The team run into some old friends, but old enemies show up as well and they have their sights set on Dani Moonstar!
After their recent near-death experience, X-force attends the "Exploding Colossal Man" gathering in Texas (styled after Nevada's "Burning Man") for some R and R, and run into Xi'an Coy Manh sporting a punky new look. Taking advantage of the downtime, the various members discuss the things on their minds. James Proudstar tells Theresa Rourke that with the end of his quest to find out who was responsible for the massacre of his tribe, he doesn't know what direction his life should take. The friendship between Roberto Dacosta and Tabitha Smith begins to grow into something more. Dani Moonstar tells Xi'an she's unsure if she belongs with X-Force. The team are spied upon by Locus and Reignfire, but they leave without incident.
Later, Dani brings forth an illusion for James in which he meets with the deceased members of his family, allowing him to bid them farewell. At that point, the sorceress Selene makes her presence known, stunning James with an earthen fist to his jaw. She is there to find the means to unlock a mystic box containing the Runestaff forged from the life tree Yggdrasil and using its power to challenge the world. Since only the blood of an Asgardian can release the Runestaff, Selene immobilizes Dani, who was once a Valkyrie, and cuts her. The drops of Dani's blood cause the box to open, and Selene grasps the staff, reveling in its power.
Dani exerts what little power she can and revives James, who releases her from the earthen shell in which she's encased. With a psychic arrow, Dani dislodges the Runestaff from Selene's hand, and its energies carry it to the Colossal Man structure where it becomes lodged in the framework. As Sam Guthrie catches up with Tabitha and Roberto, the Colossal Man comes to life and strides through the crowd. The heretofore hidden Cable, who has been covertly watching his former charges, nearly goes into action, but X-Force and their allies rise to the occasion: Xi'an controls the crowd to avoid a panic while James Theresa, Roberto and Sam use their powers to tackle the Colossal Man. Meanwhile, Dani and Selene fight, until Dani summons an illusion of Selene as an aged crone, forcing the sorceress to flee.
James climbs the structure and removes the Runestaff, then Tabitha hurls time-bombs into the Colossal Man, and it goes up in flames. They return the staff to its container, and eventually the festival comes to its close.
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