Doctor Strange joins Beast and Reed Richards in examining the case of Vera Cantor,
Beast’s girlfriend who is suspended in a state of non-life because of an
encounter with the Resurrection Stone, now shattered. Reed suggests
reconstructing the Stone but Strange says it is too dangerous…though they may
be able to glean some knowledge from its fragments...by entering it….
In
the Arizona desert, at the center of a circle of demons, Satan commands his
wayward son Daimon Hellstrom to sacrifice an infant to drive the last vestiges
of his human side out of him—but he can’t bring himself to do it. The baby is
revealed to be a disguised demon, who mocks Daimon. Stan overpowers his son and
demands he choose….
Dr.
Strange casts the spells that take him, Beast, and Reed into the weird
landscape inside the broken Resurrection Stone. They are attacked by crystal
dragonlike monsters and find them quite easy to shatter. They are met by the
ruler of the land….
Back
in Arizona, Daimon Hallstrom is surrounded by jeering demons as he is forced to
participate in an obscene parody of Christ’s crucifixion. At the last moment he
rebels, defying his father….
Inside
the Resurrection Stone, a giant crystal woman called the Giver of Life weeps at
how she has been misunderstood. Her tears splash on Strange, and Reed, turning
them to crystal. She reveals that she drew them into the Stone, intending to
use their life-forces to rebuild the Stone then conquer the world. Beast hurls
himself through her, breaking her to pieces. And then it rains, transforming
the Beast too into a crystal figure….
In
Hell, Daimon confronts his father and refuses to submit to him. Satan responds
with some nonsense about Good and Evil always needing to be in balance and how
he is pleased that Daimon has finally decided between the two. Daimon is
teleported to the Sanctum Sanctorum where he finds the reconstituted
Resurrection Stone calling out to him in a seductive voice. He smashes it
against the wall and the restored Strange, Beast, and Reed emerge and Strange
casts a spell that scatters the fragments of the Stone across time and space. Strange
greets Daimon, surprised to see him. Beast prepares to make his final farewell
to the undead Vera but Daimon stops him then casts a healing spell that revives
Vera. Beast is delighted to have the confused Vera back in his arms while
outside it is Christmas Day….
Story
continues in CAPTAIN AMERICA #268.