"Why do you think you're not fit for this role?" The Ancient One's question plunged Daniel into deep thought. He had never considered the possibility of becoming the Sorcerer Supreme himself. In his mind, that title was destined for Stephen Strange, and there was no changing that. This assumption had kept Daniel from even entertaining the idea of taking on the mantle.
But now, as he reflected on it, he realized that the Ancient One might have had other plans all along. After all, she had given him access to the Book of Cagliostro, a tome filled with forbidden knowledge. Perhaps she had been preparing him for this all along.
"Why are you so certain I would choose him?" The Ancient One continued. "Yes, he's a good candidate, but not the only one. In fact, if not for Kaecilius' betrayal, he might have been my first choice."
"But I don't want to be the Sorcerer Supreme," Daniel admitted. "I don't want to be tied down to one place."
"Who says the Sorcerer Supreme must remain in one place? The title is just that—a title. What you choose to do with it is entirely up to you," the Ancient One replied, cutting him off before he could protest further.
"Odin is nearing his eternal slumber, and even Asgard might face Ragnarok. Many disasters are on the horizon, and you are a variable in those events. Whether that variable is good or bad, I cannot say. But change is inevitable, and change is often good." The Ancient One's words held the weight of someone who had peered into countless futures with the Time Stone.
"What I never anticipated was your use of Pym Particles for dimensional travel," she added with a hint of admiration.
In normal circumstances, Daniel could have achieved dimensional travel using the methods taught at Kamar-Taj. However, such travel was fraught with danger. The dimensional spaces were teeming with threats, from beings like Dormammu to lesser creatures that could still pose significant risks. This was how the Ancient One had first encountered Dormammu—by venturing into the Dark Dimension. Ever since, she had been locked in a battle to keep him at bay, using his own dark power against him. But even with this power, she could only hold him back, not defeat him.
Daniel's method of using Pym Particles to traverse the Quantum Realm was different. The dangers there were far less severe, as evidenced by the survival of ordinary humans like Janet van Dyne, who had lived there for decades. This was why the Ancient One had never interfered with Daniel's travels—his method was safer, at least compared to the risks of traditional dimensional travel. The Dark Dimension, with Dormammu lurking just beyond, was far more perilous.
"It seems I was right," Daniel thought, his earlier suspicions confirmed. Looking around at the frozen scene, he found himself at a loss for words. Given the power the Ancient One had just displayed, Kaecilius should have been no match for her. Yet, she had fallen by his hand.
"Whether or not you become the new Sorcerer Supreme is up to you," the Ancient One said, her tone final. "My task ends here. Two of the three Sanctums have been destroyed. If the last one falls, Dormammu will enter this world. Earth's fate now lies in your hands." With that, she gently touched Daniel's forehead, imparting a vast amount of knowledge directly into his mind. As she did, she smiled softly before her spirit dissipated into the ether. The moment her soul vanished completely, time resumed its normal flow.
"That's not fair," Daniel muttered, feeling as though he had been forced into this role. While he was certain the Ancient One wasn't truly gone, her complete withdrawal left him with little choice. If Dormammu succeeded in his invasion, Earth—and everyone on it—would suffer. Running away wasn't an option, not when Tony Stark and the others would be drawn into the Dark Dimension if he failed.
"Red isn't really my color," Daniel sighed, eyeing the Cloak of Levitation. With a wave of his hand, the red fabric shifted to a deep black.
"There's no time for mourning," Daniel said as he approached Wong, who was still grieving. "We have work to do." He knew better than to tell Wong the truth about the Ancient One's fate.
"You...," Wong started, but his words trailed off when he noticed the Eye of Agamotto hanging around Daniel's neck.
"We can talk about this later. Right now, stopping Kaecilius is our priority," Daniel said, opening a portal to the last Sanctum in Hong Kong.
"It's already been destroyed," Daniel noted, seeing the chaos and the strange disturbances in the sky. "Did the Ancient One really think I could handle Dormammu? What if I can't?"
The destruction of the Sanctums caught Daniel off guard. He had underestimated their significance. With the information the Ancient One had transferred to him, he now understood that the Sanctums were the key to Earth's defense against Dormammu. They formed a magical barrier that kept Dormammu out, and within this barrier, the Ancient One had been nearly invincible. The Sanctums were like her magical tower, her seat of power.
For Kaecilius to have destroyed even one Sanctum was a feat. To have taken down all three seemed impossible unless there had been some deliberate negligence.
"There's only one thing left to do," Daniel decided, opting not to step through the portal just yet. He activated the Eye of Agamotto, conjuring a green magical circle around his left wrist.
With the knowledge he had gained from the Book of Cagliostro, Daniel knew how to wield the Time Stone. He had practiced with it before, and now, as the green runes glowed around his wrist, he was satisfied with the result. It was time to negotiate with Dormammu, a tactic the Ancient One had never considered. If she had, perhaps Dormammu would have left Earth alone long ago.
The sky above Hong Kong crackled with energy, a sure sign that Dormammu was nearing the end of his journey through the dimensions.
"Kaecilius!" Wong and Mordo rushed at Kaecilius, but they were swiftly repelled. Kaecilius, empowered by Dormammu, was far stronger than before.
"A pointless disaster," Daniel thought as he raised his left hand, the green runes glowing brighter. Time began to flow backward, undoing the damage to the Sanctum and the injuries to Wong and Mordo. Even the dead began to rise as their bodies were restored.
"You're insane," Kaecilius muttered, watching in disbelief as Daniel reversed the flow of time. But before he could react, Daniel struck, punching through his chest and ripping the Sling Ring from his hand.
With Kaecilius down, Daniel quickly dispatched his followers. The battle was over in moments. Although Kaecilius had been strengthened by Dormammu's power, it wasn't enough to match Daniel, who had grown even stronger.
Dormammu had only given Kaecilius a fraction of his power, limited by the protective barrier of the Sanctums and his own caution. After all, the Ancient One had turned his power against him before, and he didn't want to create another enemy like her.
With Kaecilius defeated, a massive black rift appeared in the sky. Beyond it, strange, multicolored spheres hovered, each representing a different world or dimension. These spheres, though small in appearance, were actually entire planets.
"He's here," Daniel whispered as he flew toward the rift, his Cloak of Levitation carrying him effortlessly. He landed on one of the planets within the Dark Dimension, feeling the oppressive energy of Dormammu all around him. With a deep breath, he activated the Time Stone once more.
"Dormammu, I've come to bargain!" Daniel shouted into the void.
"A mere insect dares to bargain with me?" A massive black face materialized before Daniel, followed by a giant hand that swatted him out of existence.
"Dormammu, I've come to bargain!" Daniel reappeared, unfazed.
"What's happening?" Dormammu hesitated, sensing that something was wrong. But before he could act, Daniel was erased once more, only to reappear moments later.
"Dormammu, I've come to bargain!"
"What have you done?" Dormammu roared, his anger palpable.
"Nothing much, just trapped us in an infinite time loop," Daniel replied calmly. He was beginning to understand the immense patience required for such a negotiation. How many times had Stephen Strange died in the original timeline to achieve this? It was a terrifying thought.
Daniel had an advantage, though. Using the powers of the Ope Ope no Mi, he had sealed off his own pain receptors. Now, every time he died, it was no more than a mild inconvenience, like restarting a video game from a save point.
"Damn you!" Dormammu's rage shook the Dark Dimension, but no matter how many times he killed Daniel, the cycle continued. For the first time, Dormammu found himself facing an enemy he couldn't simply overpower.
Eventually, even Dormammu's patience wore thin. "Enough! What do you want?" he demanded, realizing that this could go on forever.
"Swear to leave Earth and never return," Daniel stated firmly.
Though Dormammu seethed with anger, he knew he had no choice. He issued a binding vow, one that would hold him to his word, and with that, Daniel ended the time loop.
"Take your followers with you," Daniel added as a final demand.
Reluctantly, Dormammu complied. He gathered the souls of Kaecilius and his followers, and as the rift closed behind him, he disappeared from the Earthly
plane.
"It's over," Daniel sighed as he returned to the now-restored Sanctum. Kaecilius' body and those of his acolytes began to dissolve, their dark powers no longer binding them to the mortal world. Without Dormammu's influence, they faded away, returning to the Dark Dimension.
The battle had been won, but Kamar-Taj was left in ruins. With the Ancient One gone, and so many of their order dead, only a handful of sorcerers remained—Daniel, Wong, and Mordo.
"This was all a part of the Ancient One's plan," Daniel mused. "She knew that dimensional magic, left unchecked, could lead to disaster."
But Mordo didn't see it that way. The events had shaken him to his core, and his faith in Kamar-Taj's teachings was wavering.
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