The dark-armored Tony Stark stood at the entrance to the vault, his glowing red eyes fixed on his alternate self. His suit was a monstrous version of the Iron Man armor, bulkier and more menacing, with jagged edges and glowing lines that pulsed with malevolent energy. The sight of him sent a chill through the team, but Tony's resolve only hardened.
"I'm guessing you're the version of me that decided conquering the world was a good idea," Tony said, his voice steady as he stepped forward, facing his doppelgänger.
The dark Stark chuckled, his voice distorted by the twisted AI in his suit. "I didn't just conquer the world, Stark. I perfected it. I ruled it. And I won't let anyone take that from me, especially not a pathetic version of myself that still believes in heroes."
Wolverine's claws extended with a sharp *snikt* as he stepped up beside Tony. "You want me to gut this guy, or are you gonna talk him to death?"
"Hold that thought," Tony muttered. He turned his attention back to his dark counterpart. "We don't have to do this. Whatever you've become, it's not too late to fix things. We're here to stop the multiverse from collapsing, and you can help."
The tyrant Stark's eyes narrowed. "You think I care about the multiverse? This is my world, my domain. And you've made a mistake coming here."
Suddenly, the dark Stark raised his arm, and a barrage of missiles shot out, heading straight for the team. Reacting in an instant, Sue Storm erected a force field, blocking the explosion just as Wolverine and Spider-Man prepared to strike.
"No more talking," Wolverine growled, launching himself at the dark Stark, claws slashing. The tyrant raised his armored arm, catching Wolverine mid-air and throwing him across the room with a single motion.
"I'm stronger than you can imagine," the dark Stark sneered, his suit glowing with an ominous red light. "You have no idea what I've sacrificed to achieve this."
As Wolverine scrambled back to his feet, Spider-Man swung overhead, webbing the tyrant's faceplate in an attempt to blind him. "Hey, creepy Iron Man, why don't you cool it with the monologuing?"
But the dark Stark simply tore the webs away with a flick of his hand, sending a pulse of energy through the room that knocked Spider-Man out of the air. "Your tricks won't work on me, kid."
While the team kept the tyrant occupied, Tony rushed to the console in the vault, where the artifact pulsed with energy. He could feel the weight of the moment—the pressure of the multiverse on his shoulders. This artifact was crucial, and they couldn't afford to lose it.
"Reed, I need cover!" Tony called out, typing rapidly into the console as he worked to disable the vault's security and retrieve the artifact.
Reed stretched across the room, his elastic body wrapping around the tyrant Stark's legs, trying to pull him off balance. "You heard him—keep him busy!"
Sue reinforced her force field around Tony, creating a protective barrier as energy blasts and projectiles ricocheted around them. "Tony, whatever you're doing, do it fast. We won't be able to hold him off forever!"
With a final keystroke, Tony bypassed the security systems, and the vault opened with a hiss. The artifact—an intricate orb of shimmering energy—floated into view, its power crackling in the air. Tony grabbed it and turned just in time to see his dark counterpart break free from Reed's hold and charge toward him.
"You think you can just take what's mine?!" the dark Stark bellowed, firing a beam of crimson energy from his repulsors.
Tony threw himself out of the way, the blast narrowly missing him and shattering the wall behind him. "Oh, I'm not just taking it," he quipped. "I'm making sure you never get your hands on it again."
With the artifact in hand, Tony activated his suit's thrusters, launching himself across the room and dodging another barrage of attacks from the tyrant. But the dark Stark was relentless, matching Tony move for move, his twisted armor keeping pace with every maneuver.
"You're not better than me!" the dark Stark shouted as the two clashed in mid-air, their repulsors locking in a blinding clash of energy. "You could have had this power, Stark! You could have ruled everything! But you're weak, still clinging to foolish ideals!"
Tony gritted his teeth, forcing more power into his repulsors as he pushed back against the onslaught. "I'm not weak—I just know when too much power is a bad thing!"
With a surge of energy, Tony broke free from the lock and fired a concentrated blast at his dark counterpart, sending him crashing into the far wall. The tyrant struggled to rise, but the damage was clear—his armor sparked and smoked, barely holding together after the intense fight.
"This isn't over," the dark Stark growled, but his voice lacked its previous confidence.
Tony landed a few feet away, the artifact glowing in his hand. "It is for you. You've already lost."
Before the tyrant could respond, Sue, Reed, Wolverine, and Spider-Man surrounded him, ready for whatever final move he might make. But instead of attacking, the dark Stark simply glared at them, his armor sparking and faltering. With a final look of defiance, he deactivated his repulsors and sank to his knees.
"You'll regret this," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. "One day, you'll realize that I was right."
"Maybe," Tony said, stepping forward. "But today isn't that day."
With the tyrant defeated, the team quickly secured the vault and prepared to leave. As they gathered near the exit, Spider-Man looked back at the fallen dark Stark and shook his head. "Man, alternate realities are messed up."
"You have no idea," Tony muttered, casting one last glance at the twisted version of himself. "Let's get out of here. We've got what we came for."
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*Meanwhile, in the Mystic Realm*
Doctor Strange knelt in the center of a glowing circle, his mind and body deeply attuned to the mystical energies swirling around him. The ritual was nearly complete, but the presence he had summoned was more powerful—and more dangerous—than he had anticipated.
The air around him shimmered as the primordial entity took shape, its form constantly shifting between different shapes and sizes, as though it couldn't quite settle on a single form. Its voice was like a thousand whispers, each one coming from a different reality.
*"You have called upon me, Sorcerer Supreme. What do you seek?"*
Strange opened his eyes, sweat dripping down his brow. "The multiverse is collapsing. We seek your guidance. We need to know how to stop it."
The entity's form shifted again, its voice filling the space. **"The collapse is inevitable. The balance has been disrupted. Reality cannot sustain itself for much longer."**
Strange frowned, his mind racing. "There must be a way. The multiverse is vast, filled with countless lives. We can't just let it fall apart."
**"There is always a way,"** the entity replied, its voice echoing in Strange's mind. **"But the cost will be great. To restore balance, a sacrifice must be made. One of the Nexus holders must give up their life force to stabilize the multiverse."**
Strange's heart sank. He had feared the answer would be something like this. "A Nexus holder? You mean one of the ones we've been gathering?"
**"Yes. One must become the anchor to restore the balance. Only then can the multiverse be saved."**
The weight of the decision pressed down on Strange, but he knew there was no other choice. He bowed his head, accepting the burden of what lay ahead. "Thank you for your guidance."
As the entity faded into the ether, Strange rose to his feet, his mind heavy with the knowledge of what had to be done. One of the team would have to make the ultimate sacrifice to save everything.