The explosion rocked their apartment, sending debris flying in all directions. Adrian’s instincts kicked in, and he shielded Ava with his body, pulling her close as the walls trembled and chunks of plaster rained down around them. Emily moved with lightning speed, her martial arts training guiding her through the chaos as she leaped toward them, her magic flaring up to deflect the dark energy that crackled through the air.

For a brief moment, there was silence—an eerie calm that hung in the air like the eye of a storm.

Then, as if in slow motion, Adrian turned his gaze toward the door. The dark figure stood just beyond the threshold, the shimmering robe billowing around them as they stepped into the wrecked apartment. Their eyes glowed with an otherworldly light, and the dark magic that pulsed around them seemed to warp reality itself. The disciple of Dormammu radiated power, and with each step, the air in the room grew heavier, colder, darker.

Emily’s hand shot out, and a barrier of shimmering golden light appeared between them and the disciple. “Stay behind me,” she said through gritted teeth, her voice steady despite the fear coursing through her veins. Her body was tense, ready to spring into action at a moment’s notice.

Adrian, still holding Ava tightly, forced himself to focus. They were in danger—real, immediate danger. And if they didn’t act fast, this battle could be over before it even began.

“Emily, we need a plan,” Adrian muttered, his mind racing as he tried to assess their options. The disciple was powerful, but they had trained for weeks. They had power too—power they barely understood, but power nonetheless.

Emily nodded, her eyes never leaving the figure advancing on them. “We have to separate him from the Dark Dimension’s energy. If we can break his connection, we might stand a chance.”

“Right,” Adrian agreed, though his heart pounded in his chest. Easier said than done. The Dark Dimension’s energy was ancient, powerful, and relentless. But they had no other choice. It was either fight or lose everything.

The disciple tilted their head slightly, their voice dripping with malice as they spoke. “You cannot escape the reach of the Dark Dimension. Surrender now, and perhaps your suffering will be brief.”

Adrian felt a chill run down his spine, but Emily’s resolve only hardened. “We don’t surrender,” she said, her voice fierce. With a wave of her hand, she sent a blast of golden light hurtling toward the disciple.

The magic collided with the disciple’s dark aura, and for a moment, the two forces clashed—light against darkness, hope against despair. But the disciple’s magic surged forward, overpowering Emily’s attack and sending her staggering back.

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“Mommy!” Ava cried out, her voice trembling as she clung to Adrian.

Emily recovered quickly, her eyes narrowing as she circled the disciple, looking for an opening. Adrian knew they couldn’t rely on brute force alone. They needed to outthink this enemy—use their skills, their strengths, to find a way to survive.

Adrian’s mind raced as he scanned the room, searching for something—anything—that could give them an advantage. And then he saw it. His energy shield, the one he had been working on earlier, lay half-finished on the workbench. It wasn’t complete, but maybe, just maybe, it could buy them some time.

“I’ve got an idea,” Adrian whispered to Emily. “Keep him distracted. I need a few seconds.”

Emily nodded, her focus never wavering as she squared off against the disciple. She moved with precision and grace, her martial arts training blending seamlessly with her magic as she dodged the disciple’s dark tendrils of energy and countered with strikes of her own. Each movement was calculated, each strike purposeful, but the disciple was relentless, their attacks growing more powerful with every passing second.

Adrian rushed to the workbench, his hands shaking as he grabbed the half-finished energy shield. He didn’t have time to make it perfect. It just needed to work—long enough to protect them from the next wave of attacks.

With trembling fingers, he connected the wires, murmuring a spell under his breath that Eldrin had taught him—one that would fuse the magic with the technology. The shield flickered to life, a faint hum of energy surrounding it. It wasn’t much, but it was better than nothing.

As he turned back to face the disciple, Adrian’s heart skipped a beat. Emily was struggling, her defenses weakening as the dark magic closed in around her. The disciple’s face twisted into a cruel smile as they raised a hand, preparing to deliver the final blow.

“No!” Adrian shouted, rushing forward with the shield in hand.

He threw himself between Emily and the disciple, activating the shield just as the dark magic surged toward them. The shield crackled with energy, its surface shimmering as it absorbed the brunt of the attack. The force of the collision sent Adrian and Emily tumbling backward, but the shield held—at least for now.

“Adrian!” Emily gasped, her eyes wide with shock. “You—”

“No time,” he cut her off, his breath coming in ragged gasps. “We need to hit him hard—together.”

Emily nodded, her expression fierce. “On three.”

They moved as one, their bond stronger than any magic or technology could ever be. Adrian adjusted the shield, positioning it in front of them, while Emily summoned every ounce of magic she could muster. The disciple hesitated for the briefest of moments, perhaps sensing the shift in their energy, but it was too late.

“One… two… three!”

Emily unleashed a blast of magic, her energy converging with the power of the shield. The force was unlike anything Adrian had ever felt—a perfect fusion of technology and magic, light and power, all directed toward a single point.

The disciple’s eyes widened in surprise as the blast hit them full force, sending them stumbling backward. Their dark aura flickered and faltered, the connection to the Dark Dimension weakening for just a moment.

But it was enough.

With a roar of determination, Emily pressed forward, her magic surging toward the disciple with unrelenting force. Adrian joined her, pouring every ounce of energy he had into the shield, amplifying the attack.

The disciple screamed in fury, their dark magic writhing and twisting as they struggled to maintain their hold on the physical realm. But the combined power of Adrian and Emily was too much. With one final, desperate burst of energy, the disciple was thrown back, their connection to the Dark Dimension severed.

The room went still.

Adrian and Emily stood together, their breathing ragged, their bodies trembling from the effort. The disciple lay crumpled on the floor, their dark magic dissipating into the air like smoke. For a moment, there was silence—an eerie calm after the storm.

Ava, who had been hiding behind a piece of furniture, peeked out, her wide eyes filled with a mixture of fear and awe. “Is it over?” she asked in a small voice.

Adrian let out a shaky breath, lowering the shield as he glanced at Emily. “I think… I think it is.”

Emily knelt down, gathering Ava into her arms. “We’re safe now, baby,” she whispered, pressing a kiss to her daughter’s forehead. “We’re safe.”

But even as the words left her lips, Adrian knew that this was only the beginning. The disciple might have been defeated, but the ripple effect of their actions had already spread far and wide. The forces of the Dark Dimension, and others like them, would not simply give up.

They had survived this battle, but the war for their future—and the future of the MCU—was far from over.