The aftermath of the psychic attack led to a tense meeting in the X-Mansion's war room. Professor Xavier, now recovered but visibly troubled, sat with the core members of the X-Men, Tony Stark, and the reluctant guests, Leo and Kaelen.
"The entity that attacked Cerebro," Xavier began, his voice somber, "it felt… ancient and hungry. Its psychic signature resonated with a cold emptiness, a void. Leo's reaction to it was… remarkable. His abilities seem to operate on a level that transcends even the most powerful psychic defenses."
Tony Stark leaned forward, his expression serious. "So, space ghost from a dead universe tries to eat your brain-computer. Just another Tuesday, right?" He looked at Leo and Kaelen. "You two are officially upgraded from 'dimensional tourists' to 'potential harbinger of doom.'"
Before Leo could respond, the air in the war room shimmered, and a figure materialized as if stepping through a veil of reality. He wore flowing robes of deep blue, adorned with celestial symbols, and carried a mystical amulet that pulsed with arcane energy. It was Doctor Stephen Strange, the Sorcerer Supreme.
His gaze swept over the assembled group, lingering on the lingering psychic residue in the air and then settling on Leo and Kaelen. His expression was grave.
"Professor," Doctor Strange said, his voice resonating with arcane power, "I have sensed a disturbance, a ripple in the fabric of reality unlike anything I have encountered. It originates… from these individuals." He gestured towards Leo and Kaelen.
Xavier nodded slowly. "Stephen, they claim to be refugees from a dying universe. The entity that attacked Cerebro… we believe it may be connected to that."
Doctor Strange's eyes narrowed, his gaze piercing. He stepped closer to Leo, his amulet glowing brighter. "The energies surrounding you… they are alien, out of sync with the fundamental forces of this reality. And I sense a darkness clinging to you, a shadow of oblivion."
Leo felt a prickle of unease under the Sorcerer Supreme's intense scrutiny. He had hoped to find refuge here, but now the most powerful magic user on Earth was viewing them as a threat.
"We mean no harm," Leo reiterated, his voice steady despite his apprehension. "We are fleeing a greater danger."
Doctor Strange remained unconvinced. "The multiverse is a delicate tapestry. Tears in its fabric can have catastrophic consequences. Your presence here… it is a risk. A significant one."
He turned to Professor Xavier and Tony Stark. "With all due respect, my recommendation is clear. These individuals must leave this reality. Their continued presence here could attract forces we are ill-equipped to handle."
Kaelen bristled. "Leave? Where are we supposed to go? Our home is gone!"
"That is not my concern," Doctor Strange stated, his tone firm and unwavering. "The safety of this reality takes precedence. You must find another sanctuary, one that does not threaten the delicate balance we maintain here."
The Sorcerer Supreme's pronouncement hung heavy in the air. The most powerful figures in the room were divided. Xavier saw potential allies and a potential multiversal threat. Stark saw a security risk. And Doctor Strange saw a clear and present danger that needed to be eliminated. Their hope for refuge in the Marvel Universe was rapidly dwindling.
The tension in the war room was palpable. Professor Xavier, though concerned by Doctor Strange's assessment, held a more empathetic view. "Stephen," he countered, his voice gentle but firm, "they are seeking refuge, not conquest. And Leo's reaction to the entity… it suggests he might be an ally against this darkness, not a harbinger of it."
Doctor Strange remained resolute. "The risks outweigh the potential benefits, Charles. We are dealing with forces beyond your understanding, beyond even my own. The multiverse is not a playground for refugees. Their presence destabilizes things."
Tony Stark, ever the pragmatist, rubbed his temples. "Look, space and time are already giving me a headache. Add in alternate realities and psychic space vampires, and I'm reaching my limit. Strange has a point. We barely understand what these guys are, let alone what they might be dragging in."
The debate continued, Xavier arguing for understanding and potential alliance, Strange insisting on immediate expulsion, and Stark caught somewhere in the middle, leaning towards caution but intrigued by the sheer strangeness of their situation.
Leo and Kaelen stood silently, feeling like specimens under a microscope. Their hope for finding a safe haven in this vibrant universe was fading rapidly. The very forces meant to protect this reality viewed them as a threat to its delicate balance.
Finally, Doctor Strange turned back to Leo, his gaze unwavering. "I will grant you a temporary reprieve. A chance to prove you are not a danger to this world. But I will be watching. And if I sense even the slightest hint of the darkness you claim to flee, or any destabilization of our reality due to your presence, you will be banished. Understood?"
Leo nodded slowly, a bitter taste in his mouth. "Understood." It was less an offer of help and more a conditional stay of execution.
Xavier placed a reassuring hand on Leo's arm. "We will help you both. We will understand your abilities and the nature of this threat. Together, we can determine the best course of action."
But the Sorcerer Supreme's pronouncement had cast a long shadow. Their welcome in the Marvel Universe was tenuous at best, hanging by a thread of suspicion and the watchful eye of its most powerful protector against mystical threats. Their search for a stable refuge had become a race against time, not just to escape the unravelling of their own multiverse, but to prove they weren't a threat to this one. The vastness of the multiverse, once a realm of potential sanctuary, now felt like an endless expanse of suspicion and danger.