Following the internal turmoil within S.H.I.E.L.D., the once-powerful organization had fractured. Most former agents had joined the newly established H.A..R., leaving only a handful of agents under Phil Coulson’s leadership.

  Fortunately, they had the secret backing of the U.S. President and financial support from Tony Stark and Stark Industries.

  Aboard the S.H.I.E.L.D. airborne command jet, Coulson summoned several key agents to his office. “Skye, May, Lance, Barbara—I need you all to investigate a small vilge in Kansas.”

  Skye raised an eyebrow. “What’s the mission?”

  Coulson tapped on his computer screen, dispying an eerie image of the vilge. It was shrouded in gloom, and in its center stood rows upon rows of humanoid stone figures.

  “Are those Inhuman cocoons?” Skye and Barbara excimed in unison.

  One cocoon wouldn’t have been arming, but the barren ground was littered with nearly a hundred of them.

  “The situation is complicated,” Coulson expined. “For some unknown reason, multiple Terrigen Crystals have appeared in this vilge. Almost the entire popution consists of Inhumans. We need to secure the crystals before H.A..R. gets to them.”

  Coulson didn’t trust Norman Osborn’s H.A..R. The two organizations had cshed multiple times, and it was only through Maria Hill’s lingering loyalty to S.H.I.E.L.D. that they had avoided significant losses.

  “There’s another issue,” Coulson continued. “We suspect the vilgers belong to a cult attempting to summon a demon lord from Hell.”

  Agent Melinda May narrowed her eyes. “A demon lord? Do we have confirmation that the summoning was successful?”

  “Unclear,” Coulson admitted. “But for your safety, I’ve contacted Ghost Rider, Johnny Bze. He’s already en route.”

  As the agents prepared to depart, Coulson added, “Also, be on alert. A Middle Eastern militant group has also caught wind of this. Stay sharp.”

  If they knew the true power of the Mandarin, they wouldn’t be so confident.

  Moments ter, their Quinjet lifted off from the massive airborne command pne, heading toward Kansas.

  The vilge was eerily silent. The houses stood abandoned, and no wildlife stirred in the nearby forest. Only the rustling of leaves in the breeze disturbed the oppressive stillness.

  The four S.H.I.E.L.D. agents advanced cautiously along the deserted paths. In Lance’s hands was a scanner designed to detect Terrigen Crystals.

  “The crystals are scattered across multiple locations,” Lance reported. “Should we split up?”

  May frowned. The scanner’s readings revealed that the crystals had been pced in a pattern—a demonic sigil. “This looks exactly like the summoning array Mephisto used st time to channel Hell’s power.”

  “If demons are involved, we’re staying together,” May decided. “Splitting up would be suicide.”

  At that moment, an explosion erupted from the vilge center, fmes rising into the sky. It was clear that a battle had already begun.

  “Could it be Ghost Rider?” Skye specuted.

  Exchanging gnces, the team sprinted toward the battlefield.

  In the vilge square, the ground was covered with Inhuman cocoons. At the center stood a bloodstained altar.

  Some cocoons had already cracked open, revealing their unfortunate occupants. The Terrigenesis process had a low survival rate—perhaps only one in ten would successfully transform. The rest perished.

  On the Moon, the Inhuman Royal Family had ways to mitigate these risks, but transformations often led to drastic changes. Some became powerful beings; others turned into creatures like Lockjaw or even inanimate objects, like a sentient door. Kree technology was far inferior to that of the Celestials.

  “These Inhuman souls are absolutely delicious,” a sinister voice rasped.

  Hovering in midair was a figure whose glowing red eyes radiated malevolence.

  Barbara eyed a nearby Terrigen Crystal. “I’ll grab it.”

  Before the others could stop her, she vanished in a blur of motion.

  “Inhuman!” the demon lord snarled, noticing her superhuman speed. With a flick of his wrist, a crimson bolt of lightning struck Barbara mid-stride, sending her crashing backward.

  “Barbara!” Lance shouted, rushing to her side. As he touched her, residual hellfire coursed through his body, making him convulse in pain.

  The demon’s voice was a gravelly whisper. “S.H.I.E.L.D. agents… you’re persistent.”

  May’s eyes narrowed. “You’re Mephisto! Didn’t Garus banish you back to Hell?”

  “In this dimension, I have countless followers,” Mephisto sneered. “There are always ways for me to return.”

  His gloating was cut short by the whiplike crack of a fiery chain. Ghost Rider’s attack struck, forcing Mephisto to retreat midair.

  “You cursed Rider!” Mephisto bellowed. “I will drag your soul into Hell and burn it for eternity!”

  The fmes on Ghost Rider’s skull bzed even hotter as he let out a guttural ugh.

  Roaring in frustration, Mephisto unleashed a wave of fire. As the infernal fmes hit the ground, small demonic imps emerged, snarling and hissing.

  “May, should we help?” Lance asked. He knew May had encountered Mephisto before, making her the team’s best strategist against him.

  “Our weapons won’t hurt him,” May said. “We should focus on recovering the Terrigen Crystals.”

  Skye hesitated, looking at the unhatched cocoons. “Some of these Inhumans might still be alive. I’ll stay here and protect them while providing backup for Ghost Rider.”

  After a moment’s thought, May nodded. “Alright. The rest of us will retrieve the crystals.”

  The battle between Ghost Rider and Mephisto raged on, neither showing any sign of exhaustion.

  Suddenly, beams of light erupted from Mephisto’s hands, linking him to the cocoons. One by one, pale, spectral forms were drawn from the husks, absorbed into his being. His fmes fred brighter. “Exquisite,” he purred.

  A sharp cracking sound echoed across the square as one of the rger cocoons split open.

  Skye tensed as an Inhuman emerged. He had bat-like wings and, disoriented, struggled to stay airborne.

  Mephisto’s gaze flickered with interest. The creature bore a striking resembnce to one of his own kind.

  “This is my cue to leave,” Mephisto muttered. Tiring of his stalemate with Ghost Rider, he began searching for an escape route.

  But the newly transformed Inhuman, still dazed, managed only a few erratic fps before plummeting back to the ground.

  —————

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