Chapter 6

Within a week of Dr. Strange training me, I've mastered quite a few spells (like the shield spell, whip spell etc), and even spells I've read from the books in his library. In one of his books, I've read about the Eye of Agamotto, a powerful relic that keeps the Time Stone safe. 

It also has the power to turn back time, go forward in time and even allows the user to see into the future. Yesterday when I was practicing being in my astral form, I accidentally came across the secret door that leads to where the Eye is kept; On a stone circular podium just behind the door that takes you to the sanctum sanctorum in New York.

I threw on a black tunic and went up to the third floor, where I found Dr. Strange flipping through an old book with a tall muscular man standing next to him. 

"Not in here," concluded Stephen as he closed the book shut. 

"Maybe it's- ". 

He paused when he saw me watching him and the god of thunder by the staircase. 

"Oh Vanessa, you don't have training this morning; I'm helping someone right now". 

"I, um forgot. Thanks for the reminder".

 I said, before turning to go back down the stairs.

"Who's the cute girl?" asked the tall, muscular handsome man as I walked downstairs. 

"She's not who you think she is to me".

 When I reached the last step of the staircase, I knew that Dr. Strange and the stranger could no longer see me, so I decided to go and try out the Eye of Agamotto. I went down to the main floor and found the big brown doors that keep the relic out of sight. Going through those doors quietly, I stepped up to the stone podium and carefully took the Eye off its little stand.

"Wow, I can't believe I'm holding the very relic Stephen used to torture Dormammu so he wouldn't take earth into his dimension".

 I whispered, tucking the Eye under my tunic cardigan. I managed not to run into Strange or the strong man on my way back upstairs into my room. Closing my door shut, I let out a soft sigh.

Now I can try to use the Eye. 

I carefully put the relic's rope around my neck and let it rest on my chest. Then I pulled out the book of Cagliostro and flipped to the page that had instructions for the Eye of Agamotto.

I set the book down on the long wooden dresser, in front of a clear glass vase with some water and a beautiful red rose. 

"First, open the Eye,". 

I held up both of my index fingers and middle fingers up in front of the relic, made a diamond shape with my 2 middle fingers and the rest of my fingers I need down. Copying the moves that Dr. Strange did in his movie, I crossed and uncrossed my arms before the Eye Agamotto opened to reveal the precious green time stone in its center.

I put my right hand in the glowing green light that shone in front of me and made a green glowing translucent circle appear just in front of it, with other smaller circles floating around my wrist and forearm. Next, I moved my hand in front of the vase with the rose in it and focused on the flower.

As I turned my hand slowly to the right, the rose started to turn brown and die. But when I turned my hand the other way, the flower's petals turned red, before folding into a green bud. I turned my hand back and forth from left to right, making the rose bloom and die, before I reversed it again. 

"Wow, is this so cool. I wonder if someone could live forever if you turn back time on them".

I wondered, as I stopped in between the blooming stage and the dying stage of the rose. While I was thinking of endless possibilities with the time stone, the dresser in front of me began to shake, with clear crystal mirrors starting to grow out of the top quickly and towered over me.

"STOP!!!!!"

 Dr. Strange charged into my room with his orange sparking shields ready on both fists. All at once, the eye closed, the green circles on my arm vanished and the crystals that sprouted in front of the vase retreated back into the dresser, not leaving a trace behind. 

"Vanessa, what were you thinking?" asked Stephen, walking towards me after he made his magic shields vanish.

 "I-I-I'm sorry Strange, I was just curious about the Eye of Agamotto and I wanted to try it out" I stuttered, being completely honest with him.

He sighed loudly and stepped closer, until we were just inches apart. 

"I told you that book was too advanced for you, yet you went ahead and read it anyway. Then you took it a step further and borrowed the relic; Vanessa do you realize that you could have screwed up time?" he said, as he took the book of Cagliostro off the dresser and tucked it under his arm. I stared down at the floor beneath my feet. 

"No, I didn't".

"And you were lucky. Please don't ever do that again unless I'm with you" replied Stephen, as I handed him back the Eye of Agamotto. 

"I won't".

Dr. Strange walked back over to the bedroom door and was about to walk out when he turned to face me again.

 "By the way, how did you do that?".

 I shrugged my shoulders at him. 

"I was just following the instructions in the book".

 Dr. Strange nodded his head. 

"Impressive" he responded, before walking out.

 "And for your next lesson, bring your black briefcase".