"Where did you learn about this…" Solomon's question trailed off. Howard Stark had, after all, a connection to the Tesseract, so it made sense that Tony Stark knew about it. But why was he bringing it up now? Solomon couldn't help but think of Nick Fury's experiment in New Mexico—the one that had Kamar-Taj constantly on edge.
"I know a bit more than you might think." Stark squinted, holding his fingers a tiny distance apart. "Only about this much, but I know Captain America was dug up recently, and there's that flaming skull issue. When he stopped Red Skull, the Tesseract fell into the sea, and it was my father who recovered it and stored it with S.H.I.E.L.D. So, yes, I know some things."
Solomon sat up, curious to hear what Tony Stark had to say.
"I haven't been able to reach Nick Fury lately," Stark continued. "Do you know Agent Phil Coulson? Nice guy—he was there when the Asgardians showed up. But I can't reach him, either. And I doubt you know about the Stark space program? Stark Industries has its own satellites, which have picked up a few S.H.I.E.L.D. secrets…"
"Are you talking about that New Mexico experiment site?" Solomon asked, prompting Stark to go on.
"Project Pegasus," Stark said, clearly prepared. "In 1989, NASA, the U.S. Air Force, and S.H.I.E.L.D. launched the project to study the Tesseract my father recovered, with the goal of developing alternative energy sources and a light-speed engine. My father was one of the project's founders, along with Dr. Lawson, who unfortunately passed away."
"I know about the Tesseract," Solomon replied. "And I've heard of Project Pegasus, though not in as much detail as you have."
"Knew you'd be in the loop, wizard boy." Stark grinned, snapping his fingers. He set his phone on the table and tapped the screen, projecting a hologram onto the tabletop. Solomon noticed that Stark's tech had made leaps in the past year, though that wasn't his main concern. He turned his attention to the documents Stark was sharing.
"There's a Pegasus Project base in New Mexico." Stark pointed to the new reactor on his chest with confidence. "When I was working on this, I uncovered traces of Pegasus. It's just too coincidental that a high-energy reaction showed up right at the Pegasus Project site. I'm telling you, S.H.I.E.L.D. is studying the Tesseract. They've never stopped."
Stark was sharp. Despite Nick Fury's efforts to restrict his access to sensitive information, Stark had deduced S.H.I.E.L.D.'s activity based on available clues. However…
"Are you sure you launched a civilian satellite?" Solomon raised an eyebrow. "A civilian satellite wouldn't have sensors that advanced."
"Stark Industries used to be an arms dealer; missiles need satellite guidance for bundled sales. Our satellites are good, too—enough that the military pays big every year to use them." Stark snapped his fingers, visibly pleased. "But that's in the past. I shut down weapons manufacturing ages ago. Now, Stark Industries focuses on clean energy, materials, aerospace, and a touch of biotech."
"The vaccines I had as a kid were made by Oscorp…"
"Forget Oscorp… sorry, shouldn't curse in front of a minor." Stark chuckled, leaning closer until Solomon could see the glow from his chest reactor.
"I know you're aware of a lot of secrets," Stark said, "but I want in on S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Tesseract research. I have no way of understanding your field without a study guide, so I want you as my assistant—a magical and scientific assistant. That's not revealing too many secrets, is it? Hogwarts or the Ministry of Magic won't come for you, right? Is J.K. Rowling secretly a witch?"
"I didn't go to Hogwarts, and there is no Ministry of Magic!" Solomon sighed, correcting Stark's whimsical ideas. "I don't know if you'll understand, but whether you get involved or not, the outcome won't change."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Stark frowned.
"It's a big question," Solomon said, petting the cat in his arms. "It's about whether fate is predetermined and the correct path for humanity…"
"Hold on, hold on," Stark interrupted, waving his hands. "I came to talk about the Tesseract, not to get a philosophy lecture."
"No, you came here to interfere with fate." Solomon pulled out his wand, tracing a colorful arc in the air. "Key figures' actions shape the world's trajectory, with different points along the timeline leading to different outcomes. That's the basis of parallel worlds. Everything happening in this world is recorded in the Akashic Records, so I already know what you're going to ask. First, you need to understand what the Akashic Records are.
The Akashic Records consist of two parts:
The first is the divine blueprint of the cosmos, an eternal, unchanging essence that's neither beginning nor end. The other part is the record of all experiences and actions of the source as it manifests across time and space. It contains every soul's experiences, spanning all lifetimes and eras—from past events to those yet to happen. Everything is recorded… except for you coming to see me. I believe I myself am outside the Akashic Records, so you finding me is beyond its scope."
The Akashic Records, as Solomon described, essentially referred to the origin of this world—the Eternal God above Kamar-Taj's own Grandmaster. This was the ultimate pursuit of the Sorcerer Supreme, who would abandon the mortal body to explore the Aether Realm (the spirit plane) endlessly. Solomon didn't expect Stark to understand all this but hoped Stark would grasp the gravity of his involvement.
However, it was clear Stark had no patience for such things.
"I'm not asking for some mystical mumbo jumbo!" Stark snapped, irritated. "I just want to know if you can help…"
"My answer is no." Solomon shook his head. "The outcome here is already fixed, not by any individual but by the universe itself. Time isn't a linear path; the outcome of this matter has already occurred, and no matter what you do, the result won't change."
"What does that even mean?" Stark was confused, glancing at an explanation of the Akashic Records he'd just pulled up on his phone. "The universe doesn't have a mind of its own."
"Actually, it does. Each flicker within a gaseous nebula reflects the universe's thoughts. I do have the power to alter events here, but changing them would have even worse consequences. My teacher can only choose the least catastrophic path." Solomon's voice softened. "It's either a quiet end for humanity like lambs to the slaughter, or a fight for survival while looking up at the stars. My teacher chose the latter, and I agree."
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Stark said, looking annoyed. He stood up, straightening his suit. "But I can sense fatalism in all this."
"I said I'm not in the Akashic Records myself, so I can change things. But doing so would only make things worse." Solomon stood up as well. "I reported the Asgardians' arrival, but the White House suppressed the story. But Asgard isn't the only power out there—the All-Father is aging, and the Sorcerer Supreme seeks the mysteries of the universe. We need to prepare everyone, not act like nothing's happening and drown in mindless political entertainment."
"Right, I'm starting to see the antisocial personality here," Stark muttered, walking toward the door. "Looks like I wasted my time."
"No, I've told you all this for one reason." Solomon followed him to the entrance, placing a hand on Stark's shoulder. "I'm not speaking to the Stark of today, but to the Stark of the future. Don't blame yourself, Stark. You've done enough. This world needs you. I hope you get to take your daughter to kindergarten, watch her through her teen years, and then threaten her boyfriend with a shotgun. As for this… I'll find a solution."
"As for the innocent lives lost, I'll bear that burden. That's my responsibility as a future king, Stark—not yours."
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