Scene change: Mr. Sinister sits on his throne brooding over the lost opportunity to battle the supposedly deceased X-Men as he stared at crystal figures in their likeness. Malice possessing Polaris' body bursts in. She is enraged with Sinister for she has discovered that due to Polaris' magnetic power, she is trapped inside Polaris. She attacks him, but Sinister stops her with but a gesture. Sinister releases her and explains that he matched her with Polaris for her own good. He lays on the charm as he explains to her that he considers her to be the greatest of his servants. Malice leaves and Sinister states that she is foolish to think she holds a special place in his heart. He states that the key to the soul is vanity. He turns a figurine of Marvel Girl around in his hand, upon turning it; it is a figure of Madelyne. Sinister then takes a figure of Dazzler in his hand.

Australia: Saturday night and Dazzler, dressed in red, enters a pub. A bar brawl stops and all the men swoon as Dazzler takes the stage. Longshot watches from the shadows as Dazzler gives the patrons a magnificent show. As Dazzler finishes her song, Longshot joins her. They kiss and.

Sinister breaks the figure in two. He scoffs Dazzler as being nothing more than a performer. As he reaches for the crystal Havok, he states that he knew of Havok's potential before Alex had ever heard the word "mutant."

Havok pushes himself on as he jogs across the Outback. As he runs, he reflects on having a fight against the woman he loves possessed by Malice and a battle with Dive Bomber and other Brood. Finally he collapses of fatigue and the guilt of having to kill the creatures. As he sits, Dazzler and Longshot fly by on a motorcycle. He sees a lingering fire, but thinks that it's only residual of Dazzler's lightshow. Madelyne approaches him and responds to his thoughts. Havok brushes it off as accidentally speaking aloud. Madelyne says she saw Havok collapse on the monitor as she helps him up.

Sinister takes the crystal figure of Storm.

Storm is busy looking through computer files. She finds a news clip of Jean Grey. Realizing that Jean is alive, Storm flies off yelling for Wolverine.

Sinister breaks the Wolverine figure in two with his thumb.

Storm throws Wolverine in the air with a wind gust. She flies up and grabs him, yelling about Jean being alive. Wolverine calmly says yes and Storm drops him for not telling her. She catches him and questions why he kept the knowledge to himself. Wolverine states that he smelled Jean during the events of the Mutant Massacre but he didn't believe it after Jean died on the moon. Both reflect on losing Jean, but feel they need to find the truth.

Sinister regards the Psylocke figure.

Rogue and Colossus spar with Psylocke in a cave. Rogue pins Psylocke and won't let go so Psylocke gives her telepathic blast. Rogue goes down but soon recovers, only with Carol Danver's personality. Carol scolds Psylocke about the bolt as Betsy strips of her armor and takes a quick dip in the pool. Psylocke apologizes and Carol says that Betsy will know better next time as her bare hand touches Betsy's shoulder.

Sinister digs out the Madelyne figures, laments losing her, and crushes the crystal in his fist.

As Alex sunbathes, he thinks of his love for Polaris and how Malice has possessed her. Alex is so surprised by Madelyne's sudden appearance that he falls from his seat and shatters the glass of a picture of him and Lorna. Madelyne flirts with Alex and then beckons him inside.

Though he believes the X-Men to be dead, Sinister takes solace in having the infant Nathan Summers. He wonders if self-confidence is his vanity and walks away. N'astirh watches Sinister, realizing they both have the desire to conquer.

Madelyne ponder how Alex will not be spared of an approaching evil while the unaware Havok sleeps. In the media room Madelyne contacts N'astirh. The demon calls her the Goblin Queen and states that the Inferno is beginning. With fire in her eyes, Madelyne promises to bring harm to the demon if he doesn't find her son.

Review: From the very beginning it becomes apparent that this is *not* a light story. Elevators and payphones eating people; it's grotesque to say the least. I haven't read a whole lot before and after Inferno, so here are a few things I picked up from this one:

* The X-Men had some kind of battle that left the world thinking them dead.
* They are using a base in Australia formerly owned by the Reavers
* Sinister has Christopher and the Marauders have made attempts on Madelyne's life

The symbolism of the picture of Alex and Lorna shattering before Madelyne moved in to seduce Alex was a nice touch.

All and all a good prologue, the way the characters were reintroduced as Sinister looked through his glass figures was innovative. And of course the introduction of the conflict done subtly at the beginning and the end left for good suspense.