Mavuika looked at her. "You're not going to kill him?"
The Ancient One shook her head. "He is merely blinded by Dormammu; his heart is not inherently evil. If possible, I hope he can turn back."
Mavuika nodded. "Alright, as you wish."
The black mist grew thicker, surging toward them. Mordo and Strange were forced to keep retreating. Strange's hands were trembling—not from fear, but because his old injuries were throbbing with pain.
The Ancient One stood her ground, unmoving. Mordo shouted, "Sorcerer Ancient One, we should retreat!"
The Ancient One didn't answer. She looked at Mavuika's back, a faint smile playing on her lips.
Mavuika raised her arm.
Gold-red flames surged from her palm, coiling around her right arm like a giant dragon. The temperature of the flames climbed rapidly, and her arm turned golden, as if cast from molten Solar Metal.
Kaecilius saw the flames, and his eyes widened. "This is—"
Mavuika didn't give him a chance to speak.
She smashed her fist into the ground.
The World, composed of space itself, began to vibrate, tremble, and crack under her fist.
Gold-red divine power spread outward from her fist like a circular Impact, sweeping through everything.
The black mist melted like ice and snow before the flames. The Dark Sorcerers were sent flying by the Impact, scattering like kites with broken strings.
Kaecilius was also sent flying. He tumbled several times in the air, barely steadying himself by grabbing the edge of a building. He didn't fly too far, but his face was deathly pale, and more blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
The Impact did not stop.
It continued to spread, crashing into the boundary of the Mirror Dimension. The spatial barrier there was already unstable; hit by this force, it began to shatter over a large area, cracks spreading like spiderwebs and emitting a blinding light.
Then, the entire World shattered.
The Mirror Dimension, like a giant mirror, collapsed from the center, breaking into countless shards. Those shards spun in the air, reflecting light, before disappearing into the void.
Everyone felt the ground drop out from under them, then stepped back onto solid ground.
They were back in the real World.
The same street, the same apartment building, the same coffee shop—brick-red walls, dark green awnings, deep gray asphalt. The morning sunlight poured down, warm and real.
Kaecilius and his men were gone. At the moment the Mirror Dimension collapsed, they had been flung elsewhere—perhaps another corner of New York, or perhaps even further.
Mordo stood by the street, panting heavily. His robes were torn in several places, but he wasn't injured.
Strange crouched on the ground, one hand supporting himself and the other clutching his abdomen. A Dark Sorcerer had slashed him there, and blood was seeping out. His face was pale, but his gaze remained resolute.
Wanda and Pietro stood not far away. The dark red light in Wanda's hands had dissipated, but her body was trembling slightly—not from fear, but from shock. Pietro supported her, his own expression somewhat dazed.
Loki stood behind Mavuika, arms crossed over his chest, a faint smile on his lips.
The Ancient One stood in the center of the clearing, her yellow robes fluttering gently in the morning breeze. Her expression was calm, but in her eyes, there was a rare, almost sentimental light.
She looked at Mavuika and sighed softly.
"Your Highness, it has been a long time. Your power has grown once again."
Mavuika withdrew the flames and flexed her fingers. "Has it? I don't really feel anything."
The Ancient One smiled. "Your 'not feeling anything' managed to shatter the entire Mirror Dimension."
Mavuika glanced at the debris of buildings shattered by the Impact—what broke in the Mirror Dimension did not affect the real World. She shrugged.
"It's fine. I controlled my strength."
The Ancient One looked at her, fell silent for a moment, and then laughed.
"I'm starting to worry whether Kaecilius can survive the Impact of that punch."
Mavuika laughed as well. "Don't worry, I know when to stop. At most, he'll suffer a bit, but it won't kill him. Didn't you say you hoped he would turn back?"
The Ancient One shook her head. "Your Highness, you are as reassuring as ever."
Strange stood up, clutching the wound on his abdomen, and walked over to the Ancient One. He looked at Mavuika with eyes full of curiosity and caution.
"Sorcerer Ancient One, who is this?"
The Ancient One glanced at him, her lips curving slightly. "Her Highness Mavuika, the sun goddess of Asgard, and the eldest daughter of Odin."
Strange's eyes widened slightly.
Of course he knew of Asgard and norse mythology—he had flipped through those ancient texts in the library back when he was in Medical School.
But he had never imagined that the beings from those myths would actually appear before him.
"sun goddess..." he murmured.
However, since he was now studying magic himself, if even magic existed, it didn't seem so Strange that myths were actually reality.
Mordo walked over and gave Mavuika a sorcerer's salute.
"Her Highness Mavuika, it's been a long time. Thank you for your timely assistance!"
Mavuika nodded. "You're welcome."
The Ancient One walked to Mavuika's side and looked into her eyes.
"His Highness Loki is here, but why don't I see His Highness Thor?"
Mavuika followed her gaze and glanced at Loki, Wanda, and Pietro behind her.
"He went off to have fun with Tony."
Mavuika then briefly introduced the siblings.
"These two children are Wanda and Pietro."
The Ancient One's gaze lingered on Wanda and Pietro for a second.
"HYDRA's experiments?" the Ancient One asked.
Mavuika nodded.
The Ancient One sighed softly. "This World never lacks for suffering people."
She paused, then said with a smile, "Since Your Highness has come across this, why not visit Kamar-Taj? It's been a long time. I have some newly picked tea; would you like to try some?"
Mavuika thought for a moment and then smiled. "Alright."
The Ancient One raised her hand and drew a circle in the air.
Sparks flew as a circular Portal expanded in the air, revealing a completely different World on the other side.
Ancient stone buildings, courtyards paved with gray bricks, several vigorous pine trees, and snow-capped mountains in the distance.
It was Kamar-Taj.
Loki looked at the Portal, a faint smile on his lips.
"A sorcerer's Portal is certainly much more low-key than the Bifrost Bridge."
The Ancient One glanced at him. "His Highness Loki, your magic is also very sophisticated. If you have time, we could exchange insights."
Loki bowed slightly. "The honor is mine."
Wanda looked at the Portal, her brow slightly furrowed.