A portal shimmered into existence, crackling with vivid sparks of arcane energy. From within, a tall, imposing figure stepped out, arriving just beyond the Earth-based headquarters.
He slowly raised his head.
From his eyes, tendrils of dark, oily matter squirmed and twisted, flickering with faint pulses of shadowy power.
"So this is the domain of that man…"
Kaecilius' lips curled into a strange, contemptuous smile. Cold, condescending.
He began walking toward the base.
The Transformers stationed outside had already taken notice of him.
Kaecilius, undeterred, smiled with confidence.
"I am—"
BOOM!
An energy cannon blast cut him off mid-sentence, roaring toward him with explosive force.
His expression shifted instantly. With a snap of his wrist, a glowing magical barrier flared into existence, absorbing the impact of the blast. Veins bulged along his temple as he opened his mouth to rebuke his attackers, but before he could utter a word, a second volley of artillery rained down upon him, relentless and precise.
His face darkened.
He let out a low grunt, then raised his hand again. A complex, circular glyph appeared in his palm, forming a radiant disc of sorcery that effortlessly absorbed the hail of deadly fire.
The bombardment ceased.
"I am Kaecilius, emissary of a sovereign god," he announced coldly. "I come seeking an audience with Martin."
Were it not for the fear of Martin's brutal reputation, and the very real concern that stepping directly into his presence via portal might mean instant death, Kaecilius wouldn't have bothered with diplomacy.
"Interesting. Let that idiot in," came Martin's voice from within the stronghold.
The massive gates of the facility groaned open.
Kaecilius entered, expression grim. He surveyed the legions of Transformers arrayed throughout the compound and the towering, intricate metallic structures rising around them. His brow furrowed slightly, and for the first time, a flicker of wariness entered his gaze.
The Transformers themselves weren't what troubled him. From what he knew, not even their strongest had reached sub-Skyfather level. As long as they couldn't crush stars with a single blow, he was confident he could kill them using his vast repertoire of dark magic.
What unsettled him was something else entirely—Martin's machines.
They weren't just weapons. They were intelligent.
The architectural complexity of the surrounding base made that much clear, full-metal constructs, intricately designed, many bristling with advanced weaponry. This wasn't the work of one man.
These machines had built it themselves.
And that, Kaecilius realized, was terrifying.
"Wait here. The Creator will grant you audience when he sees fit," Shockwave said emotionlessly, before turning and walking away. He had more important research to attend to.
"…"
Kaecilius' eye twitched. He sneered.
An hour passed.
At last, Martin arrived.
"I've never been fond of the sorcerers from Kamar-Taj," he said casually, stepping into the room.
His hair was slicked back, still glistening slightly from a recent shower. He was freshly dressed, impeccably groomed, and in an unhurriedly good mood, likely the result of a very pleasant night.
Kaecilius rose immediately, suppressing his irritation with a deep breath.
"Lord Martin," he intoned solemnly, "I, Kaecilius, loyal servant of a mighty cosmic god, have come on his behalf… for you."
Martin snapped his fingers. A nearby coffee machine whirred to life. He poured himself a cup, savoring the aroma.
"I have to say, I'm impressed. Dormammu flaunting himself is one thing, he's earned the right. But his dog acting so cocky? That's new…"
Kaecilius' eyes narrowed.
"You know my master's name. As expected of the man who clashed with the Ancient One and survived…"
His gaze drifted to Martin's right hand, more precisely, to the gleaming Infinity Stones embedded in the unique gauntlet he wore.
The Polarity Gauntlet. A miracle of cosmic craftsmanship, rarer, in some ways, than the stones themselves.
"Your name echoes through the multiverse now, Martin. Many of the elder gods have heard of you. And many intend to end you, to seize all that you possess…"
Kaecilius spread his arms wide, his voice trembling with reverence and madness.
"Only one dares offer you salvation. The Supreme Being of the Dark Dimension, Dormammu."
"Serve him, and you will be granted immortality. Endless life. No more fear. No more uncertainty. Your soul will know true peace."
Martin tilted his head.
"So?"
Kaecilius smiled with pride.
"I come bearing my master's offer. You are worthy of his attention. If you accept, I, Kaecilius, will gladly step aside and be second in his favor."
The moment he invoked Dormammu's name, whatever fear he might have felt toward Martin seemed to evaporate.
After all, Dormammu, devourer of worlds, tyrant of the dark, was a being of unspeakable power.
Kaecilius truly believed that Martin, despite his meteoric rise, his defeat of Odin, his conscription of Surtur, his slaying of Mephisto, and even his clashes with the Ancient One, was still no match for Dormammu.
"You rely on the Infinity Stones to maintain your current power and status," Kaecilius continued. "But my master wields power equal to or greater than the Stones without needing them. That's why the Ancient One has always feared him."
BANG!
Martin gently placed his coffee cup on the table.
His expression was… odd.
He stared at Kaecilius for a long moment, almost curious.
"First of all," Martin said slowly, "I didn't get here because of the Infinity Stones. I built my own power system. From scratch."
"Second… let me tell you something brutally honest, Kaecilius: Dormammu never saw you as a servant. He saw you as a disposable pawn."
Martin smiled.
Kaecilius blinked.
"I'm Dormammu's first disciple. His chosen herald!" he barked. "And if you accept his offer, I'd gladly relinquish that title. But that doesn't mean—"
He never finished.
Martin looked up, eyes flashing with murderous intent.
"What it does mean," he said, "is that Dormammu should've been ready to lose his little errand boy."
His smile was cold.
Kaecilius immediately cast a defensive spell, forming an intricate portal behind him to escape.
But Martin moved faster.
A flash of blue light, space magic, disrupted the portal.
Then a powerful hand clamped around Kaecilius' throat, lifting him effortlessly off the ground.
"Killing you is just the beginning," Martin said. "It's also my way of declaring war on that idiot Dormammu."
CRACK!
With one quick twist, Martin snapped Kaecilius' neck.
Kaecilius' eyes went wide with disbelief. Right until the end, he had believed that offering Earth to Dormammu would grant him eternal life.
Dormammu did not save him.
The dark power did not answer.
He had been discarded, just another failed pawn.
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