James sighed, "So, there's no room for discussion on this, right?"
Shang-Chi remained silent, which James interpreted as an unspoken agreement.
"Well, if that's the case, everyone should wrap things up quickly. I'm taking Clarice to the Staples Center to catch the finals. I'm confident the Lakers will clinch the championship this year."
Nearby, Colonel Rhodes had taken Clarice to the edge of a cliff where they sat, gazing up at the starry sky.
"Clarice, look at how bright those stars are. Can you identify any constellations?"
Clarice tilted her head back, squinting at the sky. "That's Vela."
"Not bad, Clarice," Colonel Rhodes said, smiling.
Suddenly, a loud boom echoed from a distance, but the two continued their lighthearted conversation as if they hadn't heard it.
"What about the constellation beneath Vela? What's that one?"
Clarice blinked in thought. "That's Carina, of course! Duh."
"Uh..." Colonel Rhodes felt a twinge of doubt about his ability to engage with children.
Clarice eagerly pointed to the constellations. "Next to Vela is the Compass, and behind it is the Keel. Together, they were once part of a larger constellation known as the Southern Vela. Legend has it that there was a powerful warrior associated with it, but he betrayed Athena and was cast out, dividing the Southern Vela into these four constellations."
Colonel Rhodes raised an eyebrow, baffled. "Wait, are you talking about Greek mythology? What does Athena have to do with this?"
"You don't know about the Zodiac Knights? How uncultured!" Clarice exclaimed, her eyes wide with disbelief. "But lucky for you, I'll tell you their story."
She adopted the storytelling style she'd seen from James, her tone serious as she began. "Whenever evil engulfs the earth, warriors of hope arise. Their fists can tear the fabric of reality, and their feet can shake the ground. They are the guardians of love and justice—the Zodiac Knights."
Boom! Another loud explosion resonated nearby, followed by the cacophony of car alarms blaring from an underground garage.
Suddenly, Shang-Chi stumbled out of the garage, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. The once-mighty iron rod he wielded was now reduced to a splintered remnant in his hand.
James stepped out slowly, flames licking at his feet, leaving charred footprints behind him. "Give up, Shang-Chi. You're no match for me."
Shang-Chi gritted his teeth, refusing to back down. He hurled the remaining piece of the iron rod at James, and as it flew through the air, a brilliant white light emanated from the ring on his finger, sending a freezing blast towards James.
The flames beneath James flared up, but the freezing ray met them mid-flight, creating a clash of elements. He caught the iron rod with one hand, swung it toward Shang-Chi, and sent him sprawling.
Shang-Chi let out a pained yelp as he crashed to the ground.
James retracted his hand, only to find ice crystals forming on his skin. "I didn't think your ring was that powerful."
James looked at the ice, then at Shang-Chi, who was panting heavily. "It seems you've got a knack for freezing people."
Shang-Chi exhaled, shaking his head. "Don't waste your energy. I've studied this ring. Its freezing rays can't be melted by regular flames."
James smirked, unconvinced. He unleashed another burst of flames, only to find the ice crystals still clinging stubbornly to his hands and legs.
"Huh. Your ring's impressive, but it's not invincible," James said, watching as cracks began to form in the ice.
Shang-Chi's eyes widened in surprise. "How is that possible? You can control both fire and ice?"
"Seems that way," James replied nonchalantly, shrugging off the cold. "But let's not get bogged down in the science of it all. You've got your motives against Tony Stark, and I get that."
Shang-Chi hesitated, his resolve wavering. "With your abilities, I can't take him down alone. But you should know, there are others who want him gone too."
James nodded. "I'm aware. Each Mandarin ring has its own unique power, and if you ever plan on facing Stark, you'll need to be cautious."
With that, Shang-Chi turned and walked away, leaving James alone to contemplate the night sky.
"Man, this ice is really cold," James muttered to himself, rubbing his hands together as Clarice and Colonel Rhodes approached.
"James, are you okay?" Clarice asked, concern etched on her face.
James chuckled. "Of course, I'm fine! Just almost got turned into a popsicle, that's all."