Chapter 29
Then it happened—his fist rocketed forward with speed that cracked the air like lightning, creating a thunderclap that roared across the mountains. The snow behind him exploded backward in a cone of force, trees at the lower ridge bent violently,
and the sky warped subtly as the punch displaced even the clouds overhead. His arm was a blur, a flash of red and skin through the frigid mist, and the pressure wave preceding the fist struck the cliff before the knuckles ever made contact, blowing off loose debris in all directions.
When the punch landed, the entire cliff face convulsed. A boom louder than any cannon shot echoed through the valley as a chunk of the mountain—easily the size of a two-story building—detached and collapsed with a grinding scream. The stone fractured like glass under his knuckles, the impact digging deep and forming a massive crater where rock had once stood firm.
Snow avalanched from above, trees hundreds of meters away snapped from the shockwave, and even the clouds trembled under the sheer pressure of the blow. When the dust settled, the cliff was mangled—torn open like paper, with cracks webbing far into the stone, and the wind now sang through the new scar like a cold whisper of awe.
Ash stood tall amidst the settling dust and cracked stone, his breath steady despite the altitude. Snowflakes drifted lazily around him, melting before touching the heat of his skin. Slowly, a grin spread across his face. He stepped forward again,
footsteps crunching over shattered rock and splintered ice, and mirrored the same motion—fist touching the cliff, arm winding back. But this time, he summoned mana. His eyes blazed bright white, casting an eerie glow on the cliff face, as his beach-sized core began to churn within him, spiraling with raw energy.
The air grew still, unnaturally so, as mana poured from his core and funneled into his arm. His fist shimmered, then glowed white-hot, radiant and wild, crackling with chaotic arcs of light. Unlike his human days, when mana burned his flesh, now his superhuman frame bore the weight effortlessly.
The very earth quaked subtly beneath his feet, unable to ignore the pressure building in his arm. Even the sky above seemed to bend, clouds spiraling tighter above Everest as if drawn into the tension like moths to a flame. Ash's breath fogged before him, calm and patient, before he struck.
His fist surged forward, tearing through the air like a comet—this time faster, heavier, louder. The wind screamed in protest as his mana-enhanced punch displaced the atmosphere in a pulse that shattered the frozen air, forming a conical shockwave that launched snow and rock outward in a deafening ring.
A glowing trail followed his arm, like a divine spear flung by a god, and just before contact, the mana in his fist erupted outward in luminous tendrils. The sound of impact was a hollow, world-cracking roar, deep and resonant, as if the mountain itself had howled in agony.
The cliff side didn't shatter—it imploded. A massive segment of the mountainside collapsed inward as fractures raced across the stone like lightning bolts, crumbling everything in a fifty-meter radius. Jagged boulders fell like rain, ice cracked and slid in sheets, and an avalanche was triggered from above. Ash leapt back just in time, the rock beneath his feet splintering from residual force.
As he landed on a nearby ledge, dust and debris swept past him like a storm surge, revealing what remained: a brutal, yawning wound carved into the cliff, an entire face of the mountain torn away in one blow. The once-pristine slope was now ruined, scarred by the wrath of superhuman strength fused with unrestrained mana.
"What has this cliff ever done to you?" asked the Ancient One as she stepped through the mirror dimension where she had been watching Ash. She was usually like this, interested in everything related to Ash's power, but Ash didn't sense any greed, just curiosity. After all, she was a sorcerer—curiosity was a big aspect of hers.
"Strength without control is meaningless," he said as he sighed and picked up the Dragonfang. "So, what is the occasion? You usually just observe me from the mirror dimension?" he asked nonchalantly as the Ancient One opened a portal back to Kamar-Taj since Ash was still not able to open a portal with his mana, only white sparks were produced.
"It's time for another fight," she said as they arrived at his quarters directly, which was weird because usually, the Ancient One would walk with Ash, talking to him, but this time she cut straight to business, which did not escape Ash's notice. Ash also noticed how nostalgic the Ancient One looked, which made him ask,
"So, is this another big one? Am I going to witness the might of the great Sorcerer Supreme?" he asked with a chuckle as the Ancient One replied, "This time it's a solo mission, to Bast's domain," she said, surprising Ash who asked, "Wakanda?" The Ancient One nodded as she said, "Get ready, you will leave soon," to which Ash obliged as he put on his magically curated armour.
After picking up his Dragonfang, Ash was walking through Kamar-Taj when he noticed Masters of the Mystic Arts and apprentices going around, looking busy. "Given how technologically advanced Wakanda is, a mana beast wreaking havoc should not have caused this much ruckus in Kamar-Taj," he noted to himself as he arrived at the courtyard where the Ancient One was looking up into the sky under a blossom tree.
Ash looked at her for a second, and his mood got worse as he approached, but he didn't speak as he just stood there. "I remember the first time I entered this place," she spoke in a low nostalgic tone. "It was a different place back then."
Ash remained silent as he stared into the sky. The Ancient One looked at him for a second before she chuckled as she said, "Shouldn't you have made a joke about my age?" she said as Ash remained quiet. The Ancient One sighed, "I sometimes forget how perceptive you are, is its one of your powers right?" she said as Ash finally spoke,
"Is there really no way to prevent it?" to which the Ancient One replied, "Yes, but I don't want to live much longer. I have already made peace with it," before she smiled and said, "Plus, it's time to give the younger generation some time to shine." Ash sighed as he said, "Then can I at least help them? Help your legacy? You know what I could do?"
He asked as the Ancient One looked at Kamar-Taj and its sorcerers. "This is a trial for them as well, not just strange. What comes in the next couple of days will test their resolve, and they need to be able to stand on their own, with their new leader," she said as she continued, already knowing what Ash was going to ask. "Don't worry, the enemies are not monsters. It's not your destiny," she said as Ash groaned,
"Destiny, i am already sich of her" while he walked forward. "I am ready," he said with a resolute voice as the Ancient One continued to smile. She conjured up a portal, which Ash entered, but the moment he stepped through, he stopped as he turned around.
The Ancient One was looking at him as he then sighed and said, "I am glad I met you, Ancient One," to which the Ancient One replied, "I am glad too, Ashborn. I hope you achieve your goal," she said before adding, "Just don't forget, you too are just a human," before she closed the portal. Ash stared into the place where the portal closed for a couple of minutes, recalling his first meeting with the Ancient One—how she offered a place to stay, food, even knowledge and training. She offered her own insight into situations and taught him a lot from her own personal experience.
and despite only knowing her for such a small time, to Ash, the Ancient One became a mentor and a parental figure to him, someone he did not wish to lose. But he didn't want to be selfish, living just for his sake. If she wanted eternal rest, then Ash would oblige. "May you rest in peace, wherever you are," before he turned around and walked away.
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A/N you know, despite Mordo and kaecilius harsh critics of the ancient one, i like her very much.
PS: i always forget that RIP stands for rest in peace and not rest in pieces.