What if...Stephen's Crash Also Left Him Paraplegic?

Chapter 5: Welcome to Kamar-Taj

Stephen was put on a cot as he got off his plane. He was finally nearing a solution to his paralysis. Someone brought him a wheelchair and his bags. He left the airport feeling a bit anxious.

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"Kamar-Taj?" Stephen asked as he wheeled around Nepal's busy streets. "Do you know where Kamar-Taj is?" Everyone avoided eye contact with Stephen. Suddenly, someone grabbed his wheelchair and pulled him into an alleyway. There were 3 males, all looking like homeless people. They started to look at Stephen to find items of immense value. They were about to knock him off his chair when someone stopped them.

"You should really pick on someone your own size," he said, as he stepped in front of Stephen. He pushed the first guy to the ground, punched the second one, and kicked the third one in the ribs. Looking and feeling defeated, the gang left, clutching various parts of their body.

"Thank you," Stephen said, almost out of breath.

"You're looking for Kamar-Taj, right?" Stephen looked at him and nodded. "I'm Mordo. I'll take you there." Mordo picked up Stephens's suitcase which had fallen when the gang tried to ransack him.

As they walked/wheeled through the busy streets of Nepal, Stephen looked around him. He was so focused on finding Kamar-Taj that he didn't appreciate the beauty around him. He stopped wheeling and just looked around.

"Appreciating the beauty, Mr. Strange?"

"It's a wonder-wait, how do you know who I am?"

"Your suitcase tag. It says Dr. Stephen Strange, but you aren't a doctor anymore," Mordo said. Stephen looked at his suitcase tag which was in the hands of the brown-eyed man.

"Yes, but that is why I'm trying to find this, Kamar-Taj. I've heard that the people have healed someone with the same injuries as mine." Mordo stopped walking. "Why did you stop?

"Because we are here." Stephen looked at the building in front of him. Mordo opened the door for him and motioned to go inside. Stephen looked around as he wheeled in. He wasn't sure what he was expecting, but this was certainly not it. Everything looked ancient and old. There wasn't a sight of anything medical-related. Just brown. Very, very brown. There was an open place in the middle of the room. The floor was the only thing that had a design. A table was placed in the center of the room.

"Stephen Strange," a voice said. "I've been expecting you." Stephen turned to look at the person who said that. He was greeted by a woman with a bald head. A woman with plain grey and white clothes. "Thank you for bringing him to me, Master Mordo." Mordo bowed to the woman and left Stephen's bags near the entrance of the door while he circled around to where the woman was standing.

"Master-? Wait. What is happening? Who are you?"

"I am the Ancient One," the girl replied. "You are in Kamar-Taj, Stephen Strange."

"Right, yes. I'm here to heal my legs. I heard of a man that came here, Jonathan Pangborn. Do you know him?"

"Yes, Mr. Pangborn. They brought him on a stretcher. He thought all was lost until he found us."

"Can you do what you did to him, to me?"

"I am going to tell you something, and I want you to listen carefully." Stephen looked at the Ancient One ready for her to tell him the secret to regaining his leg function. "Forget everything you think you know."

"Pardon?"

"Forget it. This world is full of mysteries and things you don't know, Strange. You need to forget everything."