Chthon, the most fearsome of all demon gods, is the creator of black magic. He belongs to an ancient order of gods, wielding immense power that the cosmic entities regard as a universal cancer. According to mystical lore, Chthon holds "copyright" over black magic; any practitioner who uses it must pay a toll. His mere existence in the underworld is a testament to his strength, eluding even the perceptive Eye of Agamotto.
The sky above was cast in endless shadow, a blanket of black clouds occasionally ripped open by veins of blood-red lightning. Explosions echoed across the land as torrents of scarlet rain drenched the parched ground. From above, the cracked land appeared like a web of burning rivers, twisting across a landscape scarred by flowing magma and pungent sulfur fumes.
"This place is hell," Zod muttered. It was his first visit here, an experience unlike anything on Krypton or Earth. The atmosphere was an intricate blend of fiery heat and bone-chilling dread, a world saturated with primal fear and brutality.
"Technically, yes," the Ancient One replied, standing beside him. "In the Marvel world, hell is a fragmented place. Numerous hell-lords claim their domains as their personal 'hell,' each vying for dominance under the title of 'Satan.' None of them, however, hold absolute power here."
Zod listened, noting her lack of concern. In the DC universe, "Satan" was an omnipotent being, transcendent of even the highest planes of existence. In the Marvel multiverse, however, Satan was more a title of ambitious rulers, limited by the boundaries of their own dimensions.
"Since you've achieved the strength of a Heavenly Father," the Ancient One continued, "you should be fine here."
Around them, demons and hellspawn of every conceivable form gathered, drawn by the living energy of two powerful beings. Zod looked over at the Ancient One. "How long will this take?"
She glanced at him calmly. "It's hard to say. I need time to study the unique structure of this dimension before I can seal it off, hiding it from the other lords of hell."
Zod watched her for a moment. "So… you're keeping fragments of various dimensions hidden?"
The Ancient One nodded. "It's a necessary precaution. Would you be interested in learning the process?"
"No thanks. I'm not keen on abandoning my body for some demonic ascension," Zod replied firmly.
As he spoke, the ground began to tremble. The rivers of lava surged and bubbled, and from them emerged twisted hellish creatures. Gaunt, with skeletal frames and burning, hollow eyes, they crawled forth, hungry for any essence they could consume. In droves, bat-winged demons and malformed beasts surged forth, their forms twisted by the dark power that ruled this place.
Zod's electromagnetic power surged as he stepped forward. Despite the strangeness of this dimension, he managed to manipulate the demons' atomic structure, using a forceful twist of their magnetic fields to crush them into twisted forms. But then he felt it—a chill that raised the hair on the back of his neck as he realized these beings lacked a natural magnetic field. Only their atomic cohesion kept them whole, a fact that would make fighting here challenging.
Just then, a powerful surge from within seemed to unlock another level of his newfound dragon power. Cloaked in the shadow of a dark-blue dragon, he unleashed a series of strikes, each one creating a dragon-shaped shadow that incinerated anything it touched.
"Lushan Hundred Dragons!" he shouted, sending a hundred ethereal dragon figures roaring through the horde. The attack left a trail of scorching plasma, obliterating any demon foolish enough to stand in his way.
Returning to the Ancient One, he noted with satisfaction that his powers felt even stronger. It seemed that using this dragon energy amplified it within him. However, as the transformation continued subtly within him, he wondered if this unknown power would ultimately prove to be a blessing or a curse.
The Ancient One, unaffected by the turmoil around them, remained seated, eyes closed in concentration as she worked to seal the dimension. Five days passed like this, with Zod occasionally fending off fresh waves of demonic beings and examining the twisted creatures of hell with growing curiosity.