TITLE: The Price
AUTHOR: Mikejaffa
SYNOPSIS: Sequel/Reaction to What If: Magik #1; spoilers for New Mutants vol.1 #24 and 25.
DSICLAIMER: Magik, Doctor Strange, and all other characters are owned by Marvel. I am making no money off this fic.
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"That filthy hoodie was offensively unattractive, so I had this commissioned," Doctor Stephen Strange said to the 16 year old girl with long blonde hair sitting at the kitchen table in the in the sanctum sanctorum. Strange's Asian manservant, Wong, looked on with Strange as the girl's eyes were riveted to the cardboard box that had been placed on the table in front of her. "It's not as spectacular as mine, of course, but there are protective enchantments woven all throughout the fabric."
Wong smiled. "He enchanted it himself."
"I enchanted it myself," Strange affirmed.
"Thank you," the girl said.
"You're welcome," Strange answered. "Go ahead, Illyana. Try it on."
Illyana smiled as she stood and took off the top of the box and pulled out its contents. The red cloak had a high collar and gold trim like Stephen's; she could feel the enchantments built into it. At her mental command, the cloak draped itself around her shoulders. Another thought and a small gold medallion floated out of the box and into her hand.
Stephen said, "I had to modify that eye of Agamotto so you could safely use it in spite of how impure your soul is."
"Awesome!" Illyana attached the Eye to her cloak's clasp. She opened her hands and her soulstaff appeared in it.
Doctor Strange made a gesture and a reflective oval appeared in the air next to her.
Illyana looked at her reflection in it and her smile broadened. "This is great, Stephen! The new cloak fits right in with my soulsword."
Strange frowned slightly. "'Soulsword'?"
"Staff," Illyana corrected herself, a little embarrassed, "I meant soulstaff. I'm tired. I was up late last night watching-"
"…"
Illyana broke off. "Did you hear that?"
Stephen said, "Hear what?"
"I thought I heard a voice. It sounded like it was coming from upstairs."
"I didn't hear anything," Strange said. "Wong?"
Wong shook his head.
Illyana kept her eyes on the ceiling. And it creaked with rapid footsteps.
"Now I know there's something upstairs," Illyana said, floating towards the staircase. "Sounded like a dog or some kind of animal."
"Illyana," Strange called, "wait-"
Illyana was already floating up the stairs. She got to the landing and looked down the hall.
Though the hall was well-lit, the figure at the far end seemed to be cloaked in shadow, even a bit blurry. But Illyana thought the figure was a bit shorter than her, female…
…and not entirely human? Maybe somewhere between human and some kind of animal…
…like a wolf?
"Who's there?" Illyana called.
The figure spoke: "nom'C, nom'c." The voice had a strange reverberation, almost like an echo, yet it also sounded familiar.
Illyana took a few steps forward. "What did you…Rahne? Rahne, is that you?"
Illyana sent a command to her eye of Agamotto. It opened, and light poured out.
….and light exploded in front of her, a yellow light that while not very bright was painful. Illyana winced and cried out as the light condensed into the figure of a woman…
…it said something but Ilyana couldn't make it out…
Illyana woke up in the arm chair in the living room. Doctor Strange was crouching next to her. "What happened?" she asked.
"We found you collapsed at the top of the stairs," Strange said. "Your life signs are good; there's no sign of any damage." He tapped Illyana's amulet. "Vishanti magic is very potent. Perhaps-"
"No, I'm fine," Illyana said. "I saw someone upstairs. It was a shape changer, like…maybe some kind of Earth elemental…I don't know. Then this light. Then I was here."
Strange chose his words carefully: "Illyana, we found you at the top of the stairs. There was no one upstairs."
Illyana's anger flaired. "I'm not lying! I know what I saw, Stephen."
"There's no one but us in the house, Illyana."
"You and I both know that doesn't mean anything, Stephen."
Strange stood. "I can't fault your reasoning. I can't imagine who would want to attack you, but I can't ignore the possibility either. I'll boost the wards around the house. And we'll see what happens. That work for you?"
"All right," Illyana said. She rubbed her hands together.
"Problem?" Strange asked.
"It felt like someone was holding my hand," Illyana said, "but it's gone now."
"Well…you feel or see anything weird, you let me know?"
Illyana looked around the living room and the arcane objects on display. "Weird…as…opposed…to…?" She trailed off.
Strange smiled. "Smartass."