The Action Of The Tiger! Continued from last issue...
Holding Moira as hostage, Proteus causes reality to bend and break in the city of Edinburgh, forcing the X-Men to save the innocent people thrown into harm's way. Proteus reflects on how he got here.[1]
The X-Men finally bring the fight to Proteus, but he foils each of their assaults in turn. Proteus makes a tactical withdrawal, bringing Moira with him, but Phoenix catches up and nails him with a powerful psychic attack. He finally manages to retaliate, but Wolverine has caught up and puts his deadly adamantium claws to use through Proteus's side! Cyclops and Havok then let Proteus have it with both barrels, but though the attack weakens Proteus, he escapes and snags Moira from Wolverine's grasp!
Colossus pursues, and throws Proteus away from Moira, shattering his decaying body! Uncloaked by flesh, Proteus is a being of pure energy, and he delights in torturing Colossus's psyche as he slowly roasts him with fire. But Proteus didn't figure on Peter Rasputin's ability to transform himself into organic steel! Colossus transforms, and thrusts himself into the heart of Proteus's energy form where his metal body is anathema to his foe.
In the end, relieved that their foe is defeated, the X-Men grieve for having to take his life.
