"What the hell is that password supposed to be?"
Tony could understand Ethan's previous line of thinking, it would indeed be convenient to store equipment on an orbiting space station. However, the logistics of maintenance and replacement would make it far more troublesome than it was worth.
And then there was that password…
"So, you actually like that kind of style?" Tony asked, raising an eyebrow.
Ethan waved his hand dismissively. "Not at all. I just want to see what it would look like if you stood in the middle of a crowd shouting something like that."
"..."
Tony gave Ethan a pointedly annoyed look before flipping him off.
As the two bantered and took a short break after several long days of work, Tony suddenly received a phone call.
"Pepper?" he said, answering immediately.
But the voice on the other end wasn't Pepper's. Instead, it belonged to a man with a heavy accent.
"Tony Stark! I'm looking forward to meeting you."
Before Tony could react, the call abruptly disconnected. Sitting slouched in his chair with his usual devil-may-care attitude, Tony immediately straightened, his expression hardening. As he instructed J.A.R.V.I.S. to trace the call, he stood and began equipping himself with his most advanced Iron Man armor.
The experimental magic-enhanced armor wasn't ready for combat. Under normal circumstances, Tony might have risked using it as a field test. But this was about Pepper's safety, so he didn't dare take any chances. He discarded all unfamiliar and untested equipment, instead choosing his most reliable and battle-tested suit.
"I might need your help," Tony said, turning to Ethan.
Given the circumstances, Tony couldn't afford to be reckless. Pepper's safety was paramount, and Ethan's abilities could be critical in ensuring she stayed unharmed.
Tony didn't know, however, that Ethan hadn't yet mastered teleportation magic. The teleportation spells he'd used previously had been portals opened by the Ancient One.
But even without teleportation magic, the equipment Ethan had just crafted was more than capable of protecting someone from harm.
"Don't worry," Ethan said calmly. "I'll make sure Pepper doesn't get hurt."
Tony nodded. Ethan's assurance was enough for him. Despite their relatively short acquaintance, Tony had come to trust that Ethan was a man of his word. If he said he'd protect Pepper, then he would.
"Alright," Tony said. "I'll leave her safety to you. As for the guy behind all this? He's mine to deal with."
Tony's pride would never allow him to rely on someone else to handle an enemy for him, especially not one who had specifically targeted him.
"Sir," J.A.R.V.I.S. interjected, "the source of the call has been traced to the Stark Group headquarters."
The Stark Group had offices worldwide, but its main headquarters was located in Los Angeles. The Stark Tower in New York was Tony's private property and largely unrelated to the group's corporate operations.
Pepper, acting as CEO, was based out of the Los Angeles headquarters and handled its daily operations. Given the Stark Group's status as a global leader in cutting-edge technology, its security systems were top-notch. Tony had never imagined that someone would be brazen enough to break into the headquarters and threaten Pepper's life.
"I'm heading out," Tony said, his voice sharp with determination.
"I'm coming with you," Ethan replied immediately.
Tony's villa had been heavily modified, including the installation of a retractable roof to allow him to launch in his armor. But Tony wasn't sure how Ethan intended to follow him.
Then he watched as Ethan brushed his hand across his chest, causing the "retro" outfit Tony had teased him about to materialize in place of his casual wear.
Pulling up the hood of his cloak, Ethan obscured his face. Tony, standing only a few meters away, realized with surprise that he could no longer make out Ethan's features. The hood cast a deep shadow, leaving only Ethan's mouth and cleanly shaven chin visible.
"Is that cloak just for hiding your identity?" Tony asked, intrigued.
"Not even close," Ethan replied.
As he spoke, the cloak began to stir and flutter before bursting into flames.
"Holy sh—!" Tony jumped back instinctively. But to his shock, the flames didn't burn anything in the room, nor did they emit any heat.
Before Tony could ask what it was for, the fire shifted, splitting apart and expanding into a pair of large, flaming wings.
"Wings? Don't tell me… can that thing actually let you fly?"
"You guessed it," Ethan said with a smirk.
The wings, now fully extended, didn't flap like those of a bird. Instead, a powerful stream of air erupted from their lower edges, propelling Ethan straight into the sky.
"Son of a—! So that's why he kept pestering me about the principles behind jet engines!"
Watching the flaming wings in action, Tony immediately deduced how they worked. By using magic, Ethan had essentially created a jet propulsion system. The flames expanded the air within, which was then ejected to generate thrust.
The intake and energy supply were easy enough to manage during high-speed flight, air could be replenished without the need for specialized mechanisms. The real challenge lay in maintaining the complex structure of the wings and protecting the user during flight.
If not for the urgency of rescuing Pepper, Tony would have pinned Ethan down and demanded a detailed explanation of the wings' design. But for now, he had no time to waste. Activating his suit's thrusters, Tony took off after Ethan, both of them heading toward the Stark Group headquarters at full speed.
The headquarters wasn't far from the villa, and the two reached it quickly.
In Los Angeles, people had long since grown accustomed to the sight of Iron Man flying overhead. But today, something unusual caught their attention.
Passersby who glanced up at the sky saw not only Iron Man but also another figure. The second figure, with its large, fiery wings, stood out dramatically against the backdrop of the sky.
"Oh my God! Is that… an angel?" someone exclaimed.
Some onlookers crossed themselves, while others clasped their hands in prayer, staring at Ethan in awe. From a distance, his flaming wings gave him the appearance of a heavenly being.
The commotion quickly spread. By the time Ethan and Tony arrived at the Stark Group headquarters, footage of their flight had already gone viral online.
S.H.I.E.L.D. naturally caught wind of the situation.
Iron Man sightings were no longer noteworthy, but the other figure had Fury's full attention.
He recognized Ethan immediately and knew why he and Tony were heading to the Stark Group headquarters. Fury was already aware of the threat to Pepper's safety and had dispatched agents to the scene to secure the area and provide support if necessary.
What intrigued Fury most, however, was Ethan.
"That kid's no ordinary person," Fury muttered to himself, watching the live footage.
Ethan's actions at the Stark Group headquarters only reinforced Fury's impression.
Using his mental power to locate both Pepper and the enemy, Ethan bypassed the obvious entrances. Instead of going through the windows, he blasted straight through a wall, relying on his energy shield to absorb the impact.
Inside, the force of his entrance sent Ivan Vanko, who had been holding Pepper hostage, flying across the room. Vanko slammed into the opposite wall with a sickening crunch, blood spurting from his mouth.
"GOD!" Pepper gasped in shock, her hands covering her mouth.
When she recovered enough to take in the scene, she saw a figure standing protectively in front of her. Behind him were massive wings of flame, and his face was hidden beneath a shadowy hood.
Vanko, meanwhile, was half-embedded in the wall, bloodied and unconscious. It was clear he was no longer a threat.
"Tsk. Too weak," Ethan muttered, clicking his tongue.
If not for the thick wall he'd smashed through absorbing some of the impact, Vanko would likely have been killed outright. Even so, his condition was critical. Without immediate medical attention, he would almost certainly die.
Ethan pulled back his hood, revealing his face to Pepper. His wings remained spread, their flames casting flickering light across the room.
"Tony's right behind me," he said.
Pepper exhaled in relief. Seeing Ethan flaming wings and all didn't faze her. By now, she'd grown used to the mage's eccentricities.
"Hey! You promised to leave the bad guys to me!"
Tony flew in through the hole Ethan had made, taking in the scene at a glance. It didn't take a genius to figure out that Ethan had already neutralized the threat.
"I kept my promise," Ethan said. "I only took him out to keep Pepper safe. You can handle him now, if he's even conscious."
Tony's glare softened. With the situation under control, Ethan retracted his wings. The flames dissipated, leaving behind his simple, hooded cloak.
"It's just a shame," Ethan said. "The guy was so weak."