Meeting
Stephen had gotten a routine going.
Waking up in the morning, eat, clean up, do some kata, train some more, than eat again than fo some spell base training, meditation, than eat again. More meditation than sleep.
Use Astral projection to read while his body sleeps.
Every 4 days get a proper sleep.. he still gets nightmares. He couldn't sleep for long (it would be a miracle if he could sleep for 2 hours without being interrupted by nightmares).
It had been 3 weeks now, at first he thought it was nothing just.. a random buzz. But as the time progress.. he could feel it getting stronger, just barley outside of his senses. Another magic? It definitely was not the power of the time stone, nor was it the dimensional magic they harness.
It was an odd feeling. it was there, powerful like the storm, and yet steady like a rock.
So he was going to the library to check in person if there was a book about it, maybe in the restricted section. But he saw someone that made him froze.
It was than that he found Kaecilius reading a very familiar book.
His eyes narrowed. He walked as casual as possible towards him, but slowly and warily.
[Again, I'm bad at conversation, sorry if it's bad]
"What're you reading there?" He kept his tone light, masking his resentment and wariness. As he got closer to Kaecilius, he tried to cover the book up. Although Stephen could still see it and since he had memorized it he knew which page it was on just by the little bit that was shown.
There was no easy way of getting out of this, so Stephen was just going to be straight about this. beside, he was never one for cryptic warnings or whatever, that was supposed to be the ancient one's thing.
"I know what your thinking. You think that maybe if you bring dormamu here everything and everyone would be able to leave forever, no one has to be separated from their loved ones." He started saying slowly warily.
Kaecilius looked like he was in rage and was ready to bolt with the book so closely hold to his chest. But there was no point on running. Stephen had set a barrier to keep both of them inside and anyone out from leaving and entering. He had also cast another spell to keep unwanted ears out.
"Believe me when i say that eternity is not the way. I know what it feels like to leave that long. I've been there-"
"Of course you've been! You and the ancient one both! I've heard what you talked about. The ancient one had been drawing the power of the dark dimension to leave that long, and you have been using the eye of agamotto." He said, spite and malice clear in his voice. Looking at him with so much hate.
"You both, only wanted to keep the power to yourselves! You-" this time it was Stephen's turn to cut him.
"You have no idea what I've been through. I have never wanted this - this immortality. I cannot say what the ancient one thoughts are about living for so long, but i for one wouldn't have done it if i had the choice! I didn't even get to chose. I had to see so many things, and I'm tired of it. Than just when i thought i could finally die, finally rest. I'm back here."
Stephen couldn't help but snapped. The person in front of him was telling him that immortality was such a great thing. All he could see in immortality was a burden. He never went through it, he didn't deserve to be able to think so highly of it.
Kaecilius seemed to falter. So he continued, "and beside, dormamu isn't the way to achieve anything. The dark dimension is better of being left out of your search for power."
Stephen didn't allow Kaecilius to counter. "I've been there, I've seen what it looks like, I've seen what it does to people. It kills them, it doesn't give you free rein."
Stephen thought back of the many time he had gone to the dark dimension after his first a counter with dormamu. His eyes narrowed with the memories.
This time Kaecilius really did falter, seemed as if his whole world just shattered under him.. he had seen that face in his mirror a lot of time.
"A person i know once told me that 'death was what gave live meaning' and I'd have to agree to that." Stephen felt like he had made his point clear enough and he had broken the other sorcerer's original train of thoughts.
So he walked away lifting the barriers, he decided that Kaecilius would need some time to think alone. He left, but not before casting a Tracking and observation spell on the other male. He might have been confident that he had broken Kaecilius believes, but he wasn't going to not be careful.
Stephen went back to training his body. with the regiments he had pushed himself to, his body had gotten into shape faster than it would have before.
He still trains in secluded areas as to not draw attention to his spell colors and his more advanced training regiments.
After the encounter in the library, he had not seen Kaecilius anymore. For now only time will tell what path he chooses.
And for wong. He had met the sorcerer a few more times after their first encounter in the library, they had talked more and he thinks that they have gotten a bit closer - not as close as his wong, but good enough for now. After all their bonds were forged in battle, trusting each other to cover their backs.
For mordo's... He'll have to talk to the ancient one directly. There would be no point if it was him who said, as he was a stranger to mordo. While on the other hand mordo had trusted the ancient one.
He decided he'll do that tomorrow there was no point on waiting for it too long, it would be counter productive if mordo's mind had been made up. And maybe he could ask the ancient one about the buzz in his magic as well.
So just like any other day, he trained ate, meditate, than sleep.. well his body sleeps while he Astral project and read some more books he had not read in the future - there was little left in kamar-taj, but he knew there were more unread book in the other Centrum.
The next day he went to where he could sensed the ancient one's magic.
She was sitting underneath a tree, a cool breeze sweeps through the field. Stephen walked to her and she smiled at him, Stephen gave a smile of his own back. for some reason he got the feeling that she already knew what he was going to say, but stayed just to confirm it, maybe?
He took a sit infront of her, still underneath the tree's Shadow. He took a deep breath and started.
"You should talk to him. if you don't do it now, it will devastate him more later on. He trust you a lot." He said slowly.
She hummed in response, soft but acknowledging it.
So Stephen continued, "in the future where i came from, when mordo had discovered it. He had gone and stopped believing, he had done.. some terrible things in his believes. And i believe if you talked to him.. make him more flexible to changes and rules.. a lot of deaths in the future could be prevented."
She didn't take long to give her awnsere and nodded.
She than gave another cryptic message, that she seemed to be so fond of.
"If you truly want to make a bigger change in the world than u may want to go to Monaco soon."
"Monaco? And soon? How soon?" He was confused. They both knew that even though he may have already surpassed the ancient one in age, but she sill was the wiser and more... Knowledgeable one.
She merely hummed at his question.
He didn't want to change it, if the ancient one said that there was a chance to change something bigger in Monaco, then he was going there.
So he cleaned up his stuff, took what's needed, and put them all in his pocket dimensions - he was so ver thank full of its existence - he pretty much puts all his stuff there these days. So it was simple.
He cast an illusion on himself to appear that he was wearing normal clothing and another one to make him forgettable.
He then checked on the others - wong, Mordo, and Kaecilius - before he left.
He only checked Mordo and Kaecilius from up far as to not disturb them and then went to the library to check on wong.
They talked a little then he said his goodbye. "Be careful strange." Wong said and Stephen can't help but smirked and replied, "don't miss me too much, I'll be back before you know it." Wong huffed in amusement and then he left using one of the sling rings.
Once he arrived there he wasn't actually sure what he was supposed to do, and at this time Stephen wished that he paid more attention to the news.
As a surgeon he never pays much thought to the news if it didn't have anything to do with him, so he was blind about every event up till the infinity war.
He didn't have much time to check on the news as a sorcerer either, he did know that there was going to be an attack on new york. And that it would be the first appearance on the avengers...
That doesn't help much, he sighs as he wanders around the streets.
He managed to book a nice hotel and it's not expensive either. although he didn't mind the price since he still had all his money from his career as a surgeon, he still like to save money as much as possible.
he then rest for the night as it was already late. he hadn't wanted to sleep, but he knew whatever event that would take place here he would need his rest.
a man with an eclectic whip stood in the middle of the tracks. he looked like he was ready to destroy something or someone.
the cars soon sped up towards the man as they race through the roads, but just before the first car managed to get too close to the man. the man lifted his arm and whipped through the car, slicing it clean through.
by this point, everyone was panicking and he found himself moving, casting spells on himself that he could not identify. the 2nd car came in, and just as the previous car, this one was also slashed open. from it, a man came out dodging the whips. finally - finally he was on the tracks, standing in front of the madman. than - than-
"GAH!" he was startled awake.
a dream.. it was a dream.. no a premonition. he thought to himself.
but when will it happen? he wasn't. exactly sure what happened either. after a while, in the future, he had gained the ability to see the future through his sleep or meditations. he may only be able to see a glimpse of it compared to the time stone, and it way only works for him. he can't really see the future of others.
he took slow and steady deep breaths to calm his still hard breathing. well, on the bright side he knew what he needed to do now. oh, and it wasn't a nightmare either, nightmares would prove to be more trouble than their worth.
he took out his phone to check on the news for a car race here in Monaco. he found himself pissed at the old technology, as he was used to the easy use of the future technology. but in the end, he did manage to find it, a car race event that would behold 2 days from now. he quickly book himself a ticket to watch the event before it was full.
so now all he had to do was wait until the time comes.
two days later and he was sitting there amongst countless other faces, watching as Anthony Stark announced in a life broadcast that he was going to be participating in the race.
his sit was rather far at the back, but it doesn't really matter. he could still get there in time. he set there, tense as he knew an attack was coming soon. he wasn't exactly sure when it was going to begin, but he was going to be ready at least.
he put his attention to the people on the tracks as the racers - including Anthony - went into their cars.
as the race began it didn't take long to see the suspicious movement of one of the staff. the man slowly got into the tracks as his cloaths got burned off, showing some sort of mechanics. it was the same mechanics he saw in his dream-premonition, it had an electric whip.
by the time the man took out the whip and started to attack the approaching car, Stephen was already on his feet casting spells on himself.
- a spell to make him unidentifiable from any cameras, he would only appear as a blur.
- a spell to make him forgettable, anyone who saw him would quickly dismiss him as another random person.
- a spell to shield himself against the coming attack he knew was coming.
- another spell to enhance his physical abilities, just in case.
for the old Stephen Strange - the Stephen Strange of this timeline, what he just did would be impossible. casting three spells at once while still maintaining an illusion spell on himself. but for him? the future Stephen Strange who had a lot of training and experience? that's child's play.
by the time he got to the tracks, the billionaire was already working on dodging the electric whip. so before the unknown man could attack more (while blabbering about some nonsense he doesn't understand, but he was pretty sure it was meant for Stark anyway. so he didn't worry too much about it). he took the whip on his protected hands and moved it out of the way before it hit Stark.
he threw it too fast for any human eyes to follow and thanks to the spell he cast before, no camera would have caught that either. he then quickly maneuvered using only his martial arts to get on close enough to hit the man from behind and knocked him out.
he drew in a deeper breath than he normally would as the adrenaline flew out of his body. it was only then he looked at the rather bemused billionaire.
"well, that was quick," Stark said walking closer to him and the unconscious man.
"Thanks, I'm tony stark by the way. but I'm sure you knew that already. and what was that martial arts? I've never seen it before Mr..." Stark said, offering his hand. he shook the man's hand and when he looked at the man's expression he was rather surprised to see that the man was genuinely curious.
"well, it's a combination of various martial arts for the most effective moves," he said ignoring the ask for his name.
Stark moved closer to the unconscious man at took something from him that Stephen couldn't quite make out. "well you were right about it being effective, the guy's out like a light."
Stark pocketed the device and suddenly a black car came to them and came out a worried woman with another man. as the police came around to take the still unconscious man, Stephen took the distraction to get himself out of the spotlight and left the scene.
Tony Stark felt like a whirlwind just passed through him. first, he was just going to go on a simple car race, and now a man was using a leather brown coat that reached to his knees, a simple black shirt on the inside, and simple brown jeans in front of him doing martial arts that he had never seen before.
the man was easily dodging the other maniac dude and in no time the man had knocked out the maniac dude. tony was simply shocked at the turn of events.
the man turned to tony and tony could finally see his features. The man was tall - taller than Tony - his skin was white pale and he had beautiful blue eyes that looked like the clear sky. his hair was styled to have a bit of grey on both sides and he has a nice looking goatee. Tony would be lying if he didn't think the man is handsome (although he would never admit it out loud).
[it's the outfit of Doctor Strange 'fear it self']
"well, that was quick," he said, walking to the unknown man.
"Thanks, I'm tony stark by the way. but I'm sure you knew that already. and what was that martial arts? I've never seen it before Mr..." Tony trailed off, hoping for the other man's name. he offered his hand up for the other man to shake, and couldn't help but notice how the other man's hands tremble.
Tony wondered why the other man's hands were trembling when he did so well. he supposed meeting a billionaire and shaking his hand could be the cause of it, and being in the spotlight. But Tony got the feeling it was something else.
Tony looked up to find the man's surprised eyes, it was barely noticeable as the man's eyes widen just a tiny little bit.
"well, it's a combination of various martial arts for the most effective moves," the man answered and at the same time skillfully avoided answering his name.
Tony hid a smirk by getting closer to the man on the ground. the man was indeed interesting. If he wasn't going to tell Tony his name then Tony was going to find it himself. He's sure that JARVIS could help well from videos that were bound to pop up from this.
he bend down and took what looked like an imitation of his arc reactor. how the hell did this random weirdo manage to make it? what was his name again? Vanco? he thinks so. he'll have to search more about that. the man said a lot of stuff that Tony needed to search on.
"well you were right about it being effective, the guy's out like a light." tony said once more.
but before he could say anything else a black car came to them with pepper and Happy inside. they both went out to check on him - well mostly pepper - and seconds later came the police getting the Vanco guy off the ground.
"I'm fine Pep, I didn't even get a scratch on me. look!" he said trying to convince her as she checked and double-checked him again.
she looked man, but worried at the same time, "what were you thinking! you shouldn't be so reckless!"
"I'm fine, I'm fine see. I'll try to be less reckless next time. I promise." he said surrendering to her worrying. he looked around to find the unknown man, but the man was already gone.
interesting, Tony thought. he wondered who the other man was.