Coelacanth (Namor/Collector)

[Gordy]

"We both covet things we don't have. The difference between us, of course..."
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How long has it been since he had visited Earth? fifty years? Seventy, eighty, or even two hundred? However long the average human life span was, give or take a century or two. The Collector had decided to keep himself under the radar in regards to Earth. It was part of a waiting game; the most dangerous heroes could stop them if he was around. But if they weren't around, then he wouldn't  have to fret over Iron Man or X-23 interfering with his plans again. It was simply a matter of waiting, and he had all the time in the world.

Not that he didn't keep tabs on the planet. He needed to know what needed to be added to his collection; rare artifacts, precious manuscripts, dying species... The latter of which brought him to Earth today. He was here to pay a visit to the last Atlantean.

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"...is that I have almost everything anyone could possibly want. Including you."

[zania]

They were gone . . . all of them.

His cousins, members of the council, his trusted advisors, even all of his loyal subjects. Every single Atlantean and Lemurian were gone, even Namora and Namorita. He was the last of his kind, destined to live out the last of his days alone.

The world had been devastated through petty wars, nuclear disasters, and pollution. With the planet being a symbiotic relationship between the ground and the seas, what impacted the surface world eventually would also impact the sea and its inhabitants. The radiation and pollution from the war befouled the world's oceans, but then the fear of retribution from Atlantis for such devastation caused the surviving air breathers to attack.

The great Atlantean city lay in ruins with rubble strewn around the ocean floor. The bodies that had once bore life were nothing more than skeletons that littered what remained of the once bustling market and residential area.

Namor was a king without a kingdom . . . something that weighed on him heavily as he stood on an iceberg in the Antarctic. He wore his black outfit that exposed his chest and arms and had gold trim, which matched the gold armbands and belt that he wore. His hair was still jet black, but now sported a well trimmed goatee as he stood there, trident in hand, reflecting on the lives that had been lost . . .

[Gordy]

"We both covet things we don't have. The difference between us, of course..."
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Look at the kingdom, lying in ruins. So much for the constancy or Atlanteans, their crafts and their hearts. Everything they loved, everything they spent their lives creating and working towards, were now nothing much scraps for others to pick through. Their legacy was nothing more than some trivial footnotes in other peoples' history, and nothing more.

The Collector approached the king of the rubble. He was, surprisingly, not wearing any sort of warm clothing to protect him from the elements. The elder's hair flowed in the wind and his body seemed unfazed by the chilling breeze of Winter-like weather. The only thing that he seemed to have was a black, collar-like device around his neck. It allowed him to speak underwater.

"Namor McKenzie!" the Collector declared. "King of Atlantis. Or former king, I should say. I don't see any of your people moving about. It's quite the tragedy, isn't it?"

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"...is that I have almost everything anyone could possibly want. Including you."

[zania]

For an Atlantean, even a hybrid like himself, the cold Arctic air did nothing to his physique. He lived and survived in the depths of the ocean, which could be hot or cold depending on the environment around him. But, it was still part of his kingdom . . . a kingdom that was vast and not limited to just the boundaries of Atlantis itself. His kingdom was all of the oceans on Earth.

The wind had kicked up, almost like a cruel reminder of the very substance that air-breathers relied upon in order to live.

In that sense, he despised the air-breathers for what they did to his people, even though he was half-human himself. He had once hated all air-breathers due to how they treated his people and discarded their trash into the oceans, killing sea life in the process . . . but now it was their war that had taken everything that he held so dear.

A voice shattered his own reverie, bringing him back to the reality around him. He hadn't expected to find someone else in this climate, much less daring to approach him . . . yet the gall in which he had referred to the loss of the people was horrific. Narrowing his eyes, he countered, "Subjects or not, I still rule the seas. This is no tragedy. It was genocide. To call it a mere tragedy is an insult to the memory of my people."

[Gordy]

"We both covet things we don't have. The difference between us, of course..."
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The Collector scoffed. "What is a king without his subjects? Just a man who owns some meaningless space. No better than a common farmer, left to toil for the sake of getting by. I can't imagine the seas are worth much, when you have no one to share it with."

That was cruel, even for Taneleer. Still, there was method to his madness. His probing and uncomfortable remarks would serve the point he was trying to make. He absolutely needed to remind his possible ally of the predicament he found himself in. And how the Collector was the only one who could offer him salvation.

"I have to ask, why haven't Earth's mightiest heroes come to help you?" he asked. "Am I really the first person to reach out and offer you comfort?"

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"...is that I have almost everything anyone could possibly want. Including you."

[zania]

Hearing what he had said, Namor frowned. Although he was technically right about the no subjects, that didn't mean that he was no longer king. He had earned that title by blood and through his actions and deeds, and reclaimed his right to the throne time after time again.

Sure, there was still some sea life, but the the creatures were much fewer and not as bountiful as before due to the devastations wrought upon the oceans by the surface.

"Hah," he scoffed. "There is still much value left within the seas including untold treasures untouched by human hands in centuries. It is far from meaningless, and like with all life the oceans can eventually heal if given the proper respect."

The figure had then asked why the Avengers had not come to help and even asked if he was the first person to offer him . . . comfort? His frown deepened into almost a snarl as the first mutant countered, "The Avengers cast their die when they choose to take up arms against my people in an act of aggression. They showed their true colors, just as I showed mine as I fought valiantly to protect my people to the bitter end. They may have laid waste to Atlantis, but that sealed their own fate in the process."

He then raised an eyebrow and then asked, "You speak of comfort, but what kind of comfort do you propose that does not include revenge upon the surface world?"

[Gordy]

"We both covet things we don't have. The difference between us, of course..."
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So much for the constancy of the Avengers; try as they might to play the hero, even they could fail and lose innocent lives. Tivan was less for taking lives, as it diminished from his possible collection. But even he felt a little joy, knowing how Earth's heroes destroyed each other. He had no sympathy for those who had repeatedly gotten in his way.

This time, though, he wanted to help. Both his interests, as well as Namor's, might align. A way both of them could get what they want. The only issue would be to get Namor under his thumb to pull it off.

"I could assist with your revenge; wipe out some pesky heroes, capture some humans and keep them in my collection. Given enough time, I could have small armies stationed in every country on this miserable planet. You can have weapons the likes of which you could never dream of."

But with his last words, he stepped closer. His tone changed to something slightly softer as he continued. "But I can also help bring back those you lost. Not completely - just clones, approximations that lack the memories and experiences of the originals. But with enough time, I can alleviate some of the damage done to your kingdom's populace."

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"...is that I have almost everything anyone could possibly want. Including you."