The next morning, Lynn and Strange pushed open the old, weathered wooden door again. The tea room was still filled with the faint scent of sandalwood incense. The Ancient One sat in front of a low table, holding the ceramic teapot that had been used for many years, and was pouring tea into a cup.
She looked up at the sound of footsteps, her gaze falling on Strange, her face expressionless.
She deliberately suppressed all her emotions, maintaining a calm that made it impossible for anyone to guess what she was thinking.
Strange stood in the doorway, his hands hanging at his sides, his fingertips still trembling slightly.
He didn't speak as eagerly as last time; he simply stood there quietly, his head slightly bowed.
Lynn remained leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed over her chest, a faint smile on her face.
The three remained silent for about ten minutes. The leaves of the trees in the courtyard outside the window rustled in the wind, and the steam from the teapot rose gently, slowly dissipating in the afternoon light.
The Ancient One finally spoke. Her voice remained calm, but Lynn detected a subtle softening in it.
"It seems that these past few days of reflection have calmed your temper considerably; you're less impatient now."
She placed the teacup on the low table, folded her hands on her lap, and looked calmly at Strange. "Now you can tell me what you think. This is your last chance. If you don't satisfy me, I'll have Lynn send you back to New York, and you shouldn't come back."
Strange took a deep breath. He looked up at the Ancient One.
He repeated everything he had told Lynn the night before, but this time in greater detail and with greater candor.
He still wants to heal his hands, but he's no longer just trying to prove himself.
He wanted to know who he really was if he set aside his arrogance and pride.
To what extent is he capable of achieving this?
The Ancient One listened, the coldness on his face, which he had deliberately concealed all his emotions, slowly melted away.
A very faint smile finally appeared at the corners of her lips.
She had lived so long and had seen countless people kneeling before her, begging to be taken in.
She can tell who is sincere and who is just lying.
The person in front of her was different from the one who had knelt before her a few days ago; those eyes no longer held any calculation or weighing of options.
She nodded slightly and turned towards the door. " Lynn, take him to Mordo. Have Mordo arrange a place for him to stay. Once everything is settled, show him around the place."
Lynn straightened up from the doorframe. "Let's go, don't just stand there."
Strange's expression finally relaxed at that moment.
"Can I stay and study? Thank you, thank you all."
The Ancient One stood up, said nothing more, and turned to walk into the inner hall.
Lynn led Strange across the courtyard and found Mordo by the training field.
Mordo was standing in front of a group of trainee mages, correcting their spellcasting gestures one by one.
His teaching style was as rigorous as ever, bordering on rigid; the angle of every finger had to be so precise it made you want to roll your eyes. Seeing Lynn approaching, he told the interns, "Keep practicing," and then went to greet him.
"This is Stephen Strange. The Master The Ancient One asked me to bring him to you to arrange a place for him to stay." Lynn pointed to Strange behind him.
Mordo glanced at the middle-aged man standing behind Lynn, whose hands were still trembling slightly, then nodded. "You stay here and watch them practice. I'll go check the available room numbers."
He paused, glanced at Lynn again, and turned to walk towards the logistics department.
Just as Lynn and Strange were standing by the training field waiting for Mordo to return, a familiar figure slowly strolled over from the direction of the cafeteria.
It was the king. He wore a faded crimson robe and carried a stack of old books that almost reached his chin. He paused for a moment when he saw Lynn, then continued walking, his face expressionless.
Lynn was quite pleased. He strode forward, his voice filled with genuine surprise. "Your Majesty! What are you doing in Kamar-Taj at this hour? Don't you need to take care of the Sanctum?"
Wang raised his eyelids and glanced at him. That glance contained too much. "I was transferred back a long time ago."
Wang lifted the stack of books in his hand and said in a flat tone, "I'm the librarian now. Our busy Lynn is out having so much fun he's forgotten all about Kamar-Taj and poor me."
Lynn's smile froze.
Wang's tongue was as sharp as ever. Before he could retort, Wang continued, "How's the bird?"
Lynn froze. A bird? What bird? He quickly searched his memory for anything related to birds, and then suddenly remembered.
Ivan's bird. That white parrot, which was fostered at the Sanctum while Ivan was in prison.
"It's fine, just a little chubby, I can hardly fly anymore," Lynn said with a smile.
Wang's expression remained unchanged, but Lynn noticed that his fingers holding the book tightened slightly.
"That's good." He paused. "If you're free, go back to Kamar-Taj. Everyone here is so lifeless; there's not a single person you can have a normal conversation with."
He glanced at Lynn. "Of course, whether you qualify as 'someone who can have a normal conversation' is debatable."
"I'll try," Lynn said with a smile.
"I'll try." He repeated those three words in a somewhat distrustful tone, then turned and left.
Strange stood next to Lynn, looking at him with an uncertain expression.
He is...
"Wang. The librarian of Kamar-Taj. He used to be the guardian mage of the New York Sanctum. He doesn't talk much, but he has a very sharp tongue. He's not a bad person. You'll see him often in the library later on."
Mordo returned shortly after, carrying two neatly folded, plain-colored apprentice robes and a small note with a room number on it. He handed the robes to Strange, who was standing behind Lynn, then turned to Lynn. "What trouble have you gotten the Ancient One into this time?"
Lynn raised her hands in a gesture of surrender, her tone tinged with genuine grievance. "It was really Master The Ancient One who called me back this time, not me who went looking for trouble. I was doing just fine with Natasha in New York, and then a portal pulled me here."
Mordo stared at him for a moment, presumably assessing the veracity of his statement.
His expression softened slightly, and Lynn thought he must have believed him.
"But there is something I really need to ask of you." Lynn gestured to Strange behind him, "Once he's familiar with basic magic, I hope you can help me with his combat training. You know my abilities, I'm afraid that if we fight, his reflexes might cause him to lose a part or something... that wouldn't be good."
Ever since I accidentally crushed two of Tony's armors that were attacking me during practice, nobody wants to play with me anymore.
Strange's expression froze upon hearing this. His sparring partner was someone capable of crushing Tony Stark's armor with his bare hands? And this person was subtly implying, "I'm afraid I might lose control and cripple you, so I'm finding you a coach."
He opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end he just looked at Mordo with an extremely complicated expression.
Mordo nodded, his tone still serious and businesslike. "Instructing trainee mages is my duty. Bring him to me when needed."
"Thanks." Lynn patted Mordo on the shoulder, then turned and waved to Strange. "Let's go, I'll take you to find a place to stay first."
He raised his hand and drew a circle in the air, and a pale blue portal opened in front of them, leading to Strange's hotel room in Kathmandu.
His old magazine, with a few pages turned, still sat on the bedside table; the half-empty water glass remained on the windowsill; and his wrinkled, worn-out shirt draped over the back of the chair, as if waiting for its owner to return. Strange looked at the familiar room in the portal, remained silent for a moment, and then stepped inside.
He didn't have many things.
A few changes of clothes, a medical journal with frayed edges, and a wristwatch.
He folded the old shirt draped over the back of the chair and tucked it into the bottom of his travel bag, very quietly.
After finishing, he led Strange through the portal and returned to the courtyard of Kamar-Taj.
Following the room number on the note, Lynn led Strange to his future residence. It was a small, clean, and tidy room with a window facing the old tree in the courtyard. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the stone floor.
A wooden bed, a desk, a wardrobe—the furnishings were simple yet complete. Strange placed his travel bag at the foot of the bed, looked around, and remained silent for a long while.
"This is much better than that moldy hotel room you stayed in before, isn't it?" Lynn leaned against the doorframe.
"... Indeed." Strange walked to the window, pushed open the wooden pane, and looked out at the apprentice mages in the courtyard whose hand gestures were being corrected by Mordo. The sound of the wind rustling through the leaves mingled with the occasional chanting from afar, quiet and serene. He stood by the window for a long time, then turned and looked into Lynn's eyes, saying, "Thank you."
"I'll leave once you're settled. I'll show you around."
Lynn led Strange on a tour of the main buildings of Kamar-Taj.
The canteen was located at the far east end. Lynn specifically emphasized that the steamed buns for breakfast were in limited supply, and if you went late, only plain porridge would be left.
The library is on the west side, and the librarian is the same Master Wong from earlier. Lynn's expression became particularly serious as he said this, probably recalling some unpleasant memories.
There are many rules inside: no eating, no loud talking, and most importantly: don't make the administrator angry.
" The Master Mordo just gave you the robe will be in charge of your combat training from now on."
As Lynn walked, he said, "He's one of the most senior mages in Kamar-Taj, and his teaching style is... well, rigorous."
"What does 'rigorous' mean?"
"It means he'll write down every mistake you make in training, and then make you practice them repeatedly after class until you can even make the correct spellcasting gestures in your dreams."
Strange paused for a moment. "I used to demand the same thing of my doctors when I was in the hospital."
"Then you two should get along very well."
Lynn shrugged and added, "By the way, that fat guy from earlier, Master Wong. Don't let his sharp tongue fool you; if you really need his help, he won't refuse. Just one thing, never make him angry."
"The training grounds are Mordo's territory. Every morning and evening, trainee mages practice basic spellcasting gestures here. You've already been to Master The Ancient One's tea room. If you have any questions, you can go to her. It's best not to disturb her unless absolutely necessary."
Strange looked down at his still slightly trembling hands, then at the trainee mages practicing in the distant square, and fell silent.
Lynn smiled and glanced at him, then took a folded piece of paper from her pocket and handed it over casually.
Strange took the note, unfolded it, and glanced down at it.
Above was a string of handwritten letters and numbers; the handwriting wasn't neat, but it was clear enough. He looked up, staring blankly at Lynn.
What does it say here?
"WiFi password."
Lynn pushed the note back into his hand. "We're mages, not savages. Do you think Kamar-Taj relies entirely on carrier pigeons?"
Strange looked down at the note again; he never imagined he would connect to WiFi in an ancient magical Sanctum.
But thinking about it carefully, just a few days ago this young man was dressed in modern casual clothes and making deals with homeless children in the alleys of Kathmandu, so it all doesn't seem so out of place.
Your studies officially begin tomorrow.
Lynn stood up, walked to the window, and pulled the curtains open a little to let in the light. "I'll start by telling you some basics so you have a general idea. Sit down."
Strange sat down in the chair at the table, his posture upright.
Seeing his expression, Lynn shook her head slightly but said nothing.
He sat down opposite Strange, moved his water glass aside, and then spoke in a somewhat informal tone.
"The language of magic is as ancient as human civilization. Ancient mages called the use of this language incantations, but if that term doesn't fit your modern thinking, you can call it a program. It's the source code that shapes reality. Mages draw energy from other dimensions of the multiverse to conjure shields and weapons, and to create magic."
He raised his hand and gently drew a circle in the air. Pale golden light trails appeared where his five fingertips traced the circle, and a delicate and intricate miniature magic circle silently unfolded above his palm. Each line rotated slowly, radiating a gentle and stable energy fluctuation.
Strange stared at the rotating magic circle for a long time. The light reflected in his eyes.
He slowly raised his hands, looking at his ten fingers that were still trembling slightly.
"How can I be like you?" His voice was soft, carrying a longing that he dared not be too bold.
Lynn put the magic circle away, leaned back in his chair, and asked in a calm tone.
"How did you teach your resident physicians? Those interns, those young surgeons who were constantly being berated by you?"
"... Let them study and practice more."
Lynn shrugged. "You know that, don't you? You need to remember clearly that there are no shortcuts in magic. No matter what kind of power it is, it comes at a price. Some of it requires your effort and sweat. You should be familiar with this, after all, you are one of the world's top neurosurgeons."
"Some things require something else. Like your 'soul.' You must understand that no power comes without effort. Even geniuses need to learn and put in the work to reap the rewards. Time and energy are the price. Your soul is also the price."
He looked into Strange's eyes, his tone not harsh, but every word was earnest. "You may not understand now, but please remember this. You will understand later."
In the distance, from the direction of the canteen, one could faintly hear the footsteps and scattered laughter of trainee mages heading towards the restaurant in twos and threes after finishing their work.
"Alright. It's getting late, let's go eat. You can explore the rest of the time on your own. You already know about the library and training grounds. There are no restricted areas here, so feel free to walk around and get familiar with the surroundings. Things won't be so relaxed starting tomorrow."
He stood up and walked towards the door, gently patting Strange on the shoulder as he passed by. "Welcome to Kamar-Taj, Doctor Strange."