Questing for the Brotherhood

by Falara Hughes

The Brotherhood is given a medieval twist of the wrist and a few OCs (Original Characters) based on some friends. Comic book characters added for amusement. All four chapters are now complete, and a credits section has been added. Reviews welcome.

4. Chapter 4

The Awesome Power of the Scarlet Witch

The body of Sabretooth dangled like a grim ornament in the midst of Lord Magnus' throne room. It was mutilated and wrapped in barbed chains that kept him suspended more than forty feet off the ground. His black blood dripped into a puddle that spread across the tiling beneath him, and his arms and legs twitched on occasion--a sign that he was still alive.

From his throne, Lord Magnus took to biding his time while he watched the blood run like sand in an hourglass. Over the past few days he had thrown most of his naval offensive at La Gambit--not a single automaton returned. He knew that Mystique was behind the success of the vessel; no wooden barge could withstand the might of his iron creations otherwise. As the lord dwelled on his former minion's double cross, the verse that he had heard many years ago began to play in his mind:

I see it in your eyes
Even hiding they tell no lies
A silver fox and its scarlet kin
They'll be the ones to do you in
An avalanche will bury the kin
But later, love and honor her whim
Live by land, sleep by sea
Aid from utmost treachery
My visions do not lie, my friend
An eye will blink and you'll find your end

"A silver fox and its scarlet kin." Lord Magnus slammed his right fist against the arm of his throne as he dwelled on that phrase. How could it be that he would conceive his own demise? He knew how. Years ago, he fell prey to a moment of lustful weakness with a mortal woman. "When I learned that she was pregnant," he thought to himself, "I should have destroyed her then and there." But no--something within him wouldn't allow him to do that. Fate, that awesome mistress of the universe, was having Her way with his existence, slowly weaving for him a slow and bitter end.

The Lord refused to believe that he could be controlled so easily; he refused to believe that the prophecy would come true. And why would it? For that to happen, both of his children would have to be against him, and Magnus knew that Quicksilver was still on his side. As long as he had his son's loyalty, his concern was unwarranted.

The brooding silence was broken by a roar of wind as Quicksilver ran into the throne room and stopped just short of stepping in the bloody puddle. He wrinkled his nose as he stared at it, then took a moment to adjust the sleeves of his new, teal, knee-length jacket. "Father, we need to talk." He didn't waste time with a fancy 'I've returned' conversation; he knew that would only make things worse.

"If it is about your sister, then you can keep your speech to yourself," Lord Magnus said as the light dimmed in his eyes. He almost didn't want to see the signs that his son was turning against him, though he knew this was one of them.

"I can't," Quicksilver admitted. "Scarlet's on her way here now, father, with the sole intent of killing you!"

"So let her come. She will learn first-hand why that decision is one of folly."

Quicksilver shook his head rapidly at his father's words. "No, no, no! I won't have you killing each other over an age-old vendetta! If the two of you would stop being stubborn and just sit down, and talk to each other--" His words were cut off by a sudden clap of thunder.

"You seem to forget who is the father and who is the son," Lord Magnus stated once the noise quieted down. Once again, his eyes burned with a blue light. "I am not obligated to speak with the Scarlet Witch over any matter. She chose her path when she went to live amongst the mortals."

"But she's willing to cooperate..."

"No. She is willing to have her way." Magnus took a moment to sit up straighter than he had been. "You have spent too much time under your sister's tainted influence. Have you forgotten what we are working toward here?"

Quicksilver replied with a single nod and a look of indifference. "Yes, father. Please refresh my memory."

"This world is impure. I have been charged with its cleansing. You and your sister are meant to assist me in that cleansing."

"But does it have to be so brutal?" The young man shook his head. "Did you have to employ demons like Sabretooth and Mystique? If this is a real cleansing, shouldn't it take, gee I dunno, maybe a little less than a year, rather than however many centuries you've been here?"

"ENOUGH." Lord Magnus stood from his throne and lifted into the air. "How DARE you question my method of operation. What I do to this world and how I do it is MY business and MYBUSINESS ALONE. If you are not with me, Quicksilver, you will learn to rue that decision just as your sister will when I am through with her." The lord slowly floated towards the doors of his throne room. "Go to your room, boy. I will deal with you after I tend to other matters."

Boy? Quicksilver hadn't been referred to as a child since he was sent on his first successful mission, many years ago. At that moment, he knew he had fallen too far out of favor with his father to keep this conversation up. When the doors of the throne room opened to let Lord Magnus out, Quicksilver dashed out as well, headed for his portion of the tower as he had been commanded to go. He was upset by this difficult turn of events, but he knew that openly defying his father would only make things worse.

Lancelot's awakening was not as pleasant as it could have been. As soon as he sat up, he knew something was wrong. He tore from the hold of La Gambit and almost tripped as he stepped up to the port rail to look around. The beachfront of Asterum was only a kilometer away from the head of the ship, but to La Gambit's aft, no ship plants could be found. Alarm washed over the knight as he looked around for someone to explain the situation to him.

It didn't take long for Scarlet to notice Lancelot wandering the lower deck, then she immediately dropped the supplies she carried and ran over to him. She knew why he behaved so frantically, and that it was her responsibility to tell him what happened to the other knights.

"Lance, calm down," Scarlet said as she grabbed a hold of him.

"Where are my brothers in arms," the man asked in a worried tone.

There was no simple way to say what had to be said. "They didn't make it, Lance. We were attacked twice; once by one of Lord Magnus' creations, and another time by someone with a vendetta against Remington." Scarlet hesitated to finish her explanation. "I... also, destroyed one of the ships. Not intentionally, though. It just..." Her words faded as she watched him sink to the deck. "...happened."

Lancelot's armor suddenly felt ten times heavier as he sat down and leaned his back against the port rail. "Armace... Spearhold... Dirkwood, Javelin and Swordstrong." He shook his head sadly. "I could call all of their names repeatedly, but it would bring none of them back."

Scarlet knit her brow quietly as she looked away from him. She couldn't begin to imagine what he felt at that moment. "I'll understand if you wish to stay here, instead of going on to Asterum with me." It was all the comfort she could offer him.

For a moment, Lancelot's eyes seemed to glaze over with suppressed tears. But, when Scarlet made her offer, he quickly blinked them away. "Scarlet, I promised that I would see to it that you reached your father," he said, his voice holding back a tone of upset. "Now, I cannot go back on my promise. And my brothers did not die in vain. They fought the good fight at Newark, freeing an entire region from the grasp of evil."

Scarlet couldn't believe his perseverance. "But you're the only one left. The rest of your guild has been destroyed..."

"Nay, fair Scarlet." Lancelot pulled himself to a stand. "As long as there is an earth, there will be Terra Firma knights to protect it. Just as my brothers have died, others will be born to take their place." He took a deep breath to help calm his nerves. "Now. If you will allow me, I shall fulfill my duty to you."

She couldn't argue with his logic. "Very well," Scarlet said with a positive nod. "I won't fence you if you really want to go."

"Good," Captain Remington said as he stepped up to the two of them. Behind him stood the Blob, Colossus, Saint John and Atrophy. "Hopefully, y'll afford us de same courtesy."

The witch looked at the Captain with uncertainty. "Remy? But after all the trouble I caused..."

"What's happened is in de past, chere, as is every second dat goes by, neh," Remington commented with a smile. "'Sides, we won't be on my ship, so dere's no danger o'you causing it any harm." He winked to signify his jest.

As she moved to join the group, Sky Fire added, "And I threatened his manhood if he didn't get off his rump and help you." The Captain rolled his eyes at her remark, but still put an arm around her waist affectionately.

"What about the rest of you," Scarlet asked as she looked to the crewmen that followed him over. "You guys want to come as well?"

The Blob laughed as he slapped his belly repeatedly. "Do you have to ask? You know I'm all for action!"

"You're going to need a healer," Atrophy stated. "I'm kinda the only one the ship has."

"We ain't the kinda blokes that'd leave you high and dry," Saint John added.

"Where the Captain goes, so too do I," Colossus said with a definite nod.

After his crew members spoke, Remington focused a smile on the Scarlet Witch. "See? We're all prepared for dis. De rest of my crew will stay an' keep de ship for our return." He looked to the knight. "Sir Lance, would y'like your horse brought up?"

"No," Lancelot replied, adding a shake of his head. "For this journey, I prefer to be on foot."

"Grand. Den shall we go?"

A single life boat left for the shore of Asterum, bearing Colossus, Blob, Toad, Atrophy, Lancelot and the Scarlet Witch. Captain Remington rode on the back of Blooper with Sky Fire, and Saint John followed on Pyro. Mystique flew ahead in the form of an Albatross and carried the frog-formed Hopperas with her.

When they arrived at the black sand beach, the Blob and Colossus leaped out of the boat and pushed it close enough to be parked in the sand. Mystique turned herself and the Hopperas back to their normal forms while she waited for the others to catch up, then she began explaining the situation. "The army of Lord Magnus was child's play compared to what you will have to encounter here." She motioned to the cliff face that encompassed the beach. "Beyond that is the Death Forest, where the elite servants of Lord Magnus rest and wait to be called upon."

"Is that the most direct path to my father," Scarlet asked.

"Land-wise, yes. There is a thin crevice in the cliff face that leads to it. Beyond the Death Forest is a swamp that surrounds the Asterum Spire."

Scarlet had been gone for so long, she vaguely remembered the swamp or the forest. "All right. Let's go."

"An' what about de Blob," Remington asked as he motioned to his crewman. "A thin crevice isn't goin' t'accomodate him."

"I'll have Blooper dig it out some when we get there," Sky Fire replied, and with that matter settled, the group began to follow Mystique and her minions in the direction she had previously indicated.

Not two steps had been taken before the ground started to move underneath the feet of a few of them. Colossus and Atrophy were thrown in different directions as a massive dragon's head unearthed from the sand beneath them. The head was half the size of Blooper's entire body, and what followed it gave Scarlet and her followers reason to be alarmed.

The body of the dragon burst from the beach and shook sand in all directions. It was an unnatural creature, composed entirely of cast iron with ridges and sections like an armor-plated skeleton. Flames flickered within its eye sockets and pistons pumped visibly within its rib cage, perpetually fueling the fire that burned where its heart would be. Billows pumped smoke out of its nostrils as it scratched at the ground with its massive claws.

"What the Hell is that," Toad said as he leaped behind Sir Lancelot.

Mystique's grip tightened around her staff. "That, is Mekan Ikull, "she replied with a sour expression. "It is Lord Magnus' greatest invention."

The Blob cracked his knuckles, then chuffed as he stepped forward to meet this new challenge. "It's about to become his greatest pile of scrap," he boasted. "Watch me work."

Slowly the others started to follow him, but before they could get too far, Mystique called for their attention. "DON'T BE FOOLS!" Except for the Blob, everyone stopped in their tracks.

"I ain't being a fool," the man said as he stopped a few feet away from the dragon. "Besides. What's this tin can got that I ain't immune to?"

Mekan Ikull poised itself like a cat ready to pounce, then lowered its head until it was level with the man's body. Its maw creaked open just as Blob reached back for a punch, then it exhaled a cloud of grey gas that enveloped him.

"Don't touch that cloud," Mystique called to the others, knowing it was too late for the Blob. When the cloud dispersed, it revealed the man frozen in his reared-back stance, his body turned to stone.

Wide eyes registered this amongst the gathered crowd. "Mekan Ikull has Gorgon Breath," Mystique informed them. "One touch of that cloud and it's the end of you. Now come on! The crevice isn't far from here!" She turned to continue walking.

"But what about de Blob," Remington asked, and Mekan Ikull gave its own answer. It roared as it stomped forward to pursue the travelers--stepping over the Blob in the process--but as it made its way across the beach, its tail lashed out, purposely knocking the head and raised arm off the stonecast man.

Scarlet and her friends were stunned by this act, but there was nothing they could do. Lancelot and Remington pulled their weapons with the intent of exacting revenge, but once again Mystique commanded otherwise. "Now is not the time to challenge Mekan," she shouted. "Unless you want to end up like your friend, I suggest you move. NOW!"

Despite their anger, the two men turned and did as they were told. As Mekan Ikull sped up his gait, they took off running towards a crack in the cliff face that could be seen several yards from where they were. During their run, Sir Lancelot waited until the others had passed him, then he plunged the blade of his sword in the sand behind him. Two cracks traced the ground in a wide circle away from the sword and when Mekan Ikull stepped in the midst of the circle, the ground gave way underneath it. The beast sank beneath the surface of the sand until only its head could be seen, but it barely cried out as it found itself in this predicament.

Lancelot felt an empty satisfaction as he turned to join the others. Then, as he settled into a jogging pace, he heard the familiar creak of Mekan Ikull's opening maw and couldn't help but turn to look. Three iron spearheads flew out the back of Mekan Ikull's throat, each attached to a thick chain that seemed endless. The spearheads cut the air as they sped past Lancelot and when the knight realized that he wasn't the target, he turned to see where the projectiles were headed.

"Ahhhhh!" Toad and Atrophy cried out as a chain wrapped itself around each of them and immediately started reeling them back to Mekan Ikull's gaping jaw. The third spearhead tried to strike Colossus in the back, but he metalized himself just in time and the spear bounced harmlessly off of him.

With a grunt, Lancelot swung at the chains and managed to fully sever the one that was reeling in Toad; however, the chain that pulled on Atrophy only sustained partial damage and was able to continue reeling him in. The chain that bounced off Colossus suddenly came alive and swept across the sand, knocking all of the travelers off their feet before retracting to Mekan Ikull's throat.

"Help me," Atrophy cried out, reaching for Lancelot as he passed him. The knight extended a gauntlet in an effort to grab hold, but the loose chain slapped him aside so he couldn't help. All of the chains wrapped themselves tightly around Atrophy as he reached Mekan Ikull's maw, then as the boy cried out in terror, the dragon exhaled a cone of fire that engulfed him.

Mekan Ikull's jaws slammed shut after the fire left its mouth. Then, it pulled itself out of the sand with ease and continued its pursuit of Scarlet and her remaining friends. By this time, Mystique had reached the crevice she previously pointed out, and there she impatiently waited for the others to catch up. "Do any more of you wish to perish," the sorceress shouted. "Don't challenge that thing, just run!"

The terror-filled relay race lasted only a few seconds more before the group reached the safety of the crevice. All of the Hopperas--including Toad--were the first to hop in, followed by Scarlet and Colossus. Sky Fire flew over the cliff face on Blooper's back, and Saint John did the same using Pyro. Remington waited outside the mouth of the fissure for Lancelot to catch up and when he did, the two locked hands and the Captain pulled the knight in just in time to avoid the mechanical dragon's jaws. Mekan Ikull slammed face-first into the cliff face, but its head was far too big at each dimension to fit within the crevice.

Because of how they fell into the tunnel beyond the crevice, Sir Lancelot and Captain Remington needed help breaking away from each other. "De bottom's a fine place t'be," the Captain commented, "but not when it's under someone as heavy as you, homme." His comment sparked a brief but welcome laugh from most of those present. Then, Mystique brought them back to the severity of the moment.

"Mekan Ikull is not a creature to be trifled with," she stated bluntly. "It is the culmination of decades of work on Lord Magnus' part. Of all the inventions he has ever manufactured, that one is the most cunning and independent, and it will not be defeated by a simple swing of the sword!"

"After seein' de Blob an' Atrophy die, I should t'ink dat we're all quite aware o'dat by now," Remington said as he dusted off his clothes.

"I hope you didn't expect all of you to return from this unscathed," the sorceress stated coldly, then turned to walk on. "This tunnel ventures all the way through the cliff face. We will meet Sky Fire and Saint John on the other side.

As the group moved on, they looked back and noticed how furiously Mekan Ikull tore away at the crevice with its massive claws in an effort to reach them. Fortunately, the cliff walls were very thick, and the creature's iron claws couldn't tear away enough each time to make any real progress. When the travelers left its sights, Mekan Ikull stopped digging and turned away from the cliff. It could have used its chains to reach them; it could have shot fire or gas in the tunnel after them. Mekan Ikull had other plans for the travelers, so once it saw that they were on their way, it burrowed below the black sand and headed for its next destination.

"This is so not fair." Quicksilver said this to himself numerous times as he paced the floor of his massive bedroom. In the little time that he was there, he had paced so frequently that he left several trenches in the floor. When the last trench became knee-deep, the man stopped and looked around his room for something else to do.

In her bat form, Rogue came out of hiding and perched on the massive, silver chandelier that dangled over the center of the room. When she reverted to her human form, the chandelier managed to hold her weight without shaking. Rogue glanced at the trenches made by Quicksilver's walking, whistled casually to gain his attention, then spoke. "That's some fancy footwork you got there."

The man looked up at her. "You!" Normally he wasn't happy to see Mystique's spy, but sheer boredom had made him appreciative of her presence. Quicksilver ran up a wall and across the ceiling to reach the chandelier and once there, he sat on an arm closest to the Rogue. The chandelier continued to hold their weight. "I would ask how you got here so fast," Quicksilver commented, "but since you're someone to talk to, I don't really care." His eyes widened as he looked at the floor and saw what he had done. Each trench came together in a way that formed letters and together those letters spelled out five words: This is so not fair.

"Guess I have a one-track mind," Quicksilver said as he started the chandelier in a slow, swinging motion. The Rogue smirked and joined him in the swinging.

"So. What's got you so agitated," she asked him.

"Father sent me to my room." He grumbled, his face turning sour. "What does he think I am? Some sort of child? I've been a loyal soldier of his ever since I could go into battle! Couldn't he spare a few minutes to hear me out?"

This was the moment the Rogue had been waiting for. Mystique told her it would come; all she had to do was stick to her mentor's plan. "Your father didn't want to hear you out, because he didn't want to face the moment of your betrayal."

Quicksilver focused a quiet look on her. "What are you talking about," he asked after a moment of silence.

"Your moment of betrayal." The Rogue smiled knowingly. "It was written in the stars that you and your sister would end Lord Magnus' reign over the Earth."

Again Quicksilver stared at her quietly. He had known her to say strange things before to throw him off a loop--usually the Rogue was trying to gain information for her scheming mentor. After reminding himself of this, Quicksilver took a moment to laugh. "Cute. You don't say much that can amuse me, Rogue. Thanks for the laugh."

Her smile turned into a smirk. "Laugh if you want, but it's all true. Remember, I come from a sorceress's guild; we find these things out on a daily basis."

The joke became annoying to Quicksilver. "Yeah, right. Like father would have let either of us be born if he had known we were destined to destroy him."

"Oh, he knew. Just ask him. Not that he'll tell you the truth, but, the way he'll dodge the issue should be enough to prove my point."

The man's eyes narrowed slowly as he listened to her speak. Rogue was a clever liar, but the way his father had been behaving lately almost validated her latest fabrication. Quicksilver mulled over her words for two seconds, then said, "Fine. I think I will." He ran back across the ceiling and down the wall to reach the floor of his room, then made his way to the double doors that marked the room's entrance. They opened quickly to let him out, but just as Quicksilver took one step past the doors, he hit an invisible force field that bounced him back and sent him tumbling across the floor. When he was stopped by the large pillows of his bedding, Quicksilver focused a look of surprise and confusion on his room's entrance.

The Rogue was also surprised by this, so she leaped from the chandelier and went to investigate the way in. While walking towards it, she pulled a brown staff from thin air, then pointed its jeweled tip towards the invisible field. A bolt of blue lightning jumped from the staff's sapphire and struck the field; the spell it carried caused the field to be visible for ten seconds.

Quicksilver scrambled to his feet and looked around his room. Even through the high-set windows, shimmers could be seen running the length of the force field, suggesting that it surrounded the room entirely. "What the Hell is this," the man said as he stepped away from his bed.

"Now do you believe me," Rogue asked as she released her staff. The staff fell to the floor and disappeared before it had a chance to hit the ground. "He's keepin' you in here so you can't team up with your sister."

"No, I DON'T believe you," Quicksilver said in a nasty tone, then ran back to the entrance and started feeling out the force field. "All this proves is that my father is about to do something that he doesn't want me to interfere with!"

"And just what do you think that somethin' is?" Rogue shook her head at him. "If Scarlet's on this island, you know what Magnus is going to do to her. Do you think he made Mekan Ikull all those years ago just to have it wander a dead hunting ground?"

"Mekan Ikull is not going to hunt down my sister," Quicksilver said in a tone of denial. "She's flesh and blood! Father would NOT be that cruel!"

"Wake up, Q," Rogue yelled. "Your father's chased after your sister for a decade! You think after ten years he'd be desperately tryin' to convince her to be part of the family again?"

Quicksilver sneered at the Rogue as he turned to face her. "Shut up," he snapped. "I don't believe in your stupid prophecy, all right?" He turned back to the force field. "But... I don't doubt that father would punish Scarlet for leaving." The man grumbled loudly. "Damn those two for being so disagreeable! Now I've got to convince Scarlet to turn back before she gets herself killed."

"And how do you propose to do that from behind this force field," Rogue inquired.

"You'll see," Quicksilver replied, then sat down to concentrate.

The howl of wind rustling through hollow tree trunks filled the air around the Death Forest. All the leaves had long-since fallen off the trees, exposing the earth to perpetual clouds of gloom. From one end to the next, the mutilated corpses of iron cyborgs could be seen in their final poses, holding death grips on the weapons they wielded. The acrid smell of blood and oil, coupled with the morbid appeal of dead warriors, made the forest a far less welcoming sight than the black sand beach.

The forest's stench hit the travelers even before they left the cave, and it was no better once they were out in the open. Captain Remington and his remaining crewmen covered their noses with bandanas, and the Hopperas put their ninja hoods back on, but the others were left to use their hands and what rags they could pull from their clothes. "What is this place," Scarlet asked between coughs.

"The Death Forest," Mystique replied, showing little signs of being bothered by the forest's stench. "This is where Lord Magnus sends his creations to battle each other and test their weaknesses. Those that survive the ordeal are sent to carry out his will, while the others are systematically repaired and improved."

As they began a trek through the dark terrain, Sir Lancelot gave pause to examine some of the corpses they passed. "Most of these automatons appear to be men with iron augments," he observed.

"They are," Mystique admitted. "All of them were, at some point, invited to Asterum to become elite soldiers in Magnus' army." She smirked as she informed him, "You, too, would have become one, if you had accepted the invitation that was sent to you months ago."

Lancelot stopped after hearing her words. "So, this would have been my fate had I chosen to keep going," he thought to himself, then turned to walk on. Seeing those bodies was all the proof he needed that he was doing the right thing.

The pace through the forest was long, but gladly without incident, and when the dragonriders caught up they joined the slow procession. Visually, it was difficult to tell when the forest ended and the swamp began, but Mystique made certain to point it out to the others. "The swamp is but a few yards from here. Watch your step when you reach it; some of those pools of water go deep enough to swallow you whole." She continued walking at a steady pace, though eventually she noticed a lag in the others and stopped to look at them. "Don't tell me you're all fatigued," the sorceress said in disgust.

"De air here is hardly breathable," Captain Remington called through the muffle of his bandana. "It's a miracle we've gone dis far already."

"Can't you do something about this air," Scarlet asked Mystique.

"We shouldn't stop here," the sorceress stated. "It is no coincidence that we have yet to be attacked. I suspect your father is waiting for the right moment to strike, and this could be it."

"Well, if you could just make it easier to breathe--" Scarlet's words were interrupted by the sudden appearance of a swirling orb of energy in front of her. To her surprise, her brother's face appeared in the center of the orb. "Quicksilver? ... How?"

"A little traveling gift from father," the man replied, forcing himself to smile. "So. I don't suppose you saw my welcome banner..."

Scarlet looked around at her traveling companions. Everyone found a place to rest except for Mystique, who stood away from them all. "Must have missed it," the witch replied with a small smile of her own.

"Yeah, you probably just landed on the wrong shore." Quicksilver cleared his throat before speaking again. "Scarlet, where exactly are you right now?"

"At the end of the Death Forest. We're about to enter the swamp."

He shook his head rapidly at this. "No, Scarlet, you have to get out of there. You have to get off this island!"

"It's too late for that," his sister replied. "Quicksilver, you said you wouldn't interfere if your methods didn't work."

"But you don't understand! Not only does father know you're here, but he's already planned out how he's going to deal wi--" The orb dissipated after being sliced in half by a thick and rusty blade. Scarlet fell back in surprise, then was helped to her feet by Lancelot.

Standing where the orb was, a gangly, iron marionette struggled to heft its longsword onto one shoulder as it limped forward to attack again. "Stay back, Scarlet," the knight commanded as he stepped forward to meet the creature. When he pulled his sword, a rusted chain came from the distance, wrapped around his blade and pulled it from his grasp. Another mechanical marionette came out from behind a tree and caught the sword as it was pulled to it, then the weight of the sword caused it to tumble off its feet.

All around the travelers, the iron creations of Lord Magnus came alive and rose to battle them. Each creation moved with an unnatural gait, as if their wrists and ankles were attached to manipulative strings. Remington and his crew gladly leaped forward to meet the challenge, and after punching out the marionette that dared to take his sword, Sir Lancelot rushed to fight as well. Scarlet could only stand and watch, for her strength rested solely on her magical abilities which meant nothing on this island.

Mystique watched with a bitter expression as the creations advanced on the travelers. Any that came near enough to harm her were quickly dispatched by two or more of her minions at a time. "I told them we shouldn't have stopped here," the woman stated angrily. "Now I'll lose precious time for--"

"Your time is well past up, Mystique." The voice of Lord Magnus came from nowhere and everywhere at once, followed by several chains that wrapped themselves around the sorceress and her followers. The neck of each Hoppera was quickly snapped, putting them out of commission while the chains around Mystique made an attempt to crush her.

"I will not die so easily," the woman grunted, then shifted into the form of a black cat. She easily slipped from the chains and, once on the ground, made a quick dash for the swamp. Mystique then made a high leap to clear a lengthy puddle of water, but before she was halfway across, the head of Mekan Ikull broke the water's surface and closed its mouth around her.

Seeing the mechanical dragon pull itself out of the swamp was enough to catch the attention of everyone present. "How the Hell did it get there," Sky Fire yelled as she signaled Blooper to take to the air.

"Who cares," Saint John called back. "Better question now is how do we get rid of it!"

After fending off a few marionettes, Captain Remington rushed towards Mekan Ikull with an idea in mind. He latched onto the wrist of a marionette and its corresponding ankle, then swung it around himself a few times before launching it at the mechanical dragon. During the swing, the Captain had charged the living doll with kinetic energy, making it a giant bomb. Once it reach Mekan Ikull, it exploded near the creature's chest and sent it tumbling back into the swamp.

"Dat answers dat," Remington said as he dusted off his hands.

"Don't stop there," Lancelot called to him. "Throw another! The more the better!"

"As y'wish!" Remington struggled with another marionette, then threw it at Mekan Ikull. The monster roared in anger at the assault, but was being effectively driven away.

By this time, the amount of automatons had thinned out but they were still moving in formidable numbers. "We've got to get out of their reach," Scarlet called to her friends. "Saint John, how many of us could Pyro carry?"

"None unless you're all fire proof," the priest called to her from the air. "M'boy's unbearably hot when he's active! Only reason I can stand it is I'm immune!"

Sky Fire landed her mount on top of a few marionettes, then guided it towards Scarlet. "You know Blooper's got room for a couple of you if you need a ride, Scar!"

"I know," the witch said as she climbed aboard, "but I don't want anyone left within the grasp of those things." Over her shoulder she called to Lancelot, "Come on, Lance! We can't keep fighting these things forever!"

"You too, Remy," Sky Fire shouted afterwards. "I ain't gonna sit by and watch you get skewered!"

"Don't forget me," Toad declared as he leaped and latched onto Blooper's tail. During the battle he had spent most of his time ducking and dodging the marionettes, for although he had wisdom to fight properly, he was still a coward at heart.

Saint John brought Pyro around to pick up Colossus--the only other person in their traveling group who could withstand the heat of the dragon's body. Just as Pyro came close enough to the ground, a jet of water shot out from the swamp and bore a hole straight through the dragon's head. It cried out in agony and threw Saint John to the ground, who was gripping his own head from being able to feel what his familiar felt. The dragon and its master died simultaneously, giving off final twitches of life as lava poured from its head, and blood from his ears.

"Merde," Remington declared as he saw this, then he reached up to grab one of Blooper's feet as the dragon flew his way. Before the dragon could reach him, a spear-tipped chain caught the Captain in his extended hand and its serrated nodes went straight through his palm.

The cry of the Captain sent chills up his lover's pine. "REMY," Sky Fire shrieked as she almost leaped off her mount's back to help him. Anger and desperation took over the woman's personality as she saw four more chains shoot out of the swampwater and wrap around Remington's limbs and torso.

Lancelot and Colossus dashed across the forest floor in an effort to reach the Captain in time, but it would not be so. Mekan Ikull lifted its head out of the murky water and reeled Remington in, bringing him to rest in the groove of its lower jaw. The Captain was in the perfect position to be crushed, but Mekan Ikull let its mouth hang open as if to taunt the others with what it had.

"AHHHHHHHHH!" Sky Fire's cry echoed across the land as she guided Blooper to attack the mechanical dragon, forgetting that she had passengers. The clever automaton waited for just the right moment, then it swung out with a foreclaw and slammed it down on Blooper's head, stopping the dragon's flight path as well as sending Scarlet, Sky Fire and Toad catapulting in the air before it. Of the three, Mekan Ikull caught Sky Fire in its left forepaw before she could reach the ground. Triumphantly, the beast sat back on its haunches, then roared while holding Blooper up by his head and Sky Fire by her lower half.

Pain surged all over Captain Remington's body and his mind reeled from being near the source of the roar, but he still had enough wits about him to make a final effort. He relaxed his body, smiled to himself, then used his hands and the back of his head to charge Mekan Ikull's jaw with kinetic energy. The explosion was a shock to everyone who witnessed it, and while it left no remains of Captain Remington LeBeau, it also took out all of the iron dragon's head.

Mekan Ikull's body shook the ground as it fell and sent waves of swampwater crashing in all directions. The body still held Blooper and Sky fire in its grip, but the grip had gone lax, giving the dragon and its rider space to free themselves with. Blooper wasted no time pulling its head out to where it could breathe, but Sky Fire remained where she was, sobbing over the loss of the Captain.

From where she stood at the edge of the swamp, Scarlet had witnessed the whole event and was still shaking because of it. Few of her friends were left, and she knew that if she wanted those remaining to stay alive, she would have to abandon her quest for her father's head. All of a sudden, the price was too great for her to continue.

"We've... we've got to get out of here." The witch stepped carefully out into the open, then spoke louder. "We have to get out of here. Lancelot, Colossus, help me... help me get Sky Fire out of the claws."

Both men stepped forward and began walking with her towards Mekan Ikull's body. Blooper was already crouched over its rider and nuzzling her in an effort to make her move, but the woman remained sideways in the open palm of the mechanical beast. Eventually, Toad pulled himself out of hiding and leaped across the swamp to join them, completing the remaining group of travelers.

Just as they gathered around the iron claw, a statement from a foreboding voice stopped them all from reaching out to Sky Fire. "A noble act, but sadly in vain."

Suddenly, the iron claw clamped shut around Sky Fire and another claw quickly snatched up her dragon by its neck. Mekan Ikull's body rose up on its haunches while its head regenerated from the neck to the tip of its elongated fangs. The flames came back to its eyesockets in a furious blaze, then the monster bellowed out an angry roar. When its head lowered, Lord Magnus could then be seen floating in the air above it, his cape billowing in a nonexistent wind behind him.

Scarlet's eyes went wide as she and her friends took several steps back from Mekan Ikull. Then, she focused a hate-filled glare on the man that floated above it. There he was: the source of her life-long misery--the cause of all the world's suffering. Scarlet could barely keep the glow of magic from covering her hands, let alone her feeling of hatred from sending her into a fit of blind rage as she continued to stare at him. "You..."

"You have made it this far," Lord Magnus stated in his usual calm. "I would expect nothing less of one of my bloodline; however, whatever fortune you once had ends here and now."

"Fortune?" Scarlet shook her head. "You call standing back and watching all your friends die, 'fortune?'"

"You are fortunate to still live to see them perish. I have sent many to reclaim you, Scarlet, all of which were experts in their various fields. Yet you surpassed them all in longevity." Magnus extended his left arm before speaking again. "I realize now that trying to destroy you is not the route I should be taking. Instead, I shall give you this final chance for redemption."

"Redemption?? How dare you tell me that I need redemption," Scarlet yelled, and flashes of lightning cut across the sky in emphasis of her mood. "You're the one who is ruining this world; you're the one who is killing off my friends!"

Though he didn't show it, Lord Magnus couldn't be more pleased to see one of his offspring displaying true power. "On the contrary. Were it not for you, your friends wouldn't be within miles of my island. You are the one who brought them here, knowing full well that only death awaited them. Already, four of them have found this out in a very irreversible way. Now, you will watch the rest suffer the consequences of setting foot on my island."

"NO," Scarlet screamed, causing more lightning to flash. "You will NOT kill anymore of my friends!"

A patch of blue mist collected next to Lord Magnus, then took on the shape of a statuesque woman. When the mist solidified, it added color to the woman's body: pale coloring to her skin, a violet tint to her lengthy hair, a streak of red face paint that stretched across her eyelids, and black and blue wrappings that made up her clothes. A black quiver hung from her back but it contained no arrows, and the ebony bow she held in her right hand had no string. Her expression remained emotionless, even as she opened her colorless eyes to look at the travelers.

"You have no choice in the matter," Lord Magnus said to his daughter, continuing their conversation. "You have disbanded yourself from my allegiance, and threatened my very rule. I will have no flesh of mine against me. As punishment for your disobedience, you will have the privilege of watching your remaining friends die as painfully as possible. Then, my latest hired mercenary will see to it that you never disobey me again."

While the two continued their dispute, Sir Lancelot and Toad gathered near Colossus to have a discussion of their own. "I don't wanna sound too cowardly, yo, but we have got to get the Hell outta here," Toad whispered first.

"I am no coward, yet I agree with you," Sir Lancelot whispered next. "We have to fall back and regroup! I only wish that we could save Sky Fire without causing a scene, but I don't see how that's possible right now."

"Scarlet'll never come, though! This is kinda the moment she's been waiting for all her life!"

"Then the movement will have to be against her will."

"ENOUGH TALK." The bellowed words came from Lord Magnus, who no longer had the patience for conversation. "Mekan Ikull, finish the job."

As the titan began to move, it slammed Sky Fire face-down in a deep pool of swamp water and crushed Blooper's throat so it couldn't breathe. The dragon was left to wallow and its master was left to drown. Mekan Ikull then crawled forward with the intention of attacking but as it lowered its head, Colossus came forward and caught it by the tips of its fangs. In his metallic form, the man was stronger than normal and could keep the creature at bay for a short while. As Colossus struggled with Mekan Ikull, Lancelot and Toad raced forward to grab the Scarlet Witch.

"We have to go, Scarlet," Lancelot shouted as he reached for her arm. The witch pulled herself out of his grasping range.

"I am not leaving here without killing him," she shouted with tear-filled eyes. As she watched Blooper give its last kick and the final rise of air bubbles where Sky Fire had been buried, Scarlet couldn't stop herself from throwing spell after spell of futile magic in her father's direction. Inside, she felt like a child harmlessly pounding away at an adult's leg. All of her spells bounced off of an invisible barrier that surrounded Magnus and not once did he flinch due to having them thrown at him. To end Scarlet's unhinged tantrum, Lancelot hit her in the back of her head with the hilt of his sword, knocking her unconscious. Toad caught her over his shoulder as she fell to the ground, then he took off leaping for the depths of the Death Forest. Lancelot stayed behind to provide a distraction while the boy made a break for it.

Lord Magnus was highly amused by their efforts, but like all the rest of his emotions he never expressed that feeling. Instead, he called upon the woman who floated in the air near him. "Psylocke. Get rid of him." One of Magnus' gauntlets motioned towards Colossus, who was still holding his own in the shoving match with Mekan Ikull.

The Archer focused her emotionless gaze on the struggle, then reached back into her quiver. A shaft of energy shaped like an arrow appeared within her reach and she took it to place in her bow. Her right arm stiffened, then her left arm pulled back on the nonexistent string and she took aim. When the arrow fired, it struck Colossus in the head and absorbed into his body regardless of his metalized form.

Colossus broke off the struggle when he felt that something was wrong, then was knocked aside by Mekan Ikull who caught him completely off guard. As he tumbled, Colossus couldn't seem to notice the spots of rust that spread across his metal frame. Every inch of him converted to rust in a matter of seconds, then when a tree stopped his flight path, Colossus fell apart and blew away on a random wind.

Sir Lancelot grit his teeth to hide his horror. He knew then that he wouldn't live long enough to retreat, but he had to give Toad the time he needed to take Scarlet to safety. With his blade positioned in front of him, the knight ran forward to meet Mekan Ikull head-on; unfortunately, it wasn't the dragon who had any interest in him. After Lancelot's third step he felt himself being hoisted off the ground by his breastplate, then the rest of his armor gained the feel of being lifted as well. His sword left his grip against his will and it floated next to him as he found himself prostrated in the air a few yards from Lord Magnus.

"The avalanche who honors my daughter's whim," the lord stated aloud. "I believe I called for you once, but you never came. Tell me. Is this truly your answer to my rare and often sought-after invitation?"

Lancelot struggled to move, but found he could only wriggle his appendages underneath his armor. "I would rather perish in the name of your daughter than serve under the likes of you," he growled.

"Both scenarios are quite doable." The knight's own sword began tracing his body as Lord Magnus spoke. "You see, in order to become one of my elite, your body must be augmented with several implements that would leave the living greatly unable to function." The blade of the sword pointed directly at Lancelot's midsection. "Your frame and power is all I truly desire, Sir Lancelot Alvers. The rest, is completely expendable."

The light in Magnus' eyes dimmed as he glanced at the Death Forest. "You care a great deal for the Scarlet Witch," he commented off-hand to the knight, then focused a brightly-glowing gaze on him. "You care a great deal, and yet you hardly know her. Interesting. Let us see if she returns the sentiment. Mekan Ikull, retrieve my daughter." The metallic dragon open its mouth and sent one of its chains after the fleeing frog.

Ever since his communication was strangely interrupted, Quicksilver had occupied himself with furiously trying to get out of his room. Using his power to create sharp and forceful winds, he managed to destroy all of his room's ceiling and large portions of its walls; the force field seemed hidden behind each. Rogue made her effort to help, but even the most powerful shot of magic from her staff wouldn't cause the field to waver.

"I don't understand," the Rogue said after throwing another spell. "My seeing spells work on it, but none of my de-spells or attacks even make a dent!"

Quicksilver swiped his hand at thin air, sending five sharp streaks of wind at the barrier. "Damn you, father," he growled as the streaks had no effect. "Why is he doing this to me?"

"I told you why," Rogue said between breaths. Throwing out spell after spell was taking its toll. "You just won't accept it!"

"If it were true, I would have known about it by now," Quicksilver growled back. "Now stop trying to convince me that I have to destroy my own father!"

The two continued to argue as they took a break from trying to damage the force field. Meanwhile, a lone figure made her way through the winding hallway that lead to Quicksilver's room. Injured but undaunted, Mystique limped with a prideful gait towards the doors to Quicksilver's room. During the last battle with Mekan Ikull, no one noticed the dragonfly form she used to escape its inner mechanisms. Her left hand clutched a wound on her right arm and she used her staff like a cane to help herself walk. The tap of her boot heels and staff end against the marble floor made enough of an echo to attract Rogue and Quicksilver's attention, then as she came into view, the two moved close to the force field so they could be near her.

Quicksilver was the first to speak. "Mystique? You look like crap. What's going on out there?"

The sorceress wiped blood from her mouth before speaking. "Why aren't you out there finding out for yourself?"

"There's a forcefield surrounding the room," Rogue replied. "We've been trying to break it, but it's too strong!"

Mystique frowned as her eyes focused on the shield that the others couldn't see. "Rogue, we're going to have to use a weakening spell together. Then, Quicksilver will have to strike the barrier in order to break it." She positioned herself so her staff was in front of her and her pupil did the same.

As the two started to speak in unison, Quicksilver stepped forward and interrupted their chant. "Whoa. Not that I won't be happy to get out of this prison, but, why are you helping, Mystique? I know there's always a catch to your assistance."

The sorceress's eyes burned yellow and she snarled like a puma. "As we stand here, Mekan Ikull is systematically eliminating Scarlet's followers at your father's beck and call," she said through gritted teeth. "Your sister will get to watch her friends be tortured and die in a gruesome manner without being able to do anything about it! Then, when she is mentally and emotionally unable to take anymore, your father will instill upon her a curse that will leave her with no will of her own. Now. Do you wish to question my motives again, or would you rather be in the position to do something about the Scarlet Witch's suffering?"

Quicksilver's expression soured considerably as he listened to her speak. "Cast the damn spell," he demanded once she was finished. Once again, the sorceress and her apprentice spoke in unison.

"Hidden barrier, invisible field, bend by the power that we wield!"

Thick bolts of lightning leaped out from the tips of their staffs and struck the force field at the same point. From that point, cracks formed in the field and spread out like a spiderweb. When enough of the cracks accumulated, Quicksilver sent a rush of wind at the barrier and, upon impact, the barrier shattered from one side to the next. The man then took off in a blur of motion, leaving a trail of friction in his wake.

The pungent odor of the Death Forest is what brought Scarlet back to consciousness, but seeing Toad be roughly dragged backwards by his ankle is what really woke her up. She ran to catch up to him, only to see the boy be dragged quicker, then stood helpless as he was thrashed against the trees near the edge of the forest. Scarlet cried out in protest--even threw more magic in Mekan Ikull's direction; all her efforts were in vain. Toad was tossed around by one of the dragon's chains even after he started bleeding from old wounds and scars. Finally, the torture of watching her friend be beaten to death became too much for the Scarlet Witch.

"STOOOOOOOP!" A terrible hush covered the land, allowing everyone present to hear the moment when Scarlet started sobbing. "Stop it," she cried as she fell to her knees. "Just...just stop." Her vision blurred with tears, yet she managed to find her father in the cloud-covered sky and look pleadingly at him. "I'll do it. I'll... I'll do whatever you want. Just... please... stop hurting him."

Weakness. Lord Magnus knew what trouble weakness could wrought. The light in his eyes dimmed until his helmet appeared hollow, then he spoke in a tone much calmer than the one he normally used. "You and I share more than blood, my daughter. We share a passion for mortals. Long ago, I fell prey to these emotions, and that is how you and your brother came to be. I cared a great deal for your mortal mother; however, I found out what an opportunity such caring would be for my enemies." The light came back to Lord Magnus' eyes. "Now, you have learned that lesson as well. It is a pity that you had to learn it in this manner, but the lesson will soon be over. Your friends are all that tie you emotionally to mortals. Their destruction will bring a close to the nightmare you have been suffering through."

When his final sentence hit her, Scarlet sat up straight and looked at Toad. "NO," she cried as she scrambled to reach him, but it was far too late. Mekan Ikull threw the Hoppera up against a large three, then drove one of its spearheads through his chest, pinning him there permanently. A cough of blood masked the boy's final cry before his head bowed and body went limp.

Scarlet's own heart felt as though it had been torn when she watched the Toad die. Her adopted brother of ten years was gone, but the worst and final blow had yet to be dealt. As Mekan Ikull retracted its chains, it used one of them to gently turn the Scarlet Witch around and tilt her head upward so she could see Sir Lancelot, still suspended in midair. The knight could only bow his head sadly as they exchanged glances, for they both knew what was coming next.

"Do not grieve for Alvers," Lord Magnus stated. "He will be reborn as an elite member of my army, just as I had intended for him to be. But, before that may happen..." The breastplate of the knight's armor pulled off his body. "He must die."

As his own sword drove upwards into his torso, Lancelot clenched his teeth to keep from crying out. His eyes rolled back in his head and the ground below him rumbled and cracked in several places. Magnus released his hold on his armor, then the knight dropped out of the sky, dying before he even hit the ground.

Scarlet screamed as she rushed forward and threw herself at Sir Lancelot's body. Her hands clasped around his face and she pressed her forehead against his, sobbing once again. His eyes were still open and she could practically see the apology written in them. "I'm sorry I failed you, Scarlet," is what she thought he would say if he could speak right then and there. "No, you didn't fail me," she said to his lifeless eyes.

"So the sentiment was shared," Lord Magnus observed, then dismissed with a casual wave of his hand. "No matter. Psylocke, you may do what needs to be done."

Once again the archer loaded her bow and pulled back on its nonexistent string. She aimed at Scarlet with the intent to kill only those parts of her psyche which her father wanted destroyed. Her sights focused on the helpless woman huddled over the body of the knight, then she paused to allow a brief gust of wind to subside. When the wind had passed, Psylocke checked her aim once again, then fired a direct hit on Scarlet's left shoulder blade.

The Scarlet Witch's sobs cut short as the psionic arrow absorbed itself into her body and formed a red aura around her. Her eyes glowed with the same light when she opened them and her face was magically cleaned of its tear stains. Confusion marked her face for merely a moment as she rose to her feet, then she gained a look of wonder while turning her hands over and under to look at them.

"This... this feeling..."

"It is quite liberating, isn't it," Lord Magnus inquired. "Never having to feel for anyone; having the freedom to act out of your own desires. And, no longer acknowledging would-be friends and loved ones as possible hindrances to your motus operandi." He extended his left hand in her direction as he lowered himself towards her. "Welcome back to the fold, my daugh--"

"No." As Scarlet leveled a hate-filled gaze on her father, he stopped his approach.

"What?"

Scarlet clenched her hands into tight fists as she spoke. "This feeling is liberating, but not for the reasons you spoke," she stated calmly, sounding more in control of herself than she had ever been. "I don't know what you intended for Psylocke's arrow to do to me, but thanks to it, I now know that I have had the power to defeat you all along."

Lord Magnus' eyes burned brightly as he focused his attention on the archer. "It this true?"

"To the highest bidder, my services rendered," Psylocke stated plainly.

"WHO COULD HAVE POSSIBLY BID HIGHER THAN ME," Magnus bellowed angrily.

"I am not obligated to reveal my clients," the archer replied, then disappeared in a flash of light.

Lord Magnus raised his fists to the sky and cried out angrily at having his will undermined. He could only wonder who would be so bold, though in the next instant, that became the least of his worries. At the last moment, he managed to throw up a shield that protected him from a thick beam of energy which could have knocked him out of the air. The lord watched in hidden amazement as the inner edges of the beam created sparks by scraping against the surface of his shield. When the attack subsided, he reverted back to his usual calm and addressed his daughter.

"You may think you have the power to defeat me, but you are sadly mistaken." As he spoke, Magnus charged up his power for a return shot. "Do you think I only bestowed my creations with magic invulnerability? Nothing you throw at me will do much more than push me from one end of this island to the next."

Scarlet made her own shield to block the crackling orb of velvet energy that came her way. "I'd say it's about time someone pushed you around," she said with a smirk, even though she couldn't deny his words. Knocking her father around Asterum wouldn't do her or the world any good if it didn't put an end to his tyranny. Her shield remained to keep his attacks at bay while the Scarlet Witch looked down at Sir Lancelot with an idea in mind.

The hilt of the knight's sword was still sticking out of his gut when Scarlet took hold of it. As she pulled the sword out of him, she concentrated on mending his wounds and returning his spirit to his body. Lancelot's eyes closed slowly and his mouth drew in a sudden breath when the tip of his sword left his abdomen; his eyes had new life in them when they opened once again.

Lord Magnus could only watch and wait as his daughter worked magic that she previously didn't know she had. The knight rose to his feet with the help of the witch, then his eyes and aura burned with the same red hue that covered her. They acknowledged each other with brief glances before turning to face Magnus, their minds and movements linked through magic.

The Scarlet Witch and Sir Lancelot took on a similar stance. "Since thou claim invulnerability to magic," they said in unison, "I shall revel in discovering how vulnerable thou art to ye olde physical beating!"

Lord Magnus was amazed, but undaunted. "I think not." He motioned for Mekan Ikull and the dragon stomped forward to attack Sir Lancelot.

The knight and the witch chuffed in unison. "Typical," they said, then Lancelot moved to meet Mekan Ikull halfway.

The blade of Lancelot's sword collided with the tip of the monster's snout and visible friction built up where they pressed against each other. Both the knight and the witch strained their faces during the effort, despite the fact that Scarlet was nowhere near the struggle. Iron all over Mekan Ikull screeched as it took its joints to the limit while trying to shove the knight aside, yet it couldn't even force him to take a step backwards. Sir Lancelot's strength was being amplified by the Scarlet Witch and it was about to become even greater.

The aura that surrounded Scarlet and Lancelot increased its intensity, then with a mighty shove, the knight sent the dragon sprawling backwards. Mekan Ikull landed in a sideways heap against the swamp floor and its face actually registered shock--a visible display of what its master felt. Just as the dragon righted itself, Sir Lancelot leaped into the air with an unnatural lift and came down sword-first in its direction. The diamond, gold and obsidian imbedded in his sword lit up and added their power to the force of impact. The blade of the sword collided with Mekan Ikull's snout again, only this time it actually cut through its thick, iron casing. Scarlet and Lancelot cried out as they put all their energy in forcing the knight beyond the dragon's throat; the aura that surrounded him seared its inner workings and melted away its frame.

The halves of Mekan Ikull fell into separate, steaming piles of deformed metal; its destruction caused Lord Magnus to kneel in pain while he was still in midair. Scarlet smiled cruelly when she noticed this, then she and Lancelot dead-set their sights on him. "Now that I've taken care of your better half," they said, then left the rest of the sentence hanging in the wind. The knight twirled his sword in front of him a few times before taking on an offensive stance. "Thou hast slain my allies, warlock. For that you will pay dearly."

"Using the knight as your weapon. How clever." Lord Magnus lowered himself to the ground as he spoke, then held out his right hand. The remains of Mekan Ikull drew towards him and compressed into the form of two swords with dark blades. Magnus then tossed his cape aside as he took a sword in each of his armored hands and gave them each a practice swing. "Very well, Scarlet Witch," he said as he took a step forward, "see first-hand how foolish your venture is."

"SHUT UP," Lancelot and Scarlet shouted as their auras erupted into red flames, then the knight rushed forward with his sword held out to his left. Scarlet raced across the muddy ground behind him and as the swords of the warriors collided she leaped deftly over the two of them and sent several shots of her energy at her father's back.

Keeping only one sword ahead of him to hold the knight at bay, Lord Magnus turned the other behind him to easily parry away the shots he didn't turn to look at. Then, he shoved Lancelot backwards with little effort and parried more back blows that his daughter threw at him.

"I have given you every opportunity for redemption," the lord said as he fended the knight backwards into the Death Forest. "I even presented you with the opportunity to be free of your emotions, the one weakness we are all cursed with. Yet, you defy me to the bitter end." He paused to swipe at Sir Lancelot with his sword, then turned, caught a beam of energy that came his way and threw it back at the Scarlet Witch. "Psylocke's arrow did not assure you that you had the power to defeat me; it merely opened your mind to your full potential, one that still pales in comparison to mine."

Scarlet barely managed to dodge his counterstrike, but after dusting herself off, she glared at him with her eyes glowing as intensely as his. "You think you will be heard for your much speaking," she and Lancelot said, still speaking in unison. "Nay. Thou hast taken too much pride in utilizing words to fight thine battles." The knight held his sword vertically in front of himself while the witch held her palms outward. "Come, warlock. Put your power where your mouth is!"

Lord Magnus knew this challenge well; he had faced it many times against the unbelieving spellcasters who felt their power to be a match for his. Beneath his helmet a self-assured smirk spread on Magnus' lips before he raised his hands and allowed twin beams of blue energy to shoot from the air on either side of him. At the same time, Sir Lancelot sent a golden beam of energy towards the lord's right and Scarlet sent a red beam towards his left. So began their deadly test of wills with all three participants pushing their powers to the brink just to keep the opposing flows at even levels.

Hours, days and weeks could have passed with this struggle never ceasing. As long as her powers were joined with Sir Lancelot's, the Scarlet Witch could match her father's energy output without breaking a sweat. Unfortunately, this awesome display of might was not getting either side anywhere, and deep down the witch knew that she would give in long before her father would physically. Lord Magnus merely waited for her to tire out, confident of his staying power; Scarlet needed something more to tip the scales in her favor. One other person knew this in his heart and ran forward to do something about it.

The moment went so fast it wasn't registered until seconds after it occurred. From out of nowhere, Quicksilver ran up and delivered an uppercut to Lord Magnus with so much force that it knocked him a third of a mile away from his standing point and plowed him through any tree that stood in his way. The two beams of energy being made by Scarlet and Lancelot collided once they no longer had anything holding them back; thankfully, Quicksilver stepped aside just in time to avoid impact. The explosion between the two beams is what jolted the knight and the witch out of their moment. Once they realized what had happened they both registered shock, then looked to the man who stood several yards away with his back to them.

"Quicksilver?"

Breathing heavily, Quicksilver stood with his hands clenched, slowly moving his right fist up so he could look at it. His knuckles were bruised but visibly healing. "Wow. You don't know how long I've waited to do that," he said to no one in particular, then turned to call out to his sister. "Now, Scarlet! While he's off his guard!"

No one was more shocked than Lord Magnus in this incident. Not only did he believe his son was being kept from interfering by the barrier he made, but his mind still wouldn't register the fact that the one child he had kept close to him would betray him in any way. The punch that Quicksilver delivered had sent his father's helmet flying in an unknown direction, leaving his powerfully masculine face exposed to those who would see the astonishment that gleamed in his steel, blue eyes. That look remained frozen as his facial expression when a beam from the Scarlet Witch caught him and froze him in place.

She had done it--Scarlet had her father right where she wanted him! The witch and the knight grinned in an almost intoxicated way as they ran to deliver the final blow; however, when Quicksilver realized what they were about to do, he raced ahead and stood in their path. "No," the man shouted. "Scarlet, don't do it!"

Scarlet and Lancelot frowned. "Don't do what," they asked in a tone of disdain. "Free the world from the likes of him?"

"Don't kill him just because you're pissed off! Isn't that what you're mad at him for? Doing things just because he could?"

Lightning flashed across the sky as Lancelot and Scarlet took several steps forward. "If he lives, all this will have been for naught! The knights perishing, my friends being slaughtered, your sudden growing of a backbone..." She shook her head while he slashed at the air angrily with his sword. "He cannot go unpunished!"

"So punish him, but don't kill him!" Quicksilver positioned himself so any attacks from his sister would have to hit him first. "He's our father, Scarlet. Remember that? Mine? Yours? The only family we have besides each other?"

Scarlet's face registered anger and disgust as she listened to her brother's plea. She wondered how he could still defend that wretched man, though she already knew the answer to that question. It irked her to no end how he still found room in his heart for the tyrant but, because of his feelings, she knew she couldn't have the revenge she greatly longed for. Instead, the Scarlet Witch settled for an interesting compromise. Using the field that already held Lord Magnus in place, she compressed his entire essence into a darkly-colored amulet. Then, a light toss of her right hand caused a silver necklace to appear around her brother's throat. The amulet joined with the necklace and, to Quicksilver's surprise, could not be taken off.

The man looked puzzled as he glanced at his twin. "... What?"

"Our father, is now your responsibility," Scarlet and Lancelot stated bluntly, then relaxed their postures as the aura and glow of their eyes subsided. When they recovered from the release of the spell, the two approached each other and stopped with an arm's length between them. The knight was almost without words, completely confused over what had just transpired; the witch smiled subtly at him as she reached up to touch his face.

"Thank you for lending me your power," she said softly to him.

Lancelot remained confused. "You... I.... we--"

"Shhhhhhh." Scarlet put her hand in front of his mouth to stop his babbling, then stepped forward and leaned her head on his chest. "It's over. It's finally over." The words were so incredible, she couldn't help but smile more as she said them. Then, a realization made her lift her head away from Lancelot and turn to look sadly across the land. "I just wish that they could be here to see that."

"Perhaps they can," the knight stated as he moved to stand beside her. "You brought me back from Heaven's light. Why not the rest of them?"

Scarlet's gaze wandered as she thought for a moment. "... It would take a lot of power, but... I could do it." She nodded with certainty. "Yes, yes I could." Her gaze fell on Toad, who was still attached to a tree at the edge of the Death Forest. As she walked, she made motions with her hands that caused the spearhead to wrench from the boy's chest. She reached his body just in time to catch him before he fell to the ground, then cradled him in her arms as she sat with her back against the tree. Even though she knew she could resurrect her friend, the witch couldn't help the tears that fell from her eyes at seeing him dead. A white aura encompassed her body and as she hugged Toad, then energy from the aura went into his body and healed all of the wounds, old and new, that covered him.

Toad's chest drew in a slow breath before one of his hands moved to touch Scarlet's arm. He murmured something incoherent, then opened his eyes tiredly to look at her. "... Scarlet?"

The woman smiled as she lessened her grip around him. "Welcome back, Toad."

After clearing his throat, the boy slipped out of her grasp and settled into a crouch. He looked around at all the damage that had been done to the surrounding environment, then tilted his head at her. "Did I miss your big moment?"

Scarlet nodded slowly at him. "I'm afraid so."

"Aww!" Toad tossed a handful of dirt in no particular direction. "I wanted to be there to cheer you on!"

Scarlet chuckled at his childish attitude. "In a way you were." She stood up and stepped into the open. "Stay where you are, Toad, and that goes for everyone else," she called as she put her arms out and away from her body. "I'm going to need a lot of room to do this."

Toad tilted his head in confusion, but stayed where he was. Sir Lancelot merely gave a silent nod and Quicksilver stopped prying at the amulet that was magically fixed to his neck. While they watched, the Scarlet Witch closed her eyes and allowed another white aura to surround her. Particles of magic in all colors drew into her and soon engulfed her body in a bright light. This light pulsed a few times when the buildup completed, then expelled in a series of dome-shaped flashes that extended outward across the land. As the final dome passed, fifteen snake-like creatures made of pure light flew from Scarlet's body and headed for the various places where her friends had died.

In the swamp, two of the snakes dived into separate puddles while one wrapped itself around Blooper's body and absorbed into its scales. Moments later, the water of one puddle parted to reveal Sky Fire, who dragged herself out into the open. She took a moment to cough up any water that had previously filled her lungs, then looked to where another figure was rising out of the swamp. Captain Remington took several, dizzy steps onto stable ground as he rubbed his face briskly, then lowered his hands so he could look around. Before he could say anything, the man found himself being pounced by the woman who had thought him to be gone forever.

"REMY!" Sky Fire raced across the swamp and tackled the Captain to the ground. He grinned at her after he caught his second wind, then stared with wide eyes as Blooper galloped in their direction to join the dogpile.

"Ca c'est assez! De Captain has NO desire t'die twice in one day!"

While those three had their reunion, another spiritual snake dived into the dirt near the edge of the Death Forest and unearthed Colossus, no longer in his metallic form. The man was confused but quite relieved to find himself alive, and turned to witness the rest of the resurrecting along with the others. A snake constricted itself around Saint John and Pyro, then as it faded away, the priest and his dragon lifted their heads to look around. Eight snakes took to the Hoppera children and realigned their necks before bringing them back to life; the remaining two disappeared over the distant mountain range to stop by the black sand beach.

When the resurrections were over, Scarlet dropped her arms to her sides and looked around to see her friends; unfortunately, the high use of her power left her body weak and vision blurry. As soon as she tilted her chin outward, the witch collapsed to the ground, not even hearing the others as they cried out and rushed to her aid. She was alive but her power was greatly diminished--it would take her many days of rest to reach her full potential once again.

Epilogue

The procession that carried Scarlet back to the shore of Asterum was a happy one at best, despite the gloomy atmosphere that surrounded them. At the beach, the group met up with Atrophy and Blob, who were already waiting with the life boat pushed into shallow waters. "Hey you guys," Atrophy called as he ran to meet them. "Did you do it?"

"Scarlet did it," Captain Remington stated. "She defeated Lord Magnus an' brought us all back after we were executed!"

"Great," Blob grumbled, "so I really did miss the big finale!"

"An' y'wouldn't have if y'hadn't rushed into things like I keep telling y'not to," the Captain scolded.

"No need for an argument," Lancelot said with a smile. "It seems we all live to learn from our mistakes this time." He paused as he felt something in the pit of his stomach, then looked down at the ground beneath his feet. Each grain of black sand was slowly losing its color, going from black to white all the way down the beachfront. It was a slow but noticeable process, and soon everyone's attention fell on this odd spectacle. "The evil is being drained out of this land," the knight observed, "but how?"

"Probably the Astral Archers," Quicksilver commented out of the blue, his gaze locked on the amulet that contained his father. "I promised them the island if they did something to help Scarlet beat Lord Magnus."

Lancelot blinked at his words. "So then... the arrow that was meant to enslave your sister's will?"

"Split-second bartering goes a long way with an Astral for hire," Quicksilver pointed out, then hopped into the life boat. "Now are we getting off this rock or what?"

"I t'ink it's high time we did jus' that," Captain Remington said as he joined him. "Mes amis, let's shove off!"

The heroes set sail for La Gambit using Blooper to push the life boat against the tide. As they left, they spared a lasting glance at the island and watched as its shore continued to change color. Strangely enough, only three-fourths of the shore changed before the process stopped, but no one thought anything of it as they turned their attention back to the ship that awaited them.

Back on Asterum, the process of purification by the Astral Archers had been interrupted by sudden interference from the Sisterhood of the East: the guild of sorceresses who were governed by Mystique. Although the archers had access to all the power in the Universe, the surprise attack by the Sisterhood left them nearly defenseless and most were destroyed while the others were chased off. The sorceresses then pooled their power together and created a barrier that blocked all unwanted entry to their newly-claimed plot of land.

With a smug smirk of victory, Mystique sauntered up the steps that lead to the lofty perch in Lord Magnus' throne room, then she smoothed out her loincloth so she could properly cross her legs while she sat down. At her right hand, the Rogue appeared and sat on the arm of the chair with a crooked smile. They acknowledged the presence of Sabretooth's mangled body, but decided he was too fitting a decoration to let down just yet.

"Oh, how the mighty have fallen to make way for the staid," Mystique commented casually, then filled the air with her echoing laughter. Soon, the entire guild joined in the fit of victorious mirth at having obtained an island they had waited centuries to conquer.

In two days, the Scarlet Witch became able to talk and move gingerly about, though she remained in bed at the combined order of all her friends. Sir Lancelot was able to stay awake on the open sea thanks to a spell she secretly cast on him, and he made frequent visits to her just to see how she was doing. "You really shouldn't be casting spells at random, fair Scarlet. At this rate, you'll be bed-ridden for weeks instead of days."

"It's nice to be waited on hand and foot for a little while," Scarlet said with a smile. "Every time I look like I'm going to get up and get something, someone leaps out of nowhere and asks what I want."

The knight smirked knowingly at her. "Why, Scarlet, I thought you didn't like social events where you were waited on hand and foot."

"Yeah, but this isn't a real social event. It's more like... private pampering." The woman chuckled, then looked towards the portal of the crew's quarters. Quicksilver was standing in the doorway and looking slightly grim. "What's wrong with you?"

"I hope you're happy," the man said as he stepped into the room. "This stupid amulet clashes with everything I like to wear! And I can't get it off my neck! Is this curse my thanks for saving your butt twice in one day?"

Scarlet rolled her eyes at him. During her rest, she had been told how the arrow ended up helping instead of hurting her, and for a while it made her appreciate her brother a bit more. Still, his tendency to whine made it hard for her to see beyond his still-apparent love for the man who almost destroyed the world. "It's not a curse, I just made sure you wouldn't lose him. You're the one who didn't want me to destroy our father, so now you have to keep up with him and make sure he doesn't do anymore harm."

Quicksilver chuffed as he folded his arms across his chest. "Yeah, and the best way for me to do that is to wear him as an ugly trinket. I see. You know, I'm learning something from all this being good business, and the one moral I've come up with is that you and Fate have no fashion sense." He sighed as he dropped his hands to his sides. "Well, I'm gonna go see if I can't find one quiet corner on this barge to relax in. Get well, Scarlet; nagging you feels much more satisfying when you're well enough to at least try and walk away."

While her twin wandered off, Scarlet settled on her cot and relaxed a bit more. "You're getting better, Scarlet," Sir Lancelot commented off-hand, "and it'll be a fine day when you are able to move about yet again."

The witch studied his face for a long time, then sighed. "Look, Lancelot. You and I have to talk."

The knight's brow furrowed as he lowered himself to her level. "Praytell, fair Scarlet. What is on your mind?"

"You know... While we were fighting my father, while we were joined spiritually, I saw into your head."

He chuckled a bit. "Ah yes, and I into yours."

"Yeah. Well, there's one thing I noticed while I was in there." Scarlet's facial expression went vague. "You really are a polished boot, aren't you?"

Lancelot was caught off guard by her comment. ".... What?"

Scarlet reached up and smacked him lightly on the side of his forehead. "Sir Lancelot, you are a very nice person--a gentleman of the highest order. Unfortunately, I don't think I can handle that about you."

The knight's brow furrowed as he listened to her speak. "Fair Scarlet... why are you telling me all this?"

"Days ago, you offered me a chance to see some of the finer things in life. I'd really like that, but we're going to have to do something about the way you speak, first."

He remained confused. "Praytell, what is wrong with my diction?"

"That is wrong with your diction! Nobody says 'praytell' anymore!" Scarlet shook her head at him. "We'll work on it together, if you really want to. And I think you do."

Sir Lancelot fell silent as his gaze found its way to the floor. He sat like that for several moments before speaking to the Scarlet Witch again. "You have seen into the inner reaches of my mind, as I have in yours." The knight looked back at her with a small smile. "Very well.... Scarlet. If it will please you, I shall learn to speak in a different manner."

"Good," Scarlet said with a nod, "'cause talking like you during that battle with my father gave me a headache." She relaxed a bit more, then reached up and placed her left hand behind his neck. "Here." As he leaned in close enough, the Scarlet Witch sat up and gave him a peck on the cheek.

Lancelot blinked as he sat up straight, then smirked wryly at her. "Now, Scarlet," he commented as he scooted closer to her, "if you get the privilege of instructing me on how to speak better, then I gain the privilege of teaching you how to better deliver a kiss."

"Oh?" She looked at him with an arched brow. "My kiss wasn't good enough for you?"

"Mediocre at best, fair witch. But we'll work on it together if you really want to. And I think you do."

Scarlet chuckled at his use of her own words, then nodded slowly to him. "You have seen into the inner reaches of my mind... So where do we start?"

"Lesson one." And with that, Sir Lancelot leaned over the Scarlet Witch, then engaged her in a deep and meaningful kiss.