Riley dangled her legs outside of the mystic window. Just feet below her, a roaring sea churned. She had already swept the shards of glass outside into the desert, but the sea seemed to reflect what she was feeling much better. A portal came and went behind her, but she didn't turn. Strange had probably brought his nurse girlfriend back home.
A large wave touched her bare toes. The water was colder than it looked. She shivered. Something warm wrapped itself around Riley, and she looked down. It was Strange's red cape. Riley finally turned around. Strange was standing, quite alone, in the middle of the ruined hallway.
Riley turned back to the raging sea in front of her, pulling the cape tighter around her frigid body. "How're you feeling?" she asked.
His footsteps were curiously loud as he walked down the hallway to her. She scooted over and he sat down by her. "Sore, tired, and... lucky," he confessed.
Riley looked over at him. She still felt a tiny bit bitter, but she didn't let herself investigate why. A ghost of pain flashed in her head as she tried to ignore why she was so upset.
"Why do you feel lucky?" she finally gave in and asked.
Strange was quiet for a moment, "Because you survived."
Riley almost snorted. Ignoring her one moment and then being sappy the next. And they said women were confusing.
"I want you to know that there's nothing going on between Christine and I," Strange told Riley quietly.
"Your watch," Riley protested, reaching over to take his wrist into her hand.
He let her, and she turned it over to see the cracked face of the watch. It was beyond repair. No one kept something like that without sentimental reasons, and his were as clear as the engraving on the back. Strange took his watch off, handing it to Riley so she could inspect it more thoroughly.
"I knew it was you," Strange teased, "Breaking into my room and snooping."
Riley's face flushed, "It was an accident! You know the rooms like to change."
"I'm sure," he replied.
They were silent for a few minutes, both just watching as the sun began to set over the churning sea. Riley pulled his cape a little tighter across her, shivering again. The cold chunk of metal in her hand chilled her to the bone. Those eight engraved words being frozen into her skin.
Time will tell how much I love you.
Strange gently took the watch back from her, running his scarred thumb over the back.
"I think I loved her, once," he murmured, "I was just too proud to see it."
Riley stared down at the restless waves. She wondered if she could swim in them, or if she'd be drug under.
"And now?" she prodded. She needed answers, quickly, because she just realized how far down the rabbit hole she had fallen.
"I thought I kept the watch because it reminded me not to be proud, or materialistic. To not lose sight of what's really important in life. But I have these to remind me of all of that," he rubbed the scars that ran down each of his fingers.
"Maybe I was just scared of letting go of the last piece of my old life," he continued, "I was scared of letting go of Christine."
Riley watched his trembling hands as he tossed the broken watch out into the churning sea. It made a soft plunk as it hit the water. The cape nudged her, and she understood what it meant.
She reached over and took one of Strange's shaking, scarred hands into her own. The sun set over the waves, turning them as gold as the magic they both wielded. The two mystics were quiet. Riley's thumb grazed over one of his scars, back and forth. They were one of her favorite things about him. A sort of cautionary tale to draw you in.
Strange turned towards her, still holding her hand. "You never told me how you survived your fall into the Grand Canyon."
Riley grinned, "Oh, you're not going to believe this..."
<>
Kamar-Taj was much different than Riley had expected. Older, for one thing. Definitely not as ornate as she was expecting either. Strange and Riley made their way down the endless hallways. Other sorcerer's stared as they walked by, their eyes drawn to the Amulet of Vishanti around her neck.
Her heart pumped in her chest with the need to run. Riley took a deep breath, trying to swallow her nerves. They were just meeting the leaders of the other sanctums for a report. It wasn't a big deal, just tell them what happened and then go back home.
It didn't help her nerves. They both stopped in front of a giant archway. The other sorcerer's were waiting, just over the threshold. Strange sighed, and Riley wondered briefly if he was as nervous as she was. He reached over and clasped her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze before letting go and walking into the room. She followed behind him.
Two seats waited for them on one side of the table, and they sat. The other sorcerer's were quiet, watching the two get settled.
The head of the London sanctum sniffed haughtily, "This must be your apprentice."
"She wields the Amulet?" the master of the Hong Kong sanctum questioned.
Strange's brow furrowed as he watched the other sanctum master's appraise her like she was about to be auctioned off. "I was told this meeting was about Mordo attacking my sanctum."
Riley shot him a grateful look, reaching under the table and slipping her hand in his. It was almost routine now, when one of them was uncomfortable or upset. The other sorcerer's slowly got back on topic, listening as Strange recounted the events he could.
"She'll have to tell you the rest," Strange said, looking to Riley.
"I stabilized Strange and fought Mordo. We wound up by the mystic windows, and he shoved me out into the Grand Canyon. Using the Amulet, I bent the air and saved myself, creating a portal back to Strange," Riley concluded.
The other mystic's were silent. Finally, the master of the London sanctum spoke up. "The Amulet let's you control the air?"
Riley nervously fiddled with the charm, "Yes. All the elements, in fact. Air, fire, water, and even earth."
The sorcerer's eyes were all wide. They looked between Strange and Riley.
"Unbelievable," the master of the Hong Kong sanctum muttered, "Show us."
Riley opened her palm and a blue flame danced between her fingers. A light rain began to patter around the room, making the flame sputter. The floor barely trembled beneath their feet. A whirlwind swept through the room, making the wet papers on the table fly around the room.
The sorcerer's mouths were agape as she closed her palm. Immediately, everything stopped. The earth was still, the rain ceased, the air was calm, and no flame danced on her hand.
The Hong Kong sanctum's master stood from his chair and fell onto his knees, "The Sorcerer Supreme."
Silently, the other sorcerer's followed the example, kneeling in front of Riley. Strange moved from his chair, letting go of her hand. He slowly got down on his knees, his face a mask of disbelief. His jaw clenched and unclenched, his disbelief quickly turning to something darker.
"Strange, please," Riley whispered, "What's going on?"
He didn't answer, instead he bowed his head. He wouldn't look at her, didn't help her.
"Steven?" she whispered frantically. Her heart beat out of her chest. She felt like she was about to throw up.
Instead of an answer, the master of the Hong Kong sanctum chanted, "All hail the Sorcerer Supreme!"
The cry echoed throughout the room, shaking Riley to the core.
YOU ARE READING
Lights → Doctor Strange
Fanfiction"Doctor Strange." "You know my name?" "You were my last hope." After western medicine failed her, Riley Harper started looking for other cures. Little did she know her search would lead her straight to the man who had failed her once before...
