Although they already knew that Mu had been summoned by Melin, Erik still brought Charles and the other two to Aries Temple to try their luck. Fortunately, just as they arrived, they ran into Mu returning.
"Erik? You're back. Who are they?" Mu asked.
"They're friends I made outside. Oh, Mu, I want to take them to see Grandpa Melin. Is that okay?" Erik asked.
"No. The Great Elder has gone into seclusion. Even though Lord Melin extended his life, he's nearing the end. In a few days, he'll face a deadly tribulation, so he's preparing in seclusion. Other than Lord Melin, no one is allowed to disturb him," Mu said, shaking his head, a trace of sadness in his eyes.
"Grandpa… Even Uncle can't help?" Erik's expression dimmed. Though he hadn't met Melin many times, the strict yet kind old man had left a deep impression on him.
"Erik, this is the Great Elder's fate. He's lived many long, hard years. Maybe… for him, this is a kind of release," Mu said, sad but accepting.
The Jamil clan lived reclusively in the Pamir Plateau. Melin had given everything for their continuation. His companions had long passed, but due to Athena's secret order and his care for the next generation, he had persisted with all his strength until now.
Now that Melin was about to pass, it was time for the younger generation to take up the mantle.
"…I understand," Erik nodded, then turned to Charles and the others. "You heard him."
…
…
"My condolences," Charles said.
"I'm fine. What do you plan to do now?"
"I want to see him," Charles said, pointing to the mountaintop.
"…Alright." Seeing that Charles and the others were calm again, Erik agreed. Besides, their mission couldn't be delayed—who knew what Sebastian Shaw might do next?
"Mu, I want to take them to see Uncle Melin."
"Do you have the elder's permission?" Mu asked. Though not as stern as in his youth, as the guardian of the First House, he still wouldn't casually allow others through.
"Yes, Uncle gave his permission." Erik nodded.
Mu stared at Erik for a moment, then, sensing no deceit from his cosmos, stepped aside. "Go ahead."
"Thanks."
Erik led the three through the Twelve Temples. Unfortunately, most of the Gold Saints weren't in their respective temples. Only Aiolia, Shura, and the elusive Shaka hidden somewhere in Virgo Temple were present. Charles and the others didn't get to meet all the Gold Saints as they'd hoped.
Finally, at the Pope's Hall, they met Melin.
"Uncle Melin." Erik bowed respectfully, and the other three followed his lead.
"Have you calmed down?" Melin smiled as he looked at the trio.
"Yes, Lord… Melin," Charles replied a bit awkwardly.
"Hahaha, no need for formality, kids. The outside world doesn't fuss over such rituals. Besides, you're Erik's friends," Melin said with a smile.
"Uh… thank you. I'm—"
"I know who you are. Charles Xavier, Raven Darkholme, Hank McCoy. I also know the purpose of your visit." Melin cut off Charles' introduction.
"If possible… I prefer the name Raven Xavier," Raven spoke up. She had discarded the name Darkholme when her parents abandoned her—a memory she preferred to forget.
Melin nodded and then said to the three of them, "The Saints will not interfere in this matter. Though Sebastian Shaw narrowly escaped death back then, that is his fate. I have no intention of hunting him down. So, children, this matter will be up to you."
"But… alright, thank you for receiving us." Charles said with a hint of regret. If they could have received help from even one Saint, it would have been a tremendous boost. But Melin had turned down his request before it was even voiced, and they had to accept it.
Still, Charles caught something key in Melin's words: he had only mentioned the Saints. But the Sanctuary's strength wasn't limited to just the Saints. There were still mutants living in the city on the mountainside—and they were the original targets of the trio.
"Uncle, will you still have Deathmask follow me?" Erik asked.
"Who knows?" Melin replied mischievously, winking at Erik.
"Uh… okay, I get it." Though Melin didn't say it outright, the implication was clear—Deathmask would continue to accompany him. But since Melin said the Saints wouldn't intervene in the battle against Shaw, that meant Deathmask was only there for protection, not to fight on their behalf.
Erik led the trio back down the mountain. After they left, Shion asked:
"My lord, have you taken a liking to those three kids?"
"Good children, aren't they?"
"Indeed. While all three still have flaws, they are unpolished gems," Shion said with a smile.
"They didn't undergo strict training from childhood, nor had anyone to guide them. Add to that the complexity of the outside world—some flaws are normal. But that's alright. Young people grow through hardship. No storm, no rainbow," Melin said.
"As expected of you, my lord," Shion smiled. He now understood this was meant as a trial for them. If they passed, they'd become part of the Sanctuary.
What Shion didn't know was that Melin wasn't just being fond of promising youth—he knew exactly who they were. These three would become legendary figures in the future: the founders of the X-Men—Professor X, Mystique, and Beast. And not just them. Future X-Men such as Cyclops (Scott), Storm (Ororo), Iceman (Bobby), Colossus (Piotr), Rogue (Anna), Shadowcat (Kitty), and many more heroes would gather together.
Among them, the one Melin cared about most was Jean Grey, or rather, the Phoenix Force within her.
The Phoenix Force, along with Chaos Magic and Fairy Power, were considered the three ancient primal forces. They possessed the power to destroy, reset, and rewrite the universe. In Marvel lore, the Phoenix Force came from the primordial universe, born at the beginning of everything. It is chaos and immortality, eternity and unpredictability—the embodiment of life and mental power, symbolizing both life and emotion.
Faced with such power, even Melin in his prime wouldn't dare claim to be its match. Though he didn't know how powerful the Phoenix Force was in this world, it was undoubtedly immense.
Jean Grey lost control and turned dark due to years of suppression that caused the power to explode.
But if Melin could guide Jean Grey before that happened, help her gradually master it, the Sanctuary would gain a main-god-level or even a beyond-main-god-level combat force.
As for Chaos Magic, Melin also knew its whereabouts. But since the Scarlet Witch hadn't been born yet, and without the activation from the Mind Stone, he wasn't sure whether Wanda could awaken it.
Regardless, the Maximoff twins were people Melin had his eye on for a long time. He definitely wouldn't let them slip by. When the time came, he would reach out to them. Even if they ended up joining the Avengers, that was fine. The Stark family and Steve were allies—different bowls, same table.
Lastly, for the most powerful of the three ancient forces—Fairy Power—Melin had no leads. He wasn't a hardcore Marvel fan, barely read the comics, and only remembered fragments from films, TV shows, and a few comic arcs.
Still, he believed that even if Fairy Power was held by an enemy, with Phoenix and Chaos on their side, plus himself and Athena back to or beyond their prime, along with the Saints, they could defeat it.
"Grow strong quickly, little ones," Melin murmured, his eyes piercing the Pope's Hall walls to gaze at Erik and the others descending the mountain, a smile curling on his lips.
…
"Charles, why didn't you say anything? Doesn't this mean our plan failed completely?" Raven said, frustrated. To her, Charles had been intimidated by Melin's presence and left without even negotiating.
"This time I'm with Raven. Charles, don't forget why we came here," Hank chimed in.
Hearing that, Charles exchanged a look with Erik and smiled.
"No, you're wrong. Our plan is already halfway successful," Erik said.
"What do you mean?" Raven and Hank asked in confusion.
"Did you forget what Mr. Melin said? 'The Saints' won't intervene," Charles repeated, emphasizing "Saints."
"Wait… doesn't that just mean no help?" the two still didn't understand.
"Heh. The Sanctuary's warriors aren't only Saints," Charles added.
"Still not—wait, you mean—!" A light flashed in their minds. They got it.
"Exactly. Now, let's make the other half a success. Erik, it's on you," Charles said, nudging Erik with his shoulder.
"Alright, leave it to me. I'll find the best candidates," Erik said with a shrug.