[Draul St. Cross POV]
The days went by with me continuing my study into runes, since time magic practices were strictly forbidden in Kamar-Taj, I avoided it completely. I have watched too many time related movies to know that fucking with time was never a good idea.
With time magic completely out of the window, I focused on the other aspect of the continuum – space.
It was just a passing study but I thought that maybe having a sufficient understanding of space runes would allow me to inscribe my 'come' rune on my axe. I had visited Kamar-Taj a few times for some books on rune research and with the Ancient One helping me I believed that I was getting close to it.
Runes were harder than spells by a large margin but were also easier when you got the hang of it just like computer programming. It was a multitude of arrays and directives packed into a few words and symbols, using it in different combinations to form something entirely new and powerful. That was the reason why, according to the Ancient One, most books on rune study were kept private, not in Kamar-Taj though.
Runes were like an encyclopedia of information stored in a drive, as heavy as it was small.
I was deep in my research when I sensed a subtle wave of spatial magic. The only one who could directly sneak up on me without me knowing was the Ancient One. I had been able to learn how to use magic to confuse someone's sense away from my presence which was what the Masters of Kamar-Taj were all doing when I first arrived.
I didn't know who had snuck up on me but I didn't do anything and continued my research as if nothing was happening. It wasn't Mordo or Wong, nor was it Strange as those were the only people apart from the Ancient One that I conversed with.
The moment my instinct rose, lasers shot out from my eyes before bending backwards only for it to be blocked by the eldritch shield of my assailant. She had wanted to escape the moment she saw that her assassination failed but I had already broken though her shield with ease and caught her throat.
"Kaecilius' disciples huh? What does he want with me?" I asked her.
"Master will have what he wants one way or the other a- arghhhh!" She screamed before she had the chance to finish her sentence as one of her legs was on fire.
"What does he want with me?" I asked her again and decreased the intensity of the flames to only microwave scalding hot.
"He thinks you are a key to the dark dimension! He wants to use your connection to it to gain access to the dark god!?!" I snapped her neck the moment I got what I wanted and opened a portal to a volcano and dropped her there.
'It looks like I need to upgrade security to the magical variety. I don't want to move so soon.'
I left a note on the fridge, informing whoever read it of what had happened and that I was going to be busy.
'Even me leaving Kamar-Taj for Kaecilius and Strange was not enough.'
I had wanted to open a portal to Kamar-Taj but I stopped when I felt a wave blow past me. Unlike most sorcerers, I could sense when magic was used in my surroundings and I immediately picked up some magic activity and without wasting my time, I opened a portal and stepped through it to land at the top of a building, the place I had sensed magic being used.
I could feel that there was something going on given how wobbly the surroundings felt before I knew what was happening – the mirror dimension.
With the open connection to it still available, I conjured up a spell and sent myself into the mirror dimension.
Upon landing, I saw Strange, Mordo and Wong fighting some of whom I assumed were Kaecilius' disciples who dreamed of an eternal life with him.
One of them was running towards an occupied Wong and a wave of my hands split apart the already split building he was running on and then he was skewered by ice spears.
I wrapped a rope around one of their necks and drew him towards a clock-like rotating building and watched him get crushed.
"Thank you." I helped Wong up and then slaughtered the rest of the disciples who were fighting him. The ones remaining in the mirror dimension were Kaecilius and a few of his acolytes who were fighting against Strange and Mordo.
They stopped when they noticed that their other accomplices were dead. "Cross. Just who I wanted to see."
"I can't really lie and say the feeling is mutual, Kaecilius." The guy had balls to say something like that after arranging an assassination attempt on my life.
He looked around for a second before he turned to me. "I take it she's dead?"
"For someone so spry, you are quite slow on the uptake." I didn't wait for the monologues to have an effect before I appeared in front of him with a hand intending to rip through his heart.
My hand pierced through his heart but what I didn't expect was a member of his motley crew to suddenly have his chest torn open, it took less than a second for me to realize that he had linked his life to his disciples, using each one alive as an extra ticket away from death.
Strange, Mordo and Wong were still in shocked states but not me. Beams shot out from my eye and pierced through two of the sorcerers' heads only for it to clash for a second against an erected shield before it broke through and killed the guy.
Kaecilius immediately understood what I wanted to do and tried to free my hands from his bloody ripped-through chest but I already held his heart and bones.
Showing his intellect as a Master of the Arts, he came to a decision and immediately opened a portal that swallowed him, forcing me to remove my hand to prevent it from being sliced off by the folding of space.
With Kaecilius gone, I turned to the trio that were with me. "What happened?"
Strange looked like he was going to puke while Wong and Mordo had on their natural expressions. "Kaecilius betrayed Kamar-Taj." Was all Mordo said with a biting tone as we left the mirror dimension.
"I can see that."
"He took the book of Cagliostro from the library and escaped with his acolytes. We don't know what they intend to do with it." Wong said as we made our way to the Ancient One.
"I've read that. There are some rather…exotic spells in there. It would be more apt to call it a personal diary rather than a spell book though."
"Why are you here Cross?" Mordo asked.
"He sent one of his acolytes to assassinate me. Tortured her a bit and then found out that they intend to summon some dark god for the blessing of eternal life."
""Dormammu.""
"Bingo." We arrived at the meeting place of the Ancient One to find her looking pensive. I don't know if it was only me but she was looking paler than she usually did but given how no one, especially Mordo, was mentioning it, I shrugged it off for later.
"Kaecilius and his zealots are planning to summon the Dark God Dormammu. If Dormammu gets a link to earth, reality as we know it will cease to exist." Mordo was frantic as he paced around in anxiousness. It would be a lie if I said I wasn't anxious about Dormammu getting to earth.
Strange was here way earlier than he should have been and he also looked a little older than he should have been at this time if we went by MCU timeline so there was no telling if he would be able to pull off the time loop shtick he did with Dormammu in the movie… and the eye of Agamotto wasn't dangling on his neck, not after that time manipulation spell he pulled once in the library.
This was one of the problems with multiverses, there was hardly any such thing as constant. Strange learning the Mystic Arts and becoming Sorcerer Supreme might have been a constant but there was also multitudes of verses where he died due to one fight or some fucked up phenomenon… or due to his spells.
But Dormammu… *sigh*
"Do you think there may be a possibility that they fail to contact Dormammu and just get eaten? No one? Okay then." I just kept to a corner while the Ancient One paced around before turning to Strange.
"You guarded the New York Sanctum in its time of attack, for that I thank you. But the New York Sanctum cannot remain without a master… Master Strange."
"No… It is Doctor Strange. Not Master Strange. Not Mister Strange… Doctor Strange!"
"When I became a doctor, I swore an oath to do no harm and I have just killed three men! I am not doing that again. I became a doctor to save lives, not take them." Strange looked beaten as he said that.
"You became a doctor to save one life above all others… Your own." The Ancient One spoke calmly.
"Still seeing through me aren't you-" I decided to butt in at that point.
"Strange, that's enough. We have a lot on our plate right now than to comfort you, so save the bicker for later."
"Right. I forgot. This isn't anything new to you, is it?"
"No it isn't. I'll kill a hundred more and it still will have no effect on me."
"What about millions? I doubt that too has an effect on you." Strange scowled.
"No it doesn't. Not anymore at least. Get off your high moral compass and realize that the world doesn't revolve around you. You being a doctor or losing your hands means nothing. So for once in your goddamned life, think of something other than yourself." Strange kept quiet which gave me time to look and the Ancient One with a rare surprise look on her face. "We still have a Dark God coming for us so if you are not going to fight, or if it goes against your 'moral values' , then leave. Leave Kamar-Taj." I transfigured my shirt and trousers into my red sorcerer's robe with a thought with my axe-tie under it.
"They will be going for the Hong Kong Sanctum next, we have to get ready. Mr. Cross, I hope you can keep your temper in check."
I laughed at the light tease which also was a veiled reprimand and just shrugged. "Easily."
"Then let's go." Okay, maybe it was me but the Ancient One looked chirpier than usual as she led the way through the Sanctum doors.
We were pretty early given that the apocalyptic scene from the movies was in play here.
Since the Ancient One was with the Time Stine this time around instead of Strange, I had no idea how things would play out.
This was Dormammu for crying out loud. The big Dark Daddy. The only assurance of a chance we had, or that I knew we had, was that Dormammu always found it hard when confronting the Sorcerers Supreme. He had a bone to pick with almost all of them, with Strange being the latest in line for the lotto pick.
"They are starting the spell." The Ancient One spoke.
I propelled myself forward with flames spewing from my legs towards the location of the spell. Some of Kaecilius' zealots were already attacking the Sanctum, but with the Ancient One, Wong, Mordo and a reluctant Strange along with other reinforcements, they would be able to hold out for a while.
I was almost on them when something tackled me to the side of a building.
"I was thinking I wouldn't see your ugly mug again… Doom." I looked at the armored tyrant as he stood at the edge of the building, looking down at me. "You and Kaecilius? Never thought that was possible, well it works in my favor so I'm not complaining." I could see the Ancient One portal to Kaecilius to fight him, only for them to disappear into the mirror dimension.
"He is but a pawn… getting me to my prize." His raspy voice echoed out.
"Dormammu huh? Didn't peg you for the submitting type." I removed my tie and wrapped it over my hand while Doom, still his egotistical self, went into monologue mode.
"It is my prize… With such monumental power, everything dreamt of would be at my fingertips. Your death, a fleeting thought."
"Then your thoughts must be outright delusional since I'm still here. Remind me again who ran the last two times we've fought?" I taunted.
And like every megalomaniac, his ego spurned forth. "… I see. It was my folly… but it will be my last. Your skull shall be used as a chalice to toast my victory."
"Well maybe you are right… or maybe you are not. Who knows, third time's the charm, right?"
My axe materialized in my hand, a bastard axe, almost the same size as me, which was way too big for a human to carry. The bladed end was the most gigantic part, easily bigger than two heads put together.
My axe clashed against his sword… Why the hell did he think he could compete with me in physical strength?
The evidence of that was him on the losing end before his legs gave out and he was flung away.
Doom was flung out of the building but he managed to stabilize himself midair, but this time instead of him rushing at me to kill me, he looked at me with caution. "Your strength. It has increased folds over since then. Your potential is astonishing, Cross." His voice sounded almost disbelieving.
I jumped out from the floor I was on and swung my axe overhead at Doom who dodged and sent a blast at me which I just shrugged off.
That display seemed to set him off as different magic circles appeared in front of him and from them crawled out dark creatures with multiple limbs and eyes.
"Dark Invocation. So this is how far you have fallen Doom?" We were in the middle of Hong Kong fighting and the resulting collision had already started damaging the infrastructure, and then there was the sorcerers and Kaecilius who were fighting a somewhat weary Ancient One.
Ancient One… Dormammu.
I knew it! Her magic felt stronger but somewhat weaker, as if she couldn't draw all of them out but only multiply the effects of the one she was given. She drew power from the dark dimension and right now that was what was affecting her. The ritual was halfway done with the symbols floating in the air due to the Ancient One's interference, hopefully she could hold her own while I try to wrap things up with my homeboy.
"My source of power needs no criticism from anyone… least of all a dark spawn like you. History is written by victors, but with the power I shall gain from the dark dimension, reality will be what I wish it to be." His ever arrogant voice sounded out.
Throwing my care for Hong Kong's infrastructure out of the way, the entire street and main roads around me were frozen, nearing ever closer to absolute zero. The frozen spawns suddenly burst out in a gore of flesh and ice spikes before the ice started receding.
From the initial exchange, Doom knew that his technologies had minimal effect on me so he battled me with magic while using most of his weird techs for his support.
The earth rose around Doom as his magic transformed them into chains with some sort of red runes on them. I didn't need my sense to tell me for me to know that they were bad news if they bound me.
I dodged as I made my way to Doom, weaving through his attacks with a huge axe in my hand. Doom formed a shield to keep me back but I ignored it as lightning coated my axe as I brought it down with a bang, shattering his shield to motes of lights. Using the turning motion of my swing, I batted at his head with the flat part of the axe-head and followed him as he sailed through the air, only for him to see a red gigantic fist as I punched down on him.
The impact and resulting explosion as my fist collided with the ground destroyed the cars and nearby buildings, but my sense told me that Doom escaped.
I ducked as an Adamantium blade was swung at the previous location of my neck, my only saving grace being that he somehow was able to get into my range of perception in an instant.
Demonic wisp serpents grew out from the ground and slithered their way to me. Due to the close proximity between me and Doom, some were able to bite me, somehow piercing my skin with ease. That was the prompt I needed to immediately distance myself with Doom and the serpents only for me to see that where they had bitten was growing grey, almost as if it was decaying.
I formed an ice blade in my hand and quickly cut out the portion that were bitten while I dodged the serpents' venomous attacks and sent magic blasts to kill them.
The part of my flesh I had cut away rotted away in seconds before turning to dust in front of my eyes. "Life draining demon spawns. What kind of eldritch monster have you made a bargain with, Doom?" First those summons and now this? They all had life extinguishing features to them.
"If knowing the answer will bring you closer to your assured demise then I shall oblige you… While the foolish zealots have tethered themselves to the being of darkness, I, with my profound intellect, was able to draw on the excess power flowing through its dimension to myself while also keeping my being away from his reach. Even without making a deal with one such as Dormammu, I have attained similar powers."
No wonder I hated Doom. Who the hell does something like that? He and Reed were the only people I knew who could use whatever bullshit they called science to create wonders that even Celestial technology failed at.
I brandished my axe and was upon Doom at the next second, cleaving my way through the constructs he had made to strike against his chest. I prevented him from flying back due to the impact with ropes and drew him back to the axe once again, sending him flying away , only for him to pass through a portal and then be welcomed by my glowing fist.
Doom shot forward like a rat on fire and smashed through a few buildings before stopping. I didn't stop however as a portal formed below my legs and dropped me meters above the building. My axe glowed red as I brought it down on the building, destroying everything in an explosion which unfortunately engulfed some people nearby.
"Draul! Keep the destruction to a minimum… Please." I turned to see Strange floating a distance away with his cape, his eyes clouded with hateful resolve.
"I'll try my best. Hurry up and destroy that spell but be careful. The space around it is… messy." I warned him and turned to look at Doom who was crawling his way out the fiery debris. Though there were few splatters of blood on his armor, he remained unhurt for the most part.
"You are strong. Stronger than you were the past year, a mistake I failed to assimilate in my calculations. But one I nevertheless will rectify with your death."
His armor lit up in green runes and the feel of magic I got from him told me that this dude was finally getting real. Well jokes on him since I've been the realest since day 1.
"Draul St. Cross, this fight will not end like the last. The ultimate prize will not escape my grasp this time and your dying breath shall be the proof of it." He sounded sure, like he had already won but then again, when has Doom been anything but certain?
"One question though. What happened to your arm? Did you grow a new one or is that cybernetics?" I was really curious. His other arm, I was sure, had been thoroughly destroyed, reduced to dust, during our last fight. I didn't get the chance to ask then so I figured now would be a good time.
It looks like I hit a nerve as this motherfucker pulled a taboo practice and absorbed all the green from the surroundings. Whatever that spell was seems passive, maybe one of those inscribed runes on his armor.
He rushed at me with lighting speed, leaving a blur in his wake but I replied to him in the same fashion as red lines and steam appeared on my body.
We clashed our weapons, his a mix of Adamantium and something else I couldn't figure and mine, a new mix of Adamantium and Vibranium.
Shockwaves were produced from our fight due to our strength and the shock released from my axe which pushed back Doom. Unlike before on Christmas, I totally doominated Doom in a contest of strength as we traded blow for blow.
Doom flexed his hand in a quick motion only for space to fold for a bit and explode out, destroying everything in a circumference. Spatial attacks were hard to defend against and I was sure my durability wouldn't hold but thankfully I had super-regeneration.
I shot a thick beam at him which pushed him back for a bit before he held his own. I stopped the moment I knew this prick was somehow assimilating it, evident by the spike in power I felt from him.
He rushed at me with greater speed than before but I was able to react. We locked our weapons in a deadlock which I used as a chance to summon some little creatures I've always found disgusting.
Leeches.
Energy eating leeches.
Different from the life eating serpents Doom had summoned, these leeches only fed on energy and they stopped feeding either when they are full, which I've never seen, or when the energy of their host becomes distasteful or falls below a certain range. Picky pricks they were.
Doom snarled at the little buggers that were clinging to his oozing energy. My body was a well of energy of its own so I wasn't bothered by them but Doom thought differently.
"YOU DARE USE WORMS TO FIGHT DOOM?!!"
"Oops. Looks like someone is scoleciphobic."
Doom disengaged from me and slaughtered the little beauties on him and turned around to scowl ragefully at me.
Something about the way Doom was powering up had me skeptical. Sure he said he didn't sell his soul to Dormammu but there had to be a limit right. He couldn't just keep powering up like that multicolor haired alien child and his posies from that Japanese fiction right?
The reason I wasn't hulking up was due to the people hiding in buildings. That form of mine was total destruction as the Ancient One said. Central Hong Kong would be gone if I were to fight Doom in that form and he was to keep up with it and judging by the way our current fight was going, he could keep up for a while before he started losing. Oh Doom would lose for sure but it was how long it would take to lose that had me frustrated. I couldn't forget that an apocalypse was brewing a few kilometers away from me.
I extended my senses to a kilometer radius, painting a 360 visual in my head as I confronted Doom again. With his passive green absorption, the already burning areas had a tinge of grey to it. Doom, seemingly forgoing all aspects of holding back, formed a red magic circle.
The ground and debris cracked and floated around him, joining together to form something humongous. It looked like a humanoid giant, towering over buildings.
I felt a sense of foreboding as red lines started forming around the giant, as if lava was flowing through its veins as it came alive with a deafening roar.
Doom floated above its head and commanded it to attack.
I casted a binding spell to prevent its movement so as to reduce the magnitude of destruction that thing could cause but Doom was battling with me on that.
"This is not power of your creation. I surpass your mastery in the Arts and in time I shall surpass all mortals and gods alike. Lay down your life for my new age, mutant with the name of Cross." His every arrogant voice thunder forth as the massive thing punched downwards, wanting to squash me in its might.
If that thing was to continue with its attack then half of Hong Kong would be gone by the time we were done.
That was the only thought I had which prompted me to drag both myself, Doom and his hulking monster into the mirror dimension.
"The mirror dimension? Hahahaha, foolish move, Cross. Your death is all but assured here."
"Can you just shut it for more than a minute?"
"Humor will take you nowhere."
"But sarcasm will, I'm sure."
"Are those your final words?"
"Dude you've been speaking since the beginning. Shouldn't you be the one getting a timeout?"
It was the only prompt needed before we began our fight again.
I started releasing more of my power gradually as we fought. The giant was a prick to deal with as it had Doom as a vanguard who was doing his best to defend against any magic I was using on its fat ass.
With red lightning around my body which extended to my axe, I swung it in a downward slash which produced a wave of red energy that collided with the giant, tearing a long gash on its chest but not completely killing it.
Manipulating the dimension, I cut the ground around the area on which its feet were balanced, causing them to be divided and then rolled the area of its right foot in a kaleidoscope and effectively destroying it.
I could see Doom charging a spell at me but I didn't relent in my pursuit of the demise of the damned rock. I threw my axe at Doom with blinding speed to stop whatever he was doing while I formed a ball of chaotic energy in front of my fist which I punched into the head of the giant, destroying it in a red explosion.
"Finally we are all alone, Doom."
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Read up to 30 chapters ahead at /Draul_TheOminous.