And what would the New Year be without a new chapter. So here is chapter 17, who knew I would get this far. Looking back on the other chapters I'm debating going back and rewriting them. So anyway I own nothing except my characters, and please review so I know how I'm doing.

Happy New Year Everyone

The Blackbird touched down on a small island off the coast of Greece. Nothing could prepare anyone for the beauty they saw. The sand was spotless ivory, the sea and sky mirrored in a spectacular shade of blue that any painter would have trouble recreating. One by one each mutant made their way out of the Blackbird. Talise was the last, who stood for a while on the loading dock. As she stretched out her arms she looked out to the bright Grecian sea, questioning if its beauty was real.

"It's so good to be home!" Talise shouted as she jumped from the dock and onto Fred's shoulders. The giant teen gazed up at the beauty that showed him no fear. She merely sat, with her arms cross and her chin upon them, her eyes closed as the gentle wind played with strands of loss hair.

"Comfy?"

"Why yes I am, thank you."

"Great, now get off."

"Oh come on Freddy, this isn't the first ride I've gotten and plus I'm still tired."

Talise bowed her head until she was at eye level with her friend. Her golden eyed radiated with a simple plea, and with every second Fred was finding it hard to resist her. Only by closing his eyes, and breaking their connection, could he settle his thoughts.

"Ok fine, but don't get used to it. I'm not gonna carry you around all the time."

Talise's grin into a joyous smile.

"Thanks Freddy." She then placed a gentle kiss on the tip of his nose before returning to her previous position and allowing the wind and her hair to return to their game. Since her eyes where closed she was oblivious to the bright red hue that had completely covered her giant friend's face.

Scott grinned as he shook his head and turned towards the other teen mutants.

"A little warning, Talise has a power beyond and one given to a mutant. Her golden eyes can cause anyone to bow to her wishes, either with a pleading gaze or a death like stare. "

"Are those words from experience Scott?"

"Yah, and vitch look vas it Scott, did she get you vith a plea or a stare?"

"Yah, yah you two, just wait until she wants you to do something. The next time she needs a favor or gives an order, I'll send her your way."

For a brief moment, Kitty and Kurt exchanged a worried look. Logan grinned at the young mutants, he knew his daughter's unintentional flirting was all in good nature, and it was good to have the young men possess a little fear of her. He finished camouflage the Blackbird and motioned for the rest to follow him the beach of the island. In a somewhat disordered group everyone followed, not sure what awaited them. Not far behind Fred, Talise still perched on his wide shoulders, was Alex clutching the spear in its protective cloth. She then remembered the conversation that occurred with Mesmaro, but how could this simple weapon increase a mutant's power? How could Alex unlock this great power? And why were they all in such a hurry to take this strange item to the Vatican.

"Um Toa.., I mean Talise, can I like ask you a question?"

"Ask and it may be answered."

"Like why are we in such a hurry to get this staff to Rome, I mean what's its like deal?"

"Well first off, technically we're going to the Vatican, not Rome. Rome is a city in Italy; the Vatican is an independent country. "

"Really?"

"Yes, and that is where we'll be meeting up with the pope."

"What a sec, the pope. As in THE POPE, as in the holy old guy dressed in all white robes and the strange shaped hat, pope?"

"Yes on all accounts but do me a favor Lance, if you speak with the pope, please refrain from calling him 'the holy old guy with a strange hat'."

Lance sheepishly turned his gaze to the surrounding plants, hoping that the others would forgive his foolishness quickly.

"Picture if you will a single item that would rock the very foundation of the world. That if the true nature of this item were to be revealed, it would send the world plummeting into utter chaos."

"That little stick can do all that, how?"

"By revealing what Jesus really was?"

"And that would be what?"

"A mutant."

"WHAT!"

The once island was filled with unified call from many of the mutants, those who did not cry out were frozen in disbelief. Did they hear correctly, was what she said even possible?

"Whoa wait a minute, there is like no way that's true."

"Able to walk on water, turn water into wine, heal the sick, sounds pretty mutant-y to me."

"But that's not possible."

"Isn't it, however it may be possible that he wasn't a mutant."

"Ok now you're like confusing me."

"Let me explain. The absolute truth over what Jesus was is unclear, since there is no physical piece of him left there is no way to test it to see what he was. Not a shred of DNA on earth, except for the blood soaked in the spear."

"So we could use the spear to get the blood and see if he was?"

"There lies the problem, see when the roman soldier carried out his order to stab Jesus, due to the natural chaos going on he also cut himself on the same spear. So since the blood is mixed, it is impossible to tell the two apart."

"So wait, one minute you're saying Jesus was a mutant and then you're saying it was the solider, make up your mind. And you said earlier that the spear could increase a mutant's power."

"And you said that this spear v'ould would send the world into chaos."

"All true, let me finish. After the soldier stabbed Jesus, he took the spear with him as he ran for cover. Some say he finally found faith that day and spent the rest of his life trying to make amends with God. From father to son, the spear was passed down, until the renaissance came. During that time people of the cloth, both pure and corrupt sought to find all sacred items and use them either for the church or their own agendas. At this time the soldier's decedents decided to hide the spear and from then on the location was passed on. The decedents themselves were all mutants, whose minimum power was to activate the power within the spear; Alex is the last of these decedents and the only one who can activate this power. All this leads one to believe that it is not Jesus' mutant blood within the spear, but the soldier. But like I said before, since the bloods are mixed together there is no way to tell."

"Wait, couldn't someone just get a blood sample, compare it to Alex and find out which blood is the soldiers?"

"That would lead to another can of worms. By eliminating one blood, you're telling the world you have a DNA sample of the Jesus Christ. Since the blood is still mixed, you would only find witch blood Alex's mutant powers come from, it's still impossible to tell if the solider was the mutant or if Jesus was. So either the world would think that Jesus was a mutant, causing intense chaos from the destruction of faith, or that a mutant killed the son of God, and trust me as much mutant hate as there is now it would only get worse if that rumor got out. Not to mention all the fanatics who would get ahold of the DNA of Jesus and try to find his decedents, or make a clone of him or some other sci-fi movie gone bad scenario."

"Wow…..I mean wow…..Just.. I .. like…wow."

"And that my dear is the very reason why the Pope is willing to work with us. In exchange for keeping this little secret out of the media, the Pope has agreed to keep mutants out of his sermons. To this day, if anyone asks him on his views on mutants, if they are good or evil, he steer the conversation into a different direction. Like I said before, could you imagine how much harder it would be, being a mutant, with all the religious nuts calling us "Satan's agents" and trying to kill us at every turn."

"So, in a way, we owe our current safety to you?"

"Well there were a few of us who sat down and worked out all the details. After we broke out of Hell's Birth Alex found out that others were getting close to finding the spear. That's when talk of us bringing the spear to the Vatican began, but this will be the first time we've ever given it to the Pope."

"So what's to stop the old guy from going back on his word?"

"Alex can activate the power within the spear, meaning he could claim the 'Jesus was a mutant' angle or the 'its Jesus' power blessing this man' angle."

"This is far from a blessing my dear. Part of me hopes I never have children, so that this curse will did with me."

"We all have a curse to bare my friend, but you shouldn't let the pain of a crime you weren't even born to commit, keep you from enjoying your life. Find a nice girl, have lots of babies and let me name at least one of them."

Alex chuckled as he made his way over to Fred, Talise still perched on his solders. He raised his hand and lightly ruffled her hair, a way he had done many time before.

"It is indeed a wonder of the world, that the wisdom of countless ages found it's way into the form of a child."

"Child? Alex I'm sixteen, I'm not a child anymore."

"Little one, at my age you are always a child."

"Hey kid, I've got somethin I wanna show you."

Talise gave Logan a confused look, there was nothing on this island that she did not know about. With simple force, Talise jumped from Fred's shoulders and landed next to her father, who grinned and pointed down a path. As her eyes followed, she erupted with a piercing scream as she bolted down the path. Out of concern or curiosity, everyone else chased after her until they saw what caused her screams. As they followed the path, they saw Talise coming into view. She was in a tight embrace, being spun around by a tall young man. Once they saw the others come into view the young man released the smaller mutant, and turned to great the new arrivals. He was any girls romantic dream, his well build muscles showed threw his tasteful clothes, his piercing blue eyes and shimmering white hair added an unnatural beauty that only he could posses. Over his left eye was a golden crescent moon, and everyone knew who he was.

"Hey everybody, come on down and meet my big brother."

The teenage female mutants were the first to make it down the path, fighting each other as they made their way to the handsome man. Kitty was the first in line, after phasing threw the other girls and leaving them disappointed. The young man took her hand, and as a gentleman, kissed the back lightly.

"Artemis Moretti, a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"Ever the charmer, eh kid."

"A gift from my father, so is everyone ready to head over?"

"Over?"

"To the island."

"Um what is the Looney toon talking about."

"Ok Peitro, minus 10 points. I used that jokes years ago. But to answer your question, we're heading to THE island. When we escaped from Hell's Birth we had to find some place to go. So we created an island and made a shield around it. It's like a normal town, and no one can find it unless you've been to it before."

"All Talise's idea."

"I get a few good ones every now and then. We call it Soteria."

"Soteria?"

"The goddess of safety and of deliverance and preservation from harm. Dante taught me Greek mythology and I thought the name was appropriate."

"Speaking of whom, we better get going before dad rips of the dock from the anxiety of waiting for you."

"All aboard for mutant island!"

One by one everyone boarded the ship, threw all the excitement of chasing Talise and meeting her brother, no one really paid attention to the vessel behind him. All the mutants, both young and old, took their place on the ship. Each one trembling with anticipation, being surrounded by a few mutants in one house was one experience, but now they were going to an entire island. An entire population of mutants, something none of them had ever experienced in any of their combined lives. No longer would they be the minorities, or have to hide who they were. On an island were people possessed ridiculous powers, what would be considered strange, would they be accepted, would this be the paradise so many of them sought after. What blessings had Soteria granted this island, and what blessings would she grant them or would she scorn them with the wrath only a goddess could produce. So many questions, and yet they all shared a mutual feeling, that as long as Talise was at their side, no harm would come their way. That even Soteria would bow down to the wrath of this young warrior. Some were questioning if she really was just a mutant or an angel from above sent to bless their very lives, in ways they never could have imagined.

And there we have a new chapter. Soteria is indeed a real goddess, when I came across the name it fit so perfectly. So yah now we're boarding the boat to mutant island where we'll meet some more people in Talise's life. I'm still trying to get some pictures of Talise together, or if anyone has any they wanna donate let me know. So please review and let me know how I'm doing. Happy New Year every one.