A/N: Sorry it took so long. Don't hurt me! ::hides::


---------------------------------------------


Mystique suggested that I either tie the warriors down or lock them up. The mansion
contained a few jail cell units in the basement, so I shimmered them down there. They
were still unconscious. I asked Mystique why I should lock them up like that. She told me
that they would still be loyal to Magneto, having been trained to be loyal since they could
remember. He was their God in all sense of the word.


I left her to stand guard, while I went to the roof. I let the darkness blanket me. I prayed to
the God and Goddess that Logan received my message. But even if he did, he would not
make it in time. I had to free the others as soon as I possible could, or who knows what
would happen to them. From what I have heard of Magneto, and with my brother, I feared
the worst. That is why I vanished into the night. I let myself become one of the shadows. I
only hoped that I could find them, before it was too late.


---------------------------------


(third person POV)


Scott awoke, his mind groggy, and at first he had no idea what had happened. Then the
memories flooded back, so fast that it made his head hurt even more. He tried to sit up,
and found it painful. But he somehow managed it. It was then that he noticed Lance
sitting in the corner, staring off into space.


"Did everyone make it?" He asked him. Lance made no response. "Alvers?"


"Everyone's alive, but for how long I don't know." Lance finally answered, looking up at
him.


"I can't believe we lost." Scott said, more to himself than to his rival/ally.


"Yeah, it's amazing what get you can get used to." Lance growled.


"And what is that supposed to mean?" Scott growled back.


"What do ya think it means, Shades?" Lance said Scott's nickname like it was the most
disgusting thing in the world.


"Well, if would have been smart and joined the X-Men! Oh, that's right, I forgot, ya have
to have a brain to have intelligence!"


"My, my! Comrades fighting? Tsk tsk tsk...." A new voice said. They looked up through
the bars of their cell to a face that at first looked like Jeriko. But no, it wasn't. It had to be
Kiro, with golden blonde hair and deep sapphire eyes, standing before them.


"Where is Jeriko?!" Lance demanded.


"Hmmm... to quote your Christian Bible, 'I know not. Am I my brother's keeper?' " Kiro
grinned and laughed lightly to himself. "But my brother should be the least of your
worries. I cannot wait until Magneto finished his preparations. He has big plans for the
likes of all of you."


"How can it be that someone like Jeriko has the Devil for his brother?" Scott spat out.


"I know very little of your Devil. He sounds.... interesting. Perhaps one of these days I
shall have the honor of meeting him. Until then, I will have to settle for.... what is it they
say? Oh yes, the Devil's advocate." He pretended to glance at his watch. "Oh my, look at
the TIME! I have spent my spell here. I must bid you farewell!"


As he disappeared in a hail of lights, Lance was thinking to himself.... ~What a strange
way to say goodbye. Must be a Gaelic thing.~


---------------------------------------


I slipped through the shadows, seeing everything and yet nothing. I searched and I
searched with my senses, for any sign of where Magneto might be. He wouldn't be at
where he had been, for that was too obvious. Or was it? I had a feeling that he counted
upon whoever was left to be blind to the obvious. Or he thought that there was no one
left. Which was true. Mystique was in no shape to fight, and I couldn't count on the
warriors. I don't know if Logan received my message, so I couldn't depend on him either.
I was truly alone.


But I was used to alone. And it was here in the night that soared. The night was the
kingdom, and I was the king. I ruled the darkness. So I fled among shadows to the town
where Mystique's signature had shown up. She swore she was with Magneto, so he
would've been there as well. I just prayed that I guessed right.


-----------------------------------


I was in luck. When I reached the town, I noticed a small abandoned castle. It was no
more than a mansion shaped as a castle, and those were fairly common among New
England from what I had read on castles back home in Ireland.


As I hid among the shadows, I searched for guards or warriors. I found none on the
outside, and slowly made my way through the shadows deep inside. I kept my senses alert
for anything. I picked up nothing on the first, second, or third floors. But I did feel
something, that seemed to be coming from below the floor. I slipped around as silently as
a owl waiting to fly in for the kill. I finally found a staircase that led down.


Down, down, down I went. Finally, the stairs stopped. It was completely dark. I walked
out into the middle of the darkness. A major mistake. I felt a stab of something into my
back. Witch fire, no doubt. The last face I saw was Kiro, before I blacked out completely.


-------------------------------------


Lance and Scott were still the only ones awake when a few of Magneto's warriors threw a
unconscious Jeriko in. Jeriko stirred, but didn't awake until a few minutes later. When he
did he jumped up and tried to shimmer out of the bars, but found that he could not. (Like
Kurt in Middleverse.) They heard him curse in Gaelic.


"At least we know you're alive." Scott said, sighing, trying to deal with his pain. He had
been burned in the side, and it felt like it was still burning.


"What good that be?" Jeriko muttered, checking the bars out. "Protected."


"What?" Lance asked, confused.


"The bars. They be protected by spell. Cannot get out. Powers no help." He explained.
"How be everyone?"


"We're alive." Scott said, giving a hidden side glance to Lance. Lance did likewise, but
his wasn't hidden.


"No time to fight." Jeriko said, and went back to the bars. It also made Lance remember
what Kiro had said. (It's been a few hours since the Kiro incident.)


"Kiro... He said something strange while he was here...." Lance said. Jeriko eyes widened
and he nodded, encouraging Lance. "He said 'Oh my, look at the TIME! I have spent my
spell here.' He really emphasized 'time'."


"Oooo, big word, Alvers." Scott said.


"Shut up Summers." Lance said. Scott started to reply, but Jeriko interrupted him.


"Take advice!" Jeriko said. Lance laughed, and Jeriko turned to him. "Ye to, Lance!"





Lance is right, that is strange. 'TIME.... spent spell here.....' I wonder. Did he leave a
clue? If so, why? And why would there be a time spell here? I sense no spell, although it
could be hidden. But still, why? What would be the use? But perhaps it is best that I
try.....


*Hidden among the seeing
Spell spoken here
Bring forth your true meaning
To this truth you must adhere....*



Nothing presented itself, nothing that I didn't already know. Many spells had been woven
here, and their strength outweighed my own. Kiro had meant something by 'time' and
'spell spent here', of that I was sure. But what? And how much time did I have left?