Via Sanguinis: Arclight's Tale

by Phil Hartman

1/1/00: Somewhere in the Himalayas:

I #%$^ing HATE snow.

And oxygen deprivation.

Surprised, mert, that I know a big word like "deprivation" ? Don't be. I've been deprived of sleep ever since 'Nam.

Even with all the brain scrubbing Sinister's given me, he's left the nightmares. Thanks a helluva lot, "O Lord and Master."

And this mystery crap isn't too great, either. "Go into the Himalayas and bring me Luna Maximoff," he tells me. No explanation why he wantes a flatscan brat whose only claim to fame is that her daddy is Magneto's only begotten son.

Ah well. At least one thing holds true in this job:

I get to travel.

***

"Look, Mommy ! Snowman !"

"Wonderful, Luna," Crystalia Amaquelin-Maximoff smiled, a little wistfully, as she watched her daughter work on a snowman. The pair were outside the city gates of the relocated Attilan, bundled against the brusque winds of the Himalayas.

#I rather miss the tropics, all told,# Crystal thought, playing with the wind through a minor exertion of her elemental powers. She laughed as Luna rolled another snowball, giggling.

And screamed once when her entire body was wracked by a blow to the base of her spine.

"MOMMA !?" Luna shrieked.

"Don't even try anything, Princess," a harsh female voice rasped from above Crystal. "The kid will be fine as long as you keep the weather tricks to yourself."

"W ... why ... ?" Crystal moaned, her vision going blood-red. #The pain - I can feel my legs ... LUNA...#

"My boss sent me, I do the dirty work," the woman replied. "C'mere, kid."

Crystal heard Luna sob once more, then the hum of teleportation.

#My little girl ...#

Darkness consumed her sight.

***

"AGATHA !?"

Susan Richards' anguished scream cut into Wanda Maximoff's ears as she raced from her Quinjet into the shattered remains of her mentor's home.

"Wanda ? Wanj, ya better stay here," Ben Grimm pleaded with his old friend. "Agatha's -"

"DOOM !? Get AWAY from my mentor's body !" the Scarlet Witch raged, watching Doctor Doom kneel beside Agatha's blanket-covered body.

"The time for deception is past, Wanda," "Doom" replied. "Armor: Inactive mode, permanent removal."

Sue wiped her eyes as the armor melted off of its' owner, prompting a small moue of surprise to twist Wanda's lips.

Reed Richards stood, tossing the balled armor into the air.

"Johnny, get rid of that thing. I fear the systems were starting to corrupt me," Mr. Fantastic asked the Human Torch. He nodded at Wanda and said, "Wanda, whomever killed Agatha also murdered Franklin's dog and his nanny, Caledonia. If there was anyone you could think of who might commit such atrocities to strike at Agatha ..."

"You have my assistance, Reed," Wanda nodded. "Where is poor Franklin ?"

"Whoever killed Agatha took my children, Wanda !" Sue snarled, letting Reed hug her.

"Children ... the girl who was with you in San Francisco is your daughter ?" Wanda breathed. "Susan, I'm sorry ... of course I'll help."

~And we'd like to join that search, if you don't mind.~

The Fantastic Four and the Scarlet Witch looked skyward, surprise and polite greetings crossing their faces as a familiar firebird shape landed by them.

"Cyclops ? Phoenix ?" Reed asked, shaking Scott Summers' hand.

"I wish it was better news, Reed - welcome back," Scott said grimly as Sue and Jean hugged briefly. "The Marauders have kidnapped my son, Nathan - he's a little boy again - and taken Jean's sister Sara's children. I'm betting they've also taken your son and daughter."

"SINISTER !?" Sue and Wanda snarled together.

"Dear Lord," Reed whispered, going pale. "With Franklin's power ..."

The adults shuddered together, heading for the Fantasticar.

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