Perspective of Mordo
"Ugh. . . I'm still. . . alive?"
The breath passing through the throat into the lungs The beating of the heart The dryness along the neck The eyes that began to see the blurred scenery around before slowly clearing up The nose that smelled incense wood The skin that felt the softness of the bed and the smooth blanket covering the body
All of these senses confirmed that . . . I was still alive
But. . . how? The last image The last sensation before I lost consciousness was. . .
My neck being cut My head severed By the one I trusted most
Strange!
I clenched my teeth before pushing myself up from the bed I looked left and right and saw two male disciples sitting nearby I remembered their faces well They were the two closest to me and had died with their bodies dismembered like shattered clay figures Goosebumps ran all over my skin when I saw them move and look at me with worried eyes
"Master Mordo is awake!"
"How are you feeling?"
"I. . . am not dead You two survived. . . Where is Strange?"
"He's outside" both replied together before pointing toward the room's exit I nodded at them and was about to walk out but before taking my third step I sensed strange magical energy behind me
"Too late Mordo Heh heh heh" The voice of the man I hated most sounded and indeed it was too late Before I could even turn around I felt the lightness of my right arm
Yes. . . when I turned to look my right arm had fallen to the floor Blood splattered everywhere yet no pain ran from the cut at my shoulder
And the one who had cut it was none other than Strange sitting cross-legged at the end of the bed while the two male disciples I had just spoken with had already turned into smoke
". . . An illusion. . . of the Ikonn?"
"Good guess" The compliment said in his mocking tone stabbed through my heart like a blade Every word of praise was a taunt
Before I could raise my left arm to cast any spell it too was severed by an invisible blade dissected apart like a specimen on display showing veins nerves bones muscle fibers tissues skin and fat layers
"Healthy arms for a man in his 40s You've maintained your body well" Again his mocking compliment cut directly into my mind I gritted my teeth and gathered power into my legs intending to kick his smug face at least once
"These legs. . . strong too Channel magic fast" The next words made my heart sink I already knew what would happen and it happened indeed
Thud Thud
The beating of my frightened heart couldn't match the sound of my legs falling to the floor Yet strangely my body floated in the air defying gravity even without magic
Because my mind was trembling completely
Fear
It was the fear of death eating away at my spirit slowly From the moment my right arm was cut off then the left dissected then both legs gone
It was different from when my head was chopped off before That was too fast to feel fear Only rage burned within me then
Now my vision blurred but I could still see Strange sitting cross-legged tapping his foot casually like a psychopath villain from Hollywood movies I had once seen
'Why doesn't he just kill me. . . Why does the energy coming from Strange have no anger no intent to kill Or does he think I'm just an insect an ant not worth feeling anything over?'
The question arose in my head and that fear dissolved instantly replaced by a terrifying realization that surfaced within me
"You figured it out huh" Strange said softly smiling wide as if he already knew what I was thinking before I even understood it myself
"You're reading my mind?"
"I can sense more than that" he shrugged "Someone who hasn't trained Observation Haki can't hide their thoughts"
"Observation Haki?" I repeated the unfamiliar term raising an eyebrow staring at him even more confused "Strange. . . what do you want Why don't you just kill me Are you trying to torture me?"
"Torture? Kill? Someone with greater power can do anything they want to their prey Don't you think so" My left eye twitched hard hearing that and the right followed when he added "Those who can't use magic are prey for those who feed on it"
The moment the words feed on it ended I couldn't sense any magic around me again Just like when Strange appeared at the monastery and killed every student and master The power to borrow energy from other dimensions was completely shut off
Something that could block access to the power of the mystic lords It was beyond imagination No record or scripture ever mentioned it And I who had studied nearly 80% of all texts in Kamar-Taj had never read of such a thing Only the legendary library remained where I still wasn't ready to go
"Yessss" Strange drawled mockingly "New York was invaded by beings from another dimension who hunt sorcerers They cast a barrier that blocks magic then hunt like wolves herding sheep into a slaughter zone"
I widened my eyes in shock The first thought that came was Master Wong The others in New York Had they all died Only Strange survived because he possessed the Eye of Agamotto with the Time Stone within?
"Fallen low huh Master Mordo Haha" The portal opened to the left and Master Wong stepped out His body looked. . . different More muscular and powerful than before as if he had changed drastically in just weeks
"Explain everything to Master Mordo please For now New York. . . has a guest from the list of Visitors from Another World to watch out for Before I go one thing The traitor of Master Daniel in the New York Sanctum. . . was one of Kaecilius's students I never knew which one When I found the remains there were only rotten flesh and bone ashes Probably absorbed back into the Dark Dimension when I dealt with Dormammu"
Strange answered one question but before I could ask more he waved his hand floated into the portal and vanished Leaving me standing alone fully restored not knowing when that had happened
"Well we've got a lot to talk about Mordo Let's start with. . . the magic devourers from another dimension Then how to fight them even without magic Come on To the cafeteria Let's drink tea and talk over snacks" Wong said I nodded slowly and followed him not knowing that. . .
His story would be far more incredible than I could ever imagine
The traitor revealed
A nameless corpse A shapeless ruin Unidentifiable Haha
Next chapter Who's visiting New York (again)?
Stay tuned