Yes, guys I know, like always it takes me a while to upload, I just hope the wait was worth it. References for designs come at the end of the chapter as always. As like always be sure to check out my friend Aspiringactor's Marvel: Reborn for more Reboot goodness!
Hope you guys enjoy it!
Avengers ANB 9
The Day of Darkness
Location: New York City, Greenwich, The Sanctum Santorum.
Deep within the confines of the Sanctum Santorum, the master of the Mystic arts and the Sorcerer Supreme, Dr Stephen Strange sat cross legged suspended in the middle of his quarters. His eyes closed, his hands joined in his lap and the eye of Agamotto glowing around his neck.
The Sorcerer Supreme had been meditating for the better part of the day. Arcane patterns and sigils glowing all around him as he tapped into the magical energies of the earth.
"Wong, you know that really doesn't help with my concentration" Strange smirked as he opened one eye to look at his fellow Sorcerer.
Sat just a couple of feet away, head buried in a book with earphones on, was none other than Wong, Assistant, friend and fellow master of the mystical arts to the Doctor. Like he was known to do, Wong was listening to Beyoncé on full blast.
Taking one earphone from his right ear, Wong raised a brow and replied "Last I checked you never meditate this long, what's so different today?"
"Something in the fabric between realities, everything feels…fuzzy" Strange replied, closing his eyes and trying to concentrate once again.
"That may have something to do with the eclipse. Cosmic events such as the alignment of planets will sometimes tamper with the barrier between dimensions" Wong replied as he leaned back in his chair.
Strange continued to meditate, calmly concentrating on the cosmic energies that kept reality in check. His many incantations, spells and enchantments making the process all the easier, as the Sanctum itself was built upon a point of said energy.
All of a sudden, Strange's eyes shot wide open, a look of panic written upon his face. The sigils and arcane patterns going haywire as the ground beneath the Sanctum shook. Strange dropped to his feet and Wong shot up from his chair.
"You felt that?" Wong asked.
"Like a hammer to the face" Strange replied as he sped out of the room, Wong on his heels.
The two burst through the front doors of the Sanctum, into a street full of people all staring up into the sky. When the two Sorcerers looked up to where there would usually be the sun, burning brightly, in place was something that sent a chill crawling right up their spines.
What hung up in the sky was not any simple eclipse.
High in the sky was a gaping hole, surrounded in blue flame, and pouring from the mouth of that hole were hundreds of thousands of screeching abominations. Creatures pulled right from the deepest and darkest nightmares a person could have.
"We have work to do" Strange said with purpose in his voice as he stepped back into the Sanctum.
"I told you Tony, you don't have to worry about the Tower, you and Pepper just concentrate on having a good time" Taka chuckled as he reached for a rag to wipe the sweat from his face.
Both Tony and Pepper had went away for a week, a little get away in the Caribbean to spend a little time together and relax while Taka looked after Stark Tower. Right now, the young Japanese man was actually working on a new improved suit of armour, the Iron Hawk MK2. JARVIS like the good AI butler he was, watched over him to make sure he didn't accidently blow up the tower with his meddling.
"I just don't want your experiments to end up putting a crater in my Tower. Remember Taka, all the money I have to spend to fix any damage is coming out of your inheritance when you get it" Tony chuckled on the other end of the line.
"Don't listen to him Taka, JARVIS can handle anything you can't, just have fun and don't get too reckless ok?" Pepper smiled, leaning in behind Tony.
"You got it Pepper, you two just concentrate on getting some sunshine ok?" Taka smiled back as he reached for an arc welder.
"Oh, we will" Pepper waved before disappearing from the hologram.
"And remember, if anything goes wrong around the city, you've still got Carol and Pete to count on. If things get even worse just call Fury…"
"Tony, don't worry…The city won't swallow itself just because the mighty Iron Man isn't here for a week" Taka chuckled as he put on his visor.
"Yeah, I just…I worry ok? There I said it! I don't want the Robin to my Batman getting into trouble on his first day home alone" Tony chuckled.
"I'm touched, now please enjoy yourselves alright?" Taka asked.
Tony smirked before switching the screen off, the last image Taka saw was the look of concern and trust on his mentor's face. He could take care of himself and the city just fine, he had a little bit of experience under his belt, it had been months since he had laid the beat down on Scorpion, he had racked up quite a name for himself as the Iron Hawk.
He had stopped a Bank Robbery, ceased four more hostage situations, hell he even assisted Ms Marvel in stopping a Plane crash just outside the city.
With a flash of bright white light, Taka began welding, the arc welders that Tony had access to where of the finest and most advanced in the world. Perfect for leaving no marks upon the ultra-dense alloy that comprised both his and Taka's suits.
"You know some kids spend their time playing video games or sports" Happy said from behind Taka, holding an arm up in front of his face to not get blinded by the light from the arc welder.
"Most kids my age don't have IQs in the 200's, and many of them don't have access to the coolest tech on the planet" Taka smiled behind his visor.
Happy was left behind to somewhat watch over Taka while Tony and Pepper went on their vacation. He was a nice guy, a bit awkward when it came to tech and science, but he was always there for Tony and Pepper when they needed him, the same could be said for Taka. When Tony technically adopted Taka, Happy was worried he would be bringing back a screaming infant, imagine his surprise when his boss brought home a younger version of himself.
A version that didn't have nearly as much ego, but still a smart, rich kid with way too much time on his hands. A Kid that, like his mentor, had a thing for mechanized battle suits.
Said battle suit Taka was working on, was an upgraded version of what he was using right now. Tony had given him a few pointers and helpful tips, including a lesson on originality. Taka didn't want to just be another Iron Man, he wanted people to know the difference between him and his mentor. Of course, the crest on his helmet helped, but he needed more than that.
The new suit would be much larger, heavily armoured and armed to the teeth. Not as large as the Hulkbuster, but still large enough to intimidate foes, it was in the later stages of the development. A few more tweaks on the helmet and then Taka could leave it for JARVIS to finish up the alloy reinforcement and weapon installations.
"So, what can I help you with Happy?" Taka asked as he took off his visor and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"I'm not a Butler, Kid. I work for Tony in a professional sense, and right now that work involves keeping an eye on you" Happy replied with his arms folded.
"Are you trying to say you are babysitting me?" Taka asked with a raised brow, not looking in Happy's direction as he picked up a couple of tools and finished off some fine wiring.
"I'm pretty sure JARVIS has you covered on that account" Happy began to leave the room.
Taka chuckled and nodded his head as he closed an armour panel on his helmet. This new helmet had the same crest as his current helmet had, the same silver and blue colour scheme, just a larger emphasis on Taka's unique armour style rather than the smooth, streamlined style of Tony's suits.
That and the tonnes of hidden gadgets, weapons and other bells and whistles of his own design stored in between armour plates. Oh yes, the Iron Hawk MK2 was going to be a real fun armour to pilot.
"Ok, J man, I think this baby is all ready for Alloy reinforcement and assembly" Taka smiled as he picked up the large helmet from the workbench and carried it over to the other end of the room.
There, stood proudly in a cylindrical container was the rest of the MK2, standing at a good 7 and a half feet. The armour outline was very angular, much like one of the robots from anime Taka used to watch as a kid. He wanted his new armour to have his own personal flair, so he was doing everything he could to make himself stand apart from his mentor.
Placing the helmet onto the neck section of the new armour, Taka pressed a few commands into the keypad next to it. He was very happy with how the MK2 was turning out, soon he would be able to take to the streets in a new and improved suit.
The cylinder closed and JARVIS began the process of finishing off the new and improved armour suit. Taka reached to his forearms and scratched the itch he was feeling, little more than a few days ago he had injected nanites into his bloodstream.
Nanites that would allow him to mentally summon his suits towards him. Tony used these nanites whenever he needed one of his suits, some of his more advanced armours were entirely comprised of Nanites, though he said that kind of tech may have been too much for young Taka right now.
The young man walked over to where the MK1 was standing upright, its eyes powered down and its arc reactor in a sort of sleeping function. The armour plating of the MK1 had seen a bit of action in the recent months, as it was littered in scuff marks and chips in certain places.
He loved the MK1, it was his first suit and he would still be using it. But when compared to the MK2, it was a fast-tactical response suit, easier to summon and easier to repair and outfit. The MK2's bulkier design and enhanced arsenal made it more powerful, but not quite as fast.
Either way, Taka's imagination paired with his young genius would allow him to progress further than mere armour suits in the future. His mind was full to the brim with ideas, ideas what Stark tech and Tony's guidance would allow him to realize.
All to reach that one goal, always lingering in the back of his mind. To avenge his family, to hunt down the man that took his parents from him and make him pay.
"How long are we looking at JARVIS?" Taka asked, running his hand across the armoured chest of the MK1.
"Approximately 5 hours, the enhanced weaponry systems along with the reinforced alloy will take the better part of that while general systems checks will take considerably less time" JARVIS replied.
"Good, then all we have to do is sit back, relax and…" Taka sat down on a nearby couch, put his hands behind his head and got ready to relax until he saw it.
The gaping hole in the sky that opened up where the sun should have been shining from. Almost immediately Taka shot up from the couch and stared in awe at the horrific sight before him.
"JARVIS, please tell me you see that" Taka asked, wide eyed.
"I can confirm that there is some sort of cosmic phenomenon taking place, my sensors however cannot seem to detect the source, I can detect several hundreds life forms emerging from this phenomenon" JARVIS quickly replied in the driest way possible.
"Ok…well…I suppose relaxing can wait" Taka ran towards the MK1, with a single ounce of willpower the Armour came to life and the back segments spread open, welcoming its master to don it.
Taka stepped into the suit, its armour plates closing around him, Taka Kitano and the Iron Hawk MK1 becoming one. The eyes and the chest segment light up bright blue, cracking his neck from side to side, Taka began walking over to the launch pad of the tower.
"JARVIS, send an Alert to SHIELD. I have a feeling this isn't just a trick of the light" Taka spoke as he powered up his repulsars.
"Already sent. I've also went to the liberty of alerting all the local police and military forces" JARVIS replied instantly.
"Now, I see why Tony has you running so much" Taka smirked behind his helmet.
"Thank you, I do my best" JARVIS replied with a hint of what Taka assumed was pride.
Taka's repulsars powered up and shot him upwards from the launching planform, his metal clad form shooting into the sky and down into the city. Right now the city didn't have the Iron Man to protect it, but it did have the Iron Hawk to act in his stead.
"Now, are you sure you don't need me to pick you up?"
"I'm sure mom, stop worrying about it, it's just D&D"
"Just be sure to not skip dinner ok?"
"You got it mom" Jake smiled as he shouldered his backpack.
His mother always acted like this, it was a Saturday and that meant he was going to meet up with his friends for their scheduled D&D campaign. He had fully recharged from the other night where he had that tussle with Rhino. Taking the form of something as complicated and powerful as a Manticore pretty much made him sleep through an entire day.
His mom and dad didn't really bring up why he was so drained, then again, his parents mercifully never injected themselves in his personnel life or what he did in it. So, when it came to his attempted hero work, Jake was mercifully spared the endless questions from a doting mother and a suspicious father.
Jake walked down the streets, wearing a black hoodie, simple blue jeans and sneakers. In his bag where two things, his D&D kit consisting of a character sheet, dice and rule book and his hero outfit. The outfit he had put together with spray paint, random pieces of fabric and whatever clothing he could put together to look cool.
He was just one kid after all.
"And be sure to tell Mrs Morales I said hi!" Mrs Jasper shouted out to her son.
"I will mom" Jake shouted back with a smile and a wave.
Jake shook his head with a smile, his life was a relatively easy one. He had a loving mother, a strong and caring father, great friends, great grades, not to mention the fact he had freaking superpowers. He didn't know the specific origin of his powers, but he knew for a fact that he wasn't a Mutant.
It was hard for Jake to explain it, but as someone naturally gifted in Biology, anatomy and chemistry, he had done plenty of research. He knew about the Mutant Gene, and he knew for a fact he didn't have it. He knew pretty much down to a T, what genes comprised his DNA, and the Mutant Gene was not one of them.
It was something that would usually drive other people mad. Having these extraordinary abilities and having no idea where they had come from, but it didn't bother Jake. He just saw it as something to be discovered later on, if he ever did. All he knew was that he wanted to grow up to be just like his hero Ben Grimm. To use these abilities to protect the people around him.
It was a simple dream, and one he thought he could make good on.
But right now, all Jake wanted to do was meet his friends and play their scheduled game of D&D. Yeah it was a nerdy pastime, but Jake was a proud nerd, movies, video games, comics books, D&D, you name it and he was invested.
Last they played he and his adventuring party were stuck deep in an ancient mine, formerly a Dwarven kingdom, now inhabited by cannibalistic Mer-folk that worshiped an ancient sea god. He played a human druid, nothing more awesome than transforming into a Rhino and goring an enemy, or a lion that could take an opponent's head clean off with one claw swipe.
Just as Jake was walking, he felt his phone vibrating in his pocket. Taking a second to fish it out of his jeans and look at the caller ID, Jake accepted the call and held it to his ear with a smile.
"Hey Miles, what's up man?" Jake cheerfully replied.
"Great Man, we're just about set up. How much longer you gonna be?" his friend Miles replied over the phone.
"Not long dude, just a couple of blocks away. I just…just…" Jake stopped in his tracks, his eyes widening and his jaw practically dropping.
"Jake? Jake you okay?" Miles asked over the phone.
"Dude…look outside" Jake said as the sounds of people panicking filled the air.
"…Oh…Oh my god, dude forget the game, are you closer to home or my place?" Miles asked with a panicking tone.
"Uh…My place" Jake replied quickly understanding what had to be done.
"Then get home dude, it isn't worth getting caught up in this" Miles replied with concern in his voice.
"You got it man, keep the guys safe ok?" Jake said before switching off his phone.
However, young Jake Jasper wasn't going home. He didn't like lying to one of his best friends, but that gaping hole in the sky made this a very bad situation, a lot of people were in danger, and if he didn't do something then a lot of people would die.
He quickly found an alleyway to get changed in.
It was time for Jake Jasper to disappear, and for Amalgam to take his place.
Cara Moriarty stared at the cup in front of her, her hands clasped as she simply watched the steam rise from the hot beverage. She sat by herself at a table outside of a coffee shop, choosing to get rid of her hangover in the best way she could.
By trying to enjoy the nice weather, a hot cup of coffee, the sound of people talking and the presence of the one friend she had in this world.
Her St Bernard, Bubba.
The big dog was laying down by her feet, his tail wagging gently side to side. Cara had Bubba since he was a little puppy, he was a pet her father had gotten her, and no matter how much time passed, the big fluffy sweetheart always reminded her of her dad.
Just as Cara reached down and scratched the big dog behind his ears, someone sat down opposite her.
The Celtic lass didn't need to look up to know who it was.
"Hello Jim" she finally looked up to meet eyes with the Bartender.
"Cara" Jim nodded as he clasped his hands in front of him. The look on his face made him look totally uncomfortable.
"So…how are you?" Jim asked.
"Doing fine" Cara replied, absentmindedly scratching Bubba behind the ears.
"…Good…Good" Jim replied, nervously scratching the back of his head.
"I came to your apartment yesterday…you weren't there" Jim tried his best to start a conversation.
"I had a fight yesterday" Cara replied briefly once again. Barely giving Jim anything to work with.
Jim barely ever noticed when Cara had her fights, she never showed bruising, probably because whenever she came up against an opponent, they would never get the chance to get a hit in. He always wondered how she was such a good fighter, but after that little display in the alley the other night…he had bigger questions for her.
"So, want to talk about what happened?" Jim asked with crossed arms.
"Please, I'm not in the mood" Cara murmured before taking a sip of her coffee.
"Well, I'm sorry but I can't let that go…I mean what…what are you?" Jim asked.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you" Cara looked off into the distance.
"I don't know, I can believe some crazy shit. I saw you sprout black angel wings and freeze a man's face off, not to mention I should be dead, any explanation I can take will do" Jim replied in a hushed tone.
"…not a lot of people back home believe in the old gods, the ones we worshiped before Christianity. Before the Trinity came along, we believed in all sorts of gods, we believed in Giants, Faeries, Gods of death, Gods of Fate, Gods of Fertility…there were a lot of those last ones by the way" Cara said with a chuckle at that last bit.
"…a few years ago, people thought that so many of the gods of the old world were just myths, the Norse gods, the Greek Pantheon, I could go on. But now, that the Norse god of Thunder is a celebrity, it hopefully won't be too stupid to believe the old Celtic gods are real too" Cara looked up and locked eyes with Jim.
"You…you aren't a god, are you?" Jim asked with a raised brow.
"You think a god would have to resort to MMA fights to keep paying her rent?" Cara chuckled.
"Well when you put it like that…" Jim chuckled and scratched the back of his head.
"...The best way to put it, is that…" Just as Cara was about to explain, a horrified scream pierced the air. The Irish redhead shooting up to see people running and screaming down the streets, away from something.
When she and Jim looked into the sky, they could see the reason why. A gaping hole in the sky where the sun should be, creatures pouring out and into the streets below. The screams only got louder as people fled into the buildings or into cars to try and flee. The panic in the air could be felt, and Cara felt that familiar feeling creep inside her.
The call, it had to be sated.
Police sirens could be heard in the distance as inhuman screeches and roars quickly followed. Cara didn't know what was happening, but the thing deep within her screamed to be let lose, to be unchained and unleashed. And this time, Cara couldn't see herself keeping it hidden.
"Bubba, buddy you've got to go, it isn't safe here" Cara cradled her dog's big fluffy head in her hands.
"Jim, here, take my keys and get Bubba home" Cara flung her keys at the Bartender.
"Wait, what!?" Jim asked with utter shock and confusion.
Cara looked back at him, the black veins engulfing the skin around her eyes, the tips of her red hair turning black and the air around her getting cold. Cara then pulled a piece of cloth from her jacket pocket and tied it around her face like a bandana.
"Uh, yeah, yeah ok…" Jim quickly grabbed Bubba's leash and stood up.
"The two of you stay safe" Cara said with concern as Jim ran with Bubba close behind him. The St Bernard was clever and knew to follow his mistress' orders. Cracking her neck from side to side, Cara began walking towards the source of the disturbance.
Slowly and with the audible sound of bones cracking, Cara's beck began to morph and distort underneath her leather jacket. The people running past her froze when they saw the two huge black angel wings sprout from Cara's back.
The Black winged form of Cara shot into the sky, her huge black angel wings propelling her into the air towards were the feeling within her chest willed her to go. Even then, she could hear that little voice in the back of her head, whispering it's will within her.
*BANG!**BANG!**BANG!*
The shooting range was very active with the sound of gunshots, SHIELD Agents keeping their marksmanship up. Many of the agents were firing off handguns, a few fired off semi-auto assault rifles, and a few fired off higher calibre handguns like Dessert Eagles.
But one person at the range had a few more weapons to fire, this particular agent had a special cubicle at the range, with reinforced targets. Why reinforced targets you may ask?
Probably because this Agent had the most powerful firearms of any Agent in SHIELD.
*BANG!*
A single extra loud gunshot almost immediately silenced every other Agent at the range, their attention drawn to the man standing at his specially made cubicle.
Stood there, holding a smoking revolver, was none other than Len Ryder, Agent DeadEye. The best sharpshooter in SHIELD, a certified weapons expert who specialized in precision shooting. He was wearing most of his impact armour and recoil brace with the exception of his Poncho and helmet, which lay on the table next to his weapons.
The revolver he was holding was a heavily modified Revolver of his own design. It resembled a Remington 1858, only it had been fitted to have both a breech loader and a flip out chamber. The rounds were modified to be explosive tipped, way more impact and penetration. Some people may have said it was overkill to have armour piercing side-arms.
But Len always believed that either you go big or go home.
These Revolvers were Len's new babies, he nicknamed them the Rattlers, on the account of the rattlesnake engravings on the grips. Besides, the sound of the cartridges entering the chamber sounded like the rattles of a rattlesnake.
He was a Texas boy, he had run ins with rattlers before, and they were no laughing matter.
Neither were his new guns.
Len turned to see all the Agents looking at him with his twin revolvers. With a raised eyebrow, Len looked back and forth between his Rattlers and the guns the other Agents were holding.
"I hope I'm not making you guys self-conscious" he smirked as he twirled his Rattlers before holstering them at his sides.
A few agents shook their heads, a few continued trying to ignore Len's comment, and the few that paid attention squeezed their earmuffs against their ears in preparation as Len drew his most powerful firearm from his armpit holster.
The Agents that frequented the firing range knew to keep their ears shut when Len pulled out the Dragonmaw.
Pulling back the slide, popping in a new high explosive, armour piercing shell, Len aimed the Dragonmaw with both hands. He concentrated as he stared down the sights, lining up the shot, blotting out the noise of 45 calibre handgun fire and the smell of discharged gunpowder in the shells.
The target was a stone statue, a few large holes where his Rattlers had done their damage. Smirking as he side eyed all the other agents, Len squeezed the trigger.
*KRAKOOOOOOM!*
The nozzle flash of the Dragonmaw would have blinded anyone looking in that direction, the sound of its roar dwarfing the sound of 45 gunfire. The head of the statue was blown to smithereens, and left a sizeable crater on the wall behind it. No doubt the techs would have fun buffing that out.
"Agent Ryder" came a loud voice, shouting from behind. Len raised a brow and slowly turned, he met eyes with a short man in a black suit, bald and wearing glasses with a pair of earmuffs squeezed tightly against his head.
"Sitwell, always a pleasure" Len smirked as he twirled the Dragonmaw before holstering it.
"You know, you could use something less likely to blow out your eardrums" Sitwell said with an uncomfortable wince, his ears probably still ringing from the echo of the Dragonmaw.
"My eardrums are stronger than regular humans, that won't happen, besides, who wants to live forever?" Len asked as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a cigar. Biting into the end of the cigar and spitting out the end, Len also pulled out a box of matches, proceeding to strike it across the palm of his gloved hand.
"You know this is a no smoking area?" an Agent said with an annoying tone from one of the other cubicles.
"Really? Mind telling me all the reasons I should give two fucks?" Len asked with a smile as he held the cigar to his lips and lit it with the match. Taking along drag of the cigar, he then let out all the smoke with a satisfied huff before flipping the bird to the angered agent.
"Fury wants to speak with you, he has a mission that seems to be up to your speed" Sitwell took his earmuffs off.
"Oh goodie, another scalding. Well, let's not keep cheery Nick waiting" Len replied, taking another drag on his cigar before flinging his poncho around his shoulders and picking up his helmet. Len walked past every Agent, still flipping the bird to every one that gave him a glare or murmured an insult.
Len Ryder was not the most well-behaved Agent of SHIELD, but then again it wasn't his manners that made him a valuable asset, every Agent in the room knew he could kill every last one of them with those gunslinging skills of his.
The manners of Agent DeadEye were something one would either have to get used to, or simply grin and bear it. The last agent to pick a fight with him ended up in the infirmary for a month. As it turned out Len was also a dirty hand to hand fighter who wasn't afraid to pistol whip someone in the groin when he wanted.
"Do you have to smoke those things?" Sitwell asked as he walked besides Len, still smoking his cigar.
"Nope, do you have to be an insufferable dib-shit with a stick up his ass?" Len asked, a bit of his southern drawl coming out in his insult.
Sitwell shook his head in disdain, he didn't like the costumed Agents, Romanov could be testy at times, Morse and Drew were professional enough, Barton was a pain in the ass sometimes, but Ryder was simply insufferable. It was almost like he made it his business to make people hate his guts.
When Sitwell and Len walked into the main Base of operations on the Helicarrier, they were quickly met with the site of the meeting table. Sat there were some of the aforementioned special agents, Agent Natasha Romanov, AKA the Black Widow, Clint Barton, AKA Hawkeye and Jessica Drew, AKA Spiderwoman.
Stood at the head of the table was the Director of SHIELD, Nick Fury, his eye patch not at all covering the scowl on his face. Looking equally annoyed right next to Fury was none other than his second in command, Maria Hill and on his left the always calm and collected Agent Phil Coulson.
"Ok…what did I do this time?" Len asked after a particularly long drag on his cigar.
"Surprisingly, nothing yet" Jessica replied with a smirk as she leaned forward, her chin resting in her right palm.
"Give it time" Clint remarked, him and Len narrowing their eyes at each other.
"There has been a situation that requires all of your full attention" Coulson announced, getting all the Agents to perk up, except Len who had sat down and had his feet up at the table. Fury rolled his eyes…his eye at that.
"Approximately, 1 hour ago, a group of unidentified individuals hijacked a large office complex in downtown New York…" Hill began to brief the Agents on the situation.
*EARLIER THAT DAY
People went about their day as they usually did, they woke up, said goodbye their families, they went to work, drank their coffee, taxi drivers took their passengers from point A to point B and accountants and retail workers wished their days would go faster. All in all, it seemed to be shaping up to be an average New York day.
But at a certain office complex, things weren't going to stay very normal. Down in the lobby, security guards small-talked, secretaries took phone calls, but even as these people went about their days, the front doors opened.
Five large men, all dressed in long black overcoats walked up to the front desk, the man in front was very tall, at least 7 foot with a bushy beard, shoulder length auburn hair that was greying at the sides and piercing blue eyes.
"Hello Ms. How are you this morning?" the man asked with a wide smile.
"Quite fine sir, do you have an appointment?" the secretary asked, a little taken back by the man's height.
"Oh, of course we do my child. An appointment with a power higher than anyone in this building could achieve" he smiled before gesturing to the other men.
The bearded man with the facial tattoo smiled as he held out his hand, and a two-handed battle-axe materialized in his hand.
From outside the building, three large vans opened wide, dozens of men wearing black robes began to pour into the building. Their robes resembled those of shaolin monks with the exceptions of armoured plates covering their vital areas, black hoods and masks resembling clusters of tentacles and skulls.
Every single one of these men had a sword either at their hip or back, a pistol holstered on their side, and a few carried assault rifles. These men were armed to the teeth, the ones in more ornate robes seemed to be better armed, and a few even had the same ethereal glowing blue eyes.
"Hey! Stop right the…" one security guard said before he was quickly cut down when one of the robed men drew a sword and decapitated him.
The guard next to him drew a pistol, yet never got the chance to fire, as before he could even squeeze the trigger, he was sliced in half down the middle by Gunmar's battle-axe. People all around the lobby screamed at the top of their lungs as the armed men in black advanced on them.
The other three large men held out their hands and weapons of their own materialized. A Roman Gladius, a Chinese Longsword and an Egyptian Kopesh. The large man smiled as the robed men began rounding up all the people in the lobby and swiftly cutting down any that challenged or stood up to them.
"Don't be afraid child…today, is a good day" Fulgrim smiled at the secretary, his eyes glowing an ethereal blue.
Every time Fulgrim smiled, it didn't feel genuine, it felt like an alien's interpretation of a smile. There was no joy, or happiness in his cold blue eyes, it was a façade plain and simple. Like every crack and crevice of his human face, it felt false, dishonest, as if it were a leather mask covering something cold and unfeeling.
"Round up the weak, kill the strong and bring their bodies!" Gunmar ordered to the Zealots of the Order.
Gunmar, Khui, Gaius and Xiao Yun all took off their overcoats, their armoured forms shimmering over them in a flare of blue flame. The illusion of their human forms dissipating and being replaced by the armour-clad forms of the Elite guard.
Fulgrim's glowing blue eyes began to shimmer brighter as his form changed to the form he was used to, the form of an 8-foot-tall man, clad in full plate armour, with the sword of Alden Harrigan hanging from his waist. His helmet hadn't materialised however, leaving his human face open to the air.
"Proceed to the roof…we have work to do" Fulgrim smiled.
*Meanwhile, halfway across town
"Yeah, you don't have to worry about the city Tony, me and Carol have it covered. Besides, you said it yourself that Taka is more than capable of picking up the slack. I mean what's the worse than could happen? We haven't had a threat that needed any of us to go serious in a loooong time" Peter spoke into the phone, standing upside down on the underside of ledge.
"Is he still worrying?" Carol asked, peeking over the side of the ledge.
"Like a doting mother" Peter replied.
"I hope something does happen, bank heists and muggings get a bit boring after a while" she said as she sat down, letting her legs dangle off the edge of the building.
"If anything does happen Tony, we can handle it, you and Pepper just enjoy your time ok? Give Taka a call and check in if you want, we have everything on lockdown" Peter smiled.
"Ok…Ok, Bossman, we'll see you when you get back, bye" Peter smiled before hearing Tony hang up on the other side of the line.
"Are we free yet?" Carol smirked.
"We're free" Peter smiled back as he walked over the edge.
"Great, now we can…" Carol began until she picked up the sound of police sirens in the distance.
"…Find out whatever that is?" Peter asked, finishing Carol's sentence.
"You're dam right" Carol smiled back.
Carol wasted no time in grabbing Peter by the scruff of his neck, a display he had grown used to, and shot up into the sky. Peter knew that Carol could fly way faster than he could web swing, and in situations like this, it was better to not fight it.
Just as they rounded a corner, both the former Avengers' eyes widened. There was a blockade of cop cars and SWAT vehicles parked up right in front of a particularly large office complex. Officers and SWAT forces were set up, fully armed and ready for anything. Obviously, whatever was going on was beyond the usual hostage situation they would encounter.
If only they knew what they were in for.
There, stood in the centre of the roof with his arms outstretched, was Fulgrim, the current leader of the Obsidian Order. Gathered around him were each of his closest followers, all knelt in a large circle, chanting old ritualistic rites long forgotten to the modern world.
The most heavily armed zealots, wielding assault weapons and close quarters weaponry, were stood on the edges of the roof, looking out for any threats.
The Elite Guard stood with their weapons at the ready, their eyes faintly glowing blue in unison as the chants grew louder. Gunmar tightly gripped his axe, Ahui held his Kopesh in one hand while his whips were rolled up on his hips, Xiao Yun held his longsword in both hands and had his bow and quiver of arrows on his back and finally Gaius gripped his gladius.
Every one of the Elite guards' weapons were glowing and engulfed in ethereal blue flame. Whatever was going to happen next, they were ready for a fight.
Fulgrim's eyes glowed brighter and brighter, the smile disappearing from his face as he felt the moment at hand. Looking up in the sky, he could feel the moon's shadow blotting out the sun before him. The human façade began to crumble, and with that his helmet materialized over his head, covering whatever inhuman monstrosity took the place of his human head.
"It is time" Fulgrim borderline growled, his voice partially distorting behind his helm.
Fulgrim walked to the centre of the circle and held both his arms out. Zealots began bringing out civilians to form a smaller circle within the larger one, the bound and gagged civilians were brought to their knees.
More Zealots began drawing sigils and markings on the floor with pre-prepared blood and salt. Four Zealots stood close to Fulgrim, all holding large, ceremonial daggers in their hands.
"Oh, great ones of the void. I beseech you, as Kin, to hear my pleas!" Fulgrim growled in his distorted voice.
"By mortal flesh I have waited, and by mortal form I have planned. Until the day where the sun's light is blotted out by the shadow of its moon, where the fabric of reality is at its thinnest, I beseech you, hear my cry!" Fulgrim growled yet again in line with the chanting of the zealots around him.
"By Blood we were sealed away in the dark…and by blood we shall rise again!" Fulgrim growled as the Zealots held their daggers to the throats of the captives.
*THWIP!*
The daggers, all of a sudden were yanked out of the hands of the zealots by what was obviously webbing. There, squatting down on his hunches with an unconscious Zealot at his feet, was the Amazing Spider-Man himself.
"These are big knives, you guys compensating for something?" Peter tilted his head to the side as he let the daggers clatter to the floor.
The nearest cultist swerved around and aimed his assault rifle at Peter, but before he could fire off a shot, a black gloved hand wrapped around the barrel and bent it upward. The Zealot met eyes with none other than the golden haired Kree Hybrid herself, Ms Marvel. With barely any effort, Carol sent her knee into the Zealot's gut, knocking the wind out of him and causing him to fall to all fours.
"Now, now, no teasing. I bet these guys take their creepy ritual killings seriously" Carol said, cracking her knuckles.
Fulgrim's blue ethereal eyes went scathing, the air around him shaking with anger as he glared at the two former Avengers. Raising a single clawed gauntlet, he pointed his index finger directly at the two of them, blue flames faintly enshrouding his hand.
"Bring me their blood" he growled, his voice echoing.
"Uh, ok…apparently they take it very seriously" Peter stood up and cracked his neck side to side.
The Zealots attacked, bearing their close quarters combat weapons, and to the surprise of both Peter and Carol, their swords, daggers and whatever weapons they wielded were engulfed in blue flame.
Carol shot two of the attacking Zealots with energy blasts, the third she quickly dodged and grabbed by the scruff of the neck, only to be hurled at another two zealots. The fourth however managed to get the drop on the Blonde with a blue flamed katana.
Carol's eyes widened substantially when the flaming cut her left cheek.
Quickly punching the Zealot in the face, sending him tumbling to the floor like a sack of bricks, Carol immediately brought her hand up to her face to check her wound.
Her skin was ultra-dense, nothing short of adamantium, vibranium or other ultra-dense alien materials could pierce it, and Carol had been around T'Challa and Logan long enough to know those swords weren't either of the aforementioned metals.
Then again, there was one other option, these guys weren't any old crazy terrorists or doomsday cult, these guys were legit magic users. And Carol knew from Stephen and Wanda, that magic users were not to be trifled with.
Peter however was managing to hold his own quite well, not a single one of the attacking zealots could land a hit on the agile and graceful Spider-Man. Peter's skin wasn't ultra-dense like Carol's, so he had to be much more careful when fighting armed opponents.
One Zealot would try to decapitate him while another went for his legs, but Peter would leap up, spinning in place between the blades before landing on his hands and round housing both attackers in the face.
Peter's enhanced agility, dexterity, unnaturally limber frame, spider-sense and experience made him the perfect match for these sword wielding Zealots.
That was until something caught Peter's leg and yanked him to the floor.
"May I have this dance?" Ahui smirked behind his helmet as he flourished his Kopesh.
Carol was about to leapt to Peter's aid, until a large armoured gauntlet wrapped around her sash, yanked her away into a waiting fist. Carol thought Banner had planted one on her when she was sent crashing into the floor, stone cracking beneath her as she groggily opened her eyes to see the huge armoured Viking standing there with his glowing blue eyes.
"Hello Beautiful" Gunmar grinned, reaching down and wrapping a huge armoured hand around her throat and picking her up to eye level.
"Thanks for the compliment" Carol's blue eyes began to glow with energy before she grabbed the armoured hand and used every ounce of her superhuman strength to viscously send both feet into the gut of the hulking figure of Gunmar.
"GUGH!" Gunmar grunted as he staggered back, clutching his gut with one hand while he used his Axe to steady himself.
"Don't either of you two get in the way, she is mine!" Gunmar growled, pointing his axe at Gaius and Xiao Yun.
Carol quickly noticed the other two large, obviously high-ranking fighters standing nearby, the Roman and Chinese looking ones if their armour and weaponry were anything to go by. They looked rather uninterested with their arms folded and their stances relaxed. The nearby Zealots on the other hand seemed to take the Viking's words to heart as they kept their distance.
"Who the hell are you guys? And what the hell is this?" Carol finally addressed the Elephant on the roof by gesturing to the ritual that was taking place.
"Questions, Questions, Questions. You'll be dead soon enough, why waste time explaining? It would just go over your head anyway" Gunmar smirked as he flourished his axe.
Carol growled, this guy was just aching for a beating, but she couldn't just recklessly throw herself at him. That punch still left her head ringing, he was strong as hell, durable as hell too to still be conscious after that kick to the gut. And if this guy's axe was anything like those swords, then her skin may as well have been like an ordinary person's right now.
"You scampering little runt, I'll enjoy crafting your skin into a coat" Ahui cackled behind his helmet as he reeled Peter in with his whip.
"Wow, pretty cheap buddy, can't afford a coat yourself?" Peter quipped before slinging a Web at Ahui's face, causing the Egyptian to grunt and reach up to tear the webbing away.
Peter used this opportunity to untangle his leg from the whip.
"You guys obviously don't know who we are so I'll cut you some slack. Let the hostages go, put down your weapons and you'll be some tender loving treatment as opposed to the beating I should give you" Peter said with a lot of sincerity and a hint of sarcasm.
"No, you don't understand. You and the other costumed fools of this world. Today is the day the new world rises, and you are merely meat in the face of what is coming" Ahui tore the webbing from his face and flourished his Kopesh.
Peter leapt forward and landing a combination of close quarters attacks. A right hook was followed by a left jab, an uppercut and a spinning capoeira kick to the head.
Ahui's Anubis shaped helm didn't budge, and the way he glared at Peter after his onslaught was unnerving, those glowing blue eyes peering from behind the eyepieces of that grim looking visage of a Helmet was something out of a horror movie.
"Ok…this...is gonna be harder than I thought" Peter realized when his punches didn't leave much of an effect.
"You have fight…I'll enjoy stripping that away" Ahui grinned behind his helmet before he lunged at Peter with his Kopesh. The Egyptian was annoyed at the flexibility Peter showed, but the Spider enhanced human had to admit he was having trouble dodging the attacks.
This was proven when Ahui managed to slice through Peter's thigh, his suit giving way followed by skin and flesh. The cut wasn't too deep, but it was deep enough to leave a scar, if Peter survived this it would be another for the collection.
"AGH!" Peter fell to the floor gripping his wound.
"Now that is a pretty sight" Ahui smirked as he brought the blade up to his helmet. Out from the mouthpiece of the Anubis, a long tongue, covered in suction cups slithered out and lapped up the fresh blood adorning his kopesh.
"Delicious" Ahui hissed like a snake.
"I'm afraid I'm not giving out free samples!" Peter propelled himself at Ahui and threw a devastating roundhouse to the Egyptian's mid-section.
Using every ounce of Agility and strength he could, Peter went all out on the armour-clad Egyptian in front of him. Normally he would hold back when fighting opponents, making sure to not to kill them or cause serious irreparable injury. But it was obvious he could not afford to take it easy on this man, he was much tougher than the average street punk.
Peter knew superhuman opponents well, and this guy was not a pushover.
"The Eclipse has reached it's Apex my lord" one Zealot announced, earning the full attention of Fulgrim and all four Elite Guard.
Fulgrim's blue ethereal gaze went straight to the moon above them, the desperation in his eyes reaching their apex as his entire body became engulfed in the blue ethereal flames his followers adorned their weapons in.
"THE TIME HAS COME!" Fulgrim proclaimed at the top of his lungs, drawing Alden Harrigan's sword from its sheath and driving it into the floor beneath him.
The Zealots gathered around him held the captives tightly, raising their heads to gaze at the moon above them. Unbeknownst to Peter and Carol, the brands located on the bodies of the Zealots began to glow bright blue as Fulgrim let out a deep and grumbly snarl.
All of a sudden, four large black spiked legs, resembling those of a Lobster or Spider emerged from Fulgrim's back, an audible cracking of bone and shredding of flesh as they dripped hot black ooze. The legs were long, armoured and spindly, the sort you would expect from a nightmare.
The four arms sprung to attention like the head of a Cobra and lunged in all four directions, impaling the captive civilians and the Zealots holding them.
"NO!" Peter shouted in terror, attempting to leap at Fulgrim, only to get a powerful roundhouse to the chest from Ahui when he tried.
"Stay down, you'll want to see this part" Ahui smirked as he kept Peter pinned to the floor with one armour clad boot.
The blood from the eight victims began running down the legs towards Fulgrim, and the moment the blood made contact with the ground, the sigils and runes began to glow bright blue. Fulgrim raised the sword high in the air, the runes and marking upon it glowing an ethereal blue.
"By my hand…I tear this barrier asunder!" Fulgrim growled before bringing the sword down, driving the tip through his mid-section. A spray of pitch-black blood covered the ground in front of him, with a loud inhuman roar of pain, Fulgrim ripped the sword free from his flesh, the blade now burning brightly with glowing ethereal energy.
"Azch Bet Daa, Faa Gregh Bul, Tal Vez Gagh, Klatau Bin Veerata, Uuz Ein Haaagh" Fulgrim began chanting in some strange inhuman tongue. The Zealots gathered around him chanting the same words in unison.
The eclipse above grew darker and darker with every word spoken, and with one two handed swing of his blade, the shadow of the moon appeared to be cleaved in two. The Zealots dropped to all fours, praying to the now cleaved open moon, the Elite Guards slowly chuckling.
Carol and Peter's eyes had never been wider in shock, as thousands of tiny shapes began to appear from the mouth of the open moon. Many of these shapes grew larger as they dropped from the skies, and neither Hero had ever seen their like before.
The creatures looked like the stuff of nightmares.
Giant flying creatures, bony and skeletal with black raven wings soared down, screeching like harpies. Claws as sharp as meat hooks and horrible tumorous sores covering what little flesh, they were covered in. Multiple sets of eyes peering out from multiple places.
Humanoid creatures, standing at the height of men, but covered in fish-like scales and fins. Clawed and webbed hands, gills and gaping mouths yet covered in barnacles and protruding growths that looked like Tentacles. These things leapt from rooftop to rooftop, scouring the streets bellow.
Some creatures were simpler in their design: long and lanky limbs with barely any flesh on them, skeletal heads that resembled those of stags. Long, barnacle covered antlers and glowing yellow eyes. Some were like Insectoid mix-matches of Mantis, Spiders and Scorpions, all bearing barnacle growths, tumours and the odd tentacle protrusion.
A few larger creatures fell from the skies, huge hulking creatures sharing the posture of Gorillas, with huge ram-like horns protruding from their thick skulls. Bulging, rippling muscles covered in thick leathery skin, long tentacle protrusions slithering out of the backs of their heads.
And that was only a few of the descriptions racing through the heads of Carol and Peter as they gazed in horror at the numerous monstrosities pulling themselves through the freshly carved moon.
These things were not natural, they weren't aliens, they weren't like anything the Avengers had fought before.
"The Gate is open…let the new world…begin" Fulgrim smiled as black blood continued to pour freely from his chest.
*1 Hour later
The NYPD and the Military had set up barricades on the outskirts of the city, they had tried to keep this attack as contained as they could. It would be a while until reinforcements from SHIELD would arrive, until then they had to keep whatever these…creatures were at bay.
"Keep them back! Hold the line!" one soldier shouted as he fired an M-16 at the creatures that were crawling on the sides of buildings like insects.
"We can't keep these things back for much longer, they'll overrun us if we don't get any backup soon" one high ranking Officer said as he crouched behind his squad car.
Blood was dripping down an open wound on his head, and he shakily held a pump action shotgun in his hands. He had already seen many of his friends and colleagues get torn to shreds, eaten alive and much worse.
"We have to keep them back! If not, they'll spread like Lo…" the soldier began explaining until his head was snipped off his shoulders by a pair of lobster-like claws.
"Holy fuck!" other soldiers shouted out as this hulking Crustacean monstrosity lumbered over the nearest squad car.
This thing looked like a giant Lobster the size of a Humvee, it had one huge pincer claw and another larger crusher claw as big as a man. It was covered by a dark red armoured carapace, littered by barnacles. Instead of a Lobster head, its upper section rose up like a Centaur, only instead of a human torso, there was a broad hulking body, and a mouth full of pincers and two eyes on retractable stalks.
It made an awful, horrendous clicking sound as the squad car collapsed underneath it's immense weight. Whatever bullets were fired at this monstrosity, bounced off its heavily armoured form.
The Officer couldn't even find the strength to raise his shotgun as this lumbering creature picked up the body of the soldier and began gnawing on its headless stump. The creature seemed to notice the Officer trembling just a few feet from it and dropped the corpse to the floor.
The Officer squeezed his eyes shut and turned away, too terrified to face the lumbering nightmare that had noticed him. He didn't want the last things he saw to be a massive lobster claw bigger than him and that horrendous mandible filled face.
But as he waited for the death blow.
It didn't come.
Then…
*CRACK!*
The sound of bones crunching, of flesh tearing followed by a whimper of a clicking sound filled the air. And when the officer opened his eyes, he was met with a sight he wasn't sure what to think about.
Standing there, was a 7-foot man with long black hair, glowing red eyes, wearing a metallic visor over the lower half of his face. He stood there, with his fiery clawed gauntlet protruding from the chest of the Lobster creature.
"You know, I don't like Lobster that much…more of a Shrimp fan myself" Viktor grinned before ripping his hand free from the creature's chest. A splatter of boiling flesh spilling onto the floor as the Lobster creature swerved around to attack the Red eyed brit.
Viktor swiftly dodged the swing of the monster's claw and leapt over the top of it, grabbing its head in his hands as he did. Viktor twisted in place once he was directly above the creature, breaking its neck and severing all of its tendons, making it easy when he tore its head clean off. A spray of boiling hot crustacean blood gushed from the headless stump as it fell forwards, it's legs and claws still twitching.
Viktor brought the head up to his face and smirked at it. The Lobster's mandibles still twitched and its eye stalks retracted with fear before the Black-haired brit tossed it to one of the soldiers. The soldier in question caught the head by reflex but quickly dropped it to the floor in response, earning a chuckle from Viktor.
"Good job holding the line lads. But I think it's best you left work like this to the professionals" Viktor hoped over the wrecked car and extended the clawed tips of his Gauntlet fingers.
Dozens of creatures filled the streets, all glaring at Viktor with hungry jaws and slathering jaws. They bared their teeth, claws, fangs, whatever gruesome appendages they possessed with a killing intent and awaited Viktor to come to them.
The red eyed Englishman cracked his armoured knuckles and cracked his neck from side to side.
"Look out!" one of the soldiers shouted as a creature leapt out of nowhere at Viktor. It was one of the very many tall and lanky creatures with a head resembling a skeletal Stag head, as it screeched and leapt at Viktor, the Black-haired Brit simply stood there, unflinching.
Viktor didn't even turn to look at the creature as he smirked.
In a flash of silver, the creature was sliced in half right down the middle, before it even had the chance to reach Viktor. There, crouching down, gripping his Sword in both hands was none other than Viktor's twin brother Cyrus.
"You really have to stop relying on me to save your arse" Cyrus grinned as he stood up and flourished his sword.
"I had every confidence brother" Viktor smiled as he patted Cyrus on the shoulder.
The two looked towards the hordes of Abyssal creatures of all shapes and sizes, all glaring at the two brothers with unnatural eyes not meant for this world. The twins looked at each other and smirked, Cyrus flourished his sword before engulfing it in flames while Viktor clenched his fists, slowly heating up the metal of his gauntlets to the point where they glowed bright orange.
Now both brothers stood side by side, eyes burning like torches, like predators of the highest calibre.
"I'll take the ones on the left, you take the ones on the right" Viktor nudged Cyrus.
"To hell with that, I want them all" Cyrus nudged back.
"Oh, so it's like that?"
"You bet your arse it's like that" Cyrus got into a two-handed stance.
"Alright then…most kills wins?" Viktor smirked.
"Deal"
"Alright then…" Viktor began to walk with purpose towards the hordes of horrors gathered in front of them.
Both brothers lunged forward, Cyrus clutching his sword and Viktor reaching out with a single glowing hot clawed gauntlet. Both brothers spewing flames from the grills of their visors and fire erupting from their eyes, two words leaving their lips in a demonic tone.
Two words that didn't bode well for the horrors before them.
"GAME ON!"
Well I hope you guys all enjoyed that after such a looooooong wait. I will admit I have had a lot on my plate recently, longer shifts at work, my brother's wedding approaching, along with my other hobbies doesn't lend much time to writing, but what the heck! Better late than never eh?
FOR REFERENCE:
Taka's MK2 - for right now, imagine a cross between the Shotgun Iron Man suit and a Gundam, a mix between Western and Eastern Mech designs. it doesn't have a colour scheme yet so, don't worry about what colour it is.
Len's Rattler Revolvers – Imagine 1858 Remington revolvers, sort of like the Gunslinger revolvers from the Dark Tower film.
The creatures of the Void that appeared in this chapter and will be appearing in the future chapters, if you need help visualizing them, imagine the following creatures:
Samael from Hellboy
The Jersey Devil from the Wolf Among us
The Creature from the Black Lagoon
Brine and Trench creatures from Aquaman
All around, creatures from the works of H.
So yeah, Avengers vs Lovecraft monsters in what this first arc is about…surprise!
Before you guys ask, yes, I have seen Captain Marvel…my thoughts? Meh…probably my least favourite Marvel film so far (I mean…I could go into a full rant about why I think that but I really don't want to fill up more time preaching) I just hope the Russos fix some of my problems with her character in Endgame.
PLEASE BE SURE TO LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU GUYS THOUGHT IN THE REVIEWS! MAKE EM LENGHTY, MAKE EM DETAILED AND PLEASE BE CIVIL! I LOVE YOU GUYS, AND HOPEFULLY SEE YOU SOON FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER OF AVENGERS ANB.
DAKKAMAN777 SIGNING OUT!