Marvel: Death Knight

As the grand pyramid in the distance disintegrated, transforming into a square structure devoid of visible entrances or exits, confusion spread among the group. None of them understood what had just occurred, and the sole insider, Nightcrawler, remained unconscious.

Apocalypse's powers were overwhelming, vast, and diverse. Even the combined strength of all the X-Men was no match for him. Within just a few exchanges, they were subdued under his control.

"I've found you!" Apocalypse declared, suppressing Charles in the mental realm and pinpointing their hiding spot in the real world.

"What do we do now?" Jean and Moira looked at each other, helpless as they watched Charles struggle in vain. At this moment, they were the only ones still capable of fighting.

Jean possessed immense power but feared her own abilities. Memories of past outbursts haunted her like a recurring nightmare. As she hesitated, their hiding place was suddenly engulfed in a cloud of dust, and a section of the wall vanished. Standing twenty meters away was the terrifying figure of Apocalypse.

The villain's mocking smile deepened as he observed the two panicking women and the suppressed Charles in the mental world.

"Hmm?" Apocalypse suddenly turned his gaze behind him. The enormous cubic prison that had previously held Garus and his group now displayed a mysterious arcane pattern on its surface. Above the structure stood Garus, who had reconnected with Sindragosa of the Shadowlands. She appeared even more powerful than during her last manifestation.

Exhausting an immense amount of soul energy, the frost dragon's skeletal form materialized amidst icy winds, chilling the sweltering city to the bone.

"Roar!" Moments later, a massive frost dragon, glowing with an ethereal blue light, assembled itself midair.

"Go join the X-Men," Garus ordered, pointing in their direction before leaping onto Sindragosa's back. Together, they charged at Apocalypse.

Meanwhile, Erik, who had been manipulating the subterranean metallic elements to tear the ground apart, froze in place as the frost dragon hovered above the city. The plummeting temperature numbed his body, slowing his reactions.

"I don't like this feeling," Pietro muttered, recalling his first encounter with Garus. Back then, his super speed had been severely hindered by the freezing conditions. Now, he couldn't even muster the strength to run.

In reality, the frost dragon's icy aura showed no favoritism, affecting both friend and foe within its range.

A frigid current wrapped around Apocalypse, dragging him skyward before he could react. As he was pulled closer, Garus leapt high and slashed at him with his sword.

"Boom!" A deafening crash followed as Apocalypse was hurled into a cluster of dilapidated buildings, reducing them to rubble.

From beneath the debris, Apocalypse emerged unscathed moments later. A purple energy shield formed around him as he teleported directly in front of Garus. Below, Beast had regained consciousness and immediately set about rescuing Quicksilver and Scott, bringing Raven to Charles' side as well.

The X-Men regrouped, watching the aerial battle unfold. A newly awakened Raven asked, "Who is he?"

Jean hesitated. "I'm not entirely sure. But he said the professor knows him."

The group glanced at the still-unconscious Charles, who remained unable to provide any answers.

On Sindragosa's back, Garus clashed with Apocalypse. A sudden psychic force squeezed Garus' body, compelling him to summon a skeletal shield for protection.

"Death Strike!"

Breaking free from the psychic restraint, Garus swung Frostmourne, its blood-red glow cutting into Apocalypse. However, the wound instantly regenerated, and Frostmourne's vampiric properties failed to siphon any life force.

Neither frost nor blood magic had any effect on Apocalypse. His strength was overwhelming; he gripped Frostmourne tightly, his voice dripping with disdain. "You are not strong enough. You could have been my greatest knight, but now, I will destroy you."

Garus watched in astonishment as Apocalypse's body expanded, dwarfing him in comparison. A massive fist came crashing down, forcing Garus to block with both arms. The impact nearly shattered his bones, and even Sindragosa faltered, descending several dozen meters under the weight.

Realizing the futility of the current approach, Garus signaled Sindragosa to flip over, dislodging both combatants. He needed a new strategy, as remaining airborne limited the frost dragon's effectiveness.

"Thud!" The two landed heavily, raising a cloud of dust. Apocalypse reacted quickly, manipulating the ground beneath Garus to engulf him. As Apocalypse turned his attention to Charles, two steel beams embedded themselves in his path. Turning, he saw Magneto, who had abandoned his prior mission and now stood in defiance.

"You would betray me too?" Apocalypse asked.

"No, I betrayed them," Erik replied, guilt evident in his voice as he launched a barrage of metal at Apocalypse.

Nearby, Scott removed his visor and unleashed a crimson beam that struck Apocalypse's towering form. Emerging from the ground, Garus spat out dirt, his frustration mounting. He drew upon the souls in the air, channeling their energy.

"Soul Impact!"

Garus didn't absorb the vengeful spirits. Instead, he directed them like a concentrated beam at Apocalypse's head. The spirits, driven by their hatred, assaulted his psyche relentlessly.

A lich teleported into the fray, raising its skeletal claws to summon a volley of razor-sharp ice shards, which rained down upon Apocalypse.

"Get away! Get away!" In the mental realm, Apocalypse's expression twisted in pain. The spirits gnawed at his psychic form, forcing him to divert his attention from Charles.

Charles, sensing an opportunity, counterattacked with the spirits, regaining his mental footing. "You will never understand the will of freedom," he declared, his psychic wounds healing.

In the physical world, Apocalypse stood motionless, his protective shield dissipating. Garus seized the chance.

Raising Frostmourne, he commanded the vengeful spirits to continue their assault. "Everyone, get out of here! Now!" he shouted.

Raven, grasping the urgency, ordered the group to retreat. "Take the professor and Nightcrawler. Move!"

Sindragosa began amassing a massive frost energy attack, lowering the surrounding temperature drastically. Raven called out to Scott, "Scott, we're leaving!"

Scott donned his visor and followed the group as they fled. Magneto continued his assault while retreating, sensing the immense power gathering above.

Several minutes later, from a safe distance, they watched a massive frost sphere, over ten meters in diameter, descend upon Apocalypse. The impact unleashed a wave of cold near absolute zero, freezing everything within a kilometer-wide radius and transforming the area into a frozen wasteland.

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