Boratz

Another fine addition to your arc

Hope you all enjoy

Chapter 82: Big Trouble on Planet Gunsmoke Prt. 2 The future is not set, and yet, Nathan felt as if the future rested on his shoulders. Apocalypse, sentinels, and countless other threats constantly threaten the future of not only Earth but so many other planets. In more ways than one, Nathan carried the weight and the burdens if the future in his soul. He heard what people said about him. He knew what they thought. People called him extreme; they call him a madman. If only they knew a fraction of what he knew or even what he carried, then maybe they would understand his purpose. His mission and his purpose was not some flower picking apple pie life. His purpose was to save the future by any means necessary. That purpose and that mission is what led him here. It's what brought him to this sand covered planet. The future was not set, but it was in a danger. On this sand-covered planet of No Man's Land, Nathan felt the sun bearing down upon the back of his neck as walking around the oversized locomotive that served as a moving city. He tried contacting Psylocke, but she had gone dark after their arrival on the Wandering City. Deep down, he knew that she must have been engaged with an enemy hostile. After taking out his tracking device to locate his teammate, he felt something inside of his head. It was a pulsating feeling that he only felt when his telepathic abilities were working outside of his control. As that pulsating beat down on his mind, he felt the surge of that techno-organic virus trying to spread through his body. He felt as of his mind was working against him. Closing his eyes, he concentrated to take back control over his abilities but in doing so, he felt as if this Wandering City was talking to him. The Sandsteamer carried something on board that was unlike anything on Earth. They carried Plants to be used as a source of water and heat aboard the oversized steam locomotive. While Earth and many other planets throughout the universe sought out different forms of energy, these Plants were living inter-dimensional beings that were able cry out to Nathan in pain. Although, many of these Plants were non sentient beings capable of independent thought, the time-traveling mutant could feel that there was more to them than anyone could have ever imagined. After regaining control of his power and his senses, the battle-hardened warrior shook it off to continue his trek through the Wandering City. As he moved, he received an alert on his wrist com. The message revealed that something was causing the Sandsteamer's Plants to become overloaded with energy. It would be only a matter of moments before it would cause them to explode. The battle-hardened mutant started rushing through the Wandering City to find his comrade to warn her of the danger that was soon to come. Before he could find her, he saw an outline of a man standing in the corridor of the ship. Nathan paused and steadily approached the outline. With how the outline appeared, Cable quickly realized that it was a hologram but that did not stop the warrior from approaching the image. The hologram appeared to be that of a tall and athletic man with whitish blonde hair. He stood still with a smile plastered across his cheeks. Upon closely looking at the smile, Nathan could see that it was only a cover for something far more sinister and deranged. "You're too late!" The man with whitish blonde hair proclaimed as he glared at Cable. Those words reflected the same words thar Evil-Lyn said to Betsy only moments before this encounter. "Why don't you come out and we'll talk about it in person?" Cable grumbled as his eyes furrowed with a piercing glare. The man with whitish blonde hair chuckled as the hologram started circling around the battle-hardened mutant. "The weapon is no longer here!" He said with glee. "It has been sent far away from here!" "What makes you think that I was here for the weapon?" Cable asked with an unimpressed tone. "Isn't that why you came? Isn't that why anyone would come to this place?" The man asked mockingly as he waved his hand around. "I came here for you, Knives. I came here to put you down!" Cable hissed. Knives started to giggle while his eyes widened with a deranged expression. "Well, then let's not keep you waiting." Suddenly, the Sandsteamer came to an abrupt holt. The holographic image of Million Knives vanished as steam started to burst from a multitude of valves. Cable quickly realized that the energy from the Plants were being overloaded and if it continued to overload, it would cause them to explode. The explosion could then wipe out everyone on this Wandering City. With his telekinetic abilities, he was able to keep the Plants inside from overheating, but an intense pressure started building in his mind. With the energy that he was using, the techno-organic virus was pushing itself out of his control. While trying to keep the techno-organic virus under control on top of using his abilities to keep the Plants from overloading, he also sensed the presence of Million Knives outside of the Standsteamer. The battle-hardened warrior made his way to the edge of the Wandering City and saw a lone figure standing in the desert. It was him. It was Million Knives. The time-traveling mutant was able to use one of his gadgets to repel down from the now motionless Sandsteamer. After landing on the warm sand, the mutants piercing gaze turned toward the smiling Plant. "I hope this world has treated you nicely, Nathan Summers!" Knives shouted while drawing his weapon. "Nicer than it has treated you!" Cable responded before drawing his rifle. Knives darted for cover. He started laughing hysterically as he shouted at the powerful mutant. "Good luck with keep the city safe!" Before Cable could ask for clarification, he felt a pulsating sensation inside of his brain. His eyes widened once he realized that Knives was going to try and overload the Plants on board once again. With his power, Nathan tried to keep the Plants on board stabilized so that they would not explode and kill everyone on board. All the while, he was in a battle for his life against a member of the Council. ********** This takes place the same time as Psylocke's battle with Evil-Lyn Cable infiltrates the Sandsteamer only to find the source of the Sandsteamer's engery sources have been compromised and are being overloaded. Cable is able to use his telekinetic abilities to keep the energy sources from overloading and exploding, but he is then lured out in the open by Knives. Knives and Cable them engage in battle while Cable is continuously keeping the energy sources under control which in turn, causes the techno-organic virus to work against him. Can Cable defeat Knives despite being distracted with having to worry about keeping both the techno-organic virus at bay and keeping the Plants from overloading? Cable is armed with a wide variety of weapons Million Knives is also at full power with access to his Angel Arm as well as being armed with his signature pistol

Awesome expansion of the Gangland universe and I enjoy seeing Mr. Benedict get some use

Awesome awesome! I've said it before and I will say it again, I am enjoying this Gangland arc

Glad to see the continuation of shark week!

Hope you all enjoy

Chapter 82: Big Trouble on Planet Gunsmoke Prt. 1 On a desert planet, there was a small oasis that was surrounded by sand and dust. Up above, there were a couple long thin clouds floating around the endless blue sky while a still silence fell over the oasis. Lush green grass covered the oasis, while a handful of thick and lively trees were sitting in the center of the lush green grass. A man sat at a table beneath one of the trees. The man had whitish blonde hair and pale skin. His eyes were as blue as the sky while a satisfied grin was plastered across his cheeks. The table that he sat at was round and covered by the shade from the trees up above. He sat quietly while sipping on a small glass of tea. A small device that sat next to the tea kettle started to light up and his grin shifted ever so slightly. His moment of peace and tranquility had come to an end with the alert that was going off on the device. The pale blonde man sat down his cup of tea before looking over the device. He closed his eyes before nodding to himself. The pale blonde man gently pressed down on the device before a life-sized image of a hologram appeared before him. “Grand… Admiral…. Thrawn…” The man said theatrically while his eyes looked over the hologram. “I am sure you are aware of what has transpired after your recent visit on Altamid.” Thrawn responded in his cold and emotionless voice. “I am, Grand Admiral…” The man replied with a devilish smile. “You seemed… Pleased…” Thrawn said curiously while tilting his head. “Even though Octavious sat on the Council, you know how I felt about him and the other humans on the Council… But I will admit that he served his purpose.” The pale blonde replied. “He completed the weapon?” Thrawn asked inquisitively. “Not exactly… The sorceress that was there assisting him in his operations was able to escape before the planet was lost. In fact, she escaped with a little blood on her hands. She claimed the lives of one of the attackers before leaving with Octavius’ work. With what Evil-Lyn escaped with, she brought here. I have some… associates that were able to complete what Octavius could not. The biological weapon has been completed and is ready for the attack on Yorktown.” “That is splendid...” Thrawn added before dropping his head and crossing his arms behind his back. “If you have not already heard, Syndrome and his operation was lost recently to our enemies.” The pale blonde man’s expression changed as if it became deranged. “While that may be unfortunate, my thoughts toward him were even lower than Octavius or Luthor’s. Syndrome’s contributions to us have been impactful, but his loss will mean nothing in the grand scheme of things.” “That may be, the other members of the Council wanted me to extend a warning that our enemies may be coming here next.” Thrawn said before pausing and gesturing around the pale man. “Let them come… They do not realize that power that I possess!” “In any case, Knives, I will be making arrangements for the weapon to be sent to Yorktown. There are a couple assets that we have that will make sure that the weapon is released and that the attack is carried out accordingly.” “Beautiful.” Million Knives replied in a chilling voice before the transmission ended. Within the Graymalkin, Cable was on edge, at least more so than usual. This war that had spread across the cosmos caught the attention of the time-traveling mutant and now, he set his sights on helping fight this terrible war. After hearing of Lex Luthor's attack on the X-Mansion along with the numerous devastating attacks across the globe, Betsy rejoined Cable's X-Force. Cable's extreme and harsh personality proved too much for some of the members of the team, but Psylocke was more than used to him at this point. While some of the members left the team, there were others that stayed loyal to the team such as Domino and Archangel. As the war continued and the corruption on the world governments continued to pour down on different heroes across the globe, X-Forces dedication to this fight continued to increase. Psylocke knew that many heroes had their limits, but at least, X-Force continued to do what it did best. At least, Nathan would not back down from the mission despite the way of the world. Speaking of Cable, the time-traveling warrior had his eyes set on his next mission and it was nowhere close to the familiar landscapes of Earth. The planet that he had his eyes set on was far beyond the stars and on a world known as Gunsmoke. It was a desert planet that was said to have at least five moons orbiting it as well as a multitude of dangerous native species that dwelt within the planet. It was a planet known among some that colonized the planet as No Man's Land. Cable believed that there was a dangerous member of the Council that resided on the planet. It was a powerful being that could pose a deadly threat if not dealt with properly. After preparing his ship for the long-distance travel, Betsy tagged along while Domino and Warren stayed behind to keep an eye on the home front. As they traveled through one of the portal devices within the Graymalkin, the two members of the X-Force were going to strike hard against the Council. As they traveled through the portal, the Graymalkin arrived in the endless abyss of space that surrounded the desert planet. The ship hovered around No Man's Land while conducting a reading of the dangerous planet. While the ship's computer conducted its scan of the planet, an alert came through for an oncoming message. Cable's eyes furrowed while responding to the alert. Psylocke walked over to see what the message was and stood motionless while listening to what was coming through. Recently, a small team of X-Men had traveled through a portal to the planet of Altamid. It was learned a scientific mining operation was being conducted on the planet with dangerous beings across the universe acting as guards and enforcers for the chief scientist on the planet. The chief scientist that oversaw this operation was Doctor Otto Octavius. He ruled over the planet with his mechanical limbs. They also learned that he was one of the sitting members of the mysterious Council. While the team was mostly successful in thwarting most of the operations that were being conducted on the planet, they did not leave without loss. One of the members of the team, Jean Grey, was lost in a battle with some kind of sorceress. Before the others could engage this sorceress, she escaped the planet. She escaped with something in her grasp. From what information they could gather, they believed the research was part of some mind of biological weapon, but to what extent, they could not determine. After the message ended, Cable went about his work as his expression did not change. An uneasy looked came over Psylocke once she heard that Jean had died. The costs of this war had continued to spread. While there were many victories, there were also many casualties that became a heavy burden for all to carry. Even though she was not close with Jean, they were teammates and Psylocke hated the idea of losing a teammate. She thought about the other X-Men, specifically Scott, and how they would be coping with this tragedy. While thinking the loss of Jean, she heard that familiar sound of a weapon being assembled followed by the grump voice of Nathan Summers. "We don't have time for crying!" Cable exclaimed while preparing his assortment of weapons. "The enemy is out there, and they ain't gonna just let us walk in with smiles and hugs!" "Did you know?" Psylocke asked while glancing at the X-Force leader. "I know the future isn't set and I know that if we fail then that future is goin' to look like a shit show! So, how about we stop mopin' and do what we do best!" "Where our target?" Psylocke asked while trying to turn her attention back to the mission. "Intel says that there is a city, a wandering city. It's called a Sandsteamer." Cable replied before locking and loading his rifle. "That's where we will strike." As they descended down into the skies of No Man's Land, Cable kept his eyes on the monitors. His focus was solely on the mission. He was not going to allow them to be caught off guard or hit with any surprises. Psylocke gazed over the horizon and looked upon the endless desert. His eyes widened once she saw the massive moving city of steel. "I see it!" She shouted while pointing down at the Sandsteamer. "Good." Cable muttered as they flew down to the Wandering City. After their ship attached to the Sandsteamer, Cable and Psylocke split up to cover more ground. As Betsy made her way through the oversized locomotive, a strange feeling starting pressing down upon her. It was as if her telepathic abilities were playing tricks on her. One moment, she there on the Sandsteamer and then in next moment, she was on a lush green planet. Even though it was hot and dry in No Man's Land, she felt as if it were cold in this lush and green planet that surrounded her. She stepped through green foliage and pushed herself through low hanging branches until she saw a clearing. The outline of a figure stood in the clearing. Psylocke steadily made her way closer until the figure became clearer. The figure had long red hair and a uniform that she had seen many times in the past. It was Jean. Psylocke was about to speak before she felt a dark presence. A blast of dark and destructive energy struck the powerful Marvel Girl. Psylocke's body went cold as she watched Jean's lifeless fall hard against the ground. Before Psylocke could react, the dark magical sorceress that struck Jean dead turned her attention to Psylocke. "You're too late!" The sorceress snickered before unleashing an unsettling laugh. Suddenly, a bright and purple blast of energy emitted from the sorceress' staff and flew towards Betsy. Psylocke evaded the blast and jumped out of the way. She soon found herself back inside the oversized locomotive. That fiery haze of purple blew through a wall for steel causing steam to burst out. Through the crashing sounds of steam, Betsy turned her gaze back toward the dark figure that attacked her. Through her telepathy, she learned of the name Evil-Lyn. "Another traveler!" Evil-Lyn snickered with that same revolting laugh. "Another death!" "Not today, witch!" Psylocke hissed as bladed beams of purple light formed in her hands. ********* After the Doctor Octavius' defeat by Nightcrawler and Syndrome's defeat by Black Panther, Cable and Psylocke set out to strike the Council. They learn of a location on the Planet Gunsmoke. One they arrive, they board the massive Sandsteamer. After splitting up, Psylocke is overwhelmed with a vision brought on by Evil-Lyn showing Jean Grey's final moments. Evil-Lyn tries to attack her but Psylocke jumps out of the way and is taken out of the vision to come face to face with Evil-Lyn

I'm glad to see anothr one of your stories, Merc! Thank you for the shout out

Hope you all enjoy

Chapter 81: Behind Enemy Lines Prt. IV Looking as far as his eyes could see over this strange planet, T'Challa could not help but fear what could become of his home if this war were to persist. He could not help but imagine what would happen if the war was lost to this mysterious Council that had declared war on the universe. While many of Earth's leaders have fallen under the influence or have been corrupted by the Council, T'Challa was proud that Wakanda has not yet been compromised. Despite knowing this, he knew that it was only a matter of time before the rest of the world leaders would turn on his home. Perhaps that is why he agreed to help Charles Xavier and his allies in this war. Perhaps that is why he agreed to accompany Magneto and his Brotherhood of Mutants through the portal and into this world. Whatever the reason, T'Challa was here now and he watched as horrors unfolded around him. Men, women, human, and mutants were being forced into hazardous labor. They were forced to build weapons and technology for the Council. T'Challa knew that this was only a glimpse of what could be in store for the universe if he and his allies lost this universal war. He took a deep breath in through his nose and closed his eyes. Thoughts of all those that he held dear started running through his mind. He thought of his father that came before him as well as his sister and the love that he had for Ororo Munroe. There was so much at stake. With all the thoughts of his friends and family, the King of Wakanda clenched his fists tight before letting out that breath. His eyes opened as his brows furrowed. He glared down at the city of horror that was before him. While Magneto and his Brotherhood of Mutants were busy fighting their own battles, Black Panther knew his battle had yet to begin. His eyes shifted back toward the directions of Magneto and the Brotherhood. While it was hard to make out the figure that was battling the Master of Magnetism, T'Challa could see the large oval outline of the machine that was battling Magneto's Brotherhood. Despite not having any personal history with the massive machine, T'Challa recognized it from an image that he received in a briefing from fellow Avenger, Tony Stark. It was a machine that had the same appearance as the one that was defeated by the Autobot known as Ironhide. T'Challa's mind started to piece together some of what was unfolding around him. Tony's notes regarding his battle on that island detailed a psychotic individual with the ability to invent and create dangerous pieces of technology and weapons. T'Challa closed his eyes while reflecting on Stark's account of that battle. He soon remembered the name, Syndrome. This place must have been where Syndrome escaped to. Syndrome and whoever Magneto was fighting must have been abducting all these innocent humans and mutants to build weapons of war for their enemies. As his eyes watched over this industrial city of torment and evil, he shifted from area to area. Then his attention fell upon a tower that was illuminated by flashes of orange from surrounding furnaces and refineries. While many of the surrounding structures were used for the factories meant to create weapons of war, this tower stood out from the rest. It was as if it was a diamond in the rough. It was a castle that towered high over those that were suffering and the torment. T'Challa closed his eyes and thought back to Wakanda as well as the rest of the world. While he was King over Wakanda, he dedicated his life to protecting his people. He sought to make sure that his people did not suffer and struggle. T'Challa knew all too well that many leaders failed at this as some dwelled in ivory towers even though those that they proclaim to serve live in turmoil. The King of Wakanda shook his head, and his focus came back to the world around him. His mission was not back on Earth, and it was not on the corruption that surrounded Wakanda, it was here. The tower that was surrounded by factories of war and refineries of destruction housed someone that was connected to this wretched Council. T'Challa knew that his focus could not be on fighting the evils down below within the factories or refineries in this terrible place; he had to draw his attention to those that stayed within that tower. He had to strike the one that was responsible for the evils that had unfolded around him, and he had to stop the one responsible for bringing so many innocent lives to this place of horror. As his eye lenses shifted from different modes, he searched for the quickest and easiest route to take in his journey to this tower. His suit's functions also changed from its usual appearance to camouflage mode so that he could avoid any unwanted attention. With the Spear of Bashenga in his grasp as well as the many other vibranium weapons that he possessed, the Black Panther started his path toward the tower. Moments prior... Within the tower, Buddy's pupils widened as he glared over the security monitors. His silent partner, Hector Hammond, was drawn into a battle with an intruder. After taking a closer look at the intruder, Buddy realized that he recognized the intruder from his studies of Earth's mightiest heroes and villains. The intruder was the Master of Magnetism and the leader of the Brotherhood of Mutants. The battle between Magneto and Hector saw much destruction being down upon the surrounding equipment and structures. Before Buddy could enact his security measures to assist Hector in his battle against Magneto, another security alert caught Syndrome's attention. There were other intruders that were approaching the area. Buddy shook his head in disbelief before cursing under his breath. On the security monitors, he saw what appeared to be Magneto's Brotherhood of Mutants. He let out a groan before quickly activating one of his Omnidroids. Knowing Magneto's control over metal, the psychotic genius programmed his creation to go after the Brotherhood of Mutants. Buddy stepped back to look over the monitors. He watched while the battles were unfolding around him. As he continued to look intently over the security monitors, he started making sure that his own suit was ready for battle if either Magneto or his Brotherhood managed to break through his defenses. While watching over the security feeds, another alert started going off on his wrist gauntlet. Buddy's jaw dropped once he realized that it was not a security alert, but an incoming transmission. Buddy looked around for a moment in a state of shock before accepting the incoming transmission. A small holographic figure appeared before him. It was a familiar looking figure, but one that Buddy had come to both fear and respect. The figure stood straight with a composed and disciplined stature. The blue-skinned figure stared emotionlessly at Buddy with bright red eyes. His arms were folded behind his back. "Grand Admiral Thrawn... Uh... What do I owe the pleasure?" Buddy muttered while trying to keep the Council members' attention away from the security monitors in the background. "I am aware that your base is under attack." Thrawn replied with that same cold and emotionless voice that Buddy had grown accustomed to. "It is just a small... Perimeter breach... It is nothing that my... I mean, your Omnidroid won't be able to handle..." "For your sake, I hope that you are right. My fellow Council members do not want to see another failure. While I appreciate your contributions to our cause, they may not feel the same way." "Grand Admiral, I... I can make this right. I can make sure that everything will be secured and operations will continue just as you have planned..." Buddy said while fumbling with his words. "See to it that you do... The Council has faced an unfortunate setback recently with the operations on Altamid. It would be a shame if the same setbacks were to happen under your watch." "I can guarantee you, Grand Admiral, that everything is under control!" Buddy exclaimed. Syndrome started cursing once again after the Grand Admiral ended the transmission. As he paced back and forth, before putting on the rest of his gear. While he did not want to get involved in the battles that were unfolding, he knew that he had no other choice. It was either get involved, or risk losing another base of operations. As he put on his gear, he saw an alert going off on his wrist gauntlet. This time it was not an incoming transmission but a silent alarm indicating that someone had sneaked into his tower. He then heard a faint sound coming from behind. Syndrome eyes moved as he turned his head back and steadily turned himself around. A smile formed across his face as if it were reaching from ear to ear. His lips curled back to show his pearly white teeth as he looked over the intruder standing on the other side of the room. Immediately, he recognized the intruder. "Oh look! The King of Wakanda has come to my little humble abode!" Syndrome shouted while extending out his hands. "What you have done here... What you are doing here ends now!" Black Panther snapped. "I am afraid that I cannot do that, your highness!" Syndrome exclaimed with that same psychotic smile. "This job is just way too good!" "Then, I will do what I must!" "Haha, you won't..." Syndrome mocked while starting to circle around the King of Wakanda. "I know of you, Buddy Pine, and even with all of your weapons... You will not defeat me!" ******************* This takes place around the same time as Magneto's battle with Hector Hammond and the Brotherhood's battle with the Omnidroid. Black Panther was the individual that accompanied both Magneto and the Brotherhood through the portal and into this world. Black Panther goes off on his own to scout out the area. After seeing the battles unfolding, he spots the Omnidroid and realizes that Buddy is the one that is overseeing the operations on this planet. T'Challa knows about him after reading a report and briefing from Tony Stark after Stark's battle with Syndrome. Meanwhile, Buddy is overseeing everything unfolding from his tower. While monitoring the situation and activating the Omnidroid to face off against the intruders, he receives a transmission call from Grand Admiral Thrawn. Thrawn warns him to get a handle on the situation. After the transmission ends, Syndrome realizes that someone has snuck into his facility. He then turns and sees the Black Panther Black Panther has his full suit and all the weapons that are on his suit. He also has the Spear of Bashenga and a vibranium shield Syndrome has his zero-point energy gauntlets and rocket boots.

Lol Pussy Galore is getting her first official match! That is pretty cool. I don't even remember her getting used in the drafts. But, well done Johnny! I am loving the use of all the random characters and getting to see some less recognized characters get some use

Yep, that's what it was supposed and I guess autocorrect probably changed it and I missed it on proof read Thank you

Hope you all enjoy

Chapter 80: The Fight for Altamid Prt. 5 The atrocities that the teleporting mutant witnessed felt as if they were eating away at his very soul. His heart was heavy with sorrow after seeing men, women, and children being beaten for being unable to work. While he had seen hatred and hardship on Earth, this was another level of horror that tested his faith in the living. His yellow eyes started to fill with tears as he heard a whimpering child cry over the remains of his parents. Often, Kurt had heard that war was hell. After seeing the evils on this planet and the results of this dreadful universal-wide war, he could not help but realize how accurate that belief was. As Kurt tried to hold onto hope, he felt himself struggling with all the darkness that had surrounded him. He knew all too well that evil was real, but it was the internal struggle with how vast it was that burdened his soul. He crouched behind a jagged outcropping of black stone, staring down at the camp below. Rows of crude metal structures stretched across the barren landscape. Smoke rose from enormous furnaces in the distance, staining the strange orange sky with black clouds. The air itself seemed poisoned. Every breath carried the smell of ash, sweat, blood, and burning metal. Thousands of alien prisoners moved through the camp and toward the mining operations underneath the planet's surface. Some carried enormous containers filled with glowing minerals while others pushed carts along tracks that disappeared into the mountains. Many were so exhausted that they could barely remain standing. The guards watched them constantly. The guards, themselves, varied in appearance. It was as if they were recruited from all walks of life and from many different worlds. Some were heavily armored creatures with brutal weapons mounted to their arms. Some had bodies that were covered in dark metallic plating while their faces were hidden behind expressionless masks. Most appeared to carry whatever weapon that they specialized in. Whenever one of the prisoners slowed down, a guard approached. The consequences were immediate and severe. When a worker collapsed beneath the weight of his load, a guard struck him. The alien tried to rise, but another blow sent him back into the dirt. Kurt closed his eyes. He tried to pray. For a moment, he remembered the quiet churches of his childhood. He remembered stained-glass windows, candles flickering in the darkness, the comforting scent of incense, and the feeling that there was something greater than the suffering of the world, but those memories felt distant here. A lot was different here on this planet, but nothing had changed. The suffering continued. A group of prisoners were dragged toward a large machine at the far end of the camp. Kurt could not understand its purpose, but he recognized the fear in their faces. When one of them resisted, the guards surrounded the poor creature. Kurt watched helplessly as they beat the prisoner until the resistance disappeared. Kurt felt as if his heart was about to pound out of his chest as the air itself felt heavier with each passing second. Something inside him cracked. He had spent years believing that faith required patience. That sometimes suffering had to be endured. He spent years believing that there were battles which could not be won through violence, but there was another truth he had learned during his life as an X-Man. Sometimes refusing to act was itself a choice. Sometimes that choice of refusing to act allowed evil to continue. Kurt looked toward the prisoners. He saw the exhausted faces, he saw the broken children, and he saw parents desperately trying to shield their young from the guards. He saw elderly aliens barely able to walk, and he saw people who had done nothing wrong being treated as though their lives had no value. His hands trembled. Kurt could not simply walk away. The decision came quietly. There was no dramatic revelation. There was noise from above, and no miracle. The only realization that he had was that perhaps faith was not about waiting for someone else to save the innocent. Perhaps faith demanded that he become the answer to his own prayer. Kurt stood up tall and nodded. His tail curled behind him and his eyes hardened. Without a moment's notice, he vanished. A cloud of sulfurous smoke erupted beside one of the guards. The creature barely had time to turn before Kurt struck. The armored alien crashed into the dirt. Kurt disappeared again. Another burst of smoke appeared several yards away. A second guard was thrown at his feet. Then another and another. The camp erupted into confusion. For the first time, the prisoners stopped moving. They stared at the blue-skinned figure appearing and disappearing among the guards. Kurt moved faster than their eyes could follow. He teleported behind one guard and kicked the weapon from its hand. He vanished before another could fire. A blast tore through the ground where he had been standing. Kurt reappeared above the attacker and drove both feet into its chest. The creature slammed into a metal wall. Another guard was charged just as Kurt disappeared. The guard struck empty air. Kurt reappeared behind it. His fist connected with the back of its helmet. The guard collapsed. Kurt continued his crusade against the oppressors. He did not fight because he enjoyed violence. He fought because there was no other way to reach the prisoners. Every teleport carried him deeper into the camp. Every burst of smoke became another small act of resistance. He destroyed weapons and shattered restraints. He ripped open locked cages and overturned equipment. Kurt severed chains that kept prisoners trapped. The prisoners began to understand what was happening. They were given a chance to escape. Kurt appeared beside a group of terrified workers and tore the restraints from their wrists. The aliens hesitated. Some could barely believe what they were seeing. Others immediately ran as Kurt guided them toward the perimeter, teleporting between them and the approaching guards. A weapon discharged, Kurt vanished. The blast struck the ground. He reappeared beside the attacker and knocked it unconscious. Another group escaped and then another. The camp descended into chaos. Alarms began flashing across the metallic towers as more guards poured from the surrounding structures. Kurt looked at them. There were too many. For the first time since beginning the assault, fear returned. He was only one person. He was one mutant, but was an X-Man. There were thousands of prisoners and only hundreds of guards. Perhaps thousands more beyond the camp. He wondered whether he had made a terrible mistake. His breath became heavier. The enormity of what stood before him threatened to crush the hope that had only recently returned. Then he noticed something, a small alien child was running. The child was holding the hand of an older sibling. They were terrified, but they were free. Kurt watched them disappear into the darkness beyond the camp. The sight steadied him. He realized that freedom did not have to begin with an army. It could begin with one person, one prisoner, one child, and one act of defiance. Kurt vanished again as the battle continued. Kurt moved through the camp like a phantom. He appeared inside guard towers and destroyed their controls. He teleported prisoners across walls that had once been impossible to cross. He carried injured workers away from the fighting. He returned for those who had been left behind. Repeatedly, he placed himself between the innocent and those who sought to destroy them. Eventually, the camp began to fall silent. Not because the guards had won, but because the prisoners were gone. Thousands had escaped into the surrounding wilderness. The remaining guards scattered, terrified of the blue demon that had appeared from nowhere. There were reports of other invaders attacking different sectors of the planet. Kurt stood alone in silence in the middle of the ruined camp. Yet the silence felt different now. For the first time since arriving on Altamid, it did not feel like the silence of death. It felt like freedom. Kurt looked toward the horizon as if something caught his attention. Beyond the camp, high upon a distant plateau, stood an enormous structure. It dwarfed everything around it. Black towers reached toward the sky. Massive walls surrounded the facility. Energy pulsed through glowing conduits embedded in its surface. Unlike the work camps, the structure was clean. It was almost perfect and untouched. It was not a prison, but a command center. Kurt stared at it. He understood immediately. The guards had not been acting alone. Someone had built this system. Someone had ordered the enslavement. Someone had decided that these lives were expendable. Someone was sitting inside that fortress while entire families suffered outside its walls. Kurt felt the anger and the rage rising within him. That feeling frightened him. He thought that perhaps it was a feeling Logan felt every time he extended his claws. While he did not want to succumb to the darkness inside of him, he also did not want this evil to continue. While the appearance of his demonic features had often caused others to fear him, he had never wanted to become what others believed him to be. He had chosen compassion, mercy, and faith. Now, standing amid the ruins of a slave camp, he wondered whether those principles could survive what he was about to face. He looked upward at the sky and took a deep breath. The strange sky of Altamid stretched endlessly above him. For a moment, he closed his eyes. He thought of his friends. He thought of the X-Men scattered across the planet. He wondered where Cyclops was, and he wondered whether the others had discovered similar horrors. He wondered whether they were still alive. Then his thoughts returned to the prisoners. The faces were burned into his memory, and the screams were now imprinted on his soul. Countless men, women, and children were killed because of the horrors that dwelt on this planet. Kurt opened his eyes, but the sadness remained. The fear remained and so did the uncertainty. Yet, his faith also remained. Even though his faith felt bruised and battered, almost broken, it remained. Kurt stepped forward. The massive fortress waited in the distance. He began walking toward it. Every step carried him closer to whoever controlled Altamid's nightmare. As he approached, the scale of the structure became even more terrifying. Towering walls disappeared into the clouds. Armed sentries patrolled the upper platforms. Huge mechanical defenses rotated slowly toward the surrounding wilderness. Kurt stopped at the base of the enormous entrance. The doors stood hundreds of feet above him. A faint vibration traveled through the ground beneath his feet. Something powerful was operating inside, something dangerous. Kurt looked up. For the first time since beginning his journey, he stood directly before the heart of the evil that had consumed this world. His hand tightened into a fist, and he took one final breath. Then he disappeared into a cloud of sulfurous smoke. The smoke drifted toward the enormous entrance. His yellow eyes glared over the entrance as he prepared himself for what lay beyond those sealed doors. In his heart, he knew someone wicked was waiting. He knew that the wicked individual inside was responsible for all the pain and death that had been inflicted upon this planet. Nightcrawler took a deep breath before moving forward. BAMF! "I know of you... I know of all your mutant friends... Yes, you are one of those X-Men..." A voice called out as Nightcrawler was walking through what appeared to be an abandoned control center. The teleporter was almost astonished at all that he had seen inside. There were diagrams and models of the different sectors on the planet along with detailed maps of the mining operations. There were also tons of advanced weaponry and technology scattered throughout the facility. The blue-skinned mutant did not have much time to look as he heard that voice speaking at him. BAMF! Nightcrawler teleported for an area covered in shadows, but it was no use. As soon as motion was detected, a light started to shine upon him. "There is no use running.... You and your friends have disturbed my operations on this planet. My fellow Council members will be furious... uh... You may think you have liberated some of these pathetic life forms, but you have only delayed the inevitable. You see, my allies on the Council will annihilate all that oppose them. We have armies, we have weapons, and we resource everywhere. This planet was a minor post on a much bigger grand scale. While your friends may have achieved a costly victory, the war is far from over. Sadly, for you, Nightcrawler, you will not see the end of what is to come." Suddenly, a mechanical arm pierced through the air and toward the X-Man. BAMF! Nightcrawler teleported out of the way at the last second. In a cloud of smoke, he appeared on top of a platform overlooking where he was before. His yellow eyes widened once he saw the one that had attacked him. "Doc Ock..." He muttered under his breath. The bottom two mechanical limbs rose Doctor Octavius high up into the air. His head shifted and turned towards the X-Man. A mischievous smile formed across his cheeks as upper two mechanical arms started pointing at Nightcrawler. "Let's finish this, shall we?!" Doctor Octopus shouted. ******************* This takes place around the same time as Colossus’ battle with Girder and Jean’s battle with Evil-Lyn. Nightcrawler has witnessed the atrocities of what the Council has done to the natives on this planet and has decided to try to help free the captives as well as battle some of the guards. He eventually makes it up to the main command center. Once arriving inside, he finds that Doctor Octopus is the one in charge of the operation on the planet. Doctor Octopus is one of the sitting members of the Council and is using the planet for his own reasons as part of the Council’s overall goals.