Primus Scholae: Part Nine

by Phil Hartman

CEREBRO FILES:

COLLECTIVE CODEFAX: NEW MUTANTS II

FILE 15:

CODEFAX: Snowslide
REAL NAME: Rasputin(a), Illyana Nikolovna
AGE: 13
DOB: 8/12/74
HEIGHT: 5'
WEIGHT: 101 lbs
HAIR: Blonde
EYES: Blue
POWERS: Alpha-class transdimensional teleportation; undefined mystical abilities

ANNOTATION: Previously codefaxed "Magik" during her previous membership with New Mutants I; grew to 14 years of age in an alternate dimension, returning to Earth in 1988; deaged to 5 years old in 1992 after rejecting her "Darksoul" and the affiliated "Soulsword," destroying both by plunging the Soulsword into the "Bloodstone Medallion." Present Illyana has trained in white magic with Daytripper at Braddock Manor since age 7.

9/14/00: Braddock Manor, England; 09:00 hrs local:

"You're still nervous."

Illyana peeked out from beneath an eyelid to sigh at her mentor, then nodded once.

Amanda Wagner levitated cross-legged off of the turf and said, "Illyana, you can't keep denying your mutant heritage. If you don't hone your power, it'll control you."

"I know," Illyana sighed. "I just ... if any of the tales of Limbo I've heard about are true, Amanda, it'll be a horrible place."

"I understand your fear. But you have to face it sometime," Amanda said. "I'll go with you if you want."

Illyana stood and shook her head.

"I have to face it - and besides, if I do get in trouble, you can pull me back," she said, forcing bravado into her voice. "Besides, the Soulsword is gone, right ?"

Amanda nodded, watching the girl open a stepping disc and step inside.

#Goddess go with you ...#

***-

She walked through the grey landscape, not a demon in sight.

#It's ... desolate,# Illyana realized, looking around. Other stepping discs - natural features of Limbo - drifted around slowly, allowing the Russian girl time to avoid them.

#I wonder if - when I stabbed the Bloodstone Medallion with the Soulsword - I destroyed all the demons that were here ?# Illyana pondered. She tapped her yellow-boot-clad foot and muttered, "Sometimes, not remembering a past life is a real pain."

She screamed when her foot fell into empty air, and the rest of her followed -

***-

- and her entirety hit a tiled floor.

"INTRUDER !"

Illyana sprang to her feet, words of power whispered to generate a mystical shield around herself. The shield flared white around her red and yellow-skinsuit-clad form, and she looked around to get her bearings.

#Oh, 'Yana, this was a BAD idea,# she realized, seeing red and purple-uniformed figures come rushing towards her from around the filled cathedral-like structure.

A towering statue of a helmeted man filled the far wall.

#New Avalon,# Illyana realized, seeing stars out one of the portholes of the church. She ducked and weaved between outraged Acolytes and yelled, "I'm not here to attack !"

"LISTEN to her ! 'Yana, hang on !" a familiar voice yelled. Illyana looked up, and beamed when a brown-haired boy her age tore through the crowd.

Then, blue fire filled her gaze, and the Acolytes fell back.

"Fascinating. I had never thought I would see you again, child," Erik Magnus Lehnsherr boomed.

Illyana breathed a single word, then fainted as the air carried it:

"Poultrimorphicae ..."

***-

"'Yana !"

"That ruddy SWINE !"

"Shut UP, Pete ! Magnus wouldn't attack her !"

"Tell that t'the bloody Acolytes ! New Avalon's defenses are at full alert, an' their last transmission t' the UN was screamin' 'Holy War for our fallen leader !'"

"Kitty ... ?"

Illyana struggled to wakefulness, blinking as Kitty Wisdom leaned over her friend with relief.

"You're at the manor - Amanda pulled you out of Limbo," Kitty said, sitting beside Illyana's bed. "What happened ?"

Illyana sat up in horror and breathed, "I cast a spell before I blind-'ported - oh Goddess, Kitty -

"I THINK I TURNED MAGNETO INTO A CHICKEN !"

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