In the sacred sanctuary of Kamar‑Taj, Banner and Wanda stood before portals to the three temples, nerves taut with anticipation.
Three glowing screens displayed live feeds of Tony and the others.
Just outside the library, emergency mages stood ready, staffs in hand, prepared to intervene at a moment's notice.
These mages were unlike ordinary humans—they had been altered. Blood potions and arcane rituals transformed them into half‑beast, half‑mage creatures. Some had cat ears and tails; others bore dark, slender wings. None looked entirely human.
The new magic system had been publicly taught for over two weeks, yet few had voluntarily joined. The side effects were drastic—people feared becoming unnatural.
But casting spells now cost nothing, drawing more would‑be wizards over time.
The ones who stood there welcomed their transformation. They claimed it was not a side effect—rather an unexpected benefit.
Banner and Mordo exchanged puzzled looks until Tony explained the psychological phenomenon then everything clicked.
The strangest among them was Lintra, a former alien minotaur who landed on Earth by accident and joined Kamar‑Taj. He first drank the blood potion, distilled from an invisible beast. His hair thickened unnaturally, and he gained limited invisibility. Physically he became more like an alien minotaur.
Naively, he merely felt glad to see others sharing animal traits like ears or tails. It made him feel welcome.
---
Time passed slowly as anxious mages lingered in the waiting rooms. Vigilance is exhausting—unlike Malrick, who was locked in combat with Dormammu in the World Ring.
Thirty minutes later, Tony and the others agreed to rotate the watch shifts.
Meanwhile, in the Dark Dimension, Lords of Hell sensed a disruption.
From a throne in Hell, Mephisto—once a raging infernal red—transformed into an elderly white-bearded man. He rubbed his eyes.
"Dormammu is occupied… with something on an Earth?" he murmured, eyes glinting. The opportunity was too tempting to ignore.
He sent lesser demons to scout the planet. Others like Satannish, Zatanna, Marduk, and even the Eye Demon set their gaze on Earth—each acting without coordination.
---
Beep!
Warning lights and alarms flared across every screen. The temple glowed red under emergency elite crimson strobes.
Tony's face turned grim. "Enemies approaching. Mages, contain the temples. Romanoff, hold until the probe wave hits, then strike with me."
Natasha clasped her magical spear. "Understood." She shook her head, remarkable to think months ago she never imagined leading this kind of fight.
All three Sanctums felt tremors as energy bursts shredded their outer wards. At nearly the same time, lesser demons and creatures of dimensional origin poured through cracks.
At London, Hong Kong, and New York Sanctums, the magical defenses began to fail.
Wong and Mordo issued coordinated commands. The mirror-space shields activated around each Sanctum—even encompassing newly formed dimensional rifts.
Tony switched to full-frequency broadcast. "These intruders resemble mythical three-headed hellhounds or red dragons—anyone confirm?"
Mordo's voice came tepid, concerned: "I'm seeing big-eyed creatures in pods—seem mental‐erosion capable, likely from the Eye Demon's minions."
Wong's tone was steadier. "Hong Kong sees low-level hell‑creatures—they're manageable."
Banner, eager, offered: "Let me know if you need Hulk—"
"No," Wong cut in, firm. "Instead, divide remaining sanctum mages into three response teams. Focus ranged magic first, then engage up close."
"On it!" Banner sprinted out, rallying over a hundred mages, sending them through the portals of each temple.
---
Lintra's team entered the London Sanctum and was immediately contained in mirror‑space. Ahead, Mordo stood armored and grim, sealing off several massive, one‑eyed octopus‑like beasts.
Their tentacles stretched dozens of meters. The eyes radiated psychic corrosion.
"Use Vishanti's mind guard!" Lintra shouted breathlessly. Dozens cast protective wards instantly.
Mordo barked orders: "Use the Unforgivable Curse! Concentrate on a single target!"
With green beams firing in tandem—Avada Kedavra—they focused murderous mental energy. The octopus collapsed, seemingly stunned rather than slain.
Using this opening, Mordo soared upward on magical boots and unleashed a fan‑blade of Oshtur, cleaving the beast's head in two.
"Well done! Keep pushing," he encouraged.
Even Hogwarts magic proved effective—these octopus demons were normally impervious to conventional arms and constantly afflicted minds. But coordinated killing intent disrupted their mental anchoring.
Within minutes, Mordo's group had dispatched the remaining creatures with ease.
Mordo grinned. "We're the first temple to neutralize attackers."
Then Lintra pointed back—eyes widening.
More octopuses poured from mirror rifts. Their number was endless.
Dread and panic spread across the battlefield.