Rachel remained inside the bookstore, scanning the shelves for anything related to psychological counseling. Ever since returning from Adrian's Spiritual World, her feelings toward him had grown increasingly complicated. The experience of sealing Trigon had only deepened that confusion.
What she felt was no longer limited to familial affection. There was something else, something harder to define, binding her to him.
On top of that, reality itself felt distant. She had lived in that other world for decades. Every detail there had become familiar, almost natural. Now, back in Smallville, everything felt strangely hollow, as if she were observing her own life from the outside.
"Even if I found a psychologist, they probably wouldn't understand," she muttered, exhaling softly.
She wandered through the aisles several times before selecting a few books that seemed relevant. One caught her attention.
"Freud's The Interpretation of Dreams."
She opened it and began reading. If Adrian's Spiritual World could be considered a dream, then what did everything within it represent?
A passage stood out:
"In the subconscious, instinctive desires are constantly suppressed. Society's morality and legal systems maintain rational control. Conversely, when desires are excessively released, the inner self seeks balance by suppressing them once again."
Rachel considered this carefully.
Ordinary people suppressed their desires while secretly wishing to release them. Adrian, on the other hand, seemed to do the opposite. He acted freely, yet deep down, something within him felt restrained.
If that was true, then did Adrian even want to do the things he had been doing?
Or was he, like Layla, simply becoming the person he believed he should be?
Rachel closed the book, frustration settling in her chest.
Very few people truly understood Adrian. Even Clark struggled to grasp him.
With a quiet sigh, she returned the book and continued searching. By the time she left the store, evening had already fallen.
Smallville's streets were nearly empty, the winter cold driving people indoors. Frost from the previous night coated the town, giving it a solemn, frozen stillness.
Rachel pulled on her gloves and stepped outside.
After her power surge and the sealing of Trigon, her body had weakened. She no longer resisted the cold as she once had. Now, even the winter air felt sharp against her skin.
She stopped at a public phone and used her phone card to call home. Since her recent kidnapping incident, Martha had become especially protective. Rachel understood the concern, even if it felt excessive at times.
After reassuring Martha that she would be home late, Rachel hung up and began walking along the quiet road.
When she reached a more secluded stretch, something shifted in the air.
A distortion formed directly in front of her, twisting space itself. Rachel did not panic. The aura felt strangely familiar, reminiscent of Hell.
From within the distortion, black, shadowy tentacles emerged. They did not attack her. Instead, they stretched outward, expanding the warped space around her.
Before she could react, the darkness swallowed her whole.
With no one nearby to witness it, Rachel vanished from the empty street.
The world around her shifted instantly.
The quiet town road was replaced by a barren, hilly landscape. Jagged rocks littered the ground, and the air felt dry and lifeless.
"Where is this?" she asked, her voice steady.
She scanned her surroundings, her senses sharpening. During the transition, she had caught the unmistakable scent of a demon.
Having sealed Trigon, Rachel felt no fear.
She extended her magical perception, searching for whoever had brought her here.
A voice answered instead.
"Hey, are you the demon angel with dual souls the Baron mentioned?"
A red-skinned demon appeared, suspended in midair. Half of his body remained inside a portal-like structure, while the rest hung upside down. Horns curved from his head, and his grin carried arrogance.
"Who are you?" Rachel asked.
"I am Red Demon. If you've been to Hell, you should know me."
Rachel frowned slightly. She had heard of Blue Devil, but Red Demon meant nothing to her.
So he was either insignificant or delusional.
After a brief pause, she asked calmly, "Are you here to eat me?"
The demon froze, clearly caught off guard.
"Uh... you could say that," he replied awkwardly.
Rachel removed her gloves.
Though still weakened, she retained her magic. In fact, after sealing Trigon, her power felt deeper, more refined. Her understanding of space and mental magic had improved significantly.
This would be a good opportunity to test herself.
"Are you sure you want to fight me?" Red Demon sneered, releasing a heavy aura. "I am one of Hell's strongest devils. Surrender, and I might spare you."
Rachel stepped forward without hesitation.
"I know Hell's power well enough. Don't exaggerate."
She raised her hand. Black, crow-shaped energy surged forward like lightning.
Red Demon dodged, flipping backward in midair. But it was a feint.
A second attack followed instantly. A rope of condensed black magic lashed out, wrapping tightly around his arm.
With a sharp pull, Rachel dragged him toward her.
Her fist, reinforced with spiritual energy, struck his jaw with crushing force.
A burst of dark energy exploded on impact.
The demon screamed as he was sent crashing to the ground, dust erupting around him.
Enraged, he stood and roared, "You've angered me. I'll burn you to ashes!"
Hellfire erupted from his mouth, surging toward Rachel.
The flames burned intensely, capable of reducing a human to nothing. But Rachel did not move.
The fire engulfed her.
Moments later, she stepped out unharmed. A layer of thick, black energy coated her body, shielding her completely.
Before Red Demon could react, Rachel launched another attack. A crow-shaped blast shrieked through the air, accelerating suddenly as it struck his chest.
He was sent flying again, crashing violently into the ground.
"Damn it!" he cursed, fear now replacing his arrogance.
He scrambled backward, shouting desperately, "Baron, save me! I can't beat her!"
Above him, a pale yellow cloud began to rotate, forming a portal. It pulled him inside instantly.
He landed hard on the floor of Baron Winters' room.
The Baron looked down at him with clear disgust.
"How disgraceful. Even with power granted, you still fail."
Red Demon stammered, trying to defend himself, but the Baron cut him off.
"I told you to observe Rachel, not attack her. Now you've exposed everything."
Through the still-open portal, Rachel stood on the other side, staring directly at them.
Recognition flashed across her face.
The Baron's expression tightened. He had not expected his plan to unravel so quickly.
Without another word, he opened a second portal and sent Red Demon away.
"We no longer need you. Go back."
As the portal closed, the Baron sighed heavily. Rachel would now be on guard.
Meanwhile, Adrian remained at Kent Farm, unaware of what had happened.
Clark, equally unaware, met Lois at a coffee shop. After their conversation, they walked together down the street.
"You're saying Adrian nearly took down Batman and his team, and you and Rachel sealed a powerful demon?" Lois asked, stunned.
Clark nodded, his expression troubled.
"Adrian handled most of it himself. I don't even know if they survived. I was unconscious. I couldn't stop him."
Lois fell silent, absorbing the weight of his words.
Suddenly, someone tapped Clark's shoulder.
"Excuse me, how do I get to the Daily Planet?"
A young woman stood behind him, dressed in a stylish coat, her light green hair striking.
As soon as her hand touched him, Clark felt his strength drain away.
Her name was Lori Zechlin, known as Black Alice.
A mystic capable of stealing powers, knowledge, and even fragments of a person's past.
Clark's abilities flowed into her effortlessly.
"Superman's power," she murmured. "Not bad, but still lacking."
Dark energy surged from her body, forming shadows eerily similar to Rachel's magic.
The shadows expanded rapidly, striking toward Clark.
"If these powers were yours, they might stand against greater forces. But now, they belong to me."