「 The Professor & I 」VOLUME II

(220) Lady Liberty

Lynn's POV

Charles had one arm secured tightly around me, as if holding me close was the only thing he wanted to brace himself from the terrible scene, yet even that was insufficient to calm his breathing that had grown deep and erratic.

"It's alright, it's alright. Everything's going to be alright," I coaxed, albeit not in an all too confident tone, as I gently stroked his back.

Peering up at Charles worriedly, I locked eyes with those that admired me dearly, and affectionately, the perfect crystal blue clearly reflecting just how my words were unconvincing, yet graciously appreciating my efforts that turned out to be nothing but a mere consolation, Charles gradually released the clenched fist atop his armrest and took mine from his back, flashing me a fleeting smile when our attention was diverted from each other.

A battle had quickly broken out between the members of both sides upon Erik's command as he simply stood at the peak of the elegant monument while his machine seemingly charged up. Relishing in the bloodshed, Erik watched arrogantly but his cavalier stance rapidly faltered, transforming into a malevolent rage, as he noticed his squad falling, literally.

"Do you know what happens to a toad when it gets sucked into a tornado?" Storm challenged defiantly as she yanked on her adversary's shirt.

Meticulously aware that they were situated in a huge electrical conductor, Storm duly refrained from using her most powerful gift and thrusted her ill-tongued opponent off the edge with a precise cyclone instead, landing him crushingly onto the concrete base plating the beautiful memorial.

"The same thing that happens to everything else!" Storm hissed spitefully and dusted her palms in a satisfied manner.

"Lorna, stop! Please!" Scott yelled, resistant to retaliate as he agilely dodged an onset of metallic objects propelling perilously in his direction.

"No one calls me that anymore," Lorna declared with a sinister look as the speeds and numbers of her attacking aids terrifyingly increased.

Although Scott was initially hesitant, he eventually acted swiftly and Lorna was struck into the skies by his potent optic beams calibrated only to catapult her into the surrounding waters rather than inflict any harm. Timely fireworks contracted specially for the exquisite international event simultaneously burst through the dark, serving astoundingly to camouflage the otherwise conspicuous mix of neon green and bright red emanating from the magnificent statue and mask the illicit activities ongoing within from the world governments gathered on the adjacent island.

"Polaris!" Wanda screamed agitatedly as Lorna's body sank into the obscurities of the sea beneath with a huge splash.

Infuriated by his doing, Wanda savagely escalated what was an evasive telepathic confrontation into a vengeful assault before fleeing through the dented pit and went after her drowning sister. While Jean struggled to escape the severe entanglement of crimson hues densely knitted around her, Phoenix promptly came to her rescue, degrading the cocoon of telekinetic energy effortlessly, but the youngsters were barred from even a transient moment of relief when they realized their teammate was missing.

The animalistic brothers had been contesting each other for a while, clawing and punching, but even when their wrestle had proceeded to the outer skeleton of Lady Liberty, neither emerged as the obvious winner. Yet, amidst the heated match, Sabretooth managed a devious smile as he gazed up towards Erik and his instrument that now had its large silvery circular hoops spinning at skyrocketing frequencies.

The glowing ball of white light radiated from the center of the contraption where Rogue was confined had attracted everyone's stares but the trained X-Men knew exactly how to take advantage of that.