The Book Keeper
by TimeAndLife21
Chapter 5
A shout of alarm echoed through the mirror dimension training ground and a small explosion followed after.
It was a good thing that the Ancient One told Stephen about the Mirror Dimension or he would have made some serious errors. When Anaiah caught him using the sling ring to 'borrow' some books from the library, the Book Keeper was in total shock and anger when he was caught. Luckily Wong managed to calm her down a bit. While using the mirror Dimension, he could use spells to his heart's content.
"You are not concentrating enough!" A female voice followed.
"I am concentrating! I'm putting everything I've got into this spell." A male shot back.
"Illusions are not supposed to explode. They are supposed to look solid and fool anyone who comes across them unless they pass through them." The female explained.
Stephen was looking at Anaiah with slight contempt. She was looking annoyed and crossing her arms at him.
"If it's so easy, why don't you make one?" Stephen glared at her.
"Look, I'm not asking you to create a full fledged background illusion to fool someone. I'm trying to teach you how to make a copy of yourself. It's not that hard. If you want to fool even a child, you have to focus. Let the magic flow through you." She explained.
"Can you demonstrate for me one more time?" He asked rubbing his hand against his face for the upteenth time.
"Okay. Watch carefully and closely." She spoke as she got into a wide stance.
After taking a deep breath, she slid one foot to close her legs, lifted her arms horizontally, and spread them apart. A golden glow surrounded her and multiple copies of herself manifested away from her. Ten copies is what she made. All of them moving independently from each other. He couldn't tell which was which, as they decided to switch places with each other multiple times.
"Now do you see what I have done?" The copies spoke up together in unison.
Stephen observed the copies movements and facial expressions. He couldn't tell which one is real and which one was not. When he was reading a book of spells, a page of illusion spells seemed interesting to learn...if it wasn't for the fact that when he kept trying to make an illusion of himself, it would promptly blow up in his face.
"I don't understand...can't you make your illusions solid?" He asked.
"You can." The copies replied together.
"Although making a solid clone isn't as easy as you think it is." Another copy spoke.
"We can work on making Solid Clones later." A copy spoke up.
"But right now we are trying to make you have an illusion of yourself." Another piped up.
He had a feeling that Anaiah is somewhat sadistic.
So he tried again. He had the spell in his mind. The gestures he mimicked that Anaiah had done, he performed with exact precision.
"You are trying to make an extension of yourself. You are projecting yourself to confuse others. Think of it as...a hologram." She then explained as her copies disappeared one by one in a fading golden glow.
A projection. An idea formed in his mind. He took a deep breath and brought his trembling hands together in focus.
Gathering up the energies needed, he pushed the energies through him and in front of him was his image. He imagined it like he would a projector on a screen for a movie. If he could hold that image like he could it just might work. The projection rippled and wavered for a moment and Stephen thought it might backfire on him, but then it held.
After a minute or so holding his position, he dropped his arms and observed the projection in front of him. It was a basic rigid stance, as if it was in line in the military, but it was there.
"Good...this one didn't explode." Anaiah spoke as she walked around his projection.
She looked up and down the illusion, to see if there was any flaws that could be detected.
"Hmm, I see no flaws." She spoke as she walked in front of it.
Even though it was an illusion, Stephen felt a little uncomfortable that his illusion self had dead looking eyes.
"Well the physical aspect of this illusion is good, but… it's not alive." She spoke before she reached up to touch it and her hand went through its chest; the projection glowing a dim gold before fading away.
"Alive?" He asked.
"Illusions have to look as if they belong. Putting an Illusion upon yourself is easy enough, you have to project inwards instead of outwards." She spoke before turning to him and suddenly a gold light enveloped her and in front of him was...himself.
He blinked a couple of times.
"As you can see, I can mimic you in many ways." Even her voice changed to his own timbre.
The fake's gestures were similar to his in many ways. But the only thing that bother him was the fake's hands. They were not trembling. He couldn't help but clench his damaged hands painfully. His jaw muscles tightened and he glared at the Fake.
"Unfortunately, my acting skills for the male gender suck, and I can't really pull of the masculine aspects that you have." The copy spoke before it dissolved into Anaiah once more.
"What good is illusions if you can't use them?" He muttered.
"At least you can make at least one without it exploding on you." She pointed out.
"What is this about clones?" He asked diverting the subject.
"Oh no, I'm not teaching you to make Shadow Clones until you get the Illusion Clones down, and then Background illusions. Once you do, we can move onto the next step." She said as she walked up to him and flicked his forehead.
Did she really do that?
"Now, let's take a break, my good doctor." She said as she turned and created a portal to leave the Mirror dimension.
He followed closely a little miffed that they were not continuing the studies and training that he wanted.
"Why are we stopping? Shouldn't we continue what I'm learning? I just made a copy for crying out loud." He spoke to her.
"You look tired, Doctor. Tell me, haven't you been sleeping lately?" She turned to him as she stopped walking.
"Why does that matter?" He asked annoyed.
"You can't learn and perform the Mystic Arts if you keep putting off sleep. Trust me. I know from experience. For now, just focus on meditation and leave the books and studying be for now." She said as she looked up at him with concerned eyes.
"I understand your need to expand your knowledge of the Mystic Arts, but please...you also need your rest." She said as she sighed.
"She is right, Doctor." Stephen heard the voice of The Ancient One.
"Master!" Anaiah spoke happily.
"Anaiah." The Ancient nodded at her before turning to him. "You have been hard at work. It is time for you to rest your mind and spirit for the time being. If you push yourself too much, you will exhaust yourself." The Ancient One chuckled.
"I-" Stephen was about to say that he was just fine and that he can continue onwards, but then he felt something wash over him. His body felt heavy, and he suddenly felt like he had been stomped on by an elephant.
"I...need to sit down." He stuttered out before he stumbled to sit on a nearby bench.
"And that is precisely why I asked to take a break. Making Illusions is no joke. You will get tired." Anaiah smirked at him.
She goaded him on. She knew that he would get tired after performing so many times trying to make a projection of himself. He wondered if he really should just leave after all this time.
"I'm surprised Anaiah, teaching him to make illusions. You normally don't take on students." The Ancient one chided the younger woman.
"Well, Doctor Strange here was stubborn, so why not? It is good for him. And It will help him in the long run." Anaiah chuckled.
Stephen was starting to wonder if the two women were conspiring against him. He closed his eyes, leaning against the pillar that the bench was up against and decided maybe he should take a short break. He'll continue his practicing later. He'll get the Illusion Arts down, one way or another.
TAL21: Geez, all of a sudden I have almost a hundred followers on this story. Though not many reviews. XD If you can guess where I got the Idea for Illusion spells from, you get a cookie. XD As Much as I can do to keep this story from Stephen's POV, I'm going to jump POVs and hopefully give you others POVs as well. I'm thinking perhaps the next chapter will be strictly from the Ancient One's POV. Just so that you guys can see through her eyes a bit and see where Anaiah comes into play. Now, In case you guys are wondered where I'm going with this story this is eventual Stephen/OC. It won't be happening anytime soon, but it will get there. And I will also tell you because my limited memory of the movie has diminished a little bit (it's been a week already and I can remember the major parts of the Movie, but the smaller detailed point are evening me) I just may have to go tot he movie again just so that I can get this story going again. As for the short chapters, I'd rather make short chapters for the story instead of making long fillers until the movie comes out on DVD. Also, Anaiah's mysterious past will come out in the form of the Ancient one's POV, but it will be just as mysterious as before. Trust me, you guys will like where She is coming from. :) Anyways, onto the SHOUT OUTS!
ZabuzasGirl: Eventually there will be a flashback of Kaecilius and Anaiah, but that won't be anytime soon...ish. XD Thank you for reading this story and I hope you will enjoy it's ride.
Superdani4Ever: Well, for some reason I like my charters with pretty neat weapons like scythes. It's just something that is fascinating to see the mechanics f one. XD Just wait till she uses it in a fight, then things will get fun. XD Eventually I'll add romance to it, but that won't be for some time. XD And The reason why Anaiah never really calls the Ancient One 'Mother' in this instance, is that she is a respectable woman. She looks up to the ancient one as a mother figure, but never outright calling her that. It's like calling your family friend of your parents 'Mom' or 'Dad', in a sense. At least that's how I see it.
Chelsea Rogers: Yes, Yes, I admit it...I'm referencing Tomb Raider. Trust me, I played the game and it was amazing. I just figured that I would put it in her because why not. It works, and it fits a bit into the timeline. I have no regrets whatsoever. XD
TAL21: That's it for the Shout Outs. I hope you guys will leave awesome and detailed Reviews! Because Reviews are my drug and I need my fix, lol. XD Anywho, I hope you guys enjoyed this little chapter. We'll be seeing Anaiah hang out with Baron and Stephen a little bit, and I can't wait to show how Anaiah and Baron play off on each other. It will be adorable. XD As for a small chapter of a flashback between Kaecillius and Anaiah, I'm planning on writing it but don't anticipate it for a while. XD And seriously, almost one hundred followers on the Doctor Strange fanfiction. In less than a week...I must be superwoman. XD See you guys in the next chapter!
Question Time: If you were to have any relic (be it made up or an actual relic from the Marvel Universe) what would it be and what would it look like(if you were to make your own relic)?
Keep on reading and Writing!