I'M IN MARVEL

C14 : Blood God: Fake, fake, all fake!

"Bug, here I come."

A cruel smile tugged at the corners of the Blood God's mouth as his form shimmered, preparing to breach the dimensional barrier and descend upon Earth-404.

Bang!

Three colossal magic circles, glowing with golden light, materialized mid-air, creating a shimmering shield that halted the Blood God's advance.

From within the shield, Ancient One, clad in her signature yellow cloak, stepped forward. "Blood God, your presence is neither desired nor needed here. Turn back. What you seek does not reside in this realm."

The Blood God glared at her, his scarlet eyes blazing. "You're the guardian of this dimension?" he snarled. "You can't protect what belongs to me forever. Step aside, and let me claim what is mine, or I will ensure that your precious secret becomes known across the multiverse."

A faint smirk played on Ancient One's lips as she gestured, creating a slight fissure in the magic circle. "Very well," she said calmly. "If you're so certain, send a fragment of your power and see for yourself."

The Blood God hesitated briefly, then extended a tendril of divine energy through the gap. His mind raced. Why is she so confident?

Moments later, his energy returned, carrying information. His expression twisted into disbelief.

"This can't be! I saw it! The aura of Eternity was here!"

Ancient One chuckled softly, her tone mocking yet composed. "Ah, the aura of Eternity... In the endless multiverse, Blood God, where does Eternity not exist?"

The Blood God's voice turned venomous. "Enough of your riddles! I will see it for myself!" Energy began to ripple around his form, a testament to his growing rage.

"You may try," Ancient One said icily. "But if you do, this clone of yours will not leave this realm."

The tension in the air thickened as streaks of scarlet plasma dripped from the Blood God's body, sizzling as they dissolved into the void.

"Is this really worth your effort?" Ancient One continued. "We Supreme Sorcerers dedicate our lives to protecting the material plane from magical corruption. You know this. But if you insist on pushing further…"

The Blood God clenched his fists, his thoughts racing. Does she truly believe I'll back down so easily? Or is this part of some greater scheme?

"How much energy do you want?" he growled finally.

Ancient One extended a single finger. "The same amount of energy you've already projected into this dimension without my permission. Pay that price, and I'll let you see for yourself."

The Blood God's fury boiled over. "Do you think I require your permission to act?" he hissed.

Ancient One maintained her serene demeanor. "I think you're wise enough to avoid unnecessary conflict, Blood God."

In the city below, Gwen wiped her brow, breathing heavily. "Finally, we've got the vampires under control."

"Russell," Tony said, landing beside him in his Iron Man armor, "how did you manage to inflict lasting damage on these vampires? Is it tied to your magic?"

Russell nodded. "Exactly. My magic disrupts their regenerative properties."

Tony's face tightened in thought. "If all magical creatures share this trait, I'll need to incorporate it into my armor upgrades."

"We're not done yet," Blade interjected, his weapon dripping with blood. "These vampires are captured, but I don't trust SHIELD to handle them. Humans have a history of exploiting things they don't understand."

Russell glanced toward the sky. Two overwhelming auras clashed in the heavens—one radiating the Blood God's dark energy, the other exuding Ancient One's calm power. "It's not over," Russell muttered.

Suddenly, a Sling Ring portal flared open nearby. Ancient One emerged, followed by the Blood God's clone, draped in blood-red robes.

Russell's instincts screamed danger as he locked eyes with the Blood God. Every nerve in his body tensed.

"Blood God, remember our agreement," Ancient One said sharply. "If you act, your clone stays here permanently."

The Blood God turned away from Russell, refocusing on his objective.

Russell swallowed hard and forced a grin. "Let's head back to the city. It's time to rest."

Tony, noticing Russell's unease, quickly agreed. "You're right. I need to recharge my arc reactor anyway."

But the Blood God was far from finished. "There's no way… I saw the Eternal Heart!" he muttered. With a roar, he launched a beam of blood-red energy at Ancient One.

"Enough," she said, summoning her Shield of Seraphim to block the attack. The space around her distorted as the Mirror Dimension expanded, engulfing both combatants.

"See for yourself," Ancient One said, her voice cold and unyielding.

Inside the Mirror Dimension, the Blood God's eyes darted frantically. "So, it's all fake. All of it! The Eternal Heart was never here!"

Ancient One nodded. "You've finally realized. Now leave. This is over."

The Blood God, defeated and humiliated, snarled before stepping through a portal back to his dimension.

Ancient One emerged from the Mirror Dimension and gazed at Russell, her expression unreadable. "It's your move now, Russell. Don't waste the opportunity."