Marvel: Incursio

Finding the room empty except for a large round table with old wooden chairs surrounding it, Liam couldn't help but give the Ancient One a curious look.

"What is this?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

The Ancient One smiled gently and pressed her hand onto a section of the table that looked different from the rest, channeling energy into it.

In response, a massive blue hologram of swirling energy came to life above the table. The projection was massive, filling most of the room as it rotated slowly. Red dots appeared in various locations across its surface, each pulsing faintly.

"This is The Globe," the Ancient One explained. "It was created by the first Sorcerer Supreme and remains our most effective tool for detecting dimensional tears across the world from within the sanctums."

Liam's eyes went over the projection. "The Globe, huh?" he muttered, stepping closer to examine the hologram.

"All of the red marks represent dimensional tears," she continued. "Remember, this information is a closely guarded secret. Only a select few know of this artifact's existence. If its location or function were compromised and it was destroyed, we would lose the ability to find hidden tears effectively."

Before Sse gestured towards a particularly large red dot. "The size of each red mark correlates to the energy levels of the tear it represents."

Liam nodded, beginning to understand how the Ancient One could dispatch mages worldwide with such precision.

'I used to think she memorized these locations using what she has seen from the Time Stone,' Liam reflected. 'But that wouldn't make sense. The Time Stone only shows potential futures. Every change could create new tears in different places.'

The Ancient One placed her hand back on the table. "You may use The Globe whenever you wish. Simply pour energy into this section."

Liam placed his hand on the place she gestured to and send a bit of energy through his palm. "Thank you," he said. 'This will drastically improve my training plans.'

As he circled the projection, a large red mark over Greece caught his attention.

"What about this one?" he asked, pointing at the prominent mark. "Is it a large tear?"

"That's correct," the Ancient One confirmed. "It expanded to a large tear approximately a day ago. The masters assigned to that region are currently handling another tear in the Netherlands. You are welcome to go over there if you wish."

"I was planning to," Liam replied, a smirk appearing. A large tear meant powerful creatures—and an opportunity to test himself further.

'Last time, I defeated a high-level creature with a terrain disadvantage before my evolution. This time, I'm stronger. If it's a fresh tear, I should be able to do it without to much difficulty.'

As Liam sunk into his own thoughts for a moment, the Ancient One looked at him with an unreadable expression.

Snapping out of his thoughts, Liam continued with a question he still had in the back of his mind.

"Can we tell which dimension the tear connects to?" he asked, still interested in the Globe.

"Unfortunately, no," the Ancient One said. "The first Sorcerer Supreme hadn't devised a way to identify dimensions in his lifetime, so also not while this artifact was created."

Liam shrugged. 'I'll figure it out when I get there. Hopefully, it's a dimension I haven't tapped into yet for energy signatures.'

After they exited the hidden passageway, Liam turned to face her again.

"Thanks for all your help today," he said, sincerely.

"Before you leave," the Ancient One said, halting him with a soft smile, "since you have reached master level, you now have the right to visit the artifact room. There, you may see if an artifact chooses you."

Liam blinked. He had forgotten about this tradition. Every master-level sorcerer was granted a chance to bond with a mystical artifact, much like how the Cloak of Levitation had chosen Stephen Strange.

He smiled. "Let's go right now," he said, interested in these old artifacts.

The Ancient One nodded and created a portal.

Together, they stepped through into a chamber filled with rows of glass cases, each housing a different unique object. Some appeared simple, while others were very detailed and looked ancient. Weapons, tools, and strange devices filled the room, each one had a long history and had different requirements.

In one corner, the Cloak of Levitation rested within its own case. Liam approached it, standing still for several minutes. He waited, almost willing it to react. But nothing happened.

The Ancient One observed him with a knowing smile. "Most artifacts are quite selective. They seek those who meet very specific requirements."

Liam sighed. 'I've always had trouble with flying opponents,' he thought. 'The Cloak would've been perfect.'

He moved on, wandering through the room with amazement as he inspected each artifact. Occasionally, he asked the Ancient One about their properties, and she patiently explained.

He found some specific artifacts more interesting than others. One such was the Veil of Silence, which silenced sound within a radius for five minutes before requiring a recharge. Another item, the Gauntlet of Clarity, enhanced mental processing speed and focus.

As he continued, an artifact started to hum very soft in a different section. He didn't notice it at first, but the hum grew louder with each step he took towards a display in the middle-right section of the room.

He turned towards the sound and found himself looking at a pendant with overlapping layers of glass with a long brown cord attached to the top, It laid on a red cushion within its case.

'Mirrorheart Pendant,' the label read.

"Interesting," the Ancient One murmured from a few feet away.

The hum got louder as Liam approached.

"Go ahead," she said, waving her hand to dispel the protective enchantments on the glass. "It seems an artifact has chosen you."

"What is it?" Liam asked as he opened the case and carefully lifted the pendant by its cord. The humming stopped, and the artifact stopped moving in his hand.

He raised it to eye level, inspecting the detailed, mirror-like layers of glass as the Ancient One began to explain.

"The Mirrorheart Pendant is an ancient artifact, crafted shortly after the era of the first Sorcerer Supreme. It has chosen only two previous wielders. For generations, its requirements have remained unknown."

She gestured towards the pendant. "Its primary benefits are enhanced control over the Mirror Dimension and the ability to create mirror-clones within it. These clones can mimic abilities for a limited time before dissipating."

"That's incredible." Liam responded, looking curiously at the pendant.

"Indeed," she said, "The notes from previous owners also mentioned that they felt they hadn't fully explored all of its functions due to their limited skill in manipulating the Mirror Dimension.

"I haven't even learned the Mirror Dimension yet," Liam pointed out. "Why would it choose me?"

"That," the Ancient One said with a soft smile, "is for you to discover."

Liam nodded, he had expected such an answer from the Ancient One.

After a some more talking, he returned to his room with the pendant around his neck.

'Tomorrow will be a busy day,' he thought with a satisfied smile. 'I really wonder what dimension it will be.'