"You decided to do some weird training, didn't you?", Wanda spoke with a raised eyebrow as I exited my room, to which I nodded before wincing as that pulled a muscle in my neck.
Yeah, I can admit that training until midnight after I figured out how to phase was not the best idea, but at least now, I can do so with any part of my body.
Activating it at the drop of the hat? A bit difficult, but possible and that's a good starting point.
"Yeah, I was figuring out how to phase through objects."
"And?", She asked and I smirked before nodding.
"Got it done, though as you can see, my entire body feels sore."
"And that is after I told you to rest for the day," I turned my head as the Ancient One walked around the corner, her hands behind her back as a subtle smile was on her face.
"I know, but I'm a very curious man and when I have a question, I just can't help wanting to figure out the answer."
"Hmm, for a sorcerer, that is a good mindset to have, but overworking is not the same as working hard. Once you learn to differentiate between the two, your rate of growth will skyrocket."
"Can't argue with my master," I spoke with a shrug, the Ancient One just turning her gaze to Wanda who looked exasperated at my words.
"I can see why you are always so stressed out around him."
"Why does everyone make it sound like I'm a problem? I'm simply a young man with a lot of pent-up energy."
"Then, perhaps we should find a way for you to vent that energy. For now, follow," The Ancient One responded with a small smile as she turned and walked, Wanda just holding up a hand to stop me from responding before she followed after her.
"Do not say a word or else I will fire a hex bolt down your throat," While I did want to say something, the way she stomped away made me smirk as I shook my head and followed after her.
If she's already irritated at me now, then oh boy, just she wait until the older brother side of me comes out when I really want to irritate her.
"So, in all seriousness, what exactly are we going to learn? While Wanda has her magic, I myself have nothing other than my speed. Not that I mind it considering I can move at the same speed as the fastest things on the planet, but still," I said as the three of us walked through the hallways, Wanda looking intrigued as well as the Ancient One hummed.
"Do not worry. What we are about to do is the first step to becoming a sorcerer and a Master of the Mystic Arts. It is the first thing that all sorcerers must learn if they are to stay here and Kamar-Taj," She began, turning another corner and opening the first door to her right.
"Which is?", Wanda asked as we followed through, closing the door behind me while staring at the room in front of us.
It was well-lit with a large ceiling-wide skylight above our heads and numerous candles lighting up the dark corners, scented candles too judging from the smell of vanilla and cimmanon in the air.
On the floor, there were numerous dharma wheels I believe they were called, layered on top of each other and beside one another to form an intricate circular pattern on the floor.
"What I am about to do is make myself a spiritual anchor before sending you both throughout the dimensions. With each dimension you pass, their energies will anchor to your souls and afterwards, I will teach you how to use the basics of magic: Eldritch Magic."
"Got it. You ready?", I asked Wanda, who rolled her eyes as the Ancient One walked forward and placed a thumb on each of our foreheads.
"Alwayyyys~!", Wanda's voice warped before I found myself being flung through the air, unable to control my body as I ragdolled up into the air until I found myself floating in the void of space.
"Holy shiiiiii~", Before I could catch my breath, I was ripped through space and time, gasping as stars and galaxies flashed past me in a blur.
The first dimension hit like wrecking ball, finding myself standing on a cliff that overlooked sandy dunes with a green sky. It wasn't even like a dreamy way, but one that made it feel wrong.
The scent of ozone and sulphur hit me in the face right before the ground beneath my feet erupted, sending me through the dimensions once again.
The next was a crystal dimension, purple and blue obscuring my vision as I stared at the rain of petals and giant slow fireflies around me.
For a brief moment, I was bewildered by Wanda appearing in front of me, her eyes wide and smiling happily as golden threads danced around her fingers before we both got thrown in opposite directions.
There was no pain as I got yanked to the side like a hook was caught in my chest, dimension after dimension slamming into me as I got pulled, twisted, wrung dry and thrown around in rapid succession.
One moment, I was swimming in an underwater world and the next, I flew through thousands of glass trees while the shadows danced. Then, I was floating in the centre of a black sun, the planets around being eviscerated before I got pulled again.
Appearing in a dimension where I watched an infinite number of myself falling towards the same nexus point, the dimension shattered and I found my appendages multiplying rapidly.
Soon finding myself floating with hundreds of thousands of fingers and toes, I vanished once again, now alone in a dimension that was nothing more than silence.
Despite all of that, I could not feel any connection whatsoever, a scream escaping my lips as I was ripped forward before finding myself stumbling in my body.
Gasping for air, I looked at Wanda, not surprised to see her looking just as exhausted while her body was covered in ethereal blood-red energy.
"You…you okay?", I asked as I walked over to her, rubbing her hand while smiling as she took deep breaths and nodded.
"Yes, it…it was just a lot more chaotic than I was expecting."
"Pietro," The Ancient One spoke up and I looked at her to see the frown on her face, raising an eyebrow as the woman walked towards me.
Raising a hand, I blinked as she tapped my forehead, wondering what was supposed to happen when I saw the surprise dancing in her eye.
"That…should not be possible."
"I have a feeling something is wrong with me magically or spiritually, isn't it?"
"Your mind, body and soul…they are one."
"Yes, I believe that's what usually happens when one gains a consciousness."
"No, as in…your soul has anchored itself to your mind and your body. Wanda, am I correct in saying that ever since he got his powers, you have been struggling to read his mind?"
"Kind of, yeah."
"Really?", I asked, surprised when Wanda grimaced and nodded.
"Yes, Pietro. I apologize for reading your mind, but while the minds of others are open to me, yours is like a seal that has been welded shut. No matter what I try, I can't get in."
"What I just tried to do was push out your Astral form, but it did not work as I expected as your soul is anchored to your mind, which is anchored to your body which is anchored to your soul. That creates a never-ending and unbreakable chain reaction where each one strengthens the other."
"…In terms that a non-magician can understand?", I asked and the woman sighed before shaking her head.
"What that means, Pietro, is that the energies of the many dimensions are unable to tether themselves to you and grant you access to their powers, meaning…"
"No magic. Well, that…that sucks balls, if I'm being honest," I muttered as I palmed my face, feeling a bit disappointed at the fact that I would not be able to wield magic.
However, my mind soon wandered to my status as a reincarnate, making me wonder if my soul fusing with Pietro's could perhaps be the reason why this is happening.
'If that is the case…well, then there goes my chance of using anything.'
"Wait, so he can't use magic?"
"Hey, I did say that this was more for you than for me."
'And at least this way, I can rest assured that not every telepath in the world can read my mind and see all the memories that I have,' I thought with a smile, helping Wanda stand up straight as she frowned while the Ancient One smiled.
"I know, but still…"
"I never said that you would not be able to use magic."
"…But you just said-"
"That the energies of the dimensions can't tether to you. However, while we can't use other dimensional energy, there is one dimension right in front of you."
"…You're a dimension? You're that big?", I asked as I looked at Wanda, snickering as she whacked me on the shoulder with a glare.
"What did I stay about calling me big?"
"Sorry, sis. Sshe's a dimension?"
"No, she's a conduit for the dimension I'm referring to. Her magic is Chaos Magic, the oldest and purest form of magic. At its pinnacle, its wielder is able to reconstruct and alter reality as they please as well as control space and time as they wish."
"…Wait, she can give me magic?", I asked as I pointed to Wanda, who looked shocked at what the pinnacle of her magic could do while the Ancient One nodded.
"She can, but I've had a better idea that doesn't result in her accidentally turning you inside out."
"Can we not do either? I'd rather not accidentally kill my brother."
"Well, that is all dependant on whether or not Pietro wants to do it or not. Do you or would you rather focus on your speed?"
"To be completely honest, I don't mind either of the two options, but I also know that just having my speed will result in someone making counters for it. Therefore, I'll only do it if my sister believes that she can, though I don't have a single worry. After all, you never let me down."
"…Are you just buttering me up so that I would say yes?"
"Is it working?"
"A bit. Very well, but if I feel that there's even the slightest hint of something going wrong, we're stopping and we're not doing it."
"If something goes wrong, you have permission to smack me on the head," I spoke with a smirk, to which Wanda rolled her eyes even as a slight smile was on her face.
"Wonderful. Now, this will require you two to be as close as possible," The Ancient One spoke as her fingers traced through the air, creating a glowing series of golden sigils that were connected by a scarlet thread making it spin around us.
"Like this?", I asked as I wrapped an arm around Wanda's shoulder, grinning as she rolled her eyes while the Ancient One smiled.
"That, but with as much skin to skin contact as well."
"Meaning?"
"No shirts," she answered bluntly, making me raise an eyebrow as Wanda groaned.
"I swear to whatever god is listening, if this is some ritual for a creepy cult."
"Uh, I'm the one at risk of getting vaporized here," I answered even as I took my shirt off, revealing the scar on my chest that I got from where HYDRA had stabbed me with Loki's sceptre to give me my powers.
Yeah, still a bit pissed at that for that.
"Still, can I ask why the 'no clothing' part?"
"It's more of a metaphysical necessity. You are siblings and the more bare your physical forms, the more your energies can align. While Kamar-Taj's garb does sometimes help with this, Chaos Magic is volatile and I do not know if its cloth will inhibit the spiritual transfer.
"Hey, like I said, you're the one who has to agree," I said with a shrug as I let go of her, Wanda grumbling under her breath as she took off the clothes on her upper body, standing only in a dark red bra that seemed to accentuate her cleavage.
Hugging her and helping her cover her chest at the same time, Wanda gave a thankful smile at that before a complex golden sigil formed around us, the Ancient One chanting under her breath as thin crimson lines extended from her fingers and began to wrap themselves around Wanda and I.
"I'm going to be channelling your essence from your body and into Pietro. Pietro, you are not to take magic from Wanda. Instead, you must try and resonate with her instead. If your response is perfect, then it will be harmless. If not…"
"I'll end up with more than just a sore head and static shock?"
"You'll become braindead, yes," The Ancient One nodded, to which I just gave a thumbs-up before looking down at Wanda as she spoke up.
"I don't think I'm sure of you doing this."
"Wanda, I have a bad habit of touching dangerous things and you have a good reputation for saving me from those dangerous things. We might as well keep the streak going, right?"
"…This is why I hated the things you did when we were kids," She grumbled, but I watched as she stopped shaking as much and her nervous state began to calm.
It was a good thing too as the Ancient One finished the final circle, the final pair of threads slowly connecting before the woman clapped her hands.
It was less of an explosion and more of the air itself compressing between us two, gritting my teeth as Wanda's magic surged through my body.
My atoms were being pulled in what felt like hundreds of directions at once, but it was not painful. No, it felt more like…her magic was trying to find something to anchor itself to and it couldn't.
'Because my mind, body and soul are one. Use that, Pietro. Think of a wa-That's it,' Taking a deep breath, I began to speed up in place, Wanda's eyes widening as I vibrated the two of us simultaneously.
However, I gritted my teeth as the pain hit, forcing my speed aura to stay around Wanda to protect her while allowing her own Chaos energy into my body.
'Come on! Come on! Almost there!', Now, I could feel the magic surging through my form, grasping onto something that I did not feel before before I gasped as the energy vanished.
The explosion of Chaos Magic sent me flying back, but a rope of Eldritch Magic energy grabbed me before I could go further. My entire body slumped as my eyes were wide, Wanda and the Ancient One sounding as if they were far in the distance.
It was the vibrations that were audible to me, sounding as if they were whispering in my ears. I could feel them, the rays of light, the air, the heartbeat of space as I moved.
Watching as the scarlet red energy began to move, I narrowed my eyes as my hand trailed along the path it left, watching as the Chaos energy danced with glee before I began to follow after it.
With every step, bright crimson danced with silver and blue, the Chaos Magic coiling around my body right as its energy pulsed from my chest and I stopped.
"Pietro!", Wanda yelped as a shockwave rippled from my speed, both her and the Ancient One looking surprised as I stood while arcs of blue and silver electricity rippled from my form.
"Uh, I think it worked?"
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"This! Is! Awesome!", I exclaimed with a grin as I dashed to and fro along the courtyard, running into one portal and out towards another before they could even close behind me.
With ease, I did the same with every portal the students had made, sliding to a stop right as they all closed and I stood with my hands with a wide grin.
"He's a lot more annoying now," I heard Wanda groan, amused at her suffering before looking to Mordo as he stood with a frown.
"While I do enjoy the fact that you are relishing in your newly acquired capabilities, you are also disrupting the class."
"Of course, of course. Perhaps I should just rush away? Ha! I make myself laugh," I murmured with a shake of my head and a chuckle as I moved back, deciding to stop for now as Mordo sighed before turning back to the students.
"You are enjoying yourself a bit too much there, Pietro."
"What can I say? I wanted to acquire magic and now I've found the ability to run even faster with Chaos energy. Life is good," I answered, to which the Ancient One shook her head as the two of us stood on the sidelines.
"Still, Wanda has progressed amazingly. It was only a week ago that she struggled with her first portal and now…"
"Now, she's making one, dismissing it and making another all within three seconds," I spoke with a smirk, Wanda doing just as I explained before she blushed and glared when I waved at her with a smile.
"However, I assume that you are not just here to talk with me considering that we haven't really talked, which I must admit is a shame. I still had so many compliments for a woman of your beauty."
"Well, you could compliment me or you could help a student of mine retrieve a very powerful artifact."
"Are we talking like something that could wipe out all of existence…or something that can wipe out a city?"
"It's more of the type that's creates darkness and control the minds of those who enter it. However, since you are immune to mind-control…"
"I'd be a good pick. Fine, where's the person I'm going with?"
"Right here," A voice spoke up from behind me and I turned only to smirk at the figure that walked through.
'Oh. Well, it appears that I might be able to make a few changes after all.'
A/N: More of a yap-chapter and a power-boosting chapter to be honest, but after this, we'll be focusing on magic, chi, more magic, more chi and some exploration of our little speedster.
Also, we're going the Sonic/ Shadow route with a bit of immunity to telepathy and mind-control…from all that aren't cosmic beings. Yay~!
Next chapter: Something's Wong
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As always, read, enjoy, review and until next week...
Ba-Bye~!