| ordinary | stephen strange

| chapter six |



" What good is power if you can't protect the ones you love? " - Cersei Lannister

── •✧• ──

"COME ON. We gotta move." Stephen urged Zaiya, helping her find her feet deeper into the New York Sanctum to avoid the cascading rubble.

Their wounded forms stumbled through the doorway, Zaiya still coughing the dust and soot that rose from her clothes as she moved forward. The aftermath of the explosion still sent minor shockwaves through the Sanctum, making finding their feet much harder than it had to be. Her violet eyes casted behind her, realising that the doorway had completely caved in. She muttered a curse, hoping that Wong and Mordo were okay.

Zaiya found comfort on the stairs of the Sanctum, Stephen continuing on to investigate further into the building. Her head ached and pounded violently, her vision blurred along the edges. As she brought her hands to her face, she noticed the sticky warm substance on her right browbone and cheekbones. A harsh wince felt her lips, the stinging sensation making her eyes water. She lowered her hand, watching now as Stephen wandered to the front door. The awkwardness and scrutiny she felt in his presence was slightly overwhelming, unable to find her voice and say something to him. She certainly wasn't in the mood for an argument.

Instead, she patted down her dusty black and green robes, coughing as the dirt rose up to her face. The distraction proved useless, as Stephen wandered back inside and stopped right in front of her, his hard, steely gaze glaring at her.

"You alright?" He curtly asked.

All she could do was nod, the silent answer being enough for him. He trudged past her, making his ascent up the stairs that creaked ever so softly under his feet. A quiet sigh left the woman's lips, the exhaustion that wracked her body finally making her to lie backwards on the stairs. It was unbelievably uncomfortable, the sharp edges of the stairs digging into her back awkwardly. Despite the pain, she closed her eyes, letting her head rest. Some time passed, footsteps now edging closer to her.

"Who are you?" The dark-skinned man asked her, his relic held in his hands.

She panicked for a moment before answering quickly.

"Zaiya. I came from Kamar-Taj. We were attacked by Kaecilius." Zaiya said in a rush, not wanting to get hit in the head again.

"Then we don't have much time." The man responded, helping Zaiya to her feet.

As though he had jinxed it, the room around them began to vibrate and jitter once again. Zaiya's keen senses quickly noticed the otherworldly nature of how the room began to transform around her, walls and floors shifting and rotating at perfect angles. Her heart rose to her throat, adrenaline beginning to pump through her veins. It had to be Kaecilius; and judging by how he was making his entrance, his power had increased tenfold.

On queue, Kaecilius and two of his disciples entered through the double front door of the New York Sanctum, waves of tiles and wood shifting away from him like water. The dark-skinned man beside Zaiya shuffled his feet and gripped his weapon tighter, preparing himself for the battle to come. Somewhat painfully, black and emerald tendrils began to twist and dance from her back, slithering down her arms slowly. She had no idea what her limit was, the warning from The Ancient One repeating over and over in her mind the more tendrils she made. She had to disregard the warning, Zaiya had no choice.

"Daniel, I see they made you master of this Sanctum. And, you have help." Kaecilius stated, his gaze lingering on Zaiya and her wounded face.

So she finally shows herself after all, Kaecilius thought, smirking to himself.