When the creeper saw his shuriken and dagger strike Ghost Rider, forcing him off the roof of the bus and onto the road, a twisted sense of triumph filled its grotesque face.
Without wasting a second, the creature clenched its right fist tightly—it had no left hand anymore—and dove toward Ghost Rider with murderous intent, its wings slicing through the air like blades.
Bang!
The ground trembled as the creeper landed with a powerful thud, facing Ghost Rider head-on.
Its right hand was coiled into a deadly weapon, ready to strike, while its left side remained a mangled reminder of its rage and loss.
Flashback...
The memory flooded back to the creeper as it lunged forward.
The moment Ghost Rider had grabbed hold of the creeper earlier, something unusual had happened.
The flames of Ghost Rider's hellfire triggered a connection, showing the monster flashes of its past—and revealing the source of its rage.
In the vision, the creeper remembered the last time it had felt such hesitation and fear.
It had been a hunt.
A group of siblings and their friends were traveling through its territory, unaware of the predator stalking them.
The flashback shifted to a more recent event.
It discovered a group of boys vandalizing its beloved truck.
One boy had urinated on the tires, laughing, while the others kicked and punched the vehicle as though it were their own.
Growl!
Overcome with fury, the creeper swooped down, killing two of the boys in seconds.
Just as it was about to impale two others with its spear, something unthinkable happened: its left hand, the one it had kept preserved and hidden, crumbled to ash.
The shock was paralyzing.
The realization that its severed hand—its link to its former power—had been utterly destroyed filled the creeper with a hatred deeper than anything it had ever known.
Flashback ends...
As the Creeper's fist barreled toward Ghost Rider's flaming skull, the fiery demon tilted his head at the last second, avoiding the strike effortlessly.
Bang!
The momentum of the Creeper's failed punch left it off-balance, and before it could recover, Ghost Rider's flaming fist struck upward with devastating force.
Thud! Thud!
The uppercut connected squarely with the Creeper's chin, sending it flying backward through the air.
The monster hurtled into a large tree at the side of the road, crashing into it with enough force to shake the surrounding branches.
Hehe...
Ghost Rider let out a low, mocking laugh, the eerie sound echoing in the darkness.
His skeletal hand stretched outward, palm open, as he summoned something with a flick of his fiery wrist.
"BE A GOOD BOY AND LET ME CUT YOUR HEAD OFF... I PROMISE IT'LL BE AS PAINFUL AS POSSIBLE."
The Creeper groaned, pushing itself off the ground, dirt and splinters falling from its tattered coat.
Its charred, crumbling chin ached from the impact of Ghost Rider's hellfire-laden punch.
Thud!
A loud metallic sound echoed through the night as an object hurtled toward Ghost Rider's hand.
It was the axe the Creeper had lost during their previous encounter at the rundown motel.
The weapon had been taken by Ghost Rider as a trophy and stored in the trunk of his car.
Ghost Rider caught the axe mid-air, his fiery grip enveloping its dark metal surface.
He turned his head toward the Creeper, whose glowing eyes locked onto the weapon with a flicker of recognition.
Grr...
The Creeper growled, touching its damaged chin, only to feel the remnants of its skin and bone crumble under its fingers.
Ghost Rider noticed the Creeper's reaction to the axe and chuckled darkly.
"WHAT'S WITH THE LOOK? THIS IS MY LOOT NOW."
Hellfire began to spread across the axe, consuming it in flames that licked and twisted along its edges.
The weapon shuddered in Ghost Rider's grip, transforming into a more fearsome, hellish version of itself.
Its blade glowed with infernal energy, and jagged flames danced along its surface, crackling with power.
The Creeper's grimace deepened as it watched its prized weapon corrupted by the Ghost Rider's hellfire.
Roar!
With a furious growl, the Creeper pulled a dagger from its coat and launched itself at Ghost Rider, its wings propelling it forward at blinding speed.
The dagger gleamed ominously, aimed straight at Ghost Rider's heart.
The Creeper's thoughts raced: If I can pierce his heart, no amount of fire or fury will save him.
But Ghost Rider's burning sockets flared brighter as he spotted the incoming attack.
"RAAAAAAA!"
The Ghost Rider's roar ripped through the night, shaking the ground beneath their feet.
The sheer force of his voice sent a shiver down the Creeper's spine, the predatory monster suddenly feeling the weight of its vulnerability.
For the first time in centuries, the Creeper remembered what it felt like to be prey.
Roar!
Determined not to succumb to fear, the Creeper bellowed back with rage, fighting to suppress the unsettling realization that it was no longer the apex predator here.
Ghost Rider stood firm, the hellfire-imbued axe resting heavily in his grip.
"YOU THINK YOU CAN KILL ME? LET'S SEE IF YOU CAN HANDLE THE FIRES OF HELL FIRST."
As the Creeper closed the gap, Ghost Rider swung the blazing axe with both hands, the weapon cutting through the air with a fiery arc aimed directly at its opponent.
The Creeper's mind, clouded with rage and the need for vengeance, propelled it forward with reckless abandon.
Its dagger struck true, piercing Ghost Rider's chest.
A sinister grin spread across the Creeper's grotesque face, reveling in the belief that it had finally won.
But something was wrong.
The Creeper's triumphant expression faltered, confusion seeping in as it felt no resistance, no sign of a mortal wound inflicted.
Before the Creeper could react, Ghost Rider's skeletal hand shot out, clamping down on the Creeper's wrist with an unyielding grip.
GAGAGAGAGAGA~
A deep, mocking laugh erupted from Ghost Rider, the flames of hellfire in his skull flickering more fiercely with every passing second.
The Creeper's grotesque face twisted in terror, its instincts screaming that it had made a grave mistake.
The Creeper tried to free its hand, its formidable strength applied in a desperate bid to break Ghost Rider's hold.
But the flaming demon's grip was immovable, as if hell itself had anchored him to this moment of vengeance.
Slash~
With a swift, brutal swing of his blazing axe, Ghost Rider sliced clean through the Creeper's midsection.
The monstrous body fell in two, the lower half tumbling lifelessly to the ground.
The axe left behind a glowing, fiery scorch mark, the intense heat cauterizing the wound instantly.
Ahhh~
The Creeper let out a blood-curdling scream, its voice filled with unbearable pain as the flames from the hellfire-infused wound intensified its suffering tenfold.
Still clutching the Creeper's hand, Ghost Rider calmly yanked the dagger from his chest.
The molten weapon clattered to the ground, having been reduced to a warped, useless remnant by the infernal heat within Ghost Rider's body.
One by one, Ghost Rider pulled out the shurikens and daggers embedded in his form, each glowing red-hot from contact with his fiery flesh.
They dropped to the ground, steaming and hissing as they met the cool night air.
The Creeper's hatred burned in its glowing eyes as it glared at Ghost Rider, its frustration palpable.
Once again, it had been defeated by this relentless force, and its puppet had been destroyed.
Ghost Rider, sensing the Creeper's lingering spite, leaned closer, his voice a low, menacing growl.
"LET'S MEET FACE TO FACE NEXT TIME... INSTEAD OF HIDING BEHIND PUPPETS LIKE THIS."
Raising his flaming boot, Ghost Rider pressed it against the Creeper's chest.
The hellfire spread quickly, consuming the monster's remains as its screams echoed into the night.
Puff~
With a final, agonizing wail, the Creeper's body crumbled into ashes under the relentless inferno.
As the flames receded, Ghost Rider's form began to change.
The hellfire surrounding his body dissipated, and his skeletal visage gave way to flesh and humanity once more.
In a single puff of black smoke, Jojo stood where Ghost Rider had been, his leather jacket smoldering slightly, but his expression calm and resolute.
Without a word, Jojo turned and began walking toward the school bus.
Inside, the students watched in stunned silence, their wide eyes peering through the windows at the figure of their unlikely savior.
Minxie, still shaken but determined, placed her hand against the bus window, her gaze locked on Jojo.
"...He saved us,"
she whispered, her voice trembling with a mix of awe and relief.
Jojo approached the bus, his shadow stretching long under the faint glow of the moonlight.
As he reached the door, he looked up at the frightened students, his eyes calm but piercing.
The school bus was silent, the students staring wide-eyed at Jojo as he approached.
The memory of the terrifying demon that had hunted them was fresh, its brutal defeat by Jojo etched into their minds.
None of them spoke, still processing what they had just witnessed.
"Are you hurt?"
The sound of Rosalie's voice broke the silence.
Moving with superhuman speed, she zipped past the stunned students and appeared in front of Jojo.
Her hands immediately began examining him, her touch gentle but insistent as she checked for injuries.
Sigh~
Relief washed over her face when she confirmed he was unharmed.
Even though her mind had told her he would be fine, her heart refused to rest until she saw it for herself.
Chuckle~
"I'm fine, Rose,"
Jojo said with a soft laugh, reaching for her hand and pulling her into a warm hug.
"You..."
Before she could finish, Jojo leaned in and sealed her lips with a kiss.
It was quick but heartfelt, leaving Rosalie momentarily stunned.
When the kiss ended, she gave him a mock punch on the shoulder, her cheeks flushed with mock indignation.
"Don't come closer... Stay away!"
Scotty's panicked voice rang out as Jojo took a step closer to the bus.
The boy pointed a trembling finger at him, his eyes wide with fear.
Rosalie frowned but didn't respond.
Instead, Freya approached Jojo, glancing at the students inside the bus.
"How are we going to deal with them?"
Freya asked, concern evident in her voice.
The students had seen everything: Jojo's transformation, his fiery battle, and the defeat of the Creeper.
Sigh~
Jojo sighed heavily.
"Freya, wipe their memories of the Creeper. Replace it with something mundane—say they were attacked by a serial killer who took the adults and tried to harm them before being stopped."
Freya nodded and began preparing her memory-altering spell.
"No! You can't just erase our memories without permission!"
Scotty's voice rose again, his face contorted with anger.
His outburst was met with a low chuckle from Freya, who turned to him with a sly grin.
"We're not asking for your opinion, kid,"
she said, her tone dismissive.
The other students exchanged nervous glances, their faces showing unease but lacking the courage to speak up.
However, one hand slowly rose.
"Wait,"
Minxie said, her voice trembling but firm enough to draw Jojo's attention.
"Before we were attacked, I had a vision about him—the demon. It warned me about the danger, but I didn't understand it in time. If you erase my memory, I might miss another warning like this. Please... don't take that away from me."
Jojo studied her for a moment, his expression unreadable.
Finally, he nodded.
"Don't erase hers,"
he instructed Freya, pointing at Minxie.
Freya gave a small shrug.
"Fine, one exception."
Before Scotty or anyone else could protest further, Freya completed her spell.
The students froze for a few seconds, their memories rapidly being rewritten.
When they came to, they no longer remembered the Creeper or Jojo's transformation into Ghost Rider.
Instead, their minds held a fabricated story of a serial killer's attack, the missing adults, and their harrowing escape.
Jojo approached Minxie, handing her a small card.
"Here. If you ever want to know more about this side of the world... or join us, this is where you can find me. No pressure, just a suggestion."
Minxie looked at the card, her fingers trembling as she took it.
Jojo stepped back, pulling out his phone to contact Danna.
He quickly reported the events, explaining the memory alterations for security purposes.
As they walked away toward their vehicle, sirens filled the air.
A patrol car arrived at the scene, and Freya crafted a simple explanation for the officers: they had come to rescue the students, and the serial killer had fled upon seeing them.
Jojo glanced back at the bus one last time before climbing into the car.
"Next stop: Louisiana,"
he said, his tone resolute.
The vehicle roared to life, and the group sped off into the night, leaving behind a quiet road and a busload of students with altered memories—and one girl clutching a card that hinted at a far bigger world than she had ever imagined.
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(Author's POV)
(A/N): Happy Maatu Pongal...
Thanks for reading the chapter!
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