Part 9: The Ritual

[Stephen's POV]

"Hey, hurry up." Nat says, wondering why I'm staying still in one spot.
"Yeah, I'm coming." I answer back. Look at them having fun and laughing like that, well, what can possibly go wrong?

I get some more necessary things for the ritual, then follow upstairs.

"Okay, what should we do now, Stephie?" Bruce asks, smirks at me.

"What is that ugly pet name? There is no nickname would fit that serious face." Nat adds in.

"Can we start now?" I ask.

"Fine. See, look at his serious face." Nat says.

I roll my eyes, then put the big mirror on the bed, make it lean on the bed head. Then all of us crawl on the bed, I sit in front of the mirror, Tony and Pepper are on my left, Natasha and Bruce are on my right.

"Wait, so I am the Scribe?" I ask, look at them. They are all give me the puppy eyes. I was defeated.

"You are the one who know the ritual, Stephen." Tony says.

"Fine, but let me explain the rules first." I back to my serious looking as usual, " Rule number one: Do everything I say." They're all nod their head, signal that they're understand what I said.

"Rule number two: Do not panic in any situation." I say, look at them. They're all nod their head again.

"Last rule: You are responsible for your own life." Didn't wait for them to nod their head, because I know they won't, I continue,"Jarvis, turn off the light."

All the lights are disappear, the dark swallow the whole room. I quickly light up one candle in my hand. The dim light from the candle is enough for me to see their frightening face. They're all hiding under the blanket but their faces, left me out.

"What? You guys scared now?"I provoke them, then continue "But don't forget the rules."

"Now, get closer, so you can see your reflections on the mirror."I say, then they're all lean closer to me. This ritual better work.

"Repeat after me"I mumble "Black Helen. Black Helen. Black Helen.". Then they're all follow .

"Where is she?" I continue. And they repeat what I said. They should see their face right now.

I grab the black paint that Pepper gives me, put a small bean of paint on my index finger, then draw a simple stick figure on the mirror. 

"Where is her eyes?" I say. Then they're all repeat that, but hesitatingly this time.

"Are we gonna dig our eyes out?" Tony mumbles, but I cut him with a hiss.

I pinch my other index finger with a sterilized needle, squeeze to make the red blood come out, draw a pair of eyes on the mirror, above the stick. It's coming.

"Where are her friends?" I say, and they repeat after me. Then I put the candle near mirror. The light from the candle is so dim now, that I can only see my face on the mirror. "Stephen Vincent Strange."I say, then hand the candle to Natasha. "Hold this candle, do not let the light out. Say your name, even if you say it out loud or not, she still hears you."

"Natasha Romanoff."She says, then hands the candle to Bruce.

"Bruce Banner." Then he hands the candle to Pepper.

"Virginia 'Pepper' Potts." Then she hands the candle to the last 'person'.

"Anthony Edward Stark." He says, then hands me the candle. The candle wick is still burning, and probably Helen has heard all the names.

"Where is she now?"I say, and they're all repeat after that.

"Now, look into the mirror. Look closer. Look carefully. Listen carefully." I mumble to them. Then we're all look into the mirror. Looking. And waiting. Or maybe just them waiting. Not me. Because I am looking at something else.

"You can come out now."

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