Steel Titan's Arc

Chapter 3 of 5

The three robots slammed into the ground near the tower. Steel Titan stepped over the wreck of Atlas and felt his own skin. Dents ran across his chest and arms. One shoulder plate had folded inward from Vulcan's fists. His metal hide had always healed slow, and there was no time now. The new robots rose from their craters. Their eyes burned the same cold blue as Atlas. They would strike before he could mend. Steel Titan tried to bend his shoulder plate back into shape. The metal groaned but held its dent. He hit it with his fist. Nothing. Across the field, Hulk still traded blows with Vulcan, too far to help him now. The robots turned toward him and raised their arms. Beams charged in their palms. A red-and-gold streak shot down from the clouds and landed between Steel Titan and the robots. The small armored figure planted his feet and threw both hands out. Twin blasts of light knocked the nearest robot off balance. Steel Titan had never seen this fighter, but the newcomer stood in front of him like a shield, taking the fire meant for the titan. "You're Steel Titan, right? Stark. Tony Stark." The visor glowed as he spoke. "I built half the tech Earth sent to kill you. Figured I owed you a hand fixing the mess." "You made these things?" Steel Titan raised a fist. "I made better. Hold still." Stark pointed a beam at Steel Titan's dented shoulder. Warm light poured over the folded plate. The metal softened, then straightened with a snap. "Nanite welder. Won't heal you, but it'll straighten the steel. Turn." Steel Titan turned. He did not trust the words, but the blasts had shielded him, and the shoulder moved free again. Stark ran the beam across his chest. Dent after dent smoothed flat. The robots regrouped and fired. Stark spun and returned fire, then kept working. "Almost there. Big guy, when I say go, you hit them. They can't take what you can." The last dent closed. Steel Titan flexed his arm. The metal held firm, whole again. "Go," Stark said. Steel Titan charged. He caught the first robot by the neck and tore its head loose. The second fired point-blank. The beam slid off his repaired chest and left no mark. He drove his fist through its core. Sparks rained down. The third turned to run. Stark's blast pinned it, and Steel Titan crushed it into the dirt. Three wrecks smoked on the ground. Steel Titan breathed hard, but his skin was sound. He looked at the small armored man who had saved him. "Why help me?" he asked. Stark's visor lifted. "Because I know Earth. This was three robots. Earth sends thousands." He pointed at the sky. "That fleet isn't done. And I know how to stop it. But we have to reach my ship before they send the next wave."