—• --|A|-- •I thought about this every night for thousands of years. A million nights. No matter what battle I had won that day, what greater mystery I had unlocked. No matter how many supple bodies lay beside me in my bed at night. I am always thinking about how this ends.
Appearing in "X of Swords: Chapter 21"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Bei the Blood Moon (Leaves the Swordbearers of Arakko)
- Omniversal Majestrix Opal Luna Saturnyne
- Shogo Lee
- Jubilee (Jubes Lee)
- Green Priestess
Antagonists:
- Amenthi Daemon Horde
- Horsemen of Apocalypse
- Swordbearers of Arakko
- Annihilation / Genesis (Possessed by Annihilation)
- Pogg Ur-Pogg
- Isca the Unbeaten
- War
- White Sword (Leaves)
Other Characters:
- White Priestess
- Ryl
- One Hundred Champions
- Gorgon (Tomi Shishido) (Mentioned)
- Rockslide (Santo Vaccarro) (Mentioned)
- Captain Britain Corps (Reforms)
- Captain Britain (Betsy Braddock) (Stained-glass mosaic)
- The Violet Swan (First appearance)
- Captain Baboon (Elizabeth Braddock) (First appearance as Captain Baboon)
- Captain Amphibian (First appearance)
- Captain Bretland (Unnamed)
- Multiple other unidentified Captain Britains
Races and Species:
- Otherworlders
- Daemons
- Mutants
- Human-Otherworlder Hybrids
- Technarchy
- Humans
- Dragons
- Vultures
- Swans
- Baboons
Locations:
- Otherworld
- Starlight Citadel
- Avalon, Fair Courts (Mentioned)
- Dryador, Foul Courts (Mentioned)
- Amenth (Mentioned)
- Krakoa, Pacific Ocean, Earth, Prime Earth Universe (Mentioned)
- Hell (Invoked)
Items:
- X-Uniforms
- Transmode Virus
- Soulsword
- Sword of Might
- Captain Avalon's Uniform
- Wolverine's Suit
- Twilight Sword
- Pogg Ur-Pogg
- Seducer
- Mercy
- Vermilion
- Purity
- Starlight Sword (Mentioned) (Destroyed)
- Captain Britain's Uniform
Synopsis for "X of Swords: Chapter 21"
With the tournament turning against Arakko, Annihilation summons its horde of demons and lays siege to the Starlight Citadel. Before it can strike down Apocalypse, the Krakoans intervene. Storm calls down a lightning-strike, stunning Annihilation, as the others attempt to wrest Apocalypse away. While he initially refuses to abandon his wife, they convince him to retreat.
Meanwhile, the champions of Arakko observe the erupting chaos and discuss their next move. The White Sword declares the battle foolish and orders his men to turn back home. Isca and War decide to hunt the remaining Krakoans, whereupon Bei suddenly flees, with War musing that she is choosing love over war. Saturnyne takes Shogo to her chambers, retrieves the shattered pieces of Captain Britain and begins piecing them together.
With Annihilation off their trail, the Krakoans debate what to do. Wolverine suggests they make their stand, but is soon convinced that they are far too outnumbered. Their discussion is suddenly interrupted by Bei, who leaps in, knocks the others away, and flees with Cypher. The Amenthi horde begin to close in on the remaining Krakoans, when they are suddenly reinforced by Jubilee and the Priestesses of the Green. The Priestesses leave to reinforce the Citadel and retrieve Shogo, who is currently in the form of a dragon, while the mutants stay behind to hold the line. Bei, who has taken Cypher in order to save him, is convinced by him to turn back and help his friends. They return just in time for Annihilation, its horde, and the remaining Arakkii champions to catch up to them. Annihilation declares that she will now have her price; the Citadel, Avalon, and finally, Krakoa.
Meanwhile, Saturnyne is nearly finished with her puzzle. As she draws close, the call goes out across the multiverse to all Captains Britain. She hopes that the spell she is casting in laying it will bring back the Captain Britain Corps as she knew it. She is aghast to find that the corps is made up of alternate versions of Elizabeth Braddock.
Solicit Synopsis
X OF SWORDS, CHAPTER 21
A game abandoned, but a great gamble remains. A Tower answers.