Marvel: Silver Hand

Alexander woke groggily, his head pounding and his wrists aching. His eyes fluttered open, but the dim light in the room did little to reveal where he was. The first thing he noticed was the cold metal digging into his wrists and ankles. He was bound tightly to a chair, his arms pulled back uncomfortably.

"Where…?" His voice was hoarse. "What's going on?"

A low chuckle brought his attention forward. Across the room stood Vanessa, her golden eyes glinting in the faint light. But the warm, kind expression he was used to was gone. In its place was a sneer, her lips curled in mockery.

"Vanessa?" Alexander rasped. "What the hell is this? Why are you doing this?"

She didn't answer. Instead, she folded her arms and leaned against the wall, her posture relaxed, as if this was nothing more than an amusing game.

Footsteps echoed in the room, drawing Alexander's gaze to a tall, scarred man who stepped into view. His face was rugged and weathered, but his eyes burned with an intensity that made Alexander's blood run cold.

"Ah, so you're awake," the man said, his voice deep and gravelly. "Good. I was beginning to think Vanessa hit you too hard."

"Who are you?" Alexander demanded, struggling against his bindings.

The man smirked. "Ryan. You could say I'm… family. Your great-uncle, to be precise."

"Family?" Alexander repeated, disbelief etched into his features.

Ryan nodded, stepping closer. "Your maternal grandfather, Vulcan, was my brother. I suppose that makes us blood."

Alexander's heart sank. Something about this man was wrong—deeply, horrifyingly wrong.

"What do you want from me?" Alexander demanded, his voice shaking.

Ryan chuckled, a sound that sent shivers down Alexander's spine. "I suppose I owe you an explanation. After all, you're the key to everything."

Ryan began pacing the room, his tone almost conversational. "When I was a teenager and Vulcan was just a boy, our family was in ruins. Once, we were revered as master blacksmiths, creators of legendary weapons and artifacts. But generations of mediocrity left us forgotten—relics of a past no one cared about. I wanted to change that."

He stopped and turned to face Alexander, his eyes gleaming. "I sought power. True power. I delved into the forbidden arts, searching for a way to reclaim our family's glory. That's when I discovered the chest."

Alexander's breath hitched. "The chest in the basement?"

Ryan nodded. "It belonged to our ancestors, sealed with powerful magic. I tried to break the seal, but the magic rejected me. Our family banished me for my 'sins,' cast me out like a dog."

His expression darkened. "Years later, I returned. I killed them all. Burned the manor to the ground. But I couldn't find the chest. It had disappeared, along with Vulcan."

Alexander stared at him, horror mounting with every word.

"I spent decades searching," Ryan continued. "And then, finally, I found Vulcan living in this miserable town. I tortured him until he told me everything—how the chest had been passed down, hidden within the family. But there was a catch: the seal could only be broken with the blood and lives of two innocent members of our bloodline."

Ryan leaned in closer, his face inches from Alexander's. "That's where you come in. You, my dear boy, are innocent. And now, thanks to a little… genetic experimentation, I've created the second piece of the puzzle."

He gestured, and Vanessa stepped aside, revealing a small bundle on a nearby table. Alexander's stomach turned as he realized it was a baby.

"Meet your sibling," Ryan said with a twisted smile. "Born from your mother and father's genetic material. The perfect tool for my purpose."

Alexander's heart pounded in his chest. "You're insane!" he shouted, thrashing against his restraints.

Ryan only laughed. "Insane? No. Determined." He turned to Vanessa. "Knock him out. We have work to do."

Vanessa stepped forward, a cruel smile on her lips, and slammed the hilt of a knife against Alexander's temple.

Alexander awoke to the smell of blood and smoke. His head throbbed, and his body felt weak. As his vision cleared, the first thing he saw was the basement of his home—or what was left of it. The walls were smeared with blood, and the bodies of his mother and aunt Clara lay lifeless on the floor, their throats slit.

"No!" Alexander screamed, his voice breaking. Tears streamed down his face as he struggled against the chains holding him in place.

Ryan stood before the chest, the baby cradled in his arms. Vanessa stood nearby, a bloody knife in her hand.

"You monster!" Alexander roared, his voice raw with grief and fury.

Ryan didn't even glance at him. "Their deaths were necessary," he said coldly. He looked down at the baby and smiled. "And now, the final piece."

Before Alexander could process what was happening, Ryan gripped the baby's head and crushed it with a sickening crack. Blood and brain matter splattered across the chest as Alexander let out a guttural scream of anguish.

The chest began to hum, the seal glowing faintly.

Vanessa approached Alexander, her expression devoid of remorse. She yanked him to his feet, dragging him toward the chest.

"No! Let me go!" he shouted, his voice hoarse.

Vanessa leaned in close, her breath hot against his ear. "This is your destiny," she whispered, her tone mocking.

With one swift motion, she drew the knife across his throat.

Alexander felt the warmth of his blood spilling down his chest. He fell to his knees, clutching at the wound, his vision fading. As his blood soaked the chest, the seal shattered with a blinding light.

Ryan opened the chest, reaching inside. He pulled out an amulet, its fiery center glowing ominously. A look of triumph crossed his face.

"This is it," he said, his voice reverent. "The power I've sought for so long."

He turned and walked away, leaving the ingots untouched. As he ascended the stairs, he called back, "Burn it all."

Vanessa, expressionless, set the basement ablaze before following him.

As the flames consumed the room, Alexander lay in a pool of his own blood, his life slipping away. Tears streamed down his face as he stared at the lifeless bodies of his family.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice barely audible.

In his final moments, a cold presence enveloped him. Celebrimbor's wraith form emerged, hovering above him. The ancient elf's fury burned brighter than the flames around them.

"You will not die in vain," Celebrimbor said, his voice echoing with power.

The wraith descended, merging with Alexander's body. A surge of energy coursed through him, his eyes snapping open with a piercing blue light. His wounds healed instantly, the searing pain replaced by an overwhelming sense of power.

As the fire raged, Alexander stood, his form now a fusion of man and wraith. His hands clenched into fists, his glowing eyes fixed on the staircase.

Ryan and Vanessa had made a grave mistake.

And they would pay.