Who: Dr Strange, Slim and Rosco, open to anyone who wants to pop in Where: Streets of Queens When: 3am Monday night What: Dr Strange is on the trail of something sinister Rating: PG
Strange wove through the back alleys of New York, oblivious to the state of the physical world around him. He picked his way through overturned garbage cans and past the denizens of the night streets, ignoring the stares and snickered comments. Mortals were not his concern tonight.
The magical residues he followed were faint but unmistakable, and he had been tracking it for several nights now. If he couldn't find it before it was done with its current host he would lose the trail again until it found a new victim. Fortunately the trace was fairly new, so he should have plenty of time...
There. At the end of the alley he could sense his quarry. Two figures were only just visible in the weak street lights that filtered this far back. One of them was crouched down over the other, who appeared to be passed out. "Hey Slim, wake up man. It's Rosco. Can you hear me? Yo're startin' to spook me."
"How long has he been like this?" Strange walked up to the pair, his sudden breach of silence causing Rosco to jump and spin around.
"Saint's alive, man! Don't be sneakin' up on a fella like that." He was an older man, clad in several layers of tattered and dirty clothing. He eyed Strange questioningly. "Mebbe an hour'r so. He ain't had nothin' that would knock 'im out that hard."
"I see," Strange said absently, moving past the man to examine his friend. Peeling one of Slim's eyes open the Doctor shined a penlight on his face. The man's eyes were completely black, confirming that this was what Strange was looking for. "Stand back good sir." Strange rose to his feet and took a few steps away, herding the other man with him.
Taking hold of the gemmed amulet he wore he held it forth. "Eye of Agamatto, shine forth your light! Banish the evil that holds this man!" A flood of light burst from the amulet, washing over the unconscious form. In a matter of moments his skin began to smoke, and with a high-pitched scream a shadowy form peeled away from the man. The thing coalesced into a being of shadow and green flame, hissing curses in a slithering unearthly tongue. "There you are, Faltine fiend!" Strange released the amulet to fall back against his chest and raised his hands towards the demon. "You have claimed your last meal in this world. Crimson Bands of Cyttorak!" Ribbons of red energy sprang from the doctor's fingers, quickly enveloping the shadowy form and holding it fast. "You shall not escape again. Light of the Seven Suns of Cinnibus!" A blinding brilliance erupted in the alley, for a brief moment turning the night to day. As the flare faded no trace of the demon remained but for a faint shadowy outline burned into the wall behind where it had been floating.
"Sweet mother o' mercy..." Rosco shakily tried to regain his feet, having fallen over at the sudden appearance of the demon. "What in the hell was that?"
"A more accurate question than you know, my friend." Strange stooped over the other man, who was already starting to come around. "That was a shadow-demon of Faltine, a terrible realm of fire and nightmares. It takes up residence in your psyche and slowly tortures you to death with your worst fears, drawing sustenance from your terror. A few more hours and it would have been too late for your companion."
"Uggh, what's goin' on?" Slim slowly opened his eyes, blearily looking around the alley. Catching sight of Strange he looked to his friend. "Did I sleep straight through to Halloween Rosco?"
"Nah man, you just...you had a bad fall, whacked your head. This fella here helped patch you up. I'm Rosco, by the way." He pulled the stocking cap from his head and gave a half-bow. "This here's Slim. Dunno how we can thank you fer your help, Mister..."
"Strange. Doctor Stephen Strange, and happy to help. I specialize in these sorts of things." He glanced over the two of them. "After that I daresay the two of you could use some coffee and a hot meal, what do you say?"