Tony didn't follow Peggy Carter's orders to wait for backup. Instead, clad in his Mark III armor, he flew alone to the Hell's Kitchen docks.
Whoosh, CLANG.
The Iron Man suit touched down safely. But there was no sign of Rory. Just cold, silent machinery.
Rory had been there just a minute earlier, fully prepared to clash with S.H.I.E.L.D. head-on. But then, in an instant, the world as he knew it twisted beyond recognition.
The ground folded in on itself. The same building appeared over and over again, copy-pasted into the skyline.
Above wasn't blue sky anymore, but a mirrored reflection of the city itself. Beneath his feet wasn't solid ground, but a suspended disc floating above an infinite abyss, kaleidoscopic and dizzying.
The surrounding architecture broke apart, reassembled, then broke apart again, reshaping into a world Rory no longer recognized.
"Mirror Dimension."
He immediately understood whose handiwork this was.
"Rory, who are you?"
A voice came from behind him. Turning around, Rory saw a figure cloaked in yellow robes, the hood hiding the Ancient One's bald head.
Hands clasped behind her back, she stood at a distance, gaze probing, studying Rory with quiet intensity.
Rory replied coolly, "You just called me by name. Why ask who I am?"
"I know your name. I don't know who you are." Her voice, ancient and calm, carried a serenity that could ease even the stormiest of hearts. Rory felt its influence, too.
As Earth's most powerful known sorcerer, guardian of the Time Stone and defender of this realm, the Ancient One, bolstered by both the Time Stone and the Dark Dimension, was, for all intents and purposes, invincible.
Normally, she wouldn't intervene in mortal conflicts. Her role was to guard the world against interdimensional threats.
So why was she here, dragging him into the Mirror Dimension?
The Ancient One walked a slow circle around Rory, then said evenly, "You're not from this world. Where did you come from?"
Rory's heart skipped a beat, but his face remained composed. "I came from 1970. First traveled to 2023 with Steve and Tony, then returned to 1970 again, and from there, ended up in the present."
Her brows drew together in thought. After a moment, she formed a series of intricate hand signs. The Eye of Agamotto opened on her chest, releasing a soft green glow.
As her eyes closed, Rory twitched his fingers.
He desperately wanted to snatch the Time Stone, but he wasn't confident he could beat the Ancient One. And being trapped in the Mirror Dimension was not a fate he welcomed.
So close… yet untouchable.
Her form split into faint overlapping images, each one flickering through time. Moments later, the illusions dissipated.
"I saw your past and your future," she said. "You suddenly appeared in 1970. Tell me what happened before that."
"I can't," Rory answered without hesitation. "I don't know how I got to 1970 either. So… sorry."
The Ancient One gave a knowing smile. "So, you're someone with secrets. No matter. Someone's on their way to collect you. At the very least, I can ensure you no longer threaten this world."
"What do you mean by that?" Rory frowned slightly.
She smiled again. "Strange contacted me. He told me you're from his universe, and that you're extremely dangerous. He intends to take you back and imprison you before you can do any more irreversible damage."
Rory's tone sharpened. "Why are you doing this?!"
"Because you created a new timeline," she said quietly. "And while such matters are not typically my concern… I do bear some responsibility."
"That's ridiculous! What does that have to do with me?" Rory snapped. He didn't fully grasp her logic, but one thing was clear: he had no intention of going back to 2023.
That was the peak of the Avengers' power. Even Thanos got vaporized there. What chance did he stand?
The Ancient One waved a hand. Countless green threads appeared in the air, each dotted with glowing nodes, some with just one or two, others with a dozen or more.
She touched one thread. "You've time-traveled. You must understand the nature of timelines."
"Not really," Rory admitted. "All I know is that the past doesn't always affect the future, and sometimes, the future can become the past."
"Each of these threads represents a timeline," she explained. "The glowing nodes represent individuals, and also, the anchor points of that timeline. As long as the anchors remain, the timeline holds."
She looked at him. "Do you know what happens if an anchor is compromised?"
Rory shook his head.
"This world will collapse," she said softly. "Like a withered tree losing its life force, waiting silently for death. Everyone will disappear. You, me… all of us."
She swept her arm again. All but one green thread vanished. This single timeline floated before them.
"From the moment you appeared in 1970," she said, "an anchor shifted. Someone who was supposed to live and die as history intended, Peggy Carter, became a new anchor."
A branch split off from the timeline.
"This," she said, pointing to it, "is our current reality. A timeline that wasn't meant to exist."
Rory blinked. "That's my fault?"
She nodded. "Remember that test subject from your last experiment? You didn't take it with you. Peggy found it. It bit her. That's what changed everything."
Realization hit Rory like a truck. No wonder Peggy Carter looked so young all these years, she'd mutated!
Still, he frowned. "Even if that's true, I live here now. Why send Strange to drag me back?"
The Ancient One sighed. "I've seen your future, Rory. You'll kill everyone, Steve Rogers, Clint Barton… even Strange, who's performing surgery just a few blocks away. You'll wipe out every member of the Avengers. Even me."
"You're too dangerous to stay. Strange from the other timeline will handle you."
Rory's expression hardened. Sure, he'd thought about killing the old popsicle Steve Rogers, but not the rest. Maybe something unexpected happened in the future, but this wasn't reason enough to decide his fate.
So… he might destroy the world. Therefore, destroy him first?
His cold gaze locked with the Ancient One's. "And if I say no?"
She looked into his eyes, and saw the shadow of the man he might become.
Her tone turned firm. "Then don't bother resisting. It won't help."
"I'd still like to try."
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