No-One But You (The Mystic Consultant) - Part 2

Chapter 68: Sorcerer Supreme (Part 8)

When Victor Strange began learning the Mystic Arts with his brother, they determined that his abilities were very energy-driven. Victor was sensitive and receptive to the energy patterns that were all around him, so he noticed a strong energy emerge behind him first.

Victor's older brother concluded his conversation with Bucky Barnes, then he travelled into the realm of Oshtur. The former Sorcerer Supreme was the vessel for his Vishanti beast, and Agamotto didn't care to venture out of Stephen's body. The entity preferred Stephen Strange, and he never wanted to lose his perfect host.

Agamotto's connection to his host also meant that he was always dormant within Stephen. You couldn't get one without the other, so Agamotto couldn't be "brought" to Oshtur in any other way. It made fusing him, or elements of him, into something like an amulet a tricky task to accomplish.

Stephen appeared before his little brother, Oshtur, Tony and Steve. The group of four looked over the former Sorcerer Supreme, and three of them took note of the way his outfit and appearance had changed. Stephen was wearing a blue cloak in that moment. His supreme looking clothing had taken on a darker shade, and most of the dark blue he had on was trimmed with gold.

He gave his red cloak away to Victor to keep him protected, and safe. The time Stephen had spent living in the Dark Dimension changed his persona as well, so Steve Rogers really started studying the way Stephen had shown himself to his brother and friends.

They were still friends, right? Steve sometimes questioned the notion. He smiled at Stephen, then he gave a quick look over in Tony's direction. Those two had a thing centuries ago, and to this day… things between them never really seemed complete. Tony made his mind up about Stephen Strange a long time ago, but he declared that to be none of Steve's business back then.

Tony simply thought that the wizard supreme looked all grown up in that moment. He was a married man now, with a daughter, and two siblings who were amazing. Tony adored Stephen, and he was happy to know that he was still rooting for him behind the scenes. Tony knew that he still had some shit to work out with his main man, so the brunette did not return the attention toward Steve.

He kept looking at Stephen's new look, and he broke the group's silence with a familiar greeting.

"Hey Wiz.."

"Hello Tony. Steve. Victor."

Stephen smiled after he gave them all a cordial greeting. They all recently saw one another, back when Tony Stark decided to put on a show. The former Sorcerer Supreme maintained a normal appearance during that musical performance, because he went there with the intention of spending time with his brother. Other than that, Stephen had spent the majority of his time at home.

Victor couldn't stop staring at the change to his brother's appearance. It seemed like he towered even taller, and the energy surrounding him felt enormous. He looked way more "supreme" than anything Victor Strange had ever seen, so the baby Strange felt his soul tighten up where he stood. Victor knew that he had some hefty boots to fill, so seeing his brother made his nerves pick up for the worst.

Stephen was just, too mighty. Too powerful, and too supreme. Victor wasn't sure if he was actually looking at a human being in that moment. It felt like his brother had transcended into something else…

"I have some bad news for you Vic. Agamotto doesn't want to assist you, so I'll have to force him."

It was nothing personal, but his Vishanti beast was the ultimate diva. Stephen learned to embrace the arrogance, and all the chaos that came along with being Agamotto's host. Stephen also picked up some evolving methods on how to control the beast. He took a couple steps in Victor's direction, but then some brave blonde soul stepped in front of the new Sorcerer Supreme.

"Hold on."

Steve Rogers took a protective stance in front of Victor, and a dead silence suddenly fell over the group. With Oshtur's backing, Steve was more than prepared to engage with Agamotto, just in case he wanted to destroy what was in front of him. It was fair to say that there had been some trust issues brewing about between Steve Rogers and Stephen Strange for a looooonnnnngggg time.

Tony assumed they worked it out over sandwich dates and random hookups, but who really knew? Since the beginning, there had always been a turf battle, and a clash to the max going on between the two of them. Victor looked up toward Steve, then he cleared his throat. The baby Strange had to look over at his brother, because it felt like a war was about to erupt or something. Victor wasn't as naive as people thought, but in that moment he wasn't sure what to think.

Stephen was glad to see the move Steve Rogers made. He remained silent in that moment, because he was actually studying Agamotto's behavior beneath the surface. Stephen could see Victor's amulet, so his eyes slowly went in Tony's direction. An intrusive thought came through about the invention of another trinket. Agamotto's mind was emerging, so Stephen didn't move in any further.

"He wants to inspect Tony's work. He called it a trinket, so I'm not sure I'll allow it."

Stephen spoke specifically to Steve. He was letting the golden boy know the status of the situation, and he welcomed that protective stance. Tony took that moment to speak to Stephen's Vishanti beast. Agamotto was the inventor of the amulet that was currently wrapped around Stephen's neck, so of course… Tony wanted to brag about is own work.

"Agamotto, I promise you… it's not a trinket. This is the real deal, and it's just a means to protect the Sorcerer Supreme. A means to protect your sibling. Victor is family."

Remember family? Tony decided to speak to the situation one on one, inventor to inventor. He was very aware that Agamotto was arrogant, and he truly believed everything and everyone was inferior to his monumental intellect and strength. Stephen Strange was obviously his host for a reason, so Tony almost laughed after a bit. The ego in that realm was strengthening, and Tony thought it was hilarious.

A smile emerged on Stephen's face, because he caught the drift that was swimming around in Tony's head. His thoughts about Agamotto's ego were amusing, but the man couldn't comment. The former Sorcerer Supreme studied the look on his brother's face instead. There was excitement going on there, but confusion and fear was tagging along with it.

No one is ever really ready for anything, so Stephen made a decision in that moment to move things along for his baby brother.

"Come here Victor. It's fine."

Stephen gestured for his brother to approach him. Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhmmmm…. Victor stood up a little taller, and Steve Rogers moved in a little closer. I MEAN, just casually walking up to Stephen seemed like a good idea, but what if Agamotto took over? What if he approached ... then suddenly Agamotto crushes the amulet? What if he suddenly crushed his soul?

What if, what if, what if?

Victor panicked for a bit and he was super glad to see Steve Rogers in that moment. Well, he was always glad to see Steve, but Victor's nerves were officially shot. His brother repeated himself, and Victor suddenly felt like he had to form a decision. It actually came down to his ability to trust…..

…

..Stephen.

…

Everything going on in that moment relied on Stephen's ability to control Agamotto. Victor was done feeling naive, and in that moment his mind wandered off toward the behavior of someone else. He remembered the way Wade Wilson was speaking to him on the roof, before, then he ran off to cry about it to Tony Stark.

Wade treated him like a child. He spoke to him as if he were a little kid. Victor knew it was time to grow up, and to trust himself too. He kept staring at Steve's broad shoulder, then his eyes migrated over and focused on his colossal big brother. Stephen was a patient man, so he waited for his brother to work out his thoughts.

They all were there in that moment for Victor, because keeping him safe was at the top of everyone's list. Stephen was aware of the risk, and he smiled when his brother disappeared from behind Steve. Victor reappeared right in front of Stephen, and the older brother took a second to inspect that amulet.

It was make or break. Tony told himself that he'd build another one for Victor if Agamotto decided to be a petty diva bitch… They'd get him to cooperate eventually, or whatever. Everyone felt like they were on pins and needles in that moment, because Stephen brought his hand up to Victor's amulet.

The former Sorcerer Supreme touched the device that was designed to contain power from the Vishanti. He looked it over and quietly said something about Tony's recent work. Victor swallowed down his soul a million times as he waited. He watched his big brother, and he wondered what was going on within his head.

Chapter: END

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