Abel knocked on the door, pushed it open, and walked in.
Daniel was standing in the living room of the Sanctuary, and he smiled when he saw Abel. "Sorcerer Abel. You're becoming quite familiar with this place. Make yourself comfortable."
"Thanks, Daniel," Abel said, returning the smile.
It had been two months since that first meeting with the Ancient One. In that time, his life had settled into a new rhythm. Every other day, he'd come to the Sanctuary to read books from their library. Every Sunday, Sharon would show up at his apartment for dinner—which was fine, really. Theresa was thrilled to have family visiting, so Abel didn't complain, even if he found the whole situation a bit weird.
The Sanctuary's interior was way bigger than it looked from the outside. Three floors connected by corridors that twisted around like a maze. The library where Abel spent most of his time was on the first floor, filled with books about the MCU's magical system—nothing too advanced, mostly foundational material and records of minor spells. Abel had glanced through the more powerful stuff but hadn't actually learned anything secretly.
Not that he would. Equivalent exchange wasn't just something he talked about. He actually lived by it. He cared about magic, about knowledge, but that didn't mean he'd just steal other people's work. Even if he could learn a spell just by reading it, he wouldn't do it that way. If he wanted to learn something real, he'd make a formal deal with whoever owned that knowledge.
The books he was reading now? He'd exchanged for access with the Ancient One. In return, he'd given her additionnel detailed notes on his magical system. And what he was learning was actually useful—he'd already made improvements to his trauma healing potions, figured out better substitution ratios for certain ingredients.
But here was the problem: one of the potions he really wanted to perfect was life-and-death restoration—the kind of potion that could literally bring someone back from the brink. And there was one specific material he needed that didn't exist in the regular world. A material that probably only existed in the magical trade markets.
Which was why he needed to visit the Black Cauldron.
The Black Cauldron had been the center of sorcerer commerce and trade for nearly two hundred years. It was extremely secret, incredibly hidden. Unless someone introduced you or you actually knew how to get in, there was basically no way to find it. Which was why he'd been putting this off—he needed someone who actually knew how to get there.
Someone like Daniel.
"Daniel, I'm heading out early today," Abel said, starting to gather his books and notes together. "I need to talk to you about something."
Daniel had just come over with a cup of tea. He stopped when he saw Abel moving, looking surprised. "Master Abel, you're leaving so soon? That's unusual."
"Yeah, sorry," Abel said. "I appreciate the tea, but I can't stay today. I'm actually here to ask you something."
"Of course. What do you need?"
Abel took a breath. "I want to visit the Black Cauldron. I need to find some specific materials for potions work, and I figure that's where I'd have the best chance. But I know it's dangerous, and I don't know how to get in. So... would you be willing to take me there?"
Daniel's entire demeanor shifted. His expression became serious, almost concerned. "Master Abel, you want to visit the Black Cauldron?"
"Yeah. I know it's not safe, but I really need to find this material. It's important."
Daniel was quiet for a moment, clearly thinking. Then he said, "If that's the case, I'll accompany you. The Black Cauldron is controlled by Agatha Harkness, and it's a dangerous place—not because of the physical environment, but because of the people there. The sorcerers who trade there can be... unpredictable. If this is your first time, you'll definitely run into problems. I should go with you as a guide. And hopefully my presence will keep things from getting too complicated."
Abel nodded. He'd been hoping Daniel would offer, honestly. It would save him from having to figure out the entrance alone, and having someone inside who had credibility would definitely help with negotiations. Plus, Abel was being practical here—if things went wrong, having someone with combat experience nearby was a decent safety measure.
"Thanks, Daniel. I really appreciate it."
"It's no problem." Daniel glanced back toward the interior of the Sanctuary. "Let me contact Kamar-Taj and arrange for someone to cover my duties here while I'm gone."
About five minutes later, a man appeared to take Daniel's place. He was large, white, angular-faced, with a gloomy expression that reminded Abel of someone describing a "gentleman with cannibalistic, perverted tendencies"—which wasn't great. But when Daniel introduced him, everything made sense.
"This is Kaecillius. He'll be watching the Sanctuary while we're out."
Kaecillius was tall and broad-shouldered, with sharp features and an intensity in his eyes that suggested he was constantly calculating something. Despite the intimidating appearance, when he greeted them, his manner was formal and polite. He bowed slightly to both Daniel and Abel in succession.
"Master Daniel," Kaecillius said, "I'll handle things here. And you must be the Sorcerer Abel that the Ancient One mentioned. I'm Kaecillius, one of the students learning from the Ancient One."
"Nice to meet you, Kaecillius," Abel said, keeping his tone neutral. There was something about this guy that felt... ambitious. Like he was always thinking several steps ahead.
"I hope we'll have a chance to communicate more in the future," Kaecillius added with a slight smile.
"Maybe," Abel replied, non-committal.
After the brief introductions, Daniel changed into normal clothes—nothing that would mark him as a sorcerer—and left the Sanctuary with Abel. The two of them made their way toward the mysterious entrance to the Black Cauldron.
After exiting the subway in Hell's Kitchen, they walked into one of the alleyways. Daniel opened a mirror space, and they stepped through it, moving through that strange, reflective dimension to avoid being seen. Finally, they emerged back into the regular world in front of a completely ordinary-looking restaurant.
This was it. The Black Cauldron.
From the outside, it just looked like any other New York restaurant. Nothing obviously magical about it. But Abel could feel the presence of magic around the place—subtle, carefully hidden, but definitely there.
"Ready?" Daniel asked quietly.
Abel nodded.
They stepped inside together.
END CHAPTHER 13