The Arrival of Finals

"Master Hamil, thank you so much for your help and guidance," Lin Hai said sincerely after they returned to Kamar-Taj. "If the Ancient One returns, please let me know as soon as possible."

He was still thinking about the Ancient One's plan to deal with Pluto, the Demon God, and that damned Demon God Pioneer.

Master Hamil nodded. "I'll contact you when she returns."

After saying goodbye to Master Hamil, Lin Hai opened another Portal, and the four of them returned to their familiar little home in Los Angeles.

They had not been gone long. But after the transformation of the energy inside Lin Hai and the flood of information from their tests in Kamar-Taj and Missouri, coming back to this peaceful haven made all four of them feel as though a lifetime had passed.

Everything in the living room was just as they had left it, yet it seemed veiled by the passage of time.

"Finally home." Peter let out a long breath. "Nothing beats it."

Gwen relaxed against the arm of the sofa. "Yeah. It feels like we've been away forever."

Time was strange, and it treated everyone equally.

Whether you had narrowly escaped death or felt the exhilaration of a leap in power, time kept rolling forward. It slowly wore down even the strongest emotions until they faded into the gentle breeze of everyday life.

Lin Hai had just joined the ranks of Earth's formidable fighters, but he was still a first-year student at the California Institute of Technology.

That meant final exams—the sword hanging over every student's head—were an unavoidable hurdle for Lin Hai, wielder of the Life Force; Gwen, a novice mage; Peter, Spider-Man and New York's Friendly Neighbor; and Harry, heir to the Osborn Group and wearer of the Nova Armor.

By June, Los