"That's news to me," Eve said, "but not exactly surprising. Your father and I assumed this might happen, considering the enemies we've made. I'm glad we stuck around long enough to at least teach you how to defend yourself, even if the techniques you use are a bit unorthodox—even by angel standards."
She had a narrow, regal nose, piercing silver eyes, and a cascade of flowing white hair. Aside from those striking contrasts—her aquiline features, her ethereal softness—we were otherwise identical.
"I'm sorry, Mom, but you didn't," I said slowly. "Rebellion helped a ton, though. Once I started fusing techniques—"
"I'm sorry, did you say fusing techniques?" she interrupted.
"Yeah…"
"That is not…" she began. "The Sword was meant to be used as a tool to awaken your demonic or angelic heritage, should the time come, perhaps one day to fuse them. Everything else is theoretical. But what you're describing… It's unprecedented."
"Story of my life."
Eva shook her head. "You've accomplished more than I could've imagined for someone so young, but you're not ready for what comes next."
"And that is…?"
"Facing the Firstborn and killing Belasco," she said.
I was afraid she was going to say that. "I'm going to go out on a limb here and say sealing off the entrance won't do?"
"No," she said, shaking her head, silver hair shimmering. "The gate I used to enter Limbo is a living thing. Its nature allows him to slip between planes and worlds at will. It'll take time, but Belasco is nothing if not patient." Her voice cut with a low, simmering anger.
"Ah, crap," I muttered, then asked the question that's been at the back of my mind for months. "If Belasco is so dangerous, why did you let it get this far? You and Father could've wiped him out. I've faced the forces of Limbo. They're good, but not that good."
Eve shook her head and let out a long sigh. "You've faced only a handful of Greater and Elder demons—with their powers muted. Behind the gates of Limbo is an army of billions, armed with runic weapons and arrays that rival even ours. There are entire societies with Elder Demon leaders that remain unchallenged and unmolested by Belasco because the slaughter wouldn't be worth it. And don't get me started on the descendants of the other Archdemons that came through the portal with your father. They may not rule Limbo, but they won't stand by while you lay waste to it either."
"So, you're saying Limbo is unassailable?" I asked.
"No," she shook her head. "You could probably destroy it if you really put your mind to it. But at what cost? There are thousands of innocent humans who've been kidnapped and brainwashed. Destroying the planet would mean dooming them."
"But it has to be worth it, right?" I raised a brow. "To eliminate that ever-looming threat?"
"Is genocide ever worth it?" she asked, and I swallowed.
I took a moment to truly contemplate what I was considering. Destroying an entire planet? And the scary thing was—it wouldn't even be that hard. All I'd need was a large enough asteroid and my Teleportation skill. It'd fracture the planet's core, and that'd be the end of the demons. Alternatively, I could go the aggressive route: create a few infused nukes and unleash them on the major cities. Millions would die, but it'd get me most of the way there.
Hell, I could even do it myself if I really wanted to. With enough Arc Reactor cores, I could create an entire Iron Legion controlled by one AI I operated directly.
The possibilities were endless. Yet, I knew I couldn't justify it. Killing an entire world—for what exactly? The Orbs? I had millions tucked away that I hadn't even spent yet.
I was resolved to no longer be indebted to Shin. No. I had to be more precise with my fury.
"So, I have to focus on the Firstborn and Belasco then," I said. "Given it's their home turf, I can't imagine it'll be easy."
"It won't," she said. "Belasco came close to rivaling me twenty years ago, and he's had more time to hone his affinities and runes. He will have defenses designed to strip you of both your energy types. You'll be walking into a trap."
"Then what do you suggest?" I asked.
"That you hone that fire of yours," she smiled. "It's the key to everything."
I blinked. I'd been deliberately conservative in using Anathema fire for obvious reasons. Frankly, it was world-breaking, and it could become a crutch if I let myself rely on it too much. But now, she was urging me to do the exact opposite.
"Knowledge of our runes and our recipe for liquid infernal metal won't hurt either."
"I—I thank you."
She nodded and gave me a small, metallic smile, feeding a deep need I didn't even know I had. It'd been ages since I'd seen my own mother. I wondered if she still thought about me.
She stepped forward and touched my forehead, and suddenly, my mind bloomed with information—concepts, runes, and applications of affinity I didn't even think were possible. It was humbling, realizing just how little I truly understood.
I was dazed when she spoke again.
"It's my pleasure, sweetheart," she said. "Don't forget to share with your brother. Now, if you don't mind, Yao and I have work to do… It's been some time since I've talked with my old friend."
"Eve…" Yao said weakly from behind me, and I spun around. She leaned against the rune-covered hallway, breathing heavily. I hurried to her side and held her up. Her wound was worse, and the Eldritch weave she had on it was faint, nearly gone.
"You shouldn't be up."
"I'll manage," she said, then looked up at me. "You need to go. They need you."
"Jean can handle Shin's people without me," I argued.
"Probably," she agreed, "but she shouldn't."
"You know what they're after. You understand the risks."
She stuffed something into my hand. It was the Eye of Agamotto. It was bloody, and she was shaking.
"Are you sure?"
"There's no one else I trust to do what's right. Now hurry along. Let me take it from here."
I opened my mouth and shut it, then looked over at Eve. "Will I ever see you again?"
"I'm afraid not," she said with a bitter smile. "It's been a pleasure… son."
I nodded, then rather reluctantly spun around and teleported.
I arrived in New York, floating above the site of the former invasion, to a sight that had me equal parts baffled and surprised. New York was a wreck. Half of SHIELD HQ was covered in rubble, and several figures blurred around the city, smashing in and out of buildings, pulping innocent bystanders and soldiers.
Rin burst out of our half-collapsed building with an explosion of kinetic energy and swung, shattering the jaw of a strange six-tailed monstrosity. It went flying, clipped through an apartment building, and crashed into a water tank. A second later, a man barreled into him. His hands were covered in a shimmering black coat, and he wore a wicked grin. Rin went skipping and flipped to a sudden stop.
The buff guy was intimately familiar.
Garrett.
That fucking asshole.
Rin let off a shockwave of pure demonic mana, then accelerated, bringing down a hammer blow on Garrett's crossed hands. The asphalt exploded for dozens of feet as he was flung deep into a crater.
In the corner of my eyes, two other battles were underway. Jean's floating daggers whipped around her impossibly fast, striking out at speeds that shattered the sound barrier, while Lauren teleported about SHIELD HQ with a dagger in one hand and a gun in the other.
The shots from the gun seemed to carve a hole through space itself. Jean dodged with quick teleports and flung a chunk of rubble.
Meanwhile, the rest of the team battled another copy of the monster Rin fought—and Armando. He was a shifting, ever-evolving bundle of metal, skin, and force, and no one in the avenger's team I put together or Yelena could stand up to him.
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