The Fastest Man Alive
Chapter 28
Paradise Lost
Magneto - The Master of Magnetism
He sat and watched as that Boy paraded his people across the stage with that monkey of a man. He couldn't help but grip the arm of his throne at the sight of the Boy, but as he gritted his teeth, the pain within his shoulder flared up again at the mere sight of him.
He could barely make himself look at the metallic arm that he constructed for himself. With the twisting and destruction his arm had received during the fight, it was ruined beyond repair. This was another thing that he owed that Boy.
This arm was not only a blessing but also a curse. It was a stark reminder of who and what he was facing. He will have his revenge soon, and his spies had already reported to him about movements in the shadows for mutants to be placed under the thumbs of their nations.
There was nothing to do but to gather his forces slowly. The humans were secretly preparing for war, and it would be a war that they received. With that thought, he got up to stand at the viewing port of his sanctuary. His current forces were in the thousands, but that wouldn't be enough. They would need a game-changer in the ranks and he had been working on that for a while now.
Ohh, he will have his revenge on that Boy, but for now, he will have to settle for being a god among monkeys.
With his feet crossed as he floated mid-air, he closed his eyes and breathed deep. With each passing moment, each breath was slow, steady, and controlled. He slowly reached out to the planet below; first he took control of the hidden weapons satellite but only kept the control to tentative touches. This wouldn't work if he startled the monkeys so soon.
From there, his magnetic touch spread to his specially created satellites in orbit. Once his hold was firm over those, he felt the beads of sweat begin to concentrate on his brows. It would seem that this was his current limit.
This was a marked improvement from the last time he stretched his abilities this much. With steady breathing, he was currently controlling over eighty-eight illegally hidden weapons platforms in orbit with his ten amplifier satellites mixed in.
Humans would bow down to their Homo Superior or else, and this was a step towards his revenge against that Boy.
Undisclosed Underground Location
General Irling was not having a good week. First, another one of those costumed meta's had shown herself in New York creating all kinds of paperwork for him, and now he was tasked to see what one of the defense labs had cooked up.
It was paperwork upon paperwork, and sometimes he wondered why he hadn't retired to his private lake yet. Then he would be reminded why when Ross fucks up another one of his own operations.
Irling could never and would never leave the defense of the nation in the hands of a half-bent revenge nut like Ross. The man was an excellent general but throw his daughter into the mix, and Ross fucks it all up.
Irling had to place all those thoughts out of his mind, because today he was going to examine the Sentinel program. These egg heads were trying to push through to control the meta-human criminals.
Putting those frustrating thoughts aside, Irling began to tap his feet. It was bad enough he had to come out here but now egghead scientist had him waiting. Before he could speak up though a monstrosity of a robot came walking into the testing grounds.
From the reading material that they had given him, this mark one variant was at least twenty feet tall and was made with some new smart plastics and ceramics. The colors were a shade of purple and grey. Each hand of the tall robot had five fingers, and the feet were one substantial part with what appears to be a working ankle joint.
"Alright, Trask why the hell am I here looking at this thing."
"This my dear man is a Sentinel to end the mutant threat to America and her people," Trask replied with solemnity.
Irling wanted to yell at the man, the President himself was on stage with that Blake pretty boy. How in the blue blazes was he going to sell this and get it approved?
"The President himself has aligned with these Meta-humans."
"All you have to do is watch General," Trask stated as he turned around and watched back to the testing areas.
A LIVE FIRE IN 3...2...1!
It was both fantastic and frightening for Irling. This robot was more than the next step in handling the growing meta-human situation. This robot was the next step in warfare, and it needed to stay with America and her people.
Even though his inner child was clapping in joy because any young boy would love a giant robot, Irling was feeling more than a little trepidation with this surprise. There was a saying that Irling hated with a passion. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, but that wasn't true.
You not only look in the horse's mouth, but you check the whole damn thing. This was a situation that if it wasn't handled correctly; it could quickly end his career and see him placed in jail for the rest of his natural life.
Unfortunately for Irling, he failed to notice the mad gleam within Trasks eyes.
Benjamin Blake - Speedster / Billionaire / Man on a Mission/ Not Quite a Spymaster
I have been having the craziest week as far back as I can remember. Not only did I fight vampires, but also shoving my tool down the throat of Raven. Ooh, I was enjoying myself, but I knew she had ulterior motives for trying so hard to get me into bed.
My enemies were growing stronger, and with me getting into situations that would give me away due to my powerset. It was time for a game-changer, From what I knew and discovered; the speed force was far more than a hyper-speed boost.
I was still in the process of mastering the space and time feature, but I was going for something far different today. Today though I had to clear my mind for the task ahead of me because I had finally made it to my destination.
I was currently standing on a hill overlooking a valley of sorts. The tree's had grown back from that last time this part of the land was devastated. That didn't stop me from putting the parts of the puzzle together and deducing the location.
It was in this location that a particular mountain was destroyed by Xavier to trap his half brother within. Caine had become a deserter during the Vietnam war but when Charles was finally able to track him down; Caine had already discovered the Crimson Gem Of Cyttorak.
I wanted that nigh limitless strength that Cyttorak could provide the wielder of his gem. Falling for his bullshit wouldn't do though, but I had plans for his ass because I knew what everyone else didn't due to my comic knowledge. Cyttorak wasn't the actual owner of his dimension. He also wasn't as intelligent as most would think, and that was going to be his failing today.
With my mind made up; it was time to stop stalling and proceed with my hair-brained plan. I closed my eyes then took a deep breath to center myself, then with purpose, I opened them while filtering through the different spectrums of my sight.
First was the electromagnetic spectrum, then next was the thermodynamic sight allowing me to see the body heat of a few rodents and other various animals going about their business.
Then there was the psionic sight and I found something, it was roughly six hundred feet to my left and about fifty feet in front of me. Then with one more shift in my vision, my target blossomed with a crimson glow beneath my feet.
This fucking guy was just there beneath my feet trapped under what used to be a mountain because he was too fucking stupid to actually do anything other than try and punch his way out with unlimited power.
With a thought, I cloaked myself within my aura, then with a grim smile of finality; I did a slight hop and dove right into the ground. I sunk beneath the grass, leaves and through small insects and other things.
The experience was almost enough to drive me crazy, but if I could take being trapped inside my mind, I can take being underground with its all inclosing darkness. The all-encompassing silence and suffocation, but I was able to at least breath.
As I sank into the ground, there was no up, no down, and everything was any direction. I would not fail here because I had more than a purpose for being here. With focus, I directed the flow of energy beneath my feet, then took my first step towards Cain Marko.
When I arrived at where the bright glowing crimson light was emitting from; I found Cain Marko sandwiched under more than five hundred tons of dirt pressing him down. For a moment, I just stood there and watched him from beyond his sight. Cain Marko, aka the Juggernaut, was a behemoth of a man.
From what I could judge, he was standing at least ten feet tall with arms so massive his bicep is the same size as my torso. He must have been overcompensating for something.
Unlike Logan, who gave off a wild feeling, Cain was giving off the sense of unbridled power. This gave me goosebumps wondering about what it would be like to face off against the Hulk.
Cain was holding up the mountain while also slowly pushing his hands through the soil advancing.
It was too bad for him that he would not survive beyond today. Before Cain was aware, I struck like an angry viper. My aim was for his left pectoral, where the crimson light was emanating.
Without a second thought, I plunged my hands deep within his chest, but once my hand closed around the gem; I was blasted with the feeling of crackling energy moving up my arm.
There was no white; there was no black; there was only red filling my vision, but I was prepared for this. My mind was still my own, which made me happy that I took the time to set up my mental defense.
I closed my eyes and sank within my mind ignoring the feeling of energy I was receiving from the gem. The gem was a lie; the real truth lay in what the master of the gem was trying to do to my mind.
When I delved into my mindscape, I found a bright red star banging against the death star that I was using as my decoy mental fortress. The red star was so busy pounding away at the fake mental fort that it was wholly unaware of the approaching superstructures closing in around it.
Before It could register its surroundings, I had four of my superstructures fire their stasis beams. With the crimson star held within the beams field, my mind rocked as it desperately attempted to break free of my mental constructs firm hold.
While gritting my teeth, I called in the other roaming death stars that I had created to roam my mindscape to ward away any mental probes other than Jean. With the added defenses coming to back up the four already in use, it was finally time to call in the cage for this new mental invader.
Building a Dyson sphere in the real world might not be viable, but there was nothing that said I couldn't create one within my mindscape. Around the crimson star, four separate parts closed down around it, removing the glow from my view.
Then to make sure I went with enclosing rings like those from Nidavellir space station. First the one with a four-point enclosure then I brought in more and more until the invading star was surrounded. Maybe all these defenses were overkill, but I am an American, and I like to live by the phrase that there was no kill like overkill.
I wanted to breathe a sigh of relief, but I knew that this wasn't the end of my ordeal. The next part would either make or break the risk I am taking. I drew on my connection to the speed force and drank deeply from its cup.
The golden star within the center of my galaxy burst forth with its glow. With the burst of power, everything within the solar system brightens with colors and popped with vivid clarity and power.
With a mental command, I directed this all towards the intruder then created another connection to absorb. With that new connection created, I held onto it as I launched myself at the star.
With power crackling from my eyes and hands, I dove right through the outer casing holding the crimson star in its place.
"MORTAL how dare you interfere with my avatar."
Just the mere presence of this being almost made me bow down to him reflexively, but unfortunately for him. I wasn't some weak-minded babe in the woods. I bow for no man nor god period. Not even The One Above All himself could make me bend the knee if he showed up within my mind this second.
"Cyttorak, we bargain, or we fight," I yelled at the mad demons projection that he was trying to plant within my mind. For a moment, he froze in what I believed was him thinking it over.
I was sure he was thinking it over because of the power I was holding within my hands about to unleash on his ass, but his next words solidify to me that he had forgotten the dangers a human could pose to him.
"A GOD does not bargain with lesser insects," Cyttorak yelled out to me as the crimson glow from the star blasted out trying to overpower my mental defenses.
"I could have brought you plenty of death and destruction. If only you took the bargain."
With that said and done, there were no more words necessary for me to reply to this fake god. Cyttorak was more of a parasite of a demon; he was no god, and his very function was about to be used against him.
With my power held within my hands charged up, I launched it towards the star. We were both enclosed, so there was nowhere for Cyttorak to run from my strike, and it was true. I tried to talk, but he didn't want to listen, so there was no need to listen to his insipid begging for me to release him.
The issue with Cyttorak was that the gem was a dimensional link into the dimension where he resides. The saving grace for me was my mental defenses and the factor that the speed force was on the same scale as the crimson dimension.
There was no blocking the speed force it was all-encompassing, it was everywhere and anywhere, even in places that there was no time. The speed force was beyond the Phoenix force, but unlike the Phoenix force, the speed force had no will besides that in which the wielder imparts upon it; and my speed force was as unyielding as myself.
With my hands roaring with the power, I plunged them into the star. Once my hands were within the crimson dimensional link, I felt it. There was a resonance of the dimension that I couldn't possibly describe in words, and the feeling was as if another part of my being was slotted into place.
"HERE'S JOHNNY!" I yelled down at Cyttorak as he just looked at me from his throne, stunned. I should have been scared, I should have been worried, but the widening of his eyes egged me on for more. He left the door open for me, and I was going to come right in and take his fucking power for myself.
AAARRRGGGGHHH
With a roar, I lashed out at the parasite sitting on his throne. Pure, unfiltered power lashed out from my mouth, but Cyttorak already teleported himself somewhere else out of my site. It was lucky for him that I was only able to open a small 3x3 sized hole into this dimension but now that I know the feeling; I was confident that I could return later.
With my gateway opened into the crimson dimension, it was time to take all the power I could. With a mental command, the power I was using to keep the portal open for my little attack began to pull in reverse. That was when I felt another connection slot into place, but I ignored that feeling to focus on the real situation at hand.
This was also one of those time's my mad genius, combined with my comic knowledge, worked in my favor. The Dyson sphere came alive, pulling in all the power it could draw on. Nothing within the crimson dimension was safe from me or the Dyson sphere; it was all absorbed within me. There was no need to dump it within the speed force, this was not momentum or kinetic energy, but that didn't mean I couldn't store the energy myself.
I pulled and pulled, and then with the energy I was stealing I created another star created out of the Crimson dimension. Hell, I was at this for so long I lost track of time, but I was already reinforcing it with the speed force tying in my own hidden connection to this realm of power.
The portal I created for my entry in the realm was finally large enough for me to enter through, but before I could place a leg down, Cyttorak appeared before me again. The look on his face was all but telling. It was obvious that I had pulled a massive draw from his powers because he was half the size of his throne.
Before I could fire a short joke at the parasite; that fucker had teleported in front of me. Unfortunately for me, I hadn't even gotten my foot through the portal yet. A resounding thump rang out around us as I was kicked back through the portal to my side.
It was so jarring that I was sent back to reality and out of my mind. I was again met with darkness, but my saving grace was that my aura was never released. I felt it though at the fringes of my mind that mad thirst for bloodshed and destruction, but my will was my own and nothing or no one can influence my mind.
I repeated my mantra as I examine my mind only to find that the star that was used to infiltrate the Crimson dimension was still there but less than half the size of Texas. I snorted at that because this battle between him and me was far from over.
After the view of my mind, it was time to organize my mind with the other star. That power star needed to be settled in with the rest. It was time to examine my body to note the changes and fix anything that was out of order.
What I found made me shake my head, I was now nine feet tall and from all the muscles on my body. My weight had to be pushing over a ton easily, but this wouldn't do for my daily activities.
This power was mine to command, and I refuse for it to lay upon me its ideals of the perfect host body. Closing my eyes, I searched for and found the power feeding into my size and then with a thought I reversed the idea, shutting it off.
I slowly brought my height down to six feet six inches, this now placed me at the same height of Thor, and I could always change this later.
I brought my body back to a solid athletic build getting rid of all that excess muscle, but before I launched myself up through the dirt, I had to check my pants. I had to make sure that the sacrifice for all this power didn't cost me my jewels.
I let out a sigh of relief, and seeing that I was still large and in charge, I took towards the sky. Oh, I was beyond on top of the world with my current powerset and capabilities. And now that I had unlimited power under my belt, it was time to test out another one of my powers that I was slowly testing out in private.
There wasn't even a sound as I was launched out into the open air. I have been experimenting with the whole time and space aspect of my powers in secret. Now that I was in the open air, with my aura still wrapped around me. I pushed myself through the air using the intent feature of my force to finally achieve flight.
With a broad grin on my face; it was time to pull superman. With a crack of thunder, I was blasted off into the stratosphere. This was such a monumental achievement I was almost at a loss for words.
I floated there in the stratosphere basking in the sun rays that shone down over the pacific. It was so tranquil and peaceful up here. I almost didn't want to go back down to earth and deal with the things left piled up since my absence from the company.
Since I was already here above the Pacific, I guess it was time that I made moves for my true seat of power. Salem was alright, but it was located within and on American soil, and my company was great with money and getting PR coverage, but they both lacked true security.
I would need sovereignty all of my own, and I knew just the place to start. The royal family of Wakanda would need to be broken and have my own person installed as the head, but until then I would need my own place to retreat to once this meta-human hate reaches its peak.
With a smile and one last moment within the sun, I dove towards my target. It was hidden with its weird natural defenses from ordinary people, but with my different modes of visions, I could quickly notice the mass of psionic power. If I could strip such a powerful being of half its power, then this will be a walk in the park.
I did a slow fly by of the outer wards to the island, counting the miles as I flew. The island was roughly five thousand six hundred square miles, and I already had so many plans for the architecture and designs.
With my musing placed aside, it was time I finally touched down on Krakoa. Once I touched down on the land though everything went all topsy turvy. Large vines and other parts of the fauna came alive trying to eat me.
Before I could get captured though I was already phasing through the ground heading for the heart of the island, this was going to be a quick fight and not as lengthy as the last one.
I found the heart of the island within a few moments of searching, and it was a strange place. I was currently located under the massive tree situated within the center of the island but within the root systems. The room floor was covered in grass and flowers making for such a serene location.
The sight alone made me want to lay down and take a nap. It was so peaceful and inviting. Yes, I should take a nap; I have been fighting for far too long. It was a time of rest and not war.
NO!
My mind was my own, and nothing shall influence me! With that mental shroud I launched myself at the root system of the tree. This island was mine and mine alone, but all the psionic energy was not about to go to waste. Since the island wanted food, then it was about to get the largest damn meal it's ever had.
With my hand held before me, I created a miniature speed force clone, and then with one last look at the large tree. I forced the power of my intent into it. I was sure the tree had gained some type of sentience
When my hand connected to the trunk of the tree, that was when I felt it. The small feeling at the back of my head that connected me to the crimson dimension, It sang as it joined me to the earth, the breath of such a feeling was so powerful it was beyond description.
Slowly I closed my eyes and followed that feeling, then pushed more of myself within that feeling. The earth sang to my senses, but I couldn't tell what that was. From what I knew, terrakinesis was never a power that the Juggernaut showed, but I could ignore that for now.
There was a heart to this island, and I had to find it, there was no coexistence with this place. Krakoa was a monster island in the comic's, and with the forced mental attack it tired when I first landed on this island; it made me wholly aware that it was hostile.
There was silence as I listened to the land around me, but I felt the warmth of the sun as it shone down onto the earth.
BA-BUMP!
What was that feeling?
BA-BUMP!
BA-BUMP!
There it was; the heart of Krakoa. I pounced with all the power that was being fed into the heart of the tree. What I found was a crystal construct, oh so this was the heart and brain of the island.
I felt the headache as it fought back trying to survive, but I refused to allow such a thing to live within my domain. It screamed and wailed as I launched my attacks against the mind that ruled over the island.
Our battle took hours before the final death throws were heard. I was kneeling in my sweat from the ordeal, but I wasn't about to accept that this was the end. It was always the tired hero that allowed a hole for the mind to escape and survive.
With the crystal within the heart of the tree drained of what power it had, this was the time to fill it with my own power and hunt down any hidden dangers left over. More and more power was pumped within the heart of the tree then routed through the island.
The earth sang to me, and I listened as I fed it my power. It would seem that even the soil that made up the island was like the mind that had prevailed over the land here. With a snort that hidden danger was crushed beneath the weight of power that the earth now wielded.
With a smile on my face, I commanded the roots surrounding me to create a seat to relax in while I contemplated the next step within my plans. With a sigh, I relaxed into my hidden throne on what was now my island.
"Well well, you have been a busy bee, Mr. Blake."
Right there sitting at a table in front of me was the Ancient One herself in all her mystic monk glory. She stood before me in her golden monk robes with the eye of Agamotto hanging from around her neck. If I hadn't hung around Natasha for so long, I would have taken her stance for a relaxed one, but I knew better.
She only appeared to be relaxed, but her muscles were coiled like a spring ready to kill me in more ways than I could even imagine. I didn't feel her, didn't hear her, and I didn't even sense her before she made herself known to me.
Even now as she stood right in front of me, I couldn't even sense her, the space she was standing in felt hollow somehow, but it also felt like it was still there. Hell, my entire surroundings felt hollow but also felt like it was still there. I almost lashed out in my anger because this lady had taken me to the mirror dimension without me being aware.
"Why are you here, Ancient one?" I asked.
"I'm here to understand your intentions."
I snorted at that, "How do I talk to someone that already knows how this conversation would end?"
She only smiled at me as she went about creating her tea while sitting there in her conjured chair, as if we both weren't locked within some prison dimension.
"I've found that it works best just to speak, with every word spoken, some possibilities are trimmed. In the end, there is only one outcome, and yet, what that outcome will be is only fixed after it has happened. For example, a hundred years ago, the chances of you being here before me were minuscule at best. It took a hand full of possibilities among countless trillions, and yet, once you drew breath, it became certain that we would be having this conversation. Honey?" The Ancient one stated as she offered me tea like this was just another day in the life of her.
With a nod in confirmation, I watched as the cup of tea floated over to me as I sat within my throne while we both sat facing each other. I took a sip and damn was that some good tea. I watched as the Ancient one smiled and took a sip of her own.
"An interesting explanation and one filled with insights. If nothing else it's a relief that even one with dominion over time, the future isn't fixed. Living in a world where nothing matters because it's preordained would be pointless, I like to take joy in knowing that existence has at least some point." I said as I took another sip of my tea thinking about the premature death of Scott Summers.
"So your intention for amassing so much power, by my count you have perfected no less than three serums and then also created an artificial chi substitute. The weaponry you've designed and your armor could make the world jealous if they knew the true extent of your arsenal. You have made yourself the leader to the mutant; sorry the meta-human race as they are unveiled to the world. Then to top it all off the immensity of your power is now clouding my sight. You are by far the most dangerous individual on earth." The Ancient One stated as she sipped her tea.
I sat back in my seat just thinking about all she just said. I wasn't so sure about being the most dangerous individual, but she did have some merit in what she said.
"I don't trust anyone to get the job done. Don't get me wrong earth's mightiest will stand up and fight but I know that they will fuck it up. The original Avenger's win the war after they lose the fight. No one truly understands what we will face until after they have faced true despair. I refuse to wait for some manchild to get his head out of his ass to come to save me."
"Do you think so lowly of your fellow champions?" She asked while peering at me over her cup of tea.
"No, I think highly of my fellow champions, but I'm the only one that can see the incoming threats. I'm the only one that refused to break in the face of the incoming Galactus, Apocalypse and the Titan's arrival. Each of these beings will visit our planet, but you have told no one about them have you."
"And what of your allies? Your friends? Don't they have the right to know?" The Ancient One asked as she sipped her tea.
"They know as much as I am comfortable letting them know, I refuse to let them know the number of real threats we are facing until after the invasion."
"You think that's wise?" She asked.
"I think it necessary until I have actual proof, the only person I trust to not run away in the face of the dangers we face would be Natasha."
"And what of the other champions?" The Ancient One prompted with a raised eyebrow.
I snort at that, "I tell Thor, and he runs to Odin with the information in the hope of getting his hammer back. Odin who would torture and kill me in hopes of finding out how much of his darkest secrets I know. Including the location of his lost child. I tell the Capsicle, and he runs to Fury, a person who I'm related to and willing to let me get shot, allowing me to get a lead on the Winter Soldier. I tell Stark, and he would use that as grounds of insanity so he could recover controlling stakes in his company and lets not forget he is a man of facts; which I won't have until the invasion, but even then I don't need his kind of interference in such a plan until after he grows up."
"Very well, you may live. I sense great and terrible things will happen, but this planet will prosper under your pantheon."
"Wait, my pantheon?" I asked, showing my confusion. The look on my face must have shown my confusion because I had no clue I had even achieved godhood.
"Yes your pantheon, all gods rule as a pantheon. While Banner rules as the elder god over the emotional spectrum of anger. You have made yourself the focal point of both the speed force and the strength force. The speed force-placed you within the god domain, but once you opened that gate to Cyttorak's realm, you were connected to the strength force. Channeling these cosmic forces has changed the fundamental nature of your soul; combining the two made you an elder god." The Ancient one stated with little preamble.
"So wait, the Juggernaut was just a strength force user?" I asked, stunned.
"Yes, the Crimson dimension is just that; a small pocket realm within the strength force." The Ancient One stated.
I rubbed my temples at learning about such a thing. Ok, this was going to cause all kinds of issues because I had no clue how to use magic.
"I will welcome you within the halls of Kamar-Taj. Besides, I do not doubt that you would simply seek your teaching elsewhere, and that would be problematic."
I could only snort at that, "I refuse to go to Penborn to learn, and I would sooner get into a battle with Victor than to learn from the man."
"Be that as it may, It would be best to train you personally instead of allowing those willing to sell their souls to teach you false paths."
I raised a brow at that and tapped the middle of my forehead at her, but she shrugged like it didn't even matter. With a flourish of her hands, the table and chair she was seated at vanished like they never existed. Yes, maybe learning some magic to complement and understand my powers more would be a good thing. I stood up to walk her out, but then I remember that I was inside a hidden domain of the island.
"Have you thought of a name for this island yet?" She asked me while placing her cup down.
"The name of the island will be Eden The Paradise Lost." I replied quickly.
With that tone of finality, there was a feeling of the cosmic forces shifting to do my will. That was a feeling I was never aware of before. Like the naming of the island was set within stone and placed along the likes of Asgard, or Olympus where the Eternals lived. The Ancient One just nodded her head like she expected that to happen.
"When you come by the sanctum please bring your children with you." She stated with a smile as she turned around.
With that, she faded from sight, and I felt the nature and earth around me once again. That lady is far too powerful and if Strange is supposed to be the best, even more powerful than her. That's honestly some scary shit to know.
Her death will have to be postponed for another time, with the completion of the ultimate serum that I'm working on; there will be no need for the connection to Dormammu to extend her lifespan. Wait, she said to bring my children, I groaned and went to look for that holding chamber that the island once used for housing its foods.
The chamber was located on the west side of the island's heart tree. When I walked into the chamber, the bubble of embryonic fluids was already growing. The sack had an orange look to its outside surface and there was a shadow substance I could tell was growing on the inside of the sack. Well shit, it looks like I was about to become a father again.
With a mental command to the island, a chair was raised for me to sit in while I waited for whoever was inside that sack to be born. I guess I would need to think up baby names now. That thought alone made me want to facepalm, but it could wait for me to see the gender.
I waited and waited, by the third hour, the sack was large and looked ready to burst open at any moment. Since it didn't break open, yet I went back to designing a new suit for myself. I was currently sitting without a shirt on right now since my shirt didn't survive reentry. It was time I finished my unstable fabric creation.
There was a material scientist from Japan that I would need to recruit for this project once it was finished. He was already playing with shape-changing fabric, but his research had hit a wall for the last six years.
Nothing man-made could even do all of what he wanted to accomplish, but I knew my fabric could; and with my attention focused on different matters, I would need someone to head that division. Before I could place him under the collections tab for either Alfred, Natasha, or one of my reps to go offer him a position, I was distracted by a sploosh sound.
Once I looked up from my vambrace, the sight that greeted me was of a person laying down on the ground. I walked over to kneel by the child that had just fallen out of the birthing pod. It was just as the Ancient one had said, but what she didn't tell me was the gender. I was now the father to a little girl, judging from the aged features she was somewhere around five or six. She had flawless orange skin and bright fire red hair.
Her features were giving me acute dejavu of Starfire from the DC universe but should have been an impossibility. Only when that though brushed my mind, I had to get rid of it because of the reality I lived within. It would appear that the island picked the image of a person to represent it as the avatar.
With a sigh, I picked up my new daughter and went topside for one of the flowing rivers running parallel to the heart tree. "Daddy?" A small voice squeaked out as I bathed her within the river. I could only smile down at her, and it would seem that my first two kids would be of a different nature to be sure.
"Yes, sweetheart?"
"What is my name?" She asked as her head was cocked to the side.
That made me pause because I was sure that I didn't share the English language with her. There was so much of this island that I would need to explore very soon if this was going to be the place of my throne. What little I do know of the island came from the comics, I would need to gather some of the flowers and make sure that Jean was the one in control of all this psionic energy that the island had. Shit the psionic energy that was how she learned my language.
"Your name is Maya sweetheart," I told her with a smile as I washed the last of the sludge out of her long hair.
Now that she was clean, I covered her with one of my large oversized shirts. It was a comical scene, and she was a cute little thing with a button nose and bright green eyes and flaming red hair standing there with an oversized combat shirt on.
"Alright, sweety tell daddy can you feel the island?"
I watched as she closed her eyes to concentrate, and I felt her as she searched out the island from top to bottom. It would seem that we are both connected through the heart tree. The feeling I was getting through the connection was a happy, bubbly excitement mixed with a sense of adventure.
With a smile on her face, she looked up and nodded at me. "I can feel your power everywhere, enhancing all the plants and trees."
"That's good, now I have a small task for you. Help daddy find the teleportation flowers so we can take a few home and show mommy."
"You mean the flowers that transport a person using point to point quantum tunneling?" She asked while looking in the northward direction.
I returned that answer with my smile. With that, I picked up my new daughter of the earth and walked off into the jungle. This was an unexplored island and I had plenty of flowers that I would like to collect before heading back.
The Fastest Man Alive
Chapter 28
Paradise Lost
Magneto - The Master of Magnetism
He sat and watched as that Boy paraded his people across the stage with that monkey of a man. He couldn't help but grip the arm of his throne at the sight of the Boy, but as he gritted his teeth, the pain within his shoulder flared up again at the mere sight of him.
He could barely make himself look at the metallic arm that he constructed for himself. With the twisting and destruction his arm had received during the fight, it was ruined beyond repair. This was another thing that he owed that Boy.
This arm was not only a blessing but also a curse. It was a stark reminder of who and what he was facing. He will have his revenge soon, and his spies had already reported to him about movements in the shadows for mutants to be placed under the thumbs of their nations.
There was nothing to do but to gather his forces slowly. The humans were secretly preparing for war, and it would be a war that they received. With that thought, he got up to stand at the viewing port of his sanctuary. His current forces were in the thousands, but that wouldn't be enough. They would need a game-changer in the ranks and he had been working on that for a while now.
Ohh, he will have his revenge on that Boy, but for now, he will have to settle for being a god among monkeys.
With his feet crossed as he floated mid-air, he closed his eyes and breathed deep. With each passing moment, each breath was slow, steady, and controlled. He slowly reached out to the planet below; first he took control of the hidden weapons satellite but only kept the control to tentative touches. This wouldn't work if he startled the monkeys so soon.
From there, his magnetic touch spread to his specially created satellites in orbit. Once his hold was firm over those, he felt the beads of sweat begin to concentrate on his brows. It would seem that this was his current limit.
This was a marked improvement from the last time he stretched his abilities this much. With steady breathing, he was currently controlling over eighty-eight illegally hidden weapons platforms in orbit with his ten amplifier satellites mixed in.
Humans would bow down to their Homo Superior or else, and this was a step towards his revenge against that Boy.
Undisclosed Underground Location
General Irling was not having a good week. First, another one of those costumed meta's had shown herself in New York creating all kinds of paperwork for him, and now he was tasked to see what one of the defense labs had cooked up.
It was paperwork upon paperwork, and sometimes he wondered why he hadn't retired to his private lake yet. Then he would be reminded why when Ross fucks up another one of his own operations.
Irling could never and would never leave the defense of the nation in the hands of a half-bent revenge nut like Ross. The man was an excellent general but throw his daughter into the mix, and Ross fucks it all up.
Irling had to place all those thoughts out of his mind, because today he was going to examine the Sentinel program. These egg heads were trying to push through to control the meta-human criminals.
Putting those frustrating thoughts aside, Irling began to tap his feet. It was bad enough he had to come out here but now egghead scientist had him waiting. Before he could speak up though a monstrosity of a robot came walking into the testing grounds.
From the reading material that they had given him, this mark one variant was at least twenty feet tall and was made with some new smart plastics and ceramics. The colors were a shade of purple and grey. Each hand of the tall robot had five fingers, and the feet were one substantial part with what appears to be a working ankle joint.
"Alright, Trask why the hell am I here looking at this thing."
"This my dear man is a Sentinel to end the mutant threat to America and her people," Trask replied with solemnity.
Irling wanted to yell at the man, the President himself was on stage with that Blake pretty boy. How in the blue blazes was he going to sell this and get it approved?
"The President himself has aligned with these Meta-humans."
"All you have to do is watch General," Trask stated as he turned around and watched back to the testing areas.
A LIVE FIRE IN 3...2...1!
It was both fantastic and frightening for Irling. This robot was more than the next step in handling the growing meta-human situation. This robot was the next step in warfare, and it needed to stay with America and her people.
Even though his inner child was clapping in joy because any young boy would love a giant robot, Irling was feeling more than a little trepidation with this surprise. There was a saying that Irling hated with a passion. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, but that wasn't true.
You not only look in the horse's mouth, but you check the whole damn thing. This was a situation that if it wasn't handled correctly; it could quickly end his career and see him placed in jail for the rest of his natural life.
Unfortunately for Irling, he failed to notice the mad gleam within Trasks eyes.
Benjamin Blake - Speedster / Billionaire / Man on a Mission/ Not Quite a Spymaster
I have been having the craziest week as far back as I can remember. Not only did I fight vampires, but also shoving my tool down the throat of Raven. Ooh, I was enjoying myself, but I knew she had ulterior motives for trying so hard to get me into bed.
My enemies were growing stronger, and with me getting into situations that would give me away due to my powerset. It was time for a game-changer, From what I knew and discovered; the speed force was far more than a hyper-speed boost.
I was still in the process of mastering the space and time feature, but I was going for something far different today. Today though I had to clear my mind for the task ahead of me because I had finally made it to my destination.
I was currently standing on a hill overlooking a valley of sorts. The tree's had grown back from that last time this part of the land was devastated. That didn't stop me from putting the parts of the puzzle together and deducing the location.
It was in this location that a particular mountain was destroyed by Xavier to trap his half brother within. Caine had become a deserter during the Vietnam war but when Charles was finally able to track him down; Caine had already discovered the Crimson Gem Of Cyttorak.
I wanted that nigh limitless strength that Cyttorak could provide the wielder of his gem. Falling for his bullshit wouldn't do though, but I had plans for his ass because I knew what everyone else didn't due to my comic knowledge. Cyttorak wasn't the actual owner of his dimension. He also wasn't as intelligent as most would think, and that was going to be his failing today.
With my mind made up; it was time to stop stalling and proceed with my hair-brained plan. I closed my eyes then took a deep breath to center myself, then with purpose, I opened them while filtering through the different spectrums of my sight.
First was the electromagnetic spectrum, then next was the thermodynamic sight allowing me to see the body heat of a few rodents and other various animals going about their business.
Then there was the psionic sight and I found something, it was roughly six hundred feet to my left and about fifty feet in front of me. Then with one more shift in my vision, my target blossomed with a crimson glow beneath my feet.
This fucking guy was just there beneath my feet trapped under what used to be a mountain because he was too fucking stupid to actually do anything other than try and punch his way out with unlimited power.
With a thought, I cloaked myself within my aura, then with a grim smile of finality; I did a slight hop and dove right into the ground. I sunk beneath the grass, leaves and through small insects and other things.
The experience was almost enough to drive me crazy, but if I could take being trapped inside my mind, I can take being underground with its all inclosing darkness. The all-encompassing silence and suffocation, but I was able to at least breath.
As I sank into the ground, there was no up, no down, and everything was any direction. I would not fail here because I had more than a purpose for being here. With focus, I directed the flow of energy beneath my feet, then took my first step towards Cain Marko.
When I arrived at where the bright glowing crimson light was emitting from; I found Cain Marko sandwiched under more than five hundred tons of dirt pressing him down. For a moment, I just stood there and watched him from beyond his sight. Cain Marko, aka the Juggernaut, was a behemoth of a man.
From what I could judge, he was standing at least ten feet tall with arms so massive his bicep is the same size as my torso. He must have been overcompensating for something.
Unlike Logan, who gave off a wild feeling, Cain was giving off the sense of unbridled power. This gave me goosebumps wondering about what it would be like to face off against the Hulk.
Cain was holding up the mountain while also slowly pushing his hands through the soil advancing.
It was too bad for him that he would not survive beyond today. Before Cain was aware, I struck like an angry viper. My aim was for his left pectoral, where the crimson light was emanating.
Without a second thought, I plunged my hands deep within his chest, but once my hand closed around the gem; I was blasted with the feeling of crackling energy moving up my arm.
There was no white; there was no black; there was only red filling my vision, but I was prepared for this. My mind was still my own, which made me happy that I took the time to set up my mental defense.
I closed my eyes and sank within my mind ignoring the feeling of energy I was receiving from the gem. The gem was a lie; the real truth lay in what the master of the gem was trying to do to my mind.
When I delved into my mindscape, I found a bright red star banging against the death star that I was using as my decoy mental fortress. The red star was so busy pounding away at the fake mental fort that it was wholly unaware of the approaching superstructures closing in around it.
Before It could register its surroundings, I had four of my superstructures fire their stasis beams. With the crimson star held within the beams field, my mind rocked as it desperately attempted to break free of my mental constructs firm hold.
While gritting my teeth, I called in the other roaming death stars that I had created to roam my mindscape to ward away any mental probes other than Jean. With the added defenses coming to back up the four already in use, it was finally time to call in the cage for this new mental invader.
Building a Dyson sphere in the real world might not be viable, but there was nothing that said I couldn't create one within my mindscape. Around the crimson star, four separate parts closed down around it, removing the glow from my view.
Then to make sure I went with enclosing rings like those from Nidavellir space station. First the one with a four-point enclosure then I brought in more and more until the invading star was surrounded. Maybe all these defenses were overkill, but I am an American, and I like to live by the phrase that there was no kill like overkill.
I wanted to breathe a sigh of relief, but I knew that this wasn't the end of my ordeal. The next part would either make or break the risk I am taking. I drew on my connection to the speed force and drank deeply from its cup.
The golden star within the center of my galaxy burst forth with its glow. With the burst of power, everything within the solar system brightens with colors and popped with vivid clarity and power.
With a mental command, I directed this all towards the intruder then created another connection to absorb. With that new connection created, I held onto it as I launched myself at the star.
With power crackling from my eyes and hands, I dove right through the outer casing holding the crimson star in its place.
"MORTAL how dare you interfere with my avatar."
Just the mere presence of this being almost made me bow down to him reflexively, but unfortunately for him. I wasn't some weak-minded babe in the woods. I bow for no man nor god period. Not even The One Above All himself could make me bend the knee if he showed up within my mind this second.
"Cyttorak, we bargain, or we fight," I yelled at the mad demons projection that he was trying to plant within my mind. For a moment, he froze in what I believed was him thinking it over.
I was sure he was thinking it over because of the power I was holding within my hands about to unleash on his ass, but his next words solidify to me that he had forgotten the dangers a human could pose to him.
"A GOD does not bargain with lesser insects," Cyttorak yelled out to me as the crimson glow from the star blasted out trying to overpower my mental defenses.
"I could have brought you plenty of death and destruction. If only you took the bargain."
With that said and done, there were no more words necessary for me to reply to this fake god. Cyttorak was more of a parasite of a demon; he was no god, and his very function was about to be used against him.
With my power held within my hands charged up, I launched it towards the star. We were both enclosed, so there was nowhere for Cyttorak to run from my strike, and it was true. I tried to talk, but he didn't want to listen, so there was no need to listen to his insipid begging for me to release him.
The issue with Cyttorak was that the gem was a dimensional link into the dimension where he resides. The saving grace for me was my mental defenses and the factor that the speed force was on the same scale as the crimson dimension.
There was no blocking the speed force it was all-encompassing, it was everywhere and anywhere, even in places that there was no time. The speed force was beyond the Phoenix force, but unlike the Phoenix force, the speed force had no will besides that in which the wielder imparts upon it; and my speed force was as unyielding as myself.
With my hands roaring with the power, I plunged them into the star. Once my hands were within the crimson dimensional link, I felt it. There was a resonance of the dimension that I couldn't possibly describe in words, and the feeling was as if another part of my being was slotted into place.
"HERE'S JOHNNY!" I yelled down at Cyttorak as he just looked at me from his throne, stunned. I should have been scared, I should have been worried, but the widening of his eyes egged me on for more. He left the door open for me, and I was going to come right in and take his fucking power for myself.
AAARRRGGGGHHH
With a roar, I lashed out at the parasite sitting on his throne. Pure, unfiltered power lashed out from my mouth, but Cyttorak already teleported himself somewhere else out of my site. It was lucky for him that I was only able to open a small 3x3 sized hole into this dimension but now that I know the feeling; I was confident that I could return later.
With my gateway opened into the crimson dimension, it was time to take all the power I could. With a mental command, the power I was using to keep the portal open for my little attack began to pull in reverse. That was when I felt another connection slot into place, but I ignored that feeling to focus on the real situation at hand.
This was also one of those time's my mad genius, combined with my comic knowledge, worked in my favor. The Dyson sphere came alive, pulling in all the power it could draw on. Nothing within the crimson dimension was safe from me or the Dyson sphere; it was all absorbed within me. There was no need to dump it within the speed force, this was not momentum or kinetic energy, but that didn't mean I couldn't store the energy myself.
I pulled and pulled, and then with the energy I was stealing I created another star created out of the Crimson dimension. Hell, I was at this for so long I lost track of time, but I was already reinforcing it with the speed force tying in my own hidden connection to this realm of power.
The portal I created for my entry in the realm was finally large enough for me to enter through, but before I could place a leg down, Cyttorak appeared before me again. The look on his face was all but telling. It was obvious that I had pulled a massive draw from his powers because he was half the size of his throne.
Before I could fire a short joke at the parasite; that fucker had teleported in front of me. Unfortunately for me, I hadn't even gotten my foot through the portal yet. A resounding thump rang out around us as I was kicked back through the portal to my side.
It was so jarring that I was sent back to reality and out of my mind. I was again met with darkness, but my saving grace was that my aura was never released. I felt it though at the fringes of my mind that mad thirst for bloodshed and destruction, but my will was my own and nothing or no one can influence my mind.
I repeated my mantra as I examine my mind only to find that the star that was used to infiltrate the Crimson dimension was still there but less than half the size of Texas. I snorted at that because this battle between him and me was far from over.
After the view of my mind, it was time to organize my mind with the other star. That power star needed to be settled in with the rest. It was time to examine my body to note the changes and fix anything that was out of order.
What I found made me shake my head, I was now nine feet tall and from all the muscles on my body. My weight had to be pushing over a ton easily, but this wouldn't do for my daily activities.
This power was mine to command, and I refuse for it to lay upon me its ideals of the perfect host body. Closing my eyes, I searched for and found the power feeding into my size and then with a thought I reversed the idea, shutting it off.
I slowly brought my height down to six feet six inches, this now placed me at the same height of Thor, and I could always change this later.
I brought my body back to a solid athletic build getting rid of all that excess muscle, but before I launched myself up through the dirt, I had to check my pants. I had to make sure that the sacrifice for all this power didn't cost me my jewels.
I let out a sigh of relief, and seeing that I was still large and in charge, I took towards the sky. Oh, I was beyond on top of the world with my current powerset and capabilities. And now that I had unlimited power under my belt, it was time to test out another one of my powers that I was slowly testing out in private.
There wasn't even a sound as I was launched out into the open air. I have been experimenting with the whole time and space aspect of my powers in secret. Now that I was in the open air, with my aura still wrapped around me. I pushed myself through the air using the intent feature of my force to finally achieve flight.
With a broad grin on my face; it was time to pull superman. With a crack of thunder, I was blasted off into the stratosphere. This was such a monumental achievement I was almost at a loss for words.
I floated there in the stratosphere basking in the sun rays that shone down over the pacific. It was so tranquil and peaceful up here. I almost didn't want to go back down to earth and deal with the things left piled up since my absence from the company.
Since I was already here above the Pacific, I guess it was time that I made moves for my true seat of power. Salem was alright, but it was located within and on American soil, and my company was great with money and getting PR coverage, but they both lacked true security.
I would need sovereignty all of my own, and I knew just the place to start. The royal family of Wakanda would need to be broken and have my own person installed as the head, but until then I would need my own place to retreat to once this meta-human hate reaches its peak.
With a smile and one last moment within the sun, I dove towards my target. It was hidden with its weird natural defenses from ordinary people, but with my different modes of visions, I could quickly notice the mass of psionic power. If I could strip such a powerful being of half its power, then this will be a walk in the park.
I did a slow fly by of the outer wards to the island, counting the miles as I flew. The island was roughly five thousand six hundred square miles, and I already had so many plans for the architecture and designs.
With my musing placed aside, it was time I finally touched down on Krakoa. Once I touched down on the land though everything went all topsy turvy. Large vines and other parts of the fauna came alive trying to eat me.
Before I could get captured though I was already phasing through the ground heading for the heart of the island, this was going to be a quick fight and not as lengthy as the last one.
I found the heart of the island within a few moments of searching, and it was a strange place. I was currently located under the massive tree situated within the center of the island but within the root systems. The room floor was covered in grass and flowers making for such a serene location.
The sight alone made me want to lay down and take a nap. It was so peaceful and inviting. Yes, I should take a nap; I have been fighting for far too long. It was a time of rest and not war.
NO!
My mind was my own, and nothing shall influence me! With that mental shroud I launched myself at the root system of the tree. This island was mine and mine alone, but all the psionic energy was not about to go to waste. Since the island wanted food, then it was about to get the largest damn meal it's ever had.
With my hand held before me, I created a miniature speed force clone, and then with one last look at the large tree. I forced the power of my intent into it. I was sure the tree had gained some type of sentience
When my hand connected to the trunk of the tree, that was when I felt it. The small feeling at the back of my head that connected me to the crimson dimension, It sang as it joined me to the earth, the breath of such a feeling was so powerful it was beyond description.
Slowly I closed my eyes and followed that feeling, then pushed more of myself within that feeling. The earth sang to my senses, but I couldn't tell what that was. From what I knew, terrakinesis was never a power that the Juggernaut showed, but I could ignore that for now.
There was a heart to this island, and I had to find it, there was no coexistence with this place. Krakoa was a monster island in the comic's, and with the forced mental attack it tired when I first landed on this island; it made me wholly aware that it was hostile.
There was silence as I listened to the land around me, but I felt the warmth of the sun as it shone down onto the earth.
BA-BUMP!
What was that feeling?
BA-BUMP!
BA-BUMP!
There it was; the heart of Krakoa. I pounced with all the power that was being fed into the heart of the tree. What I found was a crystal construct, oh so this was the heart and brain of the island.
I felt the headache as it fought back trying to survive, but I refused to allow such a thing to live within my domain. It screamed and wailed as I launched my attacks against the mind that ruled over the island.
Our battle took hours before the final death throws were heard. I was kneeling in my sweat from the ordeal, but I wasn't about to accept that this was the end. It was always the tired hero that allowed a hole for the mind to escape and survive.
With the crystal within the heart of the tree drained of what power it had, this was the time to fill it with my own power and hunt down any hidden dangers left over. More and more power was pumped within the heart of the tree then routed through the island.
The earth sang to me, and I listened as I fed it my power. It would seem that even the soil that made up the island was like the mind that had prevailed over the land here. With a snort that hidden danger was crushed beneath the weight of power that the earth now wielded.
With a smile on my face, I commanded the roots surrounding me to create a seat to relax in while I contemplated the next step within my plans. With a sigh, I relaxed into my hidden throne on what was now my island.
"Well well, you have been a busy bee, Mr. Blake."
Right there sitting at a table in front of me was the Ancient One herself in all her mystic monk glory. She stood before me in her golden monk robes with the eye of Agamotto hanging from around her neck. If I hadn't hung around Natasha for so long, I would have taken her stance for a relaxed one, but I knew better.
She only appeared to be relaxed, but her muscles were coiled like a spring ready to kill me in more ways than I could even imagine. I didn't feel her, didn't hear her, and I didn't even sense her before she made herself known to me.
Even now as she stood right in front of me, I couldn't even sense her, the space she was standing in felt hollow somehow, but it also felt like it was still there. Hell, my entire surroundings felt hollow but also felt like it was still there. I almost lashed out in my anger because this lady had taken me to the mirror dimension without me being aware.
"Why are you here, Ancient one?" I asked.
"I'm here to understand your intentions."
I snorted at that, "How do I talk to someone that already knows how this conversation would end?"
She only smiled at me as she went about creating her tea while sitting there in her conjured chair, as if we both weren't locked within some prison dimension.
"I've found that it works best just to speak, with every word spoken, some possibilities are trimmed. In the end, there is only one outcome, and yet, what that outcome will be is only fixed after it has happened. For example, a hundred years ago, the chances of you being here before me were minuscule at best. It took a hand full of possibilities among countless trillions, and yet, once you drew breath, it became certain that we would be having this conversation. Honey?" The Ancient one stated as she offered me tea like this was just another day in the life of her.
With a nod in confirmation, I watched as the cup of tea floated over to me as I sat within my throne while we both sat facing each other. I took a sip and damn was that some good tea. I watched as the Ancient one smiled and took a sip of her own.
"An interesting explanation and one filled with insights. If nothing else it's a relief that even one with dominion over time, the future isn't fixed. Living in a world where nothing matters because it's preordained would be pointless, I like to take joy in knowing that existence has at least some point." I said as I took another sip of my tea thinking about the premature death of Scott Summers.
"So your intention for amassing so much power, by my count you have perfected no less than three serums and then also created an artificial chi substitute. The weaponry you've designed and your armor could make the world jealous if they knew the true extent of your arsenal. You have made yourself the leader to the mutant; sorry the meta-human race as they are unveiled to the world. Then to top it all off the immensity of your power is now clouding my sight. You are by far the most dangerous individual on earth." The Ancient One stated as she sipped her tea.
I sat back in my seat just thinking about all she just said. I wasn't so sure about being the most dangerous individual, but she did have some merit in what she said.
"I don't trust anyone to get the job done. Don't get me wrong earth's mightiest will stand up and fight but I know that they will fuck it up. The original Avenger's win the war after they lose the fight. No one truly understands what we will face until after they have faced true despair. I refuse to wait for some manchild to get his head out of his ass to come to save me."
"Do you think so lowly of your fellow champions?" She asked while peering at me over her cup of tea.
"No, I think highly of my fellow champions, but I'm the only one that can see the incoming threats. I'm the only one that refused to break in the face of the incoming Galactus, Apocalypse and the Titan's arrival. Each of these beings will visit our planet, but you have told no one about them have you."
"And what of your allies? Your friends? Don't they have the right to know?" The Ancient One asked as she sipped her tea.
"They know as much as I am comfortable letting them know, I refuse to let them know the number of real threats we are facing until after the invasion."
"You think that's wise?" She asked.
"I think it necessary until I have actual proof, the only person I trust to not run away in the face of the dangers we face would be Natasha."
"And what of the other champions?" The Ancient One prompted with a raised eyebrow.
I snort at that, "I tell Thor, and he runs to Odin with the information in the hope of getting his hammer back. Odin who would torture and kill me in hopes of finding out how much of his darkest secrets I know. Including the location of his lost child. I tell the Capsicle, and he runs to Fury, a person who I'm related to and willing to let me get shot, allowing me to get a lead on the Winter Soldier. I tell Stark, and he would use that as grounds of insanity so he could recover controlling stakes in his company and lets not forget he is a man of facts; which I won't have until the invasion, but even then I don't need his kind of interference in such a plan until after he grows up."
"Very well, you may live. I sense great and terrible things will happen, but this planet will prosper under your pantheon."
"Wait, my pantheon?" I asked, showing my confusion. The look on my face must have shown my confusion because I had no clue I had even achieved godhood.
"Yes your pantheon, all gods rule as a pantheon. While Banner rules as the elder god over the emotional spectrum of anger. You have made yourself the focal point of both the speed force and the strength force. The speed force-placed you within the god domain, but once you opened that gate to Cyttorak's realm, you were connected to the strength force. Channeling these cosmic forces has changed the fundamental nature of your soul; combining the two made you an elder god." The Ancient one stated with little preamble.
"So wait, the Juggernaut was just a strength force user?" I asked, stunned.
"Yes, the Crimson dimension is just that; a small pocket realm within the strength force." The Ancient One stated.
I rubbed my temples at learning about such a thing. Ok, this was going to cause all kinds of issues because I had no clue how to use magic.
"I will welcome you within the halls of Kamar-Taj. Besides, I do not doubt that you would simply seek your teaching elsewhere, and that would be problematic."
I could only snort at that, "I refuse to go to Penborn to learn, and I would sooner get into a battle with Victor than to learn from the man."
"Be that as it may, It would be best to train you personally instead of allowing those willing to sell their souls to teach you false paths."
I raised a brow at that and tapped the middle of my forehead at her, but she shrugged like it didn't even matter. With a flourish of her hands, the table and chair she was seated at vanished like they never existed. Yes, maybe learning some magic to complement and understand my powers more would be a good thing. I stood up to walk her out, but then I remember that I was inside a hidden domain of the island.
"Have you thought of a name for this island yet?" She asked me while placing her cup down.
"The name of the island will be Eden The Paradise Lost." I replied quickly.
With that tone of finality, there was a feeling of the cosmic forces shifting to do my will. That was a feeling I was never aware of before. Like the naming of the island was set within stone and placed along the likes of Asgard, or Olympus where the Eternals lived. The Ancient One just nodded her head like she expected that to happen.
"When you come by the sanctum please bring your children with you." She stated with a smile as she turned around.
With that, she faded from sight, and I felt the nature and earth around me once again. That lady is far too powerful and if Strange is supposed to be the best, even more powerful than her. That's honestly some scary shit to know.
Her death will have to be postponed for another time, with the completion of the ultimate serum that I'm working on; there will be no need for the connection to Dormammu to extend her lifespan. Wait, she said to bring my children, I groaned and went to look for that holding chamber that the island once used for housing its foods.
The chamber was located on the west side of the island's heart tree. When I walked into the chamber, the bubble of embryonic fluids was already growing. The sack had an orange look to its outside surface and there was a shadow substance I could tell was growing on the inside of the sack. Well shit, it looks like I was about to become a father again.
With a mental command to the island, a chair was raised for me to sit in while I waited for whoever was inside that sack to be born. I guess I would need to think up baby names now. That thought alone made me want to facepalm, but it could wait for me to see the gender.
I waited and waited, by the third hour, the sack was large and looked ready to burst open at any moment. Since it didn't break open, yet I went back to designing a new suit for myself. I was currently sitting without a shirt on right now since my shirt didn't survive reentry. It was time I finished my unstable fabric creation.
There was a material scientist from Japan that I would need to recruit for this project once it was finished. He was already playing with shape-changing fabric, but his research had hit a wall for the last six years.
Nothing man-made could even do all of what he wanted to accomplish, but I knew my fabric could; and with my attention focused on different matters, I would need someone to head that division. Before I could place him under the collections tab for either Alfred, Natasha, or one of my reps to go offer him a position, I was distracted by a sploosh sound.
Once I looked up from my vambrace, the sight that greeted me was of a person laying down on the ground. I walked over to kneel by the child that had just fallen out of the birthing pod. It was just as the Ancient one had said, but what she didn't tell me was the gender. I was now the father to a little girl, judging from the aged features she was somewhere around five or six. She had flawless orange skin and bright fire red hair.
Her features were giving me acute dejavu of Starfire from the DC universe but should have been an impossibility. Only when that though brushed my mind, I had to get rid of it because of the reality I lived within. It would appear that the island picked the image of a person to represent it as the avatar.
With a sigh, I picked up my new daughter and went topside for one of the flowing rivers running parallel to the heart tree. "Daddy?" A small voice squeaked out as I bathed her within the river. I could only smile down at her, and it would seem that my first two kids would be of a different nature to be sure.
"Yes, sweetheart?"
"What is my name?" She asked as her head was cocked to the side.
That made me pause because I was sure that I didn't share the English language with her. There was so much of this island that I would need to explore very soon if this was going to be the place of my throne. What little I do know of the island came from the comics, I would need to gather some of the flowers and make sure that Jean was the one in control of all this psionic energy that the island had. Shit the psionic energy that was how she learned my language.
"Your name is Maya sweetheart," I told her with a smile as I washed the last of the sludge out of her long hair.
Now that she was clean, I covered her with one of my large oversized shirts. It was a comical scene, and she was a cute little thing with a button nose and bright green eyes and flaming red hair standing there with an oversized combat shirt on.
"Alright, sweety tell daddy can you feel the island?"
I watched as she closed her eyes to concentrate, and I felt her as she searched out the island from top to bottom. It would seem that we are both connected through the heart tree. The feeling I was getting through the connection was a happy, bubbly excitement mixed with a sense of adventure.
With a smile on her face, she looked up and nodded at me. "I can feel your power everywhere, enhancing all the plants and trees."
"That's good, now I have a small task for you. Help daddy find the teleportation flowers so we can take a few home and show mommy."
"You mean the flowers that transport a person using point to point quantum tunneling?" She asked while looking in the northward direction.
I returned that answer with my smile. With that, I picked up my new daughter of the earth and walked off into the jungle. This was an unexplored island and I had plenty of flowers that I would like to collect before heading back.
