This time, would Bul-Kathos's blade still be as steady?
This was Leah's last chance for redemption. If her soul was shattered here, it would be the end.
Far behind them, Johnny Blaze lost the trail. His skeletal head scanned in all directions, trying to find a trace of Danny. But it was impossible. The power of Sin operated on a level far beyond his own.
However, he found something else interesting.
The direction led toward New York. Toward S.H.I.E.L.D.
"Ms. Liz Sherman, are you satisfied now?"
Nick Fury's face was grim as he looked at Liz. Beside him was Hellboy—Anu—who had just been wheeled out of the lab.
"Boy!"
Liz didn't answer Fury. She didn't even acknowledge Dum Dum Dugan, who was puffing on a cigar. She threw herself into Hellboy's arms.
"Cough! Liz... what happened?"
Hellboy woke with a start. A normal person wouldn't have regained consciousness so soon after surgery, but his half-demon physiology gave him incredible resilience. The painful memories were beginning to flood back.
"Dammit! That Ghost Rider!"
His horns instantly regrew to their full length, and a crown of hellfire erupted around his head.
The Lords of Hell had all become fodder for Baal. To a Prime Evil, their petty fragments of authority were meaningless. Now, those orphaned fragments were gravitating toward Hellboy—the heir to the bloodline of Hell's royalty.
"Ghost Rider? You mean Johnny Blaze?" Fury asked, ignoring the rising heat radiating from Hellboy. His voice had a way of forcing people to stay calm.
Hellboy's eyes flashed gold before he regained control. His blood was half-demon, but it was also half-human—descended from a legendary king. The blood of King Arthur was helping him stabilize.
"That guy was hit by a hammer, and the next second, he started a massacre! He didn't use that 'Penance Stare'—he used waves of unlucky black fire to burn everyone he saw into ash!" Hellboy said, his voice dripping with hatred.
His power leaked out, causing everyone in the room to think of the person they hated most. The Authority of Hell was taking effect.
"Anu!" Fury shouted, using Hellboy's true name to snap him out of it.
In a secret location, the real Nick Fury began to sweat. He was a veteran with a will of iron, but this was something else.
"I've received a 'gift' from Hell? No... it's not a gift. It's an inheritance," Hellboy muttered in shock.
Hell had been drained of all its nutrients by the Burning Hells. The Hell of this world was dead—a lifeless husk sacrificed to feed the Prime Evils.
"What did you say?" Fury asked, bewildered. He had only just accepted that Heaven and Hell existed, and now he was being told Hell had left a "will."
"Even Hell can die?" Dugan asked nonchalantly. The existence of Hell meant nothing to him. An old soldier didn't worry about where he went after he died; he only worried about the mission.
"I think we need some professional help," Fury whispered. He wondered where he could find someone capable of investigating a dead Hell. He looked at Hellboy, who was still holding Liz.
"Boy, forget about that for now. We need revenge!" Liz grabbed Hellboy's burning horns, forcing him to look at her. Her own emotions were causing flames to lick around her body.
"The power that Ghost Rider had... it was terrifying, Liz. My body is shaking. I'm afraid," Hellboy admitted. Even though his power now felt greater than the Rider's, he couldn't suppress the primal fear.
"You aren't afraid. No matter what monster you faced in the past, you never flinched!" Liz pressed her nose against his.
Hellboy's temperature began to drop. At this moment, he was the Hell of this world. He was finally qualified to master all the power within him. He could even manifest a human appearance now.
The powers of Satanish, Nightmare, and Prince Lucifer had all been absorbed into him. He was no longer just a "Baron." He was the seed of a new Hell.
"I'm honored, Liz. You've never given me a positive review before."
Hellboy's red skin faded, and his massive frame shrunk. Even his stone Right Hand of Doom receded to a normal human size. His horns flattened against his skull, hidden by newly grown hair. He looked seventy percent like his old self, but outwardly, he was now a man. As long as he wore a glove, he could walk among humans.
"Pain brings growth, as long as it doesn't drive you mad first," Dugan said, removing his cigar.
"Now, let's find some allies. We need more strength," Hellboy said, a spark of cunning in his eyes. He had inherited more than just power from those fallen Lords of Hell.
"Who are you planning to ask?" Fury asked hopefully.
"Captain America. And the Barbarians we fought with in London. They're strong, and they're reliable," Hellboy said. He pulled Liz closer.
A human couldn't easily be with a half-demon—not because of the "monster" aspect, but because they couldn't do normal things. They couldn't walk down the street, hold hands in a jewelry store, or have a quiet dinner in a restaurant. Now, they could. Hellboy could finally control Liz's volatile powers.
"Are you two coming to our wedding? The Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the leader of the Howling Commandos?" Hellboy asked with newfound grace. "My father won't be there, and I'd hate for the guest list to be empty."
He stroked Liz's hair. The B.P.R.D. was gone; it was just the two of them now. Two lonely monsters didn't have to be lonely forever.
"I'll find the time. A S.H.I.E.L.D. jet is always ready to fly," Fury said, turning to leave. He pulled Agent Hill aside as they reached the corner.
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