Stephen Strange.
Known to most as Doctor Strange.
Known in S.H.I.E.L.D. reports as the man forgotten by time.
Years ago, one of the most famous people on Earth created an entire movie that prophesied a future that had already been avoided.
It revealed the existence of a nation more technologically advanced than any other, which caused political problems that lasted nearly a year and were only resolved when Earth acknowledged that it needed Wakanda's strength.
However, something else was revealed in the movie, Kamar-Taj, a hidden group of sorcerers who protect the world from spiritual threats, and the future Sorcerer Supreme, Stephen Strange.
When Strange watched the movie for the first time, simply out of curiosity, he was shocked by what he saw, wondering if that was truly him.
What surprised him the most, however, was his surroundings. He thought everyone would call him or ask him what was happening.
Yet not even Christine Palmer, his coworker and something more, with whom he had gone to see the movie at the theater, said a word to him.
When he asked her why, she looked at him as if he were crazy.
When he arrived home, he was ready to take a cold shower and reflect on whether he was losing his mind or if something else was happening, but the answer came on its own.
In the middle of his living room, a glowing circle opened, from which an elderly, bald woman emerged.
"Stephen Strange, you must be wondering what is going on", said the old woman.
"I assume it has something to do with you", Strange replied, looking at her and recognizing her from the movie he had just seen.
"That is correct, but this will only last for two years. After that, anyone who watches the movie will no longer ignore Kamar-Taj, the sorcerers, or you. Do you understand what that means?"
Strange was not foolish and understood the danger ahead. If he did not become strong enough, his life would turn into hell.
Thus, Strange became the Ancient One's disciple and trained for two years before becoming the Sorcerer Supreme.
Reaching that level in just two years was unheard of, and only someone with Strange's talent, destined to be the best among them, could achieve it.
In truth, he did not surpass the Ancient One in raw power, but there was a reason for that.
The Ancient One cheated. She not only completely outclassed all the sorcerers of Kamar-Taj, but throughout her countless years of life, she had increased her power through various means, even drawing upon the energy of the Dark Dimension.
That meant that if a sorcerer's maximum level was ten, the Ancient One was at least level one thousand, while Strange, at that time, was around level fifty.
Nothing compared to her, yet even so, he had surpassed every other sorcerer of Kamar-Taj with only two years of training.
After the sudden death of the Ancient One, who confessed that she had been forcibly extending her life and that now, with Strange ready, she could finally leave, Strange formally became the Sorcerer Supreme and guardian of the Time Stone.
Today, just over a year after assuming that role, he stood before his greatest threat.
Strange held an ideology different from that of the Ancient One, who used the Stone to observe all of the future and plan far ahead. Strange instead preferred to see the near future, identify immediate threats, and nothing more.
That was how he learned that Dormammu, one of the greatest extradimensional demons, would attack the Hong Kong Sanctum.
Although Strange had no way of defeating him through sheer power, something only the Ancient One could have done, he did not plan to fight fair.
After a year as Sorcerer Supreme, Strange knew that the Time Stone was not merely something to protect, but also his greatest weapon.
He waited in the sky for the precise moment. The instant a rift opened in the barrier, allowing the Dark Dimension to enter, Strange extended his hands, using several spells designed to halt the fusion of a dark dimension with Earth, something that had happened many times before.
Then he stepped into the Dark Dimension, ready to initiate his plan.
Using the Time Stone, he created a time loop and moved toward Dormammu.
Dormammu's form was so colossal that only his outline was visible, shaped by energy that constantly rippled.
"Dormammu, I have come to bargain", Strange declared, already prepared to die many times.
But the expected killing blow never came.
Dormammu observed him in silence before finally speaking.
"What a coincidence. I was thinking the same", his voice echoed, filled with resonance, as if thousands of voices were speaking at once across different moments in time. "Hand over the Stone".
"That is not part of my plans", Strange replied.
Then a female voice sounded behind him.
"Your opinion does not matter in this matter".
Before he could react, a powerful mental energy invaded his mind, taking control of his body.
"Is that all? The current Sorcerer Supreme is not very impressive", Dormammu said.
But Ebony Maw's face was drenched in sweat, showing an expression of pain.
"Do not underestimate him, he is resisting. I will not endure much longer".
Ebony ordered Strange to hand over the Stone, and his body obeyed slowly, as if his mind were fighting against it. One by one, he deactivated his defensive spells and finally surrendered the Stone.
"One step closer to Thanos's goal", Ebony said with devotion, watching the Stone glow in his hand.
"Do it", he said, looking at Dormammu.
Dormammu struck Strange, rendering him unconscious.
"Your soul will not endure much longer", Dormammu said, watching Ebony agonize before him, yet seeing far deeper than that.
"I do not fear death, I only fear that my sacrifice will not benefit Lord Thanos", Ebony replied.
After his soul was torn from his body, leaving it weakened, it was immediately subjected to a summoning ritual to reach Asgard. He then had to fight Amora's soul to seize control of her body.
No matter how compatible Amora's body was with Ebony's soul, no soul is more compatible than the original. Amora's soul was extraordinarily powerful within her own body, and Ebony only managed to destroy it thanks to his superior overall power, not without suffering losses.
The wounds to his soul were severe and completely irreparable.
Now, in addition, he had been forced to battle the mind of the Sorcerer Supreme, damaging himself even further. Although soul and mind are not the same, both are spiritual forms and are connected, so the weakness of one translates into the weakness of the other.
"Why not join Thanos's plan?" Ebony asked, ignoring his own wounds and looking at Dormammu.
Due to the circumstances, Thanos had been forced to cooperate with Surtur and Dormammu. However, this extradimensional demon only agreed to assist with this part of the plan and refused to take part in the war, something that deeply displeased Ebony.
Dormammu laughed at the question.
"Why? For the same reason I did not kill the Sorcerer Supreme, for the same reason I did not take advantage of his unconsciousness to invade Earth, and for the same reason I will now withdraw. The energy that person borrowed has not yet been repaid".
Ebony narrowed his eyes cautiously.
"Do you mean the former Sorcerer Supreme is still alive?"
Dormammu reassured him.
"You have nothing to worry about. That old woman is even less likely to intervene than the person for whom you are making all these plans, especially if it is not a matter of the spiritual world. Perhaps she will not intervene because your plan will fail, or perhaps because it will ultimately lead to a better future. One never knows what that old woman is planning. Your best option is to continue with your plans and ignore her existence. I wish I could do the same".
Dormammu knew that the moment he set foot on Earth, the Ancient One would appear and unleash countless hidden tricks to ensure his destruction.
With nothing else to discuss, he withdrew his Dark Dimension from Earth, leaving Ebony behind and allowing Strange to fall from the heights.
As the rift closed, he watched as Strange's cloak safely lowered him to the ground.
Despite the fact that when he attacked Strange he also struck his cloak, it was now mysteriously functioning perfectly.
Dormammu made an irritated sound, similar to a tongue click, before vanishing from the place.
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+11 chapters in advance on Patreon.
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(just delete the hyphen)
80 power stones = 1 extra chapter (cumulative)