DEAR READER: There are a few important things you should know...I'll make this as short as possible so you'll actually stop to read it.
I don't read many X-Men comics (I watched the tv program years back), so I did a lot of research to make this story work Therefore...
- Set sometime around Gambit (3rd Series) #22, 24
- Some storyline content has been tinkered with (ex, Joseph didn't die)
- Timelines have been reworked to allow things to overlap
- IS A TRILOGY (To understand this story, you must read "An Illusive Truth: Part 1", or at least just the end chapter)
-Remember: Keep the title in mind...what is true may be true in a totally different context than what you believe : D
- LET ME KNOW: (through review or message) if you are totally confused (because I'm not explaining myself properly), or if I made important mistakes in the content...If you're having problems understanding it, then I'm sure a whole bunch of other people are, and it's good for me to correct my wrong doings
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Before we start, here's a brief shout out to all of my reviewers from the first Part (in order of review):
Southern Devil, RogueFreak, RG Marie, Hawaiichick, Grin Reaper, Roguechere, Remy'sRose, RogueishLeia, PeppermintLove, inTHEgrid, Greykupo, tking, and prieda!
I hope this chapter answers a lot of your questions, and you all have kept this story alive!!! No doubt about it, I just LOVE your predictions (some of you are getting close, it's eerie...but I've got some cards up my sleeve that will keep you on your toes), and your novel-long responses! I don't know what else to say other than...
You all rock!!!!!!!!! xoxoxo
Prof. Horatio Hufnagel
DISCLAIMER: You know the drill, it all pretty much belongs to Marvel ...I'm just the pupeteer (dance puppets, dance!)
In times of old it was foreseen that men of kin would divide into two, and the world would be plagued with prejudice and intolerance. Although lost amongst the many words of illusive tales, the prophecy of ultimate power and riches remains to be whispered through time.
This is its story
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It was silent. Deadly silent. He listened to the sound of his footsteps echo off of the granite tiling, down through the long hall. He took steady strides towards the door at the end, despite the nervous tremor of his hand. He squeezed his fist tight around the scroll to stop its violent shaking. Somehow this grounded him, made his mind snap back into focus. Everything had gone smoothly, according to plan. The scroll was apprehended and the moles had gone unnoticed. For once, he could say with confidence that she would be happy. So why was he even remotely nervous?
When he reached the door, he stopped to look down at the thin piece of parchment. It was at this moment that he knew. He thought it ironic how a few words on a page could hold such power. He knew the gravity of the situation before him; he knew that this was a pivotal moment in history. That is what scared him. …No, that is what thrilled him.
He twisted the door knob and swung the door open. The circular study was dimly lit, with a single chandelier suspended from the ceiling. Several book shelves wrapped around the wall, and a large oak desk anchored his attention to the centre of the room, across from where he stood.
A woman sat in an extravagant leather armchair behind the desk, her interest focused on the book that lay open in her lap. She chose to ignore his presence and continued to skim through the literature. After several moments had passed, she closed the book and raised her head, brushing a few blond tresses from her face. Her eyes locked with his, and her hand absent-mindedly found the arm-rest, beginning to stroke the gold studs that ran along the leather seams.
At first he thought she wasn't going to talk, but he knew better than to make the first move. He waited patiently, and sure enough she spoke a moment later.
….
"Did you get it?"
"D'you really gotta ask?" Gris-Gris jeered wickedly and waved the scroll in the air at eye level, the beads embedded in his thick hair dancing with every move.
"Excellent!"
Belladonna quickly stood from her seat and made her way across the study to Gris-Gris. She was a woman of unimaginable strength, despite her seemingly waif-like figure and waist. Her sunken facial features would've known the likes of beauty, but the heir of smugness that now took up permanent residence robbed her face of any redeeming qualities. Arguably, it could have been from her several years as leader of the infamous Assassins Guild. The Assassins were an organization that operated from the underbelly of New Orleans, and were notorious for thievery and murder. They were ravenous by nature, a distinct contrast to their arch-enemies, the Thieves, who limited themselves to stealing (and a few other sins). However, some would say that Belladonna Boudreaux was jilted one too many times in her life, and was hell-bent on revenge. Either way, she had proven herself a force not to be reckoned with…repeatedly.
She smiled and spoke in a convincingly calm, and surprisingly sweet, manner. "So, de rumors 'bout d' Old Kingdom, they were correct..."
As unpredictable as the weather, her mood changed on a dime and her eyes narrowed into slits. "…And dey tink it wise t'hide dis from us?" She scoffed with muted rage, but she was never very good at controlling her temper. "Imbeciles! Don'tdey know who WE ARE???"
Gris-Gris cringed as her shrieks rang through his ears. "Guess dey tought we'd never figure it out…" he offered. Noticing her shoulders stiffen, he knew it was time for some damage control before she hit the roof. " –but you did." He nodded his head towards the stacks of books on the shelves. "Lotsa books t'sort trough, takes lotsa time t'read between de lines. And y'did it."
"Yes, well…" The menacing scowl eased on her face considerably. She remained lost in a pleasant daydream of self praise and approval for a moment or so, then shook her head lightly and beamed back at Gris-Gris.
Her palm outstretched to receive the coil of aged parchment. "De prophecy, s'il vous plait."
Gris-Gris handed her the scroll and watched as she unfurled it, hungry for the long awaited answer. He jumped to her side, also eager to read the parchment he had been assigned to retrieve at any cost. She began to read aloud:
" 'In times of old it was foreseen that men of kin would divide into two, and the world would be plagued with prejudice and intolerance. Although lost amongst –' I know dis already!" Belladonna interrupted herself, feeling her face begin to redden in anger.
"Jus' keep reading." Gris-Gris assured her. "Dere's bound t'be more."
She took a deep breath and inspected the rest of the parchment. Her lips broke out into a wicked grin and she cleared her throat, continuing to read in a musical tone.
"Although lost amongst the many words of illusive tales, the prophecy of ultimate power and riches remains to be whispered through time.
Listen closely to its calling:
- - Ye seek out the guardians
with gemstones of truth
fighting honorably alongside their guild
By the blood of the new son
rich and pure
a society of great power thou shall build - - "
…
Neither of them spoke; Belladonna was caught up in thought, and Gris-Gris was simply too afraid to disrupt her. But after several moments of excruciating silence, he had to say something.
"Whuz it mean, Belle?"
"It meeaaans" she drew out in an exasperated and condescending voice "dat my suspicions wuz right b'fore, and dat operations must proceed as planned."
…
It only took her one glance in his direction to see that he was completely lost. "Oh, for goodness sake! Look!" She pointed to the lines on the page so that he could follow along. " 'Wit' gemstones of truth', dat's gotta be refferin' to de old tithes d'External gave to d'Guilds. De real ones was decorated wit jewels! And, de Assassins have always been 'rich', just look around you!" Bella waved her hand in the air, gesturing to the ornate study they stood in. "Iam going t'be one o' de guardians… one o' de parents."
"Got jus' one question." Gris-Gris asked. "Why Remy? Whuz so special 'bout him? You could get any man from de T'ieves Guild t'be de ot'er guardian, so –"
"Already told y'why!" She hissed. Her mouth then formed an overly confident and dangerous smirk. " 'Cause dis operation be all about conquest."
SNEAK PEEK:
He moved his hands to rest behind his head, noticing the gold band on his finger gleam as it caught the sunlight. The past several months had been a blur, they happened so incredibly fast. Since the night that Rogue and Remy announced their engagement, they began immediately on wedding arrangements. The couple had originally planned a small and tasteful wedding, but the women of the mansion wouldn't hear of it.