tik tik tik boom

A fierce fighter (who the entity would soon learn was the Sorcerer Supreme) was in a duel in which they were grossly outnumbered and overpowered. The entity was quickened once it acknowledged the sorcerer’s desperate need for aid and so it did the first thing it could think to do in the moment: imbue itself in their cloak, absorbing into the very fibers. It pulled them away just in time to avoid a fatal blow. The sorcerer was alarmed by the sudden animation in the garment but had little choice but to immediately accept it and quickly adjust to the allied effort. They and the magic-imbued cloak moved together in tandem, keeping the sorcerer from harm as they triumphed.

The entity remained in the cloak after that, enjoying having the physical form and the character that developed between its host and its traits gifted by the Vishanti. In this, it found the purpose they intended for it. It vowed its loyalty (however silently) to the Sorcerer Supreme, serving them and only them except for dire circumstances in which others were in immediate need, usually their allies. It was when it learned of the sorcerer’s dabbling with the Dark Dimension and their channeling of darkness that it began to disagree with them. This abuse of power didn’t ring clearly in its young conscience and the entity found it couldn’t condone their use of it.

Conflicted, the entity left the cloak briefly to ask upon the Vishanti for guidance, and in reply was granted a new physical form to help foster its independent rationality and choice. Oshtur created for it a fleshly form, human, grown from a lock of her own hair, making it compatible with the entity and it’s energy. Putting it simply, the entity would be one with this body as fluidly as it was with the cloak.

And so it returned to the Sorcerer Supreme, expressing its discontent and concern, and it’s inability to work by their side so long as they used the Dark Dimension. The sorcerer was disappointed but understood and ultimately respected her  ( the entity’s )  choice. Knowing the entity intended to abandon the cloak  ( it was in the sorcerer’s possession first, after all ),  the sorcerer insisted that the entity remained with it; after growing accustomed to the cloak’s magic they would rather not adjust to moving and fighting with the hindrance of an inanimate cloak.

The entity claimed possession of the cloak permanently and when it did, she and the garment were bonded. It now had ability to  ‘ shapeshift, ’  if you will, from cloak to human form at will. However frequenting it’s human form necessitated the use of a human name.

A hundred years came and went and watching the passing of time became unpleasant for the ageless being. Places changed, new faces came to carry on for those that went, and Kamar-Taj came to represent something grim to Zhen. The Sorcerer Supreme offered her the choice to take up residence in any of the sanctums she chose to change her scenery. She chose New York.

When Kaecilius attacked the sanctum Zhen  ( in human form )  stood alongside the master and fought to defend it but they were both overtaken, the master slain and Zhen overcome by the zealot’s disciples. She was later able to beat them back and defeat them, and was curious about the newcomer who was still battling the zealot. Shifting, she flew upstairs to watch their fight inconspicuously  ( if an animate piece of clothing can be called such )  from her display case. She could see that he was early in his years of practice but had great determination to protect the sanctum and had great potential.

Then, as if pushed by the Vishanti themselves, he was pushed into the case where she waited. Zhen acted swiftly, protecting the man from the zealot’s attacks, then draped herself around him to guide him through the rest of the fight.