When the blinding explosion of energy finally faded and the dust settled, Ethan staggered back, trying to steady himself.
His pulse pounded in his ears as he looked down at his hands, realizing he was still intact.
"Damn it," he muttered, catching his breath. "That almost took me with it."
Without a second thought, he tossed Mjolnir aside, watching as the weapon thudded heavily against the fractured ground.
That thing was terrifying.
If he'd held onto it a moment longer, he might have been torn apart along with the collapsing mirror dimension.
As soon as the hammer left his grasp, the ancient runes engraved upon it flickered, and its immense power was sealed away once more.
However, something caught his eye—a small crack running along Mjolnir's once-pristine surface. It was faint, but it was there.
Ethan frowned. "That... doesn't look good."
Mjolnir was forged from the core of a dying star, its material nearly indestructible. Yet, it had still suffered damage.
It made sense—such a small amount of neutron star matter could only remain stable for so long.
By unleashing its full potential, he had unknowingly compromised the hammer's internal structure.
If used recklessly again, it could spiral out of control.
Before he could dwell on it further, Thor came rushing in from seemingly nowhere, practically diving for his hammer.
He scooped it up like a protective parent, his expression twisted with concern.
"My Mjolnir..." he murmured, running his fingers along the crack.
His usual bravado was nowhere to be found.
Then, as if suddenly remembering Ethan's presence, Thor took a few cautious steps back, subtly shifting the hammer behind him.
His blue eyes flickered with something between awe and suspicion.
Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Really? You think I'm gonna steal it or something?"
Thor didn't answer right away.
Instead, his grip tightened.
He wasn't worried about Ethan picking it up—he had already done that.
No, this was something deeper.
A realization had struck him like a bolt of lightning: all these years, he had wielded Mjolnir thinking he was using its full strength.
But what Ethan had just done...
That wasn't the hammer he had known.
That was something else entirely.
Was this its true power?
Had he, the so-called God of Thunder, merely been wielding a shadow of what Mjolnir was capable of?
Thor shuddered, replaying the moment in his mind.
The sheer devastation.
The weight of its unleashed might.
In comparison, he felt like a child swinging a wooden sword.
Meanwhile, Ethan rolled his eyes. "Relax, man. Even if you handed me that thing, I wouldn't want it."
Thor blinked. "You wouldn't?"
"Hell no." Ethan gestured at the hammer like it was a ticking time bomb.
"Sure, it's powerful. But carrying that thing around? It's way too much trouble. Besides, the whole 'crush anything in a hundred-mile radius' deal isn't exactly my style."
If he seriously went around using that level of force every time he fought, he wouldn't just be a walking disaster—he'd be a full-blown planetary threat. No thanks.
His ability to manipulate vectors was already a game-changer.
He didn't need to swing around a cosmic-level warhammer on top of that.
Thor didn't seem entirely convinced, but before he could press further, Ethan turned his attention to the aftermath of the battle.
The mirror dimension was gone.
Shattered.
They were now standing in the massive crater left behind by the Destroyer's explosion, right in the middle of the ruined town.
Smoke and dust still clung to the air, but there was something else missing—
Mephisto.
Ethan squinted at the sky. "Where the hell did he go?"
There was no trace of him.
No lingering hellfire, no sinister presence in the air.
It was as if he had simply vanished.
He glanced at the Ancient One, who stood calmly amid the wreckage, observing the scene with an unreadable expression.
"Did we actually kill him?" Ethan asked, skeptical.
He knew Mephisto was insanely powerful, but that last hit—it had been enough to shake reality itself.
Even Odin himself wouldn't have taken it head-on without consequences.
But Mephisto had.
And now he was gone.
The Ancient One met Ethan's gaze, but said nothing right away.
That silence spoke volumes.
Mephisto wasn't dead.
Ethan exhaled sharply. "Great."
As the cunning Lord of Hell, Mephisto was never the type to be easily erased, even when facing destruction in his true form." The Ancient One shook her head, her expression calm but firm.
Then, she shifted the topic. "However, the damage he sustained was severe. He won't be making a move for a long time. For now, he's trapped in his own domain, licking his wounds."
Thor exhaled, rolling his shoulders. "Honestly? That's the best outcome we could've hoped for. Mephisto isn't just a problem for Earth
—he's a nightmare for countless worlds. If he's forced to stay in Hell, that's a victory for the universe."
He turned to the Ancient One, giving a respectful nod. "Supreme Sorcerer, I owe you my thanks. I didn't expect Midgard to have a sorcerer as powerful as you."
The Ancient One smiled, shaking her head. "No need for thanks, Thor. This was simply an exchange."
Then, her expression grew more serious. "But your time on Earth has come to an end. You have a kingdom to return to. Your father and your people need you."
Thor clenched his jaw, understanding the weight of her words. He had already lost too much time due to his coma.
If he delayed any longer, he might return to Asgard only to find it lost to Loki.
Standing beside Sif, he turned back to Ethan, giving a small nod.
"We are all warriors fighting to protect our worlds. From this day on, consider me your ally. I have a feeling we will meet again."
As soon as he finished speaking, the skies above them opened, and the Bifrost descended, whisking Thor and his companions away in a brilliant beam of light.
Ethan let out a small sigh of relief before turning his attention back to the Ancient One.
His eyes narrowed as he recalled something Mephisto had said during the fight.
"Alright, now that the outsider is gone, we need to talk. Why did Mephisto think you were dead?"
The Ancient One remained composed, as if the answer was trivial.
"It's simple. When Dormammu attempted to invade Earth, I was struck down by one of his followers, Kaecilius."
Ethan crossed his arms. "And?" His tone made it clear he wasn't buying the surface-level explanation.
The Ancient One finally met his gaze.
"The dark dimension grants immense power and longevity, but it also chains you to it. I saw an opportunity and took it—shedding my mortal form to break free."
She studied Ethan's reaction before adding, "I expected you to be more surprised."
'Of course I wouldn't be shocked. I know you're destined to die, but not this early!' was what Ethan wanted to say, but instead,
Ethan shrugged. "You think I'd be shocked just because my parents were killed by dark magic users?
That I'd hate anyone who so much as taps into it? Please. Power is just a tool. What matters is the one wielding it."
The Ancient One chuckled approvingly. "A wise perspective."
Then, she glanced toward the now-empty sky.
"But there's another reason I did this. Faking my death lured out threats like Mephisto before they could act in secret.
The new Supreme Sorcerer has great potential, but not the experience to handle threats of that magnitude just yet."
Ethan tilted his head. "So, let me get this straight. You're faking your death to preemptively deal with cosmic threats and rushing to prepare your successor—
sounds an awful lot like you're arranging your own funeral. But, you're not actually dead. What's your real plan?"
The Ancient One exhaled and reached into her robes, pulling out a glowing green artifact—the Eye of Agamotto. "Because I'm leaving Earth," she admitted.
"Using this, I have glimpsed the future. And what I have seen is troubling."
Ethan's expression darkened. "Troubling how? Are we talking alien invasions?"
'Don't tell me the Battle of New York will happen much earlier in this universe too?'
The Ancient One shook her head. "That would be a minor inconvenience compared to what's coming."
Ethan felt a cold chill crawl up his spine. "Then what?"
The Ancient One's voice was steady, but there was an unmistakable weight behind it.
"I saw an infinite war. Not just any war, but a conflict that will engulf the entire universe. An endless battle that will see entire civilizations wiped from existence. And Earth will not be spared."
Ethan tightened his fists. "That's... not good."
He already had a good idea of what she was referring to.
'So unlike the cannon where she doesn't have any idea that Thanos will come, in here she already knows, huh...'
The Ancient One nodded. "There is hope—you, the new Supreme Sorcerer, and others with potential.
But it is not enough. That is why I must leave Earth—to search for more hope elsewhere."
Ethan exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Alright, last question. Did you see how this all ends?"
At that, the Ancient One let out a small, wry laugh. "Some things, even with the Eye of Agamotto, are beyond my sight."
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Word count: 1551
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