earth_367 | From the Winding Way

THE VISIT

When Margali Szardos finally comes calling, she arrives with a flourish.

It's nearing midnight when [Character A] glances out their window and sees a circle of magical energy appear on the front lawn of the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning. It glows brightly, resembling the nearly full moon overhead, before erupting into a field of blooming moonflowers with the sorceress at its center. Dressed in flowing garments with embellishments of gold and carrying a staff radiating magical energy, the green-skinned sorceress with dark curls falling around a pair of ram-like horns approaches the school and announces that she seeks Kurt Wagner. She doesn't have the air of an estranged foster mother seeking to reconnect with her foster son, but rather seems intense and focused. She will greet any others with cold cordiality, but she is here to talk to Kurt about his mark.

When Kurt comes, Margali requests that they speak privately, but relents and allows Scott Summers to join them when they insist that this matter concerns more than just Kurt. Once the three of them are alone, the sorceress explains that she doesn't know the exact origin or meaning of the marks themselves, but that she does know something about the substance that makes up their marks and the entity that has (as she puts it) branded them. She agrees to share this information...but only with conditions.

The first is that one or both of them will allow her to cast a spell on them, forming a bond that will deliver all information they discover on this matter to her. She has a vested interest in this venture and will not be shut out of it. The second is that Kurt cease contacting her daughter. He is no family to her after what happened to Stefan. They may barter with Margali, but she will not share what she knows until they reach some sort of arrangement.

Once Margali is satisfied, she explains what she knows. The substance that makes up their marks is magical in nature, originating in a realm known as the Otherworld. She explains that the Otherworld is an intersection between all realities and a place where potent magic dwells. Their reality has been cut off from the Otherworld for centuries, however, much to the chagrin of Margali herself and other wielders of magic. While she has no firsthand experience of the Otherworld, she has acquired recorded accounts about and (supposedly) from the there; many of these accounts are written in the same silverly substance that makes up their marks. There is a shared magical resonance.

Therefore, she can only assume that whoever has marked them is from the Otherworld or has some means of accessing it. This is clearly of keen interest to the sorceress.

With deals struck and information delivered, Margali assures them that she will continue to put her considerable resources into this investigation and suggests that they do the same. Hopefully, no harm will come to them in the meantime. She then makes her departure, disappearing in a flash of moonlight.

The flowers that accompanied Margali's arrival remain on the front lawn until Friday night (3/14). Then, under the light of the blood worm moon, the plants wither and are subsequently devoured by squirming black worms, the likes of which none of them have ever seen. Ew, ew, ew. Hopefully this won't have a negative impact on the local ecosystem. Manuel de la Rocha, who had been gifted a vase of the flowers by a student, finds a nasty surprise in their office too. Enjoy your worms!

THE MARK

Shortly after Margali's departure, Kurt Wagner discovers that his mark has changed, taking on a new and unique configuration from the others. This is fine...!

The following morning, Illyana Rasputin finds herself with a mark of her own. This mark is identical to the original mark that had appeared on the others. Welcome to the team?

THE VISIT ⮾ AFTER THE VISIT ⮾ OOC

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"Just because they don't have them yet doesn't mean they never will." Which is really what stresses Emma out the most about this situation. Margali's words, that they had been branded by an entity, make her even less comfortable with the prospect of the students getting pulled in.

"And now there's no clear link between all of us besides proximity."

Edited Date: 2025-03-13 10:10 pm (UTC)

"It's a good puzzle piece, though. The Gold Team doesn't have them. The students don't have them. But we don't tend to talk to any of those people about what's going on with the Professor. Which she was a part of yesterday. So it really could be someone listening in, who wanted to grab another set of ears."

In her trying to sort this out, Kitty has started pacing, and not looking at anyone, so it's not especially personal that she starts talking about their new addition like she's not right there.

Edited Date: 2025-03-13 11:33 pm (UTC)

Scott writes down Illyana receiving a brand, like this is just a normal everyday thing that happens to the X-Men. He does not note that she yanked off her shirt in front of everyone.

"The students aren't always the most open. We need a protocol so it's reported as soon as someone notices a mark on themselves. Assure them it's nothing to panic about because there haven't been any adverse effects—" (Not totally true.) "—but it's important we're on the same page."

He taps his pen a couple of times, the only hint that he might be disturbed by this situation. "We left Jean in Genosha and took Illyana back with us. It might also be that there needs to be a certain number of people with the mark near Professor Xavier."

Kurt suddenly teleports in. He needed "just a moment" to "get refreshments" and definitely not to "splash his face with ice cold water and stare at himself in the mirror for ten minutes."

One hand is holding a tray of glasses, the other a bottle of orange juice, and in his tail a nearly-finished bottle of prosecco that he can probably offer to Emma as a terrible mimosa so they don't just throw it all out.

"I think I have missed something. Things."

"A lot of talking," Illyana gripes from where she stands still shirtless in the center of the room. She's tired of the theorizing, and doesn't relish the idea of relating this vague and unhelpful information to Magneto with nothing to show for solutions. She wants the thing off of her, but she knows enough about magic to know it won't be a simple or mundane task even without Margali's guidance. "Enough of that, I think."

As if unsheathing it from nothingness behind her back, Illyana draws her sword with a wide flourish. "I forged this blade from my very life essence in the fires of a realm made of malefactory magic. It is capable of a great many things, including the disruption of powerful spellwork. Perhaps it can excise whatever enchantment placed this brand upon us. If not, eh, maybe we learn something interesting. Obviously I cannot reach my own back, so," (She levels the sword in a broad arc at each member of the group in turn.) "Who will let me cut them?"

Edited Date: 2025-03-14 05:29 am (UTC)

Congratulations to everyone standing near him, you are now quickly handed all that Kurt was juggling. Catch it or don't. He arrived just in time to feel something (everything) about that sword. He's seen it before, although nothing about it is familiar.

"I will," he offers, holding out a hand, tail lashing.

Scott is not grabbing any of these glasses or bottles, because he's busy trying to stop anyone from getting maimed.

"No swords on the main floor. This is a school." He should know by now that using teacher voice on his peers is next to useless, but Scott can't help it. "Kurt, can we discuss this first?"

Kurt is staring at something beyond the walls, but Scott's voice calls him back. "Discuss what?"

Edited Date: 2025-03-14 06:01 am (UTC)

Emma's gaze snaps to Scott for a moment. « You're not allowed to volunteer. »

And then she refocuses. "How about we try something a little less dramatic to start? We can extract some of the mark's contents and see if it reacts in any way to your sword."

“It shouldn’t be Kurt, first of all. Your mark just changed. We don’t know if exposing it to more magic would change it again.” Kitty has a theory there. “If you cut it open with a normal knife, metal goo sneaks out and doesn’t appear to respond to normal physics.” She gives Illyana the briefing from their former tests.

« I learned my lesson, » Scott thinks back at Emma, but of course they both know it crossed his mind.

"If Illyana's sword disrupts spellwork, then it'll only work if it cuts the spell sigil. The 'metal goo' is the ink. The brand itself is the message." Not in any way an anti-maiming argument, but Scott does his best to sound reasonable. "But Kitty's right. Not Kurt."

There's something off with him. Scott puts a hand on Kurt's shoulder, concerned.

While Manuel's initial instinct is to balk at this suggestion, especially when Illyana starts waving around a sword unprompted, he doesn't immediately protest. He can't. There's a certain amount of sense in applying a magical solution to a magical problem and if the blade forged from her very life essence (dramatic) can sever the connection between them and whatever put these marks on them... Well. They need to know that.

His eyes flit briefly between his friends and he silently takes in the expected back and forth. Frankly, he's surprised that Kurt is the only one rushing to put himself at risk. But Kitty's right; it shouldn't be him. His mark has just changed for reasons they don't understand and the man is...not in a good state of mind. He's been feeling all that guilt and hurt and anger since last night, so he knows. But it shouldn't be Scott either, given that he's now bound to Margali, already enthralled in yet another magical influence. It can't be Emma. That just leaves Kitty and...

Maldita sea.

He doesn't want it to be Kitty.

So, while it goes against every fiber of his being, he pinches the bridge of his nose and interjects, "...I can do it. If it has to be done. My mark hasn't changed. I haven't been exposed to any other magic. Nothing to complicate matters."

Edited (Every single man here is stupid, actually.) Date: 2025-03-14 05:19 pm (UTC)

Kitty gives a loud sigh when the fight for who will get sliced open starts back up. She looks at Emma in apology that of course she will understand. Manny's had a hard enough time. It can’t be him, either. “Neither have I.” She points out, and makes a ponytail of her hair so her sigil is accessible. “Try not to behead me I guess, but. Let’s go. I do want to see what happens.” This is scientific now.

Edited Date: 2025-03-14 05:36 pm (UTC)

Illyana, who has been watching this entire exchange with haughty disinterest as she leans on her sword, quirks an eyebrow at Kitty like girl, are you crazy?

"Where's yours?" she asks Manny, aside.

Edited Date: 2025-03-14 05:46 pm (UTC)

Still visibly annoyed, Manuel drops his hand and gives Kitty a sharp, disbelieving look. He's surprised -- and relieved -- when Illyana addresses him instead of her. He unfastens the first few buttons of his shirt and shows her the mark situated over his heart. It's not the most ideal place to cut into, but it's certainly better than the base of Kitty's skull.

"...Doable?"

Edited Date: 2025-03-14 05:59 pm (UTC)

Emma knows Manny's going to offer himself before the words leave his mouth, and it makes her sit back and cross her arms. She can't try to argue for herself, even though her mark placement is more sensible for the task - later she's going to tell them she's decided she needs to go in Cerebro, and she imagines two moments of potential self-sacrifice will be harder to sell. So she just sits, trying instead to focus on keeping an eye on Kurt since he seems rather off.

Edited (just a lil flavor) Date: 2025-03-14 06:10 pm (UTC)

She takes one step towards him to inspect his mark. Still not ideal, but given the circumstances — "Yes. Doable."

Lifting her sword, she places its point upon his brand so that she is situated exactly one blade's length away from him. She can feel each magical resonance in the room like a tuning fork, and she presses the point into his flesh a little harder. Despite looking like it's made of molten metal, its surface feels coldly uncanny, and perhaps to Empath like the frozen anguish and fear of the fifteen year old girl who created it.

"Don't move," she warns him, and makes an upperhand slash against the brand, just deep enough to draw blood.

Edited Date: 2025-03-14 07:07 pm (UTC)

As Illyana agrees and positions herself across from him, Manuel nods stiffly and stands up and unbuttons his shirt the rest of the way (no point in ruining it with blood if he doesn't have to). He remains still as she prods his mark with the tip of her blade, holding back a shudder at its unearthly cold and the intense emotional resonance beneath. He hadn't expected that. The sorrow and the terror may be some ten years gone for her, but it endures and shoots through the empath like something current. As if that scared child is in the room with them still.

It's uncanny and uncomfortable and puts the woman's prior words into a new light that he doesn't care for at all. He closes his eyes, attempting to conceal his discomfort and waiting for the inevitable ache of the cut. As instructed, he doesn't move.

Then she drags the sword across his skin and the mark. While both split under its edge, giving way to an intermingled stream of blood and silver, there's a sudden, forceful pulse as the two forms of magic intersect. One that's powerful enough to knock both mutants back and launch the sword from Illyana's hand, crackling with its own native magic and something else that lingers, shimmering and silver. Every mark in the room seems to vibrate, feeling the reverberations of the pulse, but the sensation soon fades.

And the marks remain.

Manuel, who was just knocked back into his chair, stares blankly at Illyana for a moment before pressing a hand to his wound. It throbs with fresh pain and, to his dismay, he can already feel the mark mending under his palm. He lifts his hand begrudgingly so the others can see it too.

"...Has that happened before?" There's no sarcasm or glibness in his tone now. It's just a question. The rules with magic remain unclear at best, but the 'spellwork' doesn't seem 'disrupted'.

Edited (This is part player tag, part mod tag, all mess.) Date: 2025-03-14 08:54 pm (UTC)

Illyana, meanwhile, goes sprawling to the ground and her sword spins end over end before burying itself in the wooden paneling of a wall near Scott's head. She groans, pressing a hand to her head.

"No," she admits. "But it was interesting."

With some effort, she pushes herself to her feet and retrieves her discarded sweater from the floor before crossing the room to fetch her sword too.

"Sorry," she pauses to say to Scott before she wrenches it out of the wall.

Edited Date: 2025-03-14 09:17 pm (UTC)

"It's fine," Scott says shortly. He has his arm around Kurt, having pulled him out of the way the instant he saw the Soulsword flying in their direction. Unnecessary when Kurt can just teleport himself out of danger, but Kurt still seems out of it.

Also unnecessary to remind everyone of the "no swords in school" rule, so Scott will leave that for the next infraction. He shakes out his right hand, and looks at Manuel. "Get checked at the infirmary anyway. Emma, make sure he goes. Illyana, you will be CC'd on future meetings about these marks. Do we have anything else to discuss?"

Edited Date: 2025-03-14 09:44 pm (UTC)

"Scheiße." That wakes Kurt up. He should have tried harder to get some sleep last night.

"Ah, no, I think that mostly covers it," Kurt briefly brushes a hand against Scott's back, thank you, before crossing the room to offer Manny some of the napkins he brought for their unused refreshments. "Thank you, Scott."

Edited Date: 2025-03-14 11:03 pm (UTC)

Emma is at Manny's side quickly, brows and jaw set tight. He's alright, as far as she can tell, minus the cut and the surprise. Everyone else is too. Her heart is pounding a little, but like Scott said, it's fine. Totally fine.

She looks to him for a brief moment, offering a small nod before refocusing on Manny. "Well, that was exciting. Let's get this patched up, darling. Illyana, you didn't hit your head or anything, did you?"

Manuel responds to Scott's instruction with an unenthused huff (obviously he'll be going to the infirmary) and accepts a small bundle of napkins from Kurt to press against his new wound. He hadn't expected this attempt to resolve their dilemma, exactly, but he'd hoped it might tell them...something or that turning one form of magic on another might give them some sort of temporary reprieve. No such luck.

Still. It's good that it was him and not Kitty. Or any of them. But he doesn't intend to make a habit of this.

He gives Emma an apologetic glance -- they're even now, right? -- and a nod and stands up again. He doesn't need to be pushed into getting the injury tended to. But he pauses and glances in Illyana's direction as Emma addresses her, considering.

"You may as well join us. Good to know where it is, at least."

Illyana is in the corner as everyone fusses over one another, dissipating her sword and putting her sweater back on. She turns as Emma and Manny address her, and points at herself like who, me?

"I have a thick skull," she says, flipping her hair out from her sweater. After a moment, though, she takes a tentative step towards them. "But for the future."

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frost_queen - AFTER THE VISIT: Thursday Morning

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earth-367

An X-Men GPSL (IC)

From the Winding Way

From the Winding Way

AFTER THE VISIT: Thursday Morning

AFTER THE VISIT: Thursday Morning

AFTER THE VISIT: Thursday Morning

AFTER THE VISIT: Thursday Morning

AFTER THE VISIT: Thursday Morning

AFTER THE VISIT: Thursday Morning

AFTER THE VISIT: Thursday Morning

AFTER THE VISIT: Thursday Morning

AFTER THE VISIT: Thursday Morning

AFTER THE VISIT: Thursday Morning

AFTER THE VISIT: Thursday Morning

AFTER THE VISIT: Thursday Morning

AFTER THE VISIT: Thursday Morning

AFTER THE VISIT: Thursday Morning

AFTER THE VISIT: Thursday Morning

AFTER THE VISIT: Thursday Morning

AFTER THE VISIT: Thursday Morning

AFTER THE VISIT: Thursday Morning

AFTER THE VISIT: Thursday Morning

AFTER THE VISIT: Thursday Morning

AFTER THE VISIT: Thursday Morning

AFTER THE VISIT: Thursday Morning

AFTER THE VISIT: Thursday Morning

AFTER THE VISIT: Thursday Morning

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January 2026

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