The car slowed to a stop, the sound of crunching gravel ending. They had left the city limits of Salem in search of Brother Night's latest hideout.
Which turned out to be its own estate.
There was a stone fence, a metal gate blocking the driveway that led up to a rather nice-looking mansion—you know, if you cut out some of the gothic architecture. It was like it was trying to be a ripoff of the House of Mystery and missed the mark somewhat.
Constantine and Corrigan looked up at the towering metal gate through the windshield. "Anyone happen to know the password?" the blond man asked.
"No clue," the red-haired man replied.
"Open sesame," Zatanna suggested.
"Ain't no way—" Constantine began to degree.
Only for the gate to suddenly split down the middle, each side swinging inward to give them access.
"—well, I'll be."
"Did you get that from Rajir's mind?" Corrigan couldn't help but ask, looking over his shoulder and seat towards the magician.
The dark-haired woman shrugged her shoulders. "I was just guessing. Lucky us, huh?"
It was most likely not a lucky guess and more like good timing or coincidence. For all they knew, they were being given entry. Zatanna was willing to put her money on that. This mansion was Brother Night's, which made it his territory. He would be strong here, so why would he fear them?
The car began to crawl forward, the gravel driveway once again crunching beneath the tires. They drove up the rest of the way to the house, coming to a stop next to the porch that led to a set of wooden double doors.
"Everyone remember," Corrigan said as they looked out the side windows, "we're entering enemy territory. We're going to be at a grave disadvantage inside."
"Last chance for anyone to back out," Constantine added.
Zatanna just opened the car door and shoved her way out of the car. They all knew the score; there was no point in dwelling on it. As she shut the door behind her, the two men opening theirs and climbing out as well, she looked up at the house.
Frankly, she wasn't impressed. Again, the House of Mystery had successfully delivered on the creepy old house vibe, and if this place was trying to look respectable, it paled in comparison to Wayne Manor. It even lacked the strangeness of Shadowcrest, you know, the one time she visited it.
She felt kind of snobby thinking that way. Was it alright for her to think this way?
Noticing Corrigan walking up to the door, Zatanna moved after him, joining with Constantine once he walked around the car and caught up with them. They stopped once again in front of the doors. "Open sesame?" Corrigan tried as he stared at the last obstacle.
Incredibly enough, the doors actually swung inward, the hinges squealing, and ultimately revealing a foyer inside. Tilted floors with a dark purple carpet led to the opposite side of the room to yet another set of doors. There were other doors to the left and right side of the foyer, though no carpet led to them. There were stands with strange-looking artworks on them, be it the bust of a statue, a brightly painted figurine, or even the odd houseplant. The stands formed two columns that crossed from one side of the foyer to the other. "Either that is the password, or we have wandered into some incredible coincidences," Zatanna remarked after a moment.
"Don't look a gift horse in the mouth," Constantine said before he took a step inside. The other two joined him, entering the foyer.
And the doors slammed shut behind them.
Zatanna whipped her head around to see the doors close, hearing the old metal locks sliding into place. Alright, perhaps they were overthinking things with the "Open sesame" thing. She stared at the locked doors before finally turning her eyes back to the foyer.
Which had changed remarkably. The foyer now had a set of couches of rich black leather, a coffee table situated between them. There was a fireplace, but no fire present. A ghoulish painting of a misshapen man screaming was hanging above the fireplace's mantle. This looked like a sitting room.
Zatanna had no idea how she had gotten there, but she was fairly certain it had everything to do with magic. They were in Brother Night's territory after all. "Guys, I don't know about you, but…" she trailed off.
That was because she had turned her head to address Constantine and Corrigan and found that neither man was around. A sinking feeling welled up in her stomach. Don't tell her, she had been separated from the others in the blink of an eye.
Jerking her head back and forth, even spinning around a time or two, the magician realized that yes, she was all on her own. She wasn't even certain what spell had been used as she hadn't sensed anything. Either this house was like the House of Mystery, or Brother Night had some scarily subtle magic at play.
She wasn't certain which she preferred.
The doorknob turned and the hinges squealed as the door slowly opened. Someone really needed to oil them if every door was like this. Constantine poked his head out through the gap between the door and the frame and grimaced at what he saw. It was some hallway, one filled with doorways with various decor in the intervals. There were stands with plants, pictures on the walls, and the occasional artwork.
With a sigh, the blond man stepped out into the hallway and closed the door behind him. He should have expected something like this to happen when they arrived here, but here they were, all of them separated. At least, he was separated from the others. He could hope that Zee and Corrigan were still together, but he wasn't willing to wager on that. Divide and conquer and all that.
Shoving his hands into his jacket pockets, he began wandering down one way of the corridor. He didn't bother opening any of the doors as he expected that if something was behind one, it would reveal itself when ready. No point in putting in the extra effort if he didn't need to.
First thing was first, he needed to find one of the others, preferably Zee. It wasn't that he thought she was the weakest of them, but he was certain Brother Night would target her. She was a ripe plum with so much latent magical power the evil bastard would salivate at having her in his clutches.
Reaching the end of the hallway, he found it went in two different directions, the same kind of decor in each direction. Deciding to go to the right, he made that turn and kept going, ignoring the multitude of doors just like before. Casually, he sent out magical pulses, kinda like sonar. He was trying to pick up any large gatherings of magic because those would either be his people, or Brother Night's. He'd make some kind of progress with either one.
Eventually, he reached another T-intersection and once again looked down each one. This time, the blond man frowned. If he wasn't mistaken, the decor was the exact same as the last intersection. Turning around, he looked back the way he came, trying to find any similar artwork. Seeing a particular plant in a vase, he turned back around and looked either way in the intersecting hallway and spotted the same potted plant in either direction.
Either Brother Night liked the exact same thing, or he had an enchanted corridor that kept whoever was trapped in it in the exact same hall. They would just be transported back to the beginning every time they reached the end.
So Constantine decided not to make the turn, instead heading back the way he came. He stopped at the first door he reached and tried turning a doorknob. The knob didn't budge, indicating it was locked. Alright, time to go to the next one.
Reaching another door, he tried the knob and found this one turned. Opening it, he immediately stopped. A cold gust of air raged at him, the sight of a storm at sea raging on the other side of the threshold. It was dark, lightning the only occasional source of light. However, that didn't stop the large, dark wave of water that was rushing towards him.
Constantine immediately slammed the door shut, shoving his back against it to make certain it stayed in place. He waited for the sudden force of the wave slamming into the door, but it never came. Slowly, he relaxed, stepping away from the door.
"Okay, wrong door," he muttered before he turned and went for another door. Hesitantly, he opened it, peering into…a void. A dark, endless void with no sign of light anywhere.
The British man closed the door. Alright, to hell with this. He had enough of this enchanted hallway and its doorways to doom. He didn't see a point to them outside of having some poor sap frantically trying to find a way out and getting killed by something behind one of these doors.
This had everything to do with Brother Night. He had already shown an ability to use an actual building to attack people, so why not his little hidey-hole? "Yo, Peck!" the blond man called out. "Enough with the game, eh? Why not come out and we talk to each other like civilized blokes?"
There was no response. There was the sound of what sounded like water dripping, but that was it.
"I ain't the type to fight a losin' battle, ya know?" he pressed. "You know that. So let's talk. We can even work out a deal, you and I."
There was that dripping sound still, but again, he didn't hear a response. Looking around again, he then caught sight of the source of the drips, which were falling from the ceiling above him. Slowly he tilted his head up.
And some creature shrieked before he fell down on top of him.
Constantine yelped as he was tackled to the floor, landing on his back. The creature ended up on top of him, a hand grabbing onto each of his wrists and pinning him down. It had its full weight on top of him, keeping him down.
Looking at the face, he saw the gray skin and what was the start of a snout. Solid black eyes stared at him as a mane of dark hair surrounded its head. Several wiggling tongs kept its mouth open wide.
"I got ya now!" a deep, raspy voice jeered before the tongues lashed out, wrapping around Constantine's head. The bottom of the monster's jaw seemed to become unhinged as it dropped open. The tongues tightened around his head and began to pull him forward.
Goddamn, this thing was trying to literally bite his head off!
"Want a case of bad breath?" Constantine said as he did his best to keep his head pressed to the floor. Taking a deep breath, he could feel his magic circulating within his chest before he blew it out. Hot smoke rushed out of his mouth and nose and into the monster's.
Immediately, the creature began gagging, its tongues becoming agitated before they let go. The monster flung itself backwards, letting go of the blond man's hands as it clawed at its face. It surprisingly had normal-looking hands, so long as you ignored the unnaturally looking fingernails.
Shoving his hands out, an orb of magic appeared within the Brit's palms. "A little personal space, if ya don't mind," he quipped before the orb flashed a bright light. The creature vanished from on top of him, reappearing at the end of the hallway.
Blinking his eyes, Constantine shoved himself up so that he was using his arms to brace his upper body. He had meant to teleport the bastard away, not to the end of the hall. The bloody enchantment keeping him here must have had something to do with that.
The creature was gagging and coughing, thanks to the smoke attack it had swallowed. "Dirty move, old man," it growled as it turned its black eyes on him. "I wanted to settle things with the bitch first, but I guess she can wait until after I bite your head off."
Ah, now he was able to place this thing. This was the demon-possessed Johnathan…what was his name again? Jizzle? Jizzem? Something of that nature. Getting back onto his feet, he kept his hands at his sides, ready to attack if need be, and he was certain that was entirely necessary. "Well, in case ya hadn't noticed, I don't exactly taste like a gourmet meal."
"I find fear is an appropriate seasoning," it snarled.
"Might I suggest cinnamon for some sweetness, or chili powder for a kick."
"Joke all you want, but you'll rue the day you were glib with Jyzyl, pathetic mortal."
"Oh, there are plenty of things I rue, but messing with you ain't one of them," Constantine said. "Let's get this out of the way; I got better things to do."
He felt it pulse within him with his every heartbeat. The dark magic, the presence of the demonic; it was all demanding a counterbalance, a restoration of purity to a world that was slowly becoming twisted and corrupt.
Corrigan stared out a window at the sight of a well-maintained backyard. A lush garden with a gazebo was within his sights through the window frame. He was in a sunroom, one that had a wall consisting of a series of windows. There were simple chairs and couches, ones that appeared to have been made back in the 1970s. Cushions were placed within a thin metal frame, the floral patterns of the furniture dating them.
Though he was in the sunroom, there was a distinct lack of sun. Part of that had to do with it being the dead of night. There was also cloud coverage, which blocked out the waning moon.
Turning away, Corrigan headed for the door to the room and opened it, stepping out into a hallway. This was a short one as the left corridor ended in a dead end; the right one opened up into a larger room. With no choice, the redhead ventured into the room, finding it very much like a museum. There were bizarre pieces of artwork present, some that required stands to sit on while others were on the floor, standing taller than a man.
There was this feeling that they were meant to be separated. It was advantageous of the enemy to divide and conquer after all. For a spell to be so subtle that it didn't reveal itself until its activation, however, was alarming. He hadn't even realized it was there until he found himself in the sunroom without Constantine or Zatara. Once again, he had underestimated Brother Night to his own detriment.
Naturally, the separation meant each of them were going to be facing a daunting challenge. Eldon Peck had decades to amass an army of fiends, so there was no telling what exactly he would face, or what the others would encounter as well. Factor in that they were in Peck's territory and the very walls, floor, and even the ceiling could be used as attack points.
He could feel the urge within him growing stronger, and he quickly tempered it. Now wasn't the time for that, though he had a feeling he'd be calling upon that power before this night was over. There was already one demon present in this realm and it needed to be dealt with quickly, before more could be summoned. That meant eliminating the summoners as well. Those people were gateways to the demonic and if not stopped, they would continue to bring evil entities to this plane.
Peck was one such person, and the redhead doubted anyone would lose sleep if he were to vanish one day, this day in particular.
A rattling sound caught the private eye's attention. Stopping next to a towering statue of what looked like a man being partially flayed, Corrigan looked around the room to see what had caused that sound. His hearing was on high alert, and he could swear he could…something was moving around here.
Another rattling sound caused him to spin around and he spotted a bronze bowl spinning to a stop.
There was something else in here with—
Another rattle, but this time from the opposite direction. Corrigan didn't bother turning, instead he opened his magic senses. He reached out, searching for whatever was in this room with him.
He blinked his eyes then. Well, he certainly hadn't been expecting that.
He had found a being of magical birth, meaning it had been created through magic. Then he found another and then another. While he knew he wasn't alone here, he hadn't expected to find a veritable hoard.
"It knowssssss," a deep voice hissed.
"It knowsss, it knowsss," another one agreed.
"Devour it, devour it," another urged.
Well, he knew where this was going. A stronger pulse pounded within Corrigan, causing him to grimace. He forced it back where it belonged, but the redhead knew he was short on time. Eventually, he wouldn't be able to keep it at bay any longer.
Taking in a deep breath, Corrigan then called out, "How about all of you come out, hmm? There's little point in you staying hidden any longer."
As if that were some kind of cue, strange creatures began to emerge from all over the room. Some appeared around the various artworks while others pulled themselves out of the walls and floor. They were of all various forms. Some had serpentine bodies with elongated arms; some were either feline or canine with sharp claws and teeth. Others were insects with more eyes and legs than should have been permissible.
Well, he had suspected Peck had gathered an army. It seemed he had found it.
"No use in running, mortal," one of the beasts growled, taking a threatening step towards him. "We will devour you."
Corrigan stared at it before looking all around him. He could see more monsters emerging from higher points along the walls and even the ceiling now. He was essentially trapped here. He then returned his attention back to the snarling dog-like creature. "Who ever said anything about running?"
The paranormal investigator then raised a hand up. He needed to be careful here, but if he controlled it just right…he could kill two birds with one stone here. Focusing, he channeled the pulse within him into his hands, eventually causing a flowing aura to envelop it. Green and white light flowed around his hand, rhythmically, a cascade of water.
The nearest monsters instantly flinched at the sight, snarling at him. "Kill it!" one of them cried. "Kill it before it can—"
"You're a little too late for that," Corrigan said before he unleashed his power.
Zatanna had left the sitting room some time ago. While she wasn't much of an architectural girl, she at least learned how to appreciate some of the various designs. Living in a mansion did that to a girl.
So she knew she was in a fancy place as she walked from corridor to corridor. If there was one thing about these large, multi-room houses, it was that they had the corresponding number of hallways. It was like someone was intentionally trying to get people lost or something. In the case of the House of Mystery, that was more than likely the case. The House could literally create and uncreate hallways at a whim.
Now, this place didn't have the same haunted house vibe as that spooky building. The dim lighting helped to create a somber, ill-at-ease atmosphere, but it wasn't as if Zatanna was expecting a werewolf to come bursting out of a room, or even a story about a werewolf to be force fed into her head.
The dark-haired woman did wish that she knew where she was supposed to go. She and the others had been separated, all according to whatever Brother Night's plan was. Knowing where the impending ambush was would've been helpful. She really wanted to get it over with.
Reaching the end of a hallway, she was forced to make a left turn, the hallway stretching towards a set of double doors. Heading towards them, the magician soon spotted an intersecting hallway just before the double doors. When she reached that intersection, she saw a much larger hallway that headed towards a foray. At least she had a better idea of where she was.
"John? Corrigan?" Zatanna called out on the off chance that either man had managed to remain close to the entrance. It wasn't surprising that she didn't get a response.
At least, she didn't get one from that direction.
It was soft, so soft that the dark-haired woman wasn't certain she had heard it. It was a clicking sound, as if someone had turned a doorknob so slowly that they wanted to minimize the sound of the lock becoming undone. Turning around, Zatanna caught sight of one of the double doors gently opening, the hinges silent. Hmm, someone had been keeping this place maintained.
More importantly, that was clearly an invitation. What to do, what to do. Should she go check what had opened the door? Or did she not do the horror movie trope and instead go somewhere else?
"Damn it, Zee, you're so basic," she grumbled as she walked over to the set of double doors. Yeah, she was doing the damn trope, so sue her. Knowing her luck, this mansion was cursed or enchanted with magic and she'd be forced to enter whatever room these doors were hiding. She might as well get it over with.
Reaching the door, she grabbed the knob and pulled the door open. Peeking in, she found a well-lit ballroom. The floor was comprised of black and white tiles, making it look like a gigantic chessboard. There were drapes that covered the walls, hiding any potential windows that might be present as well. Off to the right was a staircase that led up to a second story, which circled around the room.
Entering the ballroom, Zatanna kept looking around. She wasn't surprised when the door shut behind her, along with locking itself. Yeah, she had been expecting that, the horror movie trope and all.
"You're not scaring me," she called out. "Might as well come out so we can actually talk like adults instead of being children."
She heard a dry chuckle. Glancing around, the magician eventually spotted someone emerging out from beneath the staircase. Immediately, she recognized that suited guy from before, the one that had stolen Johnathan from her at the courthouse. "You again," she grumbled.
"Me again," the older man agreed. "We meet again."
"Any reason you lured me in here?" the dark-haired woman questioned. "Because if you're trying to scare me, it won't work. I've already lived through enough horror stories."
"Scare, no; invite, yes." The man sauntered further into the room until he was standing out in plain sight. "It would seem you and I have plenty of time to talk now."
"And you didn't before?" she deadpanned.
"No, not last time," he acknowledged. "But now we have all of the time in the world."
"Then first off, tell me who you are," Zatanna ordered. "And then tell me what the hell Brother Night is up to."
A bemused look appeared on the old man's face, the portion that wasn't covered by the fedora. "You may call me Reaper—and you are?"
"Zatanna," she answered. "Now the second part of my question."
"Seeing as I doubt you can stop it, I don't see any harm," Reaper said. He took a step forward, shoving his hands into the pockets of his suit jacket. "Brother Night is in negotiations with a demonic entity outside of this realm. The two of them are old acquaintances, so they are currently resuming their former relationship."
Well, that didn't clear up much. "Negotiations for what?" she pressed.
"What would one speak to a demon about?" Reaper returned.
"Nothing good, of that I'm certain." Even now this guy was being vague, which was annoying. This time Zatanna took a step towards the old guy. "How about you do everyone a favor and just step aside. Nothing good can come from talking with a demon."
"Unfortunately for you, I cannot 'step aside'," Reaper replied. "I am in the employ of Brother Night, thus I must uphold my end of my employment. Surely you can understand that."
"Even if innocent people get hurt?" she challenged.
The man lowered his head, shaking it from side to side as if he were disappointed. Maybe he was, maybe he wasn't; she didn't give a damn either way. She had a feeling this guy didn't give one flipping care about other people. "Perhaps we should just agree to disagree," he suggested then. "You are here to stop Brother Night and I am here to ensure he continues forward. Neither one is willing to back down." He then raised a hand up, a dark flame of magic enveloping it. "Conflict is…inevitable."
Yeah, he was at least right about that. Zatanna held up both of her hands, a purple aura glowing around her as she summoned her magical energies. "Then let's do away with the small talk and get this over with," she said.
A smile grew across Reaper's face. "That is something we can finally agree on."