Part 10: End Game.

     "We cannot defeat them now," Tai snarled angrily.  They
stood before the Well of All Things, its light dazzling them as
it had before.
     "What do you expect us to do?" Selene demanded.
     <The dead X-Men> Tai demanded telepathically, <You still
hold their life essences, do you not?>
     Selene nodded.
     <Cast their power into the Well, and I'll weed through this
Vermin, selecting sacrifices.  We can close the well ourselves,
and then defeat them.>
     <Leland, Jamie Braddock,> Selene voiced her distaste for the
men, <and Beef.  With the three dead mutants I possess, and those
three, that should be enough, correct.>
     "Yes," Tai smiled.
     Pink light erupted from the floor, tendrils of it wrapping
around Harry Leland, Jamie Braddock and the young Hellion Beef.
     "What?" Leland called.
     "STOP!" James yelled.
     "WHAT THE HELL?" Beef shouted as they were pulled off the
floor by Tai's magick arms.
     "You serve the Hellfire Club" Selene told them.  "And you
shall serve us best by dying for us."  Selene stood at the edge,
casting energy from her hands into the light.  The Hellions
merely watched as their companions were thrown in, cast screaming
to their deaths.
     The well shimmered, and Tai began to laugh.  Then she
reached out for Selene.  With a simple shove, the Red Queen
sailed into the abyss, shrieking at her doom and her betrayal.
     Tai began to glow, becoming one with the light of the well. 
Energy crackled around her.  The woman's wrinkles smoothed, her
hair becoming long and full.
     "She'll kill us all!" Brian shouted, freed of Selene's
control.  "She'll slaughter every last one!"
     The Hellfire Club broke and fled for their lives.

     Selene hung in the vortex.  It had already consumed those
followers whom she betrayed.  The light was too blinding to see,
the telepathic sensations to strong for her to open her mind. 
Her powers were gone, her followers gone, and her life force was
quickly weaning away.  She could feel it, being sucked out of her
as she had drained so many before her.  That was why Tai wanted
her...The sacrifice of a few petty mortals wouldn't be enough,
but the souls of all her collected victims...that was more than
enough.
     The Red Queen screamed as she felt herself aging, the raven
tresses fading into gray, the immaculate skin wrinkling, her
strong muscles turning to jelly around her bones.  
     There wasn't enough left of Selene for her to actually speak
the curse, but she thought it.  She cast out her will with every
ounce of her being, which wasn't much.  All that was left was
rage against the turncoat sorceress, and she knew that her rage
was tainting every inch of the rapidly closing well.
     Even as death took her, made her one with this celestial
gate way, she knew.  Nothing would prevent her vengeance.  Tai
would be made to suffer.

     "GET OUT!" Empath called as Tai's former followers fled down
the corridor.  Psylocke read their fear, and felt that they were
no longer under Tai's spell.
     <Listen to them> she announced Telepathically.  
     "The temple is collapsing!" Meggan screamed as she felt the
stones around her begin to buckle.  Whatever had been done was
too powerful to be contained by the building, and it was about to
tear it apart.
     The heroes ran, shielded by Phoenix and Magneto against the
falling rocks.  They emerged safely as the building fell into
ruin, a great cloud of dust rose up in its place.
     "Where are the others?" Firestar asked.
     "Destroyed," Magma told her, heaving from lack of breath.
     Catseye sniffed the air.  "No!  Bad scent!  Minty Smell!" 
Soon the odor was strong enough for all of them to detect.  A
hideous cackling came from all around them.
     A green cloud began to move through the forest, coming from
all directions, collecting thickly above the ruined shrine.  The
Warriors of the Dragon's Breadth fell to their knees.
     A blazing green light came from the very center.  It dimmed
and vanished, and in its place was a woman.  She was very
beautiful, a native of these jungles.  Her long black hair flowed
in the breeze.  She was as tall as Beef or Thunderbird, standing
upon the rubble laughing, that wicked giggle.
     She spoke clearly in the native language, and the Warriors
prostrated themselves fully, groveling on their bellies in the
dirt.
     "Its over," the woman told the Hellfire Club.  "I've won.  I
am the Goddess of the Dragon's Breadth."
     "Not yet, Tai!" Lightning blasted out of the clear sky,
running its electric heat up and down Phoenix's body like the
gentle touch of a child to its mother.  Phoenix rose into the
air, surrounded by the firebird of her namesake.  "FACE ME!"  Her
voice echoed throughout the valley.
     "Of Course," Tai rose into the air herself, blazing with
energy.
     "She doesn't stand alone!" Firestar took to the sky, as did
Magneto, Jetstream,  Meggan, Captain Britain, Firewall, and
Angel.  Tarot drew a card, and an enormous Angel appeared,
holding a sword.  Jubilee, Dazzler and Bevatron sparked with the
power they were holding back.  Catseye and Smiling Tiger both
growled, Bloodstrike ripped up trees to use as clubs.  Kitty and
Shinobi went intangible.  Emma, Empath and Psylocke, their hands
on their temples, began to concentrate.  Magma's body caught fire
as she activated her lava power.
     "Infidels," Tai laughed, blasting at Phoenix with a green
bolt.  Jean blocked it telekinetically, although it appeared to
strain her.  She matched Tai with a sweep of the Firebird's
wings.  The Goddess screamed as the energy ripped through her
defenses, although she wasn't beaten yet.

     She flew straight at Jean faster than even the Phoenix
believed possible, knocking her backwards, sending her tumbling
out of the sky into a tree.
     The mutants opened fire.  At a gesture from Magma, the
ground opened up, sending geysers of lava spewing at Tai.  
Meggan raised her hands, summoning both wind and lightning to
smash her.  Dazzler, Jubilee, and Bevatron blasted at her with
their various energy blasts.
     In the sky, Angel and Jetstream tried to divert Tai's
returning volley of energy.  Although the mutant's moved with
incredible speed, the goddess was faster.  Her hand outstretched,
she shot them both out of the heavens.
     "Such is the fate of all those who oppose me."
     Psylocke and the White Queen launched a powerful psychic
assault, ripping through Tai's mental defenses, causing her to
struggle.  The goddess faltered, and Empath struck, his emotional
powers convincing her that she didn't want to win.
     The attack wasn't strong enough.  Tai rebuilt her mental
barriers, and sent back a telepathic assault of her own.  The
three psychics fell to their knees, clutching their skulls in
agony.
     Magneto, Dazzler and Firestar were taking a serious toll
upon her.   Their energy was beyond her capacity to manipulate. 
With Angelica on one side of the sky, Dazzler on the ground, and
Magneto on the other side, the electromagnetic storm they
summoned severely weakened the goddess.  The air was ripped apart
with a sound resembling thunder, although much, much longer. 
Dazzler, feeding her light power on the sound, was pumping out
more photon blasts than she ever believed she could.  The very
air burned with the intensity, flames erupting all across the
sky.
     <They'll blow this planet apart> Emma sent out the
telepathic cry to the others.
     <Can you think of any other way to stop her?> Countered
Thunderbird.  <She's holding out against them!>
     Tai's garments were burning on her body, but when the cloth
had turned to ash, her body was still unscathed.
     <They can't keep this up forever!> Jubilee called out.
     <Thanks for noticing!> Dazzler's voice came back into their
heads.  <We're going to burn ourselves out, but we're taking the
planet with us if you don't think of something!>
     <Meggan!> Brian's mind yelled.  <Can you direct the energy? 
Keep it focused on Tai?>
     Meggan Shimmered.  Her form began to change from the
werewolf.  She didn't return to the human with pointed ears that
she normally wore, however.  Instead, she was seven feet tall,
impossibly thin, with long, gracefull arms and legs.  Her eyes
wided as their sockets grew.  The eyes were now black, with tiny
green pupils.  Her true form now commanded the elemental forces.
The glow was immediately focused, the sky stopped burning, except
for a gigantic sphere around the four battling mutants.  The
light was too bright for them to see anything, but they all felt
the cool wind, blowing at near hurricane force, towards the
bubble.
     <Can you stop the wind?> Emma directed the thought towards
Meggan.
     <They-need-it-to-breathe!> Meggan's thought was strained. 
Her concentration was enormous, keeping all the power contained.
     <They've burned up all the atmosphere in the star,> Psylocke
explained.  <The air all over the planet is rushing to fill the
vacuum.  Our team is breathing it now, before they burn it.>
     <Help...me...> Dazzler's voice startled them all.
     <Meggan!> Warpath screamed.  <Get Dazzler out!  She's not
invulnerable to the energy like the other two!>  The bubble rose
up several feet, and Dazzler's nearly unconscious body lay upon
the charred earth.
     <She needs to get to a hospital,> Tarot said.  <She doesn't
have long.>
     <Isn't there something we can do?> Warpath's mind shouted. 
<Throw rocks in or something?>
     <They'd be destroyed before they hit anything> Captain
Britain said.
     <But my Tarot creatures!> Marie was almost giddy.  <Find Tai
in that Mess, and I'll be able to send them in after her!>  Grim
Reapers, Witches, Angels, Demons, Knights, all appeared at
Tarot's bidding.  Emma linked her mind directly to the young
girl's.  Together, they left their bodies, their souls flying
straight into the orb.
     With their astral senses, it looked much different.  Tai was
a Silhouette of tangible darkness, while Firestar was white to
the point of incandescence.  Magneto was blue fire.  Tai
continued to hold her hands up, blocking the outrage of Magneto,
and the love of her friends that Firestar projected.  She was
hurling back her own power, her hatred and greed.  
     Psylocke's thought traveled with the women, following them,
allowing the others to see what they saw.  Tarot's creations
accompanied them as well, slashing, biting, kicking and punching
at Tai.
     This new assault weakened her, causing her to stumble and
falter.  Just as Firestar and Magneto pushed against her again,
the entire orb was cast into darkness.
     Their mind's screaming as they returned to their bodies,
Tarot, Psylocke and the White Queen looked up.  Tai was once
again ancient, but Magneto and Firestar were lying dazed upon the
ground.
     "You are beaten," She told them.
     "Yeah, well the sight of an ol'naked lady ain't enough to
beat us!" Jubilee yelled.
     "Young Jubilation," the old woman sputtered, "So wild, so
willful, so stupid."  She raised her hand, intent on obliterating
the child.
     <NONONONONO    NONONONONO     NONONONONO     ONONON
      NONONONONON   NONONONONN   NONONONONONON    NONONONO
      NONONONONONON ONONONONON   NONONO  NONONO   NONONONO
      NONONONONONONONONONONONO   NONONO  NONONO   NONONONO
      NONONONONONONONONONONONO   NONONO  NONONO   NONONONO
      NONONONONON ONONONONONON   NONONO  NONONO   NONONONO
      NONONONONON  ONONONONONO   NONONO  NONONO   NONONONO
      NONONONONON   NONONONONO   NONONO  NONONO   
      NONONONONON    NONONONON    NONONO NONON0   NONONONO
      NONONONONON     ONONONON     NONONONONON    NONONONO
      NONONONONON      NONONON      NONONONO      NONONONO>
     
     The telepathic outcry hurled everyone to the ground.  It was
a woman, that much was certain.  But behind it was a power,
incredible power, one that even Tai had not fully experienced
before.
     The sky once again caught fire, but this time there was no
heat and no wind.  Only a light, a beautiful light.  It poured
its strength into each fallen member of the club.
     Emma felt as if her mother were holding her.  So did Kitty. 
Night Thrasher remembered this as well.  Each of them saw visions
of their mothers, grandmothers, sisters, aunts, godmothers. 
Every dear female friend, relative, loved one was present with
the Hellfire Club.  A great maternal presence was with all of
them, inside their hearts and minds.
     And these images combined into the form of Jean Grey, the
Phoenix, burning brighter than the sun as she floated towards
Tai.  Her face was not angry, but Tai cowered from the form
anyway.
     <You have taken life> the being called out.  <You have
destroyed the innocents, only to further your own power.  I am
the Guardian, and I shall not permit this to continue.>
     They all felt the message, and the telepaths were certain
that so did everyone else on the planet.
     Tai launched an energy blast.  It struck Phoenix full in the
chest, but it did nothing to harm her.
     <I am Phoenix> she said.  <I am the Guardian.  You shall
face the maker for your crimes against the universe.  We shall
judge you, and we shall punish you.>
     Tai screamed out in her own language.  None of them knew the
word, but all felt that it meant "no."
     The land changed, the earth melting around them.  Now they
stood in the grass outside of a building constructed of
starlight.  Where it had once been day, it was night.  The glow
of the Phoenix was reduced to a tiny spark surrounding her
figure.
     Nine beings appeared with Phoenix in the sky.  The Hellfire
Club knew them, although none had ever laid eyes upon them. 
Mistress Love was a beautiful woman with long, flowing blonde
hair.  Beside her was Lord Hate, a dark male wrapped in a dark
cloak.  Enshrouded in white was Veritas the Mage, the
personification of Truth.  Epoch floated silently, her child like
face was stern.  Eternity contained the entire starry universe in
his flesh, while Infinity held all the energy of the soul inside
of her.  Galactus stood aloof, his purple armor shining in the
glow of the Phoenix.  The Highest of the Witches, Roma of the
Otherworld, flew with them, her cloak flapping in the wind. 
Death, her hooded robe flapping in the breeze, glared uncaringly
upon the gathering.  They all stood in the sky, giants, ignoring
the group of heroes huddled beneath them.  They only acknowledged
the presence of a giant male with glowing eyes and three faces. 
The Living Tribunal.
     <You, Mortal Tai, Goddess of the Dragon's Breadth,> Roma
announced.  <You have sought to join our ranks and succeeded, but
your crimes of thought and deed have deemed you unworthy of our
gathering.  What say you in defense?>
     <HIM!> She pointed at hate.  <He is evil incarnate!  Why is
he worthy?>
     <I am Lord Hate> he scoffed.  <I am beyond judgement.  From
me, you have stolen your rage, and your theft of it has shaken
all of the multiverse.  I have never crossed that Barrier.>
     <I HAVE WON!> She screamed madly.  <THE PROPHECY HAS BEEN
FULFILLED!>
     <It is forbidden for a mortal to seek godhood,> Roma said
coldly.  <You have not only sought it, but attained it.>
     <SHE IS A MORTAL!> Tai raged.
     <Jean Grey is a mortal,> Roma replied.  <But it is only the
body of Jean Grey that stands with your jurors.  It is the soul
of the Celestial Avatar.  The Phoenix has accused you.  Do you
offer any defense?>
     Tai lashed out, surrounding all of the beings with darkness.
The Hellfire Club stopped breathing.  Could she possibly defeat
them?  These were the faces of the Creator.  But what was Tai? 
Could she equal the force that had made the universe?
     <No, Tai.> The darkness vanished at Roma's voice.  
     The old woman screamed.
     <You are judged, Goddess of the Dragon's Breadth.>  It was
the Avatar who spoke.  <You are deemed unworthy to stand in our
number.  As punishment for your crimes against mortal life, you
have forfeited yours.>
     Tai collapsed, stripped of her powers, her very life.  The
scenery melted back into the Kampuchean Jungle.  The lifeless
corpse of the old woman lay broken upon the rubble of the temple.
     "Is everyone alright?" Dazzler asked.
     "YOU'RE ALIVE!" Bloodstrike was aghast.
     "Thank the Phoenix," Jean said.  "She petitioned Death to
restore Dazzler, Angel and Jetstream."
     "What about the others?" Brian asked, suddenly very aware
that he had helped to kill Daytripper and the Black King.
     "She refused.  They weren't killed by a cosmic being, and so
she felt no responsibility.  These three were only resurrected to
punish Tai."
     Jets were filling the sky.  Two belonged to the Kampuchean
Government.  One was an Avengers Quinjet.  Another belonged to
the Fantastic Four.  The X-Men's Blackbird was attempting to land
as well.
     "What happened?" Mr. Fantastic demanded as the FF exited
their craft.
     "Magneto!" Cyclops ran towards the Hellfire Club, "Jean! 
What's going on!"
     "The Hellfire Club is dead," Emma told him as Captain
America and She-Hulk rushed from the Avenger's Aircraft.  "We've
finally seen the error in our ways."
     "We found out what absolute power really meant," Jean told
them.  "And we've given it up.  We almost destroyed the universe
because we couldn't handle it, and it took intervention from the
Gods to save it."
     "What blasphemy dost thou speak?" Thor demanded.
     "There are gods greater than you, Thunderer.  The Cosmic
Beings," Phoenix told him.  "Galactus and the rest.  These
creatures held trial for Tai, and they saved us all, including
you, from eternal slavery and the eventual destruction of the
Universe."
     "So now," Captain America pondered, "we have to figure out
what to do with you."
     "Place them in the care of the X-Men," Cyclops said eagerly.
     "Scott," Jean looked at him plaintively.
     "Ye all have sinned," Thor told them.  "And ye must do
penance.  Among the ranks of the X-Men, ye would suffer
appropriately."
     They left the Jungle behind them, none of them knowing
exactly what they had witnessed.  All of them felt deep remorse
for the death of Tai, for the loss of their friends.  They knew
that they had caused it, and although they hadn't known what
would happened, every member of the former Hellfire Club felt the
guilt as if they had been on trial with Tai.  Emma, Betsy,
Angelica, Marie and Jennifer wept.  The rest didn't speak,
silently brooding what had happened.
     They'd heal, eventually, but for now, they sat in the
Blackbird letting the guilt take them.  Eventually, everyone wept
while the X-Men watched quietly, uncertain how to help.  They
knew they had to let it out.  And the screaming plane was soon
awash with tears.
     

Daniel Thomas

"...But I do not enjoy the killing...I AM NOT VIOLENT!! And I will put an
arrow through the brains of
anyone who says I am!!!"-Artemis (Artemis Requiem #4-DC)