Hail to the King

Posted on Fri Aug 1st, 2025 @ 9:24am by Jean Grey-Summers & Pietro Maximoff & Kennedy Kelly & Warren Worthington III & Scott Summers & Connor Bruin & Hayden Davis & Bobby Drake & Hank McCoy & Maeve MacKenna & Jennifer Bryant & Desmond Greene & Sarah Mitchell & Alaric Thane & Kurt Wagner & Lorna Dane
Edited on on Fri Aug 1st, 2025 @ 9:26am

3,778 words; about a 19 minute read

Mission: Episode 6: X-Fernus Agenda
Location: Kamar-Taj / Limbo
Timeline: January 29, 1991

The Blackbird cut through the himalayan sky with determination and ease. Their last trip to Kamar-Taj had been one shrouded in mystery but thanks to the efforts of Kurt and Pietro, tonight’s trip was one filled with preparation and planning. The hidden city was shielded by magic and heavily guarded but with the First Class and Alternate Class working as a team, they could divide and conquer the complex measures that had been taken to keep Kamar-Taj as a myth to mankind.

“As a reminder, this city can only be described as being mystical in nature but it is currently occupied by Sinister’s forces.” Scott said from his position in a pilot’s seat as he used the jet’s thrusters to level and stabilize the Blackbird’s position. “Since Alaric has obtained the missing piece of the soul sword his connection to magic has greatened. He should be able to cut through any magical barriers we encounter. Kurt and Pietro have provided us with a layout of the city and what security measures we will encounter. Kamar-Taj is heavily guarded and the response time to our infiltration will be swift. Expect to hit the ground running, X-Men.”

The teams stood up and adjusted their gear in response to Cyclops unclipping from his own chair before he continued.

“First Class will provide cover while Alternate Class will divide and siege the main citadel. It’s in that tower that we will find the portal to Limbo. Once inside, the mission is simple: defend the portal from the guards of Kamar-Taj and keep the demons of Limbo from escaping. Under no circumstances should anyone enter the portal to Limbo, its effects on our bodies are dramatic and if anyone is trapped inside… we can’t guarantee a safe return. Only Alaric may enter.”

They all nodded their heads in agreement, the day before they had reviewed the details of this plan while taking refuge on Muir Island. This was merely a summary of the plan that had been laid before them.

“Jean should be able to provide telepathic communication once inside Kamar-Taj. If anyone is injured, Kurt will bring you back to the Blackbird for medical assistance. Stay sharp X-Men and let’s help Alaric free his people from the confines of Limbo.”
The teams descend and the moment Alaric uses the soul sword to cut through the magical shields, Kamar-Taj is plunged into chaos. Explosions arc across the perimeter. Sirens scream. Spotlights blazed to life, crisscrossing the city as robotic sentries and heavily armed guards scramble into defensive formations.
Cyclops stepped forward, eyes flaring.
“X-Men, move out!”

With precision, he unleashes optic blasts that vaporize a row of gun turrets, clearing a path while Dryad charges forward and crashes through a reinforced gate like its paper.

Above, Angel and Iceman surf the gale-force winds of the Himalayas as they work in tandem to unleash attacks that disorient the defenders. Dynamo sends out lightning arcs between towers, frying circuits and sending enemies flying.

From the north, Calypso and Morrigan create elemental barriers and attacks that quickly disarm and remove and guards that attempt to slow them. Their technology pales in comparison to the natural force of their attacks.

Echo, Caveman and Beast move together from the east. Thanks to Hank and Connor’s agile feet they are free to maneuver around the sonic screams Sarah unleashes, each shout punching through walls and barriers with ease. Leaving Caveman and Beast to subdue any guards that might threaten to slow her.

Meanwhile, Nightcrawler blinks in and out of existence with rapid-fire teleportation, dragging guards into the shadows before they can scream.

BAMF! BAMF!

He appears beside Cyclops, out of breath but grinning.
“Zhe south flank iz clear, mein freund.”

Inside the citadel, metal doors are no match for Artemis’ kinetic arrows. With precision and skill she punches through door after door to create a clear path for the rest of the team.

Jean holds the rear, her eyes glowing as she deflects bullets mid-air and disables enemy weapons telekinetically. Her mind brushes against the consciousness of the Sugarman hidden deep inside the compound and with a swift telepathic attack she sends the mutated scientist of Genosha into coma.

With a final push the teams rejoin in the room housing the portal to Limbo while Maeve creates rock walls in front of every door.

“We’re secure.” Cyclops confirms before looking to Alaric. “Free your people, son.”

Alaric nodded to Scott. “I shall, Father. Thank you.”

Nothing had changed from the last time he was here, in Kamar-Taj. But Alaric knew that Limbo would have changed. He’d spent quite a bit of time in this dimension, so even more time had passed for the Clan Askani. He only hoped that they, and the Mother Askani, had survived.

With Soul Sword in hand, Alaric approached the circular shrine with the dais at the center and the monolith of black stone that stood upon it. The violet fire of the black flame altar danced and roared, yet didn’t consume or produce heat. There was no need for a relic to be placed at the top this time as he had in his hand the complete Soul Sword. He used it to open the portal to Limbo on the altar. Glancing back toward his family and the team, he smiled, and then stepped inside.

He was back in Limbo now and could feel his powers increasing. His magic was getting stronger, back to what it was before he left with Kurt. But now he had the Soul Sword which also greatly increased his connection to magic. He took a deep breath, taking in the air and ether of the realm he'd grown up in. Limbo had changed, yet remained the same in many ways. It was still battle torn, hot, and full of demons and suffering. Alaric knew the way to the cathedral like the back of his hand and made haste getting there. If they were still true to procedure, there would be guards at the gates. Guards that would be very surprised.

“Halt!” called one of the guards, as he finally approached his old home. “Stop right there and declare yourself!” He was just doing his duty and following orders. But the man out there was dressed like the Alaricus Tantus. And he’d disappeared years ago with the blue demon. There was no way it was him.

Alaric smirked and drank in the scene before answering. “I am the Alaricus Tantus!” Alaric declared. “Summon the Mother Askani. I must speak with her at once!” He continued walking toward the gates as if he expected them to open.

Once inside and once it was confirmed that is was truly him, Alaric sat down with Lorna and the two Elders. He explained everything as quickly as he could, leaving out many non-essential details that could be filled in later. He ended by showing them the Soul Sword and telling them that he was there to free the Clan Askani and take them to Earth. And that Belasco could do nothing to stop them.

It was a chore, gathering his people and their belongings, but it was one that he was glad to do. Emotions ranged from fear to excitement. Fear that Belasco would stop them and fear of the unknown in this other dimension. Some were happy to be leaving this hellscape in one way or another. Either through a portal or death, they would no longer suffer.

Alaric led them to the portal and then stood in defense or defiance or both. No one was going to stop him. Not goblin, not demon, and not even Belasco himself. He was uniting his two families and reuniting Lorna with her friends. He was saving his people from suffering and darkness. Kamar-Taj had been cleansed, as far as he knew, while he was there. And it was to be their new home.

In the midst of all of this, Alaric was not naïve enough to expect everything to go easily. He kept his eyes on the area around them and not just on the horizon. Belsaco or his two demon generals could appear anywhere.

The calm before battle is a quiet forged from tension, not peace. It’s not true serenity, it is more like a fragile thread stretched tight between the known and the unknown. And when that thread snaps, chaos will flood in. It’s a stillness that hums with anticipation in every loud heartbeat and every breath measured. Even the red sky of Limbo seemed to hold its breath, heavy with the weight of what’s to come. The already hot air of the hellscape felt thick, as though time had slowed.

Then he saw them on the razor thin edge of the rocky horizon, the last of Belasco’s army. The goblins and demons who held the role of personal guards to the ruler of Limbo began to ascend on Alaric and his defensive position. Along with them, S’ym and N’astirh, the princes of Limbo who served as his generals in times of war. Snarling and enraged, the hellish monsters attempted to surround him with only one intention - kill the Alaricus Tantus.

“Foolissssh Traitor!” N’astirh hissed thanks to his long serpent-like tongue. “Today you die.” With flapping leather wings, dove down from the sky at Alaric.

“Your blood will fuel our most ancient of magics, with your death Belasco and Limbo will be unstoppable.” S’ym swung his battle axe in preparation to behead Alaric in a single blow.

Here he was, facing down Limbo's most terrifying warlords on the receiving end of a battle axe and the remnants of Belasco's army. Alaric planted his feet, the air thick with heat and shadow. His voice was low, measured, as righteous fury and his inner defiance of what Limbo tried to make him become finally came to the surface.

“I’m done running.”

As N’astirh dove, hissing, Alaric raised his free hand. "Umbrae Vincula!" Chains of Shadow! Inky-black tendrils erupted from the broken ground, snatching one of the princes of Limbo from midair. They wrapped around N’astirh’s wings and throat like barbed serpents, yanking him downward. The force of the slam cracked the obsidian rock as N’astirh was brought to his knees. Being back in Limbo had its advantages along with his secret weapon.

Alaric stalked toward the pinned demon, his voice a snarl. “I am no traitor. I’m your reckoning. You brought this on yourself… all of you! You made me! And now you will see what I have become.” With his right hand, he reached for his chest and summoned the Soul Sword from within himself. “You and all your kin will die at the hand of the new Lord of Limbo! Exuro animam tuam.” Burn your soul.

Violet runes on the Soul Sword appeared and with one savage downward strike, Alaric cleaved through N’astirh’s head and chest. The blade didn’t just cut flesh, it severed the soul from the shell, turning the demon’s body into ash that burned from the inside out.

S’ym bellowed in fury and charged. The brute swung his battle axe, intending to end Alaric with one blow. “There is only one Lord of Limbo and he does not suffer fools!”

Alaric didn’t move at first. He waited. “Strike, beast. See what Limbo forged from the fire you lit.” At the last instant, Alaric waved his hang and vanished into shadow. S’ym’s axe cleaved only smoke. In a moment, he had reappeared behind S’ym, grabbing him by the neck. Black runes erupted from his palm.

“Experire dolorem memum.” Experience my pain. A psychic feedback loop of all Alaric's childhood torment and trauma blasted through S’ym’s mind. He felt every beating, every scream, every stolen hope that was ever forced on the boy. S’ym reeled, eyes wide. “That’s what you made me feel. Every. Single. Day.”

He hesitated a few seconds more, torturing the demon prince, before driving the Soul Sword into his back. The point pierce through this chest. “FINIS!” The end! S’ym howled—then crumbled to smoke and cinders.

The other demons and goblins hesitated. The last prince of Limbo was still standing, unbroken. Alaric turned to them. “Your hesitation will be your downfall!” he yelled. “DarkFang mutatio,” he whispered. DarkFang transformation. And without the limitations he had on Earth, Alaric quickly transformed into the DarkFang.

DarkFang ran and flapped his leathery wings, taking to the air. With dives and circles, mystic bolts and spells, and the Soul Sword, he cut asunder the remnants of the demon army. DarkFang landed, still holding the Soul Sword. Clan Askani was nearly through the portal. “Hurry,” he said in his guttural tone. “I have a felling you don’t want to linger much longer.”

Once blood had been shed, Limbo erupted into the chaos that often came with war. Fear moved through the civilians of Clan Askani, creating a surge of panic in their collective mentality as they faced the carnage that Alaric had unleashed on the Princes of Limbo. But that terror also came a burst of adrenaline was enough to make them run for the portal towards their long awaited escape from this evil and brutal place. The loss of their generals created a different effect on the soldiers of Limbo, their attacks became feral and disorganized and with it a degree of savagery that was often threatened in this world.
Alaric and his soul sword moved as one in that moment, the dark blade sang with every strike and the full potential of his magic was free to flow through him in this land. He became the thing Belasco had wanted him to be and the thing he feared the most - Alaricus Tantus, Ruler of All.

The handful of demons and goblins that slipped past Alaric and made their way through the portal were quickly dispatched by the X-Men waiting on the other side all while delivering all the Clan Askani refugees to safety inside the walls of Kamar-Taj. They worked in a team in that manner, Alaric holding the frontline in Limbo while they supported him on Earth. There were moments when the battle was grueling but in the end they remained strong and eventually the last soldiers of Limbo fell.

“Malum modicum proditor, quomodo ausus es me prodere? Numquam te aut matrem tuam accipere debui. Spina in latere meo fuisti ex quo venisti. Sed non amplius—hodie tu mori.” ( Evil little whelp, how dare you betray me? I never should have taken you or your mother in. You have been a thorn in my side since your arrival. But no more, today you die.” ) The voice of Belasco boomed as the clouds above Alaric darkened and lightning began to strike all around him.

For most of his life, Alaric had experienced variations of emotions from one side of the spectrum. There were times of joy and happiness; but outside of Lorna's care, they were few in Limbo. Now, the worst of that one side came roiling to the surface. There was a mixture of anger, hatred, wrath and yet… purpose. It didn't culminate so much in revenge, but in liberation.

DarkFang didn’t flinch as the lightning struck around him and the storm gathered overhead. Instead, he stood firm and raised his head, eyes burning yellow, wings spread wide in defiance. The blade in his hand shimmered with Limbo’s power while shadows coiled at his feet, waiting for the word. His clear, cold voice rose above the chaos, but he did not shout. Rather, he spoke with an authority and deliverance as though it were a prophecy fulfilled.

“Mater mea… illa mulier nihil aliud erat quam vas per quod in vitam ingressus sum. Me tibi et huic terrae reliquit. Ex quo die natus sum, umbrae me vocaverunt. Crescente et patiente, Limbo me in id ipsum quod hodie sum finxit. Aperi oculos tuos, Belasco, et vide quid hoc regnum creavit… successorem tuum.”
(“My mother… that woman was nothing more than a vessel through which I entered existence. She left me to you and this land. From the day I was born, the shadows called me. Growing and enduring, Limbo molded me into the very thing I am today. Open your eyes, Belasco, and see what this kingdom has created… your successor.”)

He had purposely dropped the title of Lord when addressing Belasco. Taking a step forward, the ground beneath him cracked with arcane pressure. He was no longer a prince of Limbo, he was its ruler. DarkFang lifted the Soul Sword toward the sky, lightning reflecting in its darkness. The wind whipped around him like a living thing while shadows, previously coiled at feet, began to rise around him.

DarkFang used his mutant power and opened a Shadow Gate, a demonically corrupted version of teleportation portal, and stepped through. Another one immediately appeared behind Belasco and DarkFang exited. He brought the soul sword down at an angle; slicing from behind Belasco’s left knee, down to his right Achilles tendon. Not a fatal blow, but an intentional one. DarkFang stepped back through the Shadow Gate and reappeared from one where he’d previously been.

“Ego sum Alaricus Tantus. Imperii finis.”
(“I am Ruler of All. The end of your empire.”)

“Impossibile!” Belasco shrieked as Alaric unleashed his full power on the ancient sorcerer. He had bound the child to Limbo in order to curb his abilities, to limit him and control him. But with the Soul Sword in his possession, Alaric was free of his chains. The ancient blood magic of this realm honored the offering Alaric had made and as Belasco collapsed and bled onto the floors of his castle all of Limbo shuttered and kneeled to Alaric.

There had been a tension filled stillness at the start of the battle and now the silence had returned. But with it was a feeling of completion and peace, Limbo was freed from Belasco’s immortal reign.

To appease the ancient blood magic and Limbo itself even more, Alaric swung the Soul Sword and lifted Belasco's head from off his shoulders. "The blood of Belasco, N'astirh, S'ym, and their last army has stained the ground and their ashes have mixed with the winds. This place shall forever be known as The Eternal Wound of Tantus." A gust of infernal wind blew. The name etched itself into the air, the soil, the memory of Limbo as Alaric spoke the words. Nothing would ever grow or thrive in that blood-stained area ever again. "It does not heal, but remembers. The soil drinks the blood of princes and traitors and the wind still howls with their last screams. Here, they fell, where Alaricus Tantus stood. Unbroken. Unforgiving."

The wind blew again and the dying screams could be heard.

"So let it be." The magics of Limbo shifted and the sky turned from blood red to a twilight violet with ribbons of silver and deep blue. The nature of Limbo's new mystic sovereign, with ties to both darkness and justice, were seen in the shift. Changes would take many decades, but the beginning could be seen in the skies. The Alaricus Tantus ruled.

With things settled and Limbo free of the curse that once held it, DarkFang flew to the portal. With Soul Sword in hand, he walked through, wings and all. He found everyone celebrating on the other side and then smiled, whispering, "Alaricus Tantus... mutatio." (Ruler of All... transformation.) Without any fanfare, all the appearances that designated him as the DarkFang withdrew into his body and he became Alaric Thane. He used the Soul Sword to close the portal to Limbo and then put it back within himself.

"Welcome home, my people."

Alaric was greeted by cheers and celebrations in Kamar-Taj. The battle had shifted with the arrival of Clan Askani and the advantage they provided was more than enough to banish Sinister and his evil forces from the mystical city. Two worlds were liberated today.

“You did it… I felt the change.” From the gathering of the members of the First Class the grey haired woman Alaric knew as Mother Askani, Lorna Dane, stepped forward. He rarely saw her smile when they lived in Limbo but today, there was a radiant grin on her face and for a moment he could see the X-Man known as Polaris in her face. “You killed Belasco, didn’t you? My magical shackles broke, I feel… free.”

"I did," Alaric answered. He smiled widely, the look on Lorna's face touching his heart and soul. She had been the one that helped keep him safe for years. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged. "Free and never again bound, Mother."

"Not just me, my boy." She looked over at the rest of Clan Askani, there was a joy in them that had never been felt before, at least not while they had resided in Limbo. "You freed all of us... you truly are the ruler you were intended to be." Lorna reached out and hugged him with a single arm as they watched the crowd. "This place, Kamar-Taj, it is filled with ancient and powerful magic. A man named Sinister had occupied it and used it for his scheming. I spoke to Scott and I think I am going to stay here along with the Clan Askani. We need a home and this place needs protection from people like Sinister. It feels like a good place for us to settle down, a home without monsters at our backs." She looked up at him with a touch of sadness, "I want you to go back to New York with your father and the rest of the X-Men. The Professor can help you understand this world and you would make a good X-Men, plus I want you to know your family."

Alaric nodded, a single tear running down his cheek at the look of sadness on Mother's face. For him, it had only been a few weeks. But for Lorna, it had been a much, much longer time. They had just gotten each other back and now they were having to part again.

"I will," he said. "And I will come back to visit whenever I can. Because....this," he said, gesturing wide with his arm, "is also my family."

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