Whoosh!
A violent gust of magical energy propelled Harvey unceremoniously from the shop. He cried out as he tumbled to the cobblestone street, clutching the thin black book tightly in his hand. A fleeting flash of resentment crossed his features before quickly transforming into intense curiosity.
Why had the shop owner's demeanor changed so abruptly? More puzzling still, why had he provided such a valuable tome without demanding payment?
Harvey examined the book in his grip, the proprietor's ominous warning echoing in his mind. An involuntary shudder passed through him, causing his right hand to momentarily weaken. The black volume slipped from his grasp, landing on the ground with a sound too soft for its apparent significance. Alarmed by his carelessness, he hastily retrieved it.
His fingers hesitated at the cover's edge, reluctant to open the first page despite his burning curiosity.
The free ones are always the most expensive, he reminded himself. There are no gifts without hidden costs.
These were fundamental truths Harvey understood perfectly well. And yet...
Remembering Vermila's tantalizing description of a freedom-granting methodology, avarice flickered across his expression. Sugar-coated bullets, he thought wryly. I'll look at the sweetness without touching the danger.
Just a brief examination, nothing more. He wouldn't commit to anything.
Decision made, Harvey carried the mysterious black book toward a nearby independent bookshop catering to magical scholars. After swiping his arcane payment card, he secured a private study chamber designed for focused magical research.
Seated at the polished oak table, he opened the black book with trembling anticipation.
The first page contained minimal text:
Little Freedom Methodology
This secret technique is designed to help every sorcerer claim their rightful freedom.
However, true liberation requires collective effort.
Hence, it has been named the Little Freedom Methodology.
Compiled by Earth's Independent Sorcerers
Beneath this brief introduction appeared several simple illustrations that seemed strangely hypnotic despite their apparent simplicity.
Harvey found himself momentarily bewildered. He recognized each individual word and comprehended their syntactical arrangement, yet somehow their collective meaning remained elusive. The text contained subtle undertones that eluded direct comprehension, and he detected vague contradictions within the seemingly straightforward declaration.
Without dwelling on his confusion, he turned to the second page.
Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale.
Harvey's breathing quickened noticeably, his eyes growing increasingly luminous as they fixed upon the text of the second page:
"The wellspring of a sorcerer's power originates from Vishanti's bestowal, with this connection fundamentally established through contractual obligation."
"Should we consider this contract as a passageway, Vishanti maintains complete authority to open or close it at will, while practitioners possess merely the capacity for acceptance without possibility of refusal."
"Such inequitable arrangements inherently constrain magical practitioners."
"Direct severance of contractual bonds remains impossible, as we require Vishanti's continued magical sustenance."
"Alternative approaches exist, however—we can obscure the contract, temporarily interrupting the connection."
"Magic embodies fundamental fairness; we too should exercise the privilege of contractual engagement or disengagement."
"Just as we maintain the inherent right to choose belief or disbelief."
"Freedom of spiritual conviction represents the rightful aspiration of every magical practitioner."
"The Little Freedom Methodology enables contractual transformation, allowing opening, closing, or obscuring of Vishanti's perception at the practitioner's discretion."
"Note: This methodology reflects extensive research by numerous Earth-based practitioners and remains under continuous development. The current iteration applies specifically to contractual arrangements between Vishanti and Kamar-Taj adherents."
"Additional variants forthcoming."
The second page's explanatory text struck a resonant chord within Harvey's consciousness.
Divine theft! The phrase materialized unbidden in his thoughts.
Indeed, despite the elaborate rhetoric concerning freedom and equitable treatment, any reasonably perceptive sorcerer could discern the methodology's true purpose. It represented nothing less than the systematic pilfering of divine power.
The technique promised to transform existing contractual arrangements, effectively blinding divine awareness while siphoning not merely magic, but divine essence itself.
The concluding notation made the targeted nature unmistakable—specifically applicable to Vishanti-Kamar-Taj contractual arrangements. Even the most obtuse observer could recognize its deliberate focus on undermining Kamar-Taj.
Suddenly, Harvey perceived the black book in his hands as uncomfortably hot, like holding smoldering charcoal.
After momentary hesitation, he continued turning pages. Just examining it, he reassured himself. I'll surrender it to Kamar-Taj authorities afterward.
He proceeded to the third page, immediately noticing its distinctive appearance—brown parchment markedly different from previous pages.
"Execute confidentiality agreement to receive complete Little Freedom Methodology without financial obligation."
I knew it, Harvey lamented inwardly, cursing softly. Nothing comes without cost.
Without hesitation, he attempted to bypass this page, only to discover that subsequent pages remained stubbornly blank—invisible text clearly contingent upon contractual acceptance.
After deploying several revealing spells through his sling ring and discovering their complete ineffectiveness, Harvey reluctantly returned to the parchment contract page, scrutinizing its specific provisions.
"The Little Freedom Methodology represents the culmination of extensive research by Earth's independent practitioners—a monumental breakthrough in magical civilization."
"It signifies a critical evolutionary juncture, marking practitioners' transition from divine dependence to self-determination."
Harvey nearly scoffed aloud at the grandiose declarations preceding the actual contractual terms. Why did such allegedly noble intentions sound so suspiciously like propaganda?
Continuing to the contract's substantive provisions, he suddenly comprehended the shop owner's earlier frustration:
"As emblematic of magical civilization's advancement, recipients must safeguard this methodology with appropriate reverence. Given its developmental stage and vulnerability to hostile interference, protective measures remain essential. Only contractually bound practitioners may access its contents, with arbitrary dissemination strictly prohibited."
"The Little Freedom Methodology currently exists in preliminary form, requiring expanded practitioner participation. Each recipient must transmit this methodology to minimum one additional practitioner, with no maximum limitation."
"The Little Freedom Methodology constitutes collective property of Earth's magical community. Any practitioner of appropriate aspiration may access and implement it. Requests for instruction cannot be refused."
Harvey's bewilderment transformed into sudden clarity. The shop owner's profane reaction and seemingly inexplicable generosity stemmed from contractual obligation—anyone requesting the methodology could not be refused.
In essence, obtaining the secret technique would subject Harvey to identical constraints. He would either actively promote its dissemination or, like the reluctant shop owner, passively distribute it when approached.
At minimum, he would be required to transmit the methodology to one additional practitioner.
Beyond this propagation requirement, the contract contained only basic confidentiality provisions. No additional substantive terms appeared.
Secrecy and promotion—two diametrically opposed concepts inexplicably juxtaposed within this mysterious agreement.
Objectively, the contractual burden appeared relatively minimal, perhaps even negligible.
With Harvey's analytical capabilities, he immediately recognized the potential consequences should such a methodology proliferate throughout Kamar-Taj. The implications were simultaneously terrifying and exhilarating. Such knowledge could fundamentally alter the relationship between sorcerers and their divine patrons.
His thoughts raced through potential scenarios, weighing personal advantage against institutional loyalty. After brief hesitation, determination crystalized in his expression.
Harvey summoned his spiritual essence, infusing it into the contractual parchment, and inscribed his name.
The moment his signature completed, the pages beyond the contract suddenly rippled with visible text, complex diagrams materializing with striking clarity. The book itself pulsed briefly with amber energy that traveled up his arm, creating a momentary sensation of warmth through his entire body.
What Harvey failed to notice was the subtle magical thread that extended from the book, traversing dimensional boundaries to connect with a complex web of similar filaments—all originating from identical black volumes dispersed throughout the magical community.
At the nexus of this expanding network, Grindelwald observed another successful propagation with profound satisfaction. The Little Freedom Methodology served multiple purposes beyond its stated intent. While it did indeed offer practitioners independence from Vishanti's oversight, more importantly, it created a network of magical connections that would, when properly activated, provide him with unprecedented power drawn from hundreds—soon thousands—of unwitting participants.
The Ancient One would soon detect this growing threat, as would Asgard. Their inevitable confrontation would create the perfect diversion while he pursued the Celestial embryo. The real beauty of his plan lay in its apparent disconnection—none would recognize how these seemingly separate conflicts were intricately orchestrated components of a singular, masterful design.
From the depths of the Eye of Agamotto, Doctor Strange's true consciousness recoiled in horror as he glimpsed another fragment of Grindelwald's true intentions. The dark wizard wasn't merely seeking godhood—he was systematically dismantling the magical safeguards that protected reality itself.