Sebastian and Victor nodded in sync and bolted toward the dimensional rift.
When they reached it everyone was there except Daniel and Mordo. Agatha and Jericho stood nearby. Cool as ever. Agatha looked like she had just walked out of a spa. No scratches. No sweat. Totally unfazed. Jericho on the other hand had a tired serious look. His face showing the strain of the fight. The difference in their vibes screamed how powerful Agatha was.
But the real star was the Ancient One. Floating in midair she was straight up chilling. Bantering with Dormammu while fending off his dark dimension energy. Sealing the rift like it was just another Tuesday.
"Ancient One! I will make you pay! I will never give up on Earth!"
Dormammu's voice roared dripping with so much hate it felt like it was clawing at Sebastian's soul.
Sebastian staggered back a step. His heart pounding. Is this what a dimension lord's power feels like? One sentence almost wrecked me!
Victor looked just as shaken but the Ancient One did not even blink. She let out a light laugh.
"Dormammu a loss is a loss. Want to come for me? Give up on Earth first. Then maybe you will get a shot at a comeback."
"Ancient One!"
Dormammu bellowed. His fury echoing through the hall.
Dormammu's hateful roar echoed as the Ancient One sealed the dimensional rift with a final gesture. The dark dimension's energy swirling through the hall got sucked back through the closing rift. Vanishing without a trace. The whole place snapped back to normal. Just a plain stone hall. As if nothing had happened. Even the Dark Cult members still fighting Daniel and Mordo elsewhere were affected.
The moment the rift shut the surviving cultists pumped up with dark dimension power burst into flames like walking torches. Their bodies crumbled into black ash. Their twisted souls corrupted by the dark dimension were yanked back through the shrinking rift. Gone for good.
Daniel and Mordo seeing their enemies vanish realized the Ancient One had closed the rift. They hurried to regroup spotting Sebastian and Victor and the others with the Ancient One. They bowed to her. Daniel let out a relieved breath when he saw Sebastian was not banged up.
The Ancient One glanced at her two students. A quiet sigh in her heart. Dormammu had tried to rattle her showing visions of everyone's fights through those creepy crystal mirrors. Agatha and Jericho? No surprise there. They were total pros. Agatha who called herself Earth's high priestess was almost as powerful as the Ancient One. She did not need anyone worrying about her.
But the Ancient One had kept a closer eye on Sebastian and Victor and Daniel and Mordo. Daniel and Mordo had struggled against just two cultists. Which bummed her out. Meanwhile Sebastian and Victor had taken down way more enemies. Way out of their league for kids their age.
Sebastian especially had shone. He had crushed his four cultists solo. Then swooped in to help Victor mop up his. Both teens were crazy strong. Leaving Daniel and Mordo in the dust.
In all of Kamar Taj only Kaecilius had skills close to theirs. Even he might not match Sebastian. The Ancient One had watched Sebastian's fight. His magic was sharp. Especially his knack for handling tough fights with style.
She had once asked Victor to join Kamar Taj and train under her. But he had turned her down for reasons he kept to himself. Sebastian though was super hyped about Kamar Taj's magic. The Ancient One wanted him in the crew. Even if just as an ally. She figured with Sebastian's skills he would be a huge help when Stephen Strange future Doctor Strange took over as Sorcerer Supreme. Sebastian could back him up. Especially in the early days when things might get dicey. All for the sake of their Kamar Taj bond.
With the dimensional rift sealed every Dark Cult member in the village who had tapped into the dark dimension's power was gone. Pulled back to their master's realm. But some villagers remained. Regular folks who still worshipped Dormammu the dark dimension's lord. Even without his power in them.
They tried to rally aiming to attack the Ancient One and her team. As they freed the captives and human sacrifices. Agatha was not having it. She cast a wide ranging spell wiping all their memories of the Dark Cult. It was a harsh move. It might mess with their heads a bit. But it was necessary. If they kept their obsession with Dormammu they could find ways to reconnect with him or his dimension. Causing endless trouble.
Sebastian watched the confused villagers. Their minds scrambled by Agatha's magic. Victor leaning against a big tree looked sad for the first time. His usual confidence replaced by pity.
Taking a deep breath Victor turned to Sebastian.
"You know these people? They are just villagers from here. Even the cultists we fought. The ones using dark dimension power were mostly locals. Only a few were hardcore Dark Cult members who came to the rift. But now they are all like this. Crazy for Dormammu. Desperate for his eternal peace. Want to know why?"
Sebastian scanned the village. It was stuck in the past. Basic stone and wood houses. Dirt paths kicking up dust that clung to shoes and pants. Electricity was spotty barely reaching a few homes. The only water came from an old well. It looked rough. Like a place forgotten by the modern world.
He sighed.
"Poverty has crushed them. They cannot see a future. So they turn to a fake god. Even an evil one like Dormammu. Probably does not help that the government is taxing them to death or whatever else is going on. All that pushed these simple good people into Dormammu's grip. This country needs someone big to step up and fix it."
Victor's eyes widened. His usual pride melting away. He had never met another teen who saw things so clearly. Let alone shared his exact thoughts. He had already liked Sebastian for his magic. But now? He felt a real connection. For the first time Victor who had never believed in friends wanted to get close to someone.
Sebastian caught Victor's look and hesitated.
"What? Did I say something dumb? Sorry if I got it wrong."
Victor shook his head fast.
"Nah you are dead on. Everything you said. It is exactly what I think. This country needs a strong leader to shake things up. Someone who can change it all. Even if these kind but clueless folks do not get it yet."
Sebastian saw the fire in Victor's eyes. Pure ambition and confidence. He nodded.
"Victor I hope you pull it off."
Victor blinked surprised but not shocked that Sebastian had read his dreams so easily. To him Sebastian was just that kind of guy. Someone who got it. Someone who could be a real friend. No need to play it cool. He nodded back.
"I will make it happen."
Just then the Ancient One and the others finished handling the villagers. They walked over. She looked at Victor.
"Victor are you sure you will not join Kamar Taj? With your talent you could become an incredible mage."
Victor bowed slightly.
"Ancient One I am honored. But I am into more than just magic. I am hooked on science too. I will keep studying both. So I cannot join Kamar Taj. Sorry."
"No need to apologize Victor. You have made your choice. Just stay safe out there."
The Ancient One said warmly.
"Thanks Ancient One. I will."
Victor replied.
She turned to Sebastian.
"Sebastian ready to head out?"
"Yep let us do it."
Sebastian said.
The Ancient One raised her hand to open a portal. But Victor stopped Sebastian.
"Hold up Sebastian."
He handed over a slip of paper.
"Here is my contact info. My email. Let us keep in touch about magic and science yeah?"
For someone as proud as Victor handing out his info was a big deal. Normally he would make others beg for it. He could not just say he wanted to be friends. That was not his style. But magic and science was a solid excuse. He meant it too.
Sebastian took the note glancing at Victor's full name and email. He nodded.
"Got it Victor von Doom. I will shoot you an email when I am back. So you have got mine."
"Cool I will be waiting."
Victor said while stepping back.
Sebastian and the others stepped through the portal returning to Kamar Taj. The portal snapped shut cutting off Latveria completely.
Back at Kamar Taj the Ancient One turned to Agatha and Jericho.
"Agatha and Jericho thank you for your help. I will have Daniel and Mordo take you back."
Then she looked at Sebastian.
"Sebastian let us wrap up our next bit of business."