. " Let''s continue this later, it''s not safe here. " I said, eyeing the Aether''s erratic movements. .. At the same time a dark elf suddenly awakened in his ship, knowing that the Aether has been found. " The Aether awakens us. The Convergence returns." Malekith said. .. After containing the Aether in a container made out of the the Tesseract''s shell and a vibranium chasis. I opened a portal back to the warehouse, and took Dr.Jane with me. " Ahhh aliens! " I dodged a shoe thrown my way, and shot an annoyed look towards the culprit. Darcy was hiding behind Ian, who by the way only had his socks left. " I''m not an alien Ms. Lewis, and If I was. I doubt throwing your intern''s shoe would help." I said. Darcy suddenly exclaimed, "Hey! You''re that Enigma guy. You helped Thor in New Mexico and New York!" "Yes, thanks for reminding me, Ms Lewis." I sighed. Darcy ran towards where Jane was and hugged her, as she exclaimed, "Jane! Where the hell were you?" Jane shook off her head and says, "I was in Svartalfheim." " Sva.. what now?" Darcy asked. "It''s one of the nine realms." I said. " Sir, I''m a big fan. I saw what you did at New York. Also I''m sorry about the shoe thing I... " The intern said, extending his hand. " It''s alright, I only did what I had to. I''m sure given the opportunity, most would have done the same. " I said. He was looking at me in awe, which was slightly uncomfortable. I mean, how would you feel if another man was staring at you with such an intense gaze. '' I wonder if that''s how female celebrities feel.'' I thought to myself. Jane looked visibly upset, still slightly freaked out by what happened. It started raining and lightning rumbled above us. We heard another lightning crackle and I turned to the side where I heard a person landing. It was Thor. As soon as Jane saw Thor, she started running towards him. And as soon as she reached him, she slapped him hard in the face. He was stunned for a moment, but quickly shook it off. " Sorry. I just needed to make sure you were real, it''s been a very strange day." Jane said. " Well, I am. Jane..." Thor said. She suddenly slapped him again, this time with more heat. " Where were you?!" She yelled. " Where were you? Heimdall could not see you." He shot back. " I was right here where you left me. I was waiting and then I was crying and then I went out looking for you. You said you were coming back" She said. "I know, I know, but the Bifrost was destroyed. The Nine Realms erupted into chaos, wars were raging, marauding hordes were pillaging. I had to put an end to the slaughter." He said. "As excuses go, that''s not terrible. But I saw you on TV, you were...you were in New York!" She said. "Jane, I fought to protect you from the dangers of my world, but I was wrong, I was a fool. I believe that fate brought us together. Jane, I don''t know where you were or what happened, but I do know this." He said. " What?" Jane said. .. I waved my hand, and an invisible barrier appeared above my head to protect us from the rain. Darcy wiped her glasses, and pointed at the the barrier, " What''s up with that? Is it like a benefit of being an Avenger ?" She asked. I snorted and said, " Its benefits of being a sorcerer. Let''s join them, shall we." We went there and saw that Thor and Jane were about to kiss. Darcy ever that tactful one, interrupted them and said, "Hey! Is that you?" referring to the rain. "Uh...we''re kind of in the middle of something." Jane said. Thor looked up and with a mental command the rain suddenly stopped. He then turned to me, and said " Enigma? What are you doing here." Thor asked in surprise. " Why don''t you ask her. " I said, looking towards Jane. He shot her a concerned look," Are you alright? What happened? " " I was looking for the source of those gravitational readings and I must have gone through a portal, because suddenly I found myself in a dark cave with red light coming through the opening. There was this wierd liquid thing floating, and I was about to touch it..." She babbled. He looked at me for an explanation." The portal led to Svartalfheim, the red thing she mentioned was the Aether. " His eyes widened in alarm." Please tell me, you didn''t touch it. " " I didn''t... " She said. " I was there in time. She''s fine. " I assured. We suddenly heard police sirens, coming towards us and saw that 2 cop cars were coming right for us. "Um...I''m pretty sure we are getting arrested." Darcy said. " I''ll handle it, just give me a sec." Jane said, before running towards the police cars. As we were standing, waiting for Jane to resolve the issue. Darcy turned to Thor and said. "Look at you, still all muscly and everything. How''s space?" "Space is fine." Thor answered. .. "Are you Jane Foster?" The police officer said. " Yes." Jane said. " Do you know this man?" The policeman said, referring to Ian. "He''s my intern. My intern''s intern." She said. "Well, This is private property and you''re trespassing, the lot of you. You''ll have to come with me." The policeman said. He goes to grab Jane''s arm, and I can see Thor visibly tense. Before, the situation could escalate further, I wave my hand. " There''s nothing to see here. It was a false alarm. " The police officers suddenly stop, and unhand Jane. They get back in their cars and drive off. " The force! Obi-Wun! " Darcy exclaimed. Thor looked at me curiously, but said nothing. He goes to check on Jane, followed by Darcy and me. Sensing some spatial disturbance and the signs of someone trying to teleport us, I get ready. Thor suddenly tells Jane" Hold on to me. " Just in time because as soon as she does, we see different coloured lights all around us and feel a pull upwards. " What are you doing?" Janes asked in confusion. Suddenly the Bifrost opens. I don''t fight the pull, but I feel Darcy latch on to me. Before we even know it, we drop down on the hard floor. I''m unaffected by the trip, since this wasn''t my first time. Thor too, was unshaken. Jane stumbled a bit, but managed to straighten herself, while Darcy, was about to fall. She made a stupid decision following us, but we can''t help it now. "Holy shit!" Darcy said. Jane looked around her in amazement, and said "We have to do that again." She then noticed Heimdall for the first time. Who was guarding as always. His all seeing eyes land on us, as he stared at us impassively. Jane gulped, unconsciously. " Uhm... Hi." "Welcome to Asgard." Heimdall said. ( Chapter End) ------------------------------------------------------------- For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And 5+ advanced chapters of (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????. Chapter 83 - In The City Of Gods For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And 5+ advanced chapters of (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz . . Enjoy ;) ------------------------------------------------------------- We were following Thor towards the Golden City of Asgard. While, Jane and Darcy looked around in amazement. The view from the Bifrost, the people, the marketplace. I was also secretly impressed, since I didn''t have enough time to check everything out, last time I was here. It''s a shame, it was all going to get destroyed in a few years. I continued walking beside Thor, Darcy trailing slightly behind us, just looking around. She was gawking at everything, and while she was starting to get on my nerves. I did find her antics amusing. Thor insisted on taking Jane to get examined, since he was still worried about her. We soon reach the medical bay of the palace,and as the Asgardian physicians studied Jane, Thor hovered above her clearly worried. I stood to the side, with Darcy, while Thor got the healers to check on Jane. They had her lay on a bed, which was a higher form of a medical scanner, and started scanning her. A holographic image popped up above Jane, showing her body and moving along with her. I was impressed by their level of technology, and even had Sophie take several scans of everything in the med bay. I asked for permission first, since It would have been too obvious, if I hadn''t. Thor merely shrugged and told me to do as I pleased. "What''s that?" She said, while trying to touch the equipment. The healer, Eir, slapped her hand away and said ,"Be still." "That''s a quantum field generator, isn''t it?" Jane said. " It''s a Soul Forge." Eir said. " Does a Soul Forge transfer molecular energy from one place to another?" Jane asked. Eir looked impressed. " Yes." Jane looked at Thor and whispersed." It''s a quantum field generator. " " You are certain, she is fine." Thor asked, in concern. " She''s healthy, and nothing seems to be out of the ordinary. For a mortal that is. " The healer said. Odin takes that moment to enter the room, looks around in disapproval and says" My words are mere noises to you that you ignore them completely?" " I was worried, she could be ill." Thor said. "She is mortal. Illness is their defining trait." Odin said. "Fa..." Thor tried to say. "They do not belong here in Asgard anymore than a goat belongs at a banquet table." Odin interrupted. Jane sat up and looked at Thor, and then to Odin. "Did he just...? Who do you think you are?" She yelled. " I''m Odin. King of Asgard. Protector of the Nine Realms." He said. " Oh. Well, I''m..." Jane said. "I know very well who you are, Jane Foster." He said, as he was turning around to leave. " I find it strange, Colossus and Wolverine didn''t get the same treatment." I said, before he was out the door. He turned to me and said. " We needed warriors, the seven realms were drowned in chaos, so we simply made an agreement. " I nodded. " Nonetheless, I thank you for your hospitality. " " Sif, vouched for them when she found out they were your friends. I don''t need your gratitude sorcerer, take the mortals with you and return to midgard. " He said. '' Hmm... interesting, so he doesn''t consider me a mortal.'' I thought to myself. " Then I shall do so, but you should probably know that the dark elves are coming. " I said. He stopped dead in his tracks, and without turning around he said." That''s impossible." In response I took out the Aether, and held it out for all to see. "That thing tried to get within her, father, something I have not seen before." Thor said. Odin inspected the energy force coming from the container, and quickly realized it was the real thing. Odin looked at all of us and said, "Come with me. The mortals stay." Jane and Darcy were clearly displeased with his attitude towards them, but they ended up staying back, while Thor and I followed Odin. "There are relics that predate the Universe itself. What lies within your hands appears to be one of them. The Nine Realms are not eternal. They had a dawn as they will have a dusk." Odin shows us an ancient book, and continued, "But before that dawn the dark forces, the Dark Elves, reigned absolute and unchallenged." Thor opened the book and read an excerpt from it, " ''Born of eternal night, the Dark Elves come to steal away your light.'' They were the stories mother used to tell us about." Odin nodded and said, "Their leader, Malekith made a weapon out of that darkness, it was called the Aether. While the other relics often appeared as stones, the Aether is fluid and ever changing. It changes matter into dark matter and seeks out to host bodies, drawing strength from their life force. Malekith sought to use the Aether''s power to return the universe to one of darkness. But after eternities of blood shed, my father Bor, finally triumphed, ushering in the peace that lasted thousands of years." Thor though on that bit of news for a bit. Then asked, "What happened to them?" "He killed them all." Odin said. "Are you certain, Father? The Aether was said to have been destroyed, yet here it is." Thor said. "The Dark elves are all dead." Odin insisted. "Then does it say, how to destroy the Aether?" Thor asked. Odin snapped the book shut. " It can''t be destroyed." He then leaves, and we both watch him going away. After standing in the library, for a minute, we go back to the healing chambers, where Jane and Darcy sat. "Guys! You''re back!" Darcy yelled. " What happened, what did he tell you?" Jane asked. " He just gave us a little history lesson." I said dismissevly. Thor gave her a reassuring look and said" I''ll explain on the way. Come, there''s someone I''d like you to meet." We started walking outside of the chamber, with Thor and Jane leading, me and Darcy following behind, giving them some privacy. "So.. How''d you like Asgard so far?" Darcy suddenly asked . I raised an eyebrow, at her attempt to make small talk and said, "Too much Gold." "Yeah.. they really do like their Gold. Golden armour, golden walls, buildings. Golden toilets." She said. "Huh?" I said. " What! You guys were gone for a while, I had to use the bathroom." She said. Noticing Thor and Jane had stopped, we looked forward and saw Thor and Jane talking to a woman. Who if I were to guess, was the queen of Asgard. The Queen looks at us, which makes Thor and Jane look at us too. She smiles at us, as Thor begins introducing us. "Mother. This is my friend Enigma. He fought alongside me, both against the Destroyer and against Loki''s army on Midgard. He''s a strong warrior. And this is Darcy. She''s Jane''s friend." I bow politely to the Queen, Darcy follows, but then looks at Friga and blurts, " Are you really Thor''s mom?" Friga gives a small chuckle and says." Is it that hard to believe?" Darcy flustered" No! It''s just Odin looks so old, while you look.. I..I mean. " Friga chuckles again and says" It''s alright, but just between you and me, I think he looks old too. " As we all chuckle at Darcy''s expense, the alarms suddenly go off. "The prisons." Frigga whispers.. Frigga looks at Thor and says, "Go, I''ll look after her." Thor hesitates a little, so I say, "I''ll protect them. Don''t worry." Saying that my form considerbly bulks up, as I grow a couple of feet taller. My symbiote gave me the ability to augement my bio-mass, which was useful when fighting physically stronger opponents. Thor nods and uses his hammer to fly off towards the Prisons, while Frigga leads us towards her rooms. She looks at me, studying me, for a minute and then says, " I didn''t notice it before, but your life force is enormous even when compared to an Asgardian ." I nod and say, " I may have had a few upgrades ." Frigga raised here eyebrows, and says, " It seems Midgard has more surprises than I previously thought." Odin comes our way, giving orders to the guards behind him. He looks at me, Jane and Darcy, in disapproval. He pauses at me for a bit but then turns to Frigga. "Odin." Frigga greets him. "Frigga," Odin returns. He says, "It''s a skirmish, nothing to fear." He glances at us, and turns to the guards and shouts, "Go!" Frigga smiles softly at her husband and says, "You''ve never been a good liar." Sif takes that moment to walk past us and I wave at her. In my combat form, she recognises me and smiles a little. Odin looks at us, turns to Frigga and says, "Take them to your chambers, I''ll come for you when it''s safe." He then turns to me and says, "Thor trusts you with his life. Prove to me that he isn''t wrong." I nod resolutely at him. "You take care." Frigga tells Odin, softly caressing his cheek. Odin smiles at her and muses, "Despite all I have survived, my Queen still worries over me." Frigga shakes her head and says, "It is because I have worried that you''ve survived." Odin smiles and starts walking towards where the noise was coming from. Frigga smiles at his back and takes a sword from one of the guards. She has an alarmed look on her face, with a tear flowing from her eye. She looks at us and orders, "Listen to me now, I need you to do everything I ask, no questions. Enigma take Jane and Darcy through that door. Stay hidden until Heimdall or Odin comes for you. I''ll keep an illusion of the Aether with me to throw them off." Jane and Darcy nod immediately, but understanding what she''s planning I shake my head and say, "No. Thor and Odin both trust me to guard all of you. The girls must go through the door while I''ll stay here with you." Frigga tries to argue, but seeing my determined face, she nods. We send Jane and Darcy to the next room, I then go back to Frigga''s room and ask, "Is he really that strong? The one you saw?" "Yes. How did you know?" Frigga asks, smiling and crying a little. I shrug and say, "You''re not the only one who has seen the future." Frigga nods and doesn''t say anything. I think for a bit. If he''s even stronger than Thor, It will be a bit tricky to protect Friga, jane, and Darcy, while fighting off multiple fighters on the level of Thor or higher. "It''s time." I whisper, as soon as I sensed the enemies'' approach. ( Chapter End) ---------------------------------------------------- For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And 5+ advanced chapters of (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz Chapter 84 - Malekith For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And 5+ advanced chapters of (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz . . Enjoy ;) ------------------------------------------------------------- "It''s time." I whispered, as soon as I sensed the enemies'' approach. I could sense three life signatures coming our way. One of them had an intense magical aura filled with malevolence, to which I assumed belonged to Malekith. The other significant life force signature was probably Kurse. While the other, although less impressive could still be considered an elite on the level of Sif and the warrior three. Unfortunately, even if I were to teleport away it wouldn''t stop Malekith from coming after the Aether, so that plan was a no go. It was too early to have the fight on earth, and leading him to limbo was even more out of the question. I had no doubt they could follow me there if they wanted to. The Dark Elves seemed to be able to conjure wormholes with their ships, hence the reason they were able to infiltrate Asgard nearly undetected (as well as their cloaking). It was more advanced, than anything I have ever seen. Compared to Shields'' cloaking technology, this was far more impressive. Since Asgard had no defense for such weapons, it''s obvious to assume that they thought such weapons "died" with the Dark Elves 5000 years ago, and were complacent, believing that they would never see such weapons again. And since Asgardians live for a few thousand years, it''s also safe to assume that those that had seen such weapons 5000 years ago were long dead. Current Asgardians wouldn''t have any such knowledge and experience with those weapons. Although you''d hope that warriors would pass such knowledge down. I could feel the Aether in my pocket grow more agitated, as they got closer. For now my best option was to distract them, or stall them long enough for Thor or Odin to show up. Malekith was one of the first known sentients to try and utilize the Aether as a weapon during a time when the Nine Realms first aligned. Like the Infinity Gems upon which it was based, the Aether calls no particular user master, but a strong-willed or magically-capable individual may take control of them, that is if the item allows it. His brief control of it before being stopped by Odin gave him a permanent connection to it and its powers. As long as it was free again, Malekith could control the Aether. The Aether responds to being utilized depending on the natural abilities of the user. A weak user would be possessed and ultimately destroyed by the Aether, while a strong one may utilize it as a weapon depending on their spiritual/magical capacities. Jane Foster was merely human with no awareness of magical capacity, nor any understanding of the fundamental nature of the Aether. She couldn''t make use of its power-enhancing abilities, since she had no powers to speak of. That''s why in her hands, it would have been utterly useless. I bring out a glass vial, filled with a blood red liquid. It was risky, but I had no other choice. With a thought, the Symbiote separates from my body, leaving the Vibranium armour on me. I command it to bond with the Aether, and watched, as they both fought for supermacy. Both entities were similar to each other in a way, as both instinctively sought out a host , except the Aether was much more domineering. I then command the Symbiote back inside my body along with the Aether. The Symbiote was supposed to act as a buffer, but it seems I underestimated the Aether far too much. Pain. It''s the only thing I feel for what it certainly feels like hours. But was only for a few seconds. Everything hurt, like my body was about to burst. I could feel my bones cracking under the pressure, my tendons being torn apart, and a brain splitting headache , everything all at once. Even with my Spider-Physiology enhanced by the Extremis Virus and Wolverine''s healing factor. I could still feel my body breaking down, at a rapid pace. You see unlike Jane, I was actively repressing the Aether, causing it to lash out. With Malekith so close it was my only choice, he wouldn''t be able to call upon it or remove it from my body, but at the same time it also meant I couldn''t use it. I reckon I could only hold it for a few minutes, before my body completely breaksdown, healing factor or not. I turned to Frigga, who was looking at me in shock and slight horror, as if I were a mad man. The pain slowly receded back, but I was still breathing hard. Gathering myself, I look around. Frigga was kneeling beside me. The sounds of the attacks were still loud and coming a little closer. I stood up and examined the suit I was wearing. It was dyed blood red, with black streaks here and there. Frigga was still looking at me in Shock, "Are you mad?! Why would you do that?." " As long as the Aether is bonded to me, Malekith can''t control it. If worst comes to worst I could buy time, and escape. Hiding it is also useless, he can sense it''s location. That''s how he knew it was here in Asgard. " I said. "You have a lot of strange powers for someone from Midgard. Where did you get the Klyntar?" She asked. I think and say, " A scientist friend of mine found it. I purified it using lightforce energy and erased its will. The rest I either conconted in a lab, or learned in my mystic training. " She shook her head, and said." It always amazes me how mortals can grow so fast. " I nodded, and was about to say something when we simultaneously turned towards the door. I immediately go on my guard, Frigga holds her sword in front of her and orders, "Stand down, creature. You may still survive this." The Dark elf sneered at her, "I''ve survived worse, woman." He had his eyes on me from the moment he came in, and quickly ordered his subordinates to surround me. "Who are you?" Frigga asked him. "I am Malekith, and I will have what is mine." He says, as he started walking closer to me and Frigga. She interrupts his advance, attacking with her sword. She manages to hit him in the face, the sword glowing from her power. Malekith takes out his own sword and tries to attack her. Frigga uses her sword and parries him away, while at the same time, relieving him of the sword. They fight for only a few seconds, but Frigga quickly overpowers him and holds the sword to his neck, immobilizing him. I see a bigger elf slowly walk in the room and towards her, so I jump in and kick him away. The big elf stumbled backwards and looks at me. He growls and charges at me. He walks towards me and starts attacking. He was bigger and physically stronger than me. But he was also slower. I was working with several disadvantages here, most of my concentration was kept on trying to keep the Aether in check from running amok. I could feel it trying to break out. Magic was out, Chi was out and my symbiote was busy keeping me alive. The only thing giving me an edge, was my ability to read my opponents moves, while utilizing Shang-Chi''s training and my superior speed. I ducked under his punches and hit him on his chest. His chest was stronger than even Abomination was. Seeing that I had it handled, Frigga resumes her fight with Malekith and stabbed him in the stomach with her sword. He stumbleed and dropped down, feeling dizzy due to blood loss. My Spidey-Sense tingles, warning me of an attack. I turn towards the elf who was watching the fight from the sidelines, and see him preparing something in his hands. Crap! Kurse suddenly picks me up by my legs and throws me towards the balcony. I could see an Implosion grenade heading towards the queen. If it hits her, I doubt there would be anything left of her. I only had a nano-second to do something, before it was all too late. I held out my hand, and a portal with a blue hue opened infront of the gernade. The gernade suddenly appeared beside Malekith, and before it could explode. Kurse used the dark elf beside him as a shield to protect Malekith. Malekith looked pissed because I tried to kill him, so he picked up the fallen elf''s gun and started shooting at me. I quickly dodged, and found Kurse charging at me once again. Malekith still looked pissed, and suddenly a vicious smile appeared on his face. Realizing what he was about to do, I looked towards the queen. Malekith aimed the blaster at her, and started firing. She managed to deflect and parry the first few shots, but eventually she was overwhelmed. The queen fell to the floor bleeding, she was still alive, but barely. " Lets see if you can do your trick again." He suddenly said. He took out something from his belt, and threw it beside the queen''s prone form. It was another implosion gernade. '' Dammit! How many of those does he have?!'' I tried making a portal, but Kurse didn''t give me a chance. He also had a vicious smile on his face, as if enjoying my predicament. Frigga had a serene smile on her face, as if accepting her fate. She looked towards me. " Tell both my sons, I love them." She said, before closing her eyes. ( Chapter End) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- I know I know, I am an evil, evil man. Ending it on a cliff hanger of all things. ------------------------------------------------------------- For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And 5+ advanced chapters of (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz Chapter 85 - Reality For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And 5+ advanced chapters of (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz . . Enjoy ;) ------------------------------------------------------------- The gernade explodes almost immediately, and I could barely tear my eyes away from the queen. Or, at least what was left of her. Her right side was completely gone. Normally, nothing would be left. But, as if to mock me, Malekith threw it beside her, for me to see the results of my insolence. Thor enters at that moment and seeing his mother immediately loses it and, throws his hammer at the elf, almost knocking Malekith out of the bigger one''s hands, but the big elf handles it and jumps away with Malekith, out of the balcony. Thor follows after them, but they jump on a ship and retreat. I go towards Frigga and see that her chest was barely moving. I yell out, "Thor! She''s still alive!" Thor, who was crying by the window comes back running to his mother, and sees that she was alive. He turns to me as if pleading, to do something. Frigga was breathing her final breath, and I could hear her heart about to stop. *Badum* *Badum...* *Bad... * *Silence* Odin comes inside the room, wielding Gungnir, and points it inside. Seeing us beside his wife''s fallen body, he almost breaks down. I cast my first rune to buy me a few seconds for what I am about to do. They were surprised by what I was doing, but no one goes to stop me. The rune takes hold, but I could feel it won''t last for more than a few seconds. I then cast a second rune, that temporarily binds her soul to her body. The third rune, I cast is to restrain her God force. I didn''t know how it could react, and frankly I didn''t want to find out. I finally loosen the final seal I placed on myself, and let the Aether''s power explode out of me. Malekith was no longer here, so I could finally use my magic and stop activatly restraining the Aether. As soon as I let go, I feel it trying to go rampant once more, so I forcefully take control of it. Admittedly It was easier this time, since I was trying to guide it, instead of seal it away. Odin looks towards me, and orders, "What are you trying to do?" " I''m going to use the Aether''s power to save your wife. Malekith corrupted it, turning it into the Aether. It was originally called the Reality stone. One of the infinity stones. " I explained. I suddenly felt my mutant power activating, and everything changed as my perspective widened. Everything I saw was being interpreted into information, everything was language to me now. I could even hear the reality stone. It''s yearning to be used to reshape matter and energy, into a new reality. I started speaking, but if one where to hear it, it didn''t sound like any language ever spoken. I was using a language long forgotten to command reality itself. Frigga''s body began building itself, one atom at a time, the task proved to be difficult since, the parts that were missing were completely destroyed by the implosion gernade. I unconsciously starting syphoning some of the god force surrounding her, Odin sensing what was happening. Supplied some of his own Odin force. Rebuilding a god''s body wasn''t simple. And a lot of energy was required to reconstruct their bodies. Since, their vessels had to be strong enough to hold their divinties. I was finally done, and with a final push. I forcefully restrained the the Aether once again. I absorbed it back into my body, and fell to the floor. I was absolutely exhausted, and everything hurt. My magic was completely drained, as was my body. Mortals weren''t meant to use such power without consequences. Only beings such as the Celestials could use it with ease and suffer no backlash. I reckon the only reason I was able to do so, was my enormous vitality and the power I managed to accumulate over the years. The task would''ve been even more difficult, if it weren''t for Cypher''s powers activating at the right opportunity. Even Thanos needed a gauntlet, to use the infinity stones, and he was a Titan. My X-gene mitigated a lot of the strain put on my mind and body. I also happened to glimpse which dimension my X-gene was connected to, and let''s just say it was something beyond comprehension. .. Seeing his wife alive and breathing, Odin goes to pick her up and take her to the healers. I could see his concern for her, and how relieved he was that she was still alive. Thor helped me up from the floor, and out of nowhere gave me hug. "Enigma. This debt shall never be forgotten. Asgard itself is in your debt. Thank you, for saving my mother." He sincerely said. I gave him a nod, as no words were needed to be spoken. I went to rest in my room, so I can recuperate, the Aether was taking an enormous toll on my body. And, I had to reseal it back into it''s container, before it was too late. .. A couple of hours later, we were standing in the throne room. Although, I was successful in saving her life, it seems that the queen had gone into a deep slumber. I was standing before Odin, explaining the sequence of events, that led to the queen almost dying. " Malekith entered the room. They fought with swords and the Queen won. He had two other elves with him, I managed to kill one, but the big one escaped with Malekith. " I explained. Thor nodded, solemnly, saying, "I intend to pursue Malekith." "You overestimate the power of those creatures." Odin said. "No, I value our peoples lives. Enigma and I will go to the Dark World and draw the enemy away from Asgard. Malekith will come for it, and we will have our chance to destroy him." Thor argued. "If you fail, you risk the Aether falling into the hands of the enemy." Odin simply stated. "The risk is far greater if we do nothing. His ship could be over our heads right now and we''d never even know it." Thor said. "If and when he comes, his men will fall by ten thousand Asgardian blades." Odin said. "And how of our men shall fall on theirs?" Thor asked. " As many as are needed! We will fight! Until the last Asgardian breath, the last drop of Asgardian blood." Odin ruthlessly stated. "And how are you different from Malekith?" Thor asked. Odin chuckled, before saying, "The difference, my son, is that I will win." Odin then looked towards me and says. " Asgard is in your debt. After all of this is done, ask for a boon of your choosing. Asgard always pays its debts." Thor stormed out of the Throne room fuming, going to god knows where. I went back to our assigned rooms, and before entering, I saw the door next to mine open. Jane and Darcy came out, and as soon as they saw me, started asking me questions. " What happened?" Jane asked clearly worried. "Odin is trying to mount a defence and wait for the Dark Elves to come back. Thor disagreed. They argued for a while and Thor stormed off." I summarized. " What about Thor''s mom is she going to be okay?" Darcy asked. "Yeah. Thor was really upset when we saw him." Jane added. I nod and say, "Oh yes. She''ll be fine. We just don''t know when she''ll wake up." They go silent for a while. Before, Jane breaks the silence and says, " I''m going to go look for Thor." Darcy and I were left standing, so I turned to her and said," Go explore for a bit. I don''t think one gets many chances to go sightseeing in a realm filled with gods." " Then, what are you going to do? " Darcy asked. " I''m going to visit a friend." I said. .. At a bar somewhere in Asgard, Thor was sitting alone when Heimdall walked up to him. " You''re not in Odin''s war council?" Thor questioned, clearly confused. " The Bifrost is closed by your father''s orders. No one is to come or to go." Heimdall said. Heimdall took off his helmet and placed it on the table. "We face an enemy that is invisible even to me. Of what use is a guardian such as that?" He said, with a defeated look on his face. "Malekith will return, you know this. I''ll need your help." Thor said. " I cannot overrule my King''s wishes, not even for you." Heimdall said. "I''m not asking you to. The Realms need their All-Father strong and unchallenged, whether he is or not. But he is blinded, Heimdall, by hatred and by grief." Thor said. "As are we all." Heimdall countered. "Well I see clearly enough." Thor challenged. "The risks are too great." Heimdall stated. "Everything that we do from here on is a risk, there is no other way." Thor said. Heimdall hesitated before replying, "What do you require of me?" ... Thor was holding a meeting with Sif, Fandral, Volstagg and Heimdall. "What I''m about to ask of you is treason of the highest order. Success will bring us exile and failure shall mean our death. Malekith knew the Aether was here, he can sense its power. If we do nothing he will come for it again, but this time lay waste to all of Asgard." Thor said. "The Bifrost has been shut down and the Tesseract has been lost." Sif said. "There are other paths off Asgard, ways known only to a few." Heimdall said. "One, actually." Thor said, making the others realize he was taking about Loki. " But, even if it was true. We have no idea, where he is." Sif said. " Well, love that''s not true, is it? " A voice suddenly said. They all turned towards that familiar voice, shocked beyond belief. "But... How?" Sif whispered. . . . . Loki turned to her, and with a smirk said, "So, when do we start?" ( Chapter End) ------------------------------------------------------------- For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And 5+ advanced chapters of (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz Chapter 86 - Odins Vault (Pt. 1) For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And 5+ advanced chapters of (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz . . Enjoy ;) ------------------------------------------------------------- " Loki! What are you doing here?" " Apparently, my intellect and cunning are sorely needed, proving once again brute strength is not the answer for everything." Loki said. " Once again you escape my eyes, " Heimdal said, stepping forward. Loki turned to him, " It comes with age. Nothing to be ashamed of really." Heimdall drew his sword," I may be getting old, and my sight not as strong, but my blade is still as sharp. Loki Odinson, in the name of Asgard I order that you return the tesseract, and answer for your crimes." "I have to say brother, this feels oddly familiar," Loki said with a grin as he came to stand next to Thor. Thor grimaced in return before saying. "It seems you haven''t lost your flair for the dramatic, have you been waiting all this while to reveal yourself?" " You know me best brother, there''s nothing like a good dramatic entrance," Loki said. Loki turned towards Heimdall and said." I hate to disappoint, but I''m afraid I have no idea, where the tesseract currently is." " And we''re supposed to believe you?" Sif said, contemptuously. Loki sighed. "Much has happened since then." Thor signed for them to stop," Unfortunately, we need him, at least for now." He then looked towards Loki and said, " I take it, you have heard about mother?" " I did," Loki answered, with cold fury in his eyes. "I know you seek vengeance as much as I do. You help me escape Asgard, fight the Dark Elves, and I will grant it to you, vengeance. And afterward, we shall settle our scores." Thor said. Loki nodded and said," So, what''s the plan ?" .. " I must say brother, I wouldn''t call that a plan." Loki said. " Like it or not, it''s our only option. " Thor said. While they were getting ready to move, Heimdall, Sif and Fandral came up to Thor after the meeting. " You must be truly desperate to ask him for help. What makes you think you can trust him?" Heimdall asked. " He will betray you." Fandral added. Loki who was standing across the room smiled at them, probably guessing what they were talking about. "He will try. And, I''ll be ready for him when he does". Thor answered. "Well, what then? Your lovely Jane and her friend are being guarded by a legion of our Einherjar who will see you coming from miles away." Fandral said. " I think the All Father suspects you might do something, he''s put our guests under house arrest. Especially that sorcerer. " Heimdall said. "I won''t be the one who comes for her." Thor said looking over to Sif. " I shall bring her to you safely," Sif promised. " As for Enigma, the..." Thor said. " That won''t be necessary." I said. They all turned to me surprised by my sudden appearance. Loki didn''t look impressed, and merely rolled his eyes. " Enigma, How did you escape?" Thor asked. " The All Father''s spells are impressive indeed, it took me a while to break through the enchantments he had put in the room. Those anti-teleportation runes were a pain to deal with." I said. " Then what about Jane? Can you free her too." He asked. " I think it would be better to go with your plan to send Sif. He''s got the same runes engraved in her chambers. In the meantime, I need to break into the vault, and it''s going to take me a while to get through them undetected." I said. " Why would you do that? " Heimdall questioned. I turned to him," Odin took the Aether from me, claiming it would be better guarded in Asgard." " And you just gave it to him? " Loki mocked. " I had no choice. Unless I planned on fighting him then and there. " I said. Loki snorted, " Coward" I turned to him, " Oh look who''s here, it''s the God of parlor tricks. Why don''t you go pull a rabbit out of you... " " Enough! This isn''t the time for this." Thor bellowed. " Anyway, carry on with your original plan. I''ll meet you later, after I get the Aether. " I said. They decided to split up, Loki and Thor heading towards their objective. Odin had proved to be a more cunning opponent than I thought, quite different from the incompetent fool he was portrayed in the movies. He maybe getting old, but he was not to be underestimated. Let''s not forget not only was he a god, he has ruled as king for thousands of years. Luckily, I managed to contact Loki through astral projection, similar to what he did with Thor in New Mexico. I informed him of the events that happened in Asgard, and of his mother''s brush with death. Understandably he was pretty upset, and swore right there and then to personally kill Malekith. Who would have guessed Loki, was such a mama''s boy? We made plans to meet at Asgard. And, to conceal the fact we were working together. Getting him to asgard wasn''t too difficult, since I had him use my old sling ring. Normally, It wouldn''t be as effective since Loki relied on his own magical reserves and not dimensional energy like sorcerers normally do. But, it was enough for a one way trip to Asgard. .. " This is so unlike you, brother. So clandestine. Are you sure you wouldn''t rather just punch your way out?" Loki said. "If you keep speaking I just might," Thor said. "Fine. As you wish. I''m not even here. Is this better?" Loki said. Using his magic to cast a glamor spell Loki turned himself into an Asgardian guard. " It''s better company at least," Thor said. Loki turns back into himself but then turns Thor into Sif. "Still, we could be less conspicuous. Hm, brother. You look ravishing. " Loki said. Thor looks down at his body then replies in his own voice" It will hurt no less when I kill you in this form." "Very well. Perhaps you prefer one of your new companions, given that you seem to like them so much." Loki said. Loki then turns himself into Captain America in his full Captain America costume. "Oh, this is much better. Woh. The costume''s a bit much, so tight. But the confidence, I can feel the righteousness surging. Hey, you wanna have a rousing discussion about truth, honor, patriotism? God bless Amer¨C" Loki said. Suddenly Thor grabs hold of Loki puts his hand over his mouth and pushes him against the wall making Loki turn back into himself. " What?" Loki asked. Thor looks to the side and they see two Asgardian guards walking by. They both lapsed into silence, until they finally arrived at their destination. ( Chapter End) ------------------------------------------------------------- For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And 5+ advanced chapters of (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz Chapter 87 - Odins Vault (Pt. 2) For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And 5+ advanced chapters of (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz . . Enjoy ;) ------------------------------------------------------------- Jane and Darcy sat in their guarded room when two of the guards entered. " I''m not hungry." Jane said. "Hey, Do you guys have pizza?" Darcy asked. Noticing Jane''s annoyed look, " What? I''m hungry. If I knew we were going to end up here. I wouldn''t have skipped breakfast." Darcy defended. Suddenly Sif comes up behind the two guards and knocks them out, she looked over to Jane. "Good, let''s go." Jane said. Jane, Darcy and Sif meet up with Thor, with Loki standing beside him. Jane points to Loki. "You''re..?" " I''m Loki. You may have heard of..." Loki said. Suddenly Jane slaps Loki hard in the face. "That was for New York." Jane said. Loki smiles and looks at Thor" I like her." "Umm.. so you''re Loki?" Darcy asked, slightly blushing. "Darcy?!" Jane said, surprised. " What! He''s kinda hot. You already got one brother ." Darcy said. Loki, still smirking, just waves his hand towards Darcy and says, " I can assure you darling, you''d be getting the more superior brother. " Jane just shakes her head, "I''m just going to ignore whatever this is." They all start going forwards as Sif explains, "Thor has a plan." Loki interrupts, "It''s a stupid plan." Sif glares at him for interrupting her and says, "Thor has a plan. We''re going to the dark world, where we''ll destroy Malekith and his soldiers. We''re meeting the rest a few minutes walk away." Darcy raises her hand and says, "No offence, but that sounds like a terrible plan." Sif looks at her, and says, " Don''t worry we will be sending you back to Earth." " How are we going to get there?" Jane asked. "We''re going to steal a ship." Thor said. They suddenly hear voices coming at them, guards. One of them sees them and shouts, "There they are! Capture them!" Sif looks determined and says, "Go. I''ll keep them busy." Thor nods at her in support, and they all turn to go towards the opposite direction, but Sif stops Loki and holds her sword to his neck, "Betray him and I''ll kill you." Loki chuckles and says, "Fair enough." They soon arrive near a black space ship, left behind by one of the Dark elves''. And near the ship was Volstagg. Volstagg and Thor do a forearm shake and he says, "I will give you as much time as I can." Thor nods and pats Volstagg''s shoulders, saying, "Good luck." And they all enter the ship. This time Volstagg stops Loki and repeats the warning Sif gave him. The ship was way advanced. Even compared to Asgard standards. The controls were few, but they were complicated. Loki looks at Thor, who was pressing every button he could see and asks, "You said you could fly this thing?" Thor shrugs and continues his work, says, "How hard could it be?" Thor activates and deactivates many functions in trying out different buttons. They see the guards approaching them and Loki says, "Well whatever you are doing, you better do it fast, brother." "Shut up Loki." Thor grits out. He finally manages to turn the ship on after pressing a button, but inadvertently he ends up destroying 3 of the columns in the room. "I think you missed a column." Loki says, dryly. A few of the smaller Asgardian Chariots start following and firing at the ship, which Thor maneuvers out of the way of. He turns forward, and they see the ship cutting the neck of a large statue. Loki snarks, "Well done, you just decapitated your grandfather." The smaller ships continue to follow and fire at them as they fly over Asgard. Loki continues talking, "You know this is wonderful. This is a tremendous idea. Let''s steal the biggest, most obvious ship in the universe and escape in that. Flying around the city, smashing into everything in sight so everyone can see us. It''s brilliant, Thor! It''s truly brilliant!" Loki suddenly take the controls from Fandral. He turns the ship around and more chariots start following them. "Fandral." Thor says. Fandral nods and says, "Right. For Asgard!" saying that he jumps of the chariot and lands on the pursuers'' ships. Loki starts flying towards the Asgardian mountains, gaining speed. "Loki!" Thor warns him. Loki smirks and says, "If it was easy, anyone could do it." "Are you mad?" Thor asks in disbelief. Loki shrugs and says, "Possibly." Loki continues driving the chariot, towards the mountains, not slowing down. Closer and closer. Suddenly, instead of crashing into the mountains, they pass through them. They come out on the other side of the Portal and into an open land with red skies. Darcy looked all around her clearly amazed, everything was red and dark, and gloomy. It looked to be a wasteland, where hardly anything could survive. " Do you think there''s a chance we can find my car keys?" Darcy suddenly asked. .. (Asgard) Using my spider camouflage, along with a magic concealing spell to hide my magic. I was able to venture through the halls of Asgard without being seen. With Heimdall distracting Odin, and Thor and Loki running a mock in Asgard. I had sometime, before Odin caught on. I used several venom blasts, to knock out several of the Einherjar. (Elite soldiers commanded by Odin to protect the Vault.) After, I was done I began breaking the enchantments placed on the vault. The Vault, more precisely known as Odin''s Vault, also known as Odin''s Treasure Room, was a room in the Royal Palace of Asgard, which held a number of relics that Odin had gained as a result of his victories over the course of his life. Odin captured, stole, purchased and did whatever he could to take all the relics and weapons that could bring about Ragnar?k, and he locked them away in a vault in the base of his palace, so anything he thought could bring the universe down is now under lock and key. It took me a while, to disable the detection runes, but they were simply too many. There were three different types. Detection runes, magic restriction runes, and finally anti-teleportation runes. It wasn''t an easy feat, as those runes were used to help contain powerful weapons of destruction. As soon as I managed to get inside the Vault, I sealed the room with a spell. I looked around and couldn''t help but smirk dryly at the garish displays of various artifacts, left largely untouched over the centuries. War trophies from Odin''s reign sat proudly on pedestals all over the room like they were altars to a past that should be revered. I walked resolutely to the end of the corridor and stood there looking at the Aether. It was surrounded by a protective shield, designed to keep it away from interacting with anything inside the vault. I used my storage pouch to quickly store it, and quickly moved on to the rest of the items in the vault. I started examining some of the items displayed on the pedestals, some of which I''ve read about before, such as the Warlock''s Eye, which was a powerful magical artifact, that used a powerful mind-controlling enchantment that very few can resist. Most of this stuff was fake, or basically useless. But, there was a few items of noteworth that drew my attention. Like the tablet of life and time, which was written by an unidentified Homo mermani during the Hyborian Age. The tablet presented a biochemical formula for a serum, the so-called Lifeline Formula, which could rejuvenate, heal, and grant its user the chance to reach the full evolutionary potential of its race turning the user into a nearly omnipotent immortal. I began to read the rune markings left on the tablet and before I knew it I had the whole thing memorized. I then went over to the pedestal that held the Eternal Flame. The Eternal Flame was the source of Surtur''s power. By placing Surtur''s crown into the Flame, Surtur could be summoned and, if he had already been killed, even resurrected, restored to full power, enabling him to unleash Ragnar?k. The Eternal Flame could resurrect others as well, as demonstrated when Hela used the Flame to revive her army. The Flame''s power was so great that it was the only thing Hela bothered to retrieve from Odin''s Vault, dismissing even the Tesseract as being merely "not bad" in comparison. With no hesitation I placed my hand in the fire and pulled it back out unharmed, with a small piece of the Flame flickering in my palm. I walked by the Casket Of Ancient Winters, which was useless to anyone but a Frost Giant. It could be potentially useful for Loki, but then again. I didn''t fancy the idea of giving him power, I had no control of. Even, the serum I gave him, had some safeguards put in place incase he tries to betray me. I sighed, "If he could only be trusted, such a shame." ( Chapter End) ------------------------------------------------------------- For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And 5+ advanced chapters of (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz Chapter 88 - Its A Trap (1) For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And 5+ advanced chapters of (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz . . Enjoy ;) ------------------------------------------------------------- (Svartalfheim) After their failed attack on Asgard, Malekith and Algrim were flying over Svartalfheim. They were discussing plans to mount another attack, when Malekith suddenly felt something. "We must attack now. The Asgardians are at their weakest, Odin a shell of his former self, we must... " Algrim stated. "No. Asgard is not important anymore. The Aether has returned home." Malekith said. .. I arrived at Svartalfheim, only to see Darcy sitting on the ground, next to Jane who was lying next to her with a blanket over her. I scanned my surroundings, and could sense Malekith''s ship approaching us. I also saw Thor holding Loki by the throat. I cleared my throat, " This isn''t the time, we don''t have much time, before Malekith arrives." Thor dropped Loki, and told him, "I wish I could trust you." Loki spoke up from behind Thor, "He hurt mother. Trust my rage." Loki then turned to me, and said, " Ahh, so you''re finally here? I hope you had fun robbing the vault, Odin did have a habit of collecting weapons of mass destruction." "It wasn''t bad, but If I''m honest I''ve seen better." I said. Jane suddenly got up from the ground, where she was sleeping, and after getting rid of the kinks in her body, turned to me, and said, " So, what now?" " I''m sending you girls back to Earth. Things are going to get ugly here, and I''m sure Dr. Selvig would appreciate it, if he''s out of the mental institution." I said, as I opened a portal back to London. " Wait, couldn''t we have done that from the start?! " Darcy exclaimed, recalling their less than stellar escape from Asgard. I shrugged," I was busy robbing a vault. " Jane looked distracted and Darcy nudged her to bring her to attention." Yeah, right we should probably get back." Jane said. She looked towards Thor," Will I see you, again?" He slowly approached her, and said," I give you my word, that I will return to you." As he embraceed her, she smiled at him, " I''ll hold you to that." As they finished their goodbyes, Thor nodded at me. Jane and Darcy returned to earth via the portal, and only the three of us were left. " Now, that the women are gone, what''s the plan." Loki said. I opened my bag of holding and took out several vials filled with what looked like a black powder. I poured them out on the ground, and then took out a blue disk. I threw the blue disk at the pile of black powder, and moments later I was staring at a few hundred CSC drones. " What are those?" Thor asked. " They''re drones" I said. I started using my Meta ability to vocalize runes, and used it to temporarily enchant the drones. After I was done, I activated them and had Diana and Sophie take control of them. As soon as they were activated, they started to disappear from sight, turning invisible. " I don''t think a bunch of toys are going to help us beat Malekith, and that brute he has with him." Loki said. " No, but it should help us take care of the fodder, and significantly weaken them. Here take these." I said. " Rings?" Thor questioned. " It''s a prototype. They''re carved with a bunch of Runes, they''ll help us communicate telepathically, and a bunch of other added benefits. " I said. Pym particles turned out to be more useful, than I initially thought. I realized we''ve been merely scratching the surface. I mean the avenues one could pursue with it, were innumerable. Logistics wise I now have the ability to carry supplies, or even weapons of mass destruction on my person wherever I go. Adding more versatility to combat and transportation. These rings were a prototype, I''ve been recently working on. It was my very first attempt at magitech. The two silver rings I gave them were fitted with two blue glowing gems each. They were made out of vibranium, and had a bunch of runes carved onto them, and all of it was powered by miniaturized arc reactors. As soon as both of them put on the rings. I could feel a telepathic connection being formed between the three of us. '' This is quite strange.'' Thor thought. '' Oh, so you do have a mind in there. I always thought it would be empty.'' Loki thought. '' Well, the snake pit you call a mind, isn''t my idea of a pleasant time either.'' Thor thought. '' I knew this wasn''t a good idea. '' I thought, as I listened to Thor and Loki fight. After I was done telling them my plan, loki suddenly said. " Are you sure, this will work? " I sighed, " Just trust me on this. It''s our best chance at ending this once and for all. " I said. They both nodded in hesitation, but I could still see their reluctance. About 15 minutes later, Thor called out, to gain my attention, " Enigma! " We all look above and see a ship entering the atmosphere of the planet. It traveled a few ways ahead of us and landed right in the clearing ahead of us. ''Loki, you know the plan.'' Thor communicated. "Are you ready?" I asked. They all nodded, saying yes. "Wait." I say suddenly, as the symbiote separated from me, leaving the suit behind, while it formed a temporary bond with Thor. "What? Why?" Thor asked. " Don''t underestimate Malekith''s lieutenant. He''s far stronger than you think. Besides, I still have my magic. And, let''s just say it''s a bad idea to give a Runemaster time to prepare." I said. '' Plus it wouldn''t hurt, if I have a complete genetic template of Asgardian DNA by the time this is over.'' I secretly thought. Algrim Malekith''s lieutenant was a Dark Elf who became empowered by a Kurse Stone. I remembered reading about it, in one of Belasco''s books. The Compendium of Cursed Objects. It was a mystical object used by prominent Dark Elf soldiers to improve their physical capabilities beyond those of normal members of the species, but at the cost of certain death after the resulting transformation. Algrim was incredibly strong, and without any sort of strategy. He could easily overwhelm Thor. After the symbiote was finished bonding with him, lightning suddenly started to sparkle around him. His eyes glowed, and I could feel he was at least a few times stronger than before. "I''ve never felt such power. " He groaned. " Yeah, it happens the first time. " I said. " What about me, don''t I get a little boost." Loki spoke up. I rolled my eyes, and pulled out a couple of vibranium daggers, "Here." He held them in his hands," Not bad. They''re very well balanced." He complimented. " I''m sure they are. Just make sure to give them back... and the ring." I said dryly. " Oh yes, I''ll be sure to do just that." He said dismissevly, still focused on the daggers. ( Chapter End) Chapter 89 - Its A Trap (2) Horns sounded on the horizon and a hord of dark elves lead by Malekith streamed over the hills. Thor and Loki stood at the front, just waiting for them. While, I hid behind the edge of the mountain. The elves stopped and a group of 2 walked to the middle. Malekith and Algrim, leading them. " The Aether. Give it to me, and l will see to it Asgard is spared my wrath."Malekith coldly stated. "We are not going to surrender to you and let Asguard fall to the likes of you. We will fight you, and you will die a slow painful death." Thor replied. Malekith met Thor''s hard stare with one of his own. "Very well Asgardian, l will see it that you become my pet once we have crushed you. You will forever lay bound at my feet." He snarled. "I would love to see you try." Thor returned and grinned. Malekith eyed Loki. " An Asgardian, and... " He stated in a cold voice. " Let me introduce myself." Loki said. Suddenly, Loki brought out a dagger and stabbed Thor in the stomach, and threw him down. "I am Loki of Jotunheim and I bring you a gift!. I ask only one thing in return, a good seat from which to watch Asgard burn." Loki said. Malekith seeing this, started walking leisurely towards Thor, with the rest of the Dark Elves following behind him. Algrim turned to Malekith and said, "He is an enemy of Asgard. I heard he betrayed them, and escaped." Malekith walked over to Thor squirming in pain on the ground. Loki then took out a small container filled with some sort of red liquid, and threw it at Malekith''s feet. Malekith kneeled to pick it up, all whilst smiling, but moments later, his expression drastically changed. He crushed the container in his hand, and snarled, " This isn''t the Aether." Malekith spun towards my direction, and shouted, " Cease your petty tricks, I can sense the Aether''s true location." Although, I was discovered, it was already too late. They were all in position, and Malekith had no where to run. An invisible barrier suddenly sprung forth, and surrounded us all. I channeled as much of my magic, as I could into my voice and said, " Gravitas!" The surrounding gravity instantly increased to a 100 fold. Some of the Dark Elves were killed almost right away, crushed by the weight of their own body. Sounds of legs breaking and probably spines, killing or fatally injuring them all very rapidly. The ones who didn''t immediately die would be those who are lying on their back. The drones started picking the ones, who survived one by one. Leaving none alive, they were slowly dying from the immense gee-forces, slowly flattening them. So, I was essentially giving them a quick death. The rings I previously gave, Thor and Loki were enchanted to protect them from the sudden increase of gravity. The catch was, they wouldn''t be able to move, until the spell was over. I ended the spell 15 seconds later. But, the damage was already done. Except for Malekith, Algrim, and a couple of Elves, none of the elves were left alive. I made sure to keep their ship out of range, and sent a few drones to secure it. " It was smart using those black hole implosion grenades, to distort the gravity around you." I said, genuinely surprised by his quick thinking. " Curse, you sorcerer!" Malekith roared. Although they survived, it wasn''t without cost Malekith was heavily injured, the two soldiers behind him barely alive. Algrim though? I turned towards where the crater was and saw Algrim slowly standing up, getting out of the crater. He shook his head, looked at us and started running towards us with heavy footsteps. So heavy that the ground shook with his steps. He was heading right towards Loki. " Oh, for fuck''s sake!" Loki exclaimed. ( Chapter End) ------------------------------------------------------------- For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And 5+ advanced chapters of (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz Chapter 90 - Sacrifice For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And 5+ advanced chapters of (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz . . Enjoy ;) ------------------------------------------------------------- In only a few seconds, Algrim arrived infront of Loki and slammed right into him. Unexpectedly though, Algrim went right through Loki. It turns out it was a just an illusion. Algrim started looking around in confusion, when we all suddenly felt a mean chill grab the air. Loki reappeared unharmed, and as the temperature dropped faster and faster, blue crept over Loki''s skin. Loki''s eyes faded to red, as faint lines of lighter blue crept over his face, arms, and torso to form intricate designs. He breathed out a chilly breath," Well that was dangerous." " Loki!" Thor exclaimed. I was slightly surprised, since I didn''t expect Loki to blatantly display his Frost giant heritage. Loki always seemed to dislike his blue skin, and the fact he was born a frost giant. I mean the guy despised his own race so much, he killed his biological father and tried to destroy his home world using the Bifrost. '' Why the change of heart?'' I asked in curiosity. '' I discovered it was easier to use my powers, while in this form. While, I dislike the blue, I can''t exactly help it.'' He communicated telepathically. Algrim tried charging at him again, but Loki blasted him back with an ice blast, momentarily slowing him down. A loud cracking sound came from behind us, and with a panicked expression. Loki suddenly shouted. "THOR!" Thor spun to see a dagger that was aimed straight at his heart. But, before Thor could blink, I opened a small blue portal, and redirected the dagger back to its wielder. We all turned to see Malekith, with blood running down his cheek. The dark elf had obviously not expected his attack to miss, and managed to dodge at the last second. His blood red eyes shone, with anger, and with an inhuman roar, " Sorcerer! Again you interfere. I swear I''ll tear you to pieces if it''s the last thing I do." '' How did he recover so fast!? '' Loki thought in alarm. My eyes quickly darted to the scene that laid beneath Malekith''s feet. It seems Malekith took advantage of our momentary distraction. The last two elves, who happened to survive the attack, looked like mummified husks. If I had to guess, whatever what was left of their vitality was used in a sacrificial ritual to help Malekith recover faster. '' Blood Ritual.'' I thought. "Algrim, that sorcerer has the Aether!" Malekith, pointed at me. Thor called lightning to himself, and charged his hammer to its full capacity, and blasted it at Malekith. Algrim took this chance to run towards me as fast as he could. I immediately teleported away, and reappeared right behind Algrim. I slammed my hand on the ground, and casted two runes simultaneously. "Gravitas!" " Inverto!" Algrim was immediately launched into the sky, like a bullet. Disappearing from sight. I dropped to the ground panting, exhaustion overcoming me. Double casting is never a good idea, especially when you overcharge a Rune. I ended up using my original spell Gravitas which increased gravity by a factor of one hundred, and then reversed the runes''s effect with an inversion rune. Launching Algrim into to the stratosphere. Unfortunately, channeling this much energy to cast one rune after another, left me utterly exhausted. I turned my head slightly towards the battle right next to mine, where, Thor and Loki fought side by side. Loki was utilizing long range ice attacks to distract, and slow down Malekith, while Thor was engaged in close combat. Malekith''s dagger slipped through Thor''s guard, catching him along his jawline. Thor paid it no mind, knowing it was an attempted to distract him, so the elf could follow it up with another attack. I stood back deciding to let them handle it, I was already exhausted from the large amount of energy I had to expend, not to mention the barrier spell I was still maintaining. Malekith was getting slowly overwhelmed by the two brothers, and It wouldn''t be long before he was defeated. Sensing his end nearing, Malekith made a desperate attempt. He sacrificed his left arm, and threw a wild swipe of his dagger, that happened to cut a large gash on Loki''s inner thigh. Loki yelped and scrambled backwards. Thor took this opportunity to blast him away with his hammer, and he was thrown back several feet, his head hitting the dirt with a thud, leaving him temporarly disoriented. "Leave it to me brother, his end shall be at my hands," Thor said. Loki froze his injury with his ice, and stumbled back a bit. " Then, I''ll leave it you." Loki said. Malekith still on the ground, raised his arm towards me. I felt something amiss. And, was about to teleport away, my bag of holding started to shake, and something exploded out of it. The vial containing the Aether fell down on the ground, in the form of small crystals. It slowly started rising and moved towards Malekith. Thor charged Mjolnir full of lightning, and blasted it at the Aether. The Aether got lifted off into the air, slowly rising upwards, pushed by Thor''s lightning. The Aether, and Thor''s lightning, exploded in a brilliant explosion of red mist, spreading the Aether everywhere. Malekith''s eyes were wide with anticipation. Blood spilling in a slow trickle from the sides of his mouth. His shining red eyes looked up at me. And, I could feel the malice coming from it. The red mist, that had fallen down on the ground, slowly started rising and moved towards Malekith. I was about to teleport next to Malekith, but I knew I wouldn''t make it in time. I communicated telepathically with Thor. "Kill him Thor, end it. The Aether cannot be destroyed" My voice echoed in his head. The Aether almost within his reach, "You''re all too late." Malekith roared. Unexpectedly though, the Aether froze right before it reached Malekith, and merely floated in the air. We were all confused for a second, before Malekith suddenly felt a chill behind him. " Well, I''d like to think I''m just on time. " A voice whispered into his ears. Malekith slowly turned to see Loki''s icy blue eyes staring at him. " Impossible..." Malekith said. The injured Loki who was standing right next to Thor, suddenly disappeared, and reappeared behind Malekith holding a spear made out of ice, piercing Malekith''s chest. Thor stopped and sighed in relief, thinking it was finally over. But Malekith wouldn''t give up so easily, he suddenly turned around and pulled the still standing Loki towards himself, piercing him with the same spear. I widened my eyes in disbelief , but quickly controlled myself. "NOOO!" Thor yelled out, in anguish. Loki realizing he wouldn''t be able to survive this, took a step closer to Malekith, impaling himself further. "See you in hell, Monster." Loki said, before Ice started to spread from the stab wound, freezing Malekith from the inside out, turning him into an ice statue. Thor in his rage threw Mjolnir with his full strength, shattering Malekith''s frozen body into a million pieces. Thor rushed over to Loki."No. No, no, no! Oh, you fool, you didn''t listen!" "I know. I''m a fool. I''m a fool!" Loki breathed out in pain. " Stay with me, okay?" Thor pleaded. "I''m sorry. I''m sorry." Loki whispered. " Shh." Thor said. "I''m sorry." Loki said. "It''s okay. It''s alright. I''ll tell father what you did here today." Thor said. I started walking towards where Thor was cradling his brother. "I didn''t do it for him." I hear Loki whisper, as he finally stops breathing. "NOOOO!" Thor screamed out, anguished at the loss of his brother. ... I opened a portal back to Earth, and dropped off Thor, at Jane''s apartment. As soon as Jane saw him, she simply went and hugged Thor. " Thank you for bringing him back to me." Jane said. " Take care of him for me, although Loki was an asshole, he was Thor''s brother. His death hit him pretty hard." I said. " I understand, just leave him to me." Jane said. I left Thor to grieve, but didn''t forget to absorb the Symbiote back into my body. I said my goodbyes, and told Thor to keep the ring incase he needed to contact me again. ( Svartalfheim) I started walking towards a cave, where we left the Aether, and Loki''s body. I had to retrieve the Aether, since leaving it unattended could potentially spell disaster. I sat down on the ground near Loki''s body, "You know back on Earth, that performance would be worthy of an Oscar." Loki''s body didn''t move, not even a little for close to a full minute. I just raised my eyebrow and looked at him, as the illusion suddenly dropped. He was still there, laying on the ground, uninjured. "How''d you know?" Loki asked, in curiosity. "You forgot the ring. Dumbass. You''re lucky I cut the connection, before Thor noticed. Plus, I doubt your own ice could hurt you. " I said, as I shook my head at him. He sighed in frustration, and said, " So why didn''t you tell Thor that I''m alive?" He asked me. Still calm. I think for a moment and say, " I know your plan of overthrowing Odin and taking his place on the Throne. The thing is, I honestly don''t care who rules Asgard." Loki smirked, " I know, I agreed on helping you defeat Thanos. But, what stops me from going back on our deal? When I already have Asgard in my hands. " " For one simple reason, if nothing changes. Thanos will be the one, who kills you. Right after the destruction of Asgard. " I solemnly said. He was silent for a bit, as he thought things through, " Why should I believe you? How do I know you''re not trying to deceive me." He suddenly said. In response I used a spell to show him a memory, well several actually. Loki was immediately bombarded with hundreds of scenes, where he gets killed either by Thanos or Hella herself. These memories were obtained from the millions of possibilities, I saw using the time stone. I only let him see the moment of his demise, without giving him more information or context about how or why these events happened. Seconds later, he collapsed to the ground sweating profusely, his breathing was labored and I could see the panic in his eyes. "I think as a master illusionist, you should be able to know the difference between, a fabricated memory and a real one." I said. He visibly gulped and asked, "You won''t tell me how you know all this, will you?" " No, I won''t. So, what''s it going to be? Are you in or out?" I asked. He got up to stand while dusting himself, he then extended his hand, and said, " I''m in." (Chapter End) ----------------------------------------------------------- For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And 5+ advanced chapters of (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz Chapter 91 - Twin Stars A few weeks after the whole Dark Elves mess, I was standing once again in front of Limbo''s core. In this chamber three raised pedestals were surrounding the Promethium heart. Each pedestal had a runic chain branching from it, leading up to a complex runic matrix surrounding the core. The center pedestal was already occupied with the space stone. So, I walked towards the right pedestal and took out the Reality Stone. It didn''t take much convincing for me to get Thor to agree on letting me safeguard the reality stone. His original plan of giving it to the collecter was rejected, since it would be Idiotic to give one of the gems of creation to someone who''d sell it to the highest bidder. Since, Malekith corrupted the Reality Stone, for his own purposes, I had to purify it first, before, I used it for my own purposes. Using a process similar to what I did with limbo, I used the Space Stone''s power in conjuction with the Light dimension''s purifying power to achieve my goal. It took me a few weeks, but here I was standing with the purified and original form of the stone. I placed the reality stone into its grove, and same as before the pedestal pulsed with energy. The immense amount of energy of using one Infinity Stone, not to mention six at once would normally kill anyone who attempts it. There are a few exceptions of course, but unless you''re a Celestial or from an especially powerful race like the Eternals you''re out of luck. Even with the Infinity Gauntlet, Thanos a mutated Eternal was the only one who could use them without any apparent side effects. In my training as a sorcerer, and due to my talents as a programmer. I was always taught to think outside of the box. My strength as a sorcerer was limited due to my reluctance on forming pacts with any of the ''gods'' or various extradimmensional beings. So, I decided to get a little ''creative''. I came up with a complex runic array that let me slowly channel the infinity stone''s power to limbo''s Promethiuem core. The core saturated by the power of the infinity stones would slowly gain its characteristics, and through my connection to limbo. I could utilize a small part of the stone''s powers. Simply put, the whole dimension known as limbo became a magical conduit capable of harnessing the power of the Stones. It wasn''t ideal since my physical body limited how much energy I could safely channel. But, it was worth it in the end. After a year of siphoning the space stone''s power. I gained the ability to teleport and create portals, without the aid of a sling ring. Granted most of the energy was being used to expand Limbo''s domain and stabilize the dimension. But, in a few years, even if the Promethieum core were to disappear, limbo wouldn''t be affected, since the dimension would''ve grown stable by that point. A few seconds later, the Reality stone''s chaotic energy stabilized. The Reality Stone was one of the six Infinity Stones, the remnant of a singularity that predated the universe, which represented the fabric of reality. It allowed the user to alter reality in effectively any way they see fit. This included changing reality in ways that would normally be impossible. The laws of physics basically no longer apply when the Reality Stone is concerned. If the user wants 2+2=5, they can make that happen. The Reality Stone, perhaps more than any other, is much more limited by the imagination of the user than anything else. The one real limitation that the Reality Stone has is that changes it makes to reality are generally not permanent without the Power Stone as well. But, with the Promethieum core as a power scource, it should be enough to sustain my newest creation. I could feel a new connection forming in my mind, so I held out my hand, and decided to test it. I started imagining subatomic particles without an electrical charge, and with a slightly larger mass than protons coming into existence. I urged the newly formed particles to rotate, which caused them to gain mass and spin-up to very fast rotation rates at up to several hundred times per second. The electrons and protons began combining at an accelerated rate producing neutrons. The neutron particles started emitting beams of electromagnetic radiation, and trace amounts of repulsive nuclear forces. I teleported out of the core chamber and to the surface. I searched around for any sign of life around me, but found none. "Let''s do this the old fashioned way then." I said, before teleporting, millions of miles away into space. " This should be far enough," I said, before I hurled the ball of light away from me. I immediately teleported back, and waited. Seconds later, a blinding light covered the dimension known as limbo. With batted breaths, I observed what was happening... The birth of a Star. .. " Master! What''s going on." I heard Castiel''s panicked voice, through our telepathic connection. "Don''t worry Castiel, it''s me. Everything''s fine." I said, trying to calm him down. " Forgive me, Master! Had I known I wouldn''t have disturbed you. I must go calm my sibilings, they''re still young and easy to panic." He said. " There''s nothing to forgive, if anything I was the one who grew a little too excited. I should have warned you about it. " I said. (A few days later) "You still aren''t telling me where we are going? And, is the blindfold really necessary? " Jean asked, after 30 seconds of silence. I got closer to her and said, "Would you want me to spoil the surprise, Jean ? It would not be fun now, would it?" I kissed her on the lips after that. Jean smiled into the kiss and said, "This is certainly fun." I separated myself from Jean, and said, "Come on. Let''s go now." I picked her up, and started walking into a portal. As soon as we were through, Jean picked up a sound, she asked, "Are we on a beach?" I smiled and said, "Yup. A private beach. I made it into a holiday house for us." "A whole island? For ourselves for the next 2 days?" She asked. "Not...exactly. More like a whole dimension..." I said. " A dimension?" She asked, clearly confused. " We''re in limbo. Well, what used to be limbo anyway." I said. She still looked confused, since last time she was here, this place was akin to a hell dimension. Deciding it would be easier to show her than to explain. I removed her blindfold, and pointed at the sky. She looked up, only for her jaw to drop. "It''s... beautiful." She whispered in awe. " You see that one over there,." I said. She dumbly nodded her head. " Well, I may have went a little overboard." I said. She quirked her eyebrows," What do you mean?" "Well, the first one started to fragment, after I made it and was about to collapse due to it''s own gravitational force. I thought my attempt failed, and was about to start over when, an idea hit me." I said, as I held her hand. " They''re called Twin Stars. And like human fraternal twins, though they were born in the same environment, the pair will grow up to look very different. The bigger twin will die first, and if the pair stay close enough throughout their lives, it could even turn into a supernova." I continued. " But, how is that even possible? " She asked. " Do you remember, what I told you about the infinity stones? " I said. " Yes, you said, Thanos was going to use them to wipe out half the universe. " She said. " Well, that''s what''s possible, with 2 of them. You see those two stars over there. I named that one Grey, while the other is named Ramis. " I said. " You named them after us?" She asked, after a beat of silence. I nodded my head in confirmation, and before I knew it, Jean started removing her clothes while looking right into my eyes. Moments later, I started doing the same. As soon as we are in our last clothes, I smirked at her, picked her up in the fireman''s carry and started running towards the ocean. "Hey! What''s with you and picking me up today?" She asked. Instead of answering, I repeated my actions from when I''d picked her up before, distracting her. "Well, if that''s your answer then I agree too." Jean whispered out. Soon we reach the water and I droped her into it. The house was completely furnished, and had food enough for a few months of stay, so we had no trouble in that. We stayed there for the whole weekend, enjoying our holiday, work free, no interruptions. ( Chapter End) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And 5+ advanced chapters of (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz Chapter 92 - Weapon X Steve rubbed his cold hands together as he entered the warmth of the bar he''d stopped at for dinner. He''d been on the road with the bike SHEILD had set him up with for a couple months now. The travel had been good for him. Being on the road and making his own decisions about where to eat and sleep made him feel more like himself than he had for a long time. It may sound a little backward, because Steve felt out of place almost everywhere he went, but he also felt like he had more control over his life. He figured that he would get called back to SHIELD and the Avengers Initiative eventually, but for now, he was enjoying what freedom he had. He scanned the place briefly, taking in the light evening crowd. There was a small group at the bar closest to one of the TVs watching a football game, and a few other lone patrons seated along the length of the bar. The rest of the room was filled with tables and booths that were mostly empty. The place didn''t look like anything special, which was perfectly fine with him. The clerk at the gas station a couple miles back had said this was the place for a great burger, and that''s all the persuasion he needed. He stepped up to the bar to order and only had to wait a moment for the bartender to make her way over. "What can I get you?" Steve smiled. "I''ve heard you have great burgers." "That we do! How would you like it?" The bartender pulled out an order pad and a pen. "Just a classic cheeseburger and fries is good. I''ll take a Coke too." The bartender nodded and Steve gave his thanks before turning to find a booth. He didn''t have to wait long for his food, and the burger was indeed tasty. Steve enjoyed just sitting and taking in the atmosphere while he ate He was contemplating his next destination, when raised voices at the bar caught his attention. The commotion was coming from the group that had been watching the football game. "Come on, boys. It''s just a game. No hard feelings, eh?" Steve had to take a moment to shake the sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu from that voice. He approached them, as they jeered and stood from their barstools. The four men blocked Steve''s view of the other man that had apparently offended them. Steve approached. "Now, fellas. There wouldn''t be a problem here, would there?" "It''s none of your business, buddy! We''ll deal with this asshole how we see fit!" came the loud and slightly slurred bark from one of the men. Steve ignored them and finally laid his eyes, on who was standing behind them. "Logan?" He said. .. Pounding back his beer he ordered another and a double shot of whisky. Shaking his head he waited for his round and figured he might as well get it over with. "What do you want Cap?" Logan asked gruffly. " I''ve been meaning to talk to you, but I couldn''t find you after New York?" Steve said. " Why do you want to talk?" Logan asked. Steve grew silent for a moment, as he started to think. He had been left with that nagging sense of familiarity ever since that day in New York. "Did you have a grandfather in the service by any chance?" Steve asked finally. "Can''t say I''d rightly know that." Logan said after a thoughtful pause. " James Howlett. He and I fought together in World War II. I was hitting Hydra bases with the Commandos, when we ran into him and Victor. They ended up helping us in taking down Hydra." Steve said. "Victor..." Logan muttered. As Logan listened to Steve, for a strange moment Logan thought he could hear the howl of incoming artillery, the roar of machine-guns, and the crack of rifles, all mixed in with shouting and screaming men and the scent of blood, fear and fire. Logan took a deep breath, shook his head, and forced himself back to the present. "Are you his son... or grandson," Steve asked, slowly as he carefully examined him. " I have no idea what you''re talking about, bub. All I remember from that time is the Japanese POW camp, and I don''t remember you being there." Logan said. "Why are you still so young?" Steve asked. "Did you get frozen like me?" Logan shook his head, "No. I just don''t age as fast as most people. You know about mutants right?" Steve shook his head, "I''d say that''s incredible, but the last few months have been nothing but incredible." Things grew silent for a moment. Steve was almost certain the man he was talking to was his old friend James. "So, you don''t have any memory of me at all?" Steve couldn''t help but ask. "Look, kid. A lot of messed up shit has happened to me in the past few decades. There are a lot of things I don''t remember these days. It''s nothing personal." Logan said. " Then, I think you''ll want to hear what I have to say." Steve said. Meanwhile, in an unknown location. "Your objective is simple. Your target is a carrier of secrets and a weapon that is vital for our plans." A quick buzz behind the Asset made him tense up, which only made the coming pain of the electric baton worse. Pictures of the target started flicking on the wall in front of them, mixed with clips of war, death, and pain. The voice that the Asset wasn''t sure if he feared or revered started speaking: "Shest, Ottsy, khranilishche, ukushennyy," Another electric baton struck the Asset, in the ribs. He had to grit his teeth, tasting metal in his mouth, but he was at least still on his feet. The pain started to dull as the Asset only could hear the words. The blankness of the mind was accepted readily. He may have been screaming, he may have started bleeding from the nose, but he did not fall. "Motor, nizhniydragotsennyy, poteryannyy." When the Asset came back to, there was no one in the room. The exit was open, and a file lay open on the table. Weapon X, it read in red ink. The Asset took it and left the base, nothing more than a weapon, on his way to complete a mission. ( Limbo) "Jean?" I called out. We were both sleeping on my bed, Jean cuddling me on me left. With her beautiful red hair splayed over my chest. "Yeah?" Jean asked, looking up from my chest. I kissed her forehead, pulling her closer to me,, "You don''t hate me, do you?" I asked. She looked up at me, climbed on top of me and kissed me. "Would I do this if I hated you?" She asked, taking off her top. I smiled at her, "Can''t exactly argue with that." I said, as I pulled her down and kissed her again. "But, seriously. I really do keep neglecting you." I said, pulling her into me and hugging her. She hugged me back and said, " Then you should start making a habit of taking me with you. " I looked at her, and smirked, "So, what if I told you I planned on going to space?" She immediately jumped up and looked at me, excited, "Are you serious!? " "Well, yeah I''m serious. It''s not that farfetched is it? I mean we just spent the last couple of days in another dimension." I said. Jean narrowed her eyes at me and said, " Yeah, but that''s hocus pocus stuff. I always wanted to go to space," I nodded hesitantly, having no idea where she''s going with it. She continued, "Just imaging the two of us, in a spaceship traveling the universe..." "Well, once I take care of a couple of things, we''ll be free to go." I said. She smirked at me, pecks me on the lips, and says, "I can''t wait." She went silent for a bit,, " Where exactly are we going." I laughed and hugged her. " Let''s make it a surprise." (Chapter End) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And 3+ advanced chapters of (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz Chapter 93 - Reunion For 11+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And 3+ advanced chapters of (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz --------------------------------------------------------------------- The next day, once Jean left, I first checked up on the Promethieum core. Since, the harnessing process was going well, I decided to head back to New York. Once I got to my lab, and after a workout and a shower, Sophie called out to me. "Master, we pinpointed the location of the Inhuman settlement on the moon. We''ve also tried contacting them, but our signal is being blocked by their concealment shields." "It seems I''ll have to personally pay them a visit. Send the schematics of the Chituari spaceships along with the ones from Wakanda to Dr. Pym. I think it''s time Cypher Solutions had its own spaceship. " I said. " Dr. Pym says we''ll have a working prototype by the end of the month." Sophie said, after a few minutes. I nodded my head in satisfaction. " That''s good to hear. How long, before Sage is ready? I can''t exactly go on a space expedition, without someone running the company. " "She should be ready in a month''s time. She''s already done with acquiring 2 PhDs, and is now working on her 3rd one. She''s also doing some field training in our branch in Asia" Sophie said. " What about Diana? Is everything proceeding smoothly with the Anti-Vibranium mining? " I asked. " She has several thousand drones assigned to her, and she''s utilizing the Pym technology, and the Rune gate you created for transport. " Sophie said. Since, everything seemed to be running smoothly I decided to go check out the new company branches we just opened up. My plan was to turn Cypher Solutions into a multi national conglomerate by the end of the year, or that was idea anyway. Not wasting any time I opened a gate straight to London, and left the lab. My first stop was our new Europe branch. .. A door creaked open. A man, who was huddled in the corner, whimpered as an imposing figure stepped through the doorway. "Please don''t hurt me!" he cried, pushing as far back into the wall as he could go. "I won''t try to run anymore, I promise!" The figure who came in did not say a word, only shut the door behind him and sat in the chair facing the bed. "Where can I find this man? " He said, showing the man a picture. "Please! I don''t know anything. " The man said. * Bang!* "Then, you''re useless to me." He said, as he walked away. The man then proceeded to take out a list of names, and crossed one of them off. He looked at the next location he had to check , ''Salem, NewYork'' .. (Salem, New York) Logan and Steve had spent all night talking, well it was mostly Steve telling Logan everything he remembered about their time together. The various missions they went through, the people they saved. And, most importantly the people they lost. There were only two people left in the bar now besides Logan and Steve. The Barkeeper and another regular. Time passed rather slowly until the last regular retired for the night, only Steve and Logan were left. " And, that was the last time I ever saw him." Steve finished. " Sounds like he was one a hell of a man." Logan said. There was a beat of silence, as Steve bowed his head for a moment before looking up, " I''m staying in a hotel nearby, if you happen to be around. Just give me a call. " " Yeah, it''s getting pretty late. Why don''t you go on ahead, I''ve still got a few rounds left to go " Logan said. Steve nodded and said, " It was good seeing you James." Steve had to admit that seeing Logan for even this short time brought out memories, he thought he''d buried long ago. He was a relic and for just a moment he thought he''d finally found someone who''d understand what it felt like to have your whole life pass you by. Bucky, Peggy and Howard, anyone and everyone he''d ever known or loved were simply gone. Steve was halfway across the room, when he was suddenly startled out of his thoughts as the door to the bar opened. He looked up to see a man stepping into the room. A cold rush of air from the outside swept through the room, rustling napkins. The man wore a black hoodie that clung to his body, dripping with cold rain. His hood was pulled far down so that Steve could only see the tip of his nose and his long, square jaw. Accompanied by the hood was a tall jacket collar that was pulled around the man''s neck. This man didn''t seem friendly, and he certainly didn''t want anyone knowing who he was. He approached the bar, and raised his head only slightly, " I''m looking for a man who goes by the name of Logan." He said. Before, the bar keep could say anything. A voice spoke out, and said, " Who''s asking?" The man turned his head slightly in Logan''s direction and said, " An old friend." Logan got up and walked right up to him, and said," Well, I happen to know the guy. And, he doesn''t have many friends." The man raised his head slowly, his cold, heartless eyes meeting Logan''s. A small smile tried to play across his lips, but he twisted it, expressing a sadistic look of mischief instead.," I''m sorry, I must have misspoke. I meant an old enemy." And, before Logan could react the man pulled out a gun and shot him in the head. " James!!" Steve shouted. The hooded man didn''t try to run away but instead, walked over to the drink shelf. He found some of the hardest liquor and poured it into a glass filling it to the brim. The Barkeeper had already ran off, so he figured he might as well help himself to a drink. Steve briefly ignored the hooded man, and ran over to Logan''s side. Logan was lying in a pool of his own blood, and Steve could clearly see the bullet wound on his temple. Steve didn''t have his Shield on him at the moment. He thought it would''ve been too flashy to come into the bar with it, so he ended up leaving it attached to his bike. It didn''t mean he couldn''t fight. It just meant, he had to be more careful, when dealing with his opponent. He slowly got up from his crouching position, and turned around to face his opponent. " Why?" Steve said, through gritted teeth. The man instead of answering, slowly raised his hand towards his hood, and pulled it down revealing his face to Steve. Steve was frozen in his place, as he stared at the man''s face. " Hey, Stevie. Miss me?" The man said, with a smile. "Victor?!" Steve said. .. " Victor! But, how? Why did... Are you insane?! You just shot him in the head!" Steve yelled. Victor just rolled his eyes, and walked over to Logan''s body. Steve was still on guard, but Victor just ignored him and picked up Logan from the scruff of his neck, and raised him up for Steve to see. He wiped some blood off the bullet wound, and using his fingers, dug out the bullet. " See that right there, his wound is already healing. He will be up and running before you know it." Victor said. Steve eyes widened in surprise, as he noticed Logan''s wounds beginning to close up. His expression shifted as it went from anger to confusion, and said, " Then why did you shoot him? " Victor just shrugged, before tossing Logan back on the floor, which illicited a look of disapproval from Steve. " He had it coming." Victor answered. " What do you mean?" Steve asked. Steve didn''t get to interact much with Victor back in the day, but he knew Logan and Victor used to be close, which made this situation even stranger. " Thanks to that idiot over there, I''ve been on the run for the past year. Some of our old acquaintances, not to mention an unsavory fellow has been sniffing around trying to find us." Victor said. " But, why would anyone try and come after you guys? " Steve asked. " Because of this, " Victor said, as he used his claws to make a large cut on his hand. The wound started healing, and in just a few moments. His hand was completely healed. Steve was suddenly struck by a realistion, as he said," New York..." Victor nodded his head, and said" Governments, organizations, people with influence. You name it. Everyone wants a piece of the pie. Aliens weren''t the only thing people found out about that day. And, with the Chituari remains mysteriously disappearing. Mutants were the next best thing. Look I''m running out of time, Hydr... " Victor said. They were suddenly interrupted by several objects smashing in through the windows followed by a bright flash of light. " Shit! They''re already here..." Victor snarled, as he tried to shield his eyes. Moments later they heard another crash as a figure clad in black hurtled through the broken window, launching to the ground at surprising speed. The figure started shooting at them but Steve quickly jumped behind the counter. Victor ignored the bullets, and with a feral snarl charged right at him. Due to his enhanced senses the flash gernade affected him even though he managed to partially shield his eyes. He was still a little disoriented, but that didn''t mean he was any less dangerous. Victor charged at their attacker, and within seconds he arrived right before him with his claws extended. His opponent went to block, with his arm, which if you were to ask Victor was a big mistake when facing him. His claws were sharp enough to easily tear through flesh like it was nothing. Unexpectedly though, this didn''t seem to be the case this time. His attack was stopped dead in its tracks, and with a swift movement his opponent took out something from his pocket and stabbed it right into his neck. The figure quickly jumped back to put some distance between them, and proceeded to carefully observe him. Victor quickly reached behind him and ripped the offending needle from his neck, recognizing it as a sedative. " Sedatives, don''t work on me buddy. " " Are you sure about that?" The Asset asked. He knew from his previous briefing that bullets would only slow him down. So, in preparation for his mission his employers provided him with a special concoction. One that was especially designed to deal with people with healing factors. Victor was about to answer, when he suddenly stumbled and fell to the ground. Victor knew he had been gotten. He could feel the drowsiness set in almost instantly, and before he knew it he was struggling to remain conscious. "Who the hell are you?" He said. The Asset walked up right to Victor, and said, " Wouldn''t you like to know." Before, slamming his fist into his face knocking him out. He then looked towards Logan who was lying unconscious on the floor, and spoke into his comms. " Targets secured. Ready for extraction." " I''m afraid, I''m going to have to ask you to stay." A voice suddenly came out. The Asset jerked around and saw none other than Steve Rogers himself, holding his Shield. ( Chapter End) --------------------------------------------------------------------- For 11+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And 3+ advanced chapters of (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz Chapter 94 - Hail Hydra For 11+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher) And 3+ advanced chapters of (Altered Mind) Check out my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz . . . Enjoy ;) --------------------------------------------------------------------- For a moment, Bucky stood motionless, trying to process what was happening. His mind flashed as a distant memory of a young man, overlapped with the person, standing in front of him. A mental image of a young man who was quite scrawny, getting beat up in an alleyway. The man in the mental image looked familiar, even though the Asset had never seen him before. Captain America, noticing his opponent, was frozen in shock, asked, " Who are you?" Whatever that strange vision, whoever the scrawny blonde boy was, the vision will be gone when the Asset returned to his handlers after completing the mission. Once he''s in the chair, it will be gone. The chair always hurts, but the Asset''s pain is unimportant. The Asset refocused on the current target. Negligence and loss of focus are mission noncompliant, and usually punished. He needed to quickly secure his targets, before his back up arrived. The masked man quickly regained his composure, and raised his gun and fired several shots at Captain America. Cap hastily kicked off the floor and ran along the bar. Bullets following close behind him, leaving a trail of holes. He dashed along the bar shelf, avoiding the machine gun¨Clike rain of bullets, and started closing the distance between them, the gun still pointed at him. Cap quickly threw his shield to knock the gun out of the asset''s hand, and ran right at him. The asset briefly took Steve''s shield, and threw it back at him, but Cap managed to avoid being hit. The asset pulled out another gun, but Steve grabbed his Shield and used it to block most of the bullets. A few managed to graze him, but they were mostly scratches. Realizing the futility of using a gun, the asset opted to engage in hand to hand combat instead. One can guess if you can''t hit something, the logical next step is to do it up close and personal. Both of them assumed fighting stances. And engaged in combat. Things quickly reached a standstill, both opponents equally skilled. The deadlock was quickly broken, by an animalistic growl. The asset purely on instinct, hastily disengaged the fight and jumped back. A metallic glint sailed right past him, clipping his mask and his right arm. The asset lost his balance and hit the floor with a thud, he quickly swiveled around to keep his eyes on his opponent, and was back on his feet in a matter of seconds glaring at this new threat. There was a huge tear across the top of his sleeve, through which a metal arm was clearly visible. His mask suddenly fell off, damaged by the earlier attack. The man dressed in black, had dark brown hair, a scruffy face, and goggles. But the most noticeable thing about the man was the silver, metallic armor on his left arm that almost shined in the light. As the threat, the asset now identified as Weapon X charged forward like a wild animal , the asset hastily jumped to avoid him! He flew over his head like an Olympic vaulter, swiping at him with his metallic arm. He landed, and looked at an aghast Steve, whom by just looking at him, has learned his true identity. ''Bucky...?'' Steve said in shock. "Who the hell is Bucky?" Bucky Barnes said, as he aimed his pistol at Steve. Bucky had a brief look of recognition, but he quickly brushed it aside, and took aim again, but before he could shoot, Logan leapt in and kicked Bucky aside. " James! Wait!" Steve shouted. Logan ignored him, his instincts momentarily taking over. Having been shot in the head, only to wake up with a headache, and the sight of Cap fighting off a man dressed in black. It didn''t take him long, before he was on the attack. He quickly identified the man in black as the threat. Having thought he was the one that shot him. Logan was about to charge in again, when he was suddenly hit with a gernade. A few Hydra agents came barging in, and started laying down some cover fire. Logan was launched back crashing into the bar behind him. But, was already up on his feet, tearing through the Hydra agents. Their screams before they were torn apart, spoke of the brutality of Logan''s attacks. Deciding Logan was the bigger threat, most of the squadron broke off, to try and slow him down. Leaving the asset, and a few agents to handle Captain America. No matter how fast he moved, Logan couldn''t completely dodge an endless rain of bullets. Several bullets pierced his body, tearing through skin and flesh. Perhaps alarmed by the fact that he was still moving after evidently getting filled with bullets and shot with a gernade, the hydra agent''s expression turned sour. " Retrieve the package, and fall back to the base. Weapon X is proving to be quite diffcult." The Hydra agent said, pointing towards Victor''s prone form. The agent then pulled out a gernade launcher, and started shooting at Cap and Logan, in an attempt to slow them down. Since, Logan''s skeleton was literally made of adamantium, it''ll be tough to do much physical damage to him, but the impact still sent him spinning like something out of an action movie, crashing into the wall. Meanwhile Cap used his shield to absorb most of the explosion, intent on catching up to Bucky before he escaped. " Bucky wait!" Steve shouted. Bucky quickly secured Victor''s body, and took the opportunity to vanish in the smoke of the explosion. //////// Soon, the duo heard the sound of choppers after which they were surrounded by Shield agents being led by Natasha. The few Hydra agents still alive, suddenly started foaming at the mouth. Cap checked one of the bodies, and with a grim expression said, "Poison capsules." It was the same protocol Hydra agents followed, when they suspected they were about to get captured. " Steve! What happened!" Natasha said, running up to them. Steve turned to Natasha. His solemn face making her more worried, " Hydra''s back." ( Chapter End) --------------------------------------------------------------------- For 11+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And 3+ advanced chapters of (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz Chapter 95 - The Winter Soldier As the trio were being escorted to Shield headquarters in a helicopter. Steve was lost in his thoughts. He suddenly spoke up, and said, " It was him. He looked right at me like he didn''t even know me." "How''s that even possible? I thought you said he was dead." Logan said. "Zola. Bucky''s whole unit was captured in ''43, Zola experimented on him. Whatever he did helped Bucky survive the fall. They must have found him and..." Steve said, as he came to the most logical conclusion. "None of that''s your fault, Steve." Natasha said, trying to comfort him. "Even when I had nothing, I had Bucky." Steve said. Natasha noticing Logan was bleeding, said "We need to get you to a doctor. We don''t put pressure on that wound you''re gonna bleed out." " Don''t worry about it. I heal fast." Logan said, showing her the bullet wounds on his arms closing up. Natasha raised an eyebrow in surprise, and said, " Okay... not the weirdest thing I''ve seen. But, it''s definitely up there. " Logan smirked, and said," You should see my other party trick." " I think I''ll take a rain check on that." Natasha said. She then turned, to Steve and, said " We should talk to Fury. If what you''re saying is true, and Hydra is back. He''s going to want to hear about it. " .. Inside an abandoned bank vault, a few Hydra scientists were trying to fix Bucky''s metal arm, a result of the damage left behind by Logan''s adamantium claws. As they were fixing it, Bucky was having flashbacks of his old life after he was recovered by Zola and the HYDRA agents. *"Sergeant Barnes..." Dr. Arnim Zola. * Another flash, and this time he was falling off the train at the edge of the mountain with Steve trying to save him. *"Bucky, no! "Steve shouted in desperation. * His mind then flashed to after he was picked up by Hydra agents. *" The procedure has already started." Dr. Arnim Zola said. * He then saw Zola and the Hydra agent amputating his left arm and replacing it with the metal arm.* "You are to be the new fist of HYDRA." Dr. Zola said. * His last vision was of being frozen. Bucky came back to the present and with a jerk of his arm knocked over the HYDRA agent trying to fix his arm. It was at that moment, when Alexander Pierce came walking in, with a few Hydra agents trailing behind him. Noticing he was headed straight for Bucky, one of the scientist tried to warn him, "Sir, he''s...he''s unstable. Erratic." The scientist said, trying to dissuade him from getting any closer. Pierce ignored the scientist, and went right up to Bucky. " Mission report." Alexander Pierce ordered. Bucky looking blank, didn''t respond. "Mission report, now." Pierce repeated. Pierce moved closer to Bucky and suddenly struck him hard in the face. "The man in the bar... Who was he?"Bucky said, as his eyes began to focus. " You met him earlier this week on another assignment." Alexander Pierce said, as he sat down in front of Bucky. " I knew him." Bucky whispered. " Your work has been a gift to mankind. You shaped the century, and I need you to do it one more time. Society is at a tipping point between order and chaos. Soon, we''re gonna give it a push. But, if you don''t do your part, I can''t do mine, and HYDRA can''t give the world the freedom it deserves." Pierce said. " But I knew him." Bucky repeated. Since, Pierce didn''t seem to be getting anywhere he turned to one of the scientists and, said" Prep him." " He''s been out of cryo-freeze too long." The Hydra scientist said. " Then wipe him and start over. And, make sure to send that mutant to the facility. I want a working serum, as soon as possible. We revealed our hand too early, and we''re going to need a trump card." Pierce said. " But... Sir we still have to run some tests, the serum could have serious sid... " The Hydra scientist said. " I don''t care. Find some subjects and test it on them. There''s a homeless shelter a few blocks from here. I''m sure you can figure something out. " Pierce said, before he got up to leave. As soon as, Pierce was gone, the scientists began to strap Bucky in his chair. They placed a teeth shield in his mouth as they begin the process of wiping his brain, all that could be heard was his screams of pain. .. [ Shield Headquarters] Steve was sitting in a conference room, idly turning a coffee cup around in his hands. The three of them were waiting to be debriefed about what happened a the bar. But, it seemed Director Fury was running a bit late. Natasha kept her face blank while Logan glanced at her. Logan wondered why Natasha looked so familiar to him, but he decided it wasn''t important right now. His thoughts were interrupted, when the door suddenly opened. Steve stood up when he saw Fury walk in, the grim expression on his face, spoke of how dire the situation really was. "Director," Steve began slowly¡­uncertain. "What¡­what happened at the bar-" "Yeah, I know. They told me about it," Fury said, meeting his gaze. " The description of the man you fought is consistent, with reports of the Winter Soldier." Fury said. Natasha with a startled gasp, said, " What!?" Steve turned towards her, and said," What''s wrong?" Natasha met Steve''s eyes, and said, "Five years ago, I was escorting a nuclear engineer out of Iran, somebody shot out my tires near Odessa. We lost control, went straight over a cliff, I pulled us out, but the Winter Soldier was there. I was covering my engineer, so he shot him straight through me. A Soviet slug, no rifling. " She said. " There''s no way Bucky would that, I know him. He..." Steve said. "Well, you better believe it. Most of the intelligence community doesn''t believe he exists. The ones that do call him the Winter Soldier. He''s credited with over two dozen assassinations in the last 50 years." Fury said, as he took out a device. As the device began playing, images of dead bodies, and assassinated officials all over the world were displayed one by one, finally stopping at a blurry image of the Winter Soldier. "The Winter Soldier was responsible for numerous assassinations, killing various sorts of targets from scientific minds to political figures, including John F. Kennedy in 1963. " Fury explained. Steve was looking on with disbelief written all over his face. His mind couldn''t reconcile between the Bucky he knew, and this deadly assassin he was told about. "I''m only gonna say this once, Cap, so pay attention. Your friend died seventy years ago. Even if this Winter Soldier is the same man, he''s clearly been twisted by something or someone." Fury warned. Rationally, he knew what Fury was saying was right¡­but the irrational was winning out right now¡­the part of his heart that so desperately wanted to believe his friend was alive¡­that he could somehow get him back¡­rescue him¡­as he hadn''t been able to do before. "Well, Sir, I was supposed to die seventy years ago, too, so¡­forgive me if I don''t take your assessment at face value," He said. Fury eyed him warily for several long moments before asking, "We gonna have a problem, Captain Rodgers?" "We don''t have to." Steve answered. Fury''s expression continued to grow icier as he surveyed him. "We do not know what we''re up against right now. Until such a time as we have more information, I will continue to refer to this man as the Winter Soldier¡­and he is our enemy. Are we understood, Captain?" "Yes¡­Sir¡­we''re understood," Steve said slowly, never breaking eye contact with the director. Fury was about to walk out, when he was stopped by Natasha''s voice, " Sir, there''s still something you need to hear. I think we have an idea about who might be behind this. And, I don''t think you''re going to like it." ( Chapter End) --------------------------------------------------------------------- Sorry, for short chapter today. Will be releasing another tomorrow to make up for it. --------------------------------------------------------------------- For 11+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And 3+ advanced chapters of (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz Chapter 96 - The Calm Before The Storm I had just gotten out of a board meeting. My preparations were finally over, and a month from now, I would be stepping off as the Ceo of Cypher Solutions. I officially named Sage as the new Ceo of Cypher Solutions. I had no doubt, with her intelligence and her Meta ability, she was far more qualified to run the company. She was essentially a superhuman computer, and all she needed to truly shine was knowledge and training. I had asked her for a bit of her blood, and made sure to explain to her, what I intended to use it for. Her powers were simply too good to pass up and I was currently busy decoding her DNA, trying to figure out a way to add it to my genome, without any negative side effects. Dr. Pym on the other hand was busy building our very first spaceship, using the technology and designs I supplied him, from wakanda and the Chituari. Unbeknownst to him, the secret facility he was working in, was actually located in limbo. I managed to connect it to earth through a Runic gate. I also added a few more runes, to camouflage the gate, and make it seem like a normal door. It was keyed to his soul signature, so while he thought it was underground. Anybody who wasn''t authorized, trying to go through the gate, would end up randomly teleported somewhere else. The Dark Elven ship turned out more complex than I thought it would be. It too, was currently sitting in a vault located underground in limbo. I couldn''t even get it to turn on, not to mention try and study it. It''s cloaking technology was so impressive, it even managed to disregard Heimdall''s all seeing eye. The Dark Elves seemed to be able to conjure wormholes with their ships, hence the reason they were able to infiltrate Asgard nearly undetected. Compared to Shields'' cloaking technology, this was far more impressive. It''s durability and speed were also on another level compared to anything I''ve seen so far. I suspected with the last Dark Elf dying it went into some sort of hibernation mode. For the mean time, unless the Dark elves miraculously come back to life, it was a total bust. ''Hm... I still have Malekith'' s DNA, not to mention the bodies of his fallen brethren. Maybe I could...'' I shook my head chasing those thoughts away. The Dark Elves were bad news, and it wasn''t worth the trouble of getting on lady death'' s badside. Sure, I can slightly manipulate a soul. But, bringing back the dead? Let''s just say I''m not touching that with a ten foot pole. That was just a recipe for disaster. And speaking of disasters, since, the New York invasion. I was a bit on edge ever since I found out, Shield/Hydra knew about my identity. So, I had Sophie regularly hack into Shield, to check if they managed to get more information on my team and I. She was tracking each and every one of those I suspected were tied to Hydra, to where they went, and what they did. Thanks to that, I already had 40 of their agents figured out. But, Imagine my surprise when I was reading through Shield''s latest field report. A frown marred my face, as I finished reading it. " It''s too early. Things shouldn''t have progressed this fast." I muttered to myself. According to the report, Steve and Logan were attacked by a man. Whose description matched the Winter Soldier. Project insight was still a few months away, and due to this even, Fury had started suspecting Hydra''s involvement. I decided to wait, and see how things would play out. My interference at this point, would only tip them off. Sure, I knew Alexander Pierce was Hydra, him and a few others, but they were rooted so deeply into Shield, unless you cut them all out at once, they''ll just come back later. Ironically their mantra of saying, ''Cut one head, and two more shall take its place '' was more accurate than I liked to admit. " What a troublesome bunch." I sighed. ( Unknown location) Bucky woke up an indeterminate amount of time later. When he came to, his whole body ached with numerous pains his mind throbbing horribly in his skull. The memories flood back quickly. He was still laying on the chair, his metal prosthetic arm already replaced by a new one. He doesn''t know how long he''s been asleep it could be hours, or even days. There wasn''t anyone else, in the room. Suddenly he remembered what happened before he blacked out. Just as he was about to panic, he heard a door opening. Turning to his right, he saw a man standing in the doorway. "Well, glad to see you decided to stay in the land of the living." The man said. Still a little groggy, Bucky brought his hand to his head and asked, "How... how did I get here?" "You were injured on your last mission. You were in pretty bad shape, so we had to do some... repairs. " The man said, eyeing Bucky''s metal arm. The man, then proceeded to take a seat, and said, " We should probably make sure everything is in order. Longing... " Bucky''s conditioning kicked in before anything else did, and he froze, making sure to maintain his breath. "rusted," "furnace," "daybreak," "seventeen," "benign," "nine," "homecoming," "one," and "freight car" The man continued. By the time, the man reached the end, Bucky''s face was devoid of any emotions, and with an equally emotionless voice he responded in Russian and said, "Ready to comply." " Mission report." The man ordered, looking at him. "Acquisition of Weapon X failed. Target Victor Credd acquired." He recited, tonelessly. "Status." The man said. "The Weapon is functioning within operable parameters." The Asset replied, because that is what it is. A weapon. "There was a malfunctioning : unidentified cause." "What kind of malfunctioning?" The man asked . "Visions." The Asset answered. "It is gone now."He then turned towards, the man and said, "Weapons are not supposed to have visions. Will it be punished?" "Negative. For now though, you have another mission." He told him. "Asset is on standby, awaiting instructions." The asset said. "Report to Dr. Raina. Due to our latest acquisition, several projects which have been put on hold are now possible. Assit Dr. Raina in acquiring a few test subjects, and you are to guard her at all times." The man said. "Affirmative." The asset responded. ( Chapter End) --------------------------------------------------------------------- For 11+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And 3+ advanced chapters of (Altered Mind)" pat-reon.com/ AnubisCreationz Chapter 97 - The Ego Seed For 11+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And 3+ advanced chapters of (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz . . Enjoy ;) ------------------------------------------------------------- ( A few months later) My company has been slowly expanding and solidifying it''s reach in other sectors. It was rapidly growing into a diverse international conglomerate with interests in industrial manufacturing, computer hardware and software, chemicals, retail, bioengineering, pharmaceuticals, oil, communications, airlines, real estate, hotels, restaurants, technology, media, financial services, robotics, security, transportation, satellites. After the Chituari invasion few actually stepped up to the stage. I had wealth to spare, and while Tony was busy wasting his time and money on his suits. I was working both covertly and overtly. But, imagine my surprise, when Sophie informed me of an assassination made on an Austrian foreign diplomat in France. The man''s death wasn''t what was important though, it''s the fact that Sophie managed to capture an image of a woman dressed in black, trying to blend in with the crowd amidst the confusion. What was striking about the woman, wasn''t her appearance. It was what she was wearing, specifically her belt. The symbol seemed familiar, like I''ve seen it somewhere, before... " Sophie. Run the symbol through an image recognition software." I said. A few moments later, a bunch of files and images popped in front of me. Using the hard light projections fitted it the base, Sophie displayed them for me to observe. " The symbol is tied to an organization that sprung up in the 1930s . Designated as the Red Room, it was an espionage training facility located in Russia. A Cold War program to train the deadliest female spies in the world. Most notably Natasha Romanf, aka the Black Widow reported its dissolution, after its creator''s assassination. " Sophie said. Well, judging by the increasing number of search results, turning up every second now, the organization doesn''t seem as dead as it should be. Over a few dozens cases of women with the red room''s symbol cropping up. Each of them with over a dozen fake identities, sporting different looks, and disguises over the years. While I was busy going over the files, trying to come up with a pattern. I received a notification. One of my scout drones had detected something and after reviewing the information that was sent to me, a smile appeared on my face. "Sophie, change of plans. I''ll need you to clear my schedule. I''ll be gone for the day. Keep looking in into what we found, and let me know if you have something." I said abruptly. " Affirmative." Sophie responded. A blueish-grey round portal was created before me. I could see space warped around it. And on the other side I could see my destination. (St. Charles, Missouri) I arrived in a forest, in the midde of the night. As I walked slowly towards where my drone was located. I found myself contemplating, the recent hiccup in my plans. The timeline on the ship, I had asked Dr. Pym to build me had unfortunately been delayed. Turns out building a ship that could withstand deep space, wasn''t as easy as I had initially thought. I ended up using most of my Vibranium supply (the vibranium that Diana was mining in the savage lands), and had to wait, until more was available. It was a slow process. One that would require patience. Vibranium A was far harder to mine, than Wakandian vibranium. And, I needed more than a few tons to build a ship this big. Seeing how things, weren''t going as fast as I wanted. I spent the last few months, thoroughly studying Sage''s DNA. It took thousands of simulations, but I eventually got it right. I succeeded in mapping out here unique genetic structure, and programmed it into my own genome. Her powers complemented my own, and I could already see a significant improvement in my ability to compute large amounts of data. Tasks that would have required me months, could be now done in days. My magic saw an improvement, and several tasks that were previously impossible to me, where now possible. But, more on that later. My thoughts were interrupted as I approached a flying drone, which was busy scanning a strange looking plant. The plant seemed to glow with a bluish light, and was protected by a strange looking mesh, with a voronit type pattern. The drone was done scanning the outer shell, and had now moved on to the core. It seemed to be having a difficult time, figuring out what it was ''seeing'', and after a few moments. It gave up and sent me another notification. "Its okay little guy, I''ll take over from here." I said to the drone. The drone chirped at me, and started to fly away. By the time it was out of the forest, it had already cloaked itself. It was one of Diana''s ''babies'' as she liked to call them, they were different from the combat drones, and strangely seemed to be more intelligent. I had given her the task of coming up with a few designs for scout drones, but it seems she had taken a liking to it, and gone a bit overboard. Focusing on what was in front of me, I activated my newly acquired genetic sight, and started examining the strange pulsing ''plant'' in front of me. A few moments later, a smile broke out on my face. My preliminary examination, seemed to suggest that the ''plant'' infront of me was alien in nature. And, not only that, It''s genetic structure was far more complex than anything I''ve ever seen in my life. I bent down to pick it up, and with a flourish of my hand, and using telekinesis. The ''plant'' dug itself out, of the ground, and was floating right beside my face. I used a statis rune, to preserve it, and with a thought opened a portal to limbo. (Hydra Testing Facility, Sibrea) The subject, given the designation "V. C." (Victor Creed), was transferred to a facility known as the Guest House, located in Siberia where it was studied intensively. From the V. C.''s bodily fluids, they were able to synthesize a number of advanced drugs with varying effects on human biology. Including the serum Lazarus, a serum with the potential to revive the recently deceased. At first, the subjects were closely watched and showed signs of complete recovery; however, they each eventually developed the same form of psychosis and turned feral, eventually descending into madness. Followed by a complete cellular breakdown due to the dominant nature of the serum. Dr.Raina who continued her work with the serum using HYDRA''s incentives program to acquire more subjects, was tasked by Alexander Pierce to come up with a synthesized and upgraded serum to grant healing abilities, and possibly mutant abilities. Mutant abilities were highly unstable, and often resulted in undesired results. But, their latest acquisitions, proved to be enlightening. Dr. Raina eventually succeeded in her task and created a weaker version that could heal most fatal wounds bar decapitation, however the serum had the potential to be so much more. She opted to hide the fact that her attempts were successful, and gave Pierce just enough information to prove her research was making results. Dr. Raina stood back from the table and looked at her recently expired test subject with a mix of annoyance and disappointment. She''d been so close with this variant, and she''d honestly hoped for more from Subject 71, or Captain Nathaniel, or whatever it was he''d rattled off ad nauseam until his voice finally gave out. Turning away with a tut of disgust, Dr. Raina briskly beckoned over one of her Hydra aides, gesturing at the now former soldier cluttering up her otherwise pristine lab. "Have this moved to the mortuary. I''ll need to do a full autopsy to confirm the cause of death." She said. The uniformed flunky nodded his understanding and summoned his colleague from his position standing guard. Together they quickly and efficiently released the former soldier from the bindings securing him to the bench and transported out the rapidly-cooling body. She gave a little head-shake at her own whimsy. She didn''t know why she felt the need to explain her action to these Hydra goons. Most, despite being sensible enough to follow Hydra''s ideology were barely capable of intelligent conversation. Let alone understanding even a hundredth of the significance of what they were observing here. Of course that was the point. Some projects were just too sensitive to allow untried lab techs to observe. But, it was much harder to discern the true dedication of their assorted staff of biologists, chemists and medics, especially when they were confronted with the sacrifices called for in the pursuit of true scientific advancement. Some stomachs and potentially hearts could be turned when human testing was brought into the equation. Plus, it would be all too easy for an enemy agent to slip in as an unassuming assistant to sabotage her experiments or steal her secrets Thus the need, of her bodyguard. The Asset posted to her had proven his loyalty and usefulness many times over. Most of the test subjects, were accquired through his efforts at her request. Her eyes involuntarily went to the figure standing a few feet from her. His chilly almost robotic look, conveyed how well he was indoctrined. An idea suddenly struck her, and a smile bloomed on her face. Since, these test subjects died out on her before she could get any tangible results. Certainly, a prime speciesman should prove far more durable in handling the improved serum. And, her goal of literally reshaping human-kind and rival the creator himself, could be finally achieved. The end of sickness, maybe even death itself. ( Chapter End) ------------------------------------------------------------- For 10+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And 5+ advanced chapters of (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz Chapter 98 - Celestials For 11+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And 3+ advanced chapters of (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz . . Enjoy ;) ------------------------------------------------------------- Earth... a place filled with super-powered individuals. A planet that has been home to the Kree-created Inhumans, mutants, and enhanced individuals like Captain America, the Hulk, Spider-Man and Daredevil. And, as I peered with my genetic sight. My brain which was akin to a super computer, could hardly keep up with the complexity of what I was seeing. The Celestials, a race of humanoid aliens that came into being around the same time as the origin of the universe itself. The events of Guardians of the galaxy, were centered around Peter Quill''s discovery of his Celestial heritage and the consequences of having a primordial entity who happened to be a megalomaniac set on ruling the universe as a biological father. Nothing new really, it was the classic Darth Vader senario, the hero discovers his father is ultimate evil followed by his attempts at trying to stop him. Over the millenia Ego planted seedlings of his own design on planets all throughout the universe, intending them to eventually terraform their worlds into new extensions of himself in an event he called the ''Expansion''. However one Celestial was not enough to activate his seedlings. Consequently, Ego began a new campaign, siring children with thousands of female humanoid aliens. He fathered numerous children in the hopes of creating another Celestial. He then hired Yondu Udonta to track and deliver these children to him once born, though none of them proved to have inherited Celestial DNA at which point Ego killed them, hiding their remains beneath the surface of his planet. With Peter being the only successful attempt, it goes to show how flexible human DNA is, and how prone to changes and mutations it can truly be. In the comics, the Celestials were deeply involved in humanity''s early development, and were responsible for the creation of the Eternals, and Mutant X-gene. I had no idea, if that was the case in this universe. But, I did find some records speaking of their existence in Kamar-taj as well as Belasco''s collection. A race that had the ability to manipulate matter and energy on a molecular scale. Well, if that wasn''t overpowered, I didn''t know what was. The fact that Peter managed to beat him, with the powers of ''feelings'' and granted a nuclear bomb, was... kind of ridiculous. Couldn''t Ego have just transmuted the bomb into something else? Turned the atmosphere toxic, and immediately disable them? Nonetheless, after a few hours of studying the Ego seed, it was clear, the seed could only be activated by the power of a Celestial, or at least of something equal power. I already proved, I could influence DNA to some degree, Castiel and his sibilings being a prime example of my attempts. I didn''t plan on creating a celestial race, but with the tools I had on hand. It wouldn''t hurt to perform some experiments. I had samples of Frigga''s, Loki''s, Thor''s, and even Dark Elf DNA on hand. All belonging to powerful and long lived races. I don''t reckon Ego had the opportunity to try and have children with an Asgardian, Odin certainly wouldn''t have allowed it. Dark Elves on the other hand were thought to be long gone. I would have to to try different combinations though, and see which could successfully bond with Celestial DNA. If any for that matter. Channeling two infinity stones, albeit using a conduit was more than I could ask of my mortal body. The physical constitution of the Celestials were so immeasurably strong that they could wield the Infinity Stones. I wasn''t satisfied with my current limits. So, it was time to break them. .. When I reach the Airport as I came here legally, there was a Limo waiting for me. I silently entered the limo and let the driver take me to my destination. Soon, I reached the office of Dr. Helen Cho and the door opened from the outside. I walked out of the car and started following the lab assistant Dr. Cho sent to bring me to her. I knocked on Dr. Cho''s door and she let me in. I bowed to her in greeting. She bowed back and invited me to sit. "Please sit down, Mr. Ramsey. What can I do for you?" Dr Cho asked, once I was seated. I smiled at her and took the offered coffee. "Call me Doug, please. I actually had an offer for you... It involves the cradle." I said, after a beat of silence. Dr Cho raised an eyebrow and asked, "The healing cradle? What do you need it for?" Instead of answering I slid my tablet to her. "I wanted you to build me a new body, using materials I''ll provide you with." I said. Dr Cho looked at the designs and the different blueprints that I had made and looked at me. " I''m sorry, but the Regeneration Cradle prints tissue; it can''t build a living body." I smiled at her and shook my head. " Well, I''ll have to disagree with you Dr. Cho. You simply lacked the materials. " I said. I then took out something from my breast pocket and showed it to her. Dr Cho widened her eyes in shock," Is that what I think it is? How did you get this? " Everyone knew about Vibranium. Cap''s shield was famous for it. But no one knows that there''s even more Vibranium in the world, thinking it was all used up. I merely raised an eyebrow, and said," I like to think of myself as resourceful man, Dr. Cho. This is nothing. " She slowly reached her hand out, and said. " Can I touch it?" "Sure you can. In fact, it could be yours, if you want." I said. She shot me a look, " Do you realise how rare this is? I thought all of it was used up when they made Captain America''s shield." " Although, Vibranium is rare, it isn''t impossible for me to accquire. This is just the tip of the iceberg. I can guarantee you''ll get to work with much rarer resources, should you accept my proposition. " I said. She shook her head and asked" Rarer than Vibranium? I find that hard to believe. What materials are you going to use for the body? And how will you power it?" " Among other things. Asgardian DNA." I said, failing to mention a few of the other components I planned to build this body from. Cho dropped the tablet in shock, thankfully it landed only on the table. " Asgardian!" She yelled. " Yes. I managed to accquire a sample of their DNA, back at the battle of New York. So, are you in or are you out?" I said. (Salem, New York) We arrived at our destination, but Jean seemed nervous. She was fidgeting, and her eyebrows were scrunched up. < Come on, you don''t have to be so nervous. They''re not going to bite.> I said, using my telepathy. < What if they don''t like me?> She asked. < They'' ll be crazy not to. You''re... > Our telepathic conversation, was interrupted. When the front door suddenly opened. Jean and I appeared hand in hand from behind the door as the maid closed it quietly behind us as we came into view of my parents. "Doug!! You''re here!" My mom said. "Hey Mom!" I greeted, as she pulled me in for a hug. "Look at you!! When did you become so tall?" My Dad said, jokingly comparing my height from what he used to remember when he last saw me. "Now, now, you lot. Stop standing in the hall and get inside." My mom said. "Hi, Mrs. Ramsey I..." Jean started. " Oh, and you must be Jean. You''re so gorgeous." She greeted her, simply ignoring her hand and hugging her. As we walked into the living room, nostalgia filled my senses. It had barely changed at all. The house was not grand by any means, it was much more humble and smaller than any of the accommodations I offered my parents. They decided to move back to Salem, a few years back after making sure I was alright. The scent of burning kindling combined with spices of homely cooking from the kitchen in the next room filled me with warmth almost immediately. Jean must have sensed my mood improving or something, because I could feel her relax almost immediately. I stared at her, the way she was dressed she wore a simple one piece dress and some heels. She was stunning of course I had insisted on her wearing something casual, since this was more of a family dinner. Once the ''welcome home''s were over, we finally settled down by the couch. My mom took Jean to the side, asking her about this and that, While I chatted with my dad. " I''m going back to London in a few weeks, after wrapping up the mess back in New York." I sighed. " You shouldn''t push yourself too much, always remember to take a break." He said. " I know. I know." " How are you and mom doing anyways? I heard she planned on opening up her own clinic. " I said. "Honestly, I''ve been trying to talk her out of it, but you know your mother. Once she is set on something, it''s hard to change her mind." He said. " I don''t get it. Isn''t that a good thing, why would you...?" I asked in confusion. " Your mom is pregnant. " He blurted out. " What?! " " Keep your voice down. She didn''t want me to tell you yet. " He said, trying to shush me. " What? Why? " I asked, in confusion. " She wanted to make it a surprise, but honestly I think she wanted to make sure the pregnancy was further along, before she said anything. We''re not exactly as young as we used to. " He said. I was silent for a bit, then said, " I understand. But, I would appreciate it, if you let me know these things early on. Not to brag, but I have the greatest minds of the 21st century working for me. With the stuff I have back at the lab. She won''t have to worry about a miscarriage, or any sort of complications. " He sighed," You''re right. Then there''s that other ''issue''." The issue my father was talking about, was as you would have guessed. Meta-humans. I ended up telling them about my powers a few years back. I didn''t see the use in hiding it anymore, since constantly lying to them would ruin our relationship sooner rather than later. They weren''t thrilled about it, especially the lying part. But they eventually came around, and declared that they still loved me. Of course I didn''t tell them ''everything'', but just enough to give them some piece of mind. We had dinner that night, and as we were getting ready to leave, and started saying our goodbyes, my mom hugged me, and whispered something into my ear. " If you don''t marry that girl, I''m going to disown you and adopt her instead. Capeesh?" She said. '' Uh... When did my mother turn into an Italian Mobster?'' I couldn''t help but think. She was staring at me, waiting for my response, so deciding not to antagonize a pregnant woman I merely nodded in agreement. I then opened a portal back to New York, and Jean and I were back home, before we knew it. I turned to Jean, and asked, " What did you guys talk about?" " A bunch of stuff. Why is something wrong?" She asked. " No. Nothing is wrong. But, I think my mom likes you more than me." I said, with a strange tone. " Oh, that. She already told me." She said. (Chapter End) ------------------------------------------------------------- For 11+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And 3+ advanced chapters of (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz Chapter 99 - True Adamantium For 11+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And 3+ advanced chapters of (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz . . Enjoy ;) ------------------------------------------------------------- Ancient runes were called the language of gods which were very mysterious. It was said to be able to get a glimpse of the mysteries of the gods The rune''s magical language that''s been used by magicals for centuries. Of course, there were levels to its mastery. There was Rune master, Rune Grand Master, Rune Ancestor, Rune King and Rune God. Odin was obviously a Rune King. While my prowess were somewhere between Master and Grand Master. Belief and intent go a long way. Several centuries'' worth of people believing they meant something, you could wipe knowledge of them out of existence now, but it wouldn''t stop the runes power. The next morning after that dinner with my parents, I had some stuff to take care of. I teleported to my lab in limbo, and started working on the plans for my new body. The first being enchanting. I had a rough idea of what I wanted to achieve when building my new body, and one of those ideas was carving runes into my skeleton and enchanting the bones, and maybe even adding a mystical network which would enable me to channel enormous amounts of energy. Combining all the resources on hand I planned on building the perfect body, using both magic and science. I took a chunk of the Promethieum core used to sustain limbo, and reshaped it into a human heart. It''s been soaking in the space stone energy, for over a year and the Reality stone for about a month. It was filled with energy from both infinity stones. I even decided to borrow the Time Stone from the ancient one, and channeled some of it''s energy into the new heart. By the time I was done, It was two parts space energy to one and a half Reality and 2 quarters time energy. Having said that, without further development it wouldn''t actually function as a real heart, or without some sort of energy system to channel the energy contained within. That''s where the reality stone comes into play. Using it''s power to reshape reality, I altered the part I took, and shaped it into a human heart. It didn''t look entirely human, judging by the way it tended to glow and pulse on its own. The next step was engraving a Rune to hold its shape by using part of the energy it naturally produces every time it pulsed. A rune for it to function as a biological heart, and one for it to self repair incase it''s damaged. My skin would be gaining the same treatment too, once Dr. Cho finished working on the cradle. Printing tissue wasn''t my area of expertise, so while Dr. Cho worked on that I''d be busy with synthesizing the metal I''ll be using for my skeleton. Now the most difficult part of making enchanting permanent is two different things. The material and the runes that bind it. Obviously, normal bones weren''t going to cut it. I began experimenting with the process that created Adamantium, but ended up creating a special Adamantium compound, which was more durable than any form of Adamantium created, and then through another process, fused Wakandan Vibranium as a catalyst. It was created through the mixing of certain chemical resins whose composition was composed of both isotopes of Vibranium. For eight minutes after the resins are mixed, it can be molded into a particular shape as long as it is kept at a temperature of 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit. After this brief period, the process of creating Adamantium was completed, and it is cured. The extremely stable molecular structure of the Adamantium prevented it from being molded further, even if the temperature remains high enough to keep it in liquid form. Only a device called a "Molecular Rearranger" can alter the form of hardened Adamantium. The result was a large rounded specimen of alloy which was virtually indestructible. I called it True Adamantium. The exact chemical composition of Captain America''s shield and the exact degree to which it is indestructible have never been determined, nor has anyone else ever learned how to duplicate either the special Adamantium compound used in the creation of the shield, which is known as Proto-Adamantium. True Adamantium was nearly as strong as the Proto-Adamantium used to create Captain America''s shield, and is, for virtually all practical purposes, indestructible. The degree of indestructibility varies directly with the thickness of the Adamantium. A direct blow from Thor''s hammer, Mjolnir, conveyed with the thunder god''s full strength, will only slightly dent a solid cylinder of true Adamantium. A sufficient mass of True Adamantium could survive a direct hit from a nuclear weapon. Wolverine''s skeleton was covered in a weaker version of ''Adamantium'', his variation was both toxic and magnetic, unlike mine. And, now that I think about it, I should probably talk to Logan about that at some point. Uru was magically potent, so I figured I''d use it to create the energy network itself. But, the process of coming up with one proved to be more challenging than I thought. My brain was quickly storing, analyzing, calculating, more effecient designs. Sage''s powers, plus my own powers working in tandem to produce a greater effect. The effective time I could safely overdraw Sage''s meta human ability was finally over; the data was completely analyzed ¨C perhaps it should be called that the analyzed information formed a brand-like thing that engraved deeply in my mind. I wasn''t trying to comprehend it all, but I was using all of my processing power. Soon, half a day passed. I picked up an engraving tool especially enchanted to carve into anything and started drawing on the adamantium metal before me. It was connected to a tank of liquefied Uru, which would fill the groves I etched into the Adamantium. ''I should probably figure out what I need the most. The energy circuit is going to take a lot of space, so I should probably consider what''s most important to me.'' I thought to myself. A Rune for Agility will be essential as I can''t imagine the skeleton will be light. One for Resilience, Hardness, and even one for regeneration. Although, the runes I drew were useful, unfortunately there wasn''t enough space to engrave as many as I would have liked. The energy system by itself took about 98% of the available surface area. As time progressed, an abnormal change started to take place. The entire laboratory became a strange place. The surrounding space showed ripples and distortions. I wanted to pause and rest, there was something odd, but for some reason I couldn''t stop, or more accurately It felt like my body wasn''t my own anymore. As if my hands were being guided by an unknown force. As I entered into some sort of trance my vision blurred as runes and sigils previously unknown to me, began to appear inside my mind. My consciousness gradually began to fade, and it wasn''t long before, I lost my perception of time... (New York, Manhattan) As Fury was driving through the city he was instructing his car''s computer to make a call. "Activating communications encryption protocol." The computer said. "Open secure line zero-four-zero-five." He said. " Confirmed." " This is Hill." The voice said. " I need you here in D.C. Deep shadow conditions." Nick Fury " Give me four hours." She said. " You have three, over. " He said. He then stopped at a red traffic light, and looked over to the next car and saw two police officers in a car staring at him . He was about to say something, when, suddenly something smashed into his car. " Fracture detected. Recommend anesthetic injection." The car''s on board computer announced. Within moments his car was surrounded by several other police cars crashing into him. Injuring him, in the process. One of the mercenaries disguised as an officer grabbed one of his guns and fired at the car. The bullets did nothing, since the glass was bullet proof. When the bullets ran out, instead of reloading the magazine, the mercenary pointed to his partner to circle around the other side of the vehicle. Fury waited a few seconds before he''d decided waiting around to get killed was pointless. The chances of him getting out of this scot free weren''t all that good. The men who were attacking seemed to be waiting on something all whilst making sure he''s surrounded. They soon opened fire once more, concentrating their fire on various weak points. "Get me out of here!" Fury shouted. "Propulsion systems offline." The on board computer announced. "Then reboot, dammit!" He said. By this point, the armor on Fury''s vehicle was starting to become weaker. The mercenaries then brought out a battering ram, and started smashing it into the windshield. "Warning! Window integrity compromised." " You think? How long to propulsion?" Fury snapped back. "Calculating... Window Integrity thiry-one percent. Deploying countermeasures." The computer stated. " Hold that order!" *Bam! * The batterring ram is smashed against the car window again. " Window Integrity nineteen percent. Offensive measures advised." " Wait!" Fury said. * Bam! * The battering ram is smashed against the window again. " Window Integrity one percent." He shouted. "Now!" He shouted. Suddenly a minigun pulled up from inside the car and Fury used it to return fire on the mercenaries causing the SWAT truck and some of the police cars to explode. "Propulsion systems now online." The computer announced. "Full acceleration, now!" He said, as he continued to fire at the mercenaries. The car automatically backed up and drove off. Deducing the car was far too damaged for him, to successfully escape "Initiate vertical takeoff!" Fury ordered. "Flight systems damaged." The computer said. "Then get me Agent Hill." He said. "" Communications array damaged." " Well, what''s not damaged?" Fury asked. " Air conditioning is fully operational." The computer stated. " Motherfu... " The police cars continued to chase after him as he wove through the cars on the road. " Traffic ahead." The on board computer announced. As Fury headed into the traffic he smashed into some cars causing a pile up which stopped the police cars, the mercenaries got out and started shooting at Fury''s car once more. He managed to kill two of the mercenaries by running them down before getting past the traffic, but the remaining mercenaries continued to chase after him and managed to sandwich his vehicle between them. "Warning, approaching intersection." As they approached the intersection he managed to shake off the two police cars, killing off the mercenaries. " GET ME. OFF. THE GRID." He shouted. "Calculating route to secure location." *Boom!!!* Suddenly, a gernade that attached itself to Fury''s vehicle caused it to explode and flip over. Trapped inside his car, Fury watched as a mysterious figure holding a gerade launcher emerged ahead in the middle of the road walking over to the car. (Shield Headquarters) "Have you been sleeping? You look tired, Steve," Natasha said. Steve ignored the question. "You told me you spoke with Hill. What did she say?" There was a beat of silence, " It''s bad Steve. Really, bad." Steve began nervously pacing while looking at her out of the corner of his eye. He began silently berating himself for just sitting around and not looking for Bucky. " We need to find. I need to find him." He said. " But, Fury said... " Natasha said. " I know what he said, but now that it has come to this. I don''t think we have a choice. " Steve said. ( Chapter End) ------------------------------------------------------------- For 11+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And 3+ advanced chapters of (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz Chapter 100 - Fly Me To The Moon For 11+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And 3+ advanced chapters of (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz . . Enjoy ;) ------------------------------------------------------------- Later that day, when I returned to New York, Sophie informed me that Hydra was poking around the company. Apparently they tried to send in a couple of spies in an attempt to infiltrate the company. Also, they''ve been doing some strange movements lately. People are going missing. Resources being diverted, agents being called back. If I was a guessing man, I would have thought they were preparing for something. *Incoming Call* " Hello?" "Ah, Mister Ramsey, I''ve been trying to get hold of you since yesterday." I hear a slightly aged voice say. "Dr. Pym. I apologize that I was too immersed in my work." I said, trying not to think about what happened yesterday. " Well, if you are not too busy. I think you''ll be happy to know our latest project is finished." He said. " That fast? I''m surprised, after last time''s delay I thought it was going to be a while. " I said. " What can I say? I had a breakthrough. I am still at the facility if you want to take a look at it. " He said. " Certainly. Just give me a few minutes. I''ll finish up and meet you there." I said. I hung up and began giving instructions to Sophie." Keep monitoring the situation, and have Diana assign a few drones to keep watch on Alexander Pierce and any known Hydra operatives. Inform me if anything changes." As I prepare to teleport, " Master Doug, if I may? I wanted to inquire about a certain file I found in my database." I raise an eyebrow, slightly curious by her tone. I certainly didn''t program her to be uncertain, but then again, unlike Jarvis, she''s a true AI. It was inevitable her personality matrix would evolve. " I''m listening. " I said. " Your latest project '' Genisis'' the one you have Dr. Cho working on." She stated. "Yes, Sophie, I''m familiar with it." I stated. " I am curious as to why?" She asked. " Why what exactly?" I asked. " Why are you building a new body? My understanding is that your current form is immortal by human standards. Why build another body, and attempt to transfer your consciousness to it. My calculations predict that any number of complications could happen, and the operation is quite risky. One of my primary directives is to ensure your continued survival. This just seems like an unnecessary risk. "She said, clearly confused. Huh. I take a moment to think about my answer. It wouldn''t be wise to simply dismiss her. Her personality matrix may have evolved, but her primary functions seem to be still intact. " I know it may seem illogical. And, objectively, your argument is sound." I said. " Then why.. " She asks again. " There are plenty of reasons. I could simply say it''s for more power, or perhaps it comes from my desire for self improvement. I mean no matter how many serums I take, my cells will eventually burn out. Maybe not now or even in a hundred years, maybe even a thousand. But, at the end of the day, There''s only so many times my cells could replicate themselves, before my healing factor eventually gives out. " " But, my calculations show that it shouldn''t even start to happen until at least a few thousand years. " She said. " Maybe I''m overstating things. But, the point is I don''t wish to be stagnant. There''s a whole Multiverse out there, maybe even an Omni-verse. I imagine it''ll take me more than a few thousand years to see it all. Hell, I haven''t even been to space yet. My new body would be more durable and far more powerful than any mortal form. " I said. " I understand. I shall inquire no further, " She says. I shrug, " Tell you what, why don''t you give it a try? I''m sure I can convince Dr. Cho to build you a new body. It wouldn''t be as good as mine, and would only be made out of synthetic tissue and Vibranium. Your processing power would take a hit. But, perhaps you might find the experience, novel. " " Operating at a sub-optimal level, would be counterintuitive to my primary directives. Less processing power would be detrimental to my objectives. I don''t require a body." She said. " I''m not saying you should transfer your whole consciousness. It would be more like a vessel. Something that allows you to interact with the physical world. Diana has certainly taken to it, the drones I assigned to her had been useful in mining the Savage Land''s Vibranium and even helping Dr. Pym with building a spaceship. " I said. A few seconds pass in silence, before she says," I''ll consider it. But, for now, it''s probably best if I attend to my tasks. " " Suit yourself. I will leave you to it. See you soon. " I said. .. A 128-foot-long craft which looked a bit like a mix between a stylized Naboo Royal cruiser and a Milano Ravager M-ship was staring right back at me. The Spaceship was actually composed of two major components: the spaceframe and all the other components. This spaceframe was created using Vibranium A taken from the savage lands, giving it incredible structural integrity. The frame was covered in a Wakandian Vibranium-Titanium alloy, designed to shield the Spaceship from radiation, kinetic impacts and even most forms of laser attacks. I walked over to where Dr. Pym stood admiring the spaceship. "I see that you were successful." He turned towards me, a satisfied smile on his face. "It wasn''t easy. But, I think you''ll be satisfied with the results." Flashes of blue from the doorway as we enter the ship, materializes a hole to the ship''s main deck. "I designed the ship according to the specifications you supplied. A few improvements had to be made, but nothing too drastic." He said. " What about the FTL drives? I understand you found the ones taken from the Chituari lacking." I asked. He nods," I was able to come up with a better design by incorporating Pym particles. It works by generating a wormhole from a foam of quantum particle-based gravitonic hyperinflation reactions. It''s considerably faster. It also has the added benefit of freely altering the ship''s size as per its owner''s desires. " " That''s certainly impressive. " I said. " Yes, quite.The rest of the ship''s components were easy enough to build. The Grav-Reactor is powerful enough to power the ship''s propulsion system, and has been modified to be as energy efficient as possible. I imagine even the ship''s normal speed already exceeds the speed of most, if not all aircrafts ever built on earth." He said, pleased with himself. " Perhaps we should go take a look then. I find myself eager to see everything in action. " I said. He nods, and gestures for me to follow him. We walk start heading downwards inside the ship and as we approach a large room, our pace slows somewhat. One more reinforced door and we were in what appeared to be the main generator room. The FTL drive appeared to be a metal hoop surrounded by a corona of cables in a larger hoop-shaped frame. One end of each of the cables is attached to the inner hoop and the other trails outwards then down around the outer rim of the outer hoop before drooping down to the floor. A pool of blue and red particles spanned the interior of the inner hoop. "That''s the FTL drive?" I asked. " Most of it atleast, the rest isn''t visible from here. We would have to head to the Sub-Room to see it all." He said. " So, I understand the ship has the capability to grow smaller? Similar to your Ant-Man suit." I questioned. " That''s not the only thing it can do, and we haven''t even gotten to the part concerning the ship''s defenses. As you''ve mentioned, Space pirates or Ravagers as you called them, could be an issue. So, I have taken the liberty of adding a few surprises for those with less than savory intentions. After all, It would be a shame for the ship to be stolen, after working so hard on it. " He said. I allow a small smile to break out on my face, " Well, Doctor I''m all ears. Tell me what else it can do." .. Jean sat down at the front as I triggered the hangar opening sequence and lift the SpaceShip off the landing platform. The ship was due for a test run, and what better way to do it, than to go for a space date. The view outside the front screen doesn''t exactly ''jump'' as black with stars is pretty much black with stars, but there''s now a dim lump of rock in it as well. The dim white glow of the moon was slowly getting larger in the centre of the front screen. Soon enough we''re well above the orbital plane of Earth satellites, and escaping earth''s gravity. A few hours later, Jean and I stroll into the Ship''s cabin, taking our helmets off. "Guess it wasn''t that interesting." I said. " You know when you said, we were going for a walk. I didn''t think you meant a space walk." Jean said, clearly amused. " I don''t do things by half. If it weren''t for Dr. Pym''s nagging we would have been already having a romantic picnic on Mars." I said. " Do you still plan on visiting Attilan? From what you have told me, they seem to prefer isolation. They didn''t help us the first time around, what makes you think they''d go for an alliance. " She asked. I shrugged," Ressources? Technology? Arcane knowledge? Their aid would certainly be useful, but it''s hardly necessary. " " Then, why do it? " She asked. " They''re pretty isolated, but that doesn''t mean someone else can''t find them. I mean I was able to, and I was only using Earth Technology. If the Kree suddenly decides to come back, and check on their investment. A city filled with inhumans could be a liability. King Bolt alone can take out the entire western hemisphere. At the very least I don''t wish them to be used against us." I said. " If he''s as powerful as you say, do you really believe they can capture them? " She asked. I shrugged," As powerful as most Meta-humams are, there are ways to disable powers. The Kree could''ve left a weakness only they can exploit when they made the inhumans. Even us, we aren''t exactly invulnerable. Thats why I''ve been having Sophie and Diana work so hard. It still worries me, I can''t find any mention of the Sentinel Project. Dr. Trask certainly exists, and I haven''t been able to find him or William Stryker for that matter. " I said. ''Not to mention Dr. Sinister or Apokalypse.'' I thought to myself. I looked towards the moon, "Can you feel their minds?" I asked. Jean nods, her eyes a little unfocused. "I''ve been able to hear them since we arrived." She says. "What are they saying?" I asked. She blinks, refocusing. "Oh no, I can''t hear individual words. At this distance it''s more like a background noise. I probably won''t hear anything until we''re a good deal closer." " Still for you to be able to hear anything at this distance, it means you''ve grown stronger." I said. " Yes, I guess it... has. " She says. I reach out and grab her hand," Hey, is everything okay? Is it about the Phoenix? " She hesitates a bit, but then sighs" Yes, I didn''t want to tell you, but I''ve been losing time. " I frowned," What do you mean? " " The first time it happened I tried convincing myself it was because of exhaustion or something. Med-school isn''t exactly easy. But... It''s been happening more frequently. Last time I lost a whole day. That was a week ago, it hasn''t happened since." She said. " Jean. Why didn''t you tell me? " I said. " You''ve already got so much on your plate. Preparing for a war, running your company, and trying to get stronger. I talked to the Ancient One about it, but even she doesn''t know what''s wrong. " She said. " Jean. This isn''t a trivial matter, you should''ve come to me the first time it happened. I know I''ve been a little busy, but that doesn''t mean... " " Doug. When''s the last time you''ve talked to any of our friends? Kitty? Piotr? Illyana? Anyone other than me and your parents? " She asked. My jaw tightens," I admit I''ve been out of touch lately. But, do you have any idea how hard it is to be doing all of this on my own? Thanos knows where we are, and he''s bound to come looking for the Space stone. He''s bringing an army with him, and Earth doesn''t even have anything resembling a space defense system. He could simply bombs us out of orbit, the only advantage we have, is that he won''t do it before the stone is in his hands. " By this point, I was up on my feet and pacing. Even if I became strong enough to beat him, it wouldn''t mean his army would just vanish. I needed allies, powerful ones. And, I needed an army. I could probably take out a few ships, but Earth itself is vulnerable. " Doug... I''m sorry. I''m... *Sigh*" " Look, I didn''t realize it was that bad. I just don''t know what to do anymore. Maybe it''s better if I talk to the professor. He may have an idea." She said. " No. I don''t trust him, and after what he did, you shouldn''t either. I''ll figure out something, but for now. I need you to tell me. ????????????????????????????????????????." (Chapter End) ------------------------------------------------------------- For 11+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" Check out my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz Chapter 101 - Unbroken Friendship For 11+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And 3+ advanced chapters of (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz . . Enjoy ;) ------------------------------------------------------------- After Jean had gone over everything about her lost time. I moved the ship into high orbit for a little while, so we could watch the sunrise coming up over the horizon. Switching off the gravity and turning off the cabin lights, we watched the world and the greater universe from the cockpit. As we sat there in silence and watched one of the most beautiful moments of my life, I pulled Jean close as we shared the moment. Fighting down the urge to put on the 2001 theme song, I could feel her emotions calm as she watched the light racing across Asia and heading towards Europe. As the world turned beneath us, the stars and the earth slowly moved below us. I mulled over contacting Atilan now. Dismissing the idea almost straight away, it was too soon and I would need to sit down and try and figure out a few things I could bargain with. I remember how much of a xenophobic/isolationist society they had become, stranded up there on the moon. I was pretty sure they would want nothing to do with me unless I could bring something big to the table. I needed to make sure they would listen to me and not attack me on sight. Mulling over a few ideas, nothing sprang to mind. They were already pretty advanced with the Kree tech base they started from. But, I seemed to remember something about them having problems with acquiring Terra Gensis crystals for their awakening. A beep from the console broke my train of thought, showing that we needed to head back down to Earth. Letting go of Jean, we floated back to our seats and strapped ourselves in, for the trip home. I flicked a few switches and aimed the ship toward home. As I was landing the ship, I could see Dr. Pym and several of the scientists and engineers that had worked on the ship waiting for us as we came into land. With a gentle bump, we landed back home. Shutting everything down, I could see Jean was still worried about the time she was losing. If I was being honest, so was I. This was the Phoenix we were talking about; I knew how powerful it could truly be. And had no idea what could be making it act like this. Running through a few ideas as we walked towards the exit ramp, I paused, before I lowered the ramp. I leaned in for a kiss and reassured her that everything would be alright. Jean slightly tensed, before she melted into the kiss, we both stood there for a minute just feeling each other''s presence. When we separated, I could feel that her thoughts were a bit calmer, but the worry was still there bubbling away underneath. Taking her hand, I hit the button to lower the ramp, and walked to Dr Pym and the waiting scientists. As soon as we were off the ramp, the engineers rushed onto the ship, and started running diagnostic and system checks. I couldn''t help but smile at their enthusiasm. Pym fell in beside us as we walked towards the locker room. "Run into any issues? " I shook my head. "None, she handled it like a dream. I can''t wait to take her back up. She could use a name though, bad luck for a ship not to have a name and maybe a bit of decorating in the personal areas." "I will be sure to put my best guys on it." Pym said dryly. "What about you Ms. Grey? I hope you found everything to your liking."Dr. Pym said. "It''s a bit cramped. I mean if it''s just the two of us, then I guess it''s fine?" I chuckled. "I wouldn''t worry about that,"Dr. Pym said, as she regarded him curiously. "What do you mean?" Dr. Pym took a small device out of his pocket, which looked quite similar to a small remote, and handed it over to Jean. "Why don''t you try pressing the red button over there? "She frowns, regarding him curiously for a moment. Not sure where he''s going with this. Looking at me and noticing my amusement, she gingerly took the remote. Pressing the button. A flash of light filled the hanger bay for a moment. I could see Jean blinking away the spots for a moment. Trying to not burst out laughing, I could see the look of surprise on her face as she looked around the hanger bay. The spaceship had seemingly disappeared. The engineers outside the ship cried out in surprise, alarmed by the ship''s sudden disappearance. Dr. Pym ambles towards the ship''s previous location, bends down to pick something up, and then walks back over to us. He opens his palm, causing Jean''s eyes to widen in surprise, as she slowly reaches out to his hand and picks up the ship, which had shrunk to the size of a match box. "We only had it be that size, since it was just the two you. The ship can be turned into almost any size, but its molecular stability decreases the bigger it becomes. At this size, the ship is tough enough, to take a nuclear blast without any damage."Dr. Pym said, as Jean carefully examined the shrunken spaceship. "This is really impressive. Do you know what this could mean for the medical field? How small can you shrink things?" I could see Jean almost vibrating on the spot. I didn''t have to guess were her thoughts were going, probably to the movie, Fantastic Voyage. It was one of her favorite old-time movies. "Pretty small. But things tend to get dangerous, if you try and go subatomic." He admitted. " Why? What happens If you do?"Jean asked. Dr. Pym visibly frowned, probably remembering what happened to his wife. I fake cough, interrupting their conversation. " We should probably get going. Kitty called and said she wanted to talk to me about something." Jean getting the hint dropped it. I turn towards Dr. Pym, shaking his hand with a smile." Doctor you''ve done some incredible work here, I''ll have Sage contact you later about going over the results of the diagnostics. " Jean carefully handed the tiny ship back. With a smile I pulled Jean close and, with a flash we were both gone. Clark''s Bar - Manhattan Kitty regarded me dispassionately for a moment, then turned back to the barkeeper. "Make it a double." "So...?" Keeping her attention on the barkeep as he poured her drink, she raised her left hand towards me. I waited patiently as the barkeep finished pouring and put the glass down in front of Kitty. She picks it up with her right hand and raises it to her lips. And tipped back the drink in one go. She carefully puts the glass back down on the bar still looking at the empty glass, but¡­ Her hand hadn''t gone down yet. So, I keep waiting. Closing her eyes, I could see Kitty taking slow controlled breathes in and then holds it. One, two, three and out slowly. Lowering her hand and turns towards me. "Okay." I frown."Should you be drinking on a school night?" "So, are we going to talk about the fact, that you''ve been avoiding me?"She says, ignoring my question. " I haven''t been¡­" I start. She interrupts. "Doug. It''s been two months, since we''ve talked to each other. And even then, the last time we spoke was only ten minutes in between you running from one project to the next. I would barely call that a conversation." I sighed. "Look. I know I''ve been busy, but I''m trying to prepare for an alien invasion, you saw how bad the last one was. And that''s nothing to what''s coming next. Trust me it isn''t my idea of a good time either. " Kitty looked at me long and hard, I could see her mulling it over in her head. "I''m not trying to give you a hard time, but I really do miss you. We were friends before all of this craziness came into our lives. But I''m beginning to think you don''t want to be friends any more. I can tell your avoiding me. " My thoughts drifted back, too two months ago. It was Kitty''s birthday, and we decided to celebrate at her family''s place. Everything seemed to be going smoothly, up until Jean dragged me to the side and told me that Kitty had feelings for me. How did she know you ask? Apparently, Jean''s empathic powers picked up on it throughout the day. She told me it was best to address it, since it could hurt my relationship with Kitty. I kept putting it off not wanting to have that conversation, worried that it would ruin my friendship with her. In the end I realized I had stopped talking to her all together. I was relieved when I found out her and Piotr had started dating a few weeks ago. "Don''t be ridiculous. Of course, I want to remain friends. I just have a bad habit of shutting everything out, when I''m focused on a goal you know that. " Snorting she waved over to the barman for another shot, but I could see her relaxing into her chair. " Yeah, I''ve noticed. " Grinning I sipped my beer. " So, now that we''ve got the awkward part of the evening out of the way. How are things with you and Piotr? " I asked, trying to change the subject. Rolling her eyes kitty gave a deadpan look, as another drink was poured for her." Real subtle. " I look at her and raise my eyebrow. " Fine. Things have been fine. He''s really sweet, and surprisingly romantic. But he''s been busy taking care of his brother Mikael, and I don''t think he''s making much progress." "He''s still having issues with his memories? " I asked. "Yeah. He doesn''t seem to remember the last 15 years. He barely even remembers Piotr. Illyana wasn''t even born when Mikael disappeared. " " Is it because I¡­"I trail off. "Do you mean when you shot him? " She bluntly says. I nod. Kitty looks thoughtful, but ends up shaking her head." I don''t think so. There isn''t anything wrong with him physically. Jean says it''s probably dissociative amnesia. " " Did she try using telepathy?"I asked. "We tried. She says he has several very strong mental blocks in his mind. Every time she tries to touch them, he has a strong reaction, and starts convulsing. She''s powerful but I don''t think she has enough experience with this sort of thing to disable them." "Is there anything I could do to help?" She nods." Whenever Mikael goes into convulsions he starts speaking in some foreign language, constantly crying out for something called Tamaria? Jean has another session with him tomorrow. I wanted to ask you to come, and observe, see if you can figure out what it means." I nod. " I''ll be there. You know If Piotr or Illyana had asked, I wouldn''t have refused. " "It was my idea. Besides, Piotr and Illyana don''t really know how your powers work." She admitted. Our conversation was suddenly interrupted by my phone ringing. "I should probably get this, I told Sophie to hold off any calls except for emergencies." " Doug. I just sensed a Meta activate their powers. We need to find them. I think they''re in pain, someone or something is hurting them." Jean''s distressed voice came through the speaker. " Do you have a location?"I asked, as I got up putting my coat on. "Alberta, Canada. But, something is blocking me I can''t pinpoint a specific location."She said. "Of course, it had to be fucking Canada."I muttered, under my breath. "I''ll meet you there." I said, before ending the call. Kitty frowns." What''s wrong?" " Suit up. We''re going on a rescue mission. Jean sensed a Meta activate, and by the sound of it, there either being tortured or experimented on." I hold up my wrist. "Sophie. What can you tell me about the area Jean managed to narrow our search to?" " There are several facilities, and possible points of interest. My records traced several facilities that belong to Roxxon Industries." I sighed. " Evil Corporate Organizations are such a pain in the ass." Great. Those guys. Ever since that fiasco in the savage lands. I told Sophie to keep tabs on them, since if Roxxon is anything like I read about in the comics then I knew I would have to deal with them at some point. I felt it would be prudent to keep an eye on them. "Did you manage to find anything that looks like an evil experimentation facility?"I hopefully asked. "I have several possible locations. But, nothing definitive."Sophie replied. "Tell Diana to send in the stealth drones to the possible locations for recon." Weirdly enough, Canada is where the most of the evil laboratories, super-soldier programs, Mutant death camps, and other bad shit seemed to be located in this reality I could never figure out why everyone seemed to build them there. The X-Gene could be activated in various ways. When going through puberty was the most common, or in times of great stress or peril, or even for no seeming reason at all. But all those ways counted as natural activations. The only way to forcefully activate someone''s X-Gene without using Magic or some other kind of exotic energy is by putting the Mutant''s body through as much hardship as they can endure until their X-Gene activates to save their life. Which means they were being experimented on. " Where are we heading?"Kitty asked, as we got up to leave. " Alberta, Canda."I said. Putting down a hundred for the drinks as we both moved out of the bar. "Of course, it had to be Canada." Kitty muttered, as we left the bar. I couldn''t help but laugh. Camp Lehigh Steve and Natasha pull up to outside an abandoned military base where they had managed to back trace the signal to. "This is it? "Steve asked. "The file came from these coordinates."She confirmed. "This is a dead end. Zero heat signature, zero waves, not even radio. Whoever wrote the file must have used a router to throw people off." Widow said as she looked around. Steve notices a building ahead of them that wasn''t there originally when he first came here. "What is it?" Natasha asked, as she followed him as he walked over to the building with a frown on his face. "Army regulations forbid storing ammunition within five hundred yards of the barracks. This building is in the wrong place." Steve walks up to the barrack''s door and slams the edge of his shield onto the lock, shattering it. He quietly opens the door, and they slip inside. Searching around for a minute looking for a light switch, they both quickly realized after looking about that it seemed to be an old S.H.I.E.L.D office. "This is S.H.I.E.L.D? "Natasha asks. "Maybe where it started." Steve replied, as they looked around the old office. They entered one of the offices to find an old black and white picture of Howard Stark, with Peggy Carter and Col. Chester Phillips, standing in front of this building. " There''s Stark''s father." "Howard." Steve said pointing to him. "Who''s the girl?"Natasha asked? Steve stares at the picture for a minute with a blank face. Natasha can see that he''s struggling with some deep feelings and says nothing as he stares at the picture. "Someone. I broke a promise to."Carefully putting the picture back down on the desk. They left the office. Another five minutes searching the offices brought them both to an old bookshelf at the back of the room. Looking at the old bookcase, Steve quickly noted the slight breeze coming from behind the book case. " If you''re already working in a secret office¡­" Steve said. "Why have a secret door in it"Natasha replied, catching on to what he was saying. Steve pushed the books shelf and it slid open to revealing an elevator behind it. Both entering the lift, there was only one button. Steve pushed the button, and the lift smoothly went down. When the door opened again, they stepped out into an huge room full of ancient computers that stretched of out of sight. "This can''t be the origin of the data. This technology is ancient." Natasha said as they moved cautiously into the room. Steve had to agree. He couldn''t always tell what technology was new or cutting-edge since it was all new to him, but dust lay inches thick on every component of this hidden computer lab, showing that it had been a long time since anyone had been here. Everywhere, that is, except for a small row of slots that looked like they would fit the kind of flash drive they found in Fury''s apartment. It had obviously been placed there recently, disturbing the thick layer of dust on the desktop. After considering for a moment, Natasha plugged the flash drive in. letters and numbers started immediately scrolling across the screen in the middle of the desk: Initiate system? "Y-E-S spells ''yes."Natasha, said in a robotic voice as she typed in the word. As the computer whirled to life, she smirked. "''Shall we play a game?'' It''s from a movie that was real pop¡ª" "I know, I saw it." Steve interrupted. He was more interested in the rows upon rows of computer equipment that had just come to life, whirring and spinning. Some kind of camera mounted on top of the computer screen slowly turned towards them. Something vaguely resembling a face appeared on the green computer screen¡ªtwo enormous, bug-like eyes and a sound wave for a mouth. "Rogers, Steven Born 1918." A voice with a pronounced German accent said over the loudspeaker, echoing all throughout the room. "Romanoff, Natalia Born 1984." Natasha frowned."It''s some kind of recording." "I am not a recording, Fraulein."The voice said immediately. "I may not be the man I was when the captain took me prisoner in 1945. But. I. Am." Dread pooled in the pit of Steve''s stomach. He knew that voice with its German accent. He knew the face that appeared on a smaller screen to the side, much easier to distinguish than the outline on the main screen. "You know this thing?" Natasha asked him in a low voice. Steve began to pace around behind the computer, too restless to stay in one place. "Arnim Zola was a German scientist who worked for the Red Skull. He''s been dead for years." "Correction, I am Swiss." The voice sounded quite pleased with itself. "Second, look around you. I have never been more alive. In 1972, I received a terminal diagnosis. Science could not save my body. My mind, however¡ªthat was worth saving. Two hundred thousand feet of data banks. You are standing in my brain." Steve''s pacing took him behind the machine, where he could see the data banks that held Zola''s brain stretching into the darkness. "How did you get here?" He demanded, returning to the front of the computer. He could see the camera following his movements. "Invited." Zola said. "Operation Paperclip.After World War II, S.H.I.E.L.D. recruited German scientists with strategic value." Natasha supplied. "They thought I could help their cause. I also helped my own" Zola said. "Hydra died with the Red Skull."Steve said, his hands curling into fists. "Cut off one head, two more shall take its place." Steve glared at the face on the screen, which had split into two. "Prove it." Steve said. "Accessing archive."Zola brought up a series of news clips to illustrate as he spoke¡ªmany of the same news clips Steve had looked up to learn what had happened since the war. "Hydra was founded on the belief that humanity could not be trusted with its own freedom. What we did not realize was that if you try to take that freedom, they resist. The war taught us much. Humanity needed to surrender its freedom willingly. After the war, S.H.I.E.L.D. was founded and I was recruited." He showed them a picture of the first S.H.I.E.L.D. scientists, with Zola smiling serenely in the background. "The new Hydra grew, a beautiful parasite inside S.H.I.E.L.D. For seventy years, Hydra has been secretly feeding crisis, reaping war. And when history did not cooperate¡­history was changed." "That''s impossible."Steve could hear the fear behind the confidence in Natasha''s words. "S.H.I.E.L.D. would have stopped you." "Accidents will happen." He showed a picture of Howard Stark, his eyes blacked out. Then a picture of Fury, followed by dozens more agents from over the years that Steve didn''t know, all of them eliminated in suspicious ''accidents.'' "Hydra created a world so chaotic that humanity is finally ready to sacrifice its freedom to gain its security. Once the purification process is complete, Hydra''s new world order¡ª" "Wait!" Among all of the pictures gloatingly showing them how Hydra had gotten rid of all obstacles, Steve had seen a blurry photograph of a sniper seen from a distance. A sniper with a metal arm that had a red star on the shoulder. "That man¡ªwho is he?" "Ahh, that is my greatest creation," Zola said, a smug smile evident even over the old, crackly speakers. "And it is very fitting that you should be so curious about the Winter Soldier, Captain. You see, you were his inspiration." His insides went cold."What do you mean?" "Once I discovered that Dr. Erskine''s serum was a success, I set out to recreate the serum myself. Alas, it was not a perfect copy, but I could make no more progress after the Winter Soldier. Every subject after him rejected the serum and perished mere hours after injection. So we had to preserve our Asset. We perfected cryogenic stasis, and now we only bring the Winter Soldier out when it is necessary. Unfortunately, though the serum has given the Winter Soldier strength, speed, and stamina equal to yours, what he lacks is your conviction. You and Johann Schmidt believed in your cause, and that gave you potency. Focus. Resolve. We have had to go to much trouble to give the same to our Asset." Steve''s mouth was dry. He wasn''t sure he wanted to know the answer to his question, but he asked it anyway. "How?" "Oh¡­brainwashing. Drugs. Physical...incentives. We have found that a combination of techniques brings about the best results." As he spoke, pictures flashed across the screen¡ªchemical formulas and diagrams of what looked like a modified electric chair. Natasha glanced at him, then took over the interrogation, demanding to know what was on the drive. Though he listened to what they were saying, Steve''s mind seemed to be stuck on that blurry image of Bucky. In anger Steve suddenly smashed the computer screen. He couldn''t even imagine what horrors that he endured over seventy years, forced to do Hydra''s bidding. And it was all his fault. " What''s on this drive?!"Steve shouted. "Project Insight requires insight. So I wrote an algorithm."Zola answered. "What kind of algorithm? What does it do?" "The answer to your question is fascinating. Unfortunately, you shall be too dead to hear it." Suddenly the doors start to close, without missing a beat Steve threw his shield trying to jam the doors open. But it was too late, and the shield bounced off the reinforced door returning to his arm. "Steve, we got a bogey! Short range ballistic missile. twenty seconds tops." Natasha''s panicked voice sounded out. "Who fired it?"He asked. "S.H.I.E.L.D."Natasha replied with a look of surprise on her face. "I am afraid I have been stalling, Captain. Admit it, it''s better this way. We''re both of us¡­out of time." Screeched Zola. Steve quickly scanned the room noticing a grate of some sort in the middle of the room. Grabbing Natasha he raced across the room, heaving the heavy grate to one side and dragged Natasha into the opening under the floor just as the place exploded around them. Throwing himself on top of Natasha and covering them both with his shield, as the explosion washed over them both. Twenty minute later STRIKE agents arrive to search the area for them. One of the agents notices a footprint in the dust leading into the forest. Opening his phone, he calls it in. "Call in the asset. Targets are still at large." (Chapter End) ------------------------------------------------ Big shout out to my friend PhotoStorm Photography. He helped immensely with this chapter, and I wanted to thank him for his contributions to this chapter. Thank you buddy, you are the best.. I really hope we keep collabing, I had so much fun writing this chapter. Chapter 102 - Trask For 11+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And 3+ advanced chapters of (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz . . Enjoy ;) ------------------------------------------------------------- Even from his early years as a research assistant, Bolivar always maintained a particular interest in the origin and evolution of humanity. Following in the footsteps of Mendel, Watson, and Crick, Trask made it his goal to unlock the mysteries of human DNA. What he did not anticipate was the discovery of the X-Gene, a genetic finding that would prove to be the most significant of the 20th century.. Trask soon hypothesized the impending extinction of the human race. His early theories were ridiculed by his contemporaries and with no one to fund his research, that was until New York. He didn''t know how to feel about what happened. Was he supposed to feel grateful? Did he somehow owe his life to those abominations? The alien invasion opened the world''s eyes to how hilariously unequipped they were. And, how utterly powerless they were compared to those mutants. He did find it ironic though, those people who used to mock him were now falling over each other to hire him. Now that the existence of mutants became common knowledge, it wasn''t much of a surprise when he was approached by his current employers. Trask looked up from his clipboard of paperwork as the door burst open, to an annoyed Ajax dragging an unconscious body behind him. "Again?" "He was getting on my nerves," He answered with a grumble, dropping the body down on a surgical table in front of his boss. "You know I need him." "He can heal, can''t he?" Trask went back to his clipboard. "Not to the degree that Weapon X can," he answered. "At least not in his current state. It''s possible that he may improve after today, but then again we may need to intervene to see improvement. But our tests thus far indicate that he would survive the experiment with minimal interference, and while it''s not certain, there should be a significant improvement." . . . (3rd POV) The first thing he remembered, really remembered, was waking up in a dilapidated cell with no one in sight. Just like that, without any seeming transition, without any precise moment where nightmare took the leap into full-blown consciousness. No delineation between then and now. This was a nightmare then. The heavy thud of footsteps echoing down a length of cold, white corridor; the taste of leather biting into his neck; the skin-crawling sound of baying in the night, howls which could have come from hounds but that he instinctively knew were human because he would make the very same sound himself. The man looming over him with his harsh face partly wreathed in shadow. He struggled against the straps that held him down, even though his flesh was so rent and broken that every movement was like liquid fire in his nerves. He saw the reclining chair that seemed to have become a second home to him, the technicians gathered round preparing the bolts to keep his head screwed in place. And he knew that this was the last time he would ever be in this room. When he came out, it would either be to escape, or in a box. His tormentor stood over him whilst they unstrapped him from the gurney, still struggling. They gave him an injection, a tranquiliser; he felt it running through her veins, stealing the few memories he had left from him, and in that moment of inevitable loss a blind panic crashed over him, something so terrifyingly visceral that it cut through the haze in his mind. His limbs were freed; he lashed out instinctively at the nearest lab coat, drawing blood. Somebody lunged at him, and everything went strangely quiet; there was only white noise ringing in his ears as he felt someone''s neck snap between his fingers, someone''s ribs crack beneath his foot. He would have liked his tormentor, but unfortunately he managed to slip out during his rampage. His mind whispered to him, that he should just be done with it, and level this place to the ground. But, another part of him told him that he should rescue his fellow captives. He didn''t know them, but he heard their screams all the same. He shared their pain. His feet took him to the holding cells. ( Cypher''s POV) "Now. The scout drones narrowed it down to 3 locations. I turned my head to the other two. "Any ideas?" We had just arrived in Alberta, Canada. Diana''s drones had finished scouting the facilities most likely to contain the abducted Meta-human. But, judging by the size of these locations, I suspected we would find quite a few Metas. " Should we split up?" Kitty asked. "Each of us is strong enough to take on a facility. Whether all three are occupied or only one, that''s not my main concern." I said. Jean nods. " You''re worried we''re going to find more than one Meta-human. That''s why you brought the quinjet." " Yes, usually where there''s smoke there''s fire. You could probably shield a group, and Kitty and I could make a portal to help them escape. But, if we''re otherwise occupied, protecting a group of scared teens is going to be tough. Not to mention the fact... " " They''re somehow able to interfere with my telepathy. " Jean says. " Even if they have defenses to stop metas, they''re probably still in their infant stages and against a mutant as powerful as you, they don''t stand a chance. " " Do you think it''s another Meta-human? " Jean asks. I nod. " Then what''s the plan? " Kitty asks. " I... " My head jerks up in alert. I communicate to Jean and Kitty telepathically. I turn away and walk over to where I felt the presence stalking us. They must be pretty good, if they''re able to stay hidden from all of our senses. I only noticed because of my Spidey- sense, which usually activates when I am in danger, or If I''m being watched. " It''s easier if you just come out. I know you''re there." *Silence* " Suit yourself." I draw upon my magic, and speak. "Avsl?r deg selv! ". [>Reveal yourself! <] A pulse of magic is released and sweeps the area around us. A figure is suddenly revealed crouched down behind a clearing close to where we landed the camouflaged quinjet. I frown, regarding the figure curiously for a moment. I''m not sure what she thinks she''s doing, but I suppose I can take a guess. I look at Jean, who just looks as confused as I am. Kitty looks between me and Jean. " Illyana? What''re you doing here?" Illyana notices us approaching and stands up. "Damn it. " I hear her mutter. " How did you find me? Even Master A has a hard time finding me when I use my concealment spell. " She asks. I raise an eyebrow." Master A?" " Ancient One." Kitty clarifies. "Ah..." " We''re getting off track here. Illyana what are you doing here? How did you even get here?" Jean says. " I saw Kitty picking up her suit. So, I tagged her with a tracking spell and opened a portal here. She only uses it for missions or when she''s training with Mordo, and since he''s out on assignment I knew it was for a mission. " She said. " Really? Mordo goes on assignments?" " What did you think he did all day? " Kitty asks. I shrug. " I don''t know. Brood? " " Demon hunting. Apparently some idiots did a ritual thinking it was a joke, and accidentally summoned a demon. The new recruits are too green to handle it, and most of the masters are busy. " Illyana said. Huh. I guess things like that happen more than you would think. " Not that I''m not impressed. But, this mission is strictly 18 and over. Not to mention both your sibilings are probably wondering where you are right now." She shrugs. "Piotr took Mikael to our grandparents'' place. I didn''t see the point of going, I was born after he disappeared, so my prescence won''t exactly jog his memory. " " Still. It''s probably best if you head back." I said. She frowns. " I''m not leaving without helping those captured Meta-humans. And, if you try and stop me. I''ll just teleport back. " Well, when you put it like that? Still. Jean could probably put her to sleep using her telepathy, and I could probably restrain her with a spell before she teleports away. I am startled by a light tap on my shoulder and turn to see Jean, slightly shaking her head. < I'' ll look after her. I can''t make portals, she can come with me and help out. > She communicates telepathically. < It''s best not to antagonize her. Even if we stop her now, there''s no guarantee she won''t try and sneak out on her own in the future. At least this way we can keep an eye on her. > Kitty pokes me with a finger. "I can tell when you guys are talking. So, speak up." "Illyana you''re with Jean. You are to follow her orders, while on the field. Agreed?" She nods. I then look towards Jean and notice her eyes slightly unfocusing. She suddenly snaps back to attention. She communicates telepathically. I sighed. " Of course he sensed it too. " " What''s wrong? " Illyana asked. " Nothing''s wrong, let''s go say hello." (Chapter End) ------------------------------------------------------------ For 11+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And 3+ advanced chapters of (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz Chapter 103 - Prodigal Son For 11+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And 3+ advanced chapters of (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz . . Enjoy ;) ------------------------------------------------------------- Jean sticks a telekinetic field around us, and flies us over to the Blackbird. We land softly as the jet opens up, and watch as Xavier, Orroro, Logan, Kurt, Bobby, Scott and Rogue stream out. Oh. It seems Hank is here too.. " It seems the whole gang is here." I say. Scott is the first one to notice us, and he immediately scowls. Followed by Kurt who starts to enthusiastically wave at us, drawing the rest of the X-men''s attention to our group. Kurt teleports right in front of us. " Hey Guyz! It''s so good to zee you! What are you doing here? " " I suspect the professor is better suited to answer that question." I say. The professor looks towards Jean. " I assume you felt it too?" She nods. " I was using Cerebro at the time. I don''t think I would''ve noticed otherwise. You''ve grown powerful." He acknowledges. Orroro and Rogue go to greet the girls. And, I''m left standing with Logan, Kurt, Hank, Bobby and the Professor. Scott stood over a little way to the side, eyeing me with distaste, whilst shooting Jean with the occasional look. I snort." Prick. " " Hey, zats not nice." Kurt admonishes. I raise my hands in surrender. " Hey. I''m not the one checking out another man''s girlfriend." " Perhaps it is guilt. I suspect he wants to apologize." Charles says. " I''ll believe it when I see it. Hey Logan, how did the meeting with Steve go? Did you get your memories back?" " Some. It''s flashes mostly, the professor has been helping me sort through them. They''re not exactly consistent. " I nod." I''m glad you''re seeing some progress. " He snorts." We were also attacked by a guy with a metal arm. Apparently Steve knew him back in the day. " " Yeah, I heard. They call him the Winter Soldier. I did a bit of digging and it turns out he was being deployed on missions by Hydra. " " Wait Hydra still exists? Didn''t they get disbanded in WW2? " Hank asks. " You know what they say about Hydras cut off one head, and all that. " I say. " Vat? " Kurt asks, clearly unfamiliar with the phrase. " Cut off one head, and two more shall take its place. " Bobby says. We all stare at him." What? I like reading history. " I stick out my hand. " Oh sorry, about that. I''m Cypher. Nice to meet you. " " I''m Bo.. Iceman. " " So, let me guess your powers are somehow related to ice? " I ask slightly amused. He shrugs. " I know it''s a bit on the nose. But, if it ain''t broke. " The girls finish talking, and start to approach us. " Jean tells me you guys found something. I think it would be better if we team up on this one. " Orroro says. I nod." I sent a few scout drones before we came here. Something fishy is definitely going on." " Why didn''t you use your telepathy?" Scott asks. Jean shakes her head." They''re blocking me somehow. We think it''s a Meta-human. " We all look at the professor. " My telepathy is also being restricted. It''s actually quite concerning." " Any ideas?" Rogue asks. " I can try phasing through the walls, but I''m guessing they also have cameras. An invisibility spell won''t work on those." Kitty says. " Don''t worry about it. I''m working on getting us the Intel as we speak. They should be arriving by now. " " They? " Illyana asks. " The S-Drones. They''re state of the art spy drones. " " Really? Spy drones?" Orroro huffs out. I roll my eyes." It''s not like I''m using them for peeping. Ah! Here they are." I hold my arm out, and a few seconds later. A dozen drones which are slightly bigger than the size of a dime slot into my gauntlets. Jean shoots me a look. '' Are they Dr. Pym''s? '' '' They''re mine. The shrinking technology is his though. '' I communicate back. I connect the drones to my suit''s hologram system and call up the footage of the facilities. Two of them turned out to be normal research labs. The third? It was a whole different story. " So, are we ready to start?" Everybody nods. "I believe so. Please, show everyone what you have learned." Xavier says. The hologram starts, and we watch as the footage shows the drones approaching the loading bay. The building isn''t huge; this isn''t a particularly big base and wouldn''t have much use for large spaces. Things change though as the drones follow a guard who''s taking an elevator to an underground base. Logically. The best place to stash people like this would be a dramatically expanded basement under an old property. Which I''m guessing they did. It''s only about twenty metres further down where the elevator takes the drones into¡­ A room with¡­ empty cells. The drones spread out, each of them taking a different route. Leading them to different rooms and facilities. One of them reaches a bunkroom, but this time it''s occupied. Teenagers lie on the beds, eyes staring blankly at the ceiling. They appear to be wearing¡­ Whatever they had on them when they were taken. And, a neck clamp of some sort. Presumably power dampner collars. It also seems they''re drugged, since I can just about see them struggling to breathe. Keeping them docile for whatever they''re planning on doing with them? The footage moves on. There are a lot of mutants inside, too many, and Charles has a cold feeling in the pit of his stomach even before he sees the crude copy of Cerebro. He understands, suddenly, what is happening. Two figures in armour are standing next to a Meta-human who is strapped to a mobile platform. They seem to be moving him inside to a large spherical room, which looks like a knock off Cerebro. They don''t linger, pushing onwards and inwards, where some kind of reflective metallic panels line the walls. The footage cuts off. And, I can see a that a few of the X-men look sick to their stomachs, mostly those who are relatively younger. " How could someone do something so...awful." Illyana says in disgust. I sigh. " Well, it seems we have our work cut out for us." " They were so many. How did they even find so many mutants?" Kitty asked, still slightly numb. Dr. Hank started to slightly tremble. "That.. that spherical room. It''s the original Cerebro. Charles and I designed it while working for the CIA. I don''t understand. How did they get their hands on it." "Probably stolen. Or perhaps the CIA is involved. Makes no difference we''re going to destroy it all the same." I said. " You don''t understand. That device should be impossible for anyone to operate. The input would simply overwhelm any nascent telepath. I can think of only two people powerful enough to operate it without having their brain fried. And, they''re standing right in front of me." Dr. Hank says, as he looks at both Jean and the Professor. I frown." Well, clearly that''s not true. There must be another... " I shoot Xavier an alarmed look, and I only now start to notice the expression drawn on his face. He has a thousand mile stare on his face, as if remembering a long forgotten memory. And, with barely an audible voice I hear him whisper " David..." And, as soon as I hear that name my mind goes to the only person that could make Charles react this way. . . . . Legion (Chapter End) ------------------------------------------------------------- For 11+ advanced chapters of ( Ultimate Cypher)" " And 3+ advanced chapters of (Altered Mind)" Check out my pat-reon/AnubisCreationz