Archangel 2099UG #7

I am Nemesis of the Askar, and I have never been defeated. I stand upon the Tower of Talim and survey all that my Master rules. For as far as the eye can see is a darkglass formed when the bloodthirsty Jews unleashed their vile weapons upon a strugglingpeople. If it had not been for the genius of my Master, we would have all perished on that dark night so long ago. It is true, that at first we found ourselves wishing that we had died then, because the radiation levels twisted us into an ugly people. However, the praise to Allah for giving us a leader of such great wisdom. He taught us that the changes brought us power! Each of us were changed in small ways, and each variation was unique, but all of us had one thing in common, we were ASKAR... and that has never changed.

The same could not be said of our bodies. Our DNA had been changed in devious ways, and those of us that did not die became more than we were. Some could read minds, others could fly, still others could conjure flame. The day we had believed a curse had become a blessing, thanks be to Allah. A few of us, possibly one in every thousand, had gained powers of a higher order. Our powers set us above our piers, and brought us to the attention of the Master, Lord KAVIS of the Glass Wastes. He had asked for our allegiance in many ways, and we gave it in exchange for power. He made us his elite, each with a private bond that no other could know. My bond for example was that I would serve him with all my heart, soul and body until the day that I tasted defeat. The day of my freedom has never come. I am a master of combat, and a being of daunting powers. I would die for my Lord Kavis, for I love him... but I tire of the killing. My reverie is interrupted by the call of a watchman. I move to that side of the tower and let my eyes scan the horizon. The sight makes me smile as I see two beings on foot far below walking to the citadel that my Lord calls home. My enhanced sight allows me to see them clearly. One figure is a sight we had seen much over the last decades, that of a dark woman in the robes of the infidel Order of the Howling Commandments. Typical of her ilk she is armed to the tooth with energy weapons, knives, grenades, and probably a dozen weapons I don't see. It is the other being that I take a more active interest in. He stands probably 7 foot tall and is garbed in an armor that reflects the full might of the sun. His hair is ebony, to contrast a pair of great wings that were white. He carries himself as a Warrior, and immediately I know who he is. He is the defender of the New Vatican who managed to fight two of the ASKAR elite to a defensive position. Many claim he is an angel. I care not as long as he bleeds when cut. The Master said he would come. I grunt in satisfaction. It has been too long since I have battled any I could call a peer. As the hot wind blows I go to the stairway and begin my decent.

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(A few moments Later, The Citadel)

I enter the Citadel's royal Chambers. I am Chief among the Askar, below only Lord Kavis in stature and rank. This is the reason the other elite give me berth as I pass. I have faced them all, and arisen triumphant.

The Lord has not yet arrived, as is his way, so I go to assume my rightful place at his right hand. However, when I reach the throne my wrath is kindled, for in my lord's seat is a winged woman, slim and garbed in black. She sits across the throne sideways, and eats the grapes in arm's reach! When she sees me she grins, and I snarl. She is the only one among us that is not ASKAR. Many call her the Dark Angel, and most do so because we blame her for our current plight. For it was not until she joined our ranks that the Jews felt threatened by our presence. It is because of her we live on a sheet of glass. It is only the promise I made to my Lord that I do not thrash her soundly here. But KAVIS in his unknowable wisdom has ruled that she and I may never face each other in combat.

" You are out of line Dark Angel."

" Really? You want a grape?"

" No, thank you. I want you to vacate the throne."

" Just testing it out dear." And with that she gets up. She grins and walks seductively. " I know who your little visitor is Nemesis. Watch yourself. He is among the best."

" So am I Dark Angel."

" Heed my warning boy, you are out of your league here. Well, look at the time. I need to get going. It won't due for Omen to see me here. Give the big boy scout my love."

And with that she is gone. Within seconds, the ASKAR become restless as our visitors arrive. They seem even more impressive at close range. I notice the Nun is a very attractive woman. The pair approaches the throne and it is the angel that speaks.

" I beseech thee to grant me an audience with Kavis." My lord has not arrived so I stall. " My lord does not trouble himself with infidels. Perhaps if you tell me why you come he would deem it expedient to make exception today."

The woman reacts with anger, but the Angel surprises me with his restraint. She brings her weapon to bear and calls to me. " Watch the infidel bit, ASKAR!" She seems unmoved that nearly 80 ASKAR fill this hall. She just stares me down over the barrel of a gun. When next the Angel speaks My respect goes up another notch.

" I come first to offer my respect for so great a leader. He indeed hath warriors worthy of his leadership. But secondly I doth have need to discuss a private matter, a dispute if thou wouldst."

" You honor us with your words," I reply. " But again, my Lord hath no dealings with infidels."

" PERHAPS," booms a voice I know to be my master. " TODAY I GRANT FAVOR TO THESE PARTICULAR INFIDELS." With that, he enters the Great Hall of the Citadel. He is fully a head taller than the angel, and with skin of crimson. He is KAVIS, Lord of the Glass Wastes.

" WELL, IF IT IS NOT THE GREAT WARRIOR WHO MANAGED TO PROVE SPORT FOR TWO OF MY ASKAR ELITE?"

" If memory serves Honored Lord, It was your Elite who didst prove my sport, and not a very lively sport at that."

" HA! AT LAST, A WARRIOR WHOSE BRAVADO ALLOWS HIM TO DEFY ME WITHOUT DISRESPECT!"

" Indeed."

" SO TELL ME ARCHANGEL. WHAT IS THIS MATTER OF DISPUTE?"

" I come to dispute your claim to the Book of Angels."

" SO YOU HAVE COME TO ME THIS DAY TO STEAL IT FROM ME?"

" I would never show so base a disrespect to thine house. I come to challenge you. We each do have a truth, but I challenge thee to a contest of honor. Winner is the rightful holder of the book."

" I ALREADY HAVE THE BOOK, ARCHANGEL. TO ACCEPT YOUR CHALLENGE IS A LOOSE/ LOOSE SITUATION FOR ME. HOWEVER I WILL ACCEPT SAID CHALLENGE IF YOU PROMISE TO SERVE ME IF YOU LOOSE."

The woman speaks again. " You can shockin' forget that!"

The angel looks to the woman, then my master and back again. " For a truth Kavis, I now know your power. I should be foolish to accept such a bargain. And besides I already serve another... my service is not mine to give."

" YES. I SUPPOSE WITH A FAITH SO INFERIOR TO OUR OWN, THAT FEAR WOULD BE THE FIRST RESPONSE OF THEIR WARRIORS."

"Thou shalt not provoke me with thine words Kavis."

"VERY WELL. IF YOU KNOW THAT YOUR GOD CANNOT DELIVER THE WICKED TO YOUR HAND, THEN ADMIT THAT AND THE BOOK IS YOURS."

I see the angel hesitate and the woman whisper where his ear would be. " I agree to meet any single champion the desire'st in mortal combat save the terms of combat are explained, are judged fair, and are enforced. Anything less would be concerned a breach of the agreement and the prize is forfeit."

Kavis smiles an evil smile... " AGREED. I choose for my champion Nemesis of the ASKAR."

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( In the arena of the Citadel)

It is time for the battle Royal. Never have I faced so worthy a foe. We stand it the center of the arena he and I. The arena is a large area that can seat 10000! We are standing on the bloodstained sands that are my kingdom. Here I am the ruler and none have ever bested me. To his honor, he stands less than 3 yards away from me, ready for battle. His 7 foot height is hardly impressive with this assemblage. High above sits my lord, watching from his balcony, and near the sands is the young human female nun. She volunteered to oversee the doom and the honor was granted her. Then my lord speaks.

" MY FELLOW ASKAR. TODAY WE WELCOME THE INFAMOUS ARCHANGEL WHO CAUSED OUR DEFEAT IN NEW VATICAN." The crowd hisses.

" TODAY HE WILL FACE NEMESIS IN MORTAL COMBAT. THE TERMS ARE THESE. THERE WILL BE NO WINNER UNTIL THE OTHER YIELDS OR DIES. WE WAGER THE BOOK OF ANGELS AGAINST THE SERVICE OF THE ARCHANGEL FOR 100 YEARS!"

And the crowd goes wild! It takes several minutes to hear again over the yelling and I bask in their confidence. Then again my Master speaks.

"BEGIN!"

To my great surprise, before the echo of his words cease, my Lord sees me fall. I am spun around by a mighty blow that I was not expecting. This fighter I face is a killer and not one to indulge in bravado. His lightning fast punch could well end this fight if I do not recover. Without being able to see my assailant I allow my tried instincts to guide me though a series of acrobatic dodges and feints. However as time goes on I begin to realize that the angel's blows are getting closer to scoring against me, and with so persistent an assailant I can't properly recover.

Finally a strike is thrust toward my chest and I spin, catching the angel's arm and throw him. The warrior just unfurls his wings and lands unharmed with grace and power. However the technique purchased me a precious second to get my bearings. We stand there for a long moment sizing each other up and begin to slowly circle. As we move the angel holds up his left hand that flares into a bright sword, nearly blinding me in the dark arena. But instead of falling back as the angel expected, I charge forward and catch him by surprise in the mid section. He rewards me with a grunt but little else as he maneuvers to impale me upon a sword of light that has replaced his right hand. I leap barely avoiding the fatal blow! To any who are warriors I need not explain this, but to the rest of you, combat is not a matter of who is the most skilled in melee, but the most adaptive.

For example, when facing this angel I quickly realize that the Dark Angel was correct... for the first time in my life I am out classed. This adversary is the better fighter. Thus I must find the best method to adapt. He is strong, but nowhere near my level of brute strength. This seems the only true advantage I have... and I hope he believes this also, for you see I survive in a nation of Mutates because I am a mutate!

When next he attacks I mentally prepare myself. As the blade of light flashes in I summon a Sword of darkness!!!!! I easily intercept the blade with my own and to the angel's dismay, both blades cancel out!!! That gives him pause, but not enough. He begins a series of spinning attacks that I barely stave off. Sweat begins to moisten my brow, and my breathing becomes labored. I had ridiculed Hermisis and Barsis for falling before this foe, but I find myself regretting the experience.

I land a lucky blow and the angel is for that instant off balance! I draw back for a full force blow and let it fly! I am no slouch in combat and target the blow for maximum damage. I get the desired effect, and the angel is thrown back with the force of my blow. He crashes through several racks of weapons, then finally slams hard into the stone walls surrounding the arena with a sickening crack. Too late I see the mistake I made. I had knocked him out of range and could not follow through the attack with another to finish him. To his credit he recovers quickly and dislodges himself from the wall. With that he took flight and began to bear down on me with frighteningly increasing speeds! He grabs a polearm along the way and brings it to bear as a lance. I get in tune with the power used against me and concentrate on canceling it. Suddenly everything gets VERY heavy as Gravity takes a sudden change.

The result is devastating on the angel, who is thrust hard into the ground, and sand is thrown high! I rush forward and press the attack grabbing a Claymore along the way and swinging to kill. The crowd roars!

I am caught unexpectedly by a kick I could not have possibly anticipated. I loose momentum and my sword swings wide, out of the sand comes a strait arm that catches me under the jaw, but as I fall I kick blindly and hit... Hard. When I again regain my senses we are both on our hands and knees. We must have recovered simultaneously as we look up and our eyes meet. Still on his knees the angel stretches one hand my way and he chants a few words. I scream! For I am engulfed in hellfire!!! The sins of my past burn my mind as my flesh sizzles. I must force my will to look past the pain and I again activate my mutant ability. A shower of rain counters the hellfire and I slump forward. The angel gives me no quarter and charges again. At the last instant I grab a discarded pike, and impale the charging angel, who quickly breaks the shaft and falls forward, the pike still imbedded in him.

Shakily, we both stand, both with the eye of the tiger. We both knew neither would yield this battle. I also knew, that if I did not win soon, I never would. He slowly removes the pike, and we stumble toward each other and clash in a fury of blows. Each instant a blow is landed as we alternate damage that would kill lesser men and may well kill us too. I strike, he strikes, I strike, he strikes, it goes on for an eternity as the crowd cheers. I catch glimpses of the other elite, who salute me in this... my final and greatest battle. I pull back for one last mighty blow and swing! But impossibly, at the last instant, he forms a shield of light on his left arm... and I skid off and land in the sand. I regain my feet, and turn to face my adversary. He stands very near... now holding the very Claymore I used to try to take his life. He spoke in a beautiful baritone.

" Yield."

I croak out my response. " I will not yield."

The Angel turns to the balcony and speaks to my lord. " I would spare this brave Warrior Lord Kavis."

" NO. THE RULES ARE CLEAR ON THIS. ONLY DEATH OR YIELDING WILL WIN THIS DAY."

The great angel nods, turns, and plunges the sword deep into my heart, and I die.

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( A few moments later)

I awaken, and look around for Allah. I see only the arena. All around me are thick mists and I hear a chanting nearby. I turn to see the angel praying over me. In a moment I am strong enough to stand. I then look over to my savior, unsure of what to say. I then look up to my Lord Kavis in shame. He speaks.

" NEMESIS THE UNDEFEATED DIED TODAY. YOU HAVE FAILED ME AND YOU ARE DEAD TO ME. YOU HAVE FULFILLED YOUR VOW TO SERVE ME WITH ALL YOUR HEART, SOUL, AND BODY, UNTIL THE DAY YOU TASTE DEFEAT. YOU HAVE DONE THAT, AND I HONOR YOUR MEMORY. I RELEASE YOUR SPIRIT AND YOUR NEW BODY. YOU ARE NO LONGER ASKAR."

I am struck dumb as the implications hit me, but finally I find my voice. " Where am I to go now?"

With that the human woman walks up and smiles, handing me a gun. " You can always tag along with the infidels."

Then my former master speaks as a servant delivers a book to the angel. " I AM A MAN OF HONOR. IF YOU EVER SEE ELIZABETH AGAIN, FOR I KNOW IT IS SHE THAT SENT YOU, TELL HER THAT I DID TRULY LOVE HER. FATE IS A CRUEL MASTER, AND OUR MEMORIES TAINTED, BUT TELL HER I DEALT HONORABLY WITH YOU HERE."

" I will."

They leave... and with nothing better to do, I follow.

Next Issue!!! Yes that is right! There will be a next issue! And it is action packed. Be hear as we have more Sister Avangel, Omen, and Nemesis! To top that off we will see Sister Nick! Halo City! and X-Men's Cerebra!!!! BE HERE!



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