Buzz!
In the desolate and broken landscape, an emerald-green light began to shimmer, illuminating the devastation like a beacon. Time itself seemed to bend and twist as everything around the battlefield started to reverse.
It was as though someone had pressed the rewind button on reality.
The dead began to rise, their bodies mending as if untouched by battle. Houses that had been reduced to rubble reassembled brick by brick. The shattered ice barrier reformed, its cold brilliance returning to full strength. Even the raging dark storm receded, its oppressive energy dissipating as it withdrew into the void.
Time was moving backward.
At the epicenter of this miraculous reversal stood several figures. Leading them was a bald woman clad in a flowing yellow sorcerer's robe—the unmistakable presence of the Sorcerer Supreme, Ancient One.
The Ancient One held a sling ring in one hand while the Eye of Agamotto floated before her, emitting its signature green glow. The powerful artifact resonated with the reversal of time, its energies syncing perfectly with the surrounding phenomenon.
The Time Stone was at work.
Lockhart, Kaecilius, and Thor watched the spectacle unfold, their expressions a mix of awe and disbelief. The sheer magnitude of power on display was humbling.
Lockhart, while amazed, felt a pang of relief. If the Ancient One hadn't intervened, he thought, everything I've worked to build here would've been destroyed.
Yet, as his gaze lingered on the Eye of Agamotto, a spark of longing ignited within him. What would it be like to wield such power?
The backward flow of time continued until it reached the moment just before the Dormammu followers knelt to summon their dark god.
"Hold on! Our mentor will come to support us!" Ian's voice rang out, echoing the encouragement he'd shouted mere moments before their deaths—though he now had no memory of it.
The apprentices' faces lit up with hope as they spotted Lockhart nearby, and cheers erupted. "The instructor is here!" they cried.
Ancient One, hearing the apprentices' jubilant shouts and noticing Lockhart's mix of gratitude and barely concealed curiosity about the Time Stone, allowed herself a faint smile.
This is a perfect opportunity.
Without hesitation, she raised her hand, her movements calm and deliberate. A ripple of pale green energy spread outward, washing over the Dormammu followers.
Buzz!
In an instant, the robed figures disintegrated into ash, their forms dissolving into the wind. A faint, echoing voice of rage lingered in the air: "Ancient One, you cannot protect your sorcerers forever!"
The ominous ice barrier and the dark, blood-red killing spears also faded into nothingness. The Vientiane World returned to its usual bustling calm, the horrors of the invasion erased as though they had never happened.
Lockhart stepped forward, his expression composed but his gratitude genuine. Bowing slightly, he said, "Sorcerer Supreme, thank you for saving my students. I will not forget this debt."
The apprentices, now aware of the Ancient One's unparalleled power, followed their mentor's lead. Led by Ian, they bowed deeply, their voices unified in respect: "Thank you, Sorcerer Supreme, for your protection!"
Among the group, Vera and Wanda gazed at the Ancient One with particular admiration. To them, the bald sorcerer embodied an ideal of strength and wisdom—a living legend.
"Rise, children," the Ancient One said with a gentle smile. "You've done well."
The apprentices stood, their postures straight and proud, as Lockhart addressed the Ancient One again.
"Sorcerer Supreme, this is Professor Snape," Lockhart said, motioning to the pale man beside him. "It was his insight that led us to suspect the sorcerer's secret realm might be compromised. Should we proceed with an investigation?"
His tone carried an undercurrent of anger, directed at Loki, Mephisto, and Dormammu for the chaos they had unleashed.
The Ancient One's gaze shifted to Snape, her expression thoughtful. "I've heard much about you," she said warmly. "Lockhart has spoken highly of your talents and your potential."
Snape inclined his head, acknowledging the praise. Though his face remained calm, his pallor betrayed his earlier injuries.
Sensing this, the Ancient One raised her hand. A green light emanated from her fingers, flowing into Snape's body. He felt warmth and vitality surge through him as his injuries mended in mere moments.
Snape's eyes widened in astonishment. As a master of potions, he understood the extent of his earlier damage. Left to conventional methods, his recovery would have taken months, but now he felt fully restored.
His aura of magic, once weak and faint, returned in full force, radiating power. The apprentices stared in awe, their respect for the Ancient One deepening further.
"Snape, can you share your hypothesis with us?" the Ancient One asked, her voice calm but commanding.
Snape glanced at Lockhart, who nodded in encouragement, before beginning his explanation.
"Sorcerer Supreme," Snape began, "based on our intelligence, Loki requires materials capable of stabilizing space to summon an alien army. The most logical source for these materials is the Vientiane World. Its trading areas house vast resources, and its defenses, compared to Kamar Taj or the temples, are relatively weaker."
He paused, organizing his thoughts.
"However," he continued, "Loki has not appeared. Instead, we've encountered only Dormammu's followers. Simultaneous attacks on the Vientiane World, the New York Temple, and S.H.I.E.L.D. suggest these are diversions, meant to stall us while the enemy pursues their true objective."
Snape's voice grew sharper. "The sorcerer's secret realm meets all the criteria. It is rich in materials, yet lightly defended. Loki, armed with the Cosmic Cube, can easily open a passage to it."
Snape stopped short, unwilling to voice one final suspicion: that someone within Kamar Taj might be aiding the invaders by providing spatial coordinates.
The Ancient One studied him for a moment, her expression unreadable. Finally, she said, "Your insight is valuable, Snape. I will arrange for the secret realm to be investigated."
Suddenly, a chilling buzz reverberated through the air. Everyone froze as an oppressive, malevolent energy washed over them, growing stronger with each passing moment.
The Ancient One turned sharply, her gaze distant as she sensed the disturbance.
"There is no need to arrange for an investigation," she said, her voice grave. "The seal on the sorcerer's secret realm has already been broken."
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