Back in the main lounge the party continued, Ben and Johnny had claimed the massive flat-screen TV in the corner, the Wii console hooked up and the Wii sports bowling onscreen. The rocky giant and the smaller twink stood side by side, controllers gripped like weapons, the rest of the group watching with amused grins.
Johnny's Mii character stepped up first, windmilling the arm in exaggerated motion before releasing. The virtual ball hooked perfectly, scattering pins in a thunderous strike. "Boom! Eat that, rockhead!" he crowed, pumping his fist and doing a little victory dance. "That's three in a row. You gonna cry about it?"
Ben growled, his massive stone fingers struggling with the tiny controller. He swung anyway, the onscreen ball veering wildly into the gutter. "Damn thing's rigged," he rumbled, tossing the controller onto the couch with enough force to make the cushions bounce. "You cheat with those little twink wrists. Real bowling don't got no fancy graphics helping you."
Johnny laughed louder. "Sore loser! Big tough Thing can't handle a video game. Next time I'll let you use a real bowling ball, see how you like it when i win then."
Ben crossed his arms, the motion sounding like grinding boulders. "Keep talking, matchstick. I'll bowl your head in a minute."
The group chuckled, but Johnny was already dragging Reed over by the sleeve. "Your turn, stretch. Tennis. Let's see if those rubber arms can keep up."
Reed sighed but took the controller. The game loaded, and the match began. Reed served with perfect form. When Johnny returned it, Reed's arm stretched across the virtual court in real time. Johnny smashed back, but Reed elongated again, returning it from an impossible angle. Point after point, Reed dominated, his powers translating directly into the game.
"Ha! Take that!" Reed called, a rare competitive spark in his voice as he won the set. Johnny threw his controller down in mock outrage while the room erupted in laughter.
Across the room on a comfortable couch, Colleen and Sue sat together with their legs tucked under them, wine glasses in hand. The noise of the games faded to background hum as Sue leaned in, curiosity winning out. "So... you and Mark. How did that start? You two seem close."
Colleen took a slow sip, smiling faintly at the memory. "I saw him about to get robbed in an alleyway one night. Bunch of punks with knives thinking the new guy in town was easy pickings. I stepped in, kicked their asses, and offered him a place to stay after. It was kind of hard not to. Mark gives off the look of a kicked puppy when he's sad. I couldn't leave him on the street."
Sue giggled. "Kicked puppy? I can picture it."
Colleen nodded with a grin. "He stayed at mine for a while. Eventually we were... intimate, I mean it was hard not to be, especially with how small my apartment was. But with how our lives were it wasn't really serious. Honestly we haven't really done it for a while. Mark actually broke it off when he got with Natasha. He was pretty serious about her. It's a shame what happened with that."
Sue hummed softly, swirling her wine. "Yeah... it is."
Colleen smirked, her eyes narrowing playfully. "You're a little enamoured with the resident hero, aren't you? I've seen the way you look at him."
Sue blushed instantly, cheeks flushing pink. "What? No. I mean he saved us. That's all. Just... gratitude."
Colleen leaned closer. "Uh-huh. Gratitude that makes you stare when he walks into a room. Admit it, Sue. Tall, strong, hamdsome, flies around saving people? Classic crush material."
Sue opened her mouth to deny it again, but the lights suddenly flickered once, twice, then died completely. The TV went black mid-serve, the Wii powering down with a sad beep. The entire lounge plunged into darkness, the only illumination the faint city glow through the windows.
Johnny shouted in pure annoyance from the gaming corner. "Come on! I was just about to beat Reed!"
Franklin stood up, a frown forming on his face. "That shouldn't happen. We have multiple redundant protections. Reed, Sue we need to go check on the project right now." They both nodded, already moving toward the door when a voice spoke from the shadows.
"Yes, that sounds like a splendid idea."
The lounge doors slid open with a hiss. Magneto stepped through. Mystique stood at his right, and Magik at his left. He had a cold smile on his face as the air seemed to grow heavier with his presence.
Johnny and Ben reacted instantly. "Who the hell are you?" Johnny demanded, flames already licking at his fingertips.
Franklin's face drained of color. "Get back from him now!" he shouted with taw panic in his voice as recognition hit.
Johnny didn't wait. "Flame on!" Fire engulfed him in a roaring blaze as he launched forward, a plume of superheated flames roaring toward the intruders.
Magneto seemed amused, barely lifting a hand. "Illyana."
Magik flicked her wrist. Two glowing portals tore open in the air. From the first stepped Pyro, grinning as he absorbed Johnny's flames before they could even hit the group, the fire feeding into his own body until Johnny's attack sputtered out and he extinguished. From the second emerged Juggernaut and Blob, the massive pair cracking their knuckles as they advanced.
Magneto's voice remained calm as he looked across the room. "The building is under our control. If you wish to remain unharmed, you will do as I say."
"Fuck that," Johnny snarled, reigniting and charging again alongside Ben, who thundered forward like a living avalanche.
Franklin tried to intervene. "Johnny, Ben wait—!"
Johnny sent another massive plume of flames, but Pyro absorbed every lick of it, growing stronger, then countered with a blast that forced Johnny to his knees. Meanwhile Ben barreled straight at Blob, the two massive men colliding with a boom that shook the floor, but try as he might Ben couldn't move Blob.
Juggernaut then joined the fray, grabbing Ben from behind and slamming him into the wall hard enough to crater the reinforced concrete. Both men were seconds from being overwhelmed when Sue thrust her hands forward.
"Enough!" A shimmering force field snapped into existence between them, stopping Juggernaut' and Pyro from finishing them. "Leave them alone!"
Magneto found that amusing, a thin smile curving his lips. "Leave them," he told his men and they obeyed instantly.
He advanced slowly, metal in the room beginning to tremble with every step he took. "I am here for the GeoCore Stabilizer. You and your little apprentice over there will help me retrieve it and properly disconnect it. Refuse, and I will kill everyone in this room."
Franklin hesitated, face pale. Magneto raised one hand. A dozen metal knives from the nearby kitchen island shot forward like bullets, impacting Sue's hastily raised force field with sharp pings. The barrier held, but the pressure made her flinch. As he looked toward his daughter Franklin's will started to erode, his eyes darting between his children and the threat.
Sue trembled as sweat beaded on her forehead. "Dad, no!"
Johnny echoed her. "Don't!"
Magneto's smile widened. "You have two children. That means you have two chances to say yes."
Franklin broke, shoulders slumping in defeat. "I'll do it."
"Good," Magneto said, lowering his hand. The knives clattered harmlessly to the floor.
Sue breathed heavily, the force field dissolving as she lowered her arms. "Where are Mark and Darcy? What did you do to them?!"
Magneto turned to Mystique with a small grin on his face. "Where is Darcy Lewis? Do you recall?"
Mystique smiled, skin rippling as she shifted into Darcy. "I haven't the slightest clue."
"As for Mark," Magneto continued smoothly, "he is somewhere he cannot get in my way."
...
Corpses...
Thousands upon thousands of demon corpses littered the ground piled in smoking heaps that stretched to the horizon.
Flying high above it all was Mark. He had a thick unkempt beard and wore clothing that was barely anymore than rags. A hard look was etched into his face as he looked down at the field of dead bodies that he himself was responsible for. Below him stood Belasco, the demon lord of Limbo, he had his staff raised and his face was twisted in rage. "You insignificant worm! I will kill you, then I will kill everyone on Earth once that blonde bitch returns. I have found a way out of this place and once I do your world will burn!"
"I think you don't understand."
"You won't even see tomorrow… let alone Earth."
He shot forward in a blur, grabbing Belasco's face with one hand. The demon lord screamed as Mark accelerated, dragging him across the ground at impossible speed. The ground below tore apart in a straight line of destruction, rock exploding into dust, and lava fountains erupting in geysers.
Mark flew faster and faster flying fast enough that the very air was set on fire.
He annihilated everything.
Demons, fortresses, the endless wasteland itself, all of it was destroyed by Mark as he destroyed everything in his path. There was no redemption for the creatures in this place. The only fate they could meet was death and Mark would give it to them before he allowed them to arrive on earth.
Eventually he slowed down and dropped the crippled and broken form of Belasco who did the only thing he could and coward before the Viltrumite.
"Tell me where the Promethium is..." Mark said in a growl that almost rumbled the rocks underneath him.
(AN: I'm not really gonna be showing Marks time in limbo cause it's not really necessary and he's basically gonna be there for a long time in comparison to everyone else. Anyway hope you enjoyed.)
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