Smoke, flame, and twisting roads of depressing stone. The dark dimension was truly the endless void of madness it was famed to be. On a plateau, amidst the swirling either of chaotic energies, two mindless ones sat motionless. Like all of their kind, they had no thought, no motivation and no will outside of what their master commands. As they waited for their dread lord to guide them, a wisp of chaotic light drifted down and landed on one of their shoulders. The opposite saw this and became fixed on the offending speck of light on his counterpart. Their was no malice, no real intention, just the smallest thing out of place. The untouched one raised a hand, then swatted the speck with full force, sending his counterpart to the ground. The fallen one turned to his assailant and punched him, Inciting a blast of destructive energy.
Twilight couldn't help but shudder away from the brutality. She continued down the path. Her head hung in despair and the sound of her hooves on stone echoing in her mind. The princess of magic was feeling, for lack of a better term, absolutely stupid. It hit her like a train that all she had to do was call Dormammu's bluff and she could be at sugarcube corner with everypony she cared about. "You just had to talk," She said with contempt for herself. "After everything you went through, you just had to fall for rhetoric. You could handle the sirens just fine. Getting right to the magic blasting didn't exactly work, but still." She straightened up and groaned as she went on. "Ugh, how could I just let him walk all over me like that. I think I felt better when Tirek threw me into that mountain." In her musings, Twilight had considered what her captor had said. It couldn't be a matter of her friends being afraid of Dormammu. They were afraid for her. This thing from another world was threatening somepony they cared about and they didn't want her to get hurt because of them. Twilight took another deep breath, feeling slightly sickened by the corruption in the air. She knew she had to keep her spirits high if she was going to get through this. The path before her seemed to go on forever, but she couldn't look at anything else. Looking at the sky made her eyes hurt. However, after some groans of impatience, the path was approaching a spiral that led up to a large platform. Twilight figured she'd save some time and fly up.
When she landed, she was greeted by a most peculiar sight. For everything strange and alien Twilight was bracing herself for, the last thing she would have expected to see was a human. His outfit certainly fit the realm. A long, flowing green cape, covered in black markings hung behind him and his spiked shoulder pads were as black as his hair. He turned and met Twilight with cold eyes. "It took you long enough." He seemed to be trying to read her as he approached. "I would've hoped that teleportation would be an easy task for one that the master sees promise in."
Twilight was a bit taken aback by the snap of a greeting, but she figured it would be a good idea to stay well-mannered. With a nervous smile, she replied. "Uh, okay. Anyway, hello. My name is..."
"Twilight Sparkle. I'm fully aware of who you are. I am Baron Mordo, master of the arcane arts and the most faithful servant of the dread Dormammu." The dark sorcerer took on a look of disgust as the young princess tried to reach out a hoof in a greeting gesture. "Save your petty courtesies. Understand one thing, child. The master, for reasons that are obviously beyond my mortal comprehension, has chosen you to aide him on this dire matter. However, this does not make us equals. I have accomplished more in my workings of the dark arts than you could ever hope to..."
"Get over yourself, Karl and stop picking on the new kid." The remark was quick, harsh, and put the once blustering Mordo into a pale silence. Twilight could only wish she could shut Trixie up that quick. Looking over the sorcerer's shoulder, Twilight found the dread lord himself. Dormammu was using his dark magics to manipulate the ground in front of him, drawing up a rectangular monolith to his current eight foot height. He placed a hand on the front and dragged it across while he walked to the right. When it reached the edge and he kept going, the monolith began to stretch with it. Twilight was intrigued by the way Dormammu was able to warp the matter of the dark dimension. The paths, his throne, all of it was crafted by Dormammu's will. He stopped and observed his work, a large make-shift chalk board. He reached behind him and summoned forth two Gothic designed desks. "Take a seat."
Twilight was a bit puzzled, but figured it would be better to go along with it. Mordo simply looked puzzled. "Master, is this really..."
Dormammu responded with a sharp reply and a white hot glare. "Sit down, Karl!" His gaze dimmed as his minion obeyed. The dread lord gave Twilight an acknowledging look before turning back to the board. "Feeling better?"
Twilight rolled her eyes. "You mean have I recovered from that assault of soul-crushing reality you call wisdom? Sure, just a little emotional scarring that'll haunt me for the rest of my life, but otherwise I'm just peachy."
He nodded and went to work. "Great, now let's get down to business." Dormammu motioned his finger in the air and dashes began to form on the board. They burned and lengthened to form a more complete image. When it was finished, Dormammu stepped aside to face his compatriots. "Okay, kiddies, class is in session. This," he smacked the board for emphasis. "Is our enemy."
Twilight grimaced at the gruesome image. An insectoid bi-ped with a pair of fearsome wings that she could compare to a dragon's. "Who or what is that thing?"
Dormammu grimaced at the image. "Annihilus. The lord of the negative zone, cosmic super-being, megalomaniac, and generally not a nice person. He has spent his very long life making himself infamous for being a threat to the universe at large on a regular basis."
The lavender alicorn kept herself at attention. This was clearly going to be bigger than anything she'd seen, but at least she was learning in advance. "Notoriety aside, what are we looking at in terms of an enemy on the field?"
"You name it, he's got it." He tapped his fingers against the board. "Strength, speed, durability, agility, reflexes, stamina, all of which are at superhuman levels. As you can imagine, those wings aren't just for show. He's a demon in the air. He's also a formidable hand to hand combatant, but that's not really the biggest danger." Dormammu stepped back from the image of Annihilus so Twilight could see what he was highlighting. "This is the cosmic control rod. It's his deadliest weapon, capable of projecting up to ten megatons. It also shields him from intense heat, cold, and radiation."
Mordo was familiar with the Arthrosian, but he hadn't taken a thorough review of him. "He is quite the formidable opponent. Nothing compared to your might, master, I'm sure."
The dread lord rolled his eyes. "No one likes a kiss up, Karl." He went back to dashing images into the board. "Now, recent events, i.e. the reason I've called miss Sparkle."
"You mean, abducted," she corrected.
Dormammu gave her a look. "Really?" He finished his etchings and stepped aside once more. "Behold the infinity gauntlet and the six infinity gems. Created from the remains of one of the earliest beings from the time of the creation of the universe, each of the gems posses a unique and unrivaled power." Dormammu watched as the image of each gem lit up in their respective colors. "The last time they were seen was in a catastrophic event that nearly caused two realities to collide."
Twillight was at full attention. The description of these gems was like something out of story or legend, but then again, it wouldn't have been the first time she'd heard something at those lines. "What happened?"
Mordo answered feeling a bit more at ease. "The gauntlet and gems were assembled and used by a group of foolish and lucky heroes. However, their might aside, the gems were never meant to have any affect outside of their own universe. They and the gauntlet were destroyed."
"Except the time gem," Dormammu finished. He have a glare, warning his minion not to interrupt again. "Now it seems to be reforging them."
Twilight's eyes widened as she caught up with the situation. "And Annihilus is going after them?"
Dormammu gave a grim nod. His casual demeanor becoming hard. "He already has the gauntlet and the power gem. That makes him vastly more dangerous. He's no doubt searching for the others."
The young princess had a sudden feeling of dread. "What will happen if he gathers all the gems?"
Mordo, for all of his experience, couldn't help but shudder at the thought. "The combined power of the gems have the capability to grant their wielder absolutely anything they desire. In the case of Annihilus, it would mean the end of all life in the universe."
Twilight was horrified. Until now, the darkest thing she'd ever heard was Sombra enslaving his own people, but the thought of life itself being extinguished was a little more than she could stomach. "Wh...Why would he want..."
Dormammu cut her off. "Because he honestly believes everyone else should die. Since he first came into being, Annihilus has been convinced that everyone and everything wants to kill him. The gauntlet would give him the power to finally end his fears, but that's not the troubling part." He let out a deep sigh and stared at the image of the gauntlet. "The gems aren't the same as the way they were. When they were used to stop the two realities from colliding, they were exposed to the multi-verse." He wiped he board clean and started etching more lines. "Do you know what that is?"
His tone was what caught her attention. It was one she could remember using the first time she looked into the stars with a telescope, one of wonder and suddenly feeling small. "I've read into it...once I first traveled to another world. It seemed a bit more than I understand. The only ponies familiar with it were Celestia and Starswirl the bearded. He's gone and she...has some baggage involving the subject. She doesn't like to talk about it."
"Then let me." The dread lord said flatly, in that same soft voice. "Imagine every choice you ever made, every life altering decision, or important event that changed the rules. Now, understand that none of it matters, because for each one of those moments, their is a world created where a different choice is made. Through all of history, millions of people, making millions of choices, infinite possibility equals infinite worlds. It all links together like the branches of some great tree." He had drawn a massive web that kept growing and weaving. The board stretched to compensate. "It's glorious."
Twilight was fascinated by the concept. If she had to give Dormammu one thing, it was that he had a heck of a way with words. "So, Annihilus has the capability to destroy not just this universe, but every single variation..."
"That does, did, and ever will exist. The death of everything, including Equestria." Dormammu, for all his power, couldn't help but feel the looming pressure.
This caught Twilight's attention and made her a bit confused. "Wait a minuet, does this mean that our worlds are part of the same multi-verse?"
Dormammu crossed his arms and leaned against the board as he answered, Twilight's question putting him back at ease. "Not exactly. You see, just as there are realities so similar that you could look forever and never find the difference, there are also those that are so vastly different and completely unique that the links between them are stretched so thin they break. Normally this occurs with prime worlds, whose destinies are at the highest point of possibilities."
The young alicorn didn't quite understand. "If that's the case, then how is it that the gauntlet can affect my world too?"
"Because that's what happens when some upper-class brat and her decrepit fool of a mage go sticking their muzzles where they shouldn't be! Honestly, it still never fails to astound me how stupidity and arrogance can go so hand-in-hand." Dormammu's outburst made Twilight flinch. Even if it was even the most minor annoyance, the dread lord could project it in a way that made those around him tremble. "So, the confused insects punched a hole through the fabric of reality and linked the respective webs of the two multi-verses. The bridge is there, but the openings are rare occurrences and very few at that. Of coarse, it was easy to access yours once you bypassed the whole thirty moon shut-off, you clever girl you."
Twilight sat back in her chair, uncomfortable as the stone grated against her back. "Great, I opened my world up to an invasion from an ancient horror and his evil plan to save everyone."
The dark one scoffed and gave a teasing grin. "Don't go beating yourself up. You can't help that you have a good heart. Friends called out to you in their hour of need and you rushed to help. It's an easy enough character flaw to work out." He didn't give her a chance to respond. "Any other questions before we proceed with the first step?"
The opportunity reached the young mare with gusto. "Could you tell me what the deal is with this symbol you saw fit to burn into my leg? Because it's starting to itch a little." Twilight held up her foreleg like an injured cat, showing the offending mark.
Dormammu's smile became malicious again, giving Twilight the signal that this was going to hurt. "Like I said back at the palace, it's an insurance policy. See, I believe you when you say you're on board, but, considering the seriousness of what we are up against, I need to be sure." He took note of how she braced herself. "The mark is a little something I came up with to keep you in line. It acts like a two-way seal attuned to your world. As long as it remains, you can not return home and no one there can make their way here to rescue you."
Twilight, despite it being the last hope of escape being ripped away, took it calmly. "Fair enough. Honestly, I didn't know I was so valuable to you."
He scoffed. "Don't flatter yourself just yet. If anything, it makes me valuable to you. Only I can remove the mark. So if on the very off-chance this little crusade is the end of my great reign, then you're stuck."
It was daunting. One factor was the possibility that Twilight might never see her loved ones ever again. The other, which was certainly daunting, was that this ancient being of darkness and power was actually considering that he might not survive this. "And if anything happens to me?" She already knew the answer.
Dormammu turned back to clear the board. "Then I find someone else from the wide variety of back-ups. Plenty who are more experienced and quite possibly more equipped. Matter of fact, I'm sending you and Mordo to face one." He etched in the images of two objects. One was a one-foot long crystalline wand with demonic heads carved on either end. The other was a large ruby set in a gold frame with spiked corners. "The wand of Watoomb and the Siege Perilous. Two artifacts of legendary power that are essential to our cause. The two of you are going to retrieve these from the Sanctum Sanctorum, home of the sorcerer supreme, Stephen Strange."
Mordo stood up at this. "Master, you can't be serious! How many times have we tried to take the wand from Doctor Strange and failed? His sanctum is too well protected and his abilities have thwarted us time and again. Why would this...equine nothing fair any better? She's never even seen the likes of Doctor Strange before."
"And he's never seen anything quite like her either." The dark lord's voice silenced Mordo instantly. Dormammu then turned to Twilight, looking at her with some strange mix of delight and sinister pride. "Twilight is something special. A little green by our standards, but the power and potential is there. More to the point, she can get us into the sanctum."
Twilight was a little creeped out, but curious none the less. "Right, um...how exactly?"
The young alicorn was put off a bit more when Dormammu grew to a size where he was able to pick her up and hold her under one arm like a house cat. "Simple my dear," he said while flicking her chin with his free index finger. "It's the simple fact that Strange never has seen your kind before. The defensive spells he has up to shield his home and world will have no effect on your unique energies." He waved his hand in the air and opened up a window into the sanctum. "There we are."
Twilight stopped trying to squirm out of the dark one's grip and looked a bit dumbfounded. "Is that a laundry room?"
He raised an eyebrow. "Of coarse. Even the sorcerer supreme must wash his cloak every so often. This will be your point of entry. You will use your teleportation spell to get you and Mordo into the sanctum. Once in, he will distract Strange while you retrieve the artifacts."
The princess saw one thing wrong with that. "Wait, how will I be able to find them once we're in?"
Mordo was a bit concerned as well. "A good question. It's not like they'll be out in the open and the halls of the sanctum can become a labyrinth. You could spend hours trying to find one room only to have it relocate on a whim."
Dormammu grasped Twilight's marked hoof. "Yes, you'll have to be quick. Don't worry about finding them though. My mark will guide you. I've been after that wand for ages, I know what it's energy feels like. Look and ye shall find and if Mordo screws up on his end, then stand your ground." He set Twilight down and pointed to the window with and authoritative scowl aimed at his minions. "Now stop asking questions and get to work! So says Dormammu!"
The dark lord's voice boomed and made the ground beneath them tremble. Mordo hastily leaned over and whispered to his reluctant accomplice. "If you value your life, transport us now!" Twilight concentrated on the laundry room. Her horn glowed it's usual aura, but there was some kind of interference. Twilight's magic was having a reaction to whatever barrier was in place. However, it did not deter her. Her eyes glowed solid white and the light of her horn enveloped the two agents of Dormammu.
The sound of boots on wood echoed throughout the halls of the grand sanctuary. It's Gothic design and stained glass windows went hand in hand with the supernatural energies that converged on it. Built upon the site of arcane rituals and sacrifices that occurred over generations of time, the bizarre town house of Bleecker Street was home to artifacts of great power, knowledge of any of the minds desires, doorways to realms beyond imagination, and one of the greatest masters of magic the earth has ever known.
Down the candle lit hallway, a look of stern thought plastered on his face, walked the great Doctor Stephen Strange, Sorcerer Supreme. His bright red cape with it's golden trim flowed behind him as he made his way to his destination. Meanwhile, the good doctor was holding a conversation with a voice in his head. "I don't know what to think of it, Charles. Whatever it was held enough force to breach the Sanctums barriers."
Through a trusted link to the Sorcerer's mind, spoke the troubled voice of Professor Charles Xavier. "It struck me hard as well. It was imprinting something on my mind, like it was trying to make me feel something. The trouble was it was too quick, too forced. I couldn't understand it and it was over as quick as it arrived. Still, it left me out of breath and with a chill in my heart."
Stephen grimaced."The Eye of Agamotto was able to translate a little of it. The message wasn't clear, but there was one clear feeling. Terror...pure, intense...like you'd see in someone facing an oncoming end. Whatever it was deserves further investigation, but it didn't come from earth and space is a bit out of my field of expertise."
"Likewise," Charles affirmed. "However, I do think I know where to find aid. The Richards boy felt the event as well. He contacted me shortly after in a state of fear. I think we should have a meeting with his father, see if he can help us locate the source of the message.
Stephen rubbed his chin. "I can arrange it. I believe Dr. Richards will be attending a party at Stark tower tomorrow evening.
This drew a surprised response from the mutant."Ah, so he was able to convince you to come? I was invited as well, but didn't think a known mutant activist would be welcome in the high society crowd."
The sorcerer understood where his friend was coming from, but felt like he needed to reassure. "Tony wouldn't allow any anti-mutant hatred at his party. Besides, I expect it to be a small gathering of scientists and superheroes. Yet, he did specify formal attire. I'm actually on my way to do a bit of laundry."
"The cape isn't acceptable then?" Charles Joked.
Stephen laughed, pulling the basket of clothes he was levitating with him to the front. "Oh, the cape is fine. It's the blue tunic, yellow sash and gloves that make people think I'm the entertainment." The moment was cut short as Strange approached the laundry room door. There was a glow of light coming through the door frame. He barely had time to say, "What is..." before the door exploded off it's hinges. A blast of dark green energy sent the door and the doctor flying down the hall.
Strange, while shaken by the initial blast, was able to recover and land on his feet. His eyes narrowed into a glare as he looked at the source. Mordo emerged from the smoke with hate in his eyes. "Strange!"
Stephen took a defensive stance as his rival called him out. "Mordo. This certainly is a surprise. I never took home invasion to be your forte. Why are you here?"
Mordo gave a defiant smirk. "A matter far greater than you would know. However, I do believe it will make things easier for the master if you aren't around for it." He summoned an orb of energy in each hand, then threw them at his enemy.
The orbs, in mid-flight, became fanged skulls with ibex horns. They flew ablaze, with more on the way, right at Stephen Strange. He dodge the first few, but some came back from behind and caught him off guard. The sorcerer supreme became winded when one rammed him in the chest into a wall. In pain, Strange could have sworn he'd seen something rush from behind Mordo and down another hall. He couldn't register, not with the baron continuing his vicious assault. Stephen clasped his hands together. "Sword of Illuminati!" A blade of light materialized in the doctor's hands. He began to advance toward his opponent, deflecting bolts of magic and slicing through demon skulls. With a leap, Strange brought the sword down hard. Mordo caught the swing with a defensive hex. The two locked eyes for a moment, both leaving a sense that they wouldn't back down.
Twilight ran as fast as she could. First thing Mordo told her was to move fast and let him handle it. Sure, it couldn't be any good, but who was she to judge. She was just a little pony lost in an unknown magical location while two incredibly powerful beings were engaging in a conflict that involved screaming skulls. Sure, her life couldn't possibly any more weird and stressful!
"Stop panicking and focus." A familiar and condescending voice echoed in the alicorn's mind.
"Get out of my head!" she barked.
"Oh, so I should just leave you to get lost in there?" The dark lord's voice became stern. "Just clear your mind and calm yourself. The mark should let you sense the wands power as I do."
Twilight did as she was told, though she would have appreciated a bit less attitude. She tried the breathing technique she learned from Cadance. When her thoughts stopped racing, everything else became very quiet. Twilight could suddenly feel a slight burn in the mark on her hoof and slight whispers in the air. She followed these feelings down the halls of the manor. The further she got, the more the pristine visage of the walls became warped. The floor started to curve and Twilight found herself at a corridor that split in seven directions. It took her a bit of focus, but she chose a path and followed it to a point where the floor fell apart and she had to fly. It was begining to look like that weird dream-scape Celestia took her to when she became an alicorn. There was one thing she found that was a constant in this melting oil-painting come to life. "Wherever the mark is taking me seems to be up."
"Makes sense," Dormammu flatly remarked. The room your looking for should be on the third floor of the sanctum. It's one of the few constants in that accursed labyrinth. I hope you remember what you're looking for.
"Yeah, spooky wand thing and the big ruby." Twilight was a bit rushed in her dodging chunks of stone debris and the occasional flying candle.
There was a long pause, then a very annoyed groan from the dread lord. "Somewhere...in the vast cosmos...people who've dedicated their lives and beyond to the practice of magic are choking on that description."
"I'm running through some kind of spectral gauntlet on a breaking and entering job, my wings are cramping, I'm really having trouble focusing on tracking the darn things between the obstacles and the demon in my head, and I just passed a giant floating eyeball. Forgive me if I can't give your toys the proper ceremony!" She was finding it much easier to stand up to powerful people. It might have had something to do with spiking Tirek into a crater at mach three.
"Ooh, catty. I'm starting to like you again. Just keep at it. I can feel the wand through you." Twilight's flight brought her to a regal wooden door in a stone arch-way, floating in the void-like illusion. She landed as gently as she could on what little there was of a platform in front of it, then peeked inside. In the center of the room, what drew the princess's attention immediately, was a glowing sphere on a cushioned pedestal. Twilight approached it with a look of wonder. It radiated with such a unique and powerful magic, she felt a clear tingling sensation as she gently ran a hoof through the haze that slowly circled it. Dormammu acknowledged her curiosity. "The orb of Agamotto. It allows Strange to view events in this and other dimensions. One of three "eyes of Agamotto" and before you ask, I will be happy to tell you everything about them after you've completed the current task!"
"Okay, okay. Yeesh, I was just wondering," She replied with a frustrated groan. "This room is just so incredible. This might even top Star Swirl the Bearded's study." Twilight couldn't contain the quizzical little filly she'd always been at heart. The chamber contained shelves of books and scrolls, volumes of magical knowledge from this world and others that were all new to her. She gave a girlish squeal of delight at the idea. "Oooh! If only I didn't have him rushing me! Well, might as well look for..."
"The wand of Watoomb and the Siege Perilous? Oh, they're over along the left wall next to the maps. You can't miss them." The voice was chipper, but had a strong air of wisdom.
Twilight was a bit spooked. She looked around for the source of the voice. "Hello? Who's there?"
"Down here, kiddo." Twilight's eyes were drawn back to the orb. "Hi."
It was that moment that Twilight could smell the smoke from her shorted out brain. The orb was talking to her. "Guh?"
There was a slightly disappointed sigh, the voice went on. "Yes, I know, I know. I wish we had time, but we don't. Your less than cheerful sidekick is getting his butt kicked by the Doc. You only have a few moments to grab what you came for and hot foot it back to the dark dimension."
Twilight turned to her task, but looked back for one question. "Why are you helping me?"
"Because I like you, kid." The voice was warm and approving. "I've seen your mind, your heart of hearts, what you and flame-top are up to. You got moxy kid. I'm rooting for ya. However, there is no way you can stand up to Stephen...yet. Now hurry, he's on his way."
Twilight moved quickly. The wand and the Siege Perilous were in cases along the wall. Twilight got the wand easily enough, though she was expecting some kind of defensive spell. However, Twilight was quickly brought on the defensive when three disks of magic energy barely missed her and became lodged in the wall. She turned to meet the determined eyes of Doctor Strange himself. The sorcerer was primed for battle. "I don't know who or what you are," he glanced at her hoof. "but I recognize the mark of Dormammu easily! Another attempt to take the wand of Watoomb and make himself unstoppable." He raised his arms and an arcane red circle appeared over his head. "Whoever you are, you will not take this world or any other!"
"No!" Twilight protested. "You don't understand."
Strange would not hear her. "Whatever lies the dread lord told you to give will not work. Now face the crimson chains of Cyttorak!" What emerged from the circle made the words ring true. A set of four chains, that glowed a deep red, shot from the circle and coiled through the air and launched at Twilight like a team of serpents. She ducked and weaved, making her way from one end of the room to the other. In an attempt to protect herself, she fired several concussive bolts from her horn. The chains swiftly evaded each strike, save for one that did little more than slow the charge of it's target. With a whip-crack and the rattle of metal, the red chains wrapped Twilight in a strong,constricting, hold. The young alicorn gave a yelp of pain as her bonds squeezed tight. It took all her focus to keep the wand and the Siege Perilous in her magic's hold.
Twilight felt a twinge of impending doom as Doctor Strange began drifting over to her, ready to take back the artifacts. She begged for reason. "Please. You're making a huge mistake. There's more going on than you know."
"No doubt," Strange agreed with a huff. "But whatever his plan is, Dormammu must not have the wand of Watoomb or the Siege Perilous. They will no doubt be used to spread his evil throughout the cosmos." Then, to the surprise of both mages, Strange's amulet abruptly shined a light over Twilight. She wasn't sure what it was, but she didn't want to know. An idea popped into her head and she glanced over at the wand, still in her grasp. Strange was too preoccupied with his amulet to notice. It was reading her, filling his mind with revelations about the creature in front of him. Images of her past, present, and future flashed before him, too hastened and chaotic to make sense of. There was a light that emanated from her that he could not ignore. "What in the world..."
That was the break. Twilight raised the wand before her and channeled her magic through it. This resulted in a massive burst of magical force that shattered the chains, sent the doctor flying, and left a huge dent in the floor and ceiling. Twilight started panting, happily taking in what air the chains denied her. She didn't even notice the solid white glow in her eyes. When it passed and she saw the destruction, frightened her to what she had done in her desperation. The sight of Strange, collapsed against the wall, made her fear the worst. Twilight rushed over to the sorcerer and immediately checked for a pulse. She let out a sigh of relief to find him still alive. It was then that Dormammu's mark began to flare again, issuing her return orders. Twilight took one last look at Strange with a heavy heart. She knew that in another time, with different circumstances, they could have been friends. "I'm sorry. I promise...I'll do everything I can to make sure this all works out for the best." She closed her eyes, and with the wand and Siege Perilous in tow, she vanished in a violet Light.
The dark lord stared into the burning void with deep thought. It was very rare that things weighed this heavily on him and this fact bothered him even more. The fizzle of magic and an abrupt pop drew him out of his musings. He turned and there she was, his victorious ally. She look tired, but Dormammu had little concern for Twilight's well-being. He approached, arms neatly crossed, and he relieved Twilight of the artifacts. He didn't know whether to be happy or wounded that this little pony succeed in what he had been working at for years in only one attempt. He did have one point to make. "Care to explain what that was?"
The princess was confused. "What do you mean? I got the..."
Dormammu was quick to interrupt her. "Why did you try to negotiate?"
Twilight went wide eyed that that was his issue. "Well, you told me that he was a hero and that I was like him. I thought that if I could convince him..."
"And you were chained for it," he snapped. "You can't show hesitation like that. I don't care what flies in your world, but that won't cut it here. You think you can make friends with Annihilus? That we'll just work out the multi-versal threat, then laugh it off with Hostess Fruitpies? Wake up, Twilight, the 70's are over!"
She cocked her head. "What?"
Dormammu face palmed. "Never mind. I can't say I'm disappointed. Not only did you do what Mordo has failed at numerous times, but you demonstrated your true potential with the wand. Hit Stephen like a freight train, that's what you did."
Twilight appreciated the compliment, but the context was a little off-putting. "Uh, thanks. Speaking of Mordo, I think he's still back there. Should we go back and get him real quick while Strange is still out or..."
Dormammu waved it off. "Nah, he'll be fine. Probably going to retreat to his castle to lick his wounds for a while, then he'll be back begging forgiveness or some other cowardly grovelling." He clutched the wand firmly in hand and grinned with sinister triumph. "Just sit back while I work on the next step. Library's down the western path and down a few levels. Enjoy."
Twilight was going to ask for clarification, but he was already walking away. She sighed. The prospects for this adventure were dropping quickly, but the idea of a library full of all the knowledge Dormammu cataloged over eternity did put a smile on her face. So, off she flew to the sanctuary of a good book, as her ally/abductor was plotting the next stage in their adventure.