JOURNEY OF A KNIGHT
CHAPTER I. GLIMMERS
(DISCLAIMER: The Age of Apocalypse, The X-Men, Charles Xavier, and all related characters are copyrights of Marvel Comics. The Knight Eagle, in all his various iterations, as well as his teammates, is my own personal creations)
1956
Colin McElros looked out over the stormy waters of the English Channel from his perch atop the main building of the Muir Isle Research Center. Wind whipped through his raven black hair and the salt spray from the water stung his face. His world was turning upside down. It had been months since his son, Jason, had exhibited the first signs of his abilities. He had always felt that there was something special about the boy, from the day he was born. When he first looked into his eyes, there was a spark there, which Colin, in his decades of dealing with men of every sort, had never seen before. He had always wondered exactly what form his son's special destiny would take, but he had never expected this.
"Are you sure, Doctor?"
Charles Xavier nodded his head as he looked at the back of the well- cut suit that McElros wore.
"There cannot be any doubt. I have run every test there is. Your son has the x-factor. He is homo superior; a mutant."
Strain and confusion creased McElros' face. He was used to surprises, and he had been prepared to hear almost any news from the world's most renowned paranormal researcher. Anything but this.
"How is that possible? I have never been exposed to anything even remotely dangerous. No radiation, no stellar energies, nothing, how…"
"Mister McElros, we are still in the early stages of mutant research. We don't know what causes the development of the X-Factor, only that it is completely random, and manifests at puberty. Your son's abilities will continue to grow. I have been planning for some time now to gather young people like your son. I believe that if they can be properly trained, they can be a great boon to society."
McElros turned to Xavier. His keen, dark eyes gazing deep into the powerfully intelligent face of the man before him.
"I thank you for your assistance, Professor Xavier. My son will remain here, with me. He is heir to my fortune and to the empire that I have created here, in my country. He is an Englishman, and will learn to develop these abilities of his here, and benefit his nation."
"As you see fit, sir. I wish you the best. Please remember that the offer is always open."
Xavier handed McElros a thick sheaf of papers in a folder.
"This is all the data that I have gathered on your son. It will assist you in his training. He has the potential to be extraordinarily powerful, Mr. McElros, I advise you to take every possible precaution."
"I will. Thank you."
As Xavier walked back into the building, a young man of 13 came out onto the roof. His dark hair and eyes matched those of the man in front of him. He was a leanly muscle youth, with an energy about him that said he could never be trusted to remain in one place long.
"What do we do, father?"
"We see to your training. Beginning now." McElros turned to his son. "I will see to it that these abilities of yours become the least of what makes you dangerous. You may have power, Jason, but that will only take you so far. Even knowledge of how to use it will not make you all that you can be. Your mind, and the body you were born with are your greatest assets. We will train your mind and, as you master that, your body and powers will follow. But above all, you must remember what we, as a family stand for."
McElros took his son by the shoulders and let him look out at the isle of England across the thin waters that separated it from Muir Isle.
"Ours is an old family, Jason. We have always been stewards of this land. Ours are the hands that built it, ours are the hands that defended it in time of need, and ours are the hands that will guard it in days to come. The time will come when you will defend this land of ours. And you will be ready."
The wind stirred and gusted against them. Jason did not shy away from it. A storm was coming.
CHAPTER I. GLIMMERS
(DISCLAIMER: The Age of Apocalypse, The X-Men, Charles Xavier, and all related characters are copyrights of Marvel Comics. The Knight Eagle, in all his various iterations, as well as his teammates, is my own personal creations)
1956
Colin McElros looked out over the stormy waters of the English Channel from his perch atop the main building of the Muir Isle Research Center. Wind whipped through his raven black hair and the salt spray from the water stung his face. His world was turning upside down. It had been months since his son, Jason, had exhibited the first signs of his abilities. He had always felt that there was something special about the boy, from the day he was born. When he first looked into his eyes, there was a spark there, which Colin, in his decades of dealing with men of every sort, had never seen before. He had always wondered exactly what form his son's special destiny would take, but he had never expected this.
"Are you sure, Doctor?"
Charles Xavier nodded his head as he looked at the back of the well- cut suit that McElros wore.
"There cannot be any doubt. I have run every test there is. Your son has the x-factor. He is homo superior; a mutant."
Strain and confusion creased McElros' face. He was used to surprises, and he had been prepared to hear almost any news from the world's most renowned paranormal researcher. Anything but this.
"How is that possible? I have never been exposed to anything even remotely dangerous. No radiation, no stellar energies, nothing, how…"
"Mister McElros, we are still in the early stages of mutant research. We don't know what causes the development of the X-Factor, only that it is completely random, and manifests at puberty. Your son's abilities will continue to grow. I have been planning for some time now to gather young people like your son. I believe that if they can be properly trained, they can be a great boon to society."
McElros turned to Xavier. His keen, dark eyes gazing deep into the powerfully intelligent face of the man before him.
"I thank you for your assistance, Professor Xavier. My son will remain here, with me. He is heir to my fortune and to the empire that I have created here, in my country. He is an Englishman, and will learn to develop these abilities of his here, and benefit his nation."
"As you see fit, sir. I wish you the best. Please remember that the offer is always open."
Xavier handed McElros a thick sheaf of papers in a folder.
"This is all the data that I have gathered on your son. It will assist you in his training. He has the potential to be extraordinarily powerful, Mr. McElros, I advise you to take every possible precaution."
"I will. Thank you."
As Xavier walked back into the building, a young man of 13 came out onto the roof. His dark hair and eyes matched those of the man in front of him. He was a leanly muscle youth, with an energy about him that said he could never be trusted to remain in one place long.
"What do we do, father?"
"We see to your training. Beginning now." McElros turned to his son. "I will see to it that these abilities of yours become the least of what makes you dangerous. You may have power, Jason, but that will only take you so far. Even knowledge of how to use it will not make you all that you can be. Your mind, and the body you were born with are your greatest assets. We will train your mind and, as you master that, your body and powers will follow. But above all, you must remember what we, as a family stand for."
McElros took his son by the shoulders and let him look out at the isle of England across the thin waters that separated it from Muir Isle.
"Ours is an old family, Jason. We have always been stewards of this land. Ours are the hands that built it, ours are the hands that defended it in time of need, and ours are the hands that will guard it in days to come. The time will come when you will defend this land of ours. And you will be ready."
The wind stirred and gusted against them. Jason did not shy away from it. A storm was coming.