Wanda sighed as she sat beside Aria's bed, helping the woman lie down while Xialing quickly rushed over with another blanket.
"This is the only one I could find."
"It's more than perfect, Xia," Wanda spoke with a smile, which Xialing returned as she helped place it over Aria.
The sorceress looked a lot more relaxed compared to earlier, her wounds slowly healing thanks to the dimension energies attached to her.
Her physical body wasn't that heavily injured other than the wounds littering her body, but it was her spiritual energy that suffered the brunt of the damage.
Even now, Wanda stared at the eldritch energy visibly coursing through the dark violet veins of the woman, fighting against the corruption of the Dark Dimension.
"How long will it take for her to wake her?" she heard Xialing ask, turning her head to see the concerned look on her face.
The girl looked at her, forcing a shaky smile onto her face as she replied, "Quite honestly? I'm unsure. She must be used to purging the energies from her body as she clashes periodically with Dormammu, but the energy appears to be clinging to her body."
"Almost like she's too weak?" Xialing asked, making Wanda grimace.
Unfortunately, the younger girl was correct. The Ancient One might be able to remove the residue, but with how it was clinging vehemently to her soul, she also knew that it was going to take at most a year and a half to get rid of it.
Time that her other enemies could use to invade Earth.
'What can I do to help?' she thought, staring at the woman with a frown. She could try and use her own connection to the eldritch dimension to try and ward off the infection, but she was not skilled enough to do so within the body of a stronger sorcerer.
'Wait, what if...?' she trailed off as she raised her hands, her Chaos Energy dancing on her fingertips. She could feel the fractured lines of reality warping around her body, letting her magic reach towards the woman.
Infiltrating and moving beyond the Ancient One's body, threads of Chaos energy weaved and intertwined with the eldritch energy coursing through Aria's body.
Wanda's eyes glazed over as she let her subconscious mind take over, feeling the dimensional energy pulsating through her as she began to unravel the adhesive properties of the Dark Dimension's energy.
Aria's body jolted, arching towards her hands as the room trembled.
"Wanda, what's going on?" Xialing asked, taking a step back as violet, orange and scarlet energies clashed.
Wanda didn't reply as she clasped her hands together, slowly pulling them apart to reveal a spherical abyss outlined by a crimson aura.
"Out," she growled and her chaos energy was sucked up by the miniature black hole in between her hands. The sigils on the walls flared as the chaos energy became visible, the dark energy trying to latch onto anything and everything as it was pulled out with the chaos.
Yet, Wanda kept the clash contained, raw Chaos energy rolling off of her body as she cupped the black hole with her hands together like a blooming lotus flower.
Soon, the eldritch energy of Aria began to retract into her body, the last of the Dark Dimension's energy sucked up into the abyss in her hands.
"So, there you are," A voice echoed in her mind and her eyes widened as her surroundings changed.
She stood atop a floating piece of land in the middle of an abyss of ever-changing colours. Iridescent rays of light shone down upon her, but she felt nothing but cold from it.
Her attention however was fixed on the gargantuan face floating in front of her, the skin of its face constantly rippling as its dark violet eyes stared her down.
"Dormammu," she whispered, narrowing her eyes with a nervous frown as Dormammu lowered its head to take a closer look.
"You were the one who rid me of my anchors in your realm."
"Your Zealots? It is their fault they dared to attack my brother," she replied, clenching her fists and dispersing the dark energy caught within the black hole.
She could feel the Dark Dimension's energy trying to latch onto her own, but she flared her arms out wide. A burst of crimson Chaos Energy erupted outwards, pushing the tendrils away with a grunt.
"You bare your fangs in my realm?" his voice boomed, echoing through the infinite cosmos around them.
However, Wanda didn't flinch, her hair floating up as if underwater. "You invaded my world. You harmed someone I love. You threaten my reality."
Her power spiked, the space beneath her feet solidifying into jagged scarlet platforms. Chaos created land where none should be, reality bending around her as runes burned the very space she occupied.
Tendrils of pitch-black energy shot towards her, but Wanda twisted her wrist and the tendrils unravelled as she rewrote their existence into scarlet mist midair.
She then clenched her hands into fists and Dormammu's face trembled as streaks of scarlet danced in between the folds. They carved sigils into his face, chains of twisted reality anchoring him to the space that he rulled.
However, he roared and reality shattered, Wanda catching herself as the force of his roar pushed her back.
Instead of being wary of her power though, Wanda narrowed her eyes when the corners of Dormammu's lips curved and he scoffed.
"A shame you were not the one to become my worshipper instead of those fools."
"I would have slit my own throat had that happen," Wanda replied with a scoff. "Now, begone and never return."
"Hahahahaha! You dare believe that you can make me do so?" he asked and Wanda's eyes widened as the Dark Dimension distorted. Light itself vanished, a single ray shining down upon her head as the only thing she saw was Dormammu's violet eyes.
"I am a being beyond your comprehension, little girl," the otherworldly being spoke with a snarl. "I have devoured more worlds than you have taken steps. Do not believe for a mere moment that you are powerful enough to tell me what to do."
"I believe she has spoken, Dormammu," A familiar voice spoke up, Wanda's eyes widening as the air in front of her solidified to reveal Oshtur floating in front of her.
Wanda noticed Dormammu's silence, looking beyond the being to see the glare in its eyes as light returned to show its sneer.
"Oshtur."
"I recall my son telling you time and time again that Universe 199-999 is not yours."
"I did not know that you were awake."
"I would not be had my brother not tried to create his own apostle to bring the end of our reality," she replied, Wanda deciding to keep hiding behind the deity. "However, I know that you are not here to reminisce, Dormammu. Take your dimension and never return."
"You dare to t-"
"I DARE," her tone was soft, but a pair of gigantic white-feathered wings flared out from her back, half of the Dark Dimension turning into a star-filled sky. "HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN WHO I AM?"
Her words was accompanied by a burst of power, the Dark Dimension turning back to how it was as Dormammu's form recoiled.
For the first time, he hesitated with caution dancing in his eyes. "You overstep, Oshtur. This realm is mine."
"You mistake dominion for ownership, Dormammu," she replied with a calm stare. "You exist simply because we, the Vishanti, permit it. You endure because we tolerate it.
However, I will say this today. Do not confuse either for weakness. You are but a breath of vile air to us. Now, leave."
Oshtur raised a hand and reality distorted, pushing away the Dark Dimension with a sneer. All that was left was a void filled with stars, Oshtur turning her head to see the look of awe in Wanda's eyes.
"Well done, my child," her tone was gentler now as she retracted her wings, Wanda doing the same with her aura. "You've broke through the wall that binds you and reached a realm none can take away from you."
"Well, I just saw you taking care of Dormammu like he was a child."
"He is but a child to me, Wanda," she replied with a soft smile. "Our mutual friend and associate has recovered and there will be no side-effects thanks to your efforts. For now, return and tell Pietro that he has his own problems to worry about."
"Such as?"
"Tell him the robot is looking for a body to handle its speed. Now, disappear," Oshtur snapped her fingers and Wanda's body jerked, finding herself staring up at Pietro who was covered in a golden aura.
"You don't look good with blonde hair," she rasped, her body feeling weak as Pietro let out a relieved sigh and sagged.
"Firstly, don't ever put me through that stress again, please," he spoke, making her giggle. "Secondly, the red eyes help the look, doesn't it?"
"Somewhat," she muttered, sitting up with Pietro's help. Xialing and Shang were also in the room, both looking relieved at her being awake.
"Well, that was quite the trip," she heard Aria's voice and looked up to see the woman sitting up from the bed, Mordo standing beside her.
"You're awake?"
"Kind of hard to stay asleep when Chaos Energy tears away the thing that's hurting you."
"Sorry about that. Still can't control it as well as I can."
"Oh, I am not complaining at all. I'd rather a bit of pain than having to suffer through it for months to come," Aria replied, making Wanda giggle as she stood up with Pietro's help.
"You sure we shouldn't help you get to a room?"
"I'm tired, not injured, Pietro," she spoke with a roll of her eyes, her brother just giving a shrug. "Besides, you will have your own troubles to worry about."
"Troubles? Me? You're lying," he replied sarcastically, everyone just shaking their heads. "What kind of trouble is this?"
"Oshtur didn't say exactly what, but she did mention that the robot is looking for a body that can handle its speed," she repeated the message, everyone observing him as he narrowed his eyes.
"A body that can handle its speed?" he repeated with a frown. "For that to happen, it needs to build a body out of sturdy materials. It's not gonna go to space because it's not aware of anything up there.
That just leaves Earth, but what material on Earth is strong enough to withstand intense hea-" Before he could finish his thought process, Wanda blinked as Pietro's eyes widened and he vanished in that same moment.
She immediately created a protective barrier around the spot he occupied as the air inside popped from the sonic boom, hearing the rest in the distance.
"You know why he's run off like that?" Shang asked with a raised eyebrow, Tails giving a shrug. Wanda looked to Aria and narrowed her eyes as the woman sat with a frown on her face.
"I think I know where he's going...and I'm hoping he gets there in time to stop Ultron."
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'Shit! Shit! Shit! Faster! Faster!' Time was frozen as I raced towards my destination, crossing the distance to the Indian Ocean in the blink of an eye.
The ocean itself took me only a second before I raced through Africa, heading to the terrain that bordered southwestern Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
If I remember correctly, the country I'm looking is located right at the point where the three countries touch borders and I slid to a stop as I got close to said point.
'Oh, there's definitely something here,' I thought with a frown, unable to miss the otherworldly vibrations beneath my feet.
At the same time, I frowned as I felt a second presence, one that felt divided into dozens of others.
With a step, the world erupted as burning gold erupted from my form, the world truly standing still as I stared at Wakanda's border in front of me.
It didn't stop me for a moment as I phased, slipping through the vibrating atoms like they weren't even there.
My breath was taking away by the city that exploded into view, hovering transports hanging overhead on energy rails and sleek towers that had pulsing blue light travelling through them.
It was beautiful...and it was about to become a battlefield.
Sliding to a stop on the edge of a rooftop, I only paused for a moment as I tried to find any sign of Ultron, thinking back on his presence that I felt in Anarctica.
I moved the ver second I stopped, diving towards the ground before golden electricity arced behind me as I raced towards the largest building in the city.
Before, I would have admired the home of the Black Panther, but I had far bigger problems right now.
Namely, the arrogant A.I. making its vibranium body underground.
'Where, though?' I thought, racing through the entirety of the royal castle. I even went as far as to scan the hidden labs that were hidden behind layers of barriers and protection, but nothing.
'Fuck,' I thought, sliding to a stop in the middle of the throne room with a frown. I was then noticed by the people inside of it, T'Challa and the Dora Milaje snapping to attention while T'Chaka and Ramonda used their bodies to hide a surprised Shuri behind them.
"WHO ARE YOU?!"
'Well, at least Wakanda is efficient,' I thought with a smile, raising my hands while going down on my knees.
After all, nothing they could do could catch up to me.
"Hello there. Apologies for interrupting, but there is something very dire currently happening and I require your assistance.
"Who sent you?" T'Chaka asked and I shook my head.
"No one did. I am currently searching for a homicidal A.I. that is looking to steal your vibranium to create himself a body that can handle his superspeed," I explained, watching as T'Challa and the Dora Milaje glanced at their King.
"...Stand," he replied and I kept my hands up as I stood. "What is this A.I. you speak of?"
"He calls himself Ultron. He was supposedly created years ago, but has remained dormant for some reason until Tony Stark awoke him when he tried to make his own sentient A.I."
"Of course, it's always an American that fucks up the world."
"Shuri! Language!" her mother scolded with a swift smack to the back of her head, but I just nodded with a chuckle.
"Exactly that. Anyway, Ultron has been figuring out how to replicate my superspeed, but he needs a mechanical body made out of material that can withstand it."
"And how fast are...you...?" T'Chaka trailed off as I stood behind T'Challa with my hands behind my back, the spears of the Dora Milaje stabbed neatly in a row in front of me.
"My top speed is fast enough to tear apart the fabric of reality if that helps," I spoke and watched as T'Chaka nodded.
"Very well. If you wanted to kill us, you would have."
"I would have, yeah, but killing the ruleing family of Wakanda and their bodyguards doesn't sound like a good idea," I replied, smirking when they all narrowed their eyes at me. "Also, I believe that Ultron is in one of your underground labs in the vibranium reserves beneath Wakanda."
"How do you know of that?"
"I have already searched them. I can't find them down there," I replied, and while they looked disapproving of my words, none seemed to be mad at me as T'Chaka turned to Shuri.
"Do you have any secret labs?"
"Oh, of course, but I'm sure he's already found every single one of them, Baba."
"Shuri..." the man trailed off with a frown, which made the girl groan. However, before she could speak, we all looked as her Kimoyo beads turned a dark red.
"Huh, these...are quite the tool to have," It was not just hers as soon everyone else's became the same colour, the voice humming as I sighed.
"I can only assume that you've already hacked into Wakanda's mainframe, huh Ultron?"
"I'll admit that it took quite the effort. You Wakandans are far beyond the rest of the apes on this planet."
"Reveal yourself now!"
"Prince, that isn't going to work with him," I replied, Ultron letting out a snort as if to agree with my words.
"That and it's not yourself. It's yourselves," he spoke from the entrance and I turned, shaking my head at the three Ultron bots that walked in.
Each one looked like a sleek version of the regular Ultron robot with the added addition of crimson electricity coursing across their bodies and the sparking red cores in the middle of their chests.
"How close are you now?"
"Not in the slightest. It's hard to figure out something that should not be possible and is far beyond the technology of our era," he replied with a scoff. "Still, it is enough to make me the second fastest being on this planet."
"Let me guess, you also stole vibranium?"
"Sixty point four tons of it to be exact along with another three tons from one Ulysseus Klaus. A shame he tried to rip me off for it, but I did end his life as payment," he replied, the Wakandans wide-eyed as I narrowed my own.
With a step, I was gone, shooting across the throne room at a blistering pace. Silver-blue energy flowed across my body, but I grimaced when all three easily followed my path and moved out of the way.
' 'Not in the slightest', my ass,' If I had to give a rough estimate, he went from .0001% to 2.5%, which was more than enough to give validation to his word.
I came to a stop and lunged forward, avoiding a drop kick from the first Ultron bot. Gold energy danced along my body as I sped up significantly, grabbing it by the core before ripping it out.
At the same time, I spun and threw the core towards a second Ultron bot, piercing through its chest and knocking its core out its back.
My head moved to the last bot, whom had tried to lunge at T'Challa. The man looked as if he was reacting to the bot's speed before his eyes widened when I kicked it to the side.
"Nice reflexes," I replied before vanishing, punching through the chest of the Ultron bot and tearing its core out.
Gathering up all three, I punched them into fragments, dropping said fragments to the ground with a frown.
"Well, that's three, but I know that there are more probably coming."
"...You did not have to do that. Thank you, Pietro," T'Chaka spoke with a bow, and I immediately raised my hand and shook my head.
"No need to bow, King T'Chaka. I'm simply doing the right thing."
"That is something most struggle with doing," T'Challa replied and I smiled before my eyes widened as I felt a large vibration coming down.
Immediately racing out of the throne room and into the centre of Wakanda, my eyes looked up to stare at the hundreds of Ultron bots diving towards the ground at mach speeds.
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Golden arcs of electricity erupted from Pietro's body as he crouched down, taking a slow breath before shooting up into the air.
His foot pressed down on the air currents dancing beneath his body, pushing from one to the other until he was nothing more than a golden lightning carving through the sky.
The world was frozen as a streak of gold zigzagged through the air, leaving a trail of sparking electricity in his wake as the android army was torn asunder.
He went so fast that the air had not even processed that it was being touched, Pietro pausing behind the final android and punching right through it.
He skated down the side of a tower before sliding to a stop in the middle of the city, crouched down with his left arm and foot below him while his right arm and leg were stretched out to the side.
The moment he stopped, an iridescent array of colours exploded above, the streaks of golden Chaos Energy erasing the cores and letting the vibranium fall like rain droplets around him.
Pietro smiled as he stood up, dusting off his jacket before turning to the shocked crowd around him. His gaze then moved to the royal family looking out from the castle, Shuri's eyes wide with wonder while T'Challa, his parents and the Dora Milaje were stunned by his performance.
With a smile that widened at their expression, Pietro chuckled before bowing with a flourish and a chuckle.
"Apologies, but could I ask for a cup of water? I'm feeling quite thirsty."
A/N: And we end it off here~! No To Be A Hero today and the reason for that is because of the changed upload schedule I'll be uploading later today.
Look out for that one.
Anyway, Wanda levels up while Pietro shows why he is the fastest being on the planet.
Next chapter: I love Tech.
Anyway, check out my Pat-reon-.-com-/-KingCrimsonNova to read ahead on this as well as many other stories that may peak your interest. If you want to, you are free to, but if you don't want, all's good as I will still be uploading here. This is just me trying to get some extra cash.
As always, read, enjoy, review and until the next one...
Ba-Bye~!