Chapter 15 - The Ancient One

Mikael made his way towards the address given and soon enough he stood outside what looked like an older looking townhouse. It seemed a bit out of place compared to the newer ones surrounding it but no one on the street seems to notice or even acknowledge it, a fact Mikael attributed to an enchantment or illusion perhaps. He walked up the stairs and immediately felt the temperature of his surroundings had changed. He brushed it off as he reached out and knocked on the door. He waited for a moment until the door swung opened to reveal a dark skinned man in robes which Mikael recognized as Karl Mordo. The two stood in the doorway in silence looking at each other until Mikael, looking to get this business over with, broke the silence.

"I believe someone is expecting me." Mikael said as he held out the card he was given.

"I'm aware. I'm just trying to figure what's so special about you that the Ancient One would want to meet you in person." Mordo responded before stepping to the side and motioning for him to enter. Mikael walked past as he looked over the interior. The large mansion like lobby with a large central stairway filled with different strange items held in displays stood in front of him, clearly much larger than the place appeared from outside. Mordo walked past him up the stairs and gestured towards a door located off to the side.

"Please this way, the Ancient One is waiting for you." Mordo said as he opened the door revealing a vast open courtyard underneath a starry night sky that overlooked a chain of mountains in the distance. Mikael stepped through followed by Mordo as he closed the door behind them. Scattered around were a few other robed individuals that seemed to be putting away brooms and other cleaning tools before heading off into a number of different buildings made up of several different asian architectural styles. Mikael looked around as he followed Mordo while soaking in the view as being there in person was vastly different from how he imagined it. Soon he was led to the doors of a temple at the top of a hill.

"The Ancient One waits for you inside." Mordo told him before he turned and headed off into the night. Mikael watched him walk out of sight before he turned around and knocked on the door. A moment of silence passed before the doors opened on their own revealing the dimly lit room. Mikael walked inside as he observed the interior of the temple decorated with wooden shelves filled with books and lit up with dim candles. As he entered into a small room he saw a figure seated at a small table. Mikael approached them before stopping at the door of the table.

"Well I'm here. You wanted to meet me?" Mikael addressed them as he looked the figure over. Now lit up by the candlelight he could determine that the Ancient One looked almost exactly as he had remembered from the movie.

"Indeed, I've been looking forward to meeting you. Please have a seat." She answered before gesturing to the cushion on the opposite side of the small table. Mikael lowered himself into a comfortable seating position as he received the cup of tea he was then given.

"So are you going to turn the lights on now or what? You know I can see the light bulb hanging over there right?" Mikael asked as he took a sip of the tea.

"I thought this would be more fitting but since you've pointed it out." The Ancient One said before waving her hand and the lights flickered on.

"So why did you want to see me?" Mikael asked as he set the cup down on the table.

"I wanted to meet and understand the nature of the power you now wield and where you stand." The Ancient One answered as she looked him in the eyes.

"I tried to find out on my own but I still couldn't quite figure it out. You, Mikael Argent, for the most part seemed like an ordinary young man until that lightning bolt struck you. You fell into a coma for nearly two weeks and when you awakened you unleashed a surge of power on a scale that I have only felt a handful of times in all my years." She explained as she took a sip of tea while maintaining eye contact.

"You see I have the responsibility to protect this world from threats both mystical and extra-dimensional. Your power, I have never seen before but I wish to, I need to understand it." She added as she set down her cup. Mikael could feel the serious tone of her voice as he closed his eyes to contemplate the situation.

"What is it you wish to know?" Mikael asked as he refilled his cup preparing for the conversation ahead.

"Where does your power come from?"

"It comes from everything. I draw on the energy that fills and connects all things in the universe. I call it the Force. With it I can do a variety of things." Mikael answered opting to be truthful while keeping the full details to himself.

"What do you plan to do with your power?"

"I plan to use it to live my life freely and I will use it to protect my family and my home."

"How much control do you have over your power?"

"Honestly not as much as I'd like. If I restrict the amount I used then I can control it rather well but the moment my focus slips it feels like it becomes amplified beyond what I wanted. A slowly levitating a pen turns into a lethal projectile."

"I see, that's troublesome. If you knew this world was in danger would you protect it?"

"Well seeing as it's my home, yeah I would. My family lives here so I would do my best to protect it."

"Thank you, that's all I need to know at the moment. I believe that the rest will be answered in time. In return for answering my questions I believe I may know a way to help with your issue of control." The Ancient One said as she stood to her feet and started walking towards the door while motioning for him to follow her.

"Wait really? You do?" Mikael said as he stood up as walked after her.

"I do actually. I believe I've seen a similar issue in the past. And from what I understand about your powers is that they are more spiritually focused in nature so if you strengthen your spirit, more likely than not you'll improve your control. And as it so happens we have a number of books that specialize on strengthening the spirit." The Ancient One explained as the pair walked down the hill towards one of the larger buildings near the central plaza.

"You said you saw similar issues in the past?" Mikael asked although he already had an idea of what she meant.

"Yes, there's something called the Phoenix Force. It is the embodiment of creation and destruction as well as a nexus of psionic energy. It ever now and then inhabits a host. But most end up losing control to the power except for those especially strong of spirit. The last host was a woman by the name of Fongji Wu during the early sixteenth century who also happened to be the Iron Fist of that generation, she was able to control that power which I believed was due to the fact that she was exceptionally strong of spirit. Although the power inside you is not nearly as volatile I believe it may be a similar situation." She said as she stopped outside the door of the building before opening it and stepped inside and returned several seconds later with a leather bound book in hand that she handed to Mikael.

"I believe if you read through and practice what's in that book it should help improve your control overall." She told him with a smile.

"Thanks a lot. What now?" Mikael asked as he looked the book over before tucking it under his arm.

"Now you go home. I only wanted to clear up some questions and make sure you weren't a threat to this world." The Ancient One said as she started walking towards the door Mikael arrived through.

"That door will take you back to New York. You can return the book when you're done with it or just hang onto it if you wish, we've made several copies." The Ancient One told him as she stood by the door.

"Well thanks for the help. And the tea." Mikael said as he stepped through the door eager to return home and read the book. The door shut behind him while the Ancient One watched him leave as Mordo stepped up to her side.

"Was all of that really necessary?" He asked her.

"No, I already knew he wasn't a threat. I just wanted to hear and see for myself what kind of person he is." She answered as she closed her eyes before turning around and started to walk back up to the temple.

As the Ancient One and Mordo retired for the night Mikael however had quickly made his way home. He settled himself on his bed as he opened up and read the book. It spoke of different methods that would allow a sorcerer to strengthen their spirit in preparation for learning certain spells. Mikael skimmed through and eventually found one that spoke about drawing on the energies of one's body or chi in addition to the energy of the world around them to accomplish it. After a bit more searching Mikael decided that the method was the most suitable for him and began to put it to the rest.

Mikael closed his eyes as he focused on his own body and mind. As he felt the energy around him begin to fill his body he willed it to go further within. His felt his body grow warmer and felt a sensation as though warm water washed over his mind. And then everything faded away.

Mikael opened his eyes in a flash and found himself standing in a grassy field. He looked around at the vast open fields around him that held not a thing in sight until he heard a familiar voice call out from behind him.

"Hello Mikael, I've been waiting for the chance to meet you." Mikael spun around and his eyes widened as he saw a figure standing in front of him. There dressed in black robes and a cloak stood an older man that aside from the longer and graying hair looked almost identical to him.

"We need to talk."