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X-Calibre Trilogy: Dead Run	By : jwieda Category: X-men Comics > AU - Alternate Universe Views: 1147 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own X-Men comics, or any of the characters from it. I make no money from from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1-Suzanne
- 2-Peter
- 3-Suzanne
- 4-Peter
- 5-Suzanne
- 6-Peter
- 1
- 2
Author's Note: Nightcrawler, the Phoenix, the Shi'ar, and anything else referenced from the Marvel Universe is the intellectual property of Marvel Comics. I am borrowing the characters for fun, not profit, so please don't get your knickers in a twist. Anyone you don't recognize from the Marvel Universe is my own creation, and I ask that you ask permission if you want to borrow them. Thanks.

It seemed like we�d been traveling forever. Stars and
planets were speeding past, and the stars were so warm
as we passed by. And pretty, they were so pretty . . . A comet breezed by on
our right. The void between was cool on our face; it caused the fire to trail
out behind us.

Where are we?

We�re coming up on
Alpha Centauri.

Why are we going
there?

We aren�t.

I looked around us again, too awestruck to ask more
questions. I hardly believed where I was, but my senses gave me no reason to
doubt. She seemed to smile at my child-like wonder as we flew further, flew
faster, heading for someplace across the universe that I�d never imagined
before.

We came up on yet another planet but instead of passing by
as we had all the others, we headed for this one. Rainbow colors streaked past
our eyes as we penetrated the atmosphere and when we were in sight of the
ground, we saw sprawling cities below us. We cruised over these in favor of a
large and ornate building set back from the populated areas. The ground solidified
beneath our feet and the fire retreated, leaving my physical form the only
visible manifestation of us. But even then the people inside the building
didn�t seem to see us.

It seemed to be a church of some kind, and the people there
appeared to be holy men and women. It reminded me of a Catholic mass in its
formality.

This is not the
important part. Go behind them, to the doors and the curtain beyond.

I obeyed the instruction, walking unseen past the altar and
the libations being poured into dishes thereupon. When I tried to find a way to
open the door I found it wasn�t as difficult as all that � all we needed to do
was pass through as though it didn�t exist. There were more priests guarding
whatever was behind the curtain; we walked forward and I felt my eyes grow wide
at what lay before us, floating above a small dais of some sort.

It�s beautiful . . .

More
beautiful than you know.

What is it?

I believe your
priests call it the Source. There are as many names for it, and me, as there
are races who know of our existence.

What should we do with
it?

Nothing. It is safe as of yet.

We walked back through the sanctuary and out the main doors,
recalling the flames and flying to another planet nearby. Our destination this
time was a palace; as before, we walked in unseen and unnoticed by all we
passed. These people were the same as those on the other planet � almost human,
but not quite. They seemed more imposing somehow, with odd markingstheitheir
faces and hair that seemed designed to flow every way but that which was
dictated by gravity. One of these people was sitting on a throne, a band of
many unusual looking beings around him. We observed him as he spoke to them,
his words alien in my ears yet understood fluently. They spoke of rebellions in
distant star systems, political dissents nearer to the heart of the empire, treacheries
within the Imperial Court.
A large purple man with a booming voice informed the Emperor that he and other
members of the Guard had foiled an assassination attempt on the Emperor.

They know nothing of
his true ambitions.

What do you mean?

The Source is still
safe. There will be time later.

I frowned a little at the cryptic reply. We walked out of
the throne room and down some hallways. I admired the alien artwork lining the
walls as we passed by them; she seemed to take no notice. We walked through
another door and into someone�s bedroom. The woman there was at a desk, writing
a letter in a peculiar foreign hand.

Your concerns are not unfounded.

The woman started and looked around, trying to find us.
Although she heard us, she could not see us. �Who are you?� she asked in her
tongue. �Show yourself!�

Those assigned to protect it will not be able to stand against your
brother. You must be ready.

�Who are you??� She had gone pale and begun to tremble, her
eyes still wildly searching her room.

Burn your letter. No one can know of what you fear if you are to
deliver it safely.

Her chest heaved as she fought for breath. �I don�t
understand. To where will I bring it? And how? Surely
the priests will not hand it over to me.�

They will not know that you have taken it.

�You want me to steal the Sacred Crystal?? Are you mad?!?�

Calm yourself, child. No, you will not be stealing the Crystal. You
cannot steal that which belongs to you.

The woman�s mouth worked soundlesfor for a moment before
shutting. She sat, silently contemplating what she�d just been told to do. �I
cannot do this thing. It is blasphemy to even think it.�

I cannot protect Creation by myself. I will need your help. You will
not be without allies.

She hung her head, obviously torn. I could sense that this
woman understood to whom she was talking. She felt afraid and saddened by the
charge we�d placed upon her. �How will I know when to � when to leave?�

You will know the signs. As for where you will go . .
.

I tapped into her mind and we showed her the route we�d
taken tach ach her. She gasped, shocked that she would
have to run so far with such precious cargo. �But the Empire does not extend
there! We only have one man for the whole planet! Who thwoulwould ally with
me?�

There is already one there who knows of the CrystalThe Source will be arriving ur dur doorstep soon. Mortal manipulation
of its power will once again put all of Creation in danger; Darkhoelme will
again be instrumental in the protection of all life.� As soon as I
realized I�d said Nightcrawler�s true name � which he�d never told any of us �
I realized it wasn�t I who was speaking, but Her
again. Magda had blinked in surprise, while Mathias meanwhile had turned a bit
pale. Whether it was what I�d said or my appearance as I said it I couldn�t
tell.

�Well . . .� Magdalena said
thoughtfully a few beats later, �I suppose we could recruit at least a few
people to this. Among the newest there is a strong sense of concern for his
well-being, and some of the more entrenched members are loyal as well. Stories
of his kindness and generosity have been making the rounds, with one family in
particular telling ne wne who will listen about how he personally helped feed
their starving children. I doubt it will sit well with anyone if we tell them
that Marius is just willing to ditch him.�

�He is something of a celebrity,� Mathias conceded. �The
bards already have songs about him, don�t they?�

�I understand the clergy in Spain
got a good talking to about leaking that he�s from another planet,� Magda
smiled.

�The rumor is that some shipwrecked pirates ran off their
mouths a bit at a pub and got into a conversation with one of the singers,�
Mathias supplied before I could voice my question over it. �She then heard
something about him from our end and wrote a love song about him.�

The song was running through his thoughts as he spoke and I
picked up part of it . . . You take my hand though you may be so many
stars away, I know that our spirits and souls are one, we�ve circled the moon
and we�ve touched the sun* . . . I quickly focused instead on blocking
Magda�s pain from myself as she was reminded again of what she wanted but could
not have. I felt bad for her. Not that she was the first priestess to fall for
a charge, nor was she by any means the first to be snubbed in favor of someone
else. Far from it. But I wondered if perhaps she�d
built up some illusions about him that wererootrooted in truth; I wondered if,
when hard-pressed, she would fall back out of love with him.

And then I saw the answer to that, overlaid on top of
reality as these truths always were. I wanted to vomit at some of what I saw,
and for the rest I wanted to retreat to the moon and weep in utter solitude.
The fact thacoulcould do just that if I wanted to didn�t disturb me as much as
it should have, however. I was far more shaken by the future I�d just
witnessed, with its vibrant colors and almost tangible quality that meant it
was near to us chronologically.
o:p>
�What did you see?� Magda asked me gently, her eyes full of
concern.

I just shook my head, my hand clapped over my mouth and my
eyes rooted to the floor. I couldn�t bear to look at her then, which concerned
Mathias enough for him to reach out and touch my shoulder.

�Is it about what we were just discussing? About Nightcrawler?�

I swallowed hard and nodded just enough for him to see my
answer. They both tried to get more information from me, but for the first time
I wasn�t willing to discuss what I�d seen. It wasn�t fair, to make me choose
something like that, knowing there was ultimately only one choice I could make
and live with myself . . .

No one said this
would be easy, Little One. But unfortunately, such terrible decisions are often
a part of this responsibility.

I saw the remembered heartbreak on someone else�s face, the
shattering of his reality so great that it couldn�t be hidden behind the
peculiar red and gold visor he wore. And then I felt her pain at knowing she
would never see him again if she were to put the Crystal out of the reach of
others who would abuse its power . . . She�d loved Scott so much that it hurt
sometimes, but having to leave him behind was more painful still.

I sobbed and wrapped the fire around me, trying futilely to
fight the cold that came from within.

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*Lyrics from �For Always� by Josh Groban.
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X-Calibre Trilogy: Dead Run