"The Sorcerer Supreme gracing my humble abode—what might I owe the honor?"
Wes Elwin remained internally alert at the Ancient One's sudden arrival.
If she made even the slightest suspicious move, he was ready to activate his panel's dimensional travel function and flee at the fastest speed possible.
After all, strictly speaking, he was just a "stowaway." In front of the Ancient One, who protected Earth itself, he couldn't help but feel a deep sense of guilt.
"I mean no harm, Wizard Elwin. I'm simply curious."
The Ancient One's expression was calm. With a gentle wave of her hand, a chair slowly floated over and settled behind Wes.
"I have many questions. Would you mind answering a few, Wizard Elwin?"
Her eyes were filled with quiet inquiry as she looked at him.
Wes took a deep breath, trying to steady himself.
He knew that even if he slipped past her this time, she would eventually find him again. Better to speak now, while she had no apparent hostile intentions—then perhaps he wouldn't have to live in constant fear afterward.
He slowly sat down. "Ask away, Master Sorcerer. I'll answer what I can."
"While observing the timelines, I stumbled upon you by accident," the Ancient One said, tilting her head slightly in contemplation. "You're… unique. Among all the intersecting timelines, only in this one did you become a wizard—and even more remarkably, gained the ability to travel across worlds."
In front of her, Wes felt utterly exposed, as if all his secrets were laid bare. His body tensed on instinct.
Sensing his unease, the Ancient One added softly, "I'm sorry, Wizard Elwin. The responsibilities I carry don't allow me to ignore someone as unusual as you."
"I didn't think I'd caught the Sorcerer Supreme's attention," Wes replied, his voice slightly dry.
"You were careful—very careful," she admitted. "Every time you used your ability, you avoided cameras, kept away from people…"
With another wave of her hand, a vivid hologram of the Earth materialized in the air.
The planet was enveloped in a massive, intricately structured magical barrier.
"After banishing the demons of Hell, Dormammu, and others like him from Earth, I set up this barrier," she explained.
"It serves both to protect against future invasions and to monitor all magical fluctuations on the planet."
Wes stared at the projection in awe, genuinely impressed by the magnitude and complexity of the construct—it was a true testament to her power.
"Ten summers ago, the barrier detected an unknown source of magic," she said, her gaze returning to Wes with a tinge of nostalgia.
"Curious, I investigated—and found you."
"You were a young wizard at the time… mugging a gang of thugs."
Wes's face twitched involuntarily. Damn… so I was discovered the very first time I returned from the Harry Potter world.
"The magic you used was unfamiliar, something I'd never seen. I originally intended to guide you to Kamar-Taj. But then, in September of that year, you vanished without a trace. I searched the entire Earth and found nothing."
"Even with the Time Stone, I couldn't locate you. That's when I guessed—you had traveled to another world."
"Then, the following summer… the barrier detected your presence once more."
At some point, the Ancient One was holding a steaming cup of tea in her hand. She handed it to Wes with a gentle smile.
"This is a drink from the East. I hope you'll enjoy it."
Wes accepted the cup. A flicker of complicated emotion passed through his eyes, but he quickly returned to calm.
He gave a slight nod in thanks, then said slowly, "So… are you here to deal with me, Master Sorcerer?"
As he spoke, he was already prepared to flee at a moment's notice.
The Ancient One gave him a strange look.
"Why would you think that?"
"In this world, great power often brings danger," Wes replied seriously.
The Ancient One shook her head and sighed.
"Are all young people this dramatic these days?"
Wes scratched his nose awkwardly and said, "Maybe… it's just, my ability might bring catastrophe to this world someday."
"That's only one possibility. There's also a chance you'll bring this world hope."
Wes shook his head repeatedly, a bit self-mocking.
"I'm no superhero. Please don't make me out to be someone noble or grand."
"Even a devil can bring hope."
Wes was immediately speechless, dark lines forming across his forehead.
Hope and devil in the same sentence? And coming from the Sorcerer Supreme herself? I'd pay to see the expressions of all those demons she's crushed over the years if they heard that.
"Then tell me, Ancient One… what exactly is your purpose in coming to find me?"
Wes couldn't help but ask again.
"Just curiosity," she replied breezily.
"Curiosity?" Wes stared in disbelief.
"Is an old woman not allowed to be curious?" the Ancient One tilted her head playfully.
Wes nearly choked.
Please don't tilt your head. Someone who's lived for who-knows-how-many centuries doing that… it's not cute at all.
That said, the panel's dimensional travel function was Wes's trump card. No way was he going to reveal it to anyone—even the Sorcerer Supreme.
His silence made it clear to the Ancient One that he had no intention of divulging his secret.
But she didn't seem offended. Everyone, after all, had the right to protect their own secrets.
"Wes, you're lucky. Your ability gives you infinite possibilities. But as someone who's been around longer… allow me to offer a bit of advice."
"Please do," Wes said solemnly, ready to listen.
With a serious expression, the Ancient One said: "Never lose your curiosity for magic."
Wes silently agreed. All this time, his journey had been one of pursuing deeper, more advanced magical knowledge.
Seeing this young wizard's respectful and thoughtful demeanor, the Ancient One grew even more fond of him. With a smile, she added:
"I know my unexpected visit must've caused you quite a bit of stress. So, I'd like to give you a gift as an apology."
Wes let out a breath of relief.
So she wasn't here to mess with me after all…
And she even brought a gift? Now I'm actually curious.
Coming from the Sorcerer Supreme, it's gotta be something good. A spellbook? A powerful magical item?
But instead of handing him something, the Ancient One said:
"Have you ever heard the name Mephisto?"
Wes's heart froze. His face turned pale in an instant.
"If you want to kill me, just do it yourself! No need to outsource it to someone like that!"
°°°
A/N: Consider donating some stones, and your efforts will be rewarded.
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