Part 6

Rintrah flew to where everyone was standing and placed himself between them and the red mirror, he weaved the signs though nothing happened.

Awww, I cannot do anything while in astral form, how long do you need? – Rintrah yelled back at Ned.

Uhh, two minutes … maybe, the left hand seems to be…done – responded Ned with a shaken voice as he got back to reattaching the limbs.

How can I help? – asked America as she flew next to Rintrah.

Fly back to Strange tell them that something is coming and to prepare – Said Rintrah.

No sooner had Rintrah given his instructions that they heard a scratching noise, they looked at the red mirror where a silhouette of a person could now clearly be seen, its left hand was touching the mirror and in an instant long pale digits pierced the mirror and where inside the Dream field.

Go now! – yelled Rintrah and America took flight back. The fingers bent and slashed through the mirror which shattered like glass and immediately vanished, what was left behind was a doorway and the world on the other side revealed itself. First came a gust of wind, followed loud noise of sirens and a bustling cityscape while a creature covered in dark robes was standing in the passage. It stepped in and as if on a solid surface planted a cane, head slightly swiveled studying the space and once it was done it acknowledged the presence of others.

It's done!- yelled Ned to Rintrah and America. The wooden sentry rose and started to readjust itself, but Rintrah paid it no attention, his entire existence was now focused on this pale corpselike humanoid in voluminous robes that felt like death.

America took flight and headed straight for her portal. While Ned looked stunned staring at the creature that had just emerged.

As for Rintrah, though temporarily lacking body, Rintrah could feel the chill in his spine. Himself a visitor from other realm, he knew many creatures on many plains of existence, both benevolent and malevolent. The eyes that were staring back at him were not malevolent, they were just evil. And those eyes were not looking at him, but through him; those eyes right now were fixed on Ned.

The creature turned it’s head momentarily and seemed to have spoken to someone who was back where it came from. Rintrah’s heart was behind him in the mortal plain but he could feel adrenaline pumping his heart like a battle drum, seeing the creature distracted he used that opportunity to rush the creature in an effort to enter its body and temporarily possess it. He was there when Kamar-Taj was invaded, he was there when it fell, he saw his friends and students slain by a near cosmic level psychopath, he felt every agony that she could visit upon him and he felt nothing but anger and shame for it. He should have been stronger; he should have been faster and this strategy was one of many he had thought of as a possible ways he could have slowed her down when they fought. It didn’t happen then, maybe it prepared him for this battle now. At the very least he was certain anything this creature could offer would dwarf in comparison to what Scarlet Witch made him go through.

Well, no sooner had he got within the arm’s length of the interloper that the creature froze it in place, yanked it to its knees and placed it’s hand on Rintrah’s face.

Rintrah was wrong, every nerve ending was ablaze, every ounce of air was expunged from his nonexistent lungs and every bone in his astral body was trembling. If he could deliver so much pain to a spirit what would this creature do to his body. Then came the sensation that Rintrah was not prepared for, every memory, every event, every thought and every secret was being flayed off his spirit with such ferocity that the spirit was starting to shrink in the creature’s hands. If he was asked to reveal anything he would, if he could choose to end his existence he would, but it never came. All that came was agonizing pain, wave after wave. What for Rintrah felt like an age to Ned looked like less than a minute, as the creature was holding down Rintrah’s spirit he saw it shrink to almost half its original size in matter of seconds.

Ned wanted to say or do something, when a voice came calling from behind.

Ned come on get out of there! - America was pleading while also looking in the distance at the predicament Rintrah was in.

Ned turned and flew passed the now complete sentry and headed straight for the portal. One thing kept racing through his mind “did I cause this?”. That was the only thought that was screaming in Ned’s head and that scream reached the creature that was torturing the now beachball sized spirit of Rintrah. And it recognized Ned’s voice.

America saw Ned approach the portal and exited it herself in advance, she saw at the entrance of the Sleepers Well that Strange had taken over the time stone channeling while emaciated Wong was trying to regain his breath, flew to them as fast as she could. Moments later she heard Ned come flying though the portal.

Rintrah is in trouble we need to get him out! - She screamed.

Strange looked at Wong and gave him a nod, with that Wong plucked the time stone from Strange and allowed his friend freedom to act.

Strange flew close to the platform while once again casting the crimson bands of Cyttorak, He wrapped them around Rintrah’s body and yanked him out of the time stones casting sphere. Once outside he placed his index finger on the minotaur’s forehead and summoned his spirit.

What happened in there? – growled Strange under his breath.

Something came and attacked Master Rintrah!- said America’s astral form in a broken tone.

Something from the Dream field? It was supposed to be empty! – Said Strange perplexed.

Just then the small dandelion like glimmer flew from the portal and landed inside Rintrah and the minotaur started to convulse.

I’m so sorry doctor Strange, I’m so sorry! It’s all my fault – Ned spoke with tears running down his cheeks as he looked at the tortured beast on the ground.

STRANGE! – called out Wong who was struggling with the incantation.

End it!- yelled Stephen back. Then he turned to America and gave her an order.

Go back into your body and close the portal immediately- spoke Strange as he got up and moved close to the portal and peered into it.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

Sentry who now had awakened had unwrapped dozen hook like protrusions from its now chain-link like fingertips and was trying to ensnare something.

What is it? – said Strange as he was desperately trying identify the creature.

The giant sentry was shooting hooks all around itself trying to snag its prey, but the bat like creature was dodging every single attempt with incredible ease.

Strange what do you see? – Asked Wong who had managed to muster enough strength to join others on the platform.

I can’t make it out, it seems…. Wait how are you here? – it donned on Strange that if Wong was here then America could have closed the portal by now.

Why is the portal open? – he asked as he looked at America only to see her still frozen.

Did the spell malfunction? – Asked Wong as he too realized that something was off.

No, she is not under the control of the time stone- said Strange as he walked up to America who was shaking, but was otherwise unmoving. Almost as if someone was preventing her from regaining mobility.

It’s him, he is holding her! We… no! I summoned him! But I did not mean to, I was telling her a story to pass the time, I did not know it was real, I’m sorry - Ned said finally with eyes still wet from crying.

What story! – anxiously asked Wong.

S..S..St.Star wars – finally said Ned.

Those were the final words everyone heard that were followed by a protracted monstrous growl as the creature flew from the portal in a corkscrew fashion as a number of broken chains followed it from the portal.

The creature somersaulted midair and dove onto the platform sending out a shockwave as it landed. Everyone fell off the platform save for Strange who was kept in the air by his cape. Strange saw that somehow the creature had kept America on the platform with it, while everyone else was thrown clear. Without hesitation Strange weaved a sign and created a hundred copies of himself each channeling different power, in unison they unleashed those powers onto the creature that had appeared before them. He himself was channeling a pressurized water jets to cut the creature in half. The creature did not move as the combined kaleidoscope of powers reached him, it simply enveloped itself in an invisible bubble that broke, split or redirected each of the attacks.

It looked at the cut chains that followed it in here, as well as the debris around it and using its power hurled them at his assailants. When it saw that the attack did not affect Strange’s clones, it immediately jumped up into the air looked down and outstretched its palm towards the ground.

For Strange the creatures movement was a blur, he simply saw something shoot out of the spot where he had been attacking and immediately land back down on the platform, but Strange’s attack was quickly interrupted not from the platform, but from underneath him; as all the water that had been pooled around the Sleeper Well platform was now in the air covering him and all his clones around the platform. Then came the pain, before he knew what was going on he and all his apparitions were being electrocuted as the creature had unleashed lightnings from its fingertips. The clones vanished and Strange fell back to the wall of the chamber.

The creature seeing everyone was immobilized turned its attention to America, it approached her and as it was about to touch her face when it retracted the outstretched hand, a split second later a bright jade fan flew passed it that was intended to cut off its hand. Weasel had conjured the fan by instinct as he entered the chamber following the commotion.

Creature looked around at the chamber as if to study it. Meanwhile Strange was being helped up by Ned, while Wong and Weasel were standing in the corridor entrance with Rintrah rising to his feet from the other side of the chamber.

What is that thing? – Weasel said as he rushed to Wong’s side.

I don’t know, there is no mention of such creature inside the Dream Field… Strange what is it? – asked Wong.

Before Strange could answer Rintrah unleashed a roar and charged at the creature, the minotaur had enhanced itself with mystical armor and six additional hands each wielding different magical weapons.

The top two hands fired magical spears and arrows, which the creature deflected, then came the lower two hands that unleashed fire balls, the creature opened its arms and the robes dissipated those two; finally the middle pair that had magical shields clasped together and as Rintrah was about to bash into the creature some force shattered his shields and the creature simply bombarded Rintrah with lightning.

Why aren’t you helping him? – cried out Ned as he saw that neither Strange nor Weasel or Wong were helping Rintrah.

We cannot move, he is holding us in place- said Stephen who was desperately trying to move.

There must have been something he could do, he fought Thanos and Dormammu surely this wannaby ring wraith was not going to be the end of the world. And then he remembered, he was never fighting alone.

Go!- was all it took from Stephen to feel the cape take off. It flew at the creature who dodged it but was forced to relinquish some of its dominance over the chamber, Rintrah fell to the platform, but thanks to the mystical armor he was getting back up again. Weasel was free and he fired another volley of fans at the creature. This time the creature jumped out of the way and mid air caught the cape in its telekinetic grasp and flung it into the portal. As it was landing Rintrah was already on it with his conjured blades. The creature froze the minotaur’s assault but freezing him in place released Wong and Strange from its grasp and they too unleashed a rain of magical projectiles.

Forced to retreat, it jumped over the portal and onto the one-eyed statue.

Stop! Don’t damage the statue! - cried out Wong.

But Rintrah was already on him having leaped after the creature, while unbeknownst to everyone a small portal formed just above the creature from which Weasel emerged and was attempting to finish the creature off.

And then it came and at a blinding speed a crimson light appeared behind the creature and struck the young magician, it then flowed down in an arc and went through Rintrah’s wrist.

Wong turned to see lower half of Weasel fall to the floor behind him, while Stephen saw Weasel’s upper half fall onto the one-eyed statue. Rintrah crawled up in the air grasping at the stump of his hand and fell from the statue into the water.

The creature stood triumphant with a scorching blade in its hand glaring down at the others.

Strange use the stone! - Wong cried out as he immediately thought back to time when he fell. True resurrection was forbidden,but he felt justified in using a stone to bring back his students who died protecting this realm.

He will see it coming and he is fast enough to kill me if I try – said Strange as he was backing away from the pool.

What are we dealing with here? – Asked furious Wong.

Apparently, we are dealing with a Sith Lord- said Strange as he looked over at Ned.

Wong felt asking for explanation of what Strange meant was not apt at this moment given the absurdity of his answer.

A Sith lord? – called out a creature in a guttural tone from afar as it rummaged Weasel’s corpse, what shocked them was not that it spoke, but that it spoke in English.

He…. spoke in English – said Ned who was pale from terror at this point.

Your furry friend has shared with me all his knowledge of this world, even the nature of your powers Doctor – Said the creature from the top in a cynical tone.

What do you want?! – shouted Wong.

The time stone – said the creature as it reached out by its hands and grasped all three in its hold, dragging them all to itself.

Strange remembered this feeling, it was like he was back in Ebony Maw’s grasp immobile and helpless, unless he regained his mobility he could not conjure anything powerful enough to challenge this creature and unlike Maw; this creature would have little difficulty getting through his amulets enchantments.

And then they all heard a thud.

America though immobile had been conscious all along, she saw the creature bind the Sentry in the portal with it’s cane and had witnessed everything that had transpired since. Now she saw this Sith lord’s cane plop onto the platform next to her. She saw Strange’s cape fly through the portal, and she saw the Sentry inside the portal regain its mobility thanks to capes aid. The Sentry extended its remaining hooked chains into the air and as it shot them out of its fingers, she saw them materialize out of the one-eyed statues eye and graps the monster on top.

The Shadow did not have time to react as it sensed no malice from the sentry, so before it could properly react it got yanked into the eye and out into the space just outside the emperor’s imperial palace.

America regained control over herself and immediately shut down the portal, though she glimpsed the space from which that monster came vanish in the Dream Field.

End of Part 6