Ancient One smiled and shook her head, her smile sincere and open: "Your Highness is overthinking. First of all, although Kamar-Taj is the holy land for us sorcerers, its fundamental mission is to protect this dimension."
"And the Sacred Flame, ignited by Your Highness's own hand, will itself greatly enhance the dimensional stability of Earth, which is the very assistance we have been hoping for."
She looked at Mavuika, her tone solemn: "Therefore, this is not only not a trouble, but on the contrary, a great opportunity for Kamar-Taj and the entire magical realm of Earth. If Your Highness truly chooses this place, I, on behalf of the past Sorcerer Supremes and all disciples, thank you in advance."
These words completely dispelled Mavuika's concerns.
He pondered for a moment, then asked: "Then what about the other location?"
Ancient One moved her finger, and the holographic image of Earth rotated, shifting the focus from Asia to the American continent.
The image zoomed in, displaying a bustling modern cityscape, with towering skyscrapers, crisscrossing streets, and dense traffic.
But at this point in real-time, it was still a vast, undeveloped land.
"The other location is on the American continent." Ancient One pointed to the approximate location of New York City in the image.
"In the near future, I will build three sanctums around the World, connecting them to form a global magical array to defend against intrusions from other dimensions."
Three glowing points appeared on the image, one in New York, one in London, and one in Hong Kong.
The three points connected to form a triangular energy network covering the entire Planet.
"One of the sanctums will be built right here." Ancient One pointed to the location of New York.
"And one of the reasons for choosing this place is that in the observed future, most of the major conflicts and crises faced by Earth will unfold on this land, in this city, and its surroundings."
Ancient One looked at Mavuika: "Therefore, if the Sacred Flame is ignited here, it will be directly rooted in the area where future Earth conflicts are most frequent."
She added: "Of course, this place also has its drawbacks; compared to Kamar-Taj, the protection in this area will certainly be inferior."
Both choices had their pros and cons, but they were both very good options.
Mavuika fell into thought; he picked up the now slightly cool tea and sipped it slowly, his gaze moving between the two glowing points on the Earth's holographic image.
Ancient One did not rush him; she also picked up her teacup and waited quietly.
The only sounds in the courtyard were the rustling of wind through the leaves, the faint barking of dogs from the distant village, and the slight sound of the teacup touching the table.
After a long while, Mavuika put down his teacup and looked at Ancient One: "Which one does the Sorcerer recommend more?"
Ancient One seemed to have anticipated this question; she was silent for a moment, as if organizing her thoughts, and then spoke slowly.
"From the perspective of Kamar-Taj's interests, I naturally hope Your Highness chooses our holy land; the benefits to the lineage of sorcerers would be tangible, and for me personally, it would be the most convenient option to assist with."
She changed the subject: "But from a broader perspective, considering the overall well-being of Earth and even the Nine Realms... I am inclined to recommend New York."
After saying this, she added: "Of course, this is just my personal suggestion."
"Your Highness does not need to make a decision now; Hela Odinson's work in the Underworld will still take a considerable amount of time to complete the core framework, and there is no need to rush the ignition of the Sacred Flame. Your Highness can consider it slowly, or even go to the two locations to experience them in person before making a decision."
These words were reasonable and appropriate, expressing her personal preference while fully respecting Mavuika's autonomy, and also providing a relaxed time window.
Mavuika picked up his teacup, this time not to drink, but raised it towards Ancient One in a simple gesture of offering tea: "Thank you for the Sorcerer's suggestion, and thank you for your honesty."
"I will consider it carefully, and I will also personally go to these two locations to experience them."
Ancient One smiled and reciprocated; their teacups clinked gently in the air, making a crisp sound.
"Your Highness is too kind; it is my honor to be able to provide some reference for this matter."
In the time that followed, the atmosphere of the conversation became much more relaxed.
They no longer talked about the heavy future and responsibilities, but instead, like two friends reunited after a long time, chatted about interesting things in their respective fields over the fading tea.
Laughter rang out from time to time in the courtyard; the sunlight gradually slanted westward, lengthening their shadows and intertwining them on the stone floor.
When the tea was refilled for the fifth time, the taste was much lighter than the first cup, but it still had a lingering aftertaste.
Ancient One looked at the sky and finally stood up.
"It is getting late, and I should be going back. There is still an evening class to host at Kamar-Taj, and the control of several new apprentices is not yet stable, so I need to keep an eye on them."
Mavuika also stood up, without polite retention, just nodding: "Then I will not keep the Sorcerer any longer. Thank you for your visit, and thank you for your advice."
Ancient One bowed slightly: "I am the one who should be thanking you. The dimensions have been much more stable recently, so if Your Highness is interested, you are always welcome to visit Kamar-Taj, and I will certainly welcome you warmly."
Mavuika responded with a smile: "I will definitely go if there is an opportunity."
He looked towards the east, as if he could traverse thousands of mountains and rivers to see that holy land hidden in the snowy mountains: "I also want to go and see what kind of scene that place, which has been protected by sorcerers for thousands of years, is actually like."
Ancient One smiled, a truly relaxed and happy smile: "Then, I look forward to the arrival of that day."
She raised her hand, her fingers tracing a perfect circle in the air.
Sparks sputtered, rotated, and rapidly expanded into a portal flickering with golden light.
Inside the door was still the scene of the Kamar-Taj courtyard, but the angle was different from when she arrived; one could see several young people in apprentice robes practicing basic magic seals on the training ground in the distance.
"Farewell, Your Highness Mavuika." Ancient One turned back to say before stepping into the portal.
"Goodbye, Sorcerer Ancient One." Mavuika stood in the courtyard, the setting sun gilding him with a golden edge.
The portal closed, the sparks dissipated, as if they had never appeared.
Only Mavuika was left in the courtyard; the tea set, chairs, and the chickens foraging in the distance were all exactly the same as before Ancient One's visit.
Mavuika stood in place, looking in the direction where Ancient One had disappeared, not moving for a long time.
His fingers unconsciously rubbed the edge of the teacup, and today's conversation echoed in his mind: Time Stone, the choice of two locations.
Finally, he exhaled softly and looked up at the sky.
Twilight began to fall, and the first stars appeared on the deep blue canopy.
"Kamar-Taj... or the future New York..." He whispered to himself, then shook his head.
"No rush, there is still time."
He began to tidy up the tea set, his movements skilled and calm.
When washing the teacup, warm water rinsed over the pottery walls, making a pleasant sound; he then moved the table and chairs back into the house and scattered the last feed for the chickens.
After finishing these daily chores, night had completely fallen.
Mavuika did not light a lamp but just walked to the backyard, looking up at the brilliant starry sky.
In his perception, Earth was like a sleeping giant, with long breaths and a steady heartbeat.
And deep within this land, at the boundary between life and death, his sister was carving out, stroke by stroke, the rules that would change the destiny of countless Worlds.
And he needed to find the most suitable canvas for that painting.
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