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*****
Charles and Erik exchanged a look and collectively shuddered.
If it weren't for Jean...
If it weren't for the absolute necessity of testing the limits of the Phoenix Force...
They never would have used those earrings to fuse. And now, people actually wanted them to describe what it felt like?
That was a death wish.
The two let out simultaneous huffs and reached out, both flicking Gwen on the forehead at the exact same time.
"Ow!"
Gwen let out a small yelp. The microphone-shaped flame in her hand flickered out of existence as she clutched her head, rubbing the sore spots.
"Giggle!"
Little Lamb laughed delightedly at the scene, while Gwen directed a mock-indignant glare at the two men.
Clark watched his younger siblings' playful bickering with a gentle smile, as if the family gathered before him was his entire world.
"Alright, that's enough!"
Raven laughed helplessly, putting an end to the playfulness. She whispered to Mike, "If things are settled, let's head back. I promised Frigga I'd go shopping with her."
"Yeah, sounds good."
Mike nodded and addressed the group. "Everyone, let's head home. The Phoenix Force matter is over for now. In the future..."
"Wait!"
Suddenly, Jean's voice cut Mike off.
"What is it?" Charles asked, his voice instantly tightening with tension.
Jean's face turned deathly pale. "They're here."
"They?" Mike's brow furrowed. "The other Phoenix hosts?"
At those words, the mood in the room plummeted. Every hero's expression turned grim.
"Yes! I can sense them!"
Jean's tone was frantic. Now that the barriers between space and time had been breached, the Phoenix Force within her had begun to emit a low, resonant hum—a predatory vibration.
Steve asked coldly, "How many do you sense?"
Jean closed her eyes, focusing. "Three! And... and I don't know if more are coming!"
"What!?"
A low clamor broke out. If these people were coming with the sole intent of slaughtering one another to seize power, it would mean a catastrophe of unimaginable scale.
Charles pressed his fingers to his temples, weighing the options. "Perhaps we can attempt to make contact first."
"A peaceful resolution? That's the ideal outcome," Erik said, his face hardening as he continued. "But we must be fully prepared for war."
If the outsiders dared to strike, they had to be ready to take them down instantly.
The atmosphere turned razor-sharp.
Clark spoke in a low voice, "In that case, everyone get ready."
"Wait!"
Jean's voice rang out again, sharper this time. Everyone's heart skipped a beat.
"What now?" Charles asked, the air in the room feeling increasingly thin. A collective sense of foreboding washed over them.
Mike's voice was icy. "Are there more of them?"
Jean nodded, her face ghostly.
"How many?" Steve and Tony asked in unison.
Jean closed her eyes, her voice trembling as the count rose. "The barriers are continuing to shatter. Three... four... five... they're coming from everywhere! There are more and more!"
As a host herself, no one understood the sheer destructive potential of the Phoenix better than her. The phrase "more and more" was a harbinger of absolute despair.
"Charles!" Clark called out.
Charles immediately understood. He tapped his wristwatch, which expanded in a flash of light. Within the blink of an eye, a translucent, high-tech Cerebro helmet appeared in his hands.
Charles donned the helmet. Psychic energy surged, and his consciousness expanded at an astronomical rate.
Kent Star... Earth...
Supported by the advanced technology of Kent Star, Charles's telepathy swept across both planets. At this moment, if he wished, he could snuff out the lives of almost everyone on both worlds.
Of course, Charles had no interest in such things. His focus was singular: tracking the heat signatures of the Phoenix hosts to provide real-time intelligence.
Searing. Powerful.
Charles immediately felt several massive psychic presences, nearly identical to Jean's signature.
"Two in New York! One in London! Two in Kent City! Five have already manifested in our world!"
Charles called out the coordinates. The moment he pinpointed them, the foreign hosts sensed him as well. While Charles couldn't control them even with Cerebro, his boosted psychic defenses ensured they couldn't suppress him either.
As the locations were shouted out, Clark and the others began rapid tactical assignments. Jor-El appeared in the office immediately, prepared to stabilize the teleportation gates.
"Move out, everyone!" Steve shouted. After finalizing the teams, he turned to Mike. "Mike, you stay here and monitor the situation. We need you as our mobile support."
Their initial goal was contact and dialogue to find a peaceful path, not immediate combat. With Mike's abilities, he could provide instantaneous backup wherever the situation turned south.
"Understood!"
Mike agreed, but a heavy weight sat in his chest. His intuition was screaming at him that this was going to be very, very bad.
The portals roared to life.
Jean, Hela, Emma, and Erik charged through toward Kent City.
The Avengers, led by Tony and Steve, headed to New York.
Clark, Hope, and the X-Men led by Logan deployed to London.
Charles remained at the school, his mind serving as the central radar for the entire operation.
"Dad!" Gwen looked at Mike tentatively. "I want to go too!"
"No!" Raven said firmly. She held the restless Little Lamb with one hand and gripped Gwen's arm tightly with the other. "It's too dangerous!"
"But my brothers are out there fighting, and Dad will be going soon too." Gwen bit her lip, her eyes hardening with resolve. "It's dangerous, I know. But I'm a member of this family. I'm a superhero. I can't just sit here and watch."
"But these enemies aren't like the ones you've faced before. They—"
"Which is exactly why I need to be there!" Gwen insisted.
"Mike! Tell her she can't—"
"Go," Mike said softly. He reached out and ruffled Gwen's hair, a small, proud smile on his face.
"Mike! Have you lost your mind?"
It was rare for Raven to truly get angry with Mike, but her voice was sharp with fear.
Mike looked at her calmly. "Gwen is right, Raven. You know it in your heart."
"But... but..."
Raven stammered, unable to find a logical counter-argument. Her grip on Gwen's arm slowly loosened.
Gwen turned and gave Raven a quick, comforting hug. "Don't worry. Dad is watching over us."
With a brilliant, determined smile, she stepped through the portal Jor-El had opened and vanished.
Watching Gwen's receding back, Raven bit her lip and whispered, "Mike... they're all going to be okay, right?"
Mike was silent for a heartbeat. Then, with absolute certainty, he replied, "Yes."
(End of Chapter)