Marvel: A.T.L.A.S. - Ghost Protocol

A.T.L.A.S. Arctic Testing Facility - November 1987

Blood froze on the training room floor as Caspian picked himself up. The Emperor Eye tracked damage from his latest attempt: three cracked ribs, severe tissue damage along his left side, internal bleeding. The ice in his blood was already healing the wounds, but the pain remained. A necessary teacher.

"The Frost Hammer technique requires perfect molecular alignment," Dr. Sterns observed through the reinforced viewing window. "The energy expenditure is exponentially higher than your basic abilities."

"Again," Caspian ordered, spitting blood onto the frozen floor.

The hammer formed in his hands—massive, crystalline, deadly. The Emperor Eye guided its construction, each ice crystal aligned with atomic precision. Sub-Zero had made it look effortless in his memories. Reality proved more demanding.

"Your body temperature is dropping dangerously," Walter's voice carried rare concern. "Even with your adaptations—"

"I said again."

This time the hammer held together through the full attack sequence. Combat drones shattered under its impact, frozen shrapnel embedding in the facility's reinforced walls. But the cost was evident—blood vessels burst in Caspian's eyes as the power drain hit.

"Enough." Carrie's voice cut through the comm with Director's authority. "You're not just testing limits anymore. You're trying to break them."

The Emperor Eye caught the deeper meaning in her tone. She'd watched Howard Stark walk a similar path of obsession. Watched it nearly destroy him.

---

*Tony's Private Workshop - Later That Night*

"You look like shit," Tony said bluntly, not looking up from his modifications to Caspian's monitoring equipment. "And before you give me the 'I'm fine' routine, remember who you're talking to."

"The techniques require—"

"What they require is killing you." Tony finally met his eyes. "The energy readings from today's session? Your body temperature hit minus sixty. That's not training, it's suicide."

The Emperor Eye caught Tony's hands shaking slightly. Worry masked by anger, just like Howard would do.

"I need to master this, Tony."

"Why?" The question cut deep. "What are you really preparing for?"

Caspian stayed silent, watching frost patterns dance across his palm. The techniques weren't just about power. They were preparation. Tools for whatever darkness lay ahead.

"Fine, don't tell me." Tony's voice softened. "But at least let me help you do it without freezing your stupid ass to death."

The next hours were spent analyzing data, Tony's brilliant mind finding patterns Caspian had missed. Ways to improve efficiency, reduce energy cost, stabilize the more complex techniques.

---

*Arctic Facility - The Next Morning*

"Thermal stabilizers are online," Tony reported from his new monitoring station. He'd insisted on supervising personally after redesigning half the facility's equipment. "Try the Ice Barrier sequence."

This time when Caspian called the power, it flowed differently. The Emperor Eye tracked energy patterns Tony had identified, letting him shape the ice with greater precision. The barrier that formed was perfect—crystalline walls that could stop anything short of armor-piercing rounds.

"Better," Carrie noted. "More controlled."

The next technique was one he'd been saving—the Ice Clone. But not the basic version he'd mastered before. This one was infinitely more complex, closer to Sub-Zero's ultimate version of the technique.

The clone that formed wasn't just ice shaped like him. It was a perfect replica, down to cellular structure. The Emperor Eye let him program its responses, create something that could think and react independently.

"My God," Sterns breathed, studying readings. "The computational complexity... it's like a quantum computer made of living ice."

Combat simulations proved the clone's effectiveness. It fought with his skill, predicted with his Emperor Eye, struck with lethal precision. A perfect partner for the shadows.

"Now the real test," Caspian said quietly.

The Ice Aura formed around him like armor, just as he remembered from countless Mortal Kombat matches. But this version was enhanced by the Emperor Eye's precision, reinforced by Tony's calculations. Not just protection—evolution.

"Cellular integrity holding," Tony reported, excitement bleeding through his professional tone. "Power distribution is... holy shit, it's actually working."

The following sequence combined everything—Frost Hammer striking through Ice Clones, Barriers forming and shattering in deadly patterns, the Aura protecting him from his own absolute cold. The Emperor Eye wove it all together into a deadly dance of ice and shadow.

When it ended, even Carrie looked impressed. "Control has improved significantly."

"The energy efficiency is remarkable," Sterns added. "These techniques... they're beyond anything we thought possible."

Only Tony stayed quiet, watching his friend with knowing eyes. The Emperor Eye caught his unspoken concern—power always came with a price. Always demanded payment in flesh and soul.

Later, as medical treated the day's damage, Tony brought coffee laced with bourbon.

"Just tell me one thing," he said quietly. "Whatever you're preparing for... will you call when it happens?"

Caspian looked at his brother in all but blood. "You know I can't—"

"Not asking for classified details. Just... a warning. A chance to help."

The frost stirred in Caspian's veins, ancient and new. Power gained from eldrich ice, shaped by memories of a game, refined by brotherhood.

"When it matters," he promised. "When it's real. I'll call."

Tony nodded, satisfied. Through the facility's windows, arctic darkness pressed close. But in that room, between brothers, there was warmth despite the cold.

The techniques were nearly mastered. The power almost controlled. But the real test would come in the field, where theory met blood and shadow.

Where a ninja's true worth was proven.