Age of Cyclops: Omega

by Phil Hartman

9/1/2018:

Peace.

Quiet.

The rain on the force-umbrellas isn't distracting us. Nor is the mud in this graveyard.

No, it's not one of our own we're here to bury -thank God - but an ... abomination.

Sinister bred him.

Mephisto taught him.

And I ...

I'm tired.

I swore - SWORE - I'd never use my gifts to harm. I shaped light, and the wonderment which went along with that power more than made up for my lack of hearing.

Then, my family - my nephews and niece, my younger sibs, my cousins - and their friends were threatened by this ... thing.

Bertram Antigeros Essex. The unholy spawn of Nathaniel Essex and, of all creatures, Satana.

It wasn't like he was particularly powerful -telepathy, wings, a healing factor - but the ... EVIL he radiated - I wasn't about to let that get close to my family.

So I shot him. In self-defense, sure, but ...

He was a child.

I was almost killed, once. It puts things in perspective.

Violence isn't a necessity anymore. Apocalypse is dead, Sinister was hunted down by the feds years ago, Magnus hasn't been a threat for decades ...

I want to hand down that lesson to the next generation.

Maybe that teaching degree of mine will come in handy.

I light the way through the haze with a soft white glow, and we head for the cars. I find mine - JESS1 -and get in.

Let's see where this'll lead.

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