The Baxter Building
Reed and the Guardians of the Galaxy returned from the T-Fortress on the Moon through a shimmering portal. The transition from lunar vacuum to Earth's atmosphere was jarring. Without time to properly greet the Guardians or debrief them on the situation, Reed immediately nodded to Susan and the others waiting there. He began contacting the rest of the Illuminati through their secure communication network.
"Everyone, have you received reinforcements yet?"
Hearing Reed's urgent words, the Illuminati members who had already received their respective reinforcement forces gave Reed affirmative answers through the communication system. Thor reported the Avengers had arrived. Black Bolt confirmed the Inhumans were in position. Namor stated the Atlantean warriors were deploying.
But at this moment, Wanda's solemn voice rang out after the others' confirmation. There was tension in her tone that made everyone pause.
"Reed, I have eyes on Thanos's flagship approaching Hogwarts, but he is not aboard the vessel. I have scanned it thoroughly with the Space Stone's power. Those here are Supergiant, one of the Black Order's five generals. She is accompanied by Doctor Doom, Raina, and Green Goblin Osborn.
They are obviously aware of our plan somehow. Thanks to Raina's precognitive abilities, they must have seen our strategy before we even enacted it. They have joined Thanos's forces. They are leading the strongest enemy units to attack Hogwarts directly. The Shadow Council remnants have allied with the Black Order."
"Wanda, are you absolutely certain you have not seen any trace of Thanos himself?"
"I am certain. I have used the Space Stone to scan every vessel in the fleet. Thanos is not here at Hogwarts. He must be at one of the other locations."
Wanda looked at Hogwarts through the window of Sebastian's office. The castle was protected by powerful wards fueled by the Space Stone. The enemy's flagship had already begun bombarding Hogwarts with devastating weapons. Beams of energy slammed into the magical shields. The Space Tower continuously drew power from the Stone to replenish the depleted shield. The mystical barrier flickered and reformed with each impact. But the shield's repair rate was barely keeping pace with the incoming damage. The enemy firepower was relentless.
While the Space Stone's power was theoretically unlimited, the Tower's rate of absorption was not. The physical structure had limits. If this bombardment continued for too long, the Tower would likely fail sooner or later. The constant strain would cause the magical architecture to break down.
With no other options available, Wanda had to make a difficult decision. She ordered Pietro and the Hogwarts teachers to escort the students away temporarily. The children's safety was paramount. They began evacuation procedures. Taking them to the Avengers' headquarters for a temporary retreat before Hogwarts's defenses were breached entirely. The students filed through emergency portals. Many were frightened. Some were crying. But they trusted their teachers.
At the same time, a new portal opened in the courtyard. A familiar figure emerged that made Wanda's heart lift with hope.
The X-Men arrived! Cyclops, Storm, Beast, Iceman, Colossus, and others stepped through.
The Brotherhood of Mutants followed! Magneto, Mystique, Toad, and their allies joined the fight!
Both factions had set aside their differences. They were joining forces to defend Earth! The mutants had come to aid in humanity's darkest hour!
...
On Earth, the storm of battle surged across multiple continents. Heroes and villains clashed with cosmic stakes hanging in the balance.
Back in the Mirror Dimension, the situation was equally treacherous. Reality bent and twisted around the combatants.
The Ancient One, Daniel, and Stephen battled Kaecilius, Mordo, and the Zealots. The fight raged through impossible geometries. Buildings folded and unfolded. Gravity shifted directions without warning. The Masters of the Mystic Arts conjured Eldritch constructs. Energy whips and shields clashed. Space-Time Shards were thrown. The Zealots' connection to the Dark Dimension made them formidable opponents.
Meanwhile, Sebastian watched from a concealed vantage point. He observed every movement. He waited for the precise moment to act.
Finally, with the Ancient One's covert coordination throughout the entire battle, Sebastian suddenly struck. He had been waiting for this exact opening. He raised his wand. He whispered the incantation with absolute focus.
"Avada Kedavra!"
The Killing Curse erupted from his wand. A jet of green light shot across the Mirror Dimension. It struck the Ancient One directly in the chest. The Ancient One gasped. Her eyes widened. She clutched at the wound even though there was no physical mark. The curse affected the soul itself. She fell backwards. Severely wounded and near death, she tumbled from the Mirror Dimension. She landed on the streets of the real world with a sickening thud.
Sebastian had retained some strength in his Killing Curse deliberately. He had not cast it at full power. This allowed the Ancient One to hold on just long enough. She would survive until the critical opportunity arose. Until the precise moment when Vishanti's attention would be diverted elsewhere. This was all according to their secret agreement.
According to the original contract between the Sorcerers Supreme and Vishanti, upon the death of the Sorcerer Supreme, their soul would be transferred to the Vishanti Trinity. They would become true subordinates of those cosmic entities. They would serve Vishanti forever. They would be inseparable from their will. This was, of course, the Ancient One's perspective on the arrangement. For most Sorcerers Supreme throughout history, the prospect of being under Vishanti's wing after death was something they greatly desired. They saw it as a reward. Eternal life serving cosmic forces of order. To them, it sounded like paradise.
For Vishanti, every Sorcerer Supreme was an indispensable asset to be collected. They were tools to be used. Especially one as exceptional as the Ancient One, whom they would never willingly relinquish. They had invested centuries in her. Naturally, the Ancient One refused this binding fate. She wanted true freedom. Not servitude disguised as reward. This explained her choice to partner with Sebastian in this dangerous gambit. Only through this elaborate plan could she escape Vishanti's control. Only then could she truly achieve ascension and spiritual sublimation. Only then could she achieve genuine freedom unbounded by cosmic masters.
Such opportunities to slip free from Vishanti's grasp were extremely rare. The cosmic entities watched everything carefully. So the Ancient One had to artificially create the perfect circumstances for her escape.
This opportunity came with the destruction of the three Sanctums and the invasion of Dormammu's Dark Dimension. That was when Vishanti's interference with Earth would be at its weakest point. Their attention would be divided. Their surveillance of the Ancient One would be at its lowest. By seizing this precise opportunity during the chaos, the Ancient One was certain to completely break free from Vishanti's contract. She could achieve true freedom at last.
Now everything was ready. All the pieces were in position. All that remained was the destruction of the final Sanctum in Hong Kong. That would create the perfect opportunity for her to completely renounce her physical form. She could ascend to spiritual enlightenment beyond Vishanti's reach.
Of course, at this moment, with the Ancient One gravely wounded and near death on the street, Kaecilius and his Zealot companions reacted immediately. They opened a portal to Hong Kong. They were preparing to destroy the final Sanctum while their greatest enemy lay dying.
Daniel made his choice instantly. Without hesitation, he followed through his own portal. He used his mastery of Sling Ring magic to teleport directly into the Hong Kong Sanctum. He intended to unite with the Kamar-Taj Masters stationed within. Together they would fight Kaecilius and Mordo to their last breath.
Instead, it was Stephen who immediately rushed to the Ancient One's fallen form. He knelt beside her. He attempted to save her life however he could. His medical training took over. He checked for vital signs. He tried to assess her injuries. But magic had caused this wound. Medicine alone could not heal it.
However, no matter how hard Stephen tried with both conventional medicine and the limited healing magic he knew, the Ancient One's vital signs continued to weaken steadily. She was fading fast. All he could think about was Sebastian killing the Ancient One. That terrible green light striking his teacher. He wondered desperately why things had turned out this way. Was this not all a conspiracy by Dormammu? Had Sebastian truly joined the Dark Dimension? Or had Sebastian become a follower of Dormammu somehow? Why would Sebastian, the man Stephen truly admired and felt close to despite their limited interactions, do something like this? It made no sense. Nothing made sense anymore.
Confused thoughts flooded Stephen's mind like a tsunami. Questions without answers swirled endlessly.
At this moment, Stephen suddenly felt something shift in reality. The sensation was impossible to describe. He immediately took a step back instinctively. He stood in the corner of the emergency room where they had brought the Ancient One. He closed his eyes and focused. At the same time, Stephen's soul left his body. He entered the Astral Dimension. Time slowed to a crawl around him. He saw the back of the Ancient One's astral form not far away. She was gliding towards the balcony. He immediately chased after her. His astral form moved effortlessly through walls and people.
When Stephen's astral form arrived at a balcony of the hospital, he immediately saw the Ancient One standing there. She was looking at the world outside. Everything had become extremely slow in this soul-leaving state. A lightning bolt was frozen mid-strike. Rain drops hung suspended. People were like statues. He slowly walked to the Ancient One's side. His astral feet made no sound.
"Master Ancient One, why?" Stephen's voice was filled with pain and confusion.
Turning her head to look at Stephen, the Ancient One suddenly smiled gently. There was peace on her face. She said calmly, "It seems that you have noticed something is wrong. You always were perceptive."
"Although there are many things I have not figured out yet, I can feel that you were deliberately hit by Sebastian's magic before. Or you and Sebastian planned this together. Why? Is it just to seek death? And Kaecilius and the others, I do not think they have really joined Dormammu's cause. What is all this for? Please, I need to understand!"
Looking at Stephen, who was clearly both excited and confused, the Ancient One slowly said, "This is for freedom, Stephen. My freedom. Sebastian's freedom. Freedom from cosmic forces that believe they have the right to control us."
"Freedom? Who restricts your freedom? Are you not already among the freest people in the world? You are the Sorcerer Supreme!"
"Of course not. Regarding Sebastian, I do not know the full extent of his situation. But as far as I am concerned, I am just a prisoner of Vishanti. All I have done is to get rid of the constraints Vishanti has imposed on me for seven hundred years. I am breaking the chains they placed on my soul."
"Vishanti? The Vishanti in the Book of Vishanti? The trinity we venerate? What is going on? How can they be your captors?"
"My time is running out. The Hong Kong Sanctum has just been destroyed. I can feel it. This is my only chance to slip free. Your question requires a long story. I do not have much time left to explain it to you properly. When this matter is over, if Sebastian is safe and sound, you can go ask him for the full truth. He will tell you everything. I believe that at that time you will understand. You may even make the same choice as me when you fully comprehend what it means to serve Vishanti after death."
After a moment of heavy silence, Stephen pursed his lips. He looked at the Ancient One carefully. Her astral form was beginning to fade slightly at the edges. Finally he asked the question weighing most heavily on his heart, "Master Ancient One, can I really trust Sebastian? After what I just saw?"
"At least before this matter is completely over, you can trust Sebastian unconditionally. That is my final advice to you as your teacher. If you do not want to regret it in the future, if you do not want to fail Earth when it needs you most, then you must remember this. When Sebastian asks something of you, you must agree. You must! No matter how strange or impossible his request may seem. Promise me, Stephen. Promise me you will help him."
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