Back when Feeney had wandered around Kamar-Taj with the Ancient One, he had wondered whether he could bring Skye along to study there, and had asked the Ancient One about it.
But at the time, the Ancient One had asked him in return what he thought magic was.
Feeney didn't know.
The Ancient One had told him that nearly everyone who came to Kamar-Taj had a story. They had been through many things, passed layer after layer of screening, and had their willpower tempered again and again.
Magic didn't just require talent. It also required mental strength. Communicating with and guiding the energy between heaven and earth wasn't easy.
Furthermore, learning magic meant breaking one's understanding of certain common truths. That was difficult to do. If you wanted the energy to help you, you first had to convince yourself.
After hearing the Ancient One's words, Feeney felt that learning magic might be quite difficult for Skye.
Skye's childhood had been rather tragic, but after her parents adopted her, she had lived a very happy life. She was also a hacking prodigy—in other words, she belonged to the world of technology. To learn magic, she would have to give up certain beliefs about science, which would go against her convictions.
Magic was a power of "miracles," and the word "miracle" was often unscientific. Although the two might ultimately reach the same destination by different paths, the ideas they developed along the way could contradict each other.
Even Doctor Strange, who had maxed out his magical talent in the future, had to be brought to the point of despair over nearly every form of scientific medical technology before he began learning magic. Only after breaking through his old understanding and believing in the mystic arts could he learn.
So experiences and beliefs might not be absolute, but they still had a great influence.
That was why Feeney felt the odds of bringing Skye to Kamar-Taj to study magic were slim. At the very least, the time wasn't right yet. Perhaps after the world changed and aliens and mutated creatures began appearing everywhere, her outlook would mature, and she would get better results from studying magic.
But that was just what he thought. The Ancient One hadn't objected to him bringing Skye along, so he figured he might as well take her and see what happened.
When Feeney entered Skye's room, she was sitting cross-legged on the bed, waiting for him. Her little face was tense and worried. As the only person in the family who knew Feeney's secret, the more she knew, the more worried she became.
"Don't be so nervous. Didn't I tell you before that I was going to learn magic? I found a place today." Feeney sat down beside the bed and explained.
Skye remembered that Feeney had indeed said that a month ago. He had also mentioned that he would ask if she could study with him.
"Is magic really real in this world?"
Skye couldn't help asking. Although she had seen superpowers with her own eyes, it was still hard for her to change her understanding of the world so suddenly. That was also why Feeney thought she would have trouble learning magic right now.
"Of course it is. Though what I'm learning is probably called the Mystic Arts," Feeney corrected himself after a moment's thought.
"Is there a difference?" Skye asked, puzzled.
"I guess that's what they call it on Earth?" Feeney wasn't entirely sure why.
"If you're curious, I'll take you to see tomorrow. If you want to learn, you can try studying with me."
The odds were practically next to nothing, but what if Skye, like Doctor Strange, was a prodigy with maxed-out magical talent? That would be interesting.
"Really?"
Skye looked thrilled. Who could resist the allure of magic?
"So get some sleep early. We're leaving tomorrow!"
Feeney didn't talk for long. It was best to leave Skye's curiosity about magic for her to discover on her own. That way, her outlook might change as much as possible.
But when they had breakfast the next morning, Skye appeared with dark circles under her eyes. Feeney couldn't help laughing.
"I told you to get to bed early. How come you still look like that?"
"It's your fault!"
Skye yawned and glared at him resentfully. The thought of learning magic had excited her so much that she had searched online for all sorts of related information. Before she knew it, morning had come.
Fortunately, because of the time difference, Feeney had already planned to leave in the evening. He had also told his parents in advance that he would be staying at the shop that day, so they wouldn't worry.
The two of them first went to the shop. After sending Skye off to catch up on her sleep, Feeney opened up and ran the business by himself for a while, diligently practicing his skills.
At seven in the evening, New York time, the two of them drove to the Sanctum.
"Is this the place?"
Standing in front of the New York Sanctum, Skye asked nervously. She took a compact out of her bag, touched up her makeup, then checked again. "I look all right, don't I?"
"All right, all right. You look fine. Come on, let's go in!"
Feeney rolled his eyes helplessly, took Skye by the hand, and opened the door. This time, the hall wasn't empty. Two young Sorcerers were sitting in a corner, drinking tea and reading.
They apparently hadn't been at Kamar-Taj yesterday, so they didn't recognize Feeney. Now they were eyeing the two of them warily.
"Hello, I'm looking for Master Daniel."
"Just a moment."
Seeing that Feeney didn't look like an enemy who had come to cause trouble, one of them nodded and replied before heading upstairs to fetch him.
Soon, Daniel came downstairs. Feeney introduced Skye, and after exchanging greetings, Daniel took them to the same spot as the day before and opened a portal.
At the sight of the incredible scene before her, Skye's eyes widened. She swallowed and nervously grabbed Feeney's hand, her heart in turmoil.
"I won't go through with you."
Daniel had already shown Feeney the way once the day before, so he didn't accompany them this time. He waited for the two of them to go through after speaking.
Feeney didn't mind. He thanked Daniel again before leading the nervous Skye through the portal to Kamar-Taj.
"Was that magic just now?"
As the scene shifted, Skye looked around in a daze. They had gone from the library to a courtyard. When she saw the pale sky outside, she couldn't help staring in shock.
She had thought Feeney had come in the evening because he was being considerate, since she hadn't slept well. Only now, seeing this, did she start to understand why.
"Where are we now?"
Skye couldn't help asking. Quite a few people at Kamar-Taj had already gotten up to train in the early morning. Thanks to the Ancient One's introduction the day before, many of them recognized Feeney, and they nodded in greeting when they saw him.
As Feeney returned their greetings along the way, he answered in the tone of a local, "Kamar-Taj, in Kathmandu. It's the Sorcerers' sanctuary."
"The Himalayas?" Skye didn't know where Kathmandu was, but she remembered what Feeney had said the day before.
When Feeney nodded, Skye couldn't help being shocked again. "But we were just in New York!"
"That's why this is magic!"
Feeney shrugged as if it were only natural. Seeing Skye's mouth hanging open in disbelief, he couldn't help smiling. "All right, don't worry about it too much. I'll take you to meet my teacher, Master Ancient One."
Before you continue