Chapter 119: Reunion Once More

“What are these?” Stephen Strange asked, pointing to a row of exquisitely crafted magical tomes on the shelf, each emitting a faint red glow.

“These are the personal collection of the Ancient One, very precious magical books,” Arthur explained.

“So they’re forbidden to borrow?” Strange inquired.

“In Kamar-Taj, no knowledge is forbidden; only certain practices are prohibited. These books are too esoteric and profound for anyone other than the Supreme Sorcerer,” Wang elaborated.

“Indeed, it took me a whole year just to barely scratch the surface of one of these volumes,” Arthur added from the side.

Strange took the first book from the shelf and began flipping through it. Suddenly, he noticed several pages were torn out.

“Why are some pages missing from this book?” Strange asked, puzzled.

“That is the Book of Kamar-Taj, also called the Book of Time. The ritual section was stolen by a sorcerer in the past,” Wang explained.

“It was taken by a man named Cassilius. He even killed the previous librarian. He fell into darkness because of this book. I hope you won’t follow the same path,” Arthur supplemented.

“Uh, I think my will is strong enough,” Strange responded.

“Any theft from these books would have been known immediately, and you would have died before escaping from here!” Wang snatched the Book of Kamar-Taj back from Strange.

“Uh, what if I just want to extend my stay? What price would I have to pay?” Strange asked.

Wang said nothing but handed Strange three books he had prepared.

“Don’t mind him; he threatened me the same way before. Come on, it’s almost mealtime. I haven’t eaten in days,” Arthur said, putting an arm around Strange and leading him out the door.

“Thanks for the books, Wang. See you next time!” Strange said as he bid farewell.

At the dining table, Stephen Strange asked Arthur across from him, “What exactly brought you here?”

“Of course, to become stronger. It’s not easy to get here. Stephen, you’re not still thinking of healing your injuries and going back to being a doctor, are you?” Arthur asked, savoring a delicious curry.

“What else do I know besides medicine? I have nothing left. I just hope to heal soon and start over,” Strange replied.

“Unfortunately, your fate changed the moment you arrived at Kamar-Taj. Your talents could make you the most powerful sorcerer. Earth needs your protection. Remember when I invited you to join the Avengers?” Arthur asked.

“Of course I remember. Did you expect I would come to Kamar-Taj back then?” Strange asked, surprised.

“Yes, it was all destined, Stephen. A friend of mine once said, ‘With great power comes great responsibility.’ You’ll understand that someday,” Arthur said earnestly.

“With great power comes great responsibility? I’m just here to heal, and I haven’t even learned a single spell yet,” Strange said.

“Believe in yourself. Forget your injuries, and you’ll learn,” Arthur encouraged.

“All right, I’ll try,” Strange nodded.

“This scene reminds me of a year ago, when we first met—also sitting and eating together. I never expected our second meeting would be the same,” Arthur sighed, looking at Strange.

“Yeah, and both times it’s Chinese food, just this time more ordinary. And I can’t even hold a spoon steady,” Strange said, mocking his trembling hand.

“There will be a way. If you agree to join the Avengers, I promise I’ll help you heal,” Arthur said.

“If you had said that earlier, I would have agreed to anything,” Strange replied.

“All right, let’s finish lunch and head to class,” Arthur said.

“Let’s go,” Strange said, carrying the magical books as they walked toward the classroom together.

***

In a secret underground chamber in London, Cassilius and his followers gathered. Cassilius prepared to communicate with the Dark Dimension and summon Dormammu, the Dark Lord.

He pulled out a parchment scroll made of sheepskin—the very pages stolen from the Book of Kamar-Taj. The scroll contained the ritual to summon the power of the Dark Dimension.

Cassilius spent a long time deciphering the text. He recited the incantation and traced a red symbol in the air—the summoning glyph of the Dark Dimension.

Dark energy poured into Cassilius’s body, his eyes turning purple. He saw Dormammu and surrendered his soul, becoming Dormammu’s servant.

Dormammu commanded him to destroy Earth’s three Supreme Sanctums, allowing Dormammu to corrupt the planet. With the instructions, Cassilius understood his next moves.

Feeling the endless dark energy within, Cassilius suddenly sensed his power surpassing even the Ancient One. He pressed both hands down onto the ground.

Ripples appeared, and the entire structure’s material form changed under his energy. This was a spell only the Ancient One could wield. Cassilius was not in the Mirror Dimension but the real world, yet he wielded power equal to the Ancient One.

Cassilius shared the Dark Dimension’s energy with his followers, laughing wildly. The moment had finally arrived! He would merge Earth with the Dark Dimension, so all people on Earth might exist eternally!

Cassilius looked toward the London Sanctum nearby. Once he gathered his forces, the first target to destroy would be the London Sanctum.

***

In the magic practice class, all the sorcerers chanted spells and summoned magical weapons. Only Stephen Strange looked around nervously, his hand aimlessly sketching in the air. Arthur and Mordo stood together, shaking their heads.

“Stephen’s too focused on his injury. It prevents him from concentrating,” Arthur said.

“Yes, at this rate, Stephen will never learn magic,” Mordo added, worried.

“Don’t worry. The Ancient One will find a way,” Arthur winked at Mordo. Several had been pushed to unlock their potential by the Ancient One’s methods.

Next was the exercise of opening portals using the Sling Ring. Everyone summoned magical energy, traced circles in the air, and chanted incantations. One by one, portals formed midair.

Only in front of Stephen was a faint trickle of magical energy—far too little.

Arthur shook his head and approached Strange, saying, “What you need is focus, like when you perform surgery. Like this.”

Arthur, with an ordinary Sling Ring, made a large blue portal appear with a single gesture.

“Are you trying to show off?” Strange teased, looking at the portal.

“I’m encouraging you...” Arthur waved his hand, and the portal vanished.

***

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