It wasn't just Simmons who was scared; Skye in the other direction was equally frightened. Simmons hid behind Fitz, while Skye hid behind Coulson. Only Melinda remained unfazed, watching the figure held by Daniel Davis.
"How could it be him?" Melinda quickly recognized who Daniel was holding. Tobias Ford, one of the lab technicians, whose death in a lab explosion she had seen in photos before.
"It's really him. How is this possible?" Coulson, Ward, and Fitz also noticed. Simmons and Skye, peeking out from their hiding spots, saw the supposedly dead man and retreated in fear. Skye, however, managed to stay slightly more composed.
"Why aren't you in Hell?" Daniel asked as he released his grip. Now knowing who he was dealing with, he was intensely curious. For ordinary people, ghosts and souls are hard to believe in, but for those from Kamar-Taj, it's basic knowledge.
Although basic knowledge, Daniel had never seen a soul wandering Earth freely after death. There were many stories about such phenomena, like playing with spirit games or encountering terrifying urban legends. Kamar-Taj had many magical texts documenting these events. In a world like Marvel's, such games could be deadly.
Even knowing that these games were spread by Hell's demons, Kamar-Taj didn't interfere much as long as people didn't follow the procedures. Curiosity killed the cat, and many paid a bloody price for dabbling in such games.
Even with his current power, Daniel wouldn't dare play such games. Typically, these games summon ordinary ghosts, but there's always a risk. The church once tried using such a game to deal with Hell, only to summon a great demon, with predictable disastrous results.
Bang.
Tobias Ford, released by Daniel, raised a wrench to attack him but was kicked into the wall by Daniel, causing his body to disappear.
"Still not learning your lesson? Do you really think I can't see you?" Daniel kicked Tobias Ford again, sending him flying.
In his soul state, Tobias Ford was invisible and untouchable to most, but to Daniel, he was clear as day. Tobias seemed to forget how Daniel had grabbed him earlier.
Seeing Tobias disappear again, Daniel didn't pursue him but said, "Keep this up, and soon you won't even be able to go to Hell."
A soul is a form of energy. Without the ability to absorb dimensional power to strengthen his soul, every day Tobias remains in the real world, he's depleting his soul energy. Once it's gone, he'll truly vanish.
"Let me see Hannah," Tobias demanded, reappearing on the other side of the room. His eerie presence made Coulson's team huddle together instinctively.
"Uh," Tobias' words left Daniel momentarily stunned. He then looked at Coulson.
"Hold on a moment," Coulson said, glancing at Daniel but ultimately looking at Melinda.
Hannah was now in the plane's interrogation room, a specially designed cell. Since Coulson's team deals with super-powered individuals, the room's walls block all energy signals, preventing even Tobias' soul form from entering.
This shows the advanced technology of the Marvel universe. In other worlds, such measures wouldn't stop a soul.
Hannah was placed there because she was suspected of having superpowers.
"Are you sure there's no problem?" Melinda asked Daniel.
"Don't worry, I'm here," Daniel assured confidently.
Melinda then went to the interrogation room and brought out Hannah, who was still pale.
"Tobias Ford, are you here for revenge?" Hannah was shocked to see Tobias. If not for Melinda's support, she would have collapsed.
Hannah, a devout believer, thought she was possessed by a demon due to the anomalies around her.
In the West, believers, especially zealots, attribute everything to God. In the East, faith provides peace of mind without total reliance on a deity. Thus, divine authority never surpasses royal authority in the East.
"Hannah, I..." Seeing Hannah's fear, Tobias panicked.
"There seems to be an issue between these two. Speaking of which, it's interesting that the wrench exists in his soul form," Daniel observed, losing interest in their relationship but curious about the wrench, which was akin to a soul weapon.
"Everything has a spirit," Daniel thought.
After some time, the others pieced together the story. Knowing the full truth, Simmons no longer feared Tobias but looked at him with pity.
The story was simple. Tobias liked Hannah but was too shy to express it. To get close to her, he loosened some machine screws to trigger alarms and call Hannah to check. After she arrived, he would tighten them and prolong the inspection to spend more time with her. However, one day, Hannah was delayed, and the accident happened because Tobias couldn't fix the screws in time.
Perhaps due to his love for Hannah, Tobias' soul stayed on Earth instead of going to Hell. Seeing the townspeople blame Hannah, he tried to help, leading to subsequent events.
After learning the whole story, both Hannah and Tobias fell silent. Despite the accident being Tobias' fault, it was due to his feelings for her. As a devout believer, Hannah found it hard to blame Tobias.
Coulson's team was equally speechless. What they thought was a superpower incident turned out to be a love story.
"Alright, I know you like her and don't want to leave, but your presence is troubling her. Without your actions, things wouldn't have escalated. You think you can protect her, but how long can you keep it up? If you don't go to Hell soon, you'll disappear completely. What will she do then? You should let her live on," Daniel said.
"Sorry," Tobias apologized to Hannah after Daniel's words.
A black vortex resembling a black hole appeared, emitting a strange aura. Though invisible to the team, they felt the temperature drop.
"It's getting lively here," a figure emerged from the vortex. In the team's eyes, a person suddenly appeared on the plane.
The newcomer, an elderly man in black leather, holding a skull-topped cane, lightly waved his cane, sending Tobias into the vortex, which then vanished.
To Coulson's team, it looked like the man made Tobias disappear with a cane strike.
"Damn, why did he show up?" Daniel's face turned serious, recognizing the man: Mephisto, one of Hell's kings, known for frequently visiting Earth. His legend includes the creation of the Ghost Rider.
Daniel learned about Mephisto from Kamar-Taj's records, as he had tempted their sorcerers many times, even clashing with the Ancient One.
"Who are you?" Coulson asked, looking at Daniel for answers.
"Greetings, Lord Mephisto. The Ancient One would be delighted to know of your arrival," Daniel greeted, calming himself. Mephisto's power was limited on Earth, and he rarely acted directly, preferring to tempt with deals.
As long as one didn't engage with Mephisto, there was no danger. Daniel, determined not to be tempted, was confident with two Infinity Stones in hand, treasures even Mephisto lacked.
"Mephisto," Daniel's words made Coulson's team step back in fear. Even Hannah fainted.
Seeing Coulson about to speak, Daniel signaled him to stay silent and let him handle it.
"A disciple of the Ancient One, don't try to use his name against me. He won't notice this place for a while. I was curious about a missing soul and stumbled upon this interesting event," Mephisto said, glancing meaningfully at Coulson.
"How bored are you?" Daniel thought, hearing Mephisto's explanation. Hell is vast, and many souls die daily. For a Hell king to notice one missing soul, he must be extremely bored.
"Can't help it. Human development is rapid, and Hell can't keep up. Lucifer dumped his territory on me and went on vacation. When I took over, I found this missing soul and came to check," Mephisto explained.
Seeing Daniel silent, Mephisto continued, "You don't seem concerned about Lucifer on Earth."
"That's not my concern," Daniel replied calmly, feeling helpless. He couldn't manage these Hell kings as long as they stayed out of his way. Plus, he lacked the power to intervene.
Marvel's dangers extend beyond the obvious threat of Thanos. The hidden dangers, like Hell kings and Celestials, are equally formidable.
If not for Star-Lord's intervention, Ego could have caused havoc across the galaxy.
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"Don't be so tense. I already said, I came here out of curiosity," Mephisto said, shifting his gaze from Coulson to Daniel. Coulson's resurrection fascinated many on Earth, with Garrett even willing to go to any lengths to uncover its secrets. But for Mephisto, it wasn't a big deal.
After all, souls leaving Hell isn't unheard of over the millennia.
"It's hard not to be tense," Daniel thought. Mephisto's words didn't relax him. Records from Kamar-Taj and other sources showed Mephisto to be a very cunning individual.
Compared to Daniel, Coulson and his team, including the usually calm Melinda, were visibly anxious.
"The soul is now in Hell. So..." Daniel trailed off, hoping Mephisto would get the hint and leave.
"I rarely meet a sorcerer. I have something that needs your help. Of course, I will offer compensation and grant you any wish," Mephisto replied calmly, ignoring Daniel's hint.
"Sorry, I'm quite content. I have no wishes," Daniel immediately rejected, his tone firm.
"It involves him," Mephisto said, glancing at Coulson.
"Damn old guy. Coulson's resurrection is indeed peculiar. I hadn't considered Hell's involvement before, but now it seems strange. Did Coulson's soul, like that other guy's, linger on Earth for some reason instead of going to Hell?" Daniel pondered.
On the surface, Coulson's resurrection seemed due to substances extracted from the Kree. But on closer inspection, many things didn't add up. The Kree substances couldn't possibly pull a soul from Hell.
Having never given it much thought, Daniel now realized something was off.
"You all step out for a moment," Daniel said after some contemplation, addressing Coulson and his team. The matter involved Coulson, and as long as his safety wasn't at risk, Daniel didn't mind seeing what Mephisto wanted.
As long as he avoided making a deal with Mephisto, there would be no problem. Mephisto's operations on Earth revolved around deals, never using force to achieve his goals. It was all about resisting temptation.
Throughout history, few have resisted Mephisto's temptations. Even the Ghost Rider initially succumbed.
If one delves into human history, they'll find an interesting fact: contracts originated from him, evolving into the profession of lawyers. Yes, the origin of lawyers can be traced back to Mephisto, which is why contracts often contain hidden traps.
Another thing that spread from Hell is the frequent use of "666." While it might seem harmless, frequent use could potentially draw a connection to Hell's demons.
Despite the known evil of demons, people still make deals with them for two main reasons. One, some believe they are smarter than demons and can outwit them, only to have their souls devoured. Two, some don't understand the gravity of the deal, like those who trade their soul for wealth in life, thinking it doesn't matter after death—until it's too late to regret.
"Since it involves me, I should stay," Coulson insisted, curious after hearing Mephisto mention him. Though his memories were replaced, he was aware of some changes in his body.
"Some things aren't for you to know yet. Melinda," Daniel said, signaling Melinda to take Coulson away. Coulson resisted but was swiftly knocked out by Melinda's hand chop.
"Truly Iron Cavalry," Daniel mused, surprised by Melinda's decisiveness.
Watching Melinda leave with Coulson and the others, Daniel felt reassured that she would prevent anyone from eavesdropping.
"What is it about him?" Daniel asked once they were alone.
"Because of him, some have left Hell," Mephisto explained.
"You're passing the buck," Daniel thought, exasperated. The situation was simple: Mephisto's son, Blackheart, escaped Hell due to Coulson. The details of his escape were vague, but it involved Coulson.
Blackheart's reason for escaping Hell was straightforward: he wanted to kill Mephisto and become the king of Hell. Similar to Loki, but with a harsher fate since Mephisto didn't age or die, leaving Blackheart with no option but to kill him to take his place. In Hell, Blackheart was no match for Mephisto and sought power on Earth through the Contract of San Venganza to become a demon lord and challenge Mephisto.
From Daniel's perspective, Blackheart was overreaching. If the Contract of San Venganza were truly that powerful, Mephisto wouldn't have left it on Earth.
"So it's another case of a son trying to overthrow his father, like in Norse mythology or with Thanos," Daniel thought. "Loki and Odin, Peter and Ego, and now Blackheart and Mephisto. Even Ultron and Tony Stark or Kaecilius and the Ancient One could be seen this way."
After explaining the situation, Mephisto proposed a deal: help eliminate Blackheart and retrieve the Contract of San Venganza, in exchange for not pursuing Coulson's resurrection.
"I refuse. If you want to reclaim his soul, go ahead," Daniel responded without hesitation.
While others might be intimidated by Mephisto, Daniel, as a sorcerer of Kamar-Taj, knew that Hell couldn't randomly reclaim souls. Unless they were directly killed, the rules of resurrection applied.
Kamar-Taj's knowledge about Hell was extensive, even if many never needed it. But Daniel had studied it thoroughly, preparing for any eventuality, which proved useful now.
In Hell, the stronger the demon, the greater their limitations on Earth. Entities like the Ghost Rider or Blackheart could wield power on Earth, but Mephisto and Lucifer couldn't act freely.
"Do you realize if he gains the Contract of San Venganza, he could unleash tremendous power here, causing massive casualties?" Mephisto warned.
"If that happens, someone will deal with it," Daniel replied indifferently. With the Ancient One and other powerful beings around, he wouldn't be fooled.
"I see. Here's a contract I think you'll find interesting," Mephisto said, tossing a scroll toward Daniel.
Smack.
Seeing Mephisto's move, Daniel quickly formed hand seals, summoning a golden shield to block the scroll.
Having seen Ghost Rider's experiences, Daniel was wary. Reaching for the scroll could inadvertently seal a deal, as Johnny Blaze learned the hard way.
Transforming his shield into a staff, Daniel struck the scroll back to Mephisto.
"Interesting," Mephisto remarked, retrieving the scroll with a smile.
"By the way, Lucifer is in Los Angeles," Mephisto said before vanishing, leaving an address to a bar in L.A.
"That guy, setting a trap before leaving. Does he think I'll go looking for Lucifer? Though it feels off, like Lucifer being in the adjacent universe," Daniel thought after Mephisto's departure.
"Well, I'll leave this to the big shots," Daniel decided, planning to report to the Ancient One. With her power, Mephisto wouldn't be a problem.
As for Blackheart and the Contract of San Venganza, there were Ghost Riders to handle that. There were supposedly three Ghost Riders in the Marvel universe, and they managed Blackheart in the original storyline.
"Speaking of Ghost Riders, I forgot about the Darkhold. Who has it now? I think it's in some lab, but I can't recall," Daniel pondered, realizing the Darkhold could create a virtual reality world.
"You should tell Coulson the truth soon. Mephisto's words likely stirred his suspicions," Daniel advised Melinda.
"Is Coulson really okay?" Melinda asked, worried about Mephisto's appearance.
"Don't worry. Though I don't know how you revived Coulson, he's fine now," Daniel reassured. Future issues with Mephisto were beyond his knowledge.
"Are you sure?" Melinda seemed doubtful, given Mephisto's reputation.
"Relax, Hell has its rules. Even Mephisto can't break them," Daniel replied.
"Well, I need to report this," he added.
"Wait, the director knows and is on his way," Melinda informed. With Mephisto involved, she couldn't keep it from Fury, who was already en route.
"Alright," Daniel sighed, deciding to stay until Fury arrived.
"Was that really Mephisto? How is that possible?" Fitz, Simmons, and Skye still hadn't fully processed Mephisto's appearance.
"Damn, we had a power outage yesterday, lost a lot of data. Rewriting it doesn't feel the same," Daniel lamented.
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