This story is an X-Men Evolution Post-Apocalypse Continuation starring Jean Grey and Warren Worthington III (Angel).
It also features Rogue, Scott Summers (Cyclops), Charles Xavier (Professor X), Logan (Wolverine), Remy LeBeau (Gambit), Ororo Munroe (Storm), Hank McCoy (Beast), Emma Frost, Selene, Betsy Braddock (Psylocke), Domino, and others...
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DISCLAIMER: I do not own X-Men or X-Men Evolution. Marvel owns these properties and all the X-Men characters.
Child of Light and Darkness...
Who is Jean Grey? What is happening to her? Warren Worthington wonders, flying after her. Charles Xavier is also wondering who or what she is. Is she still his most responsible student, the other voice inside his head…or has she become something alien, with uncontrollable powers that threaten not only herself, but the X-Men and every being on Earth?
Prologue – Victory
The terror of Apocalypse had ended. Charles Xavier was barely functional. Jean Grey, his greatest student, had saved him, and, with the assistance of many of the world's mutants, humanity. But he knew the moment he touched her mind and reviewed her victory that a new disaster was on the horizon.
In an aerial battle over the Great Pyramid in Egypt, she had defeated him, Charles Xavier, the world's most powerful psychic mutant reborn as one of Revelation's Four Horsemen. His being corrupted by the fiend, he existed only to destroy all that he lived for and loved. And his abilities, augmented by Apocalypse's influence, were beyond those of a master telepath.
For the first time his thoughts manifested in the physical realm. He was flying in reality, instead of dreaming of sailing out of his chair. Then he felt her attack. Her psychic projection blinded him – a blazing shield in the shape of a falcon. Wings of flame scorched his senses. Just as she threw him to the desert sand he felt that fire breaking into the real world. He knew she still burned now even though the fight was finished.
Jean operated the controls of the aircraft on the way back to the Institute using only her telekinesis. Magma, Colossus, and the others were hardly breathing. When they landed, Jean lifted Charles out of the plane and inserted him into his wheelchair, manipulating his body like a puppeteer.
Again with only your thoughts, Jean?
You're awake, Professor?
I'm all right. You can let me go. Just let it all go, Jean.
Scott Summers ran up to them. He had battled a maniacal Mystique, her powers increased exponentially by Apocalypse. Though exhausted to a degree he had never experienced before, he had to see Jean. He needed to hold her in his arms so he could be certain it was all over and the world that had come apart at the seams was truly restored.
She was hovering twenty feet above the ground, her hair streaming upwards. There was a metallic taste in the air he found disturbingly familiar. An unsettling jolt coursed through his already shell-shocked system as he recalled the vortex that emerged during her last power surge.
Scott, Jean needs you.
It was the Professor contacting him telepathically because he was too weak to speak. Suddenly Jean lit up as if the air around her were on fire. Dazzling wings formed from light spread from her shoulders and she rose into the sky.
"What's happening to her?" cried Summers.
Scott get Warren. Ororo's still incapacitated, but Warren can save her.
Cyclops understood. "We have to save her from herself…" Summers' thoughts grew more alarming.
Only Warren can reach her in time.
"In time?"
She's leaving us. She's leaving the planet. She'll try to breach the atmosphere and she'll burn to a cinder.
"I'll get Warren."
Returning from Mexico, Warren Worthington III stepped off one of the helicopters provided by SHIELD. Alongside Kitty, Sunspot, Havoc, Wanda and some unexpected members of the Brotherhood, he had fought Apocalypse's Second Horseman, Magneto. Crushed by one of the Master of Magnetism's brutal assaults, he had to be carried onto the chopper by Blob, one of the Brotherhood. Every muscle and bone in his body, particularly the fine hollow structures in his wings, ached. Scott sped towards him.
"Warren! You have to help us! You have to save Jean."
"What are you talking about? I just helped save all of humanity. What's wrong with Jean?"
"Look," Scott pointed to a glowing point in the late afternoon sky. "It's her. The Professor said she's out of control. She's trying to leave Earth. She'll go too high and burn up leaving the atmosphere," as he finished Warren's feet left his sight.
Warren scarcely knew Jean Grey. He'd only been on one mission with her. In London, months earlier, they failed to prevent Magneto and his minions from enabling Apocalypse's resurrection. There had been no time for talk. And, as soon as he saw them together, he realized she was Scott's girl. He subsequently tried to stop admiring her long, brilliant red hair, tiny waist, and sparkling intelligent eyes. She seemed to be floating all the time, her feet never quite touching the ground.
He had an idea of what was happening to her. He'd tried one night, like Icarus, to fly as high as he could. It was the first time he discovered what the cursed feathery outgrowths could do. But what was going on in Jean's mind now? Why try to leave the planet after defeating Apocalypse?
She was way up there. The air became thinner as Angel ascended beyond the puffy cumulus clouds into the upper atmosphere. Miles above the Earth's surface, each wing stroke brought him closer to the shimmering object. It was Jean, but he'd never seen her like this. He'd never seen anything like this.
Psychic flames radiated from her soaring form. The brightness burned his eyes. If he touched her, would she burn his skin? They were rising higher and higher. Too far, Warren knew – soon he would grow faint from lack of oxygen.
"Jean, stop!" he called. If he kept going he would fall; he would die. "Jean! Don't go!"