Redemption

Chapter Thirty-one

"Don't go anywhere near that thing," I said. "It got to Jean once and she went all psycho."

"What does it want?" Venom asked.

"How am I supposed to know?" I asked. "I was only around Jean when she was the Dark Phoenix for a short amount of time. But she wasn't the Dark Phoenix then, not really."

I looked at the big, flaming bird and it seemed to look back at me, right at me.

"Daken," said Osborn. "What are you doing?"

"I don't know," I said, taking another step forward. "I think — I think it's the Phoenix."

I stopped, right next to my dad. He was gazing up at the flaming bird with his mouth slightly open. I couldn't take my eyes off the giant bird. It felt as though . . . it was calling to me.

Daken stopped right next to his father. He was looking up at the Dark Phoenix in a mesmerized way. I could see the Phoenix reflected in both his eyes.

"Logan!" I yelled, realizing what was about to happen. But it was too late. The Dark Phoenix was on the move.

Logan watched as the colosoul burning bird began to move. It began to beat its wings, faster and faster. Logan felt heat hit him like a speeding train. He heard Jean call his name, but the Dark Phoenix was already on the move. And it was fast. Straight. Toward. Daken.

It was coming right at me, the giant bird. I braced myself for impact, the heat becoming overwhelming. I closed my eyes, blocking out the light. I felt the Dark Phoenix enter my body. I feel grass. I must have fallen to my knees.

I felt as though something began to grow inside me, a seed maybe, or an egg. I could only hear my heavy breathing, every other sound was gone. My eyes were still closed, shut tightly. The seed opened, the egg cracked, and something was born. A flower bloomed, a baby bird stepped out of its broken egg. The flower caught flame. So does the bird. The flower shriveled and died under the weight of the flame, but the bird grew bigger, the flames strengthening it.

I felt my wound heal. Everything seemed to have stopped in my body. Everything was so silent, so peaceful. Then there was a voice.

You know what to do.

It said.

You know what you have to do.

Yes, I thought, yes I do. My eyes opened. I saw the world on fire.

"EVERYBODY RUN!" Jean Grey yelled at the top of her lungs. "GET TO THE SCHOOL! NOW! GET INTO THE SAFE ROOMS!"

Everyone ran into the school, even Osborn, Ares, and Venom. The students, at the sight of the X-men running, began to run as well. Logan slowed to a stop outside the school and turned around. Daken was standing now, facing the water. His hands were limp at his sides, fingertips pointing down toward the grass.

Daken began to turn around.

"Logan!" Hank yelled.

Logan felt Kurt's fingers wrap around his wrist and suddenly he was inside the school. Logan could see Daken through the windows as the crowd of mutants pushed him along. For the first time in a long long time, Wolverine felt true fear. 

Wolverine did this to you, he put you in this position. He killed your mother and Romulus. He made you alone in this world. Because of him, you will never be able to have friends, a family, an actual life. It's time to end him. Once and for all.

I screamed, a blood curtailing, loud, shriek. I had never screamed that loud in my life.

You finally made a friend with Rogue and where did she go? Back to Logan. So did Jean. Charles Xavier was already there, you just didn't see it. Nobody wants you, nobody cares about you or loves you. You are all alone in this world. And that. Is all. Wolverine's. Fault.

I felt power surge through me and the flaming bird spreads its wings, ready to fly.

It's time, Daken. It's time.

I began to walk toward the school, taking my time. The X-men and their students were already gone, along with Osborn, Ares, and Venom. Even the people who were supposed to be on my side left me. I stopped at Bullseye's corpse. 

"I'm going to avenge you," I vowed. "I know we never got along but you were like a brother I never had. I could play you and you could attempt to kill me, but we'd end up fighting side-by-side again. I will bring the X-men to their knees. I promise."

I looked away from the dead body. The flaming bird had reached my heart and it was slowly curling itself around it, burning it, but, at the same time, making it pump faster.

I reached the double doors of Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. I put both my palms on its wood. It instantly lit fire. So did every blade of grass and tree on Utopia island.

Welcome to hell X-men.