Sebastian stepped out of Kaecilius's Psychological Clinic, the New York air sharp with autumn's bite. A familiar car idled nearby, and Happy Hogan's broad grin greeted him as he approached.

"Happy, it's been too long," Sebastian said, warmth in his voice.

"Sebastian, you're alive!" Happy exclaimed, pulling him into a quick, hearty hug.

They parted, and Happy ushered Sebastian to the car where Tony Stark lounged in the driver's seat, sunglasses glinting. Sebastian slid in, raising an eyebrow. "Tony, why're you waiting here? Got a mission or just bored?"

Tony smirked, leaning back. "Can't a guy check on his favorite wizard without an agenda?"

Sebastian reached for the door handle, half-smiling. "If you've got nothing, I'm heading home."

"Hold up," Tony said, dropping the act. "I've got something."

Sebastian paused, settling back with a knowing look. "Spill it. The potion prescriptions I left for the pharmaceutical company should still be solid, right? No crises there?"

"Nah, the company's thriving," Tony replied, waving a hand. "Not Stark Industries-level cash, but decent. No, it's two other things. First, I'm working on a new armor—magic and tech fused. Banner and I have the tech locked down, but we need your magic to make it sing. Second, you know a guy named Victor? Victor von Doom?"

Sebastian's brow furrowed, a flicker of concern crossing his face. "What's Victor done?"

Tony leaned forward, tone serious. "S.H.I.E.L.D. says he's building some weird device, maybe tied to magic. Given your history with him, they didn't barge in guns blazing. They asked me to get the scoop from you first."

Sebastian nodded, mind racing. "I'll talk to him. Get me to the State University of New York." He paused, then added, "What about my student status there?"

Tony raised an eyebrow. "You still planning to play college kid after all this?"

Sebastian pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling. "You're right. I don't have time for classes now."

"I'll pull strings," Tony said. "Keep your status active. Go back if you want, or let it sit. Your call."

"Sounds good," Sebastian agreed, a bittersweet note in his voice. "Shame about the nearby houses, though."

Tony snorted. "Live wherever. With your magic, you could be in Antarctica and still make it to lunch here."

Sebastian chuckled, the tension easing. "Fair point."

Their banter lightened the drive, touching on potions, tech, and old times. Soon, the car pulled up at the State University of New York. Sebastian bid Tony farewell and stepped out, following a faint magical hum to Victor's private lab.

Before he could knock, raised voices spilled through the door.

"Your calculations are flawless, Reed, but this machine isn't just science!" Victor snapped. "You can't grasp it with equations alone!"

"Victor, science is the only path," Reed Richards countered, voice tight. "Your approach is reckless—idealistic at best, dangerous at worst."

"Get out, Reed," Victor growled. "Don't make me throw you out. You don't want a fight before your space mission."

"I hope you don't regret this," Reed said coldly.

The door swung open, and Reed stormed out, nearly colliding with Sebastian. He gave a curt nod, a strained smile, and walked off. Sebastian sighed, his influence was rippling, and not always for the better.

Steeling himself, Sebastian pushed open the lab door and stepped inside, ready to confront his old friend.

"Reed, I told you to focus on your own work and stay out of my—" Victor froze mid-sentence, his scowl melting into a radiant smile as Sebastian stepped into the lab. "Sebastian!"

Victor crossed the room in quick strides, enveloping Sebastian in a rare, heartfelt embrace. "I thought you were…" His voice caught, heavy with relief. As one of the few who knew Sebastian's identity as a wizard, Victor had mourned the Dark Wizard presumed dead in the New York battle. Seeing him now, alive and whole, sparked a joy he rarely showed.

Sebastian returned the hug, clapping Victor's shoulder. "Victor, I'm not that easy to kill. I was… pulled into another dimension. Took a while to get back."

He kept it vague, sidestepping talk of parallel worlds. Some truths were too dangerous, even for a friend as close as Victor. Victor, sensing the boundary, didn't press, instead launching into easy chatter about school, life, and old memories. His usual guarded demeanor softened, a side he reserved for the few he trusted—Sebastian chief among them.

After a while, Sebastian's gaze drifted to the human-sized machine dominating the lab, its sleek frame pulsing with an arcane glow. He approached, running a hand along its surface, sensing the blend of technology and magic. Like Tony's armor, it fused both disciplines, but where Tony leaned on tech, Victor's work thrummed with mystical energy.

"Victor, what's this machine for?" Sebastian asked, curiosity laced with caution.

Victor's eyes lit with purpose, though a shadow of grief lingered. "It's for my mother. Her soul was taken by Mephisto, the Lord of Hell. This device—built with meticulous design and magical theory—will pull her soul back. It's my deepest desire, Sebastian."

Sebastian nodded, understanding Victor's drive. Their friendship had grown around shared ambitions, and Victor's two goals were no secret: to free his mother's soul and to transform Latvia into a global power, lifting its people from poverty and tyranny. Victor's resolve, both noble and fierce, was why Sebastian valued him so deeply.

But as Sebastian studied the machine, a flicker of unease stirred. He extended his magical senses, invisible waves probing the device's structure. His expertise in magic far surpassed Victor's, though tech remained a weaker point. Within moments, his instincts flagged anomalies—instabilities in the magical matrix that could spell disaster.

"Victor, three magical circuits are flawed," he said, voice steady but urgent. "They seem stable now, but when you activate this, Hell's power will surge back. These circuits are too weak to handle the backlash."

Victor's trust in Sebastian was absolute. His face darkened as he stepped forward, scanning the machine. After a moment, he nodded grimly, confirming Sebastian's findings. "You're right," he admitted, fatigue creeping into his voice. "I overlooked the reverse flow from Hell."

Sebastian outlined other issues—unstable runes, misaligned energy conduits—each point deepening Victor's silence. The weight of his mother's soul hung heavy, and exhaustion etched lines into his face.

"Sebastian," Victor murmured, voice raw, "is there no way forward? Do I have to abandon this?"

Sebastian sat beside him, empathy softening his tone. "I'll help with the magic, Victor, to the best of my ability. But the tech—are you sure it's sound?"

Victor stared at the machine, silent, his pride warring with doubt.

"My advice?" Sebastian continued. "We wait until your skills grow sharper, or we bring in someone stronger in tech. The three of us—together—could make this work. It's your call, and I'll back you either way."

Victor exhaled, shoulders slumping. "You're right. My mother's soul matters more than my ego. I'll find Reed. Wait here—I think the three of us can do this."

Sebastian's chest lighten with respect. Victor's pride was legendary, yet for his mother, he'd set it aside to reconcile with Reed after their clash. As Victor left, Sebastian settled at a lab desk, sketching magical circuits with precise wand movements, refining the machine's mystical framework.

—-

The door creaked open, and Reed Richards entered, his sharp eyes assessing the lab. Older than Sebastian and Victor, he carried the quiet confidence of a scientific titan. Sebastian rose, offering a warm smile. "Reed, I'm Sebastian."

Reed shook his hand, grip firm. "I've heard of you, Sebastian. Your talents rival Ivy League seniors, yet you stepped away from studies. A shame—you could've been among the top scientific minds."

Sebastian chuckled, unfazed. "Funny, I was about to say the same of you. But science isn't the only path to truth. I focus on magic, like Victor, though he balances both. We need your expertise, Reed. We've got the magic covered, but the tech needs your touch."

Reed's brow furrowed, intrigued. "Magic… another system of science, perhaps?"

Sebastian's eyes lit with admiration. Reed's mind was as sharp as rumored. "Exactly. Magic's just science from another angle. Together, we'll fuse them to build a machine that fulfills Victor's goal."

Reed nodded, a spark of curiosity igniting. As Victor returned, the trio gathered around the machine, this collaboration could save Victor's mother, but Mephisto's shadow loomed, and the risks of tampering with Hell were all too real.