Ancient One

The hooded man in flowing red monk's robes silently indicated that I should follow before leading the way into a large building.

Sitting at a low table was a bald woman in white robes, pouring from a tea pot into two cups.

"Please, have a seat Mr. Penn, Tea?"

"I would be honored, Ancient One." I took the indicated seat.

I took my time to speak, my mind was still in chaos, too many things happened in rapid succession, the Ancient One offered a cup of Tea, I started to drink it, it was helping to calm me down.

"Delicious, it is exactly what I needed, thank you"

"you are welcome" she said with a smile, seems like she take pride in her Tea.

" I have to admit that I find myself at loss for words, how does conversation work when one of the participants has already seen every variation of the conversation and knows what will be said before it is said?"

The Ancient One smiled slightly as she drank from her own cup.

"I've found that it works best to just talk, for with every word spoken, some possibilities are trimmed. In the end, there is only one outcome, and yet, what that outcome will be is only fixed after it has happened. The chance of our meeting were minuscule, and yet, once Arthur Penn draw breath in this world, it became a near certainty that we would be having this conversation."

"if our meeting was predetermined,why you waited so long and let me face tonight danger?"

"I needed to see how you would have fared, your actions determined the path you will follow and in the end the man you will become"

"Can I know my fate?"

"it would be pointless and would mislead you, so is better to just live and see for yourself, the future is ever changing after all.."

"An interesting explanation, I will treasure it. If nothing else, it is a relief that even for one with dominion over time, the future is not fixed." I said, before taking another sip of my tea.

"I have come to ask for your help, as you probably already know, my condition is a unstable one, I am litteraly a time bomb, what I am searching is a mystich mean to counter balance the chaotic nature of [Extremis] and maybe to learn some mystic arts"

After her own sip, the woman gave a small smile and said.

"Why else would you come? Before I answer though, would you answer my question?"

"Ask, and I shall answer."

"Why do you seek power, Mr. Penn?"

I thought for a moment about lying or trying to spin a tale but in the end decided that honesty was the best policy.

"First you can call me Arthur and to answer you it is because we are entering an age of gods, and this world will need its champions.The Asgardians will walk the Earth again , a Celestial will die, the armies of Thanos will invade, Odin will fall and Ragnarok will come. And all of this will be merely a prelude to the wrath of Thanos. He comes for the Infinity Stones, and he will use them to end his cruciate, he want to balance the universe in doing so he will offer half the population of the ultiverse to Death herself as a courting gift. All of this will occur within the next few years.

I seek power because I am cursed with the knowledge of what threats are coming, and I will stand against them. I will do anything to survive them and to protect the people I care."

"I can feel your conviction, but that path is one of suffering and self sacrifice are you ready to follow it till the end?"

"I am"

"Good...before we continue I have to explain your condition, you see human are fragile and weak normaly, but you can think of them as a white paper, everything can me draw on that paper, but in your case.."

I suddenly understood where she is going

"My paper is not white anymore..." this left a little shock in me.

"Exactly it is not like we don't have any leeway but you will never be able to become a full fledged sorcerer as your foundations are already built. Now if you swear to use your power to protect this reality from the danger it will face, I promise to guide you through your path and to help to stabilize your condition."

"I swear"

" very well, from now on call me Master"