Mavuika's first day staying at Kamar-Taj passed very peacefully.
In the early morning, he was awakened by the sound of birds chirping. The birds in Kamar-Taj were different from those in New York; their cries were crisp and long, like ancient Sanskrit chants.
Sunlight spilled through the gaps in the bamboo blinds, painting golden stripes across the floor. He lay in bed, listening to the sounds of the mages' morning practice outside—low-pitched recitations, steady breathing, and the occasional dull thud of energy impacts.
He got up, dressed, and pushed open the door.
In the courtyard, several young mages were practicing magic.
They sat cross-legged on the stone floor, their hands forming seals and their eyes tightly shut, surrounded by a faint golden glow of magic energy.
Mordo stood before them, hands behind his back, his gaze sharp and silent.
Strange was among them, his posture stiffer than the others. The old injuries on his hands made it impossible for him to maintain a position for long, but he gritted his teeth, veins bulging on his forehead, without making a sound.
Mavuika stood under the corridor, watching for a moment before turning toward the tea room.
In the tea room, the Ancient One was already waiting for him. She sat at a wooden table with two cups of tea before her—one half-finished, the other still steaming.
"Your Highness, did you sleep well?"
Mavuika sat opposite her and picked up the teacup. "Not bad. It's quieter than New York."
The Ancient One smiled. "Kamar-Taj is far from the hustle and bustle, so it is indeed quiet. But being quiet for too long can also make one feel lonely."
Mavuika took a sip of tea. "Are you lonely?"
The Ancient One thought for a moment. "It's not loneliness, it's... wanting a different way of life." She looked at the tea in her cup, her tone flat.
"I have guarded this World for centuries. Sometimes I wonder if they can hold on if one day I am no longer here."
Mavuika looked at her. "So that's why you came up with that 'retirement plan'."
The Ancient One did not deny it. "Strange needs a true test. Kaecilius and Dormammu are the best touchstones."
Mavuika set down his teacup. "So what do you plan to do now? Your plan was ruined by me."
The Ancient One looked up at Mavuika, a rare, almost cunning light flickering in those deep eyes.
"So, Your Highness must compensate me."
Mavuika raised an eyebrow. "How?"
The Ancient One put down her teacup, crossed her hands on the table, and leaned forward slightly.
"Your Highness, let us join forces and give Dormammu a heavy blow."
Mavuika's eyes narrowed slightly. "Go on."
The Ancient One stood up and walked to the window. Outside, the snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas glistened in the sunlight like a row of giant white towers.
"Dormammu has always been eyeing Earth greedily." She spoke with her back to Mavuika, her voice calm and slow.
"He is the ruler of the Dark Dimension and possesses nearly infinite power. Due to Kamar-Taj's obstruction, he cannot enter our dimension personally, but he can use followers and Portals for gradual corrosion."
She turned to look at Mavuika.
"For centuries, I have stood between him and Earth. He has tried to ascend through various means—temptation, frontal assault, infiltration—none of which succeeded. But he has never given up. Now, he has enticed Kaecilius, corrupting him with the power of the Dark Dimension to make him his pawn."
Mavuika nodded. "I see."
The Ancient One continued, "My original plan was that I would 'die' there, allowing Kaecilius to open the gates of the Dark Dimension during the attack on the Hong Kong Sanctum, let Strange inherit the position of Sorcerer Supreme, and lead Mordo and those young mages to defeat Kaecilius and seal Dormammu's invasion."
She paused.
"But since Your Highness stepped in to save me, that plan is no longer feasible. Therefore, I want to change to a different scheme."
Mavuika looked at her. "What scheme?"
The corners of the Ancient One's mouth curled up slightly. "Since retirement isn't happening, I won't retire. We will join forces and teach Dormammu a lesson! Beat him until he's afraid, until he never dares to peer at Earth again!"
Mavuika's eyes lit up.
He stood up and walked to the window, standing side by side with the Ancient One. Outside, the snowy peaks tossed fine grains of snow into the wind like a white flag fluttering.
"You can't do it alone?" Mavuika asked.
The Ancient One shook her head. "I can block him and keep him out of Earth, but to completely expel him and make him feel the pain, my magic alone is not enough. His Dark Dimension is his home field; there, his power is nearly infinite."
She turned to look at Mavuika.
"But with Your Highness, it's different. Your Fire is the natural enemy of darkness, and your power is enough to incinerate dimensions. Together, we can beat him until he never dares to return."
Mavuika was silent for a moment.
Then he laughed.
In that smile was a light the Ancient One had rarely seen—not gentle, not calm, but excited. Like a sword that had been dormant for a thousand years finally finding the chance to be unsheathed.
"Ancient One," Mavuika said, "do you know how long it has been since I last went all out?"
The Ancient One looked at him.
"The last time was during the Nine Realms Unification War." Mavuika's voice was very soft, but every word was as clear as a blade sliding across glass.
"Dark Elves, Fire Giants, Frost Giants—after that, there were no more opponents worth taking seriously. For centuries, my power has been growing, yet I could find no place to use it to my heart's content."
He raised his hand, and a ball of golden-red Fire condensed in his palm. The temperature of the flame wasn't high, but its light was extremely bright, like a tiny Sun.
The Ancient One looked at the ball of Fire, the curve of her lips widening. "So, Your Highness, do you agree?"
Mavuika clenched his fist, and the Fire extinguished. "I agree!"
The Ancient One smiled softly. "However, Your Highness, aren't you going to take the opportunity to make some requests? Perhaps have me owe you a favor or something?"
Mavuika's lips curled as he glanced at the Ancient One. "Or perhaps the sorcerer could be a bit more proactive herself?"
Neither said anything more, only sharing a smile.
Over the next three days, Kamar-Taj entered a state of tense and orderly preparation.
While the Ancient One sent people to monitor Kaecilius's movements, she also arranged the defenses for the Hong Kong Sanctum.
She ordered Mordo to lead several reliable mages to Hong Kong in advance to evacuate the residents around the Sanctum and clear the area.
Although Mordo was confused by the Ancient One's sudden change of plans, he did not ask questions—his trust in his master was unconditional.
Strange remained at Kamar-Taj to continue his training.
The Ancient One gave him a new assignment—how to maintain multiple Portals simultaneously during combat.
This was very difficult for him. His hands were still shaking, and every time he formed a seal, he would sweat from the pain.
But he did not give up, practicing over and over again until his fingers were raw and blood dripped onto the stone floor.