Disclaimer: Screw it. You know the drill
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Shadow Rising Chapter Two: The Beginning of the End
"So today's you're last day, Azriel?" Azriel heaved a deep sigh and sank into the couch. All around him, every mutant in the Institute sat or stood, each in various degrees of boredom.
"Yeah. I leave after dinner tomorrow." Rogue rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes, murmuring in contentment. Azriel slung his arm around her shoulders and began to gently stroke her hair. Kitty cooed at the romantic sight.
"Aw, that is, like, so CUTE!" The couple paid absolutely no attention to Kitty's outburst and continued to exist in their own little world. Scott chuckled and wrapped his arms around Jean's waist. He leaned his head and murmured in her ear.
"Maybe we should follow their example..." Although Scott had meant to sound seductive, he failed miserably. Jean cracked up and began to laugh uncontrollably, howling even harder after seeing the sour look her boyfriend was giving her. Kurt waited for her to calm down, looking at her as if she was insane, before beginning to speak.
"Vell, I for one am extremely bored. Don't ve have anyzing to do?" Kitty's eyebrows shot up. Every girl in the Xavier Institute had one idea formulating in their mind. Kurt glanced warily at their expressions. "Vas?"
"Oh no...on my last day...you're not..." All color drained from Azriel's face as he guessed what the girls were thinking.
"We're going..."
"Don't say it! Don't you dare say it!"
"SHOPPING!!!!!"
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"Oooh, I have got to try that on!"
"I saw it first, Tabby!"
"Did not, Jubes!"
"Did too!"
"Did not!"
"Did too!"
"Did not!"
"Did too!"
"Did not!" The X-Boys watched silently as the girls began to fight over the dress. Bobby carefully placed the multiple bags he had in hand to the ground and reached for his wallet.
"I got two on Boom-Boom." Ray dropped the bags containing Amara's assorted purchases and grabbed his money.
"I say five on Jubes! She'll crack first." Before Ray and Bobby could shake on the deal, five more packages came flying their way.
"Catch! And don't you dare drop them!" Azriel began to bang his head against a nearby window pane. Kurt ground his fangs in frustration. He dropped most of the bags and spread his now free arms out wide.
"Girl's, ve've been here for hours! Can ve please go home?!" The look they gave him could have frozen the Atlantic. "I'll shut up now..." A beam of raw energy suddenly slammed into him, instantly vaporizing the bag Kurt held in his left hand. He screeched in fear and 'ported away, reappearing on the top of a fake palm tree.
"Vat ze hell vas that?!" Two young men stepped out from the cloud of smoke. The first was dressed in long khaki pants and a tanktop that threatened to rip from his bulging chest muscles. The second, much smaller one would have fit right in at a Goth club. He looked up at his brother and pinched the bridge of his nose, letting out a noise of annoyance.
"Can't you keep yourself under control for five minutes?" The taller one looked down reproachfully.
"Sorry big brother." The Goth swept back his long black dyed hair from in front of his face.
"Which of you is the half-blood?" All the mutants looked quizzically at him. Scott placed his hands at his sunglasses.
"What the hell are you talking about? You'd better leave before this gets ugly." The Goth sneered at him with open disdain.
"Run home to your mother, child. You have no idea who you're dealing with."
"Neither do you." Both newcomers turned in surprise, only to be punched in the face. They reeled backwards, clutching their jaws. The Goth looked at Azriel before narrowing his eyes.
"So you are the half-blood. Very well, we'll make your death quick." The Goth's hand suddenly began to glow with an eerie blue light. He leapt forward and chopped at Azriel, who deftly caught his hand. Azriel's eyes bulged in fear and he let go as if burned. His left hand was indeed badly charred.
"What in the nine hells?!" The Goth looked at him in complete surprise.
"You mean...you don't know? You've never seen an energy attack?" The tall one lumbered up to his brother.
"Are you sure he's a half-blood?"
"Yes, of course. I can sense it on him." The Goth regarded Azriel with open surprise. "How can you not feel it?"
"Feel what? I'm tired of these stupid games. What the hell is going on?!" The Goth continued to look at him with open astonishment.
"Can't you hear it? Can't you hear the Song?" Azriel stretched out his senses. He could hear it. It was a haunting melody that cried out to him. All of a sudden realization dawned on him. He realized and understood the nuances and powers of the attack used on him. No, not realized, he thought with growing dread, remembered. Then the Song overwhelmed him, and he thought no more.
Azriel dropped his head down and calmly raised his right hand. It glowed unnaturally for a moment before a black sphere of energy emanated from it. He raised his hand and pointed the sphere directly at the tall one. The sphere leapt from his hand and impacted the tall one's face. He screamed in anguish and terror as the flesh was stripped from his bone. His brain burned away and his skull vaporized. The still twitching body dropped to the floor, now headless. He then pointed at the Goth, who began to step backwards, looking for an avenue of escape. He cast frightened eyes at Azriel's darkening visage.
"Please, spare me! I beg of you!" Azriel's head suddenly snapped up and he seemed to come to his senses. He nodded his head and lowered his outstretched arm. The Goth raced away.
Well done, Guardian.
Who said that?
Unimportant. What matters right now is that you have won your first battle in the Tournament.
The Tournament?
Indeed. Do not worry. You will remember the rules soon enough. What matters is that you must win.
I must...win.
Yes.
Yes.
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Ooh, scary! Who is that mysterious voice speaking in Azriel's head? What new challenges lie in store for him and the X-Men? Next Chapter: Powers Unveiled
Read and Review...NOW
Until next chapter...
Sayonara
Dark Merlyn
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Shadow Rising Chapter Two: The Beginning of the End
"So today's you're last day, Azriel?" Azriel heaved a deep sigh and sank into the couch. All around him, every mutant in the Institute sat or stood, each in various degrees of boredom.
"Yeah. I leave after dinner tomorrow." Rogue rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes, murmuring in contentment. Azriel slung his arm around her shoulders and began to gently stroke her hair. Kitty cooed at the romantic sight.
"Aw, that is, like, so CUTE!" The couple paid absolutely no attention to Kitty's outburst and continued to exist in their own little world. Scott chuckled and wrapped his arms around Jean's waist. He leaned his head and murmured in her ear.
"Maybe we should follow their example..." Although Scott had meant to sound seductive, he failed miserably. Jean cracked up and began to laugh uncontrollably, howling even harder after seeing the sour look her boyfriend was giving her. Kurt waited for her to calm down, looking at her as if she was insane, before beginning to speak.
"Vell, I for one am extremely bored. Don't ve have anyzing to do?" Kitty's eyebrows shot up. Every girl in the Xavier Institute had one idea formulating in their mind. Kurt glanced warily at their expressions. "Vas?"
"Oh no...on my last day...you're not..." All color drained from Azriel's face as he guessed what the girls were thinking.
"We're going..."
"Don't say it! Don't you dare say it!"
"SHOPPING!!!!!"
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
"Oooh, I have got to try that on!"
"I saw it first, Tabby!"
"Did not, Jubes!"
"Did too!"
"Did not!"
"Did too!"
"Did not!"
"Did too!"
"Did not!" The X-Boys watched silently as the girls began to fight over the dress. Bobby carefully placed the multiple bags he had in hand to the ground and reached for his wallet.
"I got two on Boom-Boom." Ray dropped the bags containing Amara's assorted purchases and grabbed his money.
"I say five on Jubes! She'll crack first." Before Ray and Bobby could shake on the deal, five more packages came flying their way.
"Catch! And don't you dare drop them!" Azriel began to bang his head against a nearby window pane. Kurt ground his fangs in frustration. He dropped most of the bags and spread his now free arms out wide.
"Girl's, ve've been here for hours! Can ve please go home?!" The look they gave him could have frozen the Atlantic. "I'll shut up now..." A beam of raw energy suddenly slammed into him, instantly vaporizing the bag Kurt held in his left hand. He screeched in fear and 'ported away, reappearing on the top of a fake palm tree.
"Vat ze hell vas that?!" Two young men stepped out from the cloud of smoke. The first was dressed in long khaki pants and a tanktop that threatened to rip from his bulging chest muscles. The second, much smaller one would have fit right in at a Goth club. He looked up at his brother and pinched the bridge of his nose, letting out a noise of annoyance.
"Can't you keep yourself under control for five minutes?" The taller one looked down reproachfully.
"Sorry big brother." The Goth swept back his long black dyed hair from in front of his face.
"Which of you is the half-blood?" All the mutants looked quizzically at him. Scott placed his hands at his sunglasses.
"What the hell are you talking about? You'd better leave before this gets ugly." The Goth sneered at him with open disdain.
"Run home to your mother, child. You have no idea who you're dealing with."
"Neither do you." Both newcomers turned in surprise, only to be punched in the face. They reeled backwards, clutching their jaws. The Goth looked at Azriel before narrowing his eyes.
"So you are the half-blood. Very well, we'll make your death quick." The Goth's hand suddenly began to glow with an eerie blue light. He leapt forward and chopped at Azriel, who deftly caught his hand. Azriel's eyes bulged in fear and he let go as if burned. His left hand was indeed badly charred.
"What in the nine hells?!" The Goth looked at him in complete surprise.
"You mean...you don't know? You've never seen an energy attack?" The tall one lumbered up to his brother.
"Are you sure he's a half-blood?"
"Yes, of course. I can sense it on him." The Goth regarded Azriel with open surprise. "How can you not feel it?"
"Feel what? I'm tired of these stupid games. What the hell is going on?!" The Goth continued to look at him with open astonishment.
"Can't you hear it? Can't you hear the Song?" Azriel stretched out his senses. He could hear it. It was a haunting melody that cried out to him. All of a sudden realization dawned on him. He realized and understood the nuances and powers of the attack used on him. No, not realized, he thought with growing dread, remembered. Then the Song overwhelmed him, and he thought no more.
Azriel dropped his head down and calmly raised his right hand. It glowed unnaturally for a moment before a black sphere of energy emanated from it. He raised his hand and pointed the sphere directly at the tall one. The sphere leapt from his hand and impacted the tall one's face. He screamed in anguish and terror as the flesh was stripped from his bone. His brain burned away and his skull vaporized. The still twitching body dropped to the floor, now headless. He then pointed at the Goth, who began to step backwards, looking for an avenue of escape. He cast frightened eyes at Azriel's darkening visage.
"Please, spare me! I beg of you!" Azriel's head suddenly snapped up and he seemed to come to his senses. He nodded his head and lowered his outstretched arm. The Goth raced away.
Well done, Guardian.
Who said that?
Unimportant. What matters right now is that you have won your first battle in the Tournament.
The Tournament?
Indeed. Do not worry. You will remember the rules soon enough. What matters is that you must win.
I must...win.
Yes.
Yes.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Ooh, scary! Who is that mysterious voice speaking in Azriel's head? What new challenges lie in store for him and the X-Men? Next Chapter: Powers Unveiled
Read and Review...NOW
Until next chapter...
Sayonara
Dark Merlyn