THE SERPENT'S TOOTH, Part 19

The internal architecture of the Sanctum Sanctorum often shifts between visits - and sometimes even during visits. Most of the time, the instantly recognizable roof-window is visible from the large hall located just inside the Sanctum's front entrance. When that's the case, the window overlooks and illuminates the landing at the top of the hall's grand staircase.

Other times, the window is present in the ceiling of the Sanctum's private study. In the past, whenever I've seen Ancient Strange deep in his researches, or casting his most complex rituals, the window always loomed overhead.

When we first entered the Sanctum Sanctorum, the window was visible at the top of the great staircase. However, when Blaze opened the door that led into the study, that same window dominated that room's oddly-angled far wall.

It's advisable not to stare too long into the window. Most of the time, it merely shows the sky and some part of the Nyack skyline. However, every now and then it reveals strange vistas from other places, times, and even dimensions. There are stories of people driven mad after they gazed too long through that window.

For just a moment, right after Blaze opened the door to the study, the sky outside the window was oddly dark - with peculiarly large and bright stars, and swathes of strange colors splashed randomly from star-to-star. A titanic whale-like creature, its body surrounded by whipping tentacles, was flying slowly through the dark depths. A flock of smaller creatures with bat-like wings seemed to accompany it.

Then I blinked, and in that moment the scene switched to a prosaic view of the sky above Nyack. I had the strangest feeling that the window itself didn't want me to see any more.


Cyrus and I entered the study first. Everyone else hesitated. They all obviously sensed the peculiar aura of the room.

Then Aunt Illyana walked inside and smiled as she looked around. "Home sweet home," I heard her say quietly to herself.

She caught the curious looks Cyrus and I gave her.

"Back when I studied with Stephen, I spent a lot of time in here," she told us.

Everyone else slowly followed Illyana into the study. However, Blaze remained at the door, holding it open as if he were expecting someone else.

Then we heard something crash. It came from back down the hallway.

"Sonofabitch!" I heard Gant curse - a phrase he'd learned from Anna, by the way. Then he appeared at the far end of the hallway. It should have been impossible, but the hall was expanding itself to accomodate his advancing form. I was oddly reminded of a snake passing prey through its body.

Blaze stepped away from the study door as it suddenly yawned to twice it's normal size, momentarily becoming a giant among its kind.

And then Gant walked into the study.

His eyes met mine. "That was oddly birth-like," he growled.

"What did you break?" Blaze asked ominously.

Gant gave Blaze a long look. "A big vase. Kinda pretty."

Blaze actually winced. "Was it white with a blue floral pattern?"

"Yup."

"It was from the Ming era of ancient China," Blaze said through gritted and yellowing teeth, "and it was thousands of years old."

Gant looked relieved. "Oh, good. I'm glad it wasn't something new."

Blaze looked like he was about to violently continue the conversation - which would have been a sight to see - when Cyrus intervened.

"Blaze... it can be fixed," he said quietly.

Blaze gave Gant one last, hard, look. Then he subsided.


I picked up Sigmund and held him in my arms. The boy was calm as he curiously looked around the study. There was a lot to see, since the room was packed to overflowing with books, instruments, and various artifacts of magical power. In many parts of the study, you would have to turn sideways to work your way through piles of books and other magical items.

"What do you plan to do, Cyrus?" I asked.

The mage reached out and ran a hand through Sigmund's hair. Sigmund smiled shyly back at him. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Samantha and Sophie shift uneasily. They didn't like that we had plans for Sigmund. I could understand that.

"We must awaken the Ancient One," Cyrus told me distantly.

I didn't really like Cyrus' detached and exhausted manner. To use an old expression, it seemed to me that Cyrus was at the end of his rope. A man in that condition can make dangerously unbalanced decisions.

But I could see no other solution. Dormammu had been roused. He had already made one attempt on Sigmund's life, and would surely try again. Eventually, he would succeed. We had to wake Ancient Strange.

Then Benjamin spoke up. "If I understand what you two are saying, the boy has two spirits within him. His own and that of the previous Sorcerer Supreme?"

Cyrus nodded as he sat down cross-legged, directly in the circle of light admitted by the roof window. Then he slowly rose up in midair until he was hovering about five feet above the floor.

"You are correct," Cyrus answered. "For the moment, Ancient Strange sleeps. He only becomes aware occasionally, but we will bring him to a greater state of awareness."

"What will happen to the boy?" Jessica asked immediately.

"It won't hurt him, will it?" Samantha added quickly. She was obviously concerned.

Sophie was listening to the conversation with intense concentration.

Cyrus actually smiled. "A fusion of the two spirits will occur. The boy will not be destroyed. Instead, his spirit will be... supplemented."

I spoke up. "If I understand the situation correctly, the boy's spirit will remain his own. However, it will have access to Ancient Strange's power and wisdom. It was never intended that Stephen be a master, instead he will be an advisor."

Jessica nodded, but she was clearly still worried.

On the other claw, Benjamin and the girls seemed satisfied. It occurred to me that perhaps they trusted Cyrus and I too much.

"Why didn't you already do this?" Benjamin asked suddenly. That was certainly a very reasonable question.

"The meshing of an ancient spirit and a young one is tricky," Cyrus said. "It would be less difficult - less risky to both entities - if it happened naturally over a period of time as the boy grew into a man and adapted to the other spirit. That was what we wanted. However, we're now forced to accelerate the process."

"My lord!" Benjamin suddenly interrupted. He was slowly turning around in a full circle, as if looking for something. At the same time, Jessica was staring at the ceiling as she shifted uneasily on her feet. My two Spider-Folk were sensing something dangerous.

A split-second later, Blaze and Illyana also began peering around, but in their case, it was as they had heard something off in the distance.

"There's something..." Illayana began. Then she trailed off as her eyes became hard and calculating.

All of that was bad. My senses are generally superior to my companions, but many of my companions could sense threats and mystic energies and beings in a way that I could not. When they became alarmed, I became worried.

Blaze suddenly changed into his demonic form - a skeleton sheathed in flames. His burning skull was particularly grotesque. A clap of heat seemed to fill the study as the temperature rose. He took several long steps that put him adjacent to Cyrus. The demon of vengeance was peering around, trying to find the source of what was disturbing him.

Her massive sword appeared in Illyana's hands. However, she moved next to Sigmund and I - the boy was still in my arms.

Taking their cue from Blaze and Illyana, the others began to act. Jessica ran to the nearest wall, grabbed a ridiculously huge broad-axe from it, and then leaped straight up and affixed herself to the ceiling. Samantha and Sophie put themselves adjacent to Benjamin, Illyana, and I. Gant positioned himself at the study's door.

Benjamin had my back.

As always.

"What's wrong?" I asked as the claws of my right hand extended with a metallic snikt. Sigmund was cradled in my left arm.

My metal claws glittered mirror-like in the light from the ceiling window. For a moment, I thought I saw in them the tripartite reflection of a white-furred and bi-pedal shape. However, there was nothing in the room that could have been the source of such an image.

"Intruders," Cyrus said steadily as emerald and gold eldritch energies began to flow around him. His face was grim and seemed ready for anything. All traces of the lassitude and exhaustion that had earlier claimed him was now to be gone.

"Dormammu is trying again," Illyana told me distractedly. "But he can't bring his mindless ones here - not into the Sanctum. So instead he's sending something that was born in this world."

Then the acrid, animal, stench of Dormammu's latest summoned monsters hit me. It was like a slap to the face, and you didn't even need to be Blood to catch that scent. Almost everyone in the room flinched and wrinkled their noses.

"Dammit," I whispered. I knew that scent. It had been centuries since I'd encountered one of those creatures. I'd let myself hope they were finally vanished from our world.

Gant snorted in disgust and growled at the door he was guarding. Overhead, Jessica carefully skittered around the edge of the ceiling window, hefting her huge axe, as she tried to ascertain what was outside. The only two mortal entrances to the study were covered. The rest of us were in a defensive posture in the middle of the study. And we were aware of the threat.

We would just have to see if that was enough.

I hugged Sigmund closer to me. His arms were wrapped tight around my neck and he was beginning to whimper in terror. The focus of the coming battle would revolve around him. I had to keep Sigmund as close to Cyrus as possible.

Cyrus began chanting, his voice strong and steady as he called upon other-wordly forces. The mystical energies surrounding him began to eddy and swirl.

From somewhere in the Sanctum Sanctorum, we finally heard the hunting call of the accursed beasts who were pursuing us.

"WEN-DI-GO!" one of them - almost certainly the king of his kind - called. Like wolves, those creatures often call out to each other. That was how they mark each other's location as they closed on their prey.

"WEN-DI-GO!" came a chorus of returned calls.

The ancient enemy were here, and there were a lot of them.