"You're not speaking very clearly. Seems like Jean is still fighting back from within you, messing with your mind." Ethan studied Phoenix with intrigue.
"Good. That means you're not at full power. Makes this a lot easier." The moment the words left his mouth, Ethan launched forward like a bullet, closing the distance between them in an instant.
"Die!" Phoenix roared, her voice shaking the air.
The once-still water around her boiled violently, reacting to her fury.
Thin streams of water lifted into the air, twisting and sharpening into deadly spears.
With a shrill whistle, they shot toward Ethan faster than bullets, slicing through the air with lethal precision.
Enhanced by the Phoenix Force, even water had become a weapon strong enough to pierce armored tanks.
But Ethan didn't even flinch.
The moment the water spears made contact with him, they bounced off harmlessly, deflected away as if repelled by an unseen force.
They didn't even slow him down.
"Let's see how you handle this." Ethan grabbed hold of a massive redwood tree—one that had been uprooted by the flood. The centuries-old behemoth, thick enough to take a dozen people to wrap their arms around, was effortlessly hoisted into the air. With a powerful swing, he brought it crashing down toward Phoenix.
Crack—BOOM!
Before the tree could even reach her, it exploded into countless splinters, obliterated by an invisible force. The shards of wood vaporized into dust before they even touched the water.
Phoenix merely extended her hand, her flaming fingers slicing through the air. A thin line of fire formed at her fingertips, then expanded in an instant, cutting what remained of the massive tree cleanly in half.
For a brief moment, she hesitated, her gaze flickering as if expecting victory. But then her expression darkened.
Ethan wasn't gone. He hadn't been turned to ash.
Realization struck—her opponent wasn't as easy to break as she thought. Narrowing her glowing eyes, she raised her hands. Behind her, the enormous flaming phoenix projection spread its wings wide, solidifying into something more tangible.
Then, with an ear-splitting screech, the fiery creature lunged at Ethan, wings outstretched.
"This won't stop me." Ethan smirked, thrusting his hand forward. The raging heat of the phoenix's flames did nothing to him. Instead, the energy within them twisted and shifted, wrenched from Phoenix's control the moment he touched it.
The spirit of fire struggled against his grip, writhing in fury, but it was no use. Ethan seized it by the neck, its blazing form flickering as he swung it around—then hurled it straight back at its creator.
Phoenix's eyes widened as the wild, untamed version of her own power came bearing down on her. A pulse of danger flooded through her mind, triggering an even deeper response from within.
"Get away!" she screamed, crossing her arms in front of her chest. A massive surge of Phoenix Force erupted outward, colliding with the incoming flames.
The impact was catastrophic.
A towering wave, at least ten stories high, exploded into the sky as water evaporated instantly under the sheer heat. Scalding droplets rained down, turning the battlefield into a thick white mist.
Through the blinding steam, a figure moved.
Ethan barely needed to see. To him, the Phoenix's energy was like a beacon—blazing, undeniable. Even with his eyes closed, he knew exactly where she was.
"The Phoenix Force shouldn't even exist right now. You should still be dormant. Time to put you back in your cage."
"Not a chance!" Phoenix spat, sensing his rapid approach. His words struck a nerve, fueling her rage.
"You—Xavier—everyone—you all just want to control me! Use me! I won't be anyone's pawn. I'll burn everything down before that happens!"
Jean's consciousness had been shoved deep into the abyss of her own mind.
The Phoenix Force had taken full control, its hunger for destruction unleashed.
"All you ever talk about is destruction. Sounds like a bad case of delusions. Time for a reality check." Ethan clenched his fists.
Phoenix didn't move as he lunged forward. Instead, mere inches before impact, a crimson energy shield flickered into existence, standing between them like an unbreakable wall.
Ethan's fist struck the barrier.
For a brief moment, the shield flared brightly—then, with a sharp cracking sound, its structure crumbled.
The energy holding it together shattered like glass.
The shield she had painstakingly constructed shattered like glass.
Phoenix's eyes widened in shock, but before she could react, Ethan's fist connected with her face—hard.
With a fiery streak, she was sent hurtling across the battlefield, skimming over the water like a blazing comet.
Two massive waves erupted in her wake before she crashed into the wreckage of the Alkali Lake Dam, the force sending debris flying in every direction.
Professor X inhaled sharply.
"It's over," he murmured, feeling Jean's consciousness waver.
The Phoenix Force, once raging uncontrollably, was being overpowered, suppressed by Ethan's sheer will.
The thick mist that had formed from the battle began to clear.
Emerging from the vapor, Ethan strode forward, his expression as casual as ever.
Magneto, still hovering nearby on a makeshift platform of twisted metal, guided it toward him.
"Ethan, are you alright?" Professor X asked, concern lacing his voice.
Ethan ran a hand through his messy hair and smirked.
"Yeah, yeah. But did you see my clothes? Completely wrecked. Took too many hits back there. Now tell me, is this covered under some kind of 'field trip damage policy' at the school?"
Professor X let out a small chuckle, a rare moment of relief washing over him. "Yes, I believe the school will take full responsibility."
"Great," Ethan grinned. "Now, how are we getting home?"
Professor X paused, his gaze shifting to the X-Jet—or rather, what was left of it.
The once-mighty aircraft had been battered by missiles, swept up in the Phoenix's energy, and then—most insultingly—flung across the battlefield by Ethan like a discarded paper airplane.
Against all odds, it was still airborne, albeit barely.
"Well… there should be vehicles nearby," Professor X suggested before glancing down at the flooded ruins below.
Any potential roadways were now deep under water.
"…On second thought."
Ethan crossed his arms. "Yeah, good luck finding a working bus out here."
Professor X sighed, then turned toward Magneto. "Erik, can you fly a plane?"
Magneto raised a brow, unimpressed. "Charles, I mocked your students for not being able to fly the plane. But need I remind you—the plane is broken?"
Professor X followed his gaze to the barely-functional X-Jet, still hovering under Magneto's magnetic control.
He straightened, his expression turning serious. "Erik, losing that jet here would be… problematic. There are too many questions it could raise. And building another one would be even more troublesome, wouldn't you agree?"
Magneto sighed, rubbing his temple as if this were an enormous inconvenience. Then, looking at the plane, an idea seemed to form in his mind.
Ethan, watching this exchange, smirked to himself.
Now, the real question was: would Magneto sit in the cockpit and fly it manually?
Hold it up with his powers and carry everyone like some kind of airborne chauffeur?
Or, better yet, stand on top of the plane with his arms crossed, capes billowing in the wind, like the ultimate dramatic entrance?
Just when they were joking around,
"Professor, you need to see this!" Storm said urgently, taking them out of their wits.
Professor X rolled his wheelchair beside Storm, who was checking on a man on the ground.
It was Stryker, his nose were bleeding, and his eyes were blank white.
"What happened?" Professor X asked with a frown.
Magneto, Ethan, and Raven exchanged looks.
'It seems we moved in haste, young Ethan,'
However, what Storm changed next completely widened their eyes,
"I think Jean did this, Professor. He just became like this when Ethan was fighting Jean."
'Safe!' Ethan celebrated inwardly,
'Fate, truly the workings of fate...' Magneto thought with an enlightened look.
"I see... Let me on check him," Professor X said as he went close to Stryker.
Ethan and Magneto looked at each other once again, sweat running along their forehead,
'We're done for...'
'My apologies, young Ethan, for bringing you into this...'
Professor X touched his own forehead and a few seconds later, he frowned.
"I can't see anything... His mind, its already fragmented, its like Logan's."
Behind him, 3 individuals took a deep breath of relief.
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Word count: 1496
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