November 27, 2019
"This…. Shouldn't be possible." Stephen breathed as he looked at the Book with awe. It was open, and was moving on its own. The pages were flipping back and forth, so quickly that he couldn't see the contents of the book. It was hovering in the air, still attached to June's wrist, but free from both of Stephen and June's hands.
"You're right…. How did you do it?" June asked as she watched the book.
"I don't know." He said as he looked up at her, his blue eyes blazing in a mixture of emotions – excitement, fear, curiosity. "I just took a gamble, and flipped open the clasp, and it actually worked!"
June ran her hand through her bangs as the Book continued to flip its pages, going from one end of the book to the other. "What is it doing?" She asked after a few seconds.
"I'm… not really sure, to tell you the truth." Stephen admitted. He reached out towards the Book, but it didn't react to him. Stephen took the book in his hands, and used his fingers to stop the pages from flipping. He leaned forward and looked at the writing on the pages, and then his brows suddenly furrowed.
"What's wrong?" June asked.
"It's all… gibberish." Stephen said, a little exasperated. "Every word of it." He began to flip through the pages frantically, but couldn't find a word that made sense in any language that he knew, not even the magical ones. "I don't… understand."
"You're joking, right? There's no way that the Book is all-" June leaned forward and got a look for herself at the pale pages of the Book. "Oh man, you're right." She looked up and Stephen, and he met her gaze.
"Well, that was anti-climactic." He said with a sigh, releasing the Book. It closed itself with a hard snap. Stephen sighed and stood up out of his chair, crossing his arms behind his back – a habit that he fell into when he was thinking hard about something.
"Well, what now? We just changed the course of magical history, and it turns out our discovery is useless." June said. Stephen nodded and sighed again.
"Which is disappointing, to say the least. Why would the Book be illegible? That makes no sense…" He muttered.
"If I'm the Vishanti's chosen one, why can't I read their writing?" June asked, looking down at the book of the Vishanti and flipping it between her fingers.
"A good question. And why couldn't you open the Book? Why did it have to be me?" Stephen began to pace back and forth, and he placed a hand on his chin, gently stroking the hair there. A moment of silence passed, and Stephen looked at June.
"We have to take this to the council." He said. June nodded.
"Normally, I hate dealing with them, but this time… I'm with you." She passed him a quick smile that lasted only a second.
"Can you believe it, June? We've made magical history." Stephen said, a bit exasperated. "I just… don't know what it means."
"Yeah, we certainly have more questions than answers. Why did the Book act up before you opened it? Why isn't it still pulling on my arm? Why can't we read it?" She asked.
"All good questions." Stephen said. "If it acts up again, just throw a simple containment spell on it. That'll show it who's boss." He looked up at the clock that hung up on the wall – 4:28 pm. It was only about 2:45 am in Kamar-Taj, meaning that they would have to wait until later that night for the council to be awake and moving. That left a lot of time to kill.
"So, want to go watch a movie or something?" Stephen asked, putting his arms behind his back.
…
The light of the sun filtered through the windows in the council chambers. Araav stood stoic as ever in front of Stephen, as he opened the book once more. As his shaking fingers undid the clasp, Haukea, Bao, and Shane all let out a small gasp. Deyman's eyes went wide, seemingly impressed.
"You really did it. I can't believe it." He breathed. Araav nodded.
"What you've done is certainly… most impressive." Araav stated.
"How did you do it?" Haukea asked.
Stephen closed the Book and let it dangle again at June's wrist. He crossed his arms, while June brought her arm back down to her side. "I'm not really sure. I just tried to open it on a whim, and it worked." He scratched the side of his head. "I... heard a voice, telling me to open it." He admitted. While hearing voices was stigmatized in the muggle world, among sorcerers, hearing voices was a sign of being connected to a higher power.
"You heard a voice?" Bao asked, a brow raised. "Do you know who it belonged to?"
"What did it sound like?" Araav cut in.
Stephen shook his head. "It was nobody I recognized. It sounded like several voices at once, just barely there in my mind." He passed a quick look to June, who gave him a small, reassuring smile. The message was there: you're not a freak. She stood there in silence, waiting for an opportunity to speak.
The council went silent, and they all looked at each other, passing nervous glances between themselves.
"Master Strange, Miss Jones, if you would give us some time to discuss these events, it would be most appreciated." Araav said, stepping forward.
"Sure." Stephen said with a nod. "This gives me time to get my new robes from Segwa anyway." He casually mentioned. He had received a mystic message from the old woman, saying she was finally finished designing a new set of robes for Stephen. While he would have preferred his old set be repaired, there was no arguing with Segwa, or her decisions.
"Fine by me." June replied. They shared another look before leaving the council chambers, leaving the council to their own devices.
"What do you think they're going to talk about?" June asked as the door closed behind them. Stephen shrugged.
"Who knows. Maybe they think they're onto something with the voice thing? It's really beyond me, as much as I hate admitting it." The council was always a mystery, and their methods would always be an enigma to the Order as a whole. Not understanding something bothered Stephen greatly – his intellectual mind wanted to fully understand the world and all the people around him. A moment of silence passed between the two, leaving them both to ponder the council and their strange ways.
"So, what do you think your new robes will look like?" June asked after a minute, showing that her mind was on other things.
"That's off topic." Stephen said with a playful scoff. "But… I'm hoping they're sexy. And blue."
"I'm sure they will be. Segwa did great work on your last robes." June said with a smile as they walked. "So, you want them to stay blue?" She asked.
"Looks best with Cloak." Stephen said, a smile on his lips.
Always fashion-forward, June thought. Stephen certainly loved to dress well, and it showed with every outfit he wore, even if it was just a band shirt and some jeans. He always looked like he just stepped out of a magazine ad. "Makes sense." June said with a nod. "Gotta coordinate with your accessories."
"Finally, somebody who understands." Stephen said with a laugh. "None of the other sorcerers seem to be preoccupied with fashion."
"Well, Stephen, you are one in a million. There's nobody quite like you." June grinned.
"You're sweet." Stephen said with a hand over his heart in a slightly sarcastic display. He looked ahead and spoke up, "We're here." There was a large set of doors at the end of the hallway, old and wooden with scuff marks and golden accents.
They approached the door, and June knocked on it with a soft rap of her knuckles.
"Oh, what now?" A tired, old, and angry voice shouted from the other side of the door. After a few seconds, one of the doors slid open, and a small Indian woman poked her head out of the door. Her face was wrinkled with age, and her eyes were always squinting. White hair fell in front of her face with reckless abandon, leaving June to wonder how this woman could see, let alone see well enough to make sorcerer robes.
"Ah, Segwa. A pleasure, as always." Stephen said, a small hint of sarcasm behind his tone, but Segwa didn't seem to notice.
"Who the hell are you again?" She asked, her hands shaking as she opened the door fully and stepped out into the hallway.
"Uh, doctor Stephen Strange." He said, caught a bit off guard by Segwa's lack of memory or courtesy.
"Strange… Strange, Strange, Strange…. Ah, you're the one who had a bad run-in with the Roj-mal. What a shit job you did on that one." She used her cane to hobble inside her workshop, and beckoned for June and Stephen to follow her with a wave of her boney hand.
"Glad to know she's a fan of yours." June whispered to Stephen under her breath, making him let out a small chuckle.
"No shit." He replied under his breath, his brows raised for a second.
The inside of Segwa's workshop was dark, and cluttered. Mannequins were everywhere, and there were large piles of fabrics adorning every free surface. But despite how messy and dim the room was, there was no denying the quality of Segwa's work. The clothed mannequins were stunning, with expertly crafted and intricate robes adorning them. Some were made from silk, but most were made out of thicker, more durable materials.
A set of flowing red robes caught June's eye. There were several layers, including a tunic and a large overcoat, and it was decorated with bold accents of blue and gold. Maybe I should look into a new set… June's red sorcerer robes were adequate, but they were still apprentice robes, and plain. She wanted something louder, that showed off her new rank as an independent sorcerer.
"Your old set was ruined, couldn't repair them." Segwa croaked, pulling June out of her thoughts. "Which is good, because I wasn't happy with them. Terrible, just terrible. They made you look fat, Strange." She said as she hobbled towards a pile of folded robes. June let out a snort, while Stephen frowned at the comment. "But these…" She used some magic to lift the robes and make them hover in the air. "… These are art. Much better. I don't know if you deserve them though."
"Excuse me?" Stephen asked. The robes floated over to him with a wave of Segwa's hand, and he plucked them from the air eagerly.
"If you ruin these, don't bother coming back." She said, her brows furrowed. "You're on your own, I worked too hard on this set." She poked Stephen's chest with her cane, making him stagger a bit. "Well, try them on."
Stephen nodded, and his hands lit up with orange magic, sparks forming and flying off in every which way. The sparks multiplied, and quickly consumed Stephen in a second, concealing his form. They died down as quickly as they came, revealing Stephen in his sorcerer robes, with his normal clothes folded in his hands.
The new robes were magnificent. They were as black as the night, with red and blue accents crawling up the chest and adorning the sleeves. There was a gold sash across his stomach, and his hands were covered by gold fingerless gloves. The robes had a long back to them, which draped behind him, past his knees. The design continued on his back, giving the robes a gilded elegance to them that could only be achieved by a master seamstress. The robes covered and hinted at a golden tunic underneath the black overcoat, completing the whole look.
"Wow." June breathed. "You look hot."
Stephen grinned at her, and passed her a quick wink before turning to Segwa. "Thank you, master Segwa." He said with a bow. "They're great. I couldn't have done better myself." He said teasingly.
"You're damn right you couldn't." Segwa hissed but a small smile found its way to the edges of her thin lips. "Now get out of here, I have more work to do." She turned around and hobbled over to a desk, which was covered with various fabrics. Stephen turned to June, and they both left the workshop without a word.
As they closed the heavy doors behind them, master Shane rounded the corner into the hallway.
"Ah, there you are!" He said. His shoulders looked stiff, and his walk was rushed, as if there was something urgent happening. "I need you to come with me, master Strange." He said.
"The council can't last five minutes without my glowing presence, can't they?" Stephen joked. June rolled her eyes and elbowed him lightly in the side.
"I wonder what they want." She commented. Shane passed her a look.
"We need just master Strange. Sorry, Juniper. But I can't let you into this one." He explained.
"What?" June scoffed. "Fine, keep your secrets." She rested her hands on her hips and let out a small huff. She wasn't used to be excluded from things, especially when they involved Stephen. She turned to him and motioned to the clothes he was holding. "Since it's 'No Junes Allowed,' I guess I'll meet you back at the Sanctum? I can take your clothes back to your place." She said.
"Sounds great, I'll see you there." Stephen said, handing her his folded clothes. He looked at Shane. "Let's go." He said with a nod.
"Right on." Shane said as he moved some of his messy black hair out of his face. Together, they left for the council chambers, leaving June behind to sling back to New York.
"So, what's all this about? Why can't June be involved?" He asked Shane as they walked. He tried his best not to strut, but these new robes made him feel powerful and oddly sexy. His new and heavy boots clunked against the ground with each step.
Shane shook his head, making his hair a bit messy as he did so. "I can't explain out here, but you'll understand when we get there." He said. His silver robes billowed behind him as they walked, mirroring Stephen's new black robes.
Stephen frowned and tilted his chin down as he pondered the possibilities. What could they want with me? Thoughts were running through his mind: maybe he was getting demoted? What if they were forcing him to take on a new student, instead of giving him the option to take one at his will? He still couldn't figure out why June wasn't invited to the meeting.
Stephen didn't have to wonder long. They reached the council chambers quickly, and master Shane opened the door for Stephen. Unsure of what he was facing, Stephen held his head high and walked into the room, ready for anything.
"Master Strange." Araav greeted. There were other murmurs of greeting from the rest of the council. Shane took his place besides Bao, who adjusted his wheelchair to face Stephen.
"Let's cut to the chase." Stephen stated curtly. "I'm a busy man."
"Mind your tone." Deyman snapped.
Araav nodded. "As polite as ever. Very well." He paused for a moment, and crossed his arms over his chest. "Stephen, we have an offer for you."
An offer? Stephen's mind raced to think of what it could be. "What kind of offer?" He asked.
"A promotion, if you will." Bao cut in.
"You've earned it, if you ask me." Haukea grinned at Stephen, being her usually sunny self.
"Enough." Araav gently warned the council. "Master Stephen Strange, we have selected you to become the next sorcerer supreme."
Stephen's blood froze. Sorcerer supreme? They've got to be joking! There's no way! "I'm sorry, what?" He asked, shaking his head a bit.
"He didn't stutter." Deyman said. "You're the only man for the job. The Vishanti have decreed it."
"Wait, the Vishanti want me to be the sorcerer supreme? How can you tell?" Stephen asked. He felt like they were jumping to conclusions a bit. They've got the wrong guy.
"You opened the Book, Strange. You've done the impossible over and over again. You heard the voice of the Vishanti when you opened the Book for the first time. They've chosen you." Araav explained. Stephen shook his head.
"You've got to be joking…" He breathed, running a hand through his hair.
"We're not." Araav said. "Do you accept the title?"
Sorcerer supreme… Stephen paused. To accept would be to embrace unlimited power. The council was openly admitting that he was the strongest sorcerer in the world by attempting to crown him. The position would be perks, including not only the formal title, but the ability to go above and beyond his current power level. I could be just as powerful as the Ancient One… he thought. There would also be the bonus of running the council. They would defer to him, and he wouldn't have to take their shit anymore. He would be the head of the entire Order, the commander and leader of every sorcerer on the planet. This would open new doors for him, allowing him new power and the ability to throw his weight around. He could actually fix all the problems at Kamar-Taj with that kind of power.
As he pondered the concept in silence, the council watched him eagerly. Stephen crossed his arms and stoked his facial hair idly as he thought. Moments turned into minutes, and the silence was almost suffocating. After a few more moments, Stephen came to his decision.
"No."