Prologue: The X-Men Find the Mask
"Let's get the hell out of here", Wolverine yelled as he leaped under a falling rafter.
"Rogue", Storm shouted as she pointed back to the woman, trapped under a peice of debris.
Beastman, loping along behind the bunch, saw the woman trapped under the rock and grabbed a pipe on the ceiling,using his momentum to propel him forward with such speed that when he connected with the rock, it flew across the room, nearly decapitating the floating Storm.
Rogue, finally free of the boulder, ran alongside beastman, dodging flaming wood and soot as it fell from the rafters.
As the group reached the door and leapt out, the entire base collapsed in a burning inferno.
Wolverine, sheathing his blades, shook his head and grimaced, "Dammit, we lost her".
The others hung their head in agreement, as they knew that the hostage was dead. They walked glumly towards theship and prepare to leave.
As Beastman walked along, he kicked something up out of the ash. He picked it up, and it was an ancient looking mask.
The mask was intricately carved, with a large ruby adorned above the nose, in the center of the forehead. It was surrounded by goldin the design of a serpent, and there were more of the serpents carved down the sides of the mask, and on the back was some kind ofwriting that Beastman did not recognize.
When the X-Plane returned to the institute, Beastman, although grievous of the loss, went directly for the Professor. He found the Professor at the table, watching the coverage of the burning hideout.
"So she is dead", the Professor questioned, knowing that Beastman was in the room.
"Yes Professor, we did not get her out of the building before it collapsed, and although we do not know who the culprit is,
I might have found a clue to his whereabouts", Beastman explained as he pulled the mask from a pocket on the shirt he was nowwearing.
"Ah, may I see that?" the Professor asked. "Hmm, this is a very old mask. It looks like these serpents are supposed to represent water,and this writing on the back, It is very old, maybe even from the medival era. I am not sure, but I think it reads something like, 'Blessed thou art if thine mind is like the ocean'. That is all I can determine."
END PROLOGUE