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He stepped closer to her, voice steady, steady in a way that scared Alan.
Ben: "Tell me the incantations I need… to end it once and for all."
Silence. Heavy. Suffocating.
Diana's jaw trembled.
Her voice barely escaped her lips.
Diana (broken whisper): "You… knew? But I never… I… showed…"
Ben: "Now isn't the time. Just tell me."
Her hands shook violently. She closed her eyes, inhaled, then recited—each word cutting through the room like a blade.
Diana (voice trembling):
'O lux divina caelestis, descende super daemonem tenebrarum!
Inimice omnis sancti, te in oblivionem deleo!
Per aeternam Dei vim, existentiam tuam in aeternum erado!
Forma tua in nihilum dissolvat, numquam reditura!"
The lights in the room flickered. A cold pressure rolled across their skin, like something old had woken up.
Diana's breathing stuttered, her palms pressed against her thighs to stop them from shaking.
Ben didn't flinch. He absorbed every word, every tone, like carving it into his bones.
Before he could speak, his communicator buzzed. Richard's voice sliced through the static.
Richard: "HeroCorp is calling every hero we have. All S-ranks are still off-world. Mars mission. Only A and B-ranks are left."
Ben's jaw flexed hard.
Ben: "That won't be enough."
Another call beeped in. Diana snatched her own device, pacing, fingers rubbing her forehead:" How many heroes can you spare?'
Woman (strained): "I'm sorry, miss… we can't send anyone else. Most heroes are already out dealing with global disasters. Evacuations are underway, but Megalodon—"
Static. "—too dangerous. We don't have the numbers."
Diana's free hand tightened until her knuckles went pale:" All of you are useless.'
Ben: "Richard. Who do we have?"
A long pause. Longer than it should've been.
Richard: "…Not many. Some heroes aren't answering—too scared. But there are 13 probably 20 heroes who are willing to fight. They won't last long, but… they'll try. You're the only one who stands a real chance, Mentis. Good luck."
The line went dead.
Ben exhaled, slow and heavy.
Ben: "They'll send what they can."
Diana's eyes flickered, her throat tightening. She understood exactly what that meant.
Their gazes locked. Everything else in the room vanished.
She had seen Megalodon before. She had watched heroes fall. Her breath trembled as she reached up, cupping Ben's face with cold fingers.
Diana (voice cracking): "Why… why is this happening to us? Now of all times… w-we don't have enough heroes… and Megalodon—"
Her voice broke. Her hand shook against his cheek.
Diana: "I can't lose you. That spell… it takes years off your life. P-please don't use it. P-please…"
Ben closed his eyes and leaned into her touch for a heartbeat. Then he pulled her into a kiss—deep, desperate—one she returned like she was afraid it would be the last.
Ben: "…I'll do whatever it takes, Diana. Don't be sad… love."
Her breath hitched. Her lips quivered. And then she dropped—knees hitting the floor.
Diana: "Ben—no… no, please—"(crying)
Alan slid beside her instantly, arms wrapping around her trembling shoulders.
Alan: "Have faith in Father… h-he's the strongest. He won't lose that easily."
Ben looked at them both… and something inside him twisted. He swallowed hard. Turned away fast.
His armor materialized around him, plate by plate—dark blue and silver reflecting the dim lighting as if rejecting the fear in the room.
Black Mentis: "This… may be goodbye. Diana… take care of the kids."
And then— He vanished in a sharp burst of displaced air.
Alan lowered his head, whispering:
Alan: "Good luck… Father."
Diana wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand.
Diana (weak whisper): "I… I need to break this curse. I'm close… I don't have much time left…"
Far away— A blinding white flash tore open the night sky as Black Mentis teleported into the heart of war.
His boots hit shattered pavement.
Burning buildings twisted around him. Crimson lightning cracked overhead.
Ember City… was dying.
Screams tore through the ruined streets. Civilians stumbled over broken concrete, some dragging others, some crying for help that didn't come fast enough. Fires snapped in the wind, shadows crawling across the wreckage like they were alive. A few heroes sprinted past, grabbing people by the arms, hauling them away from collapsing buildings.
A deep vibration rolled through the ground.
At the shattered base of the Demon King's statue, the air twisted— A black spiral ripped itself open, swirling like a living wound.
Megalodon stepped through, obsidian armor scraping, smoke rolling off his body. Six eyes swept across the city like he was scanning prey.
Megalodon: "Hmph… this should keep everyone busy while I take care of my objective."
His voice hit the battlefield like a boulder dropping.
He lifted one hand. Two more portals snapped open behind him.
Demons flooded out—lurching, sprinting, clawing over each other. Some cracked like burning skeletons, others bulged with metal plates fused to muscle, weapons dripping with something dark. They didn't march. They swarmed.
Megalodon flicked his fingers forward, a gesture sharp as a blade.
Megalodon: "Follow the plan, minions… or our deal is neutralized."
Heroes slammed into them a second later—shouting, both sides charging, unleashing powers. The war erupted at full volume.
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