The Shadows of Time and War

The Ancient One took a measured sip of her tea, her eyes thoughtful and distant. "You know," she began, her voice soft and contemplative, "when we tamper with time, time has a way of fighting back."

John, ever the observer of cosmic events, remained silent but attentive, his gaze fixed on her.

A shadow of sorrow crossed the Ancient One's face. "Scarlet Witch died by the hands of your Ultron variant, he used an anti matter bullet to kill her," she continued, her tone heavy with regret. "Kang fought an unending war, my fate is to be ultimately defeated by my disciple."

John's eyes widened in shock, the gravity of the situation sinking in.

In his mind, he processed the implications.

The isolation of the timeline was a necessary measure due to the relentless conflict with Kang.

He asked, his voice tinged with a curiosity and concern he barely understood, "Then why did you hide this timeline from the multiverse?"

The Ancient One's gaze shifted to Helen and John, her expression growing solemn. "Before this timeline was isolated, there was a tyrant of immense power," she said, her voice laced with gravity. "His name was Thanos. He sought to win the favor of Death by annihilating half of all existence."

The Ancient One sipped her tea slowly, her gaze distant. "After Thanos destroyed half of all life in the universe," she began, "Death was far from pleased."

John's eyes narrowed as he absorbed the weight of her words. "So, what happened next?"

The Ancient One's expression grew grim. "Thanos, disheartened by Death's displeasure, embarked on a new plan, one far more catastrophic. He aimed to kill the entire multiverse."

John's eyes widened with shock. "He intended to destroy everything?"

The Ancient One nodded, her face reflecting the gravity of the situation. "Yes. His ambition knew no bounds. He sought to annihilate not just a single universe, but all of existence. That was the extent of his despair and wrath."

John listened intently as the Ancient One continued, "In the future, Thanos became so powerful that he could obliterate the most formidable beings with a single blow. He was known across the multiverse as King Thanos."

Helen's eyes widened as she absorbed the magnitude of this revelation.

The Ancient One took another pause, her eyes distant, reflecting on the grim reality.

"To combat this threat," the Ancient One explained, "The greatest minds of the multiverse, Reed Richards, Hank Pym, Asmodeus Cho, Bruce Banner, and others created a weapon of unimaginable scale, as large as a continent so that Galactus could weild it."

Helen's mind raced, connecting the dots. Asmodeus Cho, she wondered if he was connected to her.

The Ancient One continued, "Galactus wielded this weapon and used his cosmic powers to traverse to a desolate universe. There, he discovered Frank Castle, the last remaining survivor of that universe, known as Ghost Rider."

John leaned forward, intrigued. "And what happened then?"

The Ancient One's eyes clouded with a mix of sorrow and resolve. "Ghost Rider made a deal with Galactus," she began, her tone heavy with the weight of past decisions. "He agreed to allow Galactus to consume the Earth of his universe in exchange for becoming his herald. With this cosmic power, he hoped to finally exact revenge on Thanos."

John listened intently as she continued, "Thus, Cosmic Ghost Rider and Galactus formed an alliance to battle Thanos across the multiverse. Their struggle was monumental."

The Ancient One's expression grew darker. "They fought valiantly, but Galactus ultimately fell. Cosmic Ghost Rider, consumed by his rage and madness, fought Thanos for eons without achieving his goal.

"As both were immortal" says ancient one,"In desperation, Thanos proposed a new alliance, suggesting they rule the multiverse together."

Her voice took on a note of anger. "For many years, the multiverse began to recover slowly, only to be met with the return of Thanos and Cosmic Ghost Rider. They were wreaking havoc, killing Celestials as if they were mere playthings."

A tear glistened in her eye as she said, "It was at this dire moment that we decided to isolate our universe."

The Ancient One took a deep breath, she began, her voice measured and calm, "A council of the remaining sane Thanos variants was established. They sought out the origin universe of King Thanos and, in a decisive act, eliminated him. This reset the multiverse to a more stable state."

John's eyes widened with shock. "Then why not integrate with the Marvel multiverse?"

The Ancient One's expression hardened with the gravity of her explanation. "The multiverse, with its endless branching realities, had become a battleground of chaos and destruction. 

Says ancient one, "By isolating ,timeline, we aimed to stabilize existence and prevent the catastrophic outcomes we had witnessed."

She paused, letting her words sink in. "Integrating with the Marvel multiverse would have meant exposing this timeline to further instability. The dangers of unchecked multiversal interference were too great."

John's mind raced, grappling with the implications. "So, isolating this let's say MCU universe was meant to safeguard against the very chaos you fought to contain."

"Precisely," the Ancient One confirmed, her eyes steady. "It was a calculated measure to ensure that the delicate balance of existence would not be undone by the whims of powerful beings or the unpredictability of multiversal convergence."

John's shock was palpable. "Then why did you create a sacred timeline and not let it branch?"

The Ancient One's gaze was distant, reflecting on past struggles. "At that time, only Kang, Scarlet Witch, and I remained as the strongest beings of our time. Kang, who had grown increasingly megalomaniacal, sought to become a god. He tried to convince both Scarlet Witch and me to rule this timeline."

She continued with a tinge of sorrow, "Scarlet Witch agreed to his vision. I attempted to resist, but Kang's forces, bolstered by Scarlet Witch's powers, overpowered me. They destroyed the web of fate and destiny connected to our universe."

John's expression darkened as the pieces fell into place. "And thus began the Kang War in this MCU timeline."

The Ancient One nodded solemnly, taking another sip of her tea. "Yes, and here we are now."

The Ancient One took a measured sip from her tea, her gaze distant. "After the Battle of New York, I met with Bruce Banner from the future. He came to retrieve the Time Stone."

John's eyes narrowed in recognition, the details of the movie plot clicking into place. Helen, clearly puzzled, asked, "What's a Time Stone?"

The Ancient One's expression grew somber. "The Time Stone is one of the six Infinity Stones, each governing a fundamental aspect of existence. Bruce revealed to me that Doctor Strange had willingly given up the Time Stone to Thanos, allowing him to snap his fingers and alter reality."

John's mind raced, connecting the dots. He recalled Tony Stark's fall in Stark Tower and Loki's escape with the Space Stone, only for the TVA to later intervene. "So, Doctor Strange's goal was to branch the timeline and break the endless loop, rather than simply preventing Thanos from using the Infinity Stones?"

The Ancient One nodded. "Yes, exactly. As the Sorcerer Supreme, Strange is among the most capable of us. He could have found a way to neutralize Thanos, but his aim was to create a timeline that could escape the endless cycle of destruction."

Her gaze shifted to Ultron's cup, which now hovered in the air. "Isn't that right, Stephen?"

Ultron's form shimmered as the cup transformed, revealing Doctor Strange standing in its place.

The Time Stone glowed prominently around his neck, and a time rune appeared in his left hand.

Strange's calm voice filled the room. "The path I chose was to ensure that the cycle could be broken, even if it meant taking drastic measures."

The room fell silent as Doctor Strange's form solidified, his eyes flickering with the weight of the conversation.

The Ancient One's gaze was unwavering as she spoke, "So you chose Loki to break the loop."

Doctor Strange turned his attention to the Ancient One, a hint of surprise in his eyes. "How did you know?"

The Ancient One's expression remained calm. "I discovered the TVA capturing Loki after the Battle of New York."

Strange's eyes narrowed in understanding. "I came here to consult with you before the Time Stone's destruction. I needed all the knowledge I could gather about the Mystic Arts."

The Ancient One's gaze shifted to Ultron, who stood nearby with a cold, calculating stare. "There's one condition. You must take Ultron as your personal disciple."

Strange looked over at Ultron, his eyes meeting the artificial being's cold, metallic gaze.

After a moment of contemplation, he nodded. "Alright, I'll do it."

John's eyes flickered with a mixture of curiosity and satisfaction, as Strange's acceptance seemed to seal the new arrangement.

The Ancient One's gaze softened slightly, a hint of approval in her eyes as she watched the new alliance with doctor strange from another time.