GotSIS Ch.28: The Seven Wonders– II

24th September 2008

New York Sanctum

Dull, grey clouds covered the skies of New York, and rain droplets ran down the huge windows of the sanctum. Harry sat in the main area, poring over his notes, a cup of tea steaming in his hands. 

Giving the notes a final look, he vanished the cup of tea and dug into his expanded pouch, removing a thick copper bracelet from it and placing it on the table. Twisting his fingers, he drew a circle in the air, golden energy twisting and curving with every motion of his fingers as he began to draw runes in the air. 

“Transfiguration with the mystic arts. Ought to work,” he muttered, concentrating on the bracelet, willing it to change as he poured his own magic into the runic circle, which thrummed in response, rotating rapidly. 

With a snap of his fingers, a beam of gold shot into the bracelet, the golden-red of copper turning to a gleaming steel color. The magic vibrated around it, slowly sinking into the metal, which shone brighter for a moment before dimming. 

Harry let out a breath and picked up the bracelet, hissing as the hot metal burned into his skin. With a gesture, he levitated the bracelet, hovering it above the palm as the burns on his fingers vanished. Sighing, he stretched his senses, feeling the metal and the magic within it, before smiling.

“I did it. I bloody figured out permanent transfiguration. Copper to pure titanium.” Harry grinned, watching the bracelet hover in front of his eyes. “Hermione would’ve been so envious.” Her smile and warm brown eyes shone in the eye of his mind as a comforting warmth spread through his veins from the soul stone. “And proud too. Envious and proud.”

He set the titanium bracelet back down on the table and flexed his fingers, sending glowing bands of magic slithering around the bracelet, coiling around the metal like a snake.

“Now, to see if titanium can hold the power I need.” Harry bit his lip, drawing a series of runes and layering them over the metal before pushing the table away slightly and erecting a protective field around it. “Please do not burst like copper did.” Harry took a deep breath, pulling on power and concentrating on the bracelet. “By the Mystic Moons of Munnopor, lend me your power.”

Silvery beams of magic poured from Harry’s fingers, gathering around the titanium bracelet like a storm, a high-pitched ring emanating from it, clawing against Harry’s ears.

“Shit.” Harry stopped the spell, and a moment later, the bracelet burst with a loud bang, shards of titanium bouncing against the shield around the table, scratching through the wood.  

Harry grimaced, repairing the table with a wave of his hand before vanishing the charred pieces of titanium. “That didn’t work. What am I supposed to make this relic from?”

“What’s happening?” A shriek rattled from above, and Harry turned, spotting Wendy on the first floor, a dimensional disc in her trembling hand. “Who’s attacking!?”

“There’s no attack. Calm down, it was an experiment gone wrong, nothing else.” Harry frowned at her disheveled hair. “Were you sleeping upstairs?”

“No one’s attacking?” She let out a gasp of breath as her disc dissipated into sparks. “The blast scared the bejesus out of me.”

“My bad. In my defense, though, I didn’t even know you were in the sanctum, apparently sleeping upstairs from the look of it. Why?”

Wendy winced. “I don’t want to talk about it,” she mumbled, tucking her hands in her pockets. “Let’s talk about… what you were doing instead. Maybe I would learn something, and I could use a distraction anyway. What were you experimenting on?”

Harry briefly raised an eyebrow before answering, “Titanium. I was testing its viability for creating a relic. Apparently, it is even worse than copper and iron for some reason.” Harry let out a frustrated groan. “I have the perfect design, but I cannot find a material to create it.”

“Why didn’t titanium work then? If it doesn’t work, there’s got to be a reason, right? If you find that reason, you can overcome it.” Wendy suggested quietly.

“It might have something to do with the fact that I magically created it, but I doubt it. Metals might not be the most suitable thing to make the relic I’m planning to make.”

“Why not? Also, most relics here are made of wood. Why don’t you try that?”

“Wood’s nowhere near as versatile or fluid at handling energy that I require to make this thing,” Harry said grumpily. “Sure, it stores quite a bit of power, but it is singular in nature. One single function, one single energy, and one single way of use. Metals are more versatile and excellent conduits. But they’re shit at holding more than a certain amount of energy. I thought titanium might overcome it, but it is worse than iron.”

Wendy chewed on her lip. “What about cloth? Cotton or silk or wool?”

“Same thing as wood, or more appropriately, glass. Silk’s a little different, but most fabrics would burn very quickly unless extreme caution is taken. Fabrics like silk are good if you want to contain magical energy, but conduction or storage of power is something fabrics don’t do.”

“The red cloak up here does, though.”

Harry rolled his eyes. “The Cloak of Levitation isn’t a cloth in the traditional sense. It is woven of magic, and its origins aren’t exactly Earth-based. It isn’t a fabric you’ll find in a store or anywhere, for that matter.”

“So what’ll you do then?” Wendy descended the steps and sat across from Harry. “I can’t think of anything else— wait, what about gemstones? Something like a diamond, maybe?”

“Too many inherent properties and affinities for each.” Harry let out a sigh. “They can store a lot of power, sure, and even conduct them, but they’re all partial and not to mention, flimsy. I've put them on the list, but I don’t think they would function exactly as I want them to. That’s leaving aside the fact that they’re notoriously hard to turn into relics in the first place.”

Wendy’s forehead creased, and she bit her lip. “Combinations, then? Something like jewelry? Gemstones and metal. One can store, and the other can conduct.”

“It could work. I haven’t cut it off yet. The thing with such a relic is that it will either explode horribly or become something off-the-charts powerful. Excalibur’s one that was forged in that fashion, for instance. And it went down in history.”

Her eyebrows rose before she nodded. “Merlin was one of us, apparently, I know. Gives you a whole new perspective on how far back history goes and how much we Sorcerers have probably influenced it.”

“The answer is a lot. Had we not been there, Earth would’ve been turned to ashes a dozen times over in the last decade itself, if not more.” Harry snorted. “I stopped two of those events, so you can only imagine.”

“I suppose, yeah. It’s just baffling, you know? To think there are billions of people not even aware of the things we do. Things that could end Earth as easily as you eat a pancake.”

Harry smiled in acknowledgement, before looking up as the clock chimed six times on the wall, each gong echoing faintly through the sanctum. 

“Well, I should probably be going to bed,” Harry said. “I’ve duty with the wardens tonight at the Outer Gates.”

“Oh, of course,” Wendy smiled. “I— um, when do you think I could go for things like that? Duty with the wardens, actually protecting reality and all?”

“I thought you didn’t want to get involved in the fighting.” Harry tilted his head. “Last I heard, you were looking for obscure healing spells.”

Wendy hung her head. “It is a dead end. The healing spells are far and few, often used to aid healing rather than actually heal. I was thinking you could teach me. If that’s not too much trouble.”

“Oh.” Harry shifted in her seat. “Well, most of my healing abilities come from this.” He tapped the Eye of Agamotto around his chest. “And I’ve a couple of spells which I cannot teach you or anyone, for that matter. It is unique to me because it isn’t sorcery. It is something I inherited from my parents.”

She blinked owlishly before nodding. “I see. You can just say no, too, you know?”

“I can teach you a lot. Combat magic, relic creation, runic circles, warding, ward-breaking, elemental magic… and dozens of other things. But healing isn’t one of them. Because what I do, only I can do it. Not even the Ancient One has that power.”

“So teach me something. I am feeling left out. I… I am not meant for fighting.” She looked up, meeting Harry’s eyes. “Can you teach me how to create relics like you have? I mean, I know I cause incidents whenever I touch one, but if I had a better understanding…”

Harry inclined his head, conjuring a piece of paper and handing it to her, a smile curving on his lips at the irony. “The paper has the names of three books. Read them in order and then, if you’re interested, I will give you a hand.”

“Reading it is then.”

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6th October 2008

Radiant — Covert SHIELD base, Alaska

Quiet footsteps rang through the corridor, the chatter of agents and soldiers drifting from outside as they milled on the grounds. Maria Hill sat in an office, scrolling through her tablet, chewing on the back of her plan. 

A ping rang on her tablet, and the faint sound of a chopper’s blades reached her ears. She turned, squinting out of the window, watching as a chopper descended onto the grounds. She picked a pair of binoculars and zoomed in, watching the chopper land and its doors open. Two cuffed men were shoved out, followed by a pair of soldiers who escorted them away.

Her eyes remained stuck on the door as the fifth man emerged, a quiver slung around his back and a bow in his hand, a bulky cylinder in another. His eyes stared straight at her and he raised his bow in salute before he handed the cylinder to a convoy of Agents, climbing on a bike. 

Hill smirked and flipped her phone open, dialing a number. “This is Hill to SHIELD command. The Hawk has landed at the Radiant. Two in SHIELD custody, the package seems secured. Awaiting mission debrief.”

She put the phone down and sat back on her desk, acknowledging the confirmation message from the team outside. Which meant that the package was correct and heading to be studied and dismantled downstairs. 

The door burst suddenly open and she looked up sharply to see Clint Barton stride in, placing his quiver on the chair across from her as his eyes swept the room.

“Hill,” he said. “What are you doing here in the middle of nowhere?”

“I was waiting for you to knock.” She gave him a pointed look, and he snorted. “But apparently, you consider it beneath you. Tell me, do you pull the same with Director Fury, Agent Barton?”

“You saw me coming. You were standing at the window when I landed.” Clint propped himself on an empty chair. “And you’re not going to shoot me if I barge in. Fury would.”

“Maybe I should start shooting.” Hill scowled. “Mission debrief.”

Clint pulled a pendrive from his pocket and tossed it to her. “Wrote it in the chopper. Now, I am going to go on a nice vacation and rest.”

“You’re not scheduled for vacation until mid-December, Barton. We’ve another mission for you.” She passed him a file.

“I just saved the world from the Third World War. You’re welcome.” He stretched his feet onto her desk, and she glared at him. “Send someone else on it. I’m not the only operative you have. There are probably dozens of agents dying for an assignment. Send Mockingbird or the Cavalry. Or Agent Thirteen.” He flipped the file open. “Wait. Reconnaissance? Send Sitwell. Or Hand, if it is somewhat important. Why’re you sending a special Agent in, that too me?”

“You’re the best at what you do. Surveillance is your forte. And this is a Black Op. You’re going to Oman to spy on a branch of the Ten Rings.”

“I thought Stark was rounding up the Ten Rings. Bringing about privatized world peace.”

“He has dealt with most of the Afghanistan outposts, as far as our intel goes, driving them from the region.” She nodded. “But the Ten Rings aren't your typical terrorists. They've raised secrecy to an art form. We still don't have the first clue what's really behind them. And they’re all over Asia. Stark brought a fair bit of their true extent to light, but… well, it isn’t remotely the whole picture.” 

“So, what are they doing in Oman, which has alarm bells ringing?”

“A suspected member of the Ten Rings recently met up with Ulysses Klaue there.” 

“The biggest black market arms dealer of Africa and one of the worst terrorist organizations of the world meeting together cannot possibly end well,” he muttered. “Alright. But after the mission, I am going home. I’ve someone important waiting for me.”

“I know. Well, you get to the bottom of whatever the deal with the Ten Rings is. And, going further, stop the immediate deal from happening.”

“Yes, boss.”

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18th October 2008

Bifrost Bridge, Asgard

The golden palace of Asgard rose above the shimmering waters, its high towers gleaming in the sunlight. Harry hovered high above the capital, watching the hustle and bustle of the capital and the training grounds in the distance. Drifting closer, he caught sight of a gorgeous woman who seemed to dance with her sword, sparring against a small troop of golden-armored soldiers. 

She flipped and slipped amongst them, taking them down without breaking stride, almost flowing like water between rocks as she disarmed them or shoved them away.

‘Sif, daughter of the Nine Goddesses,’ The Soul Stone whispered in his ears, and Harry tensed, watching the woman take down the troop of soldiers all by herself. 

He flinched as a large hammer soared past him like a silver blur, heading toward the palace. Harry felt the magic thrum in the air moments before thunder boomed in the sky. 

Below him, Sif stopped her spar and climbed atop a steed that raced through the streets just as a chariot emerged from the palace.

“What in the name of Merlin…”

A red-caped man flew out of the Palace’s balcony, the hammer in his hand as his hair flew in the wind. Harry smelled the scent of ozone as he shot past him, leaving a gush of wind in his wake. 

‘Thor, the son of Odin,’ the Soul stone whispered needlessly in his ear.

Harry narrowed his eyes and followed, zooming after Thor as he flew straight toward the Bifrost bridge, landing with a crack of thunder. Behind Thor, the huge gates to the Bifrost bridge swung open, and Sif rode in, followed by the chariot that stopped in front of Thor. A hefty, extraordinarily fat man dressed in armor jumped out, a huge sandwich in his hand. 

“My friends, we prepare for battle!” Thor stormed forward, into the Observatory where Heimdall stood, his gaze flicking to Harry before he shook his head ever so slightly. “Heimdall, put us as close to the rampaging creature as you can. We’ll take it from there. No longer shall Alfheim be terrorized!”

Heimdall gazed at the three for a moment before pushing his sword further in and twisting it. The Observatory spun around them, and Harry felt the power roar beneath his feet as the Bifrost lit up.

“Good luck,” Heimdall said, and the three vanished, the Bifrost beam roaring across the cosmos.

“Worry not, Sorcerer,” Heimdall rumbled as Harry turned questioningly to him. “Prince Thor and his companion have gone to aid their dear friend in Alfheim. A Bilgesnipe has appeared in the realm and is attacking one of their villages. His aid was requested.” 

“Those seem to be quite a pest, don’t they?” Harry muttered, frowning. “So Thor, Sif, and the third guy have gone to deal with a single Bilgesnipe?”

“Volstagg the Voluminous.” Heimdall’s lips seemed to twitch at the name. “He is one of the Warriors Three, who are amongst the bravest and most fearsome warriors in the Nine Realms. They’re the oldest friends of Prince Thor and Prince Loki, alongside my sister.”

Harry whirled around to look at Heimdall. “Sif’s your sister?”

“She is.” Heimdall smiled. “Sif is younger than I by a few centuries in your time. I had already begun my watch when she was born. In fact, she’s nearer to the Princes’ age than mine.”

“I didn’t realize you were that old,” Harry remarked, and Heimdall bowed his head. “I mean, Thor’s what? Fifteen hundred? And you’re a few centuries older than him. Which means you’re over two thousand years old, probably.”

The palace of Asgard reflected in Heimdall’s eyes, before they shifted afar. “I can understand that the concept baffles you. In Asgardian years, especially for one with the powers of the Yggdrasil, a human lifespan is but a blink. Gods have slumbered as a nap for longer than a human lifespan.”

“I suppose,” Harry said, before frowning. “Why’s Thor going to battle the creature anyway? That too with company like that? From what I understand, they’re big, but not bad enough to warrant a god’s intervention, let alone two. Three, if you count the Volstagg guy.”

“Volstagg is a blessed warrior. While not a god, he does possess the power of the Yggdrasil.” Heimdall inclined his head, his golden eyes sliding in and out of focus. “You would be correct, though. The situation doesn’t require the Prince’s attention. Or even Asgard’s, for that matter. But Lord Odin wishes for the Prince to be seen amongst the Nine Realms, protecting their inhabitants before the coronation. A popular king is a good king.”

“So, essentially, it is a PR stunt.” Harry snorted. “Figures.”

Heimdall gave him a small, amused smile. “What brings you here today, Sorcerer? From what I saw, you were working on something before you scried into Asgard. Something that had you troubled.”

“Yes, I was working on a project. I came here looking for a break, actually. Thought I’d see a few sights and meet you. Get refreshed.” Harry shrugged. “I’m creating a relic—or two conjoined relics, however you think of it. They’re supposed to be a pair of gauntlets, each with its own function. The first would allow me to conjure dimensional constructs with a thought. The other one, which I have no clue how I would make yet, would store spells, so to speak. Like bullets in a gun. Ready to shoot anytime you need, but way more versatile.” 

“You’ve designed the first already, from what I see.” Heimdall’s eyes glowed. “But I do not understand much of what you’re doing, I’m afraid.”

“If you can understand that the design is complete, you understand enough. I can bet half the sorcerers down on Earth won’t even make heads or tails of it.” Harry waved him off. “The thing is, I’m stuck. Earth simply doesn’t have any metal or material that could hold the enchantment and the power that would be required for such a relic.”

“I see. Why is there a problem?” 

“The relic I’ve thought of would be required to channel a broad spectrum of energies and hold a lot of power at the same time if I want it to function the way I want it to. Heck, if I could, I would enable it to even absorb and disperse raw energies. But for that, I need the perfect material or a perfect object. Which, I can’t figure out.”

Heimdall tilted his head. “Uru could be an exception, couldn’t it?”

“It is a magical metal, so, yes, probably.” Harry frowned. “But for that, I would need to go to Nidavellir to buy it, and I don’t even know their currency. It is either that or raid one of your armories for a pair of unenchanted vambraces.”

“If you raid our armory, I would’ve to inform Lord Odin of the trespass or risk violating the oath I took as the Gatekeeper. And the Dwarves will not sell their trade so easily. Nor would they take kindly to having someone else enchant their creations.”

“I can probably hide from your sight. But I’m not that desperate, and I like a challenge.” Harry grinned. “Till then, adios amigo.”

With that, he disappeared, leaving Heimdall shaking his head.

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31st October 2008

Grand Prix, Monaco

The engine roared in Tony’s ears, as he felt the vibration of every part of the racecar, his mind calculating everything around him subconsciously as he drove. He felt the car around him pressing tighter on the accelerator as his heart raced, his grip tightening on the steering wheel.

With a slight tilt, he changed the direction slightly, passing another driver, letting out a muffled whoop in the helmet.

As the bend approached, everything faded away, and he turned again, the car roaring under him.

Instead of the cars, a man stood in the middle of the racetrack, lightning whips in his hands, his lips curving into a vicious grin. As Tony neared, severing slightly to avoid him, the man lashed out, his whip tearing through the front of Tony’s car.

The next moment, he felt weightless as the world turned around him, before he landed with a jarring thump, pain flaring in his back. The car skipped across the tarmac like a stone over water, crashing into the side and overturning.

Tony felt his world go blank for a moment, as he pawed on his helmet, pulling it from his head with a gasp.

Electricity crackled from the man’s whips, the whole world upside down as screams rang in the distance. Behind him, the cars crashed into each other, in a burst of flames as he neared Tony, his whips tearing through the road below as pieces of cars and smoke rolled past him.

The man’s eyes met Tony’s through the flames, the electricity on his whips intensifying. And Tony felt his heart pummel.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

AND… DONE! Hope you all liked the chapter!

We’re now officially into Iron Man 2. This is the part where whiplash attacks Tony on the racing circuit in Monaco, near the start of the film. I didn’t write the whole scene as nothing has begun to change… yet. But we’ll be seeing a lot of stuff change real soon. Especially if you consider the fact that Iron Man 2 and Thor 1 are literally lined back to back on the timeline, with Coulson bouncing from Tony to New Mexico directly.

A huge thanks to Mughil and Zaby for betaing this chapter!

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