章節 36: Chapter 36
My eyes anxiously scanned the runes surrounding us. Belasco was undoubtedly a master of his craft—his talent in magic was undeniable. I deciphered this circle only thanks to the countless hours spent in libraries, immersed in ancient tomes.
This magical circle, emanating a sinister glow, was clearly not something found in books. Everything indicated that Belasco had created it himself.
"Who are you planning to sacrifice this time, us?" I dared to ask Belasco.
The demon grinned broadly, his eyes gleaming with predatory light.
"Why rush things?" he replied with irony, defusing my tension.
My allies, sensing the tension, stood still, awaiting further developments.
"You're here for the girl, aren't you?" Belasco continued, his gaze sweeping over our group.
It became clear to me what this ritual represented. Belasco wanted our souls, willingly offered as a sacrifice.
"Name your terms," I said, preempting my allies' confusion.
"A battle, with the girl as the prize," Belasco generously proposed.
"And the cost of losing?" I clarified with this red-skinned creature who was once human.
"Your souls," he calmly replied.
I felt the weight of his words charge the air with electricity, sharpening our awareness of the stakes.
"And if we refuse to cooperate?" my voice sounded firm in the dark atmosphere of this forsaken place.
Belasco smirked, spreading his arms dramatically.
"Then we move straight to the fight," he said with undisguised pleasure.
My friends tensed instantly, like strings on a bow, ready for action. Belasco noticed their reaction, perhaps even before I did, and added:
"But remember, if you refuse, you'll have to solve the problem with the girl's soul, which I've already... altered."
In his hand glowed a red stone, saturated with magical power—the Bloodstone, containing a part of Illyana's soul.
"You bastard," I spat, glaring into his piercing eyes.
Belasco only smiled wider, revealing sharp fangs.
"For the record, my parents were married when they conceived me," he quipped.
"Reed, what is that stone?" Sue asked me, her voice full of concern.
I felt the worried gazes of my comrades.
"That's the Bloodstone, and it holds a part of Illyana's soul," I explained quietly. "If she stays too far from the stone for too long, her soul will start to degrade."
"Can you save her?" Ororo's voice cut through the heavy silence.
"There's someone who can, without a doubt," I replied confidently, thinking of Yao, my mentor in the arts of magic. He possessed knowledge far beyond mine, and I was sure he could fix what Belasco had done.
"In that case," Sue said, looking around at the others, "we'll leave the decision to you."
I glanced at my teammates and saw no hesitation in their eyes. Sue's words confirmed their resolve. It was remarkable, considering they, as mutants, rarely turned to magical solutions.
"So, human, what have you decided?" Belasco asked, comfortably settled on his throne, his face brimming with confidence in his victory.
I looked at Illyana, standing next to Ororo and a transformed Kitty Pryde, and thought.
"You know," I began, smiling in response to his smugness, "I've read numerous treatises, and they all say the same thing."
Belasco raised an eyebrow in suspicion.
"And what do they say?" he asked, his tone skeptical.
Magic began to pulse around, filling the air with anticipation. Power gathered at my fingertips as I prepared to cast a spell.
"That making deals with demons is a bad idea," I said and, with a gesture, unleashed a burst of magical energy.
BAM
The energy shot from my hands, aiming straight at the heart of the stone. At that moment, I knew the magic I had mastered in Kronos should change the course of events, regardless of how Belasco might respond.
Unfortunately for me, Belasco remained unscathed after my magical attack. Even the Bloodstone, the target of my strike, showed no signs of damage. Instead, the magical force struck the edge of his battle axe, which materialized in his hands at the last moment with a characteristic sound.
Belasco, glaring at us with frustration, responded defiantly:
"You leave me no choice, Dr. Richards."
His words barely broke the tense silence as I shouted:
"Attack!"
Feeling the incredible magical power concentrating around Belasco, I knew we had no time to lose. The Fantastic Four and the X-Men responded instantly. The coordinated actions of the X-Men, forged by years of training and countless battles, made their movements resemble a dance of an experienced combat machine.
Illyana and her teachers, seeing this, didn't hesitate and rushed into the attack as well. Judging by the demon's eyes, he wasn't too surprised by this.
At the same time, Belasco's demons reacted with equal swiftness, meeting our assault with fierce determination. It was like a whirlwind—two forces, each incredibly powerful and resolute, clashed in direct combat.
The red demon, smiling a predator's grin, looked at me. With a beckoning gesture, he called me to a single combat, like in ancient dueling rituals. The fire in his eyes and my decision to face him head-on ignited in a fierce confrontation, where we both knew the stakes were incredibly high.
The air was thick with tension as Belasco's words sliced through the darkness:
"You will regret this, human..."
However, he didn't finish his sentence. Lightning bolts, lasers, and metal spikes, gathered by me from the available resources of this place, shot towards him from all directions. I understood that every second of his monologue was time for preparing a spell, meaning dialogue was pointless.
Belasco, enraged, hurled his axe at me, shouting:
"Arrogant wretch!"
The axe, made of an unknown, non-metallic material, was impossible to control directly. However, I managed to create a series of electromagnetic fields acting as barriers before it.
BAM
The axe easily shattered the metallic walls I had created, but its flight was interrupted when one of my directed lasers hit Belasco's shoulder. He roared like a beast condemned to its last battle.
I didn't wait another moment. I directed the energy straight at Belasco. Huge lightning bolts roared towards him, illuminating the dark hall. Belasco tried to counter, hurling a wave of magic at me, but I dodged, using magnetic fields to deflect the energy bursts.
Weakened and preoccupied with defending against my attacks, Belasco lost his vigilance. I seized the moment to strengthen my electromagnetic fields, creating a tightening ring of metal debris around him. The air vibrated with tension as the metal began to press on him from all sides.
"Game over," I said firmly as the ring closed, restricting his movements.
Belasco cast a final look of defiance, but his strength was fading. Yet, there was no fear in his eyes.
"You think this is the end?" the demon whispered, his body still crackling with electrical discharges.
In the next moment, I felt the surge of magical energy within his body. The ring that restrained Belasco began to tremble even more.
"DAMN YOU!!!" he shouted, shattering the metal ring.
However, he didn't have time to act, as a laser beam sliced through his neck.
Belasco's head fell to the ground like an apple before Newton.
But the magical energy didn't dissipate. I could still feel its growing power.
Moments later, the magical energy, like tentacles of a monster, found Belasco's head.
CRUNCH
The head returned to its original place. Belasco's face beamed with a smile as he spoke:
"I told you, this isn't the end, dear Dr. Richards."
I kept my composure and, in an instant, Belasco's body was pierced by numerous metal spears, sparking with lightning.
—\\—
"Could you stop these futile attempts already?!" Belasco roared at me, his eyes blazing with fury as electrical discharges coursed through his body. Despite this, he continued to advance.
BAM
Belasco's axe struck my protective shield, exploding with sparks of magical energy. I was beginning to understand the electromagnetic defenses necessary to fortify my position. With each clash, I found new ways to enhance my shield.
Belasco made another desperate swing, trying to break through my defense. However, I was one step ahead. Numerous laser beams from my side pierced his body, slicing it into pieces.
ZZZZT
The lasers once again cut Belasco's body into many parts. I knew I had about ten minutes before he would regenerate—a time that had to be used efficiently.
I quickly turned my attention to aiding my allies, who were also battling their foes. My hands directed electrical discharges and laser beams, interspersed with metallic projectiles, turning the battle into an orchestra of destruction. We were a well-coordinated team, each strike precise and decisive.
By the time Belasco began to reassemble, only two powerful demons remained on his side. This strategy reduced his numerical advantage, making his position increasingly desperate.
"MORTAL SCUM!" Belasco yelled in fury as his body regained functionality.
Unfortunately for me, each time Belasco regenerated, he adapted to my tactics. If at the beginning of our fight he barely kept up with my electrical and laser attacks, now he had learned to dodge and counterattack with unexpected resolve and ingenuity.
Magic surged in his veins, gaining speed and power with each spell. They grew darker, delving ever deeper into the destructive depths of black magic.
"ANNOYING INSECT!" Belasco bellowed, his voice echoing across the battlefield. As his spells clashed with my sheets of metal and electromagnetic field, dark green magical circles flared from his palms.
Moments later, my shield collided with a stream of dark green energy. This beam, akin to poisonous fire, corroded not just the metal but the very essence of my electromagnetic field, causing it to flicker and spark in a desperate attempt to hold.
I took a step back, reevaluating my strategy. It was clear that Belasco had not only adapted to my attacks but was learning to surpass them. Something new was needed, something he could not foresee.
"What strategy would be unexpected enough?" I thought, pausing to analyze his latest movements.
Belasco's remaining demons were finally defeated... As the dust settled, my gaze met Illyana's. Her arrival was incredibly striking: she stood with a blade forged from pure energy, ready to fight. Her eyes, filled with determination and strength, reflected an indomitable spirit.
At that moment, I knew it was time to act.
"Now!" I shouted as metal spears, created by my powers, pierced Belasco's body. A powerful electric discharge ran through the spears, temporarily paralyzing him. A moment of fear flashed in his eyes as he realized he was trapped.
But I didn't stop there. Precisely aimed laser beams severed his arms, stripping him of the ability to cast new spells or defend against further attacks.
In this critical moment, Illyana appeared through a flash of a blue portal. Her sword, glowing as if forged from frosty northern light, shimmered in her hands. With unyielding energy, she lunged forward, slicing through Belasco's flesh. His scream, filled with agony and despair, cut through the air. It was the sound of his final moments of resistance.
When Illyana's sword cleaved Belasco's body in two, the demon vanished in a flash of red light, leaving behind only the echo of his scream and a smoldering trace on the ground where he once stood.
But there was no time to relax, as Belasco's minions still posed a threat.
---= Some Time Later =---
"Whew..." I sighed, feeling the tension that had gripped my body for hours finally begin to release.
Lesser demons still scurried about, but many of them, sensing the shift in power, calmly accepted the new order.
Illyana Rasputin, the new ruler of Limbo, stood beside her brother, discussing various matters. The years she had spent here had not been in vain—she knew many of these demons personally, which eased the transition of power.
Piotr, her brother, couldn't hide the worry and sadness in his eyes as he watched how quickly she had matured.
At that moment, I felt Sue's gentle embrace wrapping around me from behind. Her hands and the warmth of her body pressing against me were so familiar that I could have recognized them among a thousand others.
"We did it," she said with relief in her voice.
Her touch amplified my sense of peace. I turned to look into her eyes and saw the reflection of our shared relief.
"Yes, and now we can rest," I replied, allowing myself to forget the burdens of past battles for a moment.
We looked together at Illyana, who seemed to already be accepting the heavy mantle of rule.
When my gaze met the alternate versions of Kurt, Kitty, and Ororo, the realization that our mission was not yet complete slowly crept into my thoughts.
"Well, not entirely right," I admitted. "There are still a couple of things we need to finish."
Sue, understanding my hint, just smiled and nodded, a glint of anticipation for new adventures in her eyes.
"After all this, how about we take the whole team to Europe?" she suggested with a light excitement in her voice. "Or maybe Egypt?"
"That sounds tempting," I replied, a smile forming on my lips, reflecting the excitement of these prospects. Although I wasn't keen on heading to Europe due to Victor's control over those territories, perhaps there would be a way to settle that issue as well.
Rising from my spot, I headed to the corner where two groups of X-Men—one from our world, the other from a parallel dimension—were engaged in a lively discussion. The light from hanging lamps illuminated their faces, reflecting excitement and curiosity.
"So, you're four years ahead of us?" Scott, his voice filled with amazement, tried to wrap his mind around this information.
Ororo from the alternate world nodded, her eyes shining with memories of a future that had not yet come for us.
"Yes, it seems to be a feature of the universe's structure," she replied, her voice echoing from another world full of mysteries and unexplored paths.
"That's not surprising," I interjected, joining their circle. My steps halted, and I looked around at everyone present, feeling how space and time in this room intertwined into something more than just a moment of meeting. "Fundamentally, if you consider the structure of the multiverse through the lens of quantum physics and string theory, each separate universe can vary in its physical constants and flow of time. It's like an endless ocean where each wave represents a distinct world, moving by its own laws and rhythms."
My words intrigued the mutants, so I continued:
"These temporal anomalies between universes, as in our case with our friends, can be explained by differences in their initial conditions at the formation of the universe after the Big Bang. Each of these 'initial explosions' might have initiated its unique symphony of space-time parameters."
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