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SM/DC Chapter 16 : Master of Limbo
🕑 Added 2025-01-31 20:30:55 +0000 UTCThe air in Limbo shifted, thickening with an ominous presence as shadows slithered through the fog. From the shifting darkness, figures began to take shape—grotesque, writhing demons with gnarled claws, jagged teeth, and eyes burning with unholy hunger. Their twisted forms pulsed with an unnatural energy, their very presence an affront to the balance of life and death.
Constantine exhaled, pulling his coat tighter as he observed from a distance. He muttered to himself, his voice laced with dry amusement. "Well, time’s up. Should probably yank the lad out before this place gets its claws in him…" He trailed off as his sharp eyes caught something Arthur, standing tall amidst the encroaching horrors, his body relaxed, his breathing steady.
But it was the smile that stopped Constantine in his tracks.
Arthur wasn’t afraid.
If anything, he was excited.
Constantine clicked his tongue. "I see… they mistook him for a stray soul. Poor bastards." He smirked, slipping his hands into his pockets. "This should be interesting to watch."
The demons lunged.
Arthur moved.
The first one came at him, its elongated limbs stretching unnaturally, clawed hands swiping for his throat. Arthur ducked low, his body twisting like a seasoned predator, his fist slamming into the demon’s chest with bone-crushing force. The sickening crack echoed through Limbo as the creature was sent flying backward, crashing into a broken pillar with enough impact to shatter stone.
Another roared and leaped toward him, its massive, jagged maw opening wide to consume him whole. Arthur shifted his weight, spinning mid-air, his foot colliding with the beast’s skull like a battering ram. The force of the blow snapped its head back with a gruesome pop, its lifeless body crumbling to the ground.
More came, snarling and shrieking, their twisted forms writhing as they attempted to encircle him. Their whispers slithered through the air, tendrils of dark magic latching onto his mind.
"Give in… let the darkness consume you…"
"You are one of us… surrender and become greater…"
Arthur’s smile widened. "That’s cute, I'm planning to do the same to you."
The voices meant nothing to him. Their attempts to corrupt him were as futile as trying to drown a fish. He was already a storm, a force too relentless to be swayed.
One demon lunged, its horned head aiming to impale him. Arthur caught the beast mid-charge, twisting its grotesque skull with brute strength until the horn snapped clean off. With a devilish grin, he turned the jagged bone into an improvised weapon, stabbing it into another demon’s chest.
Blood thick, black, and burning like acid splattered across the ground. The demon screeched, its body convulsing violently before going still. Arthur barely spared it a glance before he tore through the rest.
His fists, heavier than war hammers, caved in skulls. His kicks shattered spines. His movements were raw, unrelenting a symphony of destruction played with nothing but sheer strength and will.
By the time the battle settled, the ground was littered with twitching, broken bodies. The eerie silence returned, the mist swirling around Arthur like it, too, feared him.
Constantine let out a low whistle, stepping forward. "Well, that was… something. Mate, you just beat the unholy hell out of demons. With your bare hands. And a bloody horn."
Arthur rolled his shoulders, exhaling. His hands were soaked in demon blood, his knuckles bruised but unshaken. He let the moment settle before whispering a single word.
"Arise."
The shadows twisted, the very fabric of Limbo shuddering at the command. One by one, the fallen demons twitched, their bodies convulsing unnaturally. Their once-dead eyes reignited with an eerie, glowing darkness.
Constantine's eyes widened. "Oh, bloody hell…"
The demons now bound to Arthur’s will stood before him, awaiting their master’s command.
Constantine let out a sharp laugh, shaking his head. "Even necromancy, huh? You really are mad."
Arthur simply smirked, looking over his new soldiers with satisfaction. "Mad?" He turned to Constantine, his eyes glowing ominously. "No, John. I’m just getting started."
Constantine exhaled, taking in the battlefield Arthur standing tall, his new shadowy minions kneeling before him in eerie silence. The sheer weight of his presence made even the twisted remnants of Limbo recoil.
John lit a cigarette with a flick of his fingers, taking a slow drag before shaking his head. "Right then… I get it now." His tone was softer but carried a knowing edge.
Arthur glanced at him, raising an eyebrow. "Get what?"
John smirked, exhaling a stream of smoke. "That a bloke like you? You're someone like me." He gestured vaguely at the lingering specters in the distance. "I thought maybe showin’ you the souls of the unfortunate would rattle you a bit make you hesitate. But nah. You don't feel remorse for evil, so why bother?"
Arthur simply smiled, running a hand through his blood-matted hair, adjusting his coat as if he’d just finished a casual spar rather than a massacre. "Now I like you a bit more."
Constantine chuckled dryly, flicking his cigarette into the abyss. "Yeah, yeah, you’re a right charmer. But we’ve spent enough time in this hellhole, those were only minor demons. We’re leavin”
He reached into his coat, pulling out a small, engraved pendant—an artifact humming with eldritch power. The moment he muttered an incantation, the air twisted, reality itself folding inward. A blinding light swallowed them both.
Limbo faded.
And just like that, they were gone.
The air twisted one last time as the teleportation sigil faded, leaving Arthur and Constantine standing in the middle of his dimly lit living room.
Raven was waiting. Arms crossed, hood down, her gaze flickered between the two men. The moment she saw them, she frowned. "How did it go?"
Arthur, still dusting off the last remnants of Limbo from his coat, grinned. "Well i enjoyed Limbo I’d love to go back sometime—maybe find stronger demons."
Raven’s eyes widened. "Limbo?!" Her voice was sharper than she intended, and she immediately turned to Constantine, expression tense. "I thought you said you’d only teach him how to control his darkness, his magic, and his powers—"
Constantine raised a hand lazily, as if already bored of the conversation. "Yeah, about that…" He glanced at Arthur, then back to Raven, taking a long drag from his cigarette before exhaling. "Turns out, the bloke doesn’t need guidance. Limbo didn’t so much as scratch his mind. Strong enough to not be affected, not bad, eh?" He smirked.
Raven’s frown deepened.
Constantine, clearly done with the conversation, stretched his arms. "Well, that’s my cue to leave. You two play nice." He turned toward the door, then paused, looking back at Raven with a lopsided grin. "Take care of little Arty, yeah? Or… maybe he should be takin’ care of you. Hard to tell with this one."
Arthur chuckled, watching John disappear into the night, leaving only the faint scent of smoke and magic behind. Arthur suddenly felt a familiar sensation his entire body surging with newfound strength. Then, the system’s cold, mechanical voice echoed in his mind.
[You Leveled Up!]
[You Leveled Up!]
[You Leveled Up!]
Arthur exhaled slowly, rolling his shoulders as raw power coursed through him. His muscles tightened, his senses sharpened—every fiber of his being felt enhanced. A slow grin spread across his face.
[New Equipment Obtained: Abyssforged Necklace]
A dark, minor-demon-crafted Necklace reinforced with infernal energy. Grants defensive stats and resistance to corrupting influences.
[New Item Obtained: ??? Key]
Details will be given once certain conditions are met.
Arthur looked down as his casual clothes shifted, the Abyssforged Carapace wrapping around him a dark, segmented armor with faintly glowing runes etched into its surface. The weight was perfect, the fit seamless. He smirked.
"Not bad. Looks like Limbo left me a parting gift, glad the armor is invisible though, otherwise it would look ridiculous."
Raven, still watching him closely, narrowed her eyes. "uh, hello ? Arthur ?”
Arthur flexed his fingers, feeling the power thrumming beneath his skin. "Raven, now im ready to work with you guys, not officially joining, so I'm not taking any sort of test or blood sample or whatever Robin asks, i just need to fight you see." he admitted, inspecting the cryptic key that had appeared in his hand. The system refused to reveal its purpose yet. “if your offer still stands, that is."
Raven's eyes softened, and there was an unexpected warmth in her voice when she spoke. “It always stood, Arthur. I’ve been wanting this. You can’t keep running around on your own. If you stay isolated, someone like Batman will eventually be on your tail. And you won’t be able to fight him off by yourself.”
Arthur’s expression hardened for a moment, but he remained silent as the thought echoed in his mind. ‘He would do that anyways. That man already has plans to neutralize all of you. If anything happens, it would be the same for me.’
He looked back at Raven, locking eyes with her. “We’ll see.”
