Chapter 53. End of Kaecillius.
"What exactly is happening?"
People often say that spilled water can't be retrieved and time can never move backward. But when such a phenomenon actually occurs, it's impossible to remain calm—at least, Tony knew he couldn't.
"This must be time-reversal magic! It seems the Ancient One left this behind to prevent ordinary people from witnessing the invasion of the Dark Dimension," Mordo explained, his voice steady despite the bizarre reality unfolding around them. As the world rewound itself, only a few individuals—Tony, Mordo, and the others—remained unaffected.
He believed it was the Ancient One's doing. She had always intended to keep the existence of magic hidden from the public. If common people saw the terrifying reality of an invasion from another dimension, panic would be unavoidable.
During the last invasion, the overwhelming darkness of the Dark Dimension had shrouded New York in night during the day. It was enough to drive the entire city into chaos. If time were simply resumed as if nothing happened, people would still remember what they had seen—and that memory alone would be enough to cause unrest.
Continuing on as if nothing happened would risk exposing the hidden world of magic and other dimensions to the public. Peace would be difficult to maintain if that line were to be ever crossed. As unethical as it seemed, keeping the public in the dark was perhaps the most effective option.
Time moving backward was, of course, far from natural. It didn't follow the usual rules. What had just taken place over ten minutes now reversed in less than one.
When the time-reversal spell ended, New York's streets stood frozen for a moment—eerily silent. But only seconds later, life resumed. Passersby chatted again, car horns blared, and upbeat music played from shops on the street. Everything seemed normal once more.
But none of the bustling citizens knew of the Ancient One who had hidden among them for centuries—who had given her life to push back the darkness and save their world. Thanks to her sacrifice, the sun could once again shine on them.
"It's a blessing to be ordinary," Captain America remarked, holding his shield, a thoughtful look in his eyes. He had just learned of an entire secret world of magic, hidden dimensions, and dangers beyond imagination. While ordinary lives lacked excitement, they also lacked the crushing burden of responsibility.
Still, Steve Rogers didn't regret his choice–. He was Captain America. No matter how powerful the enemy, he would always rise to protect the people he cared about.
"Ah! What's happening? My head... it hurts!"
Among the crowd, a well-dressed man suddenly crouched down in pain. His sharp suit, designer watch, and well-groomed appearance marked him as someone successful and meticulous.
"Stephen! What's wrong? Breathe—slow and deep! I'll call an ambulance!" cried the beautiful woman beside him. Though her voice was filled with concern, she stayed composed, supporting him to keep him from falling. She quickly took out her phone to call for help.
"Christine... I'm okay now. Really, you don't need to call an ambulance," Stephen said, interrupting her just before the call connected.
"Are you sure you're alright?" she asked doubtfully, not hanging up just yet.
"I'm a doctor. I know my body. Probably just a touch of low blood pressure. I'm fine now," Stephen insisted, standing and stretching to prove his point.
"Still... maybe we should go back to the hospital and get you checked. That didn't look like low blood pressure to me," Christine replied, still uneasy.
"No need. I'll check myself later when I'm back. Right now, let's focus on our first date! Didn't you say you wanted to pick a watch for me? There's a store just ahead—let's check it out!" he said cheerfully, already walking forward without waiting for her response.
"Stephen, sometimes you're so stubborn… You never listen to anyone else," she muttered under her breath, following him helplessly.
But Stephen's heart wasn't nearly as light as his tone suggested. As he walked, flashes of unfamiliar visions plagued his mind—images of a dark sky, panicked crowds, exploding vehicles, and then... everything frozen in time, bathed in a surreal green light.
"What the hell is going on? Why do I have these strange memory fragments in my mind?"
Stephen was completely thrown off. A man with an impeccable memory, especially for medical and magical knowledge, he was sure he had never experienced the scenes now flickering through his mind. Yet, vivid flashes—chaotic images of another world—kept appearing, making him question reality itself.
"Stephen? Stephen!" Christine's voice pulled him out of his daze. "Are you still thinking about what happened earlier? I really think we should go back to the hospital for a check-up!"
"No, no," Stephen quickly deflected. "I was just thinking about what kind of gift I should get you."
He smiled, brushing the concern away with a clever excuse. Christine eyed him skeptically but said nothing further.
Meanwhile, Li Yue and his team were unaware of what was happening to Stephen. But they, too, were facing their own complications.
With the suspension of time now lifted, Kaecillius and his followers—previously frozen mid-action—had regained their mobility.
Just as they moved, Li Yue acted quickly. With a smooth wave of his hand, he cast mirror dimension magic, instantly trapping Kaecillius and his followers within the altered reality.
"Li Yue? Why are you here?" Kaecillius exclaimed, startled to see his former friend. He hadn't expected Li Yue to intervene, especially since he hadn't appeared earlier to defend the Sanctum with the Ancient One. A part of him had even been relieved—he never truly wished to fight Li Yue.
However, confusion soon spread across his face.
"Wait... why is the sky back to normal? Why did Lord Dormammu suddenly withdraw from Earth?"
Kaecillius looked around, sensing something was wrong. He could no longer draw power from Dormammu, and his strength was fading.
"Kaecillius, it's over! Repent!" Mordo's stern voice cut through the air. "Dormammu has been expelled from Earth!"
"What did you just say? What have you done?" Kaecillius shouted in disbelief. The last thing he remembered was the arrival of the Dark Dimension, just before the Ancient One cast her spell. Now, suddenly, everything had changed—and she was nowhere to be seen. Instead, he saw Li Yue and two unfamiliar figures.
"What did we do?" Mordo answered furiously.
"We stopped you from committing a terrible sin! Your actions endangered the entire planet. Without our intervention, Dormammu would have devoured Earth, and countless innocent lives would have been lost. And yet, you're still blinded by your obsession?"
Kaecillius staggered, visibly shaken. Though his memories were fragmented, he was still a sorcerer and could deduce what had likely happened. The Ancient One must have used time magic—something powerful enough to rewrite the course of events.
"You don't understand…" Kaecillius muttered, his voice breaking. "This was the only way... the only way to bring back my wife –and child. Even if it cost the lives of everyone on Earth, I'd pay that price—so long as they returned."
Tears welled in his eyes. His grief, once buried under ambition, now poured out in raw agony. What he didn't seem to realize—or chose to ignore—was that if Dormammu had succeeded, countless other families, other wives and children, would have perished as well.
"But now it's all gone," he said bitterly. "Because of you... because of all of you, I've lost my only chance to see them again!"
His sorrow twisted into fury. His eyes burned with hatred as he glared at Li Yue and the others.
Kaecillius's desire to resurrect his family had long become an obsession. He had sacrificed everything—his soul, his honor, his humanity—all for a sliver of hope. Worshiping Dormammu had seemed like a necessary evil. Now, that hope was shattered.
"If you won't let me see them again... then you can die with them!"
Kaecillius's voice echoed with rage. Without another word, he summoned a weapon formed from warped space energy—a translucent, jagged blade that shimmered ominously.
Though he was trapped in the mirror dimension and couldn't alter the environment, he could still fight.
With an explosive burst of speed, Kaecillius lunged forward. All he could see were enemies—people who had destroyed the only thing he cared about. He would crush them. He would make them suffer as he had suffered.
But Li Yue stepped forward, eyes calm yet resolute.
"Why must you do this?" he said, voice steady.
"Even if Dormammu had succeeded, he wouldn't have brought your family back. Eternal life, resurrection—those were just lies he fed you. Dormammu devours worlds to maintain his immortality. He never cared about your pain... only your obedience."
"How can you possibly think Dormammu could grant you eternal life?" Li Yue's voice echoed through the mirror dimension, calm yet heavy with finality.
"The only outcome of Dormammu's arrival on Earth is your complete annihilation. You wouldn't become immortal—you'd become fuel. Your soul, your body, your very existence would be devoured and converted into dark energy, lost forever in the Dark Dimension."
He sighed softly.
Though part of Li Yue felt a strange admiration for Kaecillius—the audacity, the desperation, the unwavering love for his family—he couldn't agree with the man's actions. To gamble with the fate of the entire planet in pursuit of a personal dream, no matter how tragic, was a line Li Yue could never condone.
"I respect your love and your courage and your willingness to go far... but admiration doesn't mean agreement."
Sympathy? Perhaps. Understanding? To a degree. But acceptance? Never.
Kaecillius had crossed a line. He had chosen to risk every soul on Earth for a singular, selfish goal. Even now, as the consequences unraveled, he refused to see reason. He remained obsessed, consumed.
"I hope your family finds peace in the next life," Li Yue muttered under his breath. "Being able to grow old together, in peace, with those you love... that is more precious than eternity."
Then, almost unconsciously, he thought, 'Huh? Didn't I swear I'd stop giving death blessings like this? Why... why can't I help it?'
A cold shiver ran down Li Yue's spine. A strange awareness crept into him. Was I getting addicted to this… to blessing death? he thought.
Why does it feel more natural every time?
But his thoughts were interrupted—Kaecillius had reached striking distance.
With a feral cry, Kaecillius lunged, the jagged blade of warped space energy raised high, ready to strike. In that moment, time seemed to slow.
Li Yue's eyes flared with a mysterious red glow. Two burning beams—like focused lasers—burst forth, scorching through the air. The energy slammed into Kaecillius mid-leap.
The zealot had no time to dodge.
He was struck squarely in the chest, the energy piercing through his heart. He crashed to the ground with a thud… and did not rise.
A clean, smoking hole marked the point of impact. Li Yue had held back the full power of the attack—not enough to incinerate, just enough to end it. He had no desire to reduce Kaecillius to pulp, he wasn't a savage. He wasn't a monster.
Kaecillius was dead and it was the end of it.
The space fell silent.
The others—Mordo, Wong, Captain America, even Annie—watched in stunned silence. The red glow in Li Yue's eyes hadn't faded yet.
Captain America was the first to speak.
"Li Yue… what… what happened to your eyes?" He stepped forward slightly, concern in his voice. But then, as if realizing something, he stopped himself. His face hardened. He sighed.
Mordo and Wong exchanged glances, the horror of seeing a former comrade die now compounded by their uncertainty about Li Yue.
Only Annie stepped forward and stood beside Li Yue, silently offering her support.
The tension thickened.
Then, a familiar voice broke the atmosphere like a stone thrown into still water.
"Damn, Li Yue!" Tony Stark shouted, walking toward him in disbelief. "You disappear for a month and now you've got heat-vision? What's next? You going to tell me you're secretly a Kryptonian?"
He chuckled, clearly unfazed by the situation.
Thor, meanwhile, stood off to the side, saying nothing. His expression was calm. He had seen far worse in battle across the Nine Realms. A fallen warrior—righteous or not—was no new sight to him.
But even Thor raised an eyebrow.
"Laser eyes?" he finally asked, curious. "How does that work? Magic? Technology? Or something else?"
Li Yue exhaled, feeling the weight of a hundred eyes on him.
He had just crossed another line—one that couldn't be uncrossed. He had revealed more of his power than ever before. And even his allies… weren't sure what to make of it.
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