You can read early chapters on my [P].[A].[T].[R].[E].[O].[N].
Link: [email protected]/Arson09
____________________________________
The Library of Kamar-Taj.
Lucy Chen.
She had become a member of the Order of the Masters of the Mystic Arts only last month.
But Despite her short tenure, she had already been left in awe of what she had witnessed. It wasn't just the magic performed by the Masters or the ancient tomes left behind by the Scholars; she had also seen him—Ethan Park, an Avenger— this Christmas.
Earlier that day, Lucy had been diligently studying when a Sling Ring portal sparked into existence in the center of the room. She was alarmed; opening portals inside the library was strictly prohibited.
Initially, she feared someone was taking advantage of the absence of Master Kevas, the Head Librarian, and his right hand, Master Wong.
But it wasn't a thief who stepped through; instead, Ethan Park emerged carrying a shopping bag from "Grandma Dumpling."
He scanned the room as if searching for someone specific. She was still far too dazed to speak.
Was he an Apprentice, too? Or was he already a Master?, Up close, she realized he was so handsome it was ridiculous; she involuntarily giggled.
"You there," Ethan called out, seemed to have heard her giggling.
"Ah—? YES!" Lucy scrambled to her feet.
"You... you are Ethan Park, an Avenger."
"Are you new here?" Ethan asked.
"Yes, sir. I joined the Order Of Masters Of Mystic Arts only last month. Lucy..Lucy Chen, " she replied with conviction
Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Well, Lucy, have you seen Wong?"
"Wong is out in the city with Master Kevas," she replied immediately.
" Is he? Well, tell him I dropped this off." Ethan handed her the bag. "And that I'm sorry for missing our training session."
A brief silence followed as Ethan waited for her affirmation.
"Of course, I'll make sure he receives it, Sir... but can I ask for a selfie? Please? No one will believe me otherwise." Lucy finally mustered the courage as she flashed him her endearing smile.
Ethan grimaced, seemingly having an internal debate, before he softened. "Why not?"
Later that day:
Wong
He sat amidst the towering shelves, eating microwaved dumpling. Though not yet Head Librarian, he was the vital assistant to Master Kevas, knowing the location of every tome in these hallowed walls.
Two decades—that was how long he had been at Kamar-Taj. He had been a lost soul upon arrival, clouded by the grief of losing his baby sister. The Ancient One had taken him in, teaching him the Mystic Arts and helping him integrate his martial arts into a unique style.
"So, where was I again?" he asked Chen. She was a diligent girl, from what Wong had seen this past month.
"You were telling me about a sorcerer's way of life, Master Wong."
"Yes, our way of life..." Wong's thoughts drifted to the preceding years. An alien invasion, and the grim aftermath.
"Lucy, a sorcerer faces the threat of death every time they accept a commission. Every time they step through a gateway, there is a real chance they won't return," Wong spoke gravely. "Before the Colombia Incident, holding funerals every other month was not unusual."
Lucy listened quietly, maintaining eye contact, though she visibly gulped at the mention of death.
"Many seasoned sorcerers simply chose to leave after their first encounter with a Grade 1 Cursed Spirit, and there is no shame in that," Wong continued.
"Those who leave, we call them 'the smart ones,' for only a madman goes out of his way to hunt such entities."
To be a Jujutsu Sorcerer, one must be a little mad. Lucy had heard the saying.
"I'm sorry, Master Wong... I am ignorant on the subject, but what was the Colombia Incident?" Lucy asked hesitantly. "And how is Park connected? Is he a Master too?"
She had heard about Colombia Incident in passing, intrested she had asked Master Kevas...but all she had received in return was a firm dismissle and as there were no written records for students to read, she was not privy to the knowledge.
Wong paused to eat the last dumpling, then continued. "The Colombia Incident is the day Ethan Park became a pillar of sorcerer society." as he finished, the plate disappeared, replaced by a white towel.
So he is a Master, Lucy thought. Could his healing be replicated by the Mystic Arts?
She was about to ask when Wong added, "And no, Park is not a Master of the Mystic Arts, not in a traditional sense."
"He isn't?" Her face fell. From the corner of her eye, she saw more apprentices gathering to listen. Wong motioned for them to come forward, and her impromptu lesson shifted into a lecture.
"The Colombia Incident was a disaster of an unprecedented scale—an outbreak where numerous Grade 1 spirits formed a pack. It's an extremely rare occurrence, as powerful spirits usually prefer isolation, to work alone." Wong explained.
"They were hunting humans across the Caribbean. Our reconnaissance team noticed an alarming number of civilians missing in the area."
"Normally, an operation of that scale would require weeks of preparation to minimize casualties," Wong continued as more students took seats around the table.
"At the time, I didn't understand why the Sorcerer Supreme insisted only a small team of elders and Ethan come along with her." Wong's expression shifted, as if recalling something painful.
"It was winter at the time. Ethan and the team were on the left side of one of the islands where we detected the signatures...
We were ambushed and the next second, my left arm was severed clean and We were surrounded on all sides by Grade 1s."
Wong touched his left hand, presumably where the reattachment had occurred.
"All hell broke loose. The elders tried to hold them off, but we were taken out one by one, we hid behind a large hill rock, I was still bleeding when I noticed Ethan was not with us, and all of us were too injured to go back, We left him behind." Wong finished.
" We could still hear the fighting, with only Ethan remaining against God knows how many. Then, there was silence. The team thought 'That's it, Park's dead, and we are next.'"
The tension in the library was thick enough to cut with a knife, when Lucy saw Master Kevas walk in the front door.
Wong continued, "The next sound we hear was cackling laughter. The team limped outside, clutching their wounds, and you know what they see?" He looked towards the approaching Master and gave him a firm node.
"Ethan Park standing there, laughing... with every Grade 1 cursed spirit dead at his feet.", he continued.
Master Kevas approached the group, and Wong made to stand up to give him his seat.
Kevas motioned for him to remain seated as he looked around the new group of apprentices and spoke, "That was our introduction to him. That's why no Masters talk about the Colombia Incident;no one wants to relive that day..." Kevas finished as he looked towards Lucy, she physical flinched, the Master she had asked previously was Kevas, himself.
Though as a question popped into her head , she wore a look of intense curiosity : "So, who is stronger? Ethan Park or the Ancient One?"
Murmurs started among the students at the posed question but Before an answer could be formed, a bell began tolling sharply across Kamar-Taj.
A moment later, Master Mordo strode into the library, his expression unusually grim.
"Master Kevas, Master Wong... our reconnaissance team has picked up several signatures. Special grade Cursed Spirits are attacking Fairview, Connecticut," Mordo announced. He paused, his voice dropping an octave. "A family of four was attacked, a college student was found beheaded in his appartment, more reports are coming in as we speak."
"Where is the Ancient One?" Master Kevas asked urgently.
"Off world, She is currently engaged." Mordo replied.
"We are receiving live Transmission," Mordo announced.
The sound of police sirens could be heard from the radio, then came the broken static voice
" FAIRVIEW IS BEING ATTACKED BY SPECIAL GRADE CURSED SPIRITS."
" WE NEED...WE NEED BACKUP!! ANYBODY THERE? PLEASE RESPOND." The sound of sirens in the background grew with each passing seconds.
" What's the situation right now ?" Mordo asked.
The radio hummed with static. There was no reply for a whole minute.
Students and Teachers alike shared worried glances.
Then finally came a grim transmission from the radio. " All the grade 1 and lower grade sorceres are down."
They all turned toward Wong, who was already focused on his phone, thumbs flying across the screen.
"SPECIAL GRADE INCOMING," Wong stated firmly. Lucy realized she had been holding her breath and finally let it out in a long, shaky exhale.
She turned back to Master Mordo. "Were there any survivors?" she knew it was foolish question, she held out hope.
"A boy," Mordo replied quietly, and she smiled. "It seems the cursed spirit intentionally left him alive after slaughtering his family right in front of him.
We have yet to find anyone else who survived an encounter."
The Masters began to move with practiced urgency. Lucy sat still for a full minute after the other apprentices had cleared the room, lost in contemplation. She wasn't a sorcerer yet; she couldn't contribute to exorcising the spirit.
But as a look of fierce determination crossed her face, she scrambled to her feet and sprinted down the long corridor toward Master Wong's private quarters.
"No," Wong said, cutting her off before she could even open her mouth. He didn't even need to look up to know why she was there. "You are not going."
"Sir, with all due respect, you may know infinitely more about sorcery than I do, but I know that child. I was...that child," she countered, her voice shaky but ringing with conviction. "Right now, he doesn't need police officers telling him he's lost his mind. He needs someone to tell him... Tell him that we are going to get the bastard who did this." She spoke at length, but Wong does not look convinced.
"Please, Wong." She added.
Wong looked at her, searching her eyes for a long moment before finally shaking his head in a silent surrender.
"Fine. But you do not leave my sight—not for even one second."
-------------------------------------------------------
A/N: So how was the chapter?