Marvel 1602 #5 (2004)

While preparing to capture the Witchbreed, Sir Nicholas Fury instructs his men to not hurt or injure any of them. He goes for a walk in the forests and meets Doctor Stephen Strange. Doctor Strange informs Sir Nicholas that his agent has failed and the Templar weapon has fallen into the hands of Count Otto von Doom. Sir Nicholas tells Strange that he is taking Carlos Javier and his students into his custody to keep them safe from King James. Like an apparition, Strange disappears into the morning mist. Sir Nicholas gathers his men and takes them to Javier's school. Sir Nicholas goes inside where he meets his page, Peter Parquagh, and asks Javier if he has decided on a peaceful surrender. Javier agrees, and Sir Nicholas takes them into custody. Petros watches as these events and runs to tell King James about them reminding the king that he has promised to hand the Witchbreed over to the Spanish Inquisitor. However, King James asserts that now the he is soon to be crowned the King of England, he no longer has an obligation to the Spanish Inquisition. Petros runs and tells this to the Inquisitor, who gives him another message to deliver to their connection in the Vatican. Petros tells Toad that "the time [he] spoke of is coming." Toad informs Petros that their are still rumors regarding the missing papal envoy Brother Tomas, whom Magneto had killed. Toad says he has tried to divert these rumors by telling investigators that the man was probably killed in the mountains by bandits. Count Doom brings his two prisoners, Matthew Murdoch and the Old Man to examine the Templar weapon, seemingly a golden ball. The Old Man refuses to talk, and Doom puts them back in their prison cell. Count Doom asks his prisoner, Reed, about the properties this glowing ball of gold could have. Reed tells him that this instrument has foreign properties, and urges Doom to lock it away. Doom mocks Reed for his cowardice and continues trying to break it open. Matthew and Donal the Old Man rest in their prison cell, and Doctor Strange appears to the Old Man in his dream. Donal tells Strange that he has given Count Doom a diversion so that he and the Irishman could have enough time to escape. In his home, Strange recovers from his mirror-journey and joins his wife, Clea, Virginia Dare, and Rojhaz. Stephen Strange says he was at a mountain that he has been before, and Clea deduces that it was the mountain from his vision that could hold the four elements. She further concludes that this must be four people, who were previously thought dead. Strange leaves to go to a meeting at the Tower. Clea explains to Virginia about these four people, telling her about an expedition ten years ago in search of knowledge in the New World, led by Sir Richard Reed. When his ship, The Fantastick, approached a curtain of light in the Sargasso Sea. Most of the crew decided to abandon the ship, but Sir Reed and three of his closest friends stayed on the ship and found they had been transformed. They continued their travel westward and used their powers to help those in need until word spread that they were missing and most people believed them dead. At the Tower of London, Werner talks with John Grey until Scotius Sumerisle breaks them apart and threatens Werner, and Hal McCoy has to break them apart. Strange arrives and, after meeting Javier, tells Sir Nicholas that Reed is a captive of Doom's. Fury demands proof, but Javier says that he is not lying, convincing Fury of his truthfulness. After Fury says he would need army to attack Latveria, Javier says that such an attack would not necessitate an army, as they could use his students and his men to mount an attack. Although Fury does not wish to be considered a traitor to his king, he accepts Javier's deal. As they head outside, Fury tells Strange that Virginia Dare's survival might determine the survival of the world. Strange start to have trouble walking, and Fury orders Peter to make sure he makes it back home. Fury tells Peter Parquagh to go back to his village as he no longer works for him. The Witchbreed sit, chained on the ship The Eagle's Shadow, with the pretense that they will be drowned at sea. With the combined psychic powers of Jean Grey and Carlos Javier, and some help from Scotius' eye beams, they manage to make the ship lift off into the air. On the ground, Strange collapses and finds himself on the moon being greeted by a strange figure.