X-Men: Come the Apocalypse Chapter 23 (Conclusion, pt. 1) Author: Nathan Summers Date: 1998/02/19 Forum: alt.comics.fan-fiction Twenty-one of the world's most powerful mutants are gathered together in a single location within Apocalypse's pyramid citadel. {Storm}: It is good to see all of you here. I trust you completed your appointed tasks? {Cyclops}: We had some difficulty, but the Dark Riders won't be a problem anymore. {Storm}: Jean? {Phoenix}: The Horsemen won't be bothering us again any time soon. {Cable}: Though we did have some casualties ourselves. {Havok}: Sweet Jesus! Your arm... {Cable}: You call this thing an arm? {Cecilia}: I should have a look at that. {Cable}: Believe me, this is way beyond your medical knowledge. Exodus made my powers go nuts and I lost all control over the techno virus. It started growing like crazy and became a nuisance. I simply removed it. {Gambit}: Forge can fix it no problem, right? {Cable}: He won't need to. The techno virus ate my arm a long time ago. I used it to my advantage and shaped a new one from it. Some of the same had to be done to other areas of my body. {Havok}: So you'll just wait for the virus to kick back in and make a new one? {Cable}: Yep. {Cyclops}: Let's not forget our goal here. {Storm}: Cyclops is right. We must take down Apocalypse. Apocalypse's laboratory... {Apocalypse}: What news do you bring me? {Ozymandias}: The Hounds, Dark Riders, and the Horsemen have all been compromised. What shall we do? {Apocalypse}: We wait for an attack. My emissaries did what they were appointed to do. The mutants have been crippled. I will crush them. {Ozymandias}: What about Magneto? {Apocalypse}: I have finished restoring his full memory. His mind is about to be re-programmed now. {Ozymandias}: Then I shall leave you. Three minutes ago... {Iceman}: Who's that in the pod? {Bishop}: It's either Magneto, Deathbird, or Joseph. They were the only ones that didn't rejoin us. {Wolverine}: Did you say, "Magneto or Joseph?" {Bishop}: I recently learned that they are actually two separate people. It gets confusing. {Angel}: You'll have to explain that one later. {Bishop}: Indeed. {Wolverine}: My enhanced sight tells me that it ain't a chick. Gotta be Joseph or Magneto. They watch as Ozymandias departs and Apocalypse is left defenseless. {Cyclops}: Here's our chance. Energy wielders, we attack from the rear. Psychics, back us up. Those of you hand-to-hand combatants, take him down last. {Domino}: I have this ion blaster. Does that count me as an energy wielder? {Cyclops}: Might as well. {Cannonball}: Cyke... Sir, Ah can channel mah blast field through mah hands... {Cyclops}: You'll be a good asset, Sam. {Cecilia}: I recently learned how to concentrate my force field through my hands as well. {Cyclops}: Good. the more help we have, the better. On my signal! {Apocalypse}: Do it! {Cyclops}: Take a moment to power up. {Apocalypse}: Let's see how powerful you truly are. {Cyclops}: Now! {Apocalypse}: Yes! And the battle begins. Cyclops, Aurora, Storm, Gambit, Bishop, Havok, Iceman, Cannonball, Cecilia, and Domino unleash everything they have. No adjective could properly describe the event. Every hue imaginable can be seen as the unrelenting force nails Apocalypse. The others are forced back several yards to avoid injury themselves. They also must look away, for gazing at the sheer power could be as damaging as staring into the sun. {Apocalypse}: ARRRGGGGHH!!!!!!!!!! Never before have I felt such agony! The pain! The glorious pain! {Cyclops}: Keep pouring it on! {Cecilica}: I think that madman's actually enjoying this! {Havok}: It wouldn't surprise me. The assault lasts for two long minutes. No one could imagine how anything could survive it. Cecilia lost her concentration and was forced to stop prematurely. Domino was as well, since her weapon over loaded. Bishop's energy reserves were running low, but he did not stop. Gambit paused several times to "reload" but he was hanging in there. Impressions from Cyclops and Havok's feet were created on the ground as they had to plant themselves firmly to avoid being carried away by their own powers. Cannonball remembered to brace himself against a wall ahead of time. It was now the psychics' turn. {X-Man}: Everybody ready? {Apocalypse}: ARRRGGHH!!!!! Physical and mental pain... astounding! You could destroy me so easily. Nate Grey, Psylocke, Phoenix, and Cable join minds and strike as one. Apocalypse was right-- they could turn his into a vegtable. But that wasn't what they were told to do. {Rogue}: Ya'll better stay alert. An injured and unsuspecting Apocalypse was punched across the back by Rogue in an aerial assault. The battle had barely begun and much of his armor was already worn off. {Apocalypse}: You nearly knocked the wind out of me. It was a lucky shot. Rogue comes by for another attack, but Apocalypse is ready this time. He extends an arm out towards her and enlarges the fist. She is caught blind-sided, not expecting him to recover so quickly. Before going down, Rogue sees stars. {Apocalypse}: Do not challenge me! I cannot be overcome! Caliban comes out of no where and slashes Apocalypse across the chest with his deadly talons with lightning fast reflexes. Apocalypse stares down at the deep wound for a moment and says nothing. A purplish substance that one could only guess to be blood oozes out slowly. {Apocalypse}: You drew blood. I hadn't seen it in a while. {Caliban}: Uh, ummm... Blood begins rushing out of the wound and soon covers Apocalypse's entire chest. Caliban stares with a peculiar expression on his face. Apocalypse sucks the blood off of two fingers and quickly snatches up Caliban by the chin. He hurls him across the area as if he were weightless. {Apocalypse}: What is that sound? {Maggott}: It's only the girls eatin' you alive. Maggott's Eany and Meany were devouring huge amounts of Apocalypse's armor. They would soon reach flesh and Apocalypse couldn't have that happen. He extends the patches of his body that the creatures are feasting upon outward and shakes them around violently. The slugs eventually give up and look for something else to consume. {Maggott}: They were only a distraction. The South Afrikan mutant enhances his mass and strength, pummeling Apocalypse in the back with both fists. He falls to his knees, gritting his teeth. Maggott stands over Apocalypse triumphantly, but is blown away by energy gauntlets. {Beast}: Here comes the bubbly, blue, bouncing Beast to the rescue! As Apocalypse turns his energy blasters on Beast, Wolverine comes up from behind, slashing the twin cords running from Apocalypse's back to his elbows. Beast decks him across the chin drawing blood, just as Wolverine is pulled over Apocalypse's head and thrown to the ground. Apocalypse swings Wolverine into Beast like a pillow, taking them both out. Blood/oil sprays wildly out of the severed coils. Apocalypse grasps one of them and observes it. {Apocalypse}: Pity. I won't be able to mentally control the alien weaponry in my arms now. Curse you, Wolverine! Angel slams his fists into Apocalypse's stomach as he flies down from above. He swoops, and then uppercuts him. Angel finishes off by forming a single fist with both hands and smashing Apocalypse in the side of the head. {Angel}: I want answers now! {X-Man}: We've got to help him. {Psylocke}: No! Let's see what develops first. {X-Man}: Are you sure you're making the right decision? {Xavier}: Do what she says. The three of them look up to see Angel punching Apocalypse across the cheek. {Angel}: Tell me how you came back! Everytime we think we've seen the last of you, you return. How? {Apocalypse}: Evil cannot die. Frustrated, Angel flies Apocalypse straight into a nearby wall. {Angel}: You're not pure evil, and you can die. {Apocalypse}: As you see, I recovered. {Angel}: Dead people can't recover! {Apocalypse}: I suppose you are entitled to an explanation after all this time. You'll love this one. {Angel}: Tell me! {Apocalypse}: Why is it that I put so much work into you? The other original Horsemen were rounded up, and given high-tech advanced weaponry. You were different. Why? {Angel}: You wanted me to be capable of destroying X-Factor. You knew they wouldn't attack a friend. {Apocalypse}: Yes, that is a part of it, and it makes a good cover for the other part. {Angel}: Other part? {Apocalypse}: When I restored your body, a link was created between us. It ensured that if I were to meet my ultimate demise, I would siphon energy from you and be reborn. {Angel}: Two birds with one stone. You could use me to destroy X-Factor easily, and as a safe-guard for yourself. {Apocalypse}: Yes. When the original Dark Riders killed me, I immediately began siphoning energy from you. It also helped that you were the last person to see me alive. I continued siphoning energy until I finally re-awakened during the Onslaught crisis. What was your state of health at the time? {Angel}: I was injured and I wasn't recovering well. {Apoclypse}: Exactly. Once I was actually alive and conscious once again, I absorbed a huge chunk of energy from you in order to completely recover. I was extremely weak when I first awakened, you see. {Angel}: My wings! {Apocalypse}: Yes. At this point, I was ready to put my plan into action. I was still siphoning small amounts of energy from you. It has manifested by your fading skin color. {Angel}: My skin has become lighter. {Apocalypse}: I can see a tone of peach in it now. You could very well look human again before long. {Angel}: By upgrading me, you were really upgrading yourself. {Apocalypse}: Ironic. But now I have evolved to my final state of being! I shall now become a Celestial. All of you were able to take me down so easily because I was in a state of metamorphosis. In this phase, I was weaker than usual. You can; however, stop the ascension. Simply kill me. This can be accomplished by killing yourself, Warren Worthington. This is when I am at my weakest. It would be most easy for your friends to destroy me with you gone. Angel pins Apocalypse with his gaze. He lets him go and rejoins the others. Apocalypse slumps down the side of the wall and begins crawling across the floor. {Angel}: I tried killing myself once and look what happened. No telling what could happen a second time. {Aurora}: Look! He is escaping! {Cable}: What? No! Apocalypse begins to dematerialize, resting on a circular platform of swirling lights. Cyclops, Havok, and Aurora try to stop him, but it is too late. {Rogue}: He's gone! {X-Man}: He can't get far. We'll track that monster to the ends of the earth! Be here next Wednesday for the conclusion to "Come the Apocalypse!" --Nate!