Marvel: Death Knight

Blood trickled along the grooves of the blade, flowing into a collection vessel before streaming downward, dripping ominously onto the heads of the elders below.

At the peak of the tower stood a lightning rod. Fess had chosen this day for the ritual because it coincided with a thunderstorm, a natural phenomenon that would provide the immense energy required for the ceremony.

Sure enough, it wasn't long before a blinding bolt of lightning struck the tower's tip. The runes etched into the walls of the tower flared one by one, emitting a searing white light as they absorbed the energy.

"Do you see this, old fools? The power of the Blood God is descending! Soon, I will be the master of this world!" Fess's voice quivered with exhilaration. He had poured everything into this moment, and now success was within his grasp.

Hansen, his loyal follower, joined in the jubilant outburst. "Boss, I want to become an evil god too!"

The elders, who had maintained some semblance of composure, now grew visibly uneasy. Could the ancient legends be true after all?

Blood flowed from the edges of the ritual blade, converging above Fess's head into a dark, reddish-brown sphere.

Meanwhile, Garus and Daredevil had infiltrated the tower. The vampires were so engrossed in the unfolding ritual below that they failed to notice the intruders.

"Mr. Garus, the ritual seems to be nearing completion. Shouldn't we stop it now?" Daredevil's heightened senses picked up on the intense energy swirling within the tower. The currents of power spiraled toward the center with palpable force.

"There's no stopping it now. If the ritual can be disrupted, then the Blood God's power isn't as formidable as the legends claim," Garus replied calmly. "Every ritual has a protective force proportional to its power. If it were so easily interrupted, it would be meaningless."

He decided it would be more prudent to observe and gauge the Blood God's strength firsthand.

Below, the gathered energy surged. Twelve elders were bound as sacrifices alongside the vampire king at the center. A potent force swept outward, pushing everyone back—including Garus and Daredevil, who had been observing from above.

"Bang!" Garus turned just in time to catch a wooden staff aimed at his back. On the other end of the staff stood a striking Black woman, her expression a mix of surprise and defiance.

Despite her aggressive move, Garus sensed no vampiric aura from her. She didn't appear to be one of them.

The woman was Jacqueline, an ally of Blade who had escaped from the vampires.

"You're…" Jacqueline's eyes widened as recognition dawned. She had seen Garus during a televised hearing and knew he possessed extraordinary power. Calming herself, she asked, "Mr. Garus, are you here to deal with these vampires too?"

"For now, we'll wait," Garus said.

"But—"

Above, the sphere of blood finally descended, engulfing Fess. The runes on the surrounding walls crackled with white lightning, striking the dazed elders.

They opened their mouths, emitting guttural cries as white, winged skeletons emerged from within, fluttering around the chamber. Their bodies crumbled into ash.

Jacqueline shut her eyes tightly, unable to watch the grotesque scene. The skeletal apparitions resembled undead entities. Yet, when Garus extended his deathly grip toward one, it passed through, revealing their lack of a physical form.

The skeletons were pure spiritual energy and the concentrated essence of the elders. They had no tangible bodies.

Eventually, all the winged skeletons entered Fess, whose body swelled with the surge of power. His eyes, once blue, turned blood-red, glowing with the Blood God's might.

At that moment, Blade appeared below, wielding his sword and advancing toward Fess. Jacqueline had freed him, allowing him to recover from his injuries by feeding on blood.

Despite the transformation Fess had undergone, Blade didn't falter. He knew there was no running from this fight.

"Hey, Blade!" Daredevil leaped from the platform above, landing beside the vampire hunter. He braced himself against the gusting winds stirred by the ritual.

"Matt." Blade gave him a brief glance. "The ritual's complete. Fighting him now will be tough. If only I still had my coagulant serum, I might've stood a chance."

The serum, designed to incapacitate vampires, had been confiscated in their previous battle. Without it, Blade was unsure of his odds.

"Mr. Garus," Daredevil called out.

"You're still chatting?" Fess sneered darkly. "You mortals can't comprehend the Blood God's power."

Before they could react, Fess appeared before them, his fist slamming into their midsections with such force that both Blade and Daredevil were hurled backward.

"Do you see it now? The might of the Blood God!" Fess gloated. "It's beyond anything you could ever imagine."

As Blade struggled to his feet, ready to retort, a figure descended from above, landing directly on Fess's head.

Before Fess could process what had happened, Garus stomped on him repeatedly. "You call yourself a Blood God? You're weaker than any I've encountered before."

Frost chains coiled tightly around Fess, pinning him down.

"Damn it!" Fess's crimson eyes flared even brighter. If the room had been completely dark, his gaze would have lit it with an eerie glow.

"Mutant Garus!" Fess spat. "Why are you here?"

Before Garus could answer, Fess's Blood God energy erupted, shattering the icy chains. Slipping free, he glared at Garus with burning hatred.

"Stay back," Garus instructed Blade and Daredevil. "He's a god-tier opponent, even if he's a false one. You two aren't equipped to deal with this."

Blade hesitated but eventually nodded, retreating with Daredevil.

Facing the seething Fess, Garus smirked. "First of all, I'm not a mutant."

With that, he summoned Frostmourne and lunged at Feis, his blade carving through the air in a chilling arc. A blood-red shadow trailed behind him as he tested his strength against the Blood God.

Fess dodged swiftly, his movements leaving afterimages. Although not as fast as Quicksilver, Fess's unique physiology rendered him immune to Garus's frost aura and resistant to the binding power of the Desecrated Ground.

-----------------------

Want to read ahead of schedule?

Join here for advance chapters: PATREON.COM / PRIMALDEMON