Chapter 106: CHAPTER 104

[Dr. Stephen Strange POV]

Strange walked out of the room with anger simmering inside of him. If he hadn’t watched how Mr. Cross had been able to fight a heated battle with Mordo without showing a hint of fatigue, then he would have struck that man there and then. Consequences be damned. 

In his anger, he made his way towards the abode of the master known as the Ancient One. Blinded by rage, he forgot to knock and barged in on her tea time. 

“Did you know?” He asked her, not really in the mood for one of her mind blowing tea or a philosophical session. 

“You would have to clarify your query, I'm afraid.” She said, not even bothering to acknowledge his presence as he continued on with her tea with her back towards him. 

“That-that m-monster! You knew what he did right? He killed millions and he dared call it a fight. You said the Order existed to protect earth from threats. Isn’t someone like him, who professed the deaths of millions as casualty, more than enough to be seen as a threat?”

At this the Grand Master of the Order of the Mystic Arts turned to him. “We are duty bound not to interfere in disputes between human parties. No matter how much destruction they bring on themselves, the Order exists for something more terrifying than their nukes and cyber warfare. And for your second question, no, he doesn’t classify as a threat.” She answered coolly. 

Strange was aghast at the nonchalant attitude of the elder woman before him. What the hell did she mean that he doesn’t classify as a threat? Someone with that kind of power shouldn’t be allowed to learn the most versatile art in human history. 

“If he doesn’t classify as a threat, then what does?”

Instead of answering his question she looked at him with that ephemeral gaze of hers that looked as if she was looking at something behind him. “You are not that different from him, Strange.” Strange scoffed at that. How could she think he had any kind of similarities with someone like that. 

“When all the superficial thoughts and obligations are removed, both of you become the perfect mirror for each other. Highlighting both your beauty and your flaws for both to see. The same carefully concealed superiority, but whereas you showed yours in a vain and mundane way, he showed his in truths. Facts.”

“The same apathy you both have that, in your case, make you unable to see others as an equal or a comrade, his makes him unable to care for both. 

While with your arrogance you wouldn’t think twice about saving someone’s life, he wouldn’t think twice about ending multitudes just for one he decides on a whim.”

The more Strange heard, the more he felt sick to his stomach. Where was the similarities she talked about? Those attributes she mentioned were just on different ends of the spectrum. 

“I still don’t see the likeness between me and him.”

“You both are free, at least under the illusions you’ve come to believe. You consider yourselves dictators of your life when you know in reality it couldn’t be far from the truth so you strive to defeat or ride along with inevitability. A word of advice Strange: do not be so quick to judge, for nothing is ever as it seems. Goodnight.”

Before he could ask her what she meant by what she said, he found himself back in the hall with his room a few doors down. 

He left for his room with his head swarming with thoughts. When he’d found out about magic, he had made a resolve to never again be put in a situation where he would be entirely powerless and meeting Cross, fueled that resolve more. 

… 

[Draul St. Cross POV] 

The exercises I performed fell into a pace as I immersed myself in my studies of the elements of magic. 

I had been here for almost two weeks and I still haven’t met the Ancient One but I wasn’t in a rush either. There were a lot of books to read and while I still haven’t been able to perform anything magical, I wasn’t depressed. I spent almost 10 hours everyday in the library and only left when the librarian kicked me out or for training and food. 

Today however was different – Mordo gave me a sling ring. 

I didn’t remember much from the Dr. Strange comics and the movies but his explanation about the ring already had me sold on its value. It wasn’t as redundant as a tool to open portals and help-guide in casting spells as shown in the movies but also an index and gateway to different dimensions across the vast multiverse. Yeah, you heard that right. 

The multiverse. 

Mordo was quick to explain the intricacies about the sling ring, its importance and uses and also some taboos pertaining to the ring. The ring was as well as crutch and also a nuke when it came to the different levels of mastery in the arts. 

It was during this time that Mordo delved deeper into the sources of powers concerning using magic and its consequences. 

There were three sources of energy to draw from when using magic. 

Personal energy: This one was powered by the user's life force and it could be used to strengthen the body and amplify mental abilities like Astral projection, telepathy, telekinesis and hypnosis. There was also a pure form of it that was called Chi and while Mordo didn’t go into details about it, I already knew what my homework would be about. 

The second was Universal energies. 

The was the most common and most used source of energy when it came to the inhabitants of Kamar-Taj. It was simply drawing from the abundant energies present in every part of the universe to conjure spells. It also was the reason why sorcerers who used this source of energy had an easier time learning conjugation, transfiguration and teleportation. It was easier to use it as it helped tremendously in forming constructs like the shield and weapons the sorcerers of Kamar-Taj were known for. 

The last was Dimensional energies which Mordo didn’t bother going into, his excuse being I wasn’t strong enough to have access to that knowledge. Although the books in the library of Kamar-Taj were free for all, there were certain knowledge that was retained, not for hoarding sake or for personal powers, but rather to guard the young ones from being swayed easily. 

The knowledge of a more powerful and easier shortcut with unclear ramifications would sway others in multitudes. 

That said, Mordo then went into explaining the type of magic they used – which was Eldritch Magic. 

Light based magic that worked with channeling the universal energy around us with either through chanting or motion of hands. 

The first exercise Mordo walked me through was forming a simple magic circle. All it needed was three motions from both hands but.. 

“Gaghh! Why isn’t it working?” I frowned as I saw the sparks around my hand every time I ran through the motions. 

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“You are forcing it, Cross. You need to let it flow. There is no need for precision about it.” Mordo stood off to the side while I and other students were performing the same exercise. 

Off to the distance, I could see Strange performing more complex magic with deft hands. He was more accomplished in magic than I was. By a large margin at that. Strange and I haven’t talked since that day, ignoring the others' presence when we met, which was something I dearly appreciated as it saved me from any drama that would have happened. 

Focusing on my exercise, I placed my palms in an enclosed fist, switched the positions to make them perpendicular and then drew in the fist while the palm remained outstretched. And like the countless tries before, I failed. 

“You are being too restrictive, Mr. Cross.” A soft, almost fragile, voice entered my ears which made me look to my side to find the Ancient One coming down the stairs with two Masters behind her. 

Even with her in my line of sight and range of perception, I couldn’t sense anything from her. It was so eerie that I only heard her footsteps when she was a few feet away from me. 

“I don’t believe we’ve been properly introduced.”

“I doubt you introduce yourself to every new recruit.” I bowed to her like the other students did. Regardless of who I was before I came here, being in front of her, I could only afford the greetings of a student to their master. It was basic etiquette. 

“I don’t, but it is not everyday someone like you seeks to learn the mystic arts. I tend to keep my eyes open for such people.” She said with a faint smile on her face while she gestured to me to follow. 

“Thank you for the pleasure of acquaintance, but I don’t think just introducing yourself to your new student is why you are here.” I said as we made our way farther from the training grounds that Mordo was overseeing. 

“I figured it was time to get introduced now that you are starting to learn magic.” She said before stopping to face me. 

“Well about that. I don’t think it’s going too well. No worries though, it’s just my first day so I think I’ll be able to get it down in no time.” I told her. 

“You will. But words of advice from a master: magic is not meant to be controlled but to be in sync with. You have too tight a leash on everything around you, let it flow freely.” She said and placed her hands on my chest before closing her eyes for a second and stepped back. 

I didn’t know what she did but since I didn’t feel anything wrong with my senses scanning my entire body, I forgot about it. Probably some sort of master-y magic sensing. I brought my focus back to her words and a frown appeared on my face due to her advice. 

“I don’t think letting my emotions run wild and free is a good idea. You should know why.”

“Oh, should I?” She asked with a smile as if she found something amusing. “Keeping such intense emotions locked in would prove detrimental to your studies. Magic, after all, is an extension of your true self. And you can’t know who you truly are without learning to be in harmony with all of you. I’ll see you another time, Mr. Cross.” She said before she made her way to Strange but I couldn’t focus on that as my thoughts were on what she said. 

I kept a good tight leash on everything concerning my mind and every other involuntary actions of my body. From the circulation of blood flow to my heartbeat per minute, my senses, skin sensitivity etc. The only thing that I didn’t bother with much control on were my emotions, except with anger which was on complete lock down. Letting all of that out and also the repressed anger, and letting it flow through my entire being freely was a recipe for disaster with everyone present here. 

I just couldn’t risk it. 

I went back to my group and joined them in conjuring my first magic circle, or trying to anyway. 

Mordo came to me after seeing that I wasn’t as focused on the task as my mind was seemingly elsewhere. My body moved on automatic as it performed the hand motions on its own while my mind pondered on what the Ancient One said. 

“What did the Ancient One tell you?” Mordo asked as he came to my side to correct one of the pupils, a middle aged mans', stance. 

“Basically, I’m too wound up tight and I have to loosen up.” I said with a huff and tried once more to go through the motions but this time there was not even a tiny bit of spark to serve as proof that I was trying to make a magic circle. 

“She is right, you know? Magic is an extension of yourself. Keeping one part of yourself hidden from it won’t produce anything. You should take her advice and try to fight whatever demons you have.” Mordo tapped me on my shoulders before walking away. 

I sighed at myself and looked at my sling ring. Maybe I should just wrap up today and hit the books? I thought about it for a moment before I shook my head and continued trying to cast my first circle. 

Though I tried all day, I wasn’t able to erect a circle of any kind as I kept stumbling either with something else or what the Ancient One said really got to me, hopefully it was the former. Which was just a lie as I could tell it was the latter.

I left the training grounds and made my way to my room to chat with those at home and ask them how it’s been since I left as I haven’t called them more than twice since I came here. 

We ended up taking a lot before I cut the call and focused on my evening meditation and learning to channel my personal energy.

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