Doctor Strange - This One Summer

Trapped

Chapter 18: Trapped

Trapped

The dark magic trap seal that Hazel had cast on the floor of her bedroom was forbidden at Kamar-Taj. The Ancient One had been adamant about it, for it was the only trap she could never work around. A dark magic trap seal worked in a very specific way; it targeted entities of, from, or working with dark magic. And whatever creature it caught would be held within the boundaries of the trap, and any and all mystical abilities they'd had would be taken from them until the trap was destroyed or broken.

The Ancient One tried not to panic as the trap seal absorbed her power. She'd been so mindful about encountering one that she'd banned the use of such traps on the grounds of Kamar-Taj and any subsequent sanctuary affiliated with her order. This wasn't the first rule Hazel had broken, of course, and she'd probably placed the trap as another precaution. But still, the Ancient One fretted. What was she going to do?

The Ancient One sat cross-legged in the middle of the trap, simply because she didn't see a reason to strain herself. She tried to meditate, but clearing her mind was nearly impossible in this situation. It had been decades at least, and a century at most, since she'd spent so long without access to any of her mystical abilities. Astral projecting, Eldritch manipulation, foresight... it was all unavailable to her as long as the trap was entirely intact. And the Ancient One had no way to break it, seeing as Hazel had so unceremoniously confiscated her dagger and left her with nothing, nothing, within the boundaries of the trap. All this before even giving the Ancient One a chance to explain herself. What was she going to do?

It wasn't like Hazel would let her escape anyway. Even if the Ancient One managed it, she didn't want to put her faith in Hazel reacting kindly to it. If Hazel told the masters about any of this—and it was likely that was exactly what she was doing right this minute—the Ancient One would be questioned, surely. No, they wouldn't take the word of a student. But if they knew Hazel wasn't lying, and the Ancient One was asked to prove herself, there'd be no way out. It was a slim chance, but a chance all the same. Would she have to kill Hazel to protect herself? What was Hazel doing right now? Was she really telling the other masters right this second? If Hazel told anyone, the Ancient One's secret would be out. She'd been so careful to preserve her past—she never told anyone about her connection to the Dark Dimension. However, getting caught in a trap designed to withhold dark forces was a dead giveaway. The Ancient One was not what she seemed, and Hazel knew that now.

The Ancient One ran her fingers through the fibers of the carpet. If she could escape and managed to speak with Hazel privately before she ran into anyone else, then surely she could convince Hazel to see reason and forget about all of this. Hazel was volatile and a bit stubborn, but she would see reason. She worshiped the Ancient One too much not to.

The Ancient One could see the dimming orange light of the sunset out the window. They were running out of time before the celebration. That's when Hazel returned, frazzled but surprisingly convincing in her delusion of lucidity. The Ancient One straightened, folding her hands in her lap almost regally, as if she wasn't in any way misplaced.

"Alright, talk," Hazel started, folding her arms. "What the hell is this?"

"I'm allowed my secrets, Hazel," the Ancient One replied. Her tone was almost condescending. It gave Hazel a sour taste in her mouth.

"Oh, save it!" Hazel hissed. "You cannot tell me you're in the right here. That seal targets entities of, from, or joined to darkness in some way. So which is it?"

"I don't think you have a place to question the Sorcerer Supreme in such—"

"How much can I bet you wouldn't even be Sorcerer Supreme if the others knew about this?" Hazel demanded. "You broke some rule—a big one. And I don't think the other masters know... do they?"