Eve of Destruction

After centuries trapped in volcanic rock beneath Mount Vesuvius, the immortal Berserker is finally free. His rampage across the country side has drawn a military response, however the tanks and jets are no match for the Berserker whose primitive weapons are powered by alien technology.

Meanwhile, on an island on the Mediterranean, the Avengers have inadvertedly killed the one many who could have stopped the Berserker, the mysterious Shadow Lord. His final act of life is handing over the necklace he wore to actor Rachel Palmer, cryptically telling her that it has the power to open a portal into the night. After she brings the Avengers up to speed on who Shadow Lord was and his mission, the group wants to know more about the menace posed by the Berserker. After burying Shadow Lord they are brought to the Pool of Memories where Rachel shows them what Shadow Lord’s people knew about the Berserker.

The immortal warrior had a simple beginning, being a savage warrior in the days of pre-history. Chased by an opposing tribe, the man who would become the Berserker sought refuge in a cave that emitted a strange green glow and killed any who wandered into it. Going inside, this savage was not only immune to the harmful rays, but they also gave him incredibly strength and immortality. With his new found power, the Berserker slew his rivals and begin obsessed with warfare and death. In later centuries, his notoriety led to him becoming a mercenary for hire, a role that he grew obsessed with. He would lead some of history’s greatest armies into battle for the thrill of murder and the spoils of war. His legend grew beyond the stars and the Berserker soon was hired by many alien races to assist in their bloody wars, obtaining advanced alien technology as payment for his work. Ultimately, the Berserker returned to Earth and not long after the Shadow Lord’s people buried him under tons of molten lava by making Mount Vesuvius erupt.

Realizing that it is up to them to stop the Berserker now, the Avengers head off in their Quinjet to find the menace. Along the way, Wonder Man worries that this mission will have consequences for his acting career since he was originally in the region for a movie shoot. Rachel promises to help Simon with his career and hands him her hotel room key so they can meet up later and talk about it. Little does Simon Williams knows that his agent Sid Serling has sent word to him back at Avengers Mansion to inform him that he has been fired from the movie and that Serling is dropping him as a client.

When the Avengers arrive in Italy they quickly find the Berserker and attack. Unfortunately, the warrior’s alien weapons give him the advantage. The Avengers are forced on the defensive when the Berserker surrounds them in a ring of cold fire that sucks up all the air in their immediate location. In order to save his friends from suffocation, Iron Man removes the air capsules from his armor and passes them around so the rest of the team can breath until the Vision and Jocasta can dissipate the flames. While they are struggling with this, the Berserker kidnaps Rachel and attacks nearby St. Giovanna’s Cathedral. He then uses the energies of his sword to uncover a long buried Roman colosseum where he intends to slay all of his enemies.

After forcing Rachel to change in clothing from his era, the Berserker notices that she is wearing the Shadow Lord’s necklace and decides to take it for himself as a trophy. When the Avengers arrive on the scene the battle beings anew, but the team fares little better this time. During the fight, Rachel’s hotel room key falls out of Wonder Man’s pocket and is disintegrated upon contact with the Berserker’s shield. This suddenly gives Wonder Man a clue what Shadow Lord’s cryptic final words meant. Yanking back the necklace, Simon confirms it’s some kind of key and begins trying to figure out how it works. With the sun beginning to set, Simon finally figures it out just as he becomes the last Avenger left standing. Realizing the key only works at dusk, Wonder Man solves the puzzle and tosses the key at the Berserker as it opens a portal to the Shadow Dimension. The Berserker finds himself pulled through the portal into the endless blackness of that other realm and the portal closes soon after, ending his threat.

Recurring Characters

Avengers (Captain America, Iron Man, Wasp, Scarlet Witch, Vision, Wonder Man, Jacosta), Shadow Lord, Berserker, Rachel Palmer, Alexander the Great (flashback)

Topical References

• The message telling Simon Williams that he was fired is delivered in the form of a telegram. While telegrams are still a thing, they are not as prevalent as they were when this story was published in 1981 thanks to email and smart phones. This should be considered a topical reference. Use your imagination to figure out how he would have gotten that message by today’s standard. I believe in you.