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SM/DC Chapter 121 : Harbingers of the Demon
🕑 Added 2025-05-17 21:11:58 +0000 UTCArthur’s jaw clenched, and he looked away, his thoughts racing.
"This is the first time… someone managed to do that.
I might’ve really underestimated Trigon’s abilities."
The quiet in the room was broken by Constantine’s usual lack of tact.
“And? Is that a big deal?” John said, waving his hand. “The bloody demon could show up here any minute. Let’s focus on the bigger picture.”
Arthur’s eyes cut to him, the glow still faintly sparking in his irises.
“I’m not gonna waste time explaining how my powers work to you, Constantine,” he said, voice sharp as flint. “But yes. It’s a serious problem.”
Zatanna glanced between the two, tension mounting in her posture.
“So what now?”
John sighed dramatically, rubbing his eyes with one hand.
“All the more reason to get this over with. I need a break..and about twelve pints.”
Suddenly, the doors slid open with a clean mechanical hiss.
A figure entered calmly, the light catching the gleam of black and red armor.
Robin.
He crossed the threshold glancing at Kara unconscious in Doom’s massive arms, then at the state of the room.
“Well,” he said, folding his arms, his tone even but mildly amused, “looks like I wasn’t the only one who had a rough day.”
John who was busy yapping instinctively reached for a charm at his belt, startled.
“Bloody hell don’t sneak up like that, you pint-sized ninja.”
Robin arched a brow behind the mask.
“You’re in my tower, Constantine.”
Zatanna smirked faintly despite the mood.
Arthur finally spoke.
“Yeah… we ran into some trouble.”
Robin nodded once, the usual seriousness returning to his tone.
“Same here. I’ll spare you the briefing” he turned on his heel, motioning with a finger, “it’ll be easier to show you. Come on.”
Arthur, John, and Zatanna exchanged wary glances. Whatever Robin had to show them, it wasn’t small.
Arthur summoned Doom silently from his shadow.
The towering figure emerged behind them, the ground trembling slightly beneath his weight. He carried Kara gently in his arms, cradling her like something precious despite his monstrous appearance.
Robin gave the creature a quick glance, unphased.
“Right. Let’s move.”
The group walked through the halls of Titans Tower, the silence between them unsettling. The lights flickered faintly overhead, even the hum of the Tower’s systems felt quieter than usual.
Arthur’s gaze narrowed.
Something felt wrong.
“What’s going on?” he asked, voice low but firm. “The Tower feels… empty. Where are the others?”
Robin didn’t stop walking.
“Nothing gets past you, huh.”
Arthur’s brow lifted.
“I take note when things feel… off.”
Robin only said, “You’ll see.”
They stepped into the command room.
Inside, Cyborg stood waiting in front of a large holoscreen, his human eye tired but alert, the red glow of his cybernetic one scanning the group. He nodded as they entered.
“Arthur. Constantine. Zatanna.”
Then he paused, eyes widening slightly as he caught sight of Doom hulking in behind them.
“…And whatever that is.”
Doom let out a faint guttural growl, protective arms still cradling Kara’s unconscious form like a silent sentinel.
“It’s Doom,” Arthur said simply, stepping beside him.
Robin nodded.
“Cyborg.”
Cyborg tapped the screen. “Right. I’ll show them.”
The holoscreen flared to life, and what they saw silenced even Constantine.
Footage from around the world.
Superman stood in the middle of a ruined city block. He wasn’t attacking. He wasn’t speaking. He was just standing still, glowing with an eerie red aura.
His eyes, four glowing red orbs burned like fire.
He looked up at the sky, like he was waiting for something.
In Central City.
The Flash dashed through the streets not wildly, but in careful patterns. Every step seemed calculated. He was drawing something with his speed something too fast to see.
He would stop occasionally, staring ahead with those same four red eyes. Then move again.
In here in Jump City. Beast Boy, changing forms one after another, slowly. Almost like he was practicing something.
Starfire hovered in place, her mouth moving rapidly whispering a language no one understood.
Blue Beetle sat nearby, carving strange symbols into the ground with his fingers.
All of them had the same four glowing red eyes.
Zatanna stepped forward, staring at the screens.
“They’re not causing destruction..” she said softly. “They’re preparing..”
Arthur exhaled sharply, the weight of it settling in his chest.
“Brilliant.”
John groaned. “There’s more now? You’ve got to be joking.”
Zatanna, her voice a shade more tense, said, “This is way worse than when we left for Azarath…”
Arthur’s eyes stayed locked on the screen, the glow in them intensifying.
“Trigon. He’s already laying the groundwork. Preparing for his arrival.”
Robin turned to them. “I assume you found Raven.”
John scoffed. “Yeah, we found her. But the halfwit’s about to do something incredibly stupid. And now possessed Gods and Demigods standing around like statues? Yeah, I don’t like where this is going.”
Robin didn’t even flinch. “Figures. She’s never been one to take the easy path.”
Arthur crossed his arms, gaze hard. “Doesn’t matter. I’ll summon my full legion. Every last one of my soldiers will descend on the corrupted League and Titans. John, Zatanna, you’ll exorcise or purge whatever demonic rot’s infecting them.”
He paused.
“We can’t let Trigon manifest fully on Earth. If he does…”
He looked at them, eyes glowing brighter.
“I’m not so sure anyone can stop him.”
Robin raised a hand. “No. I have another idea.”
Arthur turned sharply.
“Don’t be stu..”
“Batman.” Robin interrupted, voice calm and unshakable.
That caught everyone’s attention.
John blinked. “Didn’t he bite the dust or something?”
Robin shook his head. “No. Before things went to hell, he injected himself with something. Something experimental. It prevented him from being possessed but whatever it was, it knocked him out cold. He’s been unconscious ever since. Still in the Batcave. Hooked to life support.”
Arthur frowned. “And you know what he used?”
“No. That’s the problem,” Robin replied. “No one does. Not even me or Cyborg. Batman didn’t trust anyone with it not even us.”
Arthur snorted, shaking his head. “Typical Bat. Trust issues, and he’ll stay like that even beyond the grave.”
Robin didn’t flinch. “He may have kept it a secret, but I intend to find out what he used. And if it works, it might be our only shot to save the others from possession, even if it comes at a cost.”
Zatanna looked at the screen again, brows furrowed.
“Better comatose than possessed by a demon god…”
John muttered, “I dunno. Sounds like a bad weekend either way.”
Arthur stood silently for a moment, arms crossed, shadows dancing behind his eyes. The screen still showed chaos demons, fire, corrupted heroes.
Then he said it, cool and measured, but with confidence.
“You underestimate me. The only ones that might prove troublesome are Flash, Superman… and Trigon himself.”
Robin didn’t blink.
“About that…”
He glanced toward Cyborg.
“Speaking of Superman, your kryptonite sword won’t do jack anymore.”
Arthur’s glowing eyes narrowed.
“…How did you—”
But then it hit him.
‘Cadmus.’
He’d used the sword against his clone. they have seen everything already.
Arthur exhaled through his nose, running a hand through his hair in irritation.
“And why is that?”
Cyborg didn’t answer with words.
Instead, he brought up a new feed grainy, glitchy footage from the Watchtower.
Onscreen, a red blur surged forward Superman, possessed, Four eyes glowing like furnaces of hate.
He tore through containment units like paper. Laser beams sliced steel, his fists cracked reinforced armor. Several other restrained League members were freed in the chaos , while the others tried to stop them but utterly failed, all with that same eerie stillness and darkness pulsing behind their movements.
Cyborg grimly narrated,
“The Watchtower is heavily damaged. Systems offline. Thanks to none other than Superman… and you need to see this...”
He rewound a segment.
There Superman stood inside a Kryptonite-lined containment field.
His body convulsed for a second.
Then… he stopped shaking.
And broke the binds. Effortlessly.
Cyborg looked back at Arthur.
“The kryptonite had no effect. He just walked through it.”
Arthur’s jaw clenched as he dragged a hand down his face.
“Perfect,” he muttered. Then louder, “Really perfect, the league’s icompetence is unmatched..”
He turned to Robin, the blue glow in his irises pulsing harder.
“Fine then. We’ll try it your way. I’ll accompany you to the Batcave, But if anything goes sideways..”
His voice darkened.
“..I do it my way. No more delays.”
Robin gave him a level stare.
“Fair enough. But then again..if it gets to that point, we won’t have a choice.”
John Constantine lit a fresh cigarette, the flame from his lighter casting a brief flicker across his tired face. He took a long drag and exhaled slowly, eyes flicking toward the screen where Superman still stood like a god.
“Right,” he muttered, stepping back. “I’ll steer clear of the big bad Kryptonian and the rest of the heavy hitters. Not exactly in the mood to get my spine turned into soup.”
He glanced at Zatanna, a familiar edge of sarcasm in his voice.
“Maybe Z and I will start with the Titans here in Jump City. Do it our way..the direct, painful one.”
Robin, standing with arms crossed, replied evenly.
“I appreciate it, Constantine. But don’t underestimate my team.”
John turned, arching a brow, then looked sideways at Zatanna with a smirk.
“Who does he think he’s talking to?”
Another drag from his cigarette.
“I practically wrote the book on screwing with demons. I’ve been exorcising nightmares since before he got out of training pants.”
Zatanna sighed but smiled faintly.
“He is just trying to say not to get yourself killed before we actually fix this.”
Then Arthur’s voice cut through.
“And for the love of God, Constantine… don’t throw a bigger demon at this problem.”
