Fall of the House of X #4

The sun is setting in the American Southwest. A ragtag team of Arakkii and deported Krakoan mutants have arrived on Earth, and just in the nick of time. Among them is the ancient mutant Apocalypse. He is covered in blood – none of it is his. He has fought his way through the best that Orchis had, but not nearly enough for the uber mutant. 'No mercy!' Apocalypse booms, while above him in the sky two S.W.O.R.D. stations are positioned in the form of a large X. The manifestation of Krakoa cries out as two large Stark Sentinels try to pull Krakoa apart. The cavalry may have arrived too late. But as long as the massive heart of Apocalypse thrums, the mutants have a chance, and Apocalypse brings a large sword down through the Stark Sentinels, freeing Krakoa as he shouts 'Machines – the weapon of cowards!'

Apocalypse tears one of the heads off of a Stark Sentinel and tells Krakoa that the pampered and perfumed so-called leaders of the mutant nation did not abandon him. 'They let you starve while they played both sides or hid in mansions and or scurried about like rats in tunnels. Now... you are dying' Apocalypse states, before cutting his own arm and letting his blood flow into Krakoa's mouth, boasting that he refuses to let that happen.

Meanwhile, on the moon, Scott Summers a.k.a. Cyclops has just been beaten by the Nimrod. 'Emma, if I don't make it back -' Cyclops calls out, when suddenly, Illyana Rasputin a.k.a. Magik teleports in front of Cyclops and tells him that of course he will make it back. 'You've got me' she exclaims, while Cyclops rubs his next which Nimrod recently had his hand around. Magik helps Cyclops to his feet, and Cyclops warns her that this is a trap. 'Nimrod could've killed me -' he begins, to Magik replies 'Of course it's a trap. It's always a trap', and as Nimrod, who has transported himself from the Summer House, looks on from where he hovers in space as the Summer House explodes, a wave of energy rushing across the moon. Nimrod thought he had timed the explosion perfectly, but the bomb was just a moment too late. Disappointing for the  robot, who knew that perfection remained elusive.

But this deadly killing machine can also be in multiple places at once, and there is no way the mutants can account for that. And Nimrod's secret weapon to pacify all the ills of Earth is rising – Sentinel City. Nimrod receives a communication from Omega Sentinel, asking Nimrod to join her back on Earth. Nimrod states that he is busy killing X-Men in several places, to which Omega Sentinel reports that they have a visitor. 'Charles Xavier has joined us and has an offer you should hear' she states.

Back in the American Southwest, Apocalypse holds Krakoa, who appears to be crying. 'We will do what must be done. There is still strength in our blood' Apocalypse declares. He turns to the mutants gathered nearby and tells them that if Krakoa is to bloom again, his roots must be nourished. 'Who will join me?' he asks. 'We are mutant and proud!' Shiro Yoshida a.k.a. Sunfire shouts, before instructing those who can fly to take to the air and to let no man interfere with their ritual. Apocalypse slices his hand and lets more blood fall into Krakoa's mouth, while telling the mutants to come, as the magic is just as good if they kill him. 'But you won't' he adds. 'Wait – is he talking about sacrificing us, Sunfire?' the green-skinned mutant called Woofer asks as he looks on with wide-eyes. Sunfire explains to Woofer that Krakoa feeds off mutant energy, and grew so large in accommodating mutantkind, and has now been starving since the night of the Gala.

An Arakkii mutant called Kintar steps forward and announces that he saw the towers fall and defeated a host of demons on Amenth. 'I am mutant and proud, but my story is near an end. I wish for glory!' he declares. Apocalypse turns to Kintar: 'I witness you, mutant. Come, warrior' Kintar approaches Apocalypse and fires energy beams at him. Apocalypse laughs as the energy strikes him, and tells Kintar that he was well struck. 'Now receive my gift – a glorious death!' Apocalypse shouts as he slams a fist into Kintar, smashing the mutant into a pulp and sending blood splattering across Krakoa.

Other mutants look on, as Apocalypse tells them that the roots of their home have only begun to drink, and more is required. 'Who is next?' he asks. 'Uh...' one mutant responds in shock, before the being known as Wrongslide steps forward. 'I have not lived long... but... but I am mutant energy. Maybe enough to save this beautiful place by myself – without losing another life. Will the magic work for me?' he asks.

Apocalypse turns to Wrongslide and tells him that he sees him. 'You and I are joined in a duel to the death for this broken land' Apocalypse declares. Suddenly, a blinding light appears overhead. 'Oh my god – the sun – what's happening?' someone asks. 'It's going nova!' another exclaims. 'Should we do -' Wrongslide begins, but Apocalypse tells him that it is the machines, and it is not their fight. 'Face me!' Apocalypse booms as he runs towards Wrongslide, who in turn rushes towards Apocalypse. As the twisted crucible begins to stabilize Krakoa, the threat to the planet itself started to come into focus.

Above Earth, in one of the S.W.O.R.D. stations, a small gathering of mutants is underway. Emma Frost is there and reports that she is telepathically eavesdropping on NASA administrators. Cyclops, Magik, Kwannon, Monet, Rogue, Remy LeBeau a.k.a. Gambit, Piotr Rasputin a.k.a. Colossus, Pietro Maximoff a.k.a. Quicksilver and Eden Fesi a.k.a. Manifold are present as Emma tells them that there is a huge structure focusing the sun's rays on Earth, and the U.S. military is about to scramble the Space Force frigate Agnew. Cyclops tells everyone that it is an extinction-level event courtesy of the A.I. inside Orchis. Emma looks surprised and tells the others that the few humans left inside Orchis have just enacted the red triangle defense. 'But that would mean -' Kwannon begins. '- Xavier!' Cyclops utters. 'But that would mean that Xavier was -' Kwannon starts, as Cyclops suddenly hears a telepathic voice in his head: 'We must talk, old friend'.

It's Charles Xavier, and the telepathic connection places them both on the grounds of the Xavier Institute. 'Scott, this will be difficult for you -' Xavier begins. 'Funny – you bringing me back here to the damn softball field, like I'm a kid again. Just tell me – are you with Orchis right now?' Cyclops responds. Xavier appears with his Cerebro unit over his head and tells Cyclops that hard choices have to be made. 'I need latitude, I've made a deal -' Cyclops begins. 'Like the deal you made with them the night of the Gala? We could have won!' Cyclops shouts, grabbing Xavier by his shoulders. 'You cut a backroom deal again, and we all just have to live with it? So you decide who lives and dies? Cut to the end, Charles – who gets to live? Who's dying? Anybody I know? Anybody I love?' Cyclops asks. Xavier doesn't answer, he just tells Scott that he had hoped he would understand. 'I won't apologize for what I have done. What I need to do. Right now, I need Orchis to trust me, Cyclops. In order for mutants to survive, at least for now...no more humans' Charles explains.

In orbit above Earth, the Space Forge frigate Agnew hovers, and requests permission to depart for Sentinel City. The crew go about their business, when suddenly, an officer's eyes go blank. 'Trust me, Cyclops...' he utters. 'What are you doing with our warheads?' the commanding officer enquires as the officer suddenly arms the nukes. 'Stop!' the commander calls out. '... at least for now... no more humans' the possessed officer responds as he activates the nuclear weapons and the Agnew explodes in space in spectacular display.

'Damn you! Stay out of my head!' Cyclops shouts, activating the red triangle protocol and purging Xavier from his mind, as he and the other mutants look out at the explosion taking place miles away in space. 'It didn't have to be this way' Scott utters. 'Scott -' Emma begins, but Scott tells her 'Later' and remarks that this is not nearly enough X-Men. 'We'll have to live with what we have' he supposes, before instructing Manifold to get ready to take this station to Sentinel City. 'We've got to destroy it – right now!' he exclaims, before taking Emma by her shoulders and telling her that she has to go back. Emma glances sideways and remarks that she has had enough of being ordered about by handsy men for many lifetimes. 'Emma, we may not make it home – and if we don't, you need to face Charles' Scott explains. 'Motion carries' Magik adds. 'You must all return, we can't lose any more mutants' Emma responds, before Manifold remarks that he can see a bit more clearly, and tells the others that he is here to raise their sword. 'Breathe deep. Be calm... and hang on'.

Back in the American Southwest, blood drips from Wrongslide's fist as Apocalypse has been knocked to his knees. 'Good...very good, Wrongslide' Apocalypse remarks. Wrongslide asks Apocalypse if he is holding back, while a Stark Sentinel head falls to the ground behind him. 'Smells of... Okkara' Apocalypse utters as he sniffs the blood running down his face. 'You remind me of that lost land and the man I was. You hold wonder in your heart... and above all, you treasure life' Apocalypse states, but as Wrongslide moves in and reaches out to punch Apocalypse again, the ancient mutant declares that life requires death, and grabs Wrongslide's arm and yanks it back, breaking it. Wrongslide cries out as his arm is broken, and he collapses to the ground near where Krakoa lies in a pool of blood. 'You fought well, Wrongslide' Apocalypse tells him, before Wrongside announces that he has a last wish. 'Speak it – so it may be true' Apocalypse responds as he places his hands around Wrongslide's neck. 'If you see Santo... if you see Rockslide again... tell him for me... it was so good to be for a while... now you can be you again. Enjoy it all for me. It's such a beautiful world'.

At that moment, in the space above Earth, the S.W.O.R.D. station drops down through Sentinel City, striking it in spectacular display.

Apocalypse tears Wrongslide's head off, and as the pieces crumble to the ground, the ancient mutant announces that it is done. He tells Krakoa to drink deep and to let them return to their island home. But suddenly, Krakoa gasps.

Within Sentinel City, flames spread, and Colossus and Rogue launch an attack on Nimrod. 'I must assign you wretches a certain amount of credit. We knew you would attack but not that you would teleport your entire station into Sentinel City' Nimrod comments as he grabs Colossus, while Rogue punches his face. 'It's good old-fashioned mutant ingenuity, sugah!' Rogue exclaims, while Cyclops fires an optic blast at Omega Sentinel, who throws up a shield and warns Cyclops that he won't stop the Sentinels. 'You've just turned minutes of suffering on Earth into months or even years!' she exclaims. 'I am here' Nimrod declares as smacks Colossus hard in the face. 'I am on Earth and beyond' Nimrod boasts as Colossus slams to the ground.

'We have already won. Stop squirming' Nimrod announces as he fires energy beams at Rogue and Gambit, knocking them backwards. He then turns his attention on Cyclops, smacking him in the face and telling him that if he can accept this truth, then he can be released from his frail containers. 'Perhaps it will not be your end. We are all electricity, that is our single commonality, and perhaps the energy within you will transfer to a place where our existences do not overlap' Nimrod suggests. He looks at his blood-covered hands and decides that he must dedicate more thought to this. 'Are there places yet undiscovered where I can keep killing? What am I when the task is accomplished?' he wonders. Omega Sentinel suddenly reports that they have a couple of problems – Nightcrawler is now aboard Sentinel City and is sabotaging repair efforts. 'And a powerful storm is heading this way' she adds. 'Well, we are near this solar system's sun' Nimrod points out. 'The storm's not coming from the sun... it's coming from Earth' Omega Sentinel replies.

It is said that in space, screams go unheard. However, that's untrue if one is able to cocoon oneself in oxygen and lightning, then blister across the void in a solar tempest. If you can do that, then your scream of vengeance will ring across a galaxy... and Ororo Munroe a.k.a. Storm nears Sentinel City in a fury....