Chapter 190 — Magneto Descends
The air snapped with electricity, every shard of steel in the chamber alive, trembling like hunting dogs waiting for the master's whistle. Magneto hovered above the wreckage, his cape fanning out behind him like wings of blood and night.
He raised one hand. The broken remains of the inhibitor field coiled into his palm, molten scraps knitting together. His voice thundered.
"You stand here, in MY sanctum, daring to undo what is destiny. Do you think yourselves noble? Children playing at war while the world burns? I offer order, a future for our kind, and still you resist me."
Scott's voice cut across, steady and defiant. "You don't offer the future, Magneto. You offer a cage. We'll never kneel to you."
Magneto sneered. "Kneel? No. Crawl."
Metal spikes ripped free of the walls, spearing toward the team.
Storm swept her hands wide, winds roaring to life. Even suppressed, the field flickering, she forced the air to churn, deflecting the deadliest barrage. Sweat beaded on her temple. "Move!"
Colossus charged, steel form blossoming across his skin. He slammed into a wave of flying debris, batting it aside like twigs. "X-Men! Forward!"
Nightcrawler bamfed in bursts, disorienting Magneto with staccato flashes of sulfur. He appeared above Magneto's shoulder and snapped, "You monologue too much, mein freund," before vanishing again.
The Master of Magnetism scowled, eyes narrowing. "Insects."
A magnetic pulse lashed out, catching Kurt mid-teleport. He crashed into the floor, smoke rising from his singed fur.
Kitty screamed, "Kurt!" and dove to phase through a spray of jagged rebar, her form flickering as she pulled him to safety.
Logan crouched low, claws gleaming. "That's enough speeches, Magneto. You're startin' to sound like a broken record."
He lunged, feral speed cutting the distance. Claws slashed up, sparks dancing as Magneto caught him mid-air, claws grinding against an invisible magnetic grip.
Logan snarled, struggling against the unseen force. "What's the matter, tin man? Afraid of a little steel up close?"
Magneto's face hardened. "Your defiance is almost admirable. Almost." He flicked his fingers, and Logan slammed into the wall hard enough to crack stone.
Storm shouted, "Logan!" and hurled a fork of lightning from her hands, raw power straining against the suppressing field. It split the air like a scream, crashing into Magneto's barrier. For a moment, his shield flickered.
Scott saw it. "There! Keep him off balance!"
Colossus hurled a chunk of broken machinery, the metal twisting mid-flight as Magneto redirected it. Scott dove, caught the glint of an exposed panel in Magneto's shield, and shouted, "Kurt—bamf him!"
But Kurt was still dazed, coughing smoke. Kitty pressed her hands to him, frantic. "Stay with me, elf! Please, stay with me!"
Logan dragged himself free from the wall, blood trickling down his temple. His grin was savage. "Not bad, baldy's golden boy. Not bad at all."
Scott glanced at him, jaw tight. "Then stop grinning and hit him harder."
Magneto raised both hands, the chamber groaning, walls bending inward like a collapsing lung. His voice was low now, venomous.
"You cannot win. I will tear this island down to its roots, bury you beneath its bones, and the world will thank me for it."
Storm lifted her chin, eyes burning white. "The world will never thank a tyrant. The world remembers freedom."
Lightning lanced down from the ceiling, shaking the chamber. For the first time, Magneto's barrier cracked like glass.
Logan saw his chance. Claws out, teeth bared, he lunged again.
Scott scowled, already scanning the chamber. "We can't fight him straight-on like this. Ororo, Kurt—keep him distracted. Peter, hold your ground. Logan—"
But Logan wasn't there.
Scott whipped his head around. "Where the hell—"
Storm's eyes flickered. "He has vanished."
Kitty frowned. "Logan? He was right here!"
A cigar butt smoldered on the floor.
'Good. Keep talkin', Slim. Keep his eyes on you,' Logan thought as he slid through the shadows along the edge of the chamber. His claws retracted with a soft shhk, too loud in his ears, but drowned by the sound of Magneto's rage twisting metal. 'Magneto can feel every bolt, every screw in this place. But he ain't sniffin' me out. Nose and patience—two things I got in spades.'
Magneto raised both hands, the air vibrating as plates of metal floated above him, shimmering like a stormcloud of blades. His eyes blazed. "You gnats think you can crawl in my kingdom and disrupt my vision? This world is mine to shape!"
Storm straightened, unflinching. Even powerless, her voice was thunder. "A kingdom built on fear is a prison, Magneto. And you… are the jailer."
Magneto's lips curled. "Then let me show you the cost of defiance."
The blades rained down.
Nightcrawler bamfed in and out, snatching Kitty by the waist and pulling her to safety. Colossus dove, grabbing a plate midair and shoving it aside, the edge slicing his palm deep. Scott pulled Lee back behind a console, shielding her with his body.
Storm ducked low, rolling behind twisted machinery. She looked across the room, locking eyes with Kitty. "Child—remember what he fears most. Not our strength… but our hope."
Kitty's voice wavered. "Hope won't stop him if we're skewered!"
Storm's lips curved faintly. "Then we make him bleed his own fear."
Magneto's eyes narrowed, fury breaking through his calm façade. "You DARE—"
Scott raised his voice, sharp, commanding. "X-Men! Hold him here! Every second counts!"
From the shadows, Logan's grin spread slow and feral. His claws slid free once more with that familiar metallic kiss.
'Yeah. Hold him here. All I need's one clean shot…'
The battle raged on.