Categories > Comics > X-Men > Darkness and Light
Entrapment
0 reviewsA mysterious intruder enters the institute in the dead of night and seems hell bent on killing Scott Summers. But there is more to this man than it seems and what he know will both shock and change...
0Unrated
Darkness and Light
Chapter 8: Entrapment
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Jean and the mutant warrior known as Slayer didn't waste time as they floated in the deep waters of the Pacific, hovering in the shadow of a sinister cave on the side of a vast underwater mountain. Their search for the real Scott Summers had led them here. And they would have to enter this ominous place if they were to save him.
"Are you ready for this Jean?" asked Slayer as he saw the bewildered expression on her face as she looked upon the entrance to the cave.
"Yes..." she said simply.
"Then let's not waste any more time."
Then, Jean felt herself guided in to the cave by the mysterious mystical bubble that Slayer had encased them in. It felt like something right out of a nightmare as they entered the giant mouth of the skull, which was the entrance to the cave. As they entered, everything around them turned pitch black and nothing could be seen around them. However, Slayer seemed to know where he was going as they encountered numerous twists and turns throughout the cave. Jean was only able to get some of the layout of the cave through the use of her powers...But the place was too big to fully comprehend.
After nearly five whole minutes of traveling through the abysmal darkness, they suddenly saw a faint light at the end of a long tunnel. With increased speed, Slayer guided both himself and Jean through towards the light. It didn't get much brighter as they got closer. Instead, it stayed in a dim orange tint as they got closer to it. When they finally reached the end, the two mutants were both surprised to find air as they came out of the tunnel and now stood in a large, chamber that was obviously not made by any force of nature.
As they exited the water and stepped in to the cave, they took in the sight before them.
"This is definitely Apocalypse's handiwork," said Jean as she looked around at the mysterious structures.
"How do you know that?"
"I don't...I can just feel it. This whole place reeks of his stench," responded Jean.
Slayer suppressed a laugh as Jean repeated some of the words that he had said to her earlier. It was a sign that maybe she was finally starting to let go of the hold Apocalypse had on her. As Slayer looked around the cave, Jean attempted to contact Beast and the others.
"Hank, come in...I think we've found something," said Jean...But she heard nothing in response, only static. "Hank! Logan, Storm do you read me?"
"Don't waste you're time...We're blocked out," said Slayer.
"But how? These communicators are supposed to work anywhere."
"See for yourself..." said the mutant warrior as he rubbed some of the dust off the wall.
Jean walked over to see what he was talking about. She saw that the wall was covered in mysterious writing that didn't look like anything she had ever seen before. Slayer removed more layers of dust to find more writing. They then looked around to see that practically every square inch of the cave was covered in writing. Now things were getting just too strange.
"What the hell is it?" said Jean as she touched some of the mysterious markings.
Slayer took a closer look at the mysterious writing as he used his mystical knowledge to decipher them.
"Spells...Containment spells to be precise."
"Containment?" asked Jean, uncertain of what he meant by that, "What do you mean containment?"
"These are written spells designed to cast a powerful metaphysical shield around this structure in order to keep anything and everything OUT of this place. That includes scanners, Cerebra, and even the Phoenix."
"Let me guess...More deception?" said Jean, whose anger had been growing towards Apocalypse the more times he used her.
"You bet...If you couldn't sense it...You couldn't find out about it. And judging by how much shielding this place has, I'm guessing it's definitely the right place to hide something very important."
"Like the real Scott..." said Jean wearily as she looked around at more of the markings along the wall.
"It's possible...But still unknown for sure. However, I'm positive now that this place was made by Apocalypse."
"How do you know that?" asked Jean as she stood by the pool of water that they had entered through.
"Because as strong as these spells are...They're still pretty crude. Whoever did this is far from being an expert in magic. Apocalypse may be powerful...But in terms of the mystic arts, he's still an amateur," explained the mutant warrior as he took a step back.
Jean tried to search for Scott once again through their inactive mind-link, but she was still getting nothing. She felt herself go weak in the knees, fearing that maybe this meant that they were too late...And Scott was already dead.
"Jack...I still can't sense him...Are we too late?" asked Jean, nervous of how he might answer.
The mark over the mutant warrior's eye began to glow once more as he seemed to be searching for something.
"No...At least I don't think so. These spells work both inside and outside the cave...So if we want to find your husband...We'll have to look for him."
Jean felt somewhat relieved by that...But she didn't like the idea of having to go any further in to this dark cave that felt all the more sinister the longer she stayed in it. However, if there was a chance that Scott was still in here...Than she would have to take it for his sake. Jean refused to let Apocalypse win.
"Then let's go..." said Jean with a new sense of determination.
"Right. But remember Jean...Apocalypse went through a lot of trouble to keep everyone out of this place. So don't be surprised if we encounter more of his trickery along the way."
"I don't care," replied Jean, "I'll do whatever I have to...Let's just find him and get him out of this awful place."
Her tone left no room for arguments, so once again they began their search for the real Scott Summers. Jean followed the mutant warrior closely, as they went deeper in to the cave. Armed only with her powers and no help from the Phoenix, Jean began search with Slayer through all the clutter for any sign of her husband.
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Meanwhile, on the surface back on Genosha, Logan and Storm were still searching and finding nothing. None of the locals were much help and they still couldn't find a trace of their missing leader.
"Find a scent yet Logan?" asked Ororo who couldn't help but lose hope, for their search was going nowhere.
"Nope...Nothin' Ro. It's been over a year and this place has changed a lot since then. Whatever scent was on this island then is gone now," said Logan as he started feel all the more defeated by this situation.
As the two mutants contemplated their next move, they suddenly got call over their com-link.
"Logan, Storm...Come in!" said Hank in a somewhat urgent tone.
"We're here Hank. What's goin' on?" replied Logan.
"Jean and Slayer are not answering their com-link. I can't even get a signal from them anymore. It was as if they just...Vanished."
Concern immediately grew upon hearing this, as Logan and Ororo wondered what could have happened to them. This was only exacerbated by the fact that they still didn't fully trust Slayer.
"I thought those com-links were supposed to work anywhere," said Logan.
"Well...Unless they're turned off, or if they're in a place built like a fortress...Then yes, they're supposed to work pretty much anywhere," responded Hank.
"Jean would never turn it off without informing us or sending us some kind of signal...So let's hope it's the second one," added Ororo.
"Let's hope so. Who knows...Maybe they found something. It's not impossible."
There was a brief moment of silence as the three mutants contemplated their next move. Then, Logan got an idea.
"Hank...Where are you now?" asked Logan through the com link.
"Heading northwest over foothills of the island," responded Hank.
"Well, swing around and pick us up on the south end...Let's see if we can retrace their steps. And if they have found something...We should be ready to respond."
"Sounds good to me. Okay, I'll be there shortly...Just sit tight. Over and out," and with that, Hank "Beast" McCoy turned the jet around and started to head back south.
While Logan and Ororo anxiously waited for his arrival, they couldn't help but wonder if maybe Jean and Slayer found something big...Something that might lead them to the missing Scott Summers.
"You think they found anything Logan?" asked Ororo as they stood in wait for the jet.
Logan was never a man to show excessive displays of emotion...But given the gravity of the situation at hand, he couldn't hide it anymore.
"I don't know Ro...But I hope they do."
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The cave seemed to grow darker as Jean and the mutant warrior quickly made their way through the endless corridors. Deeper and deeper, they descended in to the depths of this heinous cavern that had been crafted by Apocalypse to hide something big. No matter how many new rooms or passages they entered, the walls were still riddled with the same mysterious writing that had worked to keep every force imaginable, including the Phoenix, out of the cave. The faint orange light that illuminated this mysterious place gave off an increasingly menacing glow as the two mutants continued to search for the missing Scott Summers. Jean searched frantically with her powers, while Slayer continued to scan the area with his all-seeing eye...However, they were still coming up with nothing because of the power of Apocalypse's spells.
"Jack...Can you see anything?" asked Jean, as she broke the eerie silence within the cave.
"No...What about you?" replied the mutant warrior.
"Nothing...It's like there's no end to this place," groaned Jean as the made another turn down a narrow corridor.
"I know...But we have to keep going. If Apocalypse went through this much trouble to hide something, then it must be important."
They continued their search as more paths led them down narrow walkways and through small rooms. The area was laden with tricks and illusions, but it wasn't too hard to see past them. They had nothing but the power of telepathy and magic to guide them as they continued their race against time to save Scott.
As they turned another corner, the two mutants found themselves standing in the largest room they had seen yet. However, this chamber was different compared to the others they had come across. This one had a perfectly shaped dome roof, the rock texture was completely different, and there were no other doorways or passageways to go through.
"Oh no, a dead end...Something's definitely not right here," said Slayer as he looked around.
Then, as Jean walked further in to the room...She was suddenly bombarded with an intense psychic surge...And through her mind, she heard a weak voice.
'Jean...'
"AHHHHHHH!" yelled Jean as she fell to the floor, clutching her head in pain.
"Jean!" said Slayer as he ran over to her side.
But before he could say anymore...Jean looked up with an astonished look on her face.
"I...I saw him. I sensed him! He's close, I felt it!"
The long inactive mind link that she once shared with Scott had come back to life in a powerful surge that almost overwhelmed her system. But Jean knew what she felt...It was him, it was her lost husband. He was in a lot of pain...And he had called out to her.
"He...He's dying...He's in so much pain. We're almost out of time!" exclaimed Jean, with tears in her eyes upon feeling Scott's anguish through the mind link.
"It's okay Jean...If he's close, we'll..." but the mutant warrior was stopped cold in his track as something ominous caught his eye.
Slowly, he got up and walked over to the wall. Jean got up as well, wondering what he was looking at. The mutant warrior's expression was that of great concern as he scanned the markings along the wall with increased urgency.
"Jack..."
"I think I know why you were able to sense him Jean..." said Slayer as he ran his hands along the mysterious writing, "The text in this room...Its different then all the others."
"What do you mean?" asked Jean, who didn't like what he was getting at.
"I mean...These aren't containment spells. They're something else..."
"What are they?"
"I..."
But before the mutant warrior could answer that question, the writing on the wall began to glow. He took a step back towards the center. The glowing grew brighter as it gave of an increasingly ominous feel. The ground began to rumble slightly as the whole room now glowed from the dark text that covered the walls.
Then, as the glow peaked in intensity...A cluster of lights slowly descended from the writing and began to grow in size as they reached the ground. Then...As the lights faded...A cluster of new figures now stood before the two mutants. They were tall, strong-looking beings. Their body was covered in a dark-gray skin and they wore strange attire that was riddled dark symbolism. Their heads were that of the Ancient Egyptian god Anubis...The god of the dead. Their heads looked part man, part beast and they held in their hands flaming weapons as they surrounded Jean and Slayer, prepared for battle.
"What are these things!?" yelled Jean as they mysterious beings began to close in on them.
"Guardians!" said Slayer as he drew his sword, "The warriors of Anubis are Apocalypse's last ditch effort to stop us! They're minions of darkness...Fueled by the dead."
"So what do we do?" said Jean as the heinous minions of Apocalypse got closer.
Then, one of the guardians lunged forth at the two mutants and attempted an attack. But Slayer saw it coming, and quickly countered it with a swift sword slash.
"I'll fight them off! If there aren't any more containment spells in this room, you should be able sense Scott with your powers! HURRY!" yelled the mutant warrior as he knocked away another would-be attacker.
Then, an entire cluster of guardians attempted to attack the two mutants all at once...But thanks to a telekinetic shield from Jean and a blast of energy from Slayer, they were all knocked away. However, no sooner had the present guardians disappeared, then a new swarm of identical minions from the writing on the walls.
"Go Jean! We're almost out of time!" said Slayer as he prepared to fight off the next round of guardians.
There was little time to argue. Slayer lunged forth in to the mist of the battle, drawing all of the guardian's attention, while Jean frantically tried to find Scott through all the mental clutter.
'Scott! Scott can you hear me?' yelled Jean psychically as she tried to pinpoint exactly where he was.
But she wasn't getting a response. She pushed herself harder, trying to filter out the noise from the battle between Slayer and the army of guardians.
'Scott! Please...Are you there?'
Jean's calls were getting more desperate as she struggled to find him. She was pushing herself over her limits as she tried harder...Until suddenly, she finally sensed him once again. However, he didn't say anything...He was too weak now. The pain he had been going through...The constant suffering that had been slowly killing him for so long now was about to finish the job. Through the mind link, Jean quickly traced the path of his weakening signature to a small section of wall off to the side of the battle. This wall had the same writing...But no guardians were coming out of it. With Scott's mental signature fading fast, Jean placed her hand on the wall. She still felt him...But she couldn't go any further.
"Jack!" yelled Jean as she contemplated what to do next, "I'm at a dead end!"
Slayer was still fighting hard against wave after wave of deadly guardians. His powers helped him draw out every dark minion as they continued to surround and attack. However, they were only able to manage a few blows as the mutant warrior continued to use his power and skill to slash through every guardian. But the bad part of this was that he could no longer help Jean while in this present state. Instead...He could only guide her.
"It's a trick Jean! It's just more of Apocalypse's deception trying to fool you!" yelled Slayer as he avoided another barrage of hits.
"But how do I get past it?" said Jean as she pressed her hand against the wall, trying to tell herself that it wasn't there.
"Stop letting your senses be fooled...Look with your heart Jean! You have to or all will be lost for your husband!"
Slayer was about to say more, but he was soon swamped once more by another powerful wave of guardians. Jean once again looked at the wall that was not supposed to be there. She closed her eyes and tried to tell herself that nothing was there, but it wasn't working. For so long now she had been a part of Apocalypse's lies...That it was almost impossible for her to see through any cloak of deception that was thrust upon her. For over a year she lived in the shadow of a madman masquerading around as her husband and she wasn't able to see through it. Now she would have to put that behind her if she was to save her real husband from death. She had already lost him once before...And she refused to lose him again. There were so many things she wanted to say to him...So many things she wanted to make up for. Scott couldn't die...Or else she may never get to do any of this...And she'll never even get to say she was sorry for letting this happen.
Gritting her teeth in frustration, Jean fought the lies of Apocalypse harder than ever. She tried to focus saving the man she knew that lied beyond this wall. Then, with a sudden burst of telekinesis and new surge of mental clarity...The wall before her faded away like a dimming light.
"I did it..." said Jean in awe...For she had just broken through one of Apocalypse's illusions with no help whatsoever.
"Hurry Jean!" yelled Slayer as he fought off another guardian. "Time is almost up!"
The mutant warrior attempted to say more...But then he was hit hard by a guardian.
"Okay that does it...Now it's on!" said the mutant warrior sternly as he let out a battle cry and assailed the army of minions with his power.
Jean didn't have time to relish her accomplishment, or help Slayer...Instead, all she could do is not waste any more time as Scott's mental signature continued to fade. Quickly, Jean made her way through a dark, narrow corridor that soon stopped at a mysterious structure at the end. It looked like an oversized stalactite, but Jean could sense that there was more to it than that. To her it looked more like...A cocoon of some sort. Slowly, she put her hand on they structure...And an immediate psychic surge followed.
'Jean...Help...'
But that was all that was said. The voice...Scott's voice...Faded after that. Now she knew without a doubt that Scott's body lay within this structure. Fearing the worst, Jean tried to pry open the rock structure with her telekinesis...But it wasn't enough. She tried harder...But the rock still wouldn't crack.
"Slayer! I can't open this thing!" yelled Jean as she tried harder. "I need your help!"
Back with the guardians, the mutant warrior was still fighting furiously.
"Sorry Jean...I'm a little busy here...I can't help," said Slayer through the din of the melee.
Jean was pushing her telekinesis to the limit, but it was still not working. Scott's presence was almost gone...He was almost dead.
"Please...I can't do it!" said Jean who was starting to lose hope.
"Yes you can! I know you can!" yelled Slayer as he blasted two more guardians away with his mystic abilities.
"I can't...I need the Phoenix!" said Jean, who was starting to feel the pain of mental fatigue.
"No you don't Jean!" yelled Slayer as he continued to fight, "You're strong enough! I know it! Scott knows it! Come on Jean! You can do it!"
Jean didn't have the aid of the mutant warrior or the aid of the almighty Phoenix. Instead, she just had herself and the powers she was born with. If she was to save the man she loved...She would have to use them to perform this daunting task. Scott's signal was almost gone from her mind...He was almost dead. Upon feeling that, Jean closed her eyes and began to concentrate. She focused all her strength and energy as she prepared for one last burst. If this didn't work...Then it would be too late.
'Come on...Just one last try. Just...One...More.'
Jean Grey-Summers was now going beyond the normal limits of her powers as she focused on this final burst. The rock still wouldn't budge...Then suddenly, a long, mysterious crack began to form in the thick shell of the stone cocoon. Upon hearing the crack of the rock, Jean continued to force the powerful structure apart. The ground began to shake, but Jean remained focused as slowly but surely...The rock came undone.
Feeling she could do no more, Jean opened her tired eyes and saw an unmoving figure resting within' the confines of the stone. Feeling a sudden rush of adrenaline, Jean ran up and pulled the body from its entrapment. She couldn't believe her eyes...It was the body of her long missing husband, Scott Summers. He was wearing the same clothes he wore the day he was supposed to leave Genosha and by now they were quite ragged and torn. As Jean carefully removed him from his rocky tomb, she noticed that he was encased in a strange gel-like substance; no doubt that was the stuff that kept him alive all this time and allowing him to die so slowly. Jean felt her heart rate soar as she looked over the Scott's unmoving body. For the first time in over a year...She was looking at the man she loved. This was no illusion or veil of deception...This was real. However...As Jean laid the tired and soaked body of her husband on the hard, rocky floor...She noticed something horrible.
"Oh no..." said Jean as she felt around his neck for a pulse...But couldn't find it. "Oh God...No..."
Quickly, Jean listened for his breathing...But she couldn't hear it. He wasn't breathing...He had no pulse. Tears began to form in Jean's eyes as she frantically searched for their mind link...But it had fallen inactive once more. She didn't want to believe it...After all this time and after trying so hard...He was dead. She had lost the man she loved all over again...She had failed him. She had let Apocalypse use her...And in doing so, it killed Scott. She didn't know if she could live with this...For it hurt so badly on her heart. Jean didn't hold her tears back...She let them flow freely. She had no more strength to suppress her terrible feelings of remorse over losing some that meant so much to her.
"I'm too late..." said Jean softly, choking on her tears, "I should have...I. Scott please...Don't leave me. I'm so sorry! I'm sorry for everything! Please...Don't...Leave me."
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AN: I'll leave it there for now. I know...Big cliff-hanger. But it's not over! Not just yet! Is Scott dead for good this time? Has Apocalypse truly won? Stay tuned to find out! So what do you all think? Like it? Hate it? Tell me! What about Slayer? What do you think of my character and the role he plays in this story? I'm eager to know what you all think and I implore you to send me your thoughts. Send feedback to me at my email address or post them on the fanfiction website. Thanks for reading and best wishes to you all!
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Chapter 8: Entrapment
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Jean and the mutant warrior known as Slayer didn't waste time as they floated in the deep waters of the Pacific, hovering in the shadow of a sinister cave on the side of a vast underwater mountain. Their search for the real Scott Summers had led them here. And they would have to enter this ominous place if they were to save him.
"Are you ready for this Jean?" asked Slayer as he saw the bewildered expression on her face as she looked upon the entrance to the cave.
"Yes..." she said simply.
"Then let's not waste any more time."
Then, Jean felt herself guided in to the cave by the mysterious mystical bubble that Slayer had encased them in. It felt like something right out of a nightmare as they entered the giant mouth of the skull, which was the entrance to the cave. As they entered, everything around them turned pitch black and nothing could be seen around them. However, Slayer seemed to know where he was going as they encountered numerous twists and turns throughout the cave. Jean was only able to get some of the layout of the cave through the use of her powers...But the place was too big to fully comprehend.
After nearly five whole minutes of traveling through the abysmal darkness, they suddenly saw a faint light at the end of a long tunnel. With increased speed, Slayer guided both himself and Jean through towards the light. It didn't get much brighter as they got closer. Instead, it stayed in a dim orange tint as they got closer to it. When they finally reached the end, the two mutants were both surprised to find air as they came out of the tunnel and now stood in a large, chamber that was obviously not made by any force of nature.
As they exited the water and stepped in to the cave, they took in the sight before them.
"This is definitely Apocalypse's handiwork," said Jean as she looked around at the mysterious structures.
"How do you know that?"
"I don't...I can just feel it. This whole place reeks of his stench," responded Jean.
Slayer suppressed a laugh as Jean repeated some of the words that he had said to her earlier. It was a sign that maybe she was finally starting to let go of the hold Apocalypse had on her. As Slayer looked around the cave, Jean attempted to contact Beast and the others.
"Hank, come in...I think we've found something," said Jean...But she heard nothing in response, only static. "Hank! Logan, Storm do you read me?"
"Don't waste you're time...We're blocked out," said Slayer.
"But how? These communicators are supposed to work anywhere."
"See for yourself..." said the mutant warrior as he rubbed some of the dust off the wall.
Jean walked over to see what he was talking about. She saw that the wall was covered in mysterious writing that didn't look like anything she had ever seen before. Slayer removed more layers of dust to find more writing. They then looked around to see that practically every square inch of the cave was covered in writing. Now things were getting just too strange.
"What the hell is it?" said Jean as she touched some of the mysterious markings.
Slayer took a closer look at the mysterious writing as he used his mystical knowledge to decipher them.
"Spells...Containment spells to be precise."
"Containment?" asked Jean, uncertain of what he meant by that, "What do you mean containment?"
"These are written spells designed to cast a powerful metaphysical shield around this structure in order to keep anything and everything OUT of this place. That includes scanners, Cerebra, and even the Phoenix."
"Let me guess...More deception?" said Jean, whose anger had been growing towards Apocalypse the more times he used her.
"You bet...If you couldn't sense it...You couldn't find out about it. And judging by how much shielding this place has, I'm guessing it's definitely the right place to hide something very important."
"Like the real Scott..." said Jean wearily as she looked around at more of the markings along the wall.
"It's possible...But still unknown for sure. However, I'm positive now that this place was made by Apocalypse."
"How do you know that?" asked Jean as she stood by the pool of water that they had entered through.
"Because as strong as these spells are...They're still pretty crude. Whoever did this is far from being an expert in magic. Apocalypse may be powerful...But in terms of the mystic arts, he's still an amateur," explained the mutant warrior as he took a step back.
Jean tried to search for Scott once again through their inactive mind-link, but she was still getting nothing. She felt herself go weak in the knees, fearing that maybe this meant that they were too late...And Scott was already dead.
"Jack...I still can't sense him...Are we too late?" asked Jean, nervous of how he might answer.
The mark over the mutant warrior's eye began to glow once more as he seemed to be searching for something.
"No...At least I don't think so. These spells work both inside and outside the cave...So if we want to find your husband...We'll have to look for him."
Jean felt somewhat relieved by that...But she didn't like the idea of having to go any further in to this dark cave that felt all the more sinister the longer she stayed in it. However, if there was a chance that Scott was still in here...Than she would have to take it for his sake. Jean refused to let Apocalypse win.
"Then let's go..." said Jean with a new sense of determination.
"Right. But remember Jean...Apocalypse went through a lot of trouble to keep everyone out of this place. So don't be surprised if we encounter more of his trickery along the way."
"I don't care," replied Jean, "I'll do whatever I have to...Let's just find him and get him out of this awful place."
Her tone left no room for arguments, so once again they began their search for the real Scott Summers. Jean followed the mutant warrior closely, as they went deeper in to the cave. Armed only with her powers and no help from the Phoenix, Jean began search with Slayer through all the clutter for any sign of her husband.
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Meanwhile, on the surface back on Genosha, Logan and Storm were still searching and finding nothing. None of the locals were much help and they still couldn't find a trace of their missing leader.
"Find a scent yet Logan?" asked Ororo who couldn't help but lose hope, for their search was going nowhere.
"Nope...Nothin' Ro. It's been over a year and this place has changed a lot since then. Whatever scent was on this island then is gone now," said Logan as he started feel all the more defeated by this situation.
As the two mutants contemplated their next move, they suddenly got call over their com-link.
"Logan, Storm...Come in!" said Hank in a somewhat urgent tone.
"We're here Hank. What's goin' on?" replied Logan.
"Jean and Slayer are not answering their com-link. I can't even get a signal from them anymore. It was as if they just...Vanished."
Concern immediately grew upon hearing this, as Logan and Ororo wondered what could have happened to them. This was only exacerbated by the fact that they still didn't fully trust Slayer.
"I thought those com-links were supposed to work anywhere," said Logan.
"Well...Unless they're turned off, or if they're in a place built like a fortress...Then yes, they're supposed to work pretty much anywhere," responded Hank.
"Jean would never turn it off without informing us or sending us some kind of signal...So let's hope it's the second one," added Ororo.
"Let's hope so. Who knows...Maybe they found something. It's not impossible."
There was a brief moment of silence as the three mutants contemplated their next move. Then, Logan got an idea.
"Hank...Where are you now?" asked Logan through the com link.
"Heading northwest over foothills of the island," responded Hank.
"Well, swing around and pick us up on the south end...Let's see if we can retrace their steps. And if they have found something...We should be ready to respond."
"Sounds good to me. Okay, I'll be there shortly...Just sit tight. Over and out," and with that, Hank "Beast" McCoy turned the jet around and started to head back south.
While Logan and Ororo anxiously waited for his arrival, they couldn't help but wonder if maybe Jean and Slayer found something big...Something that might lead them to the missing Scott Summers.
"You think they found anything Logan?" asked Ororo as they stood in wait for the jet.
Logan was never a man to show excessive displays of emotion...But given the gravity of the situation at hand, he couldn't hide it anymore.
"I don't know Ro...But I hope they do."
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The cave seemed to grow darker as Jean and the mutant warrior quickly made their way through the endless corridors. Deeper and deeper, they descended in to the depths of this heinous cavern that had been crafted by Apocalypse to hide something big. No matter how many new rooms or passages they entered, the walls were still riddled with the same mysterious writing that had worked to keep every force imaginable, including the Phoenix, out of the cave. The faint orange light that illuminated this mysterious place gave off an increasingly menacing glow as the two mutants continued to search for the missing Scott Summers. Jean searched frantically with her powers, while Slayer continued to scan the area with his all-seeing eye...However, they were still coming up with nothing because of the power of Apocalypse's spells.
"Jack...Can you see anything?" asked Jean, as she broke the eerie silence within the cave.
"No...What about you?" replied the mutant warrior.
"Nothing...It's like there's no end to this place," groaned Jean as the made another turn down a narrow corridor.
"I know...But we have to keep going. If Apocalypse went through this much trouble to hide something, then it must be important."
They continued their search as more paths led them down narrow walkways and through small rooms. The area was laden with tricks and illusions, but it wasn't too hard to see past them. They had nothing but the power of telepathy and magic to guide them as they continued their race against time to save Scott.
As they turned another corner, the two mutants found themselves standing in the largest room they had seen yet. However, this chamber was different compared to the others they had come across. This one had a perfectly shaped dome roof, the rock texture was completely different, and there were no other doorways or passageways to go through.
"Oh no, a dead end...Something's definitely not right here," said Slayer as he looked around.
Then, as Jean walked further in to the room...She was suddenly bombarded with an intense psychic surge...And through her mind, she heard a weak voice.
'Jean...'
"AHHHHHHH!" yelled Jean as she fell to the floor, clutching her head in pain.
"Jean!" said Slayer as he ran over to her side.
But before he could say anymore...Jean looked up with an astonished look on her face.
"I...I saw him. I sensed him! He's close, I felt it!"
The long inactive mind link that she once shared with Scott had come back to life in a powerful surge that almost overwhelmed her system. But Jean knew what she felt...It was him, it was her lost husband. He was in a lot of pain...And he had called out to her.
"He...He's dying...He's in so much pain. We're almost out of time!" exclaimed Jean, with tears in her eyes upon feeling Scott's anguish through the mind link.
"It's okay Jean...If he's close, we'll..." but the mutant warrior was stopped cold in his track as something ominous caught his eye.
Slowly, he got up and walked over to the wall. Jean got up as well, wondering what he was looking at. The mutant warrior's expression was that of great concern as he scanned the markings along the wall with increased urgency.
"Jack..."
"I think I know why you were able to sense him Jean..." said Slayer as he ran his hands along the mysterious writing, "The text in this room...Its different then all the others."
"What do you mean?" asked Jean, who didn't like what he was getting at.
"I mean...These aren't containment spells. They're something else..."
"What are they?"
"I..."
But before the mutant warrior could answer that question, the writing on the wall began to glow. He took a step back towards the center. The glowing grew brighter as it gave of an increasingly ominous feel. The ground began to rumble slightly as the whole room now glowed from the dark text that covered the walls.
Then, as the glow peaked in intensity...A cluster of lights slowly descended from the writing and began to grow in size as they reached the ground. Then...As the lights faded...A cluster of new figures now stood before the two mutants. They were tall, strong-looking beings. Their body was covered in a dark-gray skin and they wore strange attire that was riddled dark symbolism. Their heads were that of the Ancient Egyptian god Anubis...The god of the dead. Their heads looked part man, part beast and they held in their hands flaming weapons as they surrounded Jean and Slayer, prepared for battle.
"What are these things!?" yelled Jean as they mysterious beings began to close in on them.
"Guardians!" said Slayer as he drew his sword, "The warriors of Anubis are Apocalypse's last ditch effort to stop us! They're minions of darkness...Fueled by the dead."
"So what do we do?" said Jean as the heinous minions of Apocalypse got closer.
Then, one of the guardians lunged forth at the two mutants and attempted an attack. But Slayer saw it coming, and quickly countered it with a swift sword slash.
"I'll fight them off! If there aren't any more containment spells in this room, you should be able sense Scott with your powers! HURRY!" yelled the mutant warrior as he knocked away another would-be attacker.
Then, an entire cluster of guardians attempted to attack the two mutants all at once...But thanks to a telekinetic shield from Jean and a blast of energy from Slayer, they were all knocked away. However, no sooner had the present guardians disappeared, then a new swarm of identical minions from the writing on the walls.
"Go Jean! We're almost out of time!" said Slayer as he prepared to fight off the next round of guardians.
There was little time to argue. Slayer lunged forth in to the mist of the battle, drawing all of the guardian's attention, while Jean frantically tried to find Scott through all the mental clutter.
'Scott! Scott can you hear me?' yelled Jean psychically as she tried to pinpoint exactly where he was.
But she wasn't getting a response. She pushed herself harder, trying to filter out the noise from the battle between Slayer and the army of guardians.
'Scott! Please...Are you there?'
Jean's calls were getting more desperate as she struggled to find him. She was pushing herself over her limits as she tried harder...Until suddenly, she finally sensed him once again. However, he didn't say anything...He was too weak now. The pain he had been going through...The constant suffering that had been slowly killing him for so long now was about to finish the job. Through the mind link, Jean quickly traced the path of his weakening signature to a small section of wall off to the side of the battle. This wall had the same writing...But no guardians were coming out of it. With Scott's mental signature fading fast, Jean placed her hand on the wall. She still felt him...But she couldn't go any further.
"Jack!" yelled Jean as she contemplated what to do next, "I'm at a dead end!"
Slayer was still fighting hard against wave after wave of deadly guardians. His powers helped him draw out every dark minion as they continued to surround and attack. However, they were only able to manage a few blows as the mutant warrior continued to use his power and skill to slash through every guardian. But the bad part of this was that he could no longer help Jean while in this present state. Instead...He could only guide her.
"It's a trick Jean! It's just more of Apocalypse's deception trying to fool you!" yelled Slayer as he avoided another barrage of hits.
"But how do I get past it?" said Jean as she pressed her hand against the wall, trying to tell herself that it wasn't there.
"Stop letting your senses be fooled...Look with your heart Jean! You have to or all will be lost for your husband!"
Slayer was about to say more, but he was soon swamped once more by another powerful wave of guardians. Jean once again looked at the wall that was not supposed to be there. She closed her eyes and tried to tell herself that nothing was there, but it wasn't working. For so long now she had been a part of Apocalypse's lies...That it was almost impossible for her to see through any cloak of deception that was thrust upon her. For over a year she lived in the shadow of a madman masquerading around as her husband and she wasn't able to see through it. Now she would have to put that behind her if she was to save her real husband from death. She had already lost him once before...And she refused to lose him again. There were so many things she wanted to say to him...So many things she wanted to make up for. Scott couldn't die...Or else she may never get to do any of this...And she'll never even get to say she was sorry for letting this happen.
Gritting her teeth in frustration, Jean fought the lies of Apocalypse harder than ever. She tried to focus saving the man she knew that lied beyond this wall. Then, with a sudden burst of telekinesis and new surge of mental clarity...The wall before her faded away like a dimming light.
"I did it..." said Jean in awe...For she had just broken through one of Apocalypse's illusions with no help whatsoever.
"Hurry Jean!" yelled Slayer as he fought off another guardian. "Time is almost up!"
The mutant warrior attempted to say more...But then he was hit hard by a guardian.
"Okay that does it...Now it's on!" said the mutant warrior sternly as he let out a battle cry and assailed the army of minions with his power.
Jean didn't have time to relish her accomplishment, or help Slayer...Instead, all she could do is not waste any more time as Scott's mental signature continued to fade. Quickly, Jean made her way through a dark, narrow corridor that soon stopped at a mysterious structure at the end. It looked like an oversized stalactite, but Jean could sense that there was more to it than that. To her it looked more like...A cocoon of some sort. Slowly, she put her hand on they structure...And an immediate psychic surge followed.
'Jean...Help...'
But that was all that was said. The voice...Scott's voice...Faded after that. Now she knew without a doubt that Scott's body lay within this structure. Fearing the worst, Jean tried to pry open the rock structure with her telekinesis...But it wasn't enough. She tried harder...But the rock still wouldn't crack.
"Slayer! I can't open this thing!" yelled Jean as she tried harder. "I need your help!"
Back with the guardians, the mutant warrior was still fighting furiously.
"Sorry Jean...I'm a little busy here...I can't help," said Slayer through the din of the melee.
Jean was pushing her telekinesis to the limit, but it was still not working. Scott's presence was almost gone...He was almost dead.
"Please...I can't do it!" said Jean who was starting to lose hope.
"Yes you can! I know you can!" yelled Slayer as he blasted two more guardians away with his mystic abilities.
"I can't...I need the Phoenix!" said Jean, who was starting to feel the pain of mental fatigue.
"No you don't Jean!" yelled Slayer as he continued to fight, "You're strong enough! I know it! Scott knows it! Come on Jean! You can do it!"
Jean didn't have the aid of the mutant warrior or the aid of the almighty Phoenix. Instead, she just had herself and the powers she was born with. If she was to save the man she loved...She would have to use them to perform this daunting task. Scott's signal was almost gone from her mind...He was almost dead. Upon feeling that, Jean closed her eyes and began to concentrate. She focused all her strength and energy as she prepared for one last burst. If this didn't work...Then it would be too late.
'Come on...Just one last try. Just...One...More.'
Jean Grey-Summers was now going beyond the normal limits of her powers as she focused on this final burst. The rock still wouldn't budge...Then suddenly, a long, mysterious crack began to form in the thick shell of the stone cocoon. Upon hearing the crack of the rock, Jean continued to force the powerful structure apart. The ground began to shake, but Jean remained focused as slowly but surely...The rock came undone.
Feeling she could do no more, Jean opened her tired eyes and saw an unmoving figure resting within' the confines of the stone. Feeling a sudden rush of adrenaline, Jean ran up and pulled the body from its entrapment. She couldn't believe her eyes...It was the body of her long missing husband, Scott Summers. He was wearing the same clothes he wore the day he was supposed to leave Genosha and by now they were quite ragged and torn. As Jean carefully removed him from his rocky tomb, she noticed that he was encased in a strange gel-like substance; no doubt that was the stuff that kept him alive all this time and allowing him to die so slowly. Jean felt her heart rate soar as she looked over the Scott's unmoving body. For the first time in over a year...She was looking at the man she loved. This was no illusion or veil of deception...This was real. However...As Jean laid the tired and soaked body of her husband on the hard, rocky floor...She noticed something horrible.
"Oh no..." said Jean as she felt around his neck for a pulse...But couldn't find it. "Oh God...No..."
Quickly, Jean listened for his breathing...But she couldn't hear it. He wasn't breathing...He had no pulse. Tears began to form in Jean's eyes as she frantically searched for their mind link...But it had fallen inactive once more. She didn't want to believe it...After all this time and after trying so hard...He was dead. She had lost the man she loved all over again...She had failed him. She had let Apocalypse use her...And in doing so, it killed Scott. She didn't know if she could live with this...For it hurt so badly on her heart. Jean didn't hold her tears back...She let them flow freely. She had no more strength to suppress her terrible feelings of remorse over losing some that meant so much to her.
"I'm too late..." said Jean softly, choking on her tears, "I should have...I. Scott please...Don't leave me. I'm so sorry! I'm sorry for everything! Please...Don't...Leave me."
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AN: I'll leave it there for now. I know...Big cliff-hanger. But it's not over! Not just yet! Is Scott dead for good this time? Has Apocalypse truly won? Stay tuned to find out! So what do you all think? Like it? Hate it? Tell me! What about Slayer? What do you think of my character and the role he plays in this story? I'm eager to know what you all think and I implore you to send me your thoughts. Send feedback to me at my email address or post them on the fanfiction website. Thanks for reading and best wishes to you all!
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