War of Kings: Ascension #3

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The issue begins with Chris Powell in the Null Space, on the tree with all the amulets, facing off against bat-like humanoid creatures who simply hiss, “Return!” repeatedly. With no way to fight the bat-like creatures, Chris leaps from one of the tree’s branches and grabs onto one of the amulets on the way down, which is as big as he is – and discovers inside the amulet is another humanoid – clearly dead. Chris sees that one of the amulets is glowing and makes his way there, and to his surprise finds himself slipping inside of the amulet where there is what appears to be a dead Skrull.

However, the Skrull opens his eyes and introduces himself as Grand Commander H’Jke Jeeku.

The scene shifts to the Negative Zone, where Talon and Razor find themselves being attacked by King Blastaar with the Cosmic Control Rod. Talon and Razor try to talk to Blastaar but he will not listen; deciding instead that he wants to invade Earth (and no doubt get revenge against the Fantastic Four); but Talon and Razor insist that he must do as they say. Eventually, Talon and Razor are forced to reconfigure their armor to Heavy Combat Mode and attack King Blastaar. They use Arcane wards to pull the Cosmic Control Rod from King Blastaar and explain he is to attack his old Negative Zone rival, Ravenous – and thus earn the gratitude of the Shi’ar Empire’s current ruler, Emperor Vulcan.

The scene shifts back to the Null Space, within the amulet with Chris and the Skrull. The Grand Commander explains that he and Chris are the same; they are sacrifices of the black sorcery of the Fraternity of Raptors; and that a sacrifice is needed; an organic specimen to be delivered to the Source to allow the Raptor to “awaken.” The Grand Commander goes on to explain that the “flaw” that Talon repeatedly mentioned to Chris is actually what made Talon afraid of Chris. He explains that Chris has already done what other ancient races that have been Raptros have never done; he shows Chris that though Chris was in the same amulet as the Grand Commander; if he looked back at his own amulet, his physical body was still there as well. H’Jke Jeeku explains that Chris’ human mind allowed him to leave his physical body behind, and what was moving about was something similar to an astral image of Chris – something no other sacrifice to the Raptors has ever been able to do before.

The scene switches to Chandilar, the Shi’ar Empire Throneworld.

Razor lands among the Shi’ar disguising himself as one of them with the plan that Vulcan will have the throne torn from him before the night was over.

The scene switches back to the Null Space, where the Skrull Grand Commander explains that the anger Chris constantly feels is actually the manifestation of fear that his mind is experiencing at all the possibilities of the amulet; thus, in truth, it is that anger that gives him the power over the amulet. So in order to seize control of the amulet he must allow himself to become furious. Chris thinks about it and appears back in his amulet crystal. Within there he pushes again to seize control of the amulet, growing more furious – and then does it!

Appearing back in his Darkhawk armor, he looks around, unaware of where he is. His hand, a smoking gun, and he sees Shi’ar shouting, “She’s dead! She’s dead!”

Darkhawk looks and sees Gladiator, of the Shi’ar Imperial Guard, holding Lilandra, who has been assassinated. The Starjammers, led by Havok and Polaris, shout to find the assassin. Suddenly, Darkhawk finds himself being attacked by both Gladiator and Havok!