The roaring gradually faded...
Magneto, who had been floating mid-air, descended to the ground. His majestic purple robes were now tattered and scorched, his white hair disheveled like a bird's nest. The power within his aged body ebbed away like a receding tide.
His face was weary, his steps unsteady as he landed. The intense battle, though seemingly earth-shaking and devastating, had in reality been a one-sided onslaught. Sean had barely lifted a finger the entire ti.
That vibranium spear, which tore through the air with overwhelming force, could have shattered Magneto's electromagnetic barrier and reduced him to dust. But Sean had held back, deliberately avoiding a fatal blow.
Magneto knew this all too well, which was why he had chosen to end this terrifying spectacle of a battle...
"This is no longer our era." The old man sighed.
Through this challenge, he had clearly seen the gap between them. Unless his magnetic abilities underwent another breakthrough, he would never catch up to the one who strode ahead.
Sean stepped out of the dust, ignoring the contemplative Magneto, and left the ruined camp behind without a backward glance.
The wheel of the world rolled ever forward. No one could remain at the pinnacle of the tis forever... not mutants, not even superheroes.
He would soon return to North Arica. Having promised the Ancient One that he would deal with Kaecilius and his rampant cult, he intended to honor that agreent.
Matters in Wakanda were largely settled. The new king, Killmonger, might harbor rebellious thoughts. After all, the ambitious panther would never resign himself to being a puppet forever. But under the watchful eyes of the Mutant Corps and Magneto, he wouldn't dare act recklessly. At least for now.
The grand military strike had concluded. Though the bald eagle appeared battered, it had actually gained much. As a key mber of the World Security Council, the U.S. secured an extrely low price for vibranium imports, while General Ross added another glorious line to his record.
The interest groups and corporate giants who had waited to carve up the spoils all walked away satisfied, each having secured their share. The increasingly acute dostic conflicts (plumting oil markets due to the spread of new energy sources) were sacrificed to the new world order. Energy conglorates and industrial giants began scrambling to pivot.
As one of the architects of this new ga, Umbrella embarked on a frenzied acquisition spree. Through its various subsidiaries, it absorbed many once-dominant corporations, further perfecting its industrial chain and solidifying its status as a behemoth spanning multiple fields.
Unwilling to beco stepping stones for Umbrella's expansion, so desperate capital groups tried to weaponize antitrust laws, only to hit wall after wall. The typically ruthless antitrust bureau, which was known for targeting giants like Google and Microsoft with fines and injunctions, suddenly beca evasive and dismissive when it ca to Umbrella.
Soon, they realized the harsh truth: in a nation governed by the will of capital, their voices were pitifully small...
....
~The next morning~
Sean boarded his private jet and spotted Wanda, who had co from Sokovia to North Arica. Dressed in a black blazer and white blouse, the simple outfit accentuated the red-haired girl's unique charm.
She sat buried in a stack of docunts, twirling a pen in her hand.
Her youthful face which was tinged with a mature aura twisted in frustration as she muttered to herself:
"Mr. Harry Osborn's invitation... Hmm, according to Ms. Raven, this should be prioritized. Then there's Ms. Scarlett Johansson's call, an unfamiliar woman, dinner invitation, unimportant! Push that to the back. Miss Mindy's graduation ceremony, that's a must-attend, mark it as a key event. Then there's this, Betty and Gwen's 'Night of Revelry'? What even is this? Footnote says 'monthly routine'..." Wanda frowned, her eyes simring with irritation.
Based on Ms. Raven's ticulously arranged schedule, that man's daily commitnts and critical tasks could pile up into a small mountain.
And yet, amid this packed titable, there were still nurous 'social engagents' with various won... from Umbrella employee Gwen, to the daughter of a Defense Departnt general, even the female neighbor in the adjacent apartnt. The list went on and on.
A surge of inexplicable anger rose in Wanda's chest...
"He's even using al and sleep tis to chase won. Does he want to work himself to death?" she grumbled under her breath.
"Is that concern or a curse?" A teasing voice sounded behind her.
Startled, Wanda turned and froze at the sight of the familiar-yet-unfamiliar young face.
"Don't recognize ?" Sean asked, smiling lightly as he took the seat opposite her.
Seeing the girl's stunned expression, he instinctively reached out, gently brushing his fingers against her delicate cheek.
Perhaps startled by the sudden gesture, Wanda recoiled, bumping into a passing flight attendant. As she stamred apologies, she knocked over the stack of docunts on the table.
"My apologies. If I overstepped just now, I sincerely regret it." Sean watched the flustered Wanda with amusent.
She hadn't been this skittish before.
"You should be apologizing to ... and Pietro!" Having gathered the scattered papers, Wanda glared, her brows knitted in stern disapproval.
"You left without even saying goodbye! And you lied to us, claiming to be a scholar from SUNY. Pietro was right, rich people are all liars!" She huffed, turning her head away.
In her limited imagination, stumbling upon an amnesiac wanderer who turned out to be a young Arican magnate, a celebrated genius who could et the president at will, was the stuff of movies.
Every girl loved Cinderella stories, but no one actually believed them.
"This isn't what I imagined..." Wanda rested her head against the window, her voice tinged with dejection.
In her world, the most impressive person this Sokovian girl had ever t was probably the police chief overseeing her street.
The string of titles and dazzling accolades attached to Sean made Wanda uneasy. The young man before her felt like an iridescent bubble; beautiful but fragile.
"Give a chance to explain, Wanda." Sean said earnestly, "I did attend at the State University of New York, and my na is Sean Cyphers. In a way, everything you knew about was true. That said, leaving without a word was my mistake, and for that, I owe you and Pietro an apology."
Noticing the softening in the girl's eyes, Sean's voice lowered, emotions flowing out like a quiet stream, "No matter who I am, those days in Sokovia were so of the most carefree I've ever had. I miss them. I miss walking down Fourth Street with you, scavenging flea markets, teasing that stingy vendor. Those are so of my most treasured mories."
Wanda shot a sidelong glance at the seemingly sincere Sean, then turned away with a soft snort.
After a long pause, she muttered, "Pietro is furious. You should be saying this to him."
Sean chuckled but said nothing. The stubborn Wanda buried herself in the docunts again, only to occasionally look up and et his gentle gaze, which, like a spoon stirring coffee, unsettled her heart.
"You're distracting from work." She stated this righteously.
"I am the boss you're working for." Sean shrugged, his tone playful.
They stared at each other... one pair of eyes wide with indignation, the other brimming with amusent. Until Wanda finally slumped forward, resting her head on the table in defeat.
"I never should have co. Sokovia is my ho." She sighed.
Sean leaned closer, studying the conflicted red-haired girl. Softly, he asked, "Then why did you co?"
Silence settled between them once more. Wanda shook her head, offering no answer.
She didn't know why she had left Sokovia for this dazzling, unfamiliar new world either...
User Comments
0 comments from readers