THE OTHERWORLD SAGA

Part IV: Survivors

By David Wheatley

Captain’s Log – Earthdate 270300

The battle’s been won, but the price was my doppelganger, Pete Wisdom. With the help of Excalibur we were able to keep the enemy at bay until reinforcements arrived from the United States. The International League of Avengers, led by Professor Susan Richards managed to defeat the enemy and saved this realm from slavery at the hands of Sat-Yr-Nine. Now I must try and help Excalibur deal with the loss of the friend and teammate and hopefully find away to defeat the enemy on Otherworld, or we will lose this war.

Peter Wisdom looked at the other members of Excalibur. Brian was looking guilty at losing Pete to the enemy, but Meggan was reassuring him that it wasn’t his fault, that he couldn’t have known that Pete had swapped clothes with the injured Peter and that Sat-Yr-Nine’s troops got the wrong Wisdom. It wasn’t helping that the two of them had been fighting earlier and Brian was thinking that maybe, just maybe, he had done it on purpose.

It was not an easy burden to bear and the other members of the team were wondering what next. Of the three, Kylun had served on the team before, so he knew that Brian was better than this, and he knew the doubts he had been having for a while, before he left the team to find his parents and when he met up with them again on Otherworld at the marriage of Brian and Meggan.

“You have?” said Khaos suddenly, standing and gathering the attention of the people around him.

“Have what?” asked Peter.

“Ibic’s found a way of stopping Ghath, or at least cutting him off from his magics on Otherworld.”

“How?” said Martinique, who had been taking care of the wounded, taking their minds of their pain with illusions whilst the doctors worked to repair the broken bones and damaged limbs.

“I’m not sure,” admitted Khaos. “All I know is we need to speak with Brian and Professor Richards.”

“I’ll get the Professor,” said Peter and Kylun went to get Brian and Meggan, leaving Khaos and Martinique alone. An uncomfortable silence fell between them, two strangers forced together by circumstances and now fighting for their lives and the lives of everyone around them.

“Well,” he said, breaking the silence, knowing that if they were to work as a team, they needed to get to know each other outside of the fighting. “How are you holding up?”

“I’m… fine. Thanks,” she said. “It’s just this is out of my league. It’s like I’m only just treading water and that if I let up for a moment I’ll drown in the intensity of it all.”

“I know the feeling,” said Khaos, his voice tinged with sadness. “Once I was just a warrior, fighting for my country or whoever would pay the most. Then I found Ibic,’ and he produced the small statue of a monkey. “It’s tecknomagical powers revealed I was born to the Emperor of the Dark Elves, and charged by the elder gods to prevent a war between the two major elven powers. I managed to do so, but Ghath didn’t like the idea of me being in charge and he started his own war.” He looked down at the ground. “I failed to stop him, and now my world is forfeit, and maybe the rest of creation.”

“How do you deal with the intensity of such failure?” asked Martinique, choosing her words carefully, to sound as though she was being friendly, but at the same time taking a shot at the dark elf.

“Hrhn,” said Khaos, clearing his throat, wondering if she’d attacked him or not but decided to give her the benefit of the doubt. “I deal with it by staying alive, for whilst I’m alive there is hope for salvaging what I can. Maybe even regaining Irth. Somehow. How are you dealing with the intensity of it this?”

“When I was a little girl, my father used to create his own illusionary world for me to live in. It was a beautiful eighteenth century world, except there was also a sadistic streak within him and he used to leave me there for days, so for a while I was unprepared for the real world.”

Khaos felt a sudden urge of pity for her, but he didn’t show it on his face.

“Then he lost a fight with someone he thought he could control, somebody who had more power than he could ever have dreamed of. He was using the same 18th century world to mould her to his will, but she turned and gave him the power he was craving, expanding his mind so that he was, for a moment, a god.” He saw the fire in her eyes, the desire for revenge on the woman who hurt her father, but on a woman she could never touch.

“His mind couldn’t take it and shut him down. I was in the illusionary reality at that time and when his mind shut down, the illusion became a nightmare and I was trapped inside it. It unleashed my own mutant powers over illusions and I managed to escape the nightmare. I cope by remembering what I saw in there and thinking that if I can prevent it from becoming a reality…” she didn’t finish the sentence as the memories of that dark place, the emptiness, the unseen hands reaching out and touching her and then the visions of the world in flames.

Khaos watched her pale before his eyes and saw the goose bumps rise on her skin. What world could she have been subjected to, and did he want to know? This woman was strong and from what he could tell had an inner fire that burned brightly, but her inner fears could overwhelm her. Or her desire for vengeance. However he felt he knew her a little better now and at least for that, he was grateful.

Then his thoughts turned from her and he wondered what was happening with her sponsor, Pete Wisdom…

Pete Wisdom watched in vain as he saw Roma and Merlyn swaying in the breeze, being slowly killed by strangulation, as the thin pieces of wire cut in to their necks, as they hung from the branches of a tall oak tree. The blood was trickling down her neck as Roma struggled, trying in vain to keep alive, whilst Merlyn was still comatose.

Sat-Yr-Nine and Ghath watched, the Mastrex keeping a cruel smile on her lips as Ghath watched passively. At Pete’s side was Linda McQuillan, who was shaking and on the verge of crying. Her eyes were red and it was if she were not really here. These scabs had done something vile to her and he’d make them pay. As soon as he figured a way of triggering a hot knife.

The only thing he could think of was that Ghath had created a spell to neutralise his mutant abilities and seeing as he was trapped in a useless Captain Britain costume there was very little he could do, except watch them die, and then Brian would be upset. He looked at Linda again, wondering if she could help, but he knew he couldn’t ask her just yet. One thing was clear – he was running out of time.

Then he saw something, as he looked at Merlyn, thinking that the dozy old git ought to wake up and fix things. His finger moved. It could have been misconstrued as a reaction to being hung, but Pete was an experienced field agent. He knew what was reflex and what wasn’t, and that wasn’t. Then Merlyn was still again and Pete glanced to Ghath who had seemingly stumbled a moment, as if some thing had surged at him.

Pete wasn’t sure what was happening but he could make a good guess at why Merlyn was out of action and it took all his self control not to smile as he focused and then a smell of burning wafted in to the air. His powers were back and if he was right he had Merlyn to thank for them. He didn’t have long left to react and he had to be precise. If he was right he had enough strength and power to fire off six knives at once and he had to be precise with them. He hadn’t been awake that long and his head was still ringing a little.

He pulled himself together and fired them, two heading off to cut the wires suspending Roma and Merlyn, two to free himself and Linda and the other two towards Sat-Yr-Nine and Ghath. The first four hit their marks and Roma and Merlyn dropped to the floor, as Pete stood up. Lind stayed sat down. The other two were straight and true, however they lacked the reach to get their targets and Ghath and Sat-Yr-Nine jumped out of the way, just in case.

Pete gulped and took stock of the situation. There were shock troops all around and he didn’t have much power for any more hot knife antics. Bugger, he thought, then he looked at Roma who was breathing a little easier. He’d been in quite a few near death situations before and the adrenal surge usually gave that extra burst of power to get out of them. He didn’t have the first clue about the physiology of Roma, but Brian seemed to be the same as Pete in those situations and Brian and Roma were of the same race after all.

“GET US OUT OF HERE!” he shouted to the guardian of the Omniverse and Roma managed to use the adrenaline going through her system to create a spell and get the four of them out of there, leaving Ghath and Sat-Yr-Nine to wonder what the hell happened and blame each other as to whose fault it was.

Back on Earth 577, the respective heroes had gathered to see what Ibic had to say.

“Are you sure you’re up to this?” asked Kylun of Khaos. He had seen his own share of mystical bonding, and he knew how draining they could be.

“I’m sure,” said Khaos, “and thank you for offering to do this in my place.”

“No problem,” said Kylun and stepped back to give his friend room. Khaos looked around, making sure that the area was clear and spread his wings. He crossed the swords in to an X symbol and Ibic floated from his belt up and rested on the apex of the triangle created by the swords. Then Khaos was surrounded in a yellow energy glow and he lifted in to the air and energy was projected from the eyes of Ibic and created a mystical image of a monkey.

“Bloody hell,” said Peter, “it’s Cornelius.” Brian shot him a look, thinking how similar and how different this Wisdom and their own really were.

“I am Ibic,” said the monkey. “I greet you, Brian Braddock and Susan Richards. I welcome your input in solving this crisis in the multiverse.”

“Whatever we can do to help,” said Brian, folding his arms across his chest and Meggan and Kylun saw a glimpse of the old Captain Britain in his stance.

“Agreed,” said Sue. “I for one am very interested in your hypothesis to the problem and possible solutions that you have arrived at.” In the distance, the other members of the ILA, shook their heads. She had been bad enough before Reed had died, but now she seemed to be making up for her missing husband. It had been agreed that she was the smarter person, but Reed had been the more creative. However that was in the past, this was for the future.

“I have deduced that the source of Ghath’s power is from the energy matrix on Otherworld, and that via the powers of the now deceased Necrom, he is using the power and knowledge to make the focus of all that power himself. With the death of each of the Captain Britain his power increases, however if it were possible to focus all that energy in to another, then his powers would be diminished geometrically.”

“What about the bio enhanced warriors?” asked Brian. “Taking down Ghath is only half the problem.”

“The warriors are also enhanced by the energy matrix, as well as given a boost of power by the magics of Ghath. By examining the enemy and the resources and events around me here, on Otherworld, on Irth and Earth 616, I have managed to deduce how this has been possible.”

“Pardon my interruption, Ibic,” said Sue, “but why do you need me in all this?”

“You will be required to find a way of bending the laws of reality to allow the energy to flow naturally in to the chosen one.” Ibic looked at Brian as he finished the sentence.

“I see,” said Sue, focusing her mind on the task ahead of her and Ibic continued.

“As you know the realm of 616 does not have an active Captain Britain,” and Brian looked down. “This was due to the fact that the battle between Excalibur and the so-called Dragons of the Crimson Dawn. To defeat them, the Captain was forced to purge all the mystical energies from him and so left him powerless. However, the mystical powers that made him Captain Britain were still present in the United Kingdom. Sat-Yr-Nine managed to access those energies using the data collected on you by the Vixen when you were her prisoner, and utilised those powers to make contact with Irth.”

“What?” asked Brian. “Why didn’t you say?” He had been after her for a long time.

“It wasn’t my problem,” said Ibic, in a matter-of-fact manner. “All I was concerned with was getting Khaos and myself home. The problem was the communication portal would only allow energy to be sent through it, and Sat-Yr-Nine channelled the mystical energies of 616 to Irth. It has already been established there is a time difference between Irth and 616 and so Ghath gathered plenty of power. This is why your own powers did not return, as someone else had claimed them as his own.”

“How could Roma and Merlyn not know of this?” asked Meggan.

“It is conceivable that the energies still contained a portion of Necrom’s influence and this was a… final revenge on his part,” said Ibic.

“So how did things get so bad?” asked Brian.

“Last year there was a massive disturbance to the mystical plane. The Crimson Dawn was abused creating a backwash of power across the mystical plane. It was dispersed by a man out of time, the only man with the ability and will to do so. However the energy cannot be negated that easily and it was focused out through the portal that was channelling the energies of Earth 616, and it took Sat-Yr-Nine with it, thus ending her exile and giving her the possibility of revenge.”

“Logan,” said Brian. Wolverine and Elektra had visited the manor after his business with the Hand sorcerer Chen Yu. There were times he wished that the price of keeping Besty alive after the attack by Sabretooth had not been so high. Everyone involved in that process, directly or indirectly had been affected afterwards.

“Using her own talents and abilities, the knowledge she had taken from Vixen’s organisation and Ghath’s magic, she created her own shock troops, and using the time differential between Irth and the rest of the Multiverse, she began to systematically take over, killing worlds and Ghath took their energies. Merlyn went in to psionic combat with Ghath, who by now had the excess power of the Crimson Dawn and those ravaged from the Multiverse. Aided by his knowledge from Necrom, he was more than a match for Merlyn. So far it is a stalemate, because Ghath is giving his power to his shock troops, so he can court the favour of Sat-Yr-Nine.”

“He loves her?” asked Kylun.

“There is an attraction,” confirmed Ibic. “Love or power, I cannot say.”

“How did they manage to take Otherworld?” asked Peter.

“Simple,” said Brian. “Ghath’s taken the place of the lighthouse. He’s made himself the focal point of the energy matrix, except he’s keeping the power for himself. The Corps have been taken so easily, because they’re not at full strength.”

“Exactly,” said Ibic. “Now, you must reclaim the Matrix for yourself, Brian Braddock. You must reclaim your mantle, your destiny. You are Captain Britain. The prime, the first. You are the Chosen One.”

“Maybe we ought to rename you Neo,” said Martinque.

“However,” continued Ibic, “you must be willing to take the power. If you are not, it will reject you as you reject it.” Kylun glanced at Khaos who was visibly sagging and the glow around him becoming less and less

“Ibic…” he started, but the monkey was ahead of him.

“My time grows short. I have pointed you way, and placed you on the path. Good luck to you all.”

‘All’ echoed around the area as the monkey vanished and Khaos fell to the floor.

“Susan?” asked Brian.

“I think I know a way of getting the energy matrix to coalesce within you,” she said after a moment. “It’s risky, and you will retain the energy after the battle. It’s the dispersal effect I cannot work out. It needs to be done so that this cannot happen again but I’m uncertain how that can be achieved.”

“Roma and Merlyn will find a way,” said Brian. “Let’s make preparations. It’s time to take back Otherworld.”

On Otherworld, the four escapees waited and recovered in the ruins of the Starlight Citadel, as Pete explained what had happened to him and to Excalibur, and how he had managed to free them earlier.

“I think Merlyn’s fighting a battle on his own,” he finished, and Roma nodded.

“That would make sense,” she spoke but her voice was ragged. Her throat was still cut and sore from the where the wire had cut in to her. Merlyn was still and not moving, fighting his own battle. What concerned Pete and Roma now was Linda.

“What did they do to her?” asked Pete, afraid of the answer.

“Raped her,” said Roma, her eyes closed.

“I’ll kill him,” said Pete, anger in his eyes.

“Not him,” said Roma and Pete looked at her.

“What?”

“It wasn’t Ghath who did this. It was Sat-Yr-Nine.” Pete visibly started.

“That’s… that’s…” He couldn’t think of a word vile enough to describe it. Women on women was bad enough, but being a mutant he was an open minded bloke, and though he found it disgusting, live and let live. However women forcing themselves on other women… “Bloody hell.” He needed a drink.

“Physically, I can heal her, but mentally, I can do nothing,” said Roma, sounding sad that she couldn’t even comfort her, because Linda flinched at her touch.

“Should I try?” asked Pete, uncertain of what to do now.

“I don’t know,” said Roma. “I don’t know of anyone who can help her now. Not living anyway.”

“So what do we do?” asked Pete.

“I don’t have much power left at the moment,” said Roma. “However…” she waved her hand and Pete felt tingly all over.

“What was that?”

“I altered the suit you wear. After the suit design was compromised, they were all altered so that only the designated wearer could access the powers. I have just designated you. Congratulations, Peter Wisdom. You are Captain Britain. For a short while anyway.”

“Oh joy,” said Pete and put on the helmet. He felt the power flow within him. It wasn’t as intoxicating as he first thought, but he felt better for it and he smiled. “I’m going for a walk. I may be sometime.”

NEXT ISSUE: Things begin to come together as Pete takes on an army, and the rest of Excalibur return to Otherworld to give him a hand, but will they be too late?