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Whatever Happened to Wither?
Kevin Ford lies in his bed at the Xavier Institute, fast asleep. A voice calls out to him and he sits up in bed, startled by the abrupt awakening. Sitting next to his bed is Laurie Collins AKA Wallflower. She tells him he was just dreaming and everything is going to be alright. He’s confused by this as she leans in to kiss him. He tries to protest that he can’t but she shushes him and begins to tell him that she loves him. As their lips meet, she turns to ash and begins to crumble in his arms.
Kevin wakes up and shouts out “NO!”. He is not in the X-Mansion but squatting in a rundown tenement building in Mutant Town. The place is in a sad state and Wither is sleeping on a mattress on the floor which is strewn with garbage. Nearby, an elderly woman sleeps on a similar mattress.
 Kevin catches his breath as he realizes it was all just a dream. He calls to God to please make it stop.
 The old woman hears his pleading voice and wakes. She notes that he has the same nightmare every night and asks why he doesn’t go back to the school. She points out that he was once of Xavier’s chosen and there’s a place for him where he can be protected. He recalls the day he grabbed Laurie Collins arm, thinking he had lost his powers as a result of M-Day. He remembers the feeling of her flesh as it withered from his touch. He tells the old woman that they needed protection from him.
At the Xavier Institute, Mercury is meeting with the headmistress, Emma Frost. She tries to convince Miss Frost that Kevin shouldn’t be out there alone considering all the attacks they’ve experienced since M-Day. Emma tells Cessily that Kevin doesn’t want to come back and tries to assure her by telling her that she has people keeping an eye on him. She asks how Emma could be so cold as to keep this from them. Emma in turn asks what she would have her do. Should she force Kevin to return against his will? Emma assures Mercury that as soon as Kevin is ready to return, she will personally collect him. Until then, he needs time to deal with himself and his powers on his own. Cessily asks if Kevin knows about what has happened to the other students, especially Laurie. Miss Frost abruptly tells Mercury that they will have to discuss this another time as their guest has just arrived.
In another part of the school, Josh Foley is explaining the dynamics of his latest physiological evolution to his friends, Surge and David Alleyne. He tells them he can feel the remaining black coloration on his skin as it moves across his body.  David awkwardly tries to ask if he can still use his powers to kill and Josh answers that he can but doesn’t want to. He knows that Laurie wouldn’t want that for him. Nori points out that he did save X-23’s life. Josh responds something changed when he killed Stryker and shifted again when he saved Laura. Julian helped him realize that with his powers he can be and do more than he once thought he just needs to learn to control it. As the group is talking, they are interrupted by the arrival of Melodie Guthrie, the sister of their deceased teammate Josh.
At that moment, Rogue and Cyclops are accompanying Josh’s mother, Lucinda Guthrie through the grounds of the Institute. She notes that she’s only visited the school on three occasions since her eldest son, Sam AKA Cannonball first joined Xavier years earlier. She notes how much has changed. She mentions that he didn’t want her to come but she wanted to be there for Josh… as well as his surviving siblings in attendance. Cyclops informs Lucinda that Sam is getting Paige as they speak and tells her how sorry they all are. Rogue adds that they should have done more. Mrs. Guthrie graciously thanks them both for letting her be there to say good-bye.
In Mutant Town, Madrox and Wolfsbane are on a rooftop watching over Wither and his elderly female companion through a set of binoculars. Madrox notes that Rahne has been keeping watch over Kevin for weeks. He also mentions how creepy things are given the recent disappearances and suspicion that a killer is on the loose.  He suggests they simply bring Kevin in to X-Factor.
 Rahne explains that Emma Frost told her not to contact or help him and asked her to only check in on him to be sure he is safe. Madrox asks when she started taking orders from the White Queen, especially after their recent conflict with the X-Men. He asks what Frost has on Rahne and Rahne thinks about her relationship with Josh Foley during the time she taught at the Institute. Rahne responds angrily and says that Emma Frost has nothing on her but that these kids deserve any help she can give them after all they’ve been through. She tells Jamie that he’s going to do all he can to help to and he sheepishly backs down.
Josh and his female companion are sitting on a park bench, watching some pigeons. He asks her what they are doing out and she tells him she likes the city, that when you are close to death as she is it’s nice to be among the living. He tells her not to say that and she asks if she should lie to herself instead. She says that she has embraced the truth. At that moment, Kevin looks down to see two of the pigeons that appear to be withered. He tells his friend that he shouldn’t be there.
 Nearby, a young couple are making out against a tree. The elderly woman asks Kevin if it’s hard for him to see others in love when he is alone. The couple turns to ash as he says that it doesn’t matter.
 The old woman asks why and he tells her it’s because he can’t touch anyone. The woman rises and says she should be going. Kevin asks her not to go and explains that he really misses his friends but even if he was there he couldn’t be with her because of his powers. The woman tells him that death is all around them as she watches police and the coroner, who are across the street investigating a crime. She tells him that the humans have taken more lives but that a mutant will be blamed. She says they’ll come for her soon. Kevin grabs her wrist to lead her away and tells her that they won’t come after her. The woman tells him to accept the truth and asks if she’s ever told Kevin about her gift. Kevin promises they won’t hurt her.
 The police tell the coroner to leave the body bags and grab a dustbuster. The coroner seems to know what this means and asks if it’s really happened again. The police lead him inside where they find more bodies turns to ash. This raises the tally of dead bodies to nineteen in just three weeks.
Back at the Xavier Institute, Julian Keller is sound asleep having worn himself out in his efforts to fly X-23 to the school so that she could be healed from grievous injuries she sustained in their battle against Nimrod. Laura is perched on a chair watching over him. He talks in his sleep and calls out for Sofia. He wakes for a moment and thinks he sees something, but X-23 is gone. He promptly falls back asleep.
Elsewhere, Rockslide is relating what happened to his classmates Match and Anole. He comments that Elixir has gone all zen since waking up and healing X-23 and suggests that there may be an open slot on their roster soon. He asks if either of them have returned from the dead like he and Laura did. Match replies “not yet”. He tells Match that his flame head is cool and all but how will he handle being stealthy in a dark room? Ben mentions the one time in the Danger Room that he damped down his flame but is cut off by the gregarious Santo.
 Santo then turns to Victor who he compliments on his stealthiness but asks what he plans to do against a heavy hitter like Nimrod. “Tongue him?” Santo adds. Dust notes that Cessily asked that everyone be nice to Santo for as long as possible but that he’s making it very difficult to do so. As she says this Rogue walks by with Lucinda Guthrie. She asks who the older woman is and Anole tells her that it’s Jay’s mother. Dust immediately chases after her without a word. Santo calls out to her and tells her to stop beating herself up over this. He tells Victor “Way to go.” And that he’s out of consideration for a spot on the team now. Victor is dismayed and wonders what he said wrong.
Lucinda Guthrie is with Rogue in Jay’s old room. She tells Rogue how she forced Joshua to go to Xavier’s after the death of his girlfriend Julia. During this time he was suicidal but he wrote home to tell his mother that being at the school helped. He made friends and after a while the pain he felt over Julia’s death eased.
 Her recollections are interrupted by the arrival of Dust. She removes her cowl to reveal tears streaming down her face. She stammers but Mrs. Guthrie immediately recognizes her from Jay’s descriptions. Lucinda tells Sooraya that Jay told her what a beautiful person she is. Dust falls to her knees and clutches Lucinda, begging for her forgiveness. Lucinda cradles the sobbing girl and tells her it’s okay, it wasn’t her fault and there’s nothing to forgive.
Elsewhere, Kevin is having another nightmare. His former classmates are calling out to him, all in a semi-withered state and begging him for release. He wakes screaming out “NO!” His elderly friend asks if he cries out because he’s scared of what he’s done or the possibility that he likes it? He reminds her of how his powers work and wonders why God would allow him to exist. She tries to tell him it’s a gift but he sees it as a curse. She tries to console him, telling him he’s a good person. He has cared for her for weeks, seeing to her needs and keeping her company. But she sees how he is tearing himself up with self-hatred. She tells him that death is a part of the natural world and he must accept himself and use his powers as he was meant to. He vows never to use his powers again. She asks if he would use them to save a life and if he’d use them to save her or to take revenge on the man who killed his friends. Kevin asks her to repeat what she just said.
Moments later, Mercury is getting dressed to go to the memorial service. Her cell phone rings. It’s Kevin and he demands to know if what he’s heard is true. Cessily begins to cry and begs him to just come home so they can talk about it. He asks where Laurie is and cries out when Cessily doesn’t answer immediately, assuming the worst has happened. Cessily sinks to the floor, pleading with Kevin not to do this.
While Kevin is calling the Institute, a SWAT team arrives and attempts to arrest the woman he has been living with. She grabs two of them and their bodies instantly turn to ash. The remaining officers level their guns at her. She explains that her gift is to be one with death and that she felt his friends die. She tells him they suffered great pain and were killed by humans.
The police open fire on the woman, her body thrown against the wall as the bullets pierce her frail body. Kevin enters at that moment. He cries out in anguish as he grabs the two officers and drains their life-forces.  He falls to his knees, asking himself what he’s done. His friend tells him he has simply become what he was meant to be: death, pure and simple. He looks up at her, bewildered at her revival.
She tells him that she is immortal and stands revealed as Selene, the Black Queen! She tells him that they are the same, they are killers. She takes his chin in her gloved hands and helps him to his feet. She tells him that now that he has embraced the truth of what he is, she can give him all that he desires. She tells him that this is what he wants and all he has to do is say “yes” and she will be his queen. They kiss and when he finally pulls away he whispers, “yes”.
Later that night at the Xavier Institute, the friends and family of Jay Guthrie meet to hear a eulogy from his mother, Lucinda Guthrie. She tells them how the world viewed mutants when her son, Sam’s powers first manifested. How both of them were scared by it until Charles Xavier brought him to his School for Gifted Youngsters. She notes how her children grew into adults in this place that provided them with such hope. She tells them that Jay loved it here and that he loved all of them like family. She tells them that despite the horrible things that have happened; Jay’s murder, Melodie losing her powers, she still believes in Xavier’s dream and the importance of the X-Men as a symbol of hope for a better future. She explains that despite the worry she feels for her remaining children, Sam and Paige, she would never ask them to stop fighting for this dream. She adds that here at the Institute that dream is already real and those who live here will be the ones who make it a reality beyond the walls of Xavier’s estate. She ends by saying that Joshua believed in that dream and so does she and that they all miss Jay and love him with all their hearts.
After Lucinda has spoken, those gathered make their way outside with candles. Kitty Pryde reads a list of those who have died among the students at Xavier’s School or as members of the X-Men. The names include:
John Proudstar – Sean Cassidy – Jean Grey – Sarah Vale – Max Jordan – Mark Sheppard - Andrea Margulies – Floyd Carter – Callie Betto – Brian Cruz – Sammy Pare – Jeffrey Garrett – Esme and Sophie Cuckoo – Doug Ramsey – Illyana Rasputin – Jay Guthrie – Laurie Collins
She adds that they remember all those mutants lost during M-Day and the violence in the days after. As she says this, Emma Frost catches that Carol Danvers AKA Ms. Marvel is among those present to mark the loss of so many. They exchange a look of recognition regarding the harsh words they exchanged when Carol came to the Institute with the sad news of Jay’s death. Kitty concludes her remarks by saying that they gather now to support each other and remember those they have lost. She asks that they rest in peace and that they will never be forgotten.


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[Assistant]
Mercury Falling – Part 1 of 4
In the Danger Room, the Beast gives Hellion a simple task: lift a single paper clip. Seems easy enough. Hellions thinks he’s kidding but Beast replies that since Emma Frost temporarily removed the psychic limitations of his telekinesis, he’s had some issues controlling his powers. Hellion tells Dr. McCoy that that’s ridiculous and the Beast promptly reminds him of the recent incident when he put Rockslide through a wall, to which Hellion replies that he was annoying him. Beast then points out that he also sent his bed out a window. Julian says that it was annoying him too. Beast brings their debate back to the paper clip and tells Julian that he should have no problem lifting it then.
 Julian assures the doctor that there’s nothing wrong with him and after further urging, relents to picking up the paper clip. He does so and then snottily asks if the Beast would like him to make it dance for him. McCoy glibly replies “Sure”. At that moment, Julian’s telekinesis flares up around the paper clip and gouges a huge hole out of the floor.
 The Beast congratulates him sarcastically on his control of his powers. He explains that while his power levels have dropped from the level that he exhibited during the period when Ms. Frost removed the mental restraints on them, they have settled at a significantly higher level than before. As a result, Julian has lost some of the fine motor control he once had. Beast suggests some tutoring with Marvel Girl when she returns and steady practice, away from others until then.
As the two discuss this on the Danger Room floor, X-23 watches from the control booth with a look of deep concern. Emma enters and asks Laura if that is a genuine emotion or just something else she was programmed to do by her masters. X-23 tells Emma to get out of her mind and she says that she doesn’t need her telepathy to see how she has been acting around Julian since they got back from Dallas. Laura asks her to stop but Emma continues. She tells X-23 that she doesn’t hate her the way she thinks and that they are the same in many ways. Both have done horrible things and hurt people. Emma mentions that she killed her own sister. The difference is that Emma chose to do those things and can now choose not to, whereas X-23 is a programmed killing machine. All it takes is a whiff of the “trigger scent” her masters developed and she’ll kill whomever they command her to. Emma tells Laura that if she truly cares fro Julian she’ll leave now before it’s too late.
Cessily overhears this as she is entering the room and goes off on Emma. She asks how Emma can possibly say this after Laura saved them all. Emma tries to interrupt but Mercury won’t be dissuaded from ranting at the headmistress. She rails at Emma for abandoning Kevin, humiliating Julian and now trying to drive X-23 away. She asks flat out what is wrong with Emma to treat Laura this way after she nearly died to save them from Nimrod. Emma tries to explain that that are things Cessily doesn’t know but she tells Emma that she doesn’t care. X-23 turns and leaves as Mercury tells Emma that she knows all she needs to know about how Emma protects her students. She slams the door, leaving Emma Frost alone.
In a warehouse staging facility, a small army of heavily armored troops review data on the New X-Men. They are clearly preparing for a full-out assault on the team. One by one they view holographic images of the mutants and identify the best methods of taking each down. For Dust, they recommend concussion grenades and liquid, for Rockslide attacks on the eyes and mouth. Hellion is most susceptible to sonics and attempts to blind him.
They identify Surge as the leader and Hellion and Prodigy as other likely sources of leadership for the team. They note that Surge’s gauntlets are her vulnerability and that their uniforms will provide minimal protection from her electrical powers. They recommend just shooting her.
 In their review of Elixir they comment on his new offensive capabilities and caution against allowing him to touch you. They discuss their strategy for this mission: grab the target and get out while avoiding a confrontation with the X-Men or Sentinels. As an image of X-23 comes up, the commander reminds them how dangerous these mutants are and urges them to use excessive force. Kimura stands above them, waiting.
At the Institute, Laura rushes past Loa and Trance making a beeline for the door. Mercury pursues her, insisting she wait up. She tells her that Ms. Frost was just awful but that Laura needs to know that they all want her to stay. X-23 tries to tell Cessily that Emma is right about her but Cessily is too busy apologizing for overhearing all this in the first place. She then registers what Emma was saying to Laura, that she has feelings for Julian. Laura says that she does not want to talk about this, which only confirms for Cessily that it’s true. Mercury insists that they talk. X-23 is not interested and asks Cessily to move aside. Cessily excitedly suggests that they go get some coffee in town and talk. Santo walks by and overhears and asks if they can leave the mansion now. He says that he wants to come along and Cessily promptly says “no” as she shoves Laura out the door. Rockslide replies “Awww. Hulk sad.”
In the headmaster’s office, Cyclops confers with Prodigy and Surge about the Nimrod incident. He tells them that he asked them there to apologize to them. Surge asks if they can record it or get it in writing maybe. Cyke tells her not to push it. He informs them that O*N*E is furious about the incident in Dallas but they were right. He tells them that they suspected that Nimrod had returned but didn’t want to broadcast it to O*N*E. Instead, he had Cable, Husk and Archangel searching for it and Ororo had even commissioned Wakandan agents to do the same. He didn’t tell them because he suspected that they’d go after Nimrod themselves if they knew about it.
 He tells them he should have been there to protect them but that he’s proud of what they accomplished in defeating Nimrod. He tells them that together they managed to defeat a foe that the X-Men never could and that even Wolverine was impressed.
 He tells Nori that he disagrees with how Emma selected the team but doesn’t fault her choice of squad leader. He tells Surge that the team is hers but will train under and report to the X-Men. She can add members if she sees fit and they will rely on the New X-Men to help protect the student body. Surge agrees and Prodigy states his desire to stay. Cyclops tells him that they’ll work something out and David apologizes for wanting to punch him in the face. Cyclops is taken aback by this.
Elsewhere, Kimura checks in with Dr. Adam Harkins, the new research head at the Facility. He reports that they’ve captured the mutant called Mammomax and are using him for some sort of “live test”. Kimura ensures that he has made the payment for her services and assures him that their mission will succeed. As they are talking, one of her troopers comes in to report that their target is on the move and leaving the Institute with only one other mutant. Kimura smiles at their good fortune.
Back at the school, Beast and Hellion head to the locker room following their training. Beast teases Julian by suggesting her focus on destroying another wing of the mansion tomorrow. They are interrupted by the arrival of Elixir who is looking for the Beast. Julian hits the showers as Josh asks the Beast a favor: he wants him to teach him everything there is to know about anatomy, biology and human physiology. Dr. McCoy is a bit surprised and simply replies “Oh, well…good?”
Cessily takes Laura to the Grind Stone Café in Salem Center. They are served by the owner, Luna a friend to the New Mutants squad and other Institute students. X-23 asks why Cessily orders a drink since she doesn’t need to eat or drink. Cessily is surprised that Laura knows this and tells her that holding the coffee makes her feel more human and makes others more comfortable around her. She adds that she’s one of the least human students at the school. Laura tells her that none of them are human and Cessily confesses that she likes to look human and do human things. She tells Laura that Julian is the only other person she’s told.
 She adds that they don’t know anything about Laura because she doesn’t talk much. Laura just looks at Cessily quietly. Cessily admits that they do know that she could kill all of them, at least that’s what Wolverine told them. Cessily thanks Laura for saving her life, even if she had to cut her hands off to do it. Laura says “You’re welcome” and Cessily asks if she likes Julian. X-23 says that she does, adding that he saved her life. Cessily asks if she “likes him, likes him” and this confuses Laura. Cessily asks if she has a crush on Hellion. Laura tells her that she doesn’t want to talk about this as she pops a claw under the table and cuts an X into her wrist. Cessily tries to tell X-23 that it’s okay if she does and that she totally understands about having feelings for someone who doesn’t necessarily return them.
Laura stops suddenly and rises. She tells everyone to get out. Cessily thinks that she’s upset Laura and tries to talk to her, but Laura shouts to everyone to get out now and run. Mercury asks what’s wrong and X-23 replies that she has to go; they’re here to try and take her back.
 At that moment, the Grind Stone explodes. Mercury looks around and asks X-23 what happened. A trio of troops enters and X-23 immediately engages them. She tells Cessily to run but Mercury comes to her side and the two square off against the troops back-to-back. Again, Laura tells Mercury to leave but Cessily refuses to leave her.
 X-23 is then hit by a volley of arrows. Kimura appears, taunting them by asking if they were out for some “girl-talk.” Kimura glibly says “hi” to X-23 who again tells Mercury to run. She tells Kimura that Cessily has nothing to do with this. Kimura smiles and mockingly asks when X-23 learned such nobility. Kimura tells her that arrogance has always been her problem as she tells X-23 that they didn’t come for her. She levels her gun and fires a specialized missile at Cessily who cries out in pain as it bombards her with an electrical shock.


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[Assistant]
Mercury Falling – Part 2 of 4
Portland, Oregon – The recent past:
Mark Kincaid calls out to his daughter Cessily telling her that she’s going to be late to practice. Cessily gets out of bed and tells her dad that she’s up and will be right down. As she looks into the mirror, silver liquid seems to stream across her face. Within seconds, her entire body has been transformed into liquid mercury. As he arms begin to elongate, she calls out “DADDY!” Her father knocks on the door and asks if she’s all right. Now in an amorphous mercury form, Cessily struggles to reach the bathroom and calls out weakly to her father for help. He busts in the door to see his beautiful daughter transformed into a heap of liquid metal. She struggles to retain a semblance of a humanoid shape and begs her dad to help her.
The Facility – The Present:
Mercury is strapped into a giant tube and is being examined by Dr. Harkins and his science team at the Facility. She calls out weakly for someone to help her. Dr. Harkins orders that the test begin again and the technician sends a jolt of electrical current through Cessily’s body. She cries out in agony and as the pain increases, the solidity of her shape decreases. As the energy discharge subsides, her face resumes its more human shape and she begs them to stop. She calls out to her teammate Laura… the last friendly face she saw.
Salem Center – Fourteen Hours Earlier:
X-23 cries out to Cessily as she is hit with a special arrow bolt that sends a violent electrical discharge through her mercurial body. Mercury is staggered by the attack. A second arrow hits Laura in the throat. Their attacker, the mercenary Kimura, orders her men to load Mercury into a containment unit while she deals with X-23.
One of the soldiers raises his gun to X-23’s head. She swiftly dispatches him with her claws and grabs his gun. She turns and fires at the troops who are trying to take Mercury. Kimura appears to be resistant to the gunfire and repeats her order to get Mercury secured. X-23 leaps at Kimura who deftly evades her attack. She tells X-23 that she should reach into her skull and pull her brain out after what she did in San Francisco.
 X-23 slashes at Kimura’s chest and barely tears her uniform. Kimura smugly tells her that she’ll have to do better than that. X-23 returns the woman’s glare and replies “So are you” as she twirls the pin from one of Kimura’s grenades on her claw. As it dawns on Kimura what X-23 has done, the grenade on her belt explodes.
 The blast throws X-23 away from Kimura, who seems barely phased by the explosion. As Kimura recovers from the shock, her troops signal that Mercury has been loaded into their van. Harkins calls in to verify that Cessily has been captured. Kimura confirms this and replies that she is dealing with X-23 now. Harkins tells her to forget the clone; they need the Kincaid girl at the Facility now. Kimura jumps into the van as it pulls away, taunting X-23 as she leaves and promising to see her soon.
The Xavier Institute – The Present:
Rockslide, Loa and Anole are watching a news report about the Young Avengers who are currently fugitives due to their refusal to register under the Superhuman Registration Act. Santo has never heard of the young heroes and asks the other who they are. Loa is stunned that Rockslide has never heard of them. Victor glibly explains to Santo that they’re like the Avengers, only young. He begins to add that two of them are gay but is interrupted by Santo who thinks it’s a joke.
Their banter is interrupted by Hellion who asks if they’ve seen Cessily. Santo pipes in and asks Julian if he knew there was a team of Young Avengers. Hellion replies that he knows and so what? Santo says they should go beat them up just for the heck of it. He thinks it’d be awesome and asks who their strong guy is. Victor tells him that it’s Hulkling which Rockslide thinks is a ridiculous name.
 Hellion again asks about Cessily. Alani tells him that she saw Mercury earlier and that she was heading into town with Laura for some coffee. She adds that the two of them looked a bit intense. Julian thanks Loa and tells Santo thanks for nothing as he leaves to find the girls. Anole asks Loa if she thinks Santo could beat Hulkling and she replies that Hulkling would kill Santo. Rockslide reminds them that he’s right there!
Hellion makes his way to X-23’s room, still looking for Mercury. He peeks his head in to see X-23 suiting up to go after Mercury. She has clearly been in a fight and Hellion asks her what happened and where is Cessily. X-23 curtly replies that she’s gone and that she’s going to get her back. Hellion steps into her path and asks what she’s talking about. X-23 tells him that the people who made her have taken Cessily and the longer he delays her the harder it will be for her to track them down. Julian tells her that he’s going with her and she tells him no. His eyes flare with telekinetic energy and he launches them both through the roof of the mansion. He tells her that he’s going and she has no choice but to agree.
Meanwhile, Dust is meeting with Emma Frost to see if there is any word on her mother’s location. Emma shares that there is no news but tells Sooraya that she has asked Valerie Cooper to put pressure on the State Department to try and find something out. Emma tells Dust to trust her and assures her that she has nothing but the students’ best interests at heart. She asks if Sooraya trusts her and she says that she does after a moment’s hesitation. They are interrupted by a phone call from Rahne Sinclair who has called to report in about Kevin Ford AKA Wither. The call is cut short by the sound of rumbling outside as the Sentinels react to Hellion’s impromptu exit from the grounds.
Alexander Lexington reports in that this is not an attack and that this came from within the mansion. Colonel Reyes orders the threat level raised to red as they attempt to track the energy signal. He vows that there will be no more casualties and wants full reports from all of his agents on their assigned residents. He tells his staff to notify Scott Summers that he is requiring a full accounting of all X-Men and students immediately.
Earlier at the Facility, Mercury is unloaded from the van. She is confused as to what is happening and bangs against the containment tube she is in as they carry her away. Harkins greets Kimura and tells her that he delayed the latest tests so that she could watch. Kimura comments that Mercury has a lot of spirit and Harkins snidely remarks that she was a cheerleader. Kimura smirks and says that makes it all the better.
Mammomax is the subject of their latest tests. He yells out that they’ll all be dead when Exodus and the Brotherhood come for him. Harkins orders that the door be opened and Mammomax panics as a panel slides open to reveal some sort of beast with jagged teeth. Harkins and Kimura watch with glee in their eyes as Mammomax cries out in agony.
Back in New York City, X-23 and Hellion shake down some of the men involved in Mercury’s abduction. They find four of the men playing poker in an abandoned warehouse. X-23 knocks on the door and when one of the men looks through the peephole to see who it is, she slams her claws through the door and into his head. The other men draw their guns and fire at their unseen attacker. They see that it’s a girl and the boss of the crew makes a run for it. He gets into a car outside and calls to speak with someone at the Facility. He reports that their “cleaner” is at his warehouse and he wants her dead.
As he tries to flee, Hellions steps into the path of the car. It crashed into his telekinetic field. As the boss tries to get out of the vehicle, he grabs his gun. Julian rips the door from the car with his mind and yanks the gun from the man’s hand. X-23 grabs the gun with one hand and the boss with the other. She demands to know where the Facility is operating from on the east coast. The man swears he doesn’t know. X-23 gives him three seconds and levels the gun at his forehead.
He finally tells her that Cadillac Jones on the east side would know. He begs her not to kill him and tells her that he doesn’t know anything. X-23 tells him that she believes him and then shoots him in the head. Hellion is appalled and yanks the gun away with his telekinesis. He angrily asks why she did that and she replies that he did not have any more information for them. Julian insists that she didn’t have to kill him and X-23 tells him that this man worked for the Facility and as such, deserved to die. Hellion tells her that they’ll find Cessily but that there is to be no more killing. He asks if she understands and Laura just glares at him.
At the Facility, Kimura is enjoying a takeout box of noodles while the science team begins their examination of Mercury. Cessily asks where she is and asks what they want. Kimura snidely remarks that she could use some soy sauce. Mercury asks what they want with her and Kimura tells her that they want her flesh but that she’s just there for the show. Harkins enters and suggests that they begin. Mercury tells him that she has friends and that they will come for her. The machines hum momentarily before sending a violent shock through Mercury’s body. She cries out and Kimura smiles. She repeats what Mercury said, “Your friends will come for you” and tells Cessily that that’s what the elephant said. IN the pen where Mammomax was being kept, all that remains of him is his gargantuan, elephant-like skeleton which has been picked clean by the beast.


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Mercury Falling – Part 3 of 4
Police and fire crews have arrived at the Grind Stone coffee shop in Salem Center and are searching the ruins for survivors. An officer discovers one of the Facility’s armored goons and nearby an O*N*E agent lies in a pool of blood. His communicator is a few feet away and his superiors are calling in to him, ordering him to return his mutant charges to campus immediately.
At the Institute, David and Nori have approached Bling with an invitation to join the New X-Men squad. She responds that they have to be joking. David tells her that she was in the thick of things alongside the X-Men when Apocalypse attacked and she came recommended by Rogue and Havok. Surge asks what her problem is and Roxy replies that anyone who signs on to be an X-Man with all that’s happened since M-Day must have a serious death wish! She adds that she and Onyxx are considering leaving the Institute before the government changes their mind and puts them all before a firing squad. Onyxx chimes in and adds that Hellion and “the clone” have already escaped. Surge is surprised to hear this and asks what he is talking about. Before he can answer, Colossus arrives with an O*N*E agent and informs them that all students are to report to the assembly hall at the O*N*E’s request.  Bling glibly adds “firing squad”.
Elsewhere, Anole is shocked by the sheer volume of books that the Beast has given to Elixir. Josh notes that this isn’t exactly the kind of help he had in mind when he asked the Beast for some info on physiology, biology and anatomy. Victor asks if he really thinks studying all of this will help him use his powers better. Josh sighs and says it should only take him a thousand years or so. Anole suggests that he just ask one of the Cuckoos to dump the info directly into his brain. He notes that this is how the X-Men learn to fly spaceships and speak foreign languages when needed. They cheat. Before Elixir can respond, Rockslide passes along the info that the O*N*E has called them all into the auditorium. He adds that the want to kill them all or something, especially Victor, who is indignant at Santo’s suggestion.
In the hallway, Pixie is rapidly reporting to Dust what happened earlier when X-23 and Mercury took off to town and how shortly AFTER THAT Julian went looking for them and none of them have been seen since. Dust asks Pixie to slow down and repeat this and if she’s told anyone about this. Pixie replies that she is telling her since the New X-Men are like R.A.s now. Sooraya is confused and asks what an R.A. is. At that moment, Surge and David arrive and ask her where Julian and Laura are.
At that moment in New York City, a man in a suit with a gun flies through the window of a skyscraper and screams as he plummets to the ground. Hellion follows and yells “Dammit, Laura” at his teammate as he telekinetically grabs the man before he impacts with the sidewalk below. Hellion carries them back to the shattered window where X-23 stands, dressed in a schoolgirl’s outfit.   Hellion rises to her level with the armed man in tow. He reprimands her harshly telling her that he thought he’d made it clear “No more killing!” She simply glares and replies that he is not dead since he saved him.  Julian tells her that this isn’t funny and this guy didn’t know where Cessily was. He begins to suggest going back to the mansion for help, but Laura tells him that there is one person who will know Mercury’s whereabouts.
The pair of New X-Men makes their way to a dockside warehouse. X-23 takes the lead having changed into a sleek black leather jumpsuit. Hellion tries to tell her that they are wasting their time. She tells him in no uncertain terms that they are not and to do as she’s asked. He asks who they’re meeting and she tells him to be quiet as gunmen step from the shadows and level guns at their heads. The crime boss known as the Owl steps forward and tells him to stop right there. He tells Julian his name is The Owl and refers to Hellions as “dead boy” in a threatening manner. He tells him to remember it for the brief remainder of his life.
At the Facility, Mercury’s torturous testing continues. As she is hit by powerful lasers, her mercurial form dissolves into a fluid state and she cries out in agony. Dr. Harkins watches and asks his assistant Anderson to stop and give him some biofeedback readings from Cessily’s containment tube. Anderson asks if he should halt the laser and Harkins tells him no. They have succeeded in burning off a piece of her form but it is lifeless. Harkins tells his aide that they need a live sample and orders him to amplify the laser.
 Cessily begs for him to stop. As the more powerful laser hits her, her body reacts by forming metallic spikes which burst through the containment unit, spearing Harkins’ assistant through the chest. Harkins orders that Mercury be subdued immediately. Anderson realizes his injuries and calls for help. The spike in his chest animates and begins to slip through his fingers. Harkins calls for a container for the live sample as it moves across the floor towards him. He kneels down and it coats his hand, eager to bond with an organism. Harkins is so taken with his discovery that he barely notices his dying colleague. He barks out an order to proceed with the next stage of replicating the sample and as an afterthought orders a medic for Anderson.
In the Owl’s lair, the newly-minted crime boss gloats over the irony of the Kingpin’s favorite assassin is seeking him out for help. Julian pipes up and tells The Owl that they just want some information. The Owl threatens to eat his tongue and eyes if he dares to speak again. Laura tells Hellion to stop talking and asks the Owl if he has the info they need or not. The Owl is livid and demands that she speak to him with respect she showed to the Kingpin. X-23 draws closer and glares at him. She tells him he’s only in control because the Kingpin left the country and will only remain in power until Fisk return or someone else takes him out.  As such, she refuses to show him the same level of respect. The Owl is enraged and orders his men to kill them both. The two are surrounded by gunmen and X-23 simply says, “Now.” Given the signal, Hellion envelopes them in a telekinetic field and grabs the Owl. He launches them through the roof of the warehouse and high into the night sky. X-23 tells him that the Kingpin taught her that the first rule of negotiation is to know who you’re dealing with. She demands to know the location of the Facility’s operations or they will find out if The Owl can truly fly.
Back at the Facility, Mercury comes to asks Harkins why he’s doing all this to her. He explains that the Facility is a business and creates weapons for its clientele. He tells her that they created X-23 and she is one of their prized creations. One client requested a weapon for a specific job and promised to provide a necessary ingredient but she and her teammates killed him before he could deliver it. Cessily realizes that he must mean Stryker. Harkins verifies this and tells her that she was the final ingredient he needed. As he says this, his latest creature emerges to Cessily’s horror. Harkins agrees that it is impressive and tells her that he’s calling it “Predator X” and all it needs now is skin. Her skin. Cessily begs him again not to do this. He assures her that they won’t need all of her flesh and that they think she’ll actually survive the process after which the creature will be hungry and she can provide it a meal. He orders the machines turned on and as they initiate, Mercury begins to scream once more.
Meanwhile at the Xavier Institute, Cyclops chides Colonel Reyes for his decision regarding the student body especially in light of the 198 incident. He demands to know if Val Cooper knows about his decision and reminds Reyes that they are not prisoners here. Reyes adds that he’s trying to protect them and that they both failed these kids before. They are interrupted by Kitty Pryde, who arrives with an O*N*E agent. The agent reports that Agent Herrera who was trailing Mercury and X-23 is dead and that the Grind Stone coffee shop has been destroyed and the girls are missing. Cyclops is upset to hear that his students were being followed and tells Kitty to get Surge and Prodigy. He belays this order and relays the message telepathically through Emma Frost. She reports that Hellion, X-23 and Mercury are all off the grounds and tells him to meet her at Cerebra. She also tells him to send someone to collect Surge before she gets hurt.
Outside, Surge, Rockslide and Dust are confronting a O*N*E Sentinel and Nori tells the pilot that he has one second to get out of her way. The pilot, Lex tells her not to do this and that something’s going on and she needs to stay put. Hearing this, Surge tells Rockslide to “Sic him” much to his delight. He admits that he’s liking here more and more each day. They’re interrupted by the arrival of Shadowcat who calls them “X-Babies” and tells them to chill out and come inside because they have info on their friends that they’re going to want to hear about.
As X-23 and Hellions fly across the state towards Vermont, he tells her that he doesn’t know here or anything about her. He asks who and what she is and she simply replies that she doesn’t know.
Inside Cerebra, Cyclops is briefed by Emma who has managed to piece together the events involving Laura and X-23. She relates how X-23 and Cessily left for Salem Center and that Onyxx saw Laura return alone covered in blood. Colonel Reyes asks why this wasn’t reported and Emma notes that the boy has issues. She uses Cerebra but cannot locate Cessily. David suggests that she try finding X-23 and Julian and Emma snidely tells him to keep quiet unless he has any other obvious advice to offer.
 She finds them and tells the others that they seem to have some idea of Mercury’s whereabouts. She reports that she been captured by X-23’s creators and that they are going to try to rescue her on their own. As she tries to telepathically contact them, they are suddenly cut off from contact as they enter a psionic dead zone surrounding the Facility. Cyclops orders Prodigy to prep the Blackbird as Santo and Nori arrive at Cerebra. Rockslide tells Cyclops not to let David fly because he sucks. Colonel Reyes tells Cyclops to let O*N*E help as they know a thing or two about tracking mutants.
At the Facility, Mercury is in bad shape. She weakly calls out for help. Nearby Predator X is sporting new silvery skin. Harkins orders a lackey to contact Risman and tell him that his new weapon will be ready for delivery within a week. His sentence is interrupted by a rumbling and alarms that the perimeter has been breached. He shouts into a headset for a report and calls to Kimura for an update on what’s happening. She tells him to relax that it’s nothing they can’t handle. X-23 and Hellion stand back to back looking grim and determined although they are surrounded by a small army of Facility troops under Kimura’s leadership.


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Mercury Falling – Part 4 of 4
Three Months before M-Day…:
Dr. Adam Harkins is taking a video call from Reverend William Stryker. Stryker tells him of the “vision” he has received foretelling the impending decimation of mutantkind. He tells Harkins that he and his Purifiers will lead the charge to finish the Lord’s work. But he also knows that a powerful “agent of Satan” will rise up that they alone cannot defeat and that this mutant must be hunted down lest humanity lose its newfound dominance over the planet. Stryker asks Harkins if the Facility can create a weapon to help them combat this powerful new mutant. Harkins tells Stryker that if his check clears they can create any type of weapon he requires, even one that hunts and feeds upon mutants.
The Present…
A battalion of Facility troops try to take out X-23 and Hellion who have arrived to rescue their teammate, Mercury. They work well together, Hellion shielding X-23 from harm while she rips through the small army assembled to oppose them.  Hellions drives away a trooper who gets too close to X-23 and stops to gloat for a moment. Suddenly, the two young X-Men are overwhelmed by a sonic attack launched a device wielded by Kimura.
 She notes that she loves telekinetics because they are so overconfident, yet easily taken down with a device like this that disrupts their ability to think. She notes that this sonic barrage must be so much worse for X-23 given her hyper-senses. She grabs X-23 by the hair and yanks her up while she draws a blade. She taunts Laura by telling her how impressed she is with her pretty new boyfriend.
She then drives the knife into Laura’s chest and tells her “welcome home”. Julian cries out “NO!” as he telekinetic slams Kimura against a wall. He gets in her face and tells her that she’s dead and Laura urges him to kill her. She explains that he has to, since her indestructible body is proof against any attacks that she can manage. She tells Hellion to create a telekinetic bubble in her brain or heart and finish her. She adds that Kimura is evil and deserves to die.
 Kimura tells him that X-23 is right but they both know he doesn’t have the stones to do her in. Instead, Hellion launches Kimura through the roof and telekinetically tosses her over 25 miles away. He tells Laura that they have to be better than their enemies and that they need to find Cessily.
They find her in a lab, her body dissolved into its natural liquid state. Julian telekinetically opens her containment tube and urges her to pull her body back together. X-23 sense that something is wrong as she can smell Cessily’s scent everywhere. Mercury begins to reshape herself and begs Julian to make them stop hurting her. X-23 tells them that they need to leave immediately. At that moment, one of the Predator X creatures emerges from nowhere and slices through Julian’s shoulder. He tries to shove it away with his telekinesis but it manages to bit his shoulder. X-23 jumps atop it and slashes at it with her claws. Cessily utters a garbled warning that there’s more than one of these monsters as two more emerge from the shadows.
From above, Harkins and his aide, Anderson watch the battle. Harkins notes that the creatures seem to know that they must feast on mutant DNA to survive. He notes that X-23 will provide a perfect test run for the creatures and that it will be nice to have her back, if she manages to survive. Hellion traps one of the creatures under some rubble, but it quickly morphs its mercury-like form to escape.
Harkins notes that Cessily probably doesn’t even realize just how powerful she truly is. X-23 slices one but it immediately seals the cut. Harkins crows that these creatures are their finest creation ever. Anderson begs Harkins to let them leave now and Harkins relents. He adds that once they’re finished the creatures will continue their quest for mutant blood to dine upon and eventually they will find Stryker’s “antichrist” mutant if he does indeed exist.
One of the creatures roars as they begin to circle X-23. She tells Hellion to take Cessily and go; she’ll hold them off as long as she can. He refuses to leave without her and Laura tries to argue that he won’t last much longer due to his bleeding. Hellion unleashes a huge TK blast to buy them some time as they leave the lab. They are pursued by a soldier who X-23 quickly subdues.
 Hellion grabs Mercury and carries her out on his back. She sees the creatures approaching and weakly tells the others that they took part of her to make these things. She begs them not to let them take her back. X-23 stands her ground and tells Cessily that she won’t. She engages them and manages to decapitate one before the other two overwhelm her.  Hellion telekinetically yanks them off of Laura but the attack leaves him weakened. X-23 yells at him to get up and run.  Mercury edges closer to the beheaded Predator X and reclaims the part of her that was bonded to the creature. X-23 helps Julian to his feet and shouts to Mercury that they have to run! But it’s too late. The remaining Predators dive at Mercury as a blast door opens and a small contingent of soldiers raise their guns at X-23. She closes her eyes and pops her claws, ready to go down fighting against these overwhelming odds.
At that moment, there is a rumbling from above as a Sentinel rips the roof open. A team of X-Men consisting of Emma Frost, Colossus, Shadowcat, Rockslide, Dust, Elixir, Surge and Cyclops descends from above. Cyclops and Surge take the lead, barking orders and working together to destroy one of the remaining Predators. The other X-Men dive into battle with Rockslide commenting on how cool the evil robot grizzly bears are.
 Colossus is surprised by Predator X as it bites through his armored skin. The Sentinel blasts it as Colossus leaps clear. Injured by the attack, Predator X retreats.
The X-Men regroup when they make it to Hellion, X-23 and Mercury. Shadowcat calls for Elixir to tend to Hellion’s wounds as Julian assures Cessily that they’re going to be okay now. She reaches out to her teammate in a silent gesture of thanks. Elixir makes his way to Hellion and tells him not to be scared. Julian’s normal veneer of cocky sarcasm springs back into place as he asks Josh if he looks scared. X-23 says to Emma that she was right and that she should have left the school. She blames herself for what has happened to Cessily and knows that her treatment at the hands of the Facility will change her forever.
Together, O*N*E and the X-Men scour the Facility. Colonel Reyes reports that they found various mutant corpses that were being tested and experimented on. Colossus comments that if this is true, they did not hurt these people enough.
 Cyclops asks about Harkins. Who Mercury named as the man in charge and Reyes reports that they only captured lower level personnel. Surge is appalled that even after he’s dead, Stryker continues to hound them.
 Nearby, Santo is giving Kitty Pryde grief and asking her how exactly she helped in the battle earlier. He says she “phased” and sarcastically notes how tough it must be being a real X-Man like her. Kitty tells Santo coolly “Don’t make me kill you.”
 Julian covers Mercury with a blanket and she tells him that one of the Predator X creatures escaped. He tries to reassure her that they don’t know that for sure but she tells him she knows and can feel it. In the outlying woods, the creature growls and watches the mutants.
The next day, Mercury sits alone in her room, clearly still dealing with the trauma of her ordeal. Laura arrives at Mercury’s room having received a message that her teammate wanted to see her. Cessily tells X-23 that she wanted to thank her again for saving her life. She begins to cry and asks Laura if she really spent her entire life in the Facility. Laura replies “yes” and Cessily hugs her tightly. She cries out how much they hurt her and how it still hurts so much. At first, Laura does not know how to respond. But she allows Cessily to hug her and tells her that she knows.
At that moment, Kimura is targeting X-23 through the sight of her rifle. She gloats to herself, “You’re dead, clone.” She is startled when Emma Frost appears seemingly from nowhere. Emma asks her if she’s ever considered why she finds such joy in tormenting a little girl who she knows cannot fight back. Kimura rolls over and draws a pair of pistols on the headmistress before finding herself frozen in place.
 Emma explains calmly that she’s shut down Kimura’s motor control so that she can pay close attention to what she has to say. She confronts Kimura with her own past: a childhood dominated by an abusive, alcoholic father and uncaring mother. The daily abuse she suffered from her peers at school. Emma sympathizes, telling Kimura that no child should have to suffer as she did. She reminds Kimura that she played the victim for years until her grandmother took her away and tried to repair the damage of her childhood. But her efforts were in vain because Kimura no longer had any hope or potential for good. When her grandmother died, Kimura found the Facility who offered her a chance for power and revenge. Emma points out that she begged for the chance to not be a victim and instead became what she herself had hated and feared growing up. X-23 was the unfortunate victim of her years of bottled up rage and anger. She derides Kimura for continuing the cycle of violence despite her own understanding of just what it feels like to be the target of such abuse. She tells her that the fact that she enjoys inflicting suffering on others is what makes her a bully.
Kimura asks Emma why she’s telling her all this and Emma coldly tells her that it’s because today, she goes back to being a victim. She tells Kimura that it’s a pity they didn’t perfect her mind as they did her body. She goes on to explain that some memories are woven into a person’s consciousness and buried so deep they cannot be excised. Laura’s brainwashing and reaction to Trigger Scent is an example of a memory set that she may never be able to undo. Some negative memories poison the mind, while others are like beacons that rise to the surface when they think of those they love or hate most. Like Kimura’s memories of her grandmother.
 Kimura hears this and a look of panic washes across her face. Emma tells her that she’s taken X-23’s loved ones from her and that she is now returning the favor. Kimura begins to cry and asks what happened. Emma explains that she has erased all her memories of her grandmother, the only person who ever showed her love. In place of this, she’s left a deep void that will pain her for the rest of her life. Emma tells her that she also has a mission for her: she will find her masters at the Facility and “handle” them as she once did X-23, beginning with Harkins. Emma turns and heads back to the Institute, leaving a shattered and shaken Kimura behind.
Epilogue…
Somewhere in Germany, a fiery portal opens up in the night sky and spits forth what appears to be a flaming comet. It impacts violently in the middle of a street and from the resulting crater emerges Amanda Sefton AKA the second Magik. She is clearly hurt and as she rises, she weakly call out for someone to help her. She utters the simple warning, “He’s back.”


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The Quest For Magik - Prelude
Many of the remaining students at the Xavier Institute (Anole, Blindfold, Elixir, Loa, Match, Nezhno, Pixie, Rockslide and Wolfcub) have gathered in the common room and are telling stories around the fireplace. Rockslide is telling them tall tales about his adventures as a New X-Man. He claims that he defeated the Sentinels, scared off Apocalypse, told off Professor X, saved Hellion from Wolverine, scored with Lady Mastermind and saved the Cuckoos from the Phoenix Force. Wolfcub thinks his story is cool but Match and Anole tell him that Santo is making this all up.
 Santo challenges them to come up with a better story and warns them that they’re going to have to “suck up” a bit more if they want to make it to the New X-Men squad. Pixie asks Blindfold if she has a story and Blindfold says that she does in her own cryptic manner of speaking.
Blindfold’s story:
Blindfold tells the story of a demon lord who took a young girl. The demon wanted her innocent soul to appease his dark masters. He was opposed by a team of heroes who failed to save the girl. The demon lord became her master.
Reality:
The others are a bit creeped out by the introduction to the story but Blindfold continues.
Blindfold’s story:
 She explains how the heroes believed the child lost but that she appeared again soon after but changed. The girl was now older, darker with a tainted soul from her time as the demon lord’s apprentice. She adds that time was different in the demon’s realm and in the few minutes the girl had been gone she had truly spent years in hell.
Reality:
 Rockslide asks if the girl was hot and is quickly reprimanded by one of his schoolmates.
Elsewhere in the mansion, Mercury is having yet another nightmare and is crying out softly in her sleep. Hellion comes in to check on her and assure her that she’s safe now.
Surge arrives as well and asks how Cessily’s doing. He says he’s not sure and mentions that she wakes up screaming still. He adds that she won’t tell him what they did to her and asks for Nori’s reassurance that Cessily will get through this. Nori says that of course she will and asks if he wouldn’t mind taking a break so she can talk with him about something. He agrees since he feels like it’s going to be a long night anyway.
Blindfold’s story:
Blindfold’s tale continues and she expands on the girl’s experiences as the demon lord’s apprentice. She tells of how he raised her and taught her the dark arts and the way in which he twisted her soul by shattering it and creating from it the Bloodstones which would provide his masters with entry to the world.
She goes on to say how the girl fought and found allies against the demon lord. These were the heroes who had sought to defend her who had become twisted themselves by the demon lord’s magic. The girl forged a Soulsword and used it to banish her master, Belasco from Limbo.
Reality:
 Rockslide offers his own brand of constructive criticism and tells Blindfold that it would have been better if the girl had cut off the demon guy’s head in some gnarly way. Anole realizes that he knows this story from the X-Men’s files and that he thinks this really happened as the Soulsword and Belasco are real.
Santo replies that his story happened too… especially the part about Lady Mastermind. Victor tells him to shut up about it already and Santo tells him he’s just jealous. Wolfcub asks if they smell something burning and Match thinks this is a reference to his perpetually flaming head. Anole explains to Santo that Blindfold is a precog and Santo points out that if this story is in the past it must make her a “re-cog”.
 Their bickering disturbs Nezhno who asks them to lower their voices since he is trying to meditate. Santo tells him that he should shut up and Nezhno adds that his voice grates and that he, especially should quiet down. Pixie shushes Nezhno and tells him that Blindfold is telling a story.
Down the hall, the Stepford Cuckoos and Elixir are sneaking into the bedroom of the Beast who is sleeping soundly. One of the sisters declares that this will end badly but Josh says that it will work and that they should trust him. He asks that they get anything they can on human and mutant biology, genetics and medicine. They note that after what happened, Dr. McCoy is already uneasy around them.
Josh assures them it’ll be fine. One of the sister argues that they were going to do it for David and that Dr. McCoy, as a teacher would want Josh to learn all her could. They initiate a telepathic transfer of knowledge. Elixir is pulled into the air and his eyes grow wide. He mutters “I didn’t know” several times.
Blindfold’s story:
Belasco’s plan to reclaim his lost apprentice and complete his pact with his dark masters was disrupted when Illyana Rasputin died. When he returned to Limbo he was opposed by a new sorceress bearing the mantle and power of Magik.
 He was defeated and the Elder Gods exiled him for his failure. Though weakened, he could sense the momentous changes happening in the world above. He killed a demon and performed a blood rite that allowed him to witness the world’s transformation at the hands of the Scarlet Witch. Within this altered reality, he also saw his young apprentice, Illyana Rasputin reborn!
Reality:
 Victor interrupts the story to clarify what Blindfold is saying as they know that Colossus’ little sister is dead. He wants to know exactly what kind of story Blindfold is telling and asks if all this is really happening. Loa asks what she meant by “reality changed” and Pixie wants to know if Cyclops is going to show up in the story. Wolfcub asks if Illyana is real or not and Santo, thick-headed dimwit that he is, asks who Colossus is. Blindfold does not answer their questions but simply continues her story.
Blindfold’s story:
 She tells how Illyana disappeared just as suddenly as she had returned. But Belasco was convinced that his former pupil lived and was merely hidden, so he began a bloody trek through the dimensional veils to Limbo.
 His quest was challenged by Limbo’s new mistress, the human sorceress Amanda Sefton who turned the denizens and lands of Limbo against Belasco. He faced her army of demons with wild abandon, fighting for weeks to reach this new Magik’s stronghold. Driven by rage, Belasco defeated Magik, who no longer wielded the true Soulsword with which Illyana Rasputin had defeated Belasco and won control of Limbo.
 Amanda was driven forcefully from Limbo and fell to Earth two days ago. Belasco raised his demon army and Limbo became a dark reflection of him once more. He could no longer sense Illyana but could smell her on those last with her. The children who lived in the X-Men’s mansion.
Reality:
 Blindfold concludes her tale by telling her friends that this is where Belasco believes he will find his lost pupil and that the demon lord is coming for them. As she says this, she removes the bandages covering her empty eye sockets.
Anole realizes immediately that this is no story but a warning. Pixie decides she doesn’t like Blindfold anymore and Santo calls her a “freaky chick”.
Victor tells the others that this is really happening and they have to tell the X-Men right away. Pixie asks if they’re going to be okay and Blindfold replies no and tells Megan that she is sorry for her loss.
 Victor tells them they have to get out of there right now. The moment he says this, the floor below them collapses as a fiery ring surrounds them. They scream out as they fall into the abyss below.


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The Quest For Magik – Part One of Four
The students at the Xavier Institute were having a normal evening or what passes for normal at the X-Mansion. Mercury was sleeping fitfully, restless with nightmares of her recent imprisonment and torture at the Facility. Elsewhere, a handful of students are enthralled and a bit frightened by the dark tale told by the precognitive Blindfold. X-23 is training in the Danger Room. David Alleyne is watching his girlfriend Nori confront their teammate Hellion. He is interrupted by Elixir who is wearing only a pair of loose sleep pants. David is surprised and asks him what’s going on. Josh babbles about knowing everything and then tells David that he’s going to touch his eyes. Josh gently places a finger on David’s glasses and it begins to glow. Then David’s eyes glow and he cries out. Josh assures him that he knows what to do now. Josh smiles and David finds that his vision is suddenly blurred. He asks Josh what’s the matter and as he removes his glasses, everything becomes clear. Stunned, he tells Josh that he has fixed his vision! Josh simply replies, “I know.”
On the grounds, Sentinel pilot, Alexander Lexington reports in that all students and the X-Men “A” team are accounted for. He then adds that two students Surge and Hellion are on the front steps. He is advised to watch out for them as they are both “red-flagged”. He replies that Surge is a good kid and control replies that Hellion is a problem and that Ashida threatened to attack his Sentinel just the other day. Lex argues that it was a misunderstanding and that they’re just kids.
Julian is venting his concerns about X-23. He tells Nori how she killed a man in front of him, about her connections to the mob and the Facility and her intense hatred for Kimura. He says that he thinks she’s really messed up. Surge tells Hellion to shut up and punches him squarely in the jaw. This sends him to the ground and he asks what’s the matter with her and why she did that. Nori gets in his face and tells him that he could have died and that he is never to run off and do anything like that again. She yells at him that both he and the other New X-Men are her responsibility. They all could have died and she wouldn’t have been there! She again tells him that this is never to happen again.
Hellion hears what she has to say and seems to understand where her hostility is coming from. He is about to ask if she is okay but their conversation is disrupted by a fiery explosion from inside the Institute! Hellion manages to shield them from the blast. Lexington reports to O*N*E that they have a situation. Surge quickly reacts and is about to send Hellion in to check on their fellow students and he is one step ahead of her. However, he is unable to breach the firestorm despite his telekinetic field. Nori is in shock and disbelief as the two are engulfed by flames. She calls desperately out for David.
David wakes to find himself in chains with Dust desperately calling to him to wake up. He opens his eyes to find himself on a dais with Dust and Mercury encased in rock to each side of him. The sight before him is shocking. An immense army of demons has assembled. Several of them are holding a student from the Xavier Institute in their clutches. David realizes this is bad and asks the others what happened. All he remembers is fire and an explosion.
 Cessily says that she was asleep and woke up when she heard the Cuckoos screaming. She gestures to the triplets on the ground nearby with strange helmets clamped around their heads. Cessily adds that these things were putting them inside these helmets and that she thinks Martha is in one as well. David surmises that whoever was behind the attack knew to take out the telepaths first. He notes that Nori and Julian are missing and assumes that the others can no longer use their mutant powers.
 Mercury tells David that he has to get them out of there. Dust tries to calm her and Cessily yells at her not to tell her to calm down! She cries out to David to get these rock-like bonds off her now. As she struggles, the rocks only cling to her more. David tries to tell her to stop and that she’s only making it worse.
Their exchange is disrupted when they catch sight of their captor, the demonic Belasco. He greets the assembled masses with Limbo’s head demon S’ym at his side. Behind him, held aloft in a column of arcane light are the X-Men. Seeing Belasco, Sooraya calls him “Shaitan” and concludes that they must be in hell. Mercury continues to cry out to David for help.
 Belasco turns to David and asks simply “Where. Is. She?” David is confused and asks who he means, who he is and what he wants from them. Belasco takes David by the chin as S’ym wraps his massive hand around David’s head. The demon lord states that David was with her and that her scent is on all three of them. He demands that David reveal her whereabouts and threatens that he and his friends will suffer if he does not.
In the crowd below, X-23 calls out to Trance and orders her to use her powers of astral projection to send her consciousness into the light above them. Hope is busy being grossed out by the tentacled demon that is holding her captive. She asks X-23 what’s up there and X-23 replies that it’s the Institute and she can see it with her enhanced vision. Hope asks if she’s serious. Josh chimes in that he can fix them, no matter what Belasco does to them. X-23 tells him that she can tell from his eyes that he will not hurt them. Josh replies that that’s good and X-23 clarifies what she meant; he won’t simply hurt them, he’ll kill them.
Elsewhere in Limbo, the remaining students (Anole, Blindfold, Loa, Match, Nezhno, Pixie, Rockslide and Wolf Cub) find themselves standing atop a sea of jagged, fiery rock slabs. Santo asks what that was and what happened to the common room. Pixie says that he’s supposed to be protecting them since he’s a “New X-Man” and calls him a jerk. Santo tells her to shut up, he’s thinking. She then knows they’re in real trouble. Anole states that they are and deduces that they are in Limbo. Match suggests that the X-Men will come for them and Victor comments on their recent track record when it comes to their students’ welfare.
 Loa talks to herself and tells everyone that they’re going to be okay. Nezhno calls out to Blindfold and asks what will happen next since she clearly saw this coming with her powers. Blindfold responds that “she” will come but not in time. Santo threatens to hit Blindfold if she doesn’t shut up since everything she says is bad. Anole asks if he’s insane and points out that he’s supposed to be in charge. Rockslide explains that he just hits stuff and doesn’t know what to do.
Blindfold continues with her cryptic comments. She says that “she” will not listen to Anole and they must save her. She then clarifies that they must save Pixie and the she is too important to “fall to darkness”. Pixie is about to react to this when she sees a mass of Limbo’s demon army charging up the cliff towards them. Blindfold repeats again that she will not come in time.
The mutants do their best to defend themselves. Match unleashes his flames, Loa phases her body and as a demon’s arm passes through, it crumbles. Rockslide clobbers one and calls out to Victor for some idea what he should be doing. Nezhno stands calmly next to him and advises that he watch his side. Anole leaps onto the back of a demon and blends his skin to mimic it. He calls out to Santo to get to Blindfold and protect her.
 Pixie is closest to Blindfold and tells her to watch out. She uses her pixie dust on the approaching demons and they are stunned and freeze in place, much to her surprise. Blindfold asks what the pixie dust makes them see and Pixie says she doesn’t know but it must be something awesome. In reality, they see rainbow bubbles and a giant teddy bear.
 Pixie calls to Santo for help and he prepares to launch his arms at them. Blindfold tries to tell him not to and that it doesn’t work anymore, but her cries of warning come too late. When Santo tries to fire off his arms at the demons, it backfires and his body explodes into hundreds of tiny pieces.
Victor yells out Santo’s name and then orders the others to regroup around Blindfold so they can work together as a team. As he says this, a demon strikes from behind and slices off his arm! The others are shocked as Anole cries out in pain and clutches his severed arm. The demon moves in for the kill but his head is cut off by a swift blade.
Blindfold announces that the Darkchild is here. Illyana Rasputin stands over the demon, a bloody axe in one hand. In the other is a chain which is linked to a collar around the neck of her old foe, the demon N’Astirh. Illyana’s eyes glow red. She has large horns on her forehead, demonic hooves in place of feet and a red, devilish tail.
At Belasco’s fortress, he yells at David asking where Illyana Rasputin is. David clearly recognizes the name and S’ym insists that he knows where she is. X-23 calls out to Dust and Mercury telling them they have to do something! David looks up at Belasco helplessly and says he’s sorry but Illyana Rasputin is dead. Belasco cries out “You lie!” and yanks David from the ground, breaking him free of his chains as he plunges his hand into David’s chest and rips out his heart! The others cry out as David is thrown from the dais to the ground below. Holding David’s heart in his hands, Belasco asks the others “Where is she?”


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The Quest For Magik – Part Two of Four
The captured mutants watch helplessly as Belasco rips out David’s heart. Elixir and Trance cry out but X-23 takes action. She orders Trance to send her astral form up to the teleportation circle above.
 As X-23 breaks free, Josh uses his power offensively against the demon holding him causes it to release him. X-23 pops her claws, shattering the gauntlets that encased her hands. Josh makes a beeline for David while Trance soars into the sky frantically repeating “pleasedon’tletmedie” over and over. S’ym asks if he can kill them and Belasco tells him that these children are his. X-23 frees Dust and Mercury and tells them that they have to fight as she makes her way to Belasco.
Josh lays his hands on David’s chest and they glow with energy. He recalls all the information he absorbed for the Beast, reciting the parts of the heart as he desperately tries to create a new one for David. Slowly, a new heart begins to form from the surrounding tissues and David gasps as he is suddenly returned to life. Josh falls unconscious from the strain of healing such a massive wound.
X-23 slices Belasco and is surprised to see that he still lives. Arcane fires cauterize his wounds and he tells her that her claws are nothing compared to the power of the Elder Gods. He grabs her by the throat and tells her that her soul isn’t worth taking as it stinks of science. He tells her that she isn’t even real. He then sends a blast of mystic energy through her body that separates her skeleton from her flesh! Her bones collapse in a pile at his feet. Cessily and Dust cry out Laura’s name as Belasco turns to them and asks once again, “Where is Illyana Rasputin?”
In the Wastelands of Limbo, Illyana has just rescued the other Xavier Institute students from a horde of demons. Loa tells Match that they have to get a doctor for Victor, whose right arm had just been severed by a demon. Match asks how she thinks they can do that given where they are. Wolfcub points out that Illyana has horns and a tail and asks if she’s really Colossus’ sister.
 Illyana looks fiercely at the group as N’Astirh hisses at her side. Victor tells Match that he has to take the lead and Ben replies that he can’t and doesn’t know what to do!
 Illyana points at Pixie and tells N’Astirh “Bring me that one.” Pixie cries out as Illyana lets the gigantic demon loose. N’astirh flies straight for her, knocking Match and Wolfcub aside like rag dolls. He is stopped by Nezhno, who punches the demon in the nose. Nezhno has increased his size and mass dramatically, his new muscles straining against the silver tattoo-like bands that encircle his body. He calmly tells N’Astirh to stay down and when N’Astirh rises again, he punches him with incredible force. This causes a surge of energy from his “tattoos” and he passes out from the strain of using his powers. Pixie cries out as he falls.
Illyana is surprised to see that they are fighting her and reminds them that she saved their lives a moment ago. She mystically dissolves her armor and tells them that she was the one who yanked them away from Belasco’s earlier attempt to capture them and he’d have killed them by now if not for her. She tells them that if they ever want to see their friends again, she needs one of their souls.
At the Xavier Institute, Surge and Hellion try in vain to breach the mystical barrier that surrounds the school. They aren’t having much luck when suddenly a flash of energy burst through and rockets towards them. It takes form and is Trance! She is shocked at first and asks if she’s back. Surge asks Hope what’s happening and if everyone is okay. Hope tells her that someone named Belasco took them to hell and is killing them all. She manages to say that he killed David before she is yanked back into Limbo.
Belasco tells them how he was banished by his masters, supplanted by the human sorceress, Amanda Sefton and had to wade through blood to take back his realm. Indra tries to struggle against his chains and S’ym silences him. Mercury and Dust break free of their bonds as Belasco again demands the information they have about Illyana’s whereabouts. Mercury is scared and tells Dust she can’t do this. Dust tells her that the devil is coming and begs her not to let her fight him alone.
The two girls attack as one, Dust creating a sandstorm around Belasco as Mercury forms giant claws and encircles him with her liquid form. He declares that they were with her and demands an answer.
 Cessily tells him that they weren’t with her and don’t know what he’s talking about. She says they don’t even know who he is! Belasco thinks they are lying and knows that they know him enough to fear him. He can taste the fear on their souls. He tells Sooraya that she fears that she is not worthy of her God’s love and tells Cessily that she is afraid of being hurt again.
 Hearing his taunts helps to steel Mercury’s will and she glares at Belasco and gives Sooraya the signal to attack. Belasco laughs and blasts Mercury with mystic energy, reducing her to a bubbling puddle of liquid metal. He then turns his attack on Dust, telling her that he is the Devil and her time in hell is just starting.
At the Xavier Institute, the O*N*E is studying the energy field around the mansion. Dr. Valerie Cooper reports that it is unlike anything they’ve ever seen and that they are dealing with science anymore. Col. Reyes asks if she seriously suggesting this is magic. Cooper tells him that if Dr. Strange weren’t a fugitive from SHIELD currently, he’d be there explaining all this and would probably turn Reyes into a llama for that remark.
Valerie explains that the X-Men have a long and nasty history with Belasco and they have to find a way into Limbo to save the X-Men and their students. A technician reports that he’s cross-referenced the keywords “Belasco” and “Limbo” and found Amanda Sefton, who was checked into a German hospital two days earlier. He reports that she’s in a coma.
 Cooper explains that Amanda is Nightcrawler’s ex-girlfriend, a sorceress and the current ruler of Limbo according to the X-Men’s files. Surge says that she can get them into Limbo and they’re going to get her. Colonel Reyes says they aren’t going anywhere and the O*N*E will handle it. Surge and Hellion both ignite their power auras and glare fiercely at Reyes. Julian says coldly “You might want to rethink that.”
In Limbo, David tries to wake Josh so that he can save Laura but Elixir is completely wiped out. He asks David what they are going to do. David realizes that Belasco took out the telepaths first, which means they are a threat to the demon lord. He says that they have to free the Cuckoos, who are surrounded by lesser demons.
 Belasco’s fight with Dust and Mercury continues and continues to ask “Where is she!?!” He pummels Dust just as Cessily manages to reform her body. Belasco notes that their transient forms make them more resistant to his attacks which will just prolong their agony. As Mercury rises, she tells him no. Something has clicked inside and she is ticked off. She tells him again that she doesn’t know what he’s talking about and she honestly doesn’t care anymore. She says she’ll die a thousand times before she’ll let him hurt anyone else! Dust gathers herself together and says boldly, “And I stand beside her.” She adds that if she’s going to die then let it be a death that makes Allah proud. Belasco hisses and replies, “So be it” as his eyes rage with mystic fire.
Elsewhere Illyana stalks towards the mutants and tells them she can feel the agony that Belasco is causing their friends right now. Loa asks Victor what they are going to do. He comments that he should be dead but his wound doesn’t hurt. Illyana tells them that Belasco is stronger than she is and she can sense him. Pixie asks what she wants and Illyana explains sinisterly that the only thing that can kill Belasco is a soulsword and she’s lost hers. She approaches Pixie and Loa leaps to her defense but is easily struck down by a single bolt of mystic force from the Darkchild. Pixie cries out as Loa is hurled away.
 Illyana touches Megan’s cheek as she explains that she requires a soul to forge a new soulsword. She asks Megan if she wants to save her friends and would give her soul to help. Megan realizes what Illyana is asking of her. Anole tells her not to listen, that they will find another way. Match and Wolfcub regain consciousness and get ready to attack Illyana.
 Illyana’s eyes glow crimson as with a flick of her finger, she mystically pulls up rock-forms from the ground to encase Pixie’s would-be saviors. Pixie is crying as Illyana declares that she is alone now. Again, she says that she can feel the others dying and hear their cries.
Megan relents and says that she doesn’t want any more of her friends to die and will do whatever it takes. The Darkchild smiles maniacally and raises her hands. She coldly tells Pixie, “Try not to scream” as she yanks her soul from her body! Pixie cannot help herself and cries out in agony.


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(first story) - The Quest For Magik – Part Three of Four <br> (second story) - Endangered Species – Chapter 4
first story:
In a hospital in Germany, doctors try to revive Amanda Sefton who has flatlined after days in a coma. Their attempts are unsuccessful. The New X-Man called Surge tells them forcefully to move and steps in to administer an electric jolt with her mutant powers. Amanda groans as she comes to.
 Dr. Valerie Cooper reprimands Nori for her brashness in jumping in to “help” and tells her that she could have killed Amanda. Surge coldly asks if Amanda can get them to Limbo or not. Val tells Amanda that she’s in a hospital and that witnesses say she fell from the sky. Amanda is disoriented at first but then tells those gathered that Belasco is back and after the X-Men’s children.
 Hellion sarcastically replies “No kidding, lady.” Lex tells Amanda that the Xavier Institute was attacked six hours ago and they think Belasco is behind it all. Surge tells her that he’s taken the X-Men and their friends and they need her to get them to Limbo to rescue them.
 Amanda groggily points out that she can barely breathe and that they need the Soulsword. Hellion asks what that is and Amanda explains that it’s Illyana Rasputin’s sword and that Nightcrawler has it. Val explains that Kurt isn’t on the planet currently and Amanda says that there’s no hope then and the X-Men and their students are dead. Surge hands Amanda her clothes and tells her to shut up and get dressed, demanding that she take them to Limbo. Her eyes light with electricity and she tells Amanda “NOW.”
Meanwhile in Limbo, Illyana has begun the process of extracting a portion of Pixie’s soul to forge a new Soulsword. An arc of mystical energy joins the two mutants as Illyana tells the tale of her childhood with Belasco.
 Pixie cries out in pain as the Darkchild explains how Belasco used pieces of her soul to create Bloodstones as a sacrifice to the Elder Gods he served. She notes that had he taken five complete Bloodstones, he would have been able to bring his masters to Earth. She tells Pixie that she will use her innocence against Belasco.
Nearby, Pixie’s fellow students are encased in emerald stone erected by Illyana. Blindfold tells Anole that the Darkchild is not to be trusted and that he must save Pixie. Victor struggles against the stone, shouting at Illyana to let Megan go.
 Illyana ignores him while continuing her rant about innocence and the Soulsword being power personified.
 Wolfcub tells Match to do something, since he was their squad leader once and tries to wake Loa and Nezhno who are unconscious. Victor asks Blindfold what’s about to happen and what he needs to do. She tells him that he will save her and that he has strength within him. Pixie begs Illyana to stop and tell her it hurts. The Darkchild merely replies “I know. I remember.” Victor struggles against the rock which begins to crack.
As Illyana completes a second Bloodstone formed from Pixie’s soul, Blindfold tells Victor that she intends to take Pixie’s entire soul.
 Illyana continues to declare that the Soulsword will enable her to destroy Belasco. The sword begins to form but the spell is disrupted by Anole! He strikes Illyana from behind with his right arm, which has grown back! It is larger, more powerful than before and covered in spikes like the carapace that cover his head.
 As the Darkchild is thrown to the ground, the amulet around her neck that contains the Bloodstones breaks off. Victor stands over herand tells her to stop this or he will have to hurt her. Pixie is stunned; her once pink hair is now black with a few stripes of pink remaining.
 Illyana rises and her hands glow with arcane energies as she tells Anole that he will suffer for his interference. At that moment, the ground around them rumbles as Rockslide reforms himself. He is enormous, easily fifty feet high and his body seems to be composed of ebony rocks with molten lava visible underneath. He yells at the Darkchild, “You get the #@$% away from my friends!”
 A look of fear washes over Illyana’s face and she unleashes her mystic blast at Santo. He tells her that he’s going to use her horns for toothpicks, no matter how hot she is! Victor makes a run for Megan who comes around but is shocked by Victor’s new arm. He asks about her soul and she pulls out a small “Souldagger”.
Rockslide is unaffected by Illyana’s attack and slams her into a Cliffside. He tells her that he saw what she did while he was reconstituting himself and she’s dead! Victor stops him and says that they need Illyana to lead them to the others. Santo is also grossed out by Victor’s new arm.
When Illyana protests, Santo tells her that she’s going to take them wherever they say. She says that she can’t as the castle is sealed from her powers. She looks disoriented for a moment and asks them who they are. She asks where Kitty, Sam and Dani are. She then asks where her brother is. Pixie and Rockslide look shocked by this sudden change.
Elsewhere in Limbo, Dust and Mercury are in pitched battle against Belasco. He grabs Mercury and again declares that he can smell his former apprentice on them. Cessily asks what he even wants with her and he says that her soul belongs to him.
Again, he demands to know where Illyana is. Mercury lies and says that she’s alive and they’re hiding her. This was merely to distract Belasco a moment longer while Elixir mounted his attack. Josh uses his powers on Belasco. As Josh’s skin turns deep black, Belasco’s begins to bubble up with some kind of subcutaneous infection. He releases Cessily and collapses to the ground. Dust says this is not right, for you cannot kill the devil. At that moment, a flash of arcane green energy erupts from Belasco!
In Germany, Amanda Sefton hovers above a pentagram. Hellion tells Surge that Dr. Cooper seemed concerned about her behavior and told him to keep an eye out for her. Surge says nothing and Julian tells her that he told Val that she’s fine. He asks if she is or not. He says that they both know how Trance can be and that they don’t know for sure what’s happening. He again asks if she’s going to be okay. Nori turns grimly to him and tells him to ask again when she’s turned Belasco into a smoking pile of ash.
Illyana explains to the mutants that she can remember her life with her brother and the New Mutants up until the Inferno. But that’s the last she can remember. She explains that when Belasco came to Limbo he tried to summon her by gathering every bit of her essence but that her soul was missing. Instead of Illyana, he got the Darkchild.
 Victor is confused and says that he wanted Illyana but not the Illyana they see before them. She replies that he is really after her soul and she plans to kill him before he gets it. Victor tells Illyana that they have to get to their friends and asks how they can do that. Illyana says that she can’t do it but that Pixie can. She took a piece of her soul and filled the hole with black magic. Together with her small Soulsword, she may be able to breach the castle’s barriers. Pixie accuses Illyana of turning her evil and is about to call her a nasty name when Victor asks the obvious question: How can Pixie get them there. Illyana tells them that she can teach her a teleportation spell.
Belasco has quickly recovered from Elixir’s attack and explains that he cares nothing for these children but will kill them all unless someone tells him where Illyana is. Elixir is spent after his effort and can barely stand. Belasco uses his power to reform X-23’s body. She cries out and he grabs her by the hair. He tells them that time has no meaning here but their suffering and pain do matter. He then raises a pike from the ground and impales Laura’s body on it, killing her again. He threatens to kill then resurrect and then kill each of them over and over until he has what he wants. He threatens to bring all of Earth to Limbo if that’s what it takes.
Close to the castle, Amanda Sefton arrives with Surge, Hellion and Lex’s Sentinel unit. The transition to Limbo has taxed her greatly. Lex realizes that his communication with Earth has been cut off and Amanda explains that the Sentinel only functions there due to her magicks. She tells him there’s a good chance they’re about to die and introduces herself properly. Outside, Hellion and surge report that they can’t see a thing in the dusty mists surrounding the castle. They ask Amanda where the castle is but she has passed out from overexerting herself. They still can’t see but they can hear something approaching. Lex sees it on his sensors and asks the two New X-Men if they can see it. They tell him that they can as an endless horde of demons attack them and the Sentinel!
second story:
The Beast trudges through the snow as he leaves a less-than-stellar meeting with the High Evolutionary.  In his journal writings, he concludes that the Evolutionary’s evolved state has left him with a rather pessimistic attitude. The High Evolutionary believes that there is no scientific answer to mutantkind’s imminent extinction. Dr. McCoy notes that he disagreed quite loudly and somehow lived to tell the tale. He did learn that someone else had visited Dr. Wyndham with similar questions but the enigmatic lord of Wundagore Mountain would not say who. Despite the lack of assistance, Hank is sure that he will find the answers in science.
Hank then makes a visit to Dr. Kavita Rao in her personal laboratory. He hangs from her ceiling and expresses his hope that she has good news for him, for a change. She asks if he prefers being upside down and if it gives him perspective. He replies that it doesn’t but he’s told it is unnerving. She tells him that indeed it is. He asks what this place is and notes that it’s a far cry from Benetech. She explains that with mutantkind on the brink of extinction, her area of specialty (mutant genetics) has become akin to archeology, making her professionally obsolete. Beast asks what she’s doing there and she tells him she is trying to create a clone from inert mutant DNA. She notes that he was present in Berlin along with the late Moira MacTaggert and the missing Sarah Kinney and is aware of existing mutant clones.
Dr. McCoy wonders aloud why a woman who called mutantkind a “disease” and then developed a cure for it would work to create a mutant now. She points out that her work had the potential to save many lives and numerous mutants sought it out. It was these mutants who christened her cure, “Hope”. McCoy tells her that she is wasting time that he does not have and bids her good-bye. She calls for him to wait. She tells him that her test case, Tildie Soames had her life destroyed by her mutation and that she truly cared for her. But it was the X-Men who saved her life. Rao says that she may have been wrong about mutantkind. Beast tells her that the clock is ticking on his entire species and the irony pains him since he himself considered taking her cure. Now here he is asking for her help in saving mutantkind. He concedes that her research was based on alien data he doesn’t have access to and that she may have answers he doesn’t. He asks her flat out for the data given to her by Ord of Breakworld.  She reminds him that that data had a price. She has become a pariah in the scientific community when it was revealed that her work was not entirely based on her own research. Hank tells her that she isn’t the only scientist who would sell their soul to work with an advanced alien race. He also reminds her that the cure she helped to develop worked. She asks what good it is now with no mutants to administer it to as she opens a cold storage unit filled with mutant DNA samples. She tells the Beast that this is all the Breakworld research and it has gotten her nowhere so he is welcome to take it all. She tells him that the samples are from every mutant who took the cure as well as those they used in developing it. Every sample is now dust since after M-Day the isolated mutant gene just ceased to exist. McCoy looks pained by this information and says under his breath “Damn you, Wanda.”
Dr. Rao tells Hank that she is leaving and returning to India. She tells him to stay as long as he likes as there’s nothing here for her anymore. He thanks her. She tells him that all the data he needs is here, including files on another lab from which Ord obtained test subjects.  She tells him that her single-minded obsession made it easy not to ask too many questions. She begs him to be careful and he asks what she means.  She removes her glasses and tells him that she made a deal with the devil due to her obsession. She reminds him of the methods used and those who suffered for her decision. He begins to tell her that if she’s looking for absolution she can shove it. She interrupts and says that she will keep the blood on her hands. She urges him to keep his clean. He glares at her and tells her that what she did was monstrous and he is not her. She replies that she does not have Arnim Zola’s phone number. She apologizes and urges him to think about what she’s said. She tells him that sometimes no help is better than the wrong help.
As she slams the door, Dr. McCoy is left with his thoughts and a stack of files detailing Rao’s work on the Cure. Among the files are folders marked “Mutant Genome Project” and “Neverland” and what appears to read “NEX #17”.