Chapter 117: Kamar-Taj II
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"We did," Coulson admitted.
The Ancient One gave a small nod. "Hmm. Then you have come to the right place. Here, knowledge is shared without restriction."
She paused slightly.
"Well… there are some forms of knowledge one must be prepared for before learning."
Natasha spoke calmly. "Prepared how?"
"In mind," the Ancient One replied. "In discipline. In intention."
Coulson kept his tone respectful. "We are not here to take anything by force."
"I know," she said simply.
That answer made both of them still for a moment.
The Ancient One walked toward a low table and gestured for them to sit.
"You fear what you do not understand," she continued. "You believe that if magic exists, it must be studied, measured, possibly controlled."
"We believe anything that affects Earth must be understood," Natasha said evenly.
A faint smile appeared. "A reasonable position."
She lifted her hand slightly. A small circular spark of golden light formed in the air, rotating softly before fading away.
"Magic," she said, "is not separate from your world. It is simply another layer of it. You use science according to physical laws. And Magic is same"
" Juta science is 3D while Magic deals with 4D and beyond dimensions " she said.
Coulson watched carefully but did not react outwardly.
" So Magic is just advanced science we never understood?" Natasha asked as she nodded.
" Here it's Ancient Vedic texts, they describe the anatomy or what we today known as X ray images of body way back even before the x ray machines were invented" Ancient one showed the book as they nodded.
" We do know that" they said.
" Likewise Magic level science is also from ancient times juta taught to select few or those who stumbles upon it" Ancient said as they nodded.
"You maintain a barrier around Earth," Coulson then asked. "For centuries."
"Yes."
"But Why?"
" Everything have two sides bright and dark, barriers is to stop the dark side from returning to Earth" She said as they were going to ask for more when she stopped them " As I said you are not ready for some knowledge"
Coulaon nodded and then asked " But then why hide it?"
"We do not hide it," the Ancient One replied. "Humanity is simply not ready to see it."
Natasha tilted her head slightly. "And you decide that?"
"For now," the Ancient One said calmly. "Not me but the Rulers of Magic as one might even say Magic God's"
Silence followed.
Finally, Natasha spoke directly. "If I asked to train here… would you allow it?"
The Ancient One studied her carefully.
"Why do you wish to learn?"
"To protect," Natasha answered without hesitation. "And to make sure we are not blind."
The Ancient One's gaze softened slightly.
"Protection born from fear leads to control," she said. "Protection born from kindness and selfless leads to peace."
"And which do you think I seek?" Natasha asked.
The Ancient One held her gaze for a long moment.
"That," she said quietly, "is what we must discover."
She then looked at Coulson.
"Will you train here as well?"
Coulson paused. "Can I even learn?"
"As I said, it is like science," the Ancient One replied with a small shrug. "Anyone can study science."
Coulson nodded slowly. "There was this guy who once told me a person needs aptitude for it."
"That is also true," she said calmly. "Not everyone excels in the same field. Some are gifted in biology, others in physics. It depends on one's talent. Fortunately for you, at Kamar-Taj we practice Eldritch magic. It involves drawing power from higher beings. If you understand the formulas and the discipline behind them, you can begin."
Natasha looked at her. "Higher beings… as in magic gods?"
"In simple terms, yes," the Ancient One replied. "One example is Agamotto. You may have heard of him."
Coulson nodded. "Yes. The Eye of Agamotto."
"Can we see it?" he asked.
The Ancient One gave a faint smile.
"I am wearing it," she said, touching the eye-shaped pendant hanging from her neck.
Coulson and Natasha both looked at the pendant carefully.
It looked simple. Old. Not flashy.
"That controls time?" Natasha asked.
"Yes," the Ancient One replied calmly.
Coulson frowned slightly. "It doesn't look powerful."
"Power does not need to look impressive," she said.
She held the pendant gently in her hand.
"For now, it remains closed. It is not a toy. And it is not a demonstration piece."
Natasha nodded. "Understood."
Coulson hesitated. "If it controls time… does that mean you can reverse events? Change outcomes?"
"To a degree," the Ancient One replied. "But every action has a cost. Time resists being rewritten."
"So you don't change things casually," Natasha said.
"No," she answered. "That would destroy balance."
Coulson absorbed that. "Then why tell us about it at all?"
"Because you would learn about it eventually," she said. "And secrets create distrust."
"Plus you already knew about it"
That was a fair point.
The Ancient One stepped closer to them.
"If you train here," she continued, looking at both of them now, "you must leave your titles outside these walls. No agents. No ranks. Only students."
Natasha nodded immediately.
Coulson took a moment longer, then nodded as well.
"I cannot stay long," Coulson said. "But I would like to understand the basics."
"Understanding begins with humility," the Ancient One replied. "Wong will show you the library."
She turned toward the door.
"Your training begins tomorrow at dawn," she said to Natasha. "Meditation first."
Natasha gave a short nod.
As they prepared to leave the room, Coulson glanced once more at the Eye of Agamotto.
Again after joining SHIELD, he truly felt how much of the world they had never seen.
And how much of it had been quietly protected.
Wong was waiting outside.
"This way," he said.
Coulson and Natasha followed him through another corridor. The building still felt larger than it should have been.
"You will have separate rooms," Wong said. "Students wake before sunrise."
Natasha nodded. "Understood."
They reached a wide hall filled with shelves from floor to ceiling.
"The library," Wong said.
