Onslaught Island.

A lot's been going on here. More than usual. The X-Man was captured hours ago, only to escape from the Prelate's clutches yet again. The Prelates Wolverine and Shadowcat decimated the Hellfire Club's stronghold within a matter of hours, and have just recently departed for Egypt. On the outskirts of the island, the Prelates have massacred a hidden faction of the Human Resistance Movement in the sewers.

And now, something else appears to be taking place on the island. A portal opens from nothingness. Out of it fall several beings, dazed and confused. They are followed by their captors. An elite Prelate force known as the Psi-Corps. The Mannites look up at their captors, and can only wonder 'why?'.

"Why, Mannite?" Psiren asks rhetorically. "Because the High Lord has ordered it. You, and your brethren are of some apparent use to his plans for the future. Like the sacred Five, you Mannites have long been rumoured in some select circles."

"W-What do you know of us?" interrupts Darco, as he defiantly rises to his feet.

"Psimon?" Psiren turns to her brother, signalling her intent. Psiren smiles maliciously, as he telekinetically rises Darco into the air, and snaps the Mannite's legs and arms with but a thought. Darco screams as the hellish pain overwhelms him, and he passes out.

The other Mannites all gasp in horror. Psiren just looks at them with a sadistic grin on her face. "Do not worry, little Mannites, he will live. Though not for long!" she laughs, as Psimon releases his telekinetic grip on the helpless Mannites, who then plunges to the hard ground below.

All around the hundreds of Psi-Corp watch without emotion. At their side, with a look of apathy about him, hovers a sole Prelate. He is a mutant-hunter. It is both his skill, and his desired service for Lord Onslaught. Some know him as the tracker. Some, as the Hound. But for now, we shall know him as…

"Ahab, have you tuned into Xavier's genetic signature yet?" Psiren asks of the Prelate.

"I can find no trace of him on either the physical or telepathic planes of reality, Psiren." Ahab answers. "I'll let you know when I get a whiff of anything."

Psiren is not pleased. What could Xavier be up to? Before, once Ahab had distinguished Xavier's genetic imprint after his first encounter with the Psi-Corps. With his genetic coding still lingering all around after his departure with Voght, it was simple for Ahab to find them the second time around. Now, he has somehow managed to hide his imprint?

Something is not right.

(See X-Man #01-02 for that story - Benn)

(See Shadowcat & Wolverine #01-03 for that story - Benn)

(And see The Spider-Man #01 for that story! - Benn)

Elsewhere.

Somewhere. Anywhere. Charles does not know. What he remembers comes to him in blurry visions. Visions of Amelia, now laid unconscious at his side. Visions of his former lover, Gabrielle Haller. Visions of his best friend, Erik Magnus Lehnsherr, dying at the hands of a madman. Visions of Onslaught - a being of his own creation in the wake of Erik's death. Visions of his legs snapping in half. Visions of Amelia, nursing him back to health. Visions of Renee Majcomb - an old friend. Visions of the kindly Monks who gave him sanctuary in their isolated Temple. Visions of the Psi-Corps, taking all that he had accomplished in his life away from him in one painful instant. Visions of the Mannites. Visions of the Psi-Corps. Visions of Nina. Visions of…this…other place…

{Charlie?}

{Yes Nina?}

{Where are we, Charlie?}

{I do not know. I thought you brought us here?}

{Okay.}

{Nina?}

{Yes, Charlie?}

{Nothing.}

{I don' know Charlie, thas' awful risky.}

{What?}

{But I'll do it 'cause you're my friend.}

{What?}

{Give you back your powers, silly.}

{NO! Nina, I don't want them back!}

{Sure you do. You jus' gotta see that you do.}

(As seen in Legion Quest: Broken Reality - Benn)

"See, I know what's inside of you! I know what you're going to become! You're going to betray my father and spoil his dream forever!"

The past. Almost exactly twenty years from the present. The place is Haifa, a port city belonging to what was once Israel. Where a very familiar scene is taking place...

"How can you be so certain, boy? Your presence here has changed everything," Magneto protests, at the mercy of the madman before him. "I may never become this monster you describe."

"Oh, I'd like to believe that, sure I really would -- but how can I trust you? Where I come from is a terrible place -- and the blame can be lain upon your doorstep," Legion says, slowly building up a fireball of energy in his right hand.

{Nina? Wh-where? Wh-why here?}

{'Cos this is when you lost your powers, silly-billy!}

"My father spent so much time battling you -- trying to stop your madness - {Nina, I don't want to this this again...} that he couldn't help others -- he couldn't help me!" Legion cries, the fireball in his fist growing. "But I can change all that! {Tha's just tough luck, mister! Now you sit here 'an watch, or else I'll be really mad at you!} If I kill you now, Magneto, things will have to be better in the future! After all, they can't get much worse, eh?"

Unnoticed, Charles Xavier slowly brings himself to his feet.

"And Charles Xavier will make the world right -- and he and mom and I will be together!" Legion rants.

{No! I have to stop him! I can't let him kill Erik again!}

"No -- David!" *haff* "Wait!" Charles gasps, but his words go unheard and unheeded. "This is {Charlie, you can't be nufin...) wrong!" *haff* " -- can't concentrate -- enough -- to use -- my powers --"

{Let me go! Damnit, let me go!}

"Goodbye, Erik Magnus Lehnsherr...I hope that in {Sorry, Charlie, but this is fer your own good.} death you'll find the peace you've been missing in life..." Legion raises his fist, the energy surrounding it in full intensity. "Sayonara!"

"{NO!}NO!!" Xavier screams, rushing forward, trying to move his closest friend out of harms way, trying to evade Legion's blow. He moves swiftly, almost as fast as Legion himself.

And then he stumbles. {no. not again.}

In that instant, Legion plunges the blade of pure energy into Magnus's chest. Xavier has failed.

"No..." Xavier cries, crawling to the side of his friend. Magneto is not moving. Xavier can feel no pulse. He's dead.

"Do not cry for him, father," David says, standing over the empty body of Magneto. "Although it may seem like an injustice which I have wrought upon this life, rest safe in the knowledge that it was for a better cause --your cause. You can make this world better daddy. You can make it yours..."

{Why, Nina? Why did you make me live through that again. Do you hate me that much? Do you hate me because I led the Psi-Corps to you and the other Mannites? Nina, why...?}

{'Hate you?' I don't hate you Mr. 'Zavier. I love you. You were put here on this world to save us from Onslaught. How could I hate you for that?}

{But Nina, how can you be so sure?}

{Because you told me so.}

(Note: Past scene originally presented in Legion Quest: Broken Reality)

In Mutant X #03: As Mutant X draws to a close, what will happen to Xavier, Nina, and Amelia as they face off against the Psi-Corps for the final time? A direct lead-in to AOO: Omega, you won't want to miss out on the action! Be here in thirty!