Chapter 2: Breakout Part 2: Bravery and Faith

At En Sabah Nur's lair, Nur prepared for an overview of the games tomorrow, inspired by the stories of Nero throwing the Christians of old to lions. He couldn't understand the logic in following a dead Jewish carpenter who by all accounts shouldn't even exist in the first place if the stories of his virgin mother were true.

I'm that leader En Sabah Nur

I'm the empire's mighty ruler.

All these gods amount to zero.

Who would disagree?

Though my singing's much to middling,

I won't stop my fiddle-diddling.

Earth can burn, I'll just keep fiddling.

Glory be to me!

I'll take the glory.

Who'd disagree?

So dictator-y.

Glory be to me!

Follow me. Don't be a whiner.

Other leaders are so minor.

Next to my line, none's diviner.

In all modesty.

Though some ingrates may abhor me,

I insist all worlds adore me.

Thou shallt have no gods before me.

Glory be to me!

I'm full of glory…

And modesty!

No guts, no glory!

Glory be to me!

Yes I'm cruel and mean indeed.

I will tax you 'till you bleed!

And this week, breathing is free.

Christian tales, I don't enjoy,

And those who tell them. I destroy!

It's time they bowed to me…!

I'm Mr. Glory…

So glory be!

I've got your story!

Glory… Be to me…!

Nur chuckled as he walked to a 3D model of the stadium as he smirked.

"It's brilliant." Nur said with a smirk. "At the games tomorrow, the lions, dogs, and gladiators will come in through the South Entrance."

"Oh yes, Pharaoh." Nur's servant, Mesmero said oily. "It's brilliant!"

"Hold your tongue, fool." Nur said plainly. "I'm not finished for then my champion, Cain Marko the Juggernaut, shall come in from the North Entrance, and finally, the Christians will come in from the East Entrance and meet their doom… That reminds me. Mesmero, call Essex at once."

"ESSEX!" Mesmero said as Essex walked in and knelt down.

"Hail En Sabah Nur." Essex said.

"Essex, where are the Christians?" Nur questioned.

"They're being unloaded now, sir." Essex said. "We captured scores of them in last night's raid."

"Excellent." Nur said. "Then have the sandbags placed in front of their cell. Marko shall break their spirits first… And then their bodies."

()()()()()

In a cell he shared with several other Christians, Kurt watched as a pale man in a completely red outfit made one swift kick at the sandbags, and they burst open, sand pouring out of them.

"Oh man." Kurt groaned.

()()()()()

Moira panted as she followed Jean up the hill. When she and Charles had kids of their own, she hoped she was in better shape. Jean had told Charles and Moira about Kurt's parents and hoped they could help.

"Jean, you're sure this is where they live?" Moira asked.

"Yup." Jean said as she took Moira's hand and helped her up the steep climb. "He said just behind this villa, and he said one time…"

Moira looked as Jean's eyes widened with shock, and she saw that the villa had been ruined, obviously by a fire.

()()()()()

Back at the mansion, Charles heard about Moira and Jean's attempt to contact Kurt's parents.

"And the neighbors said he lost his parents in the fire!" Moira finished.

"We're the only ones who can help him!" Jean insisted, and Charles agreed. It was like his mother said, do what you can to help people.

"Help him?!" Hank snapped. "That little circus brat's probably spilling his guts to the guards right now!"

"Hank, he was taken from one of our meetings." Charles said plainly. "That makes him our responsibility. Jean's right. We've got to help him."

()()()()()

Charles drove up to the Coliseum where the games were played and brought out a large basket of produce and walked up to a guard.

"State your business." The guard said.

"Fruits and vegetables for the gladiators." Charles said as he pulled out a large juicy piece of melon. "And this for yourself."

Inside the corridors, Charles turned to Hank.

"Hank, you make a map of these corridors while we look for Kurt." Charles said.

"On it, Charles." Hank said as he rushed off.

Meanwhile, Charles went with everyone else down the stairs as the children shouted in shock when they saw a skeleton hanging from the wall.

"What was that?!" Jean called out.

"A not so successful gladiator." Charles said calmly, though truth be told the skeleton had caught him off guard too.

At that point, they heard singing.

"Sounds like Kurt isn't alone." Moira observed.

"Halt!" A large rotund man with orange hair called out. "Who goes there?!"

"It's Charles Xavier with stale fruits and vegetables for the prisoners." Charles said as he held up a water melon. "Too bad guards can't eat on duty."

"Actually, it's just about time for my break." The rotund man said.

"Scott, take care of our friend while we feed the prisoners." Charles said with a smile.

Charles then headed to the cell with everyone except Scott and Alex.

"Charles…" Steve said weakly. "Moira…"

"Shh!" Charles said quickly. "Steve, what are you doing here?"

"We were all rounded up in last night's raid." Steve explained.

"Back away you scavengers!" Charles called out in the direction of the guards' break room. "That's all the crumbs you get!"

Charles then turned to Steve and telepathically assured him, "Don't worry. There's enough food for all of you."

"Jean!" Kurt called out in a whisper.

"Kurt, are you okay?" Jean asked.

"Yeah, but tomorrow, zey're going to zrow us to some guy named Cain Marko." Kurt said urgently.

"Don't panic." Charles said. "We'll have you out before then. Just have courage."

"Courage?!" Kurt whispered. "Have you seen ze size of this guy?!"

"Size has nothing to do with courage, Kurt." Charles explained.

"Right." Moira said kindly. "Remember David and Goliath? And Zachius?"

"Who?" Kurt asked.

"Zachius." Moira said. "He wasn't much taller than you, but he had a lot of courage. You see the people where Jesus lived hated Zachius because he collected taxes for the Romans. Because he was so short, he liked to look down on everybody. He was also very rich and powerful, but what people most disliked was that Zachius was a cheat. But for all of his wealth, he had no friends and was alone.

"Now Zachius had heard a lot about Jesus, and really wanted to see him, so he left the house while Jesus was teaching only a few feet away, but Zachius couldn't get a good look at Jesus through the crowd as he was so short. Unfazed, Zachius climbed up a tree to take a look at Jesus when he looked up at him.

"'Zachius!' Jesus called out. 'Hurry and climb down for today I must stay in your house.'

"The people complained, calling Zachius a traitor and a thief for all the money he cheated even the Ceaser of Rome out of. Hearing these things, Zachius turned to Jesus.

"Lord,' Zachius said. 'I will give half of all I own to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone, I'll pay them back four times as much.'

"Zachius did so, and as he watched, Jesus said, 'Truly, God's forgiveness has come to this house today.'

"You see? It took a lot of courage for Zachius to be honest. You know what I mean?"

Charles smiled. Moira was a naturally born storyteller and Story Keeper.

()()()()()

In the dungeons, Alex hid under the table while Scott handed the rotund man, Fred Dukes, several fruits and vegetables.

"Uh… Mr. Dukes, party of one?" Scott asked.

While Mr. Duke ate the food, Alex snuck out from under the table, took some dough, and imprinted the key to the Christians' cell on the dough as he walked out quietly.

()()()()()

It took an hour to double check escape routes in case of any problems; Hank finished up his map and smiled.

"Perfect." Hank said when he ran into the guard at the door.

"Hey, what are you doing in here?" The guard asked.

"Uh… Me?" Hank asked. "I'm… With the volunteers for arena improvement."

"Alright, carry on." The guard said as he walked off.

"I think getting Christians out of here would be a definite improvement." Hank said to himself as he went off.

()()()()()

Once the prisoners had finished their food, Charles smiled and shook Steve's hand.

"Now get some rest." Charles advised. "We'll be back for you all in the morning."

"Jean," Kurt said. "Thanks."

"It's okay, Kurt." Jean said with a smile. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Jean then walked off as Kurt gulped. He wasn't brave. He couldn't even tell his new best friend that he and his parents got separated in the Great Fire, and he wasn't sure where they were or if they were even alive. He sighed. Maybe he could pray for courage.

Poor Kurt.