NOVEL NEXT Ch: 8 [A deal with the ring]
In the blinding light, Bruce felt a sensation of weightlessness. It was like floating through an endless void. He was devoid of his body and senses, yet a conscious awareness persisted.
"Am I dead?" he wondered.
As his vision adjusted, he found himself standing in the familiar confines of Stark Tower. But this was different. He wasn't physically present; he was a mere observer, a formless consciousness.
Bruce's formless consciousness attempted to move, to escape the confines of Stark Tower, but an invisible force seemed to pull him back with an otherworldly grip. It was as if some supernatural presence within the tower refused to let him go.
Frustration welled up inside him as he struggled against this unseen restraint. He couldn't understand why he was trapped in this spectral state, unable to interact with the physical world.
Desperate to break free, he focused his thoughts on the idea of leaving the tower, of returning to the world of the living. He willed himself to move, to transcend this strange limbo that held him captive.
But no matter how hard he tried, the force anchoring him within Stark Tower remained unyielding. It was as though his very essence was intertwined with the building, preventing him from escaping.
His consciousness began to feel a sense of isolation and loneliness, trapped in this spectral state with no means of communication or interaction. He yearned to reunite with the world he knew, with the people he cared about.
"Fuck this soul mumbo jumbo!" He flew down inside the underground secret chamber he had built when he was alive in this world as Tony Stark, where he kept all his most precious things, "There has to be something here that can get me out of this ghost business. Maybe that ring, Dr. Strange gave me? He mentioned something about soul and shit... I didn't pay much attention back then, but... Maybe... Just a small maybe."
He floated around the secret chamber looking for said ring until he came across it.
Inside a glass cube container, there it was, resting on a purple satin cushion. The Ring glowed with a faint blue hue, pulsating with power. Bruce floated towards it, reaching out with his ghostly hand.
[Crackle!] A spark of lightning arced between the ring and Bruce's spectral form, causing him to recoil in surprise and pain.
"What the fuck?!" Bruce exclaimed, rubbing his tingling hand.
The Ring continued to glow with a mysterious power, taunting him from within its glass prison.
"I can feel in this form? That shouldn't be possible... should it?" He mused as he pondered his next course of action, "Well, here goes nothing."
Mustering his courage, he reached out once again towards the Ring, grasping it firmly in his spectral hand. The lightning sparks once more, sending waves of pain coursing through his ethereal body. But Bruce held fast, refusing to let go.
Suddenly, the Ring began to vibrate in his hand, emitting a low hum that resonated throughout his being. Sparks of lightning danced along his spectral form, enveloping him in a cocoon of energy. He could feel his spectral form becoming more solid, more tangible. The dance of lightning continued to intensify, engulfing him in its crackling embrace.
And then, as suddenly as it began, the Ring ceased its vibrations, falling silent once more. Bruce stood there, clutching the Ring tightly in his spectral hand.
---
As Bruce held the Ring, a soft, melodic voice echoed in his mind, a voice filled with ancient wisdom and power. It spoke with a hint of amusement.
"Impressive, mortal. You possess the will to grasp the Lightning Ring, a power that has eluded many."
Bruce, still adjusting to his spectral form and the presence of the Ring's consciousness, replied cautiously, "Who are you?"
"I am the Lightning Ring of the Mandarin, one of the legendary Makluan Rings. And you... You are one interesting individual. A two-time reincarnator, interesting. I wonder how your soul escaped their eyes. Not that it matters, since you are still in one piece."
"Wait! The Mandarin Rings? The Ten Rings of Mandarin?" He asked with a raised brows.
"Yes, you are correct, mortal," the voice replied, its tone carrying a sense of ancient knowledge. "The Ten Rings of the Mandarin are powerful artifacts, each possessing a unique ability. I am one of them, the Lightning Ring."
Bruce's mind raced with the possibilities. He had read about the Mandarin and his rings in the comics, but he never thought he would find himself in a situation like this, actually interacting with one of them. Besides, there is already someone in possession of the ten rings...
"The Mandarin sought to harness the power of the rings for his own purposes," the voice continued. "But he was but a mortal, limited in his understanding of their true potential. Now, the Lightning Ring has chosen you as its bearer, for reasons known only to itself."
"I know what you are and the end goal of the Ten Rings," He threw the Ring on the floor, "You Rings want to resurrect yourselves, and if I am not wrong, you have the power to influence others mind and twist their thoughts to do your bidding, am I wrong?"
The voice chuckled softly, a sound that seemed to echo within the confines of Bruce's mind.
"You are not entirely incorrect, mortal," the voice acknowledged. "The Rings possess a power to influence and manipulate, but their true purpose lies in the balance of the cosmos, a balance that has been disrupted."
Bruce frowned, perplexed by the cryptic words. "Balance? What do you mean?"
"The balance between the realms, the forces of creation and destruction, has been disturbed," the voice explained. "The Rings were created to maintain this balance, but over the centuries, that purpose has been forgotten or corrupted by those who sought power. Once upon a time, we used to be the strongest Cosmic Warriors, but even we failed to stop them, and look at us now... Sealed inside this tiny thing in a phantasmal state..."
"I know that, but here is the thing... From which reality or timeline do you belong to?" He asked, "Because as far as I know, there is already a guy with the possession of the Ten Rings. He wears it like ten bracelets. Which means you are from an alternate reality."
He knew that Shang-Chi had the ten rings, if so, then this ring must have come from another reality... another timeline... another Earth...
The voice within the Ring remained silent for a moment as if considering Bruce's words. Then, it responded, "You are astute, mortal. I am indeed from another reality, a different Earth where the balance was maintained through the wielders of the Rings. But mortals no matter the reality are the same... Greed... Greed destroyed them... That's all the information I can give you. I will help you get back to your world and even help you transverse between realms..."
It continued, "In return, create a body for me... You build those robots, right? Build one for me to possess. Then you must find the other rings before they fall into the wrong hands and harness their power... Become the next Mandrin... And maybe, you will find the answer behind your reincarnation... Deal?"
"Aren't you going to ask, how I know about the rings?" He asked with a smirk.
"Everyone has a secret, mortal. And secrets are meant to be kept," The voice replied mysteriously. "So, do we have a deal?"
Bruce considered the Ring's offer carefully. If he can somehow master the Ten Rings' powers, he will gain access to abilities beyond his wildest imagination. But such power comes with great consequences. Could he trust this mysterious entity? Only time will tell...
He picked the Ring off the floor, "Deal."
For now, his goal is to go back to the DC world. He needs to make sure his family is alright... And this Lightning Ring has the power of teleportation beyond the realms...
The Ring pulsated with a bright blue light, enveloping Bruce in its ethereal glow. He could feel his spectral form becoming more solid, more tangible. Power surged through his ethereal being, filling him with a sense of invincibility.
Then, in a flash of bright light, he vanished from Stark Tower, transported to another realm, another Earth... Another reality... Another timeline...
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