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New York City
The Green Goblin's shrill, manic laughter echoed across the rooftops as the portal snapped shut, leaving Justin Hammer and Iron Man nowhere to be seen. Peter crouched low on the ledge of a nearby building, his heartbeat thundering in his chest as he stared at the deranged villain.
He was used to dealing with crazy people, this was New York after all. But even his time as Spider Man couldn't prepare him for just how crazy the Green Goblin was. Couldn't he see that nothing had changed for him?
"What are you going to do now!?" Norman Osborn bellowed, his voice vibrating with manic energy. He gripped one of his pumpkin bombs, the glowing orange casing casting a sickly light over his twisted and demented grin. "Your hero is gone! There's no one left to save you!"
Peter couldn't help himself. It wasn't his fight anymore, strictly speaking - Hammer Industries had arrived to clean up the mess - but the sight of the Goblin's smug and deranged face ignited something petty inside him. The quip rolled off his tongue before he could stop it.
"Are you legally blind? Is that it? Do you need a guide dog to run that glider for you?" Peter shot back, as he looked on in disbelief at the Goblins' good mood.
Osborn's smile faltered for a fraction of a second, before twisting into a furious snarl. "Quip all you want, insect! But your HERO is not here!" He spat. His voice cracked slightly, the raw edge of his rage giving him an almost inhuman quality.
Peter's tiny smile only widened, though the sight of Osborn's face - so deluded, so vicious - sent a chill down his spine. "You really need to look around, man," He said casually, though his shoulders remained tense, his muscles coiled like springs.
He was ready to move at a moment's notice if the madman attacked him again. Gwen should be fine now that Hammer Industries was here, so he only needed to keep his wits about him for a few more moments. He still couldn't help but add more fuel to the fire though, "I knew you were crazy, but are you like, on something? I know a guy, rehab isn't shameful, you know?"
For a moment, Osborn's bloodshot eyes darted around the battlefield, only now seemingly coming to the realization that he was still surrounded.
His focus on Justin Hammer had blinded Osborn for a moment, and the enraged hiss that erupted from his lips as Osborn realized it, made Peter feel quite smug as reality set in for the villain.
Peter thought it was nice to get to see a villain dealt with without dozens of bruises or a cracked rib on his part. He sat down on the ledge, legs dangling as he prepared to just watch the show, only geeking out a little to get to see the H.A.M.M.E.R team up close.
If only he had popcorn right now…
"I would suggest you stand down, Mr. Goblin, it would be far easier on you." Storm's voice rang out coolly, her tone carrying a casual authority that made the hair on Peter's neck stand up. Or it could be the feeling of lightning in the air.
Osborn's gaze snapped downward just as Storm drifted into view, hovering effortlessly in the sky below him. Her long, white hair streamed behind her like a banner, and her piercing gaze pinned Osborn in place. A faint smile played on her lips as she lifted a hand in a small, taunting wave. The rippling energy surrounding her made the air hum with electricity as sparks flickered around her.
Peter tore his gaze away quickly, cheeks heating up. Stop staring, stop staring, stop staring, he berated himself. It wasn't his fault Storm's uniform was... Form-fitting, to say the least. You have a girlfriend! He reminded himself again, cheeks pinking as Storm caught him looking, again.
He was never going to be able to look her in the face ever again! Don't stare Parker! He chided himself.
From the rooftops on either side of the Green Goblin, the other reinforcements made their presence known. Electro stood on one building, arcs of electricity dancing between his fingers. The bright, crackling light illuminated his sharp grin, his expression radiating excitement.
"Showtime, Babycakes!" Electro yelled excitedly, throwing out his arms. A beam of electricity erupted from his hands, cutting through the air toward Osborn and his Glider.
He shrieked in rage and hate, hurling himself off his glider at the last second to avoid being fried, even as the Glider attempted to get out of the way. The Glider took some damage, parts of it sparking on its left wing, as it couldn't fully avoid the blast, before it shot down towards Osborn's falling form, moving to catch its master - but before it could reach him, the Scorpion, perched on the opposite rooftop, fired a shoulder-mounted cannon that had tracked Osborn's descent. A high-pitched sonic wave tore through the air, hammering both the Osborn and his glider with brutal force.
The glider spiraled out of control, slamming into the side of a building with a screech of tearing metal. Osborn himself hit and went through the walls of the apartment building Electro stood on, bouncing like a ragdoll through an apartment before crashing into the debris he'd made, his skull still ringing from the sonic blast.
"Man, that was your shot, not mine. I'm not paying for the damages," Electro called across the rooftops, pointing an accusatory finger at Scorpion.
Scorpion's voice crackled through his speakers. "You're standing on it. Your building, your responsibility Max."
Electro stomped his foot angrily, "Man, that's some bullshit, Frank!"
Peter blinked as he watched the banter play out, unable to help the slight fanboy grin tugging at his lips. He'd seen these guys in action on the news, but watching them work up close was a whole other level.
"Boys," Storm called, her voice lilting with amusement. "Argue after you grab the lunatic."
Osborn clawed his way out of the rubble, his armor twisted and scorched. "You think this is over!?" He screeched, a pumpkin bomb already in his hand as he jumped on his returning Glider. "I'll -"
He never got the chance to finish.
Storm sighed, rolling her eyes before she lifted a single hand. The wind shifted sharply, a sudden, deafening roar of air filling the space between buildings, as a swirling tornado materialized around Osborn. The bombs he hurled were snatched up instantly, spiraling harmlessly into the sky as the wind carried them far out of reach.
Peter's jaw dropped as he clung to the side of the building for balance, watching the effortless display of power. "Holy shit," He blurted out before he could stop himself, his voice inaudible to the others, unable to carry over the noise.
Osborn's indignant scream as he was tossed into the sky, his bombs out of reach, was cut off as the Vulture descended like a missile from the heavens, slamming into him with brutal force. The villain's body crunched into the side of yet another building, the glider's remnants scattering in pieces as Vulture's razor-edged wings slashed through the machinery with a screech of metal on metal.
Peter moved on instinct, firing a web that stuck the Green Goblin to the wall before his battered body could slide any farther. It wasn't even a conscious thought - just muscle memory at this point.
Unfortunately, that also meant everyone's attention turned to him.
Peter froze as Storm hovered up to him, her feet drifting gracefully to the rooftop as she set down. She offered him a gentle, knowing smile. "It's quite alright. Thank you for the assist, young man."
He nodded quickly, his face burning as he fought to maintain any semblance of composure. Be cool, Parker. Be cool.
Do. Not. Look. Down. He inwardly yelled as he struggled to maintain eye contact.
Storm's gaze held a flicker of amusement, like she knew exactly what he was struggling with. That somehow made it worse.
This was Black Cat all over again!
"Hey, he's the Spider Boy, right?" Electro shouted from his rooftop, leaning on the edge with a grin. "I've seen his stuff. He's the guy on YouTube, man!"
"It's Spider Man!" Peter shouted back automatically, his voice cracking slightly with indignation. He regretted it immediately, don't shout at the super team! He chastised himself, screaming on the inside.
"Spider Boy," Vulture chimed in, his mechanical wings humming with power as he hovered effortlessly in the air. "Pretty sure that's what we're going with, especially with his cute crush on Storm so obvious."
Peter groaned internally. Why? Why now? In front of Storm?
"Never mind all that!" Electro called again, clapping his hands together with excitement. "Come on, he's gotta be on the team, right? Dude's cool. I saw his shit. He's, like, the real deal!"
"Electro follows me?" Peter muttered to himself, blinking in disbelief. This was the weirdest day ever. And that was saying a lot, considering some of the… Characters he'd interacted with as Spider Man.
"We know all about you." A cool voice said from behind him, as he almost fell off the ledge, before looking back and seeing Captain friggin' America standing there.
Sure it was the new Captain America, but still! Captain America knew who he was! Peter decided that if he died right now, it was okay.
Storm chuckled softly, the sound warm and genuine. "Of course we know about you, Spider Man. You've done a good job holding the streets together around here, we've noticed and appreciate your efforts."
Peter's brain short-circuited for a moment. Storm also knows about me!? He couldn't stop himself from stammering out, "R-really?" The squeak in his voice made him want to throw himself off the building immediately. Way to go Parker! He thought, feeling himself blushing.
He especially felt it, as the Vulture immediately cackled, "Spider Boy! See, it's more fitting!" Mocking him.
Storm smiled knowingly at him however, patting him gently on the shoulder. "With your identity revealed, you should come with us," She said gently, her tone kind but firm. "Just to sort everything out, for your own good."
Peter hesitated, glancing down at the crowd below. He knew what she meant - his face was already all over the place no doubt. There was no hiding anymore. But his mind immediately went to Gwen, lost somewhere in that sea of people.
"My girlfriend…" He began, his voice quieter. "She's down there."
Storm's expression softened. "Gwen Stacy, right? We'll pick her up as well."
Peter's head snapped up, wide-eyed. "How -" He started, then stopped himself. Of course they knew. They were Hammer Industries. They seemed to know everything.
He normally found that creepy, but right now, somehow, it only felt right…
He nodded numbly, processing the whirlwind of events as Vulture dragged the now screaming Norman Osborn through one of the remaining orange portals. With the Goblin dealt with and the crowd cheering, the chaos was completely over before it could even begin to cause any real casualties.
Storm turned back to him after speaking softly to someone using one of the mental implants Hammer Industries was selling everywhere, offering her hand. "Come on, Spider Man. It's time to move out of the public's eye, let us help clean this up for you."
Peter hesitated for a split second longer, his mind racing with a thousand doubts. But looking at Storm, at the calm confidence in her expression and the steady way she extended her hand, he felt something click into place.
The Green Goblin had torn what he had left of his world apart. His identity was out there. There was no going back to the life he had before.
But maybe - just maybe - this was a chance to build something new.
Peter swallowed hard, straightened his shoulders, and took Storm's hand.
He just hoped he'd stop embarrassing himself, at least.
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HammerOne, space station.
Tony and Justin crashed through the swirling orange portal, tangled together in a blur of limbs and armor as they tumbled across the smooth, polished floor of the space station. The weight of Tony's Iron Man armor sent them skidding farther than either anticipated until they finally came to a graceless stop, Justin sprawled on top of Tony's chest.
Tony's faceplate retracted with a hiss, revealing his deadpan expression as he looked up at Justin, who appeared to be equally annoyed with their position. "Snap a pic of this," Tony quipped dryly, "And we'll be on the cover of GQ Magazine by tomorrow. I can practically taste the homoeroticism already."
Justin's lip curled into a smirk, and he pushed himself up and off Tony, brushing imaginary dust from his tailored Armani suit. "Always the jester, Tony," Justin said, his voice dripping with superiority as he straightened his lapels. "Even when you're begging me for a favor, you can't help but make light of it, after bowling me over like a common brute as well…"
Tony didn't bother responding verbally. Instead, the arc reactor in his chest hummed to life, thrusters firing as he shot off the floor and hovered mid-air, rising just enough to make sure he loomed over Justin. With his arms crossed and his expression locked somewhere between smug and suspicious, Tony peered down at him. "Hey, let's get one thing straight - first off, I'm not begging for anything. Secondly…" Tony trailed off, his brows knitting as his eyes went distant for a moment as he listened to the diagnostics being fed to him by Jarvis. "Hold on. What the hell?"
He closed his face plate, Justin just giving him a smug look as Tony scanned him openly, uncaring about the number of weapons pointed at him by the many, many hot women in tight bodysuits around them.
His expression turned incredulous as the readings scrolled faster. The armor's sensors were feeding him data that didn't make sense. That was just not possible, by any scientific variable he could lean on.
"Jarvis, I know it's been a weird day, but does Justin Hammer's energy signature read like he's giving off enough power to tell the Sun to stop being embarrassing and start lifting? That can't be right. I mean, look at him." Tony gestured with both hands, his voice laden with disbelief. "The guy's a dork!"
Justin felt an eye twitch, but otherwise kept his smug calmness. It wasn't everyday someone like Tony came face to face with a God, after all.
Jarvis' calm, ever-reliable voice filtered into Tony's helmet. "The system is functioning at optimal levels, sir. I can confirm the energy readings are accurate, though I have no explanation for their source."
Tony blinked, then looked at Justin more closely. "You hear that, Hammer? Even Jarvis thinks you're impossible. So fess up? What is it? Steroids? Super Soldier Serum straight to the testicles? You got to be juicing something..."
Justin didn't reply immediately. Instead, he continued smiling - a smug, knowing smile that sent a ripple of unease through Tony's gut. He tilted his head ever so slightly, his eyes narrowing with amusement. "First time standing in the presence of a god, huh, Tony?"
Tony froze mid-hover, processing the words. Then, slowly, he muttered, "Oh great. He's gone crazy. Crazier." The faceplate hissed back to reveal Tony's full look of disbelief, and he rubbed a gauntleted hand across his face like a man trying to scrub away a migraine. "It's not like I couldn't see this coming, what with the megalomania, naming everything after yourself, the man slut with a harem thing -"
"...Don't throw rocks in glasshouses, Tony." Justin interrupted, fairly annoyed at this point. He was tempted to showcase his power, but it wasn't really the best occasion for it, so he resisted his need to put the man in his place.
Pepper was missing, he'd give him a break, this time.
"Why does everyone use that!? It makes perfect sense to throw rocks in a glasshouse!" Tony complained, throwing his arms up.
"Tony, focus. You called me, remember, you're only here because I'm doing you a favor." Justin said, some of his irritation leaking through.
"Jarvis, go ahead and run a system reboot because there's no way my scanners are working properly." Tony said, completely ignoring him.
"Sir, I assure you -"
Justin raised a hand to interrupt, his tone unusually patient. "Before you waste more of my time unnecessarily, I'd like a word with Jarvis."
Tony raised an eyebrow, having slid back his face plate again, ending his hovering as his feet touched the floor. "Oh? What do you say, Jarvis? Feel like entertaining the man with the God complex?"
Jarvis sighed, which for an AI, meant he was showcasing his exasperation. "Sir, I must remind you that we came here seeking cooperation. Perhaps civility would serve us better than sarcasm."
Justin nodded approvingly, fixing his gaze on one of the sensors in Tony's suit as if addressing Jarvis directly. "I just wanted to say thank you." His voice softened ever so slightly. "Thank you for helping Nail when she needed it."
Tony was as always, entirely annoying to work with, but Jarvis was fine, he might be the most evolved Nanny in the world, but he was good at his job. And Justin wouldn't disregard someone who'd helped one of his.
Tony blinked, his smug expression faltering. "Oh-ho, Jarvis. Looks like you've got approval from her dad. How does that make you feel? Are you ready to go to the next level? You and your little AI girlfriend saving the day and getting frisky together?" He waggled his eyebrows like a mischievous teenager.
"Sir…" Jarvis protested, his voice flat with exasperation.
Justin wasn't much better, sighing at the other man's penchant for making every situation irritating. They still could do nothing but wait, and both men knew it, so he could excuse it as nervous energy, but he could only take the other man in small doses like this.
Before Tony could push the joke any further, a shimmering light appeared next to Justin. Nail's holographic avatar materialized - a sleek, confident female figure glowing faintly, her expression appeared neutral, yet her eyes immediately sought out Jarvis sensors.
"Thank you, Jarvis," Nail said quietly, inclining her head ever so slightly.
For a moment, Tony's sarcasm died entirely as he turned to stare at her projection. "Okay, hold on - this is Nail? This is the AI that's been cleaning up your messes, Hammer?" He leaned back slightly, processing. "She's - well, she's you, but a girl. That's weird. And more narcissistic than even I thought you were." He threw his hands out helplessly, "And that's saying something since you're now calling yourself a god…"
Justin was about to retort when Jarvis - clearly tired of his creators comments - activated the holographic projector in Tony's suit. Another figure appeared next to Tony - an equally faint but unmistakable holographic man with a sharp goatee, the perfect depiction of Tony Stark himself. The room fell silent for half a beat.
And then there were muffled snickers from the technicians in the background, the Widows good enough to hide them, but no doubt echoing the feeling.
Domino wasn't even bothering to hide her own amusement.
Justin pinched the bridge of his nose. "I swear to god…" The gossip chain at Hammer Industries would have a field day with this one, he thought.
Tony turned to Jarvis's holographic form, blinking owlishly. "Jarvis… You went with me as your avatar?" He paused, looking from Nail in a female Justin Hammer avatar, to Jarvis in his Tony Stark avatar, "Any other time I'd be flattered, buddy, right now… I have mixed feelings."
"Given the circumstances," Jarvis replied smoothly, his digital form crossing its arms in an identical pose to Tony, "I thought it appropriate for my interactions with Miss Nail." Sharing a small smile with his AI contemporary.
Nail cocked her head at Jarvis, her expression mirroring the patented Hammer smugness with a smile of her own. "Well, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Also, he wears it better than you do, Mr. Stark, so no need to worry."
"Oh no," Tony muttered, his voice tinged with real horror. "You're flirting. You two are flirting. Looking like me and Hammer!"
"Sir, that is immaterial," Jarvis replied, though his holographic projection flickered as if embarrassed.
"Enough!" Justin barked, exasperated. "Nail, Jarvis, deactivate your avatars. Now." The two holographic figures blinked out of existence immediately, leaving behind a faint shimmer of static in the air. Justin turned to glare at Tony. "Can we focus on the serious business now, Stark? Or do you want to keep playing matchmaker for our AI?"
He wasn't thrilled either by their forms, but he also wasn't a child, like his rival was, whenever Pepper wasn't around to keep him on track.
Tony held up his hands in mock surrender, though his grin was back. "Hey, you brought it on yourself. Your creepy daughter AI has a thing for Jarvis, and you -" He paused, sobering slightly as the humor drained from his voice as he switched tacks to the serious subject they'd been avoiding. "You're telling me Pepper is safe, no matter what? You better not be screwing around on this one, Justin…"
Justin's expression hardened, his earlier smugness replaced by something far colder. "I know exactly where my hostage is at all times. She's fine. The Mandarin won't kill her. Worst case, if Miss Potts is kept separate from mine, I'll send someone to infiltrate his base to make sure of her whereabouts, before we level the place."
They'd of course been in contact through Nail and Jarvis ever since the Mandarin made his threats. Tony was many things, a manchild, a moron, a slave to his neuroses and wants, but he wasn't stupid. Hence why the fool kept trying to distract himself, as they waited for the time to strike.
Justin had enough of the court jester however, so if he could drag Tony back to being the Merchant of Death instead, that was better for his own sanity right now..
Tony clenched his fists, the joints of his armor creaking faintly. His voice dropped, low and dangerous. "You'd better be right. Because if anything happens to her -"
"I'm right," Justin interrupted firmly. His eyes glinted, and there was something in the way he said it - something dark, something vicious - that made Tony pause. "I don't make promises lightly, Stark."
Tony forced himself to relax, his hands falling back to his sides. He didn't like this - none of it - but Justin had a track record of keeping his word when it came down to serious business. And if Hammer's hostage was alive, then so was Pepper. For now. He had to believe it.
Without Pepper…
Tony would burn it all down.
"The Mandarin won't be fooled for long," Tony warned, starting to pace. "Tackling you through that portal wasn't a subtle move. He'll know something's up when nothing else happens."
They'd both decided that a public fight between the two of them wasn't worth the hassle, it would become too obvious, too quickly, that they weren't really trying to kill each other.
Justin smiled faintly, a predatory gleam in his eye. "It's not meant to fool him for long. The Mandarin's been avoiding electronic communication except for his little show-and-tell with you. By the time he hears a report about your 'attack' on me, it'll take a while before he can confirm nothing happened afterwards. That's all the time we need."
Helen Cho hadn't moved for a bit now, so he was fairly certain they had their location. By the time the Mandarin heard back from the outside world, it would be too late.
"I'm not waiting any longer," Tony said, his voice sharp. "I want this done now, you said she's not moving, right? So check now."
Justin's smile grew cruel, and for the first time, Tony noticed the faint glow emanating from behind Justin's eyes. It was subtle, but it sent a chill through him as he felt a pressure almost pushing down on him.
"We're not waiting," Justin replied, his tone deadly calm. "This ends today, but I suppose as a favor to you, we can move right now, although if you take that tone with me again…" He warned, the pressure increasing around them.
Tony stared at him for a beat longer, feeling himself gulp as sweat poured down his face, then he nodded. "Good." His thrusters flared as he hovered again, testing all his combat systems, his suit humming with barely restrained power. "Let's get to work then."
He kept a wary sensor and eye on Hammer as he did, not sure what that feeling was, but not wanting to be under it again.
Justin watched him for a moment longer, his smile lingering as he turned and strode toward the control panels and their operators.
It was time.
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Ten Rings Main Base, Kunlun Mountains, China.
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
Xu Wenwu, also known as the Mandarin, the legendary immortal leader of the Ten Rings, stood with an air of unyielding authority on the stone balcony overlooking the expansive courtyard of his secluded mountain fortress.
Pulling back to his roots had been good in many ways, it had cut away the sloth in his men, and brought him back to the ruthless conqueror he'd been before he had allowed modern conveniences to weaken him.
The sun was high in the sky, its golden rays illuminating the disciplined chaos below. His children, Shang-Chi and Xialing, stood beside him - Shang-Chi, a boy of ten with a posture already attempting to mirror his father's rigidity, and Xialing, a girl of six who he hoped one day would match her mother in beauty - without her foolish sentiments.
Her death might be the only one he'd ever feel the slightest sorrow over. But her continued refusal to lead him to the dimensional space she'd hailed from - had eventually led to the only possible outcome.
Her torture and death at his hands.
Asia was his after all, this included any other dimension which hid within its confines. It was irritating that he'd have to wait, but Shang-chi or Xialing would one day lead him and his men through.
Even with her refusal to cooperate, with her spitting on their marriage vows to obey her husband, he'd felt a stirring of pride at the woman he'd married. Even at the end, with his hands around her throat, she'd never once broken and detailed the way through to his goal. Truly a woman worthy of his love even in death.
He'd never found one like her in the years after.
In the courtyard below them, his elite warriors of the Ten Ring, engaged in rigorous training. Pairs of combatants sparred with lethal precision, their movements a symphony of martial prowess unmatched on Earth. The metallic clang of weapons striking resonated through the crisp air. Some practiced with traditional Chinese weapons - jian swords flashing in the light, guandao blades sweeping in deadly arcs - while others demonstrated unarmed combat, their fists and feet moving in blurs, executing strikes and counterstrikes with impeccable timing.
Wenwu's gaze was inscrutable. He had spent centuries amassing power, his immortality granted by the mystical Ten Rings adorning his forearms. Yet, in this modern age, he understood that brute strength alone was insufficient. The world had evolved, and so had the nature of control. He'd let time pass by without paying proper attention to happenings outside of Asia, his fault, in the end.
He'd grown too lax, and had waited too long to strike against his enemies.
Yet, he was the Mandarin, he had the Ten Rings, he would prevail.
His recent maneuvers against Hammer Industries had been calculated to perfection. Through covert operations, he had orchestrated moves that destabilized their supply chains, orchestrated attacks to cripple their physical and technological infrastructure, killing his people and weakening his reputation Each move was a deliberate stroke, weakening the foundation of Justin Hammer's empire without direct confrontation with the man himself.
The idea, to weaken the man one bite at a time, until an opening presented itself. And it had. As he'd known would happen.
The acquisition of his trump cards brought a cold smile to Wenwu's lips. Pepper Potts, the woman Tony Stark cherished above all else, was now his captive. And within the confines of his domain, Dr. Helen Cho, carrying the unborn child of Justin Hammer, remained under his watchful eye.
He understood these men, and that is why he had won. Tony Stark above all else craved acceptance and love. He would do anything to not lose his wife.
Justin Hammer worked like a man possessed, innovating and running through the economy and business world like a raging bull in a fine china shop. No man worked so frantically for no reason. Wenwu had found the reason.
Legacy.
Justin Hammer wanted to be remembered as the most powerful man in Earth's history, and leave a monument behind for his line.
His child would be the most important thing for such a man.
He didn't care whether Hammer killed Stark, or Stark killed Hammer, or even if both survived. It would simply be proof over the men of the kind of pull he has over them.
He doubted that particular ploy would even work against Stark anyway, but it amused him to cause more emotional turmoil amongst his enemies.
It would make them easier to handle once they inevitably were forced into his temporary service.
Of course, Hammer would have to die eventually, but he could use his legacy for some… Benefits for his own goals, before he allowed the man to finally die.
He glanced at his son, Shang-Chi, whose eyes were fixed on the warriors below, absorbing every detail of their combat. "Strength is not merely a matter of muscle and skill," Wenwu intoned, his voice resonant with the weight of experience. "True power lies in understanding the weaknesses of your adversaries and exploiting them to your advantage."
Shang-Chi would study the downfall of Justin Hammer one day, and understand his father's words, Wenwu hoped.
Xialing, standing on the other side of her father, looked up, her expression a blend of curiosity and determination. "Is that why you have taken these people, Father? To use them against their loved ones?"
Bright, even for one so young. If only she'd been born a male…
Wenwu's gaze softened marginally anyway as he regarded his daughter, his reminder of his beloved. "Every man harbors a weakness," He explained. "For Tony Stark, it is the woman he loves. For Justin Hammer, it is his desperate desire to leave a legacy through his child. By holding what they value most, I command their actions without lifting a sword."
Below, a particularly fierce bout drew their attention. Two senior warriors engaged in a display of acrobatic combat, their movements fluid yet forceful. One executed a soaring leap, twisting mid-air to deliver a kick that his opponent narrowly deflected, countering with a rapid series of palm strikes that drove the attacker back.
"Observe them," Wenwu instructed his children. "Their bodies are weapons, honed to perfection. Yet, even the sharpest blade is useless if the mind wielding it is clouded. Control the mind, and the body will follow."
Shang-Chi nodded solemnly, absorbing his father's teachings. Xialing, though silent, clenched her small fists, her resolve hardening.
Wenwu continued, his tone contemplative. "I have spent lifetimes conquering nations, toppling governments, bending the will of countless men. Yet, it is through understanding and manipulating the desires and fears of others that I have achieved true dominance."
He turned to his children, his expression one of stern expectation. "You are my heirs. One day, the weight of this empire will rest upon your shoulders. Remember, brute force is a tool, but intellect and strategy are the keys to ruling the world."
They needed ambition… Even if he would never let go of the reins of his empire, they could still be of use, perhaps his son could create his own outside of Asia?
As the training session in the courtyard reached its zenith, the warriors moved in perfect synchrony, a choreographed dance of death and discipline. The sight was both beautiful and terrifying - a manifestation of Wenwu's relentless pursuit of perfection.
It was why he was the greatest mind on Earth after all, because he sought perfection in all things.
"With Stark and Hammer under my control," Wenwu declared, his voice tinged with satisfaction, "I hold the strings that make the most powerful men in the world dance to my tune. This, my children, makes me the most powerful man on this earth."
The sun climbed higher, casting its light upon the fortress - a bastion of power built over centuries, now poised to shape the future under the unyielding will of Xu Wenwu and the legacy he was forging through his progeny.
Hammer sought to build his own legacy?
Perhaps Wenwu would let his son use the scraps of Hammer's business empire to rise up and craft his own as a test.
Yes…
That would be a worthy test of his heir.
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HammerOne, Space station.
Tony and Justin stood side by side in the control center of the space station, tension radiating off them like heat waves. Monitors displayed fragmented images of the Mandarin's hidden compound deep in the mountains of China. The air buzzed with anticipation as they waited for their Black Widow operative to report back.
Nearby, Hela sprawled lazily across an improbable pile of plush pillows. Where she had procured them - or why she even needed them - was anyone's guess. She looked more like a languid predator lounging after a feast than a goddess of death waiting for battle. A black, shimmering necrosword twirled in her fingers with unnerving ease, catching the light of the room.
"Can I kill them yet?" Hela's voice broke through the silence, low and dangerously bored. Her eyes gleamed with sharp impatience and bloodlust.
Justin didn't even look up from the monitors. "Soon," He replied flatly, his tone clipped. His focus remained locked on the Widow's progress, one screen showing nothing but a blinking dot on a GPS screen, showcasing the hidden operative moving through the Mandarins base.
Tony shot Hela a wary glance, the frown on his face deepening. He leaned slightly toward Justin and muttered out of the corner of his mouth, "Are you sure she's stable? Because I'm not convinced."
Justin smirked faintly, eyes still glued to the monitor. "She's definitely not."
Tony scoffed, throwing his hands up as he began to pace again. "And you're going to send her where Pepper is? Really? That's your plan?"
Justin finally turned to look at him, raising an eyebrow. "No, I'm going to send her down to kill everything else once Pepper is safe. I know what I'm doing, Tony, man up a little." He criticized him, his own focus on the final end of the Mandarin, not really caring too much about Tony's feelings right now.
Pepper would be fine, as would Helen, Tony needed to learn to trust that Justin knew what he was doing.
Tony paused mid-step, as he weighed the response. After a beat, he nodded reluctantly. "Alright then, it's decided. You're a dick."
Justin scoffed, "Choke on it, Tony."
Domino sniggered in the corner, "Boss, you're not helping the rumours." She pointed out mirthfully.
"This waiting is stressing me out, when are we going!?" Tony growled, stomping forward until he was right by the monitors.
"When the boss says so, learn your place." Yelena snapped, having grown more and more annoyed the more Tony complained.
"If you're about to say my place is underneath him, I'm going to hurl." Tony said matter of factly.
"Hot." Domino said with a shit eating grin.
Justin didn't even look at her as he pointed at her, "One more word out of you, and I'll make you Hela's sparring partner."
Hela smirked where she lounged, giving Domino a lustful look, Domino rearing back slightly, miming zipping her lips.
Tony gave them both a long considering look, "Hot." He muttered, before smirking at Justin, showing he did it only to continue to mess with him.
At this point he almost wanted to hit the Mandarin early just to get the man off his space station.
The room fell silent again afterwards, except for the faint hum of electronics and Tony's impatient pacing. Every few moments, his eyes darted toward the monitors, scanning for any sign of Pepper. He didn't like waiting. He hated waiting.
"Is she there yet?" Tony asked sharply, his voice tight with barely contained frustration.
Justin closed his eyes briefly as if summoning patience. "Tony... Don't make me send you for a timeout."
"Am I five?" Tony shot back, his sarcasm masking his worry. "Just give me something. Anything."
Justin didn't bother answering. Instead, with a flick of his fingers, he opened a small orange portal that showcased the "Welcome to Malibu" sign. "I don't need you to rescue them." He reminded him coldly.
Tony's jaw clenched. "Unfair, bullshit magic," He muttered, scowling.
Justin allowed himself a faint smirk. He had enjoyed proving magic's existence to Tony - just enough to remind him who was in charge here. For all of Tony's brilliance, his stubbornness made these moments of clear superiority all the sweeter.
It had taken a copious amount of proof to get the man to admit magic was maybe, perhaps, a tiny bit real.
But it had shut him up.
For a few minutes.
"Sir," A Black Widow operative at the controls reported, breaking the tension. "The Widow reports eyes on Miss Potts. Two guards with her."
Justin's head snapped up, his expression sharpening into something cold and predatory. "Hela. Tony. We're ready." Power wafted over him as his heart beat faster in anticipation. "Let's break them."
Tony's armor whined softly as it activated fully, his helmet snapping into place. Hela sat up straight, a grin stretching across her face, as her necrosword solidified into something even darker, jagged, and lethal. She looked positively giddy at the opportunity to participate in a slaughter with no restrictions.
Justin focused, his eyes narrowing as he honed in on the location of Helen Cho and his operative who was right outside Pepper Potts location.
Time to get rid of the Mandarins pathetic attempts to fuck around.
…
Helen Cho's Cell.
Helen Cho sat alone in the sterile confines of her tiny cell. It was dark, cold, and bare, save for the flickering glow of the lights overhead.
She hadn't been fed yet, and neither did the cell have access to any way of relieving herself.
Yet, Helen didn't despair. She didn't cry. She didn't rage at her captors. No, she sat with perfect calm, her hands resting over her stomach protectively as she whispered under her breath.
"He's coming."
Her voice was quiet but full of unwavering faith. Her mind turned to Justin Hammer - the God she revered, the God whose vision had changed the world. Others called her loyalty fanaticism, but Helen knew better. She believed in him with all her being because it was right. She knew he wouldn't let her rot here. He would come for her. He would save her.
Her God was a vengeful one.
He would ensure the non-believers would pay for their heretical behavior.
Maya would be brought back, or at the very least if that wasn't an option for her, forever be with her God in the afterlife. She did not mourn her, being with her God forevermore wasn't sad.
It was a gift.
Helen's lips curved into a small smile. She tilted her head upward, closing her eyes as if offering a prayer, almost feeling his touch. "Glory to Hammer," She whispered, giggling softly.
Then it happened.
The ground beneath her feet glowed orange, and in the blink of an eye, the floor disappeared as the portal came into being underneath her. Helen let out a sharp breath as she fell through the portal, her body weightless for a split second before solid ground caught her gently on the other side.
She landed in a well-lit, pristine room aboard the Hammer space station. Her giggles turned into laughter as she straightened herself, looking around with eyes full of wonder. "I knew you would come," She whispered to herself, tears of joy glistening in her eyes.
As Yelena popped in to check on her, her smile turned teasing, she couldn't wait to tell her fellow worshiper that she was the first to carry his seed to completion.
She wouldn't tease her too much, she'd need her on her side when it came time to name the child growing within. She loved her God…
But he could not be allowed to name the child.
Ever.
Back in the compound, her empty cell erupted into flame as a failsafe immolated the space she had occupied moments before. The Ten Rings operative monitoring the cell paled visibly, frozen for a moment before sending a runner to the Mandarin. How they had failed, he didn't know - but he knew that survival now was unlikely.
The Mandarin wouldn't accept their failure.
…
Pepper Potts' Cell.
Pepper sat against the far wall of her cell, her arms wrapped tightly around her knees. The room was sparse, its walls an unyielding gray, broken only by the faint glow of the dim bulb overhead. The air was stale, thick with hopelessness, and every creak of the door or distant footstep sent her heart hammering in her chest.
She knew what happened to women in captivity. Every footstep could be the Mandarin coming to…
She forced the thought away, biting her lip hard enough to draw blood.
Her mind was caught in a loop of fear, not only for herself, her thoughts also fearing for Tony, and what he could end up finding in the end, knowing he'd break if the worst came to pass.
Tony would come. He had to… She repeated the thought like a mantra, clinging to the belief that he would never let her down. He wouldn't fail her. Not after everything they had been through. Not now.
Still, the fear lingered. She had seen what the Mandarin's men were capable of - heard their cruelty in the sounds of far-off screams. What if… What if this time Tony didn't make it in time? What if -
Her thoughts came to an abrupt halt as an unnatural hum filled the room, her guards both drawing their weapons in shock.
Pepper looked down just as the floor beneath her glowed with swirling orange light. Her breath caught in her throat, and before she could comprehend what was happening, the floor vanished. She fell through the portal, her two guards tumbling with her, shouts of surprise echoing as they hit solid ground in a new space.
The shock barely registered before two figures descended upon the guards like lightning. Black Widows. One moved with the precision of a predator, taking a guard down with a chokehold so swift he didn't even get a chance to do more than cry out. The second Widow dispatched the other with two quick strikes with a blade, leaving him bleeding out on the floor.
Pepper scrambled back, her chest heaving as she tried to process what was happening. Her wide eyes flicked to the sound of clanking metal - and there he was.
Iron Man dropped down to a knee next to her, his armor gleaming in the bright light of the room, his glowing arc reactor casting faint blue light over her stunned face.
"Pepper!" Tony's voice rang through the suit's speakers, full of urgency.
"Tony…" She whispered, relief flooding her chest. Her legs felt weak as she tried to stand.
Before she could move, laughter - sharp and chilling - cut through the moment. Hela leapt through her own portal, her dark hair whipping behind her as she landed on the other side with feral grace. A jagged grin stretched across her face.
Screams of pain and terror erupting, blood splashing through the portal, before it closed.
She then noticed Justin Hammer, brimming with an aura of power that was visible to the naked eye, a cruel look on his face as he laughed, stepping through his own portal. He looked strong, in control, but his eyes burned with something else. Something Pepper couldn't quite name. Hate, maybe?
It felt too weak of a word.
For a moment, her relief turned to unease. Tony was here, but the cold, merciless look on Justin Hammer's face sent a shiver through her that she couldn't explain. It was a look she had never seen before - cruel, predatory, and other.
He stared at her like a man ready to end everything in his path, like he wasn't even human anymore, the portal closing behind him.
Even as one opened near Tony, making Pepper more afraid then she'd been in her cell.
No… Don't go…
"Tony," She whispered, this time with a tremor of fear in her voice. "What's… What's happening?"
Tony turned to her, his voice softening. "It's okay, Pep. You're safe now." He rose up, facing the portal, "Just got to do a thing, it will all be okay."
But as she looked between him, and where Hela and Hammer had been - she wasn't so sure she believed that.
By the time her throat worked properly again, Tony was gone, through his own portal.
Don't… Don't look at me with eyes like theirs… She begged, hoping Tony would come back to her.
Still human.
----------------------------------------
The Mandarins Base.
Hela landed with predatory grace in the center of the vast stone courtyard, the sound of her armored boots clicking against the tiles loud enough to pierce the sudden tense quiet.
Hundreds of Ten Rings operatives had frozen mid-movement as she'd slaughtered those closest to her immediately, their weapons drawn or their fists clenched from their interrupted training exercises. Rows of fighters lined the edges of the space, caught off guard by the sudden arrival of the woman who exuded an overwhelming aura of power.
The Goddess of Death, clad in her obsidian coloured armor, tilted her head slightly as she surveyed her audience. A slow, wicked smirk spread across her lips, the corners curling with mirth that was as cruel as it was gleeful. She twirled the necroswords lazily in her hands - jagged black blades that shimmered faintly with otherworldly energy, the edges whispering promises of carnage. Her piercing eyes gleamed like an emerald storm as she regarded the army before her.
"Hello, boys," Hela purred, her voice dripping with mock affection. "Please, all of you, make this good for me, I haven't had a proper bloodbath in awhile, my skin is going to dry up at this rate without that nice… Hot, tasty, blood!"
The operatives exchanged wary glances, and the hesitation was noticeable. These were hardened warriors, killers loyal to the Mandarin's cause, men who had been honed into living weapons through relentless training. But Hela was not something they could prepare for - her presence alone seemed to sap the confidence from the air. The very shadows at her feet rippled as though bowing to her will.
One of the men, a senior operative with twin blades strapped to his back, snarled in defiance and surged forward. Hela's eyes flicked to him as if she were merely noting the time, and in one smooth motion, she flicked her wrist.
A necrosword shot through the air like an arrow, impossibly fast and precise. The man's charge was stopped dead as the weapon buried itself in his chest, piercing his heart. He stumbled back, his face confused and shocked, as he slowly sunk to the ground, blood leaking from between his lips.
Laughter echoed from Hela's lips, rich and delighted, as she used the sword in her hand to behead the man, grasping the head by its hair, and giving it a chiding look, before tossing it behind her and looking back at the rest of them.
"No, no," She chided them all, wagging a single black-gloved finger at them. "I said everyone plays."
Her words were punctuated by another motion of her hand. Like a violent gust of wind, black swords erupted from the ground in a line, striking a dozen men and scattering their formations like toy soldiers. Some dove aside, narrowly avoiding the projectiles, while others were run through, many dying, others simply impaled through their feet or legs.
That was the spark.
The Ten Rings operatives erupted into motion, shouting battle cries as they rushed her en masse just like she wanted. The courtyard filled with the sound of clashing steel, shouts of anger, and the stampede of boots pounding against the stone. The air thickened with energy as dozens of men charged the goddess from all sides, weapons flashing in arcs meant to cut her down.
But Hela was no mortal opponent.
She moved like water, fluid and untouchable. Her first step forward was as graceful as a dancer's, her necroswords swirling into her hands as though they were extensions of her body. Two men leapt at her, their fists reinforced with iron gauntlets, swinging hard. Hela tilted her head as she stepped between their strikes, the blades in her hands singing through the air as she countered. One operative's torso was cut in half in a single strike, sending him sprawling in two directions, while the others head went flying, Hela giggling even as an operative managed to stab her in the back.
An explosion rang out, as the fortress weapons depot blew up, throwing people off their feet, a figure could be seen blasting across the sky, firing at the few anti-air units they held, and blowing large chunks off the fortress, their helicopters ended in a barrage of repulsor blasts before anyone could even think of escaping.
Pivoting on her heel, Hela's blades spun with a speed that blurred their form. She cut through a spear thrust like paper, closing the distance between her and its wielder in the blink of an eye. The warrior barely had time to process his failure before she backhanded him with enough force to send him skidding across the tiles, his neck twisted the wrong way.
"Is that all?" She teased them, even as she took several cuts to her torso which only seemed to make her amused, her voice lilting with mocking disappointment. "Come on, fight!"
Around her, the courtyard descended into madness. Ten Rings operatives scrambled to form ranks, shouting orders as their confidence began to waver. Hela's laughter rang above the din, echoing off the stone walls like a dark anthem.
From his vantage point above, Xu Wenwu watched the slaughter unfold with a scowl carved deep into his features. Pieces of broken railing crumbled to dust in his clenched fists as the weight of their predicament became clear. Hela was a force of nature, a living weapon born of chaos. But how had they been found? The compound was secure - shielded from the outside world, devoid of electronics or signals.
The women had been searched extremely thoroughly, they had no devices or hidden trackers. So how had Hammer done it?
Everything had gone so wrong, so quickly…
Stark was here as well… He'd never really believed the man would kill Hammer, but to completely lose his senses in an all out attack like this?
The women must have been saved, he thought darkly.
It didn't matter now. He had to act.
"Take them!" He barked, his voice booming as he gestured sharply to a nearby soldier, pointing at his children - Shang-Chi and Xialing - who stood frozen, their wide eyes fixed on the battlefield below, Shang-Chi letting out a cry as a bloody limb flew right past his face, making him flinch back.
Wenwu stared at him in disappointment, the boy flushing and casting his eyes downwards, realizing his failure in showcasing strength.
The soldier hesitated for only a moment before moving toward the children. The motion was cut short in an instant.
A necrosword, hurled with lethal precision, shot across the courtyard and impaled the man straight through his chest, sending him sprawling with a gasp, feeble hands reaching for the sword for a moment, before all movement ceased.
Hela, from across the yard, wagged her finger with a smirk. "No, no, I said everyone plays, don't cheat the game Citrus… Orange, or whatever it was, some sort of fruit." She shrugged casually, slicing two men apart in the same motion.
Wenwu's teeth ground audibly, rage simmering beneath his calm veneer. His children - his legacy - were now his only priority. He knelt before them, placing a strong hand on each of their shoulders as the sounds of chaos roared behind him.
"You need to hide," He said firmly, his gaze locking onto theirs. "Find one of the tunnels. Get out. Remember who you are. Remember your legacy. You are my children, avenge me."
"Father, but you? Where are you going?" Shang-Chi asked, his voice tinged with both confusion and fear. Xialing only watching, trying to hold back tears.
Wenwu's face hardened. "To my destiny."
He had gambled, and he'd lost. He was not a coward, he would face the barbarians at his gates, and let his children run, to pick up his cause and avenge him one day.
Without another word, he raised his arms. The Ten Rings - glowing bands of power - uncoiled from his forearms and spiraled through the air, shrinking as they wrapped around Shang-Chi's wrists, fitting perfectly as though they had always belonged there.
Shang-Chi looked up in shock, but Wenwu stood and turned sharply, his back to them. "Go!" He roared, his voice thunderous as he stared out into the courtyard, at the demon massacring his men.
The children hesitated only for a moment before obeying, running for the nearest archway as instructed.
But their escape was halted far too soon.
From the shadows of the passage emerged Justin Hammer, his grip locked tightly around each of their arms. The two children struggled, trying to break free, but Hammer's face remained impassive - his expression darker than Wenwu had ever seen it.
Wenwu's heart froze in his chest as he turned fully, his fists clenching at the sight of his captured children. "You fiend!" He roared, his voice like the rage of the heavens themselves. "Unhand them you coward!"
For a moment, Hammer's hands tightened, his children crying out in pain, and he feared he would see them die, crushed in the barbarians grip, but then he seemed to think otherwise, glaring at Wenwu.
Hammer sneered, his eyes glowing faintly with an eerie violet light that sent a chill down Wenwu's spine. "Recall the rings," Justin said coldly, his voice measured and calm. "Fight me. All out. Now. And I'll let the brats go. I couldn't care less about your spawn."
Wenwu's gaze burned with hatred as he raised a trembling hand, snapping his fingers. The rings flew from Shang-Chi's arms, glowing brighter as they returned to Wenwu, spinning around him like orbiting planets.
Justin released the children unceremoniously, his voice dismissive. "Run along now," He muttered, his tone dripping with indifference. "Find the man in iron. He'll let you live. The woman…" He smirked. "She will not."
The children hesitated for only a breath before fleeing away from the battlefield, their figures already forgotten as Wenwu advanced.
The two men stood facing each other, the ground trembling faintly as their combined power crackled in the air. Wenwu's rings whirled around him in a cyclone of light, while Justin emanated a violet energy that seemed to warp the very space around him.
"You will die here, monster," Wenwu growled, his voice low and deadly as he began to pace, the rings surging in anticipation.
Justin smirked, rolling his shoulders as a pulse of energy flared across his form. "Monster?" He said, cocking his head, a savage grin coming to his face.
"You're goddamn right!"
＊＊＊
The courtyard stood still for a heartbeat, as though the world itself held its breath. The remnants of Hela's rampage still echoed through the mountain compound - the fallen bodies, the shattered stone, and the smoke rising from the fires caused by Iron Man's rampage. But now, all eyes turned to two figures facing each other - a duel that would decide the fate of the Mandarin.
Hela busied herself with dragging corpses into a pile, so she could lounge in the best seat in the house. Uncaring that a few Ten Rings operatives were still alive at the moment.
She could kill them after the show.
Xu Wenwu, his face carved with furious resolve, stood tall. The glowing rings which were no longer on his arms, pulsed with an ominous light, spinning around him like celestial bodies. Each ring hummed with power - energy older than memory, capable of reshaping reality with his every thought. .
They orbited him faster now, leaving arcs of crackling energy in their wake. His gaze burned with wrath as he watched the man who had caused all of this, the one responsible for his impending ruin.
Justin Hammer.
Justin stood opposite him, perfectly composed, as if this were nothing more than a pleasant afternoon stroll. His tailored suit remained crisp, untouched by the chaos swirling around him. He looked at Wenwu as one might regard a cockroach, his expression a mixture of disgust, hate, and condescension. And yet, there was also something else - a glimmer in his eyes that hinted at something dark, something vast. The violet glow emanating faintly from him made the air heavy, warping reality at the edges.
"Are you ready to end this little charade?" Justin drawled, cracking his neck casually. His voice carried a cruel edge, deliberate and cutting. "All that bravado you had in challenging me, those toys on your arms. Let's see if you're half as impressive as the legends say."
Wenwu's fists clenched, the Ten Rings flaring brighter, and the ground trembled beneath him. "You mock what you do not understand," He growled. With a sharp motion of his hand, the rings shot forward, spinning like bladed projectiles that screamed through the air, wreathed in electric blue energy.
Justin didn't move.
At the last possible moment, the rings split into ten distinct beams of force. They struck like cannon fire, the impact blasting apart the stone courtyard in a storm of debris. A cloud of dust engulfed the battlefield, shrouding Justin from view as the pathway around him disintegrated.
Wenwu straightened, his chest rising and falling with controlled breaths. The sheer force of his attack left fissures spiderwebbing through the ground around the area that had been completely eradicated, stones shattered into so much dust. For a moment, he allowed himself to believe the man had been obliterated.
Then Justin's voice cut through the smoke like a whip.
"Oh, that's cute. You thought that'd work." He mocked.
The dust began to clear, revealing Justin standing exactly where he had been, utterly untouched. A faint shimmer of violet energy rippled in the air around him like an imperceptible shield. His smirk widened as he dusted his suit jacket off with exaggerated care. "I've seen fireworks displays with more punch."
He smirked coldly, eyes flashing with hate, "If you're not going to at least be interesting, maybe I shouldn't even bother with you, myself?"
Wenwu's eyes narrowed, rage bubbling to the surface. With a furious roar, he launched himself forward. The Ten Rings coiled and spun, shaping into whips of pure energy that lashed out, their glow blinding as they tore through the air. The rings struck with the force of a hurricane, ripping apart the ground in arcs of devastation.
Half of them acted independently of his body, as the others coiled around his right arm, allowing him to slash with greater focus and different energies.
Justin moved leisurely through it all.
He sidestepped a whip of energy that shattered the wall behind him, his form blurring slightly with unnatural speed. A second whip struck where his chest had been a fraction of a second earlier, only for Justin to glide smoothly out of range, his movements like a man dancing through raindrops without getting wet.
The Mandarin tried several different avenues, he made the gravity over the area a thousand times higher, he doused the area in darkness as disintegration beams and flashes of his rings whipped forward to eradicate him, yet…
Justin moved through gravity being enhanced to a level that would crush a human to paste, like it was a Sunday stroll, and casually slapped his rings away whenever a whip of energy would get too close, the disintegration beam was foiled by the almost invisible violet shield around him, the darkness never getting to settle, as it was crushed in a violet storm of energy.
"You call this power?" Justin taunted, his voice perfectly clear amid the destruction. "No wonder you've been skulking around in the mountains for centuries. You're all show, no substance."
Wenwu snarled in fury, the rings obeying his gestures as they formed into a massive sphere of swirling blue energy. With a shout, he hurled it at Justin like a meteor, the force enough to obliterate a small fortress.
Justin's smile turned wicked. He raised his hand lazily, and the violet energy that had been rippling faintly around him exploded outward in a pulse. The sphere struck the barrier, but instead of an impact, the energy unraveled. Wenwu watched in shock as his attack disintegrated, stripped apart piece by piece as though the power within the rings were being swallowed.
"What… What are you?" Wenwu hissed, his composure cracking. Desperately he sent the rings around him, illusions crafted all around, as thousands of beams shot forward, the real ones hidden behind the many illusionary Wenwu's, one ring sliding over Hammer, trying to breach into his mind - only to flail uselessly above him.
Justin stepped forward, his pace unhurried, his eyes glowing faintly with that unnerving violet light. The very air around him seemed to bend, reality warping slightly with every step as the beams didn't even touch him. "Oh, come now, Wenwu. Surely you've figured it out by now?"
Wenwu raised his hands again, desperation flashing in his eyes as the rings obeyed his will. They split apart and began circling him, spinning faster and faster until they became blurs of light. Energy pulsed outward in waves as Wenwu drew upon their full power, his face lined with effort and resolve.
"This is the might of the Ten Rings!" He roared, as he let loose all of their abilities at the same time.
The ground cracked, tremors shaking the entire compound. The rings shot toward Justin again, this time in perfect unison, a wall of pure destructive force that no man could possibly withstand. Flames roiling and burning hotter than hell, Ice colder than any glacier, illusions to distract him, beams of pure energy, gravity ripping apart around him, as the very stones in the area were ripped into the air by the Ten Rings and followed in their wake to crash against the threat.
Justin merely chuckled.
He raised his hand, and with a subtle flick of his fingers, the violet light around him intensified. It was not an explosion of power, nor a grand display - it was casual, effortless. The energy surrounding Justin expanded outward in an invisible wave. When the rings struck it, they wavered, all that power - just not enough.
It wasn't a match.
Wenwu's eyes widened as his greatest weapons - artifacts of untold power - hovered motionless before Justin Hammer, their power not as much as scratching the man.
"You've relied on these little toys for so long," Justin said, his voice low and cutting, "That you've forgotten what true power looks like, a man from your era… Should know not to meddle with a God!"
He gestured, and with a sharp snap, the rings were sent flying back toward Wenwu shining with a color not his own. The Mandarin barely had time to raise his arms before the force struck him like a sledgehammer. He was launched backward, crashing into the stone steps at the far end of the courtyard with a sickening thud. Dust and debris rained down as Wenwu struggled to his knees, coughing blood, his body wracked with pain.
The rings, still hovering, slowly floated back toward Justin. He tilted his head as they orbited around him now, shifting color - faint streaks of violet bleeding into their previously blue glow. He held out his hand, and two of the rings slipped onto his arm, resizing to fit as though they belonged there.
Wenwu stared, wide-eyed. "No… That's impossible…"
"Cute, but not for me I think." Justin said, the others hovering above him like a mockery of a crown. "Too weak." He mocked.
Justin stepped closer, the faint hum of the rings blending with the pulsing energy around him. "You thought you could win with leverage. With hostages. With bluster." He crouched down slightly, his gaze locking onto Wenwu with cold, predatory focus. "But you underestimated me, old man. You thought I was weak because I don't flex my power on worms, that you could force me to kneel, to cower... I'm not weak."
He straightened, and the courtyard felt impossibly small as his aura expanded. "I'm Power Eternal!"
All across the fortress, the surviving Ten Rings members fell to the ground, foreheads pressed to the floor as the aura pressed down on them, crushing them.
Wenwu, panting, forced himself to stand. The remaining rings still circled over his enemy, though they flickered now, their glow diminished. "This isn't over," He growled, putting his fists up.
Justin's smirk returned, sharp and cruel. "Oh, it's over."
Before Wenwu could react, Justin raised his hand. The two rings he now controlled on his arm, shot forward like bullets, slamming into Wenwu's chest and sending him sprawling once more. The Mandarin hit the ground hard, his strength failing him as the last of his strength sputtered out. He lay motionless, defeated.
Justin approached slowly, standing over his fallen opponent. "You made the mistake of every pathetic weakling anywhere," He said softly, his voice devoid of mockery now, only cruel vindictive joy in his tone. "You thought you mattered."
The courtyard was silent now. The chaos had stopped. Hela squirmed where she sat, on a pile of corpses, looking absolutely entranced, one hand moving down her body.
Justin sighed, flexing his fingers as the rings hummed faintly. "How anticlimactic in the end, I had built this up too much in my head" He muttered to himself.
He glared down at Wenwu, spitting on him, "I had expected… More."
Wenwu groaned faintly, trying to lift his head, but Justin crouched down and pressed a hand to his chest, forcing him back down with no effort at all.
"Rest easy, weakling," Justin whispered, his voice cold. "Your immortality is not at an end."
"A century of pain awaits."
"What do you want me to do with the two brats?" Tony asked, flying into the courtyard holding the two kids he'd collected, interrupting him.
Justin sighed, and casually backhanded the Mandarin into unconsciousness, turning to face the man. "Read the mood, Tony."
"No, seriously, what am I doing with the kids? I don't do kids…"
"If you don't want them, give them to Hela." Justin said uncaringly, picking the Mandarin up by a foot and dragging him along.
Tony looked towards Hela, who had one hand down her pants as she lounged on her corpse throne and watched Justin intently, Tony lost for words for once, as he didn't know where to begin with everything that was wrong with that picture.
There's two kids right here, woman!
"Justin… C'mon man!"
Even Tony wasn't that irresponsible. He doubted anyone was irresponsible enough to give as much as a pet dog to that woman.
Justin created a portal, walking through, dragging the Mandarin behind him, a laughing Hela finding herself, and her corpse pile, falling through another one, disappearing from China.
Leaving Tony alone in the courtyard, with Shang-Chi and Xialing.
"... So… Do either of you two speak English?"
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