Abomination charged ahead like a massive battering ram, eager for the action after being confined in the sky fortress for far too long.
Ghost Rider, somehow finding a motorcycle, ignited its engine with hellfire, while Garus summoned his Deathcharger. Despite their bold advance, the group harbored a gnawing concern: Mephisto's growing power might soon outstrip their ability to contain him. They pressed on toward the town at full speed.
The barrier surrounding the town shielded everything within from the outside world. Neither sights nor sounds escaped. When Ghost Rider plunged headlong through the shield, Garus followed suit without hesitation.
Before they reached the heart of the ritual, the sound of explosions and clashing metal echoed from nearby. Garus spotted Iron Man battling Spider-Man, Hawkeye squaring off against Black Widow, and two other S.H.I.E.L.D. agents locked in a brutal struggle. Thankfully, no one appeared gravely injured.
Ghost Rider and Garus paid no mind to the fights. They understood the Avengers had fallen prey to Mephisto's illusions and knew there was little they could do to break the spell. For now, they had bigger concerns.
Ghost Rider lunged at Mephisto, swinging a fiery chain that struck the barrier with a resounding thud, the impact ringing like a physical blow.
"The Tesseract?" Garus's gaze fixed on the glowing blue cube. The sight tempted him; it was, after all, an inexhaustible source of power. But he hesitated, knowing few could truly wield it—and that Thanos himself had his eye on it.
"Blonsky, break the barrier," Garus ordered.
Abomination rumbled a low "Got it, boss" before his hands glowed red. He leaped high into the air and slammed a mighty fist down on the shield. Inside the ritual circle, Mephisto felt the tremor. The giant's strength, infused with an unfamiliar blood magic, was far beyond his expectations.
Garus drew Frostmourne, urging his steed forward. The cursed blade screeched against the barrier, the sound a discordant wail that grated on the ears.
"Fools!" Mephisto roared in fury. "Do you know what you're doing? You dare defy the master of a realm?"
Garus smirked. "Master? Not here, you're not. Go back to Hell where you belong."
Enraged, Mephisto summoned reinforcements from the Hellish rift, though the channel wasn't strong enough for his mightiest lieutenants to pass through. Instead, hordes of undead poured forth: skeletons, zombies, vampires, and wraiths—lowly creatures, but in overwhelming numbers.
The three intruders soon found themselves surrounded. Though Garus, Ghost Rider, and Abomination dispatched the creatures with ease, each kill was met by several more rising from the ground.
Meanwhile, the Avengers, freed from Mephisto's illusion by his lapse in control, stared in horror at the swarming undead. Retreating, they regrouped outside the battlefield.
"Is that Garus?" Tony Stark's HUD zoomed in on the figure near the demonic circle. He started to take off, only for Natasha to grab his arm.
"Not yet. We've got to regroup first."
With Frostmourne planted firmly in the ground, Garus summoned his own undead. Skeletons and ghouls clawed their way up to join the fray. As the two sides clashed, Ghost Rider's hellfire illuminated the darkening battlefield, where Mephisto's influence blotted out the sun.
Mephisto's fiery eyes narrowed as he addressed Garus. "You reek of death. Join me, and I'll grant you power beyond imagination."
"Imagination isn't your strong suit, is it?" Garus taunted. "How much power do you even have here? Enough to face the Ancient One? Enough to challenge Asgard?"
Mephisto's scowl deepened. Garus's words hit a nerve, and his anger left him open. Frostmourne, charged with death's essence, pierced the shield with a resounding crack, shattering it completely.
Mephisto, desperate, launched a wave of gray energy at Garus. The wailing of the damned followed close behind, but Frostmourne absorbed it all. Garus grinned darkly. "Is that it? Give me more."
Mephisto's unease grew. "What is that weapon? It consumes souls?"
Ignoring the question, Garus darted forward, Death Grip seizing Mephisto's arm. "Get over here!" he snarled, dragging the demon into the circle. The concentrated death energy swirled around them, clashing with hellfire.
The collision of energies was too much for the ritual to withstand. With a thunderous explosion, the demonic circle imploded. When the dust settled, Garus staggered to his feet, battered but triumphant. Mephisto's corporeal form withered before his eyes.
"I will remember you, mortal," Mephisto rasped. "In Hell, your soul will endure unending torment."
Garus chuckled darkly. "I wouldn't count on it. Death herself has other plans for me."
The demon dissolved into ash, swept away by an eerie wind.
Garus secured the Tesseract in a metal container. Ghost Rider had vanished, leaving no trace of where he'd gone. Surveying the undead army still advancing, Garus called Abomination to his side.
Channeling the newfound power coursing through him, Garus unleashed Death and Decay. The corrupting energy spread across the battlefield, dissolving the undead and even the surrounding buildings into dust. The relentless assault left him drained, yet victorious.
A notification sounded in his mind:
[Mission Complete. Mephisto banished back to Hell. Rewards: 200,000 Exchange Points.]
Garus smirked. "That wasn't so bad."
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