GotSIS Ch.26: Preparing the Legacy

11th May 2008

New York City, Mirror Dimension

The edges of the mirror dimension gleamed a faint red, lined by hints of green and blue as Harry sat on the ledge of the tallest buildings of New York, looking past the sprawling buildings and staring at the glimmering sea. Little golden sparks jumped between his fingers, as he hummed a little song, swaying his legs.

He heard a faint hiss and whirl behind him and turned his head to see a portal form behind him, golden sparks swirling into the empty rooftop. The space between it distorted and the Ancient One stepped through, her yellow robes fluttering at her ankles.

“Good afternoon, Master Potter.” The gravel on the rooftop crunched beneath her feet while the portal collapsed in a rain of gold behind her. “My apologies for being late. I was held up by the discovery of a new relic by Master Wong.”

“New?” Harry frowned, tilting his head. “I didn’t know that relics just formed naturally.” 

“Sometimes, they might,” she said. “But no, this one was made purposefully, I feel. But neither Master Perez nor I found any mentions of it in our library, and thus, it is unknown.” Her hand drew into a quick pattern and an image of a heavy-looking metal bracelet hoovered atop her palm. “This is the relic that Master Wong recovered from Poland, swiping it off from a black-market auction.”

“Wong stole something?” 

“He replaced it with a bracelet he bought off the street for less than a dollar.” Her lips quirked, amusement dancing in her eyes. “They sold it as being a piece of jewelry that was worn by a Queen in Ancient times. It sold for about three thousand times the value that he bought it for.”

“Bloody hell.” Harry snorted. “Wong would’ve gotten a kick out of it. Did he smile while he told you the story?”

“He smirked once, which, I believe, is more than the norm for him.” Her grin faded a little. “He has a sad past. One, which left him very little joy in his life. Finally, when he had nothing else to live for, he came to Kamar Taj, seeking a purpose. He is a kind soul to whom life has been unfair.” 

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Harry whispered. “I didn’t know.”

“He doesn’t share it lightly or at all. I know because I saw it myself.” She looked out at the sea, taking a deep breath. “Regardless, we’re not here to discuss Master Wong. Though, I would like you to have a look at the bracelet yourself, to see if there’s something I missed.”

“Sure. What did you gather about it so far?” 

“It is a divine relic— one made from the power of gods of some Pantheon that I’m yet to identify. It isn’t very powerful, but I’m afraid it might be cursed— or exact a heavy price from its wearer. I’ve locked it away for the time being, disallowing anyone to try it on.”

“Probably for the best,” Harry muttered. “Divine relics can be a colossal pain. Some even have minds of their own or as you said, exact a price. If the things you showed me in the forbidden vault are anything to go by, it is best to exercise extreme caution. Sometimes I wonder why you don’t just destroy them and be done with it.”

She gave him a sharp look, shaking her head. “The Forbidden Vault houses some of the worst relics and even knowledge to have touched our hands. I agree, everything in the vault is extremely dangerous, yes. But they’re dangerous because they are powerful beyond the limit of most relics. Which is what makes them useful.”

“It doesn’t change the fact that those things are awful.” Harry winced. “Those things—”

“Are powerful, as I said, Mr. Potter.” She sighed. “Heavy as its cost is, some of those relics can enable a sorcerer like yourself to face a Sky Father or even an Elder on equal grounds for a short time. Some can summon armies of undead at the cost of a single life.”

“And some can start an apocalypse,” Harry remarked. “Or corrupt the wielder in a way that they’d become the next world-ending threat. You told me that the last person to use one of the relics from the vault had to be put down and the fallout resulted in the Great Galveston Storm that killed nearly ten thousand people in minutes. Personally, I would prefer to find another way.”

“So do I. Rest assured, those relics are only brought forth when the worst arrives. They are our last resort to protect earth, and reality itself.” She met his eyes. “And when it does, it is an easy decision to make. Because if Earth is destroyed, it won’t only be humanity that’ll be wiped out. The very nine-realms would fall apart, starting a calamitic domino that would wipe out several galaxies and trillions of lives.” 

Harry winced. “And for it, a few thousand is no math. I understand. You’ve said it before too. But I don’t think I’ll ever like it.”

“From what I saw, you won’t. It is who you are.” She smiled slightly, patting his shoulder before walking past him, staring upward at the sky. “Since time immemorial, us Sorcerer Supremes have been tasked with one prime job. To defend Earth. It is our primary job. Of course, defense takes many forms, one of which is a great offense. Another is to outplay the threat you’re up against before the game even begins.”

“Which is what you do,” Harry said. “You arrange matters in a way that you’d win.”

“In a way that Earth would be protected, Mr. Potter. There’s a small difference but a vital one.” She corrected. “But essentially? Yes. It is one you’d never employ by your own admission. But that doesn’t mean you cannot learn what a Sorcerer Supreme must know. You see? Certain things are only passed on with the office of the Sorcerer Supreme. It is what gives them a certain edge.”

Harry felt a slight twinge of excitement and anticipation well in his chest, hoovering like a warm spark, as he nodded eagerly, straightening up. 

The Ancient One turned to him, inclining her head. “Thankfully, I can teach you a lot of them at my discretion. Of course, some things cannot be learned at all and some, I won’t teach you.”

“I’d happily learn whatever spell you teach me, Ancient One. We never know when a powerful spell will come in handy. And with my luck, I’d need those spells pretty soon.”

“I’m afraid that I’m not here to teach you spells, Mr. Potter, but rather certain techniques.” She paused, clasping her hands behind her back. “You can learn most spells on your own. I do not need to guide you through them personally. Some would be pointless to guide through, as they’re far too dangerous to practice, even here in the mirror dimension.” She shrugged. “Not to mention, I’ve already taught you a fair few of the spells— ones which only Sorcerer Supremes should know.”

Harry frowned. “Excuse me, but when?”

“The books I gave you from my private collection, Mr. Potter.” She smirked. “The elemental spells, the books on time, and some of the books on relics too. They’re a part of the knowledge that only gets passed down with the office of the Sorcerer Supreme. The books are not placed in the library for a reason.”

“Oh.” Harry’s eyes widened. “I didn’t realize.”

“You weren’t meant to.” Her lips curved. “My approach to teaching you, thus far, has been a passive one. You’re a capable student. I helped you where you needed it, and left you largely to your own devices, in the hands of other, very capable masters. This was largely because of the fact that until you learned the basics, I wouldn’t have contributed anything extra to your learning.”

“Right. Of course. You cannot learn to write an essay if you don’t know the ABC’s.”

“Crude, but nonetheless, apt,” she agreed. “Anyone would have taught you the ABCs. Even to form the words and the sentences. I didn’t need to teach you that personally. I would happily have, but I’m a busy woman, Mr. Potter. Now, you’ve proven that you’re capable of facing threats beyond what most Sorcerers could.”

“N’Gabthoth.”

“Indeed. Seeing you fight him made me realize that you’re as prepared as a Sorcerer could be, Mr. Potter. You’ve grasped Sorcery faster than anyone I’ve ever seen. And when we talked the other day, you showed me that you were ready, not only in magic but in knowledge too to take the next step. The step that only Sorcerer Supremes take.”

“Thank you.” Harry hesitated. “But you said that I was not going to be the Sorcerer Supreme. Not if things went according to your plan.”

“I did and I stand by it. But it doesn’t mean that your job will be any less. Wherever you go, you’ll create waves. You’ll define how humanity progresses and how we, as a species, are seen. While you won’t do it alone, you will be the catalyst of it.” 

“The Avengers,” Harry breathed.

“In a huge part, yes. I cannot tell you more, but I can assure you that one day, Earth will be recognized by the Avengers and be protected under their very name. Nicholas Fury understands it. He doesn’t know it yet, but he sees hope. A hope burning brighter than the stars. A hope driven by one thing he believes above all others.” She smiled. “Heroes.” 

The Ancient One drifted closer, something wild burning in her eyes and Harry stood still as she looked beyond his shoulder, back at the sea.

“In the past of this world, one man changed the tide of the greatest modern war,” she whispered. “One single man, who was living by a thread, having nothing but an insurmountable will and a good heart. You know him as Captain America, who single-handedly turned the tide of the Second World War. One single hero. Now make a team of them and think what they could do.”

Harry bit his lips, nodding at her and she smiled, flexing her fingers.

“I suppose we’ve drifted off.” She snapped her fingers and the world around them twisted, the gravel melting into long grass as the tall buildings below went away in the distance, greenery surrounding them, as Harry twisted around.

“Central Park.” Harry squinted at the buildings of Manhattan. “I suppose it is not a bad change of scenery. And if I fall, it is better to fall on grass rather than gravel.”

“It is.” The Ancient One chuckled. “It’ll be also helpful in one of the first things that I’ll begin teaching you. Energy manipulation.

Harry frowned, raising his arm slightly. “Isn’t that… just the mystic arts in a crux? We summon energy, either directly or called on from deities, and shape them into spells, weapons, shields, or whatever we want. While how much a sorcerer can summon may vary, but it is still energy manipulation in a way.”

“It is, Mr. Potter.” The Ancient One inclined her head, a brief smile curving on her lips. “But energy manipulation is a broad field, of which you’ve only learned the basics— or should I say, a single aspect of it. Except for shielding, what you’ve learned is mostly offensive. I intend to teach you how to defend Earth against threats.” She paused, her smile sharpening. “Tell me, Mr. Potter. What do these threats have in common?”

“That they want to destroy Earth.”

“Yes. But what makes them a threat?”

Harry frowned. “Their power? Size? Ability to get the job done?”

“Yes, to all, Mr. Potter. What I was looking for was power. Most of the large-scale threats we face have the ability to channel and focus energy on massive scales. Like N’Gabthoth did. His single attack was felt through the nine-realms, ringing through its very fabric.”

“The one where he drew Tiamut’s energy?”

“Yes. N’Gabthoth was a creature whose prime powers were necromantic in nature. He fed on lifeforce and could manipulate and use it in bursts of energy that would, quite literally, wither things away as you undoubtedly noticed.”

“I did. His burst withered away trees and shrubs.”

“Yes. And tell me, how did I shield against the blasts?”

“You used some variant of the mirror dimension, which absorbed the power,” Harry said. “But it filled up faster than you could make more crystals.”

“In parts, yes and no. I turned the energy around, into a shield. His very power stopped the blasts, so to speak.”

Harry frowned. “I don’t understand.”

“You will. Once I teach you the basics firsthand.” She smirked. “So, Mr. Potter. Prepare yourself.”

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

6th June 2008

Director’s office, Triskelion

“Sir?” Maria Hill’s voice cut through the silence of the enclosed office and Fury glanced up, gesturing her to come in. “You called for us?”

Phil Coulson followed her in through the door, glancing over his back as the lock clicked multiple times. Fury stood from his seat and walked up to the safe, opening it and removing a metal cube from within.

Beside Coulson, Hill’s breath hitched as he placed the metal cube on the desk. “You know what this is, Hill, don’t you?”

“I do.” Her eye twitched and she gave Fury an imploring look. “Sir, with all due respect, are you sure?”

“I’m sorry but what is it?” Coulson looked between them. 

Hill grimaced. “This, Agent Coulson, is the Toolbox. It has been a part of SHIELD since the day it was founded and is one of the reasons why we are what we are today. It is only accessible to the Director of SHIELD, tied to their fingerprint and voice identification. It has some built-in safety cracks if the director dies unexpectedly. If it is lost or stolen, a priority one, red-alert emergency is declared.”

Coulson’s head whipped sharply toward her before his gaze turned to the cube and Fury, who smirked. 

“That is correct. This little thing is as valuable to us as one other. The Tesseract.”

“What does it do?”

“It is every single bit of information that has ever passed through our hands since the day Steve Rogers went down on the wings of the Valkyrie. It contains information about everything SHIELD does and has. Every project, every operation, every piece of intel that we or any American agency has.” He pressed his thumb to the top of the cube. “Director Open. Fury, Nicholas J. Show me the prepared folder.” 

The cube glowed and blue lines extended from it, turning to a huge Holographic screen, displaying dozens of names while Fury’s lips curled into a smirk.

“Tell me what you recognize from these files, Coulson?”

“They’re level ten classified, sir. On a need-to-know basis.” Coulson breathed, reading through the names. “The few that I do recognize deal with either alien species— Pegasus, TAHITI, and the Marvel files. I can also see super-soldiers and enhanced programs like Project Rebirth, Project Sulphur, Project Homegrown, and the Widow Files which contains the intel on the Red Room projects and the infinity serum that Natasha Romanoff brought to us.” His eyes latched onto another familiar name. “Alongside Harry’s file, I see.”

“That’s correct. In a crux, these are all files we have on everything that goes beyond human. Many of these projects were ill-fated, some ending with disastrous results or complete failure. And in recent times, more have begun to crop up, particularly, superhuman programs, following the advent of Iron Man. They take inspiration from the ones which have been successful in the past, at least to a degree.”

“The Black Patriot, Widows, the mysterious Winter Soldier. They’re just tips of the iceberg.” Hill pursed her lips. “They all wanted to make their own Captain America. But none have had as much success as Erskine did with Project Rebirth, nor the stability. But the Infinity Formula does come close. Not as good as Erskine’s, but I’d wager it is halfway there and about as stable.”

“When Romanoff ran the test gauntlet, she was recorded to be faster than Olympic sprinters and could sustain it for far longer. She ran eight miles without a break, with obstacles at an average speed of thirty-three miles an hour.” Fury scowled. “Say what you would about the Russians, those motherfuckers succeeded in creating a viable super-soldier serum.”

Coulson inclined his head. “Good to have the heads up, sir. But why are you bringing this list up?”

“Because we cannot put all we have in one basket.” Fury scowled. “The Avengers are one thing. But we cannot rely on a single group of heroes to do everything. We need to get back in the game as SHIELD and beat the bad guys. And as much as I hate to rely on someone’s word alone, I’m taking Potter very seriously. He said that he was allowed to liaison because Earth is maturing. And with it, he said threats would come too. The last time aliens came, I realized that even with Project Pegasus, we were hilariously outgunned. I cannot leave it up to these Sorcerers solely.”

“I would like to tell you sir that Harry’s trustworthy,” Coulson said quietly. “And this has been a joint evaluation from myself, Sharon Carter, and your own readings. He has been straight with us, answering most of what we needed.”

“I am not doubting their intentions but I cannot rely on them alone. The best hands are our own.” Fury glanced at the list. “Also, Potter has made it clear that they won’t interfere in human matters unless it is a question of the existence of mankind. I do not need to tell you how much havoc a single organization can wreak, do I?” 

“No, sir.”

Fury nodded and clicked on a name from the list. “This may come as a revelation to you. But Potter is not the first supernatural thing or person we’ve encountered. He just blew it out to another level, taking in dimensions and monsters and gods. But we’ve encountered them since before SHIELD was founded. This also includes the Tesseract. If we’re to face more threats like this, I feel we should be prepared.”

The file changed to show a holograph of a glowing blue cube, with multiple attached files to it, loaded with all the research they had. 

“Then respectfully, sir, shouldn’t we bring Harry on in this? He could tell us a lot more, I feel. Give us a perspective that we don’t have.”

“Or clam up and enter into a tussle against us over it,” Fury said. “It is a risk we cannot take unless necessary. And right now, it isn’t necessary.”

“So, what? Do we prepare our own army of supersoldiers? Our own… mystic division?”

“I already have a few contacts for the latter, but nowhere near enough to stop someone of Potter’s level.” Fury’s face twisted. “I spoke to one of my associates who deals with things like this— monsters and hunts them down. He heard the word sorcerers and said that I shouldn’t mess with them. I asked him further but he didn’t say a word.”

“That is concerning,” Hill remarked. “Who’s this contact?”

“Classified. And that’s because he wishes for it to remain that way. As far as I could gain, the supernatural community or anything related to it stays the hell away from humans and our affairs. Something about the dangers of being revealed to the world at large. Even Potter is reluctant at the best of times and he’s been authorized by, whom I’ve gathered to be the big overlord of Earth’s supernatural community.”

“The Sorcerer Supreme, leader of the Sorcerers,” Hill said. “And Potter’s teacher.” She turned back to the holograph. “Sir, what is this conversation leading to?”

“Preparations, Hill. We’re outgunned. Outmatched. And out of our damned league. And there aren’t many I trust with something I plan to create in order to face gods.” 

“Energy weapons.” Coulson narrowed his eyes. “Sir, Project Pegasus was a disaster for a reason. There is a good reason we do not venture there anymore, even if I don’t know the whole story like you.”

“I understand that. But we’re not creating something beyond humans. Merely replicating something which has already been done over fifty years ago.” 

Coulson and Hill froze. “By Hydra.”

“Yes. Not the best of comparisons. But they had weapons to challenge the gods. Even if Peggy Carter ensured every single one was destroyed, we still have the source they made it from, the Tesseract. I believe it is time to upgrade ourselves with the times in a way we know best. By making weapons and trusting in our agents.”

“I disagree.” Hill drew herself up. “We cannot make such weapons, sir. If by any chance they get out, it will escalate the global war scenarios, making everything worse.”

“Which is why I won’t mass manufacture them. Only a set of weapons, in the hands of chosen agents. Chosen agents, who could perhaps be enhanced to a degree, with a supersoldier serum.”

“Sir, this is smelling like TAHITI all over again,” Coulson warned. “I do not need to enumerate the reasons why it is dangerous.”

“Danger is the world we live in, Coulson. If we’re not prepared, we’ll be put down before we know it. And, to give it a better moral consideration, I’m leaving this in your hands.”

“The Tesseract project?”

“Yes. We’re currently getting ahead of ourselves. Neither of the things— the weapons or the serum is even being formulated at the moment. But I’ve arranged for a facility to enable your work to begin. And we’ll start small. With enhanced machinery and weapons, alongside biological advances. Not to mention, preparing an elite strike team. This is Phase One of this project.”

Phil Coulson froze as the details appeared. 

“Phase two and three will come later.” Fury declared. “For now, Agent Coulson. I need you to start the work.”

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

27th June 2008

Tony Stark’s Lab, Malibu 

Screens glowed in the dark upon the elaborate desktops, throwing light across the instruments scattered through the lab. The slow creak of the chair filled the air as Tony spun around, his head in his hands, breathing deeply. A glass of green liquid stood by the table next to him, alongside the list of every single permutation and combination he had run through.

Tony’s throat bobbed, his arms trembling as he looked around, glancing at Dum-E, who clicked its fingers, tilting itself. 

“Sir, I am afraid, there’s no other known element or alloy that could be a viable replacement for palladium. Anything and everything you would use, only be more harmful. And the new containment case is slowing down the radiation as much as it can, but not completely.”

Tony leaned back in his chair, glancing at the Iron Man suits. 

“What’re the chances of survival?”

“Long term if you keep using the arc reactor? Nil, sir. But if you do not touch the Iron Man suit, there’s a chance that in a few years, a cure could be devised.”

“And if I do?”

“Based on current use patterns? Six months, sir. Maybe eight, if you reduce it.”

Tony felt the breath leave his lungs as he nodded, clenching and unclenching his fists. “So, the next birthday is going to be my last?”

“If you take the wiser course of action sir, and stop wearing the suit, no. Wearing the suit spreads the radiation faster, which is what is killing you.”

“I can’t stop, J. I made a promise, both to myself and Yinsen. I have a duty.” Tony stood from his seat. “But if I’m to pass, I need to ensure that all this doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. Prepare a list and a will. The only beneficiaries will be Pepper, Rhodey, and Happy. Pepper gets the businesses and shares, Rhodey the suits, and Happy gets my cars and the island.” He smiled slightly, his eyes blurring. “He always loved the Caribbean.”

“May I remind you sir that your assets are considerably larger than those.”

“We can distribute the rest individually. Get started on these. And alert my lawyers. I will be handing Stark Industries to Pepper, and ensure it is in her hands by the time I go.” He took a breath. “And keep it quiet for now. I’ll talk to her myself.”

“Understood sir. I will prepare your will and succession.”

“Thank you, J. You can put yourself in the will and take any of your favorite computers.”

“I do not have one, sir.”

“That’s what you say.” Tony laughed quietly to himself, staring at the reflection in the glass. “That’s what you say.”

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

AND… DONE! Hope you all liked the chapter!

So, yes, everyone’s preparing to hand the torch, or at least, preparing their successors. And in more ways than one. And yes, Fury is still up to his ways, because that is kinda his job.

The Ancient One is teaching Harry too, as she promised! We won’t see a lot of the training arc, but we’ll gain a glimpse of what Harry has learned before we move onto the Marvel verse completely. And yes, as you can see, I am preparing for it. :)

And it’ll be a lot of fun. Originally, I had planned for Romanoff to enter in this chapter, but I decided to give her a bigger scene in the next.

Anyhow, the next update will be an LoSP Side Story, which’ll be a Valentine’s special. Grins. So, stay tuned! 

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

.

Stay Happy! Stay Safe! Keep Smiling! Keep Reading!

HPfanfictioner66