A/N: Yes I'm still here! Sorry about the long wait. I have many excuses most of which can be summed up into two words: Writers Block. It sucks. I hope that this chapter is up to everybody's expectations. I promise that the next one won't take nearly so long. Thanks to everyone that took the time to review the story it really helps.
Nienna of Sorrow: Thanks a heap for the reviews. I hadn't thought about the strangeness of the x-men's features. I'll probably address it in the next chapter. Hey got a question for you. Are you writing anything? Cause I think you could come up with some good storys.
Concerning Elvish: I downloaded an elvish dictionary from the net so hopefully it was legit. But just so you know that's not just gibberish what I had them say I actually looked up word for word. If anyone wants a translation I will post it on the next update upon demand.
Chapter 8
Cruel Lodgings
"I came here to rescue you," Magneto said "but you seem to have things under control."
"I have escaped fouler places than this." Gandalf said eyeing Magneto. "But it must have been you who released my shackles. What are you? A wizard?"
"Some might say that." Magneto smirked "I am the master of magnetism. You must come with me."
"How did you know I was here?" Gandalf said not moving gripping his staff tightly.
"Not very trusting are you?" Magneto commented.
"Just because you released me from these men that does not automatically make you worthy of trust." Gandalf replied. "As you can see I am quite able to handle ruffians like these by myself."
"Very well I will answer your questions," Magneto sighed. "But we are wasting precious time."
"I knew it!" Gandalf's interrogator said getting up. "So you are in league with this scum mutant."
"Ah, Mr. Gyrich isn't it." Magneto said turning his attention to the other man. "You really ought to be more careful on who you hire." Suddenly from out of the darkness where one of the guards had been a woman with blue skin and red hair walked out. "Though had I known how powerful the man you were detaining was I wouldn't have had Mystic so close." Magneto turned to Gandalf "this is how I found you. My friend Mystic can take the shape of anybody. I've had her working here for quite some time. Come now we have to leave"
"I'm sorry," Gandalf said "you still haven't given me a reason to trust you."
"You won't come with me unless I give you a reason to will you?" Magneto said looking into Gandalf's eyes
"That's correct" Gandalf replied
"Very well I shall give you one." Magneto said "Peregrin Took"
Gandalf staff lowered a little. "You know where he is?"
"I have him at my home. He is how I know who you are Gandalf the Grey" Magneto smiled
"Very well" Gandalf sighed obviously still wary of some trick. Suddenly Gyrich ran to the door but was instantly pulled back by his metal belt buckle. He floated in front of Magneto.
"YOU'LL NEVER ESCAPE!" He screamed "THE SENTINELS WILL STOP YOU!"
"But Mr. Gyrich" Magneto sneered "I had them disabled before I came here, but thank you for reminding me. I'll be borrowing a few of them before I go." With that the infuriated man was dropped to the ground. Magneto turned to Gandalf "Are we ready?" He asked
"No," Gandalf said "must have my sword."
"Mystic" Magneto said
"Right here" she said as she revealed that she had Glamdring in her hands.
"Good," Magneto nodded as she handed the sword to the wizard. "Now hang on tight to that. Seeming as you have no other metal objects besides it" As soon as he said that Gandalf was lifted by his sword through the hole in the ceiling. Leaving Magneto alone with Gyrich and Mystic.
"Now Mr. Gyrich" Magneto smiled "don't think that I would leave without giving you a going away present."
Gyrich looked to see Mystic transform in to himself. A gun suddenly flew out of one of the guard's holsters and hovered in front of his face.
"Goodbye Mr. Gyrich"
...........................................................................................................................................................................
"That's it laddy!" Gimli growled in delight as he smashed another robotic arm in the Danger Room. Boromir didn't have time to respond as he dodged a giant mace aimed at his head.
"Remind me again why this is so much fun!" He said nearly getting his head cut off by a buzz saw.
"Just imagine that they're orcs!" Gimli said grinning ear to ear, bringing his axe down to bear on a robot.
"Who made this anyway!" Boromir said swinging his sword at another robotic appendage.
"Well this program was designed by Wolverine!" Beast smiled jumping off the walls smashing a robot that had crept up behind the strong warrior.
"Somehow I don't find that reassuring," Boromir commented smashing more mechanical creatures.
A stream of hot vapor issued from the wall catching Gimli off guard knocking him into Boromir.
"Get off me!" He demanded, but the pair had little time to argue as a huge metal weight came crashing down, Each warrior barely avoided being crushed by rolling to either direction.
"Do not fret me harties!" Beast laughed "Most of these devices of death are merely optical illusions made to feel hard by force fields and what's more the safeties are engaged!"
Gimli looked to Boromir "Did you understand a word of that?" He whispered
"No, Just smile and nod" the Gondorian replied. Suddenly a red light came flashing. "What's that?"
"That means that the safeties have been disengaged!" Beast gasped
"Is that bad?" Gimli asked.
"Extremely!" Beast said as a trap door suddenly opened up underneath him and he fell.
"Gimli look out!" Boromir said knocking the other warrior down as several spiked balls whizzed over their heads. The dwarf looked to the other end of the room.
"Frodo!" He cried, "How did he get in here?" the young hobbit was being attacked by several different mechanical devices, which he managed to dodge but it was obvious that it was mostly luck. Beast in the mean time managed to use his massive arms to pitch himself out of the tunnel he had fallen into.
"Soaring high in air "Hank 'the Beast' McCoy pulls off another death defying feat sure for the record books." He said making his own commentary; his boasting was short lived as he was hit by a giant ball. "Drat" was the last thing that he managed to get out before he was sent flying to the other end of the room.
Boromir and Gimli were in the meantime racing to the other end to rescue Frodo. Just as they reached it though a jet stream of fire blasted out and cremated the poor hobbit.
"FRODO! NO!" They screamed but when the smoke cleared the hobbits body was no where to be found. Beast suddenly got up.
"Now wait just a nano-second" he said. "The red light went on. However if this had been true danger mode that metal ball that hit me should have done substantially more damage than hurling me across the room. I think that we ought to pay a visit to the control room."
"Don't bother Hank" Cyclops's voice came from the intercom. "I've already put a stop to this joke."
"Joke?" Gimli said.
In the control room stood Cyclops and Aragorn looking very sternly at Merry and Jubilee.
"Told we were going too far with this one." Merry said
Jubilee looked to Cyclops "You have to admit that the holographic Frodo was a nice touch, Huh?" She grinned.
...........................................................................................................................................................................
"Why this is such a beautiful day." Rouge smiled soaring above the gardens. She had almost forgotten what had happened two nights ago with the Ring Wraiths. Most of the damage had already been repaired. She looked down below her to see both Gambit and Legolas sitting with their backs turned to each other. She landed in front of them with a careless smile.
"That is truly amazing!" Legolas said, "Not even Gandalf can fly. I have never seen such a thing."
"Aw'm sure that there's tons of amazing things about your people." She said.
"Yes but I am very interested in hearing about yours," Legolas said standing. "For example you both have very strange accents, similar yet different."
"That's cause we're both from the south, Sugah," Rouge said "But Remy is a Cajun so he has a French accent."
"Yeah," Gambit said standing up and taking Rouges hand. "French be da most romantic language of dem all. No? Mon Chere?" He finished kissing her gloved hand while eyeing the elf.
Rouge blushed pulling her hand away, "What does your language sound like?" Rouge asked Legolas
"Antalya na vanya ve i umbalote mi tuile" The elf said in a sing song voice. Rouge and Gambit stared flabbergasted. "Ar hendilya nar ve i isilme" he finished
"That gave me goosebumps!" Rouge exclaimed finally "what did you say?"
"I said that you are as fair as the springtime flower, and your eyes are as moonlight" he replied, staring into her eyes. Rouge's face turned an even deeper color than it had been when Gambit had spoken in French, yet her face was still not nearly as red as the cajun's, which looked like it was ready to explode.
"Look!" Gambit said trying to change the subject to anything other than elvish. "Da pond. Why don you show us your skills at fishen, Rouge why don you look fora sharp stick for our friend to use to catch us a fish"
Legolas broke his gaze with the southern mutant as she turned and went to a nearby bush to look for a suitable stick. Legolas stepped up to the pool, Gambit put his hand on the elf's back to shove him in but he was to slow, the moment he began to apply pressure, Legolas swiveled and Gambit's own force made him fall face first in the water. He stared at Legolas who was smirking.
"What happened?" Rouge said looking at the soaked cajun and the elf.
"He must have lost his footing." Legolas said still smiling but that quickly faded. He strained harder at the water. "Gambit." He said seriously "Get out of the water."
Gambit pulled himself out of the pool "what?" He said
"Did you not tell me that there were all kind of fish in this pool?"
"Yeah," Rouge said "What about it?"
"There are no fish here" Legolas said
"What?" Gambit said looking into the water, the elf was right there were no fish but there were however many chunks of where they had been.
"What happened to them all?" Rouge said
"Gollum," Legolas said peering around drawing his knife having left his bow and arrows in the mansion.
"What's a Gollum?" Rouge asked
"A creature that is hunting Frodo. He is dangerous" Legolas said suddenly his elf eyes spied something in the grass. He walked over warily and picked it up "hyanda Morigotto!" He exclaimed as he held up the hilt of a dagger "A morgol blade! This is a weapon of the Nazgul." He looked to Rouge "who did they use this on?"
"Aw don know." Rouge said "It's all a blur"
"I must speak with Aragorn immediately." Legolas said running back toward the mansion.
...........................................................................................................................................................................
"You fool of a Took!" Gandalf exclaimed looking sternly at the hobbit. "Why did you break the circle? You could have gotten killed!"
"I almost did." Pippin said looking up at the old wizard; they were sitting at a large table filled with food. Magneto had given it to them and left saying that he had 'urgent businesses. "If Magneto hadn't shown up I would have been killed for sure. Can I eat now?" He said reaching out to grab some food.
"No, you haven't answered all my questions," Gandalf growled, Pippin retracted his hand. "Now what have you been doing all this time? What have you told him?"
"Nothing " the hobbit said defensively "I've wandered around a bit and looked at all his stuff he's mostly left me by my self. Can I eat now?" Gandalf slammed the end of his staff to the ground. "I guess not" Pippin shrugged
"You did not answer my last question;" the wizard said sternly "what have you told him?"
"Nothing," Pippin said "I told him about the shire and about the old forest, all about elves and Rivendell."
"Is that all?" Gandalf said eyeing the hobbit.
"Well I did tell him about the quest." Pippin said
"The Quest! Did you tell him of the Ring?" Gandalf demanded
"Well,... I..." Pippin stammered "I might have mentioned something about it."
"PEREGRIN TOOK!" The wizard boomed standing up from the table "YOU..."
Pippin shrieked and dove under the table. Suddenly the doors flew open and Magneto entered the room, dressed in fine clothes. Gandalf sat down Pippin peered up to see a metal chair pull itself out for the mutant who sat at the opposite of the table from Gandalf.
"Is everything alright?" He asked as a knife cut him a portion of meat and served it to him.
"Quite," Gandalf said staring coldly at Magneto. Pippin sat down again, Magneto hardly took notice.
"You are most fortunate that I came to rescue you," Magneto said looking the wizard "those men that had you were people of the worst kind."
"Yes," Gandalf said "How fortunate, tell me when can young Master Took and I leave?"
Magneto did not answer he merely ate his food. "My friend you haven't touched your meal." He finally said looking to Pippin.
"Not hungry I suppose," Pippin said feeling the tension in the air. "Mr. Magneto can you answer me something?"
"What?" The mutant said
"Whose side are you on?" He asked looking first to Gandalf who wore an expressionless face.
"That is a good question my hobbit friend." Magneto smiled "to tell you the truth I am on my side. The side of homo-sapien superior or people that are born with special gifts that regular humans do not possess. I am on the side that represents the strong and the chosen. So you may say that I am on the side of destiny"
"So you don't work for Sauron?" Pippin swallowed.
"I do not even know who he is" Magneto said he suddenly turned his gaze to Gandalf "You asked me when you could go, but before I answer your question will you not answer me a question."
"Very well," Gandalf said blankly
"Have I not earned your trust? After all I have rescued you and shown my courtesy to you and even reunited you with your friend who as you can see is quite well and unspoiled. Does not this deserve your confidence?"
"Tell me? Gandalf said "why would somebody with your power care for our confidence so much? If you really want me to trust you I must be convinced of your intentions and so far I am far from it. Your sincerity does not ring true "
"Why is that?" Magneto asked suspicious of the wizard's forwardness.
"Because you are seeking to control Pippin and myself," Gandalf replied "to have such a powerful puppet that must have a nice ring to it, does it not."
"What do you mean?" Magneto said
"You know of what I speak but perhaps I must show you." Gandalf took a glass of wine and put it in the center of the table; there was brief wind as he waved his hand over the glass. Pippin stared hard at it to his surprise and horror something in the glass began to separate from the wine. It was shiny and silver looking it was...
"Metal!" Pippin exclaimed he looked to Magneto who looked infuriated. "Why?" He started but was cut off by the wizard.
"Pippin," he said standing up with his staff firmly in his hands " I think that it would be best that you leave this room." Pippin didn't need to question Gandalf on bit he immediately scrambled from the table, running toward the doors.
"If you have something to say you can say it in front of him as well." Magneto said reaching out his hand. Pippin instantly froze in his tracks. "It was very cunning of you to not eat anything unfortunately your friend was not quite so careful."
"Gandalf! I can't move!" Pippin screamed
"I will tell you only once." Gandalf said "Release us or you will see Gandalf the wizard unleashed."
"But it doesn't have to be this way." Magneto challenged standing to face his opponent "your play on words did not go unnoticed, help me get the Ring! That is why I want your trust! If you will help me then no one will have to be hurt, but I will have the Ring one way or another. With it I will be able to bring mutant kind to the supremacy it is destined to have!"
"The Ring is altogether evil." Gandalf said "it would only bring you death! Now release Pippin and myself!"
"Then your answer is no." Magneto said throwing his hand up, Gandalf was immediately thrown against the wall. With another gesture the table flew up and soared straight toward the wizard. Gandalf lifted his staff just in time to cause the table to be flung another direction, before Magneto could react Gandalf made a thrust with his staff, which knocked the mutant to the ground. Suddenly all the silverware flew up toward the wizard, who crossed his staff with his sword, he disappeared with a bright flash of light. The room was left dark. Magneto got up illuminating the area around himself with electromagnetic light.
"You can't hid from me, wizard" he hissed "this is my home. So of course I used as many metal materials as I could so everything here is a weapon for me. So you se..."
He was cut short by a bolt of lightning from the far side of the room. Magneto blocked it with a magnetic shield. He then raised his hands above his head and part of the roof broke away and fell. There was a flash of white light, as the wizard appeared with his staff above his head a circle of white light blocking the metal chunks. Magneto didn't waste any time as he threw out his hand and the floor underneath Gandalf knocked him down. His sword went flying into Magneto's waiting hand.
"As I stated," he said "it is useless to fight me here. You will help me or you will die."
Gandalf stood with his staff out in front of him, Pippin who had watched the whole fight called out.
"Gandalf! Help you've got to stop him!
"I cannot defeat him; as of yet" the wizard said "He is as he said, unbeatable in this place. There is too much metal."
"Then you admit defeat," Magneto smirked
"No," Gandalf replied "I said, as of yet I cannot defeat you, I will give you one last chance to let us go. If you do not I will be forced to show you some real magic."
"I don't think that you understand my good man," Magneto said he suddenly raised his hands and began closing them together. As he did the walls began to close in on Gandalf; parts of the wall jutted out and became spikes. Gandalf raised his staff
"RAUTA AHYA TAVAR!" He cried there was a sudden light that engulfed the whole room. Both Pippin and Magneto had to shield their eyes; there was an odd creaking sound. As the light faded. They stood in amazement to see the whole room had changed.
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!" Magneto yelled
"Taken away your advantage." Gandalf smiled now standing on a wooden floor, not just the floor but the walls and the ceiling; everything that was metal was now made of wood. Everything save Glamdring the old wizard's sword. Pippin laughed out loud, Magneto stood fuming clenching Gandalf's sword.
"If you think that this is the extent of my powers" Gandalf said "you are mistaken. Now release us"
Infuriated the mutant suddenly hurled Gandalf's sword at him. It stopped just short and Gandalf plucked it out of the air
"You have lost this contest" he said,
"So let us go!" Pippin said defiantly. Magneto suddenly turned to the hobbit. Then he glanced back at the wizard.
"Taken away my advantage have you?" He said smiling "I'm afraid not."
"What?" Gandalf said
Magneto lifted his hand suddenly Pippin was lifted of the ground screaming. Magneto pointed at Gandalf and Pippin was sent sailing toward him, stopping just in front of the wizard.
"It would appear that you haven't gotten rid of all the metal in the room" Magneto said triumphantly. "Give me your staff or I will extract the metal from his blood stream. Magneto closed one of his hands, Pippin suddenly screamed and a tiny speck of metal shot out of his forehead. A small stream of trickled down his face. Gandalf dropped his staff.
...........................................................................................................................................................................
"We'll go as soon as I give Wolvie the message" Jubilee said to Merry, Frodo, and Sam as they walked through the hallways of the mansion.
"Lets hurry then!" Merry said "I want to see this place! What was it called again?"
"It's a pizza parlor." Jubilee said "Trust me you haven't lived if ya haven't had pizza."
"What does it taste like?" Frodo said, who was in much better spirits since the arrival of most of the Fellowship. Jubilee had promised to sneak them out so they could see her favorite pizza joint in Salem Center, but before they had a chance to do so, Cyclops had asked Jubilee to tell Wolverine that they needed him for another council.
"I can't really tell ya." Jubilee said "but trust me yer gonna love it!"
"I'm still not sure of about this," Sam grumbled. "Didn't Aragorn tell us ta stay here."
"That's what makes it so cool!" Jubilee said
They turned a corner and reached Wolverines room. Jubilee banged loudly on the door.
"Hey Wolvie!" She said yelling so loudly that Sam covered his ears. "One eye wants ta see ya!"
There was no response.
"Wolvie!" Jubilee banged harder "Are ya deaf!? Cyclops needs ya!"
The door remained closed and there still wasn't a sound. Jubilee looked at Merry who shrugged his shoulders.
" I have a very bad feeling." Frodo said. Jubilee grabbed the doorknob and twisted it.
"Wolvie?" She cried into the darkness that greeted them as she opened the door. They could hear him breathing in a faint hiss. Jubilee stepped in followed cautiously by the hobbits.
"Shut the door!" They heard him yell. Too scared to disobey Jubilee slammed the door behind them. Sam quickly grabbed the knob and cracked the it open. With the little light that it let in. They could see that the room was in shambles.
"The light hurts my eyes." Wolverine hissed.
"Wolvie, where are you?" Jubilee said trembling. Something moved in the darkness. They could see a figure edging toward them.
"Who's with you?" He hissed, still approaching them. They could now see a faint glow in his eyes.
"Um...the hobbits." She said suddenly there was a familiar 'snikt' sound.
"Wolverine what are you doing?" Jubilee said backing up
"The darkness." He growled "everything is dark. "
Frodo suddenly remembered from the night before when Wolverine had attacked him. The same terror grasped him as he pulled the ring out of his pocket preparing to put it on his finger. Wolverine suddenly stopped. They heard him sniffing.
"I smell the stink o Frodo." He growled "You'll be first" he suddenly roared and dove toward the group. Sam fell backward shutting the door. Wolverine barely missed Frodo. Jubilee found him in the darkness just as Wolverine got up. He started toward the pair Jubilee suddenly fired her fireworks into the other mutants face. Wolverine howled in pain Sam grabbed the door and flung it open the room was bathed in light. Wolverine roared and hid his face from it. Without waiting anymore they ran from the room. They had barely turned the corner when they crashed into Legolas, Gimli, Aragorn, Cyclops and Beast.
"Strider!" Merry yelled "Wolverines gone mad!"
There was a roar and Wolverine crawled out of the room. His skin was pale and his veins were black.
"Can't see." He said "everything... dark." With that he collapsed
"Legolas" Aragorn said " we must work fast. It may already be too late!"
...........................................................................................................................................................................
"How is he!" Jean said rushing into the medical room. Wolverine was lying on a bed. The hobbits were outside. Beast, Aragorn, Legolas, Cyclops and Jubilee were gathered around him "what happened?"
"He was poisoned," Aragorn said turning to the telepath. Legolas was busy saying something to Wolverine in elvish "The Nazgul use a blade that poisons the victim. The venom makes them slip into the shadow realm and they become as a wraith."
"You've got to help him!" Jubilee cried tugging on Legolas' arm.
"What are you doing?" Jean asked
"We have administered elvish medicine to him;" Aragorn answered "but that is not enough."
"No it isn't" Beast said "from what Aragorn has told me. He should be past saving. There was a piece of the dagger still imbedded in his shoulder. That is why his healing factor couldn't counter the poison. There was too much of it, I have removed it and his body is destroying the poison."
"Then what's wrong?" Jean said "what is Legolas doing?"
"Removing the poison is only half the battle." Aragorn said. "His mind has slipped into the shadow. Legolas is using elvish spells to try and bring him back to the light."
"He is suffering severe neurological trauma." Beast confirmed.
"Is that why you called me down here?" Jean said
"Yes Jean." Cyclops said "we want you to enter Wolverine's mind and try and guide his psyche back.
Jean approached her comrade. "Logan," she gasped as she looked into his eyes, which had turned a pale blue. He was wheezing for air. She put her hands up to his temples.
"Wait!" A voice came suddenly. They all turned to see Professor X wheel into the room. "Let me do it."
"But Professor how did you..." Jean began.
"I am psychic you know." He said "When I heard them summon you I came. Let me try to help Logan. I have been in his mind before. I know what I will be dealing with."
"Sir." Cyclops began "Do you really think that you should? Given the way you've been lately..."
"Scott," Xavier interrupted. "I know perfectly well what I did was wrong. But I must atone for it somehow. You have to trust me again. Logan does not have much time."
Cyclops looked to Aragorn and back to Xavier. "Okay Professor." He said finally.
Xavier moved to the front of Wolverines bed and then put his head to the ailing mutants. His mind was immediately clouded in darkness. "Logan," he thought. Wolverine's mind felt exactly the same way that the wraith's minds felt when Xavier had scanned them. Writhing in self-hatred and loathing toward everything else.
"Chuck." Wolverines responded "Go away, Leave me alone."
"Logan come back to us." Xavier said "we need you."
"I said go away!" Wolverine said "I'm an animal you don't need me! Go! I won't let you use me again! I'll kill you!" In Wolverine's psyche Xavier could feel an anger rise. He saw an image of a wild man, Wolverines self image "I don't need you!"
"Maybe you don't need me Logan." The Professor countered "but I need you. The X-men need you. Scott, Jean, Hank, Jubilee. They need you. Come back to us."
"It's all black Chuck everything is black. I'll kill everyone. I can't come back"
"No you won't concentrate on me." Xavier began to project his mind and mental images of Wolverines teammates to help give him hope.
"Scott, Jubs, Jeanie, I killed them."
"No Logan that is not true you're imagining they're alive and waiting for you to come back to them."
In the darkness that enveloped his mind Wolverine suddenly appeared before Xavier.
"Let's go," Xavier said. The telepath suddenly came out of the psychic realm. Everyone was staring at him. "He'll be alright." He said. Just then Wolverine's eyes began to return to their brown color.
"Wolvie!" Jubilee said at side. The wounded mutant looked to his protégé
"Hey darlin," he said he looked to Jean who was standing near Cyclops. "What you doing here Red? Professor X began to leave the room.
"Professor," Cyclops said just as he reached the door.
"Yes, Scott" Xavier said turning to look at the other mutant
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have doubted you." He said
"Sometimes Scott." Xavier said "you have to. I will return shortly to check on Logan."
"We could not have done it without your help," Legolas said
"My X-men are too Precious to me to lose." Xavier responded leaving the room.