EXISTENCE END

Part Two: Revelations

the 77^th tale of agc

written and created by Mark Bousquet

2202 / JANUARY
THE VOID - MT. OLYMPUS

"Are we ready?" Franklin Richards asked Luna.

"We are," the First Lady of the Engine replied.

"It is time for me to return home, then," Franklin said, without emotion.



CHRONOPOLIS

"Are we ready?" Doom asked Bruunhilde.

"We are," the Angelux General replied.

"It is time for Doom to return home, then," Doom said, without emotion.



THE FLORIDA EVERGLADES

"Are we ready?" Brono asked Amora the Enchantress.

"Not in the least," Amora replied, frowning.

"I didst fear as much," Brono answered, shaking his head. Silently, the new "King"
looked around the makeshift command headquarters of the Alliance. With Asgard
destroyed and most all Asgardians killed during the explosion of Doom's Infinity
Bomb, Brono was a King in name only. And yet, he thought as he looked around the
cramped tent and saw the dirty, strained faces of Ambassadors Kovar, Ash'lin, Skrull
4, Moonstar, and Cable, as well as Ben-Vell Parker, the Cosmic Protector, and Amora,
they still look to him to lead them.

"Our meeting with the United League of Nations went as we expected," Cable said
somberly. "They will not relinquish control of Earth's defenses to us, nor have they
made any promises about sharing intelligence with us. As far as they're concerned,
they will call us when they need us."

Brono frowned, rubbing his chin in his hand. "Tell me more of this `Vision' defense
system."

Cable nodded. "The Vision was an Avenger, a synthezoid originally created by the
Earth scientist Phineas Horton, and then evolved into a self-sustaining AI unit. The
Vision was destroyed and rebuilt countless times over the years. He was among
those heroes who left for space during Ascension / Abandonment, but ended up
returning years later. I don't know the particulars, but he was involved in the
formation of the United League of Nations, and has served as the Earth's primary
defense system since then."

"Just how effective is the VDS?" Amora asked.

The Ambassadors chuckled. "How effective?" Kovar asked rhetorically. "Be certain
that everything you've done since you set foot on this planet has been seen by
Vision."

Amora and Brono raised their eyebrows. "It's that effective?" Brono asked.

"Yes," Ash'lin nodded. "While Earth has never had the firepower of the Kree or Shi'ar,
the Vision's interior planet surveillance is the finest system of any …" Ash'lin's voice
trailed away as the word was caught in her throat.

"Of any homeworld," Kovar finished. "Even before they were all destroyed by Doom."

Silence again came to the Council until Brono stepped in to end the meeting. "Ben-
Vell, thou willst be leaving Earth this evening to search out the universe for survivors.
We've been unable to reach the Fantastic Colonies, Captain America … with brevity,
we've been unable to reach anyone off-world. Whether this is a result of the Vision or
Doom or Franklin jamming interstellar communication, or whether `tis because
they're hath all perished it is thine duty to discern. Spend the rest of the day meeting
with the Ambassadors. They willst give thee a briefing on where thou might look for
survivors." Brono made sure he met the eyes of each person in the room, "Be
prepared for anything. Doom and Franklin won't wait long to make their move."

The Ambassadors nodded and moved to the exit. Ben-Vell stood to the side, letting
them pass until he was alone with Amora and Brono.

"Is there something else?" Brono asked.

"There is," Ben nodded, glancing to Amora.

"Then speak."

"I would prefer to have a moment with you alone."

Amora smiled, but made no effort to move.

Brono sighed loudly. "I hast no time for this, Ben. Whatever thou needst to say,
whatever issue thou needst raised, raise it before Amora."

"Fine," Ben said, stepping forward. "It has come to my attention that you," he pointed
a hard finger at Brono, "are `romantically involved' with Angelica."

Brono folded his arms across his chest. He'd been waiting for that to get out. "'Tis
true," Brono acknowledged.

"Funny thing how we found out," Ben said. "We sent Sigurd away just to give us a
break from him for a few minutes. Figured he should spend some time with his King.
Guess what scene he came upon?"

Brono said nothing, but Amora thought it all too funny. "My, my. Thou area wicked
king, Brono."

Ben looked to Amora, then back to the leader of the Alliance. "I'm actually glad
Amora's here for this." Ben took another step forward. "If I find out you hurt
Angelica, I'll kill you. Oh, I'll wait until this war thing is all over, but as soon as it is,
I'll end you."

The expression on Brono's face was a confused shock. "What is the meaning of these
words, Ben-Vell?"

"I was never a very good student," Ben said, his teeth grinding together, "but that
didn't mean there weren't things I noticed. And one of the things I learned about
Asgardians is that you are as unloyal in love as you are loyal in battle. Hell,
Volstagg's about the only loyal Asgardian I've ever seen in that regard. So I'm letting
you know it's not happening this time. Your relationship ends, fine, but it damn well
better not end by her catching you with another woman."

"What words," Amora breathed, grinning wickedly as she stepped towards Ben. "I
hope I am around when this battle commences. Jealousy is such a nasty creature."

"This isn't about jealousy," Ben said, staring hard into Amora's eyes.

"Isn't it?" the Enchantress asked. "Angelica long held thou high in her eyes and heart,
did she not, Ben-Vell? While thou wast busy with Attumidunn, Angelica pined in her
schoolgirl ways for you. And then, when secrets wast revealed, thou had no time for
her. Thou wast too wrapped up with the Kree girl, Thalia, and thine own destiny.
And where is the Kree minx now, Ben-Vell? Dost thou even care? Or thoust former
love, Toomi? Where hast destiny taken her? Dost thou even care?" Amora grinned
wickedly, her eyes alight with passion. She dropped her voice into a whisper, "I think
not. On both accounts. I think thou hast long thought of Angelica as special. But
while thou wast busy `sowing oats,' as you humans refer to it, and Angelica wast busy
pining, thou hast no problems. But now that Angelica is doing with Brono what thou
didst with Toomi and Thalia … aye, now thou hast a problem with it."

"You know nothing," Ben said, weaker than he would have liked.

"Will Eshir come along and repeat this threat?" Amora asked. "His feelings run much
the same course."

"Shut up," Ben said. The Cosmic Protector looked behind the Enchantress to Brono.
"Remember my words."

Brono frowned, but nodded, and watched as Ben turned and stormed off. "This is not
good," he said when Ben was gone.

"Surely, thou aren't worried about that boy, Brono?" Amora said, turning to walk back
to her King. "Even with all his powers thou wouldst have no trouble slaying him in
combat."

"By the gods, Amora," Brono spat. "Thou shouldst spend more time worrying about
killing our enemies that about fantasy battles between two soldiers of the same
army."

Amora placed her hands on her hips and smiled seductively at her King. "Dost thou
think Ben-Vell knows of our plans?"

Brono's frown deepened. "Do not speak of our plans, Amora. They are not yet
written in stone."

Amora let her smile widen, and turned from Brono with a flourish. She could feel his
eyes drinking in her frame as she walked seductively towards the tent flap. "Perhaps I
shall go play with the Cosmic Protector, then, since thou hast no need for me at the
moment."

Watching her go, Brono's frown grew deeper still. He almost wished Doom would
attack just so the politics of this camp would end. There were too many political
lifers embedded inside their encampment for free time to pass without the games
beginning once again.



THE VOID - MT. OLYMPUS

King Franklin – as his followers had come to call his adult persona – stood on the
steps of the Hall of Zeus and looked out at his followers. Only Luna stood beside him
on the steps, a King and his Queen in the moments before battle.

At the bottom of the steps stood the Easter Bunny, Mantis, and Crystal to his right,
and the Pumpkin King, Astoria, and Eros to his left. Behind them, sitting on the roof,
watching it all for posterity, was Adam, the man who had once been Him, Warlock,
and Magus, and was now all of them at the same time. Each face rested upon Adam's
head, and it was the face of Adam that looked down upon this scene.

"Behold!" he yelled, his arms outstretched. "You will witness the birth of an Army!
This is the power of Franklin Richards, the human god! The curtains of life and death
mean nothing to me! Arise my battalion of the Damned!"

All eyes were drawn to the far right of the field, where the ground had started to
tremble. "Arise!" Franklin's voice boomed, and the ground cracked and broke away
as the undead rose from the ground to return to life.

Luna's voice carried out over the grounds of Olympus: "Blessed is he that hears the
words of this prophecy, for the time is at hand."

"Revelations 1:3," Adam whispered. "Or at least a paraphrase. By God, Franklin has
completely lost his mind."

"Look who's talking," the face of Magus grinned from the left side of Adam's face.

"He perverts holy scripture," Adam protested.

"Which dictator hasn't?" Magus asked. To this, Adam had no reply.

At the bottom of the steps, Crystal gasped. This was not right, she told herself, as all
of the fears she'd lived with over the past two centuries came rushing back in this
moment. She never dreamed, even after the events post-Onslaught, that Franklin
would allow himself to sink to this level. This was … blasphemous … obscene …

Mantis glowed beside her. "Glorious, isn't it?"

Crystal had no words in which to respond. As with Adam, she too, recognized this
passage from the Bible. She wondered if Mantis did. Or cared. Before them, the
undead lived. She had seen much in her life, but this … it was too personal.

Franklin was resurrecting the First Age of Marvels. His body shot to the sky, high
above all of them and started to glow a brilliant white. Clouds from out of nowhere
began to circle Franklin all across the Void. "Behold!" Franklin's voice boomed. "He
cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him:
and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him!"

"Madness!" Adam protested.

"Glorious!" Magus enthused.

Crystal watched in horror as friends pulled themselves out of the ground, their
uniforms ripped and soiled, their skin a pale grey. There came crawling Janet Van
Dyne alongside Henry Pym … there came Iron Fist, pulling his phantom-like form to
move to solid ground … Kitty Pryde … Sunfire …

Franklin called them to him. "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending,
which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty!"

More and more First Age Marvels poured up from the ground … too many for Crystal
to identify all of them … Luke Cage … Techno … Meltdown and Sunfire … Puck …
Sasquatch … Rogue …

Crystal gasped.

Pietro.

Tears welled up instantly in her eyes at the sight of her husband's decayed, rancid
body emerging from the dirt and muck, his eyes a mildewed white.

And still the bodies came back to the plane of mortal existence: Black Panther … the
Swordsman … Vindicator … Cannonball and Siryn … the Beast … the Black Widow…
Songbird … the Two Gun Kid … Spider-Man … Magneto … Charles Xavier … Tony
Stark … Daredevil …

"By my ancestors," Crystal whispered.

The broken ground expanded and Crystal turned to her left as the villains came forth
… Scorpion … Whirlwind … Klaw … Crystal focused past the lesser villains to look for
the most dire threats and her voice was lost to her as she saw a parade of the most
vile humans she had ever known … the Red Skull … Apocalypse … Mandarin … the
Master … Attuma … Abomination … Sebastian Shaw … the Kingpin … the Green
Goblin …

Franklin pointed his hand down at the ground and four beams of white light poured
forth. They struck the ground and four large mounds of rock emerged like towering
cocoons. The massive populace of the undead had seemed to stop and all eyes
turned to the four cocoons. "Revelations," Crystal whispered again as Franklin sent
down from above a thunderbolt, splitting the first cocoon down the middle.

Crystal's spine curled into a ball as she heard the voice of her daughter Luna. "And I
saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of
thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see!" Luna was nearly beside
herself with delight as she continued on her banshee proclamtion, stolen from the
Book of Revelations. "And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that saton him
had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to
conquer."

As the sides of the cocoon fell away, a tall man in white and blue robes rode out onto
the ground of Olympus, sitting atop a pure white steed. The man's head was robed
and Crystal could not see his face. As he passed by her, she noted the old Fantastic
Four `4' logo in blue upon his back. "This is madness," she whispered to Mantis.
"Look at how he blasphemes his parents with their symbol!"

"Have you not yet figured out what this one figured out long ago, Crystal?" Mantis
asked, smiling. "This – all of this, all that we have seen and done since we came to
the Everything Engine – it has all been about the impossible burdens parents place on
children. How could Franklin live up to the legacy of his parents? How could any
children of the First Age? Franklin could not, and the recognition of that failure is
what drives him forward."

Luna spoke again from the top of the steps and a thunderbolt split apart the second
cocoon. "And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say,
Come and see. And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given
to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one
another: and there was given unto him a great sword."

With more impetus than the first horse and rider, Crystal watched this man in a red
(with a yellow `4' upon his back) robe spur his horse past her to join the first.

Again, Luna, as the third cocoon was broken at the hand of Franklin. "And when he
had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And Ibeheld,
and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand." A
massive man, robed completely in black (save for the white `4' on his back), trotted
passed Crystal on a giant, wide horse. Luna continued, "And I heard a voice in the
midst of the four beasts say, a measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of
barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine."

The fourth cocoon was broken, and Luna's voice wailed above the gathering storm.
"And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say,
Come and see. And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and her name that saton him
was Death, and Hell followed with her. And power was given unto them over the
fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with
the beasts of the earth."

A slender figure - a woman rider, Crystal noted with horror as the final pieces fell
into place – dressed all in white (save for a black `4' logo on her back) trotted across
the field to stand with the other three riders.

"Behold," Luna wailed, "the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse!"

The four riders upon the four horses threw back the hoods of their robes, revealing
themselves to the world:

The White Rider: Reed Richards
The Red Rider: Johnny Storm
The Black Rider: Benjamin Grimm
The Pale Rider: Susan Richards

Crystal felt faint.

"Hey, babe. Lookin' good."

Crystal spun to see a decomposing friend standing before her. "Hawkeye!"

"Hawkeye?" the grey-skinned archer replied. "It's Clint, baby. Show me some love."
He grinned wickedly. "Not that you've got much choice."

"What do you mean?" Crystal asked, suddenly terrified more for herself thanthe fate
of the Everything, and feeling shamed for it.

"He means this!" Franklin exclaimed as he dropped to the ground beside the two
former Avengers. With a touch of his hand, Clint's decomposing, aged body
regenerated before their eyes, and in moments what looked to be a 30 year old
Hawkeye stood before the Inhuman.

"Me and Franky made a deal," Clint said, his eyes glowing with lust. "He gives me
back the youthful me, and I get … well, I get you, sugar pants."

"What?" Crystal replied, horrified.

"All Clint has to do," Franklin beamed, "is kill Captain America. Of course, he can
have you now, mother-in-law. You have long since outlived your usefulness. She is
yours, Hawkeye."

"And when Cap is dead?" Hawkeye asked.

"Yes, yes, the soul of Mockingbird will be restored," Franklin waved his hand, "and
you can have her back."

"Can I keep this one, too?" Clint asked, taking a step towards Crystal.

"Bastard!" Crystal yelled, slapping her former friend hard in the face.

"Frisky," Clint grinned, rubbing his face. "I like a woman who likes it rough." He
reached out and grabbed Crystal's wrist hard and bent it behind her back, forcing her
into him. "Where's my doorway, Richards?"

Franklin opened his palm and a white bubble emerged, growing larger and larger
until a portal had been opened onto Earth. "Wundagore Mountain," Franklin
explained. "The hold of the High Evolutionary. Long since deserted."

"I'm going to find Cap there?" Clint asked.

"Hardly," Franklin smiled. "But since he is not due back on Earth for several days …
well, you will have time to acquaint yourself with Crystal."

"Cool beans," Clint whispered into Crystal's ear, then pushed her forward, striding
into the light.

"This can't be happening!" Crystal screamed. "What's happening to you?" she asked,
looking at Franklin, then beyond him to the undead horde. "What's happening to all
of you? You are perverting life!"

"Such a stupid woman," Crystal heard Franklin say. "She would never understand …
morality means nothing at the end of the world. For if we are victorious, we all start
over again. There is no need for guilt, only victory."

With that, the blinding light enveloped Crystal and she fell unconscious in the arms of
a man she thought she knew, but clearly did not.



THE GOLDEN CASTLE - MANHATTAN

Michelangelo Stark threw his palm datapad against the far wall, shattering it.

"Wartoy!" he yelled, spinning wildly towards the large monitor at the center of his lab,
causing his long black hair to whip around. "Run all executable program files again!
I will not be denied access to the Fury Protocols!"

"There is no point in running the programs a fifth time, Michelangelo," Wartoy
sneered from inside the machine. "I can assure you the problem is not with the
execution of the programs."

"Then why aren't they working?" he seethed, slamming his fist onto a workstation.

"The codes must have been changed," Wartoy explained with a selfish glee.

"Who could have changed them?"

"The Vision."

Michelangelo felt the blood drain from his face. "Oh, hell," he whispered, but then, as
was the way with Starks, inspiration hit. "Well, well," he smiled, "it appears saving the
world will be a challenge after all."

Michelangelo's momentary glee was cut short as alarms sounded throughout the
castle. "What is it?" he asked. "On screen!"



THE SKIES OVER EARTH

"HEAR THE WORDS OF DOOM!"

Impossibly, one voice was heard simultaneously by every inhabitant of the planet
Earth.

It was the voice of Doom, and the world shook.

"I HAVE RETURNED! THE EXISTENCE OF EARTH IS ENDED!"

There was a pause and the citizens of the world looked to each other and wondered if
they were victims of a hoax.

Yes, there was a pause.

And then there was chaos.



FROM THE WESTERN TOWER OF THE GOLDEN CASTLE - MANHATTAN

Michelangelo Stark stood inside the Western Tower, looking out over the city of New
York. Even for one such as himself, what transpired before him was awe-inspiring …

The Olympian gods had come to claim the city.

Riding down, seemingly from Heaven itself, the gods of Mt. Olympus had cometo
take back a world that was once theirs.

"For Doom!" Pluto shouted, unleashing a hellish power onto the Statue of Liberty and
knocking its head straight off. Michelangelo watched the head fall … fall … fall …
towards the water below, unable to tear his head away.

When the head had crashed into the Atlantic Ocean below, the young Stark looked up
and saw gods smashing into buildings and one idle thought ran through his head …

Today, New York City dies.



FROM THE ARC DE TRIUMPHE - FRANCE

Stephen Strange stood atop a monument of victory and contemplated defeat.

Out around him, the Angelux brought Hell to Earth.



FROM THE TOP OF THE FUJIKAWA BUILDING - TOKYO

The Spider had come to Tokyo because, of all things, he had won a contest. A
coupon in the bottom of an organic soup can. He had been in Tokyo a total of three
hours. Two were spent coming here from the hotel. A half hour was spent checking
in. A half hour showering. He had just come to the roof to take in the view of the
city when Doom's pronouncement was broadcast.

"Typical Brock luck," Zed mumbled to himself as the Venom symbiote shivered across
his skin, changing his clothing from a casual suit to the black-and-white Spider
costume.

All around them, the Kree Separatists laid waste to the city.



FROM THE ROOF OF THE ULN LIBRARY – ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT

Princess Sand felt strength rush through her at the sound of Doom's words. She had
no reason to fear him. She was a Savior after all, and the Saviors knew the day would
come when they were called upon to defend Earth. This gave her strength, despite
her youth.

And then the demonic hordes of Earth's Hell, led by Daimon Hellstrom, poured
through the capital city of the Confederation of Desert Kingdoms like maggots on
rotting flesh.

Strength drained out of her as fear rushed in to take its place.



FROM THE PENTHOUSE OF THE RAND INVESTMENT BUILDING – HONG KONG

Doc Tech simply stared out as the city he had come to love was lit afire, his glass of
wine shattered on the marble floor.

The Snake Army, led by the Norse Goddess Hela, had come to ravage Hong Kong.



FROM THE KREMLIN - MOSCOW

The Black Knight cursed his fate as Ikaris led the Eternals through Moscow,
destroying everything in sight.

Dane Whitman had come to Moscow on a special mission for the Lady of the Lake. It
had been a failure. It had been such a colossal failure that he was beginning to think
he was being given the run around.

But now … this.

Banishing everything else from his mind, the Black Knight reached to his side and
withdrew the Ebony Blade. The Blade cried out for blood and souls. Eyeing a
charging Eternal, Dane gave into the thirst, and sunk his blade deep into the Eternal's
chest.

The Ebony Blade drank deep.

The battle was joined.



WUNDAGORE MOUNTAIN

An unconscious Crystal moaned as a hand slapped at her face.

"… up, Crys. Come on, damnit, this isn't the time to sleep!"

Her eyes flung open and she saw the face of Hawkeye staring down at her. "Do not
touch me!" she roared, reaching up and slapping him hard across the face.

"Ow!" Clint snapped, pulling back and away from the bed. "What'd you do that for?"

"You shall not rape me, Barton!" Crystal screamed, jumping off the bed.

"Take it easy!" Clint yelled, throwing up his hands as he continued to back away.
"Geez, Crys, relax. You didn't really believe all that nonsense, did you?"

Crystal paused, but kept her hands at the ready. "You mean Franklin didn't mean all
that stuff about-"

Clint shook his head. "Nah, Franklin meant all of it as far as I can tell. He's nuttier
than Madcap's brain-damaged evil twin." Clint stopped talking, took a deep breath,
and smiled. "Damn it's good to see a friendly face."

"Don't sweet talk me, Baron," Crystal challenged. "What's the plan?"

"Plan?" Clint said, faking dramatic shock. "Hey, babe, this is Hawkeye you're talking
to. The only plan I know is knocking down doors and shooting really fast."

"Don't play games," Crystal challenged, but with a softer voice.

"Franklin came to me … wherever it was I was," Clint said, scratching his head.
"Offered me the chance to have everything back and all I had to do was kill Steve. I
figured, what the hell, right? He was willing to give me my old body back. I mean,
did you see those other zombies? I was coming back to life whether I wanted to or
not, so I figured I might as well take the chance of lying to him and get the full me
back."

"But Franklin could-"

"Who cares?" Clint shrugged. "It was worth the shot, right? `Sides," he smiled, "do
you think I'd let Steve get all the glory for this fight? Hardly."

"What if he finds out?"

"Babe, I don't think I'm even at the bottom of the list of things he's thinking of right
now."

"Why do you say that?"

"Come take a look," Clint said, turning to show her a television monitor.

Bright bursts of white light were opening across the skies of the world. The Third
Army of Franklin Richards had begun their assault on the planet Earth.

"Clint," Crystal said, reaching out to grab the bowman's arm for comfort.
"We are
definitely going to need a plan."

"Plan?" Clint asked, smiling down at her. "We don't need a plan. We just need more
arrows. And I mean a lot more arrows." Clint looked back at the screen and his face
grew serious. "Then again, a plan might not be so bad."




EXISTENCE END to be continued …
"Madness!" Adam protested.
"Glorious!" Magus enthused.

Y G G D R A S I L
comments to bousquet22@earthlink.net






Mark Bousquet
8 November 2003
Northern Bear Productions