A hidden valve door creaked open on the side of a mountain, rusty hinges shrieking into the cold morning air. First to climb out was Sage, her face pale with exhaustion as she held Adrian upright, one of his arms draped limply over her shoulders. A soft glow pulsed around her hands pressed to his wounds, her healing power working overtime. She looked like she might collapse herself at any moment.
Elio scrambled after them, eyes wide with terror, clinging to Sage's free arm like a lifeline. His small frame shook as he kept glancing up at Adrian's blood-soaked body.
Cassie emerged next, dark eyes flicking over their surroundings as shadows writhed at her heels. Then Bobby followed, bruised and limping but determined, scanning for threats. Last was Peter, staggering under the weight of a large, frost-covered tank strapped to his back. Frost curled from the seams like icy mist.
"I still can't believe you brought that with us," Sage gasped, her voice thin, her face dripping sweat from the constant strain of healing Adrian's wounds.
Peter puffed out his chest with a shaky grin. "This is important—it's a historical artifact! I'm just…protecting history!" His tone carried an awkward heroism that fell flat against the mountain's silent wind.
Cassie raised an eyebrow. "Pretty sure the real reason you dragged that thing is because it's a robot."
Peter's eyes darted away. "Haha, what? I don't know what you're talking about," he said, voice cracking with nerves.
Sage swayed slightly, teeth gritted as the healing glow flickered. "Okay, jokes later—we need Adrian stable. He's lost too much blood."
The laughter died instantly. Elio clung tighter to Sage's arm, tears welling in his eyes. Cassie and Bobby crowded around, their faces grim.
Bobby fumbled with the communicator strapped to his belt. Static burst through the speaker as he pressed the call button.
A familiar voice crackled over the line—calm, authoritative, tinged with worry. "Hello? This is Cyclops. Are you all safe? Your signal's moving—please respond."
Bobby exhaled shakily, voice ragged. "Scott, it's Bobby. We're alive, but Adrian's critical. He's bleeding badly—broken bones, maybe worse. Sage is keeping him alive, but she's exhausted. We need help, fast."
A pause, then Cyclops' voice returned, urgency cutting through the static. "Understood. Hang on. I'm sending Kurt. He'll get you back here."
Bobby's breath hitched, relief washing over his face as he glanced at Sage—who was barely staying upright, her skin pale, eyes glazed with fatigue. "Help's coming. Just hold on," he whispered, both to Adrian and to her.
Minutes later, a swirl of blue smoke and the faint scent of brimstone announced Nightcrawler's arrival. He landed gracefully on the ledge, eyes sweeping over the group—widening when he saw Adrian hanging limp in Sage's grasp, blood dripping onto the rocky ground.
"Are you Nightcrawler!" Sage rasped, her voice hoarse, knees buckling slightly.
Nightcrawler's yellow eyes softened with alarm. He stepped forward, scooping both Sage and Adrian into his arms. "I've got you."
With a series of rapid BAMF—each accompanied by thunderous bursts of displaced air—the team vanished in pairs, teleported straight into the sterile halls of the Xavier Institute's underground medbay.
The final BAMF deposited Sage, Adrian, Bobby, Elio, Cassie, and Peter in front of Beast, who was already pulling on surgical gloves. Professor Xavier hovered anxiously nearby, his eyes full of quiet worry.
Two Hours Later
The emergency lights had dimmed. Outside the medbay, Elio sat huddled next to Sage on a cracked couch in their temporary quarters, his small hands clutching her arm for comfort. Cassie paced restlessly, shadows curling around her feet. Bobby sat slumped with his head in his hands. Peter's eyes were red, staring blankly ahead as his foot tapped the floor over and over.
Inside, Beast worked with a steady hand over Adrian's broken body, murmuring updates. Professor Xavier stood behind him, voice tense.
"Henry," Xavier asked quietly, "how bad is it?"
Beast's eyes flicked to Adrian's bloodied, bandaged chest. "Multiple fractured ribs, a shattered collarbone, torn muscles, ruptured blood vessels. Severe internal and external bleeding. His system is in shock. And Sage's healing has slowed some of the worst damage, but she's nearly spent."
Xavier's jaw tightened, his eyes shadowed by helplessness. "Do what you can," he said softly. "He's done enough for all of us."
Elio shifted restlessly beside Sage, eyes puffy from crying but still wide with worry. He glanced between the older teens, his small voice breaking the silence.
"Is… is Mr. Adrian going to be okay?" he asked, clutching Sage's arm tighter. "He was so strong… he saved me. How can someone like that get hurt so bad?"
Cassie looked at him, her eyes softening. Peter stepped closer, kneeling to Elio's level.
"He's strong, Elio. But he's still human. Even the strongest can break if they take enough hits," Peter said gently.
Elio's lip quivered. "But… how is he so strong? How did he do all those things?"
The question lingered in the quiet room, pulling the others' attention. Cassie sighed, leaning forward as the flickering light played across her face.
"That's… a good question," she said. "Maybe it's time we actually talk about everything Adrian can do."
The small common room was dimly lit, the only light coming from a single buzzing lamp overhead. Cassie sat cross-legged on the couch, shadows flickering lazily around her feet. Bobby hunched over beside her, hands clasped tight. Peter stood near the cracked window, arms folded, gaze distant. Elio, still hugging Sage's arm, looked up at the older teens with wide, expectant eyes.
Peter sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Alright… let's see if we can actually list everything Adrian can do."
Cassie leaned forward, interest sparking despite the tension. "First one's obvious: his physical strength. When he powers up, he moves like a wrecking ball—like nothing can slow him down."
"Yeah," Bobby agreed. "It's like his muscles go into overdrive. I've seen him punch through solid steel. That's gotta be more than just strength… it's like… physical enhancement or something."
Peter nodded. "And his reflexes. He dodged bullets once. Real bullets. I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me."
Cassie rolled her eyes. "Show-off," she muttered, though her voice was tinged with worry.
Peter hesitated, then continued, ticking them off on his fingers. "Then there's the one where he is… smarter? Like, hyper-aware. He notices stuff no one else does. It's like his brain kicks into high gear."
"High Spec?" Bobby offered. "He's called it that a couple times. Makes him calculate things like he's a human computer."
Elio's eyes grew rounder. "He can do all that?"
Peter offered a tight smile. "That's just the start."
Cassie picked up the list, voice low. "He can go ghost. Pass through walls, floors—everything. I've seen him sink into the ground and pop up behind people."
"Phasing?" Bobby asked. "Or… Permeation. He uses that when he really needs to surprise someone."
Peter snapped his fingers. "Oh yeah smoke screen. He can flood a room with this pink fog and Make your mind feel fuzzy. Good for hiding. Bad for anyone who's trying to find him."
Cassie smirked faintly. "He's saved our asses with that more than once."
Peter took a breath, eyes darting to Sage and Elio. "He can open those glowing holes in the air—Warp Gates. He uses them to jump across streets, rooftops… even through walls. And he can bring others with him."
"I still get sick every time he warps us," Cassie admitted, pressing a hand to her stomach. "Like the world folds inside out."
"And…" Bobby paused, voice dropping to a near whisper. "He can harden his body. Like metal. I heard he took a gun blast straight to the chest once. Didn't even flinch."
Cassie glanced sideways at him. "I heard he can even shape it. Make spikes. I don't know if it's true, but I wouldn't put it past him."
Peter shifted uncomfortably. "Someone told me… he can punch so hard with that hardened arm that it fires blood bullets if he overdoes it. But I don't know if that's real or just… a rumor."
Cassie's eyes darkened. "And… those black tendrils he used when he fought Magneto. They just snapped out of him—like living ropes."
Bobby nodded uneasily. "Yeah. They wrapped around debris, even Magneto himself. But… what is it? He never told us."
Peter clenched his fists. "We didn't get the chance to ask. He passed out right after."
The group fell quiet, the memory of those thrashing, shadowy whips adding to the weight of their uncertainty.
Elio's mouth hung open. "That's… amazing," he breathed. "Mr. Adrian is like a hero from a comic book."
The others shared a look—part pride, part fear. Pride for the friend who carried them this far. Fear for the price he paid every time he used those gifts.
Cassie leaned back, voice soft but firm. "He's strong. But he's also reckless. He'll destroy himself before he lets anything happen to us."
Peter nodded. "That's why we have to be better. So he doesn't always have to protect us alone."
A heavy silence hung over the room after Peter's words, settling like a blanket over the four of them. Outside, the corridor was quiet except for the distant hum of medbay machines.
Elio's small voice cut through the stillness, quiet but fierce. "Then… I want to get stronger too. So Mr. Adrian doesn't have to get hurt saving me again."
Cassie's eyes softened as she looked at him. "Kid's got a point," she said, her tone firming. "I'm tired of being the one who needs rescuing. I'm done running."
Bobby pushed himself upright, shoulders squared despite the bandages peeking from under his torn shirt. "We can't let Adrian keep carrying everything alone," he said, voice rough but steady. "He'd hate it if we stayed weak while he's out there bleeding for us."
Peter stepped forward, eyes locked on the others with a determination that cut through his lingering fear. "Then we train," he said, each word like a vow. "We don't wait for another close call. We get strong enough to fight by his side—and keep each other safe."
Cassie's shadows stirred at her feet, reflecting the steely resolve in her gaze. Bobby clenched his fists, nodding once. Elio wiped his eyes and sat up straighter, his small face set with fierce determination.
In that dim, flickering light, the three teens and the boy found a shared purpose. They weren't just a collection of survivors anymore—they were a team.
And this time, they promised themselves, they wouldn't let Adrian face the darkness alone.