"Look, you can be angry if you want," Evenson said, finally prying Salara’s fingers off his chin, "but could we at least have this conversation without... whatever this pose is? It’s not exactly ladylike."
His lower back was still pinned against the broken table, leaving him nowhere to retreat. All he could do was lean backward and clamp both hands over his eyes.
Salara’s true Eredar attire was already... minimalist.
With one hoof propped on the table like that...
There were things a gentleman simply wasn’t supposed to look at.
"Oh?" Salara drawled. "Such a noble, honorable man."
She smirked.
"Then why don’t you close the gaps between your fingers before saying that again?"
Even so, she lowered her leg.
As she stepped away, her hoof casually crushed the Eye of Kilrogg lying on the floor.
She gave a disdainful snort and turned her back.
Whether from irritation or something else, her slender tail swayed lazily behind her.
Evenson found himself staring at it for a second longer than he should have.
Focus.
Aurecess folded her arms.
"Now," she said, "care to explain why you’re so determined to use Ulthalesh?"
"You know what’s sealed inside it."
"You know what became of every one of its previous wielders."
"And you know perfectly well you’re nowhere near strong enough to control it."
"I know," Evenson admitted.
"I know all of that."
The Nathrezim were remembered as one of the Burning Legion’s greatest strengths.
But that hadn’t always been true.
When Sargeras first sought to gather his army, the dreadlords had refused him.
Their greatest leader, Ulthalesh himself, had challenged the Dark Titan.
The outcome had never been in doubt.
Sargeras destroyed the dreadlord’s physical form and imprisoned his soul inside a scythe, forging one of the most infamous Artifact Weapons in existence.
Yet Ulthalesh had never submitted.
His hatred for Sargeras endured.
He dreamed of devouring the Dark Titan’s soul just as relentlessly as he once sought to overthrow him.
The weapon bestowed extraordinary power upon its wielder.
Enough power to intoxicate.
Enough to make rebellion against Sargeras seem possible.
But it demanded perfection.
Its master could never falter.
Never show weakness.
Never suffer defeat.
The instant its wielder proved unworthy, Ulthalesh would consume their soul without hesitation.
After all...
A weakling could never kill Sargeras.
Its last master had been a mighty Eredar warlock of the Burning Legion.
With a single harvest, she extinguished every life across Deadwind Pass.
From that massacre came the weapon’s infamous title.
Ulthalesh, the Deadwind Harvester.
She herself met the same fate.
After being defeated by the Guardian of Tirisfal, her soul became just another meal for the dreadlord imprisoned within the scythe.
That was the price of wielding Ulthalesh.
No exceptions.
The sounds of battle filtered in from outside.
Explosions.
Gunfire.
Screams.
Tony Stark alone couldn’t hold back an invasion pouring through a portal the size of a skyscraper. Chitauri warriors were already spreading across Manhattan like a plague.
Evenson remained unmoved.
"The doorway outside..."
He looked toward the blazing rift in the sky.
"...is the gate to a new era."
"It marks the end of the old world."
"And everything we’ve been preparing for begins today."
His voice rose with conviction.
"So I have to make absolutely certain that what comes afterward is a new age."
"Not the end of civilization beneath the boots of those monsters."
"We have to win this war."
Salara frowned.
"Based on everything you’ve told us... every contingency you’ve prepared..."
"You seemed completely confident."
Evenson had spent months weaving together an intricate plan.
Everything depended on surviving this battle.
The twins couldn’t understand why he was suddenly willing to gamble his life.
Evenson laughed softly.
"My confidence..."
"...was always based on using Ulthalesh."
He looked toward the portal again.
"Even the Bronze Dragonflight, the keepers of time itself, have witnessed the End Time."
"If even they can’t guarantee the future..."
"...how could I?"
He shook his head.
"I’d rather prepare for the worst than gamble on destiny staying the same."
Better to change the odds himself than trust the timeline.
Salara opened her mouth.
Aurecess stopped her with a raised hand.
"If you’ve made your decision..."
"...then we’ll support it."
"We’ll help."
Her expression gradually hardened.
"But remember this."
"The new world may be beautiful."
"Only the living get to enjoy it."
Salara nodded.
"And don’t expect your little tricks to save you."
She looked directly into his eyes.
"Against Ulthalesh..."
"...a Soulstone won’t preserve your soul."
Soulstone...
The words struck Evenson like a hammer.
For the briefest instant, Coulson’s empty Soulstone flashed through his mind.
His eyes trembled.
Then he forced the memory away.
There wasn’t time.
"Let’s begin."
Without warning, Salara grabbed the front of his robes and stripped them off in one swift motion.
The magnificent counterfeit Artifact armor landed in a heap on the floor.
Evenson was left standing bare-chested.
He wasn’t exactly out of shape...
But years spent studying magic instead of exercising had left him carrying just enough softness around the waist to notice.
Salara unclipped the short ceremonial dagger at her hip and tossed it toward Aurecess.
The other twin caught it effortlessly.
A pulse of fire enveloped the blade.
Within seconds, the metal glowed a brilliant orange-red.
"Which arm?" Salara asked.
"Left or right?"
Evenson hesitated.
"...Does it matter?"
"It doesn’t."
Salara answered for him.
"Both."
Aurecess approached with the glowing dagger.
There was an unmistakable grin on her face.
Evenson swallowed.
Instinctively he tried backing away.
The broken table blocked him again.
"W... wait."
"What exactly are you planning?"
"What do you think?"
Aurecess rolled the heated blade between her fingers.
"I’m engraving your fel runes."
She smiled.
"For the best results..."
"I’m branding them directly into your arms."
Evenson blinked.
"Couldn’t you just come outside and maintain the enchantment yourselves?"
"Why does this have to involve... branding?"
"We’d rather not reveal ourselves publicly," Salara replied.
She gave him a meaningful smile.
"Wasn’t that your own condition?"
"...Fair."
Evenson looked at the glowing blade again.
"...How about magical adhesive instead?"
"No."
Salara rejected the idea instantly.
"The runes must become part of your body."
"It’s the safest method."
"You know that."
"You did exactly the same thing to that young demon hunter."
Aurecess nodded enthusiastically.
A strange gleam shone in her eyes.
"We’re going to leave a mark on you that can never be erased."
Before Evenson could process the unsettling choice of words...
The blade touched skin.
Hiss.
His muscles locked.
He gritted his teeth.
I can take it.
I can...
"I CAN’T!"
His howl shook the entire building.
"AAAAAAAGH!"
Pain exploded through his arm.
Only then did another memory hit him.
When he’d branded Peggy Carter with magical runes...
He’d knocked her unconscious first.
So why...
Why was he expected to stay awake for this?
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