Bab 8: New Home
July 21st 1988 - Earth
Kathmandu - Nepal
Agent Smith navigated the bustling streets of Kathmandu after escaping from the battlefield only a week earlier, a sense of urgency driving his every step. In front of him, David lay peacefully in a stroller as he pushed him forward, unaware of the danger lurking in the shadows. Smith's mind raced with thoughts of their precarious situation and the need to find a safe home for the infant.
His gaze fell upon a majestic temple, its towering pagodas casting shadows against the vibrant tapestry of the city. It seemed to beckon to him, offering sanctuary amidst the chaos that threatened to engulf them. With determination etched upon his features, Smith guided the stroller towards the temple's back entrance, his heart felt heavy and all he could do was hope that this would be the child's salvation.
He meticulously arranged a basket, lining it with a soft blanket to cradle David in comfort. With careful hands, he penned a note, crafting a narrative that would shield the child from their pursuers and leave none aware that it was him that dropped David here.
As he approached the back entrance of the temple, Smith's heart pounded with a mixture of apprehension and determination. With a final, lingering glance at David, he gently placed the basket on the doorstep, the note carefully tucked inside. Banging on the door to draw attention, he swiftly retreated into the shadows, his steps heavy with the burden of his new purpose, to protect the child by going on the run as a distraction.
Running away from the sanctuary, Smith felt a bittersweet resolve settle over him. Though the pain of parting with David cut deep after he had grown to care for him in their short time together, he knew it was the only way to safeguard the child's future. With each step through the streets of Kathmandu, he carried the weight of his sacrifice, a silent vow echoing in his heart to protect David from for as long as he could.
As the bustling city enveloped him during his escape, Smith's thoughts lingered on the child he had left behind. Though their paths had diverged, he would have loved to see who he would grow up to be, though with how much he currently sleeps he'd be happy if he could just have a place to sleep peacefully. With a solemn determination, he forged ahead.
The banging of the door jolted David from his slumber, his thoughts a jumbled mess as he tried to make sense of his surroundings. 'Damn, where are we now? I hope we left those mountains,' he mused, his mind drifting back to the harrowing journey of the agent carrying him through the snowstorm. The mere thought of this tumultuous period left him reeling.
As he lay in the basket, David watched with a mixture of confusion and trepidation as the agent who had been caring for him hurriedly departed down the alley. 'Wait, why is he leaving me here?' David pondered, a sense of abandonment settling over him like a heavy shroud. The abrupt departure of his caregiver left him feeling vulnerable and alone, his fragile emotions teetering on the edge of despair.
Just as David was on the verge of crying out as much as his infant body could handle, a miraculous sight unfolded before him. A swirling circle of orange energy materialised, resembling a dazzling array of fireworks, before expanding to form a portal. Through the shimmering gateway emerged a mysterious woman, adorned in traditional Asian warrior robes coloured gold, her hood obscuring her features.
"Hmm, I'll grant that agent's final wish and protect the child, since it'll spare this town from a massacre in the future," the woman remarked, her words carrying a sense of levity. David listened intently, his heart racing with a mixture of fear and intrigue. The woman's cryptic declaration only served to deepen the mystery surrounding his current predicament.
With a sense of purpose, the woman approached David's crib, her movements graceful yet purposeful. As she lifted him into her arms, David couldn't help but feel a sense of reassurance wash over him. Despite the uncertainty of his circumstances, he found peace in the woman's presence, her aura radiating an air of a quiet strength.
As the hooded woman carried him through the portal, David's mind raced with a whirlwind of thoughts and questions. 'Have I been reborn in a universe with magic?' He pondered, his thoughts racing a mile a minute. The mention of Shield by the agents earlier had led him to believe he was in the Marvel universe, but the appearance of wizards now left him questioning everything he thought he knew.
'Was there magic in Marvel anyway?' David mused, his mind grappling with the possibilities. He ended up dying after watching the first Avengers movie and that had left him with a limited understanding of the expansive Marvel universe. He hadn't delved into the comics or explored the details of the MCU's future, leaving him feeling woefully unprepared for the fantastical world unfolding before him.
'Darn it, there are wizards in Marvel now!' He exclaimed inwardly, a mixture of awe and disbelief washing over him. Despite his lack of knowledge, he couldn't deny the excitement bubbling within him at the prospect of embarking on a journey filled with magic and mystery.
He ended up in a fantastical realm that unfolded before him and seemed to defy logic and reason, challenging everything he thought he knew about the world.
Caught between disbelief and wonder, he could only watch in awe as they entered a courtyard, a bustling hub of activity filled with practitioners of magic. The sight of what he thought to be wizards and sorcerers conjuring otherworldly energies into intricate shapes and rune formations left him spellbound, his mind struggling to comprehend the sheer magnitude of what lay before him.
As the hooded woman carried him through the bustling courtyard, David couldn't help but marvel at the sights and sounds surrounding him. They arrived at the largest building in the complex, and the woman carried him up a flight of stairs. As she entered an empty room Inside, the woman waved her hand, and to David's amazement, a crib materialised out of thin air as that same portal appeared and moved to the side slowly revealing a crib, 'did she just steal that?' He wondered. She gently laid him down, and David felt a sense of comfort wash over him as she reassured him, "You're safe now, little one. No one can harm you here."
Despite the uncertainty of his circumstances, David found solace in the woman's words. He nestled into the crib, feeling a glimmer of hope amidst the unfamiliarity of his new surroundings. As he drifted off to sleep, his mind filled with the possibilities this new life could bring him.
July 21st 1988 - Earth
Meeting Hall, Kamar-Taj, Kathmandu - Nepal
The woman in the robes left David in the crib and made her way to a large hall adorned with mystical symbols and a table at its centre with multiple chairs around it. With a wave of her hands, a fiery orange runic formation materialised in the air, pulsating before dispersing its energy across the entire planet.
Moments later, portals began to open behind each seat at the table, and one by one, different individuals emerged through them. These were the masters of the mystic arts, each bearing an air of wisdom and power.
"I have called this meeting to inform you all that I have decided to adopt a child," the woman announced, her voice commanding attention. "As I want to be able to focus on raising him for a bit, I would appreciate it if you could look after our students until he is ready to join them."
The room fell silent as the assembled masters listened respectfully even though they were confused. One of them, a slightly overweight young Asian man with a buzz cut, spoke up. "Master, is there a reason you suddenly decided to adopt a child?" he inquired.
The woman met his gaze with a steely resolve. "That is for me to know and for you to find out, Wong," she replied cryptically, leaving the room to ponder her words. "As the Ancient one commands!" They all chanted and left through the portals they came through. 'Hah, I was just going to have someone else raise him here, that is until I saw how cute he was,' she squealed in thought.
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
MorTemTK
MorTemTK Excited since they are recommending my novel on some fresh list so here's another chapter.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone