An Entity Within | Stephen Strange

17 - A Test

"Yourself, Ancient One."

She nodded, smirked, "Tessa was able to match me in strength, speed, stamina and agility last year."

Makarov looked between the woman, whose gaze was fixed on the class, and the students themselves, watching Tessa for a moment as she successfully attempted a spinning back kick. Then, he began to chuckle lowly.

"I didn't take you to be a joker - "

"Oh, I'm not joking, Master Makarov." The Ancient One looked at him, honesty reflecting in her mysterious gaze, "The girl's skill and power is phenomenal even at such a young age."

"She's eleven - "

"Yes, exactly." She beamed, "Imagine how much better she has grown in a year under all the masters' and my own teaching."

"She's been training under us all? Where has the girl found the time - "

"Tessa makes the time. She desires to be the best of us all."

"May I speak plainly?"

"Of course, Ivan."

"I think you might be working her to the bone."

"Look at the girl," She whispered, "Look at Tessa. Does she look like she's about to drop, half-dead from exhaustion, to you?"

Makarov looked at Tessa in her little red apprentice gear, working side by side with Mordo, and even correcting the him if he made a mistake. The girl's skin was aglow with pride, her posture strong - not weakening or overworked - determination was heavily set in her gaze but nowhere in her entire demeanor or execution of her movements could the Master see fatigue hidden anywhere.

"All I wish to know about are her limits. I won't push her farther than that but I need to know where to draw the line."

Ivan nodded, "And him, Mordo? If she is as powerful as you say she is, are you sure he is up to the challenge?"

"While his sorcery requires practise, he is a remarkable fighter." The Ancient One acknowledged, "I'd merely like to see what his combat skills are like under pressure."

Makarov gave the fledgling sorcerer a long, hard stare.

"You have reservations about him?"

"He pursues sorcery out of vengeance. Is it really safe giving him all this knowledge?"

"Would you not be vengeful if Katarina were taken from you and you knew who the villain was?"

The Master's silence spoke for him.

"Ivan, it's human to want revenge. At the beginning, yes, I was skeptical but that's why I paired him with Tessa. Mordo is a kind man, twisted by his experiences - Tessa brings out the good in him that I sense even he feared he lost."

"So that's why a white jacket is in this class?"

"Yes." The Ancient One observed the two again, "Tessa, a young girl, inspires him to be wise."

"Wisdom comes with experience and age."

"Wisdom is developed when we care for those younger than ourselves. When given such a young life to take care of, you want nothing more than for them to succeed and be good so you end up leading by example."

"Not always."

"No. But in this case, yes." She paused, "Mordo is vengeful, as he should be, but he has the wisdom now to choose not to pursue his anger."

"How? Why?"

"Look, Ivan, look at them." The Ancient One looked at Makarov, "Would you really want to upset a young child by leaving after you have bonded so well, knowing that, should you succeed in your vengeance, you would never be welcomed back either?"