Suddenly the world around Lucas rippled like cracked glass.
He instantly knew where he was—
the Mirror Dimension.
Only the sorcerers of Kamar-Taj could pull him in this cleanly.
Moguri lifted its head, sniffed in Lucas's direction, sensed no danger, and flopped back down lazily.
A golden sling ring portal unfurled, and the Ancient One stepped out, calm and unhurried as always—nothing in the universe ever seemed capable of rattling her.
"Master… why are you here? Something happen?"
Lucas faced her.
She never came unless it was important.
"The matter with Thor—thanks to you.
Odin informed me you shattered the enchantment he placed on Mjolnir.
He also said there's a power inside you… one even he fears."
Her gaze rested on Lucas with a trace of curiosity.
A power Odin feared—she wanted to know what it was.
"A power inside me that scares Odin? News to me."
Lucas blinked.
His abilities came from his summons—Garuda and Ramuh.
Did Odin sense them?
Or… was he sensing the system?
He had no way to know.
The Ancient One shook her head.
"Odin didn't explain further.
But he asked me to thank you.
Because of this ordeal, his son has finally matured—at least compared to before."
Lucas nearly laughed.
Thor? Mature?
That guy would always be reckless.
At best he'd calm down for a few days.
If he truly changed, he wouldn't be Thor anymore.
"You didn't come all the way here just to tell me that, right?"
He wasn't buying it.
A message like that could've been delivered by any New York sorcerer.
"Of course not."
She waved her hand.
A table, chairs, and a full tea set materialized.
She gestured for him to sit and poured him tea.
"I'm here because of the vampire incident you were just discussing."
Lucas paused mid-sip.
The Ancient One worrying about vampires?
That didn't add up.
Don't tell me…
Dracula?
Or worse—
the Progenitor, Cain?
Just thinking about it made his scalp numb.
According to scripture, Cain—Adam and Eve's eldest son—killed his brother Abel and was cursed by God to wander eternally and live only on blood.
Thus the first true vampire was born.
The more one thought about it, the more absurdly unfair Cain's story was.
God punished him for bringing wheat instead of meat—
even though Cain had no sheep.
Abel's sheep literally ate Cain's crops, yet Abel received divine approval while Cain was ignored.
A rigged system from the start.
Abel had the advantage from birth.
No wonder Cain snapped.
When God "compensated" Adam and Eve by giving them Seth, it was already too late.
The curse stayed.
For vampires, Cain was the original progenitor—the god they revered.
If that Cain appeared?
Lucas wasn't sure he could handle it.
Cain would practically be God's grandson—his power would be terrifying.
The Ancient One watched him drift deeper into wild speculation and spoke again:
"The vampire you seek—I know a little."
Lucas snapped out of his thoughts.
"You know? Since when do sorcerers care about vampires?"
"We don't.
As long as they don't attempt mass extermination of humanity, we don't intervene.
But the ones your friends saw aren't ordinary vampires.
They're outsiders—not of Earth.
Or rather… not of this Earth."
"You mean they're from a parallel universe?"
He suddenly understood.
Vampires from another world.
But how did they arrive?
The Ancient One nodded, sipping her tea.
"Correct.
A few days ago, the Eye of Agamotto revealed images—
a mansion deep in the mountains.
Those vampires originated from there.
But its exact location, and how they arrived… the Eye didn't reveal."
"Is the mansion in New York?"
He frowned.
Her clue was vague—so vague it was basically nothing.
"Unknown for now.
I've already sent people to investigate.
When we have a lead, I'll tell you.
Because this involves an external power, I'll assign sorcerers to assist you—but Kamar-Taj will not directly join in the extermination.
You will handle the hunting.
My people will gather the vampires and lock them in a barrier for you."
Kamar-Taj was stretched thin, always prepared for dimensional invaders.
Helping Lucas set the table was their limit—they couldn't fight the battle for him.
Lucas nodded.
"Works for me.
But Master… when this is done, how are you planning to thank me?"
He grinned slyly.
He didn't want to treat her the way he treated S.H.I.E.L.D., but—
he did need a favor from her.
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