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Life of X – part 3
The Astral plane:Old Man Logan is scaling an icewall, recalling how in his timeline he was tricked into murdering all the X-Men. Now he is here having taken his younger self’s place. The X-Men treated him kindly like one of theirs, giving him every chance to be a hero. All the while, he can see their blood on his hands.
Logan falls, not reaching the top where several Samurai patiently stand. He takes the place of their Wolverine but he can never be Wolverine again. There is no more saving the day. For him, the day was lost a long time ago. He begins to climb again.
London:Several police helicopters circle the Shard. A voice from a ‘copter orders Psylocke, Bishop and Angel to cease all use of meta-human abilities, drop their weapons and lie down with their hands on their heads.
Psylocke reminds her teammates that she cannot break the connection or the others will be trapped on the astral plane. That’s not their only problem, Bishop observes when he looks at their unconscious friends. Beast just turned into Mystique.
The voice from the helicopter continues that aggression of any kind will be met with immediate deadly force.
Angel asks what they should do. Bishop rhetorically asks if there is any chance their guys will beat the Shadow King in the next sixty seconds. Are they even close? Betsy doesn’t know. She thinks they have split up. Their signals are confusing. Pain, fear, confusion, even joy. One of them is just resolve. Bishop figured that has to be Logan and tells her to hold steady. He and Angel will figure something out.
Angel, however, has already flown up to the helicopter. With a broad smile, he assures the men they can explain everything. He knows things look bad right now but they could be so much worse.
Is it him or does that sound like a threat? Commander Keene, back at the Ministry of Defense, asks. Blake agrees. Keene asks if Worthington has no further powers. Blake points out that he has another form – Archangel - that is a force to be reckoned with, but in Angel’s case that statement is correct. Keen gives the order to take Worthington out.
The Astral Plane:Logan has finally climbed up the ledge. A moment later, the Samurai waiting there attack him.
However, Logan simply refuses to believe this… and they disappear. He addresses Farouk. He ain’t gonna get pulled into any of his lies. He’s coming for him.
Farouk admits to Xavier that this Logan is formidable. He understands this place. He is almost impressed. In the astral plane, your weapon isn’t your claws but your will.
Logan goes through further scenarios and refuses to believe them. Whether it is his being a child and the murder of his first love Rose, being attacked by Sentinels or the death of his family. Logan has built himself a simple reality of only two elements. The fortress of his enemy, and the path leading there. Each step brings him closer. He holds these two things in his mind. Maintains them against every assault. The temptations, the distraction. He didn’t have to make it cold though. He chose to. That’s another of his little tricks. Logan wants to win. But he needs to suffer. How is he doing this? Farouk marvels.
Finally, the path brings Logan to Xavier, who addresses him they must talk. They don’t have much time. Nope, Logan once more announces and walks past him. Xavier considers this.
Yes! he replies and strikes Logan down with a telepathic blast. How? Logan asks. He is not real. Xavier is dead!
Xavier assures him he is as alive as anything can be in this place. He’ll keep knocking him down if he must, but he would prefer to talk. The world is ending, only the X-Men can save it. Yeah? Logan asks looking at the tower in the distance he has been trying to reach. No #/&%, Charles!
Reality:While Angel tries to talk with one of the soldiers, another gets the order to subdue him. A net is thrown at him and his wing is shot at. Why did they do that? he shouts in disbelief. His skin begins to turn blue and the defense ministry fears they are going to lose every man up there. However, Angel calms himself. His skin turns pink again. He forgives them, he announces with a smile. They are not trying to hurt anyone. They are trying to save everyone, he explains. So let’s try this again. He’ll get into the helicopter and be their hostage, while they send someone down to the roof. Psylocke can explain what is happening. Don’t they think that’s better than everyone shooting each other?
On the roof, Bishop wonders what Angel is doing there.
The Astral Plane:He realizes their intentions were good, Professor X criticizes, but them coming to the astral plane just gave the Shadow King five new ways of getting out. They aren’t strong enough. They are already falling victim to Farouk’s illusions. If they do, they’ll be his pawns back on Earth. He needs him to…
You knows something? Logan interrupts. Back where he came from, he was trapped on the Astral Plane once, for twenty years. Learned his share of tricks. Fought the Shadow King the whole time, and then he killed him, he grins.
Impatiently, Xavier replies that they don’t have twenty years. The Shadow King he fought then isn’t the one he is fighting now. He’s boosted his powers somehow and is on the verge of escaping into the real world. If that happens, darkness everywhere. Logan needs to trust him.
Trust him? Logan laughs. Back where he came from, Xavier wasn’t all that trustworthy, and just so he knows, he killed him too. Cut his head clean off. Why would he tell him that? Xavier demands. Because he ain’t telling him anything, Logan scoffs. He’s talking to Amahl Farouk, Logan insists and he wants to let him know he’s coming.
Xavier patiently explains that Farouk can’t hear them; he is maintaining an illusion. When Farouk looks into this reality, he sees Logan battling Mr. Sinister. But he cannot trick him for long. They must act. Take it easy, dead man, Logan scoffs. He’ll see him soon.
He’s sorry. He can’t let him do that. Xavier rises from his wheelchair and dons psi-armor. Logan may not believe in him, but Xavier believes in Logan. He pierces his shoulder with his psychic blade. Logan attacks.
Xavier figures that, in his heart, Logan believes he is ruined beyond redemption. Useless. Xavier essentially freezes Logan in his attack, figuring he has a great many uses.
The Shadow King sees Logan fighting Sinister and states he has him now. Xavier admits he feared something might happen. Logan is violent and cruel. Violence is his drug. Farouk notices Xavier’s hand is wrinkled. Xavier reminds him how hard it is to play against him. Farouk tells him not to overexert himself – it is only a game. He is surprised at Xavier’s equanimity. Xavier replies if one has to go, it might as well be that pretender. After all, he isn’t his Logan.
Reality:Angel has given up himself as a hostage in the helicopter, while superintendent Blake is on the roof and demands what’s going on. Psylocke and Bishop bring him up to speed. He points out that, from his perspective, it looks like they’ve attacked London. What they are saying might be true but it looks like the cure is worse than the disease.
Suddenly, he begins to spit blood, his chest impaled by claws. He doubts that very much, Logan, overtaken by the Shadow King, opines.


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Life of X – part 4
London, atop the Shard:Possessed by the Shadow King, Old Man Logan is about to kill members of the ministry of defense. Angel watches helplessly. Bishop knows he is outclassed as well. Psylocke might be able to do it. But she is using her power elsewhere and cannot spare any energy to stop Logan. She pleads with Bishop when she hears a familiar telepathic voice calling her name. She is confused, as Professor X is supposed to be dead. Dead but not gone, he tells her. Listen and survive…
Logan races toward Bishop, shouting it’s the end of the world. Not yet, Bishop replies and fires at him.
The soldiers try to secure the injured superintendent Blake.
Xavier urges Psylocke to take up the fight telepathically. She is the only one who can. Betsy points out that, if she does so, she will leave the others stranded on the Astral Plane. They already are, he replies but offers to take up a part of the burden of maintaining the link. That will free her to fight Logan (who has just cut Bishop).
Betsy is hesitant, fearing a trap. Xavier understands but warns that Logan will be finished with Bishop in seconds and then he will come for her.
It’s the end of the world! Logan repeats and tosses Bishop through one of the glass panes outside.
Xavier asks Psylocke to choose: stand here trembling like a cow in the slaughterhouse or fight. Psylocke attacks Logan with some fast ninja moves, mocking him as an old man. He is not old! the Shadow King possessed Logan snarls. He is eternal! He slices her thigh and she goes down. He wanted her mind but he will settle for her body, he leers. That’s alright, Farouk, she replies and energy flares around her. He wants her mind? He can have it. She tosses Logan outside the building .
The Astral Plane:Fantomex and Mystique are in a luxury apartment, sipping champagne. What is this? Fantomex asks critically. Krug private Cuvee, she replies. Not the most expensive champagne ever made, but close. She’s only tasted it once, back in the real world. But here that doesn’t matter. She can have as much as she wants.
Not the champagne, he clarifies, although it is lovely. What is this place? An apartment she once had in Madripoor back in the 20ies. She loved it. Wonderful time to be a criminal. He has no doubt, Fantomex agrees. Next time he gets caught up in a time travel caper, he’ll do his best to end up in the Jazz Age. But perhaps he does not make himself clear. They are still in the astral plane. They came in with Logan, Rogue and that lying thief Gambit. They separated when the Shadow King presented them with three ever so mysterious doors. He expected some sort of hellscape built from his fears, not a palace in the sky.
Mystique gets up, her clothes changing from her practical suit to a light frock 20’s style. The Astral Plane is whatever you want it to be. She wants it to be this. Farouk will find them eventually. She can feel him sniffing around this fortress even now. Then, certainly pain, agony, terror. But until then… Mystique takes another sip. She intends to thoroughly enjoy herself.
Reality:Bishop is falling, taking a fall that would kill most men. Bishop focuses changing the kinetic energy the fall has built in his body. To light energy, to sonic energy, all of his movement bled away, bit by bit. As he does this, he slows down. And he lands, a falling leaf. He looks up to see Logan falling as well. He could do the same thing for Logan. He raises his hands and decides not to. Logan lands hard. Bishop announces that Farouk will heal but it will take its time and in the meantime they will lock him up, so why doesn’t he leave the body and…
That moment, the helicopter strafes Logan with machine gun fire and Bishop concedes he might not heal from that.
The Astral Plane:Rogue and Gambit are in a whirlpool. Rogue is relaxing and moans she needed that. He agrees, carefully reaching out to touch her. It’s been too long. He takes he hand. As her power comes into effect, she shouts ‘no’ and draws back. Gambit assures her it’s all right. He didn’t feel anything. He amends that isn’t right. He felt plenty.
She reminds him of the danger of the Shadow King giving them what he thinks they want. Putting them together in that sexy damn hot tub, half-naked and letting them touch without her stealing his lifeforce. Doesn’t he see? It’s just another trap! So? he replies after a moment’s consideration.
Reality:One of the agents and Angel stare down from the Shard’s top to where the possessed Logan was shot. Angel orders the agent to get his men out of there. He aims his gun at Angel, who explains that the man he thinks they just killed? He doesn’t die.
Logan gathers himself up, screams and uses a bus to jump at the helicopter. Angel flies downward and tackles him. They crash through windows and land in a department store. A worried woman asks Logan if he is alright. The Shadow King replies they are going to be great friends and possesses her and the other people.
On the Astral plane:Rogue tries to impress the severity of their situation on Gambit. If they lose themselves in the Shadow King’s reality, he will steal their souls. Gambit retorts he is not suggesting they conjure up a priest and get married. He knows they got work to do. And he knows it’s unfair to sit back while the others try and save the day. But the opportunity! He presses on.
Elsewhere, Fantomex and Mystique aren’t in a hurry to save the day either, first enjoying a luxury dinner then an outing at the beach.
Rogue agrees but isn’t willing to go on that merry-go-round with him again. They’ve tried so many times. It just doesn’t work and every time they fail it tears out her heart!
Remy reasons that either this is a Shadow King trap or they conjured up this place and turned off their powers themselves… but this must be what they want! And then they go save the day? she asks holding his hand. And then they go save the day, he promises. Let’s just steal this moment, he suggests and leans in for a kiss.
Elsewhere, Fantomex and Mystique have fun at the beach, then they kiss passionately. This was different than the last time, Fantomex remarks. This time she isn’t pretending to be Psylocke, Mystique suggests. So this is Raven Darkholme herself? he flirts. Who is such a creature? he wonders.
Gambit still leans in for a kiss with closed eyes. When nothing happens, he opens them and finds himself alone
Rogue, as well as a severely underdressed Fantomex and Mystique, find themselves with Xavier. After he dresses them in their uniforms, he announces yes it is him, this is still the astral plane and it is not the Shadow King’s trap. Please save their question until they have time. Rogue refuses to wait and demands where Gambit is. Ah, Gambit, Xavier sighs. He’s sorry. He tried. He couldn’t save Gambit.
Reality:Gambit awakes with black eyes…


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Life of X – part 5
On the astral plane, Professor Xavier has just gathered Rogue, Mystique and Fantomex and told them he couldn’t save Gambit. Rogue demands to know what he means by that. Xavier corrects himself: he didn’t save Gambit. Instead, he saved all of them. Rogue continues to protest but Xavier cuts her off. While he is talking with them, he is also sitting with the Shadow King, enduring his gloating. For the villain believes he has won, now that he has taken both Logan and Gambit to his side of the board. He is also maintaining secondary realities for each of them (Mystique and Fantomex are having fun together, Rogue is battling the Brood), so the Shadow King doesn’t notice this. He is engaged in a psychic battle with Logan on multiple levels, and other things besides (namely having a private chat with Fantomex) His skill and the astral plane let him do all this, but it takes his toll. He looks at his burned hand. He had to let Gambit go. Less weight for him to carry and something to split the Shadow King’s focus… to give Xavier more room to move.
But where is he? Rogue demand. Xavier replies his mind is here trapped with Logan. They are both literally trapped in the Shadow King’s spiderweb. And in the real world, they are the Shadow King’s instruments. He can’t save them. He can’t even save himself. That task falls to them. Surprise, surprise, Mystique mocks.
Reality:London:The soldiers of the Ministry of Defence want to shoot Gambit. Psylocke steps between them and points out that Gambit can’t help himself. She asks them to let her help. He appreciates the offer, the possessed Gambit replies, but he can take care of himself. Gambit charges the entire rooftop then jumps away to higher ground. The rooftop detonates and Gambit works his way up to the helicopter also belonging to the MOD. He is inside before the soldier can cut the ropes.
In the meantime, Psylocke has saved the soldiers on the roof and her unconscious teammates in a telekinetic bubble and sets them all down on another rooftop. When they want to arrest her, she becomes annoyed and drops their guns with a sweep of her telekinetic katana.
Gambit throws the soldiers out of the helicopter, keeping only the pilot whom he orders to fly to a certain place. As incentive, he charges up the poor man’s helmet.
The Astral Plane:Xavier informs the others it’s getting bad out there. They should hurry. He died but that was not the end. Bored, Mystique reminds him they are mutants. If they know anything, it’s that. She suggests he skip ahead but Xavier snaps they need to understand the narrative or none of what he asks them to do next will make any sense.
He died. An agonizing fall into darkness. And then it became darker still. Somehow, the Shadow King collected his spirit and brought it to the astral plane. Charles bested him long ago. He has taken every opportunity since to torture Charles and those he cares for. Immediately, a battle began, limited only by their imagination.
In the meantime, Xavier is secretly conversing with Fantomex. Charles begins that he doesn’t know Fantomex well, but he knows his story and considers him an ally. If he’d ever wanted to, Charles would have gladly welcomed him into the X-Men. Fantomex corrects Xavier he does not know him. If he does good, he does it because in the end it is good for him. Charles recalls this is the identity they coded into Fantomex at Weapon Plus. The thief with a heart of coal. Not just a thief, Fantomex insists. A criminal through and though. A killer even. Very frightening, Xavier remarks unimpressed. Before he died, he spent much of his life as a teacher. And if there is one thing teachers believe, it is this: no one ends where they begin.
Xavier tells the others how he and Farouk battled across many battlefields, first using emotions, later sensations, later stories, which is where they come in as chess pieces.
On their private level, Fantomex muses he has tried to become something else, but he always switches back to the… default setting. The debonair deadly thief. The role he was designed to play. Even this silly dette d’honneur with Gambit… He does not truly care if he pays him at all. It is just a game to him, the sort of thing he is supposed to do. Weapon Plus also gave him illusion powers to aid in his mission. He often thinks how fitting this is. Everything about him is an illusion. He creates a tiny illusion of him dancing with his bride then destroys it. He isn’t even French!
Xavier points out he has had many students like him who believed their lives were fixed… that there was no possibility of change. They all found new paths. So can he. Fine, he’ll bite, Fantomex sighs. How? Charles warns him it won’t be easy, but on the astral plane a moment can last a thousand years. He gets up and walks away with him. Here they have all the time in the world…
Elsewhere:Charles explains to the others how their battles seemed to last a thousand years. But over the time he came to understand Farouk and began crafting plan to beat him. But for that he needs them and now time is running short. He is about to be engulfed by blackness. He clads his X-Men in psychic armor and warns them things are about to get much worse.
Reality:London:Angel and Bishop have tracked the possessed Logan to a ruined building. Bishop decides he has to go in. Suddenly, Gambit appears behind him and asks what this mess is. Bishop is surprised. And Gambit quickly explains that Psylocke pulled him out. She’d said things had gotten bad here.
Bishop tries to explain the situation. That moment, Gambit touches him and uses the Shadow King’s psychic energy to possess Bishop. He acts so fast Bishop doesn’t have the time to shift the energy with his power.
Angel appears above them and orders Gambit to let Bishop go. Gambit mocks Angel is a pacifist these days. What is he going to do, flap his wings real hard? Muss Gambit’s hair? He throws a kinetically charged card at Warren seemingly scaring him off then orders Bishop to come along. He has some new friends to meet.
All around Logan the possessed people are chanting set me free. This should be enough, Gambit and Logan decide, completing each other’s sentences They order the others to go forth and multiply. Warren watches from above and contacts Psylocke describing how this contagion seems to be spreading by touch.
At the Ministry of Defence, Commander Keene watches in horror and gives orders to prepare to sterilize the site. His assistant reminds Commander Keene he is talking about a big part of London. He reminds her of what happened. They followed the protocols - now a large number of their people are dead or missing and a level four psychic threat has been unleashed. It would be brutally irresponsible to sit back and hope the mutants put everything right. The mutants have powers. But that doesn’t make the humans their victims. Acting now could save the world. Waiting could doom them. This is his duty!
Near the Shard, Psylocke telepathically contacts Angel. This all started because then Shadow King took Logan and Bishop. He can stop them. Angel doesn’t see how. Yes, he does, she replies. He panics. If he lets Archangel out and he tastes blood, it will never end. He is an Apocalypse Seed!
She reminds him she has helped him before to put Archangel in. They can do it together. Just like old times, he agrees. His eyes begin to glow and the change starts as he announces, if she saves him, he will save them!


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Life of X – part 6
London:The citizens are in a zombielike state, chanting ‘set me free’, as the Shadow King is about to break free from the Astral plane. Horrified, Psylocke realizes they have lost.
The Astral Plane:The Shadow King exclaims that he wins, and then adds to his opponent, Charles Xavier, whether there was ever any doubt. Probably not, Xavier agrees. He will be leaving soon, Farouk announces. He has new games to play out in the world. Xavier will stay here, of course, but he will build him a pleasant reality to inhabit before he goes. Charles has earned it.
Xavier retorts that he appreciates that, but there is a matter to address before they go. He refers to Rogue, Fantomex and Mystique. Their roles in their game aren’t complete. The Shadow King off-handedly replies that he doesn’t need them. As a gift, he will honor their original agreement. Xavier may kill them however he wishes.
He gloats that Charles never really had a chance. He added a little extra this time. Did he notice? Xavier points out that he seemed more powerful than usual. Farouk explains he found a power source. Long forgotten, he thinks. Dark, confused, sad, quite wonderful. Turns out it was the key to everything.
The chained Xavier looks up. So he is saying he cheated. He supposes he did, Farouk gloats. He is quite sorry, old friend, but all’s fair. As black energy tendrils envelope Xavier, he announces he expected no less. He asks Farouk not to concern himself. He cheated as well. That is the cue for the three psi-armored X-Men – Rogue, Fantomex and Mystique - to attack Farouk.
Reality:London:Xavier you bastard! the possessed Gambit and Logan swear. As a response, Logan gets hit by sharp flechettes, as Warren Worthington has finally let his Archangel persona out. “Gambit” remarks he was wondering if he would find the bravery to do so. It wasn’t bravery, is Archangel’s reply. It was inevitability. He attacks “Gambit,” warning there is nothing he can do. That too is inevitability. Throwing his charged up knives at him, “Gambit” announces he is not so sure.
At the Ministry of Defense, those events are observed. Commander Keene gives orders to accelerate the drop of the bomb planned in ten minutes. The psychic manifestation is spreading faster than expected. If things accelerate they will have to destroy all of London. They need to sterilize the location now! His assistant protests they still have assets in the danger zone. He gives orders to transmit the evac code.
The agents sitting on a rooftop tied with telekinetic shackles get the message that Clean Room protocol has been activated. They ask Psylocke to let them go without mentioning any reason. She asks what Clean Room protocol means. When they play dumb, she reads their minds and swears.
The Astral Plane:Xavier orders his X-Men to attack and muses that these three are the best of all his X-Men for fighting in a place like this where reality shifts. Rogue becomes someone new with every touch. Mystique becomes someone new with every whim, and Fantomex – the man of illusion. These three are fluidity itself. Not like Logan with his grief and self-control and codes. He knows himself all too well. Or Gambit. So ensconced in the glamor of being King of the Thieves, he won’t allow himself to become anything else. Bishop, Archangel and Psylocke are also too controlled and rigid. They could not fight the Shadow King here. But they all have their roles to play. How fortunate that these were called.
He orders them to hold nothing back. Farouk’s mind is fractured with keeping himself on the Astral Plane, spreading his filth through the people of London trying to build a large enough psychic presence to escape, maintaining his hold on Gambit and Logan and finally of course keeping Xavier chained. Of these, his attention is least focused on Xavier. He had stopped fighting long ago. As the shade he was, Farouk knew Xavier did not have the power to escape. Not without his X-Men. But that means Farouk slackened his grip on him and does even more so with being distracted by the battles.
Xavier breaks free and joins the attack. His reign is ended, he tells the astonished Farouk. This was never a game. Not to him! Xavier announces as he beats him with psychic weapons, You liiiieeed! is the Shadow King’s last protest as he fades away.
The X-Men’s psychic armor fades away and Rogue asks if he is dead. Yes, Xavier replies, it’s over. And now the final piece, he decides.
Reality:Archangel is flying down to attack the possessed Logan and Gambit, who warn him that killing them will accomplish nothing. However, a moment later, Xavier has severed the Shadow King’s connection with them. They just realize what’s going on when Archangel is upon them.
At the Ministry of Defense, the sergeant still tries to talk Superintendent Keene out of destroying London.
In London, Gambit tries to talk Archangel out of attacking Logan, sees it is no use and charges up his cards.
Elsewhere, Fantomex announces it’s okay. It’s what he wants.
Suddenly, Archangel hears Psyocke’s telepathic voice. She orders him to focus, then informs him she cannot sense the Shadow King. This area seems to be clear. Archangel observes there are still people on the streets who seem to be possessed. There is a kind of energy around them. Psylocke agrees.
Elsewhere, Fantomex announces that this might be good for him. His identity. What do people know about him, after all? Nothing very nice. Murderer, thief, liar… the Weapon Plus boys designed him to be thoroughly awful. He thinks most would say they succeeded beyond their wildest expectations.
London:Set me freee the possessed people chant moving against the police. There are energy tendrils around them. Psylocke explains she is going to stop the infection but she reveals the coming bomb and asks Archangel to stop the planes without killing anybody.
Elsewhere, Fantomex continues. You do something big enough - good or bad - and it takes everything away. This they will never forget.
London:Betsy looks into the sky agitated. It’s all right, a new voice tells her. Everything will be fine. It’s Fantomex. Surprised, she states she never pulled him out of the Astral Plane. He is back, he replies, but he is not Fantomex. He does something Fantomex would never do. He takes off his mask revealing a smiling face under shortly cut light brown hair. He is Charles Xavier. But she can call him X.


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A Man Called X – part 1
London, atop a rooftop:Psylocke, Rogue and Mystique suspiciously face the man in Fantomex’s body, who claims to be Professor Xavier. With a broad smile, he announces he knows what they are thinking. What is he going to do next? He promises they’ll get there, but first he wants to thank them. He couldn’t have done it without them.
Cautiously, Rogue demands what the hell did he do, calling him “Xavier.” He asks her to call him X. He’s not sure he wants to go with the esteemed Professor Charles Francis Xavier just yet. Doesn’t feel right. He knows they have questions and he’ll answer them in time. The main thing is that he’s back. Reborn. But like most births it couldn’t have happened without pain. It’s not easy to save the world.
In the air, Warren Worthington in Archangel form flies to stop the jets with the bombs, while on the ground X-Men and normal people still seem to be possessed. Archangel slices through the tail of one plane but the other pilots intends to drop the bomb on the infected. Archangel turns toward the second fighter.
That moment, X telepathically contacts him. He thanks him, though he doesn’t know if Warren hears him, since that thing in him has taken over. He wouldn’t be here without his help and so he wants to give him a gift.
The jet drops the bomb.
X fixes Archangel so that Warren’s personality is in control. Warren realizes he now has Archangel’s power but not the rage. X calls it his gift to him and reminds him they are running out of time. Archangel dives after the bomb, grabs it, throws it upward and then loosens his flechetes to destroy it.
At the Ministry of Defence, the sergeant tells Commander Keene they are scrambling another bomber flight but it won’t be ready until in ten minutes. He replies that is too late. The madness is spreading and has already overwhelmed the cordons. Soon it will engulf the whole city. The bomb was their one chance to stop it and they failed. The mutants won.
An image of X appears. Keene says that like it’s a bad thing, X remarks. Keene draws a gun on him and X chides him for being ridiculous. He assures him he is not here to hurt them. In fact, he comes bearing gifts. Gifts? Keene spits. Like what’s infecting London?
X points out that wasn’t him or his X-Men. The Shadow King set that loose. He was awful, to be honest. But he killed him dead. That’s his thing, really. He’s a problem solver. He’ll pull the infection from everyone’s mind, gather it together, until he can dispose of it. That’s gift number one. On the screen, they can see green energy rising from the infected. There… there’s another? Keene stammers. X replies they all work too hard. They need a rest. When they wake up, they won’t remember any X-Men in London. That’s his second gift, happiness. After all, ignorance is bliss.
This will all be over soon, X promises the X-Men, but Mystique isn’t having it. As far as she is concerned he may very well be one of the Shadow King’s tricks. X reminds her that he killed the Shadow King, and she helped. Did she? Mystique scoffs. She is starting to think she only helped him kill Fantomex.
X explains Fantomex stayed back on the astral plane. It was the only way. A trade… Fantomex for him. Did Fantomex have any say in this? Betsy demands. Absolutely! X claims. He saw it as a gift. It was his first gift, to thank him. He suggests she go to the Astral Plane and see for herself. He has things handled here.
Psylocke asks Rogue to watch X and concentrates.
The Astral Plane:To her astonishment, she finds a beautiful mansion surrounded by a peaceful park with flowers in bloom everywhere. Bonjour, Fantomex greets her. What was it she said? He recalls: She wouldn’t trust him to water her plants, let alone save the world? Look at him now!
Betsy carefully points out that X took his body. That means Fantomex is stuck here forever. Was that really his choice? He was nothing out there, Fantomex explains. Bouncing from one misdeed to the next. Thieving, whoring, killing, a beast really. Whereas Charles Xavier is a great man. Many would pick him to live over Fantomex, given the choice. Well, he was given the choice, and it turns out he is one of the many.
Betsy points out that Xavier might have psychically manipulated him into making that choice. Fantomex considers this, then states he does not know if freeing Xavier was the choice he made, but it was the choice he should have made. He can live with that. Besides, it’s beautiful here. The Shadow King turned the Astral Plane into a place of darkness. He thinks he can fill it with light. He asks her to visit some time. See if he manages it. Betsy hesitates then agrees; maybe she will. She wishes him good luck. Fantomex kisses her hand and thanks her.
Reality:The now freed Gambit and Logan stand near London Bridge and watch the energy globe in the sky. Neither of them has seen anything like that before. And they doubt it is anything good.
A little later, Archangel hovers in front of them. Gambit points to his eyes, explaining that they are no longer possessed by Farouk. Logan warns him he ain’t listening. Warren’s gone - that’s all Archangel. Get ready to fight! Didn’t go so well last time, Gambit reminds him. Any tips? That’s the angel of death, Logan remarks. No tips. Just survive.
Actually, he’s got a tip, Archangel announces. Maybe they could both just chill out!
They realize he is in control of himself now, though Logan doesn’t trust him and demands an explanation. Angel recalls, someone talked in his head and calmed him down. He claimed to be Xavier. Gambit unnecessarily points out that Cyclops killed Xavier. Logan muses that he saw something that said it was Xavier on the Astral Plane. He figured it was one of the Shadow King’s tricks.
Warren reveals that it felt like the professor… but young. Maybe thirty. Gambit suggests Xavier’s son David Haller aka Legion. Angel retorts he knows Legion. Didn’t feel like him.
Logan insists they rejoin the others. He is suspicious. Gambit muses that maybe it is the Professor. He beat death once or twice before, as he recalls. Logan states they still have to check him out. He reveals he died about a hundred times. He never came back the same…
Bishop stands amidst people on the street staring at the bright green energy globe in the sky. Access end time database, he orders and dictates “green sun over London.”
On the roof, Psylocke has returned to her body and X states she has seen that Fantomex is happy. Maybe for the first time in his life. He has a purpose. It was the least he could do, for giving him his life back.
Rogue asks what happened to Gambit. X reveals he is coming now with Warren and Logan. Now, if they can just find Bishop… he as gifts for all of them. They did so much for him…
In the meantime, his database informs Bishop that a green sun over London in the early 21st century is an inciting event of the Mindkiller Apocalypse. Results in sterilized Earths in 97 percent of the timelines in which it occurs.
X continues that he is almost done purging the Shadow King’s infection. He had to make some hard choices, but now that he is here, he has to say it was all… What? He breaks off. The green sun turns brighter.
Psylocke also feels the energy is familiar. They all know it, Mystique states. Xavier didn’t just bring himself back from the dead…
The energy coalesces into a humanoid green energy figure on the ground. “Am I free?” it asks.
Death came with him, Mystique spells out. That’s Proteus!


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[Assistant]
A Man Called X – part 2
London:A greenly, glowing being of energy, Proteus floats in the sky, announcing he is so happy. He’s never felt joy like this. Like the sun is shining through him. No, like he is the sun – finally free!
If only he weren’t so hungry. He lands and looks at a bus full of people.
The X-Men are standing on a rooftop. Rogue asks X rhetorically to please tell her he didn’t just bring Proteus back from the dead. The former Professor Xavier dodges the question, stating if he did it wasn’t his intention. The Shadow King must have been using shards of Proteus’ soul to create a feedback loop. It nearly ripped a hole between the Astral Plane and this world. If he’d known, he never would have—
Or maybe this was all part of his plan from the beginning, Mystique interrupts. They don’t know. They don’t know anything at all. Why are they even listening to this man? Does she think they should be listening to her instead of him? X challenges her. Not at all, she replies surprisingly. No one will ever trust her. But that’s the difference between them. She isn’t asking them to.
Psylocke asks them to stop bickering and reminds them they need to contain Proteus. For all they know, he’s already killed people. Taken their bodies for his own. Can they just set everything else aside until they stop him?
X agrees and believes he can fix this. She’s sure, Rogue replies sarcastically, and then that will make Apocalypse pop out of nowhere. Well, if he does, he’ll fix that, too! X snarls.
On the ground, Bishop calls the team: They have a problem.
Inside the building he is watching, Proteus has cornered a family. He promises he won’t hurt them, he’s just so hungry. He promises to take only a little…
The father gets in front of the kids, shouting to take him instead. Proteus thanks him and proceeds to do so.
That moment, Bishop enters and shoots Proteus. He orders the family to run. That moment, an astral image of X appears that orders him to stop. Having no idea who he is, Bishop refuses and fires at Proteus again.
X introduces himself and tells Bishop that his energy weapon is feeding Proteus, who is only vulnerable to metal. Firing a blast through X’s image, Bishop retorts he knows that. Proteus is all over his endtime database. He’s a disaster every time he pops up. He’s a monster. But if he’s eating this, he’s not eating people. Seems like a fair trade.
X continues that the only way to defeat Proteus is to keep him weak. That moment, the weapon flies out of Bishop’s hand and fires at Proteus, who happily sucks up the energy. Finally, there is a detonation and Bishop barely saves himself. Well done, X comments sarcastically. He’s sure, Bishop saved a lot of lives…
Not good, X tells the others on the rooftop, who are just joined by Gambit, Archangel and Old Man Logan. A relieved Rogue hugs Gambit and Psylocke asks Warren if he is okay, even as Archangel. He reveals that while he is not sure how X did it. For the first time, he is in control!
So, this new guy… Logan mutters. Right with him, Mystique replies. Give the word, she‘ll have his back. Raven Darkholme has his back? he snarks. What a world! She assures him she will stab it eventually. Maybe he will stab her first, is the reply. Is he flirting with her? Mystique demands. He hopes not, Logan states.
X insists they need to hit Proteus now, when he may still be disoriented from being reconstituted. Gambit asks where Fantomex is. Psylocke points at X, explaining this is Fantomex… or was… It’s Xavier now somehow. X corrects her; he is not Fantomex. His flesh was raw material for X’s return, that’s all. Gambit is disgusted and asks how Fantomex felt about that. X cuts him off that Fantomex agreed to remain on the Astral Plane and Pslyocke can vouch for that.
X continues that Bishop filled Proteus with energy His intentions were good but, if they don’t act now… Archangel interrupts: why is Proteus here at all? Because of him! Mystique points at X, who states it was accidentally while he was busy saving thousands of people from a brutal psychic infection. And if they stop asking so many questions, he will fix it!
No need, Logan states tight-lipped. He knows how to kill Proteus. Metal. He unsheathes his claws. He suggests Archangel can soften Proteus up with his metal feather things and he can do the rest. Warren is not so happy about the idea of murder. It’s not his only move. He knows what Proteus was, but he died. Do they even know he is the same person?
X agrees. He’d like to try something else first before they fight. He asks Psylocke for her strength. Betsy hesitates then gives him her hand.
The Proteus being is in Hyde Park, changing his surroundings with his reality warping power. He senses someone wanting to enter his mind and allows it.
Astral Plane / Proteus’ mindscape:Psylocke and X find themselves outside a medieval castle. On the turret stands a young redheaded man in a Scottish kilt. He welcomes them and introduces himself as Kevin MacTaggart. He acts very pleasant towards them and suggest they get the question out of the way. What question would that be? X demands. They’ll get to that, Kevin replies. First, tell him, do they think atonement is possible? That’s what they build prisons for. Or perhaps they exist to protect society from monsters! Betsy retorts.
Maybe, Kevin shrugs. Depends on whether you are an optimist or pessimist. He believes change is possible. That they all learn from experience. After all, when a baby hurts itself, say, when it touches a hot stove, it learns not to do it again quickly. Don’t they think the same is true for hurting other people? Once you see the pain, you understand it, you learn? Do they know how old he was during that nastiness on Muir Isle, the first time the X-Men encountered him? Ten years. He was a wee child! That’s all the life he had before their friend Colossus beat him to death.
That’s not possible! Psylocke insists. Oh, but it is, Proteus replies and creates images to underline his story. The day he was born, his mother Moira MacTaggart put him into a cage. Said it was to protect him, but in hindsight he is not so sure. Anyway, ten years later he escaped… tried to find his only other family, his father Joseph. And they probably know how that went. Smashed to nothing in Edinburgh by a big metal Russian. Sure, he popped up again here and there. That poor lad Gilbert Benson suffered for it. But really, it was just those ten years. That was all he had, and all of it but a few days in a cage! A poor wee child killed by the X-Men every time he tried to see a bit of the world.
The Shadow King got hold of his soul eventually. And he had him for what felt like ten thousand years on the Astral Plane. Bit longer than even him, eh, professor? That’s where he grew up. Can they imagine? Growing up with Amahl Farouk the only guiding light in the place. It wasn’t easy, but all that time let him understand what he did to those poor people, let him repent. Let him change.
He turns to Psylocke and creates an image of her original Caucasian body. She knows about change doesn’t she? Is she the same person she was when she started this mad journey?
Of course not, she replies. He repeats her answer. Life is change. Yet, they are here to hunt him, maybe kill him again. As far as they are concerned, he did one bad thing, he is bad forever. Doesn’t feel right to him, but they feel what they feel. His whole life has been cages. He will never let anyone put him in one again. If he gets attacked, he will defend himself. But that is all the X-Men or anyone else need worry about. Despite all they’ve done to him, no hard feelings. Leave him alone, he will leave them alone. Is that a threat? X interrupts. Of course it’s a threat, is the reply.
Proteus continues. So, here’s the question: Knowing that, knowing he let them come here and made no antagonist move, what will they do?
X creates two psychic guns and aims them at Proteus. What is he doing? Betsy shouts. What happened to ‘no bloodshed’? X insists they can’t take the chance! Proteus shrugs, apparently not surprised. He tried. X fires his guns.
A moment later, both he and Psylocke scream as they are hit and in the real world their bodies begin to merge to the shock of the other X-Men...


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[Assistant]
A Man Called X – part 3
London:Psylocke and X find themselves under attack by Proteus’ reality warping and are seemingly merged. Logan identifies this as a reality storm and Gambit notes it is spreading. How do they fight this?
Archangel reminds them that Proteus is vulnerable to metal. He and Logan enter the warped reality storm, where nothing makes sense, to draw X and Betsy apart. Archangel tries to appeal to Psylocke but she telepathically warns him to stay away. It is too dangerous. Nevertheless, he persists, drawing her away and promising to be her shelter as he protects them both with his metal wings.
Logan turns to Rogue to confirm that X is possessing Fantomex’s body. Since Fantomex had a healing factor, he stabs the changing X into the shoulder with a claw.
X is horrified. Logan explains that the only way to get Proteus out of him was getting metal into him. He will be all right. Fantomex has a healing factor. He’s got stuff in him to manage pain, too. Some nanocrap. Should kick in any second now. He withdraws the claws and blood spurts out of the wounds.
X sinks down to his knees, weakly, as he mumbles that he built a new body from Fantomex’s. He doesn’t have those things. He can’t heal. Psylocke puts him to sleep. The reality storm is over and they all look at the bleeding X. Oops, Logan comments.
Scotland, the village of Fetters Hill:Inside a pub, the mood is relaxed. Two men, Callum and Erroll, are flirting with the barkeeper Sophie when they are distracted by a green glow coming from outside. Erroll opens the door. Outside stands Proteus, composed of green energy. With a grin, he announces he is there to give them what they want.
As the X-jet leaves London, Rogue wistfully remarks that just once she’d like to leave a city the same way they found it. Gambit points out that people may not like the X-Men but they need them and would hate it if they didn’t intervene at all.
Mystique joins them and Gambit asks after the Professor. Mystique corrects him. She shifts to Xavier’s former form to make her point. This is Charles Xavier. The man in the med bay is X. They barely know him at all.
In the med bay, Bishop and Psylocke are checking on the sleeping X, who is being healed by the med bay. Bishop tells Betsy that they need to talk and asks if she is sure X is asleep. Betsy assures him he is and asks what they need to talk about. This. He shows her a tiny hologram of the green sun. Does she know what he spends most of his time thinking about? The end of the world, Betsy ventures. More like the ends, he corrects her. All the thousands of ways the world gets destroyed in the future. All the dead end paths. He’s seen the future. He knows their signposts, the early warning signs and he watches for them. He’s stopped so many. More than she’ll ever know. It’s like… a calling. His way to try to atone, he guesses. He keeps a database of those signposts. “Green sun over London” is one of them.
Betsy remarks it looks like when X brought Proteus back. He agrees. The inciting event to something called the Mindkiller Apocalypse.
Betsy presses for further details, but he explains he doesn’t have any. Records sometimes get really spotty after everything ends. You just get legends… folklore… the few big things people remember.
Betsy figures, if they don’t stop Proteus, it will mean the end. Bishop isn’t so sure. They’ve been a part of an event that destroyed part of London and now the authorities are just letting them leave. No requests for help or even an explanation. He looks down at X. Why does she think that is?
Logan enters asking Betsy if she has any idea which way they should go. Psylocke concentrates then senses they need to go north. Something is happening there.
The people of Fetters Hill are gathered before Proteus, who thanks them for letting him speak to them. This will be a bit of an experiment but he thinks it will be worth it. A test bed for something larger.
One of the men shouts that he told them he’d give them what they want. What does he mean by that? Exactly that, Proteus replies and offers to show. He asks a little girl Mary what she wants. She asks for a dog and, the next moment, holds one in her arms.
He’d like to begin now, Proteus announces. They have a great deal of work to do and the first thing is to make sure they aren’t disturbed. A wall grows around Fetters Hill. Next, he creates an army of knights to defend the wall.
The people ask if this is real. Everything is real and nothing is, Proteus replies. He doesn’t distinguish between what’s real and what’s not but between what he has brought forward and what not. Imagine a storage room with everything that could ever be or was or is. Sometimes you bring toys forth to play with them. Real is when you play with toys, not real is when they are stored away. He asks Errol, if he understands. He doesn’t. He’ll figure it out, Proteus replies and touches him. Erroll screams and energy rises from him… from them all.
On the X-Jet, X awakes screaming ‘no!’ Mystique isn’t pleased. Logan mutters he knew he barely stabbed him. X explains he was in Proteus’ mind before the reality storm. He knows what he is planning.
Fetters Hill:Proteus tells the people it’s time to begin. Within these walls he created, they can have anything. Think it and it’s theirs.
The X-Jet:X explains Proteus wants to bring the Astral Plane here. To have things work the same as they do there. Psylocke protests that that’s impossible. X replies, Proteus believes he has a way.
Fetters Hill:Proteus rushes the people to get going. He can’t wait to see what will happen.
The X-Jet:Gambit points out that they killed the Shadow King. He was the reason the Astral Plane was so awful, right? Mystique remarks that he didn’t do much to help, then calls him an idiot. Has he forgotten how the Astral Plane works? Whatever you want to be real is real, and there is nothing more dangerous than giving people what they want!
Fetters Hill:Errol turns to Callum and asks if he knows what he wants nearly every day? He wants her. Sophie. Which means he wants Callum gone. With that, Callum explodes…


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[Assistant]
A Man Called X – part 4
The X-jet flies over Scotland toward their goal. X warns the others that they are getting close to whatever Proteus did after he left London. He can sense it. Bishop wants a clearer definition of ‘it,’ but the non-psychic team members sense something as well. Like holding a hand over boiling water, but in his head, Gambit complains. Psylocke announces reality is frothing up there. Just a small area but, inside, reality’s structures are out of the window. Rogue sees the area and remarks they are expected, namely by flying dragons.
Bishop asks X whether he is able to fight, considering what Proteus did to him. X replies he will hold it together. The autodoc did its best. Logan gruffly tells him to cut the martyr bit. He barely stabbed him. X sarcastically muses that he didn’t know one could be ‘barely’ stabbed. Sure, if he is still alive after Logan did it, is the reply.
X asks if everyone’s clear on the plan. Mystique replies the plan is fine but reminds him that Psylocke is running the show, not him. Psylocke tells X that no one dies today, not unless they have no choice. X reminds her she can sense what happened in there like him. The whole town is psycho-reactive. If that gets out… He wished he had a nuclear bomb to drop on the place. And that is why he is not in charge, he is told. They save people, Betsy stresses. She’s assuming there is anyone left to save, is X’s terse reply.
They have reached what is left of Fetters Hill, now consisting of its inhabitants’ dreams and nightmares. And in the middle is the energy form of Proteus, announcing this is perfect. Even better, he states as he sees the X-jet. The X-Men are coming.
The defenders’ arrows fly toward the X-jet. Even as the X-Men wonder if this is real, the projectiles enter through the hull. Things get worse when a flying dragon breathes fire at them. Rogue tries to land the plane but all systems fail and the plane crashes.
Psylocke immediately cushions herself, Mystique and X with a telekinetic field while Archangel saves Bishop and Gambit, and Rogue and Logan make their way out some distance away.
Gambit’s group is threatened by a monster. Psylocke tells all of them to fight. The creatures are a manifestation of Proteus’ power. Destroying them will weaken him.
Mystique points out that, while she is not squeamish, what will that do to the people? X remarks that they are already dying in the walls. Their only hope is for them to end this quickly. Betsy adds they need to draw Proteus out. Force him to confront them directly.
Their plan begins to work. Proteus cannot fight them and maintain the wall. Suddenly, the defenders stop fighting, then the ground grabs and imprisons the X-Men.
Proteus announces that he just needed a little time. X demands to know what he has done to the townspeople. He gave them what they wanted, Proteus shrugs. They both were trapped on the Astral Plane for a long time. He is certain X has his theory for why it was like it was. A dark place, really. But that’s because it was shaped by one mind. The Shadow King wanted a hellscape, so that’s what the Astral Plane was. But he thinks there’s another way, that’s why he did his little experiment with the good people of Fetters Hill. Well, some good, some bad, but that’s the point. If you create a world using only one mind’s ideas, you get something twisted and stunted. But if you use many minds, all pushing and touching and shaping each other, you get a garden.
Logan snarls he killed them and threatens to tear Proteus apart. Proteus tells him to hush. He is talking to X. He thinks they could see eye to eye. Full of contempt, X spits he couldn’t be more wrong! With a crazy smile, Proteus points out that he didn’t kill anyone. If people died, it’s because they did it to each other with the power he gave them. Mostly, though, they are still alive. Just different. This is what they chose.
Anyway, he doesn’t want to talk about Fetters Hill. He wants to talk about Xavier’s dream. Xavier wanted to create a world where humans and mutants could peacefully coexist. Inherent was the assumption that the majority of people are innately good. That they can be brought past their prejudices. That they could see the potential in mutantkind and in themselves. Does he still believe in that dream? `
X stammers but asserts that he does. Then why does this frighten him? Proteus asks. If there are more good people than bad and, if he gives them the power to choose the world they want, then they’d find their way back to Eden.
X insists this isn’t the way. They wouldn’t have chosen this, if they’d known what it meant. That’s a matter of opinion, Proteus rejoins. He refuses to submit to the tyranny of reality and doesn’t think the world should either. Time to let his garden grow. With that, Proteus sends his seeds away.


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[Assistant]
A Man Called X – part 5
Scotland:The garden of Proteus. Growing in what was once the village of Fetters Hill…The minds of the 350 people who lived there its soil…Its fruit… reality.
Where the garden grows, nothing is fixed. What you think is. What you hope is. What you wish is. What you fear… is. Fetters Hill is no more. Only the garden remains. A gestalt of the villagers’ mindscapes, twisted and strange. This will be the fate of the world. Proteus has torn down the walls and urges his garden to grow. It will. For like any garden, it is full of seeds. And the seeds land in Edinburgh, Dublin, Copenhagen, Cairo, Philadelphia, Tokyo…
What has he done? X demands of Proteus. Isn’t it obvious? is the reply. He’s won! Take him! X orders telepathically and the X-Men free themselves and attack. Psylocke takes command, as the others asked her to. She tells them to do as they planned. Archangel fires his razor-sharp feathers at Proteus, making use of his one weakness – metal. Logan follows up with his claws.
X reminds Psylocke this is not their only battle. Betsy agrees. She can sense the reality sprouts growing all over the planet. She telepathically orders the rest to follow the battle plan and not to let up on Proteus. X and she are going to save the world.
Proteus shakes off Logan.
Psylocke and X link telepathically. The plan is to enforce one reality on the spots Proteus has seeded. The new gardens are still small. X surmises, they can use the surface tension of the world around them to push them back. Psylocke corrects X that they need to burn them out. X wants to say something but she reminds him to follow her lead. She needs his strength. She’ll decide how to use it. X acquiesces.
Logan takes Mystique into Proteus’ sphere as they chase him.
Inside his reality, Mystique points out that this is a town full of people. Not that she cares but normally he’d be moving Heaven and Earth to save them. There’s no Heaven, he replies, and he doesn’t know how often he has to tell them… he isn’t their Logan!
Proteus is hit by Archangel’s knives from the sky. Time for him to fall, Proteus announces. Proteus blasts him and Archangel watches in horror how his wings fall apart. He lands hard.
Psylocke shouts his name. X chides her, she can’t help him. They have to fight their own battle. They find, however, they can barely handle the reality seed causing havoc in Tokyo, let alone more than that. X has an idea: He reminds Betsy that, back when the Shadow King first attacked her, she could sense the network of psychics he was trying to access to leave the Astral Plane. If she could tap into that… use it here. Betsy agrees and tries.
An injured Proteus runs groaning this isn’t right, not fair!
Suddenly his mother, Moira MacTaggert, appears before him and agrees. It isn’t fair at all. He automatically assumes his human form. Cautiously, he states he saw her die. She reminds him she saw him die as well. But here they are. Angrily, he shouts Moira is dead and he is glad of it! She is Mystique or some other illusion! With a smile, she reminds him he created that garden so that dreams can come true. She walks closer. He’s trying to give that gift to the world. Who’s saying he can’t give it to himself?
He stammers that she put him in a cage. Treated him lie an animal! Didn‘t let him live. Made him feel like a monster. What did she think would happen to him? She hugs him and apologizes. He deserved better. He was just a child. Nothing he did was his fault. It was everyone else, never him. The hug becomes painful as she assures him he deserves this-- and so much more. Proteus screams in pain, then blasts her away, shouting she lied.
On the Astral Plane, X and Psylocke combine their powers and find their plan working. With this much power, they could do anything, X muses.
On the ground, Mystique (formerly Moira) looks on in horror as Proteus blasts Logan.
On the Astral Plane, Psylocke realizes something is wrong as X begins to smile evilly.
Gambit tells the crawling Proteus he looks hungry as he charges up a trace of oil next to him. Rogue tackles him to keep him away from Gambit. Proteus tries to drain her instead while she tries to absorb his powers in turn.
When she begins to be overwhelmed Bishop joins her, converting Proteus’ energy. Why won’t they ever let him live? Proteus cries. Rogue urges Bishop to do it, and he converts all of Proteus’ energy and lets it go.
No! Psylocke shouts as she sees what is happening to X. His head literally cracks apart and out of it crawls the Shadow King. Surveying the web they created, he grins that this will do nicely...


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Mindkiller
X lies passively on the ground, his head broken open as the Shadow King has burst out, now having a real body and enthusing about his world being real.
The X-Men stare at the villain in disbelief. Rogue states that they killed him on the Astral Plane. Mystique reminds her of the first rule of that damned place: Nothing on the Astral Plane is real. Gambit wonders how they can beat him. He killed X, who knew more about him. Claws unsheathed, Old Man Logan replies he doesn’t know how, but he has a pretty good idea how to start!
X passively watches the battle while believing it is not his concern.
When they attack, the Shadow King happily fights back, enjoying the reality of it all, though he takes note everything feels darker. There is so much pain… fertile soil…
X watches as the Shadow King hits them with despair, but the X-Men refuse to give up, and stand up. But then they kneel. Logan is hit by despair, recalling how he killed all his fellow X-Men. There is no redemption, he realizes. He should have done this long ago. He sticks his claws through his heart.
The others suffer as well. Only Psylocke still stands, her telepathy allowing her to fight back. Psychic sword in hand, she shouts, what did he do to them? He opened their eyes to the darkness in them. Happiness is a lie, life is a horror. The light is always dying all across the universe. The last star will flicker out sometime. When it does, all that remains is Shadow and he will be its King!
X realizes Psylocke will fight alone against him. For all the good it does her…The situation is worse. All across the world, the helpless Bishop’s computer detects nodules of unstable reality caused by Proteus’ growing seeds waiting for Farouk to take over. X no longer knows if he should have expected this or not.
A triumphant Farouk tells the attacking Psylocke she can sense it too, can’t she? All the reality gardens his pet Proteus has seeded are where he will establish his kingdom. He grabs her as he leers that she can sense every soul shouting their agony.
Bishop lies on the ground, helplessly musing that this is it. The Mindkiller Apocalypse. The end of the world. And he let it happen.
While Psylocke valiantly fights…
Gambit tries to kill himself by charging his cards…
Archangel tells himself he is a fallen angel, while Rogue and Mystique are drowning in all the identities they have had. Rogue prepares to absorb Mystique, figuring they should be no one together.
Archangel flies upward to hurl himself to the ground.
X lies motionless on the ground, witnessing their suffering. All is lost. Even Psylocke is falling. How did it come to this? he wonders. He had gifts for all of his X-Men. He planned to give them their greatest desires, in gratitude for bringing him back to life. Instead, he brought them only death.
One by one they fall.
No! He manages to move his feet. The X-Men do not give up! Mantra-like he repeats this sentence as he literally pulls himself together, fixes the damage the Shadow King breaking out of him did. The X-Men do not give up! They stand up! he announces. And he does. He psychically attacks Farouk. He is Charles Xavier! He is the X-Men!
Psylocke asks how he can be alive. Later, he tells her. He will handle the Shadow King. She has to save the world. Psylocke doubts they can do it alone. X corrects her: they won’t be alone. They have every psychic in the world. Betsy reminds him they tried to create a network and that gave the Shadow King more power. He tells her they need to go deeper. Before they took power. This time they will ask. She doesn’t know how. He takes her hand. Let him show her. No, let him teach her. And suddenly they both sense all the world’s psychics.
Psylocke glows with energy and he tells her to use it, which she does.
What has he done? the Shadow King screams. Suddenly, the villain finds himself tiny as an ordinary spider. X tells him goodbye before squashing him with his boot.
Psylocke frees all the X-Men from his influence, reaches out and destroys Proteus’ gardens.
X picks up the tiny spider. Revolting, he comments and throws it into the blackness where it dissolves.
He thanks Psylocke for saving them all. She demurs. They all did it. Is he Xavier now? she asks. Still X, he replies What he’s seen, been… is X. But he is fully himself. Whatever shadow was in him is gone now.
The other X-Men are skeptical, even when Psylocke vouches for X, pointing out she doesn’t sense the Shadow King. X understands their paranoia. They were soaked in the Shadow King’s darkness, after all. It leaves a stain. He knows. But he said he had gifts for all of them and so he does. He reaches out telepathically.
He gives Warren the choice to be Archangel, Angel or just Warren… as he chooses. He gives Gambit purpose. His debt to Fantomex remains unpaid. Find him and balance the ledger. He gives Mystique and Rogue certainty when it comes to the nature of their identities. He gives Bishop permission to, from time to time set, aside his endless vigil and be part of the world. He gives Logan vision. He can see the shadow stretching so far behind him but only because he is walking toward the light!
And to all of them he gives oblivion and lets them forget about him and what happened, but not to Psylocke. He needs her to remember, keep watch and keep him honest. Psylocke asks if all of this was his plan from the beginning, the price he was willing to make the world pay to return. He admits he doesn’t know. He would like to think he wouldn’t let innocents suffer. He wants to blame the Shadow King… but his soul held darkness long before he met Amahl Farouk. He’ll be pondering her question for the rest of his life.
Betsy has another question. That network they created contained so many psychics they don’t yet know. She suggests he could look for some of the stronger ones, bring them to the school.
But X doesn’t intend to return to the school. He is sure Kitty Pryde has things well in hand. The school was Professor Charles Xavier’s dream and, from what he can tell, the dream was achieved. There is nothing for him there. He is not Xavier. He is X. He has a new dream!


[User]
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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
First story: Until our Hearts Stop, part 1  -- Second story: Countdown to Extermination
First story:
Alex Summers a.k.a. Havok unleashes a powerful surge of energy up at a large monster that is currently terrorising the city. 'Even when I was little, I was never afraid of monsters' Alex thinks to himself, while shouting 'Fall down, dammit!' and decides that his lack of fear of monsters explains a lot about how he ended up in his chosen profession – facing down other people's fears is kinda what they do. He pours the energy on even harder, and the monster falls backwards into a building.
Havok leans forward, resting his hands on his knees to catch his breath, when suddenly, 'Oh, little X-Man, what the hell did you just do?' Iron Man calls out as he arrives on scene with several other Avengers – Captain America, Thor, Captain Marvel and Black Panther. 'Little late, guys. I already stopped the monster  from destroying the city' Havok calls back, motioning to the monster which has fallen to the ground.

'Oh, thank goodness Havok, the one-man army is here to make sure nothing was destroyed... except, ya know, that building you destroyed!' Iron Man shouts. 'What's your problem, Stark?' Havok snaps back. Iron Man flies over to Havok, and replies 'Where to begin? Had it not occurred to you that the reason the streets are clear was that we were taking care of it?' Iron Man asks. 'It had... not. Were you -' Havok begins, as Iron Man continues: 'Like, maybe the Avengers made a deal with Mole Man to peacefully relocate on his monsters that had grown too large?' 'Oh. Did that -' Havok remarks, as Iron Man's faceplate slides back, and Tony, beneath the armor, points out that it looks like they just broke their agreement with  him. 'I'm sure he'll handle that well. He usually does. Right, Panther?' Tony asks sarcastically.
'He does not' the Black Panther replies stoically. Havok suggests that if there is trouble, he would be willing to help. 'Maybe not' Tony Stark tells him, before asking if Havok isn't still a criminal who tried to kill everyone on the planet. 'Or am I misremembering?' he asks.
Captain America frowns and tells Iron Man to take it easy, that he will handle this. Cap takes Havok aside and tells him that he knows he has been through a lot lately, that his mind was twisted and he did some things that he is probably ashamed of. 'Exactly. That's why I want to get back out here and help people' Havok explains. Cap tells Havok that his heart is in the right place, but suggests that he maybe take some time out for himself first. 'That's the advice I'm getting from Captain America? Don't be a super hero?' Alex asks. 'Take time out to figure out what you need to do. When you know that, the rest of the world will accept it... or not' Cap tells Alex.
Meanwhile, in Durham, North Carolina, the diabolical Miss Sinister is in her lab, and remarks 'There are people who will tell you that being so determined to improve your body is a selfish act I don't think that's true. A woman sits strapped to a chair, crying, as Miss Sinister a.k.a. Claudine Renko, stands over her, holding two very sharp saw-type instruments. Miss Sinister tells the woman that what she is going to go through now is going to be incredibly painful – and maybe the pain will never go away – but when it is done, she will be something for all of humanity to enjoy. 'Please... no...' the woman utters as more tears stream down her face, and Miss Sinister holds one of the saws to the woman's forehead. 'Yes. And in the end, that's what you'll be remembered for. A true testament to my genetic engineer-' Miss Sinister begins, before there is an explosion, knocking her across her lab.
Miss Sinister lands n her feet and throws up a force field as someone shouts 'Sinister's not down! Keep firing!' Miss Sinister identifies the intruders as Reavers, and unleashes a power on them, causing one of them to scream as she boasts 'I'm going to take you apart piece by piece you insolent trash'. Miss Sinister asks the Reavers what made them think they could ever attack her in her own home. 'Are you insane?' she declares, unaware that another figure approaches her from behind: 'Of course we are. And don't bother with the mind control. I'm not available' as he injects something into Miss Sinister's neck. 'Nicely done, Pierce' one of the other Reavers remarks. 'The job's easy if you aren't a moron' Pierce replies, before ordering the Reavers to get the woman loaded up and to make sure she is secure this time. 'I don't want another Mister M situation' he remarks, before instructing someone to tell Colonel Callahan that they are all clear here.
The Xavier Institute for Mutant Education and Outreach, Central Park, New York:
Havok sits slumped in a chair in a corridor, listening to a television in a nearby living room, as the announcer states that “The Mutant Monster Melee in Midtown” is what some are calling the events of earlier today when the mutant terrorist known as Havok took it upon himself to interrupt a peaceful Avengers mission in Time Square. 'Hey, can you turn that up?' Havok asks Anole, who is watching the report. Tony Stark appears on the television screen, declaring that it is the usual story: 'Doofus in a sparkly leotard shows up and decides that zapping a 300-foot-tall monstery thing in the face was a good idea. Monster knocks over building. Doofus runs away'.
'They talking about you?' Anole asks, to which Havok covers his face with his hands, as Stark's voice can be heard remarking that it was lucky he and the Avengers responded quickly and no one was hurt.
'We're ready for you now, Mr Summers' Armor smiles. 'Please, Hisako, Mr Summers is my dog's name. Call me Havok' Alex replies.
Havok stands at a blackboard in a lecture theater and writes his name on the board, as he announces 'Some of you know me. Some of you only know me by reputation. My name is Havok'. He explains that he was recruited by Charles Xavier to join the X-Men, and that Xavier personally told him his dream for the X-Men, what they were supposed to be, what they could become and what that would mean for the world. Havok adds that he has spent most of his life fighting for that dream, and has seen friends and family die for that dream 'And what the X-Men have become... you're not living up to that dream' Havok frowns. The handsome mutant points out that there are two things that bind them together: First, they were born with uncanny gifts, but they were born into a world that hates and fears them because of what they can do. And, secondly, the desire to use those gifts to make the world a better place – not just for themselves but for everyone – that is the legacy of Charles Xavier.
Havok continues, pointing out that for too long, the X-Men have been solely about protecting themselves, a defensive force, just trying to stay alive. 'But we can be so much more. This world will always hate us... until we give them a reason not to. They will hate us until we save them' Havok remarks. 'From what?' someone asks. 'From themselves' Havok declares. He adds that Captain America one told him that when it is your time to be a hero, the rest of the world will follow. 'Our time is now. We can't just hope for the world we want. We make it' Havok explains, adding that they take the people who hate them, fear them, and the ones who don't care, and they show them what they can do. 'It's time for the X-Men to astonish' Havok smiles.
'Cool speech, man. A-plus. Can I ask a question, though? Aren't you, like, a super-villain?' Rockslide calls out from the class, where he sits with Pixie, Nature Girl, Glob Herman and Shark Girl.
Havok folds his arms and explains that he was the victim of an attack by the Red Skull where he altered his brain functions to make him do things he is not proud of – but he is better now. 'Awesome. But you're still a wanted criminal, right? Like, how did you even get in here?' Rockslide asks. Havok tells Rockslide that it is complicated, but that he is still an X-Man. 'Awesome. But you did destroy that building yesterday, right?' Rockslide points out. Havok responds by telling Rockslide that he doesn't think his resume is in question here, to which Rockslide declares 'You were a super villain, like, 30 minutes ago and now you want us to join your team? Sorta is, dude'. Havok frowns and points a finger at Rockslide: 'Listen, you mother -' he begins, interrupted when, suddenly, Kitty Pryde phases into the lecture theater: 'Alex! A word outside. Now!' she exclaims.
James Proudstar a.k.a. Warpath is with her as Kitty asks Alex what he thinks he is doing here. Havok informs her that he is putting a team together. Kitty frowns at Alex and tells him that he can't just come here and begin recruiting her students for whatever little pet project this is. 'They aren't your students' Alex replies. 'I'm responsible for their housing, their education, their training, their safety. You bet your ass they're my students' Kitty retorts. Alex asks Kitty to be reasonable, and reminds her that he was an X-Man before her, that he was a team leader. 'You know I'd do a good job at getting some of these kids off the bench and out in the field. My X-team could -' Havok begins, but Kitty informs Alex that he isn't an X-Man anymore. 'You don't own the name “X-Men”!' Havok exclaims, but Kitty informs him that, legally, she does. 'Well... I did not know that' Havok mutters, before turning and leading to the door, announcing that he will go. 'Thanks for the help' he adds.
A warehouse somewhere. 'There they are! My favorite mercenaries!' a man in a high-ranking military uniform, flanked by several soldiers in green armor, exclaims. 'Mercenaries get paid' Pierce replies, addressing the man as Callahan. 'That's why I like you, Pierce. Always the quick tongue' Agent Callahan remarks, before Pierce informs him that Sinister is on ice in the van, and that they are done now. 'I'm afraid I have to disagree...' Callahan replies.
With Cylla Markham and several other Reavers behind him, Pierce tells Callahan that the Reavers are not his toys. 'No, but you're in my custody after Alpha Flight didn't know what to do with you' Callahan reminds Pierce, who tells Callahan that they had a deal: 'We get your little bondage queen here and we're square. Girl's in the van. We're square. Now you $%&# off' Pierce exclaims. 'No...I don't think I will $%&# off' Callahan replies as he presses a button on a device which zaps Pierce and the Reavers, knocking them out. 'After all this time you've had, I thought you me better, Donny. You really thought I wouldn't build a way to stop you if you got to uppity? What do you think all that poking and prodding was for? I like to know how my toys work' Callahan declares, before instructing his soldiers to load Pierce and the others into the van with the girl – and kill the rest!
Night has fallen, and Havok sits on a bench near an amusement park. Voices fill his head: 'We always pulled against our leashes... because they reminded us we were somebody's pet. But we broke free and now we know it was better before'. It's Bastion who suddenly grabs Havok, and declares that stray dogs will never go home, and Havok screams as Bastion unleashes an energy against him.
Suddenly, Havok wakes up, still screaming – and unleashes a surge of energy, right through the motel wall. The shirtless Havok sits up in bed, drenched in sweat and panting, wide-eyed. He looks at the gaping hole in the wall, when suddenly, the motel owner appears: 'What did you just do to my motel, freak? You better believe the cops are on their way!' he shouts. With his costume now on, Havok grabs a jacket and makes a run for it.
At Harvard, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Hank McCoy a.k.a. Beast is giving a lecture, where he tells the students that in certain subjects with the x-gene, a fifth modification to the cytosine residue has been reported, leading some to speculate – 'Kelly?' he calls out to a student, who asks if that has led some to speculate that the origin of genetic mutation is bacterial based. 'That's right. And if phages were... were... used...' the Beast begins, before his voice trails off as he catches sight of someone sitting in the back of the lecture theater. 'Actually, I think you're all smart enough for the day' the Beast tells the class, before dismissing them.
'Alex Summers!' Hank exclaims as Havok comes down from the back of the lecture theater and they hug. 'Harvard, huh? Pretty fancy, Hank' Alex smiles. Hank explains that he had certain requirements that very few teaching labs could meet. 'And the portobello patty melt at Veggie Galaxy is to die for. We should totally -' Hank begins, before folding his arms and asking Alex what he wants. 'I can't just come say hello to one of my oldest -' Alex begins, but Hank tells him to cut the crap. Alex informs Hank that he started an X-Men team and Hank was the first person he wanted to ask to join. 'You can't just do that' Hank declares. 'Sure I can Kitty doesn't own the name “X-Men”!' Alex exclaims, to which Hank tells him that she does – she inherited the trademark when Charles died. Alex points out that nothing lasts forever, that some things are bound to change. 'Perhaps. But not for you...' Hank replies, suggesting that they go to his laboratory to continue this conversation.
Soon, in his lab, Hank pours some tea as Alex asks him if teaching trust-fund brats how DNA works is really what he wants to be doing. 'Yes, it is' Hank responds, but Alex tells him that he doesn't believe him. 'You were out there saving the world every day. You can't turn your back on that'. But as he sips his tea, Hank tells Alex that he wakes up sore every day from all the places he has been shot and stabbed, and from falling out of airplanes, or being caught in exploding buildings – that he goes to bed in pain, and half his teeth are dental implants. 'Did you know that? Half of them' Hank declares. 'It's the price we pay -' Alex starts to reply, to which Hank tells him that he is tired. 'Aren't you tired?' Hank asks. 'I call $#&%. We were always meant to be X-Men, and you know it. I hit a bad patch and I lost my way. Now Captain America thinks I'm a moron. Kitty Pryde can't stand to look at me and the new X-kids think I'm a joke. Those kids may be awful brats, but they're not wrong. I need to fix this. And I want one of my best friends by my side' Alex explains. 'Is that me?' Hank asks.
'Here we are. Both of us have let down every single person who ever cared about us. It's time to make it right. What do you say?' Alex asks. Hank takes off his glasses and wipes them with a cloth, before frowning and telling Alex 'Get the $#%& out of my lab'. Alex grins and tells Hank that he didn't mean it like that. 'I just meant we could help each other -' Alex begins, when suddenly, Hank lunges towards him. 'Whoa!' Alex calls out, surprised, as Hank pushes him backwards, behind a table, as gunfire blasts across the lab. 'I'm gonna light these clowns up' Alex exclaims, to which Hank tells him to be careful and reminds him that they are in a school. 'I don't think they're listening to you, Hank' Alex remarks as several Reavers, including Bonebreaker, Skullbuster and Pretty Boy continue firing at the former X-Men. 'Oh. They're gonna fight back. That's good' Skullbuster declares.
As some experiments are blown apart, the Beast tells Alex 'This is why. This is why. You came to visit me for twenty minutes and this happens'. The Beast runs through the lab, while Havok releases a surge of energy at one of the Reavers and asks 'Why do you assume this is my fault?' to which the Beast points out that the Reavers didn't show much interest in higher education before today.
'Here, kitty kitty kitty!' one of the Reavers jokes as they continue to open fire. 'See? I don't think they're calling me' Havok jokes. 'Well, if they want to play, I can play' the Beast replies as he tears the arm off one of the Reavers. 'Finally' Havok exclaims as he continues to pour on his energy towards the Reavers. 'You shouldn't have roped your friend into this, McCoy. You're gonna get him killed!' Skullbuster calls out. 'When we're done I'm gonna skin ya, kitty-cat!' another Reaver calls out as he continues to fire at Havok, who ducks behind another workbench. 'This is definitely not a me problem, Hank!' Havok calls out.
The Beast appears next to Havok and tells him that now would be a really good time for him to call in the rest of his team. 'I told you, you were the first person I asked. Well, the first who didn't say no' Havok replies. 'I did say no!' the Beast snaps, adding that he does have one unexplored option, but that he is not sure it is a good idea – and that it's possible it is a mutually-assured-destruction situation. 'It feels like out destruction is already assured. Might as well go for it' Havok suggests. The Beast tells Havok that he might want to cover his ears, and as he flicks a switch, there is a rumbling sound, as a large set of doors slide open – a screeching noise can be heard. One of the Reavers asks what the noise is, and gets their answer, as someone in a green and yellow costume flies from the room, screeching, he knocks the Reavers back – it's Sean Cassidy a.k.a. Banshee!

Second story:
The Xavier Institute, Central Park, New York City, twenty years from now. The bodies of dozens of mutants, including Colossus lie strewn through the rubble of the Institute. Several Sentinels can be seen standing over the ruins. One of them states that only two mutant life-forms remain within New Concordia, and that they should be destroyed with extreme prejudice.
Dazzler and Warpath look up at the Sentinels, and Dazzler tells Warpath that it looks like they are outnumbered. 'Isn't that always the case?' Warpath asks. Dazzler fires a blast of light energy towards the Sentinels as she and Warpath race forwards. 'It's been an honor to fight by your side' Dazzler remarks. 'And yours as well, Alison' Warpath replies, as the Sentinels raise their hands in unison and declare 'Destroy' as they open fire on Warpath and Dazzler, obliterating them!