The vast Dark Dimension stretched endlessly, its void dotted with countless lifeless planets drifting in silence.
Over eons, Dormammu had devoured innumerable worlds teeming with life. They became barren husks... dead stars that now served as mere decorations in his realm.
The invincible, colossal entity shifted in irritation, seething with rage.
In this immense universe, a few gods or worlds might prove troublesome, but none grated on him quite like Earth.
Just moments ago, he had sensed it again: on that insignificant little planet, some insignificant being was attempting to siphon black magic.
The amount was tiny... barely more than what he had allotted to Kaecilius's underlings... but that didn't excuse these Earth insects for daring to challenge him outright.
One Ancient One was bad enough; that one was actually strong.
"Let me see who dares..."
Dormammu opened his planet-sized, terrifying eyes. In his vision, infinite streams of magical particles surged like rivers, ready to be bent to his will. Through the black magic, his sight extended across the cosmos to a sorcerer on Earth.
And there he saw the one stealing his power... a Xenomorph?
No, not quite. It only resembled one superficially.
For a moment, Dormammu wondered if the Celestials had engineered some new variant of the Deviants. That would have given even him pause... the Celestials were a terrifying collective of godlike beings who operated at the God-Father level or higher.
"Hmm? This little creature is intriguing. It completes the power transfer through genetic substitution?" Dormammu looked closer, his interest piqued.
Even as an ancient god, he had never encountered such a peculiar species.
He had seen plenty of life forms that grew stronger by consuming enemies... certain Deviants came to mind, along with the infamous Annihilation Swarm that plagued the cosmos.
But a parasitic entity that seized its host's power? This was new.
"So these are called Xenomorphs? They can even hijack the black magic authority I granted to Earth's sorcerers..." Dormammu's eyes brightened, glowing brighter than any star.
If he could analyze the essence of these life forms and use them as a foundation... create a vessel capable of perfectly channeling his power, yet one that higher powers couldn't identify as his own...
It held real promise. Far better than constantly raising his own "debt ceiling" by doling out black magic to Kaecilius and those third-rate mages.
If he ever found a way to slip into Earth personally, he would be a fool to keep relying on proxies to challenge the Ancient One.
Every time he paid the price for wielding black magic, the agony grew worse.
Dormammu swiftly cut off the Xenomorphs' access to the stolen black magic. At the same time, he sent a command through the dark arts:
Seize these creatures called Xenomorphs at any cost.
Kaecilius received the order almost immediately. His eyes sharpened as he stared straight at Adam, unable to hide his surprise.
"Looks like your master gave you new instructions," Adam said. "At least I don't think you're this shocked over my Xenomorphs."
"Correct. Your performance has pleased my master... extraordinarily so." Kaecilius spoke calmly, but his gaze swept over the surrounding Xenomorphs, clearly calculating the fastest way to wipe them out.
Adam stayed ready. At that moment, the Abomination Xenomorph stepped forward from behind him.
He might question Kaecilius's ideals, but he would never doubt the man's strength. Kaecilius had once been the Ancient One's chief disciple. He now wielded both the white magic of the Vishanti and Dormammu's black magic... his power was terrifying.
A single successful casting of the Mirror Dimension could put Adam in an extremely difficult position.
"This little gamble was necessary... I needed to confirm some things," Adam said. "But fighting you here goes beyond what I expected... I won't give you the chance to use the Mirror Dimension."
He had already verified that the chestburster Xenomorphs couldn't harness black magic. Combined with Kaecilius's reaction, it was clear Dormammu had intervened and revoked their "access."
It was expected. Nothing to be discouraged about.
"I don't know why, but you seem unusually familiar with me... with black magic... and with my master, Dormammu. Whatever the reason, you'll soon be one of us."
Kaecilius raised a hand toward Adam. "Truth belongs to Dormammu. Offer up the Xenomorphs and join our glorious ranks, and I will spare your life."
Adam didn't hesitate. With decisive resolve, he struck first.
The Mirror Dimension wasn't invincible; it had strict conditions and limitations. He refused to wait passively.
In an instant, Adam surged forward. The Xenomorphs scattered around him moved in perfect sync.
Under normal circumstances, Adam wouldn't join the fight personally... there was no need. He knew exactly where his true strength lay. As long as he survived, even if only a single Xenomorph remained hidden somewhere in the world, the species would endure. That lone survivor could evolve into a Queen on the spot, and the hive would rise again.
But facing an opponent this dangerous, he led the charge himself.
Whoosh!
His speed was blinding. To ordinary eyes, he left afterimages. His powerful arms swung with every muscle fiber firing at overload capacity, visibly swelling as they unleashed superhuman force.
Kaecilius's eyelid twitched, but he reacted instantly.
A dense web of thin, crimson magical strands erupted from his hands, lashing out toward the Xenomorphs closing in from every direction.
"Kamar-Taj magic. How ironic," Adam scoffed. Mentally, he shared everything he knew about the spell with his swarm.
The trapped Xenomorphs began leaping and tumbling across the walls. Some tore into their own bodies without hesitation, using their acidic blood to melt through the energy whips and create openings for the others.
The Abomination Xenomorph led the most ferocious assault. Its incredible regenerative abilities and unmatched physique let it smash through the golden-red web, dragging and tearing at the strands with raw fury.
Several Deviant-strain Xenomorphs were equally active. Carrying superior genetic material that granted them energy absorption, they extended fleshy tendrils from their bodies, latching onto the whips and forcibly draining them to snap the constructs apart.
The army Adam had painstakingly built finally showed its first glimpse of true might.
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