Scott clenched his fists, expression tense. "Soren, are you sure? Can Jean really stop Apocalypse?"
Mystique, arms crossed, studied Soren carefully before speaking. "As unbelievable as it sounds, I trust Mr. Soren wouldn't say something like that without reason."
Despite their worry, the three had no choice but to wait as Soren tended to their injuries. Before long, their wounds fully healed, and their exhaustion faded.
A mechanical chime echoed in Soren's mind.
[Beep! Congratulations, host, for healing: B+ ranked character Nightcrawler, B ranked character Beast (Hank McCoy)]
Scott, having only minor injuries, was excluded from the system's recognition.
Suddenly, two ability panels flashed before Soren.
[Kurt Wagner (B+ Rank)]
[Available Ability: Teleportation LV7]
[Congratulations! You have obtained: Teleportation LV7!]
[Hank McCoy (B Rank)]
[Available Abilities: Animalization (Lionization) LV6, Language Proficiency LV6, Mechanical Engineering LV7]
[Congratulations! You have obtained: Language Proficiency LV6!]
Soren grinned. While Hank's linguistic skill weren't particularly rare, it was still useful. But Nightcrawler's teleportation? That was both powerful and stylish.
The only disappointment was Scott being left out due to his minor wounds.
Before he could dwell on it, a piercing cry split the air. It was high-pitched, yet powerful, shaking the very foundations of the building. Even from within the medical hall, they could hear its overwhelming presence.
BOOOOM!
A tremendous energy wave surged from the direction of the pyramids, parting the thick clouds in an instant.
Mystique's eyes widened. "That was Jean! And Charles!"
Soren exhaled, his expression unreadable. So this is the Phoenix Force... Even a mere fragment of its power causes this level of disturbance.
The cry, however, didn't last long. The chaotic energy gradually weakened, its force dissipating into the air.
"Kurt." Soren said, his tone firm. "Go retrieve the Professor and Jean. I'll treat them."
Nightcrawler nodded without hesitation. With a bamf! He disappeared in a swirl of blue mist.
Seconds later, he reappeared, holding Professor X's battered body, blood dripping from his forehead. Jean was beside him, her energy dim but stable. She held something in her hand, the business card Soren had given her earlier, its glow fading.
"Jean!"
"Professor!"
The group rushed forward, relief flooding their faces.
Wasting no time, Soren placed one hand on Charles' head, channeling his healing energy. Immediately, the tension in the Professor's face eased, his wounds mending at a visible pace.
With his other hand, Soren grasped Jean's. A warm, soothing energy poured into her, helping to stabilize the raging Phoenix Force within.
A few moments passed before Mystique spoke anxiously. "Soren, how is he?"
Soren pulled back, a smile on his lips. "He's fine. In fact…" He glanced at Charles. "I took the liberty of healing his legs as well."
A stunned silence followed. Then, Hank broke into a grin. "You're saying...?"
"Professor Xavier can walk again." Soren nodded.
A wave of joy washed over the group.
Jean, still holding Soren's hand, blushed slightly but didn't let go.
Then, another chime rang in Soren's mind.
[Beep! Congratulations, host, for healing: EX-ranked character Jean Grey, A+ ranked character Charles Xavier.]
[Jean Grey (EX Rank)]
[Available Abilities: Phoenix Force LV10 (sealed), Psychosensory LV5, Psychokinesis LV5]
[Congratulations! You have obtained: Psychokinesis LV5!]
[Charles Xavier (A+ Rank)]
[Available Abilities: Mind Control LV8, Psychic LV9, Mental Shield LV8]
[Congratulations! You have obtained: Mental Shield LV8!]
Soren could barely suppress his grin. Two powerful abilities at once, Psychokinesis LV5 and Mental Shield LV8, were a fantastic gain. Though he regretted that Jean's Phoenix Force was beyond his reach, today had been more than rewarding.
As he reveled in his newfound skills, a soft groan pulled his attention back to reality.
Professor X's eyes fluttered open, his breath steady as he took in the familiar faces around him. "Don't worry." He assured calmly despite his fatigue. "I'm fine."
Relieved smiles spread through the group. Hank helped him sit up, but just as he settled, an odd expression crossed Charles' face. He hesitated, eyes narrowing in thought.
"What's wrong, Professor?" Scott asked.
Ignoring the question, Charles gently pushed himself forward. Then, to everyone's utter shock~
He stood.
"Professor!" Jean gasped.
Scott and Nightcrawler stared, dumbfounded, as Charles took a shaky step forward. A visible tremor ran through his frame, unused to the sensation.
"I can feel my legs." He whispered, astonished.
His fingers twitched at his sides as he took another unsteady step. It was slow, uncertain… but it was movement. For years, he had accepted paralysis as an unchangeable fact. And now?
The excitement deepened in his heart.
"Professor." Mystique said softly, a rare note of warmth in her voice.
Hank exhaled, rubbing the back of his head. "The doctor really did it. He actually healed your spine."
Charles blinked, then turned to Soren. The weight of this act was not lost on him.
"Dr. Macaluso." He said, voice thick with raw emotion, "Thank you."
Soren rubbed the back of his neck, a bit embarrassed at the gratitude. "It's nothing. I'm a doctor, it's my responsibility to heal those in need. As they say, 'the greater the ability, the greater the responsibility.'"
"Well said. A man after my own heart." Charles' expression softened, admiration clear in his eyes.
The others, too, regarded Soren with newfound respect. Kurt nodded in happiness, and Hank looked at him in a new light.
Jean, meanwhile, bit her lip, a faint blush dusting her cheeks.
Soren clapped his hands together. "Well then, with that settled, let's take a moment to relax. It's rare for my clinic to be this lively, how about some tea?"
A chuckle rippled through the group. After all they had been through, the thought of something as simple as tea felt almost surreal.
Soren poured each of them a cup, the fragrant aroma filling the air.
They sipped carefully, and immediately, a sense of warmth and rejuvenation spread through them.
Hank sighed in contentment. "Soren, I don't know what kind of tea this is, but it's working wonders."
Charles took a sip of his own, eyebrows raising in pleasant surprise. "Remarkable."
The group relaxed, finally allowing the weight of the battle to settle behind them.
Then Charles looked at Soren thoughtfully. "Dr Macaluso, though Apocalypse is gone, Egypt has suffered greatly. It won't be livable for quite some time. With your medical skills… what do you plan to do next?"
The question hung in the air.
Soren smiled over the rim of his teacup.
꧁𓊈𒆜༺⚜༻𒆜𓊉꧂
Fellow Phantoms and aspiring Phantoms to be, if you seek to access advanced parts of this story procced to my shadowy realm of p@treon.
PhantomDream