Age Of Miracles | Pietro Maximoff

Chapter Fifty-Eight: Death and Birth

Music is "Homecoming" by Roque Banos from the In The Heart Of The Sea OST.

Picture is Tuppence Middleton as Elaine Maximoff.

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"Jean told me once -- that death and birth can sometimes be the same thing. That when your life stops, new possibilities open up. ... I'm glad I got to see you again -- and that I leave the X-Men in such good hands. Goodbye."

- Professor Charles Xavier

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CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT

"We won!" Elaine cheers, repeating my words with a wide grin. "We--We--!"

My smile falters as Elaine freezes mid-sentence. She starts to tremble, all the color draining from her face. I catch her before she falls into the air, as her eyes roll back into her head and she starts to seize once more.

"Ellie!" I scream, both terrified and lost as to what to do. Below us, all the heroes are collected from the fight against the Black Order. I look to any of them for help. "Help me!"

Tony is the first to dart up towards us. Sekhmet flies around us, roaring anxiously. Carol soars down as Tony takes Elaine from my arms. The face-plate rolls back into his Iron-Man suit, showing the concern all over his features.

"We gotta get her somewhere safe," he states. "Where the hell is Strange?"

"Right here," Stephen replies, flying up from the watery surface below. He places a magical hand on Elaine's third eye, then snatches it back. "She's fading. I need her in my Sanctum. Wong!" The Asian sorcerer appears beside Stephen. "Get Clea, Niko Minoru, and Wanda. This is an emergency." Wong leaves for the other magicians, and Stephen turns to me with a somber expression. "Glory, you should get Pietro."

A lump forms in my throat as I stare at the Sorcerer Supreme and digest the words he's just spoken. This is it. This is the end. I knew it was coming, I've known it for a while, but to actually be at the last moment's of Elaine's existence...It's more than any mother can bear. No parent should have to witness their child's demise.

I don't remember giving birth to Elaine. Because of time travel, parallel universes, and alternate futures, I'll never have that privilege. Elaine Maximoff is from a future that no longer exists because she risked her own life to come back in time to prevent the end of everything. Because she was a selfless hero, she will fade away. I may have not given birth to her, at least not this version of me, but she is as much my daughter as little Ksenia is.

I swallow dryly and nod, looking down to the surface of the Atlantic Ocean below. I see Pietro running in speedy circles, constantly moving to remain afloat. In a split second, I dive towards him, letting both my powers and gravity pull me towards him. Once I'm a few feet above the water, I catch him with my spacial manipulation, allowing him to stop running.

We come face to face, and I hold my breath to keep from breaking down. No words are said, but from the look on my face, I see Pietro realizes what's happening. His blue eyes grow wide, and his gaze shifts to Elaine in Tony's arms above us.

"Take me to her," is all he mumbles.

I grab his hand and use my spacial manipulation to let him fly with me. We soar upwards, towards Tony, Stephen, and Elaine as Wong returns with the other magicians. Both Maximoff twins look at Elaine in horror.

Stephen uses his sling ring to open a portal to the Sanctum, one that bypasses all the enchantments and traps he lays for intruders. As soon as the portal is stable, he flies through with Tony holding Elaine close behind him. The other magicians follow, leaving Pietro and I to enter lastly.