If the Ancient One hadn't spoken those words herself, Mordo might never have believed it.
Someone mastering teleportation magic in under a week? Without guidance? Without tools? Without even stepping foot in Kamar-Taj?
That was unheard of.
As a seasoned archmage and the Ancient One's first disciple, Mordo had trained dozens of students and witnessed their struggles firsthand. Even the most gifted apprentices spent weeks—months—just learning how to open a stable portal.
And yet, Henry had done it. Alone.
What kind of celestial anomaly is this kid? Mordo thought, stunned into silence.
The deeper he thought about it, the more unsettling it became. He had always believed that while talent varied, hard work would prevail. Kama Taj accepted all who could find it, and those with the talent to do so usually proved capable.
But even then, teleportation magic was no walk in the park. It required focus, patience, an understanding of spatial laws, and a conduit—the Sling Ring.
Yet Henry had learned it. Without training. Without guidance. And worst of all—
Mordo frowned as another detail struck him.
"Supreme Mage…" he said slowly. "Did you... give him a Sling Ring?"
The Ancient One, her expression as serene as ever, shook her head. "No."
Mordo froze.
"No...?!"
His voice cracked slightly.
The Sling Ring was essential for portal magic—especially for beginners. It acted as a magical bridge between the practitioner and the fabric of space. Even the Ancient One herself used it at times, albeit out of habit more than necessity.
But for someone without it to open a stable portal…
That bordered on the absurd.
Even the Ancient One, who rarely expressed emotion, allowed a small flicker of surprise to show in her eyes. "His talent has exceeded even my expectations," she said quietly.
Mordo nodded numbly. It was the only response he could manage.
Then he paused, something else bothering him. "But if his talent is so astonishing, Master… why haven't you brought him here? To Kamar-Taj?"
The Ancient One looked out over the temple courtyard. For a moment, she said nothing.
Then she turned back toward him. "Do you recall the anomaly we detected weeks ago?"
Mordo immediately straightened. "Yes. The temple's detectors picked up a distortion—temporal and spatial. We traced it to a multiversal intrusion."
The Ancient One nodded.
"I explored the timelines," she said. "That intruder was not supposed to appear in any version of our future. His existence disrupted the stability of Earth's destiny. When I looked further… I saw that the future of Earth itself had been rewritten."
Mordo's eyes narrowed. "And you believe this 'intruder'… is Henry?"
"I don't believe it," she said. "I know it."
Mordo swallowed hard.
A multiversal traveler. One not written into any future. A wild variable.
And now… a prodigy in the mystic arts.
"I tried to glimpse his future," the Ancient One continued. "But I couldn't. He's hidden even from the Eye of Agamotto."
She paused.
"So instead… I traced the future of Earth. In those timelines, I began to see a recurring anomaly. A figure. A mage. One whose actions shaped Earth's magical fate."
She met Mordo's gaze.
"In many of those futures… Henry becomes the Supreme Mage."
Mordo sucked in a breath. "He… replaces Doctor Strange?"
The Ancient One nodded once. "Yes."
The silence between them thickened.
Mordo struggled to make sense of it. "But Strange was always meant to take your place. That was a fixed point in the timeline."
"I thought so too," the Ancient One replied. "But that future has already changed."
Mordo took a step forward, concern in his voice. "Then what happens to Strange?"
The Ancient One's lips twitched—not quite a smile, more of a sigh.
"…Forget Strange," she said simply.
Mordo blinked. "Master?"
"There are forces at work now that go beyond even what we anticipated," she said. "Our focus must be on Henry."
It was a rare thing for the Ancient One to speak so bluntly.
For years, Mordo had served as her loyal second-in-command, trusted with protecting Kamar-Taj, training new apprentices, and keeping order in the mystic world.
But never before had he seen his master this intrigued.
"So you gave him the book as a test," he said.
"Yes," she confirmed. "The Complete Collection of the Supreme Being. If he was truly the anomaly, truly as gifted as I feared… then he would learn without guidance."
Mordo exhaled slowly. "And he did."
"More than that," she added, "he did it faster than any student I've ever known. No ring. No mentor. And he succeeded."
It was overwhelming.
Even Mordo, who had devoted his life to discipline and study, had taken over a month to master portal magic—and that was with a Sling Ring.
He tried to keep his voice calm, but curiosity gnawed at him.
"Then… should I go and bring him back to Kamar-Taj? Begin proper training?"
The Ancient One shook her head. "Not yet."
Mordo raised a brow. "Why?"
"He's still growing," she said. "Still discovering. If we bring him here too early, we might interfere with the natural evolution of his talent."
She paused thoughtfully.
"Besides… the world is the best teacher."
While the two masters spoke, a third presence hovered anxiously.
Obadiah's soul floated awkwardly in the background, still partially tethered to the Iron Monger suit, which now lay dormant on the temple floor.
He had been quiet for a while, but at last, he couldn't take it anymore.
"Uh… Masters? Can we maybe stop talking about destiny and timelines for just one second and talk about me?!"
Mordo turned and sighed. "What do we do with him?"
The Ancient One's tone was immediate. "Banish his soul."
Obadiah shrieked. "Wait, wait, wait—banish?! What does that mean?! You can't just banish my soul! I've got a company! Stocks! Golf memberships!!"
"You tried to destroy Tony Stark and attacked a mage," Mordo said coolly. "You're lucky you weren't disintegrated."
"No! Please—just let me go back!" Obadiah begged. "Put my soul back in my body! I'll... I'll retire! I'll open a bakery! I'll join a monastery!"
Mordo began casting the incantation, golden symbols forming in the air.
"W-wait! Hold on—!"
With a flash of golden light, Obadiah's spirit vanished into the Void Between Worlds.
Silence returned to Kamar-Taj.
Mordo turned back to the Ancient One. "He's gone."
"Good," she said.
Then, as if nothing had happened, she added, "Later, go visit Henry and give him a Sling Ring. I'll send you the coordinates."
Mordo nodded slowly, still feeling like his world had been turned inside out.
"Yes, Supreme Mage."
He took one last glance at the Iron Monger armor resting like a broken shell on the ground.
Then, silently, he disappeared into the mist.
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