THE APPRENTICE (DOCTOR STRANGE STORY)

18

Wong quickly made his way to the sanctum, out of breath from the running. The doors flew open, and his eyes landed on Strange, who was reading, and spotted Hazel, who was on the other side of the room, using her laptop.

The two's head shot up in alarm, their heads whipping to Wong, who had a troubled look on his face

"Gyor escaped." He simply reported urgently, making Strange stand up instantly and walk closer to him

"What? How?!" His voice boomed around the whole place, his face starting to scrunch up, and his cloak wrapping around his neck

"I...one of the trainees...didn't put the spell after Gyor's bath." He said with shame.

"What?" Strange spat, showing his ear and scoffed. Even Wong couldn't believe the words that left his mouth. "Which idiot did this? Actually, no, get them out of the monastery. We need people searching for him ASAP."

"Okay."

"How could you let this happen?" He started "I told you! I told you the first time that they clearly aren't ready for anything, and you still let them give it a go!"

"I know, and I have nothing to say. I'm sorry." Wong looked down at his shoes "I'll tell the masters now. We'll find him."

"Yeah, you should!" He spat, shaking his head. He loved to say I told you so, but sometimes it was just getting too old. His eyes travelled to Hazel, who was crossing her arms and staring at him "oh don't give me that look"

"What? I wasn't doing anything!" She defended, her cheeks turning pink in anger and defensiveness

"Oh I know that look, I know you wanna say 'I told you so' and that we should've come there and he wouldn't have escaped" he grimaced, his lips pulling down as he hastened towards her, making her shoot up the chair

"I wasn't even saying that! You thought it, not me!" She rolled her eyes "Okay, I know you're mad, but honestly, don't take it out on me!"

"Yeah, okay" He nodded and walked to her room, opening the door then looked at her "but you have to stay in your room until we find him, no excuses, no exceptions."

"Well what if I have to pee or eat?"

"You know what I mean!" He hissed "if I see your foot even an inch away from either the kitchen, bathroom, or your bedroom, you are gonna be in so much trouble!"

"It's not like he's out to kill me!"

"He is!" He yelled "so stay there, and I don't wanna hear anything else from you!"

"Well at least let me bring my staff, then." She walked to the glass box and held out her hand to open it up, but was stopped by Stephen, who stood in front of it.

"What, hold the staff so you'll be an even more desirable target? Great plan, you deserve a round of applause" he rolled his eyes at her, making her pout

"Well maybe, just maybe, I'm the owner of the staff and I know how to use it against them!" She suggested and pushed him out of the way, opening the case and grabbing the staff "I get to keep it-"

Her eyebrows relaxed, and her lips slightly parted, eyeing the staff suspiciously in her hands.
"What?" Strange suddenly dropped his voice and narrowed his eyes at her, walking slowly to her

"I think they did something to it" she hummed "I swear it's different from the first time, there's something wrong with this."

"Yeah, okay, fine. Go read up and if there's something wrong, you can tell me" he sighed and pointed to her bedroom "but in the meantime, go to your room, right now, and no excuses, you hear me?"

"Yeah, alright." Hazel took the staff with her and walked to her room, about to shut the door but was stopped by Strange

"Take care" he gave her a nod, which made her purse her lips together

"You too" she shut the door, and heard him run quickly to the doors of the monastery, leaving Hazel alone in the sanctum.