When Garus returned from the depths of Hell, he found the Ancient One barely holding her ground under the combined assault of Dormammu and Mephisto. A golden shield flickered around her, warding off the worst of their attacks, but her pale face betrayed the strain—her magic reserves were nearly depleted.
Summoning the full force of his deathly power, Garus manifested a massive blackened arm, seizing Mephisto's body and hurling him violently toward Dormammu.
A thunderous explosion erupted as infernal energy and dark sorcery collided, shaking the very fabric of reality. Seizing the opportunity, the Ancient One swiftly conjured a portal and vanished from the battlefield.
"You humans are proving more resilient than I expected. Those wretched underlings of mine have sorely disappointed me."
"How's that for an entrance?" Garus steadied the swaying Ancient One.
"I'll manage... Just drained."
Meanwhile, across the battlefield, Ulysses was still locked in a fierce struggle against Thanos. Though formidable, it was clear that the Mad Titan held the upper hand.
"We need a plan," Garus muttered. "Taking down both Dormammu and Mephisto at once isn't going to be easy."
Even as he spoke, he activated the Space Stone embedded in his blade, conjuring a rift before them—just in time to swallow one of Dormammu's devastating attacks.
"Human, surrender the Infinity Stones."
Mephisto's towering form loomed over them as he swung a colossal fist downward. Garus didn't hesitate—grabbing the Ancient One, he blinked through a wormhole just as the impact split an abandoned skyscraper in two.
For three days and nights, the battle raged on.
This stalemate couldn't continue indefinitely. While Garus himself was sustained by the power of death, neither fatigue nor hunger affecting him, the Ancient One was visibly weakening, and Ulysses' armor had begun to crack, blood seeping through fresh wounds.
A thought struck Garus—if the combined might of all six Infinity Stones could erase half the universe, perhaps he could channel that energy to focus solely on Dormammu, tipping the scales in their favor.
"Ancient One, we need all six Stones. We have to retrieve your Eye of Agamotto—"
Before she could respond, a voice echoed in Garus' mind, emanating from the Soul Stone itself.
"Mortal, wielding all six Stones at once may rid you of these foes, but your weapon will not survive the strain."
The Soul Stone had chosen Garus as its bearer due to Frostmourne's unique connection to the realm of souls. However, even with its power, the blade was no match for the combined force of the Infinity Stones.
"Is that so?" Garus hesitated for a fraction of a second—just enough for Dormammu's dark magic to tear through half his body. Before he could react, the Reality Stone's energy surged through him, instantly restoring the damage.
"Yes. However, acquiring the Time Stone will make you stronger. Just don't attempt to use all the Stones simultaneously."
Reluctantly, Garus abandoned the idea of channeling them all at once.
Dormammu, growing impatient, seethed with fury. A being of his stature—ruler of the Dark Dimension—being held off for this long was an insult.
"Enough! Perish!"
A blinding surge of violet energy erupted around him, shaking the entire planet to its core.
Garus raised layer upon layer of defenses—Frozen Resilience, Bone Shield, Anti-Magic Field—each stacking upon the other to absorb the catastrophic force.
Meanwhile, the Ancient One slipped into the Mirror Dimension, concealing herself from the onslaught.
Then, a familiar voice resonated in Garus' mind.
"Kid, every time I wake up, you seem to be knee-deep in trouble. This time, your opponent looks... troublesome."
"Sindragosa, you're finally awake." Relief flooded Garus as he felt his last reserves wane. Holding out this long against cosmic-level beings was no small feat. "Get out here and lend a hand."
"Understood."
A sudden gust of frigid wind swept through the battlefield, extinguishing the infernal flames that had turned the air into a blistering furnace. From the swirling frost, the skeletal form of Sindragosa coalesced, her spectral presence radiating overwhelming arcane energy.
Without hesitation, the frostwyrm unleashed a massive Arcane Bomb directly at Dormammu.
The ensuing explosion engulfed the battlefield in a violent arcane storm, further shattering the already crumbling planet. Deep beneath the surface, an unknown machine struggled to keep the world from disintegrating entirely.
Every time she emerged from her slumber, Sindragosa grew stronger. Now, she was leagues beyond the strength she once possessed in Azeroth.
...
Meanwhile, the war on Earth had taken a decisive turn in favor of its defenders. With the combined efforts of the Inhumans and the Mutants, enemy forces had been swiftly eradicated.
Yet, despite the victory, the gathered heroes—Avengers, Inhumans, and countless other superpowered allies—did not celebrate.
Steve Rogers broke the silence. "Garus and the Ancient One haven't returned. We have no way of knowing what's happening on the other side. Shouldn't we be doing something?"
Doctor Strange, having once faced Dormammu himself, understood the gravity of the situation. "For now, things aren't dire—if Dormammu and Mephisto haven't returned, it means Garus is still holding his ground. But the longer this drags on, the less certain our chances become. We need reinforcements—powerful ones."
All eyes turned to Wanda Maximoff. Here, she held the most authority. The Mutant Academy, along with Azeroth's technological forces, awaited her command.
After a moment of contemplation, Wanda asked, "Where are they now?"
Stephen Strange answered without hesitation. "Titan—the moon of Saturn."
The Ancient One had informed him of Garus' last known location, likely hoping for backup to arrive.
"Then we move."
Tony Stark turned to the government-affiliated heroes—Captain Marvel, Storm, and Captain Britain. "You in?"
"Apologies, but we have other priorities," came the response. None of them were willing to risk the dangers of this battle.
The mission was too perilous for all but the most powerful warriors. Only a select few were chosen.
...
At the headquarters of S.W.O.R.D., a Kree warship was prepared for departure, set to ferry Earth's strongest champions to Titan.
As they neared their destination, the ruined planet loomed in the distance.
A portion of the surface burned with crimson fire. Another was shrouded in a swirling mix of violet and black energy. Large fragments had already broken off, detonating in endless explosions across the void.
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TN: This fanfic has been fully translated and is available on my Patreon —— PATREON.COM / PRIMALDEMON