I looked down at the two mages sprawled unconscious on the ground.
They're not as weak as this makes them look.
The truth was, they'd been fighting an unfamiliar magic system—my wand-based spellcasting was completely different from Kamar-Taj's techniques or anything else from this planet. That alone had thrown them off balance.
Plus, they'd focused most of their attention on Daniel. They'd dismissed me—the one with the young voice—as less of a threat. In a narrow alley with no room to maneuver, that mistake had cost them.
Classic underestimation. Works every time for me.
But even accounting for their errors, my performance had been... sloppy.
My casting speed was off. My accuracy under pressure wasn't what it used to be. My combat judgment had lagged by crucial fractions of a second.
The easy life made me slack off. My abilities in my previous life were much sharper than this.
I'd gotten comfortable. Complacent. And in a world like this, complacency got you killed.
I need to train. Regularly. Magic power is recovering, but technique matters just as much.
I glanced at the two unconscious mages again, a pang of regret hitting me.
If Daniel wasn't here, I could loot their bodies. Check what they're carrying.
Mages who robbed other mages for their magic probably had interesting items on them. Artifacts. Materials. Maybe even spell books.
But Daniel was here, and I needed to maintain a positive image with Kamar-Taj. Looting unconscious enemies—even criminal ones—would send the wrong message.
Let's play nice for now.
"Daniel," I said, "how should we deal with these two? We can't just leave them here. If we do, they'll probably return to their old profession once they wake up."
And I can't have potential enemies wandering around who might recognize my magical signature.
Even if they didn't know my face, mages had ways of tracking people. Better to eliminate all problems in the bud.
Daniel nodded, clearly agreeing with my assessment. For a moment, something like approval flickered in his expression—as if he'd found a kindred spirit.
"Master Abel, you're absolutely right," Daniel said firmly. "These two can't continue to stay outside freely. I'll bring them back to Kamar-Taj to be handled by Master Ancient One. They'll probably spend a long time in the Mirror Cage."
"Mirror Cage?"
That's a new one.
The name didn't ring any bells. Either I'd forgotten it, or it had never come up in the movies.
"The Mirror Cage is a prison built and run by Kamar-Taj," Daniel explained. "Specifically for mages who use magic to do evil, for those who endanger Earth or the fabric of reality."
A magical prison. Of course they have one of those.
Daniel opened a portal first—sparks spinning into a gateway back to the Sanctum. I grabbed both unconscious mages and hauled them through, Daniel following close behind.
The authority to directly open portals to the Sanctum was restricted. Only the Sorcerer Supreme and the guardians of each Sanctum possessed it. Even powerhouses like Kaecilius and Mordo didn't have that level of access.
Security measures. Makes sense.
When we stepped back into the New York Sanctum, Kaecilius was waiting. He looked at the two unconscious bodies we'd brought with obvious confusion.
"Master Daniel," he said carefully, "what's going on with these two?"
"Master Kaecilius, they're the kind of criminals who operate in the hidden marketplace—blackmailing and robbing newcomer mages. I was planning to send them to Kamar-Taj's Mirror Cage."
"I see." Kaecilius nodded. "Then you can give them to me directly. I'm heading back to Kamar-Taj anyway. You and Master Abel have your own business—no need to waste time on a trip."
"Thank you, that's very helpful."
Daniel handed both prisoners over to Kaecilius, who performed a quick mudra with his hands. Fire-like filaments materialized, forming glowing circles that lifted the two unconscious mages into the air. Kaecilius turned and walked through the fixed portal between the Sanctum and Kamar-Taj, prisoners floating behind him like arrested ghosts.
I watched him disappear, then turned to Daniel. "Master Kaecilius really likes to help others. He seems like a true gentleman."
For now, anyway.
"Kaecilius was a psychologist before he came to Kamar-Taj," Daniel said. "He has ideals. He wants to make the world a better place."
People with big ideals and big ambitions become extremely dangerous when they turn dark.
It was hard to imagine the polite, helpful man who'd just left would eventually try to merge Earth with the Dark Dimension. But that's how corruption worked—slowly, subtly, until the person you'd been was unrecognizable.
No point dwelling on it now. Current Kaecilius hasn't shown any signs of betrayal. No need to obsess.
"Master Daniel, if there's nothing else, I'll leave for now."
"Alright. See you the day after tomorrow?"
"See you the day after tomorrow."
I slung my backpack over my shoulder and left the Sanctum, stepping out onto the streets of New York.
Standing on the subway, swaying with the train's movement, I scrolled through Facebook on my phone.
A headline caught my eye immediately.
[Famous Scientist, Businessman, Philanthropist Tony Stark Successfully Rescued, Returning from Middle East—Thanks to Military's Day and Night Efforts...]
I snorted.
Thanks to the armor Tony Stark built in a cave with a box of scraps, you mean.
Governments were all the same. Even the smallest achievement got spun into gold. Finding Tony Stark—a massive international incident—was going to be milked for propaganda value for months.
The bell has been rung. The revolution is starting.
When Tony Stark hammered that first piece of armor together in a terrorist's cave, he'd unknowingly signaled the beginning of massive changes. The great upheaval sweeping across this universe was about to begin.
Of course, just because the great changes had started didn't mean my life would suddenly become more dramatic.
I still had school. Part-time work. Wand experiments. Potion research.
-----------------------------
And, apparently, a party to attend.
Today was Friday. For more than two months—ever since I'd told Rebecca that I would attend her party and then immediately murdered Kilgrave in the same day—I'd been rejecting all social invitations.
But this time, I couldn't refuse.
Because this party was hosted by Sean, my actual friend, and turning him down would've been genuinely shitty.
I went home, dropped off my materials, took a shower, and changed into clean clothes. After sending a quick text to Mom, I grabbed two containers of Chinese food she'd made earlier.
Always bring something to a party. Food, drinks, alcohol—depends on the crowd.
Midtown Science and Technology High School was a prestigious private institution. Most students were either wealthy or exceptionally talented. Not the kind of crowd that brought "special tobacco" to parties.
Thank God for small mercies.
I rode my new bicycle to Sean's house. His family lived in a luxurious single-family home in a nice neighborhood. His father and mother weren't home tonight, leaving Sean alone to greet the steady stream of arriving classmates.
When he spotted me approaching, his eyes lit up.
"Abel!" Sean practically bounced down the driveway, grinning like an idiot. "You actually came! I was half-convinced you'd bail last minute."
"I said I'd come," I replied, handing him the containers of food. "Mom made extra. Figured your guests might appreciate actual cuisine instead of pizza and chips."
Sean peeked inside one container and groaned. "Dude, your mom is a saint. Come on, let's get this inside before people smell it and riot."
I followed him toward the house, mentally preparing myself for hours of socializing.
Just a normal high school party. Nothing apocalyptic. Probably.
...Why do I feel like I'm jinxing myself?