It was late evening at Kamar-Taj. Most inhabitants slept peacefully, while a few dedicated students continued their studies in quiet contemplation.
Among them was Wong, the master librarian, carefully organizing books and scrolls in their proper places for future seekers of knowledge.
A nearby sound caught his attention.
He sighed, assuming it was simply one of the newer students who had become absorbed in their reading.
"Can I assist you?" Wong called out.
His question went unanswered. Instead, he saw several more figures emerge from the shadows.
Unease crept over him as they approached, especially when some quickly conjured mystical bonds that wrapped around his limbs.
Wong cried out in pain as he was lifted into the air and restrained.
At that moment, he recognized a familiar face among the group approaching him, one of the figures positioning a ceremonial bowl beneath him.
"Kaecilius? What is the meaning of this?"
He received no answer as the rogue master drew a curved dagger and struck with swift, merciless precision.
In a distant chamber of Kamar-Taj, Celeste jolted awake, gasping for breath.
"No!"
Instantly, Bucky was alert beside her, seeing the terror in her pale face.
"Celeste, what's wrong?" he asked with deep concern.
She leaped from bed and was dressed in her Jedi robes within moments. "We have to go, now!"
Seeing her urgency, Bucky quickly threw on his clothes and followed her from their quarters, racing through the corridors of Kamar-Taj.
They heard a distant scream, which only spurred them to run faster. As they reached the library, they found the Ancient One opening a portal.
"Ah, Celeste, Sergeant Barnes," she said grimly. "Please, this would be much simpler if you would accompany me."
Without hesitation, they followed the Sorcerer Supreme through the glowing gateway.
Their destination made Bucky realize immediately where they were.
"London? Why here?"
"They fled without selecting a particularly strategic location," the Ancient One explained. "They simply needed to escape Kamar-Taj quickly."
"Who?" Celeste demanded.
The answer stood before them, a familiar face flanked by a dozen figures in dark maroon robes.
"Wait..." Celeste narrowed her eyes. "Kaecilius?"
"And his zealous followers, it would appear."
The Ancient One then summoned something quite familiar to experienced practitioners of the mystic arts.
The Mirror Dimension.
Suddenly the world around them became a kaleidoscope as buildings and the very air itself folded and replicated in impossible patterns.
"Hypocrite!" Kaecilius snarled.
In an instant, the world shifted ninety degrees. The Ancient One and her two allies quickly leaped through the air to land on what was now an adjacent building, with Kaecilius and his followers in close pursuit.
During their gravity-defying jump, Celeste spotted a metallic object in one of the zealots' hands.
She recognized it immediately.
"Ancient One!" Celeste called out urgently. "The amulet cannot be allowed to activate! If Muur awakens fully, the Rakghoul plague will spread. This entire world will be in mortal danger!"
"I have no intention of allowing such a catastrophe to unfold unchecked," the Ancient One replied, raising her hands as arcane symbols appeared around her.
As several zealots rushed toward them, Bucky moved to intercept.
He quickly caught one attacker's arm and broke it before claiming their staff-like weapon. The Winter Soldier threw the man aside and began systematically disabling the other zealots with the mystical weapon.
The Ancient One employed her spells to fend off two of Kaecilius's followers. When they attempted to ensnare her legs with energy whips, she used their own momentum against them, pulling them forward and leaping over them before conjuring ethereal constructs to knock them unconscious.
Celeste joined the fray, using this opportunity to practice her recently learned mystical techniques while also employing her enhanced Force abilities against Kaecilius's fanatical students.
Despite being outnumbered, the zealots were clearly outmatched by the combined skills of these three defenders.
Kaecilius realized this immediately, understanding that a prolonged engagement would result in certain defeat.
"Release my power if you wish to survive," Muur's voice whispered insidiously in his ear.
Gritting his teeth, Kaecilius extended his hand. A glowing energy whip shot from his palm, wrapped around the amulet carried by one of his followers, and yanked it to his grasp.
Holding it firmly, Kaecilius began removing the mystical restraints he had placed upon the ancient artifact, including those designed to protect him, and opened the containment fully.
A horrible, putrid miasma emanated from the amulet and flowed into the nearest zealot.
The follower didn't even notice the dark energy until it had completely entered his body and he froze in place.
He remained motionless for several seconds before beginning to convulse violently, his expression conveying nothing but absolute agony.
At this point, the Ancient One, Bucky, and several zealots were given a horrifying demonstration of something Celeste still experienced in nightmares.
The zealot's body writhed uncontrollably as blood seeped from his eyes, mouth, and ears. His skin began to blister and change color as his entire physiology rapidly mutated.
By the end of the grotesque transformation, everyone present witnessed something that had not existed in the galaxy for millennia.
A Rakghoul.
The former zealot collapsed to his knees, breathing heavily, and all combatants stopped to stare at the transformed being.
After a few moments, it released a feral roar and charged toward the Ancient One and her allies.
Celeste quickly intercepted the Rakghoul, using the Force to repel it before it could attack.
The transformed creature stumbled backward, trying to maintain distance from her.
She pressed her palms together, and mystical symbols appeared around her hands. Slowly pulling her palms apart, the symbols reformed and reorganized into a glowing blade. She spun the newly created weapon into an overhand grip while her other hand called upon the Force.
Her lightsaber flew into her open palm and ignited as she prepared for combat.
The Rakghoul-infected zealot summoned a protective dome around itself, and though the shield flickered with unstable energy, both mystical and lightsaber attacks were deflected.
"No," Celeste said in horror, realizing the corrupted being had retained its mystical knowledge.
"Kaecilius," the Ancient One called out, and her companions looked up to see the rogue master creating an escape portal for himself and his remaining followers.
"Damn it," Bucky cursed as the portal closed and the traitor vanished.
"We have more immediate concerns."
The transformed zealot didn't remain in the Mirror Dimension but somehow broke through into real London.
"How the hell can it do that?!" Bucky shouted.
"It appears this creature is more cunning than anticipated," the Ancient One said grimly as the three of them pursued the escaping Rakghoul.
Before they could get close enough to stop it, the creature attacked a nearby civilian. Chaos erupted immediately, with people fleeing in terror.
"No!" Celeste screamed as she watched the Rakghoul bite an innocent bystander.
The moment the creature released its victim, the man was stricken with the effects of the plague. Instead of the usual timespan of days, the transformation occurred within minutes.
"When you told me about this plague, I didn't realize it would be like a zombie outbreak," Bucky said grimly.
"We must contain this immediately," the Ancient One declared, hurling a mystical binding disc at the Rakghoul.
Though there were initially only a few creatures, they spread rapidly through bites and scratches, with the plague causing immediate transformation.
"Damn," Bucky muttered, slamming his vibranium arm into a Rakghoul that lunged at him.
He desperately wished for automatic weapons in this situation. He had only his enhanced strength and the stolen mystical staff, something he barely knew how to use properly.
Around them, more people began transforming into Rakghouls almost instantly, while others either fled or were overwhelmed.
"It's spreading too quickly," the Ancient One observed with growing horror. "Some of these people haven't even been touched by the infected."
"It can spread through proximity," Celeste revealed. "Kaecilius has unknowingly released an airborne strain into the city."
"What do we do?" Bucky asked urgently. "Can we avoid being infected ourselves?"
Before Celeste could answer, the Ancient One pressed her palms together, cast a hexagonal protective spell, and quickly projected it toward both Barnes and Celeste.
The enchantment enveloped them both before settling into their bodies and dispersing.
"That should provide substantial protection," the Sorcerer Supreme announced. "Many innocents are fleeing. Sergeant Barnes, if you wish to utilize that staff properly, twist the top counterclockwise."
He examined the weapon in his hands and followed her instructions.
Rotating the handle counterclockwise, he felt it respond. The staff glowed and transformed into a spear-like weapon before splitting into two identical pieces.
"Impressive," Bucky muttered, moving on instinct as he sensed something approaching from behind.
He spun around and drove both weapons into the Rakghoul attempting to attack him, his enhanced reflexes saving him from harm.
The creature before him was a Rakghoul that had only partially completed its transformation.
It had been a teenage girl, her eyes reflecting vicious hunger, but beneath that hunger was unmistakable agony, a desperate plea for help.
"God help us," Bucky whispered, taking a moment to survey their surroundings. Guilt surged through him as he saw young people being corrupted by the plague.
"Celeste," he called to her desperately. "Is there any way to help them? To reverse this?"
Celeste swung her lightsaber in a clean arc, ending the suffering of a nearby Rakghoul that collapsed motionless.
She looked at Bucky with profound regret and sorrow.
"No," she whispered painfully. "Once transformed, there's no cure. We can only prevent further spread."
Bucky steeled himself and continued fighting the plague unleashed by the ancient Sith artifact, each victory feeling like a terrible defeat.
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