Chapter 91: Teach Stephen!
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The three of them left the temple.
Along the way, every magician they passed bowed and saluted when they saw the Ancient One.
Lorien, being a rather vain person, couldn't help but think how much he'd love for these people to salute him as well. To make that happen, all the Ancient One had to do was reveal his identity as the Godfather of the Sorcerer Supreme. But that was, of course, a ridiculous idea.
And besides, compared to having ordinary people salute him, Lorien would much prefer people in high positions to show him such respect.
The three walked out of the temple and onto a road paved with boulders. They passed through the courtyard and eventually arrived at the martial arts field. It was still morning, so when they arrived, the magicians in the arena were engaged in their morning practice. Some were casting spells with Sling Rings, while others were using staffs.
It was clear that these staffs were not the slender rods often associated with wizards, but rather long weapons intended for melee combat.
Curious, Hela asked, "How do magicians practice?"
"They aren't true magicians yet," the Ancient One explained. "A true magician must be able to cast spells without being hindered by their surroundings, and they need to master all the basics, including melee spells."
Indeed, the spells learned at Kamar-Taj were primarily melee spells, involving the creation of energy constructs, similar to shuriken, by rubbing one's hands together. Perhaps this focus on melee combat was meant to compensate for a magician's typically low defense.
Hela nodded in understanding, though she herself had no such concerns. Hela was proficient in death spells, as well as melee and ranged attacks, making her an all-around combatant.
At that moment, the Ancient One and Lorien focused their attention on one particular magician in the training group—Stephen Strange. Among the many magicians, his connection to the earthly realm was the most intense. While everyone else quietly practiced their spells, Stephen struggled with self-doubt. Ever since his car accident, he had blamed his hands for his inability to cast spells, rather than acknowledging his own shortcomings. After several failed attempts to produce golden sparks, Stephen would become increasingly irritable.
He observed the people around him, trying to learn from them, but his attention was soon drawn to Lorien and the Ancient One standing nearby. Stephen's eyes widened in surprise.
"Why is Lorien here?!" he thought to himself, and as his inner voice questioned this, his hands faltered, and he stopped moving.
What was Lorien doing here? Was he also learning magic?
"Stop looking around!" Wong shouted sternly beside Stephen. "The first key to practicing spells is to focus and avoid distractions! Have you achieved that?"
No distractions? Who could manage that with someone yelling at them?
Stephen turned to look at the others. They remained completely focused, not at all curious about what was happening around them. They continued to concentrate on drawing spells.
Feeling a bit embarrassed, Stephen touched his nose, realizing he was the only one not fully concentrating.
Wong glanced at the Ancient One and Lorien in the distance, nodding to acknowledge their presence, then continued speaking to Stephen. "To practice spells, you need absolute concentration. In your current state, you'll never learn anything!"
In response to Wong's admonishment, Stephen raised his trembling hands and said, "It's my hands. They're why I can't practice spells."
Wong frowned, looking at Stephen as he explained, "You don't need hands to learn spells, so why can't you do it with hands?"
"Is that even possible?" Stephen asked, clearly skeptical.
"It's definitely possible."
By now, the Ancient One and Lorien had approached Stephen. Stephen immediately looked at Lorien, but Lorien's expression remained unreadable. Stephen then turned to the Ancient One, knowing she was the authority here, and asked with a bit of respect, "Is it really possible to cast spells without hands?"
The Ancient One didn't waste any words. She called over a magician who had no hands and had him perform a melee spell right in front of Stephen.
"This…" Stephen was stunned, turning to Lorien with questioning eyes.
Lorien didn't directly answer his question. Instead, he calmly said, "Doubt is your strongest enemy."
Those words from Lorien struck a chord with Stephen. Yes, he had been filled with doubt from the beginning—doubting whether he could succeed, doubting his hands, doubting everything. His pride and insecurities had clouded his mind.
Seeing this, Lorien lightly reminded him, "Don't be blinded by your pride. There's still a long road ahead, and you'll only find your way out if you maintain the heart of a student."
Lorien offered a few more words of advice, and Stephen fell silent again. Oddly enough, the Ancient One, Hela, and Wong also fell silent, as if deeply contemplating Lorien's words.
After a moment, the Ancient One nodded in gratitude. "Those words just now, even I have learned from them."
Wong, saying nothing further, made a deep bow to Lorien. "Thank you, Godfather of the Sorcerer Supreme!"
When Stephen came to his senses, he couldn't help but wonder, "Godfather?"
Hearing these words, the Ancient One smiled at him. "You'll understand in time."
She seemed to anticipate what Lorien might say to Stephen next, perhaps expecting him to jest about being called godfather. But Wong wasn't so easily swayed. The Ancient One's words, however, left him confused. What did she mean? Was she implying that Stephen would one day become the Sorcerer Supreme? Wong looked at Stephen again. Could this man really achieve that?
But that's the nature of a Marvel hero—rapid growth. Whether it's Spider-Man, Iron Man, Doctor Strange, or Ant-Man, they all grow quickly. They might have been ordinary people a few months ago, but soon enough, they're out there saving the world.
After watching Stephen for a while, Lorien knew he had finally understood. So, he nodded, looked at Stephen, and gave him one last piece of advice. "Train well. Your past—your wealth, your reputation—that's all behind you now. From now on, you're only a magician. Don't give up. When you have no other choice but to move forward, even the hardest obstacles must be faced head-on."
Hearing these words, Stephen nodded seriously. "I understand. Thank you, Lorien."
Lorien nodded, patted him on the shoulder, and then left with the Ancient One and little Hela.
As the three departed, Wong stared at Stephen and said, "Both the Godfather and the Ancient One have placed their trust in you! Don't let them down, understand?"
Stephen was taken aback by Wong's words. "Lorien is the Godfather?!"
Upon hearing this, Wong immediately glared at him. "You're not ready to know that yet! Now, get back to training!"
Chastised by Wong, Stephen quickly refocused on his practice.
Next, the three returned to the temple, where the Ancient One thanked Lorien. "You've adjusted Stephen's mindset perfectly, and you only needed a few sentences to do it."
Sometimes, there's no need for grand praise. A simple acknowledgment can convey a person's abilities just as effectively. The Ancient One's words clearly expressed Lorien's skill and wisdom.
Hela, ever the mischief-maker, chimed in after hearing this. "Lorien, you should come to Asgard and become the god of Hypnotic Abilities. Or better yet, go to another dimension and become an evil god. So many girls would…"
"Aiya~~~!" Little Hela didn't get to finish her sentence as Lorien pinched her ear and lifted her up.
"Ouch! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Hela cried, standing on tiptoe. "I was wrong! I won't talk nonsense anymore!"