Nthirium - where had I heard of it before? There was something vaguely familiar about that word.

---

"Where is the crystal you took?" Supergirl retorted again. "Don't make me get it out of you."

"As much as I would like to see you try, the Nthirium isn't near me right now." I replied. "It's hidden in a safe space."

"What's so special about this crystal anyway?" I asked.

"What it does doesn't matter." She started. "You took something that doesn't belong to you and that's a crime."

"And you're what? The judge of good and evil?" I asked mockingly.

She looked slightly taken aback by this, but then resumed her confident aura once more.

"I protect and safeguard other people from harm." She said heroically. "And the crystal you stole posseses a threat to society."

"Enlighten me." I requested. "You should know that I'm on the side of protecting. In fact, I'm on top this rooftop ready to stop a potential heist on a similar item."

"And steal it for yourself?" She said menacingly. "How did you even know about where the heist would happen?"

"I have my sources." I replied.

"I know of your constant boasts of noble intentions to the League, but I don't trust you. You hurt a lot of people in Gotham." She finally showed a knowledge of my existence.

"And for that, I'm very sor- " I started but she interrupted.

"The Nthirium you possess is a very dangerous item that can't be allowed to stay in one place for too long. A secret government movement has been moving it around for years, from banks to more secretive locations, until you stole it." She explained. "If it stays in one place for too long, it could cause a lot of harm."

"Well then, the world's in luck because I put it in a place where it can't cause harm, no matter how long it stays." I said confidently, knowing I had put it safely in the Mirror Dimension.

"Where exactly? What's the exact nature of this location?" Supergirl inquired.

"It's surrounded by magic, away from the physical world." I replied.

"Magic?!" Supergirl gasped. "Nthirium is impervious to magic. It won't be long before it nullifies the magic surrounding it."

That's when it kicked in. There was no such thing as Nthirium in DC, but there was something familiar about it's name: Nth. Nth was a metal from Thanagra, associated with Hawkgirl and Hawkman.

That meant that Nthirium was a compound somehow crafted from Nth metal, even with it's supposed anti-magic properties.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

It made sense that Lex wanted it, given his anti-magic gear, which also meant that it was just a prototype and incomplete. But why was it so effective?

Supergirl had a point, and Nthirium seemed capable of what she had said.

"So, if I move it around often, everything will be safe. Gotcha." I said, about to leave to the Sanctum to cast a spell.

"You actually put us at a disadvantage." Supergirl said. "Nthirium thrives on magic and it's effects will only increase exponentially and quicker. We need to retrieve it fast."

"How do you know so much about it?" I asked her, curious. "Considering that it was a government secret."

"I have my sources too." She replied.

"Touche." I said, opening a portal.

"Tell me it's location and I'll go get it." Supergirl said, wary of my magic.

I found no reason to mistrust Supergirl. She was a DC superhero after all.

"I'll bring it to you back here, if you tell me what you plan on doing with it." I said, obscuring my destination in the portal.

Supergirl sighed. "I'll take it to Star Labs. They'll know what to do with it."

"So that's where you got all the information from." I said as I turned to leave.

"Wait." She stopped me. "Let me come with you."

"Through a magic portal?" I asked her.

She stayed quiet for a moment as if in thought. Then I added. "Trust me. I don't have a reason to keep Nthirium to myself, especially if it'll constantly drain me of magic. I'm sure Star Labs is better off with it. I'll bring it up to you in no time."

(New York Sanctum)

During my quests and escapades into the world of New York City, I had proceeded to accomplish yet another feat in the Greenpoint Sanctum.

I had planned to recruit sorcerers who I would train in the art of the mystics, and use them to defend this power house of the OmniSight Aegis. My plans for the remaining two places were in motion too.

So far, I had managed to recruit a few, including an old friend of mine - the street magician. He seemed really enthusiastic to learn real magic, and I used that to my advantage, fulfilling my promise to him. He wasn't a hard find.

Moreover, I had modified the look of the old townhouse building into something more my style. It now mirrored the New York Sanctum I was familiar with.

The exterior of the building still showed the shape of the unassuming townhouse to the normal eye. Only those who had special passes could see the real transformation that had happened.

With the constant magical energy radiating from the heart of the Sanctum, maintaining that illusion was easy.

The front door was an entryway to two distinct destinations in the same place. One entry led to an illusion of the old Greenpoint Sanctum, while the other led to my own custom Sanctum.

Stepping inside the New York Sanctum, you came into the main foyer, a vast chamber filled with towering bookshelves that reached up to the ceiling.

Countless ancient tomes, scrolls, and mystical artifacts now lined the shelves, each containing secrets and knowledge from ages long past that I had collected around New York City, alongside my own printed works that I had been organizing.

The shelves themselves seemed to shift and rearrange, guided by an unseen force, always ensuring that the most relevant and sought-after texts were easily accessible.

The centerpiece of the room was a grand circular table. This table served as a gathering place for the sorcerers I had recruited. They sat here, sharing their insights and discoveries into the world of magic.

Beyond the foyer, a network of hallways and chambers extended throughout the Sanctum. Each corridor was a destination to a different aspect of the mystical arts.

One led to a training area where my apprentices honed their magical abilities. Another opened into a meditation chamber where individuals could commune with their inner selves and harness their inner power.

I had created several other chambers that I hadn't yet allowed them access to. One protecting the scroll of dimensions, another an entry point to the mirror dimension.

The Sanctum also became not only a place of learning and research; it was also a sanctuary for those in need, and had come through the Greenpoint Sanctum.

In a secluded chamber filled with healing crystals and soothing incense, we tended to the wounded and weary, offering both physical and spiritual healing to those who sought aid in the sanctum.

Throughout the Sanctum, mystical wards and enchantments were woven into the building. These protective measures ensured that the secrets contained within its walls remained hidden from those who would misuse them.

One of the most remarkable features of the New York Sanctum that I was yet to accomplish was its connection to the Multiverse. Soon enough, I hoped to achieve access to other dimensions by mastering the scroll of dimensions.

But that didn't stop me from creating two portals connecting to my two other yet to be established Sanctums.

As Doctor Strange and the master of the mystic arts, I stood as the guardian of this Sanctum, hoping that I would recruit a student worthy enough to be it's protector of this Sanctum.

I currently had three students: the street magician, a fishmonger who had come in search of healing, and a young woman who seemed to have a troubling past.

I had opened the third eye for each of the trio, and welcomed them, ushering them into the world of magic.

I opened a portal into the foyer, stepping into the Sanctum. Next, I opened my OmniSight Aegis and confirmed the the Nthirium was still in place, and the locations of my apprentices.

I had sent them to three other potential locations where the heist could be happening, instructing them to report as soon as they spotted anything, without engaging.

Two of their markers seemed in place, but one of them lingered just outside the Sanctum. No one had reported back to me yet. But why had he come back without first asking for instructions?

Curious to know, I deviated from my current task and opened the doors into the cobblestone streets of Greenpoint. To the normal onlooker, it looked as if I was coming out of the regular Greenpoint.

Outside, I saw him seated on a step, looking deep in thought.

"Is everything alright?" I inquired.