After all, other than Ancient One, no one else could stop Dormammu and the Dark Dimension from descending to Earth.
...
"Li Yue, who is this Ancient One?" Annie asked curiously.
Everyone was understandably puzzled at Ancient One's actions. Didn't she just come out from the Dark Dimension? Why did she go back?
Wong and Mordo were deep in thought as they looked at the Eye of Agamotto in Li Yue's hand.
The Eye of Agamotto had always been entrusted to the Sorcerer Supreme, and for as long as Wong and Mordo could remember, that title had been synonymous to Ancient One. Strangely, they didn't have a bad premonition when they saw Ancient One handing the artifact to Li Yue!
"Master...she must've been prepared to sacrifice herself and resolve this calamity!"
Mordo's voice rang clearly through the still wind. Sadness, respect, reluctance, and many other emotions filled his every words. For Mordo, Ancient One wasn't just a magic teacher, but also the guide that led him into the wonders of magical world.
He not only respected Ancient One, but also almost worshiped her...this reverence was also the reason why his worldview would collapse when he discover Ancient One's reliance on the forbidden dark energy to extend her life in the movie. In the end, he chose the opposite path.
"What did you say? She is..."
Shock filled everyone's faces when they heard Mordo's words.
Tony was obviously the most surprised, since he had been suspecting the centuries-old woman's motives the entire time.
"Sacrificing herself to save the world?"
Tony suddenly felt the weight of his steel armor. It was no longer a toy or shiny luxury to show off, but a heavy burden on his shoulder.
He could no longer be the playboy who spent all his time drinking and doing nothing. He was now a super hero that protected the world: Iron Man!
"Li Yue, is this what it means to be superhero in your world? It is indeed different from our world!"
Annie said softly—she phrased it like a question for Li Yue, but also as if she was muttering to herself.
As for Captain America and Thor, they were overwhelmed with respect for Ancient One. They kept their eyes at the empty space where Ancient One had disappeared into!
...
"Everyone, look! Is the Dark Dimension in the sky shrinking?"
A few minutes later, Tony's exclamation interrupted the heavy mood! Everyone turned their faces to the sky.
The Dark Dimension in the sky slowly changed in size, but instead of expanding, it was slowly shrinking as if pulled by an invisible force! At the rate it was shrinking, the gaping dimensional breach would disappear in less than a minute.
Of course, time was currently frozen, so "a minute" was essentially meaningless. But Li Yue and the others didn't have their thought frozen in time, so they still had a relative concept of time.
"It seems that Master succeeded!" Mordo muttered when he saw the dimensional breach slowly shrinking in the sky.
He was obviously happy that the Earth was saved, but also regretful for Ancient One's sacrifice.
A minute later and the gaping maw of Dark Dimension had completely disappeared from the sky, to everyone's pleasant surprise.
The sun also reappeared, its warm light dispelled the remaining darkness from the streets of New York!
"Is that...? Annie, help me up!"
Li Yue also saw the Dark Dimension disappearing in the sky, but his attention was immediately taken by something else. He could only see it as a faint shadow, but Li Yue couldn't mistake it for anything else.
Li Yue didn't wait for Annie to reply. He immediately entered the Astral Projection state and left his body behind.
Having lost the soul to drive it, Li Yue's body slumped like a doll with cut strings. Fortunately, Annie's sharp eyes and reflex successfully caught him before he touched the ground!
"Li Yue, what's wrong?"
Annie shouted at Li Yue anxiously.
"Miss, you don't have to worry. He had just projected his soul out of his body; he seemed to have sensed Master's aura!" Mordo immediately comforted Annie. He was the expert at these kind of things, after all.
...
Li Yue felt a bit of regret the moment his soul projected out of his body.
He recalled a novel that he read a long time ago, before he even got his superpower. It claimed that souls must not be exposed to sunlight, lest the ultraviolet rays incinerate them.
However, Li Yue didn't feel any burning sensation in the Astral Projection form. Instead, he felt the sunlight filling his soul with warmth!
Li Yue heaved a sigh of relief. He shook any unnecessary thought out of his head and flew towards the astral form that resembled Ancient One.
The astral form seem to have noticed Li Yue, but it didn't stop or wait for him. Instead, it continued to float upwards.
Li Yue did not know what Ancient One's soul was trying to do, but he still had many unanswered questions, so he followed her to the sky.
Ancient One's soul floated right up to the edge of space, followed by Li Yue. She stopped in the vacuum of space and smiled as she waited for Li Yue.
"Master Ancient One, what are you doing here?"
Li Yue secretly heaved a sigh of relief when he caught up with Ancient One. Of course, astral forms didn't need to breathe, so he couldn't actually "sigh."
"Look at the Earth, the planet that we were on. Isn't she beautiful?"
Ancient One looked at the blue planet below them and asked softly.
"Of course, she is very beautiful!"
Li Yue stopped asking questions, forgetting all about the impatient feelings in his heart. He simply stood by Ancient One's side, quietly watching the Earth in front of them for a while.
...
"I have guarded her for hundred of years without realizing it. No matter what calamity I resolved or averted, another disaster would soon follow. And now, my life finally come to an end.
"In the name of protecting her, I gathered dark energy from the Dark Dimension and prolonged my own life. Not anymore: my mission is finally complete.
"When you dispersed Dormammu's body, his control over the Dark Dimension severely weakened. Only then could I expel the darkness from Earth. Even at the price of my own life, it was all worth it!
"With the damage that Dormammu suffered this time, it would be a long time before he could attempt another invasion of Earth: enough time for a new Sorcerer Supreme to grow up and take the responsibility of protecting Earth.
"Stephen Strange is the next Sorcerer Supreme, but I believe you already know that. I am unfortunately unable to teach him personally, so I hope you can teach him in my place!"
"But I am not very proficient in magic. How should I teach him?"
Li Yue asked Ancient One helplessly. You want me, a person who hasn't finished the basics, to be a teacher, isn't that a bit...
"Strange is the most outstanding mage of this era. One would be pressed to find flaws in his magic power or magic applications.
"Therefore, you need only to guide him into discovering magic. You can leave him to his own efforts after that."
Ancient One must've expected Li Yue's question, as she answered him naturally.
"Alright, then. I will lead him to the path of magic."
Li Yue understood what Ancient One meant. As the saying goes, you can lead the camel to water, but you can't make it drink!
"I don't have much time left. Li Yue, do you have any other questions to ask me?"
Ancient One finally stopped looking at the earth and turned to Li Yue!