Date: Wednesday, June 9, 2010.

  Location: Limbo

  Date: Wednesday, June 9, 2010.

  Location: Limbo

  The ground was a mix of rocky outcrops and scorched earth. Lava-like rivers flowed, glowing bright and casting an additional, surreal light. The air seemed to ripple with energy, and in the distance, dark, looming cliffs jutted out against the horizon. Tyson's heightened senses were on overdrive. The sts in the air were far more plex tha time he'd been in Limbo. The acrid smell of sulfur tinged with the stench of tless demons reached his nostrils. His eyes narrowed as he looked down from the elevated ridge they stood on. Below, the ndscape was swarming with writhing forms. Misshapeures with gring eyes, sharp cws, and an aura of menace were copious.

  "What happened here?" Tyson's voice was full of , even a touch of disbelief.

  Illyana sighed. Her eyes reflected the weight of her situation. "Time passes differently in Limbo," she began, her Russian at even more pronounced as she tinued, frustrated, "I have a small amount of trol over it, but not enough. Since ht with Azazel, every time I return, there are more demons. Now," she paused, taking in the overwhelming sight, "there are thousands."

  Tyson surveyed the seemingly endless horde of demons sprawling below them. The sheer scale of this task made him gulp. Even with his power, the idea of battling thousands of demons was, to put it mildly, daunting. He felt a pang of sympathy for Illyana. Her realm was being overrun. But theuro her, his eyes narrowing. "You tricked me!" he excimed incredulously while pointing at Illyana. "The deal was… You’d strip for me when the demons were all killed. But with this many? You k was an impossible task!"

  Tysht a hand to his face, groaning into his palm. He mumbled, “It’d be easier to just go to a strip club.”

  “You’re not old enough.” Illyana reminded while chug softly with a pyful smirk on her lips. Adopting a moone, she responded, "Aww, don't think so poorly of me, Tyson. Help me out here, and I promise, I'll make it worth your while."

  Then she reached up, slipped off her jacket, and unbuttoned her top. Tyson watched as Illyana began stripping. Her fident demeanor and pyful teasing were disarming. She g him with a cheeky grin. "What? Did you think I was going to ruin this outfit?"

  Tyson could only shake his head. “Yoing to do that, now? Here?” He gestured to the demons below. “I’d love a show, and I ’t believe I’m saying this, but is this the time?”

  Illyana tio shed her attire, “Don’t worry. Limbo is ected to me, this is my safe pce. Even with all the demons around.”

  Tyson wasn’t so sure, but the sight of her removing her clothes was entig enough that he didn't interrupt. Each article of clothing she removed revealed the intricate, delicate ce of her underwear beh. The fabric g to her curves sensuously, yet left just enough to the imagination. The ambient glow of Limbo made her skin gleam, and every motion she made seemed deliberate aive. Her fidence alpable, and it was clear she was in her element, unfazed by her surroundings.

  Then, with a motion of her hand, a portal materialized. Through the shimmering oval, Tyson caught glimpses of Illyana's room, which seemed a stark trast to the hellish ndscape of Limbo. She reached in and pulled out a set of athletic wear.

  Turning back to face Tyson, she took her time putting on the tire. The tight clothing hugged her figure, atuatihletic build. Eaent she made while dressi like an intimate performance just for him. The fabric of her top stretched across her breasts, while her leggings emphasized the toned muscles of her legs. Every a, every pull of fabric was iional, and Tyson couldn't help but appreciate the show.

  Finally dressed, Illyana struck a pyful pose, hands on her hips and one foot slightly in front of the other. She fshed a fident grin, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "See? Worthwhile, right?" she said, "Now, let's get to it."

  — Rogue Rept —

  As the duo neared a horde of demons, Tyson reached out, halting Illyana iracks. "Look, Illyana, we took down Azazel together, but this is a different kind of fight," he said, gesturing toward the writhing mass of demons below. Illyana frowned, her eyebrow arg, but she stayed silent, allowing him to tihose creatures might not be as tough as Azazel, but we shouldn't uimate them."

  Tyson began reting his sed demon enter. "Remember the massive bird demon I fought when you found me here? Before you showed up, it released a debilitating screech. It left me dazed and vulnerable. That thing didn’t waste any time capitalizing on that; it nded several devastating sshes before I recovered." He rubbed his side as if recalling the pain from the demon's blows. "And it wasn't just that. It released these...spores. Made me feel sick, off-bance. My healing helped me push through, but without it, I'm not sure how I would've fared."

  Illyana's intense blue eyes sed the demon-filled horizon, processing Tyson's words. The mention of the bird demon's capabilities made her look thoughtful, maybe even a little wary. "I handle myself," she said, her Russian at giving the statement a hard edge.

  Tyson nodded, aowledgirength. "I know you . You put up a hell of a fight against Azazel. But it wouldn't hurt to be a bit more strategic. My powers make me a det tank.” At her bnk stare, he reworded his meaning, “My ability is specialized for abs damage. Let me ehese new creatures first. Let's find out what they do. If they have any tricks up their sleeves, I should find out with my healing as a safety . Once we know what we're dealing with, then you dive in."

  She pted for a moment before relutly agreeing. "Fine," she muttered, gripping her sword's hilt tighter. "But if you're in over your head, don't be too proud to call for backup."

  Tyson grinned, "Deal. Let's do this."

  Tyson examihe assembly of hunched creatures. These demons, with their mottled grayish-green skin, were a discerting sight. Each bore beady, yellow eyes and their mouths were filled with jagged, mismatched teeth. Their lumpy, misshapen bodies were a far cry from any creature oh, with elongated arms that ended in cehe way they moved was an uling bination of walking upright and lumbering; much like a goril.

  Not far from them, Tyson assessed the situation. He bent doicked up a hefty k of Limbo rock. Winding up, he u towards the demons with all his might. Though his aim wasn't precise, the sheer number of targets made it almost impossible to miss. Thanks to his superhuman strength, the rock hurtled through the air like a bullet, finally striking one of the twisted beings square in the chest.

  With an ed shriek, the demon focused its beady eyes on him, reizing the source of the attack. Rage evident in its features, it luowards him, cws outstretched. Its screech of pain and anger seemed to act as a signal for others of its kind. Two more of the ghastly creatures, drawn by the noise or perhaps sensing an opportunity, joined in the charge, hurtling towards Tyson with a surprising turn of speed.

  Using the jagged terrain to his advayson quickly sidestepped behind an outcropping. He couldn’t see the ining targets, but Tyson’s sharp senses alerted him to the hints of the approag demons. As the first demon rouhe er, it was met with the swift brutality of Tyson's attack. He lunged and delivered a crushing punch straight into the demon's face. The impact resonated with a siing ch, sending the creature flying backward, lifeless even before it hit the ground.

  He was in a chaotic abyss, surrounded by darkness, fire, and a cacophony of monstrous roars. He felt... small. Weak. A lowly demon spawned from the chaotic abyss. Hunger and fear were the primary drives along with the persistent ache of never being satiated. The taste of rot and decay was oddly f. A cloud of ing green gas surrounded him, one of the few defenses against rger, more powerful demons. This stinking cloud could fuse aer any who came too close. Fear dominated his existence. Layered within these primal emotions and experiences, rofoument. It was dimly aware of its weakness and had a deep-seated drive to bee something more.

  The creature, attempting to leap onto Tyson, found itself intercepted mid-air. With a fierce swipe of his cwed hand, Tyson tore through the demon's slimy flesh, leaving it disemboweled and twitg.

  However, with each fatal blow Tyso, the creatures released a ing, greenish gas. It swirled around him like a foul, tangible cloud. The gas was thid cloying, remi of rottiation and deg meat. While the poison didn’t hamper his physical abilities much, the stench was overp, making each breath a gag-indug challenge.

  As the final demon rushed him, Tyson sidestepped its charge, catg it by its elongated ‘arm’. With one swift, powerful motion, he swung it into the rock face, sileng its malevolent snarls forever. The beast's demise added to the already pu atmosphere.

  Tyson grimaced; he was unharmed and the noxious fumes had little effe him, but the smell was horrid.

  As Illyana approached the aftermath of Tyson's bout with the demons, the greenish gas cloud wafted up to greet her. Her face twisted in revulsion, and she choked, the pu smell assaulting her nostrils like a punch. She waved her hand in front of her nose and staggered a step backward, eyes watering. Catg her breath, Illyana broke into a fit of ughter, pointing a teasing fi Tyson. "Is that the cologne you put on for our date?” She snickered, holding her nose in mock horror. “I have to say, ygestion to attack first was a great idea."

  Tyson falsely ughed, “Ha. Ha.” he replied, "Just making sure our date is unfettable." Brushing off some lingering demon residue from his clothes.

  Tyson moved stealthily, positioning himself at the edge of the demon group's sight. He hurled another roto the midst of a few of them, gauging their rea, prepared for any other tricks they might have up their sleeves. When they dispyed no additional special abilities beyond the noxious gas emitted, he and Illyana agreed oactics.

  Illyana positioned herself away from Tyson. They began their well-coorditack. Tyson lunged forward aoe-to-toe with the creatures. His powerful swipes and strikes sending them reeling, while the sickly green cloud billowed out around him. But he wasn't alone. Each time Tyson engaged a group, Illyana used her glowing portals to appear just behind or beside the demons. The Soulsword's sharp edge would swiftly slice through them. Before the gas could envelop her, Illyana would retreat, repositioning herself for another precision strike. She danced around the battlefield like a wraith. Together, Tyson's raw power and Illyana's ing use of her portals ehat the demons stood little bsp;

  Tyson looked down at his hands, they had elongated. His knuckles stretched out, and his fingers became long and thin, tapering to vicious-looking points. He felt a tuggiion at his ears, whiow stretched out horizontally, sharp at the tips. He caught a glimpse of his refle in a puddle of dark liquid on the ground. His face had torted into a feral visage, resembling a bleween a pig and a wild dog. His once firm jaw now sported a snout-like extension, and his skin, normally a warm hue, had turned a sickly shade of grey.

  "That is not a good look," Illyana unnecessarily stated, her eyes wide as she took in his altered appearance.

  "It's these demons. I don’t have a on so I still absorb a portion of their traits when I e into tact with them," Tyson grumbled, his voice mrowly than usual. "It's not perma, so long as I’m careful. But it's making me feel... different."

  He ched his elongated fists. The feral ges alsht with them an increase in aggression and bloodlust. He felt the urge to charge bato the horde, to lose himself in the frenzy of battle.

  Illyana pced a hand on his shoulder, "Stay with me, Tyson. Focus. You've got this."

  Tyson took a deep breath, fighting against the raging instincts that threateo e him. He gave Illyana a determined nod, "Let's finish this."

  With every demon Tyson entered, his relentless drive grew. The battlefield seemed to blur around him as he moved with a singur focus, unleashing powerful strikes on any demon that came his way. The feral ges to his physique might not have enhanced his abilities much, but they certainly didn't diminish his bat prowess. His mind became ed by the heat of battle. Abandoning the initial tactics, Tyson relied on brute strength to tear through the ranks of the grotesque creatures.

  Illyana observed the transformation in Tyson's bat style. She swiftly adjusted her tactiatch his. Her portals were pced to direct his unbridled rage to the de clusters of demons, allowing him to unleash his fury where it would be most effective. The horde, though vast in number, was no match for Tyson's newfound savagery. In his rage, he didn’t bother dodging. The demons nded several brutal hits on him, opening massive gashes in his skin. But his rapid healing capabilities quickly mended each wound. As the st demon was felled, Tyson stood amid the chaos. His clothes were torn, but his healing factor had already sealed any wounds.

  Illyana waited before approag him. When she did, her expression held a hint of . "That was... intense," she remarked, watg as Tyson tried tain his posure.

  Tyson shook his head, trying to dispel the lingering psychic absorption. After a few minutes, his facial features began to revert, losing the elongated snout and pointed ears. The grey hue of his skin shifted back to its normal toaking a deep breath, he g Illyana. "These creatures... they're primal, like animals," Tyson started, his voice holding a hint of fatigue. "They unicate in their demonigue and share some sort of telepathy, but it's not sophisticated. Mostly, I was just feeling their instinctual drives."

  Illyana tilted her head slightly, "You took on a lot back there. You okay?"

  Tyson chuckled lightly, fshing her a fident smile, though it didn't pletely reach his eyes. "I'm good. But, my clothes? Not so much."

  Illyana smirked, gng over his tattered attire. The demon’s cws had done no sting damage to Tyson, but his clothes had been reduced ts, hanging from his rge frame. She quipped, "Well, it's nothing I hadn't seen a few days ago." She winked pyfully.

  Their flirty banter was suddenly interrupted. A crippling terror washed over them, making their hearts rad their breaths shallow. It was like a dark cloud had desded, pressing down on their souls. Tyson ched his fists, his knuckles white. He khis wasn't normal. He possessed superhuman stamina, his heart shouldn't be rag without reason. His psionic resistance allowed him to shake off the unnatural dread.

  Illyana’s face ale. It took her a moment lohan Tyson to shake off the fear; her strong will allowed her to push past the dread. She looked at Tyson with narrowed eyes and asked, "What was that?"

  Tyson replied, "I don't know, but it wasn't natural. Something, or someone, is messing with us."

  Illyana gripped her Soulsword, ready for the challenge. "Well, they picked the wrong duo to mess with."

  Then suddenly a relentless droning noise overwhelmed the area. It was remi of a monstrous swarm of flies all buzzing aing their wings at the same time. It was so intehat Tyson and Illyana both reflexively covered their ears as their faces torted in pain. The ensified, and Tyson's eyes darted around trying to pinpoint its source. Meanwhile, Illyana was less able to weather the sudden assault on her senses. She staggered and her face paled. She gave Tyson a brief, armed look before dropping to her knees and colpsing.

  Illyana y unscious on the ground. The droning had dos insidious work, rendering her vulnerable and defenseless. Tyson, armed, sed the surroundings and looked up just in time to see a figure emerging from a shadowy crevice above. The creature was a monstrous hybrid of a fly and a human. Its massive body, covered in dark chitinous ptes, bore two sets of buzzing wings that seemed tle uhe weight of its foul form. Long, slender arms, remi of a human’s but corrupted in design, hung from its thorax. Four other limbs, jagged and ioid, scratched at the air as the creature desded. Its head was the thing of nightmares: a twisted, exaggerated human face, with pound eyes that gleamed malevolently. A sharp horn-like ted out and dripped with a viscous fluid.

  But what truly sent shivers down Tyson’s spine was the creature's tiny, gnashing mouth, surrounded by bck bes instead of teeth. As it drew closer, the holloing sound it emitted filled the air, a ghastly reminder of its ability to res victims unscious with just the sound of its wings.

  His healing factor repelled the debilitating effects of the fly demon’s aura and droning. With a feral growl, Tyson uhed his cws and summoned his superhuman speed and agility as he sought to close the distaween him and the creature.

  The creature’s pound eyes reized Tyson's iions. The creature flexed its wings and soared into the air, i on keeping its distas strategy became evident as it employed evasive tactics. The demon pulled away in the nick of time, evading his retaliatory strikes.

  Tysohe wind rush past him as he propelled himself forward, leveraging his unparalleled agility t off a jagged outcrop. Every muscle in his body tensed in anticipation as he saw their paths verging, the fleeting opportunity almost palpable. Just as victory seemed within grasp, the demon shifted its course with armierity, evading him effortlessly.

  Cursing under his breath, Tyson pivoted to see the demon darting dangerously close to Illyana's prone figure. A chill of dread washed over him, but he shook it off, his instincts and reflexes firing in perfect tandem. "No you don't!" he shouted.

  Before the demon could get within arm's reach of Illyana, Tyson was already there. Realizing it was outpaced, the creature banked sharply and took to the skies once more, seeking the safety of altitude. The demon circled high above, its eerie silhouette trasting starkly against the bleak Limbo sky.

  Tyson aowledged that as long as the demon remained in the air, he was at a disadvantage. He eyed Illyana's unscious form, ing up with a peleportation could be the key. All he needed was a touch. He rushed toward her, but as he did, the demo out a shrill, otherworldly screech. Almost instantly, an oppressive, imperable darkness maed around Illyana, creating a barrier that seemed to swallow all light. It was like staring into a void, the bess so profound it alpable.

  The darkness seemed to mock him with its absolute bess. But Tyson wasn't deterred. Relying on his heightened senses, he stepped into the bck. He couldn’t see anything, but he had a rough idea of his location, and he had Illyana’s st.

  Before Tyson could reach Illyana, something colossal smmed into him from above, pinning him to the ground. The massive creature loomed over Tyson in the dark. He inned and disoriented. He struggled to make sense of the sudden attack, his eyes darted around, searg for the unscious Illyana, the monstrous demon on top of him, but his vision was entirely obscured by the inky bess.

  The moment the creature's form made tact with Tyson, his power activated, and the demon’s life force transferred through him. A wave of memories, experiences, aions crashed over him.

  Suddenly, he was s above an abyssal expahe rush of wind under rge, leathery wings. The Chasme’s world ainted in hues of crimson and obsidian, an ever-shifting ndscape of torment and chaos. Its most potent on, its droning wings, could lull any living being into a deep, vulnerable sleep. Then there was its aura, just by being in its presehe aura could cripple one's will to fight, making them easy prey. Its sharp, elongated proboscis was a tool for feeding, capable of draining life force. Its very nature was to domio instill terror, and to revel in the suffering of others. Arrogance, as clear as the midday sun, domis esse viewed other beings, even other demons, with a certain disdain. Everything was either prey or an obstacle, with no iween. But amidst all this, there was also a hint of trepidation, a sliver of fear. Hiddeh yers of haughtiness was an ever-present dread of being huhe demon's world was one of stant peril, where power dynamics shifted rapidly. And while the Chasme was a fearsome predator, it was also prey in the eyes of mightier entities.

  Crity washed over Tyson. "Deep down, you're just as scared as those you terrorize," he spoke in the demon’s abyssal tongue. "Just like you fear… this time… you’re the prey."

  The Chasme, hissed in fury, its wings vibrating with increased iy. As the demon's vitality flowed into Tyson, it began to alter him. First, his nose began to stretch, ging its shape and structure to mirror the creature's horn-like he ges didn't stop there; soon, gossamer, fly-like wings sprouted from his back, rapidly growing and stretg out. The magical darkness still blocked his view, but he assumed the creature was also fighting blind.

  While the demon dwarfed Tyson with its nearly nine-foot length, it did not match up to Tyson's i strength. Flexing his muscles, Tyson's cws dug deep into the demon's flesh, anch him. With a growl of determination, Tyson leveraged his enharength and forced the creature off him. The demon screeched, writhing in his grip, but Tyson, dug in with his cws to maintain a firm aless hold.

  With a primal roar, Tyson used every ounce of his power to force the massive demon backward. They broke through the border of the area of magical darkness. The creature's back collided with the imposing stone cliff wall behind it, sending a resounding thud eg throughout the surrounding rock. Dust and small debris dislodged from the impact, raining down around them. Pinning the behemoth against the rock with one hand, Tyson's eyes bzed with iy.

  He was momentarily caught off guard when it suddenly thrust its head forward. The horn, wickedly sharp and curved at the end, punctured Tyson's skin with surprising force. He gasped as the unnaturally hollow tongue, remi of a pulsating straw, slithered from the creature's maw and began draining the blood from his new wound.

  He could feel the warmth of his blood being siphoned. With a frenzied movement, Tyson's free cw shed out, carving through the creature's horn and its vile tohe bck ichor, thid putrid, poured forth, sizzling aing a ing stench as it met the air.

  The creature hissed in pain, recoiling from Tyson and the wounds he'd inflicted. But as Tyson looked down at his injury, an uling realization took hold. His wounds, which typically healed almost instantaneously, now oozed a dark, viscous substahe puncture seemed to pulse, as if alive, and instead of sealing itself rapidly, the healing process appeared stunted, visibly struggling against an unseen corruption.

  Ign the pain and the disturbiion, Tyson tinued his assault on the demon. He pierced the creature's exoskeleton again and again, causing it to shriek in agony with each attack. As the creature's life force dwiyson, sensing its impending demise, quickly disengaged.

  Tyson broke tact, stepping back.

  H took no ces making sure he didn't absorb any more of the demon's essehe st thing he wanted was to bee too much like one of these monstrosities.

  Though formidable in size, the demon looked pitiful in its final moments. Its legs filed weakly in a desperate bid to defend itself. Its droning wings faltered, produg an uneven and off-kilter buzzing that filled the air. The vibrations grew weaker, sounding like the st sputteris of a broken mae. With a final, feeble swipe of its leg, the demon's energy ebbed, and it crumpled to the ground. Its massive body y defeated, the life drained from it, its wings now silent and still.

  Tyson turned his attention to Illyana. He approached her cautiously, the weight of evident in his eyes. He hesitated for a moment, not wanting to touch her. He watched her chest, and the steady rise and fall assured him that she was breathing. Her face, though pale, showed no signs of distress. He gave her a few moments, hoping she'd stir, waiting for any sign of movement, a flicker of her eyes, or a twitch of her hand.

  After a few minutes, she failed tain sciousness. Tysoly brushed his fingers against the soft skin of her throat. For that brief instant, a torrent of memories flooded Tyson's mind, images fshing like a slideshow pyed at high speed. But amidst the whirlwind of memories, something else surged within Tyson. He felt Illyana's ability. With the borrowed power c through him, Tyson focused on the familiar surroundings of the Xavier Institute. Visualizing his dorm room, he willed a shimmering portal ience. He gently cradled Illyana’s limp and vulnerable body in his arms. He stepped forward, leaving behind the hellish ndscape of Limbo; repg it with the familiar sight of his room at the institute.

  The portal closed behind them with a soft whoosh. Leaving Tysoly l Illyana into his bed, hoping she would soon wake.

  Illyana's eyelids fluttered open for a brief moment, a hint of fusion shining in her sapphire eyes. "What... happened?" she murmured, her voice weak.

  Tyson, standing beside the bed, offered a f smile. "It's okay, Illyana. We're back at the institute. You just need some rest." Nodding faintly, she let out a sigh of relief, her eyes drifting closed once more. Within moments, she was lost in the world of dreams.

  Illyana y sprawled across the bed, her ptinum blonde hair spyed out like a halo around her head. Her chest softly rose and fell with every breath causing a few stray strands of hair to move. Her lips, slightly parted, bore the ghost of a smile as she fell bato unsciousness.

  Shaking off the events of the day, Tyson grabbed a towel. Thankfully the grime and residue from the demon's foul gas didn't sti, but the thought of a hot shower, with the steam and the sensation of water sing his skin, was a wele one.

  Behind the ses

  - Shoutout to nerds who picked up on what the demons were in this chapter. Dretch & Chasme.