Chapter Summaries

Aaron completed his deal with Aro, receiving the ancient vampire source blood and Jane while the Volterra Family prepared to capture him. When the vampires attacked, Aaron used his fire-controlling ability to burn back their forces and protect Daisy.

• Jane signed Aaron’s contract and became his follower, severing her bond with Aro.
• Aaron gave Aro the ancient vampire source blood, but Aro then demanded that Aaron join the Volterra Family.
• Aaron ordered Jane to protect Daisy and prepared Daisy’s Snake Eater revolver with enchanted bullets.
• Felix charged Aaron and was blasted back by a fireball, revealing Aaron’s power to control flames.
• Aaron fought off the Volterra vampires, burned away Alec’s black mist, and incinerated vampires who attacked him.
• Jane used her Burning Body Technique against a vampire threatening Daisy, and Aaron raised a fire wall that killed others trying to reach her.

Daisy killed Felix with an alchemical weapon as Aaron overwhelmed the Volterra Family and forced Aro to reconsider resisting him. After Alice revealed a vision of Aaron destroying the family, Aro agreed to complete the transaction and ordered Jane to serve Aaron as her only master.

• Daisy fired Snake Eater at Felix and killed him with a golden alchemical bullet.
• Aro and Caius chose to keep fighting Aaron, and Caius joined the attack with Alec, Demetri, Chelsea, Heidi, and the guards.
• Aaron broke free of Alec's mist, blasted back the vampires, and slapped Caius away when he attacked.
• Aaron formed a gigantic fireball and threatened to destroy the Volterra Family, prompting Aro to flee in a vision Alice had foreseen.
• Aro accepted Aaron's terms and ordered Jane to make Aaron her only master.

Aro traded Jane to Aaron for Source Blood after accepting that the Volterra Family could not defeat him, and the Cullens’ evidence about half-human, half-vampire children ended the standoff peacefully. Aaron returned home with Jane, where Hela resisted Jane’s pain ability and Aaron began questioning her about her past and blood cravings.

• Aro ordered Jane to leave the Volterra Family, and she signed Aaron’s master-servant contract while Aro signed a secrecy contract and received Source Blood.
• Edward and Alice presented a 150-year-old half-human, half-vampire witness from the Tukuna Tribe, convincing Marcus and Aro that Renesmee posed no threat.
• Aro called off the fight, Caius and the other Volturi left, and Aro promised Aaron he would not investigate him.
• Aaron returned to the shop with Jane, and Hela teased her before Aaron questioned her about her identity, transformation, and ability.
• Jane used her Burning Body Technique on Hela, but Hela endured the pain and asked Jane about her ability.
• Aaron asked whether Jane could restrain her thirst for human blood, and Jane said she had always preferred human blood to animal blood.

Aaron recruited Jane as a willing follower and gave her three vampire-pathway potions, advancing her to Sequence Seven. He then learned Hela had driven Jean away by making her believe he was with other women, leaving Aaron furious and Hela joking that she had eliminated a romantic rival.

• Aaron ordered Jane to stop drinking human blood and abandon the values the Volterra Family had taught her.
• Aaron explained the vampire pathway and offered Jane a chance to advance in exchange for loyalty; Jane willingly accepted him as her master.
• Jane drank the Sequence Nine, Eight, and Seven potions, gained new abilities, and transformed into vampire bats and dark chains to demonstrate them.
• Aaron claimed the completed mission reward of 1,000 Magic Points and asked Hela and Abei what had happened while he was away.
• Abei told Aaron that Hela had sent Jean away by saying he had taken his girlfriend to see another woman, and Hela joked that she had eliminated a competitor.

Aaron visited Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters to clear up a misunderstanding with Jean Grey, while Nick Fury traded the academy's location for a Divination about Hydra's Insight Program. After Aaron admitted he had four and a half romantic partners, Jean was left to reckon with his blunt confession.

• Aaron learned from Hela that her divine power had recovered by one-tenth, then promised Jane he would provide blood for her vampire diet.
• Aaron asked Nick Fury for information about Xavier's school, agreeing to share fragments from a Divination about the Insight Program in return.
• Nick Fury and Coulson discussed the school, the fragile human-Mutant balance, and S.H.I.E.L.D.'s effort to remove Hydra agents.
• Aaron arrived at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, where Ororo led him to Jean and Professor Charles Xavier raised a separate matter concerning Fawkes.
• Aaron took Jean to the lakeside and admitted that Hela's account was true, then said he had four and a half romantic partners and counted Jean as half.

Aaron and Jean discussed his relationship with Daisy, then Charles explained the Mutant classification system and revealed that Jean was secretly an Omega Class Mutant with a dangerous second personality called the Dark Phoenix. The chapter ended with Aaron questioning whether Charles could contain the Dark Phoenix if it awakened.

• Aaron told Jean how he had become involved with Daisy, and Jean asked to meet her before they kissed and agreed to discuss it later.
• Jean showed Aaron around the Mutant campus, where he met Colossus Piotr, Storm Ororo, and other students.
• Charles questioned Aaron about Mutants and learned that he expected a war between Mutants and ordinary people, though he intended to protect Jean and remain neutral.
• Charles explained the five Mutant classifications and revealed that Jean was an Omega Class Mutant whose power was suppressed by mental barriers.
• Charles told Aaron that Jean's dormant second personality, the Dark Phoenix, was an instinct-driven force that could destroy the world, and Aaron challenged Charles's ability to contain it.

Charles told Aaron that Jean’s latent second personality might eventually break through his psychic barrier, while Fawkes could gradually absorb the dangerous power over at least ten years. A month later, Jane advanced to Sequence Six and Aaron prepared to bring her to the Followers’ meeting.

• Charles explained that he had restrained Jean’s power with a psychic barrier when she was a child, and Aaron agreed to leave Fawkes with her to absorb the power over time.
• Aaron encountered Scott on the road, rejected his demand to stay away from Jean, and fired a bullet that cracked Scott’s goggles before flying off.
• Over the next month, Aaron taught Jane potion-making, separated most of his potion business from his own work, and Daisy returned to Selvig for her studies.
• Aaron gave Jane the Moon Path Sequence Six Potion Professor potion, and she successfully advanced and discovered she could enjoy champagne without relying on blood.
• Aaron invited Jane to the Followers’ meeting and refused Hela’s request to attend.

Aaron convened his associates to discuss their potion progress and the upcoming Infinity Stone auction, then sought ways to grow stronger before the event. Hela suggested creating a powerful weapon, but Aaron concluded he lacked the resources to build one like the Bifrost.

• Aaron brought Jane Volturi to the Mind Space, where she introduced herself as a vampire and a Sequence Six Potion Professor of the Moon Path.
• Frank reported that he was nearly done digesting his Sheriff potion and had been asked by Nick Fury to prepare Daredevil, Luke, Jessica, and others for a S.H.I.E.L.D. mission; Aaron explained Hydra's infiltration and instructed Frank to help limit the damage.
• Banner said he was close to digesting his Machine potion, while Ake still needed time with his Clown potion, Ramon was digesting Conman, and Naga struggled with Instigator.
• The Thoughtform reported that the Infinity Stone auction would begin on a barren planet the following Monday, and Aaron agreed to attend after learning Thor would represent Asgard.
• Aaron reviewed his magical strength and limited Magic Points, then asked Hela how to grow stronger; she proposed a powerful weapon like the Bifrost, but Aaron said he could not create one.

Aaron recruited Jane Volturi to accompany him to an auction on Tarin Star and persuaded Thor to take them there via the Bifrost. Heimdall revealed that the auction would sell the Reality Stone, then confronted Aaron about secretly selling it; after Aaron explained himself, Heimdall opened the passage to Tarin.

• Aaron used Captain Jack's Compass to find Thor and asked him to take Aaron and Jane Volturi to the auction on Tarin Star.
• Thor agreed to go after Aaron revealed that the auction would include the Aether, and Jane Foster questioned Aaron about his new assistant.
• In Asgard, Heimdall explained that the auction was selling the Reality Stone and that Thor would attend with Sif and Volstagg; Sif and Volstagg also planned to shop for a shelter capsule and unusual ingredients.
• Heimdall stopped Aaron and Jane Volturi from following the others and asked whether Aaron had possessed and sold the Reality Stone.
• Aaron admitted that he had sold it, defended his decision, and refused to reveal the price; Heimdall then reopened the Bifrost passage.

Aaron and his companions attended a major auction on Xandar, where they surveyed the powerful guests and discussed the Infinity Stone and its potential buyers. Ayesha publicly challenged the hidden bidders to reveal themselves, while figures including Loki and Thanos watched from private rooms.

• Aaron, Thrór, Sif, and Volstagg arrived at the auction venue and entered after presenting their invitations.
• Sif identified prominent attendees, including the Ravagers led by Stakar, Yondu’s faction, and the Kree Accuser Ronan, whom she warned might try to seize the Infinity Stone.
• Thrór pointed out Quetzalcoatl, Lapu, the God of Wisdom and Craftsmanship, and Dionysus before the group settled into a private room on the third level.
• Ayesha, the High Priestess of Sovereign, revealed herself and challenged the other third-level guests to show their faces, prompting the crowd to cheer.
• Aaron argued that they should wait before opening their own curtains, while Thrór agreed to keep their identities hidden in Asgard’s interest.
• The Grandmaster and Loki mocked Ayesha, the Collector dismissed her, and Thanos decided to postpone attacking Sovereign while seeking information about the auction’s organizers.

Ayesha’s attempt to draw attention to the Sovereign initially left her exposed, but the third-floor guests soon revealed themselves and the auction’s hidden connections came under scrutiny. Slytherin opened the auction after silencing a heckler, and the first auctioneer took the stage.

• Ayesha waited uneasily until Nova Prime and then the Grandmaster, The Collector, the Watchers, Thor, and Thanos appeared in their private rooms.
• Loki greeted the guests, named Aaron as Gaius, and drew the Grandmaster’s and Watchers’ suspicions about Aaron and the auction organizer.
• The Thoughtform appeared as Slytherin and began addressing the crowd, but Shock Face interrupted him and was mocked by Rocket Raccoon and Groot.
• After Shock Face fired at Rocket, the Nova Corps detained both of them, and Slytherin ordered them released before warning the crowd against provoking him.
• Slytherin intimidated Shock Face into silence, declared the auction open, and a glamorous auctioneer walked onto the stage.

Lorelei revealed herself as an Asgardian prisoner and became the auctioneer for Aaron's sale of Dream Ingredients. After guests sampled a gifted BB Corn, Ayesha won the auction's second one for two billion Cosmic Credits.

• Sif recognized Lorelei and tried to arrest her, but Aaron invoked Odin's orders and persuaded her not to disrupt the auction.
• Lorelei introduced herself as the Enchantress and auctioneer, then presented BB Corn as the first lot and invited guests to test its durability.
• Rocket's energy cannon barely dented the corn husk, and Nova Corps soldiers opened the giant cob, distributed kernels, and roasted some into popcorn for the guests.
• Guests praised the popcorn, while Volstagg asked Sif for money to bid on BB Corn and Aaron offered him a way to buy it later at cost.
• Ayesha outbid The Collector for the second BB Corn and won it for two billion Cosmic Credits.

The auction continued with the Collector and Grandmaster winning unusual lots before Sif bought Universal Capsules, while the Reality Stone’s arrival drew the galaxy’s attention. Ronan challenged its authenticity and demanded an inspection, raising the prospect of a theft attempt.

• The Collector bought the Rainbow Fruit for two billion after Ayesha withdrew from the bidding.
• The Grandmaster outbid the Collector’s maid and won the Demon Great Snake for three billion.
• Sif won three Universal Capsules for one hundred and fifty million, while Yondu refused Star-Lord’s request to borrow money for them.
• Ramon and Naga brought out the Reality Stone, and Lorelei described its powers and dangers before opening bidding at one trillion.
• Ronan questioned whether the stone was genuine and said he wanted to inspect it; Ramon warned Naga that he expected someone to try a trick during the inspection.

Ramon demonstrated his Mind Reading at the auction, exposing Yondu's secret and forcing Ronan to abandon his challenge. When Ronan and Thanos's servant Ebony Maw tried to inspect the Reality Stone, Ramon and Naga fought them off, and Ramon invited Lorelei to explain his master's plan for proving the goods.

• Ramon introduced his Mind Reading ability and stopped Ronan's attack with magic.
• Ramon revealed Shock Face's resentment toward Yondu, and Yondu killed him with his arrow.
• Ramon exposed Yondu's secret about Star-Lord and threatened to reveal Kree military secrets, persuading Ronan to accept that Mind Reading was real.
• Ronan and Thanos demanded to inspect the Reality Stone, but Naga and Ramon fought Ebony Maw and kept the cube from him.
• Thanos intervened to protect Ebony Maw, then ended the confrontation; Ramon asked Lorelei to explain his master's idea for the auction.

The Thoughtform forced the gathered factions to prepare for a fierce bidding war over the Reality Stone, while Aaron explained how neutral parties could become its eventual buyers. As the auction paused for ten minutes, the Collector and Thanos arranged their finances, and the Observers decided to investigate Aaron after the auction.

• The Thoughtform said that if no one bid, he would cast the Reality Stone into a spatial rift, prompting Thanos to ask Ebony Maw how much money they had brought and to try bidding.
• Lorelei announced a ten-minute pause, and Sif, Aaron, and Thrór discussed how rival factions might drive up the price before a neutral party acquired the Stone.
• Loki and the Grandmaster welcomed the coming bidding war, while the Collector asked Kalenna to seek a loan from his brother.
• Thanos warned Ebony Maw not to provoke Slytherin, judging him bold, difficult to kill, and likely to hold grudges.
• Observer One, Observer Two, and Observer Three agreed to meet Aaron after the auction and check whether his arm bore a family mark.

Aaron and the Thoughtform realized they were being watched after Loki revealed Gaius’s surname, and they planned how to protect their identities. At the auction, The Collector won the Reality Stone for 360 trillion Cosmic Credits, and the Thoughtform prepared to exchange the genuine gem for payment.

• Aaron and the Thoughtform suspected the same group had noticed them, so Aaron planned to leave Tarin Star while the Thoughtform prepared to face any investigators.
• Aaron drank Felix Felicis as bidding for the Reality Stone began and prices quickly rose past 50 trillion Cosmic Credits.
• Ronan and Nova Prime competed fiercely, with Ronan borrowing funds from Thanos and Nova Prime rallying support to raise Xandar’s bid.
• The Collector’s maid bid 360 trillion Cosmic Credits, surpassing both sides and winning the auction for her master, Taneleer Tivan.
• The Collector noticed the displayed cube was fake, and the Thoughtform revealed the genuine Red Gem and agreed to exchange it for payment.

After the auction, Slytherin began recruiting partners and workers for his new businesses, then defended Lorelei against Asgardian attempts to take her back. He left the Asgardians questioning their own laws after pointing out that Loki had avoided punishment for far worse crimes.

• Ake delivered the Reality Stone to The Collector and confirmed that the auction had earned three hundred sixty trillion.
• The Thoughtform announced plans to build farms, ranches, a food processing base, and a Universal Capsule production base, and invited people to offer planets, workers, and military support.
• Nova Prime learned that Slytherin had used divination to anticipate the auction and agreed that Xandar would receive priority rights in exchange for further cooperation.
• Sif demanded that Lorelei return to Asgard, but the Thoughtform refused because she had signed a contract as his maid and he considered her sentence unjust.
• The Thoughtform challenged the Asgardians over their inconsistent enforcement of the law, comparing Lorelei's sentence with the lack of punishment for Loki's crimes.

The Thoughtform negotiated with Asgard’s warriors over Lorelei, then met the Watchers, who uncovered his Gaius identity and delivered two items left by his ancestor Horn. The Watchers departed without hostility, leaving the Thoughtform and Aaron to wonder what the items contained.

• The Thoughtform told Thrór, Sif, and Volstagg that they could take Lorelei only after capturing Loki, and Thrór admitted he did not want to recapture his brother.
• Thrór and Sif agreed to leave Lorelei with the Thoughtform for now, while Volstagg learned that the Thoughtform claimed to be Aaron Gaius’s fellow disciple and negotiated for Dream Ingredients.
• The Thoughtform received the Grandmaster, The Collector, and other guests before sending Lorelei to find Ramon and Naga when the Watchers arrived.
• The Watchers demanded to inspect the Thoughtform’s arms, and his Gaius family mark appeared on his left arm as they recognized him as Gaius.
• The Watchers explained that Horn had arranged for them to find his descendants and deliver his belongings, then gave the Thoughtform a black scroll and an emerald-studded ring.

After Aaron learned that Horn’s contract would keep him from returning home for nine years, he used his auction reward to acquire four Ghost Masks and take complete control of the Shadow Realm. He also absorbed Ximu’s Sky Demon Qi and considered what to buy next.

• The Watchers left the Thoughtform after agreeing not to reveal his identity, and Aaron received the Thoughtform’s memories at his divination shop.
• Aaron opened Horn’s scroll and learned that it was a contract requiring him to remain in the universe for nine years, while the family mark on his arm was sealed.
• Aaron claimed 14,000 Magic Points for his auction and spent 10,500 on the Manta, Kabo, Manni, and Tara Masks.
• The four masks merged with Aaron’s shadow, granting him full authority over the Shadow Realm, while Horn’s ring concealed his magical aura.
• Aaron bought and absorbed Ximu’s Sky Demon Qi, then asked the System to refresh a blank material slot.

Aaron began rebuilding his sniper rifles with elemental crystals to create more powerful weapons, while Nick Fury hid at Gaius's Divination Shop after faking his death. Nick Fury explained that the staged assassination was meant to make Alexander Pierce lower his guard so S.H.I.E.L.D. could eliminate Hydra completely.

• Aaron rejected the system's offer to repurchase the five Elemental Crystals and told Jane to focus on support and combat potions instead of hunger-suppressing ones.
• Aaron dismantled Demon Hunter and Eternal Night, then planned upgraded sniper rifles incorporating the five Elemental Crystals and the Druid's Stone.
• Alexander Pierce told the World Security Council that Nick Fury was a traitor, and the council ordered the Insight Program restarted.
• Nick Fury watched Pierce's meeting from Gaius's Divination Shop and revealed that Hill, Coulson, and Natasha were helping him hide after his staged death.
• Nick Fury described surviving a coordinated attack and said he had faked his death to make Pierce lower his guard and help purge Hydra from S.H.I.E.L.D.