Chapter 12: London Bound

The globe room was quiet as the meeting of masters quickly departed through the doors that lead to their respective Sanctums.

Master's Daniel Drumm and Master Yasu Matsuyama were quick to leave for their doors, their backs stiff as they mulled over their now grim thoughts.

The Ancient One couldn't blame them. The days had gone dark indeed, darker in fact then some even she had experienced in her long lifet-

"My Lady?"

The Ancient One turned her head quickly, her tense face relaxing as she caught sight of a short stocky man with brown blonde hair and moustache over a worried round face.

"Percival? Is something the matter?"

"My Lady…I…" Master Peter Percival shut his mouth, exhaled heavily, swallowed and then said. "My Lady it's about that child Olivia Summers"

"Yes what of her?" the Ancient One's tone was casual, but there was a steely hardness to her eyes that made Percival shift uncomfortably on his feet as he said.

"Are you sure this is the best time to tell her…the truth about all this…the truth about…her"

"You think we should wait till this is all over with Kaesilius" the Ancient One sighed her shoulders relaxing slightly.

"Well, Yes I do. I mean, if she really is who we all think she is, and if she really is as alike as our old friend as we think she is…well...can you imagine how she would react knowing that we have in essence lied to her through omission of the truth"

"Yes I can imagine it." The Ancient One admitted softly "but I believe she will understand"

"Yes in the future, but now…" Percival licked his lips nervously as he scratched his head "My Lady, forgive me for my bluntness but our hour is up. All the sand in the hourglass is gone. We're out of time. If all our sources are correct then Kaesilius will be attacking us at any time now, and from the looks of it we'll need all hands on deck to defeat him not anymore division from the inside-"

"I know. That's why she needs to know the truth" The Ancient One straightened up tall as she made to walk towards the archway that led back into the Kamar-Taj library. "She won't fight with us if we have any more secrets between us."

"Fight with us? My Lady forgive me again but she is still just a child-" Percival spluttered but already the Ancient one was already standing over the threshold.

"No. She is much more than just a child. You of all people should know that"

"My Lady!"

But too late. The Ancient One had all but disappeared down an aisle of books.


We've all had days we'd classify the "worst days of our lives".

Stephen always smirks and says the worst day of his life was the day he met me.

I know he means it as a joke, but deep down we both know that within his smiling face is a small grain of truth. You see, the day he first met me wasn't the worst day of his life, but it did remind him of the worst day of his life that had happened a fair few years ago when he was a teenager.

Having not been born till a few years later, I had not yet experienced something that could be counted as "the worst day of my life", even though I had already lived through rather horrid days as a small child in that orphanage.

The one thing people never tell you about the worst days of your life, is that it often hits you when you least expect it. Sometimes it will come to you when you are most happy, sometimes it will hit you after a series of already exhausting and unfortunate events have transpired for you.

For me the worst day of my life took place half a month after my little first date with Cassian.

Things had been going great between the two of us. We'd done what we could to keep our new relationship quiet.

But then it was all ruined by Arty walking in on the two of us kissing on the top of the West Tower. By sunset that very day, nearly all of Kamar-Taj had heard the news literally being shouted at the top of his voice.

Obviously most people did not care much for the news. Two teens hooking up isn't exactly the most exciting thing to hear, even at a monastery for the mystic arts. But for my classmates who were closer to me in age…well let's just say that in addition to the way they avoided me, hearing their mutterings and rumor mongering behind my back (and sometimes in my face) only furthered my temptations to hit them all where the sun don't shine.

I mostly managed to keep myself in check, but that did not stop me from occasionally indulging in these temptations every martial arts training session.

I still remember one day, a boy a year older than me called Xander (a real creep), had been talking loudly in the dining hall that morning about how if Cassian could "tame" me perhaps he might have a shot at getting into my pants if we broke up.

Yeah…he didn't enjoy having my foot smash into his balls "by accident" when he tried to grope my behind during training…

It was a good thing his buddies were strong enough to carry him away, because Master Mordo and the rest of the class could almost not stop laughing (No matter how hard Mordo tried to hide it…not that he was very successful mind you)

But back onto the story of the worst day of my life.

It started out literally as a nightmare.


His body was icy cold.

Perhaps it had something to do with the cold water he was swimming in. Or maybe it was the sight of something splashing and thrashing in the distance.

"Donn-pfft!" he spat out water as it accidentally splashed back into his mouth as he swam hurriedly to the writhing figure in the water.

But even as he swam up close, the splashes and slaps of flesh in and against liquid were swiftly and surely fading as the one responsible descended lifeless into the murky waters.

"Donna!"


"Donna!"

"I swear Billy it wasn't me!" Via cried out in alarm as she bolted straight out of bed, groaning loudly as she caught sight of the still very dark night sky outside her bedroom window.

"Argh, you've got to be kidding me?" she turned to glower at her roommate's bed only to pause as she caught sight of his form, sitting up with his shoulders hunched forwards, his face pale and frightened and gleaming with sweat.

"Stephen?"

Stephen Strange jumped and spun around, but quickly relaxed upon catching sight of her.

"S-Sorry" he muttered, heaving huge breaths as he looked down into his lap to avoid the worry in her blue eyes as she squinted at him in the dark.

"Stephen…are you okay?"

"I-I'm fine" Stephen breathed, but Via could see his entire body was shaking uncontrollably.

"Do you need me to get you something like water or an aspirin or-"

"No"

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No"

"Is it something to do with whoever that Donna person is-"

"I said I'm fine!" Stephen snarled ferociously but quickly backtracked as he saw her flinch back, her eyes slightly wide with fear.

With a great big sigh, he released his anger, letting the cool night air engulf him soothingly for a few seconds before speaking again, his voice this time patient and calm, if still a little shaky.

"I'm sorry…It was just a bad dream, nothing more. I'll feel better once I get back to sleep"

"Are you sure?" Via gulped, but Stephen could see her anxiety slowly simmering down bit by bit even as he nodded gently.

"Yes. I'm sure. Now go back to sleep. We've got an early start tomorrow"

"…okay. Fine you don't want to talk I get it. But if you need anything I'll listen so just…y'know…um… G'night." Via chewed on her cheek, and Stephen knew that whilst she was desperate to uncover the truth, she also knew not to push him any further.

A bit like someone he had once known…

"Good night Olivia" he whispered, shutting his eyes as he heard her soft piggy like snores fill the room, their sound strangely comforting even as he drifted back off to sleep.

"Good night…Donna…"


I never did find out what Stephen dreamt about that night, a great irony seeing as I am the keeper of a powerful Dream Relic.

Even nowadays I try not to pry too much into his dreamscape. After all we've been through together I owe him that much.

And we've been through a heck of a lot of weird and terrible stuff as you are about to see.

But before the weird and terrible stuff…this happened.


"You feeling any better?" Via asked as she shoveled a spoonful of porridge into her mouth roughly.

"Yes. I am" Stephen clipped, grimacing slightly at her coarseness as he lifted his own spoon to his mouth in a refined gentlemanly manner. "It was just a stupid little nightmare. Nothing to worry about."

Via snorted into her bowl.

"What?" Stephen frowned and she smirked coldly.

"Believe me Stephen, I have seen nightmares, literally seen them for real. And trust me they are anything but stupid and little"

"Then what are they like?" Stephen questioned curiously.

"Well the one I saw when I looked into your head that first night was a big black blob" she shrugged through a mouthful of food.

"A big black blob?" Stephen scowled "You mean to tell me a big black blob was tormenting me? ME?"

"Well sorry Doctor High-and-mighty Strange, but that's what I saw. If you wanted a more scary and traumatic description of your innermost night terrors, you should've asked - oh I don't know – Bram Stoker to write one down for you" Via snapped glowering venomously.

"Hey, don't get all puffy with me I was just-wait hang on since when do you know about Bram Stoker?" Stephen quirked a brow and was surprised to see his roommate's face flush slightly pink.

"I…might have…used the Kindle app thingy on your tablet…a few times"

"You read my books?"

"Only the classics" Via gulped nervously. "would you believe that there are barely any normal fiction books in the Library. Seriously, I love studying the mystic arts but there comes a time when you just need to sit down and just enjoy an adventure…or a horror in this case…"

She sighed heavily as Stephen stared at her but to her wonder there was no anger, just surprise.

"What?" she blinked, slightly unnerved. "Can't a girl enjoy a good classic horror book? Or are we just limited to reading crap like that Twilight."

"Meeta's still gushing about that terrible nonsense I see" Stephen smiled shaking his head as his companion groaned in aggravation.

"Argh! She's such an intelligent person but I don't know how she enjoys reading that-that-ooh! How can you all those sparkly blood sucking fairy things vampires?! Dracula may be old hat nowadays but at least he's got substance, even if he is the villain"

"Yes, you might say he is out for Harker's blood" Stephen smirked, chuckling as Via rolled her eyes at him in exasperation.

"Jesus…That was just…no-no…ugh!"

"Come on you have to admit it is pretty funny" Stephen grinned, his laughter growing as she literally face-palmed and grumbled.

"Oh God! Now I know how Wong feels listening to you."

"VEE!" a feminine voice called out excitably and Via looked up to see Meeta rushing up to her from the doorway of the dining hall.

"Hey Em!" Via swallowed her large mouthful in one gulp much to Stephen's slight distaste.

One of these days he was going to teach this girl proper table manners.

Meeta however, did not seem to notice, or care whatsoever, as she all but dashed over to excitably sit beside Via, puffing as she all but plonked herself down beside her friend.

"So get this. Mama just sent me my care package and she's cooked up so many sweets that she could kill an army with sugar alone, and she's also sent me my mehndi kit plus my mini dvd player plus all my fave flicks. So, I'm thinking, skip dinner at six-thirty, come to my room and we'll have a movie marathon all night."

"You invited the boys or-"

"Nah! I thought it would be fun to have a girls' night with just the two of us. Besides" and at this Meeta rolled her eyes "Cassian's been hogging you all month and Arty's irritating the living daylights out of me and I need a break from him"

"Fair enough. You're on" Via grinned holding up her hand.

"Awesome!" Meeta smiled wide as she met the raised hand with her own high five, only to freeze as she noticed Stephen's quirked brow from across the table.

"Oh…Sorry…Hello Doctor Strange"

"Hello Meeta." He smirked but Via could hear the stiffness in his tones. A stiffness he always got when talking with teenagers and children (excluding herself of course).

And so it was with some amusement that she watched Meeta turn away nervously with a small cough to her.

"So six-thirty?"

"And not a minute later" Via nodded, chuckling softly to herself as she watched her friend happily bounce away on the balls of her feet.

Once she was out of earshot Via turned back to Stephen smirking slightly, much to his discomfort.

"What?" he snorted.

"You still suck with kids huh?"

"Don't you have a class to go to?"

"Crap you're right. I'll see you-oh right…I won't see you this evening" Via trailed off in a small mutter over her bowl.

"No you won't" Stephen agreed, in the same low tones before adding under his breath "Not if you're still planning to meet your boyfriend for lunch"

"You still won't let that slide will you?" Via rolled her eyes and sighed as Stephen snorted into his bowl.

"It's your life, you do what you want with it. But I still think there's something off with that boy."

"According to you Stephen, there's something wrong with every boy I talk with" Via shook her head as she stood up from her seat. "I gotta go. Don't wanna be late for Ancient Runes"

"Good luck" Stephen grunted, but despite himself smiled slightly as she quickly scrambled out of her chair and slung her bag over her shoulder with a small grin.

"You too. See ya later"

"See you later" Stephen echoed trying to smile back, but failing terribly.

He wasn't sure why, but he felt uneasy.

He did not know how or why he was feeling that way. All the knew, was that it felt as if something was going to go wrong.

Little did Stephen Strange know, just how right he was.


And that was the last I saw of Stephen…before all the shit in the world (or multiverse) hit the fan.

Seriously, if I had known what was going to go down then, I probably would've stuck to that idiot's side like glue (Because seriously both of us were looking like we'd both been run over by heavy freight trains by the end of it)

But then I probably wouldn't have the knowledge about myself that I do have now…

The knowledge about where I came from…


The room was small, with one single bed and a cluttered small desk with an equally tiny chair. But that hadn't stopped its resident Meeta Kaur from making it a cozy little hub. Silky smooth drapes of pinks, yellows and oranges hung from the ceiling and walls, making the room look more like the inside of a luxurious but small tent. The bed had been covered in dark but warm shades of reds that complemented the ornate dark blue and peacock green rug that covered the stony floor, which was lucky because the night outside was quite chilly.

It was on this rug that two girls sat, barley listening as the small portable DVD player droned on in the background, playing some movie that the girls had long since given up on trying to understand or care for.

"Always the spider webs Vee?" Meeta frowned as she carefully held her glowing palm over the web like design over her friend's upper left arm.

On it a long spider web thread design had been drawn along Via's lightly tanned toned skin trailing down from her upper arms all the way down to her elbow. There, a small spider had been drawn dangling from a small thread in reddish-brown paste that was flaking off to reveal its stained form on her skin

It was at this Meeta directed her gentle heat wave spell as Via smiled and shrugged.

"What can I say, I like spiders?"

"So, that's why you wear the dream-catcher?" Meeta quirked a brow towards the small trinket peeking out from Via's black training tunic.

"I suppose" Via shrugged, though this time it was a bit too casual to be considered normal. But Meeta did not notice. She was too busy mixing up a solution of sugar and lemon which she carefully applied over the newly marked pattern on her friend's arm, frowning as she asked.

"How do you do it?"

"Do what?" Via's brow furrowed.

"Deal with Strange?" Meeta narrowed her eyes "I mean, yeah you live with him, but seriously with everyone else he's like this aloof big cat who hisses if you get too close. But with you…he's as tame as a house-kitty"

"Even house-kitty's can hiss, scratch and bite if they want to," Via shrugged. "Trust me, we get along but we also scrap if we've both had tough days and trust me when I say it's not pretty"

"Yeah but at least he lets you fight back" Meeta's scowl darkened "Quite frankly I wouldn't put it past him to hex someone who got on the wrong side of him in the morning."

"Oh come on, Stephen's not that scary" Via rolled her eyes "I mean yeah he's a grumpy ass when he's tired but honestly who isn't?"

"Arthur" Meeta said bluntly and without hesitation "Seriously, I love the boy but he's a freak of nature in the mornings. No matter how little sleep he gets he can always get up bright and perky, like he's got sunshine shining out of his behind"

"But that doesn't stop you loving him huh?" Via smirked, her grin widening as Meeta's face turned scarlet.

"I-I-I don't know what you're talking about."

"HA! I knew it! You do love him!" Via laughed loudly as her friend shut her eyes and turned as purple as a beetroot in embarrassment.

"I am not going to dignify that with any answer"

"And denial is the clincher" Via grinned.

"I hate you" Meeta glowered mutinously as she turned away to put away the Mehndi kit, trying and failing to ignore the loud laughs behind her:

"Double denial! Oh boy! You must really love that boy to the end of time"

"Argh! Whatever-just because you're in a relationship doesn't mean you have to try and hook me up with whoever-oh thank god!" Meeta gasped in relief as something hard knocked on her small room door.

She quickly scuttled up to get it, only to gasp as someone in blue and gold became visible in the doorway. A woman with a pale bald head and strange eyes.

"Sorry for interrupting you Miss Kaur. But I'm afraid I must steal your friend away this evening. There important matters that need sorting out"

The Ancient One's voice was polite but her face was hard as stone. So stern that any motion by either Via or Meeta to resist, died in their throats very quickly.

"Come Olivia" The Ancient One clipped as Via quietly stood up, nodding silently and reassuringly to Meeta, who only looked more worried as the door to her own room was shut in her face.

"Whoa! What the-hey!?" Via cried out as the Ancient one grabbed hold of her arm and began dragging her through a sling ring portal.

As always when using the mystic gateway, Via shut her eyes for fear of throwing up. Whilst it literally felt like taking any normal step, the sudden changes in scenery almost always disconcerted her to the point of throwing up.

That didn't change even as she opened her eyes and saw that she was no longer in the stone hallways of Kamar Taj at all.

Instead, she was in a hallway of a different kind.

A wooden floor, smooth and polished surrounded her, with pristine white plaster walls with white marble columns on top of which strange, grotesque chimera creatures had been carved, looking down and watching the ground below like sentinels watching from above.

The walls were lined with antique stands, plinths and cabinets, on which various artefacts were placed carefully on display in what appeared to be glass boxes.

One of these closest to her was a large old looking silver shield, which had, embedded in its centre a bony white female skull with snake skeletons protruding out of the scalp. Over the skulls eyes was a black eye-mask with a pair of cartoony female eyes winking.

"The Shield of Perseus." The Ancient One answered her charge's unasked question "Embedded with the head of the Great Gorgon Medusa."

"Well, that explains the stupid mask" Via muttered, only to shake her head with a growl as she tugged her arm out of the older woman's grip and rounded on her. "No-no-no! hold a second. What am I doing? No-wait what are you doing? What the hell is going on? What do you want to talk about that's so urgent that you have to kidnap me to whatever…wherever…uh…where are we exactly?"

"London." The Ancient One said simply "Or more accurately The London Sanctum Sanctorium. The place that you should've been brought to all those years ago, instead of that orphanage."

"What are you talking about?" Via narrowed her eyes as the Ancient One turned her back and began walking quietly down the corridor.

"Follow me" she said.

And Via followed, though her footfalls were more like loud stomps of frustration. Childish she knew, but still, she did have every right to feel pissed off right now. Brynja and Asmund seemed to feel the same way too because they were glowing particularly bright on her arms, as each step took them deeper into the heart of the strange Sanctum.

"Where is everyone?" Via wondered aloud as she noticed the many doors in-between the strange display of mystical relics.

"At Lunch in the dining hall. It's only twelve thirty here." The Ancient one clipped as she turned a corner

"Oh right, I forgot different time zones" Via grumbled "So why are we here again?"

"Because of this." The Ancient One finally stopped in front of a polished oak door with a golden name plaque.

"Freyja Sorenson?" Via read slowly. "Freyja Sorenson…where have I heard that before…"

The corners of the Ancient One's mouth twitched upwards ever so slightly.

Perhaps if you opened it up and took a look, you'd remember"

Via gulped.

"Take a look? But this is someone's room I-I can't just-"

but already the Ancient One had moved her hand to rest on the ornate polished brass door handle, and pushed it down.

At once, something unclicked, and Via felt a surge of energy. A surge that quickly had the Ancient One's hand flying away…but kept hers firmly in place as she accidentally pressed her weight forward.

"Woah!" she cried out as she stumbled into a dark space, landing face first onto what felt like a thick dusty rug.

Coughing profusely, she scowled as she sat up.

"Not funny" She huffed as she caught sight of the Ancient One's smirk.

With a quiet but quick flick of her wrists, the lights in the room suddenly sparked to life.

Via blinked as her eyes suddenly became adjusted to the brightness only to inhale sharply with surprise.

The room, like the hallway outside was ornate and luxurious; a mahogany four poster bed with rich red velvet drapes was in a corner, opposite a desk, vanity, wardrobe and dresser of the same coloured timber. On the far wall a stone fireplace with a marble mantelpiece sprang to life, courtesy of the ancient one's magic. The merry flames were warm and cast a flickering light onto the floor under Via where an ornate black and gold Persian rug, lay beneath her feet covered in grey dust that flew up with every small movement she made to stand up.

"Good God! Someone call housekeeping up here" she choked mid cough. But even as she looked around she could see a thick cloud of dust and cobwebs stretching over the ceiling corners and walls.

"That we shall gladly do, now that you've finally opened the door" The Ancient One smiled as she stepped inside, taking care not to sniff too much of the dusty air about them.

"This room has been locked for nigh on fifteen years." The older woman said in regards to her younger companion's confused expression. "It's old owner cast a very powerful enchantment on that lock so that no one either than herself or one of her closest relations could enter."

"Closest relations. But I don't know-"

"Take a look on the mantelpiece" The Ancient One pointed to said mantelpiece her smirk growing ever so slightly.

Hesitantly, Via stepped towards the hearth, making sure to stand to the side so that no random embers flecked out at her from the crackling fire. Now upon closer inspection she could see what appeared to be picture frames standing up and covered in dust and grime.

She reached for the closest one, taking care to hold it gingerly as black grime coated her fingers. With the hem of her tunic she carefully rubbed at the dusty glass front of the frame squinting as with each layer of filth removed an image became clear.

An image, of a woman wearing robes in dark shades of plum, with long curly blonde hair, a warm smile, dimpled cheeks and light grey eyes…

Via felt the dusty air catch in her chest painfully as she looked at the woman's smiling face.

She knew that face.

She saw a near exact replica of it every time she looked in a mirror, except for the fact that she had no dimples, had a straighter nose and bigger bluer eyes that had begun burning with unshed tears. Though of what emotions these tears came from she had no idea.

All that chose to come from her at that moment was a small hoarse whisper.

"Mommy?"

Freyja Sorenson just smiled vacantly back at her from the picture frame.

A soft thumping sound suddenly sounded and Via turned to see the Ancient One had stepped over towards the pretty vanity on the opposite wall.

With a flick of her hand, the dust off the surfaces cleared away, leaving a gleaming surface and a black box with a blue ribbon.

"It's addressed to you" The Ancient One said and before Via could open her mouth the box was in her hands, and the photograph of Freyja Sorenson was back on the mantelpiece.

With shaking hands Via carefully pulled the ribbon loose and opened the black lid.

Something blue was folded inside with a golden trimming, with a golden belt and black sash folded neatly on top of it.

Without pausing to think she quickly set the box down and lifted the garments up to her. The blue thing appeared to be a fitted women's tail-coat jacket, but without any sleeves and gold clasps to hold the front together. The lining on the inside was jet black and embroidered with golden spider webs that glimmered like the belt she fitted around her waist over the top of the black sash.

As she fastened it, Via couldn't help but notice the golden belt buckle had an engraving of two dragons eating one another's tails.

"How does it feel?" The Ancient One asked as Via wriggled around uncomfortably, trying to reach for her back.

"Okay but I think I've got the collar stuck"

"Perhaps because it isn't a collar, the Ancient One muttered, her hand quickly swiping around the girl's back.

Via winced slightly as a dark hood suddenly flipped out to cover the top of her head.

"Oh right" Via quickly shoved it back, catching sight of herself in the mirror.

She looked nothing like the guttersnipe found on the streets all those months ago. Nor even did she just look like a sweaty scruffy acolyte in training.

Her gold curls, once scruffy and short, was now falling in a braid over her shoulder and gleaming like sunlight. Her skin, healthily, glowing and marked by a creative henna design over her left arm. Her body, still lean and athletic but at the same time more mature and womanly, the last vestiges of innocent puppy fat beginning to melt away. She wasn't curvy by any means, if anything she was more rectangular and muscled. But all this somehow seemed to fit just as much as the clothes she wore.

Via tensed as she saw the older woman's reflection come to stand behind her

"It suits you" the Ancient One smiled softly

"Gee I wonder why?" Via muttered through gritted teeth, her heart hardening considerably as she turned to face her mentor. "How long have you known?"

The Ancient One's smile dropped like a stone.

"Only since you opened this door-" she began but Via could feel the fire burn hotly in her gut as she snarled.

"Bull-shit! How long have you known?"

"Like I said before, I only knew who you truly were since you opened this door" the Ancient One repeated herself, her own tone stone cold "Of course I had my suspicions since the first day I set my eye upon you…but I had to be sure you were ready-"

"Ready for what?" Via snapped but the Ancient One raised her voice over her.

"-Ready to become a part of this world. Yes, your heritage may make you more attuned to the mystic arts than most people, but that doesn't mean it still couldn't damage you when you didn't have any exposure to it and its ways. I had to make sure you were strong enough to defend yourself against such things"

"And what if I didn't chose to become a sorcerer then what? You'd just let me go and never tell me-"

"Trust me Olivia, it was for your own safety-" the Ancient one sighed but Via just laughed hollowly.

"Trust? What do you know about Trust? You draw power from the Dark Dimension to keep yourself immortal, you lie to your followers by keeping secrets from them. You keep an orphan in the dark about her own mother for nearly seven months, despite the fact she could summon up a strong Tao Shield on her very first day. Heck you won't even trust anyone with your own name. Just how do you expect me to trust you if I have no clue as to who or what you really are?"

"I don't. But I do expect you of all people to understand that to do the right thing sometimes you must do what others consider wrong." The Ancient One narrowed her eyes, but Via didn't back down.

"No! To do the right thing, you have to do the right thing, even if it hurts you. All you've done is take the easy way out and hide so you don't have to face the pain of everyone being disappointed in you"

"I would mind your tongue if I were you child-" the Ancient One's voice was now like ice as she towered over the young girl.

"No I will not mind it" Via hissed standing her ground and glaring up to her elder as she stood toe to toe with her. "I'm just saying it like it is and you don't like it-"

"Enough."

"Y'know, for someone who has lived as long as you have, you are surprisingly reluctant to face the music-"

"Enough!"

"And you know what else, Kaesilius was right. Not only have you failed as Sorcerer Supreme, you're failing yourself-"

"I said enough!"

"And why? Because you're so afraid of dying alone that you will lie to everyone to keep them happy, even though those lies might actually be the death of them one day-"

"ENOUGH!" Ancient One bellowed, a sound that echoed loudly throughout the entire dust covered room like a firework, until finally the last reverberations disappeared and left nothing but a deafening silence.

Niether Via nor the Ancient One moved from where they stood.

It was difficult to tell which face, young or old, was looking more furious at that point in time.

Indeed, Via was quite prepared to bet that had the Ancient One's temper been shorter, she would have been tossed straight into the Dark Dimension in millions of tiny pieces.

Which was very ironic considering what happened next.

KABOOM!

The whole floor and ceiling shook around the two of them.

Via only just managed not to fall over, thanks to the glowing Eye of Asibikaashi that hung on the outside of her new jacket.

"What was that?" She gasped.

"I don't know but it came from above" The Ancient One muttered, all anger forgotten as she looked to the ceiling.

"Is someone practicing a spell or something?" Via frowned, but even as the Ancient One pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes back to the ceiling, she knew it was no use.

No…she had felt the magical power in that strike and it was too powerful not to be anything else but-

"The Sanctum is under attack" The Ancient One breathed sharply and with a swish of her golden robes she was out the door.

Via dashed after her, doing her best to stay hot on her heels, but the Ancient One was moving at a speed that was, to put it simply, inhuman.

It took all of Via's skill with the Web of Asibikaashi to merely keep up with her using the walls and ceilings, or rather just the walls, as a couple of the chandeliers and lights were starting to drop hard to the floor below.

In the distance, Via could hear people shouting and running and even hear the growls and thuds of fighting. Whoever was attacking, sounded like they were causing an absolute massacre.

Amidst all the noise that was growing louder, Via could hear a familiar voice barking out orders of attack and her heart sank.

Oh no…please no…

It was a grueling five minutes later when both she and the Ancient One reached the source of the commotion, did Via finally see the source of her dread.

Kaesilius was standing at the end of a long corridor in front of a door with a strange circular symbol, surrounded by red garbed sorcerers…and their equally red and bloodied victims lying dead around him on the floor, pieces of something glass like sticking out of them like strange transparent spikes.

He smirked as he caught sight of his new challengers, and that was when Via noticed his eyes, two dark pits surrounded by burning dark energy branded into his skin.

"Ah…Ancient One. Miss Summers welcome. Or would you prefer to be called Miss Sorenson?" he smiled, almost as if he were welcoming guests to his house rather than invading and destroying a mystical stronghold. But Via barely noticed. Not when she herself was so pissed off.

"Oh great, even he knows?!" Via groaned rolling her eyes to the Ancient One who was quick to school her expression into one of cold aloofness as she addressed her ex-pupil.

"I would cease this madness at once if I were you Kaesilius. It will only end in disaster."

"Oh I am counting on it Ancient One" Kaesilius stepped forwards, his hands flying out in front of him to summon up a barrier of green to shield his Zealots as they prepared a spell behind his back.

"Child" He sneered as caught sight of Via looking up at the ceiling with her legs ready to spring. "Have you thought about my advice? Clearly this woman is not the trustworthy guardian you thought you knew."

"And clearly you still sound like a crazy man" Via countered, fists clenching as she felt the buildup of energy humming from behind the yellow robed man, who chuckled amusedly at her.

"You still have your scathing wit, just as he said you would"

"He?" The Ancient One narrowed her eyes "You have managed to recruit others to your cause."

"You seem surprised" Kaesilius snorted. "Yes. There are others I have managed to persuade to assist me in my endeavors. Indeed one of them was only too eager to lend a hand, especially when I told him that the last heir of the Sorenson line still lives and is training in the mystic arts."

"And this man is?" the Ancient One's eyes were now slits.

"Me" a distinctly male voice rumbled from behind.

Via and the Ancient One wheeled around, the latter quickly forcing the younger behind her in a defensive stance as a new figure emerged from a cloud of smoke.

Had Via not been torn between so many emotions like fear, anger and confusion, she might have laughed at the sheer audacity of the man's very planned appearance.

Via had heard of zombies before, and this man, though definitely alive and breathing, looked just like one.

He was tall, thin (almost a skeleton) with sickly pale skin that looked like it hadn't seen sunlight in forever, jet-black hair and sharp brown eyes. Or rather one brown eye on the right, with the other eye white, milky the covered by a very horrible burn that stretched right over the full left half of his face, right down to his chin and down his neck.

He was wearing jet black robes with grey under robes, and a silver buckled belt fastened by a buckle shaped like a canine skull. One both hands he wore a matching set of silver rings with very sharp claw like blades extending over the top of his skeletal rotten looking hands.

Even though he looked familiar to her, Via couldn't for the life of her remember where she had seen his face before.

The Ancient One on the other hand, recognized him at once, though it only made her look, if possible stonier still, though her voice just only betrayed the slightest bit of surprise.

"Fabian Russo"

The man, Fabian Russo, smiled wide, revealing a pair of sharp canines amid his yellowing teeth.

"Ancient One. It's been too long. And Olivia, look at you. A beautiful golden flower you've become. Your mother, dear Freyja, would be so proud."

Via shivered at the poisonously sarcastic hiss that slithered out of that half-burned mouth.

"You should be dead" the Ancient One's hand twitched by her side in readiness for attack.

"As should you my Lady" Fabian tilted his head in a bird like way. "But death hasn't taken us yet …not like poor Freyja. When did I see her last? Oh, yes that's right. The last time I saw her, my knife was in her gut and she was hobbling like a coward through a sling ring portal. Isn't that right…my son"

Via felt her heart all but freeze to ice as someone stepped out of Fabian's shadow.

A handsome young man with dark brown hair and warm brown eyes that stared at her half ashamed half in fear.

"Yes father….you're right" Cassian Esposito, or rather, Cassian Russo muttered softly.

"Cass…you're…you're with them…this whole time?" Via's voice trembled, as fresh tears began trickling down her cheeks.

"Yes, he was. And I have to say he performed his role perfectly, didn't you my boy," Fabian smiled as he looked back to ruffle his son's head fondly "takes on after his mother you know. She was quite an amazing actress. Tipped to be Hollywood's next great star…but all that was put to a stop when she was murdered…by your mother and this witch!"

"Fabian, your wife's death was an unfortunate accident-" the Ancient One began but Fabian cut across her in a growl, raising a metal clawed hand.

"Then tell me why I had to bury her when my son was only a few hours old, alone?"

"Father stop-she's trying to distract us" Cassian quickly held his father's arm back, all the while keeping his eyes on Via who was still crying. He looked like he desperately wanted to reassure her, to talk to her, but his shame held him back, along with the voice of Kaesilius.

"Your son is right Russo. While you've been reminiscing about the past, the Ancient One has raised the alarms back at Kamar Taj. We need to finish this place and move on at once if we are to succeed."

"Of course" Fabian took a deep breath and took a step back. "Come Cassian"

But Cassian did not move. He just stood there staring at Via, his mouth opening and shutting as he tried to find something to say.

"Cass" Via stepped out from behind the Ancient One.

"CASSIAN!" his father barked from halfway up the corridor, his teeth bared in a snarl. "Leave her be. We shall come for her later and then we can have our revenge"

"Cass, don't. You don't have to go with him" Via reached out to take his hand, but then she was forced to jump back and land on the wall as a whip of energy slapped hard at we're she had been standing.

"CASS!" Via called, but too late.

The door behind had swung open revealing the three shocked faces of Stephen Strange, Karl Mordo and Wong staring through the door.

"Oh no" Via breathed her eyes travelling upwards to where, just before the door a great globe of golden energy was raised.

"LOOK OUT!" she cried flinging herself forwards just as Mordo yelled:

"NO!"

There was a loud BANG! And everything exploded around her.


And there you have it. The beginning of the worst day of my life.

Stephen suffers from nightmares and I can't help him. I get kidnapped from my first ever sleepover with my only female friend by the Ancient One who just happens to think that now after six months of lying to my face is the right time to tell me about my birth mother (who just so happens to leave me clothes that are exactly my size?).

And then just when I'm about to get the truth from her, Kaesilius shows up again along with a man that's supposed to be dead, who just so happens to be the father of my supposedly trustworthy boyfriend who has just revealed he's been playing me that whole time. Then on top of that the three of them attack the Sanctum Sanctorium of London and destroy it!

*Sigh*

If you think that's bad, just wait till you see what comes next…yeah it's a real doozy.


And so there you have it, we're back in movie mode.

In the movie I've always wondered what happened at the London Sanctum so i figured it'd be good to explore some of the carnage that happened there for a bit. So Via's discovered the truth about her mother, Cassian and about the evil shadow that's out for her blood, Fabian Russo.

Which leads us to the battle New York Sanctum. Hold onto your hats, or keyboards, or whatever you've got at hand because it's going to be a bumpy ride. Or should i say, a Strange Ride? (yeah dumb i know but i just couldn't resist XD)

If you've got ideas for what you want to see, or just want to see more, keep reviewing.

Until next time

Adios Amigos,

-FuzzyBeta