Rise of an Immortal

A few days had passed since the kiss, and to no one's surprise, Ethan and Anna had officially started dating.

At first, their friends had their fun teasing them—Bobby and Kitty, especially. Angelica and Kurt weren't far behind either. Every time Ethan and Anna were caught together, someone would make a comment.

"Oh my stars," Kitty had grinned one afternoon, nudging Anna. "Didn't take you for the type to fall for the mysterious, overpowered, and ridiculously hot new guy."

Anna's face burned. "Ah hate ya'll."

Ethan, however, was unbothered. The teasing didn't embarrass him in the slightest. In fact, it only made him bolder.

One time, when Bobby had jokingly said, "Hey man, think you two need a room?" Ethan had smirked, turned to Anna, and kissed her right in front of them.

A real, deep kiss. It shut them up real fast.

Now, days later, Ethan sat alone in his room, absentmindedly flipping a silver pocket watch between his fingers.

The watch wasn't ordinary. It was the watch—the one Rob had given him. It was soul-bonded, meaning no one else could use it or even touch it without his permission. No matter where it was, he always knew its location.

He had figured out how to use it, but the problem was energy.

A dial ran along the rim of the watch, marking its charge. After three months of absorbing external energy, it had only reached 5%.

'Damn thing takes forever to charge.'

It consumed anything energy-based—mutant abilities, ambient radiation, even elemental forces. To speed things up, he had started wearing it around his neck during training sessions, letting it soak up energy while he fought. He had even held a secret competition, letting others try to damage it with their powers.

Still, it barely charged.

At 10%, he could travel—but only for a few seconds before being yanked back. Staying in another world required even more energy.

'Not enough yet,' he thought, watching the faint green glow pulse on the dial.

He sensed movement behind him—Anna.

Smirking, Ethan turned just as she was about to surprise him. In one smooth motion, he pulled her onto his lap.

"Ethan!" she gasped, wide-eyed.

He grinned and captured her lips in a kiss. Anna's momentary surprise melted away as she kissed him back and began wrapping her arms around his neck.

After a moment, she pulled back slightly, her gaze dropping to the watch still clutched in his fingers.

she asked. "You've been foolin' with it for weeks now, given to you by… a certain annoying bastard, the same annoyin' bastard you won't tell me 'bout?"

Ethan already mentioned a bastard gave it to him when Anna and his friends first asked about it. He didn't mention anything more.

Ethan looked at her and then at the Watch for few seconds. Then, to her surprise, he suddenly unclasped the chain and looped it around her neck. The watch was small enough to sit comfortably between her breasts.

She blinked. "Wait… why're ya givin' me this? Thought you were all possessive over it."

Ethan's expression softened. "Because it's important. And I think it looks good on you."

Anna fingered the cool metal and is confused. "But—"

"Just promise me," he interrupted, holding her gaze. "Don't ever take it off."

His tone was serious—more serious than she'd ever heard before. It made her heart skip.

She knew Ethan was carefree most of the time, rarely worried about anything. But this? This meant something to him.

"…Alright," she said softly, closing her hand around the watch. "Ah promise."

Satisfied, Ethan leaned forward and kissed her again.

What he didn't tell her was the real reason he gave it to her.

He had a gut feeling. A hunch.

'If this world follows the events of X-Men (2000), then things are going to get dangerous soon. And if Anna's my girlfriend, then I need to be able to track her location through the watch.'

Just in case. 'Not taking any chances.'

.....

The rest of the day passed as usual. Classes began, students shuffled from one lecture to the next, and Ethan and Anna had to separate for the time being.

Ethan sat through the lessons, but his mind was elsewhere.

He had been gathering information about this world—confirming what he already knew and uncovering new details.

Stark Industries existed, with Tony Stark recently becoming CEO after coming of age. At this point in time, he was still focused on weapons manufacturing.

Oscorp was active too, specializing in biomedical and biomechanics technology.

And then there was the upcoming space expedition—one that would eventually lead to the birth of the Fantastic Four. Reed Richards and Victor Von Doom are the leads and about a year before they head to space.

Most interestingly, Frost Industries was in play. Emma Frost was the CEO, but there wasn't much information on her online.

'Probably keeping things hidden. If she's anything like in the comics, she's already a telepath and playing her own game.'

Ethan knew one thing for certain—this world was gearing up for chaos. Superhumans, mutants, gods, cosmic forces… it was all inevitable.

And if he wanted to stay ahead, he needed to grow stronger.

'Magic might be the next step.'

Kamar-Taj. The place where the Masters of the Mystic Arts trained.

Ethan had been considering a trip there for some time now. His body could adapt to anything thrown at him, but he had no long-range attacks, no abilities beyond his physical capabilities.

If he could learn magic, it would give him a new level of versatility.

'And maybe… I should take Anna with me.'

Her powers were dangerous, but with the right training, she could be so much more. Her ability to absorb and retain energy could be an advantage if utilized correctly.

As he sat in class, he tapped his fingers against the desk, already running through different ways to help her grow stronger.

By the time classes ended, the evening sun cast a golden glow over the school grounds.

Ethan was already waiting.

Anna stepped out of her classroom, adjusting her gloves, when she felt a firm but familiar grip on her glowed hand.

"Ethan?" She blinked in confusion as he pulled her along, his grip firm but strangely… cold.

"C'mon," he muttered, leading her down a hallway until they reached an empty corridor, away from prying eyes.

Anna asked while tilting her head. "What's this about?"

Ethan's gaze was unreadable as he leaned against the wall. Then, he spoke. "It's time to end this."

Anna blinked. "What?"

"I've thought about it," he continued, his voice devoid of warmth. "I can't keep doing this with you. Let's break up."

Her lips parted, confusion flashing across her face. "Is this some kind of joke?"

Ethan scoffed. "Do I look like I'm joking?"

The way he looked at her—like she was nothing—made her stomach churn.

Her voice wavered. "Why…? What happened?"

Ethan crossed his arms. "You really wanna know?" He let out a humorless laugh. "Fine. The truth is, I was just passing time with you. Thought maybe you'd be interesting, but turns out you're nothing special."

Anna took a shaky step back. "That's not true. You don't mean that."

"Oh, but I do." He smirked cruelly. "Hell, even the others don't like you much. You're a burden. Clingy. Too weak to stand on your own."

Tears welled in her eyes. "Stop it."

Ethan stepped closer. "You wanna know the best part?" His voice lowered to a near whisper. "I was never even attracted to you."

The words cut deeper than any wound. Anna's breath hitched as she reached out to touch him, desperate for something—anything—that made sense.

But Ethan jerked away as if her touch disgusted him.

Then, before she could react, he lifted his foot and drove it into her stomach.

Anna gasped, stumbling backward and collapsing onto the cold floor. The pain in her abdomen was nothing compared to the agony in her chest.

She clutched her stomach, staring up at him through blurry eyes. "W-why?"

Ethan turned away, his expression blank. "It's best if you never existed in the first place. This school would be better off."

Anna bit her lip, trying to hold back a sob. "What about the watch?"

Ethan paused for only a second. Then, without looking at her, he said, "It's a disposable item." His eyes flickered toward her briefly. "Just like you."

And with that, he walked away, leaving Anna broken on the ground.

.

.

.

Minutes passed. Maybe hours. Anna didn't know.

She sat there, knees drawn to her chest, silent tears rolling down her cheeks.

Why? What had she done?

She rubbed her eyes, forcing herself to stand. Her legs felt weak, but she pushed through the pain, making her way back to her dorm, ignoring everyone looking at her.

As soon as she stepped inside, she froze.

The watch.

It hung around her neck, a reminder of everything.

Her fingers trembled as she grasped it. She wanted to rip it off, throw it away, stomp on it—but she couldn't.

Anna sat on her bed, staring blankly at the floor. Her hands trembled as they held onto the pocket watch Ethan had given her. She still couldn't understand why.

Why had he changed so suddenly? Why had he said those things? The Ethan she knew would never have done this.

Her breath hitched as fresh tears welled in her eyes.

The door creaked open.

"Anna?" She barely reacted as Angelica stepped inside. The redhead's eyes widened when she saw her roommate's disheveled state—tears-streaked face, shaking hands, and the way she hugged herself like she was trying to hold the pieces together.

Angelica closed the door behind her and walked closer. "What the hell happened?"

Anna sniffled, wiping at her eyes. "Ethan… he—" Her voice broke, and she took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "He broke up with me."

Angelica raised a brow. "Huh. Didn't see that coming."

Anna let out a bitter chuckle. "Neither did Ah."

Angelica sat down beside her, tilting her head. "And?"

Anna swallowed hard. "He said Ah was… nothin'. A burden. That he never liked me in the first place."

Angelica blinked and sighed before shaking her head. "Damn. That sucks."

Anna gave a weak laugh. "That's an understatement."

Angelica leaned back. "I mean, it's kind of weird though, right? He was all over you, and then suddenly, he's saying this crap? Kinda sounds like he just wanted an excuse to ditch you."

Anna flinched.

Angelica continued, her voice light, casual. "Honestly, maybe this is a good thing. You don't have to waste your time on him anymore."

Anna frowned. "But—"

"Look, I get it," Angelica cut in. "You loved him. But let's be real, Anna—did you really think this was gonna last?"

Anna's heart clenched.

Angelica sighed dramatically. "I mean, guys like Ethan? They don't stick around. He probably just got bored."

Anna clenched her fists. "Ah don't believe that."

Angelica shrugged. "Believe what you want, but you know I'm right." She glanced around the room. "Honestly, maybe it's time you left. You're miserable here, and now that Ethan's done with you, what's keeping you here?"

Anna hesitated.

Angelica smiled, a little too sweetly. "Think about it—if you leave, you won't have to deal with this pain anymore. You can start over somewhere else, away from all this drama."

Anna shook her head. "But—"

"No buts," Angelica interrupted. "You deserve better than this, right? Sitting here crying over some guy who clearly doesn't care? Come on, Anna."

Anna bit her lip, looking down at the pocket watch in her hands.

Angelica's eyes flickered with amusement. She's actually considering it.

She leaned in, lowering her voice. "If you really wanna leave, I can help. I know a way out—where no one will notice."

Anna swallowed hard. "Won't someone try to stop me?"

Angelica smirked. "Not if we do it right."

Anna let out a shaky breath. She wanted to believe there was a reason for all of this—that Ethan had a reason for what he did. But right now, the pain was too much. "…Okay," she whispered. "Help me leave."

Angelica grinned, her yellow eyes flashing for just a moment. "Good choice."

.....

Ethan walked through the halls of the mansion, running a hand through his hair. The day had been normal—training, classes, the usual routine. Also he had just finished helping Hank with the new chemicals that arrived when he returned to the main hall. He wiped his hands on a cloth, sighing.

"I should go find Anna," he thought. They hadn't seen each other since classes ended, and it was unusual for her to not seek him out.

Just as he was about to leave, he heard hurried footsteps. "Ethan!"

He turned to see Kitty and Angelica running toward him, both looking frantic.

His brows furrowed. "What's wrong?"

Kitty caught her breath, her expression full of worry. "It's Anna—she's gone."

Ethan's confusion deepened. "Gone? What do you mean?"

Angelica crossed her arms, looking uncomfortable. "She left."

"That's impossible." Kitty held out a letter. "She left this."

Frowning, Ethan took the paper and unfolded it. His eyes quickly scanned the words.

Then, without hesitation, he tore the letter in half.

Angelica's eyes widened. "Ethan—"

"This isn't her," he growled and his blue eyes darkening.

Kitty and Angelica exchanged a glance.

"I don't understand," Kitty said softly.

Ethan's jaw clenched. "This letter… it's not Anna, she didn't write this."

A heavy silence fell between them.

Kitty shook her head. "You're saying someone forced her to leave?"

Ethan exhaled sharply. "No—someone manipulated her. Anna isn't the type to run away just because of… whatever nonsense is written here." His fists clenched. "She was set up."

Kitty bit her lip. "Bobby already went to inform the teachers."

Ethan nodded. "Good. But I'm not waiting for them."

Kitty grabbed his sleeve. "Ethan—wait, you—"

"I'll bring her back."

Kitty hesitated, then nodded, her eyes determined. "I believe you. You'd never say those kinds of things to her."

Ethan's expression softened slightly. "Thanks, Kitty."

Angelica, also nodded at him.

Ethan narrowed his eyes and began to feel the location of Watch that he gave her.

"Good… she's still wearing it." Without another word, he took off, running at full speed toward the signal.

....

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