As Gwen and I entered the Sanctum, it looked nothing more than a normal library.
A grand staircase stood in the center of the entrance, while both sides were lined with shelves of books and scattered stationery.
The air smelled faintly of dust and incense, and the light that filtered through the tall windows shimmered with a strange, golden hue.
It was more on the lines of secrecy than meets the odds in this place.
"So, Petey, where can we find this Mr. Doctor Strange guy?" Gwen asked, glancing around curiously.
"Simple. You don't," I replied. "His journey hasn't started yet. Not until 2016, Gwen."
"What?!" Gwen gasped, her eyes widening in disbelief. Her lips formed a pout, as usual—so cute.
"So I followed you in that bus for nothing?!" she exclaimed, folding her arms.
"You wanted to come," I said, shaking my head. "I kept telling you to let me handle this sort of magic and reborn stuff. But nooo, Miss Stacy just had to tag along. Science and all that."
Well, can't really complain. She's a geek just like me.
I sighed and gestured toward the staircase. "Come on. We're gonna see Master Wong."
"Who's Master Wong?" Gwen asked, her tone shifting to curiosity again as she adjusted her backpack and stepped closer to me.
"That would be me."
"JESUS!!!"
We both jumped back in shock as a calm yet commanding voice came from behind us. There stood an Asian man in deep red and golden robes, holding a tray of tea. Yup, same old Wong.
He gave us a scrutinizing look. "Who are you kids?"
I straightened up. "Who we are isn't important, Master Wong. But I need to see her."
Wong's eyes narrowed slightly. "And who is the 'her'?"
"The one we don't speak of," I said quietly. "The one who holds the time… the supreme who exiles the dark force."
For a moment, silence filled the air. Dust motes drifted lazily through a ray of sunlight between us. Wong set the tray down slowly, his gaze steady on me as if trying to read my intentions.
He didn't recognize me—well, of course he didn't. We hadn't met. Not before Thanos did the snap.
Gwen stepped closer beside me, her curiosity mixed with awe. The atmosphere thickened, the Sanctum's walls humming faintly with hidden energy, as if the place itself was listening.
And somewhere, behind the curtains of time, I could almost feel her presence.
"Funny how you know so much, yet so little about us, Peter Parker."
A voice echoed in both Gwen's and my ears — distant, ethereal, as if only we could hear it. Suddenly, our surroundings shattered like glass.
The library cracked and splintered around us, breaking into fragments of light that floated in the air like shards of a mirror.
Gwen clung tightly to my arm, trembling. Fear had taken over her.
Well, can't blame her — this was her first real experience with magic.
"Peter… what's going on…?" she asked, her voice shaky.
She looked terrified, almost like a kitten caught in the rain. I sighed softly.
"Fine, Sorcerer Supreme," I muttered, raising my hands. "You asked for it."
I formed a hand sign — the one Doctor Strange had taught me during a critical moment in my past life.
The motion flowed instinctively, and in a blink, my hands caught the spark of mystic light. The space before us warped, bending reality itself.
And there she was.
The Sorcerer Supreme.
"Fool! Do you want to start a cosmic war?!" she boomed, her tone sharp and commanding.
"Hey," I said with a faint smirk, "at least you came just in time before I summoned Mephisto."
She stepped forward, her bald head shining under the golden light. Her robes shimmered — gold and white silk — radiant and pure. Her eyes, however, carried the weight of universes.
"To even utter that name in my presence, and in the Sanctum," she said coldly. "You are arrogant, Mr. Parker."
She released my hands and, with a mere snap of her fingers, the world shifted again.
In an instant, we were in her private chamber — her office. Golden candles flickered on the floating shelves, scrolls hovered mid-air, and an aura of calm filled the room.
"You are three years too early when you mentioned Doctor Stephen Strange," she said, her tone sharp as she circled me. "So I suggest you give me one good reason — and tell me how you know that spell."
She narrowed her eyes. "That incantation is used to make a pact with Mephisto… or worse — Dormammu."
I walked closer to her desk, the floor glowing faintly beneath each step. Gwen followed carefully behind, still shaken. I turned to make sure she was okay before facing the Sorcerer Supreme again.
"Before I answer. Does the word Knull mean anything to you… in your time as Sorcerer Supreme?"
Her expression faltered — not fear, but unease.
"How do you…?" she began, visibly disturbed.
"I'm not who you think I am," I said calmly. "How do you think I know Doctor Stephen Strange? The Sanctum? Master Wong? And you…?"
She stepped closer, her movements slow, deliberate. Then she placed her thumb on my forehead.
A pulse of golden energy rippled through me. Images, memories, entire timelines flashed between us.
The Ancient One's eyes widened — then she gasped and stumbled backward. Wong caught her quickly, steadying her into her chair.
"Child," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly, "just how far are you willing to go? First Thanos… now Knull? Just how much more can you endure?"
I looked at her firmly. "I know exactly what I'm willing to sacrifice. My childhood, my youth — everything I love and care about — to protect what matters."
She studied me for a long moment, then rose from her seat. Her gaze softened, but her curiosity deepened.
"In one of your past memories," she said quietly, "I noticed something… extraordinary."
She took a step closer, her tone lowering to a whisper.
"How did you do it?"
I frowned slightly. "Do what?"
Her eyes met mine. "How did you make contact with… The One Above All?"
The room fell silent. Even the candles seemed to hold their breath.
---
Chapter 12 — End.