Doctor Strange: Mystic Master

Chapter 1: A Strange Message

Side-note: This takes place in the same universe as The Invincible Spider-Man, so make sure to check that out too! Both these stories take place on Earth 9180.

Stephen Strange sat in the library of the Sanctum Sanctorum, arranging the books in the cramped bookshelves. He looked out the huge circular window overlooking Bleecker Street.

"I have to tell Wong that we need bigger bookshelves. I can barely fit volumes 138-150 in this shelf." Lamented Strange, as he wore a dark brown tunic.

But, for the first time in about 6 years, Strange was happy. After he learned about the Mystic Arts, everything life had thrown at him was either another dimensional threat, or another magical one.

For the first time, there was nothing threatening the Multiverse. Not since Strange and the other apprentices were able to ward off Dormammu and send him back to the Dark Dimension.

That's when a sling ring portal opened up, and Stephen's closest ally, Wong, stepped out of the portal.

"So here you are, arranging books in the library." Chuckled Wong.

"Yeah, speaking of which, we need bigger bookshelves." Said Stephen, trying to cram in the last volume of the spellbook. "Anyways, anything new in the Multiverse?" He asked.

"Nothing. The Multiverse has never been safer, especially since we defeated Dormammu." Said Wong.

"We didn't defeat him, we just warded him away. Trust me, he'll be back." Replied Strange.

"Okay, okay. But anyways, nothing new yet." Said Wong. "So, listen. I was thinking that we, expand our practice." Said Wong.

"What do you mean?" Asked Strange, his brow furrowing.

"Well, the Multiverse is safe for now. Maybe it's time we focus on New York, our own city." Said Wong.

Strange shook his head. "Wong, our job as sorcerers is to protect the Multiverse, not just one city. Besides, if we suddenly start becoming heroes like The Avengers or that Spider kid, then people will expect us to be everywhere, even for the littlest of things." Explained Stephen.

"Right. Okay." Said Wong, sounding a little discouraged.

"Anyways, what do you want for lunch? Thai?" Asked Stephen.

"Eh. I think I'll have Mexican today." Joked Wong.

"Mexican? Didn't know you liked that cuisine." Said Strange.

"That, or Italian." Chuckled Wong, as they both headed to the ground floor of the Sanctum, ready to exit through the door.

Just as they opened the door, a sling ring portal opened behind them, and a man wearing a red cape, with a black and dark blue tunic walked out. He had long black hair with a streak of white running through the middle, and he was holding a wooden staff.

"Jericho Drumm? What are you doing here?" Asked Strange, confused.

"We just got a message. You have to see this." Said Jericho, as he stepped through his portal, and Strange and Wong followed.

The portal opened up in a huge, dome-shaped room. There were engravings on the walls of the room, and a globe like object resting on a circular stone table in the middle of the room. They were in Kamar-Taj's Communications room.

"We got a message from somewhere, but we don't know who. And it sounds like gibberish." Said Jericho, as he placed his palm on the object and chanted a spell.

All of a sudden, they heard a crackle, and a voice was heard.

"Stephen…he's real…Memento Mori…" Said the voice, before fading back into a crackle.

"What…was that?" Asked Wong, staring at Strange, who seemed to be in deep thought.

"Strange? You good?" Asked Jericho.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Strange finally said something.

"Memento Mori…Illuminatus!" Exclaimed Strange. "Oh my god…it's her." Said Strange, in disbelief.

"It's who?" Asked Wong.

"It's Clea. The Daughter of Dormammu." Said Strange.

"Hold up, daughter? You're telling me we have a second Dormammu running around?" Asked Jericho.

"No, no. She resents her father. But, she disappeared 18 months back, telling me she had to go on some journey." Informed Strange, still confused himself.

"So she goes away for 18 months with no explanation, and now shows up with some weird message?" Asked Wong. "What did she mean by, "he's real?"" Continued Wong, equally perplexed.

"I…I don't know. But we need to know where she sent this from. Jericho, can you trace this?" Asked Strange.

"We need a certain spell in order to trace this spell. But that's in a certain book." Said Jericho.

"The Book of Kakashi, volume 96!" Exclaimed Strange, quickly opening up a portal and jumping into the Sanctum library.

"Volume 96? Jeez, give yourself a break." Chuckled Jericho.

Strange returned holding a huge book, which seemed bigger than the whole Harry Potter series combined.

"Okay, let's see…here! To track a message, concentrate on it playing and chant the following spell…" Said Strange. Jericho started to play the message again, and Strange started to chant the spell.

"Uoy detsaw ruoy emit gnidaer siht sdrawkcab!" Chanted Strange, and all of a sudden, his head felt dizzy, and he fell unconscious.

Strange woke up in a barren place, where the air was ice. The rock floor he was on felt cold, and the sky was black and green. There was a huge mountain in front of him, which looked thrice the size of the Empire State Building.

As Stephen got up, he realized that he was wearing his classic red and blue tunic, with the Eye of Agamotto around his neck and the Cloak of Levitation on his back.

"You got my message." Said a voice from behind Strange. He turned around and saw Clea, in her purple and dark blue tunic, with a her white hair coming till her shoulder in waves.

"Clea! Are you okay? Where've you been?" Asked Strange.

Clea sighed. "I suppose I should tell you why I disappeared."

"Yeah, you better!" Said Strange, still confused.

"18 months ago, I had a vision. I had a vision that we would beat Dormammu, and as a consequence, release another entity. Someone just as strong as him, and yet more ruthless. I had to confirm my suspicion, and I couldn't let anyone know where I was going. And he's real, Strange." Said Clea.

"Who's real?! Where are we right now?" Asked Strange.

"We are in a dimension that has been unexplored. A dimension so vile, that Dormammu himself fears it. We're in the Nightmare Dimension." Said Clea.

Strange's eyes widened. "The Nightmare Dimension is supposed to be a myth! You're telling me you're stuck there? Well, who's keeping you there?" Asked Strange frantically. He was terrified that she was stuck in a place that even he, the Sorcerer Supreme didn't know about.

"Dormammu kept a prisoner in here, to keep him in check. When you defeated Dormammu, there was no one to guard the Nightmare Dimension, and the prisoner got out. He's the one keeping me hostage here." Explained Clea, as Stephen's vision started to blur.

"Who…who is it?" Asked Strange.

"An entity, knows as Nightmare." Said Clea, before Strange fell unconscious again.

Stephen woke up back in the Communications room, where Jericho was hovering smelling salts over Strange's nose. Stephen was back in his brown tunic, without the Eye of Agamotto and the Cloak of Levitation.

"Stephen! Thank God, what happened to you?" Asked Wong.

"There is an entity out there, stronger than Dormammu. Dormammu kept him prisoner, but after we defeated him, there was no one to guard the prisoner known as Nightmare, and he's the one who has Clea." Explained Strange.

"Well, where is she?" Asked Jericho.

Strange hesitated. "The Nightmare Dimension."

Wong's jaw dropped, while Jericho just stared in disbelief. "You're kidding. You have got to be kidding." Said Jericho.

"It's real? Oh my god." Said Wong.

Strange shook his head. "I need to go there." He said, as he managed to stand up.

"Woah woah wait, are you crazy?! You've heard the myths on the Nightmare Dimension, and now you want to head there!?" Yelled Jericho, at the top of his lungs.

"Yeah, why don't you scream louder and announce to the entire Mystic world that the Nightmare Dimension is real? I have to do this." Said Strange.

"But how are you going to go there? To enter a dimension so vile, you will need the Dark Arts, and that's forbidden." Said Wong.

"Well, maybe we should take advice from someone who has dabbled in the Dark Arts before…" Said Strange.

Wong nodded his head, although with hesitation, and Jericho understood who Stephen was talking about.

"The Ancient One." He said.

Hey everyone! So this is going to be new a series that is set on Earth 9180, aka in the same universe as another one of my stories: The Invincible Spider-Man. Be sure to check that out too! In the meantime, feel free to leave a review about this chapter and ideas on where you want the series to go. For now, Season 1 is focusing on Nightmare and rescuing Clea.

P.S: I have a bit of a special chapter planned for this season which will come by Chapter 7 or 8, so stay tuned for that!

Also, yes I named the book "The Book of Kakashi." I'm a bit of a weeb lol.

Yours Truly,

Shadow Strike.