THE BADLANDS
REALM OF THE DEMON BEAR
Mirage bounded to her feet. Ahead of her stood eight Demon Bears, the monstrosities that claimed her family and haunted her since her youth. Around her, the unconscious bodies of Magik, Magma and Rictor. Only Sunspot remained. The Native American clenched her fists, controlling the pacing of her breathing as she stared into the abyss that threatened to swallow her whole. It took her several minutes to recover but soon she was reminded of how far she’d come from the scared teenager who had faced the Demon Bear before. Mirage threw herself into danger with a ferocious sense of justice, and knew she had to act. Sliding back down the hill, she landed on her knees beside Sunspot as he continued to cradle the unconscious form of Magma. He seemed almost as unfocused and catatonic as the others but, as it stood, he was her only remaining ally.
“Bobby,” she whispered.
For the first time since they’d been brought together in the hospital waiting room, Danielle’s voice echoed the friendliness they’d once shared, long before they’d all gone their separate ways and made the decisions that had defined their adult lives. She’d become a combatant in a war that would leave them on opposing sides whilst he’d pursued his political beliefs that had led him down a darker path alongside Rictor. Still, as he held Magma with incomprehensible fear in his eyes, Danielle knew that the youth she had once known was still in there and that was something she could work with.
“Bobby, you need to snap out of it. We don’t have time for this. You’ve been through more difficult times. Get it together.”
He remained despondent. His fingers intertwining with the now reddened hues of Magma’s golden hair. He’d done this to her. His choices had segregated him from a lot of people but throughout all the decisions he’d made, he’d never intended to harm anyone. Least of all Amara. Even now, he remembered her waifish form moving through the Brazilian forestry as she’d approached the New Mutants for the first time. He was reminded of the time he’d taught her about the modern world from which she’d been shielded, and how he had taunted her for it. The jealousy that had transpired as he used Roulette of the Hellions to gain her attention, or even just a modicum of interest from her. She lay bleeding in his arms because of him and, because of that, Danielle’s words were lost on him as he stared at her.
“Bobby!” pleaded the Cheyenne woman.
“Dani.”
She spun to find Rictor groggily rolling onto his knees. The Mexican’s shaggy brown hair masked his eyes but as she rushed towards him, skidding to his level to assist him to his feet, Danielle could see how weak he’d become. The same force of nature that had empowered Magma was draining the geokinetic Julio. His powers tied him to the earth, they shared a connection that few could understand, but the hostile terrain they now trekked across was harming him in ways they couldn’t see. Even Julio wasn’t sure how to describe the clawing that scrapped across his mind and, as he observed the unconscious forms of Illyana and Amara, he decided to remain silent on the matter. He was determined not to add to the concerns of the others.
“Dani,” he continued, his voice catching in his throat. “What’s going on? We need to make some progress or we’re never gonna get out of here.” He turned towards the Russian sorceress. “How’s Yana?”
“Apart from finally quiet,” grimaced Danielle as she observed the fluctuating of Illyana’s chest. “Alive. Amara’s alive too but I can’t say for how much longer unless we make it back to Earth. Bobby’s unresponsive. I can’t get through to him.” She attempted not to sound as frantic as she felt, the image of the eight Demon Bears still etched on her mind. “You aren’t looking so good either.”
He forced a smile. “I’m fine.”
Julio waddled forward, his steps miscalculated and unsteady, but he persisted as he approached the Brazilian mutant. Danielle watched him curiously, unsure how he could reach Roberto any better than she had. She sprung forward as Julio punched Roberto, knocking the man backwards as Amara rolled from his grasp and onto the sand. Roberto was squaring up to Julio in fury as Danielle slipped between them, forcibly pushing the two men apart from each other, but she found most of her energy focused on Roberto as Julio’s frailty didn’t make him much of a match for her.
“What the hell are you doing?” snapped Roberto before his eyes fell on the unconscious form of Amara. He stooped, scooping her into his arms and lifting her. He spun back to face the silent Julio. “I’m waiting.”
“I knew you’d react. You’ve always been a hothead,” Julio replied nonchalantly. “We don’t have time for spiralling or drowning in self-pity. In case you’ve forgotten, we’re trapped in another dimension with a Demon Bear, and Xi’an’s siblings are still missing. We’re on a time frame. Get it together man.”
Roberto scowled. “That’s no reason to go around hitting people. We’re meant to be on the same side, Julio.”
“Then get on my side,” snarked the Mexican.
“If you’re done measuring dicks, there’s a situation we should probably sort out.”
Danielle, Julio and Roberto turned to find Illyana staring down from Danielle’s previous vantage point. Her thick fringe framing her face and shifting against the wind. The soulsword was pointed over the edge of the cliff and the men joined her to find the eight Demon Bears. Danielle held her position, knowing what fate had in store for them.
REALM OF THE DEMON BEAR
Mirage bounded to her feet. Ahead of her stood eight Demon Bears, the monstrosities that claimed her family and haunted her since her youth. Around her, the unconscious bodies of Magik, Magma and Rictor. Only Sunspot remained. The Native American clenched her fists, controlling the pacing of her breathing as she stared into the abyss that threatened to swallow her whole. It took her several minutes to recover but soon she was reminded of how far she’d come from the scared teenager who had faced the Demon Bear before. Mirage threw herself into danger with a ferocious sense of justice, and knew she had to act. Sliding back down the hill, she landed on her knees beside Sunspot as he continued to cradle the unconscious form of Magma. He seemed almost as unfocused and catatonic as the others but, as it stood, he was her only remaining ally.
“Bobby,” she whispered.
For the first time since they’d been brought together in the hospital waiting room, Danielle’s voice echoed the friendliness they’d once shared, long before they’d all gone their separate ways and made the decisions that had defined their adult lives. She’d become a combatant in a war that would leave them on opposing sides whilst he’d pursued his political beliefs that had led him down a darker path alongside Rictor. Still, as he held Magma with incomprehensible fear in his eyes, Danielle knew that the youth she had once known was still in there and that was something she could work with.
“Bobby, you need to snap out of it. We don’t have time for this. You’ve been through more difficult times. Get it together.”
He remained despondent. His fingers intertwining with the now reddened hues of Magma’s golden hair. He’d done this to her. His choices had segregated him from a lot of people but throughout all the decisions he’d made, he’d never intended to harm anyone. Least of all Amara. Even now, he remembered her waifish form moving through the Brazilian forestry as she’d approached the New Mutants for the first time. He was reminded of the time he’d taught her about the modern world from which she’d been shielded, and how he had taunted her for it. The jealousy that had transpired as he used Roulette of the Hellions to gain her attention, or even just a modicum of interest from her. She lay bleeding in his arms because of him and, because of that, Danielle’s words were lost on him as he stared at her.
“Bobby!” pleaded the Cheyenne woman.
“Dani.”
She spun to find Rictor groggily rolling onto his knees. The Mexican’s shaggy brown hair masked his eyes but as she rushed towards him, skidding to his level to assist him to his feet, Danielle could see how weak he’d become. The same force of nature that had empowered Magma was draining the geokinetic Julio. His powers tied him to the earth, they shared a connection that few could understand, but the hostile terrain they now trekked across was harming him in ways they couldn’t see. Even Julio wasn’t sure how to describe the clawing that scrapped across his mind and, as he observed the unconscious forms of Illyana and Amara, he decided to remain silent on the matter. He was determined not to add to the concerns of the others.
“Dani,” he continued, his voice catching in his throat. “What’s going on? We need to make some progress or we’re never gonna get out of here.” He turned towards the Russian sorceress. “How’s Yana?”
“Apart from finally quiet,” grimaced Danielle as she observed the fluctuating of Illyana’s chest. “Alive. Amara’s alive too but I can’t say for how much longer unless we make it back to Earth. Bobby’s unresponsive. I can’t get through to him.” She attempted not to sound as frantic as she felt, the image of the eight Demon Bears still etched on her mind. “You aren’t looking so good either.”
He forced a smile. “I’m fine.”
Julio waddled forward, his steps miscalculated and unsteady, but he persisted as he approached the Brazilian mutant. Danielle watched him curiously, unsure how he could reach Roberto any better than she had. She sprung forward as Julio punched Roberto, knocking the man backwards as Amara rolled from his grasp and onto the sand. Roberto was squaring up to Julio in fury as Danielle slipped between them, forcibly pushing the two men apart from each other, but she found most of her energy focused on Roberto as Julio’s frailty didn’t make him much of a match for her.
“What the hell are you doing?” snapped Roberto before his eyes fell on the unconscious form of Amara. He stooped, scooping her into his arms and lifting her. He spun back to face the silent Julio. “I’m waiting.”
“I knew you’d react. You’ve always been a hothead,” Julio replied nonchalantly. “We don’t have time for spiralling or drowning in self-pity. In case you’ve forgotten, we’re trapped in another dimension with a Demon Bear, and Xi’an’s siblings are still missing. We’re on a time frame. Get it together man.”
Roberto scowled. “That’s no reason to go around hitting people. We’re meant to be on the same side, Julio.”
“Then get on my side,” snarked the Mexican.
“If you’re done measuring dicks, there’s a situation we should probably sort out.”
Danielle, Julio and Roberto turned to find Illyana staring down from Danielle’s previous vantage point. Her thick fringe framing her face and shifting against the wind. The soulsword was pointed over the edge of the cliff and the men joined her to find the eight Demon Bears. Danielle held her position, knowing what fate had in store for them.
Issue #3 (October 2018)
"INTO THE BADLANDS - Part Three"
Written by Gavin McMahon
"INTO THE BADLANDS - Part Three"
Written by Gavin McMahon
Featuring:
Karma
Magik
Magma
Mirage
Rictor
Sunspot
Beast
Demon Bear
|
XAVIER INSTITUTE FOR HIGHER LEARNING
WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NEW YORK Xi’an looked around the lab cautiously. In the hours since her amputation and transportation from Oregon to New York, she’d been unable to contact any of her friends. Even after they’d managed to collate leads of the Gladiators movements, the Vietnamese mutant had hoped to be involved as best she could but with information from the New Mutants lacking, she was feeling even more isolated than she had been when trapped in a hospital bed on the west coast. Exhaling as she allowed her mind to be spiral on the mistakes she’d made, Xi’an wasn’t aware as Hank McCoy slipped into the room. His almost cobalt ursine form bulking out his lab coat hilariously. “A penny for your thoughts?” quipped the scientist as he moved towards the end of her bed, his teeth bared in a friendly smile. Somehow, she didn’t feel it was sincere. Nor did she feel the need to confide in him but who else could she confide in? Xi’an exhaled. “I’m just worried about Nga and Leong. Every moment longer that they’re missing could mean another minute of torture for them. I know the others will look for them, high and low, but we’ve all changed so much that I’m not even sure they can come together for long enough to do the job. Not to mention that I haven’t heard from them. I expected them to check in.” “Not to float my own boat, Xi’an, but the New Mutants were very well trained. They learned from the best and whilst some of them have made some . . . mistakes since leaving the institute behind, the weight of the task they’ve been given will become more of a bond than you know.” “But what if it isn’t? What if they lose focus?” continued Xi’an. “That’s our whole schtick isn’t it? It always has been. We jump from calamity to calamity, leaving chaos and loose ends in our wake because we’ve never been able to focus. We’ve never been more than the overactive teenagers that you all thought we were. Maybe it’s because I’m the oldest but I see that now. I know that we’ve brought this all upon ourselves.” Hank seemed concerned at the pressure she was placing on both herself and her friends. His eyes observed her with a curious expression, it was almost as though he, and the other X-Men who had mentored them, had somehow failed to prepare them for the world that they had found themselves in again and again. He contemplative for a second, attempting to focus his thoughts so that he could respond in the most appropriate way. “This isn’t your fault. It isn’t their fault either. The Gladiators have faced many heroes before and after you, and even when they’ve been defeated, they’ve bounced back. Listen to me, there is only so much we can do and sometimes this line of work places us in dangerous and uncomfortable places but we do get through it. If we don’t hear from the others, then we’ll find them, and we’ll get the answers that everyone needs to know.” He patted her on the shoulder and she realised that there would be no further arguing with him, so Xi’an returned to her thoughts. THE BADLANDS REALM OF THE DEMON BEAR “I say we stab them all in their sleep.” Danielle frowned. “Yes, Yana, because attacking them has worked so well in the past.” “Why are you two always fighting?” Amara had roused in Roberto’s arms, groaning as she rubbed the source of pain on the back of her head and catching her fingers in the strands clumped together with blood. As they fussed around the Nova Roman, no-one witnessed the mutant sorceress stalking off. Magik slammed her soulsword into the throat of the sleeping Demon Bear, scarlet blood drenching her as she tore through the jugular and making her appear even more like a gothic vestige than she always had. None of the New Mutants were quick enough to react, none had been able to stop the warrior from exacting the plan she’d desired rather than the plan that was necessary. The Demon Bear emitted a low, guttural roar that echoed throughout the chasm. It’s dying breath was a warning to those that lay around it, and a call to arms as the remaining seven Demon Bears roused from their sleep. Each of their eyes falling menacingly on Magik, the woman who had dared to invade their home and murder one of their own. Consecutively, each of them roared as they rose to their full height and stared down upon her. “What have you done?” screamed Magma as she glared at her colleague angrily. Magik shrugged, tightening her grasp of the soulsword as she smirked. “What we should have done from the beginning. Fought back.” “There’s a difference between fighting back and suicide, Yana,” barked Sunspot, his dark complexion growing as dark as coal, illuminated only by the glowing amber of his silhouette. Powered up, releasing the ambient solar energy that reside within his body, the Brazilian stepped ahead of Magma, but she moved to stand at his side as Mirage and Rictor, still unsteady on his feet, joined them. “It looks like it’s victory or bust.” “Now we’re in agreement,” rasped Magik. Mirage focused on her pointedly. “As if you gave us any choice, you idiotic bitch.” The Native American’s intricate braids rolled from her shoulders as she rolled them back, tightening her hands in the emptiness of the air. The air tensed under her light touch, solidifying as she extended her mind’s projection into reality. The glistening bow was the first to shimmer into existence, the arrow stretching into her hand. Exhaling gently, resolving her fears, Mirage allowed her keen mind to observe the environment before she took aim and fired. The arrow whistled through the air, arching high before falling with the wind to land in the eye of the foremost Demon Bear. The sudden jolt of pain destabilised it, blinded the creature lost its footing and fell to the side as two more toppled after tripping on him. Sunspot, clearly irritated by Magma’s rejection of his protection and chivalry, blasted forward with the speed and force they would usually have attributed to their absent teammate, Cannonball. Clenching his fists, the Brazilian was reminded just why he had always felt so uneasy in the political role he’d held in San Marcos. He was born for the thrill of the fight and, although he considered himself less violent or volatile than Magik who ran along beneath him, he felt exhilarated to once again be allowed to punch his way out of any situation that stood in his way. As he turned left and she took the right, they launched simultaneous attacks on two of the remaining Demon Bears. He slammed his fist into the jaw of one, felling the thick first wrapping around his hand. Dropping to a lower vantage point, Sunspot shot skyward and delivered an uppercut. Instead of his fist, he used his entire body as a projectile. The Demon Bear’s head jolted backwards, and Sunspot slammed his feet into the soft tissue beneath its snout. To his surprise, and those around him, the Demon Bear flipped and landed with a crash amid a flurry of sand and dirt. Meanwhile, Magik used the thick, grimy fur of the creature so that she could run up its forearm. Her blade slammed into the arm behind her steps, tearing at the thick flesh and drawing intermittent shoots of blood. It swiped at her, throwing the Russian into the open air. As she fell, Magik summoned a portal and disappeared. The portal reappeared above the head of the confused Demon Bear. Magik fell from it with a bloodthirsty battle cry, the soulsword pointed as she drove it into the creature’s eye. It continued to swat at her wildly, defensively, but Magik merely twisted the blade and refused to be moved a second time. Rictor attempted to surge forward but fell as Magma, several steps ahead of him, spun on her heels and returned to his side. The two remaining Demon Bears charged towards them malevolently. The burning woman powered down as she slid her delicate hands beneath his arms and forced him to his feet. Her golden hear shifted from her shoulders as she turned back to face the threat. Magma’s icy vision became as intense as a volcano and the strands of hair ignited but she refrained from bursting entirely into flames with Rictor in her charge. Extending a hand forward with the grace of a dancer, a flume of fire shot forward and scattered the two beasts, temporarily disorientating them. Outstretching his own hand, Rictor clenched his fist and the ground splintered into two segments beneath his control. He forced them apart as one of the Demon Bear’s collapsed into the ravine he’d created. It howled as it disappeared from their view. He slipped forward, almost bringing Magma to the ground with him, but she pulled him back sympathetically, aware of how helpless he felt. “It’s not use. This terrain is draining me,” he spat in embarrassment and disgust. She smiled brightly. “That’s it.” “What’s it?” Magma didn’t answer as she placed him gently on the ground before kneeling beside him. Forcing her fingers into the ground until she felt the solid earth, Magma exploded into her fiery form. She was radiant. Her mind searched for the consciousness of the Badlands. She’d acted in this way only once before but, with the threat of the Demon Bear that raged before her, she knew it was imperative that she was successful. Her eyes shot forward as she pleaded silently with Vulcan of the Forge to grant her strength and control. Energy surged from her into the ground whilst Rictor watched curiously but he became overwhelmed, revitalised as the ground on which they perched sprung to life. He felt as though he was at home. His jaw dropped. “What’d you do? I feel stronger.” “I terraformed it,” replied Magma nonchalantly. “Don’t move from here and let’s end it.” The looming threat of the charging Demon Bear was almost upon them. “I’ll give you something to work with,” smiled the Mexican mutant. “Are you ready?” “Born ready,” nodded Magma as she positioned herself. Throwing his hands up frantically, the terrain burst until Rictor’s revitalised powers and formed into pillars. Rushing forward, Magma jumped from pillar to pillar as she forced further into the air. Finally, she launched into the openness as she fell back towards the earth. It was freeing. Closing her eyes, she once again called into the Badlands to adhere to her control. She dreamt of the land as it had once been, active and surging with raw energy, and the ground beneath the Demon Bear exploded into a surge of spewing lava. It rushed skyward, encircling the flaming princess as she slipped along the tide and back to the earth. Landing safely, to the scent of burning flesh and fur, she powered down and panted. Her heart was racing, exhilarated, with the immediate threat behind her, Amara’s hand shot to her wound and she realised the exertion of her powers hadn’t helped with the pain. She called to Rictor. “I don’t know if I can do this much more.” “I get the feeling,” he shot back as they looked towards their teammates. Magik was on the ground, shoulder to shoulder with Mirage, as the Demon Bears the Native American had disabled regained momentum. Sunspot landed, placing his hands underneath Mirage’s arms, and lifted her into the air as she fired three arrows at the oncoming beasts. The Demon Bears split up, avoiding her attack and surrounding them, as Magma and Rictor joined the New Mutants in the final stand. Mirage and Sunspot landed, the five standing with their backs to one another as they looked at the battle that remained ahead of them still. They’d battled valiantly, removing four of the bears from the war, but Mirage could already see how exhausted and weary they’d become. They wouldn’t withstand another assault. The Demon Bears were just too powerful, particularly in the realm of their birth. Mirage glared. “We’ve got to teleport out of here.” “We’re winning,” snapped Magik. Mirage rolled her eyes. “We’re temporarily separating them. Look at us, we’re worn down. We don’t stand a chance. Eight was just too many.” She turned to the blonde Russian. “I would shoot you with one of these if I didn’t need you to act,” snorted Danielle, gesturing to the arrow intertwined with her bow. Illyana grimaced, affronted that once again she faced the same request that had trailed her since the teleportation mishap. “I told you. Teleporting us away from this mess will fix nothing. It could make everything worse than it is now.” “They’re too strong here,” snapped Danielle. “We’re outmatched in their world and we’re all going to die if someone doesn’t act. Unfortunately, that has to be you. You have to do this. Staying here is gonna resolve nothing.” Biting at her lip, the Russian mutant sorceress gripped the soulsword and slammed it into the rocky terrain. Her eyes shone as a powerful circle of energy wrapped around them all. The Demon Bear charged at them as their bodies turned and twisted, merging with the luminescence of Illyana’s power, and upon collision . . . they were gone. Next time in New Mutants: The New Mutants have escaped the Badlands but have they escaped their fate? |