The moment they arrived on the battlefield, the searing heat hit them like a wave. Stephen Strange, though overwhelmed by the scene before him, knew he had no choice but to keep his composure. He had spent months in Kamar-Taj but had yet to master a single spell.
Before him stood a monstrous entity towering over fifty meters high. Fear coursed through him, but what truly caught his attention was the young man locked in combat with the beast.
The sorcerers of the Ancient One's order brandished their Sling Rings, weaving a massive illusion spell. In unison, hundreds of them altered the battlefield, unwittingly dragging both Mephisto and Garus into a mirrored dimension.
"Trap the demon first!" Mordo commanded.
The sorcerers pressed their hands against the ground, summoning towering pillars of rock from the molten depths, enclosing Mephisto within. Golden energy pulsed through the structure as they reinforced the prison—if they could hold out just a little longer, they could banish the Lord of Hell to another plane.
Garus, however, was displeased. The battle had been interrupted, and he had nearly been caught in the trap himself. Were these sorcerers here to help, or were they treating him as an enemy as well?
If they wanted to take over, then by all means, let them deal with Mephisto. Garus descended, watching as the Kamar-Taj sorcerers scrambled to repair the cracks already forming in their arcane prison.
From experience, Garus knew this Mephisto was at least demi-god level. Even if the Ancient One herself were here, she would struggle against him. However, the sheer number of highly trained sorcerers presented its own kind of challenge.
While half of them focused on mending the cracks, the others began opening a pitch-black portal above the cage.
Stephen stood frozen, uncertain of what to do.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Inside the prison, Mephisto raged, his fiery fists hammering against the barrier. The sorcerers couldn't keep up—before they could finish their spell, the entire construct shattered into rubble.
"Insolent worms of Kamar-Taj!" Mephisto roared, turning and spewing hellfire toward the nearest sorcerers.
A golden shield shimmered into existence, blocking the infernal flames.
Seeing his attack fail, Mephisto thrust his massive hand downward, piercing the barrier and grabbing the nearest sorcerer.
"Stephen!" Mordo's frustration was evident. Why had the Ancient One brought him here?
"We need to get him back!"
Nearly a hundred sorcerers conjured golden bindings, latching onto Mephisto's arm. With a single swing, Mephisto sent them all hurtling skyward.
As they plummeted toward the lava below, the terrain shifted—underneath them, the ground rose, catching them before they met their fiery demise. In this mirrored realm, they had control over the landscape, sparing them from an untimely end.
Garus noted the faint golden glow surrounding the captive. Something about him seemed familiar.
Since the man wouldn't die immediately, Garus turned to the battered Mordo. "Who is he?"
Mordo scowled but answered, "He is our master's newest disciple—Stephen Strange. I have no idea why she sent him here."
Stephen Strange? The future Sorcerer Supreme?
This man would become a legend, wielding magic powerful enough to toy with Loki, the God of Mischief, and negotiating with Dormammu, ruler of the Dark Dimension. His mastery of the Mystic Arts was near-instantaneous, almost as if fate itself demanded it.
One of the Kamar-Taj sorcerers turned to Garus. "Sir, could you assist in rescuing Stephen?"
Before he could answer, Mephisto, now impatient, flung Stephen away. No one reacted in time as he plummeted toward the lava below—
A golden portal suddenly materialized in his path.
THUD!
Stephen tumbled through, landing hard on a rocky outcrop. Dazed, he clutched his head, struggling to regain his bearings.
Just as the relief set in, Mephisto's hands came crashing down again.
A skeletal barrier erupted above them, shielding the sorcerers.
BOOM!
Bone fragments scattered as the impact sent shockwaves through the battlefield, forcing the sorcerers to steady themselves.
Then, a voice echoed in Garus's mind. "Boy, do you need my help?"
He froze. "Sindragosa?" The voice was familiar, yet the connection was baffling. Speaking directly from the realm of the dead was no small feat.
"It's me," she confirmed, amusement in her tone. "A nice, long rest does wonders. Thanks to you, I absorbed a substantial number of souls last time. A few more, and I might just return to my full strength."
Garus glanced at the battered sorcerers struggling against Mephisto. If he wanted to end this quickly, he needed a real ally.
"Fine."
As he chanted the summoning incantation, a cold wind swept through the blazing inferno. A vortex of bones spiraled into existence, coalescing into a massive skeletal dragon.
Sindragosa opened her maw, unleashing a soundless wail that sent a chill through the battlefield.
"A dragon?!" Mephisto's expression twisted in uncertainty. Across all realms, dragons were creatures of immense power—even in Hell, they were few and far between, and none were his allies.
This one, in particular, radiated a power just shy of his own. Paired with Garus, he was completely outmatched.
He turned to flee, attempting to open a portal—but Sindragosa was faster.
A frost bomb detonated on Mephisto's body, extinguishing his infernal flames and encasing him in a thick layer of ice.
Blizzard. Frost Breath.
The continuous onslaught froze Mephisto solid, his body shattering into countless pieces.
Below, Stephen, who had barely grasped a handful of spells, watched in awe. Just moments ago, he had been thrilled with his progress—now, he realized how insignificant it was.
This is what true power looks like.
A thought struck him—could this man heal his hands?
His fingers still trembled, despite all he had learned. For the first time, Stephen Strange felt the urge to ask someone for help.
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