Chương 5: Chapter 5: Shocking Secrets
"What Ten Rings?" Solomon asked, puzzled.
"Have you heard the story of King Solomon?"
"I've heard bits and pieces..."
"It's said that King Solomon commanded 72 demons, and the construction of the First Temple in Israel was attributed to him. However, it's believed that he likely had the assistance of these demons. The ten rings are believed to be a sign of divine wisdom, allowing him to control both angels and demons," the Ancient One explained. "Solomon only performed a miracle once, and in the end, he returned the rings to heaven through his own will."
"And what does that have to do with my stigmata?"
Seeing the disapproving look from the Ancient One, Solomon sheepishly turned his head back. He had, in fact, never read up on the origins of stigmata.
"Magic originated from the theory of idol imitation. By mimicking the whole or part of an entity, one could acquire its attributes. The simplest magic is seeing and hearing," the Ancient One said, tapping Solomon's head with a fan to refocus him.
She continued, "Stigmata are the marks left from the crucifixion of the Son of God. But the marks on your fingers are not from the Son of God; they are more akin to those of King Solomon. I don't know what to call them, so I refer to them as stigmata, and you as a 'saint.' But it's different from what the Roman Church calls a saint.
"Based on the theory of idol imitation, you must possess a fraction of King Solomon's abilities, such as control or command."
"So... you're not sure if I can control this ring?" Solomon asked, his face filled with resentment. "I don't mind being part of an experiment, but please give me a heads-up next time."
"Shh... shh..." The Ancient One glanced to the side, "There was no serious harm done, so don't worry about it."
As for the whereabouts of the other two rings, the Ancient One had mentioned them to Solomon, but she believed he wasn't yet ready for the challenges those rings would bring.
"Why?" Solomon asked.
"Because there are more magical factions on Earth than just Kamar-Taj. Not all wizards derive their power from the Vishanti," the Ancient One said. "Not all mystical sources come from the Vishanti. Some draw from the chaos magic of Chthon, others from Dormammu's dark dimension, or even stranger sources. There are demons and devils too.
"Kamar-Taj, or as the outside world calls us, the Sorcerers' Brotherhood, is primarily responsible for cleaning up these dark sorcerers."
"Alright, but can you tell me more about Chthon or Dormammu?"
"Very well. This is a part of basic education that's often neglected. I've always worried that if people heard their names, they might be drawn to their call, leading them to these dangerous ancient gods. But since it's just you and me, there won't be any interruptions," the Ancient One said. "What you hear now must be kept deeply in your mind."
"I swear, by the source of all magic," Solomon responded.
The Ancient One nodded and began the ancient gossip, "Chthon was one of the lifeforms birthed by the God of Life, making him one of the earliest life forms on Earth. He's known as the Great Dark Shadow, or the God of Black Magic. Other lifeforms that were born include Gaia, the Earth Mother, and Set.
"Billions of years ago, a wave of ancient gods was born from Earth's biosphere. They began devouring and slaughtering each other, with some even becoming demons. Chthon was among them.
"To stop this cycle, Gaia and the God of Life gave birth to Atum. Atum destroyed many of the corrupted ancient gods, but in doing so, he himself fell and became the incredibly powerful God Eater. Even when Chthon and Set joined forces, they couldn't stand against him.
"Eventually, Chthon and Set fled to other dimensions to escape the God Eater's wrath. As for Atum's fate, some say he fused with the sun and became the Sun God, though no one knows if that's true.
"The power Atum left behind gave rise to a new generation of gods, which included the Norse pantheon.
"Odin, the God-King, wielded a vast power called the Odinforce. He went on many conquests, ruled Asgard, and created Yggdrasil, the World Tree, forming ten realms in the cosmos. Meanwhile, gods appeared elsewhere on Earth, such as the Jade Emperor of the Chinese pantheon.
"Then there's Gaia, the Earth Mother. Gaia and her son, Uranus, gave birth to Cronus, whose son was Zeus—the very same from the Greek myths you've read about."
"I'm not sure what happened, why the Ten Realms of Yggdrasil became the Nine Realms we know today, but long ago, before human civilization, these new gods began leaving Earth, more or less."
The Ancient One paused, and Solomon quickly poured her a cup of tea, using magic to keep it warm.
The Ancient One nodded in satisfaction and continued, "Now, about the Vishanti trinity. One of them, Agamotto, was the first Sorcerer Supreme. He specialized in prophecy and truth, uncovering the mysteries of the universe. He forged Kamar-Taj's greatest relic, the Eye of Agamotto, along with the Amulet of Agamotto and the Crystal of Agamotto.
"Hoggoth is an incredibly ancient and powerful magical entity. His true form is said to be incomprehensible to most mortals, which is why Hoggoth often appears as a tiger.
"Sometimes, he may even take the form of a human face. Hoggoth's Path and Hoggoth's Mist help travelers navigate through nightmare realms, and Hoggoth's spells can induce sleep or cause people to forget.
"The final member of the Vishanti, Oshtur, is another ancient god and the daughter of the God of Life. She is associated with the sky, wisdom, and reason, and is the origin of white magic.
"When Chthon's existence threatened Earth and even the universe, Oshtur gave birth to Agamotto. Yes, the same Agamotto who is one of the Vishanti. Technically, she's genderless."
The Ancient One paused for a moment, then lowered her voice with a conspiratorial wink, as if sharing some juicy gossip.
"And here's a little tidbit—well done, Solomon, your magic has advanced quickly," she said, lifting the teacup and feeling the perfect warmth. She winked again, as though about to share a juicy secret.
"Rumor has it that Hoggoth comes from an ancient and mysterious race, being the last survivor of his kind, existing for millions—if not billions—of years.
"One day, Hoggoth met Oshtur while she was exploring different universes. He taught her many things and helped her understand the value of other forms of life. They continued traveling together afterward.
"So it's highly possible that Hoggoth is Agamotto's father… of course, this is not something to be shared publicly."
Solomon's jaw dropped. Although human ethics couldn't be used to judge the actions of these magical entities, this was beyond "complicated."
"But, Master, what does all this have to do with my trials?" Solomon asked.
"Everything," the Ancient One replied. "While Britain was enjoying the twilight of its empire, it plundered vast amounts of artifacts from around the world. These treasures are now stored in the British Museum. Unfortunately, many of these artifacts are tied to the ancient gods of Earth.
"Even though those gods have left Earth, some remnants of their power still linger in these items. Even a tiny bit of that energy would be immense for a mortal.
"If you intend to retrieve one of the rings, it means you'll have to face the guardians of those powers. For someone at your current level, it won't be an easy task. I suggest mastering all the magic you can before attempting this trial," the Ancient One's tone turned serious. "Remember, even if you manage to obtain one of the rings, you cannot wear it right away. Only after finding all three can you wear them simultaneously. That's when you'll have the power to fully control the magic of the Vishanti."
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