Chapter 112
As dawn broke over the city, smoke rose from the ruins of what had been a thriving underworld empire. The cleanup crews moved in, but there was little left to salvage. Hydra had been thorough, leaving nothing but destruction in their wake.
Ward stood amidst the wreckage, surveying the scene. The bodies of Henry's men lay scattered, lifeless, among the ruins of their operations. Hydra had struck with precision and brutality, wiping out any trace of Henry's network.
The Hydra agents regrouped, their mission complete. They vanished into the shadows, leaving behind a city reeling from the violence. For Grant Ward, this was a message delivered with brutal clarity: Henry's empire was not invincible, and Hydra's reach extended further than anyone had anticipated.
The city mourned in silence, unaware of the power struggle that had unfolded in its depths. As the last Hydra agent disappeared into the morning haze, the phone in Ward's pocket buzzed again. He answered it with a grim satisfaction, "its done, tell shield its time for the avengers to do their job, this would surely piss him off" before he hanged up the phone as he then whispered, "its all fo HIM".
-scene change-
The sacred halls of Kamar-Taj, once filled with vibrant life and ancient wisdom, lay in ruins. The devastation was total, a testament to the sheer ferocity of Henry's assault. The attack had come without warning, leaving no time for the Sorcerers Supreme or their apprentices to mount an effective defense. Now, all that remained was chaos, smoke, and death.
The courtyard, where students once practiced the mystic arts, was a field of smoldering ash and charred debris. Henry's fire, hotter than the surface of the sun, had scorched the very earth, leaving deep blackened craters where vibrant gardens and intricate mosaics had once been. The air was thick with acrid smoke, twisting and rising into the sky like mourning wraiths.
Wooden beams, once part of the sturdy structures, lay scattered and splintered, reduced to embers that flickered in the suffocating heat. Every nail, once hammered into place with precision, was twisted and melted, a testament to the inferno's intensity. The ornate carvings that adorned the doors and pillars were nothing more than cinders, their artistry lost forever in the flames.
The library, a repository of the world's mystical knowledge, had fared no better. Shelves that had held ancient tomes and scrolls were now piles of ash and glowing embers. The air crackled with the lingering energy of spells that had been unleashed too late, their casters lying lifeless amidst the debris. The pungent scent of burnt parchment mingled with the stench of charred flesh, creating a nauseating miasma that clung to everything.
Throughout the ruins, the bodies of sorcerers and apprentices lay strewn about, their robes scorched and their faces twisted in expressions of shock and agony. They had fought valiantly, wielding their magic in a desperate bid to protect their sanctuary, but Henry's assault had been relentless, leaving no room for mercy. The ground was stained with their blood, pooling in grotesque patterns amidst the rubble.
Amidst this desolation, the sky rumbled ominously, echoing the devastation below. Reality itself seemed to twist and warp, a result of the powerful reality-warping gem that Henry wielded. The fabric of existence wavered, creating surreal and nightmarish landscapes where Kamar-Taj had once stood. Distorted images of the past flickered in and out of view, a haunting reminder of what had been lost, and it wasn't just one sanctum that has been lost, all of three of them where.
In a secluded part of the ruins, a small corner had somehow withstood the onslaught, protected by the last vestiges of the Ancient One's formidable magic. She lay there, battered and bruised, missing an arm that had been incinerated in the flames. Her face was a mask of serenity, marred only by the faint traces of pain etched into her features. Her robes, once pristine, were tattered and stained, but her spirit remained unbroken.
Henry stood before her, a green glowing stone clutched in his hand, its eerie light casting sharp shadows across his face. A golden sphere hovered beside him, projecting holograms of his properties being destroyed—his empire crumbling piece by piece. Yet his expression was one of cold detachment, his emotions locked away behind a wall of stoic composure.
The Ancient One, sensing the storm that raged within him, spoke with a calm certainty, her voice cutting through the smoke and destruction. "Although you appear composed, I have seen it. You are boiling with anger."
Henry's eyes flickered with a momentary flame of rage, quickly extinguished as he spoke, his voice low and measured. "Why? Why destroy everything? You had a clear line to a prosperous future, and you should have died, passing on the torch. Why destroy it?"
The Ancient One's response was unexpected. Her eyes gleamed with a fanatic intensity, a fervor that bordered on madness. "Because HE wills it, and if HE wills it, it would be done, HE is the demon of fate, HE is heavens above" in a worship-like state, she sounded delusional, and that she was.
She began to laugh—a sound that echoed through the ruins, a haunting melody of insanity and devotion. Her laughter was abruptly silenced as Henry's hand closed around her throat, his grip unyielding. With a swift, brutal motion, he snapped her neck, ending her life in an instant. Her body crumpled to the ground, flames consuming her until she was nothing more than ashes.
Yet from those ashes, a phantom bug emerged, its translucent wings beating rapidly as it took flight. Henry watched it go, a frown creasing his brow. He unleashed a burst of fire in its direction, but the flames passed harmlessly through the creature, unable to harm it. Frustration simmered beneath his calm exterior as he muttered to himself, "HE this and HE that." but despite that, henry had a clear goal, and nothing was going to stop him from accomplishing it.
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A/N for those who were wondering why Henry didn't do anything to help his empire from falling. also, a lot demon themed titles going around.