[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/EILduqP.png[/img][/center]
As she began to regain consciousness once more, Illyana found a comforting hand on her shoulder, rousing her to wake up. Her eyes opened to that of the messy redheaded man. Ragman. Or Rory Regan as he had called himself. Despite not having known Ragman for long at all, she was glad to see him, especially with everything that was rushing through her head right now. 

“[color=rosybrown]What was that?[/color]” She managed, using her hands to prop herself up against the wall.

It was now that she got a good look at the room around her. The room matched the corridor in style exactly; with tattered wallpaper and stained dirty carpets. And once again there was the hellfire, burning bright and dangerously around them. However here it was slightly different. The more she watched, the more she noticed that the fire was creeping away from them as if it were fleeing.

“[color=DarkOliveGreen]It was just like we saw in all the other rooms.[/color]” Rory began, grabbing her attention away from the flames. “[color=DarkOliveGreen]Looked like Marcosa was projecting you your heart’s desire.[/color]”

A lot of what she had just seen was hazy, but it was clear enough at least for it to hurt. She had been home and happy. But it had all been a lie. An illusion. Her heart stung like hell. As a fire brewed inside her slightly. 

"[color=DarkOliveGreen]It looks like he was using this place to suck out your soul. Just like he’s doing to everyone else in the other rooms. Luckily, you have a premier soul stealer by your side. I jumped in after you. Once I got hold of you, I just used my suit to try and do the exact same thing to you. Thankfully it overloaded whatever magic he was using! Which is pretty good because if my suit had absorbed you it wouldn’t have been a pretty sight…[/color]”

"[color=rosybrown]That sounds...[/color]"

"[color=DarkOliveGreen]Super convoluted and improbable? I know. I'm as surprised it worked as you are[/color]".

The two shared a laugh, however, it soon died out as Illyana returned to her thoughts. If Rory had been there with her. Then he would have seen everything. He would have seen [b]him[/b].

“[color=rosybrown]About what you saw...[/color]” She began; however, Rory raised his hand to silence her.

“[color=DarkOliveGreen]I know, I know. Tell a soul and you’ll rip out my spleen.[/color]” He gave a cheeky grin at that last part, and Illyana could do nothing but chuckle with him. His eyes grew serious though, and in a more comforting voice, he continued. “[color=DarkOliveGreen]But if you want to talk, I’m happy to—[/color]"

She couldn’t deal with a conversion like that. Not now anyway.

“[color=rosybrown]After. First, we need to put a stop to all this.[/color]”

“[color=DarkOliveGreen]Agreed.[/color]”

He nodded understandably. Moving his hand jokingly across his face, he put on a very obviously fake “serious” face, before pulling his raggedy mask back over his face. Magik just smirked as she rose to her feet, using his free hand to summon her soul staff once more as she did so. 

“[color=DarkOliveGreen]I’m confused though, why is he doing this. Why try and steal all these souls?[/color]” He motioned to himself and his suit. “[color=DarkOliveGreen]I mean, I have to do this shit.[/color]”

She tried to think back to their confrontation previously in the corridor, her minding trying to compare what she’d seen to anything that she'd learned during her tutelage with Strange. However, nothing came to mind. Just the sight of his gothic demeanor and his horrifying appearance. However, it was just remembering his face that caused her to realize; the way he seemed to fizzle in and out of existence. The “holes” throughout his body of nothingness. 

“[color=rosybrown]Wait, remember what he looked like![/color]”

“[color=DarkOliveGreen]The man was an inch away from going full monobrow and had literally bedazzled his teeth with rubies, how could I forget.[/color]”

“[color=rosybrown]No, I mean his hand. It seemed to be reforming or something.[/color]”

It took a second or two for things to tick within Ragman’s brain.

“[color=DarkOliveGreen]That’s it! The souls are keeping him alive. [/color]”

“[color=rosybrown]So we just have to shut down the Soul Corridors.[/color]”

Illyana smiled. At least they had some sort of plan. But how would they do it?

 “[color=DarkOliveGreen]I guess I could try and go through one by one like I did with you, but that could take days.[/color]” 

Magik frowned. He had a point. Time was not a luxury that they had currently. That’s when an idea hit her. 

“[color=rosybrown]I may have a quicker solution. Find Marcosa and get him to the roof. Keep him busy.[/color]”

And with a flex of her arm, a stepping disk appeared beneath her feet, teleporting her away in a fury of yellow.