"A contract? What contract?" Roxanne asked, looking around at the others with confusion. No one bothered to explain, even though this contract was the very reason she had been kidnapped.
Carter Slade kept his gaze fixed on the mystics, saying nothing. The prophecy had revealed the location of the San Venganza contract, though only he knew where he had hidden it. Solomon pressed him to hand over the contract now, aiming to fulfill the Sorcerer Supreme's objective, a mission known only to Mordo, Master Hamill, and Kaecilius. When Solomon made the demand, they exchanged wary glances, preparing to spring into action.
"Why should I trust you?" Carter Slade's voice rumbled with a Southern twang. "How do I know you aren't just another bunch sent by Mephisto? If the Devil King gets his hands on that contract of a thousand souls, this world'll turn to Hell on Earth!"
"First, our allegiance is to Oshtur, not Mephisto. Second, a thousand souls aren't enough to satisfy him—just a snack, really. Only for fools like Heart Demon does that much soul power hold any real allure." Solomon, who was now almost as tall as a grown man, had to tilt his head to meet the older cowboy's gaze. His expression conveyed a hint of mockery, lumping Carter and Heart Demon in the same category. Only Roxanne, a reporter, caught on to the subtle insult.
She glanced around, searching each person's face for reactions. Unfortunately, no one seemed to notice. Roxanne, a bit thick-skinned, had grown accustomed to encountering mystics and sorcerers—after all, what could be stranger than having a boyfriend who bursts into flames every night?
"Finally, given your limited knowledge of the planes, it's understandable that you can't tell magic types apart. Frankly, you can't even tell the difference between a demon and a devil. The records of your time as a Ghost Rider are known to Kamar-Taj, but we chose not to interfere. Save your strength, old knight; Hellfire should keep you going another fifty years at least."
"My father…" The Heart Demon, still pinned to the ground, started laughing after a rough cough. "That coward! If he'd listened to me, if he'd just handed over the throne he owed me, this place would already be Hell! He's a miser—he won't spare any soul that's his! You'll all be hunted down by his hounds—forever! Carter Slade, you're just another of my father's lapdogs!"
"Enough from this sorry creature. He'll be taken back to Kamar-Taj and dissolved in Oshtur's light." Solomon made a dismissive gesture, "Hand over the contract, and you're free from all this. Besides, there are plenty of folks who appreciate the rugged look of an old cowboy with white hair and a beard. Believe me."
Carter Slade squinted at the mystics walking about the deserted town. His reason for joining Master Hamill in coming to San Venganza had been to see what they were really after, and this outcome left him unsatisfied. He suspected these strangers were the reason Johnny Blaze couldn't make it. Yet even if he were right, it wouldn't help—this group was clearly determined to see things through today. He could either give up the contract willingly or have it taken from him by force. His remaining strength was no match for these mystics.
The pinned Heart Demon was proof enough of that.
But Carter still had questions.
"Why?" His voice was rough with doubt. "Why not just prevent the contract from being used?"
"Everyone has the right to dispose of their own soul," Master Hamill answered. "Whether they choose Heaven or Hell, that's their freedom. Every choice comes with consequences. Heaven isn't as idyllic as people imagine, nor is Hell a one-way road. Ultimately, all souls across the universe return to eternal silence, feeding the next cycle. As for stopping the devil from coming to San Venganza… we couldn't find him. He's hidden too well, just like an ordinary human."
"I'll accept that explanation," Carter said, though his tone suggested otherwise. Still, he turned and strode toward the town's edge. "The contract's back at the chapel."
Mordo motioned to one of the mystics and whispered instructions. Soon after, the mystic opened a portal, and Heart Demon was escorted back to Kamar-Taj. Master Hamill also took Roxanne back to headquarters, where a Temple Steward would later return her to Houston. Mordo, Kaecilius, and Solomon stayed behind.
Their next task awaited. High-intensity work was no longer suitable for someone of Master Hamill's age.
Mordo opened a portal, and Carter Slade, Solomon, and Kaecilius filed through.
The chapel was nestled among gravestones and a few scattered trees. Located in the outskirts, the place was off the grid, deemed unworthy of the electric company's investment. The chapel's stained-glass window, depicting Michael's victory over Satan, glimmered faintly under the weak moonlight and the distant city lights.
"A bit cliché," Kaecilius remarked, raising an eyebrow as Carter picked up a shovel. "Burying something valuable in a graveyard—aren't you worried people will figure it out?"
"It's not in the cemetery. I'm not that foolish," Carter replied, heading toward a tree instead. Under Kaecilius's surprised gaze, he tapped the shovel against the trunk and retrieved a roll of yellowed parchment from the hollow handle. The scroll, decorated with metal rods, was a classic design.
"This is the San Venganza contract," he said, holding it out toward the mystics. "This is what you wanted. Now, how do you intend to keep your promise?"
"That's not your concern," Mordo replied, transforming his Staff of the Living Tribunal, its sparks flickering in the night. "Keep the contract safe until we deal with our target."
"I'm disappointed," a refined voice interjected. A white-haired man with a cane stepped out from behind a gravestone, his slicked-back hair gleaming. At his appearance, Carter's grip on the contract faltered as wisps of smoke seeped from his body, carrying the sharp odor of scorched flesh.
He was about to transform into Ghost Rider.
But Solomon put a hand on Carter's arm, urging calm, as Mordo and Kaecilius drew their weapons and began incantations. Solomon, too, readied his twin blades, aiming them at Mephisto.
This was the true purpose of the San Venganza contract for Kamar-Taj.
To lure and capture Mephisto.
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