Darkness swallowed everything.
Tony's eyes fluttered open to a world that seemed both infinite and confining — swirling shards of fractured time floated like shattered mirrors, reflecting endless versions of himself and the Stark sister. The air hummed with an eerie silence broken only by distant echoes of whispered memories.
The Stark sister gasped beside him, her voice trembling.
"Where... are we?"
She struggled to her feet, the glow of her arc reactor dim but steady. Her suit, once gleaming, now bore scratches and faint scorch marks — evidence of the violent entry.
Tony rose slowly, muscles aching but mind razor-sharp despite the haze.
"We're inside the Paradox's domain," he said grimly. "A place between moments. Between realities."
Around them, the fractured mirrors twisted and shifted, showing glimpses of timelines where victories turned to defeat, where allies betrayed, and enemies became saviors.
One reflection showed a vision of Tony standing alone on a desolate Earth, the sky a burning orange, his suit cracked and bloodied.
The Stark sister's eyes narrowed.
"We have to find a way out — and stop him."
Suddenly, a figure emerged from the shadows — a twisted, flickering version of the Paradox himself. His eyes were voids, black holes pulling light and hope into endless darkness.
"Welcome," the Paradox hissed, voice dripping with malice. "Here, your greatest fears become reality. Your weakest moments, your deepest regrets — all laid bare."
Tony clenched his fists, stepping protectively in front of the Stark sister.
"We won't break."
The Paradox laughed, a sound that shook the very fabric of this place.
"We shall see."
Without warning, the shattered mirrors exploded outward, flooding them with visions.
The Stark sister saw herself — alone, powerless, the world crumbling around her as she failed to save those she loved.
Tony was caught in a loop of past mistakes, reliving the fateful night he sacrificed himself — but this time, the outcome was darker, filled with screams of loss.
Tears welled in her eyes.
"This isn't real," she whispered fiercely. "We make our own fate."
Drawing strength from her words, Tony's arc reactor flared, casting radiant light that pushed back the shadows.
Suddenly, a crack appeared in the void — a sliver of glowing white.
"That's our way out," Tony said, determination burning in his eyes.
But the Paradox raised a hand, and the crack shrank — his power threatening to seal their fate forever.