Ancient One’s apprentice

For around half an hour, the Ancient One gave me a tour of the most important parts of Kamar Taj. Compared to the early morning over in New York, it was well into the day here in Nepal, meaning I got to see numerous students going about their day and practicing in mass over at a big square in front of the main building.

The whole complex is highly impressive, and I once again found it super cool to walk around a place I saw in the movies in my previous life. I was even given the robes that all the others were wearing to put on, white in color, to signify my rank being a novice.

I had thought that the robe might have some sort of enchantments on it or give boosts to the wearer, but using Observe, I found that they were just regular clothes with nothing special about them. Oh well, maybe the higher rank ones are different.

Finishing up our brief tour, the Ancient One takes me to the library, and as she opens the door and we move inside, I can feel my mouth watering as I am standing in front of what is basically an all-you-can-eat buffet of skill books.

"Don't touch a thing!" She warns sternly, seeing the way I'm eyeing all these books, shutting down my fantasies… for now. You may try, but you can't keep them from me for forever, lady!

Hearing us enter the library, a young woman with red hair wearing similarly red robes quickly approaches and bows deeply. "Ah, Master, I didn't know you would be visiting today. I'm sorry for being unprepared, is there any way I can be of service?"

Seeing her, the Ancient One sighs, "Marie, didn't I tell you there is no need to be this formal all the time? You will end up wearing yourself out if you act like that every time I'm around."

The woman named Marie stops bowing and stands up straight again. "Sorry, master, I won't do it again!" Suddenly her head whips towards me as if just now noticing that there is someone other than her and the Ancient One in the room.

"Let me introduce you two." The Ancient One takes a step back and pushes me forward a bit.

"This is Peter, a new apprentice I have accepted, as a senior, please treat him well." She introduces me to the woman. "And Peter, this girl is Marie. She has been my student since she was a child and is also currently filling the role of the librarian here in Kamar Taj."

After a moment of silence, the woman's eyes widen. "You got a new student? Was I not good enough? I'm sorry, master, please give me another chance!"

"It's not like you aren't my student anymore. I have many disciples, you know."

"WHAT? There are others?!"

While the whole scene between the two is going down, I quietly look over the red-headed woman trying my best to rack my brains and figure out who she is, but nothing comes to mind no matter how hard I think. I definitely don't remember anyone like her from the movies. I suppose she could be some obscure character from the comics or just someone who never appeared in either.

"Marie, I want you to remember Peter's face well. It's important that without my explicit permission, he is not allowed to touch a single book in this library." The Ancient One says after getting the girl to be calm.

"Understood, master!" Marie shouts and turns to me with a jealous look. "Listen to me, your senior disciple. You are not to touch a single book that resides in this library! Is that clear?"

"Sure..." What the hell is up with this girl?

"Good, that's really all we came here for today." The Ancient One says, extending her arm out into the air. Seconds later, a thick book flies off one of the shelves and lands on her hand. "Let's go to my room now."

As we try to leave, Marie attempts to stop her but seeing the Ancient One smoothly shut her down makes me realize that she must have a lot of experience in dealing with her.

"What is that book?" I ask as we walk through the hallways toward our destination.

"Something we will be using to test out your ability, just be patient for a little while longer." She explains.

In a few short minutes, we make our way to the Ancient One's room, where she makes me sit down at a table before making some tea and sitting down across from me.

Pushing the thick book over to me, she says, "This tome covers everything from the basics to the more advanced theory concerning the chains spell you fell in trap to earlier today. Could you show me how you consume the knowledge inside the book, if you don't mind? I would be quite interested to see it myself."

I shrug and put my hand against the cover of the book. A system window popping up confirms that this is indeed a skill book. I am still not entirely sure how the system decides what is a skill book and what isn't, so I was slightly worried that it just wouldn't be recognized.

Clicking the accept button, the book starts growing with a bright light before poofing out of existence a second later, leaving behind no sign of its existence.

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[Chains of Restraint - Active] (Level 1 - 1%)

[Cost - 250 mana] [Cooldown - 2 minutes]

Summon magical chains that can hold targets in place until either the spell is dismissed or broken. Higher level allows for more mana to be used in the spell.

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"It completely disappeared?" The Ancient One asks, sounding bemused. "Looks like I will have to make a copy of any future books I'm letting you learn. It's a good thing we have lots of backups of this one stored away."

Quickly recovering and taking a sip of her tea, she asks, "So did you learn anything about the spell?"

I nod in response. "I should be able to use it, no problem."

"Then go ahead and try." She extends her left hand out straight, making it a target for the chains. Using the skill, orange, slightly transparent chains manifest out of thin air and quickly shoot toward the Ancient One's arm, tightly wrapping around it.

"Fascinating." She says while inspecting the chains wrapped around her. After a short while of just looking at them, she puts her right hand against one of the chains and casts a spell of her own, making them break immediately.

"You were able to learn how to use the spell instantly, but it's very weak. Someone learning the spell normally would be able to make much stronger chains on their first successful try."

Interesting, so even though the skill book lets me learn the skill with no need for reading or practice, it's weaker than average to start off with? I'm learning new things about how the system works.

"It's weak now, but it will get stronger after using it a few times."

Looking at the system display, the skill had gained over 10% xp just from using it once. If I focus on grinding it up, I could level it up in no time.

"Well, I'm sure there is a lot we have to experiment with regarding your unique ability, but we will have plenty of time for that. You might have already guessed it, but I will be teaching you personally since you are an unique case here in Kamar Taj. There are no other teachers that could teach someone like you."

"Yes, master!" I salute.

Hell yeah! An infinite supply of magical skill books has been secured. Now, if only I had time to level them all…

"As for the other matter…" She says, taking off the Eye of Agamotto and putting it on the table between us. "It's not difficult to guess this is what you are after. It seems strangely connected to you."

"Connected to me?" I ask, not entirely sure what she means by that.

"Well, it would be more correct to say it's connected to everyone but you." She explains further. "I already mentioned it earlier, but this artifact lets me peer into the people's futures. Everyone's except for yours, that is."

I just remain silent and let her talk. It would be bad to say too much here as I have no way of explaining to her how or why I know about the Eye of Agamotto and the time stone within it. To be honest, I am surprised she hasn't already interrogated me on why I even know of its existence or why I want it, but I'll just sum it up as her thinking I'm connected to the thing."

"You might have guessed, but I can't just go ahead and give this thing away."

Fair enough, I didn't come here expecting to just be handed an infinity stone.

"But?" I ask, feeling as if there was something more she had to say on the matter.

"But there is a way for you to acquire it in the future." She smiles. "The artifact is passed on from one Sorcerer Supreme to the next, so if you really want it, you just have to become the next one."

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[New Quest - The Master of Mystic Arts]

[Description - Become the next Sorcerer Supreme]

[Failiure condition - Someone else succeeds the Ancient One and gets the title of Sorcerer Supreme]

[Reward - The time stone, ?, ?, ?]

[Failiure - It will be more difficult to acquire the time stone in the future, Maximum mana halved for one year.]

[ACCEPT?]

[YES / NO]

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Sorry Strange, but it looks like you are going to be out of a job.

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Note: A bit late.