"With the Convergence approaching, every dimensional entity in the local cosmic neighborhood has decided to test Earth's defenses," the Ancient One explained, her voice carrying the weariness of someone who had been fighting a war on multiple fronts simultaneously. "I had no choice but to use every resource at my disposal."
Even after Marcus had purged the corrosive energies from her system, the Ancient One still looked drained. The mystical contamination had been only part of the problem—the sheer scale of the dimensional assault she'd been repelling had pushed her far beyond her normal limits.
As Earth's Sorcerer Supreme, the Ancient One possessed formidable power and centuries of experience dealing with interdimensional threats. But the current situation was unprecedented. The Convergence had weakened the barriers between realms to such a degree that dozens of dimensional demons were attacking simultaneously, coordinating their efforts in ways that would have been impossible under normal circumstances.
"Two fists can't match four hands," she continued with a rueful smile. "Even with the Eye of Agamotto and all of Kamar-Taj's resources, I simply couldn't maintain a defense against so many concurrent incursions."
Marcus nodded grimly, understanding the impossible position she'd found herself in. The Ancient One was incredibly powerful, but she was still ultimately just one person trying to protect an entire world from cosmic-level threats.
"So you decided to fight fire with fire," Marcus observed. "Use Dormammu's Dark Dimension energy to supplement your own power."
"It seemed logical at the time," the Ancient One admitted. "The Dark Dimension's power is vast and hostile to most other forms of dimensional energy. I thought I could channel just enough of it to drive back the worst of the incursions without significant risk to myself."
The plan had worked, initially. The Dark Dimension's corrosive energy had proven devastatingly effective against the invading demons, turning their own dimensional instability against them. But prolonged exposure to Dormammu's power had begun to corrupt the Ancient One herself, gradually eroding her mystical defenses from within.
"When the Dark Dimension energy started affecting me, I attempted to counteract it using the Aya essence you provided during our previous exchange," she continued. "I had experience with void power from our past interactions, and I knew it had unique properties that could suppress other dimensional energies."
Marcus raised an eyebrow at this revelation. He'd given the Ancient One Aya essence in the past, but he hadn't expected her to actually use it. Void energy was notoriously difficult to control, especially for beings who weren't naturally attuned to it.
"The void power did suppress the Dark Dimension contamination," the Ancient One confirmed. "But it also proved more aggressive than I had anticipated. I had always used it sparingly before, only for brief moments and in carefully controlled circumstances. This time, the scale of the threat required sustained usage."
The result had been the mystical disaster Marcus had witnessed—two powerful but incompatible energies literally tearing the Ancient One apart at the cellular level. Only his timely intervention had prevented her complete dissolution.
"So it seems the dimensional demons around Earth have grown bold indeed," Marcus observed, allowing the golden light in his eyes to fade as he processed this information. The projection of the Ancient One's past self disappeared, leaving him alone in the courtyard with the concerned sorcerers.
The situation was worse than he had initially realized. The dimensional entities weren't just taking advantage of the Convergence—they were actively collaborating against Earth's defenses, sharing intelligence and coordinating their attacks in ways that suggested external guidance.
"Continue your training," Marcus told Mordo, gesturing toward the apprentices who were still staring at him with a mixture of awe and terror. "I need to speak with your teacher."
Marcus made his way through Kamar-Taj's winding corridors, noting the increased activity throughout the sanctuary. Sorcerers hurried between chambers carrying mystical implements and ancient texts, their faces bearing the strain of constant vigilance. The very air thrummed with defensive enchantments, creating a low harmonic resonance that spoke of barriers pushed to their limits.
He passed several sorcerers he didn't recognize—new faces recruited to help deal with the current crisis. But notably absent were some of the more experienced mages he remembered from previous visits. Either they were deployed elsewhere, or they had been casualties in the ongoing dimensional war.
The Ancient One's sanctum remained unchanged from his last visit—a circular chamber with transparent walls offering a panoramic view of the Himalayas. The Sorcerer Supreme herself sat in the center of the space, apparently meditating over a cup of tea, though Marcus could sense the mystical monitoring spells she was maintaining even in apparent rest.
"Thank you," she said the moment he entered, not bothering to open her eyes.
"Don't mention it," Marcus replied, settling into the chair across from her. "Though I have to admit, I wasn't expecting to find you in quite such a dire condition."
The tea she offered was perfectly prepared, the familiar blend that had become something of a tradition during their meetings. Marcus accepted the cup gratefully, using the moment to study the Ancient One's condition more carefully.
She looked better than her past self had, but the strain was still evident. Dark circles shadowed her eyes, and her normally perfect posture showed signs of fatigue. The mystical energies around her, while stable, carried undertones of exhaustion that spoke to the tremendous effort she'd been expending.
"How exactly do you plan to thank me for the assistance?" Marcus asked with a slight smile, settling back in his chair.
The Ancient One chuckled at his directness. "What did you have in mind? I should warn you that Kamar-Taj's treasury isn't exactly overflowing with treasures I can simply give away. Most of our artifacts are either communally owned or essential for Earth's defense."
Marcus pretended to consider this seriously, stroking his chin in exaggerated contemplation. "Well, there is one thing you could let me borrow for a while..."
His gaze dropped meaningfully to the Eye of Agamotto hanging from its chain around the Ancient One's neck. The artifact pulsed with barely contained temporal energy, its mystical signature unmistakable to anyone with the senses to perceive it.
The Ancient One's expression grew cautious. "The Eye of Agamotto is not exactly something I can lend out casually. It's one of the most dangerous artifacts on Earth, and in the wrong hands—"
"Relax," Marcus interrupted. "I know what it really is. The Time Stone, right? I'm not looking to borrow the whole thing—I just need to extract some Aya essence from it."
Understanding dawned in the Ancient One's eyes. She had witnessed Marcus's unique ability to transform various forms of energy into his Aya essence during their previous encounters. The Cosmic Cube, the Mind Stone's scepter—he had a persistent interest in extracting power from significant mystical artifacts.
"Ah," she said simply. "Of course. Your fascination with collecting energy signatures from powerful sources."
The request was actually reasonable, from her perspective. The Eye of Agamotto was indeed the Time Stone, one of the six Infinity Stones that governed fundamental aspects of reality. But as the current wielder of the artifact, she could safely extract portions of its energy without compromising its core functionality.
"The Eye of Agamotto cannot leave Kamar-Taj," the Ancient One said firmly. "But I can provide you with a portion of its energy."
Before Marcus could respond, the amulet on her chest began to open, its intricate bronze petals unfolding to reveal the brilliant green gem within. Temporal energy flowed from the exposed Stone, swirling around the Ancient One's hands as she carefully drew out measured quantities of its power.
The process was delicate work, requiring precise control to avoid temporal paradoxes or causality storms. Too much energy extracted too quickly could create ripples in the timestream that would affect past and future events in unpredictable ways.
Gradually, the flowing green energy began to coalesce into solid form. The Ancient One's mystical techniques shaped the temporal power into a crystalline structure, creating a stable matrix that could contain the Time Stone's essence without the risk of temporal contamination.
"This should be sufficient for your purposes," she said, offering Marcus a emerald crystal that pulsed with contained chronological force.
Marcus accepted the crystal carefully, immediately sensing the incredible power contained within its faceted structure. This wasn't just energy—it was time itself, crystallized into a form that could be manipulated and studied.
Void energy swirled around Marcus's hands as he began the familiar process of Aya synthesis. The temporal crystal responded to his power in ways that were both expected and surprising. Where other forms of energy typically resisted transformation, the Time Stone's essence seemed almost eager to be reshaped, as if it recognized a kindred cosmic force.
The crystalline structure began to fracture along predetermined lines, each fragment taking on the characteristic appearance of an Aya essence core. The process was smoother than usual, requiring less void energy to complete the transformation than Marcus had anticipated.
"Seven Aya essences," Marcus confirmed as the emerald spheres settled into his palm. "Plus some residual energy that I can work with."
The leftover temporal power was too small to create another full Aya essence, but it was perfect for creating an enhancement matrix. Marcus quickly shaped it into one of his characteristic power cores, watching as the green energy stabilized into a usable form.
"No matter how many times I witness that process, it never ceases to amaze me," the Ancient One observed. "The way you can transform cosmic forces into something entirely new... it defies most of what I understand about the fundamental nature of energy."
"I'll call this one the Time Enhancement," Marcus said, examining his new creation. "Following the same naming convention as the Space and Mind cores I've created previously."
The Ancient One nodded with interest. "You're collecting enhancements based on all the Infinity Stones?"
"That's the plan," Marcus confirmed. "I'm curious to see what happens when I have the complete set. The Infinity Gauntlet represents just one possible use for the Stones' combined power—I suspect there are other applications that haven't been explored."
The idea intrigued him. Most beings who encountered the Infinity Stones thought in terms of the traditional Gauntlet configuration, designed to channel all six cosmic forces through a single focusing device. But Marcus suspected that approach was limited, reducing the Stones' individual versatility in favor of raw combined power.
"An interesting theory," the Ancient One mused. "The Infinity Stones are indeed more versatile than most beings realize. Their reputation as wish-granting devices has somewhat overshadowed their more subtle applications."
Marcus nodded, then reached into his coat to retrieve the syringe containing the extracted Aether. The Reality Stone's essence swirled within its crystalline prison, occasionally flaring with crimson light that made the entire container pulse like a heartbeat.
"Speaking of Infinity Stones," Marcus said, placing the syringe on the table between them. "I thought you might be interested to know that another one has surfaced."
The Ancient One's eyes widened as she sensed the incredible power contained within the seemingly simple medical device. "The Reality Stone? But that was sealed away eons ago, hidden where no one could—"
"The Convergence is affecting more than just dimensional barriers," Marcus interrupted. "Ancient seals are weakening, hidden artifacts are emerging, and cosmic forces that have been dormant for millennia are stirring back to activity."
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