[Manhattan] The Monkey, the Sorcerer and the Sanctum

This "presence", whomever, wherever he actually was in this place, seemed split between Prudence and Sun Nao. Interested in them for different reasons. "Interested", but the better word was aware of. Throughout this conversation, he had remained aloof to any threat that they ostensibly posed to him. After all, the Sorcerer Supreme himself had become imprisoned in the blink of an eye. What worry had he for his followers?

"That you need to ask betrays your insensate will, my dear. Power is power. This boy understands that. Better than most."

Then, in an inexplicable flash, the sophisticated prism that had grown to house Stephen Strange vanished. It was as if it had never been there. It was at this point that Prudence's spells gave her the insight that she craved. At once, she could understand why they had not yet seen the puppetmaster drawing out this scene, and why he emanated from everywhere in this realm.

This entire dimension was his personal reality. He had no body because the Mirror Dimension was his body. Here, his will was paramount. Mirror Master indeed.



"Do not return, insects. Henceforth, the Mirror Dimension is no longer welcome to visitors. Least of all... sorcerers."

And then, Prudence's teleportation sensed something; whatever it was, it warranted whisking them away from this plane. An instant later, they found themselves back in the Sanctum foyer, where they had first plunged into the Mirror Dimension. Nothing about the place had changed - only that the Sanctum's host did not return with them.