previously in chapter 145
Her magic erupted in a chaotic wave, blackened energy tearing through the air like a ravenous beast. The first line of sorcerers was disintegrated where they stood, their bodies reduced to ash in an instant, their screams cut short as their very essence was consumed by the Darkhold's power. The ground beneath them cracked and split, dark tendrils surging upward, wrapping around the remaining sorcerers, dragging them down into the earth, where they were crushed with sickening force, bones splintering under the pressure.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 146
Henry watched from above, his arms crossed, satisfied with the carnage unfolding before him. "You've outdone yourself," he said with a smirk. "But they're still resisting." Wanda's eyes flashed with rage, and she cast her gaze toward the inner sanctum where Strange, Wong, and the Sorcerer Supreme stood, their hands raised in unison as they conjured powerful wards to try and slow the onslaught.
"Not for long," she hissed. With a flick of her wrist, the ground beneath Kamar Taj began to quake. Massive black spires of corrupted magic erupted from the earth, tearing through the sacred grounds like jagged spears. They impaled sorcerers left and right, lifting them high into the air before exploding in a shower of gore. Limbs and entrails rained down, painting the once-pristine courtyard in blood.
Henry descended now, his feet touching the ground lightly as he walked through the carnage, unfazed by the chaos around him. A sorcerer, desperate and bloodied, lunged at him with a conjured blade of light. Henry barely glanced at him before snapping his fingers, the nanites around his suit surging forward like a wave, enveloping the man. The sorcerer's screams filled the air as the nanites devoured him alive, stripping flesh from bone, leaving nothing but a glistening skeleton that collapsed into dust.
Wong, seeing the devastation, shouted orders to the remaining sorcerers. "Hold the line! We cannot let them breach the sanctum!" His voice was strong, but there was fear in his eyes. The Sorcerer Supreme beside him raised her hands, summoning the full might of her power, golden rings of light swirling around her.
But Wanda had already set her sights on them. With a sickening crack, she tore through the walls of Kamar Taj, the ancient stone crumbling as if it were nothing. The Sorcerer Supreme conjured a shield of light, but it was no match for the Darkhold's power. Wanda's magic slammed into it, shattering the barrier and sending the Sorcerer Supreme flying back, blood spraying from her mouth as she hit the ground hard.
Henry approached her slowly, his footsteps echoing ominously through the now-silent courtyard. "You tried," he said mockingly, crouching beside her broken form. "But it was never going to be enough." The Sorcerer Supreme coughed, blood dribbling down her chin, her eyes filled with defiance. "You… won't… win," she rasped, her voice barely a whisper. Henry smiled, almost gently. "I already have."
With that, he placed his hand on her chest, his nanites swarming over her body. They crawled into her mouth, her nose, her eyes, invading every part of her. She writhed in agony as the nanites consumed her from the inside out, her skin bulging and tearing as they multiplied within her. Her screams were guttural, inhuman, as her body was ripped apart from within. Wanda, watching from above, floated down beside Henry as the Sorcerer Supreme's body exploded in a shower of blood and viscera, the nanites feasting on what little remained. "And just like that," Henry said, wiping a stray drop of blood from his face, "Kamar Taj falls."
Wanda, her smile twisted and cruel, glanced at Strange and Wong, who stood at the center of the devastation, the last remaining sorcerers. Her hands crackled with dark energy, the final act of destruction ready to unfold. "Kill them," Henry said softly. With a flick of her wrist, the Darkhold's magic surged forward, tendrils of pure malevolence wrapping around Strange and Wong. They fought, casting spell after spell in desperation, but it was no use. The dark magic constricted, crushing them both, their bones snapping audibly, their screams of pain filling the air.
In one final, gruesome act, Wanda clenched her fist, and the tendrils tightened, twisting and tearing until their bodies were ripped apart, flesh and blood splattering the ruins of Kamar Taj. The sanctuary of magic had fallen. The Sorcerer Supreme was dead. And Henry and Wanda stood victorious, the Darkhold's power pulsing between them. "On to the next," Henry said with a satisfied grin, turning away from the carnage as the ashes of Kamar Taj blew in the wind, signaling the end of one of Earth's greatest sanctuaries.
-scene change-
The night was cold and tense as Tony Stark, clad in his prototype Iron Man suit, squared off against Obadiah Stane in his hulking Iron Monger armor. The glow of their arc reactors lit the scene, reflecting off the steel structures surrounding Stark Industries. Nearby, Pepper Potts and Agent Phil Coulson watched from a safe distance, their nerves frayed as they anticipated the inevitable clash between Tony and his former mentor.
Just as the battle was about to erupt, a ripple of energy tore through the air, distorting the space between the two armored figures. Out of the distortion stepped Henry, his golden suit gleaming with an eerie radiance, and Wanda, dark magic swirling around her as she clung to his side. The sudden appearance caused everyone to freeze, their eyes wide in shock.
Tony's helmet snapped open, his face a mix of confusion and suspicion. "Who the hell are you?" he barked, his hand hovering near his repulsor, ready for action Stane, equally taken aback, stared at the newcomers, his posture shifting as his armor's systems whirred to life in preparation. His face twisted in a scowl, but he held his ground, unsure of what to make of the situation Henry smirked, holding Wanda close as he surveyed the scene. "Well, this brings back memories," he said casually, as if he were walking through an old neighborhood, before turning to look at coulson, "how is that one eyed bastard doing?"
Pepper and Coulson exchanged uncertain glances, but it was Phil who stepped forward, ever the professional, his hand hovering near his sidearm. "Depends on who's asking," Coulson replied, his voice steady but cautious Henry chuckled softly, turning his gaze toward the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. Before Coulson could press further, Tony cut in, his impatience getting the better of him. "Alright, weirdo, party's ov—"
In an instant, Tony's words were cut off, his body freezing mid-sentence. A strange shimmer of light enveloped him, along with everyone else present—Stane, Pepper, Coulson—locked in place as if time itself had been paused. Only Henry and Wanda moved freely within the stasis.
Henry strolled leisurely toward Stane, his smile growing darker with each step. "You see," he began, his voice calm, "I've been going through time…" He paused when he reached Stane, his eyes gleaming. "Helping people I've rooted for once, letting them achieve their goals. And that includes you."
With a wave of his hand, Henry's nanites surged forth from his suit, enveloping Stane's Iron Monger armor. The once-bulky and primitive design shifted and morphed, its plating gleaming with futuristic metals, glowing with the power of advanced technology far beyond its time. The armor pulsed with green energy, the systems inside roaring to life with newfound strength. Stane's eyes widened as he felt the surge of power coursing through him. It was intoxicating, like a rush of adrenaline magnified a hundredfold. His face twisted into a malevolent grin, the hunger for power overwhelming him. "Gladly," Stane growled, his voice dripping with malice.
Henry smiled, stepping back as he released the time stasis. The world snapped back into motion, but now it was different—Stane's Iron Monger suit towered above Tony's Mark III armor, its new upgrades dwarfing the technology Stark had once prided himself on. Tony's eyes went wide as he registered the transformation before him.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
A/N sorry for the late update, i had some stuff to take of.