----
After days of study and meditation, Nolan finally grasped the essence of magic.
And to his surprise… it wasn't that complicated.
Magic, as it turned out, was just a refined form of mental resonance, a means by which higher-dimensional entities meddled in the multiverse using mortals as proxies.
At its core, Kamar-Taj's magic relied on ritualistic gestures, focused intent, and the proper incantations channeled through an object of power. In their case, the Sling Ring.
For Nolan, who had already mastered advanced meditation, hyper-focus, and multidimensional theory, this was just another form of coding a more spiritual programming language.
The Sling Ring? Just a conduit. A magical router, if anything. Engraved with predefined spells, it linked directly to the reservoir of the Vishanti's white magic.
The key was understanding.
And Nolan? Understanding was what he did best.
---
That afternoon, Nolan found a passage in one of the Ancient One's books explaining the precise gestures and intent necessary to open a portal.
He rolled his shoulders, stood up in his private quarters, and extended his left hand.
His right hovered near his chest, fingers shifting in precise, flowing motion. His mind was anchored to his intended transportation.
Golden sparks ignited at his fingertips, swirling outward—
FZZZZZHH!
A shimmering portal bloomed into view.
On the other side stood two familiar figures: Wong and the Ancient One, deep in conversation.
"…I respect your decision, Master," Wong was saying. "But I have concerns. That man Nolan, he's too pure. He has no concept of good or evil. He acts by logic, not empathy."
He spoke with conviction, arms folded. "How can we entrust the fate of Earth to someone whose morality is determined by mood?"
The Ancient One, seated with her usual poise, turned her gaze… and smiled directly at the glowing portal.
And at the very surprised Nolan, looking back.
"Strange," she said lightly. "I thought you liked your fellow countryman, as he represents half of your ethnicity."
Wong blanched.
"I—I do. Personally. But this isn't personal. It's about Kamar-Taj. We can't gamble our future on talent alone."
The Ancient One remained amused. "But that talent could protect Kamar-Taj far sooner than anyone else here."
Wong pressed on. "Every sorcerer here is gifted. But without the right heart, talent is meaningless."
"…Wong?" Nolan's voice cut in through the portal.
Wong froze. His head turned slowly—
There, peeking through the portal, was Nolan, arms folded.
Wong's face twisted into the universal expression of I've been caught talking behind someone's back.
Nolan stepped through the portal,, expanding smoothly to accommodate him.
He gave a courteous bow to the Ancient One. "Master."
She nodded in return.
Wong, however, was less than pleased.
"You used a portal… to this room?" he said stiffly. "The Master's sanctum is off-limits for magical traversal."
Nolan shrugged. "I didn't know that part. I was just practicing. This place is the one I've been to the most, and I figured if I was going to attempt it, it should be somewhere familiar."
Wong's frown deepened. "Even if you didn't know, this is a sacred space. Rules exist for a reason."
The Ancient One gently raised a hand.
"I gave no objection," she said. "In fact, I encouraged it."
She gestured toward the still-glowing portal behind Nolan.
"You see, this is why he's different."
Wong turned, now realizing what he was looking at was not a portal opened by a senior practitioner, but one opened entirely by Nolan himself.
No tutor. No assistance.
Three days ago, he hadn't known how to light a spark.
Now, he'd mastered interdimensional travel.
Wong's eyes narrowed. "That's… not normal."
"No," the Ancient One agreed softly. "That's exceptional."
Truthfully, even she was surprised. She had taken Nolan in on the Vishanti's guidance, because her visions could not predict him.
Whenever she tried to view his future, she saw nothing. Not darkness… but absence. As though fate itself had no claim over him.
Time didn't branch around Nolan like it did others.
Time collapsed into him.
Countless timelines tried to spread outward, only to snap back to the one he chose.
He didn't just walk through destiny.
He rewrote it.
And now, watching him casually wield spatial magic after mere days, she was convinced.
Nolan wasn't a candidate for the Sorcerer Supreme.
He was a future magical source in the making.
A living power well.
A potential god.
---
Nolan rubbed his neck. "I really didn't mean to break the rules. I just… thought magic would be harder."
Wong stared. Speechless.
----
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