Welcome back to Ashes of Midnight. Last time, Cynder, Iron Man, and Blade stormed Howard Stark's secret data storage facility to stop Bruce Banner from accessing whatever he was looking for there, presumably a gamma accelerator that was mentioned in a recording of Howard Stark. Banner tried to convince Iron Man to join him, but Tony rightfully refused. After fighting off the enemy, Tony blew up the server after securing it to make sure Bruce couldn't make another go at it. So, what comes next? Read on to discover...

(Our scene resumes in The Abbey, where Iron Man, Doctor Strange, Cynder, Magik, and Nico Minoru appear to be playing around of twenty questions.)

Iron Man: It's a simple question.

Nico Minoru: I mean... maybe?

Iron Man: How is maybe an answer here? Did you see a stolen piece of one of a kind gamma tech in wherever Bruce is hiding out or did you not?

Magik: There was kind of a lot going on while we were there. You'll forgive us for not looking out for it.

Nico Minoru: Yeah, we were kind of trying to save our friends. Who you decided to abandon.

Iron Man: Hey, we are trying to save Spyro and Wanda, alongside the rest of the world.

Cynder: I seem to recall something similar to that thing. Though I could be mistaken, which is why I had Nico and Magik here, to back me up.

Nico Minoru: And it doesn't seem to be working. We're done here.

Iron Man: I wouldn't be yet. What if I told you we could use the gamma accelerator to destroy the Parchment of Power?

(This idea seems to catch Nico Minoru and Magik's attention, but Doctor Strange is first to respond)

Doctor Strange: I would say that, potentially, without the Parchment of Power...

Cynder: (Finishing his thought) The prophecy can't come to pass. No Darkhold, no return of Chthon, none if it if that page is atomized.

Doctor Strange: But that's impossible!

Cynder: I'm tempted to agree.

Iron Man: All of this talk of impossible from the wizard with the talking cape, the dragon, the blood witch, and the Queen of Limbo? Somehow I'm the most boring one in the room right now.

Magik: You know, there might be a way to return to that facility.

Nico Minoru: There is? Why didn't you tell me?

Magik: Because it just occurred to me. My sword keeps a memory of every portal I open. But... (Thinks about it) You know, it's probably better if I show you.

(With that, Magik draws her sword and uses it to try cutting into Limbo, but as she does, she's met with Malefor's violet magic, strangely without Lilith's green magic this time, and the sword is forced back)

Magik: Each time I try to reach that particular place, something pushes back. Like I'm hitting a wall.

Iron Man: Wall? I'd call that pure...

Nico Minoru: Evil.

Doctor Strange: A demonic energy barrier. Unlike any I've seen before.

Cynder: And in Malefor's signature color scheme. (Thinks about it) And just his color scheme. Shouldn't his and Lilith's magic still be merged? Why is his power the only one coming through.

Iron Man: Probably Bruce's doing. He's always one step ahead of us somehow! And to think, he used to be the boring one.

Cynder: There's got to be some kind of way through.

Iron Man: Try telling that to Caretaker. She just got through reading me the riot act about putting you in danger.

Cynder: You just worry about the barrier. I'll talk with Caretaker.

Nico Minoru: Assuming she's at a stage where she's willing to talk to you.

Cynder: I have to try. Give me a couple of minutes. And when we meet up again, have Robbie with you. I have a feeling we'll need a Spirit of Vengeance.

(And as Cynder walks off, still pondering the significance of Malefor and Lilith's magic being unmerged in this barrier, our tale ends for today)

And that looks like a good place to wrap up for now. So now Iron Man has a plan. Use the gamma accelerator to destroy the Parchment of Power. And now Cynder's got a question. Why is Malefor seemingly the only one conjuring this barrier when he and Lilith are still merged? Yet another place where those two appear to be divided. What is going on here? Hopefully we'll have some answers pretty soon. So be sure to tune in for that! Same time... same channel!