Stephen watched closely, every word, every movement she did to create such a simple spell, he made sure he got it all in his head so that he could mimic it and hopefully, finally use the same magic.
Meanwhile, Lenore kept creating magic circles and mystic patterns in the air. She found Stephen watching her with a focused look on his face quite amusing that she couldn't help but giggle. She lost her concentration as she broke in a fit of soft giggles, causing the patterns she created in midair to dissipate into bright sparks.
Even Stephen broke out of his concentration, finding himself joining Lenore but he sounded confused other than the other.
"I'm sorry," she said, struggling to cease her laughter.
"What?" Stephen asked, clocking an eyebrow in her direction, "What's so funny?"
"It's just..." she tried to collect herself but failed to do so, it took her a couple of minutes before her laughter died down and her eyes were now dry from her tears.
"You're so tense, Stephen. Loosen up, you'll get there in time. Trust me." Lenore waved her hands and once again created a Tao Mandala, the one she created was shaped like a fan, not the usual circle.
"Are you sure I'm meant for this?" He asked as he studied the mandalas hovering above her palms. "I tried so hard but so far, none."
"Please, the first night of me teaching you and you're complaining." Lenore hummed while she brought her hand over her mouth while pretending to be sad. Lenore watched at Stephen's face with an annoyed expression, clearly irritated of what she was doing. But the man, instead of lashing out like he used to, he calmed down.
"Look, I'm being serious. What if really not meant for this?"
Lenore thought long and hard, she had students who thought the same way and she had always used the same words repeatedly to encourage them and push them to be better. But Stephen was different, she didn't know why but she knew that he really is meant for this, he was just getting impatient.
"I know you are a man who doesn't believe in things such as fate but, I know fate brought you here, Mister Strange. Maybe fate brought you here for a greater purpose." Lenore spoke as she rose from Stephen's bed and walked over the tray with two cups of tea. She poured one each for her and Stephen.
When she turned around to face him again, she could've sworn she saw him roll his eyes, but instead and speaking up like he had done to the Ancient One when he first arrived here, he chose to be silent about it.
"Stephen, I promise I'll help you. But I could only tell things that you need to learn. It's up to you what you will do next." She stretched her hand forward, handing Stephen his tea. When their hands touched, both Lenore and Stephen jumped slightly at the sudden contact but neither of them noticed the same thing as the other one did.
"Tha...Thank you." Stephen stammered, averting his gaze from Lenore but it was hard not to. His eyes flicked back towards her and couldn't help but stare. She was beautiful, not to mention kind. The two of them spent the few minutes they had left, training Stephen to be able to wield magic, in the end, Stephen only managed to get out just a small spark. As discouraged Stephen was, Lenore told him it was progress.
The next day, Stephen got up early, dressed himself and went down to the training grounds to meet up with the other students. He recalled everything he learned that night and incorporated it in training today. However, not a single spark of magic appeared in front of him.
Meanwhile, Lenore and the Ancient One stood side by side, watching the students from the doors leading back to the temple. Lenore's eyes focused on Stephen, she could see that he was really trying but was now getting frustrated.
"Are you worried, Master Lenore?" the Ancient one inquired beside her, causing her shift her attention from the class to the Ancient One.
"Worried?" she questioned back and the Ancient One pointed her fan towards a certain student, Stephen Strange.
"I'm surprised that he asked you to be his teacher, despite his ego." The Ancient One stated, a humurous smirk graced her face.
Lenore chuckled, "I was surprised, but I still agreed. He has potential, I could feel it. He'll grow into a skilled sorcerer I just know it."
"Even more skilled than you?"
"Pretty much."
The Ancient One hummed as she returned her gaze towards Stephen. He was visibly frustrated and she knows that he was blaming his hands. She needed to convince him that it was not because of his hand that he wasn't able to wield magic. And she knew whos the perfect example.
"Could you fetch, Master Hamir?" The Ancient One asked Lenore, and she nodded. She bowed to the Ancient One first before she turned around and left the training grounds. The Ancient One watched her leave with a tiny smile on her face.
Meanwhile, Stephen failed to make a transmutation circle, one that he and Lenore trained last night for. All he was able to do was just a spark of magic and nothing else. Now, they were being handed a small tool called the "Sling Ring", with a shaky hand, he picked it up from the box that Mordo was carrying and lined up with the other students.
"Mastery of the Sing Ring is essential to the Mystic Arts." Mordo started to explain, "They allow us to travel throughout the universe. All you need to do is focus. Visualize."
At that, Stephen saw that the other students stretched their left hand forward, only the thumb, index and middle fingers raised up. With their other hand, they began moving it around in a circular motion.
"See the destination in your mind. Look beyond the worl in front of you. Imagine every detail." Mordo stopped by Stephen, studying him, "The clearer the picture, the quicker and easier the gateway will come."
It sounded like it was directed towards Stephen, even more so when Stephen saw that Mordo was looking at him. He only stopped when the Ancient One, together with Lenore and Master Hamir entered the training grounds.
Waving a hand to his students, he said, "And stop."
Stephen let his arms falling to his side with a frustrated grunt. He looked up, quickly meeting Lenore's gaze.
"I'd like a moment alone with Mister Strange." The Ancient One declared. Mordo nodded in understanding and bowed towards her before waving his hand, gesturing for the other students to follow him to another location in the temple. Once the courtyard was clear of people other than the four of them, Stephen walked closer to the Ancient One.
"My hands." Stephen said, raising both of them in front of himself.
"It's not about your hands." She replied, slightly shaking her head.
"How is not about my hands?"
"Master Hamir," The Ancient One turned her head to the middle aged man behind her, allowing him to stand in between them. Stephen recalled mistaking him for the Ancient One when he first arrived.
Master Hamir pulled back his left sleeve, revealing a stump instead of a hand. He then started to swirl his arms in a circular motion, creating a transmutation circle in front of them. Stephen watched in awe, while the Ancient One smirked confidently after making her point clear.
"You cannot beat a river into submission. You have to surrender to its current, and use you power as your own."
"I control it by surrendering? That doesn't make any sense." He asked, squinting his eyes abruptly.
"Not everything does. Not everything has to. Your intellect has taken you far in life. But it will take you no further."
Confused, Stephen's eyes sweeped over towards Lenore, who was standing beside the Ancient One. She gave Stephen a small smile and he felt something inside his chest.
"Surrender, Stephen. Silence your ego. Then your power will rise." The Ancient One paused, walking past Stephen with her left hand raised, with a circular motion of her hand, she created a portal.
Stephen turned his head towards Lenore with a cocked eyebrow. Lenore responded with a wink before she gestured for Stephen to follow her.
For the first time today, Stephen can feel himself smiling.
But the smile soon disappeared as he stepped into the portal and arrived to the other side, he quickly brought his hands to his arms, hugging himself to keep him warm as the chilling breeze whipped at them.
"Wait! Is this?—"
"Everest." She finished while standing next to Stephen, the loose ends of her robes billowed harshly against the strong breeze and showed no signs that she was cold.
"This is beautiful!" Stephen looked up, smiling.
"You're right."
"Beautiful. It's freezing but...beautiful."
"At this temperature, a person can last thirty minutes before suffering from permanent loss of function. They'll like go into shock."
"Great."
"But you will likely go into shock within the first two."
"What?" Stephen swiveled around in time to see the Ancient One was leaving through a portal.
"Surrender, Stephen." The Ancient one said in a sing-song voice.
"Wait! No!" Stephen jumped towards the portal, but it disappeared before before he could reach it and landed on the snow below. He quickly rose from the ground, wiping off the snow that got in his clothes and his arms.
He looked at the empty space in front of him, it was where the Ancient One left.
Meanwhile, back at the temple, Lenore's eyes grew wide in surprise as the Ancient One walked out of the portal, her robes and arms covered in snow. At that moment, she knew exactly where they went and she grew worried.
She waited for Stephen to come out but the moment The Ancient One stepped out of the portal, it closed. But she heard Stephen shout from the other side for a brief moment.
"You did not." Lenore said as the Ancient One stood beside her.
"I just did."
"Mother..." she drawled out as she looked forward, hoping that Stephen would soon appear.
"Come on, Stephen..."