Sorcerer in the Marvel Universe

Nahash.

The Serpent of Eden.

The tempter who, according to legend, had lured Adam and Eve into eating the forbidden fruit.

Evenson studied the impeccably dressed devil before him.

The stories weren’t entirely accurate, of course. Reality rarely matched mythology perfectly. But one thing remained true.

Within Hell’s hierarchy, Nahash stood just below the Seven Lords themselves.

A devil of that rank did not leave Hell lightly.

"You’ve possessed a mortal body and crossed into the human world," Evenson said calmly. "Was all that effort really just to deliver Mephisto’s displeasure?"

Despite the tension in the room, he made no move to attack.

There was no point.

Nahash was extraordinarily powerful in Hell, but beings of his stature couldn’t fully manifest on Earth without paying an enormous price. The figure standing before them was merely a projection, a disposable avatar. Destroying it would accomplish almost nothing.

More importantly...

Evenson’s gaze drifted to Coulson’s unconscious body lying nearby.

His body was alive.

Healthy, even.

But it was only an empty shell.

His soul was somewhere else.

That alone made reckless action impossible.

Besides...

"I’d rather hear why you’re really here."

Nahash smiled.

"As expected."

"You’re perceptive."

"The Contract of San Venganza contained one thousand sinful souls."

He emphasized the number.

"Exceptional souls."

"Mephisto waited more than a century to collect them."

"And because of you..."

"...he lost them."

The devil folded his hands behind his back.

"So tell me."

"How do you intend to compensate him?"

"And if I don’t?"

Evenson shrugged.

"I don’t recall owing him anything."

Nahash’s smile never faltered.

"Then your friend’s soul..."

"...will remain in Hell."

"Forever."

"He’ll suffer for eternity."

"I see."

Evenson smiled in return.

If anything, the threat only reinforced his suspicions.

Before he could respond further, Nick Fury interrupted.

"We need a moment."

Evenson blinked.

"What?"

Surprisingly, Nahash inclined his head with impeccable manners.

"Of course."

"Take all the time you need."

"I understand democracy."

His grin widened.

"Hell is a very democratic place."

Melinda frowned.

"Democratic?"

That was not a word she’d ever associated with Hell.

Nahash laughed softly.

"You misunderstand."

"Hell is the ultimate democracy."

"The moment people are free to choose their own fate..."

"...their suffering begins."

"And when they finally taste the consequences of those choices..."

He slowly licked his lips.

"The regret."

"The despair."

"The bitterness."

"They’re exquisite."

Evenson tilted his head.

"Sure."

"If people stop thinking, they stop suffering."

"But comfort breeds complacency."

"And complacency makes it much easier to fall into Hell."

"You devils have always been very good at selling the easy path."

Nahash answered only with a chilling laugh.

Ignoring him, Evenson turned toward Fury, Melinda, and Claire. The four gathered into a small circle.

"So?"

He looked at Fury.

"Please tell me you aren’t about to criticize how I handled the Contract of San Venganza."

"No."

Fury answered without hesitation.

"When Blackheart tried to use it on Earth, destroying his plans was absolutely the right decision."

"I stand by that."

Then his expression darkened.

"But..."

"This involves Coulson’s soul."

Evenson frowned.

"So?"

Fury met his eyes.

"He wants one thousand souls."

"We give him one thousand souls."

Silence.

Claire stared at Fury as if he’d lost his mind.

"So that’s your solution?"

Fury nodded.

"There’s nothing complicated about it."

Evenson slowly reached out...

...grabbed Fury’s face...

...and pulled downward.

"Hold still."

"What are you doing?"

"I’m checking whether this is your real face."

Evenson narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"You sure you’re Nick Fury?"

Then he pried open Fury’s remaining eye.

"Claire."

"See if something possessed him."

"Enough!"

Fury slapped his hand away.

"I am Nick Fury."

"No shapeshifter."

"No possession."

"No nonsense."

Evenson calmly wiped his hand with a tissue.

"Then your proposal is even stranger."

"You want to hand a devil one thousand human souls?"

Melinda answered before Fury could.

"Do you know how many death row inmates there are?"

Claire looked horrified.

"You’d trade their souls for your colleague?"

"Do you understand what you’re saying?"

Fury didn’t flinch.

"What happens to truly irredeemable criminals after they die?"

The question gave Claire pause.

Modern societies imposed the death penalty sparingly.

If someone truly deserved that sentence...

Then, according to every doctrine she’d studied...

Their soul was already bound for Hell.

"We’d only be sending them a little earlier."

Fury’s voice remained perfectly steady.

Evenson shook his head.

"That’s not what bothers me."

He glanced over his shoulder.

Nahash had apparently grown bored and was casually picking shards of broken glass out of Coulson’s mouth.

"I couldn’t care less where those souls end up."

"Heaven."

"Hell."

"Not my concern."

He looked back at Fury.

"What concerns me..."

"...is you."

"S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn’t negotiate."

"Compromising with devils doesn’t sound like your style."

Fury leaned closer and lowered his voice.

"S.H.I.E.L.D. has never compromised because we’ve never faced an enemy worth compromising with."

"You know the situation after New York."

"The world’s unstable."

"Everyone is trying to exploit the invasion."

His jaw tightened.

"And inside S.H.I.E.L.D...."

He hesitated.

"Hydra."

"We still have no idea how deeply they’ve infiltrated."

"I have every reason to believe they’ve reached the highest levels."

He exhaled heavily.

"I don’t need another crisis."

"I need people like Coulson alive."

"I need someone capable of dealing with the disasters we already have."

Evenson listened quietly.

Then he nodded.

"I understand."

Fury finally relaxed.

Only for Evenson to turn around and call across the room:

"No deal."

The words hit Fury harder than any punch.

His face froze.

Then what exactly was the point of that conversation?

Evenson ignored him.

He looked directly at Nahash.

"Let’s stop wasting each other’s time."

"I’m certain Mephisto is in a hurry."

"So enough games."

"Tell me what you actually came here for."

Nahash’s smile widened.

"Just as Mephisto said."

"You’re very clever."

The amusement disappeared from his face.

He spoke a single name.

"Locke."

...

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