Dark Beginnings - X-Men: Apocalypse

Chapter 8:

When the portal finally closed, Nina and Erik met eyes.  "Please no." 

"And what of yourself?" he asked in response.

She looked away.  True, she didn't look to be in a much better situation than him. "I-it's a long story..." Her words trailed off.

"Sounds like it, according to your old friend." By the way he said 'friend', she could tell he knew that she and En Sabah Nur had been more than that, much more than that. She wondered how much he had told the Horsemen about them, about their history. About her. 

"He's told me all about you - the old you. It sounds like you have quite the history together."

"That's one way to put it. But there's nothing between us, not anymore-"

"That doesn't seem to be what he believes. I am not here to judge, so you don't judge me."

"I'm not judging.  Oh Erik,  I'm so sorry for what happened to your family. So, so sorry." 

"They killed my family, my loves. They have killed everyone I have loved - and they will pay." And with that he turned away.

Oh no - here we go again...  After staying hidden and quiet for so long, Magneto had returned. 

-----------------------------------

Apocalypse - yes, she had begun referring to him as that now - had given her a new outfit, a gift, he said, fit for 'a queen', fit for a 'goddess'.

Her new elaborate armour, a mix of silver and gold designs, consisted of decorative jewelry around her arms and wrists, a headpiece, and included multiple rings.

Finally, Charles stirred awake. Nina's heart leapt - Oh, thank God-

They stood on a cliff overlooking Cairo, the new, modern Egypt.

"You're blocking me - how?" Charles asked. 

"I can shield their minds from your power," Apocalypse explained.  "It's one of the many gifts I have acquired throughout the millennia. But to see inside a mind-" He knelt down to be more level with Charles.  "-To control it, that is your gift. You saw it, didn't you? The glory of what is to come."

"You're going to take part in all this killing and destruction?" Charles demanded of Erik, though his eyes never left Apocalypse.

"It's all I've ever known."

"No, it isn't. You've just forgotten."

"No, Charles, I remember. All of them. Your way doesn't work."

"I've shown him a better way," Apocalypse said. "A better world."

"No, you've just tapped into his rage and pain, that's what  you've done, that's all you've done.  With all of them." Now he turned to his old friend.  "I told you from the moment I met you that there is more to you, Erik. There is good in you too," Charles kept insisting, always believing the best in people. It was one of the things she admired and loved most about him.

"Whatever you think you saw in me Charles, I buried it with my family," Erik countered and turned away. 

"Now, Charles-" Apocalypse was back on his feet. "I want you to send a message."

"To who?"

The ancient man smirked. "Everyone..."

--------------------------------------

"Here me, inhabitants of this world. This is a message. A message to every man, woman, child and mutant in the world. You have lost your way. But I have returned. The day of reckoning is here. All your buildings, all of your towers and temples, will fall. And the dawn of a new age will rise. For there is nothing you can do to stop what is coming. This message is for one reason and one reason alone: To tell the strongest among you, those with the greatest power..."

"Those with the greatest power, this Earth will be yours," Apocalypse ordered  him to say. 

"Those with the greatest power - protect those without." Charles broke out of Apocalypse's hold for a moment, just long enough. "That's my message to the world."

--------------------------------------

"A gift, from the past you left behind, and the future that lies ahead." Apocalypse handed Erik the helmet he had sculpted out of sand using his powers - one of his many powers.  "You will reach down, my son. Deep into the Earth. Rip everything they've built from the ground, wipe clean this world. And we will lead those that survive into a better one." Then Apocalypse turned and regarded his Horsemen, now four, now complete.  "Famine, Pestilence, Death, War, my Four Horsemen. Together, we will cleanse the Earth."

"To the strong?" said Psylocke. 

"No, to the strongest," he corrected.  "And then I, En Sabah Nur, will take my place as ruler again, ruler of the New World. Everything they have built will fall, and from the ashes of their world, we'll build a better one."  Then he turned to Nina and held his hand out to her.   "And we shall rule together for all time."  

"And me?" piped-up Charles. "Am I to play a role in all this madness?"

Now Apocalypse smirked once again. "Yes, you have the most important role of all."

And suddenly it hit her-

No - oh, no-

It suddenly all became clear, alarmingly and terrifyingly clear: he was going to transfer himself to Charles. 

(Duh, duh, duh! ;) I felt this was a good, suspenseful place to end the chapter!

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed! :))