Merchants of Death
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Category:
X-men Comics › Crossovers
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
28
Views:
5,275
Reviews:
0
Recommended:
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 8
Chapter 8
The planet that the Imperious Industries scouting team had designated Terra 9 was in many ways a primitive world.
Technology and science were virtually non-existent. The vast majority of the people were essentially illiterate peasants, most of the governments were basically oligarchies, monarchies, theocracies, and whatever organization the local warlord could pull together.
Such governments had been very common on Earth when Chrissy Lera came of age, and the dark elf necromancer had a very low opinion of them. Regarding those institutions as oppressive, wasteful, corrupt, and all too often mired in self-serving lies and superstitions.
There was some truth to this.
Powerful nobles, strong warlords, absolute monarchs, and pious priest-kings all too often ruled through fear. Using the power of tradition, superstition, and naked force to support their reign. Serving their ideology, inner circle, or perhaps simply themselves instead of the people they governed.
On the necromancer’s world such abuse of power had all too often eventually led to violent revolution. But not all theocracies and warlords were oppressive, and sometimes monarchs embodied the very ideals they told their subjects to emulate.
*****
Lady Alustriel Silverhand was a legendary figure.
She had assumed the title of High Mage of Silverymoon after saving the city-state from a group of scheming wizards plotting to take the city over from within and a rampaging horde of Orcs assaulting the city from without. The High Mage had ruled Silverymoon for many human generations since then; maintaining the security, expanding the power, and ensuring the prosperity of her kingdom throughout that time.
Therefore it was not surprising that many of Lady Alustriel’s subjects regarded her with an adoration bordering on worship.
But even far outside the boundaries of Silverymoon Alustriel Silverhand was well known for her beauty, intelligence, benevolence, and tremendous mystical power. Some even whispered that she was an avatar of the goddess of magic herself.
However, despite her good looks, power, influence, and wisdom the centuries old sorceress was neither omnipotent nor omniscient.
Lady Alustriel Silverhand knew that if the raiders that had been terrorizing the area around Silverymoon were not dealt with soon even she might not be able to avert war. A bloody war that would tear the region of the Silver Marches apart.
That was why the long time ruler of Silverymoon had sent one of her most trusted friends to investigate the problem. A male of profound integrity and incredible martial talent.
The Lady of Silverymoon just hoped that it wasn’t already too late to prevent a disaster.
*****
In the day since Sage, Cyclops, Storm, the Frost family, She-Hulk, Mystique, and their Terminator servants had captured the goblin tribe Knights Bane relations between the universal travelers and the rest of the merchant caravan had gotten much worse.
The mutants and their allies performance during the battle against Knights Bane convinced many of the more xenophobic servants and merchants that the universal outsiders were anything but human. Making them untrustworthy in the small-minded Homo sapiens eyes.
But even the more tolerant and cosmopolitan members of the caravan had trouble understanding or empathizing with She-Hulk’s decision to protect the helpless goblins after they had been defeated.
To these humans species like the elves, dwarves, gnomes, and the other ‘civilized’ races were worthy of respect. They could even be considered equals or comrades under certain circumstances.
But ‘savage’ species like goblins, orcs, and trolls were fit only for slavery or extermination. Treating them like beings with inherent value and rights was inconceivable to such a mindset.
A fact that the goblin leader Slygrin was all too aware of, and was trying to explain to his audience of one.
“These humans despise anyone who isn’t PRETTY like them…you’re too big and strong…people like you make them feel small and weak…and they HATE you for it” Slygrin told the
She-Hulk, his words filled with loathing for the race he had battled for his entire adult life.
The tall green woman looked around the forest that their goblin captives were currently resting in, paying close attention to the men watching over the prisoners with her. Knowing that it was only her presence that kept some of the men from slaughtering the helpless goblin prisoners.
“Not all humans are like this Slygrin…despite the fact that I’m so tall and green many humans have been very nice to me” She-Hulk replied. Thinking of her friends, family, and former lovers back in her home universe. Frustrated by the fact that no one on this world seemed willing to believe that she was human.
Slygrin smiled in a way that showed how he had gotten his name, his fangs reminding She-Hulk of a predatory cat’s.
“You mean MEN have treated you nicely don’t ya?…that’s just because they want to fuck you…when you get old or if something messes up your pretty face they won’t be so nice anymore” Slygrin said crudely. Trying to attack the green woman’s self-confidence.
She-Hulk glared down at the muscular humanoid.
Jennifer Walters knew that it was thanks to the exotic beauty that she had acquired since becoming the She-Hulk that she had experienced a successful modeling career, a short but lucrative acting career, been paid to endorse numerous products, and gained legions of fans in her home world. But she refused to believe that her sex appeal was the only reason anyone liked her.
~Its not like all my friends are heterosexual men or gay women~ She-Hulk thought as she gazed down at the bestial looking creature that had just insulted her.
“No…not all humans are like that…a lot of them like me because of the way I act not what I look like…besides I AM human” She-Hulk said with some heat. Doing her best not to get angry.
Slygrin laughed evilly, malice in his eyes and hate in his heart as he gazed up at the female that had helped defeat his tribe and replied “Your different enough for all the other humans to tell you apart…and to fear you for being so much stronger than them…for looking different than them…and what the humans fear they hate…and what they hate they will eventually seek to destroy.”
“You’re wrong…I protect them from people like you…they won’t turn on me” the green woman said coldly. Clenching her hands into fists without consciously realizing it.
Slygrin saw the gesture and was more than smart enough to realize it wasn’t a good idea to antagonize someone so much stronger than him when he was so helpless. But he couldn’t seem to stop himself.
He hated the humans too much, and what he saw as the naivety of the female before him offended him.
Instead Slygrin thought of what little She-Hulk had told him about her comrades. Comparing it to his own experiences.
“Oh really…tell that to the mutants” the tribal leader said in a voice filled with contempt.
*****
The group of universal travelers didn’t really have a formal hierarchy. Nevertheless thanks to her position as dominant aspect of the Five-in-One and the fact that she had organized this expedition in the first place, Emma Frost often acted as a nominal leader of the group. While Sage tended to take charge during battle thanks to her talent for coordinating the group telepathically.
But neither woman could simply order the other members of the group around and expect them to obey without question. Cyclops, Storm, and Mystique had faced Frost and Sage as enemies too many times in the past to ever give them that sort of blind faith. Even Emma’s daughters were not willing to simply obey their mother without question, she had done too good a job trying to teach the younger telepaths guile and cunning for that to be possible anymore (besides all too often they knew her reasons for doing something as soon as she did).
As a result the universal travelers often engaged in a lot of discussion before any major decision.
“We should abandon the humans and travel the rest of the way to Silverymoon on our own…now that we are all reduced to walking the caravan is only slowing us down” Sage said in a critical tone.
The Frost family, Sage, Storm, Cyclops, and Mystique were meeting in a secluded area of the forest a short distance away from the main camp the merchant caravan had set up. Their Terminators were watching over the prisoners along with She-Hulk, as much to protect the goblins as to prevent them from escaping. In response to Sage’s words Ororo and Scott exchanged questioning looks, while the Emma Frost and her daughters telepathically debated the ruthless suggestion.
The brown skinned wind rider was the first to respond, replying firmly “we cannot simply abandon them now…they will murder the goblins as soon as we are out of sight if we do…and they will probably fall prey to other bandits without us now that they are all forced to travel on foot.”
“We owe these people nothing…all we promised them was to pay for our passage and not cause trouble on the journey…we should simply cut our losses and continue on our own” Emma argued.
The beautiful black mutant glared at the telepath who had once stolen her body and on more than one occasion tried to destroy her mind. Emma and Ororo had been allies for long time since then, but they were still far from friends.
With those old grudges in mind Storm replied coldly “I would have expected YOU to say something like that Emma…but the rest of us are not so callous…we can afford to spend a few more days on the road if it will prevent more pointless bloodshed.”
Mystique watched the attractive black and white women glaring at one another so fiercely with undisguised interest. Wondering if their long running feud would finally move from verbal warfare to violence.
“I don’t really care either way…but we have been looking for Esme and Jean Grey for over half a year…it doesn’t seem like a few days delay would make a difference at this point” the shapeshifter said casually.
“Until recently I would have agreed with you Mystique…but circumstances have changed,” Sage stated calmly.
“What do you mean?” asked Cyclops gruffly, who all too often felt left out of the loop as one of the few non-telepaths and the only man in their group.
“Over the last day I have detected the psychic presence of The Phoenix growing stronger and stronger…this most likely means that she is either getting closer or exerting more of her power…both are cause for concern and indicate that we are reaching some sort of crisis point” Sage coolly explained.
“We felt it too” Mindee, Celeste, and Phoebe all said in unison while Emma simply nodded smugly.
“WHAT!…why didn’t you tell me?” Storm indignantly demanded, being anything but calm on the subject of her beloved Jean.
“We are telling you now dear” Emma said in a bitchy tone. Having little patience with Munroe’s artificially induced obsession.
Storm seemed to become even angrier at the former White Queen’s words, and a physical confrontation between the two women seemed all but inevitable at this point. But Sage cut through the rising tension with a telepathic ‘suggestion’ backed up by so much psychic power it was virtually a command.
~Enough…this bickering is pointless.~
“We cannot allow ourselves to become distracted by personal issues at this point…finding Esme and Jean Grey must remain our priority…especially now that we are so close to our goal…I would have thought that you two would have realized that” Sage stated critically.
Storm looked away and stared at the ground in shame, and even the proud Emma Frost appeared a little embarrassed.
~You should be nicer to Miss Munroe mother…she can’t help what The Phoenix did to her~ Sophie telepathically told her mother.
~I…I know Sophie…but its hard to be civil to someone who hates me so much~ Emma replied to the little female within her own body.
“So what should we do?” asked Scott Summers, wanting to switch the topic of discussion back to his missing wife.
“We have more immediate problems,” Phoebe said ominously as she detected a foreign presence, instantly alerting her mother and sisters as to what she had discovered.
*****
The Ranger Drizzt Do’Urden had been tracking the goblin tribe Knights Bane ever since Lady Alustriel Silverhand had sent Drizzt to investigate the goblin raiders. The dark elf had followed the trail of destruction Knights Bane left in its wake and had almost caught up to the heavily armed raiders when Slygrin and his followers mounted the attack on the merchant caravan carrying the universal travelers.
Drizzt had arrived on the scene just in time to witness the very end of the battle. In all the confusion no one had even noticed the stealthy ranger observing it all from a distance.
He had been impressed by the speed and power of the goblin weapons, which reminded him of the few muskets he had seen, but possessed a lethal efficiency far beyond such primitive guns. But Drizzt had been even more amazed by the awesome powers of the universal outsiders.
In the ranger’s many years of combat and adventure he had seldom seen such raw strength, shapeshifting prowess, physical invulnerability, and destructive might. Drizzt was particularly impressed (and concerned by) how the green female had made the earth literally quake just by stomping her feet, and the way that her allies had somehow knocked out all the remaining goblins still on their feet all at once.
With that kind of power these creatures would be formidable foes indeed in they turned out to be hostile.
And Drizzt still had no idea if these people were friend or foe. So the dark elf ranger had simply observed them from a distance since then, trying to get a clearer picture of just who or what they were.
At the moment the dark elf was sitting in a tree just on the edge of the campsite the caravan had set up. Watching as the tall and amazingly strong green woman moved among the goblins, curious as to why she had such apparent compassion for the savage little creatures.
~What are these people?…are they as human as most of them appear?…are they motivated by a code of ethics and morality anything like all the goodly people I have known?” the dark elf wondered. Philosophically musing as he often did in his quieter moments.
Then without warning Drizzt felt SOMETHING invade his consciousness. The dark elf found himself climbing down the tree without any mental effort on his part. He struggled against whatever was controlling him, but Drizzt’s limbs obeyed the foreign presence inside, not himself.
Mentally fighting back with every step, focusing all his anger at this violation against the invader, Drizzt Do’Urden helplessly walked towards the merchant caravan.
*****
Drizzt Do’Urden was a strong willed individual with a disciplined mind and (sometimes) a deep capacity for controlled rage. These attributes would make it difficult for many telepaths to dominate his mind, but against the combined power of the Five-in-One it wasn’t even close to enough.
Helpless before the psychic might of Emma Frost and her daughters Drizzt Do’Urden walked into the campsite. Many of the merchants and their servants exclaimed in shock and fear upon seeing a hated dark elf in their midst, but Drizzt couldn’t have reacted to their hostile glances and insulting words even if he had wanted to.
Alerted to Drizzt’s presence by Phoebe Cuckoo, all the universal travelers were gathered together to meet with the elf that had been spying on them for over a day.
This was the dark elf’s first chance to look at the group up close and he took the opportunity to study them more closely.
Despite her size and muscles the green woman had a curvaceous figure and there was something indefinably playful about her. Drizzt doubted she was a warrior first and foremost.
The four blonde fair skinned women were very similar in appearance; in fact three of them had virtually identical features. The older blonde woman was not merely fat, as Drizzt had first assumed when seeing her from a distance, but in the late stages of pregnancy.
Immediately after having that thought, Drizzt felt a sharp burst of pain, as though someone had stuck a knife in his head. The ranger focused his attention on the pregnant woman, her expression telling him that she was responsible.
The brown skinned human woman in the group spoke sharply to the older blonde in a language Drizzt had never heard before. The dark elf took in her shapely figure and white hair, something about her confident manner identifying the brown woman as a leader to Drizzt.
Based on what the ranger had observed over the previous 24 hours he suspected that the man who could shoot beams of red energy out of his eyes was her husband or at least lover. Though unlike the white haired woman Drizzt had not yet formed an opinion of that powerful man.
The black haired fair skinned woman and the two males who usually accompanied her bothered the ranger. The way that the males faces were always devoid of expression and how they seemed to ignore all injury struck Drizzt as deeply unnatural.
While the woman…
Drizzt simply didn’t like her.
Something about her struck him as…wrong.
The ranger couldn’t spot the shapeshifter; he suspected that she had taken another form as soon as she learned he was watching her. Though unfortunately, helpless as he currently was, Drizzt didn’t think such concern on her part was necessary.
The universal travelers might not have allowed Drizzt Do’Urden to study them for so long if they had not been so intently studying him. For this was their first look at one of his kind.
They took in his handsome face, muscular form, and obvious weapons (the two curved swords at his hips). Noting the ranger’s more non-human features such as his ebony skin, long pointed ears, and lavender eyes which appeared to glow in the dim light.
Though Drizzt had no way of appreciating it, he was actually a lot more ‘normal’ looking than a lot of the genetically human friends and foes the X-Men had known. But the dark elf had no hope of keeping such secrets of his own from the Five-in-One and the human women soon knew all his deepest secrets.
The Frost family could feel Drizzt’s sense of violation and his growing rage at what they were doing to him. But they also saw what kind of person he was, and knew the dark elf was an honorable being who would keep his word if he gave it.
Drizzt suddenly heard a woman’s voice in his head, her mental tone almost sympathetic.
~If we release you do you promise to hear us out and not attack us if we do not threaten you?~
Though he wanted to lash out at the people controlling him, Drizzt could see no reasonable alternative to accepting the voice’s offer. So the ranger simply said yes within the confines of his own mind.
Suddenly the dark elf felt as though a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He felt like flexing his shoulders, running around, or asserting his renewed control over his body in some other way. But the disciplined dark elf restrained the urge and simply stood calmly. Not wanting to show weakness in front of such obviously dangerous beings.
“Who are you?…why were you spying on us?”
It was the first time Drizzt had heard the man who never showed his eyes speak. The voice was deep and confident, the voice of someone used to giving orders having them obeyed.
~The leader perhaps?~ Drizzt wondered.
“My name is Drizzt Do’Urden and I was sent by the High Mage of Silverymoon to investigate the bandits terrorizing this area…I finally caught up with them just in time to witness your group defeat and capture them and have been observing you since then to determine whether or not you and you’re companions were a threat” the dark elf calmly announced.
“And what have you decided?” the man asked.
“I have not made up my mind yet…you showed clear concern for the humans in this caravan and mercy towards you’re defeated enemies but what you have done to me is clearly an aggressive act” Drizzt said carefully. Wanting to avoid further conflict with the mind benders if possible.
“It may have been aggressive but we had to respond to the unknown and potentially dangerous being spying on us…I apologize for any mental trauma we may have caused you” the black haired woman said, her words crisp and cool.
Drizzt simply nodded as he observed the way that the quiet males by her were silently watching him. Wondering how fast they would respond if their apparent mistress ordered them to attack him.
“What do you want?” the pregnant blonde asked, and Drizzt recognized her voice as the one he had heard in his head.
“I wish to escort the goblins raiders to Silverymoon to face justice” Drizzt said firmly. His voice filled with righteous fury at what the goblin bandits had done.
“I would also like to escort you to Silverymoon if that is you’re goal…I am sure the Bright Lady herself would greet you warmly after bringing the bandits reign of terror to an end” Drizzt continued in a more diplomatic tone. Knowing that the powerful Lady Alustriel Silverhand was probably far more qualified to determine if these people were a true threat than he was, and that she was definitely more equipped to deal with their mental tricky if they were a threat.
The universal outsiders began to chatter excitedly among themselves in their own language, a tongue that Drizzt did not know.
It was the brown skinned white haired woman who finally replied to Drizzt. Her voice clear, confident, and with a definite tone of command, making the dark elf even more confused as to who the leader was.
“We accept your gracious offer and will gladly travel to Silverymoon with you.”
*****
Chrissy Lera, Marian Casta, and what was left of the Crimson Legion had immediately slaughtered everyone at the main Imperious Industries base on Terra 9 after entering the base through the inter-dimensional portal. It had not taken long, for the security forces at the base were small and not expecting an attack.
Then they had taken everything of value they could find, smashed the controls for the portal room, set the base on fire, and left.
Under other circumstances Chrissy would have gladly claimed the well-built building as her new base of operations, or at least a temporary headquarters. But it would be all too easy for Imperious Dakar and his forces to find the necromancer and her followers there, besides after her recent experiences Chrissy had no intention of fighting the technomancer in a MECHANIZED building ever again.
The necromancer and her vampire followers had ended up settling in a small abandoned town roughly thirty miles away from the Imperious Industries base they had wrecked. Needing to find shelter from the rays of the hurtful sun, which only their leader was immune to.
The town wasn’t much to look at.
It had roughly a dozen primitive wooden buildings, many of which showed extensive damage, with smashed in walls, ripped off doors, and numerous burn marks. Chrissy was no soldier, and seldom played the role of warrior, but even to her inexperienced eyes it appeared that a savage battle had taken place here.
During the day while Marian and the other vampires were resting Chrissy occupied herself by rebuilding and fortifying the town. It would have been a difficult task for the female dark elf, if she had not found a shallow mass grave in front of one of the buildings.
The necromancer had quickly animated the human corpses she found; and used the zombies to help her cover holes in walls, dig trenches, haul away burnt wood, and all sorts of other manual labor.
The task was time consuming but simple and relatively easy for a necromancer of Chrissy’s power. The black skinned elf woman soon grew bored and found herself studying the only standing sign in the town.
It was a large wooden sign crudely but firmly nailed to the side of the largest building in the area. The sign was painted red with large black letters drawn across it.
The elf from Earth was not familiar with the language, but her magic soon revealed the meaning of the words. Chrissy’s artificial red eyes widening in surprise as she realized what the sign announced.
THE CITY OF SLEEPY MEADOWS IS CLAIMED IN THE NAME OF KING OBOULD AND IS NOW THE SOVEREIGN TERRITORY OF THE KINGDOM OF MANY-ARROWS.
IN THE YEAR OF GRUUMSH’S VENGEANCE, YEAR ONE IN THE REIGN OF THE GOD-KING.
The planet that the Imperious Industries scouting team had designated Terra 9 was in many ways a primitive world.
Technology and science were virtually non-existent. The vast majority of the people were essentially illiterate peasants, most of the governments were basically oligarchies, monarchies, theocracies, and whatever organization the local warlord could pull together.
Such governments had been very common on Earth when Chrissy Lera came of age, and the dark elf necromancer had a very low opinion of them. Regarding those institutions as oppressive, wasteful, corrupt, and all too often mired in self-serving lies and superstitions.
There was some truth to this.
Powerful nobles, strong warlords, absolute monarchs, and pious priest-kings all too often ruled through fear. Using the power of tradition, superstition, and naked force to support their reign. Serving their ideology, inner circle, or perhaps simply themselves instead of the people they governed.
On the necromancer’s world such abuse of power had all too often eventually led to violent revolution. But not all theocracies and warlords were oppressive, and sometimes monarchs embodied the very ideals they told their subjects to emulate.
*****
Lady Alustriel Silverhand was a legendary figure.
She had assumed the title of High Mage of Silverymoon after saving the city-state from a group of scheming wizards plotting to take the city over from within and a rampaging horde of Orcs assaulting the city from without. The High Mage had ruled Silverymoon for many human generations since then; maintaining the security, expanding the power, and ensuring the prosperity of her kingdom throughout that time.
Therefore it was not surprising that many of Lady Alustriel’s subjects regarded her with an adoration bordering on worship.
But even far outside the boundaries of Silverymoon Alustriel Silverhand was well known for her beauty, intelligence, benevolence, and tremendous mystical power. Some even whispered that she was an avatar of the goddess of magic herself.
However, despite her good looks, power, influence, and wisdom the centuries old sorceress was neither omnipotent nor omniscient.
Lady Alustriel Silverhand knew that if the raiders that had been terrorizing the area around Silverymoon were not dealt with soon even she might not be able to avert war. A bloody war that would tear the region of the Silver Marches apart.
That was why the long time ruler of Silverymoon had sent one of her most trusted friends to investigate the problem. A male of profound integrity and incredible martial talent.
The Lady of Silverymoon just hoped that it wasn’t already too late to prevent a disaster.
*****
In the day since Sage, Cyclops, Storm, the Frost family, She-Hulk, Mystique, and their Terminator servants had captured the goblin tribe Knights Bane relations between the universal travelers and the rest of the merchant caravan had gotten much worse.
The mutants and their allies performance during the battle against Knights Bane convinced many of the more xenophobic servants and merchants that the universal outsiders were anything but human. Making them untrustworthy in the small-minded Homo sapiens eyes.
But even the more tolerant and cosmopolitan members of the caravan had trouble understanding or empathizing with She-Hulk’s decision to protect the helpless goblins after they had been defeated.
To these humans species like the elves, dwarves, gnomes, and the other ‘civilized’ races were worthy of respect. They could even be considered equals or comrades under certain circumstances.
But ‘savage’ species like goblins, orcs, and trolls were fit only for slavery or extermination. Treating them like beings with inherent value and rights was inconceivable to such a mindset.
A fact that the goblin leader Slygrin was all too aware of, and was trying to explain to his audience of one.
“These humans despise anyone who isn’t PRETTY like them…you’re too big and strong…people like you make them feel small and weak…and they HATE you for it” Slygrin told the
She-Hulk, his words filled with loathing for the race he had battled for his entire adult life.
The tall green woman looked around the forest that their goblin captives were currently resting in, paying close attention to the men watching over the prisoners with her. Knowing that it was only her presence that kept some of the men from slaughtering the helpless goblin prisoners.
“Not all humans are like this Slygrin…despite the fact that I’m so tall and green many humans have been very nice to me” She-Hulk replied. Thinking of her friends, family, and former lovers back in her home universe. Frustrated by the fact that no one on this world seemed willing to believe that she was human.
Slygrin smiled in a way that showed how he had gotten his name, his fangs reminding She-Hulk of a predatory cat’s.
“You mean MEN have treated you nicely don’t ya?…that’s just because they want to fuck you…when you get old or if something messes up your pretty face they won’t be so nice anymore” Slygrin said crudely. Trying to attack the green woman’s self-confidence.
She-Hulk glared down at the muscular humanoid.
Jennifer Walters knew that it was thanks to the exotic beauty that she had acquired since becoming the She-Hulk that she had experienced a successful modeling career, a short but lucrative acting career, been paid to endorse numerous products, and gained legions of fans in her home world. But she refused to believe that her sex appeal was the only reason anyone liked her.
~Its not like all my friends are heterosexual men or gay women~ She-Hulk thought as she gazed down at the bestial looking creature that had just insulted her.
“No…not all humans are like that…a lot of them like me because of the way I act not what I look like…besides I AM human” She-Hulk said with some heat. Doing her best not to get angry.
Slygrin laughed evilly, malice in his eyes and hate in his heart as he gazed up at the female that had helped defeat his tribe and replied “Your different enough for all the other humans to tell you apart…and to fear you for being so much stronger than them…for looking different than them…and what the humans fear they hate…and what they hate they will eventually seek to destroy.”
“You’re wrong…I protect them from people like you…they won’t turn on me” the green woman said coldly. Clenching her hands into fists without consciously realizing it.
Slygrin saw the gesture and was more than smart enough to realize it wasn’t a good idea to antagonize someone so much stronger than him when he was so helpless. But he couldn’t seem to stop himself.
He hated the humans too much, and what he saw as the naivety of the female before him offended him.
Instead Slygrin thought of what little She-Hulk had told him about her comrades. Comparing it to his own experiences.
“Oh really…tell that to the mutants” the tribal leader said in a voice filled with contempt.
*****
The group of universal travelers didn’t really have a formal hierarchy. Nevertheless thanks to her position as dominant aspect of the Five-in-One and the fact that she had organized this expedition in the first place, Emma Frost often acted as a nominal leader of the group. While Sage tended to take charge during battle thanks to her talent for coordinating the group telepathically.
But neither woman could simply order the other members of the group around and expect them to obey without question. Cyclops, Storm, and Mystique had faced Frost and Sage as enemies too many times in the past to ever give them that sort of blind faith. Even Emma’s daughters were not willing to simply obey their mother without question, she had done too good a job trying to teach the younger telepaths guile and cunning for that to be possible anymore (besides all too often they knew her reasons for doing something as soon as she did).
As a result the universal travelers often engaged in a lot of discussion before any major decision.
“We should abandon the humans and travel the rest of the way to Silverymoon on our own…now that we are all reduced to walking the caravan is only slowing us down” Sage said in a critical tone.
The Frost family, Sage, Storm, Cyclops, and Mystique were meeting in a secluded area of the forest a short distance away from the main camp the merchant caravan had set up. Their Terminators were watching over the prisoners along with She-Hulk, as much to protect the goblins as to prevent them from escaping. In response to Sage’s words Ororo and Scott exchanged questioning looks, while the Emma Frost and her daughters telepathically debated the ruthless suggestion.
The brown skinned wind rider was the first to respond, replying firmly “we cannot simply abandon them now…they will murder the goblins as soon as we are out of sight if we do…and they will probably fall prey to other bandits without us now that they are all forced to travel on foot.”
“We owe these people nothing…all we promised them was to pay for our passage and not cause trouble on the journey…we should simply cut our losses and continue on our own” Emma argued.
The beautiful black mutant glared at the telepath who had once stolen her body and on more than one occasion tried to destroy her mind. Emma and Ororo had been allies for long time since then, but they were still far from friends.
With those old grudges in mind Storm replied coldly “I would have expected YOU to say something like that Emma…but the rest of us are not so callous…we can afford to spend a few more days on the road if it will prevent more pointless bloodshed.”
Mystique watched the attractive black and white women glaring at one another so fiercely with undisguised interest. Wondering if their long running feud would finally move from verbal warfare to violence.
“I don’t really care either way…but we have been looking for Esme and Jean Grey for over half a year…it doesn’t seem like a few days delay would make a difference at this point” the shapeshifter said casually.
“Until recently I would have agreed with you Mystique…but circumstances have changed,” Sage stated calmly.
“What do you mean?” asked Cyclops gruffly, who all too often felt left out of the loop as one of the few non-telepaths and the only man in their group.
“Over the last day I have detected the psychic presence of The Phoenix growing stronger and stronger…this most likely means that she is either getting closer or exerting more of her power…both are cause for concern and indicate that we are reaching some sort of crisis point” Sage coolly explained.
“We felt it too” Mindee, Celeste, and Phoebe all said in unison while Emma simply nodded smugly.
“WHAT!…why didn’t you tell me?” Storm indignantly demanded, being anything but calm on the subject of her beloved Jean.
“We are telling you now dear” Emma said in a bitchy tone. Having little patience with Munroe’s artificially induced obsession.
Storm seemed to become even angrier at the former White Queen’s words, and a physical confrontation between the two women seemed all but inevitable at this point. But Sage cut through the rising tension with a telepathic ‘suggestion’ backed up by so much psychic power it was virtually a command.
~Enough…this bickering is pointless.~
“We cannot allow ourselves to become distracted by personal issues at this point…finding Esme and Jean Grey must remain our priority…especially now that we are so close to our goal…I would have thought that you two would have realized that” Sage stated critically.
Storm looked away and stared at the ground in shame, and even the proud Emma Frost appeared a little embarrassed.
~You should be nicer to Miss Munroe mother…she can’t help what The Phoenix did to her~ Sophie telepathically told her mother.
~I…I know Sophie…but its hard to be civil to someone who hates me so much~ Emma replied to the little female within her own body.
“So what should we do?” asked Scott Summers, wanting to switch the topic of discussion back to his missing wife.
“We have more immediate problems,” Phoebe said ominously as she detected a foreign presence, instantly alerting her mother and sisters as to what she had discovered.
*****
The Ranger Drizzt Do’Urden had been tracking the goblin tribe Knights Bane ever since Lady Alustriel Silverhand had sent Drizzt to investigate the goblin raiders. The dark elf had followed the trail of destruction Knights Bane left in its wake and had almost caught up to the heavily armed raiders when Slygrin and his followers mounted the attack on the merchant caravan carrying the universal travelers.
Drizzt had arrived on the scene just in time to witness the very end of the battle. In all the confusion no one had even noticed the stealthy ranger observing it all from a distance.
He had been impressed by the speed and power of the goblin weapons, which reminded him of the few muskets he had seen, but possessed a lethal efficiency far beyond such primitive guns. But Drizzt had been even more amazed by the awesome powers of the universal outsiders.
In the ranger’s many years of combat and adventure he had seldom seen such raw strength, shapeshifting prowess, physical invulnerability, and destructive might. Drizzt was particularly impressed (and concerned by) how the green female had made the earth literally quake just by stomping her feet, and the way that her allies had somehow knocked out all the remaining goblins still on their feet all at once.
With that kind of power these creatures would be formidable foes indeed in they turned out to be hostile.
And Drizzt still had no idea if these people were friend or foe. So the dark elf ranger had simply observed them from a distance since then, trying to get a clearer picture of just who or what they were.
At the moment the dark elf was sitting in a tree just on the edge of the campsite the caravan had set up. Watching as the tall and amazingly strong green woman moved among the goblins, curious as to why she had such apparent compassion for the savage little creatures.
~What are these people?…are they as human as most of them appear?…are they motivated by a code of ethics and morality anything like all the goodly people I have known?” the dark elf wondered. Philosophically musing as he often did in his quieter moments.
Then without warning Drizzt felt SOMETHING invade his consciousness. The dark elf found himself climbing down the tree without any mental effort on his part. He struggled against whatever was controlling him, but Drizzt’s limbs obeyed the foreign presence inside, not himself.
Mentally fighting back with every step, focusing all his anger at this violation against the invader, Drizzt Do’Urden helplessly walked towards the merchant caravan.
*****
Drizzt Do’Urden was a strong willed individual with a disciplined mind and (sometimes) a deep capacity for controlled rage. These attributes would make it difficult for many telepaths to dominate his mind, but against the combined power of the Five-in-One it wasn’t even close to enough.
Helpless before the psychic might of Emma Frost and her daughters Drizzt Do’Urden walked into the campsite. Many of the merchants and their servants exclaimed in shock and fear upon seeing a hated dark elf in their midst, but Drizzt couldn’t have reacted to their hostile glances and insulting words even if he had wanted to.
Alerted to Drizzt’s presence by Phoebe Cuckoo, all the universal travelers were gathered together to meet with the elf that had been spying on them for over a day.
This was the dark elf’s first chance to look at the group up close and he took the opportunity to study them more closely.
Despite her size and muscles the green woman had a curvaceous figure and there was something indefinably playful about her. Drizzt doubted she was a warrior first and foremost.
The four blonde fair skinned women were very similar in appearance; in fact three of them had virtually identical features. The older blonde woman was not merely fat, as Drizzt had first assumed when seeing her from a distance, but in the late stages of pregnancy.
Immediately after having that thought, Drizzt felt a sharp burst of pain, as though someone had stuck a knife in his head. The ranger focused his attention on the pregnant woman, her expression telling him that she was responsible.
The brown skinned human woman in the group spoke sharply to the older blonde in a language Drizzt had never heard before. The dark elf took in her shapely figure and white hair, something about her confident manner identifying the brown woman as a leader to Drizzt.
Based on what the ranger had observed over the previous 24 hours he suspected that the man who could shoot beams of red energy out of his eyes was her husband or at least lover. Though unlike the white haired woman Drizzt had not yet formed an opinion of that powerful man.
The black haired fair skinned woman and the two males who usually accompanied her bothered the ranger. The way that the males faces were always devoid of expression and how they seemed to ignore all injury struck Drizzt as deeply unnatural.
While the woman…
Drizzt simply didn’t like her.
Something about her struck him as…wrong.
The ranger couldn’t spot the shapeshifter; he suspected that she had taken another form as soon as she learned he was watching her. Though unfortunately, helpless as he currently was, Drizzt didn’t think such concern on her part was necessary.
The universal travelers might not have allowed Drizzt Do’Urden to study them for so long if they had not been so intently studying him. For this was their first look at one of his kind.
They took in his handsome face, muscular form, and obvious weapons (the two curved swords at his hips). Noting the ranger’s more non-human features such as his ebony skin, long pointed ears, and lavender eyes which appeared to glow in the dim light.
Though Drizzt had no way of appreciating it, he was actually a lot more ‘normal’ looking than a lot of the genetically human friends and foes the X-Men had known. But the dark elf had no hope of keeping such secrets of his own from the Five-in-One and the human women soon knew all his deepest secrets.
The Frost family could feel Drizzt’s sense of violation and his growing rage at what they were doing to him. But they also saw what kind of person he was, and knew the dark elf was an honorable being who would keep his word if he gave it.
Drizzt suddenly heard a woman’s voice in his head, her mental tone almost sympathetic.
~If we release you do you promise to hear us out and not attack us if we do not threaten you?~
Though he wanted to lash out at the people controlling him, Drizzt could see no reasonable alternative to accepting the voice’s offer. So the ranger simply said yes within the confines of his own mind.
Suddenly the dark elf felt as though a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He felt like flexing his shoulders, running around, or asserting his renewed control over his body in some other way. But the disciplined dark elf restrained the urge and simply stood calmly. Not wanting to show weakness in front of such obviously dangerous beings.
“Who are you?…why were you spying on us?”
It was the first time Drizzt had heard the man who never showed his eyes speak. The voice was deep and confident, the voice of someone used to giving orders having them obeyed.
~The leader perhaps?~ Drizzt wondered.
“My name is Drizzt Do’Urden and I was sent by the High Mage of Silverymoon to investigate the bandits terrorizing this area…I finally caught up with them just in time to witness your group defeat and capture them and have been observing you since then to determine whether or not you and you’re companions were a threat” the dark elf calmly announced.
“And what have you decided?” the man asked.
“I have not made up my mind yet…you showed clear concern for the humans in this caravan and mercy towards you’re defeated enemies but what you have done to me is clearly an aggressive act” Drizzt said carefully. Wanting to avoid further conflict with the mind benders if possible.
“It may have been aggressive but we had to respond to the unknown and potentially dangerous being spying on us…I apologize for any mental trauma we may have caused you” the black haired woman said, her words crisp and cool.
Drizzt simply nodded as he observed the way that the quiet males by her were silently watching him. Wondering how fast they would respond if their apparent mistress ordered them to attack him.
“What do you want?” the pregnant blonde asked, and Drizzt recognized her voice as the one he had heard in his head.
“I wish to escort the goblins raiders to Silverymoon to face justice” Drizzt said firmly. His voice filled with righteous fury at what the goblin bandits had done.
“I would also like to escort you to Silverymoon if that is you’re goal…I am sure the Bright Lady herself would greet you warmly after bringing the bandits reign of terror to an end” Drizzt continued in a more diplomatic tone. Knowing that the powerful Lady Alustriel Silverhand was probably far more qualified to determine if these people were a true threat than he was, and that she was definitely more equipped to deal with their mental tricky if they were a threat.
The universal outsiders began to chatter excitedly among themselves in their own language, a tongue that Drizzt did not know.
It was the brown skinned white haired woman who finally replied to Drizzt. Her voice clear, confident, and with a definite tone of command, making the dark elf even more confused as to who the leader was.
“We accept your gracious offer and will gladly travel to Silverymoon with you.”
*****
Chrissy Lera, Marian Casta, and what was left of the Crimson Legion had immediately slaughtered everyone at the main Imperious Industries base on Terra 9 after entering the base through the inter-dimensional portal. It had not taken long, for the security forces at the base were small and not expecting an attack.
Then they had taken everything of value they could find, smashed the controls for the portal room, set the base on fire, and left.
Under other circumstances Chrissy would have gladly claimed the well-built building as her new base of operations, or at least a temporary headquarters. But it would be all too easy for Imperious Dakar and his forces to find the necromancer and her followers there, besides after her recent experiences Chrissy had no intention of fighting the technomancer in a MECHANIZED building ever again.
The necromancer and her vampire followers had ended up settling in a small abandoned town roughly thirty miles away from the Imperious Industries base they had wrecked. Needing to find shelter from the rays of the hurtful sun, which only their leader was immune to.
The town wasn’t much to look at.
It had roughly a dozen primitive wooden buildings, many of which showed extensive damage, with smashed in walls, ripped off doors, and numerous burn marks. Chrissy was no soldier, and seldom played the role of warrior, but even to her inexperienced eyes it appeared that a savage battle had taken place here.
During the day while Marian and the other vampires were resting Chrissy occupied herself by rebuilding and fortifying the town. It would have been a difficult task for the female dark elf, if she had not found a shallow mass grave in front of one of the buildings.
The necromancer had quickly animated the human corpses she found; and used the zombies to help her cover holes in walls, dig trenches, haul away burnt wood, and all sorts of other manual labor.
The task was time consuming but simple and relatively easy for a necromancer of Chrissy’s power. The black skinned elf woman soon grew bored and found herself studying the only standing sign in the town.
It was a large wooden sign crudely but firmly nailed to the side of the largest building in the area. The sign was painted red with large black letters drawn across it.
The elf from Earth was not familiar with the language, but her magic soon revealed the meaning of the words. Chrissy’s artificial red eyes widening in surprise as she realized what the sign announced.
THE CITY OF SLEEPY MEADOWS IS CLAIMED IN THE NAME OF KING OBOULD AND IS NOW THE SOVEREIGN TERRITORY OF THE KINGDOM OF MANY-ARROWS.
IN THE YEAR OF GRUUMSH’S VENGEANCE, YEAR ONE IN THE REIGN OF THE GOD-KING.