Chapter 12: A Wild Demon Appears
Back inside the sanctuary Galahad and Ororo sat in the main hall, along with the new addition of the team. An unexpected guest from earth and a might one at that, Ghostrider!
"So you mean to tell, that you found this random guy…and just took him in? That's not like you at all Ororo…for all we know he could be one of Belasco's underlings." The first thing that came out of the mouth of Johnny was his suspicions against Galahad, after all Limbo wasn't known for its friendly inhabitants, most of them being beings of absolute evil.
"Beggars can't be choosers Johnny. I had to take every opportunity I was given…I alone am not enough to hold both S'ym and Belasco. With you two our chances are much better…I hope. That kid must be suffering." A dejected expression appeared on her face, she thought of what torture Illyana must be going through in the clutches of that evil man.
"I know…still I don't trust him. You know what I can do Ororo…what I can see when I look at people." The Ghostrider kept on judging Galahad, having just met him a few moments ago, he came to the conclusion that he couldn't be trusted.
At this Galahad silently looked at him, their gazes locked for a moment, an unnerving atmosphere forming around them. Galahad was the first to break eye contract, standing up heading towards the exit.
"I will leave you two to catch up. After all it seems I am unwanted…Heh!" Giving Johnny a mocking laugh, he left the base. He knew that if he stayed, they would surely throw hands.
---
Just outside of Belasco's castle a show of pure destruction was taking place. Illyana and her master were in a clearing, the ground around was deformed and holes of various sizes could be seen, along with pieces of debris.
"AAH!…*Zap*…*Boom*" Illyana formed on her hands, balls of devilish crimson energy. They shot out and exploded, melting the ground and sending a shock wave that made her hair dance wildly.
Her appearance has once more changed. Now her horns had grown to a size, where they were no longer just small bumps on her forehead, now being a few inches long. The color of her had also taken red hue, with her iris becoming orange.
"That's it! Yes, let the dark side guide you!" Palpa…I mean Belasco smiled widely and grabbed Illyana by the shoulders, standing behind her, while looking at the battered field around them.
"I told you Illyana. Look around, this is what you are capable off. Imagine if your powers grew even more! Follow me and I will show you what true power is!" His grip tightened on her, making her uncomfortable. She pulled out of his grasp and turned around to face him.
"I will follow you Master…" And with that she bowed to him, intending to show him her loyalty. This pleased the lord, whose smile expanded to the point where his whole set of teeth were in sight.
"Hehehe! Good child, good! Now keep on training, I have matters to attend." Patting her on the head, like a dog, Belasco left Illyana alone.
Her body trembled slightly and with a loud scream, an aura was destruction burst from her.
"Damn that bastard! I despise him! He is clearly using me for his own benefit…I have this bad feeling that whatever he is planning, it is not just restricted to this place. That locket…its like his own life hangs from it and he keeps saying things like Elder Gods and nonsense about some stones…" Illyana has caught the man speaking to himself about beings called the Elder Gods and how the five stones would set them free, all while looking at his golden locket.
Standing still, she help up her arm and small disc of yellowish appeared in front of her. It stayed stable for a few seconds, before crumbling under her lack of control. It seems she had discovered a new ability of hers.
"I need more time…enough so I can leave this place." She closed her palm and looked towards the demonic castle in the distance.
The worst had yet to come, what could that man, Belasco be planning and how would it affect Illyana. Whatever it was, time, was running out.
---
"You just met the man and you drove him away…we needed him John! You should know how strong Belasco is, not even the whole team of X-Men could take him on while he is in this realm…his realm!" Ororo wasn't pleased with how Johnny had treated Galahad. In her eyes the man has been doing his best to improve and be of use to the mission.
"You don't understand…you should know by now that the Spirit Of Vengeance, doesn't play around when it comes down to evil…when I looked into that mans soul, for a brief moment…Zarathos, the spirit screamed for me to kill that man. To extinguish his soul. I have never experienced something like that…not even with Belasco." Looking at her with a serious face on, Johnny explained.
The Ghostrider was a vessel of the demonic spirit called Zarathos. Channeling the power of the spirit gave the wielders immense powers, such as superhuman strength and durability. But the abilities weren't only of the psychical realm, they went beyond.
One of the supernatural abilities the holder of the spirit possessed was called Soul Searching. It gave the power to peer into ones very being, their soul and determine whether they are evil or not.
"His soul…it was bound to something…of unfathomable power and evil. I barely contained my urges to kill him on the spot" It seems that his contract with Nixen had left a mark on his soul…one that made him a target to entities such as the Ghostrider.
"How could that be…I know how to judge a mans character and he wasn't evil. At most he showed a beastly side to him, but that was form his lack of control over his own power." Ororo was skeptical of his words. And yet the doubt of him being an enemy never left her mind.
"Has he revealed his past to you? Anything at all? I bet every time you tried to ask him of his origins, he made up an excuse. Hah! Right on the spot!" Johnny noticed that his words were nothing but the truth, judging from Ororo's reaction.
"Perhaps…you are right. Haah…we are down one and the fight hasn't even started." Ororo sighed and said.
"Its better than having and enemy guarding your back. Stop with the sobbing act, its not that bad…after all, you have me! The Ghostrider!" Johnny clenched his fist, turning into a flaming skeletal hand.
---
Galahad after wondering about, had reached his previous base. He went inside the cave and sat on the ground.
"What was his deal? We just met and he wanted me out…what a little bitch!" He punched the wall in frustration. Johnny left a very bad impression on him.
After clearing his thoughts for a bit, he decided to take out his pent up stress on some demons. He stood up and headed out…
"Hehe! Found you! Garciaaa!" And he was greeted by the creepy voice of a demon, that soon turned into a shout of anger.
"Who?" Galahad was confused, then he noticed who the demon was. It was none other than S'ym! He had finally found him and he was pissed.
"You fucking rat, how long did you think you could ran from me?!" Spit came out of his mouth, as his muscles started bulging and veins popped up on his forehead.
"Just enough so I can beat you!" Galahad knew that a fight was going to break out, so he took the initiative and flared up his aura to the maximum.
S'ym tilted his head in confusion, he wasn't sure if the man in front of him was the same as last time. The increase in power was unimaginable, but it wasn't threatening to him.
"Heh! A miserable attempt! Struggle as much as you can! I will enjoy breaking you!" While shouting generic evil character lines the purple demon, too, charged.
Their fists clashed at the same time, a stale mate for just a moment, only for Galahad to get overpowered and pushed back. Without wasting time, he dashed in again and threw a combo of attacks, each aimed at the vitals.
His strikes were deflected by S'ym, who in return thew out his own barrage. Galahad tried his best to defend, his guard crumbling under the intensity of the attacks. A side kick caught him off guard and send him tumbling a few meters away.
"Graah!" Getting back on his feet, he increased his power output even more. Engaging the demon again, aiming to land at least one strike on him.
His attack was once again dodged and countered. An elbow viciously landing on his jaw, making blood coat his tongue and lips.
"Is that all…What?!" S'ym's words were caught in his mouth when his opponent pushed through his strike and finally landed a punch, flat on his stomach. The strike jolted him and made him stumble a few steps back.
Blood dripped from Galahad's mouth, as he stood still for a moment, staring menacingly at his adversary. Without wiping it away he smiled and pushed on.
The battle developed into an exchange, where Galahad disregarded his own injuries and let S'ym land attacks on him. In return he took advantage of the demons openings and countered with his full-powered strikes and energy blasts.
"You…how did you grow so strong?! You can even lunch magical attacks?" Mistaking his energy for magic the demon, whose body had too accumulated some injuries, spoke in shock. In his mind a seed of fear was planted, fear for the potential of such a man. He decided right then and there not to drag on this fight any longer.
He grabbed an incoming punch, pushing it to the side, he threw a knee to Galahad's stomach. Galahad flinched and gave the demon time, just enough so he could grapple him to the ground.
His body was being held down by S'ym, who was was pushing his knee into his spine making his injured body struggle in pain.
"What a nice collar, like that of a dog! How about I give you dogs death as well!" The demon's gaze landed on the collar, which he grabbed and pulled with all his might. In return Galahad too tried to tug on the jewellery, in an attempt to not be chocked to death.
"Grah!" The veins on both their arms bulged and immense stress was put on the collar. Soon cracks started forming and it wasn't long before…*CRACK*.
The sudden destruction of the collar took S'ym off balance, falling on his butt. He glance at the broken piece he held on his hand and right back on Galahad, who laid still on the ground. He had a bad premonition about this.
*Badump!* The sound of a loud heartbeat came to his ears and it increased at an astonishing pace.
"AAAARH!" Galahad who was thought to be unconscious, pushed off with such force, he got flung high into the air. Where his body was astonishingly levitating!
His hair spiked up and his aura took on a green color, while his eyes rolled back into his skull, only the white to be left. Emanating from him, a strong killing intent directed on the demon bellow, who couldn't believe his eyes.
Opening his mouth Galahad went for a shout, instead a bright green energy ball started forming, making the air around it vibrate. He lifted his head up from the stress and struggled. The energy was condensing, becoming unstable and at the last moment he tilted his head right back on S'ym.
*Ting* His band affected by his wild energy malfunctioned and opened up a display that read: B.P. 110250 . S'ym is in trouble!