Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Voices In Mind!
At precisely 4:45 PM, the serene yet vibrant atmosphere of Kamar-Taj brimmed with disciplined focus.
In the central training grounds, numerous sorcerer apprentices practiced diligently, their movements synchronized and precise.
The grounds exuded an austere charm, surrounded by ancient architecture steeped in history. Pagodas, bell towers, and meditation halls were scattered like relics of a forgotten era, imbued with the mystique of a monastic sanctuary.
Each apprentice wore a Sling Ring on one hand, their other hand sketching glowing circles in the air. Suspended before them were basketball-sized sparks of orange magical energy, swirling with latent power.
A tall, dark-skinned man, his expression stern, strode among the students with his hands clasped behind his back. His voice, steady and authoritative, carried across the training grounds:
"Mastering the Sling Ring is essential for traversing the place through portal. Without it, you cannot hope to wield even the most basic of magics."
At the edge of the crowd, the Sorcerer Supreme herself, the Ancient One, observed quietly.
Her gait was unhurried, her eyes sweeping over the apprentices with the sharpness of a hawk and the patience of a gardener tending to young saplings.
She wasn't just assessing their progress—she was also evaluating the teaching capabilities of her senior disciple.
The Ancient One wore a clean, understated dark blue robe, its simplicity belying her status. In her hand, she held a well-worn folding fan, its design as timeless as she appeared to be.
Trailing behind her was one of her more eccentric disciples, a young man with a rather peculiar hairstyle: short on the sides, with braids tied at odd angles, giving him a "nonconformist monk" appearance.
Suddenly, the Ancient One stopped mid-step. With an audible snap, she closed her fan and turned her gaze westward, her expression serene yet grave.
Her disciple hesitated, then stepped forward, bowing slightly. "Is something wrong, Master?"
The Ancient One waved a hand dismissively, her tone measured, almost contemplative. "Something has breached the dimensional barrier…"
The disciple straightened, ready to act. "Shall I investigate?"
"No," she replied, her voice calm yet resolute. "I'll handle this myself."
Her eyes gleamed with emerald light, the shimmering trails of the Time Stone spinning within.
As though peering through the veil of time and space, she glimpsed something—or someone—that brought a faint smile to her lips.
"A fascinating little being," she murmured, before vanishing in a swirl of green sparks.
….
The sun burned mercilessly overhead, turning the sand into a molten golden sea. It shimmered like liquid fire, suffocating and relentless, threatening to melt even the hardiest of travelers.
Two figures trudged through this vast expanse.
The taller one staggered with labored breaths, his footsteps unsteady, while the smaller figure followed with an unnerving ease, moving as if the heat and sand were mere trifles.
Lemu and Tony Stark had left the crash site, choosing to head in a random direction.
Staying in one spot seemed like inviting death—either from dehydration or from the possible return of the terrorist group that had held Stark captive.
Though the endless desert stretched before them with no clear destination, the unspoken agreement was simple: keep moving.
As for Stark, his condition was far from ideal. With every step, he grew weaker, the scorching heat sapping what little strength he had left. Lemu, meanwhile, seemed unfazed by the heat, his pace light and steady.
After some deliberation, Lemu had decided—for now—to spare Tony Stark's life.
For one, the Arc Reactor embedded in Stark's chest was far too advanced for Lemu to fully comprehend or replicate, at least not in his current state.
(At this point, Lemu was still unaware of the mysterious "Great Sage" voice that had recently awakened within him. Had he known, he might not have cared as much about the Arc Reactor—it would be child's play to recreate with the right knowledge.)
Secondly, even if he did manage to acquire the Arc Reactor, he lacked the connections to sell it. Finding a buyer in this world without being hunted down or undercut would be nearly impossible.
As they walked, Stark finally broke the silence, his voice hoarse yet laced with his trademark sarcasm. "So, Echeverría, what's your grand plan here? Walk me to death and take the reactor off my corpse?"
Lemu shot him a sidelong glance, his amber eyes glittering with amusement. "Nah, too much effort. I'm more of a wait-until-you-faint-then-borrow-your-stuff kind of guy."
Stark let out a weak laugh, shaking his head. "Figures. You've got that whole 'cryptic drifter' vibe going for you."
Reason number three: this was the Marvel Universe.
Here, crises capable of annihilating the planet were as common as grains of sand in the Sahara.
To make matters worse, there was a big purple guy named Thanos lurking in the background, scheming to snap half the universe out of existence like it was just another Tuesday.
Without Iron Man, who was going to stand against that cosmic maniac? Captain America and his shield? Sure, good luck with that.
So yeah, keeping Tony Stark alive seemed like the smarter option. After all, dead geniuses couldn't invent world-saving tech or form superhero teams.
Also—Lemu paused mid-thought, solemnly placing a hand over his heart—he was a man of principles.
Such a benevolent, upright, morally impeccable soul like himself would never stoop to murder or theft, let alone exploit someone in their weakest moment.
"Absolutely not," Lemu murmured under his breath. "Not me."
He tried to convince himself of this noble truth as they trudged through the desert.
Then, as if to distract himself, he hesitated and asked internally, "Hello? You there?"
He was referring to the voice he'd heard earlier—back when he and Stark were free-falling to their likely deaths, only to be saved by an inexplicable gust of wind.
A response came immediately, calm and measured. 'Acknowledged. I am here.'
Lemu breathed a quiet sigh of relief. 'Thank goodness I haven't gone insane. I mean, who wouldn't start questioning their sanity after being stuck in a dark void for what felt like centuries?'
Weekly Power Status
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Ranking 
-- Power
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