Stark Villa.
"Tony, where do you think is a good place for a real fight?" Lockhart asked, his expression composed but his tone carrying a challenge.
Having decided to accept Tony's duel, Lockhart was more than ready to give it his best, considering it a fair test of magic against technology.
Tony paused, caught off guard by the question. The lawn should work, right? He glanced at the wide, open green outside, but then, reading Tony's look, Lockhart shook his head with a knowing smile.
"Any place you'd prefer," he clarified. "Desert, ocean, mountains—name it."
With a casual flick of his wand, Lockhart conjured several human-sized portals, each a vivid circle with a swirling view of some distant landscape. There were deserts with dunes stretching under blazing suns, lush forests with emerald trees, and even icy tundras populated by a few penguins waddling in the snow. The stark contrast between worlds was dizzying.
Tony's mouth twitched, a begrudging hint of admiration flashing in his eyes. Teleportation? Just give me a few months, he thought, determined. Recently, he'd been researching space interference, even finding hints about something called the Cosmic Cube from S.H.I.E.L.D., rumored to hold mysteries of space itself.
Lockhart watched Tony's face light up with determination, a knowing smile lingering on his own face as Tony closed his helmet and lifted off the ground. His jets whined with power as he launched toward the desert portal.
"Lockhart," he called back through the suit's external speakers, "I'll be waiting for you in the desert!"
The searing heat struck Tony immediately as he passed through, though the suit's temperature control held firm. The ground was parched, cracked, and arid, stretching out beneath a relentlessly bright sky that seemed to ripple with heat.
"Jarvis, can we get a network link here?" Tony inquired, glancing around at the desolation.
"The network is temporarily out of reach, sir. I am searching for available connections," Jarvis replied, his tone perfectly calm.
"Release the signal booster. Connect to the Stark satellite network," Tony ordered, always prepared for the unexpected.
A red-smoke-emitting object launched from the back of his suit, shooting high into the sky. Far above, Stark satellites began reorienting, their signals aligning with Tony's booster.
"A known signal was detected. Signal level adjusted to S-Class," Jarvis chimed.
"Sir, satellite connection established. We are currently in Chile, South America."
Tony nodded in acknowledgement but kept his focus as Lockhart stepped through the portal. Standing tall in the blazing sun, Lockhart looked around calmly, seemingly unaffected by the stifling desert heat.
"Ready, Lockhart?" Tony asked, voice brimming with anticipation. He disdained cheap attacks and made sure his intent was clear.
"Whenever you are, Tony," Lockhart replied, lifting his wand in a casual but poised stance.
Tony didn't waste time. His jets roared as he took off, positioning himself strategically above his opponent. The suit's arms extended, compartments on his forearms opening with a soft click to reveal the micro-missile launchers loaded and ready.
"Lockhart," he called, "hope you're ready for this!"
With a slight tilt of his arm, he released the missile. It streaked toward Lockhart's position, veering just enough to be non-lethal yet close enough to deliver a powerful message.
Seeing the incoming missile, Lockhart's brow furrowed briefly. First move, huh, Tony? He thought quickly, feeling a prickle of danger despite the distance.
Just before impact, he conjured a flame portal and slipped through it. Behind him, the ground exploded in a deafening boom, a column of sand and heat rising in a mini mushroom cloud.
Lockhart reappeared off to the side, observing the aftermath with a mixture of surprise and respect. Tony, watching from above, snapped a quick photo of the blast, marking it as confirmation for S.H.I.E.L.D. There, Lockhart knows tech isn't to be taken lightly.
Lockhart, however, was already plotting his next move. With a sweeping motion of his wand, the sand at his feet trembled, cracks snaking across the dry earth. From within, a dragon of compacted yellow sand began to rise, its form coiling and twisting as it took shape, scales of pure grit shimmering in the sun.
"Go!" he commanded, his wand sweeping through the air. The dragon shot upward, soaring toward Tony like a missile of its own, roaring with the ferocity of magic.
Tony's eyes widened at the sand dragon's sudden speed, but he reacted instantly, palms lifted as twin laser beams launched forward, cutting into the dragon. Yet, the sand seemed impervious, flowing around the lasers without faltering in its charge.
Fine, Tony thought, activating the suit's onboard weapons. A deluge of bullets poured forth, tearing into the dragon, but each impact merely sent particles scattering before the form reformed, advancing relentlessly.
The sight was surreal—a battle of bullets and lasers against a mythical sand creature in the vast desert, the collision of technology and magic unfolding in an unexpected dance of power.
The sand dragon opened its mouth wide, unleashing a storm of sand and grit that began to engulf Tony, clinging to his armor and blocking his vision despite the helmet's tight seals.
Surrounded by the swirling sand, Tony felt his pulse quicken, an instinctive reaction even as his systems assured him he was safe.
Meanwhile, Lockhart observed, calculating his next move. Technology has strength, he mused, but magic holds a beauty that turns the impossible into reality.
Suddenly, Tony broke free, jets flaring as he shot through the sand cloud, emerging in a blaze of light. He aimed directly at Lockhart, palms raised for another strike.
"Take this, Lockhart!"
Lockhart raised his wand, shouting, "The Shield of Skala!" A barrier of red flame flared into existence, and Tony's twin lasers collided against it, producing a fierce sizzling as the beams deflected.
No good, Tony thought. He retracted his palms and, with a quick motion, revealed a sniper-like device on his suit, this time loaded with specially designed magic-breaking rounds.
Standing behind his shield, Lockhart watched Tony with a faint smile. But as the first round struck, he felt his shield weaken, the bullet lodging itself in the sand at his feet.
Intrigued, Lockhart levitated the round, noting the blend of technology and magic. Fascinating, but no time to analyze, he thought as Tony launched another volley of magic-breaking rounds.
Lockhart strengthened his shield, and this time, it held firm. The bullets hit, but none pierced through.
"Tony!" he shouted. "Any other tricks up your sleeve? If not, it's my turn."
Tony clenched his fists, activating a hidden feature in his suit. A hum filled the air as his magic EMP emitters began to broadcast, ripples spreading outward.
Lockhart's face lit with realization as he felt the magical elements around him weaken, their response dulled. Clever, Tony. This will be useful knowledge indeed.
Yet Lockhart had only begun to draw on his reserves.
He took a step forward, raising his wand as golden light radiated from him, expanding like a net across the desert floor and into the sky.
As the light reached Tony, a sense of unease crept over him, and suddenly, Lockhart reached out and snatched.
Tony's suit vanished, materializing in front of Lockhart, worn and scratched from the battle.
Inside, Tony's mind reeled, reaching for Jarvis to initiate an escape.
"Tony, what's your favorite dessert?" Lockhart's voice asked, carrying an odd cheerfulness.
Tony blinked, not processing the question immediately. But in the blink of an eye, the metallic suit transformed. Its familiar red and silver tones became deep brown, and a sweet aroma filled the air—chocolate.
Stunned, Tony cautiously tasted a bit. The texture and flavor were unmistakable: rich, sweet chocolate.
This defies all scientific laws, he thought, his mind whirling to make sense of it.
Trying to move, he felt the armor crack under the pressure. He stepped out, watching chocolate dust fall in heaps.
"An illusion, right?" Tony finally asked, disbelief evident in his voice.
Lockhart chuckled, shaking his head, fully understanding Tony's astonishment. Iron Man was a man of science, grounded in reason, he thought. This would be a lesson in magic's reach.
With a final wave, Lockhart restored the armor to steel, and it stood solidly as if untouched by magic at all.
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