One step remains...
One step for Trevor Fitzroy, the Chronomancer, to take from this world into godhood. He had come to this future, his powers growing along with his madness. But Bishop, the last X-Man, had followed. And so their new chase began anew. Now... as war rages around them, these two old foes square off. An opened portal stands before them... just one step away from escape... and power beyond Fitzroy’s wildest dreams. He has come so far. Just one step remains... and only Bishop can stop him!
With Fitzroy’s portal still open behind him, Fitzroy himself faces Bishop in combat. Fitzroy knows Bishop is confident he’ll stop him. He can see it all over his face. But still, his portal is open. And Trevor cries victory that he’s stronger than he has ever been! Bishop admits that Fitzroy’s huge portal looks impressive. And, he recalls, it’s not unlike Trevor to be proud. But Bishop can also see Fitzroy’s exhaustion. He can almost hear Trevor’s heart pounding in his chest. Bishop knows Fitzroy used a lot of power to open that gate, which he’s sure Fitzroy’s body, making him very weak now! Bishop jumps at Fitzroy and begins the battle.
The two roll off a snowy hill, and Fitzroy admits that Bishop caught him at a vulnerable moment. But he can get better. And to do that, Fitzroy only needs to touch Bishop’s face. Bishop sees Fitzroy’s hand glowing, realizing what he’s up to. Bishop angrily kicks Fitzroy off of him, swearing that he’ll get his hands on him yet. “Just watch me!” Bishop proclaims.
Nearby, the battle between the refugee army, the Morlocks, the Kith, Bishop’s friends and the Chronotroopers continues. Scorch drags the badly injured Jinx away from the battle. He looks behind him and thinks it’s a fine mess they’re in now. Men and mutants... Kith and Morlocks... Chronotroopers and Fitzroy’s other warriors against the fate of the world. He asks Jinx if she can see them. But, Scorch doesn’t want Jinx to answer him, not until they’re safe. He continues to drag her away, promising Jinx they’re close. He finds an abandoned temple, where Scorch places Jinx gently on the floor. Jinx tries to tell Scorch something, but he asks her not to. She has fought long enough. He explains to her the Kith have taken up the fight. He knows things look bleak, but is sure the Kith won’t go down quietly. So, he wants Jinx to rest, because if anyone has earned it... it’s her.
A Chronotrooper approaches Scorch and Jinx. It wants to kill them, but then the trooper gets hit by a force from behind, and is destroyed! “Huh,” Scorch wonders, as there’s nobody to be seen. A telepathic voice tells Scorch that the troopers are weaker than they thought they were. Link reveals herself, and she has Michael with her! Scorch is surprised. Link informs Scorch that they’ve learned much while they were gone. They discovered the Chronomancer expends his energies elsewhere. And, while he does, Fitzoy’s army grows weaker by the moment! Scoth believes that their men need to be rallied. But he can’t leave when Jinx is so badly injured. Jinx tries to get up, and wants Scorch to lead the army. Scorch is speechless, and kisses Jinx on her head. He orders Michael to stay with her, while he and Link go into the battle again. Jinx refuses. She gets back on her feet, and marches together with Link and Scorch, wanting him to lead them all. Michael stays behind and cheers for their friends.
Inside Chronokeep...
Shard stares out of the window and observes the battle. She knows Bishop called his friends legends when they only thought they knew the meaning of the word. But, Shard believes, it’s only now Bishop’s people know the full extent of it. They knew what it took. They would write their names in history before this battle was done. And Shard would witness it all. Outside in the snow, Bishop’s army is deciding the fate of the world. Shard can still hear the battle, and it’s so loud… it hurts. She had been Fitzroy’s captive. Her brother came to her rescue. Yet, she betrayed him once he arrived.
Shard now realizes she had been a construct... a photon-based lifeform of neither flesh nor blood. Fitzroy offered to make her flesh again. And like a fool, Shard accepted. And so, now she sits, chained in this tower, listening to the sounds of the battle outside. Fitzroy has given her much, but he has taken much more. If only she could reject his gift. Shard finds a piece of glass lying on the floor. She picks it up and looks on it. She can see her face, but she can’t see her eyes, which are colored completely black. Shard looks to her chains, and thinks “if only...”
Outside...
Bishop gives Fitzroy a hard punch in the face. He says that, even though Fitzroy talks about all these powers he has developed, it seems to him that Fitzroy’s powers are only good... for running away! Fitzroy falls with his face in the snow. He crawls his way up, congratulating his old friend that he hits hard, like he has been saving it up for this moment. Fitzroy stares at Bishop’s face, and tells Bishop he should see the look he has now. Fitzroy knows Bishop wants to end this. In that case, he suggests that Bishop comes closer, and see if he would run away. Bishop does. Fitzroy finds a rock lying nearby, quickly picks it up, and slams the rock into Bishop’s face!
Fitzroy kicks Bishop several times, shouting that for his entire life, he has been a laughing stock... a whipping boy. He was the punchline to a cruel joke. But this time, Trevor claims that Bishop will have to finish him off, because he’s stronger than ever before. Bishop holds Fitzroy’s arm, correcting him that he wanted to be strong, but has always been a coward. He tells Fitzroy he has always been slippery, and sloppy... and weak! Bishop punches Fitzroy in his face. When Bishop stops the punching for a moment, Fitzroy tells Bishop he’s right. He has never been as strong as Bishop is, nor ever as brave. Though, he has always been... slippery. And, he grins, Bishop should really try being slippery from time to time. Quickly, Fitzroy puts his hand close to Bishop’s face, absorbs some of his energy, causing Bishop having to withdraw.
Nearby...
The battle continues, and more and more Chronotroopers seem to appear every minute. Jinx slices some of them apart, wondering how much of the troopers they have to destroy before they take the hint. Suddenly, a noise is heard behind the battle, and somebody blows on a horn. It’s Nom and his fellow giants! They rush into the battle, and Scorch is speechless that Nom found the giants. At the back, Michael can see what’s happening and continues to cheer for his friends. A teleportation portal opens behind him, and a familiar voice believes it looks like the battle is going to be won. It’s the Witness, Fold and Trickster! The Witness suggests that Michael better comes with him, in case he wants to see how the battle ends.
Elsewhere...
Bishop lies exhausted in the snow and watches as Fitzroy walks towards his portal. Bishop doesn’t think he’ll make it to Fitzroy in time in order to stop him. Shard appears behind Bishop, and tries to cheer her brother on, saying he has to stop Fitzroy in any way he can. Shard explains to Bishop that Fitzroy told her he owned her. That he had made her his. He started to turn her body into flesh again, and said that was his... gift to her. But that gift felt like an infection. It warped her mind and stunted her powers. Fitzroy said there was no way to stop his gift. But she found a way. Bishop looks at Shard’s face. Her eyes are completely black. Bishop is shocked by something else he sees: Shard is missing an arm. He can’t believe it.
Shard wants Bishop to stop Fitzroy in any way he can. She reminds him that he absorbs energy, re-channels it and makes the energy his. Shard cries, adding that she... is energy! Shard touches Bishop’s face and glows brightly, saying that now it’s time to do what has to be done. Bishop tries to tell Shard he can’t do this, because Fitzroy has already taken so much from them. But Shard continues to touch Bishop’s face, refusing to let go, and he screams. Bishop absorbs his sister, and promises he’ll do whatever he must to stop their enemy.
Bishop attacks Fitzroy with the power he got from Shard. In short, Bishop re-channeled Shard. It was the hardest thing he ever had to do. Fitzroy hears something behind him, but even before he can take a look at it, he gets hit in the back. But, the blast didn’t completely do its job. Fitzroy still stands, and the remaining energy floats inside the Chronomancer’s portal. That means Shard is lost inside it. Bishop screams in agony. Fitzroy continues to walk towards his portal, while Bishop is out of moves. The others observe what’s going on, including the Watcher.
Fitzroy makes it to the portal, and prepares to step through. As he tries to jump into the portal, Bishop suddenly grabs Fitzroy’s foot, holding him back! However, Fitzroy’s body is already halfway into the portal, and the portal seems to be collapsing. Fitzroy fears for his life and begs Bishop to let go. But Bishop is done talking. Fitzroy had taken everything from him. The heavens open and crack with fire and the sound of cannons. Time and space begin to warp. And as Fitzroy straddles the line between mortality and godhood, and the portal he created begins to collapse, Bishop holds fast, grunting and pulled!
However, Bishop’s reaction comes too late. The portal closes and Fitzroy is sucked into it, while Bishop falls into the snow. The war is over... but the next chapter is only just beginning. Bishop’s friends cheer for Bishop’s victory. Bishop looks at his hands, which spark with energy. Bishop can’t believe what he has just done. Suddenly, the remains of the portal’s energy strike Bishop and he starts to absorb it!
When Jinx asks her what’s going on, Scorch believes that everything the Chronomancer was, everything he sought out to be, is now absorbed by Bishop. Michael tries to run towards Bishop, but the Witness tells him not to. Bishop, still glowing with energy, looks at Michael and says his name. Michael breaks lose from the Witness and, a moment later, an explosion takes place in the snow. Once everything clears... Bishop... is gone?!
Only Bishop’s X-badge remains, which gets found by Michael. Everyone else just stares in disbelieve. Michael lands on his knees before the badge, and asks the non-present Bishop not to leave him.
