Chapter Summaries

Ancient One fought the Eredar Twins outside while Evenson used Hubbs to stop Klayya from interfering. As Aurelles sealed off Ancient One’s retreat with lava, a portal appeared beneath her and another opened behind Aurelles, revealing a surprise magical attack.

• Aurelles pushed Ancient One outside and continued burning her from within with Flame Touch while Saloras attacked with Shadow Blade.
• Evenson headed outside, but Klayya blocked him and urged him to turn away from the demons.
• Evenson threw Hubbs at Klayya, and the dog used Spell Lock to cut off her magic without harming her.
• Evenson weakened Klayya, carried her to a chair, and promised not to disappoint her before returning to the fight.
• Saloras summoned four Shadow Mirror copies as Aurelles spread lava behind Ancient One and trapped her between their attacks.
• Ancient One leapt into the lava’s range, but a portal appeared beneath her as another opened behind Aurelles and a magical blade stabbed through it.

Aurelles and Saloras fought Ancient One, who demonstrated powerful spatial magic by rearranging the battlefield into shifting spaces and traps. The Eredar Twins resisted her spatial control, and Aurelles ended the chapter with a strange sense that she had repeated herself as a green ring spun backward on Ancient One’s wrist.

• Aurelles blocked Ancient One's surprise attack and blasted herself out of close-combat range.
• Evenson retreated inside after seeing Ancient One counterattack, while Klayya laughed at him and resolved to save his soul.
• Ancient One rearranged the surrounding buildings and battlefield into shifting spaces, forcing Aurelles to reassess her skill.
• Aurelles acknowledged Ancient One as the greatest spellcaster she had encountered, and Ancient One praised the Eredar Twins as unusually composed demons.
• Saloras stomped the ground and stabilized the space beneath her, countering Ancient One's spatial traps.
• Aurelles wondered why her words sounded familiar as a green magical ring spun backward on Ancient One's wrist.

The Eredar Twins fought Ancient One repeatedly, but she evaded and countered them by using the Time Stone to reverse time. Evenson recognized the source of her power and, watching the battle begin another round, said events were just about what he expected.

• Saloras's Shadow Fury missed Ancient One, who evaded the attack and countered her through portals.
• Ancient One turned Aurelles's fireball back on her and outmaneuvered Saloras in close combat.
• Saloras used a Shadow Mirror to restrain Ancient One while Aurelles blasted them, burning Ancient One before time reversed the battle.
• The Eredar Twins realized Ancient One had been using time reversal and identified her power as the Eye of Agamotto and the Time Stone.
• Evenson noted that the battle had reached its tenth round and said it was just about what he expected.

Ancient One repeatedly reset her battles with Saloras and Aurelles, until the Eredar Twins unleashed Doom Decisive Battle and she erased it with the Time Stone. Evenson prepared to take his turn, but the appearance of Sargeras's Staff revealed a threat that could destroy even time itself.

• Saloras questioned why the Eredar Twins had to keep fighting, while Ancient One said she welcomed the challenge and could keep trying until she found a way to win.
• Aurelles and Saloras joined their powers to cast Doom Decisive Battle, threatening to destroy the sky and earth.
• Ancient One activated the Time Stone and erased the spell before it could finish, leaving the twins furious and Evenson relieved.
• Evenson changed into the Corruptor Set and waited for his chance to enter the fight as Klayya insisted Ancient One would not lose.
• Ancient One sensed a pure destructive power and saw Evenson emerge with Sargeras's Staff, which he warned could destroy everything, including time.

Evenson confronted Ancient One with Sargeras's Staff, and they debated the danger of their powers and the lives at stake. When neither attacked, Evenson conceded, unable to risk killing millions of people.

• Evenson challenged Ancient One from beyond the staff's range, while she questioned whether he could control its power.
• Evenson taunted Ancient One about her mastery of the Time Stone and described a powerful time user who could summon or kill versions of himself across timelines.
• Ancient One and Evenson agreed to fight despite the risk that their clash could endanger over ten million people.
• Klayya watched in shock as both fighters appeared indifferent to the civilians' lives.
• After a tense standoff, Evenson removed his hood and surrendered, admitting he could not let so many people die because of him.

Evenson pretended to surrender and persuaded Ancient One to talk rather than judge him. He explained that his magic came from a lineage of people who learned Sorcerers’ dark arts to resist their invasions.

• Evenson declared that he would sacrifice himself rather than let millions die for his sake, then called on Ancient One to judge him.
• Ancient One put away the Time Stone and agreed to talk with Evenson, believing his willingness to sacrifice himself set him apart from the Black Wizards she knew.
• Ancient One entered Evenson’s fortress and said she would have fought him even if millions had died, if that were necessary to protect more people.
• Ancient One asked about Evenson’s lineage, and he explained that his master had traveled to other worlds and that Sorcerers originated at the center of evil in the multiverse.
• Evenson said his organization descended from people who learned Sorcerers’ magic to fight their invasions with the enemy’s own power.

Evenson explained why his hidden organization had watched Ancient One and left Earth largely unguarded, then revealed that darkness was stirring across the multiverse. He ended by warning that a universe had sent a final message: the Burning Crusade was about to begin again.

• Ancient One asked why she had never sensed the organization’s arrival, and Evenson explained that its legacy on Earth predated her time as Sorcerer Supreme.
• Evenson said the organization had observed Ancient One after she accepted Dark Dimension power, but had judged her no threat; its first Sorcerers had been so corrupted by evil power that they showed no mercy.
• Ancient One learned that the first Sorcerers had left behind powerful artifacts, then asked why the organization had done so little to fight evil on Earth.
• Evenson explained that Earth had seemed safe: Odin defeated the Frost Giants, and Ancient One’s protection made the organization’s intervention unnecessary, so its Sorcerers departed for other worlds.
• Ancient One asked why Evenson had stayed and broken the organization’s habit of secrecy, and he said dark forces were moving across the multiverse.
• Evenson told Ancient One that a universe had sent its final message: the Burning Crusade was about to set sail once more.

Evenson warned Ancient One that the Burning Legion would eventually threaten Earth and argued that stopping it would require everyone to unite. He showed her a recorded battle against the Legion, where the powerful mage Khadgar devastated its army.

• Evenson told Ancient One about the Great Dark Rise and described the Burning Legion’s destruction of worlds.
• Evenson explained that Earth was a point where the universe’s causality converged and insisted that everyone would need to unite against the Legion.
• Ancient One agreed to watch records of the Burning Legion’s atrocities, and Evenson transformed the room into a starry battlefield.
• Evenson identified the robed leader beside them as Khadgar, the newly appointed Guardian of the World, while Ancient One recognized Demon Guards among the Legion’s forces.
• Khadgar unleashed beams of destruction from his staff, annihilating more than half the attacking demons and astonishing Ancient One.

Evenson showed Ancient One visions of powerful mages and divine realms destroyed by demons, convincing her that Earth could not rely on its magic or the Asgardians for salvation. Ancient One asked what Evenson planned to do and how she could help him.

• Evenson showed Ancient One fabricated footage that made Khadgar appear vastly more powerful than her.
• Evenson showed Archimonde destroying a city and explained that the powerful mage and his nation had fallen to a single spell.
• Ancient One suggested that the Asgardians could help defend Earth, but Evenson rejected reliance on them.
• Evenson showed Diablo defeating Imperius and destroying the High Heavens.
• Evenson declared that only Earth’s people could save themselves, and Ancient One asked what he planned to do and how she could help.

Evenson showed Ancient One how humanity’s ambition and division had helped create the Queen of Blades and warned that the Swarm could threaten their universe. He urged Ancient One to support his plan to unite humanity by any means, but she recognized the Eredar Twins as demons of the Burning Legion and demanded an explanation.

• Evenson showed Ancient One the Swarm’s destruction of a futuristic city and introduced Sarah Kerrigan as the Queen of Blades.
• Evenson explained that human ambition had driven Kerrigan to become a leader of the Swarm and that the Swarm was part of the Great Dark Rise.
• Evenson told Ancient One that the Burning Legion and the Swarm needed portals, and that stopping their advance forces could prevent their main armies from arriving.
• Evenson asked Ancient One to support his use of immoral and illegal methods to force humanity to unite, and she considered his proposal.
• Ancient One recognized the Eredar Twins as demons of the Burning Legion and asked Evenson to explain their presence.

Evenson explained the Eredar Twins’ past and his plan to guide humanity by building influence through a company. He claimed his organization’s accumulated wealth had been invested in the company, though he had not dared spend any of it.

• The Ancient One questioned whether the Eredar Twins could be trusted, and Evenson explained that they had once served as adjutants to a leader of the Burning Legion.
• Aurelles and Saloras recounted how Sargeras corrupted the Eredar of Argus, and how they rebelled and sought allies to reclaim their legacy.
• Evenson interrupted their declaration with a joke about the light bulb, and the Ancient One apologized for mistrusting them.
• The Ancient One asked Evenson how he planned to help unite humanity, and he said he had started a company to gain public influence.
• Evenson claimed his organization’s predecessors had amassed enormous wealth and said he had invested it all in the company without daring to spend a single cent.

Evenson persuaded Ancient One to invest Kamar-Taj’s funds in his company and leave a mage behind as a liaison and nominal monitor. Ancient One agreed to leave Klayya, and after she departed, Saloras asked Evenson why he had chosen the young mage.

• Evenson convinced Ancient One that investing in his company would help protect the world, and she left to check Kamar-Taj’s accounts and consult its members.
• Evenson warned Ancient One that her disciples might resist the deal and suggested she leave a mage behind as a representative and monitor.
• Klayya volunteered to stay, and Ancient One agreed before opening a portal and returning to Kamar-Taj.
• After Ancient One left and the Eredar Twins changed their disguises, Saloras asked Evenson why he had left Klayya behind.

Evenson tried to explain his closeness with the Eredar Twins by claiming he owed Klayya a favor, but Aurelles saw through the excuse and attacked him. After the Twins left, Klayya confronted Evenson, and Melinda arrived at his shop to find him battered and draw Klayya’s suspicious attention.

• Evenson narrowly escaped death and tried to talk his way out of the Eredar Twins’ questions by claiming he was repaying Klayya for a favor.
• Aurelles kicked Evenson in the face, then she and Saloras warned him and left through a portal.
• Klayya confronted Evenson after the Twins departed and said she already knew the answer to her question.
• Melinda arrived for her appointment, dodged Evenson as he was thrown from the shop, and found him badly battered.
• Klayya narrowed her eyes at Melinda when she saw how concerned the newcomer was about Evenson.

Melinda met Klayya and learned she was a White Wizard who had beaten Evenson, while misunderstanding their relationship before helping him smooth things over. Melinda then challenged Klayya to settle their own matter.

• Melinda recognized Klayya as Evenson’s former girlfriend and prepared to fight after Klayya insulted her.
• Evenson stopped Melinda and explained that Klayya was a White Wizard, not an ordinary person.
• Melinda thought Evenson and Klayya had a violent romantic arrangement, but Evenson clarified that they had only discovered each other’s identities that day.
• Melinda revealed that Evenson had angrily confronted S.H.I.E.L.D. for investigating Klayya, which pleased Klayya and let Evenson get back up.
• Klayya said she was monitoring Evenson for Kamar-Taj, and Melinda objected until Evenson explained he had agreed to it voluntarily.
• Melinda raised her hand and said she wanted to settle the matter between herself and Klayya.

Melinda agreed to an equal magical contract with Evenson, hoping to gain power and bring Coulson back. Evenson prepared a spell in his basement, but the chapter ended with him offering Melinda strange green water to drink.

• Melinda mistook the contract rune on her hand for a sign that Evenson would enslave her, but Evenson explained that it was an equal magical contract.
• Klayya recognized the rune as a Command Spell and watched anime with Melinda to explain the reference.
• Melinda insisted on proceeding, and Evenson led her and Klayya into his basement.
• Evenson poured purified water into a pressure cooker and infused it with green smoke.
• Evenson handed Melinda a cup of the green water and told her, "This is your destiny."

Melinda drank Evenson’s Fel mixture and endured a painful transformation that granted her green flames and enhanced physical strength. Klayya then offered her a deluxe Yagami-ryu martial arts manual from the shop she had left in Evenson’s care.

• Klayya asked Evenson what price Melinda would pay for magical power, and Evenson answered that it was everything.
• Melinda drank the green liquid and suffered a violent transformation while Evenson and Klayya watched.
• Melinda recovered with pale green nails and hair tips, a younger-looking face, and lips turned faintly black.
• Melinda summoned green flames in both hands, and Evenson said her physique had been greatly strengthened.
• Klayya asked Evenson whether he had touched anything in her shop, and he said everything was as she had left it.
• Klayya offered Melinda a deluxe Yagami-ryu Ancient Martial Arts manual featuring several ultimate techniques.

Evenson showed Melinda that her green flames could transform ordinary objects into powerful weapons, explaining that he had passed on part of Ghost Rider’s power. Klayya recognized Evenson’s strength after learning he had defeated Ghost Rider without using artifacts, and Evenson named Melinda’s new ability "Iron Cavalry Never Dies Barehanded."

• Klayya and Evenson debated whether Melinda should learn Yagami-ryu Ancient Martial Arts or Ash Crimson’s French December style, angering Melinda.
• Evenson had Melinda ignite her car key, then prompted her to cut a fire axe in half with it.
• Evenson explained that he had absorbed Ghost Rider’s flames twice and that Ghost Rider could turn scorched objects into weapons.
• Klayya learned that Evenson had defeated Ghost Rider without dangerous artifacts and concluded that no one in The Order but the Sorcerer Supreme could match him.
• Evenson revealed that Melinda’s flames could transform anything she touched into a weapon and named the ability "Iron Cavalry Never Dies Barehanded."

Evenson explained Melinda’s new Chaos Knight role and persuaded her to accept magical armor and weapons. He revealed that her power would have to be granted in stages, leaving Melinda demanding a clearer explanation of how many painful transformations remained.

• Melinda embraced the Iron Cavalry name as a symbol of her strength and resolve.
• Klayya and Evenson schemed to equip Melinda with deep-purple plate armor, a helmet, and a greatsword.
• Evenson called Melinda a Chaos Knight and persuaded her that magic-reinforced armor and cold weapons suited her power.
• Melinda agreed to wear armor after Evenson claimed his magic could reinforce armor but not a bulletproof vest.
• Evenson explained that Melinda’s power had to be granted in stages to prevent harmful mutations, then answered her question with “Eighty-one trials and forty-nine tribulations!”
• Melinda picked up a broken axe and told Evenson to speak plainly.

Evenson explained how Melinda’s powers would develop before Nick Fury called to report that Coulson had been revived but was acting strangely. Evenson agreed to investigate, only to discover Fury had arrived at his front door.

• Evenson told Melinda her powers would grow enough to transform increasingly complex weapons, and said she could eventually create a motorcycle with Ghost Rider as a mount.
• Hubbs insulted Nick Fury over the phone, provoking the S.H.I.E.L.D. director until Evenson took the call.
• Nick Fury told Evenson that Coulson’s revival had succeeded but something seemed wrong with him, and asked Evenson to investigate.
• Evenson agreed to go see Coulson, while Melinda transferred him disability compensation after Fury learned she was present.
• Nick Fury said Coulson was not at headquarters and Evenson could not drive to him, then walked into Evenson’s house.

Evenson, Klayya, and Nick Fury traveled to Tahiti to investigate Coulson’s resurrection, and Klayya revealed her role as a mage to Fury. Fury began explaining the resurrection project, but gave Evenson only the code name CH325.

• Nick Fury objected to Evenson bringing Klayya along, but agreed after Melinda indicated Klayya might help.
• Nick Fury led Evenson and Klayya to a cloaked Quinjet, and they flew toward Tahiti.
• Klayya introduced herself to Nick Fury as a senior deacon of the New York Sanctum and demonstrated her Magic.
• Evenson summarized how he and Klayya had met and how their organizations might cooperate, while Nick Fury questioned their account.
• Evenson asked how S.H.I.E.L.D. had revived Coulson, and Nick Fury answered with the code name CH325.