The Golden Destroyer

The fact that I had adapted to the power games, like a fish in water, didn't please me at all. I was discovering personality traits I never imagined I had.

After a month with the Brotherhood, I had to give them an answer. I was important, but not important enough to keep them waiting. They were already doing me a favor by admitting me into their ranks even though I wasn't a mutant.

Despite their status as a terrorist group, I had already surpassed the scale of destruction the Brotherhood had caused in recent years. This put them in an unenviable position, protecting me.

However, the Brotherhood, even though powerful, didn't have as much reach as the Hellfire Club. I didn't need to eat or many other things. But I aspired to build economic and social capital to evolve in the future. Shaw was offering me that on a silver platter.

He was a hedonist and obsessed with power. The number of occult organizations he dealt with was staggering. If I played my cards right, I could learn who was who, who controlled whom. Prevent any external manipulation attempts. And ultimately, find the means to carry out my investigation and my vendetta.

And when I had enough knowledge about everyone, I could forge my own path. I didn't see myself as a hero, but certainly not as a villain. I had too much raw power for my own good to risk aligning myself. Although, if help was needed in the face of danger, I would do it without hesitation.

"In the end, it seems I'll choose both the Brotherhood and the Club; one doesn't preclude the other," I thought with a sigh.

—--------------

If he was angry, Magneto was making a great effort to control himself. I had agreed to join the Brotherhood while also announcing that I had accepted an invitation to join the Hellfire Club. They were two supremacist groups that collaborated anyway.

"And may I know the reason?" he asked, frowning.

Since I didn't see the point in lying to him, I answered bluntly.

"I have projects I want to carry out that require significant capital. And I don't want to take advantage of your generosity."

"I hope your interests with the Club won't interfere with those of the Brotherhood."

"Not in the slightest," I replied calmly. In both organizations, I'm a collaborator. So, the final decision always rests with me, in most cases.

It was a bit cheeky to say that to the leader of the organization. But I didn't intend to put myself in a disadvantageous position to be taken advantage of. My other personalities would have harassed me horribly.

"Fine," Magneto said, a sardonic smile on his lips, "I accept your decision. But the Club isn't as lenient as you think. Even if they've been weakened recently. Inviting you so suddenly isn't their usual behavior."

"Certainly," I retorted, sensing the jab, "otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to hide his existence for so long."

Now that this part was settled, I had to find the wolf and throw myself into its jaws before meeting Shaw.

—------------------

"I didn't think you'd seek me out so soon," Selene said with a mocking smile as we sat down.

"Besides joining the Club, I wanted to talk to you about something," I said, affecting a disinterested air.

"Oh! The mighty dragon needs my advice," she said, swaying in her chair.

"Indeed," I said, slightly doubting my approach. Selene was a powerhouse; I had to handle her with care.

"You have knowledge of magic, particularly black magic, don't you?"

"You're quite well-informed about me," she said, a dangerous rictus on her lips.

"You didn't leave me a choice," I lied.

"And what could my mastery of magic bring you?" she finally asked.

"I want to resurrect someone. More specifically, one of those who attacked me in St. Louis, but there's nothing left of their bodies."

"You want me to play necromancer for you. You have a handsome face, and your life energy must be delicious. But I can't gorge myself on it since we're allies for the moment. What do I get out of it?"

Taking a deep breath, it was time to take risks and reveal part of my hand. Either I failed, and all hell broke loose, or I won and incurred an indecent debt. Either way, it was unpleasant.

"Those who attacked me were mutants commissioned by a third party who, I suspect, is one himself or has connections with them. After the time spent with you, I doubt he comes from the Brotherhood or the Club. My hypothesis at this stage is a mutant named Mr. Sinister."

The temperature in the room dropped drastically as I mentioned the name. Despite her scathing humor and constant threats, she had never shown such palpable signs of hostility. Things began to float in the room as the wall cracked and flames charred the armrests of the chair.

"I hope for your sake, Jonathan, that you choose your next words carefully!" she said, enraged. "Cordial relations between you two would displease me."

I knew these two weren't friends; I didn't think it was this heated in this reality. That was good to know, and it suited my purposes.

"No," I said with a laugh, "he desires me more than you do." You want to vampirize me; he, I suppose, wants to dissect me gene by gene.

As I expected, my joke served to ease the atmosphere.

"Interesting. I suppose if it's him, you'll want to kill him. But despite the fact that I also want to trample his corpse, why should I help you? What do I gain?"

I couldn't help but display a victorious smile at this response. I had just won my first conflict that didn't require violence.

"A part of my life essence, which you covet," I said, my eyes sparkling with defiance.

"Don't overestimate yourself. I doubt you'd survive it. And to think I found you humble."

"What do you know about it?" It's not like I'm a few million years older than you. "And that I'm more immortal," I said, as her eyes widened in surprise.

Barely had a scathing remark left my mouth when I suddenly felt such an intense burning in my head that I lost consciousness.

—--------------------

The day had finally come. The room where the Inner Circle of the Hellfire Club met was a masterpiece of decadence. The walls, covered in dark wood paneling and adorned with golden ornaments, seemed to absorb the murmur of hushed conversations. A dim light emanated from a massive crystal chandelier, casting reflections of light on the faces of the Inner Circle members, already seated around the large round table.

Tonight, everything was orchestrated for my induction. I had accepted the invitation of Sebastian Shaw, the Black King, but I knew that every gaze fixed on me was an evaluation. Not open mistrust—after all, they needed me—but a mixture of calculation and curiosity, typical of individuals who tolerated only power.

Shaw, true to himself, nodded to me as I entered. He wore a perfectly tailored black suit, his royal brooch gleaming on his lapel. Selene, all dark and dangerous elegance, stood to his right. Unlike the others, she hadn't bothered to mask her interest. Since our first meeting, she had oscillated between fascination and a form of slightly sinister amusement.

But it was Emma Frost, the White Queen, who truly caught my attention tonight. In an immaculate white dress that seemed as sharp as a blade, she had an air of absolute control. Her piercing gaze swept across the room to land on me with an icy intensity. If Shaw was the strategist and Selene the embodiment of chaos, Emma was undoubtedly the guardian of order and calculation.

"Jonathan, approach," she said in a clear, composed voice, cutting through the ambient murmur.

I walked to the center of the room, where a white marble pedestal had been set up. On it rested a silver chalice and a black book with a worn binding. Silence fell, every pair of eyes fixed on me.

"The Inner Circle doesn't make promises lightly," Emma continued. "Each piece, each member present here, plays an essential role in our game. Tonight, you enter our ranks as a Fool. But make no mistake: in this circle, even fools are potential kings."

Shaw took over, a satisfied smile stretching his lips. "Jonathan, you have demonstrated a strength and a foresight that few of us possess. Your place here, at my side, is more than a privilege: it's a necessity. Together, we will build a future where power will not only be a weapon but a universal truth."

"Yeah, foresight my ass," I laughed mentally.

Outwardly, I raised an eyebrow, amused by his enthusiasm. "That's a fine promise, Shaw. But, as you know, I prefer to judge things by their results."

A light laugh rippled through the room, but Emma remained impassive. She approached gracefully, holding a fool-shaped brooch in a gloved hand. She pinned the object to my jacket, her cold fingers briefly brushing my chest.

"This brooch," she said, "symbolizes your role. You are an unpredictable piece in our game. And sometimes, the most unforeseen moves are the ones that change the course of the chessboard."

She stepped back slightly, her gaze still fixed on me. ""But understand this, Jonathan: the Hellfire Club is not a democracy. You are one of us now, but here, loyalty is a luxury that is never taken lightly."

I replied in a measured tone, "I've always preferred explicit agreements to empty oaths. You'll have my loyalty as long as it's earned."

Emma gave an almost imperceptible smile, a spark of approval in her eyes. Selene, on the other hand, seemed to relish the underlying tension, her gaze fixed on me as if she were anticipating the power plays to come.

Shaw raised his glass to propose a toast. "My friends, to the future of the Inner Circle. And to Jonathan, our new ally."

The members present raised their glasses, but I felt that the evening was just beginning. Once the formalities were over, the conversations resumed, each member returning to their personal intrigues and alliances.

Emma lingered for a moment at my side. "You have much to learn, Jonathan, but I advise you this: in this room, the slightest weakness is exploited. Keep that in mind."

I thanked her with a nod, as she disappeared among the others. If this evening symbolized my entry into a circle of power, it also marked the beginning of a dangerous game. And for the first time in a long time, I couldn't help but smile at the idea of this challenge.