"The Lurker in the Labyrinth!"
Doctor Strange finds himself chained to an altar in preparation for his sacrifice to Sligguth, the serpent God.
Sensing this may be the end for him, Strange plays for time, soliciting a history of serpent worship in Starkesboro* through the centuries from Ebora, the high priestess of Sligguth.
The evil aura encompassing the town still nullifies Strange's mystical might so he has to rely on his cloak of levitation and pure physical strength to escape the chains and Sligguth.
What little power the mystic still commands is enough to hold off the giant reptile demon and drive it away. The sub-human townsfolk don't allow Strange to escape easily and they mob him, pummeling his weakened body with their malformed fists.
The Vapors of Valtorr shroud the church and cover Strange's exit. The only route is downward into a spiraling labyrinthine tunnel.
The Ancient One is seized from his Himalayan retreat by the Shadowmen of Kaa-U. Clea awakens from a dream where she envisioned both the perils facing the Ancient One and Doctor Strange alike. She calls on Wong for aid in reaching Starkesboro.
At the base of the tunnel, Strange confronts Sligguth once more. The length of the tunnel has taken them beneath the sea. In a desperate plea for help, the impotent mage calls on the eternal Vishanti, who at first deny the request, then relent by temporarily lifting the aura of evil from the air.
At full power, Sligguth is no match for Doctor Strange and flees a second time. Strange's power is completely exhausted as the sea waters come flooding in. Strange is trapped, held fast in a crevasse, with the wild-eyed Ebora pointing a trident towards him in assuredly unfriendly manner.
*The spelling of "Starkesboro" changed to "Starksboro" in this issue.