Trevor was stunned. Mandarin? Were people still calling him that? No, this bloke had to be facetious. Not now. Not after everything he had started to realize.

Trevor looked around the small pit he was in. His eyes darted past the columns in every direction to get an idea of where the voice came from.

"Sorry love, but I must admit. I am not who you think I am."

The light footfalls stopped. "You are not the great Mandarin? Surely you jest. I have seen your many exploits and victories across the globe. Surely you are him."

Trevor swallowed hard but continued "No you see that was all Killian's idea. I was sitting back while he did all the work and I shot a few videos for the press, you know?"

"But if you are not the Mandarin, why did you take his name and claim to be him?"

Trevor shuddered. "You see, Killian hired me to appear to be the Mandarin while he created his virus and…"

Suddenly Trevor felt a massive impact against his chest and flew backwards against the column behind him. He let out a weak whimper and clutched his chest. It felt like a trolley had been shrunken down and ran full speed against his torso. Trevor opened his eyes and looked forward. He saw a fist protruding from the darkness decorated with two rings. The ring on the index finger glowed slightly.

"You were saying….Mandarin?"

Trevor sat motionless gazing upon the ring that glowed. Every breath hurt. Surely every rib was broken now. He could not say anything anymore. He could only stare in horror.

"Well now. It seems you are at a loss for words. Perhaps I should introduce myself, Trevor."

A robed figure stepped into the light and down into the pit. He was an Asian man, Chinese in appearance. His hair was long and somewhat wild. He was muscular and adorned scars at every turn. His appearance would suggest that of an old man. But his face and physique said he was young. Perhaps a man in his prime that had seen hell and lived to tell about it. This frightened Trevor. He did not want to be here anymore.

Trevor reached behind him and started to crawl out of the pit. He was half way up when a monstrous growl and hot scolding breath covered his face. Trevor fell back, wincing in pain from his chest still hurting. His eyes grew wide. His jaw dropped. There was no way, no way in hell that he was looking at what he thought he saw. It was a massive head poking out of the darkness that surrounded the pit. It was that of some kind of beast. Scaled and horned. It was….no….it couldn't be a dragon!? The long walking serpent stalked Trevor around the pit, flicking its forked tongue in Trevor's direction.

A gentle laugh came from behind Trevor. "You must forgive my pet. Fin Fang Foom is not very friendly to those who pretend to be kings."

Trevor moved around slowly, resting his head against the side of the pit.

"Please!" he pleaded. "I never meant to offend anyone, love. I only wanted to do my job and act! That was it, I was only an actor!"

The man in front of him raised his left hand. The ring on his middle finger glowed violently, sparks and electricity flowed from it. At once a blot of electricity shot forth at Trevor. Trevor screamed in pain as electricity flowed through his body. The man stopped, but his fist did not lower. The ring on his index finger began to glow red. Trevor screamed once again as flames engulfed his body. It was only for a moment, but the searing pain felt like forever. Trevor lay on his side, barely able to breathe. His hair and beard burned off his face.

Rapid footsteps ran to the pit from the doorway. A breathless voice called in.

"My lord!"

The man looked up, his fist still pointed at Trevor. "What is it?"

The man Trevor known as Jackson Norriss came in and bowed. "My lord. We have found it!"

The servant ran around the pit, careful to keep clear of Fin Fang Foom. He dropped into the pit and went to his knees holding up a box. The master grabbed it and opened. Inside was a square ring. Simple and golden. "Spectral…" he whispered. "Very good, Nighthawk. You have served me well this day, bringing me many gifts." He took the ring and placed it on the ring finger of his right hand.

He closed his eyes, seeming in pure ecstasy. Now three rings adorned his right and two on his left. The man laughed maniacally. He looked down at Trevor, almost forgetting he was still there.

Trevor looked up at the man through his charred eyelids. Blood trickled out of his mouth and onto the stone floor. Trevor spoke one final time. "Who….are…you…"

The man raised his right hand and made a fist.

"I am he who never fails."

The new golden squared ring began to glow…

"I am the icy fingers of fear that trap your heart."

Black dots danced around the center of the ring…

"The decedent of Genghis Khan, himself."

The dots drew to the center and formed a single circle…

"I am THE MANDARIN!"

And with one push, the ring shot out at Trevor. Trevor was in an instant blasted apart leaving no trace that he was ever there. The Mandarin lowered his hand and looked at his servant. "Nighthawk. Prepare your forces. The time is now that we reveal ourselves to the world."

Nighthawk bowed. "Where shall we go, great Mandarin?"

The Mandarin cracked an evil smile. "I believe there is someone I would like to meet in New York. Someone who thinks he has defeated the Mandarin. We go to face….The Iron Man!"

End