Author's Note**
Alright, since we're so close to the end, I'm going to refrain from posting until I have the whole story finished. Shouldn't take me longer than a couple days. I want to go out with a bang after all. Oh, and my old English is a little rusty.
"He's definitely out cold," Cyclops stated after flipping Wolverine onto his back. Seeing the wolfish man unconscious was something new to the X-team, who had become accustom to him simply getting up no matter how much punishment he took. Just goes to show that we aren't cartoon characters, Cyclops thought grimly.
A few yards away Gambit straightened and brushed his hair back from his lean face. "'Dis one out, too," he said, motioning down towards the motionless form of the Blob. He cast his gaze over towards Rogue, impressed at how easily she had taken out the large boy, however mistakenly it may have been. "Some touch you got 'dere cherie."
"That's what they all say." She glanced around at the figures that were still standing. "Is everyone else alright?"
There were a few moments of quiet while everyone shifted and looked over each other. Shadowcat was the first to notice that they were missing someone. "Like, where's Kurt?" she asked, not noticing the furry blue elf in the small crowd.
"He was right next to me where it started," Jean recalled once everyone else had confirmed that Nightcrawler was no where around. They weren't kept in the dark for very long. Not more than a few seconds after Jean had spoken, he teleported in with his usual sulfuric cloud. His eyes were large and he remained extremely still, as if he were afraid to move an inch.
"Vow, dat vas really veird," were the words that came tumbling out of his mouth.
"What happened to you?" Cyclops asked, turning away from the limp body of Wolverine. Nightcrawler shrugged and ran one three fingered hand through his hair.
"I don't know. I teleported, thinking I vould catch Vanda off guard. The next thing I knew, I vas . . . stuck. Not here and not there. Very strange." He shuddered. "I don't vant to talk about it. I don't vant to think about it."
Frowning, Rogue lifted one hand to her brow to shade her eyes from the bright sun as she looked off towards the cliffs they had been heading towards. "Well, now wha' are we sup'ose to do?"
A blast of wind tore through suddenly, kicking up a small dust storm that lasted for about thirty seconds. When it died down, Cyclops stood staring at those same cliffs, striking as heroic of a pose as he could manage. He clenched his jaw and puffed out his chest, figuring it would make him look even manlier than he already did.
"We go after Mesmero. We've got to stop this Apocalypse," he said, going for a bold and brave tone. Unfortunately, he just sounded like Scott Summers, uninspirational leader. A few feet away Jean rolled her eyes and muttered under her breath,
"So says the boy who wanted to make sandcastles."
Gambit leaned on his Bo, more than ready to use it. The little confrontation with Wanda had fired up his blood; now he wanted a chance to unleash it on something. Didn't matter much who or what that something was. Still, it wouldn't look good to be too gun-ho for optic boy's plan. He had a reputation to uphold.
"An' wha' do we do with 'dese fellas, garçon (boy)?" he drawled, motioning with one hand towards the two fallen mutants. Cyclops considered the question for a moment.
"We'll have to leave them in the oasis and come back from them later," he answered finally. Rogue kneeled down next to Blob and raised an eyebrow.
"How are we sup'ose to get them over there? Wolverine won't be too hard, but this one is probably unmovable," she pointed out, tapping the larger boy's shoulder.
"You've drained him. You'll be able to lift and carry him."
She rolled her eyes at their fearless leader. "How 'bout ya lift and carry him and Ah'll be the big bad gal in charge?"
Cyclops stepped forward. "Are you calling me a girl?"
"No, Ah'd neva insult mah gender like that."
"Oh for crying out loud, you two!" Throwing her hands up in exasperation, Jean used her formidable mind powers to lift both the Blob and Wolverine off the ground and float them over to the shade of the oasis. She set them both down gently, and then turned on first Cyclops and then Rogue.
"For once in your life Scott, don't be such a cry baby! And Rogue, why the hell can't you just do something when someone asks you to?"
Rogue shrugged and grinned. "Because Ah know that if Ah bitch enough, you'll flip out and do it for me and save me the trouble. Now, are we gonna go kick some ass or stand around here and bake like Christmas cookies?" she replied, starting off towards the cliffs on the horizon. Everyone stared after her, still and silent. Then a low, long chuckle sounded. Shaking his head, Gambit started after her using his Bo as a walking stick.
"De cherie shore gots a way of speakin'," he said out loud as he passed through the group. Gambit think he might be in love.
One by one, the others followed knowing there wasn't any other option. Any threat to the world had to be challenged, no matter what the cost. No matter how many they had to leave behind.
*****************************************
While the X-men and their companions were making their way across the desert towards the mountain side, the greatest evil that the world could ever know was waiting for them. Free after several thousand years of imprisonment, the massive mutant was content in knowing that soon enough all would be within his grasp or crushed beneath his heel. He was not angered by his captivity; what does time mean to one who was immortal? Those years he had passed in darkness had given him ample time to construct his plans. First were those that would bring the world to its knees before him. And then there were those plans to carry out once mankind, as well as mutantkind, had been enslaved.
Beside the one ancient people had dubbed Apocalypse stood his general, his silvery skin reflecting even within the darkness of the cave. There was impatience brewing within his body, though he was no longer ailed by the passage of time. But he had once been human, and some things are impossible to strip away.
"Be still, Essex. The beating of thy heart is bothersome in mine ears."
Sinister turned his beady black eyes on his monstrous master and could not stop the trembling. Not far from them lay the still form of the mutant Mesmero. It had been his life force that had been the third and final key, a fact that Apocalypse had not mentioned in his dealings with him. And Mesmero had realized it just a moment or so too late to save himself and the world. Sinister did not want to think about what his master would do if he were to find out his servant was plotting to destroy him and claim all as his own.
"These are strong mutants," he began, his throat dry, "and I-"
"And thy believest that they shalt destroy me. Why shouldst that concern thee, Sinister? Is that not thine own intention?" Apocalypse interrupted, bringing his burning gaze down onto his servant. The trembling pleased him; the treachery was of no concern. Sinister was spineless and weak. Gods do not fear the mortals they toy with. So, ignoring the sputtering protests of the man once known as Nathaniel Essex, he commanded,
"Gather to me mine horseman."
***************************************************
It didn't take very long for them to reach the mountain side. Once there though, the true difficulty of their task was revealed to them. Littering the cliffs were hundreds and perhaps thousands of caves, each one looking nearly identical to the other. There was absolutely no way of knowing which one Mesmero and his master were hiding in.
"Like, how are we supposed to find them now? We can't possibly search every single cave. That would like take forever!" Shadowcat exclaimed, staring up and feeling a tad bit disheartened. She had not appreciated the trek over the shifting sands of dirt and she was not going to appreciate trekking through hundreds of dirty damp caves either. She had however, appreciated walking behind Colossus and checking out his fine ass. That boy had one tight booty!
Cyclops scanned the surrounded area, feeling every bit as daunted as Shadowcat. "We could break up into groups," he suggested in a tone that suggested he didn't even think that was a good idea. Nightcrawler perched himself up on a nearby boulder to get a better view and he shook his head.
"Ve are already less than Irene said. I vonder if that vill count against us?"
Standing next to Rogue, Gambit stared up and let out a quiet whistle. "C'est impossible, cherie," he murmured so the others couldn't hear him. Not that they were paying much attention anyway. "'Dere is no way we'd get to all 'dem caves. We'd need a miracle."
He had only half her attention though. Her sharp green eyes had caught onto a sight that had her lips curving slightly. "Nah. We just need some luck, that's all. Do ya believe in luck, Gambit?" she asked mysteriously.
"Now 'dat be a silly question to ask a thief, cherie. Whatchu playin' at?"
In response, she lifted her arm up and pointed with one finger to a cave about midway up the side of the mountain. "That's the cave we want," she said. "That's the one."
Gambit took hold of her arm when she began to climb and tugged until she faced him. "How do you know 'dat?"
She smiled and shook free. "Ah'm a good guesser. Get the others, will ya?" And with that she started up while he stood staring at her stupidly. Shaking his head, hell if she didn't confuse the hell out of him, he called back to the others and started up after her, picking his way over the path that was barely a path.
Halfway up the mountain side, sitting on a ledge outside of a cave that looked like any other cave, was a long necked vulture that looked like any other vulture. Save for one thing.
Bright yellow eyes.