THE APPRENTICE II

25

"There was pain, a lot of pain." Hazel explained to the man. They sat across one another in the sanctum as Strange poured a cup of tea. The kitten leaped on top of the table and sat itself down between them. He contemplated on swooping her off, but didn't want to strike a nerve of Hazel's. Instead, he stroked his body as she continued. "I can't tell you how it felt. It was like my skin was breaking. Like I was about to shatter,"

"It was breaking, light was coming through you," he confirmed "and your eyes did the glowy thing too. This time, gold. It's strange, isn't it? The time stone's been pulverized, this has never happened before,"

"No, but that's the thing!" She stressed and clenched her knuckles out of frustration. He furrowed his eyebrows in response. "It has happened. This wasn't the first time."

She got up from her chair and took a deep breath. She made a few hand movements, the green light flickering. Lines appeared on her forehead as she maintained her focus, and the light went stable. She replayed the moment she had first interacted with Gyor. Gold waves of light emitted from her body as she chased him down, and later, straddled him. Strange's face relaxed in shock and awe, his lips parted and eyes widened.

"I can't say I didn't remember, cause frankly, I never even noticed— but what I do remember is that he didn't want to look me in the eyes, and that's probably why."

Stephen blinked a few times, and after regaining his composure, he let out a scoff. She perked up at his chutzpah.

"Wait wait wait." He breathed out with a humorless laugh. "So you're telling me that, at the time, you, as a beginner sorcerer, had golden waves of light coming out out of your body and forgot to tell me? You forgot to tell the sorcerer supreme? Oh, wait, no, let's start smaller— you just forgot, in general?!,"

"Well, I'm sorry! I was too busy fighting for my life!," She mimicked the tone of condescension in his voice. "You know, I don't know what you were like at 15, but usually, when someones trying to fight off an assassination attempt, they don't pay attention to the twinkling lights around them!,"

"You're a sorcerer!" He ridiculed and threw his hands up in the air out of frustration.

"I was having a tough time! I was occupied!" She stomped her foot. "And a beginner,"

"When I was a beginner, I saved the planet from the god of the Dark Dimension!,"

"Really? You're gonna do the whole "when I was your age" thing?" She raised a brow and scoffed. "Yeah? Well when I was 21, I had saved half the universe and brought you back into existence— what were you doing at 21?,"

"Fair enough." He cocked his head to the side and brought his tone down. She gave a slow nod in satisfaction and let the spell die, the green light disappearing from the air. They plopped down the sofa. She put her feet up at the table, and so did he. She fought back a smile after noticing this; during the earlier days, he'd always tell her to put them off the table.

"Okay. So we know that this doesn't involve the time stone,"

"It involves the time stone,"

"It involves the time stone, 50%,"

"It 100% involves the time stone." Her expression fell into disappointment and she rolled her eyes. He threw his hands up again. "What now?,"

"Why is it always involved? It's gone. You know, this is getting really annoying,"

"Well, like it or not, it is. You have to be objective about it, it's the best way to solve any problem." He ignored her eye roll. "Hazel, it's true. The time stone is a powerful force, it needs not to be intact for its power to be accessible. When it comes to the mystic arts, its mysteries are rarely— Okay. Your attitude is up here, and I need it all the way down here."