"What… what am I seeing?!"
Dormammu.
The Lord of the Dark Dimension!
This ancient, terrifying being—one who has long coveted Earth's reality, a true multidimensional entity—was bowing before her man. Bowing… and even showing humility and flattery.
Illyana Rasputin felt her mind reel, her grip on reality slipping away.
If inheriting the authority of the Hell Border had only made her feel like she was trapped in a dream, then this was something far worse: a complete collapse of time and space itself.
She had to be hallucinating. Maybe Belasco had dragged her into another illusion…
Because otherwise, how could such an impossible, bizarre, terrifying scene truly exist?
And then Dormammu bent lower, his flaming face turning toward her.
Illyana felt her scalp prickle and her very soul throb violently.
Every instinct screamed at her to open a stepping disc and flee—but before she could, the fiery visage smiled at her.
"This must be Mrs. Rasputin," Dormammu said smoothly.
"To become Lord of a Hell Border at such a young age… truly remarkable. With such talent, you may one day stand as a true Lord of Hell."
Illyana froze.
Had she heard him right?
Dormammu—the dread Lord of the Dark Dimension—was… complimenting her?!
She was just a sorceress who had escaped from Hell's grasp, not even close to the level of an Ancient One, let alone a true godlike being.
No. Impossible.
This had to be false. An illusion.
She turned blank, bewildered eyes toward Russell. For the first time, her sharp mind felt utterly overwhelmed.
Russell only smiled. A soft white glow radiated from his eyes, divine light that sank into her chest. It calmed her racing heart, untangled her thoughts, sharpened her clarity, and soothed her soul.
"…Is this real?" Illyana whispered.
Even under the blessing of that divine calm, she could hardly believe it.
Her gaze darted back to the fiery figure in front of her. She demanded, voice shaking but defiant:
"Are you truly Dormammu, Lord of the Dark Dimension? Or just… a captured shadow? A false duplicate?"
It was the only explanation her reason could reach.
Dormammu's flaming head shifted, his form surging and settling into the familiar monstrous visage. His mouth twisted into a grotesque, almost pained smile.
"It is me, Mrs. Rasputin. But do not call me Lord of the Dark Dimension. That world no longer exists. It has been erased—reduced to a history even time itself can no longer touch."
Illyana's eyes went wide.
The Dark Dimension… gone?
When? How? Why had she felt nothing?
No… that wasn't the point.
The point was—what kind of being could destroy something like that?
The Dark Dimension was one of the very reasons the masters of Kamar-Taj had been sworn to guard this world!
And then she saw it—the flicker of raw fear in Dormammu's otherwise flattering gaze. The realization hit her like lightning.
She turned sharply toward Russell.
He only shrugged, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
"I imagine the Sorcerer Supremes across every timeline will be… grateful."
And in that instant, Illyana knew. Her darkest suspicion was true.
Illyana's heart, which had just been calmed, began to race again. She clutched at her chest, breathing heavily, and stared at Russell in shock.
To be able to accomplish this… there was no doubt what it meant.
Russell was no longer just a singular being. He had ascended—becoming something multidimensional.
In that instant, Illyana finally understood.
She understood why the authority of the Hell Border could manifest into reality, why it seemed to have its own self-awareness and could inspire fear.
She understood why Dormammu had shown such humility.
She understood why Russell wasn't afraid of Hell's rulers noticing what was happening here.
But even if she understood it, it was still beyond her comprehension.
"Give me a second to catch my breath…" Illyana muttered, rubbing at her tense face.
After several deep breaths, she forced herself to accept this impossible reality. Still, confusion lingered, and she turned to Russell.
"What did you mean when you said 'time is up'?"
Dormammu glanced nervously at Russell, not daring to answer without his leave.
Russell didn't hide anything. He had no reason to.
Because the next great step of his plan required secrecy—required the Circle. And the reason he had dealt with the shadowed Old God first was simple: he feared that if he left them lurking in the dark, they might strike at him during the most critical moment.
If that happened, everything could be undone. Failure—or worse, death—would not be impossible.
But now, with the greatest threat destroyed and his own power ascended, there was no more need to wait.
Russell looked at Illyana with a solemn expression, his voice steady and serious.
"When I said I was afraid the Lords of Hell might overlook this place, it wasn't a joke. It wasn't arrogance."
"It's because that distraction is the prerequisite for my plan."
Illyana felt her chest tighten again.
A plan on this scale—something conceived by a multidimensional being—made her nervous, even if the one behind it was her own lover. To say she wasn't unsettled would be a lie.
She didn't feel fear exactly… but rather the pressure of being caught in something far larger than herself.
Russell's smile softened as he saw her unease.
"Don't worry. There will be no danger for you."
"I will use part of the original divine power to transform you into a true Angel."
"You will wield the power of resurrection."
Her eyes widened.
A real Angel?
That sounded far better than being any kind of Demon Lord.
"That's incredible…" Illyana breathed, her eyes lighting up. "Wait—resurrection? What exactly does that mean?"
She caught sight of Dormammu's startled expression and realized this was something beyond anything she could have imagined.
Russell explained simply:
"Resurrection means you will never truly die. I will record the peak of your power, your most perfect form, and every time you fall… you will return in that state."
Illyana's pupils trembled, and she blurted out in shock:
"Wait—doesn't that make me… invincible?!"
Russell laughed and shook his head.
"No. Because it relies on my power. If I fall, your resurrection ends with me."
"I tell you this not to make you arrogant, but so you understand—you don't have to be afraid."
"After all…" Russell's smile sharpened, and his eyes gleamed.
"…the next one you must deceive is none other than Mephisto."
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