Kaecilius was not in a hurry to destroy the remaining two Sanctums. Instead, he came to an abandoned church on the outskirts of the city.
Not long after he arrived, a portal appeared in front of Kaecilius. Karl Mordo walked out of the portal. His face was completely split in two by a vertical scar. He looked at Kaecilius with both hatred and vigilance in his eyes.
"Kaecilius, although you have successfully destroyed one Sanctum, you cannot deceive the great Lord Dormammu," Mordo said accusingly.
Kaecilius looked at Mordo with a smile on his face. He glanced at Mordo's shadow that was gradually growing stronger. The shadow seemed to contain endless darkness and an endless abyss within it. Kaecilius said to him calmly, "How could I possibly deceive Lord Dormammu? As the lord of the Dark Dimension, Lord Dormammu is not someone that human mages like us could ever deceive."
Hearing this response, Mordo stepped forward and shouted in a low voice, "Kaecilius, do not try to quibble with me. Even if you can deceive the great Dormammu, you cannot deceive me!"
"Oh? Do you mean you think you are superior to Lord Dormammu?" Kaecilius asked with dangerous calm.
Kaecilius's words startled Mordo immediately. He was about to say something when he suddenly realized he could not move his body. Unparalleled pain surged from every part of his body. The agony made it difficult for Mordo to bear. He fell to his knees and repeatedly begged Dormammu for mercy.
Mordo's shadow quickly spread across the floor. It covered most of the abandoned and dilapidated church. The buildings inside the church began to wriggle and change as if they were alive. A pair of massive purple-black eyes emerged from within Mordo's shadow.
"Kaecilius, you are worthy of being the person I favored from the beginning. You truly should belong to the endless Dark Dimension and serve under my command. You have done well. One Sanctum has become your token of surrender to me. Now I will grant you more powerful abilities to continue destroying the remaining Sanctums and completely liberate the Earth from its protective shell!" Dormammu's voice echoed through the church.
Looking at the power of the Dark Dimension rushing towards him, Kaecilius's expression did not change at all. He immediately said to Dormammu, "Great Dormammu, please take back your power. Although your humble servant is extremely eager for the power you bestow, I will not be able to serve you properly if I accept it now. Until I completely destroy the three Sanctums so that you can descend upon Earth, I still need to maintain my identity as a wizard under Hogwarts. I also need Sebastian Shaw to protect me and help me deal with the Sorcerer Supreme on Earth!"
Dormammu's purple-black eyes stared at Kaecilius intently. He slowly said, "Well, you are correct. In order to complete the great cause that will allow me to come to Earth, you can even give up the temptation of the powerful abilities I would bestow upon you. I have to say that you are my most satisfied servant on Earth in recent times. When I come to Earth completely, I will grant you the status of leader among my many followers."
As the words fell, Dormammu quickly retracted his offered power and ended the punishment of Mordo.
After expressing his gratitude to Dormammu with a deep bow, Mordo stood up shakily. He said to Dormammu, "Great Dormammu, I will also work for you and do my utmost to destroy the Sanctums as a token of my loyalty!"
"Well, although your abilities are limited, I still believe in your loyalty. From now on, you will assist Kaecilius in his mission. If you need any help, you can call upon me directly," Dormammu said.
Although Dormammu was arrogant by nature, he was no fool.
He claimed that Kaecilius was his most satisfied disciple and servant. However, in reality he was not completely confident in Kaecilius's true loyalty. This is why he placed Mordo by Kaecilius's side. Mordo would serve both as help and as a watchful eye.
Kaecilius and the other Hogwarts wizards were well aware of this arrangement. They were well prepared for the current situation and did not hesitate or complain about Mordo's presence.
Dormammu was quite pleased to see the obedient state of Kaecilius and the others. Although he lacked the Authority to peer directly into their memories and deepest thoughts, he possessed relevant abilities to sense surface emotions. He sensed only their obedience and submission. He detected no other conflicting thoughts. While he could not discern the finer details of their innermost thoughts, this surface reading was enough to satisfy him.
However, Dormammu was completely unaware of the existence of a magical skill called Occlumency!
Six months into the Hogwarts term, Sebastian had already begun teaching the teachers three advanced abilities. These were Apparition, Occlumency, and wandless spellcasting. The five individuals Kaecilius had chosen for this mission required mastery of Occlumency first and foremost. After that came Apparition.
Clearly, Kaecilius's decision to prioritize these skills had proven correct.
Using Occlumency to block out some of his true thoughts and conjure up false memories and surface thoughts was enough to fool Dormammu. The Dark Dimension lord was not particularly adept at mental intrusion. He accepted Kaecilius and the others as his true followers and servants based on what he could sense.
Dormammu's presence retreated back into the shadows. Kaecilius prepared to leave the abandoned church along with the other five Hogwarts wizards and Mordo.
But at that precise moment, the entire church was suddenly enveloped by the Mirror Dimension. A portal appeared before them with a flash of golden light. The Ancient One emerged from the portal. She was clad in her traditional yellow robes and hood. She stood before them with a calm and sorrowful expression.
Without any hesitation, Kaecilius grabbed Mordo's shoulder firmly. Along with the other five wizards, he performed Apparition and swiftly fled backwards through the air. They crashed through the church windows in their haste. Five plumes of black smoke flew off rapidly in different directions.
Seeing this escape attempt, the Ancient One waved her arms with practiced grace. The ground beneath them sprang to life as if it were alive. The ground and buildings began moving as if they were escorting the Ancient One forward. She quickly pursued the black smoke trail that Kaecilius had transformed into while carrying Mordo.
Snap, snap, snap...
A folding magical mandala emerged from her hands like an intricate folding fan. She waved it violently in the direction of the fleeing black smoke. The nearby tall buildings twisted and contorted like noodles. They blocked the smoke's path of escape.
Bang!
The smoke collided with the folded building. Kaecilius and Mordo were forced to reappear in their physical forms.
At this moment, the Ancient One leaped forward through the air. The direction of gravity immediately changed around her. She landed and stood not far in front of Kaecilius and Mordo on what had been a vertical surface.
Looking at her two former students with genuine sadness, the Ancient One said with a hint of deep regret in her voice, "What a terrible pity! My former students have now surrendered themselves to Dormammu."
"Ancient One, how could someone like you possibly understand the true power of the great Lord Dormammu? Sooner or later, you will die at the hands of Lord Dormammu!" Mordo shouted back defiantly.
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