Marvel Comics: The Sentinel(Sentry) Chapter 193: The Battle of the Strongest

The illusory head lood like a colossal mountain, its backdrop an endless expanse of dark space...

The being's unimaginably massive body stretched across countless dinsions, binding barren planets together with invisible chains of rule, like a frozen and lifeless world.

This was the ruler of the Dark Dinsion, the Ancient One's greatest nesis... a terrifying entity akin to an ancient evil god.

Dormammu...

Before he bore this na, he had once been an unknown sorcerer in ancient tis, who, by chance, he discovered the existence of the Dark Dinsion.

In his quest for its boundless energy, he willingly discarded his physical form, encasing his soul in searing magical flas. After countless trials, he beca the sole deity of that realm.

Driven by instinctive greed, Dormammu sought to conquer more planets, absorbing them into his domain. His massive form which forged from dark energy stretched across dinsions, seeking to expand his influence.

His ultimate goal? To beco the supre god above all dinsions, collecting life-bearing worlds like trophies and assimilating them into his essence.

This ruler of the Dark Dinsion had tried countless tis to devour Earth, to place the blue planet among his collection. Yet he had never succeeded, but was thwarted each ti by two Sorcerers Supre...

Agamotto, the first, had erected an impenetrable barrier around the material world, linking the Three Sanctums into a vast, unyielding magical network to maintain balance between reality and the dinsions.

The Ancient One, the second, had used her absolute power to keep extradinsional beings at bay. Neither demon nor angel dared cross her line.

"Human… your soul is enticing."

The thunderous voice reverberated through the dinsions, crashing into Sean's mind like a cannonball, instantly triggering violent tremors.

Dormammu's malevolent gaze locked onto the soul radiating intense light. It had been so long since he had encountered such a vibrant, delectable morsel.

Sean grunted as his psychic flas flickered violently. The ntal assault from Dormammu nearly shattered his soul.

The connection between reality and the dinsions surged, causing golden energy to erupt like a tsunami within his body. His wavering consciousness blazed brighter, like a sun too radiant to behold.

His mind and will intertwined, forging a brilliant sword of light that sliced through Dormammu's gaze in the Dark Dinsion.

His ti in Kamar-Taj had not been wasted. Though his progress in spells had been modest, his understanding of the soul had deepened imasurably.

"INSOLENT INSECT!" The furious roar beca a shockwave which shook countless overlapping dinsions.

Dormammu's illusory head lurched forward like a teor, smashing through the barriers between dinsions, intent on crushing the audacious human into dust.

In the material world, Kamar-Taj trembled. The air cracked like glass as endless dark energy assaulted the barrier between worlds.

The sudden disturbance alard every sorcerer in the sanctuary. Protective wards and spell formations activated automatically, their warning bells tolling ceaselessly.

The Ancient One's expression darkened. With a flick of her fingers, space shattered like a mirror, forming a fractured Mirror Dinsion that enveloped her and Sean.

Then, a radiant fla ignited between her brows, blazing like a torch.

"GET BACK!" Her voice, clear yet thunderous, unleashed a pillar of lightning and fire that slamd into Dormammu's spectral head like a hamr.

Her soul appeared beside Sean's...

Compared to his golden flas, hers was more solid, a distinct figure in white robes. Her will was forged into a glorious crown from which streams of light cascaded like tassels.

"Could you cause any less trouble?" Her ntal voice carried exasperation.

"Not my fault. Who knew a rabid dog would show up?" Sean retorted across the dinsional rift.

Hearing their exchange, Dormammu erupted in fury. Drawing upon the infinite energy of the Dark Dinsion, he flung two barren planets at them like stones.

"Ancient One! Soon, I will drag this world into darkness. You and your planet will beco part of !" The ruler of the Dark Dinsion roared.

He had already planted his pieces, zealous followers who would tear down Kamar-Taj's defenses. Once the balance between the material world and the dinsions collapsed, his full power would be unleashed, unbound by rules...

"Keep dreaming." The Ancient One raised her left hand, summoning a colossal axe that shimred with blue light.

With a single swing, she shattered the two oncoming planets into dust.

The axe, which was forged from raw destructive energy, radiated an overwhelming aura. The shockwaves of its power trembled through dinsions, as if the world itself might split apart at any mont.

Sean watched from the sidelines, awed...

'So this is the Sorcerer Supre, the guardian of the material world...'

Her power was unfathomable. Even against the ruler of the Dark Dinsion, she showed no fear.

Dormammu's spectral head glowed with dark energy. From his maw, he unleashed a devastating beam of annihilation.

The Ancient One was the only one who stood in his way. Without her, Earth would have been his long ago. He wouldn't need to manipulate followers with promises of dark power.

"Why waste your life and strength? Join ... transcend ti, beco immortal!" The demonic temptation slithered into the Ancient One's soul.

She sneered, and her psychic flas flared brighter, purging Dormammu's influence.

She was no Kaecilius... She was no broken, wavering soul easily seduced by darkness. She drew power from the Dark Dinsion to sustain her life, but such petty temptations could not sway her.

The clash of their energies ignited a cataclysmic storm. The shockwaves tore through dinsional space, obliterating countless overlapping worlds in a scene of apocalyptic ruin...

"Go." The Ancient One's command was curt.

She seized Sean's soul, and like a streak of light, they shot back into the material world...

....

~Back in Kamar-Taj~

Sean's consciousness returned to his body, and dizziness washed over him. He steadied himself, quickly regaining clarity...

The Ancient One, however, looked pale. She braced herself against the table. There was a trickle of blood at her lips... she clearly wounded.

From within the Mirror Dinsion, Dormammu's roar still echoed faintly:

"Ancient One! You thief! Sooner or later, you will FALL into the dark!"

The Sorcerer Supre's lips curled into a mocking smile. She had no fear of his threats.

"I no longer fear death," she murmured softly...