The little red Iron Man figurine stood out sharply in the dim light.
It represented Jesse's last connection to the ordinary world and the pure familial love he had shared with his adoptive parents.
Jesse's gathering of power abruptly stalled.
He stared blankly at the figurine. The mad red glow in his eyes receded like a tide, replaced first by confusion, then by the grievance and lingering fear of recognizing something familiar.
His hand, which had been pointing at Dean, dropped weakly. His small body trembled slightly from exhaustion and emotional turmoil.
"D-Dean!" he murmured, tears welling in his eyes.
The crisis was temporarily resolved. Dean broke out in a cold sweat and was just about to breathe a sigh of relief.
Then, from the shadows in the corner of the factory, a hoarse laugh filled with malice suddenly rang out.
"What a touching scene."
A demon in a tattered suit slowly emerged, his eyes entirely black.
In his hand, he held a constantly twisting mass of energy that gave off a faint white glow. Within the light, the pained face of a woman somewhat resembling Jesse could vaguely be seen.
"Look who this is—your biological mother, Julia. A piece of her soul is still suffering." The demon spoke in a bewitching tone. "Come with us, Jesse."
"Lord Lucifer promised that if you're willing to pledge loyalty to him, he can not only let your mother rest in peace, but also reunite the two of you in Hell, where you will wield eternal authority!"
The fragment of soul let out a soundless wail in the demon's hand, stabbing deeply into Jesse's heart.
He had almost no memories of his birth mother, but the connection buried deep in his blood and his instinctive yearning for maternal love made him unable to