Part 6:
Kurt slid the sword from its sheath walking forward to Wolverine. Glory floated behind Kurt her arms crossed. She could feel everyone's minds in the mansion. She knew the plans they were formulating how they were giving Cyclops shots of adrenaline to try and get him back up to fighting levels. But she was distracted with her new game of controlling Kurt. The confused demon walked forward towards the already healed Logan who was coughing up blood on his hands and knees illuminated by the Phoenix's glow. Logan's head snapped up and he looked to Kurt, "Elf you don't want to do this."
"Yes I do." Kurt and Glory said in stereo. Logan knew he was being controlled but had no qualms about hurting his best friend. He would be gentle but he would put the man down.
Kurt brandished his sword swinging it down on Logan whose claws came up spreading the sword in three. Claws in he hit Kurt once hard in the nose. Before he could get another punch in Kurt kicked him in the back having teleported behind Wolverine. Logan kept his balance and moved to swing on Kurt again this time narrowly missing him as he teleported again. He wasn't fighting at all Kurt like. The movements were to structured not in any way flowing like Kurt usually moved.
Kurt was suddenly slammed hard into the wall his breath leaving him as the orange fell from his eyes. Glory clenched her fist in anger. She had lost control over the demon, her mental powers were new to her and hard to control. What had caused Kurt to slam into the wall. She never saw anything coming. She felt a slight breeze and then was hit hard across the back of the head. She stood still bracing herself on the wall rubble because of the blow to her lower scalp.
Keep moving Jean-Paul she can't touch you psychically as long as you keep your powers going at peak efficiency. Their will be far to much disturbance. Emma Frost's voice came calling out on the psychic plane. So it was the speedster Glory/Phoenix thought. She had to get a lock on him, he hadn't been this fast when they had faced before.
Wolverine hadn't wasted his chance, he knew Glory was off balance, he was on her in a frenzy. He sliced into her stomach and his claws ripped deep into her throat. He attempted to yank both claws together slicing Glory down the middle blood spewing in a fountain like affect on Logan was cloth tore stripping Glory.
The naked Goddess fell her enhanced healing already kicking in speed by the power of the Phoenix. She covered herself in the Phoenix fire to keep Logan's claws from touching her again. That runt would pay for his indiscretions. Her hand going up Glory rose to a fallen all fours position. That was when she felt something slice at her again not hard but fast. It was Jean-Paul he was still around. He was moving to fast to be seen and she couldn't read his mind. Glory's eyes lit up in fire. She didn't need to see him she only needed to kill him. The fire of the Phoenix grew and Glory rose to her full height her exposed skin laced in fire as she threw her arms out an explosion occurring. Fire spread like ink around her blotting out everything in sight in an unholy orange glow.
Smiling a curled lip the fire retracted slowly as if blood thickened wine. She saw nobodies around her for the three men and Buffy she had just slaughtered. She only saw ash billowing around her seeping into the Danger Room that remained lightly falling on Jean's white cheek. The red head woman was being buried in the burnt remnants of her friends. Landing the naked blonde made her way towards the remains of the hall leading up into the main part of the mansion. She would kill them one by one tearing apart their minds for the location of her key. One of them had to know where it was.
Floating up the stairs into the main room she ran into an invisible wall. It was strong and she placed her hand against the rippling surface feeling the tingle up through her fire covered body. The wooden floor cracked with fire that was still burning down in her attacks remnants creeping up the wall. Pulling her hands up into a prayer like clasp she began picking Jean's memories for a way to destroy this barrier. She imagined she could use her own strength combined with the Phoenix's power to destroy this powerful barrier spell but she also knew that Jean had an easier way to get it done.
. . . .
Drusilla stood or rather hunched in the sewer her legions of vampires nearing the edge of the sewer system. It was near eleven in the morning and they should have been resting. But that was not an option, to get to Spike's killer they would have to keep moving through out the day. At the edge of the sewer ending that poured water out into a river that lead to a cleaning plant Drusilla watched her followers step lightly into what should have been a sun filled sky. Snow, it was to perfect.
The older male who was currently going by Raven stepped into the sunless morning and pointed to of the vampires barking orders. He was so much like Daddy, so my like her beautiful Angelus. She missed Angelus she did. This Raven was to be hers, she would make him her own, her new "angel" to play with. Drusilla's lanky figure stepped behind Raven and she looked him in the eyes, "Sun go away?"
"For now. We need to get everybody on the bus. I found us some familiars to drive us." Raven said speaking of probably Drusilla's least favorites humans in existence. Humans that worshipped vampires, damn familiars. Back when she had still been reduced in strength her and Spike had slaughtered a club of familiars in Sunnydale, it had been splendid.
The snow fell on Dru's white form highlighting her black dress against the snow and cold waters of the New York winter she stood in. She seemed to glide through the moistened landscape to the edge of the large metal tour bus. She ran her hand down the side of it feeling the cold metal on her icy gloved fingers, "The blue beetle will take us to the bald man."
Raven shook his head making his way behind her to the bus. They were the only two not on now. He took her hand, "Look I know you lost someone you cared for so lets make his killers feel pain."
His words made a smile slide from ear to ear on Drusilla. Raven was perfect he was a little conservative in the way he played with his prey, not nearly as exciting as Spike or Angelus, but he could be taught. Dru slid her gloves off and dropped them on the snow her bare hands sliding to his neck she kissed him deeply, "You can be a naughty birdy you can...will my birdy sing for me?" Leading her on to the bus Raven smiled telling her he would sing and dance if she wished it.
. . . .
Emma Frost looked around the med room she was perched in. Angel and Cyclops were still out for the count. Angel and Scott were far to weak to awaken and everyone didn't have the time to try to recoup them for the coming fight. Somehow Glory had tapped into Jean's power which was outstandingly not good for the side she was fighting for. Sliding of the med table she looked to the others in the room; Iceman and Juggernaut. "The others...they might be...dead."
Iceman cut her off icing up. He didn't need to hear it, "The bitch pays now." He said ice dripping down onto the floor in representation of the Bobby's anger. If Wolverine, Nightcrawler, Jean-Paul and Buffy had perished then Iceman was going to cause Glory pain at any cost.
Juggernaut was already out of the room making his way to where Willow and Tara were casting he was shadowed by Iceman and Emma almost step for step. "Drop the barrier Will'." Marko said flexing his fists he turned to look where he knew Glory was trapped just around the crook of the wall at the top of the stairs. The big guy made his way to the invisible edge just out of Glory's sight, "NOW WILLOW!" He screamed his fist coming up Iceman sliding in front of him as the two men charged in on the hell-goddess.
Glory was steady and had known they were coming a year before Juggernaut rounded the corner. Her hand flew up covered in the soft orange of the diminishing Phoenix. She snatched his fist literally flipping him over her back into the fire and ash covered stairs behind her. Juggs flew through the coal steps into the second sub-basement where the jet hangar and high speed transport escape route were located. He took Glory down with him his other arm gripping her hand yanking her alongside his fall. Both higher powers shattered into the hard metal and marble floor sending a shockwave the cracked the tile around them. Glory was up first tossing Juggernaut into the hard granite wall of the hangar and foundation of the mansion.
Iceman wasn't far behind Juggernaut as he slid down an ice slide to the fighting level, "I'm coming big guy." He called and the air seemed almost instantly dry. Between his power and the fire their wasn't much moisture to begin with, it would have to be enough.
Ice formed up Glory's legs slicing at her naked skin. It shot up and formed spikes drilling for her eyes and mouth. It connected like a hot liquid steaming with an unnatural sound as Iceman's essential dry ice ripped into Glory's throat blocking her air passage and her own moistures exploding from her ears and eyes. She was in an intense pain that she couldn't move out of as ice thickened around her growing foot by foot in every direction. Then Iceman heard her voice in his head, he wouldn't have noticed it had he not been trained with psychics, Die!
Bobby felt the psychic attack, not on an Xavier level but deadly enough, rip into his brain like a tiger into a man's intestines. Numerous Grecian stories claimed to hold this kind of punishment dealt down from the gods and goddess, now Bobby Drake was living that myth. His ice control dissipated and he heard Glory shatter it as he dropped to his knees holding his splitting cranium. He was going to die at the hands of Jean's power unless something happened quickly. Where were Emma and Juggernaut?
Frost slid down the white and crystal ice slide in full diamond form. In this form she was nearly unbreakable but had no psychic power to speak of that would change soon. Running forward Emma's high heels clicked and the white shoe was brought harshly into Glory's face still entrenched in ice. The connection broke her concentration on Iceman and the X-Man stopped writhing. Slamming her legs out she got into a strong position and dropped her diamond epidermis. Her scantily clad white outfit contrasted the rock wall Juggernaut lay prone in behind her. Slipping her gloved fingers to her scalp line she psychically whispered to Glory, Lets see how good you can be.
Harnessing perhaps one of the biggest psychic blasts she could muster she drove it down into Glory's now empty brain. Only two entities felt this pain, Jean and Glory. Unfortunately for the hell goddess Emma was very experienced and could easily direct the pain to only one of the minds. Glory's face tightened still littered in ice looking grotesque in frozen blood bits her teeth smashed in ruining the perfect features. Emma could feel her pushing back with the immense power of the Phoenix but it meant nothing, Emma was far to experienced for it to matter. Glory lay on her back her eyes locked with Emma's own cold blue orbs. The hell-goddess made no large movements the only evidence she was truly under and intense attack was the slight twitching in both of her legs.
Juggernaut was up again rubbing the back of his head, "I need ta start wearing my helmet again." He staggered a little and a large ice hand caught him Iceman back in the game himself, "What's going on?"
"Don't know big guy." Iceman said crossing to Juggernaut's side. He gripped the large man using bits of ice from the melted remains Glory had fried away, "But Emma is definitely concentrated."
"Shut up idiots. I am going to kill her, I just have to get past Jean." Emma said using her physical voice. Her body was just as tensed as Glory but had a bit more of a cocky air to it. She knew what she was doing she was an extremely well fought telepath, Glory was a beginner with a big gun. She just didn't believe she could kill Glory without taking Jean down too. Frankly that was a loss Emma was willing to sustain. But apparently it wasn't one Glory was ready for.
Emma felt a sharp blow to the back of her head. She dropped not even thinking about it a second time. She tumbled into a heap and let the darkness take her like an enveloping blanket the red seeping from her hairline as she struck the floor. Juggernaut stood over her his eyes blazing orange. Glory moved to her feet breathing hard. That had been Jean's tactic she had used seizing control of another to do her bidding. The longer she spent in this connection the more of Jean's memories she could peruse and the more dangerous she became as Phoenix. Glory looked up at Juggernaut touching his face, "You're big and strong but not that bright." Cain said nothing standing mute awaiting the Phoenix's next order.
Go kill them. Kill them all. Glory said to Cain psychically and the man turned running up the ice slide crushing it into bits of white powder in the process. Glory would have to jump but a single story leap should be to difficult for someone of such power.
. . . .
Wolverine stood in the forest knee deep in snow smoking a cigar Buffy behind him watching intently at the cabin yards away, "I still don't like this plan we should be at the mansion."
"Your distaste has been noted Logan." Nightcrawler said still angry with himself for having been controlled by the Phoenix force. It was nothing to be ashamed of but he felt dirty even so. Twitching his tail around him he knew he was kept warm by his short layer of fur and natural adaptation to this weather from being raised in Germany. How the California girl in jeans and tank top was handling this snow was beyond Kurt. Buffy didn't even show outwards signs of shivering. She just stood like a statue her eyes fixated on the cabin in which her sister dwelled. Northstar on the other hand couldn't have been more opposite of the blonde girl.
"You all suck. Dragging me out here in the cold to rot while people I know risk their necks." Northstar said for about the billionth time. He was very bitter with Emma and Xavier's plan. They had decided to pull all them out after Glory believed she had killed them. Northstar's speed had been enhanced to a hair short of that of the speed of light thanks to a charm Willow had placed on him and he had been able to get all three of the heroes and their sole heroine out easily before Glory/Phoenix had attempted to have them for crispy dinner. And now they sat in hiding waiting for something to come for Dawn. They could go in the cabin because the Phoenix would read Dawn's mind to easily so she couldn't know they were alive. So Jean-Paul was stuck here while the man he truly considered now his best friend at the Institute was fighting the worst thing since Cassandra Nova.
Suddenly Logan visibly picked up as did Buffy, "Phoenix?" Kurt asked scanning the skies. It was early evening now and the snow still blanketed out the sky. Logan shook his head no his claws coming from his knuckles. Buffy reached over breaking a rather thick branch from the tree next to her. She struck it twice on Logan's adamantium sharpening it to a point. Kurt had caught on, vampires. But he didn't hear anything. Jean-Paul was already on the move disappearing into the trees.
Then a hiss came from behind Kurt and he teleported just as Buffy flipped to the position he had been perched in. All Kurt ever saw was a cloud of dust as the Slayer did what she did best. Vampires nearly twenty surrounded them instantly. Jean-Paul was nowhere to be found but someone had joined them. Havok stood at the forest line ten yards from Buffy's left as the Slayer high kicked a male vampire into a tree merely pissing him off. Alex Summer's hands clasped together and beam of his sun driven force collided with the vampire causing it to be smashed into another tree and the spot Alex's blast had hit was dust almost instantly.
"What the hell did you do?" Buffy asked not knowing what her cousin's powers were. Alex smiled and shrugged.
"They don't like sun right? Well my powers are sun-driven." Alex stated hurriedly as a vampire leapt out of a tree at him. He vaporized it before it got anywhere near him. Logan meanwhile had already torn through five vampires and was currently in a fight one on one with Raven the dark haired prince that Drusilla had chosen.
"You will make a great member of the undead." Raven hissed hitting Wolverine in the chin causing his chin to momentarily split under the force revealing the coveted metal skeleton. Logan right hand came through cutting Raven's chest which almost as quickly healed, "I was a mutant before I was turned you know...one of the first. I knew Xavier, he and Erik were friends then. They tried to get me to join them with my powers, that night the Master found and turned me. I never saw either again, they believed me dead."
Wolverine said nothing to the babbling yet talented fighter he stood across from. The man had yet to display any sort of mutant ability to speak of outside of the generic vampiric powers. The vampire leapt up and kicked off of a tree dodging one of Logan's blows. When he landed the vampires hands lit up a soft pink glow and Logan felt something fly hard into his back. It was the tree that Raven had been in moments ago. Somehow this vampires mutation allowed him to control this tree it was glowing pink as Logan sliced it in two pieces.
"Like that, I can control any inanimate object I've touched. Such as metal." Raven said and Logan's right hand claws and his chin both lit up the same neon pink as the tree and flew straight into the air lifting him hundreds of feet off the ground. Logan could do nothing as Raven's power yanked him like a rag doll. His left hand shot up prepared to slice his own arm off to get at Raven but the moment his claws touched the pink matter they began to glow as well snapping to Logan's left stretching him out as if locked in an invisible set of stocks a hundred feet above the trees.
Buffy turned her sights on Raven. She spun her stake around making her way at him, she never even got close. Her dress torn shorter and the gloves shed Drusilla slammed Buffy fiercely into a tree causing the Slayer's nose to snap in a sickening crack, "Dirty Slayer always ruins Dru's fun. Steals her Spikey and..." Buffy interrupted Dru shaking her head as she pushed away from the tree.
"Your Spikey? Please I did not steal your Spikey. He stalked me all chipped up and useless!" Buffy said snapping around Dru's wrist in her hand she sharply uppercut the insane female hard as she could in the gut. Backhanding Dru across the face she reached above her forming a new stake from the branch above her, "For Kendra." She hissed between pressed lips preparing to drive the wooden mechanism deep into Drusilla's chest.
Buffy felt something coming and turned just into time to see Wolverine launching through trees to smash forcefully into Buffy's side. She flew backwards carried by Logan's momentum being shucked away from Drusilla and Raven. Buffy glanced around looking for Kurt, Jean-Paul or Alex but she couldn't see any of them at the moment. Branches tore flesh like paper as the two warriors flew through the air driven by the power hungry vampire. Buffy reached up placing her feet squarely in the cursing Logan's back, "I'll see what I can do about pinky." She said kicking hard off of Wolverine back repelling through two trees to land in the snow. The white powder steamed around her heated and torn flesh bits of her blood from small branch cuts ran into the white tainting it purity.
. . . .
Willow watched frantically searching for a spell to stop Juggernaut. When Cain Marko had called himself the unstoppable Juggernaut he hadn't been kidding. If this was a powered down version of the man Willow was glad he wasn't at full strength. Under Glory's thrall as he was the man was very deadly. Tara was currently in pain sitting in a diamond shape with Anya and Xander using there life forces to power her protection spell. Tara's eyes were glazed over a soft white as she kept whispering the Celtic spell over and over again. She was calm but visibly drained from Juggernaut's pummeling on the bubble. Willow could feel Glory down the stairs mentally searching with Jean's powers for the Key. She was having trouble for three reasons and Willow knew it; the first was her inexperience on the psychic plane, the second was the mystical disturbance in the energies that Willow and Tara were causing and the last and probably biggest factor was Xavier's covering of Dawn's placement.
Willow mind began racing once more ignoring Glory for the time being. She needed to drain Juggernaut of his power levels and help Tara out but she couldn't think of any spell she knew to help on that front. Then she felt something calling to her. As if a magic was reaching out to her from within the mansion, in the infirmary. Angel's soul sword! It was a demon sword and could tap into all kinds of Chaos magic. She had to get there quickly, Tara baby hold on I'm coming. She called out mentally through the faux psychic link the two shared.
Running down the hall Willow's solid boots made barely any noise as she rounded the corner to the med-lab. The door at first refused to open not recognizing her as an X-Man. It took mere seconds for Willow to implode the door with essentially a mystical earthquake in the doors frame. Moving in she saw the sword almost instantly. Willow's red hair was standing on end as she grabbed the sword's hilt. The moment it touched her fingers she felt its magic. She felt the power making her stronger and more confident within moments. Now all she had to do was access the Chaos field. Slamming the sword straight into the ground Willow screamed, "Gods of Chaos! Goddess Hectate grant me the power to set things right!". The room filled with a black energy like a snake, the tendrils from the formation writhing around Willow's ankles. She held onto the sword as her eyes became solid black her hair following suit. The Dark Willow swung the sword in a circle reeking of power as she floated from the med lab. She tore through Tara's protection spell in moments not patient enough for her girlfriend to take it down for her. Juggernaut eyes ablaze turned to grab Willow. His fist never connected the soul sword driving deep into his palm.
Yanking the sword out Willow licked Cain's blood, "Transfer of power. Hectate and the Green Man bind him to solid ground." When her words ended Juggernaut stiffened and dropped to the ground unmoving.
"Willow did you...?" Xander began to ask but he was silenced for once by Anya. Anyanka knew dark power when saw it and unlike her husband she knew what to do with it. Avoid it at all costs. Even when she had been a demon Anya had been smart enough to not ever cross a dark witch of this magnitude.
Willow touched Juggernaut's chest and a pink energy wrapped through her body into the sword. Cain Marko became a husk the gem of Cyttorak's power now trapped in the sword.
. . . .
"Something has gone wrong." Xavier said his eyes opening, "I can no longer feel anyone at the mansion, not even Glory. I only see a black spot on the psychic field." Xavier was alone except for Dawn who was perched by the window her eyes fixated on her sister fighting Raven.
. . . .
Willow turned to see Glory now in Phoenix costume, "Not my style but hey what's a Goddess to do?" Glory hissed her skin lighting with the energy of the Phoenix. Willow's did the same in black energy as the two titans of power made way for each other.
To Be Continued...I know I said it would be wrapped up in this one but I just couldn't finish it yet....
Kurt slid the sword from its sheath walking forward to Wolverine. Glory floated behind Kurt her arms crossed. She could feel everyone's minds in the mansion. She knew the plans they were formulating how they were giving Cyclops shots of adrenaline to try and get him back up to fighting levels. But she was distracted with her new game of controlling Kurt. The confused demon walked forward towards the already healed Logan who was coughing up blood on his hands and knees illuminated by the Phoenix's glow. Logan's head snapped up and he looked to Kurt, "Elf you don't want to do this."
"Yes I do." Kurt and Glory said in stereo. Logan knew he was being controlled but had no qualms about hurting his best friend. He would be gentle but he would put the man down.
Kurt brandished his sword swinging it down on Logan whose claws came up spreading the sword in three. Claws in he hit Kurt once hard in the nose. Before he could get another punch in Kurt kicked him in the back having teleported behind Wolverine. Logan kept his balance and moved to swing on Kurt again this time narrowly missing him as he teleported again. He wasn't fighting at all Kurt like. The movements were to structured not in any way flowing like Kurt usually moved.
Kurt was suddenly slammed hard into the wall his breath leaving him as the orange fell from his eyes. Glory clenched her fist in anger. She had lost control over the demon, her mental powers were new to her and hard to control. What had caused Kurt to slam into the wall. She never saw anything coming. She felt a slight breeze and then was hit hard across the back of the head. She stood still bracing herself on the wall rubble because of the blow to her lower scalp.
Keep moving Jean-Paul she can't touch you psychically as long as you keep your powers going at peak efficiency. Their will be far to much disturbance. Emma Frost's voice came calling out on the psychic plane. So it was the speedster Glory/Phoenix thought. She had to get a lock on him, he hadn't been this fast when they had faced before.
Wolverine hadn't wasted his chance, he knew Glory was off balance, he was on her in a frenzy. He sliced into her stomach and his claws ripped deep into her throat. He attempted to yank both claws together slicing Glory down the middle blood spewing in a fountain like affect on Logan was cloth tore stripping Glory.
The naked Goddess fell her enhanced healing already kicking in speed by the power of the Phoenix. She covered herself in the Phoenix fire to keep Logan's claws from touching her again. That runt would pay for his indiscretions. Her hand going up Glory rose to a fallen all fours position. That was when she felt something slice at her again not hard but fast. It was Jean-Paul he was still around. He was moving to fast to be seen and she couldn't read his mind. Glory's eyes lit up in fire. She didn't need to see him she only needed to kill him. The fire of the Phoenix grew and Glory rose to her full height her exposed skin laced in fire as she threw her arms out an explosion occurring. Fire spread like ink around her blotting out everything in sight in an unholy orange glow.
Smiling a curled lip the fire retracted slowly as if blood thickened wine. She saw nobodies around her for the three men and Buffy she had just slaughtered. She only saw ash billowing around her seeping into the Danger Room that remained lightly falling on Jean's white cheek. The red head woman was being buried in the burnt remnants of her friends. Landing the naked blonde made her way towards the remains of the hall leading up into the main part of the mansion. She would kill them one by one tearing apart their minds for the location of her key. One of them had to know where it was.
Floating up the stairs into the main room she ran into an invisible wall. It was strong and she placed her hand against the rippling surface feeling the tingle up through her fire covered body. The wooden floor cracked with fire that was still burning down in her attacks remnants creeping up the wall. Pulling her hands up into a prayer like clasp she began picking Jean's memories for a way to destroy this barrier. She imagined she could use her own strength combined with the Phoenix's power to destroy this powerful barrier spell but she also knew that Jean had an easier way to get it done.
. . . .
Drusilla stood or rather hunched in the sewer her legions of vampires nearing the edge of the sewer system. It was near eleven in the morning and they should have been resting. But that was not an option, to get to Spike's killer they would have to keep moving through out the day. At the edge of the sewer ending that poured water out into a river that lead to a cleaning plant Drusilla watched her followers step lightly into what should have been a sun filled sky. Snow, it was to perfect.
The older male who was currently going by Raven stepped into the sunless morning and pointed to of the vampires barking orders. He was so much like Daddy, so my like her beautiful Angelus. She missed Angelus she did. This Raven was to be hers, she would make him her own, her new "angel" to play with. Drusilla's lanky figure stepped behind Raven and she looked him in the eyes, "Sun go away?"
"For now. We need to get everybody on the bus. I found us some familiars to drive us." Raven said speaking of probably Drusilla's least favorites humans in existence. Humans that worshipped vampires, damn familiars. Back when she had still been reduced in strength her and Spike had slaughtered a club of familiars in Sunnydale, it had been splendid.
The snow fell on Dru's white form highlighting her black dress against the snow and cold waters of the New York winter she stood in. She seemed to glide through the moistened landscape to the edge of the large metal tour bus. She ran her hand down the side of it feeling the cold metal on her icy gloved fingers, "The blue beetle will take us to the bald man."
Raven shook his head making his way behind her to the bus. They were the only two not on now. He took her hand, "Look I know you lost someone you cared for so lets make his killers feel pain."
His words made a smile slide from ear to ear on Drusilla. Raven was perfect he was a little conservative in the way he played with his prey, not nearly as exciting as Spike or Angelus, but he could be taught. Dru slid her gloves off and dropped them on the snow her bare hands sliding to his neck she kissed him deeply, "You can be a naughty birdy you can...will my birdy sing for me?" Leading her on to the bus Raven smiled telling her he would sing and dance if she wished it.
. . . .
Emma Frost looked around the med room she was perched in. Angel and Cyclops were still out for the count. Angel and Scott were far to weak to awaken and everyone didn't have the time to try to recoup them for the coming fight. Somehow Glory had tapped into Jean's power which was outstandingly not good for the side she was fighting for. Sliding of the med table she looked to the others in the room; Iceman and Juggernaut. "The others...they might be...dead."
Iceman cut her off icing up. He didn't need to hear it, "The bitch pays now." He said ice dripping down onto the floor in representation of the Bobby's anger. If Wolverine, Nightcrawler, Jean-Paul and Buffy had perished then Iceman was going to cause Glory pain at any cost.
Juggernaut was already out of the room making his way to where Willow and Tara were casting he was shadowed by Iceman and Emma almost step for step. "Drop the barrier Will'." Marko said flexing his fists he turned to look where he knew Glory was trapped just around the crook of the wall at the top of the stairs. The big guy made his way to the invisible edge just out of Glory's sight, "NOW WILLOW!" He screamed his fist coming up Iceman sliding in front of him as the two men charged in on the hell-goddess.
Glory was steady and had known they were coming a year before Juggernaut rounded the corner. Her hand flew up covered in the soft orange of the diminishing Phoenix. She snatched his fist literally flipping him over her back into the fire and ash covered stairs behind her. Juggs flew through the coal steps into the second sub-basement where the jet hangar and high speed transport escape route were located. He took Glory down with him his other arm gripping her hand yanking her alongside his fall. Both higher powers shattered into the hard metal and marble floor sending a shockwave the cracked the tile around them. Glory was up first tossing Juggernaut into the hard granite wall of the hangar and foundation of the mansion.
Iceman wasn't far behind Juggernaut as he slid down an ice slide to the fighting level, "I'm coming big guy." He called and the air seemed almost instantly dry. Between his power and the fire their wasn't much moisture to begin with, it would have to be enough.
Ice formed up Glory's legs slicing at her naked skin. It shot up and formed spikes drilling for her eyes and mouth. It connected like a hot liquid steaming with an unnatural sound as Iceman's essential dry ice ripped into Glory's throat blocking her air passage and her own moistures exploding from her ears and eyes. She was in an intense pain that she couldn't move out of as ice thickened around her growing foot by foot in every direction. Then Iceman heard her voice in his head, he wouldn't have noticed it had he not been trained with psychics, Die!
Bobby felt the psychic attack, not on an Xavier level but deadly enough, rip into his brain like a tiger into a man's intestines. Numerous Grecian stories claimed to hold this kind of punishment dealt down from the gods and goddess, now Bobby Drake was living that myth. His ice control dissipated and he heard Glory shatter it as he dropped to his knees holding his splitting cranium. He was going to die at the hands of Jean's power unless something happened quickly. Where were Emma and Juggernaut?
Frost slid down the white and crystal ice slide in full diamond form. In this form she was nearly unbreakable but had no psychic power to speak of that would change soon. Running forward Emma's high heels clicked and the white shoe was brought harshly into Glory's face still entrenched in ice. The connection broke her concentration on Iceman and the X-Man stopped writhing. Slamming her legs out she got into a strong position and dropped her diamond epidermis. Her scantily clad white outfit contrasted the rock wall Juggernaut lay prone in behind her. Slipping her gloved fingers to her scalp line she psychically whispered to Glory, Lets see how good you can be.
Harnessing perhaps one of the biggest psychic blasts she could muster she drove it down into Glory's now empty brain. Only two entities felt this pain, Jean and Glory. Unfortunately for the hell goddess Emma was very experienced and could easily direct the pain to only one of the minds. Glory's face tightened still littered in ice looking grotesque in frozen blood bits her teeth smashed in ruining the perfect features. Emma could feel her pushing back with the immense power of the Phoenix but it meant nothing, Emma was far to experienced for it to matter. Glory lay on her back her eyes locked with Emma's own cold blue orbs. The hell-goddess made no large movements the only evidence she was truly under and intense attack was the slight twitching in both of her legs.
Juggernaut was up again rubbing the back of his head, "I need ta start wearing my helmet again." He staggered a little and a large ice hand caught him Iceman back in the game himself, "What's going on?"
"Don't know big guy." Iceman said crossing to Juggernaut's side. He gripped the large man using bits of ice from the melted remains Glory had fried away, "But Emma is definitely concentrated."
"Shut up idiots. I am going to kill her, I just have to get past Jean." Emma said using her physical voice. Her body was just as tensed as Glory but had a bit more of a cocky air to it. She knew what she was doing she was an extremely well fought telepath, Glory was a beginner with a big gun. She just didn't believe she could kill Glory without taking Jean down too. Frankly that was a loss Emma was willing to sustain. But apparently it wasn't one Glory was ready for.
Emma felt a sharp blow to the back of her head. She dropped not even thinking about it a second time. She tumbled into a heap and let the darkness take her like an enveloping blanket the red seeping from her hairline as she struck the floor. Juggernaut stood over her his eyes blazing orange. Glory moved to her feet breathing hard. That had been Jean's tactic she had used seizing control of another to do her bidding. The longer she spent in this connection the more of Jean's memories she could peruse and the more dangerous she became as Phoenix. Glory looked up at Juggernaut touching his face, "You're big and strong but not that bright." Cain said nothing standing mute awaiting the Phoenix's next order.
Go kill them. Kill them all. Glory said to Cain psychically and the man turned running up the ice slide crushing it into bits of white powder in the process. Glory would have to jump but a single story leap should be to difficult for someone of such power.
. . . .
Wolverine stood in the forest knee deep in snow smoking a cigar Buffy behind him watching intently at the cabin yards away, "I still don't like this plan we should be at the mansion."
"Your distaste has been noted Logan." Nightcrawler said still angry with himself for having been controlled by the Phoenix force. It was nothing to be ashamed of but he felt dirty even so. Twitching his tail around him he knew he was kept warm by his short layer of fur and natural adaptation to this weather from being raised in Germany. How the California girl in jeans and tank top was handling this snow was beyond Kurt. Buffy didn't even show outwards signs of shivering. She just stood like a statue her eyes fixated on the cabin in which her sister dwelled. Northstar on the other hand couldn't have been more opposite of the blonde girl.
"You all suck. Dragging me out here in the cold to rot while people I know risk their necks." Northstar said for about the billionth time. He was very bitter with Emma and Xavier's plan. They had decided to pull all them out after Glory believed she had killed them. Northstar's speed had been enhanced to a hair short of that of the speed of light thanks to a charm Willow had placed on him and he had been able to get all three of the heroes and their sole heroine out easily before Glory/Phoenix had attempted to have them for crispy dinner. And now they sat in hiding waiting for something to come for Dawn. They could go in the cabin because the Phoenix would read Dawn's mind to easily so she couldn't know they were alive. So Jean-Paul was stuck here while the man he truly considered now his best friend at the Institute was fighting the worst thing since Cassandra Nova.
Suddenly Logan visibly picked up as did Buffy, "Phoenix?" Kurt asked scanning the skies. It was early evening now and the snow still blanketed out the sky. Logan shook his head no his claws coming from his knuckles. Buffy reached over breaking a rather thick branch from the tree next to her. She struck it twice on Logan's adamantium sharpening it to a point. Kurt had caught on, vampires. But he didn't hear anything. Jean-Paul was already on the move disappearing into the trees.
Then a hiss came from behind Kurt and he teleported just as Buffy flipped to the position he had been perched in. All Kurt ever saw was a cloud of dust as the Slayer did what she did best. Vampires nearly twenty surrounded them instantly. Jean-Paul was nowhere to be found but someone had joined them. Havok stood at the forest line ten yards from Buffy's left as the Slayer high kicked a male vampire into a tree merely pissing him off. Alex Summer's hands clasped together and beam of his sun driven force collided with the vampire causing it to be smashed into another tree and the spot Alex's blast had hit was dust almost instantly.
"What the hell did you do?" Buffy asked not knowing what her cousin's powers were. Alex smiled and shrugged.
"They don't like sun right? Well my powers are sun-driven." Alex stated hurriedly as a vampire leapt out of a tree at him. He vaporized it before it got anywhere near him. Logan meanwhile had already torn through five vampires and was currently in a fight one on one with Raven the dark haired prince that Drusilla had chosen.
"You will make a great member of the undead." Raven hissed hitting Wolverine in the chin causing his chin to momentarily split under the force revealing the coveted metal skeleton. Logan right hand came through cutting Raven's chest which almost as quickly healed, "I was a mutant before I was turned you know...one of the first. I knew Xavier, he and Erik were friends then. They tried to get me to join them with my powers, that night the Master found and turned me. I never saw either again, they believed me dead."
Wolverine said nothing to the babbling yet talented fighter he stood across from. The man had yet to display any sort of mutant ability to speak of outside of the generic vampiric powers. The vampire leapt up and kicked off of a tree dodging one of Logan's blows. When he landed the vampires hands lit up a soft pink glow and Logan felt something fly hard into his back. It was the tree that Raven had been in moments ago. Somehow this vampires mutation allowed him to control this tree it was glowing pink as Logan sliced it in two pieces.
"Like that, I can control any inanimate object I've touched. Such as metal." Raven said and Logan's right hand claws and his chin both lit up the same neon pink as the tree and flew straight into the air lifting him hundreds of feet off the ground. Logan could do nothing as Raven's power yanked him like a rag doll. His left hand shot up prepared to slice his own arm off to get at Raven but the moment his claws touched the pink matter they began to glow as well snapping to Logan's left stretching him out as if locked in an invisible set of stocks a hundred feet above the trees.
Buffy turned her sights on Raven. She spun her stake around making her way at him, she never even got close. Her dress torn shorter and the gloves shed Drusilla slammed Buffy fiercely into a tree causing the Slayer's nose to snap in a sickening crack, "Dirty Slayer always ruins Dru's fun. Steals her Spikey and..." Buffy interrupted Dru shaking her head as she pushed away from the tree.
"Your Spikey? Please I did not steal your Spikey. He stalked me all chipped up and useless!" Buffy said snapping around Dru's wrist in her hand she sharply uppercut the insane female hard as she could in the gut. Backhanding Dru across the face she reached above her forming a new stake from the branch above her, "For Kendra." She hissed between pressed lips preparing to drive the wooden mechanism deep into Drusilla's chest.
Buffy felt something coming and turned just into time to see Wolverine launching through trees to smash forcefully into Buffy's side. She flew backwards carried by Logan's momentum being shucked away from Drusilla and Raven. Buffy glanced around looking for Kurt, Jean-Paul or Alex but she couldn't see any of them at the moment. Branches tore flesh like paper as the two warriors flew through the air driven by the power hungry vampire. Buffy reached up placing her feet squarely in the cursing Logan's back, "I'll see what I can do about pinky." She said kicking hard off of Wolverine back repelling through two trees to land in the snow. The white powder steamed around her heated and torn flesh bits of her blood from small branch cuts ran into the white tainting it purity.
. . . .
Willow watched frantically searching for a spell to stop Juggernaut. When Cain Marko had called himself the unstoppable Juggernaut he hadn't been kidding. If this was a powered down version of the man Willow was glad he wasn't at full strength. Under Glory's thrall as he was the man was very deadly. Tara was currently in pain sitting in a diamond shape with Anya and Xander using there life forces to power her protection spell. Tara's eyes were glazed over a soft white as she kept whispering the Celtic spell over and over again. She was calm but visibly drained from Juggernaut's pummeling on the bubble. Willow could feel Glory down the stairs mentally searching with Jean's powers for the Key. She was having trouble for three reasons and Willow knew it; the first was her inexperience on the psychic plane, the second was the mystical disturbance in the energies that Willow and Tara were causing and the last and probably biggest factor was Xavier's covering of Dawn's placement.
Willow mind began racing once more ignoring Glory for the time being. She needed to drain Juggernaut of his power levels and help Tara out but she couldn't think of any spell she knew to help on that front. Then she felt something calling to her. As if a magic was reaching out to her from within the mansion, in the infirmary. Angel's soul sword! It was a demon sword and could tap into all kinds of Chaos magic. She had to get there quickly, Tara baby hold on I'm coming. She called out mentally through the faux psychic link the two shared.
Running down the hall Willow's solid boots made barely any noise as she rounded the corner to the med-lab. The door at first refused to open not recognizing her as an X-Man. It took mere seconds for Willow to implode the door with essentially a mystical earthquake in the doors frame. Moving in she saw the sword almost instantly. Willow's red hair was standing on end as she grabbed the sword's hilt. The moment it touched her fingers she felt its magic. She felt the power making her stronger and more confident within moments. Now all she had to do was access the Chaos field. Slamming the sword straight into the ground Willow screamed, "Gods of Chaos! Goddess Hectate grant me the power to set things right!". The room filled with a black energy like a snake, the tendrils from the formation writhing around Willow's ankles. She held onto the sword as her eyes became solid black her hair following suit. The Dark Willow swung the sword in a circle reeking of power as she floated from the med lab. She tore through Tara's protection spell in moments not patient enough for her girlfriend to take it down for her. Juggernaut eyes ablaze turned to grab Willow. His fist never connected the soul sword driving deep into his palm.
Yanking the sword out Willow licked Cain's blood, "Transfer of power. Hectate and the Green Man bind him to solid ground." When her words ended Juggernaut stiffened and dropped to the ground unmoving.
"Willow did you...?" Xander began to ask but he was silenced for once by Anya. Anyanka knew dark power when saw it and unlike her husband she knew what to do with it. Avoid it at all costs. Even when she had been a demon Anya had been smart enough to not ever cross a dark witch of this magnitude.
Willow touched Juggernaut's chest and a pink energy wrapped through her body into the sword. Cain Marko became a husk the gem of Cyttorak's power now trapped in the sword.
. . . .
"Something has gone wrong." Xavier said his eyes opening, "I can no longer feel anyone at the mansion, not even Glory. I only see a black spot on the psychic field." Xavier was alone except for Dawn who was perched by the window her eyes fixated on her sister fighting Raven.
. . . .
Willow turned to see Glory now in Phoenix costume, "Not my style but hey what's a Goddess to do?" Glory hissed her skin lighting with the energy of the Phoenix. Willow's did the same in black energy as the two titans of power made way for each other.
To Be Continued...I know I said it would be wrapped up in this one but I just couldn't finish it yet....