𝕻𝖊𝖓𝖉𝖚𝖑𝖚𝖒 - [𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲]

𝐱𝐯𝐢𝐢. 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘦

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍 — memory lane

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 𝐊𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐔 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐄𝐓 come morning. The amber glow of the rising sun warmed homes as beams of sunlight trickled through open windows. Glistening colours of the rainbow illuminated rooms as sunlight tangled with glass.

 Most slept silently, light noises slipping from open, relaxed mouths. Emilia however, was still on her feet with her own arms encircled around her waist, doing anything at all to soothe the spreading venom of numbness that had come with Karl Mordo's departure.

 Emilia wasn't selfish enough to beg him to stay, to cry and weep and grab his arm to pull him back. She understood his decision. Mordo was a man who was unmovable in his opinion and decisions, he was stubborn. He believed that each person should follow the rules laid out before them, and yet his own teacher had disregarded such rules, and now, so had Stephen.

 It was for the better — Emilia truly believed that, for had Stephen turned a blind eye, Dormammu would have devoured far more than Hong Kong. The city was safe, and the world was safe.

 But even so, the taste of victory was dead on her tongue, nothing more than a bitter poison as she leaned against the wall, watching with tired eyes as Stephen carefully pulled the Eye of Agamotto over his head.

 He balanced it in a single hand, eyes glued to the ancient metal that encased something powerful, something unknown. His hands trembled around the metal as he paused. A single, sharp movement of his shoulders was enough for the sentient crimson material to jump from his form.

 Emilia's lips twitched at the short exchange of the two, before the cloak retreated towards her, swiftly wrapping around her shoulders and dangling from her body. The material lightly jostled as a small breeze fluttered through the room and Emilia rose a gentle hand, carefully patting her own shoulder; something the cloak greatly enjoyed for it patted her back.

 "Hm." Stephen mumbled as he finally placed the Eye of Agamotto back upon its pedestal, "I think it likes you better than me."

 "Of course it does," Emilia muttered back, her voice flat, though it did hold a small teasing edge to it. Fatigue had swamped her, and she was grateful for the weight the cloak provided, knowing it would likely catch her if she toppled over.

 "Smart move." Came Wong's voice. His footsteps echoed throughout the spare room. He nodded his head towards the artefact that was once again in its rightful place. Even he didn't know the extent of its power, of the things it could potentially do... And in all honesty, he didn't want to know. It was a weight off his own shoulder upon seeing the Eye free from Stephen's neck. "You'll wear the Eye of Agamotto once you've mastered its powers. Until then, it's best not to walk the streets wearing an infinity stone."