Of Mind and Magic
Chapter 16
Harry followed his Aunt Jean down a beige hallway decorated with paintings of landscapes. His bare feet slapped against hardwood floors.
Yesterday, his aunt had given him a room at the Institute for the duration of his training and beyond if he so chose, but he could barely remember where it was, his mind consumed with what he had learned.
His father was murdered by a serial killer, a serial killer working for Doctor strange fate, the man behind the holes in reality. He rubbed his hands on his jeans, wanting to stick his hands in his pockets, but even though he hadn't trained with the Wolverine yet. James Howlett a.k.a. Logan a.k.a. Wolverine had chastised him about not leaving his hands free, so he worked on breaking his old habit.
Stopping before a set of smooth metal doors, cool air ruffled the edges of his black T-shirt with the X-Men X over the heart. Raising a hand he ran a hand through his hair, "So where are we going Aunt Jean?"
The metal doors slid open and Jean entered the elevator, leaning against the railing that line the center of the inside, "I know you have powers similar to my own, so I want to see if I can teach you the more advanced applications. I don't typically use these in a fight, since the X-Men don't like killing, but since you're going up against a serial killer, I figure all bets are off."
Entering the elevator, Harry leaned beside his aunt, "So if the X-Men are against killing, why show me a new application of my powers that can kill?"
Jean laid a hand on his arm, her slender fingers curling to squeeze his bicep, "I've already lost so much family," she stared into his light blue eyes, "I don't want to lose anymore."
Her lips formed into a thin line, her eyes transforming into chips of emerald, "Mount Joy killed John for power," her fingernails began to dig into Hadrian's arm, but he ignored it, "he treated it like a sport like it was just a game."
"What concerns me most is this Doctor Strange Fate; he is powerful enough to pull people from other realities." She released Harry's arm, moving two steps away, "we'll worry about him once we have Mount joy, remember when you fight him. Make sure to get the information from his mind before killing him."
Jean shook her head, wiping her eyes with a curled finger, "Enough about that. You said you could sense the electrical impulses in machines," she turned to face the elevator panel, "see if you can tell the elevator to go down with your mind. Do not force it down with your power, manipulate the electrical signals."
Harry looked at her, a dark crimson eyebrow arching.
"In a fight, any one of your abilities could become lifesaving."
Nodding, Harry reached out with his mind. The moment his power passed through the panel, he could sense the electricity flowing through the wires. Stepping back a moment, he observed the wires path.
Once he was sure he understood the path of the wires, he produced a signal in his own mind that would tell the elevator to go down. Pushing that signal out, a burst of blue energy traveled down a wire. With a jerk, the elevator began going upwards.
"Sorry," he mumbled moving the small orbs of light over to another section of wire. With a stop and start motion, the elevator began going down.
Jean nodded, a soft smile spreading across her face, "Good, now all we need to do is work on your speed of telling machines what to do." One corner of her mouth curled, "but next time be careful not to send us up, your power is psychic in nature, which means machines will do what you tell them whether it's possible or not, we almost went airborne."
–XX –
The elevator stopped and the two Grays emerged into a hallway made of sleek metal. Tubular lights ran across the ceiling, lighting the hallways and leaving their reflections in the metal.
As they glided across the dark blue tiles covering the floor, Harry focused on his Aunt's back. "Where are we?"
Jean spun on her heel, her red hair flying around her as she started to walk backwards, "This is where we really train our students to master their abilities." She crossed her arms over her Violet T-shirt, "I mean we can't really train them above ground where anyone can see now can we?"
"I suppose not," he let his eyes scan her form, taking in the khaki pants and the dark Brown slip on shoes, "but if we're training, why are you wearing that?" He gestured to her clothes.
Jean turned and continued walking down the hallway, "Today we're not going to be doing anything too strenuous I just want to gauge your abilities."
Stopping beside a blank metal door, it hissed open, revealing stark white walls.
The heavy scent of antiseptic hung in the air around them. Shelves line the walls holding elevated wedges that showed off gleaming medical equipment.
Harry's eyes settled on a metal table in the center of the room with a white sheep draped across it dangling over the edges.
Jean flicked her eyes to the sheet, causing it to rise into the air, revealing what lay beneath.
On the table was a body the left half was blackened. A bloody wound sat in the center of his chest, and the left arm as well as both legs were missing.
Harry glanced at his aunt, "What exactly is it you want me to do here?"
"Hank procured the video of your battle with the orange Hulk. I want to see if you can restore this man to pristine condition, without having an image of what he look like before. According to Hank, your psychic abilities boost your magic allowing you to exert your will upon the world."
Raising his shoulders, Harry moved forward to stand beside the table. Placing his hands above the body, he forced his will outward.
A translucent blue dome appeared over the corpse.
Deciding to take care of the easiest injury first, Harry focused on the gash in the center of his chest. Using the knowledge of Asclepius, he pictured what the body was supposed to look like in its normal condition overlaying the image of an unbroken chest onto the man's body in his mind.
Particles of blue light began to rain down from the dome and flow inside the gash. In his mind Harry witnessed bone knitting back together. Nerves soon followed then muscle. After that was a layer of fatty tissue and then skin.
Blinking Harry realized he had been so focused on his work he entered an almost trancelike state. Eyeing the spot where the gash was, a smile stretched across his face when what he saw was a patch of smooth unbroken skin.
Shaking his head, he repeated the process on the bodies other injuries. Within the hour, a man about 5'8" tall with short brown hair, a stocky build, and a rather hairy body lay on the table.
Wiping sweat from his brow, Harry turned away from the glassy green eyes staring up at the ceiling, "There, it's done. I'm sorry, but I can't do anything about the soul."
Jean smiled, "That's fine. This was just a test so I can examine how your powers work. It appears that your magic boost your psychic abilities allowing you to alter reality within a certain range, while your psychic abilities give you more finite control over your magic," she shook her head, "I've never seen mutant abilities work so in tandem with one another."
"Over the next few weeks, we will be working on manipulating technology, telepathy, matter manipulation, intuitive aptitude, and Psionic constructs. All of these things should help you with your finite control and to understand your abilities on a deeper level."
She moved forward, wrapping an arm around his shoulder, "But I believe we're done for the day. You need to rest. Tomorrow Ororo is going to test your elemental control." She reminded him guiding him out of the room.
–XX –
The next day, Harry followed the mocha skinned beauty that was Ororo Munro across the Institute grounds.
Her white braided hair lay across one shoulder. The loose silk she was wearing danced with each movement and her bare feet glided across the grass with a dancer's grace. She stopped in the center of a maze of flowers, plopping into a cross-legged position with the ease of long practice.
Harry mimicked her position, his muscles and tendons protesting.
Ororo glanced at him as he finally settled in position, a pale white eyebrow arched. "That is something else we will work on, a fighter must be limber."
Harry inclined his head, resting his hands on the knees of his sweatpants. Breathing in deep, he savored the scent of the flowers around letting their fragrance wash away his other thoughts. Bird's song drained the tension from his shoulders with each note.
"You seem to have a connection with nature?" Ororo began bringing him back to reality.
Harry opened his eyes, "I learned to manipulate the elements from Borealis, Triton, and Hephaestus."
"Good, that means you have an idea of the consequences of manipulating Mother Nature. Whenever you manipulate the elements, you're pulling that rain, that wind, or whatever element you are commanding from somewhere else. That causes an imbalance with nature, granted with your abilities, the mystical nature of your power may give you some leeway, but I wanted to make sure you understood how everything on earth is connected."
Harry shifted the muscles in his back growing tired, "That makes sense. So what are you going to be teaching me?"
"If you want to learn about the elements, you must meditate and feel them, see how they interact with one another see the consequences of their destructive power."
Part of him wanted to tell her, that he had already done this. However, if the rumors of her power were true then maybe she knew something he didn't.
Breathing out, Harry closed his eyes, shifting to try to ease the burning in his lower back.
For a moment, he just focused on his breathing as if it was the only thing in the world. When all he could hear was his breathing, he let his power expand outwards.
Almost immediately, something from the earth itself reached up and snatched his power pulling his consciousness somewhere else.
–XX –
Harry opened his eyes to the feeling of soft grass beneath his feet. Bushes eight feet high stretched out before him, different colored flowers were woven into the walls forming a colorful tapestry of humanity's past.
As he looked at the pictures, colorful dinosaurs marched across a jungle landscape, their mouths moving in silent roars.
He raised a hand, noticing for the first time it was made out of blue energy. Looking down at himself, he realized his body looked the same, but was made out of the mixture of light blue Psionic and mystical energy his powers were made up of.
"What happened to me? Where am I?"
A melodious voice floated to him on a rose scented breeze, "Follow the path little traveler, and everything will be explained."
Despite his reservations, Harry continued to move through the bushy maze, the murals made of flower petals changing from dinosaurs roaming the jungle landscape, to cavemen in furs tromping across a snow-covered plane.
Eventually, the bushes gave way to a forest of fruit trees everything from apples to bananas decorated the leafy canopy above him. Grapes drooped down from vines snaking between trees. Bluebirds flitted from tree to tree, their chipper song washing away his reservations.
Squirrels chattered as they sprang up the sporadic pecan trees in the forest of fruit.
Lost in the animal song and the beauty around him, Harry didn't know how long he walked, but eventually the forest gave way to a clearing.
A waterfall that spilled into a lake sat at the far end its crystal clear water glittering in the sun bathing the clearing. Lions, zebras, and a Sabretooth Tiger formed a semicircle around the large body of water. They turned to look at him as he entered the clearing, but after a moment returned to their drinking.
He shook his head at the sight, "Am I even on earth anymore?"
"Of course you are dear," Came the same melodious voice, "you have just entered my realm."
Harry jumped slightly at the voice, but for some reason he didn't feel that it was a threat to him, "Who are you?"
"Oh, how rude of me."
A green flash burst to life in front of him. When it cleared, a woman stood before him.
She was 6'5" tall. Long Brown hair framed a beautiful face two curls rested on her shoulders. Dark lips the color of plums twisted in a gentle smile, earthy brown eyes regarded him with curiosity.
Dark green silks wrapped around her chest and waist kept her modesty. Smooth grey rocks and circled her wrist and waist like jewelry.
Harry stood there, his mouth agape. The woman was beautiful, one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen, but it was the power radiating off her that took his breath away. Within her, he could sense the elements alive and twisting.
He didn't know what all she could do, but in this moment, Harry knew that if he said the wrong thing, she could destroy him utterly.
He swallowed, his mouth suddenly very dry, "Gaia, I presume?"
The woman cocked her head to the side, a smile stretched across her face, revealing pure white teeth that glittered like diamonds, "Smart boy, most people get me confused with my granddaughter, Demeter."
Harry shook his head, "Demeter couldn't command the variety of animals that you have here."
Gaia inclined her head, her eyes staring at him intently, "True."
Suddenly her arm shot forward before yanking backwards.
A pulling sensation caused Harry's back to arch as to beams of energy shot from his body.
He fell to his knees, watching wide-eyed as the energy from his body coalesced into another two women.
The first was equally as tall as Gaia. Black hair framed a slightly paler face. Green eyes burned like two stars in the night sky. A black dress covered her front, showing off her curves. Slender fingers crawled with energy and she looked around her eyes locking on Gaia.
Tension drained from her shoulders. She inclined her head to the woman, "Gaia."
Gaia nodded back, "Gaia of earth three, it's a pleasure."
"For the sake of the mortal, call me Earth Mother."
A gentle throat clearing caused the two to turn.
Standing to Gaia's right was another woman.
Her blue eyes sparkled like the clearest ocean. Her blonde hair was twisted into an ornate knot at the back of her head. Seashells adorned her wrists and neck. A light blue silk top covered her breasts showing off her toned tan stomach. Loose silk pants covered a narrow waist and leather sandals adorned her feet.
Her voice was soft like an ocean breeze, "You can call me Mother Nature."
Harry rose to his feet debating on whether calling on his power would be seen as an act of aggression. "What is going on? Why am I here?" He gestured to the two other women, "And who are they?"
Gaia turned to him, "These women are me, Gaias from the Earth's your parents originated on. Every human on earth carries a bit of me inside them. They eat my creations breathe my air. That means elements from Earth or absorbed into their bodies, which they pass on to their children."
A throne of intertwining vines rose up behind Gaia. She lowered herself down with grace, gently crossing one leg over the other.
Earth Mother and Mother Nature took the cues from her. Mother Nature lowered herself into a throne made of sand and adorned with seashells. Earth mother lowered herself into one of polished obsidian.
Once they were seated, Gaia continued, "I originally pulled you here to talk to you about strange fate. He is meddling on my world, his agents causing in balance in nature, I want you to put an end to it. That was my original purpose for pulling you here, but once I saw the bits of two different versions of myself in you, I became curious and pulled them here."
She turned to Earth Mother, "Tell me how our worlds differ."
Earth Mother through her hair over her shoulder, her green eyes glancing at Harry, "On my world, villains rule, hence my darker demeanor," her eyes settled on Harry. "I have to say, it is strange to see a remnant of a previous incarnation."
Gaia cocked her head to the side, "What do you mean?"
"Events have happened to rewrite the history of my universe, certain events never happen and people that were dead are now alive again."
Harry stepped forward, "you mean my mother is alive."
"A version of her yes."
"Events happened to erase the crisis on infinite earth event, unfortunately or fortunately depending on how you look at it by the time the event was corrected your mother had already fallen through a dimensional tear."
Mother Earth and Gaia turned to Mother Nature, "What about you Gaia of earth 80827. What is the history of your world?"
Mother Nature glanced down at her shining fingernails. Before looking at all of them and speaking in the same soft voice.
"Modern civilization on my world is younger. America doesn't exist. France, Britain, and Atlantis are the major superpowers. Mutations showed up earlier on my world so we have some of your modern amenities, but sanctions imposed by Atlantis prevent any weapons of modern warfare from being developed in exchange for free hydroelectric power."
She focused on her counterparts. "This leaves my world cleaner than yours. After seeing your memories, I believe I will help Atlantis stay in power a bit longer."
She turned back to Harry, "Unfortunately there was no he rose to save your father, he nor summer Scott exist in my world, they disappeared, and their disappearances are still felt by their family and friends. Stop this Doctor strange fate young Grey, I would not have any more of my children stolen from me."
Gaia looked at her counterparts together, they nodded, "To that end, I will teach you how to manipulate the elements in ways you've never thought of and provide help when your final battle comes. My planet has been through enough," her hands tightened on the interwoven vines that made up the arms of her chair crushing them. "I would not have it destroyed again."
Before Harry could say anything, a sharp vine rose up from the ground stabbing into the base of his skull. His back arched, his mouth opened in a silent scream as green energy filled his eyes.
–XX –
Harry opened his eyes, finding the sun had set and the moon was a sliver of white in the sky.
Ororo floated above the ground, her eyes shut her silks hugging her frame. Slowly, she opened her eyes and they seemed to glow in the darkness, "Are you alright Hadrian? I didn't expect the meditation to take this long."
Knowing she was supposed to teach him, Harry told her what went on with Gaia.
Ororo drifted to the ground as he finished, "Well if the earth mother taught you the elements, there's not much more I can show you, so we will be working on using the elements in combat over the next month."
"I thought you said commanding the elements came with a responsibility not to damage the natural flow of nature."
Ororo's pale pink lips split in a smile, "I'm glad you were listening. During our lessons, I will be drawing power from natural disasters that happen around the world." She rose to her feet, "Now, I believe it's well past time for bed, after all you have a lesson with Logan in the morning, and he is not known for being gentle."
Harry followed her example, bowing at the waste once he was fully up, "Thank you for taking the time to train me Whether Goddess."
Ororo raised a pale eyebrow, and a smile split Harry's face, "You are well known Whether Goddess, even in the Tibetan mountains."
–XX –
Harry blocked his yawn with his fist, while gazing around the football sized dome made of metal squares deep beneath the Xavier Institute. He eyed the observation room set into the wall ten feet above the floor at the far end of the room. The glass was made of the same material as a two-way mirror, but from what he had heard a mutant named Forge ran the simulations.
According to rumors, the man had an innate aptitude for technology. He would have to talk to him over the next month to see if he could help him with his own technological manipulation abilities.
A thick metal door to Harry's left split in half and hissed into its recesses.
Logan stepped into the room, wearing the same white T-shirt with a yellow X in a circle over his heart, and dark blue loose-fitting pants that Harry did.
Taking a position across from Harry, the Canadian crossed his hairy muscular arms over his chest, "Alright kid today you're just going to be showing me what you can do. Over the next month, will work on where you need improvement."
Harry inclined his head, "That's fine, but why is everyone giving me aim month deadline?"
Logan took two steps back, "This Strange Fate seems to be preparing for something. A month is the minimum time needed to turn you into a proper x-Man,"
"Now," he slid one foot forward. "The rules are simple, only use your abilities to boost your body. Any other powers are not allowed for now, let's begin."
Logan lunged forward, his claws emerging from his knuckles in the blink of an eye.
Harry flooded his body with power, the world slowed down around him as his eyes took on a luminescent blue glow. He took a step forward, the world blurred around him. When it stopped, he was behind the Canadian.
He stared down at his hands. This had been the first time he actively used his abilities since his awakening, is this what is true potential was like?
Time resumed and Logan landed on the floor in a crouch.
Keeping low to the ground, he spun his lower body, trying to sweep Harry's legs out from under him.
Harry jumped the leg, but Logan launched himself upwards, slamming both fist into Harry's chest.
He stumbled backwards, his hands feeling his chest for puncture wounds. Finding none, he danced forward, launching a kick at Logan's chin.
Logan rolled backwards, the tips of Harry's toes skimming his shirt.
Harry pressed his advantage as Logan rose to his feet jabbing punches and kicks at the man's body. Logan staggered from a punch to the chest, lurching sideways from a kick to the ribs.
He launched a punch at Harry's head.
Harry raised an arm, but was just a second too slow. The Canadians fist brushed his arm as it slammed into his jaw snapping his head sideways.
Dazed Harry stumbled and this time it was Logan that capitalized on the moment of weakness.
A punch to the ribs sent him lurching in the opposite direction, Logan closed the distance, hammering either side of his ribs.
Blood exploded out of Harry's mouth, splattering on Logan's T-shirt. Snarling, he launched a palm strike forward, his hand outlined in luminescent blue energy. It slammed into Logan's chest, sending him flying into the far wall.
The metal gave under the impact, settling him in a small indention.
Logan looked up from the wall, blue energy snaking its way around Harry's body vanishing his injuries. Pushing himself out of the wall, he landed with his knees bent. Slowly, his claws emerged from his knuckles. With a low chuckle, he sprinted forward, the world blurring around him.
Leaving an outline of blue energy around his body, Harry went to meet him.
Logan swiped with his claws, only for Harry to catch his wrist.
Harry twisted his body as the Canadian stab forward with his other hand, one claw slicing his T-shirt, leaving a thin trail of blood behind.
It was in that moment, Harry realized he was stuck. With his body contorted at an angle, he couldn't stop Logan's other hand, and there was too much weight on his feet for him to counter with a kick.
Logan sheathed his claws, "Alright, that's enough for today. You have a good basis. We'll just have to work on your awareness during the fight."
Harry plopped to the floor, running a hand through his sweat drenched hair. It was going to be a long month. He just hoped he had that long to prepare.