FALLING EMPIRES ✵ 𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐊 𝐋𝐄𝐇𝐍𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐑 [on hold]

𝟭.𝟭𝟮 | 𝗜𝗡 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗠𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗦

2023

THE WOMAN hung her head low, refusing to show everyone she was grieving for the death of her closest friend. Valerie and her might have had their differences in the past, but they both believed in mutant rights. Both of them fought for it, advocated for it, just in a different way.

Eleanor rolled the metal bearing between her fingers before tightly gripping it. She finally understood Valerie's rage. A person could only take so much before they break.

Her eyes fluttered over to Erik who was looking down at the ground, his lips contorted in a frown, but his eyes were burning. He absentmindedly twisted his wedding ring and Eleanor knew he missed his wife. Ever since Valerie's demise, Erik's mind was open and audible. That didn't quite sit well with her. Eleanor was so used to feeling Valerie's projected mental barrier that always concealed his thoughts whenever his helmet wasn't on.

After Valerie's confession that she married him out of fear of being alone, she wondered if Erik felt the same. Did he loved her?

"There's twelve carriers inbound, ten miles!"

Warpath alerted everyone and Eleanor along with her husband caught it. She shared a glance with him, lips tightly pursed. This was it. The end of them all. Their extinction.

"They found us." Charles focused his gaze to Erik, nodding. He held Eleanor's hand tight, his blue eyes pleading as he stared up at her. She knew he wasn't willing to let her go outside, but she had to. She wanted to, she wanted these machines created by humans to face her wrath. She wanted them to feel her loss.

She squeezed his hand before saying, "For the people we lost, for a brighter future."

Eleanor then left his side with Erik following behind. Atlas stood at the side doorway, his beautiful blue eyes anxious. "Be careful, grandma."

"I will try, my boy." She smiled. As soon as she stepped outside, she felt the baleful aura of the sky. How did the Sentinels even find them here?

Eleanor and Erik glanced at each other, their chests rising and falling fast. "We will win this war, El." He said, suddenly. "or we will all die trying."

The woman clenched her fist and shut her eyes, nodding. "I know."

"Valerie always admired your resolve, you know. She once described you as the fuck the consequences, I'm getting it type of woman if I do remember correctly." Erik mused, suddenly.

"Did you also see me as that?"

"I saw you more than that. You're passionate, firm, motivating, a bit quick-tempered. You never agreed with me -- "

"You were right."

Erik tilted his head towards her, confused. "On what?"

"On all this shit. Humanity will always aim to destroy us no matter how much kindness we show them."