Marvel's master of cosmic magic

Chapter 506

After locking in the coordinates of Blade’s universe, Rowan Mercer led the group back through the portal into the Void.

Then he didn’t stop.

One portal after another opened in the empty air.

Elektra’s world, built around Daredevil.

Remy’s mutant timeline.

Human Torch’s Fantastic Four universe.

Unlike Blade, none of them needed emergency combat support. Rowan sent each of them home, stayed five minutes to anchor their universe coordinates, then returned to the Void.

Before leaving, all four made the same promise.

If Rowan ever needed them, they would come.

After that, Rowan turned to a less friendly batch.

The prisoners from Human Torch’s earlier encounter.

One by one, he dragged them out, used them to locate their original universes, recorded the coordinates, and threw them back into the Void when he was done.

Friends were favors.

Enemies were tools.

And tools didn’t get courtesy.

Some of the erased survivors didn’t even have universes anymore. Their timelines had already collapsed. For those, there were no coordinates to collect.

While Rowan worked methodically through universe after universe, more "raw material" was already on its way to the Void.

Two hours earlier.

Inside a grotesque fortress built from the skeleton of a giant Ant-Man corpse, Cassandra lounged on her throne, watching surveillance footage projected into the air.

Her eyes gleamed with interest.

"Interesting. Besides that mage last time, this is the first decent one they’ve sent me in years. Looks like the TVA isn’t completely useless."

She adored the Void.

Here, she was absolute.

No councils. No rules. No consequences.

For years, the TVA had dumped nothing but mediocrities into her playground. It bored her.

Only Magneto and Stephen Strange had ever made her feel anything close to excitement. Even they hadn’t lasted long once she stopped holding back.

Once, long ago, the TVA had erased her because she was still too young to fully control her power.

Now they didn’t dare touch her.

They’d signed an agreement instead.

She wouldn’t go after the TVA.

The TVA wouldn’t interfere with the Void.

The Void was hers.

They could throw people in.

What happened after that was up to her.

If they broke the deal, she’d use the sling ring she’d taken from Stephen Strange and pay them a personal visit.

Honestly, she liked her life now.

No Charles whispering in her head.

No lectures about restraint.

No moral handcuffs.

In the Void, she could do whatever she wanted.

Kill whoever she wanted.

And the TVA kept delivering fresh toys.

Today’s toy was special.

Metal control.

Almost on Magneto’s level.

And he was cute.

"Master," Juggernaut rumbled from below her throne. "Let me take a team and kill him. Avenge Human Torch."

Cassandra laughed softly, eyes bright.

"No. I’m going myself. A prize like this deserves my personal attention. I want him alive. I think he’ll make a lovely new pet."

She stood and waved her hand.

Her convoy roared to life.

Mutated war trucks and spiked vehicles tore across the wasteland toward the great forest.

"Master," Juggernaut said from the lead vehicle, frowning at the navigation. "This isn’t the direction of Human Torch’s convoy."

Cassandra smiled.

"We’re not going there. They’re already dead. We’re going to the little firefly’s resistance base."

Juggernaut stared.

"How do you know where it is?"

She looked at him like he’d asked whether fire was hot.

"Because they’re idiots. They know I can read minds and still never moved their base."

She’d known its location for years.

She let it exist because it amused her.

The convoy smashed into the forest, tearing through trees, and stopped in front of a half-buried stone house.

Outside, Logan and Wade were sitting around, bored.

"...Well," Wade said, drawing his twin katanas. "Looks like playtime finally started."

Rowan had told them to wait outside while he finished sending everyone home.

Which meant Wade had been bored.

And anxious.

And bored again.

A bald figure stepped out of the lead vehicle.

Wade squinted.

"Professor X? Wait—nope. Woman. Okay, that explains the murder vibes."

More figures followed.

Juggernaut.

Dozens of enforcers.

Wade’s eyes widened.

"Oh. That must be Cassandra. The psycho lady Human Torch warned me about."

Cassandra raised one finger and flicked it downward.

Wade slammed into the ground like gravity had tripled, buried up to his neck.

She didn’t even look at him again.

Deadpools were common here.

Uninteresting.

"Tell the one who saved you to come out," she said lazily. "I want to play with him."

Logan’s claws slid out.

Then he saw Wade immobilized like a lawn ornament.

He quietly slid his claws back in.

"...Headmaster," he called toward the stone house. "You’ve got company."