Floor, walls, ceiling.
A vast network of chains erupted from every surface, snaking outward to bind Jia Ying and her followers.
Though some possessed considerable abilities—Lincoln [1]among them—none could withstand the powerful transformation magic Sebastian channeled through the Reality Stone.
Just as the chains were about to secure everyone, a figure behind Jia Ying suddenly broke free. The black hooded cloak fell away, revealing a gold and green battle suit beneath and distinctive blue skin.
Kree!
Sebastian wasn't the only one who spotted this. Medusa and the other Inhuman royals, who had been spared Sebastian's restraints and were merely bound by lighter chains, also caught sight of the fleeing alien.
Their expressions darkened as they watched the Kree warrior attempt to escape.
It seemed they weren't the only ones with hidden agendas. Jia Ying and her people clearly had their own schemes. She had been secretly coordinating with the Kree for some time, and her true purpose was now obvious.
The moment this revelation hit her, Medusa's heart sank. If not for the unexpectedly formidable resistance from S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers forcing them into this desperate situation, they might never have discovered that Jia Ying's backer was actually Kree.
After all, while Karnak—a member of their royal family—possessed the ability to identify weaknesses and analyze complex situations, that didn't mean he could see through sophisticated disguises. If Sebastian hadn't forced the Kree operative into the open, they would have remained completely in the dark.
Seeing the Kree agent, Medusa and the others abandoned their restraint and launched themselves into attack.
Their sudden charge inadvertently blocked Sebastian's extending chains, preventing him from immediately capturing the Kree. The operative took advantage of this distraction to activate his arm communicator, sending a signal to the Kree fleet.
Carol was here, along with the Inhuman Royal Family, plus S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers. This was the perfect moment for their fleet to launch a coordinated assault.
Bang!
The Kree was hammered backward by a massive club formed from Medusa's weaponized hair, slamming hard into the wall.
However, the Kree's enhanced physiology kept him conscious and relatively uninjured. He scrambled to his feet and began fighting back against Medusa and the other royals.
But before he could draw his sidearm, Sebastian's chains wrapped around him, yanking him against the wall and pinning him in place.
Seeing the captured Kree, Medusa and the others immediately closed in.
Medusa's long crimson hair snaked out, coiling around the Kree's throat and tightening until he could barely breathe.
"What's your mission here? What are you after?" Medusa demanded. "Answer quickly, or don't blame me for what comes next!"
"Kree... never... surrender!"
"You..."
Medusa began tightening her grip, but Sebastian approached and raised his hand.
"Leave him to me. Whether he wants to talk or not, there are no secrets I can't uncover."
Hearing Sebastian's words and remembering the power they'd witnessed, Medusa and the others stepped back without hesitation. Medusa withdrew her hair as well.
Just then, Sebastian raised his wand and, as if suddenly remembering something important, addressed Medusa and the others. "If you have no intention of starting a war with the Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D., then you need to stop that fight—especially between your king and Carol.
"Carol was once manipulated by the Kree, but she was also their victim. She's originally from Earth and accidentally gained her powers. I don't know why she's returned now, but she's definitely not Kree—she's a true Earthling. Separate them and end this fight!"
Without waiting to see if Medusa and the others believed him, Sebastian turned his wand toward the Kree operative. Green light flashed from its tip.
Legilimency!
Emerald threads of light invaded the Kree's mind, forcibly extracting his memories.
Since Sebastian was conducting a targeted search, the process was swift. Within seconds, he had uncovered the operative's mission and what he had just accomplished. Sebastian's expression darkened immediately.
Turning to Tony, who was maintaining a vigilant watch of their surroundings, Sebastian whispered urgently, "Tony, get Fury to activate defenses immediately. These Kree are targeting all of us—and they're coming now!"
The Kree moved faster than Sebastian had anticipated. The moment he finished speaking, the New World Sky Fortress lurched violently, followed by a series of explosions and thunderous impacts. Alarms blared throughout the vessel as it began losing altitude rapidly. The sudden weightlessness would have sent everyone crashing into the ceiling if Sebastian hadn't reacted quickly to steady himself and Tony.
Seeing the Sky Fortress plummeting toward the ocean, Sebastian dissolved into black smoke and streaked outside.
Emerging above the falling fortress, Sebastian looked up to see the Kree fleet that had already broken through Earth's atmosphere and was bearing down on them. Taking a deep breath, he cast the Images of Ikonn, splitting himself into nine identical duplicates.
Three of the clones immediately joined together to cast the Shields of the Seraphim, creating a massive translucent barrier that positioned itself between the New World Sky Fortress and the attacking Kree fleet above.
Simultaneously, the other six clones spread out around the fortress and cast levitation spells in unison, gradually halting the vessel's descent and stabilizing it in mid-air.
Meanwhile, Sebastian's original form flew toward Black Bolt and Carol, who had paused their battle, and addressed them directly.
"Carol, Black Bolt and his Inhumans aren't working with our enemies. They're here to fight the Kree as well.
"And Black Bolt—Carol is no longer a Kree warrior. She protects Earth and fights as Earth's champion. Your battle serves no purpose. Rather than wasting energy fighting each other, we should deal with that Kree fleet above us."
Following Sebastian's words, Black Bolt glanced at Carol again, then nodded and turned his gaze toward the Kree ships overhead.
Carol looked at Sebastian and nodded grimly. "You're right. Instead of fighting them, I'd rather deal with those Kree fleets that clearly haven't learned their lesson."
[1] Dr. Lincoln Campbell is an Inhuman from Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. who can manipulate electricity, introduced in Season 2 as a member of the Inhuman sanctuary Afterlife. After the Inhuman War, he joined S.H.I.E.L.D., became a member of the Secret Warriors