The Perfect Illusion

All Along

Narrator's POV

"Inhabitants of earth." Dormammu spoke, projecting his voice.

Everyone looked at him.

"I am Dormammu, ruler of the dark dimension. I am your master now." Dormammu said. "Soon, you will face my wrath and fall slaves to me. I will conquer your earth, devouring everything in it."

Stephen levitated next to Dormammu, arms crossed behind his back, looking down at all the panic in the streets.

"Earth belongs to me." Dormammu said. "And anyone who refuses to submit to me will face my army of Zealots." He said.

Tony weakly groaned.

"There are no heroes. They will all fall. The Avengers will be no more." Dormammu said. "Look at your precious Ironman now." He presented the weakened Tony to the world. "He is weak and pathetic. Is this who you look up to? Is it? A weak and pathetic man hiding in a suit?" He used his magic to strip Tony from his suit.

"No..." Tony sighed, watching his armor fall to the ground below him.

"You will all face the same fate as he." Dormammu looked at Tony furrowing his eyebrows.

"Ah!" Tony groaned, gritting his teeth and closing his eyes tightly.

Stephen watched as Dormammu continued his torture.

"Your mighty hero will die, and there will be no one to save you." Dormammu continued torturing Tony.

"Hah!" Tony gasped.

Stephen flinched, holding his tongue back and tightening his fists arms he watched Tony suffer.

Kaecilius kept his eyes on Stephen.

Something was off. He could feel it.

"I will swallow this universe whole and you will all suffers greatly." Dormammu said.

"ARGH!" Tony tried his best to resist, holding back further screams of pain.

"and yoU WILL PARISH!" Dormammu shot a purple orb at Tony, hitting him.

"Ah-!" Tony gasped, receiving the hit and falling limp. He began to fall from the sky, hurdling toward the ground.

"No!" Stephen said, breaking his position and hurrying to catch Tony.

"TRAITOR!" Kaecilius shouted. He stretched a blade in his hand and followed Stephen.

"Tony!" Bruce shouted from below, watching Tony fall from the sky.

"Stark!" Thor shouted.

///0///0

Stephen raced for Tony, reaching for him. He was inches away from taking him by the hand, when he got pulled back. "Uh-!" He looked back to see Kaecilius behind him, with a blade.

"Traitor. I knew you didn't have it in you." Kaecilius said.

"I'm not like you." Stephen said. "I'm not a monster."

"Argh!" Kaecilius swung his blade at him.

The two battled in midair as they fell.

"You betrayed us." Kaecilius said, cutting Stephen's arm.

"Ah!" Stephen hissed, looking at his arm. "Hah!" He gasped when he saw Kaecilius raise his blade.

"You will die along with the rest of them!" Kaecilius pushed his blade toward Stephen. "Ah!" He gasped when he felt a sharp pain in his sternum. He looked down to see a glowing yellow sword piercing his chest.