Excalibur walked through the portal to their island paradise with their prize and returned to Apocalypse with what they assumed was the Nexus. When they arrived at his study Apocalypse was standing over his grimoire, Gambit decided to grab his attention. "We got what you wanted, you blue galoot."

Apocalypse snapped his head around in what appeared to be shock. "What did you call me?" He shook his head. "Never mind. Did you get it?"

Betsy unclipped the cylinder from her belt and held it out. "Here this is what he gave us."

Apocalypse looked down at what Betsy held. His eyes widened and then he did what none of Excalibur expected him to do. He screamed, he staggered back to his table putting his hand down to steady himself. "WHERE DID YOU GET THAT?"

Betsy was taken aback she had never seen Apocalypse panicked. "The guy we tracked down gave it to us. He said it was the Nexus."

"What guy?"

"The guy the compass pointed to. Look we got what you wanted. What the hell is the problem."

Apocalypse snatched the cylinder from Betsy's hands. "Give me the compass."

"What?"

"GIVE ME THE COMPASS!" Betsy gave Apocalypse the compass which he moved against the cylinder, Betsy noticed the arrow was pointing in the opposite direction. "This isn't the Nexus. This thing is useless in my hands." Apocalypse shoved past Excalibur and exited his study.

"What do ya think dat was about?" asked Gambit.

"Don't know. But I think that old man was more dangerous than we thought."

Apocalypse was making his way to the gate on the south of the island with the cylinder still in his hand. "He's supposed to be dead. What has he been doing all these millennia? What could he possibly be planning? No if he was planning something, he wouldn't have waited this long. Would he? … SHIT!" Apocalypse passed through the gate.

0

"Oh my God. Is this true?" Asked Gabby reeling from what she just witnessed.

Rhys closed the crystal. "As true as the fact the sky is blue."

Gabby took a deep breath. "Then that means that in just a few months…"

"That it's likely that, Krakoa will have to face either letting go of it's isolation rhetoric or become a mass grave. Out the two I know which one I think is better."

"There's no way they would kill them. Wolverine, Storm, Nightcrawler among others wouldn't let it happen. And if it did happen… oh my god. Krakoa is heading towards a civil war." Gabby heart rate was spiking she was terrified.

"Gabby calm down. These are worse case scenarios. We can hope that Xavier could act more rationally, though fat chance of that happening. But you're also right that this is a very bad situation for Krakoa." Rhys gaze drifted away for a second. "Well that happened quickly."

"What?"

"We'll have a visitor in a little while. But before he shows up, I need to ask you a question."

"What."

Rhys leaned forward with a very intense stare. "What is your opinion on this whole superiority stuff that Xavier is spouting. Do you really think that mutants are superior to humans?"

"Seriously? Who cares?"

"I care when I'm asking you. If you want me to…"

"Know I mean I don't care. It doesn't matter if we're superior, it really isn't important. All I want is to live my life the way I want with nice people I care about. I don't care if I'm superior, I don't even feel superior. I just feel… me. And I like me." Rhys looked at Gabby and noticed that she looked tired, like she said that same line a hundred times and she finally let it all out. His head drifted again and looked back at her.

"That is exactly the answer I was hoping for and from the looks of things he's going to be here way quicker than I thought. Help me pack this stuff up." Gabby helped Rhys pack his equipment up without question. "And for what it's worth kid. I like you to."

0

Apocalypse was running his way through the forest following the direction of the compass. He could count how many times in his life he has sweated in a panic, but never like this. "How did he survive? Even if the explosion didn't kill him his powers should have diminished, that was the whole point. If he's alive he could ruin everything." Apocalypse continued to move through the snow, then he felt something in the air, a small tingling sensation in his skin. "There you are."

Apocalypse started to move, focused on his goal. He then saw a light coming from a cave in the distance. He rushed towards the light knowing what was at that light. He arrived at the entrance to the cave when he looked inside, he looked around but then looked straight forward and saw an old man with a hood and a heavy coat on the other side of a sparkling portal with a brick wall behind him. "Rhys. You're alive."

Rhys took of his hood revealing his hazel eyes, hardened wrinkled face and a long silver braided ponytail. "Not this time En." Rhys held out his hand, the cylinder was ripped from Apocalypse's hand and returned to Rhys. "Hope you're ready to play." Just before the portal closed Apocalypse looked down and saw Gabby string daggers at him holding up her middle finger.

"No." was all Apocalypse could say before the portal closed. "NO!"

0

"Was giving him the finger really necessary?" asked Rhys looking down to Gabby.

"Yeah. Remember what I said about people looking at me with creepy eyes of expectations? He's one of the worse. He thinks he can just say and do whatever the hell he wants. Also, he and I met during the X-Man world thing and he's the reason I got arrested. Even in that world he's a creep." She then looked up at Rhys' face he looked like he was in his mid-sixties. "You guys got history you called him En."

Rhys started to walk down the alley he ported them to with Gabby and Johnathan following. "Enough history that I could probably ruin all his credibility on Krakoa and get him kicked out or whatever they do." They got to the end of the alley and Gabby's eyes widened and a large smile grew on her face.

"NEW YORK CITY. I AM HOME." She cheered jumping for joy with Johnathon jumping alongside her.

"I thought Krakoa was supposed to be the home of mutants." Rhys said with a smug smile.

"No way. I'm a girl of the concrete jungle and no amount of anything that island has can take that from me. So, what are we doing here anyway?"

"I told you. I have a doctor's appointment."

"But you seem fine. Or is this some old person problem."

"Okay here's a rule you get one old man joke a day. Any way let's go, it's a bit of a walk to Greenwich from here." Rhys started walking down the street with Gabby and Johnathan just watching him go.

"Wait Greenwich? Why the Village? Isn't that where… Oh you better be joking. Please god not that house" Gabby ran to catchup with Rhys. As they walked Gabby noticed a few stares, though she figured a large old man with a thick beard traveling with a wolverine and a young girl with an X-man symbol on her belt would be pretty weird, so she didn't think much of it. Eventually they made it to the Village and were standing outside of a very familiar building slumping her shoulders. "It's the sanctum effing sanctorum. Your doctor's appointment is with Doctor Strange?"

"I require his services. What you got a problem with the Doctor?" Asked Rhys

"Not him, just the house. Came here once and had to fight a monster. All I'm saying is who keeps a cupboard of horrors in the dining room? Normal people have a nice painting or something." She said waving her hands around.

"Well there is a simple trick to avoiding that, it's don't touch anything." Rhys walked up the steps to the door.

"Well technically we shot it." Gabby followed with Johnathan.

A minute after Rhys knocked a ghost basset hound walked through the door and stared up at the pair. "Can I help you."

Gabby screamed and jumped in shock along with Johnathan. Rhys just bent down facing the basset hound. "You must be Bats. I'm Rhys I have an appointment with the doctor."

"Oh yeah he told me about that. I thought it was weird that someone would make an appointment, people normally just show up."

"Yes, well I thought it might be a nice change of pace for the man." Rhys said with a smile. "May we come in?"

"Yes, follow me to the doctor."

The group walked through the sanctorum, Gabby was looking around wary of all the magic items. She then looked at Rhys and noticed that he was walking like it was just an average building, barley noticing all the weird crap all around them. "Hey Rhys, have you dealt with magic before."

Rhys looked back at Gabby. "I've drabbled in the stuff from time to time. Though right now requesting this of Strange is easier." Rhys continued to follow Bats with Gabby and Johnathan in tow until they finally went up some stairs to the attic.

When Gabby reached her last step, she saw a familiar sight of the good Doctor, staring out the large window, levitating off the ground, his large red cape billowing seemingly on nothing since there was no breeze. The Sorcerer Supreme, Doctor Stephen Strange. "Hey Doc."

Strange turned around to greet his guest's "Welcome to the sanctum sanctorum, you must be Rhys, it's bizarre I don't usually have appointments when it comes to being the Sorcerer Supreme." Strange got to his feet and walked over to Rhys to shake his hand. He looked down and noticed Johnathan and Gabby. "I remember you. Been a while, though I can't imagine why an X-man would leave the comfort of Krakoa just to see me. Unless of course something else is driving you."

"My situation before arrival got a bit complicated, but it won't interfere with why I'm here, if anything it makes more imperative."

"Do the rest of the X-Men know she's with you? Cause the last thing I need is them breathing down my neck."

"If they don't, they will soon. And if it makes you feel better, she's here by choice and they shouldn't know that you're associated with us. Can we talk business now?"

Strange was hesitant, it was common knowledge about most mutants' feelings towards humans these days, even some X-Men's. He still had some friends on Krakoa like Magik, but his recent trip to see her showed him that they have zero patience for humans, though judging from conversations he's had with some heroes in New York especially the Fantastic Four the feeling was mutual. He took a deep breath. "What is it that you require?"

"May we have a seat. It will be quite the conversation."

Strange summoned a table and some chairs. Rhys and Gabby took a seat while Bats and Johnathan ran of to play. Strange sat in front of the pair while looking at Gabby and even though he had his earlier hesitance, he couldn't help but be amused by the fact she was eyeing every magic item in the room. "Relax girl, no cupboards filled with monsters in hear, no repeats of last time."

"Yeah which ones simply explode though?"

Strange pointed around the room. "That one, that one and that one."

"Seriously?"

Strange chuckled and turned to Rhys. "So, what can I do for you."

"Well for starters doctor, I'm actually aware that you have started making your own magical items, I'm here to ask for a commission."

"You want me to make you a magical item? I'm afraid I'm not exactly just some arms dealer."

"I don't want a weapon, I need a safe."

This took Strange by surprise. "A safe?"

"I'm currently in possession of an item that has come to the attention of some very unpleasant individuals. And I'd like to cover it's tracks through some magical use."

This caught Gabby's attention. What item? That thing he snatched from Apocalypse? "May I see this item that your carrying?"

"I guess you need to if your going to make that safe. But I need you to understand something. The both of you." Strange leaned forward. "What I'm about to show you if very powerful, and intimately connected to mutants. But with the way they are now I can't trust them with it, not because I'm worried, they'll use it on humanity or something but because they'll most likely kill themselves with it. So, when I show you this, you're going to have to forget it exists for the sake of a lot of lives. Understand." Rhys looked at the pair. Strange was calm being in situations like this before, he agreed. Rhys looked at Gabby, he could tell she was worried, this was probably more than she's ever dealt with before, but she looked him straight in the eye and nodded. Rhys reached into his pouch.

Gabby noticed his arm went to deeper into the bag than it should have. Strange pointed at the bag. "Packed dimension spell. It's bigger on the inside."

"It's a blessing man." Rhys took his arm out holding one of his crystals and placed it on the table, it was larger than the ones Gabby had seen so far about the size of his fist, but that wasn't what had her attention, it was what was inside the crystal. The ones she's seen so far was normally just a single colour but this one it was like staring into the universe. The crystal was black with billions of tiny multicolour lights. Gabby and Strange could feel power emanating from the crystal.

Gabby looked at the crystal. "That's what Excalibur and Apocalypse was after wasn't it? The Nexus."

Rhys looked down at her. "Yes, it is, and with the mutants all gathered on one island it's more powerful than it has been in a very long time. Which mean it's detectable to some unsatisfying people."

"Like Apocalypse?" Asked Strange. "He's been experimenting with magic. I sensed it when I went to Krakoa."

"Exactly like Apocalypse. He's an idiot that thinks he knows what he's dealing with, but he has absolutely no idea what this thing truly is."

"Then what is it." Asked Gabby.

"I'll tell you later. Anyway, think you can make something to cover this trail."

Stephen stroked his beard thinking. "let see what I can do. I get the feeling I don't want the mutants getting this thing on their island. I don't even want to imagine what would happen if Apocalypse or Sinister got their hands on something like this."

"Thankyou."

Strange stood up and opened a portal. "Come with me." Gabby and Rhys followed Doctor Strange through the portal into a massive forge room.

"Whoa this is so cool." Said Gabby.

"Welcome to the Sanctum Machina where I make all of my magic artefacts, I'm going to see what I can do about the Nexus."

Doctor Strange started to work away while Gabby and Rhys watched him work. "So that is what the Apocalypse was after. What exactly is it?"

Rhys turned to Gabby who was looking at him with inquisitive eyes. "When I was young, I desired power because I thought it would make me better. Much like your master of magnetism. Took me years to finish the Nexus due to the complexity and how many I screwed up." Rhys took a breath. "Look kid. The thing is I'm not one hundred percent invested in this." He pointed to himself and Gabby. "I may tell you it's true purpose in time, but at the moment we're just traveling companions, I'll show you things, I'll teach you, but this isn't some big mission to change the world."

"But what about what you showed me? People could be in danger."

"like I said kid those were worse case scenarios. Even if it's still months away. Between now and then they may learn something."

"I guess. But do you promise to do something?"

"I'm already doing it kid. Believe me when I saw that."

They continued to talk as Strange worked at his forge.

0

Apocalypse walked back through the portal with Charles Xavier and Magneto waiting for him on the other side. "Apocalypse. May I ask why you left Krakoa unsanctioned?"

Apocalypse stared at Xavier with panic in his eyes. "We have a problem."

It took an hour to assemble the council and they had to bring Kitty in via telepath, Excalibur and X-force including Logan, when they all arrived at the council room Apocalypse stood before them worried. This was enough to unnerve everyone. "Five thousand years ago, when I was still young, I aimed to expand my horizons of understanding, during that time I met a man, who to this day was without a doubt the strongest mutant I have ever met."

Betsy raised her voice to get his attention. "That man we met was over five thousand years old? And a powerful mutant?"

"I guarantee you that man was old even five thousand years ago. He may even be older that Selena." He said directly to Betsy. "He has an amazingly unique ability. He can grow crystals from his body or any surface he's in contact with, but that's not what unique about him. If given time he can create crystals with singular purpose of anything he could desire, power absorption, explosives, mapping, anything he can think of. Something really dangerous is when he can get close to someone with powers, he can create a crystal that can even replicate the powers of others. And I don't mean just mutants, but humans with powers and inhumans. But that isn't what makes this man dangerous."

Emma Frost stood up from her seat. "You literally described an old, powerful man that can probably do anything and can carry any kind of weapon in his pocket how can that not be how he's dangerous."

Apocalypse then turned to Emma Frost. "He's a powerful individual Emma, comparable to me, but what makes him dangerous is that he's very convincing."

"What do you mean?"

Apocalypse to a breath with a look on his face that Gambit recognised as someone choosing his words carefully for a hustle. "This is a man that once convinced an army of all species together and gained power. Created an army that lasted for thousands of years, he saw it from the beginning to when I ended it five thousand years ago. I believe that the emergence of Krakoa may have…"

"So, your saying that a man once created an army that comprised of both mutants and humans over five thousand years ago Apocalypse?" Apocalypse turned around and saw that it was Storm that interrupted him. "Are you saying that in one point in time that our two races had a semblance of harmony that you had to kill?"

"Don't be to upset Storm. That army was comprised of mad men that would see the world bend to their way of life. Much like humans of this day." Gambit looked over to Storm and saw that she wasn't entirely convinced he wasn't surprised cause Gambit felt the same way. Something about Apocalypses story wasn't making sense. "what's also dangerous is what he currently possesses."

"Which is what, if may ask?" asked Beast.

"Excalibur already knows this as well as Charles. The man named Rhys holds an artefact called the Nexus, which is deeply connected to mutant kind that can aid Krakoa and judging by the fact he revealed that he's alive means he won't part with it lightly. But what deeply concerns me was when I faced him was that he wasn't alone."

"There was no one there but him when we were there." Betsy interjected. "I even did a psychic probe before talking to him."

"He has ways of masking minds much like Erik and his helmet. He may have masked and hid her to keep you from discovering her."

"I'm sorry. Her?" All eyes turned to Sage. "Did this guy happen to be in Canada by the South portal?"

"Yes." Said Apocalypse.

"Was this 'her' a Young girl with a wolverine?"

Logan's eye's widened. "Yes." Apocalypse repeated.

"Oh no. That must have been Gabby."

"You mean Laura's sister?" Asked Logan. "What the hell is she doing with him?" he was struggling not to scream at her.

"She came to me asking if she could help. Charles pinged the man weeks ago, but he wouldn't move. With you gone and Laura in that Vault she doesn't have much company."

"You sent her after a lone mutant in the Canadian forest alone, because she was lonely. He could be a killer or worse and she has a whole entire fucking island of company."

"Logan. This isn't helping." Charles remarked. "Your point is clear En Sabur Nur. This man is dangerous and has one of our own as well as something we require for our future."

"We need to locate him and bring him here before he causes too much damage." Said Nightcrawler.

"No need I have already located him. He's in New York." Apocalypse said. "I'll be making my way there soon."

Charles interjected. "I'm sorry my friend but I can't allow that." Apocalypse was stunned. "If you two fight then the heroes of New York amongst others would join him, due to your history. I have a better idea."

0

Strange was still at work. Rhys and Gabby were just sitting and chatting. "And then we walked through the door and found that the experiments were actually zombie bunnies."

"Wow. Been around for a while but even I never seen that before… were they cute?"

"They were soooo cuuuute."

"Ahem." Both Gabby and Rhys turned to see Strange standing holding an ornate box. "I believe that this may fit your requirements. Though it hasn't been tested."

"Well there is no time like the present." Remarked Rhys as he pulled out the Nexus. Strange opened the box showing a metal inside. He placed the Nexus in the box and looked at Strange.

"Once you place inside the box will lock. I can give you a key if you wish."

"I'd appreciate that. This thing might be dangerous, but it still has a purpose to serve."

"Very well then. Hold out your thumb." Rhys did as instructed and Strange took out a bizarre pen and wrote a mark on Rhys' thumb which disappeared instantly. Strange then closed the box, they could tell it worked because the power that waved off the nexus disappeared. "Now hold your thumb on the jewel on the bottom of the box." Rhys followed his instructions he heard a click. "Now turn this jewel on the left here clockwise three times and press it. The box should open." Rhys did as he was told, and the box opened. "If you wish to share the key all you have to do is touch someone's thumb with yours that bears the mark with the intention of sharing."

"Thankyou Doctor, now payment for your services."

"I don't want your money."

"Good cause I wasn't offering any." Rhys dug into his pocket and pulled out one of his small crystals. He opened the crystal and it began to glow and transform into a very large book. "The Volex Grimoire. One of my rarer ,arks in my collections, said to be written by Oshtun himself."

Strange went wide eyed and even drooled a little. "Well if you insist. I really didn't see that coming."

"That's what makes it great payment. I'm more of a trade and barter kind of guy. The way out?"

"Oh yes." Strange opened a portal. Leading to the front door. "Your wolverine should be on the other side." Strange went to Rhys and stood infront of him. it was then he realised how tall and broad he was. 'This must be what Spiderman feels like when he stands in front of Captain America.' Strange held out his hand. "I wish you the best."

Rhys shook his hand. "Thankyou. C'mon Gabby, now that our business is done, I feel like having a cake."

"Now that's a plan I can get behind." Exclaimed Gabby as she bounded behind him. The pair picked up Johnathan and left the Sanctum they made their way through the city just talking. "So where are we going? There's this lovely place over on 5th."

"Actually, there's this little family bakery in Germany whose cakes are to…" Rhys stopped mid-sentence and stared in the direction of central park. "Gabby, give me your thumb."

"What?"

"Just do it." Gabby held out her hand and Rhys knelt down to eye level and took it and pressed his thumb on hers. "I need you to do something very important. Go down this road and take a left into Yancy street, go to the apartment building with the street address four. The Fantastic Four will be there. You need to convince them to take you in while I handle some business. Shouldn't be any longer than an hour."

"Why can't I come with you?"

"Because they are here to see me, and I don't need them trying anything sneaky to get the Nexus. I'm quite sure that Apocalypse is making the Nexus a top priority, and if there's one thing I can trust, it's the Fantastic Four and the X-Men have a very strained relationship right now and will be more than willing to take you in."

"The Fantastic Four? Seriously?"

"Yeah, now get moving, and I promise once I'm done, I'll take you to that bakery and get you as much cake as you want."

"You have a deal. They better have strawberry." Gabby ran down the street following Rhys' instructions. He didn't move for a while, he sensed her position and made sure that she made it to the Fantastic Fours home. Once she did, he walked towards Central Park.

"I know this sounds crazy, but I think together we could pull it off. C'mon Rhys the only thing holding us back is us. Well just you really hehe. But in all honesty, I think we could all benefit from this."

Rhys put his fingers to the bridge of his nose, remembering old words from his friend long past. "What would you say if you saw the world as it is today Tai? What would Mara think? Who am I kidding? She'd be pissed."

When he arrived at the park, he noticed a small crowd. That didn't surprise him because he knew what they were surrounding. He made his way through the crowd and that's when he saw them standing side by side, ready for a fight. Gorgon, Cyclops, Bishop and Magik. The Four Captains of Krakoa. "So, the galoot is testing me."

Preview

Rhys stood before the captains. Four very powerful and capable mutant commandos. The crowd began to disperse knowing that a fight was about to start. Rhys just stared down the four. Cyclops stepped forward. "Look sir, we know that you're a mutant. And that you posses something that could benefit our kind." Rhys continued to stare them down while taking a deep breath. "Please don't make this any harder than it has to be." Still no reaction from Rhys. "Look you'll have to forgive me but I'm struggling to see why there has to be any animosity between us when you're one of us. We're your family, Krakoa is your home."

Rhys eyes widened with rage and begun to stomp forward. "Excuse me?"