Die, Johnny, Die

'Have you brought the contract, or are you going to watch your girlfriend die?' Blackheart said. Johnny pulled out the contract.

'But give me Roxanne first,' he demanded. Blackheart smiled and threw Roxanne a good sixty metres away. Blackheart grabbed the contract, but Johnny wouldn't let go.

'Wallow, could you make sure Johnny can't take back his promise?' Blackheart asked. And, as soon as he finished speaking, a puddle of water bulged up to form the dripping wet Wallow. Wallow pulled Roxanne to her feet and made sure that she wasn't going anywhere.

'I thought I killed him,' Johnny said.

'You're even more idiotic than you look. Fire can't kill water. It's a basic law of science. Now, let go of the contract or your girlfriend drowns.' Johnny reluctantly let go of the contract.

As soon as Blackheart had the contract, he unrolled it to check if it was the real deal. When he was sure nothing was wrong with it, he chuckled to himself. That Ghost Rider is even more stupid than I thought. I don't know what Father was thinking when he set this fool on my trail. Now it's time to finish him.

'Ah, the contract of San Venganza.' Blackheart rolled up the contract and tucked it into his trenchcoat. 'All of you lost souls... COME TO ME!'

All at once, corpse-looking things flew out of nowhere and headed straight towards Blackheart. Johnny tried to reach Roxanne, but the spirits prevented him from doing so. What he saw happening to Blackheart, on the other hand was truly terrifying. All of the corpse-soul-things were swarming around him and entering his body, and by the sounds of things, it wasn't too pleasant.

After a few tense moments, the souls stopped entering Blackheart. But, something was very wrong. Blackheart straightened up and opened his eyes. They were red. And, his face was covered in transparent spike-like things that made it look like he had a row of very impressive-looking teeth.

'My name is Legion,' said the monstrous Blackheart. His voice was made up of many other voices. Roxanne screamed. 'And it is time for you to die, Ghost Rider.'

Johnny frantically looked around for some shadows, as dawn was breaking and he could feel himself turning back into a normal person. He ran into the decrepit old church, shooting at Legion as he ran. But Legion didn't even flinch as the bullets sank into his body, and he seemed to walk even faster towards the church.

'Wallow, bring his girlfriend here so she can watch him die.'

Johnny and Legion were standing face-to-maw in front of what used to be the altar. Roxanne was standing at the side of the church, being held in place by a puddle of Wallow-controlled water.

'Time to say goodbye,' Legion's many voices droned.

'I don't think so,' Johnny said as he pushed Legion up against a column, turning back into the Ghost Rider. 'How does it feel to have all those souls inside you? Look into my eyes...'

Legion whimpered, then started to laugh. The unearthly sound echoed around the entire church. He started to say something, but it was Blackheart talking this time.

'Yes, there are many souls inside me, but none of them are mine. So, you can look at me all you want, but your Penance Stare is still useless.' Blackheart grinned as Legion took over again. He pushed the Ghost Rider into the morning light and watched in satisfaction as it turned back into Johnny.

Roxanne realised what was going to happen.

'No, Johnny, no!' She screamed.

'Die, Johnny, die,' Legion said as Necroplasm turned Johnny into a mummified corpse.

With a heaving sigh, Legion let all the souls go and turned back into Blackheart. He walked over to Roxanne and Wallow.

'I'll let you go free, only because watching people commit suicide is much more fun than just killing them.'

'I'll never do anything that will make you happy.'

Blackheart smiled. 'You just might be surprised.'

He was distracted from goading Roxanne and looked up at the entrance of the church. There, silently applauding him, stood Mephistopheles.

'Well done, well done, you beat my Ghost Rider. But, you will never defeat me. Go back to Hell where you belong.'

Blackheart grimaced as Mephistopheles disappeared.

'Oh, I will defeat you, Father. You just wait...'