FicWad

Darkness and Light
Chapter 11: Battle Royal

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As the engines of the X-jet roared through the sky towards it's destination in China, the X-men mentally prepared themselves for the battle they were about to face. For over a year, the demon mutant Apocalypse had been walking amongst them disguised as their trusted leader and friend, Scott Summers. He fed every one of them lies, deceit, and trickery to make them see and feel exactly as he wanted. He took control of Emma Frost and Magneto and used them to weaken the team even more. Apocalypse made them think and do things they knew they would never normally do. And now, his control on them had been shattered thanks to the enlightenment of the mutant warrior known as Slayer. But there still remained the final task of confrontation between them...And Apocalypse. They had faced him before, but never when he was this powerful. To make things worse, it was the X-men who had given him that power in the first place by believing in the lies he fed them. However, no power great enough would stop the young team of mutants from facing the demon mutant...Not after everything that he had put them through. Even though the odds were stacked against them, they would not be dissuaded.

The team sat in relative silence as the jet soon reached the edge of the expanding dark cloud that had come from the temple where Apocalypse now resided. Logan had gone over the plan twice now...But that didn't stop some members of the team from feeling weary about this battle. However, despite this situation, the mutant warrior known as Slayer remained somewhat calm. He had already done a lot to help the team get through the shock of Apocalypse's lies, and despite initial mistrust he was still as determined as ever.

As the sky darkened around them, Slayer took out a mysterious piece of cloth decorated in elaborate mystical symbols from his supplies and wrapped it around his forehead like a headband or a bandana.

"What are you doing?" asked Jean who was sitting next to the mutant warrior.

"Keeping up with tradition," replied the mutant warrior as he finished tying it around his head, "In ancient times when a warrior went in to a battle in which it was possible that he might die in the process...It was customary for him to wear a blessed relic so that if he should die in battle...He would die with honor."

"Hey, stay positive bub. Nobody's gonna die this time around," said Logan, who was fed up with having people die around him.

"Don't worry Logan...If anyone should fall in this fight...It's going to be me," said the mutant warrior, but without any real sign of fear in his tone.

"You mean you're willing to die trying to kill this psycho?" said Jean anxiously.

"Yes," replied Slayer simply, "Apocalypse's strength is greater than ever now. Add to that, he knows every one of his enemies better than they know themselves."

Only Jean knew what the mutant warrior truly meant by the phrase "die with honor." She remembered what he had told her earlier about why he did what he did. However, she hoped that it wouldn't come to that in the upcoming fight. It was because of him that Apocalypse's plan was exposed in the first place...And it was because of him that her real husband was alive. They were all in debt to this man...And even though he had come in as an enemy, he was quickly becoming a friend.

"So how do we stop him at this point?" asked Gambit as the sky outside grew darker.

"Well as you so eloquently put it Remy, we have a wild card...Me," replied the mutant warrior, "He never anticipated having to deal with my interference. And unlike you, he doesn't know a thing about me. Despite his vast power...I have the power to end this madman's reign upon the future for good. Along with your help...We just may be able to defeat him. And if it costs me my life...So be it."

"But if you die...How are we supposed to beat him?" asked Kitty, who didn't like the prospects of Slayer's words.

"It's like I said earlier...Know you're enemy and know yourself. You know yourselves now that you have stopped believing in Apocalypse's lies...And despite the many things you don't know...You must use that which you do know to your advantage."

"So what do we know?" asked Bobby.

Slayer didn't answer this time...Instead, Logan took the initiative.

"Use your head Iceman...We've faced this guy before. And what has been the one weakness he's had every time we've faced him?"

Thinking back...The answer became clear.

"Overconfidence..." said Jean, as she thought back.

"What? Is that even a weakness?" asked Jubilee.

"Of course it is..." replied Slayer, "If there's one thing I've learned in fighting countless battles against the forces of darkness...It's that overconfidence is one's greatest enemy. Right now, Apocalypse is underestimating you...And we should use that to our advantage."

"But how?" asked Rogue.

This time, Slayer merely shook his head in response.

"I'm sorry...But nobody has all the answers. I can't fight for you...But I can fight with you. I can only teach...You must guide yourselves in to battle."

The outside of the jet grew increasingly ominous as the plane sped deeper in to the heart of the clouds. As the X-men took in the dark, sinister surroundings the symbol of the all-seeing eye began to glow. Jack Robinson's expression then suddenly changed to a mixture of shock and concern. He then clutched his head as the glowing of the mark abruptly stopped.

"Jack..." said Professor Xavier as he noticed the mutant warrior's disposition.

However, Slayer didn't respond...He just kept on trying to make sense of what he had just seen.

"Slayer," said the Professor as he tried again, "Are you all right?"

"Yeah..." said the mutant warrior as he seemed to snap out of it, "I'm fine. I just...I thought I saw something...But it disappeared for some reason."

"Well...What did you see?" asked Ororo Jean curiously.

The mutant warrior didn't respond...Instead, his gaze mysteriously shifted towards Kitty Pryde and Warren Worthington for reasons unknown.

"You okay Jack?" asked Warren, unsure why he was staring at him and Kitty.

Kitty soon shared his concern as Slayer's gaze towards them began to heighten their curiosity.

"Yeah...I'm fine. Let's just focus on Apocalypse for now," said the mutant warrior as his expression soon faded.

Nobody said anything after that, but Jean was still somewhat intrigued. By the looks of it, he had seen something...Something strange and unexplainable.

"Jack..." said Jean quietly, "What exactly did you sense?"

"I don't know Jean," replied the mutant warrior as he simply shook his head. "But something tells me...Apocalypse may have a few more surprises in store for us."

His ominous words left a lot of room for concern, knowing tricks from Apocalypse were never something to take lightly. However, there was no more time left to ponder...For they had arrived.

"We're here..." said Beast as the plane flew over a tall series of mountains.

Then...The X-men got their first look at the source of the darkness that they had detected, and shock soon took over as they took in the sight before them.

"Mien Gott..." said Kurt as the view became clearer.

"THAT'S Apocalypse's base?!" said Logan as the plane got closer.

"I'm afraid so..." said Slayer as the rest of the team took in the sight.

Below the plane, a vast pyramid structure stood on a large plateau guarded by a series of high mountains. The sky above them was now pitch black from the dark clouds that were formed by insidious power from within. A strange shell of glowing blue energy encased the large structure in an ominous shield that seemed all the more intimidating the closer they got. On the top of this blackened, metallic structure...A brightly glowing blue crystal shined through the darkness with great intensity. The light pulsated through the darkness as it fed the sinister clouds above...And seemed to grow stronger with each passing second.

"I'm taking her down," said Beast as he allowed the plane to descend towards a clearing around a mile and a half from the base of the pyramid.

Lightning and thunder roared outside the plane as the landing thrusters made the plane shake and rumble. The terrain was tough and rocky, the air was thick with Apocalypse's evil, and time was quickly running out for both the X-men...And the world.

The air was thick with energy radiating from the pyramid as the team of mutants stepped out in to the cold, Himalayan air. Xavier, however, would have to sit this one out due to the strain he put on himself from using Cerebra. He anxiously watched his beloved students as they made their way towards the base of the pyramid, which was still incased in the glowing shell of blue light. Inside this power, the demon mutant resided. He had made himself known...And it was as if he was daring them to attack. As dangerous as this was, they seemed to be taking the bait.

"Any ideas how to get in this place bub?" said Logan to Slayer as a cold wind swept across the plateau as they got closer.

The mutant warrior didn't respond...For some reason, he simply walked over to a certain area away from the pyramid.

"Hey Jack! Where are you going?" said Jean as she noticed his actions.

The mark of the eye of the Sphinx began to glow once more as he stopped before a seemingly unimportant area around several hundred feet from the pyramid.

"Things aren't always as they seem..." said the mutant warrior ominously as his hands began to glow.

Then, with a sudden blast of destructive energy, Slayer made a wide hole through the rock. An ominous light shined through the hole from within, hinting that it led in to a large chamber underneath the structure.

"Well that was pretty easy," commented Bobby as the team looked in to the hole that was just made.

"Too easy..." said Jean.

"You're right Jean...I think Apocalypse is expecting us," said Slayer as the mark over his left eye began to glow once more.

"Then let's not disappoint him!" said Logan as he leapt in to the hole.

Slayer didn't respond...Instead, he followed the Wolverine in to the hole, knowing that time was too short to go any other way. The rest of the X-men quickly followed as the jumped in to the glowing chamber below...Ready to face whatever awaited them.

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As the rest of the team jumped entered the pyramid and prepared to face their greatest enemy, another aircraft soon entered the boundaries of the expanding clouds emulating from Apocalypse's base. The aircraft...Was the X-men's secondary mode of air transport, known as the Velocity. It was part helicopter, part jet...And it was heading towards the pyramid at full speed despite the turbulence caused by the increasingly volatile surroundings outside. The aircraft contained only one occupant, who piloted the aircraft and pushed it beyond its normal limits through the sinister clouds that blocked out the suns light. However, this didn't seem to dissuade him as he only grew more determined.

"Apocalypse...You've hurt me, you've hurt my friends, and you've hurt my family. You tried to take away everything that meant something in my life...You used me to get to my friends. You used me...To hurt the woman I love and for that you will pay! You tried to kill me...And use me to hurt my friends in the worst possible ways. Now, you can't use me any longer! You won't succeed...You won't hurt me or my loved ones any more! It's time to end this Apocalypse...Once and for all. I swear...You will not be allowed to bring any more suffering to me...To my friends...Or to the world..."


The insides of Apocalypse's pyramid were like a living nightmare as the team wearily made their way through room after room. Everywhere, there were strange and exotic structures made out of stone and metal...Etched with elaborate pictograms describing a dark, violent future.

"This place...Is starting to give me the creeps," said Jubilee as they made their way in to another room.

"Starting to?" commented Warren as the glow of the lights around the room gave off an ominous presence.

"You're right...The air is thick with Apocalypse's dark chi. His powers are gathering...And his final plan is starting to come together..." said Slayer as he looked over some of the mysterious pictures along the walls.

"Any idea where the big bad mutant is?" asked Logan as he sniffed the air in search of any traceable scent.

"Most likely he's in the core...But getting there is probably harder than it sounds," answered the mutant warrior.

"Knowing Apocalypse...I don't doubt that," said Jean as she felt the eerie light around her give off a feeling of a sinister presence that she couldn't even sense psychically.

As the team made their way through a long passage that seemed to go up towards the base of the pyramid, they entered the largest room yet. From the looks of it, it was the main hall near the entrance that they couldn't get through because of the energy shield outside. The room was truly a sight to behold. It was lined with dozens of rows of tall stone pillars stacked around metallic floors. The whole area was brightly illuminated by mysterious crystal lamps that gave off a steady stream of glowing light. It was a vast, spacious dwelling that only added to the sinister feeling that surrounded the room...

"He's close..." grunted Logan as they carefully made their way around the vast array of stone pillars, "I can feel it."

As the young team of mutants continued to navigate through the confusing room, Jean noticed something strange about these pillars that surrounded them. As the others continued to walk, she took a closer look...Then suddenly, it dawned on her.

"Jack...The pillars. They..."

"They have the same writing..." said Slayer as he noticed it alongside the young telepath.

A new sense of panic gripped them as they prepared to warn the others...When suddenly, a booming voice echoed through the room...And a sinister laugh was soon heard.

"YOU...PATHETIC...WEAKLINGS!" said the voice in between fits of sinister laughter.

It didn't take long before the X-men discerned the being behind that heinous voice.

"APOCALYPSE!" yelled Logan through the chamber as he unsheathed his claws.

"You fools...You X-men are NOTHING if not predictable!" scoffed Apocalypse's voice that seemed to come from all directions. "You shouldn't have come here! You have only sealed your fate in trying to stop me! You are all too late...For I have already WON!"

Slayer then pulled out his sword as he and the rest of the team prepared to fight whatever Apocalypse threw at them.

"Come on out demon!" yelled Slayer, "Stop hiding like a coward and fight!"

"HA! Do you really think I'm that stupid?" scoffed the sinister voice, "I know you X-men...I know everything about you!"

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP!" yelled Jean.

"It's too late my enemies...For the age of Apocalypse has come!"

Upon saying those words, the writing on the pillars began to glow a fiery red color. Both Jean and Slayer knew what this was...And they could only watch as the writing came to life and the dark minions of Anubis came to life once more. From the wall, scores of evil warriors poured out...Surrounding the bewildered team of mutants in a circle of death.

"Holy shit..." said Remy as he and the others looked at what they were about to face.

"What in the hell are these things?!" exclaimed Bobby as they started to close in on them.

This bout of confusion only made Apocalypse laugh more at their predicament.

"They are my minions...Ancient demonic guardians that I have bought back to life for the soul purpose of serving ME! They, however, are only a prelude...For I have one more surprise that I have planned for you!"

Just then, two of Apocalypse's horsemen, Emma Frost and Magneto, appeared in front of a large group of guardians...But that wasn't the surprise. No...There was something much greater planned for Apocalypse's greatest enemies.

"Trying to scare us with more of your slaves?" yelled Warren in to the room, knowing Apocalypse would hear him.

"On the contrary Mr. Worthington...I have something else that I have been saving for quite some time now. Something...I know you especially...Will enjoy!"

Then suddenly...Two more of Apocalypse's horsemen entered the room, and a large collective gasp echoed throughout the room. Kitty Pryde and Warren Worthington were particularly shocked...As the identity of Apocalypse's two remaining horsemen were finally revealed.

"It can't be..." said Warren, unable to speak.

"It...It isn't possible..." said Kitty, whose voice was barely audible.

"But it is..." taunted Apocalypse with another laugh.

"Besty..."

"Peter..."

The formerly dead X-men Besty "Psylock" Braddock and Piotr "Colossus" Rasputin now stood before them...Alive. Their eyes were a sickening bright red...The same as the rest of Apocalypse's horsemen. The same mysterious markings riddled their bodies as they stood mechanically like robots before them with an army of demonic minions behind them.

"But...How is this...How can this be!?" yelled Warren as he and the rest of the team took in the sight of their supposedly dead comrades standing before them.

Apocalypse's maniacal laughter only grew louder as he took a sick pleasure in watching the X-men fall back in shock at the sight of their dead friends.

"You weaklings truly are PATHETIC! You're so gullible it sickens me! You were so easy to trick...And they were so easy to enslave that I should have just killed them to begin with...But I couldn't miss seeing the look on your faces when you saw the ignorance of your own minds!"

"You're sick Apocalypse! You're fucking sick!" yelled Logan as his rage towards the demon mutant grew.

"Petty threats...That's all I'm hearing from you Wolverine! Oh I'm going to enjoy watching you...My greatest enemies...DIE!"

"That's not going to happen..." said Slayer stoically as he prepared to fight.

"By all means...Try and stop me! MINONS, HORSEMEN...ATTACK!"

Emma Frost armed herself with her diamond hard shell, Colossus formed a hard metal layer around his skin, Psylock formed two long psionic blades, and Magneto floated above the ground. And like mindless zombies...They, and the rest of the guardians around them attacked.

"Don't let them intimidate you X-men! Come on! Fight back! Let's show this madman what we're made of!" yelled Slayer as he held his sword high and slashed his way in to the thick of the battle.

Jean Grey went straight towards Emma Frost, Warren quickly made his way towards Psylock, Kitty Pryde confronted the mind-controlled Colossus, while Slayer took on Magneto. The rest of the team tore in to the demonic guardians and soon...The sounds of an epic battle echoed throughout the chamber.

Endless swarms of demonic warriors pounced on Storm, Gambit, Rogue, Nightcrawler, Beast, Bobby, and Jubilee. Using their powers, they attempted to hold back the countless guardians...But as it was back in the cave with Jean and Slayer, that proved to be a lot harder than it looked.

"Hey what gives?" said Jubilee as the blasted a couple of guardians away from her, "They just come back!"

"That's the point my ever-ignorant enemies!" taunted Apocalypse's voice as they fought on.

"You're really trying my temper bub!" yelled Logan as he cut through several minions.

However, that only made Apocalypse laugh more as the battle intensified around them.

Over at the melee with Emma, Jean let her full rage out upon the woman that had helped Apocalypse cause so much harm to her and her friends. However, thanks to the enhancement caused by Apocalypse, Emma's telepathy was many times stronger than normal. Even though Jean's telepathy was more advanced, Emma was putting up a major fight. In addition to guarding her mind, she had to guard herself from the White Queen's physical attacks. Her diamond hard shell proved tough along with enhanced strength that allowed her to punch through whatever she came in to contact with. With some of the spare shards of rock around, Jean tried to use her telekinesis to slow Emma down, but her enhancement proved to be much stronger than anticipated. But that only made Jean more determined as she fought on...

"It's payback time bitch!" yelled Jean as she flung another barrage of discarded rock at the White queen.

Over with Warren and the mind-controlled Besty Braddock, Betsy was easily fighting off the bewildered Warren Worthington with her powerful psionic blades as he seemed somewhat unwilling to attack her.

"Betsy! It's me! Don't you remember!?" yelled Warren desperately as he tried to reach the woman that lay within.

"She can't hear you!" taunted Apocalypse, who seemed to be enjoying the confusion that he was causing to his enemies.

"SHUT UP APOCALYPSE!" bellowed Warren as he avoided one of Betsy's psionic blade attacks. "Come on Betsy...You have to fight it!"

But his words seemed to do little good as Psylock mechanically hacked away under the demon mutant's control.

Over with Kitty Pryde and the zombified Piotr Rasputin, she was having no better luck. The overpowering strength of the enhanced Colossus was a force to be reckoned with as Kitty seemed equally unwilling to fight the man she had once been so close to. She had come to accept his death...But now he was here...And he was under a madman's control.

"PETER!" yelled Kitty as she phased through another one of his punches that shattered one of the columns behind her easily. "Please...Don't do this!"

Her words were desperate...But still in vain the enslaved Russian mutant launched another barrage of attacks that young Kitty could only dodge for now.

All this simply amused Apocalypse as he watched from the core of his ultimate weapon. However, as he gaze shifted over to the battle between Magneto and the mutant warrior known as Slayer, his look grew to one of great aggravation.

Magneto, even with his enhanced powers, was unable to subdue the mutant warrior...And their fight devolved in to a bitter stalemate. Magneto attempted to use his gravity defying powers and metallic manipulation to fling whatever he could at Slayer, but he proved to be a lot trickier than anyone could have anticipated. Armed with warrior-like speed and agility, he dodged whatever Magneto threw at him. And with his magic, he fired back. However, this had little effect on Magneto's enhanced form as the two fought on. During the epic melee, Slayer noticed the rest of the team struggling against Apocalypse's minions. He immediately thought of trying the same spell as he did while he and Jean were back in the cave where they rescued Scott...But writing was more advanced this time, and his hands were tied in dealing with Magneto. Apocalypse was too close to winning...Time was running out. With this as his motivation, the mutant warrior knew he had to overcome Magneto...And stop the demon mutant from realizing his insane dream.

"It's time to pull out all the stops Apocalypse! You...Won't...Win!" grunted the mutant warrior as the symbols on his hands began to glow.

As Magneto gathered another large swarm of stray objects, Slayer used his magic to make himself invisible. While this only momentarily slowed Magneto's actions...It was all the time he needed to make his move. In blinding flash that erupted a mere few feet from the hovering Magneto, the mutant warrior reappeared surrounded in a glowing shell of energy. And before the possessed mutant could react...Slayer let out an angry war cry and unleashed a powerful blast of purified energy through his sword...Sending Magneto flying far across the chamber and crashing in to the wall.

"He'll be back..." said Slayer, knowing the resilience of Apocalypse's horsemen.

Using the narrow window of time he now had, Slayer turned to help the rest of the team as they continued to fight against Apocalypse's endless stream of dark minions. The first thing he saw was the overpowering Colossus as he knocked Kitty away, slamming her in to one of the columns in the process. She was dazed, and in a lot of pain now as she saw her former lover slowly approach her...Ready to deliver the final blow.

"Peter...Please," said Kitty as she fought the pain throughout her body.

Now, she could only close her eyes and brace herself for what was about to come. However...To her surprise, Colossus was stopped before he could finish his attack by a flying kick from Slayer. Immediately, he was sent flying in the opposite direction.

"You okay?" asked Slayer as he helped the young mutant up.

Kitty just looked back up at the mutant warrior with a mixture of shock and anger as the discovery that the man she once loved was alive.

"Did you know about this?" asked Kitty as she struggled back to her feet.

"No...Not entirely. I'm sorry but..."

"I know...More deception..."

Slayer knew there was nothing more he could say to undo this...For Apocalypse had done quite a bit to complicate things. He had made them all go through the agony of dealing with the death of a loved one and further casting his devious illusion. As Slayer and Shadowcat prepared to go help the other's out with the guardians...Slayer was suddenly hit by the flying body of Warren "Angel" Worthington as a result of the pounding he was suffering from the enhanced Besty Braddock.

"That's it...You wanna fight? Fight me!" said the mutant warrior as he drew his sword and took a battle stance.

Mechanically, Psylock prepared two psionic blades and lunged forth at the mutant warrior. Slayer responded with a series of defensive moves...But Betsy's enhanced strength proved to be a greater challenge than he could have anticipated. Apocalypse had instilled a great deal of skill within her and Slayer was finding it hard to overcome. However, he fought on as the powerful mutant fought back.

"You're only delaying the inevitable X-men..." taunted Apocalypse as they continued to fight, "You're time is almost up!"

"Keep talking Apocalypse! Does it look like I'm listening?" replied Slayer as he fought off another barrage of slashes from Psylock. "That's it...I've had enough of this."

The mutant warrior only grunted in frustration as Apocalypse's minions fought hard...But he was prepared this time around.

"Come on...Show me what you've got!" said Slayer as he took a warrior's stance.

"Wait!" yelled Warren as he got up from the blow he suffered earlier, "Don't hurt her!"

"Her?!" shouted Slayer as she lunged forth for another attack that he was forced to knock away due to Angel's interference.

However, Apocalypse was right about one thing...Time was running out. This had to end and it had to end soon. Trusting the power of his all-seeing eye, Slayer worked to anticipate Betsy's moves. She was fast...But not fast enough to avoid his sight. Using more finesse than skill, the mutant warrior began to gain the upper hand over the power psychic mutant. Warren could only watch on anxiously as he was held back by several of Apocalypse's guardians. Then, seeing a narrow window of opportunity, Slayer made his move. As the mind-controlled Besty Braddock was forced in to blocking one of Slayer's powerful slashes, the mutant warrior delivered a powerful kick...Knocking her back with great force. Before she could respond, the mutant warrior charged with blinding speed...Landing hit after hit with his blessed sword. The darkness that controlled Psylock was hit hard, but she still didn't go down. Then, as she prepared to launch a massive counterstrike...She was sent flying by one perfectly executed sword slash, with the help of a little magic.

"This has gone on long enough..." said Slayer as he scanned the far side of the massive chamber, "It's high time that this heinous evil...Is finally put to rest."

Then, through an army of guardians, Slayer began to fight his way through to the other side.

Unknown to him however, Jean Grey was still in the midst of a violent battle with the enhanced Emma Frost. Despite their powers, they had fought to a bitter stalemate. Physical and psychic battles were getting them nowhere as the melee around them intensified. Through this...Jean Grey's anger and determination grew to fevered heights.

"I don't care what power Apocalypse has given you!" shouted Jean as she dodged another one of Emma's attacks, "It won't be enough! I won't let you win! Not after everything you did to me!"

Then, as she struggled to hold back another attack from the White Queen with her telekinesis, a fury of old images surged back through her mind. She had been the only one other than Slayer to actually see the future that Apocalypse was trying to bring, and now it seemed that she was reliving those memories with a new intensity that she struggled to process. Everything...From the fake affair to Apocalypse's ultimate act of stealing the power of the Phoenix for himself, flashed before her mind's eye. All the pain...All the suffering that the demon mutant was trying to inflict, seemed to surge through her head at dizzying speeds. A good deal of that pain was directed mainly at her...Since she had been the one who played straight in to the madman's hands. This knowledge...Sent the young telepath over the edge.

"ERRRRR! Take this!" yelled Jean, as an avalanche of telekinetic force unlike anything she had released before, sent Emma Frost crashing against one of the many pillars in the room.

Breathing heavily, Jean struggled to get her thoughts straight again...But unknown to her, the mysterious symbol upon her forehead that had been the result of a spell cast to control the Phoenix, began to glow. This, however, did not register with her, for she was still consumed with anger towards Apocalypse upon seeing the images of his cruelty once again. With this rage as her fuel, Jean used her powers to speed towards the far side of the room and blast through a central doorway that led up a narrow path towards the main core.

However, as she flew through the passageway, Slayer saw her actions earlier and immediately knew that it meant trouble...

"Times up..." said Slayer as he looked at the path Jean had made in wake of her relentless charge against the demon mutant, "Every battle must have a victor...Every story must have an ending. The moment of truth has finally come. And now...It's time for the final act. It's time...For the ultimate fight...Between darkness and light."

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AN: The big battle is coming! The fight between the X-men and Apocalypse is near! Be prepared, for the next chapter will bring the mother of all battles! See what happens with Apocalypse, Jean, and Slayer as they fight for control of the future! You won't want to miss it! So what do you think so far? Do you like what I've done with this story? What about Slayer, do you like him? Please send me your thoughts on this story be emailing me reviews at my email address or post them on the fanfiction website! I'm eager to know what you all think, so tell me! Thanks for reading my story thus far and best wishes to you all!

PLEASE REVIEW! THE MORE I GET, THE FASTER I'LL UPDATE!