Time needs a closed loop!
Hawk was stunned when he heard The Ancient One's words, but then he reacted, understanding the meaning behind them.
Yes.
Time needs a closed loop.
Hawk's thoughts turned as he looked at the Supreme Mage: "Mage, is there anything else?"
The Ancient One held the teacup and smiled at Hawk.
"The past cannot be changed."
"...Understood."
Hawk nodded at this, then exchanged a glance with the Supreme Mage to confirm there were no further instructions, after which he followed the Kamar-Taj librarian Wang and walked out.
Quickly.
As librarian Wang and Hawk left, the large and antique reception hall was left with only Gwen drinking tea quietly, and The Ancient One who, after Hawk's departure, fixed his seemingly penetrating eyes on Gwen, smiling silently.
Gwen drank tea.
The Ancient One poured tea.
The air was quiet.
After three more cups.
Gwen looked at the Supreme Mage, who once again silently filled her cup, took a deep breath, and looked up at The Ancient One, whose face always held a smile.
"Does the Mage know what I'm going to ask?"
"Yes."
The Ancient One placed the fairness cup aside and smiled at Gwen.
Gwen met The Ancient One's eyes and blinked.
"Then the answer..."
"You haven't asked me yet."
"But you already know what I'm going to ask."
"But you're not asking me now."
The Ancient One sat cross-legged on the mat, hands naturally crossed, smiling at Gwen who seemed a bit dazed, then made a motion with his right hand.
Instantly.
A brilliantly dazzling time stream appeared above the tea table.
Gwen instinctively looked up at the dazzling time stream before her.
"I know what you want to ask."
"I also have the answer you want."
"But you haven't asked, so I can't tell you."
"Because if you don't ask, and I tell you, then the moment you ask in the time stream will disappear."
"And the disappearance of that time would trigger a chain reaction, just like a stone thrown into a calm lake."
The Ancient One explained, then her finger pointed to the suspended time stream over the tea table.
Instantly.
As The Ancient One's finger touched that point on the time stream, ripples appeared, spreading rapidly, some quickly disappearing, while others resonating with the time stream, subsequently forming tributaries.
But among these formed tributaries, both the starting and ending points remained unchanged.
Only the present, where the past and future intersected, formed a fork.
Gwen looked at The Ancient One's demonstration, recalling what was said when Hawk left.
"The past cannot be changed."
"But..."
Gwen frowned: "The past can't be changed, I understand, but isn't the future determined by the present? Why is the future in your demonstration the same future?"
The Ancient One smiled.
"Why do you want to change the future?"
"Uh..."
"Only after seeing the future would one want to change it."
"The moment you see the future, the future you see becomes your past."
"Therefore..."
"The past can't be changed because the future you saw is no longer the future, but your past."
"..."
Gwen listened to The Ancient One's explanation, her expression thoughtful.
"Saw the future, the future became the past, the past can't be changed."
"Yes."
"Then..."
Gwen thought of The Ancient One's earlier remark about knowing the question even before she asked.
Evidently.
The Ancient One had already seen the question she would ask in the future, meaning this future had become The Ancient One's past.
The past can't be changed.
Gwen thought this in her heart, then curiously looked at The Ancient One: "Mage, what if I don't ask?"
According to The Ancient One's explanation.
Upon seeing the future, the future becomes the past, and since the past can't be changed, this 'past' is determined by the 'present.'
So...
If she doesn't ask, then this future wouldn't be the future, and since it's not the future, it wouldn't be the past.
Gwen curiously looked at The Ancient One.
The Ancient One shook her head with a smile.
"I have seen the future, which has become my past. So even if you don't ask, my future has already become my past."
"Your future?"
"Yes."
The Ancient One then swiped her right hand again over the projected time stream used for demonstration, swiftly expanding it, allowing Gwen to see the other side of the time stream.
There were countless tightly packed lines, overlapping to form the dazzling time stream.
"Each line represents an individual's time."
"And the combination of all things in the cosmos forms this resplendent time stream."
"But when I glimpse into my future, my future becomes my past."
"But I am just myself."
"Understood."
Gwen listened to The Ancient One's explanation, nodded thoughtfully, then took a deep breath and looked at The Ancient One: "So, will Hawk and I have children in the future?"
She had actually heard what Strucker said on the Atlantic Ocean through the S.H.I.E.L.D. Satellite.
Although she pretended not to care much.
But...
She actually cared a lot, especially when hearing Strucker mention that the higher the life level, the less likely it is to have offspring, she cared even more.
So!
After asking this, Gwen stared unblinkingly at The Ancient One who sat across from her.
The Ancient One didn't play mysteries.
"Yes."
"Two boys and one girl?"
Listening to The Ancient One's answer and seeing the expression on The Ancient One's face, Gwen felt a sudden relief and instinctively asked.
Although that dream of hers had already come true for someone else.
But others are others.
She is herself.
The Ancient One looked at the eagerly awaiting Gwen and smiled while shaking her head.
"No."
"Uh..."
Gwen's expression darkened.
Just then.
The Ancient One spoke up: "At some future time, you and Hawk will have five sons and five daughters."
Gwen's body trembled, her eyes widened, staring at The Ancient One.
"That many?"
"Yes."
"No way."
Gwen blinked, somewhat disbelieving the future The Ancient One described: "I only thought about having one daughter and two sons, just like my dad and mom; I feel three kids are just right, five sons, five daughters? Wouldn't that make me do nothing but have children?"
Goodness me.
What would she become?
A baby-making machine?
Gwen couldn't help imagining wildly.
The Ancient One listened to Gwen's muttering complaint and laughed without speaking.
After a while.
Still somewhat puzzled as to why she'd have so many kids, Gwen then seemed to have thought of something and looked at The Ancient One: "Then, Mage, I have one last question."
The Ancient One smiled at Gwen.
Gwen spoke: "Mage, you already know about Jean, Billy, and Tommy, right."
The Ancient One nodded.
"The past cannot be changed."
"I know."
Gwen also nodded: "Jean seems to have inherited Hawk's abilities, but Billy and Tommy haven't; I want to ask about my children..."
The Ancient One smiled brightly.
"Jean inherited because she was born before Hawk proposed to you."
"Billy and Tommy didn't inherit because by that time, Hawk had already proposed to you."
"Uh..."
Gwen looked somewhat perplexed towards The Ancient One.
When at New York S.H.I.E.L.D., to prevent Strucker from leaving any hidden dangers, S.H.I.E.L.D conducted a full body examination of Billy and Tommy.
The results were healthy but, when compared to Jean's physical data, the differences were still quite obvious.
In short.
Even compared to other children of the same age, Billy and Tommy's data sat in the middle.
But Billy and Tommy carry Hawk's bloodline; logically, Billy and Tommy should have inherited their father's powers, just like Jean.
Yet...
It seems Billy and Tommy are just regular kids.
Gwen initially didn't think much of it, perhaps Jean inherited, Billy and Tommy did not.
This wasn't a big deal.
However, after hearing The Ancient One talk about having ten children in the future, Gwen suddenly thought of this matter.
Though even if her future kids don't inherit, Gwen feels it's not a big deal.
But...
If possible, Gwen still hopes that her and Hawk's children inherit Hawk's powers.
After all, Hawk is very powerful, and if future children inherit Hawk's strength, coupled with proper education, their children are bound to have a bright future.
Gwen was thinking this, but after hearing The Ancient One's explanation, she became somewhat dazed.
"What's my involvement in this?"
"Hawk proposed to you."
"Yes."
Gwen nodded, then seemed to remember something, revealing the engagement ring on her finger and recalling Hawk's proposal scene, her smile immensely happy.
The Ancient One explained.
"Although Hawk is not yet a god."
"He already possesses Divine Authority."
"To the Divine Spirits, every promise is not just a promise, but a divine decree."
"When Hawk proposed, he promised that only your children could inherit everything from him; hence, Billy and Tommy, who were born after the divine decree took effect, are not your children with Hawk, so naturally cannot inherit Hawk's powers."
"..."
Upon hearing this, Gwen looked at The Ancient One: "You mean, Billy and Tommy could also possess Hawk's powers, but Hawk doesn't allow it?"
The Ancient One didn't speak further, lifted her teacup, and took a sip.
Seeing this, Gwen also lifted her own teacup, drinking the tea in one go.
The Ancient One poured tea.
Gwen thought about The Ancient One's words, looked at the engagement ring on her hand, recalled the day Hawk proposed, and a hint of blissful smile appeared at the corners of her mouth.
…