Marvel's Alien Force

After taking care of the debris, it was time to take care of little Lily's mother. But before that, it seemed he had some guests waiting for him. And maybe, they could help him with Lily's mother.

He floated off Lily's shoulder and into the air, then thought about changing back into Diamondhead.

Once again, his form shifted—and he became a 9-foot-tall giant of a crystal man, casting a wide shadow over Lily and her unconscious mother.

He looked at Lily and said, "Well, let me help you with your mother."

Lily gave a small nod, now completely trusting him with whatever he said.

Diamondhead didn't wait for ceremony. With a smooth motion, he collapsed the crystal dome, absorbing it back into himself. Then he did the same with the floor beneath them—but not before carefully placed Lily onto his arm, and her mother onto the other.

Now standing atop a tall crystal pillar, he pulled even that structure back into his body. The entire transition was seamless, as if he were reclaiming parts of himself, returning them to the source.

With the pillar gone, he floated in the air using telekinesis, holding Lily and her mother in both arms. Then he turned to face the two figures watching him from nearby—people he both knew... and didn't.

Jean looked up at the scene before her—a massive, shining crystal man cradling a child and an unconscious woman in his arms. It looked... odd. But also beautiful. A strange warmth stirred in her chest.

Something inside her responded.

The Phoenix Force.

It stirred quietly, not in rage or destruction, but with something softer. Curious. Moved.

And then the crystal man floated toward them, stopping just ten feet away. His presence was calm, steady—his voice alien but undeniably warm.

"Can you guys help her?"

Diamondhead asked, his eyes shifting between Jean and Scott. He already knew about their powers—as the main cast of the X-Men, their abilities weren't exactly a secret. But still, he asked anyway, showing humility in his request.

Scott was about to reply, but Jean spoke first.

"Okay."

Just one word.

And then it happened.

Her form began to glow. In the blink of an eye, wings of flame spread from her back—the Phoenix revealing itself. Her body became surrounded by a brilliant aura of fire that didn't burn, didn't radiate heat—just light, and presence.

An angel of power...and healing.

Those flames then converged into a single bird-like silhouette that soared toward Lily's mother—and without hesitation, flew straight into her.

Lily, watching the scene unfold before her eyes, was mesmerized.

One superpower after another... each more beautiful than the last.

But when she saw the flaming bird enter her mother, she let out a startled yelp, eyes wide with worry.

"Don't worry. She is fine."

The deep, resonant voice of Diamondhead echoed beside her, his words calming the frantic rhythm of her heart. But still, concern lingered in her eyes as she looked at her mother.

And then she saw it.

Her mother's pale, waterlogged skin began to change. Color returned—a soft flush of life, warming the cold tones of death. Her body, which had been covered in bruises and wounds—some large, some small—began to glow faintly.

The flames that had entered her now danced gently beneath the skin.

Each wound released a flicker of fire, a glowing ember that seeped out, carrying away the damage. The flame then drifted on, like a spirit passing through, leaving smooth, untouched skin in its place.

Diamondhead watched too, silently, with curious eyes.

It was the first time he had seen, in real life, just how the Phoenix Force's healing worked.

And he would admit—it was amazing.

It didn't take long—or rather, it was over in a blink.

The fiery bird of light emerged from Lily's mother, glowing with a soft flame, and soared gracefully back toward Jean, merging seamlessly into her body. As it did, the brilliant phoenix aura dimmed and finally faded, vanishing like it was never there.

And then—

Lily's mother stirred.

Her eyelids fluttered weakly before slowly opening. The sudden light stung her eyes, and she instinctively lifted a hand to shield them. Blinking through the haze, her vision gradually cleared—and the first thing she saw was a familiar face.

"Mother!"

Lily cried out and leapt into her mother's arms, not the least bit afraid of falling—because something, someone, was holding them both safely in the sky.

She was shaking.

From joy, from fear, from overwhelming relief.

Tears ran freely down her cheeks as she wrapped her arms tightly around the woman she thought she might never see again.

She was happy.

She was scared.

But above all, she was grateful.

Grateful that her mother was alive. That her wish had been answered.

Martha—Lily's mother—looked disoriented, her thoughts slow and heavy. She didn't understand what was happening. Her memory was hazy, her body weak.

But she recognized Lily's trembling voice, her warm little arms clinging to her. That alone was enough to make her instincts return as she hugged her daughter tightly, whispering softly,

"It's okay, dear. Everything's okay."

But then... she looked up.

And froze.

Something—someone—was watching her.

And it wasn't... human.

Her eyes widened as she got a clear look at the being holding both her and her daughter. A towering crystalline figure, with gleaming translucent skin and glowing yellow eyes with no pupils.

He looked... demonic almost, like a divine statue carved from living gem.

Was this real?

Her breath caught in her throat as panic started to rise.

More than fear for herself, it was fear for Lily—the child curled in her arms.

"Wh-what is going on?"

She whispered.

"What… what are you?"

Diamondhead simply smiled at Martha's stunned expression.

Then, without another word, he activated a power—his own mutant ability—and a soft wave of energy pulsed from his glowing yellow eyes.

It was gentle. Subtle. But effective.

Martha's frantic nerves, shaken by trauma and confusion, settled almost instantly. Her heartbeat slowed. Her fear of the crystalline being holding her and her daughter—faded.

"I am Diamondhead," he said, his voice low, resonant, and unmistakably alien.

"Or, to be more precise… Mark Cain. Don't worry. I won't hurt you or your daughter."

There was a tone to it—calm yet firm, warm despite the inhuman cadence—and as the words reached her ears, something inside her simply believed him.

She didn't know why.

She didn't know what he was.

But right now, she trusted him.

Still confused, but less afraid, Martha nodded and held Lily tighter, her hand stroking the girl's damp hair. The child continued to cry softly, no longer from fear but from relief.

Diamondhead turned his attention to Jean and Scott and spoke with a level calmness.

"Why don't we get back to the land?"

They both nodded.

With a simple motion, Diamondhead activated his telekinesis and gently began floating the three of them across the bay. The return was quiet, peaceful, almost surreal as they passed over the calm waters that had just hours ago been a site of destruction.

He made his way back to the same large rescue boat where the incident with Lily had first begun.

This time, however, the crowd's reaction was different.

No fear.

Only awe.

Only reverence.

All eyes were fixed on him as the towering crystal giant descended, still cradling the small girl and her mother like they were sacred treasures. A living statue of power and compassion.

He turned toward the same female officer from earlier—the one who had believed in him when no one else had—and gave her a respectful nod.

"Thanks for your hard work."

His voice rumbled low, sincere.

The officer straightened instinctively, the surprise on her face giving way to something warmer—pride.

She raised her hand in salute, standing tall.

"It's my duty, sir."

Diamondhead gave her a rare smile.

"You're a good soldier."

Then he turned to address the rest—rescue workers, medics, soldiers, and volunteers who had all pushed their limits in this disaster.

"You're all good," he said, voice firm and even.

"You've done a hard job today. And I'm truly grateful for that."

He meant it.

He remembered the chaos, the injuries, the dead—and how, while he was pulling survivors from the wreckage, they were the ones stabilizing the wounded, comforting the broken, organizing the chaos he couldn't tend to.

He had power.

But they had persistence.

Even in his Grey Matter form—detached, logical, clinical—he remembered everything. And now, in his Diamondhead body, he could express it.

His acknowledgment meant something to them.

The soldiers, the medics, the civilians, all stared at him, and for a brief moment, their exhaustion faded. Their burden felt lighter. Their doubts melted.

To be recognized by someone like him—a being who, in their eyes, now bordered on divinity—was a reward no medal could equal.

They all gave a salute—from standing to sitting, to doing their work, they didn't go for the ceremony, but for the feeling—as they said in unison:

"It's my duty, sir."

Diamondhead nodded at that.

He liked how there were still people who were doing everything as their duty to protect others.

And now that his one duty—rescue—was over, it was time for his second.

He thought about the whole incident. About the world watching.

He wanted to create an image for himself. One that was different from the X-Men and the Avengers.

An image of Hope and Dominance.

Hope—for normal people. To reassure them that though the world was in chaos, they had someone like him… and many others… ready to take the burden.

Dominance—for the people in power. To show them that he was no Avenger, no X-Man. If they ever went against him—well, they had already seen what he could do.

But maybe…

Maybe he should do a little more.

Just enough to make them even more scared.

He didn't give a fuck about them anyway.

His eyes moved to the injured ones.

The exhausted.

The sad.

The ones barely clinging to life.

Then he turned his head toward Jean and asked:

"Can you help them?"

Jean looked at the scene he was referring to… and slowly shook her head with a little guilt in her eyes.

"I'm sorry," she said softly.

"But I can't. There are just too many of them."

Diamondhead nodded at that. No judgment.

Scott stepped forward and said,

"Well, why don't you come with us? There's a place we'd like to show you."

Diamondhead looked at Scott and replied calmly,

"Don't worry. I'll come with you.

But… I still have some work to do."

Saying so, he looked down at his arms and asked gently:

"Can you guys stand now?"

Martha, hearing that, gave a small nod.

Diamondhead gently used his telekinetic power to lower them to the ground.

Lily finally separated from her mother slightly as she looked up at Diamondhead and asked,

"Are you leaving me?"

Diamondhead looked at her and said in his calm, warm voice,

"Don't worry. I won't leave you. Just stay here with this person for a moment. I'll come get you and your mother after I'm done with my work, okay?"

Lily nodded at that, trusting him completely now.

Martha, however, didn't know why they were involved in any of this… or why her daughter didn't want to be separated from this strange crystalline being.

Diamondhead then turned to Scott and said,

"Please take care of them."

Scott, still trying to understand the situation, asked,

"Where are you going?"

Diamondhead didn't answer right away. He just pointed toward the sky—

Then looked at Jean and said,

"Follow me. I'll need your help."

Jean blinked, confused. But still, she nodded and started following him as Diamondhead began to rise into the air using his telekinetic flight.

Scott could only watch as the crystal giant soared upward, Jean close behind.

He stood there for a second before muttering,

"What is going on?"

He looked at Lily—

She was staring at the sky with a quiet, longing gaze.

Then at her mother—

She was looking up with equal confusion.

Scott sighed.

'Oh, so I'm not the only one confused here,'

he thought with some relief.

***

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