A/N: Still flashback excerpts from GTKS. Thanks to SoraLover987142 and pennybear37 for putting this story on their alerts.

Read on and enjoy!


Kamar-Taj


It was strange, sipping at tea while spilling her story to the woman in front of her. There was no one else in the receiving room while she talked.

"You say you come from a world that knows this world's future. How can you validate this?" The Ancient one asked at the end of Renny's tale.

"I… Can't you look into my memories or something?" The girl asked. "The things I know, the things I've seen… they won't happen for a long time yet. Years. Decades."

The woman hummed. "I could… but if what you say is true. It would be dangerous. Knowledge of the future is not something someone should have."

Renny nodded, realizing the fault in her suggestion. She thought again… before remembering something. She gulped nervously.

"If I told you something… Something that no one knows but you. Would it help?" The young girl said carefully.

The Ancient One eyed her. Those pale eyes were assessing her, making her shiver. "It would…"

Renny looked around, feeling paranoid that someone was listening in on them. The Ancient One smiled. "There is no one who will overhear."

The girl took a deep breath. "You're old… No one really knows how old you are or how many centuries you've lived. The reason you've lived so long... The reason you're immortal… is because you draw your power from the dark dimension."

The woman's smile turned into a blank expression. "Have you come here to blackmail me with this knowledge and your knowledge of the future?"

"NO! That's not it!" Renny gasped and put her hands up. After a moment, she sat down, shoulders slightly hunched. "The whole time I was wandering the streets of Brooklyn, I thought that God made a mistake sending me back in time. I didn't have any idea what I was supposed to do. So I spent a month just wandering like a hobo. The day I met that little boy… Meeting Bucky changed everything…" She paused and took a breath.

"When I learned the truth of where I was, I found a purpose. I know all these things about the future. So far in the future that I'll probably die before I see anything happen." She straightened then, "I might be here because I need the time. I went looking for you because I think you're the one person who can help me. You're my best chance at preparing."

The Ancient One tilted her head in curiosity. "Preparing for what?"

Renny did her best to match the intensity of the woman's gaze, her own having the fire of determination.

"The future."


The Ancient one was not sure what to make of the girl who knocked at the door of the New York sanctum. However, she recognized the fire in the little one's eyes, her sense of purpose, the urge to protect and the sincerity of her words. Though the Sorcerer Supreme did not fully believe the girl's story, she sensed her potential.

Which is why the Ancient One decided to train Renny. She would be one of the youngest to start.

That was how she got her first proof of the girl's story.

The little one had an affinity for magic that was almost unnatural… rather, it was too natural. She immediately grasped the use of the sling ring to open portals, which often took even the best novice a few tries.

When it came to spells- harnessing the power from other dimensions to make magic… It was apparent that she drew in too much power. Like a river without a dam, it rushed through her without any control. The girl's magic, unlike spells that produced golden sparks, was white- a combination of all the colors.

Renny's first spell almost killed her and the backlash injured several other novices and the instructor in her class.

When the Ancient One assessed the state of the girl, she was surprised to discover how easily any extra-dimensional power flowed through her. Even she as the Sorcerer Supreme had to exert conscious effort, however minimal, to pull power from other worlds. The little one attracted power to her, even unconscious.

This was why the Ancient One had searched through the artifacts and relics within the sanctums and Kamar Taj to find something to help the girl control the flow.

One week later, Renny had woken up in her assigned room with a pair of wide bronze bangles on her arms.

"I am glad to see you are awake." The Ancient One looked at her kindly, though her smile was a bit grim.

Renny sat up with some difficulty, feeling sore. "What happened?" She croaked, worry growing in her chest when she saw the woman's expression.

"Magical backlash. You nearly killed yourself and hurt several others."

"How?" The girl asked, scared and bewildered. "It was just my first try. I shouldn't have been able to use that much power… And I was perfectly fine with making portals with a sling ring, what was different?"

The Ancient One sighed, nodding at the other robed figure in the room. When the other person left, she turned back to the girl.

"I did not truly believe you at first… but… this incident may have helped to prove that you did come from another world."

Renny opened her mouth to say something, but the woman continued.

"You said that you are not sure how you were pulled into this one."

"No..."

"I believe that however you came to be here exposed you to energies of numerous other worlds. That exposure altered your body's magical pathways to let them flow through you easily. This means that you also unconsciously pull in these energies to yourself. Like a river without a dam, your body has no barriers."

"Is that what this is for?" Renny ran her fingers over the wide metal bands over her forearms.

"Yes. An artifact of Kamar Taj, the Vambraces of Vishanti. I believe this answers your previous question. When conjuring portals, the use of the sling ring helps to control and focus your magic for the one, specific purpose of conjuring a gateway. However, when it came to trying your first spell, you only had your body as a medium. You did not have any magical tool or artifact to assist you."

Renny nodded, getting the gist of it. The Ancient One continued.

"These vambraces block any and all magical energy from entering your body. Unfortunately, its potency can only be adjusted by the user. You will need to learn to modulate the energies you pull to you yourself. It will be tedious, but you must find a way."

"It's that bad?" The girl gulped.

The Ancient One nodded solemnly. "You either learn and someday even part from the artifact, or you don't use magic at all and cut yourself off from any mystical energy, lest it slowly kill you."

The woman sighed and stepped closer to the girl's bed. "That much power, allowing it to flow in your body without modulation- the magical buildup within you will heal any injuries you obtain. It will most likely keep you from getting ill as well… However, it will make your body weak."

Renny blinked, thinking about the time she spent on the streets. Even when she had experienced a night of bone chilling cold, or gotten soaked by the rain, she never got sick. But… there were times when she felt like she had no energy at all, or slept so long and so deeply but still felt somewhat tired afterwards.

"The use of the artifact will at least give your body moments of respite from these energies. I am not sure… but depending on the way you find to control it, it can either mean a shortened lifespan, or a lengthened one." The Ancient One intoned, pausing for a moment before she asked, "While you are still learning however, you will increase the possibility of more incidents like this. It may kill you. Will you continue on your quest to master magic?"

The girl remained quiet, and looked down at the grooves of the vambraces on her arm. "Yes." Renny chuckled forlornly before again looking at the Ancient One, "When can I get back to training?"

Spirit. This girl definitely had spirit.

"Tomorrow. If you feel you are up to it."

Renny nodded firmly, a determined, yet somewhat grim smile on her face.


So Renny continued her training in Kamar-Taj. She exercised her body practicing her martial arts with the other students, but when it came to the mystic arts, the Ancient one would take her on.

The woman would let the girl practice only in the mirror dimension, where any backlash would not hurt others, except maybe, the girl herself. However, because the Sorcerer Supreme was such a prominent figure, she could not let Renny monopolize her time, no matter how much the woman wanted to help. So their one-on-one sessions were a bit limited. More often than not, Renny found herself alone in an isolated courtyard when a master was not free to offer their guidance in place of the Ancient One herself.

Renny's first few years in Tibet were the hardest. Learning to control the Vambraces of Vishanti was taxing on her body. Her first months were spent in and out of the infirmary, with days, even weeks unconscious, depending on the extent of another incident of magical backlash. It was only after ten months of tedious training that she gained control of the artifact enough to allow a trickle of extra-dimensional energy in without completely deactivating the artifact or letting too much magic in that would cause herself harm. She could perform spells now, though her range was very much limited.

She still grew tired easily, though not as much as before, so she spent her down time in the library, scouring for the spells she would need for her plan.

When her control on the vambraces grew strong enough, she discovered she could now access the astral dimension. Using a trick she learned from Dr. Strange, she studied in her astral form while her body rested.


"You are advancing much in your studies, little one. And your grasp on the mystical arts continues to improve slowly but surely." The Ancient One said calmly as the two sipped tea in the receiving room of Kamar-Taj.

"I'm not such a little one anymore." Renny chuckled, running a hand through her much longer hair, before sighing. "I've really learned a lot here, and I thank you, but I've only found clues to what I need."

The woman looked at her curiously. "Oh? You've read through almost every book in the library."

"Not every book…" Renny answered softly. The woman looked at her slyly, and the girl knew that the Sorcerer Supreme knew what she was looking for. "The Book of Vishanti."

The Ancient One looked at Renny sternly, placing down her cup of tea.

"I know it's a big request. But I think it might have the answers I need. The spells I need." Renny tried.

"The book has been passed down among the Sorcerers Supreme throughout the ages. What makes you think that I will allow you to simply browse it? In the years that you have spent as a sorcerer of Kamar-Taj, you have proven your loyalty and your desire to protect this world… but you have never told me of your plans in depth. Do not think I am ignorant to the time you've spent in the mirror dimension experimenting with runes and trying to create your own spellwork in secret."

Renny fidgeted, a little cowed by the Ancient One's tone. That was true… She'd never told anyone of her plans because the thought of someone finding out what she knew...

But… she looked at the woman sitting in front of her. The Ancient One had trusted her and helped her every step of the way. Gifting her with the Vambraces of Vishanti, granting her asylum in Kamar-Taj and training in the mystic arts.

"You are afraid…" The woman stated plainly.

"Yes." The girl whispered and took a deep breath… If she couldn't trust the Ancient One, who could she trust? She could not do this alone. "If I show you what I know, at least part of it… If I can convince you… Will you help me?"

The Sorcerer Supreme looked to be deep in thought. The weight of knowing anything about the future was always burdensome. The girl was also terrified of letting anyone else know of her knowledge. Whatever she saw… it would burden her as well.

"Very well…" The woman conceded. "Know however, that if I sense that anything is amiss, if I find out that you are lying, you will never ask about the book again."

Renny gulped. "Agreed."


After that… After she'd shown the Ancient One a glimpse of the future. Of the coming titan… The Sorcerer Supreme disappeared for several days.

That had terrified Renny more than anything. Had she unintentionally turned away the only person who could possibly help her?

She panicked when the Ancient One didn't return two days later. The whirl of her emotions made her control slip and she was useless with spells. To stave the feeling of helplessness, she pored her time going over the books in the library again. Maybe she had missed something…

It was on the eighth day when she jolted awake on a library desk that she turned to see the Ancient One looking at her, a hand on her shoulder. Renny didn't know what to say. She wanted to apologize, but the woman spoke before she could.

"You showed me barely a glimpse of your knowledge, and already it has proved a burden on my mind. I can only imagine what weight you must feel crushing your shoulders." The woman's eyes seemed tired, but she showed no other outward indication. She sighed, standing straighter, pulling her shoulders back and talking with the authority and power that Renny was used to hearing.

"I will give you access to the Book, but only under my supervision. It will not leave the library. Whatever notes you make, you can store them only in your mind. None of it will be written down." Renny could only nod while sparks revealed a hidden doorway in the wall. As she followed after the Ancient One's trailing robes, she prayed that her memory and her grasp of the mystic arts were good enough to master the spells that she needed. She was no Stephen Strange, after all. She didn't have his incredible intelligence or his photographic memory.

Access to the Book of Vishanti did give Renny the spells she needed, however, she still needed to learn them properly. Not being able to take down notes made things incredibly slow going. Yes, she could practice as much as she wanted on her own, but she could only correct herself if something went wrong when the Sorcerer Supreme did, or when she had the chance to look through the book again.

It took several more months for her to perfect the spell, and a few more to modify it for her specific use.

All in all, she had spent almost seven years in Kamar-Taj before she requested her leave.

The Ancient One nodded, putting her hands once more on Renny's shoulders.

"You will need to search for a proper place to construct your sanctum. In this endeavor, I cannot help you. My place is here, in Kamar-Taj." The woman then turned and looked out to the horizon where the sun was just beginning to rise.

"Thank you." Renny's voice shook. The Ancient One was more than a teacher to her. In a world where she had lost everything and everyone she knew, the woman had become a sort of grandmother to her. "I would never have been able to get this far without you. God knows, I would have probably died some time ago if you didn't help me." The girl's smile was watery, but she dared not turn to the Sorcerer Supreme, only keeping her eyes forward as well.

"You are most welcome. I thank you as well for what warnings you were able to give. There will be many dark times to come, but knowing that you will be doing what you can to protect those who will stop it, it brings me peace." The woman let out a slow breath, Renny thought it was meant more to calm her than the Ancient One. "You have come far, but there is still so much further to go… so much to do, and you may not even see the end. Take care, little one." The woman's pale eyes flicked to the girl for a moment before tracing the mountain range again. "Kamar-Taj will always be open to you. Just so you know… Try to visit at least once… before the end."

Renny choked on a sob, and felt the tears gather at the corners of her eyes, ready to spill. She didn't have the heart to even comment on the nickname this time. "Of course I will…" She managed to whisper hoarsely before moving to unclasp the vambraces on her arms. She'd gained enough control without the artifacts over the years, even if her spells were incredibly taxing without them, she would manage with some difficulty.

"Keep them." The Sorcerer Supreme said simply. "You are aware, they would have never worked if they did not choose you in the first place. They are yours. To help you in your quest."

A quick nod, and Renny conjured a portal to New York and stepped through before her tears could slip down her face. She knew that a moment longer standing beside the woman who she considered a grandmother, she might not build the courage to leave again for a long time. The girl could not stop herself from looking back though.

The smile on the Ancient One's thin lips was wistful. When the portal dissipated a second later, Renny collapsed onto her knees and sobbed, letting her tears flow.

She couldn't deny the feeling in the pit of her stomach that told her that that was the last time she and the Sorcerer Supreme saw each other.


A/N: So what do you guys think? (The new readers anyway XD) I would love to know if you guys have any comments, suggestions, or constructive criticisms. Also, if you have any questions about the story, feel free to PM me. :D

The new content starts next chapter, so look forward to that.

'Til next time