Chapter 78 - Reflections on Magic with the Ancient

In the grand hall of Kamar Taj, the main building and reception area, avengers sat on cushions arranged in a semicircle on the floor. The group of Asmodeus conjured chairs and armchairs for themselves, while Asmodeus even enchanted an airborne scooter and lazily rolled back and forth. Only Loki, bound in chains, lay on the floor squirming.

"Mr. Dumbledore, how much honey do you prefer in your tea?"

"Oh, if you don't mind, two spoons. I have a sweet tooth."

"No problem at all. Though we may not live luxuriously, we're not so poor that we can't afford honey."

"Haha, well said."

After Ancient finished distributing tea, Tony decided that if he didn't ask his questions now, they wouldn't understand a word in the future conversation.

"Um, excuse me, Ancient, you..."

"Oh, Mr. Stark, pardon my interruption. But first, let's hear the opinions of our guests. Friends from distant worlds, would you mind if I address the fundamental questions of our reality defenders first?"

"Well, since we're here, why not? I still hope to negotiate a book exchange on magic with you. It seems we'll have to stay here for a while." Asmodeus replied, lazily swaying on his airborne scooter.

"Excellent. Mr. Stark, feel free to ask. I'll address any doubts you may have."

"Um, well then... Where are we? Neither my companions nor even my suit can determine our location."

"We are in Kamar Taj, in Kathmandu. Kamar-Taj is the home, training grounds, and the main headquarters of the Masters of the Mystic Arts, or as we are also called, wizards. It also serves as a sanctuary for those who come here after being broken or damaged, physically and psychologically. Once they are healed, they can choose to join the Masters of the Mystic Arts or return to their previous lives."

"So, what did Asmodeus mean when he said you defend the Earth?"

"While you Avengers defend people from themselves and the consequences of their actions, we defend the Earth from hostile dimensions far more terrifying than anything you can imagine."

"..."

"Are they also from hostile dimensions?"

Tony pointed at Asmodeus, who was reheating his cooled tea with fire.

"...."

"They are not from a 'dimension'; they came from another universe as a result of an attempt to control one of the infinity stones...."

"So, we summoned them?"

"What did you expect? Trying to control power that even Asgard struggled with at its peak, Nick Fury's actions sent a signal to the universe. Earth is ready for cosmic war. As for our visitors from another universe..."

"I'll continue if you let me."

Asmodeus realized that the Ancient was curious about how the Space Stone managed to break through into another multiverse.

"Well, actually, in our universe, or more precisely, on the planet, there was a change in the energy structure. On an Earth scale, it took quite a while, but in the universe, it was just a moment. As I understand it, small spatial rifts formed in the process, and we artificially increased mana density in certain places, which made it easier to tear the spatial fabric. Though it was an instant event, it turned out that those two old men were exactly where the portal opened, so Nicolas and I had no choice but to chase after them. Who knows which universe they ended up in?"

Asmodeus shrugged in response.

"Oh, you artificially increased the density of natural energy in space? Interesting. But it seems magic in our worlds differs... Am I right, Mr. Morningstar?"

"Well, we rely on mana produced by our world only partially. Most of the time, our bodies generate mana themselves. By the way, Tony, if you're not sure which universe you'll end up in, better not travel... I'm not sure how this thing in your heart works, but with mana density in our world... In short, we don't have electricity in our world. So you should be careful if one day you are going to be travelling to other universes"

"What!?"

The Avengers were shocked, unable to fathom the world these strange folks lived in.

Upon hearing Asmodeus's words, the Ancient contemplated, "Hmm... mana density... we don't have such an issue. Even in places with a high concentration of magicians. I think it's due to the difference in energy composition. As I understand it, the magic we use is slightly different, right?"

"Well, to confirm that, I would like to hear from you how your sorcerers determine and differentiate magic."

"In our world, magic is divided into three categories: personal energies, universal energies, and dimensional energies. All magic is built on the idea that all realities can be altered using the existing power, whether it's within ourselves, in the universe, or in other dimensions."

The Ancient spoke and gestured for Asmodeus to share the differences.

"Our universe is similar in this regard, but wizards in our world traditionally rely on lineage. At least that was the case before. Magical blood allows the use of magic, but we've circumvented this limitation using runes. For people without a natural talent for magic, we engrave runes directly into the heart. Over time, the runes merge with the body, turning previously ordinary blood into magical. As for universal energies... that's what we call mana. It's everywhere in our world, though the overall density of mana can't compare to your world; it's purer and more malleable, in a way. But such purity also blocks electricity and most modern conveniences. Although magic can replace all of that."

Upon hearing Asmodeus, the Ancient continued the explanation, "In our world, Personal Energies are those derived from the life force of a sorcerer. Personal energy can only be used to enhance abilities developed through mental exploration, thus limited to mental abilities such as astral projection, hypnosis, telekinesis, and telepathy. However, as continuous use of such energies is known to fatally deplete a person by absorbing their life force, mages must also learn to harness external forces through meditation techniques and willpower training. For instance, those trained in K'un-Lun learn to use an internal force known as Chi as a means to strengthen their own mind and willpower, as well as various physical abilities to varying degrees."

"In our world, thanks to lineage, we wizards don't undergo such trials, and there's no need to strengthen ourselves. Actually, children as young as three years old can use magic, albeit clumsily, if they are natural wizards, of course. As long as there's still mana reserve, and it's sufficient, you can use spells and do whatever you want," replied Asmodeus.

The Ancient nodded, no longer paying attention to whether the Avengers understood anything, and continued speaking,

"Now let's move on to universal energies. In our world, one of the simplest sources from which a mage can draw strength is the Universal Energies of their home dimension. Universal energies can be used for summoning, transmutation, and teleportation. They are often employed in combat to create shields, weapons, and other constructs made of energy. Universal spells usually require specific gestures and/or words for activation. Some universal energies can also be utilized by astral bodies containing a spatial anchor in the form of an artifact or a person."

Asmodeus nodded and began to respond, "There isn't much difference here, except in our world, external energies are controlled unconsciously. Only great and experienced wizards can consciously gather mana from the environment to enhance spells. Additionally, it's important to note that if we cast a spell without intentional external mana reinforcement, our own mana constitutes 75 to 80% of the 'cost' of the spell. Though, as I mentioned, powerful wizards can manipulate ambient mana almost as they wish. So in our world, at our level, it's rare for a mage to lack mana for a spell. More likely, they'll just mentally or physically tire."

"Interesting, interesting... Since that's the case, I'll summarize the topic of energies. Dimensional energies are those drawn from other planes of existence throughout the Multiverse or bestowed upon a sorcerer by one or more extradimensional entities. These entities must be entreated by the sorcerer(s) through ritual spells and, possibly, through promises, contracts, or some form of sacrifice. In short, gods or demons give you power in exchange for something. This is where the biggest difference between our magic disciplines begins.

Most sorcerers, especially those using extradimensional energies like the Masters of Mystic Arts, learn the art of spellcasting, which conceptually resembles programming and coding in computer sciences and is used to create various effects."

"Exactly, just like scientific formulas and mathematical equations, achieving certain phenomena may require specific words, gestures, or rituals of one kind or another, while others may involve the use of relics and other objects endowed with supernatural power. Moreover, these effects can be accompanied by the appearance of the most intricate and complex geometric configurations and patterns, whether in the form of projected energy constructs or inscribed onto a physical surface, object, or location. As magic is practiced in different cultures and pertains to various disciplines, these formations can serve as symbols most closely associated with its practitioners. A vivid example of this phenomenon is the emergence of mandalas, spiritual symbols usually linked to earthly religions like Hinduism and Buddhism, in the magic practiced by us sorcerers of Kamar Taj. Your wizards seem more like a blend of our sorcerers and Asgardian sorcerers who rely solely on concentration and movement to harness their abilities. Am I correct?"

"Yes, you are indeed a distinguished Master of Mystic Arts, Ancient. What you referred to as concentration and movements, we call 'silent casting' when a wizard doesn't utter an incantation but utilizes magic. As you mentioned, it requires concentration and strong will."

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