The cool breeze of Greenpoint's evening brushed against the cobbled streets as I stepped outside the New York Sanctum to confront my apprentice who lingered on the steps, lost in thought.

His name was Nathan, a street magician with untapped potential in the mystic arts. He had shown promise, but something clearly seemed to be troubling him.

"Is everything alright?" I inquired, concern lacing my words.

Nathan jumped slightly at the sound of my voice, snapping out of his reverie. He looked up, his eyes filled with anxiety.

"Yy..yees." He stammered turning to look back at me. "Everything's fine."

"How did the surveillance go? You were supposed to contact me as soon as you saw anything suspicious." I reminded him.

"I didn't spot any heist in progress." Nathan said. "And I thought I would come back to the Sanctum early to keep watch and guard it."

"I see." I said. "But you should have let me know first. Nevermind, let's go inside. I need your help with something."

I turned to go back into the Sanctum. He didn't follow me immediately.

"Master Strange, I... I have to confess something," he stammered from behind me.

"It's Doctor Strange." I corrected turning around. "But go on."

I folded my arms and waited for him to continue. The mystic energy of the Sanctum crackled faintly around us, a reminder of the secrets it held.

"I... I was contacted by someone," Nathan began, his voice barely above a whisper. "A man named Felix Faust. He offered me power, more power than you could ever teach me."

I raised an eyebrow, my curiosity piqued. "Is that so?"

My mind flashed back to my encounter with Felix and Lex. It had been a while since I saw those two, especially because they weren't involved in the minor robberies they orchestrated.

"And what did he ask for in return?" I probed, trying to gauge the depth of Nathan's involvement.

Nathan hesitated before responding, his voice trembling. "He wanted information, Doctor Strange. Information about the Nthirium and its location."

"When was this?" I asked narrowing my eyes. Could Nathan have sold me out?

"Tonight, when I was out surveiling." He replied. "There was no heist in progress, but he showed up."

"And did you provide him with that information?" I asked, my tone growing stern.

Nathan nodded, shame evident on his face. "I... I couldn't resist the temptation, Doctor Strange. He promised me abilities beyond my wildest dreams, and I believed him."

I let out a sigh, mixed emotions churning within me. I had taken Nathan under my wing with the hope of molding him into a responsible sorcerer, but he had succumbed to the allure of power and betrayed my trust.

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"You understand the gravity of your actions, Nathan," I said, my voice steady. "Felix Faust is not to be underestimated. He's a practitioner of dark magic, and his intentions are far from benevolent."

Nathan's shoulders slumped, and he finally met my gaze, his eyes filled with remorse. "I know, Doctor Strange. I never should have done it. I'm so sorry."

I regarded him for a moment, weighing my options. The Nthirium's security had been compromised, and I needed to take immediate action to rectify the situation.

"We must act swiftly," I declared, my tone resolute. "We need to retrieve the Nthirium and take it to a safe location."

"No Doctor Strange." Nathan said sternly. "He said with the Nthirium close to you, you're weak and easy to defeat. I'm sorry I've betrayed you, but I can't pass on a chance to become powerful in the mystics."

Nathan took a step back and stretched his arms in combat style. Something I had taught him, but I knew that his skills were far from refinement.

I observed him, disappointed but amused. What the hell did he think he was about to do?

"Did he tell you in full what the effects of Nthirium were?" I asked him, my arms still folded.

"Yes. But he gave me a way to protect me from it's effects." Nathan replied. "Give me the Nthirium and I'll go away. It'll be like this never happened."

I listened to Nathan's demand, my heart broken. Why was it easy for him to betray me so quickly. Was he that corruptible?

"I'm willing to overlook what you're trying to do right now. You're my star apprentice after all, and your desire to become better at magic makes you naive. Just stop this nonsense immediately, and follow me." I said, willing to pardon his behavior.

"No!" Nathan half-shouted, sounding slightly frustrated. "You showed me true power the first time that we met, but all you've been teaching me is how to draw circles, rules of magic and reading texts on end. I want real power."

I regarded Nathan with a mixture of understanding and disappointment. It was not uncommon for young apprentices to seek quick shortcuts to power, but I had hoped that Nathan would have the patience and wisdom to see the value in the foundational teachings I had imparted to him.

Nevertheless, I couldn't let him continue down this perilous path.

"Nathan," I said firmly, "true power in the mystic arts is not gained through shortcuts or dark deals. It comes from mastering the fundamental principles and respecting the ancient knowledge that guides our craft."

"Felix Faust is a sorcerer who has tried to gain power countless times, and if you think that he's that powerful, think again. Who isn't he the one to confront me right now?" I added, hoping to infiltrate his thought pattern.

Nathan's expression wavered between defiance and uncertainty. He had a taste of the mystical world's wonders but lacked the understanding of its responsibilities and consequences.

"I won't let you harm yourself, or others, by pursuing this dangerous path," I stated firmly. "If you insist on pursuing this, then I will have no choice but to stop you and protect the Nthirium."

Nathan clenched his fists, and the aura of uncertainty around him intensified. "You can't stop me, Doctor Strange. I've already made my choice."

Nathan chanted an incantation and sent a surge of energy toward me. I took a step aside and let the beam of light pass by my side towards the Sanctum's barrier where it was absorbed.

I sighed, realizing that words alone might not be enough to reach him. In an instant, I bound him with the Crimson bands of Cyttorak.

Nathan's appearance was a stark contrast to the confidence he had tried to exude a few moments ago. He stood there tied like a mummy, his posture defeated.

Certain that he possesed anti-magic, I manipulated the bands to search his body, removing any objects he possesed. The search brought forth tiny relics that he had managed to scavenge from the illusion sanctum, but no anti-magic device.

"So that was the plan." I said to him. "Distract me while someone located the Nthirium. Who did you give your pass bracelet?"

Nathan stood bound by the Crimson bands of Cyttorak, his defiance beginning to wane, replaced by a growing sense of regret. His eyes darted around, scanning for any means of escape, but the mystical restraints held him firm.

"No. This can't be." Nathan murmured fearfully. "He said that you'd be weak by now."

I watched him closely, my senses attuned to the fluctuations of magic around. My strength was just as I remembered it. He had nothing to offset this.

"Well. He lied, and you clearly underestimated my power." I said stepping closer. "What could have made you believe that I could be weakened?"

"He has more power than you do. He showed it to me." Nathan said amidst heavy breaths.

"Really? And you believed his illusions? I expected better from you." I said, my disappointment clear.

"Who is in the Sanctum right now?" I asked again. Whoever they were, they were good at hiding magic if they practiced it. I hadn't spotted any unusual magic in the OmniSight Aegis.

Nathan hesitated for a moment. He sighed heavily, defeated. "I gave it to Felix Faust. That is all I did."

I nodded, taking note of the information. I could have detected Felix if he was in the Sanctum. Unless if he was really really good at cloaking his magic.

"Ok then." I said. "What should I do with you?"

Nathan had been a good apprentice up to this point. He was dedicated to learning the mystic arts, but perhaps I had misread his intentions as to why.

But my debt to him was paid, and I knew that I would find another student in his place. But what bothered me the most was whether or not these betrayals would be a second nature in my attempts to recruit more sorcerers.

It was in moments like this that I missed having Wong around. A true friend that I could always count on.

"You have a potential to do good, but your hunger for power might be what corrupts you." I said, looking within me. I sort of related to my words. "I however will not be the person that bears the burden of your corruption. I therefore banish you from the New York Sanctum and the mystic arts."

I said those words, encasing him with a glow and a symbol showing a stylized triangular pattern behind him, and with a snap of my fingers, I banished him and turned to confront the thief in my castle with a crackle of my knuckles.