Dark clouds loomed over Kamar-Taj as a steady rain wove a vast watery curtain across the sky...
Stephen Strange quietly slipped out of his quarters, crossed the empty courtyard, and entered the silent library.
Today, nearly all the sorcerers training at Kamar-Taj had been summoned by the Ancient One to reinforce the Three Sanctums. The once-bustling sanctuary now stood eerily empty, devoid of any signs of life.
It was said that Kaecilius, the fallen renegade who had abandoned Kamar-Taj, was rapidly expanding his forces, gathering dark minions in an attempt to destroy the Three Sanctums and overthrow the defenses established by the Sorcerer Supreme.
Strange paid little heed to these matters. He still considered himself merely a transient visitor, someone who had come to Kamar-Taj and studied under the Ancient One solely to heal his hands and reclaim his shattered life.
Under the Ancient One's guidance, he had begun to shed the rigid confines of his former worldview, abandoning the limitations of physical sight and truly stepping through the gates of the mystic arts.
Strange would never forget the moment the she pressed a finger to his forehead, guiding his consciousness through countless dimensions. Those breathtakingly beautiful yet perilous worlds unfolded before him like an endless scroll.
It had been an experience unlike any other.
With his materialistic beliefs shattered, Strange gained a new understanding of reality. He began to observe and interpret the world in an entirely different way. From then on, whether in spellcasting or meditation, the genius doctor from New York progressed at a staggering pace.
Much like Kaecilius in his time, Strange quickly revealed extraordinary and unparalleled talent.
"Just this once," he murmured as he stepped into the library.
Moving between towering bookshelves, he pulled out a copper-bound book secured to its stand by delicate chains. Embedded in its cover was a circular gem, its dull glow pulsing faintly.
This was the Book of Cagliostro...
It was from these pages that Kaecilius had learned the forbidden rituals to commune with the Dark Dimension and summon Dormammu.
"I just want to accelerate my progress," Strange muttered to himself.
He had already clashed with the Ancient One over his unorthodox methods. Eager to advance faster, the gifted doctor had no qualms about bending rigid rules. He used sling rings in the library, and employed astral projection to study spells more efficiently.
These actions had earned him repeated warnings from the Ancient One. Kaecilius, too, had once sought shortcuts, only to inevitably fall into darkness.
Yet despite this, Strange still sought the knowledge within the Book of Cagliostro.
Though his mastery of magic grew rapidly, his hands remained unhealed. He was still far from the steady precision needed to wield a scalpel again.
His fingers traced the ancient, esoteric text on the pages. Then his gaze drifted to the Eye of Agamotto, enshrined at the center of the library. After calling for Wong several times and receiving no answer, he reached out and lifted the sacred relic, draping it around his neck.
"Let's give this a try."
Placing his hands before his chest, Strange mimicked the gestures described in the book. The Eye of Agamotto slowly opened, its emerald light blazing brilliantly.
Drawing upon his studies, he wove a circular spell array. Interlocking green patterns resembling countless tiny gears meshed together.
Directing his palms toward an apple on the table, he watched as the fruit withered and rotted; then reversed, returning to ripe and vibrant freshness.
A shock ran through him. It was as though he held the flow of time itself in his hands, dictating decay and rebirth at will.
"You should not wield the power of the Eye of Agamotto without permission." A voice heavy with authority echoed through the library.
The Ancient One, clad in white robes, materialized out of thin air.
With a mere gesture, the Eye detached from Strange's neck and flew into her palm. The intricate spell array dissolved instantly.
"This is far beyond what you are ready to touch." She said calmly.
Had Strange not been her chosen successor, he would never have been able to approach the Eye so easily.
This supreme artifact, named after the previous Sorcerer Supreme, bore thousands of layered runes and spell arrays. Any external interference would trigger devastating magical energy.
"I just wanted to find a way to heal my hands," Strange admitted, lowering his head.
He knew he had violated Kamar-Taj's laws, but desperation had driven him.
The Ancient One did not reprimand him harshly. Instead, she seemed struck by Strange's natural affinity for the Eye.
By merely following the Book of Cagliostro's instructions, he had successfully woven the spell array on his first attempt. This was a feat even most Sorcerers Supreme could not achieve...
"Stephen, the Eye of Agamotto is a curse, one every Sorcerer Supreme must bear." Gently returning the artifact to its place, she spoke gravely, "It allows one to glimpse the secrets of time, but such power brings only suffering. Even the Sorcerer Supreme cannot lightly alter time or reshape destiny. It is a vast, unending river. It is ceaseless and relentless. The Sorcerer Supreme merely stands upstream, observing all, maintaining impartiality toward all things."
Strange sensed an indescribable weight in her words. After a pause, he replied sheepishly, "I came here only to heal my hands. I shouldn't have meddled with this."
Just as he turned to leave, the massive doors of the Three Sanctums trembled violently. The celestial bodies overhead flared with light. This was a warning sign of an extra-dimensional invasion.
"Kaecilius is proving restless indeed." The Ancient One muttered with a frown.
She should have been in Latveria, yet the Sanctums were under attack. It was clear that Kaecilius had used himself as a decoy, drawing Kamar-Taj's attention while launching a surprise assault.
"Go to Latveria. Tell Sean Cyphers he must act faster." With a sweep of her arm, she traced intricate patterns in the air, thrusting Strange through a shimmering portal.
The Sorcerer Supreme strode through the towering doors into the New York Sanctum. Outside, the sky churned with black clouds, lightning writhing like frenzied serpents as torrential rain hammered the earth.
Fat raindrops struck the ground, shrouding the city in a misty haze. An oppressive gloom hung in the air, and a palpable sense of impending doom loomed over her.
"Is this my end, then?" she muttered, lifting her gaze to pierce through the thick clouds.
Beyond the barriers of the physical world, darkness approached...