Template:Featured Articles/43-2021

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Moment of Awesome - Megan Gwynn/Pixie: Alternate world Jean Grey goes to talk to a survivor of the Hellfire Club's tortures - Megan Gwynn.


Jean waited for Megan to return to herself. It was not an unfamiliar occurrence. Her mind was as scarred and broken as her body was.

"Meg, I know it's hard, but I need you to focus," Jean said with gentle firmness. "What can you tell me about the Soulsword?"

"You know what they did to me to get the Soul Dagger, made from a piece of my very own soul. 'Tis but a sliver compared to the Soulsword. That should tell you something of its power."

Once Megan began delving into her memories, it was like falling down a rabbit hole.

"Such a small thing," she continued, placing a hand over her heart. "And I spent so many years tip-toeing around the demon magic inside me, why was it so hard to give up in the end? You know, I think I miss the Soul Dagger, in a way..."

Reaching out, Jean gently put her hand over Megan's and gave it a squeeze before pulling away. "It's not hard to miss something that was a part of you."

She let out a ragged breath. "Do you know...what can do with it? What they might try to do?" she said. They were already down that rabbit hole, but she had to be careful to be able to lead Meg back out before going too far.

"The blade disrupts magic energy. It can cancel spells and turn magical beings to dust," Megan replied, clenching air in her fist. "They could wipe out everyone on the Light Path of the Winding Way. Whoever has control of the Soulsword also rules over the demon dimension where it was forged, as well. But who would want to rule Limbo, besides a demon? It's an awful place."

Megan slowly opened her hand, and with the other began tracing the lines and scars in her palm. "Jean, do you believe that time is a river without banks? The fish playing the fiddle? Chagall saw himself as a messenger from a better, more holy world. A different stream in a complex delta, I suppose. In my time with Belasco I heard insane whispers that, in the right hands, the Soulsword controlled not just Limbo but all of it, in any stream."

Jean narrowed her eyes. "Stands to reason they may think they have those kinds of hands," she said. And what did they do back in olden times to thieves? They cut off the offending hand. Sounded like a plan to her.

"Is there anything we can do to stop them? Slow them down?"

"They've already got Strange, they must be going after powerful magic users," Megan replied sadly. "How much do they already know? Would it be possible to leak false information, lead them away for a time? When they catch up, they will sear flesh and shatter bone. That Woman will break the mind and corrupt the memory. They are going to rip out the Soulsword like they did my dagger! When I was controlled by Belasco, my very thoughts were invaded. My torture at her hands was worse in a way, because she knew me. She was my mentor and she never let me forget it!"

Jean glanced away. "I don't know how much they fully know, but wouldn't hurt to try it," she said. This was already a dangerous game. She fell silent for a few moments.

"I'll try to make her pay, for us."

Megan wiped her eyes with the edge of her shawl and picked up a paint brush.

"I hope you do, lovely," she said sincerely, beginning to add strokes of red to the surreal painting. There was a frog clinging to a pocket watch with one hand, an ephemeral sword in the other, riding a whirlpool.

Putting her hand on Megan's shoulder, Jean paused to study the painting. She smiled thoughtfully.

"I love it."