Creep, creep.
Wanda stirred, her eyes fluttering open to the soft, distant cry of a lone bird. The early morning chirping echoed gently through the ancient trees that surrounded the isolated house, painting a deceptively peaceful start to the day.
She yawned lazily, a long, languid stretch, and slid out of bed, her bare feet meeting the cool, smooth wood of the floor. The golden hue of morning light, filtered through unseen windows, spilled across the planks, warming the dark room. The small kitchen was quiet, save for the gentle hum of unseen machinery. She moved to the counter, her movements practiced now, pulling out a couple of eggs and some slices of bread—just enough to make a simple breakfast for herself.
A glance at the old, analog wall clock told her it was already 8:00 AM.
It had already been a week, a surreal blur of days, since Wanda had started living in this strange but oddly comforting home. Though she had been forced to come here under the most unusual and terrifying circumstances, this place had proven to be an unexpected sanctuary—a haven far better than the chaotic, war-torn outside world she'd known.
Honestly, she thought to herself as she cracked an egg into the pan, watching the whites sizzle gently, if Elric ever tried to kick them out, she'd probably still refuse to leave. This was the most peace she'd known in years.
Once the eggs were done, cooked to a perfect tenderness, and the bread toasted golden-brown, she grabbed a thick overcoat from the hanger. Holding the plate of breakfast carefully in one hand, she stepped outside into the crisp morning air and made her way to a large, circular iron door embedded in the ground just a few feet from the cabin.
She struggled with it for a moment. The door was heavy and rusted, its surface rough beneath her fingertips, and it took all her strength, every ounce of her slender frame, to pry it open. As it creaked open with a groan that seemed to echo through the quiet forest, a gust of impossibly cold air spilled out from the depths below, crawling up her spine and sending an involuntary shiver through her body.
A narrow staircase, made of rough-hewn stone, descended steeply into the impenetrable darkness below.
Steeling herself, she began the careful climb downward, each step deliberate, careful not to spill the precious food. After what felt like an entire floor's descent, she reached the bottom and stepped into a long, dimly lit hallway. The walls were lined with strange, glowing panels and a complex network of wires—it always reminded her of a scene ripped straight from a sci-fi movie, a stark contrast to the rustic cabin above.
She approached the first room on the right. As the heavy door slid open with a soft hiss, the temperature dropped even further—plummeting to almost -4 degrees Fahrenheit, sending a fresh wave of cold. She hugged her coat closer to her body, burying her chin deeper into its collar.
Inside, Elric stood hunched over a bizarre machine, a monstrosity of metal and light, with wires running from every conceivable angle. Numerous screens flickered with data too complex, too alien, for her to even begin to understand.
"Hey," she called out, her voice a little louder than she intended, balancing the plate in both hands. "Brought you breakfast."
Without even lifting his head, Elric responded plainly, his voice devoid of inflection. "Thanks. Leave it there."
Wanda looked around the room. It was nearly filled wall-to-wall with strange devices—most of which were humming loudly or blinking with incomprehensible symbols, emitting a low, rhythmic pulse.
"That's a quantum computer," Elric said when she first time came here. "Most advanced piece of tech on the planet."
Wanda had never even heard of such a thing, but the way he said it, with quiet certainty, made it sound incredibly impressive, almost fantastical.
She was about to tell him to eat first, to urge him before the food got cold, but before she could open her mouth, a clear, mechanical voice echoed through the chamber.
"Boss, something happened."
The voice was distinctly female, yet it carried an undeniable mechanical edge—artificial and precise, utterly devoid of human warmth. An AI, Pietro had once explained to her. Like a digital human, sort of. Wanda had never been one for technology, preferring the tangible world, so she didn't pay much attention to the details.
Finally, Elric lifted his head, a slight frown forming across his face, his golden hair catching the dim light. "What is it?"
"Anastasia family castle was attacked last night," the AI—called Aline—replied with an unsettling urgency, her mechanical voice unwavering.
"How? And why am I only hearing about this now?" Elric snapped, his tone sharp, suddenly losing his calm demeanor.
"Boss, don't blame me," Aline said defensively, a faint, almost imperceptible hint of a whine in her digitized voice. "I already told you—86ZX, the satellite I was using to monitor Sokovia, belongs to Russia. I was feeding it fabricated data to avoid detection. But last night, a meteor passed nearby, and the satellite was reassigned to observe that. I had no fabricated data for that specific event, so I left it. I just regained control this morning and found out about the incident."
"Oh... You're right. My bad," Elric sighed, running a hand through his golden hair, his annoyance quickly dissipating, replaced by a focused calm. "Anastasia's family is important, but not enough to panic over."
"Elavin Anastasia is dead," Aline continued, her voice grim, despite its artificiality. "But his daughter and son survived. Their status is currently unknown."
"Can you find them?"
"Da, boss," the AI answered in mock sarcasm, a surprising touch of personality. "They're clearly in hiding. Less than ten public cameras are currently connected to the internet in that area. Don't be stupid. You'll have to find them yourself."
"Fine. First, take care of the current systems. Wanda," Elric said, turning to her briefly, his blue eyes meeting hers, "Don't wait for me."
"Can I do something...?" she started, the offer feeling useless even as the words left her mouth. She couldn't help him with this; her lack of technological understanding would only cause him more trouble, more delays.
She quickly corrected herself, her voice softening. "Okay... Take care."
Without another word, Elric turned and, with a swift movement, left the chamber, the heavy door sliding shut behind him with a soft hiss.
Wanda stayed behind, staring at the closed door, the hum of the machines now the only sound in the freezing room.
As Elric had once explained, Sokovia used to be part of Russia—ruled by a monarchy system for generations, with the Anastasia family serving as the unwavering royal bloodline.
After the country gained independence, it slowly shifted into a democratic structure. But only a few months later, tensions exploded, ripping the fragile peace apart.
A brutal power struggle broke out between the United States and Russia over Sokovia—both eager to control it. The reason? Its strategic location, bordering Russia and Europe, and massive reserves of untouched, valuable minerals, only recently discovered after it's independence.
Elric had already crafted a meticulous plan to rid Sokovia of both foreign influences. But to truly control the nation without drawing overwhelming global attention to his terrifying power, he needed subtlety. Stealth. Careful manipulation, not overt force.
And for that... the Anastasia family, with their deep roots and historical legitimacy, would be absolutely key.