An Entity Within | Stephen Strange

15 - Then There Were Two

Gasps sounded from all the novices, apprentices and disciples that were nearby at the time. Stephen, who was breathing heavily at the sight before him, fearfully looked around, knowing that all the apprehensive and threatening glances from the other students and residents couldn't mean anything good for himself or for Tessa or for the Entity.

The Entity had reacted quickly. Without thinking.

Thank you. Thank you...

But it stood before Stephen, holding up a shadow mandala in front of it, the arrow that had soared through the air wedged into the darkness of its protection. Dismissing its shield, the arrow fell and clattered upon the ground. It stared up at the roof top, right at Marcus, not caring for the many stares of everyone else upon it. The Entity tilted its head as Marcus stared back at them, clearly furious but there was something else about him – his eyes. The Master's irises were of a crimson so striking that it could see it from where it stood.

"Entity, give Tessa back control." Stephen spoke in a hushed voice to it, conscious of the people that began to gather around them closer and closer, "You might want to do so now."

"It is Marcus." The Entity turned to face him, "We cannot let him get away."

"Don't." Stephen said sternly, "Do not go after him."

"He tried to kill you. We will not let him go." It turned and levitated off the ground, heading straight for the rooftop.

"Entity!" Stephen yelled after them, "Tessa!"

A student in a white uniform spoke up, "What did you call her?"

The sorcerer looked at the crowd that had gathered around him, all their eyes either accusing him of deception or laced with intrigue. He looked around them all, trying to read the general atmosphere and trying to decide how best to handle them and their questions.

"Did you call them an Entity?" An apprentice questioned.

"Entities don't look like us though, do they?"

"They might do," Another spoke up, "How are we to know when we only know so little?"

"You know what they do though, right?" Came a nervous question and then a statement, "They've attacked our sanctums before. One of them killed my father."

"They killed my wife."

"My little twins died in one of their attacks."

"Do they all mean harm though?"

"I still don't understand why you called Tessa an Entity. Are you keeping something from us, Master Strange?"

Stephen's head darted around as more of them spoke up in either protest or curiosity, looking at each of the faces that spoke with a pale worry in his own face. This was too much to deal with in one go and he needed to find Tessa and the Entity. He summoned his cloak that came racing from within the dormitories and outside to meet him, slipping past the crowd and hanging itself on his shoulders.

"Quiet! All of you!" He commanded, "I will explain but right now I have to help Tessa."

"You'll both explain when you come back though, promise us?"

Stephen gave an uncertain, "Yes."

He then flew upwards, following them up to the rooftop.

*   *   *   *   *   *

The second the Entity began flying towards the mysteriously red-eyed Marcus, he slung the bow over his shoulder and pelted away, but it wasn't long until the Entity caught up with him but at the last second, changed its plan and dipped off the side of the roof when Marcus hadn't been looking at it. The fugitive master had stopped at the opposite end of the roof, throwing a look behind him to see where the Entity was but it transpired that it wasn't floating behind him. Instead, it gradually hovered upwards in front of the ledge that he was preparing to leap off. He stumbled back when he turned to be faced with the creature that inhabited his niece. Gently, the Entity lowered itself onto the rooftop, watching as Marcus backed away.