Their handshake lasted just a moment longer than usual—steady, assessing, but not hostile.
"So, what’ll you do now, Magic Doctor?" Tony asked with a smirk, one eyebrow raised.
Alex met his gaze calmly. "First, I’d like to give you a proper diagnosis."
Tony chuckled and gestured toward the reclining chair nearby. "Be my guest, Doc. Let’s see what all the fuss is about."
He leaned back, resting his arms on the chair’s sides. The soft hum of the arc reactor echoed in the room.
Alex gave a nod and stepped forward.
Without another word, he gently placed two fingers on Tony’s forearm. His eyes narrowed as thin golden threads of Soul Sense magic flowed from his hand and wrapped around Tony’s body—especially around his chest, where the arc reactor glowed faintly.
After a few quiet moments, Alex spoke softly, "You’re in quite a strange condition..."
Tony tilted his head. "That’s a polite way of saying I’m a disaster."
Alex kept his expression composed. "There are foreign shards embedded in you—fragments that should have pierced your heart completely."
Tony sighed and nodded. "Yeah. Those are shrapnel from the explosion. The arc reactor’s magnetic field is the only thing keeping them from moving. Without it..." He tapped the reactor. "It’s game over."
Alex went quiet for another second, then said, "Most people wouldn’t survive a single splinter that deep. But you have several."
Tony gave a slight shrug. "Well, I’ve had access to top-level tech since birth thanks to my dad. But yeah... the problem now is, I still need a safe way to remove those shards. Until then, this arc reactor stays in my chest."
Alex nodded slowly.
"Well," he said simply, "I can remove them for you. Easily."
Tony blinked in surprise. "You’re serious?"
"Yes," Alex replied.
Without any further delay, Alex stepped behind Tony and held a hand above his chest. His fingers moved slowly through the air as he activated Soul Magic, guiding Tony into a soul-based astral state.
Golden light shimmered around Tony’s body—and in the next instant, his soul separated from it.
"What the—" Tony gasped, looking down at his own body. "Are you kidding me?! I’m floating?!"
He spun around, wide-eyed. "I’m out of my body?! This is real?!"
He stared at Alex, completely stunned. "This is like Magic-level stuff! Pepper told me you were a mutant doctor, maybe a super-healer—but this? This is full-on sorcery!"
Alex smiled faintly. "I’m more magical than mutant, if I’m being honest. But let’s focus on getting you fixed."
While Alex got to work, Pepper—who had been standing nearby—noticed Tony’s body suddenly slump in the chair.
Alarmed, she rushed over. "What did you do?! Why isn’t he moving?!"
Alex calmly raised his hands. "Relax. I just knocked him out. He’s fine."
Pepper’s eyes went wide. "You knocked him unconscious?! You were supposed to help him!"
Tony’s body remained motionless.
"Tony?!"
She leaned in and shook his shoulders in panic.
Meanwhile, Alex stood quietly and said, "Don’t panic. He’s not hurt—he’s just out of phase."
"What does that even mean?!"
Before Alex could reply, a cold chill passed Pepper’s ear. She froze.
Then again—like a sudden breeze.
"Alex..." she whispered. "Is someone else in the room?"
Alex gave a casual smile. "Technically, yes."
Pepper couldn’t see it—but Tony’s glowing soul was floating nearby. He looked down at his body, then at her—and grinned.
"I’m a ghost right now," he laughed, floating around her. "Boo."
He passed right through her for fun.
She shivered. "Okay—what the hell was that?!"
Tony hovered upside-down near Alex. "This is wild."
Alex sighed. "Tony, stop messing around."
"She can’t even see me."
"Still—not helping."
Alex turned back toward Tony’s body. Golden threads of Soul Magic spiraled from his hand and sank into Tony’s chest. He narrowed his focus.
CRACK.
A glowing shard flew out, breaking into energy in the air.
Tony’s body twitched. Blood suddenly poured from his chest.
"TONY!" Pepper screamed. "He’s bleeding! What are you doing to him?!"
Alex didn’t reply—he continued working. One by one, he removed the spiritual fragments of shrapnel. Each time, more wounds opened. Tony’s shirt was soaked with blood. He looked like he’d just been in a war.
Panicked, Pepper lunged at Alex, grabbing his arm. "Stop! He’s going to die!"
Without breaking focus, Alex flicked a finger—gently putting her into a golden sleep-state before she could hit the ground.
"Sorry," he muttered. "You’ll thank me later."
Tony’s soul now hovered, eyes wide. "Okay... yeah. That looks bad."
Alex responded calmly. "Almost finished."
With one last powerful surge, Alex pulled out the largest shard. Blood spurted from Tony’s chest.
Alex immediately pressed his hand to the wound. A brilliant wave of chi energy surged into Tony’s body—healing tissue, calming the spirit, and restoring his organs.
In seconds, Tony’s chest stopped bleeding. His breathing steadied. His pain vanished.
Alex gently placed Tony’s soul back into his body.
WHOOSH.
Tony’s eyes snapped open.
He gasped, coughing once as he sat upright. His hands trembled slightly, but the pain was gone.
Behind him, Pepper stirred—coming out of her golden stasis with a groggy blink.
Tony looked down at himself. His shirt was torn and bloody... but his chest felt light.
The constant pressure—the dull ache—it was gone.
He reached up and touched the arc reactor.
"Holy crap," he whispered. "It’s... gone. The pain. The shards. They’re actually gone."
Pepper rushed to his side. "Tony! Are you okay?! What happened?!"
Tony glanced at her, then turned to Alex.
Then smirked.
"You wouldn’t believe me if I told you."
Tony leaned back in the chair, still catching his breath. The cool air brushed against his sweat-slicked skin as he stared at the ceiling in stunned silence. Then he looked at Alex again—this time, not just with curiosity, but something deeper.
"...That was magic, right?" Tony asked, voice softer now. Humbled.
Alex gave a simple nod. "Soul Magic. Not flashy—but effective."
Tony blinked, processing that. "Right... of course it is."
There was a pause.
Then Tony leaned forward slightly, his eyes glinting with a mix of intrigue and hunger. "Can you teach me?"
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