In days past, during an earlier visit to the Savage Land by the X-Men, this was the island citadel of the winged would-be conqueror Sauron, constructed so stoutly that it managed to survive even the ravages of Terminus when he laid the land to waste in days past. The land, if not most man-made physical structures survived and thrived. Sauron's citadel was forgotten and left for the land to reclaim. However, it was no longer uninhabited.
The Savage Land population is much smaller now, and this was a fairly remote region even then. Therefore, no one knows the citadel is once more occupied. Its mechanisms and devices are fully functional, and in fact in the middle of application. The entire spire lit up with energies boosted artificially by man and technology, a necessity due to the interferences of Zaladane and her atrocious plans. This had to be fast; despite the reclusive nature of the place, Zaladane might be looking, or worse, have been made aware by these very actions. Therefore, time was of the utmost essence.
A laser beam shot out of an apparatus, striking the woman who was held almost perfectly perpendicular to the ground. Her limp body jerked reflexively as the energies poured into her. The room smelled like ozone as the machine continued its task, though it didn't register for the woman. In fact, she didn't move an inch until the laser's whine died down.
"Whahoppeen'ame?!" the woman known only as Rogue managed to gasp out as she regained consciousness. She was in the middle of a large - enormous, really - room and strapped tightly to a thick metal slab with her arms stretched almost painfully above her head. Her mouth buzzed with a feeling akin to drinking a two liter of liquid Pop-Rocks in one draught. It was hard to breathe past the sensation. Her whole body was prickling with energy and - "Carol!"
Her wide green eyes popped open wider as she tried to scan the area. With some dismay she realized she was without Carol's strength once more. It wasn't just the angle of her arms working against her; she had the strength she used to possess before that day in San Francisco.
She tugged as hard as possible, but still couldn't move from the table she was strapped upon! Rogue began to grunt and sweat in the jungle heat from the strain of trying to free herself. Sadly, all she earned was a pair of wrenched shoulders. "Carol! Show y'self already; you don't gotta draw this out!" she shouted, looking around the room for whoever had done…whatever…to her.
"You have nothing to fear, Rogue. From Carol Danvers, her specter, or myself."
That voice…I know it. She thought as her mind whirled with even more questions as she was freed from the table, the metal straps puffing away to dust that was whisked away by the wind that was constantly blowing through enormous open arches within the room. "What happened?! Where is she?!" Rogue demanded as she sprang away from the upright slab, her legs wobbling precariously. It was so strange, she felt weak as a newborn one moment, but at the same time she felt like she could leap through the building and out into the sky beyond.
"I did what had to be done to preserve life. Only one of you could survive."
"No!" Rogue gasped, tears springing to her eyes as the man entered the room. Her hands went to her mouth, as to bar a scream from escaping. She'd done it again. She killed Carol again. "No, please. Magneto!"
"I chose you," he continued unrelentingly as he gathered his cape, letting it swirl in front of him to punctuate the sentence and hopefully hide his momentary feeling of weakness. The compressed temperature-controlled air from the other room had quickly shifted to mist and also aided the illusion.
Magneto felt weary to his very bones. But this young girl; no, woman, deserved answers and strength in a time of great turmoil. As the machine had powered down from its rejuvenating effects for the X-Man, he read its final reports and there had been far too many anomalies for his liking.
He approached the young woman who began to flush, redness creeping across her body. Surely, it was either in response to the news, or leftover from her waking. The tears in her eyes made that green magnified and practically luminous despite the poor lighting that had been casually strung across the room. "None of this was your doing," he said as confidently as he could; she looked like she needed guidance. She swayed unsteadily, and in response Magneto moved to bridge the gap between them. She hastily stumbled backwards, as if dreading the idea of someone within arm's length.
Magneto had no such fear of anyone, and held a steadying hand out to her as he advanced. "Indeed; while I do not know all of what transpired, it was evident as I arrived that you offered her mercy, and it was repaid in treachery. I am not one to allow such debase tactics to prevail." Cautiously, she took his hand in hers and with the other tried, and failed, to brush away the tears that had threatened to fall. "She seemed interested in little else than your destruction."
"I don't…understand." she said, and swayed towards him, before collapsing in a dead faint. He was fast enough to catch her just before she could hit the ground. Holding her, he tried to rouse the young woman, calling her by the only name he knew, but there was no response.
His worry increasing by the second, he moved decisively. Dissolving one glove, he heedlessly placed two fingers to the main artery at her exposed neck. Her pulse was there but fluttering wildly. Odd; he thought to himself, trying to reconcile the thought that Rogue's powers – hers, or the ones she procured – were not working. He knew her; he had curated his own file on her long before and again through Charles' own notes at the Institute after becoming the erstwhile headmaster. He had a general understanding of the young mutant's life, if not her personality. The important thing was that he should have been harmed, weakened in some way while she ought to be revitalized when he had so recklessly touched her flesh. And yet…he had not. That was extremely disturbing; he had been so certain that the machines here would be enough to revive the X-Man.
Whatever had transpired between her and that strange being that held Ms. Marvel's shape for a short time, Rogue was obvious in her efforts to avoid a fight. As he raced to their altercation, he had patched the audio through to try and ascertain further information. What he heard was despairing. Despite the shape this creature took, it was clear that it had been sent by a malevolent force, and one that was most likely set on eradicating mutants. After all, didn't the rest of the world have that as their goal?
What a fool he was to have thought he could follow Xavier's dream. What a fool was he to even consider the luxury of mercy to their enemies. Indeed, Carol had gone for Rogue's heart even after the mutant hero chose mercy. What chance do mutants have if they are playing a game designed for them to completely fail at?
Such thoughts were for another time. There could be only one catastrophe Magnus could face and resolve before moving onto the next. For now, he had to stabilize what Zaladane was so desperate to upturn. Nothing else he attempted could overrule the importance of the very planet itself.
Still, perhaps this was Providence delivering him aid in his hour of need. When he detected her presence in the United Village he had hoped desperately that Rogue and her allies would assist him in overthrowing the despotic Zaladane. Surely, they must not be far behind.
He twitched a long lock of hair that had fallen across her face to one side, considering all that had transpired. She was so young, and so seemingly fragile for such strong convictions. Of the X-Men in this current generation, she was the one who clung to Xavier's ideals as if they were a lifeline. He was admittedly spare in knowledge of who she was beyond that, but his general inclination was to assume her to be the person he saw walk so calmly to her death in Dallas. He vowed to remedy this lack as quickly as possible.
As he monitored her health over the next few hours, he was concerned for new reasons. She was but a fraction of herself one hour, and the next, her records were off the charts. He was at the edges of his own physical strength lately; his escapades prior to his arrival in the Savage Land to recuperate had run him ragged. And then Zaladane began her aggressive expansion, emboldened for some reason that he had yet to discern. He was at his most isolated, and concurrently perhaps in his most important role he planet had ever cast him into.
What a fine pair he and Rogue made. Perhaps there truly was no rest for them, the wicked and wrong-doers of "civilization". He had to reconcile with the fact that there was a very good possibility that neither was able to help the other. There was always another emergency, another need compelling him to do what any other person would balk at. He was not any other person; he was Magneto, and he was not less than anyone else. He was more. If any of his people were in need, he would never say no, and especially never to another mutant.
The night passed without further incident, and once satisfied that Rogue was stabilized to the best of his abilities, Magneto retired. Swiftly, the morning followed. Somewhat better rested, but by no means ready for anything more strenuous than a day of research, Magnus went to check on the new guest he acquired and found her amongst pots and pans. She seemed determined to make him something for breakfast despite protestations.
She also refused to let him check on her until he ate. "You took care of me, sugar," she said as she kept well out of arm's length, as if to punctuate her point. Or perhaps it was a learned response to her powers, and her current mode of dress. "Now it's my turn."
She didn't need to know what the sound of such a gentle accent did to someone who heard soft words so rarely. Nor was she immediately aware of her own powerless state. With as best an attitude as he could muster, he succumbed to her ministrations, and let her feed them both from the meager stores he had.
As they ate mostly from the rations he raided from an abandoned SHIELD storehouse in a small fortified bunker, they exchanged information. It took a woefully short amount of time for both of them to share. Ultimately, they were left with the only options that their troubles were many, while resources and allies were few.
It comforted Rogue visibly that the Carol who seemed to prey on her wasn't real, but as Magnus explained the mechanics of the process he used, it was evident that the life energy they shared should have returned completely to her. And yet, it did not. She was instead, by her own admission, no stronger. Indeed, she said she still felt oddly peculiar. "Hotter than a junebug one minute, an' the next colder than the Antarctic itself." she reported as she watched him finish the last of the fruit, overripe, but better than the opposite.
"Then we must begin to test the problems that are plaguing your recovery," Magneto said decisively as he rose to begin yet another day within these lands. Rising from the table, the cleanup was shared, but before any real activity could begin, there was a sudden loud noise; a klaxon blaring wildly through the keep and echoing through the lofty halls. Rogue startled in surprise, dropping the pot she had finished drying. Magneto's powers caught it before it could hit the ground and returned it to the counter. "What's that?" she asked, looking around apprehensively.
"Multiple enemies are approaching the citadel; they will reach the main entrance causeway within two minutes," he said, letting his powers unfurl to tentatively feel the sensors he had attuned to his frequencies. He pulled his helmet to him, letting the back dissolve and recreate itself as it settled around his head, pulling his face into shadow. "Wait here Rogue; I shall resolve this issue."
He left her, without waiting for a response, and was surprised when she kept up with him with a very audible "Like hell Ah will". Not interested in a pointless bicker, he let her follow, but intentionally sped up his pace. Perhaps not the most gracious of actions, but he did have the emergency to use as an excuse. She kept up, and if it drained her, she made no voice of complaint, or anything else at all. Therefore, they made it to the small island's causeway that separated it from the land around the lake the citadel resided upon as a pair to see the situation at hand.
In the distance, people laden down with makeshift packs were running towards them; the United Tribes were moving en masse; or what passed for the remains of their village. Perhaps only a third of what would have been the population of a village that size was racing haphazardly towards the citadel. Rogue gasped and ran forward towards the group, looking to engage the enemy that pursued the fleeing humans. She seemed to refine her focus and was running towards a pair in the back, who were engaging the enemies that were attempting to bridge the gap.
Magnus took the skies; but warily, hovering no more than ten feet above the ground, well below the tree line. There were no fliers…yet. But they could come at any time, and he had to remain vigilant.
Magnus would attempt to reach the pair as well, Shanna the She-Devil and Ka-Zar of the Savage Land. But not yet; not while the people of this place were savaged by the hordes of the enemy. He had sworn to not let innocents die as he had seen so commonly, and now, he knew where the greater of his efforts must lie.
As the people crossed the open fields leading to the tall citadel, Magnus commanded the defenses of the keep, using them to strafe fire at the enemies and keep them from setting more formal ranks to advance on the hapless humans who fled them and their controlled dinosaurs. Rogue was paired with the married couple, in standard triad formation, to better protect one another's blind spots. They fought amongst the rear guard valiantly, doing their best to attract enemies to their area, while Magneto suppressed the larger groups. The fighting was ugly, and it was getting worse.
However, thanks to the citadel's defenses the tides were turned enough to repel the invading forces. With the fighting finished Magneto wearily lowered himself to the ground once more and stood before the Lord of the Savage Land, and his formidable wife. "I had not expected you to appear today."
"I had not expected this place to already have squatters," Ka-Zar said as he took Magneto's hand in his own, gripping it firmly. "I'm sorry to have inconvenienced you, but we're in a bad way here; Nereel and most of the village has been cleared out by Zaladane and her forces."
"And only moments ago did I lament the lack of allies. Fortune seemed to favor us both, Ka-Zar."
"Zaladane is amassing allies faster than us and overwhelming anyone who tries to band against her." Shanna reported as Zabu prowled about them, pacing a circle in the open field. Even though the battle had ended, the animal was on high alert.
"Who else has tried, Shanna?" Rogue asked as she found a long sapling that had been knocked over during the hasty battle. She pulled her knife from her belt and began to cut the smaller branches off until she had a long, thick staff to use. It would come in handy and allow her to use the knife as her last defense.
"There's SHIELD here, as you all know. But their sectors have really thinned out over the years; probably due to budgets or some such. The UN sent many different groups, but most, if not all, are dead…" Shanna said in response to Rogue as she started to report, filling the two mutants in. Afterward, Magneto was able to place a plan in order.
"Shanna, I must ask you to stand in place of Nereel. They will trust you more than Rogue or I. Gather the villagers, tend the wounded, and build palisade walls around the lake; we must protect ourselves before the next assault arrives. The machines here are running dangerously low on power and it will take time for the dynamos to completely fill the batteries within the castle; they are painfully archaic in construction. Until they recharge, our defenses will not be able to complete a repeat performance of today's actions." He barely waited for Shanna's assent before turning away, already moving on to the next phase of his plan.
"Ka-Zar, show me where you saw the fallen United Nations helicopters. There may be survivors." He said as he set out.
"You've got it," Ka-Zar said as Shanna ordered Zabu to follow her husband. He punctuated his assent with an arduous kiss. "Shanna, I don't know what's scarier, you on the battlefield, or you in charge of the Savage Land's people. I expect the people here to be an army, and fully trained, by dusk." She laughed as she released him to Zabu and the mutants' care, and quickly turned to reorganizing the people who were still milling about with brisk efficiency.
Magneto set off in the direction that Ka-Zar led them, and Rogue fell in step with him. When she gave him a look as if to challenge whatever he was about to say, he merely extended an arm to offer her more balance. The X-Man took his arm with a small, satisfied expression, and they began their trek through the thick underbrush.
"Tell me, you useless cur," Zaladane said as she struck again, aiming one cruelly pointed shoe at Lupus' ribs. "Why were you bested by beings who have only just learned how to make huts out of mud and straw?" Lupus howled with the continued kicks, but reprieve was not for him. Zaladane gestured and the beastly creature was wrapped up in thick cables that made up some of the walls of the fortress she had erected for herself. She would not embarrass herself by taking up residence in someone else's place. She would make it herself, as she always had to. A seat at the table was never made for her, but she was used to that. She made her own provisions. After all, that made the conquered gains more worthwhile did it not?
Lupus cried out as his whole body was pulled tight. "Mis-Mistress, I lih-live to serve!" he cried out as he tried to encourage the woman to mercy. He babbled anything and everything he could think of, until at last, the winding cables finally relaxed and let him be free of their strangling embrace.
"Ka-Zar is with Magneto?" Zaladane mused as she heard of the fragmented report. "Hm…perhaps he could be dissuaded; but first, I must have more information. Lupus, form a group, and be ready to ambush them. You may kill the jungle lord if he refuses; but bring Magneto to me, alive. I must have him," she said, naked hunger in her voice. "To truly rule the Savage Lands and beyond; I must take him."
She released the bestial man and ordered him to work under Gaza. He, at least, would keep himself in check. Her commands given, the soon to be Mistress of the Savage Land turned to be briefed next by Worm and Brainchild. There was so much to do, and so little time. Yet her mind continued to wander back to the meal she would soon glut herself on. Magneto's essence, his strength, his power would fuel the engine of her ascendence.