All eyes were fixed on the beast.
The silence in the garden was absolute, broken only by the creature's heavy breathing and Emily's sobs. Logan did not lower his guard; his claws were still out, gleaming in the sunlight as he waited for the slightest movement to leap.
Xavier, Emma, and Jean exchanged a quick glance.
Without saying a word, the three attempted a coordinated psychic incursion to incapacitate the creature. However, the moment they tried to push deeper, they slammed headfirst into a solid, sudden wall that blocked their path. Just as they attempted to skirt around that mental barrier, they were swept away and repelled by a feeling of pure, overwhelming savagery emanating from the beast's mind.
All three opened their eyes wide, struggling to regain their composure.
"It's impossible…" Xavier murmured, visibly shaken.
Jean brought a hand to her head, trying to process the impact, while Emma, far from frightened, smiled with interest.
Magneto, who had been observing the scene calmly, broke the silence.
"I've heard rumors about a human who's been roaming the world playing hero," Erik said, fixing his gaze on the symbol the creature bore on its shoulder. "One would hope he only acts that way toward humanity."
He finished the sentence with evident disdain. Xavier shot him a reproachful look, urging him not to make things worse, and then addressed the beast directly.
"Legion, please, calm yourself," the Professor said in a gentle but firm voice. "She's just a child. Whatever problem occurred inside, we can talk about it, but please, let her go."
Through the shattered door of the mansion, the kids appeared, with Piotr just behind them trying to keep order and stop them, though he fell silent the moment he saw what was happening in the garden.
The group froze at the sight of their friend Emily trapped between the jaws of that creature.
Illyana stepped forward.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she snapped coldly.
The beast shifted its head from side to side, "observing" both the young mutants and the mutant leaders while maintaining pressure on the girl.
One of the Hellions, visibly unsettled by the teenager's situation, leaned toward Emma.
"Should we intervene, Headmistress?" he asked quietly.
Emma simply shook her head, never taking her eyes off Legion. Her gaze sparkled with curiosity, as if she were witnessing a fascinating experiment rather than a kidnapping.
"Stop him, Charles," Erik ordered. "Do something before it's too late."
"Legion's mental defenses are too strong, Erik," Xavier replied with contained urgency. "If I try to force my way in right now, I don't think I'd be fast enough before he—"
Xavier didn't finish the sentence, but everyone understood the risk. Magneto clenched his jaw so hard that the small metal objects on the tea table began to vibrate.
Emma noticed the gesture of irritation and raised an eyebrow, amused by the Master of Magnetism's obvious impotence.
In the middle of the tension, Cessily stepped forward.
"He saved me," the girl said. "He saved me and all of us in that laboratory. There has to be a reason he's doing this."
Magneto looked at her with irritation.
"In a situation like this, you're giving the benefit of the doubt to this scum?" Erik snapped, pointing at the creature with a sharp gesture.
Before things could escalate, Kitty stepped ahead. She placed herself directly in front of Cessily, shielding her, and looked straight at Wildmutt.
"It doesn't make sense that after what he did, he'd suddenly do all this," Kitty said, trying to reason. "Especially with the three of you here," she added, referring to Emma, Charles, and Erik.
Emma curved her lips into a slight smile and nodded faintly.
"The young woman's reasoning makes sense," she commented softly, without taking her eyes off the scene.
Logan, on the other hand, let out a deep growl.
"Whatever this is, nothing justifies holding that girl hostage," Logan growled, taking a threatening step forward.
A few meters away, hidden behind some bushes, Bishop lay prone with his energy rifle firmly braced against the ground. His finger rested on the trigger, his scope fixed on the creature's skull. He pressed his earpiece to contact Xavier.
"Professor, I have a clear shot," he reported coldly. "I can end this now."
But as if the creature had sensed the threat, it moved abruptly, twisting its body to put the girl in the way. She became a perfect human shield between the rifle and the target.
"Damn it," Bishop muttered under his breath. "It blocked me. I lost the angle."
The massive orange beast remained motionless, Emily trapped between its teeth, "observing" the group despite its lack of eyes.
Sabretooth, who had been watching the scene with boredom, smiled, baring his fangs.
"About time," Victor murmured with satisfaction. "Now this is finally going to get fun."
Ororo, her eyes beginning to glow white and the wind whipping her cape, turned toward Professor Xavier with clear urgency.
"Are we just going to stand here doing nothing, Charles?" she asked, distant thunder rumbling faintly in response to her agitation.
Scott, however, stepped forward, keeping his hand near his visor while trying to maintain a tone that wouldn't escalate the violence.
"Please, let the girl go," Scott asked, his voice firm but calm. "This doesn't have to be this way. We can talk, but let her go first."
The sound of pressure on the girl's neck was enough for Magneto to lose his temper. He was fed up, visibly furious; his hands began to generate a force field that made all the metal in the area vibrate.
The creature made no sound, but its grip on the girl tightened further, drawing a choked sob from her. Then, as the pressure reached its limit, the girl, unable to endure any more, let out a scream no one had expected.
"Erik!" she cried out in a desperate plea to the Master of Magnetism.
At that very instant, her eyes changed dramatically, turning a bright, feline yellow and plunging everyone, except Magneto, into total confusion.
Still pinned to the ground under the pressure of the beast's jaws, the girl's body began to ripple and shift. In a matter of seconds, the appearance of the young student vanished, giving way to blue skin and red hair. Mystique stood revealed.
"Erik, save me!" she begged in a broken voice, looking desperately toward the leader of the Brotherhood.
The revelation struck the group in different ways.
The X-Men took a step back, processing the deception.
Logan clenched his teeth, letting out a furious growl; his claws vibrated slightly, enraged at having been fooled in his own home once again.
Scott slowly lowered his hand from his visor, whispering the woman's name, his voice heavy with shock.
"Mystique…" he murmured, as the tension began to dissipate.
Charles Xavier simply let out a long sigh and shook his head, closing his eyes for a brief moment.
"Not again," he said in a tone of deep disappointment, lamenting that his old rivalry with Magneto had once more crossed the threshold of his school in such a way.
Jean and Ororo exchanged a quick glance, their understanding of the situation sharpening.
Emma Frost, for her part, seemed to be the only one truly finding merit in the chaos.
Calmly, she took a small pastry from the table, brought it to her lips, and savored it with a smile, enjoying the spectacle of Magneto's right hand being placed in such a vulnerable and humiliating position.
It was in that moment of collective shock that an intense green glow enveloped both the beast and the woman for a second.
When the light faded, the orange creature was gone. In its place stood Legion, finishing the adjustment of a metallic collar around Mystique's neck, as she lay on the ground with her yellow eyes fixed on him.
"Try something," Legion said. "Anything, and this device will activate automatically at the slightest movement, stripping you of your powers instantly."
He leaned slightly toward her, just enough to make his words carry more weight.
"I know it took you a long time to accept yourself and feel proud of your appearance," he continued. "It would be a shame if, by losing your powers, you finally had to see what you truly look like, don't you think?"
"Rot in hell…" she muttered through clenched teeth.
"Ah, ah," Legion interrupted, shifting the collar so she could feel the weight of the metal. "Behave. No bad language. Can't you see there are children here?"
"How did you know?" Mystique asked as the hero helped her to her feet.
Legion let out a mocking chuckle, never letting go of the collar.
"A magician never reveals his secrets," he replied with sarcasm.
Then he lifted his gaze toward Xavier, Magneto, and Emma, making a small apologetic gesture with his free hand.
"Sorry for interrupting so abruptly," he said, scratching the back of his neck. "But the instincts of the Vulpimancers are incredibly strong. They're a species that lives on that thin line between true self-awareness and pure animal instinct. The moment I detected her, the thrill of the hunt completely took over. That's why there was chaos in the hallway and… well, all the chaos in general."
Magneto moved his hands ever so slightly, but it was enough for several metal plates from the helicopters to begin levitating behind him.
"Release her now," Erik ordered. "Remove that filthy collar you built before I skewer you with metal beams."
Xavier intervened immediately.
"I will not allow you to do that, Erik," Charles declared.
"Oh really, Charles?" Magneto shot back. "You're going to allow a human to keep one of our own prisoner? Have you sunk so low in your desire to appease humanity?"
Xavier did not retreat. His previously weary expression hardened as he held Magneto's gaze.
"Mystique is a mutant, Erik, but she is not 'one of ours,'" Charles replied coldly. "How many times has she spied on us? How many times has she infiltrated this mansion pretending to be one of my students, only to betray our trust? Don't lecture me about species loyalty when you insist on spying on me and my students time and time again."
It was then that Emma, finishing the pastry she had been enjoying, delicately wiped the corners of her lips with a napkin.
"Please," Emma interjected, drawing everyone's attention with her velvety, sarcastic tone. "Are you two going to keep bickering like a married couple, or are we finally going to discuss this like civilized adults? We have a group of supremacists hunting and enslaving mutants. I'd say that's a bit more relevant than your old grudges."
Magneto and Xavier locked eyes for a long second.
Finally, as if the weight of decades of conflict hit them both at once, they relaxed their shoulders almost in unison, yielding to Emma's cold logic.
Xavier sighed and looked at Legion with a mix of gratitude and seriousness.
"Let her go, Legion. Release Raven," the Professor asked.
Legion, still holding the back of the collar, tilted his head slightly and looked at Xavier with disbelief.
"Are you sure?" he asked. "Because the moment I let her go, she'll go right back to the same thing. She'll keep infiltrating and spying on you the first chance she gets."
Xavier nodded slowly, keeping his gaze fixed on his old friend Erik.
"I know," Charles explained calmly. "But right now, we all need to cooperate. And we cannot do that if one side is holding the other's right hand captive. It's a matter of trust… as difficult as that may be."
Legion seemed to weigh Xavier's words for a few moments, watching the contained fury on Mystique's blue face. Finally, he lifted and dropped his shoulders with indifference.
"As you wish," he said. "You're really lucky, Raven."
Legion tapped a specific point on the side of the collar.
Instantly, the mechanism emitted a metallic click and detached itself from the woman's neck. Before everyone's eyes, the collar began to fold in on itself, retracting and locking its pieces together until it became a small metallic square, about the size of a matchbox.
Without another word, Legion stowed the small cube into one of the compartments on his belt and stepped back, leaving Mystique free of the restraint.
Raven straightened her posture as she walked back to Magneto's side. She never took her eyes off Legion for a second, glaring daggers at him as she positioned herself beside Erik.
"This won't end so easily, I assure you," Raven threatened, her voice heavy with a promise of vengeance.
Legion let out a light laugh.
"I know," he replied, crossing his arms. "But I recommend you be careful. Maybe next time Wildmutt's instincts will get the better of me, and I won't be as kind as I was today."
At that comment, Bishop, who had just returned to his position among the X-Men after the tense standoff, spoke up with a frown.
"I thought you didn't kill," Bishop said, recalling the young man's previous actions and the reports he had read about him.
The young hero nodded calmly, looking at the mutant from the future.
"That's correct. I don't. I never said I would kill her," he clarified. "Rather… I would incapacitate her. There are ways to take someone out of the fight permanently without needing a funeral. It's not something I would do, but for her? I could make an exception."
At that moment, Illyana pushed her way through the others and reached his side, giving him a sharp punch on the shoulder.
"Ow!" Legion exclaimed, wincing from the unexpected impact. "Hey, you interrupted my moment."
"For a second, you fooled me," Illyana said with a half-smile, congratulating him in her own way. "Not bad."
Jean Grey took advantage of the brief distraction to try to regain control of the students who had gathered near the exit.
She looked urgently at Colossus.
"Piotr, please, take them inside. This is not something they should be seeing," Jean asked.
Colossus nodded seriously and began guiding the young mutants back into the mansion.
"Come on, everyone. Inside. Now," Colossus ordered, fixing his gaze on his sister. "Illyana, you too!"
She rolled her eyes in annoyance.
Before the students fully withdrew into the school, Cessily paused near the door. She looked at Legion with an expression of relief and nodded toward him.
"I knew you wouldn't do something like that," Cessily said firmly.
Legion smiled and nodded back at her.
"Thank you for your trust, Cessily," he replied sincerely, giving her a brief gesture of appreciation.
With the youths now inside the mansion, the atmosphere settled once more.
"Well, after all that unnecessary drama…" Emma began, fixing her eyes on Legion and offering him a flawless smile. "I'm Emma Frost, head of Frost Industries. It's a real honor to finally meet the hero everyone has been talking about."
Her tone was velvety, but her eyes gleamed with intelligence.
Legion approached the table without any intention of sitting. He looked at Emma and nodded.
"Thank you for the compliment. It's also a pleasure to meet you," he replied, then turned toward Erik with a gesture of indifference. "And yes, I suppose it's good to meet you as well."
Magneto merely raised an eyebrow, remaining silent. Legion then turned his attention back to Xavier and the X-Men standing behind him.
"Again, sorry about the mess."
"It's fine, it doesn't matter," Charles replied, trying to regain the floor.
But Legion interrupted him before he could continue.
"I couldn't help overhearing you talking about the Purifiers. I also heard Jean say that you don't know how Hellion and Speed were being controlled."
At the mention of this, Emma tilted her head slightly.
Among the Hellions, a few whispers could be heard; several were telling their companions that it was true, that their leader wasn't dead. However, they fell silent instantly when Emma shot them a look.
Legion continued, looking at those present with curiosity.
"Didn't Illyana tell you anything about the headbands?" he asked.
Jean frowned, visibly confused.
"No, she didn't mention anything like that," she replied, exchanging a quick glance with Ororo.
Legion simply sighed and ran a hand over his helmet.
He reached into the small backpack he carried on his back and pulled out the metallic headband with the violet gem embedded in it, carefully placing it on the table in front of Charles, Erik, and Emma.
"The Purifiers have found a way to industrialize willpower," he began to explain in a serious tone. "This headband doesn't just emit a frequency that suppresses the frontal lobe. The secret lies in the gem."
Emma Frost leaned in, observing the violet glow. Legion reached into his belt and pulled out a second gem, much smaller and an intense shade of pink, placing it beside the artifact.
"This works in pairs," Legion continued. "The smaller gem is the one that holds control. Whoever possesses this stone can project their commands directly to the linked headband. It's a wireless command system. The will of the pink gem's bearer becomes the only reality for the one wearing the headband. That's why Hellion and Speed couldn't resist. Their bodies were simply obeying an external signal their brains couldn't ignore."
Xavier studied the pieces with concern, while Emma Frost raised an eyebrow, staring at the small pink gem with a mix of horror and fascination.
"An army of slaves obeying the holder of a crystal…" Emma murmured. "So lacking in class, yet terrifyingly effective."
========================================================
Legion, though he appeared absorbed in the conversation with Xavier, Magneto, and Emma, kept his senses sharp and did not miss how Magneto's followers were trying to provoke the X-Men.
While Toad made obscene gestures at Jean and Ororo,Sabretooth leaned against a tree several meters away.
Noticing Logan watching him from the corner of his eye, Victor raised one hand and, with deliberate slowness, dragged his claws across the tree's bark, tearing off a strip of wood while fixing his gaze on Logan's chest, clearly indicating exactly where he would like to bury them.
Logan clenched his fists but remained in place, ignoring Creed's silent growl.
=======================================================
Bishop stepped forward.
His face showed a mix of disbelief and concern.
"How is it possible for technology like this to exist in this era?" Bishop asked, looking at the gems with suspicion. "This is far too early. It should be completely impossible given the current level of technological development."
Scott, intrigued by the time traveler's reaction, turned toward him.
"Did things like this exist in your time, Bishop?"
Bishop kept his eyes fixed on the pink gem, slowly shaking his head.
"There are prototypes," he answered grimly. "In my future, there is neural control technology, but nothing that works with the level of efficiency Legion is describing. Achieving absolute obedience without destroying the subject's brain is something that hadn't even been perfected in my timeline, at least not like this."
"And its manufacture?" the man from the future pressed. "Is it biotechnology, or something else?"
"I'm not sure of the exact basis yet," Legion replied, "but it's definitely artificial. It's not something that grew naturally on its own. It's a meticulous design, a synthesis created specifically to bend the will."
After finishing his explanation, the young hero put both gems away.
Of course, he knew how they were made, and also that they were not exactly "created." But if he shared that information, he feared that someone like Magneto, who cared little about the means, would take advantage of the situation.
It was far too dangerous, so he would make sure to deal with it personally.
Emma Frost spoke up, crossing her arms elegantly.
"From what I've been able to investigate, these people don't seem to go very deep. It's very likely they're just puppets, simple tools for someone else."
Magneto was quick to respond.
"Then we'll break the puppet and cut off the puppeteer's head," Erik declared in an icy voice. "This is unforgivable. Using our own people as weapons without free will is a declaration of war that I will not ignore."
Xavier fell silent for a moment, absorbing the gravity of the situation. Finally, he nodded heavily.
"Surprisingly, Erik, I agree with you," Charles admitted. "We cannot allow a technology like this to spread."
After a few seconds in which the garden sank into thoughtful silence, Jean, Charles, and Emma turned their heads almost simultaneously toward Legion.
The young man, who had been silently observing everyone, suddenly found himself under the scrutiny of three telepaths.
"What?" he asked, looking from one to the other.
Emma gave him a sly smile, never taking her eyes off him.
"Even though your mental defenses are remarkable," Emma said softly, "psychics like us can still sense your basic emotions. And you're strangely calm, Legion. Why? Do you know something we don't?"
Legion shrugged, lowering his shoulders in a carefree gesture, keeping his relaxed posture.
"Maybe," he replied in a flat tone. "But some of it is just speculation I still need to confirm on my own."
Magneto, whose patience was wearing thin, slammed his hand against the table. The metal of the helicopters creaked under his magnetic influence.
"Say it," he demanded authoritatively. "Those devices and whoever created them must be eliminated immediately. We don't have time for your hesitation."
Legion was not intimidated by the imposing presence of the Master of Magnetism.
On the contrary, his posture stiffened as he looked directly at Erik.
"Just because Charles and Emma agreed to work with you doesn't mean I did," Legion stated firmly. "So far, I've remained calm out of respect for this place, but I haven't forgotten everything you and your group have done. I don't forget your dangerous ideas, nor the trail of blood you've left behind."
Legion took a step toward Magneto, closing the distance without a trace of fear.
"The only difference between the people we're hunting now and you is that they target everyone equally. Don't be mistaken, Erik. I'll share the information I consider relevant, and only when I deem it necessary. I don't work for you."
Magneto and Legion locked eyes. Erik clenched his jaw, weighing whether it was worth responding to the young man's insolence, while Legion did not give an inch.
Charles then intervened gently, redirecting the focus.
"Is there anything you can share with us about this, then?" Charles asked.
Legion looked away from Magneto and nodded slightly toward the Professor, relaxing the tension in his shoulders a bit.
"Yes," he replied. "In fact, those guys are just puppets. That group of fanatics only serves as a testing ground. They're given the products to use: the drug, the diadem, and who knows how many other things. They receive the equipment, test it in the field, and send back data on its effectiveness."
Legion paused briefly, as if recalling something unpleasant he had already faced before.
"I had a similar experience a few months ago," he continued, looking at those present. "I ran into some mystical ninjas who had been given an advanced version of the Sentinels. Someone is handing out high-tech toys to any group that has a problem with mutants, using them as test subjects before taking the next step."
At the mention of upgraded Sentinels, Emma Frost's curiosity was piqued, straightening in her seat with interest.
"In what way upgraded?" she asked. "Sentinels have always been a nuisance, but predictable."
Legion looked at her seriously.
"They're adaptable now," he replied curtly. "They use immediate-response technology. If you see one, you only have two options: destroy it in the first five seconds, or run for your lives. There won't be a third chance."
From the Brotherhood's side, Avalanche let out an arrogant laugh, crossing his arms as he shook his head.
"Oh please… those things are just scrap," he mocked. "Painting them a different color or upgrading them a bit won't make any difference. I could wipe out an entire division of those toys without breaking a sweat—"
Suddenly, Legion cut him off, but not to answer him.
He turned his head toward Sabretooth and Toad, who were still harassing the X-Men nonstop, raising his voice in anger.
"Could you knock it off with your nonsense already?! You're adults, act like it, damn it!"
He then pointed at Victor.
"And you!" Legion snapped at Sabretooth. "You're 180 years old! Can you act like a civilized man for one damn moment? It's pathetic to see someone with almost two centuries of life behaving like a child with attention issues."
Victor let out a guttural growl, the muscles in his neck tensing as his claws began to extend, ready to leap at Legion over the insult.
However, Magneto raised a hand with unquestionable authority. He never took his eyes off Legion, but the gesture brought his subordinates to an immediate halt.
"Enough," Magneto said in a dry, cutting voice. "Behave yourselves."
Erik's tone allowed no argument.
Sabretooth released one last snort of frustration, but retracted his claws, retreating into the shadows with a look of pure hatred directed at the young man, while Toad slipped back inside the helicopter.
"As I was saying…" Legion murmured, regaining his calm tone. "Whatever you decide to do, I recommend that you prepare yourselves and don't rush in," he warned. "Investigate before acting and measure every step carefully. You're not dealing with just any group of fanatics, but with the technology backing them."
Jean Grey stepped forward, watching the young man with curiosity.
"And you? What are you planning to do?" she asked.
Mystique let out a dry, skeptical laugh.
"What could a young kid who knows nothing about how this world works possibly do?" she scoffed. "He'll probably go ask his babysitters, the Avengers, for help."
Legion glanced at Raven for a second.
Without responding to her, he refocused on Jean.
"Now it's my turn to eliminate variables and clear up a few things on my own," he said simply.
He reached into his gear and pulled out three small glass vials filled with a translucent substance, carefully placing them on the stone table beside the gems.
"It's not instantaneous, but this purges any external substances from the body," he explained. "It should work against the drug the Purifiers are using. Take them and… I don't know, duplicate the formula or something. Use it in case any of your people fall victim to it."
Charles Xavier looked at the vials with a mix of surprise and gratitude.
"That's very generous of you, Legion. Thank you."
Legion simply nodded.
"I need to check on the ones I brought with me. Can someone guide me to see them before I leave?"
Charles nodded with a slight smile.
Scott, after receiving the Professor's signal, moved to Legion's side.
"Come on," Scott said. "The medical wing is this way."
As Legion began following Scott into the mansion, he paused for a second before crossing the doorway. He turned his head back, locking his gaze onto Mystique.
"Give my regards to Irene, will you?" he said out loud. "Tell her I'd like to talk to her sometime. I'm sure she'll be interested too."
Mystique's eyes widened, her cold mask slipping away. Her hands clenched into fists so tight her knuckles turned white, her jaw tensing.
Without waiting for her response, the young man disappeared down the hallway, following Scott.
=======================================================
Cyclops walked at an unhurried pace as they moved through the mansion's wide corridors. He paused for a moment, glancing sideways at the young man beside him.
"You okay?"
Legion nodded slowly, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Just a little tired," he admitted quietly. "It's been a long day… and it's only just beginning."
Scott let out a small, understanding smile, though his eyes remained fixed on the path ahead.
"I get it. But honestly, you scared everyone out there half to death," the X-Men leader commented. "For a moment, you really made us think you were going to kill that girl right there in the garden. You even managed to put Magneto on edge."
Legion sighed, lowering his gaze as they continued walking.
"Yeah… maybe I should've thought that through a bit more before doing it that way," he murmured, a trace of doubt in his voice. "The truth is, I've been feeling strangely emotional since I arrived at the mansion. Even what happened with Toad and Sabretooth… normally I wouldn't have snapped at them like that. I feel… irritable. Too irritable."
He stopped halfway down the corridor, frowning as if analyzing his own mind.
Then, almost instinctively, he raised his wrist to check his watch.
The device, which always displayed a solid, stable green color, was now glowing with a sickly yellow hue.
The dial spun endlessly, rotating frantically.
"Oh… I see now."
======================================================
Hey there, how are you all doing? I hope you're doing well.
This is where we'll leave today's chapter. Honestly, I felt a bit strange while writing it, kind of like when I wrote the episode with the Avengers and Legion talking in the shawarma place.
I've mentioned before that I struggle a bit with these kinds of scenes, where I have to recap information, give some insight into who the characters are, and things like that. The problem is that there are just too many characters. Should this one say this? How would that one act? That sort of thing…
Even so, I think I handled it better this time. It didn't feel as difficult as the previous one… but well, sorry if this chapter ended up being a bit bland.
I'm still learning, hehe. That said, it seems like Legion might be getting some new members on the team, as well as a few allies.
Who are the ones behind all of this? How did they obtain the technology? What are they planning to do?
We'll see what we can uncover in the next chapters.
A kiss :)
P.S.: Honestly, I'll see what to do with this chapter. I've already rewritten it three times and I'm tired, so later on, when I'm calmer, I'll read it again and if I find mistakes or things that feel off, I might rewrite it. It wouldn't really change much, but maybe the way things are described and such. If anything happens, I'll let you know.