章節 4: Through the Multiverse
"Ned."
A voice came from behind Ned.
Wong and Mordo, seeing the person who had arrived, quickly bowed slightly and said respectfully, "Your Excellency."
Hearing this, Ned turned around and bowed slightly, saying, "Master Ancient One."
The Ancient One nodded and then said, "You should head back for now. Later, come find me in my room. From now on, I will personally teach you magic."
Ned immediately replied, "Yes, Master Ancient One."
"Your Excellency, Ned has already agreed to practice martial arts with me today," Mordo interjected anxiously, thinking to himself, "Even if your magic talent is extraordinary, you're still a complete novice when it comes to physical combat. Watch me, Mordo, teach you a lesson!"
The Ancient One, upon hearing this, gave Ned a curious look and said, "Alright, then. Come find me in the afternoon. You can spend the morning practicing martial arts with Mordo."
Ned nodded and said, "Alright, Master Ancient One." He then prepared to open a portal to leave.
"Ned, since you only arrived at Kamar-Taj yesterday, you might not know this: unless there are special circumstances, using magic in the library is prohibited," the Ancient One said with a smile upon seeing Ned's actions.
Ned quickly stopped, bowing slightly and saying, "I apologize, Master Ancient One."
"It's alright. You may go now." The Ancient One maintained a gentle smile.
"Yes."
Ned bowed slightly before walking away briskly.
"Your Excellency, I'll head to the square to wait for Ned as well," Mordo said eagerly, clearly excited about the idea of "teaching" this magical genius.
The Ancient One nodded silently in response.
Once Mordo and Ned had left, the Ancient One stared in the direction Ned had gone, momentarily lost in thought.
"Your Excellency?" Wong, noticing the Ancient One's uncharacteristic expression, called out in confusion.
He had never seen the Ancient One behave this way, though he had to admit that Ned's talent was indeed extraordinary.
Hearing Wong's voice, the Ancient One snapped out of it, glanced at Wong, and said, "It's nothing. Perhaps I was mistaken, but I believe Ned might become the best among us."
Having said this, the Ancient One turned and left, her steps calm and unhurried.
Wong, watching her retreating figure, scratched his head, then returned to his seat, resuming his music and book.
"Although we are sorcerers, we must also learn physical combat techniques. The tradition of Kamar-Taj is to engage in close combat," Mordo explained to Ned in the square.
"Many mystical spells are meant to assist in close combat, such as the Rings of Raggadorr (magic shields), the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak (used by Doctor Strange to restrain Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War), and the Sacred Sword of the Vishanti (the fiery blade Doctor Strange wielded against Thanos)."
Hearing this, Ned smirked inwardly and thought, "It's not just Kamar-Taj. Even a certain someone in Asgard, supposedly the best sorcerer across the Nine Realms, is obsessed with close combat."
"Hey! Don't space out during battle!" Mordo yelled, breaking Ned's thoughts. He conjured a staff with magic and swung it at Ned.
Startled, Ned quickly summoned a magical shield to block the attack. The sound of impacts echoed as Mordo's strikes hit the shield repeatedly.
Ned breathed a sigh of relief and laughed. "Haha! Master, this isn't working! Aren't you one of Kamar-Taj's top fighters? You can't even handle me, a newbie who's never practiced fighting before!"
Mordo, unfazed by Ned's laughter, replied, "Again!"
He attacked once more, but this time, Mordo displayed far more skill and precision. Within just three moves, Ned was struggling, taking multiple hits.
As the session continued, Mordo seemed to toy with Ned, refusing to end the fight and landing occasional hits. Frustrated, Ned finally said, "Alright, alright! I admit it sir—you're better. Stop already!"
"That won't do," Mordo replied, holding his staff with a grin. "How can you protect the Earth if you have no perseverance? Let's keep going!"
Mordo resumed his assault, targeting Ned's ribs one moment and his legs the next, leaving the latter in visible distress.
"Master Mordo, please hold back just a little?" Ned grumbled, nursing a sore back and glaring at Mordo. Moments ago, Mordo had tripped him with the staff before delivering a direct hit to his waist.
Barely suppressing a laugh, Mordo said, "Alright, that's enough for today. Go rest. After lunch, go find the Ancient One."
With that, Mordo quickly fled, seemingly worried that Ned might retaliate.
"Master Ancient One, I'm here," Ned announced after lunch and a brief rest as he entered the Ancient One's wooden cabin.
"Take a seat, Ned," the Ancient One gestured, seated calmly at a small table.
Ned complied, sitting opposite her and waiting silently for her to speak.
The Ancient One poured him a cup of tea, speaking at an unhurried pace. "The language of magic is as ancient as human civilization. The sorcerers of old called it 'incantations.'"
"We draw energy from other dimensions within the multiverse, channeling it to cast spells, create shields, summon weapons, and shape magic."
As she spoke, the Ancient One waved her hands, conjuring several small magical formations. They aligned themselves in the air before gradually dissolving.
When the formations disappeared, she looked at Ned and asked, "Ned, your magical talent is the greatest I've ever seen. But tell me—how much do you understand about this world?"
Ned opened his mouth to respond, "I..."
Suddenly, a loud "Boom!" interrupted him.
The Ancient One pressed her palm on Ned's head and her thumb on his forehead.
In an instant, Ned felt his body being propelled upward, breaking through the roof, flying into the sky, and soaring beyond Earth and the universe. He witnessed mysterious dimensions, pierced through the barriers of the multiverse, and saw vibrant realms—and a pair of menacing, evil eyes.
Then, just as abruptly, he plummeted back through the dimensions and returned to the Ancient One's cabin, seated once more at the small table.
"Ah!!" Ned gasped, startled and overwhelmed by the breathtaking tour of the multiverse. He struggled to regain his composure.
"How was it, Mr. Leeds?" the Ancient One asked with a smile as she watched him trembling.
"I... I..." Ned stammered, reaching out shakily to touch the tea on the table. "This... this tea... it's still warm!"
The Ancient One chuckled softly, satisfied. "Mhm."
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