Fleeing the hospital John and Zatanna got what they needed. Unable to make out the image they had John knew there was only one person who could. Disguarding the pity grudge Ritchie had with him, this was more important than that, hurries back to the man's place. To find a mass of shrouds outside the man's front door.

You rush forward."Richie!" John tried to snatch you back, but you were too quick. Forgetting about the effects and burning touch the creatures caused. Quickly reminded when one grabs you by the arm sending a surge of pain straight through you.

"The child of sin!" It hisses deliciously. Tightening its grip. It was hard to hold back any tears, not a single drop of mercy in its black and hollowed face. Only death and cold. "You shall be the ripest soul of all, the payment of all his transgressionshas done in sin shall be repaid through you. His vile and toxic plagues your very veins." It moves closer that you could feel its icy breath freeze your flaming skin.

Your mind screamed of a magnitude of pain, you fell to your knees from it. Their words you barely heard but felt it all, every single sin cut you inside like a blade drawing blood. The spiking screams of those inside clawing and ripping away like vultures. These Shourds...they saw everything and so did you. It was flashes of images or was it memories...your infant cries on the coldest night...the loneliest night. This you knew...you knew well...but the others you didn't. What did register was a familiar voice...John's. It sounded younger and in loathing grief.

Wait.

There was something else too...another voice it sounded like...her ...Belladonna. Your mother. Her voice was heard, but...your surroundings they weren't familiar. This place you hadn't been here before, but could feel everything it offered. Terror. Horror...death...guilt. Overloading every nerve in your body. Screams upon screams screeched in your ears, like a banshee. What was going on? What were these images? These memories? Who were these people? What was going on? Where were the others? Where was John? Your cousin? Everyone? Grinding your teeth, tears of pain pour out into pools under you. Was this actually Hell?

Was it?

There was only way to know, whipping your head around find it to be. Before you drowning in nothing but in a crimson red pool of their own blood. Everyone. From Dick to Raven. To Batman even to John. Lifeless and hollow. A sight your eyes screamed. They were all gone, all of them...how could they...an eerie presence swept behind you. Frozen, you felt it reaching out to you, its fingers hovered over your shoulder, holding your breath shriek when it barely brushes on your shoulder expel a powerful blast from your body incinerating everything. Left you weak, fall completely to the floor. There was nothing now, nothing but silence. Even the pain was silenced. The voices too...everything. All but one...John's voice. You could hear it faintly...very faintly the words could barely be made out but you managed to hear just a bit. Enough that for some reason cut deep. Trying to muster up some form of energy to speak find no words. Nor energy. Blinking slowly to focus your vision, see nothing...but feel that presence once again. It came and went so quickly, it seem like a mistake, but you felt it rising...growing. Growing with patience and impatience wrath that even your hunger feared.

With quivering lips and tears still running down try to speak. Tried to scream. Reach out to find nothing but silence. Except for John's voice.

John stood over your unconscience body resting in your bed back at the house. Watching your chest slowly rise and fall, again and again. Slowly it was returning back to it normal rhythm. Which was good, but the rest of you...his eyes wonder carefully over you from top to bottom, he wasn't sure. Those shourds did a number on you, if he'd only been quicker in snatching you back or putting up some sort of spell to keep you back than...you wouldn't be in this condition.

You wouldn't be in this condition at all. No. You'd be better off. If he hadn't..."I can't have this turn out like..." He bites his lip from uttering the word on his tongue that still haunted him and cursed him.

Those things, they almost...almost nearly took you...the more he thought about it the more enraged he became. If you hadn't bothered to hurry to Ritchie's aid then...growling he couldn't blame you. It wasn't your fault. None of it was.

At least you were safe, but, he takes hold of your wrapped wrist gently, examing it smoothly. There were some speckles of blood that came through the cotton white, but nothing more. Orchid managed to wrap it and put the proper onimate on it, the rest you'd have to do on your own. As her healing magic only worked so well. He sets it down when your door opens.

Orchid steps in to check up on you, surprised to find John. So close to you and his face grim with anger and eyes clouded in guilt. Remaining quiet and observant watches John's actions. His hand hesitantly hovering over you, shaking slightly as if afraid. Pulls it back turning around muttering something under his breath stopping mid-sentence finding Orchid there. Her eyes leave him over to you. Opening her mouth about to say something he clears his throat and leaves.


Something wasn't right, something was leaking...it was strong...closer than before. The same nightmarish feeling crawled all over your skin, just as it did before. Unsettled and unable to pinpoint its location just that it was upon you, stand and stare deep into the flickering flames of the fireplace. No one was here, besides Orchid and Ritchie whom she was tending too. John and the others had left, Orchid filled you in, they had gone to face Faust as he was the one who behind all this. Faust, you've heard about him, read up about him and for some odd reason you felt like you crossed paths too. How you weren't sure, you were sure your nerves trembled with fear.

John and the others, their corpses at your feet. The horrific screams of many, the chaos and carnage that erupted from it all. It was a nightmare. Trying hard to remain calm and in control from the rising hungry and desire, was taxing enough for you. This source, it needed to be sniffed out and taken out. It was causing unbalance that crept closer and closer with each passing second. Its weight you felt pressing on you. Shutting your eyes open them quickly upon seeing a dark figure. A chill ran through your spine, despite the warmth the fire gave. That figure...thinking the best you could calm your breath slowly close your eyes again and take a step while remaining quiet manage to see the figure clearly.

It was a man.

A dark hooded man. With red eyes. That spoke and emitting fear, such a sweet and alluring scent. Your hunger triggered from his stare his hand outstretched offering you the feast you craved. You shouldn't take it, stepping back find your hand reaching back. This wasn't right, it wasn't. But, you needed to be fed. Every ounce of you trembled with succulence taste you yearned for. How could you pass up a meal? Like this? He waited patiently for you to offer your hand, a sinister curled on his lips. Unnoticed, until it was too late. Your eyes get a glance of it and pull your hand back, his hand strikes out grabbing you by the wrist, sending a powerful shock through you.

Screaming you lash back with a blast enough to seperate the contact. Blowing you back you see his image flicker seeing another quickly, what you saw surprised you. Your body gets flung across the floor, red energy crackled around you. Collecting yourself force yourself to stand. It took a second for your vision to return, by the time it does you scream for Orchid.

"Black Orchid! Black Orchid!" Staggering pick yourself only to stumble. "John! I have to warn John!" Falling when someone catches you. Believing it to be Orchid tell her what you saw. "We have to get John back here, he needs to know tha-"

"Needs to know what? Flower?"

Your body went cold, that voice made your body tremble. Your vision finally returned find Ritchie the one who caught you. A calm and wicked smile on his thin lips looking down at you. For someone who is ill, his grip on you was strong. That wasn't all either, that feeling...that spoke to your hunger leaked from him. Your mouth about to fall open if you didn't catch it.

It was him.

Your eyes darkened with anger. He clicks his tongue. Shaking a disappointed finger. "Now, now flower that isn't polite. Why you done and make a face like his?" His voice and grip tighten with anger. Sends a shock through your body.

Causing a painful scream. "Shhh...shhh.."he hushes you. "Don't scream, I don't mean to hurt you. But, that look has got to stop." Falling to your knees manage to lift your head with the irritated expression he disliked. "I said...stop!" This time it was double the juice through you. You tried to call upon your flames but the pain took all your attention away from it.

Ritchie kept his hold on you, watching and waiting for any response. Still remaining on your knees, your head hadn't lifted up again. A part of him wanted you to, to lift that head with that...face. That loathing face he'd come to detest. For years and years. Now, he had the means to exact his own justice, but your head remained hung. Testing his patience he was about to send another shock through stopping when a voice told him no.

"Why not!?" he shouts, the voice whispers to him again. "It'll be so easy! Let me do this! He deserves this, he deserves this to be taken away from him, just as he took everything from me." He turns back to you a murderous intent flaring in his eyes. "So I'll take the only good thing in his life."

About to act, reconsiders. Listening to the voice, nods agreeing. Dropping your arm remembering he had more pressing matters. The rest of it had to be here. Once he found it, then he'd have the power he needed. Everything would be fixed. Stepping over you like a rug begins his search. His back to you, slowly you open your eyes observing him. You had to get up and move. But you needed to be careful. Body still aching with some pain, bite down and drag yourself across the floor. Ignoring the painful crackling of energy around your body still. You had to find a way to reach John.

Inch by inch you move, while doing your best to remain aware of Ritchie. It was good he was more focused in finding whatever it was he needed too. You just needed to reach the stairs and you were sure you'd be able to something. Just a few more inches and you were there...you could reach John. You could at least fight back against Ritchie. Stretching out your shaky hand, something straight and dark stabs it down. Going straight through the skin, tissue, and muscles.

The crimson liquid slowly rolled out from your new wound. Shocked first by the sight, before the pain came, do your best to hold in the scream ready to come. A shadow stands over you. Ritchie stares down triumphantly at you. Even kneeling down to your level patting the top of your head lightly.

"Now, where do you think you're crawling off to?"

This asshole was really starting to get under your skin. "From the looks of it," his eyes look at the stairs. "you were trying to get away. Trying to call Johnny Boy? As much as I would love that," he emphasized. "I can't have you do that." He twists his cane deeper into your hand. Wanting to hear some scream, but nothing. Only that damn look again. "I hate those damn eyes." He said coldly with a dark smile whispers. "So, guess we're gonna have to change that. Now, I as I recall, you were born of sin. Right? Right."

He pats your head lightly again.

"Johnny sure did work with you, trying to clean his own past sins. Well, guess that didn't work now did it? No, it didn't. But, it'll work for me just fine. You see this?" He pulls the butt of his cane out from you, not even bothering to wipe the blood away. Shows you the top with a crimson dark stone on it. Your eyes remain fixated on it. Ritchie chuckles lightly. "Yes. As I thought." Moving closer to you, just an inch apart. "Hungry? I thought so." Watching you react to the energies of the stone, your physical appearance changing into more of a demonic form. Pleasing the man. "Bloom, flower. Bloom."


Faust wasn't it. It wasn't Faust at all, how could John be so stupid. How could he? Ritchie, it was that asshole all along. Sending him and the others on a wild goose chase. When all alone he just wanted access to the House. To the most important artifact of all he had stored there. That wasn't all either. There was something else, someone else...

Violet.

Rushing back with only one thing on his mind, John locates the house with others. Finding he had no access to it unless Ritchie gave it. Already on edge and furious, the man orders his old friend to open up. Which was granted. Entering with the others John finds Ritchie up and well. Standing before the fireplace. Calmly. Demanding an explanation from him sees Ritchie holding his hand the rest of the Dreamstone. That wasn't what shocked and angered John.

No.

It was who appeared in a swirl of hell-fire that did. Their eyes glowing red and no longer human looking. Sprouted fire wings from their back staring hard at John. "You like?" Ritchie mocks noticing John's attention on his newest assistance. "Lovely isn't she?" He places a light hand on your head. Patting it.

"Don't you touch her!" John barks. "Get your hands off her. Or so help me I'll-"

Ritchie throws his head back and laughs. "Or you'll what? What are gonna do? Hmm?" John said nothing. "I thought so," Ritchie chuckles. "you know something...I was rather shocked when I found out. Johnny Boy was able to find a way to save his own soul from damnation. It blew my mind. It pissed me off! All the shit you've done. You did! And you get away Scott-free, with your own personal sin-eater. To take it all away when the time comes, to damn their soul instead of your own...just like Astra."

The name stung John, his eyes darken at the man. Watching him carefully as he continues. "Always having someone else pay for what you did. Astra and now...you're own." He strokes your cheek gently. "Oh, what a pity."

"I said," John repeats his words this time deadlier than before. "don't touch her. Unless you want to keep your hands. Leave her alone, she has nothing to do with this."

Ritchie stops and leaves you alone. "No, you're very wrong. She has everything to do with it. Like I said," his words came out eerie and cruel. "She's the best thing that's ever happened to you. Sweetheart," he whispers in your ear. "Why don't you go and make your papa proud."

Stepping back Ritchie kept his smirk on, the others wait to see what you would do. You remained still. "Violet," John takes a few steps towards you. Holding his hands up. "Vi, listen to me, d-don't...don't do this. Okay? Listen to my voice, you need to...Violet...Violet. Violet! No!"

With a loud shriek, unleash a powerful breath of fire at him. He just barely managed to protect himself from the heat of the flames. Pushing back screaming your name, you lunge at him narrowly hitting him. But manage to knock him back, engulf yourself in flames and disappear.


I wanted to say thank you to everyone for reading the story. Also, I know the Justice Leauge Dark is coming to an end, meaning the story. I most likely might add a bit more by including the John Constantine City of Demons show in here as well. Another, most likely when I am done with this story, I might do Violet in DC Rebirth for a new storyline. Just giving you a heads up. Anyway, thank you again. :)