The Hellions and Emma Frost arrived at the Xavier Mansion under a tense truce. Inarius felt a knot in his stomach as they stepped onto the grounds, greeted by the X-Men and the New Mutants. He scanned the faces, searching for one in particular.
As the leaders—Emma and Magneto—deliberated in the mansion's war room, Inarius approached Dani Moonstar, one of the New Mutants.
"Dani," he said quietly, pulling her aside. "Is Illyana… here?"
Dani gave him a solemn look and shook her head. "No. After everything, her brother Colossus took her back to their family's farm in Russia. She's there now, living with her parents."
The news hit him harder than he expected. He nodded, trying to mask his disappointment. "Thanks for telling me."
"You care about her, don't you?" Dani asked gently.
Inarius hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah. I just… wanted to make sure she was okay."
"She's safe now," Dani reassured him, placing a hand on his shoulder before walking away.
Before he could dwell on the conversation, a sudden crash reverberated through the mansion, shattering the uneasy calm.
The Hellions, X-Men, and New Mutants rushed toward the sound of the impact, arriving in the grand foyer to find chaos. A man stepped through the wreckage—a green-haired mutant with a sinister smirk.
"Who the hell are you?" Cyclops demanded, already powering up his visor.
"I'm Trevor Fitzroy," the man said with mock politeness, "and I'm here to make a statement."
Before anyone could react, Fitzroy unleashed a green energy blast that struck two Hellions—Catseye and Roulette. Their screams echoed as their bodies were obliterated, leaving behind only charred remains.
"NO!" Inarius roared, charging toward Fitzroy, his sword gleaming in hand.
The battle erupted instantly, with the X-Men and New Mutants joining the fray. Fitzroy, however, was not alone. As he fought, a portal behind him opened, and towering Sentinels emerged, their metallic frames gleaming ominously.
"Kill them all," Fitzroy commanded.
The Sentinels surged forward, their beams cutting through the air. The combined forces of the X-Men, New Mutants, and Hellions fought back fiercely, but the tide was brutal.
Inarius reached Fitzroy, his sword clashing against the mutant's energy blasts. Fitzroy grinned, meeting Inarius's rage head-on.
"You think you can take me down, boy?" Fitzroy taunted.
"Watch me," Inarius growled, channeling his fury. He dodged an energy blast and slashed, severing Fitzroy's left hand.
Fitzroy screamed, clutching his stump as green blood oozed out. "You'll pay for that!"
The Sentinels pressed the attack, firing energy beams that decimated the area. The Hellions fought valiantly but fell one by one, their screams lost in the chaos.
Empath stood frozen, his powers useless against machines, until Inarius shouted at him. "MOVE, MANUEL!"
Emma Frost fought with her telepathy, but even she was overwhelmed. A Sentinel struck her with a powerful blast, sending her crashing into a wall. She collapsed, unconscious.
Seeing his friends fall, Inarius tapped into the full extent of his abilities. Sin radiated from his body like flames as he focused all his energy on Fitzroy.
"You wanted a statement? Here's mine!" Inarius bellowed, his voice echoing unnaturally. He unleashed a wave of sin energy that engulfed Fitzroy, forcing the man to his knees. Fitzroy writhed in agony as Inarius delved into his deepest fears and regrets, breaking him piece by piece.
But in his rage, Inarius didn't see the Sentinel behind him until it was too late.
The sharp, cold blade of the Sentinel's arm pierced through his chest, cutting through skin and bone. Blood spilled from Inarius's mouth as he gasped, his body going limp.
"NO!" Empath screamed, rushing to his side.
Fitzroy, barely alive, used the distraction to summon another portal. "This isn't over," he snarled, retreating with the remaining Sentinels.
The battlefield fell silent, save for the groans of the wounded and the crackling of fires.
Empath cradled Inarius in his arms, tears streaming down his face. "Stay with me, man! Don't you dare die!"
Inarius coughed, blood staining his lips. He looked up at his friend with a weak smile. "Guess… I won't be shoving that sword… anywhere now."
"Shut up!" Empath sobbed. "You're going to be fine!"
But Inarius's eyes were already glazing over. "Take care of… the others… okay?"
And with that, the light in his eyes faded, and his body went still.
Empath screamed in anguish, his voice echoing across the battlefield. The Hellions were gone, their leader fallen.