Psycix- Yes it is sad Anya died but it was a necessary death in the story and I'm glad you like this story so much although you seem to be the only one lol but I don't mind.
The best of friends destined to become the worst of enemies
Magnus wandered alone, he had ever since the night he lost everything. Magnus had travelled the world alone…always alone. He had managed to contact Magda a few times throughout the passing years but always it was the same thing.
"Hello Magda" said Magnus as he stood on the threshold of her new home.
"Hello Magnus" said Magda as she shifted uncomfortably on the threshold of the doorway.
"I came to talk" said Magnus as he held his arm across his body, he was nervous and he couldn't hide it.
This would be usually be the time that Magda said she was not ready and Magnus would leave with his heart breaking.
Recently he had just crossed into the newly founded country of Israel before it had been broken into several other countries and wars were fought between the inhabitants but recently peace had returned which had made it a beacon for Magnus. He walked along the coast until he reached the seaport known as Haifa. He had easily found work as a porter in a local hospital which had its main body of patients made up of holocaust survivors.
"Let me help you" said Magnus as he helped an aged woman as she lowered her self into a wheelchair which creaked under her weight. He seized the handles of the chair "Where were you heading my friend" he asked with a friendly smile.
"I was going into the gardens if you would be so kind to help me down the steps…be careful though I'm quite heavy" she said with a smile and a wistful glance as she remembered the days when she was beautiful and had most of the boys in her home town chasing after her.
"You aren't heavy in the slightest" lied Magnus as he struggled and then carefully moved the woman down the couple of steps with his magnetic powers, he had at first after the death of Anya not used his powers for a long time until he discovered that they grew and became uncontrollable when not used. He had began to practise and was now quite sufficient in his skills although he still never let anyone see him practising, he remembered one morning when he found out about his most astounding power.
…
Magnus lay on his bed staring at the ceiling, he had been in this bed for days, there was no work to be done in this city to pass the time, the train away was not due for three more days and everything he wanted to see had been seen within his first two days so he had been spending a lot of time thinking, he could still not decide whether this was a blessing or a curse.
"Magda…Anya" he thought as he lay there resting the back of his head on his arms, he had lost everything that ever meant anything to him and now he merely drifted, existing but not living. He remembered Anya's birth and her first steps, her first word had been Papa. He thought of the first time he and Magda had made love with the sun beating on their backs by the river and the first time they had slept altogether as a family, Magda snuggled into his chest while little Anya was cradled in his arms snuggling into both him and her mother, slowly dreams took him.
The morning burnt through the curtains as sunlight swept across the room, Magnus opened his eyes only to see whiteness he stared for a second as he was sure he still slept, a spider ran across his vision which made him realise that he was a wake, it was not the spider that made him realise but it was the spider which broke his thoughts and made him drop the several feet to the bed below which screamed in agony before plunging to the floor below, the pain did not bother him as a single thought raced through his mind "I can fly".
…
Daniel Shomon stood in the doorway as Magnus turned from the old woman, he was short and had short curly black hair which joined with his short curly black beard seamlessly, his thick glasses reflected the light in such a way that you would never see his eyes clearly.
"Rarely have I met a man as kind as you Erik" said Daniel, he ran the hospital and it had been he who welcomed Magnus with open arms.
"Nonsense Dan…I believe that there is nothing finer then to give people simple joys" said Magnus with a smile.
"I have someone I would like you to meet" said Dan as he led Magnus down a corridor into a room where a young woman lay in bed, her eyes were opened and stared at the ceiling. Magnus had never seen anyone so beautiful since the day Magda had left him, he had seen Magda since then but always her beauty seemed lacking.
"This is Gabrielle Haller, she was in the camps and has been catatonic since just before she was freed" said Dan as he looked over his notes "We have a specialist coming to deal with her but till he gets here…"
"You want me to make her as comfortable as possible" said Magnus as he finished of Dan's sentence, Magnus had become quite adept at helping people in pain and suffering from other various ailments, he could slow down or completely shut of the blood to different parts of their body or their brain so they felt no pain or discomfort.
The days turned into weeks as Magnus spent more time looking after Gabrielle, changing sheets, changing drips and IVs, keeping her limbs moving so the muscles wouldn't waste. Magnus grew more attached everyday till eventually he knew he was madly in love with the girl who he had never even spoken too.
Magnus strode outside into the sun by the side of Dan just as a rented car pulled up to the hospital, a man who was about 6'3 got out and grabbed his bag, his face was rounded but he had strong bone structure and was incredibly slim, his round brimmed hat hid his face.
"Dan my friend it is great to see you" said the man as he shook hands with Daniel.
"And you Charles…this is my associate Erik" said Dan as he motioned to Magnus, Magnus shook hands with the man who had a firm grip. Charles Xavier looked at Magnus for a second as he realised that the man had set up mental blocks that he could not break down easily, Xavier began to think there was more than meets the eye when it came to this man.
"Charles was involved in my team during the war, he found everyone he looked for and seemed to help everyone he tried to, I've seen men so traumatized they could hardly speak and then after half an hour in the room with Charles they were absolutely fine."
The three walked down the corridor talking naturally till they reached Gabrielle's room, Magnus reached for the door handle as part of his arm became revealed, his number.
"That tattoo…were you?" asked Xavier as he stared at the black markings.
"Yes…that is where I grew up" said Magnus as he pulled his sleeve down across the markings.
"Many of our volunteers are also holocaust survivors. They bring empathy to their patients that no doctor I ever met can match, it helps our patients greatly but occasionally we come up against a wall…this is Gabrielle Haller. We've tried everything any of us can think of and nothing works" said Dan as he looked sadly at the chart.
Charles sat down in the chair next to Gabrielle and laid his hands on her head "I make no promises but I'll do my best" said Xavier with a grave nod as he closed his eyes.
"What is he doing?" asked Magnus in a low whisper.
"I've seen him do this before…no one knows but it works so we just leave it be" said Dan with a nod as he stared transfixed with the events unfolding.
…
Xavier floated in darkness totally alone when suddenly he collided with a giant wall that stretched in all directions as far as he could see, he placed his hand on the wall when suddenly a set of pincers shot through the wall and almost bit his head of but luckily he moved instantly out of the way. Giant insects with black bodies and bright red eyes emerged from the wall and began to chase Charles as he moved.
"These must be a defence against the world which she cannot deal with…" thought Xavier "…this is good it shows she still has mental activity."
Xavier held up his hands destroying the bugs and the wall in a single blast, thoughts of her life including the terrible things she endured during the war flooded into his mind. He flinched and screamed from the incredible pain before he finally dismissed the thoughts, all that lay before him was a small golden box which was locked.
"This is it" he thought to himself as he prepared to burst the box open "I wonder if she has found peace within herself, do I have the right to make her awaken to a cruel world…YES! Life is the greatest of treasures, the ultimate wonder. It should neither be taken or wasted, Gabrielle must be allowed to live her life to the fullest and become all that she can be." With one final blast the box was opened and Xavier was sitting back in the room.
…
"A miracle" gasped Magnus as Gabrielle sat up in the bed and Dan rushed to her side.
"She seems fine but needs rest" said Dan as he began to usher Charles and Magnus from the room.
"Anything to make Gabrielle well again" said Magnus with a nod "..perhaps I can treat you to a drink and a meal" said Magnus as he motioned down the hall to Xavier.
"It would be an honour" said Xavier as he began to walk forward.
…
The two sat in the bar in town for many hours talking as a crippled ex soldier with no legs sat playing his guitar on the floor, they talked of many things in their life as Xavier finally came round to his work as a geneticist they began to talk about the possibilities of mutation.
"You really believe that?" asked Magnus as Xavier had divulged his theory of evolution jumping rapidly to create super powered individuals.
"Yes I'm sure of it and I'm also sure that if these mutants did exist both they and humanity could exist peacefully, I don't think that mankind would make the same mistakes as they have in the past" said Xavier as he took a drink.
"Trust me I know Charles humans cannot live in peace with itself let alone another species. If mutants do exist humanity will fear them and out of that fear they will try and destroy them" said Magnus as he took another stiff drink.
"You are a bitter drunk my friend" said Xavier as he took a drink.
"And you are an idealistic fool my friend" said Magnus with a smile.
Xavier and Magnus turned to look at the man who had just finished playing, he bowed low as a few people clapped "Thank you…your applause warms this poor crippled veteran but it is your generosity that feeds me...any money donated would be warmly accepted" said the man.
"Of course…here you go gimp…ha look at him crawl" were some of the cries as money rained down on the poor man.
"Please don't…please stop laughing" said the man as he scrambled for the money on the dirty floor.
"We should do something" said Charles as he put his drink down and pushed his chair away from the bar.
"They're drunk Charles" said Magnus.
"I don't care Magnus I do not approve of this behaviour or the word gimp" said Xavier as he stood up.
A large man poured a drink over the head of the veteran "Have a drink its on me…oh wait its on you, ha ha ha ha ha ha" laughed the man.
"You can't save everyone Charles" said Magnus as he grabbed his arm, his years without Magda and Anya had hardened and hurt him.
"Remind me later" said Charles as he removed the grip and walked to the man.
Magnus sighed as he took out some money and gave it to the barmaid "This is for the damages" said Magnus.
"What damages?" asked the girl as she looked at him.
Charles strode up to the man who now had the veteran by the wrist "Let him go" said Charles, the man simply looked up with a growl "I said let him go" said Charles in a slightly louder voice as he grabbed the mans arm and instantly slammed him onto a table without even trying.
"Did you know there are fourteen vital pressure points in the human wrist and if you were to press on any three it could bring even the strongest of men to their knees in pain" smiled Charles as the man screamed. "This is a lesson worth paying for I believe" said Xavier as he took a few bills from the mans pocket and gave it to the poor veteran "go now" he said with a smile.
"No one is going anywhere now get off me" yelled the large man through the pain.
"Do not worry your friends are trying to help" said Xavier as he jumped back and connected his foot into another mans throat who was carrying a chair over his head.
"Wow it's as if he can read minds" said one of the men's friends as he surged forward at the tall bald man "Lets see if he gets this message". The man surged forward but was cut off by a strong fist into the guys jaw, Magnus stood staring at the man on the floor.
"My friend is a little busy at the moment…perhaps I could take the message and give it to him later" smiled Magnus.
"I thought you couldn't save everyone" said Xavier with a smile at Magnus.
"I just saved you" said Magnus as he flashed a smile back, another man began to walk towards Magnus. "Watch he'll back down" said Magnus quietly to Xavier just as a fist crashed into his face. "Apparently I was wrong…good" said Magnus as his knee surged into the mans groin and then his fist slammed into his face which sent the man to the floor.
"My friend learned to fight in the orient…it is a noble art and he is a gentle man" said Magnus "I learned to fight in German death camps and unfortunately for you I am no gentle man."
Xavier let his man go as his back pressed hard onto Magnus's as the group of large men surrounded him and began to close in.
"What were you saying earlier about a world without violence?" said Magnus as he watched the men carefully.
"Erik let me tell you this, any dream worth having…is a dream worth fighting for" said Charles with a smile as his fist crashed into his first attacker.
Fifteen men later…
Magnus stood in the empty bar room as he helped Charles to his feet, he had been knocked down by a cheap blow seconds earlier. "The fun ends before it even starts" smiled Magnus "How many of these brawls have you been in?"
"Counting this one? One" said Xavier as he surveyed the destruction.
"Then I am doubly impressed" said Magnus "What was it you said earlier, Any dream worth having…"
"…Is a dream worth fighting for" finished Xavier with a smile.
"Ha! Fine and noble words my friend! Someday I shall carve it on your tombstone."
To Be Continued…
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Several extracts of text in this chapter have been taken directly from Uncanny Xmen 161 and 321. Thanks and I'll catch you all later.
Next time- The return of Von Strucker ) and the fight of a life time Xavier Vs Magnus, dum dum dum (dramatic).