Chapter 205 — The Branch That Chose Itself
The golden portal closed without a sound.
For a moment, no one in the room moved.
The upper conference room of Stark Tower, already filled with impossible things, somehow felt even heavier now.
The large green figure standing near the center shifted awkwardly, scratching the back of his head.
"H-hello everyone," Hulk said, voice softer than expected.
But no one answered immediately.
Because the person who stepped through the portal after him drew every eye in the room.
A bald woman in flowing yellow robes stood calmly beside him. Her posture was relaxed, hands folded gently before her, as if she had simply walked into a quiet garden instead of a room filled with soldiers, gods, and men from different timelines.
Her gaze moved slowly across the room.
Calm.
Knowing.
Then her eyes settled on one person.
Gaius.
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
"We meet again, Gaius."
The words were gentle, yet they carried familiarity that immediately changed the mood of the room.
Gaius rose from his seat without hesitation.
The movement surprised several Avengers. The towering warrior rarely showed visible reactions, yet now he stood straight and inclined his head slightly, a clear gesture of respect.
After all, she was one of Earth's protectors.
A guardian who defended humanity not from armies or machines, but from threats beyond reality itself.
"Ancient One." Gaius said calmly.
His deep voice carried sincerity rather than formality.
The Ancient One nodded lightly.
Meanwhile, Tony Stark and Natasha Romanoff both stood as well.
Unlike the others, they were not meeting her for the first time.
They had met her before with Gaius and Nick Fury, after the fight between the Hulk and the Abomination in Harlem.
Tony rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.
"Well… this day just keeps getting weirder," he muttered.
The Ancient One's gaze shifted briefly toward him, amused.
Then she turned back toward Gaius.
"It seems you have already met them."
Her eyes moved slightly, indicating the newcomers, Future Tony, Future Steve, and the quiet man lingering near the corner.
Scott Lang.
Scott raised a small nervous hand.
"…Hi," he said softly, unsure if he should even speak.
Gaius gave a small nod.
"Yes," he replied simply.
Behind them, Future Hulk stepped forward, still looking unsettled.
"There's… something we should explain," he said.
Everyone looked toward him.
"Doctor Strange isn't the Sorcerer Supreme yet," Hulk said. "He's still just… a doctor."
Tony blinked.
"Wait, Strange? As in wizard surgeon?"
Hulk ignored the comment and continued.
"But she has the Time Stone."
He gestured toward the Ancient One.
Then his expression shifted slightly, like someone remembering something unpleasant.
He looked slightly uncomfortable, which made sense after the Ancient One had knocked his soul out of his body with a single slap to the chest.
Natasha noticed immediately.
Her eyes narrowed as she studied his face more closely.
The posture was Hulk's.
But the expression…
The intelligence behind the eyes…
"Bruce?" she said carefully.
Hulk looked toward her.
She stepped forward slightly.
"…Future Bruce."
The first word came out as a question.
The second as certainty.
Hulk, or rather Banner within Hulk, gave an awkward half-smile.
"Yeah," he admitted quietly.
The confirmation sent a ripple of realization through the room.
Two Tonys.
Two Steves.
Now a future Bruce Banner.
The Ancient One allowed the moment to settle before speaking again.
"You all want the Infinity Stones."
It was not a question.
Tony straightened immediately.
"Yes," Future Tony answered before anyone else could. "We need them to undo what Thanos did."
The Ancient One studied him quietly.
"The Infinity Stones," she said calmly, "cannot be used in another parallel universe."
The words landed heavily.
Future Tony's shoulders tensed, and Future Steve went still. The thought of their plan failing struck like a physical blow, their only chance to save the half of humanity that had vanished.
He stood up quickly.
"That's our only chance," he said. "Half the universe is gone. We don't have another solution."
For a moment, it seemed she might refuse.
Then she continued.
"But yours… is not a parallel universe."
The tension eased slightly.
She walked slowly across the room as she spoke.
"It is another timeline. A branch separated from the Sacred Timeline."
When she said Sacred Timeline, a faint hint of amusement crossed her face, almost mockery, subtle but noticeable.
Banner frowned.
"What's the Sacred Timeline?" he asked.
The Ancient One did not answer immediately.
Instead, her attention shifted elsewhere.
Toward Gaius's companions.
More specifically
The Sister of Silence.
The armored woman stood perfectly still, as always. Her presence created an invisible pressure in the air, something most people felt without understanding why.
The Ancient One approached her gracefully.
"She is a peculiar one, Gaius."
The Sister of Silence did not react.
She allowed the Ancient One to walk around her, observing quietly.
Most sorcerers would have shown discomfort by now.
Magic users often struggled even standing near a Blank.
But the Ancient One remained completely unaffected.
Interesting.
"She restrains magic itself," the Ancient One explained. "If other mages come close to her, their connection to the dimensions that grant their power is cut off."
As she spoke, the Ancient One briefly glanced at Tanya. She could sense the magic within her, and something deeper, an imprint that felt almost like a god's presence, but she neither commented nor showed any reaction.
Hearing this, Tanya turned her attention toward the Sister of Silence. She wasn't affected by her unique ability. Thanks to her Calculation Fruit, which helped her control her emotions, her magic remained stable, contained entirely within herself rather than drawn from external dimensions. Because of that, the suppression didn't interfere with her power.
Tony blinked.
"So… magical Wi-Fi jammer?"
Natasha elbowed him lightly.
The Ancient One smiled faintly at the comparison.
"Yes," she said simply.
Gaius listened carefully.
His thoughts moved quickly.
Effective against enemy sorcerers.
A battlefield advantage.
If they encountered powerful mages in the future, the Sister of Silence could neutralize them without a single strike.
A valuable asset.
The Ancient One raised her hand gently.
With a small motion, golden light formed in the air.
A glowing line appeared before them like a floating projection.
Everyone watched as it expanded into a vast branching image.
"This," she said, "is the timeline of our universe."
A single glowing path stretched forward endlessly.
Then another line split away from it.
A branch.
"This branch," she continued, "is where we are now."
The room grew quiet.
"When did it happen?" Steve asked softly.
The Ancient One's gaze shifted toward Present Tony Stark.
"It appeared the moment Tony Stark of this time accepted an invitation… changing the course of events."
Every eye turned toward Tony.
Tony slowly looked at Gaius.
He didn't need to say it aloud.
Gaius understood immediately.
The Multiversal Chat.
That single moment had altered destiny itself.
The Ancient One nodded slightly, confirming the realization.
"So," she said, "we are currently a branch. A different timeline, not a parallel universe."
She paused.
"…Not yet."
The words carried warning.
Before questions could erupt, she continued.
"I will give you the Time Stone."
Future Tony's head snapped up.
Relief flickered across his face.
"But," she added calmly, "you must bring Gaius with you."
Silence followed.
"You will need him to fight again."
Future Tony frowned.
Fight again?
But Thanos was already dead.
He exchanged looks with Future Steve and Banner.
Confusion spread among them.
Tony opened his mouth to ask
The Ancient One gently raised a hand.
A silent gesture.
She would not explain.
The question died before it was spoken.
Gaius stepped forward slightly, meeting her gaze.
There was recognition there.
Understanding.
The Ancient One looked at him calmly.
"We have already discussed this with the Master of Mankind."
Gaius froze slightly.
Discussed?
When?
Then memory returned.
After the Harlem incident, the Emperor gave him instructions. He and the Ancient One then spoke privately in a way that only they could understand.
Understanding settled quietly within him.
"…I see," Gaius said.
Across the room, the future visitors exchanged glances.
They did not understand everything, not the Master of Mankind, not the deeper meaning, but they understood enough.
They needed allies.
And this sorcerer clearly saw something ahead they could not.
Future Steve nodded first.
"If it helps save everyone," he said, "then we agree."
Banner nodded next.
Future Tony hesitated only a moment longer.
Then he exhaled.
"…Alright," he said. "Gaius comes with us."
The decision settled into the room like a stone placed firmly into position.
Cause and effect.
Choice leading to consequence.
The Ancient One smiled faintly, as if a step in a long-expected path had finally occurred.
End of Chapter 205
~~~
If you're enjoying the story, want to read more, and want to support me in creating more, you can check out my Patreon here:
patreon.com/ZanderLee
Every bit of support means a lot and helps me keep writing!