Out in space a space shuttle emerges from a warp, piloted by Craig of NASA and Dr. Corbeau. They're ferrying mercenaries to the war on Arakko and onboard are Weaponless Szen, Prince of Power, and Blackjack O'Hare. Along for the ride are Loolo and her little brother Kobb. Prince of Power awkwardly talks to the children trying to sound relatable as his planet also suffered its own annihilation. Except it was at his hands and anyway his attempt to talk to them falls flat. Zsen asks if Blackjack has something for her to paint on and he hands her a paper pad and marker. Her mutant power is to draw the truth as we know and she hands little Kobb her drawing, saying she hopes it helps and is useful in his fight. His eyes grow wide with surprise as he looks at it and a single tear streams down his face. He thanks her and Loolo is pleasantly surprised because this is the first time he's spoken in months.
Craig appears, disappointed that he missed Kobb speaking, and informs them that instead of going to Arakko they have to go to the Keep station. Peepers has informed them that Port Prometheus, their destination, is gone. We get the preview page of the heartbreaking scene of War looking over the burning Port. The Red Lagoon is on fire, residents like the gun shop owner are on fire or dead, and Amenthi daemons are flying all around. Famine however feels the fire is too good for what he calls small salesmen of meager stock, traders and diplomats. He says he will correct War's error.
The last preview page is of Kobak and Syzya. Kobak is in what looks to be the Brotherhood's meeting room in the back of the Red Lagoon. He calls out for Lodus and Fisher King when Syzya teleports in. He's the only one inside alive since the fire cannot burn his skin. Syzya tells him that Fisher King is with Sunsport and Lodus is outside already fighting. She opens a panel and presses a button which reveals the Uranos trigger.
Data page explaining how the Great Ring went about discussing the Uranos weapon, whether to use it, how, etc. It was decided that the Night Seats would keep it to avoid it being used frivolously by any in the Great Ring. We learn that it cannot simply be activated with the press of a button but it must also be thought activated, a thought that was a full understanding of what activation meant.
While holding the trigger Syzya can see and hear Uranos who is sitting on his throne. (With a dead Druig off to the side.) He tells her that she holds Uranos the Eternal and all of his death weapons in her hands. He says the hour will begin if she only asks. He's smirking and she hesitates. She doesn't pull the trigger and she and Kobak teleport away. Outside Roberto is flying while holding Fisher King as they survey the destruction. Roberto is hard on himself, saying he was too cocky and should have planned for the Horsemen's arrival. Fisher King says Storm is somewhere out there in the smoke and he doesn't know where Khora is. He tells Roberto that they need to focus and save whoever they can. Roberto says it won't be enough and that every death is on him.
Nova is working on controlling the fires while rescuing innocents when Famine conjures a huge water Kaiju. He's a hydrokinetic, that's how he's able to "drain" his victims, by draining their world. But in this instance he creates a massive flood that washes over the Port, putting out War's fires and drowning victims. As he boasts and talks smack, he's fried by a massive lightning bolt and falls to the ground. Storm lowers down saying there will be no mercy.
She just took out two ancient, omega-level mutants that have survived thousands of years of war, in seconds. She turns and Death is before her with his scythe. He confirms that his siblings are down but not dead as he can their sparks still flickering. He says Storm cannot fool him, that there is still mercy in her.
Death: I challenge you, beauty. The Storm against the End, at our full strength. Our last dance.
Pestilence is off to the side pulling back one of her poison arrows in her bow. Storm says to Death that with her people dead and dying, children dying, does he think his rules can still apply. He hesitates and says they have to, otherwise what was all of this, this war, for. Pestilence says rules are made by the winners and she let's fly her arrow directly at Storm. Nova suddenly appears and flies in front of Storm taking the arrow to the chest. I love him!! Pestilence's plague starts to overtake Nova as he struggles to speak. Storm reaches for Nova saying she'll fly him out of there but Death pulls her hand away saying the plague spreads by touch and kills by pain and that only he can survive it.
He turns to his sister and says she interfered. Pestilence tells her little brother to grow up and that he would have lost to Storm, again, out of his misplaced puppy love. She smiles, showing her nasty ass teeth, and says their customs and traditions exist to only serve them, not their enemy such as Storm. She says they destroy their enemies, no matter who they are. Death removes his headpiece. "... Yes. No matter how they are. Goodbye, my sister." He gives her his glare of death and she quickly and soooo satisfyingly disintegrates into dust. That's my boy!!
Putting his headpiece back on he tells Storm that his sister's interference was a challenge of insult and that she said such things meant nothing. "She was wrong. She has to be." Syzya teleports in and Storm immediately asks her how the evacuation is going. She replies that some got out and thankfully Genesis is taking prisoners (that can hopefully be rescued). The remaining fighters are falling back to the Morrowlands. She then hands Storm the Uranos trigger. She says it has to be Storm. She's the Seat of Loss and Syzya doesn't want to listen to Uranos anymore. Storm holds it and Uranos greets her in her mind. He tells her to release him and within his hour of freedom he will end the war by ending every single life on the planet that is not of her faction. The choice is hers. He tells her to choose as she looks up and watches a swarm of flying daemons fly overhead.
Final data page describing how Port Prometheus is gone and Ororo's people are in retreat with many already dead. With a single thought she could turn the tide with Uranos, who will kill and kill until once again the Living Island was a comatose field of spilled blood and bones. If Genesis and Annihilation won, Arakko would become a prison planet and a collection of pawns to be used for theirs and Orchis' war games. She would never let that happen so her final choice was this:
I got chills! Will she do it herself, vanquish Genesis' forces across the planet? We'll find out next issue. But first...
The final pages have us at the Autumn Lands where Magneto's palace once was. The landscape looks that of a volcano, blackened with rivers of lava. Lifeless. Until we see a plant break through the ground's lava rock, growing tall and rounding into a circle. It's an Okkara gate and we see a large foot step through it.
"Dead, lifeless rock - but with a sun caged below it. Imprisoned, abandoned. A useful ingredient. And with the Storm coming to meet us - for where else can she turn? Yes. Here.“