Chapter 060 – A Lesson in Humility

[2009 – July]

Using her powers to take hold of the unconscious Mortal God, the Phoenix couldn't stop a tender smile from settling on her host's lips, feeling Jean's love for the young man pulse through her being.

Finally merging with Jean had inevitably changed the both of them, as she did not truly share her powers with the young girl, instead, Jean had now become part of the Phoenix Force.

With time her young host would now adapt and slowly grow into her role as the Aspect of Life, Destruction, Rebirth, and Fire, until one day Jean would be able to wield all her power so that she could move on from this plane of existence.

But this also meant that her host's emotions had become hers in a sense, and were no longer just Jean's alone which she felt echoes of through their connection.

The Phoenix found herself surprised by the purity of her host's affection and the need to care for Elijah, as it had long since become estranged from such emotions in the long long years it had existed.

The Phoenix also hadn't really read the Mortal God's thoughts just now, as his Mind Shield was too powerful for her to just ignore it in her current condition.

As things stood, her host could not summon enough of her strength to look into Elijah's mind without stepping over this body's and soul's current limit, which was an impressive feat on his side. She might have been able to break through the mental shield forcefully, but such an action would undoubtedly severely hurt or even kill him, which was not something the Phoenix was willing to risk.

But she also hadn't had to do anything of the like, to realise that the Mortal God had been about to attack her, his darkened eyes and tensing muscles having been enough to make her notice his intentions.

The strange warmth blooming in her heart at seeing him willing to go against her, a cosmic entity, to save Jean, was another completely alien thing for her to experience.

The Mortal God's unflinching bravery showed her that he lived by principles, by a code. He wasn't just a powerful but willful being, like the Phoenix had seen so many others in its life.

Most of the exceptionally powerful beings it had encountered, had lost their path one way or another, forgetting who they were in an endless pursuit for greater strength. Greed, pride, or any of the other cardinal sins having tainted their hearts irrevocably.

And as strange as it was, the Phoenix hoped that the Mortal God was the exception, that he could uphold his ideals in the future, standing tall throughout the eons that he would live through.

Suddenly the Phoenix felt a familiar mental signature wash over it, trying to worm its way into her mind.

Lips drawing taut into a thin line, a vengeful light glimmered in its blazing eyes as the cosmic entity allowed a certain Professor a single gleam into the terrific inferno that was its mental domain.

…

Having felt a vast psionic ripple with his great telepathic powers, Charles knew that something major had happened.

It didn't take more than a few short minutes before he had entered Cerebro to enhance his abilities and pinpoint from where he had felt the disturbance. His mind diving into a different dimension as soon as Hank helped him activate the machine, the Professor felt the mental presence of billions with his enhanced telepathic capabilities.

Though he didn't even have to try to remember the signature of the ripple, as his senses picked up the presence responsible for it nearby.

Cold fear spread through his old heart as his mind carefully observed the being that had alerted him just minutes ago with its burst of power, his powerful telepathic abilities identifying its source as Jean.

Jean's presence shone with a brilliant all-consuming blaze in his mind's eye, making Charles realize that what he had tried to avoid all these years had finally happened, the presence living in his former student's mind having awakened and taken over her body.

The Professor could feel the unbelievable, near endless, power hiding beneath the surface and he knew that it was a threat to every living being in this world.

Seeing the holographic projection of Jean as she emitted a light that shone a hundred times brighter than even the most powerful being Cerebro had ever scanned, those present besides Charles were likewise shocked and fearful, which besides Hank included Ororo and Logan.

"What does this mean, Charles? What has happened to Jean?", Logan questioned impatiently, urgency and worry in his tone.

The older mutant had a special soft spot for the younger generations, sympathizing with their plight as he had experienced firsthand how nightmarish it could be to grow up as a mutant.

"Jean's mental signature seems to have changed. The frequency and intensity of her brain waves are something even Cerebro can't get a clear read on, what we see is just the absolute maximum output possible.", Hank announced, rapidly analyzing the data on different screens, "Something like this … I have never seen something like this, it shouldn't be possible."

"Professor?", Ororo addressed the quiet telepath again, her hand on his shoulder shaking him lightly to get his attention.

"Something has taken over Jean's mind.", Charles stated, "I don't know what, but it is a powerful entity that has been hiding in her mind for nearly a decade, maybe longer. The mental blocks I had installed to suppress it have failed."

"What are we waiting for then?! Hank start the jet, we have to go get her!", Logan called out, his violent impulses stirring at the thought of Jean being in danger as he saw her as someone under his protection.

"No, we can't. We are not its match as it stands.", Charles countered, "But maybe I can use Cerebro to help me enter its mind. Jean is still inside there somewhere, if I can find her we can fight this thing together."

Gritting his teeth, Charles didn't hesitate any longer. Ignoring the worried shouts, he did the only thing he knew could maybe avert the coming catastrophe, and with the help of Cerebro tried to enter the mind of the being that had taken over Jean.

What he didn't expect was that he felt basically no resistance as he tried to do so, before a moment later his mind was pulled into a dimension of pure fire, cascading flames attacking him from all directions as an ethereal voice echoed in his mind.

"If you survive this, let this be a lesson in humility, mortal."

…

"Professor!", Ororo called out in fright, as she saw the aged telepath seizing up in his wheelchair, blood running out his nose, ears, and eyes.

Hank and Logan were equally worried, though their concerned words were drowned out by a deep rumble that went through Cerebro the next moment, before all of a sudden a storm of fire erupted inside the spherical extra-sensory-perception device.

Having a malicious will of their own, the flames ripped into the machine, destroying its internal workings as the three of them tried to flee the room. Hank carried the Professor while Logan went forward and used his body to shield them from any parts and shrapnels that targetted them.

Ororo meanwhile had summoned wind and rain, pushing away the destructive flames that threatened them from all sides, wreaking havoc on her surroundings like only an Omega-level mutant could.

Finally, they made it out of the device, albeit bloodied, the door closing behind them, separating them from the raging blaze inside.

"What the hell just happened?!", Logan questioned loudly, his bloodied wounds and burns healing at a speed visible to the naked eye, though he received no answer.

"We have to get the Professor into the medical ward!", Hank urged, not stopping for even a moment as he carried the still unconscious and bleeding telepath down the hallway.