Wow, what an intense, dark followup to First Class. You write Erik's feelings so well - especially his despair when he walks through the ruins of the mansion and his hope when he realizes Charles might be alive - and I think waging war like this is exactly what he would do here. How horrible for the guy, to live through a mutant holocaust, too. I wish there were more to this!

ADD MORE PLEASE! I'M HOOKED!

oooooooooooo awesomely written

Charles gone dark is terrifying.

This is frightening and entirely plausible - what would have been if Charles had gone and lost hope and possibly his mind. It's much like he wants everyone to just fall. I love the insight to Erik's character - he doesn't enjoy all this horrible but still does what he thinks he needs to and everyone at their edges is a wonderful touch. It's wonderful in it's own way and very much deserves the category horror.

Awesome story! Very very interesting. Sad.

This was amazing. Disturbing in the best of ways. You left so many questions.

I love how you had Eric doing what was necessary, but not really taking any pleasure in it. The line about how he wishes he had died to spare himself the horrors he had lived and was living was insightful. I just don't see Eric...even at his worst...relishing this level of awful. Too many stories have him as someone completely lacking a conscience and I don't see him that way at all.

I just found your wonderful stories a couple of days ago, and I can't wait to read more. In the immortal words of Jay-Z..."On to the next one." :)

This was so creepy and great.

UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE PLEAASSEE! YOUR DARK CHARLES IS WRITTEN SO NICELY PLEASE CONTINUE

Woah, this was really cool. :)

HOLY. SHIT.

That...that was...HOLY SHIT.

Oh my gosh that was so dark amd twisted and OMG I LOVED IT OMG!

I almost wish there had been a reunion scene but having Charles as this silent, broken amd deadly force silencing the world group by group was so much better. And heck, they couldn't reunited and never known cuz he kept erasing their memories and OMG amazing.

I kinda wish you'd write a counter oerspective from Charles' pov, kind of to see the story from his eyes just because it's so interesting andI adore this,

Also, the bit with Logan; LOVE!

Loved every word of it!

The terror and hopelessness of fighting this losing war for their lives really came through, and what little one can infer from the actions of Charles'... ghost? whatever was left of him after seeing his school, his students, his hopes destroyed - painted a stark picture of a powerful, but broken man. What really got to me was the scene in which Charles apparently came back to Erik and spent the night with him, and Erik realizes this and is afraid, of all things. Brilliant writing yet again!

And, simply because I can't resist, I'll ask whether there is chance of more. Do you think it is possible to tell these events from Charles POV without ruining the story? *hopes*

Let me get this out of the way first: This fic is terrifying.

Secondly, finally, finally there are more writers who understand how fucking terrifying Xavier's (and Erik's, note about your other fic, Onslaught, lower in the review) powers are. Honestly, the only thing keeping them from ripping the world apart is that they have to live in it at the end of the day (and even that reason isn't valid in some canon universes) or each other (and canon 'verses screw with that reasoning too).

A part of me would love to see a sequel to this, but the way you wrote this, the way you ended it is perfect. The uncertainty is fitting for the title and the mood you've set through the work.

On Onslaught:

1)YOU MADE A CANON REFERENCE TO ONSLAUGHT. :HUGS AND OFFERS BROWNIES AND COOKIES: AND FLIPPED IT ON ITS HEAD. :RUNS AROUND LIKE A PROPER FANGIRL:

2)This fic, I would like to see a sequel of. After all, in the comics, Onslaught ends up wanting to destroy the world (and killing a whole lot of people/mutants along the way). What would happen if the same potential was used to help/save it?

On the writing: Nice use of parallel structure and rep. Solid, well-paced buildup. Heck, even the dialogue is good.

Just...please write more? Thanks.

i've read this fic a few times already and everytime i still get goosebumps about how utterly vulnerable and helpless everyone (mutants and humans alike) is against charles' powers.

i can't help but question if charles really is dead, and now only his mind exist or if he's hiding somewhere killing everyone he perceives as a threat, or wanting to extract his revenge on.

like how hopeful erik is at the beginning but at the end just feels as much horror as everyone else.

i know this one is a one shot and a very lovely scary one but maybe a sequel? did charles or his ghost kill everyone off including erik and raven?

anyhow, thanks for this well written wonderful one shot :)

I've come across from the kink_meme to view this here - it was a prompt that had really struck me and this fill, your story here... it is utterly what I was hoping for.

Some amazing lines and imagery (the twisted metal rose, the fact that Erik could not define Chicago from Warsaw, the titular Ghost amongst many things).

Quite, quite striking and beautiful. I'm so happy I've read this and will definitely be reccing your story out where I can.