Mephisto, now in control of Azazel's body, bore his gaze into Val, his eyes narrowing as he spat out, "You! You murdered my vessel!"

In response, Val nodded nonchalantly, "Yes, indeed I did. His unsightliness didn't sit well with me, so I ended him."

A sneer twisted Mephisto's face as he retorted, "Well then, so be it. However, he was not just any vessel; he was one of the best. And for taking his life, you shall be prepared to face the consequences."

Val had little interest in prolonging this conversation with Mephisto, a being known for his sly manipulations. Deciding to withdraw, he turned on his heel, intending to walk away.

However, the grip around his legs only tightened further, prompting him to swivel back towards Mephisto.

Mephisto looked up at Val and he questioned, "And just where do you think you're off to? Do you truly believe you can simply stroll away after murdering my vessel?"

Mephisto's eyes smouldered with an ominous red glow, matching the eerie illumination radiating from his hands. Val's gaze narrowed at Mephisto, his muscles coiling in preparation to launch an assault.

However, to his surprise, Mephisto's eyes grew wide, a stunned expression momentarily playing across his face. That was swiftly replaced with a wicked grin, his gaze shifting as he stared at Val not as an enemy anymore, but more akin to a child's coveted toy.

All of a sudden, Mephisto burst into a hearty laughter that echoed through the otherwise still air. Startled, Val glanced around, quickly realizing the world around him had come to a standstill. He could even discern tiny fragments of debris suspended in the air over the flight deck.

Val swiveled back to face Mephisto, who had ceased his unsettling laughter but still sported a broad grin, his eyes shimmering with excited anticipation. The words that spilled from Mephisto's lips next caught Val off guard, "You! You're not of this universe! Fortune truly smiles upon me today! I never expected to stumble upon another exquisite soul, ripe for the reaping."

Mephisto's voice rose with excitement, "You are similar to the four precious souls I've claimed. Oh, their essence is truly divine, simply the epitome of perfection.

But, you... you're distinct. Yes, I can tell that you're very unlike the rest. Your soul has a richness, a flavour that surpasses all others. I simply cannot let you slip away. Your soul... it must be mine."

With a flick of his wrist, Mephisto conjured a contract seemingly out of thin air, dangling it tantalizingly before Val's eyes. "Put your signature on this parchment," he proposed, "and anything your heart desires can be yours. Knowledge, power... you name it."

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Mephisto's smirk deepened as he lowered his voice to an almost conspiratorial whisper, "I could even reunite you with your dearly departed wife, Sarah!"

At the mention of Sarah's name, a tempest of wrath erupted within Val. He was on the verge of launching himself at Mephisto when an unexpected touch on his shoulder stopped him.

Twisting his head around, he was met with a sight that drained the color from his face. There, standing behind him, was an ethereal figure of Sarah, her face graced with a gentle smile.

Softly, Sarah caressed his face, her face brimming with love and tenderness. "Sign it, Val," she urged gently. "This is our chance to reunite. He means no harm to you; he only desires your assistance. He's not as dreadful as he seems."

However, her words didn't seem to sway Val. Upon noticing his unchanged resolve, her eyes welled up with tears, tracing wet trails down her cheeks. "I miss you, Val," she confessed, her voice choked with emotion. "I long for your presence."

Turning her gaze towards the contract, she reiterated, "This parchment is our gateway back to each other, Val. Put your signature on it, and you'll never have to bear your burdens alone again. We'll brave everything..." she whispered in his ear, her voice trailing off, "...together." Then, like a candle's flame extinguished by a gust of wind, she vanished from sight.

Under a momentary spell, Val reached out for the pen suspended in the air, his hand hovering over the contract. Mephisto watched on with an expression of anticipation and excitement as Val prepared to ink the deal. But then, Val abruptly halted his action, casting the pen aside.

Mephisto's smile flickered out, his gaze shifting to Val who had tears glistening in his eyes. After a deep breath to steady his emotions, Val leveled his gaze at Mephisto and said, "I appreciate the illusion of my wife that you presented, even though it was a fabrication. Her absence has been a torment."

The puzzled look on Mephisto's face prompted Val to further explain. "My wife was always a sensible woman. I knew that the apparition wasn't her, because had it been, her initial reaction would have been to berate me for dismissing the offer."

Val's demeanor abruptly hardened, his gaze turning icy as he shot Mephisto a look that spelled doom. "You've gone too far," he said with a low growl. "Using Sarah's image to further your wicked designs was a grave mistake. Now, you shall face the consequences."

Drawing upon the energy he had accumulated earlier, Val magnified his strength to an unimaginable scale. With a stern look set on his face, he lifted his fists high above his head, and slammed them down upon Mephisto.

* KA-BOOOM *

The air resonated with the sound of a powerful blast, shrouding the scene in a thick cloud of dust. As the debris began to settle, Val's gaze met with Mephisto's triumphant grin. "Foolish of you," he cackled, "to think your meagre power could cause me even an ounce of pain."

Mephisto's smiling expression melted away, replaced with a glare directed squarely at Val. "Now, you will—" His sentence hung in the air, unfinished. Unexpectedly, reality around them seemed to shatter like glass, revealing an Eldritch portal swirling ominously beneath Mephisto.

Mephisto's grip on Val slackened as he was inexorably drawn into the swirling portal. With an enraged cry echoing into the void, "You bald bitch!" he was swallowed whole by the portal.

As soon as Mephisto disappeared, the portal shut abruptly. Val cast a hopeful glance around, the name "Yao?" escaping his lips in a hushed, expectant whisper.

Yet, when he scanned his surroundings, there was no sight of Yao. Instead, he found himself met with the fearful stares of the mutants – Angel, Havok, Banshee and others.