Chapter Summaries

Noah looked back on the gains of 2013, from discovering parallel universes to consolidating his influence across magical and Muggle affairs. The chapter ended with him examining a new young appearance as he prepared for something undisclosed.

• Noah reflected on obtaining the Star of Time, which let him enter parallel universes, and on his slower progress as a peak Tier 8 mage.
• Hermione Granger succeeded Dumbledore as head of the British Ministry of Magic, which Noah had brought under the influence of his allies and the Mage Alliance.
• Mordo and the Maledictus completed the Exile Ritual, renamed themselves Druids, and supplied Loki with data that helped him develop Noah's magic.
• Fury secured approval and a huge budget for the Sentient World Observation and Response Department, then placed a major technology order with Tony.
• Cassandra joined Noah's camp and chose Desmond to help manage the High Table, while Wick adopted a new identity.
• Noah looked at his reflection in the form of a young man with pale blond hair and mismatched eyes and wondered whether his outfit suited him.

Hermione prepared nervously for a movie date with Noah, then joined him at Tony Stark’s new theater in New York. As the film began, Noah praised Hermione and asked her not to go home that night, leaving her startled.

• Hermione worried over what to wear for Noah’s invitation and settled on her usual white shirt, black dress pants, and trench coat.
• Hermione traveled through a portal to New York and reached the Stark Grand Theater, where the glamorous crowd made her question whether she measured up to Noah.
• Noah arrived, complimented Hermione’s appearance, took her hand, and led her into the theater.
• Tony personally welcomed Noah and Hermione to the VIP section, where Pepper, Fury, Coulson, and Tony’s bodyguards were seated.
• Noah praised Hermione’s effort and achievements, then asked her not to go back home that night, leaving her confused.

Noah and Hermione deepened their relationship during a Christmas date, but Noah got cold feet and took Hermione home before spending the night alone. Months later, Cassandra told Noah that Thor had come looking for him after losing a sparring match to her.

• Noah and Hermione talked through the movie and toured New York together, but Noah ultimately took Hermione home instead of staying with her.
• Wong teased Noah about returning from his date, and Noah admitted that he had chickened out.
• Noah and Hermione resumed their duties and kept in touch through WeChat, meeting whenever they could.
• Cassandra told Noah that Thor had arrived at the London Sanctum and had challenged her to a sparring match while limiting his strength to her level.
• Noah asked what Thor wanted and learned that he was waiting outside, apparently embarrassed.

After Thor recovered from his defeat by Cassandra, he invited Noah to join him on an inspection trip through the Nine Realms. Noah arranged for Wong to come along and chose Xandar as their destination, leaving the group aboard Thor’s spaceship.

• Noah explained Cassandra’s age and former Tier 9 strength, which eased Thor’s frustration over losing to her.
• Thor said he was inspecting the Nine Realms, and Noah agreed to travel with him under the pretense of discussing sustainable development.
• Noah decided to bring Wong instead of Hermione, and Wong agreed after Noah suggested Dennis could manage the London Sanctum.
• Noah and Thor chose Xandar as their destination because it was peaceful and had good relations with Asgard.
• Noah messaged Dennis and Ms. Heifen, opened a portal to Asgard, and boarded Thor’s prepared spaceship with Wong.
• Thor revealed that Loki had told him Noah wanted more freedom, and said he had invited Noah partly because the trip would otherwise be boring.

Thor took Noah and Wong to Xandar, where the Nova Corps welcomed them and provided language translators. When Noah asked about underground merchants, Thor took them to City Hall, and a receptionist discreetly gave them several locations.

• Thor brought Noah and Wong to Xandar aboard an Asgardian ship, and the Nova Corps received them courteously.
• The Nova Corps gave Noah and Wong language translators so they could communicate with Xandar’s residents.
• Thor toured Noah and Wong around Xandar, while Wong grew suspicious that their trip was for fun rather than supplies.
• Noah asked Thor about underground merchants, and Thor took him and Wong to Xandar’s City Hall to ask an official.
• A receptionist quietly shared several locations where underground merchants operated and asked the three to keep his help secret.

Noah tracked down an underground broker on Xandar to learn who had taken a job involving the Cosmic Orb, hoping to keep the Power Stone from reaching Thanos. He intercepted Peter Quill and discovered that Quill had taken the job, but the chapter ended before Quill revealed what he knew about the orb.

• Noah explained that he wanted intelligence about a job involving the Cosmic Orb, while Thor and Wong accompanied him to an underground broker.
• Noah spotted Peter Quill leaving the broker and decided to question him about the jobs Ravagers took.
• Noah stopped Quill, disarmed him with magic, and offered him a chance to make money.
• Noah asked whether Quill had completed the job involving the Cosmic Orb, and Quill pretended not to know what it was.
• Noah told Thor and Wong that he had sensed a connection between himself and the Cosmic Orb, though he did not know what that connection was.

Noah outlined a plan to gather and distribute the Infinity Stones so they could resist those who coveted them, revealing that he already controlled the Time and Space Stones and could retrieve Loki’s Mind Stone. Thor and Wong considered who should wield the remaining stones, and the chapter ended with them deciding what to do about Peter Quill, who had overheard their discussion.

• Noah asked Thor and Wong to swear secrecy before explaining his plans for the Infinity Stones.
• Noah proposed giving Thor the Power Stone and keeping the fused Time and Space Stones for himself.
• Noah revealed that Loki’s scepter contained the Mind Stone and that he had marked it so he could retrieve it.
• Noah suggested that Loki could use the Reality Stone and considered several possible users for the Mind Stone, while Wong declined to pursue the Sorcerer Supreme role.
• Thor, Wong, and Noah turned their attention to Peter Quill, who had listened to their entire conversation.

Noah, Wong, and Thor traveled with Peter Quill to Morag to retrieve the Orb, while Noah used a Silencing Curse to keep Peter from revealing their secrets. Peter helped them reach the ruins, and they found the Orb without encountering Ronan’s forces.

• Noah decided not to kill Peter and told him he would use magic to prevent him from revealing what he had overheard.
• During the journey, Wong learned that Peter was from Missouri and heard how he had been taken into space and adopted by Yongdu.
• The group arrived on Morag, where Peter put on a protective device while Noah, Wong, and Thor went without protective suits or oxygen tanks.
• Peter led them to the ruins and used his instruments to locate and retrieve the Orb.
• Noah noted that their search had gone smoothly, and Wong teased him for pretending not to enjoy the possibility of trouble.

Noah opened the Cosmic Orb and discovered that it contained the Power Stone, then gave the Stone to Thor. Thor grasped it and triggered a devastating surge of power while Noah, Wong, and Peter watched from Mirror space.

• Noah explained that the Cosmic Orb sealed an Infinity Stone and examined the runes inside it.
• Noah recorded the runes, filled their gaps with magic, and caused the Orb to open and reveal the Power Stone.
• Noah collected some of the Stone’s energy and gave the Power Stone to Thor.
• Noah moved himself, Wong, and Peter into Mirror space as Thor picked up the Stone.
• Thor’s touch unleashed a vast burst of power and formed a tornado, and Noah told Peter that the Stone could destroy a planet.

Noah and Thor confronted Peter Quill about the Cosmic Orb and persuaded him to let them accompany him to retrieve it. Thor agreed to pay Peter a billion cosmic credits, and the group prepared to travel aboard Peter’s ship.

• Noah and Thor questioned Peter about the Cosmic Orb, and Peter admitted he had taken a job to retrieve it.
• Noah warned Peter that retrieving the Orb could put his life in danger and insisted the group would accompany him.
• Peter agreed to let them come along and asked what they would pay him.
• Thor offered to pay Peter’s price, and they agreed on a billion cosmic credits.
• Peter signed the agreement, and Noah said they would travel on Peter’s ship because their Asgardian-marked vessel was too conspicuous.

Noah told Peter that the Cosmic Orb might be an Infinity Stone and argued that they should keep the Stones and use their power against those who sought them. Thor and Wong recognized the implications, and Thor began to reconsider Odin’s warning about gathering the Stones.

• Peter asked Noah where he was from, and Noah said he was from Earth before asking Peter about his years as a Ravager.
• Peter described wanting to leave the Ravagers, and Thor and Wong sympathized with his bad luck.
• Peter asked why Noah wanted the Cosmic Orb, and Noah revealed that it might be an Infinity Stone, prompting Wong to tense up.
• Noah warned Peter that powerful enemies coveted the Stones and said he wanted to keep them from those enemies.
• Thor guessed that Noah planned to send the Stones to a parallel universe, but Noah denied it and proposed keeping them and using them as weapons.
• Thor and Wong understood Noah’s plan, and Thor reconsidered his fear that the Infinity Stones would bring disaster.

Thor subdued the Power Stone and returned with Noah’s group to Xandar, where Noah explained Earth’s magical world to Peter Quill. As they set out for Asgard, Thor described treating the Stone as a comrade and estimated that its power could bring him close to Noah’s dragon-form strength.

• Noah led Wong and Peter out of Mirror space after Thor subdued the Power Stone, which rested safely in Thor’s hand.
• The group returned to the Milano and Noah and Wong explained Earth’s hidden wizarding communities and academies to Peter.
• They reached Xandar, where Yongdu called Peter, and Thor paid him before Noah’s group departed for Asgard.
• Thor told Noah that he had fought the Power Stone without his thunder powers and now treated it as a comrade.
• Noah healed Thor and checked his status as Tier Eight Level Seven; Thor estimated that using the Power Stone could make him as strong as Noah in dragon form.

Noah and Thor brought the Power Stone to Odin and discussed their plan to control the Infinity Stones before Thanos could use them. Odin approved Thor as the Power Stone’s wielder and urged Noah to watch Loki, whose experiments with the Frost-Giant's Box were becoming dangerous.

• Thor returned to Asgard with Noah and Wong, and they met Odin to explain how Thor had gained the Power Stone’s recognition.
• Noah told Odin that he intended to use the Infinity Stones to stop Thanos from snapping his fingers, and he revealed that their side had five Stones accounted for.
• Noah said the Power Stone belonged to Thor and proposed that Loki wield the Reality Stone, while Odin suggested the Mind Stone might suit him better.
• Noah explained that Loki could become qualified after mastering the Frost-Giant's Box, and Odin asked him to help Loki progress safely.
• Odin revealed that Loki had been pouring the Box’s power into himself, prompting Noah to realize Odin had been secretly monitoring him.

Noah discussed the limits of his paired Infinity Stones with the System and considered his plans to strengthen his domain. A few days later, he and the others learned that Ronan was leading a fleet toward Earth.

• Odin arranged for Noah and Wong to stay in Asgard, and Wong agreed to remain and study while Thor recovered.
• Noah asked the System why his two Infinity Stones seemed weak, and the System explained that the stones weakened each other unless all six were gathered.
• The System reported that Noah's domain fusion was progressing well but that he was still too weak to fully wield space and time within it.
• Noah reflected on Ronan, the altered events surrounding the Guardians of the Galaxy, and his difficulty finding the power of light.
• After Thor recovered, Noah and the others received news that Ronan was leading a fleet toward Earth.

Noah met Peter Quill and the bedraggled Guardians in Asgard, where Peter explained that Ronan planned to destroy Xandar and asked for aid. Odin allowed Thor to go, seeing the mission as a chance to display Asgard’s next generation.

• Noah and Wong arrived at Odin’s palace and found Peter Quill with Drax, Gamora, Rocket Raccoon, and a tiny Groot.
• Peter explained that Ronan’s forces and Gamora had pursued him after he left Xandar, and that he and his companions had escaped prison before Yongdu rescued them from Ronan.
• Peter revealed that Ronan had gone to Xandar to destroy it, while he and Yongdu’s group had come to Asgard hoping to recover the Cosmic Orb.
• Noah asked whether Peter needed help dealing with Yongdu, but Peter declined and urged Asgard to stop Ronan’s attack on Xandar.
• Thor asked Odin whether Asgard should intervene, and Odin gave him permission to go so the universe could witness Asgard’s next generation.

Noah and Thor traveled to Xandar with Wong and Peter’s group, where Noah forced Yondu’s Ravagers to cooperate after Wong easily defeated them. When Ronan’s warship arrived to attack Xandar, Noah appeared in the sky and unleashed a golden dragon that struck the ship.

• Noah told Thor he would handle Ronan himself and question him, and Thor agreed.
• Noah claimed Peter had hired their group, then demanded payment from Yondu; Wong defeated the Ravagers when they refused.
• Yondu realized Thor’s presence meant Asgard had come to intervene in Xandar and worried the Ravagers would be made to take the blame.
• Xandar sounded its evacuation sirens as Ronan’s warship appeared above the city.
• Noah appeared in the sky, transformed a pale golden radiance into a giant dragon, and caused a massive explosion aboard Ronan’s warship.

Noah confronted Ronan’s warship above Xandar, hoping to learn whether Ronan knew about Ego. Noah destroyed the ship with a fire dragon spell before he could question Ronan, leaving Thor furious that Noah had taken his fight.

• Noah told the Nova Corps supreme commander to withdraw her pilots and revealed that he was the Sorcerer Supreme’s disciple, while Thor and Wong had come with him.
• Noah stepped through a ring of light to face Ronan’s warship, and Thor hurried after him when Wong explained Noah had stolen his kill.
• Noah transformed into a massive dragon and sent a fire dragon crashing into the warship, destroying it in a huge explosion.
• Noah complained that the warship had been too fragile and feared Ronan was dead before he could answer questions about Ego.
• Thor confronted Noah for taking his kill, and Noah argued that he had used no more force than he did when sparring with Thor.

Noah destroyed Ronan’s warship over Xandar, then headed to the bar with Thor while the Nova Corps searched the wreckage for survivors. Yongdu offered a billion cosmic credits for the job, but Noah reminded him they had agreed on three, just as a Nova Corps member arrived with news.

• Noah told the Nova Corps commander-in-chief to search the wreckage for survivors and Ronan, then left with Thor.
• Thor confronted Noah for taking the fight from him, and Noah argued that he had used his usual attack without expecting the warship to be destroyed so quickly.
• Noah and Thor found Yongdu and his crew waiting at the bar, shaken by the destruction and newly convinced that the pair had come to save Xandar.
• Yongdu offered to sell his ship and pay one billion cosmic credits, but Noah reminded him that they had agreed on three cosmic credits.
• A Nova Corps member ran over before Yongdu could respond.

Noah learned that Ronan and Nebula had survived the battle and found them in a hospital among Xandar’s ruins. He pulled Ronan’s soul from his body to question him about Ego, and Ronan agreed to answer in exchange for a quick death.

• Lohman Day told Noah that Ronan and Thanos’s daughter had been found alive but severely injured in a damaged escape pod.
• Noah identified Thanos’s daughter as Nebula and ordered Lohman Day to keep her from escaping until she could be sent to Asgard.
• Noah pulled Ronan’s soul from his body, with Thor’s energy making the invisible soul visible to the others.
• Noah asked Ronan whether he knew about Ego and revealed that he had been the one to defeat him.
• Ronan agreed to tell Noah everything he knew, asking only for a quick death.

Noah spared Ronan, arranged for Nebula to be used as a source of information on Thanos, and returned to Earth as his power continued to grow. During a rare date with Hermione, they nearly kissed before Noah’s phone rang.

• Noah let Ronan die peacefully, then had Lohman Day take the body away and told Thor to bring the unconscious Nebula to Asgard and use her hatred of Thanos to gain information.
• Noah returned to the New York Sanctum with Wong, who wondered whether their trip had amounted to little more than taking a stone and watching fireworks.
• Noah spent the following months studying Domain Magic and reached Tier 8 Level 9 as the Tesseract’s power strengthened him.
• Noah went on a rare date with Hermione, who told him Harry was her secretary and Kate was deputy director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
• Noah leaned in to kiss Hermione, but his phone rang before they could kiss.