Satoru stepped out of the portal from Triskelion to Kamar-Taj.
"Man... I need a nap," Satoru muttered, stretching his arms until his joints popped. "Why was today particularly exhausting?"
He reached up and untied the new black blindfold. The Night-Silk felt cool against his skin as he removed it, revealing those crystalline baby blue eyes.
With a casual snap of his fingers, the artifact vanished, stored away in a pocket of space only he could access.
He scratched the back of his head, looking around the courtyard. "Woah. The Ancient One sure works fast," he murmured.
The temple was lively. Apprentices were hurrying back and forth, carrying supplies or assisting the Masters. Thanks to the repairs done by the Ancient One using the Time Stone, there were no signs of the battle that unfolded earlier.
There was no crater, no scorched stone, and no destroyed stone statues.
However, there were sorcerers that still sustained injuries due to the Chaos Magic Mordo had used.
Since that energy resisted conventional healing, several Masters were huddled over the wounded, using specialized spells to soothe the magical burns left by Mordo and Belasco tantrums.
As Satoru strolled through the halls, the atmosphere felt different. Apprentices stopped what they were doing to bow deeply. They had always known he was a Master, and a young one at that, but witnessing his power firsthand had changed things.
In their eyes, there was res[ect and awe reflected on them that wasn't there before.
Satoru ignored the staring and the whispers, eventually finding himself at the edge of the temple's outer balcony. He spotted a lone figure in yellow robes standing by the cliffside, enjoying the breeze.
The Ancient One was watching the sunset. The orange hue basking the compound from the sky with the sun dreamed perfectly between the snowy peaks of the Himalayas.
Satoru decided to approach her with his hands shoved into his pockets.
"Beautiful view, right?" The Ancient One suddenly said, knowing that it was Satoru that was approaching.
Satoru stopped and stood beside her, his gaze following hers toward the horizon. "It's alright, I guess. Though, some people do need to relax under the sunset, it helps."
The Ancient One let out a soft chuckle. "And here I thought you only appreciated the view of the city, Satoru. Perhaps the mountain air is finally getting to you."
Satoru only smiled in response.
They stood side-by-side as the sun dipped lower, casting long shadows over the temple rooftops.
After a long stretch of silence, Satoru spoke again, albeit without its usual humor.
"It's not your fault, you know."
The Ancient One didn't move. Her expression remained serene, but her fingers tightened almost imperceptibly on the fabric of her sleeves. "Karl was my student for a long time, Satoru. I saw the rigidity in his heart and believed I could mold it into strength. I chose to ignore the shadows because I was so focused on the light he could become."
"He was an adult who made his own choices," Satoru said, still not looking over at her. "Since you've tried, his actions don't implicate you at all, it's solely his decision. People like that... they always find a reason to break. If it wasn't you, it would've been something else. The universe is full of excuses for people who want to feel like victims."
"Perhaps," she whispered. "But the burden of a teacher is to wonder if one more lesson, or one different word, could have changed the outcome."
Satoru turned his head, a genuine smile appearing on his face. "Trust me, I know the feeling. But look at the kids. Wanda, Illyana, and Rintrah. They didn't break and run away. They chose to stay and persist. Why? It's because they're sorcerers that protects, not sorcerers that run and become delusional of something they perceive as the truth."
The Ancient One finally turned to look at him, her eyes searching his.
"You have a surprisingly wise soul when you aren't trying to be the most annoying person in the room," she noted.
"Hey! I can be both," Satoru laughed.
They returned their gazes to the sunset, the golden light bleeding into a deep violet as the stars began to peek through the thin atmosphere.
"I'm stepping down as Sorcerer Supreme," the Ancient One said. Her voice was light, almost airy, as if a massive weight had finally been lifted from her shoulders.
Satoru's head snapped toward her. He instinctively reached up to pick at his ear, tilting his head as if clearing earwax. "What? I didn't quite catch that. The wind is a bit loud, you know?"
"I'm stepping down as Sorcerer Supreme," she repeated, her tone firmer this time, laced with a calm finality.
Satoru's eyes slowly widened. For once, a witty comeback didn't come.
"Why?" he asked after a sigh with a voice that was uncharacteristically quiet. "You… You know what that meant for you. So, why?"
The Ancient One smiled at the fading sun, her expression peaceful. "Oh, I know. I've seen my many possible futures for a long time, Satoru. Although, after that certain newborn came knocking on my door years ago, it had become more uncertain. But, now I know."
She turned her head to look him straight in the eyes. "I've already decided to pass on the torch while there is still light to give. Someone who can protect this world in ways I could never."
"To who?" Even though Satoru asked that, he had already sensed who she was planning to give it…
"To you…" she said simply.
'Yeah, to me.'
Satoru stared at her for a long beat.
The Ancient One reached up and unslung the Eye of Agamotto from her neck. She held the golden artifact out to him after staring at it for a long time.
"Here," she said softly. "You'll need this… or, maybe not. Do what you see fit as long as you protect it as you've sworn years ago."
Satoru reached out and took the heavy artifact, his fingers brushing against the cold metal. His gaze didn't drop to the Stone; he kept his eyes locked on hers, searching for any sign of hesitation.
"Can't you just stay?" Satoru asked, his voice lacking its usual arrogance. "I'm sure we can find a way to patch you up. A little RCT, a little space-time folding... I could make it work. Just give me time."
"Time… Haha, that's funny. You know that time's already knocking on my door since forever, Satoru."
Satoru was about to say something, but the Ancient One continued.
The Ancient One smiled, a genuine, warm expression that made the wrinkles around her eyes crinkle. "You'll be better than me, Satoru. I apologize for giving you a responsibility I know you find bothersome. But, in time, I think you'll get used to the job."
She paused, looking at him with a mischievous glint that reminded him of himself. "And try not to lose it. It's the only one we have."
She winked at him one last time.
Slowly, her silhouette began to shimmer.
A soft, golden glow started at her fingertips and spread across her robes, turning her form translucent. The air around her began to hum with a melodic, peaceful melody as the leaves and grass beneath them began to sway and swirl.
"Can you at least tell me your name?" Satoru murmured, still staring at her with multitudes of emotions within his eyes.
The Ancient One smiled, then she whispered. "Saoirse."
Then, her body erupted in a warm pulse of orange light. It wasn't a violent blast, but a gentle wave of energy that washed over the cliffside balcony and through Satoru's frame.
It felt like the first breath of spring after a long winter.
When the light faded, the space beside Satoru was empty. The golden dust of her departure lingered in the air for a second before being carried away by the Himalayan wind.
Satoru stood alone on the balcony, the Eye of Agamotto heavy in his hand. He looked down at the artifact, then out at the dark mountain peaks.
He stayed there… for hours and hours…
Death wasn't a stranger to Satoru. He even experienced it once and it was the one that brought him here.
However, this is one of those deaths that Satoru couldn't easily stomach.
Sigh…
Satoru sighed. But he didn't move. Even after hours, he still just stayed there.
He was tired, but now… He couldn't bring himself to be tired at all right now.
'Why can't you just set a date and time beforehand so I'd know… Saoirse…'
...
[Author's Notes]: I know what you might say... Why remove her from the fic? Well, it's because... I want her to rest.
Hope you enjoyed this.
Also, this is the last chapter for the week, see you on Monday!
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