Magic was knowledge, pure and simple. One first had to grasp the theory — the why and how behind the arcane. Then, layer by layer, that knowledge had to be absorbed, tested, and deepened.
Only when one's mental strength — forged through endless meditation — matched that pool of knowledge, could a true magician weave energy into stable spell circles and cast real magic.
The power of any spell depended entirely on two things: the depth of knowledge, and the force of spirit. Neither could stand alone.
Yet here she was, the Ancient One — the Sorcerer Supreme who had spent centuries upholding this truth — staring at Alex's shimmering portal and feeling that bedrock crack beneath her feet.
His spiritual strength aside, she knew how shallow his theory was. Two months at Kamar-Taj, and he'd brushed aside most of what she'd taught him like dust off an old book.
Yet here he stood, opening wormholes as naturally as breathing.
Stark Tower.
Ever since the Battle of New York, the Avengers' fame on Earth had soared like wildfire. Thor and the Hulk had returned to their own paths, and Alex was now halfway around the world — but Iron Man, Tony Stark, remained the unmistakable face of the team.
Two months on, Tony's public standing had reached an all-time high — not that he'd admit how much he enjoyed the adoration.
To no one's surprise, Pepper Potts had come back too — and the two of them had hardly been apart since.
Today, Pepper wore a sleek work outfit that perfectly framed her tall, graceful figure. Tony's eyes followed her every step like a hawk tracking prey.
The moment he found an excuse, he waved her over and pulled her close, arms sliding around her waist.
"Tony — not in broad daylight—" Pepper whispered, immediately catching the intent in his mischievous grin.
"What's daylight got to do with it?" Tony teased, his hands already drifting lower. "It's just us here. Might as well—"
Chi chi chi…
A sharp hiss cut through the room. Before Pepper could protest further, tiny sparks flickered to life in the air beside them, coalescing into a swirling, golden ring.
Tony froze — for a man who'd seen aliens invade Manhattan, this was still unwelcome news.
In the center of the circle, reality bent, and a clear wormhole formed. Through it, he saw two people — and one of them, to his disbelief, was Alex.
"Alex?" Tony snapped, loosening his hold on Pepper just enough to point accusingly through the portal. "What the hell are you doing? Why's there a hole in my living room?"
Alex, standing on the other side with the Ancient One beside him, gave an awkward, crooked smile. He hadn't quite planned for the destination to land there, of all places.
"Uh… sorry about that, Tony. Just testing the range. You two, uh… carry on. I didn't see a thing."
With that, Alex gave a tiny, embarrassed wave — and with a thought, the shimmering circle winked out of existence.
Tony and Pepper stood frozen for a second, still half tangled in each other's arms. Then they looked at each other — and burst out laughing, exasperated and bemused in equal measure.
Tony muttered under his breath, "Unbelievable. When did opening wormholes become the same as knocking on a door?"
Not to mention the bewilderment lingering in Stark Tower — back in Kamar-Taj, the Ancient One, who had spent over a millennium standing at the very peak of sorcery, was every bit as stunned.
She simply stared at Alex, eyes wide, lost for words.
"See, Master?" Alex said with a small, amused grin at her expression. "Didn't I tell you? I really have mastered this magic."
"How did you do that?" she asked at last — her voice calm but edged with disbelief. For someone who understood magic as deeply as she did, this defied everything she thought she knew.
Alex shrugged, scratching his neck lightly as if trying to sound casual. "How? Well… I saw some of the other mages use it a few times. I just… copied what they did, and… I guess it worked?"
He wasn't about to reveal his real secret — that strange ability to copy skills outright — so a harmless half-truth would do.
Yet his explanation only deepened the Ancient One's shock.
He'd learned a spell like Teleportation — just by watching someone else perform it a handful of times?
Her mind raced for any logical answer. Her long years of teaching told her it was impossible — but the reality was standing right there, a stable wormhole still flickering in the air moments ago.
"Is there really such a prodigy in this world?" she thought, her expression softening with a mix of awe and exasperation. "A boy who meditates a few days, watches a spell once, and simply… learns it? What mage could compare?"
In her thousand years, she had seen countless so-called geniuses — but next to Alex, they all seemed ordinary.
Alex, meanwhile, gave her an earnest bow. "Master, thank you for your guidance these last two months. I've learned what I came for — so I think it's time I move on."
He had never planned to stay longer than needed. Teleportation was his goal — now it was his. There was no reason to linger.
But the Ancient One's expression shifted in an instant. "No, Alex. You must stay."
Alex blinked at her, taken aback. "Huh? Stay? But didn't we agree I'd only be here to learn teleportation?"
"You are a natural magician," she said firmly, her eyes clear and intense now. "Leaving now would waste a gift that appears once in centuries — if ever."
Alex hesitated under her unwavering gaze, suddenly unsure.
-------------------------
Alex sat cross-legged in the courtyard square of Kamar-Taj, his body hovering several inches off the ancient stone. Around him, countless tiny arcs of blue lightning danced and flickered, weaving in and out of the calm Himalayan air.
Deep in meditation, his mind rested in perfect stillness. The Mind Pendant at his throat pulsed with a steady orange-yellow glow — the embedded Mind Stone quietly amplifying his focus, sharpening his thoughts, and making every moment of meditation twice as effective.
Six months ago, right after Alex had copied the core spatial spells — Teleportation and Mirror Dimension — he'd been fully prepared to leave.
He'd come to Kamar-Taj for one reason: to master space magic. Goal achieved — time to move on.
But the Ancient One hadn't agreed. When he'd announced his plans to depart, she had simply smiled, then refused outright. In her eyes, Alex was the single greatest magical prodigy she'd seen in over a thousand years. She had devoted her entire life to protecting and passing on the mystic arts — there was no chance she'd watch such a talent just walk away.
What she didn't know, of course, was that Alex's so-called genius was just a convenient lie. He'd "learned" magic by copying it outright — the theory he'd skipped, the countless hours of disciplined training he'd dodged, the effort other mages poured their whole lives into… all replaced by a trick he couldn't reveal.
But the Ancient One saw what she wanted to see: a once-in-a-millennium natural sorcerer. The "facts" matched her belief — so she held him tighter than ever.
From that day, Alex had been stuck.
He'd tried everything. Subtle persuasion. Earnest protests. Even attempted to sneak out under cover of night — only to find the entire space around Kamar-Taj sealed shut by her wards. No portal circle would form, no gateway would open. The Sorcerer Supreme hadn't held her title for centuries by being careless.
In the end, Alex had to admit defeat. The Ancient One was simply too powerful — and too determined. He was going nowhere.
So six long months had passed. He'd stopped trying to escape, at least for now. Honestly, even he had to admit Kamar-Taj wasn't the worst place to be stuck. The environment was calm, rich in arcane energy. He could meditate all he liked, strengthen his spirit, refine what he'd already stolen — and with the Mind Stone enhancing him daily, his mental reserves grew stronger than ever.
If nothing else, this forced "captivity" had become the perfect training ground.