Doctor Strange #12

"Stranger in a strange land part 5"



A dark cloud hung over the city of New York this day, for a great evil had descended upon the people, more specifically Thor and his charge Adair Shadak. Thor was guarding him till Doctor Strange could get back from the realm of Shadak's mind.

Thor looked over his adversary, he could tell that this man was someone insignificant who had been granted great power. Unfortunately those like him who always were seeking to be noticed always seemed to get corrupted by power whenever it was given to them.

Gregg smiled at Thor "I can sense that you too contain much power however the power I have been given is infinite, how long do you think you can stand against me?"

Thor smiled back "as long as it takes villain, thou wilst not find the son of Odin lacking in his conviction this day".

Gregg then threw a mystic bolt at Thor knocking him back several feet, Thor was stunned only for a moment when he then jumped to his feet and tossed his hammer at Gregg. "Have at thee" Thor shouted as he threw the hammer.

The impact of Thor's hammer sent Gregg flying out of the building and out onto the street. Gregg then looked up as Thor flew down to meet him there.

Thor then looked to Gregg "Wilt thou abandon thy quest and leave the man Shadak alone?"

Gregg then smiled at Thor "I will admit that you are quite powerful, however if you really think this is going to stop me from my goal then you are sadly mistaken" he said with a laugh.

Gregg then used his mystic energies to create a huge gust of wind like that of a hurricane around Thor "if you are a god as you claim, then back to the heavens with you".

While all of this was going on Shadak was still in a trance whilst inside his mind Strange raced to get back to the physical realm and aid his friend in their dire time of need.

"I must not falter, I have to get back and make sure that Shadak is protected" Strange thought to himself and he raced to the outskirts of Shadak's mind.

Just ahead Strange could see a shining light. He knew this was where he could exit Shadak's mind. Strange hoped that he was not too late.

Meanwhile Thor and Gregg were still fighting and both only seeming to tire each other. With each blow traded or bolt shot the other would do just as devastating tactics to the other.

Thor's energy was almost spent, however he knew that he had to fight on or he was not fit to call himself the god of thunder. "By the might of Mjolnir I will not yield" shouted Thor to Gregg.

Gregg then smiled at this "look at you, I have barely wielded my full might and you stand there with nearly most of your energy spent, why don't you stand down and save yourself the embarressment mister god of thunder".

Thor then leaped forward and went in to take Gregg off of his feet.

At that moment Strange had succeeded in making it back to the physical realm. His astral self going back into his lifeless body while Shadak came back into conscienceness.

Strange got up and looked outside, seeing Thor doing battle with Gregg.

"So this was the great evil that Ether was talking about, I must move quickly or else Thor is done for" said Strange rushing to aid his friend.

Strange uttered a spell to lift himself up and float down to his enemy's location. He could see that Gregg had put up quite a good fight with the god of thunder. "Whomever you are there is no way I can let you torment this realm or try to destroy my friends" Strange said to Gregg.

Gregg then laughed at Strange "it does not matter how many of you try to defeat me, my power is eternal and you should just accept the fact that I am your new lord and master HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA".

With that Gregg waved his hand and a green force field went around both Thor and Doctor Strange. "The air in that sphere is slowly siphoning out, within minutes you two will die and then there will be no one left to stop me in my conquest for power".

Strange knew that he had to think quickly, the magic that was used on him was of an ancient kind so he knew his usual spells would not break this one. "Quick Thor if I can combine the might of your Mjolnir and my mystic spells I believe we can escape this prison".

Thor nodded "aye Stephen, with our combined powers this shell should crack quite easily".

With that Strange waved his hand and started to create some electricity which started to fuel the power of Thor's hammer. Soon the barrier started to crack and suddenly burst into a million pieces.

Strange then looked to Gregg "it will take more then that to stop us, we will not let mankind be subjugated by the likes of you".

Gregg then laughed again "that is only a sample of my power, you do not seem to understand that I have been granted the power of a god".

Thor gave Gregg a stern look "I know many gods strange one and I can say that you are not one of them".

Gregg then lifted his hand and started to squeeze the air which caused a beam to go around Thor and Strange and start to strangle them. "I will not tolerate blasphemy in my presence" said Gregg.

Strange and Thor did not have time to think as they could feel the life draining out of them, it was as if all ability to counteract against this force had left them.

Gregg then smiled "that's it, accept the inevitability of your deaths, perhaps in the afterlife you'll rethink the battles that you have fought HAHAHAHAHAHAHA".

As this was going on Shadak came to the side of the office and could see the ensuing battle. A Strange green light then started to eminate from his hand and soon enveloped the whole room.

Gregg was convinced that he had won however as he was gloating over what he believed to be his victory a strange green orb started to float down and when the mist around it dissapated it revealed Shadak now looking even more powerful then before.

Gregg then laughed at Shadak "you should have stayed inside and ran, you might have had a chance then. However now I will destroy you and take the power from your gem for myself and then my goal of becoming a god will be complete".

Shadak then looked to Gregg "enough you arrogant fool, you are but a child in the eyes of the universe and I will still that tongue of yours".

Gregg glared at Shadak "insolent whelp, I will show you what power I have and then you will beg me for the mercy of death". He then waved his hand and sent a stream of bolts at Shadak trying to destroy him.

Shadak was then struck with the bolts and a cloud of smoke gathered up around him.

Gregg then smiled and laughed "that is what awaits anyone who denies my power".

However as Gregg was gloating the smoke around Shadak started to clear and it revealed that he was unharmed. Shadak then smiled at Gregg "men like you think that they couldn't possibly be contended with however when something comes along that can you either deny it or try to bargain with it. One thing I had promised myself long ago was to never bargain with the likes of you".

Gregg then glared at Shadak "that is but a minor setback, you will still not stand between me and my godhood, I have but only to use the full extent of my powers to rid myself of you".

Gregg then was surrounded by a red light as it seemed he was draining the power from the very earth around him and using it to increase his own. Once he was done he then sent a large red bolt at Shadak.

Gregg then laughed "this should be quite sufficient to end you".

Shadak then put up a barrier which started to bring the blast back, however the blast was very intense and was starting to break down his barrier.

Shadak then looked to Gregg "it seems that we have both underestimated each other, that will not happen again".

Gregg then laughed again "exactly and by that point you will not be around to regret your mistake" he said as he sent another huge red bolt at Shadak.

Shadak sent up his shield again however it was starting to collapse, he then looked to Thor and Strange who had been released and were starting to recover due to Gregg being distracted.

Shadak pointed to both Thor and Strange "we will need the combined elements of all of our powers if we are to defeat this man, help me to summon forth the power to vanquish him".

Strange nodded "I agree, he will need more than the magic of one person to defeat him, only through cooperation may our goal be met".

Then whilst Shadak was holding Gregg back with his shield Strange cast his own spell to try and bind Gregg whilst Shadak and Thor took a shot at Gregg.

Strange then spoke an incantation "by the hoary hosts of hoggoth, by the rings of raggador, let this foe be bound and trouble us not evermore".

With that Gregg felt his arms being tied up with a mystical energy and could therefore not cast anymore spells. Whilst this was going on Shadak went over to Thor and touched his hammer and then said "I will course my energy through you and your hammer, and when you throw the hammer it should be enough to rid us of this enemy".

Thor then took aim at Gregg and threw his hammer at him, hitting him with the force of a thousand mighty thunderbolts. Gregg cried out in pain "you fools, I could have been the best thing that happened to your world and now you have doomed us all". He then was enveloped in the lightning and disapeared with no trace of him except a large hole in the ground.

"No" said Strange "what we have done is let mankind determine it's own fate without looking to someone to make those decisions for them".

**************************

A WEEK LATER


Doctor Donald Blake had stopped by to check up on Shadak at Strange's Sanctum Sanctorum.

"How is your progress coming along Shadak?" asked Doctor Blake.

Shadak then looked to Doctor Blake "well thanks to Doctor Strange my memories have been coming back slowly but surely. I had gotten a mental message from my brother Ether telling me that a decision was being made by the high council that we shouldn't cling to my fathers old laws and some new ones are being written. He says it will be awhile before I can come back however my mind is no longer sealed".

Doctor Blake then looked to Strange and chuckled "I wonder where on earth they got that idea?"

Strange smiled "I can't take all the credit, they were on the verge of changing the old system anyways, I just merely helped plant the idea even sooner".

Shadak nodded "until I can go back home Doctor Stange has agreed to let me stay with him".

Doctor Blake looked to Strange "I'm sure now that your memories are coming back that it won't be long till you are back home".

Shadak nodded "I think so too however I just can't shake the feeling that this is all but a prelude to the real danger coming".

Somewhere in the shadows a dark figure laughed to himself "that is more true then you can ever imagine my dear Adair Shadak and when I am done not even Strange will be able to help you".

THE END.