Illyana Rasputin uses her magic to shift forward through the timestream in search of her lost, fellow X-Men. Under her, she sees cities crumble and civilizations fall but cannot afford to become distracted. She realizes she is hundreds of years in the future by now.
The ruins below give way to some strange nightmare world of bones and decay, and she feels a pull in her gut. There is something familiar here and, against all better judgement, she hesitates. That is all it takes and she is dragged downward by the spell of two hooded figures, who marvel that it’s really her, just like in the great chronicles.
Magik blusters that, if they know who she is, they also know they made a big mistake trying to ensnare her with their spells. As she breaks the spell with her Soulword, they warn her that they didn’t interrupt her sojourn to stop her. They want to warn her. This place is the nightmare the wold has turned into. Their mother did this and only Magik can stop her. They reveal their skull-like faces and black eyes. They are the daughters of Sapna. She destroyed all life and created this kingdom of death.
Omega World, 3167 AD:
Storm and Nightcrawler stand next to a crouching Apocalypse as the temple crumbles around them. Storm shouts that Apocalypse was all that was holding this world together. Angrily, Kurt reminds her of the 600 unborn mutants. All dead! Resigned, Apocalypse asks what six hundred lives are. They’ve doomed millions! As he dies, the other realms will crumble. Storm helps Apocalypse up. Nightcrawler protests. She points out that if he dies, not only the domains will be lost, but also Piotr.
Outside:
The X-Men just watched Logan get swallowed by Venom. Jean tries to reach him telepathically, while she telekinetically protects herself from the Venom symbionte that urges her to join them.
On the astral plane, she finds Logan sitting, legs akimbo, surrounded by nothingness. She urges him to fight the Venom symbionte. It’s making him do terrible things! She swore she’d never let anyone control him again. Please look at her! He’s going to hurt her. He becomes surrounded by Venom as he is in the real world and attacks her.
As they fight, the Horsemen Iceman points out they are losing control of the situation. Nightcrawler retorts they need to save Piotr. Storm tells him she needs a second to think of a plan. Teleporting her out of harm’s way, Kurt replies sometimes she thinks too much.
As he kicks his ass, Iceman informs future Deadpool that he never really liked him. Deadpool opens his mouth and a swarm of vermin flies toward Iceman.
Colossus tosses Glob Herman into Anole as he informs them they are out of their depth. They were always a disappointment. When he tries to attack Martha, Ernst hits him hard. However, to the kids’ surprise, Colossus’ metallic limbs now stretch as he traps Martha and throws her into a wall. Lord Apocalypse was willing to let them live, he booms, but they were weak! They needed the X-Men! Now they will be punished!
Deadpool takes out Iceman with a strange fluid coming from his mouth, only to be chased away by Cerebra. Iceman alerts her to the quakes.
Jean still tries to get in contact with the possessed Wolverine. Iceman suggests she try to contact the Venom symbiont instead.
On the astral plane, Jean finds herself in darkness. Venom hisses at her to get out. She attacks it telepathically and, with Iceman’s help, frees Logan on the real plane. Two Horsemen down, Logan remarks and hopes they have plan for taking down Colossus. Since they don’t, he unsheathes his claws and gets ready.
Somewhere in time, Magik is wary of what the two corpse-likes strangers are claiming. Sapna, that’s impossible, she is cured! They have no use for lies, is the reply. Centuries ago, Sapna fell from Magik’s side and, without her guidance, she became a great evil. She killed all of mutantkind and mankind but they refused to grow up in her shadow and have dedicated their lives to fighting her reign. Magik’s passage through time was chronicled in the works of the resistance. They hoped that, if they could warn her, Sapna’s rise to power may be aborted before it ever begins. It is their last chance. There is only one way to assure this never happens. When Magik returns to X-Haven, she has to kill Sapna.
Illyana refuses. Sapna is just a girl. She will protect her and make sure this nightmare never comes to pass. Her friends are in danger she has no more time for this insanity! She frees herself and returns to the timestream, even as she hears their fading pleas.
3167 AD:
Logan and Iceman are having a hard time fighting Colossus. Trying to impress Jean, Glob charges at Colossus, who swats him to the ground. Next, he threatens Jean, warning her that Apocalypse has made his mind as impenetrable as his body.
That moment, Illyana arrives and warns him he will not lay another hand on them. With a cry of rage, he charges at his sister. Enough! She shouts forcefully as she hits him with her Soulsword. With him down, she asks the others if they are okay. They are glad to see her.
A moment later, Nightcrawler teleports in with Storm and the dying Apocalypse. Logan sensibly asks what Apocalypse is doing with them. Storm stops him before he can attack Apocalypse and explains that, without him, they have no chance to transform Colossus back. They have to take him with them. Logan calls it insane. Storm barks back it is an order and tells Illyana to take them all home. Magik complies and, a moment later, they are in the present on the front lawn of X-Haven.
Forge comes running out and asks what the hell is going on – is that Apocalypse? Storm tells him yes and he has to save him. Magik shouts at him to do it. If he dies, Piotr is lost.
He is already lost, Apocalypse hisses. He lets loose an energy blast that hits Colossus and transport him elsewhere. Logan threatens to kill Apocalypse, who urges him to do it. He has no place here, but Colossus is exactly where he needs to be. He is exactly where he wants him to be…
Colossus is somewhere under a bridge. Robed figures find him and transport him into a temple of sorts. He was exactly where the herald said he would be.
Colossus awakes. The robed men sink to their knees. Give praise, Clan Akkaba, one of them orders. One of the Four has come. War is here. Colossus begins to smile…
