Seeking The Fallen

The morning light filtered through the high windows of the GDA's secure conference room, casting long shadows across the assembled heroes.

Original Mark paced restlessly at the head of the table, his costume showing signs of a sleepless night.

"Run this by me again," he said, turning to face The Immortal. "We're going to contact... Hell... to find a way to reach the Emperor's dimension?"

The alternate Immortal nodded, "The conventional approaches have failed.

Our scientists have been working around the clock with no breakthrough. Dimensional barriers are simply too strong to breach with our current technology."

Original Eve leaned forward, her scientific skepticism evident. "And we're sure this isn't just trading one problem for another? Dealing with demons seems like a classic 'cure worse than the disease' scenario."

"I get your concerns," Nolan said from his position by the window, his imposing figure casting a long shadow across the floor. "In my centuries of travel, I've run into demons. They're not exactly known for their charity work."

"Which is why we proceed with extreme caution," The alternate Immortal replied. "But we can't afford to dismiss any avenue that might reunite us with our missing teammates."

"Look," original Mark interjected, "I barely know Sukuna – met him what, a couple days before everything went sideways?

But from what I've seen, he's our best shot against the Viltrumites. If this demon stuff is our only lead, I say we follow it."

"Easy for you to say," original Rex scoffed from his seat. "You're not the one who's going to have nightmares about blood rituals for the next month."

"Like you need help having nightmares," alternate Rex shot back. "You scream in your sleep when you watch cooking shows."

"That was ONE TIME, and it was a particularly brutal elimination round!"

The door opened, interrupting their bickering, and Damien Darkblood entered, his massive red form drawing all eyes in the room. He carried a small leather satchel that seemed to pulse with an unnatural rhythm.

"You're late," original Mark said, not bothering to hide his nervousness about the whole thing.

"Time flows differently where I've been," Darkblood replied, his gravelly voice filling the room. He moved to the center of the space, where a large area had been cleared of furniture. "I needed specific materials. Not easy to find in this merged world."

He knelt, opening the satchel to reveal various objects that seemed to defy conventional description – bones that glowed with an inner light, vials of liquid that moved against gravity, and small stones inscribed with symbols that hurt the eyes if observed too directly.

"What exactly is the plan here?" original Eve asked, her curiosity battling with obvious discomfort.

"First, we contact an old... associate of mine," Darkblood explained as he began arranging the objects in a precise pattern. "Someone who might point us to the being we need – one of the few who can breach dimensional barriers without destroying both worlds in the process."

"And who is this associate?" Nolan asked, crossing his arms.

Darkblood paused, looking up at the assembled heroes. "A teacher. One who showed humanity things they weren't meant to know. His name is Penemue."

"The fallen Watcher," alternate Robot interjected, his mechanical voice betraying no emotion despite the ominous subject. "From apocryphal texts. Associated with teaching humans writing and deception."

"Correct," Darkblood acknowledged, returning to his preparations. "He walks the boundaries between realms. Not powerful enough to help us directly, but knowledgeable enough to point us in the right direction."

"So we're asking one demon where to find another demon?" original Eve clarified. "That doesn't sound like a slippery slope at all."

"These beings aren't demons in the traditional sense," Darkblood corrected. "They're fallen angels. Watchers who betrayed their purpose. Different category entirely."

"Oh, well that makes me feel SO much better," original Rex muttered.

From a small ornate dagger, Darkblood drew a line across his palm, allowing thick, dark blood to drip onto the arranged objects.

The blood seemed to move with purpose, flowing into patterns more complex than gravity should allow.

"The blood of the exiled opens paths denied to mortals," he intoned, his voice taking on a rhythmic quality that resonated strangely in the room's acoustics.

The heroes watched in uneasy fascination as Darkblood began to trace sigils on the floor with his bleeding palm, each symbol briefly flaring with crimson light before settling into a pulsing glow.

The air in the room grew heavy, charged with an energy that raised the hair on the back of everyone's necks.

"Is this... safe?" original Mark whispered to The alternate Immortal.

"No," The original Immortal replied simply, having overheard. "But necessary."

"That's not exactly reassuring," original Eve said, moving closer to Mark. "Maybe we should set some boundaries before we open a direct line to... whatever this is."

"Boundaries are wise," Darkblood agreed without looking up from his work. "Do not step within the circle once it's complete.

Do not offer anything – information, possessions, promises – unless I indicate it's safe. And most importantly, do not interrupt the ritual once it begins."

"Great," alternate Rex groaned. "More rules to worry about breaking."

"Just keep your mouth shut and you'll be fine," his original self advised.

Darkblood completed the circle of sigils, then stood at its edge, raising both hands. "By blood and memory, by oath and exile, I call upon Penemue, Teacher of Secrets, Keeper of Forbidden Knowledge. Appear before us, bound by the terms of our ancient pact."

For a moment, nothing happened. Then the blood sigils began to smoke, the crimson liquid turning to mist that rose and swirled in the center of the circle.

The mist thickened, condensing into a vaguely humanoid shape before suddenly snapping into focus.

Where empty air had been moments before now stood a figure that seemed simultaneously substantial and ephemeral.

Tall and willowy, with features that shifted subtly when not directly observed, Penemue wore what appeared to be ancient scholarly robes that flowed around him like liquid shadow.

His eyes gleamed with an intelligence that bordered on madness, and when he smiled, his teeth seemed too numerous and too sharp.

"Damien, my disgraced pupil!" Penemue exclaimed, his voice carrying an accent from no earthly language. "How delightful to be summoned from my studies. And you've brought friends! How uncharacteristically social of you."

He spun in a circle, taking in the assembled heroes with evident delight. "Ah, mortals with power beyond their understanding. My favorite kind! Though..."

he paused, studying Nolan with narrowed eyes, "not all mortal, are we? Fascinating specimen. From beyond the stars, yet thinking himself one of them. Delicious irony!"

"Penemue," Darkblood growled, clearly uncomfortable with the fallen angel's erratic behavior. "We seek information, not entertainment."

"Information IS entertainment, my dour friend," Penemue replied, performing an elaborate bow that somehow bent at angles that shouldn't be possible.

"It's all I have to trade these days. Ask your questions, then. Let's see if they're worth answering."

The alternate Immortal stepped forward. "We seek a way to reach another dimension. A specific one, where three of our companions are trapped."

"Dimensions, dimensions," Penemue mused, tapping a finger against his chin. "So many walls between worlds, so many doors left ajar.

You'll need to be more specific, ancient one. The multiverse is vast, and my knowledge, while extensive, is not unlimited."

"We're looking for what we call the Emperor's dimension," original Mark said, stepping closer to the circle but careful not to cross its boundary.

"A world ruled by another version of me – a Viltrumite Emperor who's taken our friends captive."

"Including Sukuna," The alternate Immortal added. "He's essential to our defense against the coming Viltrumite invasion."

At the mention of Sukuna's name, Penemue froze mid-gesture, his constantly shifting features suddenly still. "Sukuna?" he repeated, his voice losing its manic quality. "You seek the First Son of Heaven?"

He began pacing within the circle, muttering to himself in languages no human had spoken for millennia.

Occasionally he would stop, make an elaborate gesture as if writing in the air, then resume his agitated movement.

"Interesting, interesting," he murmured. "The patterns align, the cycles repeat. The First Son walks among mortals once more, and the walls between worlds grow thin. Of course, of course!"

"What are you talking about?" original Eve demanded, confusion evident in her voice. "What's this 'First Son of Heaven' business?"

Penemue stopped his pacing, fixing Mark with a stare that seemed to look through him rather than at him. "Your Sukuna, the one you seek to retrieve, is the First Son of Heaven.

In all timelines, all realities where he exists, this remains constant – though few remember it, including often himself."

He resumed his erratic movement, hands weaving complex patterns in the air. "Your world's version appears to be one born in the modern era – a rarity!

Most manifest in ancient times. He stands at the crossroads of destiny, capable of being savior or destroyer.

It seems in your reality, he has chosen the path of the Messiah he was always meant to be."

"Wait, back up," original Mark interrupted, clearly struggling with the concept. "Are you saying Sukuna is like... Jesus or something?" His discomfort with the spiritual question was evident, his experience with demons and divine matters limited at best - nonexistent at worst.

Penemue cackled, the sound echoing strangely in the confined space. "No, no, not in that sense! He brings no scripture, delivers no prophecies.

He is a Messiah in the most literal sense – a protector against evil, a shield against darkness. That type of savior."

His expression turned contemplative. "But it seems you've lost yours. How careless."

"This is all very interesting," original Eve cut in, "and definitely something we should dig into later. But right now, we need to know if there's a way to reach the Emperor's world and bring our friends home."

"Hold on," Nolan said, stepping forward. "If Sukuna is this... First Son of Heaven, why didn't we know about it? Why doesn't he seem to know about it himself?"

Penemue's features rippled like water disturbed by a stone. "The knowledge of one's divine nature is often... suppressed. Sometimes by external forces, sometimes by the individual themselves. The burden of divinity is not easily borne."

"Are you saying he's not human?" original Mark asked, struggling to process this new information.

"Oh, he's quite human," Penemue assured him with a dismissive wave. "Just... more. A vessel containing greater purpose. Like a cup filled with ocean water – still a cup, but carrying something of the vastness within."

"That doesn't make any sense," original Rex complained. "Either he's human or he isn't."

"You're not listening!" Penemue lamented with theatrical disappointment. "This is why your species struggles so. He is human AND divine, since one is species the other is status, a purpose!"

"Okay, this is getting us nowhere," original Eve interjected firmly. "Can you help us reach the Emperor's dimension or not?"

Penemue shrugged, his shoulders moving in a way that suggested more joints than a human body should possess. "I don't even know what world you're talking about, my dear. The Emperor's dimension? Means nothing to me. You'll need to find someone with more... specific knowledge."

"So this was a complete waste of time," alternate Rex grumbled.

"Not entirely," The original Immortal countered. "We've learned something significant about our missing ally."

Darkblood stepped forward, his massive form casting a shadow over the fallen angel. "I was hoping it wouldn't come to this," he said, his voice lower than before. "But I must ask – do you know where Gadreel is?"

The effect was immediate and dramatic. Penemue's shifting features solidified into an expression of absolute seriousness, all traces of his earlier manic behavior vanishing.

"Gadreel?" he repeated, the name seeming to carry weight beyond its syllables. "You would seek him out?"

Several of the assembled heroes exchanged confused glances. "Who's Gadreel?" original Mark asked.

"The Sentinel of Eden," alternate Robot explained, "According to apocryphal texts, he was the angel charged with guarding the Garden of Eden. The fallen angel who allowed Satan entry. One of the Watchers."

"So another fallen angel," original Eve clarified. "But one more powerful than Penemue?"

"Not just more powerful," Darkblood corrected grimly. "Gadreel was the Guardian of the Gates. The Sentinel whose failure allowed evil to enter paradise. His punishment was... severe."

"I know nothing of Gadreel's whereabouts," Penemue stated flatly, all playfulness gone from his demeanor. "And if that's what you wish to ask about, then our conversation is concluded."

"Wait!" original Mark called out. "We're just trying to find our friends. If you can't help us directly, maybe you can point us to someone who can?"

"Someone other than Gadreel," The alternate Immortal added quickly, noting Penemue's reaction.

Penemue seemed to consider this for a moment, his features shifting more rapidly than before. "There are... others. Lesser entities who might assist. But their prices are steep, and their trustworthiness questionable at best."

"We'll take our chances," Nolan said firmly.

"Your confidence is charming," Penemue replied with a smile that revealed far too many teeth. "But misplaced. Seek the Crossroads King if you must. Or the Librarian of Forgotten Texts. Both know paths between worlds."

"Where can we find them?" original Eve asked.

"Where all forgotten things go," Penemue replied cryptically. "Where lost souls wander and memories fade. The Borderlands, child. The edges of Hell itself."

Before anyone could ask for clarification, Penemue began to dissolve, the mist that formed his body dispersing and returning to its original state as blood.

The liquid splattered across the floor, droplets spraying several of the heroes who stood closest to the circle.

"Ugh, gross!" original Rex exclaimed, wiping blood from his face with evident disgust. "A little warning would have been nice!"

"Well, that was spectacularly unhelpful," original Eve sighed, using her molecular powers to remove the blood from her costume.

"Not entirely," Nolan disagreed. "We have new leads – this Crossroads King and Librarian. And we've learned something significant about Megumi."

Darkblood knelt, beginning to gather his materials with methodical precision. "The Crossroads King is dangerous – he trades in souls and destinies. The Librarian is more... academic, but no less perilous to approach."

"So what now?" The Immortal asked, his ancient eyes fixed on the demon detective.

Darkblood stood, securing his satchel. "I'll continue making inquiries through my own channels.

There are other entities who might know more about these beings, though approaching them carries significant risk."

"And if those inquiries fail?" Nolan pressed.

"Then we may have no choice but to venture into the Borderlands ourselves," Darkblood replied grimly. "To seek out those who can breach dimensional barriers directly."

A heavy silence fell over the room as the implications sank in.

"A journey to the edges of Hell," The original Immortal mused. "In all my centuries, I never thought I'd contemplate such a thing."

"You need to decide if you're willing to go that far," Darkblood stated bluntly. "Because once that journey begins, there's no turning back. The price for such knowledge is always higher than you expect."

Original Mark looked around at the assembled heroes, then back to Darkblood. "I don't know about selling my soul or anything that dramatic, but I'm willing to take risks to bring them back."

"Fine! Me too! Especially if Sukuna is as important to our defense as everyone says." Alternate Rex grumbled.

"It's not just about defense," alternate War Woman interjected. "Those are our friends. Our teammates. We don't leave our own behind."

"Exactly," original Eve agreed. "And if these... Borderlands... are our best shot at finding them, then that's where we need to go."

"This isn't a decision to make lightly," Nolan cautioned. "I've seen beings that claimed to be from other planes of existence. Their power is real, but so are their deceptions."

"Which is why we proceed with caution," The original Immortal stated. "Darkblood, continue your inquiries. Find us a safer approach if possible. But understand that if no alternative presents itself, we are prepared to take more drastic measures."

Darkblood studied them for a long moment, then nodded. "Your determination is admirable. Foolish, perhaps, but admirable." He turned toward the door.

"I'll return when I have more information. Be prepared for what comes next – it will test you in ways you cannot imagine."

As the demon detective departed, the heroes were left contemplating the blood-stained floor and the unsettling revelations that had emerged from their brief contact with the supernatural.

"The First Son of Heaven," original Eve murmured, more to herself than the others. "What else don't we know about Sukuna?"

"More importantly," Nolan added, "what else doesn't he know about himself?"

"You guys are missing the obvious question," original Rex interjected. "If Sukuna is some kind of divine whatever, why would he need our help in the first place? Shouldn't he be able to, I don't know, miracle himself back here?"

"Maybe his powers don't work that way," original Mark suggested. "Or maybe he doesn't understand what he is."

"Or maybe that fallen angel was just messing with us," alternate Rex countered. "Throwing out cryptic nonsense to watch us chase our tails."

"No," The Immortal said firmly. "Penemue was genuinely surprised by Sukuna's name. His reaction was not feigned."

"So what do we do with this information?" original Eve asked. "Do we tell some of the others? The public is already spinning conspiracy theories about Sukuna's importance, so the possibility of leakage would become greater if we do."

"We keep it contained for now," The alternate Immortal decided. "Until we understand more, this knowledge stays in this room."

The others nodded in agreement, though uncertainty lingered in their expressions.

"Well, that was a whole lot of crazy for a Tuesday morning," original Rex finally said, breaking the tension. "Anyone else need a drink? Because I definitely need a drink."

His alternate self nodded in agreement. "Make mine a double. Or better yet, the whole damn bottle."

As the group began to disperse, original Mark lingered, staring at the blood sigils that still faintly pulsed with otherworldly energy.

The revelation about Sukuna had shaken him more than he wanted to admit.

"You okay?" original Eve asked, returning to his side.

"Just processing," he replied. "A while ago, my biggest worry was keeping my grades up while fighting bad guys. Now we're summoning fallen angels and talking about journeys to Hell."

Eve placed a hand on his shoulder. "One step at a time, right? First, we find a way to reach the Emperor's dimension. Then we bring our friends home. Then we deal with the Viltrumites."

"And somewhere in there, figure out if one of our allies is actually some kind of divine being," Mark added with a weak smile.

"Just another day in our insane new merged reality," Eve said, attempting to lighten the mood.

Mark nodded, but his thoughts remained troubled as they left the conference room.

The question that haunted him wasn't just about Sukuna's true nature, but about what it meant for all of them – for this fragile, doubled world facing threats from beyond the stars.

If even Heaven had taken an interest in their struggle to send a literal Savior then how dire was their situation truly?

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(Author note: Hello everyone! I hope you all enjoyed the chapter! 

Do tell me how you found it.

Yes, this is getting more and more layered - this story I mean, but come on, we literally saw at the end of season 3 Damien Darkblood doing some ritual or something to do with Hell, I find I'm still faithful enough to the narrative.

So yeah, again do tell me how you found it and I hope to see you all later,

Bye!)