Random art, also bless me with some power stones :D
Dante surveyed the wreckage as the last of the nasty space critters dissolved into ash beneath Death's authority. Scorch marks were everywhere. The reception desks were gone. Dust drifted down from a ceiling that was half destroyed. The lobby of his beloved home, the place Silvija had entrusted to him, had been reduced to a graveyard of splintered stone and glass.
The culprits were the five unfamiliar men lying across the lobby. Four were breathing but one had already kicked the bucket.
On the far side of the wreckage stood Ororo. She was sealed inside a shimmering barrier alongside a woman with striking red skin. However, he couldn't spare either of them a second glance. Because at the stranger's feet lay Gwen and beside her was her adopted brother in a purple-and-magenta suit. The Prowler suit.
"Gwen."
Two voices called out her name as one, neither of which belonged to him but rather Emma and Illyana. They scrambled across the lobby. The red-skinned woman waved her hand to dissolve the barrier, granting them passage.
Dante didn't move to join the rush. A single sweep of his senses told him everything about Gwen's wellbeing. Her vitals were steady and strong, perhaps stronger than they had been before. His girlfriend was just exhausted after everything that had been going on around her. She deserved a good long rest to drain some of her accumulating stress.
"Such raw power," Candra murmured behind him. "Then again, how can my, Candra's, son not be filled with greatness?"
"We're lucky," Bella Donna replied calmly. "Imagine what'd happen if we had antagonized him."
Candra pressed a delicate hand to her chest, the picture of innocence. "I never had any intention of doing so."
Bella Donna turned her head slowly and gave the older woman a long, blank stare. "I'm sure you didn't."
Candra's smile didn't waver in the slightest.
Dante ignored them both. There was still one enemy left standing. The man's sleek, sci-fi suit seemed familiar. Dante quite remembered seeing it in the comics somewhere, but he couldn't quite place a name on it.
The stranger straightened himself, his chest heaving with exertion. He aimed a trembling hand at Dante.
"Skullfire." The man raised his chin defiantly as energy glowed along the circuits on his suit and gathered in his hand. "You may think you've won, but your death is already written in the stone. Mister Sinister has decreed it—"
Dante raised his hand and snapped his fingers. The rambling stopped as the man found his body turning grey. His very existence turned to a pile of ash on the ground. Nothing of his remained to move on, nothing to be mourned, nothing to be reborn. The man was gone forever, claimed into her domain by Death.
"You killed him?!" Remy's mouth hung open at the sight. "I mean, okay, homme (man), Alex wasn't exactly a good good guy, but merde (shit) still! You erased the man from the whole universe!"
"Alex?" Dante glanced at Remy with a raised eyebrow. "Was his last name Summers?"
Remy nodded, eyes still on the little pile of ash like it might get up again. "That's the one. Was, anyway."
Dante finally realized the man's identity. He was Alex, Scott's younger brother. In the comics, Alex always got compared to Scott; he always found himself in the shadow of his great leader of a brother.
He gave a small shrug. "Ah, well. What's done is done."
"I hope it doesn't bite us in the back later." Remy dragged a hand down his face and exhaled, allowing himself to relax. "Anyhow, you popped back at the right time. Few seconds later and they'd have been sweeping up old Remy along with the rest of the furniture… or taking me out of a bug's stomach."
"Bold of you to assume Broodlings would let you die in peace. Those fuckers will implant a parasite inside you, which will grow up with your memories and powers."
Remy shuddered in horror. "Don't like the sound of that."
"Nobody does." Dante walked over and put a hand on Remy's shoulder. "Thanks for helping out, Remy. You bought valuable time for everyone."
Remy went stiff for a few whole seconds. Dante realized he had left quite a terrifying impression on Remy when he ripped Fury's arm on that carrier.
"Did it for myself, not you," Remy muttered, shaking his head with a crooked grin. "Can't be living my whole life regretting everything. I also got tired of being someone else's card to play. Remy LeBeau is not a slave to be ordered around."
"You're a courageous one, Remy. I'll give you that, but have you considered how your former employer would retaliate?"
"He can do me whatever. I'm not scared."
The way he averted eye contact and sent a gloomy glance at the red-skinned woman told a different story. Remy had been played by the woman, Dante could figure that much through Remy's body language. Remy was relying on someone who never had any intentions of helping him.
He patted Remy's shoulder. "You're welcome to stay with me. We'll deal with Sinister together."
"I, uh…" Remy was startled. The offer clearly wasn't something he expected. "…I'll consider it."
"Dying or getting back at Sinister with me—I'll let you decide. Oh, you don't have to worry about money with me. I'll offer you a great salary as a part of the team."
Remy's eyes opened wide. "Does it come with paid vacations?"
"I'll portal you wherever you want."
"When do I report?"
Dante chuckled, patting Remy's shoulder. "Tomorrow."
He released Death's authority, which he had used after so long. Even now using it drained away at his mind like nothing else.
He walked toward the gathered group.
The red-skinned sorceress lowered her head in a graceful bow. "The name is Mother Righteous, love," she said in a voice that was warm yet intoxicating. "I have been ever so looking forward to this little meeting of ours."
"I appreciate the assistance, Righteous." Dante stopped a careful distance away. "But do me a favor and cut to the chase. What do you want?"
He didn't trust the sorcerers of this world. Any one of them could be a puppet with a Hell-Lord's hand controlling their soul. Mother Righteous's blood-red skin didn't help her case either. She seemed like a half-born from a demon's loins.
Mother Righteous's smile turned brighter as though he had said something charming.
"What does anyone want from helping a stranger in need?" She blew him a flying kiss. "A little gratitude."
He raised his eyebrow. "Just that?"
She chuckled. "It's more than enough, love."
"Someone punted her wrong in the head," Remy whispered behind him. "Or she is born different like Nathaniel."
Dante couldn't help but smile at Remy's whispers. "Thank you, I guess. Happy?"
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath through her nose, seemingly drunk on something. "Hearing those words… it still warms my soul."
He knew sorcerers had eccentric personalities, but Mother Righteous was the strangest among them.
Mother Righteous raised her hand and did a lazy snap with her fingers, summoning a spiraling portal beside her. She took a step inside the portal and threw him a wink over her shoulder. "I'll be seeing you again, love. And do look after that blonde girlfriend of yours. Her future is filled with great destiny but also numerous perils."
Once she disappeared into the portal, his gaze drifted to Gwen. "She is being looked after."
He had a feeling he'd be seeing Mother Righteous again. Perhaps she would be the key link to the demon invasion that loomed on the horizon.
He looked back at the duo still standing behind him. "Candra, what do you make of Mother Righteous?"
After the show she had put on with Apocalypse, he couldn't find it in himself to hate her. She might have messed-up motivations, but at the same time, she had real love for her child.
Candra blinked as she tapped her chin, a look of honest surprise softening her features. "You're asking… for my opinion?"
"Is there a second Candra in the room?"
"No, it's a rather uncommon name to begin with," she replied with a pleased smile. "I'll tell you what Selene taught me, my son. No sorcerer should ever be trusted. Least of all the ones who try a little too hard to seem kind and charitable." She glanced up at him with a serious expression. "The gentler the hand they offer you, the sharper the dagger they're hiding behind their back."
Emma gave a small tug at his fingers then slipped her hand into his. "Candra is right. I have a terrible feeling about Mother Righteous. She is dangerous."
"Dangerously hot," he whispered, which prompted Emma to pinch the back of his hand. "Ow. Relax, relax. I'm joking. I'll be careful around her. Promise."
"That's better."
Dante was about to pick up Gwen when he noticed Miles' finger twitch. The boy bolted upright with a strangled gasp as his hands grasped at the empty air. "Gwen!"
"Easy. No need to yell." Dante crouched nearby. "She's fine."
Miles' head snapped toward him and then he froze. Every muscle locked up as his brain caught up to what his eyes were seeing. "Dante...?"
"In the flesh," Dante said with an easygoing smile, which drained some of the stress out of Miles' shoulders. He extended a hand to the boy. "Come on."
Miles hesitated for a moment before accepting the hand and getting back on his feet. "I'm… Miles."
"I know." Dante tightened his grip on Miles' hand just enough to stop Miles from pulling away. His other hand settled on the kid's shoulder. "Gwen is doing this to help people where the law can't. What's your reason for putting this on?"
Right now, Miles was barely over the death of his father, which Dante found himself a bit guilty over. He wouldn't let Miles throw himself in the life of a vigilante over a weak reason—even Gwen would agree with him over this.
Miles stared down at his clawed gauntlets for a long moment before looking at the unconscious Gwen. "I want to protect her."
"Find a better reason. I can protect Gwen."
Miles clenched his fists. "One pair of hands can't do everything."
"Not every fist is the same size." He squeezed Miles' shoulder. "Think harder and give me a proper reason next time."
He bent down and took Gwen into his arms. She stirred faintly and murmured "Dante…" against his shoulder. The fact that she recognized him even in her sleep warmed his heart.
He carried Gwen to her room in the building, which was still surprisingly intact. Laying her down on the bed, he brushed a strand of hair from her face. "You just can't catch a break."
"Such is the destiny of a Spider-Totem," Death answered in his mind. "Leave without worries, companion. I'll watch over her."
"Got it."
If it wasn't for the Brood attack, he'd have stayed around, but he was needed in many places to put an end to Brood's situation.
"Leave without worry, companion."
When he returned to the lobby, Illyana, who had removed her mask, Emma, and Ororo were engaged in a discussion while Candra and Bella Donna listened in from the side. Remy and Miles had left, probably off to think about their future.
Noticing him, everyone paused and turned to him.
"What's the status out there?"
Ororo nodded before speaking, "Everyone is still dealing with broodlings. The reinforcements from Asgard have taken the worst of the pressure off."
That caught him by surprise. "How many?"
"Only two people: Loki and Hela. They turned the tide of battle by themselves."
The trickster and the death-goddess had both entered uninvited into the war. They had most likely come to be seen being useful and show their worth outside of Asgard. Loki was surprisingly anxious as her mother's safety depended on him. Hela probably just craved strength to overcome the humiliating defeat against him.
The irritating part was that it worked flawlessly. Knowing the purpose behind the gesture didn't stop it from earning them a little goodwill. He should never underestimate Loki. She was the God of Trickery for a reason.
"Darling," Emma said, tugging at his hand. The sultry smile on her face was the very one she weaponized to get her way with people. "What's this Asgard? Why am I only hearing about it now?"
"Norse mythology?" Illyana muttered with a frown. "I don't know about Hela, but Loki and Asgard terms are definitely from there."
Seeing them side by side, he couldn't help but find a great deal of resemblance between Illyana and Emma. They looked like sisters. Even though Illyana was older among the two, her physical appearance was still that of a twenty year old woman.
"It's similar but quite different at the same time," he said. "I'll give you a tour later."
Emma beamed a grin. "That would be wonderful."
"I'll look forward to it," Illyana said. "We should take care of Brood first."
He waved her off. "You all should rest. I'll finish it."
Illyana dismissed her Soulsword in her personal dimension, revealing a complicated expression. "I want to help, but I made a promise to a friend. If I stick my nose in this battle, it could get her parents hurt."
"It's alright. I can handle it. Just let me know the whole story when I get back." He turned to Candra. "Stay here in case someone attacks again."
Candra crossed her arms, arching one brow. "I wasn't planning on going anywhere. Mommy will stay with her baby boy."
He gave her a blank stare. Perhaps he had brought the wrong woman home this time.
***
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