#FatefulEncuonter
Zee had seen and learned her fair share of secrets. Some she learned from her father, a powerful wizard who taught her the ins and outs of it. But others she learned by trial and error. One of those secrets, she feared, was calling out to her.
It was barely past noon on a Saturday, and Zee waited in her penthouse for the arrival of the only person she thought could help her. She held up the letter that she had received in the mail that morning and eyed it with suspicion.
Could it really be from him?
Zee was very tempted to throw that letter into a fire, but she knew it wouldn't work.
"I bet this is some sort of scam of his," Zee muttered under her breath.
Just then, there was a knock on the door. Zee turned towards the door and sensed the presence that she needed. She smiled as she walked to the door.
"Hello, darling," Zee greeted, opening the door.
"Hey, Zee. I got your message," Izuku replied. "May I come in?"
"What a gentleman. Yes, you may enter," Zee said, gesturing him inside. "Thank you for coming here at such short notice. But I feel like you're the only one that can help me with this issue I have," she said, closing the door.
"Is something wrong, Zee? You seem less cheerful than usual," Izuku observed.
Zee dropped her smile, letting out a sigh.
"You saw through my little charade… guess we are meant to be," Zee muttered, looking like a little girl who'd just been caught with her hands in the cookie jar.
Zee picked up the letter and showed it to Izuku.
"I received this letter, from an old… I guess you could say ex." Zee explained, earning a curious look from Izuku. "It reads that he is in need of my aid to recover a magical item. But he does tend to manipulate certain things, and people, to fit his needs. I'm not sure what to make of it. I was hoping that you could help me, Izuku."
Izuku listened to Zee's words carefully before looking at the letter in his hands. He had a small incling to tear up the letter, but stopped himself. His curiosity and the words of Zee made him want to learn more of the man. He opened the letter and began to read.
My dearest Zee,
It's your old fling. I hope this piece finds you in a place with a name, outside of oblivion. I bet your lushus hair is still as magnificent as ever and that you're keeping up with your old man's lessons. I will not beat around the bush, Zee. I need your help. Meet me at our usual spot at dusk for further details.
Yours truly, John.
PS.
I love your new outfit.
Izuku couldn't help but feel that there was something missing from the letter. He was not as good a detective as Barbara, but he'd picked up enough tricks to know that this 'John' was up to no good. The man's words were like fog, hard to see through and hidden with deeper meanings. Izuku scratched his chin as he wondered what John meant by needing Zee's help on something.
"So, what do you think?" Zee asked.
"I-I don't know. This 'John' sounds a bit odd. Does he usually write you letters like this?" Izuku asked.
"Odd doesn't even begin to describe him, darling. The whole letter thing is new. John would always just pop in to ask me for help if he needed it. He was always looking for something, an angle to use magic for not just his benefit, but for others in rare occasions," Zee explained. "He always had a silver tongue and a way with magic. But he never had the same restraint that I was raised with. Whatever he wants can be just about anything. So, you think I should blow him off?"
Izuku wanted to say that they should not get involved with John. But he could see it in the eyes of Zee. She believed that there was something worth investigating with John. He knew that Zee didn't have that look for just about anyone or anything. So, he swallowed that horrible taste he had in his mouth and replied.
"No, we should see what is going on," Izuku said. "If John is in some kind of dangerous magical trouble then we should investigate. It could spread to the rest of the city… I mean. I'll go with you, just in case!" He explained, feeling his face light up.
Zee noticed his expression, causing her to giggle. She walked up to the green haired boy and kissed him on the lips.
"Thanks Izuku. You are one in a million, darling," Zee admitted, kissing him once more.
Izuku smiled with a hint of pride in his smile. He felt reassured by Zee's words and was almost ready to take on the rest of the world if the challenge appeared. But in the back of his mind he felt that there was something else to the case of who was this John. Zee's words as she described him were not very reassuring. Izuku couldn't explain it but he felt a tug at his back, as if he had just agreed to going for a meal with a wolf.
Dusk had come faster than Deku would've liked. The two heroes had suited up and had gone to the place where Zatanna and John used to meet. They walked through the dark alleys, keeping an eye out for any and all sources of danger.
"So, what was this place called again?" Deku asked.
"It's called The Oblivion Bar. It's this hole in the wall place where all sorts of magical beings go to," Zatanna answered. "I'm not going to lie, it might be a bit much the first time."
"I can take it," Deku said.
Zatanna smiled. His confidence always made her weak at the knees and made her feel reassured.
"We're here," Zatanna mentioned, looking at a brick wall with a door painted with graffiti.
"Um, Zatanna? Are you sure this is the place?" Deku asked.
"Yes darling, this is the place. Now, stick close to me and everything will be alright," Zatanna said, walking up to the graffiti door. "Nepo rof esoht taht kees noivilbo, sulp eno."
The graffiti drawn door was turned into an actual door.
Zatanna grabbed hold of the nob and opened the door. She gestured Deku to follow her inside.
The green suited hero gulped as they stepped into the dark room the door opened to.
The door closed behind them, making Deku jump.
He looked around, but the place was pitch black and he couldn't even see his own hand. The only source of light that Deku could see was the glow of Zatanna's purple hair. He was about to pull out his phone's flashlight, when suddenly a light lit up in front of them.
They walked towards the light, taking comfort that they were not inside a tunnel.
As they walked, Deku heard the creaking of wood under their feet. He looked down, noticing that they were now stepping on a dark hardwood floor. He looked up and noticed that they were now on a short hallway with pictures on the walls. He narrowed his eyes, trying to get a good look at some of the pictures. Deku felt Zatanna's hand hold his own, pulling him away from the pictures, just as he was looking at what appeared to be a chimp drinking with a knight.
Zatanna gave him a reassuring smile before they continued on to the bar.
They stepped into the main part of the well named Oblivion Bar. There was a long bar with ten seats, several tables scattered around the floor, pictures and paintings. The bar was dimly lit by lights hovering on the ceiling with a large chandelier looking down on the patrons of the bar.
The man behind the bar was a tall man wearing a blue body suit that covered most of his body save for his face and hands. He wore a long red cape and a kind smile as he prepared the drinks for one of the patrons. Behind him there was a mighty sword that looked like it would be more at home on a fantasy battlefield.
Only a few patrons sat around the bar, talking and drinking.
This was definitely not what Deku had expected. He felt that this was more like a simple pub than a place where wizards and masters of magic would meet up.
"Darling, you're staring," Zatanna whispered.
"Oh, s-sorry," he stammered.
"It's alright, let's sit down and see if John has already made it here," Zatanna said as they walked to the bar counter.
The man behind the bar spotted them. He smiled as he saw Zatanna.
"Zatanna, it has been too long." The man greeted. "I see that you have become quite the powerful sorceress. And you've brought a friend."
"Nightmaster, it is an honor to see you again. This is my companion, Deku," Zatanna introduced them. "I wish we could stay here, but we've come to meet John Constantine. Is he here?"
What little noise was going on at the bar was silenced. Some of the patrons even glared at Zatanna and Deku.
Deku finally had the full name of Zatanna's ex. John Constantine. But he could tell that everyone here didn't particularly like that name. It made him feel like the man was bad news. Which made Izuku wonder how Zatanna knew this guy.
"Hey, everyone! Remember, drink up, no fighting!" Nightmaster said. "Don't make me grab the sword."
The patrons listened to the words of the bartender and went back to their own talks and drinks.
Just then the sound of a toilet flushing caught their attention.
The bathroom door opened up to reveal a young man with short blond hair and a look that said 'I'm planning trouble and you'll help me'. He wore a white shirt with a loose tie under a tanned trench coat with a pair of black pants and matching shoes. He looked up at Zatanna and his smile grew.
"Zee! Been a long time, luv," Constantine greeted.
"John Constantine. Thought you'd be passed out in some alley back in London," Zatanna replied with a tone of harshness Deku had only heard on rare occasions. "What is it that you need?"
"That's a little cold, Zee. No 'hello John, good to see you'?" John asked before spotting Deku. "Who invited the Easter bunny?"
Deku narrowed his eyes at Constantine. He didn't appreciate the tone he was taking with his girlfriend one bit.
"His name is Deku. He's here as my bodyguard, and if it weren't for him, I wouldn't be here." Zatanna said. "Now, what is it that you need?"
"Alright, alright. You have all the reason to be mad at me, Zee. Trust me, I wouldn't be here if I didn't really need your help," Constantine said, holding his hands up. "In fact, he might be helpful. If you'll sit with me I'll explain everything in a jiffy."
Deku looked at Zatanna for reassurance. She gave him a nod. He followed Constantine with Zatanna by his side to hear what he was going to ask them for.
They sat on one of the tables, while the heroes kept their eyes on Constantine.
"Alright, since you've humored me thus far, the thing is I need your help getting something from a place where one doesn't just walk in and out," Constantine said.
"If you want us to steal something, you'll have to look for someone else," Deku intervened.
"Now, now. No need to get your heroic knickers in a twist. The object that we're looking for has been locked in there for a long time, and the bloke that has it probably doesn't even realize it," Constantine clarified. "I've been hired by the original owner to get the little trinket back from where it's being stored. However, the place it is stored in isn't a place where I'm welcomed and it isn't the kind of place where I can break in alone."
"But you haven't told us what you've been hired to recover," Zatanna pointed out. "I'd also like to know who would hire you."
"Sorry, luv, but I can only answer one of those two," Constantine retorted.
Zatanna thought for a moment. She knew that Constantine would only tell her what she wanted to hear. That was the thing with the aptly named Hellblazer, one never knew where he stood.
"I guess, I'll settle for the object. I'll figure out who hired you afterwards," Zatanna said.
"Very well, our target is a sand pouch." Constantine responded.
"A sand pouch?" Deku asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion.
"Not just any sand pouch my green bunny friend. This item can cast anyone into their fairest dreams," Constantine explained. "Just a sprinkle of the sand and it'll be sweet dreams."
"It sounds harmless enough," Deku muttered.
Zatanna hummed to herself, clearly thinking the same thing. But she also knew that any magical item could have dangerous consequences if it fell into the wrong hands. The best she could do was keep an eye on Constantine, and figure things out on the go. She thought about asking him about the location. However, her story with the Hellblazer told her that he'd keep that information until they agreed.
"Very well, we will help you." Zatanna said.
Constantine smiled.
"I appreciate it, luv," Constantine said, holding out his hand. "Shake hands to seal the deal?"
Deku tightened his fist, getting a bad vibe from that last question. He quickly grabbed Constantine's hand, much to the Hellblazer's surprise.
"We'll help you Constantine, but if you try anything funny," Deku said, gripping Constantine's hand tighter. "I'll stop you."
Constantine winced at the strong handshake, but he grinned at Deku.
"I guess you're not the kind of fool I took you for," Constantine said, as they let go of their hands. "I look forward to working with you two." He added, getting up from the table.
Zatanna was surprised, she had never seen this kind of behavior from Deku. She completely understood why she was being careful with Constantine, but Deku didn't have that. He was behaving so fiercely and territorial. Zatanna usually saw that kind of behavior from the other girls and herself. It then dawned on her. She smiled as she looked at Deku. She would get a lot of mileage from this.
Constantine led Deku and Zatanna out of the Oblivion Bar. Once outside, the warlock prepared the incantation.
"Alright, Zee. This is where we work together," Constantine said.
Zatanna stood next to Constantine as she began to channel her magic. She only meant to increase Constantine's magic slightly, but she couldn't help but give a glance at Deku.
"Esaerni eht rewop fo s'enitnatsnoC lleps!" Zatanna chanted as a purple aura surrounded Constantine.
"Et aperire portas domus Domini ex quo et turrem sors!" Constantine conjured up. "Patitur noti sunt tribus."
A golden circle with runes appeared before the two masters of magic and the young hero. The circle had the symbol of a golden ankh. The golden circle spun quickly, transforming into a golden portal.
Once the portal was stable, the three passed through it and into the realm where Constanine's object laid.
The three young adults stepped out the other side of the portal. They found themselves in a long corridor made of stone with lit torches licking at the ceiling.
"Are we inside a castle?" Deku asked.
"It could be one of the many, darling." Zatanna said. "So, where are we Constantine?" She asked, looking at the Hellblazer.
"Well, since we're already here, I'll tell you. If you follow me," Constantine said, gesturing to the two heroes to follow him.
The trio walked down the passage, as it looked like it kept on going for miles. The walls were empty with only a few flags and drawn symbols. They all depicted strong forms of order. Pictures of castles and plains along with great battles and symbols of ancient lands. Many of the symbols were painted gold and resemble different depictions of an Egyptian ankh.
Despite them being the only beings in the place, not a single sound was heard. They then spotted the end of the hall.
"I'd like to welcome you both to the Tower of Fate," Constantine said as he gestured to where they stood.
The trio were standing on the inside of a massive tower. Stairs were sprouting from the walls and climbing all the way up to the highest parts. Sculpted faces of ancient gods adorned the columns. Doors that floated and bookshelves that reached up to the ceiling.
"Wow, this is amazing," Deku said, looking at the structure.
"Good thing you've got the mask, mate. A fly might fly in," Constantine chided in.
Zatanna glared at Constantine.
"Alright, we're here. Let's find the bag before whoever owns this tower finds us," Zatanna said.
"Right on," Constantine said, digging into his trench coat.
Constantine pulled out a white feather. He chanted a spell in Latin, causing the feather to glow brightly. He lifted the feather before it floated off away from the trio, leaving a trail of white light behind it.
"There we go, now we just need to follow the trail and we'll do what we need," Constantine said.
"This place looks like a maze, you sure that trail won't get lost?" Deku asked.
"Oh, yee of little faith. I got that feather from an angel's dream, it'll find the bag," Constantine said, following the trail.
Zatanna pulled Deku to the side.
"I know Constantine can be a bit… talkative. But he rarely blows up hot air when it comes to magic," Zatanna said. "He's been like that since we met."
"How did you guys meet?" Deku asked as they walked behind Constantine. "If you don't mind me asking."
"I think we're at the point of our relationship when we can talk about almost anything, darling." Zatanna giggled. "We met back when I started my advanced magical training. Constantine came to my dad asking for knowledge on certain aspects of demons. He had that sort of bad boy vibe that made little girls weak at the knees. Looking back on it, I should've listened to my dad. We went out on a few dates, but things didn't work out." She explained as they followed the trail.
"I'm sorry if it's painful," Deku apologized. "I didn't mean to."
"Don't worry darling. We broke things off when I found that he was using my dad's knowledge to make deals with demons in order to screw them… and others. And making me aid in his schemes." Zatanna explained. "He means well, but the way he does things tends to get on people's bad side. He's certainly gotten on my bad side."
Deku held Zatanna's hand, reassuring her that everything was alright. She smiled at his act of kindness.
They continued walking, climbing up the stairs to the upper parts of the tower. They were always keeping an eye out for any signs of danger, but every once in a while Deku noticed that Constantine looked around the tower. It was the kind of look that you gave when you knew something was going to jump out and get you. They had been walking for a while now, and Deku couldn't help but feel like the Hellblazer was leading them the long way around.
"Hey, Constantine. Are you sure we're going the right way? I think we've already passed through here." Deku asked.
"I see you're a bit of a skeptic, Deku. It's always a good idea to have one of those around. They keep me on my toes," Constantine grinned a wolfish grin. "I see that your tastes have changed, Zatanna."
"If you mean they've improved, then yes. They have," Zatanna retorted.
"I suppose that's fair. But we did have some fun times, didn't we, Zee?" Constantine said, winking at her.
Deku glared at him, feeling like kicking the wizard's head off.
"I still can't believe that you're going for the whole hero thing, they are a bunch of tools. I can count on both hands how many of those fellas deserve a shot in the bollocks," Constantine said, counting with his fingers. "I mean, hats off to those that are actually decent at their job. But the others can go jump in the Thames. I mean, why bother defending a bunch of people that don't even bother to help themselves and immediately label others when they don't fit the mold."
"Hey, that's enough!" Deku said, grabbing Constantine by the tie. "Who do you think you are to say stuff like that?!"
Zatanna rushed to Deku's side, pulling him away from Constantine.
"Deku, stop. This isn't the place to start a fight," Zatanna said.
"Actually, luv. This is a perfect time for a fight," Constantine retorted, pointing to the ceiling above them.
Above the trio was a large beast.
It had a thick coat of red fur covering its whole body, like it had just been soaked in blood. It had two large curved tusks coming from the sides of its mouth. It had razor sharp fangs under a black nose akin to that of a dog's. Long nails that dug into the ceiling. And a pair of eyes that were as black as the night.
It looked at the trio like a guard dog would look at three trespassers. It growled at them as it readied itself to pounce.
"Well, I was wondering when it would show up," Constantine said.
"What is that thing?" Deku asked, feeling as though there was something more to the creature.
"Darling, that's a demon. And I'm guessing that it's this place's guardian," Zatanna explained. "Constantine, did you know about this?"
"Yeah, needed to draw out the little bugger before nicking the bag," Constantine replied.
The red furry demon jumped at the heroes, forcing them to scatter. The beast roared at the group as it beat its chest like a rabid gorilla. It bore its fangs before charging after Deku. It lunged at the green hero with its arms raised over its head.
Deku channeled his quirk's power, giving him the speed he needed to dodge the attack. As the beast smashed the ground with its furry fists, Deku rolled out of the way. He kept his eyes on the beast. He could tell that the demon was big, strong and its claws could tear him to shreds. Deku didn't have much experience fighting demons but he did know that the creature before him was more than a physical match for him. He'd have to use his wits to win this.
The big beast charged after Deku with a strong jump. Its thick fur hid lots of muscles.
"Dnib eht der nomed htiw elbakaerbnu sniahc!" Zatanna chanted.
From Zatanna's hands sprung magical chains. The purple glowing chains wrapped around the red furry demon.
Deku grabbed hold of some of the chains and used his quirk to run around the demon, tying up the red beast. He pulled the chains along with Zatanna, holding down the demon. He and Zatanna dug their heels while the demon tried to break free.
"Care to help Constantine?" Zatanna snapped.
"Don't know, you two seem to be handling things," Constantine said, leaning against a column.
At that moment, the red beast extended its arms with a savage roar, shattering the chains.
Deku and Zatanna were flung back as Constantine observed.
"But I suppose that I should give you a hand," Constantine commented. "Sonum augue!" He chanted.
A fireball appeared in Constantine's hand. He flung it at the demon, hitting it in the face. Constantine called forth two more fireballs and began flinging them.
The demon held up its arms, protecting itself from the fire. It slowly walked towards the two young men, snarling in defiance.
"You'll need to attack him now!" Constantine said.
"I got it," Deku muttered, as green lightning crackled around his body.
Deku shot out with the power of One For All. He ran past the demon, spinning around behind it. He swung his leg against the demon's side, hitting it directly.
The demon didn't take kindly to that and swung its left hand against Deku, but he used his speed to jump over the attack.
Deku stretched out his hand and grabbed hold of one of the demon's tusks. He pulled at the creature's tusk, making it lose its balance. Deku threw a kick at the creature's face. He winced in pain. Even with One For All, he felt like he had just struck a wall of steel.
The demon used this chance to grab hold of Deku's leg, pulling him off from his tusk. It then slammed Deku down on the ground. Deku bounced off from the ground before the demon swung him away towards Zatanna.
Zatanna created a magical cushion. She caught Deku, helping him to his feet.
"Darling, you need to snap out of it. You can't rush in against the demon." Zatanna scolded.
"Sorry, Zatanna. I've been too focused on Constantine that I lost track of things," Deku said, apologizing.
"You don't need to be jealous. I chose you, remember?" Zatanna asked, kissing Deku. "Now, let's show this demon what a pair of Titans can do."
Deku smiled, feeling confident from Zatanna's words.
"Yeah, let's go beyond, Plus Ultra! Titans Together!" Deku called out feeling his chest being lighter.
The demon roared as it rushed at them.
"Zatanna, do you have a sleep spell on you?" Deku asked.
"Yep, but I might need a minute to make it strong enough to put him in nap time," Zatanna mentioned.
"I'll get you that time," Deku said with a smile on his face.
With green lightning crackling around his body, Deku ran towards the demon. But he didn't attack the demon directly. He ran in circles around it, encasing it in a cage of green lightning. Deku aimed his arm at the demon, focusing his energy to fire Black Whip. His black energy tendril caught the demon's tusk as Deku ran around the beast. Deku kept running around the demon, until the beast was wrapped head to toe in the Black Whip.
The red demon struggled to release itself from the black energy that held him. But Deku didn't leave him a single inch left to move.
"Ythgim der nomed taht sdraug eht Rewot fo Etaf, og ot peels. Esaelp." Zatanna chanted creating a big purple circle.
She flung the circle at the red demon as Deku held it down. Her magic struck the beast directly on the face.
The beast stopped struggling against the bindings. It tumbled down as Deku pulled back the Black Whip. It yawned loudly, showing its sharp rows of teeth. The red beast then fell forward, completely asleep.
However, it was falling down towards Zatanna.
"Zatanna!" Deku cried out, rushing to her side.
He grabbed her up in a bridal style, jumping back as the creature fell to the ground.
The red beast was snoring loudly in front of the heroes.
"Wow, that spell must've been a little too strong," Zatanna commented.
"But it was exactly what we needed," Deku said. "Thanks, Zee." He added, earning a blush from Zatanna.
"You're welcome, darling." Zatanna replied, giving him a kiss on the cheek.
Just then Zatanna noticed that they hadn't landed. She looked down and her eyes widened in realisation.
"Um, darling… Are you floating?" Zatanna asked.
Deku looked down and noticed that he was indeed floating in the air. He could've sworn that he had landed. But his eyes weren't playing tricks on him, he was floating. He freaked out, wondering what was going on. He jumped back in shock, breaking whatever he had been doing to float.
Deku and Zatanna fell down to the floor, with Zatanna being on top of Deku.
"Are you alright, darling?" Zatanna asked.
"Yeah," Deku sighed. "How many other things can OFA do?" He asked looking at his hand.
"Not sure, darling. At this point you could be Kryptonian and I wouldn't be surprised." Zatanna said, helping Deku up.
"That would make things more simple," Deku muttered, before noticing that they were missing a certain Brit. "Hey, where is Constantine?"
Zatanna looked around and noticed that Constantine was nowhere to be seen.
"Damn it! He left us to battle the demon on our own!" Zatanna snapped, stomping her foot. "This is our second date night all over again."
"Can you find him?" Deku asked.
"You bet I can, darling. No one makes a fool of Zatanna Zatara and gets away with it," Zatanna said as her eyes glowed with power. "Wohs em eht liart fo enitnatsnoC!" She chanted, snapping her fingers.
Glowing purple footprints appeared in front of the two heroes, showing the path Constantine went on.
"Let's catch up to him," Deku said as he and Zatanna rushed after the trail.
Deku and Zatanna ran after the trail of footprints. They ran through different hallways, passing vases, swords, and glass containers with strange jewels and artifacts inside them. They then arrived at the end of the trail. In front of them was a door.
Deku opened the door to the room, and there he was.
"Constantine." Zatanna said with just enough venom in her tone.
Constantine was just grabbing hold of the pouch full of sand when he noticed the two angry heroes.
"Oh hello fellas, what took you so long?" Constantine asked.
"We were busy, dealing with the demon that you left us with," Deku replied.
"But you're still standing, and I did get what I asked you for help on. So all's well that ends well," Constantine said, putting the sand bag inside his coat. "And not a moment, too soon."
After Constantine said those words, a bright golden glow appeared behind the group.
Deku and Zatanna turned around to see a bright glowing ankh the size of a person standing behind them.
"Those who trespass into my home shall meet the power of fate itself!" A voice boomed out from the glowing ankh.
From the glowing ankh stepped out a man wearing a blue suit with golden boots, gloves, cape, and a golden helmet that hid his face.
"Oh no," Zatanna gasped.
"You know him, Zatanna?" Deku asked.
"He's the master of the tower. His name is Dr. Fate." Zatanna answered before turning to Constantine. "You're stealing from Dr. Fate."
"Stole, luv. But this should be the time for us to make like a good magician and disappear!" Constantine pulled out a black crystal ball.
"Tread carefully, Hellblazer. I have bested far more powerful demons than you." Dr. Fate said in a voice that could shake mountains.
"Maybe. But I'm the one with the pouch," Constantine replied, before smashing the crystal ball on the ground.
The room was filled with a thick black smoke, obscuring the vision of everyone in the room.
Dr. Fate's helmet glowed brightly as he extended his hand. All the smoke in the room was focused into his palm, reforming the crystal ball. He looked around to see that he was alone in the room.
"It would seem that my visions were true after all." Dr. Fate said, putting away the crystal ball.
He turned around as he heard a pair of steps stumbled towards the room. Outside the room was the big red demon tumbling towards his master.
"I hope that the battle wasn't too much for you my friend." Dr. Fate said.
The demon yawned before falling down once more into a dreamless sleep.
"Rest up my friend," Dr. Fate sighed. "All is as it should be."
Back with Deku, Zatanna and Constantine, they had returned to the alley where they started their journey.
"That was too close!" Zatanna gasped.
"Relax luv, we got out without any problems," Constantine grunted as they all got back up to their feet. "That's better than most of my deals tend to go."
"Do you usually leave the people you ask for help on their own?" Deku asked.
"Only when I know that they are capable of handling themselves," Constantine replied. "And you two are more than capable of pulling your own weight."
"I just hope that sand pouch was worth it," Zatanna said.
"I surely hope so," Constantine muttered before turning to the two heroes. "Well, I bid you two farewell. I must be on my way."
Constantine walked away from the two heroes, leaving them as rain clouds gathered in the sky.
"How can he just leave like that?" Deku asked.
Even though the time he spent with the Hellblazer was short, Deku couldn't make a proper opinion of the man.
"That's just how he is, darling." Zatanna replied, letting out a sigh. "For all his powers he carries a lot of ghosts. That's why he moves so much and makes a lot of people hate him, because that's how he can make such daring plans that only a lunatic would think of." She explained.
They both looked at Constantine as he sunk into the darkness of the night.
"That's why they call him the Hellblazer. Because he often goes to great lengths to trick the devil himself to make something good." Zatanna finished as the rain began to fall.