Having lost none of his innate grace, the mutant formerly known as Angel sidestepped the blast with ease and took to the air with one powerful thrust of his new wings. Small, feather like objects shot out from them, whipping past Rogue into the group of twelve and sending X-men and others scattering to avoid them. The other three horsemen came charging in after them, just as ready and willing to do as much damage as they could possibly manage.
One of Death's feather projectiles screamed its way towards Shadowcat and, closing her eyes, she let it pass through her as she had so many times before. It entered and exited without any visible damage but right away she knew that something was wrong. Something was very wrong. Her chest was suddenly filled with an itching fire that spread into her arms and down into her stomach and legs. Her throat went terribly dry and, gagging, she dropped to her knees feeling as if she was choking on the very air she was trying to draw in. The muscles in her body gave a spastic jerk and she fell forward.
Avalanche saw her fall and despite his earlier attempts at forgetting about her, anger flared up inside him as it never had before. Clenching his fists and growling in what would have been a fair imitation of Wolverine, his eyes rolled back and he set the earth to shaking, not caring if he brought the whole goddamn mountain down on top of them all. He wasn't the only one who noticed that Shadowcat had been hurt. With his metal skin sliding into place, Colossus stormed forward over the trembling ground, his sights set on bringing Death down from the sky. His way however was block by the man on the metal horse. With one large hand Colossus reached out to pull War down from his beast, irritated that he had gotten in his path. Grinning gleefully, War dropped his reins, drew his arms back and brought his hands together with a tremendous clash that sent Colossus hurling backwards into the side of the mountain wall. The Russian blasted through rock and did not reemerge.
Bits of stone began to fall from the ceiling and walls as Avalanche continued to shake the earth. The quake abruptly was ended when a hand was pressed against the side of his face. From where the five fingers had touched, fever spread throughout him. Releasing his control of the earthquake, he stumbled to the side as sickness overtook him. Nightcrawler saw the old crone bearing down on Avalanche and teleported over, wrapping his arms around her and dragging her backwards. She merely reached out and grabbed one of his hands, sending disease spiraling into him as well. He fell.
Cyclops had the answer for her. Lifting a hand to his visor, he hit her with a full blast, hoping that he wasn't going to go to help for mowing down an old woman. One down, three to go, he thought, turning to take a quick survey of the battlefield. They had already lost four, which brought the odds down to eight against three. Make that seven against three, he added as he watched Toad be blasted off by one of War's concussive blasts. No, six against three. Mystique joined him. Five. Pyro went next.
Closer to the open doorway, Rogue grappled with Famine, careful not to let the younger girl touch her skin. From the way she was reaching out with her stick like fingers, Rogue gathered that would be a bad thing. If she wasn't in very real danger of being killed, she might have laughed at the irony. Most people didn't want to touch her. Finally, when she got the girl's arm held far apart, she blasted her with Cyclops' eye beam and sent her flying backwards through the doorway. She was really starting to like that little ability. From above her she heard the beat of wings and as soon as she looked up, she felt a sharp pinch at her neck. Reaching up she pulled one of Death's feathers from her skin and swooned as its poison raced through her. Shadowcat had only caught a mild dose of it when it had passed through her; Rogue unfortunately caught the full blast.
Wolverine and Gambit were taking care of War when she dropped like a bag of stones to the ground. Swiping with one claw, Wolverine took the front two legs of the horse clear off, throwing the man forward. He started towards him, intent on finishing him himself when he saw Rogue lying still. Instantly he changed directions, calling over his shoulder to the young Cajun,
"Finish him Gumbo."
More the willing, Gambit tipped his hand and made the Ace of Spades appear between his fingers. "My pleasure," he replied offhandedly before idly tossing the charged card. He had already turned in the direction Wolverine had headed when it exploded, effectively ending War's conquest then and there. It didn't take Gambit very long to see Rogue as well and the sight was like a clamp over his heart. Panicked, a completely foreign emotion to him, he rushed over to her in time to see Wolverine tugging off one of her gloves.
"Que faites-vous?" (What are you doing?)
"She's been poisoned. And I don't speak french kid," Wolverine snarled in response, tossing the glove aside. But Gambit did not need to translate his question; the answer was obvious enough. Wolverine lifted Rogue's limp hand and pressed it against his face, stiffening as she drained him, even in her semi-unconscious state.
Gambit didn't wait to see the conclusion. Eyes burning, he turned in search of Death, one thought clear in his mind. The razor winged mutant was engaged with Cyclops and as Gambit approached, he tossed the X-man aside as if he were little more than a doll. Cyclops hit the wall and fell silent. Ready to vanquish his next foe Death launched himself back into the air and found Gambit, no longer smiling his customary smile.
"You in trouble now, oiseau," the Cajun said, his smooth voice filled to the brim with his anger. Death did not think much of the threat, nor of the exploding cards that came his way. He dodged them all easily.
"You'll have to do better than that," he taunted. Glaring at the flying mutant, Gambit felt frustration and anger boil together and something clicked in the back of his head, like a key turning in a lock. His entire body began to tingle and he could hear the hum of the air around him.
Flapping his wings, Death was unaware that a significant change was taking place in his adversary. He took notice though, when the very air around him began to explode, stealing his flight from him and sending him spiraling towards the ground. At the last minute though, Jean Grey reached out with her mind and caught him.
"His mind has been twisted. I can fix it," she said in response to the violent look Gambit sent her way. He shrugged, but it didn't make the feeling of violence inside of him go away. Now he REALLY wanted to bust something up. His blood was burning and he had to concentrate hard to keep from setting off explosions everywhere. Turning, he saw that Rogue was sitting up, pressing one hand to her forehead and looking worn but alive. That helped to settle him somewhat. He didn't get very long to enjoy it though.
Because the real big bad ass evil overlord made his appearance at that very moment. Coming through the doorway with lumbering, pounding footsteps, Apocalypse nearly reached the ceiling of the cave, some fifteen feet up. His beady eyes surveyed the battlefield, littered with fallen bodies. It didn't take him long to realize his four horsemen had all been defeated. Naturally. It was absolutely impossible to get good help those days. Hell it had ALWAYS been difficult to get good help. You always ended up with some screw up. But he had been hopeful this time. Oh well. He'd just have to take care of the remaining few himself and then go find himself some replacements. His gaze settled on Rogue and, lifting one giant hand, he shot a blast of energy towards her.
The minute Apocalypse had looked at her Gambit had started towards her reading the evil mutant's intention all the way. When the energy blast came barreling out, he was there in time to take it directly in the chest. It blew him onto his back. He gave one groan and then went still. Rogue stared down at him, hearing Irene's voice ringing in her ears,
"The Prince of Thieves shall sacrifice life for love and gain heaven in return."
"Oh well. At least I hit someone. Any last words, child, before thy meets thy doom?" Apocalypse asked, lifting his arm once more. His victory was close at hand and the possibility of defeat, especially defeat by a lone female mutant, never once crossed his mind. But then, he had never met the mutant called Rogue.
Slowly her eyes lifted to his and the strength of defiance in them surprised him. She rose gracefully to her feet and started forward until she stood no more than ten feet away from him and the doorway he stood in. There was no feeling of nervousness in her, even though she had only done what she was about to try once before, and she hadn't exactly been completely lucid then. But there wasn't anyone else left. Jean wouldn't be able to do it. It was up to her.
No one killed her man and got away with it.
"Yeah, Ah got some last words." She held her hands out to the sides of her and narrowed her eyes while Apocalypse looked upon her with curiosity. No one had ever spoken to him in the tone she was currently using. Perhaps she would be a worthy evil henchman. Before he could make the offer though, she gave him her answer.
"Kiss mah ass."
And then she proceeded to unleash several of her stored abilities on him at once. Cyclops' optic blast nailed him in the chest and combined with Storm's strong gusting winds, drove him backwards. She reached down and, with the strength she had stolen from Juggernaut, she pulled a huge rock from the ground. With a single thought, she charged it and then sent it flying towards the mutant who would enslave the earth. It connected with him and exploded in a blinding flash. Apocalypse was strong though, and it only sent him back a few steps. Those few steps were enough though. Clenching her fists, she slammed her foot down and set the earth in motion once more. Already loosened by Avalanche's previous attempt, the stone doorway began to give way.
Seeing his freedom escaping from, Apocalypse howled in frustration and charged towards the doorway he had been pushed back through. But Rogue fed the violent rumblings of the earth and brought down half the mountain on top of him. Dust and debris crashed over her, stinging her eyes and clogging her lungs. Once it settled though, there was no further stirring. Apocalypse had been entombed once more, hopefully forever this time.
Rubbing dust from her eyes, Rogue made her way back to where Wolverine and Gambit lay. Wolverine was just coming to his senses and Rogue moved to help him to his feet. She didn't notice though, that Wolverine had removed one of her gloves, and so when she wrapped it around his arm, she sent him straight back into the world of unconsciousness.
"Dammit," she muttered, setting him back down on the ground and waiting for the flash of dizziness to pass. When it did, she kneeled down beside Gambit and, with shaking fingers, reached out to check his pulse. His eyes fluttered open before she could and when he saw her looking over him, his lips twitched slightly and he coughed.
"Dis must be heaven, oui?"
Her smile was weak with relief; he was still alive. "Ah wouldn't exactly call it that, hero," she replied with fondness. He coughed again, harder this time.
"Oh yea," he said, when the spell had passed. "Gambit saved yore life. He must get some kinda reward den, non?"
"Shore thing. Anythin' ya want, swamp rat."
"Well, Gambit, he don't jus' want anythin'." Grimacing, he lifted himself up onto his elbows, despite her protests. "He wants a kiss from his cherie, an' he won't take nothin' less."
Shaking her head, and abruptly nervous, Rogue started to stand up. "Ah don't think that's such a good idea right now. Yer pretty busted up and we need ta get the others some help."
But Gambit caught hold of her gloved hand and pulled her down so that their faces were only inches away from each other. He waited a moment for her objection, and when she didn't give one, he tilted his chin up and pressed his lips to hers, bracing himself for the dragging sensation of having his life force pulled from him.
There was none, only the sweet, warmth of her mouth against his. He didn't question his good fortune (he never did), just took it and ran with it. And when they part some moments later, he laughed quietly at the confused and shock expression that was plastered across her beautiful face. It was the last thing he saw before he slipped into darkness.