X-Force: Beyond Omega

[1 week later]

It's been one week since the attack on NY. At present, I can finally kiss my dream of a peaceful and fun life, goodbye.

I can't take it anymore. Between the crowd outside the school chanting my name and the endless barrage of interviews I refuse to attend, my head is about to explode. Jean keeps reminding me to stay calm, but who the hell can stay calm with those cult followers swarming outside? I can't possibly brainwash them all.

The Phoenix Force—the so-called cosmic gift—has ruined any chance of normalcy I had left. And it's not just the outsiders. The students at the school act like I'm a demigod walking among mortals. Jubilee won't crack a joke, Pixie trying too hard to act like I don't exist, and even Logan, of all people, keeps his usual snark to himself. It's suffocating.

Jean says it's because they're afraid of me. They saw what I could do. But I didn't have a choice back then. I had to save them. I didn't think things through. It just... happened.

Oh, the date with Gwen was also canceled because the place we were supposed to meet was destroyed. My new house was also destroyed. Then to make things worse, fucking cults! Those insane retards are making cults and calling themselves, 'Children of Aron'. I'm like what the fuck? Not to mention the constant rants of God and savior, messenger of God... Finally, there was Lady Death, her obsession with me was kinda hot but dangerous. Heck, at this point, I don't even want to use the Phoenix Force again.

As for SHIELD, well, I have no idea. I haven't met anyone so far.

Sigh!

All in all, my life has become a living hell, even if I could somehow get some peace and quiet, I know that I am going to hear the same shit again. So much for my peaceful life...

I opened my palm and summoned the new power I absorbed from her. It's like a purple flame with a black mist, swirling around. It's easy to control for now and it's freaking cold. Even with my ice power, I could feel the chill that the flame gave off. Lady Death called it Death Aura. And I'm pretty sure I don't have to explain what it does.

Well, I wanted to test it out anyway. So, I took a bottle and placed it on the desk.

"Alright, here we go," I said to myself as I extended my palm, covered in Death Aura, and just like Phoenix Force, it came so naturally. I fired it toward the bottle.

The bottle immediately disintegrated.

"What the...?" I blinked, watching the dust disperse. I wasn't expecting it to work on non-living things, considering its name. It was freaking OP. "Hakai!" I said jokingly while disintegrating the wall clock. I'm pretty sure there is that smirk on my face right now.

I wonder how powerful I am now. This is actually kind of exciting.

I walked to the window and peeked outside. Yeah, those annoying cultists are swarming around the school even in the middle of the night. Dang! Just go away.

My eyes land on the small mirror by the dresser. Azazel's ability… right.

I roll my shoulders, letting the familiar sensation of his shapeshifting powers spread through me. My face shifts, my features melting into something unrecognizable. Green eyes instead of brown, shorter hair, broader jawline. By the time I'm done, I look like someone who could blend into a crowd without a second glance.

Perfect.

Next, teleportation. Azazel's power is straightforward and efficient. A crackling noise fills the room as a faint red glow envelopes me. I picture the nearest subway station in my head. One hop, and I'm out.

When I land, it's cold, damp, and empty. The hum of fluorescent lights echoes faintly. The platform is deserted, just as I hoped. No fanatics, no reporters, no curious people. Just silence.

I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding.

Finally.

The faint glow of a flickering streetlight looked kinda ominous, you know, from those horror movies and the air was cold. I know, I have power. Just for today, I want to feel it all. I just want to take a walk. The area was eerily quiet, the kind of quiet that follows devastation. The city was still recovering from the Chitauri attack. The scars of that battle stretched across every block, visible in the collapsed buildings, half-cleared rubble, and the towering cranes working through the night.

The streets were lined with temporary barricades and construction equipment. Makeshift scaffolding clung to the remains of buildings, their skeletal frameworks reaching out toward the sky. A few construction crews were still working despite the late hour, their floodlights casting long shadows across the debris.

As I walked, I noticed several pop-up shops set up in the cleared areas. They were nothing fancy—just a few carts and tents selling hot drinks, basic supplies, and whatever goods their owners could salvage. One shop had a hand-painted sign reading "Hot Coffee & Sandwiches - Pay What You Can." The aroma of brewing coffee mingled with the faint scent of ash and dust that lingered in the air.

A middle-aged vendor with graying hair stood behind one of the carts, pouring coffee for a couple of construction workers. They looked as tired as I felt, their faces streaked with grime and exhaustion. The vendor glanced up as I approached, his eyes narrowing briefly before softening.

He must have noticed something familiar about me. Sigh! Nah, I'm just being paranoid. He gave me a nod and gestured to his cart.

"Coffee? Sandwich?" His voice was rough, but there was kindness in his tone.

I hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Coffee. Black."

He poured the steaming liquid into a chipped mug and handed it to me. "Rough night?"

"Something like that," I muttered, wrapping my hands around the mug. The warmth seeped into my fingers, a stark contrast to the chill of the Death Aura still lingering in my mind. I paid the guy.

The vendor studied me for a second. "You one of those volunteers? The ones helping clean up after... you know."

I shook my head. "No, just passing through."

He grunted in understanding. "Well, whatever brings you here, stay safe. City's still dangerous at night, especially with all the... weird stuff going on."

"Thanks." I sipped the coffee, the bitterness grounding me in the moment.

As I stood there, a low rumble reached my ears—a distant sound of heavy machinery, likely the cranes clearing debris. But beneath it, I caught something else. Voices. Angry, desperate, and far too close for comfort.

I turned my head slightly, my senses sharpening. Around the corner, a group of people was arguing, their words harsh and frantic. I couldn't make out everything, but one phrase stood out: "Children of Aron."

I felt my stomach twist. Not here too. I set the coffee down on the cart and muttered a quick thanks to the vendor before heading toward the voices, keeping to the shadows.

Peeking around the corner, I saw a small group of people huddled together, their faces lit by the glow of a makeshift altar. At its center was a crude drawing of… me. My face, surrounded by flames, with the words "Savior of Mankind" scrawled beneath it in what looked like red paint—or worse.

One of them, a woman with wild eyes and a tattered coat, was speaking fervently. "He's our hope, our guide! Aron will lead us to salvation. We must spread his word!"

Another person, a younger man, seemed less convinced. "But what if he doesn't want this? What if—"

The woman cut him off, her voice rising. "It doesn't matter what he wants! It's what the world needs!"

I felt a headache brewing. This was beyond ridiculous. These people didn't know me, didn't know the chaos I was barely holding together. And yet, here they were, building shrines and chanting my name.

I stepped into the light, my altered appearance shielding me from immediate recognition. "What the hell are you all doing?" I asked, my voice sharp.

They froze, their heads snapping toward me. The woman's eyes narrowed. "Who are you to question our faith?"

"I'm just someone who thinks worshipping a random stranger in the middle of a ruined city is a terrible idea," I shot back.

The younger man hesitated, looking between me and the woman. "Maybe he's right. Maybe we're—"

"Silence!" the woman barked, her fervor intensifying. "Aron's power is undeniable! You've seen what he can do!"

I used my telepathy to send them back home. "Go home!" I said with a commanding tone. They stared at me with wide eyes before nodding and walking away. I let out a breath and left the area.

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