Chapter 78 - Baldur and the X-men Part 4

POV: Baldur 

Underground, Royal Castle of Genosha 

A Few Seconds after the Sabotage 

2012 

The sun that powers half of Genosha's systems is housed in an underground room covered in vibranium and other resistant metals. It's just a giant silver oval room with a golden sun in the center, surrounded by a force field. 

There are no soldiers or drones nearby or in the room. Only Amora and I have permission to enter here, so the doubt is cruel: how did the enemy destabilize the sun? 

As I enter the room, I stand facing the sun, evaluating how to stabilize it. It's easier to destroy and create a new sun than to stabilize one. I must admit I don't have much experience in doing this. My intuition tells me I can do it in ten minutes at most, twelve since I'm being cautious. 

(Doubtful that my enemy anticipated how easily I would stabilize the sun. Perhaps I have time to thwart whatever their plan may be.) 

My hands penetrate the force field and touch the star, forcing it to contract. My focus turns to the star, attempting once again to restore its balance. 

(Twelve minutes. Whoever it is, I hope they're quick, because I'll search everywhere until I find them!) 

POV: Third Person 

X-Men's Secret Plane, Blackbird 

Near Genosha Island 

Ten minutes until the sun stabilizes 

2012 

"We're ready, Charles." 

Beast, the blue-furred humanoid, speaks to his friend while looking at the device in front of him. The device resembles a silver vest with various silver objects and circuits. 

"Have you obtained the coordinates?" 

Xavier rolls in with his wheelchair and stands beside his friend, examining their new creation. 

"I used the connection with Cerebro to penetrate the island's barriers. I found no sign of them there, except for two places where even with Cerebro, I couldn't observe." 

"It makes sense to place your prisoners in the safest place," deduces Dr. Hank McCoy. 

"Agreed. Two places, one is the castle in the center of the island. The other is on a nearby small island. Uncommon for there to be so much security." 

The professor gives the coordinates to Hank, who inputs them into the computer ready to activate the device. 

"I must say I was very pleased to build this prototype. I just wish I could test it under happier circumstances." 

"You managed to create a device to enhance young Kurt's teleportation range in just two weeks, that's quite an accomplishment." 

"The range and stability still need improvement, but it'll be useful for our current mission. And credit shouldn't be mine alone, I had a lot of help from our friends." 

The door behind them opens, and three people enter the room. 

"We're ready, Professor." 

The man announces with a slight accent in his voice. He wears a beige cloak that touches the ground, with reddish-brown hair, but it's his eyes that stand out the most. They're red with black sclera. 

The woman beside him wears a yellow uniform with an X on the front. She has brown hair with white streaks and green eyes. 

The third could be described as a demon. He has a thick layer of blue fur, pointed ears, his hands have only three thick fingers, and to complete the look, he has a pointed tail swaying from side to side. 

"Let's put the device on you, Kurt." 

Hank and the Professor together place the silver vest around Kurt's body, then activate the devices and check the equipment for any errors. 

"Do I need to do anything different, Professor?" 

Kurt asks with a strong German accent. 

"The equipment has its own navigator, you just need to teleport, and it will take you to the programmed coordinates. But remember, Kurt, the battery allows for only two teleports, round trip. So when you arrive at your destination, you need to turn off the device." 

"Understood, Professor." 

"We're wasting time, Professor." 

Rogue is afraid something has happened to her friends and speaks impatiently. 

"Calm down, chere. I assure you, the professor is more concerned about them than you." 

"I know, sorry, Professor. And how many times have I told you not to call me that, Gambit?" 

"You tell me. I am persistent." 

"Like a flu!" 

"We're ready!" 

Hank interrupts the couple's argument, bringing them back to a more serious demeanor. They all gather around Kurt, including Professor Xavier in his wheelchair. 

"Professor, I really wish you would reconsider your idea of going with them and allow me to go in your place." 

"We've already talked about this, Hank. I am the one most likely to find a diplomatic solution." 

"Very well, I'll be here in case anything goes wrong." 

Everyone grabs onto Kurt's body except for Beast. 

"Whenever you're ready, Kurt," Xavier says. 

"May God protect us." 

After this prayer, Nightcrawler teleports away, leaving only a small explosion of blue smoke behind. When the cloud of blue dust clears, they realize they are on a beach with white sands. 

"How beautiful," exclaimed Rogue. 

"Then maybe we should go to a beautiful beach in Hawaii afterward. What do you think, chere?" 

"I think you're only interested in seeing me in a bikini, Gambit, so shut up." 

The group entered the forest, crossing it as quickly as possible. When they were near the center of the island, they saw signs of smoke. With more caution, they then arrived at a building in the center of the forest that was engulfed in flames. From afar, they saw some bodies on the ground, unable to tell if they were alive or dead. 

"It looks like they managed to escape, Professor," Gambit said, concluding that his friends somehow managed to escape, which would explain the destruction of the prison. 

"If they had escaped, I would have sensed them, Gambit." 

They had no choice but to approach the building. Rogue went to check on the bodies on the ground, shaking her head to indicate they were all dead. As they were about to enter the facility, a golden light fell from the sky, momentarily blinding them. 

When it faded, they all looked up to see a sight Rogue could only describe as beautiful. 

A man wearing beautiful armor and long golden hair, the same color as hers, was floating a few meters above the ground, emitting a golden aura from his body. He radiated a comfortable warmth, as if the sunlight was kissing them. But this feeling didn't last long. When the man looked down at the bodies on the ground, the sensation changed to an almost unbearable heat. 

"We meet again, Xavier," the man said, looking coldly at the professor, who had a look of fear on his face, a rare expression for his students to see. Before he could respond, Gambit pulled a deck of cards from his clothing, and the cards glowed purple as he fired them at the man. 

"GAMBIT, NO!" 

The professor was slow, only managing to shout as the attack was already underway. Several cards, as fast as arrows, hit the golden man's body all over. 

"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!" 

Each card was a small bomb that exploded upon contact with the target. The explosions filled the sky with smoke, obscuring the view of the unmoving enemy who made no attempt to defend himself. 

"That was easier than expected" Gambit said confidently to rogue. 

"Look ahead and say that again, sweetheart," she replied. 

The smoke dissipates, revealing the man still floating in the air without a scratch on his body or armor. As if trying to embarrass them, he pats his chest, clearing the dust that had settled. 

"Well. I came here to talk, but it seems I must show who is superior here. Anyway, you invaded my territory. If you were to leave unharmed, it would be a great shame for my name." 

"Wait! We don't want to fight," Xavier shouted. 

Faster than their eyes could follow, the man appeared in front of Gambit and struck him in the face, sending him flying backward through the wall of the facility several meters away. 

"Damn you!" 

Rogue, enraged, attacks him without her gloves, trying to grab him, but he easily dodges. With a wave of his hand, Rogue's body is covered in a golden layer that immobilizes her, giving her no chance to escape. 

Nightcrawler teleports behind him and grabs him by the neck, but before he teleports away with his enemy, he feels an unbearable heat and has no choice but to let go to avoid having half his body covered in third-degree burns. As he lets go, before he can teleport again, he is struck by a blow that knocks him unconscious. 

"Don't even try, Xavier!" 

The man shouted at Xavier, who was about to place his hand on his forehead. A sign that he uses before using his powers on someone. 

"Now that the children are sleeping, or powerless to hinder us. Let's talk." 

POV: Baldur. 

On the prison island beach, Genosha. 

Shortly After. 

2012. 

Certainly, I did this to vent my anger. While I was putting the sun into operation, I couldn't move, but I still received information about what was happening outside. 

A few minutes after I started my task, all communications from the prison were cut off. To our systems, that island simply disappeared, normally I would send one of my generals, but I was afraid of more deaths since I had no idea what was happening on the island. Whoever did this seemed to have some control over Genosha, I couldn't make them leave their posts. I could ask Amora to return from her mission to destroy the brain, but the destruction of that cursed machine is also a priority. 

So I hurried my work as much as I could, and even then, with only one minute left, the island reappeared on our systems, but the good news ended there. All the prison guards were dead or mortally wounded from their injuries. And two of our guests had disappeared. 

I immediately went to the island and found another team of X-Men. Gambit's attack, along with the sight of my dead soldiers, made me lose my calm a little, they were very helpful in helping me relieve my anger. 

Shortly after, Xavier and I moved to the beach, several of my jets landed on the island to rescue those who were still alive. 

"When I was speaking earlier before being rudely interrupted, we need to talk." 

Xavier and I were facing each other at a golden table built by me, his X-Men who had awakened and been released stood a few steps behind the Professor, looking at me angrily, waiting for any reason to attack me again. 

"I came here to find some peaceful solution for the liberation of my students," he began diplomatically. 

"A peaceful solution? It doesn't even seem like you invaded my borders and tried to kidnap one of my civilians. You should know that I have gone to war for much less, Xavier." 

"Kidnap! We are trying to save him from you, you mutant killer!" Gambit shouted at me. 

"Oh yes. Your leader Scott spoke of your theory that I am killing all the mutants on my island. Frankly, I am a little disappointed, Xavier." 

"What do you mean?" 

"Even though I couldn't prevent this whole setup, I noticed it a long time ago. You are still blind to the big picture." 

(T/N: Lies) 

Before Xavier could respond, a golden jet landed a few meters away from us, and three middle-aged men in suits emerged from it, unmistakably politicians. 

"Your Majesty," they all said in unison, kneeling behind me and bowing their heads, awaiting my orders. 

"I don't have time to explain everything, so read the minds of those three. They're responsible for mutant affairs in my kingdom," I instructed. 

Xavier remained expressionless as he looked at me. "I'm not accustomed to reading others' minds without permission," he stated firmly. 

"You have our permission. It would be an honor to assist our king" one of the politicians responded. Xavier relented, and within seconds, his cold expression turned to one of surprise. It was evident that he was beginning to grasp the situation. I wasn't concerned about him obtaining any confidential information, these politicians had no military knowledge of Genosha. In fact, they weren't high up in the chain of command, but they did have information on how we treated mutants. 

"I see, so we're merely chess pieces," Xavier said, disheartened. 

"Wrong again, Xavier. I am the chess piece, you were the target from the start," I declared, rising from my chair, which then vanished. I gestured, and Xavier and his students followed me towards the prison. 

"After capturing your students, my prison was attacked, and two of them were kidnapped. Clearly, they were the targets," I explained as we walked. 

"So you need to free us so we can go after them," Rogue interjected. 

"And you will, but before that, we need to free your other friends. Then, together, we'll go after the mastermind behind all this," I replied. 

"Together?" Xavier emphasized. 

"You can do it without my help, but I doubt you'll find them with Cerebro, as it's been corrupted. On the other hand, I've placed trackers on all your students," I explained. 

"Why help us?" Xavier inquired. 

"I'm not helping you, Xavier. The blood of my men has been shed, and as I've said before, I've started wars for less." 

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