Chapter Fifty-Three: Wanda and Quicksilver

In the underground laboratory, Arthur found the infamous Sokovian twins—the Scarlet Witch, Wanda, and her brother, Pietro, known as Quicksilver. At this point, their powers had only just awakened and were far from fully under control. Wanda appeared relatively normal, but Pietro was twitching at an unnaturally high speed, almost as if he were an animated character experiencing dropped frames—a bizarre sight.

They quickly noticed Arthur’s arrival.

“Who are you?” Wanda inquired.

“I’m here to rescue you. My name is Arthur,” he replied, smashing open the lock of their cell with his trident to set them free.

“Did you say your name is Arthur? Are you Arthur Yorn?” Pietro asked.

“That's right. Do you know me?” Arthur nodded.

“We’d know you even if we became ghosts. You’re an Avenger! You and Stark destroyed our home!” Wanda glared at him with hatred.

“You’re mistaken. This has nothing to do with the Avengers. It was Hydra that brought war to Sokovia—you’ve been deceived by them,” Arthur explained.

“Empty words! Our home was destroyed by Stark Industries’ weapons!” Pietro retorted.

“The weapons were made by Stark Industries, but do you know who actually used them?” Arthur countered.

“It was S.H.I.E.L.D.!” Pietro shouted at Arthur, then suddenly vanished.

Arthur tilted his head, dodging Quicksilver’s punch. Despite Pietro’s speed, his control was lacking, and Arthur easily evaded his attack.

At that moment, a wave of psychic assault surged toward Arthur’s mind. “Hmph!” Arthur snorted, rebounding the attack back at its source. Wanda immediately clutched her head in pain and crouched down.

“You’re bold to try a psychic attack on me,” Arthur said coolly.

Pietro appeared in front of Wanda in a flash, holding her and asking anxiously, “Wanda, are you alright?”

“She’s fine; it’s just psychic backlash. I mean you no harm—let me help her.” Arthur walked toward Wanda.

Pietro hesitated for a moment but stepped aside, ultimately choosing to trust Arthur, realizing that Arthur’s power made killing them effortless if he so wished.

Arthur placed his hand atop Wanda’s head, using his own psychic energy to soothe hers. Wanda felt a comforting warmth spread over her scalp, and soon the pain faded away.

“Thank you. But if you say Hydra is responsible for all this, do you have any proof?” Wanda asked, her gaze complex.

“You know this man, don’t you? Look into his memories and you’ll see the truth.” Arthur pointed to the barely-conscious Strucker lying on the ground.

“That’s Baron Strucker!” Quicksilver recognized the man on the floor, his expression conflicted. It was Strucker who had brought the twins here and given them their powers.

But Wanda and Pietro also knew Strucker was no good man. Everyone recruited with them had died—only the two of them survived.

Pietro nodded to Wanda. Wanda walked to Strucker, placed her hand on his head, and invaded his mind, witnessing his memories.

Wanda burst into tears at what she saw—this man had led the massacre of their homeland and brought them here for human experimentation.

She recounted what she saw in Strucker’s memory to Pietro. Pietro’s eyes turned bloodshot as he stared daggers at Strucker.

“He’s yours to deal with. I need to check for other survivors,” Arthur said, then walked toward the other cells.

Cell after cell stood empty, until finally, in one, Arthur saw a blue-skinned man lying on the floor.

Arthur recognized him at once: General Sartu of Atlantis.

He shattered the lock and entered to find Sartu in a pitiful state, his body covered in gruesome, stitched wounds—having clearly undergone inhuman surgery—and barely clinging to life.

Using his psychic power, Arthur roused Sartu. The general opened his eyes and saw Arthur. “You… you’ve finally come…”

Arthur gave him a sip of bottled water, and Sartu’s breathing eased a little.

“We don’t hate you for killing Namor. That was a royal feud of Atlantis—no one can say who was right or wrong… cough…” Sartu said weakly.

“Don’t speak. I’ll get you out and healed. You’ll be alright, I promise,” Arthur said, feeling true pity for his tragic kinsman.

“It’s too late for me. Atlantis was ambushed by surface dwellers. The kingdom was destroyed by their weapons; the people are dead. I led a handful of guards in a desperate fight, but we were captured regardless.

“They wanted to learn the secret of our underwater survival. My comrades were dissected and studied—only I survived. Every day I prayed to the Sea God for a chance to see you again, to ask you to return to Atlantis and see if anyone remains. If there are survivors, save them. You, too, carry Atlantean blood. The future of our people rests on your shoulders!” Sartu pleaded.

“I promise you—I will save any surviving Atlanteans and lead them to rebuild our home! It’s the least I owe you all, and my deepest regret,” Arthur declared earnestly.

If Arthur had not revealed Atlantis’s existence to S.H.I.E.L.D., the kingdom would not have faced such calamity. In a sense, it was entirely his fault.

“Atlantis… is in your hands now.” With those words, Sartu breathed his last. Arthur felt a heavy weight in his heart as he looked at his fallen kin.

“Are you alright?” Wanda approached, sensing the turmoil in Arthur’s mind.

“He was one of my people. Their deaths are on my conscience,” Arthur replied.

“I know. I saw it in Strucker’s memories. You’re just like us—you’ve lost your homeland and your people. I’m so sorry,” Wanda said sympathetically.

“Let’s go. Let’s get out of here,” Arthur said, lifting Sartu’s body. Wanda nodded obediently and followed him out.

Outside, they found Pietro and a bloodied corpse—Strucker’s, by the look of it. Arthur didn’t linger on the sight, merely telling Pietro, “Let’s go.”

Arthur took Sartu’s body outside, gathered some wood, and cremated him. He intended to return Sartu’s ashes to Atlantis.

“What will you do now?” Arthur asked the twins after securing Sartu’s ashes.

“We have no family or friends left. You saved us and helped us avenge ourselves. If possible, we’d like to follow you and serve at your side,” Pietro replied, Wanda looking at Arthur hopefully.

“Very well, you can come with me—but you won’t be serving me. You must live for yourselves! I invite you both to join the Avengers,” Arthur said.

The twins grinned, happiness lighting their faces, and followed Arthur away from the castle.

“It’s done. Come pick me up,” Arthur called Natasha, asking her to send a combat transport to extract them, and to have someone handle the Hydra files in the castle. With the twins in tow, flying back to America on his own was not an option.

…