Control | Moon Knight

12.0

Cleo's body trembles with a mixture of exhaustion and urgency, her limbs heavy and weakened from the mental onslaught she endured. As she tumbles onto the ground, a cloud of dust billows around her, swirling in the air like a phantom veil. Coughing violently, she expels clumps of sand from her lungs, each gasp for breath a painful reminder of the supernatural forces that had ensnared her mind.

Marc, his heart pounding in his chest, rushes to her side, his eyes wide with concern and disbelief. He kneels beside her, his hands trembling as he gently grasps her arms, searching for any sign of injury or distress.

"Cleo... what the hell just happened?" He asks, his voice filled with a mix of fear and confusion, "Are you alright?"

Cleo nods, her voice rough and strained.

"It's Anubis," She manages to say, her words laced with exhaustion, "He had me trapped... We need to get away from here, Marc. We need to go."

"Then let's go," Marc repeats, his voice determined, ready to face whatever challenges lie ahead.

But as he attempts to rise and take a step forward, Cleo's grip tightens on his arms, her fingers digging into his skin. Her eyes, filled with a mix of desperation and resolve, lock onto his, holding him in place.

"There's something... something I need to tell you," She starts, her voice quivering with urgency, "Your deal with Khonshu... it isn't over. He still has you in servitude."

Marc's world comes crashing down around him, his mind reeling at the revelation. Fear grips his heart like a vise, squeezing tighter with each passing second. He can feel his body trembling, his breath coming in rapid gasps, as his mind struggles to process the weight of Cleo's words.

"What?" He breathes, his voice barely above a whisper, "No, no, no, no... that's not possible. It can't be... it's over. My deal, it ended. You hear me? I'm not his fist of justice anymore!"

But even as he speaks, doubt begins to seep into the depths of his being. The memories of his time as Khonshu's vessel, the pain and the sacrifices, resurface with vivid clarity. The weight of his past actions presses upon him, threatening to crush his spirit.

Marc's breath grows labored, his chest rising and falling in erratic patterns. Panic sets in, his mind spinning in a vortex of disbelief and terror. The walls of reality seem to close in around him, suffocating his senses.

Cleo's gaze softens, her heart aching for the torment he is experiencing. She knows the darkness that lurks within him, the scars that mark his soul. But she also sees the spark of resilience, the flicker of strength buried beneath the layers of doubt

As she watches him fall to his knees, Cleo goes down with him, watching his chest rise up and down in a flutter of mystery.

" Marc, Marc, baby, listen to me," She softly yet sternly utters, " It's all gonna be okay. Everything will be okay, I promise... But right now I need you to fight with me."

As she speaks, the trauma and horrors from Marc's memories echo in his mind, whispering seeds of dread and combining with Cleo's voice.

" Marc?"

" What a waste."

" Marc, honey. Please."

" Do you want life, or do you want death?"

" Steve? Marc?"

" Rise and live again."

" I need you."

" As my fist of vengeance."

" Marc, please!"

" As my Moon Knight."