THERE WERE ONLY a few times when Eleanor would catch a flash of fear in Erik's eyes.

This moment was one of them.

And seeing that extremely satisfied her.

Of course, her former lover was known to be very courageous especially in his plans of human extermination, but he also knew the meaning of self-preservation.

He knew when to shut up around her. He knew when to just listen instead of adding fuel to the fire. He knew how to calm her seething anger. He just knew her like how he knew himself.

Eleanor felt his eyes roam around her, observing her carefully. She in turn then glared daggers at him, not even yielding for a moment. There were a lot of emotions that were stirring inside of her right. Anger, frustration, exhaustion, sadness...

Oh, yes, she was sad and regretful. Because as they stared at one another, she realized she still harbored the same feelings she had for him years ago. She wanted to slap herself hard for that because she was supposed to be over him, she was supposed to be okay already.

But, no. It only took her a second to remember she never forgot everything about them.

Fuck this shit. She thought to herself and took a sharp intake of breath. She was fine. She insisted that she was. She already had a family. She had a fiancé. Eleanor was suddenly brought back to their last conversation. She remembered what was inside his mind at that time.

Charles still loved Valerie.

It was clear in his eyes that he still did. Eleanor even saw it when his gaze fell on Valerie in the laboratory. She even knew that there were times his mind would be occupied by thoughts of her. She knew Charles even tried to look for her using Cerebro, but because Valerie was immune to telepaths, he was unable to find her.

Charles convinced himself that he and Eleanor belonged together and truthfully speaking, she did too. But, things weren't the same now. Their fate had already changed the moment they altered the events in 1973.

"Eleanor..."

She raised her hand, shaking the thoughts inside her head. "You have no idea how much I want to fucking punch you right now, Erik." She growled, swallowing. Everything that he had done just came rushing back, fuelling her anger. "I'm angry with you, really. You just left me that day -- "

"I only did what I thought was right for you."

Eleanor clenched her fist and sent a blast of energy against his magnetic forcefield. It trembled at the amount of force she had exerted. "That's the problem with you! You always do that! You think leaving is the only solution!" She yelled. "You're selfish! Did you even think what I would feel at that time?" She then jabbed a finger at him. "I came with you in the first place! I knew what I was doing already, Erik! But no, you had to play sacrifice, you fucking idiot!"

"I -- "

She raised an eyebrow, challenging him to speak further. He tightly pursed his lips as if deciding he'll continue talking later.

"We could've been a family if you didn't leave me, Erik." she admitted, nodding. Her emotions were all over the place and she didn't have control anymore over the next words she spoke. "We could've been happy together. You, me, and our children."

At this, Erik's expression morphed into realization and she almost laughed at the sight of it. Eleanor knew she shouldn't have just told him about their children, but at that point, she just didn't care anymore. "Yes, you fucking asshat, are my children's father." snarled the woman.

In her peripheral vision, she saw Raven and Peter's eyes widen in shock and they turned to her. Eleanor glanced at them. "Shocking? Yes, I know." She then snorted. "At least, Charles had the balls to stand up as their father."

"I didn't know." he argued. "I would've stayed with you if I knew."

She rolled her eyes. "Of course, you didn't! Where were you?" She retorted. "You were off somewhere with another woman when you told me we can't be together because you'll only put me in danger." She shook her head. "Wait, was that really the reason or were you just looking for a way to dispose of me?" She then clenched her jaw. "You know, sometimes, I doubt you even loved me, Erik."

"I did it to protect you, Eleanor. I realized I was putting you in danger when you got shot. I didn't want it to happen again." asserted the man, dropping his arms to finally turn his whole body towards her. "I couldn't give you the life you deserved."

She scoffed. "You underestimated my capabilities then. God, you're so stupid. Sometimes, I just really want to rip your hair -- "

"Charles!"

They all heard En Sabah Nur's voice resonated behind them, seething. Eleanor looked at both Peter and Raven, nodding. "You both go ahead first. Don't let him get to Charles. I'll follow you two shortly."

Raven nodded once and patted Eleanor's shoulder to show her sympathy. Even though the blonde woman didn't voice it out, she could feel her support through her gesture. Peter held Raven's nape and soon, they were gone, off to defend Charles from the god-like mutant.

The woman levitated off from where she was standing, her eyes burning. "If you can't do it for Charles, for Raven, or even for me. At least, do it for our children. They are out there, fighting for their lives! Do you want them to live in a world that you destroyed? Will your conscience take it if they knew it was you?"

Her former lover stayed silent as if heavily contemplating her words. "I swear, Erik, if anything happens to our children, I will rip apart the world and empire you'll build with your boss and let it crumble beneath my feet like Rome." She threatened, narrowing her eyes. "You know I will. Not even him can stop me from doing so."

They then both stayed quiet for a few seconds. Everything was just in pieces that Eleanor didn't which one to pick up to fix everything. She felt her anger slowly dissipate and she could feel everything that he was feeling at the moment.

"Look, I know..." she breathed. "I know you want to let everyone know and feel the pain you're feeling right now. I wanted to do that too when I lost Erica. But, not everyone deserves to feel it, Erik. This is not what your..." she swallowed. "wife and daughter would have wanted for you to do."

"They took everything from me, El."

"Not yet everything, Erik. You have us. Me, Raven, Charles," Eleanor enumerated. Peter. She wanted to voice that out, but she heard from his mind that he didn't gain enough courage to tell Erik he was his father. The brunette shook her head after. "You still have us. You still have Ana and Nathan."

Erik looked far ahead, his eyes glazed with angry tears. "I can't just forget them. You can't just ask me to let them go."

She nodded, understanding him. "I'm not asking you to forget them, Erik. What I'm asking is you spare everyone from your rage. I know it's just easy to lash out and let everyone suffer, but it isn't right. You know it isn't." And with that, Eleanor turned around, ready to leave.

"You just never give up, do you?" he asked, his voice loud enough for her to hear. She knew what that meant. He was asking if she was ever going to give up on him no matter how many times he would spiral into the life of being the enemy.

Eleanor looked back at him, smiling. "Never."

The brunette flew away and proceeded to the building where Charles was. She didn't have to know that her words had reached Erik. She somehow knew it did and it would only be a matter of minutes before he would finally relent.

It was then that Eleanor caught sight of Ana, Nathan, and Jacob fighting against En Sabah Nur. "Charles! Come! Rescue your weaklings! Give your life, for theirs!" The god-like mutant tightly held Valerie and Raven's necks, strangling them both just as Peter was on the ground, yelling in pain.

"Mom!" She heard Jacob scream just as he unleashed a seismic waves from his hands. At the same time, Ana and Nathan released a bright yellow energy from their fists, causing their enemy to finally drop the women.

"You children dare to stand against me?" En Sabah Nur snarled and threw a large piece of concrete wall to them. Nathan was able to make it explode with a wave of his hand, saving themselves.

Eleanor then dropped in front of them, hurling multiple energy blasts that made him crash to the ground. She didn't even stop there and continued to assault him further. "You fucking blue idiot." she gritted her teeth as she conjured another large spheres of energy. "Stay away from them!"

She then turned her head to the children, giving them a curt nod. "All of you get inside now!" she ordered just as her eyes glowed red and she stared down the mutant who dared to even hurt her children. "Mommy will be right back."

She then watched En Sabah Nur stood up, tilting his head. "You have finally arrived, Eleanor, my child." He started, his voice resonating. "Look at you. Your real power is finally revealing -- "

The brunette didn't even let him finish his sentence for she had telekinetically slammed him to the ground. Tendrils of wild red energy surged from her fingertips and she sent it at him, causing him to stumble backwards.

"I am god, you foolish child!" bellowed the mutant. "You could never defeat me!"

"First of all, I'm not a child. Second, there's only one god and I'm pretty sure he doesn't dress like that." She affirmed before sending another shockwave at him, but this time, he was ready. He blocked her attack by shielding himself with his mighty forcefield and with a wave of his hand, he threw her to the side. Eleanor crashed against a wall and she groaned in pain.

"How dare you use my gift to you against me?"

"I never asked for it, jackass." spat Eleanor. "I don't even know what you have done or given to me."

"My children," En Sabah Nur claimed, his eyes shifting from her to Valerie who had recently recovered. "You both do not know what you are really capable of, are you?" He then pointed to the fair brunette beside Eleanor. "Athena's soul and power lives in you, my child. You have locked it away for so many years, but I freed it inside of you." The god-like mutant then directed his gaze towards Eleanor. "And you... you have the capability to rewrite this universe and create another for yourself. I did you a favor by releasing that power in you." enunciated he. "You both should be grateful that I did."

"Oh, yes," Eleanor snorted. "Yes, I am thankful because you have just given us the power to destroy you."

The blue mutant barked a laugh of derision. "Once I have completed the process of transferring my soul to Charles, I will have the power to control everyone and you. I will use your gift to create a perfect universe where I will rule eternally." At this, he curled his fingers and long tendrils of metal and stone wrapped around her neck and slowly tightened itself, cutting off her oxygen. "Watch me purge this world of those who are unworthy of living and you will praise me, my child."

Eleanor thrashed around to break free from the tight grip on her neck to no avail. "Charles! Are you willing to let this woman die by my hand?" roared the god-like mutant.

The woman's vision slowly blurred and she nearly passed out until the enemy loosen his hold on her. En Sabah Nur then tilted his head towards the building where Charles was in and swiped his hand to the right, disintegrating the wall. Eleanor soon felt inside her mind that Charles let the enemy inside his head and he was now getting overpowered.

"No!" the woman struggled as she collapsed to the ground, crawling. Her body ached all over, but she couldn't just stop. "Charles! No!" Eleanor hissed in pain just as En Sabah Nur marched closer to Charles.

That was when two steel channels blocked his path, forming an X.

Eleanor glanced at Erik, who was still levitating in the air, his expression hard and determined. From the look in his eyes, she knew he had a change of heart. Even when his gaze wasn't directed on her, she could feel his worry and fear for her safety. She wanted to slap him for a bit. Did she almost really had to die just to pull him out of his rage?

"You betray me?"

"No, I betrayed them..." Erik paused as he averted his gaze to Eleanor. "and her." he said. "You shouldn't have laid a hand on her, you filth. I will not let you take my family away from me."

At that, Erik finally casted all the metal he manipulated towards En Sabah Nur, aiming to pierce him. However, this was easily deflected by their enemy with his forcefield. He sauntered forward, raising his arms as if boasting that Erik's attempt on killing him was futile.

At her side, she saw a half-conscious Raven with Valerie checking up on her. The fair brunette jerked her hand up and contrived a forcefield around them. She then noticed the shimmering golden aura around her body and Eleanor swore she saw a flicker of gilded armor and spear with Valerie. Her lips fell in awe. She couldn't believe it. Valerie was indeed connected with Athena, the Greek goddess of Wisdom. She didn't know how, but En Sabah Nur did.

Now tilting her head to her right, she caught sight of Peter writhing in pain and using what little strength she still had, she slowly dissolved the cement on his leg and telekinetically pulled him to her. 

"You're okay, Peter. You're going to be okay." Eleanor groaned, feeling a wrath rush in her bones. The power within her was getting out of control, yearning to be finally set free. The more she used it, the more it was harder to contain. She sucked in a breath, her jaw clenching from her attempt to contain it.

"Eleanor, you alright over there?" Valerie screamed amidst all the uproar around them, deflecting all the metal the god-like mutant was sending to her with ease.

The brunette turned her head towards her, immediately seeing the bleeding wound on Valerie's forehead. "I should be the one asking you that!" She remarked. "You're bleeding!"

Standing up, Eleanor watched Valerie wobble over a bit as she pressed a hand over her wound. "I've dealt with worse!" She replied just as she rushed over to her and Peter. "Come on, Maximoff!" She advised, wrapping the young silver-haired man with her own shield and levitating him to Raven's area. "We need to find a way to dismantle his -- "

Suddenly, another heavy surge of power course through Eleanor's veins, causing her to gasp. It was demanding that it take charge, but she refused. She didn't trust it. Oh, for how can she trust such a thing? It felt chaotic, destructive... like whatever she thought can happen so as long as she strongly desired it. She heard Valerie yell her name in worry, but Eleanor couldn't speak. It was like she was in a war, but she didn't know who she was fighting against.

As she struggled to maintain control, Eleanor felt a tug inside her mind. She then realized that Charles was desperately calling for her help. Without any hesitation, she entered his mind and searched for him, finding him inside Cerebro. A gasp escape her lips as she saw her fiancé on the floor, all bloody and bruised. En Sabah Nur's large form loomed over him, his fist crushing Charles' back. "Let go, Ellie." She heard Charles instruct her.

She knew what he meant. He knew about the new power she now held and was asking her to release it. Eleanor shook her head, defiantly. "No, I-I can't."

"You..." he croaked. "have to..."

"I don't know what it does!"

"I now have you, Charles, and soon I will take over the world." taunted En Sabah Nur. "And you..." He turned his gaze to Eleanor. Chills ran down her spine as he proclaimed, "You will finish what I have started."

Those words rang inside Eleanor's head. She clenched her fists, shutting her eyes for a moment. She didn't know what was going on, but she had to accept it. Something inside of her told her to embrace it, become one with it. It pushed through her and so when she can no longer fight it, she let it consume her whole. Two curlicues of white and red light suddenly swirled around her, drawing her along and empowering her more than ever. It felt utterly familiar like she had known it was there all along, but just hidden.

She watched as this two wisps of light wildly strike each other until the red one overwhelm the white light and consumed it whole. Eleanor didn't understand it, but it signified something. Of that, she was certain.

Upon opening her eyes, the woman took a step forward just as her newfound courage filled her whole. She knew whatever was in her was going to protect her and obliterate everything that threatened to harm her. Vehement wisps of red flowed out of her fingertips, ready to follow her command.

"Let go, Ellie! Unleash your power. You can control it!"

She hesitated for a moment.

Trust me. The power seemed to speak. Eleanor's heart hammered inside of her chest as she felt the last strings of her control snap. It was waiting for her wish, her desire, her order...

"Let go! Eleanor, let it go!"

Let me go!

And that string finally snapped.

A loud scream escaped Eleanor's lips as a bright red shockwave bursted out of her body, disintegrating En Sabah Nur's form. She raised her arms in the air, letting the god-like mutant take the full force of her furious power.

The woman was then brought back outside of Charles' mind and she raised her hand. Gradually, the sky transformed into a deep burgundy color and a blazing surge of energy flowed out of her. The tips of her hair and her palms glowed red just like how her irises did. Eleanor levitated in the air, raising her arms. Red flashes of lightning struck the ground just as she levitated in the air. Her body was surrounded by a glowing red aura with a tinge of white. She looked ethereal, even mystical...

At the same time, Valerie beside her unleashed a potent energy shockwave, but it was different this time. A golden flash of light blinded everyone for a moment and there, stood the woman, no longer in her flight suit, but in a golden armor. A spear materialized itself in her right hand and she raised it in the air. Her eyes glowed yellow and there was no doubt Athena was living inside of her.

Letting out a roar, Eleanor gathered all the surrounding scarlet mists of untamed energy all into one giant sphere and hurled it at En Sabah Nur, dismantling his forcefield. Erik's metals then finally pierced his body, trapping him in his place.

At this, Scott used his optic blast to further assault him and even when En Sabah Nur attempted to escape, one of his followers released strikes of lightning at him, stopping him.

"I am god!" En Sabah Nur proclaimed, seething. His skin began to burn from all the attack he was receiving. "My destiny is to rule!"

"Your destiny is to die!" bellowed Valerie, launching her glowing spear at the blue mutant's chest. En Sabah Nur screamed from the pain as it stabbed him, a yellow and white light radiated from the spear as if it burned him from the inside out.

Eleanor slowly descended in front of him, flexing her fingers. "You're not meant to rule here. Not in this fucking universe. In here, you do not exist." She deadpanned and lifted him up, effortlessly destroying his armor that protected him.

For a moment, everything seemed to pause as another question appeared in her mind. What do you want to do?

The brunette narrowed her eyes at the god-like mutant, coldly answering, I want him gone. Erased. Eleanor then tilted her head to Valerie and nodded.

"Let's kill this son of a bitch."

Valerie smirked, conjuring a sword and a shield that bore a Gorgon's head, the Aegis. "It will be my pleasure."

Closing her eyes, Eleanor sent a shock wave that ripped his skin away from his bones just as Valerie drove a sword to his chest. The woman watched as his eyes darted down to the shield and she swore she felt his overwhelming fear. He feared not being worshipped, dying, and them.

The false god trembled. "All is revealed."

And with that, Eleanor delivered the final blow, finally turning En Sabah Nur into nothing, but ashes.