Dr. Stephen Strange.

A man of many talents.

Attending physicians and surgeons.

Many old school songs and artists are represented.

Now. . .

Another student.

Specifically, a student of an ancient order that dates back thousands of years, studying the occult, magic, and mysticism of the world.

How did he get to where he is today?

He glanced down at his shaking hands, which bore countless scars, both from accidents and surgeries that had drastically changed his life.

His hands have performed countless surgeries, gaining a reputation for their precision and steady hand, which is unmatched in his field.

Now all they did was keep shaking, serving no purpose other than to remind him of what he once had.

The way he used to be.

In this place of magic and mysticism, it is something he must work to overcome and heal.

So here he is, summoning a portal with his Sling Ring, a magical item that allows the mystics of Kamar-Taj to travel anywhere in this universe and any universe imaginable.

They travel through portals across the multiverse.

The idea alone was enough to bring him here. The fact that the idea of ​​the multiverse was real and not some fanciful science fiction made it believable. Then again, in this respect it was not science fiction but magic, not fiction but real.

If only he could conjure the damn thing.

All he could do now was to see pitiful sparks in front of him, which disappeared after his arm rotated a few times, without successfully summoning a portal.

He stood in the middle row of other students, all of whom were undergoing the same training, but he kept failing.

Stephen gritted his teeth and tried again to summon a portal from his ring as he thought back to his first few days in Kamar-Taj.

During his first one-on-one lesson with the Ancient One, she compared spells to codes and programs. The source code allowed them to tap into the magic of other universes to create items such as shields and swords and reshape reality to their will.

This is the basis of their magical iterations.

Ancient One said that mastering these skills requires the same dedication that it took for him to become a surgeon.

It takes years of study and practice, but if you’re fast, it may only take a few months.

If only he could summon a damn portal.

He gnashed his teeth in anger and frustration and twirled his arms in the air for what felt like the hundredth time, to no avail.

"Relax and let go of your anger, Strange."

Stephen exhaled, lowered his hands, and glanced at the lady beside him.

"You're too persistent." The woman said patiently. "You need to feel it with your heart."

"How can I not be persistent, Morn?" Strange asked curiously. "Don't talk nonsense here. All success starts with persistent attempts.

The Jedi Shadow known as Celeste Morn was grinning from ear to ear.

It was still a strange concept for the former surgeon to believe that the woman standing before him was from outer space, from her own community of wizards and witches.

He called it Hogwarts in Space.

She didn’t get the reference…yet.

"You sound like my boyfriend the way you talk."

"Really?" Strange said emotionlessly. "Boyfriend? How did you do that?

He only received a bland look in response before he tripped unceremoniously and found himself on his stomach.

"Celeste," a stern voice warned, though one could detect a hint of a smile.

Celeste put on an innocent look as she turned to the group's instructors, who were now looking at her and Strange.

"Yes, Lord Mordo?"

"We won't trip up our fellow practitioners." Modo said calmly, his lips raised.

Morn expressed false confusion. "Stumbled? Master Mordo, what do you mean by that? Can't you see that Mr. Strange is just frustrated? He's just annoyed at his own failure.

"In many ways," a calm female voice said.

In an instant, no one was there except Strange, who stood up while muttering, turned around and faced the Ancient One who walked into the courtyard where they lived.

"Modo, Daniel is ready for their next training." Ancient One said, looking at Carl first. Carl nodded and motioned for everyone to follow.

"Not you, weird."

The Doctor sighed, stopped midway and turned to her.

"My hands—" he said bluntly, holding up his bruised limbs.

"This has nothing to do with your hand." Gu Yi interrupted him quickly.

“How can it not be my hands?” Stephen shot back irritably. “All I was doing was waving them in the air.”

"I do the same." Celeste said, raising her hand, her lightsaber hovering above it. "Didn't the Ancient One tell you how to accomplish such a feat?"

"Yes, years of study and practice," Strange said, rolling his eyes.

"For me, even though I was only here for a few months, I was in the Jedi Temple for years."

"But my hand—"

"You limit yourself to the physical body." The Ancient One interrupted, shaking his head. "The Mystic Arts, while having a strong physical foundation does play a role to a certain extent, in the end, it's all about your mindset and spirituality."

Then, Ancient One looked to her left and saw an Asian master standing next to her.

"Hamill, if you will."

Hamill nodded and stepped forward, his hands hidden in his sleeves. He rolled them up, and Strange blinked.

Stephen was obviously surprised to see that the man was disabled due to the loss of his left hand.

With a wave of his arm, the Mystic Master is able to summon an ethereal rune in the air.

"Thank you, Hamil." Ancient One said with a relieved smile.

He gave her a slight bow and walked away.

“See?” Celeste said, reaching her hand in Hamill’s direction. “It’s all in your head, not your hands.”

The Ancient One continued. "You cannot beat a river into submission. You must adapt to its current and make its strength your own.

Stephen muttered loudly. "Celeste has told me about her and her Force. How can I control it and when can I adapt to it? It doesn't make any sense."

"Not everything is like that," said Mr. Ancient One. "Not everything has to be like that. Your intelligence has taken you far in life, but it won't take you any further. Admit it, Stephen.

Celeste then realized what she was about to do. "Wait, Master, are you sure—"

"Trust me, Morn," the Ancient One promised with a mischievous smile, summoning a portal. "Silence your ego, and your power will rise."

The Ancient One had Steph follow her into the portal, leaving Celeste alone in the training grounds. She could feel the biting cold coming from the other side, and could barely hear what was being said.

In less than a minute, the Ancient One walked back and closed the portal, leaving Stephen behind.

The Jedi cringed as he heard the terrified cry of the man left behind on Everest.

“Do you think he can do it?” Celeste asked nervously.

"You did, didn't you?"

The Jedi gave her a blank look. “Master, I have the advantage of the Force, and have been taught to be open-minded. Stephen is not that kind of person.

"What's going on?" Mordo asked, a curious voice coming from behind, and he returned to stand next to the two of them.

He looked around for a moment.

"Where are our new recruits?"

"He was dropped off in the middle of nowhere," Celeste said hastily. "If he hadn't succeeded, he might have perished."

"He'll be back," Gu Yi said quickly, fanning himself.

Modo caught Moon's gaze and slumped slightly.

"Oh, God, not again."

Strange, who was now waving his hands desperately, trying to summon a portal to Kamar-Taj while fighting off the freezing cold of Everest.

He only created sparks and yelled in anger and fear.

He would die here, he was sure of it.

Stephen looked around, breathing heavily as he felt his skin literally burning as he fought off the cold.

The Doctor closed his eyes, ready to accept defeat and death, when a disjointed memory floated through his mind.

"The Force? What is that?

"This is my order's understanding of the Universal Force, our version of magic if you will. It exists everywhere in the universe, connecting us all. When I was training as a Jedi Knight, my Master always told me that the Force exists within you. You just have to open yourself to it and allow it to flow freely through you. Think of it as a source of electricity, and you as the conductor.

"hehe......"

Stephen opened his eyes, his body trembling, and he stared at where he came from.

"Open my heart." Strange told himself in his heart. "Let it go...let it go...let it go..."

Celeste, Ancient One, and Mordo stood together, anxiously awaiting Stephen's return.

A few more minutes passed as Celeste wordlessly prepared to summon her own portal, but the Ancient One placed his hands on hers and gently pushed them down.

As she did so, Celeste's eyes widened, and she found herself grinning at the sight before her.

Strange finally succeeded.

He stumbled through the portal and soon fell into the fetal position, cold as hell from his first visit to Everest.

Modo immediately conjured up a thick blanket and wrapped it around Stephen, who nodded quickly to express his gratitude.

He stared up at the Ancient One, who smiled at him proudly.

"You've taken the first step, Mr. Strange."

The Doctor let out a nervous laugh as he stood up, helped by Carl and Celeste.

Celeste helped him to his room.

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