The Strength of the Demon
Before meeting the Ancient One, Skye had been trying to tell herself not to be surprised, to stay polite, and not to embarrass herself. But when the moment finally arrived, she couldn't hide her shock.
Not only had she not expected the Ancient One to be a woman, but she also hadn't anticipated the completely bald head. After seeing her, Skye instinctively turned her head to glance at Finney's hair, a trace of concern in her eyes. That look made Finney's expression darken slightly. He glared at her, silently reminding her not to react so inappropriately.
Once Skye got the message, Finney began introducing her to the Ancient One—even though she clearly already knew who Skye was.
When introducing Skye, Finney kept it simple: "This is my sister." But when it came to introducing the Ancient One, he added far more flair:
"This is my master, the leader of Kamar-Taj, the strongest person on Earth, the Sorcerer Supreme who knows almost everything—past and future—the Ancient One!"
Skye grew even more nervous. She didn't see anything particularly intimidating in the calm, kind demeanor of the Ancient One, but Finney's words left her in awe nonetheless.
"Hello, Ancient One," Skye greeted respectfully.
"Hello, Miss Hairset," the Ancient One replied with a warm nod. Then she added gently, "Finney has already told me about you. But please don't take offense if I say this: the power of spells is not something that everyone can control. Don't force it."
Skye nodded seriously to show that she understood. She was already grateful just to have this opportunity. Even if she couldn't learn, she would have no regrets.
Everything in Kamar-Taj was new to her. During her first day, curiosity overwhelmed her. Her excitement to learn magic grew immensely.
After returning to inform their parents, the two stayed in Kamar-Taj under the pretense of traveling. At first, they didn't begin any formal training, instead just observing other mages practicing. Watching the orange energy forming around the mages' hands filled Skye with excitement—she couldn't wait to try it herself.
But once she actually began practicing, she realized it wasn't nearly as easy as it looked. For an entire month, she couldn't conjure even the tiniest spark.
Fortunately, Kamar-Taj had kept up with the times and had internet access—albeit slow. Otherwise, she might not have lasted that long. Even so, she was starting to think about giving up.
The only consolation was that Finney wasn't doing much better. If Skye couldn't produce a single spark, then Finney could only manage what could be described as a *tiny* spark.
For a full month, Finney also struggled. He started to wonder if the joke was true—maybe only losing your hair could make you stronger. Was a single spark really all he could muster in a month!?
Mordo had once told him that this phase was common for beginners. Many people hit this wall and felt disheartened before eventually making progress. The Ancient One had also once told him that his talent was only average—and now, that seemed to be true.
This experience made Finney realize that relying on magic to grow stronger quickly was unrealistic. His true strength still came from the system's extraction abilities.
While Finney was quietly considering what to do next, Skye came to him and said she was giving up.
"Are you sure?" Finney asked again, seeing the frustration on her face. He completely understood how she felt. It was disheartening to train for so long and see zero results. At least he had a small spark. Skye, on the other hand, couldn't channel any energy at all.
"Yeah… maybe I'm just not cut out for this," Skye replied, clearly disappointed. Of course, she still hoped to gain some extraordinary power, but she also remembered the Ancient One's advice not to force it.
"Alright, alright, it's okay," Finney said, trying to comfort her. "Honestly, I never thought arcane magic really suited girls anyway. You should probably start thinking about what to do if your abilities turn out to be shockwave-based."
"Why shockwave?" Skye asked, confused by Finney's continued hints.
"Don't worry about it. I'll explain when the time is right," he said, dodging the question and quickly changing the subject. "So, are you planning to go home?"
"Yeah." Skye nodded. Even though Kamar-Taj had internet, the speed was frustrating, and the lifestyle—simple and minimalist—wasn't quite her thing.
"Alright then. I'll leave the explanation to you."
They had already spoken with their family during the stay, even sending some photos from nearby towns, so their parents wouldn't suspect anything.
"Let's go. I'll take you to tell the master, and she can send you back directly."
After Skye packed her things, she and Finney found the Ancient One. Skye explained her decision to leave. The Ancient One didn't offer any encouragement or disappointment. She simply nodded in acknowledgment.
She then opened a portal that led Skye close to her home. Once Skye was gone, Finney turned back to the Ancient One, ready to discuss something else.
"Master, I want to train my combat ability with other mages."
"Mordo and Wong would likely be happy to help," the Ancient One replied with a gentle nod.
Over the past month, Finney had met both of these mages—important figures in the future of Doctor Strange's story. As for Kaecilius, it seemed he hadn't joined Kamar-Taj just yet.
"So… can I use *this*?" Finney asked, summoning *Demon-Haunted*. The silver sword materialized in front of him. He held it, though he didn't immediately summon the armor.
The Ancient One looked at the long sword, pausing slightly before speaking in a calm but serious tone. "This is a living weapon. It may erode your spirit and damage your body. Are you aware of that?"
Finney hesitated, then nodded. He was aware. The system had already warned him: the weapon was inhabited by an ancient lifeform. Without it, evolution wouldn't even be possible.
"Remember," she said firmly, "don't let the power control you."
Despite the risks, the Ancient One did not stop him from using it. Her trust in him was evident.
Just as Finney was about to leave and find Mordo for a sparring session, a thought occurred to him. He turned back to the Ancient One.
"Master… can you use it?" He held out *Demon-Haunted*, curious whether anyone other than him could wield it. He hadn't wanted to risk testing it on an ordinary person, but with the Ancient One, there were no such concerns—unless she wanted to die (which she didn't).
"I suppose I could give it a try," she replied, taking the sword without hesitation. She examined it with interest.
"Hmm… this appears to be a very unusual creature—capable of evolving based on the user's strength. The forging technique is remarkable."
"The command spell is *Demon-Haunted*. It can also be transformed into armor," Finney reminded her.
"*Demon-Haunted*," the Ancient One repeated softly.
At her words, a tremendous energy erupted from the sword. The pressure far exceeded what Finney had experienced during his own use. A towering, oppressive figure emerged from the blade, so powerful that it made Finney feel like he could hardly breathe.
"ROAR!!"
A thunderous roar echoed across Kamar-Taj, startling every mage nearby.
As the figure reached out as if to embrace the Ancient One, she calmly raised her hand. A stream of green energy swirled around the creature, dissolving its form. The pressure vanished, and the sword returned to its regular appearance.
"Whew… whew…" Finney exhaled deeply. Only after experiencing it firsthand could he fully understand the extent of his own weakness. It was the same weapon, yet in the Ancient One's hands, it had been ten times more powerful.
Still, the test was useful. It confirmed that while someone else could activate *Demon-Haunted*, Finney himself retained control over its abilities. He could cancel the skill at any time, even if others used it.