In New Mexico, Wanda led the students of the Mutant Academy against a terrifying Asgardian artifact—the Destroyer.
Under the relentless assault of the Destroyer, the small town had turned into a sea of fire. Dozens of mutant children, under Wanda's guidance, struggled to fend off the attack.
A crystalline-skinned boy was punched by the Destroyer, sent flying into a nearby store. Lying amidst the shattered glass, he shouted to a girl not far away: "Sissy! Heal me! I'm dying here!"
Sissy, channeling white light to heal another mutant student who had been cut by flying debris, shot him an exasperated look. "Odones, you idiot. Have you been playing too many games?"
Odones's ability allowed his body to crystallize, reflecting energy and magic attacks. However, his physical defense wasn't particularly strong. The recent blow made him feel as though his entire body might shatter.
Nearby, Wanda, who was closely monitoring the battlefield, shouted at Dana, who seemed momentarily distracted, "Dana, watch out!"
"Thud!" A car hurled through the air, striking Dana's position. It passed harmlessly through her, thanks to her intangible state.
Though they had trained for over a year, many of the students still struggled to unleash their full potential in real combat. Some even hid in fear. Wanda could only do her best to ensure their safety.
She regretted bringing so many students along. The situation was chaotic. She had overestimated their abilities and courage while underestimating the strength of their foe. Now, she was trying to figure out how to get everyone out safely.
Odones noticed someone trembling nearby. Pulling them up, he recognized his friend, Nerin. Unable to resist, he teased, "Nerin, you slacker!"
Meanwhile, Coulson and a team of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents observed the chaos from a safe distance. Fury had contacted Wanda for assistance, but he hadn't expected her to turn the situation into a training ground for students. The already small town was in shambles.
Their weapons were ineffective against the Destroyer, and with civilians present, heavy artillery was off the table.
"Zzz!" The Destroyer's scorching beams swept across the area, forcing everyone to scatter. Wanda did her best to assist, ensuring no one was fatally injured.
Not far away, Jane Foster and Dr. Selvig were helping Thor into a car, preparing to leave the area.
Fandral, one of the Warriors Three, grumbled, "Why are we running? Loki won't let us go so easily."
Sif rapped his armor. "Thor is powerless right now. Do you want to put him in more danger?"
She glanced at the mutants displaying their unique abilities and recalled ancient tales about them.
Thor, concerned, asked, "Can those people hold their ground? That's a powerful Asgardian artifact."
Jane reassured him, "Don't worry. Those aren't ordinary kids. They're mutants."
Thor felt the weight of responsibility. This disaster was his doing. He needed to confront Loki and demand answers.
Back at the academy, Garus roamed through the empty halls. The usual lively atmosphere was gone. He hadn't encountered a single soul.
"Clint?" In the courtyard, he finally spotted a young boy sitting idly on a bench, his face full of discontent. Garus asked, "Where is everyone?"
"Principal?" Clint brightened up and ran over. "You've been gone for a month! Where did you go?"
A month? The system must have synchronized the timeline, or perhaps time travel had caused some anomalies.
Garus asked, "Never mind that for now. Clint, where is everyone else?"
Pouting, Clint complained, "They all went out to play and left me behind because I'm too young. Principal, I want to go out too!"
The boy rambled on, but Garus saw Xerion approaching. He asked, "Xerion, where is everyone?"
Xerion replied, "A bald, one-eyed man came and asked for Ms. Wanda's help in New Mexico. Most of the capable students went with her."
"How long ago?" Garus asked.
"Not long. The academy is now mostly empty except for those who can't fight or are too young. I'm not sure where they've all hidden."
Clint clung to Xerion's leg. "Xerion, take me to find the others! They left me alone and wouldn't play with me."
New Mexico… Could Thor be involved?
Garus was interrupted by Pietro, who arrived with Erik and Magda. "Garus, where's Wanda?"
"I know where she is, but it's dangerous there right now. Pietro, Erik, come with me. Wanda's there."
Magda looked at her husband and son. Once fearful of Erik's powers, she had come to terms with them. "Go. I'll wait here, but be careful."
In Asgard, Loki was fuming. Despite controlling the Destroyer from afar, he couldn't overcome a group of children. "Damn it! Where did these brats come from? I'll kill them all!"
He ordered the Destroyer to unleash its full power. Orange beams rained down on the area where most of the mutant students were gathered.
Sensing the danger, Wanda stepped in front of the students, summoning a red chaos magic shield to hold the attack at bay. Sweat beaded on her forehead.
Rowena placed her hand on Wanda's shoulder and closed her eyes. Wanda felt her chaos magic surge, strengthening her defense.
Odones, unaffected by the energy attack, tried to step forward but was quickly sent tumbling like a ball. Sissy quipped, "Odones, you really need to lose some weight!"
Odones's love for video games and snacks had left him overweight. When using his ability, he resembled a crystal dumpling.
"Find somewhere safe and spread out!" Wanda ordered the children.
She couldn't retreat yet. She needed to buy time for the students to escape safely.
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