"Avengers Assemble!" Captain America shouts, reflecting a blast of magic off his shield. Within seconds the team is gathered around him, though they continue fighting off Amora's latest minions, with the exception of Iron Man, "Stark! We need to come up with a plan of attack!"

"I do have a plan," Stark dodges a spell cast at him as he flies straight at the blonde Asgardian, "Attack." He charges up an energy blast to get her at point blank range but the Enchantress is faster, she hits him with another spell, "Was that supposed to do something?" he asks.

"Wait for it," her smirk is the last thing Stark sees before he blacks out.

DAO X TS

Cailan and Anthony Theirin were as close as twin brothers could possibly be; Anthony created new things and pranked, while Cailan tested the new creations and played spotter for Anthony and occasionally got his fraternal twin out of trouble.

One day, when the boys were eight, the Knight Commander came to visit and Anthony talked Cailan into helping him prank the old Templar. Needless to say the man did not appreciate his armor turning bright pink overnight, or his breakfast turning into bugs, or having a bucket of sand and water dumped on his head in the middle of the open training grounds.

That sand bucket one is the one where they got caught, both boys were too busy laughing in a dark corner to notice the man angrily approach, "Which of you are responsible for this?"

Quickly sobered their eyes widen and they point to each-other, "It was him."

Growling the Knight Commander grabs each of them by the arm and drags them to the King's Study, "One of these two used magic on me, I need to know which one."

Maric Theirin sighs, "Boys, what exactly happened?" They both start to explain too fast for either man to comprehend, "Slow down and one at a time."

Cailan speaks after sharing a look with Tony, "Well, as you know Anthony enjoys pranking people."

"The more powerful the subject the more fun it is," Tony grins.

"So when the Knight Commander here showed up."

"It was too good an opportunity to pass up."

Maric rubs his temples, "So it was Anthony that used magic to prank the Knight Commander."

"Yes," they chorus.

"I'll be taking him with me when I leave," the Knight Commander leaves the room, presumably to clean himself up.

DAO X TS

Over the years in the Circle Tower Anthony Theirin became known as Tony Stark Amell, he agreed with the need for Templars, and even managed to become as close as he could to friends with them, but he didn't agree with the extremes they go to. He became very close with the First Enchanter, and he learned much, but he never once stopped pranking people.

Today is the day of his Harrowing, the next step to getting past Apprentice level. Almost as soon as he's in the fade, he encounters a few wisp wraiths, after hitting them a few times with an Arcane Bolt and a Flame Blast it disappears and he continues wandering around.

"Someone else thrown to the wolves," Tony looks down and sees a large mouse, "As fresh and unprepared as ever. It isn't right that they do this, the Templars. Not to you, me, anyone."

"You're a talking rat," Suspicion edges Tony's tone.

"You think you're really here? In that body? You look like that because you think you do!" The mouse sighs, "It's always the same. But it's not your fault. You're in the same boat I was, aren't you?" it transforms into a man, about the same height as Tony, "Allow me to welcome you to the fade. You can call me… well, mouse."

"Not your real name, I take it?" Tony's eyes narrow at the other man.

"No. I don't remember anything from… before. The Templars kill you if you take too long, you see. They figure you failed, and they don't want something getting out. That's what they did to me, I think. I have no body to reclaim. And you don't have much time before you end up the same."

"That's not going to happen to me," Tony smirks, knowing full well that he has skill beyond his years in the tower.

"That has been said before. But you don't know the danger. There's something here, contained, just for an Apprentice like you. You have to face the creature, a demon, and resist it, if you can. That's your way out. Or your opponent's, if the Templars wouldn't kill you. A test for you, a tease for the creatures of the fade."

"Anything can die. I doubt it's as simple as that," Tony frowns, but doesn't let the other being see the distrust in his chocolaty eyes.

"You would be a fool to just attack everything you see. What you face is powerful, cunning. There are other's here, other spirits. They will tell you more, maybe help. If you can believe anything you see. I'll follow, if that's alright. My chance was long ago, but you… you may have a way out." It transforms back into a mouse and follows Tony as he skirts around an open area in the fade, not trusting it to be as empty as it seems.

"Another mortal thrown into the flames and left to burn, I see," a spirit wearing armor states as Tony walks up to an area filled with weapons, "Your mages have devised a cowardly test. Better you were pitted against each other to prove your mettle with skill, than to be sent unarmed against a demon."

"Fight each other? We're not warriors," Tony scoffs at the spirit.

"They would have you battle a demon. With magic or weapon, to be the victor makes you a warrior still." Tony mentally gives the spirit a nod of acknowledgement, since he does have a point, "That you remain means you have not yet defeated your hunter. I wish you a glorious battle to come."

"What kind of spirit are you?"

"I am Valor, a warrior spirit. I hone my weapons in search of the perfect expression of combat."

"What else do you know about the Harrowing?"

"Is that what your test is called? I know little of your mortal ways. I do know that a demon has been called and told that a meal awaits. It will not—cannot leave—until one of you is dead."

"Did you create all of these weapons?" Tony enquires, trying to learn as much as he can about the Fade before facing the demon.

"They are brought into being by my will. I understand that in your world, mages are the only ones who can will things into being. Those mortals who cannot must lead such hollow, empty, lives."

"Would one of these weapons affect the demon?" Tony asks, wanting every advantage he can get.

"Without a doubt. In this realm, everything that exists is the expression of a thought. Do you think these blades be steel? The staves wood? Do you believe they draw blood? A weapon is a single need for battle, and my will makes that need reality. Do you truly desire one of my weapons? I will give one to you… if you agree to duel me, first. Valor shall test your mettle as it should be tested."

"And what are the rules of this duel?" Tony requests, mentally noting that this guy distinctly reminds him of Thor.

"If I believe you capable of slaying the demon, I will stop the duel and give you the staff. If I find you unworthy, I will slay you. I trust those rules are simple enough to remember, mortal?"

"I agree to your duel, Valor."

"As you wish, mortal. Do you understand the rules I explained to you?"

"Yes, I understand."

"Our duel begins now. Fight with valor!"

Tony flings a few arcane bolts at the Spirit, who quickly gets in close and attacks with his sword. Tony hurriedly casts Flame blast to get him to back off but instead Valor ends the fight.

"Enough. Your strength is sufficient to the task. The staff is yours."

"So we're done, I hope?" Tony attaches the Spirit's staff to his back so he doesn't have to carry it around in his hand.

"We are, indeed. May you find glory in all your achievements, mortal."

Tony walks away, his new staff strapped to his back. Along the way he fights against three spirit wolves which are easily defeated with his staff.

"Hmm… So you are the mortal being hunted? And the small one… is he a snack for me?" a strange looking bear with spikes speaks, resting in the middle of an upper clearing in the Fade.

"I don't like this. He's not going to help us. We should go…" Mouse whispers from behind Tony.

The strange bear sniffs, "No matter. The demon will get you eventually, and perhaps there will even be scraps left."

"What kind of spirit are you?" Tony asks wondering what kind of spirit could possibly be so lazy.

"It's a demon. Maybe even more powerful than the one chasing after you." Mouse answers for the creature, not moving from his hiding place behind Tony.

"Begone! Surely you have better things to do than bother Sloth, mortal. I tire of you already." The creature, now named Sloth, demands wriggling to find a more comfortable position.

"Why are you called Sloth? What are you?" Tony ignores the demons request while searching out more information.

"I am a spirit of Sloth, a creature of the Fade… unlike your-self. Mortals are ever the visitors here. Still, you serve your function. Only the mortals like your-self are truly annoying," Sloth drawls.

"Are you talking about Dreamers?"

"Many mortals dream. They come here often. But you are not one of those. You are… aware. A mortal with power and will, the sort of creature that some spirits… hunger for. I might be inclined for such a meal, myself. It would be interesting to see the mortal world through your eyes, live inside your form… but I am disinclined to begin such a struggle." Sloth yawns.

"Lucky me," Tony sarcastically drawls, teaching Sloth how to properly do so.

"Indeed. Now what do you want with me?" Sloth asks clearly not understanding the concept of sarcasm.

"I need help defeating a demon," Tony reluctantly admits, choosing to not bother trying to teach the demon the fine art he was a master of in his last world.

"You have a very nice staff." Sloth yawns, "Why would you need me? Go; use your weapon since you have earned it. Be valorous," Sloth snarks.

"He looks powerful. It might be possible that he could… teach you to be like him." Mouse suggests, stepping out from his hiding place.

"Like me? You mean teach the mortal to take this form? Why? Most mortals are too attached to their forms to learn the change. You, on the other hand, little one, might be a better student. You let go of the human form years ago." Sloth eyes mouse almost as though he knows something about the spirit.

"I… don't think I'd make a very good bear. How would I hide?" Mouse asks, clearly uncomfortable with the subject.

"I thought you were here to help but you're just a coward." Tony eggs mouse on.

"A coward could not have endured as I have. The time I have spent waiting for… for some possibility of release. But… you are right. Hiding doesn't help. I'm sorry, it's the fade. It changes you. I'll try. I'll try to be a bear. If you'll teach me," Mouse requests, speaking directly at Sloth for once.

"That's nice. But teaching you is so exhausting. Away with you now." Sloth tucks his head under an arm.

Mouse sighs, "I told you he wasn't going to help us."

"You can't just suggest something and then change your mind!" Tony tries, wanting to get the demon to actually do something.

"I can't? You have so much to learn about the Fade, little mortal." Sloth tries to stare down Tony.

"Mouse wants to learn. Teach him." Tony orders.

"You wish to learn my form, little one? Then I have a challenge for your friend: Answer three riddles correctly, and I will teach you. Fail, and I will devour you both. The decision is yours."

"Riddles? Are you joking?" Tony asks, having expected another fight, not something simple.

"Indeed not. Amusement is difficult to come by, and I shall take it in the place of a meal if I can."

"I'm not sure I want to provide him with either." Mouse's tail whips from side to side.

"I accept your challenge, Sloth," Tony confidently smirks.

"Truly? This gets more and more promising. My first riddle is this: I have seas with no water, coasts with no sand, towns without people, mountains without land. What am I?" Sloth

"A map." Tony answers, mentally wishing for harder questions.

Sloth harrumphs, "Correct. Let's move on. The second riddle: I'm rarely touched, but often held. If you have wit, you'll use me well. What am I?"

"My tongue." Tony is almost ready to demand more of a challenge.

"Yes, your witty tongue. Fair enough. One more try, shall we? Often will I spin a tale, never will I charge a fee. I'll amuse you an entire eve, but, alas, you won't remember me. What am I?"

"A dream." Tony groans, because those were all far too easy.

Sloth harrumphs once more, "You are correct. Rather apropos here in the fade, no? But you've won my challenge and proven yourself an amusing distraction. So, I shall teach you my form. Now listen carefully…" Sloth explains how to transform.

"Like this? Am I a bear? It feels… heavy." Mouse, now in the form of a bear, complains.

"Hmm. Close enough. Go, then, and defeat your demon… or whatever you intend to do. I grow weary of your mortal prattling." Sloth goes back to sleep and the two walk back down to the clearing Tony had avoided earlier since it is now the only part left unexplored.

On their way there, they were once more attacked, this time by four spirit wolves. Tony would hate to admit it, but Mouse having a Bear form really helped the battle finish faster.

"And so it comes to me at last. Soon I shall see the land of the living with your eyes, creature. You shall be mine, body and soul." The Demon crows as though it has already won.

"Then come and get me, if you can," Tony sends out a blast of magic as he talks, initiating the fight.

"Oh, I shall. So this creature is your offering, mouse? Another plaything, as per our arrangement?" The Demon dodges but still gets clipped by the spell. Tony glances at Mouse, positioning himself to not have his back turned to him, just in case.

"I'm not offering you anything! I don't have to help you anymore!" Mouse yells, and Tony breathes a sigh of relief even as he sends a blast of flame to the demon whom wasn't paying attention so he gets hit this time.

"Aww. And after all those wonderful meals we have shared? Now suddenly the mouse has changed the rules?" The demon strikes at Tony who back steps to avoid getting hit.

"I'm not a mouse now! And soon I won't have to hide! I don't need to bargain with you!" Mouse roars in his bear form and attacks the demon.

"We shall see…" Demon drawls trying to fend off the attacks of the bear causing him to get hit by more of Tony's spells.

Mouse starts to celebrate when the demon falls, dead, at least for now. "You did it. You actually did it! When you came, I hoped that maybe you might be able to… but I never really thought any of you were worthy."

"It's all a little too easy." Tony looks around, trying to find the next threat, if there's one thing he learned as a Superhero, it's that if it seems to have ended too easily it usually isn't over.

"That is because you are a true mage, one of the few." Mouse cheers, "The others, they never had a chance. The Templars set them up to fail, like they tried with you. I regret my part in it, but you have shown me that there is hope. You can be so much more than you know."

"Anything to survive. Like an animal, or worse." Tony glares at the mouse, starting to wonder if he's the true challenge but hoping not.

"I am what the fade has made me. Am I to blame for that? Deciding to exist or not exist is not a fair choice. I had no hope. You have shown me other possibilities. If you want to help, there may be a way for me to leave here, to get a foothold outside. You just need to want to let me in." Mouse steps towards Tony, who steps back.

"I'm thinking the other demon wasn't my test." Tony lowers his staff at Mouse.

"What? What are you… of course it was! What else is here that could harm an apprentice of your potential?" Tony gives an 'are you stupid?' look "You are a smart one. Simple killing is a warrior's job. The real dangers of the fade are preconceptions, careless trust… pride. The real test never ends."

Tony blacks out as Mouse finishes talking, and he really hopes that Mouse didn't use him to get a foothold.

"Are you all right? Say something, please…" Jowan's face is right in front of Tony's as he awakens in his bunk in the apprentice section of the Tower.

"Jowan?" Tony questions, despite knowing exactly who it is.

"I'm glad you're all right. They carried you in this morning. I didn't even realize you'd been gone all night. I've heard about apprentices who never come back from Harrowings. Is it really that dangerous? What was it like?" Jowan asks almost too quickly for Tony to catch considering he's still a little out of it.

"It was… Harrowing." Tony smirks a little from his pun.

"Is that why they don't tell us what it's about? I know I'm not supposed to know… but we're friends. Just a little hint, and I'll stop asking, I promise!" Jowan begs.

"You'll go through it soon enough." Tony waves him off, sliding out of his bed and stretching.

"And now you get to move to the nice mages quarters upstairs. I'm stuck here and I don't know when they'll call me for my Harrowing." Jowan whines, moving out of Tony's way.

"Don't worry so much about it." Tony starts walking towards the library, wanting something to read.

"Easy for you to say. I've been here longer than you have… sometimes I think they just don't want to test me." Jowan pouts following Tony who looks back at him, eyebrow quirked.

"What are you talking about?"

"The Tranquil never go through a Harrowing. You do the Harrowing, the Rite of Tranquility… or you die. That's what happens." Jowan explains as though Tony didn't already know this.

"What does this have to do with you?" Tony stops walking, standing in the doorway to the hallway.

"If… if they don't call apprentices to the Harrowing, it probably means… tranquility. You've seen Tranquil around the tower. Like Owain, who runs the stockroom? He's so cold. No, not even cold. There's just… nothing in him. It's like he's dead, but still walking. His voice, his eyes are lifeless…" Jowan shivers, the Tranquil freak everyone out.

"I'll watch for that next time I talk to Owain." Everyone except Tony, that is (and the Templars).

"He's been made tranquil. I don't know how they do it exactly, but you're cut off from the Fade. It takes away your magic abilities, along with your dreams," Jowan hesitates as he reaches the worst part, "and emotions."

"You speak as though I don't already know all of this, Jowan." Tony frowns, he doesn't like to think about the Tranquil, mostly because he may not let it show but they do freak him out, mostly because they remind him of how Clint and Selvig were when they were under the influence of Loki's staff.

"Apprentices can ask to be made tranquil if they fear the Harrowing. But the Circle also forces Tranquility on those they feel are weak. And sometimes they force it on Apprentices they think might be too… dangerous as mages. I shouldn't waste your time with this. I was supposed to tell you to see Irving as soon as you woke up." Jowan swiftly changes the conversation as he remembers his orders.

"What for?" Tony asks, it isn't often that Irving will ask to see him outside of a prearranged time, normally though Tony just shows up.

"He didn't tell me. About the Harrowing, I'd guess, but you never know with Irving. You'd better not keep him waiting. We can speak later." Jowan walks away.

"Bit late for that," Tony calls after Jowan. He looks to the library, wishing he had the time, but after an apprentice accidently blasts himself into a bookshelf Tony starts walking to Irving's office, hopefully the books will still be there later.

XxXxX

A/N: And thus the end of Chapter 1: The Harrowing. Truth be told I've been putting off writing this up to annoy my sister. She's the one playing through Origins as Tony Stark so she has to wait for me to get caught up on the speaking scenes before she can continue playing. My sister, LorraineFire, is also the one playing as my Beta for this story.