Suddenly, there was the roaring of a motorcycle engine. Everyone looked down the path as they saw the single headlight pull up and screech to a halt mere feet from them. A very alert Logan almost jumped off of the bike and extended his claws.
"What in the hell is going on?" he snarled. Then, he saw Zira. The adamantium claws slowly retracted back into his hands as he walked up to her. "Kid?"
"Hey Logan," she said, wiping the tears from her face.
"What...what are you doing here? Has it been a year?" he asked. Stephen looked Zira, realizing that it had, in fact, been a year since she left Xaviers School.
"Yeah," Zira said quietly. "Yeah, it has."
"And?" Logan asked, looking at Stephen.
"It helped," Zira admitted. "He helped. I have it under control and then some." Logan grinned, then looked at the rest of the teens gathered.
"Is everything okay?" he asked them. Then, he saw Mordo. "Who the hell is this?"
"Our problem now," Stephen said, conjuring bindings around Mordos wrists and ankles.
"I'll explain everything, Logan," Josh said, stepping forward.
"Where's everyone else?"
"Safe," Zira said. "I got them away from the mansion before any permanent damage was done. They're at the safe spots." Logan thought for a second, then nodded, lighting up a cigar. He took a deep drag from it before looking back at Zira.
"So? What did you decide?" he asked her. Zira looked back at Stephen.
"I can't make that decision for you, Zira," Stephen said, answering her wordless question. "You stayed for a year. There is plenty more I can teach you, but I don't believe you're a danger to anyone, especially not to yourself." Zira looked at her old team, Logan, and the mansion.
"Not gonna lie," she began. "I miss everyone here. I've thought about coming back a lot. But...I've made crazy strides studying at Kamar Taj. I developed a whole new style of magic...and I don't want to stop. Besides, it's not every day you figure out this much about your past...like who your father is." Logan started coughing, and there was a very audible sound of confusion from the rest of the squad. Zira laughed a little bit, but was focused completely on the surprise and hope on Stephens face. "I'll come and visit when I can, but I can do a lot of good with the Sorcerers. I'm staying with them." Stephen couldn't stop the smile on his face as he walked forward and hugged her. Zira hugged him back, her smile just as wide.
"Wait…" Logan said. "He's….really?" Zira laughed and turned to her friends.
"I guess I have some explaining to do."
Mordo was brought back to Kamar Taj to be imprisoned until he was well enough, then he would be exiled to live as a normal human for the rest of his life. The whole of the temple cheered when Stephen and Zira brought him back in chains. The hug from Isioma was almost spine crushing, but Zira was glad to see her friend all the same. Wong helped Stephen get Mordo to the prison as Zira regaled her friend and some of the younger students of what happened. While she didn't brag or embellish, everyone was still impressed.
Two days later, Zira joined Isioma and a few other students as they were granted the rank of Master. Stephen couldn't hide his smile as Zira was handed her uniform. The silver-haired sorceress was practically glowing as she accepted it. She and Stephen locked eyes for a moment before she bowed with the rest of the new Masters. After the celebrations, Zira returned to her room to change. It felt strange putting on the blue robes of the masters, but in a good way. As she slipped on her boots, there was a knock on her door.
"Come in!" she called. The door opened and Isioma was standing there, already changed into her new uniform, including a matching hijab.
"Dr. Strange wants us to meet him in the library near the Sanctum portals," she said. Zira nodded and joined her in a brisk walk to the library. Neither of them spoke, but they could tell that they were both thinking the same thing: they had done it. They were Masters now.
Wong and Stephen were waiting for them when they arrived.
"Master Bello," Stephen said. "Master Moran." Zira and Isioma inclined their heads in a small bow, neither of them able to hide their smiles at hearing their new titles.
"You were called here for your first assignment," Wong said.
"Already?" Isioma asked.
"It's not an exciting one, but it's important all the same,' Stephen said. He motioned a nearby table with ink, paper, and pens sitting on them. "The two of you developed a brand new study of magic that can help generations of sorcerers after us. It is important that it be documented." Zira and Isioma looked at each other, then back at Stephen and Wong, shocked.
"You mean…" Zira began.
"We're going to have a book in the library?" Isioma finished. Wong and Stephen both nodded. The girls practically squealed as they hugged each other.
"Writing this much research down is going to take time, and you will have other duties beyond this, but please try to make this a priority," Stephen said. "If you need help, please don't hesitate to ask. I know a thing or two about research papers." Isioma and Zira nodded their thanks.
"We'll probably take you up on that," Isioma said. They spent the next half an hour getting their other assignments, such as classes they would be teaching, then the two sat down and got to work on their book immediately. They worked for about two hours, and had an outline that they were happy with by lunch. On the way down to eat, Isioma looked at her friend.
"How does it feel?" she asked.
"Which part? Finding my father and actually connecting with him? Becoming a published co-author and co-creator of a whole new practice? Becoming a Master?" Zira asked.
"Whichever you wish," Isioma replied. "It is a lot."
"Like I finally answered the most important question of my life," she replied.
"Which is?"
"Who I am," Zira looked out of a nearby window over the cityscape of Kathmandu. Isioma walked over to her friend and put a hand on her shoulder.
"And what is the answer?" she asked. Zira looked at her friend.
"I am Zira Moran, Master of the Mystic Arts," she said. For the first time in her life, her answer felt just right.