Lights → Doctor Strange

{you did not just break my window}

Riley's hands shook as she held the wall of blue fire in place. Strange shouted something to her, but she couldn't hear it over the roar of the flames. Mordo appeared over the top of the wall of flames, jumping down. His boots slowed his fall, the magic under them catching him with each step he took.

Riley let the flames die, readying herself for whatever came next. Strange appeared next to her. They both nodded to each other, exchanging a silent conversation. They charged Mordo together. Mordo watched them approach, waiting to the last second before firing a beam of magic at them.

The Amulet burned against Riley's chest as she flung her hands outwards. Immediately, a wall of water shimmered before them, absorbing Mordo's attack. They got closer, and Riley dropped the shield. Strange lashed out with a rope made of magic. It caught on Mordo's wrist. Strange jerked the rope forward, causing Mordo to stumble.

Riley dropped her magic and gave him a swift uppercut to the jaw. Mordo was driven backwards by the force of the punch, but he didn't fall. His anger burned brightly in his magic. Mordo retaliated with a flurry of magic darts.

Strange and Riley stood back to back, each protecting each other from the magic. Mordo hovered into the air, his boots supporting him as he relentlessly attacked the two heroes. Riley cast shields of fire and water up left and right. The attacks became even worse, both sorcerers and a cape trying their hardest to block each spear of magic.

A dart of magic slipped through, slicing the side of Riley's forehead open. The Amulet burned so hot it scorched her skin, but she held the destructive power back. The blood from her wound dripped into her eye, stinging and blinding her. She desperately wiped it away.

Her shields slipped. A gasp of pain from Strange made her turn. A spear of magic was buried in his side. The Amulet burned hot again, but this time Riley used the magic. She moved her arms clockwise, pushing them outward.

A large dome of water formed above Strange and Riley, protecting them but also trapping them. Mordo paced outside. Riley ran to Strange. He was laying on the floor, clutching the gaping wound in his side. It leaked blood out onto the floor at an alarming rate.

Riley desperately tore the end off her long shirt, pressing it into the wound. Strange's eyes were unfocused as he lay there. Mordo was still outside the shield of water, ever patient and waiting.

"You can't hide behind this forever," Mordo taunted, grazing his fingers through the water.

Riley tried to ignore him. Her stomach lurched when she saw her hands were red with Strange's blood. Strange mumbled something, and Riley leaned forward to catch his words.

"D-don't listen to him," Strange pleaded, "He'll say anything, do anything..."

Riley nodded, keeping the pressure on his wound. Outside the water's protection, Mordo began to laugh.

"You try to save him?" Mordo jeered.

Riley looked up at him through red-rimmed eyes, "He saved me!"

"He did it for the fame, the glory! He wanted to taste the fame from saving a life, one more time."

"You're wrong," Riley muttered angrily.

"He broke natural law, splintered time, just for his pride!" Mordo whispered.

His words wormed their way into Riley's head, curling around her doubts and settling there. She shook her head, turning her attention back to Strange. Sweat had broken out on his forehead, dampening his black and white streaked hair.

"It's not true, is it?" she whispered to Strange. Riley ran a hand through Strange's soft hair, trying to ignore Mordo's taunts.

Strange hummed tiredly in answer. His blue eyes fluttered. He was trying to stay awake, but the blood loss was getting the best of him. Mordo still paced around the circle, but he was getting restless. Riley was tiring, and the water shield was getting thinner the longer she held it. Sooner or later, she'd have to let it go.

Mordo began testing the shield, looking for weaknesses. His magic bounced off, but just barely. Strange jumped awake when he heard the loud sizzle of magic against water. Strange's hand found Riley's, squeezing it reassuringly. "Go," he whispered, "Leave me."

Riley's emotions fueled the Amulet, which had grown cold. It slowly warmed as the flood of different feelings rushed through Riley. She got up, slowly easing Strange's head out of her lap.

"A compromise, Strange," Riley grinned, her bloodied face tired but still confident, "I'll go, but I'm taking him with me."

The dome of water splashed down, leaving a good inch of water on the floor. Riley lunged for Mordo, beginning a series of attacks. She threw a pillar of flame at him. Then she dosed him with water. Behind her, Strange was beginning to stir, being pulled up by his cape.

Mordo glanced behind Riley, seeing Strange stirring. He retreated up the stairs with Riley close behind him. They fought back and forth all the way down the hallway. In a complicated move, Riley jumped over Mordo, slicing his back with a golden blade. It was barely a scratch. Mordo had sensed the attack and moved just in time.

The fought hand-to-hand, exchanging punches and kicks. Mordo was stronger than Riley, slowly overpowering her. She took a few faltering steps back before realizing dimly that she had ran out of hallway. Her back pressed against the cool glass of one of the magic windows.

Mordo swung, and Riley ducked, just in time. The fist that was meant for her face went sailing by, destroying the window instead.

Riley grimaced at the sound of breaking glass. Anger began to build inside of her. The hot, dry wind from outside encircled her.

"You did not just break my window," she growled.

Down the hallway, Strange stumbled towards the battle. He heard the glass shatter, and a muffled voice. The floor began to tremble under Strange's boots. Not now, Riley, his mind begged. He really wasn't in any shape to be surviving another earthquake today.

Strange looked up just in time to see Mordo shove Riley through the broken window, and down into the canyon that was outside.

A/N

Cliffhanger! Literally.