Chapter 396: The Projection of the Ancient One
"I don't have a good impression of him, nor of any of the wizards in Midgard," Loki said with a dark expression.
So far, the two wizards Loki had encountered, Silas and Strange, had been nothing but trouble. One had turned him into a cat, and the other had forced him to fall for thirty minutes straight. Just thinking about it made Loki's blood boil.
"Apologies. Loki is just like this; he's a bit rebellious," Thor said with an awkward smile.
Strange and Silas exchanged a glance but didn't say a word.
"You two should get going. I'm sure your father has been waiting long enough," Strange said, gesturing toward the golden portal.
"Don't worry. Before I leave, I'll make sure you realize that I am the greatest sorcerer in the Nine—" Loki waved his hands, and his daggers materialized.
Just as he was about to boast of his title, Strange saw the trouble coming and flicked his wrist. The portal instantly swept over Loki and Thor, whisking them away to Norway before another word could be uttered.
"What was he about to say?" Strange asked, turning back.
"No idea. Who knows with him?" Silas waved his hand, and a Shadow Ninja emerged from a corner, handing him his freshly brewed tea.
"What exactly are those?" Strange asked, frowning at the ninja.
"Magical constructs. They serve as my attendants," Silas explained, taking a sip.
Strange narrowed his eyes as the environment shifted again. He walked over to a bookshelf and began flipping through various scrolls and texts.
"I have never heard of this kind of magic before," Strange said, closing a tome and approaching Silas.
Looking at Strange standing before him, Silas took a calm step back. "Strange, the world is vast, and the universe is infinite. How can you be so sure what exists and what doesn't?"
"I have to say, you sound exactly like her when you speak," Strange rolled his eyes. That tone was identical to the Ancient One's.
"Of course. I've been mentored by the Ancient One herself. Long before you even knew magic existed, I was already a step ahead of you."
Silas finally set down his teacup and pulled a random magic book from the shelf. He flipped it open and asked, "Can I take this home to read?"
"No," Strange replied flatly. He had to sneak into the library to learn his own spells back in the day; he wasn't about to just let books walk out the door.
"Fine. I'll read it here then." Silas pulled up a chair and began browsing the pages.
"Wong! Didn't you say every book in the library required your permission?" Strange shouted in disbelief. When he wanted a book, Wong would block him with a scowl, yet Silas was sitting there reading openly, and Wong hadn't even shown his face.
"The Ancient One said that if Silas Parker wished to borrow or read these texts, he was to be permitted," Wong said, stepping through a portal.
"Great. I'm starting to think you're the real Sorcerer Supreme," Strange grumbled, his annoyance peaking. The difference in treatment between him and Silas was night and day. He felt like a backup choice while Silas was the favorite.
"If thinking that makes you happy, then I'm glad," Wong said with a slight smile.
"Whatever. I'm not getting involved in this. Those two haven't left Earth yet; I need to keep an eye on them." Strange stopped arguing and left. Loki was an unstable element, and Strange needed to make sure no more disasters happened on his watch.
With Strange gone, Wong sat down across from Silas. "The Ancient One asked me to give you something."
"Another gift? Is it another Talisman?" Silas laughed. His Sheep Talisman had come from the Ancient One.
"Talisman?" Wong frowned. "What is that? Some kind of charm?"
"Never mind. Go on." Silas was curious to see what else the Ancient One had left for him.
Wong pulled out a wooden box and handed it over.
"Maybe it really is a Talisman," Silas whispered, smiling. The box was identical to the one that held his previous one.
Click!
The box opened, and Wong leaned in to look. Inside, however, was only a single letter.
"A letter?" Wong was confused as to why the Master would leave such a thing.
Silas took the envelope and tore it open. As he unfolded the paper...
Flash!
A burst of golden light erupted from the letter, forcing both Silas and Wong to shield their eyes. As the light faded, the figure of the Ancient One materialized, hovering in the air.
"This! Ancient One!" Wong cried out in shock. But he quickly realized it was only a residual projection—the Sorcerer Supreme had not returned to life.
"Long time no see, Silas." The projection floated in mid-air, offering that trademark, enigmatic smile. It was a smile that always felt kind and oddly comforting.
"Hello, Ancient One," Silas said, looking up.
"Ancient One..." Wong whispered respectfully from behind.
"And you as well, Wong. It seems Stephen has successfully averted the crisis," the projection said warmly.
"Yes. He has become the new Sorcerer Supreme," Wong replied.
"I need to speak with Silas alone now. Please excuse us for a moment."
Wong nodded, understanding the instruction, and returned to his library.
"I take it you have something important to tell me," Silas said.
"Indeed. Though, I must admit, I didn't expect one thing—that you would also know the future," the Ancient One's image said.
"The future..." Silas remained silent.
The projection drifted closer to him. "In many things, you must look past the surface to see the essence. The false can be true, and the true can be false. In the end, everything depends on your own heart."
"What does that mean?" Silas asked, confused.
"You don't understand it now, but one day you will. You can see the future of this world, Silas, but you cannot see your own."
Without another word, the projection flickered. It cast one last glance at the bookshelf behind Silas before dissolving into sparkling points of light.
"Coming and going so suddenly, just to leave me with more questions?" Silas muttered, feeling a bit annoyed. He had been perfectly content being a relaxed, waiting to collect the last talismans and face Thanos. Now, the Ancient One had to go and drop a philosophical bomb on him.
"She really is the Sorcerer Supreme of the Multiverse; always so mysterious." Silas shook his head with a chuckle.
"Master, the race between the Cheetah and the Gale Rabbit is about to begin," Blacklight appeared beside him.
"Alright." Silas closed the book and put it back exactly where it belonged. He glanced behind him once more before leaving the Sanctum.
After they left, Strange stepped out from behind a bookshelf. He had been watching the entire time; when he saw the Ancient One's image, he had almost been unable to stop himself from running out.
The Great Prairie
"Master, who is this guy?" Darklight asked, holding the Gale Rabbit. He pointed toward Aleksei, who was still buried up to his neck.
"Don't worry about him. The other Shadow Ninjas are watching him." The moment Silas appeared, Aleksei began a string of profanities.
Darklight promptly shoved a handful of dirt into Aleksei's mouth. "Too noisy, big rhino."
"Mmmph! Mmmph!" Aleksei looked like he was about to lose his mind. To him, these people were all bandits.
Blacklight, who was setting up some equipment, looked over. "Master, can I use this guy for an experiment later?"
"Sure. Just don't kill him," Silas nodded.
Hearing this, Aleksei's eyes went wide with terror. Lunatics! They're all lunatics! This isn't a prairie, it's an asylum!
"System," Silas called out.
[Cheetah has arrived. Please check.]
"Meow~" A sleek, incredibly fast cheetah appeared on the grass.
The Gale Rabbit grew excited at the sight of its rival. This time, it was determined to wash away the shame of its previous defeat.
"Go get 'em, Gale Rabbit. Overtake him this time," Darklight said, setting the rabbit down.
"Meow~" The cheetah let out a provocative chirp.
"Hmph!" The rabbit turned its head away. It was going to show that cat who was boss.
"Gale Rabbit, you're feeling okay, right?" Blacklight asked for a final check. The rabbit nodded and patted its chest, signaling it was ready.
"Alright! Darklight!" Blacklight shouted.
"Ready!" Darklight called back from the starting line.
"Three!"
"Two!"
"One!"
BANG!
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