CHAPTER 4/CONCLUSION
Using his psychic abilities, for which he'd long ago gained the moniker of Professor X, the bald former friend of Magneto shouted, in not only vocalized words but pure telepathic force, "Eric! You must stop! You know I will not allow you to harm my X-Men! Not again! Just as I will not allow you to lead your House of M to the achievement of their goals of total dominion over mutants and humanity!"
Accompanying the psionically-delivered proclamation was an overwhelming telepathic blast that could, due to Magneto's lack of helmeted protection, cause the Master of Magnetism great psychic pain.
"Nooooo!" screamed a determined Magneto, simultaneously increasing his output of magnetic power to crush the unprotected-by-Professor X House of M mutants fighting beneath his imaginary Homo-superior banner. "You…will …not…stop…me!"
Before Scarlet Witch could utilize her reality-warping powers against Professor X, the sheer force of will that was Eric Magnus Lensherr, the man as well as the mutant, created an agonizingly forceful telepathic feedback with painfully real results.
"Gyyyyiiiiiiiii!"
So great was said psionic feedback, that not only pain violated the mind and nervous system of Professor Charles Francis Xavier, but that part of his lower body's brain-nerve-muscle connection was so damaged that he would once again need to rely upon his power wheelchair to be at all ambulatory.
"I've waited long enough!" said Magneto with more than a little destructive potential to tone and partially hidden, via the just-donned helmet, affectation.
Even as he, indeed, unleashed a tremendous amount of pure magnetic force which not only destroyed a large section of the X-mansion's rear, as well as ripping apart the ground, but crushed most of his own militant mutants in the process.
Only the core mutant members of the House of M, in the embodiment of Callisto, Avalanche, Multiple Man, and Pyro, remained unharmed, as the likes of Wolverine, Cyclops, Colossus, Shadowcat, and Rogue, on the ground, along with Angel and Storm, in the air, were also spared injury. Leading to…
"Colossus," snarled Wolverine as his warrior's blood boiled and his desire for vengeance exploded within, "fastball express! Straight for Magneto!"
"Da, Comrade Wolverine," said Colossus' Russian-accented voice, still in his living armor form. "Good luck!"
"Luck ain't a part of it, Petey," was Wolverine's barely understood reply, even as Colossus' super-strength forcefully hurled the Canadian scrapper, razor-sharp adamantium claws out and aimed, directly for the still-hovering Master of Magnetism.
"Eric, look out!" shouted Mystique as the glint of adamantium caught her eye, even as all three, still within that airborne magnetic bubble, turned toward the just-tossed Wolverine.
"Yeeeeeeeeeeeeee-iiiiiiiiiiiiii-rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!"
Even as that battle-cry left Wolverine's stubble-framed lips…
…even as Magneto's full attention was now on the incoming X-Man, which meant, thankfully for the X-Men, the Master of Magnetism was no longer directing his powers toward those on the ground…
…and as Scarlet Witch hesitated in regards to using her powers to alter the outcome of whatever was about to happen…
…while Mystique prepared to shapeshift into something…
…Wolverine's unbreakable claws literally pierced the magnetic bubble and sank deep and bloody into…
"Magneto!" exclaimed Scarlet Witch.
"Eric!" cried Mystique.
"Bastard!" snorted Wolverine, after safely tumbling onto the grassy ground below.
Suddenly, the fighting crawled to a halt, even as Professor X, once again without working legs, regained full consciousness, and as all turned to look where three formerly hovering individuals had just fallen…
An openly weeping Mystique cradled Magneto as Scarlet Witch looked on in abject horror and while a heavily-panting, perspiring Wolverine stood nearby with blood-coated adamantium claws dribbling onto the grass.
"Y-you k-killed him," said Mystique through ragged sobs, while turning her scowling blue face and glaring golden-hued eyes toward Wolverine, who neither seemed happy over his victory nor regretful.
It merely was.
"If you and these others don't hit the road, sweetheart," warned Wolverine while gesturing with his blood-dripping claws, "I'll kill you, too! Got it?"
"Mystique," said Scarlet Witch, "what should I do?"
"First," sniffled Mystique as she motioned for some of the stronger mutant militants, male and female, to come carry the bloodied, unmoving body of Magneto, "we get outta here. Then…"
Mystique didn't finish her statement. She didn't have to.
Days and nights pass peacefully...
All damage done by the House of M had been repaired, thanks in large part to some of the more powerful X-Men and students…
Unfortunately, some physical damage, as well as psychological, could not be "repaired".
Such as the wheelchair-bound Professor X…
"Professor, I'm sorry we couldn't stop Magneto before he…"
"That's all right, Logan," said the Professor with a smile. "At least, once Scarlet Witch used her powers to 'remove' the House of M combatants from the grounds, those of us who had been dead are, once again, alive. And, for the most part, quite healthy."
"Yeah," scoffed a despondent Cyclops, once again wearing ruby quartz glasses in place of combat visor. "Everyone except for Jean."
Even as he said that he, along with Wolverine, Beast, Angel, and Storm, looked out the office's replaced-by-mutants bay window toward the only grave remaining which, in point of fact, belonged to she whom the world would forever remember as: Dark Phoenix.
Even Wolverine couldn't completely hide his woe in connection with the dead red-headed beauty whom he, secretly, save for the telepathic Professor X, loved with all his heart and soul.
"You know what she'd want us to do, Scott," Professor X finally said with a soothing smile. "She'd want us to carry on. To keep the dream alive. And to protect the world…mutants and humans…from the likes of Magneto's House of M."
After a thick silence claimed the conditioned air for several agonizing moments, Wolverine stuck a fresh cigar in-between his teeth, even as Professor X shot him a don't-do-it! glare, then heaved, "Well, I don't know about the rest of ya…but I could use a beer. Or two."
END