I parry the strike of Wu Cai's sword with Jian, then step to him, hitting out at his chest with a palm. He quickly recovers and catches my attack with his free hand, blocking me, and countering with a kick. I read his move and dodge, stepping out the way, then drop to the ground and sweep his leg out from under him, causing him to fall to the grass.
The attack connecting, I bring my leg in and stand, then swing down and hold Jian at his neck. Wu Cai stops his attempt to recover as he feels the blade below his chin. He lifts his head to me, my smiling face appearing in his vision, before raising a hand to push Jian away.
I withdraw and sheath Jian, then grip his arm and pull him up, helping him stand. Wu Cai brushes himself down, then bends down and picks up his dropped sword. He turns to me, a small smile on his lips, "...Well done." He nods at me, proud of my accomplishment, not upset that I defeated him. He sheaths his sword and bows to me.
I bow back, satisfaction filling my body.
On the seventh day of our journey, one week since I left the temple, I finally beat him. He may have limited himself to only swordplay and a single martial art, but I don't let that diminish my victory. Through my own skill, I toppled him.
During this time, apart from walking and sparring, I also successfully managed to teach Wu Cai 'Chi Healing'. Even with his superb control over his Chi, it still took him four days of near-constant attempts until he got it. Once he did, with both of us now able to heal ourselves and each other, he intensified my training.
The result of my efforts is noted by the progression of my skills,
[Baguazhang (Proficient) – Though you have temporarily parted ways with your master, you have not been lax in your training. After a week of almost constant combat with a martial master, you have defeated him in a spar. Your efforts have not been in vain.
You have gained experience in reading your foes in combat, predicting their moves. Now, a dedicated martial artist will find you to be a worthy opponent.]
Master Hong would be disappointed in me if I've failed to master what she's taught me by the next time we see each other, so I've been trying my best to improve my skill in this art. I want to give her a challenge and make her put the work in to beat me.
[Swordsmanship (Skilled) – A master of the sword has dedicated some of his time to teaching you how to properly wield a blade. Thanks to a combination of your innate talent, purposeful training, and great effort, your swordplay has improved significantly.
Your skill with the sword is at a stage where you no longer have to fear multiple foes, and your current dynamic vision is great enough to deflect an arrow, should you need to.]
I haven't felt a great increase in my skill with a sword, but it is starting to feel like an extension of my body when I wield it, so I must be doing something right. The way Jian sits in my hand feels normal, as if it's where it was always meant to be.
"Sarah!" A sudden shout from Wu Cai, with a level of emotion in his voice far greater than I've heard before, causes me to whip my head to him. His back is to me, and his head is tilted to the sky. Following his gaze, I see what's grabbed his attention. Viewable from our elevated clearing are distant clouds of light gray smoke, moving east.
Wu Cai quickly grabs his gear and turns to me, "Fire." He points at the smoke, "Seems close, might be a village in trouble." He doesn't wait for my response, and takes off into the trees.
Picking up my bag, I run after him. He's not moving that fast, to conserve his stamina, but it still takes me ten seconds to catch him, "What's the plan?" I ask as I run beside him, stepping over roots and dodging low branches, "If it's an attack, I don't know how much help I'll be. I've never been in a real fight before."
Wu Cai focuses on keeping a stable pace, then shakes his head at me, "It shouldn't be. At least, it won't be soldiers; bandits at most."
Bandits? So this could be anything from a couple of people armed with simple weapons, to a large, organised group, potentially full of ex-soldiers? No matter the amount, it's not something we can go into with surety.
On my own, I'm confident that I can take on maybe four armed people, especially now that we have Chi Healing; but with Wu Cai, we could take on... ten to twelve? That's without taking into account the people they might be attacking. We'll have to work around their safety, limiting fatalities and trying not to allow them to take hostages.
I don't know how much experience Wu Cai has with these types of situations, but I'll listen to him either way; he no doubt has a much better idea of what to do then me.
A few minutes later, we approach the origin of the smoke. It's a decent sized village, enough space to easily house a hundred people, with several buildings aflame. Stopping, we take cover behind some trees and observe. The heat of the fires curl around me as I take in the damage.
On the dirt a dozen meters in front of us lay the corpses of multiple adults, each torn apart, limbs and viscera scattered around them. Holding back my nausea, I share a look with Wu Cai, his face severe, then whisper, "...This isn't the work of humans." His eyes narrow as he nods, agreeing with my assessment.
As I turn back to the village, a roar sounds from deeper in, followed by some quickly silenced screams of fear and pain. I tap Wu Cai on the shoulder and point to the side. He nods to me, understanding my meaning, then starts to move.
Together, we work our way around the village, surveying it and trying to find the cause of the chaos. As we reach the back, the far off end from where we arrived, I see something that makes my blood run cold.
Laying down on a pile of the dead are three giant, grey, quadrupedal creatures, their forms made of tendrils and strips of flat flesh, mimicking the appearance of muscle. Their heads contain multiple eyes and are adorned with large, forward facing horns, while their mouths, filled with multiple sets of fangs, tear into the flesh of the humans they've killed.
Adrenaline fills my veins as I identify the beings behind this massacre.
Deviants.
Slowly, I turn to Wu Cai, whose eyes are wide, and shake my head at him. I place a hand on his shoulder and carefully move us back, further into the forest. Once at a distance where I feel safe from their senses, I whisper to him, "There's nothing we can do here." I look at him with a serious expression, "I know what those creatures are, and I know what they can do. Those... beasts, are species killer, purposefully designed to wipe out apex predators."
Wu Cai listens to me intently with anger on his face, "Should they strike one of us, we will almost certainly die. Our best bet is to retreat, and pretend we never saw them." I suggest, half trying to be practical, and half terrified. "Soon enough, their hunters will come along and kill them, so we don't have to worry about them spreading further."
He grimaces at my words, but nods his head with hesitation, then asks, "...You know what they are, then?"
I open my mouth to explain, when a thump sounds close behind me, from the direction of the village. My heart jumping, I stand with a spin, expecting the worst, Wu Cai reacting not much later than me.
Instead, what I find fills my heart with hope.
A blonde woman with a circlet on her head stands before us, half a foot shorter then me, dressed in white armour with golden accents. She stares at us with piercing eyes, as Wu Cai goes to draw his sword. I snap my hand out and place it on his pommel, giving him a meaningful look, before I bow to the woman, "Lady Thena."
A curious look come over face, before she starts to speak, "You know of me?" She asks, in perfect mandarin. Her voice carries a calm, soothing tone to it, that instantly settles some of my nerves. I straighten up and reply to her, my tone respectful,
"I do, Lady Thena. My people know of your species and of your purpose. Once I saw what attacked the village," I gesture behind her, "I knew some of you would be along shortly to eradicate them." Thena nods calmly at my words, her face stoic.
Gods, she's gorgeous. It's a bit weird seeing the face of an actor from my world on the body of an immortal warrior from this world, but I know I'll have to get used to it. It's going to happen a lot more often, I suspect.
I have a descent level of respect for the Eternals, even though I believe they could've intervened in other threats. I know they would have if they weren't beholden to a Celestial, though, so I don't hold I against them; even Ikaris and Ajak.
My musings are broken by the sound of running, making us all look to the source. Out of the forest sprints a muscular asian man, moving extraordinary quick, roughly the same height as me. He wears the same type of armor as Thena, only dark gold with green accents, engraved with overlapping circles.
He come to a stop by Thena, and gives her a disapproving look, "You shouldn't have gone ahead, what if you were ambushed?" He admonishes her, though his voice is warm, before he seems to notice us, "Oh! Humans? Are you okay?" He asks us, looking between us.
Thena answers for us, "From what I've gathered, they discovered the Deviants responsible for attacking the village and retreated into the forest. This one," She points at me, but I interrupt and tell her my name, causing her to nod, "seems to know who we are, and was waiting for us to arrive."
The man, Gilgamesh, if I remember correctly, seems surprised, but accepts it easily enough. From what I remember of him from the movie, he seems like a caring man, who places the safety of others before him own. He smiles at us, before asking, "So you've seen the Deviants? What can you tell us about them? Numbers? Any obvious traits?" He fires off a few questions, gathering information before the battle ahead.
I tell him what we saw, with Wu Cai chiming in to share his own observations, as they listen and prepare. Once they've gathered what they can about the enemy, they start to set off, before I stop them, "Excuse me." They turn to me, "I know I won't be able to help in the combat, but I, we, can heal." I start to channel my Chi, my hand emitting its green glow, "I don't know if it will work on your... biology, but you should know anyway." I offer them.
Thena smiles at me, "There is no need, Sarah, thank you, we will be fi-" She stops, her eyes wide as she tracks something above us. I start to turn to look, when I feel a sudden push on my chest, sending me flying back. I crash down on my back between two trees as the ground shakes from a mighty impact. Rolling over onto my hands and feet, I look back to where I was, only to see a winged Deviant with four legs, slightly larger than the previous three, pinning Thena to the ground with a clawed foot.
Knowing there isn't much I can do, I search for Wu Cai, finding him already on his feet, taking cover behind a large tree. I stand and rush over to him, where I see the glow of his Chi running under his arm. I join him in cover, ignoring the sounds of battle, and worriedly ask him, "Wu Cai, are you injured?" He nods slightly, his eyes sharp and cautious.
"...Landed awkwardly, twisted my arm." He peeks round the tree to observe the battle. I join him, seeing Thena and Gilgamesh jointly fight the Deviant. The Deviant has lost the leg it used on Thena, but is still able to nimbly dodge the duos attacks, using its wings to its advantage. Gilgamesh takes the front, keeping the attention of the Deviant, as Thena circles around it, a glowing, golden spear in hand, swiping at its side and legs.
Gilgamesh grabs a horn with a golden arm as the Deviant goes in for a bite, holding it in place as Thena lands a deep slice to its side, making it roar. It manages to shake off Gilgamesh and begins to take flight, intending to retreat, but Thena jumps at it, her spear now two short swords, and pierces them into its side. Using them as handles, she flips herself onto its back, where she transforms her weapons into a broadsword, and stabs down through its chest.
The Deviant shrieks in pain and flies up, where is starts to roll. I watch as Thena tries to hang on, but the force of the roll throws her off, sending her shooting towards the ground. Gilgamesh starts to run to her, but is too late, and barely misses her. Thena hits the ground with a thud, her form bouncing off the dirt slightly, where she lets out a groan.
I know a fall like that won't be enough to kill an Eternal, but seeing something like that in person really drives home the danger they put themselves in. Wu Cai pulls us back and looks at me, eyes expressing his slight shock, as Gilgamesh supports Thena, helping her stand. I pat him on the shoulder, then peek back out, watching Thena as she looks up and searches for the Deviant, but finds nothing, it having successfully retreating while they were distracted.
I call out them, "Is it gone?" They hear me and start to walk towards Wu Cai and I, eyes scanning the area for any further attacks. When they reach us, they join us behind the tree. I look down at Thena and search her for injuries, finding nothing but a few cuts and bruises.
Thena answers, her voice as calm as always, "For now. Once it's healed, it will either flee to another location, or return to resume its attacks. We will stay in the area for a few days to make sure." She looks us over, making sure we are okay, "I'm sorry I had to throw you, but there wasn't enough time to explain." She apologises.
Wu Cai responds to her, "...It's understandable, you prioritised our lives." He bows to her slightly, "I suffered a slight injure upon landing, but I've already healed it." Gilgamesh gets a curious look on his face at that, and asks, "You have? That's pretty amazing for a human. Can I see?" Wu Cai looks at him for a moment, then rolls up his sleeve, showing Gilgamesh his muscular forearm.
"I twisted my arm, but as you can see," He rotates it, showing off its unimpeded movement, "It's as good as new." Thena joins her partner, gazing at the now uninjured arm. Wu Cai rolls back down his sleeve and shift their attention to me, "I only know how to heal thank to Sarah here. She taught me how to do it on our journey south."
Thena stares at me, her gaze inquiring, before speaking to me, a slightly humorous tone in her voice, "...Well, aren't you full of surprises. You can heal, and you know of us and the Deviants." She looks at Gilgamesh, a quick, silent conversation taking place. He eventually nods at her, seemingly in agreement with her about something, before he turns to me.
"You are a Chi user, are you not?" I nod at him. From what was shown of the history of the Eternals in their movie, I know they have encountered other powered beings, and are somewhat acquainted with them. Gilgamesh himself has been in contact with Odin, and participated in Asgard's war with the Frost Giants, getting slightly friendly with the Allfather.
I wish I could share with them my fake origins, but if they relay my information back to Ajak or Ikaris, they might capture me to find out the result of the Emergence. As I am now, I stand no chance against Ajak, not to mention Ikaris, the strongest Eternal on Earth.
I give Wu Cai a look, hoping he understands. He gives me a slight nod back, indicating he does, even if he doesn't understand my worry. Shifting my sight back to the two, I start to make up a new tale.
With all the stories I've been telling recently, I hope Loki doesn't think I'm coming for his job.
---AN---
Sorry for the late chapter. I don't know how many of you saw my quick post last night, but it took me longer to get home from Devon than I though it would on Wednesday. Then on Thursday, I got conscripted into active service as a soldier of the Imperium of Man.
In other words, I spent all day playing Rogue Trader. There was nothing I could do, I am but a simple man. Laser Pistol goes *pew*, Chainsword goes *vrrr*.
As always, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Be sure to point out any grammatical mistakes, and leave any criticisms you have.
Until the next chapter.
xoxoLast edited: Thursday at 2:58 AM Like ReplyReport Reactions:Meep!, thepsyborg, sayeftalim and 54 othersSlaughterFeb 7, 2026NewAdd bookmarkView discussionThreadmarks Chapter 14: Heroes of Myth New View contentSlaughterSeeking EternityFeb 8, 2026NewAdd bookmark#85I have some idea about the backstory I wish to tell the Eternals; something that will cause confusion amongst them, and hopefully not make them look to deep into me. See, when they eventually learn that I'm from the future, if I either decide to tell them now or they find out somehow, they will almost definitely have questions about their own futures, and the result of their mission, real or not.
So I need to throw them off slightly. Give them enough information to sate their potential curiosity, but also make them realise that what I know isn't unreasonable. I can't just come out and say that I know how they were truly created, or reveal too much about the Celestials, or such. As I come up with and organise what I'm to tell them, the two Eternal wait patiently, staring at me without saying a word.
I lift my head to the two, starting my act, my eyes looking through them, as if lost in recall. As I open my mouth to speak, I come to a decision, "I am... from the future." I start, waiting for them to react in anyway. Gilgamesh's eyes go wide, while Thena only raises an eyebrow in surprise, as calm as ever. Her general demeanour and personality remind me of Wu Cai, who himself looks at me, waiting to see what I tell them.
Gilgamesh is the first to respond, his tone steady but inquisitive, "The future?" He asks, "So that is how you know of us? Wait, what year did you come from? Did we wipe out the Deviant?" He asks question after question, his pace starting to rush, causing Thena to place a hand on his arm, calming him down. He startles slightly, then looks at her in thanks.
They turn back to me, but don't say anything, letting me answer. I give them a smile, "To start, I come from the year two thousand and ten; an age where the entire world is connected, with people being able to instantly talk to each other from the other side of the world." Gilgamesh whispers something to Thena that I don't catch, causing her to nod.
Once their attention is back on me, I continue, "About four years before I found myself in this time, an absolutely ginormous, red being with six glowing eyes suddenly appeared in the sky. It loomed over the earth without doing anything, before letting out a sound similar to confusion. It then raise a giant hand, and summoned nine people from earth; the Eternals." I stop here for now, expecting them to react with confusion.
As expected, shock appears on their faces, even Thena this time. They share a quick look between themselves, before Thena asks me, a small amount of hesitation in her voice, "...Nine Eternals? Are you sure?"
This is my chosen tactic, making them wonder at the reliability of my knowledge.
"Yes?" I confirm, a tilt of my head helping to display my uncertainty, "You two, Ikaris, Sersi, Phastos and Makkari, then Kingo, Druig and Sprite; nine Eternals." I stare at them, expressing my sincerity. "When that massive being appeared and grabbed you all, it shared your names and your mission; to protect humanity from the Deviants. After it, and you all, seemingly teleported away, your lives were recreated using historical facts and the myths of gods, those of which seemed to allude to or directly mention your intervention."
I pause to lick my dry lips and take a sip of water from my gourd, then carry on, "Once your timeline and deeds were established, people started to worship you as the first heroes; the protectors of mankind. In my country, at least, there was even a national holiday created in your honour, where we would celebrate you all." I finish my story, satisfied with my lie. The details will need to be worked out properly soon enough, just in case, but it should work for now.
Two notifications sound to me once I'm done, the panel of golden runes appearing in my vision, but I ignore it for now and focus on the two.
Thena speaks for the two, her brow tense, "...There are ten Eternals on earth." She explains, "The nine of us you mentioned, plus Ajak, our leader." Her expression displays worry, fearful of the fate of her fiend. I don't enjoy causing undue distress like this, but if it helps to ensure my survival, I can push through the slight discomfort.
"I've never heard or seen any mention of an Ajak, I'm sorry." I 'confess', "Throughout history, there has only ever been nine Eternals, no more, no less... Wait." I stop, an 'explanation' seeming to come to me, "Are you familiar with the concept of the Multiverse?" It takes a second for them to understand my point, before a look of realisation comes over them.
Gilgamesh speaks this time, a curious look in his eyes, "Are you saying... You might be from a different timeline?" He asks me, his face expressing his relief. I imagine that the idea I come from an alternate time helps to lessen the worry that something might happen to their fellow Eternal. I mean, it does, but I can't really tell them that without profoundly impacting the future. I don't mind changes I have no control over, but I'd prefer the timeline stay close to what I'm familiar with, for my benefit.
That's if I'm not truly in a different reality. If so, I might be fucked. Should the earth I'm on not be close to the canon of the main story, a lot of my plans will have to be adjusted.
Saving that line of thought for later, I return to the conversation, "It's certainly possible; my time has evidence of alternate timelines. Unfortunately, I don't know too much of my world's history, especially of China, so I haven't found any obvious points of divergence yet. Well, apart from you lot, sorry." I apologise. Indeed, since landing in twelve eighty-eight, I've been busy gaining strength, so I've not had the time to do much research yet.
Thena shakes her head, "No need to apologise, Sarah. This is beyond both us and you. The only person I can think of who might have any idea... would be Phastos." She seems to fall into thought for a moment, then, "No matter, this isn't important for now." She turns to Gilgamesh, "Have you noticed?" She asks him.
He nods at her, a serious look in his eyes, "Yeah." He looks in the direction of the village, his arms alighting with cosmic energy, golden patterns wrapping around them. Thena looks at me and the silent Wu Cai, as she creates a spear and shield using her own energy "Move into the forest, keeping your weapons ready. We'll try to stop them here, but should one get around us, try to defend until we get there." She orders us, a worried but kind expression on her face.
It takes me a moment to understand what she's talking about, before I remember.
There are three Deviants in the village, feasting on the corpses of those they've slain.
I've been too busy trying to secure my future, that I forgot. There could be survivors hiding in their homes, cowering, trying not to make any noise for fear of being killed, while I'm distracting their saviours. A little shame fills my heart as I realise this.
Nodding to Thena, I draw Jian and start to move back, Wu Cai doing the same. We pick up our pace as we get some distance, hearing sounds of battle and feeling the vibrations of impact under our feet. Wu Cai is silent as we move, his eyes on lookout. Although I know we don't stand much of a chance if a Deviant attacks us, I feel safer knowing he's by my side.
The noise of their fight quiets as we separate from them, but it still sounds as intense as when it began. A potential fight with a Deviant worries me, and makes think back on an idea I've had while on the road. According to the description of Chi in my character sheet, it can be infused into objects. When I saw that, it got me thinking; could I infuse it into Jian, making it stronger and sharper?
With enough practice, I might even be able to extend its cutting range by projecting additional length with Chi, but that's for the future. For now, I'll stick to what I can do. As we move, I focus on Jian and connect to it, no longer needing to close my eyes to concentrate, thanks to my practice with meditation. With its hilt in hand, I move some of my Chi down my fingers, touching it to Jian.
While connected, I can feel every part of Jian as if it's a part of me, letting my feel as my Chi starts to infuse in it. The process is slow, taking time to flow to every particle of the sword, as I split my focus with keeping an eye on my surroundings, but it eventually fills the sword. Looking to Jian, I see that it now has a slight green tinge along its blade, the colour of my Chi. To test the effect, I raise it up and swing it at a low branch we pass under.
It passes through it like butter, with no resistance.
Wu Cai sees my action and lets out a small exclamation. He looks at his own sword, then to me, causing me to nod. Hoping we've made enough distance, I bring us to a stop and hide behind a large tree. Wu Cai follows and watches as I raise my sword arm to him and demonstrate the method. He places his hand on my arm to perceive the flow of my Chi, while attempting it on his own sword.
Due to his vast experience with Chi, it only takes him a couple minutes to succeed, causing his sword to shine with his own Chi. Thankfully, he manages it just in time, as we begin to hear the heavy stomps of a large being; the crashing of trees displaying its power. Wide eyed, I turn to Wu Cai, who shares my expression. Peeking out, I see one of the three Deviants, this one heavily injured, rushing in our direction.
The left side of its face is caved in, missing two of its eyes, and one of its horns. It's covered in wounds, and its left front leg has been severed, reducing its stability and speed. Even in its current state, I don't like our chances. Wu Cai taps me on my shoulder, bringing my attention to him. He points at himself, then gestures to the Deviant, before pointing at me and expressing for me to climb our tree it.
I don't like it, but he has the greater experience, so I trust he has some kind of plan. Nodding at him, I swiftly climb it thanks to my improved physique. Once I'm secure, Wu Cai lifts three fingers and begins to count down. As the final finger falls, he shoots out from behind the tree and starts to sprint, as I ready and infuse Jian. As Wu Cai goes forward, the Deviant, closing in on us, notices, and shifts its path to charge him.
As it's about to make contact, Wu Cai rolls to side, dodging it, while the beast crashes into our tree and topples slightly. I keep my balance as the tree shakes from the impact, as Wu Cai takes advantage, running at it and using his Chi infused sword to slice at its back left leg, hoping to use its injuries to destabilise it. The attack connects, cutting deep into the leg and causing dark green blood to spray out.
He moves to the right of the Deviant as it goes to stand, staying in view of its good eyes and keeping its attention himself. It gets to its feet, its footing unstable, and growls at Wu Cai, who smirks. As he raises his sword to guard, and the Deviant starts to roar, as I jump from my position, Jian held high in a backwards grip. Landing on its shoulders, I plunge Jian down into its skull, piercing down through its brain and cutting off its roar.
The Deviant collapses to the floor, lifeless.
As we both pant with adrenaline, I pull Jian from its body and hop down. I look over to Wu Cai, who's staring at the corpse of the Deviant with an unreadable expression, then run to him. I crash into him and wrap my arms around his chest, laughing. He stumbles and drops his sword, but gets his footing and starts to hug me back. His squeezes me tight, feeling me laugh into his neck, before I release him and step back, a wide smile on my face
"I can't believe we did it!" I exclaim excitedly. Wu Cai watches me, a small smile on his face. I take a deep breath and settle my down emotions; now isn't the time to get distracted, the Eternals might be in trouble if one Deviant managed to get away from them. Staring at Wu Cai, concern in my eyes, I say, "...If this one managed to reach us, the two back there might need help." Wu Cai nods at me in agreement, "Should we head back? If they're injured, we might be able to help."
Wu Cai thinks for a second, then picks up his sword and takes off running, heading in the direction we came.
I swear he does that does that purpose. For such a stoic, older gentleman, he has quite a hidden mischievous side to him. Rolling my eyes, I run after him.
…
As we move, I take the chance to check my notifications from earlier,
[Lying (Skilled) – Your caution is well deserved, knowing the dangers of the reality you're in. You managed to successfully convince a pair of Eternals of an almost complete fabrication, well done.
With this ability, a 30% chance of your lies being believed is added onto your natural deceptive prowess.]
[Ability Learned – Acting (Basic): Why did you choose to be an accountant? You're clearly a budding Oscar winner. Since coming to this new world, you've had to live half a lie, going from one performance to another. You may started doing so for your own safety, but lets hope your mask doesn't start to become you true face.
As an up and coming talent, your ability to act feeds into your ability to lie, slightly increasing your chance at a successful deception. Your body coordination has also improved, helping you to learn movements quicker.]
It takes us a few minute, but we reach the area of the battle. As we approach, evidence of the ferocity of the fight is displayed all over. The site of the conflict is covered by upturned dirt and topples trees, with the flesh and blood of the Deviants splayed around. We come to a stop next to the body of one dead Deviant, its head separated from its body by a few meters, and start to look for the two.
A boom in the distance catches our attention. We run towards it and get there in time to see Gilgamesh, covered in green blood, hold down a Deviant and pulverise its head. He pants slightly and starts to look up, just as the winged Deviant from before crashes into the ground between us, Thena riding atop it, a golden spear piercing through its head.
My hearts skips a beat as she pulls her weapon from the Deviant and flips off it.
Really, Sarah?
As she lands, she see us, surprise appearing on her face. She calls over to Gilgamesh, who turns to her and spots us. He starts to move as Thena approaches us, "What are you doing here?" She questions us sharply, "You shouldn't be here, one of the Deviants ran off. It could still be around." She surveys the surroundings, searching for any trace of it.
Gilgamesh joins us, so I look him over for injuries, seeing none, then explain, "We were worried about you." I start, "The Deviant caught up to us as we were moving, but we managed to kill it thanks to its injuries." An impressed expression appears on Thena's face, "Seeing as it managed to get past you, I was concerned that you might have been seriously wounded." Inspecting her, I see nothing.
They took on Three Deviants, with an added ambush by a flying opponent, and she has nary a hair out of place? As expected of the Goddess of War.
"Still, you shouldn't have come back, especially if something had happened to us." She admonishes us, Gilgamesh nodding beside her, "We are here to protect you, not the other way around." She finishes, giving me a stern look.
I bow to them, Wu Cai joining me, "Of course, Lady Thena. The next time a Deviant attacks you, I'll stand off the side and watch, okay?" She rolls her eyes at me, hearing the insincerity in my words. Standing straight, I turn to the destroyed village. Seeing the piles of corpses, sadness fills me. Thena follows my gaze, then looks up at me, sympathy in her eyes.
"Do you wish to bury them?" She asks, "With the Deviants dealt with, we have nowhere to be." I stare the scene before me, and try to think logically. We have the time, so we could, but it would take days. I want to reach the sorcerers soon, and doing this will just extend our journey. I close my eyes and take a deep breath, apologising to the fallen people, then open them and say, "...No." I don't explain my reasoning, but Thena just nods. Perhaps she has her own ideas.
I continue, "The most we can do is look for survivors." If there are any, I think to myself privately. Should any be found, then I'll heal them of any injuries, and ask if the Eternals can take them to the closest people. Wu Cai has a sad look on his face, but seems to be in agreement with me.
With that settled, we move into the village, avoiding the scattered dead.
---AN---
Our girl Sarah... does she like a strong woman? Who knows. Although she might've had her sexual awakening when she saw an episode of The Good Wife and laid eyes on Julianna Margulies, but you didn't hear it from me.
Here you go, chapter for you fuckers. I wrote this in like five hours, so leave me alone for a bit, yeah? I need to get back to cleansing the galaxy of Xeno scum, or something. I'm not addicted, why would you say that? What a horrible thing to say.
As always, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Be sure to point out any grammatical mistakes, and leave any criticisms you have.
Until the next chapter.
xoxoLast edited: Thursday at 2:17 AM Like ReplyReport Reactions:Meep!, thepsyborg, sayeftalim and 48 othersSlaughterFeb 8, 2026NewAdd bookmarkView discussionThreadmarks Chapter 15: Insane in the Brain New View contentSlaughterSeeking EternityFeb 12, 2026NewAdd bookmark#91As we tread atop the bloodsoaked dirt of the silent village, the day fading, I try and avoid looking too closely at the mangled remains. Before today, I'd never seen a corpse in real life, only on the screen; and certainly none in this state. To be honest, I'm slightly freaked out over how well I'm dealing with everything. I suspect I have my mastery of the Jing Stage of my cultivation to thank for my stability; if it wasn't for the emotional regulation it taught me, I'd probably be overwhelmed by recent events.
In the span of a single day, I've seen a village be destroyed and its inhabitants slaughtered, encountered Deviants and Eternals, and killed something. That something may have been a cosmically engineered creature of death, but it was still living.
And I stabbed through its skull with a fucking sword.
I try and ignore the pleasant shiver that thought sends down my spine; now isn't the time to psychoanalyse myself.
As our group walks through the centre of the village, the two Eternals take up the front and rear, Gilgamesh leading, and Thena behind, in case there are any more Deviants hiding. Wu Cai and I walk between them, side by side, both our swords drawn. He has an expression on his sorrow on his face as he gazes around at the death and destruction. I've left him to his thoughts for now, knowing he'll talk to me when he wants too.
I myself have been busy wondering how to deal with any possible survivors. The varying ages and genders of the villagers opens up all kinds of potential reactions. Should they be children, Thena and me would probably be the best choice to initiate contact, while Wu Cai and Gilgamesh can deal with the adults, their ethnicity providing familiarity.
As we pass by a relatively intact house, its wooden structure untouched by the fire, Thena calls out from behind us, breaking me out of my thoughts. Seeing that she hasn't created herself any weaponry, I doubt there's any danger, but I keep Jian out just in case. She walks to the homes entrance and slides it open, then turns towards us, "I heard movement inside. Stay on guard while I check it out." Wu Cai and I nod at her, while Gilgamesh tells her to be careful.
She steps into the building and out of our sight. After a few seconds, a childish scream of anger sounds out from inside, before it becomes muffled. As we stand, vigilant, Thena steps out holding a struggling, dirty girl, no older then ten, under her arm, one hand over her mouth. The unknown girl has a small blade in one hand, that she uses to stab at Thena, who blocks the attacks with ease, while trying not to hurt the child. Holding her stabbing hand, she gently lowers the girl to the ground, releases her, then steps back.
The child scrambles to her feet, her eyes flicking between us all, and hold out her knife defensively. Seeing her frantic state, I sheathe Jian and move over to Thena, to get the girls attention and keep her eyes off the carnage around us. Her eyes track me as I move, before I start to speak, keeping my voice soft and calm, "Don't worry, we mean you no harm." I tell her, but the girl says nothing and keeps her blade up.
I start to move towards her with my hands up, causing the girl to move back. Stopping, I crouch down into a half-kneel, getting to eye level with her, "Keep your eyes on me, okay? Don't look around." From what I've been able to gather, the villagers started to run to the edge of the village once the attack started, hoping to escape. So, deep in the village as we are, there are few bodies, but they still exist. Now out in the open, the girl has the chance to see something that could traumatise her further.
A look of confusion appears on the child's face, before she stills, understanding the meaning of my words. She stares at me, her eyes wide, as I nod at her. I watch in worry as she begins to look out of the corner of her vision, causing me to rush to her, reaching her and placing my hand over her eyes before she can react. The girl flinches at the contact, but doesn't retaliate as I pull her into me. The girls stiffens up, then slowly relaxes and lowers her weapon.
She leans into me, and starts to quietly cry.
…
It takes ten minutes for the girl to calm down, before she falls asleep on me, the events of the day catching up to her. After Wu Cai enters her home and makes sure there isn't anything she shouldn't see, I pick her up and carry her inside, placing her on what I believe to be her bed. Getting her comfortable, I place a hand on her head and start to channel my Chi into her, looking for any injuries. As my Chi circulates her system, her own, uncultivated Chi, responds in a weird way.
I call over to Wu Cai, who has been watching the girl with concern. When he gets to my side, I ask him, "You know what a persons Chi feels like, right? Can you check the girl, please?" Apart from my own odd Chi, the only other persons Chi I have properly sensed is Wu Cai's, so I need his expert opinion. Even though he doesn't understand my worry, he does as I ask, placing his hand on her arm and sensing her Chi. A couple seconds later, he pulls his hand back and looks at me in confusion.
"...This child's Chi is like none I have ever felt before. It's similar to the average human, but there's something different about it; there's an unknown quality to it that I've never encountered." He stares at the girl strangely, then turns to me and asks, "Does your ability to understand objects work on people?" Wu Cai doesn't know the full extent of Spirit Reading, so he doesn't know I can, but he knows enough to question me.
I lower my head, making it seem like I'm thinking, before I look at him, uncertainty on my face, "...I'm not sure. With objects, it just happens, but with people, it's never triggered." I tell him, then continue, "It's worth a shot though. I certainly don't want to start healing the girl, only for her body to react badly to it for any reason." Wu Cai nods at me. After seeing that he recognises my concerns, I place a hand back on her head, and begin to read her.
As this is my first time reading a person, I close my eyes to concentrate, making sure I don't make a mistake somehow. Focusing on where we are connected, I feel for her spirit. It takes a minute, but my divination, aided by my cultivation, finally gets her spirit to open itself to me,
[Spirit Read –
Name – Jing Huo
Species – Mutant (Homo superior)
History – An unawakened mutant born to a hunter father and a caring mother, Jing Huo lived the first ten years of her life in peace, listening to and obeying her parents. The trajectory of her life underwent a drastic shift recently, as a group of Deviants attacked her village, slaughtering the inhabitants. Eating their way through the villagers, the creatures eventually reached her family home.
To give their daughter the greatest chance at survival, her parents hid her and lead the Deviants away, dying in the process. Jing Huo remained hidden even as day turned to night, and the presence of the Deviants faded. As she was losing her fight against sleep, the Eternal, Thena, discovered her. Now, she rests under the guard of those who saved her, full of fear and worry.]
The result of my divination are a surprise, to say the least. The fact that this Jing Huo is a mutant has profound implications.
Mutants didn't start appearing in the main chronology of the movies, the Sacred Timeline, until after Loki became the God of Stories and freed the timeline, rejoining it with the wider multiverse. While I'm happy to know that the TVA won't be coming after me, sending me to the Void at the end of time, due to their focus on eliminating Variants of He Who Remains; I now have no idea what to expect from this reality.
The timeline I've been sent to could have absolutely no relation to Earth-616. I knew, subconsciously, that this was always a possibility, and I've seen signs that hint at it, but I've been trying to ignore it so far. That worry is going to be circling in the back of my mind until I hopefully become a sorcerer, and gain the ability to open portals. Then, I can travel around, looking for answers.
Turning to Wu Cai, I see him waiting patiently, "It worked." I smile at him, hoping my acting ability keeps my worries hidden from him, "I found out why her Chi was different." I pause, building anticipation. Wu Cai stares at with sharp eyes, prodding me for the answer, "She's a mutant." As he looks at me blankly, not knowing what I mean, a voice sounds from the entrance,
"Are you sure?" Looking over my shoulder, I find Thena standing in the doorway, a peculiar look on her face. After I nod at her, confirming my findings, she seems to get lost in thought. Suddenly, she brings a hand to her forehead and frowns, golden lines starting to flash on her face. For a moment, I don't understand what I'm seeing, before horror grips me.
Whipping my head to Wu Cai, I shout at him, urgency in my voice, "Go and get Gilgamesh, now!" As Wu Cai startles, I hear movement from the bed behind me, but ignore it. Seeing the serious on my face, Wu Cai gets up and sprints past Thena, who's started muttering to herself. The danger that an uncontrollable Thena poses to me and Jing Huo is extreme, but I need to move her away from the child. I shoot to my feet and sprint to Thena, grabbing her round her midsection and hoisting her onto my shoulder.
With her in my hold, I charge out of the house, moving faster than I thought myself possible of, trying to put as much distance as I can between us and the girl. I get around one hundred meters away in about five seconds, then throw Thena off my shoulder and onto the ground. I mount her with urgency, my knees on either side of her, and cup my hands on her cheeks. 'I hope this works.' I think to myself, as I begin to try and connect to her for a Spirit Read.
Part of my mind flows from me and into Thena through my hands, where it gets lost in her golden, cosmic energy. Concentrating, I struggle to gather it, then try again. This time, I feel the connection form, but her energy seems to retaliate, attacking my body and mind. It lashes out at my hands, severely burning my palms, while my spirit is assaulted by sharp, white flashes of pain. Grunting, I lean on my pain resistance to push through and carry on.
I draw my Chi out through my hands, leading it along the connection and into her spirit, then begin Healing. The golden lines of her face flash the green of my Chi, as Thena's eyelids snap open, revealing her completely white eyes. She starts to scream wordlessly at me and begins thrash, almost throwing me off, but I use hook my legs around her, and use what leverage I have to stay atop her. Golden light starts to flash from her hands, making my eyes go wide, as she form two daggers.
Sharp, burning pains appear in my sides, drawing out my breath with a gasp. Gritting my teeth, I push as much of my Chi into her as I can, causing green lines to flow down from where I'm touching her, occupying the circular symbols that run under her skin. I watch with bloodshot eyes as my Chi moves into her arms and into her hands, somehow causing her weapons to disappear.
I pant with sharp breaths while Thena reaches up and grips my head, as I hear the rush of feet behind me. Gilgamesh appears in my vision just as she starts to squeeze, gripping her arms and holding them down with his superior strength.
She starts to starts buck as my Chi works down her to her feet, where it flares brightly. My Chi slips out of my control and suddenly reverses, quickly receding and gathering in her head. The green, glowing lines of energy on her face flash briefly, resulting in Thena freezing, then going limp. The Chi starts to slowly flow back into me and circulate out of my control, then centres on my Middle Dantian, before releasing, moving back to its normal state.
I fall sideways off Thena as Gilgamesh checks on her, landing on my back, my blood pooling beneath me. I try to gather my Chi to heal myself, but it keeps slipping out of my control. As I feel panic start to set in, Wu Cai rushes to me, his hands glowing with his own, orange Chi, and begins healing me. While he focuses on that, I look to Gilgamesh, and begin to speak, my voice raspy, "How is she?" I question him. He turns away from Thena and looks at me in concern, but nods.
"What happened? Wu Cai told me you sent him to get me, then we saw you trying to heal Thena." He asks. I ignore the feeling of my flesh knitting back together as I look at him, my face full of seriousness, and answer, my voice grace, "Mahd Wy'ry." Gilgamesh stills, then his eyes go wide and his head snaps to look at Thena, his greatest friend. His face his displays a deep sadness as he reaches down to stroke her hair. He keeps his eyes on Thena as he asks, "You're certain?" His tone holds no accusation as he makes sure.
"I recognised the symptoms... I'm sorry." I sincerely apologise to him.
Mahd Wy'ry is a dementia like degeneration that afflicts Eternals when the memory reset that Arishem uses on them loses its effect, leading them to recall their missing memories when they're triggered by something. The memories cause the Eternal to confuse where they are in time, and can make them enter a dissociative state where they cannot differentiate between their current life and those they forgot. While in this state, the Eternal will lash out and attack anything in their vicinity.
The only way to alleviate it is to completely erase their memories, robbing them of their identity and history. It's essentially a death sentence.
Wu Cai taps me on my shoulder to get my attention, then waves his hands at me, "...Done." I look down at my stomach, and poke my healed fingers through the holes in my top, feeling nothing but smooth skin. I start to sit up, causing Wu Cai to reach out and support me, where I lean on his crouched form. I look over at Gilgamesh, who's still staring at Thena, "I did what I could." I promise, "I'm not sure how much I helped her, so we'll have to wait until she wakes up."
He doesn't respond, but I know he understands my meaning. Standing with help from Wu Cai, I leave the two Eternals and go and check on Jing Huo. Entering her home, I find her sitting on her bed, knife held in a shaking hand. Once she sees me, she lowers the knife and climbs down, then runs to me, wrapping her arms around my newly healed stomach. Patting her head, I turn to Wu Cai, "I need to sleep, can you watch those two out there?" He nods, and looks at Jing Huo, who's peeking at him.
He smiles at her, but she doesn't respond, causing him to sigh then step outside. Looking down at the now orphaned girl, I speak to her, keeping my voice soft, "I'm sorry for the shouting earlier, I hope I didn't scare you." She shakes her head into me, "Are you still sleepy?" This time, she nods. Leading her over to her bed, I lay her down and pull the covers over her, then sit down on the floor next to her, leaning against the wall.
Curling up, a small chuckle slips from my lips, my position reminding me of my time in the cave. I tell Jing Huo to get some sleep, then start to close my eyes, thinking to myself,
This day has gone on too long.
---AN---
Sorry this chapter is late, in both day and hour. For some FUCKING reason, the council decided it would be a good idea to start doing work on the road outside my house.
At 3AM in the morning.
This has gone on for three days now. I think I've gone insnacne. My dreams have been all-consumed by the sound of a piledriver impacting concrete, and I have not been able to concentrate, so this chapter might be messy. Apologies.
As always, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Be sure to point out any grammatical mistakes, and leave any criticisms you have.
Until the next chapter.
xoxoLast edited: Thursday at 3:03 AM Like ReplyReport Reactions:Meep!, Joempire, sayeftalim and 57 othersSlaughterFeb 12, 2026NewAdd bookmarkView discussionThreadmarks Chapter 16: Picking Up a Stray New View contentSlaughterSeeking EternityFeb 14, 2026NewAdd bookmark#92I'm woken from my sleep by a weight on my lap and the feeling of someone watching me. Opening my eyes, I find Jing Huo curled up on me, staring at my face. I give her a tired smile, but she looks at me blankly, my loose, blonde hair wrapped around her fingers. After I let out a little yawn, I move my arms under her, then abruptly stand up, putting her in a princess carry. Jing Huo lets a small sound of surprise and wraps her arms around my neck, causing me to laugh, then I lower her feet until she can stand.
Moving over to the entrance, I peek out. I don't know who did it, but someone has cleared away the nearby bodies, leaving the area safe for Jing Huo to enter. I look back at her and lift a finger, signalling for her to stay. I wait until after she nods, listening to me, then step outside, sliding the door close behind me. Thena and Gilgamesh aren't where we left them, so I don't know if they've gone or are just resting, but I see the figure of a sitting Wu Cai through the window of the building opposite.
I whistle to him, getting his attention and causing his head to snap towards me. Seeing me, he relaxes and stands. A second later, the door slides open and he makes his way over. As he walks, I gesture at the surroundings and raise an eyebrow in question. Wu Cai nods as he reaches me, leading me to ask, keeping my voice low, "How much sleep did you get?" I examine him, noting the tiredness in his eyes.
"...Enough." He tells me. I know him well enough by now to believe him, despite his fatigued appearance. "After I started to clear the dead, those two made their way off into the forest. I haven't seen them return, so I think they've departed." He then looks behind me and asks, "The girl?" I move closer to him, so Jing Huo doesn't hear me.
"Jing Huo." I inform him of her name, causing him to nod, "She trying not to show it, but she's terrified. She not asked after her parents yet, so I believe she understands what happened to them, but she's been clinging to me a lot." Wu Cai glances at the house with concern, before I continue, "...I can't take her with me. It's uncertain if the sorcerer's will accept me, let alone a child." Even if could, I wouldn't. The life of a Master of the Mystic Arts is not something a child should be involved in.
Wu Cai has a contemplative look on his face as he lifts his head in thought. Eventually, he faces me and speaks, his expression serious, "...You can leave her with me." I look at him in surprise, but he carries on, "I'm going to stay here for now, these people need to be laid to rest." He lays a hand on his sword, a sad look in his eyes, "Once I've given the final soul their funeral rites, I'll take her to the temple. While she will be given a home there, should you claim her as your own, your master can take her in, if she agrees."
So, similar to adoption? While I've never thought of having children of my own, and have zero desire to become pregnant, using my name to guarantee the future of a lone, scared girl, is something I can agree to. Though, before he decides to take her on, he must first be warned, "I mentioned yesterday that Jing Huo is a mutant, yes?" He nods. "Mutants are an evolution of humanity created by the same beings that made the Eternals." Wu Cai listens attentively, his eyes gleaming with interest.
"They are born with the potential to awaken one, or multiple powers, during their adolescence; from being able to move objects with their mind, to rewriting reality according to their will." Wu Cai needs to understand the danger he could be putting himself and the temple in, so he can make an informed decision, "Due to her age, Jing Huo's power hasn't yet activated, but I wouldn't be surprised if the attack on her village hasn't pushed that moment closer."
"When a mutants power manifests for the first time, it can prove fatal to the people around them, so appropriate measures will have to be put in place when she reaches the temple." I finish, telling the basics of what I know of mutants; he doesn't need their entire history. Wu Cai looks through me, his mind lost in thought, before he nods sharply. Decision made, I turn back to the house, catching Jing Huo peeking through a small gap.
Seeing that I've caught her, she moves to the door and slides it open, then walks to me. I kneel down, getting eye level with her, and place my hands on her arms.
"Jing Huo." I start, causing her to look at me in surprise, wondering how I know her name, "I'm afraid I'll have to leave you for now." I feel her body stiffen in my hold, as she stares at me with wide eyes. "Don't worry, you'll be under the care of uncle Wu Cai. He may look scary, but he's a kind man at heart." She looks at me sadly, then glances at Wu Cai, judging him. I see him give a smile, causing her to look at me and nod shakily.
"It won't be forever, I promise. When Wu Cai is finished what he needs to do here, he'll take you to our temple, where you'll be cared for by my family. You'll even get to meet my mother." Because what else could Master Hong be to me, if not that? Jing Huo relaxes under my hands, then wraps her arms around me. I hold her and rub circles on her back to comfort her, until she releases me and moves over to Wu Cai, looking up at him. She turns back to me as I stand, then opens her mouth, speaking for the first time.
A soft, quite voice sounds from her, "...Bye."
A small chuckle escapes me as I look between the two, before settling on Wu Cai and staring at him with thanks. Cupping my hands in front of me with strength, I give him a deep bow, filled with gratitude. Straightening, I see Wu Cai returning the bow, a smile on his face. Taking a final glance at the girl, I rub her black hair, then turn and start to walk away, trying my best to ignore the upset sounds coming from my new daughter.
As I make my way out of the village and into the forest, following the guidance of the Disc, a large shadow passes over me, causing me to look up. Moving away from me is a triangular, black, stone-like star-ship, covered in the golden, circular patterns of the Eternals. As I watch, it starts to slowly disappear, cloaking itself from view.
...They could've at least said goodbye.
…
After another six days of silent travel, completely on my own for the first time since I was saved by Shi Min, I reach the region that would eventually become Hong Kong. The area itself is fairly untouched by humanity, with only a small gathering of buildings further in indicating the presence of humans. Given the color of my skin, and the isolated nature of the people here, I decided the best course of action was to avoid them and follow the coast.
A few hours later, I stand upon the sand, the sun high in the sky. Activating the Disc, for perhaps the final time, I look out to where it points. Beyond the shore of the land, out in the ocean waves, sits a large island, a bit over a kilometer away from me. Going by my limited knowledge of where I am, I believe it to be the future Hong Kong Island. As I survey it, I figure my options to reach the island are to either swim, or steal a boat from the people here, depriving them of a source of food.
Making sure my bag is secure, I walk to the water and take off my scabbard, intending to use Stickfall for the first time in months. Requesting an answer from the world, I ask, "Point me in the direction the closest Sanctum." Letting go, Jian topples and thankfully points in the direction of the island. Although the Disc is supposed to lead to a Sanctum, it went a long time out the hands of the sorcerers before it came into my possession, meaning any point, it could've been messed with.
My ability with divination has never led me wrong, and came to me thanks to Dao Child, so it can be trusted more than some magical item, in this case at least. With the path forward secure, I move into ocean, feeling its low waves lap at my legs as I walk deeper. Laying myself out, I start to swim, my pace steady, breaking through the water with ease. The distance I have to travel is just over half of that between Alcatraz and San Francisco, and those who survived that trip did so without the benefit of a supernaturally enhanced physique.
It takes me a little under five minutes to cross the length and touch the sand on the other side, far surpassing any record from my world. Stepping out of the water, my clothes waterlogged, I cycle my Chi and use a trick taught to me by Wu Cai. Focusing, my Chi starts to generate heat, warming my body and quickening the drying of my clothes. Satisfied that I won't be catching a cold, if I even can, now, I draw Jian and move on into the forest.
As I'm about to pass the tree line, a robed, hooded person steps from out from behind a trunk, holding up a hand.
Stopping myself from raising Jian in caution, I lower and sheath it, showing I have no ill intent. They watch me silently, then raise their hand further to grip and lower their hood, revealing their face. The person before me is male, a little bit shorter than me, with shoulder length dark hair and features that I would call Italian. We stand and stare at each other, saying nothing, before I slowly reach into my bag and pull out the Disc, then hold it out to him. He stares at it, no expression on his face, then nods, and turns to walk away.
Seeing as he hasn't portaled me away yet, I wait for him to get some ground, then follow after him. For over fifteen minutes, he leads me deep into the forest, the sunlight partially blocked by the thick foliage above us. By this point, the cold of the shadowed forest has no effect on me, what with my clothes now dry, and my Chi keeping me warm.
The darkness he takes me through has me on edge, and though I'd like to think he has no ill intent, it's better to be safe then sorry.
As I walk, I quietly unhook Jian from my belt and hold it loosely, it's tip pointing down. I perform a silent divination for a safe place, then watch as Jian falls in the direction we're walking. I catch it before it hits the ground, as not to alert my guide, then hook it back. Assured, I watch the back of the man before me, his hands placed behind himself as he steps over exposed roots, his gait steady. I can tell by simple observation that he has trod this path numerous times, the way forward taken with nary a thought.
The dark is broken by a gap in the canopy, showing me a clearing in the forest, with large, ancient trees circling it. The man, whose name is still unknown, stops in the center and turns to me, then calls me to him with a gesture. Wary, but excited, I move to him and stand to his side, as he raises both his hands and waves them in a meaningful pattern. The forest around us ripples, like a drop falling into water, before shattering, revealing a large wooden room, similar in style to the Grand Temple.
As I look around in wonder at my first look at real magic, a figure in the back, or maybe front, of the room stands out in the corner of my vision. Turning to the person, an asian women in dark grey robes, her age seeming near that of my master, with her hair pulled back into a long braid, I still. Anticipation wells up inside me as the woman shifts her gaze from me to the man beside me, then speaks, her voice mature, "Thank you, Master Dandolo."
The man, Dandolo, bows to her and glances at me, then turns and walks out, leaving us alone.
The woman's attention now settled on me, I remain calm as she stares, a small smile gracing her lips. As I go to speak, to explain my presence, she holds up a hand, palm facing me, before moving over to a low table by the side of the room. Upon the table is a steaming, metal teakettle, with two handleless cups placed besides it. The woman picks up the kettle and pours, one for herself, and one for me, then walks over to me, the smile still on her face, and hands me one.
She takes a sip, so I mimic her, bringing the cup to my lips. The liquid that hits my tongue is similar to the tea of my temple, but different enough in taste to be notable. Still, it has nothing on the tea of my homeland. The woman, who I suspect to be the master of this Sanctum, abruptly sits, landing on a chair that was not there a second ago. She nods her head at me, indicating for me to do the same. Once seated, the woman final opens her mouth, "Tell me, how did a Disc of Guidance end up in the hands of a foreigner to these lands?" She asks, her voice carrying no accusation.
I go to speak again, but she cuts me off, "You're features suggest that you are of English descent, and yet the Disc brought you to this Sanctum as opposed to the London Sanctum. Curious, no?" She has a glint in her eye as she examines me, "The English have yet to establish contact with the Yuan Kingdom, but you've somehow managed to cross the entirety of Europe, and end up here, at the edge of China; in the Bao'an Sanctum." Her expression blanks, "So, are you some kind of fool, or have you become the subject of a quest, forced to toil?"
She stops.
"No..." She breathes out, the black of her pupils deepening, "You're something else." The cup in her hand disappears as she suddenly stands, one hand falling to her side as she stares down at me, a look of confusion on her face. Her hand rises up, a band of metal now adorning its fingers, before she holds it out to her side, then rotates her other hand beside it. A ring of swirling, sparkling orange energy manifests from her movements, through which appears a courtyard, a leafless tree planted off to the side.
The woman turns to me and grabs my cup, which she vanishes, before grabbing me by the arm and lifting. She pulls softly and guides me through the portal, our destination unknown to me. As I step through, reluctantly following the woman, the main thought at the front of my mind is…
Can you just let me speak, please?
---AN---
Back on schedule, baby.
Hope you readers are enjoying my story so far. I know it's a bit slow, and seems to be only just starting, but I'm writing at a pace that's feels right to me. You don't have to worry about me suddenly abandoning this story just before it starts to ramp up, or anything like that. I'm in this for the long haul.
I've mapped out how the next few chapters are going to go, though they are subject to change. In fact, this chapter and the last went in a different direction then I initially planned, but I think they came out for the better, so... *shrug*
I'm trying not to limit the story to just the MCU, as while they're alright stories, the power level it actually quite low. I've been spending most of my time recently trawling the pages of the Marvel Wiki, looking into magic and potential aspects that I want to include. I even went back and started watching older marvel movies, such as Blade, and the X-Men series.
Anyway...
As always, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Be sure to point out any grammatical mistakes, and leave any criticisms you have.
Until the next chapter.
xoxoLast edited: Feb 14, 2026 Like ReplyReport Reactions:Meep!, thepsyborg, Joempire and 50 othersSlaughterFeb 14, 2026NewAdd bookmarkView discussionThreadmarks Chapter 17: Shot Across The Bow New View contentSlaughterSeeking EternityFriday at 2:32 AMNewAdd bookmark#102The master sorceress releases my arm, but continues to walk, leading me through the courtyard. She looks back at me to make sure I'm following, then passes under the eave of the one side of the yard, entering a doorless room. I have slight butterflies in my stomach as I move after her, the prospect of her taking me to meet the Ancient One leaving me anxious. Picking up my pace, I enter, revealing a wide, decorated corridor, the floor made of smooth stone blocks, with closed doors lining the wooden walls.
I see the tail of the sorceress' robe as she turns left ahead, moving out of my sight. The scraping of wood on stone from behind me causes me look back, finding any chance of retreat blocked, the formerly empty frame suddenly home to a panelled door. Sighing in slight annoyance, I move on. Going by the reaction of the master of the Bao'an Sanctum, I understand something about me unnerved her, so their cautious hasn't exactly sprouted from nowhere.
Following her trail, moving round and walking on, the appearance of the corridor changes as I move deeper in. The wood walls and stone floor starting to become lined by polished, black stone, until it overtakes the entire surface, ending at a set of open, double doors that reach the ceiling. Each door is engraved with half of the Seal of Agamotto, which when closed, meet in the middle to form the full symbol; two pairs of crossed lines.
Through the opening I see a round chamber, made of the same black rock as the corridor. A stone pedestal stands in the centre of the room, on top of which sits a metal object, shaped like an eye. Surrounding it are three large double doors, each looking as if they've been carved into the very walls they sit in, with that same seal upon them. Above the pedestal, at the top of the chamber, floats a large sphere created from an unknown material, that mimics the earth, the planet's continents and seas clearly engraved.
The sorceress I was following stands around the pedestal, talking to another asian women. This one has sharp, brown eyes, and a head of black hair styled in a princess-cut, with its length tied up in a braided bun. She's clothed in a red robe adorned with imagery of chrysanthemum's, under which she wears a longer, black robe, lined by the patterns of leaves.
As I enter, the two women turn to me, the new one staring at me with an examining look in her eyes. She glances at the master who brought me here and whispers something I don't catch, causing her to bow and walk towards me. The woman stop besides me and tilts her head up to me, then speaks, "You stand in the presence of Yi Hye-Ri, Sorceress Supreme and leader of the Master of the Mystic Arts." She finishes, a scrutinising look in her eyes, then passes by me, leaving us alone.
I look at the woman before me, my mind racing. It's clear to me now that I'm in a time before the Ancient One started to lead the sorcerers; she might not have even been born yet. While I had no plans involving her, nor was my time here dependent on her presence, I was looking forward to meeting her. The new woman, Yi Hye-Ri, breaks me out of my thoughts by starting to speak, "You'll have to forgive Master Moon. She takes her role as Sanctum Master seriously, and the world is all that much safer because of it." She smiles at me.
"Come, let me see that which spooked Master Moon." Without any visible action from the sorceress, I suddenly find myself standing before her, teleported across the room. She allows me to recover from my second of disorientation, then gestures, creating an orange magic formation under my feet. As I look down at the spell, I try and use my enhanced memory to capture the parts of its make up that I can see, when it starts to spin, making that impossible.
The spell slowly rises from under me, moving up my body and passing over my head, then stops above me. The middle of the spell starts to be absorbed by its edge, becoming a flowing ring of bright orange energy, then floats over to Yi Hye-Ri's extended hand. She examines the magic ring for a moment, then throws it to the side, where it stops upright in the air and expands into a rectangular shape, large enough to fit a person. Thin lines of energy reach inwards from the edge and start to join together, beginning to form the outline of a person.
Gradually, a mirror image of me is created by the lines, its posture straight, but its eyes lifeless. After the spell is consumed, leaving behind my clone, Yi Hye-Ri approaches it and waves her hand, causing chunks of text, in a language I don't recognise, to shoot out of the image. She summons one block of text her and starts to read, an expression of interest appearing on her face as she does. Eventually, she moves the text to the side, and turns to me.
She lifts a finger and creates a small ball of orange light, then abruptly flicks it at me. It impacts me before my enhanced reflexes have a chance to react, and causes my Chi to start emitting from my body, beyond my control. Yi Hye-Ri extends a hand and scoops up some of my Chi, then cups it with her other hand, closing it within her grasp. She brings it to her face and whispers something, causing an intense green light, the colour of my Chi, to radiate out from between her hands.
Her eyes flick up to me from underneath her bangs, a look of excitement in them, an anticipatory smile gracing her lips, then extends her hands out to me, carefully opening them. My breath is stolen from me as I look, my eyes wide. Fidgeting in her cupped hands is a metal mouse, its fur detailed; its nose and tail twitching as its stares up and looks between us. Yi Hye-Ri lift the mouse to her, then exhales out a small breath of orange energy that envelopes the mouse, causing its eyelids to drop and sending it to sleep.
She reaches over and grabs one of my hands, then places the creature in it before turning back to the image. All my attention is stolen by the mouse in my hand, the very fact that it exists making my heart beat quickly. Did this Sorceress Supreme just use my Chi and her own magic to create life? Instinctively, I use Spirit Read on the metal being, the connection forming instantly as Yi Hye-Ri's head whips back to me,
[Spirit Read –
Name – N/A
Species – Magic Lifeform (Vibranium Mouse)
History – Yi Hye-Ri, Sorceress Supreme, cast a complex diagnosis spell on Sarah Worthington to examine her, discovering the power hidden in her Chi, unknown to even herself. With this power, and her mastery of magic, she created this unique being, a new form of life made entirely of Vibranium, a nigh-indestructible metal of extraterrestrial origin.
The unnamed mouse has been put to sleep by the sorceress, its newborn consciousness midway through its first dream.
Note: Take care of this creature, Sarah; it's creation was abrupt. It's bound to be scared, and will need someone to guide it.]
Any thoughts I start to form about the information revealed to me are interrupted by a notification,
[Innate Power Discovered – Pure Creation: Thanks the actions of a master sorceress, an Innate Power of yours has been brought to your attention.
As you stepped through the Heart of the Seedbed and into your new reality, your old body was perfectly replicated, cell by cell; a pure creation of the Seedbed. This change overwrote your original Chi, infusing it with the Creative Energy of the Seedbed. When you awakened your Chi, the advantages of this started to appear, and was used by a deity to jumpstart your Chi Healing.
Initially, the rate at which your body naturally heals itself is increased, and any healing abilities you develop are bolstered, vastly improving you healing prowess. Additionally, should you infuse your Chi into an object for a length of time, there is chance that it will develop a spirit. The quality of said spirit is dependent on the wishes of the object; should they be content with their purpose, they can choose not to develop a true consciousness.
With time and mastery of this power, you will be step into the Dao of Creation, and be capable of performing great feats of creation. From making simple objects, to bringing new dimensions into existence, and even creating complex lifeforms; the only limit is your imagination.]
So, I guess that answers the question I had of if I'm in new body or not, it also aligns with what the description of Dao Child told me.
Bringing up the fingers of my other hand, I gently stroke the mouse, its metal fur parting around my fingers, the same way real fur would. I grab at my bag and open it up, reaching in and picking out a small piece of cloth given to me by Shi Min, then place the mouse on it and wrap it around them. With it all nice and snug, I fix my sight back on the sorceress, finding her looking at me with a contemplative expression on her face. Once she sees my attention is back on her, she speaks,
"What did you just do?" She questions, her tone curious, "You just did something to the creature, I felt it. There was a pull on the world, similar to the magic of the Weavers." She lifts a hand and a creates circle of runes, then pushes them out, sending them to border the room, where they enlarge. Seeing my cautious expression, she gestures at the runes and explains, "A simple spell for your own protection, meant to prevent certain beings from scrying us. Going by what my detection spell found out about you, you're going to need it."
While my time here so far hasn't gone how I thought it would, I'm pretty assured in my safety. The Masters of the Mystic Arts are the protectors of Earth Dimension, and shouldn't do anything to me after I tell them my tale. Taking a deep breath, while hoping this is the last time I have to explain this to someone, I open my mouth, "I'm from the future." I start, watching her for her reaction, but she remains remarkable composed. I guess something like this isn't that odd for a sorcerer.
"I met two Eternals on the way here that led me think that I'm from a different timeline though, but I don't know how much impact my presence here has on this one, so I journeyed here. I was hoping you'd let me join, but if not, the least I could do was bring myself to your attention." I figured they would find me eventually, so I decided it would be better to reveal myself as soon as possible. I stroke the mouse in my hand to calm my nerves, its weirdly soft fur soothing me.
Yi Hye-Ri still doesn't react, but walks over to the pedestal and grabs the item off it, then placed it around her neck. Lifting it towards me, she nods at it and asks, "Do you know what this is?" Revealing that I know what an Infinity Stone is doesn't seem like the best idea, but showing that I have some idea on the inner workings of the Masters of the Mystic Arts should increase my chances of being accepted as a disciple.
I put a thinking expression on my face, utilising my acting, then slowly nod at her. "Yeah, the Sorcerer Supreme of my time is world-famous, so some information about the sorcerers has become known to the public." I lie. I'm taking a slight risk here by telling her I know their most sacred artefact, but I'm hoping it increases her interest in me. "That's the Eye of... Agamotto, right? Stephen Strange, that's the Supreme when I'm from, wears it around his neck at all times, so people got curious."
She frowns at that bit of knowledge but then asks, laughter in her voice, "Stephen Strange, Sorcerer Supreme? What kind of alliteration is that? Was he chosen by the Vishanti at birth, or something?" Her laughter abruptly cuts out as a weird look comes over face, before she gathers herself and carries on, "Anyways, you're correct. This is indeed the Eye of Agamotto, created by, and named after, the father of the Master of the Mystics. Now, do you know what it does? It's power?"
I shake my head no. I don't need to appear too knowledgeable, it could prove suspicious. I have a gut feeling that I'm probably overthinking all this, but for now I'll stick to treading a fine line between useful and harmless. Yi Hye-Ri nods at me, taking my lie at face value, then begins to explain, "The Eye is our most powerful relic, guarded by us sorcerers and used by each Sorcerer Supreme to protect the earth from outside threats."
She crosses her hands in front of the Eye, two fingers raised on each as the others touch her thumbs, then parts them, opening the Eye and revealing the Time Stone. She reaches one hand out to me as green magic circles form around her forearms, and indicates for me to hold it. Normally, one would be nervous about being subjected to magic by a person they just me, or be worried that they will discover your secrets. But, I understand the limits of the Infinity Stones, small as they may be.
In the comics at least, Infinity Stones hold no power outside of their native universe, so I'm pretty confident that the Time Stone won't be able to see beyond my arrival in this reality. Even if, for some reason, it could, the power of Twos should be at least equal to it, while the Seedbed, given how special it is, is most definitely invisible to it. With those thoughts in my mind, I nervously place my hand in hers, feeling a current of energy on my palm as I do.
Yi Hye-Ri gestures with her free hand, causing the globe above us to stop spinning and the air around us to stagnate. A sense of oppression settles around my body as I realise what she's done. She squeezes my hand as our surrounding start to blur, being replaced by a forest clearing I recognize; my landing site. The flow of time is normal here, with the leaves rustling as the breeze blows through them, and the chill of the morning light causing shivers to run up my skin.
The women holding my hand looks around, taking in the site, then rotates her free hand, causing time to speed up. The sun quickly rises in the sky, beaming down at us, as the grass under our feet undulates in the wind. The spell continues to run until a line in the world suddenly appears above us, about three meters in length, its colour the darkest black I've ever seen. We look up at the line, Yi Hye-Ri hoping to find the cause of my 'time travel', while I just want to see my entry from an outsiders perspective.
As we stare, the line opens like a pair of curtains to reveal... nothing? The contents of the hole are a void in my vision, like my brain can't properly comprehend what it's seeing. A grunt of pain from Yi Hye-Ri beside me causes me to whip my head to her, surprise jolting my heart as I find her bleeding from her wide, bloodshot eyes, two lines of blood running down her cheeks. A golden glow shines from under her bangs, the source obscured from my sight.
Her wide eyes flick to me, where she subtly shakes her head at me, her meaning lost on me. She looks back at the hole just in time to see my past, naked self emerge from it at speed and crash into the ground, my hand leaking blood and my back arching in pain. The motion of the body in front starts to slow, as time around us grind to a stop. Yi Hye-Ri looks down at the Eye in shock, the time stop seemingly not her doing. She rotated her free hand, trying to get the playback to resume, to no success.
Suddenly, a disembodied, golden, six-digit hand, two thumbs on either side, floats down from the hole, as Yi Hye-Ri fails to close the Eye. The hand moves towards us as seriousness starts to dawn on her face, causing her to let go of me and take up a stance, two magic circles appearing in front of her hands. She throws one at the golden hand, but it simply pass through, the hand unaffected. It reacts to the attack, abruptly teleporting to her and tapping her on her forehead.
As it does, the glow from under her bangs vanishes, while golden energy flashes in her eyes, their bloodshot appearance retreating. The blood on her cheeks runs back up her face, flowing back into her sockets, as she stands frozen. The hand then move onto me, where I've been calmly watching from the side. The sudden appearance of the hand was a surprise to me, but I guessed something like this might happen. The Heavenly Dao may not be hostile to this universe, but I doubt it likes anything trying to peek at it's secrets.
The golden hand stop before me, then flicks me on my nose, causing me to flinch. As I rub at the impact site, a familiar voice sounds in my mind, "Young miss," The message starts, as the hand wags a finger at me, "you should've tried to stop this sorceress from her actions. The secrets of Heaven are not so easily given. Should she have pushed on, her soul would've collapsed, and you would have been lost in time." The voice of Twos scolds me.
I try to speak, but my voice is stolen by my fear, the potential consequences of this spell sending a shiver of terror down my spine.
Two carries on, the strength of it's voice fading as the hand moves back to the hole, "I cannot stay for long, I'm afraid; the cosmic forces of this reality are already watching. While they're not hostile, I don't want to overstay my welcome." The hand of Twos waves at me as it starts to rise, beginning to disappear into the hole, leaving a last string of words behind. "Take your time here, Sarah. You don't need put yourself in danger unnecessarily. There are those back home who are waiting for your return, their tails wagging."
As the tips of Twos fingers sink into the hole, vanishing from my sight, a white, glossy square is dropped from it, spinning down and hitting me in between the eyes. I glance at Yi Hye-Ri, finding her still frozen, before bending down and picking it up. As I touch it, I recognise it to be a polaroid photo. With anticipation, I turn it over, emotion starting rise behind my eyes as I take it in.
Displayed on the photo is the animated figure of my dog, its fur sticking up wildly as it rolls in the grass of the Seedbed, its tongue hanging. Beneath the photo are the golden runes of my character panel, the language of the Heavenly Dao. I wipe at my eyes to clear them, then squint at the runes, their shape shifting into the familiar letters of my native language, the first I've seen of it in months. My nose starts to tingle as I read,
'Mep in the grass, 2026'
As I finish, smaller, bracketed words appears underneath that cause me to laugh, my voice hoarse,
'(Woof xxx)'
---AN---
Hey everyone, thank you all for being so patient while I dealt with everything. Thanks also to those who reached out and wished my family well, your words meant a lot. We managed to sort out the issue with no problem, thankfully, and I don't expect something like what happened to occur again anytime soon, fingers crossed.
I've gone and removed the threadmark from my posts, but left the posts themselves alone, to not leave a continuity error, lol.
I wrote parts of this chapter during the week, and finished the last of it today, so it's a bit longer than normal. I'm going to start writing the next one as soon as this is posted, so expect to it come within the next two days, same as usual.
Yesterday, I started to crosspost this story onto two other sites, FF.net and Royal Road, and I'm also waiting for an invitation from ao3, where it will be posted there as well. They are posted under the username 'Mayschoss', so if you see it on those, know that the story hasn't been stolen.
As always, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Be sure to point out any grammatical mistakes, and leave any criticisms you have.