THE APPRENTICE (DOCTOR STRANGE STORY)

41

The two felt the force pull them once again through the quantum realm, which meant their time was up. On the way, Hazel counted each member, realizing one was missing.

"Did we get them all?," Tony asked as they removed their suits and Hazel dressed into her tunics once again.

"Are you telling me this actually worked?," Rhodey asked with a smile on his face.

"Like a charm." Hazel's lip grew to a smirk and she lifted up the staff in her hands with pride.

"Clint, where's Nat?" Bruce asked and everyone watched Clint, whose face was pale and lifeless.

"I think you all need some time alone." Hazel cleared her throat and stared at Steve, Clint, Tony, and Bruce, Thor.
The girl walked towards Bruce and put a hand on his arm comfortingly. "I'll keep the stones safe."

The Avengers gazed at each other with their heads down, patting each other's shoulders. It was agreed upon that they were going to have a private funeral for Natasha to honor her memory.

"Give the stones to me." Hazel said through the silence when the 5 heroes left. "Don't worry, I'll keep it safe."

They all hesitantly gave each stone to Hazel, the girl keeping them out of the universe as she muttered a spell.

She lifted the staff up and sighed at it, playing with the magic inside it and casting a beautiful array of wondrous spells.

"You've gotten attached to it." Rocket walked beside the girl and she gave him a brief smile. "I know how that feels."

"Yeah, I mean, it's a part of me. Sure, it's a staff but it means so much more to me." She explained to him and rubbed it. "But you know what? It doesn't matter. I'll give anything to make this work."

"That's the spirit." Tony walked in on them, the others back with glum look on their faces. "Now. Let's work on this gauntlet."

The whole team walked inside Tony's lab, the glove in a stand and the whole room dim.
"Hazel?" Tony looked to her, and the girl summoned the stones back into her hands, then gave each one to him. "Ready?"

Hazel nodded, and opened up the eye of Agamotto. The piece of the stone floated in the air, shining brightly.

Hazel pressed the staff against her forehead. She shut her eyes and felt the presence of it in her hands for one last time. Slowly, the emerald around it started to disintegrate, revealing the other half.

The two stones combined, making the girl's eyes once again glow green. Pain started to spread around her, making her grit her teeth and clench her fists.

The sorcerer fell to one knee, fighting the feeling. The rest of the Avengers huddled up around her in an attempt to help her up, but she slapped their hands away.

"No." She said through gritted teeth, her eyes intense as she forced herself to stand up. She looked to Tony, wincing. "Not again. I won't fall this time, not anymore."

Slowly, the pain subsided, and she felt a huge weight lift off her body. Tony gave her a nod of respect and Steve a pat on the shoulder. Sadness filled her eyes when it made its way into the gauntlet.

"Boo!" Rocket yelled, making everyone jump. He laughed at their reactions, Hazel giving him a soft punch. "Question is, who's gonna snap their frickin fingers?,"

"I'll do it." Thor volunteered and walked towards it.
"Woah woah woah, Thor, stop it," the men stopped him
"We haven't decided who's gonna put that on yet," Steve reminded.

"I'm sorry, are we going to wait for the right opportunity?,"

"We should at least discuss it," Scott explained

"I'm the strongest avenger, okay? So this is a strong responsibility for me-," Tony walked to Thor and reasoned with her. "Stop it! Just let me do it, let me do something great."

"Look, it's not just the fact that that glove is channeling enough energy to light up a continent. I'm telling you: you're in no condition,"

"What do you think is coursing through my veins right now?," he stubbornly asked

"Beer." Hazel propped herself up and stood up, making Rhodey chuckle at her response. "Thor, we understand you're the god of thunder, but it's gotta be Bruce."

"She's right," He nodded "you saw what those stones did to thanos, they almost killed him."

"How do we know you will?," Steve inquired and watched him step to the glove.

"We don't, but the radiation is mostly gamma," he nodded to Tony and Hazel "it's like...I was made for this."

Bruce took the glove and Hazel walked to Thor.
"You've already done so many great things." Hazel crossed her arms. "You've endured so much in so little time. If that's not strength, I don't know what is."

"Remember, everyone Thanos snapped 5 years ago. You're just bringing them back to now. Today." Tony reminded him anxiously. "Don't change anything from the last five years."
Hazel started to have butterflies in her stomach as she tapped her foot on the floor impatiently.

"Good."

"Friday, do me a favor and activate armor door, will you?" Tony requested.

"Everyone stand behind me." Hazel commanded and whipped her head to the space behind her while metal wrapped around the building.
She made the huge shield of seraphim appear, and the rest of the team did as they were told.

"Everybody comes home." Bruce whispered to himself and put the glove on. Sparks of energy started to radiate around him, bringing him to his knee.

"Take it off! Take it off!" Thor waved his hands around in panic.

"Bruce are you okay?!" Steve had his shield out and his face stressed in concern.

"I'm okay." His voice was breathless and weak, everyone nodded in anticipation and relief.
He gritted his teeth and cried as he snapped his fingers, the familiar pain traveling Hazel's body.

"Bruce!," everyone yelled and ran to him and Hazel disarmed herself. Tony healed his arm quickly and Hazel patted his head "did it work?"

"Guys, I think it worked."

Disbelief filled the girl, so much happiness inside of her it was like she was going to explode. Her feet were tingling and her cheeks reached up to her eyes with her smile that large.

Her eyes went wide at the sight of a giant spaceship behind her.