Ritual

The Morlock leads them down the Alley, this time not full of activity, but numerous mirrors. They come to the end where they find all the remaining Morlocks gathered on each side of the tunnel, with Callisto standing between wearing a white tunic and holding a book. "The Ceremony of Light is the holiest of Morlock traditions," she begins as she turns to the various Morlocks. "When we were taken to the Hill, it was our darkest hour, rife with death and pain. We fought each other to survive, and escaped only by becoming cold-blooded killers. Thanks be to Storm, for she came to the Hill and freed us of our painful prison, and made the demon possessed Mikhail send us back."

Callisto pauses for a moment as all the Morlocks whisper, "Thanks be to Storm."

"But the demon lied, for not all the Morlocks were sent back to our world!" Callisto yells. "Tonight we are to fix the lies and mistakes of our past, by saving those that were left behind. Tonight I will go back to the Hill and save our brethren!" At her last words the Morlocks break into a loud cheer that echoes off the tunnel walls. "Tonight!" Callisto continues and pauses for a moment as the cheers die down, "Tonight I know my cause is true, for one of the X-Men who tried to save us in the past has come back to us in the form of a priest!" The cheers begin again, but Callisto quickly cuts them off. "This ceremony can only last for a short time, as the setting sun reflects off the mirrors placed in the Alley. When the sun sets completely, the gate will close." Callisto holds up the book in her hand and says, " That is why Nightcrawler will be reading from our book, so that those on the other side may here our call. Your voices shall join with his, and reach across dimensions to help me bring our children home!" Callisto walks up to the momentarily stunned Kurt and hands him the book. "We believe in you, Nightcrawler." Callisto turns again to the rest of the Morlocks. "Remember! Anything could be on the other side, so I want no one to come in after me. After the ceremony starts, we must keep it going till the end, for anyone left alive cannot wait the whole year it would take to conduct the ceremony again, for they would age 50 years! Places now!"

Callisto turns to face the end of the alley as the rest of the Morlocks gather to the sides of the tunnel and hold hands. Romana catches a flicker of light out of the corner of her eye and turns to the rest of the tunnel. She sees the flicker again in the distance, and then closer again, till with a sudden woosh a tidal wave of light washes over them. Romana covers her eyes and turns back to Callisto, to see the outline of a doorway beginning to form in the Alley wall. Callisto raises her hands and begins to chant:
Slender beams of light enter

this darkened prison as I kneel,

always lost, always alone,

frozen here,

waiting.

Accusing forms wrought in panes of glass loom as

dust dances in the air,

forming an image in my mind,

searing my darkened soul.

A reflection on a clock's face.

I raise my head, now defying

this uncaring darkness.
Not as wrapped in the ceremony as the others, Romana flinches as she hears what sounds like a fire alarm in the distance, coupled with a spine- wrenching scream. Romana heads back towards the tunnels, and she is nearly barreled over by Sally, who comes racing out of a tunnel at full speed. She careens into the wall of the tunnel, collapses to the ground, and drops her force shield. Romana runs to Sally and kneels in front of her to see if she's okay.
"Attacked.some woman in black is killing the guards." Sally gasps out.
--No! Not Selene again!- Romana looks around desperately, but she knows that the ceremony has started.-No one here can stand up to Selene, and she will kill them all to get to me.Callisto is willing to sacrifice her life for her family-Romana looks around at the Morlocks and smiles as her eyes fall on Kurt-How could I do any less for the ones I love?-
"This has to end!" Romana tells herself. She runs to Kurt and grabs him in a desperate kiss. "Have faith in me," she pleads and runs off to the tunnels to face Selene alone.
Still in shock, Kurt stares at Romana running down the tunnel. "Romana..vas are you doing? Romana!" he yells. He takes a step to follow her, but he is halted when one of the Morlocks grabs his arm and hisses, "The ceremony!"
--I vanted to feel needed, to be able to help people.but now I am forced to choose between a people who are counting on me to help their family, und a woman zat frightens me with how much I feel for her.Gott im himmell!-Kurt closes his eyes tight and turns back to the ceremony. -I have faith in you, Romana. I only pray zat it's enough.--
----- Romana runs down the twisting tunnels with one of the Morlock children's skateboards under her arm, a desperate plan forming in her mind. --I haven't waited this long to find you Kurt, only to stop now!-- "Selene! Come and get me, you bloodless bitch!" she yells into the dark, her taunt echoing off the dank tunnel walls.

Out of the darkness an emaciated body falls to the ground like a rag doll. "I can hear you, my sweet. No need to yell." Selene steps into the dim light at the other end of the tunnel, her eyes aglow with the life force freshly stolen from the ill fated Morlock. "You realize I am going to have to make this painful since you made me come down here. You know how much I despise the sewers." She wipes her hands in disgust.

"I had to make it interesting for you, Selene. I wouldn't want you to get bored." Romana says with a smirk as she clenches her fist, her nails digging into the soft skin of her palm. -Keep it together! Get her to follow you!- "But then, you couldn't pay attention if you won the lottery! And what about those heels? I could walk through quicksand and you still wouldn't catch up to me, you common-place, everyday, plain, OLD HAG!" she finishes in a scream.

Selene's face twists in anger, her nostrils flaring and her eyes aflame with a red glow. Her fingers curve like claws as she shakes them in the air and yells, "COMMON?? OLD?? I will kill you with my own hands and drive my heels through your skull, you pathetic skin sack! Arrggghh!"

--That's it-

"Come and get me." Romana says calmly and runs down the tunnel, the sounds of Selene's boots clicking after her.

----

"Nightcrawler!" Callisto yells out. "Call them!"

With a jolt Kurt remembers his purpose and starts to recite the words from the book, hoping in his heart that Callisto's faith in her Morlocks won't get them all killed by what he fears lie beyond. -That place was warped by Mikhail's powers and the energy being that possessed him for so long.who knows what could be there now?-

" The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me
lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet
waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of
righteousness For His name's sake. Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil,
for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort
me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my
enemies; you have anointed my head with oil; my cup
overflows. Surely goodness and kindness will follow me all
the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the
LORD forever. "

Kurt repeats the words again, and the rest of the Morlocks join with him. Their voices rise with the words as Callisto walks toward the portal, when suddenly there is a shattering of wood as Romana flies out of one of the blocked off higher tunnels crouched on a skateboard. She grabs the nose and lifts up, steering it to the best of her ability over everyone and towards the portal. "NEIN!" Kurt screams as he realizes Romana's plan. Selene flies out of the tunnel after her and tackles Romana about her waist; Romana grabs hold of Selene with an iron grip and a sad but satisfied smile as the momentum of them both sends them flying through the portal and into the unknown.