The existence of magicians brought clear strengths — and equally clear weaknesses.
Their offensive power could be immense, yet their defenses were notoriously fragile — both in reality and by design.
Take the Sorcerer Supreme, the Ancient One: for centuries, she had shielded Earth from Dormammu's invasions, a testament to her towering might. Yet in the original story, she fell from a height and died instantly — so much for invincible magic.
Or Ebony Maw, Thanos's cunning lieutenant — a single sorcerer who went toe-to-toe with Doctor Strange, forcing Iron Man and Spider-Man to scramble against him. But despite all that mastery, he was sucked into space and frozen to death in seconds.
Loki was an exception — but that was thanks to his Asgardian bloodline, not any virtue of being a mage.
In Alex's mind, Kamar-Taj's magic system revealed an even bigger flaw.
If magicians were naturally frail, shouldn't they focus on defensive spells or long-range arts? Why wield magic like a blade in close combat — throwing one's weakest point against an enemy's strongest? It made no sense to him.
So, although Alex came to Kamar-Taj to study the arcane, he had no wish to become a master mage in the traditional sense. The Ancient One's deep theories and lectures only bored him.
To Alex, all that knowledge seemed backward — why invest in a system that couldn't even guarantee your survival? His goal was simple: he was here for one thing only — space magic.
Skills could be copied. All he really needed was the meditation method — the key to boosting his mental and magical reserves high enough to wield it.
After about two months of quiet dedication — and thanks to the Ancient One's painstaking help — a magnificent pendant was finally completed.
The Mind Stone was removed from its scepter and embedded perfectly into this new vessel, radiating a steady orange glow.
"Try it on…" she said, presenting the pendant to Alex.
Over the past weeks, Alex had watched her use precious magical materials and carve countless profound inscriptions. He knew well what this pendant was worth.
He bowed slightly, thanked her sincerely, and slipped the pendant around his neck.
The Mind Stone's light pulsed softly. Alex felt its power flowing through him — clearing his thoughts, sharpening his focus.
The clarity it brought was priceless. After two months of daily meditation, Alex's mental strength had grown vastly — now, linked to the Mind Stone, he could channel even more energy through it.
"Well… this is perfect," Alex murmured, fingers brushing the gem. "Not just a weapon — it's a forge for my mind too. No wonder they call these the Infinity Stones… this one's the ideal gem for a magician."
"I'm glad it suits you, Mr. Alex," she said, her expression softening at the sight of his satisfaction. Then she shifted gears, her tone lightly probing: "By the way… do you remember the theory I explained to you yesterday?"
Alex's pleased expression froze.
He hadn't paid the slightest attention to that theory lesson — so of course he didn't remember a word.
Seeing his blank look, the Ancient One's calm face clouded slightly. Her voice turned gently stern. "Mr. Alex, you asked to come here to study magic. A foundation must be built before you reach for the sky. Without understanding the nature of magic, you can't grasp its essence — and without that, your progress will always be limited."
For all her warmth, she could be strict when teaching. Alex flinched slightly under her gaze, feeling a twinge of guilt.
"I… I did learn the teleportation spell…" Alex muttered, scratching the back of his head.
In truth, after two months in Kamar-Taj, Alex had already copied the two most critical spells he wanted — Teleportation and Mirror Dimension — from another disciple.
The skill files were small enough that, once copied, he could wield them freely.
It just so happened that his weeks of meditation had pushed his mental strength to the threshold needed to actually cast both.
And now, with the Mind Stone's help, his power would only grow sharper — theory or no theory.
"You? You've already learned Teleportation? When did that happen? I certainly haven't taught you that yet, have I?" Alex's words made the Ancient One blink, genuine surprise flickering across her calm features as she studied him.
Ordinarily, learning magic was a careful, step-by-step journey. First came theory — the foundation for understanding how the arcane worked. Then, guided meditation to strengthen the mind enough to shape that knowledge into reality. Only then could a sorcerer weave their own energy into spell circles and cast real magic.
But Alex? He'd been at Kamar-Taj barely two months — and his grasp of theory was, to be generous, surface-level. If he hadn't insisted on learning meditation himself, she wouldn't even have let him start that step yet.
Yet here he was, skipping the foundation entirely, claiming he could already cast spells that took disciples years to master. How was that possible?
"Want me to show you?" Alex asked, seeing her incredulous expression.
She hesitated, then gave a slow nod. "Go ahead. Let's see it."
Without another word, Alex raised his palm. A quiet hum pulsed through the air as he drew on his mental reserves, the patterns of the spell forming in his mind as naturally as breathing.
He traced a few circles in the air with a single hand — precise, confident movements. Immediately, tiny golden sparks bloomed in the air like fireflies, swirling together in a perfect ring.
Within seconds, the sparks expanded, shaping into a shimmering portal about two meters wide. On the other side, the familiar sleek interior of Stark Tower gleamed — every detail sharp, from the polished floors to the distant flicker of Tony's workshop displays.
"This… this actually worked?" the Ancient One murmured, eyes wide as she stepped closer. "You've barely touched magical theory… and yet you're this fluent in conjuring a portal? Are you… truly a prodigy?"
She stared at the stable, flickering gateway — her mind racing through centuries of students, countless initiates, and not one who had done this so quickly, so naturally.
Alex just offered her a small, almost embarrassed smile, the Mind Stone at his chest pulsing with a soft orange glow.u