Avi2112
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Chapter 208
🕑 Added 2025-02-26 10:13:13 +0000 UTCThe portal closes itself behind me, and I immediately feel the tension in my astral form dissolve. I take a deep breath, savouring the clean, soothing air of Earth. "Finally back," I say with a relieved smile, glancing around. My gaze lands on my physical body, slumped in a chair with it's head down. Standing before it is the Ancient One, her expression amused as she watches me.
"Huh? Teacher, was that your twin back there then?" I ask, feigning exaggerated surprise.
"You have quite the imagination, Luke," she replies with a chuckle. "But no, that was merely a doppelganger spell—an advanced one, cleverly crafted. In fact He too would have realized that by now."
"Good," I say with a grin. "I don’t know if I could survive an evil twin plotline involving you, Teacher."
Her calm smile widens just slightly. "Oh, you really don’t need an evil twin of mine to harm you, Luke. You seem to be doing that just fine on your own, Satan's Son-in-Law."
I freeze for a moment, then laugh sheepishly. "Ah, so you heard about that," I say, scratching the back of my head. "That was just a stalling tactic, Teacher. I knew you would swoop in to rescue your precious personal student, so I was, you know... buying time. Throwing them off," I add with a sly smirk.
"Very clever." she remarks, her tone still light. "It took me quite some time to locate you in the hellish realm you were in. If not for the astral mark I placed on you earlier, finding you would have been nearly impossible—especially with Mephisto himself isolating the valley."
She sighs, her expression briefly somber before her gaze sharpens. "But, Lucas, I must warn you—words, once spoken, cannot be so easily taken back."
"Understood, Teacher," I reply with a serious nod, though internally, I am sweating bullets. It had gotten far too dangerous in the end. I was lucky—so lucky—that it was Mephisto and not some other devil. Any of the others would have ended me without a second thought. But as my teacher’s cryptic warning implied, this encounter with Mephisto had undoubtedly opened a can of worms I wasn’t ready for. What’s done is done, though. All I can do now is prepare thoroughly for the day when the devil inevitably comes calling again.
"So... this is the girl you went through all that trouble to rescue and protect," the Ancient One says as she steps beside me. Her gaze falls on Raven, who is still suspended in the air, held aloft by my Psychokinesis.
"Yes, Teacher," I answer with a nod, my eyes flicking to her expression, trying to gauge her thoughts.
"Luke," she says after a long moment, her focus lingering on Raven's face—specifically, on the ruby embedded in her forehead. "Do you know who this girl is?" she asks calmly.
"I... have some idea, Teacher," I say carefully, weighing my words. "This M’kraan Shard," I say, taking out the necklace I was wearing, "was what guided me to her." I pause. "Teacher, she was being hunted by a demonic pursuer for days. Is she hurt? I used my Phoenix flames to heal her, but she still hasn’t opened her eyes." my voice carries a note of genuine worry.
"The shard led you to her?" The Ancient One raises an eyebrow, clearly surprised. "No, she is not hurt physically. Your Phoenix flames likely healed any minor injuries she may have sustained. But her mind..." She pauses, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Her mind is especially exhausted. What she needs now is deep, intense rest."
"That’s a relief," I say, letting out a breath as I glance at Raven’s sleeping face, a soft smile tugging at my lips.
The Ancient One’s gaze lingers on Raven again, her focus still mostly on the gem on Raven's forehead. "So, what are your plans for her?"
"I was planning to bring her to my place," I answer honestly, then quickly backtrack when her steady, unimpressed gaze sharpens ever so slightly. "Ah! I don’t mean it like that, Teacher!" I clarify hurriedly, waving my hands in front of me. "I mean, Watson Tower has the best medical technology available, so it only makes sense for her to, uh... sleep—I mean rest—there," I finish with a wry smile, scratching the back of my head.
The Ancient One’s expression remains unreadable as she hums thoughtfully. "So, you truly intend to keep her... here, on Earth?" she asks, her tone distant, as though lost in thought.
"Yes, that’s the plan, Teacher," I reply with a nod. "I can tell she is not completely human, but, hey, there are plenty of aliens already living on Earth," I add with a chuckle, hoping to lighten the mood.
Her calm gaze doesn’t waver as she speaks. "Luke, I can sense something... unusual about this young girl. An energy not of this dimension," she says, her tone darkening. "And with it comes evil—so much evil." Her eyes meet mine, serious and unwavering. "Are you sure? Even knowing this, you want her to stay on Earth? I must warn you—she has the potential to bring great evil to this world someday."
Fuck, Does she mean Trigon? I think, a wave of unease hitting me. Why the hell are DC villains crossing into Marvel's multiverse? Don't we already have enough apocalyptic bad guys running loose over here?
I take a deep breath, steadying myself. "Yes, Master," I say firmly. "Even knowing that, I would still choose to let her stay here on Earth without hesitation. And if she agrees, I wouldn’t even mind if she stays at Watson Tower." my voice is resolute, though a part of me is already dreading the headache this decision might cause in the future. But, honestly? It’s just another evil multiversal-tier father-in-law to deal with. I have already got more than one name on that list, so what is one more? Let future Lucas worry about that problem.
The Ancient One studies me intently, her voice heavy with warning. "Are you absolutely certain, Luke? This could become an immense burden—a responsibility beyond anything you have carried. Billions of lives may hang in the balance."
I can definitely feel her aura now, thick and oppressive, filling the room and beyond. It is not aimed at me directly, but it’s impossible to ignore.
"Teacher," I reply, meeting her gaze with determination, "I don’t think of myself as some grand protector of humanity. Honestly, I don’t concern myself with the lives of billions. My world is smaller—focused on the people I love and care for. That circle has grown these past few months, and I am grateful for that. But it doesn’t diminish my desire to protect them." I offer her a confident smile. "I have just met this girl, but I can already tell she is going to be one of those people. So yes, even knowing that she could be the source of a future calamity, I would still invite her into my life, into my home. Because whatever evil might come, I will face it with her. Together."
The Ancient One regards me silently, her expression inscrutable. I understand her hesitation—she is the protector of Earth’s mystical realms, guarding against devils and other-dimensional threats. And here I am, essentially asking her to let me bring a direct portal to one of the most dangerous devils in existence onto Earth itself.
Still, if she denies you, it’s not the end. The universe is vast—you could always find another solution. Maybe a private sanctuary on an alien planet or even a pleasant dimension like Alfheim. Hopefully, she’s into candy and rainbows, you muse.
Finally, a faint grin tugs at the Ancient One’s lips. "You have such a simple outlook on life for someone with so much power."
I chuckle sheepishly. "Sorry if my answer didn’t meet your expectations, teacher."
She shakes her head. "No, Luke. Your answer was good. It is important to have something in life you refuse to compromise on."
"So…" I lean forward, unable to hide my excitement. "Does this mean I can keep her?"
The Ancient One raises a brow, amusement flickering in her eyes. "She is not a pet, and I am not your mother. You can house whoever you want, Luke."
"Right, of course," I reply, grinning wryly.
"Now," she says, her tone shifting into that of a stern teacher, "explain to me how you managed to tangle yourself with not one but two dimensional lords in a single day—and that before even beginning your mystical studies."
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Glad that he's finally back and with Raven no less.
