Russell stared at her for a long time before slowly shaking his head. "Forget it. Leave it to Strange. The title of 'Earth's guardian' doesn't interest me."
The Ancient One did not press him. She merely nodded, as though she had watched this answer play out a thousand times across the Timelines she had seen.
"Are you ready, then? Mephisto is growing impatient."
"Not yet." Russell rose, and space rippled beneath his feet. "Wait for my endless army."
"An army?" The Ancient One raised an eyebrow, a flicker of thought crossing her eyes, but she asked nothing more.
Russell offered no explanation. A little mystery was always useful.
He took a step, his figure bleeding into the air like ink in water, and vanished.
The Ancient One sat alone in the empty Sanctum Sanctorum, her fingertips tapping a rhythm against the table that only she understood.
"All right, Mordo," she said softly, turning toward the corridor beyond the door. "Make your preparations."
Hurried footsteps approached. Mordo appeared in the doorway again, his face grim.
"We'll use Limbo as a staging ground. The war is about to begin." The Ancient One stood, daylight casting a long shadow behind her. "This time, we have nowhere to retreat."
Mordo gripped his Sling Ring, rubbing the cold metal with his thumb. His voice was low but firm. "For Earth."
The Ancient One did not answer.
She simply looked toward the sky beyond the window. Her gaze seemed to pierce the clouds and the Dimension beyond them, coming to rest on the eternal, ravenous void of the Dark Dimension.
That mysterious, unreadable smile returned to her lips.
The war was about to begin, and she would soon be free.
The moment Russell stepped through the rune-carved doors of the Sanctum Sanctorum, he closed his eyes.