An Entity Within | Stephen Strange

4 - Make It Stop

A/N - The above picture is of Paapa Essiedu who is a very awesome actor that I can picture playing Master Elijah Emeka.

You may recognise him from 'I May Destroy You', 'Press', 'Black Earth Rising' or 'Gangs Of London' if you have watched any of those.

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As Stephen rushed upstairs, he paused when he reached the third floor, absorbing the destruction before him in the hallway. It looked as if an enormous axe had been swung through the walls of the training rooms as each wooden panel was split in half horizontally. Spotting a fellow sorcerer under part of the debris in the corridor, he rushed over to assist them, helping them up before sending them to the healing room. For a moment, he watched them stumble away before faint chatter drew his attention. Through the gap in the left wall, he could make out two men crouched on the floor in front of someone and couple of others crowding in the room too. He jogged around to the room's entrance.

"What's happened here? Let me through!" He instructed the small group of sorcerers and sorceresses who promptly parted from each other to make a path.

As he got closer to the front, he heard the sobbing – purely agonised by whatever was tormenting them. Then he saw the situation: Master Kent and Master Emeka trying, seemingly, to reassure the poor sorceress who was doubled over, her forehead on the floor and her hands gripping her hair to the point of which her knuckles were turning white.

"Please, please, please..." The woman kept sobbing.

"Tessa, tell us what you need." Master Kent said.

"Please, make it – make it stop – "

Stephen piped up again, "What's happened here?"

Marcus glared up at the protector of the Sanctum Sanctorum, distrust darkening his eyes whereas Elijah looked at the sorcerer hopefully.

"She's – unwell, very unwell." Elijah spoke quickly, "Can you help her?"

"Of course, he can't help her. We're far more experienced than him." Marcus scoffed.

Elijah shook his head at the Master. Maybe they were more experienced than the new protector but really? If they were so much more experienced, then how come they hadn't solved this problem already? The Ancient One was experienced too and the only solution she could find – that Marcus agreed with – was to repress the Entity inside her, burying it in the deepest depths of her mind. What Elijah believed they needed was a fresh pair of eyes on the situation and perhaps Stephen Strange could be that for them.

"And yet I'm protector of the sanctum." Stephen remarked, glaring back at him.

"Shut! Up!" Tessa barked at them all through tears, still not raising her head off the ground, "Please, just make it stop!"

"Let me see her."

Marcus's eyes narrowed at Stephen, "She's fine. She'll get over it in a minute, she always does."

"Uncle!"

Marcus gazed down at Tessa again, his scowl softening as he processed her state again. He looked up at Eli who had an incredulous look upon his face at the fact that Marcus had been so quick to deny help that wasn't even for him but for the benefit of Tessa who was clearly suffering terribly. With a sharp exhale, Master Kent shook his head and moved away from his niece, allowing Stephen access to her.

The doctor moved to kneel in front of her, speaking softly, "Tessa," he looked to Eli just to confirm that that was her name which the Master did with a nod, "Tessa, can you sit up for me? Can you look at me?"