Chapter 58

Bayville…

Isobel knew she had little time before the X-Men recovered. She had to finish this quickly.

"What are you doing?!" Tess demands to know as she gets back on to wobbly feet after Isobel knocked them all down.

"What you gave me the opportunity to do. I can free us Lutessa."

"She's collapsing the dimension in on itself," Wanda reports, still huddled on the ground in pain. She was the closest, after all, to Isobel. Scarlet red energy flickers around her fingertips. She mumbles under her breath and the energy leaves her fingers and dissipates into the ground.

"That's not what we agreed!" Tess shrieks.

"Oh is this about your boyfriend?" Isobel mocks, referencing Hawkeye. "Trust me there's always another," she says in completely non-comforting terms.

"Ye need ta stop," Cannonball orders in his southern accent.

"None of you can stop me!" Isobel boasts as the vortex destabilises more and more, though no-one is quite sure exactly what the witch is doing.

"Now that is just tempting fate," a new voice declares.

Isobel's eyes widen as she feels the massive magical signature...but before she can do a thing her shield is shattered like it was constructed by a 2-year old. The force knocks her down flat. She twists her head round and peers through her long dark hair...or more accurately glares at who is responsible. "Strange," she says, grinding her teeth. What is he doing here?!

"That's Dr Strange to the likes of yourself, Countess," the Sorcerer Supreme counters, his tone, expression and manner stern, having just appeared, as if by magic you might say, standing there outside the gates of the Xavier Institute.

Isobel doesn't have time for this or him. She rises to her feet, her magic swirling and building up around her. "You will not interfere in my pla...ugh!" she groans as a fist connects with her face.

Everyone pauses for one moment before looking at the source of that fist.

"What?" Wanda asks innocently. "Like I was the only one tired of listening to her," she argues.

The other X-Men share a look...then shrug and nod in agreement. Yeah, the witch was getting annoying.

Stephen has to shake his head in amusement before he takes advantage of the situation and binds the felled witch. "That'll hold her," he states. "When we have resolved this situation I shall endeavour to perform the necessary exorcism of the Countess' spirit from Ms Lang," he adds.

Boom Boom raises a hand.

"Yes Ms Smith?" Dr Strange queries formally, as if a teacher addressing a pupil.

"How...what...you just show up! Now!" Tabby finally splutters out.

Stephen arches an eyebrow. "You can thank Wanda. She sent me a message through the mystical ether which connects us all. A very impressive feat for one so young," he praises her.

"Yeah," Wanda draws out, embarrassed. "Is this the best time to start my apologising?" she wonders, knowing she has a lot of apologising to do over how she has behaved these last several weeks.

Stephen smiles at her. "There will be time for that. Now then we should stabilise this portal before it collapses," he proposes, getting straight to business. "What was the spell the Countess was using?" he asks.

Wanda explains it as best as she understood it.

Tapping into his power Dr Strange stabilises the vortex while Wanda, along with the other X-Men explain the situation as they understand it.

"And the others have not returned," Stephen iterates the obvious. "Very well I shall fetch them. Wanda you must remain here and keep the portal open," he decides instantly.

"Ah...ok," Wanda says, unsure of herself right at the moment.

"Have faith in yourself," Stephen says, seeing the need to boost her confidence. "You have the power. You have the control. Relax."

"Relax, he says," Wanda mutters under her breath...along with a few other unpleasantries.

Stephen ignores the mutterings of his rebellious student and steps toward the vortex, using his magic to sense ahead. He brings his hand to the Eye of Agamotto which opens as he steps within, the Eye blasting the barrier ahead open. He exits to a sight he never expected. The X-Men, the still smouldering ruins of the Academy of Tomorrow, shadow creatures, a demon apparently and the immortal sorceress Selene Gallio. At least Isobel's actions make more sense now.

"Strange!" Selene hisses at the sight of him.

"Ms Gallio," Dr Strange responds in level terms. His gaze turns to the demon girl.

Superman zips to her side instantly and explains. "She's on our side...long story...and I need her right now so if you'll excuse us," he says and in a gust of wind he vanishes with Illyana.

Dr Strange blinks...twice when Superman reappears.

"Oh while you're at it if you could get the reverse spell for Penance from Selene that would be great," he tags on, remembering Selene is responsible for the dark incantation hat transformed Monet into Penance before he vanishes again.

"I'll see what I can do," Dr Strange murmurs to the thin air. He turns his full focus to the black hearted sorceress. "Yield Selene," he orders.

"Strange, I'm now officially having a bad day so I can tell you to where to shove it," Selene retorts, any joviality in her mood now long since vanished.

"As you wish," Dr Strange accepts in resigned tones. They never do this the easy way.

And with that all the fights resume.

Superman reappears where he left Illyana, outside the ruins of the Academy. On the ground lie Cyclops and Emma still. Superman's eyes flash electric blue. "Volcana isn't here," he mutters, in relief.

"My students?" Emma asks, a trickle of fear and worry in her tone as she struggles back to her feet.

"Buried. There!" he points at the location. "Illyana I need your help," he states the reason he took her in the 1st place. "When I lift I need you to help keep the debris stable," he explains his thinking.

Illyana frowns as she thinks...and ignores the Darkchylde part of herself which is not caring in the least to aid anyone. "I have an idea," she finally announces.

All 4 move over to where the students were, in the gymnasium. Illyana casts her spell which essentially sticks the bits of rubble together, meaning when Clark lifts it all moves, stuck together.

Superman summons up the energy he has left and lifts. "Ok, Cyclops, Emma this is where you go to the rescue," he tells them as he makes a gap to within the pile.

The two mutants make their way inside to where the students are. It's kinda what you expect, especially when you have people with varying abilities. Some are fine due to their powers. Others were lucky to end up inside voids, relatively unhurt while others had neither advantage and are trapped and hurt. How badly is hard to tell right now.

"We need to get them out of here," Cyclops points out, even if moving them is a bad idea they can't stay here. In this place.

"We need..." Emma starts but never finishes as a portal opens and the bandaged form of Murmur steps out followed by the rest of the Hellions.

"Professor Xavier thought we should help," King Bedlam explains.

Emma refuses to even think of being thankful to that foolish old man. Instead she just focusses on what is important. "Get the students out of here and near the portal," she orders. "Wait. I thought your teleportation powers weren't working," she comments to Murmur.

"They weren't. They are now...for some reason," the bandaged mutant replies.

Huh, Emma thinks to herself. Selene's powers must be weakening...or at least she's distracted fighting Strange. "Never look a gift horse in the mouth as the saying goes," she decides to just go with it. "Come on. Lets get cracking!" she commands.

"Stabilise the injured first," Cyclops adds because that is the minimum that is required to be done.

"How's it going Cyclops?" Superman shouts down...although to be fair Clark can see how it is going but it's better to stay in communication even when its pointless.

"We're moving the uninjured and walking wounded out now," Cyclops reports back as they step through the portal Murmur is holding open.

Meanwhile Emma is searching for her precious girls. The Stepford Cuckoos. "Girls!" she calls out verbally and telepathically.

"Over here Ms Frost," the collective responds psychically.

Emma blinks. There were only 4 voices there. Where's the 5th one? What has happened? A fissure of concern bleeds its way into her usually hardened heart. She finds the girls behind a fallen roof beam. Four gathered around the fifth, lying on the floor, her head bleeding. It doesn't take a genius to put two and two together and figure out the falling beam struck the injured girl; Sophie as it turns out.

How bad it is there is no way to tell here.

"We can't reach her," Celeste almost wails, her lower lip trembling. She always was the most caring and compassionate and the most visible with her emotions and right now she can't keep any of them hidden.

Emma focusses on Sophie. No she can't reach the girl's mind either...or at least can't connect properly. She can sense it's still there. She bends down and feels for a pulse. It's there. Weak but there. "Scott!" she calls out. "I need you!"

Moments later Cyclops appears.

"Sophie has a head injury. We need to get her out of here," Emma says, her worry playing out on her face far more than normal.

"I'll carry her," Cyclops volunteers as he moves over. "Almost everyone else is out," he reports.

"Can you girls walk?" Emma asks remaining 4 identical blond girls.

They all nod.

"Good. Follow us," she orders. "Celeste, focus," she has to mildly reprimand the girl to snap her out of her worry induced frozen state.

The group head back, Cyclops carrying Sophie until they reach Murmur's portal where the Hellions are waiting.

"They're all out," King Bedlam reports.

"Cyclops!" Superman yells. "If you're done here I still need you and Emma."

Cyclops frowns behind his visor. Why did Clark still need them? He hands off Sophie to Bedlam. "Go. We'll catch up," he orders the dark skinned man...which doesn't sit well with Bedlam. No darn X-Man orders a Hellion around.

"Go Christopher," Emma tells him before a fight breaks out which she could sense was close to coming.

King Bedlam departs and Cyclops and the White Queen make their way back out the rubble to where Superman and Illyana remain.

Cyclops still can't stop himself having a double take at the very demonic looking Illyana. Horns, glowing red eyes, red tail swishing about. "So Superman," he turns his focus on...only to find he is getting a look.

Yes, Clark noticed Scott staring at his girlfriend.

Cyclops clears his throat, uncomfortable, "What do you need us for?"

"Two things. Finding Volcana...and Emma to explain who the other group of people in her school were."

"Other people?"

"They're dead," Superman explains. "That's why I focussed on the students. In fact from what I can tell they were at the epicentre of the explosion."

Scott looks at Emma who for once is looking caught out.

"This was about removing them and punishing me," she figures out quickly.

"Removing who?" Cyclops wants to know.

"The Lord Imperial and his entourage. This is a coup."

"Which is fairly common within the Hellfire Club," Illyana speaks up.

"What do you know of it?" Emma asks the sorceress. "And while we're having this pleasant conversation what are you?"

"I'm many things. You couldn't imagine half of them," Illyana replies creepily, her glowing eyes staring right down into Emma's soul. "I can see you you know. Through this mask you wear."

Emma matches stares with the girl, trying not to show how unnerved she actually is in the presence of this mind she cannot fathom or read.

A loud crack interrupts...which tracking the source is Superman snapping his fingers...loudly. "As fascinating as this is I would like to find Volcana and depart this place."

"Then I suggest you find Sebastian. Clearly he had decided to abduct his daughter for whatever reason his twisted mind has decided," Emma suggests.

"Not here. Not the school. That leaves only one place," Superman works it out.

"His building," Cyclops realises as they look at the skyscraper across the scorched landscape.

Superman's eyes flash electric blue as he looks within. "I'm tired of these games," he says. "Go help Dr Strange get us out of here. I'll be one minute," he declares.

"Superman," Cyclops says warily about Clark going off half-cocked.

"Enough Scott. I've had enough of this. I've been through Hell once. I'm not repeating the experience and I'm not letting anyone, even the Black Queen herself, put my friends through it," Superman says, baffling everyone except Illyana as to what he means. Clark reckons he has has enough energy left. He had been trying to be careful with it since there was no sun here to recharge him. He should be able to go full out for a short time without much danger. Besides it's not like he's planning on hanging around and chatting with Shaw or anything. He vanishes in a gust of wind.

"Idiot," Illyana snorts...yet it still has the lingering affection if you listen carefully enough, even in her Darkchylde form. She wastes no more time here. They have done all they can at the Academy. She walks off in broad, quick strides. "Are you two coming? Or do you prefer to remain here?" she asks the couple...although how long that will last after today's revelations is a good question. "I'm not bothered in either case," Illyana just has to point out.

From his office Sebastian looks out at what is a battlefield. This is definitely not going to plan...or at least the part involving the X-Men isn't. For you see he is not completely cut off from the outside world. Selene arranged it so he could keep in contact with their operatives in the outside world and all was going according to plan with them. The former Lord Imperial's allies were being expunged at this very moment clearing the way for his and Selene's takeover.

Now one might think Sebastian is delusional if he really believes Selene is sharing anything with him but lets leave him in his happy little fantasy. The one where his daughter, lying still unconscious on a couch, really does want to rejoin the family. After all she is a vast improvement on the disappointment that is his son.

"When does this end?" Adrienne asks Sage in a whisper, now frankly bored of this place and wishing to get back to the real world.

"When the Goddess determines it is so," Sage replies blandly, truly disgusted at what she is saying. Damn this bracelet to hell.

"My King," Adrienne addresses him, not happy with that answer.

"My Queen," Sebastian addresses her back. "You should listen to Tessa. She speaks much wisdom."

Adrienne frowns. She's starting to really wonder if Sebastian is beginning to lose it. He is distant..distracted...apart from where it concerns that red-haired girl on the couch. He is so obsessed with that daughter of his. It's like...like his mind is not really here half the time.

Her train of thinking is interrupted when the wall to her left explodes outward, forcing her to shield herself from the flying bits of concrete. When her focus can once again look in the correct direction she finds a large hole in the wall and standing there; Superman. And if she's a good judge of facial expressions...and she is then she will go with he looks pissed. Course that could just be the glowing red eyes she's mistaking there but she doubts it.

Superman's eyes scan the room, taking in each person in turn. He seems to linger on Sage for a moment, cocking his head slightly before he spots the sleeping pyrokinetic.

Then it's over.

One moment he's there. The next he's a blur of red and blue and when the wind he leaves in his wake settles down Sebastian and Adrienne find themselves alone.

Ooh Adrienne doesn't like that angry look on Sebastian's face. She bets she's going to get blamed for this somehow.

Clark was in no mood to get into another pointless fight. Not when he has power enough left to simply use his speed to get what he needed done.

He returns to the battle against Selene's minions the rest of the X-Men are still fighting and he appears carrying two people. Both unconscious.

"Claire!" his mother calls out as he sees them. She runs over, Jonathan following behind her.

"She's just asleep," Superman assures his mother as he lays both if his 'guests' down.

"And Sage?" the Professor queries.

"I wasn't quite sure what I was going to do until I spotted this," he replies and explains what he means by ripping Sage's sleeve back to reveal the metal bracelet. "It's a slave bracelet," he adds in case that hasn't been explained yet up to this point. It's also why he gently knocked her out so she wouldn't resist. "I suspect that explains her lack of communication as of late. She's clearly been used as yet another pawn in the Black Queen's game."

Charles thinks back to his last meeting with her. She was acting so odd. Was she trying to tell him...warn him but couldn't.

"Illyana can remove it once we're out of here. Speaking of whom excuse me while I help her and Dr Strange put an end to this," Superman excuses his usual hasty departure.

Those 2 aforementioned magical beings together were more than a match for a Selene who for all her power is not without her own limits and this has been a long day so far already.

Working in tandem against the immortal sorceress is having the effect of wearing down her defences.

Now you add a 3rd force in the shape of Superman's God-like abilities plowing into Selene's shield and it breaks under the pressure.

Next thing Selene knows is a punch into her stomach doubling her over.

"Now then where were we, Selene?" Superman asks her. "Oh yes. I was telling you to end this or I would," he recalls their last conversation before she started blowing things up.

Selene literally spits at him. "Go to hell!"

"Already been there."

Selene rises, a little shakily, to her full height. "I don't need this. I have achieved what was important but rest assured, son of Jor-El, the day will come when you kneel before me!"

"Yeah, I'll make sure to note that in my diary," Superman replies in derisory, mocking tones. "But if you think I'm going to let you leave you are sadly mistaken. There is still the issue of reversing what you did to M."

Selene laughs. "Ha. You think I'll tell you anything. The girl can suffer for all eternity...just like her brother will for failing me a second time. Plus you can't stop me. This is my world. I created it. I can destroy it...and all of you along with it!" she promises venomously before vanishing.

"Oh that can't beh good," Rogue mutters in her usual way.

"I think we should leave," the Professor states.

"Indeed. Quickly," Dr Strange agrees just as the ground shakes around them. "She's starting to implode this dimension," he can sense. "Everyone out. Now!" he orders and the evacuation begins as the dimension around them collapses. The ground crumbles into huge chasms, lightning frequently cracks a sky that looks like it is bleeding, with streaks of red.

The students and adults pour through the vortex, reappearing in Bayville outside the Institute's walls.

Back in the dimension the last out are Superman, Illyana, the Professor and Dr Strange.

"I'll be with you momentarily Charles," Stephen is saying. "I have one last act to perform."

"You are certain?" Charles asks.

"Quite certain. Go now," Stephen insists and the other 3 depart.

They re-emerge on the other side. Illyana gets more gasps at her appearance from those who haven't seen her before. She lets out a growl of annoyance in response.

They all stand there and wait...as the vortex begins to fluctuate.

"I-I can't hold it much longer," Wanda, says, clearly struggling under the strain. "Where is he?!"

Before anyone can suggest going back in the vortex collapses, blowing everyone off their feet with a blast of mystical energy. The black shield...the skin of the pocket universe begins to collapse as well. It speeds up until it folds in to a point of blinding light.

As the light fades it seems to take on a shape...of a building and then it solidifies into the Institute.

A few moments late the gates swing open and strolling up the drive as if taking a casual stroll is the Sorcerer Supreme. "There now. Everything back to where it should be," he explains in a way what he was doing. He made sure everything sucked in was pushed back out before the final collapse. "Including what remains of your school, Ms Frost but right now may I suggest you bring the wounded to the infirmary," he proposes.

For once Emma can't find a reason to argue.

"I'll see about contacting Hank," Charles says. Though in all honesty by now surely Hank must have heard something about this and be on his way. "Cyclops help everyone down to the infirmary," he orders.

"Yes, Professor," Cyclops says obediently, focussing on the here and now and trying not to think about the inevitable showdown he is going to have with Emma over everything he has learned today about what she has done.

It's taking all of Magma and Firestar's self-control not to fry the telepath. They choose to storm off together...away from the blond before their self-control slips.

While the X-Men aid the injured toward the mansion Dr Strange turns his focus on the bound Countess.

The now once again awake Countess who is saying every curse in her native French she knows.

Strange levitates her to the vertical. "Your time here is over Countess. This poor woman's body who you have taken will be free soon."

"You can try, Strange!" Isobel spits, struggling against the mystical ribbons of energy holding her. "But I will not go. I have endured centuries in limbo before. I can do it again. You can delay my destiny but you cannot deny I-aaahhhh!" she calls out. This is due to having a flaming, mystical sword driven through her.

All eyes turn to the demonic girl, a cruel smirk on her face. "There's limbo...and then there's Limbo," she chants. Illyana yanks the sword back out and not alone. There, impaled on the mystical blade, the ghostly image of the Countess Margaret Isobel Thoreaux. Illyana addresses the helpless spirit, "You are now mine!" she proclaims, the glow in her red eyes intensifying. "Oh what fun we shall have!" she cackles before a stepping disk opens under her.

"Illyana, no," Superman warns but even he is far too late. She vanishes, just as he grasps for her and finds nothing but thin air. "Illyana!" he screams in frustration. "I know you can hear me! Get back here!"

Of course she doesn't.

Superman mutters under his breath. Again. She's done this running out thing on him again...only this time, considering what just happened he figures it's only going to get worse from here. He puts his hands on his hips in annoyance and blows out a breath. That when he realises everyone is now looking at him.

Ah. He guesses this is where he has some explaining to do.

So one of those days.

To Be Continued...

Author's Note: So it's over with Selene and the Hellfire Club for now at least. And yay, I finally freed Lana at the price of Isobel's soul being dragged down into Hell. I do shudder to think what Illyana will do to her a little. On the other hand poor Monet's Penance has a further time to go yet. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. I've decided to end this story here and squeeze in a story all about the fallout. I'm calling it;

SmallvilleX: Evolution Year 3.(1.5): The Search for Magik

Summary: After Illyana's true nature was revealed she vanished and now the search for her is on. Can the X-Men find her before they learn how she can be the worst enemy imaginable? Also Clark has some 'splainin to do!