Chapter 68 – Time
68
Earth
Kathmandu, Nepal
Kamar-Taj
7:54 p.m.
Wong was one not to take risks. Since his life had truly begun while in servitude to the Masters of the Mystic Arts, he had known to only follow what was absolutely necessary, what was needed to achieve the greater good. The safety of the universe and all of reality itself. When Stephen Strange burst forth in the Sanctum Sanctorum covered in blood, bruises, and fear, Wong knew something terrible had happened.
As so, as he thought, the Time Stone has been threatened. The very fate of the universe now relied with the Masters of the Mystic Arts to defend their greatest treasure and weapon. Wong led that defense, the sorcerers that followed him numbering close to half a hundred as they gripped swords, staffs, and other weapons of war infused with magical properties. Wong himself held the Wand of Watoomb in his right palm, leading the many sorcerers and apprentices—those dangerously unprepared for war—to gather their last remaining ally in all of Kamar-Taj.
Doctor Strange.
The Sorcerer Supreme retreated to his personal study to recover while Wong gathered the masses. And perhaps even come up with a plan, as Wong had only one in mind, one that didn’t even seem as sound as he would have wished. As Wong and the sorcerers trailing him walked through the expansive, unresponsive walls of Kamar-Taj, weapons in hand, faces hardened for war, there was very little to be said.
But they managed. “What of the London and Hong Kong Sanctums?” a sorcerer asked, tailing close behind Wong.
“The guardians of each sanctum will do well to defend each. New York as well remains guarded for the time being,” Wong responded instantly, eyes widening to see Stephen Strange’s door coming into view at the end of the seemingly-endless hallway.
A younger apprentice scoffed, his master turning towards him. “Even then, how many will have to die in order to keep your Eye of Agamotto safe?” the apprentice questioned.
“Watch your tone, child!” Wong practically yelled, beating the sorcerer to condemning his own apprentice. He paused just outside Strange’s door, the army of sorcerers stopping just as well, all eyes on Wong. “All of you have taken an oath to keep the Time Stone safe from harm! Do not forget what you have given your lives for.”
An unsettling pang of silence followed, the eyes of the young ones falling to the ground before slowly forced to face forward once more, forced to face the eyes of war burning in Wong’s gaze. As for Wong, he could only sigh, his grip on the Wand greatly loosening just to see so many young faces. So many young ones who had to pick up the sword and fight the war of men. A callous and wretched loss to be, but a loss that may have to come. Wong shook his head, reaching back and gripping the door handle with his free palm, slowly beginning to twist it open.
“Perhaps none of you truly do. Perhaps only the Sorcerer Supreme truly knows the severity of the situation, given his firsthand experience in dealing with this threat. You all can learn something from him, as only he knows how important the Time Stone really—”
Wong pushed open the door, then he and the other sorcerers proceeded to drop their collective jaws at the sight of it. The sight of him.
And what he was doing with the Time Stone.
“Strange!”
Doctor Stephen Strange sat cross-legged, the Cloak of Levitation allowing him to hover a few feet above the very ground itself. His eyelids were closed, yet his eyes danced wildly underneath, darting in every direction possible within the span of a few seconds. Not only his eyes, but his head, his skin, his very body twitching and shivering as the power of the Time Stone was opened to him. As the Eye of Agamotto rested not on its stand within Kamar-Taj, but around the Sorcerer Supreme’s neck. With it opened, the power of the Time Stone flowed around his wrists, up his arms, and even encompassing his very heart and mind. The green energy flowing from the light within the Eye continued to pulse and swirl around Strange, the man seeming to be lost, his head dancing and flickering madly from side to side, up and down, left to right, again and again and again.
Until Wong forcefully yanked on his arm and ripped Strange right from his stupor. Stephen gasped, his eyes practically bugging out of his skull as the energy surrounding him retreated and coiled back into the Eye, the necklace firmly shutting and concealing the power of the Time Stone. Their fellow sorcerers gathered around Stephen and Wong, standing quietly and listening to Strange’s breathless gasps of air.
“What happened?” Wong proceeded forward, his eyes darting from the Eye of Agamotto and back up to Strange. He gripped his arm even tighter, demanding, “What did you do with the Stone?”
Strange was out of breath, out of his mind, and nearly out of time. Taking the power of the Time Stone, willingly seeing the horrors that would come from it… all of it just to see… the future. His skin was pale, beads of sweat practically streaming from his forehead. He felt mentally and physically ill, his mind and heart racing at a million miles per hours. The only reason he subjected himself to such torment, forced himself to witness such tragedy, was to see…
“I went forward in time… to view alternate futures… to see all the possible outcomes of the coming conflict,” Doctor Strange explained, exhaled heavily between breaths.
Wong’s eyes slowly widened, his jaw just falling and refusing to close. Hardly any of the remaining sorcerers moved, barely any of them even breathed for that matter. The only sound in the private study was from Strange’s own breathing. “How many did you see?” a sorcerer apprentice asked.
“14,000,605,” Strange replied breathlessly.
Wong paused, dropped his gaze, then finally turned it back. “How many did we win?”
Strange stared at him, not even needing the power of the Time Stone to know that all of reality seemed to freeze, hang off into oblivion after Wong uttered those words. And oblivion it was, Strange thinking of the millions of possibilities, of obscurities, of falsehoods, of dying hopes, and fainting victories. He still couldn’t believe it. His eyelids twitched, his eyes refusing to meet Wong’s or anyone’s for that matter. He stared into space, stared into the millions of visions of which he forced himself to pay witness to, each more horrible than the last. His face grew ten times paler, a slight shake in his head, a twitch in his skin, and more sweat dampening his head and body. His body shivered, his very soul quaked at the prospects of what was to come. And what would come…
“I…”
What would be needed…
“I… I-I...”
What would have to happen.
“... I don’t know.”
Wong’s heart froze. Every sorcerer finally breathed again, their eyes so wide that tears started to leak and burn from them. But perhaps nobody’s eyes were as wide as Strange’s, witnessing the bigger picture, knowing far more than what any could fully comprehend or dare to. And he was cursed with that knowledge, forever cursed with the power to do everything to prevent what was to come. Cursed to know what he was allowed see.
He stared at Wong and whispered shakily, “I couldn’t… see the endgame.”
Strange and Wong proceeded forward, hardly a word leaving the army of sorcerers and apprentices behind them. In their hands they gripped the weapons of the Masters of the Mystic Arts. In their hearts they knew only dread and untimely destruction was what awaited them. In their eyes they saw only what Strange gripped in his shivering hand.
The Eye of Agamotto swung helplessly from Strange’s right fist, the necklace coiled tightly around the scars that painted Strange’s pale white skin. Within that Eye held the power to reshape time itself, and there walked Strange like he couldn’t wait to get rid of it. Or he couldn’t allow anyone else to hold it, a dreaded balance of chaos that only Stephen Strange was capable of.
Together, they all approached the lone stand resting in the room to the entrances of the three sanctums. New York, London, and Hong Kong were all sealed, what little light there was in the room cascading downwards onto the lone stand resting between the grounds of the three doors. Strange and Wong paused, gazing longingly to the stand, more so Strange.
Wong, instead, turned to Stephen and asked, “From what you saw… from what is to come… what do we need to do?”
Stephen shifted his gaze over to Wong, ignoring the army behind him. Holding out the necklace, Strange proceeded to rest its edge on the stand, as gently as he could, as quietly as he could. His heavy breathing followed shortly, his voice muttering, “Not many outcomes reside in our favor. But the one… the ones that do… require us to bring reinforcements to Kamar-Taj.”
“Reinforcements?” Wong asked.
Strange lifted his eyes back to Wong, forced away from the Eye of Agamotto only momentarily. For the last time. “As in the Avengers,” he specified.
Despite the severity in his tone, Wong still seemed incredulous. As well as the sorcerers behind him. Shaking his head, Stephen spun around, whipping the Cloak as he did so. “We’re not enough, Wong,” he explained, stepping forth to the London Sanctum, then to the Hong Kong Sanctum. “None of us ever will be. Leave the Stone here, on its stand and defend it with your lives. I’ll be right back.”
Strange turned to the door that led to the New York Sanctum. It stared down upon him, its shadow encompassing and eating Strange’s very existence. It felt that way at least, Stephen feeling so utterly small compared to the grand scheme. He gulped, eyes practically sweating raw determination, anxiety, and worst of all… fear. Fear of…
“And do what has to be done.”
He forced himself to raise his hand, open the door to the New York Sanctum, and close his eyes…
Just as it exploded.
The resounding shock wave sent a blast so forceful and powerful that it knocked Strange and Wong clear across the room, their bodies smacking the door to the London Sanctum. Chunks of rock and stone fell atop of them, the dust filling the room, blinding the sorcerers that had not been blown aside from the explosion. As the fire subsided, as sound and life finally returned to the room that held the Eye of Agamotto, the sorcerers proceeded to rise back to their feet, gaze into the smoke, and pay witness.
Two forms stepped forth from the smoke and fire. One massive, bulky, and gripping a hammer in its right claw. And the other small, lengthy, stepping cautiously over the destruction and torn bodies that lingered near the stand of the Eye. Gripping their weapons tight, the sorcerers stepped forth, ready to meet their assailants with raw strength boiling in their veins, alongside the very energy of the universe flowing within their weapons.
The smaller of the two raised his bony fingers. To the continued shock and awe of the young sorcerers, several shards of stone and brick began to rise from the shattered grounds and walls. The shards were sharpened to a fine point, each end directed towards those who stood, those who rose, those who still managed to breathe.
Ebony Maw grinned. He flicked his wrist forward.
Flinging several shards of stone and brick right into their hearts, Ebony watched as each of the sorcerers were killed almost instantly, their bodies torn like paper, blood spewing like geysers of fire. Their bodies crumbled to the floor like sacks of rocks, joining the pebbles that remained of the temple that housed the Eye of Agamotto. Speaking of which, Ebony Maw finally flicked his gaze over to the lone stand, the ancient relic resting upon it, untouched by the chaos within the room.
Hesitating almost, Ebony raised his left hand. Not a word.
Cull Obsidian growled and reared forward, his massive palm devouring the stand and the Eye of Agamotto. Easily crushing the rock within his grip, Obsidian found it to be a little more troublesome to finish crushing the necklace when Wong fired a concussive Eldritch blast straight into his heart.
Cull was flung right back into the New York Sanctum, Ebony Maw spinning about to watch his body crash to the lower levels of the sanctum. He only turned back when he heard the gust of wind, barely catching a glimpse of Doctor Stephen Strange practically ramming into him at full speeds with aid from the Cloak of Levitation.
As the only two sorcerers left standing, they did all they could to protect the Stone.
Everything in their power.
The fight proceeded outside of the Sanctum Sanctorum’s walls, Doctor Strange and Ebony Maw struggling for dominance within the air and Wong and Cull Obsidian battling dead center in the streets. Knowing full well that Obsidian still held the Eye of Agamotto—and more importantly, the Time Stone—within his greedy claw, Wong wasted no time in unleashing everything he had on him. All of his knowledge. All of his power. Twisting and turning the Wand of Watoomb with skilled precision and deadly accuracy. The Eldritch Magic that flowed within the weapon allowed Wong to drive its face directly into the road, ripping a slab of concrete right from the street and hurl it directly at Cull. The towering beast of the Black Order roared, crushing the slab of concrete with just a slash of his hammer, flinging the head of it directly towards Wong. Without hesitation, Wong shot out his hands and proceeded to create a portal large enough to capture the head of the hammer, a second portal created directly next to it and flinging that hammer right back at Obsidian. The beast was unprepared, the chain axe smacking right into his forehead.
Wong charged Cull when he was down, Obsidian quickly rising back up and bringing an abandoned taxi cab with him. Grunting as he spun around, Cull flung the taxi right for the sorcerer, the vehicle spinning through the air at unrealistic speeds. Unfortunately for Cull, his brutish attack meant nothing to Wong, as the Wand he gripped simply created a large enough blast in return to completely nullify the velocity and impact of the vehicle. It careened to the side, resting on its hood as Wong stood with his Wand held out, completely untouched and unscathed. Cull Obsidian roared, keeping his right hand clenched tight around the Eye of Agamotto.
Further down the road, Ebony Maw had successfully taken the skies and knocked Strange back to the earth. With his boots skidding across the shattered cement, Stephen was barely focused enough to block Maw’s oncoming strikes. The Black Order member hovered high above, his telekinetic powers shown through the streets of New York City. Cars and power lines were ripped right from the ground, trees and lamp posts following, slabs of concrete sharpened to that of blades. All hurled right below for the vulnerable Doctor Strange.
Stephen pursed his lips, tightened his expressions and shot out his fists, creating a pair of Tao Mandalas capable of blocking the oncoming attacks and blowing aside the massive pieces of debris Maw flung at him. Unlike Strange, Ebony was becoming quite amused with the antics from the magician. Creating a rift within the madness, a moment of clarity within the fog of chaos, Ebony Maw declared, “Your power is quaint! You must be popular with the children!”
“You’re trespassing in this city and on this planet!” Strange retorted, fists held out, the Eldritch Magic burning from his Tao Mandalas.
Ebony sneered, still so high above ground and above Strange in every aspect. “No formalities with you, then? Very well. Brother, the Stone!”
Ebony shot out his palm behind him, his eyes darting back and latching onto Wong’s backside. Stephen’s eyes widened to see the fire hydrant next to Wong erupt, spewing torrents of water directly into his fellow sorcerer’s legs. Wong grunted as he was flung through the air, his body slamming through a glass window and crashing into a nearby shop. With Wong dealt with, Cull Obsidian growled, opening his palm and gazing down to the Eye of Agamotto upon it.
He crushed his hand. The spell protecting the Eye shattered as did the necklace.
“No!” Stephen screamed, Maw turning back to him. Except he was already gone, vanished through a portal of his own making. Curious, Maw spun around, watching a similar portal emerge and the Sorcerer Supreme leaping out of it. His curiosity turned to fury when he witnessed Strange wield an Eldritch hammer, slamming the face of it against Obsidian’s oblivious head. The brute growled as Strange went to work on him, driving, slamming, and pushing Cull down further and further.
Ebony Maw had enough by the time Strange unsheathed an Eldritch saber from his right hand, the edge focused on Obsidian’s exposed right arm. “Fool!” Maw screamed, jamming his fingers towards the very ground Strange stood upon. Instantly, coiling around Strange’s body like feral serpents, several tendrils of wiring began to slither across Stephen’s body and constrict him of movement. The Eldritch saber faded away, Doctor Strange forced to his knees before the two members of the Black Order.
As Ebony descended closer to the earth, Stephen quickly found his gateway of oxygen shortening with every passing second, the wires tightening further and further around his limbs, body, and neck. His eyesight began to leave him, but not before witnessing the glowing green light escape the palm from Cull Obsidian. Maw breathed sporadically, almost harmoniously alongside Cull, the beast gazing wondrously to the Infinity Stone lying within his grasp.
The power of time itself.
But not for them, no. For someone greater. For someone deserving of it. For their lord, master, and father. Both Children of Thanos turned back to the struggling sorcerer, hearing him utter, “The Masters… of the Mystic Arts… will gladly die… to ensure that Stone’s safety.”
As Cull growled at that, Ebony instead raised his hand, crushing it into a fist. “You’ll only wish you were dead,” he hissed, watching as Strange’s mind began to fade from the lack of oxygen, his body crumbling. He smirked menacingly. “Have fun with our pets.”
He released Strange, the Sorcerer Supreme taking in the biggest gasp of air he’d ever had. It was short lived, Cull Obsidian smacking the side of his hand against Strange’s body and launching him clear across the road, his body impacting the side of an abandoned vehicle. Doctor Strange’s mind faded from black to white, lightness and darkness, reality and falsehood. What he couldn’t deny, what he could clearly see, however, were the two assailants, the two members of the Black Order standing side by side in the street. And Strange watched them…
Watched as they vanished through the blue beam of light yanking them off the ground and into the Q-Ship above the road. By the time Strange finally realized an alien spaceship had arrived, it was already too late, the circular spacecraft spinning wickedly before facing completely around. Its engines—whatever could be called its engines—ignited, launching the ship straight into the atmosphere. And they were gone…
Gone.
With the Time Stone.
It was just that easy. Doctor Strange let his head fall as New York City burned around him, the Sorcerer Supreme trying to return to his two feet but already failing, already crumbling back to the street like the defeated slump he knew he was. The pain he felt was great, yet the reality of the situation, the horrors of it, the complete picture was far too much, far greater than any pain that could dare to threaten him. Even as Wong rushed to his side, his body a blur, his voice a slur, Strange thought only to the outcome of their situation.
The Time Stone was taken. It was actually gone. Everything they had done to protect it, every measure, every plan, every sorcerer… had failed. Wong pulled Strange back to his feet, talking to him, screaming to him, yet none of his words managed to reach Stephen in his state of mind. Even as they limped back into the Sanctum Sanctorum, all Strange could see was the greater picture, the grander outcome, laced with immeasurable loss, pain, suffering, and…
He stopped. He and Wong. Just by the shattered entrance to the Sanctum.
And saw it.
The death.
The foyer floor of the Sanctum Sanctorum was littered with bodies, several guardians and sorcerers amongst them. But taking up the majority of those slaughtered like cattle, like forgettable casualties—like numbers—in war… was everyone else. Every citizen. Every man, woman, child… simply gone. Every citizen of New York they vowed to protect within the walls of the Sanctum… lied buried amongst the others, blood painting what ground wasn’t covered by a corpse.
Every life vanquished.
Every single one of them
Karen Page’s eyes stared right at Strange, not a breath leaving her blood-soaked lips.
Foggy Nelson gaped in horror, his body a torn mesh of blood and clothing.
Misty Knight lied with her cheek pressed into the blood, her eyes shut, body unmoving.
Claire Temple still held her pistol, the magazine completely empty, as she lied motionless.
Colleen Wing held her katana close, the weapon shattered, as was her chest.
Trish Walker lay with her forehead bleeding, body torn and stabbed, like all the others.
Like all the others.
Doctor Strange and Wong stood frozen in horror, the blood in the faces completely leaving them. They were almost numb to the explosions rocking the outside world, what remained of New York burning away as the Chitauri warship descended upon the Sanctum Sanctorum.
The Child of Thanos was right. Stephen wished he was dead. He wished he died right then and there. But he didn’t. He lived and saw and was never numb to it all.
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Everyone is getting the axe.
That brings the Stone count to four. Only two to go.
Damn! All the friends of the Defenders, dead. Wait... Colleen's name wasn't mentioned. Where is she?
Four down, two to go
No... Not Karen and Foggy!
Nooo... This will pierce through Luke's unbreakable skin and break his heart.
Jessica wanted Trish out of her life, but not like this. Jess blew off the chance to make up with Trish in their last encounter and now it's going to bite her back in the ass and make her wish she had now that she's lost the only sister she had.
Colleen wasn't mentioned among the deceased. Either she hopefully survived or they can't find the body to determine her fate.Shit, you had to axe the whole secondary characters of the canceled Netflix Marvel shows did you?
Oh no......4 stones now. I only hope the Elements of Harmony are almost together again!
Two to go, well done my children.
We need a hero.
Any chance we can get this guy?
vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/bokunoheroacademia/images/d/d3/Izuku_Midoriya_Costume_Gamma_Profile.png/revision/latest?cb=20180825172251
Such horrors from Dr. Strange's point of view. You write really well. :)
YOOOOOO!!!!!
Welp, looks like the Defenders are going to be PISSSED.
What, you'd rather have Thanos get it?
Well, they were necessary.
Oh, great. Fan-friggin'-tastic.
Ah, Ebony Maw, I was wondering where that guy went.
9455825 Cull Obsidian's axe!
... I'll leave.
9455864 Forgot to write in Colleen, but she was definitely in there like all the others.
9455899 Hmmmm... did Strange really not find the true outcome?
Something to keep in mind and read closer into... 
9456091 Canceled and given the boot.
Unless Hulu picks them up...
9456220
You may not like what's coming...
9456316
9456566 I don't know who that is, but we definitely need him right now.
9456646 Thank you!
9456718 Name drop!
9456996 They're all gone...
9457442 And now we'll have to stay wondering...
9457599
I smell rough times ahead...
9457599
Oh no......
9455899 I knew I was forgetting someone! Haha, my bad!
Welp, the universe is fucked. I mean Thanos can control time now! We. Are. Fucked.
9457599
He is Izuku Midoriya a.k.a Deku from the anime 'My Hero Academia'. You have at least heard of it right?
9455899
This person right here has even pulled a soundtrack from the show with the face of one of the main villains: Dabi.
9455899
My Hero fan right? I don't think the heroes can 'Plus Ultra' their way out of this.
9458129 Yeah, I've heard of the anime, just never saw it.
9458116 Eeyup.
9458182
Alright. But in any case, we need a hero.
You just made Strange's stare into the future more terrifying. It's one thing to know you only have one chance to get to that one good outcome out of a million, but knowing there are a million different outcomes and having no clue whether or not you'll win any of them...
9458225 It's up to Strange to put the pieces together... find the one path to salvation...
9457599
No sweat.
Nice, but also different. Definitely didn't see that coming. Did he really not see anything or is he lying?
9460350 I think if you read closer into Strange's actions after that statement, you'll find the answer...
Now this is interesting now Strange has no idea what path will lead to them winning. He’ll have to choose with no knowledge of what’s going to happen and with the Pinkie sense failing we don’t have that to rely on either.
Don’t worry Doc the movie releases this year in April.
What happened to killing half of them you jerks!!!!
Well that’s a bummer now they got an even more powerful Thanos to fight than in the movie.
9467404 He actually may have some knowledge on the subject. Might need to read closer into Strange’s actions after he made that statement.
Dude.. you're not holding anything back.. they need Vegito..
Oh ma gad, bro. You have NO chill!!
Wait was the sanctum Sanctorum destroyed or no
Oh my god… I can't believe that just happened. One moment we are getting an epic two on two battle, even recreating the wizard duel between Doctor Strange and Ebony Maw, and then not only do Ebony Maw and Cull Obsidian got away with the Time Stone, we also have confirmation that they killed all the citizens the sorcerers were protecting, including all of The Defenders' friends! We are always so focused on the heroes and worried which of them will live and die in these big events that we forget about the "little guy", the one's that can't defend themselves. This is like a never ending nightmare.
That is so much scarier than only 1 like he saw in the film. Now we don't know if there even is a way to win, or if there is Strange doesn't know how to make it happen!