A/N - nearing the end of this story now eee!

Warnings: some gruesome descriptionsss.

#WongBetterStayPutOrImmaFiteWattpad

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Ivan awoke to the sensation of the space between his chest and the wall getting tighter and tighter. When he opened his eyes, he was surprised to find himself staring straight at the wall. As he moved his hand, he felt the splintered wood beneath him and hissed as he was pricked by a splinter. Processing that he was actually on the floor pinned beneath the wall, he began to call out for help. What had happened? How did he end up here? These were the questions that ran through his mind as he waited there, in a state of shock.

"Ivan?" Came a woman's voice, "Ivan, where are you?"

He called out again and soon, he heard the pattering footfall as his fellow sorcerers neared. Liam and Henry (reunited once more, albeit with more cuts and bruises than before) did their best to lift the wall while Luciana, in a similar beaten state, pulled Ivan out from under it. He groaned as his lungs and ribs took the time to stretch out again now that they weren't being forcibly compressed.

Dazed, Ivan looked at them all, "Luci - what's happening?"

As Luciana helped her fellow Master up, she replied, "An Entity is here - "

Liam looked over his shoulder and spotted an ominous red glow radiating from the hallway they had just left, "I don't mean to hurry you, but that thing's coming this way and that's the only way out."

Master De Leon looked between the three men and addressed the apprentices, "Henry, Liam, take Master Makarov, I'll hold it back as long as I can."

"No, Luci - "

"You need to get to your wife, Ivan. I sent her to the gateway and promised I would get you there too. So go." She insisted, handing the Master over to Henry and Liam, "And Liam, Henry, you two have done well today. Thank you."

The men nodded gratefully as she sprinted out into the corridor, rapidly forming a protective field as soon as she saw the despicable being. Those golden sparks shot up in the air and webbed their way across the hallway in front of her earning a laugh from the evil one. Behind her, the three men lingered, unsure if they should really leave her or not.

"Go." She insisted to the three once again.

"Yes," The evil Entity chuckled, "Go. Run. Run like rats for I do so love to play with you fearful ones."

"You'll have to get through me first before you can get to them." She tightened her stance, bracing herself for an attack.

It lurched forwards, eager to slam the field, to make them jump, but a sparkling band snatched the sentient orb and it was swung out of the corridor, destroying a wall as it went.

Wong appeared in the corridor, "Masters Makarov, De Leon, good to see you're still standing."

"Wong," Luciana breathed a sigh of relief, dropping the field, "What - "

"No time to talk. Stephen and I shall keep the Entity busy. Get to the gateway and evacuate."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. We have a plan but you all need to go." He nodded, "Anyone else you find on the way, get them out too."

Luciana gave a nod, turning to urge the three men down the hallway faster.

Wong looked outside only to see Stephen be flung down into the main courtyard. He silently prayed that Tessa and her Entity would be able to fix this before stepping out to aid Stephen in their distraction.

*  *  *  *  *  *

Tee reached the top, shaken not by the expected exhaustion that came with conquering so many stairs but instead with nerves. This plan had to be executed correctly, and it had to go smoothly or else the evil one may not only harm Tessa, but may also be unstoppable after their union. Peering over the edge of the Obeliscus Solis, it saw Strange flung down into the training courtyard below. It wasn't long before Wong leapt into their fight with a fiery scimitar, batting away some of its tendrils.

You've got this, Tee.

It really hoped it did.

"Brother!" They addressed the irked creature below, "Brother, I am here. I offer our body to you but you must cease this destruction!"

The sinister sphere was mere moments away from brutally attacking both Wong and Strange who stood side-by-side with the tao mandalas across their arms and hands when it heard the call of its hybrid brother. It turned and at spotting the young woman at the top of the tower, cautiously levitated upwards to meet with the Entity.

From the ground below Wong and Stephen watched, anxious as to how the encounter would go.

"So you have finally come to your senses, brother?"

Those two black eyes, reflecting a gleam of red from the evil Entity before it, softened in resignation.

"Only - only if you stop harming this place, these people."

"How were they able to quash your thirst for blood so decidedly?"

"They did not."

"No?"

"There are still people and places I wish to eliminate. My thirst for blood has simply become...more specific."

"And who, specifically, would you seek to eliminate?"

"Those who deserve it. Like Master Kent who you so promptly disposed of."

"And why did he 'deserve it'?"

"Because he was a liar and a murderer." The Entity growled.

The other chuckled darkly, "Your hatred of him is delectable. With me beside you, we can channel that hatred on countless more that...deserve it."

I don't believe it.

And neither did Tee but this was the narrative they had to follow through with. It reached out to the other, attempting to feign a willingness for this fusion between them.

"Join with me then, brother. Let our hatred aid us in our future destructive delights."

Another vile ethereal whip shot out of the orb, wrapping itself around the wrist the Entity held out. Another grabbed its other arm, two more grabbed its legs and a final wrapped its squid-like self around Tessa's torso. Quietly, it mentally conveyed its apologies for what it assumed would be a highly unpleasant and excruciating experience for Tessa.

Just - just do your best.

Tee certainly would try.

But for it to have any chance of combating the other, it would have to release control of her physical body back to Tessa herself. As Tee relinquished control, Tessa gasped at the sizzling feeling of the sinister Entity's touch and let out an almighty yell.

Below, as Wong and Stephen watched the crimson Entity merge with Tessa and heard her give a pained cry, Stephen couldn't help but step forward. He would have flown up to her too if it weren't for Wong's hand on his shoulder that held him back.

"We have to let them do this." Wong said, his brow drawn together.

But the arrogant sorcerer shook his head, "I can't let - "

"No one said it would be easy to watch, Stephen. Remember, they are doing this for us all."

He took a breath, his gaze moving to uncomfortably settle on her again.

As the creature suspended her in the air with its uncomfortable grip, it appeared to both slip and be absorbed into her body, but not without relentless agony washing through her. It was an unpleasant feeling, one that no human would ever think they could experience, but the best comparison she had was that of trying to stuff too many clothes into an airtight box, that horrid feeling in her mind like the moment one tried to close the lid with unjustifiable strength yet the lid still would not close fully no matter how much one pressed, leaned and pushed on the cover. Unlike water that would easily be displaced, her mind was solid clothing, the particles too heavy and compact to slip out of the box on their own and so she remained in the box with the two Entities and the unbearable, suffocating weight and pressure of their consciences.

As the body of the crimson creature left the visible plane, settling in Tessa's mind and body, her unsteady feet landed back on the ground. She grasped at her head; primal shrieks of pure pain tore their way out of her mouth; her hands rubbed, pulled, scratched at her hair and scalp; her legs stumbled backwards and forwards, to her left and to her right, the torture leaving her limbs unstable. She had shut her eyes so tight that she blindly let her torment lead her physical actions much to the horror of the sorcerers below for, when she took one step too far forward, she began to plummet down from the tower.

"TESSA!" Stephen cried out, leaping up and bolting to her with the help of his cloak.

Thanks to his rapid response, he had met her half-way up, dragged down himself by the speed at which she had been falling at, but wasted no time in bringing the struggling woman back down to stable ground, albeit with difficulty as her body violently convulsed in his arms. He lay her down as safely as possible on the concrete ground given her flailing and then looked down at her, helpless, pained and terrified by her display.

Tessa never stopped screaming. Her whole body was on fire but her own mind was breaking in a way that she imagined was like watching and feeling somebody remove your arm or leg, but doing so by simply snipping your nerves and tendons one by excruciating one. Her body spasmed sharply, her bones cracked unnaturally, the veins in her face pulsated black and bright crimson. At times her screams turned into groans or growls when she grit her teeth together. Burning tears slipped out of her scrunched up eyes and a stream of hot blood began to run from her nose. Focusing on forming words was impossible for her because her torment was so great and when she did try, she was simply incoherent.

Watching her suffer so brutally brought tears to Wong's eyes. How could he have ever turned her away so harshly?

Sickened by her reaction, Stephen knelt down before her head.

"I'm putting her to sleep, I can't watch this anymore." He stated as he pulled her so that her shaking head lay on his lap.

"Stephen, wait," Wong stopped him, "What if that helps the other Entity take control of Tessa?"

His mouth hung open a small bit as he looked down at the sorceress. What if he did this and he lost her completely? Teara gathered in his eyes.

He shook his head, "If it does...at least she won't be in any pain."

"Stephen - "

The sorcerer wasted no more time and, similar to first time he had met her, placed his hands upon her head, his fingers lightly touching her temples, shut his eyes and uttered the word, "Sleep."

Within moments, Tessa's convulsing stopped and her arms fell limp by her head. In this same moment, Stephen gasped as he was able to connect with her briefly in mind and had felt a mere fraction of the pain she had experienced. He let out a shaky breath, looking down at her anguished, bloody expression, and gently wiped a stray tear from her cheek.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

One's mind took various different shapes and forms. For the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes, his inner mind took the form of a vast Mind Palace; Tessa's mind took the shape of Kamar-Taj at night, but her base was her beloved Tea Temple. However, once Stephen had eased her suffering by forcing Tessa into her subconscious, before she had the chance to orientate herself, she was immediately assaulted by the other and was sent she flying across the room, roughly hitting a pillar.

She groaned as she lay there.

A bright, sun-like orb, smaller than the crimson one, rushed to protect her.

Leave her be!

You tricked me! You never wanted me here with you. You are a disgrace.

It is you who is the disgrace. Believing you are not fat and well-fed enough in terms of power, seeking to consume myself and this child's mind for your own gain.

And yet, is that not what you wish to do to me too? We are the same, brother.

No. Our goals vary widely and until you decide that you wish to change, which I warrant will be never, then we are not and will not be the same.

The other chuckled a pitiful laugh.

You think you can protect her from me?

Tessa...run.

Without protest, shakily she clambered up from the floor and rapidly stumbled toward the door out of the Tea Temple. As she ran, the crimson orb attempted to slam her, only to be slammed by the white orb instead. The other was sent into a wall.

You will have to go through me before you can touch her.

It's more fun to watch you stress.

The sinister sphere ducked and dodged past its opponent, rushing after the young woman. The sun-like orb hurriedly stalked close-behind.

Tessa had reached the training courtyard and was distressed that the once totally black sky above now had stormy streaks of red cloud strewn across it carelessly. As she bolted over the ground, there was a dreadful crack of thunder that she assumed had come from the clouds yet, instantly after she had heard the sound, the ground beneath her had rumbled and ruptured upwards, ruining the smoothness of the cobbled ground and sent her flying into the air with a yelp. Without hers and the Entity's joint power she could not fly herself and so, plummeted back down to the concrete, the action complete with a shower of soil as she contacted the surface with a grunt.

"Tee..." She whined as she lay there on her back exhausted.

The other laughed at her weakness.

Not so tough now, are we, child? Why, you're just as pathetic as the lying man. I guess I should have suspected this seeing as you were raised by the wretch. The rotting apple never does fall far from the wilting tree.

It loomed over her as she lay there, defeated.

Not to worry. This will all be over soon.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

"There has to be a spell that means I can help her." Stephen spoke urgently as he and Wong entered the House of Wisdom.

"I don't know, Stephen."

"Don't lie to me, Wong."

The sorcerer held Tessa in his arms but her body was limp, pale and clammy. Spotting a half-empty desk, he lay her there, carelessly pushing some books off the table.

"Watch those books!" The librarian snapped, picking them up as he went.

"I'm more worried about saving a life than books right now, Wong." He paused, running his hands over his eyes, "The Book of Hypnos - it tells how to touch a person's mind and influence it, but if I can touch a person's mind, I can enter it."

"Tessa may be fine - "

"Does she look fine to you?"

Wong looked at the sickly woman who did, in fact, look as though she was getting paler by the second. Looking back at the sorcerer he sighed. He began to head towards one of the bookcases and pulled out a book, returning with it and handed it to Stephen.

"Page sixty-six."

The sorcerer took the book gratefully, and immediately got to work. Once Stephen had absorbed all he had needed to know, he pulled up a chair at the head of the table and once again lay his hands upon Tessa's head. He took a breath, took a moment to look at the gaunt sorceress and prayed that he would be able to help her in some way.

"Stephen," Wong paused, "You did look at the warnings?"

"Yes."

"So you know you must be wary."

"Yes."

Wong nodded, "The Ancient One had a lot of faith in you. If you - "

"I'll try not to die." Stephen nodded, anxious to enact the spell.

Wong murmured, "Okay," and gestured for the sorcerer to continue.

*  *  *  *  *  *

Tee's golden, ethereal whips snatched the crimson ball away from her hastily, swinging to hammerthrow the other far enough away from the young woman to give Tessa a chance to get away.

Tessa, you must find somewhere to conceal yourself. Tessa?

"I can't..."

You can. You must. Get up, child.

But still she made no move to go. It was not that she had given up but more so the draining feeling of sharing her mind with two Entities weighed her down. Her eyes flickered.

No, stay awake!

One of Tee's golden whips wrapped itself around her, attempting to get her to sit and stand up but she kept falling limp.

I cannot protect you if you give in. You must fight this with me, but away from the other. Tessa!

The other, now recovered from the throw, watched from above.

She will die, brother. She is too weak.

The Entity turned to face the other, its orb pulsating in fury and fear as it hissed:

You make her weak.

But I will make us strong.

There was a rumble and a streak of light  shot across the sky, bringing another suffocating feeling with it that both Entities felt the tickle of, yet Tessa felt the full power of. She shrieked, jolting alert, clutching at her head, crying and wailing for it to stop.

"Tessa!" Stephen appeared in the courtyard also.

Strange, you cannot be here!

He seems willing to die too. Let him stay, brother, I am sure I can make his death wish come true.

He pelted over to the writhing, sobbing Tessa and panicked Tee, crouching to hold her.

While the other was distracted by fantasies of how he could make the sorcerer writhe, Tee took its chance to knock the evil one into the Obeliscus Solis which crumbled and crashed down upon it, hopefully covering it for a few moments.

"It's okay, Tess, I'm here. I can help."

"Get out, go away!" Tessa cried to the sorcerer who held her.

This is too much for her already, Strange, you must go.

"I can help - "

I fear you cannot.

"You should absorb the other." Stephen suggested quickly, "If the two of you become one, that may ease the pressure on her conscience."

We do not know that for certain -

"What was your plan?"

I - defeat it - somehow whilst preserving Tessa.

"That sounds well-thought out."

We have no time for your sarcastic quips here.

The debris from the tower crumbled more. Ruby light shone through the gaps. They didn't have much time.

Have you seen the size of it? It would absorb me if any - wait...that's it.

"What is?"

You need to keep her awake. If she slips into her subconscious - if she is here, she is an easy target but if you awaken her in the present world, it will be harder for the other to locate and end her.

"She was screaming - "

I guarantee you that if she isn't screaming in the present world, that will be far worse.

"I - "

Just be there for her, Strange. She will need your support.

"But - "

A painful cry of his own left his lips as Stephen was forced out of their mind by the Entity.

*  *  *  *  *  *

Stephen's eyes flashed wide open mere seconds later as a pained yell left his lips. Stephen gripped the table, panting as he waited for the fraction of pain he felt to subside.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Wong questioned.

"The Entity told me to wake her." He gulped, breathing the simple word, "Wake."

*  *  *  *  *  *

When Stephen had left her mindscape, some of the pain that came with a third presence subsided and, although she was whimpering like a wounded mutt, she was able to push herself up so that she could sit.

Tessa, Stephen will wake you.

"No, no, please, it hurts." She cried to the bright Entity, holding her own arms as she sat there, shaking.

I am sorry but this is for your own good.

She saw that her hands began to fade and she shook her head desperately.

You will be safer awake. I will end this as fast as possible.

"Tee..."

Be brave, child. This will be over soon.

Just as she faded, the other had tried to slam the young woman but instead collided with Tee, throwing the dear Entity into a column.

*  *  *  *  *  *

Soul-retching streams of desperate, suffering shrieks tore out of Tessa's mouth again in a way that made one think she was being ripped to shreds. Her hands darted for her head again, clutching and pulling and squeezing and crushing.

"It's okay, Tessa, you're okay," Stephen tried to sooth her to no avail, "Wong, hold her arm, she's going to hurt herself if she continues." He instructed urgently, gripping her other arm and holding her limb to the table.

But she struggled strongly, writhed wildly, convulsed abominably and spasmed uncontrollably. Her skin paled more so, making the ever-conflicting coal and scarlett veins more prominent in, not only her face now, but her neck and arms too. Sweat collected and rolled off her brow - to the two sorcerers her skin was growing ever-hotter. Fresh blood sprung from her nose, travelling over dried blood, mixing with spit, sweat and tears.

*  *  *  *  *  *

Her once-peaceful Kamar-Taj was struck by a hurricane; an amalgamation of sable dust and carmine cloud built up around the two opposing Entities as they fought for control, for peace.

Only one of us can can reign with her.

I think you will find that will be me.

As the sinister sphere darted for Tessa's Entity, Tee, on their last legs, waited calmly to enact its plan. When the other got close enough, a bright, pointed, ethereal tendril shot out of Tee, piercing the crimson orb through and through. As it happened, a shockwave radiated out from the hurricane, weakening the foundations of Tessa's Kamar-Taj.

Brother...what have you done?

*  *  *  *  *  *

With inhumane strength, Tessa (her screams still ringing in Wong and Stephen's ears) whipped her arms up, out of the men's grasps, towards her chest before throwing them out, sending a familiar shadowy wave racing through the library. Both Wong and Stephen were hurled backwards, each harshly landing against a bookcase or a wall with a gasp and groan.

A faint breeze stirred them. A sttay piece of paper flew into Stephen's face and when he removed it, he looked up in horror. The breeze became a a swirling gust and various items began to float while Tessa was also levitating off the table horizontally, her once transparent tears now replaced with streams of dark scarlett.

"Stephen," Wong called from the other side of the table, "We need to end this now - "

"She - she might be okay - "

"Look at her!" Wong cried, "Does she look okay to you?"

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Why?

You know why.

I - I am forgiving. Join with me now, we can still -

I will not.

If you betray me now, brother, you will regret it in future.

I doubt you will have a future once I am done with you.

The other was too large to absorb like Strange had suggested but another idea was sparked in Tee. To draw it nearer, the end of the tendril that pierced through the other side of the evil sphere split into the shape of a hook. Reeling itself toward the other rapidly, Tee delved into the centre of the weakened other, instantly forcing its body to contort into the shape of a morning star, suddenly shattering the body of the cruel one with the ease of popping a balloon.

Simultaneously, another wave rippled out, obliterating Tessa's Kamar-Taj.

*  *  *  *  *  *

It was too loud to think but Stephen didn't need to think to know that Wong was inevitably right. Do not lack the spine to do what you must, the skilled sorcerer thought. His stomach churned at the echo of those words as he looked at the suffering sorceress woefully. With a gulp, he motioned for his cloak to take him up to her and hovered near her head.

"I'm so sorry." Stephen mumbled.

But just as he was about to stop this chaos himself, her back curved and cracked upwards unnaturally, unnervingly, as the vermillion veins glowed intensely for a brief moment before fading; her screaming was silenced and her eyes had shot open only to reveal the whites gleaming dully in the dim light. The hovering objects clattered to the floor.

Wong's heart was in his throat as he watched the pair.

Her suspension in the air ended but Stephen caught her before she fell lifelessly in his arms.

Stephen's voice grew in alarm"Tess? Tessa?" He shook her in his arms but received no response.

*  *  *  *  *  *

Red, sparkling dust floated down from where the crimson one once was.

Below the Entity and the red shower, Tessa knelt, arms hugging herself, catatonic, in a single spot of broken cobble floor, illuminated by Tee's light. Around them, in the abyss of her mind, floated the debris of her Kamar-Taj.

Distracted by the state of its host, what the Entity failed to notice was a living ruby spark gliding over to one of the larger pieces of debris in search of a hiding place.

Tessa? Child?

Tee drifted down to her cautiously for its host did not seem like herself.

It is over. I believe we won, we did it. Tessa?

Tessa simply stared at the ground blankly, unresponsive to its light and its voice. An ethereal whip gently slithered towards the young woman, gently touching her shoulder but she still made no move.

Speak to me, child, what is wrong?

But still the sorceress did not respond.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Stephen lay Tessa's body on the table, while Wong, wary that she may still be unpredictable, was encouraged to find water and a cloth for the young woman whose face was a bloody sight. Shakily, the doctor lay his fingers against her neck and shut his eyes thankfully when he felt a beat, albeit a very soft one.

With a mighty inhale and a splutter, she sat up but, to his dismay, Stephen saw that the Entity had taken control of her and did not look overly positive.

"Entity, is it gone? Is she okay?"

"Yes, the other is gone...but...Tessa...she is different, I do not know what is wrong with her, I fear...I fear I have broken her in defeating the other. She will not respond to me."

"How - how do you mean?"

The Entity shrugged, running its hands over its eyes, pausing to squint at the bits of dried blood that crumbled off its face, "She is still with us but unresponsive."

Stephen's grieving gaze drifted to the floor as he processed this.

"Tessa?" Wong brightened when he saw the sorceress sat up.

But when the Entity looked at him with those two striking black eyes, his whole demeanor seemed to deflate. He shuffled over to the table, offering the cloth and water to the Entity who swung its legs over the side of the table so it could stand, thanking the librarian quietly.

"Tessa is here...but not the same." The Entity said quietly.

Wong watched as it used the cloth and cold liquid to remove the dried blood from their face. He watched how gentle it was, how docile it had grown since he had last set eyes on it. Only once acknowledging what it had done in saving Kamar-Taj did he really begin to trust that the Entity was on a better path. That and how lost it looked without Tessa's guiding presence.

"Our psyches are fragile things." Wong said slowly, earning both the Entity's and Stephen's attention, "Tessa's conscience may still be salvageable."

Stephen prompted him quickly, "How?"

Wong took a breath, "We each have a place we go in our minds, a place where we store memories and where our conscience rests when we sleep. They are never simply blank but often take the form of a place that means a lot to one."

"Tessa's was Kamar-Taj, mainly the temple she often frequented with the Ancient One." Tee nodded.

"After you defeated the other, what was her mindscape like?"

"It...it was completely destroyed."

Stephen glared at the Entity, "How could you let that happen?"

"Do not snap at me, Strange." The Entity glowered back at him, "You knew there was a risk of death with this plan."

"But you've just said Tessa is still with you, correct?" Wong continued.

"Yes."

"Are you sure her Kamar-Taj was completely destroyed? There was nothing left at all?"

"Well...it was broken, there was debris everywhere - "

"But there is where her hope lies," Wong said calmly, "What is broken, can be fixed."

The Entity's brows raised as it looked at Stephen whose mouth curved upwards hopefully.