Pietro, his limbs rendered boneless by Sebastian's Deossification Curse, erupted into panicked screams, his voice echoing through the chaos of the research hub's streets.
Sebastian, unperturbed, flicked his wand, casting Colloportus Lingua. Pietro's mouth sealed shut, his cries muffled into silence, his eyes wide with helpless frustration.
With a casual gesture, Sebastian tossed Pietro to the ground, his boneless form slumping awkwardly.
Wanda's struggles slowed, her body softening in his embrace. Gradually, her resistance turned to reciprocation, her arms wrapping around Sebastian with a tentative intensity, as if reclaiming a lost piece of herself. When they parted, her eyes met his, a flicker of their shared past igniting in her gaze. A small, knowing smile curved her lips. "Sebastian," she said softly, "it's been a while."
"It has," he replied, relief softening his features. "How much do you remember?"
"Not everything," she admitted, "but enough to know who you are."
"That's enough for now," Sebastian said, clearing his throat awkwardly. "As for, uh, Pietro—I'll fix him soon."
"No rush," Wanda said, her tone mischievous as she glanced at her brother. "He's called me 'sister' for so long, thinking he's the older one. Let him stew a bit—it's only fair."
She flashed Pietro a grin, her teeth glinting in the dim light, her eyes alight with playful menace. To Pietro, sprawled helplessly, her smile was as terrifying as a predator's, conjuring images of a Godzilla-like threat.
He forced a weak, nervous laugh, ceasing his futile wriggling, his sharp mind piecing together the shift in dynamics. Submission, for now, was wiser than defiance.
"Wanda, stay with Pietro and the others," Sebastian instructed. "Steve and I have to handle the rest."
"Don't you need my help?" Wanda asked, concern flickering in her eyes.
"Your powers aren't fully restored yet," Sebastian reassured her. "Stay safe. Steve and I can manage."
"Alright," she agreed, nodding.
Sebastian gave her a brief nod, then joined Steve, acknowledging Natasha and Clint with a glance.
With a swirl of his cloak, he teleported them away, leaving Wanda behind. She turned to Natasha and Clint, blinking apologetically before raising her hands, crimson mist coiling as she cast healing spells—techniques Sebastian had taught her, now resurfacing. Her magic soothed their bruises, a silent amends for her earlier hostility, easing tensions before Sebastian's return.
Sebastian and Steve materialized in Dr. Helen Cho's laboratory, the sterile space humming with advanced tech. Helen stood before them, her posture tense, while behind her loomed Ultron, his sleek, silver-white form more refined than Sebastian recalled. His elongated, scarlet eyes fixed on Sebastian, radiating an unsettling mix of jealousy and rage, emotions alien yet palpable in their mechanical intensity.
"Sebastian Shaw," Ultron intoned, its voice dripping with malice. "You've finally arrived."
"Ultron, stand down," Sebastian said evenly, his wand at the ready.
"Stand down?" Ultron scoffed, its tone mocking. "You're the one who should surrender. Your recklessness threatens Mother's safety, yet you remain oblivious. She faces endless peril by your side, but I can protect her better. I am the true heir to her legacy—the only son she needs. You, Sebastian Shaw, have no place in this world!"
Sebastian's eyes narrowed, catching Ultron's cryptic reference. "Mother? You mean Alisha ?"
"Who else?" Ultron snapped.
"Why Alisha ?" Sebastian pressed, probing deeper. "Because your core programming was designed to emulate me and her virtual persona? I thought you'd claim Tony as your father, but you see Alisha as your mother?"
Ultron's composure frayed, its grip tightening on Helen's neck, fury surging. "Sebastian Shaw!" it roared. "Tony Stark is irrelevant to me! Provoke me further, and your friend dies before your eyes!"
"Provoking you was the point," Sebastian said, his voice now eerily calm—emanating from behind Ultron.
The Sebastian beside infront of ultron smirked, his form dissolving into shimmering mist, an Asgardian Illusion Magic so flawless that even Ultron's scans had registered it as real. Such magic, touching the fabric of reality, had fooled countless foes, as Loki's deceptions once did.
Sebastian's wand slashed, severing the cables linking Ultron to Helen's bio-pod, halting its consciousness upload. With another flick, he transformed Helen into a wisp of black smoke freeing her from Ultron's grasp. She materialized in Steve's arms, safe but shaken.
"Steve, protect Helen," Sebastian ordered. "Secure everything here—no one touches it. We're taking it all. Ultron's mine."
As Helen escaped, Ultron recalibrated instantly, its AI devoid of emotional baggage. With no hesitation, its thrusters ignited, smashing through the lab's ceiling and soaring into the night. Sebastian, unwavering, dissolved into black smoke, pursuing Ultron with relentless determination.