X-Calibur
Issue #11 – The Hellfires – Part Two
Braddock Manor
In a matter of moments Nightcrawler had teleported his team of Captain Britain, Cerise and Micro Max back to Braddock manor. They had managed to stop the fires and clean up what damage they could before making a dash home. They were still reeling from the shock of the Hellfire Club kidnapping Rachael and that the Red Knight was Brian's supposedly dead wife and former teammate Meggan. They knew they didn't have a lot of time pondering question. They had to move fast if they wanted to save Rachael and Meggan.
As they appeared in the yard they saw that part of the north side of the mansion had a huge hole in it. The now giant dragon, Lockheed floated near it. The team made their way into the room that the hole opened into. Brian gasped as he saw it was his treasure room, wrecked and blackened from a fire. He looked over and saw Kitty holding a crying Shamrock in the hallway outside the room's doorway.
"Kitty, what happened here?" Kurt asked.
"It turned out that Molly's girlfriend, Nelsee Liloaq was actually Selene Qallio in disguise. She and another woman clad in all red armor attacked your room here," Kitty said.
"You were dating the Black Queen?" Kurt said trying to add a little levity to the situation.
"I'm so sorry. I had no idea," Molly cried.
"It's okay. She's known for being this tricky. They said the Queens were out on another mission," Brian said scouting the room that lay in complete ruins.
"They? Are you referring to your emergency?" Kitty asked.
"Yes, there's a new London branch of the Hellfire Club and we had a run in with them," Micro Max said as he left the room on Brian's orders.
"Brian, you seem off. Is there something wrong?" Kitty asked seeing his red puffy eyes.
"Yes, but first, Molly, what did Selene say to you? What happened here? What was she after?" Brian said kneeling next to Molly.
"I'm so sorry, Brian. If I hadn't brought her in here, none of this would have happened," Molly cried.
"Don't worry about that. Selene has the power of seduction. She has put men and woman of great power under her control with ease. Tell me everything," Brian pushed on.
"Well, I let her into this room so she could see what it looked like in here. She then saw an item that drew her attention. She insisted on touching it. I knew I shouldn't but I found myself unlocking it and giving it to her. She was excited and talked about how your father was a member of the Hellfire Club and had stolen it," Molly said growing angry at how stupid she had been.
"That's the point I came rushing in but it was too late. The red armored friend opened a portal and they escaped. They set the room afire when they left. If it hadn't been Molly's luck to land near me, I may not have been able to phase and save us both," Kitty said.
"This knew Hellfire Club is more dangerous than I gave them credit for and are up to something big," Brian said noticing the empty case where his dad's treasure had been.
"Brian, you're shaking. What's going on? And where's Rachel?" Kitty asked suddenly realizing her friend wasn't here.
"The item they took was the Hellfire Totem of the Phoenix. Not only does it make it very bad news that they have it, but while the Queens were taking that the rest of the Hellfire Club kidnapped Rachel," Brian said.
"They have Rachel? That can't be good," Kitty cried.
"It's all my fault," Molly cried.
"What does the totem do?" Kurt asked.
"I don't know, but if they have it and Rachel then it must be something big," Brian said.
"That's not all they have," Cerise said shying away from Brian's hurt look.
"What's she talking about," Kitty asked.
"We now know Selene is on their team but the identities of the others still hide behind armor masks. Who ever they are, they appear to be powerful enough to have forced Meggan to be their Red Knight," Brian said as sadness and anger shifted upon his face.
"Meggan? She's alive? How can that be? It has to be a trick or an imposter," Kitty asked suddenly moving from Molly to Brian.
"I don't know but I know it was here. I could feel it as I have been feeling her life force all this time," Brian said.
"Brian had knocked of her helmet. It was that surprise that gave her the upper hand and allowed for the Hellfire Club to make their get away," Cerise said.
"Cerise," Kurt began to say.
"Its okay, Kurt. She speakers the truth. We need to find them fast and stop them. They will pay for taking Rachel and for what they did to Meggan and Molly," Brian said.
"Brian, I can't seem to reach Pete. MI-13 says he's on a classified mission and can't be reached," Scott said coming back into the room.
"How are we going to find them? Kitty asked.
"I can help with that," Magik said appearing in the room.
"Amanda?" Cerise asked giving her a look.
"I arrived here right after they left. It was my magic that caused the fire to burn out without spreading to the rest of the mansion," Amanda Sefton said.
"Luckily she was here,' Molly said now knowing it wasn't luck the fire went out right away.
"Yeah, but what were you doing?" Kurt asked still suspicion of his old girlfriend.
"I was doing a sweep of the city to see if there were any magical threats," Amanda began to say.
"I bet," Cerise murmured.
"When I felt a strange and familiar presence. I teleported to the spot and found myself in the mansion. When I got there the portal had closed but I knew the signature and I can open a portal to follow it to where they went," Amanda.
"Oh and how is that?" Cerise asked in challenge.
"Because, the signature coming from Red Queen's portal was that of my mother," Amanda said.
"Margali? Your mom is the Red Queen?" Kurt said as his jaw dropped.
"This is worst than we thought," Kitty said.
"We need to move now. Amanda, take us there and bring Lockheed. We're going to need everyone," Brian said as Amanda cast her spell causing a portal to engulf them and Lockheed whose head peered in from the hole in the wall.
Hidden Base of the Hellfire Club
Rachel struggled, trying to free herself from her bonds. The Black Knight had knocked her out and when she had come to she had found her arms and legs bound to a stone table in the middle of the room. An inhibitor color was around her neck cutting her off from her powers. A pentagram fused with a Phoenix symbol was drawn upon the floor under the table as well as the ceiling above her. She knew something bad was coming and she would have to act soon, when the time was right.
Six members of the Hellfire Club stood off to the side as a portal opened and two woman, on in red and the other in black armor stepped out. The Red Queen held up a strange item up to the Black King. It was hard for Rachel to see but it looked like a wooden figure of a Phoenix Bird with wings spread out. The item was painted in red, orange and yellow to look like it was on fire. Rachel knew that must be the Hellfire Totem of the Phoenix.
"Are you sure this will work?" Black King asked.
"Yes, the totem will draw out the power of the Phoenix from the host granting the user great powers. Power like the Phoenix itself to bring fire upon the Earth and even rip open portals and gateways within the fabric of space and time," Red Queen smiled thinking back to the record of the Totem she stumbled upon in the Hellfire's old hideout. It hadn't taken her long to put a tracking spell on it. Plus, once Selene had joined, being a member from the old days added some insight on who might have stolen the totem.
"Too bad in doing so means the death of the host," Selene smiled down at Rachel as Black King placed the totem on a disc hovering directly above Rachel's heart.
Rachel knew that the time to strike was soon. She had to destroy the Totem at the moment the spell was ignited. Only at that moment would it be in a weaken state and destructible. After that moment it would be too late. The spell would then erupt and the Totem would become indestructible as it killed the host and granted its power upon the Totem's user. She just hoped she could break free to do it.
"Hellfires take your positions and let's begin," Red Queen said as they all took their spots around the diagram drawn on the floor.
Red Queen began speaking the spell as the diagrams lit up in a fiery glow. Soon the Totem of the Phoenix and Rachel Marvel Girl began to glow a fiery red. Rachel could feel the pain and looked directly at the Black Knight as Red Queen said the final words of the spell. All light from her and the Totem vanished as the diagrams on the floor and ceiling began to slowly shift to deeper red color. Rachel couldn't feel anything now and knew she had maybe five minutes to destroy the Totem. She began to panic when suddenly a large boom of thunder broke the room's silence.
"X-Calibur!" Black King shouted as a portal dropped seven people and a large purple dragon in front of him.
"Rachel?" Kitty gasped.
"Kurt, get Kitty over to her and free her," Brian said looking for his wife.
In a flash, Nightcrawler had teleported Shadowcat over to where Marvel Girl was. Kurt removed her gag as Kitty untied her hands and legs. In a matter of moments she was free.
"Kitty, I don't have much time. Get this collar of my neck," Rachel said as Kitty phased the collar off of her giving her powers back.
Rachel called for her powers and wrapped a strong hold on the Totem of the Phoenix. A light shot off form the Totem as Rachel could feel its power coming back. She knew she had but a second and had to make it count. She pushed her powers with all her might and made the Totem explode into a million pieces destroying it. The backlash of the explosion sent Rachel back against the far wall. Rachel lay there barely conscious as Kurt teleported to her side.
"No!" Screamed the Red Queen.
"Your plan is ruined, mother," Amanda shouted.
"What are you talking about?" the Red Queen asked.
"Charades over. Through my link to you I can link to the others," Amanda said sending off a spell.
A magical light shot from Amanda and hit the Red Queen's helmet and then branched off and hit the helmet of every member of the Hellfire Club. Suddenly, in a flash of bright light, the helmets vanished from sight revealing the faces of the Hellfire Club. X-Calibur gasped at the people who stood before them.
Selene and Margali stood revealed as the Black Queen and Red Queen and Meggan as the Red Knight just as they had already figured out. Red Rook was the old member Scribe as was Ms Steed the Black Rook. It was the last three that shocked everyone. Red King was L'st'r who, like Meggan, they had thought died in an explosion. Black King smiled as X-Calibur looked at him and Black Knight.
"Sunfire?" Nightcrawler asked puzzled at the Black King.
"Now it all makes sense, you jerk," Kitty said glaring at Pete Wisdom wearing the Black Knight armor.
"Now can I eat him?" Lockheed asked inside Kitty's mind.
"Guys," Rachel began to say as she started to come around.
"Hellfires, move now," Black King shouted as he went after Nightcrawler.
Ms Steed was in front of Rachel in no time taking her mind away from everyone else. L'st'r went right for Cerise as Amanda flew at her mother. Meggan attacked Captain Britain with great speed as Kitty jumped on Lockheed's back and flew at Pete Wisdom. Scribe went after Micro Max as Shamrock glared at Selene and desired payback. The battle ignited between the Hellfire Club and X-Calibur.
Ms Steed brought up her psionic blade putting al her powers into it as Rachel got to her feet. Rachel knew she had to end this quickly as to help turn the tables. She was still a little wobbly from destroying the Totem. Rachel reached out wither powers and grabbed Ms Steed and sent her flying backwards into the wall with great force. Rachel waited her counter attack but saw her laying there with her own blade in her chest.
Rachel reached out and realized that Steed had fallen on her own blade and given herself brain damage. Rachel felt bad but knew that Steed had placed all her power in the blade intending to hit her with it. Rachel sighed and knew she had to help the others and couldn't dwell on this. In times of war, bad things happened and you can't let it affect you or you'll be next. Rachel called forth her powers and flew up into the air.
"Kitty, stop him. I'm on your side," Pete said jumping from Lockheed's fire breath.
"You expect me to believe that? All those times you were missing and getting close to Rachel was all to spy on us for the Hellfire Club," Kitty said as she dove for Pete and punching him in the jaw.
"You got it wrong. When I found out the Hellfire club was forming I joined to find out what they were up to. When I discovered they were after Meggan and L'st'r I helped as to keep her alive and watch out for her. Then I learned of the plan against Rachel and told her. It was her idea to continue keeping you all in the dark. I was actually spying on them," Pete shouted as he rubbed his jaw and dogged a purple claw.
"Liar," Kitty shouted as she went for another punch but was held back by an invisible force.
"He's telling the truth. When he told me about the Totem we knew the only way to destroy it was during the spell itself. It was dangerous, but it had to be done. If we had told you guys or Brian you would have stormed off at them and we wouldn't have had the opportunity to destroy it so it could never be used for evil again," Rachel said as she flew near them.
"I don't know what to say," Kitty said with tears as she turned away from the two. "No, Lockheed, you can't eat him now." Lockheed mopped as Rachel flew up near Black King and Nightcrawler
"Sunfire, why are you doing this? I know you have had your quarrels with the X-Men through the years but never actually turning on your own," Kurt said as he teleported avoiding blasts of fire left and right.
"You X-Men have always been fools. I'll enjoy killing you," Sunfire said powering up his powers as Rachel came into view.
"Something's not right with Sunfire," Nightcrawler said to Rachel.
"You're correct. I was shocked at first till I touched his mind. That is not Sunfire. That's Mountjoy," Rachel said attacking Sunfire with all her mental powers.
Sunfire screamed as Mountjoy was psionicly ripped from his body. Sunfire fell to the ground in what appeared to be a coma-like state while Rachel held the psi form of Mountjoy in the air with her powers. It was taking everything in her but she knew she had to hold him until they came up with another method to hold him. Kurt went to his old friend's side. "Shiro, I knew you couldn't be that evil."
"I can't believe I fell for it," Shamrock said tears rolling down her eyes as she faced Selene.
"Believe it. You wanted love so bad you were willing to screw over your new friends to do it," Selene said as she started to work her powers.
"Not this time," Shamrock said as she did a flip and landed a kick just right sending Selene backwards.
"You know, things could still work out between us," Selene mocked as she tried to sit up.
"Never," Shamrock said as she landed on Selene and started knocking her unconscious.
"That's enough," Micro Max said as he stepped away from Scribe's out cold body and pulled Shamrock off of a barely conscious Black Queen.
"Oh Scott," Shamrock cried as Scott held her in his arms.
Cerise blocked hellfire blast after hellfire blast with her purple shield she had created. Cerise wanted nothing more than to be rid of this fowl creature. As long as he lived she would never be safe from him or his P!ndyrian brethren. She landed blast after blast and soon found she had him on the defensive and backing up. In a matter of moments she would defeat him, for good.
Amanda turned as she saw Cerise winning. A part of her felt disappointment. She winced as a blast almost hit her dead on.
"Getting tired honey?" Margali asked as she sent another magical blast at her daughter.
"I don't know how you could do this to us. I'm your daughter and Kurt was like a son to you," Amanda said as she threw up a defensive spell.
"You don't understand. I do this for both of you. I serve a greater power and soon the Storm will come and pave the way for you and I to rule this planet like it should," Margali said as she prepared a spell.
"I'm tired of my mothers turning out to be evil," Nightcrawler said as he appeared above Margali and kicked her to the side.
Amanda took the distraction as her moment to attack. She hit her mom with a magical blast that sent her to the ground. Nightcrawler teleported out of the way as Amanda sent blast after blast at her mother. Margali groaned as she began to grow tired. Her strength finally gave out and she collapsed to the floor. Amanda went to throw another blast but Kurt grabbed her.
"That's enough, Amanda," Kurt said as she turned and fell into his arms.
"Meggan, I don't know what they did to you but you have to fight it," Brian pleaded with his wife.
"I'm not Meggan. I'm the Red Knight," Meggan said as she punched her husband.
Captain Britain tried to hold is punches as well as his tears as he battled his wife for control. From the moment she had died he felt that she was still alive. His heart ached at seeing her again but it also ached for she did not know him. He knew that their love would have to prevail. He reached out and took hold of her by the shoulders.
"Meggan, tap into your powers and feel me and our love. Meggan, it's me, Brian, your husband. I love you," Brian cried.
"Brian?" Meggan whispered as she began to calm down and stare at him. She was beginning to recall something.
"Yes, Meggan. Fight it, you can do it," Brian pleaded.
"We need to escape," L'st'r said as he dodged Cerise and sent a fiery blast hitting Rachel.
"Yes, free," Mountjoy laughed as he flew from Rachel's hold and dove for Meggan.
"Brian, watch out!" Rachel shouted but was too late.
"Yes!" Meggan shouted as she threw Brian off of her.
"Meggan?" Brian said trying to gain his position.
"If I would have known how powerful this body could be I would have taken her from the start," Mountjoy said as Meggan's form took a more manly shape.
"Get out of her body, Mountjoy," Rachel shouted as she flew at him.
"You won't stop me this time. Trust me, I'll be back," Mountjoy laughed through Meggan's voice.
In a quick flash of magic Margali teleported herself, along with L'st'r, Meggan, Selene and Scribe away. Brian screamed as he lost his wife once again. X-Calibur made their way to their leader's side. Pete Wisdom side stepped Lockheed's paw and walked toward them all.
"Glad that's over. I called Mi-13 and they are approaching now. They'll clean this place and take Vegetable Steed into custody. Don't worry, I'll do what I can to help find them," Pete said lighting a cigarette.
"Don't come near me. I can't believe you knew my wife was alive and you kept that from me," Brian said grabbing the cigarette and crushing it.
"Brian," Rachel began.
"Rachel, don't even try," Brian glared at her as she back away hurt.
"Brian, I didn't mean to hurt you," Pete started to say.
"Pete, as of this moment you are no longer a part of X-Calibur. This team does not work on secrets. No matter the situation, we work as a team or not at all. Now get out of my sight. You ever come near my mansion or my team Lockheed has my permission to eat you," Brian said as he turned away from the shocked Pete Wisdom.
"Fine, I don't need your stupid team," Pete glared and walked off.
"Brian," Rachel said knowing she had been at fault too.
"Rachel, I know you did what you had to do to save the world but you ever do it again behind our backs your off the team. Because of our history and need of your help to find Meggan I'm allowing you to stay, but I'd advise staying clear of me for awhile," Brian said as he walked away from her.
Amanda called forth her magic and teleported X-Calibur and Sunfire away from the Hellfire base as Pete went to meet the approaching MI-13 ships as they landed.
Epilogue 1
"You failed," a dark fiery voice said from the mirror on the wall.
"Yes in my initial plan, but I did manage to plant your devises all under Braddock Manor and the other designated placed throughout London," a battered Margali responded.
"That's all that matters. You just better hope your little club is ready when the time comes. I'll not tolerate anymore weakness," the dark figure said and then vanished leaving Margali shivering.
Epilogue 2
"After all this time," a strange being whispered.
"What is that?" Another being asked.
"The Totem has called out in its moment of destruction," the strange being answered.
"Is that bad?" The other being asked.
"Not at all. Not only can it no longer be used against me but it gave me a signal so I can locate the way back to Earth. Gather the others, its time we made our way back to Earth and make them pay for their betrayal," the strange being said with what could be called a smile.
Next: Issue #12 – Downtime
NOTE: The Storm is Coming. See my profile for more details.