Mirror Space.
"Ancient One," Dormammu began, his voice a blend of mockery and menace. "Aren't you worried that your favored Sorcerer might lose his head?"
The Ancient One's expression remained serene, her faint smile unwavering.
"Worried?" she echoed lightly. "Do you believe I should be?"
She gestured vaguely, her tone calm yet resolute. "Life and death are merely cycles of this universe. If he cannot survive this trial, then it is simply his fate."
Her eyes gleamed. "After all, to wear the crown, one must bear its weight."
Dormammu's expression darkened, his features an empty void of shadow and malice.
Lockhart's vision abruptly plunged into darkness.
He felt an overwhelming emptiness, a suffocating absence of everything. He couldn't sense magic, nor could he feel his own body.
His consciousness floated, suspended in the black void.
"Dormammu, what are you trying to do?" Lockhart called out into the abyss, his voice steady despite the oppressive gloom.
He already knew the answer. Dormammu, the God of Darkness, was undoubtedly behind this. The being had plagued him before, and this time, Lockhart had no illusions about the stakes.
But his voice faded into the void without reply. The silence pressed in, heavy and unnerving.
Days seemed to pass—or perhaps it was hours. Time lost all meaning in this formless space. Lockhart's sharp mind began to blur under the relentless weight of the darkness.
The emptiness gnawed at him, its grip tightening with each passing moment.
Clatter. Clatter. Clatter.
Lockhart deliberately made faint noises to keep himself conscious, but the effort grew increasingly futile. The clicking sounds slowed, his mind slipping closer to oblivion.
Dormammu's method—a soft blade, Lockhart realized. The god wasn't attacking him outright but instead eroding his will through endless emptiness.
In his desperation, Lockhart called out.
"System!" he said softly, his voice tinged with hope.
There was no response.
"System, Status."
He tried again and again, but the familiar light curtain of his system didn't appear. It was as if Dormammu had severed his connection to it entirely.
Anxiety surged in Lockhart's chest. Fear and dread clawed at his mind, negative emotions rushing in like a flood.
This is his plan, Lockhart thought grimly. He wants me to break under my own fear.
Lockhart inhaled deeply, attempting to steady his spiraling thoughts.
He closed his eyes—or imagined closing them—and let his memories surface.
He recalled his childhood, the struggles of his early years, and the relentless effort he had poured into his studies. He thought of his first steps into scientific research, the excitement of discovery, and the awe he felt upon arriving in the Marvel universe.
These memories brought light to the darkness.
Buzz!
Flecks of silvery-white light appeared in the void, tiny beacons of hope.
As Lockhart relived moments of joy and triumph, the silver specks grew brighter and more numerous.
The light coalesced, taking form.
A magnificent silver lion emerged from the void, its fur shimmering like starlight.
The Patronus Charm – Protector of the Soul.
Lockhart's hand instinctively reached out, stroking the lion's soft mane. A faint smile tugged at his lips.
With a soft nudge, the lion began to move.
Roar!
The lion bounded forward, its luminous form cutting through the oppressive darkness. Lockhart rode atop it, his focus unwavering as they raced toward freedom.
Gradually, the darkness thinned. The void lightened, and Lockhart felt the familiar pulse of magic stirring within him once more.
"Expecto Patronum!"
Lockhart chanted the spell repeatedly, his voice growing stronger with each utterance.
A voice cut through the fading darkness, low and sinister.
"Lockhart, why not surrender? Sink into this void, and find peace."
It was Dormammu.
Lockhart stilled the lion with a gentle stroke. The creature slowed, stopping within a field of silver light that now surrounded them.
The Patronus growled low, sensing danger.
At the edge of the silvery field, a figure emerged—a towering silhouette cloaked in black, holding an ominous book in its hands.
"Dormammu," Lockhart said, his voice a mix of inquiry and certainty.
"Indeed," Dormammu replied, his tone smooth yet menacing. "This is our first official meeting, isn't it? Last time was merely… a skirmish."
Lockhart nodded. "What do you want, Dormammu?"
The dark god's lips twisted into a grin. "I wish to make a deal with you."
He raised the black book. "Give me what lies deep within your soul, and I shall grant you dominion over an unclaimed dimension. You'll become a dimensional god in your own right."
Dormammu's words were honeyed with temptation. "Our agreement can even be witnessed by Death itself. Think of it—a god's power at your fingertips."
Lockhart's eyes narrowed. "And how fares your battle with the Sorcerer Supreme?"
Dormammu's grin faltered slightly, though he did not answer the question directly. Instead, he pressed on.
"This is a rare opportunity, Lockhart. You should seize it."
Lockhart's silence was telling. The silver lion at his side roared, its eyes locking onto Dormammu.
"Very well," Dormammu sighed. "I see we're at an impasse."
With a flick of his black robes, the dark god's form dissolved, retreating into the shadows.
Lockhart turned his gaze to the surrounding void.
"Let's finish this," he murmured, patting the lion's flank.
The silver beast roared once more, its claws glowing as it slashed at the darkness. Each strike left shimmering trails of light, causing the void to tremble.
The darkness fractured, cracks spreading across its surface.
Roar!
The lion reared back, a brilliant orb of light forming in its mouth. With a deafening bellow, it unleashed the orb, shattering the void entirely.
As the blackness dissolved, a cold, mechanical voice echoed in Lockhart's mind.
"Ding! The system has detected a mutilated god-level soul. Do you wish to absorb it?"
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