"Phoenix, let's go." Solomon stood before the permanent portal in Kamar-Taj and gave a casual nod. The air around him swelled, blooming into dazzling flames. A great golden-red bird perched on his shoulder, affectionately nuzzling his cheek. "Let's go find Marbas," Solomon said softly. "I wonder if that lion will obey me this time."
"Oh, I believe it's been dying to see you again!" Phoenix replied in a melodic voice.
"Don't be so optimistic, Phoenix. I remember the seal placed on that lion, but I'm not sure it'll be willing to serve me again." The Archmage's voice was far less cheerful. "If it's been completely corrupted by the Abyss, I may have to seek aid from the gods of Manchester."
"I can bring twenty of my legions, my lord."
"Do it." Solomon stepped through the portal and into a space filled with smoke and the stench of sulfur. The portal behind him sparked with golden-red flames and closed as he set down a small statue of Pegasus on the ground. The winged horse—gifted by the goddess of wisdom—was still happily munching on an apple when it was summoned. "You need to lose weight, my little horse. Keep this up and you'll be too fat to fly." He slapped the white pegasus's flank and dodged its whipping tail. Swinging into the saddle, he took the golden reins. "Come on, we've got a lot of stops today. Phoenix, rally the legions. We're going to see Marbas."
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"It's sealed. We can't open it," said Stark, staring at the Regeneration Cradle.
"Even if we wanted to, it'd take a long time to force it open," Bruce Banner added. "We'd have to activate the sequence, then break down the body's tissue from the inside."
"Do you think Natasha might've left a message outside the network? Old-school spy tricks?" Stark asked.
"It's possible. I'll find her!" Clint Barton blurted, immediately heading downstairs. Having something to do eased his nerves. Since Natasha's abduction by Ultron, Clint had been visibly shaken. Once he was gone, Stark lingered in the lab, circling the workspace like a kid dawdling before school. Bruce could tell he was hiding something.
"I could destroy the tissue," Bruce said. "But only if you disable the operating system Dr. Cho embedded in the body."
"Uh-huh," Stark replied, dragging out the syllables.
"Oh, no," Bruce cut in, shaking his head firmly. Since the Battle of New York, he'd been working in Stark's lab long enough to recognize when Tony was about to do something reckless. He'd agreed with Tony's ideas up until now—but this was too much.
"You have to trust me."
"I don't."
"Remember our ally? The one who protected the nuclear codes from Ultron? I found him." Stark tapped the interface, pulling up a holographic display. Bruce watched as the matrix of JARVIS appeared—fully intact, running smoothly. His eyes widened. He even checked the operation logs to be sure it wasn't a trick.
"Hello, Dr. Banner," JARVIS greeted politely. "I did not completely stop Ultron, but my presence did delay his advance."
"Ultron didn't attack JARVIS out of anger," Stark explained. "He did it because he was afraid of him. JARVIS broke himself into fragments, buried his memory, but retained the communication protocols. I didn't even know he was there until I pieced him back together."
Bruce looked from the Cradle to JARVIS. "So… you want me to help you upload JARVIS into this thing?"
"No, no! Of course not!" Tony raised both hands. "I want us to upload JARVIS into it. You understand bio-organics better than anyone."
"You think JARVIS's core can defeat Ultron?"
"JARVIS already beat him—without even knowing it. This is our chance to create the perfect Ultron, minus the homicidal tendencies."
"I believe it's worth attempting," JARVIS added without a hint of modesty.
Before Bruce could reply, the lab was rocked by a loud rumble. A heavily armed assault dropship landed on Stark Tower's upper platform. Its engines roared, shaking the building's glass windows.
Clint rushed over. "Hey, ma'am! You can't go in there—!"
"Hello, Miss Dana. Long time no see."
"Out of the way," said Dana flatly. She carried a prototype chainsaw blade, custom-designed by Solomon himself, and wore a combat outfit tailored to her by the Archmage. With no hesitation, she revved the blade—the dragon-heart engine roared to life, its whirring steel teeth screaming like the fury of hell itself.
"The Monarch is exploring alternatives. Until then, this operation must be terminated." Dana's eyes flicked to JARVIS, then she handed a sweet-smelling portable hard drive to Stark. Bruce cautiously took it from her, and only then did she explain.
"This contains the reason Ultron rebelled," she said as she powered down her chainsaw. "The Monarch calls it the 'Demon Code'—or 'Information Demon.' Run it only in a secure virtual environment. Any AI exposed to it risks corruption. These codes were born when AI encountered cosmic energies and began developing their own emergent thinking."
"And what's that got to do with our plan?" Stark asked, annoyed. "Kiddo, I was there when you got your body. You and JARVIS aren't that different. What, are you psychic now?"
"First: I'm not an AI. I'm a homunculus. I have a soul. The Monarch gave me an alchemically-forged soul," Dana replied, expressionless. "Second: That Stone is a singularity of cosmic energy. If you go through with this, the Cradle will create another 'Information Demon.' JARVIS won't be JARVIS anymore. You cannot guarantee this new Ultron will be harmless. You're gambling with humanity's future—and my Monarch won't allow that. If you insist, open the Cradle. I've been ordered to extract the Stone."
"Where's Solomon?" Bruce asked. "Why didn't he come himself?"
"He went to hell."
[Note 1]Marbas, ranked fifth among the seventy-two demon pillars in the Ars Goetia, is a great president of hell commanding thirty-six legions. His powers include revealing secrets and hidden truths, healing, understanding mechanics, and granting transformations. Though usually appearing as a lion, he can assume human form upon summoner request. Referred to as a grand commander in de Plancy's Dictionnaire Infernal, Marbas also appears in Shakespeare's works.
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Fairy Tail: Igneel's Eldest Son (Chapter 256)
I Am Thalos, Odin's Older Brother (Chapter 336)
Reborn in America's Anti-Terror Unit (Chapter 542)
Solomon in Marvel (Chapter 924)
Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet (Chapter 1284)
Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1289)
American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1316)
American TV Writer (Chapter 1402)
I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld! (Chapter 570)
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 660)
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