A/N: Hey all! How's it going?? Hope everyone's good! Anyways, I hope you enjoy this latest instalment to the fic! If you do, leave me a review; if you don't, well leave me one too! I love all reviews! So, please R&R! Thanks!
Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters.
Chapter 29:
Rogue watched silently as Magda continued her preparations. Preparations for what, Rogue still did not know or want to know. She just prayed to God that someone, anyone would save her before she did find out.
"There," Magda said with finality. "It is time."
She stepped towards Rogue slowly before turning to the altar where the stolen book lay.
Rogue's eyes widened as she realized that this could be it, her last chance to do something.
"Magda, please," Rogue pleaded. "Ya don't have ta do this. Ya're powerful enough on you own. Ya don't need Apocalypse!" Magda turned her attention to Rogue, considering her carefully. "Ya, don't need meh, or mah baby."
Rogue watched Magda's face carefully looking for any sign of emotion, any recognition that what she was doing was wrong. And for less than a second Rogue thought she saw a flicker of kindness in Magda's eyes. A look reminiscent of Jean; but it was gone just as quickly as it had come.
"Very touching speech, Rogue. But, alas," Magda mocked, "I do need Apocalypse. And that means that I do need you and your baby."
Magda turned back to the book flipping for the right page. All Rogue could do was attempt to hold back the sobs that were ready to come out.
"Ahh…. Here we are," Magda said cheerily. She stared down at the page intently and then opened her mouth to read. Rogue braced herself for what was to come, as the foreign words escaped Magda's mouth.
The next thing Rogue heard was a whistling noise that cut through Magda's speech and then a light thud. Rogue opened her eyes to look at Magda. There was a bone-like stick sticking out of the alter that held the book. Glancing at Magda, she looked furious.
"Not so fast!" a new voice pronounced.
Rogue's gaze darted to the newcomer and her face lit up. "Evan!" she exclaimed gratefully.
"Next time I won't miss," Evan told the redhead menacingly.
Magda stared at him through slit eyes. "I've had one too many disruptions already. I will not tolerate one more."
"Well you don't have a choice, Jean," he replied. "Calysto!"
The next thing Rogue knew the leader of the Morlocks was entering the chamber. Of all people she thought of rescuing her, Calysto did not even make Rogue's list.
"Untie Rogue," Evan told her. "I'll deal with her."
Wordlessly, Calysto went to Rogue's side.
"You know, Spyke, I'm not Jean anymore," Magda informed him.
"Yeah, yeah I heard. Whatever," Spyke dismissed her. "Hurry up Calysto!"
"I am, these shackles are pretty tight," she said, as she worked at Rogue's ankle shackles.
"You underestimate me," Magda breathed out. "That is a mistake!"
Spyke, sensing something was about to happen, pulled a bone from his body and shot it towards Magda just as she sent him flying against the wall.
"Spyke!" Calysto yelled.
"Evan!" Rogue cried.
Magda approached the groaning Evan. "You will regret this."
"I don't think so lady!" Calysto yelled as she ran towards Magda. But before she could do anything Magda turned around to face her, and held out a hand that stopped Calysto mid-run.
Magda didn't say anything for a good minute as she held a frustrated Calysto in place. And then she began to laugh an eerie, evil laugh.
"Let me go!" Calysto growled.
"You people, you and the X-men are proving to be bigger fools than I thought you to be," Magda said in amusement. "Spyke, tell the X-men I thank you and them for delivering to me my second horseman."
Rogue gasped out, "No… no…"
Evan tried to get up. "What… what are you talking about?"
But Magda's full attention was now on Calysto. Without taking her eyes off of her she floated the book to her.
Magda began to read out of it and Calysto began to glow yellow.
"What are you doing to me?" Calysto cried out.
"Stop!" Rogue yelled.
And just as she yelled out for her to stop, bright yellow beams of light shot from Calysto's eyes. And she hung limp in the air.
"Magda, don't do this," Rogue lamented.
"What did you do to her?" Spyke anguished.
In answer Magda just grinned and said, "Arise Calysto, arise my horseman."
"They're taking too long!" Logan growled.
"They told us to give them ten minutes. It's only been five," Scott countered.
"I don't care! Something's wrong, we should have never sent the Porcupine and Calysto in alone!" Logan argued.
Scott sighed a frustrated sigh. He knew Logan was right. But he just didn't want to make any mistakes. One wrong decision could cost them, cost him. "I know, I know, but-"
"Cyclops, I think Wolverine's right," Kitty interjected.
"Yeah, can't you feel that? I've got the heebie-jeebies!" Kurt spoke up.
"You're right!" Scott said, convinced. "Let's go!"
"Finally!" Logan growled out. He let his claws go and ran ahead of the group.
Rogue looked desperately around her for something, anything to save her, to save them. She looked back towards her cell and had to hold back a sob. Magda had shackled up Evan, her would be saviour. And her other would be saviour stood on guard to Rogue's left. Calysto was all yellow-glowy eyed standing at attention, ready to kill anyone who got close enough to Rogue. And, sadly, to her right stood Remy reactivated. He had no control over it and it hurt to look at him.
Magda caught Rogue's look. She sidled up to Remy. "Yes I know. I like him so much better the other way. So much more pleasurable…"
"So, let him go," Rogue told her vehemently.
"Nope, sorry, what Apocalypse wants, he gets," Magda replied. She moved away from Remy and stood instead in front of Rogue. "Speaking of Apocalypse... it's time to continue."
"Please don't, please…"
Magda stepped around to the altar. "This is an honour Rogue, embrace it," were Magda's last words in English before she began the foreign stream of words.
"Stop, stop," Rogue shouted over Magda's voice. But her words had no effect. Rogue continued her rant for her to stop, until a new sound caught her attention. It was like the sizzling sound of a frying pan; and for a second she had no idea where it was coming from. Until the pain came.
"Ah!!!" Rogue screamed. She looked for the source of the pain and was shocked when she realized it was coming from her belly. "What… what are ya doing ta meh?"
Rogue didn't have to wait for an answer. Her belly started to glow yellow, blinding her. And then the glow seemed to get more concentrated, focusing on a single spot. Focusing on one symbol. The pain intensified as the symbol shone red and then even redder. And then Rogue finally realized what was happening, she was burning the symbols into her stomach.
"No," Rogue gurgled through the pain. "No please, it hurts!"
There were a total of six symbols painted on her stomach and some on her face too; and she knew she couldn't stand this kind of pain.
The symbol shone white hot.
"No…" she murmured, she was going to pass out soon.
"Apocalypse regrets your pain," Magda consoled.
Rogue stated at her, forgetting her pain for one second. "What?"
But her moment of clarity was forgotten as her pain moved on to the next symbol. Rogue didn't want to think what would happen when all the symbols were burned into her skin.
"Ahh…" she screamed.
"Rogue!" she thought she heard her name being shouted. But she was in so much pain… she was probably hallucinating.
Well that's it for now. Another evil cliff-hanger type of chapter. I hope you enjoyed.
Thanks to all those who reviewed: lovelesssan; happiness bunny; nobody's girl; oper; Nikki-4; GohanRULEZ (yikes, cloud zombies, how did you know I'm terrified of zombies?? Ok, nothing bad will happen); Chica De Los Ojos Café; twilightcloud18; and RogueNya.
Anyways, please leave a review and let me know what you think of the latest chapter. Thanks!!
Next Chapter: The X-men arrive on scene. Do they make things better or worse??
