Salem-X

Issue #2 – The New Team

Agatha emerged from the forest and headed towards the Salem-X mansion. It had been a year since she had gathered her team. Over the past year they had trained and come together, both as a team and on a personal level. Of course she knew that they all had their issues, but as a team they were a force to be reckoned with. She was happy, though. Finally, in her long life, things were working out for her. She had her base of operations, her equipment and vehicles, and more importantly she had her team that had so far passed Xavier's approval. She had been gone meditating and looking into private matters, so now it was time to go meet with them. She had matters to discuss.

Mike, the ex-shaman known as Talisman, sat in front of the Hex-System. As always he was on monitor duty. Since the loss of his daughter he had found a new passion. He knew the Hex-System like the back of his hand. He rarely went out on missions, but that was okay. His responsibility was to watch over everyone, especially the mansion and the children. Since they still hadn't been able to find his child, he would be a father figure for these kids.

Mike stood up and stretched. He closed his eyes and called forth his magic. A flash of light and a puff of smoke were signs of an explosion. When the light and smoke faded, a wolf stood in Mike's place. Mike loved his new powers. Thanks to Agatha, she had helped him master his power of transfiguring. Due to the magic feedback, he had lost his old powers along with his old age. Now he was younger and had a different type of magic. In time, he would discover his lost magic as well as his daughter.

Mike jerked around when he felt a magical pull in the air. He looked at the Hex-System monitor. He could see Agatha walking up the path. She had returned.

"Mike, tell everyone to suit up and meet me in the conference room. I will be there shortly," Agatha's voice projected.

"What about the children?"

"No, they will be fine in their "play" room. Salem is in there and will keep an eye on them."

"Ok, Agatha. We will be ready and waiting."

With that Agatha's image was gone. Mike touched the "S"/"X" badge on his belt buckle. All of a sudden, the badge began to glow and Mike was mystically surrounded by smoke and light. When the smoke cleared Mike was standing in his Salem-X costume. Black pants and a black t-shirt. On the t-shirt was a picture of a gray wolf. He now wore crimson-red Indian boots and gloves. He also donned a crimson-red vest over the t-shirt. Up and down his arms and on his face were red mystic tattoos. Hair now tied back in a ponytail, he flicked his crimson-red shades on his face and headed towards the conference room.

"OMG! You look hot!" Wade Harkus a.k.a. Magnus shouted as he approached a woman sitting on a bench looking at the garden.

SilverFlame, the alternate reality version of Illyana Rasputin, looked up. "Have you ever seen such beauty? It is hard to believe there is a world where this can exist."

"I know what you mean, and yes, I have seen such beauty. I am looking at her," Wade said as he took her in his arms and kissed her.

Wade had adjusted to this world quite well. It was like he belonged here. He had maintained his serious battle mode, yet a charming carefree personality emerged too. She hadn't, though. She still had the compelling urge to be back home. She was so used to being on the edge and fighting demons 24/7. Here, it was calmer. It made her restless. She was afraid all this beauty and serenity would weaken her, even more than it already had.

She sat down with Wade on the bench. She really wanted to find a way back home. She knew Agatha was busy. There were a lot of things for Agatha to take care of, so Illyana knew she couldn't expect her to make her getting home sole priority. Illyana's only fear was that when the day came and she could return home, that Wade might choose to stay behind. She loved him so much and the thought of life without him was too much to bear.

"Illyana, dear. You're crying."

"Oh, it's nothing. Must be the pretty flowers here in the garden."

"Well, I must say, you look good in the new outfit."

"Hey, you don't look so bad yourself."

When they both had arrived on this world, they were wearing battle-torn attire. Thanks to Agatha's magic, they were now sporting brand-new outfits. Illyana was wearing knee-high combat boots, fingerless gloves, and a body suit that was skimpier than a swimsuit. The whole outfit was a dark crimson-red, except for the red headband she wore complimenting her very short spiked blond hair. She didn't chose this outfit to look sexy or skimpy, she chose it because the fewer clothes on you the easier it was to maneuver and fight. Also, this outfit made it easier to use her powers of shifting to steel or demon form.

Wade chose a different look than hers. He was wearing a full body costume. Crimson red with yellow boots, gloves, belt, stripes up the outer leg and a yellow stripe running up his chest, over his shoulders and down the outer side of his arms. He had also let his red hair grow out shoulder length. In costume mode, blond streaks appeared in his hair. He had also grown a goatee. He looked good. He also looked powerfully hot when he was using his powers and his eyes turned yellow with electricity.

Suddenly the "S"/"X" badges began to glow. Wade touched his and magically a Hex-Holo of Talisman's face appeared. "Attention Salem X! Mistress X has returned and requests everyone's presence in the conference room now!" Then the face was gone. Both Wade and Illyana ran back into the mansion and towards the conference room.

Tandy Bowen, the mutant adventurer formally known as Dagger, was staring in the mirror. She had changed a lot in the past year. She had been on the verge of killing herself when Agatha appeared and saved her. In the past year she had become a part of a team that cared for her. It was a rough road, but she was able to fight and overcome her drug addiction. She had been given a second chance and a new life. She had decided to let go of her past and forge a new future with a new attitude.

She was now a lot more outgoing and aggressive. She was no longer afraid to take a chance on things. No matter how safe or dangerous it might be for her. She now had two major sides to her, a light side and a dark side. She had managed to balance both as one. With this new attitude she also needed a new look and a new name.

She had dyed her hair a platinum blond. It looked whiter. She wore a full body costume with boots and gloves. To match her two sides she donned a two-color costume. The whole right side was crimson red while the whole left side was black. She also wore an eye mask of crimson red. She looked good, but bad; just how she liked it. She had also needed a new name. Dagger was her past. She needed a name that signified her powers of healing and deadly psionic daggers. Only one name fit: VivaMuerte. Now she was ready to take on the world.

As soon as she got Mike's message she darted out her room and headed for the conference room. "Ready or not, here I come!" she shouted down the hallway.

Jason Strongbow, a.k.a. American Eagle folded up his old costume. Even after a year he felt odd not wearing it. That costume was such a big part of who he was. He didn't regret or dislike his new costume and role in life. He had pledged a life debt and he was a man of his word. Until his time was done he would proudly support this team and Mistress X. It wasn't that he disliked the new costume; it was actually very stylish. The only problem was that it seemed a bit flashy for his tastes. The catch about the magic of the costume was that it was designed by your innermost soul. It brought out the warrior in him. Jason touched the badge on his wristband and immediately light and smoke surrounded him. When the magic effects cleared he was no longer Jason Strongbow but the new Scarlet Eagle.

His whole costume was red and dark crimson red. On his chest was a picture of an eagle. He also had a cloth that hung over the front and back of him and was attached under his belt. He also sported metal crimson red armbands. Over his head was a mask that only left his mouth and chin exposed. It was the same matching color and looked like an eagle mask. The other nice thing was that his weapons appeared magically with the costume change. Strapped on his back was his quiver of arrows. He reached over his back and brought forward in his hand a stick. With a simple thought the stick extended from both ends creating his bow. It wasn't his old costume, but it would do.

Jason walked out onto the balcony of his room. He relaxed and let all his heightened senses engulf the outside world. He could hear birds miles away, see deer back into the woods. He could smell the moss on the trees. He was one with nature and he loved it. Suddenly he was brought back to reality when his "X"/"S" badge started to glow. After Mike's message he saw Agatha coming up the steps. He grabbed the railing and did a flip from his window balcony, landing on his feet in front of the front door. He opened the door for Agatha as she thanked him and walked in. He followed right behind her.

Wanda stood on top of the mansion roof overlooking the grounds. She was amazed, impressed, and suspicious of all that Agatha had become. It was hard to believe that a caregiver/witch that stayed in the background of things was now standing in the front lines. She had never realized that Agatha was this powerful. So powerful that she could create all this and lead a team.

Wanda knew there was something more to Agatha than what there appeared to be. She suspected as much when Agatha had been so loving to her when she had given birth. The minute her babies turned out to be demons and disappeared, so did Agatha. Wanda didn't realize back then that Agatha had acted suspiciously. Now, it was different.

She had lost Vision and something had happened to her that caused her body to feel empty and her memories not her own. She needed a new start and a new focus. She had this sixth sense that Agatha had some answers to all her questions, so she had accepted Agatha's invitation to co-lead the team. After a year she could see the potential of this being a great team and she loved the idea of helping lead them. The main reason was to not only guide them but to keep an eye on Agatha and unlock the many secrets hiding here at Salem-X.

Wanda could feel the power of nature as the wind blew against her. Her new costume was the best design she had yet to wear. Her costume covered her whole body except for her head and her "side belt line". Her costume was red and crimson red. Her boots and her gloves were opposite colors. One was red, the other crimson red. She also wore a fabulous crimson-red cape. She looked great. She had also decided to change her name. She now called herself Crimson Witch. It sounded like a more powerful name for an all-new, powerful Wanda.

She received the call and saw Agatha and Jason go into the mansion. Wanda called forth her powers and invoked a hex spell, causing the probability of the wind blowing strong enough to lift her up and place her nicely on the ground. She then opened the front door and walked into the mansion, then walked to the conference room. Everyone was there, except the children, sitting around a crimson red circular table. There were eleven chairs. Four were blank, but the other seven had symbols on the back representing each member of the team. Wanda found the chair with a "hex" symbol on the back and sat down.

"Thank you for joining us, Wanda," Agatha said. "Now let's get to why I have called you all here."

Mistress X stood up and looked at everyone. "I know I was gone for a while, but I had some things to take care of. During my sabbatical, I detected something."

"Is it the great evil?" Scarlet Eagle asked.

"No, it is not. I would know it if it were. This I can't tell too much about. As you know, my reason for bringing you together as a team is to prepare for a great battle against a great evil. When I was a child I foresaw an event. A great prophecy was uncovered. It is told that a great evil will arise. This evil will cause an event that will grant a great power. A force will and must rise against it. That is all I can tell and remember at this time. With my great instincts and magic I have formed this team. When the time comes we will all be needed." Agatha spoke quietly and surely.

"So then what is it you detected, oh great mistress?" Wanda asked with bitter sarcasm.

"Wanda! Why can't you ever show some respect? I will never understand why she put you in charge with the way you treat her!" Wade said angrily across the table.

"Don't you raise your voice to me, you ..."

"Enough!" screamed Illyana. "You two need to stop. You fight like you're related or something."

Agatha choked on her water. Everyone turned and looked at her. "Okay, that is enough. Wade, Wanda is in charge because she has the most experience leading a team. Now back to the subject at hand. When I was meditating I felt a supernatural presence. I want you all to take the Hex-Jet and check it out. Something in my vision told me that this supernatural being will bring about a great change and it could involve us. I want you all to leave immediately. The coordinates are already loaded into the Hex-Jet. Good luck and be safe," Mistress X said and in a swirl of smoke she was gone.

The six members headed to the Hex-Jet. Talisman and Wanda took pilot and co-pilot seats. In the front of the mansion the front lawn began to shimmer and change. Soon an opening magically appeared and the Hex-Jet soared out and into the sky. Mike looked at the instrument panel.

"Okay, folks. Hold on; final destination: the Canadian Wilderness."

Agatha watched as the jet soared off. She mentally wished them luck. They would need it. She then turned to check on the kids. One instant she was staring at a wall, then her vision blurred as she called upon her familiar's bond-link. Her vision cleared and she was staring up at Laura and Artie playing connect four. She turned her head to see Emp holding her in her lap petting her.

The kids are just fine. I plan to keep it that way, Agatha thought.

Soon her vision blurred and she was looking at the wall again. She still wasn't sure how she had this bond with her familiar Salem. Being able to see through his eyes. It was nice, though. It allowed her to watch over the kids while not hovering next to them. Agatha headed towards the kitchen to make some lunch for her children.

Deep within the Canadian wilderness, a strange creature walked up to a black throne. It looked up at its master, whose appearance was hidden from sight within the darkness of the shadows.

"'aster. Dey aproched," the creature said to his master.

"Good. Mistress X is so easily manipulated. I hope she loved the vision I sent her. Come my children. Time to prepare for our guests." The being said and then started to laugh as he stood and walked deeper into the shadows.

Next: Issue #3 – Dividing Times – Part One