Demon King of Time in Marvel

Chapter 7: Forceful Introductions

Eternal's POV

The Eternals filed into the cave, a mix of apprehension and sense of duty etched on their faces. It was dark, damp, and smelled vaguely of old mushrooms—not exactly five-star accommodations. Makkari, ever impatient, tapped her foot, while Thena cracked her knuckles, clearly itching for a fight.

They reached a large cavern, and there he was: the guy in the black and gold armor. But nobody told them that he wasn't alone.

Devon's POV

Okay, so picture this: You're finally getting a handle on this whole time-bending thing, when suddenly, a group of spandex-clad superheroes bursts into your house. Talk about bad timing. And these superheroes were none other than the Eternals, the same ones whose spaceship he'd… borrowed. And aww, they brought friends. But why were they staring behind him?

Ohma turned to see what had caught their attention. There, shimmering in the golden light of the residual temporal energy, stood the Deviant. The one made through Echoes of Time.

The Eternals, of course, didn't see what Devon did. To them, it was just another Deviant, albeit a strangely ethereal one.

"What is that humanoid Deviant?" Ajak asked, her voice tight.

"And why does it look like it's intelligent? Don't tell me it's another one of those." Sprite added, tilting her head.

'Another one' huh? Guess you people just invited the devil and he has come knocking.

"He's the one who brought us here," Druig said, his voice laced with resentment as he glared at Ohma.

Ikaris stepped forward, his eyes narrowed. "Who are you, and what are you doing here?"

Ohma considered his options. He could use [Stasis], incapacitate them all, and continue his investigation. The problem, time was already going haywire inside the cave and all he did was put a bandaid on a bullet hole. So messing up the space time continuum was not on today's menu.

He also needed to test himself. He'd been relying on his time powers too much, becoming complacent. He needed to push his limits, to hone his combat skills, to become stronger. He looked at the Eternals, their faces a mixture of suspicion and hostility.

Alright, we are doing this the old fashioned way. It's time to Duel.

"Names Ohma Zi-O," Devon said, his voice echoing through the cave. "And I'm about to give you all a lesson in manners. Starting with not barging into people's caves uninvited."

Before they could respond though, Gilgamesh charged forward, his fist glowing with golden energy.

And we are off to a great start folks, Devon thought, a grin spreading across his face. Time to see what these Eternals are really made of.

Gilgamesh's punch was fast, powerful, but telegraphed. Devon sidestepped the blow with practiced ease, using Gilgamesh's own momentum to spin him slightly off balance. He followed up with a quick jab to Gilgamesh's side, not enough to seriously injure him, but enough to disrupt his flow.

Big and strong, but not very agile, Devon observed, adjusting his stance.

Thena, reacting instantly, launched herself with a spear, an energy construct, towards Devon. He ducked and weaved, using the uneven terrain of the cave to his advantage. He rolled behind a large stalagmite, the attack splitting the rock where he had just been standing.

Combat expert, energy projection but nothing for longer range. Devon analysed while inching closer to Thena.

Devon feinted to his right, then quickly shifted to his left, jumping back while throwing a blast of temporal energy. The blast hit the ground near Thena, causing the temporal distortions in the cave to intensify, the shifting landscapes becoming even more chaotic. She stumbled, momentarily losing her balance. Devon capitalized on the opening, using his enhanced speed to deliver a series of rapid strikes, sending Thena flying backwards. The temporal energy should have aged them, guess that's why they are eternal, Eternal 18.

Just as he dealt with Thena, Ikaris swooped in from above, attempting a diving kick. Devon saw him coming and braced himself, catching Ikaris's leg with both hands. He used Ikaris's momentum against him, throwing him towards Gilgamesh, who was just recovering from Devon's earlier jab. The two Eternals collided with a resounding thud.

Two birds with one stone. Not bad, Devon thought, a smirk playing on his lips.

But the moment of surprise quickly faded. Ajak, her expression now grim, raised her hand. "Enough games," she commanded, her voice resonating through the cave. The other Eternals nodded in unison, their eyes hardening. This was no longer a sparring match.

And just then, the cave itself seemed to react to the shift in atmosphere. The golden light intensified, and the air grew thick with temporal energy. The area where the mushrooms were rapidly aging expanded, now encompassing a large section of the cavern floor. In another spot, the air shimmered, and a patch of the cave wall vanished, replaced by a glimpse of a prehistoric jungle.

What the—?! Devon thought, his eyes widening as he took in the chaotic scene. Can't even use temporal energy, huh.

The Eternals capitalized on the distraction. While Devon was momentarily disoriented by the shifting reality, Kingo launched a barrage of energy blasts, forcing him to dive for cover behind a jagged rock formation. Sersi, with a flick of her wrist, transmuted the rock into a series of sharp, metallic spikes, forcing Devon to move again.

Thena, now armed with two energy blades, charged in, her movements faster and more aggressive than before. Gilgamesh followed close behind, his fists glowing with even more intense golden energy. Ikaris took to the air, circling above Devon like a hawk, ready to strike from any angle.

Cerci began manipulating the very structure of the cave, causing stalactites to fall from the ceiling and the ground to shift beneath Devon's feet. Sprite, her illusions now more complex and disorienting, created multiple flickering images of the Eternals, making it difficult for Devon to focus.

Even the quieter Eternals joined the fray. Druig, despite his earlier defeat, attempted to use his mind control agai. Makkari used her super-speed to dart around the cave, creating sonic booms that further disoriented Devon.

Devon was now facing a coordinated assault from all ten Eternals, each using their unique abilities in conjunction with the increasingly chaotic environment. He was being pushed to his limits, forced to rely on every ounce of his skill and tactical awareness just to stay in the fight.

I prefer one sided beatdown, but only when I am the one handing them out. Devon thought, dodging a falling stalactite and narrowly avoiding a blast of energy from Kingo. Can't let this continue or I am going to be defeated soon.

Focus, Ohma closed his eyes feeling the chaotic temporal energy inside the cave. Not manipulating it, but sensing it, communicating with it. His senses rapidly sharpened, the world becoming more alive. He could feel the minute vibrations in the air as Thena shifted her weight, the subtle changes in the air currents as Ikaris descended.

Thena lunged, her energy blades flashing towards Ohma's throat. But even before she fully committed to the strike, Ohma had already moved. He moved a step back and tilted his dead upwards, the energy blades whistling past his neck, missing him by mere inches.

At the same instant, he felt Ikaris's descent. He didn't even need to look up; he knew the exact trajectory of Ikaris's dive. With a fluid motion, he rolled forward, using Thena's momentum against her, sending her stumbling into Ikaris's path. The two Eternals collided with a grunt, momentarily disrupting their attack.

Ohma didn't stop moving. He flowed from one movement to the next, his actions guided by the subtle whispers of time. He wasn't controlling time, but he was listening to it, allowing it to guide his movements, making him faster, more precise, more… intuitive.

[Pseudo-precognition]. I am sensing the future through intuition.

But as he turned to face the remaining Eternals, Phastos, who had been observing the fight intently, activated a device on his wrist. The device emitted a series of intricate energy patterns that coalesced into a shimmering, hexagonal force field around Devon. He felt a slight pressure against his skin, but nothing more. He tried to move, to break free, but the field held firm.

The illusion of the Deviant, no longer sustained by Ohma's focus on the temporal energy in the cave, flickered and vanished.

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A Dream Revisited - A Last Goodbye

Devon closed his eyes, and a dream took hold. He saw Lily again, not as she was in her final moments, but as she was in his fondest memories – laughing, playing, drawing. She ran towards him, her arms outstretched, and he reached out to embrace her. But as their hands were about to touch, the dream faded, leaving him with a lingering sense of loss and an aching emptiness.

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