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House of M: Mutopia X
Ismael Ortega recounts what happened six months earlier when he forgot his gun at home as he rushed out to work. His son Esteban found the gun and accidentally shot his sister, Chamayra. Chamayra survived the gunshot wound through the quick intervention of Absolon Mercator who used his mutant power to manipulate matter to expel the bullet and seal the wound. Izzy realizes that something has gone terribly wrong in the world and this has somehow affected his daughter as well.
At the hospital, the medical teams are baffled by Chamayra’s condition. Internal bleeding and tissue damage indicates a gunshot wound but there is no pint of entry or exit wound and no foreign material. They do their best to stabilize her but are bewildered by the trauma she suffered explaining that it was as if she was shot by an invisible bullet. They share this news with her mother, Armena and her sister-in-law, Laline Ortega.
Ismael tells Gregor Smerdyakov that something is wrong with his daughter and he has to go. He remembers how Mercator saved her before and rushes off to find him. As he emerges from the subway he is shocked at the sight before him. Chaos reigns in the streets as the residents of Mutant Town react to the loss of their mutant powers and appearances. The young mutant couple known as the Juices is dumbfounded. A young woman is embedded in the asphalt having been depowered as she phased through the ground. Fliers have fallen from the sky and are dead or injured in the streets.
 As Izzy digests the scene before him he is greeted by a handsome young guy who is thrilled at the change. Ortega doesn’t recognize the guy who introduces himself as Bugman, the green mutant with antennae and razor-like teeth who was part of the Tunnel Rats that Ortega and Bishop encountered a few weeks earlier. Bugman is relieved to look human and have movie star good looks and declares that he’s going to the nearest singles bar to get himself laid!
Izzy’s shock is interrupted by Nancy, his former partner who calls out to him from a patrol car. He tells her that his daughter is in the hospital and she agrees to drive him. He asks her to stop at McCarthy Avenue first and then asks what’s happening. She says they don’t know for sure but that the mutants seem to have lost their powers.
Izzy runs up to Mr. M’s apartment and asks if he still has his powers. Mercator tests them out on one of the many bugs that seem to have escaped from Hanna Levy’s apartment. He transforms one into a large monstrosity and asks what it is that Officer Ortega needs.  Together, they rush to the hospital where Armena is sobbing over the lifeless body of their daughter, Chamayra. Laline turns to Izzy and tells him that he’s too late. Armena demands to know where he was while their daughter was dying. Izzy tries to explain that he went to get Absolon Mercator in the hopes that he could save Chamayra once again. Armena begs Mr. M to try. He lays his hand on Chamayra and tries but there is no effect. He says that he is sorry but last time, she was still alive and he thought he had healed her. This time, she is already gone and he cannot raise the dead. Izzy reaches out to comfort Armena but she tells him not to touch her. She says that it was a miracle they got Chamy back last time and they should have made her life perfect. Instead, he left them for another woman. She tells him to leave.
Outside, Izzy tries to talk with his sister who reiterates that he has royally screwed up this time. He asks where Esteban is and wants to go tell him what’s happened but Laline thinks he should stay away until Armena is ready to talk with him. Izzy is concerned that Esteban will think that this was his fault and that they should lie to him and claim it was a brain tumor or something. Laline gives Izzy a look that says that no one blames Esteban… they blame him. She turns and walks away. Mr. M asks Izzy if he has somewhere to go and Izzy says that he does.
He goes to Lara the Illusionist and begs her to help him see his daughter one last time using her powers. But Lara has lost her mutant powers of illusion. She tries to comfort him but tells him that even if she had her powers, she couldn’t. He turns and leaves. Izzy goes back to the subways with Gregor and places his gun in his mouth. He is interrupted by the arrival of Bishop. Bishop notes that Gregor isn’t looking too good. Izzy thinks his roots have grown into the sewers and the water is poisoning him. He tells Bishop that he can’t stop him. Bishop says he wasn’t planning to but could in a dozen different ways if he wanted to. He demonstrates by using microwaves to heat the gun up and forcing Izzy to drop it. This confirms to Izzy that Bishop is still a mutant.
Bishop lets him know that the gun will be cooled off in a matter of minutes if he still plans on using it. Bishop takes these minutes to tell Izzy how he’s lost his entire family and now spends his time with others who spend their lives fighting. He tells Izzy that he likes him and Armena and Esteban and would give anything to have a family like his. He tells Izzy that Armena sent him to find her husband and bring him back and that if he goes through with this, he’ll destroy them. He tells him to do what he has to do but that he plans on staying right there.
At home, Esteban is in shock over the news. There is a knock on the door and Armena answers. Bishop is there and tells her that he’s brought her husband home. She stares at Izzy for a moment and Esteban comes in and is excited to see him. They hug and Armena begins to cry. Bishop leaves and realizes his work in District X is done. He stands on a rooftop remembering Izzy’s final request: to get rid of his gun for him. Izzy declared that he never wanted to touch a gun again in his life. Using his mutant powers, Bishop melts the pistol to slag.
Esteban gets out of bed and looks at the picture he drew of his father. He walks down the hall and passes Chamayra’s room on the way to his parents’. He enters tentatively and his dad asks him what’s wrong. Armena tells him that he can sleep with them tonight. Esteban asks what happened to her sleep bubble and she tells him it went away. The family sleeps peacefully together for the first time with Esteban cradled between his parents. Bishop looks out over the rooftops and realizes that Mutant Town is gone. It wasn’t destroyed by a plague or mass murder, its citizens just stopped being mutants.
~ FIN ~


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Time Trial (1st story)
1st story:
Ancient Egypt, the Kingdom period, 11th century B.C:
A sorceress lays her cards. The first shows a woman with long dark braids. A dreamer and a drifter, a generous heart. You wish to serve as an oasis, but often feel like a mirage. You are … Duat? Dendara? No… Dah-ni!
Elsewhere, Dani Moonstar and Illyana Rasputin are teleporting through time and space. Almost there, Illyana thinks, only to find moments later that she teleported them through time as well as space.
The sorceress lays the next card. The queen of swords… and a most potent Queen you are… Ill-ah-ana. It was your soul energy that cried out to me. Strong, fierce, a perfectionist. Swept away by a rare error. A new card. Not just queen but sorceress. We travel the Shadow Path together, my pale sister.
Palace guards see them, just as Dani suggests Illyana teleport them back to Limbo and try again.
The sorceress realizes they come from thousands of years in the future. She has netted them, but is she too early or too late?
Anxiously, Illyana explains that the farther she travels the less control she has. Five thousand years can mess her up as much as five thousand miles. She may never get them home.
The white-haired blue-eyed sorceress asks the Bright Lady to let her see through her omnipotent eyes, so that truth may be revealed.
The two girls run away from the guards.
Laying a last card, the sorceress muses that the fault is not Illyana’s. There is another hand at play. Ancient. Evil.
 As they run Dani pleads for Illyana to just teleport them out. Illyana is trying but can’t. The big jaunt must have drained her psychic energies. They’re stuck until she recovers her strength.
The sorceress casts an illusion and asks the two girls into her home to hide from their persecutors. She promises help and to restore harmony, before darkness and chaos overwhelm them all.
She explains that the guards will chase false images of the girls she created. Ororo? Illyana asks, for the sorceress bears an uncanny likeness to the X-Men’s leader. She introduces herself as Ashake. An ancestor of Ororo’s. She’s pleased to learn that in the girl’s future the line of her blood yet runs true. In her descendant’s name, she bids them welcome. As she pours them something to drink, Dani marvels that Ashake speaks English. Great Ma’at who drew her to them lets them understand each other’s tongues, Ashake explains and offers them time to rest. They shall talk later.
Later, while Dani is sleeping, a curious Illyana asks what the crouching Ashake is doing. Trying to read the future, the sorceress explains. The sorceresses of her line have different strengths and foresight is not her specialty. She has created… aids to compensate for her weakness, images painted on pieces of bone. They help her understand the influences that shape their lives… Nu of the primordial waters, Amun who rules air and the invisible, Hauhet whose influence is space and visible matter. And Keku, whose domain is darkness and chaos.
They’re Tarot cards, sort of, Illyana realizes. In her time, they are paper and the images look different. They reflect her era, Ashake remarks. But like the movement in stars and tides, they continue to reveal the patterns of one’s lives.
But Ashake doesn’t need to Tarot to learn about them, Illyana points out. She can just look into their minds and know. Ashake admits that while she can see into Dani’s mind Illyana’s is closed to her. She gets that a lot, Illyana remarks. And she prefers it that way, Ashake points out.
Swords mark her as one loyal to Ashake’s patroness, Ma’at, grey goddess of balance and order as she looks at the cards. She rules but her kingdom is a barren one. In Limbo, the barren realm we she grew up and learned her sorcery she is all-powerful, Illyana states. But on Earth, her magic manifests in just two ways. And both are dark and dangerous.
Looking at another sword card, Ashake remarks that Illyana has learned hard lessons in her life. She believes she can only trust herself.
Her teacher was a fiend named Belasco, Illyana explains.  And when she trusts herself, she trusts the monster he made of her.
She draws anther sword card. She knows things, she insists. She’s done things that would horrify Ashake. She’s blighted… doomed. She fights it, but in the end her past will destroy her future. Only if she would have it so, Ashake tells her.
The eye of Ra appears in front of her, as she sees a danger, not of Illyana’s time but of hers: the sorcerer Heka-Nut! Heck-a-what? Illyana asks puzzled. Heka-Nut is ancient and powerful, Ashake explains. He corrupts the souls of the living and commands the dead. Been there, seen that, Illyana replies unimpressed. Ashake weaves a concealment spell around Dani. She adds that she gave her a sleep draught. She needed rest and they needed privacy to speak. She miscalculated the immediacy of the danger.
Mummies appear. Ashake wards them off with a spell. She explains that these are Heka-Nut’s minions. She goes on to relate that once Heka-Nut glittered like the stars, young , brilliant, chosen to act as intermediary between the four primal gods. He served them faithfully for a thousand yeas until Keku, whose domain is darkness and chaos, tempted Heka-Nut and broke him.
Illyana realiezes that Ashake’s shield won’t hold for much longer. She tries to summon a teleportation disc and fails. Still too tired. On to plan B. She summons her Soulsword. She attacks the mummies with the sword that can disrupt any spell or any magic. What does Heka-nut want with them anyway? she asks. Ashake explains that in his madness he spent the last thousand years trying to seize a weapon called the Sword of Bone. It is said no one can stand against it.
A human guard grabs her and Illyana is once again reminded that her weapon doesn’t work on real stuff. Another one hits her from behind and Illyana passes out.
They awake shackled to each other by magical ties on a boat. Heka-Nut addresses Ashake, considering their situation amusing. Because she tried to snatch this young sorceress away from him as she tumbled through the timerace she has fallen with her into his hands. Did she not fear his power? She would be a fool not to, Ashake replies. But she could not ransom this child to a monster who uses her as his cat’s paw.
Angrily, Illyana speaks up. She’s no child and she in no one’s pawn. As she manifests her Soulsword, Ashake screams in pain, but insists Illyana should fight and not let this stir her. Amused Heka-Nut explains that Illyana’s attempt to escape causes Ashake agony. If she defies him longer that three breaths, the pain will kill her.
Illyana angrily admits that he wins for now. What does he want with her? Heka-Nut remarks that her spirit is indomitable. He draws soul energy from Illyana’s body. Before that demonstration of power, he would have been content to simply use her. Now he will take her soul and make it his own. But he fail as he realizes that her soul is corrupted already and bound elsewhere.
Then he shall take Ashake’s soul. To ruin a spirit so pure... He draws Ashake’s soul energy to himself. Illyana shouts that she’ll do anything, as long as he doesn’t destroy the other woman.
She explains to Ashake that, in Limbo, she murdered a version of Ashake’s descendant, Ororo. She was kind to Illyana. She taught her and in the end she begged Illyana to kill her … to release her soul before Illyana’s master could corrupt it. She was a child. She couldn’t save her, but she will save Ashake.
Still holding Ashake’s soul, Heka-Nut and his mummy guards lead them up a steep mountain path. The dark wizard explains that, for five hundred, years he sought the Sword of Bone – a weapon of such burning power that it is one of the four corner stones of creation. He points to an ornate entrance. He found it here, hidden by an enchantment in the Valley of the Kings. For centuries more, he fought through traps and spells and still his prize eludes him. He grows… impatient.
He orders them on to enter the crypt and bring him the sword. Ashake scoffs. He can’t honestly believe this girl will succeed. If she can’t they are both lost, the villain replies. Ashake will accompany Illyana. She will act as her guide and help her as much as she can. And her soul? the mutant asks. Remains with him as hostage, he replies. If they bring him the Sword of Bone, he will return Ashake’s soul. Intact? Uncorrupted? Illyana insists. And he will set her free? Heka-Nut gives her his word and adds as a warning that he will be watching through Ashake’s eyes. If they betray him, in an instant Ashake will become his creature, body and soul.
In the tomb, Ashake casts a light spell while Illyana grimly predicts that he won’t release her willingly. But they’ve bought time. She promises in the end Ashake will be free of him. As her other descendant, the Ororo in Illyana’s Limbo, was free? Ashake asks. It won’t come to that, Illyana promises. She’s older now. She’ll find a way.
Hours later, the two women have ventured deeply into the crypt when they hear a noise. A trap. Sand is released, falling onto them. Illyana considers their options. She might be able to teleport them but that means going through Limbo. And Heka-Nut’s watching. He’ll see them leave. Ashake casts an illusion to trick him for a while. She asks Illyana to hurry.
Illyana concentrates and manages to teleport them to Limbo, a barren wasteland. Lizardlike demons run away when they seem them. It may not look like much, Illyana remarks, but it’s home. And she’s got a few things lying around. She manifest her scrying glass to peer inside the crypt, so they can see where they need to go. That way she can lea how and where the Sword of Bone is hidden. She adds that time is different there. No matter how much time they are spending in Limbo, she’ll be able to return them to almost exactly the time they left. Heka-Nut won’t even realize they’ve been gone.
Illyana finds the room they need to go to. Circumventing the next zillion traps, she directly teleports them to that chamber. Ashake remarks that Heka-Nut was right to pull Illyana there to this time and place. She really can bring him the Sword of Bone. He was wrong, Illyana replies, because she’ll make him pay. Big-time. The minute Ashake’s soul is free, he’ll pay!
Suddenly, a giant cobra appears before them, ready to strike. Illyana realizes she shouldn’t have been in such a hurry. She should have known it wouldn’t be that easy. She manifests her Soulsword, slicing through the serpent, only to find it didn’t work. Instead, there are suddenly two snakes. Ashake explains that the creature is protected by a doubling spell. When her sword broke the first enchantment, the second enchantment was unleashed. Illyana realizes that, for every snake she destroys, two more will take its place until they are overwhelmed or driven back to Limbo.
Surely they cannot have come so far to be driven back, Ashake replies in despair, imploring her goddess Ma’at for help. Suddenly, a ghostly sphinx appears with the body of a lion and the head of a crocodile. Ashake advises Illyana not to strike. The Sphinx Ammut serves the goddess Ma’at. Their quest has won Ma’at’s favor and she has sent her servant to aid them. Why would Ma’at favor giving Heka-Nut this weapon? Illyana wonders. Ashake admit she’s right; in the hands of Heka-Nut chaos will weaken all. But Ma’at is wise. They must believe she has a plan.
Ammut traps the snakes and Ashake thanks the sphinx. She thought the sphinx asked riddles, Illyana remarks. She does, almost always, Ashake agrees. But this time Ma’at has bid her great servant to solve the riddle for them. The serpents are pinned but the two women still have to evade their tail.
Having found the skeleton, Illyana doesn’t see a sword. The bone is the sword, Ashake explains. It is hidden within a final enchantment. Illyana touches a swordshaped bone asking if this is it. Ashake explains that for the untrained eye it is just a bone. Only the pure of soul can call forth its power. Almost insulted, Illyana withdraws her hand, telling Ashake to help herself. She already has a sword.
Ashake takes up the bone and it turns to an energy sword in her hand.
Another jaunt through Limbo later and they are outside again. Illyana reminds Heka-Nut of their deal. He lied, the dark wizard admits. Surely they don’t think he’d toss away the tool that has delivered the Sword of Bone into his hand? Ashake will become his finest slave while Illyana will be the first of many to be devoured by this sword’s burning blade.
Ashake hands him the word, but in his corrupt hands it once more turns into a bone. What trick is this? he asks, confused. No trickery, Illyana replies, as she manifests her Soulsword and strikes at him. What he sees is what he gets.
Heka-Nut screams in agony and lets go of Ashake’s soul energy. Ashake takes up the bone, which transforms into the sword again. Illyana tells her it’s her right to kill him for what he tried to do to her. She urges Ashake to use the Sword of Bone and rid the world of this filth forever! Or say the word and Illyana will summon a legion of demons to tear him apart.
Ashake holds Illyana away. Heka-Nut was a vessel of untold power and he has lost it all. His once brilliant mind is shattered. Should the urn be blamed for an inherent flaw, or is the true fault in its maker?
As Heka-Nut stammers that he has failed them, Illyana understands that the power the gods gave him was too much for him to handle; it corrupted him utterly. It could happen to… anyone.
But the power is still there, all-devouring. It wants a vessel. Ashake can feel it too; it is too dark and dangerous to remain in the world. Great Ma’at has sent this urn that it may be sealed away. What will she do with it? Illyana asks. Hide it as great Ma’at commands. It is a vessel of terrifying power. But she’ll keep the Sword of Bone, Illyana assumes. No, then she would be tempted to use it and that too would shift the balance in this world. No, they will return the Sword of Bone to its crypt.
The two women teleport back, return the sword and free the snake guardians. As they return to Ashake’s home, Illyana decides that Dani needn’t know any of that stuff happened, does she? She crouches in front of the Tarot set as she explains that Dani would think they kept her out of it on purpose. It’ll just tick her off. And she already has enough to deal with. Ashake complies.
She sees that Illyana will soon face a time of great turmoil… of evil and temptation. Story of her life, Illyana agrees with a thin smile, as she takes up a card that signifies the world. With a smile herself, Ashake tells Illyana that, in the end, she will choose the right path as she did today.
And soon Ashake sends the two girls on their way, wishing them farewell.


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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
Birth of a Witch
Years ago, in Eastern Europe...
'Hurry!' young Wanda Maximoff calls out as she rushes through a dense forest, scarlet cape flowing behind her, she carries a basket, while her twin brother, Pietro, hair of silver looks over his shoulder, while calling out to Wanda to slow down. Several feet ahead of her brother, Wanda tells him to come on, as she can hear it. 'I don't want to take the shortcut again!' Pietro exclaims, while a wolf rushes behind them. 'You are sure the girl was the one we want?' a voice asks. 'Yes. She and her brother would have been gone for the whole day, but I sent them back to the place they call home for now' a second voice responds, while the wolf watches as the twins clear the forest and approach a small settlement. 'Ah! I told you we'd be okay!' Wanda tells her brother.
'Not an easy thing to determine with gypsies, Maria' the wolf declares, eyes glowing green. 'I should say not' the scantily clad Maria responds as she pets the wolf on its head. She calls the wolf Gregor and thanks him for this help. She declares that now the young lady will meet Lilia, and they will invite her to join their exclusive society. Maria kneels down and removes a pendant that hangs around Gregor's neck. The wolf makes a strange noise, and she apologizes to him, adding that she didn't mean to leave the lunar pendant on him any longer than need be. She casts a spell, and as she removes the pendant, declares that this is her favorite part. 'When you can't be as modest as usual' Maria points out as Gregor transforms into a man.
He stands naked before Maria, while the ram-horned Margali Szardos of the Winding Way approaches them, 'I expect despicable occult acts here, but bestiality?' she asks. 'Margali! I thought you were in the study!' Marie exclaims, nervously. 'Glad you can make light of my family curse' Gregor tells Margali, who asks 'Curse?' and points out that only a non-sorcerer would consider lycanthropy a curse. She gives him a blanket to put around him, and tells him that she sees that thanks to his wife, he has taken some steps to make use of it rather than being at the whims of the lunar cycle, before asking 'Where is the girl?' Maria informs Margali that they should be seeing her soon, and that she will now receive a summons.
'Papa! Papa! A wolf was chasing us!' Wanda exclaims as she rushes over to her father who is working at a mill. 'A wolf -' Pietro begins, but Django Maximoff tells his children that the miller he is working for is most generous to let them stay on his land and give him work, but they need to be quiet so he doesn't regret that decision.
'Mama! We saw a big wolf!' Wanda tells Marya Maximoff as she approaches her children. 'Yes, I heard' Marya replies, before informing Wanda that she needs to come with her. 'Can I come too?' Pietro asks, raising his hand. Marya touches Pietro's head and tells him that this is just an errand for Wanda. 'What errand?' Django enquires. Marya tells him that Lilia Calderu is in the valley. 'The Gypsy Queen? What does she want with Wanda?' Django enquires, while Wanda eyes her parents curiously. Making their way, Marya replies that she doesn't know, but that they cannot refuse her without risking trouble with the clan. 'She says she has an offer to make' Marya adds. 'Am I going to meet the Gypsy Queen? I didn't know she was real!' Wanda exclaims.
Several kilometers later, a mini-bus of tourists have come to a stop near where several gypsy caravans are set out. The gypsies go about their business while the tourists watch them, cameras ready. 'It's like looking back in time!' one of them exclaims. 'Show them your instant camera, Elsie. Maybe they'll think you're a god!' another tourist jokes. The guide informs the tourists that the gypsy folk of this region have changed little in three hundred years. 'Mind your valuables, please' they add. Marya pulls Wanda along towards the gypsies, and Wanda notices the tourists. She wonders why those people are staring at them. 'Because they have not seen such beauty in their cities' Marya replies, before telling Wanda to come along. 'There's the Witch Queen'.  A rotund tourists stands before a haggard old woman with a missing eye and several missing teeth. He drops a coin into a pot next to the old woman and asks 'Will this guarantee me a good life, grandmum? Or at least not get the evil eye put on me? 'You will have a very prosperous life, sir... before dying of testicular cancer like your father. Good day' the old woman announces, looking up from a bowl of dark liquid.
'Now, as I told you' Marya whispers to Wanda. 'Honors of the mountain, Gypsy Queen. Blessings of the river. Glory of the moon' Wanda tells the old woman as she bows before her, while the large man shambles up to the other tourists. Her broken face grins back at Wanda as the old woman replies 'Glory of the moon upon you, Wanda Maximoff. Your mother must go now. Come inside, dear'.
Wanda enters the caravan, followed by the Gypsy Queen, who asks the young girl if she would like tea, and whether she has ever had Turkish coffee. 'Oh, anything is fine for me, my Queen' Wanda replies, and as she looks around at the strange objects in the caravan, she turns back to the Gypsy Queen – who is no longer an old haggard woman, but a young woman, who wears a serpent crown on her head. 'OH!' Wanda exclaims, surprised. 'Please. You can call me Lilia' the Gypsy Queen tells Wanda, before reminding her never to let others see her as she truly is. Lilia taps on the window which leads to the front of the caravan, 'Niklas? Please take us to Castle Russoff' she instructs him. 'Yes, my Queen' Niklas replies as he sets the horses in motion, they pull the caravan behind them, and Wanda asks 'Russoff? You know state royals?'
Lilia informs Wanda that she is part of an exclusive group, and that Wanda could be, too. She adds that the Witch Queen of the gypsies has many connections and many duties.
'That's the largest book I've ever seen!' Wanda declares as she looks at a book, which Lilia explains is also the most useful, and that keeping the Book of Cagliostro is just one of those many duties. Looking at a page in the book, Lilia adds that she is actually from a family of such tome-keepers.
Meanwhile, at that moment in Morocco, another large book is read under candlelight, when suddenly, 'TABOO!' a voice booms. The man reading the book turns and addresses the warrior who approaches him, holding a surprised head in one of his hand, clutching his sword with the other. 'Ah, Damballah. I see you got my invitation. Welcome to my mosque' Taboo smirks. 'You dare kill my most faithful acolyte? Devils will tear your flesh for months!' Damballah warns Taboo, who raises a hand and casts a spell, declaring that he has done many things worthy of being tortured to death, but he doesn't think defacing a gourd should qualify. Damballah is surprised as the head he is holding suddenly reverts to the small vase, with a smiley-face drawn on it. Damballah angrily asks Taboo if he is in the throes of madness. 'Damballah is not to be tricked with parlor magic!' he warns Taboo, while the large snake that is draped around his body and across his shoulders hisses at Taboo. 'I require your help' Taboo explains.
'And this is how you ask?' the muscular Damballah declares as he easily lifts Taboo up into the air with one arm, wrapped around the older man's throat. Taboo admits that he is not a master of social graces, and as he looks at Damballah's large sword, raised towards him, he asks 'Before you behead me and defile my corpse, may I state my case?' Damballah lets Taboo fall to the ground and tells him to state it. Taboo rubs his neck, and asks Damballah to come to his observatory. They step out onto the balcony which overlooks the city, and Taboo explains that this concerns a meeting held two days ago, thousands of miles away. 'Avoid the torches, please' Taboo adds. 'What tor-' Damballah starts to ask, when suddenly flares rise up on the balcony, illuminating the observatory in a pink glow. 'Now, we will see as if we were there' Illusions appear before them, and Damballah declares that it is a witches' coven. 'The most powerful in Europe. Listen' Taboo tells him.
Three witches stand around a cauldron where scarlet energy rises before them. 'Look, and see what she will become. She straddles the worlds of magic and science. It will eventually give her access to such power as we can barely imagine. Now let us concentrate on the gypsy girl' one of the women declares, their hands connected, they concentrate on the gypsy girl and the energy rising before them.
As they watch the illusion, Tatoo points to each of the women, and informs Damballah who they are. 'That one is Lilia Calderu, Witch-Queen of the gypsies – and my niece, as it happens'. He points to the ram-horn wearing Margali Szardos, a disciple of the Winding Way, and Maria Russoff, Baroness of this castle in Wundagore.
'I can see her...  there!' Maria utters, as the scarlet energy forms an image of the gypsy girl – as an adult – the Scarlet Witch. Lilia declares that she will be able to change the world with a wish, and her power will manifest in two days, for her divinations with the Book of Cagliostro have foretold it. 'I do not believe it!' one of the women gasps.
Damballah raises his sword to Tatoo's neck and tells him that he does not see why he should let him live, or how this concerns him. 'The former because I am a harmless old fakir. The latter, well...look closer at the Gypsy Witch, my friend' Tatoo replies. 'The Serpent Crown!' Damballah exclaims as he sees the crown upon Lilia's head. 'Yes. I don't suppose as a serpent mystic that would be of any interest to you?' Tatoo enquires. 'The Serpent Crown does not lie!' Lilia tells the other witches, while Damballah declares that his power would be unmatched. Maria remarks that the Serpent Crown doesn't lie, but that it shows them what they want to see, always. 'You feel in control, but it is always the master of the host' and instructs Lilia to take it off. Damballah reaches out ot the illusion of Lilia, who exclaims 'NEVER! I – you're jealous of my possession of it. There will be no more wearers beyond me!' She looks into a mirror, and Margali puts a hand on her shoulders, 'Do you hear yourself, Lilia? You can't let it control you!' Margali tells her. Lilia reveals that she found a one-time incantation that would being the Crown to her, and that it was trapped, in a frozen place, so alone. 'We'll find the girl. Now take the Crown off' Maria tells her.
The illusion vanishes and the pink lights die out. 'And that is what was shown to me' Taboo tells Damballah, asking him if he knows the maker of the Crown. 'Of course! Set, great God of Chaos!' Damballah declares, asking if he is being primered in sorcerery like a child. 'No. But I am showing you how the battlefield divides' Taboo explains, before beckoning Damballah down a spiral staircase, back towards his study, where he tells him there is a face on the wall, and asks Damballah if he recognized it. Damballah lets his snake fall to the floor, and he tells Taboo that it is a visage of the Dark Elder, Chthon. 'Yes. And this book is his bible. The Darkhold' Taboo reveals, holding the large book. Taboo explains that he is the book's keeper, and with the knowledge he holds, comes many responsibilities to Chtthon. 'Should I ignore those trusts, he visits me in my dreams. I do not like those dreams' Taboo remarks.
Taboo continues, stating that once he saw that, he knew what Chthon wanted of him – for if the girl joins the coven, she would ultimately be in the service of Set. 'We cannot allow that to happen. She is special to Chthon' Taboo explains. Damballah asks Taboo how he came to think of him as an ally, to which Taboo boasts that he is the equal, or, dare he say it, the better, of each witch, but he is outnumbered, and that Damballah's power ultimately derives from Set, so once he is near the Crown, his magic will grow, uncoiled. A portal opens in the room, and both men start to walk into it. 'It is worth the battle. How are their skills?' Damballah enquires. Taboo replies that they are formidable, but still, they are European witches and all of their defenses lie in carefully worked hexes and spells for foes they would expect. 'They have never encountered anything like you' Taboo assures Damballah, asking him if he is ready. Damballah replies that he does not fear the challenge, but that he does not trust Taboo. 'You can completely trust me' Taboo replies, and as the portal closes, the case with a smiley face vanishes, and is replaced by the severed head of Damballah's faithfullfollower.
The Castle Russoff:
Maria Russoff and Margali Szardos walk alongside Wanda, who looks around the glorious corridor and declares that she has never been anywhere like this. 'What is it like to live here, Mrs Russoff?' she enquires. 'I could tell you... or you could find out for yourself' Maria replies. 'Live... here? Oh, no. My family, I -' Wanda begins, to which Maria assures Wanda that her family would be welcome, for the large cottage in the back is rarely used. 'You needn't live anymore in a cramped caravan. You're all welcome here' Maria announces. 'Really? I don't understand. Do you want me to work for you?' Wanda asks, as Maria touches her face. 'No, dear, we want you to join us' Lilia announces as she emerges from one of the paintings on the wall, surprising the others. She apologizes for excusing herself earlier, explaining that she had to let her latest suitor, Baron Mordo, know she couldn't see him today. 'I didn't tell you that was a portal painting' Maria declares. 'It's obvious to the wearer of the Crown. You wouldn't deny its use to one of the coven, would you?' Lilia replies, while Margali crouches beside Wanda and tells her to never forget that she can only trust the power that comes from within her. 'Magic from anywhere else always serves the purpose of another'.
'I think there's a mistake. I'm not a witch' Wanda announces. Maria starts to cast a spell which wraps around the four women, and tells Wanda that there is no mistake, before they are transported to the courtyard.
'Showoff. She can only transport within these grounds, Wanda. Don't be impressed' Lilia mutters. 'Oh!' Wanda gasps, while Gregory Russoff standing nearby asks, 'Ladies, is it already time?'
Margali declares that tonight the coven will add a new member. Wanda looks up at the women, 'But – I don't – please, I -' she begins, but  Maria tells her that divinations show that tonight her ability will manifest, and explains that they are making her a very rare offer. 'You can shed the skin of ordinary life. We'll show you a world of wonders' Lilia adds. 'No one will be -' Maria begins, when she looks up and realizes there are no storm clouds, but red energy glows above them. 'Are you doing that?' she snaps at Margali, who replies that she is not.
Suddenly, a portal opens. 'TABOO!' Lilia exclaims as Taboo and Damballah emerge from the portal. 'Hello, Lilia. We're not interrupting anything, are we?' Taboo asks.
Lilia remarks that if her uncle is here, then more is going on than they know. 'This is sacred coven ground, you may not pass!' Maria declares, while Margali stands with the frightened Wanda. Wide-eyed, Damballah remarks to Taboo that this is strange for him, for he is used to fighting crocodile gods, not beautiful women. 'Very... beautiful women' he adds, mesmerized. Taboo explains to Damballah that they routinely keep entrancement charms going, so he should not succumb to them. 'Just remember: witches are like overripe wine. Very potent in early years, but it ages horribly'. He then points at Lilia and tells her that she and her littermates are up to machinations. 'We are here to rescue the young lady from your clutches' he explains. 'Uncle, stay out of this! You really want my book, don't you!' Lilia declares, creating a large magical hand which she extends to ht her uncle. 'Another? Forfend! I am trying to rid myself of my own book!' Taboo replies.
'The Crown is mine!' Damballah declares as he reaches out and tries to pull it from Lilia's head. 'No! It will never come off!' Liliah exclaims. 'Then your head will!' Damballah warns her, reading his sword, while Lilia screams. Maria reaches into a pouch and pulls several small bones from it. She casts a spell and tosses the bones towards Damballa. The bones then grow into large skeletons which rise from the ground. 'This does not go to plan!' Taboo utters, nervously, while Damballah growls and raises his swords to the man skeletons now attacking him. 'Summon all the dwad you wish!' Damballah tells Maria as he cuts through them with ease. 'You shall see...' he starts to say, while Gregory puts the pendant over his neck, and Damballah's large snake seems to multiply, as one of them lurches forward to Maria, who screams. Another slithers over towards Margali, who keeps it at bay, while Wanda crouches behind her, and another moves towards Lilia. '...why Damballah is the rightful Sorcerer of Set!' Damballah declares.
Gregory's transformation is complete and in his wolfen form, he strikes out at the snake confronting Maria, biting into the snake, while another looms over Wanda, who falls backwards over one of the skeletons, 'Help me!' she screams. 'Hold tight, Wanda!' Margali tells the girl. 'Sands of time!' Margali declares, casting a spell at the snake, who vanishes – just as another wraps its jaws over Margali's head. 'No!' Wanda exclaims. The snake continues its attack on Margali, and Wanda raises a hand, energy ripples through the courtyard, stopping everyone from their battle, and the Serpent Crown suddenly rises from Lilia's head. 'What is...' Damballah utters, before a boice booms 'I... am... CHTHON!'
Margali, Lilia, Maria, Gregory, Damballah and Taboo are thrust into the air and held in energy, while Wanda looks up at them. From the Serpent Crown, the energy and voice seem to materialize, as Chthon declares that a great sorceress has awakened this night. 'With her first hex, Chthon touches your world. Chthon speaks to you... through seven hells.
Chthon speaks through his hostages now, firstly Lilia, who announces that the influence of Set will reach here no more. 'The Serpent Crown returns to the ice' Damballah declares. 'Got  too, acolyte of Set. Lest you harm my faithful charge' Margali states, and Damballah glows, before vanishing. 'Know this...' Chthon says through Gregory. '...the young witch is special to Chthon...' he adds through Maria. 'She will be loyal to no coven. I leave you with this prophecy' Chthon adds through Lilia, while Wanda looks up at them, her eyes suddenly glowing red, 'All of you will bear children of occult significance. Fear Chthon before all others' Chthon tells the sorcerers through Wanda, whose eyes stop glowing. She looks confused, then clutches her head and throat.
The witches rush over to Wanda, while Taboo remarks 'So, the Dark Master does notice my works'. Gregory goes over to Taboo, 'Then...you are the keeper of the Darkhold. Tell me... does the book mention the wolf curse?' he asks. Crownless, Lilia asks Wanda if she hurt him. 'I'm so sorry – the Crown -' she begins, but Wanda replies 'Um... no!' before asking if that demon will be appearing again.
Taboo informs Gregory that he believes the Darkhold will free him, but that there is a steep price. 'Yes?' Gregory asks. 'We will discuss it, and if you agree, meet me in Istanbul one year from now' Taboo responds. Lilia tells Wanda that it is unlikely the demon will be back, and explains he was briefly able to reach through the infinite because Wanda's powers manifested for the first time. Margali states that there is some connection, and tells Wanda that she has little choice – she must learn the art of enchantment from an accomplished witch. 'But not us. I'd sooner drown than row to that shore' Maria declares. Margali informs Wanda that she will try to contact her again, but that if she can't, then there is an American witch she should seek out. 'Harkness? Who knows if she's even alive?' Lilia asks, before going over to her uncle, Taboo, and starts pointing at him. Margali leads Wanda away and remarks that they can at least feed their one-time apprentice before they take her home. Maria and Gregory embrace, 'So that's our grand plan? Creating sorcerers by procreation?' he asks. 'Well, certainly out child would be the most powerful' Maria declares. 'Now that's a plan I can get behind' Gregory declares, holding the amulet.
Soon, Wanda runs from the caravan that has driven her home, 'Truly she will be a force. The way she interrupted all our magics with her first hex...' someone inside the caravan begins. There, Margali, Lilia and Taboo watch Wanda go, and Lilia points out that the first manifestation is always impressive with witches, and adds that she hopes Wanda can shake her bond to the Dark Master one day. 'She could. Her ability now is naturall – wait until she adds study' Margali declares, before pulling her cloak up over her rams-horn headpiece, she points out that one who could bring magic and science together would have no limits. 'But that's a far-off day. Today, she's still a child'. And with that, the caravan moves on, while Django throws Wanda into the air, she smiles with glee as Marya and Pietro gather around her.


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[Assistant]
Maker’s Mark - part 2
Brooklyn, New York
11:01 P.M. [EST]
Under the mental control of twelve-year-old mutant, Spencer Bronson, Forge is trying to kill Mystique. He hits her in the face with his metal hand. Mystique reciprocates by headbutting him.
Spencer’s father begs her to get out. His son has psychic control over any man he lays eyes on. He made him kidnap him from his mom’s place. He hates her because he can’t control women. Spencer orders the man to shut up and, at once, he obeys. Mystique shouts at the boy to let her friend go and she’ll promise not to kill him. She can’t hurt him, the boy boasts. Women are tough in stuff like Virtual Fighter but, in real, life they’re all weaker than men.
Forge grabs Mystique by the neck and throws her through a window. Angrily, she urges him to snap out of it. He’s letting some twelve-year old work him like a sock puppet. No reaction. Mystique apologizes in advance and kicks the kneecap of his leg prosthesis with all her strength. The prosthesis snaps and, as Forge lies on the ground, Mystique tells him that, over the years, she has learned his weaknesses, like the stress points of his prosthetics. She grabs the prosthesis, tears it away from his body and warns him to stay down. She hasn’t beaten a man to death with his own leg since the Carter administration. But she still remembers how …
That’s not fair, Spencer protests and absurdly orders Forge to use his finishing move. Annoyed, Mystique tells him to shut up. In the center of Forge’s artificial hand, a light appears and Mystique asks if he is gong to try some of his pathetic knockout gas on her. Instead, she is hit by an electric charge.
Mystique falls to the ground and, as she does so, takes on the looks of Professor Xavier. Forge is taken aback and she asks he wouldn’t hurt a helpless cripple, would he? Spencer protests that it’s a trick. She can change shape like the boggarts in Harry Potter.
Still playing, Xavier Mystique tells Forge she’s sorry about his leg. He knows what it’s like.
Forge manages to pull himself up with the help of a cane that comes out of his hand prosthesis. “Xavier” reminds Forge that he is his friend, but Forge hits her in the face with the claw-like end of the “cane. Without missing a beat, Mystique transforms into Storm, telling him she’s his heart.. As Forge touches her hair, she reminds him that she’s the only woman he ever truly loved. A moment later, he brutally grabs her by the neck. “Knew I should have gone with her old-school look,” Mystique swears, as she transforms into the Punk Storm Forge first fell in love with, but to no avail. Yawning, Spencer tells Forge to just kill her and Forge, not letting go of Mystique’s throat, smashes her into the wall.
Turning into her true self, Mystique tells him that it’s all right. When he comes to, he’ll feel lousy, but he shouldn’t. This isn’t his fault and she wants him to know that she loved him. Forge hesitates but still doesn’t let go. She adds with a weaker voice that he’s the only man who ever believed she could be something better. He was wrong, but she always appreciated the sentiment. Spencer orders him to go on. He can crush her. But not tonight, Forge replies, having finally come back to his senses as he lets her go.
Carefully touching her shoulder, Forge apologizes. He couldn’t stop his body from lashing out. She knows the feeling Mystique replies and decks him. She now turns to father and son Bronson. Boys are all the same, she announces. No self-control. Panicked, Spencer orders his father to stop her, but Mystique easily dispatches of him with a kick. Does he have any idea how many hours of her life she wasted searching for him, she asks.
Suddenly, she notices the sound of sirens coming closer. The neighbors must have called the cops. And if Spencer is still alive when they enter, he’ll control them. Spencer swears he’ll give up but Mystique tells him he only has one way out of this. She promises to make it quick.
Suddenly, Forge tells her to step aside and lifts up a device made of his bionic leg. The next moment the boy is caught in a cryogenic field. One of his gadgets actually worked? Mystique mocks. Forge tells her to get out. He has his government credentials, but they can’t explain her. As he looks up, she’s already one. “Leaving me. The one thing she was always good at, he whispers.
Forty minutes later, Forge walks outside the building where Mystique, in one of her disguises, is waiting for him. He explains that they are waiting for an all-female unit to pick Spencer up. He is to be enrolled in a special program up at Westchester. In Xavier’s cult, Mystique scoffs. Xavier’s school isn’t a cult, Forge corrects her. It’s an institute for gifted and, sometimes, troubled children. Xavier will teach Spencer the responsible use of his powers.
And the next thing you know he will be forced to join the X-Men, Mystique mocks. Professor X has never made anyone fight for his dream, Forge points out. Except for her, he means? Mystique replies. What would she have done, he demands. Murdered the boy? A mercy killing Mystique corrects. A mutant kid like that is going to suffer in the world. Especially after how much his human parents screwed him up. Forge points out that that’s rubbish. She just hates to admit she was wrong and mutants aren’t always the victims of “evil humans”. He’s right, Mystique states as she walks away. She does hate to admit she’s wrong. Good thing she never is …
Mystique’s safehouse, three hours later
Mystique finds Forge in the lab working on some device, apparently as restless as she. He had his dream about the perpetual motion machine again, he tells her. What’s her excuse? The toxic coffee he forced on her a few hours ago. Why is he really up? Forge asks whether she meant any of the things she said when she tried to break the boy’s hold over him. About loving him? Mystique asks ironically. He’s not really that gullible, is he? No, he knows that wasn’t true, he tells her calmly. He meant the part about appreciating him, because he thinks she can be something better.
Oh, that was definitely a lie, Mystique replies. Making quote signs in the air she adds that his unshakeable belief that she can “improve” is his most annoying quality. She can’t be any better, because she already is the best. She’s proud of the hard decisions she’s strong enough to make. Proud of what she has done for people like them. She’s perfectly happy with who she is. Everything else was just a yarn she spun to beat him.
 She didn’t beat him, Forge points out; she beat a mind-controlled zombie. Is he looking for a rematch? Mystique smirks. He could take her in one move, he replies. With one of his inventions? No, with his old shaving mirror. He holds the mirror in front of her face and Mystique violently jerks aside, unable to stand the sight. Forge continues that, over the years, he’s noticed a few of her weaknesses, too… like the fact that she never looks at her true reflection. She can’t stand the sight of he own face. If she’s so happy with who she is, why can’t she look herself in the eye? He leaves, while Mystique is just slumped on the chair, lost in thought.


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The Ghost of Asteroid M (1st story)
 Road Trip (2nd story)
 Cold Shoulder (3rd story)
 Testament (4th story)
1st story:
Utopia, home to the majority of the world’s mutant population. ‘Hey! Hey! Let us in!’ shouts the Young X-Man known as Anole, banging on a door. ‘Uh, kids, we’re kind of busy in here, so -’ the Beast declares as he answers the door, and sees Anole, Loa and Rockslide standing outside. ‘But it’s Mercury! She went missing in the caves!’ Anole exclaims. ‘The ghost got her!’ Loa adds. ‘The ghost. Uh-huh’ Wolverine mutters as Anole, Loa and Rockslide push their way into the control room, where Iceman, Cyclops and the White Queen are also working. ‘It’s serious! He lives in the tunnels! They go for miles. All through the island!’ Anole explains.
Loa adds that they have seen something moving down there. The White Queen assures the kids that the psi-sweeps were clear. ‘There’s nothing down there’ she declares, while Cyclops announces that they do not have time for this. ‘These trade negotiations need all our attention’ he exclaims. ‘I’ll go’ a voice booms. Anole and the other kids turn and look - ‘Negotiations were never my forte!’ exclaims Magneto!
Moments later, Anole and Loa walk behind Rockslide as the trio follow Magneto through a dark cavern. ‘Magneto’s a good guy now. We can totally trust him. Totally’ Rockslide assures his friends, before telling them to stop pushing him. Magneto turns back to the Young X-Men: ‘Tell me…this fiend of yours: it eats children, I suppose?’ he asks. ‘Uh -’ Rockslide utters. ‘Have you tried giving it one?’ Magneto asks. ‘Oh, nobody important, of course. Some squealing sapiens brat ought to do it’ Magneto declares, telling the X-kids that nothing gets rid of monsters like giving them what they want. ‘Is…is he serious?’ Loa asks quietly. Magneto turns away and chuckles to himself.
Holding torches so they can see, Rockslide calls out to Magneto, ‘Uh…it’s this way, man. It’s kind of a maze, so stick close or -’ he begins, before Magneto uses his powers to knock a wall away. ‘Shortcut!’ he tells the three young mutants.
Soon, ‘Oh dear’ Anole gasps as he and the others arrive in another part of the cavern, where several Sentinels are residing. ‘Trespassers!’ one of them booms. ‘Surrender or d - surrender or d - surrender or d -’ another remarks, clearly not functioning correctly. ‘Kill kill kill’ another declares. ‘This is your old stuff?’ Rockslide asks. ‘It rather seems that way, yes. How careless…I’d quite forgotten they were here!’ Magneto admits casually. The Young X-Men begin engaging the defective Sentinels. ‘Well…maybe you wanna lend a hand, huh, now you’ve remembered?’ Anole asks. ‘As a matter of fact…I’d rather not’ Magneto tells him.
Rockslide exclaims that this is a trap. ‘The old dude laid a #$%&#$% trap! I totally said we couldn’t trust him!’ ‘Trust doesn’t enter into it, child’ Magneto replies, telling the youngsters that he has spent long enough fighting their elders to value the strength of their allegiance. ‘You, on the other hand, are the heirs to the future…it’s not unreasonable, I think, to put you through your paces’ Magneto tells them.
Anole, Loa and Rockslide stop battling the Sentinels. Anole pauses, before exclaiming ‘#$%& that!’ The trio stare at Magneto, ‘Good…attitude as well as ability’ the Master of Magnetism remarks. ‘A mutant should never suffer himself to be controlled, children. We’re better than that’ Magneto declares, before exclaiming ‘Deactivate’. The Sentinels do not respond, however. ‘Kill kill kill’ one of them shouts. ‘Voice command not rec - voice command not rec -’ another states. Magneto looks at them, puzzled.
‘Ha! Not so cocky now!’ Rockslide exclaims. ‘Should we help him?’ Loa asks nervously. ‘”As a matter of fact…I’d rather not”!’ Anole laughs, pointing at Magneto. The Master of Magnetism snaps his fingers, and the Sentinels crumble to the ground. ‘This way’ he tells the Young X-Men, who continue to follow him through the tunnel.
Shortly, as they make their way down another cavern, shards of metal begin flicking forward. ‘Uh…Mister Magneto, Sir? Are you doing this?’ Loa asks. ‘No’ Magneto replies. ‘Oh God!’ Rockslide exclaims. ‘What is it?’ Anole asks as they enter another part of the cavern, where a large blue orb sits in the center of the room, bits of metal clanging against it. ‘Old toys’ Magneto replies. The orb breaks, and Mercury falls from It, in liquid metal form. ‘Mercury!’ Loa cries out as she rushes over to her. ‘My feet were in my brain…’ Mercury exclaims. ‘Here’s your ghost, children’ Magneto announces.
‘Chewed cables and antique apparatus. Nothing grows old so fast as the furniture’. Mercury rushes over to Magneto and tells him that she saw something - something alive. ‘Don’t be ridi-’ Magneto begins, before noticing something else in the room. He pauses, before telling the youngsters to leave. ‘Hey!’ Mercury shouts. ‘But -’ Rockslide begins to protest. ‘No arguments. You can totally trust me, remember?’ Magneto exclaims as he magnetically pushes the Young X-Men out of the chamber, and seals the door behind them.
‘Welcome. If this message has been triggered, the security systems of Asteroid M have been compromised. In all probability I am dead. I don’t intend to let that rob me of the last word’ a holographic recording of Magneto, sitting on the throne, announces. ‘I remember you, boy…’ the real Magneto remarks as he walks over to the hologram. ‘I wonder who you are, to have slain the Master of Magnetism’ the recording remarks. ‘An oppressor, perhaps? An enemy of mutantkind? Or just some tawdry apologist, seeking puerile equality?’
The hologram announces that, whoever they are, they will not succeed. ‘The lion shall not lie down with the lamb. The oppressed shall never embrace the oppressor. Crush us or die at our feed, the credo remains!’ ‘”No compromise”!’ Magneto exclaims in unison with the hologram of his younger self. ‘There is no future in integration. Whether I live or die…and whether we must wade through blood to reach it…mutantkind will find its Eden’ the hologram booms. Magneto turns away, and the recording begins once more: ‘Welcome. If this message has been triggered, th-’. Magneto uses his powers to then shut the recording down.
‘There! There he is!’ Loa exclaims as Magneto approaches the Young X-Men. ‘What was that thing?’ Anole asks. ‘Oh…just as you thought. A sad old ghost’ Magneto replies. ‘But...It’s just gone? How did you get rid of it?’ Anole asks. ‘The very way I said I would’ Magneto replies as they make their way out onto a ridge that overlooks Utopia. ‘By giving it what it wanted’.
2nd story:
Kurt “Nightcrawler” Wagner bids Cyclops good morning over a payphone outside a gas station. Kurt tells Scott that he wanted to let him know that he and Wolverine successfully retrieved Mr MacGuffin’s generous donation and are starting the long drive home. ‘No, he wants a mutant. He said his own lifestyle made him “sympathetic to our persecution”’ Kurt explains, adding that the drive is fine, and that given the current enmity between mutant kind and the US law enforcement, it is best that these trips keep a low profile. Kurt notices Wolverine inside the gas fighting with two men inside, and quickly tells Scott that he will call him later, before hanging up, as Wolverine throws one of the men through a window.
‘Sorry about the delay. Got into a thoughtful exchange about the current political climate’ Wolverine a.k.a. Logan explains to his good friend as they make their way to the gas tanker nearby. ‘Ready to hit the road?’ Wolverine asks. ‘Ja. Let’s’ Kurt replies.
As the two long-time X-Men make their way back to Utopia: ‘Want to play some Spider-Man ad libs?’ Kurt asks. ‘I specifically don’t’ Wolverine tells him.
Later, at a row of urinals: ‘I got one. Psylocke or Domino?’ Logan asks. ‘British or Japanese Psylocke’ Nightcrawler replies.
They take a quick break to look at a strange rabbit like creature with antlers.
‘Who was Paul Bunyan, again?’ Nightcrawler asks as he teleports on to the axe of a large replica statue of Paul Bunyan. ‘Old-school mutant. But they skip that part, usually’ Logan replies as they refuel the tanker at another gas station.
Later in the truck, the duo listen to Ira Glass of the This American Life program on the radio. ‘Each week on our program we choose a theme…’. Logan notices Kurt staring out the window, and asks him ‘What gives?’. ‘Hmmm?’ Kurt mumbles. ‘I know when something’s bothering you. This whole time, you’ve either been sulking…or yammering on about everything except whatever’s bothering you’ Logan declares. ‘so, like I said, what gives?’ Kurt doesn’t respond, so Logan calls out to him by his nickname: ‘Elf…?’ Kurt looks down, before looking up at Logan and asks him if he thinks they are doing the right thing.
‘Who’s we?’ Logan asks. ‘Us. The X-Men’ Kurt replies. ‘We’ve taken almost all of mutant kind and segregated ourselves from humanity. In a fortress that used to be Magneto’s. With Magneto. I mean, with all due love and respect for Scott Summers, this is not the dream we’d always fought for’ Kurt declares, adding that in fact, it is a lot like they one they fought against. Logan looks at Kurt, and tells him that the world is a different place than when they started. ‘And while it’s good to have dreams…you still have to wake up to the real world, eventually’.
Crows fly overhead as Logan drives the tanker past a dead animal lying on the road. ‘It ain’t about mutants striving for some best-case scenario anymore. Now it’s just about survival’. Logan reminds Kurt that they have been put in one awful situation after another. ‘All the calls Scotty’s had to make were tough ones. But he took the worst situation we’ve ever been in…and put us in a place where we could stand on our own’. Logan points out that Cyclops has got mutants more unified than ever. ‘We’re finally in a defensible strong-hold, and no humans have to get caught in the crossfire. So, as much as I never thought I’d say this…Scott Summers has my respect. And I’ll gladly follow his lead’.
Logan smirks at Kurt, who goes wide-eyed and looks puzzled, before leaping at Logan, shouting ‘Who are you? Who’s in there? Shadow King? Puppet Master? Mom?’ ‘Whoa? What the -?’ Logan exclaims, telling Kurt to cool it. ‘This is a tanker of gas!’ he exclaims, shoving Kurt off him. ‘Well pardon my…surprise. But since when do you speak so highly of our fearless leader?’ Kurt asks. Logan tells Kurt that all he is saying is that you should have a little more faith in Cyclops. ‘He’s earned it’.
Kurt asks Logan if Scott is aware of these new feelings. ‘Don’t push it, Fuzzy’ Logan retorts, unsheathing his middle claw. Kurt suggests that perhaps a balloon banquet is in order. ‘Can still crash this thing’ Logan tells him. ‘Addressed from you, of course’ Kurt adds. ‘And I could walk away from it’ Logan points out as they approach San Francisco.
3rd story:
Utopia, in one of the maintenance rooms, Iceman a.k.a. Bobby Drake, Madison Jeffries, Surge and Prodigy are confronted by Toad, Dragoness, Litterbug and Bliss. ‘You have to talk to us now, don’t you?’ Toad exclaims. ‘You thought you could ignore us, didn’t you? We know you X-Men are rationing water. But this is now it is now…we control the water. Even if we have to kill you to do it!’ Toad booms. ‘Man, are you guys stupid’ Iceman smirks, while using his powers to add a chill to the air.
Bobby exclaims that, without him, there is no water. He tells the Toad that even he must know that. ‘Unless your mutant power is to be ugly and drink salt water, I’m all you’ve got!’ he exclaims. ‘Enough!’ Litterbug shouts as he jumps at Iceman, but falls to the ground before he reaches him. Toad, Dragoness and Bliss all begin hugging themselves to stay warm. ‘Not…not afraid of you…’ Toad boasts. ‘Can’t feel…where are we?’ Dragoness asks. ‘What the hell is happening?’ Prodigy asks, to which Jeffries explains that Iceman gave them hypothermia.
‘I was feeling generous. If you get a med team down here quick, they might keep their fingers and toes’ Iceman remarks. ‘Not to take their side, but they were probably just scared. Toad requested a meeting with Cyclops a week ago, but he hasn’t been able to fit it in with everything going on’ Prodigy reveals as he crouches beside Toad. Prodigy adds that Cyclops is too busy and that the White Queen is… ‘Well, you know’, and points out that people need reassurance about everything that is going on. Iceman brushes Prodigy off, ‘Pfft! Call me when you’re done with the electrical generators. I’ll come back down and do another round’ he tells everyone as he leaves the room on an ice sled, adding ‘As for Toad and his crew…what could they possible have to be afraid of? This is Utopia, right?’
‘Life is great’ Bobby tells himself as he ice-sleds across Utopia, and his day continues to play out:
9:00AM, Iceman attends a daily status meeting with Cyclops, the White Queen, Wolverine, Psylocke, Colossus, Nightcrawler, Cannonball, Magneto and the Sub-Mariner, whom Bobby makes a joke about.
10:40AM, and Bobby hits on a very unimpressed Dazzler.
2:32PM, Bobby torments two of the X-kids - Anole and Rockslide, reminding them that they will never be as good as the original X-Men.
4:45PM, Bobby eats 14,000 calorie meal to replenish energy spent on making ice to keep all of mutantkind alive - his meal includes bagels, cheese, eggs, toast and bacon.
10:30PM, bed time, and Bobby walks down one of the residential corridors, towards his quarters, when he notices a young woman with spiked ice-blue hair sitting in the hallway. ’Hi, there. Do I know you? Because I’d like to’ the handsome Bobby smiles.  ‘I…we fought, once’ the young woman replies. ‘That doesn’t really narrow it down’ Bobby tells her. ‘I called myself Stinger. My name…my name is Wendy’ she reveals. ‘So we fought. Did you come to make it up to me? Because I’d be open to that’ Bobby remarks. ‘I…I don’t know why I came’ Wendy replies, before telling Bobby that she just needed someone to talk to.
‘They’re saying that everyone on this island is going to die’ Wendy remarks. ‘Bo, that’s not true’ Bobby assures her, smiling. ‘Well, I mean most of you will. But historically speaking, the X-Men are going to survive’ Bobby declares, before a tearful Wendy gets up and walks away. ‘Hey! Hey! It was a joke!’ Bobby calls out after her.
The next morning, Bobby’s day plays out once more:
9:00AM, Bobby attends the daily meeting with the core X-Men team, and creates an ice sculpture of the Sub-Mariner kissing a fish. ‘Do you have some kind of death wish, Drake?’ the Sub-Mariner asks. ‘I have no idea what you’re talking about. Except the part where you admitted to that thing with the dolphin, perv’ Bobby replies, leaning back in his chair. ‘That’ll be hard to do with your brain frozen solid. Assuming you have one’ Bobby tells the Sub-Mariner.
Suddenly, the Stepford Cuckoos announce telepathically that there is a situation on the south-eastern shore. ‘Dr. Nemesis and two of the New Mutants are responding, but there’s been a hostage taken…Dr Rao’ the Stepford Cuckoos reveal. Cyclops asks who has Dr Rao, to which the Stepford Cuckoos reply ‘Wendy Sherman’. ‘Who?’ Cyclops asks. ‘Wendy Sherman, former member of the Alliance of Evil. Also known as Stinger’. ‘Oh, no’ Bobby cringes, while the Cuckoos announce that Stinger is asking for Iceman.
At the dock, Stinger has indeed taken hold of Kavita Rao, ‘Get back, do you hear me? Just let me go!’ Stinger exclaims, electrical charge surrounding her, while Doctor Nemesis, and the two New Mutants - Sunspot and Magma - approach her. ‘I’m going to shoot her now’ Doctor Nemesis declares, while Magma tells him that she doesn’t think that is a good idea. ‘It’s not that bad of one, really’ Sunspot adds, when suddenly, Iceman arrives, and tells everyone to stop, that it is okay, they can breathe, before asking what is going on, and what it is that Stinger wants.
‘Wow, I can’t believe they really sent you to negotiate’ Sunspot remarks, worried, while Magma announces that Stinger wants a Blackbird, that she wants off the island. Bobby drops down beside Stinger, and a very worried Kavita. ‘Stinger…Wendy…don’t do this’ Bobby tells her. ‘Go away!’ Wendy shouts. ‘Wendy…we’re not keeping you prisoner here. You can leave anytime you want, you don’t have to do this. You knew that, right?’ Bobby tells her. ‘I…I…I just want to go’ Stinger tells him.
‘Do you really? You came to me…why?’ Bobby points out. ‘Of everyone on this island, why come to me? I’m like the worst person in the world to talk to’ Wendy cries again, reminding Iceman that he is an X-Man - one of the originals. ‘You’re a hero. I just…I just needed to know…I heard that the humans were going to bomb the island. That…that…I needed to hear it from you. That everything was going to be okay’ Stinger exclaims, electrical energy still charging.
Bobby drops his ice-form, and reaches out to Wendy, telling her that she is not alone, that everyone is scared. ‘But I promise…everything is going to be okay’. Bobby pulls Wendy away from Kavita. ‘I remember you, you know. I liked you, even though you were trying to kill us. You seemed like a lot of fun’. Powered down, Wendy falls into Bobby’s arms. ‘Oh, God…I’m sorry…I’m so sorry…’.
Life returns to “normal” on Utopia. Rockslide, Pixie, Loa, Colossus, Nightcrawler and Jeffries mill about outside. Bobby visits Toad in the medlab, where Doctor Nemesis is looking after him.
My name is Iceman. I’m an X-Man. One of the originals. This isn’t what I’m supposed to be doing, but Scott and Hank are too busy. Warren isn’t himself these days. And Jean…Jean is dead.
So I make jokes. It’s easier to be glib. To blow it all off. I make ice and jokes, that’s what I do. But if it helps, I’ll tell people what they want to hear. What they need to hear. I don’t tell anyone that I think we’re living in the last days of mutantkind. That I don’t actually believe there’s hope or us. I think people prefer the jokes.
And Iceman’s day ends by going on a picnic with Stinger.
4th story:
There is an old Russian saying: “The nest is the eggs, not the sticks”. It means that home isn’t a place, it’s a family. it means home is the people you care about and the history you share with them. Namor tells Cyclops that, as a courtesy, he is informing him that he is going to break his friend’s neck. ‘Bobby…’ Cyclops mumbles.
Somewhere on Utopia, Colossus is busy working on something, armed with a large piece of equipment, he seems to be writing something. ‘Very impressive, old friend’ Nightcrawler remarks as he appears out of the shadows. ‘Kind words, Kurt. But these hands are clumsier than they used to be’ Colossus replies. ‘Nonsense!’ Kurt exclaims, adding that it is nice to see someone working on something that isn’t rigged to explode or set off a siren. ‘How long have you been up here, though?’ Kurt asks while Colossus hides what he has been working on by pulling a large cloth over it. ‘Long enough that I’m out of neodymium’ Piotr replies. Kurt tosses Piotr a small vial and tells him that he will bring him some on his next pass. ‘Then come outside with me?’ Kurt asks. ‘It’s a harsh terrain, in may ways, but there is a stark beauty to the place’ he adds, before teleporting away, while Colossus thanks him for the canister.
Colossus tells himself that everyone he cares about is here, and yet there is something about this place which makes him uneasy and restless. ‘At first I thought it was the remnant magnetism affecting me, making my nerves vibrate…but it’s more than that. The place has a dark history. The shadows are full of strangers’.
Suddenly, Piotr feels somebody else in the room. ‘Kurt?’ he calls out, but gets no answer. ‘Who’s there?’ he calls out. ‘Hello, Piotr’ replies Colossus’ sister, Magik as she steps out of the shadows. ‘Illyana? Forgive me. I thought -’ Colossus begins, grinning from ear-to-ear, until his sister interrupts him, telling him that she is here to ask a favor. Colossus puts a hand on his sister’s shoulder, but Illyana looks to the ground. ‘Of course, Snowflake. You know I’d do anything for you’ Colossus tells her. ‘It isn’t for me!’ Magik responds, before opening at Stepping Disk that teleports the two of them away….
…. to a barren part of Utopia, where several of Magik’s fellow New Mutants - Cannonball, Sunspot, Magma and Karma - are waiting. ‘Morning!’ Sunspot smiles. Cannonball thanks Piotr for coming, adding that he knows how busy he is. ‘What are you working on up there, anyhow?’ Sunspot asks. ‘I can see the sparks from all the way down here!’ Bobby adds. ‘Can we get on with this, please?’ Magik asks, annoyed. ‘Illyana -’ Cannonball begins, but Magik cuts Sam off: ‘You wanted me to bring him. I brought him’ she points out. Colossus tells Sam that it is all right, and asks what he needs.
Bobby points out that Cyclops put them in charge of getting the garden started, and Sam explains that they have been having trouble getting things off the ground, so to speak. ‘I see. So you need me to pulverize the rock?’ Colossus asks. ‘Actually, we’re just having a little bit of technical difficulty’ Sam replies, while Colossus picks up a piece of the hard dirt. ‘Oh, spit it out already’ Magik exclaims, rolling her eyes. ‘They need you to teach them to drive that thing!’ Magik announces, pointing at the large bulldozer behind them. Magma explains that Sam gave it a try, and Sam adds that it is a long way from a John Deere.
Colossus climbs into the bulldozer and remarks that they had a few communal machines about this size on the Ust-Ordynski. ‘Do you remember, Snowflake?’ he asks his sister. Sam, Bobby, Amara and Shan watch, while Illyana stands with her arms folded as Colossus explains that the joystick operates the tilt, and the control on the left elevates the blade. ‘See?’ he asks as dust sprays up into the air when the bulldozer starts up. ‘Look at that. Like riding a bike, eh?’ Bobby exclaims. ‘A bike that could chop you into little pieces, yes’ Colossus replies.
Piotr tells the New Mutants that he used to give Illyana rides on a machine not so different than this when she was a little girl. ‘A harvester. Do you remember, Snowflake?’ Colossus asks, smiling. ‘You called it the big mouth and I used to keep you on my lap. We would ride up and down the furrows together’ Piotr reveals. ‘And the grain, when the blade hit the stalks, it would send these particles in the air. And you would laugh and call them Snowflakes. Which is how you got your nickname…’.
Moments later, Colossus and Magik are once more in the deserted room Colossus was working in earlier. ‘Huh?’ he asks. ‘Thanks for the tutorial’ Illyana replies as she begins to leave. ‘Wait. I’m sorry. I just…I miss you’ Colossus tells his sister. Illyana spins around and tells Piotr that he misses the past. ‘That’s not true’ Colossus tells her, their hands touching. ‘Listen to yourself for once. All you do anymore is remember!’ Magik exclaims. ‘And all you do is forget, little sister. Why though? Why are you so determined to forget your own history? Where you came from? Who you are?’ Colossus asks.
Magik frowns as she tells her brother that she is not that person anymore. ‘Don’t you get it? Snowflake is dead. Young, happy Piotr sitting on big mouth is dead. This place isn’t Magneto’s anymore. It’s ours. You’re stuck, Piotr. Stuck in your memories’ Illyana declares. ‘That’s not true’ Colossus tells her. ‘Oh, really?’ Illyana asks, pulling the large cloth away from Colossus’ work, revealing a large X statue, with the names of the dead engraved in it.
‘Take a tip from your little sister. You want to be happy again? You want to live again? You need to learn to forget’ Magik exclaims. Colossus stares ahead at his monument to the dead. Several names can be seen - Jean Grey. Sean Cassidy. John Proudstar. Rusty Collins. Angelo Espinosa. ‘Take care, Piotr’ Magik exclaims, before teleporting away. ‘Goodbye, Snowflake’ Colossus whispers, frowning.
At that moment, Kurt teleports back into the room. ‘Piotr? Were you talking to someone?’ Kurt asks. ‘No, Kurt. Just myself’ Colossus replies, while Nightcrawler announces that he brought two canisters, just in case, and places them on a cabinet. ‘Thanks. I think I’m ready for that walk, though’ Colossus replies as he looks at his memorial and leaves with Kurt, thinking to himself ‘There is an old Russian saying: “The nest is the eggs, not the sticks”. And maybe that means that home isn’t about the place or history. It’s not about the past. Maybe it means that home is about the present, what’s in front of you. And planning for what’s to come. I’m not sure anymore. I haven’t lived in Russia for a long, long time’. And one final name can be seen on the monument: Kitty Pryde.