10. THE MINES OF MUIRIA.
{The Fellowship arrive, in the evening, at the western gate of the Mines of Muiria. The gate is a blank wall in the mountain-side, close to a dark and sinister-looking lake. The lake fills up most of the space before the mountain wall; a narrow stone path circles it to reach the wall. The nine travellers cautiously thread their way along it until they reach the gate.}
BOBBY: So where's the gate?
XAVIER: The gates of Muiria are hidden. But I believe that I can make it visible.
{He runs his hands across the stone surface, muttering something in a low voice. The outlines of the gate become visible, with words inscribed at the top in Old High Genoshan.}
XAVIER: Ah, yes. "The doors of Muiria. Speak, friend, and enter."
BOBBY: What do you suppose that means?
XAVIER: Oh, it's quite simple. If you are a friend, you speak the password and the doors will open. Of course, figuring out what the password is will be the tricky part.
{He looks thoughtful for a while, then cries out something in an ancient language. Nothing happens.}
XAVIER: We could be here a while longer than I thought.
{He tries one password after another, without success. The rest of the Fellowship wait, watching as the stars come out. Duncan is looking particularly fed up.}
KITTY: Couldn't I just, like, phase everyone in?
XAVIER: I'm afraid not. These gates have been designed to be resistant to all such mutant abilities. And for the same reason, we can't have Kurt teleport in.
KURT: Yeah, I'd have to be able to see what I'm teleporting into anyvay.
{Bobby and Evan, showing increasing signs of boredom, pick up stones and start tossing them into the lake. Scott sees what they're doing and stops them.}
SCOTT: Do not disturb the water.
XAVIER: Oh, it's useless!
{He bows his head, having tried every word that he can think of. Ripples begin to form on the surface of the lake, as though something is drawing closer to it.}
KURT: It's a riddle. Speak "friend" and enter. Professor, vhat's Old High Genoshan for "friend"?
XAVIER: Nollem.
{The doors swing open at his word. The Fellowship stare in amazement at the sight. Xavier understands and smiles.}
XAVIER: The opening word was written on the archway all along. Those were much more trusting times. Well, let us go in.
{Kurt lets out a sudden cry from behind him. The others turn around to see that a long green slimy tentacle has arisen from the lake and seized him. It is dragging him towards the water.}
KITTY, BOBBY, AND EVAN: Kurt!
{Kitty draws her sword and rushes at the tentacle, hacking frantically at it.}
KITTY: Let him go!
{The tentacle releases its grip on Kurt and withdraws into the water. But then more tentacles come rising up from the lake and seize hold of him, hoisting him high in the air.}
KURT: Aahhh!
BOBBY: Scott! Help!
{Scott fires one of his optic blasts at the tentacles, striking them hard. They release Kurt, but more come out as the lake's surface begins to seethe.}
XAVIER: Into the Mines, all of you!
{The nine adventurers rush into the Mines. The tentacles seize hold of the doors and slam them shut, then snatch up large boulders and pile them against the entrance, trapping the Fellowship inside.
Inside the entrance hall of the Mines, Xavier pulls out a staff which begins to glow, providing the Fellowship with a dim glow.}
XAVIER: We now have but one choice. We must face the long dark of Muiria. Be on your guard. There are older and fouler things than Morlocks in the deep places of the world.
EVAN: Anybody else think it's weird that that thing in the lake went for Kurt first?
XAVIER: Be quiet, Evan.
{The Fellowship begin their journey through the deserted halls of Muiria.}
XAVIER: Quietly, now. It's a two-day journey to the other side. Let us hope that our presence will go unnoticed.
{They journey through caves, mining chambers, and great halls of considerable size and magnificence. The Fellowship, particularly the four young mutants from Bayville, are awed at the decaying grandeur of Muiria.
They come to a narrow ramp and begin to climb it. Evan loses his footing and falls backwards against Bobby.}
BOBBY: Evan!
{They reach the top without further incident, and come to three great archways, all heading in different directions. Xavier comes to a halt.}
XAVIER: I have no memory of this place.
{While he looks over the archways, trying to figure out which one to take, the rest of the Fellowship sit down to rest, waiting for him to decide.}
EVAN: Are we lost?
BOBBY: No.
EVAN: I think we are.
KITTY: Shhh! Like, the Professor's thinking.
EVAN: Bobby?
BOBBY: What?
EVAN: I'm hungry.
{Kurt looks back the way that they came, and sees a small figure hopping about, drawing slowly closer to them. He watches it concernedly and then moves over to Xavier's chair.}
KURT: Professor, there's something down there.
XAVIER: I know. It's Toad.
KURT: Toad?
XAVIER: He's been following us since we entered the Mines.
KURT: He escaped Apocalypse's dungeon!
XAVIER: Escaped? Or was set free?
{Down below, Toad peers out over a large rock, eyeing the Fellowship closely, but makes no attempt to approach them as yet.}
XAVIER: He hates and loves the Ring, as he hates and loves himself. He will never be rid of his need for it.
KURT: It's a pity Uncle Forge didn't kill him vhen he had the chance!
XAVIER: Pity? It was pity that stayed Forge's hand. Many that live deserve death, and some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them, Kurt? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement. Even the very wise cannot see to all ends. My heart tells me that Toad has some part to play yet, for good or ill, before this is over. The pity of Forge will rule the fate of many.
{Kurt squats down next to Xavier.}
KURT: I vish the Ring had never come to me. I vish none of this had happened.
XAVIER: So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us. There are other forces in the world, Kurt, besides the will of evil. Forge was meant to find the Ring, in which case you also were meant to have it. And that is an encouraging thought.
{He looks again at the three archways, and nods.}
XAVIER (looking at the archway leading upwards): Ah! It's that way!
BOBBY: He's remembered!
XAVIER: No, but the air doesn't smell so foul down here. If in doubt, Robert Drake, always follow your nose.
{They continue up the corridor, until they reach a great pillared hall, the size of a cathedral.}
XAVIER: Let me risk a little more light.
{His staff illumines the hall, with the brightness of daylight now. The Fellowship stare about them in wonder. Wolverine suddenly catches a scent coming from a chamber off the main hall, and frowns.}
EVAN: What is it, Logan?
WOLVERINE (grimly): I smell death.
{He heads towards the chamber, and the others follow him. The room is dominated by a large well, the cover to which has been shattered. Next to the well is a great stone tomb, with writing engraved upon it. Skeletal remains lie scattered about it. The Fellowship stare in horror at the signs of the carnage that had taken place here. Xavier wheels over to the tomb and reads the inscription.}
XAVIER (sadly): "In memory of Doctor Moira MacTaggert." She is dead, then. It is as I feared.
{The Fellowship bow their heads in silence, upon learning the fate of Moira and her expedition. Xavier finds a battered notebook lying by the tomb, badly damaged, and picks it up, beginning to read it.}
WARREN: We must move on. We cannot linger.
XAVIER (reading from Moira's notes): "They have taken the bridge and the Second Hall. We have barred the gates, but cannot hold them for long. The ground shakes. Drums, drums in the deep." I wonder what that means. "We cannot get out. A shadow moves in the dark. We cannot get out. They are coming."
{Evan wanders over to the edge of the well, to look at one of the skeletons there. He gets too close, and accidentally knocks the skeleton into the well. It plummets down the shaft, followed by a distant splash far below. Everyone else glowers at Evan, who looks sheepish.}
EVAN: Oops?
WOLVERINE: Do that again, porcupine, and I'll have half a mind to throw you in and rid us of your stupidity!
{From far below, a sound like drums begins. The Fellowship tense.}
KITTY: Kurt!
{Kurt draws his sword. It is glowing blue.}
WARREN: Morlocks!
{There is a sound of tramping feet in the corridor outside, rushing closer. Duncan goes to the door by which they came in and peeks out. Arrows whistle past him.}
SCOTT: (to Kurt and the other young mutants from Bayville): Get back! Stay close to the Professor!
{He rushes to the door and helps Duncan shut it.}
DUNCAN: They have a cave-troll.
{Scott, Duncan, Warren, and Wolverine push all the heavy objects that they can find against the doors. Wolverine then unleashes his adamantium claws with a growl.}
WOLVERINE: Let 'em come! There's one mutant yet in Muiria that still draws breath!
{A loud bashing noise begins; the Morlocks outside are breaking the door down. They finally crash through with their impromptu battering-ram, and a fierce battle develops between them and the Fellowship. Scott fires his optic blasts at them, while Warren flies about delivering aerial assaults from above, and Wolverine slashes at them with his claws. The younger mutants get into the battle, Kitty darting about phasing through objects to confuse the Morlocks, while Evan and Bobby use spikes and ice to help out against them further.
Then Blob bursts in through the doorway, bellowing with fury - and halts.}
BLOB: Um, excuse me. What's my motivation?
DIRECTOR: What?
BLOB: I said, what's my motivation?
DIRECTOR (thinking quickly): Um - you remember those doughnuts of yours that you couldn't find? Those guys stole them - especially that blue furry fellow. And he ate them all.
BLOB: WHAT? Why, you.....! I'll show you!
{He roars enragedly, and charges straight at Kurt. Kurt frantically teleports to another part of the chamber to get out of his way, and Blob comes screeching to a halt, colliding with the wall. He shakes himself, and charges at Kurt again.
Kurt nimbly dodges Blob again and again, but at last Blob corners him and grabs him by the neck, lifting him up.}
KURT: Scott? Scott, help!
{He strikes at Blob's hand with his sword. Blob drops him.}
SCOTT: Kurt! Hold on!
{Scott blasts Blob with his eye-beams. Blob roars in even greater fury, charges at Scott, and knocks him into the wall. Kurt frantically dashes over to Scott and tries to revive him. Blob grabs a spear and charges at him, stabbing Kurt with it.}
KITTY: Kurt!
{Kurt slumps onto the ground. Kitty rushes over to his side and pulls him away, while Bobby and Evan charge towards Blob. While Evan showers Blob with bone-spikes - which Blob merely shrugs off - Bobby freezes the floor beneath Blob's feet. Blob starts to lose his balance, tottering. Scott, climbing to his feet, lets him have it with another optic blast. Blob falls over backwards, and lands on the Morlocks, who were all crowded behind him. The Morlocks see him falling on top of him too late, and try to get away in one of those "running-in-place" sequences, but to no avail.}
EVAN: Ewwww.....
BOBBY: Yeah, not even those guys deserved to go that way.
{Scott sees Kurt lying on the floor beside Kitty.}
SCOTT: Oh, no!
{Scott rushes over towards Kurt, and turns him over. Kurt groans.}
KITTY: He's alive!
KURT: I'm all right! I'm not hurt.
SCOTT: You should be dead! That spear would have skewered a wild boar!
XAVIER: I think there's more to this youth than meets the eye.
{Kurt reveals his armored shirt beneath his outer garments.}
WOLVERINE: You're full of surprises, aren't ya, elf?
{There is the sound of more Morlocks approaching outside the chamber.}
XAVIER: To the bridge!
{They flee the room through the opposite entrance, and make their way through the halls, with the Morlocks still pursuing them. The subterranean mutants swarm in everywhere, emerging from cracks in the ceiling high above and climbing down the walls. The Fellowship are surrounded, and about ready to put up another fight, when a fiery glow appears in the hall behind them, followed by a sinister growl. The Morlocks turn and flee in alarm.}
DUNCAN: What is this new devilry?
XAVIER: A fire demon of the ancient world. This foe is beyond any of you. Run!
{They make their way down the corridors and a series of stairs overlooking a great chasm, often barely falling in.}
SCOTT: Professor.
XAVIER: Lead them on, Scott. The bridge is near.
{Scott hesitates, unwilling to hang back.}
XAVIER: Do as I say! Swords are no more use here.
{They reach a gap in the stairs. Angel grabs hold of Xavier's wheelchair and flies across, safely carrying the Professor. Arrows rain among the Fellowship, fortunately missing; Scott sends a few eye-beams back at the Morlocks. Duncan jumps across next. Bobby creates a small bridge of ice and uses it to bring himself and Evan across, though it falls apart behind them. Kitty "walks on air" over the chasm after them, and Wolverine leaps across. More and more of the stairs crumble as the fire demon approaches. Kurt grabs hold of Scott and teleports him to the other side, moments before the stairs behind them collapse into ruin.
The Fellowship flee on, reaching the bridge, a narrow stone bridge spanning a great abyss at a dizzying height.}
XAVIER: Over the bridge! Fly!
{As the rest of the Fellowship dash across the bridge, Xavier turns his wheelchair about to face the fire demon. It emerges into full view, a monstrous humanoid figure with outstretched wings made of fire. Pyro follows behind it, having created the fire demon out of some of his own flames and now controlling its motions.}
XAVIER: You cannot pass.
KURT: Professor!
{Pyro and his fire demon reach the bridge, but Xavier bars their access. The fire demon snarls at him and produces a fiery whip.}
XAVIER: Go back to the shadow. You cannot pass!
{He brings his staff down upon the bridge. It breaks in half, and the fire demon falls into the abyss with a terrible cry, Pyro frantically holding onto his part of the bridge and doing his best not to look down. But even as the fire demon falls, it seizes hold of the wheels of Xavier's wheelchair with its whip, and drags him down with it. Kurt rushes forward in alarm, but Scott and Duncan pull him back.}
KURT: Professor!
XAVIER (just before disappearing into the chasm altogether): Fly, you fools!
KURT: Noooooo!!!!!
{The Fellowship stare in horror at the chasm into which Xavier has vanished, then rush on, heading out through the eastern gates from the Mines of Muiria into the outside world. They sit down dejectedly upon the grass outside, even Duncan appearing saddened at the Professor's fate.
Back inside the Mines of Muiria....}
PYRO (still clinging onto the bridge): Um, mates? Could you give me a hand here? Mates?
{LORD OF THE MUTANTS: Behind the Scenes.}
AMARA: I should very much like to know why they wouldn't let me play the Balrog. I could have done a good job of it in my lava form.
BOBBY: Sorry, Amara, but we thought that Pyro's fire creatures would do a better job than you would. You're just not scary enough.
AMARA (sharply): Not scary enough?
BOBBY: You know what I mean. You can't frighten me in that shape.
AMARA: Oh, yes, I can.
{She pulls out some magazines behind her back and puts them on the ground between them. Bobby stares at them.}
BOBBY (uneasily): Where'd you find those?
AMARA: Under your bed.
{She shifts into her fire-form, and raises one hand high, forming a ball of fire and aiming it at the magazines.}
BOBBY: No, don't! Please, don't burn them! Have mercy! Please, I'm begging you!
AMARA: Do you admit it, then?
BOBBY: Yes, yes, I do! You can be scary in your lava-form, Amara! I admit it! You'd have made a great Balrog! Just please don't burn them!
{Amara shifts back to normal, giving a rather smug smile. Bobby snatches up the magazines in relief, then turns around to see Storm and Beast looking disapprovingly at him.}
BEAST: And just what magazines would those be, young man?
BOBBY: I - um - only read them for the articles.
{The Fellowship arrive, in the evening, at the western gate of the Mines of Muiria. The gate is a blank wall in the mountain-side, close to a dark and sinister-looking lake. The lake fills up most of the space before the mountain wall; a narrow stone path circles it to reach the wall. The nine travellers cautiously thread their way along it until they reach the gate.}
BOBBY: So where's the gate?
XAVIER: The gates of Muiria are hidden. But I believe that I can make it visible.
{He runs his hands across the stone surface, muttering something in a low voice. The outlines of the gate become visible, with words inscribed at the top in Old High Genoshan.}
XAVIER: Ah, yes. "The doors of Muiria. Speak, friend, and enter."
BOBBY: What do you suppose that means?
XAVIER: Oh, it's quite simple. If you are a friend, you speak the password and the doors will open. Of course, figuring out what the password is will be the tricky part.
{He looks thoughtful for a while, then cries out something in an ancient language. Nothing happens.}
XAVIER: We could be here a while longer than I thought.
{He tries one password after another, without success. The rest of the Fellowship wait, watching as the stars come out. Duncan is looking particularly fed up.}
KITTY: Couldn't I just, like, phase everyone in?
XAVIER: I'm afraid not. These gates have been designed to be resistant to all such mutant abilities. And for the same reason, we can't have Kurt teleport in.
KURT: Yeah, I'd have to be able to see what I'm teleporting into anyvay.
{Bobby and Evan, showing increasing signs of boredom, pick up stones and start tossing them into the lake. Scott sees what they're doing and stops them.}
SCOTT: Do not disturb the water.
XAVIER: Oh, it's useless!
{He bows his head, having tried every word that he can think of. Ripples begin to form on the surface of the lake, as though something is drawing closer to it.}
KURT: It's a riddle. Speak "friend" and enter. Professor, vhat's Old High Genoshan for "friend"?
XAVIER: Nollem.
{The doors swing open at his word. The Fellowship stare in amazement at the sight. Xavier understands and smiles.}
XAVIER: The opening word was written on the archway all along. Those were much more trusting times. Well, let us go in.
{Kurt lets out a sudden cry from behind him. The others turn around to see that a long green slimy tentacle has arisen from the lake and seized him. It is dragging him towards the water.}
KITTY, BOBBY, AND EVAN: Kurt!
{Kitty draws her sword and rushes at the tentacle, hacking frantically at it.}
KITTY: Let him go!
{The tentacle releases its grip on Kurt and withdraws into the water. But then more tentacles come rising up from the lake and seize hold of him, hoisting him high in the air.}
KURT: Aahhh!
BOBBY: Scott! Help!
{Scott fires one of his optic blasts at the tentacles, striking them hard. They release Kurt, but more come out as the lake's surface begins to seethe.}
XAVIER: Into the Mines, all of you!
{The nine adventurers rush into the Mines. The tentacles seize hold of the doors and slam them shut, then snatch up large boulders and pile them against the entrance, trapping the Fellowship inside.
Inside the entrance hall of the Mines, Xavier pulls out a staff which begins to glow, providing the Fellowship with a dim glow.}
XAVIER: We now have but one choice. We must face the long dark of Muiria. Be on your guard. There are older and fouler things than Morlocks in the deep places of the world.
EVAN: Anybody else think it's weird that that thing in the lake went for Kurt first?
XAVIER: Be quiet, Evan.
{The Fellowship begin their journey through the deserted halls of Muiria.}
XAVIER: Quietly, now. It's a two-day journey to the other side. Let us hope that our presence will go unnoticed.
{They journey through caves, mining chambers, and great halls of considerable size and magnificence. The Fellowship, particularly the four young mutants from Bayville, are awed at the decaying grandeur of Muiria.
They come to a narrow ramp and begin to climb it. Evan loses his footing and falls backwards against Bobby.}
BOBBY: Evan!
{They reach the top without further incident, and come to three great archways, all heading in different directions. Xavier comes to a halt.}
XAVIER: I have no memory of this place.
{While he looks over the archways, trying to figure out which one to take, the rest of the Fellowship sit down to rest, waiting for him to decide.}
EVAN: Are we lost?
BOBBY: No.
EVAN: I think we are.
KITTY: Shhh! Like, the Professor's thinking.
EVAN: Bobby?
BOBBY: What?
EVAN: I'm hungry.
{Kurt looks back the way that they came, and sees a small figure hopping about, drawing slowly closer to them. He watches it concernedly and then moves over to Xavier's chair.}
KURT: Professor, there's something down there.
XAVIER: I know. It's Toad.
KURT: Toad?
XAVIER: He's been following us since we entered the Mines.
KURT: He escaped Apocalypse's dungeon!
XAVIER: Escaped? Or was set free?
{Down below, Toad peers out over a large rock, eyeing the Fellowship closely, but makes no attempt to approach them as yet.}
XAVIER: He hates and loves the Ring, as he hates and loves himself. He will never be rid of his need for it.
KURT: It's a pity Uncle Forge didn't kill him vhen he had the chance!
XAVIER: Pity? It was pity that stayed Forge's hand. Many that live deserve death, and some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them, Kurt? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement. Even the very wise cannot see to all ends. My heart tells me that Toad has some part to play yet, for good or ill, before this is over. The pity of Forge will rule the fate of many.
{Kurt squats down next to Xavier.}
KURT: I vish the Ring had never come to me. I vish none of this had happened.
XAVIER: So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us. There are other forces in the world, Kurt, besides the will of evil. Forge was meant to find the Ring, in which case you also were meant to have it. And that is an encouraging thought.
{He looks again at the three archways, and nods.}
XAVIER (looking at the archway leading upwards): Ah! It's that way!
BOBBY: He's remembered!
XAVIER: No, but the air doesn't smell so foul down here. If in doubt, Robert Drake, always follow your nose.
{They continue up the corridor, until they reach a great pillared hall, the size of a cathedral.}
XAVIER: Let me risk a little more light.
{His staff illumines the hall, with the brightness of daylight now. The Fellowship stare about them in wonder. Wolverine suddenly catches a scent coming from a chamber off the main hall, and frowns.}
EVAN: What is it, Logan?
WOLVERINE (grimly): I smell death.
{He heads towards the chamber, and the others follow him. The room is dominated by a large well, the cover to which has been shattered. Next to the well is a great stone tomb, with writing engraved upon it. Skeletal remains lie scattered about it. The Fellowship stare in horror at the signs of the carnage that had taken place here. Xavier wheels over to the tomb and reads the inscription.}
XAVIER (sadly): "In memory of Doctor Moira MacTaggert." She is dead, then. It is as I feared.
{The Fellowship bow their heads in silence, upon learning the fate of Moira and her expedition. Xavier finds a battered notebook lying by the tomb, badly damaged, and picks it up, beginning to read it.}
WARREN: We must move on. We cannot linger.
XAVIER (reading from Moira's notes): "They have taken the bridge and the Second Hall. We have barred the gates, but cannot hold them for long. The ground shakes. Drums, drums in the deep." I wonder what that means. "We cannot get out. A shadow moves in the dark. We cannot get out. They are coming."
{Evan wanders over to the edge of the well, to look at one of the skeletons there. He gets too close, and accidentally knocks the skeleton into the well. It plummets down the shaft, followed by a distant splash far below. Everyone else glowers at Evan, who looks sheepish.}
EVAN: Oops?
WOLVERINE: Do that again, porcupine, and I'll have half a mind to throw you in and rid us of your stupidity!
{From far below, a sound like drums begins. The Fellowship tense.}
KITTY: Kurt!
{Kurt draws his sword. It is glowing blue.}
WARREN: Morlocks!
{There is a sound of tramping feet in the corridor outside, rushing closer. Duncan goes to the door by which they came in and peeks out. Arrows whistle past him.}
SCOTT: (to Kurt and the other young mutants from Bayville): Get back! Stay close to the Professor!
{He rushes to the door and helps Duncan shut it.}
DUNCAN: They have a cave-troll.
{Scott, Duncan, Warren, and Wolverine push all the heavy objects that they can find against the doors. Wolverine then unleashes his adamantium claws with a growl.}
WOLVERINE: Let 'em come! There's one mutant yet in Muiria that still draws breath!
{A loud bashing noise begins; the Morlocks outside are breaking the door down. They finally crash through with their impromptu battering-ram, and a fierce battle develops between them and the Fellowship. Scott fires his optic blasts at them, while Warren flies about delivering aerial assaults from above, and Wolverine slashes at them with his claws. The younger mutants get into the battle, Kitty darting about phasing through objects to confuse the Morlocks, while Evan and Bobby use spikes and ice to help out against them further.
Then Blob bursts in through the doorway, bellowing with fury - and halts.}
BLOB: Um, excuse me. What's my motivation?
DIRECTOR: What?
BLOB: I said, what's my motivation?
DIRECTOR (thinking quickly): Um - you remember those doughnuts of yours that you couldn't find? Those guys stole them - especially that blue furry fellow. And he ate them all.
BLOB: WHAT? Why, you.....! I'll show you!
{He roars enragedly, and charges straight at Kurt. Kurt frantically teleports to another part of the chamber to get out of his way, and Blob comes screeching to a halt, colliding with the wall. He shakes himself, and charges at Kurt again.
Kurt nimbly dodges Blob again and again, but at last Blob corners him and grabs him by the neck, lifting him up.}
KURT: Scott? Scott, help!
{He strikes at Blob's hand with his sword. Blob drops him.}
SCOTT: Kurt! Hold on!
{Scott blasts Blob with his eye-beams. Blob roars in even greater fury, charges at Scott, and knocks him into the wall. Kurt frantically dashes over to Scott and tries to revive him. Blob grabs a spear and charges at him, stabbing Kurt with it.}
KITTY: Kurt!
{Kurt slumps onto the ground. Kitty rushes over to his side and pulls him away, while Bobby and Evan charge towards Blob. While Evan showers Blob with bone-spikes - which Blob merely shrugs off - Bobby freezes the floor beneath Blob's feet. Blob starts to lose his balance, tottering. Scott, climbing to his feet, lets him have it with another optic blast. Blob falls over backwards, and lands on the Morlocks, who were all crowded behind him. The Morlocks see him falling on top of him too late, and try to get away in one of those "running-in-place" sequences, but to no avail.}
EVAN: Ewwww.....
BOBBY: Yeah, not even those guys deserved to go that way.
{Scott sees Kurt lying on the floor beside Kitty.}
SCOTT: Oh, no!
{Scott rushes over towards Kurt, and turns him over. Kurt groans.}
KITTY: He's alive!
KURT: I'm all right! I'm not hurt.
SCOTT: You should be dead! That spear would have skewered a wild boar!
XAVIER: I think there's more to this youth than meets the eye.
{Kurt reveals his armored shirt beneath his outer garments.}
WOLVERINE: You're full of surprises, aren't ya, elf?
{There is the sound of more Morlocks approaching outside the chamber.}
XAVIER: To the bridge!
{They flee the room through the opposite entrance, and make their way through the halls, with the Morlocks still pursuing them. The subterranean mutants swarm in everywhere, emerging from cracks in the ceiling high above and climbing down the walls. The Fellowship are surrounded, and about ready to put up another fight, when a fiery glow appears in the hall behind them, followed by a sinister growl. The Morlocks turn and flee in alarm.}
DUNCAN: What is this new devilry?
XAVIER: A fire demon of the ancient world. This foe is beyond any of you. Run!
{They make their way down the corridors and a series of stairs overlooking a great chasm, often barely falling in.}
SCOTT: Professor.
XAVIER: Lead them on, Scott. The bridge is near.
{Scott hesitates, unwilling to hang back.}
XAVIER: Do as I say! Swords are no more use here.
{They reach a gap in the stairs. Angel grabs hold of Xavier's wheelchair and flies across, safely carrying the Professor. Arrows rain among the Fellowship, fortunately missing; Scott sends a few eye-beams back at the Morlocks. Duncan jumps across next. Bobby creates a small bridge of ice and uses it to bring himself and Evan across, though it falls apart behind them. Kitty "walks on air" over the chasm after them, and Wolverine leaps across. More and more of the stairs crumble as the fire demon approaches. Kurt grabs hold of Scott and teleports him to the other side, moments before the stairs behind them collapse into ruin.
The Fellowship flee on, reaching the bridge, a narrow stone bridge spanning a great abyss at a dizzying height.}
XAVIER: Over the bridge! Fly!
{As the rest of the Fellowship dash across the bridge, Xavier turns his wheelchair about to face the fire demon. It emerges into full view, a monstrous humanoid figure with outstretched wings made of fire. Pyro follows behind it, having created the fire demon out of some of his own flames and now controlling its motions.}
XAVIER: You cannot pass.
KURT: Professor!
{Pyro and his fire demon reach the bridge, but Xavier bars their access. The fire demon snarls at him and produces a fiery whip.}
XAVIER: Go back to the shadow. You cannot pass!
{He brings his staff down upon the bridge. It breaks in half, and the fire demon falls into the abyss with a terrible cry, Pyro frantically holding onto his part of the bridge and doing his best not to look down. But even as the fire demon falls, it seizes hold of the wheels of Xavier's wheelchair with its whip, and drags him down with it. Kurt rushes forward in alarm, but Scott and Duncan pull him back.}
KURT: Professor!
XAVIER (just before disappearing into the chasm altogether): Fly, you fools!
KURT: Noooooo!!!!!
{The Fellowship stare in horror at the chasm into which Xavier has vanished, then rush on, heading out through the eastern gates from the Mines of Muiria into the outside world. They sit down dejectedly upon the grass outside, even Duncan appearing saddened at the Professor's fate.
Back inside the Mines of Muiria....}
PYRO (still clinging onto the bridge): Um, mates? Could you give me a hand here? Mates?
{LORD OF THE MUTANTS: Behind the Scenes.}
AMARA: I should very much like to know why they wouldn't let me play the Balrog. I could have done a good job of it in my lava form.
BOBBY: Sorry, Amara, but we thought that Pyro's fire creatures would do a better job than you would. You're just not scary enough.
AMARA (sharply): Not scary enough?
BOBBY: You know what I mean. You can't frighten me in that shape.
AMARA: Oh, yes, I can.
{She pulls out some magazines behind her back and puts them on the ground between them. Bobby stares at them.}
BOBBY (uneasily): Where'd you find those?
AMARA: Under your bed.
{She shifts into her fire-form, and raises one hand high, forming a ball of fire and aiming it at the magazines.}
BOBBY: No, don't! Please, don't burn them! Have mercy! Please, I'm begging you!
AMARA: Do you admit it, then?
BOBBY: Yes, yes, I do! You can be scary in your lava-form, Amara! I admit it! You'd have made a great Balrog! Just please don't burn them!
{Amara shifts back to normal, giving a rather smug smile. Bobby snatches up the magazines in relief, then turns around to see Storm and Beast looking disapprovingly at him.}
BEAST: And just what magazines would those be, young man?
BOBBY: I - um - only read them for the articles.