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THIRTEEN | EMBRACE
YOUR DARKNESS
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THE SONG OF THE WIND breezing through Cassandra's hair was melancholic, pensive. It sang of loss, heartbreak, and devastation. Every student in Kamar-Taj was mourning for the loss of their beloved mentors. Their devastation and sobs crept through the walls of the temple, permeating their skin, and striking their hearts. Even though the Ancient One deceived everyone, the students still grieved. She had changed so many lives, helped them heal from their wounds that cut their skin and hurt their heart.
Cassandra and Stephen were back in Kamar-Taj in hopes to ask help from Karl. The dark whispers in her head have returned, and she knew time for her was going to be up soon. It was like there was a ticking time bomb inside of her that was slowly coming to its end. The sorceress feared what will happen when its timer hits zero.
"Your beloved teacher lied to you, Cassandra. This universe never cared for you. They took away your loved ones."
"Keep quiet. She fought back against the voices. Keep quiet!"
The two reached the decimated Narthex, rocks and dust scattered all throughout the scenery. The woman knew then that Kaecilius had successfully destroyed the New York Sanctum, and only Hong Kong now remains standing to protect them from being devoured by the Dark Dimension. Karl glanced at them, his countenance expressing disbelief and disdain. Cassandra knew it wasn't because of them, it was because of the Ancient One's actions. He paused in his traipse, and raised an eyebrow, wordlessly asking them for the state of their mystical teacher.
The brunette shook her head, and pressed her lips firmly. "She passed away."
"You were right." uttered Karl, pointing his finger to Stephen as he walked forward. "She wasn't who I thought she was."
"She was complicated."
"Complicated?" scoffed Karl in disbelief. "The Dark Dimension is volatile, dangerous. That is why we forbid Cassandra to use the power she can draw from the Dark Dimension! We have seen firsthand the destruction it brings! What if it overtook her?" He shook his head. "She taught us it was forbidden, while she drew on its power to steal centuries of life."
"She did what she thought was right." reasoned Cassandra, circling around the Narthex. "Yes, it may have been hypocritical of her, but she didn't do it for selfish reasons. She had to protect Earth even if it meant breaking her own rules. This is the the burden you told Stephen earlier -- "
"No, the bill comes due!" expressed Karl, enraged. "Don't you see, Cass? Her transgressions led the Zealots to Dormammu. Kaecilius was her fault! And here we are, in the consequence of her deception." Her friend gestured to the chaos of their Narthex. "A world on fire."
"I can give them back to you. I can give you and your family an eternal life so you can all be together."
Cassandra winced for the voices have grown stronger in her head, an octave louder than before.
"All of you won't have to suffer death. You won't have to see them all die in my paradise."
Stephen must've notice her discomfort since he talked to Karl, convincing him to help them. "Mordo, the London Sanctum has fallen. The New York one has been attacked twice. You know where they're going next."
"Hong Kong."
The sorceress stayed in her own head, trying to push away the voices. "I will never stand with you."
"If you won't stand with me, then I will force you to do so."
"You told me once to fight like my life depended on it..." expressed the apprentice, stepping forward to Karl. "because one day, it might. Well, today is that day. Cassie and I cannot defeat them alone."
"We need you, Karl." croaked Cassandra, feeling frail. Her breathing grew thin and ragged, like all of her strength and control of her own body has been slowly taken away. She swallowed, not letting herself be taken to the darkness she feared the most. "I need you. The lord of the Dark Dimension is growing stronger. We need to defend the last standing Sanctum."
Her friend turned to her, and a second later, he nodded. Cassandra thanked him, and proceeded to the doors of the Hong Kong Sanctum. The entranceway didn't budge even a little, and she surmised that they were locked from the other side. "I can't open it!"
At this, Stephen conjured a gateway that showed the front of the Hong Kong Sanctum. Karl must've noticed her discomfort for he moved closer to her, and steadied her by her shoulders. "Are you hurt? You look very pale, Cass."
Cassandra, at the moment, wasn't looking good. In a very short time, her skin went extremely pale, and her hair dried, losing all shine. Dark circles formed beneath her eyes, and there was a purple light pulsing in her chest.
"What is that?"
"I'm okay." assured the woman, standing up. She refuses to be held back by whatever force was pulling her. "I'm okay. Let's go."
The two followed Stephen quickly, and a loud, audible gasp escaped the sorceress' lips when she saw the fallen Hong Kong Sanctum. A cloud of powerful dark energy loomed over the building, and several ominous lightning bolts cracked from the heavens. It was like a storm with a twirl of perfect black ballet dancers, each dressed in windswept grey. Merciless winds blew in their direction in enormous waves, crash and erupting like lava coming down
from a raging volcano. It splits like an aggressive wild animal, angered by the vigorous storm.
"The Sanctum's already fallen." despondently revealed Karl, his breathing ragged. He lifted his head to stare at the darkness that was going to engulf and rule them forever. "The Dark Dimension. Dormammu is coming."
Without warning, Cassandra's body was torn away from Karl's grasp and she levitated high in the air, her arms thrown to the side. She gasped, and writhed against the pull of the force holding her captive to no avail.
"Cassie!"
"Cass!"
Her eyes flicked down to Stephen and Karl, as the violet beam of light in her chest radiated. She swallowed. "It's too late. Nothing can stop him. I'm sorry."
And with that, her body jerked forward, and she screamed. The glow in her chest emitted black and purple wisps and it swirled around her entire being. The Cloak of Concealment attached on her shoulders transformed from emerald to black, and the dagger kept in her scabbard shot up in the air, transfiguring into a long, wooden staff. Its top illuminated a violet beam, and several runes decorated its center section, magically inscribed to enhance the magic of the wielder.
The darkness coursed free in her veins, engulfing and seemed to fully consuming any spec of light.
Cassandra heard people call her name repeatedly and desperately, but it all faded awya and soon shut out. Heat seemed to rise off her body in waves as her cheeks flushed and sweat poured down her face and back in sheets.
"Rise, my child, my harbinger of darkness."
All hope was gone for Cassandra had now completely fallen to the control of the lord of the Dark Dimension, Dormammu.
"Let that pain, that loss, that rage fuel you. Let them feel your pain. Conceal the light with that shadow in you."
A sense of intoxication ran through her as the first spell left her staff. Out flew a a smoldering ball of fire. It screamed in anger, and thrust itself upon the building standing next to Stephen and Karl. There was a small silence, before the entire thing exploded sky-high and a scent of flaming carcasses filled the air. Cassandra sniffed, wiped his head with her palm, smearing ash all over her face. A menacing smirk painted her lips as she slowly descended from her rise.
The sorceress was almost unrecognizable after the transformation. She wasn't dead yet, but she looked like she will be. Her skin was paler than snow, silvery cracks appeared beneath her eyes, and her eyes no longer possessed the blue green hue Stephen always admired, they were a burning gold. There was nothing in her gaze, but madness, violent, and savage madness.
"Oh, my god..." She heard Stephen mumble under his breath.
A sinister cackle poured out from the woman's lips, as she recalled all the pain and loss her world gave her. "Now, this world will burn, and see nothing but eternal darkness."
She turned, and walked off, like a hurling tornado, leaving the destruction she caused behind.
Suddenly, there was a forceful tug from behind her, and one by one, her powers were stripped away by time itself.
"Cassie!"
The woman spun around her heel, catching her breath. A flush returned to her skin, and she looked like the Cassandra everyone knew again. Her cloak and staff reverted back to their original form, and she gripped them tight. She caught sight of Stephen, Karl, and Wong behind her, and sprinted over towards them, breathless.
"Stephen, what -- "
"Yes, I'm breaking the laws of nature, sweetheart, I know. Wong already gave me the look." he expressed. "But, I had to get you back to us."
"Well, don't stop now."
"That's what I also said." Wong enunciated, gripping his chosen weapon.
Cassandra watched as time reversed itself, and every rubble and crumbled buildings slowly restored themselves. A large signboard almost hit her head and she ducked to avoid getting struck. She then grabbed Stephen's shoulder as Kaecilius attempted to attack them. She countered his assault by turning her invisible, and facing their enemy herself. Every strike, and hit she gave was merciless and unforgiving. She wasn't afraid of killing Kaecilius if it meant saving Stephen's life.
The other zealots joined their fight, and Kaecilius was able to evade her since he left his followers to inflict pain upon her. Cassandra only rolled her eyes, and summoned two mandalas, using them to skillfully defend herself from her rivals.
Then, in the blink of an eye, she returned back to the darkness, and the Harbinger of Darkness was reborn again.
With immense ease, she stretched her hand backward as a ball of blazing and wild shadow began to form within her palm. With one swift motion, she flung the fiery ball into the Hong Kong Sanctum, disrupting the process of returning it to its original state. A second of silent passes before a massive explosion echoes throughout the Sanctum's entranceway and fire bursts out from within it.
"No!" Cassandra banged the glass case that trapped her inside her mind. She was a prisoner of her own mind. There she was, her personality, and her actions taken all over.
"You cannot stop this!" she proclaimed, her voice authoriative and booming, catching the other sorcerers' attention. Raising her hand in the air, black wisps of energy spiralled around her, and she added, "This is the end and the beginning."
She threw her hand forward and lightning bolts cracked the road, heading over to the three sorcerers. They all rolled over to the side to save themselves, but Cassandra wasn't done yet.
"No!" screamed the caged Cassandra, the real one in her head. She pounded against the glass cage she was in to no avail. She couldn't do anything, but only watch as her corrupted side took over and imprisoned her. "Get me out of here! Stephen! Karl! Wong!"
"You cannot win against me, my child."
"Shut up, door mat!"
"It's Dormammu, you impertinent -- "
"Door mat, period."
Outside of the internal conflict, the corrupted Cassandra winced, and Kaecilius walked over to her side, tilting his head. She was struggling to maintain as the real sorceress fought to break free from her imprisonment. "Do not fight it, my dearest Cassie. You -- "
"Get up, Strange!" struggled Karl as he pushed himself up from the road. "Get up and fight! Cass needs us right now! The whole world too! We will finish this."
Kaecilius laced his fingers together with the manipulated Cassandra. "You can't fight the inevitable. Isn't it beautiful?" He looked up to the cloud that is the Dark Dimension. "A world beyond time. Beyond death."
And with that, Stephen Strange hung his head, still not losing hope. He then lifted himself off the ground, ascending to the entrance of the dimension they wanted to get rid of.
"He's gone." She heard Kaecilius announce. "Stephen Strange has left to surrender to his power."
Cassandra, inside her cage, dropped to her in knees in despair. Stephen wouldn't do that. He would never do that. She clenched her fist, and tried once more to break free. Utilizing her reserved arcane energy, she weaved her hands together, and conjured mandalas, striking them at the hinges of the glass case. Her cage only hummed and vibrated, but didn't budge. Not losing hope, she summoned the Sacred Sword of Vishanti, and the Winds of Watoomb, yet it did nothing. There were multiple enchantments in her cage, and nothing she could do can set her free. "No! No! No!" She screamed.
Meters away from her, she eyed the wave of darkness that was inching towards her. It was the final ritual. If it reaches her and engulfs, there was no way she could ever return to the surface, and regain control over her mind and body.
She desperately watched as she strangled Karl with her hand, and continue to lay waste upon Earth. The sky was ablaze with lightning, thunder crackling like deafening wails. Dark clouds obscured the moon as they churned grimly in the sky, as black as a witch's Sabbath. A winnowing wind fermented and sighed, rippling the surface of the Hong Kong streets. Rain sliced the air, as buckets upon buckets poured down from the heavens into the depths of hell.
It was the end.
Cassandra Mason, herself, single-handedly brought the Apocalypse.
Soon, she was hauled off in the air, carried by strong winds, and she came face to face with Dormammu, and a fatigued Stephen Strange.
A green glow thrummed quietly around the sorcerer's wrist, and it didn't take long for her to realize he activated a time spell that would loop things over and over again until he takes it off. The manipulated Cassandra growled, her veins popping in her neck. "You would dare, sorcerer?" she bellowed, her voice rumbling.
"Just as you brought a little power, I bring my child to you. Would you be able to kill her, sorcerer? I know who you are to her." taunted the lord of the Dark Dimension. "Would you be able to endure getting killed by your lover again and again and again?"
Stephen swallowed, and held his head high, "Yes, if that will mean she and everyone on Earth will live." he announced, his eyes fixated on the darkness that is Cassandra. "I can lose again, and again, and again, and again, forever, and that makes you my prisoner."
"No!"
Sending Cassandra forward, the sorceress battled with Stephen, wreaking havoc on the small planet he was standing on. With a flick of her wrist, colorful crystals jumped up from the ground, stabbing Stephen in the chest, but as predicted, the loop was still in effect. Cassandra snarled, and head on to kill Stephen multiple times, and in several ways. Incinerating him with an energy that was as hot as seven suns, freezing him, stabbing him with her dagger, blasting him with her staff, and so much more.
"Wake up, Cassie!" groaned Stephen as he stood up from his position, stumbling om his feet. "Wake up!" He hit her head with a rock, slicing her skin, but it only rapidly stitched itself close. In retaliation, the manipulated sorceress sauntered to him, and throttled him. Stephen fought ardently against her grip, but she was too strong. "Fight it. Come back to me, come back..." choked he, as life left his eyes.
The imprisoned Cassandra observed in anguish as her corrupted self murdered Stephen again and again, his words echoing inside the walls of her head.
Come back to me, come back.
The wave of darkness finally reached her cage, and she shook her head. There was nothing that could help her now. "Dad, Ancient One, please help me. I cannot do this alone. Please!"
Circling her hands together, out came a blazing ball of light, bursting out of her palm. It hummed with wild, unstable energy, and suddenly, it emitted a high pitch sound and illuminated against the wave of darkness. The tar blackness screeched, and moved away desperately, not daring anymore to come closer.
The sorceress put her arm in front of her vision to avoid getting blinded by the radiance of the sphere of light. A second later, it died down, and reshaped itself into the astral form of her father and her teacher. Both of them stood before her, and Cassandra wept, her torrent of tears coursing down her cheeks. She was heard, her pleas were heard. Her fear was eating her away earlier, and she was losing hope.
Harry and the Ancient One tilted their head, and knelt before her, soothing her. "You will be okay, my darling." her father calmed her, his glowing hand brushing her hair back.
"I am scared." admitted Cassandra, defeated.
"Why are you scared?" This time, it was her mentor who spoke up.
"Because there is nothing I can do to stop whatever this is."
"You and this Cassandra outside are one." Her teacher explained. "You will find the light when you embrace your darkness. For where there is shadow, there is always light."
"Stop! Make this stop!" roared Dormammu, making every planet chained to his dimension rumble and shatter. "Set me free!"
At that, Cassandra, like a puppet with strings, was torn away from Stephen, and set aside. She laid down beside a rock, and touched the ground. It felt hot beneath her palm, like the rage flowing through her. A radiant white light beamed from her chest and seeped through her skin, coursing free in every inch of fiber in her body.
Stephen stood up from his kneeling, and faced the mystical being all on his own. "No, I've come to bargain." he courageously remarked.
"What do you want?"
"Take your zealots from the Earth, end your assault on my world, free Cassandra from your influence, and never come back: do it, and I'll break the loop."
"What makes you think I'll let go of her easily?"
"You don't have to." A woman's voice stood out from the distance, and just as she caught sight of Stephen inclining his head, she raised her hands in the air, emitting off a sparkling and shimmering light. Her emerald cloak flashed in the darkness, and what was once a dark orb sitting at the top of her staff was now a white sphere, shining like pale crescent moon in the night sky. Tiny specks of starlight danced beneath her feet, helping her cloak flutter behind her. "I'm free, anyway."
"Impossible." breathed out Dormammu, his eyes glimmering a dark purple. "Why are you so adamant on helping these people out, Cassandra? These humans did nothing for you. Most of them hurt you, doubted you, belittled you, left you..."
It was true. When she first started her event management company, many of her competitors belittled her, and some of her friends didn't believe she would be able to succeed in the industry. But, where was she now? She was one of the most in-demand event manager in New York city.
"Look, door mat, I know it's like so cliché," the sorceress waved her staff and settled beside Stephen. "But, Earth is my home. This is my duty and responsibility. To protect Earth from beings like you, and guard the Sorcerer Supreme with my life." She tilted her head, her eyes glowing golden again. "Now, I believe my master or well, boss, at this time, is bargaining with you. It will do you very well to listen to him."
For the last time, Dormammu attempted to murder Stephen by hurling a planet towards their direction, but the sorceress was quick to react. Summoning all her magical energies, she casted the Hoary Hosts of Hoggoth, and transfigured the rocky planet into mint green butterflies.
"You would dare?" bellowed Cassandra, twirling her staff and creating a barrier that shielded her and Stephen from any attack. She embraced her darkness entirely. She had to do it to protect Stephen. "Try that again, and I will fry your purple ass."
Dormammu had no choice now, but to agree with her partner's demands. Cassandra's aura flickered from black to white, shadow to light as she glared at the inter-dimensional being that influenced and scared her half of her life.
Stephen nodded to her, and together, they turned away. "Do you really think you can get away from all this? I gave you that power -- "
The silver cracks beneath Cassandra's eyes illuminated and she scowled. "I am Master Cassandra Mason, guardian of the next Sorcerer Supreme, wielder of light and warrior of darkness. You have no power over me."
And with that, she placed herself in front of Stephen, wrapping her arms around his shoulders while he circled one arm on her waist. He carried her easily, both of them levitating and landing in the streets of Hong Kong, all thanks to the former neurosurgeon's Cloak of Levitation.
Cassandra smiled when she heard Kaecilius repeat his words. Time on Earth was paused as they battled for like... how many years was it? How many times did die because of Dormammu? Because of her?
"Isn't it beautiful? A world beyond time. Beyond death." Then, there was a beat of silence, and Kaecilius spun around to meet them. "What have you done?"
"I made a bargain."
And that was when the zealots' hands slowly turned to dust, their bodies crumbling. "What is this?"
"Well, it's, uh... it's everything you ever wanted: eternal life as part of the One." quipped the next Sorcerer Supreme. "You're not going to like it."
"I think he really should have stolen the whole book, because the warnings, the warnings come after the spells." Stephen commented with a smirk as they all watched Dormammu take the lives of his followers. Then, unexpectedly, out of nowhere, Wong bursted out in laughter, holding his stomach as he cackled.
"That's funny."
"Oh, my god. Did you just make Wong laugh?" Cassandra gasped, slapping her companion's shoulder as her cloak and staff returned to their original appearance.
Stephen snickered, filling a sense of fulfillment as he had finally made Wong laugh after all the efforts he had done so. He then finished the time reverse spell on the Hong Kong Sanctum and all went well again. The place wasn't chaotic anymore and the people were still alive. Stephen was right, they were given a second chance. But, truthfully, in the back of Cassandra's mind, she knew there would be a price to pay for what they had done. Sighing, she shook the dark thought away.
"We did it." Wong started to walk off and Stephen and Cassandra followed him after.
"Yes, we did it," Mordo suddenly spoke out, making the three turn their heads towards him. Cassandra always knew that Karl had always been a devout believer of protecting the Natural Law, but then sometimes people had to compromise or sacrifice to protect the greater good. She knew now that since Karl saw Stephen break the rule also, he will not follow the path anymore.
"By also breaking the Natural Law."
"Look around you, it's over." Strange tried to reason even though he knew it would be futile to do so. "He's right, Mordo. We did our duty to protect Earth. Isn't that enough?"
"Don't you think there will be no consequences to pay, Strange?" Mordo replied, turning his head to Cassandra's direction. "No price to pay?"
The sorceress kept quiet and instead inched closer towards Stephen.
"We broke the rules, just like her! I can't believe you would just let this all pass, Cassandra!"
"But, that's how it should be sometimes, Karl. We must break the rules to protect the greater good. We have to be prepared to give up what we desire in order to do what's right." Cassandra reasoned as she noticed Stephen straightened his posture as if to prepare for an attack.
Mordo shook his head in disappointment. "The bill always comes due, Cass. You know that. Always."
And with that, Karl Mordo walked away, leaving them and the path they followed behind forever. She knew he was right. Their actions will reap consequences, and the bill will come due. It wasn't a matter of if, but when.
Cassandra wanted to convince him once more, yet she chose ro remain. They made their choices, and this was hers: to remain by the Sorcerer Supreme's side, and protect him until she dies.