I stood on the roof of one of Kamar-Taj's temples. The rare pagoda that didn't have a swooping red-tiled crown above it.
My face bared a grin as I saw Tao and Mordo appear from staircase.
They both had confused yet curious looks, likely wondering why we were here, and not in some controlled hall.
"Welcome! Dearest masters, to my humble Evaluation." I said with a dramatic bow.
Tao and Mordo rolled their eyes, before the man lazily told me to get on with it.
"Please, just bring out the relic already."
I smiled and sarcastically shrugged. "Why, master Mordo, it's right here." I said with a snap of my fingers.
A translucent curtain peeled back to unveil my black-grey beast of a bike.
I couldn't help but inwardly pump my fist as I saw Tao & Mordo's eyes widen I surprise.
"Impressive." She said, with a reluctant nod from Mordo.
"Thats a lot of wards." He said with narrowed eyes.
The two of them circled the relic admiring the sheer layers of runes and sigils — the symbiotic fusion of magic and machine.
I couldn't help but smirk as I threw my leg over the seat and gripped the handlebars. I turned over to Tao and saw her quirk a brow.
"Well, hop on master, we need to evaluate the relic, yes?"
She turned to Mordo to see the man barely holding in a grin. "Ah, yes, your disciple speaks the truth." He said with a mock wisdom.
Tao scoffed and walked over to me, throwing herself behind me. The passenger foot-rests kicked out, as she hummed in surprise.
"Excellent cushioning runes."
"Thanks." I said, stomping down on the jump-start. Mordo subconsciously took a step back as the bike roared to life. I chuckled, turning my head over my shoulder slightly.
"You don't have to hold my waist, there's a number of locking runes holding us in place."
Tao gave me a mischievous smile, "And I don't suppose you're going to tell all the lady's that you take for a ride the same thing?"
"Of course not master! I must keep the Mystic Arts a secret — as you know." I said puffing my chest out slightly.
Tao sighed, palming one of her cheeks, "I can't believe I have two debonaires as disciples."
I laughed, twisting the throttle, letting the motorcycles growl answer for me. I flipped the red-switch, and the angular plating of the bike flared out like wings.
In an instant the bike launched into the sky, gargantuan mountains of Nepal receding in the distance.
I pulled on the clutch snapping my foot at the gear pedal as the hybrid engine growled even lower.
Our speed picked up even more, until there was a snap—BANG!
Air compressed around us in misty cones, the sound barrier shattering in a muted rumble.
I started cackling as we tore across the planet. Rivers, mountains and valleys blurred past us in stunning tapestries. I momentarily dived high above the clouds, the sun & night sky bleeding into a sea of pearly white clouds.
I swerved around raging storms, the roar of the bikes engines resonating with claps of thunder.
In just over thirty-five minutes we reached Singapore, my speed topping out at just over Mach 5.
The best part was that I hand't even burned through a quarter tank.
After arriving in Singapore, I teleported us back to the roof, seeing Mordo still patiently waiting for us to return.
Tao hopped gracefully off the bike, a smile plastered to her face, and though she didn't make a single sound the entire time, I could tell she enjoyed it as much as I did, in her own mystical way.
I shut the bike off, letting the quiet of the temple return to peace. "So? Do I pass?"
Tao turned to Mordo, their eyes exchanging silent words. They turned back to me and with similar smiles they spoke.
"Yes."
"But!" Mordo added, and my heart lurched. He gave me a smug smirk, "You have to let me take it for a spin, I'm also an evaluator you know?" He said with wriggling eyebrows.
I laughed, "DEAL!"
—
While Mordo took my relic-bike for a spin I followed Tao into the Kamar-taj vaults.
"Did you name it?" She asked as we watched a circular vault-door twist and turn as it grated open.
I shook my head, "Not yet, any ideas?"
Tao tapped her chin, "How about… Lilith?"
I gave her an odd look, "Lilith?" Hmm… Lilith, Lilith~
"Lilith Mk 1 it is." I declared with a fist in palm.
"Now, back to matters at hand." She turned to me, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder.
"Congratulations Riven, on becoming a Master of the Mystic Arts." I smiled back at her, a little embarrassed.
"Thank you Master, couldn't have done it without you."
Tao nodded.
"Now, there are a few things you should know about being a Master. Firstly, you are now free from your disciple schedule. Thisdoes not mean, you can slack off, remember, you are not just a Master of the Mystic arts, you are my disciple, me, The Sorceress Surpreme. Is that clear?"
I seriously nodded, letting her continue.
"Additionally, while you may be free from your duties, you will be expected to help defend Earth from any threats befitting of your abilities."
"Of course."
Tao smiled, her voice turning serious. "And finally… you must tell me what color you want your Master Robes."
I stared at her deadpan, then shook my head. I held out my hand and a piece of paper scribbled with robe designs appeared.
"Don't worry, how could I possibly forget such a such."
Tao hummed as she looked over my designs, giving soft nods of affirmation as she flipped through them.
"You'll have to do most of the Enchanting yourself, but I can get the required materials… except for the Vibranium."
I sighed, "Thats fine I'll get it myself…" I said with a mutter.
Tao gave me an unimpressed look before sighing, a tiny portal appeared beside her and she handed my robe designs to some unknown hand.
"Your robes will be ready in a couple hours, which means we've finished—"
I interrupted her with a dry cough. "--Ahem, my relic? Master?"
Tao placed a dramatic hand over my lips, "Oh! Yes, your relic, how could I forget such a thing."
I shook my head as she led me into the vaults. I'm just happy she's happy.
Tao led me through a myriad of vaults, all teeming with relics. From swords to armor, bands of power and random cursed pendants.
Every single relic held a story, a hidden history could be felt through the Force.
Went went through sanctums like they were carnival attractions, starting at New York, then the London and Hong Kong sanctums.
Ironically enough, it was the last and final vault of Kamar-Taj that I finally found my relic.
It made itself known with a faint, muted hum. A soft harmony like a siren calling from abyssal waters. Tao gently lifted the rather simple looking necklace, the golden chains connected to large bulbous looking egg-shaped container.
"How interesting." She whispered.
"What is it?"
Tao turned and held out the necklace, letting the golden egg hang.
"An old gift from even older beings, received after we helped them put down a rabid-dragon."
I whistled. "So it's like, really powerful? Loaded with ancient spells or something?"
Tao shook her head, "Nope, it's completely mundane."
"w-what?" I stuttered. Tao confidently nodded her head, "Yes, there isn't a single hint of magic attached to it — it really is nothing more than a glorified locket."
I cupped my face in my hands, groaning out a defeated sigh.
"Now now, dear fellow — Master of the Mystic Arts — you should know by now that it's not what's on the outside that matters." She chided with a mockingly motherly tone. She pressed a finger against the egg, and a light click echoed through the vault.
My eyes widened into saucers as my Force Sense suddenly exploded. The muted harmony crescendo'd into an orchestra that resonated with every fiber of my being.
Inside the golden egg was a half-red and black crystal, as if a crimson jagged ruby had been fused with an onyx. Like a tiny ball of fire bursting from the abyss.
The instant I laid eyes on it I knew what it was. Fate had played its hand, a royal flush practically dripping with destiny.
I whispered, the word leaving my mouth like an accursed magical sutra.
"Lightsaber…"
—
I'm going to save the King of Wakanda.
I need Vibranium — for no other metal will do. Well, maybe Adamantium or Uru, but those are currently out of reach not to mention orbit.
I knew for a fact after consulting the Sanctum libraries that Vibranium was a powerful magical amplifier and medium. Uru was better, while Adamantium was a nullifier.
The crystal was not a naturally formed mineral, it was the condensed heart of a partially corrupted fire-dragon. Trying to use something like steel would be both a disgrace and catastrophic.
Which is why I needed to save the King of Wakanda — then ask nicely for some Vibranium.
It was a fool proof plan if I do say so myself.
It was the approach that called for careful consideration. Too brash and I could be the suspect, too quiet and nobody would even know.
I'd have to somehow inform T'Challa beforehand, gain his trust, and then his gratitude. He was my best bet too, being a proponent of expanding Wakanda's international relations.
What could be a better connection than the disciple of the Sorcerer Supreme, not to mention a Master of the Mystic Arts, and soon to be agent of S.W.O.R.D.
I was an all in one package.
Talking about packages… a small Eldritch portal suddenly opened in the middle of my apartment. A disembodied hand reached out, handing me a paper wrapped package. Then pulled back and vanished with little fanfare.
I grinned, carefully peeling away the paper wrapping to reveal a set of neatly folded robes.
With a simple thought they vanished, then reappeared perfectly tailored around my body.
I walked over to a cracked full-length body mirror, taking in it all in with a grin.
I had gained some muscle mass over the past few months, my relentless daily training coupled with seeping my body in both the Force and magic left me with a sculpted and athletic shape.
The robes hugged me snuggly, covering every inch of my body save for half of my hands and my head.
I had stolen the majority of the design from the Old Republic, specifically Thexan Tirall's black robes.
It had a high and wide semi-rigid gorget that spread over my shoulders and into pauldrons shaped like lotus blades, and made from Wrym-leather. The sharp ends were adorned with small intricate brass mandalas of Kamar-Taj.
A large reverse triangular chest-piece also extended from the gorget ending just above my stomach and connecting to another brass mandala.
Underneath the leather I wore a set of dark grey-blue Kamar-Taj Master robes, a thick sash wrapped around my waist, belted by together by thick ropes and brass clasps.
The slash fell to the sides of my thigh, revealing a comfortable pair of dark grey-blue pants tucked into black knee-height shin-guards and tightly formed black-leather shoes.
Godbless whoever designed Thexan, and the amazing tailors of Kamar-Taj.
After admiring myself for a little too long I went about enchanting the living shit out of my newfound robes.
Comfort runes, durability and reinforcement runes, thermal regulation sigils, a host of illusion runes, cloaking spells and muffling sigils to the shoes.
I converted the brass mandalas into magical batteries, and emergency Force barriers before topping it all off with some quality of life runes I'd learnt from Tao.
Odor elimination runes, self-cleaning and self-repair runes, some elemental resistance here and there and voila!
By the time the sun threatened to rise I was finally done...
… well, I had further plans to weave Vibranium fibers into them, and other tec but alas, I'm am Vibranium-less and currently tech-less.
And I still need to make my helmet/mask but there's nothing wrong with my old reliable ski-mask. Though I'd look like some monastic burglar.
With an hour before I had to leave for school I went to bed, quickly slipping to sleep, dressed head-to-toe in my new robes.