Chapter 3: Kamar-Taj

The next day, sunlight pierced through the windows and touched Isaiah's skin.

"Hm." he moaned before stirring awake.

He tried to open his eyes, but it was pitch black. He then remembered that he was still wearing the cloth over his eyes. He tried to sit up, but he couldn't find the strength. He felt a tube that went into his arm, but he didn't know the reason and he couldn't find out since his eyes were covered.

He tried to slide his hands underneath himself to lift himself, but couldn't find the strength to do it.

He suddenly heard footsteps getting closer to him. The door of his room opened and he heard a familiar voice.

"Good morning, Isaiah. Are you feeling better?"

The boy tilted his head before slowly nodding.

"That's good"

" My... mother?" the boy asked.

Although he couldn't see it, the Ancient One's expression softened. In the end, the boy was simply a victim of something beyond his control and lost everything.

"I'm... sorry. There was not much we could do."

Hearing her answer, the boy simply looked down.

"Oh."

They stood silent for a moment as the sorcerer supreme allowed the boy time to grieve. But, Isaiah couldn't feel anything. He could only remember his mother's face and her smile, but anything else he couldn't remember. He couldn't even feel anything. He knows that he was supposed to feel sad. He knows that he was supposed to grieve, but there was simply a void in him. The only other memory he had is the hell he had experienced. The fire ravaged everything. the suffocating smoke entering his lungs. The loud explosions. The blunt force of the shockwaves. The screams, the cries, the death. It was so vivid in his mind it was like he could experience it all over again in his mind.

He didn't notice that he started trembling as tears fell from underneath the cloth when a hand rested on his own.

"It's okay now. You are safe in Kamar Taj and no one will hurt you." the voice soothed him.

He didn't know why, but he couldn't stop the trembling and his breathing become heavier. He didn't say anything as the woman kept a hand on his. After what seemed like a long time, he finally stopped trembling.

"Where?" he asked.

"You are in Kamar-Taj. After the explosions, we found you and took you in to heal you. By then, you had already fallen into a coma." she answered.

He wanted to ask more when suddenly his stomach growled loudly. The woman chuckled lightly while Isaiah tilted his head in confusion.

"It seems like you are recovering rather quickly if your stomach sounds like that. Let's get you some food," she said.

As if on cue, Isaiah's head turned towards the sound of the door opening. Mordoentered the room holding a tray with a bowl of food. Isaiah suddenly felt something placed on his bed right above his hips. He touched it and it felt like a table.

*Toc*

He heard something placed on the table and smelled a delicious aroma. His stomach responded loudly.

"What?" he asked.

"This is a porridge. It should help you recover. Thank you, Mordo."

"It is my pleasure Master." the voice of a man was heard.

"Mor...do?

" Hello, Isaiah. It's a pleasure to finally see you awake. My name is Mordo." the man said before leaving.

"Go on. Have a taste." the woman said.

He lifted his hand towards the tray and felt around until he found the spoon. He slowly scooped the porridge and placed it into his mouth. As soon as he swallowed it, he felt heat seep from his mouth and into his body. He also felt a little better. He grabbed another spoonful before swallowing it.

"How is it?"

"Good."

"I'm glad. It was a recipe I created a long time ago." the woman smiled seeing the child eat without any problem.

As he ate, the Ancient One asked.

"Would you like to play a game while you eat?"

"Game?" the word sounded so foreign but so familiar.

"Yes. It's a question game where we each ask one question at a time one by one."

The boy paused before slowly nodding.

"Alright, you can start if you want. Ask any question that comes to mind that you want to ask me."

"What... happened... that night?"

The Ancient One let out a sorrowful sigh.

"That night was a night of the disaster. All over Kathmandu, there was a series of terrorist bombings all over the city. There were many victims and, unfortunately, you and your mother were part of them. There were not many survivors. In fact, you were the only one in your area. I'm sorry we couldn't save your mother."

The boy mechanically nodded before returning to his porridge.

"It's my turn now, right?" she asked and the boy nodded.

"Then, do you remember anything?"

The boy swallowed another spoon of porridge before answering.

"I... only remember... the hell and... mother."

the Ancient One raised an eyebrow but remained silent as she started to suspect something.

"What is Kamar-Taj?"

"What do you mean?" the woman asked intrigued at the question.

She had never anticipated this situation. A situation where she was talking to a child who escaped the gaze of the eye of Agomotto. The fact that there was no future where she was talking to the said child had disturbed her greatly. The disaster of Kathmandu was never shown in the future she had seen through the infinity stone. It intrigued her greatly and she felt a sense of trepidation at the possibilities of young Isaiah's future actions.

"This place feels... weird? This porridge also feels weird... like there is... something more. There is... something that's making me... feel better. Even you feel weird." he said as he pointed in her general direction.

Ever since he woke up he had been feeling this weird sensation all over the place. He didn't question it before since he was dealing with other stuff like trying to rip his eyes off.

The sorceress's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

'He can feel the magic without even knowing what it is? How interesting.' she thought

"That's a loaded question, young Isaiah. Are you sure you want to know? It could change your life?"

The boy rose an eyebrow at her question before answering with sarcasm unlike ones his age.

"I... think... my life has... already changed, miss Ancient... One. I think another thing wouldn't change... it much."

The latter let out a small chuckle,

"You're right. Well, to put it bluntly, Kamar-Taj is the home and training ground of the Masters of Mystic Arts. In other words, Magic."

"Oh."

She saw his expression.

"You don't seem surprised."

Isaiah remained silent.

"Did something... happen when you were in the coma for three years?"

Isaiah nodded. He tried to grab another spoon of porridge but hit the bottom of the bowl with a clinking sound.

"Are you still hungry?" the Ancient One asked seeing the bowl.

She wanted to know what happened to him in his coma but decided not to press it. She would give him time.

Isaiah shook his head and put the spoon down. As soon as he did, the tray floated into the air and was put on the nightstand by his bed and the table was put away.

"Can I remove... my blindfold?"

"Are you sure you want to remove them? You had violent reactions when you opened your eyes."

"Yes. I think I can do it."

"Alright, but wait for a moment. Let me prepare, then we will remove the blindfold. I'll be right back, okay?" the Ancient One said.

"Okay."

"Then, see you soon Isaiah." the woman said before leaving the room.

As he heard the woman leave the room, he rested his head back on the bed. He closed his eyes and recalled all the knowledge he had obtained. On, his journey toward that place, he sacrificed so much to gain as much. He had sacrificed almost everything he had to obtain something, not even the gods could think of obtaining. In fact, he had obtained two very rare things: the ability to see the end of things and the comprehension of nothingness and creation. And when he touched that place, a place where the concept of time does not exist, he obtained a multitude of pieces of information that smashed themselves into his mind.

He could see a giant green monster rampaging inside of a city fighting against what seemed like another monster. He could see a boy holding a sword and fighting against a seven-headed creature. He could see a man in a suit of iron flying through a portal. He could see a teen swinging around in a city wearing some sort of red and blue spandex with a spider symbol on it. He could see a boy holding the battery of a car when electricity sparked out of his hands and into the battery giving the car a jumpstart. He also saw a teen girl floating in the air as a fiery aura enveloped her. He could see many visions. But, right now, his mind is like a mess. It was so disorganized and chaotic he couldn't focus on one vision.

After ten minutes, he heard footsteps again.

"I'm here Isaiah." the Ancient One said before entering the room.

She then placed herself by his side and Isaiah sat on the bed ready to take the blindfold off.

"Are you ready?"

The boy nodded.

"Then, you can take it off. If you want to stop, you can tell me. I have prepared something just for you."

He took a deep breath and brought his hands to the back of his head where the knot was. He undid the knot. Slowly, he unravelled the blindfold from his eyes. Once he did, only his closed eyes remained. The Ancient One felt an odd sense of excitement. It's been a long time since she has seen something new. She watched the boy get ready to open his eyes.

Isaiah opened his eyes and the world cracked. Multiple pulsing red lines appeared all over the room. He could see the lines on the bed, on the table. He then turned to his right where the woman was. She was a tall bald woman wearing simple white garb and pants for monks. But he could also see multiple lines on her, but not as much as the other stuff on the bed. When the woman saw the boy looking at her, she smiled,

"Hello Isaiah, we finally meet. What do you see?"

"The end."

"The end? What do you mean?"

"I see the end of things, their death."

"How... do you see their death?"

"Lines. Red pulsing lines everywhere. On the walls, on the bed, on the table..." the boy turned towards the woman and pointed at her, "even on you."

The Ancient One's heart started pounding at his revelation. It was more than she was than she could have ever thought of.

"What do you see on me?"

"I see multiple lines, but not as much as everything else."

'I may have to see my future after all this.' she thought.

From the very moment, he opened his eyes, Isaiah has the urge to touch the lines. He tried to stop himself until he couldn't anymore. He extended a hand and touched one of the lines with his index on the bed.

The sorceress looked at the boy and then slid his finger slowly from one point to another. It was like there was some sort of resistance when he dragged his finger. As soon as he stopped, Isaiah's and the Ancient One's eyes widened when the bed broke apart.

*CRACK!* *CRASH!*

With quick reflexes, the woman levitated the boy off the floor and placed him beside her. There was already a wheelchair waiting for him and she placed it on her.

"Is this magic?" the boy curiously asked not at all fazed by the bed breaking apart.

"This is but one application of it. But, back to the bed, what exactly did you do?"

"I brought the bed's end. I killed it."

"How exactly?"

"By tracing off of the lines with my finger."

"You traced one of those lines of Death?"

"You can say that."

"Incredible." the sorceress said in awe.

At that moment, Isaiah suddenly grabbed his head as his brain started throbbing in pain. Seeing the pained look on the boy, she realized that he may have reached his limit and it seems like he can't turn the ability off. She put her hand in her garb and brought it back out with a small rectangular box.

"Here. After seeing your condition when you woke up, I created this item that would help you," she said and handed him the box.

The boy opened it and, inside, there was a pair of glasses. The glasses were a simple black pair and large lenses. That was if one didn't look closely. Isaiah felt the same feeling coming from the glasses as the one coming from the room and the woman. That's when he noticed something. He squinted his eyes and saw symbols along the branches of the glasses.

"Symbols?"

"Oh? You noticed them. Yes, those symbols will help you see normally."

"Another application of magic?"

The sorceress simply smirked,

"Yes."

Isaiah closed his eyes, put the glasses on and reopened them. The world wasn't cracked anymore as Isaiah couldn't see the lines anymore. He also felt the throb in his head disappear.

"Thank you for everything you have done for me." the boy said as he looked at her.

The woman had saved him, nursed him for three years, and helped him with his newfound power. The woman in question looked into the boy's eyes. They say that the eyes of the windows to the soul. When she looked at the boy, she didn't see a boy. She saw a broken being that has lost so much and saw so much. She gave a pitiful smile,

"You don't have to thank me, young Isaiah. It is simply my job to help."

"Help huh?" he whispered as the image of his smiling appeared in his mind.

"Now let's introduce ourselves properly, shall we?

My name is the Ancient One and I am the Sorcerer Supreme and the master of Mystic Arts."

"My name is Isaiah Sharpe. I don't remember anything about my life except my name and my mother's face."

"Good, why don't I give you a tour around Kamar-Taj." the woman said as she walked out of the room.

Isaiah nodded and was about to maneuver the chair when it suddenly started moving on its own and followed the woman.

"People often come here to get away from their life or to heal physically or psychologically. They must find their way to this place before learning Magic. This is Kamar-Taj, the home and training ground of the Masters of Mystic Arts."

As they walked, they arrived at one of the training grounds with a group of disciples with one hand in front of them and with the other circling the air. There was also an Asian man walking through the rows of disciples observing them. Isaiah saw that some of them had sparks appearing in front of them while others had a tiny circle of orange energy crackling in front of them. Some didn't have anything as they continued to circle their arm in front of themselves. He then noticed some kind of ring on each of their hands.

"What are they doing?"

The Ancient One smiled,

"They are learning to use the sling ring. It is a mystical ring that allows us to travel through dimensions. Right now, they are learning to open a portal." she said before showing said ring.

They then continued their tour. She showed him their library, their common area, the rooms, and many more.

Isaiah saw many people bow to her as she guided him around. He saw so many things on his tour. When he saw the energy they were using, he finally realized that the weird thing he was feeling was that energy. When he asked, the Ancient One replied,

"What you are feeling is Dimensional energy Sorcerers learn to manipulate. The most common magic that uses such energy is the Eldritch magic," she said before weaving her hands in the air. dimensional energy sparked in front of them as they formed a formation mid-air. Isaiah had an odd sense of fascination when looking at the formation. What he didn't know was that his mind started to gather information about said energy and compiled itself in his brain. Once the formation is complete, she pushed it forward for the child to see.

They finally returned to his room and there was a new bed in place. He then asked a question to the woman that was bugging him.

"I never asked, but how did you know my name?"

The Ancient looked at him before looking at the drawers and lifted her hand. As soon as she did, one of the compartments opened itself and two objects floated out.

"When we reached you, we didn't know who you were so we tried to find anything that belonged to you, but we didn't find much except for these two," she said as the objects deposited themselves into his lap.

The first object was a small black booklet which was partially burnt

"Passport... United States of America." he slowly read. He opened the booklet and came upon a page containing his picture and some information.

Name: Isaiah Sharpe

Date of birth: 02/06/1995

Place of birth: Queens, NY

Eye colour: Blue

Mother: Sandra Sharpe.

He wanted to read more, but the rest of the page was burnt off.

"I was born on June 2nd, 1995. Does that mean, I am eight years old?"

"That's right."

The boy nodded before picking up the second object. It was a golden pendant. Surprisingly, it was not damaged. As he felt the pendant, he touched a small button. He pressed it and the pendant opened. Looking inside he found a picture. It was a smiling woman who had her cheek pressed against an equally smiling child. He realized that the mother-son duo was his mother and himself. He then felt an engraving on the back of the pendant. Closing it, he looked at it and saw something carved.

[I will always love you

-Mom]

He slowly felt the engraving. At that moment, the tiniest smile appeared on his face. One could only see it if they observed him closely.

"T-Thank you," he said.

"It is no problem, Isaiah." the Ancient Once replied with a smile.

She levitated him and placed in on his bed before adopting a serious expression.

"Isaiah, I'm going to ask you a question. I want you to take your time to think properly before answering, okay?"?

The boy nodded.

"Alright. Would you like to walk the path of a Mystic Arts user? Would you like to become a Sorcerer?"

When she asked her question, Isaiah thought back to everything that happened to him. the Hell he experienced, the loss, the walk, the knowledge. Even the definition of the word "sorcerer" was different for him. He took a whole five minutes to think. All the while, the woman observed him. To be honest, she wanted him to undertake the path of a magic-user. The very fact that he could change the future is immense.

Finally, the boy looked at the woman and replied with a single word.

"Yes."

The woman looked into his eyes before nodding and standing up.

"Then welcome to Kamar-Taj, Apprentice Sharpe," she said with a smile.