Marvel: Sin Lord

Inarius spent the entire night staring at the ceiling of his room, his body tense and his mind racing. Sleep evaded him, but it wasn't for lack of exhaustion—he was terrified. Every time he closed his eyes, he could feel the oppressive weight of that dark realm pressing down on him. He could see the pale figure with its hollow black eyes, feel its piercing gaze boring into him. The memory of it lingered like a cold shadow, and no amount of tossing or turning could shake it off.

When morning finally came, he didn't bother pretending he was fine. He dragged himself out of bed, threw on his Hellion uniform, and tried to steel himself for whatever the day had in store.

Emma Frost found him at breakfast, sitting in the farthest corner of the dining hall, poking at his food without eating. Her piercing gaze immediately noticed the dark circles under his eyes and the tension in his posture.

"Inarius," she said, her voice calm yet commanding as she approached. "I need you to come with me."

He looked up, his tired grey eyes meeting hers. Without a word, he nodded and followed her out of the hall, trailing behind her as they walked through the halls of the Massachusetts Academy. She led him to her office, a place that had quickly become all too familiar.

Once inside, she closed the door and turned to face him. "You're not sleeping," she said, her tone gentle but firm.

Inarius shrugged. "Just some bad dreams," he muttered, trying to downplay it.

Emma raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. "Bad dreams don't leave someone looking like they've been through a war. Whatever's haunting you, we need to address it. But first, we need to work on your control. If you can't master your abilities, you'll never have peace—not in your dreams, not in your waking life."

Inarius nodded, though the idea of training felt like another weight on his already tired shoulders. "What do you want me to do?"

Emma walked to the center of the room and gestured for him to follow. "You're going to practice your abilities on me."

His eyes widened. "On you? Are you sure?"

"I'm more than capable of protecting myself," Emma said with a smirk. "Besides, I've committed more than enough sins in my life to give you plenty to work with. If you can control your powers on me, you can control them on anyone."

Inarius hesitated, but he trusted Emma more than anyone else at the academy. "Alright," he said, squaring his shoulders. "Let's do this."

Emma stood a few feet away, her posture relaxed but her eyes sharp and focused. "Reach out with your power," she instructed. "Feel the sin within me. But only take what I allow. The moment I say stop, you stop. Understood?"

Inarius nodded and closed his eyes. He took a deep breath, focusing on the energy within him, the strange, dark force that connected him to the sins of others. He could feel Emma's presence, like a blazing fire compared to the dim embers of most people. Her sins were numerous—layers upon layers of decisions, betrayals, manipulations.

He reached out tentatively, letting his power flow toward her. A faint, purple glow surrounded his hand as he connected with her. Memories flooded his mind—flashes of Emma's life, her time with the Hellfire Club, the choices she made to survive, to thrive, to protect those she cared about.

"Stop," Emma said firmly.

Inarius immediately pulled back, severing the connection. He opened his eyes, breathing heavily. "That… that was intense," he said.

Emma nodded. "You're doing well, but we'll need to push further. Again."

They repeated the process over and over, each session pushing Inarius closer to his limits. Each time, Emma's sins unraveled before him, revealing the complexity of her character—the ruthless manipulator, the compassionate protector, the survivor.

Hours passed, and Inarius began to feel more in control of the flow of his powers. He could sense when to pull back, how to regulate the connection without letting it overwhelm him.

By the time the sun began to set, Inarius was drenched in sweat, his body trembling with exhaustion. Emma, too, looked more worn than usual, though her composed demeanor remained intact.

"You've done well," she said, handing him a glass of water.

Inarius took it gratefully, gulping it down before sitting heavily on the nearest chair. "Thanks… I think I'm getting the hang of it."

"You are," Emma said, her tone genuinely encouraging. "But control isn't just about practice—it's about discipline. Your emotions fuel your power, Inarius. If you can't master those, your power will always master you."

He nodded, her words sinking in. "I'll keep working on it," he promised.

Emma placed a hand on his shoulder, her expression softening. "Good. And remember—you're not alone in this. You have a team, and you have me. We'll figure this out together."

For the first time in what felt like days, Inarius managed a small smile. "Thanks, Emma."

She gave him a rare smile in return before standing. "That's enough for today. Get some rest—you've earned it."

As she left the room, Inarius leaned back in his chair, his body aching but his mind a little lighter. For the first time in a while, he felt a flicker of hope. He wasn't sure what the future held, but he knew he wasn't facing it alone.