"I've got a better idea. Wanna hear it?"
Sebastian snapped his fingers, and the park shimmered, enveloped by a barrier of crystalline fragments—the Mirror Dimension, a Kamar-Taj specialty.
Portals sparked open, and the Ancient One stepped through, leading dozens of elite Kamar-Taj mages. They loosely surrounded the Ghost Rider, including Casillas, Mordo, Daniel, and Wong.
Sebastian's gaze lingered on Casillas, unease prickling.
A faint aura of dark magic clung to him, stronger than before.
The Ancient One must have noticed—her perception was unmatched. Her bringing Casillas suggested she allowed, or even taught, his dark magic studies.
Is Casillas still headed for Dormammu's clutches? Sebastian wondered, frowning. Now wasn't the time to dig into it, though.
He turned to the Ghost Rider. "As the Ghost Rider, you know the Supreme Mage and Kamar-Taj, so I'll skip intros. Let's talk about stopping the Witch Heart Demon."
The Rider glanced at the Ancient One, his flaming skull tilting.
He knew she was out of his league. If Mephisto left Hell, losing his dimension's power, the Ancient One could probably knock him out cold. The thought sparked a wild idea—Could I trick Mephisto into facing her?—but he pushed it aside.
"With you, Kamar-Taj, and especially the Supreme Mage, you can handle the Witch Heart Demon, right?" the Rider asked.
Sebastian nodded. "Oh, we'll crush him, no doubt.
But you want to make sure Roxanne's safe, don't you?"
"Roxanne?" Sebastian added, catching the Rider's silence. "The one the Witch Heart Demon grabbed? The one you love?"
The Rider didn't answer, but his silence was answer enough.
Sebastian mused on the Spirit of Vengeance's effect. It merged with its human host, blending memories and emotions but amplifying a thirst for vengeance.
The Ghost Rider wasn't a mindless killer—it retained Johnny's core, now shaped by his love for Roxanne. Her capture had shifted the Rider's focus, letting Johnny's will steer its actions over pure revenge.
That's why the Rider was here, negotiating, not just attacking. He wasn't Mephisto's vengeance-driven pawn anymore—he was becoming his own force.
"Don't worry, I'll make sure Ms. Roxanne is safe," the Ancient One said, her voice steady and reassuring.
The Ghost Rider studied her for a long moment before nodding. "Good. If you can protect Roxanne, I'll work with you to take down the Witch Heart Demon. At midnight, three days from now, I'll meet him at the ruins of San Venganza to make a deal. I'll hand over a fake contract. Save Roxanne before he realizes it's a fraud."
"You have my word," the Ancient One replied, her tone firm.
The Ghost Rider said nothing more.
He turned, strode through the Mirror Dimension's barrier, and reverted to Johnny Blaze. His motorcycle, no longer blazing, roared to life as he sped off into the night.
After he left, the Ancient One turned to Sebastian, her expression warm yet focused, signaling the trust they'd built. "Master Sebastian, will you join us at the San Venganza ruins in three days?"
"I'm curious to see the Witch Heart Demon's power," Sebastian said with a grin. "Plus, as an ally, I should be part of this, right?"
"Very well," she said, a faint smile in her eyes. "I'll have Casillas and Daniel pick you up. The ruins of San Venganza are hard to find—they'll guide you."
"Sounds good. Thanks in advance."
"As you said, we're allies. No need for thanks over small favors," she replied, her warmth reinforcing their bond.
With a wave, the Ancient One led the other mages back through their portals. Sebastian exchanged quick goodbyes with Casillas, Daniel, Wong, and Mordo.
As they left, the Mirror Dimension faded, returning the abandoned park to normal. Sebastian headed home.
Back at the apartment, he chatted with Alisha while they watched an episode of Desperate Housewives, her playful complaints about the show making him laugh. After a shower, he settled at his desk, picked up a pen, and began writing in his magic journal.
By midnight, Sebastian had detailed everything he knew about the Fiendfyre spell's changes in this world. Reviewing his notes, he spotted a pattern.
Most magic from his past life was unchanged, but some spells—especially advanced ones—had shifted dramatically. Both light and dark high-level spells, like the Patronus Charm and Fiendfyre, were affected.
This wasn't random. Something in this world altered powerful magic, and Sebastian suspected he'd need to test more advanced spells as his power grew to uncover why.
The three Unforgivable Curses (Avada Kedavra, Crucio, Imperio) were likely altered too, but his current strength couldn't safely control them. Research would have to wait.
The Patronus Charm's changes hinted at broader possibilities. Spells tied to specific creatures, like those for Dementors, or other targeted magic might reveal new effects. He'd start there.
Closing his journal, Sebastian tucked it into a charmed storage bag.
He pulled out a natural white crystal and a blueprint for a necklace. The pendant, a polished white crystal, would be etched with ancient runes to protect Alisha if Mephisto's threats became real. It would buy time for Sebastian to save her.
He'd crafted similar protective charms in his past life, earning him a spot in Dumbledore's Order of the Phoenix. With his wand-making skills, this was straightforward.
Tony had sourced the rare, high-quality crystal, so Sebastian worked slowly, ensuring precision. Alisha was safe for now, so he took his time to get it right.
Mages could go days without sleep, but after a night of carving the crystal, even Sebastian felt drained. As dawn's first light slipped through his curtains, landing on his desk, he stretched, ready for breakfast and a break.
His phone chimed. A text from Tony read, "Sebastian, come by if you're free today."
Skipping a reply text, Sebastian called him. "What's up this early?" he asked as Tony picked up.
"You forgot? Today's the Stark Tower grand opening! I want you to check out our new research base."
"Research base? What's that about?"
"I figured we should centralize our projects for safety," Tony explained. "Stark Tower finished early, so I set up the base here. The lower levels are our private labs—you can portal straight in."
"You didn't think to run this by me?" Sebastian asked, half-teasing.
"Your company's running fine, and your research will just be in Stark Tower. No big change, right? You want to stay behind the scenes, tinkering and reaping the rewards. This setup works for that."
"I'm sensing an ulterior motive," Sebastian said, smirking.
"Come on, I'd never screw you over," Tony laughed. "We good?"
Sebastian trusted Tony—they were close friends. "Fine, your call."
"Sweet! When you coming?"
"Cool, I'll be here!" Tony hung up.
At Stark Tower, Tony grinned at a holographic display of a new suit design labeled "Mark Ω Anti-Magic Armor."