The slaughter began.
The seemingly sturdy metal bodies were like paper beneath the demons' claws and fangs, torn to shreds in an instant.
The robots in midair tried to gain altitude, but swarms of gargoyles beat their wings and soared after them, sweeping into their ranks like a black whirlwind.
With razor-sharp claws, they dragged one heap of scrap after another out of the sky.
Explosions, the screech of tearing metal, and the roars of monstrous beasts mingled, turning Valnerina Valley into a hellish killing field.
Maria Rambeau frantically poured energy down from above, trying to stop the creatures from spreading, but there were simply too many, and these monsters had no idea what fear was.
Strange straightened, his massive draconic arms hanging naturally at his sides, a cold gleam at his fingertips.
He strode straight toward Mordo, who lay on the ground.
Watching Stephen approach like a demonic god descended upon the world, Mordo felt an inexplicable fear rise within him.
Yet he still forced himself upright, conjuring the Shield of the Seraphim above his palm as he tried to face the demon head-on.
The best way to overcome fear is to face it, he told himself, trying to summon his courage.
But the next instant, Strange's dragon claw tore through the air.
The magical shield instantly dissolved into golden sparks and vanished.
The force knocked Mordo back to the ground once more.
Stephen walked up to Mordo and looked down at him from above.
"The Illuminati..." Strange's voice was utterly cold. "I will find every last one of you. Then I'll tear you apart, piece by piece."
"And you will be the first." Stephen slowly aimed the sharp fingertips of his dragon claw at Mordo's forehead.
Just as he was about to deliver the killing blow-
"Stephen..."
A