The wind howled between them, stretching the edges of the clouds into flowing white strands.
Thousands of meters below, New York's streets had shrunk into a dense blue-gray grid. The clustered skyscrapers cast uneven shadows in the afternoon sun.
The tiny figures looking up from those streets were visibly retreating, making room for the battle about to begin.
Some guessed that the two powerful figures above had grown so strong because of the Plasma Prism Tower.
As time passed, more and more New Yorkers discovered how good it felt to grow stronger by the day. That only sent housing prices soaring.
Dark Strange hovered above the clouds, the hem of his black robe stirring in the wind. His expression was as calm as if he had merely come for a scheduled coffee.
He raised his right hand and moved his fingers. A longsword of black magic formed in his palm.
The blade was dark throughout, with fine, writhing runes flowing along its edges like living things. It gave a low hum the moment he gripped the hilt.
The sound was quiet, but its frequency made the air itself tremble faintly.
Inside the Celestial Armor's cockpit, Tony rapidly assessed his opponent's energy readings.
Data flashed across the screen. Each set of readings tried to build a recognizable energy profile for the man before him, but every one veered beyond all known categories before reaching a usable threshold.
He drew a small breath and switched the armor's energy circulation system to combat mode. A golden shield spread silently over its surface, covering every exposed joint.
"Quit stalling. If you're going to stand up for Russell, let's get started." Tony's voice came from the armor, steady and focused.
Dark Strange did not answer. In the next instant, he vanished like a drop of