Sorcerer Potential

William looked around and, breaking the fourth wall, muttered, "Well, I hope you're enjoying my misery. Right now, I don't think I'm in the best position. I thought I'd just learn some magic, head back to the U.S., maybe even try some vigilante work. But this? This is way more than I bargained for. Why is my life like this? Anyway, if you're curious, I'm out here under an open sky. The desert is dark, almost starless, with just a few lonely lights. And I hate to admit it, but this place makes me want to explore it… even if it's literally killing me. If this is my last message… remember: work hard, study well, eat and sleep plenty. That's the wisdom I've got. Thanks, life."

Clea's voice pulled him out of his thoughts. "What are you muttering about? And why are you looking into the air like that?"

William quickly switched topics. "You're pretty sharp, huh? Just talking to myself. Humans tend to go a little crazy when they're left alone, you know? And it's worse when they're crossing dimensions." He paused, then asked, "So, were you actually born here? And is Dormammu really your dad?"

Clea narrowed her eyes, annoyed. "Yes, I was born here, and I don't need to answer the second question. The more you ask, the less likely you are to reach the council in one piece. And based on your earlier attempt at a fight, I'd say I'm far stronger than you. So don't get any ideas, Sorcerer."

William smirked. "You're only stronger because this universe's nature boosts you. The moment I tap into this dimension's energy, I could probably wipe the floor with you." He quickly added, "Sorry if that was too personal. Consider it small talk—I like to chat, and I'll answer any questions you want, too."

Clea's expression softened. "Trying to be humble now, huh? I like your confidence. Let's take turns asking each other questions. I've never met a mortal who's crossed dimensions." She was about to ask her first question when William interrupted.

"Don't you have a teleportation ring or something? Why are we walking? You're a sorcerer, and Dormammu's daughter, no less. You must have a faster way to travel. And how are you speaking English? Did the British make it here too? Don't tell me your lineage comes from the kings and queens of Great Britain?"

Clea laughed at his barrage of questions. "Alright, I'll count that as one question. I did have a device to teleport us to the castle, but it was destroyed in our earlier… encounter, so we're stuck walking. As for the second question, I don't know anything about these British, but I was trained in over 500 languages, which is modest compared to the scholars in our council."

Now genuinely curious, she turned to him. "Tell me about Earth. What's it like, and how far has your kind advanced in technology?"

William's face lit up. "Earth? Well, it's a small planet compared to others, orbiting a yellow star. Life there is rare—most planets don't sustain life, let alone intelligent life. Earth's got forests that breathe, animals that depend on each other, and humans. We're curious and creative, always pushing for new discoveries. We've even started exploring space, can travel to other planets, and we've developed religions and technologies to defend ourselves, though we've got enough weapons to destroy ourselves too."

As they continued walking, William looked up at the dim sky. "Why are there no stars here? Was this place always so dark, or did Dormammu have something to do with it?"

Cleia's expression grew thoughtful. "I've been taught that this universe once had stars and planets, just like yours. But as billions upon billions of years passed, the stars burned out, one by one, until they were gone. It's something every universe faces. My people decided to use the remaining stars for survival, waging wars over them. Our scientists found a way to store their energy in cells, but that would only last us so long. Eventually, we turned to black holes, harnessing the very fabric of space and time. But that required more than science and we couldn't develop technology for harnessing the energy of the universe. But everything changed when we invaded Kartesia, a planet of sorcerers, and learned their magic. We combined it with our own understanding of science and created what you call dark sorcery. Unlike your sorcery, where you resonate with the universe and use its power to fabricate and manipulate matter, here we have to forcefully take energy from the universe. Our universe is dying and doesn't have abundant energy, so we must extract it from wherever possible."

William was so absorbed in her story that he didn't notice she had stopped talking. She snapped her fingers, bringing him back to reality. He blinked, then asked, "Wait, how old are you, exactly? You sound way too wise for someone young. You know, there's a place for people like you on Earth. At Kamar-Taj, knowledge is everything. You could come to our universe. Your father's busy here, right? He wouldn't mind if you were gone."

Clea replied with a smile, "Don't get your hopes too high. The only thing I understood from my birth in this universe is that nothing lasts for too long, especially the good things. If my universe were in a better state and my people had enough resources, I'd roam different universes to gain knowledge. But at this stage, we're constantly extracting energy from other universes to survive, which means constant war."

Just as Clea stopped speaking, William felt movement beneath the ground. He looked at Clea, noticing she was casting a spell he didn't recognize. Suddenly, they were flung high into the air. Once airborne, William saw thousands of tiny creatures swarming the land where they had been standing just a moment ago.

Clea's next words sent a chill through him. "You see, you wouldn't be alive if it weren't for me. These tiny creatures are known for brutally stripping the flesh from their prey. They cling to the host's skin, leaching dark energy. They don't kill you outright but will lay eggs in your veins and arteries for a steady supply of blood and dark energy. To get rid of them, you'd have to burn your outer skin. Only five people in our planet's history have survived that treatment; the rest died from the trauma. If left untreated, you'd become a living feast for their offspring."

William stared at her, horrified. "Please, don't talk. Just focus on keeping us in the air!"

Clea laughed. "Oh, you're scared too? Don't worry—I'll keep you alive. You're too valuable to feed to the bugs."

William looked at her and said, "I see you're confident in your skills, but right now, I'm not feeling too well. This feels like the start of something really, really bad." Behind Clea, he could see a giant creature, its gaze filled with bloodlust. Just then, a projectile shot toward them at high speed. William hastily created a barrier, but it wasn't strong enough, and the projectile struck Clea, flinging her far from him. The spell keeping them in the air broke, and they plummeted toward the insect-infested ground. William had to make a choice: use magic or be eaten alive.

Seeing Clea unconscious, William decided to save her, knowing she was the only thing keeping him alive in this world. He created a vortex of air around himself, launched toward Clea, and grabbed her. To cushion their fall, he generated a strong wind in the opposite direction. Once they landed, he immediately cast a ring of fire around them and hardened the sand beneath to prevent the insects from tunneling in. This gave him a moment to think.

With limited options, he focused on maintaining their temporary protection and treating Clea's wounds.

When Clea regained consciousness, she faintly saw William casting flames around them. The ground beneath them was hardened, and her injuries appeared treated. But then she remembered the insects and William's vulnerability in this world. She called out to him, and as he turned to face her, she was horrified.

He was bleeding from his eyes and ears. His body had reached its limit, and he could collapse at any moment. Without a word, she cast a levitation spell, lifting them into the air again, this time adding invisibility so only they could see each other.

Once safe, she cast a healing spell on him, and William fell into a deep sleep from exhaustion. As she worked, Clea noticed something remarkable: his body was naturally accepting the dark magic.

Clea's thoughts whirled. "Just who is this person? No mortal should be able to channel dark energy like this. I thought this journey would be simple, but now…"