Jack kept walking down Millbrook's main street until he spotted what he was looking for — a small, kinda sketchy-looking motel called Pine Valley Inn. The neon sign was flickering between "Vacancy" and "Va ancy," which honestly summed up the whole vibe of the place. Perfect for someone who needed to lay low.
Inside, the lobby smelled like burnt coffee and one of those cheap air fresheners trying way too hard. Behind the front desk was a teenage girl who looked like customer service was the worst thing that had ever happened to her. Full emo look — black hair with purple streaks, dark eyeliner, band tee, and that classic "don't talk to me" expression.
Until she saw Jack.
The second she looked up, her eyes went wide, and she sat up like she'd just had an energy drink injected straight into her soul. "Oh! Um… hi! Welcome to Pine Valley Inn. How can I help you?"
Jack blinked. Okay… that was unexpected. "I need a room for the night."
"Right! Yes! A room!" she said, totally flustered, and started typing like the keyboard had personally offended her. "We have… like, several available. You want a single bed? Double? Or we've got this one room with a—uh, sorry, yeah, basic, sure."
"Single's perfect," Jack said, pulling out his credit card.
Her name tag said Ashley, and she was clearly trying not to stare at him. She processed the payment way slower than necessary, sneaking glances the whole time.
"So, um… you visiting someone here? Or just passing through? Not that I'm nosy! It's just, we don't get many, like…" She kind of waved at him. "Cool-looking people."
Jack chuckled. "Just passing through. Heading to New York tomorrow. Gonna try the bus, if there's one."
"There is! Greyhound stops at Miller's Gas twice a day. Eight AM and four PM."
She handed him a key. "Room seven. It's, like, one of our better ones. The AC works, and the shower doesn't scream. If you need anything, just call the front desk. I'll be here till midnight."
"Thanks, Ashley. You've been awesome."
Her face turned bright pink. "No problem! And, uh, if you're hungry later, Tony's Pizza delivers till eleven. Their number's on the desk in your room. Best garlic knots in the state. Probably."
Jack gave her a grateful nod and headed upstairs. Poor girl was totally crushing. Not that he could blame her — random cute dude with silver anime hair walks into a dead-end motel? That's her whole Wattpad playlist right there.
He unlocked the door to room seven and stepped inside...
And froze.
There was someone already sitting in the chair by the window.
The Ancient One set down her teacup on the table like she did this kind of thing all the time — drop into random motel rooms, spook strangers, sip tea.
Jack didn't move. His body was still, but his mind was a whirlwind of panic, calculation, and instinct. He just want to get some place to stay. He wasn't sure if he could take on the Ancient One — not without a saber, not without knowing exactly what she wanted — but he'd go down swinging if he had to.
She noticed.
"You don't need to be afraid," she said gently. "I'm not here to harm you. Quite the opposite."
"Right," Jack said slowly. "So... bald lady in robes just shows up in my motel room, knows my name, and drinks tea like she lives here. Totally normal."
"You're adapting surprisingly well to your situation."
Jack raised an eyebrow. "Well you don't see bald women that often?"
The Ancient One gave a look and said. "I am bald by choice"
Jack let out a short breath. "So, you know what I am."
"No." Her tone shifted, a thread of warning beneath the calm. "When you appeared out of nowhere i couldn't see the future."
Jack's stomach turned. "So you want to kill me?"
"No," she said.
Silence stretched for a moment.
Jack sat on the edge of the bed, eyes still locked on her. "So why are you here? To warn me? Ask me on a date? I don't Like bald women Amitābha"
"To guide you," she said. "If you'll allow it. You're a variable the multiverse wasn't prepared for."
"You saying I'm... a threat?"
She stood, walking toward him. Not threatening, not aggressive — but with presence. "Magic reacts to you. And there are entities out there who felt your arrival and are already hunting you."
Jack's jaw tightened. "huh?"
she said quietly. "There are beings in this world who would dissect your soul just to understand it. Groups who would use your power as a weapon."
He leaned forward, elbows on knees, hands laced. "So what do I do?"
"Come with me," she said simply. "Learn. Control the power before it controls you. You don't have to walk the path of a weapon. But you do have to walk one. You can come with me to Kamar-Taj — for a time. Learn to shield your mind. Defend your soul."
Jack was quiet for a long moment.
Then: "And if I say no?"
Her gaze didn't waver. "Then you'll walk alone. I won't stop you."
Jack stood slowly, tension radiating from him. But his voice was calm.
"Alright. Say I agree. Say I come with you. What happens to Millbrook? What about the girl at the front desk who thinks I'm some kind of lost model? What about the pizza I was promised?"
That, surprisingly, made the Ancient One laugh. "Consider this your origin story, Jack. The part where you choose who you want to be."
Jack took a long breath. Then nodded.
"Okay I will go with you."
The Ancient One stepped aside and opened a portal — swirling gold light forming into a circular gate that pulsed with ancient magic. On the other side: a snow-covered courtyard, glowing lanterns, and a stillness that felt older than time.
"Then let's begin."
Jack stepped through.
The portal snapped shut behind him.