The New York Public Library’s main branch is on 42nd Street, smack dab in the middle of Manhattan. A couple of blocks from Times Square. Anything a person needs to know can be found out within its four walls…down one of its winding, book-filled corridors…even at a time when the city itself seems to be going mad.
Right now, the library has four very special visitors - the teenage mutant heroes known as the X-Terminators - Rusty! Skids! Boom-Boom! Rictor! The four friends have a massive book out on a table in front of them and Rusty Collins exclaims ‘Thank Heaven for aerial maps!’ before remarking that the point they have decided on must be the cemetery where the goblins have taken Artie and Leech. Rusty’s girlfriend Sally “Skids” Blevins agrees, and motions to the mausoleum.
Julio a.k.a. Rictor remarks that they were lucky Artie was able to mind-send a picture of it before they shut his power off. ‘And now we gotta do something about it!’ Tabitha “Tabby” Smith, better known as Boom-Boom declares. Suddenly, in the book shelves high above the X-Terminators, voices exclaim ‘Do something? Ha!’ ‘We do something about you!’ and some of the goblins - actually N’asteris from Limbo - push a whole lot of books down on to the teens.
‘The books are attacking us! RUN!’ screams Boom-Boom, while Rusty lets loose his mutant power of flame - until Sally, who is protected from the falling books thanks to her force field, tells him to cut it out, that he cannot use his power here as the building is filled with paper! As a book smacks him in the head, Rictor mumbles that they have to do something. ‘Now I know why I always hated going to the library!’ Boom-Boom grunts as a large book slams into her back.
‘You would!’ Sally remarks about her friend as she pulls Boom-Boom into her now extended force field, telling her that it is not the books fault, as normal books don’t behave this way - it is as if they are possessed or something. Rusty joins the girls in the force field while Rictor exclaims that the rest of this city is possessed also. Sally calls out to Rictor to come into her force field, but as he makes his way over after grabbing the map, the leg of the large table they were gathered around comes to life and trips Julio up then holds onto him. Boom-Boom tosses a time-bomb at the leg, and upon impact it releases Rictor, who rushes into the force field, thanking Tabby, before Rusty points out that every book in this library is after them.
Suddenly, civilians begin to flee the library, ‘It’s like something out of Ghostbusters!’ one of them yells. Rusty points out that Sally’s force field is now covered in books, and they are trapped, to which Rictor exclaims that it is no problem, and uses his mutant powers to create seismic vibrations, thus forcing the books to fall off the force field and setting the X-Terminators free. ‘Holy cow! What a mess!’ Rusty exclaims. Boom-Boom asks what they are going to do now, to which Rictor suggests, for the library’s sake and their own, that they get out of here.
Sally lowers her force field, and tells her friends to run. They do, and in moments are outside the library, with Boom-Boom pointing out that it is rather hot out here. Rictor makes a comment about how whatever it was inside was making things hot for them, when suddenly a statue of a lion that is outside the library comes to life, and reaches down for Boom-Boom - until it is knocked back thanks to a burst of flame from Rusty.
The statue reverts to stone like it is supposed to be, and the four friends take a breather on a nearby park bench. ‘Whatever demon-goblin magic is causing this mess, I wish it would back off!’ Sally exclaims. Boom-Boom points out that at least now they have found the cemetery in Queens where the demons took Artie and Leech, and probably Taki too. Rictor exclaims that somebody sure as heck doesn’t want anybody even thinking of going there, which unfortunately for the X-Terminators is just where they have to go!
‘Hot as heck!’ a police officer remarks to his colleague, ‘Feel like a bit-player in a fifties horror film!’ he exclaims as they walk through a graveyard, with a mausoleum in the back ground. The second officer replies that he would rather be investigating the disappearance of a cemetery grounds keeper in Queens - which is what they are doing - as opposed to walking a beat in Manhattan right now. ‘Talk about your horror scenario!’
The first officer asks his colleague if he thinks this has anything to do with what is going on in Manhattan, when suddenly the second officer motions to freshly turned dirt on a lot of the graves - and some bones which have been scattered around. One of the officers asks what kind of animal makes footprints like the ones in front of them, when, suddenly, several N’asteris burst from the ground and pull the officers to the ground.
One of the officers fires his gun into the air, while one of the demons asks what they do now. ‘Eat them?’ another asks. ‘Old ones tough!’ another demon points out. ‘But fresh! Not like ones in ground!’ another exclaims, referring to the deceased. Another demon declares that they are not to eat them, but take them to the mausoleum for Lord N’astirh. The demons begin dragging the police officers to the mausoleum, one of them exclaiming that they can now show N’astirh that they are good guards, hoping that he will give them the little mutant humans to eat for dinner.
Inside the mausoleum, Artie Maddicks and the Morlock Leech are looking after the kidnapped babies, while Crotus holds Taki in front of N’astirh, except N’astirh isn’t interested and tells Crotus that he is wasting his time with all this babbling, and reminds his lackey that time is of the essence. ‘You bring me this boy when I require babies, infants of power and purity to act as lenses to focus the magicks that will open the transport portal!’ N’astirh exclaims, before adding that the infants will later be sacrificed so that the portal will remain open, to provide free access between Limbo and Earth.
N’astirh remarks that the ether of this dimension is dense, and it makes creation and maintenance of even a simple spell arduous and time consuming. Calling N’astirh “Mawthur” as usual, Crotus asks him not to be mad with him, and points out that while others are brining him infants, he has brought him a gift, not of time, but of speed. ‘Boy mutant, can’t walk…but can change shape of things. Shape stuff into computer, Mawthur!’
Crotus tells Taki to explain to N’astirh what the computer can do. N’astirh picks Taki up in his claws as Taki informs him that you can program the computer and it processes information very quickly. ‘It even got spell checker, Mawthur! I give him to you, now you reward good Crotus?’ the eager underling exclaims. N’astirh replies that perhaps he will, if it works, and asks Taki to give him a demonstration. ‘No way, monster! Not even if you kill me!’ Taki replies defiantly.
At that moment, the N’asteris from outside approach N’astirh with the police officers. ‘Master, look what we have!’ one of them exclaims. ‘Humans sneaking around our hide-out!’ another reports. The first N’asteris asks N’astirh if he will feed them the mutant children now. One of the police officers suddenly exclaims, ‘You’re under arrest…whatever you are…for the murder of the groundskeeper!’
N’astirh reveals that he has not murdered the groundskeeper, but given him a small alteration. N’astirh offers to show the police officer what became of the groundskeeper, and still holding on to Taki, N’astirh boasts to Taki that he too is a master of transformation, and warns Taki that what is about to happen to this officer could just as easily happen to him. With that, N’astirh begins to savage the police officer as he remarks that there is evil at the core of every human - evil which civilization hopes to minimize and saints struggle to subdue.
N’astirh declares that all he has to do is shear away the good, and see what remains! ‘Master…how may I serve you?’ the transformed police offer asks. N’astirh orders him to join his other demons, as his forces have recently sustained losses, which the newcomer will now fill. N’astirh remarks that he needs other servants and motioning to Taki, wonders what shape evil takes in him. Hands folded across his chest, Taki looks away and tells N’astirh that he will need some other way to find out, because that might mess up the x-factor in his genetic structure that makes him a mutant able to change things.
Taki continues, explaining to N’astirh that if his x-factor was messed up, then he might not be able to transform anything, which would be a shame, cause he is the best at transformation - which is why he is called “Wiz Kid”. ‘And, frankly, you look too smart to make that mistake!’ Taki adds, trying to get N’astirh on his side. N’astirh retorts that he would hate to take that chance as Taki so rightly points out, so instead he will transform one of his little friends - then the other, then other captured humans until Taki does his bidding.
Taki looks over at where Artie and Leech are playing with the captured Inferno Babies and a tear rolls down his face. Crotus cries out to N’astirh, ‘No! You promise! Feed green and pink childs to demon who brings way to speed up spells!’ Crotus reminds his master. Another demon declares that Artie and Leech are his reward, while N’astirh turns back to Taki and asks him if he will try to save them. ‘I say “try” because I don’t know that you can do what you claim!’
Taki tells N’astirh that he wins and agrees to show him what he can do, however he explains that to demonstrate his power he needs something technological in origin. Taki remarks that there isn’t much around here though, before spotting the police officers guns and suggesting he could use those. ‘Yeah, both of them you stupid monster’ Taki thinks to himself as N’astirh hands Taki both of the guns.
Taki begins to demonstrate, explaining that he takes the technological implement in his hands and thinks about the design he wants to imprint, and reforms it. ‘like…this!’ he exclaims as he transforms the two guns into one bigger weapon. Taki points it at N’astirh, declaring that it shoots lazers and boasting that he will blow N’astirh’s head off just for fun. Taki orders N’astirh to put him down so that he, Artie, Leech and the babies can all leave.
‘Ha! Ha! Ha! Technology! I have my own way of dealing with technology!’ N’astirh bellows as he uses his own powers to transform Taki’s gun into a little demon which begins snapping at Taki. N’astirh informs Taki that in this same fashion he has been transforming the island of Manhattan, but that the work has been slow, painstaking and exhausting. ‘Now you are going to help me speed it up!’
Meanwhile, Sally, Rusty, Boom-Boom and Rictor rush down into a subway, as Sally exclaims that the subways used to be the fastest, most reliable way to get anywhere. ‘If not necessarily the pleasantest’ Rusty interjects, before Sally finishes what she was saying - that things aren’t right here, and the later in the day it gets, the more wrong things seem. Rictor asks his teammates about tokens, to which Boom-Boom motions to the ticket operator in the booth and exclaims that she wouldn’t buy anything from that “token dude” even if she had the money.
Suddenly, Tabby exclaims that she hears a train, and suggests to her friends that when it gets to the station, leap the turntables and dive for the open doors. ‘I’ll bet the Avengers never have this problem!’ Rictor jokes as he and the others all begin to run, then leap over the barriers. Rictor is in the lead, so Rusty tells him to grab the door and hold it open, while Book-Boom watches as a man tries to put his token into the turntable, only for the turntable to clamp down on his hand with jagged teeth. ‘Gross!’ Tabby thinks to herself, before tossing a time-bomb at the possessed turntable and setting the man free. ‘Quit playing around, Boom-Boom, and come on!’ Sally exclaims as she enters the train.
‘But I wasn’t! Didn’t you see…?’ Tabby protests, before she sees Rictor struggling to hold open the train doors, which have also developed a nasty case of jagged-teeth syndrome. Rictor is shocked by this and tells Tabby to hurry, or else he wont have hands to hold it open with - but as the doors indeed try to cut his fingers off, he is forced to let go of it, and the doors slam in Tabby’s face. The young mutant begins banging on the door, before wondering if a time-bomb would work.
Rictor heard that comment and tells Tabby not to, as it would take his hands off along with the door. Rictor begins to use his own powers on the doors, telling the monster to open up or else he will shake it into shards of twisted metal. The doors suddenly open and Tabby falls into the carriage, muttering that perhaps the subway wasn’t such a good idea after all. Rusty looks around the carriage and points out that there should be a big lunch hour crowd right now, ‘There’s not! There’s nobody!’ Sally exclaims.
Suddenly the windows in the train all slam closed, startling the young heroes who all fall on top of one another. ‘Get your feet out of my face, Boom-Boom!’, ‘We must be travelling at a hundred miles an hour!’, ‘Just what I was afraid of - the subway’s haunted too!’, ‘Yeah, I wonder if we’ll ever get to Queens!’ the X-Terminators exclaim as they are tangled together.
N’astirh squashes the little critter between his long claws as he declares that he must access the spells in his book, many spells, almost simultaneously. He remarks that he will use Taki and the computer that he will make for him - ‘A computer like the one Crotus described…one that will process my spells quickly - and check them for accuracy!’ N’astirh exclaims. N’astirh remarks that S’ym, the demon lord he serves in Limbo, underestimates the need for magic as he tosses Taki to the ground.
N’astirh reveals to Taki that S’ym was infected and transformed by the Transmode Virus, and has come to rely, almost solely, on the abilities that he, N’astirh, imparted to him. N’astirh explains that S’ym has placed him on Earth to do the drudge work, to create and manipulate the forces that will bring Limbo here to Earth. ‘S’ym thinks he uses me, but, in truth, I am using him!’ The massive book of spells hovers above N’astirh, who remarks that S’ym forgets that the demon who makes the magicks knows them most intimately - and therefore controls them!
N’astirh remarks that, through these forces, he will be the true ruler of the demonic kingdom that is coming. A burst of flames signals a scrying spell, which is simple magi anywhere except here on Earth. N’astirh shows Taki, through the spell, Limbo, where S’ym is menacing the New Mutants. ‘Behold, the great and powerful S’ym…the master whom I must serve!’ N’astirh exclaims, remarking that technology has become S’ym’s master, giving him illusory strength in the war to overthrow the Darkchilde, which leads S’ym to pride and forgetfulness of the old demon ways.
N’astirh boasts that S’ym is not fit to rule Limbo or Earth, when Taki asks N’astirh if he hates technology so much then why does he need him for it. N’astirh replies that he dislikes technology only as an end to itself, that technology is a tool, like magic, for him to use, ‘As I will use you!’ he finishes. ‘All right, Nasty, I’ll do it…but it’ll have to be my way!’ Taki exclaims.
Young Leech, holding on to one of the kidnapped babies rushes over and exclaims ‘Taki! No!’, but Taki turns to Leech, and quietly tells him not to worry, as the big kids - the X-Terminators - will come for them. Taki explains that his job is to stall and keep them all alive till the X-Terminators get here. Taki turns back to N’astirh and declares that he will need Artie and Leech as assistants, as the demons make him feel “funny” and he cannot work when he feels funny. Taki continues, informing N’astirh that he needs health food, organic, natural bean sprouts, brown rice, foods like that, as processed foods upset his body’s bio-chemical balance and he cannot work when he is off balance.
Taki adds that he needs stuff for the babies, as he cannot work with them squawking, not to mention machine parts and computer chips. ‘The more high-tech stuff the better!’ Taki informs N’astirh that the meta-physics of materials already carrying a technological imprint makes them better candidates for transformations, when N’astirh angrily interrupts, ‘You, mutant, are in no position to bargain!’ he shouts. Taki shrugs his shoulders and tells N’astirh that what he is asking him to do is hard under ideal conditions. ‘You want good work, you gotta be a little flexible…’.
Back in the subway train, the X-Terminators all slide along the floor of the carriage as Rictor exclaims that they must be going over two hundred miles an hour, and practically straight down at that. His ears pop, so he announces that they have gone under the East river and are heading into Queens. ’Great! We’re there! We’ve arrived! Somebody pull the emergency brake! Stop this thing!’ Boom-Boom shouts.
Suddenly, the conductor - or at least a skull-faced demonized version of him, pokes his head out of his booth and declares ’Enough of that screaming! I run a tight train! There’ll be no horsing around neither!’ He tells the X-Terminators to sit quiet and peaceful, because where he is taking them, it is the last peace they are going to get. ‘Figures!’ mutters Rusty as he smacks the possessed train driver in the head, before asking Sally if she can drive this thing. Sally replies that all of the Morlocks knew how to, to which Rusty asks her to drive it, as the conductor returns to his normal, although unconscious, self.
Sally remarks that it was just like the lion at the library that became solid again, to which Rusty remarks that something very strange is going on. Boom-Boom points out that the train has started to head up again, when suddenly she hears a strange noise and asks Rictor if he heard it too. Julio replies that it sounds like metal crunching together, before exclaiming that the walls are closing in on them, trying to crush them! ‘Uh…Skids -?’ he calls out. Sally replies that she is way ahead of them, and semi-jokes that at least the brakes work.
As Rusty begins to melt an exit through the metal walls, Boom-Boom mutters that she doesn’t want to tell him how to do his job or anything, ‘But maybe we could hurry it up a bit?’ Rictor grabs the unconscious conductor and tells Tabby to quit yapping and help him, for although he was demonized, it’s no reason to let him be crushed. Rusty finishes melting an exit, and steps through it before taking the conductor from Rictor, ‘He’s too heavy for you!’ Rusty exclaims, despite Rictor protesting. Rusty throws the conductor one shoulder while lighting the way through the darkened tunnels with his flame power. Rusty remarks that he has been working out, when, suddenly, hundreds of rates leap up and attack the young heroes.
Meanwhile, back in the mausoleum, ‘Here! All natural, organic health food!’ exclaims one of the N’asteris as it carries sacks of food past the area where Artie and Leech are entertaining the kidnapped children with toys. ‘Blankets for babies!’ another demon shouts, while several others approach a very smug Taki with several boxes. ‘Many computers - one of every kind!’ Taki remarks that it is pretty good, but not good enough, that he needs several more, before pointing out that those blankets don’t look quite soft enough - not to mention the fruit looks over ripe, and he cannot eat over ripe fruit.
‘Boss, we tired!’ one of the N’asteris remarks. ‘We hungry! All we eat was bones!’ another exclaims. ‘We done our part!’ one of them decides. ‘You feed us little pink and green mutants…NOW!’ another shouts. Taki tells N’astirh that he couldn’t possibly work if his friends were eaten, as he would be too traumatized. ‘You would, boy? Why, then…your friends are safe…’ N’astirh assures Taki, before exclaiming that his servants will devour the remaining police man instead!
The N’asteris lunge at the other police officer while N’astirh orders Taki to get to work, and motioning towards the feeding frenzy, warns Taki that it will happen to him if he is not careful. ‘All right, Nasty. You win’ Taki replies as he gets to work, beginning with making himself a wheelchair. ‘I can’t work unless I have a wheelchair!’ he snaps at N’astirh.
Miles away, Rusty surrounds a ladder leading upwards out of the subway with fire to hold the rats back, but as Sally points out, it doesn’t faze the rats much. ‘Neither do the time-bombs!’ Julio exclaims, motioning to the bursts of plasma that Boom-Boom tosses down from where she is standing on the ladder. The heroic Rusty still has hold of the train driver and tells Boom-Boom to go on up the ladder, as she is blocking it.
Boom-Boom replies that if she leaves then the rats will swarm after them, but Rictor exclaims that Tabby isn’t the only one with long-range powers, and unleashes a seismic shake, as he shouts ‘There’s gonna be demon-rat all over the walls!’. Indeed, the rats are tossed down the subway like debris in a raging river, while the X-Terminators and the now-conscious train driver make their exit. Boom-Boom complains that it is as hot here as it is in Manhattan, while Rusty informs the train driver that this is an emergency, and after asking him if he will be okay, informs him that the X-Terminators have to go. The train driver replies ‘Yeah. Sure. Go on’.
The train driver enters a nearby pub while mumbling to himself that he has gotta find a phone and complain to the union, as the train was acting really funny! Rictor gets out the map and remarks ‘That wasn’t all that was acting funny…but I guess what he doesn’t know wont hurt him!’ Rusty points to the cemetery and exclaims that it is miles away from where they currently are. A large burly man comes out of the bar and tells the teens to get away from the motorcycles.
Rictor looks at the motorbikes then back to the man and replies ‘We weren’t anywhere near them!’ ‘Bull! You were touching my bike! That makes me mad!’ a short man exclaims as he lunges Boom-Boom, who drops a time-bomb down the back of his pants. ‘Yo, Twinkie - I’m just exactly in the mood to bust heads!’ a large man with a skull tattooed on his chest exclaims as he grabs Rusty and Sally. Another man holds Rictor while his companion begins punching Rictor in the stomach.
The man who attacked Boom-Boom is soon blasted into the air thanks to the exploding time-bomb, while Rictor swings his legs up to hold into the man punching him, then with both men connecting to his body, uses his seismic powers to shake them around. ‘Jerks like that could give demons a run for their money!’ Sally exclaims as she uses her force field to slip free of the man’s grasp, enabling Rusty to smack him hard in his flabby gut. Rictor remarks that, speaking of demons, not to mention the state of the subway, perhaps they would be better off walking to the cemetery. Watching the men run away furiously, Boom-Boom remarks ‘Unless…you think maybe they’d let us borrow their Harleys?’
Miles away at the cemetery, Taki sits in his new wheelchair in front of the massive computer system that he has created. N’astirh leans over the computer and declares ‘Time is passing and still you fiddle with those knobs and keys!’ ‘You wanted this thing customized, right?’ Taki retorts, before exclaiming that it isn’t easy, creating the options for instantaneous transfer of information a customized keyboard - N’astirh interrupts, declaring that his servants grow hungry again and that the effort of single-handedly creating these spells has exhausted him. ‘Without relief, I may not be able to restrain them…’ N’astirh warns.
‘Hey! Don’t get your back up!’ Taki exclaims, assuring N’astirh that the symbols are nearly I place, just the way that was specified. Flicking through his book of spells, N’astirh remarks that, soon, they will be able to test the efficacy of the plan, and tells Taki to remember that the master spell must be ready to implement by sunset.
Meanwhile, not far away, the X-Terminators are all riding on Harley motorcycles. ‘See how fast this is? I told you ridin’s easy!’ Tabby exclaims, before revealing that her boyfriend used to have the most righteous old Shovelhead, not as vintage as this, but - Rictor interrupts her and gets everyone to look at the mausoleum on the hill to the left. ‘I think we’re here!’ Julio announces.
Sneaking through the cemetery, the heroes see one demon sitting on a tombstone. Boom-Boom exclaims that it is a little one, so it will be snap to deal with him, and begins to create a time bomb, only for Julio to tell her not to. ‘We’re sneaking up on them, remember?’ he remarks, before declaring he can handle this, and putting his hand to the ground, creates a small earthquake, which topples the demon from his post. ‘You think I easy! Ha!’ the demon laughs as it increases its mass, boasting that its master makes new spells, better spells. ‘Master give me power to defend!’
Tabby suggests to Rusty that he blast the demon, as perhaps it will go back to normal, after all, it worked on the lion! Rusty unleashes a burst of flame - then there is a mighty explosion. Luckily, Sally throws up a force field around herself and the others, while everyone looks at the pink mass of goo on the ground. ‘Holy cow! That wasn’t normal…even for demons!’ Rusty exclaims. Sally remarks that without her force field they would all be “crispy critters” right now, and Julio motions to the mausoleum, suggesting they hurry up and get inside.
Entering the darkened building, Rusty remarks that at least it is cooler in here. ‘”Cold as the grave”?’ Sally suggests, before exclaiming that this answers any questions they might have about whether what is happening in New York and the kidnapping of Artie, Leech and Taki are connected. Standing on a ledge by the entrance way, high above N’astirh and the others, Boom-Boom points out that the demons have got other prisoners - babies!
N’astirh exclaims that he requires one more infant to channel power for the entrance spell, and three more after that for final transformation, but points out that the problem is now being solved. N’astirh declares that things are proceeding to schedule, so shall now write the spell that will transport them to Times Square. But as the uber-demon touches Taki’s computer, it shorts out. Taki grins and tells N’astirh that he thought that might happen, and remarks that if his equipment shorts out when a little demon touches, it makes sense for it to go haywire if a big demon touches it.
Taki suggests that it probably has something to do with the electro-magnetic vibes that N’astirh gives off. Taki begins to tell N’astirh that he makes him feel funny just standing so close, when N’astirh grabs Taki in his claws and shouts ‘Then you will do it for me, or this experiment will end in bloodshed!’ One of the N’asteris asks if that means they can eat the babies, to which N’astirh shouts ‘NO!’ Taki tells N’astirh that he wins, before informing him that he has dyslexia, which means he has trouble reading and even more trouble writing. ‘A mistake…’ Taki begins, ‘Well cost the infants and your friends their lives!’ N’astirh exclaims, before telling Taki which is the first key to press.
Sally motions her friends to the floor, which started to glow as soon as Taki hit the first key. Rusty declares that something bad must be going to happen with that computer, so they better stop it, and with that he leads the X-Terminators down the stairs and into battle with the N’asteris. Leech and Artie and excited to see their friends, and Leech exclaims ‘Taki go slow! Taki say you come!’ While Sally goes about collecting the babies, she warns Leech to keep his power disruptor field pulled in close, before throwing her field around Artie, Leech, the babies and herself.
Sally exclaims that the big demon is throwing bolts of energy at them, while he still has Taki. Rictor and Boom-Boom run towards Sally with a couple more babies and Julio tells Sally to keep her field up to protect the children, while they go and rescue Taki. Tabby tells Sally that it is no problem for them, as acing these demon-goblin dudes is a piece of cake - until several more N’asteris enter the mausoleum. ‘We bring baby!’ one of them shouts, before they enter the fight against the X-Terminators.
At that moment, Sally’s force field dissolves as she is standing too close to Leech. ‘Power gone. Leech sorry!’ the green-skinned Morlock exclaims. The demons swoop down and one by one knock the X-Terminators out. One of the demons declares that they are weak with hunger. ‘Babies young and tender. Maybe we eat just one?’ N’astirh remarks that the “larger ones” came near to disrupting his plans and allows his servants to eat them all.
‘NO!’ screams Taki, pointing out that N’astirh still needs him to complete the spell, and that would make him too upset to cooperate. ‘I might make a mistake!’ he exclaims. N’astirh decides to keep the X-Terminators alive, warning Taki that the minute he demonstrates less than his whole-hearted co-operation, his friends will die!
N’astirh begins reading the spells to Taki who enters them in the computer, while the X-Terminators are trapped in a ball of energy, all telling Taki not to do it. N’astirh declares that this is a spell of transport which will take them all to the most central source of negative energy in Manhattan - Times Square! The computer, N’astirh, Taki, the imprisoned X-Terminators, and demons holding onto the babies - including Nathan Summers - arrive in Manhattan.
N’astirh orders his N’asteris to take the infants up and fly over the city in the designated configuration. ‘And now, boy, we shall begin!’ he shouts before spouting off more keys for the spell. Taki slams his fist down on the computer, declaring that he won’t do it. N’astirh points out that he has come so far, and tells him that there is only one more key, a simple multiples key. ‘Would you let your friends die…all for the lack of a single stroke?’
Taki taps the key, then the babies being held by the demons all light up in the form of a pentagram. Down below, civilians see the strange star in the sky, while N’astirh remarks that it is an inverted pentagram, with the babies as the points, focusing beams of power around Times Square, the babies are vessels for his magic - mutant infants, who, because of their purity and openness are natural, living conduits who cannot block the flow of power, and who won’t know how to shut it off. The X-Terminators, still imprisoned, can only watch in horror as N’astirh exclaims that the infants genetic structure make them strong enough to withstand the incredible stresses involved. ‘And now…see what you mutants have together accomplished?’
Civilians wonder what the light in the sky is, while N’astirh explains to the young heroes that the wall between this dimension and Limbo grows thin - the Darkchilde who controls Limbo’s teleportation discs forces her way through…’But it is I who control this disc!’ N’astirh boasts ‘I, who hold it open as all of Limbo pours into Manhattan…and I, N’astirh will rule the Inferno that Manhattan will become!’
Tears fall from Taki’s eyes as he thinks to himself that he saved his friends, but didn’t know what N’astirh could do, he could never have imagined this. ‘And now, because of me…millions of people will die!’ He knows he has got to stop it, to save them - but how?
