Ahhh, the next to last chapter of this part of my three part fic. How.
kewl.
Well, for all those who've been reading, thanks a lot. It means a lot to me. Seriously.
For those of you who reviewed me. Thanks a million! I'm touched every time I'm reviewed. While I don't write only for reviews, they do inspire me to write more. Sort of a motivator when I'm feeling lazy.
Anyway. Here you go.
*~*
In Avalon
Scott stood in front of the closed door of the helicopter. It was a big one, with enough capacity for nearly a hundred people. Only twenty occupied it at the moment; eighteen humans, Galaire and himself. He looked over the mercenaries that Halfbane had provided him with. They were a hardy lot, used to fighting. Considering the world these days, Scott wasn't really surprised. What he did find amusing was the fact that these people had no idea that they weren't to live once Halfbane had achieved his goals. They still thought Galaire was Halfbane's assistant, the only one in the group who knew Destiny by sight. Of course, they didn't know that she was a mutant, at that an External, among the most powerful mutants. They suspected he was though; he even caught the mercenary leader looking at him quizzically at times, as though trying to place him. He had never seen the man before, though he had seen so many humans that it was irrelevant whether he had ever seen him before. The man probably saw him when he was High-Prelate or Prelate. The gauntlets and tube as well as two day beard growth probably put him off. He was also not in his normal armor; Halfbane had provided him newer armor. It was yellow in color, and much like his Prelate outfit, a band of armor crossing his chest diagonally right to left, to connect to large yellow shoulder armor, which connected to armor covering his bicep and finally his purple gauntlets. He still retained his purple boots. Like in his Prelate outfit, his right arm was bare except for the gauntlets. He wore a black colored polymer-fibre type of outfit under the armor.
Not as daunting as his High Prelate armor, but comfortable and familiar all the same. He uncrossed his arms and looked at Galaire. The woman wore the same type of clothes he had always seen her in. A low cut silky material made gown that came down to her legs. Beneath that she wore a blue silk blouse and leggings made of some material. She wore lightly armored boots though, with high heels. A strange outfit, but then she didn't need any protective armor. Even if she was traveling to the Antarctic. She wouldn't feel cold. She wore light blue glasses that hid her eyes minimally. She looked up to meet his gaze. He snorted softly and turned away to study the ground far below again. She had given a minimal impression of following his orders. Half the mercenaries had made comments about her that she had ignored. He didn't doubt she would exact a punishment sooner or later.
His thoughts turned to Jean. She was still somewhere north of him. If given a ship he could have gone straight to her, but he couldn't place her in latitudes and longitudes. He hoped she had gotten his message, and had convinced the X-men, or at least some of them. He wasn't naïve enough to believe the X-men would believe something he said. Half of them probably still thought it would be best to kill him off. Not that they would be half wrong he thought bitterly. His life was a joke, a life full of being manipulated. First Sinister, now Halfbane. He had vowed to himself the minute he realized Halfbane wanted to use him; he would kill Halfbane, and the rest of the Externals. That much he would see to before he died. He had long questioned himself about the cullings and the Infinite processing, as well as experiments Dark Beast carried out on 'flatscans'. At least the Dark Beast shouldn't be a problem. He doubted the creature had survived the beating Jean administered on him. It would have been enough to kill him in his armor, and even Colossus could do just enough damage with a single punch to dent it. He shook his head. Better not to dwell on the past, not with potential enemies surrounding him. He turned to stare at the mercenary leader. He had a leanly powerful build, with an eye patch over one eye. He wore military fatigues over a black vest. Russian military fatigues. It was possible that he had been in the old Russian army, and was a survivor of the united world's battle against Apocalypse. Now the only nations were Eurasia and Apocalypse's empire in North and Central America. The man spoke with a barely minimal Russian accent. He couldn't recall his name. He gave the mercenaries the commands, while he ordered him. It suited Scott.
Below the endless expanse of ocean finally became a solid sheet of white. The still hadn't reached Antarctica, but they had reached the ice shelf. Avalon should be a little over fifty miles to their south east now. He saw Galaire say something to the pilot, who nodded and changed direction. They were now headed for Avalon. Scott went over to the mercenaries.
"Do you all remember the plan?" The men spoke to each other in militaristic terms, but Scott tried to phrase his questions as basically as possible.
They all nodded. Scott nearly sighed. They barely ever spoke, except to themselves or to their commander.
"What's your name?" The commander turned to look at him.
"Call me Vazhin." Scott stared at him. Vazhin stared back meeting his gaze evenly. However he was staring slightly to the left of Scott's eyes. Scott nearly grinned. There were some small good points to having a visor. For example he had not been looking at Vazhin for a few seconds now, but the man still continued to look at where he believed Scott's eyes to be. Scott hadn't moved his face, so it seemed that he was also looking at him. It was childish. However he continued looking at others while pretending to look at him. He noticed one of the men turning the safety of his weapon on and off.
"Stop that. Be easy man, don't panic." The man looked startled. Even Vazhin looked startled. The man was to Scott's right. Scott let a grin touch his face slightly.
Galaire turned to him.
"Avalon lies ahead."
Scott turned and saw only mist. He peered into the mist trying to make head or tail of what was in there. As far as he could tell, only ice and snow lay ahead. However suddenly on Galaire's command the helicopter dropped. It kept on going down, more and more slowly. The men did not have Galaire's ability to sense the element of water around them, and could therefore not tell what was below them. Suddenly the mist cleared and Scott saw himself looking down at a plateau completely devoid of ice. To Scott it was all red, however he realized that after the ice it must be a whole panorama of color. The man stared silently in wonder. Scott heard Vazhin mutter an oath in Russian. He clapped his hands in a 'hut hut' fashion. The men rose quickly, slinging their weapons onto their shoulders and taking off their heavy jackets. Scott had told them to wear jungle suited fatigues, but they had insisted on bringing the jackets, now Vazhin threw his off angrily and pulled two rifles, slinging them onto his shoulders, putting a couple of handguns into his dual holsters strapped onto his ribs. He pulled out a machete and put it between his teeth.
Scott stared at him. He looked like a lunatic. Vazhin grinned at him, looking even more psychotic with the machete gripped between his teeth. The others all pulled on a rifle each and a handgun. A couple of laser Gatling guns were tied to parachutes and one large RPG. The mercenary's all jumped off one by one, Vazhin leading. Finally Scott jumped down, Galaire right behind. They were to land and secure a landing area for the helicopter. Scott landed as efficiently as the mercenary's and readied himself for any attack. The mercenary's were already working fast, the Gatling gun's were free and the RPG was nearly so. Vazhin led a team into the surrounding trees to scout for possible danger. Scott remained with twelve mercenaries. Galaire landed a little awkwardly, she would have preferred using her powers to summon a jet of water to help her land, but Halfbane had told her not to use her powers in front of them unless necessary. Scott figured necessary meant until she was in danger or she was to kill them, probably him included. That was his only advantage, as Galaire could probably kill him easily, he had never fought an External one on one, and if the External's he knew were anything to go by she had massive control over her power.
The helicopter landed and the pilots switched off the craft. It would be ready to take off any time it was necessary. The size of the thing and the sound it made meant that it must have been noticed. He figured it was only a matter of time till someone attacked them. Destiny would have some sort of protection. If not she was a fool, and from Scott knew about her she was anything but.
He could still feel Jean, however it was somehow dimmer. He could always tell where she was, however now he wasn't too sure whether she was to his north or south. It must have something to do with the protective mist above Avalon. He turned his gaze to the mutant haven. It didn't seem too much of a haven so far. Too many tree's and it was quite hot. However a wind blew and the sun did shine down. That meant that the mist wasn't everywhere. Unless it was some sort of strange phenomenon. He shrugged and continued to make a survey of the land around him.
x---------------- --------------x
Remy walked silently alongside two guards. They were escorting him to Sinister's laboratory, after a night spent with Candra. The guards must have been curious, however they were like Infinites, possessing of limited intelligence, however they still looked human. He figured Dark Beast or Sinister had tampered with their mind in some way. Already Sinister had figured out that he had some sort of block on his powers. He wondered what that was. He shook his head. He had been in the Tower for nearly a week now. He had to leave. The others would be worried and he hoped that they didn't get it into their heads to try and rescue him. The Tower would crush them easily, if the defenses he had seen were anything to go by. Both Candra and Sinister had laughed at the idea of the X-men attacking the Tower. Apart from two guards; the two with him right now, he had yet to see anyone else. He figured if he showed himself to the other External's they would probably crucify Sinister and Candra. He would probably end up dead, or sent to the Dark Beast for conversion, which he would rather die to avoid. He had seen what one visit to him had done to Jean. Then again perhaps the others knew about him anyway, and he would only be watched more strictly. Sinister and Candra kept him alive, and they knew it damn them.
He stepped into the laboratory and looked around warily.
No one was in the main laboratory, or in the second room where he was experimented upon. He still had no idea what Sinister did, except once he had used needles which had hurt like a bitch. He still pressed his hand to his head occasionally, just the mere memory of them enough to hurt. Candra had been amused and had taken great pleasure in pressing his head at odd intervals. She had once done it when he was. aghh, he didn't even want to remember that. He saw another door, partially open and went inside. The room was brightly lit and Sinister stood in front of a large glass chamber. Inside stood a boy, perhaps age sixteen or seventeen, completely naked, sleeping in what looked like water. Remy felt appalled. He could guess what that boy was. He was probably a clone of some sort.
"So Sinister, dis is how you get your kicks hein? Ye like young boys."
Sinister whirled around furiously. His hands were raised to attack whoever had dared to invade his sanctum. Well Remy didn't give a damn at the moment.
"Lebeau, I should have expected you. Disregard what is behind me. It is of no consequence."
Remy stared from him to the boy. The boy looked like someone he had seen before. Not him, he would have fainted dead away had he thought he was making clones of him.
"C'n ye explain, sil 'vous plait, what de fuck dat is?" Remy spat out the question. He didn't care if Sinister killed him now. He would make sure that the boy did not have to suffer the fate of being brought up by the likes of Sinister.
"Language Lebeau. Perhaps you need to suffer a little more."
He came forward and grasped his arm. Remy resisted for a second, and at Sinister's quirked brow let him drag him wherever Sinister wanted. Sinister was strong enough to drag him anyway. Sinister took off his dampener and put him in the chains. He couldn't use his powers, however he needed to find out some way to use the fraction of a second before Sinister manacled him and after he took off the dampener.
Then he felt a helmet fall over his head and a dark shade placed before his eyes.
"It's a pity you need to be taught a lesson Lebeau. I have only used this helmet against Scott when it was necessary for me to use it in order to develop his glasses and later his gauntlets. I could do away with the negative side effects, but it would take quite some time, and I find that the person who wears it is more, shall we say, amenable to my requirements."
Then Remy felt numbing pain flow through him as he felt every single hurt he had ever taken in one long moment. He screamed as memories came to the front of his mind. He could again see clearly the moment when Sinister threw Belladonna off the top of the assassins Guild building. He could feel the anger, despair and terror as he saw Belladonna fall. He relived seeing the bodies of Henri, Jean-Luc and Tante Mattie. He relived the horror of that night, again and again. He felt the horror and confusion as he realized he had killed a man, even if it was one of the enemies. He felt the shame and despair when he found out his friend was dead, dead because he couldn't stop to save her. He relived Rogue leaving him again; leaving him for a man he had considered a friend and mentor. He felt the deception and heartbreak again and again. He relived the feeling of realizing that he couldn't save Sarah's parents, as the Morlock community was hunted down and killed by the mutant unit he had joined. He remembered the shame and disgust he felt when he found the crying young child. The most horrible events of his life, they swept around him again, coming with increasing frequency, magnified by the pain he felt as every blow he had ever received came back. Bella dying; pain. Rogue leaving him; pain. His family's bodies, lying on the ground; pain. Sekhmet dying; pain. Finding Sarah next to her parents bodies, that he failed to save; pain.
Remy screamed his pain out for the world to hear, uncaring.
Sinister watched with a pleased smile on his face.
x-------------- ---------------x
Jean looked around her. The way was clear. They would take the new ship, the one made of plastic. Erik wouldn't be able to stop them that way. Sean was gliding slightly to the top right of her, in his uniform, they wouldn't be needing clothes where they were going. She was in her uniform as well. Behind her Logan walked quietly, Victor right next to him. Kurt was somewhere ahead, and Raven was literally a raven, sitting quietly watching the hangar. Nothing. She heard a small bamf sound, then saw Kurt standing next to the prototype, opening the door. He walked in and after a few seconds she saw him in the cockpit. They began to move quickly as Raven fluttered her wings, the signal to move.
They quickly boarded, just in time as they heard Raven caw and fly of her perch, swooping into the craft. She transformed and ran to help in the cockpit. Sean closed the door quickly. She heard the engine whine softly and then they were hovering above ground. She saw Erik running towards them from above, his face a mask of rage. Rogue ran behind him, his cape blocking any other. Both Rogue and Erik took to the air, Ororo standing behind, doing nothing. However they weren't fast enough. Erik tried to close the hangar doors quickly, but they had escaped, flying free into the air. Raven and Logan sat at the controls, not Kurt. Jean saw Erik staring at them from above the island in anger. Suddenly Logan grunted.
Jean glared at Erik. He was trying to hold them. Logan began to turn the craft back. His face was scrunched up in concentration. He was trying to fight, but it would be no use. Raven tried to counter, but hers was the co- pilot. Logan had the real controls. Jean placed her hands on her temple and tried to reach Erik. He wasn't wearing his helmet, which made it much easier. He tried to fight back, but Jean was well and truly angry now, and she was doing what she had to save the man she loved. She felt Erik's astral self cry out in agony as her psi-blast hit him. All of a sudden they were curving violently. Logan struggled to get control and then flew straight quickly. She saw Erik again try to grab Logan, but he couldn't. They were out of his range.
They flew on, Jean looking back as Muir Isle grew smaller and smaller, until it was only a speck, and then clouds swallowed it.
They had been flying for ten minutes now. Raven told them it was only a matter of about half an hour till they reached Avalon. They had to skirt much of Africa, as it was a mass of radioactive wasteland. Only Egypt, with its massive pyramids still stood. Once the war had begun Egypt had suddenly dissolved all contact with the Human High Council. Only a few years later did anyone find out that Egypt was still functioning, indeed the people there were fine. Apocalypse had left most of the area around the Sahara alone. East and North of Egypt everything was alright. It was only south and southwest that the land became barren, more so than the desert. Nothing survived in the wasteland that Africa had become, much like South America and Japan. The only country that had perhaps suffered a worse fate was France, which had been sunk into the sea. Central Asia was a dead land as well, only the area's around like what had been the Indo-Pak subcontinent, some of China, Iran, Turkey, the Middle East, the northern area's of Russia and the rest of Europe had survived becoming dead zones. The avengers had died in the centre of the dead land, the area becoming inhospitable due to the massive energies that had been released there. They were flying over what had been Madagascar. The dust clouds raised had not been so high there. The rest of Africa could not be traversed in any vehicle except a space one. Jean set her eyes forward. No time to dwell on the past now. She had felt Scott fade away inexplicably some time ago, just before they escaped. She could still feel him, but it was duller, and she couldn't tell where he was. She would have to rely on Raven's help to get to Avalon.
* Please Scott, be alive. *
x---------------------- -----x
The air was clearer in Avalon. There was the slight smell of sulphur, as though a volcano was close, but for the most part the air was a lot cleaner than anywhere else. It was. fresh. Scott looked around towards the camp. It had been set up in minimal time, leaving the men enough time to form small scouting parties and head off in different directions. Scott was with one of these parties, Galaire had stayed back at the camp. It would not have fitted with appearances if she had come with them. Scott could sense nothing; however there was always the niggling feeling that someone was watching him. He looked around again. He wasn't the only one. The other members in his scouting party looked around as well. This place was no haven. There was suspicion all around. It had taken a few minutes for the impression of natural untouched life to change. At first they had marveled it, now all of them, even the irascible commander were looking over their shoulders. None of them could shake the feeling of being watched, as though being hunted. The soft sound of rustling was the only warning.
Two shapes burst out of the bushes, snarling. Scott only had time to notice scaly skin, sharp fangs vicious claws before he had to leap aside for cover as three more darted in from the sides. One man fell under the first two animals, screaming as he was torn apart swiftly and mercilessly. The others all murmured curses before opening fire. Two of the. dinosaurs? Fell dead under the fire of the machine guns. The other three reached them. Scott quickly targeted them and let loose. Only one survived, part of its leg and side burned away. It fell on the ground and began screaming in pain and rage. The other two no longer had any heads. Scott's aim had been slightly off with the third. The men put down their weapons, staring at the prehistoric creatures come to life. Scott could hardly believe his own eyes. Scott quickly put the creature out of its misery. The others stared at him. More rustling was heard in the bushes and then Vazhin appeared with his team. His team lowered their rifles upon seeing the others. Vazhin looked at the bodies of the dinosaurs and then at the mercenaries. His mouth was slightly open in shock.
"What the hell are those? They look like. dinosaurs?" Vazhin laughed bitterly upon hearing what had happened.
"Fuckin' great. Just fucking great. Now dinosaurs. This isn't Avalon; this is some God-forsaken savage land."
"Get a hold of yourself, we need to move. The smell and sounds would carry to other beasts in the area. We don't want to face too many, especially in close quarters."
Scott turned back towards the camp, the mercenary's following behind. He kept a close eye out, and it was good that he did.
Before they had managed to get even halfway back to the camp ten more of the savage dinosaurs appeared. They took them down quickly, however two of the mercenary's fell before they could. They left the bodies. More were coming, they could sense it. They reached the camp, with the dinosaurs only scant minutes behind.
Galaire looked up as they arrived, closing her book calmly.
"What is it?"
Scott looked at her angrily.
"Are you sure this is Avalon?"
She merely raised her eyebrow at him.
"There are nearly a hundred Goddamn dinosaurs behind me, and they want to feed. If this is Avalon, then all the humans and mutants are probably dead."
Galaire sniffed contemptuously.
"All these men are supposed to be able to take on anything. Don't tell me a few hundred creatures scare you Cyclops?"
Scott glared at her, then turned to the mercenary's. They were already clearing the camp, under orders of Vazhin. The helicopter was starting up, the equipment hurriedly being packed in.
Galaire walked over to them imperiously.
"Take all of that out, we are staying here."
A mercenary looked at her in surprise. He only looked at her for a second before muttering "No fear," and running on.
Galaire looked on in anger. Her eyes narrowed and she walked over to Vazhin. Before she could speak a cry was heard, and then swarms of creatures came running into the plain.
The mercenary's ran as hard as they could towards the helicopter. Vazhin grabbed her arm and began dragging her to the helicopter. Scott had only time to wince at that before he turned his attention to the rapidly advancing dinosaurs.
He opened fire, blasting away at the dinosaurs indiscriminately, felling nearly ten of them at one go, blasting away their legs. He heard a smack and then saw Vazhin fall on the ground next to him. He turned his head slightly. Galaire stood there, her usually serene face twisted in rage. The willowy woman had never liked anyone touching her, least of all humans. Apart from her invulnerability she was fairly well trained in the fighting arts, a hobby of her and Candra's. She brushed her hands on her garments. Scott wasn't worried about Galaire; her invulnerability would keep her safe enough. It would take a lot to actually damage her. A strong enough blast of his optic blasts might hurt her enough to strike a fatal wound, but apart from that she would not be hurt by mere physical attacks.
Apparently she felt the need to use her powers great enough. Scott only felt the rush of water before a massive wave of water materialized in front of him, smashing into twenty oncoming dinosaurs. He only heard squeals when they were pulverized by the wave and the surrounding trees. He saw Vazhin look at her in shock. He tried to fight a grin. He quickly dispatched ten more dinosaurs.
"Dienonychus, one of the Dromaerosaurid family. Interesting to find them here. I wonder if they are strong as they are supposed to have been."
As Scott watched Galaire jumped in front of a Dienonychus. He could only gape in shock, next to him Vazhin still looked on.
The Dienonychus snarled at her and then sprung at her, the strength of his leap enough to knock them back, but Galaire did not fall. The vicious claws struck for her stomach, but they could not penetrate her skin. It would take adamantium for that. Vazhin began muttering next to him. Galaire managed to use the creature's claws to climb on its back. It began bucking, twisting its head trying to reach her. Scott turned his attention to three remaining Dienonychus, then turned back to Galaire. She had swirled a rope of water around its neck, and as soon as she got it in a favorable position she froze it, using the ice to snap the dinosaur's neck. Scott noticed Vazhin now watching her with an unreadable eye.
Galaire walked up to him, her face for once wearing a delighted grin. It looked strange on her serene face.
"Well High Prelate, what do you think?"
His eyes narrowed and darted to Vazhin, but he was now looking at him in horror filled recognition.
"Damn me, you are he!"
He pointed an angry finger at him.
"You're Apocalypse's general, Cyclops the High Prelate!" His face was twisted with impotent fury.
"You killer!" He ran forward, arms outstretched as though to strangle him. Scott evaded the mans blows quickly, and grabbing his hand, pulled him to the side in a jerking motion, dislocating his shoulder.
He then put his knee on the man's back.
"Listen to me flatscan. I am no High Prelate. That was once my title. It is not one I occupy any longer. I am now only Scott Summers, Cyclops if you will. I am against the Tower. Whatever you choose to believe, the point is that we are in danger from a foe none has encountered. I will find Avalon, and it would be easier if I had you're help."
He got off Vazhin and retreated, watching the mercenary commander warily.
Vazhin stood calmly, brushing grass from his clothes.
"I will never follow you, murderer." He glared once more at Scott then turned and walked away. Scott heard him barking orders at his men, but he barely heard him. For in Vazhins glare had been the knowledge of what he had done believing himself to be the bringer of justice and truth. Vazhin was right; he had been not much short of a murderer.
Galaire walked up to him.
"A mistake on my part. However it may prove to be for the better. They would have been of little use against enemies such as these, who send the fear of death into them. We would deal with these enemies with greater ease. They would also be a bigger target and hence the more alluring for any more Dienonychus."
Her logic was as cold as it was sound. Scott got a grip on himself. There was nothing for it now anyway. Vazhin would never work with him, and it was likely the other mercenaries wouldn't either even allowing for them not knowing who he was. Vazhins control over them was absolute.
He turned to the jungle with a heavy heart.
"Do you know where Avalon is?"
Galaire smiled, "It is slightly south west of our present position. Let us go."
She began walking towards the thick jungle to their south-west. Scott took one last look at the mercenaries and began to follow her. Behind him he heard the sound of the helicopters engines starting up. He hoped they would be able to find way out of Avalon. It didn't seem likely, but Galaire was walking calmly onward with no sign of worry on her coolly expressionless face.
Then again that was her usual expression. Scott walked after her.
x------------------- -----x
Remy opened his eyes blearily. He almost didn't want to. Then again, keeping his eyes closed made the images return. It had taken a great act of will to keep from blacking out when the helmet seemed to reach its conclusion. The mental agonies might have driven him insane had he not had the young boy's safety to look out for. He would die before he let the boy get hurt.
His attempt at faking blacking out had worked as far as Sinister was concerned. He had left the laboratory a few minutes after. Remy knew what he had to do, and he knew that he had to break through the mental blocks he had placed on his powers. He knew Sinister well enough to know that he had not lied about that.
He had to concentrate. Now that he knew that there was something there he could find the dormant power inside him.
Nothing. he couldn't find anything. He tried to focus on anything. His hate for Sinister. Nothing. His love for Rogue. Nothing. Belladonna's death. Nothing. His shame for being part of the killing of the underground mutants that Dark Beast had experimented upon. Under the orders of the Tower. He had been recruited and subjected to mind conditioning. As a mutant unit under the Tower he had committed unspeakable acts of destruction and terror. The breaking point was the massacre that he couldn't prevent. Nothing. He couldn't do anything. He tried to twist in his manacles, trying in vain to reach any material to charge and explode. Finally he tired of that and hung his head in exhaustion. There must be something he could do!
Focus. He cleared his mind and focused on the power within him. He could feel the surge within him that came whenever he used his empathy. He focused on that surge of emotion. To go with the flow. He remembered telling Candra that. He let go of all his fears and inhibitions. To be one with the flow. Suddenly he felt his eyes glow. The beaker in his direct line of vision began to glow as though he had charged it. Remy blinked in surprise. The beaker immediately shattered, not charged enough to explode. Remy tried again. This time he targeted a set of vials and test tubes. He could feel them charge around him. Funnily they took longer to charge. Finally they were charged enough to explode. Suddenly Remy realized the stupidity of what he was doing. If he let it explode guards and mutant units would be down here so fast he would have no time to escape his bonds, let alone save the kid.
He focused on everything around him. To be one with the flow. He felt the massive charge of energy around him. He squeezed his eyes shut tight.
The result was everything he could have hoped for. The large machine to which he was strapped exploded, as well as other things around him. Immediately alarms went off. Remy staggered to his feet. Surprisingly he wasn't as hurt as would have expected. He could feel some burns on his back, but apart from that he hummed with power. He ran to where the other lab was. The door burst open as he reached it and he ran inside. He stood in front of the large tank in which the kid floated. He had long brown hair. Funnily enough there was a streak of white down the front of his hair. He wondered if that had anything to do with Rogue. Perhaps, perhaps not. However he would need to free the kid without hurting him. He tried to focus on the glass in front, just enough power to burst it open, without harming the kid.
Suddenly he felt the power buck within him. He tried to do something, anything but the tank glowed a blinding whitish pink and then exploded. Remy was propelled back to smash into the wall with enough force to leave him dazed and out of breath.
"Mon Dieu, dat hurt. Jesus, de kid!"
He lurched to his feet and ran towards the wreckage. He could hear the sound of sprinklers in the laboratory he came from and the ones overhead also turning on. He also heard the sound of booted feet. He thought he could imagine Sinister screaming in rage.
The rubble in front moved. Remy tensed, wondering if the kid had survived. A figure encased in a protective bubble emerged. His left eye glowed with yellow energy.
"Who the hell are you?"
Remy was surprised to find that the kid spoke. There was more to him than just a mindless clone he realized.
"De name is Remy Lebeau, Gambit to my enemies. Not dat I hope you be one."
The kid stared at him uncertainly.
"You broke me out didn't you." It was a statement not a question.
Remy smiled.
"Why?"
"Kid, anybody who Sinister be wanting to experiment on needs to be liberated in my book."
He turned as he heard people coming.
The kid turned too.
Guards appeared around the door.
"Stop right there!"
Remy charged up the floor in front of them. The guards looked down just before it blew up, effectively putting a wall between them and Remy and the kid.
"Now's not de time to be asking questions. I say we run."
The kid nodded, naked as he was, and they began to run. Remy blew up the corner of the room. There was nothing beyond but solid earth.
"Damn."
The kid nodded upward. Remy got the hint and blew up the roof of the lab. Which just happened to be twenty feet straight up.
"Dat's nice kid, now we gotta find some way to be getting up dere."
The kid smiled and before he knew it they both were flying through the air, the kid's arms around his waist. Remy's eyes nearly bulged out. This kid could fly?
They landed on the floor of the passageway overhead.
Remy quickly walked over to the door of the room. He checked outside, but no one was there.
"De way seems to be clear. However," he stared over at the kid, "I don't mean to be dissing you or anything kid, but nice as you look, Remy t'inks it be best to find you some clothes. De only man Remy feel comfortable lookin at naked be himself, and you don't fit de bill."
The kid looked down at himself then up at Remy.
"Dissing?"
Remy stared. Of course, Sinister probably had some celestial technology teach him how to talk and some usage of his powers, whatever they may be, but they wouldn't have taught him any slang. He turned around and walked to the door.
"De way is clear, I t'ink we should be moving."
They walked out quickly and silently. The kid moved almost cockily, though. He didn't understand the danger. Catching sign of a pair of guards, Remy motioned to the kid towards them and mouthed 'clothes'. To his credit the kid got it. Then suddenly Remy saw the two guard's heads smash together. The kid's eye was glowing again. Remy stared at him for a second. The kid shrugged at him.
They quickly took the guards clothes, which fit Remy only slightly better than the kid.
Remy hoped no one would notice.
"Let's try and get out of here kid. Oh and by de way, do you be having a name?"
The kid looked up at him.
"I'm Nate, Nate Grey."
Remy shook hands with him.
"Remy Lebeau, nice to meet you."
They turned and began to move.
Remy knew they had to make their way towards the underground passageway that led to Belladonna's grotto. They had to get to the containment cells.
Which were only a few floors down. He led the way, the kid, Nate following.
x------------- ----x
The X-jet landed in what Jean could only find savagely beautiful. Large tree's sprung up around them. They got off the jet, each looking around in wonder. Nature's beauty, untouched by human or mutant.
"This is Avalon?"
Raven looked at her.
"No, this is the savage land, the middle line of defense of Avalon. It's exactly like its name implies. Things walk here, things that are as fierce and bloodthirsty as our two feral's."
She motioned around them, finally pointing towards the south east.
"Avalon lies that way. We must go quickly."
Jean nodded and they locked up the jet and operated its force field. That should keep it safe from anything short of a megaton bomb. Or a very powerful mutant.
They followed Raven, heading into the forest. Jean could feel Scott again, the dullness fading as she entered the savage land, he was somewhere to their east. He was also moving, quite fast. She could read his feelings at the moment, a hint of them anyway. He must be feeling very strongly for her to be able to pick up on his feelings from so far away. Usually he had to be at least in sight, or just beyond. She had lost track of him a few hours after he had left Muir Isle. Which meant he must have been at least a few kilometer's away before that happened. Having him there was a comfort, and she wished she could reach across the distance to comfort him. However perhaps the feel of her was enough, as he seemed to calm down. His own sense of worry and pain had fueled her discomfort and anxiety, but now his feelings of contentment bounced off her own emotions and her pleasure at having him so close bounced off his emotions. She calmed down immediately.
She must have been projecting some of her buoyancy on her face, because she caught Kurt giving her a quizzical look.
She had never been the closest to the dark elflike mutant, but they had always been friends, and she knew he was a very loyal mutant. She had always trusted him, and had been one of the first, apart from Piotr and Kitty to accept him. She knew his hopes of one day becoming a priest, and hoped he would be able to achieve that dream one day. She could still feel the small sense of anxiety from Scott, and knew that he was worried. However with her arrival it had abated.
Perhaps when they reached Avalon his anxiety would pass. Then again, when he saw the amount of people she had brought with her perhaps it would grow. From what he had relayed to her, she could guess he had wanted perhaps all of the X-men. However Scott was a realist. He would realize she couldn't convince at least half the X-men. She might have convinced Ororo and a few others to come as well, perhaps the whole of Roulette, if only Remy hadn't been captured by the Tower. She had been surprised that Raven came with her, then again she had been mostly loyal to herself, not Roulette, and she apparently knew Destiny quite well. More than well, since she referred to her as Irene. No one knew her past too well, only that Kurt was her son. He knew the most about her, and he wasn't willing to share. Perhaps Remy also knew a bit more than most, but he would never betray anyone's trust.
Sean walked next to Kurt. Out of all of them, he and Kurt were perhaps closest. She knew why he had come. She had been the youngest in the X-men at the time he joined, and had become friendly with the bitter mutant he had been, and they had become fast friends. Apart from Logan and the Professor, he had been closest to her. He was also very loyal to his friends. However when he had first come, he had been a drunkard, and they both had emotional baggage. That had also served to bring them closer.
Logan and Victor had been walking tense and they kept sneaking glances at each other. She hoped they wouldn't start fighting. They had remained fairly friendly so far. However now the tension surrounding them was enough to snap.
Suddenly Logan and Victor stopped.
"There's trouble ahead."
Logan nodded in agreement.
Raven turned around.
"What sort of trouble?" She looked a little frightened.
Logan looked around uneasily.
"Big trouble," Victor growled staring at something beyond Raven. Logan turned that way as well and snarled.
"There's more than just that, somethin else is coming from the other side. It doesn't seem as big, but it also feels wrong, and we're upwind of them. They c'n smell us, whatever they are, and they ain't bothering to be silent. Not like any predator I know."
Raven sighed.
"I had hoped to avoid them, but they must be already disturbed. Up ahead lie the sulphur pits and the territory of the last line of defense before Avalon. It's only a kilometer or so ahead. I would suggest we try and get there. That way, we can play off the two dinosaurs against each other."
The others looked taken aback, including Kurt. Jeans eye's bulged. Dinosaurs?
She heard snarling sounds from afar, and then something unmistakable. The sound of a heavy Vulcan cannon.
She looked up and saw a massive helicopter in the sky, and nearly twenty winged beasts flying around it. The Vulcan cannon had dropped three already, and the others were too close. She saw with sickening insight that the helicopter would fall. A creature, a pterodactyl injured, got swept towards the rotors. The last thing it did. It only had time to cry out once before it was shredded apart. However the body was too big and one of the rotors was broken. With only two more, the craft couldn't stay in the air. The occupants must have realized the same as one by one they began jumping out. The pterodactyls stayed with the craft however, attempting to ride it down. Jean counted twelve figures jumping off. Only three veered off towards the falling humans. They took three out quickly, carrying them away, pecking at them. Jean thought she could hear their screams.
"Look, we can't stick around here, the dinosaurs are comin, an' I have no intention of becoming today's meal." Logan's words tore Jean's gaze away from the falling helicopter. As she turned she heard a hollow boom.
"It's more'n likely the dinosaurs went after the explosion. I say we head towards Avalon."
Victor seemed to make sense. Jean and the others began walking towards Avalon again. She could feel Scott more now, and she could feel guilt and anger as well as anxiety and pain rolling off him now. She knew without being told that those men had come with him. She felt a momentary surge of anger at the fact that he had let his men die, then realized what he was feeling. Her heart went out to him. He felt responsible for those men. Perhaps he was, perhaps he wasn't, but the fact remained that their deaths hurt him, badly. She sent out as much support as she could over this distance and felt an answering change in his emotions. She felt glad that she could help him even to such a small extent.
They were moving fast now, and she could feel Logan and Victor growing tense again.
"They're still comin. There's less of 'em but they're still comin."
They heard snarls from behind and they began running openly now. She could sense Logan and
Victor's desire to turn and fight them, but they controlled it. She could feel the stench of sulphur now, and the jungle was growing warmer.
The snarls grew closer. Raven looked panicked and jean felt fear blooming in her stomach.
"They shouldn't be following so close to the sulphur pits. They know what lives there. There must be too many of them to fear even it."
Jean didn't understand too much of that. She only understood that what was up ahead was perhaps worse than what was behind.
Suddenly the jungle opened up to a small plain, and up ahead Jean could see small hills. Sulphur pits, she realized. She heard a shriek from behind and turned her head to see man-sized figures coming out of the jungle. There must have been fifty of them. At least.
They couldn't outrun them.
Logan and Victor were the first to stop, turning. Jean slowed as well and turned. Sean flew overhead, looking around. Raven ran bit ahead and then turned too. Kurt stopped as well and stood next to his mother, protectively.
The dinosaurs slowed. Jean recognized them from her books when young. They were Dienonychus, she thought. She wasn't sure though.
Whatever they were they had mean claws on their feet.
They had slowed as well, and now advanced warily, watching them. They made bird like motions and snarled and screeched. Jean wished she could cover her ears to drown out the horrible noises. Logan had extended the claws on his hand. Victor had bared his fangs as well. The creatures apparently perceived them as the greatest threat for they approached them even more warily. Kurt had drawn his sword. Jean put her hands on her head. Raven tensed to morph.
Finally the creatures snarled and pushed forward. Jean lifted the first ten and flung them back. Logan and Victor advanced with cries of their own. Kurt bamfed behind one and lopped off his leg. He bamfed away before they could retaliate. Three of them fell upon their comrade, stripping it of its flesh. Jean watched in disgust. Then pulled up a shield as three launched themselves on her. They bounced back, and Jean expanded the shield quickly.
Sean screamed at two of them, making them fall back in pain. He swooped down on them and with swift kicks, twisted their necks.
Raven had morphed into a white tiger. The raptors seemed confused, and she was able to skewer two before they got their senses back. However she morphed into an eagle and flew away. They looked puzzled. Logan had already felled four and was heading for five more, the gleam in his eyes showing he was berserk. Victor was choking one, which struggled ineffectually against him. There were numerous wounds down their backs, but their healing factors were making them disappear. However there were still many more left.
An ear splitting roar rang out over the sounds of battle. The dinosaurs seemed to pause, and looked at each other in. fear?
Jean heard pounding on the ground and turned and saw a gargantuan dinosaur bearing down on them.
It was either a Tyrannosaurus or a Giganotosaurus. She wasn't sure which. Suddenly Kurt bamfed next to her and bamfed away with her. She was transported next to the others, including Logan and Victor. Victor sagged in Logan's arms. He had a massive slash down his side, which was healing, but slowly. Sean came flying from overhead. She saw the Tyrannosaur knock away ten of the Dienonychus. The smaller dinosaurs attacked the larger as well, but they were fairly ineffectual against the massive beast. However thirty Dienonychus could take down even a Tyrannosaur and the beast finally fell back against the onslaught. However a second and third approached the first. The other two scattered the Dienonychus, and began to strike back at them. The first rose up slowly and roared.
The X-men began to back away slowly, and then turned and disappeared into the jungle on the other side of the sulphur pits.
Jean stopped to rest against a tree trunk when they had put some distance between themselves and the sulphur pits.
"I don't ever want to face something like that again."
The others milled around her, Kurt and Raven nodding. Logan and Victor just stared at each other, then grinned bloodthirsty grins. Jean felt a bit sick watching them.
Raven rose from her position and turned to them.
"Avalon is just ahead. Come, no sense in waiting about here."
They followed her ahead. Suddenly Jean felt a sense of peace pervade her. A hill rose up ahead, and she could hear a river rushing nearby. As they walked forward a massive figure accompanied by a much smaller one walked towards them. Jean felt surprise wash over her. The smaller man was Back Tom Cassidy. Then the large man could only be. Cain Marko the Juggernaut.
Black Tom whirled his stick and placed it on the ground, end down. She felt Sean tense up. Black Tom was his brother. However she sent a soothing message to him. She didn't want to start a fight in Avalon. The two also seemed to mean them no harm.
"Look what we found; it's the X-men."
Cain just looked down at them, impassive.
"Irene expects you. Come."
Jean and Logan exchanged puzzled glances then walked forward.
Cain led them across a small plain, and then into a small forest. On the other side was a river, and next to it a hill. On top of the hill Jean could see the ruins of a temple. By the river stood a figure garbed in a blue cloak, with the hood up. Next to her knelt a smaller figure, dressed in black and yellow.
"Welcome Raven, I see you bring guests. I am Destiny, welcome to Avalon."
====================================================
Well. Here comes Destiny, and the return of Juggernaut. How did he get here after being summarily thrown out of The Tower? Well, read on.
Oh yeah, the deinonychus are about 5 and a half foot tall dinosaurs that lived in the Jurassic period. It was one thing I disliked about Jurassic park when I first saw it. The velociraptors were too big! They're about 3 and a half feet tall at average, not over 6!
Anyway. Last chapter coming soon. See ya'll later.
Well, for all those who've been reading, thanks a lot. It means a lot to me. Seriously.
For those of you who reviewed me. Thanks a million! I'm touched every time I'm reviewed. While I don't write only for reviews, they do inspire me to write more. Sort of a motivator when I'm feeling lazy.
Anyway. Here you go.
*~*
In Avalon
Scott stood in front of the closed door of the helicopter. It was a big one, with enough capacity for nearly a hundred people. Only twenty occupied it at the moment; eighteen humans, Galaire and himself. He looked over the mercenaries that Halfbane had provided him with. They were a hardy lot, used to fighting. Considering the world these days, Scott wasn't really surprised. What he did find amusing was the fact that these people had no idea that they weren't to live once Halfbane had achieved his goals. They still thought Galaire was Halfbane's assistant, the only one in the group who knew Destiny by sight. Of course, they didn't know that she was a mutant, at that an External, among the most powerful mutants. They suspected he was though; he even caught the mercenary leader looking at him quizzically at times, as though trying to place him. He had never seen the man before, though he had seen so many humans that it was irrelevant whether he had ever seen him before. The man probably saw him when he was High-Prelate or Prelate. The gauntlets and tube as well as two day beard growth probably put him off. He was also not in his normal armor; Halfbane had provided him newer armor. It was yellow in color, and much like his Prelate outfit, a band of armor crossing his chest diagonally right to left, to connect to large yellow shoulder armor, which connected to armor covering his bicep and finally his purple gauntlets. He still retained his purple boots. Like in his Prelate outfit, his right arm was bare except for the gauntlets. He wore a black colored polymer-fibre type of outfit under the armor.
Not as daunting as his High Prelate armor, but comfortable and familiar all the same. He uncrossed his arms and looked at Galaire. The woman wore the same type of clothes he had always seen her in. A low cut silky material made gown that came down to her legs. Beneath that she wore a blue silk blouse and leggings made of some material. She wore lightly armored boots though, with high heels. A strange outfit, but then she didn't need any protective armor. Even if she was traveling to the Antarctic. She wouldn't feel cold. She wore light blue glasses that hid her eyes minimally. She looked up to meet his gaze. He snorted softly and turned away to study the ground far below again. She had given a minimal impression of following his orders. Half the mercenaries had made comments about her that she had ignored. He didn't doubt she would exact a punishment sooner or later.
His thoughts turned to Jean. She was still somewhere north of him. If given a ship he could have gone straight to her, but he couldn't place her in latitudes and longitudes. He hoped she had gotten his message, and had convinced the X-men, or at least some of them. He wasn't naïve enough to believe the X-men would believe something he said. Half of them probably still thought it would be best to kill him off. Not that they would be half wrong he thought bitterly. His life was a joke, a life full of being manipulated. First Sinister, now Halfbane. He had vowed to himself the minute he realized Halfbane wanted to use him; he would kill Halfbane, and the rest of the Externals. That much he would see to before he died. He had long questioned himself about the cullings and the Infinite processing, as well as experiments Dark Beast carried out on 'flatscans'. At least the Dark Beast shouldn't be a problem. He doubted the creature had survived the beating Jean administered on him. It would have been enough to kill him in his armor, and even Colossus could do just enough damage with a single punch to dent it. He shook his head. Better not to dwell on the past, not with potential enemies surrounding him. He turned to stare at the mercenary leader. He had a leanly powerful build, with an eye patch over one eye. He wore military fatigues over a black vest. Russian military fatigues. It was possible that he had been in the old Russian army, and was a survivor of the united world's battle against Apocalypse. Now the only nations were Eurasia and Apocalypse's empire in North and Central America. The man spoke with a barely minimal Russian accent. He couldn't recall his name. He gave the mercenaries the commands, while he ordered him. It suited Scott.
Below the endless expanse of ocean finally became a solid sheet of white. The still hadn't reached Antarctica, but they had reached the ice shelf. Avalon should be a little over fifty miles to their south east now. He saw Galaire say something to the pilot, who nodded and changed direction. They were now headed for Avalon. Scott went over to the mercenaries.
"Do you all remember the plan?" The men spoke to each other in militaristic terms, but Scott tried to phrase his questions as basically as possible.
They all nodded. Scott nearly sighed. They barely ever spoke, except to themselves or to their commander.
"What's your name?" The commander turned to look at him.
"Call me Vazhin." Scott stared at him. Vazhin stared back meeting his gaze evenly. However he was staring slightly to the left of Scott's eyes. Scott nearly grinned. There were some small good points to having a visor. For example he had not been looking at Vazhin for a few seconds now, but the man still continued to look at where he believed Scott's eyes to be. Scott hadn't moved his face, so it seemed that he was also looking at him. It was childish. However he continued looking at others while pretending to look at him. He noticed one of the men turning the safety of his weapon on and off.
"Stop that. Be easy man, don't panic." The man looked startled. Even Vazhin looked startled. The man was to Scott's right. Scott let a grin touch his face slightly.
Galaire turned to him.
"Avalon lies ahead."
Scott turned and saw only mist. He peered into the mist trying to make head or tail of what was in there. As far as he could tell, only ice and snow lay ahead. However suddenly on Galaire's command the helicopter dropped. It kept on going down, more and more slowly. The men did not have Galaire's ability to sense the element of water around them, and could therefore not tell what was below them. Suddenly the mist cleared and Scott saw himself looking down at a plateau completely devoid of ice. To Scott it was all red, however he realized that after the ice it must be a whole panorama of color. The man stared silently in wonder. Scott heard Vazhin mutter an oath in Russian. He clapped his hands in a 'hut hut' fashion. The men rose quickly, slinging their weapons onto their shoulders and taking off their heavy jackets. Scott had told them to wear jungle suited fatigues, but they had insisted on bringing the jackets, now Vazhin threw his off angrily and pulled two rifles, slinging them onto his shoulders, putting a couple of handguns into his dual holsters strapped onto his ribs. He pulled out a machete and put it between his teeth.
Scott stared at him. He looked like a lunatic. Vazhin grinned at him, looking even more psychotic with the machete gripped between his teeth. The others all pulled on a rifle each and a handgun. A couple of laser Gatling guns were tied to parachutes and one large RPG. The mercenary's all jumped off one by one, Vazhin leading. Finally Scott jumped down, Galaire right behind. They were to land and secure a landing area for the helicopter. Scott landed as efficiently as the mercenary's and readied himself for any attack. The mercenary's were already working fast, the Gatling gun's were free and the RPG was nearly so. Vazhin led a team into the surrounding trees to scout for possible danger. Scott remained with twelve mercenaries. Galaire landed a little awkwardly, she would have preferred using her powers to summon a jet of water to help her land, but Halfbane had told her not to use her powers in front of them unless necessary. Scott figured necessary meant until she was in danger or she was to kill them, probably him included. That was his only advantage, as Galaire could probably kill him easily, he had never fought an External one on one, and if the External's he knew were anything to go by she had massive control over her power.
The helicopter landed and the pilots switched off the craft. It would be ready to take off any time it was necessary. The size of the thing and the sound it made meant that it must have been noticed. He figured it was only a matter of time till someone attacked them. Destiny would have some sort of protection. If not she was a fool, and from Scott knew about her she was anything but.
He could still feel Jean, however it was somehow dimmer. He could always tell where she was, however now he wasn't too sure whether she was to his north or south. It must have something to do with the protective mist above Avalon. He turned his gaze to the mutant haven. It didn't seem too much of a haven so far. Too many tree's and it was quite hot. However a wind blew and the sun did shine down. That meant that the mist wasn't everywhere. Unless it was some sort of strange phenomenon. He shrugged and continued to make a survey of the land around him.
x---------------- --------------x
Remy walked silently alongside two guards. They were escorting him to Sinister's laboratory, after a night spent with Candra. The guards must have been curious, however they were like Infinites, possessing of limited intelligence, however they still looked human. He figured Dark Beast or Sinister had tampered with their mind in some way. Already Sinister had figured out that he had some sort of block on his powers. He wondered what that was. He shook his head. He had been in the Tower for nearly a week now. He had to leave. The others would be worried and he hoped that they didn't get it into their heads to try and rescue him. The Tower would crush them easily, if the defenses he had seen were anything to go by. Both Candra and Sinister had laughed at the idea of the X-men attacking the Tower. Apart from two guards; the two with him right now, he had yet to see anyone else. He figured if he showed himself to the other External's they would probably crucify Sinister and Candra. He would probably end up dead, or sent to the Dark Beast for conversion, which he would rather die to avoid. He had seen what one visit to him had done to Jean. Then again perhaps the others knew about him anyway, and he would only be watched more strictly. Sinister and Candra kept him alive, and they knew it damn them.
He stepped into the laboratory and looked around warily.
No one was in the main laboratory, or in the second room where he was experimented upon. He still had no idea what Sinister did, except once he had used needles which had hurt like a bitch. He still pressed his hand to his head occasionally, just the mere memory of them enough to hurt. Candra had been amused and had taken great pleasure in pressing his head at odd intervals. She had once done it when he was. aghh, he didn't even want to remember that. He saw another door, partially open and went inside. The room was brightly lit and Sinister stood in front of a large glass chamber. Inside stood a boy, perhaps age sixteen or seventeen, completely naked, sleeping in what looked like water. Remy felt appalled. He could guess what that boy was. He was probably a clone of some sort.
"So Sinister, dis is how you get your kicks hein? Ye like young boys."
Sinister whirled around furiously. His hands were raised to attack whoever had dared to invade his sanctum. Well Remy didn't give a damn at the moment.
"Lebeau, I should have expected you. Disregard what is behind me. It is of no consequence."
Remy stared from him to the boy. The boy looked like someone he had seen before. Not him, he would have fainted dead away had he thought he was making clones of him.
"C'n ye explain, sil 'vous plait, what de fuck dat is?" Remy spat out the question. He didn't care if Sinister killed him now. He would make sure that the boy did not have to suffer the fate of being brought up by the likes of Sinister.
"Language Lebeau. Perhaps you need to suffer a little more."
He came forward and grasped his arm. Remy resisted for a second, and at Sinister's quirked brow let him drag him wherever Sinister wanted. Sinister was strong enough to drag him anyway. Sinister took off his dampener and put him in the chains. He couldn't use his powers, however he needed to find out some way to use the fraction of a second before Sinister manacled him and after he took off the dampener.
Then he felt a helmet fall over his head and a dark shade placed before his eyes.
"It's a pity you need to be taught a lesson Lebeau. I have only used this helmet against Scott when it was necessary for me to use it in order to develop his glasses and later his gauntlets. I could do away with the negative side effects, but it would take quite some time, and I find that the person who wears it is more, shall we say, amenable to my requirements."
Then Remy felt numbing pain flow through him as he felt every single hurt he had ever taken in one long moment. He screamed as memories came to the front of his mind. He could again see clearly the moment when Sinister threw Belladonna off the top of the assassins Guild building. He could feel the anger, despair and terror as he saw Belladonna fall. He relived seeing the bodies of Henri, Jean-Luc and Tante Mattie. He relived the horror of that night, again and again. He felt the horror and confusion as he realized he had killed a man, even if it was one of the enemies. He felt the shame and despair when he found out his friend was dead, dead because he couldn't stop to save her. He relived Rogue leaving him again; leaving him for a man he had considered a friend and mentor. He felt the deception and heartbreak again and again. He relived the feeling of realizing that he couldn't save Sarah's parents, as the Morlock community was hunted down and killed by the mutant unit he had joined. He remembered the shame and disgust he felt when he found the crying young child. The most horrible events of his life, they swept around him again, coming with increasing frequency, magnified by the pain he felt as every blow he had ever received came back. Bella dying; pain. Rogue leaving him; pain. His family's bodies, lying on the ground; pain. Sekhmet dying; pain. Finding Sarah next to her parents bodies, that he failed to save; pain.
Remy screamed his pain out for the world to hear, uncaring.
Sinister watched with a pleased smile on his face.
x-------------- ---------------x
Jean looked around her. The way was clear. They would take the new ship, the one made of plastic. Erik wouldn't be able to stop them that way. Sean was gliding slightly to the top right of her, in his uniform, they wouldn't be needing clothes where they were going. She was in her uniform as well. Behind her Logan walked quietly, Victor right next to him. Kurt was somewhere ahead, and Raven was literally a raven, sitting quietly watching the hangar. Nothing. She heard a small bamf sound, then saw Kurt standing next to the prototype, opening the door. He walked in and after a few seconds she saw him in the cockpit. They began to move quickly as Raven fluttered her wings, the signal to move.
They quickly boarded, just in time as they heard Raven caw and fly of her perch, swooping into the craft. She transformed and ran to help in the cockpit. Sean closed the door quickly. She heard the engine whine softly and then they were hovering above ground. She saw Erik running towards them from above, his face a mask of rage. Rogue ran behind him, his cape blocking any other. Both Rogue and Erik took to the air, Ororo standing behind, doing nothing. However they weren't fast enough. Erik tried to close the hangar doors quickly, but they had escaped, flying free into the air. Raven and Logan sat at the controls, not Kurt. Jean saw Erik staring at them from above the island in anger. Suddenly Logan grunted.
Jean glared at Erik. He was trying to hold them. Logan began to turn the craft back. His face was scrunched up in concentration. He was trying to fight, but it would be no use. Raven tried to counter, but hers was the co- pilot. Logan had the real controls. Jean placed her hands on her temple and tried to reach Erik. He wasn't wearing his helmet, which made it much easier. He tried to fight back, but Jean was well and truly angry now, and she was doing what she had to save the man she loved. She felt Erik's astral self cry out in agony as her psi-blast hit him. All of a sudden they were curving violently. Logan struggled to get control and then flew straight quickly. She saw Erik again try to grab Logan, but he couldn't. They were out of his range.
They flew on, Jean looking back as Muir Isle grew smaller and smaller, until it was only a speck, and then clouds swallowed it.
They had been flying for ten minutes now. Raven told them it was only a matter of about half an hour till they reached Avalon. They had to skirt much of Africa, as it was a mass of radioactive wasteland. Only Egypt, with its massive pyramids still stood. Once the war had begun Egypt had suddenly dissolved all contact with the Human High Council. Only a few years later did anyone find out that Egypt was still functioning, indeed the people there were fine. Apocalypse had left most of the area around the Sahara alone. East and North of Egypt everything was alright. It was only south and southwest that the land became barren, more so than the desert. Nothing survived in the wasteland that Africa had become, much like South America and Japan. The only country that had perhaps suffered a worse fate was France, which had been sunk into the sea. Central Asia was a dead land as well, only the area's around like what had been the Indo-Pak subcontinent, some of China, Iran, Turkey, the Middle East, the northern area's of Russia and the rest of Europe had survived becoming dead zones. The avengers had died in the centre of the dead land, the area becoming inhospitable due to the massive energies that had been released there. They were flying over what had been Madagascar. The dust clouds raised had not been so high there. The rest of Africa could not be traversed in any vehicle except a space one. Jean set her eyes forward. No time to dwell on the past now. She had felt Scott fade away inexplicably some time ago, just before they escaped. She could still feel him, but it was duller, and she couldn't tell where he was. She would have to rely on Raven's help to get to Avalon.
* Please Scott, be alive. *
x---------------------- -----x
The air was clearer in Avalon. There was the slight smell of sulphur, as though a volcano was close, but for the most part the air was a lot cleaner than anywhere else. It was. fresh. Scott looked around towards the camp. It had been set up in minimal time, leaving the men enough time to form small scouting parties and head off in different directions. Scott was with one of these parties, Galaire had stayed back at the camp. It would not have fitted with appearances if she had come with them. Scott could sense nothing; however there was always the niggling feeling that someone was watching him. He looked around again. He wasn't the only one. The other members in his scouting party looked around as well. This place was no haven. There was suspicion all around. It had taken a few minutes for the impression of natural untouched life to change. At first they had marveled it, now all of them, even the irascible commander were looking over their shoulders. None of them could shake the feeling of being watched, as though being hunted. The soft sound of rustling was the only warning.
Two shapes burst out of the bushes, snarling. Scott only had time to notice scaly skin, sharp fangs vicious claws before he had to leap aside for cover as three more darted in from the sides. One man fell under the first two animals, screaming as he was torn apart swiftly and mercilessly. The others all murmured curses before opening fire. Two of the. dinosaurs? Fell dead under the fire of the machine guns. The other three reached them. Scott quickly targeted them and let loose. Only one survived, part of its leg and side burned away. It fell on the ground and began screaming in pain and rage. The other two no longer had any heads. Scott's aim had been slightly off with the third. The men put down their weapons, staring at the prehistoric creatures come to life. Scott could hardly believe his own eyes. Scott quickly put the creature out of its misery. The others stared at him. More rustling was heard in the bushes and then Vazhin appeared with his team. His team lowered their rifles upon seeing the others. Vazhin looked at the bodies of the dinosaurs and then at the mercenaries. His mouth was slightly open in shock.
"What the hell are those? They look like. dinosaurs?" Vazhin laughed bitterly upon hearing what had happened.
"Fuckin' great. Just fucking great. Now dinosaurs. This isn't Avalon; this is some God-forsaken savage land."
"Get a hold of yourself, we need to move. The smell and sounds would carry to other beasts in the area. We don't want to face too many, especially in close quarters."
Scott turned back towards the camp, the mercenary's following behind. He kept a close eye out, and it was good that he did.
Before they had managed to get even halfway back to the camp ten more of the savage dinosaurs appeared. They took them down quickly, however two of the mercenary's fell before they could. They left the bodies. More were coming, they could sense it. They reached the camp, with the dinosaurs only scant minutes behind.
Galaire looked up as they arrived, closing her book calmly.
"What is it?"
Scott looked at her angrily.
"Are you sure this is Avalon?"
She merely raised her eyebrow at him.
"There are nearly a hundred Goddamn dinosaurs behind me, and they want to feed. If this is Avalon, then all the humans and mutants are probably dead."
Galaire sniffed contemptuously.
"All these men are supposed to be able to take on anything. Don't tell me a few hundred creatures scare you Cyclops?"
Scott glared at her, then turned to the mercenary's. They were already clearing the camp, under orders of Vazhin. The helicopter was starting up, the equipment hurriedly being packed in.
Galaire walked over to them imperiously.
"Take all of that out, we are staying here."
A mercenary looked at her in surprise. He only looked at her for a second before muttering "No fear," and running on.
Galaire looked on in anger. Her eyes narrowed and she walked over to Vazhin. Before she could speak a cry was heard, and then swarms of creatures came running into the plain.
The mercenary's ran as hard as they could towards the helicopter. Vazhin grabbed her arm and began dragging her to the helicopter. Scott had only time to wince at that before he turned his attention to the rapidly advancing dinosaurs.
He opened fire, blasting away at the dinosaurs indiscriminately, felling nearly ten of them at one go, blasting away their legs. He heard a smack and then saw Vazhin fall on the ground next to him. He turned his head slightly. Galaire stood there, her usually serene face twisted in rage. The willowy woman had never liked anyone touching her, least of all humans. Apart from her invulnerability she was fairly well trained in the fighting arts, a hobby of her and Candra's. She brushed her hands on her garments. Scott wasn't worried about Galaire; her invulnerability would keep her safe enough. It would take a lot to actually damage her. A strong enough blast of his optic blasts might hurt her enough to strike a fatal wound, but apart from that she would not be hurt by mere physical attacks.
Apparently she felt the need to use her powers great enough. Scott only felt the rush of water before a massive wave of water materialized in front of him, smashing into twenty oncoming dinosaurs. He only heard squeals when they were pulverized by the wave and the surrounding trees. He saw Vazhin look at her in shock. He tried to fight a grin. He quickly dispatched ten more dinosaurs.
"Dienonychus, one of the Dromaerosaurid family. Interesting to find them here. I wonder if they are strong as they are supposed to have been."
As Scott watched Galaire jumped in front of a Dienonychus. He could only gape in shock, next to him Vazhin still looked on.
The Dienonychus snarled at her and then sprung at her, the strength of his leap enough to knock them back, but Galaire did not fall. The vicious claws struck for her stomach, but they could not penetrate her skin. It would take adamantium for that. Vazhin began muttering next to him. Galaire managed to use the creature's claws to climb on its back. It began bucking, twisting its head trying to reach her. Scott turned his attention to three remaining Dienonychus, then turned back to Galaire. She had swirled a rope of water around its neck, and as soon as she got it in a favorable position she froze it, using the ice to snap the dinosaur's neck. Scott noticed Vazhin now watching her with an unreadable eye.
Galaire walked up to him, her face for once wearing a delighted grin. It looked strange on her serene face.
"Well High Prelate, what do you think?"
His eyes narrowed and darted to Vazhin, but he was now looking at him in horror filled recognition.
"Damn me, you are he!"
He pointed an angry finger at him.
"You're Apocalypse's general, Cyclops the High Prelate!" His face was twisted with impotent fury.
"You killer!" He ran forward, arms outstretched as though to strangle him. Scott evaded the mans blows quickly, and grabbing his hand, pulled him to the side in a jerking motion, dislocating his shoulder.
He then put his knee on the man's back.
"Listen to me flatscan. I am no High Prelate. That was once my title. It is not one I occupy any longer. I am now only Scott Summers, Cyclops if you will. I am against the Tower. Whatever you choose to believe, the point is that we are in danger from a foe none has encountered. I will find Avalon, and it would be easier if I had you're help."
He got off Vazhin and retreated, watching the mercenary commander warily.
Vazhin stood calmly, brushing grass from his clothes.
"I will never follow you, murderer." He glared once more at Scott then turned and walked away. Scott heard him barking orders at his men, but he barely heard him. For in Vazhins glare had been the knowledge of what he had done believing himself to be the bringer of justice and truth. Vazhin was right; he had been not much short of a murderer.
Galaire walked up to him.
"A mistake on my part. However it may prove to be for the better. They would have been of little use against enemies such as these, who send the fear of death into them. We would deal with these enemies with greater ease. They would also be a bigger target and hence the more alluring for any more Dienonychus."
Her logic was as cold as it was sound. Scott got a grip on himself. There was nothing for it now anyway. Vazhin would never work with him, and it was likely the other mercenaries wouldn't either even allowing for them not knowing who he was. Vazhins control over them was absolute.
He turned to the jungle with a heavy heart.
"Do you know where Avalon is?"
Galaire smiled, "It is slightly south west of our present position. Let us go."
She began walking towards the thick jungle to their south-west. Scott took one last look at the mercenaries and began to follow her. Behind him he heard the sound of the helicopters engines starting up. He hoped they would be able to find way out of Avalon. It didn't seem likely, but Galaire was walking calmly onward with no sign of worry on her coolly expressionless face.
Then again that was her usual expression. Scott walked after her.
x------------------- -----x
Remy opened his eyes blearily. He almost didn't want to. Then again, keeping his eyes closed made the images return. It had taken a great act of will to keep from blacking out when the helmet seemed to reach its conclusion. The mental agonies might have driven him insane had he not had the young boy's safety to look out for. He would die before he let the boy get hurt.
His attempt at faking blacking out had worked as far as Sinister was concerned. He had left the laboratory a few minutes after. Remy knew what he had to do, and he knew that he had to break through the mental blocks he had placed on his powers. He knew Sinister well enough to know that he had not lied about that.
He had to concentrate. Now that he knew that there was something there he could find the dormant power inside him.
Nothing. he couldn't find anything. He tried to focus on anything. His hate for Sinister. Nothing. His love for Rogue. Nothing. Belladonna's death. Nothing. His shame for being part of the killing of the underground mutants that Dark Beast had experimented upon. Under the orders of the Tower. He had been recruited and subjected to mind conditioning. As a mutant unit under the Tower he had committed unspeakable acts of destruction and terror. The breaking point was the massacre that he couldn't prevent. Nothing. He couldn't do anything. He tried to twist in his manacles, trying in vain to reach any material to charge and explode. Finally he tired of that and hung his head in exhaustion. There must be something he could do!
Focus. He cleared his mind and focused on the power within him. He could feel the surge within him that came whenever he used his empathy. He focused on that surge of emotion. To go with the flow. He remembered telling Candra that. He let go of all his fears and inhibitions. To be one with the flow. Suddenly he felt his eyes glow. The beaker in his direct line of vision began to glow as though he had charged it. Remy blinked in surprise. The beaker immediately shattered, not charged enough to explode. Remy tried again. This time he targeted a set of vials and test tubes. He could feel them charge around him. Funnily they took longer to charge. Finally they were charged enough to explode. Suddenly Remy realized the stupidity of what he was doing. If he let it explode guards and mutant units would be down here so fast he would have no time to escape his bonds, let alone save the kid.
He focused on everything around him. To be one with the flow. He felt the massive charge of energy around him. He squeezed his eyes shut tight.
The result was everything he could have hoped for. The large machine to which he was strapped exploded, as well as other things around him. Immediately alarms went off. Remy staggered to his feet. Surprisingly he wasn't as hurt as would have expected. He could feel some burns on his back, but apart from that he hummed with power. He ran to where the other lab was. The door burst open as he reached it and he ran inside. He stood in front of the large tank in which the kid floated. He had long brown hair. Funnily enough there was a streak of white down the front of his hair. He wondered if that had anything to do with Rogue. Perhaps, perhaps not. However he would need to free the kid without hurting him. He tried to focus on the glass in front, just enough power to burst it open, without harming the kid.
Suddenly he felt the power buck within him. He tried to do something, anything but the tank glowed a blinding whitish pink and then exploded. Remy was propelled back to smash into the wall with enough force to leave him dazed and out of breath.
"Mon Dieu, dat hurt. Jesus, de kid!"
He lurched to his feet and ran towards the wreckage. He could hear the sound of sprinklers in the laboratory he came from and the ones overhead also turning on. He also heard the sound of booted feet. He thought he could imagine Sinister screaming in rage.
The rubble in front moved. Remy tensed, wondering if the kid had survived. A figure encased in a protective bubble emerged. His left eye glowed with yellow energy.
"Who the hell are you?"
Remy was surprised to find that the kid spoke. There was more to him than just a mindless clone he realized.
"De name is Remy Lebeau, Gambit to my enemies. Not dat I hope you be one."
The kid stared at him uncertainly.
"You broke me out didn't you." It was a statement not a question.
Remy smiled.
"Why?"
"Kid, anybody who Sinister be wanting to experiment on needs to be liberated in my book."
He turned as he heard people coming.
The kid turned too.
Guards appeared around the door.
"Stop right there!"
Remy charged up the floor in front of them. The guards looked down just before it blew up, effectively putting a wall between them and Remy and the kid.
"Now's not de time to be asking questions. I say we run."
The kid nodded, naked as he was, and they began to run. Remy blew up the corner of the room. There was nothing beyond but solid earth.
"Damn."
The kid nodded upward. Remy got the hint and blew up the roof of the lab. Which just happened to be twenty feet straight up.
"Dat's nice kid, now we gotta find some way to be getting up dere."
The kid smiled and before he knew it they both were flying through the air, the kid's arms around his waist. Remy's eyes nearly bulged out. This kid could fly?
They landed on the floor of the passageway overhead.
Remy quickly walked over to the door of the room. He checked outside, but no one was there.
"De way seems to be clear. However," he stared over at the kid, "I don't mean to be dissing you or anything kid, but nice as you look, Remy t'inks it be best to find you some clothes. De only man Remy feel comfortable lookin at naked be himself, and you don't fit de bill."
The kid looked down at himself then up at Remy.
"Dissing?"
Remy stared. Of course, Sinister probably had some celestial technology teach him how to talk and some usage of his powers, whatever they may be, but they wouldn't have taught him any slang. He turned around and walked to the door.
"De way is clear, I t'ink we should be moving."
They walked out quickly and silently. The kid moved almost cockily, though. He didn't understand the danger. Catching sign of a pair of guards, Remy motioned to the kid towards them and mouthed 'clothes'. To his credit the kid got it. Then suddenly Remy saw the two guard's heads smash together. The kid's eye was glowing again. Remy stared at him for a second. The kid shrugged at him.
They quickly took the guards clothes, which fit Remy only slightly better than the kid.
Remy hoped no one would notice.
"Let's try and get out of here kid. Oh and by de way, do you be having a name?"
The kid looked up at him.
"I'm Nate, Nate Grey."
Remy shook hands with him.
"Remy Lebeau, nice to meet you."
They turned and began to move.
Remy knew they had to make their way towards the underground passageway that led to Belladonna's grotto. They had to get to the containment cells.
Which were only a few floors down. He led the way, the kid, Nate following.
x------------- ----x
The X-jet landed in what Jean could only find savagely beautiful. Large tree's sprung up around them. They got off the jet, each looking around in wonder. Nature's beauty, untouched by human or mutant.
"This is Avalon?"
Raven looked at her.
"No, this is the savage land, the middle line of defense of Avalon. It's exactly like its name implies. Things walk here, things that are as fierce and bloodthirsty as our two feral's."
She motioned around them, finally pointing towards the south east.
"Avalon lies that way. We must go quickly."
Jean nodded and they locked up the jet and operated its force field. That should keep it safe from anything short of a megaton bomb. Or a very powerful mutant.
They followed Raven, heading into the forest. Jean could feel Scott again, the dullness fading as she entered the savage land, he was somewhere to their east. He was also moving, quite fast. She could read his feelings at the moment, a hint of them anyway. He must be feeling very strongly for her to be able to pick up on his feelings from so far away. Usually he had to be at least in sight, or just beyond. She had lost track of him a few hours after he had left Muir Isle. Which meant he must have been at least a few kilometer's away before that happened. Having him there was a comfort, and she wished she could reach across the distance to comfort him. However perhaps the feel of her was enough, as he seemed to calm down. His own sense of worry and pain had fueled her discomfort and anxiety, but now his feelings of contentment bounced off her own emotions and her pleasure at having him so close bounced off his emotions. She calmed down immediately.
She must have been projecting some of her buoyancy on her face, because she caught Kurt giving her a quizzical look.
She had never been the closest to the dark elflike mutant, but they had always been friends, and she knew he was a very loyal mutant. She had always trusted him, and had been one of the first, apart from Piotr and Kitty to accept him. She knew his hopes of one day becoming a priest, and hoped he would be able to achieve that dream one day. She could still feel the small sense of anxiety from Scott, and knew that he was worried. However with her arrival it had abated.
Perhaps when they reached Avalon his anxiety would pass. Then again, when he saw the amount of people she had brought with her perhaps it would grow. From what he had relayed to her, she could guess he had wanted perhaps all of the X-men. However Scott was a realist. He would realize she couldn't convince at least half the X-men. She might have convinced Ororo and a few others to come as well, perhaps the whole of Roulette, if only Remy hadn't been captured by the Tower. She had been surprised that Raven came with her, then again she had been mostly loyal to herself, not Roulette, and she apparently knew Destiny quite well. More than well, since she referred to her as Irene. No one knew her past too well, only that Kurt was her son. He knew the most about her, and he wasn't willing to share. Perhaps Remy also knew a bit more than most, but he would never betray anyone's trust.
Sean walked next to Kurt. Out of all of them, he and Kurt were perhaps closest. She knew why he had come. She had been the youngest in the X-men at the time he joined, and had become friendly with the bitter mutant he had been, and they had become fast friends. Apart from Logan and the Professor, he had been closest to her. He was also very loyal to his friends. However when he had first come, he had been a drunkard, and they both had emotional baggage. That had also served to bring them closer.
Logan and Victor had been walking tense and they kept sneaking glances at each other. She hoped they wouldn't start fighting. They had remained fairly friendly so far. However now the tension surrounding them was enough to snap.
Suddenly Logan and Victor stopped.
"There's trouble ahead."
Logan nodded in agreement.
Raven turned around.
"What sort of trouble?" She looked a little frightened.
Logan looked around uneasily.
"Big trouble," Victor growled staring at something beyond Raven. Logan turned that way as well and snarled.
"There's more than just that, somethin else is coming from the other side. It doesn't seem as big, but it also feels wrong, and we're upwind of them. They c'n smell us, whatever they are, and they ain't bothering to be silent. Not like any predator I know."
Raven sighed.
"I had hoped to avoid them, but they must be already disturbed. Up ahead lie the sulphur pits and the territory of the last line of defense before Avalon. It's only a kilometer or so ahead. I would suggest we try and get there. That way, we can play off the two dinosaurs against each other."
The others looked taken aback, including Kurt. Jeans eye's bulged. Dinosaurs?
She heard snarling sounds from afar, and then something unmistakable. The sound of a heavy Vulcan cannon.
She looked up and saw a massive helicopter in the sky, and nearly twenty winged beasts flying around it. The Vulcan cannon had dropped three already, and the others were too close. She saw with sickening insight that the helicopter would fall. A creature, a pterodactyl injured, got swept towards the rotors. The last thing it did. It only had time to cry out once before it was shredded apart. However the body was too big and one of the rotors was broken. With only two more, the craft couldn't stay in the air. The occupants must have realized the same as one by one they began jumping out. The pterodactyls stayed with the craft however, attempting to ride it down. Jean counted twelve figures jumping off. Only three veered off towards the falling humans. They took three out quickly, carrying them away, pecking at them. Jean thought she could hear their screams.
"Look, we can't stick around here, the dinosaurs are comin, an' I have no intention of becoming today's meal." Logan's words tore Jean's gaze away from the falling helicopter. As she turned she heard a hollow boom.
"It's more'n likely the dinosaurs went after the explosion. I say we head towards Avalon."
Victor seemed to make sense. Jean and the others began walking towards Avalon again. She could feel Scott more now, and she could feel guilt and anger as well as anxiety and pain rolling off him now. She knew without being told that those men had come with him. She felt a momentary surge of anger at the fact that he had let his men die, then realized what he was feeling. Her heart went out to him. He felt responsible for those men. Perhaps he was, perhaps he wasn't, but the fact remained that their deaths hurt him, badly. She sent out as much support as she could over this distance and felt an answering change in his emotions. She felt glad that she could help him even to such a small extent.
They were moving fast now, and she could feel Logan and Victor growing tense again.
"They're still comin. There's less of 'em but they're still comin."
They heard snarls from behind and they began running openly now. She could sense Logan and
Victor's desire to turn and fight them, but they controlled it. She could feel the stench of sulphur now, and the jungle was growing warmer.
The snarls grew closer. Raven looked panicked and jean felt fear blooming in her stomach.
"They shouldn't be following so close to the sulphur pits. They know what lives there. There must be too many of them to fear even it."
Jean didn't understand too much of that. She only understood that what was up ahead was perhaps worse than what was behind.
Suddenly the jungle opened up to a small plain, and up ahead Jean could see small hills. Sulphur pits, she realized. She heard a shriek from behind and turned her head to see man-sized figures coming out of the jungle. There must have been fifty of them. At least.
They couldn't outrun them.
Logan and Victor were the first to stop, turning. Jean slowed as well and turned. Sean flew overhead, looking around. Raven ran bit ahead and then turned too. Kurt stopped as well and stood next to his mother, protectively.
The dinosaurs slowed. Jean recognized them from her books when young. They were Dienonychus, she thought. She wasn't sure though.
Whatever they were they had mean claws on their feet.
They had slowed as well, and now advanced warily, watching them. They made bird like motions and snarled and screeched. Jean wished she could cover her ears to drown out the horrible noises. Logan had extended the claws on his hand. Victor had bared his fangs as well. The creatures apparently perceived them as the greatest threat for they approached them even more warily. Kurt had drawn his sword. Jean put her hands on her head. Raven tensed to morph.
Finally the creatures snarled and pushed forward. Jean lifted the first ten and flung them back. Logan and Victor advanced with cries of their own. Kurt bamfed behind one and lopped off his leg. He bamfed away before they could retaliate. Three of them fell upon their comrade, stripping it of its flesh. Jean watched in disgust. Then pulled up a shield as three launched themselves on her. They bounced back, and Jean expanded the shield quickly.
Sean screamed at two of them, making them fall back in pain. He swooped down on them and with swift kicks, twisted their necks.
Raven had morphed into a white tiger. The raptors seemed confused, and she was able to skewer two before they got their senses back. However she morphed into an eagle and flew away. They looked puzzled. Logan had already felled four and was heading for five more, the gleam in his eyes showing he was berserk. Victor was choking one, which struggled ineffectually against him. There were numerous wounds down their backs, but their healing factors were making them disappear. However there were still many more left.
An ear splitting roar rang out over the sounds of battle. The dinosaurs seemed to pause, and looked at each other in. fear?
Jean heard pounding on the ground and turned and saw a gargantuan dinosaur bearing down on them.
It was either a Tyrannosaurus or a Giganotosaurus. She wasn't sure which. Suddenly Kurt bamfed next to her and bamfed away with her. She was transported next to the others, including Logan and Victor. Victor sagged in Logan's arms. He had a massive slash down his side, which was healing, but slowly. Sean came flying from overhead. She saw the Tyrannosaur knock away ten of the Dienonychus. The smaller dinosaurs attacked the larger as well, but they were fairly ineffectual against the massive beast. However thirty Dienonychus could take down even a Tyrannosaur and the beast finally fell back against the onslaught. However a second and third approached the first. The other two scattered the Dienonychus, and began to strike back at them. The first rose up slowly and roared.
The X-men began to back away slowly, and then turned and disappeared into the jungle on the other side of the sulphur pits.
Jean stopped to rest against a tree trunk when they had put some distance between themselves and the sulphur pits.
"I don't ever want to face something like that again."
The others milled around her, Kurt and Raven nodding. Logan and Victor just stared at each other, then grinned bloodthirsty grins. Jean felt a bit sick watching them.
Raven rose from her position and turned to them.
"Avalon is just ahead. Come, no sense in waiting about here."
They followed her ahead. Suddenly Jean felt a sense of peace pervade her. A hill rose up ahead, and she could hear a river rushing nearby. As they walked forward a massive figure accompanied by a much smaller one walked towards them. Jean felt surprise wash over her. The smaller man was Back Tom Cassidy. Then the large man could only be. Cain Marko the Juggernaut.
Black Tom whirled his stick and placed it on the ground, end down. She felt Sean tense up. Black Tom was his brother. However she sent a soothing message to him. She didn't want to start a fight in Avalon. The two also seemed to mean them no harm.
"Look what we found; it's the X-men."
Cain just looked down at them, impassive.
"Irene expects you. Come."
Jean and Logan exchanged puzzled glances then walked forward.
Cain led them across a small plain, and then into a small forest. On the other side was a river, and next to it a hill. On top of the hill Jean could see the ruins of a temple. By the river stood a figure garbed in a blue cloak, with the hood up. Next to her knelt a smaller figure, dressed in black and yellow.
"Welcome Raven, I see you bring guests. I am Destiny, welcome to Avalon."
====================================================
Well. Here comes Destiny, and the return of Juggernaut. How did he get here after being summarily thrown out of The Tower? Well, read on.
Oh yeah, the deinonychus are about 5 and a half foot tall dinosaurs that lived in the Jurassic period. It was one thing I disliked about Jurassic park when I first saw it. The velociraptors were too big! They're about 3 and a half feet tall at average, not over 6!
Anyway. Last chapter coming soon. See ya'll later.