A Strange Turn of Events

Khaki's Escaped!

"Khakis escaped!"

"Kaecilius."

"Whatever!"

I yell, exasperated. Our verbal exchange seems to alert our friends of our location. Mordo appearing with a smile.

"You're okay."

It was in that moment I remember I had also been injured, my chest stinging with pain. Strange looks at me with concern as I wince, but I wave him off and respond

"Relatively speaking, yes."

Mordo then spots the red cloak currently squeezing Strange's shoulders.

"The Cloak of Levitation? It came to you?"

He asks, the doctor gaining a smirk as Tao steps in behind the green clad male.

"No minor feat; it's a fickle thing."

While Strange is self preening his pride, Tao notes the empty cage of metal where Kattleprodus once kneeled.

"I see he is gone."

"Yes."

Stephen's eyes narrow at the metal with slight criticism.

"He can bend space and matter at will."

"Outside the mirror dimension?"

Tao's head tilts,

"Yes."

"Um... what's the mirror dimension?"

"I'll show you later."

Stephen quickly replies. Not wanting any of my possible antics to derail us from the current situation.

"How many more?"

"Two, one was ejected into the sahara."

I swiftly note, proud of my single contribution.

"And the other?"

Strange's face falls, his brows furrowing as his shoulders sag like bricks underwater.

"His body is in the hall."

I subconsciously reach to clasp his arm, but hover my hand in the air hesitantly before backing out of the action. Mordo tries to keep the conversation moving.

"The Master was in the foyer and is now back in Kamar-Taj."

Tao lowers her head regretfully.

"The London Sanctum has fallen, only New York and Hong Kong defend us from the dark dimension now."

She gets a small spark in her eye and I catch on.

"Of course, with the Master gone, this place will need someone new to protect it. What do you think, Master Strange?"

Silence follows. Thick and rolling with unease. Stephen looks down at his hands, brows creasing and laxing a few moments before his fingers flex into a fist, their quaking restrained in his palms, if only slightly.

"No!"

He shouts and my face falls, instantly his expression makes me understand.

"It's Doctor Strange, not Master Strange, not Mr. Strange. Doctor Strange!"

His hands' tremors were increasing and I feel a twist in my chest as his voice grows slightly scared. Not incredibly detectable, but I've known him long enough.

"When I became a doctor, I swore an oath to do no harm."

His gaze flicks to me briefly. He may as well have flicked a knife into my heart.