Marvel: Death Knight

Wanda Django Maximoff and Pietro Django Maximoff were mutant siblings hailing from a small city in the nation of Sokovia.

Ten years ago, they were taken by Baron Zemo and became tools of Hydra, serving its twisted agenda.

Having dealt with the Hydra personnel at the entrance, Garus and Logan stepped through the open doorway and found themselves facing an elevator. Upon inspecting the buttons, they saw that the Hydra base had ten levels.

"Logan, which floor should we go to?" Garus' indecisiveness kicked in as he hesitated before the elevator panel.

Logan reached out and pressed the button for the tenth underground level without a second thought. The elevator began its descent.

"Alright, the tenth floor it is," Garus muttered.

Ding!

The elevator doors opened to reveal a squad of armed agents crouched outside, their rifles at the ready. The moment they saw Garus and Logan, a hail of bullets was unleashed, ricocheting off Garus's runed armor with metallic clangs.

Frigid Blast!

A wave of icy wind mixed with snow swept over the agents, frosting their eyebrows and leaving them trembling uncontrollably as they collapsed to the ground.

The pair walked past the incapacitated Hydra agents without a second glance. If this level of resistance was all the base had to offer, the mission would be straightforward.

After several minutes of walking, they encountered only empty rooms and eerie silence. It felt like they had stumbled into the wrong place; there were no mutant children in sight.

"Should we try another floor?" Logan asked.

Garus didn't respond. His heightened instincts were screaming that two dangerous enemies lay ahead.

As they turned a corner, they saw a middle-aged man leaning casually against the wall, a cigarette in hand. He exhaled a plume of smoke, his demeanor utterly unconcerned.

Logan's voice dropped to a growl. "Are you the one in charge here?"

"That's correct," the man replied with a smirk. "I'm Carden, the administrator of this Hydra base. So, you two are mutants?"

His calm unnerved both Garus and Logan. They sensed no threat from him, yet his confidence suggested he had an ace up his sleeve.

Logan extended his Adamantium claws, ready for an attack.

"Good," Carden said, clapping his hands. "Two new specimens. How delightful."

Before Garus and Logan could react, a sudden gust of wind swept past them. Both felt sharp pricks at their necks as icy liquid was injected into their veins.

What's happening?!

Garus wasn't wearing his runed helmet at the moment. He quickly yanked out the syringes, examining their contents. The green residue confirmed his suspicion: it was a mutant suppression serum laced with sedatives. Though his body went numb for a few seconds, the effects quickly faded—Garus wasn't a mutant, so the serum had no lasting impact on him.

Logan, however, was in worse shape. Six syringes had pierced him, their contents causing his claws to retract as he collapsed, slowly losing consciousness.

Garus feigned being affected, lying motionless on the ground while keeping one eye slightly open. He saw a silver-haired young man and a red-haired woman appear beside Carden.

"How does the suppression serum feel?" Carden taunted, then turned to the silver-haired youth. "Pietro, take them to the laboratory on the fifth floor."

"Hey, old man, I'm not your lackey. Don't talk to me like that," Pietro replied disdainfully. "C'mon, sis. Let's go. This is boring—I didn't even get a proper warm-up."

Silver hair, super speed, and a disdainful attitude. Garus quickly pieced it together. This was Quicksilver. The red-haired woman must be the Scarlet Witch. There was no doubt now.

Quicksilver's arrogance grated on Garus, but the Scarlet Witch's beauty caught his attention. For a moment, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of admiration.

Quicksilver posed little threat to Garus. As a Death Knight, he had abilities to slow enemies down to his level. Speedsters weren't a significant problem. The Scarlet Witch, however, was a different matter. Her chaos magic—capable of warping reality—was a formidable force. If her powers were on par with her portrayal in the movies, Garus might stand a chance. But in this situation, the mission took priority.

Carden summoned the base's security team. Logan, now immobilized by the serum and sedatives, was restrained. As for Garus, the weight of his armor made it difficult for three agents to lift him, forcing them to transport him on a flatbed cart.

The two were taken to the fifth floor. Along the way, Garus discreetly observed his surroundings. The floor was teeming with people, mostly scientists. Aside from Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch, there were no significant threats. As long as he dealt with them, escape would be feasible.

Upon reaching the laboratory, they were separated. Logan was strapped to a metal bed, while Garus was placed on the ground, tightly bound with chains. Pretending to remain unconscious, Garus kept a watchful eye on the experiments happening in adjacent rooms.

Vivisections, electrocutions, hypnotic conditioning—horrors beyond imagination were unfolding. Hydra's cruelty knew no bounds.

Two hours passed, and most of the personnel left the area, presumably for lunch. Only a few security guards remained.

Seizing the opportunity, Garus effortlessly broke free of his restraints. With the guards occupied, he moved quickly, determined to rescue the mutant children.

Crash! Crash! Crash!

Garus rampaged through the facility like a tank, smashing through reinforced glass enclosures. The guards, panicked, fumbled to sound the alarm.

"Quick! Sound the alarm!" one of them shouted, his voice trembling.

The base's alarm blared. Personnel dropped their meals and scrambled to their stations, cursing under their breath.

Time was of the essence. Garus summoned a horde of ghouls to assist in gathering the surviving mutant children. With a flourish, he opened a Death Gate, transporting Logan and the children to safety. Only after ensuring their departure did Garus breathe a sigh of relief.

Just as he prepared to step through the Death Gate himself, a crimson mist dissolved the portal.

Turning, Garus saw Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch standing at the elevator entrance, their gazes fixed on him.

Note: The Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch in this story differ from their counterparts in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

-----------------

Join my patreon to access advance chapters: patreon.com / primaldemon