In the dead of night, with the full moon hanging high, even the sanctum of Kamar-Taj had become exceedingly tranquil. Many sorcerers were either deeply meditating or already asleep.
Near the library, a sudden flicker of orange sparks appeared in a room displaying various artifacts. These sparks formed a bowl-sized portal, and from this portal, a hand swiftly reached out, precisely grabbing the Eye of Agamotto positioned directly in front of it.
After securing the artifact, the hand quickly retracted, and the portal vanished.
...
"Master, you were right!"
As the portal disappeared, three figures suddenly emerged in the previously empty room, accompanied by shattering glass.
"Master, I can't believe Strange would do something like this! Should we go confront him directly and catch him in the act?"
"Given what he's done, expelling him from Kamar-Taj wouldn't be excessive!"
The three figures were Li Yue, Mordo, and Wong. Wong, who had just witnessed the entire event, was still in disbelief but suggested confronting Strange immediately.
"Confront him, we must. And catching him red-handed is essential!"
Li Yue spoke calmly.
"However, there's no need to expel him from Kamar-Taj. I have a better solution."
Li Yue left the room without waiting for further questions, heading directly to Stephen's quarters.
...
Meanwhile, Stephen was quietly celebrating his successful stealthy act. After examining the Eye of Agamotto, which emitted a green glow and resembled an eye, he put it around his neck.
"It fits perfectly!"
Feeling as if the Eye of Agamotto was custom-made for him, Stephen contemplated testing the time magic.
"A test is in order. Let's try it on something insignificant first."
Despite not being inherently cautious, Stephen knew it was wise to experiment, especially since it was his first time using time magic with freshly memorized incantations.
Scanning the table, he saw only the book and an apple core from his earlier snack.
"You'll do!"
Deciding on the apple core, Stephen assumed a severe stance, following the book's instructions. As he chanted the complex incantation, green light emanated from the Eye of Agamotto, channeling through his arms to his hands.
...
The experiment delighted Stephen. With the Eye of Agamotto, he could manipulate time, accelerating or rewinding it.
"It's time!"
Feeling confident, Stephen aimed the spell at the book. As he chanted, the missing pages started to reappear, reverting to their original state.
"Belief in Dormammu, the ruler of the Dark Dimension, can grant eternal life and immense power…"
While maintaining the spell, Stephen read the newly restored pages, becoming increasingly astonished by the revelations.
"Stop, Strange!"
A sudden shout broke Stephen's concentration, interrupting the spell and causing the newly appeared pages to vanish. The spatial distortions above the book emitted a painful screech.
"Damn!"
Stephen was dismayed, unsure whether to worry more about the interrupted spell or being caught borrowing the artifact.
...
"Strange, don't you know that time magic is not to be abused? A time rift could have sucked you into a temporal vortex!"
Wong quickly approached Stephen, chastising him as Li Yue and Mordo followed.
"I didn't know! No one told me, and such warnings should be on the first page!"
Stephen, though startled, retorted defensively.
"..."
Wong was momentarily speechless, unable to refute Stephen's point.
"And how do you explain stealing the Eye of Agamotto?"
Wong changed the subject, trying to regain control of the situation.
"Well…"
Stephen had no excuse for that; acknowledging his overwhelming curiosity led him astray.
"I'm sorry, Master Li Yue. This was all due to my curiosity. I'll accept any punishment without complaint."
Resigned to his fate, Stephen apologized and awaited his sentence, believing his journey in Kamar-Taj might be over.
"Haha, no need to rush. To be honest, the Eye of Agamotto suits you better than it does me!"
"But it seems you're missing a cloak…"
Li Yue finally spoke, his smile surprising Stephen and Wong, who didn't understand the full implication of his words.
"Oh, right!"
Realizing his mistake, Stephen hastily tried to remove the Eye of Agamotto.
"No need, Strange. If the Eye suits you, you should keep it."
Li Yue's words left Stephen stunned.
"I only meant to borrow it, not keep it!"