42 Dynamic Exit

*Devin's Mind*

Devin opened his eyes to a world of darkness. It was a strange darkness where he could see a couple feet from himself, but anything beyond that was pitch black. Standing up he check to see if he could find anything, even a single landmark to tell him where he was. Upon spinning around for the fourth or fifth time he spotted an unfamiliar little girl probably about six or seven years old in an off-white summer dress covered in a floral pattern.

"Little girl, who are you and where are we?" Devin asked cautiously.

"Help me! There's a bad man coming to get me!" the little girl pleaded in a high voice. Devin could feel something was wrong here and it definitely had something to do with this child.

'Be careful child.' a booming voice sounded out from the darkness surrounding the two.

"Who was that?" Devin muttered as he looked around for another person to step out and reveal themselves. The little girl looked confused as well as she looked around too.

'Child, you know us. After all you have us bonded to you within your mind and body.' the voice came again and this time Devin though hard about what it said until a realization hit him like a bolt of lightning. It was the spirits speaking.

"How are you speaking?" Devin asked as the little girl turned to him in an even more confused state.

'We are bound to you and once we are strong enough we can speak with you. Though I only have enough power for a couple more minutes. This person is an invader to your mind and needs to be expelled.' the voice, that seemed to take on an authoritative male's tone, stated which prompted Devin to look at the girl in a new light.

"It's not Xavier as he learned his lesson the first time and Emma wouldn't step in here in a disguise so you must be Jason. Guess I got careless and got caught in your illusion." Devin stated as he looked at the little girl as she seemed to frown in displeasure.

'Child we need to finish this before we are out of power.' the voice rang out again.

"Fine, let's show Jason that this isn't a playground for others." Devin said as a crimson shape loomed out of the shadows and several gleaming eyes of the deepest red seem to glare in hunger before a massive beam of fire shot forth and consumed the little girl. She didn't even have time to scream before she was gone.

"Good job." Devin said as he looked at the now scorched spot.

'Child, one last thing before I leave. Soon my own child will enter this realm and I wish for you to go and look for her. Bond to her and she will help you in your battles.' the draconic spirit informed before disappearing into the darkness.

"Child?" Devin pondered before a word escaped his lips as he was engulfed in a shining light.

"Vassal"

***

Opening his eyes Devin saw the wall of the domed chamber before looking down at the man who had tried to invade his mind.

"Did not know who you was fuckin' with." Devin said as he turned and saw that Xavier, Storm, and Mystique were looking at him with shock and some nervousness.

"Alright, now that is over lets ask Mr. Stryker some questions." Devin said as he walked over and looked at the trussed up man.

"Nice job Mystique." Devin said as he slapped Stryker's cheek a couple times to wake him up.

"How'd you know it was me?" Mystique asked as she looked over his shoulder.

"Storm won't tie up people and Xavier doesn't have the ability to do so so efficiently." Devin said as Stryker began to stir. Stryker's head soon shot up and looked around before he focused on the individuals that were surrounding him.

"Hello asshole. Now since we win I would like for you to tell us where the other four people you took so we can conclude this little pain in the ass." Devin asked with a smile that didn't reach his eyes at all.

"You think that I'll just divulge that because you asked so nicely? I hope all of you freaks die in hellfire." Stryker said as he turned his head and looked away. Devin stood up and whispered in Xaviers ear.

"If I can bring that knowledge about the others to the forefront of his mind can you rip it from him so we can get the others free?" Devin asked quietly.

"Not without possibly damaging his mind." Xavier responded to which Devin gave an incredulous look.

"Xavier, after everything this man has done and what he almost accomplished you still findit possible to have this moral high ground? Are you kidding me?" Devin asked as he couldn't quite believe his ears.

"We have to be better than those we fight against unless we become no better than them. Are you willing to stoop to their level just to accomplish something?" Xavier argued.

"Xavier, I would become the most abominable monster imaginable if it meant that I could protect those I care about." Devin said as the two men pitted their wills against each other.

"Fine, but only this once." Xavier finally gave in as he could feel that Devin would use any means to find his two charges. Turning back to Stryker, Devin crouched down once more.

"Stryker try not to think about our friends. Try not to think about their location or how to get to them." Devin said as seconds later Stryker grunted in pain, scrunching his eyes shut, as blood dripped from his nose. Soon his face went lax and he slumped back onto the edge of the platform.

"Did you get it Xavier?" Devin asked as he stood up and turned.

"Yes, it seems that there is a hidden door in the ante chamber that leads to a specially made chamber that blocks most telepathic powers." Xavier told Devin.

"Well lets go." Devin said as he took a few steps before his injured leg gave out and he fell to the ground to which Storm rushed over and checked on him.

"Damn it! Of course it had to be now." Devin said as he looked at the hole in his leg that was still oozing blood slowly. Taking his shirt off and ripping it into strips, Devin wrapped them around his thigh and arm. It was then that they heard a beep from behind them. Looking back the saw that Stryker had pulled a small silver cylinder from somewhere and had flipped the cap open. He had pressed the red button that was under the cap and was keeping it pressed.

"Go to hell you miserable freaks." Stryker managed to get out with only a slight slur to his speech. He then released the button and a massive explosion rocked the entire complex.

"Fuck! We need to get the others and get the hell out of here!" Devin shouted then yelled at the others. The doors burst open to reveal the others that were looking concerned about what was happening.

"Stryker triggered a self-destruct. We need to get the others and get out of here!" Devin yelled as Xavier moved to one wall with Storm and pressed several tiles in an order before a panel recessed then pulled up into the ceiling. Quicksilver and Rogue rushed in along with Storm while Devin limped over to one of the desks and unwrapped his leg. He could feel the bullet still in his leg and if he wanted to try and heal it he needed to get it out. Pulling a knife from his boot on his good leg and heating it up with a simple bit of fire magic, Devin needed something to bite. It was then that Wolverine handed him a piece of wood wrapped in cloth with a knowing look and a serious expression.

"Thanks." Devin muttered before he put the piece in his mouth and prepared to remove the slug. As he began to pry the bullet out he only let out growls while some of the group had to look away from the bloody act. Soon the bullet was out and Devin spit out the chunk of wood. Luckily the shot to the arm had been a through and through shot so there wasn't anything to remove. Pulling out his last healing potion caused a moment of hesitation until he remembered that he had the White Silver Spirit now so that was a full heal for another person. Downing the potion didn't close the wound but at least removed the majority of the internal damage in his leg and arm. Devin then used new strips of cloth to wrap the wounds.

It was as he was tying the knot that Devin realized that the room was super silent except for the explosions from another part of the base and it was then that he looked over and found that Rogue was carrying Yana out in her arms and the siblings were carrying their father out on their shoulders. Storm helped Henric along as he seemed in shock. Devin hopped off the desk and ran over, ignoring the tightness of the new flesh that had been healed as well as the wound that was still in his appendages.

"What's wrong with her?" Devin asked as he looked her over and could see a massive bruise on the side of her head as well as a split lip.

"I don't know but we couldn't wake her when we entered." Rogue said as she looked at Yana with concern. Devin looked over and could see that Henric was shying from other's gazes. Walking over Devin crouched down in front of Henric.

"Henric, what happened to Yana?" Devin asked as Henric flinched slightly and stayed silent.

"Henric I'm not mad and I don't blame you for any of this, but I need to know what happened in order to help Yana get better." Devin said as he laid a calming hand on Henrics shoulder to which Henric looked up with tears in his eyes.

"One of the men wanted to attack me and sister stepped in to save me. The man was angry and hit her. She fell down and hit her head on the wall and when she didn't get back up I lost control. When I woke up the man was dead and sister wouldn't wake up." Henric said between sobs and when he finished he broke down into uncontrollable crying. Devin picked him up and pulled him into a hug, allowing the young man to cry into his shoulder. He had to try with all his might to not let his rage merge again, reminding himself that the bastard was already dead.

"We need to get out of here. If we can get to the surface I might have a way to heal Yana." Devin said as he looked at Rogue then the others who nodded. Running back through the doors that Rogue and the others entered through they retraced their steps back to the surface as more and more of the base was collapsing around them. As they were approaching the last stretch the ceiling collapsed and pinned Devin down as Wolverine and the a couple others turned back.

"No! Take Henric and go I'm right behind you!" Devin yelled as Wolverine grabbed Henric under his arm and turned around as Henric screamed for him to stop. As the others left Devin casted a small earth spell on the rubble and some loosened into sand while others merely shattered to pieces. It was now enough for him to remove his leg and stand up. As he ran for the light at the end chunks of rubble began to rain around him more and more frequently.

***

Once everyone was out of the tunnel they flagged the Blackbird down as it was hovering in the air nearby. Then they turned toward the tunnel waiting for Devin to exit. What they weren't counting on was for a massive crash to sound out and a gigantic cloud of dust to billow from the mouth of the tunnel. No one could see anything in the tunnel and no sound except for the far off sounds of further collapse could be heard.

Everyone believed that it was too late. That they should have stayed and help Devin free himself. That it was their fault. Wolverine had to hold back Henric from going in after Devin. As all hope of Devin emerging from the ruined tunnel dissipated they heard it. A rhythmic sound of something hitting stone before a shape emerged from the rubble.

"Let's get out of here." Devin said as he stood facing everyone with streaks of dust and blood coating his face.