Chapter 22- New Home

Over Antarctica- Near the edge of the Preserve, 25- March- 2008 (Night)

Raven Darkhomle- (Mystique)

Raven took a breath before opening her eyes, and looking around the cockpit. She was still strapped into the co-pilot’s seat, and Rogue was still at the controls of the pilot’s seat. Outside of the window it was dusky like the sun was trying to stay up, but still needed to go down.

“How long was I out?” She asked the teen.

"About six hours," Rogue answered without taking her eyes off of the mountains on the horizon.

“There’s no way you still have my knowledge of how to fly a plane is still there?" She asked surprised.

The teen agreed, saying. “Nope, lost it hours ago, but I still have a general understanding. And that’s why I am being extra careful so I don’t freak out and crash us. Besides you needed the rest after what happened at the Maker’s place… and Mama Irene’s passing.”

Raven waited a moment, before asking. “Did you call her that to her face?”

"Not enough," Rogue admitted.

Raven then undid the buckles and got out of her seat, and moved into the back compartment. At the door, she heard Rogue add. "Don't ya go too far, I am gonna need ya to land this thing.”

“Just getting Exodus so we know where we are landing.” She told the girl before leaving the cockpit. She didn’t add that the place was apparently hidden behind some advanced tech, so she and the girl wouldn’t be able to see it anyway.

Instead, she went into the back section and walked to the seat closet to the side door. She reached to shake awake the crusader, but he materialized a sword of light and pointed it at her before she could reach him.

“Hey, it's me," Raven said to assure him.

He released a breath and the sword after he recognized her. “What’s happening?”

“We’re about twenty minutes from your Preserve. There someplace for us to land this plane?” She asked him.

“We’re not.” He answered before rubbing his eyes and getting up.

Then he started to walk towards the cockpit, as he did Raven asked. “You want to explain that?”

Exodus didn’t look at her as he explained his plan. “The Citadel is surrounded by a jungle, so there is nowhere close for us to land a craft like this one. So we will glide in, and once we are close to the Citadel, I will get out and grab the plane with my powers and carry it down into the courtyard.”

"Oh," Raven muttered, as he walked into the cockpit. Once he was passed the door he repeated his plan to Rogue at the controls of the plane.

As he did she looked at the others. Arlette was asleep in a seat next to where she found the crusader, her phone still in her hand despite it not being in service range for a while now.

So was Kurt, but he was closer to the middle of the cabin, where Saul had built a means for them to add more fuel into the main tank midflight. Several empty tanks of avgas were in the seats around the boy, and at his feet.

At the back, near the emergency exit, Vanessa and Wade were sitting next to each other. The man was still in his mask, and seemed to be awake playing with his thumbs. Meanwhile, his widow had her head on his shoulder fast asleep.

Figuring he would need it, Raven went to her and Irene's bags, and pulled out another flashbang. Her timing was good because after she stowed the bags again, he left the cockpit and headed for the middle side door.

At the door, she offered it to him.

He took it saying. "I doubt I'll need it, but thank you… You sure you cleared everything with my lord?"

Raven lied. “Of course.” Then she added, to get him on his own guard. “You know he hates it when you call him that, right?”

Instead of answering, he cleared his throat, and stored the grenade in his armpit, before unlocking and opening the door to the plane. The sudden change of wind and pressure woke everyone up, thus why Raven waited to do so. Once the light manipulator jumped outside, she moved to close the door behind him.

However, with the air pressure she couldn’t do it on her own. Kurt teleported to be by her side, and the two of them closed the door after a moment and some effort.

“What’s going on?” Arlette asked from her seat.

As Raven and Kurt caught their breath, Rogue left the cockpit and answered her. “We’re almost home.”

“So…” Arlette started to ask, but stopped when the whole plane jerked to a stop. Over a third of the windows were covered with fingers of light as Exodus lowered us toward their destination. Both Rogue and Raven moved to a window to look outside, but as far as they could see he was just bringing them to just more topical jungle trees.

When Kurt joined them, after a moment he asked. “Should I go outside and check.”

"No, get your bags ready," Raven stated. She knew she needed to beat the crusader to Magneto. She didn't know how she would do it, given… then she gasped, as the scenery around the plane changed.

No longer was it just jungle, instead they were in a clearing about the size of a city block. There were only four buildings though. The biggest and most repaired is a five-story stone tower. She could also make out the Grey-wing, being stored in what was once a stable of some kind. She could also make out a smaller wooden tower, and another squat moderately sized one-story building.

In the clearing were men made from silver, many had some kind of bow, but most had spears or pole-arms. Half of them were sitting atop six-legged horses, also made out of silver.

She was dazed for a moment, but Raven knew she had to act and fast.

Raven turned and looked at her son, saying. "My boy, I need you to go get me to the double doors of the central tower."

He blinked as if confused, and then he looked up and saw what she had. "I didn't even feel it out there," he muttered on his way to her. He hugged her, and after a moment added. "That's strange I can't feel anything outside of the plane."

“Then just look outside and get us to the ground.” She told him. He nodded, before hugging her again. Then in a puff of sulfur and smoke, she found herself standing on a field of green grass. The men of silver watched them, but did nothing to stop them, yet.

Once there, she pushed herself to be free of her son. Then Raven ran towards the front doors of the central tower. ‘I have to explain things before Magneto rejects them. This mage has to understand.’ Raven thought as she opened and stepped into the tower.

Once instead she was stopped, as she was greeted by a man of silver. This one was covered in full plate, and had a two-handed sword resting on its shoulder. It didn't speak, she wasn't even sure if it could, but it held up a finger to grill of its face guard.

Its intent for her to remain silent was made clear to her. Raven was about to whisper why, but then she heard them. A procession was descending the stairs at the far side of the large room.

The first to come down was a man in pristine white Asian robes, the cut was somewhere between Chinese or Korean, but he also wore a matching white veil covering much of his face. But not his eyes, his glowing green and red eyes that stunned those who looked too long at them.

And she did. It wasn't until he turned to head towards the stairs leading down, that Raven blinked and noticed the others. Another six men of silver followed behind the robed man. However, instead of swords, they carried a coffin of glass. Inside it was a woman with long blonde hair dressed in animal skins.

Behind the men of silver was another blonde man. He wore only a pair of white pants, but also carried a tiger cub, for some reason. She wanted to chuckle at the sight of it trying to climb out of his arms, but she didn’t at the sight of what was behind him.

As what followed this man was a pair of mutant girls. At least Raven thought they were, given that they had long rabbit-like ears sticking out of the tops of their heads. They too were dressed in white, this time in matching skirts and tunics, both of a clearly older design than anything modern. Something similar to what she wore herself as a child.

Both the man’s and the mutant girls’ eyes showed signs that they had been crying. The sight reminded Raven of her own loss. One that awaited her back on the plane, but she had to think of her children.

She was about to approach the procession, but only got a couple of steps when Magneto floated out of the hallway beside the stairwell leading upstairs. He too was dressed in white, but in a finer style and cut than what the man or mutant girls had been wearing. More than that, she could tell by the look on his face that he was pissed.

Raven thought about escaping, either just into the jungle or down after the procession, but she could also tell that he would beat her to both given the amount of ground he was covering. So she took a few steps to stand behind the closest chair set at the table in the middle of the room and waited.

As he got closer to her, and was about to say something to her, a voice came from everywhere and nowhere at once spoke in a soft tone.

“On behalf of the young master, I request you remain quiet for the next few minutes.”

It said, forcing the mutant leader to bite his tongue and remain silent. He hovered for a time, clearly wanting to chew her out for bringing the kids with her.

When his face softened a little, Raven asked him in a soft whisper. “Funeral service?”

Magneto landed, before nodding. Then he added in the same soft whisper. “You didn’t know her. A local girl offered up as a human sacrifice, but I was hoping to recruit her mutant boyfriend.”

Raven frowned, but also nodded in understanding, and then after a moment she informed him of her own loss, again in a soft tone. "Destiny is dead."

His angry face took a sad look for a moment, but still returned to something in the middle, before he said. "It does not excuse your disregard to what I said."

While they waited in disgruntled silence, Exodus, the kids, and the captives made their way inside. The man of silver made the same gesture towards them as they entered, but unlike most of them, Copycat didn't seem to care.

She asked, in a slightly loud voice. “Why should I?”

“Because everyone dies. So unless you want to be forgotten and ignored when your time comes, it is proper to show some amount of respect.” A young somewhat suave voice said in an equally loud tone.

Everyone looked towards the speaker. He was almost at the top of the stairwell leading downstairs. It was the man with the glowing eyes, in the white robes. As he approached them, he removed the veil covering his face.

Not that she realized it, but Raven subconsciously used her powers. She made her breasts more perk, and butt less flabby and her face younger, as the man joined them.

However, Magneto was the first to speak. “I am sorry, I didn’t know that they would arrive today, if I had I would have warned you.” He looked at her and the others before adding. “Or told them to wait outside.”

The robed man waved his hand as he muttered. “Everyone makes mistakes.” Then he began bowing to each of them, after the second bow he introduced himself. “Welcome, I am Nath’aniel, son of Path’aniel, and this is the Citadel.” He continued to bow to each of them, even Copycat, and at the mention of ‘Citadel’ a glowing green crystal hourglass appeared floating in the air near him.

Exodus returned the bow, and oddly so did Deadpool, but the others just kind of stared at him confused. Then the crystal started to spin in place as it spoke.

“Welcome, I will have rooms prepared. However, may I ask your purpose for this visit?”

Raven quickly gave the floating object an answer. "Reunion... Copycat and myself are members of the Brotherhood, and these are…”

“And they aren’t staying.” Magneto barked and interrupted her.

Raven didn’t need to turn around to know her kids were disappointed by the man’s statement. They were coming here to find a new home, and he just denied them.

Before the conversation could continue, however, someone from the funeral line had approached them. Raven noticed the two mutant girls stayed back by the stairs, like they were not welcome. While the young blonde man asked the leaders. "Verna wanted to make sure that it was ok, that she and her sister could come to the feast…"

This Nath’aniel didn’t turn around to answer, just tilted his head enough to see them. “Of course.” Then he took a breath and said. “Of course, today is an emotional one, so let us all join together upstairs for the remembrance feast, and who is staying and who is going can be settled in the morning.”

Magneto thought for a moment before he nodded in agreement.

Nath’aniel clapped his hands before smiling and stating. “Excellent. Everyone, please join us in remembering our fallen friend.”