SENTINELS OF MAGIC#6: "Sheep In Wolf's Clothing"
by JM de Joya

<HR>

<I>Midnight, Two days ago.

June Moone laid a manuscript out on the table, as the moonlight made shadows 
play at its touch. The library was already past closing hours, and she was 
left
alone in the place, thanks to her teaching pass. She closed her eyes, and 
placed her hands over her raven hair, then her lips.

"Witch," she whispered, and suddenly she began to surge with otherworldy 
power.

From where she came from Agatha Harkness felt herself being pulled back into 
the real world, as June Moone transformed into the Witch, a gift from the
Dzarmor. She began to mark the pentagram on the manuscript with her red 
marker, and then stood back, raising her arms up high.

<B>"Oh, Witches of the Forbidden Past, your sister begs your boon!
           Oh, Ancient bones from dust to mist, bring me your tale of doom!
      Oh, Foretellers of the Ancient Tome, come out from your den!
           Come the Witching Hour wakes, rise forth the Salem Seven!"</B>

The ancient gateway of the damned opened, and June Moone took a step back in 
fear, for the demons began to fly around, like flies attracted to a tasty 
meal.
The Witch made herself intangible, and closed her fists. A giant crack in 
the manuscript revealed a stairway to the other realm, going down, down, 
down and
down. She took it, unaware of what may lie beneath.

June Moone heard cackling of crones at the bottom, and soon, found herself 
face to face with the Seven Powerful Witches of the Past.

<B>"Hee-hee, my pretty sister, what have you beg to us?"</B> The left-most 
one, who looked the oldest, asked.

<B>"Of cookies or fireflies? Desires and Dreams?"</B> The right-most one, 
who looked the youngest, asked.

"I have come for answers, Witches," June said, in the spirit of Agatha.

<B>"Aye, sister, do not call us Witches,"</B> The second to the left said, 
her nose was hanging out.

<B>"Witches us call not do, sister, aye,"</B> The second to the right said, 
her nose all gone.

<B>"We are the kind ones, sister,"</B> The one in the left-third cackled, 
her lips covered in velvet violet silk  and forget-me-nots.

<B>"For we will treat you in kind,"</B> The other in the right-third 
cackled, her lips covered in scarlet blood red silk and white roses.

<B>"We are...the Makers,"</B> The one in the middle said, she totally 
covered in pure black. <B>"We will grant you all you ever hope...dESTINY, 
dEATH, dREAM,
dESTRUCTION, dESIRE, dESPAIR, and dELIRIUM, which was once dELIGHT...for we 
grant you questions...we grant you wishes."</B>

"Tell me...of the tale that the Aged Dragon and the Golden Phoenix shall 
wage war," Agatha/ June asked in unison. The Salem Seven began whispering 
loudly,
as if trying to make things unheard in the realm where all must be heard. 
Then, they spoke in unison.

<B>"Lord of the realm of the Strange, he who rides on the magick people...he 
will come to conflict with everything he had lost and forsaken. Already, the
Spirit of Wrath hath come down to warn him...of the dESTINY in which he must 
partake...He is the Aged Dragon, whose fangs have been refined, yet loosely
falling. The one with the three eyes...he is the one who dREAMS of 
dESTRUCTION each night, for he walks in the line of man...he is one with the 
magick people,
and soon will separate from them...he is the Golden Phoenix, power and fury 
unleashed to its full brilliance, yet without a mason to refine its 
touch."</B></I>

<HR>

<I>So I have come to this,</I> June Moone had thought to herself, walking 
into the dark shadows of Niffleheim, the valley of darkness and snow. No 
mortal human
would ever have known the existance of this sanctuary, let alone enter its 
gates. But as the Witch, June was no ordinary woman. She had the guidance 
and
the knowledge of Agatha Harkness, fromer clan mother of Salem. <I>"Do what 
you must, girl. You know that this is fate."</I>Agatha's voice echoed in her 
head,
and June straggled to reach the cottage on the other side of the valley. She 
knew she was being watched by the creatures of the Dusk King. <I>Did they 
slay you,
Agatha? They were the ones responsible for the culling massacre of the 
Aurelian Elves...<I>

<I>"That is true, my dear. But from what we have learned, the Dusk King has 
not yet fully awaken...what worries me now is the prophecy of the Seven, 
that
Strange may be in grave danger. I have my suspicions on who would be the 
Golden Phoenix...but for now, let us follow my instincts. I believe we have 
a friend
who can help us undermine this situation..."</I>

June nodded in reply, and stood before the wooden inn. She knocked four 
times, before she heard someone groan and open the latch. "Whad'ye want?!?!"
the bearded man yelled, knocking June off her feet. Suprised, the bearded 
giant picked June up. "Oh...I'm sorry, I didn't..."

"It's okay," she said, brushing off the flakes on her coat. "I am June 
Moone. I'm an...associate of Agatha Harkness. I believe you know her?" The 
giant then
paused, then dragged her inside. The door shut behind them, and June 
could've sworn she heard the unearthly howling from outside. 
"Creatures..they've
been 'ere since magick went ballistic. The Dusk King's, they are." The giant 
grabbed a log by the pile of the side and tossed it in the fireplace. "Aye, 
I knew
Agatha. She was an old friend. Not a day over a hundred and fifty."

<I>"I am not that old,</I> Agatha muttered inside June, which made her 
giggle. "Anyway, what about Aggy?" the giant asked. June moved towards the 
fire,
and warmed herself. "She sent me to ask you questions. About the whereabouts 
of her son?"

"Nick Scratch? That filth?!?!" The giant straddled on his chair, and 
bellowed. "Now, 'tis the truth that Aggy had a son. But a son of a toad he 
was. Why would
kind old Aggy search for him then?"

"Algrim, would you know who is behind the wake of the chaos? The magick is 
being manipulated by a dark force. Only Scratch may provide a worthwhile
answer. Otherwise, we--I mean--Agatha would not have any business with him."

"I--I see." Algrim stood from his chair and opened his cabinets, searching 
for something. A few minutes later, he returned with a parchment in his 
hands. He
closed his eyes, begged for forgiveness, and handed it to June. "Here...this 
'ere'll lead you to Scratch. Aggy once gave it to me, to keep it if ever the 
need
arised. She had no care for that dirt."

"...as does she now," June said. "Thank you, I...I should be going." June 
walked out the door and took one look back. Algrim had his head low, as if 
ashamed
or afraid of something. <I>"We should use it now. It is a tracking spell I 
have designed for my son,"</I> Agatha mentioned, as June walked past the 
beady eyes
in the darkness. <I>"I once made that to track my son if ever the need 
arised...it would be wise to use it now."</I> The howling drew closer to 
their path, and
June could've sworn that the heavy breathing was not only in her earshot, 
but was <I>very, very</I> close by. Unsealing the parchment, a void opened 
for the
Witch. She sighed, and hastily entered it, disappearing within a moment.

<HR>

<B>This...be Felix Faust."</B>

Dr. Fate opened the Eye of Anubis, examining the corpse. "He's...dead," 
Jonah Hex said,  pulling the covers from the body, dragging it on a table.

<B>"Of course...but he left us a puzzle...pieces of the Crux. To affix them 
as a whole would allow us to generate the same power as the original 
one."</B>

"...Hey Fate, don't you think it's a little hasty to enter a morgue like 
this?"

<B>"The shadows of Anubis guide us, Jonah Hex. If it is an act wanton to 
your gestures, then why did you and Zatara's child pick me to be your 
partner on
this quest?"</B> Jonah couldn't see past the helm, whether Fate was taunting 
or insulting him. Zatanna observed the body and sighed. "This is no use...
there seems to be a little bit of magic residue...but the body has been 
burnt to crisp, I cannot really tell if this is really Felix Faust we're 
dealing with here."

<B>"My eye has seen it, Zatara's child. Do not push yourself."</B>

"I know, but...," Zatanna paused and examined the skin. Closing her eyes for 
a second, she knew she had the information she needed to verify with 
Strange.
Dr. Fate lifted the body with his magick, and placed it back into the shelf. 
<B>"There are troubles ahead, my dear. I believe you know the tension 
growing
between the group?"</B>

Zatanna instantly drew back on Fate's sentence. "Yes, but..."

<B>"I know the real reason...for my eye can see all. Why do you not ask 
Jonah Hex or maybe even Black Orchid?</B>

"What are you talking about?"

<B>"My eye only sees what it sees."</B>

Dr. Fate stood in the corner, as Zatanna moved towards Hex. He was examining 
the body, taking samples for some reason. "Hex...what are you doing?" The
mage turned to her in suprise, placing the samples in his pocket. 
"Zatanna...just checking. A combustion spell, after all, could be placed 
within a corpse..."

"So it there?"

Jonah paused, staring at the corpse. "I--I'm not sure. It's hard to tell." 
Zatanna winced, staring at the corpse. "...Fate told me about tensions in 
the group. I
know it's true but..."

"There is more to it then it seems," Jonah said suddenly, starling Zatanna 
by his unusual tone of voice. "Zee, Strange is about to segregate us from
the Sentinels of Magic."

"What?!?!" Zatanna whispered in shock. "He...he can't.."

"He can, Zee. I've heard it from Orchid. He's got this thing going 
on...siding with the immortals...maybe they were just using us."

"No...no, that can't be..."

"Aren't you listening, Zee!?! These guys have the morality of a black widow! 
Occult, Xanadu, Strange..."

Zatanna then paused and took a deep breathe. "How did Fate know?"

"<I>He's</I> not human, Zee.<I>He's</I> not immortal either. Got this wierd 
thing...<I>he's</I> the pure of essence of the helm. Nabu...that was why
Orchid and I let him in on the problem. I figured we would let you in 
soon..."

"And you're not lying?" Zatanna asked, angrily pointing her finger at Jonah.

"Why should I?"

"...because I wish--I wish you were..."

<HR>

Under the lamplight's glow, June Moone sat in the corner of the inn, waiting 
for the man. He was in the bar, grabbing a bit of Vodka for himself and her. 
Nicholas
Scratch sat down on the chair beside June Moone, and poured a cup for her. 
"So...you have found me. It is a suprise that a woman would be able to find 
me."

"Yes, isn't it? I have something's to ask you..."

"...and they can wait. Right now, a beauty as yourself I must question...how 
did you find me?"

"I...I asked Alrgim."

Scratch paused, and frowned. June looked under the table, as something sharp 
poked her leg. "You...didn't come from Agatha did you?" The blade was sharp,
and she knew what she had to say. "Were I to say yes?"

"Then you die."

"But I cannot. Agatha is already dead."

The blade moved away, and June sighed in her mind. Nicholas burst with 
uneven triumph. "Really?!?! How so?" <I>You're pushing me, buster,</I> she 
thought,
thinking of words to give to Scratch. "A...a--um...a demon 
hellbeast--um--murdered her. Um. It did horribly."

June felt lucky, as instantly, Scratch did not express any suspicion against 
her. "Oh joy! At last, I am rid of that old hag! She exiled me from Salem, 
did you know
that? She vowed that she wouldn't let me get away...well I have."

From deep beneath her skull, June swore she felt the silent rage of Agatha 
boiling. She grabbed her Vodka and sipped it. "But I need information, 
Nicholas.
That's why I'm here." The warlock grinned, and snapped his fingers. From 
that moment, they weren't sitting in a inn, but in the center of a 
monstrosity that
rivalled Hell itself. "Welcome to my new home, miss...?"

"June...I am the Witch, by name."

"Yes, Witch. Now, follow me." Nicholas opened the giant gate, as its 
swinging chains flew into the holes above. He motioned June to follow him, 
and she did
so hesistantly, afraid of what may be inside. She reached for the warlock's 
hand, which pulled her in.

"Nicholas," said one of his companions, the woman in a black gown, her head 
crowned with two horns. "What brings you to bring this mortal woman to our
home?" Scratch then laughed, as June felt a sense of dread looming over her. 
"Blackmist, this is my new companion, the Witch...she has...abilities." 
Anita
Blackmist her hand in disgust "She's mortal. I have no attraction to 
mortals. Besides...," she called her demons to bring forth their prisoner. 
Blue Devil was
tied a rock, writhing in pain from within. "I have business to do."

<I>"The Blue Devil,</I> Agatha muttered to June. <I>"He's a Sentinel of 
Magic as well...who has Nicholas allied with? Ask him!</I>

"Forgive my colleague, June. She and I...we are part of the Emplates of 
Magic. Have you ever read the word <I>emplate</I> in the dictionary?" 
Nicholas held
her, and June felt a desire to push him away and leave that wretched place. 
But there was no chance. She had to know who will battle Strange.

"It is not there, you see. An emplate is from the ancient language of 
mystics, a creature that sucks magick from its very core." Nicholas raised 
his hand, as
thunder swept the fiery pit. June was unstirred. "With magick lost in its 
balance, our lord...the Lord of Entropy, shall send all things of magick to 
its rightful
place...in the shadows of reality, far from that wretched place you call 
earth. And this is one of them."

Agatha/June turned their eyes to the Blue Devil, who had already succumbed 
to the emptiness. Anita sighed, and stroked his chest. "Poor devil...you 
won't
die, at least not yet. You insulted my clan...you and your witch. And you 
still haven't told me who she is. Well, I have something so much better 
planned for
you, mere creature, and I think...death would've been you painkiller." 
Slowly, Blue Devil's eyes opened. Agatha did not recognize the eyes, and 
knew that
the darkness of the Devil's soul had claimed him at last.

"...well done, Anita," said Baron Mordo, stepping out of the shadows. "He is 
as you said he would be. Malleable. Bending to our will." He paid no heed to
June, and felt the cheek of the Devil. "Now, we can have our revenge on 
Strange and his Sentinels of Magic."

<I>"No,"</I>Agatha said, in fear. <I>"Mordo...he's the one 
responsible..."</I>

<I>What's wrong?

"Mordo and Strange have had quiet a past, my dear...his is revenge."</I>

The other Emplates of Magic waited for Mordo to make a move, awaiting his 
commands. Cobweb, the creature son of Merkin (the mother of spiders) and
Choronzon (a former duke of hell), stood behind him. Blackbriar Thorn on the 
other hand, moved in the shadows, observing the scene.
Baron Mordo smiled as June felt the dread increasing. Nicholas turned to 
her, and grasped her. "...you have seen who I am, June. This is the path of
salvation that we, the Emplates, have taken. We will be one with the magick 
around us, and take our vengeance. We will be the generals of the Lord
of Entropy, once he has satisfied his hunger of detsruction on earth."

"I am not afraid of your Lord, Nicholas Scratch," June replied, trying to 
break free. "I know...it's...interesting to see someone like you. You have 
potential,
Witch. You have the power to be one of us...join us, and be among the first 
to witness the miracles of the Lord of Entropy."

June paused. This was what she was waiting for. She could get the answers, 
but at what price. She took a big gulp and held her hand, clasping 
Nicholas'.
"Who is the Lord of Entropy?" she asked. Nicholas smiled. "You want to know? 
He is already among the mystics of earth even as we speak. He will
crush them one by one, like the ants that they are. And we will all enjoy 
it, watching them crawl."

<HR>

"Strange...is it true? I can't believe you would do something like this," 
Madam Xanadu sat on the chair of the empty meeting room, awaiting for 
Strange to say
something. "Something is wrong," he said seriously. "All magick...all magick 
has been shut from the world. I'm afraid this could be said for other cities
that were affected by a magickal loophole."

"Such as the fabled Dark City?"

"Maybe," Strange muttered, coining a phrase. "...you know that what I have 
requested of you in dangerous, Xanadu?"

"Yes. You want me to continue my research on the Dusk King."

"Exactly. I would not want the Lord of Entropy to know of such beings. That 
would only bring a darkness that would sweep the land, based on the accounts
Fate, Zatanna, Occult and Black Orchid have told me."

Madam Xanadu sighed and flipped a card from her hand. "This is the sign of 
the tarot. This is Judgement," she placed the card in Strange's hands and 
stepped
back, away from the light. "There is a change, Strange. A change in the 
spirit of the Sentinels of Magic. I am afraid that we are falling apart."

"It is true...I have heard rumours from Dr. Occult and Fate...an uprising by 
Hex?"

"It can happen. He does have the other half of the Sentinels of Magic by his 
side." Madam Xanadu paused and caught a breathe. "What's more important, I
believe that the Lord of Entropy may have a spy among us...someone capable 
of doing damage to our group so badly, that we would all shatter."

"It could be true," Zatanna's voice said, startling the other two mages. 
"Zatanna? I thought you would--"

"I heard about your conversation, Strange, Xanadu. Even I'm not sure of what 
Jonah's actions would be...or lead to."

"But," Xanadu started. "You suspect someone to be a spy?"

"Yes. I'm not saying this is true but I'm afraid it's Jonah."

Silence trailed the room as Strange tried to return to his senses. 
"No...that cannot be."

"He's a wild card in this, Strange. I believe the girl." Xanadu then turned 
to Zatanna. "Why Jonah? Aren't you on the same side?"

"It seemed that way at first...but I've caught him. Not red-handed, but I 
have. We found the corpse of Felix Faust, Strange. But I don't think it's 
really his. Jonah
took some samples and hid it from me and Fate...he even lied about checking 
for a combustion spell, told me he unsure if there was. But a combustion 
spell
should have been plainly spotted."

"It's nice to know you've done your research, Zatanna," Strange uttered. "If 
this wasn't enough--Tim is missing as well."

"These are bad times," Zatanna replied, casting a brilliant flare above 
them. "Maybe the Lord of Entropy is truly behind all of this." Strange stood 
from his seat,
and grabbed his sceptre. "If he is, then we will watch Jonah Hex like a 
hawk. Make sure he doesn't escape undetected or without leaving any 
contact."

In Stephen Strange's eyes, he knew that the time had come. "Anything else?" 
Zatanna asked him, stepping past the door. Strange turned to her, with his
eyes glowing with power. "Let it be known that everything--even the Lord of 
Entropy--will fall into the balance of magick."

<HR>

Felix Faust was still breathing when he woke up. He was chained to the wall 
of the pit, as vines rotted over his body. <I>B<I><I>"Hello, Felix,"</B></I> 
Blackbriar
Thorn said, dangling upside-down above him. <B><I>"Retired. Look at 
you...what a waste of magick, if you asked me...which you 
didn't."</B></I>The creature
watched him like a hawk, as the Lord of Entropy made his way to the pit. 
"Blackbriar...cease tormenting our prisoner." The emplate stepped back in 
fear, as
the Lord of Entropy stood before Felix Faust. "Remember me, Felix? We fought 
long ago..."

"Oh God...<I>you</I>..." the wizard managed to fill himself with the 
strength of his rage. "You were one of the balance! How could you--how
<B>DARE</B> you even..."

"It's times that have changed, Felix," The Lord of Entropy replied 
callously. "And I have lead the Sentinels to believe you are dead. It may be 
too late for you."

"No...no it isn't."

"Well, we will see, won't we?" The powerful entity gave the ceiling a nod, 
and suddenly Cobweb dropped down and slowly drained Felix of his 
consciousness.
"God...it's you...Strange won't stop...?"

Felix Faust fell into a deep coma in Cobweb's arms. The Lord of Entropy 
sighed, and the Emplates brought him to the side to rest.

"Fool. We already acquired the Gem of Saints and the Flame of Life from you, 
Faust. Your shards...proved to be a difficulty. We have no power to utilize 
it.
However the Sentinels will provide us with one that can."

The air began to tremble, as the darkness began to swallow the realm.

"Enough is enough," the Lord of Entropy said, clutching his fist. "The 
Sentinels of Magic shall follow the darkness, and chaos will be born. I have 
waited...waited too long. I have manipulated
them from within, and now it all bears fruit."

The wizard watched, as the Eye of Entropy foreshadowed the moon's glow.

"Now, more than ever, I will prevail."

<HR>

<B>NEXT ISSUE: Everything begins to fall in place, as the Sentinels of Magic 
place Jonah Hex under trial, Dr. Occult, Dr. Fate and Black Orchid attempt 
to put
together the pieces of the Crux together! But will Jonah stand out as the 
traitor, or is it another one in their midst? Plus, the Emplates of Magic 
attack! All this
in 30...SENTINELS OF MAGIC#7 "Trial of the Soul"