Chapter 13: Your Impact on This World Is Too Great

177A Bleecker Street, Manhattan.

Standing before the three-story building, Finney exhaled deeply. After more than an hour of searching, he had finally found the place.

Gazing at the iconic symbol on the roof, he couldn't shake the odd feeling it gave him. If he didn't focus, it was as though he could easily overlook the building altogether.

Finney wasn't sure if this was due to some magic spell, but he hesitated at the doorstep. Even though he had prepared for this moment for nearly a month, standing here now, he felt uncertain.

"With the Ancient One's power, she probably foresaw my coming. Could it be she thinks I shouldn't be here?" he mused. "Or maybe she's already inside, just waiting for me to show up on my own. After all, she's the Sorcerer Supreme; she has to keep up appearances in front of her students."

After a series of nervous thoughts, Finney finally stepped forward and entered the New York Sanctum.

The door opened easily, and upon stepping inside, he found himself in a large, quiet hall. The place had an air of old-world charm, with a grand staircase leading up to the second floor.

"Looks like a rich place," Finney muttered under his breath. After his last encounter, he made sure not to say too much out loud, even when it seemed like no one was around.

"Is anyone here?" he called out cautiously. After all, this was one of the three Sanctums, and who knew if there were magical traps or wards set around.

Soon, someone came down the stairs—a bald man!

Seeing the man's smooth head, Finney suddenly became concerned about his own hair. Was losing hair the price of learning magic from the Ancient One?

He briefly thought about Doctor Strange's future and pushed the thought aside. He approached the man and said, "Hello, I'm Finney Halesides, a new disciple of the Ancient One. You can just call me Finney."

The man looked puzzled. "The Ancient One's disciple?" he repeated, eyeing Finney suspiciously before saying, "I'm Daniel Drumm. Apologies, Master Halesides, but I haven't heard anything about the Ancient One accepting a new disciple recently."

"Ahem…" Finney cleared his throat awkwardly. Doing his best to appear confident, he replied, "Well, maybe Master didn't think I was skilled enough to announce it yet. I'm here today to meet her and ask for guidance."

Daniel studied him for a moment longer, then, seemingly convinced Finney posed no threat, nodded and said, "Follow me."

He led Finney to a corner on the left side of the hall, where there was a closed door. Finney watched as Daniel opened the door to reveal a solid stone wall behind it.

Then, Daniel made several strange hand movements. Orange energy formed between his hands, and when he pressed them against the wall, the stone began to change. It became transparent, like a shimmering curtain of water.

"Earth really isn't so weak when it comes to magic," Finney thought to himself. Although Earth seemed defenseless on the surface, its hidden powers were enough to rival many civilizations across the cosmos.

Passing through the portal, the two entered a vast room resembling a library. Above them floated a large, stationary globe suspended in midair.

Finney glanced around in awe, his eyes particularly drawn to the locked tomes of magic that lined the shelves.

As they passed by the globe, he took a closer look but didn't see the Eye of Agamotto anywhere on display. It must have been with the Ancient One.

Daniel said nothing more as they walked. He led Finney through the Sanctum in silence.

The time zone had shifted, and it was already dusk at Kamar-Taj. The sudden change in daylight made Finney feel slightly disoriented. Some of the other sorcerers passing by gave him curious looks, but no one paid him too much attention.

"Wait here for a moment. I'll inform the Ancient One of your arrival," Daniel said as they reached a reception room. He then vanished, leaving Finney alone.

Finney sat nervously, replaying the last month of preparation in his mind. He had thought endlessly about what he would say when he met the Ancient One again. Now that the moment had come, he wasn't sure if he was ready.

"Welcome to Kamar-Taj, Master Halesides," a familiar voice soon called out.

Finney looked up to see the Ancient One entering the room, her radiant presence making Daniel look dim in comparison. She smiled and asked, "Would you like some tea?"

"Thank you, Master. Just call me Finney," he replied, standing up quickly. He couldn't help feeling a bit tense as he glanced at Daniel beside her.

"Thank you for your help, Master Drumm," the Ancient One said kindly. "I'd like to have a private conversation with Master Halesides now."

After Daniel left, it was just the two of them. The Ancient One calmly poured tea and smiled. "Try some. It's Dragon Well tea from China. I hope you like it."

Finney didn't hesitate. He picked up the cup and took a sip. The slight bitterness was followed by a refreshing sweetness, and the delicate fragrance instantly cleared his mind, dispelling the dizziness he had felt earlier.

"Tasty!" he exclaimed, not sure how else to describe it.

"Thank you," the Ancient One responded with a gentle smile, sipping her own tea gracefully.

Finney wasn't here just to drink tea. Although the tea was good, he knew he had more important things to discuss. Looking at the Ancient One, who seemed to be enjoying her tea, he spoke up, "Master, I want to learn magic from you. Will you teach me?"

"But aren't you already practicing magic?" she asked calmly, her eyes steady.

"No one ever complains about knowing too much," Finney replied earnestly. "The power I have… I've barely scratched the surface. I want to understand more, and I need your guidance."

The Ancient One set her cup down and said something that made Finney freeze. "What if I told you that it's because of me that you haven't fully unlocked that power?"

"What?" Finney was stunned. He had considered many possibilities—rejection, acceptance, or even conditions to be met—but he hadn't expected this.

Was the slow progress of his Golden Great Evolution Technique somehow connected to the Ancient One?

"No one can truly control the future, Master Halesides," she said slowly. "I've seen countless possible futures, yet the future remains unknown—especially yours."

"Sometimes, your future branches into infinite possibilities, and other times, it disappears entirely. I'm not even certain that meeting you, either then or now, was the right choice."

She stepped closer, her deep gaze locking onto Finney's. "The power you possess is frightening, Finney. You might make this world a better place, but you could just as easily hasten its destruction."

"Finney Halesides, your impact on this world is far greater than you realize."

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