𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃 ━ 𝐬. 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞

━━ . NINE

※

Stephen's eyes lingered on the spot Katherine had once occupied and drifted down to a few dots that stained the carpet. There was this gnawing, awful feeling inside of him that in his curiosity and hubris, he had betrayed this...stranger. However, there were more important things to tend to, and unfortunately that came with the responsibilities of being Sorcerer Supreme.

Both Stephen and Wong looked at the case that contained the Obsidian Stone and it had once again become inactive, which was a relief. Stephen had suspected it before, but it was even clearer now that this Katherine woman had raw, untapped magical potential and no one had ever guided her to control it. Had Wong pressured any further, he was sure it would spell their demise.

If he picked up the faintness of her powers, then he was sure now that others were aware of her and that could spell trouble.

Stephen sighed and glanced over at Wong. "You couldn't have approached that better?"

"I'm sorry, Stephen," Wong squinted. "I know you are anxious to find a pupil..."

"I think 'anxious' is a bit of an exaggeration-"

"But she does not need to be trained in the mystic arts or any form of magic. All it would take is basic knowledge, and she could unleash who knows what from the Dark Dimension."

Stephen felt his pride flare up. "Even with guidance? We don't know for sure she's from the Dark Dimension. You're basing this all on assumptions and the musings of someone who lied to us both."

"You've never trained anyone before." Wong gave a stern look. "You have no idea of the difficulties involved. I can understand your shortsightedness in this manner as it relates to that woman, but you cannot be a oblivious to the obvious."

"I've trained many residents in neurosurgery."

Wong stiffened. "Training a doctor to cut open the human body is not the same as training someone in the mystic arts."

Actually, Stephen could find a lot of parallels on the matter but chose to focus on the task at hand. "When you say I shouldn't train Katherine in the mystic arts, how serious are you at enforcing that decree? Say, on a scale of one to ten..."

Wong glowered. "This is not a joke."

"No, it certainly isn't. This woman has not lived the best life and to make matters worse the only family she ever had is dead, and here we are debating whether or not she's related to the dark entity that caused it."

That silenced Wong.

But Stephen didn't stop. "She also has no place to live."

"I never said she couldn't reside here. The Sanctum is not only for those trained or apprenticing in the mystic arts. It has always been a place of refuge for anyone who needs it."