1859

The dripping water and high pitched echo of the sewers did little to make Essex smile. He was a man of refine and taste, and yet he was to walk through the underbelly of London like a common man. As Essex turned the corner behind his guide he came to glance upon a large cavern bristling with people who had chosen to remove themselves from the above world. These freaks of nature had taken tor recluse quite well. He glanced at a man with crab hands, who quickly shuffled back into the darkness of his improvised encampment. He was horrified to say the least, he wanted to run. To leave the area, away from those within.

The monsters within had done well to decorate the walls of their home. Lights hung from the ceilings, most likely from an ability possess by those who needed it. Shanty town structures had been built into multiple storeys, walkways crisscrossing one another. It was warm, and livable, but it was far from inviting.

He backed carefully up, trying to move down the corridor and away from the area, only halting when he felt a short blade press against his spine. He hoisted his hands to the air.

"Your money." The attacker croaked. Essex reached into his pocket and pulled out what little he had on him, passing it behind. The croaker snatched it from him, dirty hands stuffing it into pockets.

"Who are you? You hide in the sewers, away from the common man. You do not look at all human! Could it be my prediction was true, that man would indeed come to gain feats far beyond a normal man?"

"We are the Marauders." A taller mutant spoke up, as the crowd formed around Essex. "Men and women do not want us. So we retreated to here. It's safety."

Essex thought quietly, lowering his arms and stepping forward, away from the knife in his back. A smile on his features, having an idea "I have an offer, one you may enjoy! I have a lab, researching into men and women like you! I can bolster your numbers, help you to strike back against those who cast you down! In return... You take them from the street, and more money is yours."

And so a plan was put into motion. The Marauders would become body snatchers, dragging people from the streets to their abode. Where Essex would perform tests on them, unlocking their full capabilities. This plan carried on for many weeks. Everyone from the common prostitute to the rich lord was brought down. The experiments had mixed results, and it was starting to grate on Essesx's nerves. But The Marauders grew rich, and in time he become their defacto ruler. It was a union that worked very well for them both.

And then a business proposal arrived, in the form of a large man in a cloak. It hid him well, and few people would have been aware that he was different o the others. The Marauders had seen him several times, hiding away under the hood. Flashes of grey skin appeared from time to time, and rumours spread wildly. One night a young girl brought the watcher to their home in the sewers, his giant hand dwarfing hers.

"Who are you, stranger?" One of the Marauders asked, holding a pitchfork tightly in his hands. The arrival pulled back his hood, revealing a hairless grey head adorned with a blue metal and large blue lips that lined up along his cheeks. Red eyes stared at them, demanding authority and respect. With a large booming voice he spoke:

"My name is En Sabah-Nur. I have gone by many names. You will call me Apocalypse."