Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine, except for Aurora, Granite and Serpentine, and the weapons I gave to Orion, plus her name. But the character itself remains Marvel's. Plot is mine though.

Throughout story: " " = Speech ' ' = Thoughts ^ ^ = Telepath

Chapter 33

The surroundings were golden, tree's shimmering their surface, grass glinting with their carefully placed dew which hovered with perfect balance upon each blade of succulent grass. The sky was blasted with fiery orange, a collection of hues lining from the throbbing ball of fire on the far horizon that proclaimed this day, Boxing Day.

In a secluded area of shadow, arched trees climbed over in their groups, linking with twisted and lonely branches to form in a mesmerizing tangle of wood. Lurking down amongst these shadows sat a large craft, resting in silence, hiding in its den, ready to take in the prisoners.

Outside the craft stood Magneto, arms folded as he waited. A few steps behind him were Orion and Pyro, both of them stood in perfect silence, only the swift humming of the wind to graze any ears.

"Right on time." Said a cold voice, chilling the warmth that somehow managed to fool the snow that still lingered over the ground.

Orion smirked at Magneto's words, eyes swivelling to a circular door of metal that sat in the wall that barred the mutant's grounds from the outside world. A shrill gasp came from a small girl who stumbled out and landed softly in the snow, clad in nay but a nightdress. Behind her poured students, each one shivering and exhaling mists of pearly breath. The girl had been helped upwards by one of the students, who then entered the mass of heads, which crowded forward up a snowy banking, unknowingly to the danger that waited for them at the top of the small hill.

The shuffling of feet was apparent as bare hands and feet clambered over the icy cold earth, struggling through the soft snow. The first row of children stopped as their heads peered over the banking. Half blinded by the shimmering sunrise, the orange background for a trio of shadowy silhouettes that stood tall and in wait.

"Well, hello." Greeted Magneto sarcastically, both arms lifting. Out of nowhere lifted terrorizing pieces of curved metal, their size horrific as they slowly moved over towards the large group of students. They glinted gently before Magneto clapped his hands together and the metal pieces slammed together, trapping the students in their group extremely tightly inescapable.

Instantly cries echoed from the students, some screaming and a few crying. Calmly Magneto lifted the metal with the students inside and sent the trap into the aircraft, tossing the students heftily inside before the metal pieces fell harmlessly to the snow, where they sat, winking menacingly at the sunlight.

Out of the open circular door clambered Granite, his arms both holding two struggling and crying mutants. Behind him came Serpentine and Mystique, slipping out of the tunnel to hurry on up the snow bank to join their master.

"Get in the plane." Barked Magneto, thumbing the direction. His followers obediently ran across the snow, slipping easily into the jet, behind then a very pleased looking Erik. The metal door shut noisily, the craft then lifting from the dense forest to speed off into the blazing sky of the morning, leaving the Professor alone, unconscious in his School for the Gifted.

*** To view pictures and detailed profiles of my created characters, visit: (www.freewebs.com/xwotw)

Blix, I wanted to leave rogue ill because not only does it add tension, but it provides some more story lines for me. ^.^