As I have decided not to continue the imagine called 'Fate' with Stephen. I thought that I would try something else, and hopefully you all enjoy it more.😄

Do you believe in ghosts? Lost souls that walk the earth, stuck in a time or place. Some destined to repeat the same thing over and over again for all eternity. Spirits lost in a world between this one and the next. No? Well neither did Stephen Strange.

Although the Master of the magical arts had seen, experienced, and knew about many things, ghosts had never been one of them. He knew that a spirit, a soul existed. But to think that one could get lost. That one, because of some traumatic experience could become bound to the earth, or an object, seemed, to his most logical and cynical side at least, to be a slightly ludicrous notion. Yet recently, those beliefs had been swayed. For, in the deepest, darkest hours of the night, Strange had found himself waking to the sounds of a woman crying. The heartbreaking, fearful noise forcing the sorcerer from his bed to explore every last dark corner of the otherwise silent sanctum sanctorum. Yet weeks later, he was still to find the source of the terrified sobs. And more annoying, was the fact that only he seemed to be able to hear the woman.

"You look terrible." Wong said as he walked into the study. Looking over at Stephen who was sitting quietly in a large armchair next to the fire. The sorcerer thumbing through a hefty tome filled with the knowledge of the universe.

"Thank you." Stephen replied. Not even bothering to look up from the book, as Wong took a seat across from him.

"I take it that you are still hearing her?" Wong enquired. Despite being able to tell from the dark rings under the ex-neurosurgeon's eyes, that he was.

"Yes." Strange simply told him. Too tired to really say anything else, as he attempted to take in the information on the pages in front of him.

"You know. I had an idea........" Wong continued. The librarian of Kamar- Taj now completely used to Stranges' often monosyllabic relies to anything he said.

"Well, that must have been quite an experience for you......" Stephen interrupted. Wong rolling his eyes as he got to his feet.

"Fine. Be like that. I won't tell you about who you're crying lady could be. You can just carry on having your sleepless nights." Wong called out, as he made his way to the door. A small smile coming to his lips as he heard Stephen drop the large book from his lap to the floor.

"Wait. What?"

"I was just going to tell you that I have had an idea about why you are hearing the sounds of a sobbing woman. But obviously, you have far better things to do than listen to me. And I wouldn't want to disturb you." Wong explained, before opening the door to the study and making to leave.

"Wait!" Stephen exclaimed as he jumped to his feet.

"Tell me........please." The doctor continued. Wong shocked to actually hear that the master sorcerer could be, well, could be so polite.

"Fine." Wong replied. Making his way back over to the chairs.

"After you told me about the cries, I went to the library. I had remembered about an old legend connected to one of the artifacts in the collection. The Dagger of Souls." Wong began. Stephen taking his seat once again and wondering why he hadn't heard of the story.

"After a little looking I was able to come across the manuscript I needed. The dagger is one of the oldest artifacts we have. Its origins even older than the legend that surrounds it. One of the first Masters, was a man by the name of Orin Azrian. A rather, shall we say, unpleasant man by all accounts. The story goes that the master was in love with a woman by the name of (Y/n). A woman famed for not only her beauty and intelligence but also for her pure heart. But (Y/n) wished to have nothing to do with the master, as she had already lost her heart to another. A man to whom she had promised her hand. When Orin discover that (Y/n) was to secretly marry her love, he was enraged. Angered that she would love someone else, and not him. So, he made his way into the sanctum and retrieved the Dagger of Souls, before going to find her, and seek his terrible revenge. The master determined that if (Y/n) would not be his, then he would make sure that she could be no one else's. But to kill the object of his obsession was not enough, Orin knowing that it would be crueler to make her souls wander the earth alone for all eternity. The woman denied what she had chosen to deny him. After much searching, Orin found (Y/n) asleep in the arms of her lover. The incensed master plunging the dagger into her heart. Azrian knowing, that the blade would not just kill her mortal body but would imprison her soul in a world between this and the next. Unable to move on. Her ghost attached to the dagger with which she had been killed." Wong explained. Stephen listening intently as he was told the story.

"But what has that to do with the cries? And why am I the only one that can hear them?" Stephen asked. As he tried to join the dots.

"Ah, well. It is said that the dagger itself was angered by the death of the woman. That the master had dared us it to destroy such a good soul. So, to punish Orin, the blade sent him mad with the sound of (Y/n)'s cries and the visions of her soul appearing to haunt him. I have never heard of anyone hearing her cries since the death of Orin. But it is nearing the special anniversary of her death. And maybe the lady is calling to you for help to free her from her purgatory." Wong added with a shrug. Looking at Strange as he began to chuckle slightly.

"So, you are trying to tell me that we have a ghost? That I am hearing the cries of a spirit?" Stephen asked mockingly. Watching as Wong got to his feet.

"I am merely telling you the story. And you should not dismiss things so lightly. As you know, the artifacts are very powerful. Some even hold curses. Perhaps instead of scoffing you should go and look at the dagger. You maybe surprised at what you find. But really, the choice is yours. Though I doubt you will sleep well until you do something." Wong retorted, before this time, really making his way from the room. Leaving Stephen alone.

"A ghost?" Stephen whispered, as he looked into the fire. In a strange way that would explain why he had never found anyone. How someone had managed to get into the sanctum without being seen or heard. But why was she calling to him? Why did this possible spirit, out of all the masters there were, and had ever been, had she decided to choose him?

Slowly he got to his feet. Even if this whole thing was nonsense, it was still worth going to see this Dagger of Souls. In fact, at this point, anything was worth a try.