"Following the mysterious coordinates left behind by the Aldebaran star system, I came to this universe. I had thought I would be met by some vicious, difficult-to-handle Demon Gods, but events unfolded far beyond my expectations."
Sitting cross-legged on a meditation cushion, The Ancient One slightly closed her eyes, as though she had fallen asleep. Yet the few people drinking tea across from her could all hear a trace of pain in her voice.
"I was attacked," The Ancient One said. Then she looked at the young people opposite her. She did not need to say more; the others understood what kind of attack she had suffered, the same kind they themselves had endured.
But The Ancient One looked perfectly fine, Shang-Chi thought. The wound on the cut surface of his tongue no longer hurt, and he even felt fortunate, because wounds inside the mouth healed the fastest.
"I know what you are thinking. Why have I not suffered severe organ damage like you?" The Ancient One gently shook her head. "I have lived for a very long time, nearly to the end of my lifespan. And those additional years were not spent idly. Through my dealings with magic, I had long since tempered my state of mind to perfection."
"I can answer all my own questions. I can find an explanation I can accept for my circumstances and whatever happens to me. No matter what unexpected situation I face, fear has never been the dominant note in my heart."
The Ancient One tilted her head slightly, as though she had not realized how deeply her words had shaken these young people. Her gaze remained gentle, and her voice soft.
"When I was young, I too went through a period of confusion. But facts have proven that if you live