The usual scene outside the Xavier mansion would be one of lively chaos, with young mutants of various ages running around, studying, chatting, and having fun. But today, there was an unsettling silence. The wind rustled my hair as I gazed out at the empty grounds. The once-thriving campus of the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters now lay still and quiet.
As I surveyed the area, I noticed that several things seemed out of place. Large craters pockmarked the ground, and the lake that had once sparkled next to the school was now a dry, barren hole. It was as if something had drained the water and left behind a massive, empty crater.
Some trees had been uprooted, their trunks snapped like twigs. It was clear that something significant had occurred here. But what really caught my attention was the state of the mansion itself. A huge hole gaped in one side, as if something massive had smashed into the building and entered inside. I couldn't help but wonder what could have caused such destruction.
Curiosity getting the better of me, I decided to explore the surroundings. As I walked, I saw more craters, irregular cuts in the ground, and patches of burned grass. It looked like lightning had struck the earth in several places. The evidence of a fierce battle was undeniable. I continued to walk, searching for any clues, but found nothing of interest except for more signs of destruction.
"Time to see inside the mansion," I muttered to myself, a smile spreading across my face. I took a step back and approached the mansion, my eyes fixed on the massive hole in the wall. It was enormous, big enough for a bus to have driven through. What could have caused such destruction? I wondered, my curiosity piqued.
I stepped inside the mansion, and my eyes adjusted to the dim light within. The entrance hall was empty, devoid of any signs of life or struggle. It was as if the occupants had simply vanished into thin air. I noticed that the door was gone, likely destroyed in the chaos that had unfolded.
As I ventured deeper into the mansion, I found myself in a labyrinth of empty hallways. The silence was oppressive, punctuated only by the creaks and groans of the damaged building. I saw broken doors, smashed chairs and tables, and cracked walls.
I scratched my chin thoughtfully, my mind racing with questions. "How did the virus get here...?" I muttered to myself. Maybe a mutant had been infected, but which one? The possibilities swirled in my head.
I cursed my luck, thinking about the limited information I had gained from Colossus's memories. "Damn, Colossus is useless... his memories are not useful, there is no really useful information, it seems he was not in the mansion when people got infected, a mission, great..." I muttered in frustration. It seemed I had absorbed the memories of an X-Men who had been on a mission, rather than a mutant who might have had more valuable information.
I realized that I needed to absorb a more important X-Men, someone like Cyclops or Storm, to gain a better understanding of what had happened. But those individuals were always on the move, and it was unlikely I could find them in one place for long. There was one person, however, who might hold the answers I sought. "I think that if I absorb Tony, many questions would be answered..." I said to myself, a plan beginning to form in my mind.
A sly smile spread across my face as I contemplated my next move. "Well, it seems I'm going for you, Tony. I hope your tin armor works for you."
I ventured deeper into the mansion, my footsteps echoing down the empty hallway. I entered a classroom, and my eyes scanned the room. The chairs were scattered across the floor, and the blackboard was cracked, with a sunken area that looked like it had been hit with significant force.
I walked further into the room, searching for anything that might be useful. But all I saw were broken chairs and desks, and torn papers on the floor. The papers seemed to be from a math test, and I couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment. This was not what I had been hoping to find.
I let out a sigh and left the classroom, continuing down the hallway. The other rooms I passed were similarly empty and undisturbed, with no signs of struggle or conflict. I was starting to feel like I was wasting my time.
"Really? There are no corpses? At least one..." I muttered to myself, feeling a growing sense of disappointment. I had been expecting to find some sign of the chaos that had occurred here, but so far, I had found nothing.
As I walked, I suddenly stopped, my ears perked up. I heard the sound of footsteps outside the mansion, the soft thud of shoes hitting the grass, and the sound of tired breathing. My eyes lit up with interest, and a smile spread across my face.
"Oh, guests, well, now I feel like trying something I rarely use..." I murmured to myself, a mischievous glint in my eye. It seemed that my search for answers might not be as dull as I had thought.
---
(a little while before)
Coulson slumped against the tree, his chest heaving with exhaustion. "Haa...I need to rest...haa...haa..." he panted, his eyes closed in relief.
Natasha, the redheaded woman, let out a sympathetic sigh and sat down on a nearby log. "Okay, let's rest for a few minutes," she said, her voice calm and soothing.
Clint, the blond man, collapsed onto the ground with a groan. "Haaaa, finally, my feet are killing me...how long were we walking...?? I think it was days, right?" he asked, his eyes scanning the surrounding area.
Natasha stood up and stretched her arms, her movements fluid and effortless. "Yeah...we need to get to a base that's a few kilometers from here," she explained, her voice steady. "It was a small old base of operations, it probably has a power base that still works. I still remember the location, but we'll have to go through a somewhat complicated place."
Coulson opened his eyes, his expression wry. "I really...hate having to...walk for days..." he said, his voice laced with annoyance. "I have to change my clothes...the smell of sweat is annoying..."
Clint chuckled and shot Coulson a teasing glance. "Well, we saved your ass several times," he said with a smile.
Coulson let out a defeated sigh. "Yeah...I know..." he muttered, his eyes drifting shut once more.
Coulson's voice was laced with frustration as he continued to rest. "Haa...we're cut off, we barely have any food, just some dried meat, we're low on ammo, though Clint could make arrows out of sticks, plus our clothes are already smelly, what could be worse...?"
Just as Coulson finished speaking, Clint's eyes snapped towards something in the distance. "Red flag~" he whistled, his voice low and urgent, as he tensed his bow in his hands.
Coulson's eyes narrowed, his gaze flicking towards Clint. "What is it?" he asked, his voice low and cautious.
Clint just shrugged, his eyes scanning the surrounding area. "I don't know, but I've got a bad feeling."
Natasha, who had been quietly checking her gun, looked up at the two men. She had pulled out the clip to check the bullets, and she nodded in satisfaction. "At least this is still full," she said, her voice calm and steady. "I didn't use it in case the noise attracts more of those things."
The three of them fell silent, their eyes scanning the surrounding area, waiting to see what would happen next.
The sound of breaking branches echoed through the air, and Natasha swiftly put away her gun and pulled out a hunting knife. Clint tensed his bow and nocked a handmade wooden arrow, while Coulson slowly stood up and pulled a knife out of his pocket.
The three of them prepared themselves, their senses on high alert as they listened carefully to the environment. The sounds of footsteps grew louder and closer, and Natasha's grip on her knife tightened.
Suddenly, a growl was heard nearby, and a dog came bounding out from behind the tree where Coulson was standing. The dog launched itself straight at Coulson, its jaws wide open.
Natasha reacted with superhuman speed, stabbing the dog in the forehead with her knife. She quickly followed up with a powerful kick, sending the dog flying through the air and crashing into a nearby tree.
Coulson breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Oh, thanks!"
Natasha sighed and shook her head, saying, "You need to train more, it was just a dog..." She walked over to the dog's body and examined it. The dog's body was badly damaged, with visible cuts and lacerations. Blood was still flowing from the stab wound on its forehead, and one of its eyes was hanging out of its socket.
Clint smiled and said, "Oh, great reaction speed as always." He walked over to the dog's body and examined it more closely. "Totally a zombie dog," he said. "Eye out of its socket, damage to the muscles and tendons that are quite visible. A normal dog would be crying in pain from such damage, but this dog attacked us without hesitation and ignored the pain."
Clint's smile grew wider as he said, "Haha, this reminds me of the beginning of a zombie video game, I don't remember the name, I played it years ago." He looked around cautiously, his eyes scanning the surroundings for any signs of danger.
Suddenly, more noises were heard, and Clint's expression turned serious. He quickly tensed his bow and aimed in the direction of the noise. From behind a tree, more dogs emerged, their eyes fixed on the trio.
Clint's hands moved with masterful precision as he fired an arrow at the first dog. The arrow flew swiftly and embedded itself in the dog's head, causing it to fall to the ground and roll several times before coming to a stop.
Without hesitation, Clint quickly took out more wooden arrows and began to shoot them in rapid succession. The arrows flew straight and true, impacting the foreheads of the zombie dogs with deadly precision. The dogs fell to the ground, their bodies twitching and rolling before finally coming to a stop.
Clint stopped drawing his bow and said, "Okay, I think that's enough..." He closed his eyes and listened to the surroundings, his senses on high alert for any other possible threats. A few seconds later, he opened his eyes and said, "Okay, that's it, safe, for now."
Coulson let out a sigh of relief and said, "Okay... finally..."
Clint still held his bow in his hand and said, "Okay, let's continue, I hope there aren't any more annoying things..." He looked at Natasha, who nodded in agreement.
Natasha took a step forward, and they began to walk through the forest towards their objective. A few minutes later, they arrived at an open area and saw a large mansion in front of them.
"Okay... so the place that was a bit complicated was this huh..." Clint said to Natasha, his eyes fixed on the mansion. "Xavier's school of mutants... holy crap... what happened here?"
Natasha pulled out her gun and said, "The virus probably got here, and it looks like there was a big fight, look at all those craters on the ground..." Clint cautiously tensed his bow, his eyes scanning the surroundings with narrowed eyes. Coulson gripped his knife tightly, his expression tense.
As they walked towards the mansion, they were on high alert, looking around for any strange or dangerous movement. "Who would think of making a school in a place like this...?" Clint said, annoyed. "Besides, it's in an area near the base of operations... great."
Natasha answered, "This place was built after the base of operations was made, although the base is a few kilometers from this place."
They continued to approach the mansion, their senses on high alert for any signs of danger. As they drew closer, they could see that the mansion was heavily damaged, with broken windows and a destroyed entrance.
Clint, Natasha, and Coulson walked towards the mansion, their eyes scanning the surroundings for any signs of danger. Natasha looked at the mansion and said, "Well, let's go in, there might be useful things like a first aid kit or something similar..."
Clint sighed and said, "Well... I hope so." Coulson didn't say anything, but just gulped, his eyes fixed on the damaged entrance.
As they entered the mansion, they were greeted by the sight of broken wood and concrete on the floor. Clint shook his head and said, "Well... this place is fucked up..."
Natasha muttered, "Yeah..." and squeezed her gun a little harder. She walked through the mansion with Clint and Coulson by her side, her eyes scanning the surroundings for any signs of danger. She led them down a hallway and stopped in front of a door that led to a classroom.
She entered the classroom, and they were met with a scene of destruction. Papers were scattered all over the floor, chairs were broken, and desks were overturned. Natasha muttered, "Nothing useful..."
Coulson bent down and picked up a piece of paper, and Clint and Natasha looked at him. Coulson said, "A math test, looks like studying got you all killed huh...?"
Clint and Natasha stared at him, and Clint sighed. "Dude, that joke was ass...especially at a time like this..."
Coulson looked down, his face sheepish. "Well...yeah...you're right."
Natasha turned around and left the classroom, leading Clint and Coulson to the stairs. "Well, maybe there are more useful things upstairs, it seems like the classrooms and such are around here..." she said.
As they climbed the stairs, they noticed that the walls had large cuts and some parts of the floor were sunken, as if large fists had hit the floor with enormous force. Clint's eyes widened in surprise, and Coulson's grip on his knife tightened.
Suddenly, a groan of pain echoed in the hallway, and Natasha stopped in her tracks. "Haa...ummmmhhhmmm" the groan sounded again, and Natasha's eyes snapped towards the sound. Clint tensed his bow, his eyes narrowing as he prepared to shoot. Coulson stood up, his knife at the ready, prepared to defend himself.
Natasha's gaze fell on a set of double doors that led to a room, probably an office. She walked slowly towards the doors, her gun at the ready. She opened the door slowly, her eyes scanning the room for any signs of danger.
When she looked inside, her eyes narrowed, and her expression turned cold. "Be careful, it could be a trap..." she whispered, her voice barely audible. She opened the door completely, and Clint and Coulson followed her in.
Clint tensed his bow, ready to shoot at a moment's notice. Coulson prepared himself, his knife at the ready, in case a zombie jumped towards them suddenly.
But what they saw was not a zombie or any other kind of monster. On the floor of the broken and dusty office, a young girl lay motionless. She had long hair, a fragile-looking body, and was dressed in worn and dirty clothes. She seemed to be around 13 or 14 years old, and she was lying on the floor, seemingly fainted or unconscious.
Clint's eyes widened in surprise, and Coulson's grip on his knife relaxed slightly. Natasha's expression remained cold, but her eyes seemed to soften slightly as she looked at the girl.
"Don't be overconfident, she could be infected or something..." Natasha warned, her gun still held tightly in her hand. She approached the girl carefully, her eyes scanning the girl's face for any signs of infection or danger.
Clint sighed and approached the girl, bending down to examine her more closely. "She seems asleep, but sleeping in this place is pointless," he said, his voice low and cautious. "She could be passed out, but I don't see any damage to her face or neck... maybe..." He carefully reached out to touch the girl's leg, and then her arm.
As soon as he touched her arm, the girl let out a small moan of pain. Clint's eyes narrowed, and he gently rolled up the girl's sleeve to examine her arm more closely. A purple bruise was visible on her skin, and Clint's expression turned thoughtful.
"It seems that your arm is hurt..." he said, his voice gentle. "It seems recent..." he murmured, his eyes still fixed on the bruise.
Natasha watched Clint's examination with interest, her gun still held at the ready. She didn't relax her guard, even though Clint seemed to think the girl was not infected. She knew that appearances could be deceiving, and she wasn't going to let her guard down until she was sure the girl was safe.
Coulson, who had been watching from a distance, took a step forward, his eyes fixed on the girl. "Is she okay?" he asked, his voice low and concerned.
Clint looked up at Coulson, his expression thoughtful. "I think so," he said. "But we need to be careful. We don't know what happened to her, or how she ended up here."
Clint began to examine the girl's body, checking for any signs of bites or injuries. "Well...it doesn't look like she's been bitten or anything..." he said, standing up. "Well...I don't think it's a good idea to leave her here."
Just as Clint finished speaking, the girl suddenly moved, and Natasha's eyes snapped towards her, her gun at the ready. Clint looked at the girl and saw that she was slowly opening her eyes.
As the girl's eyes finally opened, she let out a blood-curdling scream and jumped back, crashing into the wall. "G-GET AWAY!" she screamed, her eyes wide with fear.
Clint quickly tried to calm her down, holding up his hands in a soothing gesture. "Calm down! We won't hurt you, we found you here."
But the girl just looked at them with a mixture of fear and confusion in her eyes. "Y-you... didn't see it?!" she stuttered, her voice shaking.
Clint raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "See what?" he asked, trying to keep his voice calm.
The girl just shook her head, her eyes welling up with tears. She grabbed her head in her hands and began to murmur non-stop, her words incoherent. Tears began to flow from her eyes, and she covered her face with her hands, sobbing uncontrollably.
Clint's expression turned sympathetic, and he took a step forward, trying to comfort the girl. Natasha, however, remained cautious, her gun still at the ready, her eyes scanning the room for any signs of danger.
Coulson, who had been watching from a distance, took a step forward, his eyes fixed on the girl. "What's wrong?" he asked, his voice soft and gentle. "What did you see?"
The girl's sobbing continued, and Clint approached her, trying to calm her down. But suddenly, she fell to the ground, and Clint quickly examined her. After a moment, he let out a sigh of relief and said, "I think maybe she's narcoleptic..."
Natasha muttered, "Narcoleptic, huh..." and put her gun away, although she didn't let go of her knife. Coulson looked at the girl with concern and asked, "What did she see...?"
Clint shook his head, "Maybe a scary zombie or something like that..." He replied, trying to make a joke to lighten the mood. "Although she seems quite stressed, I hope she wakes up soon. How did she get here...?"
Natasha stopped looking at the girl and started searching the room, muttering to herself, "I hope there are useful things here..." She continued to search, her eyes scanning the room for anything that might be of use.
Clint sighed and stood up, joining Natasha in her search. Coulson, who had been staring at the girl, suddenly turned around and said, "Wait, I'll help you." He joined Natasha and Clint in their search, the three of them scouring the room for anything that might be useful.
As they searched, they were all focused on their task, unaware of the girl's sudden movement. Without them noticing, the girl opened her eyes, and her expression changed. Her eyes turned a strong crimson, and a big smile spread across her face. She looked at the three of them in the room, her gaze lingering on Coulson for a moment.
For a brief moment, her eyes locked onto Coulson's, and she seemed to be staring into his very soul. Then, just as suddenly as it had appeared, the smile vanished, and her eyes returned to their normal color. She closed her eyes again, and her expression returned to its usual calm, peaceful state.