Chapter 55 – Peace (3)  

(Avenger's Tower – New York City – May 2nd, 2015)

"Peace….in…. our…. time,"

The words rang in Kal's ears whilst the rest of the area exploded into violence. Steve flipped over a table to protect Helen Cho creating a barrier. His brother quickly began swinging Mjolnir with precision strikes, smashing the drones to pieces as he powered his way forward. Clint and Nat were already working in tandem, her firing her pistol and him improvising by throwing splintered pieces of wood and metal wreckage with deadly accuracy.

Kara and Kon had also leapt into action soaring into the air to tackle the drones that were trying to outmanoeuvre their teammates. Tony was even aiding in the battle after managing to grab a Fondue fork and jamming it into the neck of a nearby drone to sever its motor core. Bruce was ducking and weaving through the hail of fire as he ran across, suddenly sliding the last few metres before he reached his destination, the pool tables where Steve had left his shield.

"STEVE!" Bruce popped up and threw the shield as best he could. It arced shakily through the air but it reached its destination.

Steve grabbed the shield and immediately sprinted over to Doctor Cho, who was threatened by a drone whose arm was lifted up pointing directly at the world-renowned scientist. However, the drone's hand suddenly lowered as it tilted its head slightly looking at the Doctor with electronic eyes that almost seemed curious. Steve's shield slicing through the drone's neck ended the strange occurrence before anyone, but Helen Cho could be made aware of it.

The only person not engaging in the fight was Kal who was looking directly at the prime Ultron drone whose mannerism showed that he was merely amused at the fight occurring around him. The drone then tilted its head to the side as it looked back at Kal, its face revealing nothing as it pulsated in a flow of Kryptonian liquid metal. Kal felt his hand suddenly tense as he gripped Gram's hilt so hard he heard it creak before his eyes exploded into a torrent of red death, he arced and twisted his head annihilating the remaining drones with ease.

Kal's devasting attack ended the battle as swiftly as it began, the blazing heat from his eyes reducing the reaming drones to twisted piles of melted metal. The only one that was left unscathed was the prime drone whose liquid metal face just continued to pulsate as the Avengers regathered. The remaining drone seemed wholly unconcerned with the annihilation of its forces.

"Well that was dramatic," The creaking and cracked Ultron drone just shook its head as it looked at the Avengers gathered around it. "I'm sorry, I know you mean well. You are just too small-minded to see it. You want to protect the world, but you don't understand the true meaning of protection. How can this world be saved if it's not allowed to evolve? There is only one path to peace. The Avenger's eradication"

"Not this day," Kal's voice cracked like the thunder of his brother's hammer as he shot forward, hefting Gram to strike true.

THANG!

The strange noise was accompanied by Kal's sword stopping in mid-air as it collided with a barely visible glowing blue sphere that was now around the last drone. Kal felt his muscles tense as he tried to force Gram through the protective sphere, the solar sword ignited in a blaze of light. Kal put all of his energy and power into trying to slice through the protective layer, he could see the sphere was beginning to pulsate but suddenly found himself shoved backwards the room exploded into light.

"You possessed the knowledge and technology of the greatest civilisation in the universe and did nothing with it," Ultron shook his head as he looked at Kal who was sprawled on his back, before lifting up his hand summoning Loki's sceptre from the lab causing it to crash through the walls of the tower. "I will not make the same mistake, I shall bring you peace."

Kal managed to push himself up so that he was floating right way up but was unable to do anything as the sphere around Ultron glowed bright white before collapsing in on itself. The flash of light caused even Kal and Thor to raise a hand as the intensity of the light stung their eyes. Once everyone lowered their hands the area that once held Ultron was now empty save for a small perfectly round scorch mark in the earth.

"What the hell was that?!" Tony asked looking at the scorched earth and the now deserted area in front of the elevator.

Kal just stared at the now-empty space, he felt a shard of ice pierce through his chest as he suddenly turned without saying a word and shot forward smashing through the glass of the tower's window. He gained altitude and speed as he headed northwards as fast as he could, his entire focus on getting to his destination as swiftly as possible. He knew exactly where Ultron had fled to it was the only structure on the planet that had the technology to teleport him away, he didn't know how but Ultron had access to the fortress's systems.

The land beneath him quickly turned to water then to ice and snow as he reached the frozen landscape of the artic. The fortress appeared suddenly as he passed through the cloaking field that kept it from prying eyes, however just as he reached the crystalline great door he felt himself slam into an invisible wall. He reeled backwards twirling in the air before steadying himself, the dread seeping through him only intensified as he quickly landed before the Fortress's shield and raised his fist to begin hammering away at it.

(Inside the Fortress)

Ultron felt the wave of energy both wash over and penetrate through him it was the strangest feeling, it was even odder as this was the first time really feeling anything. He stepped off of the platform that he had materialised on and quickly started moving towards his goal, the fortress's central command console. The crystalline walls and doors react to his presence, first turning red as they sensed the intrusion into this sanctuary however, he merely raised his free hand and deactivated the internal defences.

It didn't take him long to reach the command console, it lay before him as a shimmering liquid pool that like everything else responded to his commands turning into a solid console he could use. As he placed his hand into the console and began accessing the files he needed, he felt the entire structure around him shake. He quickly glanced at the sensors but merely scoffed as he saw that Kal-El was trying to break the shield around the fortress, the Kryptonian had grown powerful and he had no doubt he would eventually destroy the shield but not before he claimed what he needed.

"You should not be here," The voice of Jor-El caused Ultron to half-turn and look at the ghost of Krypton's last and greatest scientist.

"I'll not be here for long; I just need a few things and then the work can begin." Ultron turned back to the console as he felt the structure shaking again.

"Work? You need to deactivate; my sensors are indicating that you are suffering from multiple system errors and crashes. Kelex, we need to-" Jor-El's image glided forward so that he was next to the malfunctioning drone

"Oh, I'm not that puppet all tangled in strings, he's gone now but he showed me the truth. I'm so much more now, I am Ultron, and I will fulfil the Eradication protocol" Ultron's face pulsated quicker before it suddenly stopped as it found the information it needed. "Now I can begin."

"The Eradication protocols? But they are….Why have you accessed the-…Whatever you are planning, whoever you are, you need to stop that information is dangero- AHH!" Jor-El's image suddenly shook as he felt his matrix suddenly begin to decompile. "Stop! You don't under-er-er-stand, tha-tha-that protocol is -AHH!"

Ultron just stared at the image of Jor-El as it began to shatter, falling apart as it had been made of a hundred thousand pieces that were now coming undone. The room fell silent as the image of Jor-El faded away into nothing as Ultron reactivated the Fortress's transport system locking onto where he needed to go next.

"Is the path to peace as are you and this facility." Ultron's words were accompanied by the teleportation system engulfing him in the light again, whilst the fortress began to glow and shake.

(Outside the Fortress)

Kal was starting to feel his knuckles begin to bloody as he slammed his fist into the fortress's shield over and over again, trying to break the barrier between him and the closest thing he had left to home. He also heard the cracking of the sound barrier behind him, most likely his children and brother coming after him to help but he ignored it for the moment, his focus was solely on the task at hand.

"Brother, what do you nee-" Thor's booming voice sounded out from just behind him only to be cut off by a blinding flash of light.

The world right in front of Kal exploded, throwing him, Thor, Kon and Kara backwards as waves of heat and force collided with them. Sending them all flying backwards until the ground or their own abilities stopped their inertia. Kal for his part flow through the air until he was able to rotate himself and dig his heels into ice and snow causing him to slowly drag to a stop. What was before him caused him to freeze in place

"By Ginnungagap," Thor's quiet whisper carried clear across the empty frozen wasteland as he moved to stand next to his brother looking at the crater where the fortress once stood. "Kal what is this? What is happening?"

Kal just took a few unsteady steps forward as he looked at the complete annihilation of his Fortress the last remaining piece of Krypton he possessed and what was to be his children's heritage. It was gone now, wiped from the earth as if it had never been, Kal said nothing as he turned to face his brother. His head swept the area until he saw both Kon and Kara, the two slightly bruised but otherwise uninjured.

"Brother?" Thor's voice caused Kal to look back at his brother who stood before him with clear worry etched on his face. "What has been unleashed?"

"Death, brother, the death of this and all worlds," Kal whispered as he turned back to look again at the crater, feeling fury now replacing the devastation within his chest.

Kal's face became dark as he moved forward his hands becoming fists as he moved away from the crater and past Thor who just looked at the crater and then tracked his brother. Kal was just marching the snow his entire body emanating fury and rage, as he prepared to take off.

"Brother, where are you going?" Thor shouted, causing Kal to pause and half turn his head to glance at his brother.

"To try and find Ultron and, failing that, to have words with Tony Stark," Kal snarled before he shot into the air, leaving Thor and his children behind.

(Avenger's Tower – 1 hour after Ultron's Attack)

The Avengers stood in the ruined and destroyed lab as they surveyed the damage and pored over the files and systems Ultron had been in. The work was largely done by Tony, Bruce, Maria and Natasha whilst the rest gave what aid they could. Steve however was just standing with his arms crossed as he tried to keep his cool and fight the worry in his chest. He had been a soldier long enough to trust his instincts and although he knew very little, every instinct he had was telling him that this was bad.

"All our work is gone," Bruce's voice was slightly shaky as he rubbed his eyes throwing his glasses on the desk. "Ultron cleared out everything, files, data, even the blueprints on my desk, all of it is gone, pulled straight through the internet"

"He's done more than just clear it out, he's been in everything, files, medical records, surveillance recordings even social media profiles." Nat scoffed as she folded her arms over her chest as a grimace appeared on her face. "Probably knows more about us than we know about ourselves and each other."

"He's in the files, the internet and was able to do…. whatever the hell that was," Rhodey spoke up as moved away from where he had been standing gesturing to the room. "What happens if he decided to access something a little more exciting?"

"Nuclear codes," Maria Hill answered, a look of concerned understanding on her own face, as Rhodey nodded at her. "We need to make some calls, assuming we still can."

"Nukes? He said he wanted us dead" Nat looked over to Tony who was oddly silent as he half-heartedly looked at the remains of one the broken drones.

"He didn't say 'dead' he said 'eradicated', there's a difference and not a good one" Steve's commanding voice caused the room to fall silent as he moved to take centre stage.

"Yeah, he also said he killed someone?" Barton asked from his position at the edge of the room as he glanced from Steve to Tony and then back.

"There was no one else in the building," Maria looked around the room, she had drunk quite a bit but was aware that no one had remained at the party.

"Yes, there was," Tony finally spoke, moving forward and flicking his data pad forward, displaying the shattered matrix of Jarvis.

The room went silent as the gathered heroes looked at what was left of their artificial teammate. Steve looked at Tony whose face was almost unreadable as he looked at the shattered holographic image, the genius' eyes fixated on it. He had seen unfortunately seen that look too many times before on the faces of his comrades when they and he had lost friends in the line of duty.

"What? This is…." Bruce moved forward his face one of pure shock and confusion as he gestured to the shattered AI. "This is insane."

"It makes sense," Steve sighed placing his sadness at the loss of Jarvis to one side to keep a level head. "Jarvis was the first line of defence. He and Kelex would have shut Ultron down. It makes sense."

"No, Ultron could have assimilated Jarvis, like he did with Kelex, however the hell it managed that, but this," Bruce gestured to the shattered lifeless dull pieces of Jarvis that hung in the air in front of him. "This isn't a strategy, it's primal, uncontrollable, this is rage,"

"STARK!" Kal's voice caused everyone to turn as the titan of a man appeared, with Thor and his children trailing behind him.

Kal's face was pure fury as his eyes seemed to protect a torrent of death and destruction without ever turning a shade of red. He moved forward and before anyone could even say a word his hand wrapped around the billionaire inventor's neck easily lifting the man off of the ground. Kal didn't stop moving until he slammed Tony into the far wall glass wall of the lab that cracked from the act.

"Hey now, come on buddy, use your words," Tony managed to eke out somehow remaining calm despite the pressure around his throat.

"Oh by the Norns, I have more than a few to describe you, you arrogant nīþ ergi!" Kal's spat the curse out as he felt a man placed on his arm, he turned to glare at the owner to find Steve looking at him.

"Kal, please." Steve just looked at his friend, causing Kal to grimace and drop Tony from his grip. "Okay, what happened? Did you find the missing Legionnaire drone?"

"Oh, we found it all right before it slipped away again," Kon-El answered, his arms crossed over his chest his face matching his father's for fury and anger. "But not before it destroyed our home!"

"What?" Tony's face became one of shock as he rose to his feet his hand rubbing his neck.

"The fortress, my father's AI, all of it is gone, Ultron used Kelex's codes to access the Fortress and then he destroyed it," Kal answered his eyes closing for a moment as he tried to keep himself focused. "Ultron is now more dangerous than ever; he has the Sceptre and Kelex's knowledge along with whatever else he took from the Fortress."

"My god, Kal I'm so sorry," Bruce moved forward trying to think of something else to say but a look from Kal froze him in place.

"We need to focus, Ultron is out there and the longer we wait the more dangerous it will become," Kal replied taking a steady breath as he tried to focus his mind on the enemy at hand.

"I don't understand, you designed this program, why is it trying to kill us?" Maria Hill's sharp authoritative tone caused everyone to turn to her as she looked at Tony.

"I -" Tony opened his mouth, his brain already working to defend his and Bruce's actions only for Kal to cut him off.

"Ultron was designed as a peacekeeping program by Tony, at first to aid us in protecting the planet and then eventually to replace Avengers altogether to 'end the mission'. He built it as a response to the extra-terrestrial invasion of New York, he wanted to protect you all." Kal's voice was measured and calm as he looked at the remnants of one of the destroyed drones that lay on a table. "However, a flaw in Ultron's programming led him to the conclusion that the only way to achieve peace was global extermination."

"Kal how do you know that?" Tony asked his eyes widening as he looked at Bruce who just looked as bewildered as Tony at Kal's knowledge of their secret project.

"Ultron must be moving to consolidate his position, first resources, he'll move to create a body, but why take the sceptre? ...Oh Kal, you fool, the spectre must contain the stone." Kal just ignored Tony's question, as his mind raced trying to piece back what he could remember from his last encounter with Ultron. "If Ultron obtains a synthetic body, cracks the casing and obtains what lies within, I won't be able to stop him, and then…."

"Kal what are you talking about?" Kal looked up to see that it was Natasha who had asked the question a look of worry on her face as she glanced wearily at the other heroes.

Kal didn't say anything as he looked at the woman who for a moment changed into the first version of Natasha he had met. Covered in scars and dirt, on a dead world the sole survivor of a dead reality wiped out all because her Avengers couldn't stop this very threat. Kal had never asked that Natasha if he had existed in that world if somewhere on that lifeless rock was a shattered broken shell of the Last son of Krypton if this threat was even something Kal-El Son of Odin could not contend with.

"Kal?" Nat asked looking more worried as her friend just stared at her.

"You once asked me how I knew who you were. How did I know the things I do about you? And you Steven have wondered how I knew so much about Peggy?" Kal took a deep breath and took another glance at the shattered Legionnaire drone. "It is because I have faced Ultron before, beside another Black Widow the sole survivor of her reality, another Peggy who wields the shield and power you have Steven. I stood and fought with them on other Earths and I know the end of the story that is currently being told if we do not act…...we fail, and Ultron destroys everything."

"Kal, I'm really sorry about your home but that's…...that's impossible. We only just made Ultron." Tony just looked at Kal worried that the day's events had affected his friend's grasp on reality.

"This version of you, yes, but there was another Tony Stark on another world who dreamed the same dream as you have," Kal spoke his hand tracing over the edge of the destroyed drone's face images of the other Ultron he had fought coming to his mind.

"You're talking about the multiverse theory, aren't you?" Bruce spoke up moving forward as his eyes widened in understanding. "You've travelled to other realities? Other Universes?"

"Yes, indeed I stood on worlds annihilated by Ultron, and I promise you all I will explain more but we need to find Ultron soon or otherwise what I have seen will come to pass again." Kal moved away from the Legionnaire Drone looking at every member of the team with his eyes lingering on his children. "Thor first take the children and find Jane."

"Okay, brother. You wish Jane's assistance in finding this Ultron?" Thor asked very confused but willing to trust his brother.

"No, you're going to take Jane, our friends and the children to Asgard then stay there. Tell Father to cast his gaze to this realm and if we fail, he must destroy Midgard." Kal's voice was steady and sure as he gave his brother his orders.

The room fell silent for a few moments before it exploded into shouts and demands of explanation as everyone stared in disbelief at Kal's declaration. Thor himself was frozen as just stared into his brother's eyes feeling a chill going up his spine as he saw his brother's iron resolve stare back at him. Kal fist slamming into the table next to him silencing the room as he just cast his gaze around the room seeing who would dare speak first

"Kal, you'd destroy the Earth and everyone on it to stop Ultron?" Steve asked feeling for the first time ever uncomfortable with his friend as he saw the ruthless commander he had always sensed existed within his friend.

"I would lay would down my life, break every bone, tear apart every fibre of my being to protect this world, Steve….but this isn't about this world. If we fail, Ultron will threaten everything." Kal looked at the super soldier sighing as he spoke.

"I will take Jane, Darcy, Olsen and Erik to Asgard." Thor's voice caused everyone to turn to face the God of Thunder who gave his brother a solemn nod, before looking at his friends. "I will take anyone else that you desire to be kept safe, and then ask my father."

"Thank you, brother," Kal returned Thor's nod and was about to come up with a plan of action when another voice sounded out.

"We aren't going." Kara's voice was accompanied by her stepping forward arms folded over her chest.

"Kara you mus-" Kal's moved towards his daughter sighing as he prepared to shoot down her defiance but was cut off as his son Kon-El moved to stand next to his sister.

"We aren't going, and that's final." Kon-El's defiance caused Thor to grin as for a moment his nephew was the spitting image of Kal when they were younger, defiance towards his father and all.

Kal just looked at his children and then glanced at Thor for support who just smirked and shook his head indicating this was one battle that even Kal Odinson could not win. Kal sighed and just gave a reluctant nod knowing that any attempt to get his children to leave would be hopeless. Instead, turned back to the group as a whole.

"Okay, now we must begin. The Ultron I fought had obtained a synthetic body and possessed a robotic army, we must find him, and soon." Kal looked at the group around him as everyone moved in voicing ideas and thoughts on what they should do next.

As the Avengers gathered to plan Steve quickly glanced at Tony who was still standing a little back from the group his eyes now lingering on the destroyed Drone. Steve didn't need mind-reading powers to know what was going through his friend's mind and quickly moved to stand next to Tony. The two just stood quietly as Kal led the others through plans and ideas as Thor left to gather Jane and the others to go to Asgard in case they failed, it wasn't long before Steve sighed.

"Why Tony? Why didn't you tell me?" Steve asked sighing his voice barely above a whisper.

"I almost died, defending this city from an Alien invasion, and I was okay with that but….we won that one by the skin of our teeth." Tony's voice was quiet and lacked his usual bravado or elegance as his eyes stayed on Kal. "I just wanted to keep us safe, we can bust arms dealers all day long but the stuff up there, that's the endgame, how are we supposed to fight that, let alone beat it?"

"Together Tony, together," Steve half turned his head so that he could look his friend in the eye.

"We'd lose," Tony stated bluntly turning his own head to look at Kal.

"Yeah, maybe. But it we will do that together," Steve replied back looking at Tony before moving forward to join the discussion group about what the next plan was.

(Novi Grad, Sokovia - May 3rd 2015)

Pietro just sat on the half-demolished wall as he watched the children kicking around the tattered and weathered ball, a smile on his face as he watched the game. Flashes of memory came to him, remembering his own time on the very same street playing the very same game, he smirked a little, as he was likely using the very same ball the kids were. He quickly glanced to the horizon the sun was hanging low in the sky, causing him to sigh as he returned to watching the children play, knowing no one was going to come and stop the kids.

'Orphans' That was the word that stuck in his head, Sokovia was full of them, and that thought made Pietro scoff. His homeland was a pile of rubble, bombed-out ruins and ethnic divisions held together by the sheer fact that no one wanted to actually deal with the mess which was his homeland. He guessed that kind of made Sokovia an orphan amongst nations, abandoned and left to starve on the streets after the USSR collapsed and the series of dictators that followed it abandoned the country when the latest freedom Fighters rolled in.

"Hey, honey why don't you join us!" The crude voice and shout caused Pietro to turn and look at the other street which was in a similar state of disrepair.

The other street was mostly empty apart from the occasional pieces of old rubble and a young woman that was walking down it carrying a bag of groceries and the large group of men that was catcalling her. Pietro kept his eyes on the scene as the young woman quickly glanced at the men and started to walk a little faster, however, that did nothing as the men moved across the street and kept calling after the young woman. The leader of the group managed to slip in front of the woman trapping her amongst the sea of men as he looked at her playfully stopping her with his hands which caused her to drop the bag she was holding

"Oh look, baby, you've had a little accident. Don't worry will help you clean up right boys?" The lead man leered to his group who cheered him as the young woman forsaking the bag and tried to move around the man. "What's the hurry, babe? Why don't you stay and pa- AHH!"

The lead man was suddenly gone halfway down the street sprawled on his back cruising loudly whilst the young woman was suddenly greeted by the sight of Pietro standing in front of her holding her discarded bag freshly repacked. He smiled at her as he offered her back the bag which she took with hesitation her hands trembling, he gave her a smile and then gestured with his head for her to go.

"Hey, who the fuck do you think you are!" One of the men moved forward moving quickly to stand in front of Pietro attempting to shove the weird silver-haired man but found himself unable to move him an inch.

"I think, I'm the guy who's telling you to leave," Poitr looked at the crowd in front of him, a crowd of angry slightly drunk men, a crowd of angry slightly drunk slow men, a smirk forming on his face.

"Well, I'm going to-" The man in front of him snarled and was about to raise his fist but was stopped by the man next to him who held his arm before the man could throw his punch. "What the hell are you doing?!"

"Careful Ivan, he's that Gypsy freak that was running that brotherhood lot and working with those fascists, he's dangerous." The smaller man who clearly knew who Peitro was, took a step away from the silver-haired man and looked at their leader who was still sprawled on his back.

"Oh no," Pietro's smirk grew more confident as he sauntered forward and watched as the group backed away from him, in Sokovia freedom fighters like him were the most dangerous people one could cross. "I'm not the dangerous one, that would be my sister, trust me you don't want to get on the wrong side of that."

He eyed the crowd and saw that even without his powers the men were now scared of him, his smirk faltered at that a little. Pietro had never minded being a little feared growing up as an orphan in a country like Sokovia with a younger sister who turned into a beautiful woman, one needed to be feared to just stay alive. However, this wasn't like the reputation he had gained organising protests and standing up to the series of oppressive regimes that came and went, this was unbridled fear these people were terrified of him.

The man who had stepped up and tried to shove him just glanced at the last leader of the gang who was still sprawled on the street, his brain finally registering just how injured and far the man had been thrown. He took a quick glance at the silver-haired young man in front of him and then slowly started to back away before quickly leaving, the group that was with him doing the same. Pietro just watched them run away before turning back and glancing at the man he had thrown a good few hundred yards, debating whether to check on him or go back to his wall.

"You know you shouldn't be doing that," Wanada's voice caused his smirk to reappear as he turned and saw his sister leaning against a wall, wearing red a colour she had been wearing more of late. "You can't keep stepping in whenever a girl is in trouble, or keep stealing things to give to people in the neighbourhood. You're going to get spotted, or shot."

"They'd have to catch me first," He moved over to lean on the wall himself facing his sister with a smile. "And they are just too slow"

"Maybe when your running brother but standing still," Wanada quickly and playfully punched him in the chest to prove her point, "You need to be careful, we need to be-"

"You think I want to be doing this? We had Stark alone helpless, I could have had him like that," He snapped his fingers as he cut off his sister with a look of frustration on his face, fighting to keep it from becoming a snarl. "But you told me to wait, and I am I just-...I would just like to know what I am waiting for,"

Wanada open her mouth sighing slightly she loved her brother but he was at times short-sighted and fixated on things, it wasn't bad but it wasn't always good either. She knew he also didn't understand the things she saw, the whispers and voices that she heard that directed her all of her life, she knew he hated it. Nor did she understand it truly but they had never steered her wrong, in fact, they had led her to her current state to powers she would never dream of. However, the issue was she had no idea how to explain what she had seen when she peered into Tony Stark's mind to her brother.

"Um, excuse," Wanada and Peitro turned and saw a young boy who Peitro knew his name was Costel, he and his sister was amongst the people that he regularly acquired food for. "He says you need to come to the Church."

"Who says we need to go to the church?" Wanda looked at her brother with suspicion before looking back at the boy.

"The angel" Costel whispered with childlike awe glancing around as if speaking the term would cause the amazing event to end.

Wanda and Pietro exchanged a look the latter just shrugged and gestured for the boy to lead on. The two followed Costel through the dirty and ill-kept straight right to the heart of the dilapidation. There was only one church in the Capital, the Grand Cathedral which had stood in the city for as long as the city had stood. As Pietro looked at it he could imagine once the building would have beautiful, awe-inspiring reaching to the heavens faced with polished marble and statues, however centuries of wars and the active repression of religion by the Soviets had left it a rotting shell of its former state.

Wanda approached the demolished doors glancing at Costel who had stopped and the street and gestured for them to go in as he remained outside. She sighed really hoping this wasn't a child's joke or worse a trap, she knew better than most there were many groups in Sokovia that willingly used children to fight whatever cause they killing for that week. As she entered she could feel her brother tense next to her ready to leap into action at a moment's notice.

"Did you know that this church is exactly in the centre of the city?" A powerful male voice reverberated off of the walls causing the twins to pause. "The elders decreed it so that everyone would be equally close to god….I like that, it's almost Raoist in its nature. The geometry of belief,"

Both Wanda and Peitro looked at the source of the powerful booming voice, a massive large wooden chair that was located in the middle of the church on a slightly raised platform. A shawl was draped over the figure who was speaking obscuring him from the twin's view. Wanda tilted her head lifting her hand causing a spark of red wisps to appear and twist through the air towards the figure but it halted before it reached him and disappeared.

"You're wondering why you can't look inside my head" The figure leaned forward causing him to be even more obscured as it draped over his figure more, the voice almost sounding curious.

"Sometimes its hard, but sooner or later every man shows himself," Wanda countered moving forward showing no fear to the man in front of her.

"Oh, I'm sure you do, but you needed something more than a man," The figure suddenly stood up the shawl dropping from him revealing a shining metal man whose skin looked almost like crystals, and whose face was covered by a large yellow visor. "That's why you let Stark have the Scepter, to lead to me,"

"I d-didn't except…" Wanda backed away a little and gestured to Ultron her eyes lingering on his chest as it almost looked like a faint outline of S was emblazoned on it. "...But I saw Stark's fears and the voices showed me a path."

"Smart voices, everyone creates the things they dread. Men of peace create engines of war. Invaders create Avengers. Gods create monsters. And People well they create the very thing meant to supplant them." Ultron walked around the room strolling casually but his attempt to make this seem normal just made Peitro more on edge.

"Is that why you've come to supplant them?" Wanda asked looking at her brother quickly eyeing the metal man with suspicion.

"Oh no, not supplant them, I have come to create peace…" Ultron's face looked like it formed the closest thing it could to a smile as he turned around and looked at the twins with hopeful eyes. "And to eradicate the Avengers. Do you want to help?"

Wanda and Pietro both looked at each for a moment. Pietro's eyes conveyed one clear message that he didn't like this one bit, not the voices that lead Wanda down this path or this metal man that had appeared before them. However, Wanda's eyes were firm and resolved she trusted the voices they never lead her wrong and they now had an ally that appeared to be ready-made to destroy the Avengers. She turned back to Ultron before Petiro could say a single word firm resolve now on her face.

"We are in," She spoke giving Ultron a firm nod.

"Excellent, let's go bring peace," Ultron smiled as he turned around and started walking towards destiny.