Chapter 37
Tony felt pure panic as the chilling voice spoke directly in his mind.
I am already inside your head.
He staggered back, eyes wide and heart racing as he fought to regain control. The Mandarin, still grinning, leaned in closer and asked loudly, "Is something wrong, Stark?"
Tony felt frozen, his breath quickening.
"Jarvis, did you hear that? Did you hear what he just said?" he asked desperately into his comm.
"Sir, he asked if something was wrong," Jarvis replied, his calm, collected voice a sharp contrast to Tony's rising panic.
"No, the other thing! That he's already in my head!" Tony snapped.
"I'm afraid I don't understand, sir," Jarvis responded, confusion in his tone. "What do you mean?"
"Forget it," Tony muttered, shaking his head as if trying to clear the growing fog in his mind. "What's the status on the rings? Any new intel?"
"Yes, sir. Analysis complete," Jarvis said. "However, I must inform you that the rings are composed of a material that does not originate from Earth. This applies to both the rings themselves and the stones embedded within them."
Tony's brow furrowed in confusion. "Not from Earth? Wait, you mean... alien?"
The sudden introduction of alien tech sent his mind into overdrive. How was this even possible? Or was it just a trick?
"I cannot confirm that, sir. However, the material does not match any known element found on Earth. In addition there are traces of Pallasite in them, which means-"
"Yes. Pallasites form only in asteroids or protoplanetary bodies, I know."
Tony's mind raced. Alien? What the hell is this guy mixed up in? He glanced back at the Mandarin, whose smile only seemed to grow more sinister.
The Mandarin waved a dismissive hand at his people, his grin unwavering. "You can leave now," he commanded them. "Join the others and bring annihilation to everyone and everything you encounter on your way. Raza may have over-exaggerated Stark's abilities. He is frozen with fear. I can handle him alone."
"They're not going anywhere," Tony growled. "I won't let you-"
But before he could finish, the Mandarin's expression shifted, and Tony stopped to prepare himself for a possible attack. One of the rings began to glow – a deep crimson light, pulsing with a sinister energy. The air thickened, and darkness began to envelop the area, swallowing all light. Tony squinted into the thickening shadows until he couldn't see anything anymore.
"Visibility is at zero, sir," Jarvis informed him.
"Oh, you think I haven't noticed?" Tony snapped, irritation spilling out in his voice.
Fear pressed down on him, threatening to overwhelm. The Mandarin's voice sliced through the darkness, smooth and taunting, back inside his head.
What's the matter? Afraid of the dark?
Tony clenched his fists, struggling to suppress the rising panic. He activated the suit's scanners, cycling through various settings – infrared, thermal, and night vision – only to be met with a wall of impenetrable black.
"Jarvis, anything?" he said with creeping desperation.
"I'm detecting an electromagnetic disturbance around the rings, sir."
"Damnit, a magnetic field can't be seen either!"
"Correct, but while the magnetic field itself is not visible, I can localize its presence and project a holographic display to outline its boundaries."
"Do it," Tony commanded, beginning to move, not wanting to stand in the same spot.
A moment later, a holographic overlay materialized before him, tracing the magnetic field surrounding the Mandarin's rings. The vibrant lines pulsed in a bright hue against the dark backdrop.
"Got you," Tony muttered under his breath. "Good job, Jarvis. Now lock on to that location and prepare for the missiles."
"Target locked, sir. On your command."
"Go."
The projectiles soared through the darkness, followed by a resounding explosion. The shadows flickered, revealing an intricate, shimmering energy field around the Mandarin, reflecting the missile impact. One of the rings on the Mandarin's fingers flared bright blue, pulsing with a dangerous energy.
"So, you found a way to see me?" the Mandarin remarked, and as he spoke, the dark crimson ring flickered out completely.
The darkness vanished entirely, revealing the area around them. Tony turned and glanced back at the terrorists, now almost at the Reichstag building. He couldn't chase them down, not with the Mandarin focusing on him.
"Not bad. It's not just a big mouth you have."
"No, it's a big brain, too!" Tony shot back, propelling himself into the air and flying toward the Mandarin. But as he struck, the shimmering energy field blocked his punch, sending Tony stumbling back.
With a flick of his wrist and a yellow glow from one of the rings, the Mandarin unleashed a torrent of energy blasts, each crackling with destructive force. Tony darted to the side, narrowly avoiding the first wave as the air sizzled, blasts tearing through the space he had just occupied. He activated his repulsor blasts, deflecting one of the incoming projectiles, sending it careening off into the distance.
"What are they made of?" Tony yelled, his heart racing as he dodged another beam, the heat brushing against his suit.
"Unclear, but the energy levels are substantial, sir. The armor may not provide full protection," Jarvis warned.
Tony barely dodged the beams, the sheer force sending shockwaves through the air. He countered with a repulsor blast of his own, but the Mandarin's blue ring absorbed the energy effortlessly each time.
Tony evaded another shot, but then one of the blasts struck him squarely in the arm, the energy piercing through his suit and searing his flesh. Fiery agony coursed through him, and he bit his tongue to stop a scream from escaping.
"At this rate, I'm going to need a whole new suit – preferably one with more bling to match your ridiculous taste, Mandarin," Tony shouted, striving for bravado, but the words rang hollow against the searing pain radiating from his arm.
The Mandarin chuckled, a twisted smile forming on his lips. "You know, Stark, I think I like you. You've got spirit. Let's have a little fun, shall we?"
"Agreed," Tony replied, adrenaline coursing through him as he launched forward again, ready to strike.
As he closed the distance, one of the rings on the Mandarin's finger began to glow a vivid green. In an instant, Tony felt the cold grip of the Mandarin's influence seep into his mind. The world around him blurred, and while he could still see the Mandarin, another vision unfolded before him.
Remember this?
The voice was back in Tony's head, laced with dark amusement.
The images sharpened, and he was back in the cave in Afghanistan. Cold, filthy water filled his mouth, stinging his eyes as unseen hands shoved his head under again and again. His lungs burned, air ripped from him as he fought against the inevitable, drowning in suffocating darkness. His muscles twitched involuntarily, recoiling from phantom sensations.
The burning cold was all too familiar, dredging up the horrors he'd fought so hard to bury. Was he back? Or had he never left? It wasn't until he hit the ground beneath him that a flicker of awareness returned, but even that was fleeting.
Suddenly, the Mandarin flicked his wrist, and a surge of electricity erupted from an orange-glowing ring. The energy crackled violently, arcing through the air before finding its mark, penetrating the armor.
Pain exploded through Tony's body as the electricity coursed through him, igniting every nerve in agony. He fell to his knees, a scream tearing from his throat as he writhed in torment, the world blurring in and out of focus. Normally, the armor had a lightning-dissipating function, but the armor was pierced and no longer offered protection to that.
"Such a pity, Stark," the Mandarin continued, his tone playful yet sinister, blending the pain in Tony's body with the torment in his mind. "You think you're so strong, but look at you now – trapped in your own mind, unable to escape. What good is strength if the mind is weak?"
As the Mandarin unleashed another surge of electricity through the breach in Tony's armor, the pain erupted like wildfire, and on top of that he was still seeing the cruel images.
Do you remember the fear? The feeling of drowning in darkness, with no hope in sight?
Tony felt the cold water pressing down on him, panic tightening its grip around his chest.
How many times did you wish for death in that cave? How many times did you beg for it?
Each word was a knife, twisting deeper into the wounds of his memories, igniting old horrors.
Did you know I was the one who told Raza to let the deal with Stane fall through and abduct you instead?
Tony's screams echoed throughout the area as he fought against the deluge of pain and fear, struggling to break free from the grip of his past and the Mandarin's insidious influence.
This is only the beginning. I can show you much worse.
"Jarvis!" Tony managed to shout through gritted teeth. "Full blast on the boots!"
"Executing command," Jarvis replied instantly.
The suit's repulsors roared to life, propelling Tony high into the air and breaking the hold of the electric waves that had gripped him.
As he gained altitude, Tony glanced down at the Mandarin, fear clawing at his insides. The Mandarin's eyes gleamed with malevolence as he unleashed energy beams toward him. Tony darted and weaved through the air, narrowly avoiding the scorching blasts, each beam followed by a thunderous boom that filled the entire plaza.
"Why don't you come back down?" the Mandarin roared.
Tony now saw a violet ring on the Mandarin's hand light up, and suddenly, he felt an overwhelming force yanking him downward.
"Warning: gravitational pull in this area is increasing exponentially," Jarvis informed him.
Tony boosted the thrust, but it was no use. Only seconds later he slammed into the ground, the weight of the gravity pressing down on him like a vice. He struggled to regain his bearings, fighting to breathe as the crushing force pinned him.
The Mandarin leaned back slightly as he watched Tony struggle. "You're like a fly caught in a spider's web. How does it feel to be utterly outmatched? I could do this all day!"
Tony grunted, his body straining against the unrelenting pressure. The gravity felt as though it was multiplying every second, threatening to flatten him. If he wasn't in the armor, he would probably already be a smear on the ground. He couldn't even sit up.
"You didn't give me the memo I'd need to upgrade my suit for Jupiter!" Tony managed to say.
The Mandarin laughed, clearly enjoying Tony's predicament.
Seizing the moment, Tony's eyes narrowed. "I need full power on everything to counter the gravitational pull."
"Sir, this will drain substantial energy reserves," Jarvis warned.
"I know, but if we don't move now, I'll be barbecued in no time."
"Calculating trajectory," Jarvis responded, the suit's systems whirring as they prepared for maximum thrust. "Prepare for rapid acceleration."
Tony could feel the pull of the violet ring still dragging him down as he pushed the suit's systems to their limits. His armor groaned under the strain, every piece working overtime just to keep him airborne. Tony's vision swam as his body felt like it was being crushed into the earth. His thrusters roared, but every inch upward was a battle. The armor whined in protest, warning lights flickering across his HUD. "Come on, come on, don't give out on me now..."
"Sir, we're operating at maximum capacity. Prolonged exposure to this level of strain may result in system failure," Jarvis said.
Tony ignored the comment, his muscles tensing as he kept pushing forward, inch by inch. He closed the distance, flying straight at the Mandarin. Surprise flickered across the villain's face as Tony dove in. Instead of throwing a punch that would just get repelled again, Tony grasped the Mandarin's hand, feeling the cold metal of the rings beneath his fingers.
As he swept past, he managed to knock off two rings in quick succession. As Tony ripped the rings free, the oppressive weight vanished in an instant. His body felt light, almost weightless in comparison. The Mandarin's expression morphed from amusement to anger.
Tony landed gracefully, raising the discarded rings high above his head for inspection. Damnit, I didn't get the green one, he thought.
"Looks like that's a wrap on darkness and gravity, Mandarin!"
For a brief moment, Tony considered using the rings himself. I'm not looking to grow tentacles today, he then thought, remembering Jarvis had mentioned the material wasn't from Earth.
The Mandarin's expression darkened, irritation flashing across his face. Yet a cold smile crept back onto his lips. "Oh, don't be so hasty, Stark. I still have the perfect ring for a fight against someone like you."
And Tony knew it was true. As he spoke, the green glow intensified. The atmosphere thickened, and a wave of unease washed over Tony as the Mandarin's eyes glinted with malevolence.
"Let's see how you handle the true depths of your mind," the Mandarin taunted, the green light pulsing ominously.
Tony blinked and suddenly he was ten years old again, sitting at the dinner table in the Stark mansion. His father sat across from him, sipping on a glass of red wine. The table was quiet, too quiet, as young Tony nervously picked at his food, avoiding his father's gaze. His mother, Maria, sat nearby, her eyes distant, as if she were somewhere else entirely. Howard leaned forward, reaching for the salad bowl.
Then it happened.
Howard accidentally touched his glass of wine with his elbow, and it tipped over, crashing to the floor. Glass shattered everywhere, and the wine spread across the tiles like a dark stain. Howard's eyes flashed with rage.
"Why didn't you say something, Tony?! You must have seen that damn glass was too close to the edge!" he yelled, slamming his hand on the table, making the plates rattle.
Tony's small frame stiffened. He hadn't done anything, but the accusation was enough to send a wave of fear through him. "Me? But I – I didn't-"
"You must have seen this coming and yet you chose to stay silent!"
Howard stood up, towering over his son. Before Tony could even try to defend himself, Howard's hand lashed out. The slap came fast and hard. Pain shot through Tony's cheek as he recoiled, the sting of the hit mixing with the sting of humiliation. He looked up at his mother, his eyes pleading for help. But Maria sat still, her face blank, refusing to meet his gaze. She did nothing. Said nothing. The silence from her was just as painful as the blow from his father.
Shame, fear, and helplessness were crashing over him in waves. He could still hear the glass crunching under Howard's feet, still feel the sting of his father's hand, and the weight of Maria's silence.
The Mandarin's voice snaked its way into Tony's mind, gleeful and cruel. You think that suit makes you invincible, don't you? All that iron, all that firepower… and yet, here you are, reduced to a trembling child in the dark.
Tony's breathing was ragged, his fists clenched tightly as he glared at the Mandarin. The effort to pull himself from the past felt exhausting, but he refused to let the Mandarin see it.
"You really think you can hurt me with this bullshit?" Tony shouted, forcing a laugh that felt out of place.
Yes. I can feel it – the pain you hide behind that mask of bravado.
"It's gonna take a lot more than that to impress me," Tony said, his voice steadier than he felt, pretending he hadn't heard the voice.
The Mandarin's smile curled into something darker. "Not impressed yet, huh? We can change that."
Tony tried to fire a blast, but as the Mandarin raised his hand, the green glow returned. The air around Tony shimmered like heat rising from asphalt. He blinked and found himself in a dimly lit bar, surrounded by the sounds of laughter and clinking glasses.
In front of him was a mirror reflecting a disheveled version of himself – his suit rumpled and stained, a glass of whiskey clutched in his unsteady hand. He looked at his reflection, but it wasn't just the physical appearance that shocked him; it was the emptiness in his eyes.
This is who you truly are – lost, drowning in your vices, not caring for anyone or anything.
Tony staggered as he took another swig from the glass, the amber liquid spilling over his lips and dribbling down his chin. He looked around the bar, where faces began to morph into those of the people he knew – Rhodey, Happy, Natasha, Coulson – but it was Pepper's face that stood out, clearer than the rest. She looked at him with disappointment, her eyes filled with hurt and betrayal.
"I'm not coming back to a selfish drunk," she said, her voice tinged with sorrow as she turned away from him, leaving the bar.
Tony tried to remind himself that it was just a trick played in his mind, but the pain was too real. Desperate, he followed Pepper out of the bar, and in an instant, he was back at the Reichstag grounds, where the Mandarin stood grinning in front of him.
"What... what is this? What are you-" Tony shouted, but stopped abruptly as he noticed his words were slurred and a wave of dizziness crashed over him.
He realized with shock that he felt drunk – truly drunk – not just in his head. Confusion flooded his mind as he fought to move, the ground shifting beneath him as he struggled to regain his balance. How could this be? How could the Mandarin make him feel drunk?
"You like it," the Mandarin's voice slithered into his thoughts, mocking yet enticing. "The numbness, the release, the rush. Let yourself sink into it. Forget this pathetic fight. Just focus on the feeling. Drinking will always be your only salvation."
Tony wanted to scream, to break free from this nightmare, but it felt futile. He shook his head, trying to clear the alcohol-induced haze, but it clung to him like a heavy blanket.
The Mandarin's smirk widened as he activated a second ring which glowed bright red. A surge of flames erupted, roaring toward Tony with a ferocity that threatened to engulf him. The heat licked at his armor, warping the metal around his shoulders.
Tony aimed, but his hand trembled, making it difficult to find his target. The world spun, and he had to blink rapidly to steady his focus. He pulled the trigger, but the blast shot wide, scattering harmlessly against the ground.
He forced himself to fly, but the intoxication made everything feel out of control. He veered to one side, nearly losing his balance mid-air, the flames still dancing around him.
Gritting his teeth, Tony took another shot, aiming more carefully this time. But as he unleashed the blast, it flew erratically, missing the Mandarin by a wide margin. Panic surged through him – he couldn't fight like that. The Mandarin laughed, his expression twisted with satisfaction as he conjured the flames around him.
"Jarvis, correct my trajectory with every deviation you detect. Set targeting to automatic!"
"Roger, Sir."
This is not real, Tony said to himself. He is just making me feel it. It's not real.
Tony felt the heat radiate off the flames, threatening to consume him, but with the suit that compensated for his sways, he began to let himself have hope again.
Summoning every ounce of strength, Tony activated his repulsor, unleashing a surge of energy that shattered the grip the Mandarin had on him. He saw the green light fading and felt an immediate sense of relief wash over him. His senses were sharp again. See, Tony thought, just a trick.
With a renewed sense of purpose, he launched himself at the Mandarin, the two of them trading blows in a whirlwind of energy blasts and dodges. The air crackled with the intensity of their fight, each strike echoing like thunder.
Finally, one of his blasts connected, striking the Mandarin squarely in the chest. The energy hit him hard, causing the protective shield to flicker before collapsing, and Tony began to understand how the rings were used.
The Mandarin needed to concentrate on them, and this was probably why he couldn't use them all simultaneously, but just two or three. Because he couldn't focus on so many powers at once.
It was the first time Tony allowed himself to grin.
But then the Mandarin vanished and was replaced by Raza. A glance at the green glow confirmed it was yet another trick, just another mental game. This shouldn't ruffle his feathers, but he knew he had to find a way to counter the green ring; otherwise, he would never defeat the Mandarin.
Then a voice slithered into his mind, smooth and menacing.
While you're here playing hero in Berlin, your beautiful girlfriend is far, far away... oh, is she suffering.
Tony's blood ran cold. Pepper?
In his mind, he could hear her. The sound of her agonized screams echoed like a knife cutting through the air.
"Tony!" she cried out, her voice raw with pain. "Tony, help me!"
The sheer terror in her voice made Tony's breath catch. His chest tightened, his pulse quickened. Next to Raza lay Yinsen's body, and Tony quickly looked away, only to see Obadiah shaking Raza's hand, sealing the deal to kill him. The screams of Pepper tore through him, raw and anguished.
"Tony! Please! Help me!"
His head pounded, the world spinning, and yet her voice only grew louder, more desperate, more painful.
The problem was that the Mandarin could show him what he wanted. Her screams might not be real, yet Tony had already witnessed accurate memories from his past. So they could technically be real. Maybe Pepper had been captured... or maybe not.
"Tooony!"
Tony clenched his fists, fighting against the panic that threatened to consume him once again. He had to focus, had to break free from the grip of this illusion. But with each heartbeat, the weight of it all crashed over him like a tidal wave, the gut-wrenching sound of Pepper's screams in his mind, clawing their way through his very soul. Every nerve in his body felt raw and exposed.
Let it in, Stark. Let the fear consume you. Embrace it.
"Get out of my head!" Tony screamed, gripping his helmet as if he could physically rip the Mandarin's control away. The screams only intensified, becoming heart-wrenching, unbearable. Every second felt like a dagger in his chest, twisting deeper.
And then, as if he hadn't endured enough, he heard another voice.
"Tony…" Coulson's voice, steady, calm – and devastating. "I am so sorry. Colonel Rhodes didn't make it. He succumbed to his injuries."
Tony's heart shattered. And then the pain was back, a force cursing through him like electricity, the Mandarin once again combining the rings' power.
Let's see how much more pain you can handle.
The energy crackled like lightning, wrapping around him like a serpent, each tendril mercilessly biting into his skin with excruciating force. It felt as if a thousand needles were piercing him.
"The suit's power is down to 15 percent," Jarvis said.
Tony gasped, struggling for breath as he fought against the overwhelming pain coursing through him. His knees buckled, and he collapsed to the ground, his strength drained. He couldn't breathe, couldn't think, couldn't feel anything but the suffocating pain.
Rhodey was dead. Pepper was suffering, her voice still echoing, still pleading for him, and he was too weak to do anything. He had failed them all. Failed to protect the people he loved.
Tony's hands trembled as his entire body was paralyzed with fear and pain. He could feel himself breaking. His vision darkened, the despair swallowing him whole. Tony's body curled in agony on the ground, but then the sharp crack of a gunshot pierced through the chaos.
Suddenly, the noise in his head lessened. His surroundings came back into focus. Through the haze, he saw her – Natasha Romanoff, standing tall and resolute, gun raised, eyes locked on the Mandarin. She had fired a shot. Though the Mandarin appeared unharmed, the shot had been enough to shatter his concentration on the rings.
The Mandarin's eyes flickered, his smirk vanished, and his focus visibly shaken. He glared at Natasha, annoyance crossing his face for the first time as he flexed his fingers, clearly irritated by the disruption of his mental hold on Tony.
Natasha glanced briefly at Tony, her voice steady. "Get up, Tony. Now."
The Mandarin's eyes narrowed. Without hesitation, he flicked his wrist, sending a vicious blast toward Natasha. The ring on his finger crackled with power, surging toward her like a wave of pure energy.
Instinct took over for Tony. He threw himself between Natasha and the blast, taking the full brunt of the attack. The force was brutal, crashing him to the ground. Systems flashed red as more damage piled on top of the previous hits. Tony could feel the strain inside the suit, his own body bruised beneath the layers of metal and tech. But Natasha was unharmed.
"Power down to 7 percent."
Before the Mandarin could strike again, Tony grabbed Natasha and took to the air, dodging the energy blasts. He heard Natasha scream in surprise, but she quickly adjusted, holding on tightly.
It was stupid, Natasha had no armor, one hit and she could be dead. Yet Tony was grateful she was there.
"Nat, he has a weakness," Tony breathed as they soared through the air, weaving and dodging the Mandarin's whirring energy beams. "He needs to concentrate on the rings' powers. If we divide his attention, we might stand a chance.
"What do you want me to do?" Natasha shouted.
"Attack him from one side," Tony instructed with no further explanation, descending to the ground to set her down.
Though perplexed, Natasha didn't miss a beat and drew her gun. Tony knew he had to hurry, or Natasha wouldn't last long.
Tony locked onto the target, selecting a specific missile from his arsenal. It was a unique piece of tech – one that didn't just shoot straight. It launched upward first, soaring high into the sky before calculating its trajectory and plummeting back down with surgical precision. He fired the missile, watching as it shot into the air, a small trail of smoke marking its ascent.
At the same time, Natasha flanked the Mandarin from the left, her pistol aimed and ready. She pulled the trigger rapidly, several shots ringing out. The Mandarin's blue ring glowed, and the bullets vanished upon impact, absorbed without a trace.
Tony didn't wait. He moved to the Mandarin's right, raising his arm, repulsors flaring to life. His blasts joined Natasha's assault, but just like her bullets, the energy was swallowed up by the Mandarin's shield.
The Mandarin's eyes narrowed as he split his focus, his fingers deftly manipulating the rings. Flames erupted from his left hand, hurtling toward Natasha with lethal intent, while arcs of electricity surged from his right, aimed directly at Tony. He avoided the electrical strike by a hair's breadth, but he couldn't see what happened to Natasha. Don't get hit, he thought, pushing the concern aside.
"Three rings at once," Tony muttered, realizing the strain on the Mandarin's concentration as he managed multiple attacks.
Just then, the missile that Tony had fired reached its apex. With a deafening roar, it descended from above, aimed directly at the Mandarin. The Mandarin's eyes flicked upward, his focus slipping as the missile struck. The blast shook the ground, and his shield flickered under the pressure, the blue glow vanishing.
Tony saw his opening. Seizing the moment, he unleashed a repulsor blast with everything he had, the energy beam slamming into the Mandarin's exposed side. The impact knocked the Mandarin to the ground, his rings dimming as he struggled to regain his bearings. Without hesitation, Tony lunged forward, driving his fist into the Mandarin's jaw to prevent him from immediately reactivating the rings.
Then Tony stood there for a moment, his chest heaving as he watched the Mandarin lie before him, shock and pain etched across his face. Then he ripped the blue ring from his hand, rendering the Mandarin just a man – vulnerable and powerless.
"Told you I wasn't gonna miss my spa appointment," Tony murmured as he looked down at the defeated man, pulling off the other rings one by one.
"I shouldn't have underestimated you," the Mandarin gasped, the faintest hint of respect flickering in his eyes. But then his evil grin returned, dark and menacing. "But don't think this is over. One last thing awaits you, Stark. Allow me to show you your end."
Suddenly, a green light spread before Tony's eyes, and his vision blurred. He was thrust into a horrifying scene. He found himself in his suit, sitting on the ground, his body ravaged with unbearable pain. His breaths were shallow, and he could feel the life draining out of him. The entire right side of his body was utterly destroyed. His vision dimmed, but he could still see Pepper kneeling before him. She looked older, her face streaked with tears, her hand gently resting on his chest, yet she smiled warmly at him. And she was in a suit herself. Beyond her, he sensed others standing, shadows barely visible in his fading sight. But all that mattered was her. His chest heaved, and he knew he was dying. Right now.
"Tony, look at me," Pepper urged.
In a moment of sheer will, Tony ripped the green ring from the Mandarin's hand, and the vision shattered, pulling him violently back into the present.
Tony gasped, his chest tightening as the vision dissipated. He stumbled back, shaken.
"That... that's just another trick," he rasped, his voice wavering with disbelief.
The Mandarin, still grinning through the pain, replied mockingly, "Is it, Stark?"
Without hesitation, Tony lunged forward and struck the Mandarin hard across the face. The force of the blow sent the villain's head snapping to the side, his grin fading as consciousness slipped away. Tony looked down at him, his breathing still ragged from what he had just witnessed.
I haven't read many comics, and the ones I did were 15 years ago. I also haven't seen the movie about the Ten Rings. I just did a quick research about the Mandarin and the powers of the rings and then made something out of it, but it might not be accurate.
Also, did you recognize the scene in the last vision the Mandarin shows Tony?