Jack slammed the door behind him, his breath uneven, his nerves frayed. He tossed his bag on the floor and stormed into the living room.
Doctor Strange was there, sitting calmly on the couch — legs crossed, fingers steepled, like he'd been expecting him.
Jack didn't waste time.
"What are those shadow figures on the street?" he demanded. "They're everywhere. Just watching. I saw one— I saw them eat a little girl's soul at a school!"
Strange didn't flinch. He looked up slowly, eyes darker than before.
"They're not just shadows, Jack. They're the soldiers of something far worse."He paused, then said the name with quiet gravity:"Eternal Black."
Jack narrowed his eyes. "What the hell is Eternal Black?"
Strange stood, his cloak stirring slightly without wind. "A being born from the void between life and death. A creature without form or mercy. Right now, it's trapped— barely. But a gate has been opened, and if we don't close it soon, he will cross into our world. And everything you know, everything you love… will be devoured."
Jack's voice trembled. "Then why aren't they attacking you? Those shadows? Why did they attack the girl and not us?"
Strange smirked, faintly amused. "Because I'm… powerful," he said with a shrug.
Jack wasn't buying it. "Cut the crap."
Strange sighed, stepping closer. His tone lowered, serious now.
"I was protected by magic—layers of it. But I'm not truly alive anymore, Jack. I'm in-between. And right now, so are you. The moment you touched me, you were marked. Cursed, maybe. Or chosen. Depends how you look at it."
Jack's jaw clenched. "She was just a kid… crying for her mom. And they ate her. You saw it too, didn't you?"
"I did," Strange said, his voice heavy. "And I've seen worse."
Silence fell between them, thick with grief and anger.
"Not every soul can be saved," Strange finally said. "Not every human is protected by heroes in capes. The world is too big. The darkness spreads faster than we can fight it."
Jack looked away, his fists tightening. "So what then? We just watch it happen?"
"No," Strange said. "Because sometimes, situations like this… turn normal men into heroes."
Jack turned back, meeting Strange's gaze. Haunted eyes stared into haunted eyes.
"I'm not a hero," Jack whispered.
Strange smiled faintly. "Neither was I. Not at the start."
Jack paced the room, still shaken, the girl's screams echoing in his memory. He turned sharply to face Strange.
"Then what do we do?" he demanded. "Just wait around until this Eternal Black shows up and eats the rest of us?"
Strange stood from the couch, his ethereal form flickering slightly in the dim light.
"We have to find the gate," he said simply.
Jack blinked. "Gate?"
Strange nodded. "The gate that connects our world to the void. The shadows… they all came from there. It's open now. We need to shut it before he comes through completely."
Jack's voice was rising. "And where is this gate?"
Strange paused, then said quietly, "It could be anywhere in the world. A forest. A city. Even the middle of the ocean. It doesn't stay still."
Jack rubbed his face in frustration. "This world is massive, Strange! You're telling me we have to find a moving gate that could be literally anywhere?"
Strange raised a hand, calming. "There's a spell that can track it. A locator incantation. It'll show us where the gate is—if we act fast."
"Great," Jack said, a breath of relief. "Then cast it already."
Strange's expression didn't change.
"I can't," he said flatly. "I'm dead, Jack. Spirits can't cast active spells like that."
Jack stared at him, confused. "Then who's supposed to cast it?"
Strange looked directly at him.
Jack took a step back. "No. No way. I don't know the first thing about magic. I didn't even finish college, man!"
"You don't need a degree," Strange said calmly. "Just the right mindset. Magic responds to will and focus. And the right book."
Jack narrowed his eyes. "What book?"
"The sorcerer's book," Strange said. "It has everything you need to start."
Jack felt a pit in his stomach forming. "And… where is this book?"
Strange hesitated.
Jack's eyes narrowed further. "What?"
Strange looked him dead in the eye. "You have to steal it."
"Steal it?! From who?"
Strange glanced away briefly. "…From Wong."
"Wong? Your friend? The guy crying beside your body when I walked in? The head librarian of Kamar-Taj?"
"Yeah, him."
"Why can't we just ask him?"
Strange exhaled deeply. "Because Wong is… difficult. He won't give it to you. Especially now. He's trying to keep magic locked down after my death. No risks, no loopholes. If he knew I transferred power to you—even unintentionally—he'd probably try to strip it away."
Jack stared at him like he'd grown a second head. "So your solution is to break into one of the most magically protected places in the world… and steal from your best friend?"
Strange raised a finger. "Former best friend. And yes."
Jack let out a half-laugh, half-sigh and collapsed into the couch. "This is insane…"
Strange floated toward him, his tone turning firm. "You want answers? You want to stop Eternal Black? This is where it starts."
Jack stared at the ceiling for a long moment.
"…Fine," he said, dragging the word out. "But if I die doing this, I'm haunting you."
Strange smirked. "Deal."