Chapter Two: Black as Night

[The Mighty Thor]

With eyes locked on the brutish form of this reality’s Henry McCoy, Ghost Rider spoke to Spider-man, trying to ease his apprehensions, “Do not worry, friend. As long as my penance stare is in effect, he will remain locked within the horrific confines of his own sins. You have nothing to fear from this wretch any longer.” As Ketch reassured Spider-man, Wong moved to Tessa’s side once more. He dismissed the loathsome feelings that she harbored for the vile Mr. Worthington, for he felt the same as she. But if the woman’s work had truly been completed, none of them would have to worry about those thoughts much longer. He stooped over her shoulder, peering hopefully at the screen displaying the translated spell. His eyes darted quickly over the mystical incantation, wanting nothing more than to see this hell be done.

Giving her companions a moment to ready themselves, Victoria dropped her telekinetic shield: although its dissipation was only partly due to strategy. It fell as much from the strain its existence put on Victoria’s mind as anything else. But with it no longer taxing her abilities, combined with the added incentive of the charging vampires, she was now free to cut loose with her telekinesis. She grabbed up as many arrows as she could and let them fly. The villains began to fall rather quickly as she flung shaft after shaft through the approaching vampire’s hearts, turning the battlefield into a veritable dust storm. Of coarse Barry’s lightning fast attacks, Paige and Vance’s gun fire and Castle’s expert aim with his bow helped the cause as well. But as fast as they fell, it seemed that more arose to take the demon’s places. It was times like this that Frank wished he knew more about the talisman that hung at his belt, and how to use it against the army of the damned. Fortunately, Hank had a plan. While the rest of the squad was fending off the endless supply of blood suckers, Beast was going for their leader. He took full advantage of Worthington’s momentary daze, as his superior strength was soon put into action. Hank found himself latched onto the Angel of Death, going for his opponent’s throat. He plucked a razor sharp feather from the man’s flailing wings and brought it swiftly around, aiming to separate his head from his shoulders.

Elsewhere, it was the vampire’s who found themselves with the upper hand: an advantage that Logan had become quite used to. All his life, very few people had ever been able to best him in combat. But since becoming Lord of the Vampires, none had successfully opposed him, save for Castle and his band of whelps. The rebels had become an irritation that would not be sated. Their presence would be tolerated no longer, and Logan intended to begin the night’s extermination with the familiar looking girl in his arms. Behind him and out of his thoughts for the moment, the Surfer and Blade continued to struggle with the Master’s lackeys. But Norrin’s grim determination and extraordinary willpower would not allow the man to accept the defeat that Logan intended to dish out. He launched his board once more, this time easily mowing down every villain in its path, with the hope of plowing down the Master before his fangs could pierce Rogue’s flesh. Seeing the opportunity that his ally had given him, Blade readied his sword. Rogue had become completely invisible by this time, but Blade’s heightened senses allowed him to set the blade on its proper coarse, two inches above Rogue’s right shoulder, straight for Logan’s heart. However, if the Lord of the Vampires could be taken down that easily, the war would have been over months ago. Instead, Logan dropped Rogue to the earth and snatched the sword in mid air, laughing as he did. Fortunately for the heroes, Blade never intended to dispatch their adversary: only to distract him. Because while Logan was focused on the silver blade, the silver surfboard was about to be his undoing.

Back at the brownstone, Wong grinned from ear to ear. “My child, I think you have unraveled the Montesi Formula at last. No matter what Mr. Castle may think, we would have all fallen to the Master if you had not come along. You have literally unlocked our salvation.” Clasping her happily on the shoulder, he straightened himself and continued, “I think it is ready. Although, due to the inherent power of the spell, it must be I who recite it.” Standing as still as a statue, with his hands formed into a protective configuration, Wong began to speak the words. Calmly he worked his way through the spell, making double sure to enunciate each syllable to perfection. As the last word was spoken, Mad McCoy began to writhe in pain. But it only lasted a second as he then exploded into a cloud of dust that swirled inward upon itself and then disappeared completely. Elsewhere, in the vice like grip of the Watch’s Beast, the feather had just nicked the Angel’s flesh as he began to squirm inexplicably before he too exploded into a swirl of dissipating dust. All around them, the other vampires displayed similar symptoms: startling and unexplained destruction. The same was happening in Westchester. The swarms of blood suckers that surrounded Blade and the others suddenly exploded, leaving only the Master with a look of horrible defeat upon his face. But the look did not last long as the Surfer’s board connected, cleaving the vanquished vampire in two. Before the two halves could collapse to the ground, Logan burst into a cloud of dust just like the rest, defeated once and for all. The spell had worked to perfection, leaving the Punishers and the Watch at long last, victorious.