A/N: Been stuck in a block ever since my pet parrot died. Haven't been this depressed in life :(
Random art
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Dante had no problem allowing Gwen to visit Limbo. The question was, would Illyana be fine with it? Limbo was her dimension, after all.
Illyana gave a nod. "Why not? The matter also concerns you."
Gwen flashed a bright grin and disappeared back into the bathroom before slamming the door hard enough to rattle the frame. He really wondered if she was going for a personal best for time spent in the bathroom.
He regarded Illyana with an amused look. "Yana? Since when did you two get so close?"
"It is easy to be friends with someone you respect." Her gaze lingered on him. "Did we not start the same?"
"You respect me? Really?"
The question came out more teasing and playful than he intended.
"Don't push it," she muttered, and the faint flush at the tips of her ears betrayed everything her voice tried to hide. "I think—" she suddenly looked toward the window. "Caught a fish in the net. Dante, I'll be back in a minute."
Before he could ask anything, she leaned backward like someone falling into a recliner and dropped through a stepping disc portal that materialized behind her. The portal swallowed her and shut off as soon as she disappeared.
"What fish?" He muttered. "Did she catch someone in a trap spell?"
With Illyana, it was always a coin toss between a joke, metaphor, or literal statement. It could be an actual fish or a captured enemy. Either way, she could handle anything or escape as she possessed one of the best escape abilities in existence and a safe dimension in the form of Limbo.
He listened to Gwen rustling around in the bathroom, getting dressed at the best speed possible to accompany them to Limbo. Soon, she emerged from the bathroom in a cloud of steam and fresh clothes clinging to skin still flushed pink from hot water.
She scanned the room for Illyana with a surprised look. "Yana left already?"
"She's coming back." He glanced toward the spot where she had dropped through her stepping disc. "I think?"
"I'll get ready then."
She rushed to sit at the vanity table. The towel came off first, blonde hair tumbling in damp ropes across her shoulders. She reached for a comb and began working through the tangles. He watched from the bed as she transitioned from detangling to skincare routine.
"Dante." She caught his gaze in the mirror's reflection and smiled. "You know Illyana has a self-brewed potion? She calls it her 'Limbo is Love' Special Potion."
He raised an eyebrow. "Knowing her, it has absolutely nothing to do with love."
"Nope." Gwen chuckled. "It's a healing potion. She let me have some after I got wrecked by the Spider-Queen… and I've been feeling a little different ever since. It's just—" She put the comb away and curled her fists. "Something is off-kilter in here. Can you run a Biokinesis check? Just wanna make sure I'm not growing spider legs or some crap like that."
It wasn't a surprise her sharp senses had started picking up the subtle changes already.
He walked to stand behind her and touched her shoulders. "I'll be honest with you. Gwen, whatever Spider-Queen did… it's making you evolve."
Her eyes widened in the reflection before a skeptical expression took over. "I'm not a Pokémon… or am I?"
"No, do you wanna be one?"
"Can I be Eevee or Pikachu?"
"Only spider-related ones like Spinarak or Joltik."
"That sucks." She let out a sigh. "Dante… What's gonna happen to me? Will I turn into someone else?"
The concept of evolution wasn't new to her since she was a Biology Major. Yet, the concept applying to herself made her feel lost.
He squeezed her shoulders. "Of course not. You'll grow stronger as an added bonus."
"Really?"
"Have I ever lied to you?"
"A couple of times," she said with a laugh. "But that's beside the point."
A portal hummed opened behind them, interrupting their conversation. Illyana strode authoritatively like the Demon Queen she was, dragging a man by a fistful of long black hair. She released her grip, and the man hit the floor face-first with a meaty thud that made Gwen flinch.
"Ouch!" Gwen hissed on reflex, wincing for the man in a show of sympathy. She got off the chair and moved next to Dante. "Yana, this is a violence-free zone. Any reason—"
"Look."
Illyana grabbed the man by his hair again and wrenched his head up. Red eyes glowed through the curtain of black hair. His pale skin resembled a corpse rather than a living human.
"He is setting off my spider-sense," Gwen said, crossing her arms. "Who is he?"
"A vampire," Dante answered in Illyana's stead. "Was he snooping around the building?"
Illyana slammed the man's face on the floor and stomped on his spine to stop him from moving. "He tried to bite me, but that was, let's say, he bit off more than he could chew."
Gwen chuckled at Illyana's terrible pun. "If he bites me, am I gonna turn?"
She sounded a bit excited about the possibility.
Dante pinched her side. "Being a vampire isn't all sunshine and rainbows."
"Okay, true. Relying on blood is a terrible weakness. I heard they also can't walk under the sun either. Can't fight crimes if I can only go out at nights. That'll suck big time."
"We can talk about your vampire fantasies later," Illyana said. "Dante, this guy is a problem. Not him exactly—"
"What he represents." Dante finished the sentence for her. "Not for me, though."
The vampire twisted on the ground, trying to break free of Illyana. "Let me go," he snarled. "You don't know the consequences of laying your hands on me. My lord will incinerate your kind."
Illyana tilted her head and burst out laughing. She found the vampire's threat delightfully hilarious.
"Your lord?" She wiped a tear from the corner of her eye and crouched down, raising the vampire's head to look him in the eye. "Bitch, I have minions that could kill you a million times over. Now, start talking before you become their next meal."
"Never." The vampire spat a glob of dark blood, which sizzled as it hit the floor. "Keep dreaming, bitch."
Illyana wasn't bothered by the insult. A stepping disc opened at her side, just large enough for a hand to reach through. From it, she drew the Soulsword.
"You think I'm joking?" Illyana asked in a calm voice as her eyes glowed golden with magical energy. "You think I can't banish your soul to Hell, a dimension so dark and lonely you'll spend eternity screaming into the void?"
The vampire fell silent, not daring to challenge Illyana's claim.
Dante walked to her back and touched her shoulder. "Illya, leave him to me."
Illyana paused and looked over her shoulder before nodding. "Don't kill him. I will make him regret questioning my words."
"Relax, he is a nobody. No point getting worked up over him."
He expanded his psychic senses and drilled into the vampire's mind. The vampire's name was Marcus and his mental defenses were laughable. Dante peeled through Marcus's mind. In seconds, he had read every second of Marcus's fifty years of life.
"So, Dracula sent you here."
The Vampire Lord had sent Marcus to keep an eye on the building. However, Marcus had grown impatient and wanted to sneak inside to see if he could drink any superhuman's blood. He couldn't resist after seeing these new superheroes all over the news.
Marcus's eyes flickered with shock before a vicious glint took over. The fury of a zealot whose god had been named by a heretic. He erupted from the floor in a frenzy, both of his hands reaching out for Dante's throat. In the next moment, his momentum stopped dead, his body swinging forward while his neck was locked in a grip.
Rather than strangling Dante, Marcus found his throat gripped by him instead. His feet dangled inches off the floor as he clawed at Dante's wrist.
"Keep my lord's name," Marcus growled, his red eyes filled with madness. "out of your pathetic mouth, you lowly human."
"Dumbass."
Dante tossed the vampire's corpse at Illyana's feet. "Now he is all yours."
He had originally considered sending Marcus back to Dracula with a simple 'Stay out of my business', but his mind had changed after reading Marcus's memories. Marcus had committed too many atrocities to deserve the mercy of being a messenger. Dante would've killed him on the spot if they weren't in Gwen's room. Gwen didn't need to see any brutality right now.
Illyana smiled in delight. "Limbo."
She whispered and her dimension obeyed. Disc portals bloomed behind her and then chains emerged and wrapped around Marcus's limbs.
"Nooo! Let me go!"
Illyana snapped her fingers, setting the chains on fire. Marcus screamed as his soul itself started to burn. A chain wrapped around Marcus's mouth, cutting off his screams. He wasn't allowed to writhe or scream as the chains dragged him into Limbo.
"Dante, is that the same Dracula the Ancient One mentioned?"
"Yeah. He wants something from Emma."
Illyana threw the sword up onto her shoulder like a delinquent carrying a baseball bat. "Be right back with Dracula's head."
She said it casually like she was stepping out for a walk.
He put a hand on her shoulder, stopping her from leaving. "I'll take care of him in two days."
He'd have left to kill Dracula right away if Death's authority didn't drain him as much as it did. No other power in his arsenal would guarantee Dracula's death. For the tasks tomorrow, he had to be in his best condition.
Besides, he still needed information about what exactly Dracula needed from Emma. He couldn't ask a headless corpse. And a fight between Magik and the Lord of Vampires would be a bloody disaster ending with destruction of a few blocks. Better he ended Dracula in a blink than let Illyana sink their already questionable reputation.
"That's fine with me." Illyana nodded. "I have this gut feeling Dracula is going after Darkhold again."
"He can search all he wants, but I doubt Darkhold is in this world."
If Phoenix took it with her, Darkhold was still most likely in her possession.
Gwen, who had been watching everything from his side, poked him in the ribs. "Back up for a minute. Are you talking about the Dracula? The Legendary Vlad?"
"His legend won't live for much longer," Illyana said. "He should not have messed with Death's husband."
Gwen blinked. "True… vampires don't seem much of a threat either. Symbiotes were a bigger headache."
She wasn't wrong. In the hierarchy of threats they had faced, vampires were just a nuisance. The average vampire was dangerous to civilians but fodder for anyone on their team. The real threat was Dracula himself. But based on everything Dante had pulled from Marcus's mind, the Lord of Vampires had no current plans to oppose him directly. This had been reconnaissance, not declaration of war. Dracula was probing and testing, waiting for a chance to talk to Emma.
Illyana crossed the room and turned off the television like it was bothering her. She turned to face them both, arms folded beneath her black sports bra. "The worst part isn't Dracula or his vampire lapdogs. It is him cooperating with Demons. We can't have him obeying those Hell-Lords."
"Relax, I'll get rid of him before that. He won't be a factor in our war against Hell."
Illyana nodded, satisfied with his answer. "Still… Protecting this world will be one hell of a mission."
"You're afraid?"
She laughed in response. "Mama didn't raise a bitch. If I'm gonna die, I'm taking every single one of those assholes down with me."
Gwen looped her arm through Dante's, pressing closer to his side. "With us here, Earth is in the right hands."
Illyana's lips curled into a sharp smile. "Sweet sentiment. But don't make it a habit to rely on him to protect you every time. It didn't work out today, did it?"
Gwen stiffened against his arm. Illyana's words had cut deeper than even she intended.
Dante shook his head. He was about to tell Illyana that protecting Gwen was something he would do willingly, endlessly, without complaint or resentment. But before he could say anything, Gwen squeezed his arm, glancing up at him with a resolute gaze.
"Second-year finals are done," she said with surprisingly calmness. "I'm pouring everything into training. Next time I won't get victimized."
Illyana gazed at Gwen with approval. "Don't forget the solo rule. You stay close to the team. If you're leaving Manhattan, you inform me or Dante."
Gwen pouted. "Who made you the second-in-command?"
"I'm the guardian around here. My strength qualifies me for the job." Illyana lifted her chin confidently. "You think you can take it from me?"
He knew his team lacked formal structure. They didn't have any hierarchy and chain of command either. Emma and Silvija were the most qualified candidates for second-in-command as both were brilliant strategists, both natural leaders, and both accustomed to managing organizations. But he couldn't burden either of them with that responsibility right now. Emma was barely holding herself together, and Silvija had her own empire demanding attention. He wasn't worried, though. Ororo would work just fine. She had the wisdom and guts to excel in the leadership role.
Gwen separated from him and cracked her knuckles like she was ready for a fight. "Just found my New Year's resolution for 2008: beat the Russian mean girl till she barks for me."
Illyana chucked, amused. "If you come for the queen, little spider, you best not miss."
"Good thing I've got Spidey-senses. I won't miss a shot."
Dante nudged Gwen. "Alright, that's enough rivalry for one night. We've got business in Limbo."