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*****
The Ancient One did not know the exact origin of Feny's abilities, but she had long suspected they were tied to combat—perhaps even slaughter. Because of this, a persistent worry lingered in her heart: she feared that Feny might one day stop at nothing in his pursuit of power.
She knew that path all too well. Years ago, she had chosen to siphon dark energy from Dormammu to extend her own life, a decision that had inadvertently invited a shadow over Earth.
Feny could easily ignore Odin's commands, but he could not dismiss the Ancient One.
He was a person who placed great value on his bonds. Throughout his growth, the Ancient One and Kamar-Taj had provided him with immeasurable guidance and support. In his heart, he truly viewed her as his elder and mentor.
Thus, hearing her plea, he chose to yield. It wasn't an act of submission to Odin's authority, but a gesture of profound respect for his teacher.
"Fine," Feny sighed. He scanned the desolate surroundings but saw no sign of the Ancient One's physical presence.
He glanced at the stern, imposing figure of Odin. Feeling no desire to share a ride back via the Bifrost, Feny spared a final look at the surrounding Frost Giants and recalled the Blue-Eyes White Dragon into its card form.
He gripped the 'Dragon's Meal' pendant at his chest, and in an instant, his figure vanished from the realm of Jotunheim.
Though his departure had been decisive, the moment he reappeared, his face twisted into a look of pure heartache. He looked down at the 'Dragon's Meal'—now marred by fresh cracks—and quickly used Zafkiel: Dalet to restore it.
Since the battle in Jotunheim hadn't reached a formal conclusion, the experience points he gained were meager. The real prize of this excursion was the time value he had harvested.
While the absorption rate of the 'City of Devouring Time' wasn't exceptionally fast, it had still gathered a substantial amount. If Feny were to apply these reserves to his own lifespan, he could easily add another decade to his life. Furthermore, he could feel the 'City of Devouring Time' constantly evolving. He imagined a day where an enemy might crumble into dust from time depletion before they even reached him.
Despite his concession, a lingering spark of irritation kept Feny from returning to Asgard. Instead, he teleported directly back to Kamar-Taj on Earth.
This trip to Jotunheim had been the shortest of his journeys through the Nine Realms thus far. He had been there for a mere three days before being forced to leave. Still, it wasn't a total loss; he had unlocked the 'Water Mode' and gained nearly ten years of time value.
Feny quietly made his way to the Ancient One's private chambers. She was inside, calmly brewing tea as if she had been expecting him. When he entered, she greeted him with a simple, level tone.
"You're back."
"Teacher."
Feny had intended to voice a few complaints before entering, but standing before her, the words seemed to vanish.
Seeing his silence, the Ancient One sighed. She gestured for him to sit and asked, "Did you intend to kill those Frost Giants?"
"No," Feny shook his head, answering honestly. "I only wanted to defeat them."
The Ancient One believed him. This was precisely why she had watched from afar without intervening initially; she understood Feny far better than Odin did. She took a sip of the fragrant, mellow tea and continued, "In his youth, Odin fought countless wars to unify the Nine Realms, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake. It wasn't until much later that he realized peace was the only true way to hold the realms together. That is why he stopped you."
"I think he's delusional," Feny muttered, turning his head away with a faint look of disdain.
"Whether it is a delusion or not, his stance is a blessing for the Nine Realms as a whole."
The Ancient One continued to sip her tea slowly. Seeing Feny's lingering indifference, she sighed again. "Feny, peace is never a simple matter. Regardless of their methods, Asgard is making the effort to maintain it."
Feny fell silent. He knew she was right. Without Asgard's stabilizing presence, the Nine Realms would descend into chaos—the recent shattering of the Bifrost had proven that much.
Seeing his quiet contemplation, the Ancient One suddenly asked, "Do you resent me for not taking your side, but instead stopping you?"
Feny was stunned for a moment before shaking his head. "Of course not. It was my fault, ultimately."
Deep down, Feny understood. Regardless of who struck first, he had engineered the circumstances of the battle. Even if he hadn't been caught then, the conflict would have inevitably escalated under different pretenses.
The Ancient One looked at him intently, a flash of pride and relief flickering deep in her eyes. She smiled. "I truly didn't expect you to grow this quickly."
"Perhaps before long, even I will no longer be a match for you."
Hearing her remark, Feny felt a strange sensation in his chest. A few years ago, he was stressing over Iron Man's debut and the upcoming Battle of New York. Now, he actually had the confidence to stand his ground against Odin. Granted, that confidence was bolstered by his knowledge of the Ancient One and Hela.
"I'm still far behind you, Teacher," Feny replied, shaking his head. He might feel bold enough to face Odin, but if his opponent were the Ancient One, he wouldn't have a shred of confidence. Even if he dragged Dormammu to Earth, the two of them combined might not be enough to take her down—unless, of course, she wanted to use him as a way to finally "retire."
But he would never let that happen, so it wasn't a scenario he needed to consider.
Feny stayed with the Ancient One for a while, recounting his adventures in Asgard, Vanaheim, and Nidavellir. When the topic turned to Vanaheim, he suddenly remembered the 'Pearl of the Ocean' given to him by Njord. He quickly pulled it out for her to inspect.
"The King of Vanaheim gave me this treasure after I promised him a favor. I was hoping you could check if there's anything wrong with it."
The Ancient One took the pearl and studied it closely. After performing several complex hand gestures that Feny couldn't decipher, a swirl of orange-red energy manifested around her hand and was pressed into the pearl.
A sudden burst of pale blue light erupted from the gem, but under the suppression of the orange-red mystic energy, it flickered once and then vanished completely.
At that same moment, in the distant palace of Vanaheim...
Njord, who was busy attending to state affairs, suddenly paused as if sensing something. An expression of surprise crossed his face, and he murmured to himself, "What a remarkable young lady."
He looked out the window at the starlit sky, his expression turning complex.
Back at Kamar-Taj, the Ancient One handed the pearl back to Feny. "There are no major issues now. It is a very fine object."
Seeing her actions, Feny's brow furrowed. It was just as he had suspected—Njord had tampered with the gift.
"What did that blue light do?" Feny asked, eager to know what the king had hidden inside.
"A special type of incantation that could record your actions," the Ancient One replied with a nostalgic look. "Quite interesting."
Years ago, the knowledge on Earth hadn't been enough to satisfy her curiosity, forcing her to venture into the cosmos in search of more. She had experienced many things, and her past encounters with Njord of Vanaheim were the reason she had detected the flaw so easily.
Hearing this, a wave of lingering fear washed over Feny. It was essentially like having a surveillance camera strapped to him. He had nearly taken the thing into the bath with him earlier.
(End of Chapter)