Agamotto had never imagined that one day, even Thanos of the Centauri Galaxy might stand beside him as an ally. Nor had he ever considered that the infamous tyrant, whose name echoed across the universe, could reveal such a tender side, willing to face off against Dormammu with him, all for the sake of his adopted son's growth.
"What do you want me to do?"
Unaware that his adoptive father Thanos had already approached Agamotto, Lothar felt the abundant energy coursing through his body. He looked up and asked with firm resolve.
Just as Thanos had anticipated, once Agamotto, an unfamiliar figure, unleashed the might of a supreme being and made Lothar feel powerless, the latter began to instinctively restrain his pride.
Even Thanos couldn't have achieved that. Simply because he was Lothar's father, the one most familiar to him, the one he trusted most, his words would never land the same way.
"I want your soul to develop resistance to most extradimensional magic," Agamotto replied with a warm smile.
Though Lothar wouldn't be the one to confront Dormammu directly this time, that didn't stop Agamotto from using this training as a way to honor the goodwill Thanos had extended.
Just making Lothar realize his shortcomings wasn't enough. In Agamotto's eyes, that alone couldn't justify Thanos' commitment to this fight.
"Lothar, the energy in your body doesn't belong to this universe. It operates in a strange, alien manner that grants you unique powers, but also brings major drawbacks."
"Your soul isn't recognized by this universe, even though your body has already taken the first step toward divinity."
"That means your soul is extremely vulnerable. Against Dormammu, a soul like that is practically an open door."
And Agamotto knew what he was talking about. He had resisted Dormammu for longer than he could remember.
Even his most promising disciples had had their souls corrupted by Dormammu, so what chance did Lothar have, with a soul completely undefended?
Thanos' nutrient solution was a solid, steady method to temper both soul and body, but it worked far too slowly. It would take ages.
"Also, if you plan to return after obtaining the coordinates, your soul needs to be strong enough. If not, the moment you traverse the cosmos, you could die."
Agamotto's warning left Lothar silent.
"In the next few days, I'll prepare specialized training plans for both of you."
"Fair warning, this training will be brutal. You'll experience pain like never before. There's even a risk you might die midway through."
"So, I need to confirm once more. Are you in, or—"
"I'm in," Lothar and Hela said in unison.
Their synchronized answer made them exchange a glance.
"Good. Then gather at the pyramid in sixty minutes." Agamotto nodded, pleased. With a wave of his hand, the subspace dissolved, and Lothar and Hela reappeared before a visibly panicked The Other.
"Prince Lothar?!"
"Savior?!"
The Other and Menis exclaimed simultaneously, two different titles for the same expressionless figure.
"Heir of Horus, may I have a word with you?"
Agamotto followed behind Lothar and Hela, directing his gaze at Pharaoh Menis, who wore the Millennium Eye around his neck. His voice was kind, almost gentle.
To carry out this training, the healing power of the Eye of Horus would be essential. That was why Agamotto had left the Sanctum and come to Upper Egypt in the first place.
"I refuse."
...
Sixty minutes later, Agamotto sat cross-legged inside the still-unfinished pyramid, the Eye of Horus now in his possession. Before him stood Lothar and Hela, fully prepared.
"Aside from my parents, you're the first to ever train me," Hela said, her hair tied back like a warrior, the divine power of death radiating across her skin. Lothar stood beside her, arms crossed, golden hair billowing.
"I still don't quite trust you… but the offer on the table is hard to turn down."
For Hela, offering those who couldn't enter Valhalla a sanctuary equal to it was a temptation too great to refuse.
"About those coordinates, you'd better not be lying to me," Lothar said coldly. His arrogance had faded, but warmth was still a far cry away.
"Then let's begin."
Agamotto smiled. In an instant, dense magic surged, forming an unbreakable subspace. The Time Stone's light bloomed brilliantly before Lothar and Hela.
"Welcome to the Time Training Grounds."
By using the Time Stone's power to drastically alter the flow of time within the subspace, and combining it with the unparalleled healing abilities of the Eye of Horus, Agamotto could ensure that neither would face true mortal danger.
Through relentless pain, they would temper themselves. Refine their souls. Harden their divine nature.
This, Agamotto believed, was the best way to unlock the hidden potential within Lothar and Hela.
"...That power… it's that decrepit old fossil…"
"Why? Why would he appear in Upper Egypt?"
Somewhere in the Nile Delta of Lower Egypt, Cuba, dressed in white, sensed the Time Stone's energy, his face filled with disbelief.
He had expected that Lothar's feat of destroying an extradimensional demon with a single punch would draw the Sorcerer Supreme's attention.
But Agamotto himself?! Here in Egypt?! And he even used the Time Stone?!
Are you kidding me?!
How was he supposed to con anyone now?
He'd probably be purged on the spot.
"Lord Dormammu, we have a situation. Agamotto has appeared beside the son of Thanos."
Left with no choice, Cuba activated the sigil etched into his soul to contact Dormammu, who remained paranoid and restless in the Dark Dimension.
Dormammu had been feeling an inexplicable sense of unease for some time, and it baffled him. As the sovereign of the Dark Dimension, such emotions should have long since been beneath him.
But when Cuba reported that Agamotto had left the Sanctum and appeared in Egypt, Dormammu suddenly understood the source of his discomfort.
Agamotto would never leave the Sanctum unless it was something extremely important.
In that case...
"Are you ready to undergo your final evolution, Cuba?"
"To evolve… into the Ultimate Darkness?"
-------
Want to read ahead of schedule? Head over to my Patreon ——— patreon(.)com/PrimalDemon [remove the parentheses ( )]