Chapter 10: The Last Stand
Sokovia - The Final Battle
The floating city of Sokovia trembled under the weight of destruction. Buildings collapsed, fire and smoke filled the air, and the battlefield was a chaotic dance of metal and blood.
The Avengers fought desperately against Ultron's endless swarm of drones, pushing back with everything they had.
But for Wanda Maximoff, none of that mattered.
Because she saw him.
Amidst the chaos, standing tall, his dark eyes burning with determination—Alex.
Her breath caught in her throat. She barely registered Vision's presence beside her. The android was speaking, strategizing, but she paid him no mind.
Alex was here.
Alive.
His once-weakened body, the one she had left behind in Hydra's captivity, was now radiating power. The air around him crackled with unseen energy, his presence overwhelming.
But before she could move toward him, gunfire erupted.
She turned just in time to see Pietro, her twin brother, darting toward Clint Barton and a small child.
And then—
Bullets.
Raining down like death.
Pietro was fast. But not fast enough.
Wanda's heart clenched, fear gripping her.
"No!"
But then—everything stopped.
The bullets, inches away from her brother's body, froze mid-air.
Time itself didn't stop—no, this was something else entirely.
A different kind of power.
Pietro's eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at the bullets suspended in front of him.
And then he turned—his gaze locking onto the figure floating above.
Alex hovered effortlessly, his arms outstretched, his entire body glowing faintly with energy. His eyes, burning with raw power, met Pietro's.
Alex smirked. "Hey, Speedy."
Before Pietro could process anything else, Alex waved his hand.
The bullets reversed direction—shooting back at the drones that fired them, tearing them apart instantly.
Pietro let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding.
Who the hell was this guy?
But Alex wasn't focused on Pietro anymore.
His gaze had already locked onto Wanda.
---
The Kiss Amidst Chaos
Wanda barely had time to react before Alex appeared in front of her in a blink.
His arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her flush against his chest.
Her eyes widened, her heart hammering. "Alex—"
She didn't get to finish.
Because he kissed her.
Right there, amidst the destruction, in the middle of a battlefield, with gunfire and explosions ringing in their ears—
Alex crushed his lips against hers, kissing her with a desperation that sent shivers down her spine.
Wanda's fingers instinctively clutched his shoulders. She melted into him, her heart pounding as if trying to escape her chest.
She had waited so long.
She had hoped for so long.
And now, he was here.
Alive.
Strong.
And his kiss told her everything she needed to know.
He felt the same way.
---
The End of Ultron
The intimate moment was shattered by a thunderous roar.
Ultron.
The rogue AI, now in his final battle form, launched himself toward them, fury radiating from his metal frame.
"You insignificant creatures!" he bellowed. "You dare defy me?!"
Alex sighed against Wanda's lips before reluctantly pulling away. His hand brushed against her cheek, his eyes softening for just a second.
"Stay here," he murmured.
Then, he turned to face Ultron.
Wanda expected him to use his powers, to fight like the rest of them.
But Alex didn't just fight.
He obliterated.
The moment Ultron got close—
Alex vanished from sight, moving faster than even Pietro could track.
In the blink of an eye, Alex reappeared directly in front of Ultron.
And then—
He tore him apart.
No hesitation.
No drawn-out battle.
Alex's hands glowed white-hot with energy, and he plunged them into Ultron's metal chest.
Ultron barely had time to process what was happening before Alex's power surged outward—
Disintegrating Ultron's body into atoms.
No explosion.
No remains.
Just… nothing.
Silence.
The battle… was over.
---
The Avengers' Shock
Every Avenger who witnessed the moment froze in disbelief.
Even Thor, the literal god of thunder, blinked in shock. "By the Allfather…"
Tony Stark, exhausted and bruised, took a slow step forward. "Uh… did anyone else just see that?"
Clint Barton muttered, "Yeah… and I kinda wish I hadn't."
Even Vision, the synthetic being created by the Mind Stone, narrowed his eyes in curiosity. He hadn't expected anyone to possess such overwhelming power.
Steve Rogers looked between the spot where Ultron had been and Alex, his expression unreadable.
"…Who the hell is this guy?"
But Wanda already knew.
She stepped forward, taking Alex's hand in hers, her fingers tightening around his.
She didn't care about the others right now.
She didn't care about their shock.
All that mattered… was that Alex was here.
And he wasn't leaving her again.
---
Epilogue - A New Beginning
As the sun rose over the ruined city of Sokovia, the Avengers regrouped.
But the world had changed.
A new powerful being had made his presence known.
And soon…
The world would never be the same.
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End of Chapter 10
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