the city of the dead
Sgt. Nick Fury, Indiana Jones, The Rocketeer, Wolverine, and Iron Fist spill out of the Ancient One's portal in the high mountains that overlook K'un-L'un. From their vantage point they see a long bridge that leads them to the golden gated entrance to the city. "These are known as the bridge of Destiny and the Gates of Heaven." Iron Fist explains.
Iron Fist continues to talk them through the lore of the locale, stating that the Bridge of destiny spans a chasm of rumored bottomless depth. Aside from flight it is the only entrance into the city. The gate or Heaven is usually guarded by the most talented archers of K'un-L'un from the towers that line the wall.
Unfortunately, for the Midnight Sons, these poor souls have already been overtaken by the forces of the Necronomicon and are now demonic archers and warriors, so they have a battle on their hands before ever entering the city.
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Once the Midnight Sons have dispatched the Deadite warriors, they enter the gates of Heaven. Once inside, they all feel the heaviness of the air. A dark cloud ominously looms above the beautiful city and the sickly sweet stench of death hangs in the air. At the core of this black cloud stands the Central Hall of the Ancestors -- a giant tower with strikingly different, almost futuristic architecture -- a stark contrast to the clay rooftops and thatch walls that make up the rest of the city.
As the Midnight Sons make their way through the city, more and more Deadite soldiers are thrown at them. Eventually, another mortal whispers to them from the shadows of an alleyway and motion them over to him. He appears to be a drunkard and by the smell of his breath, looks were not deceiving. "You 3 gentlemen are not from around here, eh? The gate of Heaven has become the gate of Hell, eh?! Hee hee! You aren't the only foreigners in my fair city, you know! The red faced one and his sorcerers have stormed the tower." The drunkard babbled on at Fury, Cliff, and Indy. He then turned angrily to Iron Fist. The dragon kings are no more. Soon these dead things will take our city! I used to be a king, you know! Let me fight them with you! I know the tower like the back of my foot! Now...where did I put my drink???..."
"This man is Zhou Cheng, but he is referred to as the drunken master. He is not truly a dragon king as he stated, but is in actuality a descendant of the lightning Lords of Nepal." Iron Fist disclosed to his newfound partners, as they consulted on allowing the drunken master to join them.
He did not lie, however, when he stated he knew all the layout of the central hall of the ancestors. The drunken master led them to the base of the tower where they were met by a small armada of Deadite Nazi soldiers in the garden of the P'an-Tao.
After sawing through the first wave of Deadite Nazis, the Midnight Sons gained entrance into the Central Hall of Ancestors. The interior of the hall is in shambles. The once glorious tribute to the greatest warriors of K'un-L'un now lies in ruins. Statues and paintings that once lined the walls lay torn asunder. Blood and gore splatter the walls, and the floors run sanguine with blood. Once inside The Midnight Sons faced yet another horde of both Deadite warriors and Nazi soldiers.
As they fought the army of the undead, Kaluu and the Red Skull overlooked the gallery the heroes stood in from an elaborate balcony.
Kaluu addresses the Midnight Sons as he holds aloft the Necronomicon Ex Mortis behind an impenetrable magic force field: "It is much too late for you and your kind. You call yourselves heroes. The Midnight Suns. The only thing you know is war. All you are is darkness. I have seen war. I have seen famine. I have seen death. I have seen darkness. Now you will know fear.
"The Red Skull and I have come to an agreement. With the Necronomicon, I will seize control of the Seven Capital Cities of Heaven, and all of.the Magicks therein will be at my disposal. In return, I will unleash the necromantic powers of the seven cities on the mortal plane, decimating all those who dare stand before the Axis powers. There will be a master race powered by magic in Earth. All will bow to their master. I will be the Earth Dimension's Sorcerer Supreme!"
Suddenly, from Kaluu's torso, a geyser of blood spewed forth with a sharp pointed object protruding from the wound. The Red Skull stands behind him with his arm magically fashioned into a hooked spike. In his other hand he holds what appears to be another book. Iron Fist recognizes it as The Darkhold. The Red Skull addresses the crowd as the magical barrier begins to falter: "Ach!! Why must you all prattle on so?! Enough, Kaluu. You have served your purpose well, mein Freund. Without the use of your precious Necronomicon, I would have never found the location of the Darkhold here in K'un-L'un." The Red Skull spit a black glob of saliva onto the dying Kaluu before turning to the Midnight Sons. "The Ancient One thought he had the perfect hiding place. Now the Third Reich possesses a much more powerful tome! If you gentlemen want the book of the dead, by all means take it. I now have what I need. But it appears to me the rightful owners may want their property back. Hahahahahahahaha!!!"
Kaluu's forcefield dissipates as the Red Skull tosses his body over the edge of the balcony at The heroes' feet. The Red Skull disappears down a dark hallway behind him as a series of tall dark robed demonic figures appear from the shadows of the chamber and circle the Midnight Sons.
These shadowy figures are the Dark Ones -- near god-like and masters of the Deadites.
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After experiencing much difficulty in defeating the dark ones, Iron Fist opens the Necronomicon and begins reciting the spell to banih the dark ones. Meanwhile, Indiana Jones lucks into finding the Kandarian Dagger amidst the rubble bycatching a glint of steel in his peripheral vision. The Kandarian Dagger was a prized possession kept in the central hall of ancestors for moments just like this.
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After dispelling the Dark Ones the Midnight Suns pursued The Red Skull, prepared for the battle of their lifetimes, as The Red Skull had been imbued with the dark magical energies of both the Necronomicon Ex Mortis, and the Darkhold.
After nearly defeating him in battle, The Red Skull escaped the combat with the Darkhold by accidentally opening a portal to the mirror dimension that he was sucked into.
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