It had been years since Hela last used a portal spell, her practice with Kamar-Taj's magic long dormant. But tonight, desperation fueled her determination. With every ounce of focus, she summoned the spell. The air around her shimmered as she tore through space, the portal crackling into existence with an energy that hummed in the quiet restaurant. She stepped through and felt the searing heat of Afghanistan's desert greet her.
The terrain stretched vast and unyielding before her, the golden sands rippling endlessly into the horizon. The mountains loomed in the distance, offering no hint of where to begin. Hela stood still, her brow furrowing as she surveyed the barren landscape. Without a clue to narrow her search, rescuing Tony would be like finding a needle in a haystack.
Frustration built within her as the weight of the task set in. Tony was out there somewhere, likely injured and held against his will, but the sheer size of this unfamiliar land made the mission feel impossible.
"I need something more precise," she muttered to herself.
Her mind raced back to the many enchanted items she and Harry had collected from their mansion—artifacts of magic that had proven useful in dire times. Deciding it was worth a try, she summoned her trunk and entered the magical trunk.
The trunk was dimly lit and filled with a faint musty smell, boxes and chests stacked in haphazard piles. Hela rifled through the nearest chest, sifting through old artifacts, enchanted trinkets, and forgotten relics. Time felt like an enemy as she searched with increasing urgency. Finally, her fingers brushed against something familiar—a polished wooden wand, its surface worn smooth from use.
A small smile tugged at her lips. "This should do."
Hela placed the wand flat on her palm and closed her eyes. Focusing her intent, she whispered, "Point me Tony Stark."
The wand quivered for a moment before jerking sharply to the north, steady as a compass needle.
"There you are," she murmured, her voice resolute.
Without wasting another second, Hela stepped through her portal once more, landing back in the vast Afghan desert. She turned northward, following the direction the wand indicated, her pace quick and determined.
The sun bore down mercilessly, its heat pressing against her like a physical weight. The landscape offered little relief—only endless dunes and scattered patches of jagged rock. But Hela pressed on, her grip on the wand tightening as it continued to guide her.
As the hours passed, the wand's vibrations grew stronger, reassuring her that she was heading in the right direction. Occasionally, she used the spells she remembered from Kamar-Taj to shield herself from prying eyes, creating illusions to blend into the desert or erasing her footprints as she moved.
Still, exhaustion began to creep in. The journey was grueling, and even her magic couldn't completely stave off the effects of the heat and the unrelenting terrain. But Hela refused to stop.
In her mind, she saw Tony's face—the arrogant smirk, the quick wit, and the rare moments of vulnerability he let slip when he thought no one was looking. He might be insufferable at times, but he was her friend. And friends didn't leave each other behind.
As night fell, the desert took on a different life. The oppressive heat gave way to a biting chill, and the stars lit up the sky in a dazzling display. The wand's pull grew even stronger, its magic leading her toward the mountains that had once seemed so far away.
Eventually, she spotted something—a faint glow of light in the distance. Her heart quickened. It was subtle, almost imperceptible against the darkness, but it was there. A sign of life.
Hela crouched low, moving carefully as she approached the source of the light. Her sharp eyes picked out the outlines of a hidden compound, its crude structures blending into the rocky landscape. Armed guards patrolled the perimeter, their shadows stretching long in the moonlight.
Hela crouched behind a large boulder, observing the compound from a distance. Her sharp eyes followed the patterns of the patrolling guards and the positioning of the makeshift security cameras. She knew she couldn't simply storm in—brute force would only endanger Tony's life. If anything went wrong, the terrorists could use him as leverage or, worse, harm him out of spite.
"This calls for subtlety," she muttered under her breath, her mind racing for a solution.
She reached back into her enchanted trunk, rummaging through its seemingly endless contents. Her fingers brushed against enchanted daggers, smoke bombs, and even a pair of extendable ears. But none of these would suffice for a mission requiring absolute stealth. Finally, her hand closed around something soft and familiar—the texture of fine, silvery fabric.
Pulling it out, she unfolded an invisibility cloak, its surface shimmering faintly like water in moonlight. It had been years since she used it, but it was perfect for this situation.
Draped in the cloak, Hela moved silently toward the compound. The guards walked past her without so much as a glance, their gazes fixed on their predetermined routes. She slipped past the first line of defense and into the shadows of the crude buildings, her movements careful and precise.
The compound was eerily quiet, save for the occasional bark of an order from one of the guards. Hela's sharp instincts guided her through the labyrinth of corridors, her invisibility cloak making her practically a ghost among the enemy.
At last, she found what she was looking for—a heavily guarded room at the far end of the compound. She watched as a guard unlocked the door, stepping aside to let another man in. Through the brief opening, she caught a glimpse of Tony Stark.
Inside, Tony was sitting on the floor, a faint smirk on his face despite the dire situation. He was talking animatedly to a man she didn't recognise, a fellow captive and doctor. Tony had wires connected to his chest, which were attached to a crude-looking battery strapped to his body.
Hela's breath hitched. The battery wasn't just some device—it was keeping him alive.
It was clear that Tony's ingenuity was keeping him and the fellow inmate alive. The guards seemed curious but not suspicious of the pair's activities, which meant Tony had likely spun some story to buy time.
Her biggest concern, however, was the battery wired to his chest. Without it, Tony's heart would fail. Using magic was risky; even a small surge of energy could disrupt the delicate electronics.
"This complicates things," she murmured to herself, adjusting her position.
Hela continued to observe, her sharp eyes taking in every detail of the room. The guards were posted near the entrance, their movements casual but vigilant. It was clear they were under orders to keep Tony alive—at least for now.
Tony and Yinsen appeared to be building something more complex than just a tool to escape. Hela's sharp mind pieced together the purpose of the components: they were constructing something powerful. A crude one, perhaps, but deadly nonetheless.
"I see what you're up to, Stark," Hela whispered, impressed despite herself.
She couldn't intervene yet, not without endangering the entire plan. If the guards discovered her presence or became suspicious, Tony and the doc could be killed.
Hela slipped back to a secluded spot near the compound, her mind racing. She retrieved a communication mirror from the trunk, a magical artifact she and Harry used to stay in contact over long distances. Activating it, she called Harry.
His face appeared in the mirror, his usual calm demeanor replaced with concern. "Hela? What's happening?"
"Stark is alive, but things are... complicated," she said, her voice low. "He's connected to some kind of makeshift battery keeping his heart going. If I use magic, there's a chance it could fail and kill him."
Harry frowned, his brow furrowed in thought. "Then you need to wait. Let him complete whatever he's building. He's smart—he'll have a plan."
"I already figured that out," she replied. "But waiting isn't easy. I hate being on the sidelines."
"You're not on the sidelines," Harry said firmly. "You're ensuring his safety by staying hidden. That's just as important as fighting."
Hela nodded, his words grounding her. "I'll keep an eye on him. Let me know if you find anything about his heart. I need to understand it better."
"Will do. Be careful," Harry said before the connection ended.
For the next several days, Hela kept a close watch on the compound. She noted guard rotations, overheard conversations, and mapped out every detail of the building. At night, she used the invisibility cloak to sneak closer, ensuring Tony and Yinsen were still alive and progressing with their work.
Her patience was tested constantly. The urge to strike down the guards and rescue Tony was strong, but she reminded herself that one misstep could cost lives.
On the fourth night, Hela noticed a shift in the guards' behavior. They seemed more alert, their movements tense. She overheard snippets of conversation that suggested the terrorists were growing suspicious of Tony's work.
Hela adjusted her position, leaning closer to the edge of her hiding spot as she observed Tony holding a small but intricate device glowing faintly with a soft blue light. She could feel the faint hum of power emanating from it even from a distance.
The arc reactor.
Tony had constructed it with incredible precision, and it fit snugly into the hollow in his chest where the car battery had once been connected. Hela could sense the technology's brilliance—it was innovative and efficient, yet remarkably stable. It would likely withstand her magic, unlike the crude setup he had before.
"Impressive," Hela murmured to herself.
This new development made things easier for her. Now, she didn't have to worry about her magic accidentally killing him. Yet, as she looked closer at the project Tony was working on with Yinsen, curiosity stopped her from acting
For the next few hours, Hela remained hidden, watching Tony and Yinsen work tirelessly. She admired Yinsen's calm demeanor and quiet intelligence as he assisted Tony, the two men communicating in quick, efficient exchanges.
Hela's mind wandered briefly to the implications of what Tony was creating. If this was a weapon or a new form of technology, it could change the balance of power—not just for Tony, but for the entire world.
Her thoughts were interrupted when the door to the room burst open. A group of guards stormed in, shouting angrily. Hela tensed, her hand gripping her wand, ready to intervene.
Tony quickly stepped forward, speaking in his usual confident tone, his hands gesturing to the contraption. Hela couldn't understand the exact words, but it was clear he was stalling, likely trying to convince them that his project wasn't complete or was harmless.
Yinsen stood silently to the side, his face calm but his eyes watchful.
After a few tense moments, the guards backed off, leaving the room. Hela exhaled softly, her muscles relaxing.
Once the guards were gone, Tony and Yinsen got back to work. Hela watched as Tony carefully attached the final piece of the machine—a sleek, metallic helmet.
The realization hit her like a lightning bolt.
He wasn't just building a weapon.
He was building a suit.
Seeing the brilliance of Tony's creation, Hela made up her mind. She would let him test the suit. If it worked, it could be their best chance of escaping the compound.
But she would stay close, ready to intervene if anything went wrong.
"Let's see what you're capable of, Stark," Hela whispered, a faint smirk on her lips.
Hela had set up her magical tent in a secluded, rocky corner of the desert, far enough to remain undetected but close enough to keep an eye on where Tony Stark been kept. The tent, cloaked in invisibility and reinforced with enchantments, served as her refuge. Inside, the space was far larger than it appeared from the outside, a testament to the magic.
The interior was minimalistic yet functional: a sturdy wooden table covered in scrolls and books on magical theory, a soft armchair where Hela often sat to meditate, and a small corner with enchanted weapons and books from an alternative Kamar Taj.
She communicated frequently with Harry and Pepper Potts through enchanted mirror and phone. Harry, ever the supportive husband, reassured her that she was doing the right thing by being there. Pepper, on the other hand, was a mix of worry and gratitude, her voice trembling at times.
"Just make sure he's okay," Pepper pleaded during one of their phone calls.
"I promise you, he's fine," Hela assured her. "Tony is resourceful. I've seen where he is being imprisoned. He's on the verge of freeing himself. But I'll be here, just in case he needs help."
Every day Hela would don her invisibility cloak and silently slip into the prison. She carefully observed Tony and Yinsen as they worked. The bond between the two men was evident—Yinsen's calm guidance balanced Tony's high-energy focus.
Despite the dire circumstances, Tony seemed determined, even energized. His sharp wit and humor persisted, even when the guards came in to check on their progress.
In the quieter moments inside her tent, Hela focused on honing her magic. She practiced spells she had learned in her previous life at Kamar Taj, perfecting her teleportation techniques, shielding charms, and precision-based attacks.
She also revisited ancient tomes Harry had insisted she bring from their collection. They contained forgotten knowledge about battle magic and energy manipulation—skills that might come in handy if she needed to stage a dramatic rescue.
At night, she meditated to center her thoughts. The stillness of the desert helped her connect with her inner power, reminding her of the strength she had honed over centuries.
Harry, back at Black's Hearth, remained her unwavering support. Their conversations, though brief, always lifted her spirits.
"Any progress?" he asked one evening, his voice calm but curious.
"Plenty," Hela replied, smirking. "Tony's building something extraordinary. He's clever, I'll give him that. But I have to stay on my toes. These terrorists are smarter than they seem."
"You'll handle it," Harry said confidently. "And if you need anything from the vault, just say the word. But remember—no flashy magic unless absolutely necessary."
"Understood," Hela said.
Author's Note:
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