A Strange Vice (Sequel to Doctor Strangelove)

Chapter Nine

alright kids it's 9:55 PM let's see how long i can stay up to try and finish this

lmao i wrote till like 10:30

-------------------------

Well, this wasn't how Stephen had wanted to spend his Saturday night.

His head felt bloody awful. It was like he had a very extreme hangover. Even when he'd had a problem with alcohol after his hands, it had never been this bad before. He cracked his eyes open, grateful for the dark atmosphere he was in. His relief was replaced with panic after a moment, though, as it occurred to him that he had no idea where he actually was. He tried to push himself up but found he was in too much pain to do so. 

Once Stephen's eyes had adjusted to the gloom, he discovered that he was in a cell. He sighed, utterly furious with himself. How could he have been so stupid? He'd thrown away the one person he cared about more than anything else. He'd invented a new kind of stupid, a "damage you can never undo" kind of stupid. Rachael would never take him back, and he could hardly blame her. He'd never take himself back either, if he was in her shoes.

He was pulled out of his pity party when he heard a door open somewhere. Even though he felt like he was bruised all over, he forced himself to stand up so he appeared formidable. A few torches were suddenly lit, revealing Asriel walking down the hall toward his cell. She looked totally cold and emotionless. 

"Ah, good, you're up," she said. "I was getting worried I'd accidentally killed you there. That would be disastrous." Stephen tried to conjure up a shield, a rope, something, but his magic wouldn't work. Evanora cackled darkly. "Oh, darling, it won't work. Do you really think I wouldn't have taken care of that?"

"What have you done?" Stephen growled.

Asriel shrugged. "I just drained your magic. You'll get it back when you're ready." She examined her nails. "So, are you ready to do what I want you to do yet?"

"Maybe I will be if you tell me why you thought it was necessary to ruin my marriage!" Stephen snapped. 

"I had to get Rachael out of the way, as I needed your strength and she posed a threat. I can't use the Eye of Agamotto, as I don't know how, so I need you to do it," Asriel explained.

"That's not my problem. There's plenty of relics you could use to...do whatever it is you want to do," Stephen paused. "What is it that you want to do?" 

"I suppose I could tell you...or I could show you." She walked toward him and stuck her thumb on his forehead. "Come now, little one, open up your eyes."

Just like with the Ancient One so long ago, Stephen was transported to another place and time. Although, this time he wasn't fearing for his life and flying willy-nilly throughout the multiverse. No, Asriel had transported him to the realm of the Shadow Queen. 

Stephen watched as she was rejected by the Sorceress Supreme for being too arrogant, too abrasive. He couldn't help but agree with her. He watched as Asriel ran off to practice magic on her own, becoming obsessed with gaining power and skill. Horror engulfed him as he watched her kill each Sorcerer Supreme and take his or her magic away after she'd done the deed. It wasn't just the Sorcerer Supremes, either, she was killing innocent apprentices and students who refused to follow her. 

Stephen had a sudden epiphany that this was what he could have become had the Ancient One not taken him in that day. Maybe not exactly this, but some variation. The obsession with needing to get his hands back would have eaten him up until it destroyed him and those around him. Hell, there had been a very real possibility of him becoming this even when she had taken him in. He'd been obsessed with learning new spells and skills. If he'd joined Kaecilius...he didn't want to know what would have happened then.