Chapter 81: The Battle of Cairo

The group arrived at a hangar in the base, where a transport plane stood ready.

"Alright, folks!" Scott exclaimed as he opened a nearby glass case, revealing several sets of combat gear.

The X-Men exchanged glances before each took a set and began changing.

"What about you?" Quicksilver—Pietro—offered a suit to Garus.

"No need," Garus declined, eyeing this version of Quicksilver. He couldn't help but think of the Pietro from another world. They looked the same, shared the same powers, yet their memories were entirely different. What would happen if they ever met?

Jean spoke up, "The Professor is in Cairo now. We need to leave immediately."

"I'll handle the plane," Moira volunteered, stepping forward. "I know how to fly it."

Garus noticed Logan calming down and signaled Bobby to release his control over him. "Logan, we've decided to head to Cairo. Are you coming?"

Logan, now fully aware of the situation, said nothing. Instead, he grabbed a combat suit and boarded the plane.

The transport plane soared toward Cairo. Below them, the cities lay in ruins, reduced to wastelands of destruction. Cries of anguish echoed through the remains of shattered homes.

Metal debris and building fragments swirled in the air. Moira piloted carefully, dodging the chaotic storm.

Magneto's power had reached terrifying heights. With the Earth's magnetic field under his control, humanity, stripped of nuclear weapons and strategic arsenals, stood defenseless against his wrath.

As the plane approached Cairo, a massive pyramid came into view. The city had become a dead zone, filled with the acrid scent of rust and decay.

In the city below, another Pietro from a different world was hiding, watching Erik float ominously in the sky. A strange feeling churned within him. Turning to Kingpin, he asked, "Why exactly did Garus bring us here?"

Kingpin shook his head. "I'm not sure either."

Above, Moira brought the plane near the pyramid.

Raven said, "The Professor is inside. Pietro and I will go after Erik. The rest of you, rescue Charles."

"Wait. I've got people below. We'll regroup later," Garus said, sensing his allies' positions. Before anyone could respond, he opened the Death Gate and vanished.

The plane landed near the pyramid. Guided by Jean, the X-Men headed toward Charles's location. Suddenly, a bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, and Storm appeared to confront them.

"Nightcrawler," Raven ordered, "get the Professor out of here."

He nodded and vanished in a puff of smoke.

On the other side of the city, Garus's arrival drew a resigned sigh from Pietro. He was starting to regret following Garus through the dimensional portal. Nearly getting crushed by Erik's power earlier hadn't been fun.

Pointing at Bobby, Pietro asked, "Who's this?"

"This is Bobby, a mutant. Let's go. We'll deal with Apocalypse first, then I've got one more thing to do before we leave," Garus said firmly. Until Apocalypse was dealt with and his mission complete, he wasn't going anywhere. He could still raise another Death Knight. If Apocalypse could be turned into his subordinate, he'd gain the ultimate weapon.

With that, Garus led his group into the pyramid, aiming straight for Apocalypse.

"Garus!" Jean's telepathic voice echoed across the battlefield. She noted Garus and several unfamiliar figures. Wait—why was there another Pietro here?

At the entrance, they encountered Warren, the Angel. He unleashed a barrage of metallic feathers, but Abomination stepped forward, his resilient hide deflecting the projectiles with ease.

As Warren tried to retreat, Bobby sent a blast of frost, freezing his wings and sending him crashing to the ground. Abomination seized Warren by the wings and, with a sickening tear, ripped them off, leaving Warren unconscious.

With no further obstacles, Garus's group pressed deeper into the pyramid.

The labyrinthine structure was vast and disorienting, with countless twists and turns.

"Look up," Garus said. Above them, Nightcrawler's form flickered as he teleported, clearly searching for something.

"Blonsky," Garus commanded.

Understanding the order, Abomination charged forward like a tank, smashing through walls and clearing a path toward the pyramid's center.

Before long, they reached the heart of the structure, where they found Charles and Apocalypse lying side by side. The stone slab beneath them floated, glowing with golden runes.

Charles's mind was under siege, blue psychic energy forcing its way into his consciousness.

"Get out of my head!" Charles shouted, struggling against the invasion.

"Garus, what are they doing?" Pietro asked, uneasy.

Seeing Apocalypse defenseless, Garus sensed an opportunity. Drawing his weapon from his dimensional pouch, he prepared to strike. Before he could act, a black mist enveloped the scene.

Nightcrawler appeared, seizing Charles and vanishing in an instant.

"Damn impressive," Garus muttered under his breath.

Interrupted mid-transformation, Apocalypse awoke, instinctively dodging Garus's blade. Taking in the scene, rage filled him.

"You again," he snarled.

His eyes glowed white, and with a wave of his hand, the pyramid disintegrated into fragments, forming a reinforced cage around the intruders. Layer upon layer of metal and stone sealed them in.

Desperate to find Charles, Apocalypse emerged outside, only to see his forces defeated.

"Useless fools!" he bellowed.

Inside the dark confines of the cage, Garus's eyes glowed faintly white, a manifestation of his soul power.

"Garus, your eyes…" Pietro began, only to be silenced by Kingpin tapping his cane.

"Shh. Don't interrupt," Kingpin warned.

Garus reached out with his consciousness, probing into another realm. Perhaps every universe had its own version of hell. That would explain why summoning undead creatures here produced results different from those in his own world.

A lich answered his call, appearing at their side and plunging the temperature into an icy chill.

If not for his previous encounter, Pietro might have screamed. The lich looked like something out of a horror movie.

With a wave of its staff, the lich created a teleportation circle beneath their feet. Blue light engulfed them, and they escaped the prison.

By now, Apocalypse had pinpointed Charles's location.

"Sindragosa!" Garus called out. Holding Frostmourne, he drew upon the surrounding souls to summon the mightiest frost wyrm from the chaotic sea of undead.

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