Chapter 26: Diminuendo Chapters: Walk It Back (Part Two)
"Steven? Can I have your other arm?" Wong was trying to get Steve's attention. His focus was super locked on Tony. The soldier wanted to ask him about a hundred million questions about what just transpired.
Tony just smiled at him. He held a smirk that Steve found very attractive yet, unnerving all at once. OH RIGHT. He looked at Wong and handed over his own arm to be shackled and bound.
"Sorry. I've just got the jitters, I guess." Steve confessed and Wong simply responded with a slight nod. Steve was bound and he took in the deepest breath he had ever taken.
He kept thinking about his son.
As soon as their business concluded, Steve planned to go him. He wanted to fulfill the ritual and then process it in his own way.
Steve didn't intend to jump and rush into learning the mystic arts. He wanted to go about it at his own pace.
He didn't think anyone would argue with him. And I f they did, what would that accomplish? Steve figured that he had the upper hand and he wanted to do things his way.
The Ancient One stood up from her seat. She walked in front of Steve and she gently touched his chest. She placed the palm of her hand where his heart was located and she gave him a small smile. The contact was part of the ritual.
She did the same thing to Tony, but instead she touched his hands. She walked back to her seat and Steve looked at his chest. He gave another nervous glance to Tony and his eyes skipped over to Stephen Strange.
The demoted sorcerer was clearly lost in his thoughts.
Steve heard the chanting begin. The soldier closed his eyes and he thought of a small prayer to himself. He had seen so many crazy things and it helped him find an even stronger belief. He kept those beliefs to himself mostly, but he thought of a prayer and closed his eyes tight.
The blue light from the energy came from behind him. If you compared Steve's experience with Tony's, then you'd understand that the soldier began to feel opposite sensations. Tony's body pulsed with an insane fire and warmth.
Steve's body felt like it was filled with an airy chill. It felt like wind swirled around his bones. He opened his eyes and he looked down at one of his arms.
He had to take a step forward. The energy was shoving him forward but he kept his weight on the ground. Steve couldn't get over how it felt.
Steve thought about a time when he stuck his hand outside a car window. Tony was driving fast, naturally, and the wind skimmed over his skin. That's what it felt like inside his body.
Steve wondered what it all meant. He did not move and his body accepted the energy. Steve was not brought too far forward or taken up from the floor.
He held his stance and he brought his hands upward into view. He received all the energy from Oshtur and the room returned to normal. That was it? Steve was a little perplexed. The Ancient One understood why Steve's experience was a little different compared to Tony's.
She thought about his already existent strength and she just smiled at Steve.
"Thank you Steven. You can trade places with Strange when you are ready." He heard the Ancient One give him an instruction. Steve looked back at her and then he tried to process what he felt.
Wong began to unshackle him and Steve continued to stare. He moved one of his legs and that strange wind-like sensation moved within him.
Once he was unbound, Steve stepped down toward Strange. The blonde soldier looked down at the demoted sorcerer and smiled.
Steve was affected by the entity aligning with his body, but it wasn't how he expected it to be. He waited for Strange to stand up.
Stephen Strange rose to his feet and Tony noticed something immediately.
They both stood at the exact same height. Both men held the height of 6 feet 2 inches. Tony didn't know why he thought of that as he looked at them, but his mind went there.
Tony looked back down at his mat. Stephen S. and Steven R. exchanged places and Strange stepped up to the shackles.
"Can we bring in four more chains for this one? And a muzzle?" Wong made a joke to the audience and Strange rolled his eyes. He took his spot on the "stage" and he stared at Wong.
"Hilarious." Strange actually smiled after the remark was made. It amused him and then he let it pass. His smile disappeared when the Ancient One approached him. Strange was getting his feet bound to the floor and he avoided eye contact with his mentor.
He was not in the mood for another lecture.
The Ancient One said nothing to him. She just brought her hand to his face. She touched his face and held it gently. The Ancient One ran her thumb over his cheek and Strange brought his eyes to hers.
"I want to look at you for just a moment longer Stephen." The Ancient One said only that and she stared at his face. He felt odd about it. Strange said nothing and he just let her look.
He felt like she was being dramatic. His expression looked a bit bothered. She released his face and then she pressed her thumb to his forehead.
Steve's heart, Tony's hands, and Strange's mind were the elements behind the new Vishanti triumvirate. She established the contact with Strange and then she took her seat.
The Ancient One began her incantation and Strange looked foreword. He didn't exactly smile at Steve and Tony, but he kinda acknowledged them for a moment.
He was still stuck with their emotions. He absolutely hated it and he couldn't wait for the bullshit to be over and done with. The demoted sorcerer just closed his eyes. That helped him suppress the thoughts that he had swimming around within him.
He wanted to look over at Tony. The fact that he wanted to look at Tony seriously bothered him. Strange kept those eyes closed instead and he understood the words that the Ancient One repeated.
Strange began to feel the energy on his face. The alignment with Agamotto began and he was illuminated with a green light. He received it in his mind. A sharp jolt to his forehead caused him to jerk backward a bit.
It actually startled him. He felt the jolt from the energy several times. Something was knocking on his brain, and it wanted to go in. He was forced back again and he was sent backward as far as the chains would allow him to go.
The chanting from the Ancient One grew louder. The whole room got kinda crazy. Steve's experience was the opposite of Tony's, and now Strange's experience was the exact opposite of Steve's.
It was complete chaos in the room. Stuff began to fly all over the place. It seemed like the energy didn't know where to go?
Tony and Steve looked at one another. Tony friggen dodged a damn ritual candle. It was like tornado hit the room.
Strange was hit with the energy one final time. It sent him flying back. The chains couldn't even keep him from the direction he was sent. The chains snapped up from the base and that wizard prick was headed off to the land of OZ.
Tony's mouth dropped to the floor. Strange went flying and something caught him before he broke through the building. His eyes were still closed and he was caught right at the perfect time.
His cloak prevented him from going to Narnia. It covered him and protected him. Steve thought it was the coolest thing. Strange just floated there for a moment.
The cape attached itself to him properly and the green energy remained. It got lodged into his forehead at some point.
It looked like he was unconscious. His cloaked flapped around and did it's thing, then Strange was brought down to the floor. The Eye of Agamotto returned to Strange as well. It floated to him and it found a home around his neck.
Strange kept his eyes closed and he brought his hands up to the amulet. He felt it and he needed to hold it in his hands. Steve stood up and he headed over to Strange.
His alignment was very intense. Steve wanted to be sure that he was ok. He held a concerned look for Strange and the demoted sorcerer opened his eyes.
Steve saw a flash of green, and then they returned to normal. Strange looked down at the amulet and then he turned around and he looked at the Ancient One.
She just sat there and she drew in a few slow, shallow breaths. Her breathing suddenly came to a slow stop.
Strange dropped the amulet and it set against his chest. He rushed over to the Ancient One and he dropped down beside her. He said nothing and he just brought two of her fingers to the side of her windpipe.
HE. FREAKED. OUT.
Stephen Strange maneuvered her onto her back. He immediately started a resuscitation process. Tony remained exactly where he was. He was told what would happen once the alignment was complete.
The Ancient One told him that she would die. Tony watched Strange as he tried to bring her back. He tried to revive her and nothing was working.
He no longer felt Tony's emotions and he no longer felt Steve's.
Strange only felt his own emotions. Those emotions were bottled up tight. The lifeless body of the Ancient One took him back to his nineteenth birthday. He was with his family, swimming.
His sister Donna drowned and he tried to revive her. He did everything he could to bring her back. The memory of it came back to him. It flooded his mind and his heart. He was brought back to that horrible memory and the tears wouldn't cease.
He didn't say a single word. He just burst at the seams and tried to work away everything that he felt. His hands moved expertly as he tried once again to revive her.
He couldn't save the Ancient One. Just like he couldn't save his sister. He couldn't save his mother, his father, and he failed to save his younger brother.
Strange lost it completely. He hid his face against that ancient yellow robe and he quietly cried against it. Steve wanted to console him. He was right at his side to help pull him out of that dark place.
Strange was very angry. He was still in tears but his body language clearly indicated his anger level. She told him NOTHING. Strange was not prepared and he was so angry with the Ancient One for doing what she did. The entire temple was quiet and Wong wanted to intervene.
They had a funeral to prepare. They all were ready for such things to occur. Everyone was ready for that outcome except for Steve and Strange. They didn't have a clue.
Strange didn't read up on what happened to the person that performed the ritual. He was too distracted with bullshit feelings. Wong tried to pull Strange to his feet. He didn't like the Ancient One's body being touched any longer.
"Her spirit is gone Strange. It's been broken up into three. Let her go, now. We need to prepare her." Wong had two men pry the Ancient One from Stephen Strange.
Steve just remained by his side. He said nothing and did nothing other than offer his presence. Steve would not force any contact or words onto him because he didn't know what Strange needed.
All he did was wait so he could adapt to his reaction. Tony finally stood up and he slowly headed over to the two. All three of them had just been given some extraordinary new strength and they all had zero time to process.
Tony promised the Ancient One that he would be their strength. Both of the men in front of him needed him in some way. She told Tony that and she revealed that the ritual would drain every last bit of her life out of her.
She gave it all to them. Tony touched Strange's shoulder and he swallowed away his fear of approaching him. Strange was often icy dicey. He wasn't that bad but, still, one must proceed with caution. Everyone had their days.
Steve was unable to get Strange to focus so Tony gave it a shot. The sorcerer felt that warmth on his shoulder and he heard that voice. Tony said something to Steve and his voice registered in Strange's mind.
Strange looked up. His mind went a few places. The warmth he felt made him think about so many emotions that Tony had pulled out of him. It felt like those emotions had been grabbed by the hair and ripped out of their hiding place. Strange couldn't handle it any longer.
He thought about what he heard from Tony and what he wanted to feel. It was too much. Strange shot his focus in Tony's direction.
"GET BACK." He barked at him. It was very unexpected, but Strange's energy burst out from within. None of them knew what that energy was capable of. They just received it and that was that.
The alignment with Agamotto meant that Stephen Strange was officially the Sorcerer Supreme. The title was his and all the power that came with it. A small taste of that power and the energy he received was just hurled in Tony's direction.
When he yelled for him to get back, Strange's energy forced Tony back. He was sent way way waaaayyyyy back. Tony flew all the way against the wall of the temple. He slammed up against it and Tony remained in a seated position.
He looked like a little rag doll that got chucked into the corner of the room. Strange dropped his anger immediately and a deep regret filled his bones. He didn't do that to him intentionally.
He just couldn't have Tony near him. Tony.. affected him and Strange wanted him to stay away. Steve stood up slowly and he stared down at Strange.
"I'm.." Strange began to speak. He stopped and he continued to stare at Tony. They both just stared at each other.
Tony felt like he had to get the hell out of there. He pried himself up out of the temple wall and he took off. Whoa whoa whoa he did not want that to escalate. Tony wanted to rip that wizard prick's face off.
He felt like he could do it too. He'd rip that face right off and call it a day. Tony glanced at his hands and he retreated to his new lab.
Wong and the rest of the Kamar-taj recruits followed Tony's lead. They carried the Ancient One out of the temple.
Strange watched them all go. He just inhaled and exhaled as best he could. He wiped away the pain from his face and he glanced up at Steve Rogers. Steve still offered only his presence.
He waited.
Strange thought about what he just did to Tony. Then he forced his thoughts back to the Ancient One. Her pale face reminded him of his cold, dead sister. He remembered her in his arms and he wiped away another tear.
"I'm not going to some BULLSHIT funeral. This has to be another trick. She's probably just pulling another stunt to remind me what those things called feelings are."
Strange got up to his feet and he felt like screaming. He paced and smacked his cloak away. It tried to hug him or something. He was not in the mood. His heart was just shattered into a billion pieces and he was PISSED.
Steve calmly watched him pace. He didn't have any answers for him. The soldier had no idea why the Ancient One sacrificed herself for the ritual. However, he could tell that it wasn't a trick.
"I'm sorry I did that to Tony. I didn't do it intentionally." Strange looked at Steve. The sorcerer knew that he just apologized to the wrong person. He changed his focus to the door of the temple and he thought about following after him.
Strange decided against it and he just touched his forehead. He felt a strain and his anger was still at a lethal level.
Going around Tony was a very bad idea. Strange decided to avoid him at all costs. That was a much better plan.
Chapter End:
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