"Report: the contents of the box have been removed."
The squad leader crouched beside the broken safe, adjusting the headset beneath his helmet as he examined the jagged metal edges.
"The container originally had a tracking device installed. However, the box has been damaged, and the contents inside had no secondary tracking measures."
He paused briefly, scanning the surrounding forest.
"Awaiting further instructions."
A cold voice answered through the communicator.
"Search the area. Look for clues."
"Yes, sir!"
The squad leader gestured sharply.
His soldiers immediately spread out, scanning the surroundings.
"Captain," one of them suddenly called out, pointing toward a nearby clearing.
Two crude tombstones stood quietly beneath a tree.
The squad leader approached and read the names carved into the stone.
"Django Maximoff… Maya Maximoff."
He activated his headset again.
"Search the database for these two individuals."
Meanwhile, far from the city center, inside a dilapidated wooden house—
Two children were hurriedly packing clothes and dried food into an old suitcase.
"We can't sell it here," the boy said firmly.
"If we try to sell something like that in Sokovia, someone will notice immediately."
The boy was Pietro Maximoff.
He picked up an old photograph of a family of four and carefully placed it into the suitcase.
Finally, he reached for the jeweled golden lamp resting beside him.
Before putting it away, he paused.
A mischievous idea crossed his mind.
"Wanda," he said with a grin.
"Doesn't this look like the magic lamp from the stories Mom used to tell us?"
His sister looked up immediately.
Her name was Wanda Maximoff.
Her large eyes sparkled.
"You mean… Aladdin's lamp?"
"The one that grants three wishes?"
Pietro chuckled.
"Of course it's real."
"But the genie inside this lamp is probably very weak."
"So it can only grant one small wish."
He handed the lamp to her.
"Want to try?"
Wanda held the lamp carefully in both hands.
"How do I make a wish?"
Despite everything they had experienced—the war, the loss of their parents, the struggle to survive—Wanda still retained the innocence of a child.
Her faint smile returned for the first time in days.
"Just like in the story," Pietro explained.
"Rub the lamp, close your eyes, and make a wish."
Then he added quickly:
"But remember—only a small wish."
"If it's too big, the genie might not be able to grant it."
"Okay!"
Wanda nodded seriously.
She hugged the lamp against her chest, closed her eyes, and gently raised her hand to rub it.
Then she hesitated.
"Pete…"
"What was that outfit called again?"
"What outfit?" Pietro asked.
"The one we saw in the store on Sonia Street."
"Oh, that."
Pietro suddenly understood.
"I asked Jennifer next door about it."
"She said it's called a JK uniform. Apparently it's a fashion style from some island country in the East."
While answering, Pietro quietly walked to the old wardrobe beside them.
From inside he took out a small box he had secretly prepared earlier.
He placed it gently in front of Wanda.
Wanda, still with her eyes closed, whispered shyly:
"Then… I wish for a JK uniform."
"That shouldn't be too difficult, right?"
She tightened her ragged coat around her thin body.
A faint blue glow suddenly emerged from the spout of the golden lamp.
The light flickered twice.
Pietro froze.
His eyes widened.
He had only intended to use the "wish" as an excuse to surprise his sister with a gift.
But the lamp…
Had actually responded.
A strange voice echoed inside Wanda's mind.
"I will try my best… to fulfill your wish."
Wanda gasped.
Her eyes snapped open.
"A… genie?"
Before she could react further—
Her entire body suddenly went limp.
Her legs gave way and she collapsed.
"Wanda!"
Pietro rushed forward in panic.
He kicked the glowing lamp aside and caught his sister before she hit the floor.
"What's wrong?!"
At that moment—
A terrified scream came from outside.
"Who are those people?!"
Pietro's heart skipped a beat.
"That's the landlady!"
He ran to the window and looked outside.
His face turned pale instantly.
A group of heavily armed soldiers was pouring into the building.
And their uniforms—
Pietro recognized them immediately.
They were the same men who had been guarding the armored truck earlier.
"They found us already…?"
His hands trembled slightly.
"Wanda, can you stand?"
He hurriedly stuffed the magic lamp into the suitcase.
"We have to leave through the back!"
Wanda's face was pale, but she forced herself to nod.
"I… I'm okay."
The siblings slipped through a narrow hallway into a neighboring building.
The old apartments were connected internally, something the soldiers hadn't realized yet.
They reached the ground floor before alarms started shouting upstairs.
"Those Maximoff brats escaped!"
"After them!"
Outside, Pietro grabbed an abandoned scavenger's cart.
"Wanda, get on!"
He could see she was barely able to walk.
Without hesitation he pushed the cart forward.
The two raced into the forest.
Behind them, soldiers burst from the building in pursuit.
Pietro gritted his teeth and ran faster.
"Hurry… hurry!"
But he was still only a child.
Even with his knowledge of the forest paths, the soldiers were gaining ground.
Then suddenly—
The sky darkened.
The sunlight vanished.
An unnatural shadow swallowed the entire forest.
"What the—?"
One soldier spoke into his communicator.
"Was there supposed to be a solar eclipse today?"
The sudden darkness confused everyone.
Meanwhile, Pietro stumbled.
His vision gone, he stepped on a loose stone and fell forward.
The cart flipped.
"Wanda!"
The ground shook violently.
A massive shape descended from above.
Something enormous caught Wanda before she could hit the ground.
A deep voice echoed through the darkness.
"Did… you summon me?"
Its tone was slow and ancient.
Yet strangely—
There was a hint of amusement in it.
Pietro slowly looked up.
Then he froze.
A colossal eye stared down at him from the darkness.
The object that had caught his sister…
Was only a single scale from the claw of the enormous creature hovering above them.
A dragon.