Red and Blue

The first rays of morning sunlight streamed into the bedroom through the glass curtain wall of the Arbitrator Tower. 2B's gentle voice sounded in Chen Tian's ear, "Master, it's 7:30 AM. The 'Silver-Winged Ferocious Star' is ready for takeoff and is expected to arrive in Kamar-Taj in about 40 minutes."

Chen Tian rubbed his eyes and stretched. "Wanda, are you ready?"

"Miss Wanda is already waiting in the hangar." 2B handed her a steaming glass of water. "She seems very much looking forward to this trip."

Chen Tian took a sip of water. "It'll be good for her to see real magic." He put down his glass, then suddenly asked, as if remembering something, "Where's Tony? Did he spend all night working on his Friday?"

2B's eyes flashed with data. "Stark was still working in the lab at 4:17 a. m. According to energy monitoring, he should be remotely discussing AI infrastructure issues with Banner."

"This workaholic..." Chen Tian shook his head, put on his hoodie and jeans, and said, "Let's go, don't keep Wanda waiting too long."

In the hangar, Wanda sat in the 'Silver-Winged Ferocious Star', yawning. She had stayed up too late with Chen Tian last night, and the news that she was going to meet an Archmage today had made her so excited that she had barely slept all night.

"Wanda, are you still sleepy?" Chen Tian led 2B onto the plane.

Wanda chuckled as she stood up, hugged Chen Tian, and playfully poked his chest with her finger. "I'm a little excited."

Chen Tian chuckled and lightly pecked her lips, "I already felt it last night." He patted her cheek. "You can rest for a while later."

2B cleared her throat at the opportune moment. "Master, Wanda, the flight path has been set."

Wanda winked at 2B: "Don't be jealous, YoRHa." She took Chen Tian's arm, "Didn't you also..."

"Wanda!" Chen Tian interrupted her, both amused and exasperated. It wasn't that he couldn't say it, but that he dared not, because the most powerful River Crab God in the Void was watching their conversation.

The moment the hatch closed silently, the "Silver-Winged Ferocious Star" slowly rose to the roar of its engines. As the aircraft streaked across the sky like a silver streak, the indicator light on the control panel, showing that the autopilot had been activated, quietly lit up.

During the flight, Wanda leaned against the porthole, gazing at the snow-capped mountains and sea of clouds passing below. Chen Tian, on the other hand, was reviewing the dimensional anomaly report compiled by JARVIS on the holographic projection.

"What are these red dots?" Wanda asked curiously, pointing to the dense markings on the projection.

"The events involving demon cultists that have occurred globally over the past month," Chen Tian emphasized one point, "Areas where these cultists have gone into hiding again since the Dongjin incident."

2B added, "Arbitrators have handled 85% of these cases, but 15% are still at large."

Wanda wasn't particularly interested in these events. She leaned gently on Chen Tian's shoulder, her fingertips unconsciously twirling a strand of her red hair. Since meeting Chen Tian, her life had undergone a dramatic transformation—her adoptive parents were alive and well, and she had a lover by her side. Now, she only wanted to quietly stay by Chen Tian's side.

Wanda's only problem is that recently a tall, mature woman has appeared in front of her from time to time, teasing Chen Tian.

"Master, we are about to arrive in Kathmandu," 2B's voice came from the side.

Chen Tian turned off the holographic projection and ruffled Wanda's hair. "We've arrived. Let's get ready to meet the real magic master."

The fighter jet slowly landed on a secluded helipad on the outskirts of Kathmandu. As Wanda stepped off the gangway, she took a deep breath of the crisp, high-altitude air, the sunlight shining on her radiant face.

Chen Tian led the two through the bustling streets with familiarity, finally stopping in front of an inconspicuous little teahouse. However, unlike what he remembered, the teahouse door was tightly closed, and a thin layer of dust had accumulated at the entrance.

"Strange..." Chen Tian frowned and stepped forward, gently knocking on the door. "Is anyone home?"

The door creaked open slightly, opening a crack. An elderly man with white hair and beard poked his head out, his wrinkled face showing a wary expression. He said in heavily accented English, "Closed today..."

Chen Tian frowned slightly and stepped forward. "We're not here for tea. Is Ancient One here?"

The old man's pupils suddenly contracted, and a strange light flashed in his cloudy eyes. He subconsciously turned to look into the depths of the teahouse, his withered fingers gripping the door frame tightly.

Just then, a familiar figure appeared at the end of the dimly lit corridor. Wang's round body almost filled the entire passageway.

"Mr. Chen?" Wang's voice was clearly surprised. "How come you..."

"I'm here to see Ancient One." Chen Tian interrupted him, "What happened? Why is the teahouse closed?"

Wang and the old man exchanged a glance, and the old man silently stepped aside. Wang sighed and gestured for him to come in, "Come with me."

Wang led Chen Tian and his group through the corridor, where the candlelight on both sides flickered slightly in the air, casting uneasy shadows.

Although the apprentices passing by were still carrying out their respective training, a tense atmosphere permeated the air—their movements were stiffer than usual, and their eyes concealed an undisguised anxiety.

Wanda keenly sensed something amiss and instinctively moved closer to Chen Tian, her fingers lightly gripping his sleeve. 2B, on the other hand, remained vigilant, her gaze sweeping across every corner, seemingly assessing potential danger.

Finally, Wang stopped in front of an ancient wooden door. He took a deep breath, turned to look at Chen Tian, and said in a low voice, "Ancient One is waiting for you inside."

Chen Tian nodded and pushed open the door to enter.

Then, his pupils suddenly contracted.

Ancient One sat at the familiar tea table, the aroma of tea wafting through the air, her lips adorned with her signature serene smile.

However, her body was so withered that it was no longer human—her skin clung to her bones, deeply wrinkled, like a dried mummy. Her eyes were cloudy, like a corpse about to enter a coffin.

"Chen Tian." Her voice was still gentle, but slightly hoarse. "Long time no see. I thought you would come to see me as soon as you got back."

Chen Tian strode forward and examined Ancient One's appearance. "You... are in even worse shape than before."

Ancient One gently raised her hand, gesturing for him to sit down.

"Yes," her fingers trembled as she tried to push the teacup in front of her to Chen Tian, even that was difficult. "I thought I could hold on, but the rampant arrogance of the demon god's followers has affected this world. I have to step in again to stop their actions."

As she spoke, she chuckled softly, "Fortunately, you and the Arbitrators destroyed three demon gods' core points on Blue Planet, which gave me a chance to catch my breath."

Chen Tian sighed, "What's next? If you continue using magic later, I estimate you won't last until Strange arrives."

After hearing Chen Tian's words, Ancient One slowly raised her head. Her cloudy eyes scanned back and forth between Chen Tian and Wanda, finally settling on Chen Tian's face, and a bitter smile appeared on her lips.

"Yes, I can't hold on any longer." Her voice was so soft it was almost inaudible, yet it struck Chen Tian like a heavy blow. "Kamar-Taj is also fraught with problems. I'm sure you saw the expressions on the faces of those apprentices outside; they're very nervous."

Chen Tian frowned, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the tea table. "Because of your condition? Or..."

"Mordo is gone." Ancient One sighed softly. "I knew he would leave, but I didn't expect it to be so soon."

Chen Tian frowned deeply. "Mordo discovered that you were drawing power from the Dark Dimension?"

Ancient One nodded slowly. "My aging... can no longer be concealed." She spoke as if recounting something unrelated to herself. "Mordo is a perceptive man; he sensed something amiss."

Wanda stood behind Chen Tian, her red lips slightly pursed. She could feel the heaviness in the air, the remnants of shattered faith.

"He questioned me about why I had violated the commandments of Kamar-Taj." The Ancient One raised her cloudy eyes and looked out at the snow-capped mountains. "I told him that sometimes, we must use the power of darkness to fight darkness."

Chen Tian sneered, "And then he broke down?"

"Not entirely." The Ancient One gently shook her head. "What broke him was... that I had deceived them all." Her gaze swept over every magical artifact in the tea room, the tools she had once used to teach her apprentices. "Mordo always saw me as a symbol of 'Eternity,' believing me to be a pure guardian of light."

She gave a bitter smile, her chapped lips trembling slightly. "When he discovered that I was nothing more than... a mortal who survived by stealing from the Dark Dimension, his faith crumbled."

Chen Tian was silent for a moment, then sighed, "Sigh, I understand, and I could have imagined it, but as you said, I didn't expect it to happen so quickly."

"Mordo, it's not just about leaving, is it?"

Ancient One nodded and smiled. "Your intuition is very sharp. He took a group of people with the same collapsed beliefs as him."

"Sigh, so now Kamar-Taj urgently needs a leader to step forward, but you're worried that if others see you like this, it will make them even more worried, especially now that there's no news of the next Sorcerer Supreme, right?" Chen Tian looked at Ancient One helplessly.

Every power fears this: the old leader is about to pass away, and there is still no news of a new leader. Without a leader, the people are unsettled.

"Smart kid, Chen Tian, would you like to cover for me for a while until Strange arrives?" Ancient One teased.

"Me? You must be joking. Okay, you are joking." Chen Tian looked at Ancient One's ambiguous smile.

"Ancient One, tell me about your Plan Two."

"Didn't you bring it for me?" Ancient One looked at Wanda.

Chen Tian looked at Wanda, "Wanda? I originally wanted her to study with you for a while, but now you're eyeing her?"

Ancient One slowly raised her withered fingers.

"Wanda is certainly not the best choice." Her words caused a pause in the air in the entire tea room. "Chaos Magic originates from the curse of Chthon, and this power itself is a dangerous contract."

"But in the time before I passed away..." Ancient One's cloudy pupils suddenly rippled with gold, and the ancient runes on the walls of the tea room lit up one after another, "I can teach her how to tame this curse."

She looked at Chen Tian meaningfully. "You know, Chthon has already noticed her."

Chen Tian rubbed his temples, looking troubled. "That's the problem. Can you really stop Chthon now?"

Ancient One winked mischievously, "I can't, but you can."

"Me?" Chen Tian shook his head. "I can't keep Kamar-Taj with me forever, you know that."

"Why don't you send your companions to keep Wanda company? Like the enormous black dragon and the noble white dragon." The Ancient One slowly picked up her tea and took a sip.

Chen Tian raised an eyebrow. "How did you know? Aren't you unable to use the Time Stone anymore?"

Ancient One simply smiled without saying a word.

Chen Tian sighed, and with a casual wave of his hand, two cards appeared between his fingertips.

Chen Tian held the two cards up to his eyes, his fingertips gently tracing the exquisite dragon patterns on the cards.

The scales of the true red- Red Eye black dragon gleamed darkly in the light, while the Blue-Eyes White Dragon's blue pupils seemed to pierce through the soul.

"Ancient One," Chen Tian frowned slightly, "These two dragons are indeed very strong, but Chthon is..."

Ancient One chuckled softly, "But they at least 'look' impressive, don't they?" A sly glint flashed in her eyes, "Especially their properties—no one can see through them. If you hadn't shown them to me, I wouldn't have known they came from two... small cards."

Chen Tian raised an eyebrow. "You mean...?"

"Deterrence." The Ancient One slowly rose to her feet, her gaunt body appearing exceptionally fragile beneath her wide yellow robes. "Kamar-Taj needs now is not absolute power, but a 'symbol' to deter the wicked." She walked to the window, gazing at the distant snow-capped mountains. "The flames of a true Red Eye -eyed black dragon can burn away falsehood, and the radiance of Blue-Eyes White Dragon can pierce the darkness..."

Wanda curiously leaned closer to the card in Chen Tian's Chen Tian, her red hair falling over his shoulder. "Are they really that powerful?"

Chen Tian turned his head and whispered in her ear, "At least you look incredibly powerful." He turned to the Ancient One, "But if Chthon were to Descent person..."

The Ancient One suddenly turned around. "So we need to buy time." Her cloudy eyes looked directly at Wanda. "Before the Scarlet Witch grows up, before Strange arrives at Kamar-Taj, these two dragons are the best 'smokescreen'."

2B suddenly spoke up, "Master, according to calculations, the success rate of this deterrence strategy is about 67%." She calmly added, "But if we add appropriate performance elements, it can be increased to 85%."

Chen Tian couldn't help but laugh out loud, "A performance?"

The Ancient One smiled, a smile she hadn't shown in a long time. "Exactly." Her thin fingers traced a complex rune in the air. "Let them occasionally hover above the Himalayas, appearing and disappearing among the clouds..."

"And then add some 'accidental' eyewitness accounts," Chen Tian continued, a mischievous glint in his eyes, "Like having Blue-Eyes White Dragon save the suffering people? Or Red Eye black dragon punish the wicked?"

Wanda suddenly clapped her hands excitedly. "I can add some special effects! Magic can make the flames look even more..." She made an explosion gesture, "Even more spectacular!"

Ancient One nodded approvingly, "A smart girl." She looked at Chen Tian, "So, have you decided?"

Chen Tian shrugged. "Having an elder in the family is like having a treasure, so I think I should listen to the elder's advice."

As he spoke, he looked around and said, "If they were released from here, your house would probably collapse."

Ancient One gently knocked on the tea table, and the wooden door opened in response. Wang's round face peeked in, with fine beads of sweat still clinging to his forehead.

"Your Majesty," the Ancient One's voice, though weak, remained authoritative, "Open the portal to the summit of Mount Everest. Remember to shield against dimensional and spatial fluctuations."

Wang's eyes widened in surprise. "Master, your body—"

"I know my physical condition," Ancient One interrupted him. "Just do as I say."

Wang took a deep breath and drew complex runes in front of his chest with his hands. Golden sparks swirled in the air, gradually forming a circular portal with a diameter of three meters. Through the portal, one could see the snow-capped peak of Mount Everest shimmering in the sunlight.

"The shielding is complete," Wang said, wiping his sweat, "But it can only last for thirty minutes at most."

Ancient One nodded slightly and turned to Chen Tian: "Show it."

Chen Tian nodded and stepped into the portal first. A biting cold wind immediately hit them, and the thin air made Wanda frown uncomfortably.

Ancient One, on the other hand, seemed completely unaffected—or rather, she was too weak to feel anything.

They stood atop the world, with a vast sea of clouds stretching for thousands of miles below. The sunlight poured down without obstruction, casting long shadows on everyone.

Chen Tian took out two cards from his pocket, his fingertips gently tracing the exquisite dragon patterns on the cards. The True Red Eye Black Dragon card gleamed with a dark red metallic luster in the sunlight, while the Blue-Eyes White Dragon card shimmered with a pearly halo.

Chen Tian took a deep breath—and then suddenly flung the first card into the air.

[Show yourself! The true Red Eye Black Dragon!]

The card traced a graceful arc in the air before suddenly bursting forth with a blinding red light.

"Roar--!!!"

Suddenly, a dragon's roar that shattered the heavens and earth resounded, and the snow on the entire Mount Everest rolled down in the sound waves.

The dark shadow expanded continuously in the red light, eventually transforming into a colossal creature that blotted out the sky—its body almost covered half the sky, its streamlined dragon form covered with shimmering black scales, each as large as a shield, reflecting a mesmerizing brilliance in the sunlight.

The true Red Eye black dragon slowly spread its wings, and when those enormous wings, large enough to cover the entire Kamar-Taj, were fully extended, they cast a huge shadow over the Hima Mountains.

Its scarlet dragon eyes seemed to burn with raging fire, revealing a majestic and inviolable aura; its sharp dragon horns were like two giant scimitars, gleaming coldly among the clouds; and its pair of claws, capable of tearing mountains apart, seemed to rip through space with every extension and retraction.

When it raises its head and roars, the flames it spews form a pillar of fire that reaches the sky, burning a huge hole in the clouds above. Its enormous body appears and disappears in the clouds, and the occasional glimpse of its dragon tail can stir up the entire sea of clouds with a gentle sweep.

Before everyone could recover from their shock, Chen Tian had already thrown out the second card.

[Descent, Blue-Eyes White Dragon!]

In an instant, blinding white light tore through the clouds, countless arcs of electricity danced in the Void, and a deafening dragon roar swept across the heavens and earth with a hurricane. The true Red Eye black dragon seemed to feel the pressure of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon and roared to the sky!

As the light faded, a colossal dragon, its body as white as snow, stood proudly amidst the clouds. Its long neck was gracefully raised, and its silvery-white scales shimmered like diamonds in the sunlight, each one like a meticulously polished mirror, reflecting a dazzling white halo.

What is most breathtaking are its pair of blue dragon eyes—like the purest gems set on the dragon's head, radiating a captivating magical glow.

Unlike the destructive ferocity of the Red-Eyes B. Dragon, every line of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon exudes a sacred and inviolable nobility.

Its outstretched dragon wings are as thin as cicada wings yet indestructible, with mysterious magical patterns flowing on the wing membranes. Each flap brings up a biting cold wind, and its long dragon tail sways gracefully.

When it fully stretched out its body, the entire Mount Everest was shrouded in its pure shadow. When it looked down at the crowd, its dragon eyes shone with wisdom, as if it could see through all the illusions of the world.

Two giant dragons, one black and one white, circled above Mount Everest, creating a breathtaking contrast. Each flap of their wings caused small-scale changes in airflow, and the sea of clouds churned beneath their feet.

The king's jaw nearly dropped to the floor. "This... this..."

Ancient One's cloudy eyes reflected the silhouettes of the two giant dragons, and a slight smile played on his lips, "The perfect 'symbol'."

Chen Tian turned to Ancient One: "And now?"

2B suddenly interjected. "Master, multiple satellites have been detected adjusting their orbits."

Chen Tian raised an eyebrow. "Looks like our performance already has an audience."

The Ancient One gave a mysterious smile. "Perfect." She turned to the two dragons. "Go, let the world know—a new guardian Descent Kamar-Taj."

Both dragons looked at Chen Tian, Chen Tian smiled and said, "You two just need to listen to this bald guy and," pointing to Wanda, "Protect them."

The true Red Eye black dragon spewed a ball of flame from its nostrils, while the Blue-Eyes White Dragon nodded elegantly.

"They... are conscious?" Wanda asked in surprise.

Chen Tian smiled and ruffled her hair, "In a way, yes."

The true Red Eye black dragon let out a deafening roar, while the Blue-Eyes White Dragon let out an elegant long chant.

Two giant dragons simultaneously flapped their wings and soared into the sky. After circling several times above Mount Everest, they suddenly flew off in different directions—the true Red Eye black dragon flew towards the depths of the Himalayas, while the Blue-Eyes White Dragon soared towards Kathmandu.

Wanda watched them disappear into the distance, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "That was amazing!"

Ancient One coughed a few times, her body swaying slightly. Wang quickly stepped forward to support her. "Master, we should go back. The air here isn't good for you."

Chen Tian nodded and looked at 2B: "Did you record the satellite's reaction?"

Data streams flashed in 2B's eyes. "Military satellites from 37 countries have been detected adjusting their monitoring parameters."

"Perfect." Chen Tian smiled with satisfaction. "Let them guess."

The Ancient One waved weakly, and the King immediately opened a portal back to Kamar-Taj.

As everyone passed through in turn, Chen Tian, who was leaving last, glanced back at Mount Everest —in the distant clouds, the elegant figure of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon could be vaguely seen soaring.

After the portal closed, the tea room returned to silence. Ancient One slumped into a chair, breathing rapidly. Wang quickly brought her a cup of hot tea, but she waved it away.

"Is it worth it?" Chen Tian suddenly asked, "To expend what little life force you have left for this 'performance'?"

The Ancient One smiled weakly. "It's worth it to buy time for Kamar-Taj." She looked at Wanda. "Now, it's time to fulfill my promise."

Wanda nervously gripped Chen Tian's sleeve. "Shall we start now?"

Ancient One. "Every day is precious." She stood up with difficulty. "Wang, take Wanda to the library. Let's start with 'The Essence of Chaos'."

Wang looked at Ancient One with concern. "Master, you need to rest..."

"There's no time," Ancient One interrupted him. "Go."

Wanda looked at Chen Tian, who gave her an encouraging look. "Go ahead, Ancient One and I still have things to talk about."

After Wang and Wanda left, the tea room fell into a brief silence. 2B tactfully stood outside the door and gently closed it behind her.

"Is she really ready?" Chen Tian asked in a low voice.

Ancient One shook her head. "Nobody's really ready." Her cloudy eyes looked directly at Chen Tian. "But you have a way to protect her, don't you?"

Chen Tian did not answer immediately. He walked to the window and looked at the faint black dragon silhouette visible above the Himalayas in the distance.

"Yes, I will," he finally said.

Ancient One smiled with satisfaction, "That's enough." She suddenly coughed violently, her thin body trembling.

Chen Tian quickly stepped forward to support her. "You need to rest."

Ancient One nodded weakly, letting Chen Tian help her to a recliner. Her breathing gradually became steady, and her cloudy eyes slowly closed.

"Chen Tian..." she whispered just before falling asleep, "It's up to you now."

Chen Tian frowned. "What do you mean?"

But Ancient One had already fallen into a deep sleep, leaving only those words echoing in the tea room.

2B gently pushed open the door. "Master, Stark has sent an urgent communication."

Chen Tian sighed, "What is it now?"

"He said..." 2B paused, "The Arbitrator Satellite detected two unidentified flying objects in the Hima Mountains. Governments around the world are worried about a recurrence of the Dongjin incident and want us to return as soon as possible."

Chen Tian couldn't help but laugh out loud, "Tell Tony I'm going back right away."

He looked out the window again; sunlight shone through the clouds onto the white dragon, reflecting a rainbow of colors.