Petra licked her dry lips, unable to believe what she had just heard.
She understood every single word—but when Alex's sentence came together, she suddenly found it hard to grasp. No, it wasn't that she couldn't understand—it was that she couldn't believe she was allowed to hear something like that.
Only now did Petra realize her understanding of Alex had been fundamentally flawed. At first, she had simply regarded him as a being with immense power.
But now, hearing that he had an entire world under his command, Petra suddenly understood—Alex had never once lied to her. Because from the very beginning, they were never on the same level.
No wonder Alex always gave off that unreachable, detached-from-life aura. It was because, rather than a "hero," Alex was more akin to a ruler. His perspective, his thinking—it was beyond anything ordinary people could comprehend.
All those methods he used before...
"Y-You have an entire world?" she stammered.
"Technically speaking, I saved a world and now manage it," Alex replied casually. "After drifting for so long, I needed somewhere I could finally call 'home.'"
Seeing Petra's blank face, Alex chuckled lightly and went on:
"That world's pretty similar to the Earth you remember. It has heroes, X-Men, mutants... but it went through a massive cataclysm. Many lives were lost—including people you might've known. But thanks to some last-minute intervention, it survived. It's safe now."
"W-Wait… you mean, you want me to take Cloak, Dagger, and Magik to that world… to live there?" Petra's voice trembled in disbelief.
"Exactly. Is there a problem?" Alex blinked innocently.
There was a problem. A big one.
Petra opened her mouth wide, stunned silent for several long seconds, before she finally burst out:
"What about you?!"
"Me?" Alex folded his arms. "I'm staying. Like I said, those entities—whatever they are—they're after me. As long as I don't play into their hands, they won't achieve their goals."
Petra stared at him. When she realized he wasn't joking, she took a deep breath and said, voice steady:
"Leaving you here alone is too dangerous. Let me stay. I'm already as good as dead—I lost a lot of memories, and the first thing I remember is opening my eyes and seeing you. If it wasn't for you, I'd be long gone. Let Magik and the others go to your world. I'll stay with you."
Alex gave her a soft smile—but he shook his head.
"I appreciate it. But no. You and the others are all lives from branches of this main timeline. I'm worried those entities will exploit that. You have to go. All of you. And you have to leave immediately."
"But—"
Before Petra could continue, Alex gently patted her shoulder.
"I know what you're going to say. If you really want to help me, then put your abilities to good use. That Wasteland Universe is in ruins. It needs rebuilding. Agriculture. Infrastructure. Your powers are perfect for that."
Feeling the weight of his hand on her shoulder, and seeing the faint smile on Alex's face, Petra swallowed all the words she wanted to say.
He hadn't said it outright, but Petra could hear what he meant:
This world was undergoing changes that no normal being could understand—and the outcome would rest entirely on the coming clash between Alex and the unfathomable force targeting him.
She didn't know who their enemy was—but from Alex's strength alone, if something could go head-to-head with him, it had to be terrifying.
In that case, staying here would only hold him back.
With her thoughts clear, Petra gave a small nod.
"I understand."
Alex smiled gently, giving her shoulder a soft squeeze as he added: "Don't worry. There will be someone to receive you on the other side. If you can, I'd like you and the others to join the faculty at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. Right now, Logan and Emma are the only ones holding it together—it's rough."
"Xavier's…"
Petra's eyes lit up. The idea of returning to school—the one she dreamed of even after being turned into a Sentinel—was something she'd thought impossible. And now, here it was.
"I understand, sir. I'll speak to Magik and the others about this."
With those words, Petra turned back toward the cathedral, glancing behind her every few steps.
As she vanished through the doors, Miss Minutes appeared, perched on Alex's shoulder.
[Sir, is this really the right thing to do?]
Alex smirked.
"Why not? The enemy made their move. I'm just adapting."
Hearing that, Miss Minutes couldn't help but chuckle. She finally understood what Alex was planning.
[So the Dark Watchers deliberately sent those girls here with a hidden agenda… and now you're sending them straight into the Wasteland. Without their 'pieces' on the board, whatever game they were trying to play is as good as over.]
Alex listened to her voice with a faint smile, inhaling deeply.
"No regrets for this move," he said. "I guess I've maintained my 'persona' for so long that they've made a mistake about who I really am. Sure, I've saved a few worlds, but I've never claimed to be a superhero—hell, I'm not even a good guy. If they think they can manipulate me with something like this, they're in for a rude awakening."
[Still, even if this forces the Dark Watchers to back off for now, they're still lurking in the shadows. And who knows what other schemes they've got planned…] Miss Minutes offered cautiously.
[If their goal was to get you to act on their terms, and now you can't use your powers freely without playing into their hands… wouldn't staying here alone be too dangerous?]
Alex's smile widened.
"Who said I'm alone?"
He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a Polaroid photo.
"It's not like the Watchers are the only ones who can summon allies from across the multiverse."
..........
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