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Untitled
New Orleans…
Wolverine speeds through the streets of New Orleans in a vintage vehicle with Domino as his passenger. When he arrives at Belladonna’s mansion headquarters and parks the car, Domino has just one thing to say: nice—and subtle. She’s certain Logan knows that Belladonna is never going to go for this, she says. In his defense, Wolverine claims he’s an optimist.
“No, you’re an ass,” Domino says as they exit the vehicle. If that’s so, Logan says, he certainly didn’t hear her complaining last night. “I was distracted,” Domino replies. It was also before she heard his plan—and by plan, she means ‘suicide mission.’
There are a lot of people he’d die for, Wolverine tells her; she’s not one of them. Domino snorts; she’ll remember that next time she’s naked.
Wolverine and Domino approach the mansion’s door, unaware of the Hand ninjas lurking in the alley across the street, monitoring their every move. The Hand reports that the mutants have arrived; they must move quickly before they are discovered by the Guild. At that moment, however, they are interrupted by a sudden burst of white light and a familiar noise, although one unfamiliar to them—VT!
Inside the manor, Wolverine and Domino saunter through the main floor and into the grand chamber. Although Wolverine shows no signs of fear, Domino is clearly nervous to be so deep in enemy territory—and in such plain sight. He’s been there before, right? He tells her he has. She asks how it went. He told her he had to kill everyone. Of course he did, she sighs.
As they proceed, agents of the Assassins Guild equipped with familiar hi-tech suits emerge from the shadows all around them. Domino notes that their odds are getting worse by the minute—and not all of them heal as fast as Wolverine. She should have thought about that before she joined the Guild and stole their money, he replies. “Have I mentioned that I hate you?” Domino asks as she points her guns at the myriad assassins following them. Yep, he says, before telling her to get ready.
They approach Belladonna’s throne, where the head of the Assassins Guild sits concealed in the shadows, and surrounded by her agents Razorfist, Boomerang, Nakh, Black Mamba, and Bullet.
She politely says hello to Wolveirne and Neena. Before they say anything, she tells Logan that he should know she gave the girl a chance—out of respect for the X-Men. But Domino chose to ignore her generosity. Unlike her, however, Logan is a sensible man. Surely he’s come now to exchange the money for Domino’s life.
“Nope,” Logan tells her.
“Excuse me?” Belladonna asks, aghast. Ignoring her outrage, Wolverine lays out the deal: she leaves them alone, and they let her live. She asks about the money. Logan gruffly replies that it goes to charity. This stuns even Domino, who fails to mask her surprise. Wolverine repeats himself, reiterating that all of it goes to charity. That’s the deal, he tells Belladonna. What does she say to it?
Belladonna stands, points at Wolverine and Domino, and tells her agents to kill them. Without hesitation, Razorfist, Nakh, Boomerang, Black Mamba, and Bullet—along with the hordes of Assassins Guild killers in the chamber—lunge at Logan and Neena, who stand in defense.
Razorfist strikes first, slashing at Logan with his arm-blades. Behind Logan, Domino fires at Boomerang, who assails her with a barrage of sharpened projectiles. Although Wolverine easily dispatches the assassin on his right, he is suddenly gripped by the hypnotic Darkforce powers of Black Mamba. They make him hallucinate about his dead lover, Mariko. Fortunately for him, the effect is momentary, as Domino quickly frees him by firing a bullet into Black Mamba’s shoulder. Logan vows to kill Black Mamba as he regains his breath, but before he can react, Razorfist slashes him across the face, deeming it payback time.
Again, Domino tries to come to his aid, but the masked Nakh melts out of a shadow in near the ceiling and snares her neck from above with a chain. She fires indiscriminately into the air in response. As Nakh continues snuffing out her life, she continues firing round after round out of the barrel of her machine gun. One of the bullets travels across the room, ricochets off one of Razorfist’s blades, travels toward the ceiling, ricochets again off a chandelier, and, reversing trajectory, speeds toward the wall—right into the space occupied by Nakh. The bullet hits the masked villain in the face and explodes out the back of his head.
Nakh releases his grip on Domino, and she falls to the floor along with him. He happens to land right on top of Razorfist’s back. Domino, however, lands much worse: she falls on top of the razor-sharp boomerangs lodged in the floor, courtesy of the villain of the same name. One pierces her shoulder, and another, her left thigh.
Wolverine hoists her off the floor. They gotta move, he says. She screams as her body separates from the blades. Once upright, she gets a good lock at Wolverine. He’s missing his face, she says, noticing Razorfist’s handiwork. His face will heal, he reminds her—but her leg won’t. She’d better cancel those dance lessons. Still struggling to regain her breath, she says that she hates to say that she told him so—but they’re going to die there.
“You might,” he replies. “But I’ll be—”
Suddenly, a hand appears from the shadows behind them and brings a blade to Wolverine’s throat. “—fine,” he says. From the shadows emerges a squad of killers wearing the familiar garb of Hand ninjas: crimson martial arts clothing, crimson face masks, and eyes that glow red like demons. This is a pickle, Domino says as her arms are pinned behind her back. Wolverine curses.
As the ninjas force Domino and Wolverine forward, Dom admits that this might be her fault, too. Wolverine simply tells them they should have stayed out of this. Belladonna takes the opportunity to address the new interlopers. Their truce still stands, she says—for the moment. But if they do not release those mutants and abandon their weapons, they will die with them.
“You guys can totally take ‘em,” Domino whispers to the figure holding her hostage. To her chagrin, they drop their weapons to the floor in unison. The sais and katana clatter to the ground. Sneering, Domino turns back to the figure holding her hostage. “Really? Really?! Bad-ass mystical Hand ninjas and you give up just like that?”
Belladonna tells them they made a wise choice. Wolverine, however, is not ready to concede. With a grin on his face—despite the shotgun held beneath his chin—he tells Belladonna this is her last chance. She merely smiles and says she’ll miss him; he was always the best at what he did.
“Still am,” Wolverine replies. Suddenly, a spigot of blood erupts to the side of him. The Hand ninjas throw off their robes and begin slashing at the members of the Assassins Guild, finally revealing themselves as the members of Wolverine’s X-Force. Warpath, X-23, Archangel, Elixir, and the Vanisher all begin hacking and slashing at the hordes of enemies surrounding them. As Wolverine slices the limbs off one member of the Assassins Guild, he reminds X-23 that he told her to stay out of this!
Warpath, never one to shy away from a challenge, rushes toward Belladonna’s assassin Bullet. As they reach each other, Warpath ducks under Bullet’s outstretched gun. He destroys the gun’s firing mechanism with one of his bowie knives, and pivots expertly with the other, sending the blade directly into the thug’s heart. “Didn’t anyone ever tell you,” Warpath says, taunting him. “Never to bring a gun to a knife fight.”
Nearby, Black Mamba uses her Darkforce powers to levitate X-23 into the air. As her ghastly Darkforce energy envelopes the girl, Black Mamba remarks that she tastes just like Wolverine did. They’re exactly the same, she adds. At that, X-23 unsheathes the Adamantium claw concealed in her foot and jams it into Black Mamba’s chest. “Not exactly,” she replies.
After X-23 leaves Black Mamba to find a new target, Elixir rushes over to her and lays his healing hands on her chest, assuring her that she’s going to be okay. “Foley, stop healing the assassins!” Wolverine shouts at him.
Foley’s temporary inattentiveness leaves him easy prey for Boomerang, who hurls a trio of his signature projectiles at the naïve mutant boy. Luckily for him, Archangel blocks them with his outstretched wings. He tells Elixir to get down. Then, with his wings pointed directly at Boomerang, begins releasing his deadly fletchettes. “My turn,” Archangel says. The fletchettes shoot across the room and pin Boomerang to the wall, where he goes limp.
Vanisher, meanwhile, finds himself ambushed by Razorback. The hulking assassin lunges at the reluctant teleporter, shouting that he’s dead. Vanisher doesn’t think so; he takes that cue to teleport away. VT!
Razorfists’s momentum carries him to the floor. Before he can regain his balance, Domino thrusts her handgun into his face. “Hi. Remember me?” she asks, aiming her sight between his eyes. From behind her, Wolverine orders her to cut him loose. “But we told Razorfist we’d kill him, remember?” she asks. Wolverine insists that it’s over, and that she is to let him go. “But—but we promised…”
She thrusts her finger into Razorfist’s pleading face. “You’re dead, cry baby,” she tells the humiliated assassin. “Dead.” With that, she leaves him alone. Razorfist hangs his head in shame, unable to hide the tears that fall from his eyes.
With her guards defeated, Belladonna finds herself face to face with the precision killers of Wolverine’s X-Force. They stand before her covered in blood, with their weapons outstretched. They’re—they’re the X-Men, she sputters. X-Men don’t kill…
VT! Vanisher teleports behind her and grabs her in a chokehold. That’s what he said too, he says into Belladonna’s ear. Wolverine approaches the captive assassin and tells her how it’s going to be: she doesn’t know Domino. She’s never heard of her and she sure as hell doesn’t know anything about any money. And if they even see her think Domino’s name—she dies. Got it?
In response, Belladonna asks who Domino is. Wolverine tells her she’s a good girl, and with that, X-Force departs with their teleporter, Vanisher.
Two days later, at their base in Angel’s Aerie, Wolverine screams into X-23’s face. She’s wrong, dammit! Laura, however, insists she is not. He would have died. He was not prepared for the Hand’s imminent attack. Had they not killed the Hand ninja, they would have—
“—sat back and watched them kill each other,” Logan says, interrupting her. “I can smell ninja just as good as you can.”
Warpath, holding the TV remote, tells Logan to give her a break. He’s been yelling at her for two days. “Better her than me,” Vanisher says while watching the news on TV. Wolverine tells them they’re both next.
Archangel interrupts them and tells them all to shut up; their news story is on. At that moment on the CNN broadcast, the anchorwoman announces that a Japanese orphanage was given a gift that day they won’t soon forget. An anonymous donor gave the group 200 million dollars.
“Two hundred..?” Wolverine says upon hearing the news. “I’m gonna kill her.” A car horn honks. X-23 tells him she’s outside.
Wolverine walks out the front door, and sitting in the driveway, he finds a classic Ford Mustang, like the one he just lost, in perfect condition. Domino sits proudly on its hood with a bottle of champagne in one hand. She cheerfully wishes him a happy birthday.
“What the hell is this?” Logan asks. “It’s not my freaking birthday.”
“It is now, mister grouchy pants,” she replies. “I figured you needed a new car, since your last one sort of blew up.” Wolverine reminds her that some orphans are short about 37 million dollars; the car’s not gonna change that.
“Okay, fine,” she says. “How about you and I talk this out somewhere private. Over dinner…or over me.” She unzips the front of her top suggestively.
Logan tells her that’s not changing his mind. Still, he gets into the driver’s seat and starts the car. “Whatever you say,” Domino sighs. Then, Wolverine hears it—a pounding noise from the back of the car, followed by the muffled cries of a man begging to be let out. Turning to Domino, Wolverine asks why Razorfist is in the trunk. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Domino replies.
As they begin to drive away, she tells him to relax—and just keep his eyes on the road.


[User]
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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
World Against One:
Chapter 1: Ultimate Warrior
                                               Chapter 2: Not Always
Chapter 3: Night Of The Red Ninjas
Chapter 4: Times Six Equals
Chapter 1:
Shatterstar finds himself in Madripoor. He is disgusted by our broken world, and the people who live in it. They seem to him only to want materials their lives do not require, and complain about how their lives should have been but are not, but don’t do anything to change all that. Shatterstar finds himself becoming more and more like him. To go against that, he finds himself inside a dimensional pocket arena, beneath the Lotus Café.
While facing his costumed opponent, Shatterstar takes a look at the spectators around them. Disgusted by them as well, as they seem to look at someone trapped in a cage, but doesn’t know it. Shatterstar is well aware that some of them share profit of his fighting: some more than others. He doesn’t realize that he’s correct about that statement, as in the crowd a hooded woman with white hair and glowing eyes carefully observes his fighting.
Shatterstar’s opponent starts the match by taking out his blades and jumping straight at him. Shatterstar easily dodges the attack by pointing his own sword against the blades, and grab his adversary’s arms from behind. Shatterstar feels his opponent’s mood changing, with his fears having become reality: he is facing a true warrior now! Shatterstar jumps over his enemy, and strikes his sword right through the guy’s stomach!
The crow goes wild at the first sight of blood, including the hooded woman, who now seems to pay even more attention. However, Shatterstar fails to find any honor in killing a beaten and humiliated man, so he drops him on the ground and simply walks away.
Chapter 2:
Later that night, the bartender of the Lotus Café orders Shatterstar to lose the next match, as some people have been asking questions about Shatterstar’s constant winning, including his boss, who thinks Shatterstar is someone who’s race group starts with the letter “m.” While drinking, Shatterstar explains that he isn’t a mutant. The hooded woman enters and goes to sit next to him. The bartender gives Shatterstar his money, and suggests that he loses the next match.
Shatterstar wants fate to decide that. After checking his money, he notices it’s not everything and wants to know where the rest is. The bartender becomes angry, telling Shatterstar to get out now or else things will get rough. Shatterstar isn’t impressed, realizing the bartender’s employer has planned this, and starts fighting. The bartender grabs Shatterstar by his neck, but he managed to move himself out of it and slams the bartender hard on the floor, knocking him out!
The hooded woman claps. Shatterstar is curious about her, and asks her if she’s planning on stalking him the entire night. He asks who she is, but she starts explaining things. She mentions that she must be brief, as the Destroyer has agents everywhere. She shows Shatterstar a picture of Dominicus Pierce, who is, like Shatterstar, a man who does not belong on Earth’s plane. She wants Shatterstar to explain that the blood of thousands hang on the Destroyer’s hands, and that he has come to Earth to kill even more, simply because he can and that there exists no one who can stop him.
When looking at Pierce’s photo, the man appears normal, unremarkable like most human beings, but the woman reveals that his speed and strength have been heightened by a process on his homeworld, making him far different from what he was ever meant to be. She ends that the Resistance believes that the Grafting process has even increased the insanity Pierce had before it. And Pierce is in Madripoor as they speak. Shatterstar doesn’t understand why this matters to him, but the woman apologizes for speaking so quickly: she wants Shatterstar to kill Pierce!
Chapter 3:
Later that night, Shatterstar has returned to his apartment, where he takes the quiet time to meditate. He recalls the lessons of one of his best friends, whom Shatterstar values more than life itself, to help him calm the fighting rage in him. After again thinking how Earth disgusts him and the people that are changing him, Shatterstar lets all the dead thoughts float away, and thanks the stars.
He remembers times pasts, when he fought in the Coliseum, the place where he was truly born. He also remembers a small boy asking him if he was strong enough to shatter the very stars. He recalls fighting guards. Then his hands start to bleed, and he is facing the Host once more, in the dark woods of Tazafar, and he remembers how satisfying the blood felt. Shatterstar also remembers happier times, when he was fighting with his allies for the only things of importance: honor, justice, friendship and love. Shatterstar’s thoughts begin to emerge, until he hears a sound coming closer.
Shatterstar isn’t aware that, outside his apartment, ninjas land on his roof. Upon entering, they open Shatterstar’s door, but he is ready for them, and has his swords ready for action. The ninjas try to surround the mighty warrior, and give him the warning to be aware of the Skornn! Shatterstar starts fighting, and the ninja’s add that he doesn’t understand. Shatterstar jumps through a window, and uses a laundry rope outside to glide down.
But the ninjas cut the rope, and Shatterstar falls, but luckily lands on a balcony and isn’t hurt. The ninjas follow him, and sense he’s becoming afraid. The ninjas fight again, explaining that Shatterstar must die so hundreds others can live, and that the Skornn must remain in his cage. Shatterstar isn’t impressed by the ninjas’ failed attempt to distract him, and easily kicks them, adding that he was built to destroy men like them.
They start fighting again and, when the ninjas see an opening, they take it and cut into Shatterstar’s hand, making it bleed. One of the ninjas explain that the Skornn is the end of mutant kind, and that Shatterstar is unknowingly heralding the apocalypse, and he must help them save the Earth by dying. The ninja kicks Shatterstar off the balcony, and he falls on the ground below, further unharmed. Shatterstar senses that the ninja’s words are filled with lies, but the ninja is desperate to kill him so that the Skornn can’t live. The ninja tells Shatterstar he doesn’t understand, and wants him to let them help him. Shatterstar kicks him, telling the ninja to leave Earth now with some of his dignity left. The ninja mentions that things aren’t as they appear to be. He takes off his mask, and is revealed to be… the Destroyer!
Later, when everyone has calmed down, they return to Shatterstar’s apartment. He explains to Pierce about the hooded woman, who described him as the world’s biggest threat ever. Pierce finds that absurd. Shatterstar isn’t certain, as some of the woman’s warnings are correct, as he sensed Pierce really has undergone some manner of genetic modification, and tells him this woman truly believes him to be dangerous, as does he. Pierce thinks that doesn’t matter, only to whom he might be a danger. He explains that the Skornn feeds on the X-gene, as he has long ago discovered that it makes him stronger.
Shatterstar wants to know why the woman wants Pierce. He explains the woman doesn’t want him at all, just a thing he carries. He explains that twelve years ago, his father summoned him to a hidden chamber in the darkest dungeon of their kingdom. He bestowed on Pierce with the same words of wisdom his dad had given to him, and asked Pierce to hold out his hand. He said “there is a thing in he darkness, my son. A thing that lives only to devour man’s hopes and dreams, grinding souls into eternal nothingness. If you ever should encounter this thing in your lifetime, this Skornn of humanity, you must stand before it, alone if necessary, and you must give him this. And if this day does not arrive, consider yourself fortunate, and pray that your son is equally so. ”
And with a trembling hand, Pierce’s father handed him over the only weapon capable of ending the Skornn. He gives a small, golden, yet heavy blade to Shatterstar. Pierce explains that Shatterstar now holds all the Five Fingers of Annihilation. Shatterstar is almost convinced, but still hears lies in Pierce’s words. He just gave a powerful weapon to a stranger? Pierce responds that there are only a few things more dangerous than he is, and Shatterstar is one of them. He simply gave Shatterstar the Fingers because Pierce himself doesn’t have the skills to end the threat.
Shatterstar thinks for a while. He still doesn’t believe Pierce, but promises to discover the truth behind this. He knows that both Pierce and the woman are lying. And he promises that, if the Skornn really lives and should emerge, it will find him on its path. Until then, Shatterstar will protect the blade.
Chapter 4:
The woman sits in her lair, and has used the various television screens and communications around her to overhear the entire conversation between Pierce and Shatterstar. One of Pierce’s ninjas who secretly works for the woman, approaches her and informs her that he has done as she requested, and that they do not expect a thing.
The woman is aware that Pierce thinks that, by bringing in Shatterstar, he can end all this, but she has glimpsed into the future and has seen the ending. The ninja wants to know what’s going to happen next. The woman steps out of the shadows, and reveals that the Skornn will once again be welcomed into this world. And everything here dies horribly! So says… Spiral!


[User]
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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
World Against One:
Chapter 5: The Enemy Within
Chapter 6: Nowhere In The Middle Of The Room
Chapter 7: Down, Down The Rabbit Hole
Chapter 5:
Shatterstar, Pierce and his ninjas are spying on a building. Inside, Pierce knows, is the woman who wants him dead and also the Five Fingers of Annihilation, which Shatterstar now has. He thinks it’s unwise to be so close to the woman, but Pierce believes otherwise. They notice two women entering the building. Pierce is surprised that Shatterstar still doesn’t seem to trust him, after all he told him.
They jump down the building and, during the battle, Pierce mentions that Shatterstar can lead them. He wants a full perimeter around the building: nobody gets in, or out. After knocking down the guards, Shatterstar adds that, should he be defeated, everyone should form around Pierce and protect the blade at all costs. They enter the place, but only find… a big, empty room!
Suddenly, a bright light appears! The two women from before, with another woman, teleport inside on a cloud. They jump off, and hope the gentlemen brought the blade with them. Shatterstar orders Pierce to stay behind him, and he starts fighting the three sisters. They explain that their mistress has told them all about Shatterstar’s killing instincts and warrior skills, but aren’t impressed. He fights using his swords, and the women gloat that he fights unarmed women. Shatterstar knocks them out, noticing that the room appears to be larger than it seems, yet smaller than it should be. He orders Pierce to take his men and get out of there.
Elsewhere in her viewing room, Spiral laughs. She is quite impressed by Shatterstar’s skills, but not about Pierce. She remembers that she gave Pierce his intelligence, and mocks that he couldn’t find her unless she wanted it. But she’s certain Shatterstar can’t prevent what’s about to happen. Shatterstar’s other follower, Roundhouse, enters and gets her permission to speak freely. He worries that, since they’ve never encountered someone like Shatterstar before, they can’t defeat him. Spiral believes that and has thought of the idea, and explains to Roundhouse that Shatterstar’s defeat isn’t his purpose.
Spiral is aware that Pierce still hasn’t learned patience in all this years, which she is confident will be his downfall tonight. She orders Roundhouse to join his sisters now in the battle, and make sure none of their enemies leave the building.
Pierce teleports back inside, not wanting to leave Shatterstar defeated. Besides, Pierce wants to investigate Shatterstar’s strange suspicions about the room they are now in. Shatterstar tries to explain, but the women shout that’s enough, and punch him in the face! One of Pierce’s ninjas defends Shatterstar, but the women beat him to death.
The ninja traitor shows his true colors, and tells Shatterstar that the Skornn can’t be defeated. Shatterstar should serve him, as the ninja did. Pierce is furious by his follower’s betrayal, and wants to make him pay for it by killing him. He fights the ninja, but Shatterstar warns Pierce to remain calm and instead fall back to the rendezvous point.
One of the three women orders her sisters to stay back: she’ll handle this. She jumps forward, thinking a careful placed kick will knock Pierce of the glimmering platform they in truth stand on. She also explains they only tolerated him for so long because they pitied Pierce and his family’s quest to kill the Skornn, but they are confident that the monster will walk the Earth again. The woman kicks Pierce, who falls.
Shatterstar instead continues to fight the women. He uses his two months of knowledge in fighting in a dimensional vortex to his advantage, and jumps around the room, until he finds a rope which he uses to grab his attacker. He then slams her against a nearby wall, revealing Spiral’s room behind it. She sarcastically welcomes and thanks Shatterstar, as he has given her the means to wipe the current Earth clean and to start a new one, making her become a god. Shatterstar won’t allow that, and explains to Spiral that she’ll never have the blade, as it’s under his protection.
Spiral wants to take this time to show both Shatterstar and Pierce, whom she calls a fool, the true nature of her house. She explains that, when they witness the scale upon which Spiral now operates, they will know that what she says is coming to pass. And then, they will know fear. She orders her computer to disengage all cloaking devices and prepare the dimensional womb.
Chapter 6:
Shatterstar and Spiral stand on separate platforms, while Pierce hangs on the edge of one. They are surrounded by nothing but a blue space with stars in the middle. Spiral explains that this has all happened before. Every few dozen centuries, the Skornn is set loose to devour mankind, and at every instance, there is always some hero, meddling to drive it back into nothingness. Spiral wants to prove differently this time, and mentions that Shatterstar makes it possible.
She explains that history has never before known people like Shatterstar and mutants, neither. History has never known their kind to live in such great abundance. She jumps at Shatterstar, but not before explaining that once the Skornn consumes enough mutants, nothing will drive it back into its underground prison. She knows that humans fear mutants because of what their existence symbolize: that there is something better, more evolved sharing their world. For years, the humans believed that mutants ushered along their ultimate destruction, and at last, according to Spiral, that will finally happen!
They fight. Spiral tells Shatterstar that she has noticed he’s virtually unstoppable, and that he could join them. Shatterstar thanks her for noticing, and punches! Pierce is aware that Shatterstar is the one who can truly protect the blade. Shatterstar wants to pull Pierce up, but he thinks his time has come, like Spiral said, and warns Shatterstar that there is much for to come for him.
Spiral strikes Shatterstar in his back, making him drop the blade and it falls into Spiral’s hands! She points her attention to Pierce, telling him that he won’t see what the creature does to this world. Pierce tells her to do her worst, as he no longer fears death. Spiral smiles, knowing that, but asks her lover if he also doesn’t fear falling through Limbo for all eternity?! She uses the blade to push Pierce off the platform, causing him to fall!
Shatterstar stands up again, and finally knows what Pierce was hiding: he and Spiral were lovers. Spiral mentions that’s true, but she and Pierce were also friends, but that was a lifetime go. She knew Pierce would bring the blade to her, like an obedient pup. To be without it at any time, brings dishonor to Pierce’s fabled ancestors. She wonders what they would think now, plunging through the abyss, with annihilation in her hand.
Shatterstar tells his adversary that he and Pierce spoke of this: what should happen if the sacred blade ever fell into the wrong hands. He wanted him to swear this would not be for long. He throws his sword towards Spiral, which hits her, making her drop the blade and fall off the platform! But the blade falls off the platform as well. Shatterstar follows them. As they go, Spiral tells Shatterstar he’ll appreciate what happens next. She orders a bodyslide by two. A portal opens, in which Spiral falls through. Shatterstar won’t let her escape, shouting there isn’t a place he cannot find her. He also falls through the portal.
Chapter 7:
Shatterstar wakes up, and finds himself in a strange environment. His nostrils burn, instantly filled with strange air, making it difficult to stand. Spiral appears to be gone and, with her, the instrument he swore to protect. He fears what he has done. Suddenly, a snapping sound is heard. Shatterstar shouts to the person to reveal himself, and finds himself geting punched in the face! When standing up and looking at the culprit, Shatterstar is astonished! This can’t be!
The man tells Shatterstar that he told him to never come back here. He prays to the Askani to help them all. Shatterstar looks forward, and recognizes… Cable?!


[User]
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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
World Against One:
Chapter 8: Identity
Chapter 9: Where Dreams May Come And Die
Chapter 10: The Assistant
Chapter 11: Man Down
Chapter 8:
A confused Shatterstar stands face to face with his old friend Cable and begs Nathan to explain what has happened. Cable, with a glowing eye, congratulates the “assassin” as his appearance did temporarily confuse him, but mentions that it will take more than a familiar face to bring him down. An even more confused Shatterstar corrects that he isn’t an assassin, and wants to know what the place is they are in now. Cable is still headstrong that he isn’t dealing with the real Shatterstar, and responds that faking ignorance won’t help him, as he saw the real Shatterstar die right in front of him! Shatterstar knows that’s impossible, since… no! Spiral. What has she done?!
He stands up, and asks Cable to listen to him. He knows this will be hard to explain and even more to clearly understand, but Shatterstar fears he has become unhinged from the natural timestream, perhaps even shuttled to a parallel Earth of some sort. He explains that, in the place he calls home, he has not yet perished and that they remain the most trusted of allies: they’ve even saved worlds together. Cable has no idea what Shatterstar is talking about, but he knows that the man he knew as Shatterstar is long dead. He doesn’t understand how Shatterstar could wear his face, but yet proclaim he is not Cable’s old friend.
Shatterstar shouts that this is all Spiral’s doing. She has used her holograms and dimensional portals to change everything. It seems that even history bends to her will? He wonders how he could possible stop her. He asks Nathan to wait, as he hears something. A big thing falls down behind them, and the impact causes both mutants to fall down. Shatterstar notices that the blast came from the tree line behind them. Cable thinks they area dealing with Snipers, firing long-range pulse cannons. He wants them to move, though he is curious how they found them so quickly, thinking Shatterstar is the culprit.
Shatterstar mentions that he doesn’t even know where this place is, and makes it clear that if Cable has been betrayed, it was certainly not by him. Cable suddenly opens his eyes wide in panic, suggesting that they postpone their conversation, as they have more urgent concerns. Three big dinosaur-like creatures appear out of nowhere, and start chasing them. Cable warns to take cover up ahead, but Shatterstar won’t. He won’t let any more wasted moments be a joy to Spiral, and decides to take the initiative. He slices his sword through one of the dinosaurs, and kills it. Next, he asks Cable to explain what this world is all about, so he can fully understand what has been done to him.
While joining the battle, Cable explains that Shatterstar landed in the middle of a war. It is a war that Cable and his people have been waging for nearly three cycles, and unfortunately they aren’t winning. Nathan mentions that his strike force is all that remains of the resistance, and their enemy knows it, plus her attacks grow more frenzied with each day. Shatterstar asks if the “her” Cable is talking about is Spiral. Cable thinks that if they are speaking of the same six-armed mistress of death, it is. But Cable and his people have come to know her by another name: Apocalypse!
And the creatures they are now fighting, serve her. Shatterstar notices that one of them still stands. He makes an impressive backwards jump, and lands one the dinosaur’s head. Striking his sword on its skull, the monster screams and collapses. Shatterstar triumphs. Cable confesses that he hasn’t seen a man fight like that for a very long time. He can hardly believe it, but he has to admit that Shatterstar is the genuine article. Shatterstar apologizes, as he didn’t mean to open old wounds. He only wants answers to what Spiral has unleashed. And, if she truly killed Cable’s people, he’ll make her pay for it.
Cable goes towards the fallen dinosaur creature, and takes its pilot out of the hatch. Cable suggests that they ask the question to him. But the pilot refuses to answer but, if he would, he admits that he would only answer things Cable would already know, namely that there isn’t, and never was, any hope for him to win this war. The pilot even mocks that Cable must be made to suffer, as everyone he cares for dies while he himself still lives. Shatterstar tells Cable to leave the pilot, as something else, more dangerous, approaches them.
Shatterstar is correct. Host demons emerge from the bushes behind them. Shatterstar is confident that they’ll defeat them. He and Cable join forces and fight the demons together. Cable mentions how he missed this. Suddenly, one of the demons notices an opening and jumps straight at Shatterstar. Luckily, a big, angry hulking being slashes the demon with his claws! The being thinks Cable finally lost it, as they all know that Shatterstar is dead.
It’s Caliban! He can see how Cable could have been fooled though, as this Shatterstar looks and probably talks like their friend, but Shatterstar isn’t him. Caliban knows that because his scent is all wrong. He would think that Apocalypse was going to waste their time with an obvious fake like this, she would go for something a little less obvious, something that at least smells like it should be. Apocalypse must think that they have forgotten the time a similar event like this took place. Caliban angrily recalls that the moment everyone’s back turned, this certain “old friend” went to kill as many of his old friends as he could find. And Caliban won’t let that happen again on his watch. He even tells Shatterstar to go back to his “mistress.” Shatterstar swears that he isn’t their enemy, but Cable stops them. He realizes exactly how this looks, but finds this neither the place nor the time. They are exposed, and must fall back to the outpost and find out the truth there.
Chapter 9:
Shatterstar and Cable stand on a balcony in his sky-high headquarters. Cable apologizes in Caliban’s name, as there was an incident several months prior. One of their people, a boy named Samuel, returned from the dead and was quickly welcomed back within the keep. But he was different. Changed somehow, but all wrong. Shatterstar mentions that, on his world, Spiral didn’t possess the power to corrupt a man after his death. He wonders if there is no evil she can’t accomplish, or anything beyond her reach. Cable doesn’t think so, at least nothing they haven’t seen. He explains that the first thing Apocalypse did was to rip her kingdom from the ground, suspending it above everyone’s head. On this world, death often comes from the skies. He tells Shatterstar to look up, and they both see Spiral’s palace floating above them.
Cable adds that it wasn’t always like this. Once, there was peace before Apocalypse came to their lands, emerging from an energy portal, very similar to the one that brought Shatterstar here. She attacked Cable’s crew almost instantly. They discovered that her power stems from a blade that drinks deeply of the blood of its victims. And Cable’s foolish judgments provided Apocalypse many victims. He mentions that all the people Shatterstar has seen in the headquarters are the remnants of the resistance. Their final, most desperate play at victory has failed, though Cable must admit it never stood a great chance at success. They persist, merely to aggravate Apocalypse’s efforts, deciding that it’s better to die on one’s feet.
Shatterstar fears that this is all his doing. He chased Spiral into this place, and to see Cable like this, completely without hope injures him more than he can say. Cable has come to accept his fate. He explains that there are some among the resistance who subscribed to a belief. A prophecy even, that a group of them were destined to somehow overthrow Apocalypse. But alas, those people are all dead now. Shatterstar asks Cable if he refers to the prophecy of the Twelve. Twelve hundred, Cable corrects. Now, he further mentions, only he and a handful of others remain. Shatterstar wants to know what hope they have.
Cable explains that this final assault he spoke of, it placed one of his soldiers within Apocalypse’s domain. He tasked with gaining her confidence and, in turn, access to the sacred blade. This man has now been inside her palace for six months, and stopped logging weekly reports after his second. Cable hopes that, if he is fortunate, Roberto DaCosta is already dead. For if he still lives, Cable fears, it is likely that Apocalypse is subjecting him to all manners of torture and torments, which is a fate often worse than death. Who knows what horrors Roberto is being made to experience.
Chapter 10:
Inside her palace, Spiral and Bobby are… making love! Bobby notices Spiral being unusually excited today and asks if anything is wrong. Spiral answers far from it, as all is terribly well. She knows her dominion over this world is nearly complete, and Cable’s tired rebellion is at an end. Now, she finds herself considering the future. Spiral suggests that she and Bobby could travel the multiverse together, enslaving every world in their path. She asks Bobby if he would like that. Bobby would find that an honor and would follow Spiral to the ends of this Earth and all others, and will remain hers.
One of Spiral’s followers, Neimus, enters the room. He apologizes and asks for a word. Bobby yells at Neimus for his lousy timing. Neimus ignores the remark, and explains that Cable is still alive, which he thinks is a bit more important that Spiral’s duties here. Spiral defenses that Neimus shouldn’t presume that he is in a position to dictate importance to him. She is quite aware of the warrior’s continued refusal to perish, and she simply doesn’t care. She thinks that Cable offers minimal threat and is hardly the issue at hand. With a serious look, she responds that she is not to be disturbed in her personal chambers. She punches Neimus in the face with her sword, and demands that he tells her he understands.
Leaving both Neimus and Bobby, Spiral puts on some clothes and goes to quickly attend to this. She doesn’t want Bobby to leave the room, as she might need him when she comes back. Bobby quietly takes a drink and hesitates in responding. After that, he replies that he’ll do as Spiral wishes.
Some time later, Bobby does leave the room and goes deeper down the hall, but stops when he meets some guards. They mock that they are surprised that the queen’s personal “assistant” is allowed to leave for some air. Bobby smiles that Zynn shouldn’t be so jealous. He knows that the queen requires a warrior of exceptional talents to stand beside her, and that it’s hardly his fault that Zynn lacks those gifts in so many respects. He orders the guard to stand aside. Zynn won’t obey, as nobody is permitted to enter the room behind him, not even Bobby is.
Sunspot powers up, and knocks the guards down. He enters the room, and finds the blade in a large room, secured inside a cubic hole. Bobby opens a psychic link, and after entering the codeword of “Guthrie,” he orders a priority transmission to Cable, reporting that he has found the blade and Code Green is to be followed. Though Spiral appears from behind, mentioning that she knew that Bobby’s betrayal would happen today. She has waited a long time for Bobby to find the courage to step into this room. Spiral explains that when she opened her eyes this morning, there was something different. A sensation she couldn’t place. It was then she realized that this day would show Bobby’s true allegiance.
She punches Bobby hard in the face, making him de-power and fall down. Spiral mentions that Cable is predictable, and that Bobby’s failure marks the true endgame. Bobby should be thankful, she mocks, that his presence offered some enjoyment, for she could not stomach his cowardice for one more month. She mentions to Bobby that he merely ended up in the dungeons. Spiral explains that she has stripped Bobby of his powers and mission. She wants him to apologize, and perhaps she’ll show some mercy. Bobby would rather die, and tells Apocalypse to do her best. She intends to.
Chapter 11:
Caliban asks Cable if he’s sure about this. Cable explains he taught Bobby the technique, and is certain it really was Bobby’s distress call and he believes Bobby succeeded in retrieving the blade. Tabitha noticed the transmission wasn’t complete. Cable shouts in question what Tabitha wants him to do. Leave Bobby there? Meltdown explains that none of them are suggesting that. He knows more than anyone what Bobby means to her. Cable becomes sad. He believed Bobby to be dead, but still he continued on the mission he tasked him with. Cable tells his people they can chose to stay or follow him, as they have his undying gratitude for their longtime services. He goes over to giant Lockheeds, and wants them prepared for action.
Shatterstar hates to echo the resistance’s suspicions, but he thinks this is quite convenient. The very day he emerges from a portal that Spiral led him into, Bobby is finally able to relay an urgent message. Cable likes to think that, perhaps, not all hope is lost. All he knows for now is that Bobby is still alive in there, and Cable aims to see that Bobby stays that way. Cable accepts that Shatterstar isn’t the man he knew, but feels that this is hardly his concern. Shatterstar can stay if he wants. Shatterstar won’t, as he promises to pledge himself to Cable’s cause and will follow wherever he’ll take him. Besides, he wants some explanations from Spiral, and reverse the damage she has done, and will see her die at his hands. Shatterstar climbs aboard one of the Lockheeds, and wants to go save the world.
Everyone else also follows, but Cable makes it clear to them that this is strictly a search and rescue operation: they find Sunspot and find an exit. Anything further is too dangerous and not necessary at this point. Everyone understands and they leave, with Cable hoping that the Askani will preserve them all.
Spiral notices them arriving, and has well prepared herself. Guarded with her own, super-powered costumed troops, Spiral orders them that none of Cable’s group is to leave alive, and furthermore, they must bring forth her Age of Apocalypse!


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World Against One: Chapter 12: untitled
Chapter 12:
Shatterstar opens the battle, and faces Spiral’s guards. Fearing for her defeat, Spiral hopes to gain something and throws Sunspot off of her floating palace! Cable warns Tabitha, who maneuvers her Lockheed to catch Bobby. He thanks her, and is glad to see they received his message. Bobby recognizes Shatterstar and asks how that’s possible but, after congratulating Bobby on his mission, he promises that it’s a long story that will have to wait after the battle.
Shatterstar tries to fight Spiral, but she orders more of her guards to protect her. While fighting them, Shatterstar remembers Pierce, who gave his life to stop the menace of the Skornn, yet he fails to see any threat of the creature on this plane. He realizes Spiral just brought another danger upon this planet, and demands to know why.
Spiral smiles, and tells Shatterstar he’s asking the wrong questions. She explains that she has been on this planet and murdering people for three years now, while Shatterstar was falling down a hole with no bottom. Shatterstar defeats the guards and runs towards her, thinking that’s impossible. While defending herself, Spiral claims to control absolute time and space: she thinks of something, and can make it real. If this battle turns wrong for her, she can alter it to whatever she pleases. She slashes through Shatterstar’s stomach, and he screams from the pain. She notices it, and asks Shatterstar how he plans to survive her most horrible thoughts.
She explains that she has already killed this version of Shatterstar right before the eyes of his friends, and wants to do it again. Shatterstar punches Spiral, wanting to know if they are truly Spiral’s pawns and why he is there. He wants to know how, if Spiral can alter things, his sword can possibly come so close to her throat. She doesn’t answer. Shatterstar has had enough, and cuts through Spiral’s sword, breaking it! He wants revenge for the hundreds of lives Spiral took, and will do anything to get it.
While Shatterstar and Spiral continue their battle, Cable and his crew realize they might never get a chance like this, and decide to take it. They maneuver the Lockheeds to make a path cleared through the main courtyard, which will lead them to the armory. He orders them only to target guards and infantry, and that collateral damage is unacceptable. The rebels agree and open fire, and are glad to see Spiral’s team running for a change. Cable orders Tabitha to go back to Shatterstar, as he might need help in killing Spiral and to escape. She does as told.
Shatterstar triumphs over Spiral, mocking her. Spiral defends that she still has the blade, and can alter this outcome as she pleases. Shatterstar orders her to shut up, and he’ll finish her off now. Spiral, however, thinks that the man standing behind Shatterstar has another idea. Shatterstar thinks it’s another guard but, when turning his face, he recognizes… Dominicus Pierce! Pierce apologizes, as he was falling for eternity and had no choice. He fell and Spiral caught him. He kneels before Spiral, and asks what to do. She orders Pierce to kill Shatterstar, and then consider their debt paid.
Shatterstar asks Pierce not to do it, and to remember how this has happened in the first place, and that Spiral did this to Pierce. He holds his sword at her throat. Spiral defends that she came back for Pierce, something Shatterstar didn’t do. Spiral notices Boomer and jumps towards her, and Pierce prepares to fight Shatterstar. He hopes this is just a performance, but it isn’t. Pierce tells Shatterstar he has no idea what he has been through. He has been trapped in Limbo for over a hundred years, wishing for death every second of every hour! Spiral rescued him from it and, for that brief moment, Pierce feels he must obey her. He truly apologizes.
Shatterstar jokes that this will end as it began: with him and Pierce as enemies, and with Pierce having no chance at victory. They start to fight. Spiral confronts Boomer, and mocks that Bobby told her so much about her. She mentions that she and Bobby spend a great deal of time together. She thinks that, if Boomer would know what Spiral made him do, it would break her heart. Tabitha hesitates, but knows Bobby never loved Spiral and he was only following her orders. Spiral confirms, but thinks that if Tabitha had lived, Roberto would only spend all of their time together wishing that Tabitha were her. Boomer has heard enough, and uses her powers to fight Spiral.
Unfortunately, the bombs don’t harm her. Spiral wants to end this, and strikes the blade through the Lockheed, making it bleed and scream from the pain. It lands on Spiral’s floating palace, but both Boomer and Spiral fall off as well. Boomer is able to grab an edge, but Spiral falls. Pierce knocks Shatterstar down, but promises a quick death to him and his friends. He strikes his sword, but Shatterstar dodges and punches back, knocking Pierce of the edge. However, he also accidentally hits Boomer, who telepathically warns everyone to come rescue her.
Cable is nearby and promises Boomer that he can catch her, so she uses her powers to push Pierce away from her. Shatterstar warns Cable that he has the blade, and that he has to catch Pierce. Cable does, and orders his Lockheed to kill Pierce. It throws fire on him, and kills the man. Boomer still falls, but is caught by Sunspot. He apologizes, and explains that Apocalypse was trying to escape into some kind of portal, but he was able to reach her in time. Boomer explains that she knew he was alive for all this time, even when no one else would believe her. Roberto apologizes for all the horrible things he had to do, but Tabitha doesn’t care; she’s just glad to have him back.
Later, the team takes some time to recover. Cable thanks Shatterstar for his help, as with Apocalypse now in their custody, his people once again know peace. Shatterstar says thanks are not needed, and wants to know what’s going to happen to the blade. Cable explains that it’s going home with Shatterstar. He orders a body slide by one, and a portal opens. Cable explains that, after a bit of questioning by Boomer, Apocalypse willingly provided the device she used to bring Shatterstar there, along with the frequency for his parallel Earth. Cable has no doubt that the weapon will be safe with Shatterstar, and mentions that it’s far too dangerous for the blade to remain with him.
Cable apologizes for the rush, but is uncertain for how long Shatterstar can remain there, as there are a lot of things they don’t understand about Apocalypse’s powers. Shatterstar says there’s no burden between friends. They take goodbye, and he steps through the portal.
A second before Shatterstar enters the portal, something hits the back of his head, but does not turn. Only when he’s reached Earth again he realizes what it was: Cable’s psychic transmission echoing across both time and space. Cable telepathically contacts Shatterstar and apologizes for the intrusion, but thinks they need to force the world into something better than it is. He knows that Shatterstar holds both the strength and patience to help him, and wants to ask the warrior to take a journey to save Cable’s band of soldiers. His X-Force!
Cable ends the transmission, hoping to see Shatterstar again some day. Shatterstar agrees, and continues his journey. Later, he finds himself climbing up a mountain, and almost reaches a temple.


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X-Infernus – Chapter One: Soul Survivors
He will not be denied! Colossus shouts forcefully and smashes Cyclops’ desk. They’re not denying him anything, Scott Summers – Emma Frost next to him – replies calmly. They’re doing all that they can. They’ve done nothing! Peter insists. He has done nothing. He turns human again. It’s been months and Illyana is still trapped in Limbo, he states sadly.
Scott touches Peter’s shoulder, assuring him they’ve tried and will continue trying. Limbo is closed. Sealed off. Amanda Sefton has tried to break the seal, but can’t. Hank’s tried to get Dr. Strange to help them, but he’s nowhere to be found. Even Warren has his people trying, but they’re scientists and, well, this is magic.
She’s his sister, Peter stresses. There has to be a way. There’s nothing they can do, Scott repeats calmly. Agitated again, Peter refuses to accept that. What if it was Jean? What if there was any chance that she might be alive? To what ends would Scott go to bring her back?
Scott just looks at him coldly. Then he stresses that he understands what Peter is going through. Enough! Peter tells him. He should have expected as much from the man who has left his brother for dead in space.
How dare he? Scott snarls. While Scott may not care abut what fate has befallen his kin, Peter continues, he cannot stop thinking about the suffering his poor little snowflake must be enduring.
In Limbo, what is left of Illyana Rasputin – the Darkchilde, her demonic form – complete with horns, fangs, a demon tail and goat feet, dressed in a skimpy armor and an amulet displaying the bloodstone she got from Pixie – swings a huge battle axe as she orders her troops to cut out their foes’ hearts and bring her their heads! Find her her sword! Find her amulet! Bring them to her!
She enters the castle first, shouting she’s come to claim what is rightfully hers! She tells S’ym to kill anyone who dares approach and herself walks up to the demon within the throne room, a red, six-eyed creature. She states that his magicks are useless against her. Just give her what she seeks.
He replies they are not here. Addressing her as “Rasputin,” he again assures her he doesn’t know the location of her Soulsword or Bloodstone amulet. The Darkchilde kicks him in the face and orders her to never address her by that name. She grabs him by the throat and tells him to give her what is hers.
He rasps that Belasco trusted nobody when it came to her. The Soulsword and the amulet – their fate remains a mystery.
With a cry of rage, she breaks his neck. Belasco! she curses. Even in death, he continues to taunt her! That bastard ripped her innocence from her! Stole her humanity. No matter how many heads must roll, she will have her soul back! she vows grimly.
The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Californa:
Nightcrawler teleports atop one girder wondering if their little “overachiever”… What took him so long? someone asks. It’s Pixie floating in the air above him. How did she beat him here? Kurt Wagner asks surprised. As she lands, he asks how many jumps it took her to get here from the Transamerica pyramid. Just one, Megan Gwynn replies. She decided that what’s the difference if she does one teleport or two if it’s a spell that she using and she thought…
She teleported here directly? he asks. With such accuracy? Did she do something wrong? No, he assures her, please do not mistake surprise for annoyance, if anything, she may detect a hint of jealousy in his voice. To be able to teleport with such ease, given her limited experience…
How about a final race home? Kurt suggests. To the Danger Room. You’re on, she tells him. While she still talks, he already teleports away. No fair! she cries and casts her spell: Sihal Novarum Chinoth! She too disappears.
Nightcrawler reappears in the Danger Room. Ahem, comes a voice. Pixie, already there, waves at him. Cheaters never win, she tells him playfully.
From above in the Danger Room’s observation booth, Rockslide remarks to Mercury it looks like Pixie spanked little boy blue in whatever game they were playing. Mercury replies she’s sure it was more than just some game. He’s been testing her all day.
He’s not quite sure what to say, Kurt admits, calling Pixie “meine kleine Fee.” She’s far exceeded his expectations. And so ends their teleportation lesson … for today. But, if he may, he’d like to discuss another topic that they have in common. Can they talk about her Soul Dagger?
Megan’s good mood evaporates. Defensively, she asks why he wants to talk about that? Cyclops wanted him to, he begins. She interrupts. Why does Cyclops want to know about her Soul Dagger? Is there a problem? Is she in trouble?
Well, to be honest, he admits, people have been noticing, that when she uses it she’s no quite… herself. She’s not herself? she shouts. That’s all he has to say? Colossus crazy little sister took a piece of her soul! Does he have any idea what that feels like? The emptiness?! She has a hole in her soul thanks to her! she shouts crying.
Kurt asks her to calm down. He’s sorry to have upset her like this. Still crying but trying to be calm, Megan relates that they got sucked into hell. A bunch of kids in Limbo. All alone on their own. David and Josh and Cessily… Belasco was going to kill them. Illyana said she could create a weapon to stop him, so Megan gave her what she needed… to save them. And now…
She stretches out her hand and the glowing silver dagger appears. Suddenly, she begins to grin evilly and the next moment she plunges the dagger into Nightcrawler’s chest.
Elsewhere, a collection of literal underworld leaders – Mephisto, his son Blackheart, Dormammu, Hela and Satannish – watch the Darkchilde’s grim vow in a scrying glass. Mephisto addresses a so far unseen person why she would call them here for this? Why should they concern themselves with a minor annoyance?
“Minor” is not the word he would use to describe what they just witnessed, his son Blackheart remarks. Satannish admits he finds himself impressed. For one so newly birthed from the fires of their hell, her powers are clearly quite formidable, the Norse-goddess Hela adds. And the dread Dormammu demands the one who summoned them explain the nature of what they just witnessed.
A red-robed figure stands up, stating she just wants what belongs to her. She lowers her cowl to reveal the face of a redhaired, part-demon young woman. She is Belasco’s daughter, she explains. What was his, is hers.
Why should they even care? Mephisto asks, addressing her as Witchfire. She reminds them they long allowed her father a seat at their table. Begrudgingly, Satannish shoots back. Hela agrees that Belasco’s presence here was tolerated at best.
Yes, Belasco had his share of troubles, Witchfire agrees, as have they all! Dormammu warns the young woman to choose her next words carefully She assures them that she means no offence, she simply wishes to remind the council that Belasco’s power and his control over Limbo remain unquestioned.
Control he’s recently lost yet again, it seems, Satannish states. Control she intends to gain back with this, Witchfire replies and shows them the “Beatrice” amulet the Darkchilde is looking for. Surprised the five beings look up at the lost bloodstone amulet. Witchfire explains that with those three bloodstones comes the power of the Elder Gods. These are what the Darkchilde is looking for. These stones and her sword, all crafted from pieces of her soul so long ago. She believes that if she can obtain them, she can somehow restore her human soul. But she fails to recognize their true power!
What does she want from them? Satannish asks. Stay away from Limbo, she demands. It is hers. When she’s destroyed the Darkchilde and retaken her throne, she will return and take her seat at their table.
How dare she? Blackheart begins but Mephisto cuts him off. If she takes back her father’s kingdom, she may have her seat. Prove herself and she may have a place in their larger goals. Excellent, she replies with a grin.
Back in the Danger Room, Mercury and Rockslide run downstairs into the Danger Room and drag Pixie away from Nightcrawler. Mercury tries to call him.
Having lost contact with her Soul Dagger, Pixie is normal again and doesn’t recall what just happened. Seeing Nightcrawler lying on the ground, her dagger in his chest, she is horrified. What did she do?! She just killed an X-Man, dude, Santo explains unhelpfully. Mercury tells him to shut up. Nightcrawler is breathing. They hit the “panic button” on the way down, so someone should be here any second.
Pixie panics just repeating “O my God.” That ,moment Beast enters, telling them to make room. Megan babbles what happened until Hank interrupts her. Kurt’s breathing normally. And there’s no indication of bloodloss, which is always a good sign if one has been stabbed in the heart. But why isn’t he moving? Megan asks. Shouldn’t he be moving?
Hank doesn’t know. He touches the Soul Dagger and exclaims it’s cold. Yeah, it always is, she sighs. Can she pull it out, Hank asks. Medically, he sees nothing wrong with their Herr Wagner here. And while magic is far from his forte, experience has taught him that the less contact you have with anything mystical, the better. So make like King Arthur, kiddo. What if it possesses her again? Pixie asks. They’ll be sure to watch their chests, Hank promises and Cessily order Santo to not even say it.
Carefully, Pixie begins to draws the dagger out, but there’s something stuck to it, she exclaims. She draws the blade out and stuck to it is a glowing sword. This can’t be good, Hank mutters as Pixie hold her Soul Dagger in one hand and the missing Soulsword in the other.
In Limbo, Darkchilde suddenly has a spell of weakness. Something the matter? S’ym asks her. Not a thing, she replies with a broad grin and summons a teleportation disk.
Back in the Danger Room, Santo decides that too many people have glowy weapons inside of them. Hank asks Megan if she can hear him. She promises she’s got a handle on this. Is she gonna be able to handle that too? Cess asks, as a teleportation disk appears and within it the Darkchilde.
Swinging her axe, she announces at long last! “Oh my stars and garters” seems to be the only right response to that.


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X-Infernus – chapter two: This Mortal Coil
Limbo, in a special castle, in special library a woman clad in red studies a grimoire. “Lady Witchfire!” a demon suddenly shouts and runs in excitedly. The Darkchilde is gone, he informs her. What does he mean,  gone? she asks. She was killed? The demon clarifies that it’s unclear. In the middle of battle, the she-demon simply vanished. Even her troops looked confused.
Was there an energy signature of some sort? Witchfire asks. Yes, a yellow circle, comes the reply. Witchfire takes the bloodstone amulet hanging above the book. With the Darkchilde gone, so goes her power over these lands. My lands, Witchfire corrects with an evil grin.
The X-Men’s Danger Room, where the Darkchilde has just appeared. You! Pixie shouts. Oh not her, not again! Santo moans. Darkchilde demands her sword from Pixie. Addressing her as Illyana, Beast tries to ask her to handle this peacefully. Do not call her by that name, she cries and hits him with her battleaxe.
Santo attacks, believing himself to be immune to her. She attacks with a magical blast and tears off his rock-arm, then slices right through him. Mercury calls Santo an idiot. He was made of Limbo rock last time they fought her, she reminds him. She addresses the Darkchilde, reminding her they helped her beat Belasco, and this is how she thanks them?
Darkchilde creates a shield, and asks for the return of her sword. Then nobody gets hurt. Mercury turns her arm into a claw, reaches right through the shield and pierces the Darkchilde’s shoulder. In return, she uses a spell to separate Mercury into small bubbles and then liquid.
She turns to Pixie and warns her to make this easy on herself. Give her her sword! Never! Pixie replies and threatens her with both Soulsword and Souldagger. If she thinks she’s letting her get her evil hands on this sword, then she’s crazy! She doesn’t even know what it is, but she knows she’ll probably do something really awful with it and…
Enough! the Darkchilde orders, annoyed by her prattle. Pixie suddenly notices the bloodstone amulet the Darkchilde is wearing. Her soul is in that thing, she shouts. Give it back! Come take it, Darkchilde challenges her and Pixie attacks her with the sword.
She’s gotten bolder, Darkchilde observes and easily corners her. Enough, this foolishness ends now, she announces and casts a spell. Gravata sinova clatorim!
Energy blasts spring from her eyes at Pixie, who finally sinks down beaten and lets go of the Soulsword. Finally! the Darkchilde shouts and grabs it and holds it tight. Tears run down her face. She is engulfed by a strange light and begins to transform, losing her hooves, tail and most of her demonic aspects, save for her horns and sporting armor on parts of her body instead. This Darkchilde is almost human… Magik once more.
In the Darkchilde’s castle in Limbo, Witchfire, in the meantime, has used the time to conquer the castle. With an evil grin, she stands in the Darkchilde’s throne room, looking at her handiwork, the dead demons. And daddy thought she didn’t like getting her hands dirty, she smirks.
The captured and chained S’ym warns her she has no idea what she’s done. The Darkchilde will return. She’s counting on it, the sorceress replies. Her forces are loyal, he promises. They’ll rally to her side. Witchfire buries her sword in his chest. She steps onto a dais looking down on the demon troops. They are not loyal to the Darkchilde, she states. They fear her. She simply needs to make them fear her more. She takes off the Bloostone amulet and holds it high.
In the Danger Room, Magik notices her newfound humanity and smiles peacefully. Boshe moi! comes a exclamation from the entrance. Colossus enters. Hesitantly, he addresses her as snowflake. Instinctively, Magik attacks with her Soulsword, realizing only a moment later it’s her brother. Why doesn’t she feel any…? she exclaims and feels her horns. The bloodstones… it must be!
A warning shot, courtesy of Cyclops, is fired close to her. In addition to Scott and Peter, Wolverine, Emma, Armor and Karma have arrived. Seeing Magik is still armed, Cyclops orders Karma to get a lock on her if she can. Illyana? Peter asks. No, she replies, she’s still not… Peter interrupts, asking her not to leave. They can help. No, they can’t, she tells him regretfully, as she rustles up a teleportation disc. No one can. She has to help herself. She’s sorry. No! he shouts. Not again!
The newcomers try to help the injured parties while Cyclops questions Beast on what happened. Emma announces that Kurt’s high brain functions all check out. It appears he’s simply unconscious. With no physical mark of where he was stabbed, Beast adds.
Why did Illyana stab Kurt? Karma asks. Oh it wasn’t her, Hank begins to correct her. It was…
Let me go! Pixie cries that moment to Wolverine who was trying to help her up. Hank warns him Pixie is not quit herself today. Is she okay? Logan asks while at the same warning her to keep those hands where he can see them. The Darkchilde’s got the piece she’s missing, she replies and begins her teleportation spell to follow.
Don’t do this! suddenly comes Kurt’s weak voice. He asks her to calm down and think. This isn’t just about her. They are all involved and will go after Illyana together. Babbling apologies, Megan hugs him in relief.
Magik arrives back in her castle and almost slips on the blood on the floor. Get out of there, S’ym weakly tries to warn her. Catching sight of her, he inform her that she looks terrible. What happened to her hooves?
Who did that to him? she demands. Belasco’s daughter, he begins, and she has her… Belasco had a daughter? Magik exclaims.
His blood courses through her veins, Witchfire announces, stepping from the dark, and Magik’s blood will decorate the room! She attacks with a blade of her own and Magik can barely deflect the blow.
Back at the X-Men’s HQ:
No more excuses! Peter Rasputin demands as the group is gathered around the Darkchilde’s battleaxe. What further proof do they need that Illyana is alive? Peter, Cyclops begins. Colossus interrupts him. He is through listening to Scott. All this time they’ve been looking for a way into Limbo and now have found it. In the unlikely form of their teammate, no less. He points at Pixie. He refuses to wait any longer. They – referring to himself, Pixie, Nightcrawler and Wolverine – are going to Limbo after Illyana and there’s nothing Scott can do to stop them.
He done? Scott asks. Go get your sister back, he tells him. What? Peter asks confused. If Peter’d have let him get a word edgewise, he could have told him that he agreed. Peter’s right. They are X-Men. They are family. They don’t leave their own behind. Peter thanks him. But there’s no way he's just letting the four of them head into Limbo, Scott decides. He’s sending Rockslide and Mercury with them.
What?! the two teenagers ask, not exactly pleased. They just got their @$$#$ handed to them. Santo reminds them. And she had barely just got done pulling herself together, Mercury agrees. How could they help?
Cyclops reminds them that, along with Pixie, they were the last ones to travel to Limbo. That means they have more experience down there than the rest of them. Plus, Mercury is magic-resistant and, if Santo reforms himself out of Limbo rock, so is he. What’s the matter, Rocky? Logan mocks. Was a time not too long ago he couldn’t shut up about how they kicked Belasco’s @$$! It appears it’s come time for him to put his money where his mouth is, Beast adds. Gonna take a lotta money to fill that big mouth, Karma mutters. Cyclops reminds Cessily and Santo that they want to be treated like adults, like X-Men. It’s time to start acting the part.
One other thing. There’s no denying this is as personal as it can get for Peter. Same goes for Megan. They can’t run the risk of emotions getting in the way down there. That said, he’s giving command of the team to Nightcrawler. They’ll follow his lead and his orders. No one raises a finger without his say-so.
Colossus takes the battle-axe and tells the others to come on then. He doesn’t want his sister spending another minute in that hellhole. Kurt asks Megan if she is up for this.  After everything she’s suffered already… Her suffering began in Limbo, is her reply. And it’s the only place it’s going to end. She’s going to get her soul back or die trying.
She casts her teleportation spell and they immediately find themselves in Limbo, surrounded by hostile demons. Be careful what you wish for next time, Santo quips.


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X-Infernus – chapter three: What You Wish For
How dare she? Magik angrily asks Wirchfire. How dare she? She strikes at the other woman with her Soulsword but doesn’t hit her target. She has no right to be here! she continues. She has no right? Witchfire repeats and her eyes begin to glow dangerously. She counters Magik’s blow. She has every right!! It’s she who has no place here! Limbo belonged to Belasco, she reminds Magik and begins to attack. She strikes her down. All that was his is now hers… including Ilyana’s soul… She takes the bloodstone amulet Magik wore with the Pixie soulstone No… Magik moans afraid.
Elsewhere in Limbo, the X-Men are embroiled in battle with demons, moments after arrival. These aren’t the demons they’re looking for, Rockslide quips. Maximum damage, Nighcrawler orders Wolverine while he gets their bearings. Way ahead of him, Wolverine replies. An’ it looks like Petey ain’t takin’ no prisoner either. Colossus madly strikes at demons, vowing they will all pay for her suffering.
Pixie, in the meantime panics, babbling what has she gotten them into? She thinks she’s gonna be suck, Mercury mutters. Nightcrawler tells them now is not the time for weak stomachs or cold feet. They’re X-Men. Do what the have been trained to do.
At that moment, a tentacled demon grabs him from behind. Pixie slices it apart with her Souldagger. He’s pretty sure that was never part of their training, Santo points out.
Most lessons are learned in the heat of battle, Colossus points out and smashes Santo apart. Dude, what did he do that for? comes the protest. Colossus reminds him that he needs to be formed of Limbo rock to be effective.
Nightcrawler asks Pixie if she has any idea where in Limbo she’s dropped them. She doesn’t know, she’s never teleported into Limbo before. Don’t matter much where they are, Wolverine decides. They gotta get to higher ground before the demons slaughter them down here. That moment, a demon’s lance pierces his chest from behind. Cue for Wolverine to go into one of his patented berserker rages, meaning the kids and Nightcrawler pretty much only get to watch as he takes care of business.
Elsewhere in Limbo, Magik demands Witchfire give back the bloodstone amulet. Is that all she can say for herself? Witchfire scoffs. Spoken like the child she truly is. Give it to her, Magik repeats. Come and get it! Witchfire goads her. Magik attacks with her Soulsword. Witchfire easily dodges the attack. Holding the bloodstone amulet, she casts a spell. And Magik screams as something begins to happen to her.
What is she doing? she moans. That’s her secret, Witchfire replies, but she can tell her this, it’s not going to be pretty. And with that she pushes her own sword through Illyana’s gut.
Elsewhere, Wolverine has finished the last demon. Does he have an off-switch? Mercury asks nervously. “Allow me,” Colossus replies and pulls the blade out of Logan’s back. After a scream, he thanks Peter. Colossus replies they thank him. That may have been the coolest thing he’s ever seen, Santo admits. Maybe for him, Wolverine remarks dismissively. Looks like he got them this far. What next? he asks Nightcrawler.
Neither Pixie nor he can teleport them blindly across Limbo, Kurt surmises, so they’ll use this moment of respite for aerial reconnaissance. He asks Meggan if she recalls what he taught her about how to effectively use her abilities to…
Mercury stretches her neck Mr. Fantastic style and announces that the only power they need find out where they gotta go is good eyesight. Look. Belasco’s castle.
In there, Witchfire kicks the lifeless Magik into the widening pool of blood on the ground. Her Soulsword disappears in there. Holding both amulets, Witchfire hisses yeesss. Why keep the stones divided when true power lies in unity? She casts a spell and Pixie’s soulstone in the one amulet joins Illyana’s three in the other. She discards the now empty amulet and laughs. Four down, one to go…
Outside, Pixie doubles over and screams out in pain. It’s like the emptiness in her is growing! Her soul is calling to her. Something is wrong! Kurt tells her to be strong and fight the pull. She apologizes and casts her teleportation spell. She disappears alone.
Logan tells Kurt to teleport them over to the castle. The distance is too far for one jump, he tells them. Impossible with passengers. He’s sorry. They ain’t the ones he should be sorry for, comes the reply.
Pixie reappears in a library in the castle. She draws her soul dagger and follows the pull. She passes a mirror. As she looks inside she sees a monstrous, demonic version of her smiling back. Horrified, she runs on. Damn you, Illyana, she cries. She will not become like her! She’s going to find her…
She needn’t look much further, comes another voice. Who the hell is she? Pixie asks, seeing Witchfire and next to her the chained Magik. She may call her Master! comes the reply. On the ground, Pixie sees the discarded amulet. But her stone is gone. What does this mean about her soul? she demands. Witchfire grabs her by the throat! Your soul is now mine! she shouts in triumph.
Pixie tries to reach for her amulet with the four bloodstones. Witchfire hurts her with a burning spell, telling her she has no choice in the matter… apprentice. Get used to the image she saw in the mirror, she gloats. Pixie begins to transform into a demon-like creature, as slowly a last bloodstone begins to manifest from her. Once she forges this fifth and final bloodstone, Witchfire states…
The other X-Men can hear Illyana’s scream of horror even from afar. Colossus begs Kurt to teleport him there. She needs him. No, Kurt replies. She needs all of them. Peter thanks him. Kurt warns him to thank him if they make it. They gather around him and he tells them to pray he has the strength, and he teleports them away.
Moments later, they reappear in Witchfire’s throne room. Colossus is startled to see his sister while Santo immediately attacks Witchfire on behalf of Pixie.  But suddenly, Colossus smashes him apart and Wolverine attacks Mercury, slashing at her. Both have succumbed to Witchfire’s magic, not being immune to magic.
Worst… field trip… ever, Mercury gasps while Santo tries to shake Wolverine out of it. Logan takes off his head and Colossus tears Mercury apart. Well done, Witchfire commends her new soldiers. She may keep them around after all this.
Magik addresses the exhausted Kurt, asking him to take the dagger. He hates magic, Kurt states as he picks up Pixie’s soul dagger. But he’s attuned to it… able to use it, like he must now, he knows what he has to do, she insists. Is there any other way? he asks. When she tells him no, he apologizes. No, she’s sorry, she assures him… for everything.
Nightcrawler stabs Magik in the chest with the Souldagger. He is diverted by Pixie’s scream as the bloodstone is finished. That moment, Colossus strikes him. Witchfire’s new soldiers have turned their attention on him.


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X-Infernus – chapter four: Soul’s End
He should be dead, Kurt Wagner realizes. The demonically possessed Wolverine and Colossus attacked him, after all. And the fact he is not dead leads him to believe that Witchfire’s control over his teammates is far from complete. He somersaults over them towards Illyana and draws the Souldagger out of her. Following the dagger, attached to it, is her Soulsword. Brandishing both weapons, he ask if total exhaustion excuses a lack of clever one-liners…
The two hesitate. Kurt jumps toward them and strikes at them with the magical blades, returning them to normal.
Not far away, Pixie screams, becoming demonically transformed, as Witchfire draws the bloodstone from her. At long last! she triumphs when she holds it in her hand.
Mein Gott, Nightcrawler mutters when he sees what’s going on. He teleports to Witchfire and severs her arm (holding the bloodstone) with the Soulsword. She fires a magical blast at him, vowing he will not stop her. He too falls to the ground. He turns to Pixie who looks almost normal again, while Witchfire re-grows her arm, this one more demonical-looking than the one she lost. “Is she all right?” he asks Megan. She stole more of her soul, she replies. Made the last stone. They are all… all dead. So… no, she’s not all right.
Her training did not include quitting, he tells her strictly. There’s still a chance… What can he do? she asks. It’s what she has to do, Kurt tells her and hands Pixie her Souldagger. She must free Illyana. The connection they share… only she can do it. Pixie refuses. Kurt reminds her of their earlier discussion. This isn’t just about her!
Witchfire triumphs that today she accomplishes what her father, what no demon, ever could. She finishes the bloodstone pentagram. The Elder Gods have now been summoned, she shouts as a doorway arises. The fate of their worlds is sealed!
The Doorway opens, releasing different gods. Witchfire shouts at them to join her. The council will have no choice but to bow before them.
An energy blast hits her from behind. She turns around to find Magik, covered from head to toe in armor, accompanied by Colossus, Wolverine and Rockslide. And here she though she’d made her suffer enough, Witchfire threatens. Now the Elder Gods will have a turn.
Not every day you get to kick in a god’s teeth in, Logan decides and attacks one of them. The other X-Men join him in fighting while the two sorceresses battle. Witchfire unleashes a magical blast at her foe and stands surprised to see Magik unharmed. How is that possible with her power?
Illyana begins to strike with her Sousword. Witchfire is powerful, but not omniscient. Her armor shows itself to be Mercury, who, having gotten close enough, stabs Witchfire through the gut.
Magik praises her. Still doesn’t make them even, Cessily replies curtly. Illyana severs the amulet from the chain with a swordstroke. She takes the amulet up and calls Pixie, telling her she needs her and her dagger.
Pixie is about to give a rude reply. Silence, child! Illyana orders her. They can’t stop the Elder Gods if the amulet has all of the bloodstones. She puts the amulet down on an altar. They have to break the spell, she explains… get the last bloodstone out of there. But that’s impossible, Pixie protests. Once a stone is emplaced… The bond may not be permanent yet. Like the bloodstones, their weapons were forged from pieces of their souls. By combining their powers, maybe they can get them back!
Magik strikes into the center of the last stone with her Soulsword and orders Pixie to do the same. She does… and they mange to pry the last stone loose.
There’s an energy backlash, the evil Elder Gods are sucked back and the X-Men have to hold on to whatever they can find not to get sucked in as well.
Megan tries to get the amulet, but Witchfire grabs it before she can. With a smirk, she tells Pixie that part of her still belongs to her, … apprentice. She too disappears behind the gateway, which closes, leaving a desolate Pixie.
Kurt tells her he is sorry. She shoves him away, shouting she came to get the missing piece of her soul back, not lose another part of it. She points her dagger at Illyana. This is all her fault! she accuses her. Everything that happened to her is… She breaks off, noticing that the bloodstone is part of the dagger’s blade. It’s the part of her soul that Witchfire stole, Illyana explains. Refusing to accept that, Pixie flies off. Illyana tells Kurt to let her go.
He asks her if she is okay. No she is not okay, she replies simply. She’s a soulless beast, a monster. And after all of this, her soul is further than ever. Kurt reminds her he’s been called a monster. He’s been hunted. Hell, he’s the son of a demon. Does this mean that he has no soul? He doesn’t know for sure. It isn’t something he can touch, something he can control. All he can control is what he does. He decided that he has a soul. He asks her to come back with them, with her friends, and prove to the world that she does have a soul.
Colossus too addresses her. Turning back to his human shape, he begs her not to run again. She doesn’t know how he’s missed her. She is at a loss for words. He tells her to hush, there is no need for words. Not after all this time.
He touches her head and her horns begin to appear again. Panicked, she shouts she is not herself and teleports them all. They end up in the Danger Room where there is an exercise, among others with the original New Mutants. Dani, Shan, Sam and Roberto react with surprise and happiness to see her.
Illyana begins to teleport away. Colossus shouts after her not leave him again. Don’t leave us Cyclops adds. This is her home. He asks her to stay with her family.
She hesitates. After all that’s happened, after what she done to them, how can they…? How can they not? Scott retorts. She’s been gone a long time. A lot has changed. There aren’t a lot left of them. They need her back. Peter needs her back. No matter what happened, she’s still one of them and they never leave their own behind.
Peter asks her not to make him suffer any further. Taking his hands, she promises she’ll try.


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Breaking Away
(The Dreamscape:
In a dream, he remembers: A man with only one eye that glows red offers him his hand and a way out. Come with him if he wants to live!
Trusting his instincts, though, the teenage boy he is talking to runs away, breaking out on his own, instinctively using vast telekinetic power, while sensing his would-be benefactor’s feeling of envy, as he witnesses the boy’s escape.
The dream shift from memory to another scene. The boy finds himself in front of an old ruined mansion, a place of power, he senses, and enters it.
In it he witnesses a heated discussion between two men – Bishop and Magneto, both unknown to him, and neither noticing his astral form.
Angrily, Bishop urges Magneto that he should have told them the truth. And what is the truth, the other man retorts. An amalgamation of “what ifs” and “what coulds.” He has done the best he knows how and let no man judge his actions.
The boy tries to make himself known to them, but is prevented from that when a mechanical finger taps his back.
It is Forge, dressed in a hooded cloak and more machine than man. He uses the psi-link he shares with the boy to tell him they can’t hear him because he isn’t really here. He reminds him he warned him about pushing himself. It can be really dangerous. Forge orders him to com back. Now.
In the mirror, Magneto briefly catches a glimpse of the boy and Forge, but then chalks it up to a hallucination caused by strain.
The boy wakes up, surrounded by Forge and the rest of his small band of rebels, disguised as a theatre troupe: kind Toad, grim Soaron, loyal Brute and the mute Mastermind.  Welcome back, Nate, Forge greets the boy.
They should have been there, Nate bursts out. Well, Forge was, sorta. He explains how he tried to find his memories and let out this big TK energy blast in the process.
The others already know. As Nate looks around, he realizes, he’s destroyed the entire area for several feet. Forge angrily tells Nate, that he’s supposed to stop with any unsupervised training. He’ll save the lecture for another time. They’ve got a show to do and not much time to do it. He guesses now isn’t a good time to ask him about that old mansion… Nate mumbles.
In the evening, the troupe plays “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” in front of a human community in the Midwest. These are the survivors of the cullings ordered by Apocalypse himself to reduce the unnecessary human population. The ones who did not flee to Europe where humans still enjoy their freedom. Men and women who stayed out of fear, poverty and, some say, ignorance. What could be worth leaving the safety of their locked doors to brave the night? Only a little laughter in their otherwise humorless lives.
Some humans, the prelate and his guard, become suspicious of them, due to their strange looks. Forge politely assures them they are only actors playing parts. The guard believes they are mutants. Suddenly, Nate telepathically influences them, convincing them that there is nothing to it.
Forge angrily chides him, that wasn’t very smart. Nate first plays innocent, but Forge calls him on what he just did. Nate doesn’t see the problem. So what if he gave their minds a little telepathic whack? He got them out of hot water. Besides it’s not much of a gift if he can’t use it to help his friends.
As always, his heart is in the right place, Forge agrees, but he hasn’t thought it through. Forge reminds him that when Nate came to him, he realized the boy had extraordinary power. Then why won’t he let him… Forge tells him to let him finish. Power that might one day even rival Apocalypse himself. And power alone might win them some battles, but it will not win the war!
He watches the days go by and sees Nate growing into a man and maybe he is being selfish… he knows Nate is destined for greater things than helping a ragtag band of rebels disguised as a theatre troupe. But he cannot meet his destiny if he is dead! Every time he uses his telepathy, he runs the risk of being discovered by Apocalypse.
Meanwhile, in the palace of Apocalypse, Cyclops informs Apocalypse that Sinister has fled and probably turned against his master. Lovely, Apocalypse replies. Cyclops “fears” Sinister has turned against Apocalypse. Why would he fear that? Isn’t that to be expected? Haven’t his teachings meant anything to him? In the Survival of the Fittest, one should expect a culling from within. Although he pities Sinister. For, alone, he’ll never pose any threat to his power. No one has the power of Apocalypse!
Apocalypse’s pet telepath, the disembodied Shadow King chimes in, states that is not necessarily the case. He is aware of an immensely powerful telepath, who each time he uses his power creates a ripple in the psionic plane like no other. Apocalypse scoffs he exaggerates and then dismisses Cyclops.
Apocalypse orders the Shadow King to tell him more, not because it is of any real consequence, but because it amuses him.
While he walks away, Cyclops muses that telepaths are rare enough as it is, but one who rivals Apocalypse’s powers might help him in his plans….
The Shadow King admits he cannot pinpoint the telepath’s location, only that he or she is in the Midwest areas and on the move. Fascinated, Apocalypse orders the Shadow King to keep him informed.
He turns to a woman dressed in tight red armor. She overheard, of course, he states. Why doesn’t she put together a band of hunters? See if she can collect this telepath? Perhaps she can convince that mutant to work for him and if he or she refuses – kill it! Love to, Boss, Domino replies with a sadistic smile.
In Kansas, a town finds itself under attack by the Infinites. The people who lived in that town had prayed that this would never happen. The cullings had stopped. Perhaps Apocalypse had seen the error of eradicating the entire human population. They had heard about other cities where humans were herded together and shipped off for “testing.” But surely those places had done something to deserve it. Surely, it could not happen here….
Amidst the chaos an old man ties to protect a young woman with a long red ponytail – Theresa Rourke – in vain. Within hours, the entire town is emptied. Theresa too is brutally thrown on a train and locked in.
Forge and Nate are watching from the bushes. Just this once, let him go with them, Nate begs. Forge orders Nate to keep out, reminding him they’ve been over this and over this. Nate’s role in this is critical enough as it is. He is to keep watch and if he scans even a hint of Infinites, he is to contact Forge over their psi-link. Under no circumstances is Nate to directly engage them. And so Forge’s group begins their attack.
The arrogant Soaron disables the train and the others free the prisoners. When the enraged Brute tries to beat up a guard, Forge holds him back, reminding his friend that beating the man for only doing his job makes them no better than Apocalypse’s hoodlums.
Toad frees the people while Mastermind keeps them from panicking by filling their minds with soothing images. Suddenly, however, an Infinites patrol intervenes and injures Soaron’s wing. The patrol threatens to overrun them, intent on killing the humans.
Watching a helpless father and child about to be butchered, Nate has had enough and unleashes his raw telekinetic powers on them. Those who witness what happens here can only watch in awe of Nate’s raw power unleashed. It is as though after hearing all their lives that no one would ever come forward from the darkness that Apocalypse had plunged them in here stands before them a ray of light.
Nate himself is actually unsure of what he’s doing but reminds himself those guys deserve it. This is a war. He doesn’t notice one Infinite sneaking up behind him.
Theresa does, though, and as she tries to warn him, her own mutant sonic powers are unleashed on the Infinite. Exhausted, she sinks into Nate’s arms.
Forge’s group has gathered and Forge orders Nate to leave the girl. They are moving out. Now. Nate demands they take her along and Forge reluctantly accedes, but he warns Nate they will talk about this later.
Later, as the two are still discussing the events and Nate’s actions on their wagon, they run into a fellow traveler, a tall, red-eyed man with a small red diamond mark on his forehead, who introduces himself as Essex and offers his help.