Marvel : Omniversal Clones

The Tribe of No Fear underwent astonishing changes in a couple of weeks; it didn't look anything like before. It had transformed into a stone fortress with fortifications.

Adam was outside the castle, telekinetically floating rocks weighing tons to arrange them into the shape of a wall around the perimeter of the primitive castle.

After reviving the humans and mutants, he tasked some of them to hunt and collect food, while others were instructed to build the stone castle. With ample use of his powers, he was able to complete the construction.

The area around the Tribe of No Fear had turned into a small town with adequate defenses. Adam finished laying the last stone, completing the construction of the perimeter wall, which stood at a height of three meters.

Adam returned to the castle and witnessed humans and mutants living together in the stronghold. He had somewhat become the de facto leader of the whole tribe during these couple of weeks.

He entered a stone structure that extended from the castle. Upon entering, he saw one of the mutants—covered in sacks of red fluid pustules—manipulating flames and directing them into a channel that led to a mud furnace, melting down some ore.

Adam assisted with his cosmic flames, turning the ore into liquid metal. He then used his telekinetic powers to separate impurities from the liquid metal. Afterward, he shaped the metal into a giant metallic furnace capable of melting much more metal than the mud furnace.

The new furnace took shape as it stood cooling. Adam instructed the members to melt more metal to forge weapons, transferring the instructions directly into their minds.

Adam departed the forge and entered a small study he had built in the castle. He picked up some rawhide lying in the corner and drew plans for the settlement.

While lost in his thoughts, he heard commotion outside. Adam looked out from the opening in his study and traced the source of the disturbance.

He saw one of the humans attacking others in the crowd. Adam promptly floated toward the location of the conflict and noticed that the attacker behaved more like a beast than a man.

Puzzled, Adam entered the attacker's mind. After a quick look into his memories, Adam discovered the source. He held the attacker in a telekinetic stranglehold and brought him closer.

Holding the attacker by the throat, Adam telepathically commanded him to reveal his disguise. The man transformed into a green serpent humanoid. The attacker was a Serpent-Man, a being spawned by the Elder God Set.

A group of these Serpent-Men was lurking around the settlement. This was one of the first to infiltrate the stronghold as a scout. Serpent-Men were troublesome because they could shapeshift into human forms, hiding in plain sight. For anyone else, identifying them would be difficult, but Adam had no trouble. All he needed was to touch them or read their surface thoughts.

Realizing the problem, he summoned Highwalker. Highwalker's task in the tribe was to facilitate communication between humans and mutants while also teaching Firehair to control her powers.

"What is this creature?" asked Highwalker, staring at the Serpent-Man.

"These Serpent-Men are quite troublesome. Look for yourself at what they can do," said Adam, commanding the Serpent-Man to transform back into his human form. Highwalker witnessed the transformation.

"They are indistinguishable from us in human form. They are hostile. There is a horde of them outside the stronghold. We might face an attack when night falls. Prepare the members for night watch and inspect everyone entering the settlement. They might be Serpent-Men in disguise," ordered Adam.

"How is Firehair's training going?" asked Adam.

"She is adept at communing her thoughts with others' minds, keeping distractions at bay, and progressing well with her telekinetic abilities. But when it comes to the entity's powers, she struggles to rein them in. Only you can help her," replied Highwalker.

"I have much to handle in the present. Even I am not proficient in using Phoenix powers. Let her first master her inherent abilities. When she is proficient enough, I will teach her what I can about wielding Phoenix powers," replied Adam.

At sunset, darkness covered the stronghold. A group of humans in animal hides stood on the stone perimeter, holding torches as they maintained the night watch.

The night progressed uneventfully, with no attack from the Serpent-Men as Adam had anticipated. However, another unexpected enemy visited the stronghold.

A green beast appeared on the horizon, dashing toward the stronghold. Before the night watch could warn the others, more beasts of varied sizes, shapes, and colors followed, charging the settlement's walls.

The night watch alerted the others to the attack with loud noise.

Adam, who was asleep, was woken by Firehair and Highwalker.

"There is an attack—a horde of beasts is attacking the perimeter," said Highwalker. Adam, still half-awake, immediately flew straight to the stone wall.

He saw a horde of beasts resembling those that attacked him at his birth. Distinct from one another, they tried their best to breach the stone wall and enter the settlement. Some were successful.

Before they could wreak havoc, Adam telekinetically hurled them outside the stronghold. The horde of beasts, Deviants, wasn't difficult for him to kill using his Omega-level mutant or Phoenix powers. But Adam wanted to fight with finesse. He took out half a dozen metal throwing needles and controlled them with his telekinetic powers.

The needles flew at astonishing speed, piercing through the bodies of the Deviants, ending several lives each passing second. The horde of Deviants, once full of momentum, was eliminated in minutes.

Adam gazed upon the carnage he had wrought, but the killing wasn't over for the night. He detected the presence of minds in the darkness of the forest.

He promptly flew over to where he detected the presence of the enemies, at his destination was group of Serpent-men being led by one who looked different from the other of his kind.