Chapter 8: Assimilation resumes. New York Sanctum tour. Little morning fun
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights for any of the preexisting characters. This novel is made merely for entertainment purposes.
A/N: So, I've been dilly dallying with this chapter for the last few days because I didn't know if I wanted to add R-18 scenes to my book or not. But I do believe all good stories have some level of "spice" so to say. So I reached a compromise; I'll add R-18 scenes but as separate "x.5" chapters (In this case it will be the 8.5 ch and so on). You also won't have to worry about missing out any important context as I'll tell you when the scenes include some, WHICH THIS ONE DOES, so at the start of the chapter ".5" you'll see indications on how to skip the adult stuff and go directly to the necessary context. So yeah, that's all, enjoy!
…
Making the usual breakfast, now with the help of his proto-telekinesis as he finally could be open around the house with his powers, Damian was making the usual for himself and Natasha.
In a jolly mood after starting the morning with a shower and some suction. The best way a man can start his morning as far as he was concerned.
He left the food for Natasha on her plate and got himself dressed since it seemed she was purposefully taking her time in the shower in order to avoid him. 'So much for being late,' he thought.
…
Parking his mother's SUV, which he decided to use for a change, he got out and walked the last two blocks to school when he suddenly heard a woman scream "JAMES!". Looking at the direction he heard the scream from, he could see a mother at a food stall, looking at a child that had stumbled on one of the road lanes and a car that was going way too damn fast for a school street.
Thinking as fast as he could, he assessed the situation. 'I can't reach on time. Magic? Don't have any spells for this. Shit! Hope my damn training pays off right now.' Quickly deciding what to do, he controlled his powers to use his knock off telekinesis.
Concentrating on the child, he imagined an invisible hand grabbing him and pushing him to the sidewalk. To his surprise, he quickly had to lower his output as the child practically went flying dangerously fast to the food stall before he could stop and make him land softly next to his mother.
'Eva. What the fuck was that about?' Was his way of asking for an analysis of the foremost authority on his powers. [Hm… How do I say it?] she responded.
'In a way that makes sense?'
[Fine, the short answer is: You have grown an awful lot in the past 24 hours. The long answer–well, long–For a lack of better terms.]
Starting to feel annoyed, he started to wonder if she really was unbothered as she claimed by what happened earlier in the morning. 'Did the Ancient One's annoying way of speaking rub off on you during the short time we visited yesterday?
'Hey, I'm thinking about how to best explain it, all right? Remember how we've theorized about the two ways the size of your 'vessel' could grow?'
Instantly understanding where this was going, he finished her thoughts on the spot. 'So you mean reaffirming my sense of self, in other words my 'ego' actually does expand the amount of energy I can hold at a time? Still, this seems like a big difference from before. I also didn't feel this difference when using my powers to cook breakfast either.'
[Yeah, that's why I'm having trouble choosing how to explain this change. However, it would make a lot of sense if that were the case. Between your Trial of the Self, discovering your identity as a naturally gifted sorcerer and solidifying your really 'deep bond' with Natasha]}
Continuing with her thoughts, she said. [All these actions have made you become more 'you'. And our power relies as much on the physicality of you as a vessel as it does on your 'spirit'. I had noticed how your capacity for handling the energy increased in real time during these events. And if my numbers don't fail me you should be able to handle twice, at minimum, more creation energy at a time. You haven't noticed yet, but I am adjusting in real time the amount of energy that is passively running through your body as well as the amount that enters to become part of your immediate reserves.]
Surprised at her words, Damian instantly checked himself and sure enough, everything Eva said rang true once he verified it. Taking a second to accept such an abrupt change, he muttered. 'Okay, sooo… You know I trust you with my life, quite literally. But when exactly were you planning on telling me this tiny itsy-bitsy-bit of information?'
Rolling her eyes, figuratively speaking, she said with sarcasm dripping through her voice. [Yeah, would you have wanted me to tell you this while you were nervously confessing your mutant nature to your aunt, or when you were finger blasting her not even twelve hours later?]
Shamelessly ignoring the not so subtle jab thrown his way, Damian put on his best poker face while responding. 'Fair enough'. Point taken I guess.'
Afterwards, his school day ran as normal as it could. Some people–a lot of people speaking about him beating Flash, Flash hollering something about 'next time shit will be different', seems like a mix of pride, ego and the lack of visible bruises made him believe he still had a shot, a notion he was very willing to correct with some more 'tough love.'
That aside, the rest was pretty much the same, hanging with the boys, boring classes, etc. What did change though, was his overt flirting with MJ. As he said, this flirting was more a result of situation and personality dynamics than real feelings, so now that he is in a 'complicated' limbo, to put it kindly, with Natasha. He did what he thought was the logical course of action and put some distance with the other women friends in his life. He toned down the flirty jokes to a more friendly banter, something that didn't escape MJ's perceptive eyes.
As for Gwen, things didn't change much, at least on his side. He still remained his polite distance, but with less receptiveness to her clumsy flirting.
Once school was over, he gave MJ a ride home again. This time with no dates in the middle, in spite of her insinuating the intent of having one. Once back at home, Damian was faced with the next most important task for the day aside from going back to Kamarj-Taj to formally start his magic/mystical training. As he really wanted to get on with his plans as soon as possible.
Sitting on his bed in a comfortable position, his attention inside his inner world–more explicitly–at one of the energy capsules in his little garden.
"Eva, how much of an improvement has there been on this data set?" He asked his ever reliant companion.
Looking at the energy inside the capsule that vaguely reassembled a brain in shape, she answered. [Not much, there hasn't been enough time for a meaningful nutrition cycle to have happened. That aside, it seems like the sets, because of their natures, respond differently to the capsules nurturing.]
Looking above the capsule, she materialized a little panel above the capsule with pertinent information.
[Data Set
Name: A-6
Origin: Mr. Terrific
Archetype: Physical
Quality Rank: S (5% improvement after capsule nurturing–Orignial Rank: S)
Description: The raw data/essence of Mr. Terrific's 'intelligence(Neuron firing rate, pattern recognition, neuroplasticity, thought processing, reasoning, planning, abstract thinking, problem-solving,etc.' In a primed state to be assimilated with Damian's brain. Has started to attune to Damian's soul signature after being exposed to the nurturing capsule for 125 hours (approx. 5 days). Estimated time for complete absorption in singular fashion: approx. 150 hours (6 days). Absorption rate while assimilating different data sets simultaneously: To be calculated (Lack of data).]
[According to preference, I made panels that monitor the progress of each capsule. I divided their categorization to easily keep track of them. A,B,C,etc. standing for the type of data set; A = Physical (Super strength/speed/endurance, etc.), B = Spiritual (Magic related, Soul related, Abilities that have an impact on the intangible) and C = Metaphysical (Data sets that include aspects from both A & B categories like Telekinesis, Technokinesis, etc.) and a corresponding number for the chronological order in what you 'caught' the data set.]
Looking at the panel with satisfaction, Damian answered. "Thank you, dear. Don't know what I'd do without you~" [Probably have to work?] She quipped immediately.
Faking shivers running through his body, he said. "Ugh, god forbid. God forbid."
After having a quick laugh, Damian put on a more serious expression and walked up to the capsule containing the data set of Terrific's intelligence. Then the capsule opened as he willed it so, and with another mental motion, the data set flew out, presenting itself to him.
Observing it for an extra second, he turned around and walked to the center of the patio, erasing the fountain at the center and replacing it with a king size bed, "because why would I sit on a dusty ass mat when I can materialize literally anything I wish for in here?" or so he reasoned. Sitting on the bed he beckoned to the data set for it to position itself above his head.
Suddenly, he felt a figurative weight on his lap, and looking down he could see the light construct form of Eva innocently sitting there while looking at him with a 'What? I dare you to say something' face. To which he chuckled at but said nothing. Immediately after, 3 other capsules opened before other 3 sets of data flew to the center of the garden. Each occupying a cardinal direction above him.
[Is it necessary to be 4 at a time? You could just do 2 and it would be fine. What if it's too much for you?] Commented Eva in a slightly worried tone, resting on his chest as she looked at the differently shaped bundles of energy.
"Well yeah, that would be the safest route, but it'd take too long for my taste." He simply answered.
Changing her sight from the data sets to Damian, she asked with concern, even if she understood the answer beforehand anyways. [Do you even need to rush like this? What's the issue?]
In a similar fashion, he turned from the sets to Eva as he responded in a warm and patient tone. "You know what's the issue, Eva. The Trial of the Self–it didn't just make me face everything I feared and had bottled up–it made me realize who I am. What do I wish to do."
Guiding her with his eyes to look at the starry sky of his mind palace, images from his memories started to pop in the sky, the atrocities happening around the world that he learned about in his previous life. Children, the elderly and the defenceless being slaughtered by occupying forces trying to take their lands. Islands full of kidnapped children being used as sexual slaves by the powerful. Genocides, human trafficking, slavery, ambiental destruction for the sake of profit. The cruelty of humanity–the one that were barely public knowledg–were being laid bare through the lenses of an observer.
"These people, Eva. They are the why. The superheroes of this world may be doing all they can to 'save the day' and help those in need. But it's not enough. This planet aches with grief, destruction and injustice. And so does my heart in kind."
Listening to him, Eva turned sideways to hug him without losing sight of what he wanted to show her. As she was feeling the genuine hurt and angst at knowing these things were happening and the fact that no one was stopping them.
But then, the images changed. Images that looked hand drawn were appearing on the screen, yet the depictions of cruelty remained all the same. This time though, the images included deformed-looking humans being prosecuted, lynched, mutilated, experimented on, cast away at the fringes of society.
"And right now, the same is happening all over this world, and this time it is happening to my kin too. My people are being tortured in all imaginable ways just because they were born different. Hiding and barely surviving is the most they can afford if they aren't powerful enough to join Magneto's cause or young enough to be influenced by Xavier's ideals. In the past mutant's struggle was nothing but fiction, but now it is a reality, it is my reality. And you and I can stop this. I MUST stop this. I WANT to stop it."
Hearing each of his last words coming out with raw anger, helplessness and a sense of duty, Eva interlocked their fingers as she comforted his hurting soul. [We will stop it, Damian. We just need time.]
Resting his head on top of hers while hugging her from behind, he calmed his feelings before speaking in a tone that left no room for discussion. "Yes, but each moment we delay is a moment extra that my people have to endure. I will do the four at the same time Eva. But don't worry, I'm not stupid. Should there be problems I will stop immediately."
[I know, I just worry for you.] She whispered in a defeated tone.
"I know you do, dear." He whispered back before kissing the top of her head.
As they both took a moment of silence to simply experience the moment, their hearts synchronized, and so did their beings. Entering in 100% mode, as Damian abbreviatedly called it, he started the cycle of absorption for each of the data sets. First starting with Mr. Terrific's intelligence data set, from which he could feel in real time how his thoughts quickened, became sharper, how his synapses fired faster and connected ideas better. 'It seems the calculations were made before my last spiritual strengthening' he thought, as he could distinctively feel that at this pace it wouldn't take him more than 3 days to completely absorb this data set completely, the speed of his assimilation quickening by the second as if by inertia.
Then, he turned to the second data set, another physical one, and another equally special the first one. The energy bundle was shaped like a human body, an incredibly muscular one, as it was a data set of the combat abilities and body talent of Luther Strode, including his knowledge about the 'Hercules Method'. Out of all the comics he had ever read, the trilogy of Luther Strode was one of the most impactful ones for him when it came to peak human physical feats.
Mainly due to the 'Hercules Method'. A technique devised by Cain, the first murderer. In the story, this technique allowed one to synchronize body, mind and spirit to achieve the peak state of human existence. With this a skinny nerd like Luther went from being a weakling to becoming the 2nd strongest human in the planet and the closest to physical perfection within mortal confines.
Why second you wonder? That's because Luther wasn't technically the strongest, that was Cain himself. A Cain that remained alive for thousands of years thanks to the technique that he created and perfected to be the masterful piece of art that Luther came to know as the Hercules Method. Why not absorb him then? Simply put, because while Cain was stronger, Luther was more talented. That and the fact that Damian could and will 'fish' their data in the future to both absorb and strengthen his allies. Fun fact: he already has caught the Jack the Ripper's data from that comic and was priming it not for him, but for a certain redheaded super spy, as in his mind, the set of abilities from Jack fit her like a glove.
The 3rd one was a data set that looked like a vague copy of a nervous system, colored in blue. Said set will grant Damian chakra pathways, ones compatible for all chakra natures, after some tweaking. This is because he had his second destination in mind already. Not because it was his childish dream to see that place and ransack abilities left and right, it just happened to be the most suitable place for him. Believe it!
As for the 4th, this set was an ominous black. Looking like a hungry mouth ready to eat away at anything. This one was a partial data set even among the dissected ones like Terrific's intelligence. It was one of the aspects of All For One's quirk, the aspect that stole quirks from others. Damian originally wanted the whole base ability, but even without any extra quirks attached, it proved too costly and 'heavy' to fish that set out of the ocean called existence. At least that was so for the Damian that hadn't gone through all the shit that happened in the last 24 hours, Damian before the latest enhancement to his 'vessel'.
Feeling all the different data becoming a part of himself, he started to calculate with the help of his new mind enhancements as well as the 100% mode enhancement how long it would take him to absorb all four data sets.
'One week at the earliest, two at the most. Even better than I thought.' He calculated in his mind, while thinking why this was so.
"It really seems too good to be true." As he was thinking, Eva chimed in. [If I had to guess, it's probably due to the different nature of each data set.]
Catching up to the speed of her thoughts even quicker than before, he completed her theory. "You mean that as one set assimilates and re-structures my mind, the other does so the rest of my body instead, with some incision in the mind due to the knowledge of combat and the method."
Completing the speech, she added. [And the chakra pathways are created parallel to the body, since you never had any to begin with. Last but not least, the quirk is being assimilated within your genetic code.]
"So the delay from a couple days to 1-2 weeks happens due to the minor overlaps these abilities have when it comes to reshaping my physical body. If they didn't have any overlap at all…" [You could absorb them in the original timeframe estimated, no delays whatsoever.] She completed.
"Fascinating, and very useful to know." He said as he exited his inner palace, coming back to reality.
Getting out of bed and doing some light stretching, he instantly teleported to the kitchen and wrote on a sticky note 'I'm out to train with my whimsical old master. If I come back late, order something for yourself, don't submit yourself to the monstrosity you call cooking. Love you!" before leaving it on the fridge's door for Natasha to read later.
Once he checked all was in order, he put on his Sling ring and opened a golden-ringed portal to the inside of the New York sanctum before stepping in. While on the other side, he was greeted by a lingering smell of incense clinging to the elegant wood furniture and a now more familiar, dimly lit descending staircase, the foyer of the sanctum. And shortly after, a new portal was opened atop the staircase as the Master of the New York Sanctum came to look who was the unfamiliar signature opening a space portal in his turf.
The man was tall and imposing. Dressed in dark layered robes with subtle golden embroidery, and his expression was sharp, assessing, almost calculating. His skin was a rich brown, his eyes steady with a calm authority that didn't need to raise its voice to be heard. A finely braided cord held a pendant at his chest–subtle, but unmistakably a seal of his rank.
He didn't say anything at first. He simply looked at Damian, then at the spot where the sling ring portal had closed behind him.
"You're not one of ours," the man finally said, descending the steps slowly. His voice was low, grounded, and deliberate—each word chosen with care, yet laced with an edge of subtle irony. "But you used a sling ring. Kamar-Taj?"
Looking at him, Damian was trying to recall if the man was someone he had read about, but no name came to mind, yet he knew the master of this sanctum was the brother of Doctor Voodoo in the comics (Which by the way, Marvel seems to really like the 'science-guy-turned-mystique-sorcerer' trope), he just couldn't remember the name. "Yes, I became 'one of yours' yesterday though."
The man regarded him for a second longer, then gave a single nod. "I'm Daniel Drumm. Master of this Sanctum and its guardian. If you're walking through its doors, then you're under my roof."
He stopped at the base of the stairs, folding his arms behind his back. His tone remained steady, but not unkind, more formal than hostile.
"And you are?" He asked, to which Damian simply responded. "Damian Rossi. A pleasure."
Drumm studied him, as if trying to match the name to some whisper he'd heard before in the winds of fate. "The one from the reports," he muttered. "The boy who split three mirrors."
"…That was one mirror, technically. The others exploded on their own," 'And it was four, but y'all couldn't see that one.' Damian replied with a light smirk.
That earned him a barely-there raise of an eyebrow from Drumm. "Mm. You'll fit right in."
He gestured with his hand, walking past him.
"Follow me, Mr. Rossi. The Ancient One asked me to give you a proper tour. Once we're done, you'll use the Sanctum's portal to return to Kamar-Taj. Until then, try not to touch anything unless it asks to be touched. If something moves on its own, let it. And if you hear whispers behind a door that isn't open…" He paused, giving Damian a sidelong glance. "Don't open it."
"…Got it," Damian said, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his baggy jeans as he walked behind him, shoes silent against the wooden steps. He noticed the ornate symbols etched subtly into the walls, pulsing softly with layered wards and hidden geometries. It seems like this will be a long day for him. Thankfully though, he had changed to a more comfortable yet still stylish fit.
As the two figures disappeared into the deeper halls of the Sanctum, they reached what seemed to be an entrance, distinct from the one Damian had used the last time. There Drumm opened a thick set of double doors, revealing a long corridor lined with relics encased in glass or hovering within containment fields. A giant mirror fractured down the center shimmered with temporal echoes. Nearby, a pair of gauntlets floated mid-air; clenched and warded.
"This is the Hall of Guardians," Drumm said, folding his arms behind his back. "Artifacts deemed too dangerous–or too curious–to be left idle. Many retrieved by former Masters. Some even cursed."
Damian raised a brow at the suspended cage with the really cool-looking gauntlets inside it. "What are those?"
Drumm halted. For the first time since the tour began, a flicker of something unreadable crossed his usually stoic expression. Reverence? Caution?
He turned slightly, tilting his head as though weighing how much to tell him.
"They're called the Gauntlets of Drom Vishar," he finally said. "A relic older than the current iteration of the Sanctum. Older than the Sorcerer Supreme title itself, depending on who's doing the counting."
Damian stepped closer, keeping a respectful distance from the visible ward lines. From this distance he could hear something… barely audible. Like wind passing through a tunnel, something akin to… voices?
"Who was Drom Vishar?" he asked while observing the gauntlets more closely.
Drumm folded his arms behind his back. "A spell-duelist. And a lunatic. Depending on which chronicle you read. He served under the First Vishanti Concord. Back when Earth's magical defenses were spread thin and chaos bled through the veils almost nightly. Vishar was a master of the physical applications of mystical force, an aspect we now teach only with extreme caution. He didn't wield spells the way we do. He punched through dimensional breaches and vaporized warlocks with pure will and channeling."
Damian blinked. "...Okay, that's kind of metal."
Drumm lightly chuckled. "Yes. And like all things that shine too brightly, it came at a cost."
He stepped beside Damian and gestured toward the gauntlets with a slow, careful motion.
"Drom forged these himself. Made out of living alloy, folded with elemental soul-threads, and sealed with his own blood. They allowed him to control raw power far beyond what any conduit should be able to handle. No incantation. No focus artifact. Just will, might and wrath."
Damian stared in awe, fascinated at learning about unheard of lore for him, all while the faint whispering in the air sharpened slightly as he focused.
"But they're dangerous," Drumm continued, his voice colder now. "They're addictive. They amplify what you already are, yes–but they don't come without a price. The longer you wear them, the more they whisper."
"Whisper what?" Damian asked, now visibly intrigued and unsettled.
"To let go," Drumm said. "To abandon restraint. To give in to the purity of power without control. That's what destroyed Vishar in the end. He became so attuned to the energy storm inside him that he stopped discerning spell from instinct. He tore apart a quarter of the Moon's outer reflection trying to stop a nightmare entity that was never really there."
Damian winced at hearing that. "Yikes."
"Indeed," Drumm said. "The Gauntlets don't work for most sorcerers. They stay dormant. Silent. But if they do like you, if they sense potential resonance... they begin to awaken."
As if responding to the conversation, the gauntlets twitched ever so slightly, fingers flexing a fraction inside the wards. Damian's eyes widened.
"They've… moved."
Drumm turned to look at him, the faintest crease forming in his brow. "I noticed."
Damian took a cautious half-step back as the gauntlets flexed again, this time unmistakably. Not a violent movement, but a gesture almost… inquisitive. As if they were acknowledging him.
"Okay… That was definitely a twitch," Damian said, glancing sideways at Drumm. "You sure those things are secure?"
Drumm didn't answer immediately. He stepped forward, studying the wards, his fingers moved in a precise spiral, activating layered sigils of containment. They pulsed once in affirmation. Still sealed.
"They're bound in quintuple wards, under eternal oath-anchors, surrounded by a null-field lattice. If they moved, it wasn't them," he said flatly. "It was you."
Damian raised a brow, half-amused, half-weirded out. "Me?"
"They react to mystical resonance. They stir when something–someone–compatible enters proximity. They wouldn't as much as 'react' otherwise."
"…Huh." Damian tilted his head. "So… technically, that means I could try them on?"
Drumm turned slowly. The look he gave Damian could have frozen a fire elemental mid-rage.
"No," he said, crisp and final.
"C'mon," Damian grinned. "Just for a second. Little test drive."
"You've barely begun your training," Drumm said, voice low. "You don't yet know the difference between channeling a flow and being consumed by one. Those gauntlets don't guide. They amplify. Put them on without mastery and you'll punch a hole through the Sanctum. And maybe half the neighborhood."
Damian gave a theatrical sigh, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright. It didn't hurt to ask."
Drumm's expression didn't shift, though the corners of his mouth almost twitched, code word almost.
"It would have hurt. Profoundly."