"Thud!"
Shazam, having successfully transformed in midair, crashed to the ground as the last of his strength deserted him.
The instant his feet touched the earth, his body gave out. He dropped to one knee, struggling just to remain conscious.
He had maintained his lightning empowered form for far too long. Enhanced by Doctor Fate's magical blessing and caught in the devastating clash between Trickster and Trigon, even his magically empowered body had reached its limit.
"Boom!"
A catastrophic explosion erupted from the battlefield where Trigon, Trickster, and Adrian had fought.
The violent shockwave swept outward in every direction.
Everyone inside both the House of Secrets and the House of Mystery was overwhelmed by the immense surge of energy and instantly knocked unconscious.
Silence gradually settled over the battlefield.
Barely awake, Shazam lifted his head toward the smoke-covered wasteland.
Every muscle in his body screamed in agony, yet he forced his bloodstained eyes open.
"Did... did it work?"
The thick smoke hid everything from view, leaving him with nothing but hope that Doctor Fate's desperate gamble had succeeded.
As the dust slowly dispersed, a lone figure emerged from the haze.
It was Adrian.
His cape had been torn to shreds, and his uniform was heavily damaged. The lingering hellfire and chaotic energy had pushed even his nearly indestructible body beyond its limits.
Sections of his skin were exposed, revealing powerful muscles marked with cuts and bruises. Blood seeped from countless wounds, staining his battered frame.
Through the drifting smoke, he appeared weary.
Yet the terrifying killing intent surrounding him remained powerful enough that no one could meet his eyes.
Shazam noticed something else.
The madness and bloodlust that had once burned within Adrian's eyes, resembling the Joker's insanity, had faded considerably.
"A... Adrian..."
Before he could say anything more, exhaustion finally overwhelmed him, and he collapsed unconscious.
Adrian walked silently from the ruined battlefield.
Much of his sanity had returned.
The Doomsday template within him, combined with his extraordinarily powerful mind, had suppressed the Joker Virus infecting his body.
The mysterious forces hidden deep within his consciousness possessed a level of supernatural resistance that had made his mind extraordinarily resilient.
What could drive ordinary people hopelessly insane had been forcibly restrained by his own indomitable will.
Although the Joker Virus had been suppressed, it had not been completely eliminated.
Violence, rage, and destructive impulses still lingered beneath the surface of his thoughts.
Ignoring them, Adrian steadily walked toward where Rachel had fallen.
She had collapsed after exhausting herself to seal Trigon away.
He knelt beside her and carefully lifted her into his arms.
The moment he held his sister, the violent emotions inside him seemed to melt away, as though Rachel herself had absorbed every trace of that darkness.
Holding her close, Adrian quietly walked away from the battlefield.
The battle against Trigon and Trickster had drained nearly every ounce of his strength.
Sensing his presence, Rachel slowly opened her eyes.
Seeing Adrian immediately eased the fear and exhaustion weighing on her heart.
"Brother..."
Her demonic appearance had vanished.
The intimidating aura of the Hell Princess was gone, replaced once again by the gentle young woman Adrian knew.
"Did... did we win?"
"Yes."
Adrian looked across the battlefield that had become a living hell.
"We won. Trigon and Trickster disappeared together into the void. For all practical purposes, they're gone. Returning won't be easy."
Rachel let out a relieved sigh and tightened her grip on his damaged uniform.
"That's... wonderful."
Now that the battle was over, she looked completely different from the commanding figure who had confronted Trigon only moments before.
"I'm really glad... I could help you, Brother."
Despite her exhaustion, genuine happiness filled her face.
"You took far too much of a risk, Rachel."
There was unmistakable concern in Adrian's voice.
"Trigon came for you. If things had gone even slightly differently..."
"I know."
Rachel smiled weakly.
"But I couldn't just watch you fight while I stood by doing nothing."
She adjusted herself comfortably against his chest before continuing.
"We spent decades together in that other world, and we only recently found each other again. How could I accept losing you now?"
She paused before speaking with unwavering conviction.
"If I'd failed, I would've used whatever strength I had left to die alongside Trigon."
Adrian remained silent.
Rachel looked into his eyes.
"I've seen your inner world."
"I've seen Laila, Clark, Lois, everyone who matters to you."
"That's the future you truly want."
"So I'll fight to protect it."
For the first time in her life, Rachel felt she completely understood her brother.
People believed Adrian was cold, ruthless, and incapable of caring about anyone.
They were wrong.
He cherished those precious to him more deeply than most people ever could.
More than power, he longed for genuine love and a family he could protect.
Rachel wanted to become someone who could stand beside him.
Not someone who always needed his protection, but someone strong enough to protect him as well.
Adrian said nothing.
He simply held her a little closer.
His gaze shifted toward the unconscious Shazam before moving to the members of the Justice Society lying throughout the House of Secrets.
Wonder Woman, Clark, and the others had all lost consciousness.
Batman and everyone who had been inside the House of Secrets, however, were gone.
Looking at the empty space where they had once stood, Adrian frowned.
...
Pacific Lead Mine, Northern Alaska.
Hundreds of meters beneath the frozen ground.
Batman slowly opened his eyes.
Groaning, he forced himself upright and surveyed the bright white room surrounding him.
"What... happened?"
Holding his aching head, he looked toward Poison Ivy.
She stood nearby, equally confused.
"I don't know," she answered emotionlessly.
"I woke up here too. It looks like Doctor Fate's plan worked. Somehow, we were rescued."
"I see..."
Despite every part of his body protesting, Batman climbed out of bed and examined his surroundings.
Recognition quickly dawned.
This underground bunker was one of his own contingency bases.
A hidden facility built specifically as a last resort against Adrian.
Doctor Fate or Zatanna had most likely teleported everyone here.
"You built this place, didn't you?" Poison Ivy asked.
"Yes."
Batman nodded.
"I always prepare for every possibility."
He immediately asked another question.
"Where's Constantine?"
"Outside."
She gestured toward the hallway.
Batman staggered into the corridor.
Bright white lights illuminated the underground passage.
There, he found Constantine crouching beside his daughter as she happily colored pictures with crayons.
"John."
Constantine looked up.
"You're awake."
"What happened?"
Batman demanded.
"You guessed correctly."
Constantine shrugged.
"We won. Doctor Fate created a separate dimension. Rachel released her full power and sealed Trigon, Trickster, and the Doctor himself inside it."
Batman lowered his head.
Supporting himself against the wall, he slowly removed his torn cowl, revealing a face covered in bruises and exhaustion.
"Gone into the void?"
"Probably something close enough to death."
Constantine spoke matter-of-factly.
"That explosion knocked everyone unconscious. Fortunately, Zatanna showed up and teleported us here."
"Nightwing?"
Batman interrupted.
Constantine's expression darkened.
"I'm sorry, mate."
"He didn't make it."
Batman's fists tightened until his knuckles turned white.
"And now," Constantine continued, "it's time for Rose and me to leave."
He bent down and gathered the crayon drawings scattered across the floor.
"I'd like to say it's been an honor..."
Before he could finish, Batman lunged forward.
He slammed Constantine against the wall and raised his fist.
Then his eyes met Rose's frightened gaze.
His clenched fist slowly lowered.
He would never strike a father in front of his daughter.
"You've been using all of us from the beginning."
Every word carried barely restrained fury.
"Getting rid of Trigon was your real objective."
Constantine remained silent briefly before nodding.
"Detective Chimp figured it out before you did. He wanted to confront me weeks ago."
He showed no anger despite being grabbed by the collar.
"It's a shame he never got the chance."
"He also understood that sometimes ugly methods are necessary."
"Ever since Homelander's war led to an alien killing Rose's mother, she's become the only person that truly matters to me."
"I'll lie."
"I'll cheat."
"I'll bargain with every demon in Hell if that's what it takes to keep my daughter safe."
Batman stared at him in disbelief.
He had expected Constantine to hate Adrian more than anyone.
Instead, Adrian had simply been another piece on Constantine's board.
Everything had revolved around eliminating Trigon.
"What about your revenge?"
Batman demanded.
"You blamed Adrian for everything."
"You even wanted to..."
Constantine interrupted.
"I still want to punch him."
He snorted.
"I've known that idiot since middle school."
"Everything his father taught him, he ignored."
"Now he's turned himself into a dictator who's becoming more reckless every day."
"He acts like the whole world betrayed him. It's ridiculous."
Constantine sighed.
"But I can't bring myself to hate him."
"He's just like you."
"Both of you are prisoners of your own emotions."
"You simply chose different paths."
He looked directly into Batman's eyes.
"And I'd like to punch you too."
"You're so obsessed with your own perspective that you forget how much bigger the world really is."
"If you want to win this miserable war, there are other ways."
Seeing Batman remain silent, Constantine helped Rose put on her backpack.
"I'd stay and explain more."
"But it's time for us to go."
He gently took his daughter's hand.
"Where are you going?" Batman asked.
"Somewhere safe."
Constantine smiled faintly.
"You can call it a magical sanctuary."
"Once we're there, nobody will ever threaten my daughter again."
Purple magical energy wrapped around the pair.
A portal opened within the bunker wall.
Only then did Batman finally understand.
Constantine had likely made some bargain with Trigon years ago.
That bargain almost certainly involved Rose.
Fearing Trigon would one day come to collect, Constantine had orchestrated everything, manipulating Adrian and Rachel into destroying the demon once and for all.
Watching him prepare to leave, Batman's expression became incredibly complicated.
From beginning to end...
Constantine had manipulated him.
Rachel's kidnapping.
The war.
Everything.
None of it had been about defeating Adrian.
It had all been for one purpose.
Destroy Trigon.
"I trusted you."
Batman's voice shook with restrained anger.
"My teammates are dead."
"My family is gone."
"And you're just walking away?"
Constantine stopped but didn't turn around.
"I'm sorry, mate."
"But I'm not a hero."
"I'm just a father trying to protect his daughter."
"I hope you can understand that."
"What happened afterward..."
He lowered his head slightly.
"I never wanted any of it."
"And it was beyond my control."
Batman closed his eyes.
Had Rose not been standing there, he would have struck Constantine without hesitation.
Instead, he could only watch as the portal prepared to swallow them.
An overwhelming sense of exhaustion washed over him.
After everything he had sacrificed fighting Adrian...
This was how it ended.
"Hey."
Constantine suddenly called out.
Batman looked up.
"The next time you run into Homelander..."
Batman remained silent.
"Do me one favor."
A faint grin appeared on Constantine's face.
"Beat the hell out of him for me."
His laughter disappeared into the portal.
The purple light faded.
The gateway closed.
Only a single sheet of paper drifted gently to the floor.
Batman caught it.
It was a child's crayon drawing.
Three stick figures stood together as a family.
The man on the left wore a yellow trench coat with a cigarette hanging from his mouth.
Without question, it was Constantine.
Rose had drawn it.
Batman carefully placed the drawing on the floor.
The anger burning inside him slowly faded.
The bitterness of betrayal remained, but it no longer consumed him.
Turning away, he walked back toward the room.
Each step sent pain through his broken ribs.
Yet despite the agony, his stride gradually became steady once more.