Marvel: The Awakened One

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177A Bleecker Street.

The New York Sanctum.

The Sorcerer Supreme gave Hawk a warm welcome. Wong greeted Hawk and Wanda with zeal, showed them to their seats, and asked Doctor Stephen Strange, the Sanctum’s guardian, to make some tea.

Yes, Wong was the Sorcerer Supreme!!

Strange was still Doctor Strange.

Strange had disappeared for five years, so Kamar-Taj needed a new leader. Wong took on the role. Strange did not really mind, since he liked being called Doctor. He just liked to complain about it.

When Hawk and Wanda came in, Strange held back a sarcastic comment. He listened to the new Sorcerer Supreme and went to make the tea without arguing.

After Strange left, Hawk looked at Wong’s friendly face and had a thought.

”Did the Ancient One ever mention me to you?”

”Yes, Mr. Phoenix.” Wong nodded without hesitation, a warm smile spread across his face. ”My master told me you were a deeply kind man.”

Hawk? Kind?

Wanda gave Wong a peculiar look.

Hawk stared at him with a faint smile. ”Is that right? Are you certain those were her exact words?”

Wong looked at Wanda, then at Hawk’s amused face. He realized his lie was obvious and dropped the act.

”Fine. My master said you possess unimaginable power and a terrible temper. As long as we accommodate you and never attempt to provoke, deceive, or test you—we should be safe.”

Hawk burst out laughing. ”Now that sounds like something she would say.”

It was clear who had been closer to the Ancient One.

Strange was chosen by the Vishanti, but Wong grew up with the Ancient One and was almost like her adopted son. If Strange had told the same lie about Hawk being kind, Hawk might have thought the Ancient One had a reason for it.

But coming from Wong, there was no way that was true.

Still laughing, Hawk got straight to the point.

”Kamar-Taj maintains contact with its counterparts across the multiverse, doesn’t it?”

Wong’s smile froze.

Hawk kept smiling as Wanda’s face lit up with excitement. It made sense that such a network would exist. If Kang could connect all his versions, then the group guarding the Time Stone would have their own way to talk across realities.

After a long silence, Wong finally nodded.

”It’s true. The different branches of Kamar-Taj remain in contact and exchange information and resources when necessary.”

Wanda looked hopeful, but Wong sighed before she could say anything.

”However, Mr. Phoenix, we cannot intervene in your current conflict. More importantly, we lack the authority to do so.”

Wanda frowned. ”Why not?”

”The Vishanti have strictly forbidden it.”

Wong offered them an apologetic smile.

He meant Hawk’s war with the Celestials, which was way beyond Kamar-Taj’s reach. When two cosmic giants fought—anyone in the middle would be wiped out.

Wong looked Hawk directly in the eyes. ”I’m sorry.”

”Don’t be.”

Hawk waved away the apology. He was not angry, nor had he come to recruit Kamar-Taj into his war.

If they chose to help him, he would remember and repay them after the war. If they wanted to stay out of it, he would not force them to join.

Now that Wong had confirmed the network was real, Hawk explained what he really wanted.

”Relax, Wong. I’m not asking Kamar-Taj to involve itself in my conflict. I only want to borrow your dimensional transit network so I can return to my own universe. That shouldn’t be too much to ask, should it?”

That was all he needed.

He just wanted to use Kamar-Taj’s network to get home.

This universe had already turned its back on him, and Hawk had no reason to stay. He had fought, settled his grudges, and had enough fun.

Now he was bored.

It was time to go home.

Wong looked conflicted again. Before he could reply, the Vishanti—the source of Kamar-Taj’s magic—sent a telepathic order to him.

Let them leave.

Wong blinked as the order entered his mind, then nodded to Hawk.

”Understood. We can assist you.”

”Thanks.” Hawk smiled.

He could have asked Hank Pym here to make another Quantum Band, and he had thought about it. But in the end, he wanted to rely on Peter back home. Peter was his friend, and Hawk trusted him.

Besides, Hawk still had to pick up his little sister before leaving.

Now that he could go home, he stood up and shook Wong’s hand.

”How long do you need to prepare?”

”I must establish a connection with the Sorcerer Supreme in your universe. Give me one hour.”

”Deal. We’ll meet you at Kamar-Taj.”

Hawk took Wanda’s hand, and they both disappeared from the room.

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At 521A Palm Street, Anya heard they were going home and ran upstairs to pack.

This reality might have been her home on paper, but Anya did not care about addresses or universes. Home was wherever her brother was.

As Anya disappeared upstairs, Wanda turned toward Hawk.

”I thought you came to ask Wong which universe Jean entered.”

”We’ll find out after we get home.”

Wanda frowned and began replaying the conversation in her mind.

Hawk had already told her the hidden meaning behind his talk with Death, so Wanda listened to his conversation with Wong in the same way.

Hawk asked if Kamar-Taj had a multiversal network. Wong said yes, but refused to join Hawk’s war. Hawk did not argue. He just asked to use the network to go home, and Wong agreed.

A shared multiversal network…

Wanda blinked as she figured it out. Her eyes went wide, and she turned quickly to Hawk.

Hawk saw understanding spread across her face and raised one finger to his lips.

Shush.

Wanda understood.

Before she could speak, they heard loud thuds from the stairs. Hawk and Wanda turned to see Anya dragging a huge suitcase down, letting it bang on every step.

Wanda stared at the oversized luggage.

It had only been two minutes.

”You packed all of that already?”

Anya beamed. ”Maximum efficiency!”

”Don’t believe her,” Hawk said right away. ”She started packing that suitcase the day after I got here.”

Anya stamped her foot. ”Brother!”

”Alright, time to leave.”

Ignoring her protest, Hawk walked over and took Anya’s hand in one hand and Wanda’s in the other.

The three disappeared.

As Hawk teleported away, it felt like the prime universe finally realized he was leaving. The heavy pressure that had followed him disappeared, though he could still feel the universe watching him.

Hawk ignored it.

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They arrived at Kamar-Taj in the Himalayas, with stone courtyards and snowy mountains all around. Anya quickly took Wanda to snap some souvenir photos, while Hawk followed a local sorcerer deeper inside.

Wong had already returned and was waiting for him.

Hawk greeted him politely. ”Sorcerer Supreme.”

”Mr. Phoenix.” Wong said.

Once the guide left, Hawk got straight to the point. ”Is the connection stable?”

”Yes, although your Sorcerer Supreme is currently searching through several books for the correct incantation.”

Hawk fell silent for a moment.

”Stephen...”

He remembered that in his universe, Doctor Strange had only taken the Sorcerer Supreme job because he had to. Hawk shared a knowing look with Wong and smirked.

”Remind him not to read the wrong spell.”

Wong laughed. ”Don’t worry. I’ll guide him through it.”

Hawk raised an eyebrow.

That made sense.

Doctor Strange might have the title, but Wong was still the librarian who knew Kamar-Taj best. In any universe, if Kamar-Taj was involved, Wong was always the dependable one.

It did not take him long to get the signal working.

A few minutes later, Wanda and a red-cheeked Anya came back to the main hall. Hawk pulled a hair from his own head, took one from Wanda, and then grabbed one from Anya.

”Ow!”

He ignored her glare and handed all three hairs to Wong.

Wong accepted them, closed his eyes, and began chanting. His hands moved through a series of intricate geometric patterns as orange sparks gathered around his fingers.

A ring of fiery light appeared in front of them. It grew into a swirling portal that opened a path between realities.

At the same time, a matching portal slowly formed on the other side.

Through the sparks, they saw Stephen Strange in the New York Sanctum, with the Eye of Agamotto around his neck. Wong sent the signal across the multiverse, and Strange received and anchored it from home.

The path was open.

Hawk did not wait. He grabbed his sister’s hand and pushed her huge suitcase toward the portal.

”Let’s go.”

Anya’s face lit up as she followed him through.

”We’re going home!”

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