PALE REIGN OVER GESHEM - CHAPTER 10

Greetings, Abyss here...
     As I will be in the process of relocating my life for the
summer, it may be a few weeks before I can send along the next
chapter of `Pale Reign...', so I wanted to get one more chapter in
now, and with any luck I will have two more for you by the time
I regain `Net access.  
     Although I won't be able to respond immediately, nothing
would motivate me more than to find a whole slew of
comments/suggestions/critiques in my e-mail INbox when I
finally re-connect (hint, hint, hint...).

DISCLAIMER: If it didn't originate with Marvel, than it's mine. 
If it's theirs, I don't have permission to use it, but there is no
profit of a financial nature involved, so it's ok, I hope...

-Abyss <s1039566@aix2.uottawa.ca)
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Pale Reign Over Geshem, Chapter 10
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          The smell of cooking and smoke and horses
drifted on the wind.  It was so alien to him, Prelate Summers
actually closed his eye and breathed deeply as they walked.  This
world was so different to him.  It was alive... there was death,
even here... he had seen enough danger to know that, but there
was so much life...

     *Jean would've liked it here.*

     The thought bothered him.  She was dead.  Everyone he
knew was dead, as far as he knew.  He was with these two
because he had nowhere else to go... so here he was, caught up in
a losing battle in a different dimension with two alternate versions
of himself running around, and a man who may or may not be
Sinister somehow responsible for it all.  

     Prelate Summers held back a sigh.  He was more lost than
ever, and the worse part of it was, he had nowhere to go.

                *   *   *   

     The Hunter wasn't surprised at all when the blond girl
stepped out from behind a tree.  She held a long, slim, two-handed sword forward in a combat 
stance that looked natural as
walking to her.  She was perhaps a year younger than Tabitha,
but her eyes were far older.  She wore leather trousers similar to
the Hunter's, but tighter.  Her torso was covered with a crafted
chestplate.  It was form fitting, with curled guards at the
shoulders that overlapped chainmail covering her arms.  She
didn't say a word.

     Stephanie stepped in front of the other two, her hand
waving to make it clear they were not to act.  She faced the girl
and spoke.

     "Sheath your blade..."

     The response was instant.

     "...in the sinister heart." 

     The warrior-girl's sword went up, and she relaxed visibly. 
Stephanie thought she heard a chuckle from the one eyed man,
but when she glanced at him, his face was the same grim mask he
always wore.

     She turned back to the new arrival.

     "Greetings Lillian.  How fare you?"

     The blond girl didn't respond.  Her eyes searched
Stephanie's  face.

     "What news of my brother, Hunter?

     Her eyes still locked on the girl's, her voice firm, the
Hunter told her the last thing she wanted to know.

     "He fell in the ambush.  I saw him again, but he is in the
Pale Man's service now."

     The girl looked stricken.

     "He would never..."

     "He would have had no choice.  I'm sorry Lillian, but he
is our enemy now."

     Prelate Summers turned to Tabitha.  In a low voice he
questioned her.

     "What's this about?"

     "Her brother Peter was a knight of the Realm.  He had a
magic armor that made him nigh invincible.  Apparently it wasn't
strong enough."

     "He switched sides?"

     Tabitha looked at him as if he had said something truly
repulsive.

     "The Pale Man has ways to force allegiance.  None are
pleasant.  Sir Peter would've died before serving the enemy, had
he a choice."

     "Wonderful."

     Tabitha repeated the disgusted look, then turned back to
the Hunter and Lillian.  Stephanie was gesturing for them to
follow.  The warrior-girl was already walking towards the village.
Stephanie talked as they moved.

     "We'll be safe here for a while.  Word will be sent to the
few allies we have in the area.  They'll be here by nightfall."

     She stopped right in front of the Prelate, forcing him to
take a step back or walk into her.  Tabitha stood to one side.
The Hunter's voice was low and serious as she spoke.

     "Your other self was going to aid us.  He had a plan that I
agreed with, and he believed it could work.  It may still, but he is
gone and you... are here.  Time to choose, warrior..."

     She used the title in a way that sounded like a dare.

     "...are you with us, or against us?"

     His one eye looked down at her.  She stared back though
the lens.  Tabitha's hand hovered near where her knife was
sheathed, but she wasn't at all sure she could draw and throw
before he killed them both.

     "I don't care much for despots.  I served one once, and I
rebelled.  This isn't my world... but my world is gone.  I'll help
you."

     *At least until I know what part Sinister plays in all this,
if any...*
     
     He held out his hand.  The Hunter took it.  Her grip was
fierce.

     "If you betray us, whatever else happens, I will see you
dead."

     "I don't doubt it."

     They turned and continued walking.  Tabitha released a
long breath.  There had been violence in the air a moment ago,
and she wasn't completely sure it was gone.  She looked to the
village ahead.  Lillian had stopped and was waiting for them. 
Tabitha resolved to ask the girl for a change of clothes.  Her
maid's dress was ragged, and the leather and armor the other
wore looked infinitely more suitable for what was to come.

               *    *    *    


     There were perhaps eight people in the room when
Prelate Summers walked in.  He had bathed, gotten a change of
cloths, and removed the broken communication gear from his
visor.  He was dressed in leather pants, a loose black shirt, and
someone else's well worn knee high leather boots.  He had kept
the cloak he had found earlier, and his combat harness formed the
belt for his pants.  It's dull metallic gleam looked out of place in
the medieval outfit he was wearing, but not nearly as much as the 
one red lens set in his visor.  He had combed his long hair down
over the scarred right side of his face.  All in all, he presented an
intimidating figure to those gathered at the table.  He looked at
them skeptically.  They were ordinary people, craftsmen, farmers
and merchants.  Most were armed.  Their expressions ranged
from distrust to shock.  A round of whispers echoed through the
room.

     Seated at the head of the table, the Mage's Hunter rose to
her feet.

     "Welcome, Prelate.  I trust you are feeling better?"

     The Prelate noted Tabitha and Lillian standing off to one
side.  
     He opened his mouth to reply... and a nightmare of
images drove him down to his knees.

     ...a wave of blood descending on a medieval city...
     ...a blade of light buried to the hilt in a diamond...
     ...teeth, closing in around him from all sides...

     He recovered a moment later, surprised to find himself on
the floor.  Chaos ruled the room... people were shouting, the men
and women in the room were all on their feet,  the Hunter was
ordering them back to their seats, Lillian stood at the door, blade
out, barring any from leaving.  Tabitha crouched next to him.  He
rose unsteadily to his feet with her help.  The noise in the room
died out... every eye turned to him.
     Stephanie broke the silence.  

     "What happened?"

     He shook his head in confusion.

     "I don't know..  The dryad... she did something to my
head..."

     "He's lying!"

     All heads turned to the man who had spoken.  He wore
the leather apron of a smith over a bare chest.  He was  heavy set,
hands and face turned dark from long hours at a forge.  His head
was shaved to the scalp, and a dark, thick beard hid brutish
features that belied eyes that followed everything and missed
nothing.  The man pointed a thick finger at Prelate Summers.

     "First you tell us this... this doppelganger is Lord
Summerisle..."

     The Hunter started to break in; " I said he was..."

     The man wouldn't be stopped.

     "Then, you tell us he is going to help us free the Queen,
and now, NOW, we are to believe he has seen a dryad, when
none have been seen for ages... I say NO!"

     Faces turned from the Hunter, to the smith, to the Prelate. 
The Hunter spoke first.

     "Amon, the Mage summoned him to help us.  He has
sworn his loyalty to us."

     "What is his loyalty worth?  By the Land, he wears
another man's face.  A man who died defending us all..."

The Hunter's fiery stare was locked on Amon.  He glowered
right back at her.

     "...and ask us to place the entire underground at risk? 
Again, no."

     The door to the house opened and another voice broke
into the conversation.

     "I'm inclined to agree with you."

     Every eye in the room looked to the newcomer, and most
of them looked back to Prelate Summers, and back again. 
Stephanie let out a sigh of relief, and Tabitha almost fainted. 
Lillian extended her sword to the man's throat, but he didn't even
flinch.

     Still wearing his X-Men uniform, mostly intact, Cyclops
looked across the room at his double as he spoke.

     "I'd say they would be  right not to trust you at all...
Prelate."

                      
END CHAPTER 10