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#7
DEC 14 |
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“Truths We Rather Avoid”
Limbo
The landscape of Limbo cried out for a farmer’s attention. It was dry, barren and the dirt cracked and splintered like rock. Vegetation was almost nonexistent and the few animals that skittered across the landscape were either too poisonous to eat or barely provided any sustenance. The air was hot enough to singe the hairs in your nose if you took too swift a breath. Life in Limbo would only be ideal for the harshest of organism.
A break came in the dry monotony of the landscape as a green and black portal ripped opened. Out of the portal stepped its creator and the members of Peter Wisdom’s XSE squad. They were all properly garbed and equipped for the harsh conditions of Limbo. Their black and silver armor would insulate them from the harsh atmosphere of the dimension. The only exception to this was Paige, who had husked into a metallic skin.
All of them used binoculars to scan for threats in their immediate direction. They all could only report one thing: emptiness. If they didn’t know better they would think Limbo was abandoned, but Sunspot’s tales assured them that wasn’t the case. Magik was out here somewhere and they would find her. The biggest question was whether Magik actually wanted to be found or not. Answering that question would determine whether this mission would be difficult or not.
“We need to set up some kind of camp and figure out what our next move is going to be,” Portal said.
“How about going back home?” Bedlam joked.
Alisande refused to give Nova the satisfaction of hearing her frustration vocalized. The old hag had endured interrogation all day and night without breaking. She was bruised and bloodied without offering up anything of value. The stupid wench probably had some innate ability protecting her from pain that still worked despite the dampeners. That was the only explanation Alisande was willing to accept. Otherwise, she would have to admit to some inadequacy in herself and she was entirely unwilling to do that. Alisande did not falter in the face of any mutant.
Nova smiled at Alisande with puffy eyes and swollen lips. “I was right about you, my dear. You truly are a wonder to behold. Such promise.”
Alisande bent down in front of the prison with a bloody scalpel in hand. The red liquid should have been a sign of victory but all it did was express defeat. “Keep your filthy compliments, Nova. I swear you will tell me all your secrets before I’m done.”
The bald, old hag smiled through obvious pain. “You are not as strong as you think, Alisande. We shall see who breaks first.”
There was truth in that and Alisande was shamefully filled with dread. She immediately cast the feeling aside. Who was its mutant to try and scare her? “You’re not as powerful as you think.”
Alisande walked out of the room gripping the scalpel. It might not be victorious today but it would one way or another.
Limbo
“So how strong is this girl?” Askari asked as they all sat around a campfire in front of a cave. Night was beginning to fall on this section of Limbo. Sunspot had explained that there was no real estimate of Limbo’s size. As far as he knew, no one had ever made it to the place’s edge.
Sunspot pondered Askari’s question for a moment. “I’m not sure what you’ve faced in the past so I’m not sure exactly how to gauge your question.”
“So sum it up,” Askari said.
“She’s a badass teleporting sorceress trained by demons.”
Askari’s eyes opened wide for a moment and he shook his head. “And Xavier wants us to rescue her because?”
Wisdom shot a heat blade into the fire to keep it going. “Because Xavier doesn’t give up on people he cares about.”
The two mutants locked eyes and Sunspot detected something very personal in those words. Rivalries were easily detected by Roberto because he had participated in his fair share of them. The two were skirting around their issues, but it was only a matter of time before they blew up. Roberto just hoped that waited until after they already had Magik back home.
“I have always heard that Xavier is a sentimental fool,” Askari said.
Warpath laughed. “A fool with an army of mutants that would have plenty of problems with that statement.”
Portal joined in on the laughter. “Some fool.”
Alisande looked over the file of the last man being forced on her by her SHIELD superiors. He had more experience with mutants than herself, both good and bad. She wasn’t sure if he was going to be a potential ally or another thorn in her side. Part of her hoped for the latter because after Nova’s arrogance she needed someone to chew out. The further she looked into the file, she saw he had been left both physically and mentally scarred by his mutant encounters. She almost felt some sympathy for the man.
A knock came at the door. Alisande looked up. Enter.”
The door creaked open to reveal Dr. Roderick Campbell, the physical scars of his mutant encounters evident. From what she had read, Campbell had been altered into the Horseman of Famine by Apocalypse. The evidence of that occupation was seen in his cybernetic red eye and his metallic leg that clanked along the floor of her office. A streak of white hair and gray skin also served as marks of his servitude. The man looked more like a mutant than human. Another tragic example of the evil their kind had brought into the world.
“Please have a seat, Dr. Campbell.”
He did as he was told. “I assume you know why I’m here.”
“Of course. You’re to be my Head Science Officer.”
“I think you underestimate my role.”
Alisande rose up from her seat. “A civilian scientist as my second in command is a reality I’m not accepting.”
Limbo
Reality was a tricky thing to define in the confines of Limbo, where time and space operated by their own rules. Magik knew this better than most because while she spent decades in Limbo only seconds had passed by on Earth. The landscape of Limbo seemed to grow and morph like an everlasting living creature. It made life in this dimension a very uncertain endeavor.
“Are you sure child? Do you know they’re from your world without doubt?” Azazel asked as he walked steadily behind Magik.
“There is always doubt. Doubt never fades here, but I am attuned to my world in a special way. It would take a great deal of effort to replicate that.”
Azazel held a gleaming sword in each hand as he followed her, his eyes darting back and forth across the landscape in a search of threats. “Then how do you plan to explain to them your seeming resurrection?”
“With the truth. This is the aid that was promised to us. We should not poison the well with lies.”
“And what if it’s not help? What if it’s a threat?”
“Then we dispose of it. When has Azazel the Tormentor been afraid of a fight?”
“There is no deadlier fore then the one you love. Would you be able to attack friends?”
Magik stopped walking and sighed. “I have had many to teach me what it means to break your own heart. I think if necessary I could do it again.”
Magik and her companion found the camp where the X.S.E. members were. Thankfully, no violence occurred. Sunspot explained to his old friend why they were there. Magik agreed to come home but only if they helped her to kill the last of Belasco’s lieutenants. Portal wasn’t exactly ecstatic about the arrangement but he agreed to it as did the rest of the X.S.E.
“So you’ve been Magik’s guardian here in Limbo?” Husk asked Azazel as they traversed the landscape in the direction Illyana pointed them. They had the desolate landscape as a background along with the shimmering, indigo Tower of Cassio in front of them. Husk kept a reasonable distance from the demon, but she wasn’t afraid of him.
Azazel looked down at Husk, a guarded smirk on his face. “I would hardly say guardian. Magik needs no one to watch over her. We are merely friends of mutual benefit.”
Husk didn’t like the way he said benefit. It sounded slimy and devious. “Just how many other lieutenants of Belasco has she killed?”
“Seven. Each power vacuum strains Belasco’s hold. Magik has Belasco’s domain on the brink of civil war.”
Husk was not sure whether that was good or bad.
Azazel must have sensed the thought because he responded too quickly. “Limbo is infinite, terrible and can never really be controlled. Belasco is one of thousands across this never ending landscape claiming lordship to it.”
“So his falling is not a great loss in the grand scheme of things?”
“It is akin to dropping a pebble in an ocean.” Azazel smiled. “Perhaps that is exaggerating just a bit but the point is the same.”
Husk saw a hole in all Azazel’s blustering. “If this is all so small and insignificant, why even bother helping Magik at all?”
“You see in ways others do not young lady. A credit to your kind,” Azazel said, walking away from Paige having never answered her question.
Portal walked up beside her, his face twisted into a half frown. “Yea, I know a few genies that could do a number on that guy.”
Husk laughed. “Genies?”
The A.R.M.O.R agent shrugged. “You see a lot of weird shit in my line of work. Once I had to deal with a universe full of witches who got their power from eating. All of them could have auditioned for my ‘600 Pound Life’.”
“He’s not to be trusted.” The warning had come from Magik of all people. She looked at Azazel like an angry daughter would at a father. Husk recognized the look because it was one she had often gave her Mother, who found herself filling in the role of both parents in the Guthrie family. Seeing that look on Magik’s face made Husk regret all those times she had been angry with Lucinda Guthrie.
Portal smacked his lips. “He looks like the classical Devil. Yea I’m pretty sure none of us were going to start trusting the guy.”
Magik pointed her sword at Portal’s chest and he backed up a few steps. Husk wasn’t sure whether the woman was going to actually use the weapon or not. She remembered Sam’s stories about how erratic the woman was. Husk stepped in front of the sword. “You might want to put that down.”
“He insults Azazel. Have him take it back.” Husk wanted to laugh but she could see that the woman was completely serious.
“You just told us not to trust him!” Portal yelled.
“This is Limbo. You trust no one! But petty jokes are beneath him and me.” Magik lowered the Soulsword, but still pinned eyes of murder on the A.R.M.O.R. agent. Husk found herself admiring and being slightly unnerved by that ferocity. What horrors had forged that type of tenacity?
Portal rolled his eyes. “Fine. No more jokes.”
Magik’s expression shifted from hostile to curious. “This place does you harm, doesn’t it?”
Portal took on the hostile expression. “None of your business lady.”
Husk turned on him. “But it is. We’re in this together. We need to know our liabilities.”
Bedlam and the rest of the team caught up to the three. Jesse must have heard the past few statements because he quickly chimed in. “This place is a dimensional crossroads. Portal is attuned to each dimension. Must feel like being a compass constantly spinning.”
Portal shrugged. “Something like that. I can handle. Worry about handling psycho lady over there. She has in the company of someone even she doesn’t trust.”
Magik walked away from them, but not before giving a few parting words. “Azazel seeks power. He thinks he can attain it through me. And now he thinks he can attain it through all of you as well.”
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To Be Continued...
Next: In X.S.E. #8: The X.S.E. help Magik and Azazel confront one of Belasco’s lieutenants. And who is coming to Nova’s rescue?
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