After a long, very long explanation to the girls about his trip and everything that had happened, they lay on the sofas, massaging their foreheads as they tried to process it all.
"Let me get this straight," Yuri said. "A God who happens to be the God of everything took you to another world to celebrate your nephews' birthday."
"Yep."
"A universe you had already traveled to, and you did it to fix the terrible life the other Peter Parker had because you felt like it," May said.
"Correct."
"A Peter who has a romantic life similar to ours, only older, and one of those partners happens to be his sister, along with a group of extremely powerful Meta-Humans," Missy said.
May felt a slight wave of relief upon hearing that another Peter had a relationship like theirs.
"Affirmative."
"And when you returned, you faced two of the best agents from a top-secret government agency, defeated them, and in the process humiliated the agency's director while demonstrating that you were more dangerous than his entire operation, all so he would leave you alone," Cortana said, rolling her eyes after learning which agency had been involved.
"That is right, honey."
"And not only that, but somehow, by chance, you followed a trail of activity that led you to an abandoned school where you found a woman possessed by a demon. Lord Satannish," Susan said.
"Yes, but I doubt it was actually him. It was most likely one of his servants. A demon like that, made entirely of evil mystical energy, needs a far more suitable vessel to enter this world. The ideal soul would be that of a sorcerer. If he manages to obtain one, he will become immortal, and his power could increase enormously, making him extremely dangerous."
"How... how do you know that?" Yuri asked in a slightly frightened tone after hearing that demons were real and that one of them could become so powerful.
"I... I do not know. I just... know."
He unconsciously slipped his hands into his pockets as if searching for something, only to find nothing. His fingers curled into fists until his knuckles turned white.
Silence settled over the room as everyone processed the idea that demons were real, just like specters. The girls tried to absorb everything they had learned. Their eyes eventually settled on their boyfriend, who showed no trace of fear, only deep confusion.
They wondered when their lives had become so extraordinary that discussions about dimensional travel, universes, multiverses, and demons had become normal.
"And if this demon were released, would the angels not come to help us?" May asked.
If demons existed, then angels surely did as well, and no one in the room considered that an unreasonable assumption.
"My love, to the angels we are merely ants. More accurately, we are a disease in their eyes. The angels resent us for one simple reason."
He waited until everyone was paying attention.
"We were given a precious gift. Every human has access to redemption. Murderers, rapists, abusers... all that is required is genuine repentance, and forgiveness is possible.
Across every world and every universe, no other race possesses that gift except humanity. To the angels, that is profoundly unfair because hundreds of their fallen brothers received no such mercy. And among them, the one who resents us the most is Gabriel. The reason why... I do not know."
He frowned inwardly, wondering how he knew all of this. He had never met an angel or a demon, yet every word felt like an unquestionable truth born from personal experience.
"I am sorry. I am going to see a friend. I need some answers."
Rising from the sofa, he headed upstairs to change his clothes.
"I will be back later."
The girls watched him disappear up the stairs.
They remained silent, still processing everything he had said. A few simple sentences had completely changed the way they viewed angels and demons. They sighed, realizing that even angels could not automatically be trusted.
"This is absurd," Cortana said.
Everyone nodded.
-----------
Sanctum Sanctorum.
"Peter," the Ancient One said, raising an eyebrow at the sight of his clothing. It brought back vague memories of a man she had known decades ago, although this version wore black and looked considerably more presentable.
"Ancient One."
He greeted her with a slight nod before sitting down and accepting the cup of honey tea she offered.
"What brings you to the Sanctum today?"
"Something strange happened."
"I know. Possession."
"Of course. That saves me the explanation. The girl was possessed by one of Satannish's servants."
"A servant? Are you certain?"
She already had her suspicions, but a second opinion never hurt.
"Yes. I doubt Satannish himself would waste the effort possessing an ordinary human. Besides, the girl's body could never have withstood his essence."
"You speak from experience."
"If you want to call it that," he replied, grunting in annoyance at the implication. "A being made entirely of evil mystical energy would never choose a fragile vessel. From my perspective, he would seek something far stronger. A sorcerer."
The Ancient One nodded in agreement.
"You speak as though you know him and understand how he thinks."
"It feels that way... but I have never met him."
He noticed the strange look she gave him.
"When I performed the exorcism, it felt so familiar... so natural. Like second nature. Even more natural than casting runes."
"Yes. When I watched you, it was as though you had practiced that art for decades. Even with the books I gave you, you could never have reached that level through study alone. It requires experience."
"Something inherited, perhaps? My bloodline?"
"I doubt it. Your father was an agent. Your mother was a spy. Neither suggests any mystical heritage."
"Then perhaps an ancestor. There cannot be any other explanation."
"Hmm."
She quietly considered the possibility before remembering an old spell capable of revealing the origin of a person's magical affinity.
The natural talent Peter possessed far exceeded what books alone could produce.
If she herself had been gifted with extraordinary magical ability, then the young man before her was even more remarkable, his potential approaching what Stephen Strange himself might one day achieve.
"There is a spell."
The surroundings changed instantly.
Caught off guard, Peter nearly dropped his teacup, but his reflexes saved it at the last moment.
He watched the Ancient One flip through a book, sighed, and calmly continued drinking his tea.
The room shifted again.
This time he did not even react.
She was holding a small vase.
"We will not need this."
Another shift.
He was completely prepared this time.
"One hair will suffice."
She plucked a single strand from his head.
Peter merely rolled his eyes at all the unnecessary theatrics.
Moving her hands through the air, she traced glowing symbols and completed the spell.
Threads of light spread outward, branching into countless names.
His own.
His parents.
Their parents.
Generation after generation...
Until the very first bearer of the Parker bloodline.
The instant Peter read that name...
His heart stopped.
The teacup slipped from his fingers.
Before it could shatter, he instinctively dispelled the spilling tea.
His eyes remained locked on the glowing name.
"..."
"...Fuck."