Marvel: Death Knight

In front of an ordinary house, an elderly man stepped out of a car, coughing. This was the same vehicle that had been pursued by Ghost Rider earlier.

"Master, are you all right?" Carrigan cautiously moved to help him.

Mephisto had never felt so humiliated. As a demon renowned for his mastery of schemes and manipulation, this was a rare and disgraceful setback. Ghost Rider, Johnny Blaze, was his own creation. To deal with his rebellious son, Blackheart, Mephisto had bound the Spirit of Vengeance to Johnny. While his goal had been achieved, Johnny had refused to relinquish the Spirit of Vengeance afterward. Now, it had become a weapon turned against him.

Carrigan, uneasy, asked, "Master, what should we do now?"

Originally a low-level gang leader, Carrigan had crossed paths with Ghost Rider while committing crimes. The Rider had slaughtered his men, and only Mephisto's intervention had spared Carrigan's life.

Mephisto fixed him with a penetrating gaze. "Do you desire power?"

"Yes," Carrigan answered without hesitation. He craved revenge but knew that, as an ordinary man, he was no match for someone like Ghost Rider. A mere touch from the Rider's chains could obliterate him.

Mephisto placed a hand on Carrigan's shoulder, channeling a dark, decaying energy into his body. When the transfer was complete, Mephisto's strength had diminished even further. This mortal vessel he inhabited was deteriorating rapidly and might fail him at any moment.

Carrigan felt a sudden thirst. He grabbed a glass of water and drank, only to spit it out immediately. His mouth tasted of rust. Stumbling to a mirror, he examined his reflection: pale skin, white hair, and a gaunt visage like a dying addict.

"Cough, cough!" Mephisto rasped. "This is the price of power."

Carrigan looked at the iron cup in his hand, now corroded with rust. Experimentally, he touched a potted flower near the window. Instantly, the plant withered and decayed.

"Hahaha! I have powers now!" Carrigan exclaimed, testing his abilities and leaving the room in disarray.

"Idiot," Mephisto snapped. "Don't waste the power I've given you. Once it's gone, it's gone." This mortal shell of his was nearing its limit. If he couldn't find a suitable host soon, he would be forced to slink back to the underworld in disgrace, a humiliation he couldn't afford in front of the other dimensional demon lords. "This body won't last. I need you to find me a suitable host. If I regain some strength, I can make you even more powerful."

Carrigan ceased his destruction and replied obediently, "Yes, Master!"

"Now, I want you to infiltrate S.H.I.E.L.D. and retrieve the Tesseract for me. With it, I can open a portal between Hell and Earth, allowing my full power to descend upon this world."

Originally, Mephisto had no desire to provoke an organization like S.H.I.E.L.D. But after his last confrontation with Ghost Rider, his followers who could restore his strength had been slaughtered. Recruiting new devotees in such a short time was impossible, and his remaining power wouldn't last long. He had no choice but to gamble.

"Once I have the Tesseract, the entire world will be mine. I will consume every soul in Valhalla." The mere mention of Valhalla—the Asgardian hall of the honored dead—made Mephisto's tone grow feverish with excitement.

For ages, Mephisto had desired access to Earth, not for its human souls, which were already his domain, but for the Valkyries in Valhalla. Absorbing their souls would elevate his power to unprecedented levels.

"Remember," Mephisto warned, "do not betray me. If you die and come to Hell, I will make you endure endless torment."

"Yes, Master. I will serve you with all my strength," Carrigan vowed. He didn't fully understand Mephisto's ambitions but knew that serving him was the only way to gain the power he desired—and perhaps even immortality. It didn't matter to Carrigan whether Mephisto was angel or demon.

The Tesseract, the Space Stone among the Infinity Stones, had been recovered decades ago by Howard Stark. It had been kept under S.H.I.E.L.D.'s protection ever since. How Mephisto had learned of it remained a mystery.

Elsewhere, Johnny Blaze mounted his motorcycle, now reverted to its original form, ready to leave. He needed to find a new place to stay.

Before he could depart, Garus placed a hand on the bike's handlebars. "Johnny, let me join you in finding Mephisto and sending him back to Hell. How about staying at my place?"

"I still can't control the Spirit of Vengeance within me," Johnny replied, declining Garus's offer. "It's safer if I'm alone. I don't want to hurt innocent people who've only made small mistakes." Over the years, he had grown accustomed to solitude.

Garus recalled that Ghost Rider could peer into a person's soul and judge their past deeds. Even minor transgressions could result in death and the loss of their soul.

In Hell's Kitchen, most of Kingpin's men were hardened criminals. Garus couldn't afford for Ghost Rider to kill them all.

"Then let's exchange phone numbers. If you find Mephisto, contact me."

...

Meanwhile.

"Aunt May, I won't be coming home tonight," Peter Parker said hesitantly over the phone. He glanced nervously at Director Fury and Agent Hill, unsure how to explain his impending absence for several days.

Agent Hill took the phone from him. "Hello, I'm Peter's teacher, Maria Hill. He's participating in an important academic competition and will be staying at school to prepare. We've arranged accommodations for him."

Aunt May, hearing the unfamiliar voice, asked suspiciously, "What kind of competition, and how long will it last?"

"Uh, Aunt May, it'll be about a week. I promise to bring home a big award," Peter said, quickly taking the phone back. "Goodnight, Aunt May!" He hung up before she could ask more questions.

Fury quipped, "Parker, are you scared of your aunt?"

"No, I just hate hearing her worry. Since Uncle Ben died, she's had a tough time..." Peter began but was interrupted by Hill.

"Enough, Spiderling. Time to start your training. If you want to be an Avenger, you have a lot to learn." She turned and left.

Fury patted Peter on the back. "Go on. Someone will help you from here."

Peter hurried after Hill, hesitating before asking, "Agent Hill, will I really get a monthly paycheck?"

Hill's mood lightened at his question. "Of course, as long as you train properly. There will be plenty of criminals for you to handle in the future."

Months ago, Coulson had approached Peter, inviting him to join S.H.I.E.L.D. Only recently, when Peter learned Aunt May had lost her job and their finances were strained, did he accept the offer.

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