The Splinter Realms

I already have 10+ advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my

pat-reon/AnubisCreationz.

Enjoy ;)

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" Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!" I roared as I punched the ground.

" Doug. Calm down, now is not the time to lose our heads." Jean said.

" I was so close, Jean. If I had been faster..."

Piotr was sitting on the ground his hands on his head. He kept muttering and repeating Illyana 's name.

" There's no use beating ourselves about it. We have to think of a plan Doug. We have to get them back. What the hell was that thing? And where did it take Illyana and Kitty? " She said.

" He's a demon from limbo, I think? I don't know much about him, but he's been briefly mentioned in one of the books I've read. " I said.

" Limbo? " Jean asked.

" It's a magical dimension of demons ruled by a sorcerer turned demon who goes by the name Belasco. I haven't seen him before, but he certainly fits the description. I think the Ancient One fought him before. I read about him in, one of the books she wrote." I said.

" Then she could help us! What are we standing around here for? " She said.

" Is true? Do you know where we can find Illyana? " Piotr asked.

" I don't know where limbo is, but the Ancient One may have an idea of it's location, but... " I said.

" What's wrong?" Jean asked.

I looked towards Piotr and said.

" Piotr there's something you have to understand. Time in limbo is in constant flux. A few minutes on Earth could mean months or even years in Limbo."

Piotr's face paled at my mention of years. He felt absolutely powerless. He couldn't even protect his baby sister.

How can he call himself a hero, if He can't even protect his family.

" Years? Doug do you mean that... " Jean said in disbelief.

" Yes, it might already be too late."

.

.

.

.

.

We were on our way to the Ancient One's chambers. I picked up the time stone on our way there after I opened portal to the sanctum.

If we're dealing with time shenanigans, it's better to have the time stone on hand.

We arrived at her chamber to find her sitting in a lotus position. Her eyes were closed and hundreds of spell formulas were flashing all around her. Her hands were moving at impressive speeds.

" I assume the barrier breach is related to your arrival?" She asked.

" We were attacked. Kitty and Illyana were taken as well." I said.

" Do you know which entity attacked you? " She asked.

" His description fits a demon in that book you had me read about limbo. " I said.

Her eyebrows forrowed as she said.

" Which one?"

" Belasco. He also had two other demons with him, they were almost as powerful as him. " I said.

She grimaced " What a troublesome foe. The Demon Lord Bellasco, current ruler of limbo. He must've exhausted a significant part of his power to break the wards, but it's only a matter of time, before he replenishes it."

"I think I managed to injure him, which should buy us sometime. But I'm not sure, If that'll be enough." I said.

" Correct. The flow of time in limbo is chaotic, but it shouldn't be too out of sync with Earth due to how soon the convergence is upon us." She said.

" So, it's not too late!" I said.

" I merely said it shouldn't be as exaggerated. It'll be a few weeks instead of years. I can further reduce it, using the time stone. But it'll depend on luck in the end. " She said.

" That means you can co..."

" Unfortunately I can't come. I have to stay here and repair the wards. If left unattended other entities or creatures could slip threw the cracks. " She interrupted.

I sighed in disappointment, her assistance would have been invaluable. We were severely out numbered and if it came down to a head on confrontation, there would be casualties on both sides.

I could probably survive, but that won't necessarily hold true for the rest of my team.

" Be warned though, you can't stay too long. limbo has a morally and spiritually corrupting influence over its denizens. It will slowly metamorphose those in it to a demonic entity. Persons of great moral courage and wisdom can stave off the change for a while, but it is considered inevitable, the more evil there is in your heart. The faster the change. The transformation usually progresses in stages initiated by the evil acts Limbo demands for survival. " She said.

' Well that's not good' I thought to myself. Most of my team except for Colossus and Jean can't come.

Jean due to being the host of the Phoenix and Colossus due to his 'great moral courage'.

I could probably resist it for a while, but I am not exactly a saint. Mardox and Callisto are obviously out, since they used to be criminals.

" We should contact the X-men, we're going to need all the help we can get. The three of us aren't going to be enough." Jean said.

I didn't exactly like the idea of asking the X-men for help, but It seems I didn't have much of a choice.

If I were to take on Bellasco and we were to assume Jean would to take on the other two demon generals.

That just leaves Colossus to take on the rest of the demons, and I can't imagine those three are the only powerful ones in limbo.

" I am reluctant to do so, but if it can increase our chances in saving Kitty and Illyana. I agree we should get all the help, we can get." I said.

" You can't bring too many. The spell can only send a few people at best. " The Ancient One said.

" How many? " Jean asked.

" It can only send seven or eight individuals. You'll have to find your own way back though. I won't be able to help you there. " She said.

' Shit! That's still not many. '

I then turned to Jean and said.

" I'll open a portal to the X-mansion. You go there and bring whoever agrees to come. I'll give you a few minutes, before I open one again. I'll stay here and help the Ancient One set up the spell that's going to send us there." I said.

I gave her a kiss and opened a portal for her. I then turned to Colossus.

" We need some supplies and weapons. Sophie will tell you where to find them. Just tell her protocal ' Armageddon' is in effect. She'll handle the rest. " I said.

I opened another portal for Colossus to our base and then turned to the Ancient One.

" Armageddon? " She asked curiosily.

" Yeah, it's when the team is facing world ending threats. I don't know what Belasco needs them for, but I am guessing it's something along the lines of world domination or something." I said.

" You're not that far off. The last time I fought and sealed him away. He was trying to summon one of the Elder Gods to earth. " She said in a dark tone.

I gave her the time stone, so she could get started on the spell, I took the opportunity to memorize the spell, incase we needed it on our way back.

I also had her tell me everything, she knew about Limbo. It turns out Limbo was the center of the Splinter Realms and allegedly a part of the Nexus of all realities.

What interested me though was something else.

She said that Limbo was merely a pocket dimension generated by a single deposit of a magical metal called Promethieum. If removed it could result in the dimension's collapse.

All that was known about it though was that, it took the form of a giant animal heart, hidden in a cavern deep below limbo's surface.

It was certainly interesting, but not particularly useful to our current situation. We didn't have time to search a whole dimension, for a magical core. That may or may not exist.

After she finished constructing the spell formula she turned to me and said.

" I can't let you have the time stone, but I can give you these instead. " She said.

She handed me a pure white gem, with various runes and symbols carved on it. There was also a small pouch next to it.

" What are those?" I asked in wonder.

" The bag is a unique magical item that allows the user to store any object despite its size or dimensions. Once an item is stored, it can be summoned by merely thinking of the object and opening the bag. It's capacity is limited though."

" That's certainly usefel." I said, while I examined the bag.

She gave me a nod and then continued. " The gem is called the Eye of Basphorus. The incantation necessary to unlock the Eye of Basphorus is written on it. I obtained it on one of my travels. Once activated, the Eye can grant its user one spell of choice, regardless of its power. The artifact can only be used once, and it turns into dust afterwards. I haven't used it yet, since I can't read what it says but I imagine, that won't be a problem for you. Use it to seal that realm, before you leave."

" Thank you. I... "

" There's no need to thank me. You're doing me a favor. Just make sure to come back, alive. I wish I could do more to help, but I have done all I can. " She said.

I gave her a smile filled with gratitude. There was no need for anymore words to be said.

I opened two portals in front of me. Colossus walked out of one of them along with the weapons and supplies we needed.

I used the artifact the Ancient One had just given me, to store everything in it.

Colossus was surprised by it, but just chalked it up to more magical nonsense. He was already too occupied with thoughts of saving Illyana and Kitty.

A few moments later Jean comes walking with the X-men trailing behind her.

It was finally time we went to limbo.

(Limbo)

The hall of the Ruler of Limbo was rather sparse. A crystalline throne, a large hall, it was simplistic. The hall itself was kind of warped, skewed to the senses, and rough looking.

Only two objects in the entire hall look 'real' and solid. The crystal throne, and the scrying pool. Both are solid, very real, and nearly perfect in their lines and curves.

Belasco appeared in the throne room, with two figures. He held the passed out forms of Illyana and Kitty. He looked towards one of his demon generals.

"Find them a room to stay in. We shall begin our session soon. That damned sorcerer managed to injure me before, I left." He ordered.

He stepped on his throne, throwing off his black cloak, it had cuts and holes in it, it had definitively seen better days.

'Curse him. My powers were exhausted from our fight and opening that small breach. It'll take time for me to recover, before I can proceed with the ritual.' He thought.

While his power here is nearly absolute, and the demons fear to go against him, they still see him as a human. Even though his soul had long been corrupted and tainted.

" Soon, all shall come to fruition. And Earth shall be mine."

( Chapter End)

( A little background on Belasco and the origin of Magik for those, who haven't read the comics, or know about him.)

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Belasco used to be an evil sorcerer in the 17th century, he made a deal with the Elder Gods to gain immortality and more power.

He was turned into a demon and part of the deal was to open a portal for the Elder Gods to walk the earth, where they would rule earth and turn everybody into Demons.

In the end he was defeated and banished to Limbo where he eventually became its ruler, the ritual required to summon the Elder gods depends on him collecting Five bloodstones formed from a ritual, where he has to corrupt pure souls with a high aptitude for magic.

In the original material he kidnaps Illyana when she was 7, corrupts her soul and binds her to him, spends years teaching her how to become a sorcerer, trying to corrupt her more through power.

The more demonic she turns, the more she losses her humanity. She eventually kills him, by manifesting a sword made from a part of her soul. Since, he's impossible to kill otherwise. She escapes after being kept a prisoner for 8 years and returns a teenager.

The twist is, when she returns she discovers only a few a minutes had passed on Earth, that's why no one came for her, since they found out about her dissappearance a few moments ago.

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"I've got all these new abilities, and -- for the moment -- I'm feeling an incredible sense of responsibility... and the desire to commit acts of great violence! My super hero origin is complete!"

- Deadpool (Earth-616)

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I already have 10+ advanced chapters ready for those who wish to read ahead on my

pat-reon/AnubisCreationz.