Morningstar

[Seer]

<< In the upper most reaches Badiane's mysterious castle, Spellbiner, Harbinger, Black Widow, Persephone, Prophet, Rampage, Ruby, and Firebird are laying on the floor, across in a row. Each of them lies where they fell the moment Badiane emerged and battered them all into unconsciousness.>>

<< A few feet further from the helpless row of fallen heroes lies Bishop and MorningStar, whom he desperately tried to move out of the path of Badiane's attack. >>

<< And ahead of THEM lies the Silver Swan. No one knows the pain, the desperation of a mother trying to save her child than another mother who went through the exact same thing. Badiane took extreme pleasure in causing MorningStar and Bishop the greatest physical pain they'd ever experienced, and in their last moments of consciousness, Silver Swan made a valiant effort to try once more to stop the otherwordly witch, but it to no avail. She fell as the others did.>>

<< The area where they all lay is at located in the uppermost reaches of this space castle. Impossible as it should be, they are now surrounded by open space itself. >>

<< How long had they been left in their current state? How much time had passed?! The answers will come to them at a high price.>>

<< At first, there was nothing around them. No sign of Alexia or Badiane. But soon, the floor beneath the fallen heroes begins to shimmer and glow, revealing the perverse true nature of its structure. The floor is composed of a crystaline substance, it is composed of dozens...HUNDREDS of crystal DREAM COFFINS. Within each each coffin is a small child locked in eternal sleep. Spectral energy begins to spark and hum, before the floor, composed of the coffins, begins glow even brighter. The energy, the very sweet and pure life force of these children is now being called forth.>>

<< This activity, this movement does not go unnoticed, unFELT by the Six family, but still it is not enough to bring them fully back to consciousness. Each of them has been dreaming. Each of them has been living the most personal, intimate, wild, IMPOSSIBLE facets of reality in the form of their most hidden desires, motivations or hopes. >>

<< This was was Badiane giving them one last chance. One that any of them would whole heartedly reject if they could. >>

<< But help comes in the form of a small, sparkling, green glowing orb. it formed from the very spot where Perle, Alexia's dream faerie had been brutally destroyed by Badiane as punishment for defying her.>>

<< But Badiane's sway over the destructive magickal power she commanded was not absolute.>>

<<FLASH!>>

<< Sometime earlier. The Six had found the badly hurt dream faerie Perle. Silver Swan gathered the wounded, pitiful looking creature into her arms. After learning how the fearie had tried to keep Alexia safe, MorningStar drew near and spoke softly to the Faerie. Before any of the healers in the Six could attempt to help....>>

Badiane: Not as sorry as you WILL be, for defying me!

<< A MONSTROUS bolt of dark magick crashes down, strike Perle and Silver Swan. Perle is lost. Silver Swan is blown away.>>

<< the otherworldly sorceress' voice rings out all around them, before she finally thunders into full view. She TOWERS above them all and stands between them and the fallen Silver Swan. The shock of her apparent brutal MURDER of Perle is still ringing in the minds and memories of the Six as they are now confronted by their adversary.>>

Badiane: You HAD your chance! I offered you a gift, IN SPITE of your BAD behavior! But like pearls before swine, you didn't see the BEAUTY of retreating into dreams forever! NOW I'll PURGE YOU of the folly o f your existence! You WON'T stand in my way of opening the black dream hole in this time and space!

<< Soon after that....there was nothing but darkness for all of them.>>

<< Back to a lingering view over Spellbinder's fallen form. She is this era's sorceress supreme, and like the others, she dreams....but in her case...she REMEMBERS.>>

<<FLASH!>>

<<Another place. Another time>>

Ororo: You have seen the power of magick, and the destruction it can bring. But for the sake of your soul, if you are to become Sorceress Supreme of this era's earth, you MUST learn more than that.

<< The Immortal weather witch would then teach a young Spellbinder how to cast a basic but VERY important spell along with the lesson of creating and nurtuing even the smallest attempt at LIFE. This was the same spell that she had taught both her cross time counterparts. The same spell that she herself used to slowly REBUILD her sense of self and her SOUL after LOSING it when she vengefully destroyed Belasco in retribution for his murdering her entire team of X-men so long ago in Limbo. From THAT basic spell, came not only her own restoration but her now legendary and majestic garden oasis in Limbo. A place of refuge outside of Time and Space. This object lesson was an important foundation to lay in Spellbinder, and while it may not have seemed important or useful to the less informed, it would remain at the center of Morgan's heart forever. >>

<< But just as thoughts and dreams flow like liquid mecury, they can shift from something happy, to something DARK.>>

<< FLASH!>>

<<Limbo. Ororo's Garden Oasis. The immortal weather witch continues her intensive therapy on an only RECENTLY awake and now SANE Spellbinder following the INFERNO EVENT.>>

Ororo: For all your power, despite your blood line, you are still human. A relative CHILD in the grand order of things. After a series of traumatic events, you either did not know, or refused to seek help from your mother or myself. Eventually, under the strain of your fractious companions, you lost you way. You used your magick, every aspect of your power and heritage in an attempt to bring Limbo to earth. You wanted to be special, powerful and forever free of the doubts, hurts and abuses that others heaped upon you. But in doing so, you violated the laws of nature, time and space. You destroyed countless lives and you would have destroyed the very earth you were destined to protect. You are VERY MUCH Hecate's daughter. But you are ALSO a young girl, a human...with MUCH to learn.

<< Later still.>>

Ororo: You must use your magick to protect the weak. TO RESTORE what is broken, to REVERSE what is lost. Now that you are your true self again, Now that you have a second chance with your SOUL, do not make the mistake the Hecate or even I when I first came to this realm to rescue ANOTHER version of you so long ago. Let your HUMANITY TEMPER the darkness within you. SUCCEED where Hecate or even I did not. Guard and protect your heart as you must, BUT let it lead you to BALANCE the scales when and where you can for what you did during the Inferno!

<< In the present, we now view the fallen Firebird.>>

<< FLASH!>>

<< The Parthenon. The War Room II. Spellbinder retreated into the hallway after hearing Harbinger's prophecy that the only outcome for MorningStar in any attempt to rescue Alexia is DEATH. Firebird follows after her sister and refuses to allow her to sail away on a ship of despair.>>

FIREBIRD: "It hurts..."

Tears begin to fall down Blaze's face as Morgan falls into her arms and they hug each other

"...because you...WE were reminded, just now, who Delilah IS, with the words she just spoke, and why she's one of a kind- why she's been FAMILY to us for so long. Like that night with Bianca, or perhaps most importantly, the INFERNO. She didnt hold our differences against us, but we did that to her because we just. couldn't. understand. And now?"

"NOW you think it's too late and After listening to Alison, I feel that way too."

Holding her sister tightly as they both continue to shed tears.

"But Morg, It's NOT!"

They pull away from each other and look into each other's eyes.

"We can't get to where we're supposed to go without you. Delilah cant do what she needs to do to save her daughter. You CAN'T retreat now Morgan. If you do, you really WILL ruin everything. "

"We KNOW what Harbinger has said will come to pass. We know her visions are CLEAR, but Morgan...You're SPELLBINDER! You're SORCERESS SUPREME! "

"If there's ANYTHING you can think of...ANY SPELL that MIGHT do something to save Delilah, you've GOT to find it! "

<<The present. Another view of Spellbinder.>>


<<FLASH!>>

<< Just a little while earlier, during the last confrontation with Badiane>>

Despite the level of power she's using, it's STILL MAGICK and I've been sensing HER energy patterns since i got here. I can...."TUNE IN" to their frequency! And....

....I can WARP IT...to MY OWN desires and effects!

<< REMEMBER. TRY. HELP. RESTORE.>>

<<FLASH!>>

<< Badiane conducts her power like an intense, demented conductor of an unholy symphony. It's a sensation that Morgan knows VERY intimately. She's ALSO seen it before in others, like CIRCE.>>

<< Badiane thinks herself the only one with the upperhand. She regards them ALL as LESS than insects. However, As Spellbinder FINALLY succeeds in LOCKING ON to the pattern of Badiane's aura and magick.>>

<< Her FIRST act was to call out her spell of restoration to save MorningStar, Bishop and Rampage's life. But that's not ALL she did.>>

<< A previously UNSEEN point of view during the confrontation>>

<< A small, slow spinning, violet colored, glowing pentagram of power forms in the exact spot where Perle was seemingly vanquished. >>

<< Spellbinder REMEMBERS one of the first lessons Ororo had taught her in the earliest days of her learning how to activate her control over stepping discs and travel to HER own domain of LIMBO. >>

Ororo: Do not merely TAKE. GIVE. Take from WITHIN yourself, a TINY piece of your soul...your most private thoughts or emotion and USE it for the sake of LIFE. From the smallest seed, an acorn...or even a tiny spark of someone's essence, combined with this spell that I now teach you, you CAN CREATE something beautiful. You can HELP someone. You can create LIFE.

<<FLASH!>>

<<That same previously unseen view during the last confrontation with Badiane. Spellbinder concentrates, shutting her eyes tightly and silently reciting the words that Ororo taught her so long ago. She trembles. She is afraid she has NOTHING good left in her heart or her soul and that this seed...this "acorn" will explode as soon as it manifests, revealing nothing but the blackness and coldness of her heart. She's afraid that she'll FAIL just as she failed Delilah during the Blue Moon.>>

<< BUT....>>

"You don't have to say anything to the others...enough has been said. Just THINK of something and when the time is right...TRY IT! "

"I KNOW this is bad...but think how much WORSE it is for DELILAH. and inspite of what's in store for her, she's facing it head on. We HAVE to go with her as far as we can."

<< Spellbinder concentrates, using the MORE than generous gift Badiane has given her in the form of the ABUNDANT magickal energy all around them. She harnesses it, diverting it with her mind, her training, her sincere emotion and desire and then, she pulls a piece of her own soul from within, just as Ororo tought her.>>

<< DESPITE her fear, she continues. There's too much at stake. >>

Little Perle, do not despair. Badiane took you away from your world, your family and made you her slave. The moment she attacked you...she FREED you. Now, let me help you, RESTORE you. TRUST ME. I ...I AM SORCERESS SUPREME, Badiane's "WILL" will NOT be done this night.

<< And so, sight unseen, Spellbinder, sensing the faintest residual trace of Perle, then using a piece of her own soul as well as the power she has now wrested from Badiane, RESTORES Perle. At that moment she is battered unconscious, her last "thought call" to Perle was>>

Silver Swan believed in you. Proove her right, Help MorningStar.

<< NOW!>>

<< Perle is WHOLE once more and FREE of the fear and PAIN that had compelled her to do Badiane's will for so long. But this little faerie alone has no hope of standing against the otherworldly witch. She knows what she must do. In order to help MorningStar save Alexia, she AND her friends must be REVIVED.>>

<<And so, even as the grotesque "floor" the Six is laying upon is now glowing and the very lifeforce of the children in the coffins is being drained, Perle quickly flies across the first row of the six, manifesting a sparkling mist of energy that gently awakens and restores them to full form and vitality. She then moves on to Bishop and Delilah, then finally Sharon.>>

<< Spellbinder's gambit worked. Perle is alive, The Six are now awakened AND restored!>>

 

[Silver Swan]

[ Sharon Kelly had already experienced her wildest dream earlier, and then before her very eyes, it became the foulest nightmare. She SCREAMED and freed herself, only to fall right in front little Alexia, who had been lost in this mysterious, dark castle for some time. ]

[ Together, she and Sharon made their way through this place, even chasing away fear by singing a song together and eventually Sharon carried Alexia on a joyous flight. But Badiane came and ruined it all, taking Alexia and leaving Sharon trapped in the form of a small, frantic white bird. Sometime later, she was discovered by her one-time teammates, forever allies and friends, The Six. Through a combination of efforts by Persephone, Rampage and Spellbinder, she was restored to her true form and together, they journeyed into the castle to find Alexia, only to discover the horror of all the other children held captive, and then confronted by Badiane herself. ]

[ As the Silver Swan, Sharon's physical power is second to none. She is known for her brutal, savage instinct, which has been HONED by the training of the amazons and TEMPERED by their teachings of mental discipline, making her a true living weapon. STILL, throughout this whole bizarre caper, Sharon has curiously been the voice of REASON in many instances, namely the issue of PERLE, the mysterious dream faerie who previously facilitated the abduction of 100's of children from across the earth, in this and OTHER timelines. Alexia had somehow returned to earth and had BEFRIEND Perle, who promised her all the sweet delights that a child could want...and had the power to GIVE them to her!]

[ Perle appeared to be the adversary, or at least it's emissary, at first. But when Sharon happened upon Alexia in the castle, she learned that Perle had been trying to protect her, even going so far as to hide her away when Badiane began encasing the other children in coffins.]


[ Perle's act of disobedience brought down Badiane's wrath. Sharon and her allies found the faerie badly beaten and wounded. The mutate gathered the faerie in her arms, hoping that Spellbinder or Harbinger could heal her so that she may help them on their quest to save Alexia. But Badiane CRUSHED that hope and seemingly DESTROYED Perle in Sharon's arms before once again attacking them all. Driven by her courage, as well as the deep seeded emotion and EMPATHY for Delilah as only a MOTHER of a child in danger could have, Sharon, along with Black Widow, made a mighty attempt to take down the galactic sorceress, but it was ineffective.]

[ The REAL Badiane emerged, she took down ALL of the Six in one deadly pass, THEN she proceed to BREAK the bodies, if not the very minds and souls of Alexia's parents- MorningStar and Bishop. Whatever her feelings about Bishop, Sharon was not going to stand by and watch him OR her friend Delilah be hurt like this, they were trying to rescue their daughter, and she was determined to help them succed. AGAIN she launches herself up and toward Badiane, UNDAUNTED by the woman's IMMENSE physical stature. AGAIN, Badiane strikes her down. Sharon joins the others in unconsciousness.]


[ It is a BLESSING for Sharon that she does not dream now. But on some deep level, she somehow wonders if she might be DEAD again. The last time she died was at the hands of Master Mold. Many times since her miraculous return as the Silver Swan, she's secretly WISHED that she were dead, hoping that she might finally be reuined with her husband Robert and her son Kyle in a whole new realm far away from all of this. But even now...on some deep level of subconscious, she knows that's not what this is. Still, like the others, she's unable to awaken.]

[ CONSCIOUSNESS and restored vitality comes from a surprising source...PERLE! Who is ALIVE and whole! Sharon is the first to fully awaken, and as she reflexively stretches and yawns....blinking her silver eyes (her silver eye mask receded from her face when she fell unconscious) a few times, she realizes where she is. Then she spots...]

PERLE!

[ The mutate exclaims with surprise]

You're ALIVE!? But HOW? I held you my arms when....

Perle: Badiane struck. For every wish, for every sweet gift she gives to those who please her, she deliveres that same amount of pain and punishment to those who displease her. There were others like me...3 more. She took them from their homeworlds just as she did me and enslaved them. She held them with fear and abuse, forcing them to do her bidding, collecting all these innocent souls. But when each of them finally could stand no more and dared to resist, to disobey...to TRY to do something, she hurt them and destroyed them. She did the same to me, for trying to help Alexia.

[ Sharon, having slowly made her way closer to the faerie to keep her safe in case Bishop or someone else tried to act on some ill advised impulse, listened to the faerie, looking at her with concern and sympathy]

Sharon: I'm so sorry that I couldn't help you earlier.

Perle: You believed Alexia when she told you about me. You cared. That's more than anyone else would have done. But even when Badiane had seperated me from my body, hoping to feed me to her black dream hole...that beautiful witch...

[Perle points to the slowly awakening Spellbinder]

Perle: She called out to me! She must be VERY powerful because she USED Badiane's own magick to anchor me, and then...offered me a piece of HER OWN soul as sustenance to me as she cast her spell to restore me! She FREED me from Badiane's hold....and told me not to be afraid, that you believed in me...and that I should help MorningStar.

[ Without hesitation, Sharon HUGS Perle]

Thank you. Because of you...we'll ALL have the chance to help MorningStar.

Perle: No...don't thank me. It's my fault that Alexia's here.

Sharon: No it's not. You were kidnapped from your family, your world, ENSLAVED and forced to do something you would not normally do. I know what that's like [referencing her initial return as the Silver Swan and her "mission" to destroy Black Widow]. ALL of it [ referring to her own child being kidnapped, experiemented upon and ultimately, mutated into a bio hazard]. This is ALL Badiane's fault, and she'll ANSWER for this. She obviously underestimated OUR magickal resources.

[ Glancing at Spellbinder and Harbinger]

AND the collective strength and resilience of our GROUP.

[ She looked around to see that the others were recovered as well]

MOST of us know something about pain and abuse...and those who would use it to try to control or destroy us. We also know when that sometimes in order to protect the weak, we must PUNISH THE GUILTY.

[ But Sharon could somehow SENSE that the faerie's heart was heavy. No doubt she was wondering what would happen to HER after this...where would she go?]

Don't worry. You'll be protected. We'll DEFEAT this monster...and somehow...we'll find a way to make sure that you're returned home. That witch you pointed at is Spellbinder, she has a special power that's suited to sending people to any place...in any time.

[ Nodding with reassurance to the faerie as the others were gathering themselves and approaching the two of them]

But first thing's first...Can you tell where Badiane or Alexia are??

[ Looking down at the FLOOR...which is now GLOWING, showing the children encased in the dream coffins]

Athena....the FLOOR...those CHILDREN!

Perle...what's happening?

Perle: Badiane is FEEDING their dreams...their very souls into the black dream hole. She's going to open a cosmic vortex so big that she can CLAIM EVERYTHING in the cosmos as HER'S...and the sweet energy of children is what her black dream hole likes the most!

 

[Ruby]

The Otherworld – Castle


:: Cass was dreaming… ::

It was a beautiful and bright day. She was wearing a light, white summer dress and she was barefoot. Her long dark hair was free-flowing. She walked, laughing, towards a table set up in the back of her family’s house in Warsaw, Poland. Her family was sitting around the table waiting. Her mother, Natusia, brushed her hair back and gently laid a hand on her husband’s, Aleksander, arm. Jacek, was seated across from his mother, adjacent to his father. He turned and grinned at his sister. All three looked the same as they did BEFORE the terrible night when the Nazis came and rounded them up. Cass looked the same as she did now.

Jacek: “CASSIE!”

Behind Cass, holding tightly to her hand, was none other than Cass’ ex, BEN. He was carrying a tray of drinks. Strangely, everyone was talking in ENGLISH. Cass and Ben both sat down and Aleksander stood, stretching out a hand to Ben.

Aleksander: “Welcome to the family, Ben.”

Cass grinned and gazed down at her LEFT hand which was sporting a beautiful engagement ring. Ben put his arm around her and hugged her close.

Ben: “What can I say, sir, other than thank you and that I love your daughter very much.”

Cass turned when she heard a loud WHOOP! from behind her. It was BLAZE VICTORY along with the rest of her SIX FAMILY! Cameron, Morgan, Haleigh, Nicolas, Alison, Zach, Vivica, Simon, Karen, Mike, and yes, even Delilah and Ava, including Alycia and Sharon, were all gathered around Blaze. They all looked glad to be there.

Blaze: “We wouldn’t miss our family member’s engagement party!”

“My FAMILY’S here! BOTH of them!”

Cass got up, kissed Ben on the cheek, then went and RAN into the arms of her Six family, laughing as they all executed a MASSIVE group hug. It was a perfect moment for Cass. One she has always wanted: a family, a place of belonging, and LOVE. She laughingly took Blaze and Morgan by the hands and led the group to the table.

“Mama, Papa, Jacek, Ben, I would like to introduce you to my other family: Blaze Victory, Morgan Victoria, Cameron King, Haleigh Davidoff, Nicolas King, Alison Marble, Ava Cassadine, Delilah Trelaven, Vivica Lennox, Zach Armani, Karen Victoria, Mike Armstrong, Sharon Kelly, Alycia Barnett, and Simon Pratt.”

Cass pointed at each of the Six members as she was introducing them.

Natusia: “It’s nice to meet you all. Won’t you sit down and join us?”

The Six all sat down and Cass grinned happily. Everybody she had ever loved was here and she was ecstatic! It was something else that her family could come all the way to Poland just to meet her other family! And everybody was getting along BEAUTIFULLY…

:: Cass slowly woke up groggily, wondering where she was and why she couldn’t go back to her amazing dream. ::

“I had the BEST dream…”

:: She looked around her and sighed. Back to the REAL world, where her one family have long since been dead and the other one, where they all seemed to be crabbing at one another. She’d much rather go back to her wonderful dream, thank you. She approached Sharon and Perle just in time to hear the faerie. ::

Badiane is FEEDING their dreams...their very souls into the black dream hole. She's going to open a cosmic vortex so big that she can CLAIM EVERYTHING in the cosmos as HER'S...and the sweet energy of children is what her black dream hole likes the most!

:: Cass looked down and saw all the children in their ‘dream coffins’. ::

“We HAVE to save them…”

:: Cass looked up, fire in her blue eyes. ::

"There must be SOMETHING we can do!"

 

[Harbinger]

::After the darkness, came the light...of the beautiful sunrise that only those at Minerva's Mansion could witness.::

:: In Harbinger's dream, "sits" in a meditation pose, hovering out above the agean sea, high in the sky as the wind flows through her blue/black hair.::

:: She breathes deeply and slowly, in a slow but rhythmic pattern, and the sounds of nature, namely the rushing water and waves of the sea far below.::

:: After a few more rounds of deep breathing, she takes one last deep breath and the slowly exhales, sighing with serenity::

:: She's a beautiful, telekinetic, precognitive, time manipulating witch, and she LOVES it!::

::She's the mistress of Minerva's aerie. This is where the secrets of the world are hidden, and SHE is Harbinger, the Keeper of Time, this was her destiny. ::

:: In her dream, she is calm, serene...everything around her is in order, and for once, she can JUST....BE.::

:: She tilts her head back, and as her hair flows in the wind, she keeps her colbalt blue eyes closed, and SMILES!?::

:: It's worth noting, to anyone that, impossible as it would be, might SEE her dream now, that she is ALONE. There's no sign of ANY of her friends, no sign of her BROTHER. Does that mean that she secretly PREFERS to be alone now? That she has returned to an EARLIER state of mind? One that she had before she was found by Hazel? Sometimes dreams are flights of fancy...other times, as Spellbinder experienced during her descent into darkness- just before she ignited the Inferno- dreams are another facet of REALITY.::

:: continuing to "Sit" and hover high above the beautiful aegean sea...when suddently, the rhythmic "ticking" of TIME, as only SHE can perceive it, begins to...lose it's order...and begins to speed up!?::

:: Even as the precog registers that something is wrong, that time itself is falling out of synch, something ELSE becomes apparent. Far below, even UNDER the powerful waters of the aegean sea, the very seabed itself begins to tremble...and QUAKE.::

:: Harbinger's face begins to show a hint of discomfort. Her eyes are STILL closed. But she frown a bit, as she tries to regain focus, restore ORDER. She is one of the strongest telekinetics, able to MOVE or cause change with the power of her mind. At its basic level, this aspect of her power is ignited by EMOTION...and the emotions that FIRST catalyzed this power in her at an early age were FEAR...and ANGER.::

:: As Harbinger grows increasingly agitated and loses her center....the sea beneath her begins to rock and wave wildly. The seabed QUAKES....and CRACKS. A rushing, chiming sound- associated with Harbinger's own telekinetic power activiting- is heard as the waters now begin to SWIRL, creating a TERRIFYING whirl pool::

No.....STOP IT. STOP IT! GO AWAY!

:: In the air, which is now howling with an ILL WIND, laughter is heard....laughter from....her MOTHER, the deceased KELLY KING.::

GO AWAY! YOU'RE NOT MY MOTHER!

:: From far below...a TERRIFYING figure emerges from the eye of the whirl pool, The DROWNED, DEAD BODY of MORNINGSTAR, once a beautiful ray of light, now a water logged GHOUL covered in sea weed and bathed in the waters that were once her GRAVE when she drowned her self over the guilt of killing Bishop!::

MorningStar: Why would anyone claim you as their daughter, Harbinger? You're a vile, despicable human being! You can't protect ANYONE. You didn't protect your brother...your sister...OR ME! You RUIN every life you come in contact with. You're WORSE than Kelly King! YOU STOLE MY BABY!

:: Harbinger's colbalt blue eyes POP OPEN a she can't HELP but to look down at the frightful apparition. Her face contorts with SHOCK and a WILD rush of emotion::

SHUT UP! YOU STUPID, WEAK COW! IT'S NOT TRUE! I PROTECTED MY BROTHER! I DID WHAT I HAD TO DO TO SAVE YOU....

:: MorningStar shakes her head, the skies around Minerva's mansion turn a sick shade of pink...then yellow....then begin fading to BLACK as the SUN turns into the...BLUE MOON. Immediately, Alison feels her power LEAVING her, and she begins to LOSE altitude, FALLING toward the whirl pool, and the waiting, the VENGEFUL Morningstar::

NO! I AM NOT AFRAID OF YOU!

:: Kelly King, as she LAST appeared in this world, EMERGES from the whirl pool along side MorningStar::

Kelly: But you ARE afraid of FAILING. You ARE afraid that your POWER will not allow you to ALTER outcomes...especially with those you love. You ARE afraid that one day you'll make a MISTAKE. But GUESS WHAT!? YOU DID, and it was a BIG ONE, my dear. Because of YOU, Delilah lost her baby!

Alison: Delilah is DEAD! and SO ARE YOU!

Kelly: But here we are! The past WON'T be denied, my darling daughter. YOU of all people should know THAT!

Delilah: GIVE ME BACK MY BABY!

:: The undead ghoul reaches up, now that Alison has descended down close enough, she can GRAB her and pull her ALL the way down to join them::

Alison: DON'T TOUCH ME!

:: But her power has left her. The BLUE MOON...it's left her WEAK. ALL the order, the serenity she had...is swept away as she feels the swirling water around her::

Kelly: Alison! Give mommy a HUG and I'll make it all better!

::Kelly closes in on her daughter, who's face contorts with DISGUST at the sight of Kelly up close, her very presence and now her TOUCH, which she can't BARE::

Alison: AGH....DON'T TOUCH ME! I HATE YOU! DON'T. TOUCH. ME! YOU BELONG IN HADES!

Kelly: LEAD US THERE, ALISON. You've already destroyed us both, the LEAST you could do is see us HOME SAFELY!

Delilah: Since I can't have my baby, I'll settle for YOUR life instead!

:: The water of the whirlpool has CLOSED IN around them before finally CRASHING DOWN and completely SUBMERGING THEM. Kelly, still embracing Alison tightly, falls back and DRAGS her down into the deep, dark water.::

:: That ticking of time that was once in synch, then sped up, has now slowed down...PAINFULLY SLOW, as if time itself wishes to PROLONG the NIGHTMARE Alison has just been pulled into.

:: The look on Alison's face is ABJECT TERROR. If EVER she needed help...whether she wanted it not, it was NOW!::

:: In one last FIGHT OR FLIGHT moment, Alison BREAKS FREE of her mother and manages to SLAM her high heeled boot down into her mother's face, at the same time using her mother as a "launch pad" of sorts as she begins to swim for her life back to the surface. A few more desperate strokes...but then MORNINGSTAR grabs her....and then BISHOP, equally as drowned and DEAD as his starcrossed lover from multiple timelines, HELPS her. ::

:: Alison would SCREAM...but then she'd end up filling her lungs with this dark water!::

:: She struggles...but its in vain. She has no more strength, and with MorningStar and Bishop on either side of her, and now Kelly grabbing her legs from below...the three of them pull Harbinger down....down....and down further still, until ALL of them disappear into the BLACK SEA::

:: The mournful, haunting sound of massive bell tolls....as Alison Marble DROWNS::


---------------------------------

:: The PRESENT. Somewhere in deep space, Badiane's castle in it's uppermost area. The fallen form of Harbinger lays between Spellbinder and Black Widow.::

:: As her dream becomes the foulest nightmare, her face betrays the strain of the nightmare, but she CAN'T awaken! The others are in similar states, all by Badiane's design. ::

<< NOW!>>

<< Perle is WHOLE once more and FREE of the fear and PAIN that had compelled her to do Badiane's will for so long. But this little faerie alone has no hope of standing against the otherworldly witch. She knows what she must do. In order to help MorningStar save Alexia, she AND her friends must be REVIVED.>>

<<And so, even as the grotesque "floor" the Six is laying upon is now glowing and the very lifeforce of the children in the coffins is being drained, Perle quickly flies across the first row of the six, manifesting a sparkling mist of energy that gently awakens and restores them to full form and vitality. She then moves on to Bishop and Delilah, then finally Sharon.>>

<< Spellbinder's gambit worked. Perle is alive, The Six are now awakened AND restored!>>

::Harbinger slowly stirs at first, then GASPS with a start as she bolts upright and immediately looks down at herself, then quickly around::

ALIVE...a DREAM....

:: It was all a dream. She was still here at this mysterious castle, having been subdued by a powerful witch from deep space::

Alexia....Delilah...

:: She feels nauseated at first, but as the others stir...she takes those last precious moments of relative "privacy" to compose herself and remove any sign of distress. BUT, someone DID share in her dream, as a passive, and woefully helpless spectator, her brother CAMERON. Their bond as siblings was not unlike Morgan and Blaze's or the bond of mother and child that Karen and Morgan have. This sort of rapport was unique, NOT based on mere mutation but rather DNA and specific metagenes. It was, in its most basic definition, a harmonic, telempathic bond that could ONLY manifest between two RELATED mutants or metahumans who's very natures tied them together. It had it's benefits, as prooven by Spellbinder and Firebird's natural reflex to communication telepathically to one another away from prying eyes, ears and minds; OR in the case of Prophet and Harbinger- as Prophet sustained Harbinger PAST her point of utter depletion with his own EMPATHY during the battle against Circe, OR in the case of Spellbinder and Shadow Weaver, who's bond as mother and child allowed them to sense when the other was in danger and need of help!::

:: It has ONLY been in the very recent past that Alison has ALLOWED Cameron to register or even CONTACT her via this psychic rapport that they have shared. Many moons ago, it was tampered with by Erika. After her death at Ororo's hands, and following a long series of events, Alison RESTORED it. It is a sign of how far they've come. But for Cameron, it has also offered him sobering, sometimes HORRIFYING glimpses into his sister's thought process. This DREAM is no exception.::

:: As she awakens, and soon covers her face, he KNOWS what she's doing.::

:: Soon though, Sharon is talking to a restored Perle. They learn that Spellbinder managed to restore the dream faerie using Badiane's own power as well as a piece of her own essence. ::

Nicely done, Spellbinder.

:: She and Morgan, slap their hands together. A move they used to do back in the days of Illustra::

Perle, thank you for helping us.

:: Sharon PROMISED Perle, that they'd get her back to her homeworld. Alison had no problem with that and it would certainly be within her's and Spellbinder's power to do that, BUT.....::

Why bother....

:: She thought. No sense in ruining this moment for them, even though they all knew what was coming.::

:: As Cameron drew near to Alison, she refused to look at him. She KNEW he'd been "present" in her dream. And the only thing that outweighed her EMBARRASSMENT was her reflexive RESENTMENT that he did NOTHING to help her. She remembered what she endured to save HIM from Barbas. Could he not have done that for HER? ::

STOP IT! It was just a DREAM. It's NOT real!

:: She says to herself as she SHUTS Cameron out of her mind once more. She needs to focus on the task at hand.::

Sharon: Athena....the FLOOR...those CHILDREN! Perle...what's happening?

Perle: Badiane is FEEDING their dreams...their very souls into the black dream hole. She's going to open a cosmic vortex so big that she can CLAIM EVERYTHING in the cosmos as HER'S...and the sweet energy of children is what her black dream hole likes the most!

:: Harbinger begins reaching out across the expanse of where they are, using her power to perceive temporal rhythms, as well as to "see" via precognition whatever she can.::

:: Cass looked down and saw all the children in their ‘dream coffins’. ::

“We HAVE to save them…”

:: Cass looked up, fire in her blue eyes. ::

"There must be SOMETHING we can do!"

Look!

:: pointing up , they all see an odd and GROWING spatial distortion in the vastness of open deep space before them::

The black hole has already formed, and is gaining MORE power now from the energy of these children. As it's power grows, so too does Badiane's. Morgan...can you feel it...HER? its as if it's an EXTENSION of her and yet...it requires...SUSTENANCE. Normally, a black hole CANNOT be satiated, and nothing...not even LIGHT can escape it. She seeks to harness it by feeding it the dreams and souls of these children. This is a process she (Badiane) has done OVER a dozen times already. She moves across the cosmos, harvesting children from worlds the way a farmer would harvest his crops at the end of the growing season.

:: She looks at Sharon, then Spellbinder, then Cass::

There IS something we can do, Ruby. We can bring Badiane to US. There is NO WHERE ELSE for us to go, and it's time we made our stand HERE. I'll use my magicks to INTERRUPT movement of the dream energy/souls of these children. THAT will bring her here to us.

 

[Prophet]

"Fix your tie, stud."

<< FLASHES >>

:: Cameron King appears to be flying through a beautiful green tall grass field. But here, on the astral plane, the grass was composed of beautiful green hued energy, each containing a memory, a taste of the life he always wanted to live, a scent of all the things he ever wanted. ::

:: He was sitting in the master bedroom of a house Cameron didn't exactly know, but somehow remembered. It was a house in East Hampton that Cameron often mindlessly found himself driving by during the summer. Classic Hamptons, old money, like where The Great Gatsby must have spent his summers. It was like a beacon of success. One couldn't possibly buy one of these houses, you had to inherit them. But he had bought it, and cemented himself as a legacy. His whole body experienced a flurry of memories as a soft and strong hand danced across his cheek as the cold metal of a wedding ring grazed his face."

"You Okay?"

:: Haleigh spoke in her same contralto style voice, only this voice hadn't suffered nearly the amount of trauma the real Haleigh Davidoff had. She was almost soft in her stature, still with the eyes of a wild animal, but a sense of peace, of humanity coursing through her body. He had cured her, he had gone to the ends of the Earth to do it, but he had healed her of her virus, helped remember that she was human again. Cameron let out a sweet smile as he adjusted his tie and leaned in for a kiss. ::

"Five by FIve, Hales."

<< FLASHES >>

:: As his body flew with ease through the field of memories, the milky purple, star filled sky all around him, he found himself suddenly pulled into a new and pleasant fantasy of his mind. ::

:: He was on The Island of Aerie, at Alison at the mansion. Here it was the family estate, Marble King Manor. Here the entire King Family lived, filling the mysterious mansion with good glowing strong energy. Tonight was a Christmas party and everybody was there. Morgan was with Nicholas and their little girl, a violet eyed ball of fire that requested everybody take a moment to admire her dress. Morgan and Nicolas were sweet with one another, secretly very affectionate. Across the room was Delilah and Bishop who were being forced to listen to the script Alexia had just written about a certain "spellbinder" defeating an evil ice demon. Bishop and Delilah almost looked like different people entirely, but neither of them had suffered like the waking ones. People embraced them as a union, and there was a decided lack of concern for them being together As he walked through the Great Hall, he saw his sisters Alison and Erika laughing loudly about the years they spent magickally pranking and messing with each other as teenagers. They were bright and even bubbly. Engaging, Alison's usual somber tone replaced with one that was somewhat lilting and present. Erika was breathy and sultry sounding, a naturally mischevious but sweet girl. They were all there; Blaze Victory, who seemed very much the same as she was in his waking life, which oddly reassured him. Vivica, Ava, Zach, Simon, Andrew, Sharon, Alycia...everybody who had once been a part of the circle of The Six. At their very best, at their happiest. This was what brought Cameron the most joy in his life. Family. This is the gift The Six had given him. He started out in the world completely alone and had created a family stronger than anything he could have ever been born into. ::

:: For as lost in the dream world as he was, Cameron had spent an incredible amount of time protecting his mind, the thought of Malice striking at any moment caused him to be hypervigilant. He regularly meditated, engaged in yoga and rigorous, sometimes painful telepathic therapy training in order to ensure that his mind was stronger than any weapon formed against him. There was a part of him that was between worlds, he was beginning to realize that this wasn't only his dream, that it was Alison's as well. The ground around him began to rumble as Marble King Manor began to quake and crash down around him. He could feel the tides of the ocean well up before a long and ominous shadow belong to an unbelievably high wave, washing away everyone around him. The cries of his family could be heard as they drowned, their bodies crashing against jagged rock and stone. ::

"NO! NOO!!!"

:: He saw Alison in the darkened sky falling towards what looked to be their mother Kelly. To see her face again so real was worse than he could have ever imagined. He had wished he never laid eyes on her at all, than to have such a miserable excuse for a mother dangled in front of him and taken away. He saw a waterlogged and mangled Delilah devilishly awaiting her plummet into the darkness of the whirlpoo sea. It was at this moment he was overwhelmed with an odd emotion. In his greatest fantasy, he had been surrounded by his friends and family, all the people he loved were close by and happy. Where were these people for Alison? Was her greatest desire, her ultimate dream to be alone? ::

"I'm not even in her dreams..."

:: Cameron tried to grasp towards reality. He saw her pain and what she was experiencing. All of these things, Kelly, Delilah even Bishop were emotional attachments. She didn't used to have these. She had cut them off completely. But The Six changed her. In his mind's eye he could see that these emotions were what tortured Alison. This allowing of anybody into her life to do the same things that their mother had done to her. Shutting herself off had given her the most peace in life, but it also left lingering pain and suffering that she had yet to deal with. Delilah was a crucial blow, because she represented opening up, of having a positive relationship based on love and trust, of caring about somebody enough to want to help them, or support them. Alison believed she had done all of this, and was beating herself up for both failing Delilah and allowing her to let Delilah that close to her. This overwhelming feeling of mystical, emotional knowingness soared through Cameron's body, whatever deep part of their subconscious they were in, Cameron's empathy was amplified in a way like never before. He was experiencing the full range of their sibling bond. ::

:: In this knowingness he dove into the water after his sister. He screamed to her despite already not being able to breathe as he swam towards the dark figures so far ahead of him. She was too far gone. She was too far deep and he had failed her. ::

:: Blackness. There was no sound. Lost in deep in space, he began to understand that he was in Badiane's castle. His eyes began to make out the smallest hint of his surroundings as she looked up to see the bodies of Spellbinder and Black Widow. He had hoped that they were simply just suffering what he had suffered and not actually dead. ::

"What just happened...Alexia..Delilah...ALISON!"

:: Prophet jolted himself in a stronger reality. Shooting up like a cannon he began to hear words around him, seeing it to be Sharon holding a previously thought to be extinct Perle. Everybody was talking, and trying to figure out what was going on, but he couldn't forget what he had just seen. ::

"Alison...are you okay? Just give me a wink or something. Alison....?"

:: He could feel her pulling away from him as he pushed further with his mind. ::

SNAP.

:: She was gone, shutting him out, an ominous signal to him after what he had just whispered. There was so much he felt and wanted to say in this moment, but there just wasn't any time, and there were VERY important matters at hand. ::

Alison: "The black hole has already formed, and is gaining MORE power now from the energy of these children. As it's power grows, so too does Badiane's. Morgan...can you feel it...HER? its as if it's an EXTENSION of her and yet...it requires...SUSTENANCE. Normally, a black hole CANNOT be satiated, and nothing...not even LIGHT can escape it. She seeks to harness it by feeding it the dreams and souls of these children. This is a process she (Badiane) has done OVER a dozen times already. She moves across the cosmos, harvesting children from worlds the way a farmer would harvest his crops at the end of the growing season."

Cassie: "There must be something we can do!"

Alison: "There IS something we can do, Ruby. We can bring Badiane to US. There is NO WHERE ELSE for us to go, and it's time we made our stand HERE. I'll use my magicks to INTERRUPT movement of the dream energy/souls of these children. THAT will bring her here to us."

:: Cameron cast his senses out. ::

"We need to move fast, she's VERY reliant on this type of energy, it feels almost like some kind of psychic "nourishment" to her. If we can mess with her supply, we might just have a chance."

 

[Persephone]

“Violet, be careful.”

Her voice calmly spoke to the beautiful six year old girl as she bounced around the plush green meadow, filled with every colored flower imaginable.

“You don’t want to scare them away.”

She said with a smile, taking the little girl’s hand and kneeling next to her to calm her. Persephone placed her index finger up against her lips, doing a soft shush sound as she looked into the inquisitive little girl’s eyes. They were filled with excitement and intrigue—curiosity and wonder. Suddenly, there was rustling in the tall grass and Violet’s eyes widened. Persephone looked over towards the movement…moments passed, probably what felt like hours to the little girl, when suddenly…

Violet: “BUNNY!”

A small rabbit jumped out from the tall grass, revealing itself. Violet jumped up and down with excitement as Persephone laughed.

“I told you he would come sweet one, you just had to be patient.”

Violet scooped up the rabbit and held it tightly--the creature happily snuggling into the little girls arms.

Violet: “You told him to come, didn’t you mommy?”

Persephone pushed back one of Violet’s pigtails, running a gentle finger down her cheek.

“He came because he knew that you wouldn’t harm him.”

Violet: “No, never! I never hurt any of our friends!”

Chuckling, Persephone stood and ran her hand down the back of her daughter’s head to her back.

“Go and play. Not too far, okay?”

Gently patting Violet’s back with encouragement, the little girl immediately began to run into the wild flowers, placing the small rabbit down on the ground and giggling as it began to chase her. Smiling brightly, the moment was perfect….serene….ideal. Everything felt at peace with Persephone in that moment as she turned around to take in the scenery of the vast grassy hills around her. The wind blew back her long chocolate locks as it danced around the soft fabric of her white Grecian dress. Closing her green eyes, Ava took a long, deep breath in. Pure joy.

Violet: “MOMMY!!”

Persephone’s eyes shot open hearing the piercing screams of her little girl. Quickly turning, she began to run toward them.

“VIOLET!”

Pushing her way through the dense grass and flowers, the blue skies around her began to go orange as the sun blazed like a white, hot fire.

“VIOLET!”

Persephone ran and ran, frantic in her pursuit until gasping in horror as she quickly came to an abrupt stop, teetering on the edge of a huge crevasse overlooking the depths of HELL. Eyes wide and tears falling to her cheeks, she screamed.

“NO! YOU LET HER GO!”

And there, hovering in the middle of the crevasse, was Hades riding a horse drawn chariot, with Violet next to him.

Hades: “Tsk, tsk, tsk. You know your life will never be this way, my Persopina. You will never find happiness, because I will destroy EVERYONE and EVERYTHING that tries to make you feel like you deserve to be anything other than my WHORE.

Hades lifted Violet up by one of her pigtails, pulling her off the chariot and dangling her over the edge of the crevasse.

“STOP!”

Without wavering, Hades let go of Violet—her body falling into the depths of hell as Ava collapsed to her knees screaming in agony. Hades thunderous laugh roared with pure sadistic joy.

“NOOO!”

FLASH

Ava’s eyes opened suddenly; she quickly gasped as she looked around. The topaz ring that Karen gave her began to faintly glow, calming the fear and anxiety that the dream had brought upon her. Her breathing steadied as she saw Morgan and Alison….Cass and Cameron as well. They were all waking too. Haleigh was next to her, now awake as well. She looked about the same as Ava felt…

“You okay?”

A pretty futile question to ask considering the circumstances. Pushing herself off the ground, she helped Haleigh up as well. Whoever this Badiane person was needed a swift kick to the fuucking face. This bitch obviously knew how to turn the knife.

Sharon: Athena…the FLOOR…those CHILDREN! Perle…what’s happening?

Ava didn’t notice up until that point that they were standing on glass coffins filled with children. It wasn’t until she heard Sharon exclaim and saw her horrified expression that she looked down and realized what was going on. Her eyes widen.

“Holy shit…”

Perle explained that Badiane fed off the children and she was creating a vortex to literally claim the universe as hers.

Alison: The black hole has already formed, and is gaining MORE power now from the energy of the children. As it’s power grows, so too does Badiane.

Ava watched, as the hole seemed to pulsate and grow as the seconds passed.

Cassie: “There must be something we can do!”

Alison: “There IS something we can do, Ruby. We can bring Badiane to US. I’ll use my magicks to INTERRUPT movement of the dream energy/souls of these children. THAT will bring her here to us.

Cameron: “We need to move fast, she’s VERY reliant on this type of energy, it feels almost like some kind of psychic “nourishment” to her. If we can mess with her supply, we might just have a chance.

“Cutting off her supply will definitely piss her off enough to bring her here….but where does that leave Alexia? We need to FIND her.”

 

[MorningStar]

It was a bright, sunny day in Central Park. The leaves were just starting to change color on the trees, but the day was still warm. She started to unpack a large picnic basket, taking plates and containers of food out and setting them near the large blanket.

“Where do you want this?” Maxim called to her, lugging a large cooler in front of him. She indicated where, smiling at him. She paused what she was doing, putting her hands on her legs as she knelt on the blanket, and looked around her. Haleigh was lounging against Cameron, as he tried to feed her grapes, the two of them laughing. Blaze was trying to throw a Frisbee to Nicholas, without a whole lot of success. Morgan and Alison were lounging and soaking up sun. Cass was playing music from her phone. Ava was picking flowers with Alexia, who already had grass-stained knees.

No powers, just normal people, enjoying a normal day…

Suddenly, the sky was dark and stormy, tinged red.

Lightning flashed, as she stood on a hill, overlooking the city. A city in ruins. She was dressed in form-fitting black leather. Dogs barked, and soldiers flanked her on her sides. She gazed coldly around her – this was her domain. She RULED here. She was the JUSTICER. No mutant could stand against her and live.

She turned around and around, looking down below her, and before her she could see her victims…bodies bloody and broken. Ruby…Rampage…Persephone…Harbinger…Spellbinder…Black Widow…Prophet. Dead because of her, at her hand.

Bishop.

Alexia.


Delilah sat up straight, sucking in air, nearly hyperventilating. She blinked. She looked around, at first not aware of where she was. The others were here, and looked as if they too were just waking up. What the hell had happened?

She saw Silver Swan and…

“Perle?”

She tried standing, but the blood rushed to her head and she stumbled. She put a hand to her head. After a moment, she gained her stability and moved to kneel by Silver Swan’s side as she spoke to the faerie.

“Perle, thank god you’re alright.”

She gently touched the little faerie’s arm.

Silver Swan mentioned the floor, and Delilah looked down and gasped, her hand covering her mouth. So many children…how could this be possible?

She's going to open a cosmic vortex so big that she can CLAIM EVERYTHING in the cosmos as HER'S...

Delilah clenched her fist.

“Not if we have anything to say about it.”

I'll use my magicks to INTERRUPT movement of the dream energy/souls of these children. THAT will bring her here to us.

“Cutting off her supply will definitely piss her off enough to bring her here….but where does that leave Alexia? We need to FIND her.”

Delilah was frantically looking from coffin to coffin, desperately looking for the face of the little girl that was her daughter.

“We HAVE to find her.”

Delilah didn’t mind dying, but she NEEDED to see Alexia one last time before she did. As much as she had been through in her life, as terrible as it was, the world couldn’t be so cruel as to deprive her of that.

 

[Bishop]

Sunlight poured through the bedroom window. He stretched sleepily. The bed was a mess of sheets and pillows, but it was comfortable and warm. He didn’t ever want to get up. Delilah lay next to him, lodged in the crook of his arm as if that space had been built to fit her. And in her arms she cradled Alexia between them, wrapped in a tiny pink blanket. Alexia yawned, and both he and Delilah laughed down at her. He kissed the top of the baby’s head gently, then just as gently kissed Delilah’s cheek…

Delilah rested her head on his shoulder and murmured, “Do I really have to go to work today?”

He laughed at her, “Only if you want to avoid raising our daughter in a cardboard box…give her to me.”

Delilah carefully placed Alexia in his arms and got out of bed. Alexia turned her little face towards his chest and promptly fell asleep.

Delilah began to get dressed as she talked, “I must really like you, Max, to get suckered into this whole ‘Mr. Mom’ routine – isn’t it usually the woman who gets to stay home lounging in bed all day with the kids, while the man goes out and brings home the bacon?”

“What can I say, Lilah? You’ve married a feminist. We are a progressive family.” He grinned at her. “But I know I feel much safer knowing you’re out there protecting our streets from that terrible criminal element.”

Delilah smirked, “Yeah, Thunder Bay, population 3,000, has a real ‘criminal element’ to it.” Dressed now, she clipped her police badge to her jeans as she came over to the bed to give each of them a kiss. “But any job that lets me get home to my family by 5 is a-okay with me.”

He gazed up at her face, lit by the streaming sunlight, looking as if she was almost made from it. She was almost too beautiful to bear.

Then the sound. It was so loud. So rapid as the room was sprayed with bullets. Blood poured from Delilah's mouth and down the front of her body which was now riddled with bullet wounds. She looked down at him with a shocked expression, trying to speak but no words coming out before collapsing onto the bed. He was paralyzed with horror as he stared at her. The bullets still flared around him but none touched him. He looked down to the baby in his arms, the pink blanket now red. Then just as abruptly as they had started, the firing stopped.

“No, not again. No, no, no, no, NO, NO, NO, NO!”

He pulled Delilah’s body towards him. He cradled them both, his two girls, both dead in his arms. Both dead because he was unable to save them.

Reaching down, he pulled Delilah’s Sig P226 service revolver from her belt, cocked it, and put it to his head…

He woke up, screaming.

He ran a hand over his face and then through his hair, wet with sweat. They were still somewhere in fricking outer space. Delilah was beside him. He checked quickly to see that she was still breathing. The others were there too, all seemed to be okay and waking up it appeared.

They talked about dream holes and magick and plans, but images from his nightmare were still forefront in his mind. He looked down at the floor, seeing the children encased in coffins. His face was grim.

Not this time.

No matter what he had to do, he was not going to lose either of them.

He stood up and turned to Alison.

“Where do you want me?”

 

[Black Widow]

They were all overrun and beaten down, almost simultaneously. Haleigh sat up, shaking her head.

"Restart simulation. WHY do we keep splitting off? We do much better when we work TOGETHER. Come on guys, I know it's late, but it's my job to make sure we're all sharp, so if we can just nail it at least ONCE, we can call it a night."

They all begrudgingly returned to their starting points, and the fight started over. Haleigh LOVED fight night, and she knew that deep down everyone else secretly did too, but she could tell they were reaching the limits of their stamina now. all the more reason to push on, past that comfort level. Their enemies didn't care if they were tired. The Danger Room simulated the worst case scenario: the government hunting down mutants and trying to capture them, using what seemed like a never ending supply of Super Soldiers provided by Mystech. In reality the simulation could only generate 10 foes for each of them simultaneously.

They did a better job now, pulling strength from deep down and not allowing themselves to get separated from the group. They helped each other, and they seemed to be so closely in tune that they used their powers in concert to dispatch multiple foes at once. Haleigh was beating a SS pretty severely in hand-to-hand combat when she was tackled to the ground by Cameron. He'd knocked her out of the way of a plasma blast she'd been too distracted to notice. He landed squarely on top of her with a devilish grin.

Cameron: I'd like to nail YOU at least once before we call it a night.

Ava: Oh GREAT, here they go again.

Her sister says, rolling her eyes and striking down another enemy.

Delilah: Why don't you lovebirds two get a room?

Morningstar brightens up the whole room with a blast of light. Ruby is doing a decent job fending off a super soldier, and Nicolas is laying WASTE. Haleigh manifested a couple of machine gun turrets to flank her and Cameron, and they started picking off targets immediately. Cameron started unzipping her battlesuit.

Nic: OR..... they can have THIS room, and the rest of us can hit the showers.

Ruby: Yeah, I vote for THAT!

Malice: END SIMULATION.

The cold voice comes from the intercom. The lights come on behind the mirrored glass of the observation room, revealing Diana, who stands there with her arms crossed, looking irritated. Everything in the Danger Room fades away, leaving Haleigh hot and bothered on the floor.

Malice: WHY can't you accept that your righteous ERSTWHILE friends are never going to help us dominate the flatscans? We're going to have to strike THEM down too.

"Come ON, MOTHER.... I was just about to have sex on the field of battle. That's ALL this little fantasy is about."

Malice: You can keep telling yourself that, Scion, but if THAT was all you wanted, you'd have the simulation run with the cast of Chippendales, and not with all the people who HATE you now that you took your rightful place as White Princess of the Hellfire Club.

Haleigh woke up abruptly, and felt immediately seized with a sense of horror. Her heart was pounding.

Ava: You okay?

"Yeah.... that was just.... fuccking weird."

Her sister helped her up. Sharon called attention to the floor... it was made up of glass coffins full of kids.

Ava: Holy shit....

"On second thought, no, I'm not okay. I can't tell if THAT nightmare was worse than the one we're in now."

Perle was back, and the team was working out a plan to draw Badiane back to them. Delilah was frantically searching for her daughter. Haleigh turned to Alison.

"DO it, Harbinger. We're running out of time."

 

[Spellbinder]

<< Spellbinder awakened, only to find that a few tears had fallen from eyes even while she had been sleeping.>>

We've been struggling against Badiane everytime we've encountered her so far. There's 12 of us...and we've only managed to REACT to her so far!

<< Harbinger was already awake and close to Sharon and...>>

Perle!......

<< Closing her eyes again for a moment>>

THANKS, Ororo!

<<She could see Persephone helping her sister, and Cameron making his way to Alison, who was visibly cold to him. Was it still from happened at Minerva's Aerie and the War Room...or something else?>>

<< Helping Firebird up, the two sisters went to Nicolas, before the three of moved over to where everyone else had gathered.>>

Harbinger: Nicely done, Spellbinder.

<< She nods with thanks as the two witches slap hands, like the used to do in the days of Illustra.>>

And thank YOU, Perle, for justifying Sharon's faith in you.

<< Everyone was revived and accounted for, but the brief moment of relief was soon overshadowed by the horrifying revelation right under their feet. Children, all in dream coffins, locked in eternal sleep and having their dreams...their very souls drained away.>>

Ororo told me stories of Belasco, and what he did to my other two cross time alternates. How he used their dreams against them to try and pervert them to his image. I....I never encountered him...b/c Ororo, my mom, and even my GRAMMIE protected me from him, and then Ororo destroyed him.

<< As Prophet and Harbinger begin forming some sort of action, Delilah grows frantic and Morgan looks over at her.>>

To Firebird via their sibling rapport: I've got to think of SOMETHING. I've got to find away to ALTER this outcome, but so far...I CAN'T!

The fire elemental, who had knelt down and placed a hand on the floor, looking at the sleeping children with great concern, slowly stands up and looks at her sister, placing her hand on her sisters arm.

"Don't OVERthink, Morg. You did something great by bringing Perle back. Badiane doesn't know what you can do, and she doesn't know how FAR WE will go to get what we want. Just follow your heart. You'll know what to do."

Blaze nods with reassurance to her sister and Morgan takes her hand into her own, squeezing it gently

....

Perle was back, and the team was working out a plan to draw Badiane back to them. Delilah was frantically searching for her daughter. Haleigh turned to Alison.

"DO it, Harbinger. We're running out of time."

Perle.

<< As Harbinger begins, Spellbinder kneels down.>>

I can now tap into and manipulate Badiane's magick signature. I am going to cast a cloaking spell on you.. But before I do, I want you to do something for me. When I restored you, I imbued you with a tiny portion of my own soul. That means you have a small portion of MY power in you. I want you to use your flute, your own native magick, in tandem with MY power to teleport through time and space...and SUMMON a candy ship here!

I....I'm going to use that as part of my plan.

He stood up and turned to Alison.

“Where do you want me?”

On the ship, with MorningStar.

And I'll be going with both of you...to face Badiane.

<< She knew Black Widow would object, she held up her hand.>>

Not this time, Haleigh. You've seen what Badiane can do. Harbinger has another task to do...so that leaves me, and only I can warp and turn Badiane's magicks BACK on her. You have to trust me.

<< The sorceress says as she looks Haleigh in the eye. The fact that Firebird was not object was another sign of confirmation.>>

I'm going to buy Alexia's parents as much time as I can. I'm the ONLY ONE who can MATCH her on the tactics she uses. I'll need room to work if I'm going to protect them AND ensure that...

<< she HATED to say it like this...but...>>

...At least BISHOP can get Alexia away from "Ground Zero."



But that doesn't mean I can do EVERYTHING. Bishop is going to need help. Harbinger is going to try and SEVER Badiane's link to the Black Dream Hole, and there's still the matter of getting these children out of here.

 

[Harbinger]

:: Cameron cast his senses out. ::

"We need to move fast, she's VERY reliant on this type of energy, it feels almost like some kind of psychic "nourishment" to her. If we can mess with her supply, we might just have a chance."

:: Harbinger nods::

She does not tolerate resistance, and she's easily angered. That will be her undoing.

:: Persephone, Bishop, Haleigh and the the others were now joining them and seeing the dire situation beneath and around them. Of course, they had a PERSONAL issue to address first and foremost.::

He stood up and turned to Alison.

“Where do you want me?”

:: Confirming Spellbinder's direction::

Go with Delilah on the ship.

:: She says softly as she looks at Bishop for a few moments::

::FLASH!::

<< The Blue Moon Event. Minerva's Mansion, the Executive Study. The urgent meeting between Harbinger and Bishop>>

If you want to help, then you need to go back down to the Infirmary and help to keep it safe and secure. Be there to support Delilah as the medical team does their best to help her get through this delivery.

And then...

::Looking at Bishop for a moment, searching his eyes with her own, wondering if he was as TOUGH and CAPABLE of making hard choices as he wanted everyone to believe him to be.::

Make a choice.

<< Later that same night>>

The baby, a girl, was born.

What is it that you need?

:: This was difficult enough. But if he was going to go here with her, HE was going to have to be the one to start on that path.::

He looked Alison square in the eye.

“I am asking you to take my child away from here, hide her from Delilah, and raise her in our absence. This [indicates himself] body they gave me has money – enough for schools, tutors, anything she needs. Whatever she needs.”

A tear ran down his cheek.

“I can’t lose Delilah. SHE would trust you to keep her child safe. And so do I. You’re the only one who can.”

He stood tall, proud.

“I know what I'm asking. I know what I'm asking of you. Please, help me save them.”

I have been where you are now...i know the pain...the nausea that comes with making hard choices like this.


To make this choice...even if it is to save Delilah's life...

:: She looks him in the eye::

This will not end well.

For you.

For me.

Be SURE that you know what you're saying. What you're asking me to do. I WILL do this...because I want to see Delilah LIVE...but it will not be well received by many in this place...and Delilah...

:: Alison's face hardens as she fights away the PAIN of knowing what is coming::

Delilah may well never forgive me.

:: As Harbinger gazed upon Bishop fore a few moments longer. They'd both made choices that have left them in a very bad state ever since.::

"DO it, Harbinger. We're running out of time."

:: Looking over to Black Widow::

There's something else, Haleigh.


:: Spellbinder began to craft a plan, and Harbinger IMMEDIATELY synched with her on it, "seeing" the best outcome::

Sharon has to go with them.

:: For some, it may sound like Alison is cherry picking who gets sent to the slaughter, but she holds her hand up, silencing any objection::

Do you recall what I said in the War Room?

Even if Spellbinder can protect them long enough to get Alexia, AND for US to help evacuate Bishop and Alexia, In order for ANY of this to work...Badiane's defeat MUST come from the hand of MorningStar! She ALONE has the power suited to DESTROY this growing vortex....this black dream hole.

The Silver Swan's sonic scream is the key to Delilah's sucess. She HAS to go with them! She'll use her Swan Song, the most powerful level of her sonic scream, directing into Delilah, her's mutation makes her a living transducer! She has no known upper limit to HOW MUCH sonic energy she can absorb.

:: The should remember the rest. Unlike the first time, in the War Room, she did not relish the idea of calling out Delilah's ultimate sacrifice, her death.::

:: Stepping forward to Delilah's side, her silver eye mask manifests across her eyes once more::

I promised Delilah I would help her however I could. I intend to do that. I have no problem going with them.

Spellbinder, MorningStar, Bishop, Silver Swan, please board the ship. Haleigh is right, time is running out.

When I CUT OFF her supply of this dream energy...she will come ready for a fight. Black Widow, the rest of the team MUST keep her busy as long as they can so that I can help Perle get the ship going on the best course to intercept Badiane. I'll join you as soon as I can. You've ALL seen...FELT what she can do. BE READY. Alexia and Bishop's lives will depend on it.

 

[Bishop]

The sorceress asked the faerie to help her summon a candy ship. Now there’s a sentence you don’t say every day.

Spellbinder answered his question to Harbinger, telling him to accompany Delilah onto the ship to face Badiane. Thankfully the witches didn’t choose to have a fight about him going, because he would be damned if he would leave Delilah right now. Alison confirmed that that was where he was needed. He locked eyes with her, a gesture that wasn’t just acquiescence, but acknowledgment of what had passed between them.

Delilah was still on her knees, looking at the children, searching for Alexia. He put a hand gently on her shoulder and spoke to her softly.

“Come on Lilah, she’s not here…you know she’s not here.”

He helped her stand, and surprisingly, she let him.

Alison explained what needed to happen – cold and calculated but he noticed she left out that Delilah had to die for this to work. Not that they weren’t all thinking it, but it was a blessing for it to go unsaid.

I promised Delilah I would help her however I could. I intend to do that. I have no problem going with them.

He nodded to Sharon, then steered Delilah towards the ship. Before stepping onto it, he turned back and paused.

“Alison…thank you.”

He had asked much of her. And if this was his last opportunity, she deserved to hear it. He had been sure that Delilah would forgive her, in time, even if she never forgave him. But unless he could find something, DO something to save Delilah, there would never be that chance – they had run out of time. He had given Alison an unfair cross to bear. One of many she bore, he suspected.

When I CUT OFF her supply of this dream energy...she will come ready for a fight. Black Widow, the rest of the team MUST keep her busy as long as they can so that I can help Perle get the ship going on the best course to intercept Badiane. I'll join you as soon as I can. You've ALL seen...FELT what she can do. BE READY. Alexia and Bishop's lives will depend on it.

And Delilah’s…

 

[Black Widow]

Harbinger: There's something else, Haleigh.

"Of COURSE there is."

Spellbinder asked Perle for a candy ship. Bishop stepped up to the plate.

Bishop: Where do you want me?

Spellbinder: On the ship, with Morningstar. And I'll be going with both of you, to face Badiane.

Harbinger: Sharon has to go with them.

"Great, me too. I'll--"

Spellbinder: Not this time Haleigh.

"Why the fucck not?"

Spellbinder explains her plan, and Alison backs her up. It all sounds great, there was just one problem.

"Ok, look. I DO trust you, and you both make some very good points, but I see a GLARING issue here. Alison draws her in, Ava, Blaze, CJ, Cam and Nic all team up for distraction duty. Morgan, Sharon and Delilah have the takedown. Bishop has ONE JOB: Grab the VIP. The master plan is complete..... Except SOMEONE has to stay on top of Bishop all night."

There was a beat of silence.

"Ok, that came out weird. What I MEAN is: He's only human. [Looking at Bishop] Please, be offended. [turning back to the group] SOMEONE has to be assigned to guard duty. AS SOON as he has Alexia he'll be the biggest target of ALL. I SWORE that I'd keep her daughter safe, even if Morningstar falls. I'll shadow Bishop and keep him and Alexia alive. Don't fuccking fight me on this, because all TEN of you put together won't convince me to change my mind."

 

[MorningStar]

Where was she?

All these children…she has to be here! If she was here, they could get to her, they could save her – release her from these pods and take her home. If she wasn’t one of them then what did that mean? What could be happening to her? What was Badiane doing to her?

Kneeling on the floor, she lowered her head and closed her eyes. She leaned on her palms which were laid flat on the cold surface. There were voices but to her they were just white noise.

Her eyes opened as she felt a hand on her shoulder.

Bishop: “Come on Lilah, she’s not here…you know she’s not here.”

After a moment more she nodded, and allowed him to help her up. She did know. It was pure fantasy that they could find Alexia and all go home. She sniffed and wiped her eyes. She wouldn’t be distracted again.

“I’m ready.”

I'll be going with both of you...to face Badiane.

Delilah looked with surprise at Spellbinder, but said nothing. Bishop showed her to the candy ship that would take them to her fate.

<< She knew Black Widow would object, she held up her hand.>>

Not this time, Haleigh. You've seen what Badiane can do. Harbinger has another task to do...so that leaves me, and only I can warp and turn Badiane's magicks BACK on her. You have to trust me.

I'll shadow Bishop and keep him and Alexia alive.

Black Widow expected Bishop to argue, but he didn’t. How could he? He only nodded his head.

Bishop: Only Alexia matters.

Delilah also looked to the metahuman:

“Keep her safe, Haleigh. Whatever happens, take her home.”

 

[Prophet]

They had come up with a plan, a seemingly very sound one. There was something different about Morgan as she spoke, and Alison for that matter. Whatever had happened in their dreams, had seemed to effect them for the better. They were not acting as bitchy children, like they were in The War Room, their vision wasn't colored by their feelings right now, and that gave Cameron hope. Haleigh interjected exactly on cue, and plead her case to the others.

Haleigh: "SOMEONE has to be assigned to guard duty. AS SOON as he has Alexia he'll be the biggest target of ALL. I SWORE that I'd keep her daughter safe, even if Morningstar falls. I'll shadow Bishop and keep him and Alexia alive. Don't fuccking fight me on this, because all TEN of you put together won't convince me to change my mind."

Cameron thought for a moment:

"It wouldn't throw our plan off too much, and with Haleigh's powers she might be better suited to manage an extraction if necessary."

His thoughts went to Delilah for a moment and thought about how this might be the last time he ever saw her alive. He felt a deep pit in his stomach. Everything she had done in the last few years had seem to blow up in her face. Though dying for your child was a noble cause, Cameron was just...sad. She may have been spinning out of control now, and she may have been isolating herself and shutting herself off from those who cared about her, but that Delilah certainly still had more of a chance than a dead Delilah. That was why Cameron couldn't give up on her, why he kept trying, because he too had seen the darkest of days, and he had found the light at the end of the tunnel, and forced his way through. He refused to believe somebody who could actually manifest light would never again be able to see it. He wanted her to find her next chapter, and now it seemed as if her saga was ending just as tragically as it began.

"And not for nothing, I don't trust that Bishop won't interfere and try to save Delilah. I only say this because I know I would myself..."

He could tell that Bishop wasn't just going to take Alexia and be a good boy, that wasn't his nature and he felt too bad about things he had done to let her die like this, her child going back into the arms of The Six and once again. He also knew that they'd never let him have Alexia. At least not yet. So Cameron was keeping a watchful eye on Bishop, but trying to be respectful of what he was going through.

"As for these children, now I'm pretty good at crowd control but there are a LOT of them. And nobody wants to revisit what happened with The Purifiers. When Alison cuts the cord, I can maintain their state with my own power, but we need to make a clear exit path."

[looking around]

"However this needs to look in order to work, I'll do it, but we need the chatter to subside and we need to get into place."

He saw everyone's point of view and everyone had a point, but this was why The Six had leaders, because at the end of the day somebody had to make a decision and go with it. They'd all been on that end of it at some point. This time Cameron was going to make a conscious effort to support his sister and Morgan. They had a plan, it was thought out and they were the only ones who could execute it.

 

[Rampage]

Nicolas arose, quiet as the others spoke and interacted. He was focused on clearing his mind. He had the most wonderfully horrible dream, that his father was there to see him marry Morgan. The cognitive dissonance was apparent immediately but he was a mind chained, fighting but at once unable to get free until he was freed by the resurrected Perle.

The team was refocused, more sharp after this latest defeat and escape from oblivion, which was a damn good thing because this monster was feeding a gaping black maw with the dreams of children to destroy all that there was. Nicolas counted 2 or 3 galaxies already at imminent risk should they not act immediately, and so he went along with what seemed to be the best plan they could manage. His job was to be a tank, to take punishment and to survive long enough for the plan to take shape. He stepped forward as Cam spoke.

"However this needs to look in order to work, I'll do it, but we need the chatter to subside and we need to get into place."

Agreed. Haleigh needs to watch the package, I will be ready to engage Badiane, whatever that requires.

Mentally, Nicolas sent a thought to Cameron King.

When we need that extra boost, you hit me with a wave of anger and trigger my altered state. If nothing else I am even more difficult to harm in that form and you should have time to get the kids out.

 

[Harbinger]

"Ok, look. I DO trust you, and you both make some very good points, but I see a GLARING issue here. Alison draws her in, Ava, Blaze, CJ, Cam and Nic all team up for distraction duty. Morgan, Sharon and Delilah have the takedown. Bishop has ONE JOB: Grab the VIP. The master plan is complete..... Except SOMEONE has to stay on top of Bishop all night."

There was a beat of silence.

:: The weirdness of that was not lost on even ALISON! ::

"Ok, that came out weird. What I MEAN is: He's only human. [Looking at Bishop] Please, be offended. [turning back to the group] SOMEONE has to be assigned to guard duty. AS SOON as he has Alexia he'll be the biggest target of ALL. I SWORE that I'd keep her daughter safe, even if Morningstar falls. I'll shadow Bishop and keep him and Alexia alive. Don't fuccking fight me on this, because all TEN of you put together won't convince me to change my mind."

:: Harbinger looks at Black Widow. The moment their eyes meet, it's not like in the War Room II, where it seemed like they might come to blows, or even at Minerva's Aerie. It's more like the night she showed Haleigh the crystaline chess board, watching as she learned who would die during the Master Mold event, OR when they were preparing for Blackout to emerge.::

:: No words. Just a look... and then...in clear indication that neither she nor Spellbinder will fight Haleigh on this, she immediately factors it in to her foresight....::

Firebird, be ready. When Bishop has Alexia in his grasp, He and Black Widow BOTH will be the target of Badiane's wrath.

Your power, allows you to exist and SURVIVE in a vacuum. Be ready to assist them...PROTECT them as they evacuate Alexia.

"You've got it, Harbinger."

Ruby, Rampage, when I move...I want you both to flank me. Prophet is going to ensure that my action will not JAR or cause any kind of harm or psychic feedback to the children, BUT this energy that has been pulled from them...it can't be returned now. Just as Spellbinder has been able to tap into and manipulate Badiane's own magicks, I can achieve a similar effect. Instead of just leaving this siphoned energy to go to waste, I'm going to divert some of it to each of you, given how you both can dervive sustenance from energy of an astral nature. You'll need all the strength you can muster to stand against Badiane, AND to defend yourselves and the rest of the team.

He nodded to Sharon, then steered Delilah towards the ship. Before stepping onto it, he turned back and paused.

“Alison…thank you.”

He had asked much of her. And if this was his last opportunity, she deserved to hear it. He had been sure that Delilah would forgive her, in time, even if she never forgave him. But unless he could find something, DO something to save Delilah, there would never be that chance – they had run out of time. He had given Alison an unfair cross to bear. One of many she bore, he suspected.

:: She looked at Bishop once more. It was easy to FORGET who he'd once been, all the damage he'd caused. NOW he seemed so different, someone Alison felt RESPECT for!? He seemed to acknowledge her in much the same way, he seemed to understand now, the burdens she beared and how they could take a toll on her.::

:: A tear fell from one of her colbalt blue eyes as Bishop steered Delilah toward the ship::

:: MorningStar, Bishop, Silver Swan, Black Widow & Spellbinder boarded the ship and its hatched closed::

Perle...be ready with your flute to activate the ship. Spellbinder will cast a cloaking spell over you AND the ship to buy you all time to get into position while we keep Badiane busy.

:: To the others on the ground with her.::

We now begin...

:: The children in coffins beneath them....all looked so pale. Their lives, their dreams were being drained from them before they would ever have a chance to live any of them! The time had come to STOP that!::

::As Perle plays a sweet melody on her mystic flute, the candy ship, with its passengers, lifts from the ground and slowly turns. Harbinger narrows her eyes a'la Prue Halliwell, and a rushing/chiming sound is heard. She gives them one last BOOST, moving the ship HIGHER, before Spellbinder's mystic chimes can be heard. Both Perle and the ship DISAPPEAR as Spellbinder casts her cloaking spell::

:: Harbinger gestures, and summons her Time Staff. Holding it vertically, the garnet jewel in the crown of the staff immediately begins to glow, as the sound of Harbinger's telekinetic power activates once more. In the celestial heaven around them, the stars begin to glow. Soon, the Six- both those on the ground, and those on the ship, see the formation of a celestial "clock" form around the the castle. It's a manifestation that reminds them that their precog taps into a very primal aspect of reality::

:: Closing her eyes::

All magick, all energy must move through time. As Badiane has pulled the sweet, innocent dreams from these children and given them energy form, to move them to her black hole...I now STOP THAT MOVEMENT.::

:: A mournful bell tolls all around them, as Harbinger begins to HALT the flow of the children's energy. Prophet knows that NOW is the time for HIM to do his part, so that these children will not HURT or feel PAIN::

:: As he activates his power to achieve that goal, Harbinger continues to work her magick, and the Black Dream Hole becomes....UPSET!?::

Ruby....Rampage, to me.


:: Harbinger begins DIVERTING some of the excess energy, now FREE from the pull of the black dream hole, to either Ruby or Rampage. The ruby pendant around Cass' neck begins to glow and hum, indicating her reserves of psionic energy are being FILLED and she will have more than enough power to execute a variety of effects needed. Rampage finds that he is feeling similarly charged, he'll be ready and able to do what he does best, and against Badiane, he'll NEED to. Harbinger goes a step further, and sends a stream of this energy her brother, Prophet. Because of it's composition, he too can benefit from it. But even as these first few pieces fall into place....the whole area around them begins to QUAKE, and Harbinger's colbalt blue eyes open::

Firebird....Persephone....get ready....she's COMING.

:: The goddess and the fire elemental stand ready as they'll ever be::

:: Simultaneously to those on the ship, who can feel the disturbances even where THEY are, and they have a terrifying up close view of the ANGER that seems to be emmiting from the black hole....::

Get ready....SHE'S COMING!

 

[MorningStar]

Delilah stood next to Bishop on the deck of the candy ship. They were both silent as they stared out into the expanse of space, waiting. The importance of what was about to happen weighed on Delilah - so much was riding on this, her child's very LIFE, and probably everyone else's too, depended on her doing this right.

It was time. Panic suddenly bubbled up from inside her. It wasn't fair! There wasn't enough time! She hadn't done everything that she wanted to with her life...

Her hand slipped into Maxim’s, and squeezed, looking for strength. She hadn’t for one second questioned what she was about to do, not since Alison had first revealed what was going to happen, and there had been no time to think about it. But right now, she was so scared – no, terrified.

“I don’t want to die.”

She whispered it, and felt his grip on her hand tighten.

He turned her towards him and took her other hand in his as well, then leant forward so their foreheads were touching. He closed his eyes.

Bishop: “Oh Lilah, I love you so much. I don’t think I can go on living without you.”

He opened his eyes, and shook her hands with his, his tone urgent now.

Bishop: “You can do this. You’re the bravest person I know. Okay? You are strong. You can survive this.”

She shook her head, tears coming now.

“You know I can’t. There’s no hope this time.”

Bishop: “Don’t say that. There’s always hope. I will find you. In this life or the next, we will be together again. You’re stuck with me, Delilah. I’m like a bad penny – you’ll see me again. You can’t fuck with fate.”

She smiled in spite of herself, then looked up into his eyes as her face because serious once again.

“I love you. I always have.”

He smiled.

Bishop: “I know.”

He kissed her then, long and with all the unexpressed passion of their time apart.

“I’m so sorry, for everything.”

Bishop: “Shh, Delilah. There's no need for that now.”

“I wish we had more time.”

Her voice broke then, and it was a second before she could continue.

“You have to go on without me. You have to be there to take care of her. Promise me.”

Bishop: “Lilah…”

“Promise me. I need to know you will be together. That’s the only way I can go through with this.”

Bishop: “I promise.”

He kissed her once again, and for the last time. She touched his cheek, and smiled, looking into his eyes before turning away. His hand grasped at hers as she pulled it out of his grip.

It felt so cold now. Like she had been standing in the sun and it was suddenly extinguished. And she was oh so tired of being strong.

Just a litle while longer...and then it will be over...when my daughter is safe...

 

[Silver Swan]

[ Sharon heard the plans, and was ready to do all she could. But despite her stern exterior, her HEART was heavy. She knew that in a situation like this, her physical power was not enough to to SAVE Delilah. She didn't want this woman to face even a FRACTION of what she faced with her own child in Arklay mansion. To have to have a make a choice, whether to KILL your child (Sharon) or to DIE so that your child would live(Delilah)? She looked away for a moment as Haleigh, Cameron and Rampage spoke...balling her armored fist as she struggled to push away the sadness. If Harbinger's words were to come to pass, & they usually did, she would be left to grieve over Delilah's loss with the rest of them...but if her time on Themyscira had taught her anything, if her OWN LIFE had been a lesson, it was that ANYTHING was possible. She quietly held on to that hope. She would do so until she lost sight of Delilah for the last time.::

[It was time to board the ship. Sharon walked along side Spellbinder, and looked over at her friend. She could see the visible PAINED expression on Morgan's face, and she knew what was wrong. She could HEAR the turmoil in Morgan's body as her EMOTIONS were starting to spike]

[ she placed her armored hand on the sorceress' back gently, and walked with her. Morgan turned back to look at Blaze once more. The two sisters communicated in their own private way, before Morgan and Sharon walked on to the ship. ]

[ The two women reached a place of relative privacy, and as Perle's melody played, the ship began to slowly activate, lift of the ground and, pushed on by Harbinger, take flight]

[ Spellbinder looked at Sharon. Sharon knew what was coming. She mentally commands her silver eye mask to recede from her face, and she silently tells Morgan it's OKAY....]

 

[Spellbinder]

<< Spellbinder's chimes sound off as she casts her cloaking spell. Perle and the ship are suitably HIDDEN from Badiane's detection, for now at least.>>

The spell is cast....I....

<< The same can't be said for Morgan's emotional state, as Sharon has detected the GRIEF that is overtaking the sorceress. >>

[ Spellbinder looked at Sharon. Sharon knew what was coming. She mentally commands her silver eye mask to recede from her face, and she silently tells Morgan it's OKAY....]

Sharon...

<< Morgan's face says it all, as her voice cracks and she loses the ability to verbalize. Sharon silently promises her that it's OKAY to let go. She NEEDS to in order to be CENTERED for what she has to do. And Morgan FINALLY feels like it's okay, as Sharon slowly moves forward and embraces her. She openly weeps.>>

Oh Morgan...

<< she tries to talk, she has things she wants to say but she can't...she's too upset. Sharon shushes her friend and holds her, doing what she can to provide a safe space for the sorceress to let this out >>

Shhhhhh. Don't try to talk....just let it go. It's okay....

<< Spellbinder weeps, for her friend...her BEST friend since child hood, for that friendship that has been FOREVER LOST. She weeps for all the time wasted and for not knowing why or HOW to fix it>>

I can't take the grief away, but I CAN use my strength to comfort you, my friend, to wrap you in the support that you NEED just now. You will NOT be alone here. Haleigh and I are with you. Will do whatever we can.

<< Spellbinder manages to find words and a bit of her voice>>

But Delilah, she....I don't want her to die.

None of us do. But for you....it's something all together different, isn't it? When I first met you, Delilah was there. She's been in your life...you've been in each other's lives since you were children. You were best friends, you were family.

I ruined her life....she hates me....

That's enough of that....

<< Sharon says gently as Morgan seems to have made it through the WORST of the grief that was pent up inside of her and is now stablizing. When she feels that Morgan is strong enough and stable enough to stand on her own, she slowly lets go of her embrace of the sorceress.>>

You know what's in your heart. The fact that you're here NOW, and the what you've done so far...what you're GOING to do...is PROOF of what's in your heart where she's concerned, and EVERYONE here knows it, INCLUDING Delilah. and as the Amazons taught me as they helped me to ADJUST to my new state of being, you must TRUST that when you take action out of true and loving motivation, if it is for the RIGHT person, it WILL be understood, and RECEIVED. It WILL produce a positive outcome. Maybe not right away, but it WILL eventually.

But Morgan...we DON'T have that kind of time anymore. Not you, Not Delilah, not any of us.

Remember your lives and all that youve done for one another to enrich them, and remember that you've demonstrated....PROVEN your love & loyalty to one another many times over. As long as your hearts remain true...there's ALWAYS a chance, Morgan. Remember who you are, remember who SHE is and what you meant to each other. Believe in yourself. Believe in HER. I know you love her, but you're going to have to TELL HER. Love is STRONGER than HATE. From LOVE comes bravery, SACRIFICE even. Don't ....DON'T let her go to her death not knowing how you really feel.

<< They BOTH knew what Sharon was referring to. It was regarding the devastating fall out between Morgan, Alison and Delilah- but in this case, specifically Morgan and Delilah, life long friends, FAMILY.>>

But even as these first few pieces fall into place....the whole area around them begins to QUAKE, and Harbinger's colbalt blue eyes open::


Get ready....SHE'S COMING!