Bab 38: Hell Lord's Fortress ( Part 2 )
The ground beneath Maxim was still warm from battle as he walked deeper into the fortress. He could see the shadows of various demons moving in the corner of his vision, presumably protecting the fortress.
However, deep within the Hell Lord's Fortress, Maxim could sense a immense amount of dark energy pulsing with a malevolent aura, almost like a beacon to where the Hell Lord, Satannish was located.
As Maxim surveyed the ominous surroundings, he smirked. From his human perspective, this Fortress looked exactly how he'd expect a demonic domain to look.
It was a grotesque architectural masterpiece, adorned with the tormented souls that tried to wail in eternal anguish as they were tortured by Satannish's power.
Maxim allowed himself to become on with the shadows, shifting into his incorporeal form, his body dissolving into wisps of smoke as he passed through the cracks and crevices of the fortress.
He navigated the stronghold with a stealthy approach, unseen by the vigilant demons patrolling the corridors. He found himself in a hidden vantage point above, watching guards move below.
The guards were larger than the jaguars he had fought earlier, brutish demons with thick, armor-like skin that radiated heat. He could sense their crude instincts and aggression, but they lacked the intelligence he possessed.
He presumed these were just the lower tier of Demons, all braun but no brain, very easy to dispatch of using his power.
With a swift thought, Maxim called upon the power of the Eagle. The spectral bird materialized beside him, its wings shimmering with radiant energy.
It screeched softly, a sound only Maxim could hear, and he nodded in understanding. The Eagle would serve as his eyes and ears, scouting ahead for weaknesses in the demonic patrols.
Maxim focused on the first group of guards, huddled together, their jagged weapons glinting in the dim light. He considered his options, formulating a plan.
Although he could easily charge in, he wanted to test his stealth, and also conserve energy for his battle with Satannish.
Phasing back into the corporeal realm, he landed silently behind a thick column. He pulled Osiris from its ethereal state, feeling its comforting weight in his hands. The blade radiated with holy energy, and he steeled himself for the ambush.
A sudden gust of wind signaled the Eagle's return. It circled overhead, distracting the guards as they looked up, eyes wide with confusion. Maxim seized the moment. He launched himself forward, his body moving like a blur.
The first guard barely had time to react, just trying to roar and get the attention of his allies, but it couldn't react in time. With a swift swing of Osiris, Maxim struck, the blade slicing cleanly through the demon's neck.
The guard crumpled silently to the ground, his body dissipating into black smoke before it could raise an alarm.
Maxim continued his advance, the shadows cloaking him as he navigated through the maze of the fortress. As he approached another pair of guards, he summoned the power of the Eagle once more, sending it to create a diversion on the opposite side of the chamber.
The guards turned, instinctively drawn to the creature's presence. Maxim capitalized on their distraction, darting between them with supernatural speed.
He struck one in the back, the holy energy of Osiris igniting as it pierced the demon's spine. The creature let out a muffled gasp before collapsing, the light fading from its eyes.
The remaining guard, sensing something amiss, spun around just in time to see Maxim appear before him. Panic etched across his grotesque features, but Maxim moved too quickly.
He phased through the demon, his incorporeal state allowing him to bypass its defenses. The guard staggered, confusion clouding his senses, and Maxim materialized behind him.
With a quick slash, he dispatched the last guard, the blade of Osiris glowing brightly as it severed the demon's head. As the body fell, Maxim noticed the dim glow of a rune upon the floor, a ward designed to alert others.
Thinking quickly, he raised a foot and crushed the rune beneath his heel, dispelling its dark magic before it could signal the remaining guards.
He continued deeper into the fortress, moving silently through the darkened halls, dispatching guards one by one with ruthless efficiency, he didn't want to waste too much time on these weaklings.
In a larger chamber, he encountered a cluster of four demons gathered around a flickering portal, their voices low and guttural.
Maxim crouched behind an ornate stone structure, surveying their movements. The portal hummed with dark energy, and he realized it was a way to summon reinforcements.
He couldn't allow that. Gathering his energy, he formed a plan. With a flick of his wrist, he summoned the Eagle again, sending it to distract the guards by swooping in low and screeching loudly.
The demons turned in unison, confusion splaying across their faces as they spotted the spectral bird. Maxim seized the opportunity, dashing from his hiding spot and lunging at the nearest guard, striking with lethal precision.
As he cut down the first demon, the others snapped into action, but Maxim was already on the move. He wove through their clumsy strikes, phasing in and out of corporeality to evade their blows.
With every strike of Osiris, he felt the power within him surging, a dance of death that echoed through the chamber, the power of his template was rapidly rising as he felt more and more in-tune with Dante's abilities, with Dante's fighting style.
Maxim unleashed a powerful swing that cleaved through two demons at once, their bodies disintegrating into ash. He pivoted on his heel, facing the last demon, who roared in fury and charged.
Maxim activated his angelic speed, darting to the side just in time to avoid the wild swipe. He turned, eyes locked on the demon's exposed flank, and drove Osiris deep into its side.
The scythe crackled with energy, and the demon let out a pained howl before collapsing to the ground.
Panting, Maxim stepped back, surveying the carnage. The chamber was littered with ash and the remnants of the demons, but the portal still hummed ominously. He couldn't risk anyone else summoning reinforcements.
With a quick prayer to the powers he now wielded, he focused his energy into Osiris and slashed at the portal's edge. The blade sizzled against the dark magic, and a blinding flash erupted as the portal collapsed in on itself, sealing shut.
With the area secured, Maxim allowed himself a moment of respite. He leaned against a wall, the silence of the fortress now more pronounced, the shadows seemingly growing thicker with each passing second.
He could feel the pulsing dark energy nearby,the true heart of Satannish's domain awaited him. Gathering himself, he moved forward, the anticipation of the battle to come igniting a fire within him.
The fortress may have been crawling with demons, but they were nothing compared to the wrath of a determined warrior who now harnessed the powers of both heaven and hell.
Maxim pressed onward, determined to confront the Hell Lord himself and end his reign of terror once and for all.
Soon, he found the throne room, stepping through the ornate archway as he entered. As soon as he entered, the atmosphere immediately shifted, an oppressive atmosphere crackling in the air.
At the far end of the room, on a massive throne adorned with the skulls of fallen warriors, Satannish lounged with a smug arrogance. The Hell Lord's form was imposing, cloaked in robes that billowed like smoke, with fiery eyes that glowed from within the depths of his hood.
Maxim felt the weight of his gaze settle upon him, and his blood began to pump, excitement filling his body as he looked eager to defeat Satannish.
"Ah, the wretch who has dared to tread upon my domain," Satannish rumbled, his voice deep and resonant, echoing off the walls like thunder. "You've dispatched my guards with surprising ease. But here, in my presence, your journey ends."
Maxim clenched his fists around Osiris, the blade pulsing with an eager energy at his side. "Quit yapping, time to end you! I'll have fun owning this realm once you're dead."
The Hell Lord chuckled, a sound that reverberated through the chamber, sending a chill down Maxim's spine. "Bold words for a mere mortal. Do you truly believe you can stand against the might of a Hell Lord? I have crushed champions far greater than you."
In an instant, the atmosphere shifted again, and the room was filled with dark energy, swirling like a storm around Satannish.
The throne shook as the Hell Lord rose, his form expanding, muscles rippling beneath his robe. Maxim felt the overwhelming force of his power press against him, but he stood his ground, refusing to be intimidated.
"Show me what you've got!" Maxim shouted, activating his Angel Mode. His body shimmered with a brilliant light, a stark contrast to the darkness surrounding them.
The room was suddenly filled with the radiant glow of his aura, and he could feel his strength surging, harmonizing with the angelic energy coursing through him.
Satannish's eyes narrowed, fury igniting within their depths. "You'll regret this insolence!"
Bab 39: The Cold Fortress ( Part 1 )
As dawn's light slowly stretched across the countryside, Natasha Romanoff had just secretly arrived in Italy, her senses in high alert as she sneakily but swiftly made her way through the city.
As for why she was here? Well that goes back to 2 days prior, when she had just finished a high-stakes mission off the coast of West Africa, tasked with intercepting a notorious pirate named Malik Raheem who had made headlines for hijacking vessels using crude, cheap knock-offs of Stark tech.
It was an easy enough for such an advanced SuperSpy, she had easily infiltrated the ship, taken down all of the guards and defeated Raheem, allowing S.H.I.E.L.D to take them all away.
After that mission, Natasha had planned to just relax and take her time off until her next field mission, but she had gotten a call from Wanda, Maxim's ally.
She hadn't really been that close with Wanda, so she was rather confused as to why she had called him. Wanda's tone sounded very urgent, asking her to come to a particular safe-house in Italy, without telling her the specifics as to why.
After a decent bit of walking, Natasha finally arrived at the safe-house, making sure to keep her senses on high alert. She scanned the area, notice the dense vegetation and isolated location of the safe-house.
Wanda had been cryptic on the call, only stressing the importance of the meeting, which had immediately piqued Natasha's curiosity. Now that she was here, she was eager, and a little wary, to learn what was so urgent.
Natasha moved quietly toward the house, her eyes sweeping the surroundings. After verifying that everything seemed safe, she knocked lightly on the door.
A moment later, it opened to reveal Wanda, who looked very excited to see her arrive, a faint smile appearing on her lips, "Natasha, Thanks for coming."
Natasha stepped inside, her curiosity growing. "You didn't leave me much of a choice with how serious you sounded on the phone."
Wanda chuckled, but her expression quickly sobered, "You'll understand soon enough. There's someone here who wants to see you."
Curious, Natasha followed Wanda through a dimly lit corridor. The atmosphere in the safe-house was thick with a strange kind of tension that seemed to continue building up as she followed Wanda.
When they entered the back room, Natasha's breath hitched. There, standing amidst a small group of women, was someone she recognized very well.
A woman with a slender, athletic build, with blonde hair and green eyes that held a variety of emotions as they looked back at her. Anger, love, frustration, excitement all bubbled in those green eyes that looked back at her.
Yelena. Her younger sister's gaze locked onto hers, filled with a mix of vulnerability and fierceness. For a moment, the room fell silent, and everything else faded into the background.
The sisters stared at each other, each carrying years of separation, pain, and unspoken words in their eyes.Then, without a word, Natasha took a step forward, and Yelena met her halfway.
They embraced, a long and intense hug that spoke louder than anything they could have said. Natasha's hand trembled slightly as she held Yelena, grounding herself in the reality of the moment.
She could hardly believe her sister was standing there, safe and in her arms. Natasha had fully accepted the fact that she would potentially never see her again for the rest of her life, so this surprise was intense.
Finally, they pulled apart, and Natasha turned to Wanda, her face a mixture of gratitude and questions. "Wanda… How? And why?"
Wanda gave a soft smile, motioning for Natasha to sit, and Yelena remained by her side.
Wanda began to explain, revealing the continued existence of the Red Room and how they had survived all this time in the shadows.
Wanda explained the Red Room's most dangerous and hidden asset, the Floating Red Room, using A.N.G.E.L to show the schematics to Natasha. She explained how using the Red Room, Dreykov had been increasing his influence over International politics.
She also continued about the new and improved brutal brainwashing techniques used by Dreykov, and how Wanda was cracking it using her magic.
As Natasha listened, her expression turned grave, the weight of the revelation settling heavily on her shoulders, "I thought I had already destroyed the Red Room, but this… this is something else."
Yelena stepped forward, her voice tinged with both anger and determination as her memory of the past few years flew through her mind, "The Floating Red Room is the heart of Dreykov's empire. Wanda and Pietro… they've helped us break free of his control. Not just me, but the others."
She gestured to the other women in the room, who now looked at Natasha with a glimmer of hope in their eyes. She was the original Black Widow to escape, and she was a beacon of hope to all of them.
Wanda continued, "We've freed as many as we could find, but Dreykov's influence runs deep. The only way to end this for good is to take down the entire operation."
Natasha's gaze swept over the women in the room. They were young, some younger than she had been when she had escaped, but they shared a similar look, a fierce resolve to end the nightmare they had endured. She met Yelena's gaze, pride and resolve hardening in her own.
"You have a plan?" Natasha asked, her voice steady.
As Natasha asked, Oksana stepped forward, her jaw set with determination.
"We're going after 'The Cold Fortress,'" she said firmly, her tone brokering no argument. "It's where Dreykov sends the 'irredeemable' Widows, the ones he thinks are beyond saving, too rebellious, too damaged to control. He keeps them there under the harshest conditions imaginable, breaks them down so thoroughly that he believes there's no risk of defiance."
Natasha felt a surge of anger rise in her, memories of her own past within the Red Room threatening to surface. Her hands balled into fists as she imagined the tortures those women endured.
Oksana gestured to Wanda, who nodded, adding, "A.N.G.E.L. has already managed to get us the schematics of the place. It's heavily fortified, as expected, but we've identified weak points. And because it's isolated, it relies heavily on a single power source, which we can exploit."
A faint, holographic blueprint appeared in front of them, courtesy of A.N.G.E.L., who began outlining the specifics in a calm, precise voice, "The Cold Fortress is built into a mountain range in Siberia. The facility is concealed behind layers of natural rock and fortified walls, but it does have vulnerabilities. The main power grid has a single access point. If that's taken down, the security systems will drop, allowing us a window of time to infiltrate the inner compound undetected."
Wanda continued, her fingers tracing over the hologram as she explained, "We'll need to split into two teams. One team will handle disabling the power, while the other infiltrates and rescues the imprisoned Widows. Natasha, you'll lead the extraction team. You know Dreykov's tactics better than anyone, and with Yelena by your side, you'll be able to reach the Widows in the deepest levels."
Natasha's gaze shifted from Wanda to Oksana, then to the other women in the room, before nodding. She felt a swell of pride as she looked around the room, her heart heavy with both sorrow and resolve.
These women had suffered as she had, but they hadn't given up. They'd found strength in one another, in Wanda and Pietro's help, and now they were rallying to take down a common enemy.
"What's our timeline?" Natasha asked, her voice steady, masking the emotions that threatened to spill over.
A.N.G.E.L.'s voice chimed in once more. "The Cold Fortress's security runs on a four-week cycle. In two days, there will be a scheduled system update, during which the facility's defenses will briefly go offline. It's a small window, but it's the best chance we'll get."
Natasha turned to Wanda, her gaze intense, "You're risking a lot to help us. Thank you, for freeing Yelena and for standing with us now."
Wanda nodded, and exchanged a look with Yelena and Pietro, who had appeared in the doorway, a confident smirk on his face. "As soon as we're ready. We have some last-minute training and intel gathering, but in a few days, we'll be ready to make our move."
Yelena's eyes sparkled with determination, "We're done being weapons. It's time to take back our lives."
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