โ€ƒโ€ƒ๐ฑ๐ข๐ข. ๐˜ฌ๐˜ข๐˜ฆ๐˜ค๐˜ช๐˜ญ๐˜ช๐˜ถ๐˜ด

๐‚๐‡๐€๐๐“๐„๐‘ ๐“๐–๐„๐‹๐•๐„ โ€” kaecilius

โ”โ”โ”โ”โ”โ”โ”


โ€ƒ"๐Ž๐‡, ๐†๐Ž๐ƒ! ๐€๐‘๐„ you okay?" Christine shrieked as Stephen jerked awake in his physical body. His gasp had cut through the air, causing both Emilia and Christine to jolt forwards.

โ€ƒStephen's head bobbed, before falling back to rest against the table with a light thud that shook through his brain. His eyes were shrouded with fatigue, yet he still managed to send a light squeeze to that hand that Emilia had clasped around his own.

โ€ƒIt was as though a weight had been lifted from Emilia's chest; she could finally breathe, finally quell that abundant pit of dispair within her gut. Her lips curled upwards, a small and soft smile directed to the man resting on the bed. Her heart, the poor thing that had been working relentlessly to calm her nerves, almost melted upon the smile she received in return; no sharp edges, no tilted grin that reminded her of Stephens relentless sarcasm, just plain fondness. In complete honesty, she had truly feared he wouldn't make it, for the fight between Stephen and Kaecilius' disciple was rough. Sparks had flown around the hospital room, machines were pushed away, and Stephen's only fighting chance was for Christine to send a shock to his system with the defibrillator, one that could have killed him.

โ€ƒChristine's form deflated, shoulders finally relaxing and falling to a slump as her eyes took in the sight of Stephens moving chest, and without hesitation, she turned and grasped the needle that had been ready and waiting on the small metal table.

โ€ƒ"After all this time, you just show up here, flying out of your body?" Christine continued her work on Stephen's chest, apologizing under her breath every time he winced at the feeling of the needle digging into his already pained skin.

โ€ƒEmilia had to admit, it must have been a sight to see for the nurse. Her former lover had disappeared without a word, and now he was suddenly back in his life with a wound in his chest, and robes twirling around him.

โ€ƒStephen groaned again, his head tilting to the side to face the nurse whilst his hand tightened around Emilia's once again, "Yeah, I know. I Missed you too, by the way. I wrote you emails but you never responded."

โ€ƒThat irritating feeling pulsated inside of Emilia once again. She swallowed it. It wasn't fair for her to feel... To feel jealous for what the two had once had. She and Stephen were... Well, they were nothing, really.

โ€ƒSo who was she to feel such a way?

โ€ƒAs much as she wished to stay and comfort the man who had come to mean far too much to her, Emilia slowly untangled their fingers โ€” something that didn't go unnoticed by Stephen, nor Christine โ€” and smiled towards Christine with genuine appreciation alighting her forest-green eyes, "Thank you, Christine."

โ€ƒ"You're welcome." Christine breathed, her lips tugging upwards before she frowned at the sight of blood on Emilia' face, "Do you want me to โ€”"

โ€ƒ"Oh, no, I'm alright." Emilia shook her head, a single finger reaching for her chin. The blood had dried, but even so, she could still feel it throbbing. Her gaze turned to Stephen, yet she didn't meet his eyes, "I'll be waiting for you at the portal."

โ€ƒ"Portal?" Christine muttered, her eyes following Emilia as the woman left in a blur of crimson robes. A sad smile blossomed on her pink lips as she turned to Stephen, "She's lovely."

โ€ƒThe man chuckled lightly, his cerulean eyes still locked on the creaking door she had disappeared through. He could feel the coolness of the hospital air brushing against the hand she'd been holding; he missed her warmth, and he felt like a child for admitting that. "She is. Emilia, uh, she's โ€”"

โ€ƒ"I get it, Stephen." Christine's voice was like a feather, as soft and as light as one could possibly imagine, and despite the sadness that shrouded her heart, she was happy for the man who was once so impossibly closed off, "You better not screw that up."

โ€ƒ"I wouldn't. I don't even know if she โ€”"

โ€ƒ"โ€” She does. You're an idiot if you don't see it."

โ€ƒ"I almost died, and you're insulting my intellect... Emilia would love you."

โ€ƒ"I mean it, Stephen. She's wonderful, and she's clearly put you in your place โ€”" She rose a singular brow at him the moment his mouth opened in protest, swiftly silencing him, "You needed it, you know you did. I'm glad you have each other."

โ€ƒ"Christine..." Stephens' voice trailed off, as the woman momentarily looked away, "I really am sorry. For all of it. You were right, I was a complete asshole. I treated you horribly, and you deserved so much more... And now, with Emilia..."

โ€ƒ"Don't apologise for Emilia, Stephen. I'm happy for you... But what is happening? Where have you been?"

โ€ƒ"Well..."


โ‹†โ‹†โ‹†


โ€ƒThe portal that Emilia had created to transport herself and Stephen to the safety of the hospital continued to swirl with amber sparks beside her whilst she leaned against the wall, staring at the cuts and scrapes on her hands.

โ€ƒThere were small burns dotted across them, not from the explosions but more so from her carelessness around a bunsen burner, there was discolouration around her left hand's thumb, again, carelessness but this time, with chemicals.

โ€ƒThe cuts would likely scar, especially if she continued to mindlessly pick away at the blood that had already dried and offered her wound shelter, but she didn't particularly care. Her hands were weapons, they didn't need to look like porcelain.

โ€ƒAnd now her face didn't either. She never had perfect skin, some crows feet had begun to form around her eyes from the way her cheeks rose upon smiling, there were freckles that dusted her cheeks and forehead, and pimples that popped up here and there; but now she'd have a scar above her right brow, a nasty one on her chin, and another below her left cheekbone.

โ€ƒShe must have looked a sight.

โ€ƒHer maroon robes had streaks of dirt running across them, her trousers had a tear in the knee, and her boots were scuffed beyond compare.

โ€ƒNone of it mattered though, now that Kaecilius had shown himself, Emilia had absolutely no doubt in her mind that he would persevere until his goal โ€” whatever it actually was โ€” was achieved. The thought scared her, in all honesty.

โ€ƒHope was dangerous but then again, so was fear... She knew that well, but ambition could be horrifying. It drove people to stupidย โ€” insaneย โ€” ends, it made people into fools, but it also brought out their best. It just seemed, that in this case, Kaecilius' best was to do harm.

โ€ƒShe had no idea what his true goal was, and honestly, Emilia didn't care. All she knew was that the man was powerful and willing to do whatever he had to do in order to achieve his end goal... She knew that Kaecilius was more than happy to harm and kill whoever he had to, to get his way.

โ€ƒEmilia was, to put it lightly, worried as all hell. She had promised the Ancient One that her powers would fight for the world they lived in, they would fight for freedom and safety and peace... But she thought she'd have more time before that promise had to come to fruition.

โ€ƒ"Are you alright?" Came Stephens voice, breaking Emilia out of her staring match with her own hands. She had jolted in surprise, having not heard the doors creak open upon his arrival. Christine stood behind him, her mouth agape as she stared at the portal and the image of an ancient building standing proud inside of it.

โ€ƒ"I'm fine." Emilia smiled, though it didn't reach her eyes.

โ€ƒ"Emilia โ€”"

โ€ƒ"โ€” We need to go, we have to make sure everyone else is okay."

โ€ƒWith that she turned on her heel and hopped inside the portal, her feet landing on the old green rug that trailed down the length of the sanctum's hallway. Splatters of blood had dried into the regal material and the man she and Stephen had both fought, was lying dead just a meter or two away.

โ€ƒShe swallowed roughly as she turned to face the two she'd left behind, "Thank you again, Christine, really."

โ€ƒ"Of course." The nurse smiled, eyes still widened at the sight of the portal, "Take care of yourselves, please."

โ€ƒ"We will." Emilia inched her hand out, her fingertips reaching through the portal as she looked at Stephen, waiting for the man to reach forth.

โ€ƒThe former surgeon nodded to himself, his own, shaking fingers tangling with Emilia's as he trailed forth, a single look thrown over his shoulder to his former lover; it was a smile. One that said sorry, goodbye, and thank you all at once.

โ€ƒThe portal closed behind them. Fizzling ember settling into the scuffed, grey tiles of the hospital, leaving Christine utterly alone... And yet she didn't frown, and her eyes didn't well with salted tears like she thought they might have. Instead, she sighed and a smile alighted her face.

โ€ƒShe was happy for them, truly, and she was happy for herself. She didn't need to lose sleep worrying over the man, wondering where he was and if he was alone. She knew now that he was different, and so was she.

โ€ƒThey'd both be better off.

โ€ƒThen, as her thoughts of the man and woman that had so rapidly stumbled into her life, came to a close, she shrieked. A broom slipped from its upright position and clattered to the ground, leaving her scream, followed by a huff of irritation, to cloud the room.


โ‹†โ‹†โ‹†


โ€ƒThe sanctum was completely quiet, bar Stephens still heavy breaths. Emilia trained her eyes on his swishing robes as he steadily approached the man on the ground. He placed two scarred and trembling fingers on the man's neck, desperately hoping for a pulse. A minute passed and still nothing was beating beneath his touch.

โ€ƒ"I killed him." He muttered beneath his breath, not intending for Emilia to hear, but she did. he was only lucky enough that her ears couldn't hear the sound of his heart that threatened to burst from his chest.

โ€ƒShe could hear the disgust in his tone, the utter heartbreak that laced his words. She knew how he felt. How it felt to be a murderer, and yet she had nothing to say to him. What could she say? They'd all be nothing but empty words.

โ€ƒSure, the man on the ground had tried to kill Stephen, but Stephen had been a doctor, a man who had vowed to do everything in his power to save lives rather than steal them.

โ€ƒThe cloak that had assisted both Stephen and Emilia was floating nearby, the lapels were tilted slightly, as though it was trying to tilt its non-existent head. The sentient material drifted towards Stephen who wasted no time in throwing it onto his shoulders with a single, swift movement; a perfect fit.

โ€ƒ"Kaecilius is this way." He murmured without casting a glance at Emilia.

โ€ƒShe followed after him, taking two steps at a time to keep up with his large, hastened strides. To both of their utter dismay, the contraption that had once held Kaecilius was on the ground, entirely dismantled, and the man who had threatened their lives was nowhere to be seen.

โ€ƒ"Emilia! Strange!" Mordo's voice called out, and the man swiftly came into view, a look of complete relief on his face as he took in the two standing there. His arms immediately outstretched and Emilia wasted no time in falling into them, returning the hug heartily.ย 

โ€ƒHer arms circled around him, shoulders falling slack with relief as she sighed into his chest, "I'm glad you're alright."

โ€ƒ"And I, you." Mordo hummed, releasing the woman who took a step or two backwards. Mordo stared at strange for a moment, his eyes coming to rest upon the vibrant scarlet cloak that was secured around his shoulders, "The Cloak of Levitation. It came to you?"

โ€ƒHis surprise was justified,ย  for the cloak was an ancient artefact that the Sorcerer Supreme had once shown Emilia, delighted in seeing the young woman with a thirst for knowledge take an interest in such items.

โ€ƒEmilia herself had been surprised, yet also... Not. Stephen deserved the relic... And after the events of the day, he deserved a rest. She could see dark circles resting beneath his eyes, blue and purple fading into grey and she was certain her own didn't look much different. They were both dead on their feet, and yet they continued on, for they knew the battle was not yet over.

โ€ƒThe Ancient One entered the room, dark robes swinging around her as she did. Her hands were clasped behind her back, and as ever, her head was held high with a small smile dusting her thin lips, even despite the recent happenings.

โ€ƒShe nodded towards Emilia, choosing not to voice the concern she had held for the woman upon hearing Wong tell her that Emilia had, as ever, chased after Stephen. It was rather odd for the Ancient One, for she had never expected to hold such... Care for somebody.

โ€ƒShe, of course, did care for each and every one of her students and masters that resided within the Kamar-Taj, and the three sanctums... But Emilia was... Well, she was different. The Sorcerer Supreme had taken a fast liking to the woman who had fallen to her knees in a fit of guilt and remorse upon their first meeting.

โ€ƒShe could see Emilia for who she truly was... Or who she would be; she saw power, she saw chaos and tears, but most of all, she saw such strength and kindness within her lonely green eyes.

โ€ƒEmilia, had she not travelled to the Kamar-Taj... Well, there was no telling of just how powerful, yet out of control she'd become. It would have broken her, and the Ancient One had no doubt that it would have broken those around her... Repeating the cycle that already tormented Emilia with each passing day.

โ€ƒStephen was incredibly easy for Emilia to read; as though he was a book with illustrations alone; no words to decipher, to crack like a code. His lips were downturned at the sight of the Ancient One, and though he had expressed his difference in view and opinion of the woman... He had never looked at her in such a way before.

โ€ƒSuch distaste clouded his eyes, yet something about them was knowing, as though they held a secret that had yet to be told. It made Emilia's skin crawl.

โ€ƒ"No minor feat." The Ancient One lightly praised as she pointedly nodded towards the cloak that bristled around Stephen's calves, vibrant red contrasting against the deep blue of Stephens robes, "It's a fickle thing."

โ€ƒStephen ignored the comment, bar the small look he gave the cloak that jostled at the comment, "He's escaped."

โ€ƒ"Kaecilius?"

โ€ƒ"Yeah." Stephen breathed, the tang of metallic blood still coating his tongue. He couldn't wait for the day to be over, for everything to be over. "He can fold space and matter at will."

โ€ƒEmilia's lips parted, yet words failed her as she swallowed and brushed her gaze from the former surgeon, landing them upon the Ancient one whose brows had risen further up her forehead. The sorcerer Supreme stepped forward, "He folds matter outside the Mirror Dimension... In the real world?"

โ€ƒ"Yeah."

โ€ƒ"How many more?"

โ€ƒ"Two. I stranded one in the desert." Stephen responded, a sweeping gesture towards the doors that rattled with every blistering wind, or crash of a wave. Emilia followed the gesture with her line of sight, the memory of herself and the Ancient One looking over the waves filled her mind.

โ€ƒThe Sorcerer Supreme had done what she always did, spill philosophical metaphors that made Emilia simultaneously more comforted, but also likely to throw herself into said waves. The sorcerer had muttered 'The sea is like our emotions; there is hatred, there is love, and there is calm.' She had waved a single hand, a brush of amber glossing the high peaks of the thrashing sea, calming it until it merely rippled, 'Very few control it, but that doesn't make those that cannot, bad, or lesser.'

โ€ƒIt had been another attempt to settle Emilia's nerves, her deep-rooted hatred for her power, and the sadness that perpetually churned within her stomach. It had been an attempt to say 'If you cannot control these abilities of yours, you aren't automatically a bad person', but that just wasn't true... Not to Emilia.

โ€ƒ"And the other?" The Ancient One's vice brought Emilia back to the situation at hand. Her posture straightened as she recalled the man in the hallway; his heart still and silent beneath his ribs.

โ€ƒIt was as though Stephen's lips trembled, and the moment he caught himself, his jaw tightened and he swallowed harshly, "His body was in the hall. Master Drumm was in the foyer."

โ€ƒMordo shifted on his feet, the toes of his rubber soles kicking at a scuff on the wooden floor. Master Drumm had long been a trusted friend of Mordo... To see him in such a manner, with blood pooling beneath his silent, cold body was wretched. "He's been taken back to Kamar-Taj."

โ€ƒ"The London Sanctum has fallen." The Ancient One began as she tore her eyes from the look of despair on Mordo's face. Her own stayed placid, not a trace of sorrow for the former master, yet her heart did lurch. All-seeing eyes fell to Emilia and the Sorcerer Supreme's lips tugged upwards as she moved her gaze to Stephen, blood still trailing down the side of his face, "Only New York and Hong Kong remain now to shield us from the Dark Dimension. You defended the New York Sanctum from attack. With its Master gone, it needs another, Master Strange."

โ€ƒMordo's face changed. Of course he was proud of the man he had helped to train, proud of Strange for achieving so much in the time that he'd spent with them... But a Master? He wasn't quite on that level, no matter how good his memory was, no matter how many spells he knew.

โ€ƒBeing a Master was to dedicate oneself to their craft, wholly. Mordo knew that all Strange wished to do was stop his hands from shaking so that he could return to his past. He didn't want to fight, he didn't want to lead in such a manner, he just wanted back what he had once lost.

โ€ƒEmilia... Her face was sour, and for the first time in a very long time, she shook her head in utter astonishment. All Stephen spoke of was his time as a surgeon, how much he'd prospered in his field... And how much he missed it. By the look on his eyes back in the hall when he had brought two fingers to the dead man's throat, only to feel the warmth in his skin fade... There wasn't a chance in the world Stephen would accept her proposition.

โ€ƒ"No." Stephen drawled out, slowly raising his eyes from the wooden flooring that creaked beneath them. They were fierce, cold even, "It is Doctor Strange. Not Master Strange, not Mister Strange.ย Doctor Strange." He took a step closer to the Ancient One, jabbing a finger towards her, just as he had on his first visit to the Kamar-Taj, "When I became a doctor, I swore an oath to do no harm. And I have just killed a man! I'm not doing that again. I became a doctor to save lives, not take them."

โ€ƒHis voice had cracked, ever so slightly, yet Emilia noticed it all the same. Her hesitant fingers splayed out on his forearm, tightening just slightly. Neither of the two noticed, but he seemed to shrink beneath the calm touch and his shoulders relaxed ever so slightly as his eyes flickered to the side, glossing over her face before darting back to his teacher.

โ€ƒ"You became a doctor to save one life above all others. Your own."

โ€ƒThe lack of emotion in her voice riled him, the calmness of her demeanour, the nonchalance she displayed... It made him tense again as he spat through gritted teeth, "Still seeing through me, are you?"

โ€ƒ"I see what I've always seen: your over-inflated ego. You want to go back to the delusion that you can control anything, even death, which no one can control. Not even the great Doctor Stephen Strange."

โ€ƒ"Not even Dormammu? He offers immortality."

โ€ƒEmilia frowned, her head twisting to meet Mordo's eyes for a mere moment in question. She couldn't fathom as to why he'd bring such a thing up... But that look on his face, the smugness of the smile that had come to rest on bloodied lips; he knew something that they didn't.

โ€ƒ"It's our fear of death that gives Dormammu life." The Ancient One simply responded, her brow twitching as though she were challenging him, "He feeds off it."

โ€ƒ"Like you feed off him? You talk to me about controlling death. Well, I know how you do it. I've seen the missing rituals from The Book of Cagliostro."

โ€ƒ"Stephen..." Emilia muttered, her fingers gripping the sleeve of his robe tighter, causing his eyes to fall to her, "What are you implying?"

โ€ƒThe Ancient One didn't meet Emilia's curious gaze, instead, her beaded eyes stayed on Stephens as she lowered her tone, "Measure your next words very carefully, doctor.

โ€ƒ"Because you might not like them?"

โ€ƒ"Because you may not know of what you speak." Her voice had changed. The stoicism she had so perfectly hidden behind throughout the entirety of the conversation had cracked, allowing anger to seep through.

โ€ƒMordo Swallowed, his feet carrying him closer to the three. Something was wrong, he could feel it in his gut, just as he knew Emilia could, "What is he talking about?

โ€ƒA mirthless chuckle fell from Stephen's lips as his arm brushed through the air, an accusing finger pointed directly at the Ancient One who merely tutted and stared him down, "I'm talking about her long life, the source of her immortality. She draws power from the Dark Dimension to stay alive."

โ€ƒEmilia blanched as she shook her head, "No..."

โ€ƒThe mere whisper was clouded in nothing but disappointment. She couldn't believe it... And yet why on earth would Stephen make up such a fact? It felt as though the wind had been knocked from her lungs, and yet when her forest-green eyes practically pleaded for the Ancient One to disregard Stephen's words, she turned away.

โ€ƒThere was guilt twisting at the Sorcerer Supreme's features, and Emilia had seen it as plain as day. It wasn't hard to miss and yet still Mordo scoffed at Stephen's revelation, "That's not true."

โ€ƒ"I've seen the rituals and worked them out." Stephen spoke up, his voice lower as he cocked his head at the back that had been turned to him, "I know how you do it."

โ€ƒ"Once they regroup, the zealots will be back. You'll need reinforcements." With a single swish of dark robes and not so much as a single fleeting glance, the Ancient One took off, promptly ignoring the feeling of burning gazes on her back.

โ€ƒEmilia released a breath, her heart thudding ferociously beneath its cage of bone, "Stephen โ€”"

โ€ƒ"She isn't who you think she is." Stephen interrupted, finally taking in just how Emilia looked. Her hair was dishevelled and pointing in all directions; strands stained with blood and dirt. Her robes were torn with dirt marring the once spotless maroon, her chin had scabbed over, and blood was stained on the fair skin of her fingers.

โ€ƒBut the worst of it was the look on her face; betrayal, disappointment... Even resentment.

โ€ƒShe stared up at him with eyes that no longer held their former spark. Her words came out in a single, tense breath, "Are you certain?"

โ€ƒ"Emilia, this is ridiculous." Mordo scoffed, his hands waving in the air like a madman. He didn't believe it, he couldn't believe it. The Ancient One was his master, his teacher, she couldn't have done the things Stephen had spoken. He turned to said man with a scrutinising gaze, "You don't have the right to say that. You have no idea of the responsibility that rests upon her shoulders."

โ€ƒ"No, and I don't want to know." Stephen scowled, his arms folding over his chest as he resisted the urge to scoff.

โ€ƒ"You're a coward."

โ€ƒ"Because I'm not a killer?"

โ€ƒ"These zealots will snuff us all out, and you can't muster the strength to snuff them out first?" Mordo yelled, his voice growing louder and louder as his tone was injected with anger that rumbled beneath the surface of his skin.

โ€ƒ"What do you think I just did?"

โ€ƒ"You saved your own life! And then whined about it like a wounded dog."

โ€ƒ"When you would have done it so easily?"

โ€ƒEmilia had left the two, her hands trembling as rage began to build its way into her heart. After everything she had trusted the Ancient One with, all of her worries, the details of every atrocity she had committed. She had placed such trust in someone who was... Is a hypocrite.

โ€ƒIt felt as though she was being pulled from either side, the middle of a tug of war; she knew Stephen was right, the feeling in her gut told her so, as did the look of disdain in the man's eyes. But she didn't want him to be right. Emilia trusted the Ancient One, she cared so deeply for her, for the woman who had taken her in and deemed her worthy of saving.

โ€ƒ"It doesn't matter right now." Emilia finally spoke, her gaze cast over the railing of the hallway. Mahogany wood slowly began to alight in amber, and sparks reflected in Emilia's eyes as she turned to the men who had torn away from their shouting match. "We have company."

โ€ƒFear filled her gut as she turned her form towards the threat. There stood Kaecilius, ready to finish what he'd started... And he smiled up at her.

โ€ƒIt was gruesome. The skin around his eyes had darkened into a decaying purple, cracking like a reptile's scales. This was it, the fight against Kaecilius had approached them and there was no way to turn back.

โ€ƒEmilia shuddered as her fingers twitched by her side. All she had to fight with was her own strength, and a power well beyond her control; and yet she had no choice. She couldn't run anymore.

โ€ƒ"They're back." Mordo breathed as he reached Emilia's side, his hands curling around the railing. His eyes glistened with hatred as he met eyes with one of the zealots and he swiftly gazed over his shoulder to the surgeon, "We have to end this. Now!"

โ”โ”โ”โ”โ”โ”โ”

30-09-2021

only six more parts left for part one! hope you all enjoyed! please don't forget to vote and ESPECIALLY comment! ily all! <3

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