Seven - Reality
Kamar Taj, Nepal - Earth
2012
When she first arrived at Kamar Taj in Kathmandu, Nepal, Ekaterina couldn't take in all of it's beauty and mystery.
Mere weeks ago she had been a ballet dancer training in New York City, her debut on an American stage. But then the sudden alien invasion had crushed all that - her career both started and ended in an instant.
She had been in the middle of a rehearsal in the studio when the attack over Manhattan happened. The Avengers did their best to end the attack, but they could not stop everything. She could see the heroes fighting out in the streets, until a huge blast struck the studio building, trapping her beneath it.
She was remarkably alive - that was what was important, and what the doctors and nurses kept reminding her of. However, in the shock and distress, she had trouble focusing on this, when her eyesight was gone, from the heat of the blast. Now she would never see again, let alone dance.
After recovering in New York, along with the city itself, Ekaterina was sent to every doctor and specialist the city had to offer. But even the famed Dr. Stephen Strange's practice was convinced she would never see again.
Someone not so convinced, however, was someone called the Ancient One, who contacted Kat through a handwritten letter all the way from Nepal.
I can help you to see again, it said. One of the nurses read it out to her. And it came with an address below the note: Kamar Taj - Kathmandu, Nepal.
Needless to say Kat jumped at the chance - although she was both equally curious and apprehensive. Who had sent the note? Who was this 'Ancient One'? And why did they seem so certain that they could help her when clearly no one else could? She tried not to get too hopeful though, just in case.
She had a travel companion the whole way - his name was Mordo. He told her that he too was a student of the Ancient One. She had no idea what he meant by 'student'.
After a long journey, Mordo finally said, "We're here."
"Hello Ekaterina," a voice greeted her - a woman's voice, with an English accent. "Welcome to Kamar Taj."
"Hello, thank you. I received this handwritten note-"
"Yes, I sent it."
"You're the Ancient One?"
"Yes, I am."
"And that's your name?"
She heard the woman chuckle. "No, but it is the title I prefer."
"Okay then. Nice to meet you - Ancient One."
"Likewise, Ekaterina."
"In your letter you said you could help me see again."
"Yes, I can."
"Please help me." She was begging. "I'm lost - I don't know what else to do, where else to go. No one believes I will see again, that I can be helped."
"Well, they're wrong, all of them. You will see again, Ekaterina. I promise you that."
"B-but how?"
"Through hard work and dedication. And special training under myself. Shall we get to work?"
It was all so vague and mysterious - but she agreed.
Kat mostly trained under the Ancient One, with assistance from Wong and Mordo. Like most people who arrived at Kamar Taj or one of the Sanctums, Kat had her doubts. But the Ancient One changed that, helped open her mind and changed her perspective, and as promised, helped her heal.
The scars around her eyes would remain, a permanent reminder, but, little by little, slowly but surely, her sight began to return to her, she began to reclaim it, through the assistance of the Mystic Arts. Pretty soon she had her own purple robes, and had made friends with the other trainees, and was calling Kamar Taj her new home. Eventually she became Master Ekaterina of the Mystic Arts.
Periodically the blindness would return, suddenly plunging her back into the darkness - even through the Mystic Arts it could not be permanently vanquished. But through her teachings and training, the Ancient One taught her not to be afraid of the darkness, and so she developed skills to deal with it should it occur again. Kat developed a saying: "Your scars - you overcome them, learn to accept them, and then you wear them proudly."
And four years later when Stephen Strange arrived at Kamar Taj with wounded hands and similar early doubts, Kat would help teach him the ways of Mystic Masters and help him overcome his doubts, just as she had.
I do have a prequel book called 'Before Infinity' which dives into the backstories of my OCs a little - the OCs that don't have their own books, so Kat appears in that first.
Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed! :)
