The air hung thick with the scent of ozone, the aftermath of magic thrumming in the space around them. Adrian and Emily stood on the edge of the shattered portal site, their breaths coming in shallow gasps, skin buzzing from the intensity of the power that had just rippled through the fabric of reality. Their clothes were singed, blood trickling down Adrian’s temple, a bruise blooming on Emily’s arm, but both stood firm. Beside them, the soft, distant hum of the city below felt like a world away.

“You shouldn’t be here,” a voice echoed through the air, cutting through the tension like a blade.

Adrian turned, narrowing his eyes at the man who had appeared seemingly out of thin air. He was draped in a deep crimson cloak, a streak of white gracing his hair, and a calm, almost serene expression marred by just the faintest trace of concern. Doctor Strange. But his presence felt wrong. This wasn’t the Stephen Strange who was yet to become the Sorcerer Supreme — this was a version of him far removed from where he was supposed to be.

The man’s gaze was sharp, eyes scanning the scene, his presence radiating authority, yet an eerie detachment. There was a coldness there, a sense that this Strange wasn’t here by chance.

“You shouldn’t be here,” he repeated, his voice more forceful, his tone carrying something darker beneath it. “This is far beyond anything you can handle.”

Emily shot a glance at Adrian. Both of them had fought their way through realms of danger, weaving through twisted magic and science to protect their family, and yet, here stood this man — this sorcerer — telling them they were out of their depth.

“We’ve managed just fine so far,” Adrian said, his voice steady, though inside, a knot tightened. Something about Strange’s presence unsettled him in ways he couldn’t place.

Doctor Strange’s lips pressed into a thin line, as though suppressing a truth he wasn’t yet ready to reveal. He stepped closer, his eyes locking onto Adrian with a sharp intensity. “You’ve barely scratched the surface of what’s happening. These portals… they are cracks in something far greater, far more dangerous than you can comprehend.”

Adrian’s jaw clenched. “And what is that exactly?”

Strange’s gaze flicked upward, his fingers twitching slightly as though resisting the urge to cast a spell. “The multiverse is fracturing. What you’ve encountered so far is only the beginning. These portals… they’re not simply doorways — they are windows into other realities. Realities where things aren’t as they seem, where versions of people exist that… shouldn’t.” He let the last word linger in the air, hanging heavy with implication.

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Emily’s eyes widened, and Adrian’s breath caught in his throat. The multiverse. It wasn’t a new concept to them — they had discussed it in theory, understood its vastness. But now, to hear it confirmed, to hear that what they had witnessed was part of a far larger, more terrifying truth, made the hairs on the back of Adrian’s neck rise.

“What do you mean by ‘versions’?” Emily asked cautiously, her voice tight, trying to maintain control over the creeping unease.

Strange’s expression darkened further, as if the answer itself was forbidden knowledge. “In the multiverse, there are infinite realities. Infinite possibilities. And in some of those realities, there are versions of people who exist differently from how you know them. Some of them live in worlds where they were never supposed to be. Some… are living under the illusion that they are in the right universe, when they are not.”

Adrian felt the ground shift beneath him, not physically, but something deeper — a realization. His thoughts raced, the implications settling in. If what Strange was suggesting was true, then somewhere out there, across the multiverse, there could be other versions of them — of him, of Emily, and even Ava. Versions that didn’t know they weren’t meant to be there.

Strange’s words hung heavy in the air, thick with unspoken meaning. “The Stone family in this universe... you are not the only ones. But those others, they are unaware of their reality. They don’t know they’re different.” His gaze softened, just for a moment. “But you do. And that makes you a threat.”

Adrian and Emily exchanged glances, a wave of cold fear washing over them. They were the only ones — the only versions of themselves that knew the truth. In all the infinite realities, theirs was the only consciousness that had been transported from one universe to another. And it was that knowledge, that truth, which made them dangerous. It was why Doctor Strange was here.

“But why are we a threat?” Adrian demanded, his voice rising, a mix of frustration and fear coursing through him. “Why does that matter?”

Doctor Strange took a step back, his eyes shimmering with the weight of hidden knowledge. “Because knowledge disrupts balance. The more you understand, the more you interfere. The multiverse thrives on balance, on ignorance. When someone becomes aware of their displacement, they change. And when they change, so does the universe around them. Reality starts to bend to accommodate that truth.”

Emily tightened her grip on Adrian’s hand. “What are we supposed to do then?”

Strange’s eyes seemed to flicker with something akin to regret. “You do nothing. The less you involve yourselves in these matters, the better. I cannot stop what has begun — the portals are already unstable, the cracks have already formed. But if you continue to dig deeper, you risk unearthing things that will tear your family apart.”

For a moment, there was silence. The weight of his warning sank into the air around them, pressing down on their chests.

Adrian swallowed, his mind racing with questions. “And if we don’t stop?”

Doctor Strange’s gaze hardened once more. “If you don’t stop, the consequences will ripple across realities. The multiverse is vast, but its threads are fragile. If you continue down this path, you may find that the world you know... is no longer your own.”

And with that, he was gone, disappearing as swiftly as he had appeared, leaving Adrian and Emily standing in the shattered remnants of the portal site, the wind whipping around them, the weight of his words heavy on their hearts.

They stood there in silence, the enormity of it all washing over them like a tidal wave. The multiverse. Versions of themselves that existed somewhere out there, unaware of their true nature. The threat they now posed to the very fabric of reality, simply because they knew too much.

“We have to be careful,” Adrian whispered, his voice barely audible against the wind.

Emily nodded, her grip tightening on his hand. “But we can’t just walk away from this. There’s too much at stake.”

Adrian sighed, the weight of the decision ahead heavy on his shoulders. Strange’s warning lingered in his mind, but so too did the desire to protect his family, to fight against whatever dark forces lay ahead.

“We’ll find a way,” he said, more to himself than to her.

And with that, they turned and walked away, leaving the portal site behind them, but carrying the knowledge of the multiverse and the dangerous path that lay ahead.