Escanor(Marvel)

"How ironic it is to die by your own invention," Striker muttered, staring at the crushed body of his colleague, Trask. He lay beneath the wreckage of one of the Sentinels. Trying to escape, he had been killed by his own creation… What a cruel joke.

"Sir, we've discovered that, along with standard materials, the Sentinels contained metallic components of unknown origin," reported a soldier who had just approached.

"So Magneto found out where the Sentinels were being transported and set up his own trap. Damn, I severely underestimated them…" Striker muttered darkly. "Order stricter inspections, interrogate everyone who had access to the information, and request data from all personnel for the past year. Find the spy."

After giving the order, Striker fell into thought. It was either Mystique, or Magneto had somehow managed to uncover their plans…

"Your sacrifice will not be in vain. These mutants are remarkably resilient, but they deserve only one thing total humiliation. We must cut out this tumor before it infects all of humanity," Striker declared grimly.

"Sir, what about the Sentinel project?" his subordinate asked.

"That's no longer our concern. We have entirely different priorities now," Striker snapped. The government was already advancing the project, searching for people capable of continuing and refining the technology. Undoubtedly, development would take far longer without Trask, who had been a true man of science, obsessively immersed in his work. But now, his dream of leading the pinnacle of Sentinel engineering was lost.

How fragile human life is when standing next to anomalies like mutants beings capable of erasing entire cities at their whim…

********************

X-Men Base

"So Escanor is alive?" Kitty asked anxiously. She had deeply mourned the loss of her friend. She liked him, despite his pride.

"Yes, it was definitely him. The same overwhelming aura. But just as suddenly as he appeared, he vanished again. I couldn't track him any further," the Professor replied.

"I knew he wasn't dead…" Kitty exhaled in relief. Rogue silently adjusted the edge of her sleeve, not reacting as emotionally, but warmth spread in her heart as memories of him surfaced.

"When will he return?" she finally asked.

"He's not a child anymore. If he wants to come back, he will. If not… let him stay where he is. It's his choice," Logan said sharply.

"Logan, he saved all of us," Ororo reminded him quietly but firmly.

"Tch…" Wolverine just scoffed.

"Either way, I don't want him to return by force. We cannot compel him. I only hope he will come to understand everything and find his own path," the Professor said. Then his voice grew more serious as he turned to the topic that troubled them far more.

Before him, a holographic projection of the Sentinels hovered in the air.

"This is exactly what I feared the most… Now their fear is driving them to create weapons against us. Erik's actions will affect us all."

"Even though our attempt at integration with society has failed, we must not abandon this path," Ororo said.

"Hank, I hope you can take on this difficult role and represent us?" Xavier asked.

"I'll do my best, though I would rather dedicate more time to research," Hank admitted.

"Thank you."

"Logan, though I had to call you back from your journey, were you able to find anything up north?" the Professor asked.

"Almost nothing… I followed the fragments of my memories to that hydroelectric plant. No traces. I don't know… Maybe they're hiding somewhere else, or maybe they've been gone for a long time," Logan said, frowning.

"We have to find those responsible for experimenting on mutants," the Professor declared with resolve. "Now, our focus must be on those developing weapons against us. Dark times are coming, and only together can we endure."

Many on the team nodded in agreement. A new era was on the horizon, and with it came a frightening uncertainty…

*****************

Nick Fury carefully replayed the footage from the conference. His one good eye tracked every moment, analyzing each frame with meticulous precision. Nothing escaped his sharp gaze.

"The threats are becoming more widespread more casualties, more people hungry for power," Fury said without looking away from the screen. "We need a team capable of protecting those who can't defend themselves. A team that can neutralize any threat, anywhere in the world."

"Do you think it's time to reactivate the Avengers Initiative?" Coulson asked.

"Not just reactivate we need to start assembling the team. The first recruits will be Tony Stark and another candidate Escanor Pride," Fury replied.

"Have we managed to locate him?" Coulson inquired.

"Yes, but only I and two trusted agents know about it for now. Any leak could be disastrous. Call in Black Widow and Hawkeye. I need people I can rely on now more than ever," Fury said firmly.

"Who are you sending to talk to Stark?" Coulson asked.

"Natasha will handle that. Especially since his actions are becoming more questionable. Looks like our hero is having a midlife crisis… and some health problems," Fury remarked.

"And Escanor?" Coulson pressed.

Fury smirked slightly. "Who else but you should meet him again after all these years?"

"Won't that attract too much attention?" Coulson pointed out.

"I'm sending you to New York under the pretense of investigating a few cases. It'll be a perfect cover. You'll frequent the local bars, act like you're just taking a break, chat with the staff, and gather intel. That's how you'll find him," Fury explained.

"Understood," Coulson replied succinctly.

"For now, that's enough. Bringing too many people into this will only make others question our true motives," Fury added. The Security Council was already watching him too closely, and the scrutiny over his decisions was growing more intense. At the same time, he had plenty of questions about the Council's own choices.

The game in the shadows had only just begun. Who would dare place another piece on the board, where a single wrong move could spell catastrophe?