Days as a Spiritual Mentor in American Comics Chapter 5702 - 4726: X Royal Family: Annihilation (8)

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Previously on Days as a Spiritual Mentor in American Comics...
The White Queen, enraged by Shiller's actions, prepares to confront Magneto, while an army of Avengers arrives from another universe. Stark intervenes, swiftly disabling their Iron Man and warning them against conflict on Clarkia Island. He then agrees to let Captain America accompany him to the Mutant Royal Court to de-escalate the situation.
"Magneto!!!!!" Amidst the psychic tempest, even with his helmet shielding him from mental assaults, Magneto could still perceive the White Queen's furious outburst. He let out a sigh, understanding that the inevitable had arrived, and he had to face it alone. Professor X was ill-suited to appear at this juncture; Emma’s fury would likely be directed at him. A resplendent figure shattered the window, manifesting before Magneto. The scattered crystal fragments, shimmering, launched themselves towards him. Magneto raised a hand in a gesture of weary resignation. "Cease these petty theatrics, Emma," he stated. "Petty theatrics?! If you hadn't bled for mutants, Erik, I would have those shards sever your head!!!" The White Queen presented an imposing figure—a statuesque blonde woman, powerfully built, with distinctly Germanic features. Her sharp, defined lines gave her an almost masculine appearance. Every movement exuded an air of authority. In her rage, she resembled an exploding star, brilliantly dazzling. "What promises did you and Charles make to me back then?! You swore to forge a new Utopia for mutants, and what did I say? I called it a dream, haven’t we suffered enough failures?! Genosha, the lessons from the Mutant Federation, were they not sufficient?!" "It was your silver tongue, you claimed this endeavor would be different, that victory was assured. You told me my sole responsibility was to manage diplomatic and trade affairs, while you handled the rest. How could I have fallen for such falsehoods from you?!!" "The strike team was annihilated, wasn't it?! Because of your damnable, absurdly naive multiverse scheme! We lost eight more comrades, Erik, look me in the eye; do you feel no remorse for them?!!" The White Queen gestured with forceful emphasis. "Heaven knows, I had persuaded the ambassadors of six nations to undertake state visits to Clarkia. Their arrival would have solidified our legitimacy, yet you dared to bring back that accursed Sebastian at this critical moment!! You mock me!!!" Her enraged cry caused the entire crystalline dome to vibrate, and even the mutants across the island retreated to their quarters, unwilling to confront the White Queen's unleashed fury. This particular universe's Magneto possessed a notably gentle disposition. He sighed softly. "The multiverse plan was indeed an error in judgment, and Charles has already faced the consequences. Emma, recalling the Black Emperor was not intended as an act against you." "Then what precisely are you attempting to achieve?!" The White Queen seemed on the verge of collapse. "The United Nations assembly is tomorrow! The strike operation's failure guarantees they will retaliate against us. Only I possess the capability to salvage this diplomatic catastrophe for you, and yet you chose to betray me now..." "We did not, Emma, please, have faith in me, we did not bring the Black Emperor here to oppose you." Magneto approached her, meeting her gaze. "You cannot deny that Sebastian is also a mutant. If our aim is to establish a nation that embraces all mutants, we cannot exclude him. I believed you had considered this when you agreed to our plan. Back then, Charles and I were deeply impressed by your broad-mindedness and esteemed character." "You seek to placate me with flattery!" The White Queen remained unmoved. "Tell me your purpose for involving Sebastian!" Magneto found himself at a loss for words. He couldn't even explain his own acquiescence to Shiller's audacious plan. Provoking the White Queen seemed to fracture the mutant ranks, and without a satisfactory explanation, the situation could deteriorate further. Just then, a series of knocks, like celestial music, echoed. For reasons unknown, Magneto harbored a profound trust in Shiller, perhaps stemming from his understanding of Professor X. He projected the faith he held for Professor X onto Shiller. "Enter," Magneto commanded. He drew his cape about himself and turned away, signaling his intent to exit and cede the situation to Shiller. To his astonishment, it wasn't Shiller who entered first, but Professor X, seated in his wheelchair. At that instant, Magneto felt a jolt, as if his very soul had been displaced. The White Queen, already incensed by the multiverse plan, had blamed Professor X for the strike team's demise. Magneto had ensured Professor X remained hidden within the gravity laboratory precisely to prevent the volatile White Queen from enacting harm upon him, a possibility not out of the question. But what did he witness now? Professor X had emerged of his own accord, appearing before an even more furious White Queen?! Magneto's hand tightened reflexively on his cape, his composure on the verge of breaking. However, the White Queen let out a gasp, "Charles, how..." Magneto then registered the scene with dawning realization: Wait a moment, why is Professor X in a wheelchair again?

Actually, in the majority of mutant comic lore, Professor X’s leg condition was frequently healed. Considering that these mutants possess the capability of time travel and have access to extremely advanced medical technology capable of eradicating cancer, paralysis would hardly be a significant obstacle. Alternatively, perhaps the iconic image of his paralysis is a cinematic stereotype, as numerous comics depict Professor X as unshackled by paralysis, or only temporarily so, regaining his mobility shortly thereafter.

The Professor X of this particular universe mirrors that narrative. By the time he conceived the idea of transforming Clarkia into a new Utopia, his paralysis had long been remedied, and he was once again ambulatory. However, he was now confined to a wheelchair, with Shiller providing the propulsion.

Magneto, however, remained perplexed by the White Queen’s demeanor. He anticipated her to be seething with indignation.

Abruptly, another surge of psychic turbulence reverberated, yet this instance felt distinct; Magneto perceived it as a direct assault. He felt as though his helmet were a minuscule vessel tossed about in a tempest.

"Magneto!!!" the White Queen’s voice thundered once more, "How dare you!!! How could you permit Professor X to suffer such harm?! What exactly have you done???!!!"

Magneto, taken aback, instinctively glanced upward and observed Shiller playfully winking at him. Concurrently, a mental wave, as serene as a gentle spring breeze, began to pacify the raging psychic storm.

Magneto was, of course, intimately familiar with Charles’s mental signatures, but did this seem excessively feeble?

Professor X seldom resorted to overwhelming force to influence minds, yet even during his mere attempts to pacify, all present could sense the immense power emanating from his mental waves—akin to the periphery of a typhoon grazing them, a sensation even Magneto, shielded by his helmet, could not escape.

This time, however, the mental fluctuations seemed barely sufficient to mollify the White Queen’s fury, appearing remarkably diminished—a stark contrast to Professor X’s characteristic mental emanations.

"Great heavens," the White Queen exclaimed, "What has befallen you, Professor Xavier? You appear to be on your deathbed! I can scarcely detect your mental presence anymore!"

The White Queen, who had been incandescent with rage moments before, was now visibly unnerved. Her voice quivered, "Who inflicted this upon you? Was it... the Sentinel?"

"It was the Mother Module," Professor X confessed, his voice tinged with resignation. "During the final moments of the strike team, I attempted to forcibly impose my mental will upon the Mother Module, compelling it to confront the Sentinel Robots, but my effort proved futile. Instead, I sustained injuries from it..."

"The Mother Module possesses such formidable power??!!" the White Queen sputtered in disbelief. "A single strike nearly claimed your life?!"

Professor X offered a sorrowful nod and a gentle sigh. "My abilities are severely hampered presently; otherwise, I would have intervened the moment you set foot upon the island."

The White Queen seemed to grasp the gravity of the situation, murmuring, "I must have been overcome with emotion, failing to realize I could hardly sense your mental waves… Will this condition be permanent?"

"I cannot say, Emma," Professor X replied, addressing her by name. "None can ascertain. Even Beast and Moira are unable to provide a definitive answer. However, when this plan was initiated, there was no conceivable outcome I deemed unacceptable. The departure of our companions, my potential departure from you, your possible departure from us all—these are sacrifices we must be prepared to make."

The White Queen staggered, instinctively reaching out to steady herself against a nearby table. This formidable mutant queen, accustomed to projecting an aura of strength, rarely exhibited such a display of vulnerability, signaling the profound depth of her encroaching fear.

Magneto, though somewhat bewildered by her reaction, understood it implicitly. Shiller, however, grasped its full significance. Only fellow psychics could truly fathom the immense power wielded by Professor X, regardless of whether they stood as allies or adversaries. It was only through the Mind Link, discerning the genuine Charles Xavier, that one could comprehend the true magnitude of the God of Mind.

While the White Queen might possess a reputation as a psychic on par with Professor X, this renown stemmed largely from Professor X's own humble assertions that "many powerful psychics are comparable to me." In reality, the White Queen's equivalence to Professor X primarily resided in her mental defense capabilities, which were buttressed by her secondary mutant ability—body diamondization—rather than solely relying on psionic prowess to contend with Professor X in a psychic duel.

If Professor X could be incapacitated by a solitary blow from the Mother Module, then her vaunted mental defenses might prove equally susceptible. And this was an incomplete, hastily awakened Mother Module, summoned to confront the strike team, already inflicting such devastating damage. What horrors awaited when this entity reached its full potential? Surely, their collective doom would be sealed.

The White Queen was not wanting in her awareness of potential sacrifice; her willingness to align with these two audacious individuals in rebuilding Utopia implied she had already contemplated the bleakest possible outcomes. After all, having endured the cataclysm of "no more mutants," what remained to inspire fear?

But now, the White Queen understood her true fear. How could humanity forge such an entity? Despite their inherent feebleness and vulnerability, she could casually vanquish multitudes with a mere thought, her mind control a formidable weapon. How could such a fragile species birth such a potent instrument of destruction?!

Deep down, the White Queen found it difficult to concede, yet the terror that loomed upon her stemmed from a stark realization. During the era of mutant supremacy, she had viewed Earth's ordinary inhabitants as insignificant ants, whose potential demise would barely register. But now, the tables had irrevocably turned. If humans possessed the capability to effortlessly obliterate mutants, would they show any mercy? Could mutant extinction be an imminent reality?

She was prepared to make sacrifices, but the complete annihilation of mutants was an outcome she could not endure. Hadn't they strived and struggled sufficiently? Why couldn't they carve out a path toward continued existence?!

Magneto observed the unfolding events, his mind occupied with uncertainty regarding the intentions of Shiller and Professor X. While this situation seemed to soothe the White Queen's immediate panic, could such a profound shock truly prevent her from succumbing to utter despair and relinquishing all resistance?