7 Interlude

[Kamar-Taj]

[Ancient One/Sorcerer Supreme Pov]

"The future has shifted again..." I couldn't help but say as the Eye of Agamotto closed in the center of my chest, having done its job of warning me of future threats to this world.

There has been an awakening, a shift in the tides. And an anomaly in the balance of this universe, in the realm of order and madness to be exact, conjuring up horrors from the depths of space.

A young teenager, whose very existence was an unusual deviation from the laws of reality, went his own way. It wasn't an entirely uncommon phenomenon in this multiverse, but this case was different...

His essence had been touched by a god from a foreign universe who was truly extraordinary, destined to accomplish feats beyond the wildest imagination.

However, before I could investigate further, I noticed that other beings of great power were watching him closely. For this reason, I decided to wait before intervening to see if this change would be beneficial or just another source of destruction.

In all my experience as a wizard, I had to admit that I had never seen anything like this before. The young alchemist somehow managed to form magic within himself, something that should only be possible with the lineage of a homo magi or a connection to a certain dimension, yet I felt the magic appear within him and then disappear, leaving nothing behind.

Watching him try to manipulate the power of another dimension to form basic spells was almost like watching a child take its first steps. I must admit, it was fascinating to see him apply the concept of magic on such a grand scale.

He seemed to be able to perceive the "truth" and use that knowledge to advance in leaps and bounds, as if he had no limits.

Although I had to tap into other dimensional energies in a similar way, I was primarily concerned with psychic/spiritual energy, which gave me abilities such as astral projection, telepathy, mesmerism, and the ability to control others. 

It was like taking a hammer and hitting a glass, and he was trying to force the glass to reform after being hit by the hammer; he was clearly still a novice by my standards, with much room for improvement and lack...

What made him interesting, though, was that I couldn't feel the magic once it entered him, as if there was some kind of void inside of him that I couldn't see into.

Truly, this mortal was unlike any other...

The protection around him was fierce, much like a lover protecting his mate, but on a cosmic scale. On the first night I saw him writhing as if in the grip of a terrible nightmare, and I wished to see his ambitions and desires written on his face as I wondered what he saw, for it is through dreams that...

They were when a wizard was at his weakest, and if I tried, I was fairly certain I could enter his dream realm to observe more closely what kind of person held all that power.

This is how I decided on my next course of action, since the various dimensional energies I was using were primarily psychic/spiritual energies that gave me abilities such as astral projection, telepathy, hypnotism, mesmerism, and the ability to extend my senses to other dimensions or see astral forms.

In this way, I could glimpse the contours of his soul and peer into the deepest secrets of his being. But his defenses were impenetrable, enveloping his being like a dark cloak, shielding him from prying eyes.

If I dared to continue my journey through his soul, I would have to challenge the gray fog that resolutely hid the intricate secrets of his entire being.

But beyond that veil of mystery lay the knowledge of another universe, a spiritual link that resided within the boy's soul so that only he could access it, an opening destined to reveal more hidden mysteries and wonders.

It was a gate...

With a large circular opening, with a frame that seemed to be made of a substance similar to stone or metal. The surface of the gate was engraved with intricate symbols that referred to knowledge that even I couldn't fully comprehend, giving the entire structure a mystical and sacred air.

The aura of the gate was accompanied by a halo of bright and mysterious light emanating from its surface, giving it an imposing and fascinating appearance to any sorcerer, at least until its stone gates decided to open, clearly signaling my arrival in the boy's mental landscape.

At that moment, the latent divinity within the boy manifested itself as the gate almost fully opened, revealing a violet eye that, I must admit, sent a shiver down my spine, even for someone who isn't as young as I once was.

The presence before me was unlike any dimensional entity I had ever encountered. It was the closest thing to a true God I had ever seen: a conceptual being in the purest sense, embodying universal truth.

I felt no fear, nor did I perceive any power emanating from the being before me, and this realization struck me deeply. I couldn't even discern its true nature. As I gazed at it, it seemed to blur in my vision, leaving me unable to recall any of its features.

Yet despite my inability to comprehend its form, the being turned its attention to me. Its eyes showed nothing but an empty abyss filled with countless mistakes and flaws.

It was as if I was staring into the void itself, and at that moment, a feeling of unease washed over me, leaving me with a lingering sense of dread.

Compared to what lay ahead of me, Mephisto or even Dormammu seemed like mere third-rate villains, incapable of posing any real threat to the world. It was almost amusing to realize that.

But in an instant, I understood the true and terrible nature of this being in his dream realm, and I felt a growing sense of dread as I watched hand-like appendages emerge from the gate and advance menacingly toward me.

I was frozen in a defensive posture, my eyes fixed on 'it'. I tried to calculate the timing and the best point to strike, but each attempt left me with a growing sense of frustration. I couldn't feel the distance between us, nor could I find a vulnerable spot to focus my attack.

My mind was confused, unable to formulate an effective strategy as cold sweat began to run down my back. It was as if 'his' presence had distorted every perception, leaving me vulnerable and powerless against this unrelenting threat.

But I wasn't going down without a fight. With a surge of determination, I called upon the mystical energies within me, forming a protective barrier to shield myself from these dark and relentless appendages.

The world around me continued to crumble, but as the magical barrier closed around me, I felt a surge of protective energy envelop me, forming a defensive barrier against the forces that threatened me.

It was only a brief moment, but enough to plan the next step in this battle against an obviously omnipotent enemy in his domain, capable of manipulating every law of physics at his whim.

With a sigh of relief, I watched as the appendages retreated into the portal, while the violet eye of truth continued to silently scrutinize me, as if waiting for my next move.

But the lack of further action on it part was a clear signal that it was implicitly suggesting that I leave. I decided to follow this implicit advice, knowing that I had more than enough for the moment.

With uncertain but determined steps, I walked away from the portal, leaving behind this dark dimension and all that it represented. As the gates of the portal closed behind me with a dull thud, I felt a sense of relief wash over me, though it was clear that this encounter would not be the last.

I needed time to recover from this encounter, to calm my mind from what I had seen. I needed to think and plan my next move, knowing that my journey was far from over. At least not until the next Sorcerer Supreme was ready to take on this heavy responsibility.

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A/N: I hope you enjoy the chapter!

On the other hand, if you want to see something specific in the next chapters, or even just have some good advice for the story as a whole, I am always willing to read a comment if it is constructive criticism.

If you see any mistakes, I would be grateful if you would point them out to me, so that I can correct them when I have some spare time, and make the story as complete as possible for myself and especially for you.

To facilitate a clearer understanding, I've retained pictures of the respective characters. Your feedback is always valued, and if you have any suggestions for the upcoming chapter, please feel free to comment—I'll be sure to respond as usual.

Please leave a review if you like the story.

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