NOVEL NEXT Chapter 3: chapter 3
Chapter Three: A Glimpse of Despair
The Sanctum Sanctorum in Greenwich Village was unusually quiet, but the air buzzed with an unseen tension. Doctor Stephen Strange sat cross-legged in the meditation chamber, his cloak draped over his shoulders, and the Eye of Agamotto resting against his chest. His brows furrowed as his mind delved deep into the astral plane, seeking answers to the disturbance he had felt days ago.
The visions had been relentless: shadows swallowing cities, humanity turning into grotesque, mindless creatures, and an overwhelming sense of despair that echoed through the multiverse. Something catastrophic was coming.
Strange's eyes snapped open, his breathing uneven.
"Wong," he called out, his voice tight.
Wong appeared from the adjacent library, a tome in hand. "What is it, Stephen? You've been in there for hours."
Strange rose to his feet, his expression grim. "I've seen it again. The apocalypse. A storm of chaos and death, and it starts here, on Earth."
Wong's face darkened. "The same vision you've been having for weeks? What does it mean?"
Strange hesitated. "It means we're running out of time. Something—or someone—is unleashing a force unlike anything we've ever faced. I can't see the source clearly, but the threads of fate are unraveling."
"Should we warn the Avengers?" Wong asked.
Strange shook his head. "Not yet. The timelines are fragile. If I say too much, I could set events in motion prematurely. For now, we prepare."
Wong nodded, though unease flickered in his eyes. "And if the time comes?"
Strange's gaze hardened. "We'll do whatever it takes."
The Glimpse
Later that evening, Strange found himself restless. Despite his attempts to maintain composure, the visions continued to haunt him. The faces of the Avengers flashed before him—Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanoff, Bruce Banner, Thor, and finally, Tony Stark.
Tony.
In every possible outcome he had seen, Stark played a pivotal role. The billionaire genius had always been a man of action, but Strange sensed a growing shadow in his fate.
Against his better judgment, Strange decided to reach out.
At Stark Tower
Tony Stark stood in his workshop, tinkering with a new piece of tech designed to neutralize airborne pathogens. The Bronx incident had put him on edge, and he was determined to stay ahead of whatever was coming.
"FRIDAY, increase the power output by 20%," Tony muttered, adjusting the gauntlet of his latest suit.
Before FRIDAY could respond, a shimmering portal opened behind him, casting golden light across the room.
Tony turned, unfazed. "Strange. What's the matter? Another cosmic threat, or did you just miss me?"
Doctor Strange stepped through the portal, his expression grave. "I need to talk to you."
Tony raised an eyebrow. "Wow, no small talk? Must be serious."
Strange didn't respond immediately. Instead, he walked to the window and stared out at the New York skyline, illuminated against the night. After a long silence, he finally spoke.
"Tony, do you believe in destiny?"
Tony frowned, setting down his tools. "Destiny? Not really my style. I'm more of a make-your-own-fate kind of guy. Why?"
Strange turned to face him, his eyes glinting with an intensity that made even Tony pause. "I've seen things… terrible things. The kind of things that no amount of technology, strategy, or brute force can stop. Something is coming, Stark. Something that could end everything."
Tony's smirk faltered. "Define 'everything.'"
Strange took a step closer. "The end of the world. The fall of humanity. A darkness that consumes not just Earth, but every dimension."
Tony crossed his arms, his gaze sharpening. "Okay, now you've got my attention. What are we dealing with?"
Strange hesitated, his fingers twitching as if resisting the urge to say more. "I can't tell you everything. Not yet. But I need you to be ready. You'll play a crucial role in what's coming."
Tony's eyes narrowed. "Why me?"
Strange gave a faint, almost sorrowful smile. "Because you're Tony Stark. And in every future I've seen, you're the one who stands between survival and annihilation."
Tony stared at him, his usual cocky demeanor replaced by a rare seriousness. "That's comforting," he said dryly. "Anything else you'd like to drop on me?"
Strange turned toward the portal he had conjured. "Just one thing," he said, his voice dropping to a whisper.
As the portal began to close, Tony barely caught Strange's final words: "Watch for the green glow."
Lingering Shadows
Alone once more, Tony leaned against his workbench, the weight of Strange's words settling over him. "Green glow," he muttered, glancing at the holographic display of his pathogen neutralizer.
He couldn't shake the feeling that Strange knew more than he was letting on. And for the first time in a long time, Tony Stark felt truly unsettled.
In the Sanctum Sanctorum, Strange sat in the meditation chamber once more, the Eye of Agamotto glowing faintly.
"Prepare yourself, Stark," he murmured. "The storm is only beginning."