Chapter 50: Twelve Talisman Bracelet! Wanda's Return!

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"Can this thing be modified?" Lorien wondered aloud, examining the ornate bracelet in his hands. Surprisingly, two identical pieces had arrived in his mail. He scrutinized one closely. It was a delicate, women's bracelet, adorned with twelve perfectly cut jewels. Each gem represented a sign of the Chinese zodiac: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, and so on.

Despite its beauty, Lorien frowned slightly. This bracelet was clearly designed for a woman. Its dainty and feminine style was not something he felt comfortable wearing. It would look out of place on him, almost effeminate. He already had the powers of a superhero; he didn't need to add this to his collection.

He sighed and remembered the purpose of the gift. These were Valentine's Day bracelets, and once given, the recipient would inherit their magical abilities. The best part? It didn't matter if he gave both to one person or split them between two; the effect would be the same for everyone.

"Alright," Lorien said, tossing the jewelry back into his bag. "I'll give these to Wanda and Gwen."

As he thought about it more, Lorien realized just how perfect the bracelets were for the two women. Wanda, a powerful mage with high attack but low defense, could benefit greatly from their powers. Gwen, a balanced fighter, would find her abilities enhanced as well. The bracelets contained twelve talismans, each granting extraordinary abilities: life, strength, balance, speed, blasting, invisibility, healing, spirit projection, transformation, levitation, immortality, and laser.

Lorien marveled at the potential. Each talisman's power could complement the strengths and cover the weaknesses of both women. He could imagine Gwen using the power of speed to outmaneuver her enemies, or Wanda employing the power of transformation to adapt to any combat situation.

Suddenly, a realization struck him. The tiger talisman, with its ability to create yin and yang clones, could split a person into two. This meant that Gwen could be two Gwens, and Wanda could be two Wandas.

"Double? No, it's four times!" Lorien exclaimed, holding the bracelets with newfound excitement. "You really are divine weapons!"

Determined to share these gifts as soon as possible, Lorien made up his mind. He needed to test these bracelets himself—purely for research purposes, of course.

**Meanwhile, at the Avengers base...**

Captain America was convening what might be their last meeting for a while. After discussing the first incident reported by citizens, he presented another video and a stack of documents to the group.

"As you can see," he began, "a mecha, which Tony has dubbed a Transformer, has appeared in our world.

Tony had confirmed that this Transformer was not one of his creations, leaving the team to question its origin, numbers, and maximum combat capabilities." Captain America emphasized the urgency, "Our next mission includes investigating the ownership and full details of this Transformer."

The team dispersed after the briefing. Some members were deep in thought, others nodded in understanding, and a few immediately began preparing for action. But only Wanda and Natasha seemed particularly intrigued and puzzled.

Natasha couldn't shake the feeling that she had seen something similar before. She remembered Lorien and Wanda having afternoon tea together not too long ago. The car Lorien had been driving back then bore a striking resemblance to the one in the video.

Determined to get to the bottom of this, Natasha decided to investigate further on her own.

Wanda, on the other hand, was filled with mixed feelings. If Lorien did own the Transformer, it would be a surprising revelation, but one that would reassure her about his safety. If not, it wouldn't change how she felt about him. Either way, she left the base in a state of eager anticipation.

As she stepped outside, Wanda noticed it was raining heavily. Without a car, she wondered how she would get to Lorien's place.

"Ouch..." Natasha's voice interrupted her thoughts as she pulled up in a sleek Audi R8. "Looking for Lorien? I'll give you a lift."

Wanda looked at the two-seater sports car in confusion. "But you only have two seats. When we get to Lorien's, where will he sit? Or are you planning to drop me off and head back alone?"

Natasha raised an eyebrow but then sighed. She swapped the R8 for a more practical four-seater Audi. Wanda quickly ran back inside, changed into dry clothes, grabbed two umbrellas, and joined Natasha in the car. Finally, they set off towards the North Building.

**Back at the North Building...**

Lorien stepped out of the elevator and was greeted by the sound of rain pouring outside. He had never been fond of rainy days; they always seemed to put him in a melancholic mood. And today was no exception. Just as he was contemplating how to get to his destination without getting drenched, an umbrella appeared beside him.

He turned to see Wanda standing there, smiling gently at him. "Are you back? Are you hurt?" he asked, relieved and surprised to see her.

"No," Wanda replied softly. "The mission was straightforward. The enemies were not as resilient as those mutant rats. One wave and they were finished."

As they walked together under the umbrella, Natasha observed from a distance. She couldn't help but recall the moment when Wanda had used her magic to crush two cars with sheer force. The memory of blood seeping out from the crushed vehicles still haunted the team.

Wanda turned to Lorien and explained, "It was raining, so Natasha brought me here."

Lorien glanced over at Natasha. "Oh, you're here too?"

Natasha "___"

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Power ston-

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