Chapter 46

Somewhere in Mexico...

"Why are we south of the border?" Wanda is asking Luna.

"A lesson," the blond haired mystic replies cryptically.

"A lesson? In what?"

"The nature of humanity."

"I'm well aware of the nature of humanity."

"You only think you are but from our last conversation it's clear you're not. No, you need to see the cold, harsh truth and why Strange's rules are not only meaningless but also pretty stupid. I can't teach you to reach your full potential until you rid yourself of any last notion that these ridiculous constraints apply to you. Once you see the real and absolute truth and accept it completely I can move you on to the next level...and isn't that why you accepted my teaching. To reach higher levels. To get back to what you experienced when you were fighting War."

God yes. Wanda wants to feel that again. That power, that energy...it's hard to describe but it was intoxicating. She's dreamed about it. No-one else can understand the...the need to feel that again.

Luna places a hand on Wanda's shoulder. "You're a good student and you have come far," she heaps praise on the young mutant witch. "But a lot of magic is intent. What are you prepared to do to achieve the goals you have set yourself. Trying not to sound like I'm quoting a movie line, you have to free your mind. Allow yourself to see the world as it really is. Now all I can do is open the door. You have to make the choice to walk through it."

"And once I do?"

"Well then I'll blow your mind."

Wanda arches a sceptical eyebrow at that.

"Doubt. One of those things we need to rid you of. Now do you trust me?"

"I'm here aren't I."

"Indeed. Ok, then..." Luna turns on the spot as if figuring our her bearings. "This way!" she points and heads off in that direction with Wanda following on behind still wondering why it is they're in Mexico and what it is Luna is intending for her to do.


Fortress of Solitude...

"Ok..." Illyana says between attempts to catch her breath much, much later as she lies on her back, pretty much exhausted. "I...think...I'm calm now," she says and while her demonic form does remain the red glow has faded away, revealing her blue eyes once again.

"Aw too bad," Clark pouts. Though admittedly he too could do with a breather...which is kinda saying something.

Illyana agrees with him. She's pretty certain they haven't yet worked out the limits of what a Hell Lord(which she is however new she is to the role) and a near God-like alien can do. However right now she needs 5. She rolls on to her side and Clark gathers her in his arm. She rests her head on his chest and relaxes, snuggling in to his warmth.

"So feel like sharing what happened?" he asks her about what set her off in the 1st place.

"Not really," she replies in that haughty dismissive tone.

Clark sighs and runs his hand through his hair. Can see she's gonna be stubborn over this one.

"Know what I would like?" Illyana raises instead.

"Knowing you a whole mountain of junk food and a coke."

"No...well, yes. You did work up an appetite but no, I meant was next date...can we go dancing?"

Huh. Weird side track. Then again she clearly doesn't want to talk about her argument with her brother so changing the subject is a par for the course. On the other hand what he discovered on that triple date they had and since is that Yana loves to dance and she is really great at it. Could be the fact she did ballet when she was little and also the fact as a warrior she has incredible natural balance, elegance and precision of movement. Also, he thinks, without having asked her, that when she is lost in the music she can forget, if even only for a moment, her burdens and pretend(if that's the word) that she's a normal teenage girl. It's a pretence Clark knows all too well. "Well since it's your turn to pick our next date yes, we can," he says in reply.

"I like this arrangement we have," she confesses. "I like...this," she says softly referring to her relationship in general with Clark. It's not too often she'll bear her true feelings in this way. Only when she's completely at ease.

"I like this too," Clark says.

"Duh. I am hot and you are a guy," she teases.

"Yes. You are very hot...in all appearances."

"You only say that because you haven't seen them all."

"What?" Clark asks with a puzzled expression. Illyana sits up as does Clark and he looks at her wanting an explanation.

"Clark...you think this is my demon in its purest form?" Illyana asks him, gesturing at herself, her tone indicating it's not.

"Well...since you still have part of your soul I...guess...not."

"Good guess. You haven't seen it. You don't want to see it."

"Have you? Seen it?" he wonders.

"There's this mirror in Limbo...it shows me it," Illyana says her tone low, relaying that what she has seen is not a pleasant image. "It's what I would have become if Belasco had finished. It's still what I could become. My appearance matching the monster I am within."

Clark almost groans. "How many times do I have to say it, Yana," he says in all seriousness, cupping her face in his hands. "You are not a monster," he repeats something he has said often. In fact now he's had a moment to think on this, her gazing at this reflection is almost like her deliberately tormenting herself. "Why do you do this to yourself?" he has to know.

"It's what I deserve."

And that single sentence gives away how deep the trauma and damage of her upbringing in Limbo goes. Blaming herself instead of blaming the people who did it to her. "Listen to me carefully Yana. It was not your fault. I told you this in Limbo at the start, remember. You were a little girl. They used and abused you for their own sick games. The blame lies with them alone," Clark tries to get her to accept.

Illyana's gaze droops away from his before she pulls away and gets out of bed. "You may think that. Piotr...the rest if they saw the real me..." she shakes her head and is then gone into a stepping disk.

Clark sighs and runs his hand through his hair again in a frustrated manner. He knew they'd be ups and downs in this relationship but he thought he would have gotten through more of her self-loathing issues than he has. If anything, the fact she just pulled away from him, indicates that they're going backwards almost. Not forward.

He needs to find out what caused this and that means talking to Piotr so in moments he's out the bed, changed and on his way back to the Institute as fast as he can.


Mexico…

"So what now?" Wanda asks. To her they were seemingly standing by a road in the middle of nowhere.

"We wait. Should be here in a moment," Luna answers.

"What should be here?"

"Patience isn't one of your strong points is it?" Luna says dryly.

"Try being locked up in a tiny cell in an asylum 23 hours a day and tell me who has no patience," Wanda retorts about her, to put it mildly, less than ideal childhood.

Luna ponders that for a second before shrugging one shoulder slightly and letting it go. Probably better not to comment. She needs her student focussed. Headlights in the distance approaching get her attention. "Here we go," she comments.

Wanda frowns as the lights get closer. When it's close enough she can see it's a coach. "Hmm?" she queries.

"University students. Heading to the capital to protest," Luna explains.

"How can you know that?"

"Something I'll teach you if you can prove you're ready for the next level here, tonight."

"You still haven't said what we're doing."

"You'll see," Luna says. "Now, come," she says holding her hand out.

Wanda takes it and Luna teleports them ahead up the road.

"Watch carefully what happens next," Luna advises. "Watch and learn the true nature of humanity."

Wanda is still fairly clueless but watches on.

Suddenly, approaching a blind bend, police cars come out of nowhere and block the road. The police who emerge come out armed to the teeth and just start indiscriminatingly firing into the bus. The students who aren't killed instantly burst out the coach and start running into the surrounding countryside.

However it is clear that they are not going to be allowed to get away as more vehicles arrive and more men with guns.

"The local drug lord's private army," Luna explains who these people are. "The police are in his employ...along with much of the local authorities."

"Shouldn't we do something," Wanda says, shocked and horrified by what she is seeing.

"No," Luna refuses as she takes a firm grip of Wanda's arm to prevent the young mutant witch from interfering. "I'm sorry," she apologises. "But like I was saying you need a lesson in the true nature of humanity and again, I'm sorry but this one is going to be harsh and brutal."

It's then Wanda feels a wave of magic pass over her and she finds herself frozen unable to move. Only to stand there and watch the horrors unfolding.


At the Institute…

Clark had found Piotr in his room painting and was now just trying to figure out what had happened between the brother and sister but it was not proving easy. As if anything involving Yana was.

"I do not know what set her off," Piotr is telling Clark. He had been painting to help clear his head and ponder that very question Clark was asking. What had set her off that she just upped and vanished.

"What were you talking about?"

"Nothing much," Piotr says, his confusion over this situation clear. "You know she does not talk much."

"I know," Clark says with a weary sigh. "I've been trying to get her to let people in but...has she always been this stubborn?"

Piotr reluctantly smiles. "Da," he confirms she has. "Once she digs her feet in..." he mutters something in Russian. It does not translate precisely. It's just goes to show that Illyana's mind can be a very difficult thing to change once she has set her mind to one particular view.

Clark sits down on Piotr's bed and rubs his face. "What were you talking about?" he repeats his question.

Piotr tries to recall exactly what he was saying when Illyana left. "I was talking about back in Russia. Honestly it is the only thing I know to talk to her with since I know so little about her current life."

Yeah...well, Clark's already more than touched on Yana's reluctance to open up. Though in one sense he can understand why. What is she going to talk about? How she rules over Hell? Then again that brings them back to the crux of the issue. She would have other things to talk about if she hung out more with other people. Putting that aside he can almost see where Piotr is going and what set Illyana off. Reminders of who she use to be makes her angry and disgusted at what she is now compared to that.

What a mess. He's still confident, though, in what he has said to her previously. Given a chance she'll find acceptance. Clark's dilemma is as clear now as it was at the start. How does he get Illyana to believe that?

And how does he do it before it gets sniffed out anyway. People already know a few things that raise suspicions and practically everyone senses something 'off' about her.

As it stands Clark has no answers.


Mexico…

Wanda doesn't cry often. She used her tears up years ago in the days and weeks after her father left her in that place.

But being forced to watch this...massacre she can't stop the tears. Both of sorrow and hot, burning rage. How can anyone be so sadistic to a bunch of students.

And she can do nothing due to being frozen by her so-called teacher wishing to teach her a so-called lesson.

Her upset and rage is so great she doesn't even realise at first when Luna has released her. It takes her awhile to notice she has dropped to her knees, those hot tears rolling down her face.

"I am sorry," Luna apologises, sounding genuinely upset that she has caused her student pain. "I did not wish to do this but I needed to shatter your illusions. I needed you see the real world. Now you have seen humanity as it is I can teach you what you need. So my next question is what do you want to do now? I know you're angry. I can feel it. If you believe I'm unnecessarily cruel then you can leave me, no hard feelings. If you're ready to learn then I will teach you how to harness that rage within you to reach a level of power you can't begin to imagine."

Wanda wipes her tears away and gets to her feet. She glares angrily at the blond haired mystic.

Luna waits expectantly for whatever is about to happen next.

"You are unnecessarily cruel," Wanda whispers angrily.

Luna arches an eyebrow. That is all the response she gives.

"But..." Wanda says.

Luna's lips twitch is what could be construed as satisfaction.

"...I want to learn what you have to teach and you can start now. Teach me how to get justice for those people that were just killed."

Luna's lips turn upward into a full smile of satisfaction. "Delighted to," she agrees.


For most people it's probably impossible to imagine why anyone can just kill a bunch of students in cold blood. For the majority of the men responsible here they treat it like a profession. It's nothing personal. It's just their job.

Of course there is always one or two who get a sick, twisted pleasure out of the act. Committing murder and other atrocious acts...but we'll get back to that.

First off there is the couple of so-called police guarding the bus. They'll need to dispose of this in a way it can't be linked to them. That is what they are discussing when all of a sudden the wind picks up. The bus they are standing next to rocks from side to side, more and more violently.

They really should get away from it.

They don't.

At least not in time as it rocks over, crushing them underneath.

That one was courtesy of Luna.

As for Wanda...well she didn't do anything to stop it now did she. She stands next to Luna, her gaze hard. If she could see her reflection it would shock her how like her father her expression is. It's the one he wears when he's crushing those humans who stand in his way.

Luna waits...almost as if wishing to see how Wanda reacts to what she did. Huh...no moralising, no 'Oh god you've gone too far!'. Seems like her lesson has achieved what she desired so far. She wonders how far she can push Wanda here…

"You want a turn?" she queries.

Wanda nods and steps forward. Most of the men are still off the road chasing down the students. Wanda is going to make them sorry they were ever born.

Luna watches on with a mixture of emotions. Wanda is pretty vindictive when she wants to be. Luna is so proud. However there is a less than fatal modus operandi coming from the mutant witch. She thoroughly attacks her opponents and Luna doubts some of them will ever have proper bladder function again but Wanda doesn't step over that final line.

Anyway Luna makes sure Wanda's undeserved mercy doesn't backfire on them by using her superior magic and experience to watch Wanda's back. Doesn't want her favourite student killed now does she. Secretly she's hoping for something that will push Wanda over the edge.

Well remember that mention of those particularly disturbed people.

What else can you call someone you find mutilating the face of a dead girl...who couldn't possibly be that much older than Wanda herself is.

It's only seconds later bones are being broken and screams of pain show Wanda is seriously close to crossing the line.

For Luna this is like Christmas come early. This is exactly the sort of person she needs to push Wanda that final step. "Do you want to know why?" she asks Wanda. "Why he would do this?" she continues, nodding her head at the prone form of the man.

Does she? Wanda is edging towards she doesn't want to know how a mind like this works.

Sadly Luna takes the decision out of her hands as she casts a spell that allows both she and Wanda to peer inside the man's mind.

The fact the result causes Wanda to throw up gives you only a tiny impression of how horrid and twisted it is.

Luna bends down and rubs Wanda's back in soothing circles. "Tell me Wanda does a man like this deserve that precious gift of life?"

If she had more time to think on it and not given her first instinctual response she probably wouldn't have shaken her head and said, in barely a whisper, "N-no."

All that is missing now from Luna is the Monty Burns-esque 'Excellent!'. Luna brings her mouth to Wanda's ear. "Let me show you a trick. How to bring justice and how to strengthen your own power at the same time." She raises her hand and levitates the man to bring him near. Luna's smile is now positively malevolent, a glimpse of her true face under the façade. "In time I'll teach you how to do this yourself but for now let me give you a freebie," she says vaguely, not giving any explanation.

Wanda only has a moment to frown before her teacher begins chanting a spell Wanda has never heard before but she can sense immediately one thing. Whatever spell it is, it is dark.

The man cries out in pain as his life energy is torn from his body and it rushes into Wanda…


At the Institute…

Jean is getting back late from college. She was having a study group. It was nice to her that she had managed to make some new friends outside the madhouse that is the X-Men.

Make no mistake she loves them all but you can't help but acknowledge the madness that is their lives.

So new friends; good.

And no, there was no 'hot college guy' as Betsy loved to press her on.

As if Jean needs that drama in her life. Plus she's not exactly lucky with men now is she.

Duncan was just a jerk. And a racist one against mutants as it turned out.

Scott had basically left her for Emma. Oh he may argue that point but why did they break-up? Because Scott kept taking Emma's side over Jean's. Kept taking the side of a conniving, manipulative cow over the woman who was both his best friend and his girlfriend. But you know what Jean let the anger go. She chose to be the bigger person and that has allowed, at least, her and Scott to remains friends. But she is totally entitled to say 'I told you so' when Emma's true colours come out.

After Scott the closest thing Jean has had to a relationship was whatever those few days AC was around count as. Of course whatever secrets he had meant she hadn't seen nor heard from him since. Had no clue where he was.

And don't get her started on frustration personified that is Clark. Yes, she may have very briefly had a flicker of interest beyond friendship but that was snuffed out almost as soon as it appeared by Clark's infuriating inability to show his true self. Not to mention his non-apology as Jean sees it.

Besides Clark's moved on hasn't he. Dating Illyana who is as much a mystery and secretive as Clark himself is. Obviously made for each other.

Anyway it's late and she needs her bed.

Jean is walking up the steps to the front door when a scarlet portal open up in front of her and dropping out of it is Wanda….who lands in a heap.

Jean helps Wanda up...and is shocked by the brunette's appearance. Her hair is a mess, her eyes are bloodshot, her pupils wide and dark rimmed and her eyes are darting about wildly in a face that has a shining sheen of sweat. And Jean can feel Wanda is physically shaking in her grip. "Wanda...are you ok?"

"Of course I'm ok. Why wouldn't I be ok?" Wanda snaps off rapidly.

"Uh...well you look a mess...no offence."

"Oh boo hoo! I'm not as perfect looking as Jean Grey," Wanda rattles off sarcastically, her speech still rapid. "Get off my case!" she snaps as she pulls herself away from Jean and storms off.

Uhhh...ok. That was weird. Wanda's always been a bit short when she's in a bad mood but that wasn't this. This was...Jean isn't sure what this was.

'Ok. Is she ok? What a stupid question?!' are a few of the thoughts going through Wanda's head. Is she ok? She just absorbed the life force of another human being and you want to know what that felt like?

Flashback...

The man's life force rushes into Wanda and his screams of pain are matched by screams of her own. Only her screams are not of pain but of ecstasy.

The rush, the power...she has never felt anything this exquisitely good in her life. Her whole body seems alive in rolling waves of pleasure.

It seems to last forever but is over all too soon at the same time.

Wanda drops to her knees, breathing hard, sweat dripping off her face. The fact a man just died is the furthest thing from her mind right now.

"Was it good for you?" Luna's seductive voice asks.

Wanda can't from words so just nods.

"This is only the beginning I can assure you. The first time can be a little overwhelming. With practice you can learn to appreciate it. Like a fine wine you can appreciate the subtle differences in taste and flavour from person to person. And of course a wonderful benefit is the strengthening of your powers. You can probably feel it just how strong you are now."

All Wanda feels like is that she flying on clouds, able to do anything.

"Abandon Strange's ways completely and you can have this feeling, this power all the time. Would you like that?"

"Y-yes," Wanda moans in pleasure at the thought.

Luna smiles darkly. "Yes," she says, more to herself than anyone else. "You are the one Wanda. The one I have been looking for a long, long time. When you're ready, together, you and I...we will become Gods," she vows, practically orgasmic in that declaration.

The present…

Gods? Had she really said that?

Wanda can't remember. Her mind is a bit of a mess. All she does know is that the high she is on is already wearing off and she really needs Luna to teach her how to do that trick herself.

Don't get her wrong. She's not going to go around just killing people.

Only the ones that deserve it.

Whatever it takes to ensure she can keep feeling like this.


Author's Note: Oh Wanda, Wanda, Wanda, what are we going to do with you. And Luna's mask almost slips away completely. Clark's relationship never run smoothly do they. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; Hellfire Burns Eternal part 3 as Clark finally notices Wanda's weird behaviour and we catch up with a certain Tess Mercer.