The X-Men: Darkness Surrounding - Part 2

Author:  AeLonwyne

Disclaimer:  Rogue and the X-Men are the property of Marvel

The cult. A simple name. A word that causes conversation, dread. Andrel Moonreve walked casually down Main Street, in an unassuming town called Greenville. She pulled her duster a little tighter, as a chill wind whipped by, ruffling her hair. She glanced at her reflection as she passed by a window display. Brown flowing hair hung to her waist, her green eyes we lined in black, and her lips were bright red and seductive. ‘The unsuspecting fools?' She thought ‘How little they know about fear?' Several men gave long hopeful glances in her direction. ‘What would they think if they knew I was part of Feirdras?' She grinned at the thought.

Feirdras was a long standing cult which had its roots in Germany, but had recently moved it operation to the United States, on the whim of their master, Caderahn Tarazaad. Andrel had never met the master face to face; she got her orders from Shreah Truenberg. The supposed daughter of Belasco.

Andrel turned down a side street, and paused outside a decrepit looking building. She glanced around, and noticing a couple flirting with one another, mumbled a few words under her breath and pointed. The couple froze, their eyes staring blankly at nothing, and Andrel went inside. Her eyes adjusted immediately to the darkness, as she walked down a long
hallway. A door buried deep in shadow loomed in front of her. This she pushed open and descended a flight of stairs.

“It is about time!?" An accented voice shouted from within. “I came as quickly as was possible, M’lady." Andrel replied stepping into the dimly lit room. Even with the absence of proper light, Andrel could see the flame red hair of her boss, Shreah Truenberg. “Everything is in place.? Gut. The master wants the chosen one before the week is out. I vant you to have her before midnight tomorrow. Lord Caderahn has deemed that it vould be best to lure her. So you vill take hostage her brother and best friend. The ones called Storm, and Nightcrawler."

"Now get moving. I do not vant to hear of any failure! You remember you the one whose place you now hold? Do you not?" Andrel nodded. She didn’t like the memory of what had happened to Blaise Shilder. It was gruesome. She thought even Belasco himself would cringe, then again maybe not. “I shall not fail M’lady." “See that you do not."

Andrel turned and hurried back up the way she had come. At the top of the stairs she mumbled yet another spell, and she disappeared with a puff of smoke. When she reappeared she was standing just a few yards away from a large jet. There were fourteen other members of Feirdras standing around waiting for her. “Moonreve" A tall man greeted her. “Lagerr." She nodded in response. “Lets go people. Shreah has said that we are to have the woman by tomorrow midnight. And we have some bait to get." No one spoke as they hurried on board. The jet took off a few moments later and headed for
New York.

    * * *

Kurt sat contentedly near the edge of the swimming pool, starting at the moon. Finally some peace and quiet. He thought. “Hullo Kurt." Storm said coming up behind him. “Ach, Hallo, miene freundin." He replied with a devilish smile. “What are you looking at?" She asked him. “The moon." “Mmm. It is beautiful isn’t it?" Ororo responded. Quietly Storm sat down next to her friend and followed his lunar lead. “This mess with Feirdras certainly is confusing. What do you think?" Ororo asked. “Ja, I agree. But until we the others return from their missions there is not much we can do. I am debating on whether or not I should program a fencing session in the danger room." After a few moments more Kurt spoke again. “I think that perhaps I will." He smiled.

Storm smiled back at her friend. Kurt Wagner, was a man with devilish looks, blue fur, but an optimistic personality and an inviting smile, made one not notice his looks. At least once they knew him. He was an expert fencer. The best Ororo had ever seen. Perhaps the best there was.

Kurt stood, then turned to his longtime friend. Her white tresses and ocean blue eyes were only a small part of why she had been called a goddess by her people, on the plains of Africa. The smile that graced her exotic features, made her more regal. But her power to control the weather sealed the perceptions of her by her people. “Would you like to join me?" Kurt asked. Storm looked up at him about to answer, when the smile disappeared from her face. Her gaze grew distant as if she were listening to someone far off.

“Ororo? What is it?" Kurt asked her. Slowly Ororo shook her head. “I do not know. There is something unbalanced within nature. Though I can not pinpoint where or what might be causing it." “Let’s go inside and see what we may learn from the computers and radar." Kurt replied offering his hand.  Ororo accepted and stood. The two friends hurried inside and down to one of the mansions sub-basements.

The walls of the X-Mens war room were covered with monitors of various sizes. Some showed different news programs and others showed computer readouts, or websites. All were tracking information on world events, and the activities of mutants around the world. Kurt pulled a chair in front of one of the many monitors. Grabbing the mouse, Kurt quickly navigated to the NWS as well as NASA’s websites. Storm stood behind him scanning the information being presented on the screen. After several minutes Kurt shook his head. “Ach. I can find nothing." He said. “I see nothing of significance either." Storm replied sinking into a nearby chair. “I can sense it, yet there is no evidence of it to be seen." They sat in silence, and then suddenly Storms eyes grew large. “It’s getting stronger. And close." Kurt opened his mouth to reply, but was cutoff by the mansions security alarm. The monitor they had been looking at changed to show a blue print of the mansion. There were two green dots upstairs, surrounded by nearly fifteen red ones. “Kitty, Bobby." Storm cried. They lost no time. Nightcrawler grabbed Ororo by the hand, and the two disappeared in a burst of smoke and sparks.

    * * *

Kitty kicked high at the masked skull of one large intruder. She followed through with three quick jabs sending the man sprawling. Three more masked intruders advanced on her, as Storm and Nightcrawler appeared in the room. Kitty phased as one lunged at he knife first. The man flew past, and she solidified only to be slammed upside the head with a medium sized mirror, taken off the wall. Stunned Shadowcat slid to her knees. Her attacker took advantage of her vulnerability, and delivered a swift kick to her head. Kitty went down for the count.

Ororo zapped the first intruder she saw with a small bolt of lightening, that surged forth from her fingertips. She turned and threw a second bolt at the masked figure approaching from behind. The bolt slammed into what seemed to be a force shield of sorts. The shield crackled and shimmered where the bolt had struck it. Without warning the bolt shot out of the
effulgent shield and back at Storm, slamming full force into her chest. Ororo fell to the floor and her assailant strode up, grabbed her about the waist, and disappeared.

“Storm!" Nightcrawler cried out, lunging towards them. “I don’t think so." A voice answered from behind. Kurt turned in time to see several coruscating orbs of energy fly at him. Several hit their mark and went sent Nightcrawler flying across the room into the wall near the entertainment center. A barrage of icicles flew through the room, belting nearly all the remaining intruders. Kurt tried to stand, wishing for his rapier, but was knocked into unconsciousness, with the butt of a sword slammed forcefully onto his skull.

“No!" Bobby yelled a ball of ice already forming in his hand. Even as two intruders disappeared with Nightcrawler in tow, Bobby was attacked from behind with a frying pan. Another kicked him twice to the gut, and once to the head, causing him to revert to human form, and leaving him open for a more devastating attack. The new attack came in the form of a chair brought down hard on his skull, which shattered with the impact. Bobby crumpled to the floor, and the intruders left without a trace, save the remnants of the battle.

To be continued...