"tell me Atlas, which is heavier, the world or its people's hearts?"

earth , spring 2023

IT HAPPENED SO FAST.

The few seconds was enough for Celestia to lower herself to the ground and shield her arms above her face. An overwhelming white light shone from where Tony Stark once stood, the heat radiating from it was so intense her skin began stinging like it was about to peel off itself. She gritted her teeth in pain as she thinks of a way to get out of the situation once it gets worse than it already is.

And then it was gone too in a blink of an eye. The whole surrounding was back the way it was before except it was ten times quieter and there's almost no movement around. She wanted to get up on her feet and rush to help the man in the suit. To be the first one to aid him considering how close her spot is to him. But any effort was useless, the wound left by an outrider on her thigh is still sore and painful to move. Rendering her incapable of helping herself much less help others. So Celestia has the watch in the distance while members of Stark's family come to his side as his weakening body inevitably falls by the nearest boulder.

She can name a few familiar faces among the crowd, the one in the shiny purple suit is Pepper Stark; a boy she hasn't seen since the battle on Titan is Peter Parker; the man in the black, bulky suit is James Rhodes. All happen to be someone close to Stark and probably a reason why the man did what he did. Celestia's head hung low, avoiding the sight in front of her. She can sense all their enemies around being completely wiped as they all turn into dust. The girl can only wish Thanos and his allies are the only ones leaving Earth as of the moment. But no, the one responsible for ending this battle is now on their last breaths too. Celestia found it harder to stay on her spot when she started hearing Peter's sobs for his mentor. She put her left palm against the rough ground and shifted all her weight on it in an attempt to stand up. Celestia groaned in pain.

Suddenly a strong hand grabbed by her shoulder and right hand. A blonde girl in an all black Kevlar suit helped her up to her feet with such ease. Her collected features are eerily similar to someone Celestia knew. "Thank you," she stuttered. The blonde only nodded in response.

With a limp on her right leg and blurring eyesight Celestia turned back from the spot and started walking towards the person she has been searching for since the portals showed up. His appearance hasn't changed in over five years, he's still the same person yet he's not. Even without seeing through his mind the girl already knows what he's feeling now and what's running on his head.

"Stephen," Celestia hoarsely called out. "Strange, hey."

He immediately turned around to see her. Bruises were all over his face, blood trickling down his temple to his cut cheek. A relieved look appeared on the man's face as soon as he saw Celestia. "Lisa...," His voice trailed off, it was evident that he was still in shock to see how much his protégé had changed in those five years he was gone.

"I'm sorry."

There are so many words that's more appropriate than what she just said like Are you alright? I'm glad you're okay. You're back. But sorry feels like the only word the Sorcerer Supreme needs to hear right now.

When she caught a glimpse of his mind after he had a vision from the Power Stone back at planet Titan, Celestia saw the fear and pure disbelief of the man knowing the path he's leading his allies to. He knew someone among them who faced Thanos on his planet will die by the Mad Titan's hands in order to stop him. When Celestia spoke to Stephen about it he didn't deny it, so the girl prepared with all her heart the possibility that the fight would be her last.

But none of them died, at first.

The moment they were left alone on Titan, unharmed and alive Celestia already knew they were doomed. And she was right about it when almost all the people she fought with fade into nothing but dust.

"There was no other way." Celestia repeated the same words he spoke when he gave up the Power Stone five years ago. She never thought she'd live to see the one chance out of fourteen million outcomes where they won. She thought that chance disappeared right in front of her the moment Stephen was dusted. Little did she know it had only begun that moment, and the past five years were a part of it. Until they were finally ready to face Thanos again and revert everything back the way it used to be.

In the end, Tony Stark's death was an inevitable one.

"I know." Stephen replied. His eyes moistened with swelling tears. She had seen him make difficult decisions ever since he came to Kamar Taj. Being a Sorcerer Supreme and leader of the masters requires an unbreakable will that allows you to make the hardest choices and this one is clearly the test of it. Not only did he know Stark would die, he even told him they would win but not the cost of it. Because if he does the consequences might be unimaginable.

He kept everything to himself. Not even allowing Celestia, his closest companion, to learn more than what she already knew. Perhaps to spare her from the overwhelming guilt and a scar to conscience it might cause. All this time he knew, until to his death he carried it.

"Don't feel sorry, this isn't about me." He grimaced.

Celestia nodded in agreement. It was the one lesson their former mentor, Ancient One, has always reminded them. Safeguarding their world from threats across the cosmos means putting themselves as not the center of this universe. They must open their minds to the fact that sometimes there are choices that when compared to their personal lives, would be a greater priority. Celestia has encountered those at some points of her life and she was able to make the logical and practical decision every single time.

But nothing in the same magnitude Strange has done on Titan. What he did there was put himself on a pedestal that would make him choose between the life of a single man and everyone else. Celestia cannot imagine herself being in his shoes. To be responsible of all those lives and the balance of the universe.

"Should we go home?" Celestia suppressed an optimistic smile and stifled her shoulders.

"Seems like there's nothing else to do," Stephen roamed his gaze across the field and landed on the crowd of mystic arts masters waiting for them. "Come on."

As they start to leave the center of the battlefield Celestia can still feel the burning sensation all over her body. She can feel her heart hammering loudly against her chest. The scene of Tony Stark holding the gauntlet played once again on her mind. She knew the man for a time. There was a point of their lives when they had nothing but each other to rely on. And so did Stephen, they were allies who fought side by side at the most crucial time of their lives. If it's already difficult for her then it must be for him too.

Which makes her wonder if in the near future she'll come across something that would make her understand how Stephen Strange did all of it.

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ASHA'S NOTES !

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Prologue is up! Just a quick set up of Celestia's background and premise on the MCU universe. There isn't much to tell yet but in the first chapter I assure you'll see Celestia as a major character. I hope you enjoy this one despite the Endgame triggers (sorryyyy!) Thank you for reading!