Clea was not having a good day; first, her uncle, The Dread Dormammu had become docile and surrendered to her rebel forces. Then, she learns the Mhuruks had not only taken the throne but were calling on all citizens to crush the infidels in the name of someone called “The Goddess.” What’s more, they all seemed hypnotized, as if someone, somewhere, was controlling them. In fact, the entire dimension appeared to be under some sort of spell, Clea noted; there’d been no crime or violence for awhile, no major crisis, not even a single argument about who should rule in Dormammu’s stead. It was like the whole dimension had been brainwashed--everyone except her and her friends. Well, some of them were calling to behead the “sinners,” but Clea had them locked up in a dungeon for now until she and her generals figured out what they should do.
She tried contacting her husband, Doctor Stephen Strange, to see if the same thing was happening on Earth but got no answer, confusing her. She wasn’t worried, though. Knowing him, Stephen was probably out battling invaders from another dimension or helping some wayward soul in need. Still, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to pay him a visit, Clea thinks; it’s been a while, and he may have some vital information for her. She left her second-in- command in charge and made her way to the Sanctum, only to find more bad news waiting for her. Not only was Victor Strange, Stephen’s brother, dead, but Wong and Imei hadn’t heard from Stephen in hours. Now she was worried.
Clea made her way to Avengers Mansion, where she joined her husband’s friends and colleagues in the meeting room. Some of them were missing, many of whom were part of Earth’s mystic community, she noted, which may explain why all eyes were on her. At least, that’s what she hoped, anyway. The sorceress hoped her husband would help clear up whatever misgivings she had about the situation, but…he, too, was nowhere to be seen. Clea grew frustrated. “Where is my husband!?” she demanded. “Where is Stephen Strange!?” That’s when Jennifer Walters placed a sympathetic hand on the sorceress’s shoulder and said, “Uh…Clea? You might wanna sit down for this one,” she said, confusing her. Jen’s cousin, Bruce, along with Reed Richards and Iron Man, pulled her aside so they could fill her in; Stephen was gone, entranced, and whisked away by a being called “The Goddess,” whose alleged goal was to eliminate all evil in the universe. But it wasn’t just him; this Goddess had kidnapped all of Earth’s mystic and religious superheroes. Even heroes like Reed’s wife, Sue, who was quietly religious, were abducted. Apparently, The Goddess was using some sort of frequency that allowed her to brainwash the missing heroes into servitude. And, based on what Iron Man said, she didn’t stop there; police worldwide have reported no criminal activity in the last several hours, and even alien races like the Kree and Skrull had stopped fighting completely. “Exactly like the Muhurks and my uncle…,” she observed sadly.
Clea had to excuse herself from the room for a moment so she could collect herself. It didn’t take her long; it was certainly a lot to take in, but as a leader and sorceress, Clea knew she couldn’t just stand by and feel sorry for herself. There were her people to think about, her friends, and Stephen… “Stephen!” she thought, worriedly. She had to bring him back before he did something he’d regret. Clea made her way back to the meeting room, determined to help the remaining heroes however she could…only to find they were actually wasting time debating whether or not they should do something about this, in her mind, false deity. Worse still was that some of them argued that The Goddess’s intentions may be altruistic, as if this woman hadn’t kidnapped their friends and her husband and brainwashed them into worshiping at her altar. What truly set her off, though, was seeing Professor Xavier among those who were actually defending this monster.
“How can you say that!?” she snapped, getting his and everyone else’s attention. “Stephen is your friend, Charles! He has great respect for you; I know he does!” It wasn’t far from the truth; apart from them being in that “secret club,” Charles would often invite Stephen over for tea to chat. In fact, he was the only one, besides Wong, who could beat her husband at chess. And he had the nerve to play devil’s advocate for this supposed “Goddess”!? When she’d even taken some of his X-Men!? “If you seriously think my husband would approve of what this Goddess is doing or that he’d go with her willingly, you are sadly mistaken!” Charles tried defending his position. “You misunderstand, Clea. -” “No!” she screamed. “You’re the one who doesn’t understand!” Looking back on it, Clea felt like she owed him an apology for snapping at him, furious as she was.
It would have to wait, though; she was so fed up with her friend’s lack of action that she took matters into her own hands and left the mansion and the planet altogether. Vision had been kind enough to give her the coordinates to Paradise Omega--what little The Goddess hadn’t fried, anyway, though mostly because he empathized with her plight. It’s hard not to when your ex-wife is among the “converted.” So, she made her way through the galaxy, deciphering the scrambled coordinates as best she could. And yet, the sorceress could feel another source of energy guiding her subconsciously towards the planet, like gravity forcing two planets to cross paths and collide with each other. It must be Stephen; he must’ve sensed her presence and wants her to find him.
Of course, it also brought up something the Vision had asked her: “And suppose you cannot free your husband from being in the Goddess’s thrall, Miss Clea? What will you do?” It’s not an unfair question to ask. What if she can’t - No! She knew her husband better than anyone else in this universe; she knew how sensitive he was and how much his guilty conscience weighed on him. If he hurt someone, he would never stop blaming himself for as long as she lived. She couldn’t let that happen. She wouldn’t! So, she continued her journey through space, clinging to the belief that her husband was still in there, somewhere.
Clea arrived at her destination a while later. There were no guards surrounding the place, confirming her suspicion that Stephen had been giving her psychic signals, guiding her to the planet. On her way there, she passed Silver Surfer and Firestorm, who gave her a friendly nod, and she returned the courtesy. She passed by Crystal of the Inhumans and Sue Richards…and she felt a pang of pity for the poor woman. Those blank eyes, that expressionless face-she looked like she was in pain, like she wanted to scream, “Help me!” but couldn’t.
“Speak, infidel!” boomed a voice that startled Clea. She turned to see the enlarged visage of Heather Douglas, or Moon Dragon, scowling at her. Clea didn’t seem to mind, though; she was used to the woman’s smug sense of superiority, for one. If anything, she was acting more “high and mighty” than usual, a sign of brainwashing, no doubt. Rather, she was more amused by her host’s theatrics, which reminded her of one of her and Stephen’s favorite movies, The Wizard of Oz. “What reason do you have for intruding on Paradise Omega?” asked Moon Dragon. Clea responded, “I come on behalf of my husband, Stephen Strange. I understand that he’s here and wish to speak with him.” Clea watched Moon Dragon patiently, curious to see what her response would be. “Ah yes, Brother Strange sensed you were coming,” she said, nodding. “He wishes to speak to you, too.” The sphere opened to her like a curtain. “You may enter.” All Clea could do was nod and say, “Thank you,” before entering the planet’s atmosphere.
Clea lands and takes her time walking through the forest, taking in the atmosphere. It’s certainly beautiful, and yet there’s a sense of dread in this place--a cold, emotionless fallacy she can sense coming off in droves. The sooner she can find Stephen, the better. That’s when she came upon a cathedral smack dab in the center of the planet, but before she could even stop and admire its architecture, she heard a pair of doors opening. Clea watched as two figures stride out into the open air: Moon Dragon, staring daggers into her, and her husband, Stephen Strange. He too had an expression of anger and uncharacteristic superiority, the same as she’d seen in the eyes of the Mhuruks in the Dark Dimension. Until he locked eyes with her. Then his expression softened, his frown became a smile, and his eyes were no longer dilated, but filled with adoration. “Welcome to Paradise Omega, my love!” he said. Clea couldn’t help shedding a few tears when she saw him! “Stephen!”
Clea wastes no time in running to her husband to embrace him in a kiss; she can feel the shock on his lips from the sudden movement and how quickly he relaxes into it, kissing her with the fervor of a man who’s overjoyed to see his wife despite their recent parting not being that long ago. She breaks their kiss and says, “I was so worried about you!”, relieved to see him alive and well. Stephen smiles. “Why?” he asked. “There’s nothing to worry about, dear.” “May I speak to you alone?” she asked him. Stephen nods, “Of course,” he says, taking her hand in his and turning to his colleague. “I’ll be back in a bit; Sister Moon Dragon, Clea, and I have much to discuss.” “But the orb cannot function without you, Brother Strange,” she protests. “A few minutes without my aid will not make much of a difference, Sister,” he responded. “I’ll be back soon.” “But –” “I said I’d be back soon…!” His tone was grim, Clea noticed, defiant even. “Come, Clea.” Stephen took his wife’s hand and gradually led her into the forest for some privacy, while she wrapped her hand around his quite happily. This just might be easier than she thought.
They strolled through the forest for a while, hand-in-hand, as if they were a married couple strolling through the park on a warm spring day. But Clea knew better; she could feel the evil in every direction, practically oozing from every tree to the grass to even the sky. It made her wonder if Stephen felt it too, as she turned to him, looking so happy and relaxed. Before she could interrogate him, “So, how are things in the Dark Dimension?” he asked, beating her to it in seconds. “Awful,” she admitted. “Dormammu has surrendered willingly, and the Mhuruks have taken control of the dimension in service to The Goddess.” “That’s odd,” said Stephen, quizzically. “That’s what I thought, too.” “I thought you’d be ecstatic that your uncle surrendered,” he replied. “Now he can spend the rest of his life repenting for his sins.” Clea stared at him for a moment before responding with an awkward “Right…” before returning her attention to the conversation at hand. “Anyway, I tried contacting you, but you weren’t answering, so I went to your Sanctum, then the Avengers mansion,” she continued, “They told me you were here.” “You went to The Avengers, first…” Stephen said cautiously, “So you didn’t receive The Goddess’s call to action?” he asked his wife. Clea shook her head. “No. I don’t understand it myself,” she explained. “Vision thinks it might be because I no longer believe in a God.” It made sense to her; her whole life, she’d been raised to believe in Dormammu, and being so young, she never questioned it. She went about her life, worshiping The Dread One, even if it was out of fear. It was her love for Stephen and her love for her people that eventually opened her eyes to the truth. Or rather, the truth she always knew in her heart but was too afraid to act on: that her uncle was a cruel, sad*stic tyrant who cared little for his subjects, only himself.
If only her husband hadn’t responded the way he did: “You shouldn’t listen to that android, Clea.” The sorceress practically did a double take hearing that; it was so…cold and uncaring, like he really believed it or something. On top of that, “Android…” she thought to herself. He followed it up with, “He doesn’t know what he’s talking about.” Stephen and Vision were never close, but he’d always been friendly towards the Synthezoid, and vice versa. Now, it’s like he couldn’t even bother.
“Because he’s a non-believer…” Clea asked matter-of-factly. “Exactly,” he replied. Clea could feel herself growing disappointed with him. “What about the rest of your friends? Are they non-believers, too?” she asked. “They weren’t chosen, so yes,” he said matter-of-factly, “so long as they do not interfere in The Goddess’s work, their blasphemy will be tolerated.”
Clea felt her stomach churn upon hearing that. There was a part of her that, however small, believed she could reason with him. But the more she talked to him, the more she was realizing this man was not her husband. Oh sure, he looked like him, sounded like him, and was even still very sweet towards her. But the things he said, even the way he talked, weren’t things Stephen Strange she knew would say. Where’s the compassion? Where’s that bravery he always exudes in the face of oppression? To stand up for what’s right? She saw some of that when he told Moon Dragon off, but other than that? Nothing. Apparently, some woman using a brainwashing frequency was all it took to rewrite his brain and make him a loyal believer…It made her sick!
“And what about me!?” she questioned, removing her hand from his. “This deity did not summon me.” “You weren’t,” Stephen responded, “but I’m sure The Goddess will make an exception for you if we speak with her. –” “No!” Clea exclaimed, finally done with all of this. Stephen questioned, “No…” he asked. “But…why not?” “Because she has brainwashed you, Stephen! Can’t you see that!?” she asked him. “If you were thinking clearly, you’d agree that what she’s doing is wrong!” She could see her spouse was becoming defensive when he said, “I’m not brainwashed!” “Really…?” she inquired. “How would you know?” “Well…because…” he blundered in a desperate hunt for an answer. “Because the Eye of Agamotto would have alerted me, that’s how.” “You mean the Eye you’ve barely used since you emancipated yourself from the Vishanti? Right! My mistake!” Clea sniped viciously. She folded both arms and pouted angrily. She couldn’t even look at him anymore and averted her gaze, trying not to cry.
That is the moment she feels her husband’s shaky hands softly clasp her shoulders. “Please don’t be angry with me, my love,” he begged. “It’s not you I’m angry with,” she explained. “It’s this Goddess of yours.” She paused, refusing to meet his gaze. “I feel like she’s taken my husband from me…” Stephen scoffed gently. “I’m still me, Clea. All I’m doing is fulfilling a higher purpose for now,” he added. “Once The Goddess has completed her task to purge all sin from the universe, I’ll be back in your arms.” Clea shook her head, thinking about her people and the Mhuruks, who were droning on about The Goddess and demanding the blood of her friends as he talked…and how every second brought them closer to that reality. “But you know that isn’t possible!” she reminded him. “When I was your disciple, you taught me that there can be no good without evil, no sun without the moon, no light without the dark. They are diametrically opposed yet perfectly balanced, like two sides of a coin. Don’t you see? If she disrupts that equilibrium, it would be devastating for everyone.” Stephen responded by smiling and taking her hands in his. “The only thing I see is you,” he added pleasantly. “Don’t you see, Clea? When The Goddess is done, there will be no more wars to fight or problems to settle. We can finally be together and live peacefully with our friends and family, like we always talked about.” “At the expense of altering others?” his wife asked him. Stephen shook his head. “That doesn’t matter.” Clea could feel her heart going into her stomach as he continued, “You and I can accomplish so much together; we can turn our magic to healing the souls of those who have doubts, to stabilizing disease and mental health for the inhabitants of this universe. We can even help Victor find peace with himself.–” “Victor is dead, Stephen!”
That’s when Clea noticed a change in her husband; his eyes widened and his face turned pale, like he didn’t believe her. He probably didn’t. “What…?” he said, meekly, “N-No, no, that…that can’t be…I…,” he stuttered as memories came flooding back to him--memories of him fighting Victor in Wong’s body, “I…” and watching his brother stake himself in front of his…Wong’s eyes. “Vi…Victor…,” he uttered helplessly. Tears streamed down his face. This concerned his wife. “Stephen…?” she asked. “Stephen, are you okay…?” He didn’t answer her. Instead, he kept rambling, “I…I asked her…I asked The Goddess why my brother had to die…?” His voice gradually became more hostile as it all came back to him. “She said it was a small price to pay, but I…I didn’t believe her…” Clea noticed this and decided she could use it to her advantage. “Why didn’t you?” “She told me…She told me that all this suffering was unnecessary…My suffering was unnecessary…! Yet she couldn’t even care about my brother…!” Stephen continued after a brief pause, “She…She made me forget!” he snarled, “Made Moon Dragon erase my memory! Told me to focus on my mission! Like I was some lapdog! -” He stopped to grasp his head, wincing in pain, like he’d developed a headache out of thin air. “Stephen!?” Clea asked, no longer hiding the fear she felt. “Stephen, what’s wrong!?” Then, she jumped as her husband screamed loudly, and briefly, before falling unconscious. “Stephen!” Clea screamed.
She jumped into action and took hold of the mystic mage before he could collapse to the ground. “Stephen,” Clea said, shaking him gently. “Stephen, wake up!” It didn’t take long before he started stirring, eye fluttering open to look into hers. “Clea…?” The sorceress fell silent; what she saw was a dazed and confused-looking Stephen staring up at her. “What are you doing here?” he asked her. “Shouldn’t you be in the Dark Dimension?” she gasped; he’d asked her that same thing earlier in their conversation. So was he…No, she didn’t need to ponder that question; she only needed to look into her husband’s eyes to see that, yes, they were no longer glazed and misty but reflective of his thoughts. His feelings. “Stephen…,” she gasped breathlessly. She was so excited; she could barely keep herself from shedding tears of joy as she embraced him. “Oh, Stephen! Thank the Vishanti, you’re back!” she cried. Stephen, meanwhile, was still disoriented, like he’d just woken up from a dream he couldn’t remember having. “Yeah…,” he paused. “Clea, where are we…?” he asked. “Why are we in a forest…? Wait, is that a chapel?” “I’ll explain everything later,” Clea answered. “We need to get back to the Avengers.” Stephen doesn’t hesitate; he just nods his head and says, “Right.” She helped Stephen to his feet and was ready to go, only to be stopped by that tranquil, loving look in her husband’s eyes. “What is it…?” she asked, puzzled. He shook his head. “Nothing…” He paused. “It’s good to see you…” Clea is initially stunned to hear him say that, but after a while, she can’t help but smile and respond, “You too…” In all the excitement and confusion, she hadn’t considered that there was an upside to all of this--that she gets to see her husband again. Then suddenly and without warning, her world flashed a brilliant white light.
Clea wasn’t exactly sure when shots fired; it happened so fast that by the time she realized her husband was screaming, he’d collapsed on all fours. “Stephen!” “I should have known you came with ulterior motives,” she heard Moon Dragon say. She ignored her, though, and dropped to her knees to meet her husband, focusing only on his well-being at the moment. “Stephen!? Stephen, are you alright!?” she asked, panicking. No answer. “Stephen!? Stephen…?” “No. No, you’re right, Sister,” he finally answered. Immediately, Clea knew something was off; his voice was so…monotone. It was only when she met his eyes and saw how blank and vacant they were that her deepest fears had become a reality. “I was wrong to doubt The Goddess’s will. Thank you,” he continued. “Please accept my humble apology, for I shall doubt no more.” Clea sat there, shaking frightfully; she was successful, right? She’d saved him from mental slavery…right? Yes, yes, she was; she’d seen the confusion in his eyes, seen the love and happiness he felt at being reunited with her. And Moon Dragon had taken all of that away with a simple spell. Clea growled; she stood to face the woman, angrily. “What did you do to him!?” she demanded. “What did you DO!!!?” “I simply reminded him of his place,” Moon Dragon responded haughtily. “You mean you brainwashed him!” snapped Clea, correcting her. “Brother Strange is important to our cause!” the former priestess justified. “I cannot allow him to be bewitched away by a non-believer like you! -” “No! Stephen Strange is a healer and a good man!” the maiden declared. “And as his wife, I will do whatever it takes to ensure he doesn’t stray from the path he’s chosen!” Clea knew Moon Dragon was unimpressed; the scowl on her face grew, and her empty-looking eyes started glowing an ominous blue. “If that’s how you feel, you can die, infidel!” she screamed with religious fervor. Clea furrowed her eyebrows. “Fine,” she replied coolly. “I always thought you were a bitch, anyway.”
With a loud cry, Clea flew towards her at the speed of a bullet…only to be stopped in her tracks. How, she thought? She was practically inches away from her opponent! What could keep her in check!?...Until she remembered Heather’s psionic abilities…and noticed the psychic barrier she’d built between them, much to the faltine’s chagrin. Next thing she knew, Moon Dragon narrowed her eyes and pushed Clea to the ground with such force that she could hear her ribs cracking. She stood herself on all fours, wincing. She grabbed hold of her ribs; they seemed okay, probably fractured instead of broken. Otherwise, she’d be bent over in pain. Not that it would help her. “Every moment you exist keeps Brother Strange from helping us achieve the Goddess’s will, infidel,” she heard Moon Dragon say. Clea turned to her opponent, now within feet of her, and said, “Nothing must thwart her mission! Nothing!!!” Before Clea could tell her where she could go, she was assaulted by the woman’s psionic beam. She screamed in agony as she could feel the attack ebb its way into every cell, every muscle, and every vein in her body. Not even her mind was safe as Heather assaulted the mystic’s thoughts with hateful jabs and bigotry. Clea collapsed to the ground and, seeing her husband, reached out to him and screamed, “Stephen, help me!” But it was no use; he just sat there, staring at her blankly. And all she could do was wail as Moon Dragon increased the severity of her psychic assault.
If only she could hear her husband’s thoughts…and confusion. “Why is Sister Moon Dragon attacking Clea…?” he thought. “Isn’t our mission to ensure The Goddess brings peace to the Galaxy…? Then why…? Why is she…?” That’s when the fog surrounding his mind cleared, and he began to remember Moon Dragon zapping him with the Mind Stone, suppressing his memories of Victor’s death. He remembers The Goddess cupping his cheek, assuring him that his faith in her is well-founded and that she will bring about the peace he so desires. Only now can he see her smile morph into a sneer and feel the Cosmic Egg’s energy intensifying in his presence, no doubt reinforcing the brainwashing. Stephen’s hands curled into fists. She cared for no one--not him, not Victor, not even Clea. –
“Clea!” Stephen turned his attention to his wife; she was on the ground, screaming in agony while her body contorted in pain. And Moon Dragon, standing inches away and smiling. Her mind thrilled at the thought of killing in The Goddess’s name--of killing the woman he loved--who came all this way to rescue him. Stephen had enough of this! He gritted his teeth and stood himself up as he threw a generic blast of lightning magic Moon Dragon’s way, knocking her right off her feet and surprising both her and Clea. “You get the hell away from my wife, Moon Dragon!” Stephen growled. He kept his hand poised to his “sister” until he was within walking distance of his wife, his very surprised yet ecstatic-looking wife. The first thing he did upon reaching her was take her hands in his and help her to her feet. “Are you okay, Clea…?” “Yes,” she answered. “Yes. I’m okay.” “Good. I’m glad,” he replied sweetly. Clea hums to herself; she can’t help it. She sees the love in his eyes, hears the sincerity in his voice, and knows instantly that her husband has returned to her.
It’s a shame their moment could only last for so long. “Strange…?” They turn to face a surprised-looking Moon Dragon. “You would defy your brotherhood? Defy The Goddess? For her!?” Stephen didn’t even have to think twice before answering her. “I would,” he continued. “The Goddess isn’t who you think she is, Heather. Her very existence poses a threat to this universe. -” “Lies!” she cried, “That harlot of yours made you believe those things! –” “Don’t talk to my wife that way,” he hissed, startling both his woman and his so-called “sister.” Only for his expression to soften when he notices the betrayal in her eyes. Stephen sighed. He couldn’t even feel angry at her anymore; instead, he felt sorry for her. This wasn't her fault anymore than it was his. Doesn’t it make more sense for them to be on the same team? He thinks so. Stephen extended his hand out to her. “Please, let us help you, Heather,” he urged. “If you’ll look into your heart, you’ll know you can trust us. You’re stronger than this; I know you are.” Clea stared at her husband quizzically. Did he seriously think pleading with Heather was going to get her on their side? Before she could tell him he’s wasting his time, she heard Heather speak up, “I…I…” Clea was stunned; based on the confused look in her eyes, it seemed like she was actually considering his words…for about two seconds. “No!” she yelled. “No, you will not sway me away from The Goddess’s will, traitor! DIE!!!” Moondragon shot a psionic beam their way.
“Not today, thank you,” Stephen declared. He grabbed hold of his cloak, called upon the Wondrous Wormhole of Weygg-Kalkunn, and with some dramatic flair using his trusty relic, he and Clea were gone. They appeared on the Avengers Quinjet in a puff of smoke moments later, much to the shock of everyone on board. “Doctor Strange! You’re back!” cried Reed Richards, more surprised than anything. Bruce was more welcoming. “Hey! Welcome back, Stephen!” he rejoiced, even giving him a pat on the shoulder. “Thank you,” Stephen said, smiling. “But I’m afraid we haven’t much time.”
He told them everything: how he’d sensed The Goddess’s presence before she arrived, his fight with Eternity, how Eternity had shown him everything that would happen…before erasing his memory of their encounter, just in time for that…woman to violate him. Thankfully, he remembers some of that encounter now. Specifically, that frequency The Goddess was using had come from a set of Cosmic Cubes, thirty to be exact, and what exactly her endgame was: to purge the universe of sin by destroying it…and using the belief of those she’d brainwashed to do so. This horrified his friends, but they also knew they had little time to stop their new enemy. And with the return of the Silver Surfer and Thanos on their side (sort of), the heroes got to work figuring out a plan.
Within twenty minutes, the plan was underway, and everyone was getting ready to go. Well, almost everyone, Clea noticed. She found Stephen by the window, staring out into the vastness of space, no doubt lost in deep thought. “Are you alright, dear?” she asked her husband. Stephen turned to her and answered, “No, not really. I’ve been thinking about the last few hours and…what I said and did.” Clea stared at him pitifully. “You’re remembering?” she said, as if she really needed to ask. Especially when she could see the disappointment on her husband’s face, clear as day. “Unfortunately…,” he continued, “I was used, Clea. I feel so…dirty…and violated,” he said, shaking his head. “No, I was violated. Even with all that discipline at my disposal and what little power I have left, I couldn’t resist her hold on me.” His wife interjected, “She was using a powerful frequency to control you, my love. No one could withstand such power to bend reality,” she assured him. “And it certainly doesn’t help that Moon Dragon kept brainwashing you every time you started questioning things.–” “Yes,” he replied, “but so many of The Goddesses beliefs match my own. Even some of my actions are things I would’ve done under normal circ*mstances. It’s made me question everything, Clea…,” This gets her attention. “Since that day, when I asked The Ancient One to make me his disciple, I’ve tried so hard to do better. Be better. I thought I’d succeeded, but…what if I haven’t…? What if I’m still the same cold-hearted bastard I was when I could still hold a scalpel…?–” he paused. “And Victor.–”
Clea took his hand in hers. “If that were true, you wouldn’t have reacted the way you did about Victor, and you certainly wouldn’t have defied Moon Dragon to rescue me,” she told him. She would not let her husband punish himself over this, not when he’s not directly at fault for his actions. Unfortunately, she can already see that sad, puppy-dog look in his eyes, which she was all too familiar with. “Clea… -” She cupped his cheek in her hand and said, “Please! Don’t torture yourself, Stephen,” she begged. “I know you don’t like it when you aren’t in control, but now is not the time to doubt yourself. Your friends need you,” she paused. “I need you.” It wasn’t long for him to flash her a small smile. “Thank you,” he said in a way that made Clea feel warm and fuzzy inside.
He took her in his arms and kissed her, and she fell into him, mirroring the joy and passion from earlier in the day…with a hint of melancholy, she noted. He cradled her in his arms when they were done and placed his forehead against hers so he could look into her eyes. “I don’t know what I would do without you…,” he whispered to his wife, causing her to blush. She couldn’t help teasing him, though. “Probably going crazy right now,” she mused playfully. He chuckled, “Yeah…Yeah, you’re probably right.” He embraced her in one last kiss before saying, “Let’s go.”
There would be time to sort out their feelings later. For now, it was better if they helped their friends thwart this Goddess’s plan before that chance was gone.
The End
