Auther notes: thank you all for the reviews. I hope you enjoy this chapter.
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The Hanzain Witch
Kurt felt around his new surroundings. It felt like rock and cold steal. The swelling in his eyelids went down so he could finally open them.
When he did he saw that he was in some sort of cell. He looked around and saw Kitty, Jean and Scott up against the wall. They were all still in their pajamas and out cold. A few feet away Logan sat. He was the only one of them that was chained. Kurt could see the blood dripping from his closed eyes.
He had no idea where they all were. It was so dark, damp, and uncomfortable. The air around them felt so could and reeked of rotting flesh.
Kurt could hear footsteps coming towards them. In no time their cell door opened and in walked Vonce followed by one of his followers called Hennin.
"Ah," said Vonce, "I see at least on of you has woken."
Kurt said nothing. He just gave the cloaked man a look of anger. The furry mutant hated not being able to see the man's face. He wanted so much to know the face of his enemy.
The other imprisoned X-Men stirred and woke up. Logan began to open his eyes, but stopped when he felt the immense pain of his cut eyes.
Vonce looked at him and held up a small syringe in his hand. "This hear is the antidote," he said, "I will give you back your powers for only a moment, and you better not try anything funny."
Logan just growled at him. Vonce stuck the needle in the only place where the antidote would take affect. Right where the eyelids connected near the nose.
When the fluid was injected into Logan, his eyes healed instantly. He then swung one of his legs around and kicked Vonce down. The other chains held the mutant in place as he struggled to free himself.
Hennin took out a hand full of the green powder and blew it right into Logan's face. Once again his powers were immediately deactivated.
Logan let his claws out of his hands even though they wouldn't heal. He tried to cut his chains, but Vonce stood up and kicked him right in the gut.
Hennin looked into Logan's eyes and said, "you dare not do that."
"Why not," Logan asked angrily.
Vonce said, "because if you do you will watch as your friends suffer."
Then the cloaked man took a long whip out of his cloak. He looked over at Kitty and Jean and said to Hennin, "stand them up."
Hennin did as he was told. He forced the two girls to stand. He chained them both to the wall. Scott Kurt watched as Vonce cracked the whip right against both the girls' stomachs. He heard Logan yell, "leave them alone you bastards!"
Vonce cracked the whip against them again and the girls both screamed in agony.
Kurt couldn't hold back his rage he ran over to Vonce and tackled him. He then gave the man a few good punches before Hennin threw him off his master.
Vonce stood back up and kicked Kurt hard in the stomach. He said, "you'll pay for what you have done."
Scott tried to help his fuzzy friend. He ran at Vonce with his fists ready to punch.
Hennin ran in Scott's way and elbowed him in the face. He then threw the boy against the wall, knocking him out cold once again.
Vonce laughed and looked back down at Kurt who was holding his stomach. Vonce held the whip up and slashed it along Kurt's back. Kurt gave a cry of pain as Vonce whipped him again.
Jean and Kitty watched helplessly with tears in their eyes as Kurt was punished for no reason. Logan tried to get free of the chains, but it was hopeless.
Vonce gave Kurt to more hard whips and then left the cell. Hennin took the chains off the two girls and left as well.
Jean and Kitty ran to Kurt's side. He had passed out from the pain, but he was still alive.
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Andre stood near the window as the other X-Men discussed what they should do. They had no idea how they were going to help their friends.
The Puppets watched the meeting. Blade passed back and for as if worried. He now believed that maybe they should have tried saving the others first before fighting the Totems and now he felt responsible for their capture.
Rogue stopped talking with the other X-Men and looked over to Andre. "Andre you know a lot about this Hanzain Cult," she said. "Don't you know where they're hiding out?"
Andre took his black hat off his head and brushed his hair back, "no. I'm sorry to say this, but I have no idea where their temple is."
Xavier asked, "are you sure? We must find the others quickly. If you could tell us anything at all about the Cult that might help us find them it would be very useful"
Andre said, "I'm aware of the situation. But I have no clue where they are hiding out."
Rogue looked down sadly and said, "this whole thing is looking pretty hopeless."
Ororo said, "now Rogue we mustn't loose hope yet. We have to find some way to locate them."
Hank sighed and said, "if only their powers were working, we would at least have a chance of finding them."
Andre put his hat back on his head. He had one other option that would help them find the other X-Men, but it was one he did not wish to use. Sadly he had no other choice.
"I think I no a way we can find them," he said.
The other X-men looked at him willing whatever plan he had.
"I know a woman," he said. "I didn't mention her before because I don't like to turn to her very much. She used to be a member of the Hanzain Cult and she still follows many of their rituals, also she studies witchcraft. If you are willing we can go to her and hopefully she can help us."
The X-Men excluding Rogue discussed this. She walked up to her newfound brother as the others talked. "Do you think this woman will be able to help us?"
Andre shook his head and said, "I don't know."
Charles' voice was heard as every one else went silent. "It's settles," he said, "we will fined this woman and receive her help. Andre you will show us where she is. I assume she doesn't live in this town. Just allow us to get ready and meet us down stairs at the helicopter."
"Alright," said Andre, "I head down there now. I advise you though, do not wear your fancy uniforms."
He left the room leaving the X-Men to ponder his words.
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Rogue headed down to the X-copter. When she entered the area it was in she saw the puppets waiting near by. She walked over to them and said, "hey guys, where's Andre?"
"I'm right here," he said as he turned the corner of the copter. "I see you didn't wear your uniform like I asked you to."
"Why don't you want us to wear them any way," the Goth.
"I have my reasons," the boy said.
They stood silent for a while. Rogue couldn't believe this. She finally found out that she had a brother and the first thing they were doing together was going on a dangerous mission. She was hoping she could get to know him more and show him around Bayeville a little.
Andre began to tap his cane against the floor. Rogue turned to him and asked, "so where does this Hanzain woman live?"
Andre only said, "Mississippi."
"Really," Rogue asked in a somewhat excited voice.
"Yeah why," asked her brother.
"Well," Rogue said, "that's where Ah used to live before Ah came here."
Andre smiled and said, "if I knew that ahead of time it would have been easier to find you."
Rogue smiled back at him and then looked over at the puppets. "Were you really looking for me ever since your foster parents were killed," she asked.
Andre leaned against the side of the X-copter and said, "well for the first few years when I was hiding from the Hanzain Cult I didn't. I wanted to find you, but I didn't have this cane here and I was to afraid to step out from my hiding place. I was only six years old. The spirit of our grand father though tit best if I helped him search when I was a little older."
Rogue closed her eyes just trying to imagine what her brother went through. Alone with a cult after you. "It must have been hard," she said. "All alone with no one to talk to."
"I wasn't alone," said Andre, "I had the puppets with me."
"Ah know that," said Rogue, "but that's not the same as talking with a real person. Ah mean don't get me wrong. In the short time that Ah've known these puppets Ah've grown found of them, but still they can't talk back."
She looked over to the puppets. They didn't seem offended by what she just said. Andre gave an amused laugh and said, "well Rogue it's true that the puppets can't talk, but sometimes it's nice just to have some one who will listen. And the puppets can do plenty of that. Besides I didn't only have them, I had the spirit of our grandfather with me."
Rogue smiled again and said, "it must be nice having a grand father who'll watch out for you even after death."
"Well, now that I have finally found you he'll be watching out for you too," said Andre.
"Ah wish I could meet him now," said Rogue, "Ah want to at least know what he looks like, since Ah'll never know what mah parents looked like."
Andre paused and said, "you want to know what our parents looked like. Well then I have something for you."
He pulled a picture out of his trench coat pocket and handed it to Rogue. When she looked at it she saw them; her parents.
It was a picture of them on their wedding day. Her mother had on a beautiful white dress. She had long brown hair and a smile that could tame even the wildest beast. And she had Rogue's eyes.
Next to her stood her husband, Rogue's father. He had on one of those very nice black tuxedoes. His eyes were a hazelnut brown and his hair was almost as black as his suit.
Rogue whipped away a tear of joy and held the picture up to her chest. She looked at Andre and said, "thank you."
Before either of them could talk again Charles wheeled himself into the room followed by Hank and Ororo. Andre looked to them and said, "good you didn't get into your uniforms."
"Why didn't you want us to wear them in the first place," asked Hank.
The boy in the trench coat said, "because this woman is not very fond of mutants. She hates them more than any human could. Luckily she never found out I was a mutant." He then thought for a second and said, "Hank I think it would be best if you stayed in the copter while we talk to her."
Hank did not complain. If this woman hated mutants as much as was said then he shouldn't show himself to her.
Ororo hoped into the helicopter and opened the door for the others. Andre and Rogue helped the puppets onto the copter and then entered themselves. As soon as every body was on they left the institute.
Andre was nervous about what would happen when they met the woman. It had been a long time since he talked to the Hanzain Witch.
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Rogue had fallen asleep during the flight. In her dreams she found herself within Suetek's prison below the Earth once again. As soon as she knew where she was, her skin ran cold.
She hid out of view and looked around. Her vision soon showed her the demon lord near the strange cauldron in the middle of the chasm.
Around the cauldron stood his watchers. They seemed to be in a state of trans. Suetek spoke, "it seems that the Puppet Master is traveling to the old Hanzain Witch. These people he is with are very strong indeed. We will need more help in our quest."
He walked over to a stone and picked a small coffin off of it. He opened it up and took out another Totem, but this one was different from the others. It's face was more darker and reptilian like. It had more scales on it's body and it looked more muscular.
Suetek spoke again, "my special child. My ultimate offspring." He then cut his finger with a knife and dripped his blood into the new Totems mouth.
"Awake my child," he said, "take in my powers. Let my evil flow through you."
Rogue watched as a strange beam of light began to come out of Suetek and into the creature.
Suetek spoke again. "You're blood will be my blood. Your strength will be my strength. Your power will be my power. Awake my child. Become me."
The small creature then began to move a little.
"Yes," said the demon, "wake my child. Set forth and destroy!"
The creature moved fully now. Suetek had no possessed his special child. The creature gave out a long screech and disappeared.
It was then Rogue woke up screaming. Andre sat beside her. "What's wrong," he asked.
"Ah Ah had another dream about Suetek," she said panting.
Andre looked at her curiously, "you've been having dreams about him?"
Rogue nodded. Charles asked her , "what happened in it this time."
Rogue took a few more deep breaths and said, "he possessed some weird Totem. It wasn't like the others. He called it his special child."
Andre looked worried, "that was a Totem created by Suetek that he made especially for him. It's more powerful that the other ones."
"What are we gonna do about it," Rogue asked.
Andre took a deep breath and said, "we will be patient and see what happens."
They both heard Hank say, "we're arriving at Mississippi now."
Andre decided to forget about the new Totem now and concentrate on the task at hand.
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Andre stood in front of the house of the Hanzain Witch along with the few X-Men and his puppets.
Hank sat in the helicopter as the others headed for the door. Before Andre knocked he said to the others, "ok, I want to warn you that when we are in here just let me do the talking. Don't say anything until she addresses you. And most of all do not be alarmed by her customs of figure."
"Why, what's so bad about the way she looks," Rogue asked.
Andre said, "the Hanzain Cult hates other humans. They hate them so much that they don't wish to look like them. So they mutilate their faces and bodies. They burn, cut, and or butcher themselves. This woman won't be a pretty sight."
Rogue looked to Charles and Ororo uneasily. Andre walked forward and knocked on the door. A strange and almost breathless voice said, "enter." Andre opened the door and led every body in.
The house was dark and dank. The only light came from a few candles around the room. There were cobwebs all over the place and strange unholy decorations all around.
Rogue saw a few of these and felt sick to her stomach. She saw the skin of a pig draped over the couch. The bones of many animals made up much of the furniture. Rogue also saw many human bones as well.
"Is this woman some sort of grave robber or something," she said quietly to herself.
She heard the breathless voice say, "yes I am. It is my way."
Rogue covered her mouth and thought, 'oh crap did she hear me?'
Andre turned to the voice. He saw the back of the woman's head as she sat in a chair. She hummed an unusual tune to her self.
Andre stepped, "ma'am Miss Armondo? It's Andre."
Miss Armondo spoke, "The Puppet Master? It has been some time. I see you brought friends. Can I trust them?"
Andre said, "yes," and then remained silent until the woman spoke again.
After a while of silence she said, "I don't believe I can."
Rogue stepped forward, forgetting everything Andre said before hand.
She said, "look Miss um, whatever your name is. We came here because the old Cult that you were a member of has kidnapped some of our friends. We need you to tell use where the Hanzain Cult is hiding out. We're not here to question you about your ways, which don't mean anything to us."
The woman said nothing at first. She stood up and faced them all for the first time.
She was a hideous person. Her flesh was badly burnt, she had no hair, and her skin from her left eyebrow was stretched down over her eye. She had long bony fingers on her lifeless hands. She wore a white gown that had been stained gray over the years.
She looked at Rogue and said, "come here child."
Rogue didn't move at first. She looked over to Andre for a little help, but he gave none. He just gave her a look as if saying, "I warned you."
The woman said louder, "come here child."
Rogue slowly walked over. The woman then said, "hold out your hand."
Rogue paused for a few seconds and did as she was told. The woman held out a live rat in her hand and put it into Rogue. She held the Goth's hand shut around it and made her crush the small animal.
Rogue dropped the dead rat and backed away. She looked at the little body on the ground and said, "oh mah God. Why did you make me do that?"
The woman did not answer her. She looked to Andre and asked, "you seek my old Cult. You must be in more trouble than normal." She looked at the X-Men and said, "I want you to leave while I talk with the boy."
They didn't argue. Charles nodded to the woman and turned his chair. He did not like what this woman just did to Rogue, but he wanted to obey Andre's orders and not speak unless addressed. He though he would make the matter worse if he tried to stand up for Rogue.
As Ororo and Charles began to exit Rogue turned away from the woman and began to walk away. Miss Armondo put her hand on the Goth's shoulder and said, "you, stay with us."
Rogue froze at the touch of the lifeless limb. She didn't want to stay in that house with this very bizarre woman. After making her kill that rat she didn't feel to comfortable near this Miss Armondo.
Ororo turned to the burnt woman and said, "we will not leave our team mate in here. The reason we trust Andre with you is because"
Andre interrupted her. "Please Ororo don't argue with her. If she want's Rogue to stay then she will stay."
Andre knew that if they didn't do as this woman wished then she would not help them at all. He did not want to take that chance. Ororo seemed to know this. She said no more and left the house with Charles.
Miss Armondo still stood with her hand on Rogue shoulder. The Goth tried not to shiver, but she couldn't help it. "Could you please let me go now," she asked.
Miss Armondo said with her burnt lips, "come with me."
She began to pull Rogue backward farther into the house. Andre stepped forward and said, "that's enough Miss, let her go."
"Why," the woman asked with an evil smile.
She then looked down to the floor and saw the puppets Blade, Tunneler, and Pinhead walking towards her. They seemed very angry with her.
Rogue was a member of the Toulon family and the puppets hated to see someone disrespecting or harming any member of it in any way.
Miss Armondo's face turned to concern. "You brought the puppets," she said. She was worried for her own safety.
She took her hand off of Rogue and looked at them. "Promise me you won't let them attack me Puppet Master."
"I promise," said Andre, "but only if you lay off my sister."
The woman's face changed back into a smile. "So, the final child of your family. You have found her at last. Well girl, come on in and make yourself at home."
"Yeah right," said Rogue sarcastically, "if this is a home then Ah'm as preppy as Kitty."
Andre knew Miss Armondo didn't here his sister, but he still gave her a quick elbow in the arm. Rogue flinched a little and then stayed quiet.
They followed the burnt woman through the house. The puppets followed close behind. Each room seemed more dark and demonic than the one before. It made Rogue very uncomfortable.
Finally the entered a small room dining room. There was a small round table in the middle. Miss Armondo sat down and then invited Rogue and Andre to do the same.
They sat around the table as the woman took five small bones out of her dress and began to roll them around the table.
Rogue leaned near Andre and asked, "what is she doing?"
Andre said, "she's relaxing. A lot of the Hanzain people roll bones around with one hand. They use the bumps of the bones to message their palms. It's sort of their way to relieve stress."
The bones rattled around the table as the woman rolled them. The sound made Rogue's knees shake. She crossed her legs in order to try and stop her shivering.
Miss Armondo finally spoke. "Why are you looking for the Hanzain Cult? Do you seek the knowledge of demons or do you wish to become a member?"
Rogue became offended by this remark. "Ah all ready told you, they kidnapped our friends and we want to get them back."
"Your friends are as good as dead," the woman said. "They'll be lucky if they are not begging for death right now."
Andre said, "I don't think the Hanzain Cult will torture them as badly as you say, but still we have to find them soon."
"My advice to you is forget about them," said the woman, "they won't last long."
Rogue stood up from her chair and said angrily, "look you lousy inconsiderate bitch. Those creeps that you used to be with have our friends and we'll do what ever we have to get them back. Those people have done a lot for me, Ah've never admitted that before, but Ah will now. Ah swear if we have to look for our friends and they die before we can find them, those burns on your face will not be the last scars you get!"
Miss Armondo stood up and looked the pale girl right in her eyes. "And what makes you think I wouldn't mind that," she said. "Every member of the Hanzain Cult enjoys pain. If you even found them you probably wouldn't stand a chance against them."
"Ah don't care," said Rogue, "Ah still want to save mah friends."
"Brave words child," said the woman, "but now you're not getting any information out of me. No body insults me in my own home."
Andre then stood. "It didn't seem like you were going to help us in the first place."
"Very observant," said Miss Armondo, "it is true that I'm no longer a member of the Hanzain Cult, but that doesn't mean I would betray them."
Andre wanted to hit the woman with his cane, but his principles stopped him. He believed that hitting an older person was wrong. "Come on Rogue," he said, "let's get out of here."
He turned away convinced that they would not get any information out of this woman, but Rogue did not follow him. She starred angrily at the woman. "Where are they," she demanded.
"Get out of here," said the woman, "or I'll skin you alive."
Rogue's eye flared up with rage. "GOD DAMN YOU!" she yelled infuriated.
"Oh too late," said the woman, "he already has."
The young Goth didn't even think before she acted. She took off her glove and planted it right on the burnt woman's face. Her powers kicked in instantly. The woman's life force and memories flow into her.
Rogue didn't let go until she saw the memory of where the Hanzain Cult was. It was so well hidden that she almost didn't receive it.
She then released her grip on the old woman and her burnt body fell lifeless to the floor.
Andre ran up to Rogue followed by his puppets. "Are you ok," he asked.
Rogue put her glove back on and said, "Ah know where the Hanzain Cult is."
Andre's eyes turned wide with surprise. "How," he asked, "you only touched her." Sadly he still didn't know Rogue's power.
Rogue took a deep breath. She hated telling people her powers and telling the last member of her family was difficult. "If Ah touch someone Ah absorb their memories and life force. And if the person Ah touch is a mutant then Ah can use their powers for a little while."
Andre said, "well that explains it," and said no more. Rogue was surprised that he didn't seem to mind her abilities. "We better get going," he said.
Before they could go Miss Armondo regained consciousness. The two young Toulons looked at her. She said, "there's only one way that you could do that girl, if you were a mutant."
She picked a knife off of a near by counter and said, "I hate mutants."
Rogue stood in a fighting stance and the puppets stood in front of her. Miss Armondo began to attack. She ran towards Rogue with her knife raised.
Suddenly a loud screech was heard. Something came flying out from the side and knocked the old woman down.
Rogue looked to where the old woman fell and saw one of the Totems scratching up her face. It was the one that was possessed by Suetek.
Then another Totem came flying from the side toward Andre. The boy held his cane in front of him and the creature smacked right into it.
It grabbed Andre's cane and pushed against it trying to get close enough to slash the boy.
The third Totem went after Rogue it leapt at her and she caught it right before it could cause serious damage.
It did manage to scratch her eye. The slash hurt so much that Rogue dropped the little monster. For some strange reason her power had no affect on the little thing.
The fourth Totem came out from hiding and was instantly surrounded by the puppets. It slashed at Pinhead and Six-shooter knocking them both down.
Andre finally used all his upper body strength to push the creature off of him. It flew off of him and knocked over the Totem that attacked Rogue.
As all this was going on the Suetek's special child had killed Miss Armondo. As her body laid on the ground the creature absorbed his life force.
When he was finished he screeched at the other Totems and they made a break for it. The one that was surrounded by the puppets tried to escape, but was tackled by Tunneler and Jester. The other Totems left him behind to fend for himself.
Andre and Rogue looked over at the burnt woman's body. Andre said, "well it couldn't have happened to a nicer person."
Both Rogue and he breathed heavily. Rogue held the cut on her ear as Andre walked over to take a look at it.
As he looked Rogue looked towards the puppets. "Andre look, they got a Totem," she said.
Andre turned and saw Pinhead and Decapitron stretching the Totem out in front of Tunneler. Tunneler's drill started up.
Andre said, "let them handle it," and went back to work on Rogue's wound.
Rogue watched as Tunneler's drill went clean into the Totem's stomach. The little creature gave out one final screech of pain and then was silent.
Blood dripped from Tunneler's drill as he pulled it out of the corps. Blade handed Pinhead a small cloth and he began to clean off Tunneler's drill.
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Deep below the Earth Suetek and his watchers stood around the cauldron controlling the Totems in the world above. Suddenly a flash of lighting struck down and hit the watcher that was controlling the Totem that was just killed.
Suetek saw this and said, "no, they have destroyed one of our children."
He looked into the cauldron and saw Andre cleaning off Rogue's wound in it. He was so full of anger. It had been a long time since any one has killed one of his children.
"Enjoy this small victory," he said to the image, "it will be your last."