15 October 2016
11.00 a.m. local time in Pakistan
At the teahouse room on the top floor of the main temple, Kamar-Taj
It's 2 days after the "Black Hole in Hong Kong" incident
International media were still bombarding the world with horrifying reports about that Friday the 13th night
Relentlessly without pause they invited scholars and pseudo-intellectuals to give interviews and analyses spicing them up with exaggerated "exclusive" theories!
Until people had completely lost sight of the real issue!!
But maybe that was a good thing for Kamar-Taj
No need to struggle to cover anything up. Just let the truth float among fake news and wild tales.
Some news outlets made it sound like a fanfiction or space sci-fi novel.
Others turned it into apocalyptic conspiracy theories.
"Good thing I managed to tweak the landscape and fix a few things before sealing the Hong Kong Sanctum so people couldn't see it"
I spoke softly while sitting cross-legged before a low table in the teahouse. A place where the Ancient One and I used to have long conversations just the two of us... but those talks had always been about the fate of this world.
She was like a mother to me. Though in truth she could be called my ancestor or founder. She saw through everything. Every thought my 15-year-old soul had before guiding me through so many paths.
Even when she passed away she left me the title of Sorcerer Supreme along with the Eye of Agamotto now resting on the centre of the table.
The red high-collared cloak capable of flight hung neatly by the pillar near the entrance.
"Well then. Now that all 3 Sanctums are active again I'll head back to my job as a surgical consultant."
I started to rise from the table but the remaining 29 Masters who had survived the great battle all seated cross-legged on soft cushions opposite me with Mordo and Wong in the front row quickly raised their hands to stop me
"Where are you going Strange?"
"You can't just abandon the title of Sorcerer Supreme! "
"Master Strange you are our leader. Please stay and continue to guide and train both old and new disciples."
"Reconsider this Master Strange."
I swept my gaze across everyone trying to stop me
The sight made me feel like a king in a throne room surrounded by ministers begging him to rethink his decision. Straight out of a historical drama.
"No I can't keep this title. I'm not good at teaching. Everything I've learned came from using the Time Stone to study the future by myself. It's not something easy to pass on. Besides I don't want to give up helping people as a doctor in New York."
"But being Sorcerer Supreme has proven you're excellent at it." Wong spoke with genuine respect and pride as my teacher in opening portals and mastering the mirror dimension.
"And defeating Dormammu saved billions of lives. That's a way to help people even greater than surgery." Mordo added His face tone and eyes weren't much different from before but I could sense he was trying to change. No longer as rigid and absolute as he used to be.
"I want to use my medical knowledge to help people in ordinary ways too. If we only focus on the bigger picture we'll neglect the small ones." I explained before coming up with a compromise.
"How about this. I'll record videos explaining my understanding of various spells from my own perspective. Students can watch them maybe through a projector or an online library accessible only to those in Kamar-Taj. There will also be discussion sessions in the evenings for 1–2 hours with random participants or based on the importance of questions. And on Saturdays and Sundays I'll spar with everyone for 2 hours a day. The schedule can be adjusted as needed."
My proposal caused quite a stir. It was the first time in Kamar-Taj's history that a Sorcerer Supreme would work another job and teach as a secondary duty.
"Spar with everyone... Oh you mean using the Image of Ikonn right?" One Master looked puzzled before realising it himself. That made Mordo narrow his eyes at me like a suspicious cat. The look reminded me of a cute cat video Christine had sent me a few days ago.
Strangely after all the life-and-death experiences I'd gone through my brain had erased many unnecessary memories to make room for survival calculations in the Dark Dimension. But the first thing I remembered about Christine once everything calmed down was those cute cat videos she always sent me.
"Strange... if you can use the Image of Ikonn... why not let that illusion go to work while you stay here at Kamar-Taj?" Mordo asked with that same curious-cat face making me almost laugh but I kept my cool and answered smoothly.
"I want to stay in New York as the Master guarding the Sanctum there. Also... I've had visions that in the near future aliens will invade again though I don't know exactly when. Better to be prepared."
Of course mere words wouldn't be convincing. So I projected the vision I saw — an alien invasion in 2018 about 2 years from now. Even though it showed only 2 creatures fighting me Wong and Iron Man there were many more waiting aboard their ship.
"New York really is just an alien playground huh." Wong muttered shaking his head. "Looks like I'll have to be stationed in New York with you Master Strange."
I nodded slowly before turning to Mordo the most skilled disciple of the Ancient One at present.
"Then Master Mordo I'll leave Kamar-Taj in your care. As for the study of dark energy you may learn it but be warned. The mental pain and darkness constantly gnawing at your thoughts are unbearable. For the Ancient One to use it for a thousand years without falling to corruption... you must admire her resilience patience and sacrifice. Don't think of her as a liar or a traitor."
"I get it. You don't have to remind me again."
"Heh. Then... see you this evening. As for the Time Stone keep it here for now as the core to stabilise Earth's magical barrier. I'll retrieve it next year."