บท 3: Chapter 3 : Meeting the Ancient One.
The Sanctum Sanctorum was a breathtaking building, with its tasteful brick layout, interloped with polished marble columns and a marbled stone block façade at its base, framed by intricately casted metal fence work enveloping it. Running up along all its walls were lines of clear glass windows with beautifully carved, antique mahogany window frames all the way up to the top, where surrounded by the vibrant green shingling and quaint little niche balconies, stood the crown jewel of the structure- the great observatory window bearing the stylized symbol of the Ancient Order. It was a sight so aesthetic I instinctively slowed to a jog to admire its beauty as I exited the series of back alleys I had blitzed through to get here unnoticed.
Well that and the bubbling font of magical power that it was built upon- the New York Leyline.
With every step I took closer to it I could feel the waves of residual magic power wash over me, running along my frame like little serpentine tributaries of the river of magic, soaking into me with all the warmth of a jacuzzi.
"Mhmmm~"
I couldn't help but groan, pleased, feeling something so novel for the first time in both my lives. I clutched my fist as power overflowed within me, even the steam engine in my stomach roared with force ever so slightly.
If it feels this good just standing outside it, how good would it feel to live within?
It evoked sweet memories of my past life. This warm, cozy feeling, like coming home on a cold winters day and sitting down by the window with hot cup of milk…
No wonder so many sorcerers stick around long after completing their training. I imagine this feeling of power and safety gets addicting to those who have been normal humans all their life. It soothes the very soul.
Walking up the steps the Sanctum, I noticed faint currents of magic being woven into the building, as if the building itself were breathing it in and I felt a thin muslin curtain being woven around the place that seemingly thinned my perception of the place, my eyes felt like they were naturally sliding off of it naturally. It took focus to keep it in my sight. It felt like if I didn't know that I wanted to come here, I wouldn't even notice the building if I was standing in front of it.
Some sort of spell to divert attention away from the building?
Smart. Can't get in trouble if trouble doesn't know where to come looking.
Good thing I came here in time.
TOCK, TOCK.
My fist knocked hard against the door. Then I waited.
One minute, two minutes.
I knocked again, harder and longer this time.
Still no response.
Seriously? There's no one free enough to answer.
I call bullshit!
Alright. You don't wanna let me in?
I'll just have to make my way in, Professor Hulk style.
Maybe it was the overflowing power within me gave me that confidence, and the guilt of letting that woman die, failing that little boy, but I wasn't about to let a No-One's-Home routine cockblock me.
I walked around the property, touching and checking the wards around the building, feeling for some give and found that while the building couldn't be broken into, that didn't stop me from grabbing onto the building itself.
Well then…
I reared back, taking up a running stance and bolted up the six story building, jumping a full seventeen feet and grabbing onto one the second floor windowsills, before launching myself from there to another window then another from windowsill to windowsill, and balcony to niche till I reached the top, climbing over the ledge.
Or at least I tried before a whip of orange light snapped past where I'd have just been had I gone through, cracking with a frightening amount of power.
"Ancient One! There is an intruder climbing the building." A voice cried out almost simultaneously.
"No one answered the door! What was I supposed to do?" I shouted back, hanging awkwardly over the rooftop's edge by one arm.
"Come back later! Isn't that obvious?" The voice, a man's countered.
"Sorry, but I can't afford to wait." I said, "Just know, I'm not an enemy."
"You're certainly no friend, stranger." Another amused voice called out. The Ancient One.
"What is a stranger but a friend you just haven't met yet?" I said.
"That is one way to look at it." The Ancient One chuckled, "Very well. Make your case."
"Ancient One!" The man cried out.
"It's okay, Initiate Mordo."
"Can I climb up first? Its kinda awkward talking like this." I put one leg over the ledge as I asked.
"Will you stop if I say no?" She said.
"Nope." I rolled onto the roof and flashed my brightest customer service smile, jumping onto my feet, "Hi. I'm Dr. Aditya Bhaagi. I need your help."
"I can see that." The Ancient One nodded, "Go on."
"Okay, so this is going to sound a little crazy, but I'm actually-"
"You're not from this universe." She finished my sentence.
"What gave it away?" I asked, "Was it the beryllium bronze body, or the dead god's body part I'm wearing on my wrist."
I figured I'd put it out first thing, to gain trust. It'd be more suspicious the other way round, especially since it was clear she could tell what it was. No hiding something so obviously divine from the literal Ancient One.
"Your body is certainly something I haven't seen before and we will address…" She paused eyeing the Broken God's Amulet with a weary gaze, "that in due time, but it is obvious by the confluence of many factors, chiefly the fact that I did not see you coming."
"Oh. Oh! That is…new." I was surprised she admitted it.
Was I some sort of blind spot or was it just that my entry was so sudden that she did not have the time to foresee my arrival, what with the invasion and the emergency warding I saw being put up.
Guess we'll find out.
"Okay, so let me start out by assuring you, I am no threat. In fact, I can even help you with a few things, in time."
"How so?"
"I'm from the future, in the other universe. So I know some things I'm sure you don't. Like threats Dr. Strange will have to face. You can prepare him early for them if you know."
"Interesting." She walked closer, observing me with greater scrutiny now, "And tell me, how is it that you ended up here, Dr. Bhaagi?"
"Now that is uh…it's a complicated story. Actually no it's not. But it is, how do I put this…" I scratched my head as I put together an explanation, "Just know that I mean you no harm. I mean this world no harm. And please don't react violently. Just hear me out first, please."
The Ancient One's stance changed subtly as I said that, shifting into a more guarded one.
"That is a worrying preface."
Then I dropped the bombshell.
"I died. Yesterday, from my perspective at least. I don't know how long I was in the afterlife, void place. And that yesterday, by the by, was 18th March 2025. In there, in the afterlife, I was offered a chance at a new life, this life. I don't know by whom, or for what but, whoever it was they gave me a chance to live again and sent me here, in this body with powers. And frankly, I can just about hear your concerns right now. Some sort of extradimensional being sending someone into this universe?" I gesticulated, imitating a Phoenix Wright-like fashion, "That's a threat!"
"You are." Mordo confirmed, his eyes narrowed with suspicion.
"Buuut, that's the thing. I'm not. Whoever, whatever that being was, I never met them, they didn't ask for anything, they offered no bargain or contract, no devil deal. Nothing.
I got this free of charge. And yes, that sounds suspicious. There's no such thing as a free meal and all, but think about it like this. Maybe it was just them being nice, kind even. I mean to us, me, they are incomprehensible but to them, we're probably like ants. And say, Mordo, have you ever seen an ant walking in a line, going back empty handed and thought, 'Aw, what a sad little ant. Let me give it a sugar crumb.' Or something like that? Maybe its like that?"
"Or maybe this is some nefarious scheme to lull us into complacency before you stab us in the back." Mordo retorted.
"Goodness, dude. Take a chill pill. You sound like a professional pussy drying machine." I bit back.
"You come here and-" Mordo began shouting when the Ancient One intervened.
"Mordo!" She gave him a stern look that shut him up, though I could see he was still seething, before turning to me.
"Dr. Bhaagi, you are being surprisingly open about this. Why is that?"
"Why bother? You're the Ancient One. You probably have a dozen different ways to tell if I'm lying and then I'm kaput. Not to mention the Time Stone. You can just as easily split the timeline and torture the information out of me. If so, what's the point of lying. Besides, I don't want to start this relationship on a lie. Because even if you can't or won't do any of that, I still don't operate like that. That's just not me."
Not anymore, I hope. I want to be better this time.
I have the power to be better.
"I'm taking a massive risk, revealing all this to you and I hope you can return some of that trust back." I continued, "Please."
The Ancient One's gaze softened then and she wore a contemplative look.
"Ancient One, you cannot possibly be thinking-" Mordo appealed.
"I am." She told him, "Tell me, what do you need?"
The city is under attack from an alien army called the Chitauri. The police will be helpless against them and there's not enough Avengers to keep them all occupied. Innocent people will die by the thousands if they are not stopped." I explained, "You have a cadre of supernaturally empowered warriors downstairs. If you could just lend some aid-" She cut me off before I could finish.
"I cannot do that, I'm afraid. I'm sorry, but the Masters of the Mystics Arts are required to protect the Sanctum Sanctorum against threats to all of reality." She seemed apologetic but firm, "If we leave this node undefended for even the barest moment, there is no telling what horrors could be unleashed upon the world."
"You saw that happening if you leave?" My tone was terse but even as I spoke I realized she wasn't cruel enough to leave so many innocents to die, so the only reason for her inaction could be the risk of an even greater number of casualties should she leave.
She did not confirm it but neither did she deny it. That was all the confirmation I needed.
Welp, there goes Plan A. Good thing I brought a backup.
"Why are you not fighting then? You have powers too right?" Mordo asked.
"I'm a lover not a fighter."
"I doubt you're either." Mordo scoffed, "I would say your form was sloppy and unrefined but that would imply you had a form at all. You are full of openings."
"You have never fought for anything in your life have you, 'Doctor'?" He added scornfully.
Ooh, he really took that insult to heart huh? Not that I'll back off.
"Excuse me, what great achievements do you have to your name buddy?"
"I am a Master of the Mystic Arts." He answered with pride.
"I just heard her call you Initiate." I stifled a chuckle at the way his face contorted at that.
"A hair's breadth of a difference-" He said.
It was just then that I saw it from the corner of my eye. A leviathan emerging from the portal. The real invasion had begun, and Stark will be too occupied to notice me. I can't waste any more time.
"Okay, okay. You're real pretty, girl. Happy." I told him off and turned to the Ancient One, "I think I have another way to stop this invasion."
"How are going to stop it if you can't even fight?" Mordo asked.
"Not everything has to be solved with violence. I'll just shut off the portal." I pointed at the sky beam.
"How can I help?" the Ancient One asked.
"I need invisibility, feather falling and a portal to the top of Stark Tower. I'll handle the rest."
The Ancient One made a sign with her hand and with a flick of her wrist, a Tao Mandala appeared over me as I felt the spells take effect. With another flick a portal opened before me.
"Go."
I nodded and jumped in.
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