Doctor Strange #3

"The illusion of power part 3"

Doctor Strange using the darkness around him snuck into the outskirts of town with his two new companions, he motioned with two fingers on his right hand for Tristan the scout to look ahead and see if everything was clear.

Tristan keeping to the shadows snuck her way to a great vantage point by a small cliff, she took out a looking glass and began scanning the area for any possible trouble. She noticed that there were four guards outside of the supply depot and knowing how the king was fond for traps most likely four more on the inside.

Tristan then motioned for Strange and Johan to join her on the cliff, both Strange and Johan snuck quietly to join her there.

"What's the situation?" Strange asked Tristan.

"We have four guards on the outside, however that seems to be much too easy to access, I fear that the king has more of them waiting inside" said Tristan.

"I agree" said Strange "if those are important supplies you would think that he would send the bulk of his guards there, yet there it is almost as if to tempt a thief to just come right in, I too fear a trap."

"You are leading this team Strange, what would you like to do?" Johan asked.

"I'll provide a distraction, you and Tristan sneak in from the back and make sure that there isn't some kind of trap waiting for us, if there is I will prepare for that as well" said Strange as he looked thru the looking glass.

"How do we know it will work?" asked Tristan.

"Do not worry" said Strange "I know this will work".

Strange then moved his hand motioning them to start the operation, Tristan and Johan started to sneak around the back while Strange walked up to the front entrance of the depot. "I'm going to need you to step away from that depot boys, you see I can't be resposible for what will happen if you refuse to comply with my request" said Strange giving a slight smile to the guards.

The guards then let out a hardy laugh "HAHAHAHAHAHA, you are insane sir, no one has ever been able to break into this depot and no one ever will".

"I'll bet none of them were sorcerers either" said Strange back to them.

"You?" laughed the guards again "if your a sorcerer then I'm a monkey's uncle"

"Funny you should say that" laughed Strange back.

With that Strange lifted up his hands "by the vishanti and the power of their eyes, may this mans body reflect his insides".

A cloud of red smoke swirled around one of the guards and slowly enveloped him and when it had finally dissipated what had once been a man was now an orange ape.

The other guard started to panic when he saw this "oh my lord he really is a sorcerer, gods grace, gods grace, gods grace" he said screaming off into the night.

Strange smiled at this "no matter where I go I always find superstitous fools, mankind no matter where they are from never change".

Strange then opened the door to the depot, unfortunately what he saw inside did not please him at all. Tristan and Johan had been taken prisoner by Syrel and a plethora of his goons. "I would suggest that you surrender and come with me quietly Doctor" said Syrel. "You should have listened to me and got out of here, people like you can never understand a great vision like Ashtor's".

Strange shook his head "have you looked around? these people obviously are not happy, why else would they rise up against a man like Ashtor? happy citizenry do not fear their leaders yet these people live under his foot like they were common slaves, open your eyes".

"You can not sway me Doctor however I will give you a chance, I will let these two go no matter what however I want you to battle me, if I win you will leave and never return and if you win I just may take consideration of your words" said Syrel drawing his crimson energy blade.

Doctor Strange looked to Syrel "Then I guess there is nothing left to be said, it's tragic that it had to come to this".

"I agree Doctor" said Syrel.

Syrel then moved first and quickly, he jumped towards Strange and took a swing with his blade at him. Strange was able to avoid this and quickly tripped Syrel with a sweeping leg kick. "Don't underestimate me for I was trained in the art of combat" said Strange.

Syrel then smiled at Strange "you also underestimate me as well, I grew up on the streets and had to fight for a living, back then I was only fighting for my life, now I have a cause". Syrel then took a swing at Strange's feet.

Strange jumped back coming within inches of having his ankles sliced, clearly Syrel was not messing around and truly believed in his cause. That was one of the reasons it made it even more truly sad that Strange had to stop him.

Strange then fired a quick bolt from his hands to distract Syrel while he whispered an incantation to try and freeze him in place. "By the power of the Vishanti, by the all seeing eye of Agamotto, make his muscles weak, his resolve hampered" whispered Strange as Syrel jumped out of the way of his bolt and was now coming for his arms.

Fortunately Strange's timing was perfect, Syrel then froze in place from where he was standing. Strange then let out of sigh of relief but it was premature as Syrel started to laugh "you do not know the power of the armor I wear Doctor" and with that Syrel shattered the spell in a burst of red sparks.

It seemed however that in doing that it temporarely made Syrel dizzy, leaving Strange to conclude that the magic that had been given to Syrel was indeed sucking the very life from him. "Look what this is doing?" said Strange "using the power granted you is taking it's toll, let's end this, free these people and get you back home".

"You are still trying to deter me but my resolve is set Strange, your petty lies can not get me to believe you, Ashtor is my savior and I will do whatever it takes for him to realize his vision" said Syrel once again taking up his crimson blade.

"This fight is going to kill you, please I do not wish to fight you anymore" said Strange getting into a defensive stance.

"The die has been cast, we will fight and one of us will win" said Syrel as he lunged towards Strange swinging his sword to injure Strange in the arm.

Strange using some martial arts techniques which had been taught to him by the ancient one used Syrel's momentum against him and then quickly threw a magic bolt to knock him to his knees "end this now".

"That will not happen Doctor" said Syrel as he turned around and threw a few bolts of his own at Strange. Once again upon doing this Syrel fell to the ground and Strange could tell that once again the magic armor was draining him of much needed energy.

Syrel would still not back down however and then started to chant a spell. Strange saw this "don't do it, you'll kill yourself" yelled Strange as he ran to try and stop him.

Syrel was too quick however and chanted the spell as Ashtor had told him on their trip to this place "by the power of the black, by the wings of Sattan, may your strength leave you and your limbs be undone".

With that a bolt of energy shot out at Strange and only by the slightest of movements was Strange able to avoid it on time, however unfortunately as Strange had guessed with a spell of that size it would take a sizable toll on Syrel. Strange looked to Syrel and could see the magic armor once again drain energy from it's host.

Syrel fell to the ground however this time he could not bring himself up, it seemed as if what energy he had possessed before had indeed been completely syphoned away this time. Strange went over to him and removed his helmet, what had once been a young man full of promise was now in the body of an old man whom life had treated very harshly.

"I'm truly sorry Syrel, I really wanted to help you, I didn't want this to happen" Strange said to Syrel. "Please Doctor don't be sorry, I was too blinded to see that I was offered a faust deal, I was so desperate to be healed that I let Ashtor's kind words fool me and please call me John for that is my real name" said John as a tired smile crossed his lips.

"I....I don't believe I have much t...time left Doctor, w...would you do me a favor?" asked John. "Yes anything" said Strange. "Destroy A...Ashtor and then tell my f...family they were always in my t...thoughts" said John as he then took in what was his very last breath.

Strange watched as the man before him passed away from the world of the living, Strange was not one to grieve deeply however just this once he would cry the tears that John himself could not.

"Your time is coming Ashtor, Damn you for what you have done, all the blood and suffering is on your hands" Strange shouted into the air.

TO BE CONCLUDED.

Jared this keeps getting better and better. I love the ending with Syrel and Doctor Strange and look foward to the conclusion nice work

Thank you, I felt that if I gave the readers an ending with a death that they would be even more interested in knowing how he avenged that death in the next issue.