Author's note:Fun, fun, fun. Turns out that the day after I posted the last updates, my second week of midterms/defenses began. Both at once, and I had forgotten. It was a fucking gruesome week, but finally, it's behind me. Hopefully with good grades.
Now, the funny part. I had to make a transformer for an electromagnetism class, all good and dandy, right? Easy, some might say.
The motherfucker BURNED from the inside out. Fucking fun.
That's a damn zero on one of the most important grades of the damn semester. It's a goddamn miracle that the dude felt magnanimous enough to offer to duplicate a future grade from a small motor we'll make during the last week of November. But damn, I'm irritated, stressed, and genuinely pissed off.
Now, good news, and real news. I'm finally done with the most pressing shit for at least a month. God knows I need a break from uni... Or life, probably.
Hope you guys enjoy the chapter. See you all in a couple of days.
Disclaimer: All characters depicted in this story are eighteen years of age or older. Any sexual content involves only consenting adults. This is a work of fiction.
A Marvelous Devil.
Chapter 74: One Last Piece.
Dante Andromalius.
Three days later.
"And here I thought I was the eons-old demon, the expert manipulator." I smiled, letting out a soft laugh as the girls created mayhem in the kitchen.
Tandy just giggled, puffing out her chest with that little smirk of hers as she continued mixing some stuff in a bowl.
Rogue and Jean looked guilty for a second.
"Is it truly manipulation?" Rogue tried to defend their actions. "We're just trying to help her."
My smirk widened even further as Jean gaped at the goth.
"That's what I always say, my dear." I nodded proudly, happy that they were starting to see things my way.
They glared at me before Jean decided to show her maturity by throwing a glob of dough in my direction. Future leader of the X-men my pert ass.
The sound of a video kept playing on a loop from Tandy's phone.
"So, talk me through it, because I'm genuinely stumped." I shook my head, sighing as I finished my morning tea.
Snapping my fingers, a matching apron materialized in front of me as Jean smiled cutely before helping me tie it up.
"Well, while Wanda has been enjoying the very good food we've been taking her during our visits, Rogue thought we could do something a little more meaningful," Jean smiled softly. "Since they've known each other longer, our adorable friend here thought of some Romani foods for her. She was young, sure, but we hope she likes them and they bring nice memories."
I nodded, pecking her on the cheek before I did the same with Rogue and finished with Tandy.
"So, what are we making?" I asked curiously, looking at the genuine mess.
I couldn't imagine being a normal mortal without magic. Just thinking of cleaning all this by hand almost made me shiver worse than when I decided that we were going to pull a fast one on such a scary bastard.
"Well, as Jean said, Wanda's childhood was inside a Romani community before she and Pietro were forced to run away. And instead of buying something, I looked for ideas online for things she should have eaten when she was with her family."
I nodded calmly. We had been visiting Wanda for hours every day, almost the entire time she was awake, in truth. And she had been pretty candid with how… shitty her life had been.
But it also showed something about her that I truly liked. She didn't let that stop the fire inside her soul. It had marked her, as it would every other mortal in her situation, but she was firm in her belief that things would one day be better. Even if she had to do it alone.
She didn't expect a group of devils to be the ones carrying the answer, but again, who would be?
"I looked for comfort food, focusing on simple dishes even small households would make." Tandy pointed at the ingredients. "We're making some Sarma. Jean and Rogue will focus on Bogad and something called Pufe, if they can manage." She smirked in their direction.
The other two looked just as competitive in return.
"Devious, my light." I tickled her sides, getting a soft titter from her as she nodded. "But I know none of you are master chefs."
Tandy blushed slightly, looking away.
"I may have asked Mom for some advice," she smiled before pouting. "It's a shame she can't come here."
She looked a bit upset at that.
I sighed, taking her hand. "I love my mother, love, but you know neither she nor Hadrian are ready to know about this. They are happy with their lives in the underworld, and there's no need to worry them about this."
"I know," she sighed. "Maybe I'll take her into the human world back home. She needs to get out more, Dante. She practically lives in the castle and rarely visits the town!"
Rogue nodded, smiling almost excitedly. "That could work. We could take her to Italy!"
"Absolutely not," I deadpanned. "I don't want to have to invade heaven because they attacked my mother. Pick a country that isn't infested by idiots."
"Ah." She nodded apologetically.
"But I would be grateful if you do." I began following the instructions in the video while helping Tandy, watching out of the corner of my eye as Jean read something on her phone, then nodded to herself and started pouring an unhealthy amount of oil into a pot. "I think Celestine would enjoy it a lot. She's still not believing she can let go and enjoy her life to the fullest without any care."
Rogue nodded excitedly.
"And how are you finding these recipes?" I asked as Jean returned her focus to the phone.
"Ah, I asked Kurt!" she laughed. "Did you know he was part of a circus growing up?"
Then she stopped, chuckling. "Of course you do; forget I asked. The point is that he visited many countries, he knows a lot of different cultures, and he's advising me over messages. The Pufe is a bit more complicated than what Rogue is making."
She smirked as Rogue huffed. "But we couldn't risk having the firefighters coming here if she messed up."
The goth blushed, entirely ignoring the fact that we could deal with a pesky fire in an instant. She was cute like that.
The next few minutes were spent cooking in a companionable silence, laughing at the messes and mistakes of every single one of us, me included, created.
There was a reason why Tandy always mocked me when she remembered the dish I had made for her from scratch. I had to immolate that apron.
But this time it was honestly more complicated than last time. Wrapping meat, rice, vegetables, and so many condiments in such a flimsy leaf was not for the weak. I was almost tempted to use cosmic power to increase its properties just a bit, but the girls wouldn't let me hear the end of it.
And really, there was something… genuine about the attempt. The disastrous, kind of charming attempt to make something nice for someone else without having a clue how to do it.
"You think she'll like it?" Rogue looked embarrassed at the supposed bread in front of her.
"She'll love it," I tried to assuage her worries, knowing that Wanda would find their efforts adorable even if it didn't taste or feel as good as a properly made one.
Jean had the widest smirk I had ever seen on her face because her Pufe was the most pleasant-looking of the three dishes.
Something she didn't wait to gloat over. I was tempted to curse it with bad taste just to fuck with her before remembering that I wasn't that much of an asshole even back when I was Seere. I could see why Anna wanted to sock the poor redhead back in the past every once in a while.
So, I just rolled my eyes and focused on the strange, warm feeling inside my chest.
I couldn't lie. I was immensely proud of their actions; it was a masterstroke of manipulation without them even trying. The girls didn't have any evil intentions, nor did I, for that matter, but the result was exactly the same. Hell, their pure intentions were exactly what made it work so perfectly. I was a damn good teacher if they were already showing this kind of cunning. And I wasn't even trying.
"By the way..." Tandy looked at me from where she was stuffing the plates into a bag, then made a magic circle envelop them to keep them heated. "What did you find out about the thief?"
"Attempted theft," I corrected amusedly. "It was just an idiotic mortal who has some magical trinkets. He thinks he's much hotter than he is."
"Oh? Magical artifacts?" Rogue asked curiously.
"Idiot tried to enter the café with some kind of invisibility and levitation to avoid leaving traces, but the wards marked him as entirely human. I would pay to see a video of him when he realized he bit on something much more protected than he thought. I'm wondering if I should throw Fisk at him to see how it ends. Why get an attack dog if not to use him?"
"Dante," Jean looked at me reproachfully.
"What? You want me to let him attempt to rob me and not do anything?" I rolled my eyes. "That would make every idiot think that they can pull that shit without any consequences."
"But still… Fisk? You make this other man sound like he's barely enhanced at all," she sighed, looking hesitant. "And you just enhanced Fisk's forces significantly."
"Play stupid games, win stupid prizes." I shrugged uncaringly. "Who knows, maybe Fisk manages to grab him under his forces and keeps him under control, or he surprises me, and I grab him for myself and he can pay me back personally. Do you understand how idiotic you have to be to attempt to steal from the very obvious seat of power of someone who has these many magical tomes when the idiot is barely above a human?"
"So… a dumbass," Tandy snorted.
"A particularly greedy one at that." I chuckled. "But I'll think about it later. We should go and focus on my beautiful peerage's first steps into devilhood."
The girls blushed cutely before nodding nervously.
They were adorable. I hoped Wanda would appreciate them as I thought she would.
Tandy lifted the bag onto her shoulder with a tiny, proud grin.
Dante Andromalius.
Two hours later.
"Be completely honest, Wanda… Did you like it?" Rogue asked nervously, almost shifting in her seat as she looked at the almost expressionless woman in front of us.
She was immaculate despite having eaten so damn much. Even my girls looked slightly bloated.
It had been a good first attempt. That's all I could say about the dishes.
Celestine had corrupted my girls as much as I had, which was admittedly hilarious. They were just as bad as her at calculating portions.
The olive-skinned woman's face didn't change as she rested her glance on Rogue, then Jean, and finally Tandy.
Then a genuine, beautiful smile took its place.
"I loved it, really." She sighed, patting her stomach. "It meant a lot. More so because it's obvious you guys did it yourselves."
"It was hard work." I nodded.
The girls glared at me as Wanda snorted in amusement. "Yes, the fact that an ancient, reality-hoping demon even helped probably made it taste even better."
"I'm glad you understand how big of a deal it is." I lifted my chin, smirking widely. "You have no idea how much I had to go through for my kitchen to remain in usable conditions. These three are a damn hazard, I tell you."
Wanda giggled. "I can imagine that. You should have seen Anna's last attempt at making some instant noodles back with the Brotherhood. Mystique threw a fit when she realized she used oil instead of water."
We all turned to look at the gaping goth, my lover looking at Wanda with so much betrayal for airing her dirty laundry.
"Oh, you want to talk about messes?" she raised an eyebrow. "Like when you used avocado for the dessert?"
It was the wrong thing to say, as Wanda started smirking proudly.
"It tasted good, bitch." She raised her chin just as I had done.
"Only because of your bullshit powers!" Rogue responded heatedly, rising from her seat.
Oh my. Someone struck a nerve.
The girls burst into laughter at that.
"You don't have any proof of that! I can't even control my power," Wanda said after her laughter ended. She even wiped her eye from a stray tear.
"Speaking of that, did it work?" I asked curiously.
The Romani redhead turned to look at me, her face lit up with happiness as she nodded.
"It's the best answer I've gotten, like… ever!" she said. "Better than Xavier's usual 'focus, Wanda, you control your power. It doesn't control you'."
Jean scowled in disgust at that.
Wanda looked down at her lap before glancing at Tandy in growing amusement.
"Did you really knock him out?"
"Technically, he did it to himself because he's a voyeur," Tandy chuckled, "but he got better."
"And it showed us how much of an idiot he is," Jean said darkly.
Seeing that, Wanda surprised all of us by standing up and grabbing Jean's hand.
"I know it's not the same, but I get what you've gone through," she said softly.
"It's more similar than anything else, though." I shrugged. "Chthon might not be as… imminently dangerous as Nova's situation, but he has the potential to become even worse in the long run because he is an irredeemably evil cunt."
Wanda took a seat between the girls.
Tandy grinned behind her hand as she pulled out some beverages for all of us.
"What does he want with me? Why me?" Wanda asked. "And why exactly are you here, Dante?"
She smiled at my light in thanks and slurped on the slushie. Her eyes went wide, and she moaned in appreciation.
"Hm." I looked at her curiously before nodding. "He marked you for a reason. Beings like us don't do things just because, Wanda. But considering how potent your power is from the blessing he put on you… I have a very good feeling I understand what he wants."
She raised an eyebrow.
"I called you a vessel because that's the best way to name what I believe is happening. He has molded you and will continue to do so until he can possess your body to interact with this dimension. Chthon wasn't always evil," I said seriously. "Now, I never paid that much attention to this planet back when I was Seere. The cosmos is big, and I had better things to focus on back when this place was formed."
"I can imagine," she replied dryly, still in shock from the truths we had told her.
We hadn't hidden anything from her.
I chuckled at her.
"Eh…" I frowned, trying to parse through the very distant memory of that time.
It had been… a long time since then, and I was telling the truth. I had looked very little around this place.
"Elder Gods were like the first big deal that came from this planet. Stronger than your normal god by a large margin, including the light bright himself when we don't count his connection with the even brighter light bulb."
I scowled at nothing, still… salty? As the girls called it.
About the bastard intervening with my fight with Yahweh. I was fucking winning, damn it!
The girls smirked mockingly at that, having enjoyed the story much more than I expected.
They were masochists when it came to me. Was it some kind of response to the bullshit I pulled every so often?
Nah. It couldn't be. They were just weird.
"They were in or around my previous level. Some significantly above me, some lower, but those didn't survive for long. And their metaphysical weight was a lot more nuanced than the normal demon or even gods." I nodded to myself before looking at them. "Eh, point is, they had a civil war or something along those lines. That forced those who turned evil to either be destroyed or flee this earthly dimension, curtailing their presence in the physical world. Chthon, being one of the stronger Elder Gods, managed to flee, but he was never powerless. And you, my dear, are one of the keys to his return. If I am right."
"And what do you suggest? You didn't answer why exactly you are here," she said blankly.
I grinned approvingly.
"Chthon is not a problem that will fix itself. You are marked, and one day, he will come for you. He's a problem for everyone… but we can prepare for it." I chuckled darkly. "And all you need to do is become mine. Be a part of my peerage."
"Quite blunt of you, Mr. Fair Demon," Wanda grunted.
"I find that honesty works best. I want you, Wanda. I want you to be part of our group." I shrugged. "And yes, that means that you would be tethered to me in all ways that matter. My enemies would be your enemies, as yours would be mine. You would have a family that would do anything in their power to help you fulfill your desires."
"Hm," she hummed quietly, watching as the girls waited for her answer with bated breath.
"Is this because of your rating game?" She lowered her head just slightly, her green eyes focused on her hands. "You want me for my power, just as Chthon does."
"I do." I shrugged. "There's no point in hiding that from you. As you might have noticed, that's not my style. And while the rating game is a pressing issue, I found myself really enjoying your presence, just like the girls. I honestly expected you to be a bit more deranged when Jean told me about your situation."
Wanda glared at Jean, who looked sheepish before they both burst into giggles.
"I do prefer the honesty," she sighed tiredly. "At least it is a path forward instead of just deciding to kill me because of what I represent."
"I thought of it," I shrugged honestly. "You are a problem. But you also represent an opportunity. Chthon created a weapon. And at the same time, he created the best counter against himself."
It was a similar situation to Jean. Pragmatism mixed with greed mixed with tactical planning.
... Mostly greed, probably. I was self-aware enough to say it.
"And I just have to join you?" she asked quietly before raising her head and fixing me with a hard look. "How can I know you won't throw me to the side when things get difficult, Dante?"
"Does it look like he's the kind of man who does that, Wanda?" Tandy came to my defense... or something. "And you have a very big advantage, you know?"
Wanda looked at my light in confusion.
Tandy stood up, walked in front of Wanda, and looked her up and down before putting her hands on Wanda's shoulders.
"You're a very gorgeous witch!" Tandy cackled as the other three girls deadpanned in her direction.
But there was a slight dusting on Wanda's cheeks as she looked at me in askance.
My light turned serious a moment later. "Also, believe me that we will be united against Dante. We will form a union to keep the asshole in check!"
Jean and Rogue nodded firmly at that.
"We decided to call it DMC." Rogue looked at me with thinned lips.
Jean just nodded, patting Wanda sympathetically, "The Dante Management Committee."
Wanda looked at them in disbelief before turning in my direction almost mechanically.
I just shrugged with an innocent smile. They were exaggerating... I wasn't that bad.
Chthon's vessel looked like she wasn't sure if she was doing the right thing, but she sighed in amusement, giving a small nod that she stopped as her eyes sharpened.
"Would you still help me if I didn't want to join you?" she asked shrewdly.
I smiled gently at her.
"Of course. As long as you could pay for it, Wanda. I'm a demon, my dear, not a charity." I chuckled. "But if you join me? Then your problems become mine, and I take care of what's mine. And I expect you to do the same."
"Besides, you're just acting as if you don't believe you'd fall for my charms eventually. We're just reaching the inevitable conclusion a bit faster. And I'd have to suffer through Rogue's and Jean's pouts if I left you hanging," I grinned at her.
Wanda's cheeks reddened.
"Dastardly pretty boy," she scowled before laughing in disbelief.
Heh. I knew she liked confident men. She couldn't hide it from me.
"Ah. I'm going to hell but fuck it. Whatever. I'm in," she groaned in disgust, smiling as the girls clapped excitedly. "You better be as much of a big deal as you claim to be."
And my grin widened, already planning our next move and who would be able to help us.
I missed my teacher quite a bit.
"You'll love your new family, Wanda," I put my hand on her shoulder, "even when you'll want to kill me when training starts."
Her eyes widened as she glanced in my light's direction, having heard about what Tandy called 'The First Suffering'.
With caps. Tandy was quite adamant about that.
She swallowed thickly.
I burst out laughing at how she went pale before I focused on Kamar-Taj. "No take backsies, Scarlet Witch."
Canceling my clan trait, I winked at the camera that could now see us in the corner of the room as the alarms started blaring.
Jean was quite a petty bitch when it came to Xavier, and I was more than glad to make her happy.
I wondered what they would think when they checked the recordings.
The girls joined in the show, just as Jean had asked, throwing peace signs in the direction of the camera with matching grins. Wanda surprised all of us as she kissed my cheek before waving mockingly.
She was just as fiery as the rest of them. And she was pissed with her father, who hadn't visited once ever since she was forced into this place. The only one who did was her twin, and Wanda was as petty toward him for his overbearing ways.
They were a riot. But I wouldn't complain. After all, what's the worst thing that could happen?
Kamar-Taj, Nepal.
Dante Andromalius.
"Ah, come on." I rolled my eyes playfully before asking the fuming Wanda, "Can you even blame Tandy for wanting to save this moment for the future?"
She was glaring murder at Tandy as the three other devils cooed over her phone, where a photo of the blushing witch could be seen.
"I just didn't expect a phone to be shoved in my face." She stomped her foot on the cobbled ground before sighing, looking around in wonder. "Where are we, by the way?"
"This is Kamar-Taj, Miss Maximoff," a very calm voice came from behind us. "Though I can't say I expected you to walk inside these walls this early in the timeline."
A genuine smile grew on my face as I turned to face my teacher.
"Yao," I nodded. "You look as radiant as ever. You shine as much as the sun itself, my dear."
"Dante," she deadpanned. "And you're as irritating as ever, and a thorn in my side I regret welcoming since the very first day."
I clutched my chest with a grimace before laughing, giving her a quick check with my senses to see how much the ring had advanced.
She was still getting cleansed of Dormammu's taint by the day, and the ring kept a lid on the stench from the Dark Dimension. It wasn't over yet, but a very good portion of it had been sealed inside the trinket.
I was getting excited about that, because it was a very important part of my plans moving forward.
"What do you mean, lady?" Wanda asked curiously.
"Hm." Yao ignored me like the petty, cruel teacher she was, walking toward Wanda and observing her curiously.
I could feel her magic analyzing the makeshift ward I had put around the mark.
"We wouldn't have met, dear. I would have been dead for a long time if that future even happened. But you would have laid waste to my order in your anger before you were stopped," she said in the same gentle voice she always used.
Wanda looked stricken at that.
"Really, teacher?" Tandy pouted at her.
"I believe Dante is correct in something, Tandy. As absurd as that is," Yao sighed. "But perhaps honesty is the best path forward. And with his involvement, I can't see what the future has planned for us. Maybe we will be able to have something better."
"She's quite talented thanks to He-who-must-not-be-named," I chuckled before letting out a light groan.
I hated what Tandy had done to me... And now she had more aides.
"That, too. She always had the potential to take my place at some point. Not that I can tell considering how much chaos you cause, my dear student," Yao said softly, patting my head as if I were a child.
My eyebrow twitched in irritation, something she noticed because her lips quirked just slightly.
"You can see the future?" Wanda asked quietly. "Did Chthon win?"
Yao's eyes softened as she looked at the defeated Wanda.
She let out a big breath. "The future is ever-changing, Wanda Maximoff. Now more than ever because of… out-of-context variables."
She glanced at the rest of the group almost fondly. "But yes, the probability had always existed. He could win, he could lose, everything is possible. In some futures, you destroyed Chthon itself by your lonesome, only to take your anger out on the rest of existence. In others, you became one of the strongest defenders of reality. You shouldn't focus too much on what's to come, lest you forget to enjoy what is happening."
"Easier said than done," Wanda sighed.
"That is the beauty of life, my dear." Yao patted her cheek firmly. "But now, it is your decision to take the first step into your chosen path."
"And is it the correct path?"
Yao showed her all the wisdom she had accumulated in her somewhat long life as a mortal.
She shrugged her fucking shoulders.
I snorted at that.
"If it makes you feel better, Wanda, if the worst possible outcome happens, you won't get very far," I said gently.
"But how can you even be sure of that?!" she asked angrily.
"We would probably be forced to put you down?" I looked at her strangely before shrugging. "Don't get me wrong, my dear. I like you enough to give it my all to help you, but I wouldn't hesitate to end you if the worst possible outcome starts happening. I will make sure it won't reach that point, but I have a feeling you prefer to hear this assurance straight from my mouth."
Wanda shook her head in disbelief even as Tandy smacked the back of my head with a cute scowl.
"Do you have to be so blunt, Dante?" Rogue groaned into her hand.
"It does make me feel a bit better," Wanda said quietly.
I glared at Tandy before smacking her ass in vengeance. "See?! I know what to say. You should trust your lover more, Tandy. I'm disappointed."
Wanda giggled at the byplay, relaxing a fair bit. Tandy's eyes didn't stop twitching, though.
"So, what do you think, Yao? You know why I'm here." I looked at the shiny baldheaded woman.
She smacked my shoulder, huffing when she realized where I was focusing.
Heh. I had truly missed her. Maybe one day she would be able to visit home.
"You're a juvenile despite claiming to be so ancient," Yao rolled her eyes.
"Not even twenty here, you bitter old hag," I retorted with a shit-eating grin.
Her eyes twitched badly at that.
"What are your intentions?" Yao asked after a moment.
"Avoid what happened to Jean, mostly," I winced.
She looked at me in confusion as I motioned toward the seat inside the most secure room in Kamar-Taj.
"When I reincarnated her, the big bird took hold of the connection between Nova and Jean." I rubbed the back of my head. "I knew it was a risk, but thankfully I only felt curiosity and approval from it. But she piggybacked their connection to reach us."
Yao's eyes widened at that. "Truly?"
"Admittedly, we were in the closest place in my world to other realities. But the fact that it's possible to follow the trail is something I want to avoid, especially considering that Wanda's… patron is not as benign, nor has a semblance of a good relationship with me."
Yao bit her thumb, observing Rogue and Jean.
"I believe congratulations are in order, dears. I noticed the differences as soon as I laid eyes on you two, but I didn't want to impose. I hope you don't regret latching onto this foolish student of mine." She smiled thinly.
The girls blushed a bit before shaking their heads in unison.
"It is hard sometimes," Jean sighed theatrically. "But I can't say we regret it. He's like… like a bad rash, yeah."
She nodded proudly and Rogue joined her after laughing at the comparison.
"A very bad rash. Impossible to get rid of."
"That is called roguish charm, you ungrateful brats," I scoffed.
Wanda looked between us as if we were the most interesting tennis match in the world.
Then I grimaced genuinely. Tandy was a bad influence on me, sitting me down to watch boring mortal sports for no reason. I knew she didn't even enjoy them as much as when she was a normal human, but she loved the pain they caused to my very soul.
"And attracting something like Chthon there…" Yao shook her head firmly.
"Exactly. While there is something truly strange with the cosmology in my new home, they aren't prepared at all to deal with that. No. I need a way to avoid that completely."
"Then I fear you came to the wrong place, student." Yao shrugged.
I frowned.
"But I know who could help… if you manage to convince her." She winced a moment later.
Groaning into my hand, I glared at Yao, who smiled in amusement.
I had wanted to avoid dealing with them this time.
"I don't want to deal with the other two. Her son irritates me," I grunted.
"I believe he thinks the same of you, Dante." She nodded. "But you are in luck. She had been expecting this opportunity."
The girls looked between us in confusion.
"She will behave, then? If not, I'll take Wanda alone," I said firmly.
"It was an open invitation. I believe she's quite curious about your… peerage."
Fucking hell. This was going to be fun.
Before stepping through the portal Yao had created, I glared into the far corner of the room, feeling the stench of D'Spayre's wrathful energy.
Oh… the time was getting closer. Bastard was living on borrowed time.
Later.
The Temple of the Three.
Yao finished her chant as a blindingly white light formed in front of us, taking the shape of a woman with no noticeable physical characteristics. They changed with every passing second, and the girls winced in pain as their heads throbbed in her presence.
"I expect some politeness from someone of your station, Oshtur," I said in a blank tone.
Her holiness retreated enough so that my girls could open their eyes without pain.
"My apologies, Fair One." She dipped her head just slightly as she glanced at every single member of my group.
I wasn't surprised she knew that. There was a reason people called her omniscient.
She wasn't, obviously, but she was perhaps one of the most knowledgeable beings from Earth.
"The Light Force avatar. A mortal capable of using Cosmic Power without losing her soul, and the Avatar of the Phoenix." She smiled in a motherly way at my peerage. "You have taken a lot of potential from this planet."
Then she looked at Wanda.
"And now you attempt to take someone marked by my brother."
"I have an eye for interesting mortals, yes." I nodded. "But I don't think you would waste the little time you have on this earthly plane on questions you don't truly care about when your doom could learn of your presence at any moment."
"As long as I don't plan on remaining permanently, I have some leeway, Fair One," she responded calmly. "I know what you seek, and I am capable of doing it. But I require something in return."
Hm. That was very interesting information that wasn't in the books I had read in Kamar-Taj. They mentioned that the beast would attack all of them bar Gaea without hesitation, no matter their allegiances.
But then again, books about their conflict were sparse, and most of them looked very subjective.
"Name your price." I waved her off.
"There is a war…" she began.
"Think very carefully about who I am, Oshtur," I interrupted her, focusing intently on her.
She had a small grin on her face.
"Did your annoying son put you up for that?" I scoffed. "I can't imagine what it is to be stuck with someone like him at all times."
She let out a peal of laughter, not sounding offended in the slightest. "He does take his responsibilities quite seriously, I'll admit. But yes, he wanted your service for that, even when Hoggoth and I didn't deem it necessary."
"And then you ask why I didn't want him here." I glanced in Yao's direction.
She just sighed.
"What I have planned fits our goals similarly, and it's nothing but advantageous for both of our groups. I expect someone as wise as you can see the opportunity Wanda here represents," I said.
"Indeed, and I am also quite curious about the process itself." She smiled. "I will aid you, as long as you owe me a single intervention on Earth against a major mystical threat, excluding the one you are already planning."
I deadpanned at her.
"And people say demons are the cutthroat ones," I mocked the blinding woman.
She just tittered amusedly.
"Talk," I told her.
"I fear my brother is not the only one remaining," she said simply.
By Seere. Two Elder Gods with one stone. Conniving creature. Holy my perfect ass.
I would need to prepare to beat the shit out of a champion or a cult following the other evil Elder God. At least that was much more manageable than stepping up against the beings themselves. If I had been a mortal force of good, I was sure I'd end up being forced to fight against their real manifestations, with the shitty luck all goody-two-shoes seemed to have.
Eh... no matter. This planet was amusing most of the times, and my girls were fond of their home. I'd probably step in if I were to learn something was happening, and the girls would do it without a second thought.
"You can clearly see that I am not ready to destroy someone like you, Oshtur. What are you asking?"
"Oh no, I don't expect you to." She waved her hand through the air. "We just want your aid to thwart one of their plans if it ever comes to it. Quite a fair deal, no? I also want to watch the process of your work."
I looked at Wanda, who looked worried about my silence, and closed my eyes.
It was fucking worth it. Truly, and it wasn't my lower head thinking despite Wanda's striking beauty.
Wanda would be a key to many of my plans, making them possible far faster than I expected. And that wasn't even mentioning what she herself brought to the table.
"You have my word. Call, and I will answer." I nodded firmly.
There was no need for tricks between beings like us. I understood what she was asking; she understood my limits and stipulations.
We would both honor the agreement exactly as it was intended, because we both wanted the same thing.
She smiled placidly.
Wanda almost slumped from where she was.
"Come here, child." Oshtur beckoned to the Romani.
She walked timidly towards the Elder Goddess.
"My brother has caused you much pain. I hope doing this will lessen the suffering of your future." She put her hand on Wanda's forehead.
A blindingly white light fell from the very sky, and a fissure connecting to a distant dimension filled with power opened, wrapping even more energy around Wanda's own connection with Chthon.
It wasn't broken. None of us wanted that to happen, but Chthon would feel a false but logical progression of his mark until the time came for him to act. It just gave us the maximum amount of time it would take instead of him noticing something was wrong before we were ready.
Oshtur looked at me with those glowing eyes, and I stepped forward.
"I trust that you will keep your word," she said simply before handing me the sole control over the veil around Chthon's mark.
I knew enough to recognize that she hadn't put a trap or even a way to control it herself. Not even a way to monitor it, despite Agamotto's very obvious attempt to do exactly that. She had destroyed it without a second thought.
Fucking pest.
"And you have earned my tentative trust." I nodded before pulling my last Bishop piece from my soul.
"Are you ready, Wanda?" I looked at the glazed-eyed human.
She nodded absentmindedly.
Pressing it against her chest, we all observed as the very tether to me mutated even further thanks to the mark.
My eyes widened as the piece shone red for a moment, and a… protrusion formed on top of Wanda's head.
The conceptualized potential flared even brighter as a thin tail began growing from behind her.
It reminded me of my previous form. Something she had seen barely in passing during one of our many talks inside the institute.
She touched her own horns in disbelief as her tail swished behind her for a moment before both retreated, leaving her in her entirely human form.
"Beautiful," I smiled, caressing her cheek. "You truly have a marvelous taste, my dear Bishop."
They were similar to the ones from my previous body, just smaller in every way because of her power. I wondered if they would grow more pronounced the stronger she got.
She blushed a bit, a happy little smile appearing on her lips.
"What a curious creation," Oshtur murmured from the side. "The sheer potential of it."
She noticed then. She paid more attention than me.
"I am really interested in meeting the creator, Fair One."
... That was a meeting I was not sure how it would end.
By Seere... I would totally end up doing it. One day. Hehe.
The girls took one step back at my perverse giggle.
"Maybe in the future." I coughed and looked at the Goddess. "And… thank you."
"You're welcome." She nodded before patting Wanda's head and continuing in that motherly tone of hers. "Be strong, dear child. You have had a difficult life, but I trust you will surprise us all."
Wanda teared up, and much to the surprise of all of us, Oshtur included, the new devil hugged the Elder Goddess.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you," she kept murmuring against her bosom.
Oshtur smiled at her, rubbing her back. Then she spread her empty arm, calling the rest of the girls with a wave.
They hesitated just for a moment before melting into the hug.
We were going to have a problem if this bitch thought she could steal what was mine.
Her lips twitched as she sent an amused glance in my direction, and I felt a pull coming from her as I was thrown into the pile.
… How on earth someone like her birthed an asshole like him was beyond me.
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