"Do you believe in Magik?" You will -- when you see Illyana in action! That's right -- this story picks up where the Magik limited series left off, and when Colossus's kid sister battles the evil S'ym, the excitement never lets up! Oh, yeah, the New Mutants are in this issue too!

Note: This story picks up immediately after Magik #4

Illyana Rasputin has returned from Limbo as a young teenager. Yet, despite the snow and joy the New Mutants get out of playing in it, she holds herself apart and contemplates the huge weight on her shoulders. She especially notes the Beatrice Medallion and how it only needs two more blood stones to become complete. She feels that she can’t trust anyone with her evil secret.

Professor Xavier looks on and is troubled that he hasn’t been able to read Illyana’s mind since she returned from Limbo. The New Mutants see the look of concern on his face and wonder if it isn’t due to sadness at his girlfriend Lilandra’s departure from the school. They plan a party to cheer him up and head to town to get supplies. Illyana joins them and they convince Stevie Hunter to drive.

In their absence, the demon S’ym appears before Xavier. The Professor mounts a weak defense but is swiftly overpowered. S’ym settles in to wait for Illyana, determined to drag her back to Belasco, who wants her as his heir.

The New Mutants return from the mall, but the school seems too quiet. Illyana volunteers to see what the Professor is up to, since he can’t read her mind and spoil the party. She stumbles onto S’ym and fails to fight back, as she is too traumatized at seeing the demon that terrorized her in Limbo. She has the resolve, however, to teleport the New Mutant team into the school via Limbo. The boys and Rahne try to fight S’ym one-on-one and fail. Dani steps in and conjures up S’ym’s latent fears, which turns out to be Belasco and Illyana as the Darkchylde. S’ym is only briefly scared, but it is enough for Stevie to carry Illyana away. S’ym quickly finds them but Illyana comes to and confronts her tormentor with the Soulsword. S’ym trembles and swears allegiance to Illyana. She banishes him to Limbo and then wipes Stevie’s mind, as she doesn’t want anyone to know of her power.

That evening, the party for the Professor is in full swing. The X-Men appear and find Stevie’s car and a mountain in the school (all part of the fight with S’ym). They join the party. Illyana is still ill at ease until the Professor stands up and asks her to dance. Xavier tells her that his recovery shows "there's hope for us all" and she realizes that he knows about her.

Outside the party, Doug Ramsey takes Kitty Pryde aside and tells her that he has been accepted to the Massachusetts Academy and wants her to accompany him on a visit. Kitty doesn’t know how to tell him how dangerous that could be.