The Sword

“So did they get it?” he inquired “ I had seen to it personally.” “Good. We have the weapon now for the soldier.”

“Hey Quill,” Drax inquired as Quill entered and seated himself in the pilot's chair, “have you read A conspiracyUnmasked?”
“No.”
“I told him (indicating Rocket) that he wouldn’t read that kind of thing but he kept saying that he saw you.” “He did,” Rocket insisted. “Why don’t you go ahead and tell him what it’s about see if he remembers.” “Well,” began Drax, “Rocket says that it’s about a tiny person who wanted to go on a very dangerous journey alone and was trying to secretly leave his tiny friends behind. But when he was about to go they told him that they knew he was going on the dangerous journey and they were going to go with him.” Quill scoffed. “See,” Drax pointed out, “I told you he wouldn’t read such stuff. I mean come on, the book ends before they even go anywhere.” “No such book exists,” Quill chimed in “because it is a chapter in a book called The Lord of the Rings.” “Actually,” Rocket corrected, “it’s part of The Fellowship ofthe Ring.”
“They’re all one book.”  “No Quill they’re actually not,” Rocket insisted undaunted. “It’s three. One two three.” “They were meant to be one book. It’s the same thing.” “No it’s not,” but Rocket got no further because they all stood up. In the doorway was a hooded figure.

Wong was still pacing about, searching here and there, pulling out every book on the shelf. Where is it? He searched further but like it had been for the past few weeks, his search remained fruitless and his hands empty, leaving his mind very full indeed. “What are you looking for now?” A voice asked behind him. “This is none of your business.” “Are you sure?” “I mean it Strange,” Wong’s voice was tense. “Get out!” Where is it? Come on. That drattedjournal.

Steve stared squint eyed at the journal. “So what is it?” Quill asked, making a move towards the tiny battered looking book. “ Don’t touch it!” Steve commanded.
“Oh come on man,” Drax almost pleaded as Quill took a step back, “what’s the worst that could happen?” He reached out and picked it up. At the same time the book began to charred up though no fire could be seen to burn it. Immediately Drax dropped it. “Apparently it doesn’t like being touched more than once,” Rocket pointed out, as they all watched the book returned to its normal color. “So tell me how you got it again,” Steve changed the subject. “Well we were having an argument, Quill and I, and this guy suddenly appears out of nowhere then disappears leaving this crappy piece of someone's diary behind. “ “I think it’s still one,” Quill insisted “No, it's three. It was published as three books and had three movies. “But was made into one book first,” “The whole world doesn’t care about that. It’s known as the best trilogy in the century for a reason. “What?” Bucky stepped in. “What are you arguing about?” “Hey,” Quill turned to the inquirer, “is The Lord of the Rings one or three books?” “Three, Bucky confirmed. “A trilogy!” Rocket repeated, triumphant. “Actually it's six,” Steve chimed in. “In every version it always goes to book six.” Before anyone could get another word in, Clint decided to get back on topic. “Guys the journal. So this diary guy didn’t say anything?” “No he straight up vanished.” “Why would he leave us his diary? We don’t know him,” Mantis puts in. “We don’t know it’s a diary,” Steve pointed out. “I think it is,” Bucky said “I mean it fits the definition of one. Battered case, looks like it’s got something to hide…” “Don’t touch it, everyone present echoed as one. The book fell as Bucky looked angrily down at his hands. It was scorched though no heat had been seen or felt. “The book really hates me.” Bucky went to the nearby sink to nurse his injured hand. “What about not touching does anyone not understand?” Quill inquired rhetorically. 
”What is going on?” Strange appeared through a portal that suddenly appeared out of nowhere. He strode over to the journal. “Don’t touch it,” Clint warned. “ It hates people,” Drax put in. “It likes to burn people,” Mantis echoed. “That’s because you people don’t know how to deal with magic relics,” Strange answered, scornfully, then casually he picked up the journal and opened up to the inside of the front cover “Shouldn’t we not intrude on the person,” Drax can’t help himself. “What?” Strange turned towards him. “ We think it’s the vanishing guy’s diary.” “Well,” Quill put in, “we don’t know for sure it’s his diary.” Just then Wong stepped in through a portal. “What are you doing Strange?” “I think I found your stupid journal. He tossed the small book to his partner. “Where did you get it?” “Some guy just left it with us,” Quill explained. “Then they took it here,” Thor concluded “where it showed an astounding tendency towards incineration of anything that touches it.” “That’s because you don't know how to handle magical relics,” Wong retorted. “Okay we get that,” Quill defended. “Besides, what's so important about this diary?” “None of your business,” Strange answered, not bothering to hide the annoyance in his voice. “Hey we were the ones who found it,” Rocket scoffs back, blocking the wizards’ way to the portal they had conjured.
“And kept it safe,” Clint puts in. “So we have the right to know,” Rocket finishes crossing his arms, as Groot stepped in behind him with an “I am Groot.” “He agrees and says you're not leaving,” Quill translates. “Yeah we do.” Everyone in surprise turned towards Steve leaving against the opposite wall, where he had just finished an aside with his best friend, “what does the diary of Vashanti and the riddle mean?”

When Bucky was washing his hands at the sink he had called his old comrade in arms aside. “Have you heard of Vadhanti?” “What,” Steve was a little caught off guard and didn’t care if the other knew it. “No, why?” “The diary is the diary of Vashanti.” “Why would I know anything wizard related?” “You hang out with the wizard a lot.” “Not really. So you don’t?” “Well he’s obviously wizard related and that's about it. Oh yeah, and he likes riddles.” “What?” “Well,” Bucky began, “besides seeing who the diary is the property of, I also saw this weird poem. ‘ “When both sun and moonare ghosted o’ere/Then will the soldier goto war.” ‘ “And you had the time to read this while you were being burned," Steve chuckled. “Not really.” Bucky showed his hands which now bore no sign of injury. “It was not a burn but a red symbol.” He drew on a piece of paper first a V and atop that a triangle (right side up) missing the horizontal line.

“What riddle?” Strange turned to the new speaker. “How were you able to read it?” Wong interrupted before Steve could answer. “ So you knew about this riddle?” Strange returned to Wong. “No. But no one is supposed to be able to touch the book much less read in it” “What about me?” Strange mockingly inquired, throwing up his hands for inspection. “Well obviously any sorcerer of the Sanctum. I mean not just anyone.” “Well, Quill touched it,” Rocket pointed out , “he picked it up after the guy disappeared. does that mean he’s been a wizard this whole time and we didn’t know about it?” As he spoke the last words he turned accusingly to the latter. Strange and Wong avoided looking at each other, asking questions one of info the other of interrogatory. “Come on Strange let’s go,” Wong turned to go, ignoring questions and information that had been thrown at him over the past few moments. Before he could stir a foot more an axe flew just past his head as the conjured portal vanished, embedding into the far side of the wall, where it had been. Strange turned angrily around towards the odious thrower of such a projectile. “You almost killed me,” Wong was surprised and angry all in one. “If I had wanted to take your head clean off I would have,” Thor almost scoffed. “I said not before you leave.” “We said, you mean,” Rocket corrected. “We,” Thor cleared his throat, “I mean we said not before you tell us what’s going on.” It was clear that both sorcerers were about to protest but before either could say a word Bucky butted out: “when Sun and moon areghosted o’er then will the soldier go to war.” “Both Sun and moon must scorch with flame/ then n’ere the weapon great became.” Everyone turned to this unexpected speaker.

“ Do you know what they mean?” Strange turned towards his peer, despite all the eyes resting on him. His tone unexpectedly fearful and ominous, almost whispering the next words; “that’s what he would say every time he was about to kill me.” He let out a shaky breath and repeated “ so what do they mean?” Wong looked from face to face. Bucky to Strange then back again. He knew he had no choice, too much was already revealed. “where did you find that first one?” “From the diary of Vashanti,” Bucky responded. “And this.” He slid the picture of the symbol he had drawn for Steve onto the table. The time for secrecy was over “And you,” Wong turned to Strange, “you lied to me,” “I never said I was going to tell you everything.” “It was expected.” “Come on,” Quill interrupted, impatiently. “You can’t avoid the question forever. What do they mean?” Wong picked up the picture.

Time was running out. Too long have I kept this to myself. No. I will not be the man that has these kinds of secrets die with him. Even the Ancient One trusts in my prophecies. It’s too dangerous. I asked the boy to come to my side. He may not be more than what he is now but it’s the small ones that are often overlooked. I hope he becomes no more. “Remember,” I warned, “you are to tell no one what I am about to say.” I know he would understand. He knew too much already. “Both sun and moon must scorch with flame/then n’ere the weapon great became.” He must remember, he must. He will. He must not tell anyone, not even the Ancient One, especially not her. There. I can’t stay anymore. I have to leave. My mission is accomplished. I must go.

Wong sighed. “I don’t know anything about the first riddle but the second is from The Rede.” “What’s that?” Drax asked. “It’s a story,” Thor explained. “ Every god within the nine realms knows the story. Some guy named Deimangod got killed by his son by accident. The shovel was cursed to kill everyone around the person who carries it until that person’s death. A reed tells the son to wait till an eclipse and plant the shovel in the ground and so the curse was lifted and the shovel became normal again.” “Why is it called The Rede?” Clint asked “Because,” Wong explained. “Rede apparently is an out of date word for advice and the whole story is about a bunch of people giving other people advice to solve problems.” “Okay,” Quill began, unconcerned. “So this guy Vashanti pulls a quote from an old legend. What’s so significant about it?” “It was also his last words to me before he died, Wong explained.