At the home of Asmodeus
Jones, Doctor Strange enters into a trance for five hours while the other
Defenders (Hellcat,
Valkyrie, Nighthawk, Son of Satan, Gargoyle) await the results. He emerges, telling them he
thought he could trace the Six-Fingered Hand in the place where the demon
Fashima was strongest. He then proposes entering Hellcat’s mind as she was
recently possessed by the demon Avarrish; she refuses, which only confirms Strange’s
suspicion that remnants of the demon remain in her. Strange enters Patsy’s mind
and discovers a remnant of Avarrish; he encourages Patsy to cast it out and she
fires a mental blast that flattens Strange. Then Devil-Slayer arrives,
materializing through the wall; he tells the Defenders of a letter he received
from his estranged wife, Cory Payne. The letter describes how she traveled to
Israel to live in a kibbutz and came under the influence of David Kessler, who
claims to be the Hebrew Messiah. DS believes Kessler is an agent of the
Six-Fingered Hand. Hellstrom touches the letter seeking evil emanations and the
paper bursts into flame. So, they all go to Israel, Dr. Strange teleporting
Val, Hellstrom, and Gargoyle with Devil-Slayer using his shadow-cloak to
transport Patsy and Kyle….
In the Florida swamp
where lies the Nexus of Realities, we get a glimpse of Man-Thing to set up the
next issue….
The Defenders arrive in
Israel, disguised as normal people, near an oasis where David Kessler is
baptizing followers. But since it is daytime here, Kyle’s paralysis returns.
Kessler heals a blind man and gives all glory to his heavenly Father. The
Defenders quickly decide to ask him to heal Kyle to see what happens.
Meanwhile, Cory is delighted to see her husband Eric (Devil-Slayer) there until
he reveals he is planning to expose David as a fraud. Cory defends him as a
good man who was chosen by God for a mission of peace. And then David immerses
Kyle in the pool and raises him healed of his paralysis. The Defenders are
divided over this display of power but Daimon Hellstrom confronts David
accusing him of being powered by the devil. Kyle fights him over it and
Gargoyle sides with Hellstrom. David takes Hellstrom and Gargoyle by the hands
and prays for the truth to be revealed—and the two Defenders’ disguises are
stripped away, leaving them in their monstrous forms. Seeing them as they are,
David calls down an army of archangels to battle the Defenders who also drop
their disguises to fight. After some melee, David orders the angels back to
heaven but they don’t go. Dr. Strange then realizes the truth: David really
believes he is the Messiah but is not aware he is the pawn of the demon
Hyppokri. Strange casts a spell that reveals the “angels” are demonic
creatures. Hyppokri then takes full control of David’s body and reveals the
plan to conquer the world under the guise of a peace crusade. David manages to
regain some control and throws himself on Devil-Slayer’s sword. As he dies, the
demons are forced back to their own realm and David’s followers are left alone,
including Cory….