An Entity Within | Stephen Strange

13 - The Start Of Her Training

Rather you fed off it while I slept.

"But you didn't mind, did you Tee?" Tessa questioned.

It was...amusing to see the reactions of the others of being beaten by one so young.

She smiled and chuckled, "I was top of the class in the apprentice rank when I was fourteen."

"Damn...hang on." Stephen paused, "Wouldn't that make you a master then?"

Tessa nodded, puffing out her chest a bit and holding her head high as she said, "Youngest to achieve the rank of Master at sixteen."

"So wait, how come you don't teach lessons or why did Master Kent still train you?"

Tessa shrugged, "The Ancient One gave me the title but told me to keep practising. So, I did. And she never gave me any classes ever so..."

It was in case something went wrong. She still protected us from the others as she, too, knew not all would be welcoming.

"Tee says she didn't give me any classes to protect me – or rather to protect everyone else."

Stephen nodded, briefly throwing a look over to his journal to make sure that the pen was still writing. He looked back at Tessa with a smile.

"I want to know if the Entity can take over your body while you are in astral form. Similarly, I want to know if the Entity can astral project, but we don't have to do both today."

With a shrug, Tessa lay herself down in the room and shut her eyes. Seconds later, her eyes flickered open again – only to reveal the Entity who sat up and looked at Stephen.

"It is...quiet without her." It spoke somewhat sullenly.

The ghostly apparition of Tessa revealed herself in full and floated up, behind Stephen, "Boo."

Stephen stepped forwards, startled by the voice behind him. He held a hand to his heart and took a breath as Tessa smirked mischievously.

"Oh, didn't scare you, did I?"

"What? No. No, no, you didn't."

Tessa quirked her eyebrow, "Big bad wizard can take on Dormammu but is easily scared by an astral form?"

Stephen shook his head, fighting back a smile and trying to remain serious. Wizard? He preferred sorcerer. Actually, he preferred doctor but if it was between wizard and sorcerer then definitely the latter would be preferred. Tessa floated there before him, arms crossed and just waiting for retaliation of any kind. She would be ready to come back at him being the tease she was.

The Entity smiled as it watched this interaction.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

They stood in one of the more secluded training yards alone, wary of those who may walk past. The Cloak of Levitation hovered near Stephen as Tessa stood off to the side wearing her red combat training tunic and black fingerless sports gloves, tying up her auburn hair as she peered around too.

"Are we good?"

"Seems like it. Everyone else should be at dinner." He paused as he looked at her for a moment, "Uh, start when you're ready. We just want to see what magic the Entity can really do."

Over time and what with the frequent switching, the transitions were becoming less uncomfortable. Two shiny oil-black eyes stared back at the sorcerer and the Entity smirked.

"I thought you got quite a good look at my mystical capabilities when we fought?"

"Ha. Ha." Stephen was genuinely amused that the Entity seemed to be growing more humorous, "Just do the stuff for research's sake."