1965 – Oxford University
Our story begins here, inside the confines of this prestigious college, where a promising young gentleman is currently presenting ground breaking research about the nature of genetics. He spoke passionately about his ideas and delivered his message with accompanying eloquence.
"Our species is on the cusp of a metamorphic explosion; nature has spoken and the x gene is real, there have been reports of this phenomena ranging as far as a century ago. Now we are on the verge of the golden age of evolution. I hope all of you here today can come to appreciate this wondrous moment—the turning point of mankind—as much as I do."
With his parting words, he ended his presentation with a welcoming smile adorning his face, before walking down the podium. The appropriate level of applause could be heard as his professors turned colleagues showered him with congratulations. But he knew despite the cheer, there were hidden undertones of fear lying beneath all of this ceremony. 'Socializing was a theater and everyone was a star'. He understood it well enough, he himself was a bit afraid.
And as if justifying his fears, it hit him. Like heavy waves bearing down on his mind trying to chip away at his sanity. Navigating the labyrinth of thoughts was a daily trial he had to contend with. Even after years of training, one small slip was all it took and the voices would come pouring in.
"blasphemy"
"So monsters lie wait behind human skin"
"Fascinating!"
"Someone should do something, what about us? What about the future of humanity"
"Abomination"
"Preposterous"
"Tell our head we need to contact the president."
"Charles!"
Charles turned his head, snapping out of his momentary daze; beads of sweat rolled down his face as he struggled to refocus. With another welcoming smile, he greeted the man approaching. His countenance became lighter, his eyes smiling along with the rest of his face. In front of him was a man who appeared to be in his late 40s. He has raven dark hair with splash of grey on the hair near his ears. He was clean shaven or at least he tried to be. Charles knew the man's facial hair grew wildly and quickly to boot which impressed him a tad bit. It was curious how he found the time and energy to maintain the style considering he often found this professor of his knee deep in paperwork.
"Amazing work Charles you do me proud my boy, why I remember just a few years back you were quite the trouble maker despite the obvious brilliance you've showcased you were quite the handful on occasion." He heard the man speak while his professor reminisced on his past mischief. Remembering it himself he found that experience quite fondly, and it wasn't his fault when the headmasters daughter was a natural charmer.
"Thank your professor, I'm glad you could make it." Charles replied with much enthusiasm.
"Come walk with me." The man invited.
"Why I wouldn't miss it for the world. This is a historic moment, I wouldn't doubt that for most it would be easy to over look your work but you've brought attention to something that most men fear."
"I hardly believe that a physical proof of evolution would cause such fear." Charles bemused.
"It is wonderful news certainly, nature is progressing but it also adds a brand new variable that I guarantee to be known to quite a few discerning eyes."The older professor denoted.
"An unknown future is unsettling for the feeble. It breeds uncertainty in the minds of the weak of heart. The populace will be searching for sanctuary as the media sensationalizes your findings. Who shall they turn to? One fearful man in power and it would be profoundly unfortunate for these special people you mentioned. They are vulnerable, exploitable, easily targeted by vultures." The man rambled into Charles' ear.
"I understand your concerns professor but... I have faith humanity will be more than sensible enough to understand that we can only move forward if we push towards the future together. I for one would gla..."
"Hello, Professor Charles Xavier I presume" A soft and lovely voice interrupted Charles as he vehemently argued.
Realizing his time was up, the older professor bid his farewells " You are a better person than me Charles maybe you are right and I wish for you to be but this old man would also hate to keep you, so farewell to you, Professor."
***
"Did you manage it?" A young man asked to the woman slowly getting in to the passenger seat of his car.
"No he wasn't very receptive of the proposal, in fact he seems quite guarded." She answered nonchalantly while sweeping back her long blonde hair.
"The boss man ain't gonna like that." Her partner replied while scratching his similarly blonde hair which was only a few shades darker hers. "We got other options though, how about that older professor he was speaking to. It's a long shot but we could try to speak to him about it."
"What do we have on him?" She asked inquiringly. " You know you shouldn't do that to your hair you might go bald."
"I do this when I'm stressed okay, we need to find out more about Xavier and if our Intel is anyway correct they predict he is one of them freaks with super powers."
"Real macho man of you there soldier. So the info?"
"Hey! Don't pretend like you ain't scared okay. Anyway sure, uhmm. The guy is a uuuhhh professor at Harvard University, Director of Studies for the Anthropology department, Dr. Noah Strong. Born and raised in Taliaferro County Georgia, moved around a bit eventually settling down in Massachusetts for work and then transferred to New York and is currently working at Empire state university with tenure. No history of crime, no priors, not even a parking ticket." He narrated.
"Well off, unmarried." She added with a cheeky tone while going through his files.
"Okay Barbara calm down." He eyed her suspiciously. She playfully smirked before returning his gaze. "No you dumb fuck. Makes you wonder what's wrong with him."
" You think his suspicious for being unmarried?" He pointed out. "Might as well throw me in jail then and have me executed." He mused.
"The attempt at humor is appreciated but you're a loser Cecil who'd date you? Mr. Doctor here is prime real estate, he must have skeletons in his closet." She replied mockingly while giggling.
"Hardihar Bitch you're single too and no sane man would put up with your hot mess." He fired back. "He staying at a hotel in London near the clock the tower, strap in this going to be a long drive."
***
1965 – London
Noah Strong was a man dedicated to his field, he love the world and the people in it but he wasn't ignorant towards the malignant scourge festering inside the humans he love. But what could he do, he was a singular person. He could be a tyrant and force the world to kneel, heed his wishes, though would that really be the answer? A total lack of autonomy from his would be subjects. He would never agree to such sentiments and people like Charles was his way of trying to steer the future as futile it might seem.
His mind raced with similar thoughts as he lovingly eyed the busy streets of London. Even the slow procession of traffic was not enough to deter his amusement towards the bustling city. How he truly enjoyed seeing the progress humanity has made, specially after such a devastating war.
Taking a swig of his favorite whiskey, he was reminded of the last war. The brutality of it, untold death and destruction. How could he not desperately cling to the meager peace displayed before him. With another sip, he glanced once more to the litany of shops on the side of the highway. He drew a soft smile, sight seeing merrily as he fully committed to the role of tourist.
Yet his instincts reminded him of the unending dangers, a new kind of war had began. And navigating through new landscapes were never easy. A bit more subtle this war is, 'tis true but is equally as deadly. Although, he would prefer the people refrain from inflicting such violence upon each other. That would be would much obliged.
The loud sound of crunching metal accompanied by deafening explosions interrupted his reverie and a flood of panic filled the atmosphere. Civilians of all shapes and sizes vacated their vehicles fleeing towards and pass his own. He saw human bodies flung like rag dolls crashing hard onto the building walls. Peering out of the limousine roof he witnessed a creature rampaging through the streets. It stood in the middle of the intersection flinging cars around wildly with it's slimy tentacles protruding from its gel like body. The cars that weren't flung were instead absorb contributing its mass to the monsters own.
It roared angrily flinging greenish purple slime onto the surroundings. The corrosive liquids quickly ate through everything they touched absorbing them to form smaller version of the monster which would propagate on to cause more mayhem across the highway.
Amidst the chaos Noah found himself by the rodeside helping pull away survivors from the on coming debree. "Quickly people you need to move!" He shouted while ferrying a young couple away from the creature. "Run inside a building." He told the couple.
Ushering people away was easy enough but navigating through the literal car storm was already beyond difficult. Not mentioning the growing number of creatures and all manner of carnage strewn all over the pavement. The situation was growing worse and help could not come sooner.
Yet all seemed grim as the abandoned cars merely serve good fuel. Rapidly consumed by the living sludge. It grew at a tremendous pace. An insatiable beast bearing its gluttony for all to witness, it towered over the surrounding structures with ease.
As Noah finished helping a young mother and her child to shelter, the sound of whirling blades echoed in the sky. Along with them was a figure of a man flying in the sky. With a loud boom he crashed directly into the monster only for him pass through to the other side. His skin was now burnt horrendously, steaming red hot, disfigured beyond recognition but he stood strong unaffected as if they were superficial wounds.
After brief pause, streams of various color surrounded the man in a cocoon of joyous melody before revealing him renewed once more. 6 figures then descended down on to the monster in an acrobatic assault accompanied by a ceaseless barage of abilities.
Relieved, Noah watch the battle as he made his way to the nearest building he could enter. It was up to the heroes now or so he thought until he heard the clang of steel. Of course he wasn't to sure what it was, after all everything around him at the moment was intensely loud. But during the brief reprieves he could hear it. The constant clanging of metal, steel on steel, rhythmic like an open window in a storm. "Morse code" he whispered. "SOS"
Upon realization he glanced towards the battle, The heroes appear preoccupied with another rescue and the desperate battle. The creature was an entirely different beast it was winning. Noah alone had noticed, the sound was coming near the thick of it. With a deep breath he mustered his courage and ran towards the noise. He ducked and weave through the flying debree while tactically positioning himself behind the scattered ruins left by the monster, making his way to his destination. Luckily for him the creature had recalled its minions easing a fraction of his troubles.
On his arrival, he found a mountain of steel—welded together by the monsters acid. Inspecting the wreck he found a car window which allowed him a view inside. He saw a man cradling a blonde woman while he use his other hand to bang a lug wrench on a detach hood of a car.
"Sir!" Noah shouted, trying to get the attention of the man. "Sir!" He yelled once more, this time the man turned towards him. Their eyes met briefly and the blonde man's gaze lit up for a moment. Unfortunately Noah was forced to keep low once more as another hail of debree came from the creature. He was a sinking ship caught by a maelstrom.
Only with great fortune did he manage to enter the fortress through a snug car window. Although various shards of glass were now piercing his skin, it had allowed him to reach the duo trapped within and to his mind this was barely a scratch.
On the other hand Cecil was astonished. Despair was already gripping his heart previously. But now he was hopeful enough to shout in relief, if not for the fact that his throat was decimated he would have already done so.
"Are you able stand?" Noah Inquired towards the wounded man. Cecil nodded his head and motioned towards his unconscious friend. With a curt nod Noah lifted the small woman onto his left shoulder as he assisted Cecil with the other.
Making their way to the very same window Noah used to enter they find themselves with a new set of problems. The window was now melted shut and the weight of reality came bearing down once more on Cecil causing him to almost fall to his knees but Noah prevented it.
"Keep moving." Noah ordered. They navigated the steel structure to be met with more disappointment. They concluded that the beasts constitution has forced the structure to fully merge. "The situation is starting to become troublesome." Noah whispered under his breath.
He began knocking on the steel fortress listening for the sound of a hollow exterior while wading through the chaotic noise of battle. He did so without rest and eventually he heard a deep crisp ding akin to an off tune bell. Cecil took back Barbara and handed him the lug wrench in his hand. Noah then began swinging it into the wall with force of all his weight behind it.
Bang! Bang! bang! The flurry of strikes resonated loudly and with it the view of the outside world was slowly growing larger. Cecil gazed at Noah in admiration as he poured everything he had into helping two people he barely knew. Sweat poured from his body and blood trickled from his hands, yet he kept hammering away until the passage was suitable enough to fit a person.
It wasn't much, but it could fit Barbara through even if it did cut her a bit. Now it Cecil's turn and he was reluctant to go first specially because of the obvious instability the hole has caused to the overall structure. But before he could hesitate more, he was thrown outside forcefully by Noah. A loud crash followed suit as Cecil was force to grab Barbara while he leapt away from the falling debris.
When the dust and smoke settled, he was solemn. He steeled his heart before grabbing Barbara and walking away.
***
A bit earlier, high above the clouds. A lone person surveyed the battle below as a group super powered people fought a creature wreaking havoc and untold destruction on the land below. Her lush raven hair whipped in the wind along with the blade point that held her scorpion braid together. She observed disdainfully with unfiltered contempt contrasting her extremely soft visage. Not unlike any cruel god lording over insects.
Despite the arrogance and hatred in her heart, she still swooped down in order to the save the day.. "At least this will be a good debut." She told herself.