Epic X-Men #2-8: To Be Better
*Belasco’s Castle*
“Have you found anything?”
”Patience, Belasco. You will get the girl when I have determined where she and her new allies will be”, the Goblin Queen says as she hovers in a meditative stance, eyes shut.
”Where did you find this entity that possesses the girl? You made no mention of a third party in our deal, Belasco”, Mikhail whispered to his partner.
”There is a lot you are not deigned to know about this place, Mikhail. Rest assured though that you will get more than what you had asked for. Power, prestige, and revenge against the family and country who turned their backs on your existence”, Belasco said.
”As incredibly reassuring as that promise is, it still does not answer my question”, Mikhail responds without an ounce of faith.
”To answer your question, dear Mickey”, the red-headed woman says suddenly to the surprise of Mikhail, “I was a lost soul left behind from a world that abandoned me. Worse than you, dear sir. Where the inhabitants were allowed a new beginning, I was left to the nothingness, with an uncertain fate....or I would have, had I not willed myself to this place you two know as Limbo.”
”So, she is an extraterrestrial?”, Mikhail questions with confusement.
“You will find that I am unnaturally more human than any person you’ve ever met.....On the surface at least”, she says cryptically as his brother, the X-Man we know as Colossus, walks into the hall up to her. She smiles at his stoic, yet expectant gaze, and gives her mental command to him before allowing him to march off to gather his group. “Enough talk of the past. Let’s speak of our future’s boy’s, while we let our pawns do the grunt work.”
Before Mikhail followed them out, he took one last look towards the way Piotr had walked before, a measure of concern and guilt falling over his features.
**********************
*Manhattan*
”Nughtcrawler, port them in front of me. Polaris, block off the intersection!”
Havok took aim and readied for the exact moment Nightcrawler ported the strange creature in mid-air and quickly released it so that he could teleport out of the way promptly. Without hesitation, Havok unleashed a beam of plasma energy whose force ripped the creature apart before it can manage to burn it to a crisp. As he did, Polaris casually lifted large trucks and buses to block off the sidewalks and intersections from being accessible to either monster or civilian.
”Watch your back, Havok!”
On high alert, Alex turns around to see a larger brute ready to swipe at him. Before it could get its chance, it is encased in solid ice. Havok looks up as he sees Iceman sliding at a fast pace down the street with Spider-Man and Human Torch beside him.
”Thanks, Bobby! Professor, what’s the situation on- whatever these things are?”
”I’m still not entirely sure, Alex. From what Katherine and Danielle say, they seem to match the description of the monsters they fought back then. I can only assume this was Belasco’s doing, which means he is making his move now”, Alex hears in his head.
***********************
*X-Mansion*
”Professor, how do we know this isn’t Illyana’s doing? That she was ever on our side to begin with?”, Havok asks. When no answer came, he quickly starts to explain. “I-I am not doubting you or anything, but I just....am not quite ready to rule any possibilities.”
“Rest assured that I have thought about such a thing, just as I implore you to have faith that your brother is well-prepared for such a contingency, Alex. It is not improbability, but I am confident in my scans and conversation with Miss Rasputin. I find no reason to distrust her at this point, nor do I believe we can afford to do so”, Xavier responds to his student mentally. “Until we get more information though, it is probably best you continue to assist in protecting New York. I shall notify you of any other changes or news on this.”
”Very good, Artie! You and Leech have only improved in your studies and control of your powers ever since ya two arrived. I can only imagine if the great things awaitin‘ the both of ya in your future!”, Moira claps as she finishes grading the two young boys test. They carry with them a large smile of pride and excitement over having overcome another hurdle set their way. Xavier found himself smiling the same way Moira was that moment, both of them knowing exactly that this was the exact reason he had opened his school. He wouldn’t trade it for anything else.
As the four were getting ready to leave the classroom they were using, Xavier gets a sudden feeling of panic and anger coming from the otherside of the door as the four began hearing muted crashing.
”Get off of me you-“
Roberto shouted as he crashed through the door in his solar form. A form where he is encased by superheated solar energy that leaves his features indeterminable beyond the dark sillhouette of his lanky, yet toned stature and his glowing eyes of the energy that surrounds the sillouette. Xavier was not worried much about Roberto’s ability to defend himself after the training sessions he’s had with Cyclops and his increased strength and durability, but the younger children were not as well-trained.
”Moira! Boys! Through the other doors! I’m right behind you all!”, Xavier quickly commanded as he cast a telepathic bolt to stun the creature long enough for Roberto to get a free punch in.
”Thanks, Prof. I got this!”, the young man says as he tosses the creature out the window, with him jumping right after it for another round.
“Samuel! I have your target locked mentally. I need you to charge him through the wall, so that you can round him up with Roberto’s target. Assist each other like you were taught as I try to escort Moira and the boys to the sub basement!”, Xavier says to Sam Guthrie in the Recreation Room ahead of them.
”Will do, Prof, but I think there are some down there as well. Dani had informed me that Kitty and Xi’an are trying to clear things up there”, Sam answers his mentor as he encased himself in his energy field and propels himself forward against the monstrous creature.
”I will deal with that. Just focus on your target until I give you or Roberto any other instructions. And ensure that no others lurk up here while I assist the girls in the sun basement”, Xavier instructs as he and Moira enter the elevator with the boys clutching Moira’s sides for comfort.
“It will be alright, lads. The Professor and I will take good care of the two of ya”, Moira said calmly. In her head though, Xavier could feel the worry as she began to speak to him. “Charles, are ya not able to take care of these things yourself?”
”Their minds aren’t normal, Moira. My telepathy seems capable of stunning them, but their functions run differently. The less higher brain function they have, the more ferocious they become”, Xavier says.
”How's that possible?”
”Magic? Genetics? I don’t know, exactly. They are of another dimension where all things are possible to a mad man. I would need precious time that is not allotted to me to determine how these creatures minds function and I am unsure of how much power it would take exactly to destroy the mind of even a single one, let alone however many still lurk”, Xavier explains before the door opens.
It was then that two creatures begin dueling each other in front of the elevator as they bite and claw at each other at the command of Xi’an. Xi’an winces as she feels the sudden pain from Moira kicking one of them. The two don’t acknowledge her as she keeps their focus on each other.
“It is safe to cross here, Professor, so long as you all keep near the wall as you make your way towards me”, Xi’an says she focuses on turning more and more of the creatures Xavier had not noticed before against one another. It was then clear to Xavier why the girl was sweating when he rolled up to her. It was from exertion.
”Where are Danielle and Katherine?”
At that moment, an explosion is heard coming from the Danger Room.
“Well, Kitty led a grip in there and is letting the Danger Room do her dirty work”, Xi’an quickly explains. “Dani is in the med bay to make sure none have destroyed are medical supplies and to fetch the first aid for us.”
”I will assist Kitty, Charles! Boys, listen closely to what Charles says. I promise I’ll be back!”, Moira says to the two of them before she runs off to enter the Danger Room. It is then they hear a roar coming from the control room, followed by the sound of gun shots. A quick psi-scan reveals to Xavier that Moira had pulled her glock out ready to put down any strays.
”Danielle, are you alright?”, Xavier asks as he turns his attention to the med bay.
”Just fine, Professor. Just retrieving my arrows”, Danielle says as she pulls the last one from the carcass of a dead Limbo creature.
”In that case, I wish for you to come to the hallway with me and Xi’an”, Xavier tells her through the telepathic rapport he established. Without argument, the young girl runs with the first aid in hand, ready to assist wherever needed.
”I’m ready for wherever I’m needed”, she says running up to them and avoiding the Limbo monsters still attacking each other.
”You are exactly where you need to be, child. Join minds with me ladies. You two are gonna be assisting me in a mass psychic attack on these creatures”, Xavier says. The girls look uncertainly to one another before they turn their attention back to Xavier.
”Worry not for your limits. Today, we will be pushing them as we have before, only this time, I will be assisting you as you shall each other. Now, I need you two to concentrate. I am establishing the rapport now!”, Xavier says as the two begin to feel their perceptions expanded by the power of their teacher.
The thoughts and feelings of those they cared for and hardly new join together in a grip of noises all over the land. By Xavier’s mental voice, they turn their attention to the mansion as they see and feel the hordes of Limbo creatures invading the school.
“Professor, I could never imagine.....”, Xi’an trails off as she and Dani sense the minds of the animalistic creatures.
“Don’t lose yourself in the feelings, ladies. Xi’an, I need you to lock their minds in place. Dani, you will weaken their resolve with their greatest fear. I will finish them off from there”, Xavier says as he begins to summon more and more power from the depths of his mind. Though the colors of the energies were invisible to the human eye, the effect is immediately noticeable to outside observers facing the creatures as they stop in their tracks. Unresponsive. It was then they fall to the overwhelming mental sensations and information fed from one fo the most powerful psychics on the planet and his two students, dead.
“It....is....done”, Xavier says to the residence of the school telepathically as he and the girls pant from the effort.
”Wow.....are...you gonna....teach us to do....that on our own?”, Dani pants.
”Not...any...time soon”, Xavier answers.
”Good....I don’t think.....I could handle it.....”, Xi’an shakes her head.
It was then that Xavier hears a faint call above the ringing in his ears. A telepathic call.
”Charles Xavier, this Director Fury. We just got a register of a powerful psychic wave from your sector. You have an explanation for it?”
Fury. SHIELD Director must have telepaths on hand or something to be able to contact Xavier this way. Unfortunately, Xavier couldn’t afford to ignore this call.
“It was an emergency measure. We had an invasion at the school related to these attacks recently on New York City”, Xavier answers.
”......So you have.”
So they were watching. As Xavier had suspected.
”Given the success of this, we will be sending some psychics over to your school to plan another psychic wave. Bigger this time. That should take care of this problem quite easily if things get so out of control.”
”Nicholas, do not be so hasty about this. If done incorrectly, it can do irreparable damage to the minds of those caught in such a massive psychic wave. It was a risk to do it even at this range.”
”I have faith that you can lead the troop to do exactly what is necessary to do the job right, Xavier.”
“Before we do.....please, just allow me some more time to deal with this another way perhaps. Should this go the way I believe, these attacks will stop without the need for risky protocols such as these”, Xavier asks.
”........You have an hour, Xavier. Then we are doing this my way”, Fury says before cutting contact. Xavier sighs in relief as he turns his attention back to his present surroundings to guide in clean up and planning for the possible future.....
*****************************
*StormyLimbo Crag*
Ororo was still tired, but better. She breathed deeply as leaned against the rough and bumpy wall. Letting her energy sight come through better by focusing. Despite the barren look of these lands, she felt a certain energy that flowed through the entire land. The energy that the clouds were made from. Something alive, but not quite the same as how Earth was alive.
As she got lost further into her thoughts, she is suddenly napped out of it by the sound of a low rumbling.......
Cautiously getting into position to defend herself, she looked in towards the cave. When her eyesight could not adjust any more to the darkness, she raises her hand and someone’s the electricity to form into a small electro ball for her to father in in itself and use as a small light.
As the light shine ever brighter in the cave, she begins to loosen the tension in her body as she sees no one there. As she turns back to head toward the entrance, she sees her way blocked by S’ym, the purple servant of Belasco and the brute that had a hand in kidnapping Storm’s teammates.
”Good ta see ya again. You left without giving good ol’ S’ym a kiss g’bye!”, he says as takes a step forward. Without second of hesitation, Ororo summons a gale force that shoots the brute out of the cave entrance and across into a wall on the far side of the immediate area. ”Okay, you can get the kids from my knuckles after they connect it with yer face!”
”You will do nothing but stay away from me!”
Before he could take another step though, lightning begins to flash from the clouds above as they react tangently to Storm’s rage and fear. She had become connected to this place, so manipulating the atmosphere had become easier manipulate. Though unpredictable still as shown when Storm gave a simple gesture towards S’ym, a lightning bolt much bigger than she had intended struck the beast. It did great damage to him, but Ororo was rather unnerved by the rowdy nature of this place that even the very air rebelled against her. To her surprise, she heard a groan from himZ
”Great. Gonna be feeling’ that fer awhile”, S’ym mumbles as he struggles to get up.
”It will only get worse for you should you continue to harass me. If I’m honest, I am very much debating whether to spare you or not. Yet, there is but one thing keeping you alive?
S’ym looks up to Storm with a raised eye brow to acknowledge his interest.
”I suspect you know all the ways inside that castle, don’t you? Once I meet with my team, we will be fully in getting ready to free my friends from captivity”, Storm posed.
”Sounds good, except you can take yer plan and shove so far up-“
Without a second of hesitation, Ororo unleashes a flash of lightning that renders him unconscious.
”Ruthless. I like it”, Storm hears from behind her as she saw a blonde young woman leaning against the rock, thoroughly enjoying S’ym’s suffering.
“Storm!”, Cyclops exclaimed as he, Logan, and Betsy run up to her to check her over. As they fuss over her, Illyana peers over the rousing S’ym and kicks him hard enough in the head to make him fully unconscious once more.
”I hope you get lasting damage from that you simple-minded, ogre!”
“Ororo what was the state of Colossus and Jean before you escaped?”
Peter looked fine but Jean was still unconscious before I left. They were performing some sort of ritual on her”, Ororo says as she remembers the image of her bound friends in the power of Belasco.
”A ritual?”, Scott asks looking over to Illyana.
“I am not sure. It could be a number of things. Most likely outcome is that he will try for brainwashing”, the girl nonchalantly says.
”It won’t come to that. I won’t let it!”, Scott denies apprehensively.
“Ya‘ gettin’ any thin’, Bets’”, Logan says as he sees her in deep concentration, glowing with psionic power.
”No. It’s actually a lot murkier now than it has been since Storm contacted us”, Psylocke states as she turns her attention on Logan.
“That ain’t good. Yo, Summers! We gotta get a move on! Psylocke just updated me that she is having more trouble trying to reach into the castle to Jean and Colossus than before.”
“What’s going on, Betsy?”, Scott says walking from Storm over to Psylocke.
“When I reached Storm before, it felt more like just light mist that made it a bit confusing to reach inside. Now, I can’t see at all. Something is blocking me......another telepath”, Psylocke says as she finally stops her concentration.
”You ’ware of any psychics around the place, kid”, Logan asks.
”Not any notable ones. Even Belasco himself cannot produce the discipline to use magical telepathy. I can do it to a certain extent, but not much. I know of no other”, Illyana explains thoughtfully.
”What of your brother?”, Ororo asks suddenly.
”Piotr?”
“No. Mikhail.”
With that, Magik’s face begins to tense in anger.
”That nichego iz muzchiny is not my brother!”, Illyana then begins walking at a quick pace toward the exit of the mountain range and closer to the castle.
“I guess we are going then”, Betsy says as the four looked stunned at the angry girl walking away from them.
”Can you move, Ororo?”
”Yes. I think I can actually fly, in fact.”
”Great. You and Psylocke can have an overhead view of the landscape as we travel”, Scott says as they continue their journey ever closer to the castle......
**********************
*Belasco’s Castle*
“Ah, yes. They are on their way”, the Goblin Queen says with eyes full of mischief.
“To add to your news, it would seem my dear brother has come back, empty-handed”, Mikhail states cooly.
”It’s true, I failed you, my lords and mistress”, Piotr says on his knees. He tilted his head down to appear as if he was ashamed of himself, though it really mattered little to him either way what happened to the weather witch....Or maybe it did matter for her to survive. Was that a reason he came up short?
“Well, I am disappointed, yet it would appear I still have use for you, slave. Congratulations, you can take a chance to please your lord again. Make sure all of my armies are out of the castle. They make it past that army, then they deserve the full reward of facing me”, Lord Belasco‘s word echoes through Piotr’s mind. He gave every reason he should not disobey in his head. Piotr would listen to his conscious. There as no better way than that.
“Regarding your little Storm problem, according to telepathic scans, it would seem Storm is now with them”, the Goblin Queen states. “We will be seeing her, one way or another.”
Her words brought two emotions to the forefront to the mind. Though it did not show on his face, he felt a sense of excitement and concern. He had never felt anything though for as long as he could remember. Why now was he feeling excitement for a duty when serving Belasco gave no pleasure in that way to him? Nor did concern make any sense either. Cause it wasn’t for his master, who he would likely be destroyed, or his brother. This was toward the rred-haired queen standing at the balcony and letting her blow in the newly created breezea.
”In that case, Piotr, you will be standing out there with your brethren on the battlefield after the castle is clear. You shall get another chance to please me.”, Belasco said as Colossus got an overwhelming sense of scrutiny and his eyes switched over from looking to the floor to the Goblin Queen’s
Her gaze was no longer on the distant landscape she saw after separating the clouds. She was looking at him then and there. The second emotion was back again. Concern.
************************************
*Castle Entrance*
“The castle.......we have arrived. Keep your heads low”, Magik said in quieter tone as she hid behind the tip of the hill.
”Heh. Well, this’ll be a heckuva lot of fun”, Wolverine says cracking his knuckles.
Ororo flew over the sea of monsters to get any views of Belasco or their teammates. Hidden in the clouds, most ignore her existence, thinking another like them doing whatever they wanted. So long as Storm stayed in cover, no one could target her in the dark clouds.
“Betsy?”
”Afraid not, Scott. Whatever or whomever this force is..... I still have my telekinesis to use, so I am not totally useless”, Bersy says.
”Very well, but until we clear a path for you, I want you following the battle. Keep them out of your sphere of influence and concentrate mostly on finding Marvel Girl or Colossus. Are you ready people?”, Scott asks the four through his rapport to the team.
”I will be going it alone. Belasco is mine to deal with”, Magik says. Before anyone could move, they noticed two figures standing at the entrance into the castle. One man he did not recognize and another who looked incredibly familiar.
”Is that who I think it-“
”You got it, Slim. It’s Petey”, Logan replied.
”What?!”, Magik looked intensely until she saw what they saw.
“Betsy?”
”I think I may be able to get to him.....the psychic fog and mist are still there, but I have also been avoiding picking a needle in a haystack. If I have a great idea of where he is, I can probably punch through the barriers and reach him” Betsy says suddenly.
”Alright, people goals remain the same then. We protect Psylocke while she concentrates on Perer’s barrier’s“, Cyclops commands.
”That won’t be entirely necessary. Psylocke should save that power, not wasting it on basic curses. Give me a chance to find my opening and Colossus is will be freed from the shackles of the infernal brainwashing he is on”, Magik explains.
“Okay, but do you have the experience to perform an exorcism?”
”He’s not possessed. He is brainwashed. Excorcisms are for extracting unwanted entity like ghosts and spirits. In either case, whether he was or not, the answer is here”, Magik says summoning her blade through her will.
”A sword?"
”Not just any sword, Cyclops. My sword, forged by the purest energies of my soul, it‘s effects are based on my every whim, whether it slices him in half or frees him is entirely up to me. It’s less trouble and more time to concentrate on locating Belasco and your other friend”, Magik explains.
”........”
”I am doing this with or without your blessing, Cyclops. At the end of the day, I have the advantage of my realm and am the only reason why Belasco has not sent any curses the moment you entered his realm. He is limited. He and his band will all pay. After I claim victory, I am gonna do what I always wanted to do”, Magik says eerily looking up to the castle.
At the entrance, Piotr readies his sword as the calls ring from Belasco's army. The X-Men have arrived, punctuated by a flash of thunder before lightning rains upon them with heavy winds clearing a path for Cyclops, Psylocke, and Wolverine.
"Wolverine, aim for the big one ahead of us. Psylocke, take the other flank while I keep the others at bay. Storm is handling the back and making sure no others start coming from the other areas", Cyclops instructs as he quickly turns his head to do an optic sweep of the area, knocking back all enemies running at him.
"S'bout time!", the man said as a *snikt* signified he just popped his claws from his knuckles.
"Look out!", Betsy suddenly calls out as she telekinetically puts them all in bubbles. As soon as the bubble appeared, a massive force sweeps them all away, with the bubbles there to absorb most of the impact.
"You will not thwart my master! Not while I stand in your way!", Colossus yells out to them.
"Good point. Let's get you anywhere, but here" Psylocke says as she telekinetically hurls him away. Before he gravity could take him back, the air swirls and whips him higher above the clouds and further away from the armies and castle towards the rocky valleys.
"Peter, I know whatever has happened to you is not your own doing. That is why we shall not allow you to succumb any longer to their whims!", Storm says as a flash of lightning hits his metal form full strength, as she knows that it will not damage him permanently quite yet. As expected, the conductive metalic skin allows the electricity to course throughout his body full force. Were it continuous, perhaps real fatal damage would have been possible. That was never the goal. "Illyana!!! Now!!!!"
With a gesture, Storm hurls the metal man down full speed. No one to catch him and not yet fully recovered from the assault. He groans and rolls off of his back to his stomach to try to pick himself back up, not realizing someone standing over him.
"I really did not want this for you. I wanted to keep you out of this as much as possible, big brother. I stayed hidden from you and my family..........It was all for not........They will not get away with doing this to you. I swear it! First, to undo the wrong with the purest parts that still exist within me", Magik said as she raised her sword above her her, pointing down towards Colossus and driving dead center where his heart is from the back. His body begins to convulse as the energy streams out from him and disappearing in the air. Left in a motionless heap was her brother, in his X-Men costume and still in his metal form.
Feeling he will be safe in that form, she turns to the castle and begins to walk when she hears a tired voice from behind her.
"Is that any way to greet family, mladshaya sestra?"
She turns as he uses what is left of his strength to sit up and slowly walk to her. Primal emotion taking place of the stoic mask she so carefully created, the girl runs to her brother and hugs his him tightly.
"I finally found you...I promised I would take you home. I fully intend to keep that promise", he says as she hugs him, which prompts her to tense and loosen her grip.
"Piotr......I-"
"We will deal with these villains first and save Jean. Then we will go home", he reaffirms to her. Things were so much more complicated than that, but she merely nodded, knowing now was not the time.
"Let us move quickly", Illyana says as a portal opens before the two, allowing them to get to the battlefield.
******************************************************
*Throne Room*
As Belasco sat on his throne conversing with Mikhail, an explosion at the end of his throne room suddenly echoes.
"Where is she?!", Scott shouts angrily, visor still glowing from the use of his powers use.
"Shall I-"
"No, Mikhail. Let him in. He is no threat to either of us", Belasco tells his compatriot as Scott's anger boils. He fires a beam next to them that obliterates a pillar in the room.
"I am not in the mood to play games. Tell me where Jean is or I swear I won't hold back!", Scott shouts.
"Jean? Do you know any Jean, Mikhail?"
"Perhaps he means the red-headed body we gave-"
"OH! Did you perhaps mean the red-headed girl, young man?", Belasco asks no-chalantly, ignoring Scott's vicious tone.
"Release her to me. NOW!"
"That is a more complicated request than you'd think", Belasco says cryptically.
"What the hell are you-"
"Scott?"
On hearing her voice, Scott turns to Jean in the doorway. Without a second of hesitation, he runs to her and holds her tightly.
"Are you alright? Did they harm you?"
Without a single answer, Scott is hurled by the invisible force of her telekinesis that he is dazed from the impact.
"I am quite fine, Scott. Were you the same person I once knew, I would take offense to your confusion. Yet, it appears circumstances have changed since I had existed, hasn't it?", Jean says in a harsher tone that contrasted to her usual soft and gentle style of speaking.
"What is going on? What did you two do to her?!", Scott asked the two men.
"They were following my orders. Quite magnificently I must say, in spite of some unforseen surprises I could never have predicted, Scott", Jean answered.
"What are you talking about? Jean, please, talk to me!"
"You poor thing, so confused. Fighting so hard to get to your precious Jean Grey, not realizing just who it is you are talking to", Jean says with a smirk of contempt towards him as she sits at another throne against a different wall in the throne room hidden in shadows initially. The look on her face was one he had never witnessed from Jean before.....and gazing upon it twisted his heart to the point that it could tear.
"Betsy, please, answer."
"I am a little busy, Cyclops. Keeping hordes of monstrous creatures of varying sizes is not exactly an easy thing, even with Storm's help", Betsy answers psychically.
"Please, something is wrong with Jean. Belasco did something to her. I need you to see if you can get through to her", Scott begs to her in his head, not realizing the smile on the Goblin Queen's face signifies her eavesdropping on the entire conversation.
"...Fine. Keep them all busy. I will try to find a moment to do this", Betys answers.
Struggling to get up, he puts on the emotionless mask that the red-head knew so well. One that fooled his foes into believing he was ever untouchable, despite how very human he truly was underneath. The emotions beneath that would betray everything he believed in on the fly for one woman.
"Alright, so you have me where you want me. What is this big plan of yours? Why were you attacking civilians? What does this have to do with Jean? Or Illyana?" Scott asks the three of them.
"I owe you no explanations. Nor do you have any position to offer demands, peasant!", Mikhail says as he begins to power up with energy.
"If that were really true, you would be the one out there fighting, instead of letting your pawns attempt to wear my people down", Scott says simply. At that, Mikhail shoots a blast of energy at Scott, attempting to obliterate him wear he stood, yet the beam of subatomic discorporation is blocked by a psionic shield.
"I-impossible", Mikhail says as he takes a step back.
"Psylocke?"
"That wasn't me, Scott."
"Did I say you can attack, cretin?", Jean asks in an offended tone.
"What?! But-"
"Did you forget who it was that allowed Belasco so much power?", Jean posed to him with arms crossed. When no answer came, she turned to Belasco. "You didn't tell him?!"
"You gave me the information of this realm. You never gave me the power", Belasco denied. At that, she squints her eyes at him before standing.
"Really?"
At that, the Goblin Queen walks to the balcony looking out to the army of Limbo creatures and raises her arms out to the army. With a single thought, the army disappears into dust blown in the winds.
"What did you just-"
"A lesson to learn, Belasco. Just because I allowed you this power, does not mean you take ownership over it. The ancient beiongs that created Limbo predate me, yet they were wiped out easily. Their energies left behind were wielded by a previous mistress similar to Illyana Rasputin herself. Very similar. Then she died when the universe did. Limbo had no owner......until I arrived. I am Limbo's new ruler, Belasco. You rule in MY place, the Goblin Queen!"
"That's- you won't- I-"
Before Belasco can come up with an answer, a flash of lightning strikes comes down on all three targets, hitting only two of the three. Belasco and Mikhail go down as they feel the electricity course through them, yet the Goblin Queen stands with a telekinetic bubble that had protected her from the surprise attack.
"Ororo Munroe. You haven't changed one bit this time, either. Oh, how little things seem to change. That should makes things real easy", Goblin Queen says as she begins to levitate into the sky towards Storm.
"Jean, I have no idea what they have done to you, but you are better than this. You can and will fight this and win! I will help however I can to help you get back to Scott, but you must first fight!", Storm says once the Goblin Queen is within range.
"Nice sentiment, but you are just as clueless as he is as to what is going on here", Goblin Queen says as she hurls a psychic bolt of telepathic and telekinetic energy melded together at Storm. Expecting it, Ororo dodges the attack and summons a mist around the two of them to slow her advancement, knowing Betsy would hide her location from Jean's telepathy.
"You said you _"
"I know what I said, Mikhail!", Belasco shouted suddenly.
"Was it all a lie?! I betrayed my family in faith of this plan you had. Now I am told that this was all in place of a third party you had neglected to ever mention?!"
"It was not my intention. She had told me of the vacancy of this place because she had no body to rule. I had not known that once she regained form, she would gain full control of this realm! I had figured that was what the Rasputin child was for", Belasco said.
"You were duped. Big surprise", Magik says as she and Colossus stood in the doorway to the throne room. "The truth of the matter was that she did rule this realm. Not in totality. She usurped it from me. Whoever the previous resident was that controlled this dimension had some connection to me, yet I was still too young to exercise that control. I was a threat to her, so long as I drew breath", Magik explained.
"How do you know all this?", Mikhail asked.
"Because I am one with this realm. Though my control is not yet complete, I am getting better the more I use it's full range of capabilities. I had learned long ago that an unknown entity was present and feeding on the energies of Limbo to exist. The entity that possesses Jean's body now!", Illyana states as she points to the Goblin Queen fighting Storm.
"So, basically, you two idiots get duped and the hag that took Jean's body is gonna reap the benefits off of your mistake", Wolverine summarizes.
"Shut up! Whether this is true or not changes nothing! Mikhail, if we are to come out the winners in this, we must act now before dealing with the Goblin Queen! We must start by doing away with these X-Men. Then we take Illyana's power while Goblin Queen is still not yet at full strength", Belasco says as he begins to rise in the air ready to battle.
"Mikhail, it is not too late to do the right thing. Surrender yourself and we can-"
"No, Piotr! Death is a far better fate than going back to that humble lifestyle our parents live. I have tasted true power and I will not give it up so easily!", Mikhail says as he emanates extradimensional energy.
"Good. Was starting to think this would be too easy", Logan says as he pulls out his claws.
With a gesture, Belasco summons portals that unleash columns of fire in the throne room. As he does, Mikhail teleports to another part of the room and shoots energy blasts with each teleport he does.
"X-Men, evasive maneuvers!", Scott shouts as he dodges a beam of from Mikhail and hits him with an optic blast.
"Mikhail, you will pay for betraying our family! For betraying Illyana!!!", Colossus yells as he pounces on Mikhail while the man tries to recover from Cyclop's attack. When he lands on Mikhail, the two are ported away.
"Cyclops! Wolverine! Distract Belasco!", Magik says as she disappears into her teleportation disc.
"Yes, little men! Amuse me! Without your savior, all you can do is scramble to reach those who stand high above you!", Belasco boasts behind a fiery magic shield blocking Cyclops' optic blast and Wolverine's swipes of his unbreakable claws.
"Oh, shut it, you beligerent oaf!", Illyana says as a swing of her sword easily cuts through his shield, negating the magic completely with the power of the realm backing her will.
"AH!", Belasco yells as he falls down powerless. "NO!"
That was the last thing heard before a driving of the sword into him aborbed every bit of energy he took. The threat of Belasco and all his knowledge all contained within the sword. With it, Illyana emanates with a fiery aura, as she fights the influence of the now dead man's will. The personality begins to fade as she replaces the will of his power with her own. Like a stamp of ownership branding it.
"Meet me at the front of the castle. I promise to give you your friend back as she was before, but you must not interfere with what I must do", Illyana says as she disappears into her stepping disc once more.
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*Roof of the Castle*
He tried. He gave it every bit of his strength to fight and bring vengeance against the one who wronged his sister. They're entire family.
Still, this was a metal man versus a man bestowed with powers beyond the world they come from. Power over the fabric of their reality. Peter stood no chance.
"GAH!", Peter shouted as he is hit with an energy blast that sears past his metal skin into his very soul.
"Where is your fire, little brother? Are you not strong? Will you not right the wrong taken upon your sister? Or have you suddenly realized just how outmatched you really are?", Mikhail taunts as he slowly moves forward.
With his back to his brother, Colossus sees a loose brick within reach and grabs hold of it. With one swift move, he throws it at his brother, hitting the man in the forehead and giving Colossus an opening to clock him straight in the nose.
"It is not I who has bitten more than he can chew, brother. It is you who has meddled in forces you had no understanding of. Nor is it your business to- GRAAAAH!!!"
"Who do you think you are to lecture me?! I am a god! I am beyond you and everyone who has wronged me! I will take what I deem is mine! There is nothing you or anyone can do to stop me!", Mikhail says as he telekinetically begins to crush Colossus slowly.
"If only that were true, big brother", a voice says behind him before he feels something sticking straight through him from behind. Suddenly, his strength drains to a singular point and be pulled straigh out of him.
"I-Illyana?", he pants.
"I more than anyone am in the right to strike you where you stand.....but you do not deserve such a mercy from the likes of me. So, you will live by my hand, but your punishment does not end there. You shall be sent to the slum of our country, so that you remember exactly the suffering that befits scum like you! A position powerless as it is humiliating!", Magik says before opening a portal beneath him to send him back through.
"Illyana-"
"Your friends await you at the entrance, Piotr. I shall send you promptly before dealing with Jean", Illyana says. With a single thought, Colossus is sent through a portal to the front of the castle. Illyana looked up towards the skies above where thunder, lightning, and psychic power clashed with one another.
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*Limbo skies above*
"Oh, looks like Belasco and Mikhail have been dispatched. I guess I have played long enough", Goblin Queen says before sending a telekinetic wave at Storm to throw her off. She then teleports into the inner sanctum of the castle to a hidden room. A singular lab Belasco had used for magical experimentation and planning.
"Ah, there you are", Goblin Queen said as within a magic bubble was a young Illyana Rasputin, kept intact as she had when she first arrived in Limbo.
"Not. One. More. Move."
"Illyana Rasputin", the Goblin Queen begun. "Or should I even call you that? You aren't exactly the real deal, are you? You are more of like a possibility. A scenario where Illyana escaped and lived off the realm of Limbo. The soul that you mimic is now tainted with the energies of this very realm, whereas this child you come from....she is in her purest form. No innocence compares to the innocence of a child", Goblin Queen says as she gestures to the sleeping young girl.
"And she will remain untainted by your hand, witch! Taken so young and imprisoned by Belasco because of his greed and your manipulation! He payed dearly for his crimes, just as you shall! Here and now!", Magik says as she points her sword at the Goblin Queen. Without any hesitation, she propels forwared at Goblin Queen, who teleports to another part of the room away from harm.
"You think I don't know what that soulsword does? Granted, its properties now are different from the previous iteration, but the application is just the same. Possibly having a more powerfully potent effect against magical and psionic beings like myself. With that in mind, you will have to catch me if you want to strike me", Goblin Queen says. Without another word, she disppears once more.
"Damn!", Magik says before looking to the younger version suspended in animation like before.
"Magik! It's Psylocke. I have located Goblin Queen. She is in front of the castle attacking us", Psylocke says through their rapport.
"Perfect", Illyana rolls her eyes before porting to the front. When she does, she is greeted by the sight of Goblin Queen immobilizing the X-Men telekinetically while Psylocke appears to be resisting with her own psionics.
"Your psionics are as formidable as my own, Elizabeth. Yet, my magic will give me a greater jumping on point against you before you can have chance to build enough power to stand against me!", Goblin Queen says before a sudden surge of power throws Psylocke away. "Is this Xavier's famed X-Men?! A bunch of rookies and emotional amateurs? How do you expect to save mutantkind and the world from themselves if you can't get yourselves in order?!", the Goblin Queen says before tossing them back with a psychic wave.
"Why are you doing this? What does this have to do with Jean?!", Scott asks.
"Jean once took everything from me. Even when I tried to attain a new life, she always ended up in some way ruining that for me. Her and everyone who stood by her side", Goblin Queen said.
"Then why take her body? Why not end her?", Storm asks.
"Cause she and I are intertwined fundamentally by our very souls. Two sides of onne coin. This person you see before you is everything Jean could be if she indulged in the side of her inhibitions that were kept inside. I am the closest thing you will ever see to Jean coming to evil......well, the second closest anyways", Goblin Queen says before turning to Illyana.
"It is enough, Goblin Queen. It is time for Limbo to name who it's true ruler is! Here and now!", Magik says as she drives her sword into the ground, forming a circle of otherworldly energy surrounding her and turning her body into living energy.
"So, be it", Goblin Queen says as the same circle appears around her and turns into energy.
The two ascend the realm of physical being becoming one with the everything. The skies swirl as they display the conflict int he realm physically to the current inhabitants. A fight of wills between two forces stricken by a hand dealt against them. Equal in anger and pain, as they are in motivation and love.
"We have to do something", Storm shouts as she forms an air shield to keep the elements of magic outside of the party.
"No, I need to help", Psylocke says before sending her Astral Form out to meet the entities clashes of will. Feeling the soul of Illyana surround her, Psylocke lends her energy to allow Illyana to strike harder at her opponent. It was then that she felt something coming from the other side. A small attack from within, fighting to protect what it loves dearly.....No, what she loved dearly.
Three minds against one. The math was sound and it revealed the winner.
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*Xavier Institute Front Lawn*
A flash of energy takes place and the X-Men are suddenly back on the front lawn. Jean lays in Scott's arms, exhausted from the internal conflict. Scott looked in shock at her sudden appearance, but as he gazed upon her peaceful features no longer holding the hardened ones from before, and after looking to Betsy for confirmation, he simply carried her to their room without a word to anyone.
"Storm?"
"Professor!"
Ororo goes to the Professor to greet him and relay all that had happened. The most obvious problem being that Magik existed as did young Illyana Rasputin. Two Illyana's.
"Within the realm that I was created, it is entirely possible for my existence because time works differently in Limbo to the real world, Professor. I am Illyana, just as she is, but the obvious difference comes from what I experienced compared to her", Magik explained to the Professor and the X-Men present.
"So, what do you propose we do?", Colossus asks.
"Let her live her life with her parents, Piotr. Give her the life I never had, while I leave Limbo the barren wasteland it was before Goblin Queen came. As its rightful ruler, I have that right to leave all its inhabitants dead, with me using it as but a repository of energy and escape", Magik states.
"What of the Goblin Queen? Is Jean-"
"Jean is better. You have my word, Professor. Though you may need to work her through the identity crisis and guilt she is feeling at the moment, Professor. I can confirm thought that the three of us had purged Jean of any sign of the Goblin Queen, whose soul could not retain form any longer in Jean's dominant personality", Psylocke confirms to Xavier.
"So I shall", Charles affirms to Betsy.
"Illyana?", Colossus says when he sees the young woman start walking out the door.
"I have to go, Piotr", Magik states emotionlessly.
"Why? The Professor has plenty of room and you're still a mutant. You can benefit from having a home with friends, 'Yana. You are welcome in my book", Kitty steps in, grabbing Illyana by the arm to keep her from walking away further without her.
For a moment, Magik thought about the offer.
"I agree with Katya, Illyana. There is room enough to have you here if you want it. Just give the Professor a chance, please", Peter implores her.
"........Xavier?", Magik looks to the man.
"You certainly have proven yourself out there with the best of the X-Men. You ertainly have my blessing if you so choose to stay Illyana", Xavier states.
".......Fine. You have convinced me, big brother. I shall stay", Magik says with a smile. She had not known how warm it would feel to talk to her brother honestly like this. Perhaps she can turn this around for her life after all. Her start may not have to define her future if she did not let it. So, she looked ahead to thee future that beheld her from here on out.
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