"Look at me and answer me, Charles—is this the future you wanted?"
Erik's sharp gaze, like that of a ravenous wolf, locked onto Charles Xavier.
Charles was just as stunned. The future shown in the video had far exceeded his expectations. Faced with Erik's accusatory outburst, his eyes briefly lost focus—but quickly regained clarity.
Taking a deep breath, Charles spoke in as calm a tone as he could muster. "For some families, having a mutant child feels like an illness. And many of those children don't want to become freaks, so—"
"So you chose to betray your own kind?" Erik interrupted with a sneer. "Is that it? In your eyes, all mutants are sick, and we're supposed to thank Sander Rice because he 'cured' that sickness?"
Charles met his gaze unflinchingly and said in a low voice, "No. Past, present, or future, I've always believed mutants are a gift from God… But if we could quietly fade from the world without senseless death, without bloodshed—like a night-blooming flower that blossoms and withers in a single evening—wouldn't that be more acceptable than the alternative?"
Erik laughed coldly. Of course, those words couldn't convince him—not even Charles himself.
Charles was a rational pacifist, yes. But he had devoted his life to the mutant cause and took pride in his identity as a mutant.
When he saw the future shown in that video, the rage that ignited in his heart was no less intense than Erik's. But his reason, ideals, and principles were like chains—binding him in place.
He couldn't do what Erik did—curse, rage, and swear vengeance on those who sought mutant extinction with a heart full of hatred.
Erik could. Charles couldn't.
They had chosen different paths, both aiming for a better future for mutants. But from certain perspectives—like this one—Charles's path was far more treacherous, and the burden he carried much heavier.
As their argument raged on, Erik turned to Logan with a stern voice. "What about you, Logan? Can you accept this future? Accept Charles's betrayal?"
Logan wasn't nearly as worked up. He shrugged calmly. "Betrayal? I don't see any betrayal here. Actually, I think Charles made a good point—except for one part. I don't think we're a gift from God. We're a curse."
Erik let out a dry, bitter laugh—so angry it circled back into amusement. "Fine. I get it now. But let me be clear: the future of mutants will not be decided by you, and I won't allow anyone to lead us into the abyss. Remember what I said, Charles—anyone."
Charles opened his mouth to respond, but before he could speak, a new line of text appeared on the shimmering light screen:
[In the new timeline where Logan Howlett altered history, who stayed with Professor Xavier at the end of his life and cared for him in his final years?
Hint: This is the second-to-last question in this round. Please answer carefully.]
[A: Erik Lehnsherr
B: Raven
C: Hank McCoy
D: Logan Howlett]
The question cut off their argument completely. Especially with the reminder that the game was almost over, it forced all of them to refocus on what truly mattered in the moment.
Charles took a few deep breaths, collecting his thoughts, and said solemnly, "For this question... I want to choose B."
At this point, more than logic—Charles was speaking from the heart. If he had a choice, the person he'd want by his side at the end would be Raven.
But Erik immediately dismissed that idea. "Your feelings don't matter here. Based on the future videos we've seen, Raven never came back to you. Even A is more reasonable than B."
Logan shook his head. "Nah. It's either C or D. I say D. Honestly, Charles, I don't want to be the one changing your diapers, but the truth is—I'll probably outlive you."
That got Charles and Erik thinking. Their earlier argument had left them too emotionally charged to properly analyze the question. Only now did they fully absorb the wording: someone who cared for Charles until the end of his life.
Which meant Charles not only died—but lived to old age.
Looking at the options again:
Erik was about the same age as Charles. The two had been both enemies and allies. Maybe, at the end of everything, they'd reconcile—just like they had in the old timeline.
But Erik was a man of action, a radical with a violent streak. Always on the move, fighting battles, hiding from threats. Hard to imagine him settling down long enough to care for an aging Charles.
Charles, by contrast, lived a quieter life—teaching children at the academy. Safer, healthier. Odds were, Erik would die before Charles.
Raven and Hank were both younger than Charles. Raven, estranged due to ideological differences. But Hank, as seen in earlier footage, did appear to be caring for Charles, which made him a viable option.
Still—Option D seemed the most likely.
Logan's brutal strength often overshadowed another one of his powers: longevity. He looked like he was of the same generation as Charles and Erik, but in truth, he was old enough to be their father—or even grandfather.
Taking all that into account, Option D fit the criteria best.
Charles gave Logan a pained look and said with quiet emotion, "Logan… I never wanted to burden you with that."
Logan just shrugged. "I hate burdens too. But some things, you just can't run from."
Erik glanced at the two of them but said nothing more. He, too, agreed with Option D.
This time, the three of them reached a rare consensus.
The countdown for the answer began. Both teams raced to hit the buzzer, determined to be the first to lock in their choice. The game was nearing its end—and so was the battle for final victory.
After a long tug-of-war, neither team had scored particularly high. Team A led by a mere point, sitting at 6, while Team B was right behind with 5.