Dark Dimension: The Sanctum Again
Oct. 8th, 2017 10:40 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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xp_logsA small group gathers at the Sanctum in the aftermath for recovery and answers.
While it was certainly a mansion the Ancient One brought Amanda, Stephen, Clea, and Topaz to, it wasn't the mansion Topaz wanted to see. She was less than impressed with the large building they had landed in. Any other time she might have been interested and at least wondered where in the world they were. At that moment, however, she would have liked the sight of her bed more than anything else. At least the tosser lackies weren't there.
"So is this the part where we're told we know too much and you have to kill us?"
Clea took a seat on one of the overstuffed couches and almost melted. The smell of incense was calming and the pouring of inviting tea was mouth watering. Now that she wasn't in that strange world, she was tired, aching, and for the first time in what felt for ever, she wanted to sleep. "Topaz..." Clea whispered at her friend.
"This bloke might be one of the good guys, but he's not exactly been a friend," Amanda said quietly to Clea. She raised her voice a little to address the Ancient One. "If it had been up to you, Topaz and Clea would have been stuck in the Dark Dimension for good and had fuck knows what happen to them. I think they deserve some answers, don't you?"
"At the least we just helped you slam the door in old whathisface's face, I mean don't we get some kinda thought for that?" Stephen piped up from behind Amanda as he came up to stand next to Clea. "You owe us all that much at least, what just happened?"
The Ancient One looked at the small crowd before him and then ran a simple bell. In came two people dressed in robes, each carrying a basin filled with what appeared to be water. They set them down in front of Topaz and Clea, as they were shoeless. "Dormammu is an entity that craves physical matter. He is an entity of pure magical energy - dangerous and willing to go to any extremes to get what he wants." The two finished and left once more. "Clea is the daughter of Prince Orini and Umar, Dormammu's sister. During the Rebellion War, she was brought here. You saw the ruins of the capital city, close to a few million people once lived there. I am not sure how many survived. Dormammu wanted Clea as his own - with proper training, she could potentially become powerful in her own world. His over all goal would to absorb her as his own, similar to what he has done to Orini and use her knowledge of this world to try and conquer it."
Clea just blinked at the man as he was telling the stories as she soaked her feet in the basin, instantly her feet felt a lot better. Orini was telling a bit to Topaz and her when they had first arrived but it was going through one ear and out the other. "That is not very nice." She whispered.
"The bloke who tried to kill us isn't nice?" Topaz whispered back, flopping down next to Clea. That couch was far more comfortable than it had any right to be. Amanda might have to carry her out. "I'm shocked." There was no malice in her words. A little bit of snark, but mostly she just sounded tired.
"Everyone's a critic," muttered Amanda, in response to the "with proper training" remark. Then she straightened, as much as she was able, and met the Ancient One's gaze. "All right, so that's why Clea and Topaz were taken - Dormammu wanted his niece and Topaz got dragged along for the ride. But what I want to know is, if having Clea would make Dormammu so much more powerful and help him invade Earth, why wouldn't you, sworn enemy of the Big Bad, help me get her back? I seem to remember being told to shove off in smart order after you telling me where she was."
"Opening a portal to a different dimension always has risks, especially ones that are under Dormammu's domain. With you and your friends taking the book and opening it yourself, it was unexpected. Dormammu couldn't have thought that people would come for them, he knew I couldn't risk it, even knowing what it could mean." He lowered his head towards Amanda, "I am not happy with your decision to steal from me and open the way between our worlds." He looked up at her, "But - I understand why. It did make me realize that maybe some risks are worth it."
"So you decided to bring in the cavalry," Stephen surmised as he looked around the room, "I thought we were pretty much done for before you showed up. So I guess if you admit we did the right thing in the end, then no harm no foul and we manage to stop Dormammu at the same time right?" There was a definite hopeful tilt to the boy's voice, one that everyone had heard before when he was trying to wheedle his way out of trouble.
"We delayed him, yes. However, there is still the matter that he could still return for Clea and thus our world. You saw the mirror like portals scattered throughout the Dark Dimension. Ours has been mended - albeit it has been closed on our side. He may still haunt her dreams." He sighed heavily. It never ended when it was Dormammu was concerned. "If her dreams get worse again, bring her back here."
"I suppose we'll have to," was Amanda's somewhat ungracious reply. Inwardly she was seething with anger. They'd been used, and worse, her students had been nothing but pawns in this whole thing. "I do expect a bit more cooperation in future, tho', if there's questions and the like. Especially since I basically did your dirty work for you."
Clea was already was in the state of half awake and awake. "Aye." She whispered as if she was agreeing to whatever conversations that were going on. It was the smell that was making her tire, the warm water that was taking care of her aching feet, the comfortable couch, and the first time in 24 hours, not running for her life. "Yes, tea would be nice." She mumbled.
Topaz looked down at the teen, then back at the Ancient One. "Oi, as I'm sure you're probably aware - considering you were apparently planning on leaving us there and I have questions about that but to be honest I don't really care enough right now - this one and I just spent the better part of a day wandering around a castle trying not to die. Is there any more of this conversation that needs to be had or do you think maybe you could let us go home?"
"When you are ready, you will be teleported back to home. Two magicians will follow to ensure the tear in her room is properly sealed. The one in the woods has already been closed permanently." The Ancient One stood. "I would like a private word with Stephen Strange."
Stephen glanced back at Clea and Topaz then at the Ancient One, "Maybe it'd be best for us to talk about anything else that we need to deal with later?" His dark eyes flicked back, "It's probably not the best time for talking about anything else."
Amanda looked from Stephen to the Ancient One and back again, eyes narrowing suspiciously. "Can't it wait?" she demanded. "These kids are dead on their feet and need to get home." Not to mention she had a date with painkillers and an ice pack for her shoulder and ribs.
"It will take naught but a minute." He assured Amanda but also very clear he wouldn't take no for an answer. "Wong is awaiting just outside the door and will lead you back to the rest of your group."
Stephen and the Ancient One have a cryptic conversation. The only kind he's capable of, perhaps.
Ancient One had asked for a brief word with the young Stephen Strange. "I have a question for you Mr. Strange, if you don't mind me going a little personal."
"Well, we just spilled blood, fought the forces of dark and evil, scored one for the good guys, whatever you wanna call it," the teenager gave the man a grin, adrenaline still coursing through his system, "Ask away."
"With your knowledge now, about Dormammu and his threats to Earth. Would you still have gone in to save Clea and Topaz?" Ancient One asked him casually but was studying the young man's face.
Stephen didn't even have to think about it before he nodded, "Yes. Part of me wants to say that they're my friends, but it's more than that." He turned to face the man, his gaze calm as he caught his eyes. "With the threat Dormammu poses, taking Topaz and Clea would only help him, if he's that dangerous he can't be allowed anywhere near earth, near the people we choose to protect."
"Would your answer still be the same if they were strangers?"
The question caught Stephen by surprise for a moment, the barest pulse of seconds before he shook his head. "No, if they were my friends or not I'd still have come. If someone needs my help I can't do anything less can I? Could you?"
The Ancient One looked towards the window of what should be the skyline of New York but was completely something different. "I've seen many things, perhaps living for as long as I have has changed my perception on many things. Don't change who you are Stephen. There may come a day when it will be needed." The glimmer of a certain artifact caught Ancient Ones eye, "And one day you will need your allies to stand by your side, regardless of the choices you will make."
Stephen twisted his head around, a grin spreading across his face as he smirked at the old man, "Well that goes without saying, they're my friends and friends are meant to be there for you no matter what happens." The boy reached up to run the back of his head, "Well mostly, it's a two-way street, but that's what friendship is."
"I expect great things from you." He said and lead Stephen out of the room, "Shall I lead you back to your friends?"
Stephen couldn't help the smile that spread across his face as he nodded, "Yeah, please. I need to make sure they're all ok before we all collapse."
Ancient One grabbed a bag of tea and held it out for Stephen, "To help relax the mind and body."
The teen hefted the teabag, feeling the papery feeling sliding between his fingers as he nodded his thanks. "I get the feeling that this'll be useful. Thank you."
"I am sure we will be seeing each other again in the future. Take care Stephen Strange. I expect great things from you."
While it was certainly a mansion the Ancient One brought Amanda, Stephen, Clea, and Topaz to, it wasn't the mansion Topaz wanted to see. She was less than impressed with the large building they had landed in. Any other time she might have been interested and at least wondered where in the world they were. At that moment, however, she would have liked the sight of her bed more than anything else. At least the tosser lackies weren't there.
"So is this the part where we're told we know too much and you have to kill us?"
Clea took a seat on one of the overstuffed couches and almost melted. The smell of incense was calming and the pouring of inviting tea was mouth watering. Now that she wasn't in that strange world, she was tired, aching, and for the first time in what felt for ever, she wanted to sleep. "Topaz..." Clea whispered at her friend.
"This bloke might be one of the good guys, but he's not exactly been a friend," Amanda said quietly to Clea. She raised her voice a little to address the Ancient One. "If it had been up to you, Topaz and Clea would have been stuck in the Dark Dimension for good and had fuck knows what happen to them. I think they deserve some answers, don't you?"
"At the least we just helped you slam the door in old whathisface's face, I mean don't we get some kinda thought for that?" Stephen piped up from behind Amanda as he came up to stand next to Clea. "You owe us all that much at least, what just happened?"
The Ancient One looked at the small crowd before him and then ran a simple bell. In came two people dressed in robes, each carrying a basin filled with what appeared to be water. They set them down in front of Topaz and Clea, as they were shoeless. "Dormammu is an entity that craves physical matter. He is an entity of pure magical energy - dangerous and willing to go to any extremes to get what he wants." The two finished and left once more. "Clea is the daughter of Prince Orini and Umar, Dormammu's sister. During the Rebellion War, she was brought here. You saw the ruins of the capital city, close to a few million people once lived there. I am not sure how many survived. Dormammu wanted Clea as his own - with proper training, she could potentially become powerful in her own world. His over all goal would to absorb her as his own, similar to what he has done to Orini and use her knowledge of this world to try and conquer it."
Clea just blinked at the man as he was telling the stories as she soaked her feet in the basin, instantly her feet felt a lot better. Orini was telling a bit to Topaz and her when they had first arrived but it was going through one ear and out the other. "That is not very nice." She whispered.
"The bloke who tried to kill us isn't nice?" Topaz whispered back, flopping down next to Clea. That couch was far more comfortable than it had any right to be. Amanda might have to carry her out. "I'm shocked." There was no malice in her words. A little bit of snark, but mostly she just sounded tired.
"Everyone's a critic," muttered Amanda, in response to the "with proper training" remark. Then she straightened, as much as she was able, and met the Ancient One's gaze. "All right, so that's why Clea and Topaz were taken - Dormammu wanted his niece and Topaz got dragged along for the ride. But what I want to know is, if having Clea would make Dormammu so much more powerful and help him invade Earth, why wouldn't you, sworn enemy of the Big Bad, help me get her back? I seem to remember being told to shove off in smart order after you telling me where she was."
"Opening a portal to a different dimension always has risks, especially ones that are under Dormammu's domain. With you and your friends taking the book and opening it yourself, it was unexpected. Dormammu couldn't have thought that people would come for them, he knew I couldn't risk it, even knowing what it could mean." He lowered his head towards Amanda, "I am not happy with your decision to steal from me and open the way between our worlds." He looked up at her, "But - I understand why. It did make me realize that maybe some risks are worth it."
"So you decided to bring in the cavalry," Stephen surmised as he looked around the room, "I thought we were pretty much done for before you showed up. So I guess if you admit we did the right thing in the end, then no harm no foul and we manage to stop Dormammu at the same time right?" There was a definite hopeful tilt to the boy's voice, one that everyone had heard before when he was trying to wheedle his way out of trouble.
"We delayed him, yes. However, there is still the matter that he could still return for Clea and thus our world. You saw the mirror like portals scattered throughout the Dark Dimension. Ours has been mended - albeit it has been closed on our side. He may still haunt her dreams." He sighed heavily. It never ended when it was Dormammu was concerned. "If her dreams get worse again, bring her back here."
"I suppose we'll have to," was Amanda's somewhat ungracious reply. Inwardly she was seething with anger. They'd been used, and worse, her students had been nothing but pawns in this whole thing. "I do expect a bit more cooperation in future, tho', if there's questions and the like. Especially since I basically did your dirty work for you."
Clea was already was in the state of half awake and awake. "Aye." She whispered as if she was agreeing to whatever conversations that were going on. It was the smell that was making her tire, the warm water that was taking care of her aching feet, the comfortable couch, and the first time in 24 hours, not running for her life. "Yes, tea would be nice." She mumbled.
Topaz looked down at the teen, then back at the Ancient One. "Oi, as I'm sure you're probably aware - considering you were apparently planning on leaving us there and I have questions about that but to be honest I don't really care enough right now - this one and I just spent the better part of a day wandering around a castle trying not to die. Is there any more of this conversation that needs to be had or do you think maybe you could let us go home?"
"When you are ready, you will be teleported back to home. Two magicians will follow to ensure the tear in her room is properly sealed. The one in the woods has already been closed permanently." The Ancient One stood. "I would like a private word with Stephen Strange."
Stephen glanced back at Clea and Topaz then at the Ancient One, "Maybe it'd be best for us to talk about anything else that we need to deal with later?" His dark eyes flicked back, "It's probably not the best time for talking about anything else."
Amanda looked from Stephen to the Ancient One and back again, eyes narrowing suspiciously. "Can't it wait?" she demanded. "These kids are dead on their feet and need to get home." Not to mention she had a date with painkillers and an ice pack for her shoulder and ribs.
"It will take naught but a minute." He assured Amanda but also very clear he wouldn't take no for an answer. "Wong is awaiting just outside the door and will lead you back to the rest of your group."
Stephen and the Ancient One have a cryptic conversation. The only kind he's capable of, perhaps.
Ancient One had asked for a brief word with the young Stephen Strange. "I have a question for you Mr. Strange, if you don't mind me going a little personal."
"Well, we just spilled blood, fought the forces of dark and evil, scored one for the good guys, whatever you wanna call it," the teenager gave the man a grin, adrenaline still coursing through his system, "Ask away."
"With your knowledge now, about Dormammu and his threats to Earth. Would you still have gone in to save Clea and Topaz?" Ancient One asked him casually but was studying the young man's face.
Stephen didn't even have to think about it before he nodded, "Yes. Part of me wants to say that they're my friends, but it's more than that." He turned to face the man, his gaze calm as he caught his eyes. "With the threat Dormammu poses, taking Topaz and Clea would only help him, if he's that dangerous he can't be allowed anywhere near earth, near the people we choose to protect."
"Would your answer still be the same if they were strangers?"
The question caught Stephen by surprise for a moment, the barest pulse of seconds before he shook his head. "No, if they were my friends or not I'd still have come. If someone needs my help I can't do anything less can I? Could you?"
The Ancient One looked towards the window of what should be the skyline of New York but was completely something different. "I've seen many things, perhaps living for as long as I have has changed my perception on many things. Don't change who you are Stephen. There may come a day when it will be needed." The glimmer of a certain artifact caught Ancient Ones eye, "And one day you will need your allies to stand by your side, regardless of the choices you will make."
Stephen twisted his head around, a grin spreading across his face as he smirked at the old man, "Well that goes without saying, they're my friends and friends are meant to be there for you no matter what happens." The boy reached up to run the back of his head, "Well mostly, it's a two-way street, but that's what friendship is."
"I expect great things from you." He said and lead Stephen out of the room, "Shall I lead you back to your friends?"
Stephen couldn't help the smile that spread across his face as he nodded, "Yeah, please. I need to make sure they're all ok before we all collapse."
Ancient One grabbed a bag of tea and held it out for Stephen, "To help relax the mind and body."
The teen hefted the teabag, feeling the papery feeling sliding between his fingers as he nodded his thanks. "I get the feeling that this'll be useful. Thank you."
"I am sure we will be seeing each other again in the future. Take care Stephen Strange. I expect great things from you."
