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Merchants of Death	By : SexyLizard Category: X-men Comics > Crossovers Views: 4972 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own X-Men comics, or any of the characters from it. I make no money from from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 26
- 27
- 28
Chapter 26

As the dimensional barriers separating this universe from the rest of the

multiverse came crashing down Lady Alustriel Silverhand felt her full powers as

a Chosen of Mystra returning. For whatever reason, the force that had been

cutting Alustriel off from Mystra and the goddess of magic's power seemed to be

fading.

A more pragmatic leader probably would have waited until she regained her full

power before doing what Lady Alustriel was contemplating. But the High Mage

cared about her troops too much to be entirely pragmatic.

"We must strike at the head of the beast personally...otherwise our army will be

wiped out" Alustriel told her ally Emma Frost.

"What about She-Hulk?...she's strong enough to defeat an army all on her own"

Emma replied.

"For whatever reason she has stopped attacking the enemy forces...now she is

stalking lone soldiers on our side...we cannot rely on She-Hulk to fight this

foe" the High Mage replied.

"You may have a point...I was just communicating telepathically with

Mystique...she and Do'Urden couldn't finish off the enemy commanders either"

Emma admitted. Knowing that they had to do something different to achieve

victory over Imperious Industries.

"How are Drizzt and Mystique faring?" Lady Alustriel asked.

"Mystique is wounded and Do'Urden is dead" Emma grimly announced.

The words hit the High Mage like a physical blow. Drizzt Do'Urden had been one

of her most reliable friends and supporters. Without Drizzt the world was a

significantly darker place (at least for Alustriel Silverhand).

But Lady Alustriel was strong, and all too aware of how much currently hung in

the balance. So she said "we must mourn Drizzt and rest of our fallen warriors

later...now we must ensure that their sacrifices were not in vain by taking down

the leaders of this gang of villains ourselves."

But the calculating former White Queen still had doubts.

"Everything I have seen and heard about Dakar and Angelus shows them to be

extremely powerful...are you and I strong enough to take them down ourselves?"

"With Mystra on our side we shall be strong enough" the Chosen assured Emma

Frost. Confident in her own strength and the power of her goddess.

*****

Angelus preferred to battle his foes directly, but the cyborg was smart enough

to realize that that was not always the best solution. She-Hulk was too strong

to fight directly in his estimation, so Angelus decided to make use of the green

skinned berserker instead.

"Keep her fixated on the enemy...show her my image whenever she sees one of her

comrades" Angelus told Glen Brady, who was one of the few psionicists that

worked for Imperious Industries (and the only one in Omega Squad).

The mind mage nodded, too focused on the crude yet powerful mind of the Savage

She-Hulk to speak. Using his own mental energies to twist her vision so that

she saw the person she was most angry at (Angela) whenever she looked upon

someone on her own side.

Angelus studied Glen Brady for a moment, then he turned to the rest of Omega

Squad. Considering the defeat his elite had just suffered.

Omega Squad and their superior were in a large area where hazardous materials

were processed before being disposed of. It was basically the main waste dump

for the facility, and being there was doing nothing to improve everybody's

already foul mood.

Angela was also in the room, though she barely noticed how badly Omega Squad was

doing. Too preoccupied by her own recently inflicted defeats and wounds.

"You're my elite...the best of the best...but one woman stopped you and forced

you to retreat...this is unacceptable" Angelus said in his deep mechanical voice

as he addressed the group.

"But boss...she killed Bertha...nothing any of us did so much as scratched da

bitch" sergeant Boris protested, thinking that the criticism of 'his boys' was

unjustified.

"Irrelevant...for all her strength and power Bertha was just one soldier...you

and your men are supposed to be my elite...her loss should not have crippled

you" Angelus replied, disappointed that his elite soldiers had been defeated so

easily.

Sergeant Boris breathed deeply as he tried to calm down. Omega Squad almost

never failed in its mission, so the dwarf wasn't used to being addressed like

this by Angelus. But Boris had the hard won practicality of a veteran soldier,

so he just said "nothing we can do about it now boss...so now what?"

"The green woman is occupied so advance until you encounter her comrades and

drive them out of the building...we can use our heaviest weapons against them

there" Angelus ordered.

Then the massive cyborg pointed at the leader of Omega Squad and said ominously

"another failure will not be tolerated."

"We'll kill all da bastards" Boris promised.

Angelus watched all the members of Omega Squad leave the room. Confident that

they would kill many more soldiers of Silverymoon before they were through.

Then he turned to his clone.

Angela was definitely the worse for wear. Her armor was gone, leaving the

cyborg clad only in a bra and panties. Numerous cuts crisscrossed Angela's

torso and right arm, and her left arm was severed near the shoulder. The

damaged mechanical pieces of her left arm were just visible when you looked at

her bloody stump from the correct angle.

Angelus's question was straight to the point "what happened to you?"

"I got cornered by some knights and mages after entering the building...my armor

was completely wrecked at that point and just slowed me down so I took it off

and killed them with my bare hands" Angela explained.

"What about your arm?"

"One of the knights scored a direct hit on my arm...his sword must have been

magic because it just sliced straight through" Angela replied as she looked at

her stump. Then she asked the older cyborg "will it heal on its own or is this

too much damage for repair systems like ours to fix?"

"I don't know...most of our systems are still largely untested" Angelus answered

honestly. Repressing the urge to touch his own ruined eye.

~Nevertheless...you probably need lab work to fully heal~ Angelus thought as he

stared at his clone 'daughter.' Feeling something like paternal pride and

concern as he considered the young warrior who had taken on an entire army (and

survived) in her very first real battle.

"Should I catch up with Omega Squad?...they could probably use another super

strong soldier now that Big Bertha's dead" Angela asked.

Deprived of her armor and with only one arm Angela was far less powerful and

much more vulnerable. Angelus's experiences as a soldier and gut instinct told

him that if he sent her into battle now she would die. And to the surprise of

the jaded warrior he found the notion of Angela dying painful.

"No...go to the fall back site and get repaired...you're no use to me in this

condition" Angelus eventually replied.

Angela studied her template silently as she accessed his memories. Her

feminized version of Angelus's face scrunching up in thought as she analyzed his

reaction. Then she smiled when she realized the grim old warrior was showing

concern for her.

"Thanks Big Daddy" Angela said cheerfully as she walked off.

"Don't call me daddy" Angelus grumbled.

*****

Once she took care of her mother Chrissy Lera immediately left in search of

Imperious Dakar. Planning to finish off the technomancer who had fled her

wrath. Finding Dakar outside the Imperious Industries portal facility, beside

the Iberian Minister of Defense Alberto Francisco.

Unfortunately for the tyrannical necromancer, Dakar had already finished warning

Minister Francisco about the 'dangerous imposter' posing as President Lera. So

when the drow sorceress appeared before Francisco in a burst of magical power,

the man reacted just as the devious businessman wanted him to.

"SHOOT THAT IMPOSTER DOWN" the Minister ordered.

Dozens of troops and two tanks immediately opened fire on the necromancer, as

well as all the helicopters in the vicinity (all the other soldiers and military

vehicles weren't in a position to fire on Chrissy without hitting their own

comrades). But the necromancer had been expecting an attack, raising her Shield

of Souls before any of it could hit her, Chrissy's ghostly protectors

intercepting all the explosives and bullets so that their mistress was

untouched.

In the early days of her take over of and reign in Iberia Chrissy Lera had often

fought her enemies on the battlefield personally. As a result many of the human

soldiers recognized her distinctive defense (the Shield of Souls). Making some

of them wonder whether or not the person that they were attacking was really an

imposter.

"KILL HER" the Defense Minister commanded as he ran to get some armored vehicles

between himself and the obviously dangerous elf woman.

Surprised when he realized that his new 'friend' Imperious Dakar wasn't doing

the same.

"LOYAL SOLDIERS OF IBERIA STOP THIS MADNESS...I AM YOUR PRESIDENT CHRISSY

LERA...THOSE ORDERING YOU TO ATTACK ME ARE TRAITORS DESERVING ONLY OF DEATH"

Chrissy proclaimed, magically magnifying her voice so that all the attacking

soldiers could easily hear her.

Most of the soldiers were in their late teens or early twenties. These men had

grown up during the Lera regime, and had been exposed to government propaganda

most of their lives. They recognized Chrissy Lera's pretty face and self

assured voice. To them it was the Face and Voice of Authority.

A lot of the soldiers stopped firing on the elf woman, or kept firing (so that

they wouldn't get in trouble) but began to deliberately miss. Something that

Dakar immediately noticed.

~I was afraid of this...that black skinned bitch still has a hold on Iberia~

thought Dakar. Shouting out in response "WATCH OUT BOYS...THAT MIND MAGE IS

TRYING TO SCREW WITH YOUR HEADS."

Imperious Dakar silently cast a spell as he shouted, putting a magical

compulsion on the words to make them more convincing.

Chrissy Lera was about to shout an obscenity at Dakar when the volume of fire

hitting her Shield of Souls intensified. Almost breaking through the barrier,

and making Chrissy groan as she struggled to maintain it.

Not all the human soldiers had stopped trying to hit Lera, and none of the

zombies had. For the cybernetically enhanced zombies had no loyalty to appeal

to or minds to change. Animated by magic and guided by cybernetics they existed

only to obey orders.

Now thousands of these enhanced zombies were moving around and between their

human comrades to get at their target (Chrissy Lera). Firing at her with

machine guns, assault rifles, and even heavier infantry weapons. The sheer

volume of firepower was more than even a mage of Chrissy's power could endure

for long.

"NO!...YOU ARE MY SOLDIERS" the necromancer screamed defiantly, channeling

negative energy to take control of the zombies directly. Intent on regaining

mastery of her undead army.

Imperious Dakar sensed what Chrissy was doing and used his powers in order to

seize control of the cybernetically enhanced zombies before Lera could.

The power of technomancy hit the strength of necromancy, and then things got

really violent and chaotic.

*****

Even with her rapidly increasing powers Lady Alustriel had no luck locating

Imperious Dakar or Angelus (there was simply too much interference from all the

energies released during the fighting). Emma Frost's attempts to locate them

telepathically were equally fruitless.

So they decided to rely on something much more mundane.

Guenhwyvar was an unusually intelligent panther, the High Mage had been able to

communicate to the magical beast that her master was dead, and that they needed

her to locate his killer. So now the High Mage and the leader of the universal

travelers were following Guenhwyvar, as the magical panther tracked the scent of

her late master's blood.

They found Angelus in a hallway battling a trio of Silverymoon sorcerers and a

battered knight. As they watched the massive cyborg launched a volley of

missiles and blasted apart the knight and two of the sorcerers, while the

remaining sorcerer was badly wounded as he was knocked back. Blood running from

the man's head and torso as he fell to the floor.

Angelus walked over to the sorcerer and grabbed the front of his robes, clearly

intent on finishing the helpless spell-caster off.

"UNHAND HIM VILLAIN."

Angelus turned to regard the speaker, and Lady Alustriel got her first good look

at the Chief of Security for Imperious Industries.

One of the eyes in his mask glowed a deep blue, while the other one was

shattered, and the area around it was covered in dried blood. The cyborg's

whole body was encased in thick black armor, and that armor was covered in

strange (to Alustriel) weapons. Angelus was also much taller than the High

Mage, and seemed to exude an aura of menace as he glared down at Mystra's Chosen

and her companions.

"Arrogant bitch...you have no power over me" Angelus replied as he smashed the

sorcerer into a wall with enough force to snap the spine and crush the internal

organs of the poor man.

The High Mage cried out in anger at the unnecessary and brutal death of her

follower. Preparing to launch an offensive spell at the murderer, but before

she could Guenhwyvar got to the cyborg.

The magical panther was filled with fury at the murder of her beloved master

Drizzt Do'Urden. Guenhwyvar cared nothing for whatever motivations or

circumstances surrounded the act, all she knew was that the armored figure

before her was covered in the scent of Drizzt's blood, and she wanted to rip his

throat out.

Guenhwyvar leapt at Angelus, trying to bring him down same way she had brought

down Alita Impala.

Angelus activated his force field, and the energy barrier smashed Guenhwyvar

into the nearest wall with bone crushing force. Then the beast fell to the

floor, hissing in anger and pain as she tried to get up.

However, Angelus didn't believe in giving those he was battling a fighting

chance. Shooting the wounded panther through the head with his laser cannon

before Guenhwyvar could get up. Watching with satisfaction as the magical

beast's body faded away.

"Fools...did you really killing me would be easy?" Angelus said ominously as he

approached Lady Alustriel and Emma Frost. Allowing the two women to see (for

the first time) all the Epsilon units standing directly behind him (who had been

hidden by the bulk of their leader).

*****

The cyborg zombies were animated by necromancy and controlled by their on board

computers and other mechanical parts. But when Imperious Dakar and Chrissy Lera

tried to take control of them at the same time, that fusion of magic and

technology unraveled.

Over a fourth of the cyborg zombies present simply exploded (injuring or killing

many nearby human soldiers in the process) due to the necromantic and

technological energies flooding their bodies and pulling them in opposite

directions. Another two fourths just collapsed, the magic and technology that

they were composed of breaking down thanks to the conflicting orders their

undead flesh and mechanical parts were receiving. But the rest of the zombies

seemed to go mad.

Reverting to undead instincts as their computers shorted out (thanks to the

massive amounts of energy Dakar was pumping into them) feeling something like

pain as their decaying forms rebelled against their mechanical parts.

Mindlessly trying to attack and eat anyone nearby.

The Iberian (human) troops were shocked and appalled as allies suddenly became

enemies. Trying to defend themselves, as over a thousand zombies attacked their

force of less than three hundred. The situation all the more desperate, thanks

to the fact that the zombies were already right next to the human soldiers as

the battle began.

The Iberian soldiers desperately needed a strong leader at that point. What

they had was Minister Alberto Francisco.

"THERE ARE TOO MANY OF THEM" Minister Francisco shrieked in horror as he watched

his army turn on itself. Gazing in stupefaction as the zombies dropped their

guns and swarmed the living soldiers, clawing at anyone they could get their

hands on, mindlessly trying to bite anyone they grabbed even though their

helmets prevented any actual biting from occurring.

Dozens of human soldiers died in the first wave of attacks. They destroyed

twice as many zombies, but that didn't seem to matter. Because the maddened

undead still outnumbered them over three to one.

However, Imperious Dakar and Chrissy Lera barely noticed the chaos and bloodshed

their actions had caused. For the powerful opponents were almost completely

focused on one another.

"THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT" Chrissy shrieked as she tried to blast Dakar, the

malignant magic destroying everything around the technomancer for several feet.

But Dakar himself was untouched. The cybernetically enhanced businessman's

force field protected him from harm.

~Lera is losing strength...running out of spells and exhausting herself by

trying to fight everyone personally just like she did when she attacked my Terra

One facility...unfortunately she's still strong enough to be a threat to me~

Dakar mentally calculated as he observed his enemy.

"Where did he go?" Lera muttered as Dakar teleported away, searching around

frantically for her enemy and rival.

A tank rose into the air and floated over to Lera, firing down at her at

pointblank range. Then dozens of other military vehicles did the same thing,

the crews inside watching in fear and confusion as the machines began to operate

without their participation. Having no idea that their tanks and helicopters

were under the command of a powerful technomancer.

Dakar looked down from the rooftop he had teleported to as he mentally

manipulated the military hardware. Having no intention of fighting Lera head on

(at least while she was still this strong) after she had already come so close

to killing him today.

~People like Lera don't understand that warfare isn't about guts and glory...its

about who is alive and who is dead at the end of the day~ Dakar thought as he

used his power over machines and metal to bring more and more vehicles to bear

against the necromancer.

Soon the dark elf was surrounded on all sides by tanks and helicopters, her

ghostly protectors moving madly to intercept all the incoming fire. Her willowy

form all but hidden behind the bulk of machines and the light of explosions.

Dakar honestly expected Lera to strike out at the tanks and helicopters, but she

did something different instead.

The Shield of Souls stopped blocking the incoming fire, and the bullets and

explosives being fired at Lera stuck her head on.

To no effect.

The destructive firepower all harmlessly passed through Lera, as though the

necromancer was a ghost or a hologram. Causing the technomancer to stare at

Chrissy in honest confusion.

~Of course...she cast a spell to turn herself intangible...making all the

firepower arrayed against her meaningless~ Dakar realized, forcibly reminded of

the fact that while Lera was arrogant and insane, she was anything but stupid.

Imperious Dakar suspected that he would need help finishing off this particular

opponent, so he telepathically contacted Angelus. Knowing that the

reinforcements from Terra One should have arrived by now.

But when he asked Angelus what forces were available (to help the technomancer)

the Chief of Security replied ~none...me and my command are all occupied at the

moment.~

*****

Angelus had never fought an opponent like Lady Alustriel Silverhand. But the

High Mage had never fought an enemy like the cyborg soldier either.

Angelus fired off a volley of missiles, which were blocked instantaneously by a

spell from Alustriel. Then the archmage summoned a celestial unicorn,

commanding the noble beast to attack her foe.

The unicorn was a paragon among his kind, larger than any mundane horse,

rippling with muscles, and infused with magic. His horn glowing like fire as

the beast charged at Angelus.

Angelus shot the unicorn at pointblank range with his sonic cannon, the burst of

destructive sound caving in the creature's horse-like head. But the power of

the magical beast's charge was too great, and the dying unicorn still smashed

into the cyborg's force field.

However, the unicorn's attack failed to penetrate the force field. The beast's

body was smashed beyond recognition but Angelus remained standing.

Emma Frost was too preoccupied to help Lady Alustriel fight Angelus. For the

ruthless cyborg knew she was a telepath and had commanded his Epsilon units to

kill her while he focused on the High Mage (understanding that Emma was more

vulnerable to attackers without minds to influence).

Frost was surrounded by robots on all sides, holding her down and pummeling the

telepath with their large metallic hands. Doing their best to shatter the

pregnant woman's diamond form.

Emma Frost didn't know how much damage her diamond form could take. But she

knew it wasn't infinite. If these machines kept attacking her like this she

would (eventually) die.

~MOTHER DO SOMETHING~ a frightened Sophie telepathically screamed.

"DAMN IT ALUSTRIEL HELP ME" Emma shouted angrily from beneath her mechanical

attackers. A metal fist striking her head a moment later.

The Chosen of Mystra was not one to abandon an ally. So she turned away from

Angelus for a moment. Using an epic spell to transform all the robots attacking

Emma into nothing but harmless vapors (Frost breathing a sigh of relief as she

was freed).

But Lady Alustriel had ignored the threat of Angelus for a moment too long. The

cyborg unleashed all of his ranged weapons on her simultaneously. Hitting her

with laser beams, violent bursts of sound, missiles, radiative bullets, and

technological horrors that the Chosen had never even imagined.

It broke through the High Mage's defensive spells. Sheer firepower overcoming

the barriers Alustriel had erected to protect herself.

The beautiful ruler of Silverymoon was smashed into a wall and then fell to her

knees. Her form marred by burns and lacerations due to Angelus's weapons.

Retaining consciousness only thanks to the divine power coursing through her

body.

~That should have killed her outright...but she's still alive...this Alustriel

is obviously much stronger than she appears~ Angelus thought as he prepared to

attack the High Mage again.

"LEAVE HER ALONE ANGELUS" Emma shouted as she shakily got to her feet.

Reverting to her flesh and blood form so that she could add telepathic force to

the words.

Angelus responded by shooting the ceiling directly above Emma's head. Coldly

observing how Frost changed back into her diamond form just before she was

buried under rubble.

Lady Alustriel was bleeding from the mouth and nose, her once fine clothes were

charred and torn, and her silver hair was a mess. But the great lady still

managed to exude an aura of majesty and power, using the full weight of her

goddess given charisma when she commanded "stop Angelus...you will kill no one

else this day."

The words hit the brutal cyborg's mind like a hammer, making him hesitate for a

moment. But Angelus was a force to be reckoned with in his own right. With a

powerful body and strong will, both of which were reinforced and protected by

Imperious Dakar's magic.

"Arrogant witch" Angelus snarled as he charged up his weapons again. On the

verge of unleashing his full weaponry on the High Mage.

~I have no choice...I must use the fire of Mystra~ Lady Alustriel thought.

Knowing that in her current condition (wounded and still not at full power) the

effort could kill her.

The Chosen of Mystra summoned silver fire, Alustriel's most potent weapon and

the greatest gift of the goddess to her Chosen. Whitish flames engulfed her

enemy, effectively blinding Angelus as all he could see was magical fire.

The silver fire was composed of pure magical energy, and hit the opposing energy

barrier (Angelus's force field) with overwhelming force. Overloading the

cyborg's force field generator and wrecking that system. Moments later the

silver fire made contact with the enemy armor, disintegrating large sections of

it and simply burning the rest.

Penetrating Angelus's defenses and destroying his advanced weapons systems in

mere moments. Leaving the cyborg's once powerful armor as little more than

scrap metal.

But the Chosen's attack wasn't quite powerful enough.

~I am still too weak...I couldn't use the full power of silver fire~ Lady

Alustriel thought as she observed Angelus tearing off the charred remnants of

his armor.

His features were elfin, but Angelus was far bigger and more muscular than any

normal elf. Large sections of his flesh had been burned away, revealing

gleaming metal beneath the skin and muscle. His face would have been handsome,

but one eye socket was a bloody mess, while the other socket was occupied by a

glowing mechanical eye.

"What are you?" Alustriel whispered as she looked upon the fierce avatar of

technological war. Truly understanding for the first time why the existence of

such creatures disturbed her goddess so.

"Stronger than you" Angelus replied in an inhumanly deep tone. Then the cyborg

struck at the High Mage. Putting the full strength and weight of his large

powerful body behind the blow.

Lady Alustriel desperately tried to summon silver fire again, magic and machine

meeting at the same time. The resulting explosion destroying a large section of

the area around them.

*****

The Phoenix arrived directly on the Earth where her lover Storm had died. But

time and space became somewhat warped when dimensional laws and barriers were

broken.

Even though Jean Grey had already come to this universe she was effectively just

entering it now. The god-woman's passage causing ripples in space-time as she

traveled. Disruptions that psychics and magic users all across the world could

feel.

*****

Mystique was in a bad position.

Since her battle with Angelus she had constantly been fighting or running from

Imperious Industries soldiers and robots. The soldiers and mages of Silverymoon

could provide the mutant shapeshifter with little aid or shelter, because they

were all desperately fighting for their lives against the counterattacking enemy

forces.

Ordinarily Mystique wouldn't care, she had always been something of a loner (by

necessity) and was a skilled survivor. But these were far from ordinary

circumstances.

Mystique had suffered internal injuries thanks to the sonic blast Angelus had

hit her with. The wounds would have been minor, except that the mutant's

constant shapeshifting was making them worse. Twisting and reforming the

wounded flesh when she should have simply been resting.

Mystique was also simply exhausted, she had been sneaking around or fighting all

day, and it was beginning to take a toll.

She was at the limits of her strength, and certainly in no shape for any major

fighting. Unfortunately that's just when Mystique ran across the Savage

She-Hulk.

*****

Jennifer Walters could have fairly been compared to rabid animal at this point.

Unfortunately the She-Hulk's strength and ferocity far exceeded virtually any

mere beast.

Anyone the green woman got her hands on died. Beaten to death, crushed, or in

some cases literally ripped apart by the fierce female. But it did nothing to

appease She-Hulk's rage.

Wherever she looked she saw the visage of the one who had stabbed her with a

magical sword and beaten her down. Her increasing rage fueling her monstrous

(growing) strength as she attempted to kill Angela over and over again.

Most of the soldiers and mages of Silverymoon She-Hulk came across tried to

fight or flee from her. A few of them tried reasoning with her. But it didn't

matter, they died all the same.

When the savage green woman stumbled across Mystique the mutant initially tried

to flee from her obviously crazed teammate. But Mystique was wounded and tired,

and She-Hulk easily caught her.

Monstrously strong hands gripped Mystique around the waist. Pinning her arms to

her sides as She-Hulk held her close. Yelling into her face "STUPID METAL

MAN...SHE-HULK SMASH YOU...SHE-HULK ALWAYS SMASH YOU."

"JEN ITS ME...MYSTIQUE...RAVEN...REMEMBER" Mystique said desperately.

She-Hulk's face and hair were covered in grime and blood, while her features

were twisted by a fierce scowl. The powerful woman's eyes seemed to gleam with

rage, and her muscular body was covered more by blood and filth than it was by

the meager remains of her clothing. Mystique could see little trace of the fun

loving and sophisticated woman she had come to know in the creature before her.

"ITS BLUE...REMEMBER BLUE" Mystique continued desperately, using the nickname

She-Hulk had given her.

"Blue?" She-Hulk whispered recognition.

*****

"No you stupid beast...KILL her" Glen Brady muttered as he felt She-Hulk

question the false information he was feeding her mind for the first time.

Brady was average at best among mind mages, and he knew that if the powerful

She-Hulk began actively resisting him that he could not maintain control. He

couldn't afford to let She-Hulk realize what was really going on.

She-Hulk's anger was starting to cool, so the psychic stimulated it again.

Trying to send her back into a murderous frenzy.

*****

She-Hulk seemed to recognize Mystique for a moment, then her scowl returned and

she screamed "YOU'RE TRYING TO TRICK SHE-HULK."

The brutish creature started to squeeze and Mystique feared that she was about

to die.

~It's just interested in fucking, fighting, and eating~ Mystique thought as she

tried to remember everything that Jennifer Walters had said about her most

savage self.

She-Hulk's expression went from angry to surprised as Mystique leaned forward

and kissed her. Loosening her grip on her blue captive as Mystique ended the

kiss and said seductively "you like Blue remember?"

Mystique honestly wasn't feeling the least bit romantic or aroused at this

point. But the shapeshifter was a good actress, and this was far from the first

time she had faked it.

Since her regular pair was still held by She-Hulk, Mystique used her powers to

grow two new arms (out of her stomach). She used the new limbs to cup and

squeeze She-Hulk's heavy green breasts, watching with satisfaction as the

powerful green woman closed her eyes and moaned.

Blue flesh began to rapidly grow outward directly above Mystique's ass as the

shapeshifter gave herself a tail. Making the tail long and thin so that it

could fulfill its intended purpose.

Mystique used the tail to caress the area around She-Hulk's womanhood. Noting

that, for such a hard and brutal woman, She-Hulk felt surprisingly soft.

She-Hulk shifted her stance so that her legs were farther apart. As though

inviting Mystique in. She opened her eyes and stared at the blue woman with a

lustful gaze, saying huskily "my Blue."

Mystique's tail gently probed the other woman's sex, stretching apart the

vaginal lips as it slowly pushed inside. Once the tip was inside the tail

developed a harder more bumpy surface, as Mystique changed the shape to make the

experience more enjoyable for her lover.

"Ribbed for her pleasure" Mystique muttered as she pushed the tail deeper and

deeper inside She-Hulk. Glad that the super strong creature's vagina seemed

like a normal woman's.

She-Hulk made wordless noises of pleasure. Abandoning her anger and fully

embracing her lust.

*****

"No kill her" Glen Brady muttered as he struggled to bring out the She-Hulk's

more murderous side again. Attempting to assert more direct control of the

savage out of desperation and frustration.

Then the mind of the She-Hulk seemed to notice the foreign presence for the

first time. Repulsing Brady's consciousness with its full brutish strength.

Blood poured from Glen Brady's ears as the mental assault hit his unprepared

mind. Overwhelming his meager defenses and giving him a heart attack.

*****

As Imperious Dakar fought Chrissy Lera he received confirmation of something

that he had only suspected before. Something Dakar would have been happier

disbelieving, but was too logical and pragmatic to deny.

Lera was a more powerful spell-caster than he was.

Of course it was not completely one sided. Dakar was much more powerful

physically, and the might of a demon lord coursed through his body. The

technomancer's form was also protected by advanced cybernetics, an advantage

Lera had never had.

Nevertheless, as Dakar's magic barely resisted a powerful killing curse that the

necromancer hit him with, he was forced to conclude that his current strategy

was failing. The horribly familiar psychic presence that grew stronger by the

second also seemed to argue in favor of adopting a new strategy.

Imperious Dakar fled the scene in a burst of energy, retreating into his

fortress to get better weapons and allies.

Chrissy screamed in rage as Dakar escaped again. But once he was gone she

finally noticed what condition the Iberian army was in.

Mangled corpses were everywhere, many of them ripped limb from limb by undead

attackers. But the zombies attention stayed on the few remaining living troops,

assaulting the poor soldiers like an undead wave of decaying malice.

The Iberian soldiers fought back valiantly, but the zombies still outnumbered

them two to one and they were running out of ammunition. The fact that

Imperious Dakar had wrecked so much of the Iberian army's heavy weapons, and

that the ruined cybernetics the zombies wore gave the undead some protection

against small arms fire, just made matters worse.

~They may have attacked me but it was only because they thought that they were

following my orders...they are still loyal soldiers and brave warriors~ Lera

thought as she watched the Iberian soldiers fight for their lives.

"RETURN TO YOUR GRAVES FAILURES" Chrissy Lera commanded, the necromancer's eyes

glowing with yellow fire as the mighty necromancer called upon her full power.

Over five hundred undead seemed to melt into the ground as Lera's magic

nullified the negative energy animating them. Leaving behind only scrap metal

and ruined circuitry, as the earth absorbed their undead taint.

It happened so fast that the Iberian soldiers were caught completely off guard.

Many of the frightened troops continued to fire their weapons before they

realized that their enemies were gone. Looking around wildly as they tried to

figure out what had just happened.

"Thank god" Defense Minister Alberto Francisco murmured from his hiding place as

he realized the zombies were gone. Then Francisco turned to walk back towards

his army, and found himself staring into the furious face of Chrissy Lera.

The necromancer extended her arm and seemed to reach into the Defense Minister's

chest. Icy fingers of power grasping his spirit and pulling. Time seemed to

slow for Alberto as he watched the tyrant of Iberia pull something thin and

translucent out of his torso.

"This is the fate you have earned traitor" Chrissy said pitilessly, and with a

shock of horror Alberto Francisco realized that he was staring at his own

partially removed soul.

Then with a violent movement the necromancer ripped the squirming spirit the

rest of the way out. Alberto Francisco was dead before he hit the ground.

*****

If Mystique had been forced to guess what lovemaking with Jennifer Walters would

be like beforehand, she would not have imagined this.

The normally extroverted and talkative She-Hulk had said less than a dozen words

to the mutant shapeshifter since Mystique had begun caressing her. Moreover,

even though the green woman no longer seemed interested in hurting Mystique, she

was still being too rough for mutant's taste.

"Yes yes...like that" She-Hulk groaned as she held Mystique's head between her

thighs.

Mystique had gotten rid of her tail and extra arms, but she was still using her

powers to enhance the experience for her lover. Making her tongue longer and

thicker as she gave She-Hulk's cunt a kiss. Sending the pink explorer deep into

the feral woman's moist interior.

She-Hulk shuddered and moaned as Mystique's amazing tongue touched parts of her

that no one ever had before. Examining her womanhood with a thoroughness a

gynecologist might have trouble matching.

Mystique was getting much less out of the experience. She was so tired that

just staying awake was becoming a chore, and her insides ached. Moreover her

lover (though fuck-buddy might be a more accurate term) was solely interested in

her own pleasure.

Mystique had fantasized about having sex with She-Hulk a few times. So this was

actually a bit of a disappointment.

The shapeshifter slowly expanded her tongue inside She-Hulk. Touching the inner

walls as she gradually filled up all the available space.

The green woman let go of Mystique's head to cup her own breasts. Moaning and

groaning as she savagely pinched her nipples. Reveling in the sensation as her

feminine interior was completely filled for the first time. Then Mystique

started to vibrate her tongue.

"AHHHHHH" She-Hulk gasped as she climaxed, the vibrations pulsing through her

core sending her to sensual peak she had never achieved before.

The large green woman's entire body seemed to shake, her big breasts bouncing,

ass flexing, hair waving, and limbs quivering as she came. Then the moment

passed, and She-Hulk's mind started to clear.

The powerful woman's lust had driven away her anger, and now even her lust had

been satisfied. Without such mental fuel the Savage She-Hulk went dormant

again. Its hold on the green woman's consciousness broken (for now).

The naked green woman looked around, and saw Mystique lying in a heap at her

feet.

"Oh no" She-Hulk said in horror. Afraid that her savage self had hurt (or

perhaps even killed) Mystique.

She reached down and picked up the smaller woman. Mystique didn't resist,

lacking the energy to fuck or fight anymore. Hoping that She-Hulk didn't expect

either.

"Blue are you okay?...did I hurt you?" She-Hulk asked in worried tones.

"Not you...someone else shot me" Mystique replied, weakness making the words

little more than a whisper.

"Do you need a healer?"

"No...I'll be all right" Mystique answered unconvincingly as she closed her

eyes. Sleeping finally claiming her exhausted mind and body.

*****

The cyborg stirred as backup systems came online. His body doing its best to

recover from the massive damage it had just suffered. Briefly stumbling as he

got to his feet.

~So this is what my body looks like on the inside~ Angelus thought as he looked

down at himself.

His flesh was completely gone, burned away by Alustriel's silver fire. What

remained was metallic torso, limbs, and a head. All partially blackened,

scarred by the destructive might of the High Mage's magic.

Thinking of the High Mage made Angelus wonder if she had also survived. But a

quick glance around proved otherwise.

Lady Alustriel Silverhead no longer had a head. The impact of Angelus's fist

had smashed it along with a large section of Alustriel's torso, scattering

blood, bone, and other gore everywhere. The corpse of Silverhand was so ravaged

it was barely recognizable as human anymore, and little could be seen of the

once beautiful, wise, and powerful High Mage in its wrecked form.

Angelus tried to move the fingers of the fist that had done Alustriel so much

damage, and then realized the fingers were fused together. The metal melted and

circuitry shorted out by the tremendous energies his enemy had released in her

final moments.

This caused Angelus to take stock of his other injuries, and as he looked

between his legs where his (restored) manhood had been, the cyborg thought

regretfully ~and I never even got to use it~ as he stared at the bare metal.

Angelus was still new to this body, but based what he could see and the

information his electronics were feeding his brain, the cyborg figured that all

of his weapons and most of his defenses were destroyed at this point. He was

armed only with the strength of his body and protected by the basic durability

and toughness of this mechanical form.

Then Angelus's keen hearing picked up breathing, and his still sensitive eye

sight detected movement in a nearby rock pile. Telling the brutal cyborg

soldier that at least one of the women he had just been fighting remained.

*****

Emma Frost was trapped beneath over a ton of rubble. It was completely dark so

she couldn't see (not that light would have helped much at this point), and with

so much weight pressing down on her she couldn't move either.

The durability and toughness of her diamond hard flesh kept her from being

crushed, but it didn't make her strong enough to escape. Because she couldn't

use her telepathic powers in her diamond form, this left Frost all but helpless.

The former White Queen hated feeling helpless, but she could do nothing to

rectify the situation now. So she simply did her best to stay calm and keep

Sophie from panicking. Confident that something would eventually free her.

Eventually light hit her eyes as the rubble was shifted. Freeing Emma Frost

from the broken concrete and metal that had trapped her.

Emma tried to stand up but something grabbed her around the throat, lifting her

into the air as it attempted to strangle her. Then Frost got her first good

look at her 'rescuer.'

The creature strongly resembled one of the Terminators that she had encountered

(minus its fleshy covering). Although it was much bigger and darker in

coloring. But the biggest difference was in the face, it had one empty eye

socket and one large glowing blue eye.

The eyes gave Emma the hint she needed, and she gasped out "Angelus."

"In the flesh...more or less" Angelus replied coldly as he examined his prey.

He knew that Emma Frost's diamond form was supposed to be indestructible, but

Angelus firmly believed that everything had a weakness.

The pregnant woman's clothes were dirty and torn, exposing her swollen belly.

The cyborg could see hairline cracks in her diamond skin near Emma's bellybutton

(injuries almost certainly received when the rubble had landed on her). They

were almost too small to be seen by the human eye, but to Angelus's artificially

enhanced vision they were clear as day.

Angelus responded to this sign of weakness by punching the area with his fused

together metal fist. Striking Frost as hard as he could in the stomach.

Emma shrieked in pain, more shocked by the feeling than anything else.

Horrified to realize that something could hurt her diamond form.

~HE'S GOING TO KILL US MOTHER!~ Sophie mentally screamed.

Emma struggled to get away, putting her hands around Angelus's arm to break the

grip on her neck. But the cyborg was simply too strong, no matter how hard she

scratched, hit, or kicked Angelus the cyborg maintained his stranglehold on her.

"There is no escape witch" Angelus said as he drew back his fist for another

blow. Using the full strength of his powerful body to strike Emma in the belly

a second time.

This time the blow seemed to make Emma's whole body shudder painfully. An awful

sensation even Sophie felt from her position in Emma's womb.

Both mother and daughter knew another hit like that could kill them. And there

was no way that they could survive two or three more such blows, so Sophie was

understandably terrified when she asked her mother ~what are we going to do?~

~Destroy him~ Emma replied grimly, as a risky plan took shape in her mind.

Quickly telling Sophie what they must do.

Angelus was surprised when the woman in his grasp became soft and fair skinned

again, as Emma Frost reverted to her fleshy form. But that was nothing compared

to the shock he experienced when Emma and Sophie Frost entered his mind.

Assaulting him with the full power of the Two-in-One.

~We need to kill him now~ Emma warned her daughter.

But Angelus was strong willed, and his mind was reinforced and protected by

Imperious Dakar's magic. Their assault hurt him but failed to disable or kill

the brutal cyborg. Moreover, their bodies were pitifully vulnerable to the

mighty warrior now, a fact that Angelus was all too aware of.

~I'll just break her neck~ Angelus thought.

But before that thought could become action the Two-in-One reacted. Pouring any

reserves of power or energy they had left into what appeared to be weak spots in

Angelus's mind. Attacking the very foundations of his consciousness, trying to

destroy his mind through the brute force and savagery of their attack.

Angelus had a strong will, but willpower was not enough to survive an all out

attack by two first class telepaths. His mind simply died, shattered by the

savage assault. The cybernetic elf's brain shut down as his mind died, leaving

his body little more than an empty metal shell.

Emma Frost managed to pull away from Angelus as his lifeless body crashed to the

floor. Narrowly avoiding being crushed beneath his massive weight.

Then she examined herself and gasped in horror. Realizing that the danger was

far from over.

~Mother...I feel strange...I think...I think I'm dying~ Sophie mentally

whispered.

"No Sophie you're not dying...I think I'm going into labour" Emma answered

aloud. The fluid still gushing out of her sex telling Emma that her water had

just broken.

*****

Imperious Dakar was in a section of the Imperious Industries facility that no

one else knew about. It contained some clones of Udragoth, extra weapons, and a

few other things that the businessman had thought might be useful in an

emergency such as this.

~White Noise 2.0...if you work as well as the prototype we might survive this~

Dakar thought as he started the process to awaken the clone. Knowing that the

modified Mind Flayer's abilities probably held the key to victory.

Then Imperious Dakar paused, going completely still for moment. As the

technomancer felt the death of Angelus. The death of the person Dakar most

trusted, and the only one he had ever really considered a friend.

Imperious Dakar's eyes flared an abyssal red in response.

The anger seemed to overcome or bypass the technomancer's cybernetic restraints

on emotion. This was not the rage of a demon lord, or the madness of demonic

power combined with brain damage. For the first time in decades, the individual

known as Imperious Dakar was genuinely furious.

*****

She-Hulk was searching for someone who could heal the wounded Mystique. Holding

the unconsciousness shapeshifter in her arms as she looked for their allies.

Unfortunately the first person she came across who fit that description

desperately needed help herself.

"STAY AWAY FROM ME!" Emma Frost screamed as she saw the She-Hulk approaching.

Thinking that the powerful green warrior meant to hurt her.

"Emma...its me...I'm back to my normal self" She-Hulk said reassuringly.

Correctly guessing that Frost assumed that the Savage She-Hulk was in charge.

~Walters savage self isn't that well spoken...she must be telling the truth~

Emma thought. Barely able to concentrate thanks to the labour contractions that

had started.

Her pain was obvious even to the worried and distracted She-Hulk, who asked in

concern "Emma what's wrong?"

"I'm going into labour...Sophie's coming out NOW" Emma explained tersely.

Preoccupied by the painful and uncomfortable sensations of her body beginning

the process of childbirth.

"Now" She-Hulk said in shock.

Emma just nodded, trying not to think of something as big as Sophie shoving

itself through her relatively small vagina. Telling herself that women did it

everyday.

"We need to get you to a doctor now" She-Hulk said urgently as she used the arm

that wasn't holding up Mystique to pick up the telepath. Emma protested, but

she was too weak right now to really fight back. Besides, even though she was

far too proud to admit it, Emma wasn't sure that she could walk on her own at

this point.

So She-Hulk continued to search the facility for a friendly doctor or healer.

Hoping that she could find one before one of the women in her arms died.

*****

When Chrissy Lera finally tracked down Imperious Dakar again she didn't bother

with gloating or threats. Though arrogant, the necromancer was intelligent

enough to realize such grandstanding on her part had given Dakar an advantage in

their past encounters. Besides, at this point Lera was consumed by the need to

kill her archenemy (and much less interested in bantering with him).

"DIE" Chrissy commanded in a foul and long dead language. Her dark magic making

the word a powerful command. But Dakar was too strong to be so easily killed.

The businessman regarded her without expression, his eyes glowing a fiery red as

he stared back at his enemy. A new Mind Flayer clone standing beside him.

Before Lera could launch another attack the floor beneath her feet exploded.

While at the same time, Dakar unleashing a virtual firestorm of demonic power at

the necromancer. Blasting her with a tremendous amount of hellfire as he drew

on his demonic nature more deeply than ever before.

The frontal assault combined with the explosive spell from below temporarily

overwhelmed Chrissy's Shield of Souls. Making Chrissy shriek as she was burned

and knocked several feet back.

Imperious Dakar wanted hurt the necromancer as much as possible. Knowing that

if he used White Noise 2.0 right now he could probably kill Lera with ease. But

the furious technomancer (barely) restrained himself.

~I need you to deal with the greater enemy~ Dakar thought as he looked at White

Noise.

*****

Kimie Li, Christopher Lera, Marian Casta, and the demonic businesswoman's

employees were wandering aimlessly through the portal facility. Looking for

their allies and doing their best to avoid enemy forces.

Marian Casta was so on edge that when they ran across She-Hulk the former

vampire hit the metahuman before she realized who it was. Fortunately She-Hulk

was so preoccupied she didn't even notice.

"BLUEANDEMMAAREHURT" She-Hulk urgently blurted out as one word.

"Whose hurt?" Kimie Li asked as she approached She-Hulk. The green woman looked

apprehensively at the tall horned demon, and it occurred to Marian that She-Hulk

had never met Li before, and if the green woman had any prior experiences with

demons they were probably bad.

"Its okay Walters...this is Kimie Li...she's a friend" Marian explained as she

gestured towards the female demon.

She-Hulk might have made an issue of it, but at that moment Emma Frost groaned

loudly in pain. As for the other woman in She-Hulk's arms, Mystique, she

remained silent, but Walters considered that a bad sign at this point.

"Are there any doctors or healers around?" She-Hulk asked hopefully.

Everyone shook their heads or shrugged, after looking around Li said regretfully

"I'm afraid not dear."

"Whats wrong with them?" Casta asked.

"THE FUCKING MIRACLE OF BIRTH" Emma swore in response, still coherent enough

despite the pain to listen in. Though the agony left her with little in the way

of patience or politeness.

"And Mystique got hurt fighting" She-Hulk explained.

Everyone simply stared at She-Hulk and her stricken comrades. Too unprepared

and surprised by the situation to react right away.

"Please...their going to die without help" She-Hulk pleaded.

Her heartfelt plea seemed to snap the watchers out of their shock. Kimie turned

to her employees and said "does anyone have any experience with medicine,

healing, or delivering babies?"

One of the cameramen in the group raised his hand and said hesitantly "I helped

deliver my son Jason but-"

"Good then you can help deliver this woman's baby" Kimie said as she interrupted

the man.

The cameraman opened his mouth to protest, before he could Kimie coldly

threatened "do it or you're fired."

The other employees stared at Kimie in surprise, because Li was generally a fair

and easygoing boss. But in situations like this the demonic businesswoman

wouldn't tolerate any nonsense. Glowering down at all the employees to

discourage anyone else from arguing with her.

While Li was reining in her employees Marian Casta stared thoughtfully at her

magic armor. Wondering how useful it would be in the current situation. Then

the blonde woman came to a decision, and started to take the armor off.

"What are you doing?" Christopher said in honest confusion as his mother's old

friend started to undress. Thinking to himself ~I know she's a free spirited

lusty woman but this isn't an appropriate time at all for something like that.~

"My armor accelerates the natural healing process for the wearer...the armor was

made specifically for me but the healing properties should work for anyone

wearing it" Marian explained. While mentally adding ~I hope.~

Once Marian took off all the armor (and was clad only in her underwear) she

helped She-Hulk put it on the unconsciousness Mystique. The armor was crafted

to conform perfectly to Marian's curves and body shape, so it was a tight fit.

Fortunately Mystique was slightly smaller than the blonde woman.

"How can we tell if its working?" Christopher asked.

Marian put her ear against the chest plate.

Even though she no longer had the powers or enhanced senses of a vampire, Casta

still possessed some of the skills she had picked up during her centuries as an

undead predator. Such as a talent for detecting and interpreting the sound of a

human heartbeat.

"Her heartbeat is getting steadier...I think its working" Casta announced.

"Good that just leaves-" but Kimie's words were interrupted by Emma Frost's

howl, as she screamed at the poor cameraman trying to help her "DAMN YOU AND ALL

MEN FOR DOING THIS TO US...THIS IS NOT AN INTELLIGENT DESIGN."

The cameraman had put his own jacket on the floor and carefully laid Emma Frost

on top of it. Attempting to remember everything that he could about the birth

of his Jason. Telling his colleagues "were going to need blankets, water, and

something to sterilize with."

She-Hulk walked up to would-be midwife and asked him "will it be all

right?...can you help her deliver the baby safely?"

The cameraman started to say something and then shook his head doubtfully.

After a moment he just shrugged.

*****

Chrissy Lera counterattacked, launching herself at Imperious Dakar and striking

him with spells and fists. The necromancer's magically enhanced strength

delivering punches strong enough to fell an ogre, while her spells were even

more fearsome. But Dakar responded in kind.

Hitting Lera again and again with the strength of a demon lord, shooting her

with the firearms Dakar always carried with him, and trying to burn her again

with hellfire.

At pointblank range, and with their energies brushing against each other,

Dakar's forcefield and Lera's Shield of Souls were much less effective. Lera's

false ghosts failed to prevent her from taking a nasty blow to the shoulder, and

Dakar's forcefield couldn't prevent him from getting burned by one of Lera's

fireballs. As the battle continued the fighters took more and more wounds. But

neither seemed to notice.

This fight was no longer about maneuvering, tricky, or skill. With the usually

cunning and skilled Dakar and Lera fighting like brawlers. Trying to obliterate

each through brute force.

For Chrissy Lera this was personal. Dakar and his allies had humiliated her,

stolen her country, killed her friends, forced her to go on the run, raped

Marian, used her mother as a stooge, and even ripped away a part of her very

soul. Chrissy's wounded pride and need for vengeance would accept nothing less

than Dakar's death at own her hands.

Imperious Dakar was losing his precious self-control. Consuming a soul had

stimulated his demonic side and inflamed his passions, being attacked and

wounded over and over again strained his recuperative powers and made him angry

(though his neural implant tried to suppress such feelings), and losing Angelus

worried and upset Dakar in ways he had trouble describing (the elfin cyborg had

been vital to him in so many ways). The combination of these factors were

beginning to overwhelm Dakar's self-discipline and neural implants (though he

still retained some self-control).

White Noise stayed away from the battling pair. Unused and apparently

forgotten.

Imperious Dakar and Chrissy Lera were battling on more or less equal terms. The

technomancer's demonic strength and power seemed matched by the necromancer's

superior spell-casting. Then someone appeared near them in a flash of Phoenix

fire, and changed the battle completely.

*****

"Push" the cameraman instructed as he watched Emma Frost struggle. The top of

Sophie's head already visible between Emma's thighs.

"I AM PUSHING FOOL" Emma screamed back. Thinking to herself ~I take back

everything bad I ever said about mother...if this is what she went through she

deserved a medal.~

~MOM I THINK I'M STUCK!~ a terrified Sophie telepathically shouted.

Emma ignored the voice in her head. Focusing all her energies on her inner

muscles as she tried to push the baby all the way through her vagina.

"AAAAAAAHHHHHH" Emma howled as she pushed Sophie all the way through, into

cameraman's waiting arms. The placenta followed a moment later. Then Emma

reached down to touch her aching gaping orifice. Feeling more worn out and

exhausted than ever before.

Sophie focused her bleary little eyes on her mother as she was cleaned off.

Telepathically telling her ~no offense mom but I think you look much better on

the outside.~

Emma started to laugh, then she seemed to freeze. Whispering fearfully as she

felt the ominous arrival "she's here."

*****

Psychics and magic users all over the world had felt the approach of The

Phoenix. Many of the them had puzzled or even panicked over the odd sensations,

but most of those involved in the battle for the Imperious Industries portal

facility had simply ignored the feelings. Too preoccupied by matters of life

and death to give it much thought.

Now the host of the Phoenix Force was here, and no one could ignore it any

longer. Because she radiated power and majesty onto the psychic plane like some

sort of continuous nuclear detonation.

Jean Grey stood directly before Imperious Dakar, a terrible beauty wreathed in

flames, her expression cold and eyes full of hate. Intent on avenging the death

of her lover.

Imperious Dakar and Chrissy Lera had stopped fighting. Their quarrel

temporarily forgotten in the face of a wrathful Phoenix.

"White Noise activate...maximum power" Dakar commanded his familiar.

Both Jean Grey and Chrissy Lera shrieked in pain as the Mind Flayer's psychic

howl hit their minds. The mindless mental 'noise' seeming to vibrate at a pitch

designed to cause the most pain and confusion.

Jean Grey was actually the most vulnerable to it. Because her vast psychic

power meant she 'heard' it the best. This was by design, because Dakar had

created White Noise specifically to deal with powerful telepaths.

Dakar knew that he didn't have long before Jean Grey learned how to block White

Noise or simply worked through the pain. So he acted immediately, putting his

hands around the head of the helpless Jean and pumping the redhead full of as

many nanites as he could while commanding the micro-machines to destroy their

new host. Then burning Jean with hellfire a moment later.

If Jean Grey had been able to muster even a fraction of her power the attack

would never have succeeded. But with the power of White Noise striking her mind

in waves Jean could barely even think. Let alone use the power of The Phoenix

effectively.

Dakar's nanite attack started to liquify Jean's body (much as it had Selene's)

then the hellfire burned her body and soul. As Dakar used his abilities to

channel demonic power into her very essence.

Despite her weakness and vulnerability, Jean Grey's mind and body resisted the

attack for a moment. But the technomancer was relentless, summoning all his

reserves of power to scorch the mind and body of his enemy. Knowing that if

this attack failed his death was all but certain.

Jean Grey's body exploded in a massive detonation of Phoenix fire. The

explosion burned away Dakar's hands and hurled him back so hard he dented a

wall. It also knocked Chrissy onto her back, leaving the dark elf necromancer

even more disoriented. But most importantly, the explosion wounded White Noise

and put the Mind Flayer near Chrissy Lera, as the clone was smashed into a wall

near where the dark elf had landed.

~This...must be...the squid~ Chrissy thought as she stared at the illithid.

Barely able to think thanks to the pulsing waves of telepathic energy White

Noise was still emitting. Her mind feeling like a loose mass of pain.

Spell-casting was beyond the necromancer at the moment. She could barely

concentrate at all. So Chrissy picked up a piece of rubble as she got to her

feet. Smashing the rock down on the head of White Noise as hard as she could.

Falling to her knees as she killed the Mind Flayer and ended his telepathic

broadcast.

But even with her mind clearing the necromancer was still in no condition to

fight. She had expended too much energy fighting all day, and she was still

recovering from the wounds Dakar and Jean had inflicted on her. Fortunately for

the exhausted drow, her enemy was in worse shape.

Dakar's arms now ended in cauterized stumps, and every exposed inch of skin

seemed to be burned. The cyborg was barely consciousness and in a great deal of

pain. His repair systems struggling to repair the severe injuries he had

received.

Lera looked around blearily and saw Phoenix fire dancing around the cratered

area where Jean Grey had died.

Even though Grey had died the power of the Phoenix Force remained. But deprived

of a host The Phoenix had no direction or identity. An awesome force serving no

purpose.

That mystic strength called to the power hungry necromancer. A siren song she

had no desire to resist. Despite her weakness and exhaustion Chrissy managed to

crawl over to where Jean Grey had died. Drawn by the alluring light of Phoenix

fire.

*****

They all felt the death of Jean Grey, even the ones who supposedly had no

psychic power or ability. The group just stared at each other in confusion for

a moment, trying to process what had just happened.

Despite everything she had been through lately, Emma Frost was the first to

recover. Turning to her companions and saying "all right the power mad redhead

is dead...now what?"

Thanks to all the psychic energy flooding the area, or perhaps simply because of

the remaining traces of the mystical bond that once existed between a mighty

necromancer and her vampire, Marian Casta knew exactly where Chrissy Lera was.

And something told Marian that her old friend and lover was about to do

something crazy even by their standards.

"I've got to go" Marian said to the group without explaining. Running off to

catch up with Chrissy.

*****

Chrissy Lera reached out, putting her hands into the flames. If it had been

ordinary fire it would have burned her slender fingers. Instead, something far

more unusual happened.

Power rushed into her, in such vast quantities that even the experienced and

jaded Lera was left breathless. Chrissy welcomed it, and draw more and more

power in. It flooded her mind and body, healing her wounds and enhancing Lera's

mind, body, and spirit. The Phoenix Force had found a new host.

In many ways Chrissy was an improvement over the previous one. Jean Grey had

been awed and frightened of the power of The Phoenix for a long time. But to

someone with Chrissy's ego it seemed right and just that she would possess such

godlike power. The elf woman's mind and body were also already experienced at

and adapted to channeling and controlling vast amounts of mystical power, unlike

Jean before she became The Phoenix (and which had initially held Jean back).

Perhaps most importantly, the self assured Chrissy was not plagued by any doubts

or insecurities that would keep her from using the vast power of the Phoenix

Force.

Imperious Dakar struggled to his feet, looking at the cauterized stumps where

his hands had once been. Wondering if his repair systems could completely heal

damage inflicted by Phoenix fire. Then staring at the sight before him in

horror.

There was no trace of the injuries Chrissy had suffered on the elf woman's body.

Her soft black skin seemed to gleam with power, and the dark elf's silvery hair

glowed like fire. As Dakar watched flame burned away Lera's clothes, but the

fire did not burn the host herself. Instead the flames harmlessly hugged her

curves like extravagant imperial robes.

The elf sorceress had never looked better. Her willowy form somehow appeared

both more athletic and voluptuous at the same time. While any imperfections had

been erased from her elfin features. An idealized form to match the tyrant's

image of herself, as the power of Phoenix Force transformed her mind and body.

But Chrissy's godlike beauty did nothing to hide or disguise her hate. Her

crimson eyes literally smoked with anger, the heat of her rage palpable.

Focused completely on Imperious Dakar.

The technomancer knew he couldn't defeat Chrissy now so he tried to escape. But

Chrissy effortlessly kept him from teleporting away. Then a wave of Pheonix

fire engulfed the cyborg, easily overwhelming his forcefield and burning him to

the core. Melting his mechanical parts and scorching his flesh.

The process occurred so quickly that the demonically enhanced cyborg barely felt

any pain. Imperious Dakar found an odd kind of serenity in his final moments,

knowing that his death was unavoidable now (and there was no point denying it).

Dakar's final thought before the inferno completely consumed him was ~well

played Lera.~

*****

Everyone followed Marian Casta, even Mystique (who was carried by Kimie Li) and

Emma Frost (who was held in the arms of She-Hulk). Emma Frost sensed what

Chrissy Lera had done and had told the rest of her companions.

They arrived just in time to watch Imperious Dakar being incinerated by Phoenix

fire. His body reduced to fiery embers while the cyborg's very soul was burned

away by Chrissy's godlike wrath.

The necromancer herself floated above the floor. Clothed in flame and with a

victorious smile upon her features. Radiating power and a kind of smug

self-satisfaction. Then she seemed to notice Marian Casta and the blonde

woman's companions for the first time. Focusing her intense crimson gaze on the

new arrivals.

"Chrissy?" Marian said uncertainly.

"Yes love?" Chrissy replied in a voice she meant to be reassuring. But it had

the opposite effect. For Lera's voice was now inhumanly deep, and seemed to

vibrate with barely reined in power.

"What happened to Jean Grey?" Emma Frost asked faintly (nothing but sheer

willpower keeping her conscious despite her exhaustion).

"She was murdered by Dakar...but have no fear I immediately claimed her power to

keep it out of the wrong hands and avenged her...Dakar is dead and no power in

heaven or hell can bring him back now" Chrissy replied self-righteously.

"What about the other Imperious people in Iberia or the Mind Flayers in the

Security Ministry?" Marian Casta asked, knowing that the technomancer was far

from their only enemy.

"They-Chrissy stopped mid-word as she telepathically located the people in

question-are dead too." Simultaneously incinerating hundreds of people all over

the country as she spoke.

~She is mastering the power of The Phoenix much faster than Jean did and doesn't

hesitate to use it to kill~ Emma thought. Realizing just how dangerous the

creature before them was.

"What are your plans now mother?" Christopher asked.

Chrissy smiled indulgently at her son, glad to see that her only child had not

been hurt by her enemies (as she had feared). Then answering seriously enough

"its good to see you Chris...as for what I will do...first I shall purge Iberia

of any remaining enemies and traitors...after that I will deal with the source

of the problem."

"What is the source of the problem?" Christopher asked, though he was afraid

that he already knew.

"Groups like the Illuminati that control the world behind the scenes for their

own benefit...never caring about the harm they cause in the process...I shall

eliminate them and cleanse the Earth of their taint...then I can turn the world

into a paradise" Chrissy declared, a faraway look in her eyes and rapturous

expression on her face as she imagined it.

Christopher had never been comfortable with the knowledge, but he still knew

what his mother was. Arrogant and insane, with a need to impose her own beliefs

onto others.

~A world recreated in mother's own image would probably be peaceful and

hedonistic, with no wars and males reduced to a marginal role...there would be

no conflict...because everyone would always agree with mother perfectly~

Christopher thought as he tried to imagine what his mother would do with the

power of a god at her fingertips.

His thoughts were read by Emma, which only furthered the telepath's growing

conviction that the female dark elf could not be allowed to retain the power of

The Phoenix. But confronting Chrissy directly at this point would be suicidal.

~The power of The Phoenix burns through lies~ Frost thought, as she remembered

something Jean had once told her.

"Excellent idea my dear, but shouldn't you make sure that you're completely

healed and free first?...Dakar and his allies have done a great deal to hurt and

manipulate us" Emma said reasonably. Hoping that Chrissy would take the bait.

Chrissy smiled condescendingly as Emma spoke. Thanks to her own telepathy and

cunning the elf woman had a vague idea of what the mutant was trying to do. But

she was amused rather than angered, because Chrissy knew that she was perfectly

sane and well-adjusted.

"You have a point Frost...but that will only take a moment" Chrissy answered

blandly. Then she turned her focus and power inward.

The first thing the sorceress noticed was the full extent of the damage Selene

had done to her soul. But with the power of The Phoenix at her command Chrissy

was able to heal that damage to her spirit almost instantly. However, what

Chrissy found next deeply surprised the necromancer.

As The Phoenix Chrissy could easily see into the heart of things. The vast

power of The Phoenix Force effortlessly made virtually everything reveal its

secrets. Now that penetrating power was focused on Chrissy herself, and the

necromancer was finding out things about herself she had never even suspected.

Such as the fact her mind had been damaged for a very long time. The spells

Chrissy Lera's mother used to control her daughter's behavior when Chrissy was

growing up had damaged the consciousness of the young elf girl. Giving Chrissy

a distorted perspective on things and eventually leading to the madness Lera had

developed.

The tyrannical elf woman instinctively healed the madness she sensed within

herself (not understanding what that would mean). Healing psychic power coursed

through the mind and body of The Phoenix, as the suddenly sane Chrissy Lera was

confronted with her own memories.

Lera had never been a cruel person, but in the past she had been able to

rationalize virtually anything, as long as it served the Greater Good (as

defined by her). Now those rationalizations were melting away.

For the first time (thanks to the power of The Phoenix and her own recently

acquired sanity) Chrissy could see the full consequences of her actions. All

those hurt, killed, and tormented as a result of her.

All the women she had taken advantage of for her own pleasure, all the people

whose minds she had violated to bring them around to her point of view, the many

who had died as a result of her actions, and the vast numbers of people who had

lived in fear because of her. People she had taken advantage of, people she had

hurt, and people she had killed.

Thanks to the power of The Phoenix she could see all of their faces, and

understand all their pain.

Some of her victims had deserved it, and a few had suffered and/or died for a

noble purpose. But most of them had not. Most of them had suffered for daring

to challenge or oppose Chrissy, while a great many had suffered as a result of

Lera feeding her ego, lust, or vanity. Some had died simply because their

existence had been inconvenient to Chrissy or those serving her.

This mattered because Chrissy genuinely cared about people (though most of her

enemies would deny it). As she was stripped of her rationalizations this

compassion became crushing guilt.

Chrissy Lera's inner transformation had taken only moments. Less than a minute

after she finished talking to Emma Frost the necromancer fell to the floor. Her

fiery clothing extinguishing as Chrissy rejected the power that had shown her

such painful truth. Leaving Lera naked and sobbing on the floor.

Marian rushed to her lover's side, enfolding the smaller female in a comforting

embrace as Chrissy cried.

"Shh...what's wrong Chrissy?...are you hurt?...did The Phoenix do this to you?"

Marian said in soothing tones as she thought ~what happened...she doesn't look

hurt.~

"All my fault...its all my fault...I'm sorry...tell them all that I am so sorry"

Chrissy whimpered. Her words barely decipherable thanks to her sobbing.

Emma Frost saw what appeared to be a flame of Pheonix fire near where Chrissy

and Marian were sitting. The spark of power hung suspended in the air, and its

alluring light called to Emma Frost. She-Hulk saw the woman in her arms staring

at it, and said sternly "don't even think about it Frost."

The baby in Emma's arms agreed, telling her mother ~mom don't...it would just

drive you crazy like Grey and Lera.~

Frost sighed and nodded, admitting to herself that Sophie probably had a point.

Moreover she was in no condition to make a grab for the Phoenix Force.

After a moment, the Phoenix fire disappeared, seconds after that no trace of it

remained in the universe. Retreating to a place where it was still wanted.

*****

The battle was over.

Chrissy Lera had ended it by killing Dakar and the few other people Imperious

Industries still had active in Iberia. After that the army of Silverymoon had

been able to mop up the few remaining enemy forces (all robots) with relative

ease. Though the surviving members of the Knights in Silver and Spellguard had

little reason to celebrate.

The army that had come on this mission had been the heart of the Silverymoon

military, and over three-fourths of that army had been destroyed. Many of the

survivors were wounded, or traumatized by the loss of so many friends and

comrades. Moreover, all the survivors knew how close they had come to total

defeat, which was bitter knowledge for the proud warriors of Silverymoon.

But the worst loss by far was the death of the High Mage, Lady Alustriel

Silverhand. Lady Alustriel had been the city-state's seemingly immortal and

invincible leader for a long time. She had been the city's most potent advocate

and defender, and under her rule Silverymoon had become a major power in the

region. Without her Silverymoon was much weaker and more uncertain.

However the people most responsible for victory had little concern for the

geopolitics of Toril. They were more interested in their own situations.

"We found Esme's body in the Presidential Palace Emma...Selene was there too but

I don't think she's any threat at the moment" She-Hulk explained to her

comrades.

Emma Frost, She-Hulk, Kimie Li, Christopher Lera, Mystique, Marian Casta, and

Chrissy Lera were all resting in one of the portal facility's employee lounges.

Trying to recover from and process the day's events.

The loss of Esme hit Emma like a blow. One of the main reasons she had gone on

this dimension jumping journey in the first place was to get Esme back. So the

former White Queen's first thoughts were of vengeance, asking coldly "did Selene

do it?"

"No way to tell...Selene's pretty much a vegetable" She-Hulk replied.

Emma sighed in resignation. Sophie was suckling at her breast, which made the

powerful and sophisticated woman look maternal and oddly normal. The sensation

of her daughter nursing strangely (to her) pleasant.

~I least I still have you~ Emma thought as she cradled Sophie in her arms.

~Don't worry mother I plan on living a long time~ the (very) little girl

telepathically replied.

"What about my mother?" Christopher Lera asked.

The woman holding the unconscious Chrissy Lera in her arms, Marian Casta, said

nothing. For she was still shocked by what had happened to her friend and

lover.

"There's nothing wrong with her physically...I looked into her mind and found

the problem...its guilt...she's drowning in it" Emma explained.

"That doesn't sound like my mother" Christopher said doubtfully.

"Your mother isn't the same woman anymore...The Phoenix changed her and showed

her everything she had ever done wrong all at once...that would be traumatic for

anyone especially if they had as much to regret as your mom" Emma explained

further.

Christopher looked at his mother with new eyes. Seeing how small and frail

looking the formerly dominant elf woman was for the first time. Chrissy seemed

almost childlike cradled in the arms of the bigger Marian, and the human woman

herself looked as much like a protective mother as a concerned lover.

"Mary will take care of her" Christopher said, as much to himself as the room at

large.

"Yes" Marian replied, without ever looking away from Chrissy.

"I'm going back to the U.S. after things settle down here...my business can't

run itself after all" Kimie Li announced to the room. Concerned about her

friends Marian and Chrissy, yet still hoping to resume her normal (hedonistic)

lifestyle as soon as possible.

"What about you Emma?...where are you going after this?" She-Hulk asked her

comrade.

"Me?...I am going to investigate how my daughters came to be...we found some of

Selene's records and it appears she knew much more about them than I

did...you're feel to come along if you want Walters" Emma replied.

"No I'm going to stay with Mystique for a while...she needs someone to take care

of her" She-Hulk said as she gestured to the unconscious armored figure lying

next to her. Her motivations a mixture of guilt and genuine concern.

"What about Iberia?...the capital is a mess and the rest of the country isn't

much better" Christopher said to the room (and the universe) at large.

The words seemed to reach whatever place Marian's mind had been occupying, and

she replied "you, me, and Chrissy need to take charge again...after that- Marian

paused, the unaccustomed weight of responsibility resting uneasily on her

shoulders -after that we rebuild, reform, and just do the best that we can."

THE END.
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Merchants of Death