THE OLDEST MAXIMOFF | Stephen Strange

3.6

Stephen Strange was levitated up into the air from the burgundy cloak that had gone after him from falling after Nadia Maximoff used her magic to break the glass holding the cloak captive. Nadia sighed in relief as she watched Strange put his hands together and then pulled them apart, orange and yellow sparks flying everywhere. His mystic rope swung over to Kaecilius where the latter used his transparent blade to deflect Strange's magic but his rope wrapped around the blade. It was a tug of war between the two as Nadia watched as she shielded her side with her hand as she felt a shooting pain on the side of her body. She glanced down to only then realize that she was bleeding from the explosion that had happened in the library.

Suddenly, Strange flew over toward Kaecilius as a result from him pulling on his blade that had the latter's magic rope wrapped around the transparent blade. They both tumbled to the floor that was covered in shattered glass.

They scrambled to their feet and before they could continue fighting, the burgundy cloak dragged Strange away from Kaecilius to the wall as Nadia forced herself to stay on her feet, clutching her side and staining her hand red. She felt Kaecilius grab onto her from behind, his grip tightening around her body. Nadia felt weak from the blood loss but she recalled something from Wanda that compelled her to reach her hands up as best as she could, willing her psionic energy to surround her fingers.

She brought one of her hands to her stomach area, the magic flowing through Nadia and hitting Kaecilius. His tight grip was gone from her and as quickly as she could, she sent another blast to him before she ran over to Stephen.

Stephen was running in place as the cloak around him kept him in the same spot. Stephen's eyes were trained on an axe hanging on the wall but the burgundy cloak was pulling him in the opposite direction. Stephen grabbed onto the object hanging on the wall and the object wrapped itself around kaecilius and held him in place.

His mouth was covered which made his voice sound muffled to Nadia and Stephen as the latter tried to catch his breath. Nadia, on the other hand, was clenching her hands to the side of her stomach where her wound was beginning to bleed more profusely. "What?" Stephen stepped forward and took the piece off of Kaecilius's mouth. "Oh, stop it. I said stop it!" Stephen ordered him to quit chanting in another language.

"You cannot stop this, Mister Strange," he called over to the former surgeon as he ambled his way over to Nadia to check on her.

"Are you alright?" He quietly asked her as his hands moved to hers where they were placed on her injury.

Nadia groaned out in pain as Stephen poked and prodded her side which made her hiss in agitation. "Does it look like I'm alright?" She sassed back to him.

Stephen sighed before promising her that he will help her with her wound after they have finished dealing with Kaecilius. "Keep pressure on it and I'll help you after all this is over," he made her lock eyes with him, his hand brushing along her cheek. She weakly nodded her head, the pain subsiding for a moment of pleasure as a swarm of butterflies attacked her abdomen.

Stephen dropped his hand from Nadia's cheek reluctantly and faced Kaecilius as the skin on Nadia's face where Stephen's hand grazed her burned from his touch. "I don't even know what 'this' is."

"It's the end....and the beginning. The many becoming the few becoming the One," Kaecilius spoke which only infuriated Nadia.

"Do you always speak in riddles?" She grunted out in annoyance.

Stephen agreed with Nadia. "Look, if you're not gonna start making sense....I'm just gonna have to put this thing back on," he held up the mouth piece.