The following days passed by without anything new other than what I was currently used to.

I spent my days trying to meditate, which was getting my body and spirit in sync, and the rest of my time reading and watching some of the other disciples training with magic.

Mordo had been taking me through the meditation and magical training but so far I haven't been able to do anything. Sure I could somewhat sense the energy they used in magic as Mordo had been kind enough to explain that there different sources of energy for performing magic. Though he didn't dive into the different forms, he did however teach me the orthodox way – a synergy between myself and the environment.

Today however, he wanted to start my combat training. Given how this stupid robe haven't malfunctioned in the past few days, I got the impression that I was in the clear as long as I didn't go overboard with my abilities.

"Are you sure about this? Not to be arrogant or anything, but if you wanted to stand a chance against me then you'd have to use one of those magical artifacts you carry around. Not that staff though, maybe something with a little… magic in it." I said to Mordo who stood opposite me in a clearing. Other students were already sparring while I was waiting for Mordo.

Speaking of Mordo, what I said seemed to have ticked him the wrong way, what way it was though, I didn't know. "This is the staff of the Living Tribunal, it is as… magical as any other artifact out there, even surpassing more than a few."

"Roll back for a sec. The staff of motherfucking who?" I look at the unassuming staff on Mordo's back and let's just say I was as flabbergasted as I was cautious. That was not a name I was expecting to hear at all, definitely not on earth at least, and certainly not ascribed to a weapon.

Mordo didn't answer me and motion for me to take a stance. "Regardless, I believe I would be an adequate judge of your skills, and if you can, I would very much like it if you could make me draw my weapon." Okay, Mordo is definitely pissed. Seems like he has a soft spot for his weapons, but still.

He attacked me only for me to sidestep and send a chop to his exposed neck which he quickly reacted to and ducked while my hand sailed harmfully above his head.

He spun in his crouching position with his legs outstretched to cleave through my footing with a sweep, only for me to raise my toes while keeping my sole grounded for Mordo's kick to strike at the arch of his foot.

"You're good." Mordo said, this time fully appraising me as he circled around me.

I just watched while keeping myself open for him to attack, he seemed to get the message as he grunted before he attacked me.

Kicks were deflected, punches were parried as we continued fighting not knowing when a crowd formed around us. We didn't care about that, or them, which they seemed to know as moved with our fight.

We crossed into the lethal range as Mordo either due to frustration at me being able to keep up with him used some kind of cheat boots and kicked himself into the air and started walking in it, catching me off guard for a second. He exploited that opening and sent out a force blast which alarmed the others watching but I just countered with mine, and seeing as the robes I wore gave no reaction, I grinned.

Mordo seemed to have understood what he did as he descended with an apologetic face which I just waved aside. Sure I could pick a bone with the guy but there wasn't any need. Not to mention he looked genuinely apologetic about it.

"Forget that. Seems like I just got clearance to use my abilities, though I can hazard a guess and say this is most likely a probation. So, ready for round 2?"

Mordo took a second to look at me and seeing that he was in the clear, he smiled and said, "Round 2."

Taking care to go past the limit the Ancient One has set for me, since it was definitely her who brought me here, I created two chokutos made of ice while Mordo settled for magic as two magic circles covered his hands.

This time I went in for the attack and tried an overhead slash only for Mordo to completely block with one barrier. Seeing this the chokutos in my other hand, elongated into a sword.

Mordo reacted quickly as he used those cheating boots of his to gain room for himself but I was already on him.

Seeing as how he wouldn't be able to overpower me in simple weaponry, he kicked his spells up a notch. He created some constructs on the air with magic and sent them towards me.

'This is just too easy.' Not that I was going to tell him that, but A for effort. I wanted to see how I'd fare against a sorcerer but this little play of ours, because that's what it definitely was to me, proved to me that unless they devolved into the eldritchy part of their codex, or as long as they weren't mooks, then I'd simply walk over them.

Sure, I knew that Mordo still had spells in his arsenal that I most likely would struggle again but it still fell in that consideration that unless he brought out his A game like some ridiculous spells that negate durability, because Doom could definitely use those with ease. So even though I wasn't taking none of this serious, so was Mordo. Sure he wasn't even my match physically, but magic didn't give a fuck about that.

By know, the student seemed to have gotten the clue that staying around our fight was dangerous so they moved to the distance away while they still watched. I could see some elders which the students deferred to, most probably Masters of the arts, also watching but I didn't pay them any mind.

Mordo was already breathing heavily while I was still at the same pace I was when we began as we slowly increased the level caps of our fight.

The fight was starting to take a dangerous turn as I wanted to increase my output but my robe once against decided to act out as it sent some kind of shock through my body that I haven't been able to adapt to yet.

Mordo had sent some type of long thin sharp needle at me which I just used my hands to snatch out of mid air and broke it even as the man stood there shocked.

"I believe that's enough." I told him.

He nodded. "That it is. It was probably my fault anyways." He performed a bow to me as I did the same.

"I'll have to say, you really are strong, had me going there throughout the fight. If I have to ask, what made you seek out the arts?"

"Putting it bluntly, I'd say it's to cover up my weaknesses. Another way is so that I could one up a certain bastard."

"… Revenge then. I know it's not my place to say this, but revenge, is not worth it." He said.

"Might not be. But it definitely would be worth it considering the bastard I'm up against. You should know him, he's pretty famous after all."

"Who?" Mordo raised an eye in inquisitiveness.

"Dr. Doom. The Monarch of Latveria."

Mordo came to a quick stop as I said that as he looked at me, this time it wasn't appraisal but something else.

"I've heard the Ancient One once talk about the king of Latveria. She once said he had the potential to be one the strongest sorcerer to have ever existed given his genius. Why would you….? That attack on his home on New Year, that was you?" Bewilderment was bleeding through his voice.

"Yeah. I was still pretty pissed off then."

"What made you want to kill him?"

"Nothing much. Just for the simple fact that he ruined Christmas."

"Christmas?...! Impossible!"

I turned to look at the man who now had frightful eyes as he looked at me and pointed to me with shaking fingers. "That disaster…"

"Me, Doom and Magneto had a slug fest. Bastard teleported away though." I shrugged and started walking away from Mordo's rooted form.

"Why then? If you are already that strong, why want to learn from the Masters? For power?" Mordo came up to me and asked.

"Like I said, to cover up one of my weaknesses and also to one up Doom when he decides to show up. It's as simple as that." I told him before making my way to the library, leaving Mordo to contemplate on what he has just heard.

The library was where I spent most of my time when I was not training and not in my room. Sure there were a lot of restrictions on the books I could read given that I haven't even gotten a sling ring and most of the books I could get were mainly theoretical or newbies go-to guide.

"Nice fight." Someone called out to me as I made my way to the archives.

I stopped and looked at the man who was quietly reading as his desk. "Thanks. Mordo had it coming anyway." I quite liked Mordo and could not understand why he was a villain to the future Dr. Strange… who I was currently looking at.

"Never took you for a mutant though."

"You know me?"

"Well most people wouldn't know the CEO of the tech platforms they are using, well most of the public wouldn't know and think it's a sophomore running the company. Kinda wondering what you are doing in a place like this."

Right, not everyone knew I was the sole owner of all those platforms except for Facebook, since I had Marky running everything as the Acting CEO. It was a hell lot of work but he was satisfied with the money he was receiving. Well that and the fact that he knew that if he tried sabotaging me and wanted to jump ships then none of his apps would enter the internet and stay there for more than 24 hours since a random virus would just destroy it, down to its last atom.

So yeah, Marky was really incentivized to work harder.

"Well I'm here for the same reason everyone is."

"To heal?"

"No. To learn magic."

"Right. Magic. Everyone else. Sorry it's just that…"

"What happened to you? Why are you here?"

He sighed as he dropped the book he was reading to look at me, then looked around before settling down again at me. "Lost my hands. During that…that nightmare at New York. I was in my car that day, I just successfully operated on a brain tumor, again, about to go have dinner at a fancy restaurant. I already had my date waiting for me, and then it happened. They said it was lightning that struck but I had blacked out and the only thing I could remember was my car tumbling. I lost my hands that day, lost my job thereafter. Haha, I needed hands for it after all." He held up his shaking hands with all the fingers crooked. "I tried all I could but, turns out the technology to perform such an operation hasn't even been invented yet. So I searched around until I found myself here, instead of teaching me medicine they taught me magic and turns out magic isn't as omnipotent as the books made it out to be. Still can't get my hands back."

He let out a deprecating laugh which just made him look more horrible than he currently did.

"Magic can't fix it?" I asked.

"It can, but the bald lady said it won't be worth it… so I researched, still researching, and all what I've seen, the rituals, the conditions for such a wish… it's enormous. Shit like eternal servitude for a wish, or becoming a vessel for some eldritch being. It always a price too high to pay."

"Sorry about that." I consoled him, most likely due to the fact that he as here because of what happened. From what I knew from the comics and the movie, his coming here and learning the arts was something of a universal constant. Somehow or other, I was the cause of his accident and inadvertently became the reason he came here.

"Don't need to worry about it. I'm not as hurt about it as I was months ago." He waved me off.

"Yeah about that, I wasn't talking about your feelings." He looked at me seemingly taking offense at what he perceived was a jab but I continued. "That, nightmare you called it, was my fault. Well not entirely, but I was one of the two reasons it happened. The fight spilled out of control and affected New York." I sat down before him as I said.

"You are joking right?... Right?" Seeing my silence at his question, he banged at the table and shouted at me.

"Millions died! And you are saying it was because a fight spilled out! Do you understand what the disaster did to people?! Do you even know a single name of a victim who died due to your 'little fight'?!" Strange was heaving as he said that. His hands was curled up in a fist but he didn't strike. He just stared at me with anger, pure anger, visible in his face before he took his books and left, ignoring the looks from those around us.

"That could have gone a lot better."

[Dr. Stephen Strange POV]

Strange walked out of the room with anger simmering inside of him. If he hadn't watched how Mr. Cross had been able to fight a heated battle with Mordo without showing a hint of fatigue, then he would have struck that man there and then. Consequences be damned.

In his anger, he made his way towards the abode of the master known as the Ancient One. Blinded by rage, he forgot to knock and barged in on her tea time.

"Did you know?" He asked her, not really in the mood for one of her mind blowing tea or a philosophical session.

"You would have to clarify your query, I'm afraid." She said, not even bothering to acknowledge his presence as he continued on with her tea with her back towards him.

"That-that m-monster! You knew what he did right? He killed millions and he dared call it a fight. You said the Order existed to protect earth from threats. Isn't someone like him, who professed the deaths of millions as casualty, more than enough to be seen as a threat?"

At this the Grand Master of the Order of the Mystic Arts turned to him. "We are duty bound not to interfere in disputes between human parties. No matter how much destruction they bring on themselves, the Order exists for something more terrifying than their nukes and cyber warfare. And for your second question, no, he doesn't classify as a threat." She answered coolly.

Strange was aghast at the nonchalant attitude of the elder woman before him. What the hell did she mean that he doesn't classify as a threat? Someone with that kind of power shouldn't be allowed to learn the most versatile art in human history.

"If he doesn't classify as a threat, then what does?"

Instead of answering his question she looked at him with that ephemeral gaze of hers that looked as if she was looking at something behind him. "You are not that different from him, Strange." Strange scoffed at that. How could she think he had any kind of similarities with someone like that.

"When all the superficial thoughts and obligations are removed, both of you become the perfect mirror for each other. Highlighting both your beauty and your flaws for both to see. The same carefully concealed superiority, but whereas you showed yours in a vain and mundane way, he showed his in truths. Facts."

"The same apathy you both have that, in your case, make you unable to see others as an equal or a comrade, his makes him unable to care for both.

While with your arrogance you wouldn't think twice about saving someone's life, he wouldn't think twice about ending multitudes just for one he decides on a whim."

The more Strange heard, the more he felt sick to his stomach. Where was the similarities she talked about? Those attributes she mentioned were just on different ends of the spectrum.

"I still don't see the likeness between me and him."

"You both are free, at least under the illusions you've come to believe. You consider yourselves dictators of your life when you know in reality it couldn't be far from the truth so you strive to defeat or ride along with inevitability. A word of advice Strange: do not be so quick to judge, for nothing is ever as it seems. Goodnight."

Before he could ask her what she meant by what she said, he found himself back in the hall with his room a few doors down.

He left for his room with his head swarming with thoughts. When he'd found out about magic, he had made a resolve to never again be put in a situation where he would be entirely powerless and meeting Cross, fueled that resolve more.

…

[Draul St. Cross POV]

The exercises I performed fell into a pace as I immersed myself in my studies of the elements of magic.

I had been here for almost two weeks and I still haven't met the Ancient One but I wasn't in a rush either. There were a lot of books to read and while I still haven't been able to perform anything magical, I wasn't depressed. I spent almost 10 hours everyday in the library and only left when the librarian kicked me out or for training and food.

Today however was different – Mordo gave me a sling ring.

I didn't remember much from the Dr. Strange comics and the movies but his explanation about the ring already had me sold on its value. It wasn't as redundant as a tool to open portals and help-guide in casting spells as shown in the movies but also an index and gateway to different dimensions across the vast multiverse. Yeah, you heard that right.

The multiverse.

Mordo was quick to explain the intricacies about the sling ring, its importance and uses and also some taboos pertaining to the ring. The ring was as well as crutch and also a nuke when it came to the different levels of mastery in the arts.

It was during this time that Mordo delved deeper into the sources of powers concerning using magic and its consequences.

There were three sources of energy to draw from when using magic.

Personal energy: This one was powered by the user's life force and it could be used to strengthen the body and amplify mental abilities like Astral projection, telepathy, telekinesis and hypnosis. There was also a pure form of it that was called Chi and while Mordo didn't go into details about it, I already knew what my homework would be about.

The second was Universal energies.

The was the most common and most used source of energy when it came to the inhabitants of Kamar-Taj. It was simply drawing from the abundant energies present in every part of the universe to conjure spells. It also was the reason why sorcerers who used this source of energy had an easier time learning conjugation, transfiguration and teleportation. It was easier to use it as it helped tremendously in forming constructs like the shield and weapons the sorcerers of Kamar-Taj were known for.

The last was Dimensional energies which Mordo didn't bother going into, his excuse being I wasn't strong enough to have access to that knowledge. Although the books in the library of Kamar-Taj were free for all, there were certain knowledge that was retained, not for hoarding sake or for personal powers, but rather to guard the young ones from being swayed easily.

The knowledge of a more powerful and easier shortcut with unclear ramifications would sway others in multitudes.

That said, Mordo then went into explaining the type of magic they used – which was Eldritch Magic.

Light based magic that worked with channeling the universal energy around us with either through chanting or motion of hands.

The first exercise Mordo walked me through was forming a simple magic circle. All it needed was three motions from both hands but..

"Gaghh! Why isn't it working?" I frowned as I saw the sparks around my hand every time I ran through the motions.

"You are forcing it, Cross. You need to let it flow. There is no need for precision about it." Mordo stood off to the side while I and other students were performing the same exercise.

Off to the distance, I could see Strange performing more complex magic with deft hands. He was more accomplished in magic than I was. By a large margin at that. Strange and I haven't talked since that day, ignoring the others' presence when we met, which was something I dearly appreciated as it saved me from any drama that would have happened.

Focusing on my exercise, I placed my palms in an enclosed fist, switched the positions to make them perpendicular and then drew in the fist while the palm remained outstretched. And like the countless tries before, I failed.

"You are being too restrictive, Mr. Cross." A soft, almost fragile, voice entered my ears which made me look to my side to find the Ancient One coming down the stairs with two Masters behind her.

Even with her in my line of sight and range of perception, I couldn't sense anything from her. It was so eerie that I only heard her footsteps when she was a few feet away from me.

"I don't believe we've been properly introduced."

"I doubt you introduce yourself to every new recruit." I bowed to her like the other students did. Regardless of who I was before I came here, being in front of her, I could only afford the greetings of a student to their master. It was basic etiquette.

"I don't, but it is not everyday someone like you seeks to learn the mystic arts. I tend to keep my eyes open for such people." She said with a faint smile on her face while she gestured to me to follow.

"Thank you for the pleasure of acquaintance, but I don't think just introducing yourself to your new student is why you are here." I said as we made our way farther from the training grounds that Mordo was overseeing.

"I figured it was time to get introduced now that you are starting to learn magic." She said before stopping to face me.

"Well about that. I don't think it's going too well. No worries though, it's just my first day so I think I'll be able to get it down in no time." I told her.

"You will. But words of advice from a master: magic is not meant to be controlled but to be in sync with. You have too tight a leash on everything around you, let it flow freely." She said and placed her hands on my chest before closing her eyes for a second and stepped back.

I didn't know what she did but since I didn't feel anything wrong with my senses scanning my entire body, I forgot about it. Probably some sort of master-y magic sensing. I brought my focus back to her words and a frown appeared on my face due to her advice.

"I don't think letting my emotions run wild and free is a good idea. You should know why."

"Oh, should I?" She asked with a smile as if she found something amusing. "Keeping such intense emotions locked in would prove detrimental to your studies. Magic, after all, is an extension of your true self. And you can't know who you truly are without learning to be in harmony with all of you. I'll see you another time, Mr. Cross." She said before she made her way to Strange but I couldn't focus on that as my thoughts were on what she said.

I kept a good tight leash on everything concerning my mind and every other involuntary actions of my body. From the circulation of blood flow to my heartbeat per minute, my senses, skin sensitivity etc. The only thing that I didn't bother with much control on were my emotions, except with anger which was on complete lock down. Letting all of that out and also the repressed anger, and letting it flow through my entire being freely was a recipe for disaster with everyone present here.

I just couldn't risk it.

I went back to my group and joined them in conjuring my first magic circle, or trying to anyway.

Mordo came to me after seeing that I wasn't as focused on the task as my mind was seemingly elsewhere. My body moved on automatic as it performed the hand motions on its own while my mind pondered on what the Ancient One said.

"What did the Ancient One tell you?" Mordo asked as he came to my side to correct one of the pupils, a middle aged mans', stance.

"Basically, I'm too wound up tight and I have to loosen up." I said with a huff and tried once more to go through the motions but this time there was not even a tiny bit of spark to serve as proof that I was trying to make a magic circle.

"She is right, you know? Magic is an extension of yourself. Keeping one part of yourself hidden from it won't produce anything. You should take her advice and try to fight whatever demons you have." Mordo tapped me on my shoulders before walking away.

I sighed at myself and looked at my sling ring. Maybe I should just wrap up today and hit the books? I thought about it for a moment before I shook my head and continued trying to cast my first circle.

Though I tried all day, I wasn't able to erect a circle of any kind as I kept stumbling either with something else or what the Ancient One said really got to me, hopefully it was the former. Which was just a lie as I could tell it was the latter.

I left the training grounds and made my way to my room to chat with those at home and ask them how it's been since I left as I haven't called them more than twice since I came here.

We ended up taking a lot before I cut the call and focused on my evening meditation and learning to channel my personal energy.

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Read up to 30 chapters ahead at pa*treon /Draul_TheOminous.