Deep beneath Eastern Europe, inside a forgotten Hydra crypt sealed since World War II, chants echoed.
Ancient words, soaked in dark magic, filled the air as robed Hydra mystics encircled a sarcophagus carved with twisted runes. The ground shook. Blood offerings sizzled into the cracks, fueling a ritual centuries in the making.
From the tomb, a figure rose—skeletal yet burning with red infernal energy. Its face was masked by jagged bone, its body armored in enchanted iron forged in lost realms.
> "Project Nachtkrieg has awakened," one of the sorcerers announced, voice trembling. "The Demon of War will crush the Silver Mage."
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Thousands of miles away, Ron stood at the cliffside above the safehouse. The wind whipped at his coat, his silver aura flickering with intensity. His eyes saw beyond the Earth—into its ley lines, its magical nervous system—and he felt the disturbance.
> "It's coming through a portal. Hydra's opened something they can't control."
Beside him, Bucky had changed into black tactical gear and held a Hydra rifle. His metal arm gleamed under the sunlight. "Tell me what to hit."
Ron extended his hand. A swirling gate of white and dark magic spun open, revealing a war-torn village in Romania. The sky there was cracked with lightning. At the center stood Nachtkrieg—over nine feet tall, speaking in tongues that twisted the air.
> "Stay behind me unless things go south," Ron said, stepping through.
As they emerged into the village, flames erupted from abandoned buildings. Hydra soldiers knelt before the demon, feeding it magical sigils. Ron floated above the scene, eyes glowing.
> "You think summoning a demon will scare me?"
The demon raised its hand, casting black chains that shot toward Ron. He snapped his fingers—white fire disintegrated them mid-air.
> "I've mastered both light and darkness. You're just noise."
Ron shot forward like a comet. The impact shattered stone as his fist met the demon's chest. A blast of silver and red magic collided—sending shockwaves across the land.
From the shadows, Bucky provided cover fire, picking off Hydra operatives trying to retreat.
The battle raged, but Ron's magic evolved with every strike. The more he fought, the more it grew.
He conjured spears of holy flame, shields of mirrored shadow, and finally—he whispered an ancient incantation. A fusion of light and dark burst from his chest in the form of a silver phoenix.
> "Be purged," Ron commanded.
The phoenix struck the demon, burning its essence into dust.
Silence fell.
Bucky approached. "That… was unreal."
Ron smiled faintly. "This was just their opening move."
Behind them, a hidden Hydra spy whispered into a comm.
> "He's too strong. We need someone… personal."
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