YOO!
YOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
THAT TRAILER!
THAT TRAILER WAS FUCKING INCREDIBLE!
WOOOO NO WAY HOME!
WE GOT THE SINISTER SIX AND BEST OF ALL WE GOT OLD SCHOOL OCK AND GOBBY BACK. WE GOT THE SINISTER SIX! WE GOT THE MULTI/SPIDERVERSE!
I feel the last few years has been a lull of sorts with the MCU thanks to Covid and then they've slowly been ramping themselves back up. Sure Black Widow wasn't all that good but their Plus shows have been successful for the most part but now, with No Way Home and the Madness of the Multiverse on the horizon, even with newcomers like Shang-Chi and Eternals, feels like Phase 4 now has its focus for the future.
Like, holy fuck that trailer has got me all hyped on ANOTHER LEVEL!
Just, FUCK YES.
Thank you all for the reviews of excitement and yeah, it is a weird group I have here in this arc.
A Jedi, a WWII brainwashed super soldier, a surgeon who's now a wizard and a man possessed by a vengeful spirit.
And quick note to be addressed later, Shang Chi was awesome.
Let's keep going people!
Rate Read and Review and as Always Have Nice Day.
Avengers Infinite Wars Chapter 53: Stranger and Grave Danger
Dr. Stephen Strange.
A man of many talents.
Master physician and surgeon.
Identifier of many old school songs and artists.
Photographic memory.
And now…
A student once again.
In particular, a student to an ancient order that dates to over thousands upon thousands of years that studies in the occult, magic and mysticism of the world.
How did he get to where he is now?
He glanced down at his trembling hands with the multitude of scars, both accidental and surgical that had so drastically changed his life.
His hands, which had performed countless surgeries, gained fame through his ability to operate with a precision and steadiness that was unrivaled in his field.
Now all they do is shake incessantly, fulfilling no purpose other than to be a reminder of what he once had.
Of what he once was.
Of what he must strive to overcome and heal in this place of magic and mysticism.
So here he was failing spectacularly in conjuring a portal with his sling ring, a magical item that allows the mystics of Kamar-Taj to traverse anywhere in this and any universe imaginable.
Their gateway through the multiverse.
That idea alone is enticing enough for him to be here. The fact that the idea of the Multiverse is real and not some fanciful sci-fi, make believe show. Then again, instead of sci-fi, it's magic in this regard and instead of it being fiction it was real.
If only he can conjure the damn thing.
All he's been able to make are pitiful sparks before him that petered out after a few arm rotations with no successful portal conjuration.
He stood in the center row of other students that were all undergoing the same training that he just kept failing at.
Stephen grit his teeth, going in for another attempt at summoning a portal from his sling ring as he recalled the first few days spent here in Kamar-Taj.
In his first one on one lesson he had with the Ancient One, she likened spells and incantations to codes and programs. The source code that allowed them to harness the magical power of other universes into creating shields, swords, objects items and reshape reality to their will.
This was the basis in which their iteration of magic stems from.
Tao stated that to achieve mastery of such skills it would take the same amount of dedication that he took when he became a surgeon.
Study and practice, years of it.
Or maybe months.
If he could just conjure a damned portal.
He grit his teeth in anger and frustration after what felt like the hundredth time he spun his hand about in the air to no avail.
"Ease up on the angry shove there, Strange."
Stephen exhaled as he had his hands drop and gave the lady beside him a withering stare.
"You're trying too hard." Said the woman patiently. "You need to let it just flow through you."
"How can I not try hard, Morne?" Strange rhetorically asked. "And don't give me that do or do not bullshit. Everything starts with trying."
The Jedi Shadow known as Celeste Morne chuckled with mirth.
It was still a strange concept for the former surgeon to believe that this woman who stands before him is from space and comes from her own group of wizards and witches.
Space Hogwarts as he called it.
She didn't get the reference… yet.
"You sound like my boyfriend."
"Really?" Strange said dryly. "A boyfriend? How'd you pull that off?"
He only received a flat look in response before he was unceremoniously tripped and found himself on his back.
"Celeste." Warned a stern voice though one could detect his hint of amusement.
Celeste put on an innocent act as she turned to the instructor of this group, all of whom were now looking at her and Strange.
"Yes Master Mordo?"
"We do not trip out initiates." Mordo stated with a flat look, lip twitching upwards.
Morne conveyed faux-confusion. "Tripped? Whatever could you possibly mean by such a thing Master Mordo? Could you not see that Mr. Strange was just feeling frustrated? He just collapsed in annoyance at his failure."
"In more ways than one." Said a calm female voice.
In an instant, all save for Strange who was grumbling as he stood up, turned and faced the Ancient One who came into the courtyard they were all residing in.
"Master Mordo, Daniel has prepared the next leg of their training." Tao said, looking to Karl first who nodded and gestured for all to follow.
"Not you Strange."
The Doctor sighed and stopped mid step as he turned to her.
"My hands-" He said straight away, holding up his scarred limbs.
"It's not about your hands." Tao quickly cut him off.
"How can it not be about my hands?" Stephen shot back irritably. "All I've been doing is waving them in the air."
"I do that too." Celeste stated, holding up her hand as her lightsaber levitated above it. "Didn't the Ancient One tell you on how to achieve such feats?"
"Yes, years' worth of study and practice." Strange said with a roll of his eyes.
"For me, months here and years at the Jedi temple."
"But my hands-"
"You are limiting yourself on the physical." Tao cut him off, shaking her head. "The mystic arts, while the basis of having a strong physical body does play a role to a degree, is in the end all about your mentality and spirituality."
Tao then looked to her left and standing beside her was a Master of Asian descent.
"Master Hamir, if you would."
The master nodded and stepped forward, hands hidden in his sleeves. He pulled them both out and Strange blinked.
Stephen was clearly surprised to see the man was handicapped, due to the loss of his left hand.
With the wave of his arms, the mystic master was able to conjure an ethereal glyph in the air.
"Thank you Master Hamir." Tao said with a pleased smile.
He bowed slightly towards her before walking away.
"See?" Celeste said, hand in Hamir's direction. "It's all in your mind."
Tao continued on. "You cannot beat a river into submission. You have to surrender to its current and use its power as your own."
Stephen grunted aloud. "Celeste already told me the same thing about her and her Force thing. How do I control when I surrender to it? That doesn't make any sense."
"Not everything does." Tao said. "Not everything has to. Your intellect has taken you far in life, but it will take you no further. Surrender, Stephen."
Celeste then realized what she was about to do. "Wait, Master, are you sure that-"
"Trust me, Morne." Tao assured with a mischievous smile, conjuring forth a portal. "Silence your ego and your power will rise."
The Ancient One ushered Stephen to follow her into the portal, leaving Celeste alone in the training yard. She can feel the harsh cold coming from the other side, while barely hearing what's being spoken due to the wind.
In less than a minute, Tao walked back through and closed the portal, leaving Stephen behind.
The Jedi cringed as she heard the man's cries of terror upon being left there on Everest.
"Do you think he can pull it off?" Celeste asked nervously.
"You did, didn't you?"
The Jedi shot her a deadpan look. "Master, I have the advantage of the Force and was already taught to be open minded. Stephen isn't like that."
"What's going on here?" Asked by a curious voice from behind, Mordo returned to stand next to them both.
He looked around for a moment.
"Where is our newest recruit?"
"Dropped off somewhere desolate." Celeste quickly said. "If he doesn't succeed, he may perish."
"He'll be back." Tao quickly said, fanning herself. "... any second now."
Mordo caught the look in Morne's eyes and slumped slightly.
"Oh God not again."
Over with Strange, he desperately spun his hands about in an attempt to both summon the portal to Kamar-Taj whilst fighting off the freezing cold of Mount Everest.
He developed only sparks and yelled in anger and fear.
He was going to die here, he was sure of it.
Stephen looked around, breathing heavily as he felt his skin literally burn as it fought off the cold.
The Doctor closed his eyes and was ready to resign himself to his failure and death when a stray memory floated through his mind.
"The Force? What's that?"
"It's my organization's understanding of the Power Cosmic and you could say our version of magic too. It exists in all places across the cosmos and connects and binds us together. When I was being trained as a Jedi, my masters always told me that the Force exists within you. You just need to open yourself to it and let it flow through you freely. Think of it like a power source and you're the conductor."
"Huh…"
Stephen opened his mind, body shivering as he gazed back to the area where he came from.
'Open my mind.' Strange internally told himself. 'Let go… let it go… Let it all go...'
Back with Celeste, Tao and Mordo, they had stood on the same spot and waited anxiously for Stephen's return.
After another few minutes, Celeste wordlessly prepared to summon her own portal only for Tao to place her hands atop hers and gently pushed them down.
As she did so, Celeste's eyes widened before she found herself grinning at the sight before her.
Strange had at last succeeded.
He stumbled through the portal and quickly fell into a fetal position, due to how cold he was from his first visit to Everest.
Mordo instantly conjured forth a thick blanket and wrapped it around Stephen who rapidly nodded in appreciation.
He gazed up at The Ancient One who smiled down at him in pride.
"You've taken your next step, Mr. Strange."
The Doctor let out a strained laugh as he was helped up to his feet by Karl and Celeste.
He was dismissed, Celeste helping him to his room.
On the way there, he ran into a man that seemed very much out of place when looking at everything here.
He stood a slight bit taller than Strange, had a more rugged look to him with his slight stubble and neck length hair.
But above all else was the metal arm that was plain as all day to see.
"Love." Celeste greeted serenely, leaving Strange's side to go over to the odd man who smiled lovingly down at her.
"Celeste." He murmured, leaning down to kiss her briefly. "Having a good day teaching?"
"I have been." Celeste said, wrapping her arms around him. "I'd like you to meet the newest student here. Dr. Stephen Strange."
An analytical look graced Stephen's face as he gazed at the man before him. There was something familiar about him, but he can't quite place it. He clearly never met the man before in his life, yet he knew him somehow.
Bucky moved forward slightly, his regular arm offered in a handshake. "Hey there, I'm-"
"Wait…" Strange stared intently at Barnes for a few moments. "You… I know you. I've seen your face before…"
Stephen continued to gaze upon the WWII veteran until something clicked in his head. "You! Bucky Barnes? James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes of the Howling Commandos?!"
The war veteran visibly cringed upon hearing that, facing away from the former surgeon. Celeste frowned, holding her lover tightly which he quickly reciprocated.
"I take it you know me."
"Who doesn't?" Stephen rhetorically asked in open astonishment. "Everyone grew up on you, Captain Rogers and the Howling Commandos. Your group was a big focus during some history courses when getting into WWII. How are you alive? I thought you died in the Austrian Alps."
"In a sense…" Bucky said distractedly.
"Did ya have to do that to him?" Celeste asked dryly.
Stephen winced upon realizing that Bucky's "death" was a sore subject.
"I'm terribly sorry, I-"
"You don't read the news do ya?"
Stephen then turned to another man who seemed incredibly out of place given his jeans, leather jacket and metal chain wrapped around him.
"And you are…?"
"Like Bucky, a guest." the man said, patting Barnes on the shoulder.
"A name at least." Stephen said expectantly.
The man rolled his eyes at that. "Robbie Reyes."
"Doctor Stephen Strange."
Bucky's head tilted. "What's with our names?"
They both looked at the Winter Soldier. "Huh?"
"Our names, I can't be the only one who noticed it." Barnes only received blank looks. "Urgh, nevermind. Come on Robbie, London's waiting for us."
"You're leaving already?" Celeste asked with a frown. "But you already went out earlier this week."
"Muur is still out there with those idiot Zealots." Robbie said dismissively. "So long as he's out there, bastard's a threat and that virus of his too."
"He's right Celeste." Bucky said. "We gotta find them and get Muur and his talisman back here."
"I can come with you, you know." Morne said.
Bucky didn't respond, instead placing his regular hand upon her cheek with a loving gaze.
"You've got your responsibilities here." James said. "You've got training to do for yourself and Strange here. Besides, when we find Muur and Kaecilius, you're the first one we'll call."
Celeste huffed, poking her lover on the chest. "You better, James Buchanan Barnes."
"Yes Ma'am." Bucky said with a grin.
The two shared a quick kiss before he and Robbie left them both.
"Bucky Barnes is in a place of sorcerers and magic." Stephen said to himself, watching as both men walked away from them. "For some reason, that is the weirdest thing I've seen since coming here."
"Is it really all that strange, Strange?"
A dry look was soon delivered, earning a small smirk.
"Who's this Murr he was talking about?" Asked the former surgeon.
A grim look quickly graced her features.
"A blight on reality."
-Scene Cut-
The duo of Bucky Barnes and Robbie Reyes were driving around the darkened streets of London in relative silence.
They had been out here for an hour or so by now and they hadn't really talked much for the most part.
That was until…
"So the fiery skull thing…"
Robbie snorted from the driver's seat, shaking his head at the comment, already having an idea as to where this conversation is going.
"Were you not paying attention?" Robbie rhetorically asked. "That mystic bald lady gave the thing that's inside me a name."
"Zach, yeah, I remember." Bucky remarked.
"Zarathos." The young drifter corrected with an amused shake of his head. "Just heard him shout that in my head."
He received an odd look from the soldier. "You can talk to him?"
"When he wants to." Robbie said cryptically.
Bucky snorted derisively. "That's not creepy at all."
Reyes could only shrug. "It's just the way it is now."
"And how'd you get him?" Bucky asked. "Cursed? Deal with the devil gone wrong? That sort of thing?"
Robbie was silent at first with a haunted look in his eyes. His grip on the wheel tightened, the sound of leather straining and stretching as Reyes tensed up.
It was easy for Bucky to recognize the haunted and far off look Robbie's eyes held.
He had seen it a hundred if not thousands of times before back during the war. Hell, he saw the same set of eyes every time he looked in the mirror.
The eyes of a tired, weary and broken man. A man who has not known peace in a long time.
"Summing it up, I got my "roommate" in order to protect my brother." Robbie deflected, face twitching slightly.
Bucky arched a brow up. "That's it? That's the best I'm gonna get?"
"Yes." The driver said defensively.
Barnes shot him a hard gaze now. "You do remember who you're talking to right? The shit I've seen. The shit I've done. Wasn't it you who told me that thing inside you can detect the sins every soul has on them?"
Robbie shook his head. "You know that's not the same."
"Of course it's not." Bucky countered. "But the feeling is. That feeling of pain. Of guilt. Closing your eyes and remembering the things that you've done."
"Everyone I ever came for had it coming." Robbie nearly shouted. "Every last one of them deserved after the sins that they committed."
The look Bucky had upon Robbie intensified. "And you're telling me the way you've killed them all doesn't bother you one bit?"
Reyes went rigid, a small sheen of sweat appearing on his forehead.
"You know it does." He said silently after a few seconds.
"So…" Bucky leaned back into his seat. "How'd you get it?"
Robbie remained silent, choosing not to respond once more.
"I crashed my car." Robbie said, voice croaking slightly. "Cause I was a fucking idiot who dragged my brother into a stupid race that nearly got both of us killed. A gang… they threw a molotov cocktail at our car and, well, next thing I knew I found myself lying on the ground with every bone in my body broken."
Reyes choked, feeling himself tremble as he relived the experience in his mind.
"I remember, just before I hit the street, that I begged. I begged the universe, God, whatever force there may be to save my brother and only my brother."
Bucky chewed the inside of his cheek, hesitating for a moment. "And then?"
They were at a stoplight, giving Robbie the chance to look Bucky squarely in the eye.
"I hit the street." He said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "And then I died."
The light turned green and they resumed their drive.
"My brother was paralyzed from the crash and he was going to die because of them." Robbie said with a burning anger now. "He was going to die and I could do nothing about it."
The former HYDRA assassin didn't reply at first, now staring ahead at the road before them.
"So what brought you back?"
Robbie let out a haggard sigh. "I heard a voice. It just asked me one thing. Did I want vengeance for the fuckers who caused my brother so much pain? Only one answer I had for that. Yes."
He raised a single hand and smoke began emanating off of it.
"The "good Samaritan" who passed this on to me had an old nickname that followed him wherever he went." Robbie stated. "The Ghost Rider. My predecessor gave my "roommate" to me in order to save my life and give me the chance for vengeance."
"The Spirit of Vengeance." Bucky remarked. "That's what The Ancient One called it."
"A Spirit of Vengeance." Robbie repeated, a dark look in his eyes.
"What does that mean exactly?" Barnes asked. "Vengeance? Avenge? Does this spirit wanna try out in being an Avenger?"
"That's just a fancy title Stark named himself and his friends." Robbie refuted. "He doesn't know the full meaning of the term."
Bucky was silent as the Ghost Rider lectured him.
"A true avenger houses powerful resentment, which doesn't fade even in the afterlife. Rather than revenge, it's primarily fueled by avenging. And from what I know, there are several types. Those suffering from "scorned love" are those born from hatred speak of love... and they would show compassion after experiencing cruelty. Those who "burn with pure hatred" are those born from love speak of hatred. Those who experienced happiness meet their end through betrayal. In the end, it's an endless cycle of what goes around comes around. Over time, grudges become uncertain and unable to know what to truly hate. All one knows is the need to kill and wipe out anything in their path until their target is snuffed out. Once they're gone, it repeats over and over until everything is forever gone."
Bucky opted not to respond to that considering his old friend was an Avenger and honestly, he would feel a tad bit guilty in dismissing the name his friend represents.
Clearing his throat, Barnes went on. "Alright, so your "roommate" can be passed down then. How does it work? They don't pay rent or something?"
Robbie snorted. "Basically. Though not as simple as that. It's a matter of circumstance."
"Sounds convenient." Bucky remarked. "Have any idea how many had that spirit before you?"
Reyes hummed to himself in thought, seemingly having an internal discussion with himself or for all intents and purposes, with Zarathos.
"There have been a whole litany of Riders over the millennia which spanned all over the globe." Robbie recounted, voice actually warping slightly. "The Spirit of Vengeance goes where the innocent have been wronged and violated with penance and justice following soon after. Regardless of the sinner, retribution is inevitable."
Bucky was silent, digesting the received information.
"So… what about me then?" He asked, voice low.
Robbie glanced at him out of the corner of his eyes. "What about you?"
"You know what I mean." Bucky said, tone grim and expression dark. "You said it yourself, remember? Your roommate can detect the sins on every soul. Pretty sure mine is swimming in an ocean of it."
"That's not how it works." Robbie quickly answered.
"Does it now?" Barnes' ire was raised now. "You talked about penance and justice."
"Do you want to have your soul burned for all eternity for every single person you killed while being brainwashed?"
"...Excuse me?"
"After being his partner for all this time, I had to learn which was which. Doing such sins for one's own violation and free will or was because they were forced and controlled. Many scumbags I came across were a mixture of each. Some took enjoyment while others greatly resented it as they had no other choice. So tell me, do you really want to be punished for something out of your control?"
Robbie received no answer, making the man sigh.
"Alright, then how bout this? Celeste, you seem to really love her." He got the desired reaction as he saw the Winter Soldier tense up considerably. "Cause I'm fairly confident that losing you would break her cause she's very much in love with you."
Bucky leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes as the thought of now losing Celeste, someone he would never have thought to love now haunted him deeply.
"The road to redemption will be a truly long one. Yes, they all weigh on your very soul. The grief you bare holds you back from moving on to a better tomorrow. In order to unshackle them, you need to address and resolve these issues one after another."
The Winter Soldier remained silent for a time until he chuckled.
"What?" Robbie said in confusion.
"Was that you or the spirit giving that kind of therapy?"
Reyes shook his head, a smirk in place now. "As a matter of fact, that was all me I-"
Robbie's mouth clamped shut as he froze up and his eyes visibly changed to raging fire.
"Robbie?" Bucky's voice conveyed slight concern at the man's sudden mood shift.
"Blood." The voice that came out was far more terrifying and demonic. "BloOD oF ThE InnOCeNT has beEn SPILLED!"
In an instant, he floored the accelerator of the car with the tires screeching against the pavement and kicking up dirt and steam.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, ROBBIE!" Bucky exclaimed, grasping onto the overhead grip as the car sped through the streets of London.
He could do nothing as it appeared as though the Rider now was in complete control of Robbie now as the vessel was weaving in and around any cars it came across with ease.
"Ah shit!" Bucky yelled, the two headed right towards traffic.
Reyes only grinned, flakes of his skin wafting off before it all started to burn away to reveal the metallic skull underneath.
The Ghost Rider looked over at Bucky and he swore he saw the skull quickly grin.
"BEST HOLD ON."
"Or get out!"
Wanting to get out, Bucky quickly unbuckled his safety belt and opened the door. He dove out and performed a recovery roll so he wouldn't get hit by any incoming cars.
He quickly got up in time to see the car wheels alight in flames and a plume of fire expunged itself from the wheels with the car sailing over the traffic and landing on the other side with no problem before it drove off at full speed.
Bucky blinked upon seeing that. "Oh… well… didn't know he could do that. Guess I should have just stayed in the car."
He then heard the telltale signs of an explosion going off far in the distance.
"Nevermind then." He said dryly. "Crazy driver."
The soldier knew he now needed to get back to the Sanctum. Problem was, he just didn't know how long it'll take from where he was presently at.
He'll just need to find any discernible landmarks and find his way back.
He wanted to go out to help Robbie but considering he had a demonic spirit inhabiting him that basically made him hard to kill, Bucky figured whatever it was that caused him to drive off like that, he could handle it.
Shaking his head, Bucky turned away, ignoring the group of people that had come out of their cars to try to understand what they saw and began walking away.
"Желание (Longing)."
Bucky momentarily stopped for a brief moment when he heard the word. He shook his head a little and went on as the surrounding sounds were heard.
"Ржавый (Rusted)."
There it was again. It was strange hearing this all of a sudden. Not to mention being so clear for him to pick up on.
"Семнадцать (Seventeen)."
Bucky now frowned as he felt his movement begin to slow down.
"Рассвет (Daybreak)."
The Soldier's eyes widened, ears starting to ring now.
"Печь (Furnace)."
Everything began to blur and the man started hyperventilating.
"Девять (Nine)."
By this point, everything around him was tuned out in favor of latching onto those familiar, vile words that he heard for seven decades.
"Добросердечный (Benign)."
'No, no, no, no!' Bucky pleaded in his thoughts, a suffocating feeling from within taking over.
"Возвращение на Родину (Homecoming)."
'NO! NOT THIS!'
"Один (One)."
It was too late.
"Товарный вагон (Freight car)."
Bucky froze, rooted on the spot, unmoving with his expression devoid of any emotion other than utter obedience.
A man who appeared to be around his age stepped around the super soldier from behind and regarded him with a sharp look.
He wore a long trench coat with a furry collar and appeared to have a penchant for a more subdued, blackened purple. In one hand was a small device which no longer flickered it's lights when he let go of the button. A device which emitted a frequency only heard once adjusted accordingly for targeted people to pick up on.
The other was a red book, similar to that of the one that Bucky possessed which he quickly tucked away into his coat.
"Sergeant Barnes." The man spoke quietly.
"Я жду приказаний (I'm awaiting Orders)." Came the almost robotic response from the Winter Soldier.
The man nodded in satisfaction upon hearing this though his expression conveyed no satisfaction. Just focus and determination.
"Come with me."
The Winter Soldier could do nothing other than comply as he followed after this strange man.
Once the two sat on a secluded bench, the man gave his next order.
"I would like to know what happened on December 16th, 1991." He commanded. "Spare no details of your report."
The Winter Soldier complied, listing off everything that was asked of him.
All the while, back in Kamar-Taj, Celeste Morne was busy instructing Strange about some books he was reading when she froze.
He instantly took note of this, looking up to her.
"Celeste?" Stephen noticed her expression shift into one of concern. "Hey, is everything alright?"
"I… I don't know." the Jedi felt her heart clench up when only one thought or one man in particular ran through her mind.
'Bucky.' she internally said to herself.
Back where Bucky was at, the man nodded and committed everything to memory as to what the Winter Soldier was speaking to him.
"Good. Now sit here until you come out of your present state." He said as he stood back up.
"Понял (Understood)."
The man nodded and walked away from the scene before making it to his car and taking off.
By the time Bucky got back to normal, he frantically looked over for the man but could not find any trace of him.
He felt a cold sweat go down his brow as a nauseating feeling began welling up inside.
"No." Bucky shook violently. "God, please no. Not again."
-Scene Cut-
Doctor Strange had advanced rapidly in the time since his "trip" to the top of Mount Everest.
Upon "letting go" of his ego, as the Ancient One had called it, Stephen felt a sort of awakening from within.
He was now beginning to grasp spells and incantations at a rapid degree and was even now excelling further than most other initiates who had been here for far longer than he was.
The only one who kept up with him and really taught him anything was Celeste Morne.
Stephen begged to learn everything of his desired subjects. Then he began questioning everything about them as he began committing them to memory. All of it happened once he opened himself to the concepts.
For a while, he had been a frequent visitor to the magical library and absorbing everything like a sponge. Even smuggling out books left and right after closing hours.
It was almost like his time at university all over again.
The only difference between then and now was him having magic. Using a sling ring to "check out" the books out under Wong's supervision and using astral projection while he slept to read more and more.
After Wong basically ratted him out, he had to take his training more carefully in the Mirror Dimension in order to curb his quick advancements. Not that Stephen minded, just another place where he can experiment with his spell work to a degree.
Currently, Strange was on his way to speak with Celeste on something he had read again when he heard someone was with her in her room.
It was easy though to assume who it was.
"Again?" he heard her muffled voice.
"I just…" Came the voice of a distraught Bucky Barnes. "I just want to have a good night's sleep. It's too much."
"What do you remember?"
"He… was around our age. Caucasian and wore a trench coat. I don't know if he was HYDRA, I don't think I ever saw him."
"What did he even want?"
Strange heard no reply at first before he heard a mumble of some kind and he strained his ears, managing to pick up on a few words from that last statement.
"...Ember 16th, 1991."
"One of your missions for HYDRA I take it."
HYDRA? Was he hearing that right?
Aside from the history books, he recalled something on the news a while back. SHIELD files and documents were leaked onto the internet for all to read and digest. And from various sources, people decrypted and reported that HYDRA had stayed active far past WWII. Stating that Nazi founded organization had infiltrated SHIELD and did a whole lot of things behind the public eye.
Then what was Bucky's connection to them?
"Hey, hey, Bucky, love, look at me."
Strange didn't see it since the door was still closed.
"You know I'm here for you, right? Just like you were for me when you first found me. Whatever it is you're going through, I'll be right by your side to help you through it as you did for me."
Hearing this, Strange subconsciously reached for his left wrist and remembered he had left his watch in his room.
He recalled standing before a building and out walked a woman in a lavish and beautiful dress.
'Christine…' The Doctor thought in a somber manner.
For some years, the two of them were together and it was absolutely the best time of his life.
Yet his ego got the best of him, driving his girlfriend away and ending their relationship.
It was even more awkward as they still worked together at the same hospital, making a number of interactions after they freshly broke up to be more unbearable.
He honestly doesn't know what may have been if his ego didn't put a wedge between them. Would he still be happy with her and become a better person? Would he never get himself into that accident which cost his hands?
Such is that universal and cosmic life question of "What if?..."
Letting out a sigh, Strange turned and left the two to themselves, not wanting to interrupt their moment together for some advice he can get at a later time.
His ego has ruined one relationship in this lifetime.
He'd rather not do it again.
-Scene Cut-
Kaecilius sat cross legged within the cathedral he and his followers had taken up residence in.
He had only six left and he made sure that they were to keep a low profile as he'd rather not risk them getting caught by his traitorous former master.
"How long do you intend on remaining here, sitting idly by like a coward?"
Kaecilius' expression remained blank, picking up one of the pages he had taken from the book of Cagliostro.
"As long as I have to, Muur." He stated calmly.
"Bah! Just like many Jedi I had to deal with when I was once flesh and blood."
"And yet, they still beat you back, did they not?"
"And how would you assume such a thing?" Muur snarled, glaring hatefully at the man before him.
"Your reaction says it all." Kaecilius drably replied, shaking his head.
Muur's expression turned murderous for a few moments until he dropped it and his spirit plopped down onto the floor and he crossed his legs.
"What are you even doing?" Karness couldn't help but ask.
"Deciphering the means in which we will access that which has been denied to us."
Muur gave a derisive snort. "Let me take a guess. A source of power you are well aware of yet have been expressly denied in learning how to utilize it yourself?"
The former Master of the Mystic Arts froze and slowly looked up at the spirit.
The Sith Lord held a smug look, crossing his arms as he gazed down upon him with an unimpressed look.
"I take it this is something you're familiar with." Kaecilius stated more than he asked.
Muur was silent for a moment, sneering at the man who only rolled his eyes.
"You do realize that you are trapped here for an indefinite amount of time." The rebel Mystic said with a threatening voice. "And should you refuse to speak, I can simply wring it out of you. We know how to harm an astral spirit in case you forgot."
Kaecilius held no small amount of satisfaction upon seeing the seething look Karness directed towards him.
"Now then, what did you mean by what you said."
Muur clenched his teeth, head twitching as he had to forcibly contain his anger as he regarded the sorcerer.
"Where I come from, I was once a part of something known as the Jedi Order." Karness said, an aged tone coming over him. "We were all once one in the same, practitioners of the Force and had an adherence to it through our Order. There was a time where we were all once brothers and sisters in the Force."
"But I take it that was not to be, yes?"
Muur snorted in a dismissive manner. "That would be putting it mildly. For centuries, our order studied both aspects of the Force until the Dark Side became rather frightening to most of us. That sort of knowledge and practices became forbidden and naturally, there were those that wished to understand why this was."
Kaecilius didn't respond, allowing for the Sith spirit to go on.
"At one point in time, a schism occurred in the order. I and many others followed another by the name of Ajunta Pall, a former Jedi Master who would later become the first Dark Lord of the Sith. My fellow Dark Jedi and I were revered as gods. We were free to do whatever we wanted in our studies in the Force.
"And that wound up with you like this I take it."
"You fool." Muur groused out. "I chose this route. With my own sorcery and Force abilities, I have attained immortality, something not even the greatest of the Sith could achieve. I have lived and breathed before you to this day for thousands of years."
Kaecilius, however, was not as impressed. "And yet, you are powerless before individuals such as me and The Ancient One."
"It is only because you have a form of power I have yet to understand." Muur shot back. "When the time comes that I do, I shall rise again, far more powerful than any other Sith who have come before and after my time."
Kaecilius only hummed in thought, returning to reading the pages before him.
The rather blatant dismissal served in raising the ire of the Sith Lord who began to grow in size with his clawed hands shooting out at the Sorcerer.
Without even looking up, Kaecilius threw his hand up and a defensive dome appeared around him.
Muur's hand touched the dome and he recoiled violently with his entire astral form spasming.
"You are as petty as you are easy to anger." Kaecilius blandly stated. "Are all Sith like this? If so, it is no wonder you lost your war against your former Jedi comrades."
The Sith ghost growled at the verbal jab.
"Master Kaecilius."
The man looked up from the pages he was reading and glanced over to see his zealots have returned.
"What have you managed to bring back?"
"A number of books and scrolls." A female Zealot stated, placing her bag down and pulled out one heavy looking tomb and placed it in his hands. "The Ancient One draws power from the Dark Dimension. Perhaps if we were to do the same with our own methods, we would have a greater chance at defeating her."
Kaecilius was silent, processing and regarding the given information.
Muur all the while hung back, glaring hatefully at the man in charge of this little rebellious faction of magic users until his eyes began to drift amongst his followers.
He narrowed his eyes at them, assessing each one individually until he settled upon one Zealot in particular who appeared rather jittery and nervous. A stark contrast compared to the rest of the group he was a part of.
A small smile graced his lips as the Spectre formed a plan in his mind.
-Scene Cut-
Stephen Strange watched as Celeste Morne fought in a sparring session with her lover Bucky Barnes.
He was wielding a staff of some kind that had both edges alight with ethereal energy whilst Celeste held her glowing yellow sword she called a lightsaber.
They appeared to have been at it for some time given that they were sweating profusely.
Honestly, by the looks of it, Stephen thought it came across as some really intense foreplay before they get freaky under the sheets.
That last little quick session ended with Morne leaning upon Barnes in a provocative manner.
All while doing so in front of The Ancient One.
It was still a bizarre sight to see all things considered in regards to circumstance.
A man from World War II who was brainwashed by a Nazi death-cult and survived all this time by being kept in stasis was in a relationship with some space-wizard-samurai who were now in a place that teaches magic while having befriended a young Hispanic man who is the vessel for some kind of other worldly entity that delivers "vengeance" upon those that have sinned.
That statement alone was enough to have anyone's head spin and try to make sense of it all.
However, when Strange took a step back and thought about the world he lives in right now, Thor exists. The God of Thunder is a real being, which puts into context a whole host of all the mystical and magical things that have been "claimed" to be real in the past.
So really, it was better not to think on it for long lest one gets a migraine and just roll with the punches by this freaky world by this point.
Slowly wrapping the cloth around his scarred hands, Stephen slowly prepared himself for the coming training session.
"Are you ready?" Mordo asked, standing before the former neurosurgeon.
"For what?" Strange asked rhetorically. "To get my ass handed to me? I'm not a fighter, you know."
"As was I before coming here." The Master stated. "But like myself and Celeste have taught you before. True mastery of the Mystic Arts comes in the form of balance with the physical and spiritual."
"You could just tell people stay in shape, your magic will be stronger."
"It isn't just about being fit as you would call it." Mordo said with a slight chortle. "It's about the discipline of the body and mind."
Stephen rolled his shoulders. "If you say so."
His eyes began to wander to the other side of the training field.
"So just how ancient is she?" Stephen said, referring to the leader of the magic order.
Mordo quirked his brow and gazed over at The Ancient One who was fanning herself while continuing to watch Bucky and Celeste spar with one another.
"No one knows the age of the Sorcerer Supreme. Only that she's Celtic and never talks about her past."
"You follow her, even though you don't know?" Stephen questioned Mordo.
"I know she's steadfast, but unpredictable. Merciless, yet kind. She made me what I am." Mordo stated with pride and clear admiration.
With that said, Karl shifted into a battle stance which Strange emulated with his own variation.
"Trust your teacher…" Mordo said, the two circling one another. "and don't lose your way."
"Like Kaecilius?" Strange asked, though it was rhetorical in tone.
"That's right."
Mordo went for a roundhouse kick that Strange deftly avoided.
He then ducked under the arms and pushed forward against Mordo.
Both locked arms but Strange held a slight height advantage and pressed his elbow up against Mordo's neck.
"You knew him." Strange stated.
Mordo immediately reversed the position and now was behind Stephen and got him into a chokehold.
"When he first came to us, he'd lost everyone he ever loved. He was a grieving, broken man searching for answers in the mystic arts."
Strange struggled against Mordo's grasp but paused upon hearing Karl's next set of words.
"A brilliant student, but he was proud, headstrong. He questioned the Ancient One, rejecting her teaching. Remind you of anyone?"
Strange responded with an elbow to Karls' stomach, the man doubling over slightly as he released Stephen.
Mordo stood up straight and gave Strange a nod of acknowledgement whilst the man rubbed his neck.
"Not long before your arrival, he left Kamar-Taj." Mordo went on. "His disciples followed him like sheep. Seduced by false doctrine."
"And he stole the forbidden ritual, right?" Asked the former surgeon. "I heard from Wong. Saw it from the Book of Cagliostro. What does it do?"
Mordo didn't respond back to his inquiry, turning around to a rack that held a multitude of tools and weapons.
"No more questions." He said, grasping at a staff of some kind.
"What's that?"
Karl pointed at him. "That's a question."
The two chuckled a little.
"This is a relic." Mordo said, holding it horizontally in front of Strange. "Some magic is too powerful to sustain, so we imbue objects with it allowing them to take the strain we cannot."
Mordo reached out with his other hand and grasped the opposite end of the stick. "This is the Staff of the Living Tribunal."
He then proceeded to stretch it out, the staff breaking apart into segments, all being held together by glowing magical energy.
Mordo flicked his arm and the staff/whip whipped around, striking the ground with magical energy coming out from it upon impact.
It quickly retracted into its dormant form.
"There are many relics." Mordo then listed off a few of them. "The Wand of Watoomb. The Vaulting Boots of Valtorr *tapping the boots he wore*."
"Really just roll off the tongue, don't they?" Said Stephen. "When do I get my relic?"
"When you're ready."
"I think I'm ready."
Mordo only gave him an expectant gaze. "You're ready when the relic decides you're ready. For now… conjure a weapon."
Bringing his hands together, Stephen focused his magic to form something. Slowly, glowing ethereal strings formed in between his hands.
He didn't get much time to fully form it though due to Mordo quickly attacking him.
"Fight!" Mordo yelled, Stephen hastily blocking a quick flurry of strikes. "Fight like your life depends on it!"
The last hit got in between the eldritch whip he conjured up and with a single pull of his relic, the whip disappeared.
Mordo then proceeded to vault over and around Strange, his boots creating magical platforms for him to run around.
Just as he got behind the Doctor, the man turned around in time to receive a haymaker to the face that brought him to the ground.
Hovering over the neurosurgeon, the more experienced practitioner held out his hand for Stephen to grab onto.
"Because one day, it may."
Pulling him up to stand, Mordo walked away, leaving a slightly disoriented magic user as he shook his head slightly.
"Looks like he got you good."
Strange turned to see Bucky standing by him, leaning on the bo staff he had with Celeste with him.
"That's one way to put it." Strange said. "Feels like I'd have a better chance if I had a relic of some kind."
"Oh? Then would you like to have a go at it with me then?" Bucky asked with a small smirk. "Always was more comfortable with hand-to-hand than using these cheats here."
Stephen shook his head. "No thanks. Getting knocked on my ass once was enough for today."
"You'll get one eventually." Celeste assured. "It just has to pick you."
"So you're telling me some of these relics contain sentience then?"
Celeste shrugged her shoulders, the blue cape she wore fluttering slightly despite there being no wind.
"To a degree." The Jedi Shadow said off handedly. "They are imbued with magic from other realities so some can have a consciousness. The way The Ancient One described it is that certain entities that exist think of it like a contract that allows part of their essence to exist in another reality."
Strange gave her a strange look. "But… won't that invite certain… more… malicious entities?"
Morne snorted. "I'm fairly certain that the Master isn't as foolish as to willingly allow malicious entities into this reality."
"Besides, she keeps the bad ones locked away." Bucky said.
"How do you know that?" Strange questioned.
"Robbie "detected" them here." Barnes revealed.
"Robbie detected them?" Strange conveyed confusion. "He can do that?"
"It's the thing inside him." Bucky said, patting his chest. "It can pick up on sins and dark type shit so he knows there's some stuff locked up tight in here."
Strange was just… Well, he didn't exactly know how to feel about that.
"Rriiight~" Strange drawled out. "You know, they should really have a pamphlet for these sorts of things you know. Is this like a recurring gag here? It's bad enough there's the threat on my life from Wong if I don't return a book."
Both Bucky and Celeste laughed at that, the latter patting his arm.
"Don't worry Stephen." Celeste assured. "The Ancient One has been keeping Kamar-Taj and the three sanctums safe for centuries now. She knows what she's doing."
"Uh-huh." Strange said dismissively, blinking as a light got caught in his eyes.
He looked down to the source of it and saw Morne's lightsaber catching the light of the setting sun.
"So what relic is that supposed to be?" Strange asked, gesturing to the cylindrical metal device attached to her hip. "Some kind of laser demi-god give that thing its power?"
Celeste chuckled slightly at that assumption.
"No, no, none of that sort." She said, patting her saber. "This was something that all Jedi forge on their own through the knowledge they've accumulated through the Force and allow it to guide their hands in crafting the Lightsaber meant only for them."
"It's real nifty too." Bucky said. "Can cut through damn near anything."
Stephen eyed the lightsaber analytically.
"So if it can be made… Can I make one for myself as well?"
Celeste hummed aloud thoughtfully. "Well… had I been in my home galaxy and had heard that question, the easy answer is a clear and concise no. One needs the Force to make a Lightsaber."
"I'm sensing a 'but' here…"
Morne smirked slightly. "But~ since arriving here, that may not be outside the realm of possibility. I would say that a Kyber Crystal is greatly required to achieve its creation however in terms of the utilization of the Mystic Arts, perhaps that works as a loophole."
"So I can make it then." Strange said with growing intrigue.
"Maybe." Celeste conceded. "But training to use it fully… that is another story. The Force is a great asset in this matter."
"I can use it pretty well." Bucky said, holding up his metal arm cheekily. "No severed limbs here."
Celeste snorted, patting his cheek affectionately. "That's because you're a born warrior, love."
Strange groaned overdramatically at the display before him.
"So… about that Lightsaber…"
"I doubt you'd wanna cut off a limb by accident for mishandling it." Morne pointed out.
Strange couldn't help but look upon the metal arm of the Winter Soldier.
"That's not how I lost it, if that's what you're wondering." Bucky dryly said. "Geez, does anyone read history these days?"
"Now you sound like an old man." Strange countered. "Which you are all things considered. How old are you again?"
"Old enough to still know how to kick your ass without breaking a sweat."
"I wouldn't put it past you."
"OI! Buck"
The trio turned their heads to see Robbie Reyes running over to them.
"Rob." Bucky greeted cordially.
"We gotta move now." Reyes said almost frantically.
"What's going on?" Celeste asked in alarm.
"Something bad, that's what." Robbie said. "That Sith freak. Zarathos detected him."
-Scene Cut-
Within a secluded warehouse, a litany of candles and overhead lights lit up the abandoned space.
The sole occupant here was a lone man with the Muur talisman attached to his arm.
He winced, rubbing his neck as the garb he had on was in slight tatters with cuts, scrapes and bruises decorating the body.
Getting ahold of this vessel was no easy task as it had belonged to one of the followers of Kaecilius.
Seducing him was the easy part as he was the most susceptible to temptation of a greater power among the zealots.
The man had hesitation and fear from contacting whatever it was that caused Kaecilius and his followers to rebel against the order of the Mystic Arts.
All he needed to do was give him some honeyed words before he could latch onto him.
A hint of power here, a dash of the ability to overthrow both Kaecilius and The Ancient One there and viola.
This zealot was now his temple. He was the one imprisoned by Muur's very will alone. The man was weak, allowing the ancient Sith to swiftly manipulate and control him easily.
The vessel in which Karness Muur possessed stood alone here, a multitude of textbooks he had stolen situated around him.
It wasn't easy to acquire these books from those zealots.
They were damnably strong and were resistant to the Rakghoul Plague he had expunged upon them.
The battle was not within his favor as the magic and powers they used were unfamiliar to him so it seemed he had attempted a foolhardy escape.
However, the surprise interference from Rakghoul bursting into the cathedral was enough of a distraction for him to make his escape.
He had utilized the memory of his vessel to create his first ever portal to make his getaway and here he was now.
Before he could proceed further on his goals, Muur needed to get stronger and adapt with his present environment.
With his present host, a new route was accessible to him. One which he needed to capitalize to the fullest.
Dwelling into the young practitioner's mind, Muur was able to uncover a number of things the man came across in his studies. While not important at first glance for the young human, the ancient Sith found them intriguing.
There were references to a place long lost to the magical order protecting this planet. Not even the present Sorcerer Supreme knows about it unless she chose to forget or maybe even omitted it.
Muur may never know, nor care.
What mattered was finding this lost area.
It was a place called the Library of Cagliostro.
Once raiding the place, which was long since vacant of any occupant, Muur was able to retrieve a litany of lost tomes for what he desired.
In order to grow stronger was to gain more power. And to gain power through the quickest way in a short span of time was through the absorption of other beings.
Carefully tracing an intricate magical circle on the ground, with various runes and glyphs within and around the design, Muur channeled the Force and his host's magics to start summoning creatures for him to consume.
The first time he had done it, he had called forth a tentacled monstrosity that damn near killed his vessel.
So he won't be making that mistake again. Not until he's ready.
"Now… let's start small." Muur spoke to himself.
Carefully reading over the instructions of the book floating before him, Karness hovered his hands together and reached out to the mystical power his vessel contained and made the incantation.
It was a bizarre sensation to the Sith Lord as it was something that wasn't like the Force at first but he soon felt a familiar element to it.
One that was akin to the sorcery he had when he was alive on the mortal plane.
He threw his hands forward and before him, a circle with a series of runes and symbols appeared with a light glowing in the center.
The portal that was calling upon his first victim.
The first creature to appear… was rather unique. While unknown to the Sith spirit, his host knew it as a gnome… a disturbing, demonic one at that.
It glared up at the Sith Lord, growling menacingly and looked like it was rearing back to pounce upon him.
Muur gazed down upon the creature in a smug fashion.
"Pitiful mongrel."
From his eyes and mouth, beams of light shot out and made contact with the creature just before it could act.
The gnome creature let out a shrill cry of confusion as the energy surrounded him until it began sailing towards Karness. In an instant, it's expression morphed from that of aggression to that of terror.
In mere moments, it was drawn in and was absorbed into Muur's host.
After gasping for air, feeling his power slightly grow stronger, Muur chuckled.
"So… What's next?" Karness' vessel conveyed hunger on his face now.
One by one, the Sith spirit summoned a litany of creatures with varying levels of power. And each and every one was absorbed into him as he became stronger than he could never have imagined before as time went on by.
At one point, he decided enough was enough as he was satisfied with his present power.
"Mmm~ Maybe one more." He muttered, hands glowing in power. "Time to say hi to an old friend."
From the summoning circle, the tentacled monstrosity quickly appeared. Before it could attack, Muur closed off the portal and severed a good amount of its limbs. They all flopped about, letting the ancient Sith swiftly absorb into his very being.
"Now then." Karness conjured a series of glyphs and runes before slamming both hands onto his chest.
He cried out in pain as he felt his entire body shift and transform, feeling as though he was being ripped apart and rearranged down to a cellular level.
It soon ended just as quickly as it began with the Sith falling down to his hands and knees.
He hacked and coughed for a moment, recovering soon after and he immediately summoned a distorted mirror before him.
Staring at his reflection, Muur saw his host's form heavily distorted through the absorption of entities. The spirit of the nervous zealot was snuffed out some time ago when he couldn't take more of the strain of excessive power coursing through the body. Thus this body was Muur's and Muur's alone.
He could reform it back to what it was, but the Sith spirit had another idea.
Picturing a form in his mind's eye, he changed his appearance to one he was most familiar with.
In mere moments, the body reformed. Bones cracked into appropriate lengths and sizes and molded to what he desired. After it was done, Muur gazed at his reflection once more and was satisfied with what he saw.
A tall man with strong orange eyes, brown hair with it greying on the sides by his pointed ears. His beard was sharp, trimmed and pointed. The maroon robes his host previously wore was more or less kept the same with a few alterations. But overall, an addition to a pointed purple cloak with a golden trim gave him quite the unique flare. And still attached to his wrist was his talisman.
All that was missing was a lightsaber to make him feel complete. Make him feel and look like what he once was all those years ago.
Muur exhaled a laugh as it echoed throughout the warehouse.
"Ah~ I truly live again!" He cackled aloud in glee. "At long last."
His expression then changed into that of one that was far more sinister.
"Soon, this world shall fall to the Sith like many others." Muur said, the familiar sensation of unbridled greed and want washing over him. "And when the time comes, I shall return to my galaxy and conquer it for myself."
Muur began laughing hysterically, reveling in the power he now had.
That laughter came to an abrupt end when he sensed something enter the area he was in.
He frowned momentarily before it changed into a devious smile.
Muur turned about and came face to face with someone he was well past the point in just being called acquaintances.
While he greatly enjoyed the overwhelming power he now had, there was a sickening joy in seeing someone who was once his host display pure, unadulterated terror as she gazed upon him.
"Karness…" Celeste Morne whispered in abject horror. "You…"
"Hello my dear Celeste." Muur said in a grandiose fashion. "It is so good to see you once more."
"Yo-you, you have a body." The Jedi said in complete disbelief.
"Yes." Muur stated, holding his hands up in a display of parading his reformed body. "Better and stronger than ever."
"What have you done?" Asked an Asian man next to the Jedi.
Muur looked upon the group.
With Celeste was her lover, masters Wong and Mordo and a Hispanic man holding a chain that was on fire.
Whilst he regarded all of these individuals with an overwhelming sense of superiority, the one with the chain gave him pause and actual momentary fear.
There was something off about this man but Muur shook it off.
"What haven't I done is the real question." Karness remarked, a manic gleam in his eyes. "I must say, unintentionally coming to this backwater world was a blessing in disguise. I never knew such power existed or can be attained. All those entities…"
He gave the Jedi Shadow a sadistic smile.
"I have to thank you, Celeste."
"Do you not realize what you have done?!" Mordo shouted, disturbed at just who he was looking at. "Taking in all those entities, all those interdimensional beings? They will consume you alive and when they do they will be unleashed upon the rest of the world."
"Like I care." Karness scoffed. "They hold no power over a Dark Lord of the Sith. They bend to my will now."
With that said, Muur swiftly blasted them away with his newfound power.
With his present cover, the revived Sith took off to another corner of the warehouse. Much as he wished to dispose of these adversaries post haste, Muur wasn't a fool in knowing he still had to master these new abilities.
He spent learning only of absorption but now was the time to learn about utilizing some of the more offensive and powerful spells that these Mystics utilized.
Before he summoned the portal needed for his escape, Muur halted in his running when something caught his eye.
There he gazed upon a litany of homeless people who were bound and placed in a state of unconsciousness. No one would bat an eye for their disappearance, let alone miss them.
His malicious grin returned in full force as he held his arm out that had his talisman attached to it.
Now it is time to have some fun with his return.
-Scene Cut-
It was blistering within the Siberian climate.
Though it was Russia and it was the start of the New Year so it was brutally cold.
But that didn't stop the single man walking through the blizzard with a mission in mind.
Baron Helmut Zemo had trudged through nearly an endless amount of snow to get to where he was now.
While most would call off the thought of walking through the Siberian Tundra to be suicidal, he was anything if not determined.
The former Sokovian Baron was forged in fire and war, death was his specialty and dismantling organizations…
Well, let's just say that he knew that sort of talent more than most would assume him to have.
Zemo had at last arrived at his location, standing before a door that led to an underground bunker that belonged to the ousted HYDRA.
Killing the HYDRA agent Karpov was the first step in tracking down this location.
Getting James Buchanan Barnes under his brief control was the last.
Pulling out the red book he had taken from Karpov, Zemo flipped through the pages until arriving at the one he needed.
Looking around for a moment, he spotted a small indent in the wall and quickly pulled down upon it to reveal a numbered keypad.
Inputting the numerical code needed for access to the base, a hiss followed soon after with the doorway inside jutting open.
Tense, Zemo subconsciously had his hand hovering close to where he had his pistol hidden in his jacket in case of anything being in there.
The bunker was supposedly abandoned but his time as a Sokovian special operative taught him better.
Carefully, he walked into the facility as quietly as possibly.
The eerie silence unsettled him, making him wonder what kind of horrors occurred within this abandoned HYDRA compound.
It took some time walking through the corridors, due to him not finding a map. Yet he eventually found something he desired to come across.
Within a darkened space, five pillars stood out amongst all within this large room.
There was a sixth one yet it was open and unoccupied.
Looking around, Zemo found a lever at one of the doorways out of this room and went over to flip it upwards.
All five pillars released steam and it appeared that the metal pillars were just a cover for what lay beneath them all.
And there they were.
The purpose of his trek through Siberia itself.
Upon gazing at the cryo-pods, Zemo had a number of thoughts running through his mind.
All five of them were heavily trained, each of them having the highest kill counts in HYDRA's history before they were administered the infamous serum. And quite easily, these other Winter Soldiers could take down empires and governments with a handful of commands.
It can be so simple. Zemo had the commands to make it so. The scientists had to update the codes before the program got shut down until further notice when all of the kinks were taken care of. And on the last report he got when combing through the digital files, they were all ready for any potential assignments.
The Sokovian Baron could have his army right here and now.
And yet...
The very idea of super soldiers greatly troubled him. Becoming a being such as them is difficult. A desire for them cannot be separated from supremacist ideals. Anyone with that serum coursing through their veins is inherently on that path.
If unleashed, these HYDRA assassins will not stop and they will escalate until someone kills them.
Luckily for the rest of the world, Zemo had the solution.
Withdrawing a pistol, he turned off the safety, took careful aim and-
*BANG*
*BANG*
*BANG*
*BANG*
*BANG*
Zemo exhaled shakily, almost forcibly as a feeling of numbing calm washed over him.
He watched with no small amount of satisfaction at the sight of the holes in all their heads, blood leaking down from them before freezing over.
These vile human beings would trouble the world no more. No one would ever have to suffer under these potential threats.
As much as he'd like to immediately leave this place, there was something else he must do.
He made a promise.
A promise to see to it that an empire would fall.
And the next part of his plan was here, locked away in this facility.
These bastards were dead.
Now…
Now the real work begins.
AN
Well folks, there's another one and a lot of crazy set up has occurred.
After the latest episode of What If…? Came out, Jeb had the brilliant idea of using what we saw involving Dr. Strange's absorption of other dimensional creatures to have it be used by none other than Karness Muur to regain his own body.
Originally, I just had some throwaway moment in mind with Muur using his Sith magic and the magic in the MCU to recreate his own body from a possessed Zealot but Jeb's idea was way better and thus, Karness is back at a new level of power.
Jebest4781: At least the final parts of this arc will be rather interesting on the double climatic confrontations.
FMW: Yes indeed. A Sith Lord with the "spirit" of multiple freaky creatures, Kaecilius and his zealots empowered by Dormammu and Celeste with Bucky, Strange and Ghost Rider all colliding with each other. The fun just never ends, does it? Also, Shang Chi, WOW was that movie WAY better than I thought it was gonna be. Like I'm surprised at just how much I legit loved it and now… well shit, I just gotta include him in the story.
Jeb: Great callbacks to a litany of MCU details shown back in past movies. Abomination, back. Fake Mandarin, back. Albeit briefly on both counts.
FMW: And the callbacks are one of the key points as to why I'm incorporating all that into this story. Not only have I already had some plans in regards to Abomination and all, let's not forget about the Ten Rings. And just how important they are to the first ever film in the MCU and in inadvertently creating Iron Man.
Jeb: Once more, the MCU has expanded ever more and can't wait to see what else will be in store for us all.
FMW: Indeed, a great new chapter within the MCU to use and play with and with that said, making an announcement here which will be further expanded upon later.
I am hereby announcing Avenging Remnant, the current version, is being discontinued and a reboot is in order.
That story has sat on the sidelines for too long and the reason being is that I just saw so much in RWBY and MCU being added that I feel that it needs to change.
And since I did it with this story, making it new and improved, I could do the same with Avenging Remnant.
BulletStormX suggested it, Jebest agreed and now I shall be rebooting Avenging Remnant. Thank you all for being patient with that story and supporting it but a new redesign is in order.
Other than that, thank you all for reading and supporting my story, be sure to check out Tales of Infinite Wars because that is crucial to this story in the coming arcs as well as the Joint projects Jebest and I are working on A Song of Fire, Ice and Hearts and I'm Nobody and my works with BulletStormX, Halo Effect and Spirit Unto Dawn.
Rate Read and Review and as Always Have Nice Day.