THE APPRENTICE (DOCTOR STRANGE STORY)

22

It was 2 months later, Hazel still working on the staff of Agamotto. She found that it was very, very, powerful, but also required intricacy. Each gesture and each movement was essential to however her spell would come out, and Strange was unlucky enough to witness it.

"It didn't take me that long to master the eye of Agamotto." Strange observed while he watched her try out some different spells. Hazel flickered her eyes to him and gave him a look.

"Okay," she said in a sassy tone "well maybe because I can do way more things to this than I can with your necklace"

"Have you tried playing with time?" He ignored her comment and investigated the staff "you just did it now, did you?" He asked

Hazel put on a smirk and shrugged "you know, I never knew it could do what yours could do."

"Well not exactly," He late his cape fly out. He was wearing casual clothing, but it liked to cling onto him nonetheless "mine's got a little more time stone than yours, that's why I can feel it when you change things up. Come here."

Hazel walked to the man and he lifted up the staff

"See? The stone is on the very centre." He pointed to it and let his finger touch and feel the surface "it's covered in emerald. I guess Agamotto learned his lesson about the infinity stones."

"Infinity stones?" She hummed, her eyebrows furrowing and head tilting "What are infinity stones?"

"To put it plainly, there are six stones scattered round the galaxy." He said, his voice turning deeper and rougher "Mind, Soul, Space, Power, Reality, and Time" the staff glowed a little when it was mentioned

"And?"

"Each one does their job accordingly. They are the most important things in this whole multiverse, and if it gets in the wrong hands, we're all basically screwed." He explained, his tone suddenly secretive

"But why are there two time stones? Are there two each?" She questioned as the two sat down on the staircase.

Strange clasped his hands together and so did Hazel.
"The time stone was split into two," he explained "Agamotto had a hold of it, but decided to split it because he knew what sorcerers were capable of. Every sorcerer has the potential to go dark, and he thought it was wise to not give one person a hold of so much power."

Hazel nodded unconsciously, in complete interest by what this man had to say before her. How could she have not known?

"So. You and I have the time stone, and now you know its value." He started "Hazel, if I were to choose between my life and the time stone, I'd choose to protect the time stone."

"And you want me to do the same?" She raised a brow "I know what I need to do. I know he didn't choose us just because he wanted to."

"Good." He gave a stiff nod "I trust you know that this much power also comes with a tremendous amount of responsibility?"

"I know, I know." She stood up from the staircase and shook her head "why do you always have to be so dramatic?"

He was taken aback by what she said and stood up in front of her. He had the defensive face on.
"What? What do you mean?" He curled his lip  and furrowed up his eyebrows to meet at the centre.

"You always have this tone whenever you tell me important things." She started "I swear, you'd make a great actor."

"Well do you expect me to be smiling? Or acting it out?" He asked sarcastically, then crossed his arms "no, don't answer that- look: we're gonna establish some rules."

"Oh boo."

"Shh, Okay-" He shushed her impatiently "rule number one: no dilly dallying with the stone. Rule number two: protect it with your life. Rule number three: don't use it against me."

"What, so you can use it against me?" She questioned and took the staff in her hands. "Don't think I don't know what you're up to"

"This isn't a game, Hazel, and yes, maybe." He thought out loud, his eyes scanning and flickering upwards "fine, fine. None of us can play with it."

"Deal." She hummed "though it's probably because I would've won. But we won't talk about that."

"You wish" he sneered

"I already won." She started "you just said 'dilly dallying'. Wow, what was it like to have dinosaurs as pets?"

"I'm not that old!" There was a sense of defensiveness and paranoia on his face, and he stepped back like he was hit.

"Sure, champ," She pursed her lips together "you could always just draw power from the dark side. What's his name? Dormamu? Dermatologists hate him!"

"Ha.ha." He said flatly "whatever, just continue being an amateur with that. It'll probably take you forever."

"Okay, can I just say that-" She was stopped when he bolted upstairs to his room and shut the door. Hazel rolled her eyes; he always wanted to have the last word.