Jenskott: Oddly enough, Kill Bill never even entered my mind. Yeah I wanted to end Logan's plight over Yuriko in that chapter. Don't worry Sinister won't get too far you forget who is on his tail. More Jott later, trust us both.
Mark C: I didn't want to kill of X23, but I also figured that was the best way to neutralize that device on her neck. Well at least one person seemed to like that little thing he said with the robots. We always got reasons for doing everything or at least we try to.
GothikStrawberry: Of course not, I wanted to keep her around a bit more. Have a nice time in Ireland and when you get back there will be plenty to read when you get back.
ViciousAssassin: Well, it happens sometimes. Also glad you liked the fight and how Logan put his thoughts about Deathstrike behind him, I figured now was the perfect time for that. Glad you liked all of that and as for Emma well you'll just have to read on.
The Uncanny R-Man: Yep and we got things planned for X23 for later too and can you honestly see any Deathstrike/Logan fight being anything less? Yeah Deadpool is just so fun and nope she didn't know everything. Yep another cliff hanger lol.
IvyZoe: Ouch, sorry to hear about your wrist. Yep when I write in character you want to hate boy do I do it. Selene will get what's coming to her by the end don't worry.
Kaliann: Well Selene is just pure evil plain and simple as for Sinister he's just bent on his work by any means necessary. Deadpool is actually the only one really insane. Yep the final battle is up and don't worry like I said Sinister will get his in this chapter.
Thanks to: X00001, Simba317, Wen1, japanesegirl101, Quillian, Silver Warrior, Jaguar, coldqueen, Sparky Genocide, Aaron, Rogue14, Ancient Vampire, steph
Hellfire and BrimstoneCHAPTER 48: SINISTER FACE OFF PART 4
-Sinister's Private Office-
Sinister wasn't happy to say the least. His body was already partially reformed but the pain was a sensation he hadn't felt in so long he had forgotten what pain was. He had figured out earlier that the Summers' bloodline might one day make a mutant capable of killing him and he wanted to control that. He hadn't been sure if Scott had been the one, but now he knew.
He also knew that things were going wrong. If Vincent had been freed then the others would be too and that meant Deadpool and Gauntlet had failed. In his private office, he looked up at a personal screen showing the fighting and from the computer reports all of his drones were off-line. There were rare moments when he allowed himself anger and this was one of them. He had been SO close and now it was taken from him.
He looked to the large safe in his office. It held all the genetic material and information on all those he had captured. If he had to he could make do with clones then so be it, but that slight genetic drift in clones made things slightly uncertain and he always preferred the real thing. But now was not the time. He hadn't anticipated their resolve and now he was paying for it. As his arm grew back, he went to the control console and engaged the self-destruct. If they got caught in the blast then so be it, but they wouldn't get him or leave his researched out in the open for anyone to gain access to it.
He also sent all the files in the computer core to another location through a special communication replay he had in place. He would start over and this time he wouldn't make the same miscalculations. He'd would be more prepared next time and have even better security. He had just engaged the self-destruct when a crimson beam of energy hit him in his still slightly damaged side.
He looked over to see one of his works itself, Prodigy 7. Only his eyes were glowing crimson as were his hands. "You're not getting out of here Sinister…Not after everything you've done. You've destroyed families, tortured children, experimented on them, killed them, and who knows how many others. All for what?"
Vince was angry, but he let his anger cloud his mind earlier and had attacked blindly. And for that reason, he didn't make the same mistakes twice and this time he would use his rage and not let it use him. The memories of those other children screaming in agony from the injections, some dying from them, the death of his mother…Everything that had haunted him for his entire life and now he was face to face with the monster that made it. All his life he had wondered one thing. Why?
"I did it for the future…Humanity's time is running out and a new species is destined to take it's place. But I will not allow it to be as 'polluted' as humanity. I will make mutants stronger…More powerful…Perfect. This planet will have living gods as it's caretakers."
"Why me? Why did you pick ME?" he shouted out as he held him up by his neck. Sinister was still healing and still in a weakened stated.
He only grinned at him, "Because…You had the X-gene, you were close to the facility…And after that tragic 'accident' when your home burned down, killing a mother, her brother, and her child…Well no one would look for you."
"What's my name? My real name?" All his life he wondered that, and this man had the answers.
"I don't know…I never bothered to remember those types of details." Vince let out a cry of outrage and threw him against a wall hard. If Sinister had been human it would have killed him, but his body took the assault and started to reform. "You could have been so good. Look at you, you have power most would kill for…Power that most would sell their soul for, yet you are ruled by your emotions. Emotions can make you weak if you allow them to control you, and blind you. I see clearly because I refuse to be blinded by them."
He forced himself up onto his feet and smiled at him with his row of sharp teeth, "But what are you going to do? Kill me? You can't and you know it…Besides you and the others will never get out of here alive."
Vince didn't like the sound of that at all and that grin wasn't putting his mind at ease either. "What do you mean Sinister?"
"This place will implode soon and you all will die inside. You can fight me and die, but I'll still live. I don't breath, eat, or sleep and I will rise again. Or you could go and tell your friends and save them, but then I'll be able to leave. I have my own way out." He stood up looking smug at the Canadian mutant. "So what's it going to be? Fight to the death that you'll lose, or save the others and let me go. Either way…You lose."
He looked at this pale faced monster and knew that he was right. He had to warn the others and that's what he was counting on. But he also wanted to see him pay for his crimes…So…He could compromise. He fired several slim energy beams at his body making as many holes as he could.
"You fool!" Sinister hadn't expected this. He thought he would save his friends not seek out vengeance. Yes, he would survive the implosion,n but he would still be underground and it would take months if not a year or two to claw his way to the surface.
But then Vincent did something unexpected, he tore off metal strips from the walls at super human speed the sound of it like a hundred nails on calk boards and then Sinister was surprised when Vincent appeared next to him. He grabbed his wrist held it up and impaled the metal into the hand. He then bent it and impaled the other end into his chest.
"What…What are you doing?" For the first time in a long time Sinister had no idea what someone else was doing and it frightened him a little. He tried fighting back, but the boy was much too strong and did the same with his other arm. He was glad he felt no pain, but was worried when the blur that Vincent was moving at and the sounds of metal he looked to see many other bands holding him in place. He tried to move, but he only had enhanced strength not the kind that someone like Vincent had.
Then it dawned on him what he was doing, "No…" He whispered out.
Vince stopped what he was doing and looked at him with a glare and looked right into his face. "I'm going to save my friends…But I'm also leaving you here. I may not be able to kill you, but I'm going to make sure that you stay put…So that you're stuck here in the dark, all alone…Buried alive. Imprisoned here…For all time…"
"I never knew you had it in you to be so ruthless," Sinister said with a small smirk on his face. "You think this will hold me? I have been alive for over a century you little shit! And I'll be back! I made you! I made you and I can destroy you! When I get out of here I'll make you think what you went through in Project Prodigy was nothing!"
Vincent turned away from him a grim expression on his face, "That is if you get out."
Vincent took a grim satisfaction in seeing Sinister yell at him and curse him as he was now stuck onto that wall. But then something happened. He suddenly had a sense of great pain, but it wasn't from him…It was like he was feeling someone else's pain slightly and then a feeling came over him. The link that he had been experiencing with Emma suddenly started to weaken. He stood there confused trying to figure out what it meant and suddenly it all became clear to him.
"Emma…" Vince said in a quiet voice full of worry. Something was wrong with her…She was in pain and in danger. He left Sinister to his fate and he dumped as much energy into his body as he could to increase his speed. He knew that this would tire him out, but he needed to get to her fast. He just hoped he got to her in time, if he didn't…He would never be able to forgive himself if something happened to her.
Inside the Base
"YES! FEEL THE PAIN YOU LITTLE BITCH!" yelled Selene, no longer holding back as she drained the life energy of Emma Frost away at an ever quickening rate, "YOU'RE SOUL SHALL BURN IN THE DEPTHS OF HELL! AND I SHALL SEE TO IT THAT YOU SUFFER NOW AND FOREVER!"
"NO!" struggled Emma as she felt her strength quickly draining away from her, growing increasingly weak by the evil woman's life draining powers, "I…Won't…Let you…Win…"
However, as Emma grew weaker, her will to resist waned as well. Her yells of pain were quickly becoming gasps for whatever life she had left. She could feel it…The cold, unabated darkness of the abyss…Calling her on. It hurt so much…She wanted to fight it so much…But she couldn't…It was just too hard. Tears began forming on her face as her life energy grew dangerously low. She was getting weaker and weaker…Time was running out…And there seemed to be nothing she could do about it.
"No…Leave her…Alone!" struggled Rogue, the screams of Emma Frost burning in her mind as she watched the evil bitch that had hurt her so much inflict her wrath upon another.
"You're going to pay, Selene…" said Kurt as well, who was also struggling hard to overcome the mystic blast she shot them with earlier, "You von't get away vith this…"
"We're going to fight you…" grunted Sage, not wanting to have to live with any more guilt by seeing this evil bitch kill someone she had let her torture without mercy, "We're going to beat you…"
"You won't do shit, X-men!" shot Selene in response in a cold, forceful tone as she relished the invigorating feeling of draining Emma Frost's life energy, "I have already won! I shall drain each and every last one of you until there's barely anything left! And I'm going to savor every last second of it before I let the fires of Hell grant you your eternal punishment!"
Try as they might, the X-men couldn't overcome the paralyzing effects of Selene's magic. The pained groans of their friend echoed in their minds as they kept trying and trying…But there was nothing they could do…There was no stopping this insidious woman from draining the life away from their friend, forcing them to watch her die right before their eyes. They wanted to help her…They didn't want to let this evil woman win…But she was so close…So very close to succeeding. And there was nothing they could do about it.
Emma Frost was holding onto her last shred of life…Feeling an overwhelming sense of hopelessness and sorrow, for she felt that this was it…This was how it was going to end. She had finally found happiness…She had finally found a place where she felt she belonged. And most importantly…She found true love in a wonderful man who helped her through her darkest hour. But now it was all about to come to an end…Selene was about to win.
Emma knew she had done plenty of bad things in her life…But she had always held on to that small shred of hope that had kept her from becoming like the evil, cold woman that now draining her life away. She knew she had sins to atone for…That much she was willing to admit. Her life was full of so much suffering and so much loss that it was almost impossible for her to get around doing what she did. She had made many bad mistakes…But now they were all finally catching up with her as memories of the sad story that was her life streamed through her mind.
Her life…And all the suffering that came with it…Her family, having to live on the streets, and the Hellfire Club…It was all playing over again in her mind. Yet even on the brink of death, it seemed as though she would never stop suffering…She would never stop feeling pain. And she knew Selene was going to make sure she suffered as much as possible…For all eternity.
Then, with the end only seconds away for her, Emma's thoughts drifted back towards Vincent…The man who had given her a reason to move on…The man who had given her hope when she thought there was none left in her life. He had taken her, loved her, and comforted her in a way no one else ever had before. They had shared so much together…They had become linked in a way that went beyond the physical or the emotional. She knew he was the man she wanted to be with…He was the man she wanted to love, marry, and grow old with. Now it seemed as though she'd never get that chance…She'd never find true happiness with him.
Then, with her final gasp for life…She found herself doing one last thing…She reached out to Vincent Freeman.
'Vincent…' she struggled, finally unable to resist succumbing to the darkness, 'I'll always…Love…You.'
"It's over Frost…" taunted Selene with a triumphant grin, "Now you die you little bitch."
Then, just as she was about to soak up the last ounce of life from Emma Frost…An all too familiar voice interrupted her before she could finish what she so desperately wanted to complete.
"Hey Selene…Guess who!" yelled Slayer as he came charging down the hall, using Selene's momentary surprise to his advantage as he did a powerful jump kick that sent her flying down the hall with the force of a freight train.
Immediately, upon seeing the powerful warrior that had pestered her so much, the evil raven haired woman was sent into a rage…For this mortal had gotten the better of her last time and she vowed not to let it happen again.
"YOU!" she yelled, her temper raging as she locked eyes with the mutant warrior, "YOU LITTLE PIECE OF SHIT!"
"Coming from you, that's practically a term of endearment," grinned Slayer, knowing he had the psychological edge as he and the immortal woman began to duke it out once more.
Jean and Scott weren't far behind as they were looking over the others. They hadn't seem Emma yet and were trying to get the others on their feet.
As all this was going on, Vincent was running at full force down another corridor. Something was wrong…He could sense it. The link he shared with Emma had been surging with pain a mere moment ago…But now it was fading fast and it was on the verge of disappearing altogether.
"Oh my God…" he gasped as he heard her last desperate words of love before completely going silent, "Please God no…Please…Emma…No."
Then, upon reaching the maze of injured bodies…He saw her…He saw her lifeless, unmoving body lying there upon the floor. It was his worst fear come to life…He hadn't been there to protect her because he had run off to fight Sinister. And because of his incessant rage towards the man who had robbed him of everything…He was about to lose the woman who had given him everything.
"Emma…EMMA!" he yelled as he fell to the ground before her lifeless body and took her in his arms.
Tears quickly filled his eyes as he felt her icy cold face with his hands. The vibrant, beautiful woman that had so captivated his heart…Who had given him so much after having had to deal with so many losses in life…Was unmoving and lifeless. He kept trying to reach out to her through their link…But he got no answer. There was so little life left in her…So little strength. And now, Vincent Freeman was about to feel the woman he loved die right there in his arms…And there was nothing he could do about. He felt like he was dying himself on the inside…His heart…His very soul was in so much pain.
"Emma…Emma please…" he begged her and whatever higher power there was out there, "Please…Don't leave me…Don't go." He had lost so much…His mother, his family, Father Michaels, who had been like a father to him, his old home…Every time it seemed he found happiness it was taken from him. He couldn't bare to lose another, especially not the woman he knew was the love of his life.
The others struggled to fight off the lingering affects of Selene's blasts with the help of Jean and Scott, which seemed to weaken the moment Slayer began fighting her. They guessed it must have been because the power of the spell was tied to her ability to concentrate and keep it going. But now, that was far from their minds as they tried to make their way over towards the ailing White Queen, even though it looked as though all hope was lost.
"Vincent! Hey Vincent!" yelled Scott as he and Jean ran over to him and quickly kneeled beside him, taking in the sight of the lifeless body he was holding.
"Oh God…" gasped Jean as she covered her mouth in shock, "Is she…"
"NO!" shot Vincent immediately in response, "She's not dead! She's not going to die! She can't…I can't…"
Vincent once again found himself unable to speak as his words devolved into sobs. All the while in his mind he was the same thing, 'Not again, please God not again. Don't do this to me again! I can't lose her…Please…Take me instead not her…' And he meant it…If he could he would have given his life for her without hesitation.
Jean's medical knowledge quickly took over as she began feeling around Emma's neck for a pulse and using her telepathy to find any possible traces of life…But she was quickly consumed by a feeling of dread, for she was feeling nothing.
"Jean…Can you sense anything?" asked Scott anxiously as other began to crowd around her.
Jean, forcing herself to swallow the lump in her throat, only managed to shake her head in response…For they were too late. And in her medically trained mind…There was no hope for her.
"There…There aren't any signs of life," she managed to get out.
But this just caused Vincent to shake his head in response, for he refused to accept it…He refused to accept that the woman he loved was going to die.
"No…Don't say that…I can still feel her…" he said, trying to use what little was left of her through her link to keep her from leaving him forever, "She's not dead…She's not dead…"
While the others struggled to hold onto any such hope for Emma Frost, round two between Selene and Slayer was going on strong. Selene, invigorated with the life energy of Emma Frost, fought with great strength and rigor against the mutant warrior…However, her lapse earlier had caused her to suffer a few critical blows from his magic sword. And like last time…The enchanted blade that Slayer wielded with such skill sill managed to damage her…Striking down to the very core of her evil essence.
He hurt her…There was no getting around that. Mortal or not, he was hurting her in a way no one else ever had before. With both his sword and his magic, he was actually beginning to weaken her in a way she had never been weakened before. It sent her into a blind rage, for this was still a mortal…A mere man who simply wielded a couple of cheap parlor tricks. He couldn't beat her…An immortal mistress of darkness…Could he?
"You're losing your touch Selene!" grunted Slayer as he and the immortal woman remained locked in a struggle of strength and endurance, "If I didn't know any better…I'd say you were a bit hurt."
"ERR! You little shit!" she shot back with blood dripping down her lip from one of Slayer's major blows that she had suffered earlier, "You have become too great a thorn in my side! This ends right here! Right now!"
Then, Selene managed to land a series of strong counter attacks to his sword, hitting him with several mystic bolts that sent him sauntering back, but Slayer was quick to regain his composure, fighting through the pain and not letting up in the slightest.
"Ugh!" he grunted, "You're right…This does have to end. And this time…I mixed up a little something special since we didn't get to finish what we started last time."
"What are you talking about?" scoffed Selene, doubting that this mere mortal could throw anything at her that she couldn't counter, "Do you really think you stand a chance against magic?"
"Maybe not…" he said as the symbols on his hands began to glow, "But that doesn't mean I can't outsmart you."
Then, two shining white orbs formed in his hands and Selene's eyes widened in shock, for she knew what this was…And she knew what he was about to do.
"Chi orbs…" she gasped, once again finding herself consumed by rage, "NO! It's impossible!"
"Believe it Selene…" quipped Slayer, "It's possible…"
Selene, not willing to face defeat, let out a war cry and prepared to charge the mutant warrior…But before she could even take two steps, Slayer fired one of the orbs and it struck her directly, immediately reacting with her dark chi.
"AHHHHHHHHHH!" she yelled as she suddenly found herself paralyzed in a field of good chi.
Slayer stood before her in a triumphant stance, for he knew that Selene's temper would be her undoing. Even though he couldn't match her in terms of magic…That didn't mean he couldn't match her in terms of wits. He knew this wouldn't destroy her forever…But it sure as hell would cripple her for a while…Hopefully long enough for the looming darkness to pass.
"Sinister is gone…" he told her, causing her eyes to widen in a mixture of shock and anger, "His plans are officially as dead as him. It's over…Your plans are finished. And now so are you…"
"ERR! FUCK YOU!" she yelled, not believing she was about to be defeated by a mere mortal.
"You wish…" he grinned as he went on to deliver the final blow.
With one final cast, Slayer blasted the immortal woman with the final orb, engulfing her in blast of good chi. Her angry screams echoed throughout the area as the light consumed her and she vanished from sight. Slayer knew that she would be back and this was just a spell that would send her away temporarily into a state of limbo…But for now, she was vanquished.
Yet again, Slayer had beaten another seemingly unbeatable foe of darkness…However, he didn't get a moment to savor such a victory as a desperate voice rang out back from the others.
"SLAYER!" yelled Vincent, still holding his dying lover in his arms, "Slayer…I need your help!"
Not wasting any time, Slayer put his sword back in his sheath and ran over towards the others, who had crowded around Emma's lifeless body in a state of sorrow and shock. Some, like Kitty, Amara, and Betsy, were already in tears, for they feared that she was already lost. Others simply watched in a daze, overwhelmed by the feeling of having watch a friend die right before their eyes.
"Guys, back up! Back up!" ordered Slayer, "Give me some room!"
Everybody quickly cleared a way for the mutant warrior, although they didn't see what could be done at this point. By all accounts, Emma Frost looked dead…But to the mutant warrior, all was not lost…Not yet.
"Slayer…Please," begged Vincent with tears streaming down his face, "You…You have to save her! Please…Don't let her die! She can't die! I can't lose her!"
"Shit…" said Slayer as he looked at the situation before him, feeling almost as overwhelmed as he was when he was fighting Selene by what he was facing now, "Oh man…Come on, lay her out."
With no time to argue, Vincent did what he said and laid Emma's lifeless body out, still cradling her head in his arms, not willing to let go. While he was doing this, Slayer took out a small bottle of strange, glowing liquid. He quickly held it up to his all seeing eye to check it, for it was one of the powerful elixirs he had concocted for this battle. It wasn't exactly formulated for this kind of situation…But it was all he had…It was their only hope.
"Oh man…" he said, shaking his head, not knowing if this was going to work, "I sure hope I mixed this right."
Looking back down at the lifeless body of Emma Frost, he knew he had no time to modify or adjust it. This was it…The last and only option. If this didn't work…He knew that Emma Frost would die.
"Well…No guts, no glory," he said as he knelt down to her side.
"What are you doing?" asked Jean, who's medical mind told her that there was no hope for her friend, "I've checked her. There's no pulse…No heartbeat…"
"But there's still life," said Slayer, "And that's enough."
"But…How the hell are ya gonna…" began Rogue, Remy was behind her holding her shoulders and she was thankful for that small comfort from him, but Slayer didn't have time to hear doubts.
"Selene drained away most of her life force…" said Slayer as he tilted her chin and prepared to give her the elixir, "But she didn't get it all…So that means our only hope is to use what little she didn't drain to save her. This potion I'm giving her is a very powerful healing elixir…Full of good, pure chi. It's not really intended for this kind of situation, but it's all I've got…If this doesn't work…Then she's gone."
It wasn't much…But it was still something to Vincent as he watched Slayer pour every last drop of the glowing potion into Emma's mouth. As he watched him do this, he began praying…He began saying every prayer he ever learned back at the orphanage. He begged, pleaded, and urged God not to take this woman away from him. He had already had so many things taken away in his life…He couldn't stand to lose this…Not the woman he loved…Not Emma.
"Okay Vincent…" said Slayer as he finished giving her the potion, "Now I'm going to need you to help with this…"
"Believe me…I'll do whatever it takes," he said in a determined tone.
"Good…Now I need you to use your link with Emma to reach out to her," he instructed, making it clear that this was very important, "You need to find her and help her…She needs to hold on. There's not much of her life force left within her…But she has to hold on and she can't do that without you."
Knowing he had to be strong for Emma, the look on Vincent's face became more determined as he closed his eyes and focused on his link with Emma. It was so weak…But it was still there. With every ounce of strength he could muster, he reached out to the woman he loved…Using the warm, comforting memories they had made together since they had found each other in their darkest hour. Memories such as their first date or when they first made love hung were the strongest and they seemed to act as guides as Vincent found himself plunging into the abyss in search of his lover. He had nothing to go on other than his heart…But that was all he needed as he finally came upon a the fading spirit-like image of Emma Frost hovering in the darkness, looking as though it was on the verge of disappearing completely.
'Emma…Emma please…Hang on,' he urged as he reached out and touched the cold skin of her face, which seemed only to become tangible through his touch.
Emma felt like she was floating, she wasn't sure what was happening and her mind felt tried, she felt tired like she just wanted to fall asleep. She was nearly there when something called out to her. Her mind tried to focus on it and wonder what it was, there was something so familiar about it. It was calling out to her and something inside of her told her to reach back to it.
To Vince she solidified somewhat, hinting that his presence was helping her and that Emma was fighting to stay alive. But as hard as she was fighting, the fragile piece of life energy that had been fading fast seemed too weak to hold on.
'Come on Emma…Fight it,' he said, holding onto her and projecting thoughts of love to her through their link, 'Please…I know you're strong enough to do this. Please Emma…I need you…I love you. Please…Don't die…Don't leave me.'
'…Vincent?' she asked the voice which now sounded so much clearer to her as the warmth she came to associate with her link with Vincent. She felt him and she knew that if she didn't fight she would never see him again. So she reached down and fought, using Vincent as her guide and tried to fight her way back to him, but it was so hard and it was like swimming against a current.
She wasn't sure if she could make it back. The more the fought the harder it was.
While Vincent was doing everything he could to give her the strength she needed, it didn't seem like she was getting any better. Her body still looked lifeless, but the potion seemed be doing something as her life force continued to linger. But despite this, Slayer was growing increasingly worried as the tension in the air continued to hold strong.
"Damn it…" he said, shaking his head as he looked at Emma's state through his all seeing eye.
"Damn it! What do you mean damn it? Is it working or not!" yelled Jean, forcing Scott to calm her down somewhat by placing his hand on her shoulder.
"No, it's working…It's just not working fast enough," said Slayer as he prepared to try one last desperate move to save this woman.
"Then, like, what do we do now!" exclaimed Kitty, thinking that all was lost. She looked down at Emma's body. Kitty considered her one of the strongest people she had known. She never let anything or anybody get in her way. She had a strength and determination she admired and seeing her now so pale and weak was horrible. She never thought Emma would be the one to die.
"I'm going to try to speed it up manually…" said Slayer as the symbols on his hands once again began to glow, "The potion is like any other piece of magic…It performs it's function as governed by the spells that are cast upon it through energy and chi. And my mutant power is manipulating physical and metaphysical energy. If I can manipulate enough metaphysical energy…And use it right for that matter…Then maybe…Just maybe…I can save her."
"But what are the chances of something like that succeeding?" asked Piotr, the large Russian was holding Kitty in his arms trying to give her comfort.
"With all due respect…You don't want to know," said the mutant warrior as he closed his eyes and began concentrating all the magic and skill he could muster to make this work.
He had never done something like this before and the chances of it succeeding weren't very good. But that sure as hell didn't stop him from trying.
'Come on…Come on,' thought the mutant warrior as he concentrated with all his might and used his magic in conjunction with the potion to bring Emma back from the brink, 'This has to work…It has to…'
The next few moments were filled with tension and anxiety as everybody nervously watched the scene before them unfold before their very eyes. It was now or never…Emma Frost would either live or die through what happened over the next vital moments.
In the depths of her mind, Vincent was still holding onto her. He clung tightly to her disembodied form, begging and pleading with her not to leave him. She was still there…She was still fighting it…But was it enough?
'Please Emma…Please,' he sent her, 'I love you…So much. You were there for me…In my darkest hour. You shared your heart with me…And I gave you mine. You gave me strength…Now let me return the favor…Let me be there for you…In the way you were there for me. Come on Emma…Come on!'
Then suddenly, the darkness around her began to flash and pulse in a brilliant glow. This caused Vincent to cling to her all the more tightly as he kept calling out to her, 'Come on Emma…Come on.'
Then…As the flashes faded, Emma's body finally began to glow, both in her mind and right before the eyes of all those watching nervously as Slayer kept his concentration and worked kept working his magic with every ounce of strength he could muster. But inside her mind…A true miracle was already taking place.
Suddenly, while he continued to cling to her in the depths of her mind, Vincent no longer found himself in the abyss…Instead, he found himself holding onto the true, full form of the love of his life in his arms at the side of the crystal clear river in the special, pristine area under the tree that Emma had brought him to when she had saved him back in the Hellfire Club. This was where they came in their minds to be together in the closest possible way…For this was THEIR place…This was where their connection of love and peace was at it's purest.
Then…Vincent felt a warm feeling consume him…One that was so comforting…So peaceful…And so loving. Emma's once cold, clammy skin was now so warm with life. The beautiful aura that had so captivated Vincent Freeman was now so clear…So strong. And as he looked around and saw where they were and stared down at the most beautiful sight he had ever seen…A warm smile spread across his face…For she had done it…They had done it…They had triumphed.
'Vincent…' he heard her say, causing his heart to swell with joy, 'Vincent…Is that you? Am I dead?'
Looking down at her, Vincent couldn't help but smile as he lovingly caressed her face and held her in his arms remember those were the words he had used when she pulled him back form the brink of his own abyss, letting her know that he was there for her.
'No…You're not dead,' he told her, 'But you are in heaven…'
Through those words, Emma Frost smiled warmly as she looked back into the beautiful blue eyes of the man she loves. And with a newly invigorated feeling of life…Emma Frost and Vincent Freeman met in a deep kiss on the serene grassy plain that was their own little piece of paradise.
Back in the real world, the glowing was finally beginning to wane as Slayer felt his efforts working. He could see her life energy returning…He could see her coming back from the brink. Selene's life draining evil had been strong, but not strong enough…And with one final act, Emma let out a heavily labored gasp as Vincent's eyes shot open and Emma was once again among the living. She was still unconscious…But she was alive as everybody looked on in amazement…Feeling as though they had just witnessed a miracle.
"Well I'll be damned…It worked," said Slayer, almost laughing to himself at the overwhelming feat that had just been accomplished.
"I…I can't believe it…" said Wanda as everybody else felt at a loss for words, "That's…Impossible." Kurt held her hand thought. He knew that miracles happened and that God must have been watching over them at this moment. Wanda looked at Kurt with a confused look and only got this look from with a knowing smile on his face.
"No…Improbable, but not impossible," said Slayer as he smiled back down at Vincent and the unconscious, yet alive Emma Frost.
Vincent smiled widely as he stood back up, still holding Emma securely in his arms. Looking back at the mutant warrior, he knew that he was now eternally indebted to him. This man had just saved the most important person in his life…He had saved the woman he loved. And for that, he was deeply grateful.
"Slayer…" he said, his voice still heavy with emotion, "Thank you…"
"No thanks are necessary, Vincent…" said the mutant warrior in response as he then turned back towards the others, "You'll all have plenty of time to celebrate later…In the meantime, let's just get the hell out of here, Sinister set this place to go up any minute and we better not stay here any longer then we have to."
X23/Viper
X23 was finally free from Sinister's control. What he had done to her and what he had made her do brought forth so many agonizing feelings and emotions that she could feel nothing but cold hard rage. All the pain she had endured and all the suffering she had to go through seemed to trigger the animal that raged within her that she so often had trouble controlling…Only this time, all that rage was focused on one person…Viper.
Using her powerful senses to guide her, X23 made her way down the elaborate corridors of Sinister's facility in search of the enemy she was supposed to have killed that fateful day when she took down Hydra with Logan. She thought that had been the end…But the nightmare only came back to haunt her in a way that only added to the sad story that was her life. Now she was here to finish the job. Logan had set her free…He had saved her. Even after everything she put him through, he had saved her and from that she knew now more than ever that he was more to her than just her genetic predecessor…No, he was something much more. There were plenty of issues concerning Logan that still needed to be resolved…But right now, her mind lay focused on only one task…Viper.
"VIPER!" she bellowed through the halls in a raging, animalistic yell.
Then, as she turned the final corner, the trail ended…And standing before her was the woman who had brought her so much pain.
"You little pest!" she grunted as she looked back at the young girl that had been such a thorn in her side for too long now, "I knew that stupid animal wouldn't be able to do it! But no matter…That just means I get to kill you myself!"
Viper then proceeded to whip out a couple of katanas that she had strewn in an X on her back. These blades, courtesy of Mr. Sinister, were forced of the same unbreakable material as X23's claws. She carried herself in a strong poise, showing X23 that she had skill and wasn't going to hold back this time. She had beaten her once when she captured her and she was every bit as confident that she could beat her again.
"You used me…" grunted X23 her claws came out of her knuckles in preparation for yet another fight, "You put me through so much pain…So many nightmares…"
"And you deserved every last one of them!" she shot in response, "You are a menace! A pest! A mistake and a failed science experiment that should have been terminated years ago! I will squash you like a bug! Because that's all you are X23…Not a human…Not a person…A thing."
Those words stung X23 in a way no physical attack could and that sent her into a violent rage as she lunged forth and attacked the woman that had caused her so much pain.
"NO!" she yelled with so many agonizing feelings and emotions brimming at the surface as she unleashed a fury of slashes with her claws, all of which Viper either dodged or countered with her katanas, "I AM NOT A THING!"
Viper knew she had the psychological edge on her as she kept track of her swift attacks, staying on the defensive while X23 raged with the full force of her skill. She let the raging teenage girl wear herself down with her unabated rage, using her lack of focus to her advantage as she began countering with attacks of her own. Slowly, she began to gain the upper hand, skillfully sending X23 reeling back as Viper used her cunning and skill to wear her down.
"You're getting sloppy Weapon X23!" she grunted as she did a skillful spin move to avoid another one of X23's lunges, "Maybe you're not the living weapon I once took you for…Maybe you're just a whining little insect buzzing about, aimless and distraught over her own senseless misery!"
"ERAHHHH! SHUT UP!" yelled X23, her words still stinging worse than the blows she suffered from her swords.
Viper's focus continued to give her an edge as she ducked another horizontal slash and used a narrow window of opportunity to cut a gaping wound upon her arm, causing her to yell out in a fit of pain. Then, Viper began to really let loose. She no longer held back…Attacking, slashing, and cutting the former living weapon with unabated fury. X23 tried to counter by using the claws in her feet, but Viper was too fast as she kept up her attack.
Then, as she backed her up against the wall, X23 tried one last desperate move to change the odds. Using her agility, she tried to do a skillful jump kick while Viper was in the middle of a pincer attack, but she seemed ready for that as she ducked the kick and nearly impaled her with one of her katanas. A gaping wound now spewed blood from her left side just above her waist as she let out another pained yell. Then, Viper went in for the kill as she delivered a powerful roundhouse kick to the young girl's face, head butted her, and pinned her on the ground with her katanas now at her neck, ready to sever her head from her body.
"You will never beat me X23!" she yelled as she had X23 exactly where she wanted, ready to deliver the final blow, "You can blow me up, you can bury me, and you can leave me for dead…But I'll keep coming back to finish what I started with you!"
The stinging pain in her side and the throbbing feeling in her head caused her to yell out in an animalistic rage as she struggled to overcome Viper's powerful strength. She desperately tried to escape…Unable to break free from the epic struggle she now found herself in. This was not how she wanted it to end…This was not how she wanted to die. Her life was filled with nothing but pain and sorrow…She never once had a chance to experience any of the things regular people get to experience like friends, happiness, and…Family.
"I will make sure there's nothing left of your repugnant stench!" grunted Viper as she felt X23 weaken with each passing second, "And once I'm through with you…I'm going to toss your putrid corpse right in front of your so called 'father' and kill him too so the wretched blood of Weapon X will be expunged forever!"
The mention of Logan…Her 'father' in many ways…Trigged that one single memory in X23's mind that wasn't wrought with pain. That fateful night when she tried to kill him only to end up crying in his arms once again played before her and she could vividly hear his words in her head, 'Kid…I'm the closest thing to family you've got.'
That one word…That one shred of hope in her otherwise abysmal life…Family…Triggered something within her that began to tip the balance against Viper. Suddenly, Viper began to feel X23 resisting with greater strength and power. She tried to match her, but to her surprise, X23 was actually overpowering her.
"No…You…Must…DIE!" she struggled.
"No…Not today!" she grunted.
Then, with a sudden burst of strength, X23 used one of the claws in her feet to kick Viper in the back, impaling her along her spine. This caused her to reel back in a fit of pain as she sauntered at the sheer impact of the blow. Then, with a renewed sense of strength, X23 lunged forth, ignoring the stabbing pain in her side, unleashing the full, unabated force of her skill. This time there was more than just rage driving her…There was hope…Hope from that one good memory that she had come to treasure…Hope that there was something out there worth living for.
She gave Viper no room to counter this time as she slashed and cut her way through her every defense, landing a number of small stabs and slashes upon her body that were small…But they quickly wore at her resistance. Soon, the little impacts of her blows began to add up as Viper began suffering more damaging blows from her claws. She was stabbed numerous times in her torso and chest, cut along her hand, and impaled through her shoulder. Her balance began wavering, but she still resisted with her katanas…Until finally, X23 moved in for the finishing blow as she ducked a slash and in one, fluid motion…Severed her right arm.
"AHHHHHHHHH!" yelled Viper in pain as blood came pouring out of the gaping wound.
She fell onto one knee, Viper gasped for breath as she looked up at X23 with a cold, vile expression. Her claws were dripping with her blood and there was nothing standing in her way from finishing what she started that day when she took down Hydra. She knew she had lost…She had lost to this insolent little speck of flesh that had failed at her given purpose. It was a truly dishonorable way to die…Struck by the hands of this…This failure.
"You can strike me down…" said Viper as she coughed up a stream of blood as she now stood only upon her knees at the mercy of X23, "But it won't change anything…You'll still be just a thing…Not a human. You will never be human…You can never escape what you are. Face it…Weapon X23…You are nothing…You have no one…And you will never…Be…Anything…More."
A mere hour ago, X23 might have actually agreed with her…But looking down at her claws and seeing the blood dripping from them, she remembered how Logan had spared Deathstrike earlier and if she killed Viper then she would be no better then her. She would prove that she was nothing more then just a weapon.
"No…" she told her in a strong, determined tone, "I am not just a weapon…I am not just a thing. I may not be able to escape how I came into this world…But I'm not going to continue living in Hydra's shadow anymore." With that she turned her back on Viper. If she hurried then she would survive that injury to her arm. But she wasn't just turning her back on Viper…She was turning her back on everything that they had tried to drill into her. She didn't want to be a weapon anymore she wanted to be something else.
Viper, however, was infuriated that this little freak of a weapon just turned her back to her! She would learn to think otherwise. She had been crippled not once, but TWICE by her and she would make her regret it. He picked up one of her swords with her remaining hand and charged at her. She was going to take the little thing's head off.
But X23 heard her coming and on instinct ducked the blade and spun around and dug all four claws into Viper's chest. She looked down at her with a surprised look on her face and then grinned. "See…I told you that you were just…A weapon for killing…"
X23 got her claws out of the woman's body and stepped back watching her fall to the ground her words her remains then went limp…Forever laying to rest a part of X23's life.
Now she had done it…She had finished what she had started. She was free from Hydra and once again she was left at a crossroads. But at least this time…She knew where to go and who to turn to in hopes of building the life that Hydra had denied her. Now, as she withdrew her claws, she began limping her way back down the hall to the one person who she knew could help her…Logan.
-Outside-
Storm and the others were just waiting now for the others. She was looking after the others as the wreckage was around them of all the robots. They had retrieved a med kit from the Velocity and were treating their wounds. Ray had to have his shirt taken off in order to wrap up the burn on his back, while Bobby was looking after Jubilee's arm.
Tabitha at one point had have jumped avoiding a direct hit, but the area she had been on was unstable and she fell. She had a sprained ankle and was having Sam help her around. She refused to leave like the other two until the others showed up.
Storm was getting worried about the others and was tempted to go in, she tried the communicator but the place must have been heavily shielded. Hank walked up to her, "I'm sure they're alright."
"I want to believe that Hank…But I wonder if it's been too long."
He placed a hand on her shoulder, "I'm sure they are, but we'll wait a little longer and then go in after them." She smiled at her friend and placed one of her hands on his. She nodded and went back to waiting then just when she was about to have them go in she saw them coming out at a run.
"Storm, move everyone out of here now!" Scott yelled out to her.
"What's going on?" She asked as the other team was getting ready.
"This place is going to blow up! Get everyone out of here and back to the vehicles now!" He shouted out again at her as they were running. Many of them were tired and their lungs were beginning to burn with the effort.
"Can you teleport us out of here?" Wanda asked Slayer but he just shook his head.
"I'm too weak…That fight with Selene and what did for Emma sapped my strength, and it might take too much time for me to be ready to try all of us."
"Kurt?" she asked her boyfriend and he nodded. He took her and grabbed Slayer and then started teleporting back and forth trying to get as many out and onto the X-Jet as he could. Vince was already gone with Emma making sure she was out of danger as Bobby made an ice slide and a few of them got on that while Sam carried Tabby out of there as did Sunspot carried Amara.
The others had to run, but Storm stopped and looked back, she didn't see Logan and was afraid he wasn't coming out, but then she saw him coming out. "LOGAN!" She flew over to him fast. "Oh goddess," she gasped seeing him, for he had blood all over him and his black uniform had claw marks all over it.
"Don't worry Ro, I'm fine and not all of the blood is mine," He smiled at her showing her that he really was okay, but he sure still felt that last battle.
"Logan, we need to get out of here the place it set to explode or something."
Logan was instantly alert and looked around, "Did the kid get out? Did X23 come out ahead of me?" She shook her head and Logan swore, "I have to get her Ro, I'm not leaving her behind!"
"Logan!" she shouted out to him as he turned but stopped. They saw X23 looking just as beat up coming out.
"Kid…Damn I'm glad ta see ya! Come on, this place is going up in flames and we need to get out of here fast!" She didn't need to be told twice and the last three of them rushed out of the factory. They all got back into whatever vehicles they could and as they reached the air. And just as they were reaching a higher altitude, the place started to erupt into flames.
The air around them started buckle from the force coming up from the ground shaking the aircraft. In both vehicles the alarms went off as the pilots tried to hold them steady and rise up higher out of the place. Down below them the place seemed to sink into the ground as the entire facility caved in and especially buried itself.
In the back of the jet Scott had a slightly worried expression on his face.
"Scott, what's wrong?" asked Jean
"What if Sinister is still out there?" he said, for he didn't like the fact that man was out there ready to do who knows what next. He was thinking he should have ended it then and there, but he hadn't and wondered if he was going to pay for it.
"Don't worry about it," They all turned to Vince who had Emma resting in his lap with his arms around her.
"What do you mean?" Scott asked him.
Vince was just silent a moment his face with no readable expression on it, "Let's just say I made sure he stuck in a hole even he'll never get out of. He's still alive…But I doubt he's happy."
"You mean he was still in there?" Scott had mixed feelings about that and when Vince nodded he just sat back and decided not to ask. He was just glad that this maniac was out of their lives at the moment, for that's all that mattered that and he and the others were out of that nightmare. He felt Jean's hand take his and he held hers back.
Back at the mansion Xavier pulled off his helmet and smiled for the first time in days. They were all safe and sounds and they were coming home. He would make sure that the medical ward was ready, but nothing life threatening. He was just happy that they were coming back. He hated seeing them go off without helping them.
He cursed his legs at times like this, but he was so relieved to have them coming back home. But he wouldn't let up after this. He was going to be more careful from now on, for he knew that Shaw was still out there and he would be ready for him next time around. He would make sure that his students were safe here. This was supposed to be their home and he wouldn't allow them to suffer again under this.
He was blaming himself for reading too much of that book and maybe if he hadn't he could have done something. He would have to think on that, but first he would tell Rahne and Jamie to get ready and go to meet the other in the hanger. He wanted to welcome his friends and family back home in person.
NEXT UP CHAPTER 49: HOME COMING