Erik frowned, keeping himself between Sam and his children.
"If you know they are innocent, Cultivator,"
Erik asked slowly, his voice tight.
"Then why are you here?"
Sam did not lie. He looked right at Wanda and Pietro, his face perfectly serious.
"I came to check on them,"
Sam answered honestly.
"I needed to see if they were going to solve their problem with Tony peacefully or not. If they still wanted to kill him, I might have had to kill them first."
Wanda gasped, her eyes widening in fear.
"Tony is a good man,"
Sam explained, keeping his voice very calm.
"He is too soft now. He would try to talk to you. He would try to help you. He would never cut the fire from the source to protect himself. So, I came here to do it for him."
Pietro felt his anger boil over.
He had just let go of his hate for Tony Stark, but he absolutely hated being threatened in his own home.
"You think you can just walk in here and kill us?"
Pietro yelled.
"You are not fast enough!"
Pietro didn't wait for his father to stop him. He used his mutant power.
Instantly, the whole world slowed down.
To Pietro, everything around him completely froze.
The winter wind stopped blowing. The dust in the air hung perfectly still.
Pietro ran straight at Sam, throwing a fast, heavy punch aimed right at Sam's face.
But then, the impossible happened.
While Pietro was moving at absolute super speed, Sam smoothly turned his head.
Sam looked Pietro directly in the eyes.
Pietro's heart skipped a beat in pure terror.
Sam was not frozen at all. He was matching his speed perfectly.
Before Pietro's punch could even land, a massive wave of soft, pink peach blossom petals blew out of Sam's body.
The beautiful pink petals swirled around Pietro in a thick storm.
They didn't hurt him, but they carried the heavy, massive weight of Sam's Qi.
They stuck to Pietro's arms and legs. They pulled him back like thick chains.
The pink petals slowed Pietro down more and more, draining his momentum.
In just two seconds, Pietro's super speed was completely gone. He was standing completely still, wrapped up in glowing pink flowers.
He pushed and pulled with all his might, but he could not move a single muscle.
Erik quickly stepped forward.
He raised his hand, and the air immediately hummed with a deep, vibrating sound.
His control over the Earth's magnetic field was absolutely exceptional.
He carefully focused invisible magnetic waves around Pietro, gently cutting through the heavy energy of the pink petals.
Pietro gasped for air as the petals fell away.
He quickly zoomed backward, hiding safely behind his father.
Erik and Sam stood face to face.
Neither of them raised a fist, but their massive, invisible energies violently clashed in the tight room.
The small apartment began to shake.
The walls cracked, and the windows shattered.
The heavy tremor quickly spread outside, making the entire town of Sokovia rumble like a terrible earthquake.
Wanda could not let them destroy the town.
She rushed right between the two incredibly powerful men and held her hands out.
"Stop! Please!"
Wanda cried out, looking directly at Sam.
"I am so sorry for my brother. He acted without thinking. Please, do not fight my father."
Sam looked at her glowing red eyes and her brave face.
Suddenly, the terrifying pressure in the room completely vanished. The earthquake stopped.
Sam relaxed his shoulders and offered her a charming, playful smirk.
"You are very lucky, Pietro,"
Sam said smoothly, keeping his eyes on Wanda.
"I always listen to beautiful women."
Wanda felt her cheeks turn warm.
She blushed a little and quickly looked down.
She had to admit, without the scary magic flying around, the Cultivator was incredibly handsome.
Sam let out a soft breath and stopped teasing them.
His face turned completely serious again.
"I will leave you in peace today,"
Sam told them quietly.
"But I will still be keeping a very close eye on all of you. Especially you, Erik, and your Brotherhood. I know exactly how you operate. I know you think normal humans are inferior to mutants."
Erik did not deny it. He crossed his arms and looked at Sam with sharp, calculating eyes.
"If you are going to watch my Brotherhood,"
Erik asked, his voice steady.
"Will you do the same to Charles Xavier? Will you spy on the X-Men?"
Sam smiled and shook his head.
"No,"
Sam answered simply.
"I have three wives living inside that mansion. I do not need to watch the X-Men. They are my family. The only person I watch over there is Charles."
Erik raised a curious eyebrow.
"Why Charles?"
Erik asked.
"Because Charles's mind is far too twisted,"
Sam explained, his voice full of cold truth.
"He preaches about absolute peace, but he constantly invades people's minds without asking. He hides his dark secrets and controls people behind a very warm, friendly smile."
Erik stared at Sam for a long moment.
Then, a genuine, completely relieved smile broke across the old mutant's face.
"I agree with you completely, Cultivator,"
Erik said softly, feeling a sudden, deep respect for the man standing in front of him.
"I have fought him for decades. But you are the very first person I have ever met who actually sees through Charles's absolute hypocrisy."
Erik stood quietly for a moment, his sharp mind working quickly.
He looked at Sam, measuring the incredible, terrifying power the Cultivator held.
Then, a very clever, calculating idea formed in the old mutant's head.
"You said you have three wives living with the X-Men,"
Erik said slowly, his tone shifting from defensive to highly interested.
"Yes,"
Sam nodded, watching the Master of Magnetism closely.
"Because they are your wives, you protect them. You protect Charles's home,"
Erik pointed out, his eyes gleaming with a new plan.
Erik took a step forward, spreading his hands openly.
"What if you had wives inside the Brotherhood, too?"
Erik asked, completely serious.
Wanda gasped softly, looking at her father with wide eyes.
Even Pietro looked completely shocked.
They did not expect the conversation to turn out this way.
Sam raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised.
"Are you offering me an arranged marriage, Erik?"
Sam asked, a small, amused smile playing on his lips.
"I am offering an alliance,"
Erik answered smoothly, his voice full of deep, heavy purpose.
"You know exactly how cruel humans can be, Sam. They fear what they do not understand. They build weapons. They hunt us down. I am trying to build a safe place for my people."
Erik looked at his children, Wanda and Pietro, with a fierce, protective love.
"If the humans ever bring their armies to destroy us,"
Erik continued, turning his eyes back to Sam.
"The Brotherhood will need a hidden card. We need a protector. If you are tied to us by blood and family... no human army could ever touch my people."
Sam crossed his arms. He was actually impressed.
Erik was a warlord and a king. He was not blinded by naive peace like Charles Xavier.
Erik was willing to do absolutely anything to ensure his people survived, even offering his own powerful mutants to a Cultivator just to secure a political alliance.
"I have built a school for mutants, much like Charles,"
Erik offered, his voice turning into a polite invitation.
"But we teach survival, not just hiding. Come and visit my school, Cultivator. Meet my people. See what we are building."
Sam stared into the old man's sharp eyes.
He knew Erik was definitely planning something deep.
The old man was always playing a massive game of chess.
But Sam was not afraid. In fact, he was very curious about the Brotherhood in this world.
Sam smiled calmly and uncrossed his arms.
"You are definitely plotting something, old man,"
Sam chuckled softly.
"I am always plotting our survival,"
Erik answered firmly, not denying it for a second.
"Alright,"
Sam nodded, looking out the broken window at the cold Sokovian town.
"I have already fixed Tony's problem. I have a lot of free time right now. I will come to your school, Erik. Let us see what you have to offer."
Erik stepped out of the broken window into the freezing winter air.
He didn't need an airplane. He raised his hand, and a large, flat sheet of metal ripped away from an abandoned car down on the street.
The metal floated smoothly up to the window.
"Step on,"
Erik told Wanda and Pietro.
The twins carefully stepped onto the floating metal plate.
Erik used his powers to wrap a warm, invisible magnetic shield around them so the freezing wind would not hurt them.
Sam walked out of the window right after them.
A bright flash of pink light appeared beneath his feet.
His main flying sword grew wide, and he stood comfortably on the glowing blade.
"Lead the way, old man,"
Sam smiled, perfectly balanced on his sword.
Erik nodded. The metal plate shot up into the sky. Sam flew right beside them, moving just as fast.
They flew over snowy mountains and dark forests.
After a short trip, Erik began to lower them toward a massive, beautiful estate hidden deep in the wilderness.
It was a large mansion, much like Charles Xavier's school, but it felt much more fortified. It was built like a safe fortress for mutants.
They landed smoothly in the front courtyard.
Before they even stepped off the metal plate, the heavy front doors of the mansion opened.
Two women walked out to greet them.
One was a woman with striking blue skin and bright yellow eyes. It was Raven, also known as Mystique.
Walking next to her was a stunning, elegant woman wearing a completely white outfit.
She had long, perfect blonde hair. Her name was Emma Frost.
"You found them, Erik,"
Raven said, looking at Wanda and Pietro with a welcoming smile.
"I was starting to worry that the humans got to them first."
"They are safe now,"
Erik answered, stepping down onto the stone path.
Emma Frost did not look at the twins.
Her sharp, beautiful eyes were completely locked on the man standing on the glowing pink sword.
"You went to bring your children back,"
Emma said, her voice smooth and highly curious.
"But you brought a stranger to our secret home. Who is this?"
Raven turned to look at Sam. Her yellow eyes widened in surprise.
She took a step back, her body instinctively tensing up for a fight.
"How can you not remember him, Emma,"
Raven said, staring at Sam.
"You know exactly who he is."
Emma looked closer. A look of sudden recognition flashed across her elegant face.
"Oh,"
Emma whispered softly. A very charming, interested smile grew on her lips.
"The Flying Swordsman."
"Yes,"
Raven nodded, keeping her guard up.
"The man who wiped out the alien army in New York. The news talks about him all the time. He is just as famous as Tony Stark."
Emma took a slow step closer to Sam.
As a powerful telepath, she tried to read his mind, but it was like looking at a massive, calm ocean.
She couldn't read a single thought. That alone impressed her deeply.
"The news cameras do not do you justice,"
Emma purred, looking him up and down with deep appreciation.
"When we watched you control hundreds of flying swords on the television, we all agreed you were very handsome. But seeing you in person... you are truly breathtaking."
Sam chuckled softly.
His sword vanished into pink light, and his feet touched the ground.
"You are very kind,"
Sam replied with a polite bow.
Raven crossed her blue arms, looking at Erik with a highly questioning glare.
"Why is the most famous, powerful human in the world standing in our front yard, Erik?"
Raven asked directly.
"Because he is not an enemy, Raven,"
Erik explained, gesturing for Sam to follow them inside.
"He is a very special guest. And if things go well today... he might just become the greatest ally the Brotherhood has ever known."
Erik led the group through the massive wooden doors of the mansion.
He walked with pride, showing Sam the large training rooms, the quiet libraries, and the secure underground bunkers.
"This is our sanctuary, Cultivator,"
Erik said, gesturing to a group of young mutants practicing their powers in the courtyard.
"Here, we do not hide like frightened animals. We train. We prepare for the war that humans will eventually bring to our doorstep."
Sam looked around. He nodded politely, but his face looked completely bored.
He had memories of ancient cultivators.
He saw massive cosmic wars, and golden palaces floating in the stars.
A large house with a few super-powered teenagers was simply not very impressive to him.
Erik was highly observant. He quickly noticed that Sam was not amazed.
He also noticed something else.
Emma Frost had been walking closely beside Sam the entire time.
Her sharp, beautiful eyes had not left him once.
She was clearly fascinated by his calm, overwhelming energy.
Erik's mind worked quickly. He needed this alliance.
Erik stopped walking and turned to face them.
"Emma,"
Erik said, his voice dropping into a firm, kingly tone.
"You will take personal care of our guest. Make sure he has everything he desires. From this day forward, you are his woman. You will be the bridge between the Cultivator and the Brotherhood."
Wanda and Pietro stopped dead in their tracks, completely shocked by the sudden command.
But Emma didn't even blink.
She just smiled a beautiful, elegant smile and crossed her arms.
"I accept,"
Emma purred, looking right into Sam's deep eyes.
Sam sighed and shook his head slowly.
He looked at Erik with a mischievous spark in his eye.
"You are very generous, Erik,"
Sam said smoothly, pretending to think about it.
"Emma is incredibly beautiful. But... what if I want Wanda instead?"
The air in the hallway instantly froze.
Erik's face turned completely dark.
His eyes widened with sudden, blinding fury.
The metal pipes in the walls began to groan and bend under the crushing weight of his angry magnetism.
"No!"
Erik roared, stepping right in front of Wanda to shield her.
"You can have my wealth, my armies, and my best warriors! But my daughter is the absolute exception! Touch her, and we go to war right now!"
Sam burst into bright, warm laughter.
The heavy, scary tension completely shattered.
"Relax, old man,"
Sam chuckled, waving his hand to calm Erik down.
"I am just teasing you. I wanted to see if the great warlord actually cared about his children. You passed the test."
Erik took a deep breath.
He let his powers fade, but he still glared at Sam, not finding the joke funny at all.
Wanda peeked out from behind her father's shoulder.
Her face was completely bright red, but she couldn't hide a tiny, shy smile.
"I have been away from home for too long,"
Sam said, dusting off his jacket.
"My wives will be waiting for me. I have to go back."
Before he left, Sam reached into his pocket.
He pulled out two sleek, black business cards with his private secure number written in gold ink.
He smoothly handed one to Emma.
Then, he stepped past Erik and gently handed the second one to Wanda.
"If you ever need my help, call me,"
Sam told them both with a charming wink.
Erik immediately turned to his daughter.
"Do not contact him, Wanda,"
Erik ordered sternly, pointing a strict finger at the card.
"He is far too dangerous."
Emma watched the protective father and laughed. It was a rich, beautiful, and highly confident sound.
"This is too funny, and Sam…"
Emma smiled, tapping the gold numbers on her card.
"If I wasn't already interested in you, his order wouldn't have meant a thing. I only accepted because I actually want you."
Sam grinned. He liked her fiery confidence.
He walked out the front doors into the snowy courtyard.
With a bright, blinding flash of pink Qi, his massive flying sword appeared in the air.
He stepped onto the blade.
"Until next time, Brotherhood,"
Sam called out.
The sword shot into the sky like a beautiful pink shooting star, disappearing into the clouds in a matter of seconds.
Erik, Emma, Raven, and the twins stood in the snow, looking up at the empty sky.
Sam had only been there for a few minutes, but he had left an incredibly deep, unforgettable first impression on all of them.
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