Chapter 188: Kamar-Taj

{T/N: Any good recommendations of fics with MCs similar to this one?}

....

Kathmandu... an ancient city with a history spanning 1 200 years...

Nestled on the southern slopes of the Himalayas, shielded from northern winds by this natural barrier while bathed in the warm currents of the Indian Ocean, it basked in perpetual sunshine and blooming flowers, earning its reputation among travelers worldwide as the 'Heaven in the Mountains'...

From above, the city sprawled beneath a dense tapestry of temples and towering palaces, their intricate stone carvings, spires, and Buddha statues filling every corner. Traditional brick-and-stone structures exuded an air of antiquity, standing as relics of a bygone era.

The winding, narrow streets were thick with the scent of Indian incense. Children spun prayer wheels, vendors hawked fruits, thangka paintings, and papyrus artworks, while countless budget lodgings and dimly lit, shabby restaurants flickered under the city's chaotic glow.

This city was a melting pot of tradition and modernity. Grand temples squeezed between ramshackle slums, creating a jarring dissonance as if split into two worlds.

To tourists, it was a sacred land of red-walled temples... to locals, it was a chaotic metropolis teeming with monkeys, beggars, and exhaust fumes.

Of course, this wasn't the full picture. With enough wealth, even in this remote corner of the world, one could live like a god. Kathmandu was no stranger to luxury hotels and high-end boutiques.

When Sean removed the Sentinel armor and opened his eyes again, he found himself transported from the bustling streets of New York to Durbar Square.

The clamor of crowds washed over him; tourists and red-robed monks passing by, surrounded by undulating rows of ancient architecture, temples, and palaces of varied styles...

Sean's gaze settled on the Ancient One, who was standing beneath a Buddha statue, "I thought you'd take me straight to Kamar-Taj."

The Sorcerer Supreme who had effortlessly banished Mephisto wore a flowing white robe, her expression serene, as if she were merely a traveler passing through the mortal world, untouched by its trivialities. Her transcendent aura made her gender and age irrelevant...

The Ancient One shook her head slightly, "You will set foot in Kamar-Taj soon enough. There is no need to rush..."

"...Mephisto has countless avatars. Destroying one vessel means little. This world will never lack fools willing to blind themselves, offering their souls to demons in exchange for fleeting desires." She walked ahead, her voice calm, "Besides, before leaving, Mephisto took Matt Murdock... that poor soul drowning in fury yet powerless to change anything."

With that, she cast a glance at Sean. The fate of Daredevil had been largely shaped by the young man beside her.

Sean shrugged innocently, "I was only trying to solve Hell's Kitchen's crime problem at its root. Who knew it'd put a bunch of vigilantes out of work?"

The Ancient One ignored his excuses. She had long transcended mortal concepts of good and evil. Individual sorrows and joys were but specks of dust in the grand scheme of the multiverse. They were unnoticeable and unworthy of attention...

"Do not underestimate Matt Murdock. His rage and justice are the strongest fuel for the Spirit of Vengeance." She recounted the origins of the Ghost Rider, "Six thousand years ago, Heaven created the Spirits of Vengeance... living weapons to monitor human sin and spread doctrine. Scientifically speaking, they were intelligent machines programmed to identify wicked souls. Later, they were abandoned for reasons unknown..."

"...After the last Sorcerer Supreme, Agamotto, established the complete mystical system, the Three Sanctums were built, fortifying the mortal world's defenses. Both angels and demons entered what they called the 'Twilight Era'..."

"...Eventually, Mephisto acquired the Spirits of Vengeance, reforging them with hellfire and binding them to human hosts, consequently creating what he called 'Ghost Riders', specialized enforcers to harvest damned souls. Carter Slade a hundred and fifty years ago, Johnny Blaze on the other side of the world... all were his pawns."

Following the Ancient One, Sean arrived at the Degutaleju Temple. What made this temple unique (or perhaps most intriguing) were the exquisitely carved erotic figures adorning its supporting pillars.

While the Ancient One remained unperturbed, Sean averted his gaze awkwardly.

They soon reached the rear of the temple, where a large, ferocious relief was embedded in the corner... a depiction of Bhairava, Shiva's most terrifying incarnation.

Adorned with a crown of gems and skulls... his white eyes bulging, fangs bared, multiple arms wielding swords, axes, shields, and a severed head, he stood trampling a corpse beneath his feet... The statue was vivid and imposing like a wrathful deity from hell...

"Many Nepalese believe that those who dare lie before this statue will incur divine retribution." The Ancient One turned to Sean, "For millennia, the Three Sanctums and Kamar-Taj have dedicated themselves to expelling extradimensional entities, upholding the world's order. Any being from beyond this reality is seen as an enemy."

"And yet, you've allowed me to remain in this world." Sean took a step back, meeting the gaze of Earth's greatest sorcerer.

"Perhaps it is because I have seen the end of all things. Even if the future is blurred, fragmented... what I glimpsed was too horrifying. The entire universe wept, and I could not alter its course. All I could do was introduce a variable into the inevitable..."

Her eyes brimmed with sorrow as she studied him, "You are dangerous. You covet beautiful things, hoarding them like a dragon with its treasure. I see many detestable traits in you... ruthlessness, ambition, arrogance... The only redeeming quality is that you do not run from your darker self. You face it, you accept it."

"Is that a compliment?"

The Ancient One chuckled faintly, shaking her head, "If you wish to take it as one... Sometimes, it feels absurd; that I would place hope in a would-be conqueror, a dictator, to stand when the time comes and save this world... perhaps even the universe."

Her gaze was piercing, stripping away all pretense, reaching deep into his soul.

This time, Sean didn't evade or disguise himself. He met her scrutiny squarely, "Maybe you've bet correctly, revered Sorcerer. If things are as you say, then why would I, who sees this world as my possession, allow anyone else to destroy it?"

"I hope so, Sean Cyphers." The Ancient One sighed softly. She had already sensed it... her time was nearing its end.

The sounds of the crowd faded, the world seeming to still. The sling ring on her finger glowed as sparks danced in the air, forming an intricate mandala.

Turning slightly, she gestured forward, "Then, welcome to Kamar-Taj..."

....

~~~ ~~ ~~~ ~~ ~~~ ~~ ~~~ ~~

~~~ ~~ ~~~~ ~~~ ~~~~ ~~ ~~~

Read ahead by up to 190 Chapters on my P@treon...

p@treon.com/MayaMatengele01