Marvel Magic Case Files

Chapter 1653 Kamar-Taj: Busy

While humanity was still building its civilization from animal hides, linen, and mud bricks, the First Sorcerer Agamotto had already traversed every corner of the earth. In that era filled with strange beasts and superstition, no one could imagine the price Agamotto paid, or how many ferocious beasts he slew. Afterward, Agamotto, along with his disciples recruited along the way, built his dwelling, palaces, and dungeons on what was then yet the Himalayas, the most magnificent mountain range on the planet. He compiled all the wisdom he had gleaned in his life into the Book of Vishanti, imprisoning all that humanity could not resist within its dungeons.

After this, the Sorcerer Supreme Agamotto created the Planetary Defense System, and on its core instrument, a globe made of neither copper nor gold, he pointed out the three primary confluences of planetary ley lines and thousands of secondary confluences. The three primary confluences became the three great temples, while the thousands of secondary confluences became the sites where different civilizations built magnificent structures, temples for worshipping deities, and academies for other schools of magic. Whether it's the Temple of Athena or the pyramids, whether it's Uruk or the Kunlun Dojo, all are locations foreseen by the Sorcerer Supreme Agamotto.

This does not mean that all psychics on Earth use spellcasting methods derived from the Sorcerer Supreme, Agamotto.

Just as compiling the 0s and 1s stored in the same computer, Sorcerer Supreme Agamotto invented a compilation language to interpret these numbers. Unlike other compilation systems invented by psychics and prevalent on Earth, this language was simply more efficient. Other compilation languages ​​exist in this world, perhaps even more efficient than mathematics, which is why Sorcerer Supreme Agamotto strongly encouraged his apprentices to actively explore this world. Today, Kamar-Taj's spellcasting system has become incredibly complex, and every psychic capable of mastering themselves can find the most suitable method within this system, which integrates countless wisdoms, to unleash their psychic talents.

"You've already read about Agamotto building the Temple and Kamar-Taj in the scriptures. But I'll repeat it again: the latter part was added by our new Sorcerer Supreme, who believes it will help you understand how the Temple works more quickly. This information has been included in the Apprentice Guide, and you should read it regardless of your current level."

The mystic deacon recounted the rest of the story with a helpless expression.

Due to a shortage of manpower, some apprentices and deacons who had just participated in the coronation ceremony had to take over the work from the temples ahead of schedule. Because the apprentices and deacons of Kamar-Taj have tended to be younger and more highly educated over the past twenty years, the Emperor advocated using plain language to explain the temples' operating principles. Even so, the apprentices and deacons who had never participated in related work before still felt a sense of tension. The three temples are the largest operational bases besides the headquarters executive department. Only occultists approved by their superiors can work here. Due to their vast collections of books and mysterious artifacts, they can be considered true holy sites, and they had only briefly visited them.

When these sorcerers arrived at the temple, they were all astonished to find it incredibly crowded. Every room was brightly lit, displaying an unprecedented level of activity. The once quiet environment was now filled with loud shouts, and almost every sorcerer was in a hurry. Even brief conversations were tinged with restlessness and tension. Wu Guiyue, holding the Staff of Myriad Magic, stood atop the second-floor hall. The sorcerers, holding parchments, surrounded her, eager to report their findings. She responded with astonishing speed.

"Ether is approaching the warning line, and the veil is weakening. 80.91%."

"Sound the alarm at level three," she said, taking another parchment.

"The intensity of the Eternal War prophecy has increased, and sacrificial rites have been observed by cults on Earth, located in North America."

"Notify the New York Temple to send a standard deacon squad. That's all the personnel we have available."

"The Regent recommends activating the Alabama safe house to awaken the assassin."

"Agreed." Venerable Wu Guiyue took the next parchment.

"Tokyo Bay mission complete. One casualty. All cultists eliminated."

"There's no time to clean up the mess, so leave the body to the local police and gangsters."

Interpol…

"Let Interpol worry about it. If we fail, there's no point in Interpol existing." Venerable Wu Guiyue turned to a woman in a black business suit. "Ask the Immortal City if they can allocate some resources to North America, and whether the First Secret Regiment can be deployed. I know breaching the US air defense system is dangerous and could trigger an international conflict, but now is not the time to consider these issues."

"I will apply to the Regent."

"I don't need an application, ma'am. Connect me to Stephanie Malik."

"Ms. Malik is at work," the female civil servant said calmly. "It involves the Skrulls, and she must ensure that the Skrulls who have infiltrated the leadership of major countries do not interfere with the operation."

"Hasn't the Emperor already resolved the Skrull crisis?"

"Most of them. Some Skrulls' disguises are too sophisticated for us to handle simply by assassination."

Psionic talents can be broadly categorized into several types, which not only determine their future but also their role within the Temple. The talent to read minds is used to explore the etheric waves of outer dimensions, the talent to read all writing is used to decipher cryptic prophecies observed from outer dimensions, and even the most aggressive talents are used to protect the Temple.

"Someone will take you to the appropriate location shortly." The sorcerer waved a thick list in his hand at them. This operation on Kamar-Taj would mobilize all available resources, including apprentices. Even a special operations department needs logistical support, and these apprentices, still learning theoretical knowledge, could perform some simple chores. "Stand here, don't move. I'm going to pick up the next batch of apprentices."

"What happened?"

"Someone will explain things to you. Just think of yourselves as rookies in a spy movie, entering a secret base for the first time," the sorcerer said. "Do whatever others tell you to do, don't cause trouble, and don't touch any of those strange little things. We must do a good job of providing support to win this war."

"war?"

"Yes, war. The Battle of Attilan was just a clearing operation; the real war is yet to come."

The word "war" always makes one's mouth water, as if it were filled with ashes.

"I will try to limit the scale of this operation."

"Use this?" Regent Victor von Doom pointed to the Eye of Agamotto floating in the Emperor's palm. "You mean the Time Stone?"

"Ignorance is a form of protection."

"I agree with that, but it also means you'll be incurring a huge debt," Victor von Doom said. "I believe you have the ability to adjust the time of an entire planet without using the Time Stone; it's merely a supplementary tool for you. I believe you've already learned everything the Time Stone can teach you. Besides the Sorcerer Supreme, you're the only one who has access to the Time Stone; the Sorcerer Supreme never allows anyone else to have deep access to the Infinity Stones."

"Because that would kill them." The Emperor rotated his hand, closing the Eye of Agamotto. "The problem is, we can't determine the scope of the attack. There are countless small cults on Earth, some even based on families, with branches evolving into even more branches, which His Holiness has spent millennia trying to eradicate completely. These are all potential dangers that will waste our limited resources and attention."

"It will also increase the risk of cults being exposed," Viktor von Doom said. "Your theory has not yet been widely disseminated, and if related information spreads, we will face even greater trouble."

"Call the Pope. I've promised him I won't completely destroy the Vatican right now. In exchange, I need all sorts of Catholic military monasteries to start operating and follow our orders completely. I need all the power that alcoholic priest has. Unless they've degenerated into monsters who only crave little boys and money."

"I really enjoyed your religious jokes, but unfortunately, that's exactly what the Knights Hospitaller are like now. And there's more bad news." Victor von Doom raised an eyebrow. "Do you remember that supernatural incident that S.H.I.E.L.D. Coulson's team handled? You helped exorcise a ghost and rescue a female Puritan. A pure Anglo-Saxon, blonde, remember? Now that girl has converted to Catholicism, and the Vatican recruited her because she met you. Now she's joined a Catholic monastery hidden in the Alps."

"Thanks for the joke, it definitely cheered me up, Victor."

“This is no joke; the Guardian Order has records of this.” Victor von Doom glanced at Constantine and Amon, who took a document from him. The Emperor opened the document and saw it was filled with key points—issues that needed to be addressed before the crisis could begin—and it was a full two hundred pages thick. “Connect Stephanie Malik to the phone. I hope she has some good news. Our agents have already infiltrated the high-ranking Skrulls and are ready to act at any time. The price is that we will lose our opportunity to learn about the Skrulls; the current intelligence is insufficient to prevent the Skrulls from triggering a human crisis.”

(End of this chapter)