Marvel: Vulkanicus

Chapter 7

---

Tony's footsteps echoed faintly in the dim volcanic hall, each step careful, cautious. The trail Vulkan left behind wasn't made of scuff marks or footprints—no, it was subtler than that. The warmth lingering in the air, the faint scent of scorched metal, and the occasional tool or unfinished carving left along the way… those were the breadcrumbs Tony followed.

"Jarvis, anything on the environment?" he asked under his breath.

"Still no major radiation detected, sir," Jarvis replied. "But I am detecting heightened heat signatures just ahead. Recommend proceeding carefully."

Tony exhaled, trying to steady himself. The deeper he went, the more the air felt alive, pulsing like it had a heartbeat of its own.

All around him were statues—not just of warriors or kings, but things that defied modern understanding. Twisted beings with elongated limbs, faces warped in agony or rage. Some were monstrous, clad in armor that looked like it belonged to nightmares. Tony couldn't look away.

"These guys… definitely not your usual party guests," he muttered, eyeing a particularly grotesque creature locked in combat with a man clad in heavy plate.

Jarvis hummed in his ear. "The design of these armors is… ancient, sir. But functional. Crude by modern standards, yet intentionally so."

Tony nodded, walking past a row of towering armor suits—each one unique. Each one felt like it had seen war. Real war.

"They're not crude, J," he said quietly, pausing to run a hand along a dented helmet. "They're purpose-built. Like tanks… but worn."

"Noted, sir. Should I begin cataloguing?"

"Yeah. Might as well. These are museum-level pieces. Actually—screw that—this is *beyond* anything I've ever seen."

He turned a corner and froze.

There, in the heart of the chamber, was Vulkan.

The man—no, the *giant*—stood waist-deep in molten magma, his form completely unbothered by the heat. Sparks danced around him like fireflies as he worked with terrifying focus, hammering a glowing piece of metal into shape. The sound of each strike echoed across the chamber walls, rhythmic and slow—like the forge had a soul and it was singing.

Tony instinctively stepped back.

"That… that's not normal," he whispered, eyes wide. "He's working in *magma*, Jarvis. Not next to it. *Inside* it."

"I am unable to process how he is surviving those conditions. His biology appears resistant, perhaps even immune to extreme temperatures. An anomaly… to say the least."

Tony didn't respond immediately. He just watched. There was a kind of brutal elegance to it all. Vulkan moved with the grace of a practiced master, each swing of the hammer deliberate. Despite the unnatural setting, there was calm in his presence—a kind of peace, even in the roar of the molten pit.

For a moment, Tony forgot the danger, forgot the weirdness. He was watching a craftsman at work. Someone who understood metal the way Tony did. Maybe even more.

"…This guy's not just strong," he murmured. "He's… like Hephaestus. Or maybe Wayland Smith. A forge god."

"Apt comparison, sir. Though I'd advise not calling him that directly."

Tony let out a soft chuckle. "Duly noted."

He stayed in the shadows, watching Vulkan work. A part of him wanted to approach, maybe even say something—but another part, the deeper, more cautious part, told him not yet.

Not until he understood who—or what—this being really was.

Not until he was sure they were on the same side.

---

Of course. Here's the added scene focusing on Nick Fury—grounded, humanized, and in your writing style. This would flow either as a midpoint interlude within Chapter 7 or as a brief cutaway at the end before Chapter 8 begins.

---

Meanwhile, Somewhere in a Dark S.H.I.E.L.D. Facility…

The soft hum of fluorescent lights buzzed above Nick Fury's office. The air was stale, tension hung heavy, and the datapad in his hand felt unusually heavier than usual. He stared at it, the screen glowing with red alerts and unauthorized access reports—each one tagged with a familiar name.

Maria Hill stood at attention near the door, arms folded behind her back, her jaw tense.

"He didn't even try to cover his tracks," she said. "Broke in clean. Dug through Project Abyss, then narrowed in on the Monticello volcano reports. He's en route now. Or already there."

Fury dragged a hand down his face slowly, sighing deep through his nose.

"Of course he did," he muttered, setting the datapad down with a light clunk. "Because why wouldn't Tony Stark break into the most secure intelligence network on the planet… again."

"He piggybacked off a short-lived AI ping from our satellite relay. Barely caught it in the logs. Jarvis tripped one of our internal firewalls—very polite about it, actually."

"Goddamn robot's got manners," Fury muttered.

Maria raised an eyebrow. "Orders, sir?"

"Send a team. Quiet. I don't want this turning into another PR mess. Last thing I need is some wannabe god blowing up a volcano because Stark wants to play Sherlock."

Hill nodded, but lingered at the door. "Sir… what if it's something more? Something real?"

Fury leaned back in his chair, gaze drifting to the ceiling for a beat. He didn't answer immediately. His hand tapped rhythmically on the armrest, thoughtful.

"If it's real, we'll deal with it," he said eventually. "But if it's just Stark poking around… I want him back before he pokes something that pokes back."

Maria nodded once and left without another word.

The door clicked shut.

Fury stared after her, jaw tight, then reached beneath the desk and pulled open a small drawer.

A low meow answered before he even called.

"Come on, Goose," he muttered, holding out a hand.

From the corner of the room padded the small, orange tabby cat—Goose, the deceptively adorable Flerken. She leapt onto his lap with practiced ease, purring as she circled once, then settled down like she owned the place.

Fury scratched behind her ear with a grunt. "You're the only one who doesn't give me a damn headache."

Goose purred louder, curling up like a loaf as Fury finally relaxed, even if just a little.

Outside, the world turned. And in a volcano halfway across the globe, Tony Stark was already way too deep into something Fury wasn't sure anyone was ready for.

Especially not Tony.

---