"Hey, stop right there!" A heavily armed terrorist shouted, aiming his gun at the figure slowly approaching them—Garus.
In this desolate desert, the group had just fought off some strange creatures, only to encounter a mysterious figure clad in armor. Uncertain about what they were dealing with, the terrorists hesitated to open fire.
The lead terrorist barked out orders in a language Garus couldn't understand. Their words were lost on him as he stood there, his expression blank.
"Dammit! Shoot him!"
Frustrated by the lack of response, the sub-leader raised his machine gun and opened fire.
"Rat-tat-tat!"
Bullets sprayed toward Garus, only to ricochet harmlessly off the glowing runic armor he wore. Sparks flew, but he remained unscathed.
Drawing on the frosty energy within him, Garus channeled it into the runeblade in his hands. As he swung the sword, a surge of icy power erupted forth.
Frost Surge!
In an instant, the desert's heat gave way to the chilling sight of sunlight reflecting off ice sculptures. The once-hostile group of terrorists was now frozen in place, their bodies encased in crystalline frost.
Suddenly, a rocket-propelled grenade screamed through the air, leaving a white trail as it homed in on Garus. Reacting quickly, he encased himself in a barrier of hardened ice. He stood firm, bracing for impact.
Boom!
The explosion sent Garus skidding back across the sand, but when the smoke cleared, he remained unscathed, encased in his icy shield.
"What the hell is this guy? Keep shooting!" the terrorist leader roared, his anger growing. Clad in mysterious, rune-covered armor and unleashing incomprehensible attacks, this opponent was beyond anything they'd faced. Worse yet, the zombies under his control seemed to strike fear into his men.
Meanwhile, in a nearby cave, Tony Stark was making final adjustments to his suit of armor. As the control systems hummed to life, he and Yinsen silently prayed that no one would burst in at this critical moment.
Though Garus had drawn most of the enemy's attention, a few terrorists were still suspicious of the activity in the cave.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
The iron door shook violently under their pounding. "Hey! What are you doing in there? Open up!"
With the suit fully powered up, Tony grinned at Yinsen. "Doctor, stand behind me. It's time to leave."
The terrorists, losing patience, blasted the door open. But instead of frightened captives, they were greeted by the towering figure of a metal giant.
Having been held captive for days, Tony Stark was seething. Armed with his makeshift flamethrowers, he unleashed a torrent of fire, forcing the terrorists to scatter. Bullets pinged uselessly off his suit as he advanced.
Thanks to Garus distracting the enemy, Yinsen didn't have to sacrifice himself this time. Together, they began their escape.
A panicked grunt stumbled out of the cave and yelled to his superior, "Boss! Tony's not building us missiles—he made a giant metal suit and broke out! We can't stop him!"
"Idiot! I can see that!" The leader punched the lackey to the ground, frustration etched across his face. The sight of his frozen comrades and the sudden turn of events in the cave was too much. "Fall back! Retreat immediately!"
Emerging from the cave, Tony saw the battlefield strewn with glistening ice sculptures, their glossy surfaces reflecting the desert sun.
Inside the suit, Tony gaped. "Yinsen, are they... are they hosting an ice sculpture exhibit in the middle of the desert? How did this happen?"
"How would I know?" Yinsen replied, tapping on Tony's armor. "Look over there—there's someone standing by those... zombies? Wait, has a zombie apocalypse started?"
Garus noticed the two figures at the cave entrance. They must be Yinsen and Tony, and judging by their movements, the armor was complete.
Tony and Yinsen were cautious, their eyes fixed on Garus. The icy aura surrounding him felt unnatural, as though they were facing something inhuman.
Tony's playful demeanor gave way to a somber expression. Perhaps the armor gave him a sense of safety, but he still turned to Yinsen and said, "Run that way when I give the signal. I'll hold him off."
A familiar voice echoed in Garus's mind.
[Mission complete. 2,000 points awarded.]
"Hey, hold on—I'm not here to fight!" Garus called out, seeing Tony charge toward him, ready for battle.
Tony paused at the sound of the stranger's voice. It was youthful and didn't carry the menace he'd expected. Still, the rotting ghouls surrounding Garus made him uneasy.
"Who are you? And what the hell are those things? Zombies?"
Garus glanced at the ghouls he had summoned and realized how unsettling they must look. With a quick incantation, a green magic circle appeared beneath them, and in a flash of light, the ghouls vanished.
Removing his helmet, Garus revealed a youthful face.
"Hello, Tony."
Inside his armor, Tony stared in shock. Magic? He looked around again, his eyes lingering on the frozen sculptures. They weren't just ice—they were people, their terrified expressions perfectly preserved in frost.
Lowering his arms, Tony asked, "How do you know my name? Have we met? Did someone send you to rescue me?"
"Who doesn't know the great Tony Stark? Stark Industries is famous worldwide," Garus replied with a faint smirk. "Would you believe me if I said I was just passing through?"
Tony raised an eyebrow but said nothing. This was a desert—no one just "passed through." Still, if the stranger didn't want to explain, he wouldn't press the issue.
"Tony, do you have any spare clothes?" Garus asked, shifting uncomfortably. The icy armor pressed against his skin, and underneath, he wore nothing.
"I might," Tony replied. Before he could elaborate, Yinsen popped up enthusiastically.
"I do! Follow me!"
"Hey, Yinsen! Help me get this suit off first," Tony called after him. The hurriedly made armor was easy to put on but impossible to remove alone.
While Yinsen assisted Tony, Garus wandered into the cave. The terrorists' hideout was a chaotic mess. After some searching, he found a few clean pieces of clothing. They didn't fit perfectly, but they'd do.
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