The Game of Empires - REVIEW THIS STORY

Written by Valerie Jones
Last updated: 02/13/2010 03:54:13 PM

Chapter 29

What is that thing? Emma demanded, her face reflecting a mix of anger and dread.

Jean reached for ground level and the minds of her teammates. Best guess? We think it’s the Shadow King in Magneto’s body.

Emma shot her a disbelieving look. The Shadow King wasn’t destroyed with Onslaught?

Apparently not. She caught Emma’s gaze and held it. The Shadow King is a lot more dangerous than any of us could have imagined.

Turning away from Emma, Jean focused her attention upward. She found Logan on the mansion’s lawn and slid inside his mind. An immediate blast of agony sent her reeling. She recovered after a moment, pulling back from Logan to distance herself from his physical pain. She could feel the broken bones that lacerated his insides, and his effort to climb back to his feet even as his healing factor forced the bones to shift so that the shattered pieces could fuse.

Through his eyes, she saw the Shadow King, still in his Erik the Red guise, standing untouched and unharmed in the middle of the mansion’s front lawn. He had one hand wrapped around M’s slender throat. The girl scrabbled ineffectively at his fingers while her feet kicked at the ground, searching for purchase. The terror on her face made Jean’s heart twist painfully. A shimmering bubble surrounded both Erik and M, a protective field the X-Men had been unable to penetrate.

"M!" Emma’s shout echoed in both Jean’s ears and mind. She felt Emma gathering herself.

"No! Emma, wait!" But her warning came too late. Emma released a psi bolt fueled by the entirety of her will at the Shadow King. Jean shifted into the astral plane, watching in horror as Emma’s white lightning bolt streaked toward the massive storm that was the Shadow King. It struck the Shadow King squarely, but rather than be swallowed by the roiling darkness, it shattered like glass.

Emma screamed and fell backwards, her hands going to her head. Jean had no attention to spare for her. Through Wolverine’s eyes, she saw Rogue plow into the Shadow King’s shield full force. For a moment, it looked like she had penetrated the shield-- that her gloved fists would reach the Shadow King’s helmeted face-- but then his free hand twitched. An invisible force grabbed Rogue around the middle and threw her to the ground in a spray of dirt. The jolt of the impact nearly threw Logan off his feet.

A wave of ice followed Rogue, crashing across the Shadow King and sealing both he and M into a huge faceted crystal. In the moment of stillness that followed, Jean had time to register Joseph’s prone form a short ways from Wolverine. His eyes were closed. Blood spilled from his nose, coating the lower half of his face in scarlet. A little ways beyond him, Sam was trying to climb to his feet with Angelo’s assistance.

The moment ended. The Shadow King’s shield heaved outward, and the heavy plates of ice surrounding him cracked with a sound like a hundred gunshots. Pieces of ice fell away, forming a jagged ring of debris at the Shadow King’s feet.

The Shadow King’s breath frosted in the still-cold air as he began to laugh. "Is that the best you have to throw at me, X-Men?"

Abandoning Logan’s mind, Jean moved entirely onto the astral plane. She tried to keep her form small, beneath the Shadow King’s notice, as she reached for Cable and Jono. She found both of them standing a ways behind the Shadow King, along with Everett and Charles.

Jean immediately formed a link with all four, and drew Wolverine in for good measure. We need to coordinate our attacks, she told them. Everett can synch the Shadow King’s magnetic power while the three of us try to fight him on the astral plane. If we hit him hard enough, at the same time, we might give the X-Men a chance to get to M.

What does he want with M? Jono asked. Jean could hear his fear, like a dark stain spreading through his mental voice.

Let’s not find out, Everett answered.

How is Emma? Charles asked.

Jean let enough of her awareness leak back into her body to glance over at the White Queen. Unconscious. Emma lay on the floor in the War Room, unmoving except for the gentle rise and fall of her chest. She wouldn’t be able to help them.

Oath. Lets rebuild this network thing quickly, Cable sounded grim. And hope it’s enough.

Jean sent her agreement in a burst. It’s going to have to be. She felt Cable reach for her mind. Their links fused into a pulsing band of fire and metal that sang to her at a level she didn’t understand and could not begin to describe. It was a far more intimate connection than the same kind of link she’d made with Emma, and she suspected it had a great deal to do with how important Nathan was to her.

Better hurry, Jean, Wolverine said, and the warning note in his voice made her skin crawl. The Shadow King’s opening one of his portals. He ain’t gonna be here much longer.

Jean bit her lip. Everett, are you synched?

Yes, came his terse reply.

Jean turned to Jono. Link in.

He did so, and once again she felt the surge as their powers multiplied, sizzling around the ring between them. Jean took a deep, steadying breath. Okay, lets start feeding this thing power-- Her thought was interrupted by a shrill whistle--the kind someone would use to hail a cab-- that came to her through the ears of all five of the minds linked to hers.

"Hey, Erik! You really gon’ leave wit’out takin’ a single shot at me, homme?"

Jean dove back into Wolverine’s mind, and through his eyes saw Gambit saunter toward the Shadow King, his bo staff balanced casually on one shoulder. His other hand was empty. "How disappointing."

Remy! Charles’ alarmed thought was echoed by the rest of the group. What is he doing?

Cable barked a harsh, silent laugh. Getting himself killed, Professor. Jean felt Charles’ answering stab of anger, but didn’t have time to try to intervene as Gambit spoke again.

"Y’know, I finally figured out what it was I took from you." He flashed an insouciant grin. He came to a stop next to Rogue, who had climbed to her hands and knees and was shaking her head, trying to clear it. "It was Storm. You thought she was gon’ be yours, but I stole her away." Without taking his eyes off the Shadow King, he reached down to offer Rogue a hand. She accepted and he pulled her to her feet. His arm dropped to encircle her waist, his fingers coming to rest across her hip bone. The action displayed a level of intimacy Jean was certain the Shadow King did not miss.

The man is insufferable. Cable’s mental growl held a strong note of disgust.

Jean heard as much as felt Wolverine’s sharp answer. He’s got the Shadow King stalled, idiot. So if yer gonna attack, better get to it.

Rogue gave Remy a wide-eyed stare but didn’t protest as he stroked the area where her hip and thigh met in a blatantly sexual caress. The Shadow King’s eyes narrowed. With the other hand, Remy swung his staff down off his shoulder and gestured widely with it. "And here I am-- despite all de trouble y’ went to wit’ that trial-- still wit’ the X-Men." Smiling broadly, he caressed Rogue again, but his gaze never left the Shadow King. "Accepted. Forgiven." His grin turned taunting. "I’m sure it must jus’ be killin’ y’, hehn?"

He’s trying to provoke the Shadow King. It was the only logical conclusion Jean could draw. But why, unless... Her breath caught in her throat.

Jean, Logan’s right. If we’re going to hit him, we need to do it now. Cable’s tone held a grudging acknowledgement. Jean felt him begin to trickle power into the link that still ran between herself, Cable and Jono. The power running the circle picked up speed, crackling and growling as it ran.

No, wait. Jean held up a hand, despite the fact that she was down in the War Room where none of the others could see her. Charles, I think he’s trying to get the Shadow King to attack him. The idea both amazed and frightened her, but her own emotions were dwarfed by the sudden swirl of terror and hope from Charles.

I think you’re right, Jean.

Up on the front lawn, Remy released Rogue with a gentle nudge. He turned to look into her face, and even though Wolverine’s ears weren’t sharp enough to make out his quiet murmur, his lips formed the words "I love you." Rogue backed slowly away, her expression troubled.

Remy planted the end of his staff on the ground between his feet and leaned on it. He shifted his attention from the Shadow King to M, who continued to pull ineffectively at the hand wrapped around her throat.

"It’s gon’ be okay, petite," he told her with a reassuring smile.

"You are hardly in a position to make promises, Gambit." The Shadow King’s voice dripped disdain. Behind him, his astral portal glowed opalescent.

Remy actually laughed, the sound mocking. "Y’ so sure ’bout dat, are y’?"

Jean, what’s going on here? Cable demanded. Why aren’t we going after the Shadow King?

Jean bit her lip. I can’t explain it right now. Just... She paused, debating, then forced herself to go on. Everett, if the Shadow King tries to use his magnetic powers against Gambit, neutralize them however you can.

The Shadow King glowered at Gambit. "I am quite certain you aren’t worth the energy it would take to kill you."

Remy swung the bo staff back up onto his shoulder, chuckling. "Kill me?" He tipped his head to one side, grinning as if he were party to the world’s best joke. "Now why would y’ want t’ go an’ do something like dat, when I know so many things you don’t?"

The Shadow King’s response was immediate and furious. Jean felt the swell of power, and on the astral plane the massive black cloud boiled upward into the featureless sky. Huge bolts of lightning flashed across its surface, followed by crashing thunder.

Don’t try to shield him! Jean yelled to the two other telepaths over the deafening storm noise that filled the plane.

What? Cable was apoplectic. Through Wolverine, Jean could see the vein in his temple bulging.

Trust me, Nathan! Please! Then Jean had no more time for words as the Shadow King sent a massive javelin of power straight into Remy’s mind, intending to break it open and expose every thought for the Shadow King to see. Instead, the javelin slammed into the heavy shields Charles had built, shattering them, and triggering the defensive psi bolt.

Remy staggered, his bo staff falling to the ground unnoticed. The power coiled inside his mind flung itself outward in a raging vortex just as violent as the attack he’d received. It screamed across the space separating him from the Shadow King and hit the towering black form center mass. The Shadow King shuddered under the assault. In the physical world, he too staggered back a step. Inside his shimmering shield, he raised his hands, which glowed blue-white with electromagnetic power.

Everett grunted in pain, every line in his body tense, and the electromagnetic glow died.

Link in, Jean. Jean gasped at the sudden, commanding presence inside her head.

Remi?

He didn’t answer, but she really didn’t need him to. His horror at being in the Shadow King’s presence swamped her. She struggled under the sudden load as he created the power link between his mind and hers, as well as Cable and Jono. The network Charles had tried to describe to her sprang to life with a surge that made every nerve in her body scream.

Remi drew the power off their links, forming another bolt and strengthening it with everything Jean and the others had to give. His own fury drove the blow as he slammed it into the Shadow King. The psi bolt sank deep into the black form, and the Shadow King bellowed in pain and rage. The Shadow King let go of M, who fell to the ground at his feet, sobbing.

A black disc the size of a dinner plate spawned in the space between Remi and the Shadow King. Wolverine growled deep in his throat as the dangerous buzz saw noise of it filled the air. The disc expanded on a plane parallel to the ground, its edge aimed at the Shadow King’s midsection. But when it struck the glittering shield around the Shadow King, it didn’t pass straight through. Instead, there was a blinding flash of light and Jean had a single instant’s impression of the black disc bowing as if under some unguessable strain burned into the insides of her eyelids. Everett gave a strangled cry and collapsed.

Logan darted forward, ducking beneath the black disc, as a huge rent appeared in the Shadow King’s shield. He grabbed M and dove away. They hit the ground together. Logan rolled on top of her, shielding her body with his as the two physically incompatible phenomena detonated over their heads in a blast of heat and light and force. M screamed.

The explosion threw the Shadow King backward into his portal and sent Remi flying in the other direction. The glowing portal snapped closed as soon as the Shadow King passed its boundaries. Remi tumbled across the grass like a rag doll. He eventually managed to roll to his feet, but immediately collapsed onto his knees, bracing himself with his hands to keep from falling.

Silence descended, and for a long moment no one moved.

As stunned as the rest, Jean recalled herself to her body and then hurried out of the War Room, headed for the lifts.

Remi climbed unsteadily to his feet, his mind a chaotic whirl. His head throbbed painfully in time to his heart, and it was an effort just to breathe. As he straightened, a pair of strong, slender hands caught him in a firm grip, holding him steady.

"Are ya all right, sugar?"

He managed a nod. "I’m fine, Aunt Rogue," he responded automatically.

Rogue recoiled, an expression of horror filling her face. Remi had no capacity left to wonder about the strange reaction. All he could think about was the foul stench of the Shadow King. He could still taste it in the back of his throat, feel it clinging to his mind. He swung around, searching with both eyes and power for his father.

He heard the hum of his father’s approaching hoverchair even before his eyes could center on him. He couldn’t feel his father’s astral self at all. Remi staggered a step toward the one person who could answer the questions tumbling inside his brain.

"Hand of the Creator! Aban, that was the Shadow King." It came out as a protest. "He’s supposed to be dead." He is supposed to be dead, isn’t he? Remi chased the thought, but it slipped away from him, back into the nauseating maelstrom that filled his head and heart.

His father came to a stop in front Remi, his face shadowed with regret. "I know, Remi, and I’m sorry. We failed."

And with that, the entirety of the last thirteen years of Remi’s life crashed down on him. He sank into the grass beside his father’s hoverchair, unable to breathe. He remembered everything... everything he had lived through-- both as himself and as a man called Gambit-- everything since he and Cody had thrown the four of them backward in time. The memories overwhelmed him, threatening to drown him completely, until a sharp stab of pain jerked him back into his body.

"Remi, breathe." Jean knelt in front of him, one hand gripping his shoulder. His cheek stung and he guessed that she’d slapped him. A comforting hand touched his hair, and his father repeated the admonition to breathe.

Remi drew one shuddering breath, then another. He looked up at Jean, who nodded encouragingly. "That’s it. Just breathe."

After a few more ragged breaths, he waved Jean off. She released him and sat back on her heels. Behind her, the X-Men and Generation X had gathered, their expressions varying from curious to concerned to utterly confused. He avoided looking toward Rogue, who lingered at the edge of the group, wringing her gloved hands as she stared at him.

You knew this was where the road led when you started down it, he reminded himself firmly, but it didn’t really help.

He looked up at his father. "It was all for nothing, wasn’t it?" His mouth tasted of ashes. Everything he’d been through... everything he’d done... and none of it mattered.

His father shook his head, his mind projecting a regret so keen it hurt. "Don’t say that. We’ll find a way to stop the Shadow King."

Remi couldn’t hold his gaze. He turned away, sagging against the side of the hoverchair and letting his head rest against its cool, smooth surface.

Jubilee bent down to stare quizzically at Remi over Jean’s shoulder. "Gambit, dude." She smacked her gum. "What happened to your accent?"

Startled, Remi almost laughed, but swallowed it, afraid he would sound hysterical rather than amused. "I’m not Remy LeBeau," he told her in as calm a voice as he could manage. Instinctively, he rummaged through his pockets, eventually emerging with a battered package of cigarettes. Hand shaking, he tapped one out and lit it with a flick of his finger. "I’m not from Louisiana." Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Rogue flinch, and it struck him that he probably couldn’t have hurt her more had he tried. His stomach did a savage flip and threatened to crawl up his throat.

Still shaking, he took a drag on the cigarette, then perched his hand atop his drawn up knee. He watched the smoke rise in wispy curlicues. Unbidden, his mind conjured memories of Rogue-- the smell of her hair and the sound of her laugh, the softness of her lips, and the feel of her fingernails grazing his skin-- He tried to shove the thoughts away, but he couldn’t shake them. She was wound too deep into his heart.

Using his father’s hoverchair for support, he levered himself to his feet. He dropped his cigarette on the ground and absently covered it with his shoe. But before he could take a step in Rogue’s direction, he found himself face to face with Cable. The star shaped tattoo around the older man’s eye seemed to writhe as he scowled.

"If you’re not LeBeau, then who are you?" Cable demanded.

Remi straightened unconsciously. "My name is Rem’aillon Neramani."

"Who?"

"My son." Remi glanced over at his father, who smiled at him through suspiciously moist eyes. "And crown prince of the Shi’ar Empire." His father seemed to forget about Cable as he held out his hand, which Remi took without hesitation. His grip tightened painfully. "I was afraid I’d lost you forever," he told Remi, his voice rough.

Remi squeezed his hand, unable to find any words to respond. The empty space where his father’s astral presence should have been hurt on a level he wasn’t prepared for, and the knowledge that the Shadow King was still out there threatened to crush him with dread. He summoned a crooked smile for his father then gently disengaged himself.

He pushed past a stunned Cable and walked over to where Rogue stood. She simply stared at him with her heart in her eyes, wounded and bleeding.

It was more than Remi could stand. He reached for her, but she backed away, her hands held up in front of her in a warding gesture. "No, don’t--" Her voice cracked. "Don’t touch me." With a sob, she whirled away from him and took off at a run toward the mansion.

Helpless, Remi could only watch her go.