"A...a god wants to meet you?", I asked, wanting to make sure I heard that right as Wanda nodded with a smile.
Who, though? As far as I can remember, most of the gods are in Omnipotence City and the only gods that would actually give a damn enough to talk to us would be the Asgardians.
'But, isn't Odin like anti-humans-on-Asgard? He didn't want to have Jane on Asgard even after she got an Infinity Stone stuck in her so why would he talk to her?'
"Okay, that's...something. Did the god give their name?"
"Um, I believe she called herself Oshtur, the Elder Gray Goddess of Balance and Order. She said that she was the mother to Agamotto and that she could help me master my Chaos Magic."
"...Agamotto? The first Sorcerer Supreme? That guy?"
"Pretty much, yeah," She nodded and I blinked at that as I narrowed my eyes.
If this 'goddess' was an actual Elder Goddess, that meant that this is a being that was not shown in the MCU movies and a being that is also most likely above the other regular gods like Zeus and Odin of this world.
'Do they actually want to help her...or do they want to take control of her?'
"Don't worry. She told me that I would not be going anywhere and that she would be visiting me here with the Ancient One at my side."
"I want to be there," I spoke, to which she blinked as I crossed my arms.
"I don't trust this. Chaos Magic is supposed to be something insanely rare if the stories are to be believed and now an ancient entity conveniently takes interests and wants to help?"
"Well, she definitely has an agenda, but according to the Ancient One, she's one of the rare few gods that actually has the good of humanity in mind. It wouldn't hurt just to talk to her."
"Oh, I don't mind if you want to talk to her. I just want to see if she is what she says she is."
"...Well. If that's all, then you can come with. However, would you be able to be in the same room as her?"
"Don't worry, Wanda. Like I said, I had a bit of a run across the planet and now my mind is clear. Is there still a bit of pain? Yeah, but I won't let that get in the way of you getting better control over your power."
"...Who are you and what did you do with my brother?"
"Your brother just decide to mature a bit," I spoke with a smile as I hugged her from the side, to which she giggled before I looked forward to see Shang Chi staring at us with wide eyes.
"When did he wake up?"
"A few moments ago. You were busy with a passionate speech so I didn't want to interrupt," She answered with a smirk, to which I rolled my eyes as we watched the teen sit up with a grimace.
"Wo, wo zai na li? (W-Where am I?)"
"You know any Mandarin or Cantonese?...Which language was that?"
"Mandarin. Uh...Wo de guoyu bu tai ha o. Ni hui shuo yingyu ma? (My Mandarin is not very good. Can you speak English?"), Wanda asked, the both of us waiting as Shang Chi blinked before he nodded slowly.
"I'm not fluent in it, but I can understand it."
"That's more than enough. I would ask if you can speak Sokovian, but I don't think you can."
"No, Father did no-Father! Oh no! I-I...I need to go!", He looked panicked as he flew to his feet before he was surprised when I reached up and grasped his shoulder.
"Hey, hey. It's okay. You don't have to worry about your dad. Wenwu and I talked and you're free to live your life as you please...at least until you're 18 years old. Then, you just have to have a discussion with him."
"R-Really?", The look of hope in his eyes pulled at my heartstrings as I nodded with a soft smile, Wanda leaning forward and hugging him as I watched tears streaming from his eyes.
Glancing at Wanda, I nodded before standing up softly and deciding to leave them alone, I walked out to where Tina was waiting with an eyebrow raised and her arms crossed.
"Hey."
"Hey, I'm guessing he's awake?"
"And crying a bit, but we'll let him think we don't hear it. Anyway, what's up?"
"Well, it is a mission from the Ancient One. We may have found a clue as to where we can find the Book of Vishanti."
"...Seriously?"
"Seriously. She did not say where the information came from, but she did mention that it came from an Elder entity that Wanda would tell you about."
'So, this Oshtur told her in exchange for meeting Wanda most likely. Isn't that cute?'
"Got it. Where did she say?"
"In the Alps in Austria. She said that the information would have a guardian to protect them so we'd have to be careful. We leave in three days."
"Okay, I'll tell Wanda and then I'll go tell-Actually, no. I'll just tell Wanda," I spoke, Tina raising an eyebrow at me even as she nodded.
"Very well. Meet me in my office in three days' time."
"Gotcha," I nodded with a smile and watched as she left, letting out a soft sigh before I turned and walked back into the room.
Thankfully, Shang Chi had stopped crying though there was no hiding the redness to his eyes, the boy giving a sheepish smile as i sat beside Wanda with a chuckle.
"S-Sorry about that."
"You don't have to be. It's natural for what you went through. Now that you're free, is there perhaps anyone that was left that you would want to say goodbye?", I asked and he blinked before his eyes widened.
"M-My sister! I was going to meet her and-"
"Older or younger?", I asked, already knowing the answer as he blinked before responding.
"Younger."
"You want to meet her?"
"Are you certain of this, Pietro?", Wanda asked with a frown and I shrugged as Shang Chi gave us a hopeful look.
"As an older brother, it is my job to make sure that all other older brothers I meet are exemplary examples of chivalry and guardianship."
"...You just wanted to say that, didn't you?"
"Yep. Anyway, you want to come along?", I asked as I looked at her, knowing the answer as she raised an eyebrow and smirked.
"But of course."
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"So, you return?", Wenwu began as Wanda, Shang Chi and I stood opposite of him, the Death Dealer and a young Asian teenage girl with short black hair styled into a bob-cut with a fringe above her eyes and a happy look in her eyes.
"Shang!", she exclaimed excitedly as she rushed forward, Shang hugging her with a happy smile of his own while Wenwu and I looked at each other.
"What is this?"
"Oh, she's coming with."
"Out of the question."
"Why not?"
"I've already allowed one child to roam free. I will not allow the other the same courtesy."
"Is that because you actually love her and you don't want to lose her like you lost Shang Chi?", I asked, not surprised when Wenwu just looked disinterested at my words. The look hurt Xialing and angered Shang Chi as he stalked forward before I raised a hand to stop him.
"Don't. He's not worth it. In any case, she is coming along."
"No, she is not."
"Yes, she is," Wanda spoke up finally as her Chaos Magic rippled outwards with her emotions, scorching the ground and making the assassins tense before I lifted a hand to stop her now.
"Sis, let me handle this. We do not want there to be a strained relationship between the Masters of the Mystic Arts and the Ten Rings."
"That is the only reason why this place is not a crater yet," She answered with a glare aimed at Wenwu, who returned it with a stoic yet narrowed-eyed gaze as he turned to me.
"What are you doing here?"
"Well, since you said to come back for training today, I thought that I could bring my sister and a new friend to come watch. Also, Xialing is coming with us since you don't seem to care for her."
"And if we are to argue with that point?"
"You won't have her again," Shang Chi spoke with a frown as he hid Xialing behind him, who looked worried about what's about to happen before I spoke up.
"Wenwu, man to man, you don't really care for her. Let's be honest about that. The only reason you want to keep her is because that means that Shang Chi will come one day to you to let her free and if she leaves now, you're afraid that you'll never see your children again.
Therefore, if they agree to it, why not have them leave and then have them visit when they turn 18 to see if they truly wish to beat with you as a family?"
"That is far better than what I would have offered," Wanda spoke with a frown, Wenwu simply looking between the two of us before he spoke.
"Very well. However, if they do not agree to said meeting, I will declare war upon the Masters of the Mystic Arts and your many Sanctums around the world."
"You got that. Wanda, think you can get the two of them back to Kamar-Taj?", I asked, watching as she nodded while easily creating a portal with a flick of her wrist.
Damn, she really did get stronger.
"Return in a day or I'm destroying everything here."
"Got it," I nodded, watching as the three of them walked through before letting out a soft sigh as the portal closed behind them.
"No one will say it, but thanks for letting them go."
"I am still a man of my word. If they do not come see me..."
"You'll declare war. Yes, I know. In any case, the lessons are still on, right?", I asked, watching as he nodded to the Death Dealer and surprising me as the assassin bowed and walked away.
"Uh, is he getting the equipment?"
"No, your third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh lesson can be rolled into one simple one as each one is simply an advanced application of the previous one. Therefore, I will teach you the third and you will continue to hone that one until you can do them all."
"...Huh, okay. I got it. So, what is the third lesson for learning chi?"
"The application of Chi itself," He answered, lifting a fist before I watched as an ethereal golden glow slowly began to coat it. The next moment, he punched at the ground and my eyes widened as it dented the ground, Wenwu standing up while the glow around his fist faded away.
"That is the most basic application of Chi, using your life force to enhance the physical strength of your body. You've learned how to control the breath to control the body and to control the body means to control the balance. Now, you must learn to control the breath to control the body to control the balance to control your chi."
"...Could you simplify that, if possible, please?", I asked, my mind still trying to comprehend the fact that I just saw him punch a clean imprint of his fist into the ground without disturbing the area around it.
"Chi is the river, breath is the current and the body is the banks. Harden the body, control the current and the river bends to your will."
"...Then why not just say that?", I asked as I flexed my fingers, watching as Wenwu's lips quirked slightly before he gestured to one of the many training dummies in the centre of the training yard.
"You will start small. Channel the breath, let it flow into your fist and strike with intent," He spoke and I nodded, walking over while blinking when I saw all the Ten Rings assassins stopping their training to watch me.
Okay, as if there wasn't enough pressure already.
Ignoring them and taking a deep breath, I focused, repeating his words in my head as I clenched my fist and focused on the dummy. It was as silent as a graveyard as no one dared to move, feeling the world around me fade as my breathing slowed before I grunted and swung forward.
Unfortunately, there was no glow even as the dummy rattled, making me frown as Wenwu spoke up with a sharp tone.
"Intent, not speed. Without intent, speed is wasted motion. Without control, power destroys itself. Comprehend and do not run from this, boy. Strike," He barked out as I rolled my wrist, making my frown deepen as I dug my feet into the ground and stood steady.
"You run because it is what you know, but if you ever hope to stand in the storm of the ones above and not be broken, you must learn to root yourself. Until then, all you ever will be is fast and that amounts to nothing," Wenwu had a sharp tongue as he paced around me and I could feel the doubt beginning to settle in as I stared at the dummy.
How would I even comprehend this? When he punched, it wasn't slow, but it wasn't as fast as I expected from someone of his calibre either. No, it was a precise punch delivered with just the right amount of force and at the right point of breathing to where it could deliver the most amount of damage with the minimal amount...of work...
'That's it,' I thought with wide eyes that I swiftly narrowed, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath that I exhaled slowly. Instead of punching, though, my fist clenched tighter as I timed the exhale, slowly taking another deep breath that I timed as well before starting the process all over again.
I heard Wenwu talking in the background, but I paid him no mind as I could feel my heartbeat, hear the sound of the wind whistling and feel my feet shift around to get the best position.
'One, two, three, four, five...One, two, three, four, five... One, two, three, four, five...One...two, three, four, five!', Punching forward with a quick yet deliberate punch as my eyes snapped open, I watched in surprise as a golden shimmer rippled around my fist and it smashed into the chest of the dummy.
Wooden splinters flew back as the dummy was sent flying, everyone watching it roll across the ground before Wenwu snapped his fingers and two assassins swiftly brought it back.
"You touched the river for a moment. Do it again," I didn't even know how sweaty it was until a few droplets got into my eyes, forcing me to wipe it away as I looked at him.
"So, you saw that too?"
"The river is always there. Most simply drown in it while others learn to swim. However, even fewer learn to redirect it. You feel the river, but you continue to run from it. Stop running," He spoke as he turned and walked away, leaving me alone as I watched the assassins go back to their training.
Well, since I don't have anything to do, I guess it's time to continue with the training.
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"How sure are you that this intel is real?", I asked as I walked beside Tina, the two of us strolling through what appeared to be an ancient temple built deep within the foot of the mountain range.
I did not know what kind of language was used to write the ruins on the walls, but I made out hints of Sanskrit, Elder Futhark and Egyptian hieroglyphs, none of which eased my mind as Tina marvelled at every single one.
"This is incredible! I did not even realize that runes of this quality could be cast and left alone for what looks like centuries if the appearance of the walls around us are correct. Along with that, the magical energy linking each one is potent, most likely made only possible by a master."
"Are we admiring the runes instead of searching for...whatever this clue is?", I asked with a smirk, chuckling at her sheepish smile as she nodded.
"R-Right! Sorry, it's just that...there's not that many opportunities where one could study ancient runes that aren't destroyed."
"Oh, no. That I understand. I just don't want to be here when this thing finally caves in."
"Right, that also. Very well, let's finish this thing," She spoke as we turned the corner, entering a large and empty space that only had a sarcophagus in the centre of the room with four pillars holding up the roof.
Looking around as her sparking Tao Mandala lit up the area, I stared at the drawings around us, narrowing my eyes when I realized that I saw these before.
'But where, though? Where did I see them? Come on, brain. Help me out here,'
"You think it's in there?", I looked to Tina as she asked me a question, following her gaze to the sarcophagus before she sighed as I gestured with a smile and a bow.
"By all means, after you, milady."
"You're just scared, aren't you?"
"One hundred percent," I answered with a shrug, chuckling as she huffed and walked towards the coffin.
Following behind her, my eyes widened as I felt something approaching from behind, the world around me slowing down as I turned and came face to face with a fist slowly flying towards my head.
With a thought, I leapt back and grabbed onto Tina before hopping to the side, my eyes widening a bit further at the white caped figure landing in the centre of the room with a glare aimed at us.
"What are you doing in Khonshu's temple?", Moon Knight asked with a frown and I looked to Tina, who looked surprised before looking back at the figure with a grimace.
Well, this is just bullshit right now.
A/N: And we managed to finally figure out chi, but unfortunately, it appears that the divine has begun to notice us.
What will happen? Find out next time?
P.S. this is a bit of a filler chapter to give me time to figure out where to go from here.
Like always, you can go to my Pat-reon-.-com-/-KingCrimsonNova to read ahead on this as well as many other stories & even some that haven't been released out to this site yet. If you want to, you are free to, but if you don't want, all's good as I will still be uploading here. This is just me trying to get some extra cash.
As always, read, enjoy, review and until next week...
Ba-Bye~!