Lest Ye, In Turn, Be Judged!

In an attempt to remerge his psychic constructs with himself, Franklin Richards has ventured back to Elsewhen along with his psycho-plasmic constructs: Ego-Spawn, Avatar and Tattletale. They arrive to see that the forces of Warlord Kargul are preparing to go to war. Approaching a soldier he learns that they are preparing for the "End of All That Is!" While Franklin tries to puzzle this over, Avatar tells him that their only hope of solving the mysteries ahead is to venture to Kargul's Tower of Wisdom.

Meanwhile back on Earth, Johnny Storm awakens to find that he and his teammates have been imprisoned by Lord Moses in special restraints that counteract their powers. When Lord Moses makes his presence known, Johnny is unimpressed by this would be world-conqueror pointing out that they all sound the same, and mockingly rhymes off other villains that the Fantastic Four have defeated in the past. Lord Moses explains that while other scientists were gaining fame and recognition for their work during World War II, he and Issac Sandor worked together on a research project to create what they thought would change humanity for the better but turned out to be an atomic bomb. Moses goes on that the culmination of his plan to bring peace on Earth has been to steal the Omnivirus and unleash it upon an unsuspecting world while he and his Chosen Few hide in their bunker only to emerge once the virus has completed its work. Moses goes on to explain that after World War II, he went into seclusion to think things out when he witnessed an alien ship crash land in the wilderness. Going to investigate the ship all the knowledge of its dead passenger was transferred to him upon physical contact. With the knowledge he learned and technology he gained he has spent the conveening years plotting global armageddon in order to create a biblical paradise for his faithful followers.

After explaining all this, Lord Moses leaves his prisoners to check in on Zarathustra. She informs him that the Omnivirus has been planeted on the nuclear weapons they had stolen from Alaska. When Zarathustra tries to convince her father to allow her to search for Psi-Lord and bring him back before the launch, as he may prove useful to their cause, Lord Moses decides against it telling her that it is too late and they must face their destiny without him.

At that moment in Elsewhen, Warlord Kargul learns that the force which threatens to obliterate them from existence will be upon them within the next thirty seven minutes. Suddenly, Psi-Lord and his constructs come crashing through the door, announcing their presence. The guards try to stop them from advancing, but Psi-Lord and his other selves manage to fight them off until Kargul orders a stop. Asking his former master what is happening, Kargul explains that the time of culling is upon them.

Back on Earth, Huntara manages to break free from her bonds and free the other members of Fantastic Force. They then go crashing into the room where the nuclear weapons are being kept. As they battle it out with Lord Moses, he manages to activate the launching sequence of one of the missiles. Seeing this, Devlor jumps onto it as it launches in the hopes of disabling the warehead before the bomb can detonate and spread the Omnivirus. While trying to do so, Devlor is exposed to the Omnivirus before Johnny tells him to jump loose while he destroys the missiel with his Nova Flame. Devlor is then saved from a fatal fall when the Torch helps slow his descent.

With his plans foiled, Lord Moses vows to begin anew later and while Zarathustra covers his escape he teleports away. Zarathustra herself is then easily defeated by Huntara. While in Elsewhen Franklin and Kargul watches as the latest line of defense is decimated by the mysterious attacking threatening the domain. Back on Earth, the Fantastic Force have returned home after returning what is left of the Omnivirus to Professor Sandor. Suddenly Huntara's Psi-Sycthe begins to glow warning her of growing trouble in Elsewhen. She quickly opens a portal to that realm and Fantastic Force jumps through. As they travel through the portal they are suddenly confronted by the being threatening to destroy Elsewhen, a massive armored being calling himself Vangaard.

Recurring Characters

Fantastic Force (Human Torch, Black Panther, Huntara, Vibraxas, Devlor, Psi-Lord, Tattletale, Avatar, Ego-Spawn), Lord Moses, Zarathustra, Vangaard, Warlord Kargul

Continuity Notes

• This story states that both Professor Sandor and Lord Moses were active scientists during World War II. Per the Sliding Timecale of Earth-616 as time slides forward it becomes increasingly difficult to explain how someone who was in their prime during the 1940s could still be alive in the Modern Age without some sort of assistance. While it could be believed that the alien technology Lord Moses employs had also increased his life span, this does not explain Professor Sandor's longevity.

• Upon exposure to the Omnivirus, Devlor is now trapped in his bestial form, this lasts until Fantastic Force #16 when his body undergoes another transformation.