His father was the greatest of Heroes, saving the entire universe from subjugation time and time again! Now he must continue that tradition , his powers are the same, but his outlook is different. He wields the mighty Nega bands and has the Celestial insight of Cosmic Awareness. The universe is his inheritance, for he is its Protector as he struggles to find his place amidst the Heavens, his buds call him Genis, but he's known and feared by his enemies as....

The Sensational Captain Marvel !

Captain Marvel #93

Genis-Vell goes to Hell

By Ralph Angelo

Captain Marvel screams again and again, as he kneels before the throne of Mephisto, as demons of all sorts drive spiked weapons through his flesh, only to remove them as he instantly heals over and over again. All the while Mephisto sits laughing, as he continues drinking goblet after goblet of wine.

Until...

"Enough! This has grown tiresome and boring. Leave us."

Mephisto snaps his fingers, and the demons disappear instantly in bursts of sulfur and brimstone.

"So...is ...this your...idea of...fun... you...pathetic...slug?" Genis gasps out. "Is...this...the...best...you...can...do?"

Oh, I'm sure I can come up with something else, my friend."

"Don't do me any favors." Genis grunts from between grit teeth.

"Oh believe me, I won't. But you will be doing one for me soon enough."

"What's that mean?"

"You'll find out, boy Captain." Mephisto grins evilly, as he settles back in his throne.

Genis stares at him, his eyes sparking daggers of hatred for his captor.

"Begone from my sight for now, boy." Mephisto waves his hand, and Genis disappears.

Only to reappear in another section of hell, on the hot stone floor. He groans painfully, as he sinks to the ground, and mercifully passes out.

Across the galaxy, to a place unknown by mere mortals. A section of space that is barren of all planets and stars. A vast galactic quagmire of emptiness. Here, a group of beings begins to appear. Cosmic deities of a sort. Infinity, Lord Chaos and Master Order, The In betweener, Chronos, Eon, and lastly, but far from least, Eternity.

They stare at each other ominously, before Order finally speaks.

"So , this meeting of the Cosmic Unity comes to order."

"Yes Master Order. And the agenda is simple: dealing with your mistake where Genis-Vell, Captain Marvel , is concerned." shrugs Infinity

"You call it a mistake," Answers Lord Chaos, "We call it his destiny."

"Perhaps Chaos." speaks Chronos, "But was it your place to fulfill his destiny for him?"

"If not Chaos and Orders place, then whose?" Parries Master Order.

"You know full well it is MY role to create the new protector, and you also know it was not the time for a new one. This generations protector is Quasar." Proclaims Eon , almost arrogantly

"Yes, and the previous was Captain Marvels father, Mar-Vell. The greatest universal protector of them all!" thrusts Lord Chaos.

"That we are all in agreement about, it seems. But the matter of the son must still be considered. Considered and dealt with. "Interjects Chronos

"Why? Is the universe so suddenly small that a second universal protector is uncalled for? Perhaps it is time for more then one protector, our hand, our fist, to be visible and apparent. The cosmos widens daily , my brethren. Should our shepherding of it be made smaller?" Infinities proclamation makes them all silent as they mull over the consequences.

A moments silence, then finally , Eternity speaks "We will all have to think on this. Perhaps there IS merit for two universal protectors. But this is not a corps of heroes, meant to protect the universe. One supremely powerful being has always been our way. A being who is still mortal and fallible, and THAT has always been the protectors greatest strength."

"Then let us all consider what has been said today, and decide if punishment must be meted out to those responsible." Eon offers.

"You would punish us?" Lord Chaos angrily retorts

"Not you Lord Chaos, Master Order," Infinity allows, "But your chosen one. The man you have deemed Universal Protector. Captain Marvel."

And the Cosmic Unity grows silent and still, as they each mull over everything that has been said.

Back in the flaming pits of hell...

Genis awakens from his fitful rest, to find the woman he once thought of as Angie Bourdelex standing over him, hands on her flaming red hips, as her wild hellion hair waves about in the nonexistent breeze of the underworld.

"So pup, finally awake? Good. It's about time."

"How could you do this to me, Angie? You loved me. I know you did."

"Fool! Angie was a mere sham, a disguise. I was once and always Mephista, the devils daughter."

"Well, if that's true, Angie, you did manage to fool me."

"Stop calling me that, boy. My name is Mephista."

Behind her, great gouts of lava fill the cavern around them with explosive fury, mirroring her own ANGER at his words.

"How did you do it , Ang? How'd you make me believe you really did love me? Was it a spell of some kind? What did you use? "

"Bah. Fool. I required no spell. Just my own feminine wiles were enough to make you my own."

"Not sure I believe that one, Ang. "

"I told you to stop calling me that!" She shouts angrily

"Why Angie? Does that hit a nerve somehow?"

She stares at him through narrowed eyes.

"Oh, okay. So it does. I knew there was something else going on here. Let me guess. Angie was a real personality, your wonderful father laid over your own. You probably weren't even aware of who you really were, were you?"

Again, silence, as her gaze casts vile anger his way.

"So then you DID love me."

"NO! I am not the cow Angie Bourdelex. I am Mephista, the daughter of Mephisto. And you were always a project, prey for one such as I."

"Even if you weren't aware of who you really were?" He answers quietly

"Y-yes!" she stammers out

"Could have fooled me, Angie. Could have fooled me. But you already did actually, didn't you?"

"Yes, boy. I did. It was my job, my mission in life. To entrap you, and make you my own, for my fathers doing."

"Well Angie, looks like you succeeded."

"Yes I did Captain, yes I did."

"That's funny."

"What is it that you find humorous about your situation, Captain?"

"Oh, just the fact that you're not complaining any longer when I call you by your real name, by Angie."

She growls like a wild beast then, throwing her head back and howling madly before turning back to him, infuriated.

"You try my patience, Captain. Not a healthy thing to do in your predicament."

"Hey Angie, things couldn't get much worse, could they?"

Angered, she turns and storms away.

Instantly, Genis feels himself being painfully pulled away, to a spot again before Mephisto's throne.

"Are you well rested , Captain?"

"What do you think, demon?"

"You WILL call me master. Boy. And soon.

"No. That will never happen, Mephisto. Not now, not ever. I guarantee it. You may have tricked me into supposedly giving my soul to your daughter, but you will never own me. Ever."

"Ah, so the mind stays free, though the body and soul are entrapped eh? So be it , boy. Either you will serve me willingly, or you will serve me in chains. The result will be the same."

"Says you, you red skinned freak show reject."

"Fool!" Mephisto aims a finger, and soul fire envelopes Captain Marvel, driving him to his knees painfully.

Then the flames die down to nothing, leaving Genis gasping for air.

"Y-you having fun yet, you pathetic loser?"

"I am the loser boy? How do you come to that rather intriguing deduction?"

"That's easy, demon. You had to trick me into becoming your plaything. That's the only way you could get your slimy claws into me."

"Perhaps, whelp, you are merely a means to an end, did you ever consider that?"

"Hey whatever you ugly thing. I'll fight you till I die, and once I do, I'll be out of here. You may think you own me, but I doubt that'll stand up when I die."

"Bah, you are to confident, boy. Who is to say I need you that long?"

"He 'needs' me?" Thinks Genis, "Now that's a slip if ever I heard one."

"You will procure something for me that I desire far more then yourself. Something of far greater value to one such as I."

"I'm not getting you anything, demon."

"Oh but you will, boy. And you will get it for me, whether you like it or not,"

"I'll fight you with the last breath in my body. I'll never give up."

"Ha! Perhaps your soul IS worth something then. Something of value just for your defiance."

"Don't matter either way , Mephisto. I'll do nothing for you of my own free will."

"So be it, then you will act as my puppet, with myself pulling your strings."

"That's about the only way you'll ever get me to help you, and even then I'll do whatever I can to defeat you."

"So be it."

Again Mephisto snaps his fingers and again soul flames sear Genis , dropping him to the ground

"Enough of your insolence , boy. You will get this thing for me whether you like it or not, and what you will get for me is HIM!"

Mephisto points his finger, and an image forms. An image of a silvery God soaring through the cosmos, aboard his silver board!

"You will bring the Silver Surfer to me, and then I will own you both, for all eternity!"

And again , Mephisto's laughter fills the bowels of hell, as Genis sinks into despair...

Next: The conclusion

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