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/-\
HELL – SHADOW KEEP
The war room of Arthur's infernal stronghold was carved from black volcanic stone. A massive table dominated the center, covered in maps of Hell regions of flame, territories claimed by demon lords, and the towering silhouette of the Palace of Dis marked in crimson.
The door groaned open as Arthur and Constantine stepped inside.
They both stopped.
On the far side of the room, beneath a suspended globe of smoldering hellfire that served as lighting, Kara sat hunched over a chessboard carved from bone and onyx. Across from her, perfectly poised and maddeningly calm, sat Shadow Galatea, Arthur's shadow-born counterpart to the infamous clone, her eyes glowing faintly as she studied the board.
Galatea moved a piece.
"Checkmate."
Kara stared at the board.
"Again?!"
Her jaw tightened.
John blinked.
"…You've got to be kidding me."
Kara immediately began resetting the pieces.
"Rematch."
Arthur crossed his arms, the faintest smile tugging at his lips.
Galatea obliged without comment.
Two minutes later.
"Checkmate."
Kara shot to her feet.
"Oh, come on!"
John burst out laughing, the sound echoing shamelessly through the chamber.
"Oh, this is brilliant," he wheezed. "The Girl of Steel, terror of intergalactic warlords… absolutely annihilated by a board game."
Kara shot him a glare hot enough to rival the lava rivers outside.
"It's a stupid game anyway," she muttered, brushing invisible dust off her cape as though that had been the issue.
Galatea tilted her head slightly.
"I can teach you to improve," she offered calmly. "You are predictable in your aggression."
Kara turned slowly.
"You.."
Arthur stepped forward, amused.
"It's not just a game, Kara."
His voice was smooth.
"It is strategy and patience."
Kara folded her arms tightly, refusing to look at the board.
"Can we just forget about this, please?"
There was genuine embarrassment in her voice now, cheeks flushed.
Zatanna, who had been leaning against one of the pillars, smiled gently.
"I think it's adorable."
Kara groaned.
"Zee."
Arthur allowed the moment to settle before shifting the tone.
Zatanna pushed off the pillar and walked closer.
"So," she asked, curiosity sparkling in her eyes, "did you meet this mysterious contact of yours?"
Constantine sighed dramatically.
"Oh, we met him."
He rubbed the back of his neck.
"Didn't expect it to be that particular cosmic introvert, but yeah. We did alright."
Arthur stepped toward the table.
"It was an ally," he said evenly. "Or at least someone who wishes to help us… and Hell."
Kara and Zatanna exchanged confused looks.
"Help Hell?" Kara repeated.
"How?" Zatanna asked.
John took a deep breath.
"Alright. Story time."
He leaned against the table and recounted the encounter, the ancient platform, the arrival of Dream of the Endless, the warning about Heaven, the proposal to cast Hell into slumber for some time, enough time for Arthur to deal with the remaining Demon lords.
As he spoke, the room grew quieter.
When he finished, Zatanna exhaled slowly.
"I see…"
Her eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
"So this Dream commands… dreams themselves. And through them, reality as well."
Arthur nodded.
"He intends to give us a direct path to the Tower of Dis, without chaos or unnecessary battles."
His voice hardened slightly.
"To face Neron and anyone who wants to get in the way. Alone."
Kara frowned.
"And Heaven's just… watching?"
Arthur's expression darkened subtly.
"He is concerned about Heaven. For good reason."
He paused.
"And about Hell's residents. He pities them."
Etrigan, seated in the corner sharpening his blade with slow strokes, let out a low chuckle.
"Pity for the damned? A curious trait."
Arthur continued, unfazed.
"He is also wary of me and my actions here."
That drew everyone's attention.
"My shadow army has grown significantly," Arthur said calmly. "Every demon host we defeat joins my ranks. Every damned soul that attacks us and falls… becomes mine."
Kara's brows lifted slightly.
Arthur's tone remained steady, not boastful.
"In effect, I am punishing the damned by ending their torment and placing them under my eternal command, you can call it a different kind of judgment."
"I am disrupting a balance and breaking ancient heavenly laws."
He said it as one might describe adjusting a mechanism.
John nodded slowly.
"And Heaven doesn't exactly send thank-you cards for that sort of thing."
Arthur inclined his head.
"Precisely, I've been aware and careful of this the moment I set foot here."
He looked toward the distant ceiling as though seeing beyond it.
"Hell is already troublesome. I will not add a war with Heaven to our list of complications."
Zatanna studied him carefully.
"Do you trust him?"
Arthur didn't hesitate.
"I don't trust anyone lightly."
A faint pause.
"But there is no reason for him to betray me or use me."
John straightened slightly.
"Well, dear," he said lightly, glancing at Zatanna, "looks like I'll be staying here with His Shadowy Majesty."
Zatanna blinked.
"You want me to leave?"
Arthur turned his gaze to Kara.
"And you as well."
Kara stiffened.
"I know you wish to return home," he continued gently. "I will follow once this matter is settled."
Kara's jaw tightened.
"I do want to go home," she admitted. "But I'm not leaving without you."
From the corner, Etrigan laughed, flames flickering faintly around his eyes.
"The shadow needs no aid nor shield.
His strength alone the fate shall yield."
Kara shot him an annoyed look.
"How do you even understand what he says?"
"Rhyme and reason intertwine," Etrigan replied smugly.
"Just be quiet," Kara muttered.
Zatanna crossed her arms.
"Fine. If my presence is unwanted.."
"Z," John cut in gently.
He stepped closer to her, voice losing its teasing edge.
"Your help's more than welcome. Always."
He sighed.
"But the demons who stay awake? They'll throw everything they've got at us. Tricks, contracts, ambushes, curses."
He gestured around the room.
"The more of us here, the easier we are to target. Arthur's shadows are enough. And I need to stay for… obvious reasons."
Zatanna held his gaze for a moment, reading what he didn't say.
Magic. Contracts. The metaphysical mess only Constantine could untangle.
She nodded slowly.
"…Fine."
Kara folded her arms, clearly unhappy, lower lip slightly pouted despite her attempt to look dignified.
"Fine. I'll go back."
She looked away.
"I'll be waiting with George and Raven."
Arthur stepped closer to her.
"This will not take long."
Then
The air in the war room suddenly shifted.
Kara was still frowning, arms folded, when a ripple of dark energy appeared behind Arthur.
A portal.
Zatanna straightened instantly. John's hand moved on instinct toward the pocket where he kept his lighter and charms. Even Arthur's Marshals in the room got alert.
From the tear in space stepped a familiar figure wrapped in dark indigo light.
"I'm afraid you'll have to wait with George and Dexter alone, Kara."
The voice was calm and soft.
Completely unexpected.
Kara froze.
"…Raven?"
Zatanna's eyes widened. "How did you.."
John blinked once. Twice.
"Well I'll be damned twice over."
Etrigan rose halfway from his seat, blade lowering slightly.
Only Arthur did not turn.
He stood still at the head of the table, back to her.
Raven let the portal close behind her with a gentle flick of her fingers. The seam in reality stitched itself shut as though it had never been disturbed.
She stepped forward into the violet light of the chamber.
"Hello, everyone."
There was the faintest hint of amusement in her tone.
Kara was across the room in a blur stopping just short of tackling her.
"You.. you were supposed to be resting!"
Zatanna approached more carefully, still stunned.
"We sealed the gateway signatures so no one can teleport inside here.. I layered protections myself, to cover our tracks here, so how did you manage to get here?"
Raven gave her a small, knowing smile.
"You did, it was a bit hard for me to get past them at the start and find you."
John stared at her.
"And you slipped through anyway."
Raven's expression didn't change.
"I've had practice escaping places like this."
Then her eyes shifted.
To Arthur.
He still hadn't moved.
Hadn't turned, hadn't acknowledged her.
She tilted her head slightly, a faint, playful glimmer touching her eyes.
"Hey," she said gently. "Aren't you going to say hi to me Arthur?"
Arthur exhaled slowly.
It wasn't annoyance or anger.
"You shouldn't be here, Raven."
His voice was even and calm.
Raven smiled faintly.
"I know."
Kara looked between them.
Arthur continued, still not turning.
"You are supposed to stay and recover."
A faint pulse of shadow curled around his boots, reacting to his emotions.
"Besides, this place is.."
"Like another home to me," Raven finished softly.
She stepped closer.
"I know it better than most."
That made John grimace slightly.
"Not exactly a comforting endorsement, love."
Arthur finally moved.
He turned.
His eyes found hers immediately.
He crossed the space between them in two strides and took hold of her shoulders, not roughly, but firmly.
Grounding himself.
Grounding her.
"That's not the point."
His voice dropped lower.
"Consider your origins, the beings here can.."
"I'm the daughter of Trigon," Raven interrupted gently.
There was no arrogance in it. Just truth.
"Most creatures here fear me."
A faint, dark aura glowed around her for a second, controlled, disciplined and powerful.
"Besides," she added, softer now, "I feel stronger than ever now, it seems severing my connection with my father have unlocked something in me.."
Arthur studied her face.
Raven glanced around the room casually, as though she hadn't just walked into the most hostile realm in existence.
Her eyes landed on the towering, horned figure in the corner.
She smiled.
"Oh. Hello, nephew."
Etrigan stiffened completely.
The flames in his eyes flared once, then dimmed to embers.
"Raven…"
He inclined his head slightly.
"Blood of the Demon's bane,
Daughter born of hellish reign."
John looked at Arthur.
"I'll never get used to that family tree."
Kara stepped closer again, studying Raven carefully.
"You're really okay?"
Raven nodded.
"Yes."
Her gaze returned to Arthur.
"And I'm not leaving."
Arthur's hands were still on her shoulders.
He searched her eyes one last time.
Concern, resolve, strength all of it was radiating from her eyes alone.
He exhaled.
The tension in his grip eased, though he didn't step back immediately.
"Fine... You win. "
/-\
If you Like this story! Check out my other stories! Solo leveling in Westeros.
&
If you wish to read more or simply support me than check out my patreon at
"https://www.patreon.com/FrenzyAren"
You can Get Access to 3 More Chapters OR 7 More Chapters if you want