By lineage, Wanda Maximoff was technically of a higher generation than Solomon, but she was unaware of this, and Solomon had no interest in telling her. He deliberately sent Pietro back to his room, leaving Wanda alone for her lesson.
The Necronomicon had been in Kamar-Taj's possession since the 19th century when they first eradicated the Cult of the Starry Wisdom in Providence, Rhode Island. It had been sealed—both magically and physically—and stored deep within the library. However, that was only a copy. The original had always been locked away in the depths of Kamar-Taj's dungeons, a secret known only to Solomon, the Sorcerer Supreme, and a handful of ancient, nearly forgotten mystics.
When Solomon returned from Salem, Kamar-Taj had once again eradicated remnants of the Cult of the Starry Wisdom, but this resurgence was nothing compared to the original purge. He carefully selected spells from the book, eliminating any that involved summoning extra-dimensional beings, spirit invocation, or contacting unknown entities—anything that might lead Wanda into the grasp of the unspeakable.
Despite Kamar-Taj's efforts, copies of copies still existed in the world. The Ancient One had once visited the Vatican Library, where she retrieved a duplicate of the Necronomicon along with other forbidden tomes, eliminating a cardinal who had delved too deeply into dark magic. Solomon was certain that Chthon would stop at nothing to bring lost knowledge of magic to Wanda's doorstep. His task now was to sharpen her discernment, to prevent her from becoming a vessel for the Great Shadow's descent into this world.
Of course, this was no easy task.
The banishing and protective spells he taught her left Wanda confused—she had no idea what they were for. But Solomon insisted she learn how to expose demons, how to repel devils, and how to create spell barriers. He believed this was the most important lesson since she began her structured magical training because she needed to understand what threats awaited her.
"We are all delicacies in the eyes of demons, Maximoff," he told her with a grave expression, one serious enough to unsettle her. "Magic is never without a price. I don't expect you to follow the path of an Abjurer forever. But if you ever cross the line, the knowledge I'm teaching you now will save your life."
"I won't cross the line!" Wanda huffed in frustration. "You already taught me how to cast spells safely!"
"Fate is not so kind, Wanda."
Solomon lifted his right hand, showing her the three rings he wore. Under the dim, pale light, the flawlessly cut gemstones shimmered with an eerie brilliance.
"I thought the same thing. I also knew how to cast spells safely," he said. "But circumstances force us to make choices. You've seen these rings—these three burned me to a crisp once. If not for my master, I would have died. I might never be able to take them off. One day, you'll face something similar, and when you do, I hope you find a way to recover from it. That is the fate of all spellcasters—we are always in danger."
"But this spell, Flesh Barrier, is disgusting! It requires the caster to bite off an ounce of their own flesh! And this one, The Eye of Light and Shadow, needs innocent blood!" Wanda scrunched her nose in revulsion. "Only this Old Sigil Consecration doesn't seem as awful. Are these really defensive spells?"
"Welcome to the world of black magic. Trust me, I've seen worse. Black magic is filthy by nature." Solomon tilted his head slightly. "If you ever step beyond the boundaries of Abjuration, if you abandon rationality and rely on instinct, you will need these spells to keep yourself alive."
"You keep talking about instinct, Master. You've mentioned it since the beginning of my training," Wanda said. "But you never tell me—what happens if I use magic instinctively? Will some monster come after me?"
"Yes. And not just any monster—something that is nearly impossible to get rid of."
Solomon's tone was solemn.
"No one's talent comes without a price. To have a gift means you owe a debt. Do you remember the first lesson I taught you? Equivalent exchange. That is the fundamental truth of balance, and magic is no exception."
"Then who gave me this gift?"
"One of the many magical entities I've told you about—the same kind that grants me my power," Solomon said, his obsidian-like eyes reflecting the pale light of the room. "We live in a dangerous universe. Magic is its greatest danger. We use it, we study it, and we suppress it. You must always remember—"
"Always remain vigilant."
"Yes. Never forget that." He nodded. "Knowledge is both power and danger. Ignorance is the greatest blessing. Be patient and temper your curiosity—I would rather not see you die in the middle of your studies."
"I understand."
For now, Wanda seemed to drop the matter of the secrets Solomon was keeping from her. He wasn't in a hurry to reveal them either—such things couldn't be grasped immediately. The Ancient One had taken years to teach Solomon this perspective, and for Wanda, who had spent most of her life among ordinary people, it would take even longer. He would need to repeatedly instill these ideas in her before she truly understood the dangers of extra-dimensional beings and their magic.
"The next spell we're studying, Volvados' Purifying Fire, is crucial. It's a banishment spell that sends extra-dimensional entities back to their native planes. Then there's Servant Dismissal, which will make dealing with summoners much easier. There are several variations of this spell—let me explain them one by one…"
Wanda listened intently. Her talent for black magic was extraordinary.
Solomon had never allowed her to cast any truly dangerous dark magic. Instead, he patiently taught her how to carve the Old Sigils and how to activate them.
Chthon was an Elder God, a Chaos God. The Old Sigils had a suppressive effect on him. More than that, they could also influence the Elder Gods that once roamed the Earth, for their origins were deeply intertwined with the nameless and the ineffable. While their power against them wasn't as strong as it was against Chthon—who had fully descended into darkness—it was still significant.
This was one of Kamar-Taj's greatest secrets, concerning the origins of creation, the true nature of humanity, and the universe's deepest, darkest mysteries.
Solomon didn't explain why the sigils worked; he only taught Wanda how to use them. She didn't press for an explanation. Her past life as a wanderer had taught her that no one offered kindness without a reason. She knew Solomon had his own motives for teaching her, but that didn't stop her from temporarily deceiving herself into believing that he was simply a close friend and mentor.
After all, Solomon had never done anything to harm them—despite how easy it would have been for him.
Sometimes, he even brought delicious breakfast. He also diligently taught Pietro science so they could attend school once they left.
Even if Wanda sensed that Solomon was hiding countless secrets, she was wise enough not to dig too deeply. She let herself be blinded by the surface-level kindness, because she didn't want to shatter the fragile relationship between them.
This was one of the few times in her life that she had experienced genuine warmth from another person, and she didn't want to lose it.
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