After that, John didn't waste any time. He knew that every second mattered now. The world was changing—fast—and they needed to be ready.
He stood in front of Thor, Natasha, and Clint with a calm but serious expression. In his hands, he held three books.
John handed a book to each of them.
"These books match your elemental affinities," he said, his voice low and steady. "Even though a Star Wizard doesn't need to be tied to one element, I want you to walk a different path than mine. My path... is uncertain. I still don't know where it will take me."
His eyes darkened for a moment as he looked up at the sky.
He shook those thoughts away and turned back to the group.
Thor opened his book first. He flipped through the pages with practiced ease. Since he had learned about ancient runes and magic symbols back in Asgard, much of the knowledge felt familiar to him.
Natasha and Clint, on the other hand, looked confused.
"What's this symbol supposed to mean?" Clint asked, frowning as he tapped the page.
Natasha was flipping the pages slowly, carefully reading every word. "These concepts are... strange."
John smiled softly. He didn't mind explaining.
"It's alright. I'll guide you."
He spent the next few hours patiently teaching them—breaking down each chapter, explaining the meaning behind the symbols, and even showing them how to meditate. Only when he felt they had truly understood the basics did he proceed to the next step: unlocking their spiritual seas.
It was a dangerous process, and he knew it. But there was no other way forward.
He made them sit in a circle. Then, one by one, John placed his hand on their foreheads, in the middle of their eyebrows, and began the unlocking ritual.
A burst of white light shot into their foreheads.
The pain was instant.
Their bodies trembled, and sweat poured down their faces. Thor clenched his fists, his jaw tight. Clint gritted his teeth, letting out a low groan. Natasha's hands dug into the floor, but she didn't make a sound. Her breathing was sharp, fast, but she endured. When he was done, all three of them were unconscious. And John sat down on the spot to wait for them to wake up.
To John's surprise, Natasha was the first to awaken.
A gentle ripple of energy rose from her body, and her eyes opened—calm and steady.
Then Thor's energy flared, crackling with faint thunder. He gasped and blinked, still catching his breath.
Clint was the last. His awakening came with a quiet burst, like wind rushing through leaves. He collapsed backward with a tired laugh. "Well... that was intense."
John allowed them a few minutes to rest and breathe. Then he helped them sit down again.
"Now... take a moment to explore your spiritual sea," he said. "Close your eyes. And feel the connection with something ethereal, like a world of its own, covered in darkness."
They obeyed, and for a while, everything was silent.
Suddenly, Natasha opened her eyes.
"I see it," she whispered.
"It's like I'm in outer space without any stars in sight. Even though it's silent all around, I feel warm there... like it's my home."
"Good, good," John said happily and turned to Thor. "What are you looking at? Why aren't you trying as well."
Once they were able to connect to their spiritual sea, John asked them what kind of talent they had awakened. And after a few seconds, it was Natasha who spoke.
John's eyebrows rose. "You awakened invisibility? That's a rare and powerful talent. It suits you."
Natasha gave a small smile. "Guess I was born for it."
Next was Thor. His body shimmered with electric sparks, and a sphere of thunder formed around him.
"I feel like I can call this sphere of thunder," he said, amazed. "This sphere... it protects me."
John nodded in approval. "A thunder shield. Good defense. Perfect for you."
Finally, Clint sat up with a strange look on his face.
"I don't think I got anything flashy," he said. "But... I think I can make things stronger. My arrows, my speed... maybe even your strength."
John looked surprised, then laughed softly.
"Enhancement-type," he said. "Rare and very useful. You can boost your own power—and your allies'. That's incredible."
Clint looked proud. "Yeah? Not bad, huh?"
John chuckled. "Not bad at all. But remember, talent means nothing without effort."
He paused, then added, "My brother Tony has a simple talent. I used to make fun of him at first. But he worked harder than anyone. Now, he can inscribe runes and magic circles faster and clearer than anyone else. That's why I put him in charge of the Sky Fortress."
The three nodded, understanding what John meant.
"Train hard," John told them. "If you don't want to feel helpless in front of powerful opponents."
As they left, John didn't stay behind.
He opened a swirling portal and stepped through.
His destination: Kamar-Taj.
The moment he arrived, he felt a shift in the air. The place was calm, quiet, and filled with ancient energy. The Ancient One was already waiting for him, standing beneath a tall tree in a garden of white stones and gentle wind.
She looked at him and gave a quiet nod.
Without words, she led him through winding paths to a peaceful place far from the noise—where only the wind and trees could speak.
There, John began.
He sat with her and explained everything—the path of the Star Wizard, how to meditate, how to open one's spiritual sea.
The Ancient One listened quietly, her gaze steady and deep. Her calmness reminded John of still water—silent, but full of hidden depth.
When the explanation was over, John placed his hand on her forehead and began the ritual. Even though it's not actually a ritual, it sounds good—so John started calling it that.
Even for her, it wasn't easy.
She flinched for a brief moment, but she didn't complain. Her body shook slightly, but her spirit didn't waver.
When it was done, John gave her one of the books he had prepared for her in advance. The books given to Thor and the others—and to the Ancient One—were all the same. They were filled with runes. On the first page, one would find a meditation rune, a simpler version of the one John used. After that, the book was filled with all kinds of elemental runes, ability runes, and null magic runes as well.
John had already explained everything that needed to be explained. Now it was up to the Ancient One to walk forward.
After accepting the book, she bowed her head slightly in gratitude.