Cipher's Wake
By Cypher
Chapter One: Resurrections
"I think this is it."
"Finally." Eric Magnus, also known as Magneto, crossed his arms as Gambit ignited a card and cleared debris from a doorway that, with luck, would lead to a cache of Cyttorak crystals. He had been searching the Alps tunnels for almost two weeks. Someone didn't want us to find this place. He pondered briefly if Xavier was responsible, but brushed that thought aside. He's been too busy grieving with the other mutants at his Institute.
The death of Xavier's newest student, Cipher, hadn't struck his team of mutants as it had the X-Men. True, his control over the Brotherhood had been shaken a little when Avalanche first brought the news to the boarding house. Pietro, of course, had brought the news to him and the Acolytes. While Mastermind seemed upbeat at the news, Gambit had been...upset. Magneto suspected the Cajun had respect for the late teen, and had hoped to cross paths with him again. Still, with a glare and a speech, his control over both teams was reinstated.
That was, until Mesmero exerted his control over Rouge and awoke Apocalypse. Needless to say, the battles following that had not gone well. Mystique's true condition was still unknown. Pietro reported that Rouge had killed her, but Magneto knew Raven was a survivor and that she had 'died' many times before. He expected her to resurface at some point. As for himself, he had been severely injured in the last of battle with Apocalypse in South America. Fortunately, his Acolytes had been able to retrieve him, and he had healed from his wounds fairly quickly. As he had been resting, though, he realized that to defeat Apocalypse, he'd have to raise a mutant army that was stronger than anything that had ever been created before. That meant creating another genetic enhancer.
And Cyttorak crystals.
Hence his excursion to the Alps, to search for the legendary Cyttorak room. A French soldier from the Crusade days, Eobar Barrington, had written about it, and even drawn a map of where in France it was (of which Magneto had the sole copy). The soldier had neglected to write, however, about where the entrance to the room in the mountain was, or the way through the maze of caves. After searching for two days, he had ordered Colossus and Gambit make a way into the mountain. He didn't want to involve Avalanche in this operation unless it was absolutely necessary. The teen still had too many ties to the Xavier Institute, and Magneto did not want to deal with X-Men right now.
So, three days after breaking ground they had gained entrance to the caves. It took hours of wandering before Pyro muttered about where maze makers could shove it, and Magneto realized that they had, indeed, been trapped in a maze. Now, finally, after searching all paths, they had hopefully found the right chamber. If it wasn't, though, Magneto planned to leave and search elsewhere for the desired gems. He had already spent too much time searching in the Alps, and he wouldn't have wasted the time except for how valuable the prize would be. But every day we waste searching is another day for Apocalypse to grow stronger.
The rock pile exploded, shards of stone bouncing harmlessly off a weak magnetic field Magneto had put up. The red glow breaking through the dust clouds alerted him that they had finally found their treasure, and his mouth twitched up in a brief smile. Finally.
"That's quite a bit of crystal." Gambit took a cautious step inside the room, his staff extended and a card charged. He looked around the cave, noting that his boss' crystals were sprouting from every nook and cranny. Is this what blonde was searching for? Is this what cost him his life? He still remembered the mutant Douglas Ramsey. While an enemy, Gambit had grown fond of the kid, especially of his bravery, even while he had been a hostage. He felt Magneto enter behind him, and stepped aside. "All secure."
"Excellent. Colossus, Sabertooth. Begin excavating these to the spheres. Gambit, free any crystals that those two can't pull out. And Pyro, you guard the spheres."
"You got it, mate." Pyro headed out of the cave as the other three Acolytes got to work.
Magneto watched them a minute before looking around the room. I think with this many crystals we'll be able to solve our problem with Apocalypse.
~*()*~
At first he wasn't sure where he was, only that he didn't like it. It was dark, that was his second realization. There was no light around him, or even near him. He tried to raise his arm, move his legs, any part of his body. He couldn't. His hazy mind tried to explain why, to reason out how he had become so helpless.
Prison. He was in a prison, a cage. In the vague recesses of his mind he could remember being trapped before. But this time...this time was different. He wasn't alone, for one. He could sense a cooling body nearby, and his stomach churned in revulsion and spite, though he couldn't remember why. He was awake, too, that was different, and very important.
It meant his cage was weakening, that someone was trying to free him. He didn't know how long he had been asleep, but he didn't care. He could be patient, he could wait. Sooner or later his prison would be unlocked, and he would be free once again.
~*()*~
Gambit watched Magneto as he stood before the pile of rocks near the center of the room. Gambit had brushed the pile off as a minor cave-in, though now that he had spent more time in the room he knew that was impossible, as there were no crystals missing from the ceiling. After Gambit realized that, he also realized that Magneto had probably figured it out faster than he had, since he had begun examining the ruins while he and the others did their jobs of removing the crystals.
"Gambit."
Gambit jumped, surprised at Magneto's summons. He was pretty sure the boss hadn't noticed he had stopped to watch him, but apparently, he had. Walking over, he crossed his arms. "Oui?"
Magneto continued to stare at the ruins, but he held out a piece of cloth. "I found this under one of the stones."
Gambit frowned as he took the cloth and looked it over, rubbing his fingers of its surface lightly. Turning it over, he spotted a bit of red, and a leg of a letter. He stared at the material, slowly remembering how Cipher had died in a cave-in. Mon deiu...he died...here?
As if reading his mind, Magneto nodded. "I believe we've found the final resting place of Xavier's student." He lifted himself above the rubble and narrowed his eyes at a specific indentation in the fallen rocks. When I arrived, there was nothing under this rubble, nothing that I could sense, anyway. Now, though, I sense metal. Precious metal. He tried lifting the metal to the surface, only to be hindered by the ton of stone on top of it. "Gambit, destroy the surface layer of rock here."
Gambit put the cloth in his pocket and climbed his way over the rock pile, arriving at Magneto's location after a few minutes. Kneeling, he placed his hands on the surface and concentrated. He frowned when he felt his power being blocked, and that he couldn't ignite the stones. He sat back on his haunches and examined his hands, then pulled out a card and ignited it, just double checking it wasn't his powers that had failed. Nope, not me.
Magneto witnessed the event and resisted the urge to scratch his head. The Cyttorak crystals must be preventing his powers from affecting the rubble. He glanced around the room and wondered just how many crystals were actually forming the field to accomplish this feat. He had researched using Cyttorak radiation to restrict mutant powers, but he had found the energy required to do so was beyond a single crystal's radiation output and had given up. But someone figured it out, and used it here. But why? What was so important about this...fallen structure?
Getting up and stepping back, Gambit tossed his charged card at the ruins. Magneto had to shield his eyes, but was pleased to see that the explosion had done the job. So it only prevents direct power contact. Gambit threw more cards until Magneto raised his hand for him to stop. "Be prepared. I don't know what I'm bringing out."
Gambit simply ignited more cards and waited as Magneto extended his magnetic field below the surface of the rubble.
~*()*~
It took him a few moments to realize that he was no longer resting on the ground. In fact, he felt himself being lifted upwards, somehow burrowing through rock. He was disoriented and confused at first, but the farther he was lifted, the clearer his mind was. After a minute he remembered he had power, power he could use to protect himself. A yellow glow enveloped him, and he no longer felt the rocks hitting him as he ascended through the layers of stone.
Then something hurt his eyes, light, and he clamped them shut. Fresh air tingled his nose, and he inhaled deeply. His mind cleared completely, and he realized he was free. Free from his cage, free from centuries of isolation, free to form his base of power once again.
"Who are you?"
He opened his eyes and looked around for the voice that asked the question, recognizing that he was still in the cave of his temple. He noticed one man standing on the ground, red pupils staring at him as charged objects rested in his hand. A brief scan informed him that this small mortal was simply a minion, not the one who freed him. He turned slightly, suddenly aware he wasn't floating by his own power, and slightly unsure as to why. His eyes finally landed on the imposing figure floating a few feet away from him.
The man's stance and stern face informed him that this was the man in power. The man had a questioning glint in his eyes, but it was well masked behind certainty and control. This was the man that held him in an invisible grip, but when he tried to see into the man's mind, he found a blockade. The blockade was not just from the man's mind, there was also some unknown interference from an alternate source he couldn't identify.
"If you are trying to read my mind, don't bother. I'm too evolved. Now once more, who are you?"
The tone indicated that the sentence was not a question, but a demand. "Exodus."
"Magneto."
Exodus furrowed his brow. The name alone explained how he had been found and lifted from his prison. "What is it you want?"
Magneto crossed his arms. "That is for me to know."
Exodus growled. "This is my temple. I have a right to know what you're doing here before I kill you."
In response, Magneto curled one of his hands into a fist, and Exodus felt the gold leaves on his back curl and twist around his neck. He paused, considering what he could do. True, he was immortal, and it took a lot to harm him, but without the power of his temple, he could no longer heal himself if decapitated.
"I am in charge here, and I could very well place you back where I found you," the metal around Exodus' neck tightened slightly, "or I could kill you."
Exodus' lip curled into a sneer, but he did and said nothing else. The people of this time are too arrogant. They cannot even show the proper respect to a god. He spotted a man of metal grab a Blood Crystal and rip it out of its foundation in the wall. So that's why my prison was failing. "What are you doing with the Blood Crystals?"
Magneto raised an eyebrow at the question and the name. "The Cyttorak gems? They are simply a tool to help me defeat Apocalypse."
Exodus' eyes narrowed at the name and a dangerous growl escaped his throat. "Apocalypse! Where is he?!"
"I don't know." Magneto waved his arm and the gold leaves around Exodus' neck returned to their previous position. "Why?"
"I want to exact revenge on him! He was the fool that trapped me in my temple the first time!"
A smile graced Magneto's face. "Is that so..."
Exodus frowned at the new look on the white-haired mutant. "What?"
"I have a proposition for you."
Exodus felt the magnetic field release him and he immediately used his power to float above Magneto. "Why should I bother listening to it?"
"For two reasons: we both want Apocalypse dead, and I can still kill you. Besides," Magneto lifted himself until he was level with Exodus, "I have a higher goal, one I think you'll like. It's to have mutants become the dominant race, where the strong rule and the weak serve."
Exodus had to admit he was intrigued. As a god in ancient civilizations, he lived a life that was very similar to what Magneto was proposing. "And humans?"
"The slave race, at least until they become extinct. We are the next step in evolution, of course." Magneto put his hands on his waist. "So, what do you say? Will you join our cause?"
Exodus thought about it, and a slow grin grew across his face. "On one condition. I may exact revenge on those that destroyed my temple. That I may destroy the ones known as the X-Men."
Magneto tilted his head towards the red skinned mutant. "Yet another common goal we share. Welcome to the Acolytes."
Exodus bowed towards Magneto before turning to the ruins. "And I know the perfect weapon to use in their destruction." A bright yellow glow returned to his eyes and beams of energy lanced into the stone, throwing Gambit off the pile of ruins as a small explosion cleared debris. Moments later a battered, lifeless body floated into view. The yellow glow surrounding the body obscured some injuries and specific features, but the leg bent at the wrong angle and clearly crushed neck attested to the person's inanimated state.
Gambit, along with the other Acolytes that were present, stared as the energy around the body began twisting it back into its proper form, resetting the leg and reforming the neck. On its head was blond hair, though it was stained with blood. Gambit felt his breath catch in his throat as he recognized the hairstyle, and the face. No...it couldn't be...he couldn't...
Exodus waved his hand, sending a jolt of energy through the body's chest. It arched in response, and Gambit flinched back as two piercing blue eyes snapped open, staring blankly through him. He now knew for sure who he was looking at, and he felt himself shuddering at the realization.
The man Exodus just brought back from the dead, was Douglas Ramsey.
~*()*~
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Author's Prattle: Dun dun duuuuuun! What is Exodus going to do with a corpse? Is Douglas still dead? What will he do to destroy the X-Men? So many questions, so little time. Here's chapter one of the sequel to Cipher's Elegy. If you haven't read that, then you'll get lost very quickly, especially with all that happens following this chapter. And for those of you who wanted more Brotherhood and Acolytes in Cipher's Elegy, consider your wish granted. At least half this fic revolves around the villains.
Disclaimers. I don't own X-Men Evolution, Exodus, or Cipher. They all belong to Marvel. Don't sue, I'm a poor college student.
That's it. NaNoWriMo is still going on, so it may be a while before I update again, but I've got this one all planned out, so never fear, it WILL be finished. I hope you enjoyed, and as always, reviews are welcome.