By Luca Baldassarra
Loki sits in a large Asgardian Library, Ikol perched on a bookshelf nearby. Sitting at a large table, surrounded by various tomes, Asgard’s resident trickster pours over the stacks while thinking about his meeting with Mephisto, the Demon Lord.
Loki: Tell me Ikol, how would you react to an offer of such magnitude?
Ikol: Mephisto cannot hope to attain that which he seeks without powerful magic. Within these tomes may lie the very hint we need to uncover what tricks he hides.
(Loki sighs, casually flipping the page)
Loki: So you have said, many times over. Would we not simply be able to LOCATE the item with a meeting? Surely the Demon Lord would not deny welcome to his “valuable” allies.
Ikol: His enforcer Loki. The Rider. You would be wise not to take him lightly.
Loki: Well I cannot expect to take him darkly Ikol, after all his head is aflame.
Ikol: Cease this worthless prattle, continue your studies.
(Loki sighs, and flips the page once more. As he does so his expression changes from boredom to surprise. He stares astonished at the tome, and abruptly stands.)
Loki: Ikol. The pages…what has happened?
(Ikol lands on his shoulder)
Ikol: What is exactly that which is missing. This is worse than it appears….much worse. We’re running out of time.
----Meanwhile, in the Astral Plane----
(Google Translate what strange is saying “Latin-English“, enjoy.)
Doctor Strange: Dico me spiritus astral planum, quod magicis turbat fabricae re!
(Without warning Doctor Strange is surrounded by a golden ring. In his astral form he struggles to contain his shape. The Ring begins to spin and swing around him, creating a sphere.)
Voice in the Astral Plane: Fatum est infectum. Fila fracti sunt. Chaos venit in ignis. Respice ad fabulis. Sunt diriget novum Manus. Agere.
(Blinding light envelops him, and he returns to his body and is thrown back from the spell circle. Damian Hellstorm is in the room with him and helps him to his feet)
---Back in the Sanctum Sanctorum---
Damian: What happened Strange? You were screaming! Did the spell work? What did you learn?!
Doctor Strange: Legends….need to find new Hand….Chaos in Fire….we’re running out of time.
Damian: Chaos in fire? I do NOT like the sound of that….but what does it all mean?
Doctor Strange: The Riders, they are at the center of this. I know it. We need to find the girl Damian. Soon.
---Somewhere in the American Mid-West---
Alejandra is stopped on the side of the highway, and reaches into her jacket pocket. Alejandra pulls out a blackened chain fragment. The links are severed at each end, with a few links intact. She sits on her bike at the side of the highway, drinking a bottle of water. Alejandra closes her eyes and begins to pray to herself. When she opens her eyes, fire erupts and she transforms into the Rider. The chain links in her hand come to life and glowing red hot, point into the distance, down the highway. She returns to human form, and places the chain which is now smoking, back into her pocket. She climbs back onto her bike, and continues in the direction the chain pointed.
Alejandra (thought): Blaze…I don’t know what you are doing, or why, but when I find you we will end what we started. One way or another, there will only be one Rider. For your crimes against God, I will slay you and your master Mephisto. The power of Zarathos guides me.
(She accelerates hard, and continues down the road)
---In Hell, Mephisto’s throne room---
Mephisto sits on his throne surrounded by orbs. On the orbs the images of his allies Doctor Doom and Loki. On other orbs, Damian Hellstorm and Doctor Strange, Alejandra, and Asgard. He holds the Amulet in his hand, admiring it, as his eyes shift from the orbs to the surface of the piece.
Mephisto: Such a small insignificant artifact…with such great power. How could the Lord of Fear have hidden this away for so long? What do you think Blaze? Any insight?
Blaze stands silently beside the throne of Mephisto, in Rider Form, staring into the distance.
Mephisto: Yes, you are pretty boring like this. Not much conversation in you these days. Not unless I say so anyway. *The amulet glows brightly*
Johnny Blaze (in Rider Form): *Gasp* Where? Where am I?
Mephisto: Indeed, where in the HELL are you Blaze?
Johnny Blaze: *Instinctively reaching for his weapons* Mephisto! What have you done you evil piece of Fu--
*The Amulet glows brightly again, and Johnny reverts to human form, losing his chain weapon*
Mephisto: Now Johnny, don’t get all worked up over this. I wanted to show you something before I put the leash back on.
Johnny: My powers? How do you control them?! You gave them back! That was the deal!
Mephisto: No, no, Johnny. The deal was I give you your power back, and you STOP the girl. When that showdown didn’t end to well, I came back for you. After all, I couldn’t just leave you there, you are still very useful for my plans.
Johnny: Plans? I’m not apart of your plans anymore. *Looks over to the orb with Alejandra* Send me to Alejandra Mephisto. I’ll keep my end of the deal.
Mephisto: Oh no Johnny. The girl doesn’t need to be stopped quite yet, I still have need of her. Besides, I’m finally getting the hang of this fancy little trinket.
*Mephisto lifts the Amulet*
Mephisto: It’s called…the Hand of Fate. One of my servants plucked it out of Dark Asgard before the heroes destroyed it. Nifty little trinket…I’m sure the Lord of Fear won’t be missing it too much.
Johnny: Whatever it is you’re planning Mephisto. They’ll stop you. *Points to the orbs of the heroes* They always do!
Mephisto: What don’t you understand about Hand. Of. FATE! I’m not playing the same “game” anymore Blaze. No one is. When I’m done, everything will be different, and with you protecting me, no one will be able to stop it.
*The Amulet glows once again*
Johnny grits his teeth, and his eyes slowly fill with black. He transforms back into the Rider*
Mephisto: -smiling- Now then, where was I?
Johnny: ……
- To be continued in Hands of Fate Issue 2 -
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