Summary: Finale of The Forgotten Story
Warnings: Mix of angst but then comfort, and lastly.. some more suspense and twists.
Word Count: 1,932
—
"E-El Hombre.. is.. me?" I trembled at my feet. It's the same look, same features. Exactly, he looks like me.
"Of course. I already told you, Stark. You know me." He extends his hands, as a huge reveal to me.
In a flick of his fingers, his face changed into the same appearance I saw earlier with mom and dad. I looked at everything happening in shock and awe, and converted back. El Hombre was also him?
"Y-you were El Hombre this whole time too.. and how do you look like me?" I tilt my head.
"You're me.. I'm you.. and El Hombre was also me, which is you itself. What's the difference? You created me."
"I-I created you?"
"Of course.. when you made this reality, another presence from your soul created a figure, which was me. Like in every good has a dark side. Every light has darkness.. so it's me.. as you. Your own consciousness should have known about it too, Anthony."
I shook my head. "How can you be my consciousness.. when I never realised you existed within me?"
"What did you think, who could have been the cloaked figure that was.. following you all this time. Making a mess of your reality. Trying to explain who you really are. That was all me. How can you be so.. blind, Stark? I thought, your powers knew better than anyone else?" My other self smirked and chuckled.
I was growing more and more confused. This was going out of hand. He then started to walk around me, circling entirely. The amount of tension that created within me was so eerie yet curiosity covering it. Everything seemed so wrong.
"It was me, who became El Hombre de Hierro to your house, just to give you a warning. But, sadly. You didn't."
"What warning? I damn don't know about it too! Stop putting me in countless doubts and straight answer me. What do you want from me?"
"I want you to understand that this isn't the real you. Your powers were incorrectly forged. So, me as your guide, is trying to fix this error of your abilities. You are not a normal person, Stark. You're a sorcerer."
"I'm not a sorcerer! Neither I know any spells or tricks!"
"You ARE. This is chaos magic, Stark. And that makes you The Crimson Sorcerer."
The Crimson Sorcerer?
"Long ago, there was a wizard, who practiced spells that belonged to the Darkhold. The other wizards got to know about his keen interest in the field that they were preparing to banish his soul, so that the powers cannot create any more damage. But, before they could stop, it was too late. It's powers were the cause to distribute destruction, pain and grief among innocent lives. And that's what your abilities depend on."
He then points a finger to my heart.
"You are meant to give everyone suffering, Stark. The Crimson Sorcerer isn't born, but forged into the one who practices those spells."
"But I never practiced any spells like that. Why can't you understand me!"
"Because this reality YOU created, can also make others suffer. It has been created because of your sheer grief of loss and depression. The ones who enter the Hex, will also feel the same. They'll also face the same symptoms of your mental health and might die as their stability couldn't withstand it. Only the strongest of the strong, who understand you, can enter it. Otherwise, they'll suffer."
El Hombre then started flying in the air, forming his powers. "You were supposed to be me! And the mistake was, you didn't turn back. Now, if you have fully understood, come with me. You'll have everything, Stark. Trust me, the Darkhold has much for you to offer. You can change the world. You can show everyone who is the better."
I glance at myself. I was just the normal Iron Man. Now.. I had become a sorcerer who meant to give pain and suffering..?
First my weapons, then my technology.. I was trying to fix things.. had I made it more worse? I just want everyone to understand I'm a good hero. But, they all called me a war criminal.. a useless superhero. Everything. I tried everything. Still, I was so misunderstood.
El Hombre tilted his head and smirked. "What's your thoughts, Stark? Are you ready to take this chance?"
I heard what he said, and instead of responding anything, I move my head up to face him, my eyes glowing in a tint of blue. There, I fly to come up to his level, him still smirking. The moment I activated my powers, his smile vanished.
Third Person POV
"What is he trying to do?" El Hombre said to himself. Tony whirled his hands around symmetrically, and formed an illusion of him with his family, all happy and free of any stress or conflicts.
"I might have faced a lot of pain.. but I also learnt from them. The day when I was kidnapped, I quickly realised that the world has secrets I never knew behind while myself." Tony then looks at El Hombre, with gentle eyes. "Though these powers were an accident, I learnt how they work. And if I created this reality, I'll learn about how it happened soon too."
He continued, circling around the illusion, before it can fade away. "Even if I have achieved such powers that cause pain to others, I can make it a blessing itself. If I brought back my family with these powers, it's a reason why. It's mixed with my grief too. The more I grow sad, the more it'll be strong and create what I lost. They can be fake but not for me, because I know they're my family and will never belong to anyone else. They were created by my power. Not from yours, and that never makes a reason to share your powers with me because you think they are similar to the sorcerer itself."
"I might be a sorcerer to you. But I apologise. For me and everyone, I am the one and only, Iron Man.. Tony Stark." Tony charged his powers, attempted to attack El Hombre but he dodged it quick.
Enraged, El Hombre prepared his attack, performing a spell and aiming over Tony, but he formed a shield and prevented it.
The evil growled. "You will never learn how to agree with your own self, would you?"
"You are just a creation of my problems. Mine was a view of being happy in there. And it's kind of awkward that I'm actually fighting my own consciousness."
El Hombre glides towards Tony and kicked him in the air. But, the engineer kept himself strong and then dodged every single attack and when it was the chance, he grabbed the cloak and pulled him through the head, placing his hand over the forehead, the magic overflowing through his head. El Hombre growled in struggle as Tony tried stabilizing him but his own self just head-bonked him. They continued to fight in the air for minutes, and when it was over, both panted with breath.
"You aren't doing this right, Stark. Do you think in the world will really forgive you for your actions? Because I don't see it at all." He smirked evilly, but Tony just tilts his head, looks down and scoffed.
"The world will notice what I am soon. Time makes it understand. If they get what I mean, they'll get it to,"
"But, you don't need to tell me, who I am." Tony's face suddenly began to form a glowing shape, signifying his helmet. As he raised his arms, and glowed a bright blue aura, and grew more brighter and brighter, creating a field around him. El Hombre covers his eyes to prevent the light entering his eyes, but he can't believe it. He sees a blurred figure, with a outfit similar but more opposite to him.
It was the same illusion, what Tony saw when he grabbed the Mind Stone.
El Hombre couldn't believe it. He could feel the power, and it was more incredibly stronger than ever. Even he can't stop it now. The light stopped illuminating, and revealed a similar looking Tony but with the blue outfit. He was still glowing, and suddenly, the red cloak wizard felt himself fading away, which was getting sucked in Tony's heart.
"No.. d-don't do this! You will become the better than everyone, Stark! You have to believe m— NO!" El Hombre cried out loud while getting inside Tony's soul, and got entirely in.
When Tony opened his eyes, they did show a tint of red, but they turned blue the moment he controlled himself fully. The magic was over. Everything was back to normal. The crimson red sky was no longer around him. His world was back, it was no longer under El Hombre's control.
It was the start of a new journey, for Tony Stark.
With his new abilities.
—
Back at home, Howard, Maria and Jarvis felt themselves now free of every single stress and pain. Trying to think how this is happening, Tony arrived at the scene. Maria ran towards his son and hugged him tightly.
"Mom?" Tony gently pushed his mom, facing her, who was crying.
"Oh dear. I thought we lost you" Maria replied, hugging him. Tony felt himself soften and melt at his mother's affection, hugging her back.
Howard also arrived at the scene, placing a hand over his shoulder. "I'm proud of you, my son." He smiled heartily at Tony, and patted his back.
The family was now happier, and happier than ever. Tony also cried tears, glad to have a heartful reunion with his parents, who will now no longer be a part of his tragic past, and any sort of problem or issue overcoming them.
The entire scene then starts to fade, slowly revealing a Tony in his astral state, closing an unknown spell book. It looks over him and you, sleeping sound. Smiling, the soul enters through Tony's body, coming to a relax.
There, Y/N was a bit awake, and thought of something weird. "Tony?"
He too was awake all this time, while being in astral form all this time, responding in a deep, tired voice. "Yeah, honey?"
"My powers are tingling something.. suspicious." You furrow your eyebrows, in worry.
"What do you feel?" Tony whispered, wanting to know what was troubling you.
"That.. there is a forgotten story that no one ever knows about, and only you and some others know about it." You clenched on the blanket, being more tensed. Tony chuckled, and cuddled onto you, keeping both warm and kissed your neck.
"There are a lot of stories that are forgotten. But one such story might bring an impact to the person, not realising this was happening behind them this whole time. "
"What could be that?" You asked, confusedly.
"Nothing, my love. You're just worrying for no reason. Rest your eyes, I want to wake up in the morning beside you." Tony smiled, and you look over your fiancé, with the loving stare.
"As the husband wants." Chuckling, both then drift off to sleep. Some minutes later, one of the words Tony spoke filled through your head.
"There are a lot of stories that are forgotten. But one such story might bring an impact to the person, not realising this was happening behind them this whole time."
This line suddenly kept you awake and more doubtful. Whatever Tony said, had a deep meaning.
Everything happening.. but not in front of you.
Can that be an illusion..?
Or really, a forgotten story?
The end?