Marvel Magic Case Files

Chapter 1638 Kamar-Taj: Return to the Material Universe

The shadows exuded the scent of rain-soaked feathers, and flocks of wet ravens hovered at the edge of the storm. He clutched the spool of thread tightly, taking steps toward the palace perched on the isolated island in the sea. The ravens cried out, and he looked up at the leaden clouds that followed closely behind. A few broad, columnar rays of light peeked out from above the clouds before being swallowed by the thick, bulging cloud cover. Melancholy thoughts fluttered, sending the scent of the storm to his nostrils. Intense emotions, like thunder, rose on the sea with the ozone of psychic energy. He whispered the names of the two witches, trusting that the ravens would deliver his gratitude to their ears. The taut, crimson thread vibrated, and the anxious emotions at the other end were firmly held in his palm.

"Don't be alarmed, I just went too deep. I know I was right; otherwise, I wouldn't have found the Sorcerer Supreme." A bolt of lightning struck near his heel, exploding into red and blue sparks on the sea surface, the thunder rumbling into his body through the nonexistent air. It was like an impatient warning. Too many people, or non-human races, or even beings behind the veil, were watching, for his every move could potentially affect the galaxy in the future. Even the most obtuse prophet could foresee this turbulent future from the seashells washed ashore from the Aether Sea.

"Okay, I understand. I'm sorry," he said with a hint of optimism. "They certainly don't want me to die right now. I'm still safe, I have no doubt about that. You might ask why I would willingly cross the line of Kamar-Taj and actively interfere in human society... I do owe you an answer, a reason for dragging your dream of a perfect family into the abyss... I don't see myself as a superior, more perfect being to assume the obligations of a savior, nor am I suffering from a paranoid mental illness. My humility is genuine. There is no place for me in the future of this world. I will eventually become an ordinary person, and all future humans will possess my wisdom, foresight, rationality, and even life, while I will become an insignificant person, enjoying eternal peace."

Bayonetta slowly recited every word of the letter delivered by the silver-white carrier pigeon.

In a previous letter, the alcoholic Roman priest claimed that the letter contained a similar dream that many monks in the monastery had repeatedly dreamt on a night several years ago. After extensive analysis and interrogation by numerous theologians, theosophists, exorcists, dream interpreters, and cardinals, the following words were pieced together from the dreams of hundreds of monks. In the earlier letter, the alcoholic priest stated that he had suddenly had an inspiration two weeks prior, knowing where to send the letter, but after writing down the address, he couldn't recall the exact location, only knowing that a silver carrier pigeon given to him by someone could deliver the letter to its destination.

"He wants to die."

Joan of Arc offered her own assessment. Her spacious office reception room was completely devoid of etiquette; her high-heeled feet were casually placed on the table, and she even had her poor Cheshire Cat push a small cart to bring in the ice cubes she needed from the snow-capped mountains.

"He seems quite rational, so how could he have such a martyr-like fanaticism?"

Bayonetta extended her finger and extinguished the flames of three obsidian candles arranged in a triangle. Witch magic is forever linked to elements such as night, the moon, femininity, motherhood, fertility, and family. Hecate is one of the many idols worshipped by shadow witches, and the ritual dedicated to Hecate, the goddess of the three paths, is a mandatory part of their practice. This ritual was one they began to arrange after the emperor's departure; the true protective ritual originates from beneath the Astronomical Tower, a protective blessing provided by numerous psychics and guided by witches.

"You need to consider the translation issues between different languages? I'm pretty sure he won't give up his physical body. If he does, how will he enjoy good food, indulge in drinking, and make love? We all know he's not an ascetic monk; every night..."

"I've caught the thread, and I'm guiding him back."

Wanda Maximov's voice immediately interrupted the sorcerer Daniel's attempt to argue.

He wasn't entirely unaware of Wanda Maximov's current actions. Using the planetary defense system meant immersing one's mind in the Aether Sea, requiring extreme concentration. Wanda Maximov, with her exceptional talent for diving to great depths within the Aether Sea, was by all accounts the best candidate to use the system. However, communicating with beings within the Aether Sea was extremely dangerous. Even the demon warlocks in stories and archives could only summon ethereal entities to the material universe and bind them with the rules of that universe before communication was possible. What Wanda Maximov had done was summon an ethereal entity to the material universe without any protective measures.

The planetary defense system is gradually opening, and the core systems of the three great temples are slowly operating, gradually connecting with other religious sanctuaries on Earth. From Stonehenge, the Vatican, and Hagia Sophia to the London Temple, from Qingcheng Mountain, Longhu Mountain, and the White Horse Temple to the Hong Kong Temple, from the Teocalli Temple, Tulum, and Palenque to the New York Temple, the vast leyline system connects according to the foresight of the first Supreme Master Agamotto, while also providing Wanda Maximoff with the energy and vision to descend.

In the sea of ​​nothingness, only a golden, burning sword shadow served as a beacon.

“No, not the demon, it’s him. I’m certain, I know it’s him,” Wanda Maximoff said bluntly. “He’s ventured deep into the Aether Sea in search of the Sorcerer Supreme’s soul, and I must guide him back to this world. The Predators are waiting for him beneath the surface, and he’s in grave danger.”

"This is very risky. How can you be sure you're guiding him and not something else?"

"We have no choice, Master Daniel," said the Royal Guard, Amphitryon. "We cannot lose him."

"Why did he dive so deep! The human mind simply couldn't withstand that kind of pressure!"

"Because the Sorcerer Supreme is there, Sorcerer Daniel."

"A chess piece." Wanda Maximov gazed into the void like a medium, recounting what she saw. However, she didn't need to use her toes to deceive the audience; she truly saw many things that mortals couldn't. Yet even the mage Daniel couldn't fully understand her words, because the metaphors of the deep consciousness couldn't correspond one-to-one with reality. "He's taken a chess piece and is coming this way." She stretched out her hand. Under the watchful eyes of the Royal Guard, Amphitriteon, the mage Daniel reluctantly lowered his attack stance, but the Royal Guard still allowed him to take the most basic defensive measures. The mage Daniel saw Wanda Maximov's fingers disappear as if submerged in water; she groped in the air until she pulled out a deep red thread. "Amphitriteon! Quick!"

The Imperial Guards immediately rushed forward, grabbed the thread, and pulled it backward with all their might.

The seemingly delicate flax thread possessed a toughness far exceeding that of high-molecular polymers. The relatively thin thread dug into Amphitryon's gauntlet, carving a deep dent into the sturdy alloy. A low growl escaped Amphitryon's throat. His powered armor legs locked, his body leaned back, his spine arching like a bow, gathering strength. Even the most powerful body in the material universe, combined with the mechanical power, barely managed to pull the crimson thread a few centimeters. Wanda Maximov still gripped the thread, blood dripping from her cut palm. The blood flowed down the thread, disappearing into the void, then spreading like ink in clear water. The Royal Guard, Amphitryon, noticed that the more blood Wanda Maximov lost, the weaker the force at the other end of the thread became.

"I know! I can hear what you're thinking, Amphitrite, and that's what I'm doing!"

Amphitrite pulled hard, and Wanda Maximov, ignoring the pain, gripped the thread tightly. The sorcerer Daniel hesitated, but still cast a protective spell around Wanda and the Royal Guard to ensure the being emerging from behind the veil wouldn't harm them. A moment later, a hand encased in golden armor was pulled out of thin air; the golden gauntlet had the form of a material universe, followed by more bodies being drawn out.

The sorcerer Daniel couldn't help but close his tearful eyes; the surging heat made him feel as if he were facing a raging storm. He only heard something spoken by the person who emerged from the void, and then the heat vanished into thin air, completely defying the laws of heat transfer in the material universe. When he opened his bloodshot eyes, he only saw the deep red thread in Wanda Maximoff's hand slowly evaporating and finally disappearing.

"What did he say?"

"My Lord commands me to go to the highest point as soon as possible to help fight against the Sorcerer Supreme."

Athena saw a wisp of golden light rise from behind her, ascend, and then plunge into the courtyard before her. Immediately afterward, the courtyard gate seemed to be violently flung open by an unseen force, and the Emperor, clad in golden power armor, stumbled out, billowing steam and ash rising from his armor, carrying with it the intoxicating scent of deep red incense that permeated the courtyard. Amon immediately rushed to the Emperor's side, his spear slashing forward to repel the unseen entity. Athena, without hesitation, raised her spear, a blinding white-hot beam shooting from its tip straight into the open courtyard gate. A blurry figure, struck by the incandescent psionic light, emitted a chaotic scream inaudible to ordinary people.

The emperor immediately drew a golden explosive pistol from his waist and repeatedly pulled the trigger at the invisible entity. The explosive pistol's characteristic deafening roar echoed through the valley. The nerve-blocking bullets ignited and shattered upon triggering, instantly blasting several large holes into the invisible entity's psychic-glowing body. Then, a deep purple vortex appeared out of thin air, completely engulfing the invisible entity, squeezing out fragments of flesh and blood that fell to the ground. Even so, the terrifying screams seemed frozen within a transparent wall formed by the air, constantly tormenting the nerves of those who heard them.

The extremely low visibility of the incense smoke gradually thinned out, and a relatively short figure emerged from the courtyard.

Athena gasped, but the pungent smell of the incense made her cough.

(End of this chapter)