A Mutant Collector Quest

The sight before me is breathtaking. Countless vibrant, colourful paths stretch out endlessly in every direction—above, below, and all around me. These paths form a kaleidoscope of colours, swirling through the void, so dazzlingly bright that even the stars are obscured. Or perhaps I couldn't see the stars because these paths are the only thing that exist in this strange, otherworldly dimension.

I could never have imagined outer space to be this alive with colour. The aura and light of these paths are so radiant that the usual void of space feels like a distant memory. In this moment, my understanding of science—everything I have held as truth across lifetimes—feels utterly overturned.

For instance, I recall the universal constant: light, the fastest thing in the known universe, travels at 299,792 kilo meters per second. It takes approximately 8 minutes for light to traverse the 150 million kilo meters between Earth and the Sun and about 200,000 years to cross the Milky Way Galaxy. Humanity has always revered light as the ultimate speed limit, an unattainable dream.

And yet, here I am, my astral form having traveled an unquantifiable distance in mere seconds. I have crossed boundaries that no physical object could breach, reached a place far beyond the known galaxy, and shattered the very laws of physics effortlessly. This realization challenges every fundamental rule of matter, motion, and energy I have ever understood.

As a man of science, I have always sought logic and rules to explain the world around me, striving to understand the nature of existence through reason. Yet, in this moment, all those principles fade into the background as I utter, almost in disbelief:

"This... is Magic."

I inhale deeply, marveling at the surreal sensation of drawing breath in the vacuum of space—a place where no atmosphere exists to take that breath.

Your metaknowledge of Hyperspace and Jump Points, as mentioned in Marvel media, provides some context. Perhaps your teacher utilized these dimensions to surpass the speed of light, allowing you to arrive in this distant place so quickly and effortlessly.

The scientist in me is screaming to bombard the Ancient One with questions, a torrent of curiosity and possibilities racing through my mind. But for now, I silence that voice. I let the wonder of the moment wash over me, choosing instead to simply appreciate the breathtaking magical scenery unfolding before my eyes.

"So," The Ancient One's voice echoes gently in my mind, "have you decided which path you will take?"

At these Crossroads, countless multicoloured paths stretched endlessly in all directions, spiraling and twisting into the vast unknown. Scattered among them were towering, rocky structures, each adorned with a massive hand pointing towards various paths.

The hands themselves were alien in nature. While a few resembled human hands, most were grotesque or otherworldly—skeletal, beastly, misshapen, or unrecognizable as hands at all. 

The only apparent clues for choosing a path were the hands and the colour or aura of the paths. Yet, with the paths spiraling and stretching in all three dimensions, even the hands proved to be unreliable guides. Their intended directions were ambiguous, and the paths they seemed to point towards were unclear.

Amid the chaos, I noticed something unique: of all the countless paths before me, only twenty had visible endpoints. These endpoints appeared as strange, jagged 'cracks' in space, each shimmering faintly. They must be the gateways—portals leading to the destinations at the end of these twisted paths.

Activating my power Astral Projection, I float freely in this space, inspecting the mesmerising expanse. "I have decided," I say aloud, surprised to hear my own voice resonate in this void.

"Before you embark, there are things you must understand," the Ancient One replies, her tone more serious now. "These Crossroads can lead you to any corner of the universe—or even beyond it. But know this: the universe is not a forgiving place. Most destinations will be hostile, and their inhabitants may try to kill, imprison, or even consume you." 

"Well," I reply with a cheeky grin, "It is a good thing I have my teacher, the All-Powerful Ancient One, as my backup then."

She laughs lightly, a touch of amusement in her tone, and replies, "I am far from all-powerful. And, unfortunately, much of my attention will be spent maintaining the two anchors for your Astral form. The first anchor—your body—is relatively easy to handle since my physical form is present there. The second anchor, however, is placed in the Crossroads itself. And since the Crossroads is not a static location but constantly in flux, maintaining that anchor is significantly more challenging," she explains with a small sigh.

"Do we really need that second anchor?" I ask, trying to sound casual.

"If you are content exploring just a single path and never returning back here to explore the others, then no, we don't need it. I could remove it right now," she says nonchalantly, as if the choice were of little consequence.

"No, no, teacher, I definitely want to explore the other paths too," I quickly interject. "But… won't I be a bit too vulnerable without you? A sad, lonely, weak soul drifting through the vast Universe... Maybe teacher has some overpowered defensive or attack items you could give me for protection?" I suggest, giving her my best pitiful look.

I think of those stories where young masters are gifted countless treasures by their teachers, life-saving artifacts brimming with power. I can't help but dream of experiencing such luxurious protection myself.

"Instead of items, I have something even better for you," the Ancient One says with a calm smile. "I have cast a spell on your Astral form, making it more corporeal. It is now indistinguishable from your physical body, so you will have full access to all your powers, even in your Astral form."

"Oh… that's good, I suppose," I reply, trying to sound appreciative, though a hint of disappointment slips through. I had been hoping for some overpowered items that would have made me feel much safer. Still, not wanting to seem ungrateful, I add, "Thank you, teacher," bowing in a random direction since her form isn't physically present. Though the spell itself does sound incredibly overpowered in its own right.

"Don't look so dejected, Luke," she says in a sagely tone. "This will allow you to intimately perceive your place in the vast multiverse."

I offer a wry smile at that. With my meta knowledge, I am painfully aware of just how low on the food chain I am in this terrifyingly vast Marvel verse. Sometimes I can't help but curse the Marvel writers—what were they smoking when they created some of the absurdly overpowered beings in this universe?

"If you are lucky, you might even encounter… what's the term? Ah, yes—'aliens,'" she adds with a chuckle. "I have also cast an Allspeak spell on you, so you will be able to converse with them effortlessly."

My eyes widen slightly at that. From my meta knowledge, I know Allspeak is the ability to understand every language spoken to me as if it were my native tongue, while my words are heard by others in theirs. I had always dismissed it as a convenient, BS plot device from the writers. But apparently, it's a very real thing!

"Wow, that's such a useful spell! Thank you, teacher… and, uh, could you teach it to me as well?" I ask with genuine enthusiasm, realizing just how incredibly overpowered and practical Allspeak could be.

 "You can learn everything you want at Kamar-Taj," the Ancient One says sagely. "It all depends on your own efforts." She pauses, then adds in a cryptic tone, "All right, you may proceed along your path. But remember, just as any scientific experiment carries risks, so does Magic—and by extension, Dimensional travel. The risks are magnified here, so choose your steps carefully."

"I understand, teacher," I reply, though inwardly I lament the limitations of my own precognition powers. Compared to the Time Stone, my abilities feel like a drop in the ocean. Surely, she must have foreseen something to offer me this roundabout advice.

"One more thing," she continues, her tone sharpening slightly. "The longer you are away from this Crossroads, the weaker the Anchor will become. I will pull you back the moment the Anchor becomes unstable."

"How long will I have?" I ask, confused.

"It depends on where you end up," she explains. "Time may flow differently in some places, or unique energies might interfere with your connection. At most, you will have the equivalent of an Earth day. At minimum, it could be as short as a minute or five."

"And what if I need an emergency evacuation?" I ask sheepishly.

"Simply call out to me strongly in your mind, and I will pull you back immediately," she says with a harmless laugh.

Why does it feel like she is fishing, with me as the bait dangling at the end of her line? I shake my head, dismissing the ridiculous notion, and turn my focus back to the road ahead.

From all the different paths, I choose the one which seems brimming with life!

[Path 13 (Roll: 43/100) Vibrant Green: Bright and lively, this path feels like the embodiment of life itself.]