Disclaimer: Furor Paxx and VulgateOfEarth do not own the X-Men or any affiliates. All are the property of Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc and its various affiliates and partners. Phoenix Malcolm, Haiden Malcolm and all irregular characters are the sole property of Furor Paxx and are being used with permission.
~~ Kitty ~~
Kitty was scared beyond all rational thought. Storm and Mystique couldn't get her to move and were afraid that she would pass out. If that happened they would all die, surrounded by stone that fit tighter than skin.
"Kitty, come on, we have to get out of here." Storm beseeched.
"She's hopeless. We'd have been better off on our own." Mystique grumbled.
"Please, Mystique. You aren't helping at all. We have to work together, not criticize each other."
"I wish I had your faith. For a while back there I thought the girl actually had a head on her shoulders. Too bad she lost it."
Deep within the trembling confines of her mind, Kitty heard and understood. Mystique was complimenting her and trying to goad her back to her senses. Unfortunately it was easier said than done.
Kitty really did want to help, but she was just one person, one insignificant mutant who didn't even have an aggressive power. What could she possibly do?
Desperation sloshed through every fibre of Kitty's being like water in a balloon.
I wish I was strong like everyone else, she thought. Then I'd be able to do something.
"What's wrong?" A voice asked her. It sounded strangely like...
"Lucifer? Are you here? How'd you get out?" Kitty twisted around, trying to catch a glimpse of him, but all she saw was rock. Of course, she reminded herself, you phased through all them. It's going to be a very dull view from here til we get out.
"I am far from where you are now, but I can sense your presence. What is wrong?"
"There was a cave in and I grabbed Storm and Mystique and phased. But I think I fell down and now I can't tell which way is up, or even if we're standing in the middle of the rocks that fell or rocks that were part of the floor."
"Hmm. It's a good thing you didn't move then. You may have fallen further."
Kitty's heart swelled. She wasn't a failure after all.
"I think I can help. Count to fifty and I will transport you somewhere else. I cannot guarantee the location's safety, but you will be in less of a predicament there."
"Thank you SO much, you're an angel." Kitty began counting, bolstered by Lucifer's words.
~~ Lucifer ~~
Every bone in his body screamed in agony as Valzinameku slammed him against the ceiling of the prison and pounded him straight through the two inch adamantite sheet. Adamantite was the weaker, pure form of adamantium, and that was the only thing that saved Lucifer. His light frame and fragile bones could never have survived that abuse from the stronger metal and his healing magic was furiously working to repair the damage. Even so, he was more than ten feet in the air before he could even think about the potential damage of landing.
Twelve feet in the air and he sensed Kitty, trapped and disoriented.
Fourteen feet and the spell was prepared. He began counting with Kitty.
Twenty feet and he was still rising. It felt as though he was dying and Valzinameku's blows had somehow made him defy gravity itself. At the number fifty, Lucifer released the spell that would take Kitty, Storm and Mystique to a safehouse in the woods.
He finally began falling, tumbling through the air as the cursed demon thrust his claw through the earth.
I'm going to be smashed flat when I hit the ground. If he doesn't get me first. Wait- Lucifer thought. What am I thinking? It's not like I have to land at all.
Lucifer cleared his mind as the ground flew closer and summoned his most prized possesions.
Eight feet from the ground, Lucifer's wings spread with a snap and a rush of air that hit the ground with a low thud.
Vulgates weren't meant to live in caves, but they could if they tucked their wings away. Give one an open area to maneuver...
Lucifer pulled up, propelling himself upwards with long, powerful wing beats. As he gained altitude, he changed. Where once he had hands, claws, no, talons sprouted. His jaw bone shifted down and changed so that it could unhinge at a moments notice to bare his new, jagged teeth that looked more like shards of broken glass. Already finely toned muscles slimmed and grew even more firm and corded. His deep blue eyes narrowed to thin slits that picked up far more movement and depth than before. The change was not just external. His lungs changed, now they could adapt to rapid ascents and descents, his heart did as well, becoming more resiliant to the rapidly shifting air pressures and altitudes. New muscles formed for the sole purpose of giving him better control of his wings and enhancing maneuverability.
All of this was acheived in three seconds, three seconds that took him more than a mile above the ground, three seconds that put him in the perfect position to dive on Valzinameku and drive his talons home. Lucifer hissed through his shard-like teeth. The tables had just turned.
~~
A/N
Thanks to all my reviewers... I would have put this in here sooner, but I had already uploaded the first twenty-odd chapters. About the Jean/Phoenix thing, I was kind of hoping no one would notice that Phoenix is Jean's codename, but I guess I'm busted. I'm open for ideas, although I've written ahead again, and it might take a few days to work the idea in. Thanks again, Believers...
~~ Kitty ~~
Kitty was scared beyond all rational thought. Storm and Mystique couldn't get her to move and were afraid that she would pass out. If that happened they would all die, surrounded by stone that fit tighter than skin.
"Kitty, come on, we have to get out of here." Storm beseeched.
"She's hopeless. We'd have been better off on our own." Mystique grumbled.
"Please, Mystique. You aren't helping at all. We have to work together, not criticize each other."
"I wish I had your faith. For a while back there I thought the girl actually had a head on her shoulders. Too bad she lost it."
Deep within the trembling confines of her mind, Kitty heard and understood. Mystique was complimenting her and trying to goad her back to her senses. Unfortunately it was easier said than done.
Kitty really did want to help, but she was just one person, one insignificant mutant who didn't even have an aggressive power. What could she possibly do?
Desperation sloshed through every fibre of Kitty's being like water in a balloon.
I wish I was strong like everyone else, she thought. Then I'd be able to do something.
"What's wrong?" A voice asked her. It sounded strangely like...
"Lucifer? Are you here? How'd you get out?" Kitty twisted around, trying to catch a glimpse of him, but all she saw was rock. Of course, she reminded herself, you phased through all them. It's going to be a very dull view from here til we get out.
"I am far from where you are now, but I can sense your presence. What is wrong?"
"There was a cave in and I grabbed Storm and Mystique and phased. But I think I fell down and now I can't tell which way is up, or even if we're standing in the middle of the rocks that fell or rocks that were part of the floor."
"Hmm. It's a good thing you didn't move then. You may have fallen further."
Kitty's heart swelled. She wasn't a failure after all.
"I think I can help. Count to fifty and I will transport you somewhere else. I cannot guarantee the location's safety, but you will be in less of a predicament there."
"Thank you SO much, you're an angel." Kitty began counting, bolstered by Lucifer's words.
~~ Lucifer ~~
Every bone in his body screamed in agony as Valzinameku slammed him against the ceiling of the prison and pounded him straight through the two inch adamantite sheet. Adamantite was the weaker, pure form of adamantium, and that was the only thing that saved Lucifer. His light frame and fragile bones could never have survived that abuse from the stronger metal and his healing magic was furiously working to repair the damage. Even so, he was more than ten feet in the air before he could even think about the potential damage of landing.
Twelve feet in the air and he sensed Kitty, trapped and disoriented.
Fourteen feet and the spell was prepared. He began counting with Kitty.
Twenty feet and he was still rising. It felt as though he was dying and Valzinameku's blows had somehow made him defy gravity itself. At the number fifty, Lucifer released the spell that would take Kitty, Storm and Mystique to a safehouse in the woods.
He finally began falling, tumbling through the air as the cursed demon thrust his claw through the earth.
I'm going to be smashed flat when I hit the ground. If he doesn't get me first. Wait- Lucifer thought. What am I thinking? It's not like I have to land at all.
Lucifer cleared his mind as the ground flew closer and summoned his most prized possesions.
Eight feet from the ground, Lucifer's wings spread with a snap and a rush of air that hit the ground with a low thud.
Vulgates weren't meant to live in caves, but they could if they tucked their wings away. Give one an open area to maneuver...
Lucifer pulled up, propelling himself upwards with long, powerful wing beats. As he gained altitude, he changed. Where once he had hands, claws, no, talons sprouted. His jaw bone shifted down and changed so that it could unhinge at a moments notice to bare his new, jagged teeth that looked more like shards of broken glass. Already finely toned muscles slimmed and grew even more firm and corded. His deep blue eyes narrowed to thin slits that picked up far more movement and depth than before. The change was not just external. His lungs changed, now they could adapt to rapid ascents and descents, his heart did as well, becoming more resiliant to the rapidly shifting air pressures and altitudes. New muscles formed for the sole purpose of giving him better control of his wings and enhancing maneuverability.
All of this was acheived in three seconds, three seconds that took him more than a mile above the ground, three seconds that put him in the perfect position to dive on Valzinameku and drive his talons home. Lucifer hissed through his shard-like teeth. The tables had just turned.
~~
A/N
Thanks to all my reviewers... I would have put this in here sooner, but I had already uploaded the first twenty-odd chapters. About the Jean/Phoenix thing, I was kind of hoping no one would notice that Phoenix is Jean's codename, but I guess I'm busted. I'm open for ideas, although I've written ahead again, and it might take a few days to work the idea in. Thanks again, Believers...