Welcome back to Ashes of Midnight. Last time, HYDRA got in over their heads when they awakened a being known as Lilith, as well as reviving Malefor to power her up somehow. The next morning though, Spyro and Doctor Strange both reported feeling as though something about this caused an imbalance in their powers. Not a good sign. So, what awaits as time progresses? Read on to discover...
(As our scene resumes, it's six months later, and we pick up not in New York City, but in a desert somewhere, where an old man is kneeling before a grave. The grave of someone named "Roxanne". But this isn't just any man: It's Johnny Blaze, the first Ghost Rider.)
Johnny Blaze: I can feel it, Rox. There's trouble in the air, you can smell it. (Sighs) More innocent blood will be joining you soon.
(But just as he gets his thoughts out, Johnny Blaze senses someone is here. And sure enough, he's right: Iron Man, Doctor Strange, and Spyro have shown up. And Johnny Blaze greets them by turning around and aiming a sawed off shotgun at them)
Johnny Blaze: Go back to your magic castle Strange, you're not welcome here.
Doctor Strange: For one, it's a Sanctum. And secondly, I may not be welcome here, but this is where fate has deemed the Sorcerer Supreme must be.
Johnny Blaze: Tell fate to go to hell.
Iron Man: This is the Guardian you dragged us 5000 miles to find?
Johnny Blaze: Who's the mouth on a stick?
Doctor Strange: Mr. Stark is a bit brash, but he can be trusted. (Gestures to Spyro) And I assume you already know our friend here.
Spyro: Hey, John. Been a while.
Johnny Blaze: You got some nerve letting them drag you into this, Spyro.
Spyro: Trust me, I wouldn't be doing this if there wasn't a good reason.
Doctor Strange: The balance of magic is shifting, Johnny. The Prophecy of the Midnight Sun is upon us.
Spyro: And it gets worse. We've learned they've used the power of Aether to increase it's potency.
Johnny Blaze: Your last little crusade cost me plenty. This time I intend to look after my own.
Iron Man: Buddy, I don't think you understand this. This is a situation where the laws of the universe are changing. 2+2 no longer equals 4, up is down and Strange here is actually making sense.
Johnny Blaze: Do I look like someone who gives a damn about that?
Spyro: You used to be.
Johnny Blaze: And you used to be smart, you walking grape. I told you and Cynder to get out of this before you regretted it.
Spyro: Johnny, please, listen. I get it, you want out of this more than anyone, but Hell is coming to Earth and we need you.
Johnny Blaze: That's where you're wrong. Hell's not coming. It's already here.
(At this point, Johnny Blaze turns around, revealing his shotgun is enchanted with Hellfire and he's aiming seemingly right at the trio of heroes, or rather, behind them where a black and violet demon has manifested behind them. With one shot, the thing is dispatched.)
Johnny Blaze: (As he gets on his motorcycle, the back wheel now ablaze with Hellfire) You're welcome, Tin Man.
(And with that, Johnny Blaze rides off, leaving the trio of heroes to deal with more of those demons, rising from the ashes of the first)
Iron Man: Is now a bad time to admit that I'm really out of my depth here?
Spyro: We all are, Tony. But right now, we've got bigger problems to worry about.
(And with that, the three heroes start fighting the demons, and pretty soon, the creatures are beaten back.)
Doctor Strange: I will say, that went better than I expected.
(But before Iron Man can respond with a witty comment, his armor's communication system goes off, it's Bruce Banner calling)
Banner: Tony, I've noticed a recurring Gamma radiation spike...
Iron Man: (Interrupting) Bruce, we've talked about this. This is why you shouldn't eat spicy food.
Banner: (Clearly not amused) It's in the West Village, closing in on the Sanctum Sanctorum.
(At this point, both Doctor Strange and Spyro know what's going on)
Spyro: There's only one reason they'd be converging there.
Doctor Strange: Wanda.
Spyro: And Cynder too. We've got to get back there, straightaway.
(With no hesitation, Doctor Strange opens a portal back to the Sanctum Sanctorum, ending our scene for today as they step through it)
And that looks like a good place to wrap up for now. So, recruiting Johnny Blaze was an utter failure. And what we just saw is only a taste of what's to come. And if they're going after the Scarlet Witch, you know things are about to go bad. So, will our heroes manage to stop this in time? Tune in next time to find out! Same time... same channel!
