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APOKOLIPS -
A vision was torn away from the Watchtower, through one of their own.
Cyborg completely clueless, he was being looked through.
By none other than Darkseid.
The Lord of Apokolips watched exactly what Cyborg was watching. In front of him, Arthur Blackwynd standing before the Justice League, visions of endless war spilling into the room. Millions upon millions of monsters. Dragons blotting out skies. Armies without end.
Darkseid's eyes burned brighter as the vision progressed.
"So," he rumbled, voice like continents grinding together, "Earth has found itself a protector from annihilation."
Beside the throne, Desaad leaned forward eagerly, his thin fingers steepled, his grin carved sharp and cruel.
"These Monarchs..." Desaad hissed, savoring the word. "Ancient beasts. Lords of slaughter. Entire races bound to their will. It all seems like too perfect."
Darkseid's gaze lingered on the shadow vision, and the Monarch looking constructs made by Arthur.
"Millions of soldiers," Darkseid said slowly.
Cyborg felt the words crawl through his systems but he couldn't possibly know why.
"Not bred," Darkseid continued. "Not indoctrinated. Born only to kill. To obey power."
His stone fist tightened on the arm of the throne.
"What a rare opportunity."
Desaad chuckled softly. "How ignorant they are," he sneered, eyes flicking briefly. "Truly ignorant, never once questioning the true nature of what stands among them."
Darkseid rose from the throne.
The firelight roared around him, shadows kneeling in his wake.
"Such power.." Darkseid said. "A most interesting turn of events."
The vision shifted, dragons surging through skies, firestorms devouring worlds.
Darkseid's eyes narrowed.
"These creatures looks primitive," he said. "Savages guided by strength alone."
A slow, terrible smile formed.
"All the more easy to control."
Desaad practically vibrated with delight. "An army of such beings.."
"..would be devastating," Darkseid finished. "Annihilation given form."
He turned slightly, staring not at the projection, but through it, as though peering into the future itself.
"Dragons," he murmured. "..An army of such dragons could reduce New Genesis to ash."
The name was spoken like a curse.
"Perhaps," Darkseid continued, "it is finally time I overthrow those despicable, cursed gods."
His eyes flared brighter.
"And perhaps," he added, almost thoughtfully, "amidst this chaos… I may yet uncover the Anti-Life Equation."
Desaad bowed deeply. "The universe bends toward your will, my lord."
Darkseid waved a hand, dismissing the vision. The image of Arthur and the League shattered into motes of shadow.
"No," Darkseid said. "Not yet."
He turned back toward the throne, settling into it with dreadful calm.
"We shall wait," he declared. "Patiently. This time."
"We will intervene only at the most opportune moment."
Darkseid's gaze sharpened, a predator fixing on prey not yet ready to die.
"And we will obtain those soldiers," he said. "One will suffice."
He paused.
"With one," he continued, "you will know what to do.."
His eyes slid toward Desaad.
"Won't you?"
Desaad's smile widened, thin lips stretching impossibly far.
"Of course, my lord," he said silkily. "Of course."
-
The pressure Arthur had brought with him to the Watchtower was cosmic and suffocating.
For most of them.
Cyborg stood a little apart from the others.
He didn't realize it at first. Just a subtle delay in his systems recalibrating. A faint ringing, like a signal that had been there a moment ago… and suddenly wasn't.
His optics flickered once.
Then twice.
"Yo."
Beast Boy leaned into his line of sight, green face scrunching with concern.
"Dude," Gar said, lowering his voice just a notch, "you alright? You kinda just… zoned out."
Victor blinked, the world snapping back into place.
"Huh?" He straightened, rolling one metallic shoulder. "Yeah.. yeah, I'm cool."
He paused a moment too long.
Starfire tilted her head, glowing eyes soft but attentive. "Your voice pattern is slightly delayed," she said gently. "Is your circuitry distressed?"
"Nah," Cyborg replied quickly, waving a hand. "Probably just my sensors still buzzing. You don't exactly get front-row seats to end-of-the-universe presentations every day."
Robin glanced over from where he'd been quietly reviewing data on his wrist console. His eyes lingered on Victor a second longer than necessary.
Beast Boy crossed his arms and leaned back on his heels.
"Man," he muttered, then huffed out a laugh, "can you blame him? After what Arthur just dropped on us, I think all of us got the same look."
He gestured vaguely at his own face.
"You know. The 'wow-we're-totally-doomed-but-trying-to-be-chill-about-it' look."
Blue Beetle groaned. "Speak for yourself."
Cyborg snorted despite himself.
"Yeah," he said, the tension easing as he exhaled. "Yeah…"
He rubbed the back of his neck, the last phantom echo fading into static. Whatever that weird sensation had been, it was gone now, slipping away.
"Guess I just needed a second," he added, more to himself than anyone else.
Beast Boy grinned, relief obvious now.
Starfire smiled, "I am beginning to miss the days when our greatest concern was Slade."
Cyborg laughed again, this time fully, naturally.
Robin finally nodded, satisfied for now, and turned his attention back to the others.
Victor watched his team joke and bicker, grounding himself in the familiar sound of it.
****
The pub was everything Constantine loved.
Arthur sat one arm resting casually against the wood, a glass in his hand that reflected faint violet light whenever he shifted. Shadows gathered lazily beneath his boots, watching and listening.
Constantine with a satisfied sigh, lighting a cigarette despite the sign behind the bar that very clearly said NO SMOKING.
For a few seconds, no one spoke.
Then Arthur broke the silence.
"You want me to take over Hell," he said calmly, "And become its monarch."
Kara snapped her head toward him. "Okay.. nope. No. That just sounds insane when you say it out loud."
Constantine smirked around his cigarette. "Well, when you put it like that…"
Zatanna shot him a sharp look. "John."
He raised a hand defensively. "Alright, alright. Not in the full coronation-with-a-throne-and-a-pointy-crown sense. Mostly."
Arthur's eyes flicked back to him, violet glow sharpening. "Go on."
Constantine leaned forward, elbows on the table. "Someone needs to remind the demons downstairs that Hell isn't a free-for-all. Lucifer walked away, left the keys on the counter, and now every two-bit horror thinks it's promotion season."
He took a drag, exhaled slowly.
"Someone needs to scare them back into line. Keep the gates from bursting open and vomiting Hell onto Earth. And let's be honest, no one's better suited for that job than you."
Arthur swirled the drink in his hand once.
"Let me guess," he said quietly.
Constantine stilled.
Arthur lifted his gaze. Violet light pierced straight through him.
"You want me to descend into Hell. Break what needs breaking. Kill what refuses to kneel."
A pause.
"Take as many shadows as I please. Terrify the rest into obedience."
Another pause.
"And in doing so, save the world."
He tilted his head slightly.
"Happy ending."
Constantine nodded once. No grin this time. "Yeah."
Arthur chuckled under his breath, low and humorless.
"You think I'm stupid?"
The air shifted.
Zatanna straightened subtly.
Arthur leaned back, eyes never leaving John. "You're not doing this out of charity. Yes, Hell is unstable. Yes, demons could flood the living world." He lifted his glass and took a slow sip. "But there's something in it for you if I do this."
He set the glass down gently.
"Isn't there?"
Constantine raised both hands, palms open. "Alright. Fair. You got me."
He sighed, running a hand through his blond hair. "Yeah. There's something in it for me. Something… personal."
Zatanna's eyes narrowed. "Of course you do."
He didn't look at her. "I can't say more. Not because I don't trust you, but because saying it out loud would make it worse. Dark magic rules. You know how it is."
Kara frowned. "So you want his help, but you won't tell us what you actually need?"
Zatanna let out a slow breath, disappointment flickering across her face. "What sort of trouble you got yourself into now?"
Constantine looked tired for just a second, truly tired. "Life rarely isn't troublesome, love."
He turned back to Arthur. "Bottom line? If you don't do this, someone else will try. And they'll screw it up. Badly. With you… Hell will bend the knee in no time. Earth stays intact."
Arthur studied him in silence.
Then he glanced to Kara, reading the worry written plainly on her face. And then to Zatanna, whose eyes held both concern and understanding.
Finally, Arthur spoke.
"Alright."
Constantine blinked. "That easy?"
Arthur's shadows curled slightly, as if amused. "If these demons can be turned into assets for what's coming, then I see no reason not to do it."
He met John's gaze again. "Hell has always needed a leash."
Constantine released a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. "Thank you. Truly."
He lifted his glass, drained it in one go, then stood. "And for what it's worth? I respect what you're doing. For all of us."
He scoffed lightly. "This planet might not deserve a guardian. But there are a lot of poor, unlucky bastards on it who don't deserve what's coming."
Zatanna squinted at him. "Are you drunk?"
"Perfectly sober," John replied instantly.
Kara looked at Arthur, brow furrowed. "I feel like I missed several red flags."
John snapped his fingers. "Right. Since we're all in agreement, next step."
He grinned. "We pay the former monarch of Hell a visit."
Arthur's gaze sharpened. "You know where he is?"
Constantine raised an eyebrow. "I'm surprised you don't."
Arthur shook his head slowly. "True there aren't that many beings beyond my reach now."
A pause.
"He's one of the exceptions."
John smiled thinly. "Yeah.. He is special after all."
/-\
If you Like this story! Check out my other stories! Solo leveling in Westeros.
&
If you wish to read more or simply support me than check out my patreon at
"https://www.patreon.com/FrenzyAren"
You can Get Access to 3 More Chapters OR 7 More Chapters if you want