The Holy Son in Marvel

Kaecilius's confidence was well-founded; he truly was the most formidable mystic at the headquarters' training grounds. His prowess in both martial arts and magic made him a force to be reckoned with in combat. Seeing Kaecilius's assured demeanor, Solomon merely shrugged, choosing not to say much, and followed the other mystics into the town.

Towns like this one, abandoned and decrepit, were commonplace across the Great Plains of the USA, with their numbers growing steadily. This place was similar to Old Bridge Town in New Mexico, a settlement enveloped in dust and isolation. But at least Old Bridge still had residents and a family diner known for its beef pies. Here, however, as soon as the mystics stepped foot in the town, a chill crawled up their spines. Silence reigned; the place had been abandoned for centuries.

Solomon gripped his twin blades, quietly activating the enchantments Rodan had added to them. Suddenly, a noise came from the other side of the group, and Mordo, moving with the swiftness of a predatory beast, lunged toward the source, his hands crackling with fiery orange sparks. The other mystics, those who had chosen blade-bound pacts, also dashed toward the disturbance, Kaecilius and Solomon among them.

When they arrived, they found Mordo wrestling with a pale, black-haired man. Mordo was careful not to let the man touch him, and every strike of Mordo's holy magic made the man grimace in pain. It didn't take much to guess the man's identity—he was the Heart Demon, son of Mephisto. Like his father, he seemed immune to disheveled hair, perhaps thanks to some kind of demonic hair-styling spell.

Kaecilius shouted commands, telling the mystics to prepare spells, ready to bind the Heart Demon with magic chains at the first opportunity. The Heart Demon, realizing his plan had failed and that his remaining water elemental servant had likely been captured by Kamar-Taj, let out an enraged roar, revealing his true form—a horrifying face, with human teeth transforming into sharp fangs, his appearance withering into something resembling a desiccated corpse. As he bellowed, spewing curses from the infernal tongues, the mystics chanted the name of Oshtur, seeking the power of white magic to shield their minds from the corrupting influence of his words.

Only Solomon abstained from invoking Vishanti's protection. Instead, he extended his left hand, with its Sling Ring, and uttered a familiar incantation. Two blazing white beams shot toward the Heart Demon, enhanced by the Hadar's grasping spell, slamming the demon into the yellow brick wall behind him, creating a gaping hole and interrupting his vile chanting.

"First rule of combat," Solomon said to Kaecilius with a wink, "don't cast a long spell."

"Good. Looks like you've learned your lesson." Kaecilius raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised. He didn't know why the demon's infernal power had no effect on Solomon, but didn't dwell on it. Only Mordo shot Solomon a dissatisfied look, to which Solomon responded with a shrug and an innocent expression—after all, he was the future Seventh Throne; this was nothing.

"You!" The Heart Demon no longer tried to maintain his human guise. As he emerged from the rubble, his height increased, his bones pushing through his skin, and black, foul-smelling pus oozed from his wounds. Tearing off his human facade like a piece of clothing, he snarled and lunged at Solomon, fixated on the mystic who had thwarted him.

Solomon felt a pang of disappointment; the demon's reaction was more like a beast's than a devil's. It was no wonder Mephisto wasn't fond of this son—he lacked even a shred of cunning. Just as the hellspawn charged forward, the other mystics completed their spells, conjuring flaming whips that ensnared the Heart Demon.

Mordo stepped forward, extending the Staff of the Living Tribunal, which transformed and smashed down onto the Heart Demon's face. The demon glared at Mordo with rage, but the stoic mystic showed no reaction, repeatedly striking until the demon was forced to the ground. Several mystics stopped casting and approached, driving their pact weapons through the demon's shoulders and limbs, pinning him to the earth.

The power of Vishanti imbued their pact weapons, burning the demon as if seared by a blazing fire. He howled in pain, shouting vile curses in infernal tongues. Mordo, visibly annoyed, kicked the demon under the chin, shutting him up momentarily. This hellspawn was indeed weak and foolish compared to other beings of the outer realms.

Though they had captured this intruder from Hell, the mission was far from over. While the others went to look for Johnny Blaze's girlfriend, Master Hamill arrived with another team of mystics. After briefing Mordo on the situation, Mordo's expression darkened considerably.

"What happened?" Kaecilius approached, his status as one of Kamar-Taj's best mystics allowing him access to such intelligence. Solomon, who was seen as a candidate for the next Sorcerer Supreme, followed closely behind.

According to Master Hamill, when they went to the foretold location of the contract—the small chapel—it had already been raided, with only the former Ghost Rider, Carter Slade, barely clinging to life. Initially mistaking the mystics as intruders after the contract, Carter had ranted about "never giving the contract to evil" and "being devil's dogs." It was only when Hamill identified Carter that the old Ghost Rider began to trust them somewhat. Hamill also informed Carter that the new Ghost Rider wouldn't be able to make it tonight; he had been detained by mortals, meaning everything had to be handled by Kamar-Taj. However, no matter what Hamill said, Carter refused to reveal the location of the contract, insisting he would face the devil himself to atone for his mistakes. Hamill agreed, and with only a shotgun in hand, Carter Slade joined the mystics as they passed through the portal, arriving at San Venganza.

The sight seemed to fill Carter Slade with nostalgia. While he was momentarily distracted, several mystics escorted a Latina woman with brown skin toward them. She bore dark bruises on her arms—this was Johnny Blaze's girlfriend, Roxanne. Kaecilius squinted at her, nudging Solomon with his elbow to get him to look. Solomon turned and shot him an annoyed look.

"My girlfriend's way hotter, Kaecilius. Don't distract me from the task at hand," Solomon muttered, shoving Kaecilius's elbow aside.

"Having a girlfriend didn't stop you from using my name to sign up on Pornhub!"

"Shut up! We agreed not to talk about that!"

"You need to appreciate life's beauty…hell, you're not even of age!"

"You're Johnny's girlfriend?" Carter Slade, now with his hat off and held over his chest, addressed Roxanne, his white hair shining. "It's unfortunate we meet under such circumstances. Don't worry; they're all aware of Johnny's identity."

Though Roxanne still seemed shaken, she took a few deep breaths, calming herself with professional composure.

"All right." She glanced at the group, clearly identifying Solomon as the most approachable. "Where's Johnny?"

"He's busy admiring the best rear in America. Don't worry—it's not one of the Kardashians, it's Captain America," Solomon replied, omitting any mention of SHIELD's involvement in stopping Johnny. "He got held up by SHIELD on a speeding charge. Carter Slade, you should take a look at the Heart Demon's fate. Once you've seen it, you can confidently hand the contract over to us—those foul souls need to be purified."

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