magic tricks ✧ stephen strange ✓

━━ chapter nine.

𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗘
❝ 𝐒𝐎𝐑𝐂𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐔𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐄 ❞

STEPHEN WOBBLED on his way to Christine's office, carrying Clea in his arms. Her arms hung limp. He frequently checked to see her pulse, whispering to her, saying that she will be okay.

"Christine!" he called out. Hearing her name, she rushed, nearly bumping into Stephen.

"What happened?" she looked shocked.

"She's been stabbed with a blade. Please...save her." He started to tear up again. Christine nodded, pulling up a stretcher, as Stephen placed her on it. He followed Christine into an empty operating room. Closing the door behind him, he helped her cut away pieces of her robes to find the wound. There was still blood gushing out.

"It's a rather deep stab wound but I can save her Stephen."

"Clea. Don't die on me. Please." he begged. He noticed Clea's astral form leaving her physical body, floating out of the operating room towards the same balcony, where he spoke to the Ancient One before she passed on. Closing his eyes, he focused his magic, entering the Astral Plane, following Clea.

She gazed at the buildings, the bright lights still. Stephen floated next to her, his breath hitched.

"Clea." he spoke. She turned towards him. Stephen linked his hand with hers.

"I'm sorry Stephen. I should've told you the truth." she looked ashamed.

"Don't worry about that Clea. Please don't die." he begged her. She simply smiled at him.

"I have nothing to go back to Stephen."

"You have me." Stephen confessed.

"But I thought..." she looked confused.

"The last time I was standing here was with the Ancient One. She made me realise I was destined for greater things. I was afraid of losing a great teacher. It was the day she died. I don't want to lose you Clea. Please. I love you. I love you Clea." Stephen choked on his words. She brought her lips to his, softly kissing him. Clea disappeared. Stephen couldn't hold back his tears.

Returning back to his body, he stood back in front the operating table, next to Christine. He couldn't speak. Christine turned to him, a look of relief on her face.

"She's going to be okay Stephen." she hugged him tightly. Stephen's fingers brushes against Christine's hair.

"Thank you. Thank you so much Christine." He looked back at Clea, seeing her chest expanding and contracting. He sighed in relief.

"Please don't get yourself killed Stephen. Every time I see you in this hospital, you're either bleeding out or your friends are on the verge of death. I'm asking you to be safe. Please." she begged.

"I will Christine, I promise. I need to finish this once and for all."

▬▬▬▬▬▬

NO MORE. No more playing it safe. A blank look was across Stephen's face. His blood raging with the anger coursing through his veins. He gazed back one more time at Clea in the hospital bed before opening a portal, heading towards the Kamar-Taj library. He's going to end this, whether is kills him or not.

The portal sputtered out behind him. He gazed around his environment, dust coating the spines of books. The distinct smell of old books hung in the air. His footsteps echoed on the stone floor, before another set of footsteps sounded behind him. Stephen conjured up an energy whip, catching the person's wrist. He looked up, seeing Wanda struggling to break free from the whip.

"Wanda?" Stephen looked astonished. He let go of the whip, as it disappeared in his hand.

"Hello Stephen." she quietly spoke.

"Wanda, I'm sorry for failing you. It's my fault that you lost your mind to Mordo."

"It was hard to stop that memory looping through my brain." she squinted.

"How did you manage to break free from Mordo's control?"

"I channeled my powers and somehow I managed to have a protective barrier around my brain."

"So you protected your brain from any sort of mind control or persuasion?" Stephen looked astonished.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I need your help Wanda. I didn't even know you'd be here."

"I've been coming here ever since that day, killing all those innocent disciples." her words caught in her throat.

"It's not your fault. It's Mordo's. Please, I need your help Wanda." he begged. She was silent, tracing her fingers along the dusty covers of the books.

"Okay. I'll help you but after that I have to be on my own." Stephen nodded in agreement.

"Where's Clea?" she asked. Stephen's heart raced at the sound of her name. He hopes she's alright.

"Clea's in the hospital with Christine. She was stabbed by her mother Umar. Clea...is the niece of Dormammu. Her mother wanted to kill me but she protected me, wounding herself." Stephen told her.

"Why did her mother want to kill you?"

"She wants the Time Stone."

"You have an Infinity Stone?" Wanda looked surprised.

"You know about these stones?"

"Yes. Vision is a protector of one of these stones."

"Umar is using Mordo to get the Time Stone. I need all the help I can get."

"I'll help you Stephen."

▬▬▬▬▬▬

STEPHEN SHIFTED in his bed, finding trouble sleeping. Sweat covered his forehead. His body ached in great pain. Finally closing his eyes, sleep took him.

Stephen's eyes flew open. He looked around his surroundings, seeing Clea's mother pacing back and forth, informing Mordo with her next plans.

"My daughter is dead. Now there's no one standing in my way to get to Stephen. You will have your wish Mordo." she smirked.

"The Earth will not have rogue sorcerers anymore." Mordo bluntly spoke.

"And per our agreement, I will get the Eye of Agamotto."

"Of course my lady Umar." he nodded.

"I'm disappointed with who the new Sorcerer Supreme. He can never be like her."

Stephen returned back to his bedroom, his pupils dilated. His breathing pace was rapid. Clenching his fists in anger.

"My name is Doctor Stephen Strange, Master of the Mystic Arts. The Sorcerer Supreme. I will end this Mordo, whether I die or not." he muttered under his breath.