As the spell controlling time shattered, the world lurched back into motion. For most, the transition was seamless, a continuation of their previous actions with no memory of the interruption. But for Thor, a nagging sense of déjà vu settled over him. Facing the Wind Elemental, he felt an indescribable familiarity, as if this exact moment had happened before.
In New York, however, the change was anything but subtle.
"What happened?!" Pietro cried out, horrified as he watched the massive golden barrier in the sky shatter like glass. "Why did it break?!"
"It's the Ancient One," Wanda gasped, her face still deathly pale. A faint red glow emanated from the hand pressed against her abdomen, where her wound was slowly healing. "Something has happened to her." The pain was still immense, not just from the physical injury, but from the raw, corrupting power Dormammu had unleashed upon her.
Pietro was confused. "What? But isn't she…"
"No time for questions!" Wanda insisted, her voice tight with urgency. She pointed toward the ruined Sanctum. "Get me down there. Strange needs my help." Even injured, she could feel the chaotic flux of magic. Someone had tried something big, and they had been stopped.
Pietro didn't hesitate. He scooped her into his arms. "Ready?" In a silver-blue flash, they vanished.
Inside the temple, Strange was locked in a desperate battle with Kaecilius. Shards of solidified air clashed against shimmering magic shields and whips of pure energy. This was not the novice surgeon Kaecilius had faced in the original timeline; Strange's many battles had honed his skills, making him a formidable and creative opponent.
For a moment, they were evenly matched. But as Dormammu's influence bled further into their world, Kaecilius's power grew, his attacks becoming more ferocious. Strange was forced onto the defensive, his intricate spells barely holding the zealot at bay, leaving him no opening to use the Eye of Agamotto again. He could only watch as the Dark Dimension drew ever closer.
Just as Kaecilius pressed his advantage, Pietro and Wanda appeared at the temple door.
"Don't worry about me!" Wanda urged. "Go help him!"
"Okay!" Pietro gently set her down. The next second, he was behind Kaecilius. A brutal punch, aimed with pinpoint precision, slammed into the zealot's side. The force of the blow was immense, and the unprepared Kaecilius was sent flying, crashing hard into the remains of a stone fireplace.
"Do your thing!" Pietro called out to Strange. "We'll handle him!" He was on Kaecilius in an instant, kicking him away before he could even think of retaliating.
Strange seized the opportunity, reopening the Eye and once more unleashing its power. Wanda condensed two spheres of chaotic energy, ready to hurl them at the prone zealot.
The world stopped again. But this time, Kaecilius was prepared. He broke free from the temporal lock almost immediately, using the frozen moment to put distance between himself and Pietro. He knew it was useless to fight the speedster; any damage he inflicted would simply be erased.
Strange released Wanda from the time stop, and she hurled the spheres of energy, but Kaecilius was already gone from where he'd fallen. She glanced at Strange, understanding his plan, and with a flash of red light, she moved to stand between him and the zealot, creating a defensive line.
Strange began to reverse time. The destroyed Sanctum reassembled itself piece by piece. Outside, citizens walked backward. Fallen leaves flew back onto their branches. Damaged buildings were restored, and those who had died were resurrected. Across the country, the Avengers' Quinjet flew backward. Carol, having just arrived on Earth, felt the temporal pull and, with a flare of golden light, broke free. She hovered in the air, a deep sense of unease washing over her. Something was wrong, but she couldn't place it. Shaking it off, she continued towards Thor's last known position.
But it wasn't working. Strange looked up at the Dark Dimension, which continued its inexorable advance, completely unaffected. "Why?" he muttered in despair.
Kaecilius, looking up through the broken roof, laughed maniacally. "He and His world transcend time! Your parlor tricks are useless against Him! You cannot defeat what is inevitable!"
"Strange, think of something!" Wanda yelled, engaging Kaecilius in a duel of magic.
Think of something? Strange thought frantically. What can I possibly do? But he pushed the thought down and released Pietro from the time stop.
Pietro looked around, utterly bewildered. "What happened?"
"No time to explain!" Strange said, his face a grim mask. "Take down Kaecilius! Dormammu is breaking through!"
"Right!" Pietro didn't waste another word. He dodged and threw another brutal punch at the exact same spot on Kaecilius's side, sending him flying again. Why again? Pietro wondered vaguely, but didn't have time to dwell on it.
With the Cloak of Levitation, Strange flew to the roof of the nearly restored Sanctum. He tried to mimic the Ancient One, to project his own power to hold back the tide. He realized his folly in seconds. Dormammu's power was already seeping into the Earth. Even the Ancient One had failed. How could he possibly succeed?
He was out of options. Dormammu transcended time. His power was absolute. How could he possibly be defeated?
And then, an idea sparked, born from Kaecilius's own words. "He and his world transcend time…"
A bold, insane plan formed in his mind. He turned, and with his cloak streaming behind him, he flew straight up, heading directly into the maw of the Dark Dimension.
He was going to talk to Dormammu.
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