As the spell controlling ti shattered, the world lurched back into motion. For most, the transition was seamless, a continuation of their previous actions with no mory of the interruption. But for Thor, a nagging sense of déjà vu settled over him. Facing the Wind Elental, he felt an indescribable familiarity, as if this exact mont had happened before.
In New York, however, the change was anything but subtle.
"What happened?!" Pietro cried out, horrified as he watched the massive golden barrier in the sky shatter like glass. "Why did it break?!"
"It's the Ancient One," Wanda gasped, her face still deathly pale. A faint red glow emanated from the hand pressed against her abdon, where her wound was slowly healing. "Sothing has happened to her." The pain was still imnse, not just from the physical injury, but from the raw, corrupting power Dormammu had unleashed upon her.
Pietro was confused. "What? But isn't she…"
"No ti for questions!" Wanda insisted, her voice tight with urgency. She pointed toward the ruined Sanctum. "Get down there. Strange needs my help." Even injured, she could feel the chaotic flux of magic. Soone had tried sothing big, and they had been stopped.
Pietro didn't hesitate. He scooped her into his arms. "Ready?" In a silver-blue flash, they vanished.
Inside the temple, Strange was locked in a desperate battle with Kaecilius. Shards of solidified air clashed against shimring magic shields and whips of pure energy. This was not the novice surgeon Kaecilius had faced in the original tiline; Strange's many battles had honed his skills, making him a formidable and creative opponent.
For a mont, they were evenly matched. But as Dormammu's influence bled further into their world, Kaecilius's power grew, his attacks becoming more ferocious. Strange was forced onto the defensive, his intricate spells barely holding the zealot at bay, leaving him no opening to use the Eye of Agamotto again. He could only watch as the Dark Dinsion drew ever closer.
Just as Kaecilius pressed his advantage, Pietro and Wanda appeared at the temple door.
"Don't worry about !" Wanda urged. "Go help him!"
"Okay!" Pietro gently set her down. The next second, he was behind Kaecilius. A brutal punch, aid with pinpoint precision, slamd into the zealot's side. The force of the blow was imnse, and the unprepared Kaecilius was sent flying, crashing hard into the remains of a stone fireplace.
"Do your thing!" Pietro called out to Strange. "We'll handle him!" He was on Kaecilius in an instant, kicking him away before he could even think of retaliating.
Strange seized the opportunity, reopening the Eye and once more unleashing its power. Wanda condensed two spheres of chaotic energy, ready to hurl them at the prone zealot.
The world stopped again. But this ti, Kaecilius was prepared. He broke free from the temporal lock almost imdiately, using the frozen mont to put distance between himself and Pietro. He knew it was useless to fight the speedster; any damage he inflicted would simply be erased.
Strange released Wanda from the ti stop, and she hurled the spheres of energy, but Kaecilius was already gone from where he'd fallen. She glanced at Strange, understanding his plan, and with a flash of red light, she moved to stand between him and the zealot, creating a defensive line.
Strange began to reverse ti. The destroyed Sanctum reassembled itself piece by piece. Outside, citizens walked backward. Fallen leaves flew back onto their branches. Damaged buildings were restored, and those who had died were resurrected. Across the country, the Avengers' Quinjet flew backward. Carol, having just arrived on Earth, felt the temporal pull and, with a flare of golden light, broke free. She hovered in the air, a deep sense of unease washing over her. Sothing was wrong, but she couldn't place it. Shaking it off, she continued towards Thor's last known position.
But it wasn't working. Strange looked up at the Dark Dinsion, which continued its inexorable advance, completely unaffected. "Why?" he muttered in despair.
Kaecilius, looking up through the broken roof, laughed maniacally. "He and His world transcend ti! Your parlor tricks are useless against Him! You cannot defeat what is inevitable!"
"Strange, think of sothing!" Wanda yelled, engaging Kaecilius in a duel of magic.
Think of sothing? Strange thought frantically. What can I possibly do? But he pushed the thought down and released Pietro from the ti stop.
Pietro looked around, utterly bewildered. "What happened?"
"No ti to explain!" Strange said, his face a grim mask. "Take down Kaecilius! Dormammu is breaking through!"
"Right!" Pietro didn't waste another word. He dodged and threw another brutal punch at the exact sa spot on Kaecilius's side, sending him flying again. Why again? Pietro wondered vaguely, but didn't have ti to dwell on it.
With the Cloak of Levitation, Strange flew to the roof of the nearly restored Sanctum. He tried to mimic the Ancient One, to project his own power to hold back the tide. He realized his folly in seconds. Dormammu's power was already seeping into the Earth. Even the Ancient One had failed. How could he possibly succeed?
He was out of options. Dormammu transcended ti. His power was absolute. How could he possibly be defeated?
And then, an idea sparked, born from Kaecilius's own words. "He and his world transcend ti…"
A bold, insane plan ford in his mind. He turned, and with his cloak streaming behind him, he flew straight up, heading directly into the maw of the Dark Dinsion.
He was going to talk to Dormammu.
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