Chapter 5

"You seem to have missed that we outnumber you," Magneto says in response to the mysterious woman.

The young woman chortles. "Do you really believe that? Or perhaps there is more here that you cannot see, hmm?"

"Who are you?" Mystique demands to know. "We have never met."

"I've met your daughter," the young woman points her sword at the teleporter. "And Gambit," she points her sword at him. "And Sabretooth," she points her sword at the feral mutant. "But more importantly I know you, Magneto," she glares at him, her sword point resting in his direction. "You are the beginning of my pain and your death shall be the end of it! I will destroy everyone who was responsible for that day!"

"Gambit would remember wronging such a belle femme such as yourself," he says, pouring on the charm.

"Well I guess I'll provide a reminder. It would not do to have you die in ignorance," the woman says as she casts a spell and a fog surrounds her, encompasses her and within the fog replays a day long ago. A day almost exactly 2 years ago in chilly Russia...

"Cold chere?" Gambit asks his companion.

"Freezing," Haze replies between her teeth chattering. "I know I'm new to all this but is there a reason we are doing this in the middle of frickin November in the middle of frickin Russia?"

Gambit smiles at her. The girl has spirit. He will give her that. "Not our place to question petit. Just obey de boss."

Haze frowns. Here she is a relatively attractive, in her opinion, 16 year old and what is she doing? Trying to blend in in a forest in Russia just so she can kidnap some kid to force her brother to work for Magneto. She peers through the trees at what is a farm house and waits.

The wait is not too long as there is a roar from inside the house and flying out through a window comes Sabretooth. Shortly after that out of the door comes a man who looks to be completely covered in metal. As he nears Sabretooth she can hear him say in heavily accented English "I already told your boss no."

Sabretooth gets to his feet and snarls. His job is to get this mutant as far away from the house as possible with help. Now where is that Cajun thief?

Gambit look on as the giant metallic man lands another massive blow on Sabretooth knocking the not insubstantial mutant through the air. "D'at is goin to leave a mark non?" he remarks to Haze.

"Aren't you suppose to be helping him?" Haze reminds Gambit.

Gambit flashes her another one of his smiles. "Gambit will assist him but..." Sabretooth receives another bone crunching blow, "maybe not just yet."

Haze has to place her hand over her mouth otherwise she would burst out laughing. Sabretooth was a bit...uncouth to say the least and she wishes she could feel more sympathy than she is but it is funny to see him get a little beaten up. Besides with his healing factor it isn't like it will be permanent.

An annoyed cough from behind the two of them brings a swift end to their enjoyment. Both turn their head to find Magneto floating there. Gambit likes getting as much enjoyment as he can out of his life but he knows when there are times to just shut up and do his job. This is one of those times and while he does feel a little rotten about helping kidnap a child he owes Magneto after Magneto freed him from jail. Gambit strides out of the trees, pulls a few of his playing cards out and charges them up. With the metallic man fighting Sabretooth he doesn't see it coming. Gambit aims right at the back of the knees and the giant man falls down to them but considering the minimal damage done to the armoured skin Gambit can tell he will be back to his feet shortly.

Sabretooth takes advantage of the moment to jump on top of his foe and try and pin him down.

"Leave my brother alone!" a voice says passionately in Russian and running from the house is a young girl with blonde hair.

"Illyana!" the metal man shouts back. "Don't!"

"Haze. Now," Magneto commands.

Haze doesn't entirely feel great about doing this but does as she is told as she vanishes in her usual green mist and appears right in front of the girl who can't stop herself from sliding into Haze's arms. The two of them vanish in another green mist.

"Illyana!" the man screams as he throws Sabretooth off of him and runs to where his sister vanished. When he finds nothing he drops to his knees.

"Piotr."

Piotr Rasputin looks up and sees that it is that man in the red again floating a few feet above the ground. He had come before making an offer about joining him. Piotr had no interest in the man's ideals or his cause. He gets back to his feet and glares at Magneto. "You! You did this!"

"I warned you that one way or another you would join me," Magneto reminds Piotr of their last conversation.

Piotr makes a move to attack Magneto still in his metallic form. With a simple gesture Magneto freezes him exactly where he stands. "Don't be foolish and even try to attack me. Your sister's health would suffer."

"You would threaten an innocent girl just to get what you want?" Piotr says in disgust.

"I do whatever I think is necessary." Magneto lands down on the snow covered ground. "Join me Piotr and no harm will come to your sister."

Piotr would rather not but what choice does he have now that Illyana has been taken. His parents are dead. Illyana is his responsibility. He must do whatever it takes to protect her. "I have your word she shall not be harmed?"

"Do as I command and she will enjoy a better life than she does here," Magneto tells him. "Now do you agree to serve me?"

Piotr nods in reluctant agreement.

"Excellent." Magneto summons 4 metal spheres to take them all away. The data Mystique got from Charles was proving most useful. First this Russian boy who could turn his entire body into a form of organic steel making him immensely strong and near indestructible. Next he planned to look up another mutant in Australia who had the ability to control fire. They would be the first members of his new elite. His Acolytes.

The spheres touch down. "Come now...Colossus."

Piotr looks at Magneto a little oddly at the use of that name. Again what choice has he but to accept whatever Magneto wants. He has Illyana. Piotr steps inside one of the metal spheres while Gambit and Sabretooth step inside the other two. Magneto floats himself inside the last one and all 4 then fly into the sky and towards one of Magneto's bases.

The fog vanishes and Magneto is the 1st one to connect the dots. "Ms Rasputin. You've grown...and have come into your power clearly," he states the obvious while trying to figure out what could have happened to her to turn that young girl into this young woman. He never did figure out who was behind her abduction from him.

"Mon Dieu," Gambit murmurs. This woman was that girl?!

"Remy?" Black Cat queries.

"It's...a long story."

"Was that you? Was that real? Did you help...kidnap that girl?" Black Cat wants to know because seriously. She's not a saint but she doesn't go around kidnapping little girls.

"Gambit had no choice at de time but to serve," he says...though even to him that sounds like a weak excuse.

"Yes, yes everyone uses that excuse," Illyana says with scorn. "I've used that excuse but no excuse will save any of you now. I will take back everything that was stolen from me and all of you will know my wrath!"

"Can I say I had nothing to do with that," Black Cat points out.

"I cannot be held responsible for your poor choice in partners. You will share his fate," Illyana dismisses that...even through she was the one who used Black Cat in the 1st place to get to Gambit. Gives you some idea where her head is right now. Not in a good place. That much is certain. "You will all share the same fate," she vows. "Call it unfortunate collateral damage. After all I worked so hard to lure you all here together and I do not waste my opportunities," she adds.

"You...you're our employer?!" Mystique exclaims.

Illyana chuckles. The poor, pathetic fools. It was almost too easy the way she lured them into her trap. She would almost feel pity for them, if she could feel pity that is but she can't so they're truly doomed.

"And you are the one who sent me that message," Magneto gets.

"None of you have the slightest comprehension who I am. There is only one who does. Only one who knows what kind of Hell I have endured. The same I will see you all sent to. This will be your everlasting damnation!" Illyana explodes suddenly, her eyes glowing deeply demonic red as all around her portals open and literal fire spews upward in great geysers.

Everyone present has to stagger back from the great burning heat...and then from what follows as giant tentacles reach out from the portals.

"Now what were you saying about being outnumbered?" Illyana asks Magneto, her arrogance and cockiness shining through. She then directs with a gesture for the tentacles to attack...which they do, obeying their Mistress.

Of course Illyana is just playing with them for the moment as she watches them battle her little pet. She has lots of other pets she can use. After what's the point if their demise is not just cruel but also entertaining...for her at least.

Those she is here for learn soon enough just how tough the skin of her pet is as few, if any of their attacks, damage the tentacles making them fight on the defensive.

This is most amusing. She wonders how long till someone tries to attack her. You know cutting the head of the snake off. She hopes it is Magneto. Illyana has been storing up her hatred for him.

And lo and behold here comes the Master of Magnetism. Illyana raises her sword, the flames around it grow hotter and brighter...but just before they can get to it Illyana feels a surge of mystical energy...and her barrier is broken asunder with an explosion making everyone pause and look.

There, standing in the hole in the wall they just made, are the X-Men plus Dr Strange.

"Sorry to crash the party but it seems our invites must have gotten misplaced," Superman quips.

"You are not suppose to be here!" Illyana growls in annoyance, her eyes glowing red as she glowers.

"Story of my life," Superman retorts as a partial lament. "Now then lets us see what we can do about our multi-appendaged friend here," he decides...and reaches for the axe-shaped bracelet on his wrist. Still probably not a good idea to use it but needs must and all that. With a slight concentrated thought the axe grows to full size and with one step forward he slips into superspeed.

A red/blue blur of motion and seconds later chopped off tentacles are dropping to the floor before Superman comes to a halt in front of Illyana with a spark of energy as axe meets Soulsword.

Illyana's eyes narrow. "You shouldn't..." she pauses as she recognises the axe. "Isn't that…?"

"Yes. It is," Superman confirms her thought that it is the same axe from their tango in Limbo. "Patricia says hi."

Illyana growls. "She's on my list!" she promises.

"Yes, yes," Superman humours her. "Personally I think what should concern you right now is what else I got from her."

Curiosity flutters across Illyana's face. She can't help it. What does he mean?

Superman reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out a pendant.

A very familiar one to Illyana. It's the one Belasco had. The one that contains the remainder of her soul. "Give me that!" she roars and makes a grab for it only for Clark to hoist it out of reach.

"If you want it, come get it," Superman taunts her before blurring away back to the X-Men.

Illyana's rage reaches a new level. "Minions! Come forth and destroy these nuisances!" she commands.

And at her command legions of demonic creatures emerge from her stepping disks.

"Was this part of the plan?" Tarot asks sarcastically.

"You've been dating my sister way too long," Superman says in response to that attitude. He can practically see his sister in the French girl. "And sorta yes," he confirms. "Nothing has changed from what we discussed on the flight over. Piotr and I need to lure Illyana away and deal with her. You need to stay here and make sure Paris doesn't get sucked into the 10th level of Hell."

"I suggest haste Superman," Dr Strange recommends. "Only Illyana can close her portals."

"Yep," Superman says with a weary sigh as he shrinks the axe back down to bracelet size and loops it back round his wrist because he needs his hands free. "Colossus I have to give you a lift?" he requests because they need speed. Superspeed.

The metal skinned mutant nods his approval and in an instant Clark has picked the Russian up and carried him away to a more remote, deserted part of Paris.

"You can't escape me Superman!" Illyana bellows after him as she vanishes into another stepping disk.

"We must contain these demonic creatures and prevent their escape," Dr Strange relays the fairly bloody obvious. He turns his attention to repairing and reinforcing the barrier Illyana herself created to entrap her prey to keep them within the warehouse.

"Or we could just teleport out!" Mystique bemoans the stupidity.

"Impossible. The barrier prevents all escape...including teleportation," Dr Strange responds.

"Though if Erik would be kind enough to release Haze I think we will need her able to defend herself," the Professor sagely points out.

Magneto releases the teleporter whose 1st instinct is to try and take her mother and teleport away. Doesn't work, just like Dr Strange said. Instead they bounce around all over the warehouse until they appear in a heap, demons ready to leap atop of them until the X-Men charge in to make the save.

"I really hope Superman can do what he said and pull Illyana back," Charles says to Stephen who is protecting his old friend.

"So do I or this will be a very long evening," Stephen replies as he blasts a demon back.


Superman comes out of superspeed and puts Colossus down. "I give her only a few seconds," he says as to how long it will be before the young woman who means so much to both of them appears.

And admittedly several seconds later the demon-sorceress makes her appearance, stepping out from one of her disks. "Give me the pendant Clark," she demands.

"Not until you calm down," he replies.

"Yes. There is no need for violence, Snowflake," Colossus tries to implore her.

"Do not call me that!" she snaps back. "I am not your 'Little Snowflake'. Here's a tip for you brother; snowflakes can't survive in Hell. I haven't been your little sister in a long, long time."

"You will always be my little sister," Colossus insists.

Illyana practically sneers at that. "So how did you find me?" she wants to know.

"Got a tip from someone who would be happy to see you gone," Superman says.

Illyana frowns before it strikes her. "It was N'astirh wasn't it. I knew I should never have let him live," she chastises herself.

"Well that's a discussion for another day," Superman tells her. "How about we stick to the here and now. Yana...talk to me, talk to us," he refers to himself and Colossus. "I know Selene forcing your other side out can't have be pleasant but running away..."

Illyana cuts him off with a biter laugh. "Running away? Is that what you think I was doing?"

"Pretty much," Superman confirms. Clark knows how much she didn't wish for anyone to see her darker half.

"How little you understand me!" Illyana spits out furiously.

"I understand that destroying those that wronged you will not bring you any peace Yana. It will simply destroy what is good inside you."

"Clark is correct, Illyana," Colossus says in agreement. "All this anger serves no purpose. Anger is not a source of strength. It is a weakness. What has been done cannot be undone. You need to let this go. Let this go and come home with us."

"You two are a pair," Illyana says mockingly. "You are so utterly blind to what is in front of you. Sometimes things end up so broken you can't fix them."

"I'm not trying to fix you, Yana," Superman replies.

"Aren't you? Isn't that what it's been about since the start?"

"Do you really believe that is what I wanted?" Superman asks her, shaking his head at this nonsense. "I was trying to help you discover who you are."

"I know who I am. I am the Darkchylde, Ruler of Limbo!" Illyana decrees herself to be as her human guise fades away to reveal the familiar half-demon one, with horns, tail and goat legs.

"You're confused and scared."

Illyana laughs. "Scared?! What utter nonsense. I fear nothing."

"Except coming home and giving it a chance for everyone to accept you."

"Enough!" Illyana snaps, having heard enough of this drivel, ignoring that small voice in the back of head telling her she should listen to them. "I do not need anyone or anything...except that pendant. Give it to me now and I'll allow you and my brother to leave here alive."

"If you want it that badly come and take it from me, sweetie," Superman challenges her in his most annoying tone.

Illyana's eyes flash up deep red.

"Is this wise?" Colossus wonders, asking Superman in a whisper

"No," Superman admits honestly, whispering back. "But to save her we have got to reach her and to reach her means pissing her off so much she can't keep her emotions bottled up any longer. Until she is honest with herself. Expect pain though," he warns.

Piotr is not comfortable fighting his little sister. He still sees it as a very last resort and still hopes he can reach her and reason with her. "Illyana, I beg you, please do not do this. Violence will resolve nothing. Talk to us. We only wish to help you."

"You waste your time Piotr," Darkchylde, for it is more her than it is Illyana right now, says. "You need to learn that your little sister was burned away long ago in Hellfire."

That's when it happens. One second they're outside Paris. The next they are in a twisted looking forest.

Superman groans.

"Where are we?" Colossus asks.

"The Forests of Limbo. Be careful, some of the trees are alive and none too friendly," Superman advises from his own bitter and painful experience.

There is then a noise, like barking.

"What is that?" Colossus asks.

"Demonic bloodhounds," Superman answers. "Thought I killed them all. She must have bred some more. You know what they say about the devil and idle hands and all that."

"She is hunting us," Colossus realises.

Superman nods. "Yep. And this is her realm. This is where her powers are at their zenith. No offence intended but you sister is an awful lot of hard work some days."

"You have no idea," Colossus slightly drawls.

Superman manages a smile. He taps the big Russian on the chest with the back of his hand. "Come on. We need to prepare for her. I won't give up on believing we can reach her."

"Nor shall I," Colossus says. He lost her once. He's not doing so again. Not under any circumstances.

"Then we need to meet her on our terms, not hers. We need...an alter with which to force the truth out of her. She's in there and we've got to get her to listen to us."

"So what do we do?" Colossus asks and Superman tells him the plan.


Author's Note: That flashback of Illyana's abduction is actually from the first story of this series, started now coming up to 7 years ago. Where does the time go, huh? Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; Can Superman and Colossus reach Illyana before the demonic hordes of Limbo rampage across the face of the Earth?