Chapter 78 78: Return
Ethan was still staring at the blurry footage of the mechanical Rhino tearing up a Brooklyn intersection when a shower of golden-orange sparks erupted in the center of the foyer.
Wong stepped through the portal. He wore his usual Kamar-Taj robes, but his demeanor was a million miles away from the stoic librarian Ethan remembered. He held a half-eaten pastrami sandwich in one hand. Dark, heavy bags hung under his eyes, and he looked utterly exhausted.
"Finally," Ethan called out, tossing his phone onto the leather couch. "I was starting to think you sold the Sanctum and moved to the Bahamas. Where's my welcome-home pizza, Wong?"
Wong stopped dead in his tracks.
He stared at Ethan. His jaw tightened. He slowly lowered his sandwich. For a terrifying second, it looked like he was genuinely calculating the physics required to throw the pastrami directly through Ethan's skull.
"You," Wong said, his voice a low, dangerous rumble. "You said you would be back shortly."
"Time dilation, buddy," Ethan shrugged, offering a casual, unapologetic smile. "Where I went, only two weeks passed. So, what did I miss?"
Wong let out a long, deeply suffering sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"What did you miss? You missed the fabric of reality fraying at the edges, Ethan. Three weeks after you left, the dimensional anomalies began. Small tears in the local space-time continuum. And they aren't bringing demons or Mindless Ones. They are bringing... colorful lunatics with animal themes."
"Colorful lunatics," Ethan repeated, unable to hold back a bark of laughter. "That's a hell of a band name."
Wong's glare could have melted lead. "One of them throws explosives shaped like pumpkins. Another dresses like a giant bird. I am a Master of the Mystic Arts. Now I feel like I am a zookeeper."
"Hey, relax," Ethan chuckled, patting Wong on the shoulder. "The Sanctum Master is back in the building. You can take the rest of the day off. Go back to Kamar-Taj. Get some sleep. Take a bubble bath."
"I fully intend to," Wong said flatly. "But first... did you bring me anything?"
Ethan raised an eyebrow. "You want a souvenir?"
"You went to an entirely different dimension," Wong pointed out, crossing his arms. "It is customary to bring a gift. Especially when you abandon your post for two months."
"Fair enough," Ethan smirked. "I actually found a place right up your alley. A shop run by two chaotic geniuses."
He reached into his dimensional pocket. He pulled out a small, bizarre-looking black horn with tiny rubber legs attached to the bottom.
"Here," Ethan said, placing it on the coffee table. "A Decoy Detonator. State-of-the-art magical distraction."
Before Wong could inspect it, the little horn suddenly sprang to life. It scurried off the table and sprinted across the mahogany floor, squeaking loudly.
BANG!
A cloud of thick, foul-smelling black smoke erupted near the staircase, accompanied by a noise that sounded exactly like a screaming banshee.
Wong didn't even flinch. He just closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, letting out another long, exhausted sigh. "I hate you. Truly."
"Okay, okay, sorry," Ethan laughed, waving his hand to clear the smoke with a localized gust of wind. "That was just a warm-up. Here, I brought you some local delicacies."
He tossed a small, ornate paper bag to the librarian.
Wong caught it suspiciously. He opened the bag and peered inside. "What are these?"
"Cockroach Clusters," Ethan said smoothly. "Very popular. Crunchy. Lots of protein."
Wong pulled one out. He examined the chocolate-covered shape, his brow furrowing. "This is shaped exactly like an insect."
"Authenticity is key."
Wong took a tentative bite. He chewed slowly. His eyes widened. He looked down at the half-eaten candy, noticing a very real, very crunchy antenna sticking out of the chocolate shell.
"Is this... an actual cockroach?" Wong asked, his voice deathly calm.
"Coated in premium dark chocolate," Ethan grinned. "Delicious, right?"
Wong stared at him for a solid five seconds. He carefully folded the bag, placed the half-eaten cluster back inside, and set it gently on the table.
"I am going to tell the Ancient One you spent the entire time drinking," Wong stated.
"Hey, come on! I got you real stuff too!" Ethan laughed, reaching back into his pocket. He pulled out a thick, leather-bound tome he'd bought in Diagon Alley. "Here. Advanced Transubstantiation of Inanimate Objects. Should keep you busy in the library for at least a month."
Wong snatched the book. He ran a hand over the ancient leather, his annoyance instantly melting into scholarly fascination. "This... the binding alone is infused with a unique spatial signature."
"See? I take care of my people," Ethan said, cracking his knuckles. "Now, as much as I'd love to catch up on the local furry-villain gossip, I need to report in. The boss is probably expecting an update."
Ethan spun his fingers in a tight circle. A shower of golden sparks erupted, expanding into a swirling portal that revealed the snowy, wind-swept courtyards of Kamar-Taj.
"After you," Ethan said, gesturing to the gateway.
Wong didn't hesitate. He clutched his new book to his chest, grabbed his pastrami sandwich, and stepped through the portal without looking back. Ethan chuckled, following him through the sparks and closing the rift behind them.
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